Hermione was in a frazzle. Everything was set up just perfectly - the drinks, some dried ham and cheeses she'd bought at Waitrose, doughnuts and cupcakes kindly donated by the Hogwarts House Elf Association and tables, chairs and boardgames scattered throughout the room. She felt as nervous as if this was her birthday party, and could only hope that more people would come to this than had ever bothered attending any of those.

The first ever meeting of a local chapter of her School Of Left-behind Offspring. Finally, it had all come together. She felt tears springing into the corners of her eyes, preying on the stress of preparing this, her anxiety and her relief at having finally done it.

"Miss Granger," Maisy, her assistant, called, her hair tightly wound up in a bun above her head. "They're here! I can see someone parking the car!"

Severus wound his arms around Hermione and caught her up in a tight hug. Instantly the stress bunched tightly in her shoulders melted away, and she sighed against him. "I just hope I can persuade the parents," she admitted. "Sending them out into the world with no understanding of their magic would be like… like sending them with no knowledge of maths! Or unable to write their names. It just sets them up for failure."

He pressed a kiss against the top of her head and she smiled.

"Don't be a fool," he said, but his tone made it an encouragement, not an insult. "No-one can withstand your powers of persuasion."

The doors of the old church groaned open, Severus swept away and the first family flooded in - a pair of men holding a little girl's hands and swinging her step by step into the church hall. Then another, and then a third family, little faces eager or shy, parents hurried, harried or calm. Soon enough Hermione was surrounded by laughing, playing, loud children. One in a wheelchair was discussing something in fast and furious tones with a little, tired looking boy who kept glancing over at an elderly woman sat by the door, her skin grey. That must be Antony and his grandmother - the boy was the only family she had left, and was thus her full-time carer. He'd explained as much in his response to Hogwarts' letter, declining their offer that he join them last year. Hermione was proud and pleased to bursting that he'd been able to come here. That he was still going to be able to learn how to use his magic. She flushed with pleasure, imaging how much easier his almighty burden would be to bear with the use of magic to grease the wheels: do the washing up, perhaps, or fold the laundry. The course was full of small, practical applications of magic like that, for precisely that reason. Of course, getting them licenses to practice their magic in the home was going to be tough, but Hermione felt more than up to the challenge.

As Hermione moved to speak to Antony's grandmother, another little boy shuffled in through the door, clinging tightly to his mother's trouser leg. Hermione didn't remember this young man from the list, but she smiled widely and went over to them.

"Hello, welcome! Are you here for…" her voice tailed off. What if they weren't on the list, what if they were Muggles trying to get to some event? She was fairly sure she'd placed the Repello Muggletum charms at all four corners of the property, but one could never be too careful.

The woman smiled, her lips pressed together so tightly the smile had to struggle just to appear. "I know we weren't invited, but Rosemelda read about it in the Prophet and said we had to try. My name is Janine."

"Well… Welcome! Please, come in. The cloakroom is over there, there are cakes and drinks…" Hermione tailed off as she noticed the boy was shrinking even further away, towards the door. She kneeled down. "What's your name, then?"

Silently, the boy pushed his face against his mother's leg, completely blocking him from view.

"Thomas," his mother sighed. "His name is Thomas."

"What's Thomas' favourite sweet?" Hermione asked, craning her head back to look up at the woman's face.

"Gummy worms."

"Gummy worms!" Hermione waved her hand and a fresh packet floated through the air towards her - a trick she'd finally managed to pick up from Severus. "Well, what a surprise! I have a bag full right here!" From the corner of her eye, Hermione saw Thomas pull back and stare at her. She didn't look at him as she continued, speaking to Janine as though the words were meant for her, even if it did crane her neck. "If Thomas were brave, he could come forwards and grab a handful! Such a shame if he were to miss out."

Janine smiled again before letting it melt away, as though the muscles were unused to holding the expression. "He has a little trouble-" before she'd finished the sentence, Thomas had taken two steps forward, still clutching a fistful of trousers in one hand, and grabbed a handful as Hermione had suggested. He then retreated, his mouth already wrapped around one of the wriggling prize.

"Well, I guess he must be a Gryffindor after all!"

"A Gryffindor-" Janine sucked in a breath. "Well, I'm not sure…. Maybe Hufflepuff…"

"Why not? He's a very brave young boy, coming here today. Accepting my gummy worms. I'm sure he's very loyal to his friends, aren't you, Thomas?"

Thomas glanced up at her and nodded, then returned to chewing with gumption. He was holding onto Janine's trousers with both hands again, the worms crushed against the expensive fabric, and Hermione winced. Nevertheless she pushed forwards.

"Well, what do you say, Thomas? Are you a Gryffindor?"

Thomas shrugged. He had more important things to consider.

"Nonsense." Severus' voice cut through the chatter as he descended on Hermione's conversation like a bat, his cloak ruffling behind him. She had to admit, even as she compared his approach with wildlife, that there was something powerful and appealing in the man she had chosen, even just the way he walked.

And then her brain processed what he'd said, and she winced.

"Severus, I'm sure-"

He dropped to his knees besides her, his attention focussed like a laser on the young boy. "You don't want to be in Gryffindor. You won't even be attending Hogwarts, you'll be studying right here in Bapchild."

"Severus-" Hermione growled. He ignored her. Thomas was staring up into Severus' severe, black eyes with something that looked like confusion blended with interest. Hermione bit her tongue - if he could get the boy's eye contact maybe there was something to the direct, focused approach.

"I think you can do one better than Gryffindor, don't you?"

"What?" Thomas asked, his voice thick with gummy worms. He let go of his mother's trouser leg in order to stuff the remainder of sugary treats in there, and was so hypnotised by Severus that he forgot to grab hold of it again.

"Well, you won't be going to Hogwarts, which means you won't be sorted into a House. You'll be Houseless. No history, no staying in dorms, no trekking across a castle to try and get to your next lesson. Lucky you! But that also means you don't need to be stuck with only one good thing. You don't have to be just brave. You can be brave like a Gryffindor and cunning like a Slytherin. You can be loyal to your friends and you can study hard. You can be whatever you want to be."

Thomas looked up at Severus and frowned. Hermione, far more taken by the inspirational speech than it's intended recipient, could feel chills chasing up and down her arms, coating her with goosebumps.

"I want to be happy," Thomas told Severus, the final gummy worm taking his open mouth as a chance for escape and lunging out. Thomas caught it easily in midair and crammed it back. "Is there a house for that?"

"There doesn't need to be one. You can just… be happy." Severus spread his hands.

Thomas grinned. "Then I want to be in that House. The Houseless House."

"I…". Severus' frown quickly morphed into a grin. "I think that's perfect."

Nodding, Thomas retreated back behind Janine, his tolerance for human contact clearly used up. Hermione stood, groaning as her back and knees complained. "Thank you," Janine said, pressing her hands against Severus' arm. "That's the most words he's spoken to a stranger… ever. Thank you." There was a tear track leaking down her cheek and wobbling at the edge of her jaw. Severus smiled.

"He's a clever boy," he said softly. "He must have inherited it from you."

Hermione slipped her arm into Severus' as they turned away and went to mingle with the rest of the children. Thomas' life might never be easy, but hopefully learning magic would help him experience life in a new way. Maybe he'd even learn, as she and Severus had, to find happiness no matter where they ended up.

Severus searched out her hand and squeezed it. "You must be a witch," he whispered. "To have pulled all this off. Look at how happy they all are."

She squeezed back. "I had some help," she admitted, smiling. The children spilled around them, laughing and playing, and Severus twisted until he held her lightly in his arms, her back pressed against him.

"When this pilot school is settled, and the board approve the country-wide schools I know you're planning, do you…" he hesitated, and Hermione's breath caught in her throat. Every nerve ending in her body seemed to vibrate with anticipation. He continued, his lips moving so close to her ear she imagined she could feel the air moving around them. "Would you like to have one of our own?"

"A child?"

"A child," he confirmed. Hermione's brain seemed to switch gears instantly, visions of their future child - children? - tumbling around her.

"Severus… maybe one day. Definitely one day, with you. But…" she gazed around the room full of children, at Vector's sister, Florence, who was going to be their teacher here in Bapchild, preparing to take the stage. "Let's take it one step at a time. I have a lot to organise, here and at home… we donate even live together yet!"

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, but she could feel the smile hidden in her bushy hair. "Of course. I'm looking forward to the list. Lists?"

She squeezed his hand again. "Multipart lists. Couple stepping stones." The room was chaos around them, but standing with Severus made Hermione feel as though all the stress melted away. "I love you." She chanced a glance away from the madness, catching his dark eyes.

Severus smiled. "I love you too."

—

AN

Thank you so much for coming on this amazing journey with me! I couldn't have written all of this without your wonderful reviews keeping me going.

If you were interested in some real life studies of addiction, you can find out more by watching Johann Hari's ted talk. Addiction is a problem that can affect any of us at any time, so remember to reach out to those you love if you feel strong and safe enough to do so. Be kind to yourself, be kind to others, and know that I'm so grateful you could be here with me!