The aroma of burnt espresso clashed with the stale air of the faculty lounge, Professor Granger strode in clutching a stack of unmarked essays, she huffed unsuccessfully at a few pieces of hair that had escaped the confines of her bun. With a sigh she rolled her eyes, when they landed on the lone figure slumped at her usual round table she grinned. Professor Snape, his brows furrowed as he wrestled with a particularly long essay, would be ideal company.
"Good morning, Professor," Hermione chirped, depositing the essays with a decisive thud near his coffee. "Are we dissecting the students ideas once again?" She glanced pointedly at the red ink he was liberally applying to the scroll.
Severus startled at the intrusion and whipped his head up at the sound, causing a cascade of silky dark hair to fall over his reading glasses. The afternoon sunlight shone through his hair- just tantalizing enough to make Hermione's fingers itch with the urge to run her fingers through it. He sighed, a noise that sounded suspiciously like 'if only' before he grunted. "I don't believe I would call it dissecting. Well. Perhaps it is."
Hermione's lips twitched. "Perhaps they are in need of a holiday? I hear those are excellent at allowing professors to regain their sanity."
Severus snorted, a hint of a twinkle in his eyes. "How then Professor Granger, would you explain the teachers returning if not a complete loss of sanity?" He raised an eyebrow, a subtle shift bringing a dimple to the corner of his mouth.
"For that, I have no explanation. It's quite possible the lot of us lost our sanity long ago." Hermione grinned.
The small upturned corner of his mouth became a full smirk as he looked back at the parchment he was grading. Hermione allowed herself a brief moment to observe how the small change lit up his face. The forming of the crinkles at the corners of his dark eyes, the way his mouth widened and the most subtle dimple she'd ever seen reappeared on his striking face. His proud nose and the wisps of his hair near the corner of his sharp jawline. She thought that his lips would taste of herbs, not that he does much brewing anymore these days. It is a smell she only seems to find herself imagining when he's near. Pulling herself out of her thoughts before she goes further down that particularly unhelpful track she sets herself to work.
Professors come and go as they sit grading next to each other until well past dinnertime. Before long Hermione's sharp inhale has Severus looking up from his nearly complete stack. She grimaced, wringing out her hand.
"Perhaps I shouldn't assign so many inches of parchment over a weekend?" She laughed lightly. "My poor hand can't keep up with the workload."
"Do you not use a cushioning charm?" His voice rumbled quietly next to her. She nodded absently as she flexed her hand, her thoughts straying to thoughts of his voice uttering different phrases before she caught herself once more. Her hand spasmed again and no amount of twisting or stretching could help alleviate the pain. It was getting late, no good could come from whatever preposterous situation her brain tried to concoct.
"I do" she hummed "however it seems I continuously forget to reapply them. Once I begin my task I am quite lost to it." Hermione shook her head at her own miscalculation. "I will just have to continue the rest of my grading between classes tomorrow. If I don't my poor hand will surely never work properly again." She laughed at herself briefly before she stood up and excused herself. Parting ways with a brief "Same time next week?" Over her shoulder.
True to her word on Monday afternoon Hermione barreled into the staff lounge with a self-deprecating laugh at Severus' raised eyebrow. A stack of parchment clutched to her chest with a bandaged hand that he questioned with a pointed look.
"Well, I haven't made time to go see Pomfrey. One would think I learned my lesson and wouldn't assign quite as much homework over the weekend but apparently I am a masochist." She dropped into the chair next to his without waiting for his response and began to attempt to grade with her left hand. After awhile she sighed, too tired to hide her grimace she looked up to find Severus openly staring at her.
"Do you require assistance?" He asked her with a bemused expression. "Or are your masochistic tendencies preventing you from requesting the desired help?"
"Why professor-" Hermione started, grinning at him before he interrupted suddenly.
"Severus." His face an unreadable mask.
Hermione hesitated before she nodded and held eye contact with Severus for a moment before she continued. "Well. Severus, are you offering your aid or simply making a point?"
Severus withdrew a potion from his inner robe pockets and pushed it across the small table towards her uninjured hand. "For the discomfort." He explained as she picked it up to examine it. "It is only a mild pain relief potion. If you would extend your arm please, Professor Granger."
"Hermione." She breathed in his scent for a moment before she complied. "I suppose I should have just come to you in the first place." Hermione smirked.
"Likely, yes. That would have ended your self imposed suffering much sooner."
He thoughtfully arranged her hand and wrist so that he could cast diagnostic spells to confirm the strain wasn't further exacerbated by the extended usage. Before he began to murmur healing spells over the appendage.
"Thank you, Severus." Hermione sighed with relief as he finished the incantations. She blushed slightly at his hands softly turning her wrist as he removed the bandages. His fingers caressed her bare skin for a brief moment longer than strictly necessary.
"With that I imagine I will see you next week as well." Severus made to pull away and put his wand back inside his robes. Reflexively Hermione clutched at his arm before she realized what she was doing. She found herself captivated by the playful glint in his tired eyes, the hint of vulnerability masked by his snark pushed her the last bit forward.
"You can stay here, if you'd like?" Hermione whispered, her heartbeat drumming loudly in her head as she held her breath. Slowly he traced circles on her inner arm as he leaned towards her before he sat back down. He turned his head and his nose brushed against the shell of her ear.
"Hermione," he replied, his voice a husky whisper, "I wouldn't have it any other way."