Hagrid had promised to keep his eye on Hermione when she told everyone she wanted to look in Flourish and Blotts. Everyone else, determined to get some free merchandise off the twins, gladly ran off, saying they'd catch her up later.
Once again too big for the shop's narrow door frame, Hagrid kept guard on the quiet street while Hermione scurried in to see if the new book by Alexander Himel was in yet.
The mysterious properties of a particular string of hieroglyphics mustn't be of much interest to many people, as it was not in a display in the front window like Hermione had hoped. She eventually found it though and was immediately engrossed in it. Fascinating from page one, she refused to stop reading as she darted around groups of witches and wizards buying school books to return to Hagrid.
Over the past 16 years, Hermione had perfected the art of walking while reading a book and was well on her way to making it safely to Hagrid. There was just one slight problem.
"Oof!"
"Hey!"
Hermione lowered her book at the same time she whipped out her wand and pointed it straight between the eyes of…
A small child.
"I'm sorry Miss." The little boy scuffed his shoe on the pavement and wiped his runny nose as he found the stones beneath his feet fascinating.
Hermione, still wary that this might be a trap, took a quick look around the street. This boy could be a hoax, but he could also just be lost. She crouched down to his level. "Are you on your own?"
He shook his head. "No… I wasn't… but I am now." He sniffed again and looked up at Hermione.
"What's your name?"
"Henry…"
"Henry, do you want me to help you find your family?" Hermione fervently prayed this wasn't a trap. She wondered if she should tell Hagrid what she was doing first.
Henry nodded and took her hand as she stood up. But as she scanned the street again, she realized Hagrid was nowhere to be seen. With a sudden leap in her stomach, she hoped he hadn't been caught. But just as she was about to go into full scale panic mode, she saw him over on a corner talking to Professor McGonagall.
Hermione wondered if it wouldn't just be easier to return Henry and get back before Hagrid noticed she was gone. After all, a few feet seemed like miles to little children, didn't they?
"Henry, do you know where your family was last?"
"Uh…" Henry looked around as he tried his best not to cry in front of the grown up lady beside him. "There was an ice cream store!" His face lit up as he remembered. "But… there was no one there and Uncle Snevvy promised us ice creams but then we couldn't have any. Alexi started crying and Jenny ran into me and I got pushed behind something big and…and scary and then… I found you…" Henry looked up anxiously, wondering if he'd ever get to see his family again.
Hermione smiled reassuringly and began walking in the direction of Fortesque's. "Do you know how long ago that was?"
Henry thought for a minute and replied seriously, "An hour."
Hermione nodded just as seriously and said. "Don't worry, I know just where they'll be." The boy couldn't have been running for more than a minute. She was sure they wouldn't have moved off so quickly, especially without him.
To get his mind off things, Hermione asked Henry what they were buying in Diagon Alley.
"Books. Andrew's going to Hogwarts this year! He's a big boy now… I wish I was a big boy…then I wouldn't get lost."
Hermione kept her chuckle to herself. "I'm getting books for Hogwarts too."
Henry looked at her appraisingly. "But you're way older than Andy."
"Yes, it's my 6th year."
Henry grinned a toothy grin. "Then you'd know Uncle Snevvy! He teaches Potions." Henry swung slightly on Hermione's arm. "Isn't he the best ever?!"
Hermione looked curiously down at Henry. She had wondered who Uncle Snevvy might be but she had never guessed the name would refer to her dark and brooding Potions Master. And he was apparently the 'best ever'? This Hermione had to see.
Just then, they rounded a corner and the ice cream parlor came into view. Henry squealed and pulled Hermione over to his family's group. Sure enough, her professor was standing slightly taller above the rest, a brood of children of varying ages closer to him than Hermione could ever imagine small children would want to be to the foreboding man.
/
"Severus- how could this happen? I told you not to let them out of your sight!" A tall, lean woman with dark hair and pale skin glared accusingly at Snape.
Defensive, Snape hoisted Alexi higher on his hip and glared back. "He was right there a minute ago. It's not like I purposefully-"
"Henry! Henry?" Snape's auburn haired sister-in-law was walking down the street, Jenny holding her hand while Andrew sulked around half-heartedly trying to find his cousin.
Alexi wailed loudly and buried her head on Snape's shoulder, drowning out his next few words.
"I told you this was a bad idea…" Snape muttered under his breath just before he heard a familiar scream.
Henry ran up to them, towing a teenager behind him. With the lifting of an eyebrow, Snape regarded his student and mentally cursed. He had been hoping to avoid running into anyone he knew. He had put this well-needed shopping trip off for two weeks before he realized it would just be easier to give in to his sisters' demands. Simone dropped all pretence of being angry at him and rushed over to hug Henry. Andrew came back over, pleased despite his outward annoyance. Clara smiled and brought Jenny back over. The huge gaggle of family was now intact just in time for Hermione to stare around at them all.
"And you, darling girl. Where did you find him?" Hermione was pressed into the group by both Henry and his mother. Surprised Snape could have such a warm family, she answered their questions and smiled awkwardly when they thanked her. Snape, of course, tried to put as much distance between them as he could, pointedly ignoring her presence. Never mind that she had just rescued hisnephew. Hermione tried to ignore her professor too in case she burst out laughing. She didn't want to go down in Hogwarts history as the first student to lose House points before the start of term.
"Yes, yes. I'm sure Miss Granger has important errands to run, Simone." Snape tried to salvage what he could of this horrendous day. He was almost tempted to have words with the Dark Lord for making everyone panic and gather 'protective males' around them for shopping trips. Did he think his Death Eaters had nothing better to do all day than to ferry small children around and put up with their whining?
No one heard him speak. Henry was busy relating how the wonderful "Miss Mione" saved him and how he was sorry he had run away. Simone was comforting him while, somehow, simultaneously thanking Hermione. Clara was trying to keep the other kids from wandering off towards the flashing windows of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
"You must join us for lunch, Miss Granger. Or perhaps you have shopping you still need to do? You can accompany us if you'd like." Clara tossed back her long auburn hair, unintentionally causing a few teenagers to wolf whistle. She rolled her eyes, never really understanding why people did that when around her, and returned her attention to Hermione.
Hermione bit back a grin. She wouldn't join them if they paid her; she had no desire to suffer whatever indignation Snape would have towards her after being witness to his family life. Especially since at that moment, the girl on his hip protested again and he quietly whispered in her ear.
Severus tried to bribe Alexi with a lollypop but as he'd been sneaking her sweets all day that particular tactic was clearly old now. With a sigh, he tried another approach. "I'll come to your next tea party if you stay quiet like a good little girl." With a sniffle and a smile, she calmed down and Severus went back to his vigilant glaring, now in Granger's direction.
"I'm certain Miss Granger has other things to do away from Diagon Alley," he sneered, glancing at the book she carried. "Perhaps some research on hair management charms?"
Hermione frowned but was used to his snide remarks. Henry, however, was obviously not. With a gasp, he looked directly at Snape. "Uncle Snevvy, that wasn't nice! I think Miss Mione's hair is pretty!"
Hermione looked down at him and smiled. She was quickly warming to the family.
Alexi apparently didn't like it either. "Dat mean, Snevvy. Say sorreh."
Hermione tried very hard not to look at him and laugh. Snape was looking slightly constipated. Annoyed at waiting, Alexi hit the side of his head with a whap. "Sorreh!"
Snape cleared his throat and quietly muttered, "Sorry."
Hermione couldn't help but express her surprise. Henry turned coldly away from Uncle Snevvy to address Mione.
"He's never mean to us. Why would he say that?" He seemed rather vexed that his uncle could be so cruel.
Hermione bent down to Henry's level- partly to save Henry from craning his neck to see her but mostly so she could hide her face from Snape. "Maybe he's hungry. Don't you sometimes get grumpy when you're hungry?"
Henry though this over for a minute while his mother decided that it was about time they did head off for lunch, before the children lost it themselves.
Simone and Clara quickly herded Hermione and the children down the street, making sure to hide their own grins from their brother.
The family decided to have lunch at a small Italian place a few lanes away from Diagon Alley. Hermione was treated to the family history and as much as Snape protested that she probably didn't give a badger's a- Severus! about them, she attentively listened as Simone and Clara introduced all the children.
When they were all seated, Hermione penned a quick note to Harry and the Weasleys. "If you don't mind, I'll just let my friends know that I'm safe. They might be worried by now." Hermione was beginning to feel guilty and wanted to put Mrs. Weasley's mind at rest before they started sending out a search party.
Snape scoffed and addressed her. "I have a feeling Potter and Weasley might not consider being in my company as being 'safe'."
"Well, they'll have to get over it. I've been telling them for years they shouldn't be so worried about you. Maybe after spending time with you and coming back in one piece will be enough to convince them, but I doubt it." Hermione replied offhandedly as she scribbled on the back of her book receipt.
Severus kept his bemusement to himself and gave his attention to his menu.
Clara and Simone gave each other a look. Hermione was certainly no pushover. They liked her even more for it.
Not long after, the Weasley brood and company trailed past the window, all peering in to see if Hermione was in fact in there. Severus bent his head down further into his menu as Hermione waved animatedly to them before she turned her attention back to Simone. Severus smirked as he noticed Ron and Harry's put out expressions before they all moved on.
Hermione enjoyed having lunch with the Snapes. She liked Simone a lot. Even though she looked very much a Snape with her dark hair and pale skin, she seemed to be nothing like her professor in personality. She didn't hide the fact that she thought her five children were her world. Simone had been married until just recently; her husband had run off with an American woman when she was pregnant with the newest addition to the family- the 8 month old Michael. Lizzette was the oldest at thirteen; then there was 9 year old Aiden, who was the quiet, studious one; Henry was 6, and then Alexi who was three. Hermione felt for Simone. Although she outwardly acted as if she was content just to be with her children, Hermione knew it would have been a hard blow to lose a husband like that. Or, indeed, in any way.
Clara's story was little better. She was more like Snape in attitude- reserved and only softened up whenever she was quietly talking to her children, 11 year old Andrew and 7 year old Jenny. She was clearly a beauty though with her thick eyelashes, auburn hair, and high cheekbones. Hermione was jealous of her looks but looks didn't bring happiness; Clara's husband, the older of the Snape brothers, had died a sergeant in the muggle army a few years back. Simone told most of the story. Clara wasn't thrilled at having her life story told to a stranger but she was more concerned with taking care of the children than protesting. Professor Snape, on the other hand, only stopped protesting when Simone told him to put a sock in it. Hermione was sure he would have spent the remainder of the meal scowling at her if it weren't for Henry's constant disapproving looks. Apparently Snape had dated Clara for a while before they went their separate ways and eventually her affections settled on his older brother, Stephen.
As Simone fed little Michael some ice cream, she quietly remarked, "My brothers are always fighting to keep the world safe…" She looked down at Michael for a moment longer before looking up at Severus. Severus' eyes met with hers and they shared a look that was rife with meaning. Hermione completely understood the feeling. Harry would never stop fighting until the very end. Neither would some of her other friends. She realized that Simone was prepared to expect the worse when the end did come, as was Hermione. Merlin, she even feared for her own life but it was of little consequence in light of the bigger picture. Hermione took a sip of her drink, trying to melt away from the middle of the seemingly private family moment.
However, the children broke the mood and Hermione soon found herself in earnest conversation about Hogwarts to Henry and Andrew.
In Severus' opinion, the day continued to snowball downhill. Much to his dismay, the women talked the Granger chit into accompanying them for the rest of the afternoon. His nephews, every blasted one of them, were completely enamored of the young witch, and argued over who got to hold her hands, and for how long. To top that off, Alexi became sick from too many lollies (Severus would be sure not to make that mistake again…but how else to get a three year old to behave?). He quickly scourgified his puke-covered shoes. And if that wasn't bad enough, they all had to enter the women's undergarments shop together. Apparently, the trip was a necessity for Lizzette- that was something he did not need to know. Clara also picked up a few unmentionables, which Snape pointedly ignored. He wasn't immune to her beauty, and though he only harbored brotherly affection for her, it was perhaps best to keep his imagination firmly in check.
After an eternity, he finally saw his family off as they apparated home. Of course, they didn't leave until he promised, in front of Granger, that he would referee Jenny's football game the following Saturday. And then, of course, there were the numerous goodbyes between Granger and the children. Severus stood by, impatiently tapping his foot until Henry rushed up to him and remarked quietly, "Uncle Snevvy, mother says we should never go to bed angry with anyone…and I just wanted to tell you… I forgive you for being mean to Miss Mione." He looked all the way up at Snape, which was a considerable height for him, and added, "But you can't be mean to her anymore."
Severus' eyes softened and he leaned down to give Henry a quick hug. "Thank you. I promise I'll be good." With a smirk he watched Henry rejoin his family and disappear into the air.
When the family left, Hermione thought since the Weasleys had already returned to the Burrow, she may as well visit Hogwarts and check in with Professor McGonagall about her Head Girl duties. She had been asked to stop by before the beginning of term and this seemed a good time to do it. Besides, her professor was probably going back there himself. Snape grudgingly agreed to escort her but he wondered just how many more females would require his assistance before the day was out.
When they appeared in front of Hogwarts, the gates granted Snape entrance. Hermione quietly followed him up the driveway until she couldn't keep her thoughts to herself any longer. She really liked Snape's family and wondered if he would loosen up enough to talk to her for a few moments.
"So, a football game?"
Snape stopped abruptly in his tracks and faced Hermione. Her eyes widened as she realized she should have kept her mouth shut.
He leaned in close and hissed in a quiet but deadly voice, "Miss Granger, you would do well to remember that if a single word of this escapade passes your lips, I will murder you in your sleep."
"Yes, Sir."
They began walking again but after a few moments Snape stopped once more. Hermione looked back at him wondering what was wrong.
Snape struggled with himself. Although you would have to torture him in order for him to admit it, Henry was quite dear to his heart. He felt it was his duty to say something to Granger.
Stiffly, he began, "Miss Granger, while I assure you I will not make a habit of this sort of behavior...I wish to thank you for your...tact...this afternoon. My family knows little about the goings on here at school." If Alexi's reaction was anything to go by, Severus knew his nieces and nephews would be crushed indeed if they found out he was a right old git at school… and, indeed, in life in general.
No longer surprised at her professor's nicer side, Hermione replied, "I understand, Sir."
Snape pressed on. "Circumstances being what they are, Henry's capture would have been...exceptionally unfortunate. I'm sure you can imagine the danger anyone close to me is in at all times."
Hermione solemnly nodded. His was not a life to envy. She had never judged Professor Snape as harshly as her fellow schoolmates. Although he could probably be slighter nicer to the students, she could imagine how sour a life like his would turn you.
"Right then." Suppressing his embarrassment, Snape continued walking.
Without further conversation, they continued on their way.
/
Hermione returned home after visiting Hogwarts that day and went straight to her old toy chest in the attic. She cleared away the dust and opened the wooden lid, wondering if it would still be there. After a while of going through the various dolls, legos, and one Furby that refused to give in to death, she found it. Hermione smiled and sat back on her legs. She wondered if it would be suicide to send it to him but after only a moment's hesitation, she gathered her Gryffindor courage and went downstairs to find an envelope.
/
Severus unpacked a few potions ingredients he had managed to pick up amongst the hustle and bustle of the day's shopping excursion. He was secretly glad that he had had a chance to catch up with his family before the rigors of the school semester began once more. Just as he was about to sit down and finalize a few teaching plans, his black owl Xersus tapped on the window of his office.
As he untied the envelope addressed to him, Severus fed Xersus a few owl treats. The owl hooted happily then flew over to his perch to continue his vigilance.
Severus recognized the handwriting on the front but there was no note included. Only one small item rested in the envelope, a silver whistle on a blue cord. Severus smirked as he turned it over in his hands. Of course Granger couldn't just forget the day had ever happened. He placed it in his top drawer where it would wait patiently until Saturday's football match.
/
Hermione never mentioned that day again to Professor Snape. The only other reference to it happened one day at breakfast in the Great Hall. A small fluffy owl swooped in and dropped an envelope beside Snape's coffee and then flew over to drop an identical one beside Hermione's cereal. She frowned when she didn't recognize the child-like scrawl on the package.
When she opened it, she found a small note:
Miss Mynee-
I liked meeting you at diegon allee. Thank you for being my freend.
-Henry.
Included with the note was a stick figure drawing of three people- a girl with very bushy brown hair, a small boy in the middle, and a very very tall man with a big nose and black hair. Hermione smiled to herself and glanced up at the Head Table to see Snape smirking over a piece of paper and folding it away into his pocket. Hermione did the same.
Hermione would look at that picture many times in the years to come…to remember the man with the big nose, black hair, and a heart bigger than he led everyone to believe.