Chapter 12- Time
For one moment, pure shock covered his face. I soaked in his appearance. He was a man now, not a teenager. He shoulders were broad and he just looked beautiful to me. He always had while we were together. I felt my heart release a strong weight as he stared at me and I stared at him. He let the shock wear off then he was walking across the room without glancing at me. He paused when he reached me and held out his hand. I had prepared myself for this and restrained myself from jumping into his arms.
"No." I said with a smug smirk. He outrage was tangible but I didn't flinch when he roughly pulled his left hand away from me.
"Why not?" His tone made my smile disappear. I stood, feeling an anger and hurt that I hadn't felt so acutely before. Not from him. I stepped closer and gripped his left hand.
"Because you're my husband." I sneered fiercely, a sneer that would rival one of his. I learned from the best after all. He paled instantly and yanked his hand away from mine.
"Miss Granger, I think you've made a mistake-
"Severus I know it's been twenty years for you. I'm not stupid; I'm not expecting anything…yet. But I refuse to take it off. You may have lived a life time without me but I'm still very much in love with you and I won't stand for your sarcastic and hurtful comments towards me or our relationship. Do you understand?" My temper had grown throughout my rant and I could feel the electricity in the air.
He closed his eyes and I saw him clench his fist. I took a calming breath, "If you wouldn't be such a bastard all the time I wouldn't have yelled. I'm sorry. I won't be staying much longer. Sit down, I need some answers."
He glared at me furiously but I shoved him towards the sofa and sat him down roughly. He struggled obviously but I didn't mind one bit. It was a relief that he wasn't disgusted to touch me. My skin tingled remembering just how much he had touched me the night before. Of course it had been twenty years for him.
"Stop being childish, Severus. You're a grown man. Surely you can deal with your upset wife?" I teased harshly, hoping to irate him. Merlin knows I knew how to do that. Sure enough, Severus flushed with anger and sat stiffly in silence.
"Now, I doubted Minerva knew so I wanted to ask about the health of Bella and Helen?" He obviously hadn't been expecting that sort of question and I grinned widely. It was nice to see that expression on his face.
"Bella? You're calling her Bella?" he said with a snort. My heart rate increased, flushing my skin. Not because I was embarrassed, hardly, but he just was so close and I couldn't touch him. Part of me was waiting for him to start kissing me while I was talking. My heart squirmed painfully in my chest, that wouldn't happened for quite some time if ever.
"Yes, how are they?" I would have asked Poppy but I wasn't ready to deal with her and this gave us something to talk about.
"Bella has not been well. She woke up in the same place Potter and you kill her. Her daughter appeared to us in the hospital wing, knowing us all by name and eventually we gained the memories of her as well. She is bright, extremely so and ruthless much like her mother."
"Personality?" I asked memorizing his words to I could tell Harry. Severus shifted uneasily, "Thanks what bothers me! She is so different! Considerate and kind. Poppy tripped to other day, and hurt her wrist. Bellatrix helped her into a bed and healed it, laughing it off. 'Helen used to break her wrist all the time!' It was like she had no idea of who she used to be."
A hollow feeling filled my chest and I put my head in my hands. Severus was a man, a sarcastic and private one. He wouldn't understand without it being explained.
"Miss Granger?" he asked uncertainly. It didn't sound like concern only curiosity. I cursed my heart that even that could sting.
"Harry shouldn't have ever gone near her. But that would be like saying I shouldn't have gone near you. Harry hates her more than anything in this world. But Bella loves him anyway. She had his child for God's sake!" I burst out in frustration. I sat down on the couch, away from him. He wouldn't just move away. My eyes started to burn. I was getting too emotional.
Severus was getting uncomfortable. I stood abruptly and stared down at him.
"Don't you think for one second this is over. I won't let go that easily." I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his stunned face. He was too shocked to yell at me as I left the room. A kiss on the forehead left him speechless? He wouldn't know what hit him.
Harry's Pov
I should have known I wouldn't get away that easily. I used Bella for my own needs and this was pay back. I didn't mind having a daughter, I just minded have her daughter. Bella didn't deserve a daughter. I didn't either if I got technical. But I did have one and she was awake now.
"Does she-
"Yes. She'll recognize you." Bella said softly and went to the other side of the room. Giving me space. That was smart. She had always been smart.
"Dad?" she exclaimed in shock sitting up quickly. I jumped at the title. After never having a father to say that to and then suddenly having a daughter that called me that… I wasn't even making sense!
"Helen?" I whispered her unfamiliar name. It could have been worse. She smiled tightly and grabbed my arm to pull me closer.
"We're going to have a very long talk. Now." she hissed, her bright green eyes flaring up. I gulped and looked at Bella-
"Don't even look at her!" Helen snapped pure fury in her voice. I was so confused. She got off the bed and we left the infirmary in a rush.
"When I was fifteen I asked Mum who my dad was, I hadn't ever asked before. I thought perhaps she'd been raped or didn't know. Boy, was I wrong. Kinky stuff dad." She said with a huff. She sat down in the empty hall and I followed after her, flushing. What had Bella been thinking tell-
"She didn't tell me, she showed me. The day I asked she just looked at me and burst into tears. She pulled out her memories and pushed me into the pensieve. I had no idea… I saw everything. I want you to answer me one thing. Do you love my mother?"
My stomach turned at the thought, "Of course not how could I-
"Because she tried to save him! Your best mate, she tried to save him and Lucius, the bastard, killed him! She wouldn't eat or talk or sleep for two weeks after that! I knew from the memory that was why you hated her so much. She almost died! I was only eight years old then so I didn't know when I happened but I – why can't you love her? She hasn't ever done anything to hurt you. She's dedicated her whole life to you. She loves you more than me!"
Helen was crying silently now, around her rant. I was stunned. She didn't kill Ron? Lucius?
"She's still a death eater and I couldn't-
"Liar! She's not more a death eater than Severus is! She was spying as well! Do you know how happy she was when the dark lord died! She smiled so much! I hadn't seen her that happy and it was all because of you. You're my father, biologically. I don't know you but I know enough. If you want to have anything to do with me then you'll have to forgive her. I can't make you love her, but you'll have to forgive her. Forgive her something she didn't even do."
My world felt like it had shifted completely. My heart was racing, "I can do that. I think I can do that." I whispered.
Helen smiled and nodded, "I knew you would. Or I would have made you." I gulped.
Hermione's Pov
I didn't see Severus for a whole week. Harry told me that under no circumstances would he ever fall in love with Bella, but I had my doubts. He may never love her but I thought they might get together as a family. Helen was a delight. She was strong willed and hardly ever took no for an answer. Harry was obviously at lost and usually just nodded right along with her. Bella was a mess. She cried at night and during the day she avoided Harry at all costs. I would have to talk to him about that.
Minerva was against sending Bella to prison. Now that everyone had firm memories in their heads, no one doubted her. Severus was with Bella all the time and if I didn't know how much Bella loved Harry I would have been jealous. It was nice to know Bella had a friend though.
It was nice to see her lively and without so much hate clouding my vision. She was my friend. It was surreal to even think it.
"Hermione? What have you done to Severus? He's a bundle of nerves. Every time I mention your name he stiffens! And not in a good way!" she complained once I entered the infirmary. She was staying there alone now. Remus and Sirius had moved to Grimauld place. I burst into laughter.
"I was blunt with him the day I came back. I'm going to see him tonight as well. He had the audacity to ask me to take his ring off!" Bella went to rant about the disrespect.
"I have tricks up my sleeve of course. He won't get away." I assured her.
"Have you told anyone?"
I nodded with a smile, "Yes, the reactions were amusing. Ginny said, No fair! I was a sarcastic bastard for a husband too'"
Bella laughed deeply, then wiped away tears, "That was the best thing I've heard in months. Not to mention I've only been alive for two months."
I cringed, "By the way, I'm sorry for stabbing you."
"I don't remember it. I don't even have a scar. It's like it never happened."
I wished that were true in my memories.
On my way to see Severus I found Harry sitting alone in a hallway, "Hey!" I shouted, but he didn't jump.
"You need to go in there." I whispered and he nodded in agreement.
"I'm just upset. I've let go of most of the anger, but I don't know how to not hate her. It's all I ever did."
"I know Harry, but try. I think she'll surprise you." I left him to his thoughts and headed to the coldest floor in the castle. The wards still let me in and Severus blinked in surprise.
"How did you get the password?" He demanded sharply.
"I didn't. The wards allow me in." I would have thought he knew! He was sincerely shocked though and I didn't have anything to say about it.
"Why would they-
"Perhaps because I'm your wife by law?" I cut him off with a glance. There was one reason I was here.
"If I ask you something will you promise not to lie?" He was so shocked at seeing me again; I could tell by his behavior, that he didn't notice the three drops of potion that fell into his tea.
I leaned closer, "Well?"
"Very well. Ask away." His voice betrayed his nerves. He took a sip of his tea with shaking hands. It must kill him to be so vulnerable with me.
"Do you want to be my husband?"
"Yes." He looked confused and then outraged.
"You insolent-
"DO YOU LOVE ME?" I screamed over him.
"Yes."
I stood and gripped the front of his robes, "Then what are you waiting for? I'm right here in front of you waiting!"
"You're too young! I couldn't-
"I'm going to be twenty one, Severus. That's nothing in wizarding years and your only fifty and you look thirty. Get over it! You love me. There's nothing in the way."
My chest was heaving and I waited in silence for him to do or say anything.
"There is a problem. You just violated my trust Hermione. Twenty years of waiting and this is the thanks I get?"
He said it to hurt me, because I knew he wouldn't focus on something so trivial.
"Yes I did because you are everything to me. I would do anything to have you again."
I never claimed to be a saint. I just wanted my husband.
"I guess you'll need to wait and understand that I'm a different man. Not a seventeen year old anymore. You need to grow up and except it when you're told no!" His face was angry and he towered over me.
"Why wait when you can teach me now!" I snapped, hurt and angry. This wasn't what I had planned.
He was silent.
"I think you should leave. I need more time to think."
Relief. I could wait. He waited. I could wait forever.
"Okay. Okay. I'll go, but I love you, Severus. I do."
"I know, Hermione. I know."
A/N:Here we go! I hope you all like this! Reviews make me smile... a lot.
