Chapter 73: Nobody Likes A Snake

The morning was already getting off to a bad start for Hermione as another of Rita Skeeter's vicious articles had been circulating the castle. More whispers and accusing looks had been in plaguing the Charms Mistress since she stepped out of her private chambers. Her love life had been the definite talk of the town and then some. She had not had a moment's peace or had spent any time with Severus since the articles began gaining attention from any and all who would read them. It was having an effect on the witch to say the least. Hermione made her way into the teachers lounge in search of coffee. She had still been sleepy and her body ached from all the activity with her spells work. She was cranky and on edge since the gossiping began and spent much of her time keeping to herself. As annoyed as she was she had not been prepared for what she walked in on in the teacher's lounge that morning.

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The Teacher's Lounge, Hogwarts...

Severus Snape had been his usual testy self when he came to get coffee. He had not liked the idea of being gossiped about when he was teaching dunderheads now the entire wizarding world was in on it and it took every ounce of self control not show up at the office where that deranged bat was pinning her gossip and hex her to oblivion. He was use to being the guy no one liked but he drew the line at anyone making fun of Hermione, especially in his presence. Snape made his way to the coffee much as he had every morning. It was a typical thing except no sooner had he lifted the coffee pot did all the other professors start pouring in.

"You should be ashamed of yourself." said the shrill tone of Pomona Sprout.

Snape rolled his eyes without turning to face the Herbology Professor.

"Whatever happened to good morning?" he asked in a sarcastic tone. "Or did we leave our manners buried in the greenhouse with the mandrakes?"

Professor Sprout narrowed her eyes at the dour wizard.

"One could hardly blame her for giving you a piece of her mind Severus." said Professor Aurora Sinistra with her nose turned up at the dour man. "What you've done to poor Miss Granger is reprehensible."

"I haven't done anything to Miss Granger." replied Snape. "I simply came for my morning coffee."

"I don't call getting the young witch pregnant at such an early age doing nothing." added Professor Septima Vector.

"If I were you Septima, I wouldn't believe everything I read in that cage fodder they call a newspaper." said Snape feeling his temper rise. "It tends to make otherwise passable professors such as yourselves seem like idiots."

"Severus Snape, I don't care what you may think of us but the fact remains that you have been having a personal relationship with that girl ever since she was a student her and I have half a mind to go down to the ministry of magic and report you." said Minerva.

"The fact that you openly admit that you have half a mind is a step in the right direction." countered Snape. "And last I recalled I was not myself when said relationship came about, so if anyone is to blame for any misconduct it's the old man who's arse is on the line so by all means go report it...perhaps they'll get the old coot the psychological help he so desperately needs."

"Leave him be ladies." said Remus Lupin chiming in. "Severus and Hermione are adults who do not need you or The Daily Prophet budding into their business...and in case you've all forgotten Hermione is a grown witch and is teaching her so if she wants to have a relationship with Severus I say let her...at least somebody loves the silver tongued serpent."

Snape narrowed his eyes at Lupin.

"Don't do me any favors werewolf." he snapped.

Lupin smirked and filled his cup with coffee.

At that moment Hermione walked in to a crowd of witches hovering near Snape with disapproving looks upon their faces and making snide remarks about him being a sexual predator. Snape had been no such thing despite his antics when they were together. The bushy haired witch made her way over toward the dour professor moving passed the glaring witches and over to the coffee pot. She poured herself a cup and looked at Severus who had been doing his best to keep his temper in the face of all the disrespectful accusations. Copies of The Daily Prophet had been in nearly everyone presents hands.

"I missed you this morning, Severus." said Hermione ignoring the looks she was getting.

"I've been busy." replied Snape taking a sip of his coffee. "Restocking potions and readying lessons for Dunderheads."

Hermione didn't doubt it she knew things had not gotten any easier for him since the article. Still she had wanted to ruffle the feathers of these old biddies and make them leave him alone. With a mischievous look in her eyes Hermione approached Severus who had been trying to figure out what she had been up to. She suddenly stood on the tips of her toes and kissed him on the lips. The Potions Professor smirked realizing what she had in mind to stop the old bats from squeaking.

He smoothly shifted his coffee cup to his other hand and wrapped Hermione in one of his arms pulling her closer in the process. Pomona, Aurora, Septima, and Minerva all looked on in relative shock, their mouths agape and faces twisted in disgust. Lupin smirked silently cheering the happy couple on.

Snape couldn't resist deepening the kiss just to make the other witches' stomachs turn. Pomona looked as if she wanted to beat him over the hands with a ruler, Aurora couldn't seem to take her eyes off him, Septima had been speechless, a first for her in that regard, and Minerva of course wanted to hex him back into the depths of hell. He knew the Transfiguration Professor had her hand tightly gripping her wand. She never did like the idea of her Gryffindor Princess being involved with The Head of Slytherin House. It went against everything in the good Gryffindor hand book Snape was sure.

"Severus." said the voice of Dumbledore. "Don't make me have to hose you two down."

Snape rolled his eyes at the older wizard.

Hermione giggled as she pulled away from her boyfriend.

"This coming from the man that insists we celebrate cupids ball so that he can snog Minerva in public." said Snape bitterly.

Minerva's cheeks turned red at the mention of this. Hermione tried to fight back another wave of giggles. She had no idea that The Headmaster and her former Head of House were in a relationship. When she became a Professor, she figured she'd catch up on all the latest gossip she missed out on as a student but this was something else entirely.

"Everyone, Severus did not take advantage of Miss Granger." said Dumbledore. "While his manner leaves little to be desired, he does handle himself with the utmost dignity when it comes to his position as Professor...As you can all see Miss Granger is not pregnant and you all already know that Austin Embers was recently adopted by Severus via magic...obviously Miss Granger and Severus are in a relationship but it has no standing what so ever on their teaching abilities."

"What about when she was a student?" asked Pomona. "Isn't there some law against what he did?"

"Severus has broken no laws of conduct and as her Professor he had not engaged Miss Granger in anyway." said Dumbledore attempting to put the witches minds at ease.

{Technically, I wasn't your professor when I engaged you.} said Snape in Hermione's mind. {How many times did we engage that year?...I forget.}

Hermione shook her head.

{"Slytherin Git."} she said.

{Insufferable know-it-all.} he countered.

{"I'm sorry they all seem to want to believe the worst about you."} she said.

{Comes with the territory.} replied Snape. {I suppose I'm use to it by now.}

{"What territory?"} asked Hermione. {"And why should you be use to it?"}

{It's simple logic as far as they are concerned.} replied Snape with a weary expression. {Nobody likes a snake.}

Hermione took his hand in hers and looked him deep in the eyes.

{"Well, I don't much care what anyone else likes."} she said in his mind. {"I know that I'm in love with a brilliant wizard who not only helped save the wizarding world, but shapes young minds to maintain it's future...and he's the best Slytherin I know."}

{Gryffindor romanticism at it's finest.} said Snape.

{"Shut up git."} said Hermione fighting back giggles as Dumbledore continued to speak. {"You love it."}

{No.} replied Snape lifting their joined hands until his pale lips came in contact with hers. {I love you...Gryffindor house can go sod itself.}

Hermione shook her head.

Some things never seemed to change.

As the little meeting concluded for everyone to return to their respective classes, Hermione turned her attention back to Severus. It had been so long since they had time together that she couldn't resist stealing a few moments with the dour wizard.

"Severus." she said.

He turned to face her and she pulled him into a nearby niche. The two of them found themselves sharing another heated kiss.

"Your rooms after class." said Hermione with a flicker of heat behind her eyes. "No floo calls."

"Indeed." replied Snape with a wicked smirk. "I look forward to it."

They parted ways and headed to their respective classes with the promise of a free night together making the grueling day much more bearable.