Hi guys, thanks for the reviews! This chapter is longer than most of my chapters, I have a habit of getting slightly carried away when writing. Hope you enjoy this chapter! :P

Chapter 8

Sunday was an odd day for Snape. He was sure Hermione would avoid him more that day after the awkward start to the morning. He hadn't meant for anything to happen. What little did happen was the result of a late drunken night and an unclear hazy morning. For Sunday everyone was back in one big group. They went to the natural history museum where everyone was allowed to wander around as they pleased.

He noticed Linda kept nudging Hermione while whispering in her ear. Hermione was somehow managing to be very nonchalant about everything from the morning. She included Snape in their conversations when Linda dropped the secret topic. From the way she was acting it was as though nothing had happened at all, which for some reason made Snape feel less ok than he was. Surely he wasn't actually wishing she acknowledged it more? He couldn't want anything like that; she used to be his student. No matter how improved she was now she was still 20 years younger than he was.

Hermione, on the other hand, was enjoying the day. The unexpected morning had changed her perspective on things slightly. When she looked at Snape she allowed herself a cheeky grin as she remembered what had almost happened. She felt so devious; it almost made her want to break some rules. Linda was pestering her for details. Hermione was surprised at herself for not feeling awkward or even ashamed. If something like that had happened with Ron she would have been in a very different mood. Linda was right; older men knew more about how to arouse girls than boys her age. Granted she had only really been with Ron but had it have been Ron that morning instead of Snape she knew from experience that he would have rushed more to get into her pants. He wouldn't have taken the time to stroke her thigh gently, teasingly.

At the memory Hermione felt a spark in her stomach. Every time she thought about his touch on her it felt like a fire was trying to be lit inside her. She felt like the only thing that would finally ignite the fire was… well… something she didn't think would actually happen in reality. Perhaps if they hadn't been interrupted that would be different, she thought. Another spark sent shivers through her body.

For the rest of the day Hermione distracted herself by looking at all of the amazing pieces of history the museum had to offer. There was an ancient Egyptian section in which there were mummified animals and an actual mummy outside of the sarcophagus.

All in all the day went well for Hermione who had sparks going off which made her buzz from head to toe. However Snape's day went a lot less smoothly. Although Hermione was being normal with him he couldn't help but wonder when she would say something about the morning. He was expecting it to happen when they were alone but when Linda left them so she could go to the loo Hermione was still fine with him. Maybe she didn't want to talk in public, he thought. Or maybe she was so horrified she just wanted to block it out completely. Either way Snape's mind felt rather heavy throughout the day. He should have insisted on going back to his own room.

The end of the day came round far too quickly for Hermione's liking. Linda left Snape and Hermione so that she could get her buss home. Hermione was in her room packing when there was a knock at the door. Hermione walked to the door and opened it to reveal an awkward looking Snape.

"Is everything ok?" She asked.

"Yes, I… I just wanted to apologize for, well, for this morning."

Hermione felt baffled at the fact that he was apologising. She immediately felt horrible. Had he been feeling guilty? All day? While she was high on sparks?

"I… you don't have to apologise, Severus."

Snape felt the hairs on his arms and on the back of his neck stand up; it was the first time Hermione Granger had ever said his name. It seemed to roll over her tongue before hanging on, like a whisper or a memory. He frowned. Hermione saw confusion in his features.

"Seriously; it was very early, we had both been very drunk last night, for all we know we still had alcohol in our systems."

She offered him a smile, which he returned but still with a confused look in his eyes. She struggled with finding something to say that would make him feel better, so she said the first think that came to her.

"We would have both been consenting adults anyway, so it's not really too much of a big deal."

She felt the air become tense between them. Why had she said that? Could she have thought of anything more awkward to say? She kicked herself on the inside. Even though it was true and she knew she would have been ok with it maybe Snape felt different about it. Maybe he thought it would have been miles too strange. Maybe he thought of her as a child no matter how old she grew, there were 20 years between them after all!

"Right," He slowly said. Suddenly he felt unsure what to do with himself. So, was she ok with what almost happened? During the seconds he was trying to find out where he should look he caught the look on Hermione's face. Her eyes looked like she was shocked at herself and mortified. Her cheeks were burning brightly and she was failing to stop herself from grinning. Whether the grin was a nervous one or a memory or the situation in general he couldn't be sure.

"Right," She repeated quietly. She quickly found something to say to steer the conversation in an easier direction. "So, how should I contact you about meeting Minerva?"

Snape snapped his attention back into focus.

"By owl? I can give you my address before departing."

"Excellent," Said Hermione.

"Excellent."

There was awkward silence for a few more seconds.

"Well, I should finish packing," Hermione said while pointing to her bags on her bed.

"Me too, I'll bring you the address by later."

"Excellent."

Fifteen minutes later Snape knocked on her door once again to give Hermione his address.

"I'd appreciate you not sharing this with anyone."

"Of course, I won't tell a soul!"

"Thank you, I look forward to hearing from you," Snape smiled and awkwardly held out his hand, unsure of what else to do.

"And I look forward to meeting you again soon, Professor," Hermione smiled. As she shook his hand she felt a spark ignite a feeling of boldness and rebelliousness. On an impulse Hermione leaned forward and pecked Snape on the cheek before withdrawing into the room and closing the door with a smile at Snape's expression; he looked positively flabbergasted!

At around 6:00pm Hermione apparated back into the house she and Ron had been sharing for just over a year. At last her time in this place was at an end. She was done with being with Ron; she only hoped he would be able to be her friend again, one day. She might not have wanted him as a boyfriend or a lover but he still had a place in her life. She didn't want to lose him completely.

The house was chillier than usual. Hermione walked into the living room to find Ron lying on the sofa with a blanket, a pillow and an unshaved face. He jumped up as she entered the room.

"I didn't think you were coming back," he said as relief flooded over him.

"Well I can't just leave all of my belongings here, I need fresh clothes."

Hermione put her bag down, walked to the stairs on the other side of the living room and ascended without looking at Ron again. She couldn't bare the pained look on his face; he was like a wounded puppy. As she walked into the bedroom she heard him follow suit. He walked slowly into the bedroom as though Hermione was a lioness who could bite and kill him at any moment.

"Please, Hermione please don't leave me. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Hermione looked at Ron with pity.

"I've made my decision, Ron. I'm sorry you're upset about it, but this was never going to work out. We're just too different," Hermione stopped talking as she noticed Ron; he looked like he was holding back tears.

"Have you met someone else?" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Of course I have, don't you remember me telling you I was going to that weekend away to meet new people?"

"You know what I mean, Hermione. You seem different to how you were when you left," Ron stopped talking for a moment. It looked as though he were trying to fit imaginary pieces of a puzzle together. "Have you… have you been intimate with someone else?"

Hermione winced. It looked like it was physically painful for Ron to say that out loud.

"No, Ronald, don't be ridiculous. We've only just broken up."

"You don't sound too convincing, darling. You've met someone, I can tell. You're avoiding eye contact. Just tell me the truth!"

"Ron, stop this,"

"Don't tell me what to do!" Ron shouted. "Just tell me the goddamn truth, or I swear-"

"Fine! Fine, Ronald, you want the truth? Ok, I met someone. However I didn't have sex with him, I had an actual conversation with him, remember those, do you? It was great, by the way. In fact it was such a stimulating conversation that it led to more conversations over the few days I was there. We had many conversations and it was great because for once I actually needed to use my brain. What? Got nothing to say? Great. I'm just going to pack some clothes and I'll leave. I'll ask Ginny to pick up the rest of my things another time."

Hermione turned her back to him. She grabbed some clothes from her side of the wardrobe, folded them and put them in a bag. She was angry, yet upset. Inside she didn't think she should be upset about breaking up with Ron; it was the right thing to do. But where her mind gave her logic her heart gave her feelings. Tears rolled silently down her cheeks as she packed her bag. Ron was still in the room. He was sitting on the bed with his head held in his hands. He was also silently sobbing. Since the Battle of Hogwarts all of her spare time had been devoted to Ron most of all. They had helped each other through the losses they suffered as a result of the war. They had been one another's rock for two and a half years. However over time the sea of time had chipped at the rocks, turning them to sand and then to dust until there was nothing left for Hermione to hold onto. How could life be so cruel?

Before leaving, Hermione sat on the bed beside Ron. She pulled him into a hug. Together they held onto each other.

"Please, please don't go," Ron whispered while holding his sobs at bay to allow the words to be heard.

"I'm sorry, Ron," Hermione sobbed.

She pulled away from the hug. Grabbing her bag she turned to him one last time before leaving.

"I've got to go."

With that Hermione left Ron. When she was out of his site he curled into a ball on the bed and cried into the night. That night he would cry more than he had since Fred's funeral. He would cry himself to sleep while Hermione was at Ginny and Harry's home, crying into Ginny's lap as the calm fiery haired girl stroked her hair and hummed calming melodies.

Although Hermione knew she had done the right thing it killed her to know she had caused Ron so much hurt. She hated herself for not doing it sooner; things hadn't been right for months. She had held on to the relationship for too long, hoping things would improve. She had given Ron and herself false hope and she had only herself to blame for the pain they now felt. On top of all this, Hermione felt guilty for her new found affection for Snape, the attraction she felt and the feeling she got at the thought of seeing him again. She felt guilty of this because she had never felt this with Ron. If she had known how she would feel at Snape's touch she would have known long ago her relationship with Ron was a farce. She would have been able to prevent all of this heartache.

But alas it was too late! All she could do now was cry before moving on for good.