Snowballs and Smooches

Hermione Granger squinted as she looked over the lawn. It was draped in a fresh blanket of snow, and the sun sent glittering shards of light across it in all directions. As she stepped out of the corridor, she could feel the layers of snow under her boots. Most of the students put charms on their school shoes to go play in the snow, but Hermione had brought snow gear from home. There was something about putting it all on, just to go out in the snow that made the time even more special. And to think this would be one of the last snowstorms she would see from Hogwarts... Hermione was looking forward to her future, but knowing it was her seventh and final year at Hogwarts made her heart pang just a bit. But today was not a day for thoughts of her future. Hermione Granger had woken up early that morning to go revel in the snow and be foolish while she still could.

Although she had never participated as fully in snow games with the other students, with their all-out snow fortresses and wars, she felt rather mischievous now. Maybe she could find someone else out this early, and hit them with a great snowball of surprise. Seeing no one around, she just continued walking.

Ah- that's a perfect spot for a snow angel she thought, as she carefully laid down. Standing up and shaking the snow off her clothes, she glanced down to admire her work. She'd even stepped out so that the angel had two cute little feet. Feeling better with snow all over her, she continued on her journey of the grounds, pausing occasionally to admire the snow covered trees.

It was out by the greenhouses that she finally found a potential victim. A black clothed figure was walking around, gazing at the snow and the trees just as Hermione was doing. Quickly surveying the area for cover, she darted behind a tree. If the figure, whoever it was, stayed put for a while, she could travel tree from tree to get close enough to waylay them with snowballs. She started creeping, staying low to the ground, picking up snow to make the perfect weapon as she went. Finally, she was close enough that she had to stop moving lest they hear the snow crunch under her shoes. Sneaking around the tree, she could barely make out the long black hair of the man standing a few yards away. He seemed completely distracted by the lightly falling snow as it left flakes on the panels of the greenhouse. Seeing the person in such peace, she almost felt bad about disturbing him.

But then again- everyone needed to be hit by a good snowball or two now and then.

With a quick intake of breath, she brought her arm back and took aim. The snowball sailed through the air and hit the man right in between the shoulder blades, and spread into a giant white patch all over his black robes. For a moment, the man seemed frozen. Hermione held a twinge of regret. She really hadn't meant to disturb anyone-just spread the frivolity of the season and the softly falling snow. The man slowly turned his head, and Hermione's curiosity rooted her to the spot. His face came into focus and her heart sunk. She hadn't recognized him out of the overbearing context of his billowing robes and odiferous potions room. That's right. Hermione Granger had just hit one of her strictest professors with a snowball for absolutely no reason at all. Before her mind could register anything else, she felt her legs carrying her as far away as possible. Even as she felt the feeling of anticipation and a small amount of fear, a smile came to her lips. If anyone needed a bit of innocent holiday humor, it was Severus Snape. Hermione might get a detention- but really, would Snape actually confess to getting hit with a snowball just so that he could punish her? Hermione doubted it. But she couldn't stop running. She could hear the snow forming into footprints behind her and knew he was following. Now this all seemed like a game and she was fascinated by the way the slow falling snow blurred in her vision as she ran. Seeing that he was still chasing her, Hermione decided that she'd just give up, turn around and apologize. And maybe she'd hit him with another snowball.

Hermione Granger had failed to account for one thing: Snape's legs were longer than hers, and he had gained more distance than she had noticed. As she suddenly stopped and turned around, he didn't have time to stop before it was too late. Trying to even slow down in the snow was futile, and Severus Snape slid right into Hermione and brought them both down into a heap, displacing enough powdery snow to surround them in a puffy white cloud.

Sweet Merlin what have I done now? I shouldn't have followed her. But how could I let a student get away with throwing a snow ball at me? Of course, this wasn't just any student. This was Hermione Granger. The seventh year made even more insufferable because of Severus' growing attraction to her. As she had grown up at Hogwarts, he had watched her grow into her intelligence and lead other students. She no longer seemed such a know-it-all, her annoyingly informative comments becoming rarer because they both knew she knew them. Severus found himself smiling at witty comments he overheard her say in the hallways. Sometimes he would get distracted at mealtimes watching her eat and converse with her friends who she had somehow managed to convert into reasonable excuses for wizards. The normally sardonic man found himself glancing at doorways in hope of finding her under the mistletoe, rather than avoiding it like in previous years.

All this just made his present situation even more awkward. He had no right to think like this about a student. She wouldn't be a student for much longer, but he doubted many people in the Wizarding world would approve. As much as was against him, however, he couldn't bring himself to move from where he was, though. And he happened to be lying on top of Hermione Granger in the snow, in the early morning with no one else around them.

Hermione Granger couldn't move. First, she thought that he must be angry with her. Especially when she stopped and had made them both fall down. But looking up at his face, she couldn't' find any anger there. Only a slight annoyance and... a hint of amusement? The smile that had begun on Hermione's face spread even wider.

"Normally, students who have just hit one of their professors with a snowball aren't smiling, Miss Granger."

"Normally, professors don't look so silly, with all this snow in their hair and falling down and the like," she replied. Where had that come from? Hermione knew she'd have to pay for her cheek now. The foreboding feeling in her stomach grew as a smirk played on his lips.

"Now you dare say I look silly? How would you describe throwing a snowball and trying to out run the person afterwards?" He really shouldn't be having this much fun. He should climb off her. If anyone should walk by...

"Well, I was hoping you'd just stay back there and enact your revenge later or something."

"Enact my revenge? You mean, do something like this?" His fist clenched around some nearby snow and he brought his hand up and smashed the white powder into her hair.

Hermione shrieked as she felt the cold snow on her head. Knowing this was now war, she scrambled to procure some weapons from nearby. Snape's smirk grew as he went into a crouch and gathered more snow in his hands. He would not let her get away. Even though they were already practically covered in snow, there was still more damage to be done. She threw a shot at his leg for cover as she scrambled to stand up and search for cover. He was one step ahead of her, however. He darted in front of her and blocked the way to the nearest tree as he hit her right in the stomach. Hermione was so caught off guard that she dropped both the snowballs she had been holding. She could see that he still had one more. As he brought his arm back, Hermione was weaponless and desperate. She would not get beaten in a snowball fight by her professor. She did the only thing she could think of and leapt toward him. Snape's arm stopped where it was behind his head as Hermione came colliding into him. Now it was his turn to hit the snow first and have someone land on top of him. He frowned as he dropped the snowball. How had he lost? That certainly wasn't what he'd thought of.

Hermione also frowned. He looked unhappy. And no wonder- she had just attacked him! She had attacked Professor Snape!

"I'm so sorry Professor- I was unarmed and it was all I could think of-"

He cut her off with something that he had been longing to do for months. Her eyes widened in surprise as his lips captured hers. At first, she just remained like that, her mind unable to comprehend what was going on. Did he know? Had he noticed the crush that she had been harboring for him for years, that had grown stronger each term, rather than diminishing? Was he tormenting her with what she couldn't have?

Severus broke away. What had he done now?

"I'm sorry. I- that was, well- completely out of line- but- you. I mean- I didn't..." he stuttered, shocked that he had so blatantly broken school rules, and so recklessly lost her respect. No doubt she would think of him as some horribly lecherous beast from now on. Seeing him so flustered, Hermione realized that he had done it, not out of spite, but because he had wanted to. He wanted to kiss me? Wow! All comprehensible thoughts left Hermione's head as she brought her head down and kissed him. School rules be damned, he needed to know how she felt.

Now it was Severus' turn to be shocked- she had kissed him back. Their precarious situation and disregard for propriety forgotten, Snape brought his hands through her hair, which was thoroughly wet with snow. As he pulled away and saw the smile on her lips, Severus finally came to appreciate what an innocent snowball fight could lead to.