Chapter 66: Childish Things

{A/N: Here's Another Update...)

My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.

Spare Bedroom, 12 Grimmauld Place, Muggle World...

Morning found Hermione alone in her bed with no sign of Snape or the basement. She had taken a few moments to stretch and awaken as the beaming golden rays from the sun hit her face when the drapes opened. She was nearly about to hex whomever had been so bold, but refrained when she took note of the lone house elf. With a sigh, she lowered her wand and attempted to make sense of what had transpired the night before. She had spoken to Ginny, whom had made the gross accusation that she'd been in a relationship with Viktor Krum and even had gone so far as to assume she'd had any form of intimacy with him. Normally, she'd have thought it amusing that her young friend had been an idle gossip, but for some reason she lacked any patience for such things. The last thing she needed was for Ginny's meddling and gossip to upset Severus and just when everything seemed to be going well between them. The changes in him seemed to happen so fast, of course they weren't without their usual clashes when it came to her expressing herself in the classroom. Snape treated her more or less the same although she'd eventually get him to make up for it now and again. This thing with Ginny however, it was far too dangerous a thing to let get out of hand no matter how childish she found her friend's meddling. Climbing out of bed, Hermione attempted to get ready for the day dreading what mischief her friends and Sirius Black would get up to this time around.

As she dressed and made her bed, Hermione's thoughts once more returned to the previous night, she recalled going to bed down in the basement and Severus' arms being around her at the time but had no recollection of returning to her chosen bedroom at any point during that night nor early morning. She guessed that it had been Severus' doing if only to avoid suspicion from Dumbledore and her young friends given whom they were bunking with for the time being. It was much easier to maneuver at Hogwarts when she wanted to see him, even with the Slytherin students just a few doors away.

Her she had to deal with the prying eyes of the older members of The Order Of Phoenix as well as her young friends and the seemingly ever present Weasley clan. Sirius Black had also lingered about the halls apparently having nothing better to do aside from accost Snape as a form of entertainment and there was of course a werewolf among them, able to sniff out anything and beyond if he cared to.

Hermione left her bedroom once she'd been ready to greet the world unsure what had become of her wayward husband. He seemed to be keen on keeping to himself most of the time, especially in this place where he felt most uncomfortable despite the warmth and cheer Molly and Arthur Weasley attempted to bestow upon him whenever they saw him. Harry's snide comments and Ron's remarks along with the endless digs via Sirius Black had not helped any.

There was also the recurring onset of PTSD whenever Severus had been in the same room as Remus Lupin no matter the marked calendar day.

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The Dining Hall, 12 Grimmauld Place, Muggle World...

Once Hermione Granger arrived downstairs and into the dining hall, she'd been greeted with the onset of absolute ruckus. The Weasley twins were up to their ears in pranks, Molly Weasley had been doing her best to reign them in but to no avail. Harry and Ron were discussion various girls that caught their interest at school. Ginny had been busy brushing her hair near a window as if trying to gauge what Harry found appealing in a girl. Sirius Black slumped in one of the dining chairs with a plate before him and his eyes fixated upon the spectacle that had been before him. He'd spent quite a few months alone in the old house and loved the aspect of new life that had been added to it with the reformation of The Order Of Phoenix. Lupin sat beside Tonks at the table patiently awaiting his meal despite his tired mood.

Dumbledore sat at the head of the table. His twinkling blue eyes seeming to peer into Hermione's very soul as she made her way inside. It had not escaped her notice that Severus Snape had not been among present company nor did it escape the Headmaster's notice that she had been affected by the implication of his absence. Choosing not to address it at that moment, he simply greeted her warmly despite his concerns for her attachment to her Potions Professor husband. Her falling for Severus had not been intended after all and he made up his mind that he would speak with her about the glaring implications of the current direction she'd been heading down.

Severus was still very much a death eater after all and a vastly accomplished one at that. There was no way the marriage would be last especially with war on the horizon. Dumbledore needed Snape focused on the task at hand and there could not be any means of distraction, not even from someone as lovely as Hermione Granger.

Hermione made her way to the table, not feeling hungry in the least as she got a good look at the other order members seemingly pleased at this moment in their collective lives untouched by the hardships of war beyond these walls.

"Nice of you to join us Kitten." said Sirius Black appearing to make conversation.

Hermione nodded her greeting. She's still been a bit annoyed with his constant need to belittle and aggravate her husband. It was as if the twelve years he spent in Azkaban had merely stunted his development as opposed to stealing away years. All the embittered charming wizard seemed to know to reassure himself of his identity was to harass an adult Severus Snape despite their precarious position in the up coming second wizarding war with the despot.

"Hey Mione." Harry greeted her before turning back to his conversation with Ron.

Hermione politely greeted him and everyone else before her thoughts once more turned back to the question of where her husband had gone.

"Would you care for breakfast, Miss Granger?" asked Dumbledore.

His blue eyes twinkling as he looked upon her. His gaze had once held a strange sense of relief for her in the past, but now it seemed to unnerve her given all that had transpired between her and Severus. Dumbledore had been adamantly against their closeness and she'd known it from the very beginning. His behavior as if late did little to endear him to her in these later years given her status as a friend of Harry Potter.

The old man seemed only interested in Harry for as long as she'd known him and it had been mostly due to the prophecy.

"I'm fine thanks." replied Hermione as polite as she could manage. "I'll just have a bit of tea."

It was an odd morning to say the least, Arthur Weasley had managed to part with his family and head out the door for his shift at the Ministry Of Magic Offices. The information he provided had been quite useful given his limited access and Snape served them well with the refined details of the goings-ons where the death eaters had been concerned. As Hermione sipped her tea and attempted to wrap her head around the recent development pertaining to the attacks on Muggle towns, Ron Weasley had been attempting to get her attention.

He'd spent the better part of the morning attempting to get information out of Ginny following her discussion with Hermione on whither or not she had a crush on himself or Harry Potter. While Harry had been his best mate, the closeness he shared with Hermione was something often called into question between the two of them. It had not been difficult to notice the care and favor she showed Harry while she seemed to hold a great deal of disdain for him.

Ron had not known why he'd been so interested in how Hermione felt about him or Harry, it simply bugged him that he could never gauge what she'd been thinking for if she was even attracted to anyone despite the number of years they've attended Hogwarts she had mostly argued with him and they'd end up having a row one way or another. Truth be told, it was rather difficult to think of Hermione as anything other than a bookworm for most of their apparent association. Aside from doing homework and getting them out of tight spots, Ron didn't exactly know why it bothered him not to know whom Hermione had fancied or if she fancied anyone at all.

After a good deal of nagging and pleading, Ginny finally relented and assured Ron that Hermione had little to no interest in Harry James Potter, much to her apparent relief. She also enlightened Ron that Hermione had not in the least been interested in him that way. While Ron found himself just as relieved as Ginny that Hermione had not been interested in dating Harry, he was quite put off that she had not in the least considered him as dating material. In fact, it bothered him a great deal to the point where he took direct offense and grew angry with her as if she had some nerve not considering him.

The apparent slight had been so enraging that Ron marched over to Hermione to confront her about her lack of preference for him. Hermione had barely awoken and her mind had already been plagued with worry over the whereabouts of her husband as well as the upcoming issues with the Muggle towns being destroyed, she'd been in no mood for Ron nor any of his antics this morning.

Ginny had barely any time to gasp before Ron's belting voice got her attention and Hermione's cup of hot tea went splashing all over his face and attire. Everyone looked over at the two of them in shock before piecing together what happened. The shouting came before the tea, first Ron accusing Hermione of something she knew nothing about and then Hermione defending herself from Ron's accusation before swiftly tossing her tea into his face and stomping out of the dining hall as furious as ever and in the mood to hex him and anyone else fool enough to bother her to oblivion.

On the way out Harry briefly made out what she'd said, calling Ron little more than a petulant child and declaring that she had no time for childish people or things and how he should actually bother to grow up instead of blaming her for his own shortcomings.

Dumbledore seem amused by her declaration although he kept it to himself. Molly tried her best to get the hot tea off her youngest son and Ginny fought back a fit of giggles at Ron's misfortune. She had warned him that Hermione had been in a mood as of late and that she wouldn't take to kindly to his meddling in her business.

Sirius Black had gotten a chuckle out of the ordeal as well. Lupin did his best to ignore it, feeling a bit of sympathy for the lad. Tonks sighed knowing all too well how foolish Ron was being where Hermione was concerned.

Fed up with Ron and being in that house in general, Hermione made her way outside She knew her questions about her husband and the Muggle Towns would not be answered just yet and she found herself in need of a bit of fresh air.

Once more her thoughts turned to Severus Snape and wondering where he had gone.