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Chapter 11

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March 5, 2000

Hermione dried her hair with a quick spell before twisting the frizz into a loose bun at the base of her skull. She grabbed her music player and tucked her wand into the seam pocket of her jogging pants before heading down the stairs to her potions shop. Pansy was sitting on her stool at the counter, head bent over yet another magazine as she ignored the world around her. Hermione smirked and slowed down. Skipping the third step from the bottom–which squeaked horribly–she sneaked up behind Pansy and prepared to scare her.

"Don't even think about it, Granger," the Slytherin drawled.

Hermione huffed and made her way in front of the counter. "How did you know?"

One black eyebrow arched though Pansy's attention never strayed from the new copy of Witch Weekly Magazine she was flicking through. Hermione pursed her lips and leaned against the counter, stretching her calves a little as she did. She wondered if Severus had taught every Slytherin under his tutelage to be hyper aware or if it was just part of Pansy's nature. Probably a bit of both, she supposed, rolling her shoulders and jogging in place to warm up.

"I'm going for a run. If Neville comes–" Pansy curled her lip and made a disgusted sound in the back of her throat at Neville's name but Hermione steadfastly ignored it. "If Neville comes while I'm gone, please let him know the banknote is on my lab table. He can just take it and I'll floo him if there's any product to return. And make sure he puts the crates in the far west corner of the lab. And–"

Pansy rolled her eyes and pushed Hermione off the counter. "I think even Longbottom can figure out how to stack crates and collect a banknote, Granger. Get out of here; I have an article on Blaise Zabini to read."

"Is he your next boyfriend?" Hermione teased.

Pansy met Hermione's gaze, her expression dead serious. "He's going to be my first husband," she corrected.

Hermione snorted, finished her stretches and did as she was bade. Outside, the bitter chill of winter nipped at her through the light material of her jacket and pants and she quickly jumped off the stoop and settled into a nice jog. Within minutes she was pink-cheeked and toasty.

As she had every morning since moving to Hogsmeade, Hermione rounded the corner onto the road leading up to Hogwarts and put on a little extra speed. She tried her hardest not to slow down in front of Severus' bookshop, tried to pretend she didn't glance through the window displays searching for a flash of dark hair, and instead focused on her breathing as she climbed the steep slope past the bookstore and up all the way to the Hogwarts gates. Her mind, however, was far away from the the methodic pumping of her legs and cheerful music buzzing through her earbuds. It was instead reminiscing about her unexpected kiss with Severus.

As she turned around at the top of the hill and headed back down it, Hermione sighed. She hadn't seen Severus since that evening a week ago. Pansy had assured her he'd come back to pick up his order, though her employee had been a little too interested in trying to find out just why Severus had left it there in the first place so Hermione hadn't been able to see if he'd asked after her. But even her morning runs and her stops into the Three Broomsticks hadn't so much as earned her a sighting of the wizard. She turned before reaching the bookstore and slowed down as she approached the park, consciously changing her breathing as she settled into the easier pace. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought Severus was avoiding her. But after years as his student and fellow Order Member, she was certain that he would be nothing if not upfront about his feelings–the good, the bad and the ugly. So it was probably just happenstance that they kept missing one another.

Besides, she thought, it wasn't as though they were committed or anything. He had no reason to pop up in her life any more often than he used to. It was just one kiss. A very nice kiss, yes, but a single kiss nonetheless. She figured if Severus wanted to pursue anything further, he would do so. And until then, she'd try not to dwell on it so much. After all, he had children to consider; Hermione just had her own heart to protect.

With that in mind, Hermione cast off all thoughts of Severus and circled around the park–it was a new addition to Hogsmeade since her school years. In the summer, Hermione heard it was a favorite place for the local children to play but that was hard to imagine with how still and quiet it was in the winter. The play equipment all wore a thick cushion of snow on it and the path was visible only because of the hundreds of feet that had trampled the snow down on their way to the Three Broomsticks. Hermione moved onto that path, embracing the rhythm of her run as her feet carried her beneath a mature willow tree, it's weeping boughs kissed white with frost.

She'd barely passed from under the willow's shadow when she hit a patch of ice. With a squeal, Hermione went down, her ankle twisting with an unnatural crack as she flopped gracelessly into a snow drift.

"Merlin," she cursed, biting her lip as the surprise of her fall melted away beneath a hot wave of pain shooting up from her ankle. She tried to flex it and found that any movement whatsoever only further exacerbated her pain.

Gingerly she rolled onto her back, elevating her injured foot on the opposite knee as snow slipped into the collar of her jacket and froze the back of her neck. She hunted for her wand and realized it must have slipped out of her pocket when she fell.

"Shit," she said, closing her eyes and dropping her head back into the snow in defeat. How was she supposed to get help now?

"Bad word," an unfamiliar voice sing-songed back to her.

Hermione opened her eyes and found herself staring into the most beautiful pair of blue eyes she'd ever seen. A pretty little girl was staring down at her. As a halo of golden-blonde curls became visible around the little girl's face, Hermione relaxed ever-so-slightly. She recognized this child.

"Hello, Sassa," she said, plucking the earbuds from her ears and grimacing up at the little girl in what she hoped would be taken as a smile. "Where's your father?"

The little girl shrugged and sniffled and it was then that Hermione noticed the tear tracks on her face. Pushing herself up onto her elbows, Hermione momentarily forgot about the pain in her ankle.

"Are you lost?" she asked.

Sassa nodded and her bottom lip quivered. If it hadn't been such a serious moment, and if Hermione hadn't been in so much pain, she might have chuckled at the little girl's expression. She just looked so pitiful and sad it was almost unreal. As Sassa looked around, as though contemplating running off again, Hermione realized that she had to keep the little girl with her–it was the only way to make sure she stayed safe. She didn't doubt that Severus would be looking for his daughter and would find them in no time.

"I'm Miss Hermione, do you remember me at all?" she asked.

Sassa shook her head and took a few steps back. Hermione tried again.

"I'm friends with your daddy," she soothed.

"Dada?" Sassa asked, her eyes widening even further. "Where Da?

Hermione opened her arms slowly, hoping not to further frighten the skittish child. "Your daddy said he wants you to stay with me. He's going to come find us."

As Sassa's lip quivered and she looked at Hermione with an expression of half-longing and half-fear, Hermione lowered her injured leg onto the ground and packed a handful of snow into a ball. Slowly, without taking her eyes off Sassa, she murmured an incantation and transfigured the snowball into a single, purple flower. Her wandless magic wasn't great but Hermione figured Sassa wasn't going to grade her on the half-wilted petals or the still-cold-to-the-touch stem. She held it out to Sassa like a peace offering.

"Please sit with me until your dad comes back?" she asked gently. "I hurt myself and could really use a friend right now."

Slowly, slowly, Sassa stretched her hand out. When her pudgy fingers closed around the flower, Hermione relaxed and patted her lap. "Come sit with me," she encouraged.

Sassa dropped into her lap like a stone and Hermione bit back a cry as the movement shot pain straight up her leg from her ankle. Wrapping one arm around the toddler, Hermione hunted in the snow for her wand with her free hand. All the while she talked to Sassa like sitting on the frozen ground was the most natural thing in the world.

"I met your brother the other day, did you know that?"

"Cal?" Sassa asked, tilting her head back to look into Hermione's eyes.

"Yes," Hermione said. "I bet he's a good big brother. He has eyes just like yours. Calder seems to like potions. Do you like potions, too?"

Sassa shrugged and snuggled closer, Hermione suddenly realized the little girl wasn't dressed for outside and wondered if she'd gotten out of the bookstore on her own. Based on how many layers Calder had worn when he'd visited her shop, she had to assume so. Pursing her lips, Hermione gave up the hunt for her wand. She unzipped her jacket and pulled it off.

"Here," she said, wrapping the material–warm from her body if a little sweaty–around Sassa. "I don't want you to catch a cold."

Wrapping her arms around the bundled toddler, Hermione muttered a warming charm. It settled around them lukewarm and faded too quickly. She tucked her head on top of Sassa's curls and muttered another one anyway. Lukewarm was better than the wet cold seeping through the back of her t-shirt.

"Sassa, do you know how to use magic?" Hermione asked.

Sassa shrugged and Hermione restated the question. "Did you use magic to leave the bookstore?"

"Dunno," Sassa said, humming to herself as she twirled the flower between her fingers. She held the purple flower up to Hermione's nose and said. "Pwetty."

Hermione smiled. "Yes, it's a very pretty flower. I used magic to make it. Did you do something similar to get outside today?"

Sassa shrugged again and Hermione figured she probably just followed a customer out or something. Heck, Sassa probably didn't even understand the question. From what Hermione recalled from the books she'd read, most witches and wizards didn't show signs of magic until they were five or older. Though Hermione herself had shown her first signs of magic before her second birthday, she knew that kind of power was a rarity. And while Severus was a powerful wizard in his own right, she didn't know if his adopted children would have inherited any of his power through their magical bond. Hermione worried her bottom lip between her teeth and wondered if she could research that. It would be interesting to know how much magical adoption changed–

"Little," Sassa mumbled and Hermione dragged herself out of her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, what?"

Sassa blinked up at her and held up the flower. Before Hermione's eyes it turned from purple to a very soft yellow. "Little," Sassa restated.

An unexpected rush of pride flooded Hermione at the show of magic and she couldn't help but smile at the little girl and cuddle her closer. "Oh, Sassa. That's wonderful."

Sassa giggled and wriggled and found her way out of Hermione's arms until she was standing on her legs with Hermione's jacket draped over her shoulders like a miniature version of a cloak. She held the flower between their faces, focusing intently, and it cycled through a myriad of colors from bright blue to a hideous puce before turning back to its original purple color.

"Good?" Sassa asked.

Hermione nodded. "Very good. But you shouldn't have used magic to get out of the bookshop. It wasn't safe. Your father's going to be very upset when he finds us."

"That is quite the understatement, Granger."

Hermione gasped and tossed her head back, looking up, up, up until her gaze met the dark eyes of Severus Snape. He was full on scowling at her. Very upset was definitely an understatement–he'd resorted to calling her Granger after all. Even as she withered under his acid stare, she still felt a rush of joy and relief flood through her. As mad as he was, Severus would help her.

"Dada!" Sassa squealed, wiggling free of Hermione and throwing herself at Severus' black-clad legs.

"Hello, precious," he murmured, scooping his daughter into his arms. After checking Sassa over, he moved his gaze back to Hermione. "Everything okay?"

Hermione sighed and "I'm really glad to see you, Severus, but the next time we meet I'd like to ditch the damsel routine."

His eyes narrowed. "What happened?"

Hermione shivered and leaned back on her elbows, clearly he wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. "I was out for my morning jog and slipped on the ice. As I was searching for my wand, your daughter stumbled upon me and I realized she must have gotten away from you somehow. I convinced Sassa to sit with me and, well, you showed up."

Severus dragged his gaze across Hermione, from head to toes, as though searching for proof of her explanation. A flicker of emotion passed through his eyes when they settled on her ankle and Hermione tried not to flinch when he withdrew his wand.

"Accio Hermione's wand," he drawled.

Her wand soared out of the snowpile only a few feet away from her and Severus deftly caught it in the same hand as his own. He cast a complicated set of warming charms and wards over her and Hermione eased back into the snow pile as his magic flowed over her body. She hadn't realized her teeth had been chattering until they stopped and she blinked up at him when he peeled his own jacket off and draped it over her. It was warm from his body heat and carried his distinct scent to her nose. Hermione relaxed completely only after he handed back her wand.

"Thank you," she said.

He nodded once and turned away. "I'll be right back."

Hermione wasn't sure how long Severus was gone but the pain from her ankle re-emerged with a vengeance in his absence. Probably the warming charms, she thought, trying to wiggle her toes and being uncertain if she had succeeded. The cold would have dulled the pain. By the time she could hear his long strides crunching through the snow, she was reciting every potions ingredient known to mankind to keep from focus on the sharp pain radiating up her leg.

"Where's Sassa?" she asked when he stepped into her field of vision.

"I took her home." Severus kneeled at her feet, slender fingers hovering above her injured foot as he met her gaze. "May I?"

She nodded and bit back her cry as he tugged off her running shoe and peeled her sock–soaked through with melted snow–off her foot. His fingers felt cool on her overheated skin as they pressed gently, searchingly around her ankle. Hermione swallowed whimpers and moans as the touches sparked nothing but pain. When he had finished, she propped herself back up so she could see the damage herself. Already her ankle was swollen and turning a disturbing shade of purple.

"Broken," he muttered. "Do you want me to fix it?"

"Yes please."

"It will hurt."

Hermione chuckled darkly. "I've had worse."

He looked at her then and Hermione felt her heart beat a little faster as his gaze seemed to search her face. She wished she could get a read on his emotions. Or tell what he was thinking. But his expression was carefully blank.

"Tarsium Emendo," Severus intoned, his eyes never leaving Hermione's face.

Her ankle felt very hot and then very cold and with a sharp, painful pop, Hermione felt it mend back together again. The feeling made her light-headed and nauseous. As she swayed, Hermione reached for Severus' arm to steady herself. She'd had worse, she reminded herself, closing her eyes to the sensation. But it had been a while and she'd clearly gotten used to her cushy life of minor cuts and burns from potions making.

When she felt she could speak without throwing up or crying, Hermione did so. "Thank you. I'm not good at casting healing spells on myself."

"No one is. I suppose I should thank you for keeping Sassa with you," he met her gaze then and Hermione was shocked at the emotion suddenly shining in his black eyes. Quietly, Severus admitted, "I was scared to death when I saw the shop door open and realized she was gone. When I find out which idiot left it open, I'm going to skin them alive."

Hermione patted his arm soothingly. "I'm very glad she found me, too. But you have to know, Severus, that no one left that door open. Sassa opened it all by herself."

His eyes narrowed and he glared down his hawk's nose at her. His tone was accusing. "And how do you suppose my 74 centimeters tall daughter opened the door to my shop and got through my wards all by herself? Because I assure you, it's impossible."

Hermione crossed her arms and glared back at Severus. "Nothing is impossible with magic," she said.

"My daughter cannot do magic."

Hermione bristled. "She can too. I saw her do it."

He stood up and sneered at her, looking every bit the greasy git of the dungeons Ron and Harry used to accuse him of being. "You saw my daughter tear down my wards and walk out my front door? Was that before or after you broke your ankle? Are you sure you weren't just delusional from pain?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione said, pushing herself up from the ground. She faltered, her ankle nearly collapsing out from under her, and Severus grabbed her elbow to steady her. His expression never changed from one of disdain. "I saw her change the colors of the flower I gave her. I asked her how she got out of the bookstore."

"Ah yes," Severus drawled nastily. "And I'm sure Sassa was positively eloquent when she explained the incantations she used?"

"Now you're just being ridiculous." Hermione yanked her elbow out of Severus' hand and pushed her finger into his chest. "If you don't believe me, search my memories."

That surprised him. Hermione almost smirked at the way his sneer faltered and his eyes widened. He swatted her hand away from his chest and shrugged nonchalantly.

"That won't be necessary," he said.

"So you believe me?"

"Does it matter?"

Hermione pursed her lips. Of course it bloody well mattered. If Sassa got out once, she could do it again. There was a fleeting thought in the back of her mind wondering why she cared so much but Hermione ignored it. He wasn't going to listen to her so Hermione did the only thing she could think of. "If you won't believe me, I'll have to show you. Ostendimens."

She had a brief moment to see him blink in shock before she pushed her memories forward into his mind. Immediately she was reliving the feeling of pride at seeing the flower turn yellow, then her astonishment when Sassa stood on her legs and showed off just how many different colors she could create. She was asking the little girl if she has used magic, could feel her warmth against her chest as she cuddled her close and tried to find the right way to word her question. Before Sassa answered, however, Hermione felt herself being pushed out of Severus' mind. She jerked backwards, nearly falling over as the real world rushed back into focus and Severus' dark, angry eyes were staring at her.

She swallowed hard. "Do you believe me now?"

His adam's apple bobbed. "Yes," he choked out reluctantly.

Hermione slumped in relief, running a hand through her hair and pulling a few strands loose from her bun as excitement bubbled up within her. "Oh, thank Merlin," she said. "Now you can get her a play wand and teach her how to control it and–"

"Don't presume to tell me how to care for my children, Granger. You are not their mother."

Hermione gasped at the harshness in Severus' tone and it took her mind a moment to catch up with his words. She flushed pink at his insinuation. "I know that! I wasn't trying to be her... I mean, I was just excited for–" Recognizing the closed-off look on his face, Hermione blinked back tears and dropped her gaze to his shoes and her one bare foot. She wondered how they had gotten from kissing just a week ago to marking territory like two wild kneazles today. Clearly she had overstepped her bounds and she fought to find the right words to apologize. "I've just heard Molly tell stories about Ron and Ginny's first play wands. And I know how excited Andromeda was when Teddy showed his first signs of magic. That wasn't the world I was born into and I got over-excited. I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to tell you how to handle Sassa's magic. Or trying to mother her or anything of the sort. I wouldn't dare."

"Good," he snapped. After a moment he spelled her shoe and sock back onto her foot before adding, "Can you make it back on your own?"

Her ankle hurt like hell and she was pretty sure she was going to limp for a few days, but Hermione nodded anyway. She didn't think she could handle being escorted home by him. Not after Severus had made his feelings about her so abundantly clear.

"I'll be fine," she said.

"Hermione," his voice softened and she pursed her lips. Now it was Hermione?

"Goodbye, Mister Snape" she said with finality, trying her hardest not to limp as she turned away from him. She made it three steps before she heard the snow crunch as he, too, walked away. When she was certain he was gone, she brushed the tears off her cheeks and reminded herself that it had just been one kiss.

"It's not like we're committed or anything," she whispered.

Ach, I know. It's terrible. But I got to "make up" two spells, which was fun (as in I looked up the Latin for "to send" and "ankle bone" and amended preexisting spells to fit them) and I got to write a winter scene, which happens to be my favorite type of scene to write. Severus really does get a hug evenutally. I promise. (-:

As always, thank you so much for reading. I truly am stunned at the number of follows, favorites and reviews this fic is getting and I'm so appreciative to you all for letting me know how it's going and what you think. Much love to you all for the support.

Blessings.