Andrian, Beth Ann, Ezmeralda, Irlandaise007, jasmin flower, Jasmine Black, Luna Writer, Maridale3, Marston Chicklet, Misery Hardy, not sure yet, paintitblack, phreakreader, Potions Mistress, Sammy, Selvagem, Strega Brava - Thanks!

Campy Cabybara – Thanks for your kind comments – I feel there would still be times when Hermione automatically calls Severus 'Professor'. Glad to see another fan of 'My Fair Lady'. g

Chishiono Tenshi, lily_rose, Lonely Slytherin, MadAboutHarry, Malfoy, RoseWithThorns, Tevkins, Witchy-grrl, Zoe - Ah, yes, Snape's father. I've never felt that Snape had a pleasant childhood or parents. I'll have to see where this particular thread goes….

Megamie – Thanks for thinking that Hermione and Harry are in character, I find them both easy to relate to at times….

Part 32

Severus had suspected that one day this event would come to pass but he found there was mixed emotions inside of him. There was a sense of being free but also a sensation of something ripped from him.

Family was very important to wizards – especially those who could trace their lineage practically back to the founders like the Snapes.

But growing up as a child he had never felt particularly loved or wanted. His mother, Selena, a clever, black-haired woman with flashing black eyes and an olive skin, had been visibly irritated by the plain, sallow and sickly only child she had bore.

Most wizards could maintain various spells to keep their homes warm, but Damien had been a strong, robust man who had sneered at the concept of indoor heating in his castle – why, pampering people only made them spoilt. So it had been that Damien had disdained to make more than a token effort to see that his son recovered from yet another cough.

Indeed, the strongest memories Severus had of his childhood were of being cold. Although he had quickly learnt the spells to maintain body temperature, as he had grown up he had automatically chosen layered, close-fitting clothes to wear that buttoned up to his neck to ward off chills.

When he was young Severus had desperately wanted to please his parents, who to his eyes then had seemed to be splendidly dark, shining stars. But when every effort was met with disdain and indifference, his bewilderment (why don't they love me?) had turned to pain (they don't love me?) and then to a growing bitterness as he became older (I do not care). In response his parents had had the gall to turn around and call him an ungrateful brat….

He was aware Hermione approaching him carefully in those odd Muggle clothes of hers, and he turned around to see her eyes searching his face anxiously. "He had no right to do that to you, to disown you," she said with quiet intensity. There was also a look of guilt on her face, as if she felt responsible for the rift. But Severus knew about guilt, how it could consume you from within.

"Even now my father probably believes that I will go after him to make amends," he said shortly. "Do not blame yourself – you did nothing wrong."

To Hermione that illustrated how little it seemed that Damien truly knew his son – to Severus, saying 'sorry' was almost a foreign concept. He said and did what he pleased, and it wasn't his problem if you were offended.

Despite what Severus had said though to her, Hermione could not help feeling somewhat guilty. She had been given good reason to expect that she would not be welcomed with open arms by her future in-laws, but she hadn't thought that his father would rather disown him than to see him married to a Gryffindor.

Severus did not seem to really care about what had just happened, but his eyes looked flat and the familiar shuttered look was appearing on his face that she knew he wore to hide feelings he did not feel comfortable with expressing, even to her.

She couldn't think of what else to say, for words really seemed inadequate at the moment, and saying that she felt sorry for him seemed trite and ineffectual.

To ward off the bleak, black mood he could feel settling over him like a shadow, Severus focussed on Hermione.

"Did Wolfleigh hurt your arm, Hermione?" he asked abruptly, unconsciously crossing his arms across his chest.

Slightly startled at the change of subject, Hermione shook her head. "A bit, but it's nothing serious," she said matter-of-factly. Certainly, Wolfleigh's fingers had felt like pincers on her arm and she had the feeling that a bruise would appear later on, but it wasn't worth making a fuss over.

"Let me see, please," Severus commanded, making Hermione feel as if she was still in Potions and was suspected of doing something questionable.

But when he approached her and took hold of her arm, his touch was gentle as he tugged the jumper up her arm, looking down and frowning slightly at the faint marks on her pale skin.

"You should rub a salve upon it, just in case," Severus observed.

Hermione looked up at his black eyes. "Look, don't worry about it," she said patiently. "I'm more concerned about you."

His mouth tightened and he looked away. "I will be fine. I had always suspected a day like this would come," he said shortly.

Looking sad, Hermione put her free arm comfortingly around his waist, moving close to him. "Would your father change your mind? Surely your mother…."

"No, and no," Severus said curtly, but he let go of her arm so he could hold her close. "I cannot see my mother doing much hand-wringing on my behalf, except when she entertains and deplores to her friends how I have 'fallen'." It was unnerving how much he felt the need right now to hold Hermione, and also the need to be held by her. Was his father right in that he had become soft and weak because of Hermione, breaking the unwritten rule of his family by turning his attentions toward a Gryffindor?

Then Hermione looked up at with compassion in those cinnamon eyes of hers. "I'm so sorry; I wish there was something I could do for you," she said sadly, and he realised that it was not a weakness to care for someone if they cared equally for you. That's what people did in real families – they loved each other and helped when the others went through a crisis, even in families like the annoying Weasleys.

Severus' stomach chose that moment to make an audible complaint of hunger and an exasperated, slightly embarrassed look appeared on his face.

It seemed to Hermione after all that there was something she could say.

"You need to eat," Hermione said firmly, privately wondering how much food and rest he had been getting in the last few days.

"It would appear so," he commented.  He had to admit he did feel hungry, after all. "I only have a short amount of time to spare before I have return to my work and I would rather spend that time with someone who doesn't give me a headache."

Hermione thought for a moment. "What if I Apparate us both to one of the smaller, secluded courtyards I found recently? It's one that hardly anyone uses so we wouldn't have any interruptions, and I'll conjure up some food," she said in her take-charge tone of voice.

Severus raised an eyebrow and stroked a hand lightly up her back. "It cannot be that secluded if a nosy Gryffindor came across it, and I do not want any junk food that you students consume by the shovel load" he observed, but he was willing to allow Hermione the chance to coax him back into a more tolerable mood.

Hermione smiled and focussed upon her bracelet and the image in her mind. Time and space smoothly bent around the couple and then they were both standing in a quiet little courtyard. The walls were covered with ivy gone wild and the cracked fountain in the centre had long since gone dry. However, the wooden bench on the paving stones still looked sturdy enough to sit upon and though the towers of Hogwarts rose majestically around them, only a few diamond-paned windows looked down upon this place.

Severus approved of the swift and nausea-free way the bracelet Apparated people, truly that was because of something Slytherin-made.

He stepped back from Hermione slightly so he could appraise Hermione's appearance. "What happened to your normal robes?" he observed with a raised eyebrow, taking the opportunity to actually look at what she was wearing. He disapproved of most Muggle fashions, viewing them as too loud and outrageous with colour combinations that hurt ones eyes. Certainly seeing women in trousers apart from those used for Quidditch seemed somewhat……..indecent.

Damien had probably had a fit when he saw Hermione dressed the way she was, he thought snidely. But those odd black trousers she was wearing only served her to make her more desirable in his eyes, and even though her jumper was in a Gryffindor colour it did look lovely on her.

"House elves," Hermione said wryly, noting with some relief that Severus must be feeling better if he was eyeing her as if he wanted to have his way with her. She was aware of how much she had missed seeing him lately. "They decided that most of my clothes needed seeing to, and took them away. All I had to wear was my ordinary clothes."

"How….careless of them," Severus murmured, drawing closer to her, his eyes gleaming.

However, his stomach, which was fast becoming annoyed with its master, grumbled loudly again.

At the sour look on Severus' face at the moment spoiled, Hermione hid a smile. "I think food is more important right now. Everything else can wait until later."

She walked over to the bench, ignoring his grumble to himself that there definitely would be a 'later'. She sat down and taking up her wand conjured up two salad rolls for them both.

Severus swept over to the bench and sat down beside her, looking somewhat askance at the food she offered him.

Hermione had to smile though after he opened the roll to inspect its contents. "What are those white stringy things? They do not look natural," he said warily, his nostrils flaring slightly.

"That's alfalfa sprouts," she informed him.

"Hmph. Some peculiar Muggle food, no doubt. At least there's some meat," he commented, noting the slices of ham inside as well as lettuce and slices of tomato. It wasn't his usual fare but he had seen worse.

While Hermione enjoyed the food here at Hogwarts, sometimes it could be well, a bit too rich. Certainly her parents advocated a healthy lifestyle and believed salad rolls for lunch helped.

There was nothing said for the next while, just the unlikely pair sitting next to each and eating, using the small bench as an excuse to sit as close to the other as possible. Severus had to admit the little courtyard had its own charm, and a peace about it that was stealing into his heart. The food was edible, too.

When they had finished eating Severus looked at her. "You must be pleased you are no longer a student," he observed sardonically. "What mischief have you and your friends been up to?"

"Nothing worth worrying about, thank you!" Hermione replied spiritedly, her eyes flashing. Then she looked pensive. "Certainly I'm happy to finished my schooling knowing that I made every effort to do well, but it's sad to know that part of my life is over. I hope my final marks are good," she said pensively.

Severus snorted at that last comment. "If you aren't amongst the top 2% of the school, I would be very surprised."

"Thank you," Hermione said, colouring slightly. Then there was a twinkle in her eyes. "You won't be able to take marks off me anymore, you know."

"Do not remind me," Severus said sourly, though his mouth was slightly curved upwards. "It is annoying enough to know this will apply to Potter as well."

Hermione hesitated. "Have you heard the news about Harry, that he has been offered an apprenticeship by Dumbledore?"

At that, Severus looked like he had just sucked a lemon, but then composed his face. He had to remember that Hermione and Potter were virtually inseparable from the other at times…..

"Yes, Dumbledore informed us at a recent staff meeting of his decision," he commented. The other teachers had been delighted at the news that Potter would be staying on at the school. There had been a superior smirk on Minerva's face as she had looked at Severus to see his reaction, and a distinct smirk from dog-Sirius in his direction as well. Though Sirius would be trapped in his Animagus form for a while yet, was still entitled to attend staff meetings (teaching was beyond his capabilities, though).

Severus at first been taken aback, then in a black mood at the thought of Potter always being around, then concerned as the deeper implications of this had sunk in. It appeared on the surface that Dumbledore had merely copied Severus in taking on an apprentice, but it was possible that the Headmaster had done so…..because perhaps there would not be many years left to him. Wizards lived a long time – certainly it would be a few decades yet before Severus found a grey hair and once Hermione progressed beyond her teenage years her ageing process would start slowing down.

The implication that Potter could one day be Headmaster was somewhat alarming, for all that his resentment of the boy had faded recently.

"I cannot say that the news fills me with much joy," he went on. But at Hermione's resigned expression he added, "though it seems he has become someone easier to tolerate."

Knowing that she could not expect any more from Severus on the subject of Harry (indeed, it was amazing he had said that last comment at all) Hermione had to be content with that.

Severus noted with some annoyance how much the sun had moved in the sky since they had both come here to eat.  Like it or not, he had to go and finish his marking.

"I must return to my work," Severus said with some reluctance, standing and brushing the crumbs off his black robes, Hermione stood as well. "Though this is the last day, thankfully."

Hermione was glad to hear that, not because it meant that she would be finding out her marks tomorrow with the others, but because it looked like Severus needed some overdue rest.

"Well take care," Hermione told him.

"Fusspot," Severus said dryly. "I demand that I have a kiss before I leave, however….."

Hermione lifted her face gladly as his mouth descended upon hers and his arms went around her, his black robes enfolding them both as they pressed closely to the contours and curves of the other. She put his arms around his waist, holding him close to her so that she could feel his heart beating.

Then he gently but firmly pushed her away for him. "Enough for now, I think," he said in a slightly uneven voice. Then in a quieter tone he said, "Hermione, I would appreciate it if you did not spread the news about my father. No doubt it will be known in due time, but until then…."

"All right," Hermione nodded. Even someone not as proud as Severus would not want it immediately spread around that his family had disowned him.

"Shall I Apparate us both back inside?" she offered.

Severus shook his head, having gauged where he was in the labyrinthine area of Hogwarts by noting the particular towers that surrounded them.

"No. I will not have to walk far, it seems. Thank you for the food, I found it acceptable.….good day, Hermione."

"Goodbye," Hermione said softly, watching as he turned and swept out of the courtyard, silently wishing him well. Despite his aversion to the outdoors, she liked to think being outside had helped him.

Her attention was drawn by the distant figures of Quidditch players in the sky. Oh yes, she had promised to be in this afternoon's game with Harry, she thought ruefully and Apparated from the courtyard.

TBC