AN: Thank you all so much for all the reviews! You're wonderful! Please keep them coming.


Through his shock he registered that she would most likely grab her child and run if he didn't make it clear he wouldn't force her to return to the magical world if she did't want to.

Drawing a deep breath while still holding her eyes with his gaze he said in as calm a voice as he could muster:

"I won't tell anyone that we met. Nor of your whereabouts, if you don't want me to. I promise you. There is more peace in the wizarding world now than there ever was following the war. The snatchers that hurt you have been caught and are spending the rest of their life in Azkaban. You have little to fear. And...," he grudgingly added, "Potter and company are doing well." She blinked rapidly but did not run.

Encouraged by the fact that she was still watching him and not running but mindful of the rain and her and her daughter's threadbare coats, he continued carefully in a deliberately nonchalant voice with:" You must live quite a bit away. I've never seen you round these parts?" Casting a deliberate look at her and the child's soggy clothing he continued, "I'm just past the next street... if you would like to come in for some tea and", he knew that now he could either scare her away or encourage her - since she hadn't run by now he decided to be bold and continue with, "Molly's excellent cooking?" Through the rain he noticed the young woman move back just the slightest bit and blink rapidly.

Deciding that if he was in for a penny of risk he would go in for a pound:

"in case you have doubts, I really won't tell - I know you ran away and wanted nothing less than to be found."

Hermione's eyes left him, her grip on her daughter's hand tightened and she swallowed hard.

"I swear to you I won't look for you if you don't want to see me again," please hear me out, please don't run, "Mrs. Hermione... or is it... Jean now?", he trailed off, uncertain. At her narrowing of eyes suspiciously at him he continued, "I overheard a man talking about his wife, Jean, who looked like he could be this one's father. Same type of hair, similar cheek bones."

He cast a look at the girl beside him, who stared at them in wonderment and confusion, as if this would prove to only be a dream that she would wake up out of, if she made a sound or moved. Why did this man call her mother Hermione? Her mother's name was Jean. Her eyes widened in shock. Her mother had always been so tight-lipped about her past. She had told her that one day, when she'd be older, she would get an expiation. Oh how she wished she knew. And this man... Did he and her mum know each other? Thinking of him she noticed the wizard staring at her intently but on hearing an odd noise from her mother she turned her eyes to her.

Severus reeled. Lorna not knowing that her mother's real name was Hermione? Not knowing of the greasy Bat of the Dungeons? How much had she hidden from her daughter?

Tears had sprung to Hermione's eyes and she'd had to suppress a sob of longing at the mention of Molly and some proper home-cooked food. She could feel her daughter's eyes on her. Someone, anyone, him of all people calling her by her real name, calling her "Hermione" caused her to break her silence.

Looking as much at her daughter as at Severus she straightened her back took a breath and said: "It's Mrs Fairbanks now actually, sir," she hated the way her voice was too high, "but-", her voice cracked and for a long moment she had to draw breath and start again, before managing to release, " but Miss Granger -", she grew momentarily light-headed, felt her throat tighten and tears spring to her eyes. She clutched at the hem of her soggy coat, drew another breath and continued "is fine, too, if you wish." Pause. "Thank you, Professor."

She heard a soft chuckle: "There is no need to call me Professor, I no longer teach", came his reply somewhere through the rain as she waited for her eyes to clear. Noticing her distress and reluctance to use her first name - all the while wanting to show her that things had changed - he kept his tone deliberately light and said: "Very well, Miss Granger, the choice is yours. Sir, Mr Snape," small pause "or Severus, if you wish, is fine. Whatever you feel comfortable with." he perceived her hand slowly unclenching from where she had gripped the fabric of her coat.

Hermione looked at her daughter, conflicted. Should she and Lorna go and have Molly's cooking with Snape? Real food for Lorna, instead of her own poor attempts at cooking anything edible? What if Jack found out she had gone to the home of some stranger? But hadn't she contemplated leaving him, just this past hour? This would a perfect opportunity to set it in motion. She just had to be had ensured her he wouldn't tell anyone about where she was. Or force her to return to the magical world. And whatever he was, she never remembered him to not mince his words.

He didn't look any worse for the wear, in fact he looked healthier than she had ever seen him - if the wizarding would was stable enough to keep himself safe maybe rioting Death Eaters and Snatchers weren't as big a problem anymore as they had been directly following the war, he could help keep her and Lorna safe as well and... maybe, with his help, they could find out how to gain her magic back and deal with Jack? Perhaaps confound him into signing divorce papers and, together, with David and his wife realising their dream of moving south?

She could go to a muggle university or continue the healer training she started with St. Mungo's. And Lorna could seize her scholarship as a boarder at that excellent primary school in a richer part of town and come home on weekends to a nice home... all those possibilities. Oh how she longed to give Lorna a safe and happy home.

Lorna held her breath. Her mum had still not answered the question. Would they have dinner with him? Get out of the rain quickly? If her palm would not have been wet from the rain already, it would have been sweaty in her mother's hand. With baited breath she waited for her mother to continue speaking. Please, mum, please.

Hermione took a deep breath and, not knowing how, she managed to say:

"Thank you... sir, for your kind offer. My daughter and I would be so happy to take you up on it." There was a momentarily shocked silence from all parties at her decision. Snape kept silent, not wanting to give Hermione reason to second guess her and her daughter's route to safety, not after seven long years of looking for her.

Lorna couldn't believe her luck. A teacher from Hogwarts, here, in their neighbourhood, how was this possible? And mum had allowed them to have dinner with him too, at his house! She would never want to leave.

Breaking the silence and bending down to her daughter, Hermione said: "Lorna, meet Mr Severus-," her breath hitched, "Snape,". She swallowed hard. Her voice had caught when she said his name, it had felt so strange on her tounge. "Hogwarts' former Potion's Master, when your mum was still at school, darling", she continued with slightly forced cheer to cover her embarrassment.

Rising again and turning to Snape, hoping that the rain would cover her flush, she said: "Sir, meet my daughter, Lorna Fairbanks. She's six. In a few weeks she'll be starting school at St Martin's as a boarder on a scholarship."

Keeping an eye on Hermione's strange blush he turns to Lorna, "Why, I see you're taking after your mother in intelligence, young lady. St Martin's is an excellent school. Not many children make it there from this place. Perhaps with rich parents...," at his wistful tone Hermione's heart stopped in her chest, was he talking about Harry's mum?, "but getting in a scholarship no less...Well done."

At that Lorna smiled wide, nodded with child-like gravitas, and excitedly said: "Yes, sir!" At that Severus stopped contemplating the strange blush that had risen in Hermione's cheeks after she had stumbled over his introduction and turned to Lorna again, "and in five years I'll be going to Hogwarts too!"

At her daughters words, Hermione was surprised to notice her former teacher show a hint of a smile, and, with a slightly pained and far-away look in his eyes, he said:

"We had better make sure you don't catch your death in this cold till then, don't we?"

And, turning to Hermione, he looked her deliberately in the eyes and said: "You too Miss Granger."

For a moment it felt like she was back in her old potions classroom and the question "What the hell happened to you and will you let me help you?" was one of the N.E.W.T. questions she never had the chance to take. Looking into his eyes that were boring into hers, she felt warm and safe. He, Severus Snape of all people, cared enough about her to help her. At his words she felt a sense of comfort and some tension leave her for the first time in a long time.

Readjusting her grip on Lorna's hand, she gave him a slight smile and a small nod. Returning her nod with an unfamiliar look in his eyes, he took to the other side of Lorna and proceeded to show them down Hodge Terrace to walk to the corner of Spinner's End.

Was it just her imagination or had the rain even lessened slightly?


AN: I hope you'll decide to leave a review, please:-). It's a joy to read them.

I'm making this story up as I go along so your reviews give me very helpful insight as to where this story could go - hopefully the wait for a new chapter won't be too long and I'll have the inspiration and time to update soon. I'm currently finishing up an undergrad degree and am preparing to move to the UK for a year abroad so I'm not sure when exactly I'll update next. I hope it'll be within two or, at most, two and a half weeks:). See you then.