Severus gladly accepted the offered glass of firewhiskey spiked punch that Horace gave him as he entered the repaired tower for the first New Year's observance since the final battle. It was noticeably more sober then the previous ones, even the one that was held during his short duration as headmaster.

He casually surveyed the small gathering of fellow professors, staff and students that had been assembled to ring in the new year. It was thankfully being held on another tower then the astronomy one. Too many bad memories hunted that tower - even with it being practically rebuilt after the final battle - for any celebration to be held there.

"Ready for the New Year, Professor?"

"Miss Granger," he greeted neutrally, lifting his glass in greeting. Just the person he had been trying to avoid. Ever since his miraculous survival from Nagini's venomous bite the girl - no, young woman he corrected himself - had been a utter pain in the neck. At least she had stopped spewing her unwanted apologies at him every time he had the misfortune to run into her. Maybe if he ignored her she would go away and leave him be. Unlikely with her Gryffindor tendencies he knew but he could always hope.

Hermione refrained from sighing as she saw that Severus was not going to answer her question. She had known that he would probably ignore her. Him greeting her was more then she had hoped for actually. Since the defeat of Voldemort, almost two years prior, he had ignored her. It shouldn't have surprised her. He had done so before throughout her school years but she had secretly hoped that he would be different. Silly she knew. He was very much a git.

"Less than half a minute till the new millennium is here. Let us raise our wands in tribute of the past thousand years and in hopes for a better and more peaceful one," Headmistress McGonagall announced proudly as she raised her wand and began to count down.

Hermione, Severus and the others matched her movements and raised their wands toward the clear sky above them. Hermione covertly studying Severus as everyone around them began to count down in time with McGonagall. He stood tall and bleak as ever. His robes were the same that he wore during term and the majority of Hermione's school years save that it was now high collared. His hair and robes were slowly moving with the light breeze that had fallen around them. His black eyes fixed on McGonagall's wand. Not void of emotion like others had calmed them to be but heavily guarded. The years of espionage and bullying enforcing Severus to keep his emotions in check. In essence he was every bit the image of a tragic, romantic hero.

"... Three. Two. One. Zero. Happy New Year!"

Severus staggered backwards in shock as he found his arms full of one Hermione Granger and the recipient of an unwanted kiss but yet too dumbstruck to stop it.

"What are you thinking?" Hermione screamed to herself as she realized what she was doing. Who she was kissing. It was New Year's and the struck of Midnight but why had she kissed him? It was true that she had a minor crush on the man but to throw herself onto him? She obviously was losing all good sense and decorum. She quickly regained control of herself and hastily took a step back. Breaking the kiss.

"A thousand apologies Professor," she quickly muttered, not daring to look at him before fleeing to the other side of the tower escaping her former professor's coming rebuke. She was no longer a student, thank Merlin, having challenged her NEWTs back in August but she was still only an apprentice not a professor. What she had done was extremely out of the boundaries of protocol and may even be in the lines of sexual assault. Oh sweet Merlin, what had she done?

Severus frowned as he watched Granger hurrying off to the safety of her mentor's company. His sharp rebuttal having been quieted with the unwarranted effect the kiss had had on him. Readjusting his suddenly tight robes he downed the remainder of his drink before briskly biding farewell to Minerva and Horace. A long cold shower being forefront on his agenda.

Disclaimer: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter does not belong to LittleTee, (who shall henceforth be referred to as "The Author.") While the plot of this fanfiction, (henceforth to be referred to as the "Story,") is of The Author's creation, neither the characters nor the locations therein belong to The Author, as they belong to JK Rowling, with the exception of any characters or locations within this Story which have no representation in cannon-these original characters and locations are the property of The Author. This is a work of fiction produced for the single purpose of entertaining fans of Harry Potter, and no Copyright infringement is intended.