A Chance Not Taken
Author's note & Disclaimer: All hail the great JKR... I own nothing, but play with her characters for fun. This is my humble attempt responding to WIKTT's Thou Shall Not challenge issued by Andrian. I would love feedback, especially constructive ones. Thanks.
Chapter 1
Severus Snape finished yet another bottle of Firewhiskey as an empty bottle joined its brethren on the floor for the house elves to pick up in the morning. As he threw the shot glass against the wall, he wondered once again how it's possible for one woman to creep into his heart and hurt him more than even the Dark Lord could. He was truly a bitter man.
True, he had always been a bitter man, but since the fall of Voldemort, he has finally received the accolades long overdue - including the prestigious Order of Merlin - 1st class. And finally, after many years of waiting, the DADA position was his. Despite his new post as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, he still maintained a private lab for him to continue his research in the field of potions making. While his Potions Master replacement was more than capable of teaching the potions curriculum at Hogwarts, he was not in the league of Severus Snape when it comes to the field. The general consensus of the wizarding population now treated this man as the silent hero, the valiant spy, the man of mystery, and to witches within marriageable age, a man who needed the love and care of a good woman. Despite all this, it doesn't mean a thing when the sun goes down and he's all alone by himself all night.
He'd find himself at the end of the day sitting in his personal chambers at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry thinking about the love he could have had, yet lost. He didn't realize or let alone understand how the irritating (and yes, she was indeed irritating, all that foolish hand waving at every single question he'd every ask for seven long years) know-it-all had broken through the impenetrable walls to his heart, bypassed all his cleverly placed remarks of disdain, tolerated his sarcastic temper, and placed him in a state he had never been before. He adored and hated her at the same time. He loved her enough to let her pursue her goals and dreams away from Hogwarts at the expense of a possible future together. He hated her when she chose him, of all people, to bestow her hand in marriage. Of course, she was not simply just a know-it-all now, but have grown into a confident and lovely woman. She is now one a brilliant mediwitch, one of the brightest and most famous witches known in the wizarding world and is married to one of his most hated people in his existence.
The department head of Potion and Plant Poisoning at St. Mungo's stifled a yawn as she wrapped up her work for the evening. Today was her son's birthday, and she did not want to be late getting home. James would be 5 this year, and the gang had been frantically preparing for her son's birthday party. Hagrid had hinted days earlier that he would bring with him a "surprise", and while he always had good intentions, things just never turn out the way things planned. Knowing Harry and Ron, little James would certainly not be bereft of his first toy broom this year, the Little Broom Deluxe with cushioning charm released earlier this year by the makers of professional brooms like the Firebolt XP owned by Harry, seeker of the England National Quidditch team. Since Harry and Ron was in all but blood the closest thing she had to a wizarding family, James' birthdays had always been full of redhead Weasleys and a growing continent of Potters. While most had expected Harry and Ginny to marry, it was Lavender Brown who eventually became Mrs. Harry Potter. Ginny, on the other hand, had married former werewolf Remus Lupin cured of his lycanthropy. From the way Ginny's pregnancy is going, James will soon have a new "cousin" to play with.
*At the way things are going, we'll have enough Potters and Weasleys for two Quidditch teams in a few more years.*
A barn owl ruffling his feathers landed gracefully in front of her on a nearby perch startled her out of her train of thought. Giving the owl a treat, she untied the package, signed the receipt, and the owl went on its way. The package was already wrapped, and as she smiled to herself, she wondered how her son would react to such a gift. She had ordered a beginner's set of potion making for her son from the Magical Tykes Company, and given his hours of fascination watching her brew potions at home, she hoped he would love the gift. It seemed typical for a woman like Hermione to buy something like that for her child, and yet James's father does not share her sentiment as he had expressed his opinion earlier.
*'Mione, our child is only five. Surely he should have fun toys, something besides reading and thinking about making potions. He should be playing Quidditch instead, or maybe bond with a few magical creatures.*
Her husband just doesn't understand. Despite the fact they love each other dearly, they have very different expectations for their son. While she wanted him to be learned and happy, she didn't appreciate all those wild stunts her husband keeps pulling often in her opinion which might endanger their son. For one second, her mind drifted to an unrealistic fantasy where James' father was Severus, how he would feel about her gift to her son. *First of all, our son would not be called James, that's for sure.* Shaking her head in hopes of clearing away the traitorous thoughts, she continued on her way.
Over the years, these thoughts would creep into her mind and she would attempt to exorcise them with thoughts of her husband and family. Her relationship with Severus had been short in length, yet in her mind would last a lifetime. As she put up the wards to her office for the evening with her son's birthday present in hand, she walked towards St. Mungo's apparition area, allowing her mind to wander once more to the far corners where her memories lay.
It was my seventh year at Hogwarts, and despite all expectations, I wasn't made head girl. I just just a little bit disappointed, but I hadn't minded much once the reason was explained to me. Madam Pomfrey had graciously allowed me to apprentice with her for extra credit this year, since I have finally decided after long and careful thought to be a mediwitch, I would not have been able to perform all the duties of the Head Girl at the same time with mys studies and the internship. Thus, soothed that the problem was not my incompetence, I was relieved. The idea of doing research and helping people appealed to me, and while I studied for my N.E.W.Ts, I periodically spent most of my spare time in the Hospital Wing observing Madam Pomfrey treating her patients. Once in a while, I would be asked to stay overnight to watch over patients who needed overnight care, and thus, on a dark and stormy night, sat on a bed reading a copy of Hogwarts: A History.
Sometime shortly after midnight, the chime outside Madam Pomfrey's office began to rang. Periodically, the residents of Hogsmeade would come to the castle seeking emergency aid, and as I flooed Madam Pomfrey's fireplace to inform her of an incoming patient, I immediately shrunk my bag of supplies and proceeded down to the front gates of the castle, in case any extra help was needed. When I got there, I couldn't believe what I saw.
I've heard of Professor's Snape's contribution to the Order, yet I've never seen him in physical pain. He was convulsing on the ground in extreme pain, and I could see his hand tremor under all this stress. Yet, all this time, he did not make a sound, and as he looked at me without his usual glare and snarl, as if he was too exhausted to even act out his usual demeanor. As I tried to lift him up, he tried to shrug me off in an attempt to stand on his own. Unfortunately, he was not strong enough and collapsed into my waiting arms.
With a soft pop, Hermione apparated and arrived in front of her current residence and her husband's family home. As she thought about the address of 12 Grimmauld Place, the house appeared before her eyes. She had spent much time and effort to renovate the house after she married. Over the years, the family replaced Kreacher with another house elf, with the agreement that he be paid and have time off regularly, a firm stipulation from the mistress of the household.
As she walked through the foyer after greeting the house elf and handing the package to him, Sirius Black swept her in his arms, kissed her soundly, and greeted her.
"Hermione. You look exhausted. Long Day?"
"Yes Sirius. It's been hectic. But I'm just glad I'm home."