Thank you all so much for the reviews and likes! You all are so wonderful, and I love you all! As of 3-5-19, its 10 days until my trip!
Also, I saw a review that said that I am Mary- sueing this story. It said that I am introducing characters and plot points that aren't relevant. The characters and the personalities that I give them WILL BE RELEVANT I PROMISE. This story is planned to be anywhere from 50-60 chapters, (Though I may cap it around 40). There is no way I can rush the plot I have planned to make the story move faster. These characters were planned WAY ahead of time before I wrote the story. The plot was planned WAY before I sat down to write chapter one. I'm sorry if that isn't what you wanted but everything in this story was deliberate. I do not what to come for anyone, but please keep in mind the note I put in chapter one. This is a story I wrote for me. I love sharing my writing with you all, but at the end of the day, this is the type of Snamione story that I want to read. Also, sometimes I tie in points to my stories from other ones I have written. For example, in the One Shot I wrote called Those Little Stirrings, which you can read on my page, is about an LGBTQ Severus Snape. If you have been with me since the very beginning, you might remember a story called "Underground Hogwarts Student" which was a Labyrinth/Harry Potter crossover I wrote way back in 2013. Charles is based on one of Jareth's advisors under the name Faraday.
I love all of you guys so much and I love all your comments. I'm glad that you all want to take the time to tell me things about errors in my writing or issues you have with the plot. If you truly want spoilers, I can send you my outline document that has all the chapters laid out in what I want to cover in every chapter, along with the character spread sheet I have. This community is very small (the Snamione community) and I don't mean to hurt any feelings. This is the only time I will be posting a note like this. If you want to talk to me about my writing or anything about the plot or any questions at all, my inbox is always open. I answer all messages.
On the topic of Beta readers, I know I have a lot of errors. My word processer doesn't always pick up on all the errors and I do write a lot of my work in the spare moments in my day. If you are interested in being my Beta, PLEASE send me a message. I would love to work with any of you. I apologize for the long authors note, but I had to get all this off my chest.
Hermione walked into main foyer Monday morning toeing her shoes off as she took off her jacket. She hung her bag and jacket on the hook, walking into the house in search of Severus. She heard him in his study, moving what sounded like books around. She knocked on the door, not really waiting to be told she could come in.
"Severus what is going on here?"
The Potions Master looked up from where he was kneeling on the floor, picking up journals and papers. "The fucking cat tore through here and knocked over everything." He dumped the folders he had swept up into a basket on the desk, not looking at the order they were in.
"Oh goodness. Let me help you." She knelt as well and gathered the last of the books, taking them to the shelf where they belonged. The cat was perched on the tall shelf above her, looking down at the mess he had created. He chirped and leap into Hermione's arms, positioning himself on her shoulders. "He seems very pleased with himself."
"Oh yes. The little shit took off for no particular reason, taking everything with him." Severus glared at the cat, who was rubbing his face on Hermione's cheek.
"No, he's sweet." Hermione nevertheless went out to the hall and let the cat out, shutting the door before he could sneak his way back in.
"He's a menace." Severus scowled at a piece of parchment that had smeared from the rough treatment. "Now I have to rewrite about 15 of these reports." He tossed the paper onto the desk and sat heavily in his chair.
"I can help you rewrite them." Hermione folded herself into one of the chairs across from his desk.
"I know you can, but these are for my professional research project. Unfortunately, this is something I have to do myself."
Hermione made a face but eventually shrugged it off. "So, what is the plan today?"
"We have interviews lined up between Vanessa Cromwell and Benjamin Harris. Charles is after them both."
Hermione nodded. "What would you like me to do while you interview?"
He laughed and handed her a file. "You're a partner in this business now, Hermione. You must interview one of the candidates." He handed her a question sheet as well. "Here is her file. And the cheat sheet I made for you. Ask all the questions on the sheet, write down her answers and then we can come back together and talk about what we like or didn't like about the candidates. I will interview Charles, since you two are such good friends."
"Sounds good." Hermione stood up and went tot the door. "I should probably put some shoes on then."
"Why did you even take them off?" Severus got up himself and opened the door, pushing Dover aside with one foot as he did.
"I wanted to get more comfortable before we brewed." She slipped out of the study and shut the door behind them. Going into her bag, she got out her flats, slipping them onto her feet before she sat at the kitchen table to read over the file. "Where should I interview her?"
"The table here is fine. It's relaxed enough. I did your interview in the living room with a cat on your lap. I'm not exactly the pickiest person about these things."
There was a knock on the door as he finished what he was saying. Severus went to the door and opened it, letting the two students into the foyer.
"Come on in," he went into the living room without checking to see if he was being followed. Hermione heard the two voices of the students, as they introduced themselves to Severus, Vanessa's voice soft and musical while Benjamin's was lower and deeper.
She got up, moving into the living room as Charles came into the house.
"Hi, I didn't knock, I just let myself in." He flopped onto the couch and called the cat up from the floor onto his lap. Dover chirped and jumped up, curling up in the man's lap.
"Hi to you too." Hermione shook her head and leaned against the bookshelf to her right.
"Hey bitch." Charles tossed a package at her. "This is from Mom."
"You do know that if you get the job, I'm technically your boss?" She tore open the package to find a glass to go container in the paper filled with raspberry hamantash and various flavors of rugelach.
"Yeah I do. I also know that you're going to share that stuff, right?"
"No way." Hermione popped the top off and took out a cinnamon rugelach, biting off half. "My mom never has time to bake. Get your own." She returned the top to the container and banished it to her house.
Severus shook his head and rolled his eyes at the pair, gesturing to Benjamin to follow him into the office. Hermione stuck her tongue out at Charles before waving her hand at Vanessa to get her to follow the older girl into the kitchen. Charles remained where he was, petting the feline who was more than content with the situation.
Hermione offered the young woman a seat, heading to the range to put the teapot on to boil. "Can I get you anything? Water, tea? Any snacks?"
Vanessa looked over at Hermione, a little shocked. "No that's alright."
Hermione nodded, and continued her prep, pouring 5 cups of tea. She placed two on the table with the biscuit tin, taking some out and pitting them on a plate, taking the other mugs and the extra tea tin into the office. She put the mugs on Severus' desk, putting the biscuits in the middle with the tea selection. She made the last cup for Charles, handing it to him as she left the office and made her way back into the kitchen.
She sat at the table and laid out all the paperwork before her. Vanessa sat with her hands folded in front of her, clearly nervous.
"Vanessa, it's alright. Master Nickleson has put in a good word for you. Do you have the sample of your work?"
The young woman handed over a vial silently, clearly worried.
Hermione held the vial up to the light, admiring the periwinkle liquid. It was the thickness of a cough syrup and appeared to have glitter in the mixture. She uncapped the container, smelling the liquid within. The nearly overwhelming power of ginger came from the tube, almost knocking Hermione over.
"I know, very ginger heavy." Vanessa spoke to Hermione for the first time. "Ginger is good for anti-inflammatory medication. That's what this is. I created a cure of arthritis."
"Remarkable." Hermione capped it and returned it to the table. She jotted down her response on the paper. "Now, how long has it been since your graduation?"
"About 3 months."
"And what exactly is your degree in?"
"I have a mastery in Potions with a concentration in medical science. I also have a secondary mastery of charms."
Hermione wrote that down as well on the sheet.
"Have you worked in a lab before?"
"Only the ones at school and in my internship." Vanessa relaxed and fixed her cup of tea that Hermione had made her. Sipping it lightly, she smiled. "I was an intern at St. Mungo's."
"What department?"
"Accidental magic accidents."
Over and over the questions went, Hermione working down the list. Salary, sick time, vacations and more were discussed, with Vanessa agreeing to be put on the same restriction that Hermione was placed on before she had become a partner had been on. For 45 minutes, the girls talked, going through hobbies and family commitments, not realizing that Severus had interviewed both Benjamin and Charles in the time it took Hermione to do one interview.
The dour man came into the room as the two were laughing, Hermione finishing one of her notes as she wiped her eyes.
"I'm glad you two are having fun."
"Oh Severus, I'm sorry. Have we gone over?"
"By a considerable amount I would say." He had removed his outer robes and rolled up his white shirt sleeves, taking pans out of the cabinets.
"Sorry, Severus." Hermione swept up the papers after making sure the ink was dry before tucking them away in the folder. "I'll go put these on your desk."
Severus nodded, not looking as he dashed olive oil into the pan before him. Hermione left the room, heading into the office to deposit the sample from Vanessa and the written notes she had. She made sure to label Vanessa's vial, before sticking it into the vial holder on his desk next to the others he had from the boys.
When she returned to the kitchen, the three applicants had migrated to the kitchen and were seated at the table, each trying not to make eye contact with the dark-haired man preparing lunch.
"Why does everyone look so sad?" Hermione walked over to Severus and wrapped her arm around his waist.
"They don't want to make eye contact with me because I make them uneasy." He turned over a piece of chicken, reaching a spoon over into the oven to stir around the vegetables he was roasting, after he opened the oven.
"I can't imagine why." She plucked a raw piece of broccoli out of the package Severus left on the counter into her mouth before she wrapped up the package and returned it to the fridge. "You just give this calming aura all the time."
Severus swatted her with the towel he had over his shoulder, catching the side of her thigh.
"Hey!"
He smirked and tossed the towel back over his shoulder. He continued cooking while Hermione gathered the dishes from the cabinets in order to set the table. The three at the table were confused as Hermione included them in the place settings.
"Miss Granger, what are you doing?" Benjamin moved his arms out of the way so she could place the plate down in front of him.
"Setting the table. It is lunch time after all."
"But we are not employees." Benjamin swallowed and looked at Severus briefly before looking away. "Not yet at least."
Hermione laughed. "That may be true, but it is lunch time and we all must eat." She arranged the cups around them all and set down the silverware.
"Not many people would be this kind." Charles slightly moved the cup on the table, wrapping his hands around the cool glass.
"I remember what it was like to be a recent graduate. You either live in a shitty flat with several roommates or you can live at home with your parents trying to get a job." He took a large plate out and put the chicken on the ceramic. "I lived in a studio apartment in London after I graduated with no running water and no heat. I could barely afford rent and food along with my debt. I got lucky and got the job at Hogwarts 4 months after I graduated."
Hermione nodded. "I was the same. I got so lucky that I got the stipend from the Ministry after the war that gave me a cushion if I didn't get my job in time. I had some savings, but they were not enough to live off. My parents were so good about helping me find a place to live in my price range, I could not thank them enough." She waved her wand and expanded the table, which in turn created two more chairs.
Vanessa shifted a little as Severus reached over her to put the chicken on the table, making sure to stay out of his way as he cast a warming charm. He moved away to finish the chips he was making and the vegetables that were roasting. He plated it all and carried it to the table, stopping to kiss Hermione on the side of the head. Hermione noticed Charles smirking at her, so she stuck her tongue out at him.
The two partners finally sat, with Severus summoning serving utensils from the drawers. With another wave of his wand, a bowl of salad and several dressings landed neatly on the table.
"You two didn't have to do this." Benjamin stared open mouthed at the food.
"No, but it is a curtousy thing." Hermione doled out salad ono plates as the three new comers were hesitant to move.
Charles nodded numbly before helping himself to food, making sure that he did not take too much. Severus rolled his eyes and heaped more food onto the boy's plate, doing the same to Vanessa and Benjamin.
"Eat. I am not wanting for money an di have plenty in my pantry." He started to cut up the chicken he had placed on his own plate. Hermione got up and took the carafe of pumpkin juice out of the fridge, bring it back to the table.
"Before you say you don't want to take from us, this has a charm on it, so it never runs out." Hermione poured a glass for herself then passed it down the table. She waved her wand once more and Severus' tea mug refilled itself. He nodded his thanks and continued to eat.
Once she made sure everyone had anything they could possibly need, Hermione then started to eat herself. Dover wove himself in and around her ankles, an act that Hermione was very used to in the time she had spent in Prince Potions.
When he realized that he was not getting any food items, he jumped up onto the window sill bed that Severus had placed for him several years before. Hermione watched him go, before returning to the conversation at the table.
Benjamin and Vanessa were clearly nervous, not doing more than nodding as Charles held court over the table. Hermione could see that he was nervous, more nervous than she had ever seen him before. Because they had spent so much time together, she had seen him go from very happy to terrified.
His first job had been a reception job, one that he hated. It was for a Muggle law firm, and he did little more than answer phones. When he would come home to the Granger residence, he was exhausted from the emotional attacks he would go through from his employers. Her mother would be cooking dinner and would make sure that his favorite foods were either in the house or being made for those specific days. Once he entered the drag scene, the end of the day was no longer spent tired, but nervous, which led to hours of primping, readying himself for the show.
Once he was accepted, the nerves stopped, but when he was in situations he didn't know fully, he would freeze but force himself to do the task at hand. Now, he was nervous that he risked his waiting job on one he may not get, and Hermione knew that the three were considering the meal an extension of their interview. Hermione had tea with Severus before she was officially hired and that was scary enough, but she had pulled through. She knew that the Potions Master had been impressed by the three, having been sent a copy of their resumes before they had even gotten there.
"So, Benjamin," she swallowed a cherry tomato. "How was your time in school? Vanessa and I got a chance to catch up, but I don't think we ever got the chance to talk in school."
"No we didn't." He laughed nervously. "I was a year behind you."
"I remember now. So tell me, any hobbies? Do you have a favorite area of study like Vanessa?"
"Yes, I do. I am specialized in children's medicine. I created a stomach soother that can be used exclusively for children." He followed the rest of the table and began to eat. "I haven't had much time for hobbies, but I do like to paint."
Severus gave Hermione a look. "We've been thinking about expanding to a child's line of potions, but we needed to find an expert. Would you consider yourself an expert?"
"Well sir," Benjamin dabbed at his mouth with a napkin. "I have the most up to date knowledge but there is always something that I can learn."
Severus nodded, and smiled a little at the younger man. "Good answer. Matter of fact, but humble. I like it."
Benjamin smiled back, and the atmosphere around the table relaxed.
*S*S*
Hermione looked over her shoulder as she cleared the table at Severus, who was elbow deep in suds, scrubbing pots and plates.
"So what did you think of the three?"
Severus rinsed a plate free of soap and placed it in the drying rack. "I liked them. Charles made an elixir that cures baldness in men, and you heard what Benjamin made. He had downplayed it in the interview, however." He picked up another plate and started to scrub. "What did Vanessa prepare?"
"She created a potion as a cure of arthritis." Hermione took the dishes from the table and carried them to the sink. She picked up one of the dishes from the drying rack and a rag, drying it to put it away in the cabinet.
"That's fairly impressive." The scrubbing continued. "So, it's in the budget to hire the three of them. Do you think Vanessa would be a good fit?"
"I think so. She's very bright and personable, with a lot of good ideas." Hermione put the three plates she had dried in the cabinet, working on the platter that they had put the vegetables on. "I think she would be really good for our St. Mungo outreach. She did an internship with them when she was in school. It would be good to have someone who has a good relationship with the hospital on our staff other than ourselves."
Severus looked at her while he was scrubbing a pan, nodding at her as he washed. "We can send out letters today telling the three of them that they are hired. I think we should have them start next Monday, giving at least Charles time to quit his job, even if it's a little late for the proper two weeks. I'm sure he doesn't care that much about his job at the restaurant that much."
She laughed and took the pan from his hands, wiping it with the dry clothe she had taken from the drawer. "No he hates his job. He's very glad to be rid of it."
"And what of you, Hermione?" He paused, looking at her with his full attention. "Do you like your job?"
Hermione paused for a moment, before resuming her drying. "That depends on what you're asking. This job or the one at the Ministry?"
"The Ministry job first."
"That's a loaded question. I love what I do, but I don't see myself staying longer than I must. I have climbed the ladder and shattered some glass ceilings, but after I buy the house I want, I'm gone. Kingsley knows this and is okay with it surprisingly."
Severus laughed and handed her another item to dry. "You're Hermione Granger. There is no way he's going to say anything negative about your choices. It's political suicide."
"You're not wrong." She laughed as well. "But this job…. This is the job I've always wanted, ever since I was 11 and took that first potions class with you. The way you spoke about the field in your speech got me thinking about the possibilities of being a potions mistress. Then in fifth year, I sat with McGonagall and she put some doubts in my head about the idea, but eventually I came back around, right after the war."
"I never knew that about you." Severus picked up a dry towel from the counter and finished off the last dish. "I suppose I never would if you hadn't told me. I don't think 11-year-old Hermione would have entered my office during office hours and poured her soul out to me."
"No she wouldn't have. She could barely keep friends let alone talk to her professors about her career aspirations."
The pair went into the study room, where Severus filled away the paperwork and the samples of potions. He then took out a few pieces of parchment that had writing on them, passing one of them over to Hermione.
She looked down at it and noticed it was a letter that was to be sent to one of the applicants telling them that they had gotten the job.
"I didn't get a letter like this when I was hired." Hermione never the less picked up a quill and started writing.
"I could write one for you now." Severus had put on his reading glasses. "I didn't think I needed to when I could just hire you on the spot."
Hermione nodded, and continued to write Vanessa's name in the paper, filling out her start date and her salary. When the three were done, Severus took them to his owl, and handed them over, opening the window for him to fly out of.
Hermione put her quill back, and reclined in her seat, waiting for him to sit once more.
"So, its been a few days since we came back from the trip and I feel like we need to talk about, well us."
Severus settled in the armchair at his desk. "I figured we would have this conversation sooner rather than later." He sighed and summoned a glass of scotch. "I think that it would be best if we took this slow. The last time I was in a 'relationship' was Sirius Black's brother and I ruined that before it could become something more than a close friendship. I am very nervous that I am going to do something that's going to ruin this. I really want this to work and I am afraid that if it does not work, our relationship at work, as coworkers, and if that crumbles, I'm not sure what will happen after that." He seemed like he was getting more and more nervous, making Hermione smile reassuring at him.
"Severus, I don't think anything terrible is going to happen. I think because we are adults now we can be much more rational. I know you're going to be fine. What happened when you were in school is in the past. We're all different now." She reached out and patted his hand.
Severus nodded. "I just want this to work so badly. I just… I don't know what to do if it doesn't."
Hermione got up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I think we'll be fine. How about we go out to dinner tomorrow, somewhere nice, somewhere we don't usually go."
Severus smiled and put his hands on her waist. "I would like that."
Just as they were about to go down to the lab to work, Britney came in through the fireplace in tears.
"Is everything okay?" Severus turned to Britney with concern.
"No," She covered her face, and broke down in tears
"Britney, is it your mom? What's going on?"
"It's Master Guðnason! He's in the hospital." She looked up, her mascara running down her face. "His cancer is worse and he collapsed in the lab. I don't know what to do."
"We'll go see if they're allowing visitors yet."
Severus ushered the girls into the fireplace to St. Mungo's.
Thank you all so much for your continued support!