This is a bit transitiony, but I realised I need this moment before the next part of the story. So here it is.

And thanks for all of your reviews, faves and follows this week! It got me through the nightmare of my wip. I was able to send a proposal tonight, so I now have a few weeks to finish and polish. Though I have another similar deadline in 3 weeks... *craziness*


Hermione and her mother portkeyed into the secured courtyard of Granger Hall. Gwendolyn grabbed her arm, holding her still as wards rippled, recognising both of them. This after all, would be Hermione's home until she struck out on her own.

Gwendolyn sighed, staring around at the pale stoned range rising in a rush of slated roofs and ornate chimneys around them. "Isn't it simply beautiful?"

August sunlight threw stark shadows over a rambling Jacobian mansion, leaded glass windows shining and opened to the air. Wisteria climbed and clung where it could, a bust of green and flowers as a warm and delicious silence hung over the courtyard.

A bubble of happiness rose in Hermione's chest. Oh, that silence would change with the shouts and squabble of so many children. For all of Granger Hall's grandeur –and it was impossibly grand— there was a feeling of homeyness. Of it being ready to be a home.

"Finally, welcome!" Her dad strode out of the great, arched doorway, a little house elf trotting in his wake. "The sun's shining for you." He squinted into the bright blue sky. "It was a miserable morning."

He looked down to the little creature at his thigh, dressed in a neat, blue pillowcase with the embroidered 'Granger Hall' across his chest. "I'm sorry. This is Pil. Pil, this is my wife, Gwendolyn and my daughter, Hermione. They've been making the final move from our business in Australia. Now it's all done."

The elf bobbed his head, his bright, bulging eyes fixing on Hermione for a second too long.

"Pil is the first in a band of ten house elves assigned to the Hall."

Pil gave a sharp nod, his ears flapping. "We will rescue the wizard-born." He clasped his hands together and his grin was huge, even as tears formed in his huge eyes. "The great Headmaster, The Snape, has given us the chance to serve our lost babies."

Hermione blinked. "Lost babies?"

"Bad wizards are chasing away their babies. Or worse." He stamped his foot and magic crackled. It's not right."

Her dad patted the elf's narrow shoulder, seemingly unconcerned at the flare of power. "It's not. And all of us are here to set that right." He smiled at her mother, and there was something there, a wistfulness, a quiet joy that formed a lump in Hermione's throat. "In fact, Pil brought in our first baby."

Gwendolyn pressed her fingers to her mouth. "Oh, he did?" She grinned at Pil. "Well done you!"

The little elf beamed at the praise.

Her mother let out a slow breath and pushed her hands over her wild hair. "I mean, it's a horrible circumstance, but if they performed that spell, then he…she—?"

"It's a little girl. Almost four weeks old."

"She will have a much better home, a much better life with us."

"If you can pry her away from Severus."

Hermione's belly swooped. And she fought back the stupid question of, "Severus is here?". It had been almost a month since he'd restored her parents' memories and in that time, the letters had died away. There was the excuse that she no longer had to report the minutiae of her parents' lives or need his support in working out how to approach them. But she'd thought, that perhaps he'd enjoyed writing to her…

It seemed she was wrong. They had met twice since then as he evaluated the people who would take over the Family Day Care business and again as he portkeyed her father to the Hall for the first time. He had been unfailingly polite…and she'd hated it.

Had she read their friendship completely wrong? She'd hoped to have that, even if she could never…

Hermione cut out those thoughts. Her duty was to Ron. She would see him the next day at King's Cross. She had to be practical. Her…crush on Severus was fleeting.

The thoughts churned and she followed her striding mother into the entrance hall. It was a long room, pattern-tiled and with cream plastered walls. Light flooded down the great turns of the wide staircase and caught on the dark wizard standing with a tiny bundle nestled in his arms. Even with his black hair swept forward, she could discern a softness to his features that she'd never before seen, as if a weight had been lifted from him. He looked so…natural. And it burned tears in her eyes.

"Say hello to Severus. I have to…" And Gwendolyn fairly shoved her father through an archway, disappearing into the deep shadows of the room beyond. Pil looked to her and to her escaping parents, squeaked and vanished.

Hermione winced. Her mother had dropped unsubtle hints about pursuing Severus, but she didn't know the wizard's history. That his heart was long gone. Lost to a long dead witch. Friendship was all he would accept. And Hermione did want that back.

She drew in her courage and closed the distance between them. "The Hall's first resident."

"Yes." The word was soft and quiet, but his dark eyes didn't look away from the baby in his arms.

Her heart squeezed. Her father had had the same look only moments before. She'd always placed the love of children on her mother, but her father was equally caught in that love. Had obviously ached for a large family as much as she had. This place was a gift for them.

Would…would Ron be the same way with his child in his arms? Standing there with Severus Snape, the thought felt almost…traitorous. Wrong.

"May I hold her?"

Severus looked up then. Something flickered through his eyes, too quick to catch, but then his hideous politeness returned. "Of course."

She held her breath at the warm brush of his hands against hers as he eased the baby into her arms…and she looked down into eyes as black as Severus' own. An ache caught her. Swift and hard. A deep desire for one of these beautiful little creatures.

"Hope," Severus murmured as he stroked his thumb over her tiny knuckles. "Her name is Hope."

Hermione thought she caught a smile, but it had vanished when she looked up at him. His sudden distance hurt. But, in a way, she needed it. Her future was with Ron and she so wanted a gaggle of children, something he was sure to want too. Though none of her children would have the brilliant, black eyes that matched Hope…and Severus.

"Pil snatched her away as the magic revealed her fate." He pushed aside the blanket and the word "squib" scored down her tiny chest. "Another horror from the spell."

Hermione drew in a calming breath, fighting hard not to hand over Hope, find Pil and demand he take her to see these…wizards.

She knew how Severus saw this little girl, now. Hope was the baby he had made the vow over. No longer guarded by the Whomping Willow, she was here now. Safe. And with a secure and loving future. Hermione looked away, her heart in her throat. She wanted to say something…but couldn't. They were not as they were even a few weeks before.

Severus eased her blanket back and stroked Hope's cheek. "There is no pain now. And a cream will lessen her scarring."

She had to say something. Anything. "This is a wonderful thing you're doing, Severus."

"Not I. Your parents. They have a difficult task ahead of them." He reclaimed the baby and tucked the soft blankets around her little body. Hope reached up a hand and grabbed his nose, burbling bubbles at him and a disbelieving smile lifted his lips. "What are you about, young lady?"

His voice was soft and smooth, a gentle rumble and Hope babbled a long and detailed reply.

Hermione's thoughts were spinning. Who ever in their lives had witnessed such a thing? And it broke a wide smile from her.

"Pil said her birthday was the day your parents accepted the offer. An auspicious sign." Severus looked from the baby to her and his wide smile faded to nothing. "You have to go to Diagon Alley for your school supplies, I believe." He gave her a polite nod. "I will see you tomorrow, when we must be Miss Granger and Headmaster once more."

There was none of the humour that had once coloured his voice when he called her Miss Granger. Oh gods, had he guessed her stupid schoolgirl crush and this was his response? This cool front. A warning for her to step back as he had so obviously done? And because of her crush, it appeared even friendship was impossible now.

Taking a deep breath to control the sudden surge of mortification, she nodded and turned away. She knew when she was dismissed. "Of course, sir."

He would not see her tears.


"Mione!"

She was swept up in wall of muscle that smelt oddly of broomstick polish, cake and mustard. "Ron, I need to breathe!"

He laughed and planted a kiss on her lips. "I thought I'd see you before here." He looked around the crowded train platform, bursting with children, parents, trunks and every kind of squawking, hooting and croaking familiar. "Your letter said your parents got their memories back at the beginning of August." He rubbed his large hands up and down her arms and smirked at her. "I was…lonely."

She gave him a bright smile and broke his hold, moving towards a carriage. "Well, I'm here now."

They'd never more than kissed and well, in a few days, she planned to do a lot more with him. With…Severus, the quick flushes and the ache low in her belly had reminded her that she was a woman. A fact that she'd ignored for too long. It was time to recognise it. And exploring her emerging sexuality with Ron was…practical.

She winced and clambered into an empty compartment, Ron following after her. No, that sounded wrong. She had always wanted him. Pined for him. Sixth year, she'd been an absolute and embarrassing mess for him. And though their time in that god-forsaken tent had been tense…it had worked out in the end. They would work out. She had to put in the effort, because every time she looked down, her arms felt empty and she expected to see Hope's brilliant black eyes staring up at her…

"Hermione?"

She looked up and found Harry, Ginny and Luna in the compartment with her…and the train had left the station. "What? Oh, sorry." She worked a smile across her mouth. "My head's still stuffy from jumping time zones."

Ron wrapped his long arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. He kissed the top of her messy hair, squeezing her. "Rest. Sleep. Give that brilliant brain of yours a break."

A smile tugged at her mouth and she closed her eyes. As she drifted off to sleep, she hated that Ron didn't smell right.

Her dreams were filled with brilliant, black eyes.


Let me know what you think! :)