The Old Banger.
Hermione was heading to one of her rehabilitation clients, when she heard her car make a strange sound. Nothing showed up on the dash so she continued to drive.
The strange noise had continued intermittently throughout the day but as her car appeared to be working fine, she was not overly concerned.
She was heading for home later that evening, driving along a country road when the car lost power and shuddered to a halt. She swore and hit the steering wheel with her fist in frustration.
“Bugger!”
The weather was foul outside and the road was not well used. She muttered under her breath that she should have stuck to the busier motorway. She tried the engine but it had no power, it just made a groaning sound when she turned it on. Even the lights on the dash had all gone out. The little light above her still worked to her relief when she flipped its switch.
The rain beat down on the car and she could not even clear her windscreen as the wipers would not work. Pulling on her coat she attempted to get out of the car but the wind caught at the door and it flew open and the wind and rain hurtled in.
She leaned out and grabbed at the handle and hauled the door closed. It was much harder to do than she had imagined as she battled against the wind.
Pulling up her hood and zipping up her coat to her neck she prepared herself for the wind and rain. The weather had made it much darker too. She struggled to lift the bonnet but managed to tuck herself down to peer at the engine with a torch. She had no clue what she was looking for but felt around and screamed in fright as the bonnet slammed down nearly trapping her head.
“Fucking shite!”
The torch flew out of her hand as she fell backwards on her bum hard in a puddle.She got up onto her hands and knees and finally upright shoved her way towards her car and into safety. She had been glad to find the torch but was soaking wet.
The car rocked as the wind buffeted it back and forth as the storm kicked in. In the last half hour not a single car had passed Hermione. She shivered and swore even more at the stupid rules that she could not carry a wand with her, even in an emergency.
She caught the flash of light, the flash of car headlights coming through her rear window.
As the lights and then sound of the engine grew closer Hermione began to groan. She had recognised the car’s engine. She knew only one vehicle in the world that sounded like this one.
“Fuck, fuckety fuck fuck fuck!” She swore but still stood with her hands waving the torch back and forth as the battered old foul smelling Landrover came into view and halted next to her.
The shadowed figure leaned over and wound down the passenger side window.
“Do you need -“ the male voice began then stopped, he had recognised Hermione. “Oh it’s you, Granger!”
“I’ve broken down.” She moved up alongside the landrover the rain had washed away its usually filthy paintwork.
“I have noticed Miss Granger.”
“Can you help or at least give me a lift home?”
The man huffed and wound the window back up. The engine roared and Hermione swore. Then she heard the slam of a door.
The next thing she knew was a dark figure had swooped in beside her, his thik winter coat and it’s hood up, keeping him warm. He indicated for her to show him what was wrong.
The fierce wind caught Hermione and nearly dragged her off the road into a ditch but his strong arm caught her and hauled her up and into him.
“Bloody windy.” He roared in her ear.
He looked under the bonnet after she had tried to turn the engine on. He wiggled a few wires, poked around in the gloom assisted only by a torch. Then he noticed a problem.
He shook his head at her and shouted something at her but the wind was too strong and the rain was lashing down. He gestured to her. He roared into her ear as he hauled her to his car.
“Not safe, hurry!”
His vehicle was a bit higher than she was used to but once inside she felt warmer. He had left the heating on. She pulled on the seatbelt and rubbed her hands together. Her hands were numb and she was chilled to the bone.
Severus climbed in the drivers side and leaned over into the rear of his Landrover and pulled forth a big cosy blanket.
“Here, this may help get you warm.”
“Thank you.” she replied and then asked. “I could not hear you properly, what did you say earlier?”
“You need a screw.”
Her face flamed and she inhaled with shock. “What?”
“I said you needed a screw. Actually, you could do with a few good long screws, then you’d be sorted.”
She slapped him across his face, shocking them both.
“What the fuck was that for?”. Severus asked his face innocent of any malice.
You are an arsehole Snape, how dare you!”
“What?”. He blinked a few times and shook his head at her. “I was only informing you of how dangerous your car was and that the engine was not screwed down properly. I found only one screw fixing it to your car. It is a deathtrap!”
Her eyes grew wide and she paled, she had misunderstood him completely. She had forgot, that he had never used such crude language before and groaned covering her face with her hands.
“I am so sorry, Severus. I reacted badly as I misunderstood you. I thought you referred to my current single status.”
He thought over his words and his eyebrows shot up high and his eyes bulged then his face turned a deep red. The crudity of his words rolled around in his head and he let loose a groan of extreme regret.
“I can only apologise, I have only just understood the connotation and the meaning behind my words, I am so sorry.”
Hermione started to laugh and then rubbed gently at the red wield that was left on the left hand side of his face. She had not dared use magic to heal it as she would be unable to work if she did.
“Sorry I am unable to use magic to heal it.”
He smirked and suggested, “You could always kiss it better.”
To his surprise she did exactly that. She kissed his cheek gently as she held him in place with her hands. The kisses she gave him were sweet. Her lips were cold, as were her hands.
“Thanks.”
He needed to get her warm but the storm was not over yet. He needed to get them safe.
“I will need to turn around, I can go across the field back there and reach the other road.”
Hermione was amazed at how skillful Severus was driving. He must have seen her face.
“I am half blood, my Da’ was a great driver, loved to do up old bangers and then take them to the tracks in the hills. It was fun racing around, I was allowed to drive quite young and got my own car to race during the holidays. I always wanted a Landrover and bought this one second hand three years ago.”
“It is a bit old.”
“She may be old but at east she works, she also is high enough to get across fields with four wheel drive, go through floods,” he said this as they ploughed through water that would have stopped her own car. Then he added, “I also have a double fuel tank too and an emergency kit inthe back.” He was smirking at her now.
“Okay, thanks and thanks for giving me a lift home in your lovely landrover.
“I am sorry Hermione.” He smirked again and turned up a hill with trees lining the driveway. “You are not going home tonight. The roads seem to be flooded in all directions. It is safer you stay with me.”
And she did. His house was warm and welcoming as was his bed.