Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny sat solemnly in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place discussing the events of the last weeks. All were still emotionally raw from the series of funerals and memorials they had attended following the Battle of Hogwarts. Many had been lost and great pain had come to all of them, particularly with the loss of Fred. Harry and Hermione had long been honorary Weasley family members. The deaths of both Remus and Tonks meant that Harry became guardian of their son Teddy.
Harry sat next to Ginny watching her with baby Teddy in her arms. He knew she was going to make a great mother and he couldn't wait to propose, get married and get started on having children of their own. He was more than ready to put aside the life he had lived as the Chosen One and just be Harry Potter, a regular wizard and family man.
Looking at the clock Harry realised they needed to be getting ready to go out to dinner. He and Ginny were going to a restaurant in muggle London that was her favourite, followed by a walk along the pier. Harry was going to get down on one knee at the end of the pier and he was nervous as all hell. Facing Voldemort had scared the living crap out of him but the idea of proposing to Ginny freaked him out immensely. He was sure she would say yes but that didn't really make it better or less nerve-wracking.
As they rose to begin dressing and primping Ginny handed Teddy over to Hermione who instantly began to coo over the small bundle. Ron quickly joined in causing Harry and Ginny to pause at the door and laugh at them both.
Andromeda would be arriving shortly after to help them out should anything happen that they didn't know how to deal with. Hermione and Ron were learning very fast about babies as Harry and Ginny often went out to make up for lost time when the Trio had been on the run. But as much time as they spent together in the house and jointly looking after Teddy when Harry or Ginny were busy, Teddy was in fact the only thing that they had really bonded over since the war.
The high emotions they had felt towards each other that had been simmering for years boiled over into a very quick but intense relationship which served to salve some of their grief but was never going to become a lifelong relationship. Both had realised this within the month and though they still cuddled for comfort and got along as they always had, the passion that had burst forth at the end of the war returned to the platonic love they had always had.
Severus Snape shook hands with the realtor, thanked him and taking his small suitcase with all of his possessions in it, disguised with an extension charm, apparated away from Spinner's End for the last time. Arriving at his destination he heaved a great sigh of relief and shrugged his shoulders as if to throw off the burden of the childhood home in which so much abuse had occurred towards he and his mother. He took the steps and used the grand knocker and waited.
Hearing the doorbell, Hermione passed Teddy off to Ron and went to answer it, assuming it to be Andromeda to help out with Teddy. She gasped aloud when Severus Snape was there instead.
"Oh, Professor, I wasn't expecting to see you!"
"Ah Ms Granger, is Mr Potter available? I wish to speak with him as soon as possible."
"No, Sir, he's out for dinner with Ginny but you're welcome to come in and have some dinner with us. Would you like some tea or coffee?"
"Thank you, I would. Coffee would be grand."
Hermione was surprised by his politeness and general lack of malice. She had never heard him speak in the classroom with such civility but then, she supposed, maybe it was because they had saved his life on the night of the battle and he was merely trying to appear grateful without acknowledging it.
She stepped aside, not showing any of her surprise on her face and allowed him entry. The portrait of Mrs Black suddenly erupted at the sight of him with screams of "Traitor" and "Betrayer of the Dark Lord" and Severus was shocked at the speed with which Hermione whirled and cast at the portrait as neat stitches appeared across the canvas silencing Mrs Black's vitriol by sewing her painted mouth shut. Severus replaced his shocked face with a quirked eyebrow at Hermione, to which she coloured slightly and merely replied "Molly's sewing spell." Severus smirked and commented "Useful."
They moved towards the kitchen to join Ron. Andromeda had arrived in the meantime via floo. Hermione led the way down the hallway and Severus found himself admiring the sway of her small backside, followed closely by him mentally berating himself and bashing his head on a wall a few times to clear the thoughts from his mind.
Ron and Severus greeted each other civilly. "Professor Snape."
"Mr Weasley." Before Severus paused and corrected himself, "Ron. I think after everything that has happened we can all be on a first name basis." He smiled tightly.
Hermione beamed a little at this and swivelled into the stove to prepare the coffee so no one would see her pleasure and mistake it for amusement. She approved of Snape's...Severus' statement wholeheartedly but she still wasn't sure what to make of his practically pleasant demeanour, how much she like it and why she suddenly felt so safe with him around.
Small talk ensued for some minutes as Hermione prepared the coffee and tea and checked on the dinner. As she brought the pots to the long table and levitated in the appropriate cups and mugs she remembered what Severus had said as he arrived. "So, Se...Severus, might i be so bold as to ask what you wish to speak to Harry about?"
"Yes. I'm here because I have just sold the house I grew up in and until Hogwarts is totally rebuilt and I can return there, I am temporarily homeless."
He reached into his robe and pulled out a tiny suitcase and enlarged it to its normal size. "This is all my worldly possessions. I believe you are familiar with the undetectable extension charm, Hermione." He looked at her in a way that was half admiring and half shy and she reddened again before hiding her face with her overlarge coffee mug. Ron, totally oblivious to most things, didn't miss this and ended up almost spitting his tea all over the sleeping Teddy in his arms. He stared open mouthed at Severus who glared back while giving himself a very swift mental kick.
Severus continued as if nothing had happened saying "I have come to ask Harry if I may occupy one of the many rooms in this house until I find a more permanent solution to my housing situation." Immediately Hermione replied that of course he must stay and that it would be nice for there to be another person in the house.
Ron took another sip of tea and rolled his eyes. If these two kept being so nice to each other things were going to get uncomfortable. His relationship with Hermione was over and he wasn't jealous but he was sure that the Great Bat of the dungeon would never snag Hermione so he was content to merely watch so he could tell Harry later on and have a right old laugh about the fact that Snape seemed to fancy Hermione.
Dinner was served and was no less awkward, despite Severus attempts to not continue to make such gaffes. He couldn't seem to stop. He was endlessly annoyed at Ron for finding it all so amusing and felt himself to be getting very close to hexing him. The only thing that saved him was the sleeping baby that he held. At this point Teddy started to stir and Ron handed him off to Hermione who had finished eating already. She had been silent all through the meal and appeared to be deep in thought until Teddy stirred. She and Andromeda went off to see to him and settle him in his crib. This left Severus and Ron warily eyeing up one another. Ron decided to play with fire. "So, it seems that you fancy Hermione, Severus." "Shut up, what if she comes back and overhears us?" Severus hissed back. Ron laughed and moved through the room and spelled the dishes to wash before he left the room, still chuckling.
Severus put his head in his hands and let out a long groan. All summer he had been plagued by dreams and nightmares that featured Hermione. In his dreams she called him back from the dead like a siren, much as she had done on the night of the battle, after Nagini had attacked him. She had all the necessary potions that would cure him as much as he could be before he was taken to St Mungos for the specialist care he needed.
She had worked on him for longer than he thought she should have and if he could have summoned the words he would have told her to give up and leave him to die. He just wanted peace and sleep. Death was as good a way as any to get it, he figured. She clearly had other ideas and fed him potion after potion, Blood Replenisher, Essence of Dittany, an anti-venom potion that she herself had made as soon as they realised they would have to get close enough to Nagini to kill it. The risk of being bitten was very high.
The whole time she had talked to him telling him desperately to hold on, fight death and that he would be ok. When she had stabilised him enough to leave him she sent Harry and Ron back to the battle while she herself levitated him onto a conjured stretcher and created a portkey from an old boot she found in the shack, seeing as the floo in the shack was disconnected.
She had taken him to St Mungos and told him that she would return as soon as she was able. Harry and Ron had done what they could to help, massaging his throat to get the potions down and moving him as needed for Hermione to seal his bite wounds but it was her that Severus really credited with saving his life. He had been incredibly impressed at the development in her magical abilities that had occurred while the Trio had been on the run. They had clearly not just been sitting around being unproductive.
His nightmares were similar but he was always falling and as she called to him and he reached out to her she faded away when their fingers almost reached each other. He had seen many horrors as a Death Eater but nothing scared him quite like waking up suddenly from such a nightmare. Of course, he still had the nightmares from the Death Eater Revels but they never unsettled him like his nightmares when he couldn't quite reach Hermione.
His self control was slipping when it came to her and now he found himself in the same house, completely by design, and he wondered just what on earth he was up to. He was used to making things up as he went along after so many meetings with Voldemort but he had no idea what he was doing in this situation. Even Ron had seen right through him. He decided that the best idea was to go and hide in the library until he could speak to Harry.
Severus situated himself a wingback chair with the book he had selected and began to read. He was quite content.
He awoke suddenly in what must have been the middle of the night with a terrible crick in his neck. He quickly realised that he'd awoken because Teddy was crying and whoever was rocking him was cooing softly to him and trying to settle him. He stayed motionless and listened. It was Hermione.
Shit, he thought. He remained where he was. The last thing he need was to put his foot in it with her again. Minutes passed and Teddy didn't settle. Hermione was starting to sound desperate so he decided to offer his assistance.
He stood and smirked imperceptibly as she jumped as she saw him. "Hermione, might I be of any assistance?"
"Oh, Severus, you scared me! Umm, sure...here." she replied, moving over to him. She placed the baby in his arms and they brushed against each others' arms as she did. Severus had to have some swift words with himself.
Teddy realised he was being held by a new person and settled almost instantly in order to study Severus. He stared for a bit and as Severus' hair had dropped as he looked down at the baby, Teddy grabbed a fistful and calmly put his other fist into his mouth. Hermione was amazed. "Wow, you must have quite a way with babies. I've never seen him settle with someone like that before!"
His reply was interrupted when Teddy grabbed his nose. The sight was too much for Hermione and she burst out laughing before doubling over. Severus chuckled slightly at her amusement and said rather muffledly that she should put the baby back to bed now that he had settled. She countered that he should assist seeing as Teddy had taken such a liking to him. "Lead the way then, Hermione." He groused good-naturedly.
As they were leaving the room after seeing the boy off to sleep Hermione said "I spoke to Harry about your living situation. He said you are more than welcome to remain here as long as you need. There is plenty of space." "Thank you, Hermione."
"We prepared a room for you earlier." She said, stopping at a closed door. "I am next door and Harry is across the hall should you need anything." She pointed to the respective rooms and opened the door to his room. "Thank you again. You have been most generous. I shall have to thank Harry in the morning too." "It's no trouble Severus, after everything you did in the last 20 years as a spy, a place to stay is the least we can do." Severus scoffed "Rubbish. You saved my life when I should surely be dead. That is more payment than I could have ever asked. If it wasn't for you I would not be here at all."
He reached out to her, grasped her hand gently and pulled it to his lips before placing a soft but very sensual kiss on her bent knuckles. Hermione reddened at the same time as her knees went slightly weak. He looked into her eyes and then he was gone behind the door.
Hermione dreamed very vividly that night of his lips on parts of her that were nowhere near her knuckles.
Severus awoke at around 7am as he always did and cursed his internal body clock as he did every day. He lay in the bed and stared at the ceiling before realising that he could hear soft moans coming through the wall from the room next door that Hermione had indicated was hers. Severus silently thanked any god that was listening and carefully raised himself up and gently placed his ear flush against the wall. How he wished that the wall wasn't there and he could see.
Hearing was almost as good though and he became hard at the sounds he could hear very quickly. He reached inside his loose fitting sleep pants and grasped himself and began stroking to the moans of Hermione coming through the wall. He increased his strokes in accordance with her moans so that they would be able to come at the same time, even though she would be totally unaware. He kept his ear pressed to the wall as he stroked and his breathing began to quicken, matching hers all the way until he came, grunting and panting and he froze a he heard her coming too and he heard something he never expected. She moaned "Ohhh Severus" as she came, quite forcefully from the sounds of it.
All movement suddenly stilled and Severus eyes flew wide. He gulped and waited. She had heard him as he had come too. He knew it. He decided to throw all caution that he had spent 20 years adhering to into the wind.
He dived off the bed and threw open his door so forcefully he suspected it would fly right off its hinges and made the few steps to her door before slipping silently and stealthily inside.
The sight that he saw took his breath away. Hermione was naked atop the covers, her body flushed from her orgasm and her half closed eyes directed right at him, running lustily over his semi nude body.
He dropped his pants and his revived erection sprang free. She growled approvingly and rolled under the covers and held them up invitingly. With a raised eyebrow she asked "Coming?"
"Oh I hope so" he grinned back wolfishly. He slipped into the bed and claimed her mouth passionately before rolling her beneath him.
As he slid into her for the first time in what he hoped would be many, many times, he knew he was home.