DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.
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A/N: How's everyone? I hope you're all COVID19 negative. Please, please, please drink ginger tea, lemon, honey water, lemon water, and anything that will keep us from having a sore throat. And please wash your hands as often as possible.
Stay safe!
Oh, by the way... Have you read 'The Ickabog'?
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Chapter 29:
September 21, 1976
(nineteen years ago)
"So, Lily made it to Potions N.E.W.T. level?" she whispered to Alice while they settled beside each other in their Potions class. She was to her right and Frank was on Alice's left.
Her Hufflepuff friend rolled her eyes. "Where have you been living, Hermione?"
"Hey, I'm sorry, okay?" she replied with guilt.
Alice chuckled and patted her shoulder. "Just kidding, Mione. Yes, she made it, thanks to Sev. But I don't think she will last this time without a good partner. And in case you don't know, Lily isn't in D.A.D.A. newt."
Hermione's eyes widened. Was Lily not allowed? "Why?"
Alice shrugged. "Not sure if she wasn't allowed to enroll or she decided not to take the class. Poor thing, she'll never be a Healer."
"She better marries a pureblood wizard, or else, it'll be hard for her to find a job," commented someone from behind them: Helena Abbott, Alice's fellow Hufflepuff.
"You should have let her get expelled," whispered Alice, nudging her shoulder.
She gave her friend a disapproving look.
"Yes, Hermione, you should have," commented Helena. "The poor girl's been scrubbing all weekend in the hospital wing. I also caught her mistreating some books in the library and was reprimanded by Madam Pince."
"So, what? She's still doing detentions all year? This year?" she asked.
"Yep. All thanks to you, because you didn't want her expelled. She's banned in Hogsmeade visits, too. You know, you're too kind, and it scares me, honestly," her friend said, giving her a knowing look.
"My mum told me that, too," she shrugged.
"Good morning, class!"
All heads turned to their walrus-like professor. Professor Slughorn looked full, his stomach was bigger than ever.
All of them murmured their greetings. The professor gestured at the three steaming cauldrons in front of him. "Miss Puckle!" he called her jovially. "Please come over and identify the potion on the first cauldron."
Hermione obliged and saw the mother-of-pearl sheen, with spiraling steam. She frowned. "It's Amortentia, Professor," she replied, sniffling. But she could not smell anything.
"You are correct, of course, Miss Puckle," the professor smiled and peeked. "What do you smell?"
Hermione looked at Professor Slughorn rather hesitantly.
"Oh, it's all right, Miss Puckle. You don't have to tell me. But just in case you did not smell anything, it only means that you found your true love; so pure and sincere that even the most powerful love potion in the world wouldn't affect the two of you."
Hermione blushed and nodded quietly, before turning back to her seat. She could feel Sev's gaze, so she met his eyes and reached for his hand under the table. "Looks like I found my true love," she whispered and was rewarded by a genuine smile from her boyfriend.
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October 9, 1976
(nineteen years ago)
"Grandmother's asking again if we could stay with her the entire Yule break," Sev told her while walking to the Great Hall from the Ravenclaw Tower.
She looked up to him with a smile, but he looked hesitant, so she squeezed his hand. "I told you already if you want me to go with you, I will. Mum and Dad are okay with it, as long as we visit them on Christmas Day."
"But I don't want to pressure you - "
Hermione stopped walking and stood in front of her boyfriend. "You're not pressuring me," she replied gently, but with assurance. "I want to spend the break with you, and I want you to spend it with her as well. My parents are okay with it. I'm okay with it. Mona, too. So what's bothering you?"
Sev's expression softened. He looked relieved. "I just want to make sure that you're agreeing because it's what you want. And I don't want it to look like you're picking me over your family."
"So, what? Do I have to ask Mum and Dad to go abroad just to -" she teased.
"No!" he exclaimed.
She laughed. "You worry too much, Sev. Honestly, you've been with us for what? Seven years now. My parents love you, especially Dad. You should know by now that when they say it's all right, it is all right."
Sev smiled a little, his obsidian eyes bore into hers, and he squeezed her hand back.
"I've been thinking..."
She rolled her eyes.
"No, don't do that," he said softly. "I've been thinking of asking Grandma to invite your family... You know, your parents practically adopted me and they've never been to a wizard's house, so..."
"That's wonderful, Sev! I think they will be excited," she replied happily and threw her arms around his neck. "But only if it's all right to Lady Prince, yeah?"
Sev returned her hug and kissed her temple. "Yeah."
"Get a move, lovebirds!"
Sev groaned and she laughed, then pulled away from her boyfriend to face the owner of the voice.
"Morning, James," she greeted their Gryffindor friend.
James Potter smirked and sandwiched himself between them. His left arm was wrapped around Hermione's waist, then his right was around Sev's shoulder, much to her boyfriend's displeasure. "Stop squeezing me, Potter."
"Oh, but I saw you embracing Dolohov last week, guiding him to a secret passage from Hogsmeade," teased James.
"The poor lad was drunk, and he is my best mate," reasoned Sev.
"He is?" James raised an eyebrow. "How come he doesn't hang out with us?"
"Toyin is a very private person," she supplied. "And prefers to be alone most of the time."
"Because he avoids loud and boisterous people like you," replied Sev nonchalantly.
James and Hermione laughed together. "How do you stand this git, Hermione?" teased James.
"We belong to each other," she replied.
James playfully smacked Sev's head. "You're a lucky snake, Snape." Then, he turned to her. "Say, Hermy, it's Gryffindor against Hufflepuff tomorrow..."
"I'm not supporting your House, Jamie. Remember, my female best friend is a badger."
"Oh, Hermy, you wound me," he said dramatically. "If it's Gryffindor against Ravenclaw, you wouldn't support me, of course. If it's Slytherin versus Gryffindor, you take Snape's side. And now, with Hufflepuff... Gryffindor is your least favourite house."
Hermione laughed. "Well, whose fault is it? If you only befriended me in our first year..."
They all stopped walking when they saw Lily on their way, ducking her head and crying while holding her left hand. James looked concerned, but he did not dare to say anything. He led her and Sev to the left side of the corridor.
"What happened to her hand?" she asked in a whisper when they were out of Lily's earshot.
"Too much scrubbing, perhaps," replied Sev.
"Detention?" she asked.
"Yeah. A year-worth of detention instead of being expelled." James sounded unhappy.
"Why don't you comfort her?" she asked seriously.
"Are you crazy?" he asked incredulously. "She almost killed you and you're my friend..." he hissed.
"That's enough, Potter," drawled Sev. "Go and have some breakfast."
Hermione sighed and watched James go. She felt sorry. She knew that James still liked Lily, but their friendship was more important to him. I hope he would fall for someone else, instead, she thought.
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December 18, 1976
(nineteen years ago)
Severus nervously paced back and forth in front of the Ravenclaw common room while waiting for his date. His heart skipped a beat when he thought of his lovely girlfriend as his 'date'. This was a first for them. Last year, they were fifth years, they were invited to Slug Club dinners, but there wasn't a Yule party because the Potions Master was sick. He then held an Easter formal dinner to make-up for the guests who were invited on Christmas, but Hermione had to go home, so it was not possible for them to attend.
Well, Hermione urged him to attend, but he didn't. First, he couldn't bear the thought of being in a party, surrounded by cheerful people while Hermione was worrying for her family. Second, he didn't feel comfortable asking someone to go to the party with him, even as friends.
He didn't want anyone else; only his lovely Hermione.
And so when they received a formal invitation to the Slug Club Yule party of 1976, he immediately asked Hermione to be his date.
She laughed and pinched his nose. 'Of course, I'll go with you. I'd love to,' she told him a week ago.
And soon, he was grabbing Toyin to a clothes shop in Hogsmeade to help him pick formal dress robes. They purchased three and that night, he opted to wear the emerald green dress robe over his tailored waistcoat. He also trimmed his hair. It was still rather long, but now only reaching his nape, and he tied it back neatly.
The common room door opened and Severus stopped in his tracks. Turning his back into the door. He froze at the sound of familiar footsteps. Six years of waiting for her on that corridor made him 'memorize' her footsteps.
Severus slowly turned around and when he saw her, he held his breath. Hermione was wearing a green, pleated chiffon dress that only reached her knees. It had quarter sleeves made of lace material and therefore, her arms were visible. Her curls were free from a ponytail, but they were smooth and silky. The dress had a v-neck, so when he saw a glimpse of the necklace he gave her, the one with the otter pendant, he suddenly felt he wanted to kiss her on the neck. He wasn't sure if it was just him, imagining her scent, or if he could really smell the sunflower serum he made especially for her. She put on light make-up, but Severus thought she could go to the party even without putting on. She looked very beautiful and he couldn't take his eyes off her. He didn't even realize that she already approached him until her hand rested on his shoulder as if to wake him from a nap.
"Wow. We match," Hermione said casually when she took in his appearance.
Sev cupped her face with his hands and bent forward to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You're beautiful, my dear. Please, don't let anyone else dance with you."
Hermione smiled and chuckled after a while. "Possessiveness doesn't suit you," she teased, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You look like a prince."
Sev frowned. "I am a Prince," he replied with confidence. "A half-blood Prince."
She grinned and allowed him to hook her arm to his. "Well then, lead the way to the ball, my half-blood Prince."
Severus did his best to look at her casually... and normally. He did his best to hide the hardness he was feeling somewhere 'below the belt'. Hermione was gorgeous and he would be damned if he would end their knight without snogging and pressing her against the wall.
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"Have you met Miss Puckle? She's one of my brightest students from the Ravenclaw House and it is her dream to be a healer."
Hermione politely smiled and nodded towards the older witch Professor Slughorn was talking to, Healer Shafiq.
"Is that so?" the healer eyed her intently.
"Miss Puckle, Healer Shafiq from St. Mungo's. She specializes in spells injuries."
The healer extended her hand and Hermione took it politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Healer Shafiq."
"And oh, here's the best in potions, Mr. Snape!" Professor Slughorn grabbed Sev's upper arm and yanked him to his side. Hermione groaned inwardly at how the professor handled her boyfriend.
"He also captured Miss Puckle's heart," teased the Potions Master.
"So, a future potioneer and an aspiring healer, then?" Healer Shafiq smiled kindly. "You sure know your students' abilities, Horace." There was sarcasm in her voice.
The professor laughed and offered the healer for another drink, leaving the two students. Hermione giggled at the older witch's words.
"She could've been nicer, you know," Sev faked a concerned look as she looped her arm to his.
"Oh, shut up. You liked it."
"I didn't like it. I like you," he whispered, and suddenly, he was walking her out of the classroom, ignoring the questioning looks of Alice and Remus, and the teasing smiles of James, Sirius, and Frank.
Soon, Hermione found herself behind a tapestry, her back was glued to the wall and her boyfriend, the love of her life, was kissing her passionately.