Now that Severus had full access to his vaults, he knew he needed to go out looking for a new place to live. He had already been back and staying with Hermione for three weeks. The problem was he didn't actually want to leave. Even if it was making his dick raw from how many times he had to wank everyday, he would miss seeing Hermione in her tiny sleep shorts, or in her skimpy bikinis. But even more than that, he would miss the great conversation and being in her company.
Looking through the Gringotts statement, he knew he had enough for a modest house if he shopped in affordable areas. He could buy a much larger house if he decided to close the charity Harry had started with his money, but he decided the needs of underprivileged children were greater than his own. The biggest issue was that, even if he had the extra money from closing the charity, he wouldn't be able to afford a house and a lab. At least not yet. If the soap business continued to do well, and he was able to submit and start getting royalties for more of his potions, he could build a lab in a year or two.
"Morning, Severus," Hermione said as she entered the kitchen. "Any plans for today?"
It was Wednesday, and his only plans were to work in the lab. "I am going to make more inventory until lunch," he said, "then I am going to experiment with Wolfsbane again."
"Sounds like a full day."
"I wanted to talk to you," He told her. "I have been looking into my finances trying to determine my budget for a house. I have figured out that I won't be able to build my own private lab for a while with what I currently have. I have decided to continue to make soap, but also to start selling potions to local apothecaries; one's that I have, or will, improve but haven't published yet. I was wondering if you could be agreeable to possibly renting out your lab to me. As well as allowing me to purchase ingredients from your gardens."
"Severus Snape, you are a smart man, so when are you going to get it through your head that you can use anything in my garden as long as you leave enough for me?" Hermione huffed. "And you don't have to pay to use my lab, it is open to you anytime."
"I know you keep saying that, but I am talking about running a possible business from your lab," Severus explained. "That means I would be using everything you grow. And I would be in your lab all the time. If I am busy enough, I might even have an employee or two depending on how well it does."
"I knew you wouldn't stick to just soaps," Hermione said as she moved to the table and sat down. "I don't grow enough for what you are talking about. Where will you get the rest?"
"I was hoping to buy from you and a few other suppliers to get what I need."
"If I am being too forward, let me know, but how do you plan to buy a house and start a potions business? The start up for that will be expensive."
"You have already been through every personal thing in my home and I'm sure you've seen my finances, so you aren't being too forward," he told her. "I was planning on getting a business loan. There are only two other potion masters in Britain. Slughorn, who no longer brews, and the other teaches at Hogwarts. That means apothecaries are having to import all master level potions and any they don't want to brew themselves. I will be able to sell it to them cheaper, so I am positive I will be successful and be able to pay the loan back within a few years."
He had done research over the last week and had a business plan already written to give to Gringotts for them to approve his loan.
Hermione listened and thought over what he was saying. She knew potions were imported in and were expensive, that is why she brewed as many of her own and her friend's potions as possible. If Severus could sell them cheaper to the apothecaries, the public would get them at a lower price as well.
"I have a proposition for you, Severus."
"And that is?" he asked.
"I think you like living here, and I like having someone else in the house. What if you continued to live here and used the lab? That way you don't need to get a loan, and when you outgrow the lab, you will have enough capital to build one."
Serverus could see how much he would benefit from her suggestion. He would be running a business and living in a nice home for almost nothing. But what was Hermione going to get out of it? As much as the Slytherin in him liked getting the better end of the deal, his moral compass wouldn't allow him to take advantage of Hermione.
"And why would you allow me to do that? I have a lot to gain from your idea, but you would get nothing out of it."
"Well, I would want you to make all my potions for me," She said. "And honestly…"
"Yes?" he questioned as she trailed off.
"Honestly," straightening her shoulders, she looked at him. "I don't like living alone. Having you here the last few weeks has been great. I sleep better knowing there is someone else in the house. And I like spending time with you."
"So you get a few potions a month and a flatmate?" Severus clarified before continuing.
"That is all I need. I make enough money at the Ministry, and the house is paid for so my bills are low."
"And when you start dating someone in six months and they don't like the idea of you having a male flatmate?" he asked. "What will I do then? Uproot my business?"
His stomach twisted at the idea of her dating someone that wasn't him. He hadn't told her that his feelings for her had grown into something more than housemates or even friends.
"The entire country believes I am dating you, so I don't foresee that being an issue." she replied.
Hermione wanted to tell him that the only man she was interested in dating was him, but her courage failed her. Even after living together and a few drunken kisses, Severus was the most intimidating man she had ever met.
"But if it happens?"
"If the man I am dating can't trust me, he won't be dating me."
"Let me think about it and get back to you."
Severus wasn't willing to commit to anything right away, even if the offer was better than anything he could ever imagine.
"I don't know why you want to start your own business. I have told you for decades that I will pay you more if you come and work for Malfoy Enterprises," Lucius said.
Severus was over at the Manor having lunch with Lucius the day after speaking with Hermione. He wanted his opinion on Hermione's offer. Lucius was the consummate businessman, and since Severus was starting out on his own for the first time, he wanted the advice of his oldest friend.
"I want to own my own business because I never want to take orders from anyone ever again. And that includes you." Severus sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Just tell me what you think of Hermione's offer."
"Obviously you would be a fool to refuse her. She is offering you housing, work space, and materials at no cost," he said before continuing. "But Severus, you would have to make it a legally binding agreement. You have to protect yourself. Just because she says you can use it, doesn't mean she won't change her mind later."
"I may be new to being a businessman, Lucius, but I am still a Slytherin. Of course I would make sure I am protected."
Did Lucius think he was an idiot?
"And you will have to pay her. Even if she doesn't want it."
"I was thinking the same thing. Is ten percent of my profits too low?" Severus asked.
He refused to use Hermione the way she was asking him too. It would feel too much like he was taking advantage of her, even if she was the one setting the terms.
"I think that is fine as long as you have a clause that she won't receive anything once you move to your own facilities."
"Thank you for your help, Lucius."
Severus stood. He had a lot to think about and wanted to get home and start writing it down.
"Anytime, old friend," Lucius paused. "I know Hermione won't want to come to the Manor, but maybe we could go out to dinner, the four of us. I know Narcissa respects her."
"I'll talk to her," Severus promised as he made his way towards the entryway.
"Oh, Severus," Lucius called from the doorway into his study. "Before you leave. That new lavender soap of yours is simply charming."
Severus' only reply was to flip him a two-finger salute before stepping into the Floo.
Pop!
Severus watched as the waiter pulled the cork from the bottle of champagne before pouring a glass for Hermione and himself. After a few days of negotiations, they had finally come to an agreement on his new business and were out in Muggle London celebrating. They had picked a quiet, yet nice restaurant for the night.
Hermione had flat out refused his initial offer of ten percent. She kept insisting that friends don't pay each other for favors, even if they lasted for years. After many hours going back and forth, it was agreed upon that he would pay Neville monthly for his part of the upkeep of the gardens until he hired someone else. He would also give her one percent of all profits as long as he owned the company. Severus had fought her hard on this, he wanted to pay her more, but she wouldn't budge.
They also agreed that he was allowed to expand the amount of ingredients he grew, including adding more greenhouses, as long as he didn't grow anything between the front door and the beach. The house sat on more than one hundred acres, which was more than he would ever need. She had explained that she loved being surrounded by gardens so the more he grew, the better.
Hermione's only real demand in the negotiations had to do with him hiring employees. She wanted to be part of the interview process. Another point she was firm on was that when he hired employees, he had to build facilities for them. She didn't want people she couldn't trust on her property, and she sure as hell didn't want people coming into her home to use her bathroom.
"To your new adventure!" Hermione raised her glass and clinked it against his.
"Thank you." He drank deeply, enjoying the bubbles on his tongue. "We have been talking about my work so much, that we haven't really discussed your work lately. Have you found anything new?"
"Not really. I have read through the book a few times." Hermione was happy that Kingsley had given her permission to speak with Severus about her current work. It was nice to have someone outside of the Ministry she could talk to about it for once. "Everything says that after coming back, she lived a long and healthy life. There were no effects beyond the obvious one."
"The obvious one being the fact that she was no longer dead?" Severus asked.
"Yes." Hermione smiled at him.
"And does the amulet have any other powers that you have found?"
"Not that Luna and Bill have told me. They have tried a few experiments with it, stuff like cursing rats and then trying to heal them, but so far nothing has really worked. Unless they kill the rat, then they can bring it back. But they haven't found any other use for it, nor have I."
Bill and Luna had been hopeful that the amulet would be a 'cure all' for magical maladies when they saw that it cured Severus when he came back. Nothing in the tome supported this idea, but Hermione could see the appeal. They could use the amulet in St. Mungo's for any case that couldn't be cured by potions and spells. But Hermione didn't think that killing everyone who walked into the hospital only to bring them back to life was a good idea.
"And if it only has one use?" he asked.
Severus personally thought it was too dangerous of an item to be studied. His thought was it should be destroyed before someone picked it up and brought the wrong person back to life.
"Then I am not sure." Hermione said. "It depends on what Kingsley thinks. I told him we needed to destroy it the day after you came back. Don't get me wrong, I am happy you are here, but I think it is wrong to mess with the natural order of things. And I worry that someone will use it for their own gain."
"Do you worry about Bill or Luna doing that?"
"To an extent. I know Bill misses Fred and would love to bring him back. And Luna's mum died when she was young, her dad a couple of years back. They make sure not to touch the amulet as much as possible. And use occlumency when they do."
Bill had talked to Hermione at length about how tempted he was to use it. He agreed with her that it should be destroyed. Luna had been tight lipped about her thoughts, only saying that everything magical was created for a reason.
After finishing their bottle of champagne over dinner, they moved to a nearby pub. Hermione was glad Severus agreed with her when she told him she wasn't ready for the evening to end. The place they had chosen was loud and while normally this would bother Severus, he was glad for the noise tonight. Trying to have a conversation meant that Hermione had to stand close and talk directly in his ear. The feel of her body pressed against his while his arm was wrapped around her waist was sending bolts of pleasure through him.
Finishing his drink, he pulled her closer and whispered. "Ready to head home?"
Heat rushed through Hermione, settling between her thighs. The feel of his breath on her ear was doing her in. All night she had been moving closer to him until they were currently standing with his arm wrapped around her and her free hand on his chest. Setting her now empty glass on the bar, she nodded.
Walking to a nearby alley, Severus wrapped his arms around her and Apparated them into the kitchen. Standing intertwined, they looked at each other until Hermione took a step back.
"Can I get you a glass of wine?" she asked.
That wasn't what she wanted to ask him. She wanted to ask him to take her upstairs and have his way with her, but her courage failed her. Even with the champagne and two gin and tonics had consumed, she just couldn't get the words to leave her mouth.
"Please."
He was already tipsy and didn't really want anymore, but he wasn't ready to say goodnight to her.
Grabbing the two full glasses, he followed Hermione into the other room. Instead of sitting on the sofa like he expected her to, she made her way to the large chaise, patting the seat next to her. Severus had not sat on it since moving into her home, but as he sat the glasses on the table next to him and settled in, he could see why she bought the chair. It was the most comfortable piece of furniture he had ever sat in. Having a beautiful witch cuddled up next to him only made it better.
Hermione smiled. She wasn't sure he would agree to sitting with her, and was glad when he did. Turning her head, she saw he was looking at her. They gazed at each other for a moment before she leaned forward and kissed him.
Severus' mouth responded instantly. There was no thought, just the desire to have her lips on his, her body pressed against him. Opening his lips, he pressed his tongue against hers and was granted access. He had wanted to kiss her as soon as they had stopped kissing last time, and moaned as their tongues met.
Encouraged by his response to her, Hermione moved to straddle his lap. He pulled his face away from hers and grabbed her by the hips.
"Severus, are you about to tell me we have to stop because I am drunk again?" she said with a pout.
He pressed his forehead to hers, trying to clear his head. Sometimes he really hated his moral compass and was trying to decide if he should just throw it away. Sighing he moved his face to kiss the top of her head.
"Yes. Even though I don't want to."
"I hate you right now, you know that, right?" Hermione said as she removed herself from his lap.
"Not as much as I hate myself." Severus muttered under his breath.
A/N: Did I mention this is a slow burn? LOL
Thank you all for your response to my last chapter! I had no idea everyone would like Prince Charming Creations so much!
