Disclaimer:- I neither own nor earn anything from this story. Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of JK Rowling and her associates.

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A/N:- Dear friends, thank you for your patience, my life has been hectic lately and my writing pursuits firmly on hold. I have felt very guilty about this, as I know how I look forward to new chapters when I'm enjoying a story, so for this I am sorry I've taken this long to update. Thank you for your lovely reviews and alerts for the last chapter, receiving them really brightens my day, please enjoy this next instalment. A reader suggested to me that if I had pictures of outfits, characters, clothing etc that I could display them on Pintrest, I do not know anything about any sites for photos and pictures and I would be happy to hear from those who do either in your reviews of by PM, as I think it's a great idea.

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Chapter Twenty-One - An Unexpected Letter

Hermione had a restless night without Severus beside her and before sunrise the next morning she was already at her desk with a determination to finish her courses of study with him as quickly as possible. It had been in the early hours of her sleepless night that she had latched onto his words the night before about being able to move on, once her apprenticeships were finished. So she had risen and dressed, taking this as her impetus to get a move on with her studies.

She could understand all the points he'd put forward against them staying in the same bed under their present circumstances, but after the thorough snogging she'd had last night, she was scrambling to understand why they couldn't simply take their relationship to the next level without sleeping in the same bed. Many people did so, without sleeping together all night, but of course that argument was purely academic, because she did want him there with her all night.

Then there was the more serious thought of their positions as teachers. Even though they were not doing anything wrong—they were both consenting adults—if anyone who wished them harm found out, there would be a scandal, and the Board of Governors would likely be highly unimpressed; they may even lose their jobs.

She sighed, resigning herself to the fact that they did have to be careful, and not only because they both worked in a school. Hermione drew a long breath in frustration, but soon smiled again, she would gladly work on making their relationship permanent at the pace Severus dictated to her, she liked him being in control, he was so commanding and it really turned her on.

That was when another thought struck her and suddenly had her grinning to herself. Even only a week ago she would not have been able to look to a bright future like this. The curses she had been subjected to, and Dumbledore had explained that even though it had all been perpetrated on her at the same time, each letter of the word had been cursed individually for maximum impact. The effects had been strong, and even though she'd fought them, they had afflicted her badly, rendering her a mere hull of her former self. The problem was that she hadn't seen this, because now, years after the actual event she had sunk so far into her own misery that she had no longer been registering its effect. Hermione took a deep breath and silently gave thanks for the man she now shared her life with, it had purely been his knowledge and deeds that had saved her from her fate.

Smiling, she looked down at her work finally turning her thoughts back to it. In reality she was on the cusp of finishing one of her dissertations. All the research was done for her Arithmancy thesis—a feat in itself in such a short time—and she had also realised the start of the practical side of that work, so there was little left to do for the actual project, even if there still was a lot of learning to do.

Her submission for approval centred around a matrix that with the correct variables added would allow an Arithmancer to be able to advise the head of an organisation, say a headmaster of a school, or a person in charge of a company or even a department when something was about to go seriously wrong. It only had a limited use at present, but she hoped that it might make an impact once she had been able to encompass the whole school into it, and she was well on her way to planning that in the storeroom off her classroom.

The Potions project was far more complicated in comparison, and Severus had to approve her work before she could start the lab work proving the potion's effectiveness where she was only just hypothesising it at present with her research. It would be years yet before it was ready to be submitted to the Potioneers Licensing Board.

Sighing and putting her head back down, she resumed her work as she heard the first brave birds venturing forth into the new winter's day, and saw the weak sunlight striping a path through her window. At least the snow had stopped, and she absently waved her wand at the fire to stoke it up so it would be warmer for the girls when they got up, and then again to boil her kettle to refill her tea cup.

Hermione was unaware how long she had been working when the floo sprang into life and Severus walked through. Looking up, she smiled. "Good morning, Sev. I missed you last night," she told him rising and quickly covering the distance between them.

"And I you," he replied, eagerly accepting her into his arms and lowering his head to hers.

She sighed, resting her head on his chest as she regained her breath after his heated good morning kiss. "Mmm, that was nice," but then her brow furrowed and she pulled back enough to look at him. "Surely there must be some middle ground for us to occupy at this time?"

Severus smiled, kissed her forehead gently and releasing her he took her hand. "I have actually been giving this a great deal of thought as I lay alone in my bed last night," he told her, sitting them in their favourite chair by the fire. "I am aware that you are close to completing your preliminary Arithmancy dissertation, which is excellent. It is mainly the Potions apprenticeship that is going to take the longest, and I've been thinking that there may be the option of changing the master for your Potions apprenticeship, although I have not spoken to the wizard in question yet."

Hermione's head came up off his shoulder and she looked him in the eye. "Who?" she wanted to know excitedly. "I thought of Draco, but he's not been qualified long enough, has he, and of course there's your master, Master Jigger, who did Draco learn with, is there anyone else I've missed?" she babbled on, breathlessly.

Finally Severus rolled his eyes and covered her mouth with his, demanding her attention and stealing her breath away. It had the desired effect—as well as a few others—and kept her quiet long enough for him to be able to get a word in. "Shhh," he murmured against her lips, smiling gently as she moaned against his mouth. "You're rambling, my love."

She instantly quieted and bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Sev, it's just that I don't want us to have to stall our relationship because of my position under you."

Severus laughed. "Relieving me of your apprenticeship is the only position where I don't want you under me." He caught her lips in an open-mouthed kiss, and then kissed around her jawline and up onto her forehead. "There are many other positions I'd like you under me in, and all of them involve you writhing in ecstasy whilst there," his silky rumbling voice told her.

This instantly made Hermione blush heatedly as her body roared into life under his hands and lips. "Oh Sev," she moaned, "You make me so flustered."

He kissed her once more quickly. "Good," he pronounced, "We'll explore those feelings more later," and he then continued on with his original topic of discussion. "I was actually thinking of Albus as your new master."

It took a moment for comprehension to dawn, but then she smiled, saying, "Oh is he able to do that?"

"Albus has a dual mastery just as I do, but his is Transfiguration and Potions."

Her smile turned into a grin. "So that means that once I'm approved by the Arithmancy Association, then Dumbledore can take over my Potions apprenticeship and we can…" and her grin widened, but she failed to voice the remainder of that thought as she flushed bright red. "Then let's get the girls up and go to breakfast, maybe you can talk to him," she ventured.

"We'll see if he's at breakfast," Severus confirmed.

"I think, if I get one more day tidying ends up on my Arithmancy project, I should have it ready for your approval."

"Very well, but having seen your work so far, I'm happy for you to just put your proposal to Albus, you will need his input for the next stage anyway if…" but he didn't get to finish that thought as two already dressed girls invaded the room chattering to one another merrily.

Hermione scrambled to get up out of Severus' lap, but he held her fast, and gave the two girls an inquiring eyebrow over the top of Hermione's head. "Good morning, young ladies," he said, "you will need your overcoats on to walk down to breakfast, it is a very chilly morning."

"And better add your woolly hats, scarves and gloves to your coat pockets too, so we can go and see Mr. Scruffy after breakfast," Hermione supplied, still blushing at her position on Severus' lap.

However, she soon settled back against him when neither girl seemed to be bothered by where she was.

In fact they showed no sign of questioning it at all, Isabella was too busy jumping up and down and happily cooing, "Oh goodie, I like Hagrid, and I can't wait to count the Christmas trees in the big hall like Emmie told me about," and Emily was just smiling happily at the scene.

Then after a moment Emily told them why. "I remember mum sitting in dad's lap like that, it's nice to feel like a family again, thank you for taking us in," she said, rather teary-eyed. "I couldn't have stood not seeing Hogwarts or you and the professor again," she added.

This time Hermione felt Severus urging her upright and once she was on her feet, she opened her arms to both girls as she felt Severus encircle her waist with his arms from behind. "I know we can't replace your parents," she told the girls, "but we're glad you feel comfortable with us," she said, happily embracing them both while leaning back against Severus. After a moment she corrected Isabella softly. "And it's called The Great Hall, sweetie, now go and get your coats and winter woollies," she encouraged, gently pushing them in the direction of their coats. It was while she was watching them that Hermione felt Severus lean into her ear.

"We need to talk to Albus most urgently so we can become a proper family," he whispered, as they watched the two girls clambering into their greatcoats.

This made Hermione smile up at him and twist around to cup his cheek. "I love you," she mouthed, accepting a chaste kiss from him. "Just let me get my coat and cloak," she told him, but abruptly found that he had already accioed the items for her and was holding her coat ready for her to put on.

xox

The walk to breakfast was a lively affair with a bubbly seven year old endlessly questioning them about everything they passed. She'd been too tired the night before to notice the moving staircases or the curious portraits that watched her in return as she danced up to them and introduced herself. She already seemed very much at home, and Hermione and Severus were happy to see this, however, it also made Hermione quite pensive, thinking about what could have happened.

Severus had told her in a quiet moment soon after Albus had taken the girls to Apparate them to Hogwarts that when he had arrived to see Eugene Delacour after he had dispatched her and the girls off to the café that the old woman had been about to sign papers that would have placed the two little girls into the Muggle foster care system.

He had been angry at her lack of empathy with her granddaughters, and she'd basically challenged him to better that outcome. Of course she had no idea that he knew the Delacour family, and she'd had no trouble changing her plans when she found out that he did. He had secured the girls into Hermione's care when he told her that he would be able to introduce her to her family.

Eugene had indicated to him—with not a small amount of resentment present in her haughty voice—that she should be being cared for now by her true family, that she knew about her heritage, but that her mother had broken contact with the Veela when she'd married a Muggle, as they had disapproved of the match.

It all made Hermione very sad to think about, especially that the old woman would have been condemning her granddaughters to a life as outcasts in the Muggle system because of their magical abilities and she obviously had little care for this fact.

Hermione tightened her grip on Severus' hand as they entered the Great Hall, and watched as the remainder of the faculty who were in residence over the holidays greeted Isabella. Albus had obviously informed them of Emily's changed circumstances and Isabella presence, and all accepted her hospitably.

It appeared that Muggleborns being taken on as wards was not an uncommon thing in the wizarding world as a lot of Muggles found it difficult to accept a child with magic. When Hermione found this out she was a little shocked, and more than slightly envious, wishing that it could have happened for her, may be that would have changed things for her. Although even if things had been strained to breaking point her parents they had still provided for her, so she guessed she did not qualify, or perhaps the parents had to ask for the help, and hers didn't.

Then there had been Harry, being forced to stay with relatives that had hated him, but he had been a special case. She wondered vaguely now if that was part of his problem. Then firmly said to herself, you haven't seen him for over five years, you're not to ruin things now by thinking about him. You're finally happy again; embrace it without your former friends.

Although she would have liked someone to share her new-found happiness with. Obviously she had Severus and the other teachers, but she would have liked someone as a friend as well. The only other person from her year that she had access to was Neville, Pavarti hadn't followed though with any lunch invitations yet after their meeting in Flourish and Blotts, but she hadn't spoken to Neville much since she'd rebutted his gaff the day she'd collected the flowers for the wreath. Maybe I should build a bridge there? she thought, glancing up the table at Neville in conversation with Pomona, or I could owl Pavarti. No, I'm better to keep to my own little family, let them come to me if they want to be friends. Then she almost laughed, Neville's probably still scared of Severus, and she smiled once more at her love, sitting there trying to look stern and foreboding as Isabella chattered at him intently about how she loved her new pink room.

It was as she was watching them together that she recalled Minerva's words to her about befriending a man like Severus, and she realised just how hard it was going to be now, keeping up appearances for the less charitable amongst the students with a small child between them to look after. This was going to prove most problematic once term resumed without Isabella understanding decorum, even Emily… how do you explain to an eleven year old that she must remain aloof from those she now considers her family whilst in public, the answer is that you can't, even if you wanted to, which Hermione did not.

Despite her thoughts Hermione had to smile when the post arrived, and Isabella's attention was instantly taken by that. Hermione squeezed Severus' hand under the table as they watched her wonder at the few post owls delivering their missives.

Hermione was listening to Emily saying to Isabella in such a bored knowledgeable voice. "Oh they're only post owls, Izzie, you'll see it every day," that she almost missed the large, obviously hired post-owl heading her way until it landed in front of her and held out its leg.

"Oh, my lord," she gasped, recognising the writing as she took the letter and indicated the bacon on her plate for the owl to help itself.

Turning his eyes from the girls, Severus asked, "Something wrong?"

"It's a l-letter from my f-father," Hermione gasped.

Severus' eyes narrowed. "What does he want?" All he could think of was the memory she had shown him of the man not standing up for his daughter as her mother bullied her.

"I don't know," Hermione replied, and she swallowed hard and opened the envelope. "He's obviously gone to a lot of trouble to send it," she commented. "He would have had to find wizarding money and a wizarding post office to post this," she continued.

As she was speaking her brow was contracting in worry, and Severus could see her visibly shrinking into her shell. Her hand holding what turned out to be a note was also suddenly shaking, and Severus took her hand again to show her his support.

Dear Hermione,

I wish you a belated Christmas, and thank you for the card you sent. I also hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for not standing up for you against your mother, I realise now how wrong we were about your magic, and thinking about how unhappy we made you is making me feel dreadful. Many things have changed for me since I last saw you, and I was wondering if we could meet at Alfredo's for coffee. I do not know how long this will take to reach you, or for that matter if it will. However, I will take a table at the café each day at two o'clock until you come.

All my love
Dad

Severus read the letter over her shoulder, and saw the tears starting to spring forth, welling up in her eyes, and he was not the only one who registered her distress.

"Have you received bad news, my dear?" Dumbledore asked.

Hermione shook her head. "No, not exactly," she told him in a shaky voice, and clearing her throat she added, "Well, I'm not exactly certain if it is bad or not yet."

Her enigmatic answer had Minerva joining the conversation. "Oh dear, but I'm sure it will all be fine," her former head of house encouraged.

"Yes, I guess it w-will…" but her voice cracked.

Severus intervened swiftly, knowing Hermione would not wish to become emotional in front of everyone, and rubbing his thumb over her knuckles for comfort he glossed over her stammer as he spoke to the girls. "Well young ladies, are you ready to brave the walk to Hagrid's hut?" and not letting go of Hermione's hand he also pulled her to her feet supporting her elbow with his other hand. "We, that is Hermione and I would like to speak with you later this morning, if you have the time, Albus," he said, as he started ushering his girls out of the hall.

"Come up once you return from Hagrid's, Severus," the genial old wizard said, looking at the change in his Potions professor and grinning inwardly before he addressed Hermione's retreating back. "Courage, Hermione, you have a great capacity for that virtue, my dear. I'm certain that everything will be fine."

"Yes, Headmaster," she said softly, turning back towards him as she kept moving out of the hall, wanting to get away to where she could ponder this development.

xox

Hagrid easily agreed to keep the girls occupied for the morning, and Severus made certain that they walked back to the castle slowly. Although it was too cold to linger out in the open for long he could see that Hermione was deep in thought and he pulled her to a stop about midway between Hagrid's and the castle. "Talk to me, love," he said softly, taking her by the upper arms and rubbing them.

She looked up at him with tears glistening in her eyes. "Oh Sev, can I trust him? I don't want to be hurt by them again."

Severus pulled her into his arms and rubbed her back as her tears fell against his chest. "I will not allow him to hurt you, Hermione." He held her quietly, resting his head on top of hers, and when she had quieted, he continued, "In his defence, as you pointed out, he's gone to a lot of trouble to reach you. I think we should go, you may be giving up a chance to reconcile with him if you do not. Remember his letter said that many things had changed for him, and he cared enough to want to talk to you about it."

"I guess you're right," she sniffed, wiping her eyes. "There's just been so much upheaval this last week, and now this, and there's something else I realised this morning too," and her lip automatically went between her teeth.

"What's that, love?"

"It was something that Minerva said to me early on last term when she noticed how my eyes watched you. She said that for me to be so open with my affection for you in public was putting us both at risk because of…" her lip quivered, "b-because y-you have many enemies," she managed, only clearing her throat once.

Severus' smile was a slightly bitter one. "Unfortunately that's true," and he felt like a stone had just dropped into his stomach. By being with Hermione, especially now she had the girls, he was putting them all at risk, he had seen that plainly on platform nine and three quarters when they'd picked up Emily. It was actually already too late on that score; any damage that could be done was already done. He couldn't give them up now even if he had ever intended to. The three of them needed him for protection, just as much as he needed them for solace. Severus took a deep breath, and his sigh came out as white mist in front of him. "All I can promise you, my love, is that I will do my best to protect you and the girls." He held her tightly, it didn't sound like enough to say that, but Severus knew in his heart that he would protect the three of them with his life if necessary, and woe betide anyone who tried to hurt them, because he would not be responsible for his actions if that happened.

Hermione sniffed, "I know you will, love," and she snuggled further into the folds his great coat when he undid the front and wrapped it around her. "I love you, Sev," she told him, sliding her arms around his waist under the coat and inhaling deeply with her head snuggled up against his chest. She adored the smell of the aromatic potions ingredients that seemed to stick to his robes and frock coat.

"I love you too, little lioness," and he kissed her head. They stood there snuggled together until he felt a shiver go through her. "Come, you're getting cold and Albus is waiting to see us," and they started walking again.

Severus was very grateful that their discussion had not changed anything between them, but he knew that until certain Slytherins left the school there would always be a danger that someone might try and exact retribution on him by hurting Hermione or one of the girls and this did trouble him greatly, but there was little anyone could do about it. He was not going to put his life on hold for the narrow-minded scum that still believed Muggle-born witches and wizards should not be included in the magical community.

xox

When they arrived in his office, Albus welcomed them into the warmth with open arms. He was prodigiously pleased that his meddling had brought them together. His plan had worked so well that he was twinkling madly. "What can I do for you two lovely people?" he asked, unable to hide his glee.

To his credit Severus managed to hold in the sneer that threatened to make its presence known, and he made his request. "Hermione requires a new master for her Potions apprenticeship, and I was wondering if you would oblige?"

"May I ask why, Severus?" Albus asked, as his house elf arrived with the tea service.

Severus took a deep breath. "In light of our changed circumstances, Hermione and I wish to make our situation more permanent, and we can't do that without marrying. Our magic has indicated to us that we are meant for each other, despite our age difference."

"I am very pleased to hear this, Severus. I never doubted for a moment that you would be perfect for each other, so when will the happy event take place?"

"Well the problem is that we feel that we cannot marry until I am no longer under Severus' tutelage," Hermione added.

"Ah, I see," Albus nodded, stroking his beard.

"And apart from the fact that I have not yet proposed, because of our situation," Severus added.

"So, tell me how things stand."

Hermione glanced at Severus who indicated that she should explain further. "I have made good progress with my Arithmancy apprenticeship, as I already had the idea in mind well before I started. It was a concept that I had already researched even before I returned to Hogwarts, it is perhaps only a term from completion. My Potions apprenticeship however, in only in its infancy and if I wish to complete it I will need to change master so I can... even though I wanted to study with Severus." She glanced to Severus again. "I want to marry him more."

Albus watched Severus reach across and cover Hermione's hand, and he remembered the first morning he had brought them together just before the start of the academic year. Severus had been all scowls and caustic words and Hermione had been a dowdy, withdrawn shadow of her former self, and he marvelled at the changes in them both in that four month period, but his attention came back to Hermione as she started to speak once more.

"If you would consider mentoring me through the apprenticeship instead of Severus, this would leave us free to make our commitments to one another, once the Arithmancy Association has ratified my Arithmancy work."

Albus smiled broadly, "I think it is an excellent plan, I would be more than happy to do that for you both. Then it's settled, I shall draw up the paper work for you both to sign tomorrow." The headmaster sat back in his chair, he had actually just thought of a plan that would see Hermione working with an Arithmancer friend of his, now that his original plan had borne such wonderful fruit. "May I ask if you have anything concrete to show me yet of your Arithmancy project?"

Hermione thought about this for a moment. "Well, the larger model is housed in the storeroom off my classroom, but the basic idea is this," and she conjured the smaller matrix that contain their personal lines and started to explain her concept to a rapt Albus.

It really was a well thought out project and all the variables she had included, and she finished by saying, "I would love to be able to make a school wide version for you, do you think that would be a possibility?"

"I will consider it, my dear, you are making excellent progress." Then he changed tack, but as Hermione raised her wand to banish the matrix he stopped her. "No, it looks so lovely, I'd like to examine it more closely this afternoon if you will allow me," he said innocently.

However, Severus' ever vigilant Albus Dumbledore decepto-meter spiked into the red at these words, and his eyes narrowed as he said, "Looks so lovely…" and he sneered, tightening his grip on Hermione's hand. "Albus, what are you up to?"

"Nothing, dear boy, now, about Miss Isabella's schooling, what have you planned?" He continued without missing a beat.

Severus was nowhere near placated, and his words were a chilled warning. "You will explain to me precisely why you wish to keep Hermione's work, thank you."

Knowing the tone well, Albus decided that to avoid the fight that Severus was spoiling for, he would tell them a half truth. He sighed, "Very well, I have a guest coming for afternoon tea this afternoon and I wish to show off the work of our newest professor," he huffed.

Although Hermione was happy that Severus was protecting her best interests she tugged on his fingers, assuring him it was all right for Albus to show off her work and then she answered the question that had been posed. "We are not certain what to do about Isabella's schooling. There is an elementary school in Hogsmeade, isn't there?"

"Yes, I believe that would be the best solution," Albus was quick to agree. "She could floo in and out, would you like me to set up an interview with the headmistress?"

"No thank you," Severus said, and there was still a note of steel in his words. "We will owl her on Monday." He did not like being fobbed off by Albus—I'll do exactly what I please—Dumbledore, and he still thought that the old man was up to something. Severus was now wondering why he had initiated this step—well apart from the fact that Albus was the only other master around at the moment—but he reserved the right to be snarky when it was called for; his attitude may have mellowed now that the war was over, but he wasn't going to allow Albus free rein over his life ever again, and that went for those in his life as well.

As Hermione and Severus walked out of the headmaster's office and back to her quarters, they were both optimistic that things were working out just right for once for them. When they arrived behind closed doors Hermione slid her hands up to grasp around Severus' neck and said, "Thank you for looking out for my best interests, Sev."

Severus' eyes narrowed again. "I know he's up to something."

Hermione giggled. "So far everything he's been up has been in our favour."

"True, but I know a very different side of him."

"Yes, I know you do, and I'm sorry for what you've suffered because of it, but I really do think he only has our best interests at heart. I trust him with my work."

"Yes, I suppose so," Severus replied still obviously dubious.

Hermione's answer was to pull his head down for a kiss. "Now, all I've got to worry about is meeting dad this afternoon," she sighed when their lips parted.

"You'll be fine and I'll be in the park you told me about with the girls, I won't allow anything to upset you, I'll intervene before that happens."

"I know you will, love."