I just want to immensely thank viola1701e for your suggestion in this chapter and a previous chapter.
"Severus which jacket goes better with my skirt?" Hermione held two different black jackets up in her hands. To Severus they looked exactly the same but he knew that picking the wrong jacket could be fatal.
"The one in your left hand" He inwardly grimaced –not that Hermione would have noticed- when she frowned, he instantly knew he had made the wrong decision.
"But this one goes better with my shoes" Hermione held the one up in her right hand.
"For Merlin's sake Hermione they both look good and the odds are high that you will remove it before you even get into the Manor" Hermione childishly pouted and pulled her preferred jacket from its hanger and slid into it.
"Have you eaten?" Hermione nodded and sipped the rest of her scolding coffee.
"Well … what was it that you ate?" Hermione sighed and played with her cup.
"Some cereal" Grabbing a banana from the fruit bowl she peeled the skin and made a show of biting half of it -so they didn't get into the whole cereal is not nutritional enough for breakfast debate-.
"Will you be flooing home for some lunch?"
"Will you be here for lunch?" She shot back.
"I should think not, but I would be interested to know your eating arrangements"
"I will probably eat at the Manor with Scorpious but I shall be home for dinner"
Severus was immensely proud of how grown up Hermione has become, granted being around him her attitude attuned with his, but he wouldn't have it any other way. He remembered the first night she stayed at his house, merlin had that been a wild night.
*** Flashback ***
"This is the spare bedroom where you will sleep until further arrangements can be made" Severus turned around and allowed the chit to become accustomed to the room, if she had half of a brain he knew she had then she would be on the next night bus to the Burrow. He's house was not used to having female's in -never mind a student at that-, nor was he. Severus didn't want her getting too comfortable to be able to move her things into his personal space. No he would personally floo her over to the Burrow in the morning.
He wandered down into the kitchen wondering what he could cook them for dinner. He naturally hadn't planned of having a guest over -Not that he would let any in-. There was nothing in the cupboards or freezer and he only had a block of Swiss cheese in the refrigerator.
"Miss Granger" he called up the stairs waiting patiently. When no sound of her rustling around the room came he wondered what in merlin's name she was doing. Anger rose up in his body as he planned on dragging the witch downstairs if necessary.
"Miss Granger I will not call your name again" He knocked on the door once and walked in, after all this was his house and he was certain she knew locking spells to cast if she was not appropriately dressed.
"I expect you to answer when I call" His voice held a deadly tone in as he watched the witch on the bed. Hermione was hurdled into the corner lying in the foetal position staring forward at nothing.
"Miss Granger you will get off the bed, stop feeling sorry for yourself and make your way downstairs this instance" Severus's annoyance shone through each and every word he spoke clearly to the witch.
"I give up, I have no hope left sir" Severus scoffed, no hope. If only she knew what he had to put up with to win this war.
"Now" He bellowed making her sit up and make her way downstairs like a robot, he had no time for her no can do attitude.
"Now, would you prefer Chinese or Indian food Miss Granger?" Severus asked in a lighter tone. Hermione choose the brightly coloured leaflet since neither their names were no give away to the cuisine, as it turned out she choose an Indian takeaway and ordered a chicken masala.
Severus flooed the order in and sat back in his black chair as Hermione stood in the doorway twiddling her thumbs.
"Do you plan on standing there all evening Miss Granger?" quickly scurrying into the room she sat on the edge of the sofa.
"Care to explain why you are here?" Hermione shook her head whilst counting the flowers on the carpet, so far she counted 25 red roses and 16 yellow gerbera daisies.
"You will explain or I will use other forces Miss Granger" Hermione's head shot up in rage.
"You cannot do that Professor"
"Pray tell why not Miss Granger, you are in my home I do believe I can do what I please" Hermione immediately wished Stan had taken her to the burrow and not here.
Taking a deep breath she didn't think for one moment her Potion's Professor was one for empty threats.
"I have ran away from home sir" Severus knew the girl didn't know his true alliance so he decided to play a little.
"I see, you know I am a Death Eater and I can hand you straight over to the darklord?" Hermione's eyes wandered down to his arm and gulped audibly.
"I trust you sir" He scoffed at her Gryffindor courage, trust was something he needn't have from the annoying chit.
"Take away order for Master Snape" A head poked up from the fire handing the bag over with the receipt Severus handed the food to Hermione to settle the cost.
"It was rather silly thing you did Miss Granger" Severus wandered into the kitchen for cutlery before rejoining her in the living room.
"That isn't the half of it Sir" He glanced warily down at the witch before handing her a fork and knife.
"Explain yourself Granger" Severus was worried she had gotten herself into trouble and half expected it to come to his door.
"I oblivated my parents memory" Hermione kept her eyes on her curry praying for the tears to disappear.
"I see, I suppose you thought if deleted your parents memory they were saved from the war?"
"I thought it was rather clever really ... until I got onto the night bus and the dark mark appeared above my house.
He had to admit he probably would have done the same thing she had done in the same situation, his head suddenly snapped up at her sniffling. God the chit was crying. What was he supposed to do now? Should he call Minerva or Molly over and ask for help? No he knew he wouldn't see her again until school, not that he minded but she came to him subconsciously After all that is how Stan works, if you desire to be somewhere other than the d destination you state then there you shall go.
"You have shared something personal with me Miss Granger, I feel I should do the same thing" He stood and offered her his customary black handkerchief.
"Thank you Professor but I feel there is no need" Sitting back down he picked back up his fork to continue eating.
"I am not faithful to the Dark Lord ... I also work for the Order" Her head snapped up and realisation dawned across her face.
Of course she had played with the notion of him being a double agent in her mind over and over again but she never thought it possible.
"Eat ... it will do you some good" She let the corners of her lips pull up into a smile and ate with a bit more enthusiasm for the first time in a while she really felt like things were going to be ok.
*** End Flashback ***
"Until then Hermione" Severus stood from his chair at the table, gave Hermione a swift kiss on her head and left for work.
Grabbing her keys from her hook she shoved them in her bag, put her reading glasses securely in place and flooed to Malfoy Manor leaving an abandoned Spinners End behind.
"Here goes nothing" She whispered to herself as she felt the familiar magic of floo course through her body.
"Miss Granger" Pleasurable shivers ran down her spine at the husky voice that awaited her.
"Mr Malfoy, such a pleasure for you to meet me" Hermione brushed the soot from her skirt and jacket. How was she supposed to greet him?, A lingering kiss?, Possibly a polite nod of the head or even a professional handshake? Draco saved her the trouble and walked forward to kiss her cheek, staying a tad bit longer than necessary.
"Scorp is in the dining room awaiting your arrival. Shall we?"
"Lead the way Mr Malfoy" Hermione patted his pert bum in his black slacks as they walked through the hallway.
"Naughty" He sent her a sexy wink over his shoulder before allowing her entry into the dining room.
"Hermione" Scorpious squealed from his seat.
"Good morning Master Malfoy, are you all geared up ready for a day of learning?" The little boy shrunk into the seat and sulked.
"Can't we just play today, and maybe tomorrow we can learn?" He asked hoping for results.
"I promise I have lessons packed with fun Scorp, you won't even know you're learning"
"You promise?" Hermione nodded
"I promise little man, now finish eating your toast or we won't be doing any fun at all"
She watched in awe as the little man scoffed down his breakfast.
"I didn't think you the type to move a mistress into the our house dear" Astoria entered the dining room in slippers and a very revealing dressing gown.
"My house, Ms Greengrass and Hermione is here to help with Scorpious" Hermione looked to the left and for the first time she realised Cissy and Lucius were present at the table.
"Of course Lord Malfoy" Her head bowed submissively as she sat down next to Draco.
"Hermione may I look at your study plan for Scorpious please?" Cissy held her hand out expectedly.
"Of course Cissy" Hermione pulled a large folder out of her rucksack and handed it over.
"My, such work you have gone to" Hermione blushed slightly.
"I kind of cheated; you see I was a teacher for an African tribe a few years ago. I just brought it along with me; I have both Magical and non-Magical topics to go over with Scorpious by Christmas"
Hermione jumped slightly at the sound of cutlery banging against the table.
"My son will not be taught anything to do with Muggles, is that understood Granger?" Hermione was silently pleading to Merlin for a chance to wipe the smug look off of her face.
"I do apologise Ms Greengrass, but certain subjects are required for Scorpious to know such as photosynthesis and oxygen. There will be other subjects he will learn from hand, how to use a camera and how to use a paint brush –not his wand-."
"I damn right refuse, Draco tell her" Hermione looked to Draco to see who he would stick up for, she didn't want to put him in this situation so why was his wife?
"Astoria stop being petty, I am the one that has employed Hermione and I am the one that has looked over the study plan. Hermione you have my wish to carry on as such" Hermione looked over to Cissy and smiled her gratitude whilst receiving back her folder. Hermione 1 – Astoria nil.
"Hermione, Daddy says you use a camera that doesn't move, how is that more fun?" Scorpious asked next to her.
"Well, Magical cameras come out straight away but the one I have for you takes a little longer and looks a boat loads cooler" Hermione pulled a Dragon camera from her bag and handed it over.
"Shall we go into the Garden first?" Scorpious nodded and jumped down from the table.
"Lead the way then sweetie" He reached up and grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the Manor. He was intrigued as to what the dragon did but trusted Hermione if she said it was fun. They spent the morning getting familiar with their cameras before she allowed him to go off and take pictures.
"Hermione, it's not working" Hermione looked up from her own camera to the little boy passing the dragon to her.
"It is Scorp"
"But it didn't show me it like Daddy's does" Hermione laughed and pressed a button on the dragons tail.
"Come and look at it now darling, I have already explained that it isn't like Daddy's camera so it works a little differently"
Scorpious was amazed at the end of the lesson the amount of pictures he could take of silly things, a flower, a bee, his Grandma replanting something in the garden and a few others Hermione nor Scorpious could make out.
"What happens now?" Hermione led the little boy back into the house.
"Well I take these off to be processed and we can cut and stick them into your school book"
"Is it green Hermione?" Hermione frowned as she opened the Manors door.
"Is what green darling?" She set about cleansing her hands and Scorpious's with her wand before hanging their coats back up.
"My school book, is it green?" Hermione shook her head and led her only pupil into the classroom.
"No Scorpious it is blue" She handed it to him with a biro and asked him to write his name on the front.
"Sorry to interrupt darling but Mummy just needs a word with Miss Granger"
"Ok Scorpious, copy the alphabet into your book please" Hermione took her glasses off and left them on her desk.
"What can I do for you Ms Greengrass?" Hermione closed the door behind her.
"It's Mrs Malfoy and you will do well to remember it mudblood" Hermione –wandless- placed a silencing charm around the classroom, She would be damned if Scorpious was to hear anything that came from the poisonous toads mouth.
"Listen up and listen good, Draco is my husband, not yours. I refuse to share him with the likes of you Granger. Stop taking my son off of me as well, I am his Mother, again not you. You will stay away from me and my family and as soon as my husband comes back from work you will resign from your position as our Son's nanny. We don't need your kind in my house putting your mudblood germs everywhere. I have the elves cleanse our son daily after you have touched him. If you don't take heed to what I have said I will make your life a living hell, understand Granger" Hermione swiftly nodded and took the silencing charm back off of the room. If she fell at the first hurdle she would be back at square one.
"Oh and Granger, do remember Draco screams my name in ecstasy in our marital bed, not yours" she sauntered away like she owned the place. Hermione repeated the periodic table over and over in her head just to keep herself calm, if she lost her nerve at the beginning she wouldn't get Draco. Plus she knew whatever Astoria was sprouting were lies it wasn't that hard to tell when beads of sweat dripped from her brow.
"Right, have you copied them all down sweetie?" Hermione peered over his shoulder as soon as she entered the room.
"Good, now there is a nursery rhyme to remember the alphabet. Would you like to learn it?" Hermione started off with the meter ruler stick in hand pointing to the letters on the blackboard as she sang. Scorpious listened intently for a while before joining in, his Hermione was right learning can be fun. He wondered if he could invite James over for a study date?.
The rest of the day went off without a hitch with Scorpious learning Baa Baa Black sheep to add to his nursery rhyme collection. Hermione placed a sticker next to each nursery rhyme he had correctly learnt and could recite back to her. Before Draco was due home Hermione set Scorpious down in the music room and set about teaching him the piano. She remembered hating the fact her parents made her go to piano lessons as a child but now she was an adult she found it another sense of release when her emotions got too much for her to handle.
"How has he been today?" Draco snuck up behind her and kissed her hair.
"Very well behaved, Astoria might become a problem though" Hermione took Draco from the music room and played back the threat Astoria had laid down.
"Mmmm, ok I will have a talk with Father on what to do. I don't want her going too far"
"Hermione smiled appreciatively up at him and risked stroking his cheek with her palm.
"Naughty naughty" Hermione blushed as Lucius came from the shadows, he had been there since he's son approach to the music room.
"Sorry Lucius, I will just go keep an eye on Scorpious" She entered the room closing the door behind her.
"Astoria has left for Spain again" Draco informed his Father.
"Not to worry, the more she is not in my home the more your Mother is happy" Draco frowned slightly, what was making her so unhappy these days? She was usually bubbly and bright no matter what was going on around her presence.
"Anymore news?" Lucius pressed carefully, he wanted the witch out of the house and to stop dirtying the Malfoy name.
"Afraid not Father, I am hoping we will have her out by next weekend if all goes well" Lucius narrowed his eyes at his son, knowing when he was keeping something quiet.
"Very well" Lucius turned on his heel, swinging his snake cane in hand leaving Draco alone to re-enter the music room.
"Look Daddy, Hermione is teaching me the piano" Draco let a smile grace his face as he sat beside the two. He was home, no matter where they lived as long as they had Hermione and Scorpious by his side he would be a happy man.