"How was it, Ginny?" Neville asked.
"It was good." She paused, chewing her lip looking around at the roomful of friends. "But there is something weird going on between the two of them.
…
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN – LAYERS OF FORGIVENESS
To distract herself from Ginny's reaction and to the daunting prospect of doing it who knew how many more times, Hermione demanded that they brew, and Severus was all too pleased to oblige, he was not one having an idle mind, especially with so many things to brood over. Hermione watched him set up ingredients and utensils at a work bench and was reminded strongly of Snape the professor. He seemed to have given up the billowing robes with the hundreds of buttons for now, but he wore the same dark trousers, the same white undershirt, and a black jacket over that. Hermione wondered how long it had been since the man dressed simply just because, not to be a teacher or a Death Eater, but just to be himself. He seemed somewhat uncomfortable in the ensemble, as if he wasn't physically guarded enough from the outside world. But she knew he thought the billowy robe he preferred was a bit much just to hang around the house with Hermione.
"Do you think they will come at us one at a time or as a group?"
"I think small groups." Severus answered after stirring his potion. "Depending on how reluctant they are to forgive or understand."
"I wish we could get it over with all at once."
Severus flicked a stasis charm over both of their potions and went to Hermione and pulled her tight against his chest. "I know. But I think we have to go at their pace."
"I know." Hermione mumbled into his shirt. "Doesn't make it any easier."
"Perhaps they'll surprise us."
Indeed, Severus was right. That evening as they watched Greyla pop around the kitchen preparing dinner, they heard a smack against the sliding door in the back of the house. Alarmed, both of them drew their wands and Severus went to investigate. He came back with a disgusted look on his face, holding a ruffled owl. Hermione immediately jumped up to grab the letter tied precariously to the owl's leg and the bird went to join the larger, grumpy owl on his perch. But it took less than a minute for the resident owl to case poor Errol right back out the door.
"The Weasley owl, no doubt?" Severus said with some distain.
Hermione glared at him and opened the letter.
Hermione,
Ginny and Remus have both told us some of what they have discussed and observed since they have seen you. We would like to invite both you and Severus over for dinner tomorrow with the family to discuss where we all stand.
This does not yet mean we have extended the hand of friendship.
~Mrs. Weasley
Hermione looked up from the letter with a heavy sigh. She wondered how long people would add a qualifier to the end of their remarks. She passed it to Severus wordlessly and sat at the dinner table where Greyla had set up the food. The feast was worthy of Hogwarts and the small table groaned under the weight of it all. Hermione wondered where their leftovers from the night before went.
"They invited us both."
Hermione heard the small note of surprise. "Yes. We ought to reply."
"I guess we will have to send that bloody creature since he sent the Weasley owl off."
Hermione grinned proudly at the owl. She wrote a courteous reply to the matriarch of the Weasley family and showed it to Severus. He nodded his consent.
"Come on Toby, we've actually got mail for you." The bird only fluffed its feathers in response.
"Toby?" Severus sneered.
Hermione pecked Severus on the cheek. "After your middle name."
Severus rolled his eyes so hard, Hermione was afraid they would get stuck backwards. She beckoned to Toby again who finally offered his leg, without coming down from his post. As soon as the little scroll was tied on, Toby flew away with a few great beats of his wings.
SHSHSH
Severus had to help Hermione chose an outfit again. He thought she looked splendid in the loose black muggle dress and red and white scarf. Pretty but modest, nothing that would disrupt the fragile balance of the dinner. After she had put it on, Severus transfigured the sleeves so that they were long. He made a mental note work on a spell to erase the Dark Mark. He wasn't sure he could but there was only so much that could be done to hide it and he knew it would affect Hermione far more than it had ever affected him. Severus wore his usual clothes, although Hermione had managed to convince him to transfigure his severe looking jacket into a slightly less intimidating sweater. They each took one of Greyla's hands, who popped them over to the Burrow then disappeared, saying to just send a patronus when they wanted to return. Severus thought it was overkill, but Hermione reminded him Greyla was just trying to keep them safe, per Minerva's orders, so that they couldn't be traced.
Hermione gripped Severus' arm tightly in her hands, more nervous than she had ever been since her first trip to Platform 9 ¾. She took deep breaths, trying to remind herself that the Weasleys were generally kind and thoughtful people. Ginny had already heard them out. Hopefully what she had told the family had been positive. Finally feeling ready to go in, Hermione released Severus and they walked across the small field from the apparition point to the house. Hermione reached up and knocked on the door. The wait was only a second before the door was flung open and Mrs. Weasley stood on the other side, looking a bit flustered.
"Do come in dears." She stepped out of the way, not noticing the look Severus gave Hermione.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione said.
As soon as they were in the living room a hush settled over the gathered crowd. It was all of the Weasleys plus Harry, Remus, and Teddy. Hermione locked eyes with Harry for a long time, for once she couldn't tell what he was thinking and resisted the urge to peek into his mind. That wouldn't earn her any brownie points.
"Hi, everyone." Hermione said uneasily.
The first to get up was George. He walked over to them easily and grabbed Hermione into a hug and shook Severus' hand. "According to them all there's a lot to forgive, but if you ask me, you lot were just playing your parts. Ginny told us about her visit and I don't think there's much else to say. Glad you're alive."
"You ear looks well, Mr. Weasley." Severus commented.
George grinned. "We aren't at Hogwarts, any more, I'm just George now."
"George then." Severus nodded seriously.
The awkward conversation seemed to lift the tension and Remus got up to greet them, Teddy on his hip, who took an instant liking to Hermione. To her immense pleasure he allowed her to hold him while others greeted them. Ginny got up to say hello, her eyes darting between Severus and Hermione as if she had something she wanted to say. Mr. Weasley got up to say hello, but his tone seemed much warier. There was an uncomfortable pause as everyone in the room as everyone looked at Harry and Ron, who were staring at the strange pair. It felt like eons later when Harry uncrossed his legs and stood from the floor. He brushed off his jeans and slowly approached the pair. He looked at Severus first.
"My mother was important to you, wasn't she?"
Severus nodded.
"That's why you hated me and still protected me."
Severus nodded again.
"You were willing to tarnish you soul and reputation with the murder of Dumbledore so that Malfoy didn't have to."
"Dumbledore asked me to."
"But you didn't have to listen."
"I didn't want to. But better me than Mr. Malfoy. I never assumed I would survive the war, so it didn't matter." He looked at Hermione as he said this and both Harry and Ginny caught it.
Harry turned to Hermione. "Why Sirius?"
"Voldemort needed final proof. I think Sirius knew."
"Knew?" Harry actually looked surprised.
"I can show you, the memory."
Harry nodded, "Later. What about becoming a Slytherin?"
"Dumbledore's idea."
Harry rolled his eyes and Hermione thought she saw a twitch of a smile on his lips. "I think I'll need time, Hermione, but I don't see why I can't trust you." Very awkwardly he hugged her, but Hermione let the tears that had been threatening fall anyway.
Hermione looked at Ron, but he turned his head away from her and walked to the dining table that had been expanded. Hermione looked at her feet, took a deep breath and cooed at the baby Teddy who had been watching the exchange with interest despite not knowing what was happening. She and Severus followed the small group to the table where Hermione placed Teddy in the high chair on Remus's left and felt secure sitting on his right, with Severus on her other side.
Ron never spoke to Hermione or Severus, merely pretending they weren't there. A few whispered conversations with Ginny told her that Ron was not ready to trust or forgive. Hermione had been hurt but she hadn't expected much different. Ron's temper was well known, and she figured one day out of the blue, he'd forgive her. At the end of the meal Harry asked to see Hermione's memory of Sirius' death. He noticed how she bent close to Snape's ear to whisper something and he squeezed her arm in return. Ginny had confided in him that she had noticed these odd things between the pair, and Harry had been seeing them all night. He beckoned Ginny to come with him and they retreated to an upstairs room. Hermione pulled the memory from her head and placed it into the pensieve that stood waiting. Harry looked at her then dove in, Ginny going in right after him.
"How like your master you are now, Hermione." Sirius' pacing brought him a little closer. "You know I really didn't believe Harry when he told me what you had done. We argued for days, she's too bright to do something like that, I told him. She loves you too deeply. You are her family." Sirius paused next to the snapping veil. "Tell me I wasn't wrong, my girl."
Hermione let her feet guide her down further into the room and then towards the veil. Sirius took a wary step back from her as she approached. She paused, standing across the veil from him, the eerie voices leaking through, beckoning to them.
"You know me well." She said so quietly she wasn't sure he heard but Sirius's eyes grew wide. She raced into his mind and searched and found that he was convinced of her loyalty, her love for Harry, and the sneaking suspicion that she would do whatever it took for Voldemort to fall. She tried to summon the strength to raise her wand to him but she couldn't.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. "Avada kedavra!"
She could hear Harry screaming in the background, she knew he was coming for her, but the hate, the intention that was not her own, kept her still so that she could watch the green light flash across the space between her and Sirius. The spell rocketed into his right shoulder and Sirius stumbled, falling back, his eyes locked on Hermione's unfeeling face and right before the falling man disappeared into the veil, he screamed something at her in his head then was gone.
Hermione turned from the veil, her mind ringing with Sirius' dying thought. He had known she was inside his head, but he had known so much more.
Harry emerged looking shaken. "What was he saying? In his head?"
"That it was okay, that he forgave me."
Harry was silent for a while, leaning into the hand that Ginny had placed on his shoulder. After what felt like forever to Hermione, Harry crossed the small space between them and pulled her into a hug, she felt his shoulder shake with tears and knew it had to be hard for him to see his godfather's death again, it had been hard for her. Shortly, he pulled away, wiping at his face.
"It will-"
"It's going to take time it might be challenging?" Hermione interrupted.
Harry looked at her startled and then started chuckling, "No, Hermione, it will be good to have my friend back."
Hermione let out a strangled sound and looked between him and Ginny. "Really?"
"We both saw Snape's memories, and now yours. Maybe it will be awkward at times, we've spent quite a few years growing in different ways, but we know you aren't, and never were, evil, Hermione."
"Oh my god." Hermione whispered as the friends gathered into a big hug and Hermione finally let tears fall, wiping them away.
"Ron will take time." Harry said.
Hermione shrugged. "I kind of figured." She grinned. "That temper."
Harry grinned back but Ginny cleared her throat, her arms crossed. "We have something else of importance that we need to talk about."
"What?" Hermione said, startled?
"What is with you and Snape, huh?"
Hermione blushed. "That's a long story."
"We have got all the time in the world. You call him Severus." Ginny scrunched her face.
"I- we-" There was no good way to do this. "We're sort of a thing."
"What?" Harry snapped, narrowing his eyes at her.
"Like-" Ginny startled to giggle, "Like dating?"
"I wouldn't say dating, but I don't know, a thing."
"Oh my god!" Ginny gasped covering her mouth with her hands. "Have you to slept together?!"
Hermione blushed by way of answer.
"Merlin's beard, Hermione, really?" Harry said slightly disgusted.
"What?"
"I mean he's… Snape."
Ginny giggled again. "I can see the appeal, tall, dark, and well, that voice."
Hermione grinned.
"Is he any good?" Ginny hissed.
"Ginny!" Harry gasped, appalled. "I cannot be here for this! Please excuse me." And with that Harry scurried from the room with a backwards glance and a shaking of his head.
The girls laughed at him as he left.
"Well?!" Ginny urged.
"Oh man yes, Ginny, it's amazing."
"Better than Krum?"
Hermione made a funny face. "Wouldn't know."
"Are you serious? I totally thought you and Krum… But I forgot to ask!"
"Yeah, no, there wasn't really a spark there."
"Does Snape know?" Ginny asked, her eyes growing wide.
"Er, no, never saw fit to tell him."
"You have to!"
"Only if you come and visit me, I really want to be around friends."
"It's a deal." Ginny grinned and shook Hermione's hand. It felt like the deal of a lifetime, Hermione couldn't wait to have her friends back.