I Dare Not Ask A Kiss – A Severus Snape/Hermione Granger story.

Summery for Chapter One/Chapter Two – Murder In The Ministry (1&2) – Minutes before the murder of Cornelius Fudge at the Ministry's Halloween Dinner and Dance, Severus Snape is seen arguing with him. Is Severus so full of hate and anger towards the man that he has resorted to murder?

Rating: PG-13 – For language in later chapters, the rating may or may not go up, but I will warn in advance.

Disclaimer for all chapters: All Harry Potter characters/places belong to J.K.Rowling her respective publishers/moviemakers/copyright holders. I make no money from this; I am just a teenager with an over-active imagination and too much free time. Don't sue. Title taken from poem featured in Chapter One ...I don't know who owns the copyrights, but the writer is named and the poem sure isn't mine. So go figure. I own all characters that you don't recognise – if their lives/names/personality etc resembles any fictional/real people out there it was unintentional and purely coincidental.

Please read - - - This is the first serious fic I've written, and it is, as is obvious, a SS/HG fic. I haven't read any with my storyline before...I mean the one about the murder, that forces the two 'together', but if it has been done before I'm sorry about that. It's a total coincidence. If you want to contact me about that, my email is have to admit that although this is a SS/HG fic, it will be slow moving so please be patient with me! In this story Hermione and her other classmates are in their 7th year and are all 18. For the purpose of this story, Voldemort is still very much around and the Ministry still isn't doing anything about it (like at the end of the fourth book when Fudge refuses to believe Voldemort is 'back' – think along those lines.) In this way, the story is really set where the fourth book leaves off.

Reviews are gladly welcomed, and if you feel the need to flame me that's fine – just give a good reason as to why you're doing it, and please, use more advanced language than "U sUck!!1!!" otherwise I'll just view you as an immature idiot who has no life, lol.

I would also be thankful for any constructive criticism, advice and help. I don't claim to be a brilliant writer, and would be grateful if anyone could help improve it! Also, if you want me to return the favour of a review - tell me, I like to read!

Have a good time reading this and I hope you like it.

Murder In The Ministry – Part One

I dare not ask a kiss

I dare not beg a smile

Lest having that, or this,

I might grow proud the while.

No no, the utmost share

Of my desire shall be

Only to kiss that air

That lately kissed thee.

Robert Herrick (1591 – 1674)

It was now almost ten minutes after the time Harry and Ron had told Hermione to meet them. And they still hadn't shown up. Hermione wasn't too concerned about it, for she was beginning to regret agreeing to go to the Halloween Dinner and Dance at the Ministry's countryside manor tonight and the later they were, the less time she'd have to spend there. She was regretting agreeing because of one person: Severus Snape, the Potions Master at Hogwarts. He had been invited to the evening by Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster at Hogwarts and born optimist, in a bid to create a reasonable friendship between Snape and Cornelius Fudge – The Minister of Magic. Hah, thought Hermione, it was more likely that Professor Trelawney would make a real prediction before Snape and Fudge considered themselves as friends, even for Dumbledore's sake.

Hermione's feelings towards Snape now, in her 7th year, were pretty much the same as they had been since her 1st year at Hogwarts. She had no desire to ever have to face the man in a social situation or indeed any situation outside of listening to him in class and getting points taken from Gryffindor. His whole attitude towards others made her want to scream, for the man had no social grace and seemingly not a scrap of kindness in his bones. She knew that several of the Slytherin girls thought he was rather good-looking, but unless he had another side that only the Slytherins saw, she couldn't see the attraction. The person that you convey through words affects how you look, thought Hermione, and Snape is harsh, uncouth and downright ugly in his words.

A loud banging on the bathroom door caused Hermione to lose her train of thought. A familiar, yet muffled voice, shouted,

"Hermione? Hermione, are you in there?"

"Yeah! I'll be out in just a minute!" Hermione replied, and then turned back to the mirror for one last check. Her hair was in place; her skin was as good as she was going to get it and her dress was passable. Looking down she quickly checked to see if she had any toilet paper stuck to her new shoes, which she thankfully hadn't. It seemed to Hermione that whenever she used public toilets, toilet paper always ended up on the bottom of her shoes – only to cause her embarrassment.

As she opened the bathroom door she was greeted with both Ron and Harry frantically telling her that they were all going to be late. I hope we don't even make it...thought Hermione bitterly.

Snape stood outside Hagrid's hut in his most impatient pose. Dumbledore was busy talking to Hagrid about goodness-knows-what and Snape was not happy, having been made to stand outside in the drizzling rain wearing his formal robes. He couldn't remember how he had let himself be conned into going to this dance that Fudge was holding at one of the Ministry's many "country office buildings". As if everybody didn't know that they were only used for their extensive golf courses. Still, this evening would give Snape the chance to talk to Fudge, and to tell him exactly what had been on his mind recently.

"Albus!"

Snape knocked the door sharply and repeated,

"Albus!"

Dumbledore opened the door smiling,

"I'll just be a couple more minutes Serverus, remember, it's fashionable to be late!"

With those words, the door was promptly shut. Snape sighed and stared up at the darkened sky and winced as heavy raindrops began to fall upon his head.

He was not looking forward to this evening.

"Who all has been invited tonight?" Snape asked as he and Dumbledore walked up the corridor to the grand entrance doors of the hall where the Dance was being held. Dumbledore thought for a moment then, smiling, replied,

"More people that I would care not to see than I would like. But I'm sure I'll have a good night anyway."

Snape sighed,

"As long as that dratted Collins woman doesn't show up, I may be able to have a reasonable time."

"Really Severus, you do hold a grudge for the longest time. The two of you broke up years ago – and she's been married since. She goes by the name of Maxwell now."

Snape let out a sarcastic laugh,

"Ha, yes, how could I have forgotten? She married old Jonathan Maxwell," Snape paused for a second to grind his teeth with controlled anger at the very thought of the woman, "There is only one word that I would use to describe her...marriage...to Jonathan and that is gold-digging," Snape shook his head, "I'm surprised he didn't ask for a pre-nuptial agreement. Perhaps if he had he would have lived longer than three months after their wedding."

Dumbledore let out a chuckle,

"I do hope you're not implying the respected Cheryl Maxwell was involved in the death of her husband, Severus."

"Imply? No, Albus, I'm telling you." Snape gave Dumbledore a quick, cold smile, then walked through the entrance doors into the dazzling light of the dance hall.

Several minutes later, a red-faced Fudge, full of alcohol, slapped Dumbledore heartily on the back,

"Still convinced You-Know-Who is up and about, ey old chap?"

Dumbledore smiled coolly and nodded, deciding all in all it was best not to bother with politics and differences tonight. The room being used for the dance was huge, and like the Great Hall back at Hogwarts, the ceiling imitated the night sky. Looking around him, Snape realised he was surrounded by the rich and the powerful. The Snape family were pretty well off, but no way near as influential as the general majority of wizards in the room. Out of the corner of his eye, Snape could see Lucius Malfoy on the other side of the hall talking with Arthur Weasley. Or rather, talking down to. The Weasleys were not members of the majority. But, although Snape would never have admitted it to anyone, they were a decent family – far more so than any others in this room. He could see Ron standing beside his father, looking uncomfortable. And wherever Ron is, thought Snape, Potter can't be far away. As if fate had read his mind, Harry appeared from behind Ron, and dragged his friend to a nearby table. Snape was suddenly woken from his thoughts by Dumbledore's patronisingly happy voice,

"Severus? Have you lost all your manners?"

Snape smiled briefly at Dumbledore then turned to Fudge and watched, in disgust, as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the glistening sweat from his brow, an edge of nervousness in his actions. Fudge then looked to Snape, and Snape did what he was always taught to do, and extended his hand slowly,

"Cornelius."

"Severus."

Fudge took hold of Snape's hand gingerly, and was right to do so. For no sooner had Fudge taken hold of his hand, Snape had clasped his hand tightly around it, dragging Fudge in close to his face.

"Still seemingly oblivious to the last few years, Cornelius?" Snape asked harshly. He was not wishing to waste time on pleasantries with the fool for they were not needed. Snape knew why he had forced himself into coming to the damned dance, and he was not going to spend the night being polite to a man he couldn't care less for. He had come to talk to Fudge, and was going to talk to Fudge.

Fudge stared into Snapes threatening face and let out a flustered,

"What?"

Snape ignored Dumbledore's hand, which was now holding onto his right arm trying to pull him away.

"I think you heard me," hissed Snape, "How dare you reject the offer of Professor Dumbledore's help for the third year running! How dare you ignore everything that goes on outside your comfy office!"

Fudge narrowed his eyes, knowing full well what Snape was talking about and realised that Snape was meaning to start something,

"Help? HELP? Ever since he started up with this ridiculous obsession with You-Know-Who's return I've had nothing but extra bother due to him! All he has managed to do, to 'help', is create a wave of paranoia throughout the country and a bucketful of extremely upset and angry parents!"

Snape stared at the shouting man, and after a moments stunned silence from all those who surrounded them hissed,

"Fudge, did it ever occur to you that perhaps..." Snape had to stop himself from naming Voldemort, "...You-Know-Who has returned? That he is, in fact, alive? Or are you too scared to believe it," Snape looked around to make sure that there were listeners to hear his next comment, "Too scared to believe it in case he finds out where you've ended up all these years later, after so...publicly denying him..."

From the other side of the room, Hermione could hear a sudden uproar from several people. Standing up to get a better view of whatever was going on, she wasn't surprised to see that Snape was in the thick of the fight. She watched as Dumbledore dragged Snape away from Fudge, and Snape, though dishevelled, was looking proud of himself. Fudge, on the other hand, was looking extremely angry and embarrassed. With several officials at his side, he marched very publicly out of the dance hall, swearing colourfully. Percy laughed into his drink beside Hermione,

"Hah, serves the man right if Snape went for his throat."

Hermione sighed,

"Percy, don't say things like that. And for goodness sake," She took Percy's wine glass away from him as she spoke,

"Stop drinking! It's very unlike you."

"Oh well." Percy shrugged, then sat back in his chair, "My application for promotion was refused -," Percy ran his fingers through his hair as he said, "Again." Hermione smiled softly, and patted his hand,

"Don't fret over it. You're still young," she laughed briefly, "You're the youngest in your department as it is!"

"I know. But I also work harder than all of them put together. Their idea of a productive day is seeing how many times they can hit a picture of Fudge in the nose with darts," Percy sighed and began to pick at the tablecloth, "I deserve a little more recognition – don't you think?" Percy smiled weakly at Hermione, who didn't really know what to say. Percy did work hard at his job and certainly harder than most people she knew worked at anything. Laughing into herself, she recalled how much she had fancied him in first and second year. It had always been such a nice change to see someone so organised and focused on work, basically she liked to see someone who was on her wavelength. Percy and Hermione had always been close, and throughout Percy's last years in Hogwarts they had spent many lunchtimes together happy to have someone to relate to, and not get laughed at over how seriously they took their studies. At one point, Hermione thought they might have had something more – but she realised her childish fantasies for what they were when he had started seeing Penelope. I mean it was stupid really, thinking that he would have gone for her when she had been so much younger - such age gaps only work once you've hit at least 25.

Rousing herself from her thoughts, Hermione clapped her hands on the table suddenly,

"Well, Percy, I don't know about you, but I think it's time I went to find Harry and Ron. Goodness knows what they're getting up to with out me around to stop them. "

Percy laughed for a moment as he watch Hermione walk away, then sighed and turned back to his drink.