See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…
IMPORTANT
NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I
need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.
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"Poppy!" he exclaimed in a thought.
"Severus, I'm really happy for you, and I want to help you if I can," she told him.
"I… I'm wondering if there are things that could turn bad. I have magic, and she doesn't," Snape thought.
Pomfrey wanted to hug her young colleague and slap his parents and Albus and the Marauders and Lily Evans for making him so emotionally insecure. Her thoughts were warm when she told him, "Muggles and magical people do fall in love and make love. You can use spells with her; it's not dangerous. In fact, if you don't want to start expanding your family right now, it would be nice to use a Prophylactic spell – and don't forget to tell her! Oh, and Muggles have prophylactics of their own; if she wants to use one as well, let her."
She could feel that he was puzzled and didn't want to admit it.
"Follow her lead, Severus," she thought gently.
He sent Pomfrey the equivalent of a mental nod.
She thought that he was done, but… "Poppy?"
"Yes, Severus?"
"I don't know any spell for… that."
She knew that the admission must have cost him a lot.
"Would you like me to cast a spell on you?" she asked.
Another mental nod.
"I'll do it very discreetly, my dear. It'll last a week. I'll bring you a few books, and then you can learn what you need," she told him. "I'll always be here to help you with anything."
"Thank you."
She heard how moved he was, and then she felt the connection fade. When Snape and she were the only magical people left in the kitchen, she fluttered her fingers, and the spell was cast. Snape blinked at her, and she winked; perhaps she wasn't as powerful as Dumbledore or even Snape, but she could cast a handful of spells and charms without the help of her wand – and she'd used that spell with her late husband often enough to not need a wand.
About thirty minutes later, the unusual group left Gibbs's house for their new day of vacation. This time, they drove to a National Park where they played games with Harry and got to know one another even better.
Harry was quite a bright child, and he understood that his mummy and daddy needed time together; he stayed with his uncles and aunts and his Dada Jackson.
When Harry fell asleep in Ziva's arms, Snape took Abby's hand in his.
'Where do you want to go?' he asked.
'Wherever you like. I don't care as long as I'm with you,' she answered. She saw that he looked lost and added, 'Let's go someplace you like, or where you'll feel at ease.'
'Really?'
She nodded several times.
Snape wrapped his arms around Abby and Apparated them near the gates of Hogwarts.
'This is where I work,' Snape told Abby, pointing towards the castle.
However, since the place was spelled against Muggles, she couldn't see Hogwarts just yet.
'It's a ruin!' she exclaimed.
Snape laughed softly and cast a charm on his girlfriend.
'Much better!' she said as she saw the real shape of the castle.
'Hogsmeade is down the road. We can either go to one of the school's greenhouses or to the pub,' he said.
'The greenhouse is fine,' she said.
Something in her answer bothered him. 'Abigail?'
She shrugged.
'Abigail, I'm already lost about what we're supposed to do. I don't know what to do. Tell me what's on your mind,' he said.
'Hogsmeade is that village where there's nothing Muggle, right?' she asked.
He nodded.
'Then, it's better if we stay here,' she said.
'I'm sure you'd like to see Hogsmeade, wouldn't you?' he asked her.
She looked torn.
'I'll protect you, Abigail. I'd never let a wizard or a witch attack you,' he promised.
'I'm afraid they'd bother you because of me, Sev,' she admitted finally.
He chuckled and asked, 'Shouldn't we get them used to seeing us together?'
She beamed at him and took his arm.
As they walked towards the village, Snape started to share something important with her.
'I think I should go back to Hogwarts in September. Not because Albus saved my hide when he thought I could make a good puppet after he let me down, though,' he said.
'Because you want to be there to teach Harry. I get it, Sev. Looks like you'll just have to show me how to use Portkeys, and you'll have to Apparate with our bunny when you're free to do so,' she said.
'Don't you mind, really?' he asked.
She shook her head fervently and declared, 'No, and I'm sure we can make it work if, as we've already agreed, we talk and really do communicate.'
He nodded.
'I'm sure you're going to love Hogsmeade,' Snape said.
They turned a corner on the road, and Abby squealed with delight when she saw the village.
'I take it you like it,' he said.
'It's like a village from a fairy tale, only it's real!' she exclaimed.
'Abigail, most Muggle fairy tales come from mixed marriages,' he pointed out.
She beamed and bounced on her toes with happiness.
Snape showed her a few shops, but most of them were already closed. The sun was still high, but it was past dinner-time on that side of the world.
'We'll have to come back another day,' Snape said.
Abby patted his arm and said, 'We've got plenty of time, Sev.'
'Sev?' someone snorted behind them.
Snape groaned – of course, Lucius Malfoy, warranted pain in the neck and genuine Death Eater, had to be in Hogsmeade just right now.
'Lucius,' Snape sighed as he turned around.
Snape was worried for Abby. She was just a Muggle, and his wand was concealed in the sleeve that she was holding.
Malfoy looked at Abby as if she were a microbe when he felt that she had no magic.
'Really, Snape, first a Mudblood and now a Muggle. You have poor standards!' Malfoy teased Snape.
'How dare you, Malfoy?!' Snape spat.
'Easy, Sev,' Abby said very quietly. 'I've had all kinds of thugs bug me. The latest wasn't a wizard, but I've had a few adventures with Cynthia – and if you tell Gibbs, I'm not going to be a happy Abby,' she said.
Snape, stunned, nodded. His girlfriend was a Muggle, but there was some kind of power radiating from her.
'What will our Lord say when I report that you're the lapdog of a Muggle?' Malfoy hissed.
'Lucius!' Narcissa Malfoy, who'd been remarkably silent up to that moment, exclaimed.
She was carrying their son, Draco, who was lost, but was very interested in the exchange.
'There should be a spell to prevent filthy Muggles from coming here,' Malfoy said, ignoring his wife.
Abby opened the tiny bag that looked like a bat that she was carrying, and she looked for something inside.
Malfoy took his wand, and Snape did the same; Malfoy was ready to hex Abby, and Snape wanted to protect her.
Abby addressed Narcissa, 'I'm really sorry that you married such an idiot. You look like a nice girl.'
Narcissa blinked.
Abby found what she was looking for. Before Malfoy could say the first syllable of a spell, she used a taser on him. The electrodes gave him such a shock that he collapsed and started imitating a fish out of the water, which amused his son to no end.
The wand that he was still holding exploded like a fire-cracker.
Abby stopped tasing him, and she put the weapon back into her bat bag.
'I'm sorry; he made me do it,' Abby told Narcissa.
Snape was gaping, and Malfoy was drooling on the ground.
Abby crouched next to him and said, 'Try anything against me or my family, and what happened tonight will look like fun. I know wizards and witches, and my Muggle friends aren't as nice and patient as I am.'
Narcissa squeaked, and her husband gurgled something unintelligible.
Abby rose and added, 'In my line of work, I know how to deal with criminals, and I can make bodies disappear without a trace. Keep that in mind before you're tempted to bug Sev or me.'
'Abigail,' Snape murmured with awe.
'I told you I can take care of myself. Ziva taught us to throw knives, too, and I'm not too bad,' she added. 'Now, where's that pub you mentioned?'
Snape pointed down the street.
Abby looked at Narcissa, beamed at her and cooed, 'Your son is adorable.'
'Thank you,' Narcissa said, still staggered.
Draco grinned at Abby, who winked at him.
'Just make sure he doesn't turn into a mini Lucius; that'd be such a waste!' Abby said.
Narcissa blinked several times.
Snape and Abby took a few steps towards the pub, but Narcissa stopped them.
'Severus, you haven't introduced me to your friend,' she said.
'Pardon me,' he apologized. 'Narcissa Black Malfoy, this is Abigail Sciuto.'
'Your fiancée?' Narcissa inquired.
Snape answered with his heart and said, 'Yes.'
'Congratulations. I hope to be invited to the wedding,' Narcissa said.
'If you don't mind Apparating to the US, and if you come with your other half on leash, we'll be delighted,' Abby said.
Something passed between the two women, and they smiled and nodded at each other.
They said goodbye. A few feet away, Abby told Snape to put his wand back in his sleeve, and she took his hand. They heard Narcissa call a house-elf to take Malfoy back to their home and have him seen and treated by their Healer.
Snape and Abby went to the Three Broomstick where Rosmerta, the new owner, told Abby that the first drink was on her for having provided her with such unusual entertainment.
'It's about tea-time for us,' Abby pointed out.
'Then, tea it is, my dears,' Rosmerta said.
Snape led Abby to a quiet booth in the pub.
'I'm sorry,' Snape said softly.
'I can deal with idiots like that Malfoy, Sev,' she said.
'I'm sorry he insulted you, too, but…' his voice trailed off.
'What?'
'We'll have to wed now that we told Narcissa we would,' he whispered.
'We'll do that only if we really want to, and when we're sure we're compatible,' she said.
'What do you mean?' he wondered innocently.
She leant over the table and murmured in his ear, 'I'd never marry someone who would be a bore in bed. We'll have to score a home run first.'
'Huh?' Snape said, the expression lost on him.
Abby tried to translate and said, 'Catch the Snitch?'
Snape's blush told her that he got the message.
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(Next scene as soon as possible)
