Severus experienced a decided chill when Hermione said his intelligence was one of the things she loved about him. Not that he ever had any doubts regarding her opinion of his intelligence. Rather, it was her use of the word 'love' so casually in conversation, that was. Granted, she had told him that she was falling in love with him, but this was ... less tenuous, at least. Of course, that didn't stop the quip that came to his lips, to diffuse the weighty comment, and downplay it, until she was ready to make an even more concrete declaration along those lines. "My memory, on the other hand..." he added, with another smirk. But he left the rest unsaid, for now. Especially since that would only point the disparity in their ages, which wasn't precisely a subject he liked to discuss.
"I'll certainly try," he answered, wrapping his arms about Hermione's waist and leaning in to meet her halfway for a kiss. Though really, just having her in his lap helped a great deal. There was something exceedingly comforting about her weight pressing down on him that way. It reminded him that she was real, and that she wanted to be with him. That she wasn't just some wonderful dream from which he would awaken all too soon. "It seems to be helping," he whispered, pulling back from her lips no more than half an inch. "But I do think a bit more research might be in order."