Chapter 04 not so alone in France
The days passed in a slow lazy kind of way. Only going over the details of what information he had gathered for me to use briefly. Severus only had to leave a few times and even the he wasn't gone for a long period of time. Sweet kisses and tender touches were all we did while basking in each other presence.
"I want to save myself for you. I want it to be you that I lose my virginity to. In a few months or in a year from now, I just want it to be you. And I know you will appreciate it. From what I know of you is that you are very possessive and I don't see you wanting someone's leftovers even if technically it's your own leftovers. Your teenage self wouldn't see it that way. And I want him to love me at least as much as you do now." I explained our last night together while we were in a heated embrace.
Severus nodded somberly, his eyes guarded when I told him this.
"I understand. You would prefer to have my younger self please you. Completely understandable." Came the soft automatic response.
"If I didn't think it would offend your younger self I would have already been claimed as yours. I love you Severus. No matter what age you are. I fell in love with you here, at this age, appearance and personality. You sexually arouse me at this age, appearance and personality. My wish to wait for your younger self has nothing to do with not wanting to be with you now. Completely opposite in fact." The look on his face was flushed.
He nodded slowly before taking my lips again, this time only softer, and much more tender with deeper meaning behind them. I fell asleep safe in his arms that night with his lips still gently pressed against mine, not moving but simply resting there. I knew I would be leaving him tomorrow but for now I wanted to cherish his strength and love as he held me close for the last time for the foreseeable future.
Sure enough the next day dawned too early for me. Severus was already dressed in his teaching robes and was pulling on his dragon hide boots.
"I will accompany you to the Monett cottage where young Rosalie resides. I have sent a missive to Minivera to let her know I will be out for the morning." He said once he glanced up and saw me watching him.
It was minutes later that we were whirling away to the long forgotten cottage.
"No one has been here in years. This is the summer cottage Rosaline stayed at whilst carrying you. It is unplottable and warded against anyone who isn't bloody family or married in, the only way you can bring my younger self or anyone here is through floo." He said softly watching me take in the worn wooden cabinets and dusty counters, cobwebs danced in the wind of the broken window on the door leading outside.
"I don't want to leave you." I said as if he hadn't said a word, looking back at him. The soft smile he gave me was an unfamiliar sight.
"I know Hermione. It will take everything I have to not join you in the past, but there is still plenty I have to do here. The memories I plan to give to potter are also in that little blue bag I gave you. Watch them before you go to Hogwarts. They explain a bit more of my motives early on. My journal from sixth and seventh years are also in there. I asked that you leave there here and not take them to Hogwarts or if you do to not leave them lying around. The last time someone got a hold of those… let's just say they were not in class for almost a month." He said with a small sneer.
I nodded pulling him close. "Make sure you take the antivenom and tell me to save you." I whispered kissing him softly, my eyes burning with unshed tears.
"You need to go my sweet witch. You can be honest with Rosalie. She cannot be saved; if you try, you will not survive the birth." Severus said to me softly before crushing me to him tightly for a moment, dropping a tender kiss to my forehead and stepping away far enough for me to break the time turner.
"I love you Severus Snape. I will endeavor to make your life better as soon I arrive. And I know better to show James or Sirius any sort of friendship before ours is established into becoming something more." I managed to tell him with a much stronger voice than I thought I could have at the moment with the painful lump in my throat. I smashed the time turner on the counter after I wrapped the chain around my wrist tightly just in case.
I couldn't hold back the sob that ripped through me as I watched him fall to his knees before me just as the wind picked up and I had to close my eyes.
My eyes were squeezed shut to stop the nauseating visual in front of me. I was farther from Severus than I had ever been in that moment. My eyes watered with the need to sneeze as dust flew around my face in the hurricane of memories past that whirled around me.
All at once I felt the sensations slow to a stop and I was powerless to the horrible sneeze attack I had to endure.
Once I could breathe properly again I opened my eyes to see the Monett summer cottage Severus and I had been standing in before. Now everything looked new and freshly painted. All the countertops were clean and there didn't look to be a dust bunny in sight. Only thing missing was Severus himself.
I heard a noise behind me and was startled to see a woman, who could have been my mother's twin sister, but without the hair, standing in the door way holding a basket with freshly picked herbs on her arm, her head looking down.
"Mum?" I asked softly as to not startle her. It didn't work.
With a scream that made my ears ring I watched as the woman drop the basket before running behind the kitchen counter next to her to put something between us.
"Who are you?" she managed in a strong French accent once she calmed a bit, brandishing a mixing spoon at me.
"Hermione Granger." I answered honestly, slightly amused at the spoon.
"Why in 'ze world would my sisters husbands family be visiting me?" she asked properly now, as she feigned nonchalance, sitting the spoon back into the metal vase that held more cooking utensils.
"I am Jean and Robert's daughter." I answered, again honestly.
"'Zat is not possible." She whispered her eyes wide, one hand going to her not so flat midsection. "Jean can't 've children." She said almost to herself.
"Well I grew up in her house as her daughter for the past 17 or so years." Her eyes grew wide as her other hand went to join the one at her midsection.
"I… I am afraid 'zat what my healer said is true 'zen… she told me I wouldn't survive giving birth." She explained softly coming around the counter to me now.
"What is your name?" I asked once I saw her obviously pregnant belly.
"Rosalie Isabella Monett. My sister's Helen Jean Monett." She said in a sad voice. "It would make sense for father to send you to Jeannie; he's not been well since Tom's lovely gift of dragon pox."
"Does that mean you have magic?" I asked softly, my hope soaring.
"Yes, 'ze pregnancy is draining it 'zough." She said looking at me strangely. "Do you 'ave magic?"
"Yes. I attended Hogwarts, got O's on almost all of my O.W.L.s, I haven't taken my N.E.W.T.s yet though." I replied as she motioned for me to sit at the island chairs. She pulled out a small glass bottle filled with orange liquid from the cold box, pouring a glass for herself and one for me. She looked proud as she handed me the glass. I took a small sip and was rewarded with one of my favorite French drinks.
"Hermione, what did 'zey change your middle name to?" she asked after a quiet minute not looking up from the Orangina.
"Jean." I answered watching her. "What is it supposed to be?"
"Hermione Bellerose Monett. Your father was killed by Tom a few weeks ago. I 'adn't even told him I was pregnant yet." Rosalie replied softly still, swirling her drink before taking a sip of it again. "How did you get 'ere?" she asked looking up at me.
"Broken time turner. Apparently if you break it, it takes you back to the year it was made." I answered her. "Does this mean you are my mother?" I asked quietly.
"I 'zink it does. It makes sense. As long as you make sure 'zis little girl ends up with Jeannie, everything will be 'ze same for you… well as much as it can be with you 'ere." She added with a cynical smile.
"I never knew… Severus just told me you were my mother's sister. I didn't know you were my mum. No one did."
"Makes even more sense. We're 'ze last of 'ze Monett family. My grandparents passed when Jeannie and I were little and mum left a few years later with Jeannie. It's just been father and me since." Rosalie said looking at me sadly.
"I'm sorry."
"Not your fault. She couldn't live around magic and not use it. Once I started showing signs of magic and Jeannie didn't she left."
I could remember my grandmother really well. She had been a spiteful bitter woman. She died a week after I got my Hogwarts letter.
"She's dead. Died after I received my Hogwarts letter." That made Rosalie snort in laughter.
"I can only do so much but I would really like it if you would stay. Fathers getting worse and I don't really want to 'ire help; I don't trust too many people with Tom running around like a lark. Since you are technically my daughter you will 'ave access to our vaults and properties."
"I'll stay. I don't have much to do until September first. But I will stay until my birthday if you would like… send a letter to Dumbledore for a transfer for Beauxbatons or homeschooling. I have everything I need for school except maybe time era clothes but other than that I am fine."
"Good. I take it you 'ave everything you need with you 'zen?" she asked with a smile at my beaded bag. I nodded with a grin of my own. "Okay, come on 'zen I will show you around."
The cottage had a very pleasant setting. She reviled that it was located in a small French magical community near Cannes. We talked about family and experiences. Her library was amazing with a large picture window looking out at the ocean. My room was across the hall from hers with my own bathroom. I sat my beaded bag down on the soft knitted blue and green bedspread.
"Do you knit?" I asked looking back at Rosalie. She nodded with smile.
"One of 'ze few things I learnt how to do without magic. I've needed to keep my hands busy when I'm not cooking, or gathering herbs. My herbs!" she said suddenly before she made her way quickly back to the kitchen where she had dropped her basket.
I followed her, wand in hand, back to the kitchen. She was standing at the island separating out the herbs.
"Do you use them fresh or do you dry them?" I asked helping her sort them.
"A bit of both but I sit some of each to the side for 'ze house elves to use for winter. My house elf passed away last year and I never saw 'ze need to get another. Father keeps sending one, once a week to clean up and check in on me but 'ze little thing stays for a day or two, until I send him back to father." She said with a small smile.
"You seem happy." I said watching her.
"I can't help it. If I don't smile and laugh I'm going to end up crying with a box of ice cream on 'ze couch with my knitting ripping it apart to start all over. I hate starting over."
I nodded. "I understand completely. I just let the man I love die in front of me and went back with the time turner for a week to see him again, only to intentionally break a time turner to stop a war before it ever happens. I understand holding it together."
"Well if I only get to see my daughter for four months I guess we should make 'ze most of it, huh?" she asked softly as she placed the herbs in their containers on the window sill.
I smiled sadly as her before hugging her to me.
"I will do everything I can to help you, how restricted are you? Is it just your magic or is it physically as well?" I asked when I pulled back from her.
"Magic mostly. But my healer says near 'ze end of my pregnancy it will be both, and 'zat I need to take it easy." She explained.
"Then I suggest a vacation. We can hang out and get to know each other. Go where ever you want. You can show me your knitting and I'll show you mine…" I trailed off looking at her eyes. They were filled with tears. "We don't have to."
"No, no it's not 'zat. I would love to Hermione. I would love to be your friend. It's just been so long since I 'ad a friend 'zat was 'uman or a girl. Mostly I get along with guys and magical creatures. French girls are 'orrid, and with my affinity I can communicate with all magical beings." She explained.
"Wait. What's affinity?" I asked confused.
"Do you not have it?" she looked even more confused.
"I don't know."
"'ave you ever been able to communicate with magical creatures better 'zan most? Calm a werewolf or talk to a mere? 'Ouse elves love you? 'Ear 'ze song of nymphs or even talk to a giant without realizing it? Or maybe you're limited to snakes? Can you speak parseltounge?"
"Never tried parseltounge honestly. Never been around nymphs but my old professor was a werewolf and when I was fourteen I could understand the mermaids in the lake next to the school, and my friend Hagrid's half-brother is a giant. And don't get me started on house elves."
"You have it 'zen. It just hasn't fully developed yet. When it's fully developed you can communicate with any magic creature. All direct Monett's have it."
I nodded but it still seemed a bit far-fetched; although it could help with Remus later at Hogwarts.
"Is there any books on it?" I asked sitting back in my chair.
"'Zere's plenty in 'ze library. I was curious when I was younger and bought everything I could find on it. You can look at them after dinner if you would like. Do you want me to cook or would you like to go out?" she asked washing her hands in the sink.
"Whatever you feel up for."
"I know 'zis great little place 'zat has an amazing duck dish." She said beaming at me.
"Sounds great." I said with a smile. I was glad she wanted to get out of the house.
"Go shower and I'll lend you one of my dresses and I'll show you where we're going." She said heading back to her bedroom to change.
The first few weeks in France flew by as we debated where to go for our vacation. For a strange while I liked acting like one of the girls. Rosalie explained affinity better and I read almost every night on it. I got to meet my grandfather who spoke very little English and too much French. Rosalie took us on a girl's day shopping spree and she spent way too much on me. I helped her in her garden and managed to help with her maternity potions to help keep her physical strength up and maintain her magic levels at a steady pace that let her do simple spells without making her spend a day in bed.
It was while she was in the shower one day that the Potions Monthly came by owl that I saw it. Wolfsbane potion was being published but was still considered a dangerous potion due to the toxicity of the Wolfsbane flower petals that had to be crushed into the potion. It was considered to be a very advanced potion that many potioneers didn't want to try.
"What do you 'zink of a cruise?" Rosalie said toweling her hair as she walked into the kitchen. "Ooh, Potions Monthly. I love that. 'Zere's always so many new potions to look at."
"A cruise sounds good but with your level of morning sickness not going away I think motion sickness would only make you feel worse." I said with a smile looking up at her.
"You suck." She said with a joking lit to her voice.
"I know. What about a simple sea-side vacation?" I asked looking up again from the magazine.
"We live at a sea-side vacation." She quipped back.
"Well then how about we go to a hotel and let them pamper you until you cant stand it?"
"Don't tempt me. I would be 'zere 'ze rest of 'ze pregnancy." She admonished me as she went about to make her a glass of tea.
"I am tempting you. You deserve to be pampered. No one expects you to be out and about and even if we run across someone less the savory I will be there."
"Alright, fine you 'ave talked me into it. Not 'zat I needed much convincing." She smirked over her shoulder as she finished up making her tea.
"Now that we have what we are doing, where are we going?" I asked laughing at the frustrated look on her face.
"'Zere is a new 'otel in Cannes 'zat is supposed to be above all others." She said thoughtfully sipping her hot tea.
"Good we can go there. I will apparate there and reserve a room for us tonight." I said closing the Potions Monthly.
"Ok I will start packing after lunch. We can 'ave father send Tink or Nina over to keep the 'ouse. I know it will make 'eme happy to 'ave something to do." She said with a bright smile as she went to her room, taking her hair towel with her.
Once I got the name of the hotel I apparated over there to put in our reservations. The clerk was a little nosey French bitty who was being overly suggestive when I told her I needed a room for two. She really laid it on thick when she asked if I needed one bed or two. Her manager was more than helpful after a spat. I booked the hotel for two full weeks and informed the manager that my pregnant friend was the one who would decide if we stayed longer. He was more than accommodating than Madame Snooping.
I went on up to the elevator and checked out the room before I apparated back to the house where Rosalie was making lunch.
"We're good to go. The little swot at the front desk asked if I was a lesbian." I said taking a bite of the sandwich she had sitting at my place.
Rosalie gave an amused snort as she swallowed her bite.
"I told you French girls were 'orrid."
"Yes well I would think it would be a bit uncouth to assume someone's sexuality in public…" I sighed heavily finishing half of my sandwich.
Once I made sure Rosalie had a nausea potion in her I shrunk all the bags I apparated us to directly into the room. She took a deep breath as she calmed her stomach.
"Welcome to paradise." I said waving to the window. We were on the tenth floor so we had a lovely front view of the ocean with large doors that opened all the way to a large balcony that over looked the beach and soft blue water.
"'Zank you for bringing me 'ere Hermione." She said smiling widely at me. Suddenly I knew exactly where I got almost everything from.