Disclaimer:- My plot is mine, however, I neither own nor earn anything from this story. Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling and her affiliates.

oOo

A/N:- Here we are with the next instalment of our story, thank you for the fabulous response to the last chapter, I appreciate every favourite, follow and review. Also a huge thank you to my beta, Golden Asp, for her wonderful work on this chapter.

oOo

Chapter Four – Absence and Hearts and All That

Hermione lay on her bed in Australia waiting for her answer. She had been here one week now, and tonight she had been carrying on a conversation with Severus via their linked boxes just as she did every night. As she waited, she absently ran her index finger over the raised metalwork scrolls and flowers on the lid. The box itself was finished in black lacquer, and measured about five by three inches. Inside it was lined with deep burgundy coloured velvet that smelt of age and sandalwood. It was a delicious smell, and it filled Hermione with a longing to smell it continuously.

Then the wood under her fingers registered Severus' magic as the little chime made her heart beat faster, and she smiled quietly as she opened the note.

You can't just say that it's as simple as that. All spells have darker variants, it depends on the intent of the caster as to the final resulting spell. A simple Scourgify can kill if intended to. Take for example my spell Sectumsempra. Yes it is a spell to use against enemies, and in the hands of someone with no finesse, it is a bloodbath. However, when wielded with delicacy and care it can cut the sheerest silk in the heat of passion without even blemishing the skin.

What do you think of that, little witch?

Hermione had to admit that the only picture on the screen of her mind at present was of him whispering that spell as he kissed down over her collarbones and her silk nightie slithering to the ground accompanied by a delicate ripping sound, and she had no qualms about telling him either.

You're a wicked wizard, Severus. I can just imagine you chuckling as you wrote that, and the image you have just planted in my head. Oh my… give me the finesse of a sexy older man over a dunderheaded boy any day.

She hastily placed the note in the box before she changed her mind, and she closed the lid, sending it. This had been going on all week, and she didn't know how much more teasing she could take. There was definitely something to say for writing; it gave you bravado you normally wouldn't have in person, and she wondered what it would be like when she saw him again. As she was thinking this the chime sounded again.

I'm wicked, who imagined the scene to start with, little witch? If you were here I would happily demonstrate my ability in spell wielding to you. As it is you are not, and I am forced to wait impatiently for you.

Yours
Old man

Hermione's answer was swift.

I said, sexy old-er man, Severus, not old man (something you definitely are not!) and you could come here to me, you know. ;-)

Severus read the reply. He hadn't thought of going to her. He looked around himself, there was nothing to keep him here, and a quick floo call to Minerva would be the only concession he would need to make, but could he be that spontaneous, would it be wise to be so at the moment? No, he was fairly certain that as much as he'd love to do that, this was not the right time to do so.

He looked the parchment again, and then picked up his quill to reply before he lost his nerve and gave in, or proposed an alternative.

I am not certain that me arriving on your parent's doorstep is wise at present, they may read more into things than you want them too just at present.

Hermione looked at his reply and buried her head in her pillow in frustration, especially when she realised that he was correct.

My parents know I'm friends with you, and I've told them all about you, but you're right (as disappointed as this makes me) they are already reading more than I'm willing to admit into our friendship, and perhaps it is not the right time to present them with concrete proof that I'm an adult who knows her own mind. While life is still settling down and I've had the big lecture from dad about discussing things with them before I act, I still feel like a foreigner in their home. I'm sorry, Severus, I shouldn't have suggested it, but I miss you. Maybe it's about time to come home, but my parents are still deciding whether to return to England, and I want to be here to help them if they do decide to go back.

She dozed why waiting for his reply, it was getting frightfully late.

Your parents might make their minds up more quickly about going back once you have left, because while you're there they are happy to have you with them and are putting off any decisions about moving. I will also advise you that you may always feel like a foreigner in their home now. You have been out of the security of your parent's home for too long and as you say, you have grown up. They will always expect you to be a child, living with parents once you have been independent is going to be difficult at the best of times, let alone when they still do not quite trust you after the circumstances you have just put them through.

By the way, I forgot to mention earlier, Minerva sends her regards and will contact you via me when the dates for NEWTs have been announced. Now you should try and get some sleep, my witch, by my estimation it is very late where you are.

Good night.

Hermione read his note and listened to the sounds of the house around her. It was all quiet, so she replied her good night to Severus and snuggled under her covers. It was rather chilly tonight, nowhere near as cold as it got in England, but cold nevertheless. As she settled down to sleep she smiled at his rather possessive name for her, and irritation gripped her once more that she hadn't been able to set Ron straight on thing are before she'd left. She felt so comfortable with Severus. She had never felt that way about Ron, and she realised now that regardless of whether it worked with Severus or not, it would have never worked with Ron.

xox

Two more weeks of exchanging parchments and it was the end of July, and Hermione was starting to think he was correct that her parents were putting off making their decision because she was there.

Then something arrived that made her mind up for her. Severus' first communication for the day contained a missive from Minerva McGonagall.

Dear Hermione,

Severus has been good enough to say he would pass this on to you. I know you are still spending quality time with your family but I received the schedule for the special NEWT sitting. The examinations will run as follows-

18th of August 1998 – 9 am Transfiguration; 2 pm Care of Magical Creatures

19th August 1998 – 9 am Charms; 2 pm Defence Against The Dark Arts (Written)

20th August 1998 – 9 am Herbology; 8 pm Astronomy

~weekend study break~

23th August 1998 – 9 am History of Magic; 2 pm Muggle Studies

24th August 1998 - 9 am Arithmancy; 2 pm Potions

25th August 1998 – 9 am Study of Ancient Runes; 2 pm Divination

26th August 1998 – 9 am Alchemy

27th August 1998 –Defence Against The Dark Arts (Practical – individual times will be allotted)

The exams will be held at Hogwarts and participants will be required to be in residence by dinner time Tuesday evening the 17th of August, and stay for the duration of the exam session.

I hope you are having a good time in Australia, I shall see you when you return.

Fond regards
Minerva McGonagall – Headmistress, Hogwarts

Hermione smiled, that meant that she had an excuse to go back. She placed the headmistress' letter down and pulled Severus' from the box.

Good morning, my witch,

I extend to you the opportunity to brew any or all of the NEWT level potions before your exam (as long as you keep it to yourself, as Minerva has roped me into being invigilator, since Slughorn appears to have disappeared into the ether once more).

It's technically not teaching, I'm simply supervising exams. I don't even have to prepare the exams. However, considering our friendship I have asked Minerva to organise an impartial observer so that your results cannot be called into question in any way. I hope you do not mind me assuming that for you.

It is safe for me to assist you with the potions too, as I will not know until I take the papers from the envelope what potions you will be brewing, so I can grill you to my heart's content over them.

As always
Severus

Sliding out of her bed and stretching deliciously, she heard Tom waking up in the next room, and she decided to help her mother out. She walked into his room and picked up the grizzling baby. "Pew, I know why you're complaining, little Tommy teacup," she said, tickling his tummy through his wonder suit pyjamas.

Despite his discomfort the little boy giggled and squirmed. She lay him on his change table and unbuttoning the bottom half of his pyjamas she peeled the legs off. She was just removing his nappy when her mother walked in, and Jean came over and looked over Hermione's shoulder.

"Good morning, dear," she said, squeezing Hermione's waist. "And hello, my little man," she added, looking at Thomas.

The baby squirmed and cooed at her, prompting Hermione to laugh. "He knows where the food comes from."

Jean smiled as she replied. "I'll go and start breakfast, if you can bring Tom down."

"Sure."

xox

Hermione waited for her father to arrive and she told them. "It's time for me to go back to England. I received a letter from Professor McGonagall this morning, via Severus, notifying me that my NEWT exams are in two weeks." She took a sip of her morning coffee. "Also, Severus has offered me the chance to brew all the NEWT level potions before the exam," and she snickered as she spread jam on her toast. However, when silence met her she look up. "What's wrong?"

"Exactly who is this Severus?" her father asked, and there was anger written all over his face.

Hermione was taken back by her father's attitude. "What? Umm, he's a Potions master, he was the professor at Hogwarts, but he's not now the war is over."

"He was your teacher?" Jean gasped.

"I-I've only become friends with him now that he's not a teacher anymore." Hermione gasped, shocked by her parents allegation. "W-What do you take me for," she stuttered. "Being friends with a teacher of the opposite sex would have been highly inappropriate before I was an adult."

"You're damn right it would have been," her father said angrily as both her parents looked at her like they didn't believe her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, starting to become scared that the fragile truce they'd reached had just been spoilt, but of course this issue had been bound to come up at some point.

Jean covered her daughter's hand. "Hermione, we got the impression that your relationship with Severus was an established one, you're always full of things you discuss with him," she told her gently.

Of course her father was more direct. "And after what you did," he started.

Hermione didn't take that well. "What?! I can't believe what I'm hearing," she gasped. "A-After what I did… I s-saved you all, and I'm only friends with Severus. I wanted to visit him in hospital after the war because I felt so guilty. You see, when we were children we hated him, he was not a pleasant man, but w-we didn't realise that he was protecting… that he was the spy that Mr Weasley spoke about. Then the headmistress asked me if I'd like to be his reader. You see he's a scholar, well I jumped at the chance because I wanted to see him to apologise, and it gave me occupation to stop thinking about all the things that were wrong. About you guys, a-about the people we lost in the war, a-and about Ron."

Hermione brushed at her tears, and continued in a rather nasally voice. "We became friends then, we were nothing to one another before that. I relate to Sev on the same level, we talk the same language, and I really want to explore..." but she stopped talking and sighed. "But there's this mess I have to fix with Ron first before we can become more than friends."

Jean and David sat dumbfounded at the emotion spilling out of their daughter. They knew she was genuine, and that they had misjudged the situation.

Then she drew a shuddering breath, and said, "I'm sorry, I think it may be past time for me to go. I love all three of you very much, but I will not have you questioning my integrity. You really do not have any concept for what I suffered before I took the steps I did to save you, and definitely nothing of what happened after that," and she ran up the stairs, quickly collected her things. She pulled the Portkey Severus had given her from her bag and tapped it with her wand.

.

She arrived to see Severus putting his wand away, she'd obviously given him a fright with her abrupt arrival, and she suddenly wanted to be in his arms. She ran to him. "Severus," she cried, and burst into tears as his arms came around her.

"Hey, what has you in such a flap?" he asked carefully, lifting her chin to see her face.

She couldn't speak, her hurt feelings were warring with her relief to be with him, and her dread of what had to happen next.

When she simply stood there sobbing and gasping for breath, he collected her in his arms and settled them both into the chair he had risen from on her arrival. He placed her on his lap and simply held her. Eventually, she started to settle and he heard her sniff.

"Why is it that young ladies never seem to have handkerchiefs these days?" he asked, conjuring a neatly folded square of white cloth and handing it to her.

"Thank you," her cry roughened voice replied.

"You're lucky I'm a night owl, my witch."

"I'm sorry, Severus, I didn't mean to break in on you."

"Had I not meant for you to, as you put it, 'break in on me' I would have directed the Portkey to another destination. Now, why the tears?"

She sniffed and wiped her eyes again. "These last three weeks—as much as I've enjoyed being with them—I've been living on tenterhooks, w-waiting for them to question my friendship with you."

"And did they?"

"Yes, but they made it sound so sordid and cheap. Like I must have been sleeping with you while I was a student. I was horrified that they could think that. I don't think they will ever really trust me again."

"You need to give them time, Hermione," he told her, absently running his hands over her arms. "You're almost a stranger to them now, and they're obviously still seeing you as the younger you they remember. You forget that they have missed over two years of your life, probably more if you count all the years you were at Hogwarts."

Hermione was having trouble concentrating with his hands running over her, but she shook her head. "No, I'm very aware that they've missed a lot of my life, since I was eleven really, but I don't want to have to try and explain anymore. They're never going to get what happened, or why I had to do it."

"That is true," Severus nodded.

However, that was as far as they got with their conversation and there was hammering on Severus' door, and they could hear Minerva shouting, "Severus! Severus, are you all right?"

After a moment of confusion, his eyes opened wide. "She must have felt you burst through the wards, and she thinks someone's after me. I better go and see to that," and he placed Hermione on the chair and went to open the door.

"Minerva, why are you abusing my door?"

"Oh," Minerva gasped shocked. "I felt... I thought." She peered passed him to where Hermione was now approaching.

The instant Severus had placed her gently in the chair, Hermione shivered and her eyes started to well up again, but she knew that she would have to get over it. She had a job to do, so she might as well get on with it. She shook herself, and turned towards the door. "I'm sorry," Hermione said, "It was me arriving." She had taken a moment to apply a glamour over her features before she'd turned, and she gave the headmistress a hug. "It's morning in Australia, I didn't think about the time difference, sorry."

"Never mind, dear, it's good to see you. Do you need accommodation? I can have the elves prepare guest quarters."

"No, I'll go back to Grimmauld Place. I'll see you tomorrow, Severus?" Her statement turned into a question.

"I would be pleased to see you, good night, my dear," and he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

She gripped his hand as he kissed her, and squeezed slightly. "Good night," she replied softly, "and thank you." Then she turned to Minerva. "Good night, Headmistress."

She walked passed Minerva and out into the hallway, and she heard her former head of house comment to Severus, "How did Hermione end up in your quarters?"

"Because I gave her a Portkey to use whenever she wanted to. Good night, Minerva. I will see you at breakfast," and his door was shut again.

Hermione increased her stride as well; she was not going to answer any questions if the headmistress caught up with her.

She smiled. She was back, and she had been comforted by Severus, but now she had to write to her parents and apologise for leaving so abruptly, and then find Ron. The place to start would be Grimmauld Place, so once she'd reached the front gates, she apparated to the little park across from the house.

xox

"'Mione!" Ginny said as she entered the kitchen.

Both Harry and Ginny were toiling over the kitchen table, books all around them.

"Hello," Hermione replied. "What are you doing?"

"Doing our best to study for the upcoming NEWTs without you to help us," Harry chuckled. "When did you get back?"

"About half an hour ago," she replied. Plonking down into a chair. "Is Ron about?"

"No, we don't see very much of him lately," Harry told her.

"And I thought it was only me he was avoiding," Hermione huffed.

Ginny got up to put the kettle on. "We know he's been here, but it's only when we've been out," she told Hermione.

"How do you know he's been here?" Hermione asked.

"The stink," Ginny snorted, waving her hand in front of her nose. "He has this new aftershave and I reckon it smells like flubberworm shit."

"Oh," Hermione said, picking up a biscuit from the plate Ginny had placed in between all their stuff.

"Why are you looking for him?" Harry wanted to know.

Hermione sighed, and munched on her biscuit for a bit, then she sighed again. "I want to break up with him before…" she paused, and then changed tack slightly. "I've learned over the past three weeks that we're never going to work."

Ginny placed the mugs of tea in front of them. "And who's taught you that then?" she asked with mischief in her eyes.

"No one, it's just something I've learned."

"Really," Harry said, barking a laugh. "I don't suppose it would have anything to do with a certain snarky Potions professor we all know?"

"I would never cheat on Ron, even if I have been trying to find him to break up with him," Hermione gasped. "Besides, I've been in Australia."

Ginny covered her friend's hand. "He's only teasing, love," she said.

Hermione sighed. "It's been a very confronting three weeks, all in all, and I'm very jumpy about certain subjects."

And all too late, she realised that she'd just told them their answer, and she groaned and took a mouthful of tea as they chuckled merrily at her.

"Really, 'Mione, he's more your speed. I wouldn't blame you for falling for him," Harry told her.

"You wouldn't? Well that's unexpected," she gasped.

Ginny squeezed Hermione's hand before letting go. "We're not blind, 'Mione. It will work out."

"Do you really think so? We've become really good friends. Like you guys were before you started going out."

"Well, if we're anything to go on, then we'll have to prepare for having a Snape in the family," Harry chuckled, staring lovingly at Ginny.

Hermione looked between them, and gasped as her eyes fell to Ginny's left hand. "No way, you got engaged while I was away?" she all but yelled.

"It was kind of spontaneous, Harry getting over enthusiastic I guess," Ginny told her. "Of course, you'll be my bridesmaid, yeah?"

"You just try and stop me," Hermione grinned. "Oh, congratulations, you guys," and she got up and hugged both of them.