Hermione stretched as she woke. She revelled in a contented sigh of muscle and sinew after the much needed rest. With a jerk she was instantly aware that the child who had fallen asleep against her was no longer there. Throwing off the pleasant muzziness of sleep, Hermione sat up on the sofa to quickly look around. Rose was inquisitive; sometimes too curious for her own good. If she ran into any of Severus' protective wards she might get hurt.
As her questing suddenly alighted upon something by the embers glow, Hermione smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. Rose had somehow endeared herself to the Severus Snape, infamous Greasy Git, Bat of the Dungeons, and general Despiser of all Dunderheads.
Rose was on the Potions Master's lap, warm beneath a small and lovingly worn quilt, with her head of silken curls beneath his chin, and one hand clutching the transfigured rabbit between her body and his. As for Severus he had one arm securely around the little girl's body.
Hermione, as she watched this delicate tableaux, noticed how serene Severus was in his sleep. His lashes were a delicate brush of sooty black that reminded Hermione of Rose's fan paintbrush. The wizard did snore, but it was more of a rumbling purr like Crookshanks used to make, and that thought had the witch cracking a smile and stifling a laugh.
"Something humourous, Hermione," came a voice roughened by sleep. Severus had not, yet, opened his eyes.
Rose yawned with a squeak and a grin for her mother. "Morning, Mummy." She looked up into the rather stern face of the Potions Master whose eyes were now open, and settled on her.
"G'morning, Professor. You're really comfy but I have to tinkle." Without regard to the look of uncomfortable horror Severus' face shifted into so very briefly, Rose slid off his lap then went over to her mother.
"Severus?" Hermione asked pointedly as she slipped off the sofa, picked up Rose, and stood.
As the older man looked up at mother and daughter, he saw Hermione's eyes sparkling with delight at how well he had accepted her child. For that, he glowered, then pointed at the staircase.
"The water closet is under the staircase. It is adequate." He then retreated to his room upstairs and his own needs.
Breakfast was a more leisurely and pleasant affair. The domesticity appealed to the wizard, but he would never say so to anyone. Usually he read the Daily Prophet by himself, but Rose had scooted her chair next to his and before he knew it he was giving her short lessons in reading. The Daily Prophet had never been so educational!
All too soon breakfast ended and it was time for Hermione and her daughter to leave. Severus escorted them to the sitting room where they could Apparate. Rose threw her arms around the wizard, smushing her cheek against his hip.
"I had fun, Professor Snape," she smiled up at him. "Will you come and visit so I can show you my artwork?"
"I would be pleased to do so, Miss…" He paused as he gazed down into those beautiful blue eyes. In truth, at least legally, the child was no longer a Weasley. She did not know this, though. He gave her a small smile, and cupped one of her soft cheeks. "Rose."
Rose leaned into the touch of the professor's cool, calloused hand. She had hugged her father, but he had never touched her like this. It was comforting and very much like her mother's touch.
Hermione lifted Rose to her hip and the girl automatically slipped her arms around her mother's neck. She smiled, somewhat shyly, up at the wizard. "Thank you, for everything, Severus."
Severus nodded. "I would like for you both to come back for lunch, Hermione. We were supposed to discuss particulars for Vienna yesterday, and we were a touch sidetracked."
Hermione blushed, and laughed softly. "I know. I am sorry…"
Severus held up his hand. "There is no need to apologise, my dear. Rose is quite welcome to join us on the trip. As for… everything else, let us not dwell upon it."
Hermione nodded an emphatic agreement. She reached out and her fingers lightly touched his forearm. "We just need a change of clothes, Severus, and then we'll be back for lunch, all right?"
Rose piped up, "I'll bring Babbity, too!"
Moments later the Potions Master watched as mother and daughter vanished.
Hermione's house was located in a rather pretty grove of willow trees and eight other homes. All the homes were of whitewashed stone, thatched roofs, mullioned windows with flower boxes, and white picket fences that separated each property. The little neighborhood had a fairytale quality to it that Hermione had fallen in love with.
The beauty of the Hogsmeade neighborhood compensated for the fact that the witch had wanted something in the Muggle world but there was no way for her to afford the prices. The suburbs of Hogsmeade, were much more reasonable. After she had seen the pretty little house within, Hermione had become charmed.
Neverland, as Hermione had dubbed the house that had taken nearly all of her savings, had one floor for the kitchen, a mud room, a bathroom, and a generous living room. The upstairs was more of a large loft that had room for the master bedroom that Hermione had sealed with a Repelling Hex, the guest room that had once served as Hugo's nursery, and Rose's bedroom that was stuffed with all of her artwork. Rose's room was watched over by a patchwork rabbit she had named Babbity that held pride of place on a blue canopied bed on top of all of the pillows.
Hermione had planted a garden of vegetables and herbs in the backyard, she had hand sewn all of the curtains, painted the rooms — in short she had made Neverland a home. And Ron had never had a kind word for it unless he was home for a week in his wife's bed and needed to be in her good graces.
Ron and Hermione had not been terribly serious as a couple in school, and certainly not during the horribly long and tedious hunt for horcruxes. The aftermath of the Final Battle brought a euphoria that took many by surprise. Everywhere anyone looked there were whirlwind romances, marriages, and births.
Hermione and Ron had their own whirlwind affair, and it really was one of tempestuous kissing, and heated nights where they fell asleep in each other's arms. Ron kept proposing, but Hermione resisted. She had a year of Hogwarts to repeat, her NEWTs to revise for and to take, and three offers of apprenticeships she was mulling over. Marriage was the last thing on her mind.
It was George's need for someone to help him run Weasley's Wizard Wheezes that distracted Ron. Hermione, for a time, was impressed by the responsibility Ron showed in taking a partnership with his brother, George. That lasted all of three months.
Next was the Auror Training Corps. Harry wanted Ron to join him, but that lasted less than being a manager at his brother's shop of wild inventions. Ron was dismayed by the amount of work that was required just to go out and "Stun dark wizards".
It was at that time when Ron received an offer from the Croydon Crockers, an impressive professional Quidditch team looking for a Keeper. They did not admit until much later that they were hoping that in employing one third of the Golden Trio Harry Potter might follow. After two years that was not going to happen, and so Ron was traded to an Irish team.
Hermione, in the meantime, had taken her repeated year, her NEWTs (second highest score in a century), and was in the middle of her Healer's Apprenticeship. It was not an apprenticeship that was one of the three offered. The war, and her own inadequacies on the field of battle, had Hermione leaning towards Healing. She had fought a good three years for the apprenticeship taking odd jobs in Diagon Alley, and the Muggle world to supplement her income. Of the three that had offered the Healer's Apprenticeship was the hardest and most challenging. It was hard on the emotions but there was so much good that she could do that it made her feel alive.
In the fourth year of her apprenticeship, when Hermione had to choose between research, or as a Pediatric Specialist, Hermione discovered she was pregnant. She was 26 and an unwed mother. A situation not terribly frowned upon in the Muggle world, but in the wizarding world it was a death knell to the career she had planned for herself. Her unwed status ended her apprenticeship (her mentor was a very old fashioned wizard who disapproved very highly of her new circumstances).
It was a desperate evening, when she had been turned down for her seventh interview for a job, that Hermione accepted Ron's ever present proposal.
Not long after their wedding and when they moved into the converted shed at the Burrow, Hermione realised what a mistake she had made. Ron had not just wanted a wife, he wanted a broodmare that was happy to stay at home with all the children while he earned a living.
The problem with that was that Hermione did not want more than two, possibly three, children. She also wanted to keep working, and she wanted to find someone who would be willing to mentor her so she could finish her Healer's apprenticeship. The arguments began, and Ron became a Chaser for the Hissing Hottentots.
Rose was born without the presence of her father and Hermione went to work in the Filing Department of the Ministry.
It had not been what Hermione wanted for her life, but there was Rose. Then, for three blessed years she had Hugo. Hugo had brought a part of the old Ron back, and Hermione held out hope that Ron would eventually accept his daughter as he did his son.
Then, a year ago a terrible strain of Dragon Pox had taken the small boy away just days away from his third birthday. Ron was gone, again, and since Hermione was home Ron had blamed the boy's death on her. It was an angrily righteous witch who demanded a divorce. She was fortunate that Neverland was in her name, not in Ron's. He left the minute the divorce was final, and Hermione hoped never to see him again.
With Rose's hand in hers they strolled together down the main street of Hogsmeade. Rose loved Scrivenshaft's ever since they opened a new section of art materials. Since Rose had been so good during their visit with Severus, Hermione thought it might be nice to purchase a Never-Ink Drawing Quill. She had saved up for several weeks and had just enough to afford the pricey quill.
"Mummy, look!" Rose was pointing over the shops and trees to something in the distance. "It's smoke!"
As Hermione followed her daughter's pointing finger and gaze, and felt lead forming uncomfortably in her belly. "Smoke," she gasped. In that moment she knew that the direction she was looking towards was familiar. Gathering Rose swiftly into her arms, Hermione vanished with the "pop" of Disapparation. Her destination was Neverland.
End of Part I
Author: etherian