Severus had thrown the first letter into the rubbish bin, but the next seven at the end of the week was not an ideal situation. Then, the package came, and not able to send all of it by his owl, he'd requested that the recipient come and gather their correspondences before he burned them.

When she arrived, she seemed wholly surprised by his presence, as if she hadn't seen the signature at the bottom of his letter.

"Miss Granger."

This was nothing out of his day, he was a hermit and had only moved from Spinner's End because his therapist had recommended it. And his therapist was a whole other situation he almost never cared to unpack.

"Professor."

He didn't teach anymore, but he supposed that there was nothing else to call him. Not that he cared. He just wanted her things out of his home.

"I'll grab your parcels."

There was going to be no inviting her in, no asking her to share his tea, and certainly no chatting. Severus had never been a pleasant person, and he wasn't going to play into incessant niceties just for the Golden Gryffindor.

She was in the same place he'd left her when he got back to the door. She hadn't tried to come in, and he was thankful for that.

Severus handed her the package first, then the small stack of letters. After reading Weasley's hand-writing for several years he knew what it looked like, but that was none of his business.

"Thank you," she said, but the pile looked much larger in her arms than it had in his, and some part of him wondered why she wasn't shrinking them and tossing them into her bag. Had she expected him to do it for her?

His anger from the thought, and his rather intense curiosity at the situation, made him speak.

"Why does he not have your current state of address?"

"Well, he does, but his owl gets confused easily. I tried to tell him to send the letters by the muggle post, but he has no idea how it works, and I rarely see him since we separated."

Severus had to remind himself he just didn't care before he asked her anymore questions. It was merely odd to him that the awful paper had actually gotten something right for once. A split between the two seemed unlikely, yet....

He huffed. "Have a good day, Miss Granger."

"Thank you, sir, you too."

-

It seemed almost improbable, but Severus saw Miss Granger far more than he ever had before after she'd come to retrieve her mail. The whole situation was... unnerving, to say the least, but it was probably nothing more than the Baader-Meinhoff phenomenon.

He'd been re-awakened to her presence on the planet, and now her face haunted him.

The Prophet was obsessed with Granger. Her every move, and Weasley's, ended up somewhere on the front page. If either one was seen with someone of the same gender, it was big news. Like someone could pick up that fast from a relationship like that. Severus had to assume with that one, but they'd seemed attached enough in school.

For a few weeks, he received no more letters. It satisfied some part of him, to know that he didn't have to worry about attending to someone else's mail, but of course, his satisfaction would not last.

A letter came to him just as summer had seemed to hit its peak. The temperature was roaring, and while a cooling charm did the job enough, he was still uncomfortable in all of his robes and things.

Irritated beyond belief to have to deal with this yet again, Severus decided that he would read the letter. What better source of news on the two ex lovers than right from the source?

He rolled up his sleeves, glancing briefly at the marred look of his forearm, then undid the ties. It was so loose, it was practically inviting him to read the damned thing.

Severus wanted to tear his eyes from his sockets. Folding the parchment back up, he wondered why Weasley was even still trying. She didn't care for him, and no amount of pining would get her to go back to him. He knew better than most.

Regardless, he sent off the letter to Granger along with his own note.

So, needless to say, he was surprised when she knocked on his door that same day.

"I wanted to apologize," she started very loudly, as if beckoning him to let her in.

He had a kettle going, his flat was clean... as usual, but he didn't care for company, especially from a student.

He could only imagine what the prophet might think.

Despite better judgment, he turned, motioning her in.

She did not seem to hesitate, and this had his mind wondering exactly what she was doing there. Her motivations could be anything, and part of him worried if his face was going to be on the front of the Prophet. Would she accuse him of something horrid, was she trying to learn something? It's not like Potter hadn't shared half of his life story already.

Closing the door, Severus watched her in familiar surroundings. She'd lived here before, and he was almost sure Weasley had spent several nights there too. The thought made him nauseous.

"It's quite unacceptable for you to keep receiving my letters, I am sure you never wanted to see me again, let alone know this much about my personal life."

She was right, but that was harsh of him. It didn't make it any less true, however.

"It's nothing to worry over, Miss Granger."

He stood at the edge of his kitchen like he didn't quite belong. As though he were on the outskirts of his own home, looking in from a barrier. It wasn't her flat any longer though, it was his.

Severus was being atrociously unlike himself, so he stepped forward, hearing his kettle begin to whistle anyways, he tried to ignore Granger who was making herself at home.

"It's just... he doesn't take the hint! I don't want anything to do with being his girlfriend any longer, but he thinks we're meant to be!"

"I know," Severus replied smoothly, and maybe it should have occurred to him that he should not have read her letter, but he hadn't cared at the time, and he certainly did not seem to think it odd now.

"Did you read the letters?" Granger gawked, but he did not turn his back.

Severus poured the water and stirred the tea, making two cups if only because he wasn't a heathen.

"Professor?"

He handed her the cup and saucer, daring her to question him again.

"Regardless, it's not like it matters. All you did was prove to yourself Ronald Weasley is a fool."

"And he has quite poor grammar."

She laughed, something that was natural and all in all pleasant to hear.

Severus sipped at the scalding tea, scolding himself.

"I know. He was lucky I didn't send his letters back corrected. I thought one day he would change... learn something, but he doesn't seem to want to. I don't know, it merely frustrates me."

She was far more ginger with her cup, her long fingers twirling the ceramic around as steam arose from it. He had no idea why she was here any longer, she'd made her apologies, and now they were filling empty space with unnecessary conversation.

Maybe if he addressed it, she would go away.

"And, pray tell, why you think I am the one to complain to?"

Granger looked up, her eyes locking on him immediately as if realizing where she was for the first time.

"I'm so sorry, I just... kind of got lost in my thoughts, and here I was, just rambling, and then you were funny. I guess I just didn't think you had anything to do! I'll be on my way now! Enjoy your day!"

She pushed the cup back towards him while she spoke, and Severus watched her look rather frazzled as she picked up her things.

On one hand, the witch was right. He had nothing to do and no one to talk to. She'd been his first interaction with another witch or wizard in weeks. Still, he had tortured her as a child, and her strange comfort with being around him was odd. It wasn't healthy, and Granger was probably vulnerable from whatever it was that happened with Weasley to make her end things.

She needed to talk to Potter... or anyone besides him. He would recommend her to his muggle therapist if he didn't think she'd laugh in his face.

"Enjoy your day as well, Miss Granger."

He caught her just before she'd left, her hand on the door. She turned, smiled shallowly, and escaped, her wand at the ready.

-

Every part of Severus was glad that that wasn't the last time he'd see her because, for a brief moment, he enjoyed her company.

In fact, to Severus's surprise, he received a letter from Hermione Granger herself initiating even more company between the two of them.

When he'd received it, Severus had been skeptical of whether or not he was even the intended recipient. Considering she should very well loathe him, there was no reason that he might receive a letter from her.

It was asking him to tea... in public nonetheless, and he detested going outside in the world. The world didn't care for him all that much and neither did he care for it. Severus didn't like Granger, surely he admired her talent and wit (something he'd known all along, but bitterness was a nasty fiend to him), but she was a child in almost every aspect.

He had replied swiftly with a positive "yes," hoping it wasn't too forward, and then regretted it immediately as he watched his owl flee from the window sill.

Not one to back down from a challenge, and the secret part of him that yearned for company that was hers in particular, Severus would meet her for tea that day.

He arrived early. He had never been one for tardiness, not really, so it was nice to sit down somewhere and blend in with the crowd. It was a muggle cafe, which was little surprise to him. She may be willing to see him out in public, but never in the public eye where the Prophet could catch wind.

Severus didn't really think that about her, but he didn't have time to dwell when she came in, seeming pleased to see him there, seated and oh so early. Snatching the pocket watch from its hiding spot, he looked at the time and realized she was early as well. Not that it surprised him, but he figured there was some ulterior motive to her presence and she would show up at the last possible moment to spend as little time with him as possible.

She grinned when she sat down.

"Hello, Professor."

"Miss Granger."

"Is there anyway we could drop the formalities? You can very well call me Hermione, yes?" She wondered, picking up a menu from the side of the table like she'd done it a million times before. Severus could tell because she made eerie eye-contact with him the entire time.

His first instinct was to tell her absolutely not, but he remembered the moment he got the position at Hogwarts as Professor when he began to see Albus as a friend and someone who he could address in such a way? Was that what Granger wanted then, to be friends?

"I suppose."

"Great!"

Severus grabbed a menu while she dove into hers, and he couldn't look at it for the life of him. Something in him had wanted her to say his name... to address him informally after years of crying Professor at him in increasingly impudent tones.

She placed her menu down, and looked up at him, satisfied with her selection if the continuous grin on her face was anything to go by.

"Is everything alright, Severus?"

She didn't hesitate over it, and maybe it would have been better for him if she had, but there was conviction there that he wasn't expecting, and the way she seemed so comfortable there....

Severus swallowed the lump in his throat. He was a man of many years, a child shouldn't have him tripping over himself. Granger was like this, what else had he expected from her?

"Of course."

A soft hum was what she gave, then their orders were taken, and it was back to square one.

He still wasn't entirely positive about their purpose there. If it was friendship, then Granger was barking up the wrong tree, or so it's said.

"What exactly is the purpose of our meeting, Hermione?"

It sounded odd to him, saying a student's name as though he would an adult's. Then again... at this point in her life he supposed she did very much qualify as an adult.

"Well..." she seemed to ponder her words before she spoke them, and Severus thought for a brief moment how proud he was of such an action. "I'm just overall intrigued by you, Severus. There's something about you that makes me want to stay around and get to know you. I mean, your intelligence is below none."

He scoffed, "Believe it or not, Miss Granger, you are much more intelligent than I. Despite the way I treated you during your schooling, I knew you were the most brilliant one in the class."

His honesty was foreign to him, but it felt right to tell her, especially when she smiled so abashedly. Making her pleasantly uncomfortable was just as satisfying as making her leave had been.

"Thank you, Severus."

He bowed his head, her smile only growing. The lighting must have changed, however, because Severus was seeing a blush appear on Granger's cheeks, the red tint obvious.

"Are you well, Hermione?"

Her head shot up, and she nodded vigorously. 

"Of course I am. Better than usual, actually."

Taking her words at face value, Severus enjoyed the rest of that meeting with her for whatever it was worth. And there was a big part of him that thought it was worth a little more than it should be.

-

Their friendship continued, and one day when Hermione was over for tea... they both realized something else was there as well.

"Here. I think I finally got the right amount of sugar."

Severus pushed the saucer and cup forward, nearly disgusted with how much sugar she actually liked in her tea. It was probably because of all the coffee she consumed, which was an absolutely disgusting amount to him. Especially considering he preferred his plain with just a small spoon of cream.

She sipped it, her eyes closing at the warmth, considering the cool months of autumn had rolled around and brought a chill to the flat.

"This is perfect. You know, I don't miss living here at all, I could never get the chill out! No amount of charms seemed to do the trick either, except in the bedroom."

Severus raised an eyebrow to her, wondering what on earth elicited such a comment, but she shrugged, unable to provide him and answer.

He circled the island of the kitchen with slow certainty, sitting down on the stool next to her, watching as she continued to drink the scalding tea. Just watching her was fascinating to him sometimes, especially because of how easily she'd grown comfortable with him over the past few months. In fact, it hadn't taken her that long to be at ease, she merely was.

Part of him was comfortable too. Severus hated to think that she had caused him such nuisance before, and the scars on his neck came to mind at the very thought of his irritability. Years of playing two sides, when really he was only under one control, was extremely hard on his disposition. And to think someone he actually admired now had come at a loss because of it... Severus paled.

"Are you alright?"

Hermione was suddenly much closer than he remembered her being, and he startled.

"Yes." It sounded more like a boy a had said it than a man of forty-something years.

"You look sick. Is it the tea?"

She leaned over to look at his cup, and he scoffed, feeling quite ill despite his earlier reassurance.

"Hermione," he said lowly, placing a hand on her arm, "I am quite well."

She turned to look at him, nearly hovering, her normally short height and his seated position making them equal. 

Like a niffler being caught mid-thievery, Hermione's eyes were wide open, and Severus noticed for the first time since he'd seen her that her eyes were an amber-brown that was warm like his tea tainted with the smallest bit of light cream.

Not entirely sure who leaned in first, Severus felt their lips press together in what could have been considered his first kiss of his entire life. It sounded melodramatic, even to him, that this was the first reciprocated embrace of another he'd participated in, because surely drunken encounters at shady pubs did not count.

This was different. It was entirely consuming, and the fact that he was kissing a student passed by him in a way that made him uncomfortable with it's ease. Ready to pull away, almost sure he'd been the one to commit the sin of even attempting to do this, he felt a hand rest on his neck, gently pulling him closer, and suddenly his worry was overtaken with want.

The danger of it all was nothing compared to what he'd been through before, and so he relaxed, placing a hand on her waist and pulling her in, still not believing that such bliss was his to partake in.

When they parted, in no short amount of time, Severus couldn't help but smile because of how intoxicating her grin in return was. He was magnetized, and oh so very pleased he'd received her mail a few months ago.

"I've been waiting for that moment," Hermione said, nose pressed against his, comfortable and content from what Severus could tell.

"Have you now? And here I thought I had done something incredibly imbecilic."

She shook her head, like she was displeased that he would assume such a thing.

"I honestly thought you merely tolerated me if only for laughs at my expense with whomever you spend your time with," she admitted. 

Hermione pulled away, but her hand found his, and Severus could tell how nervous the situation was making her. He knew their past, but the present seemed to have a different outlook, and he was pleased with her steadfast grip.

"I spend most of my time with you, therefore you are now aware I have not laughed at you in the slightest."

"Good," Hermione declared, completely content in the situation... and so was Severus. 

At least now he'd be getting mail from someone who actually meant to send it to him.