Vixen

By

SheriLovingLecter

Disclaimer: Nothing but the plot belongs to me; J.k Rowling is a goddess, although I am looking to have a few harsh words with her about killing Severus off…

Severus thinking to Hermione.

Hermione thinking to Severus.

Chapter 21-Weeds, Worms and Rose's Wrath.

She stood rather stunned for a moment before she recovered and frowned, his home? Why had he brought her here she wondered, and so she asked him.

"Because Miss Granger- this will be where you spend the majority of your time outside of Hogwarts. I have no other property and Dumbledore has said that you will need to stay with me during holidays as well, apparently 'the mission demands it'. I apologise for it not being in a better state but the memories I have of this place are not happy ones, as you heard it has been some three years since I was last here."

She could see the slight pain in his eyes as he described his memories, she could tell it really aggrieved him to be near this place and yet Dumbledore insisted. He seemed to manipulate Professor Snape to do as he wanted without thought for how he felt about it, well Hermione was determined to at least banish those unhappy memories- if not make new ones.

"Well then, we had better get started cleaning up the sir hadn't we? It looks like the outside will have to be done the muggle way else a muggle might see us using magic- but the inside should be easier. Should we start outside first?"

He looked at her with an eyebrow raised, she only smiled at him and gestured for him to answer her- he nodded his agreement and so Hermione went round the back of the house away from prying eyes to conjure the needed equipment.

She got back round the front of the house and noticed a group of children staring at Professor Snape, then she realised- he was still in wizarding robes.

"Erm professor I think you might need to take your cloak off…" She nodded pointedly over to the children and Professor Snapes eyes flicked to them before he sighed and removed his cloak and frock coat, leaving him in a crisp white shirt and black trousers with his dragon hide boots.

"Satisfied?"

Hermione just nodded as she was trying to swallow the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat, she could quite clearly see the lightly muscled form he hid under all those robes. She watched as he bent over to retrieve some shears and the muscle in his back strained slightly against the shirt. She cleared her throat and willed her blush away as she turned and grabbed some rubber gloves, preparing to fight a battle with the forest of weeds.

Her arms were killing her, she didn't think pulling out weeds would be so hard, well normally it wouldn't be, but these weren't normal weeds- most of them were taller than she was. So the professor was cutting them shorter for her to attempt to pull out, attempting being the word as she hadn't yet succeeded. The professor stopped cutting having noticed that there weren't any less weeds around him than before- he turned to find Hermione trying to pull one from the ground.

Hermione puffed the hair in her eyes out of the way and tried again, it felt like they were cemented in. She looked up into the amused eyes of Professor Snape- she glared at him and turned around to pull again, not realising she was giving him an unintentional view of her raised jean clad bum. She heard him clear his throat behind her and she looked over her shoulder to see him wave his hand in a down motion, suddenly the weed she was pulling popped out- depositing her hard on her backside in the mud.

His laugh filled the air pleasantly and she turned to send him a mock glare to find him almost doubled over as he laughed at her, she threw the weed at him playfully and laughed herself as it bounced off of his shoulder.

****

Rose liked to think she had a certain gift when judging people, she knew she was very perceptive and a small smile lingered on her old cracked lips as she watched the two young adults across from her throw weeds at one another.

Severus had been such a small fragile boy when she had met him, she had never had children of her own and regarded Severus as a grandson. She had fed him when his useless father was too drunk out of his mind to remember to use a toilet to pee, let alone to feed a 7 year old.
He used to call her 'Grama Rose' and come to her with black eyes and broken noses after his bastard father lost his temper yet again, she had begged the young boy to let her do something- but he had been to afraid for her, he had made her swear not to say anything to anyone.

She had seen such sadness in the young boy's eyes after his mother's death, which had also apparently been an 'accident' just like the multiple times a young boy happened to fall down the stairs, or walk into doors.

Then one day the young boy had come to her on his 11th birthday, telling her that he was going away to a special school where they taught magic, he was so happy that he was special like his mum had been. Rose thought it a wonderful thing that he would be able to get away from his drunk of a father, and she had given him as much money as she could afford to help him buy books and a wand – which he had told her he would need.

Every summer he was forced to come home and would spend the majority of his time with her talking about his wonderful new school but she could see the pain in his eyes, she knew he was probably being bullied by others because of his low wealth and tattered clothes. She always did her best to help him but she never saw him happy.

When he had visited her three years ago for what she had thought would be the last time he had told he all the things he hadn't before, about a dark evil wizard and how he had joined him for recognition and power. He had told her how he had murdered his own father and enjoyed it, how he had done terrible things but was now a spy for the 'light' as he had called them.
As Rose had looked at him she had seen how truly broken he looked, how he had in place a cold stone mask blocking even her out- she had taken him in her frail arms and held him as he cried, telling him everything would be alright just as she had years ago to the small beaten 7 year old.

All she had ever wished for him was happiness, and even though this war was supposedly going on she hoped he could find it someday. She hadn't seen him laugh in years and now she watched as he fought like a child with his young student throwing mud and weeds at each other. He was genuinely smiling and Rose was glad this young lady was breaking through the barriers young Severus had started building around himself from such a young age.

She would do everything she could to ensure his happiness before her time in this world came to an end, it was her goal and she wouldn't leave until she had seen her promise through.

***

"Ow! No fair, you're stronger than I am!" Hermione shout as she ducked from yet another flying weed and rubbed her arm from a previous hit.

Then she realised her advantage, she was small enough to disappear in the weeds so she got onto her hands and knees and crawled around so she was behind the professor, who was still throwing weeds in the direction of where she had disappeared. She smirked and grabbed two handfuls of mud and tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned quickly and she squished the handfuls of mud into his chest over his previously white shirt, then wiped her hands on the clean area of his shirt- then she dipped her finger in the mud across his shirt and streaked it across his cheek and grinned at him.

"Ha! I win!"

Hermione's grin faltered as he glared at her with mud across his face and shirt before he burst out laughing and grabbed his own handful of mud and streaked it across her face and down her neck. She stood slightly shocked as he backed away smirking at her she was about to throw more mud at him until she felt something wriggle on her face.

"Oh my god, eww! Get it off!"

She ran over to the professor fully aware she was acting like Ginny but she hated worms, she thrust her cheek forward and squeezed her eyes shut as she felt the worm be removed from her face. She opened her eyes to find it hanging squirming in front of her eyes, she squealed slightly and jumped back to glare at her laughing professor who then threw the worm behind him.

"Who would have thought it Granger the Gryffindor know-it-all afraid of worms, aren't Gryffindor's supposed to be fearless?"

She tossed her hair back indignantly "No, we are brave- being fearless is completely foolish, if you have nothing to fear what is there to motivate you to succeed and to keep you grounded?"

He nodded at her and smirked again "Perhaps I should pull the weeds and you should cut them down to size, we might get somewhere with this instead of pulling at one weed for half an hour."

"Ok then superman, you go ahead! It's not as easy as it looks!"

She gaped when he pulled the weed out with one hand and looked at her pointedly with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah well… That was one I was pulling on, I loosened it for you!"

He chuckled at her and she smiled at his- "If you say so granger."

****

Two hours later they had finished the front garden, pulled up the weeds, fixed the fence and cleaned the windows. They were now stood back admiring their handiwork, Hermione had realised that she may have actually broken down that final barrier with him. She knew this probably had something to do with the fact she had taken her N.E.W.T's and was no longer his student, she thought that they could quite possibly be friends now.

She had felt so alone after her parents death and felt a bit guilty for not having thought of them much, the professor had helped her with her grief where her 'friends' hadn't known what to do. She turned to him and smiled, they were both completely filthy but she had enjoyed it.

"Right, I say its time for a break sir; shall we go over to Mrs White's and have that cup of tea she was talking about?"

He nodded and offered her his arm which she took.

"Before we do Miss Granger, I must impress upon you the need to keep the happenings of today to yourself, I do have a reputation to uphold."

She smirked at him "So no recounts of Professor Snape covered in mud with weeds in his hair?"

He chuckled at her and shook his head "No, definitely not." Then he turned to look at her more seriously "Thank you for today Miss Granger."

She looked into his eyes and knew he was thanking her for more than helping him with the garden; she nodded and smiled before pulling him along to Mrs White's "Come on, im parched!"

Severus knew where the spare key was and made sure to wipe his feet on the mat before going through to the lounge; Hermione copied his movements and followed him grinning into the lounge to where Mrs White was sitting.

She smiled at them as they walked through taking in their appearance "Look at the pair of you, you're filthy!" They both exchanged sheepish glances and case cleansing spells on themselves before sitting on the small couch by the window.

"Don't sit down Severus, go and make the tea- im an old lady now im no longer as fit and able as I once was. Go on boy!"

She chuckled at him as he stood again and made his way to the kitchen, the smell of tea started filling the air as he returned shortly with a tray with said cups of tea on.

Hermione thanked him for his and ignored the tingle she felt as his fingers brushed hers as he passed her the tea, Rose smiled as she looked at them both.

"So, young lady- Hermione was it? Yes, so you say you are one of Severus' students?"

"I was- I finished my exams today actually."

Rose smiled "Oh really? What a coincidence, I have been telling Severus here for years that he needs to find himself a nice girl to settle down with."

Hermione blushed.

"Rose-"Professor Snape warned.

"Oh be quiet Severus, your severe tones don't frighten me. Hermione here is a lovely young girl!"

Hermione who was now feeling sufficiently uncomfortable excused herself to use the toilet which she was told was upstairs and the first door to the right. Once she had finished she quietly made her way down the stairs to catch the end of their private conversation.

"-No Rose, you have made her uncomfortable."

"Oh stop being so dramatic Severus, the girl is trying to befriend you. From what you have just told me you will be spending a lot of time with her, she is no longer your student. Why don't you try letting her be your friend?"

"Because people don't want to be friends with me Rose, especially not pretty young women!"

"Ahh, so you do think she is attractive!"

"Stop twisting my words, you know as well as I do she just pities me."

"No she doesn't you fool, I can see it- she just genuinely wants to be your friend you numbskull. Stop looking for ulterior motives and be greatful that a pretty young woman wants to be your friend Severus, you deserve happiness and she makes you happy. Don't deny it, I saw you laughing outside earlier."

There was a small silence before he replied.

"She is so free spirited and happy, it is… hard not to be the same around her…
Ok Rose you win, a friend I can be- but don't try any of your ridiculous matchmaking schemes, I am too old, grumpy and nasty to fall in love."

Hermione's heart wrenched at the way he spoke that, as it he truly believed he was those things, but part of her felt elated that he would be her friend.

"Oh do be quite Severus I am far older, grumpier and nastier than you will ever be my boy- you have a good heart- young Hermione can see that."

She chose then to make her entrance and smiled at them both before sitting back down on the floral couch; Rose winked at her and looked around with fake innocence.

"Now… Where did I put those photos…?"

"ROSE!"

They both laughed at him and he scowled slightly before smirking and rolling his eyes.

"Hermione dear could you go over to the dresser and pull out the photo album, there is something I want to show you. Yes that's the one."

Hermione passed it to her after she had retrieved it and perched on the arm of Rose's comfortable Armchair to look at what she wanted to show her. Rose opened the old album, the majority of the photos were black and white and she favoured the old cameras rather than the newer ones. She stopped flicking through when she came to a page showing a young boy with too big robes pooling around him as he grinned and waved his wand. The picture was of course muggle but Hermione could imagine him waving at the camera, as she leant forward her necklace fell from the inside of her t-shirt.

"Oh my!"

Hermione jumped back in slight shock as she looked for what was wrong with Rose and she saw her gaze locked on her neck, Hermione looked down to see the necklace resting against her chest.

"Severus you-?"

Hermione was thoroughly confused as she watched Rose look to Severus with surprise across her features and the professor nodded at Rose who turned to look at her with tears in her eyes and enveloped her in a bone crushing hug. Hermione returned it at an awkward angle feeling even more confused; this confusion must have shown as when Rose pulled bag she frowned and stood.

She went over to Severus and hit him upside the head "YOU BLOODY IDIOT, YOU HAVENT EVEN TOLD HER HAVE YOU? SO HELP ME SEVERUS SNAPE I SOMETIMES WONDER IF YOU ARE AS BRILLIANT AS ALBUS BLOODY DUMBLEDORE MAKES OUT!"

She watched Severus flinch and hold up his hands to fend off an attack.

"Albus told me not to Rose! Ouch for Merlin's sake woman stop hitting me!"

"FOR MERLIN'S SAKE? NO BUT FOR YOURS! WHERE IS THAT AWFUL FLOO POWDERY STUFF, IM GOING TO THAT DIDDERING OLD FOOL RIGHT NOW TO GIVE HIM A PIECE OF MY MIND, HOW DARE HE INTERFERE IN THIS!"

"Rose calm down, it isn't as bad as it seems. I will explain in due time-"

"CALM DOWN? CALM DOWN!! NO I WILL NOT BLOODY CALM DOWN! THAT MAN HAS NO RIGHT, ABSOLOUTLY NO RIGHT TO INTERFERE IN MATTERS OF THE HEART, ESPECIALLY YOURS. SHE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO KNOW SHE IS YOUR SOUL MATE!"

They both turned around at the thump noise as Hermione fainted dead away and landed on the old soft carpet.

Well… are you guys proud of me? Over 3000 words this time AND Hermione finally finds out about the necklace!!

Im getting more enthusiastic by the minute at writing this it's hard to get all my ideas typed down.

Please let me know what you think and thank you to those who have reviewed already- especially to those who leave lovely long reviews :D x