Author's Note: Thank you to my readers and reviewers, new and old alike. As always, all questions, comments, and constructive criticism are welcome if you'd like to leave a review.
*******
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the characters from the books in the series are copyright JK Rowling, and are not being used for profit, only for personal enjoyment.
*************
Chapter 13 ~ "Two Birds, One Stone"
Severus had never been easy on his students, earning quite a fearsome reputation over the years. But, after the war, he had mellowed a bit. Not that much, really... it wasn't even obvious to those who did not know him well, but the closest of his colleagues had been aware of the subtle changes in the Potion's Master. He was still quite strict with the students, not allowing for any foolishness inside the classroom or out of it for that matter, yet he had begun to dole out his punishments a bit more fairly and, for the most part, had curbed his acid tongue.
But this week... this week, they had seen him at his worst. Not even during the most stressful years that he had spent as a spy had they seen him this way. After the eighth student that week had fled his classroom in tears, Albus called Severus into his office to talk to him. Severus looked tense and tired, seeming to be easily distracted, and Albus could guess why.
So that night, the first Friday after the start of the new term, after Severus asked Remus to keep an eye on his House and rushed out of the school, Albus had called Minerva into his office for tea, where they began to discuss what they could do to help ease the transition that Severus had to make from father to teacher each week.
A few minutes into their conversation, Albus walked across his office to answer a tapping at his window, allowing entrance to a barn owl that he did not recognize. But he immediately recognized the writing on the letter. It was from Severus. His brow furrowed in concern when he read the short note, which was simply a request for Remus to bring some food down to Hermione's cottage.
Minerva looked on in concern as Albus summoned a house elf and asked that a few days worth of food be prepared to go, before tossing a handful of floo powder into the fire and calling for Remus Lupin to come to his office immediately.
They sat in silence for a few minutes until Remus arrived, smiling at both of them before asking with a slight note of concern in his voice, "What is it, Albus?"
"What do you make of this, Remus?" Albus asked as he handed him Severus' note.
Remus didn't know what to make of it, so he only nodded in reply as he spoke, "I'll go right away, Albus."
Dobby appeared moments later with a large basket of food. In his enthusiasm to please the headmaster, the house elf had packed enough food to feed a small army. Remus smiled and thanked him before leaving to rush down to the cottage.
"Minerva," Albus began after Remus left, "I fear that Severus is not the only one who is having trouble making this transition."
"Albus, you know very well how concerned I have been about that girl! I will do anything I can to see that she gets help if she needs it. I only wish that she had let us help her last year, instead of running away. If only she had accepted our offer to stay, we could have..." Minerva didn't finish her sentence when she noticed the thoughtful look on Albus' face as he templed his fingers beneath his chin and spoke.
"I think, Minerva, you may have just stumbled upon the solution to both problems."
*****
As Remus hurried across the grounds to the gates, he was shocked to see a tall figure heading towards him in a familiar billow of black robes.
"Severus?" he asked in confusion, "I thought you were..."
Severus interrupted, "YOU take care of the girl, Lupin!" He bit back a cutting remark before hissing, "If anybody can talk some sense into her, it would be you!" Severus didn't break his stride as he spat these words at Lupin. Severus was conflicted. Remus was always the one who was there to pick up the pieces, and Severus had begun to grow resentful of the werewolf's relationship with Hermione. On the other hand, he didn't want Hermione to be alone, and Remus was likely the only person that she could confide in. If she had to spend one more night alone, who knew what she might do?
His mood got even fouler as he continued his trek to the school. He felt certain that she would leave now. If she hadn't already made that decision by now, he had probably driven her to it by storming out on her tonight. And could he blame her? When she most needed somebody by her side, he had left her. He ran his fingers through his hair as he wondered what the girl had done to him? The old Severus Snape would never have run from confrontation.
As he entered the castle and turned towards the staircase to the dungeons, he was stopped by a voice calling to him, "Severus? I am glad that you are here. I'd like to have a word with you. Would you please come to my office?"
Severus took a deep breath and forced himself to turn and face the Headmaster, "Can't it wait, Albus? I have had a most trying evening. I would like to return to my quarters. I feel the need to indulge in a strong drink."
"No need to drink alone, Severus. Allow me to join you. Besides, there is something very important that we need to discuss, and the sooner the better."
"Very well," Severus growled, as he turned once again to descend to the dungeons.
When they reached his quarters, Severus poured them each a snifter of brandy. He downed his in one gulp, and poured himself another.
"I've never known you to be a drinking man, Severus. Whatever happened to you tonight?"
Severus merely sneered, as he downed his second drink and reached once again for the brandy. But Albus beat him to it, snatching the bottle out of his reach.
As he looked intently into the bottle of amber liquid, Albus spoke softly, "I think that's quite enough, Severus. I need to speak to you while you are still sober."
"Well then on with it, old man! So I can spend some time alone with my brandy." Severus brooded.
"Very well, Severus. I realize that being away from your son all week has been difficult. I think that we - that is, Minerva and I - have found a way to ease the transition..." Albus didn't get to finish as Severus scoffed.
"I don't think there will be any transition to ease, Albus. Hermione is returning to her mother's home."
"I see."
"Is that all you can say? Hermione is leaving and taking my son with her and all you can say is 'I see'?"
"Are you certain that she will be going?" Albus asked.
Severus rubbed his hands wearily over his eyes, and sat heavily in the chair across from Albus before responding, "It's been a long night, Albus. What is it that you wanted to discuss with me?"
"I am sure you recall the offer that we extended to Miss Granger after graduation," Albus began.
"Of course, Albus. And she made it abundantly clear that she was not interested in accepting."
"I do not recall Hermione ever stating that she was not interested, Severus. Only that she could not accept."
"What are you getting at?" Severus responded crossly.
"I got the feeling that Hermione was indeed interested, but felt that she had no choice in the matter due to... circumstances. But those circumstances have changed, Severus. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Get to the point!" Severus demanded.
"My point is, Severus... you want to keep her close by so you can be with your son. Meanwhile, Hermione feels no choice but to go to her mother. A choice that she may make, not necessarily because she wants to go, but because she feels that she has nowhere else to go. If she accepts a position here, then it solves both problems."
"How?" Severus quirked an eyebrow.
"Think about it, Severus. Her apprenticeship here could be the first step in her education. If she accepts, she will be provided with her own quarters here at Hogwarts, with plenty of help available to her so she can begin her studies. Not only does that solve her problem, but yours as well. Your son will be right here, where you can see him every day."
Severus pondered the idea for a few moments. It seemed so obvious now. The solution had been right in front of their eyes this whole time, how had they all been so blind? Yet, after tonight, Severus didn't want to get his hopes up. She might not want to have to live in such close proximity to him, after all.
"And if she doesn't accept?" he asked with a sigh.
"We'll cross that river when we get there, Severus," Albus replied before handing Severus the bottle of brandy and leaving the room. "IF we get there," he added quietly to himself as he made his way out of the dungeons.
*****
Hermione didn't have any tears left to cry. Samuel had fallen asleep again and, afraid that if she moved he would wake again, she sat rocking him for what seemed like hours before she heard a soft voice calling from the living room.
"Hermione?" It was Remus.
"In here," she answered softly.
Remus entered the room, rushing over to kneel by her side asking gently, "What happened?"
"I'd rather not talk about it, Remus."
He patted her hand before rising to pull up a chair beside her.
"I passed Severus on the way."
Hermione leaned her head back against the chair and closed her eyes, but didn't respond.
"I brought some food from the Hogwarts kitchens. Dobby has been very generous," Remus smiled, "Is there anything you need?"
"Just a good night's sleep," Hermione muttered.
"Let me help," Remus said quietly, as he moved to take Samuel from her arms. Hermione hesitantly turned her son over to Remus' care, rising from the rocking chair and inviting Remus to take her place. She walked over to the bed and crawled beneath the covers.
"Thank you, Remus," she barely whispered before her eyes closed and she drifted off into a deep sleep.
Remus placed Samuel in the cradle, not knowing what else to do, he sat in the rocking chair and kept vigil over mother and child until the wee hours of the morning.
It was the first time that Samuel had slept for more than an hour at a time that week. When he finally woke up for a feeding, Hermione was feeling much better for having had a few hours of sleep. Rather than let her get up to go to her son, Remus carried Samuel to the bed and told her to lie there and relax while she fed him. By the time Samuel had finished nursing, Hermione had fallen back to sleep with him tucked close by her side. They both slept peacefully the rest of the night.
*****
As the sun began to rise, Remus quietly made his way to the kitchen, brewing a pot of coffee while fixing a light breakfast for Hermione. He conjured up a breakfast tray, and carried it to the bedroom laden with eggs, toast, a fruit cup and a steaming cup of coffee as well as some fresh Pumpkin Juice. Hermione was just beginning to stir, and smiled at him in gratitude as he placed the tray on her bedside table before picking up Samuel and settling down with him in the rocking chair.
"That is the first time this week that he has slept at all during the night," she informed him.
He looked at her in sympathy, asking, "Has it been that bad?"
"Worse," Hermione replied with a yawn, as she pulled the breakfast tray on to her lap and began to pick at her food.
"Eat, Hermione. It won't do Samuel any good to have a mother who isn't taking care of herself."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "You sound like Severus," she grumbled.
Remus looked at her for a moment, "Is that what last night was all about?"
Hermione sighed heavily as she began to tell Remus what had transpired the previous evening. The situation that Severus had walked in to, how he almost instantly got Samuel to sleep, how he cleaned the house and drew her a bath while she slept, how he scrounged up a meal for her. "It was all so simple, Remus. What I couldn't manage to do in an entire week, he accomplished in less than an hour."
"Is that so bad?" Remus asked.
"It's not that, Remus. It was all so sweet, and I did appreciate it. But it just made me feel so... so inadequate."
"And that's why you fought with him?"
"Not at all. Well, it may have led up to it." Hermione began to explain, "I told him that I can't do this, and that I am going to go live with my mother."
Remus sighed, "And are you?"
"I don't know, Remus! All I know for certain is that I can not go on like this!" she choked.
"You don't have to anymore," spoke a gentle voice from the doorway. They both turned in surprise to find Albus Dumbledore standing there, smiling at them.
*******
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the characters from the books in the series are copyright JK Rowling, and are not being used for profit, only for personal enjoyment.
*************
Chapter 13 ~ "Two Birds, One Stone"
Severus had never been easy on his students, earning quite a fearsome reputation over the years. But, after the war, he had mellowed a bit. Not that much, really... it wasn't even obvious to those who did not know him well, but the closest of his colleagues had been aware of the subtle changes in the Potion's Master. He was still quite strict with the students, not allowing for any foolishness inside the classroom or out of it for that matter, yet he had begun to dole out his punishments a bit more fairly and, for the most part, had curbed his acid tongue.
But this week... this week, they had seen him at his worst. Not even during the most stressful years that he had spent as a spy had they seen him this way. After the eighth student that week had fled his classroom in tears, Albus called Severus into his office to talk to him. Severus looked tense and tired, seeming to be easily distracted, and Albus could guess why.
So that night, the first Friday after the start of the new term, after Severus asked Remus to keep an eye on his House and rushed out of the school, Albus had called Minerva into his office for tea, where they began to discuss what they could do to help ease the transition that Severus had to make from father to teacher each week.
A few minutes into their conversation, Albus walked across his office to answer a tapping at his window, allowing entrance to a barn owl that he did not recognize. But he immediately recognized the writing on the letter. It was from Severus. His brow furrowed in concern when he read the short note, which was simply a request for Remus to bring some food down to Hermione's cottage.
Minerva looked on in concern as Albus summoned a house elf and asked that a few days worth of food be prepared to go, before tossing a handful of floo powder into the fire and calling for Remus Lupin to come to his office immediately.
They sat in silence for a few minutes until Remus arrived, smiling at both of them before asking with a slight note of concern in his voice, "What is it, Albus?"
"What do you make of this, Remus?" Albus asked as he handed him Severus' note.
Remus didn't know what to make of it, so he only nodded in reply as he spoke, "I'll go right away, Albus."
Dobby appeared moments later with a large basket of food. In his enthusiasm to please the headmaster, the house elf had packed enough food to feed a small army. Remus smiled and thanked him before leaving to rush down to the cottage.
"Minerva," Albus began after Remus left, "I fear that Severus is not the only one who is having trouble making this transition."
"Albus, you know very well how concerned I have been about that girl! I will do anything I can to see that she gets help if she needs it. I only wish that she had let us help her last year, instead of running away. If only she had accepted our offer to stay, we could have..." Minerva didn't finish her sentence when she noticed the thoughtful look on Albus' face as he templed his fingers beneath his chin and spoke.
"I think, Minerva, you may have just stumbled upon the solution to both problems."
*****
As Remus hurried across the grounds to the gates, he was shocked to see a tall figure heading towards him in a familiar billow of black robes.
"Severus?" he asked in confusion, "I thought you were..."
Severus interrupted, "YOU take care of the girl, Lupin!" He bit back a cutting remark before hissing, "If anybody can talk some sense into her, it would be you!" Severus didn't break his stride as he spat these words at Lupin. Severus was conflicted. Remus was always the one who was there to pick up the pieces, and Severus had begun to grow resentful of the werewolf's relationship with Hermione. On the other hand, he didn't want Hermione to be alone, and Remus was likely the only person that she could confide in. If she had to spend one more night alone, who knew what she might do?
His mood got even fouler as he continued his trek to the school. He felt certain that she would leave now. If she hadn't already made that decision by now, he had probably driven her to it by storming out on her tonight. And could he blame her? When she most needed somebody by her side, he had left her. He ran his fingers through his hair as he wondered what the girl had done to him? The old Severus Snape would never have run from confrontation.
As he entered the castle and turned towards the staircase to the dungeons, he was stopped by a voice calling to him, "Severus? I am glad that you are here. I'd like to have a word with you. Would you please come to my office?"
Severus took a deep breath and forced himself to turn and face the Headmaster, "Can't it wait, Albus? I have had a most trying evening. I would like to return to my quarters. I feel the need to indulge in a strong drink."
"No need to drink alone, Severus. Allow me to join you. Besides, there is something very important that we need to discuss, and the sooner the better."
"Very well," Severus growled, as he turned once again to descend to the dungeons.
When they reached his quarters, Severus poured them each a snifter of brandy. He downed his in one gulp, and poured himself another.
"I've never known you to be a drinking man, Severus. Whatever happened to you tonight?"
Severus merely sneered, as he downed his second drink and reached once again for the brandy. But Albus beat him to it, snatching the bottle out of his reach.
As he looked intently into the bottle of amber liquid, Albus spoke softly, "I think that's quite enough, Severus. I need to speak to you while you are still sober."
"Well then on with it, old man! So I can spend some time alone with my brandy." Severus brooded.
"Very well, Severus. I realize that being away from your son all week has been difficult. I think that we - that is, Minerva and I - have found a way to ease the transition..." Albus didn't get to finish as Severus scoffed.
"I don't think there will be any transition to ease, Albus. Hermione is returning to her mother's home."
"I see."
"Is that all you can say? Hermione is leaving and taking my son with her and all you can say is 'I see'?"
"Are you certain that she will be going?" Albus asked.
Severus rubbed his hands wearily over his eyes, and sat heavily in the chair across from Albus before responding, "It's been a long night, Albus. What is it that you wanted to discuss with me?"
"I am sure you recall the offer that we extended to Miss Granger after graduation," Albus began.
"Of course, Albus. And she made it abundantly clear that she was not interested in accepting."
"I do not recall Hermione ever stating that she was not interested, Severus. Only that she could not accept."
"What are you getting at?" Severus responded crossly.
"I got the feeling that Hermione was indeed interested, but felt that she had no choice in the matter due to... circumstances. But those circumstances have changed, Severus. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Get to the point!" Severus demanded.
"My point is, Severus... you want to keep her close by so you can be with your son. Meanwhile, Hermione feels no choice but to go to her mother. A choice that she may make, not necessarily because she wants to go, but because she feels that she has nowhere else to go. If she accepts a position here, then it solves both problems."
"How?" Severus quirked an eyebrow.
"Think about it, Severus. Her apprenticeship here could be the first step in her education. If she accepts, she will be provided with her own quarters here at Hogwarts, with plenty of help available to her so she can begin her studies. Not only does that solve her problem, but yours as well. Your son will be right here, where you can see him every day."
Severus pondered the idea for a few moments. It seemed so obvious now. The solution had been right in front of their eyes this whole time, how had they all been so blind? Yet, after tonight, Severus didn't want to get his hopes up. She might not want to have to live in such close proximity to him, after all.
"And if she doesn't accept?" he asked with a sigh.
"We'll cross that river when we get there, Severus," Albus replied before handing Severus the bottle of brandy and leaving the room. "IF we get there," he added quietly to himself as he made his way out of the dungeons.
*****
Hermione didn't have any tears left to cry. Samuel had fallen asleep again and, afraid that if she moved he would wake again, she sat rocking him for what seemed like hours before she heard a soft voice calling from the living room.
"Hermione?" It was Remus.
"In here," she answered softly.
Remus entered the room, rushing over to kneel by her side asking gently, "What happened?"
"I'd rather not talk about it, Remus."
He patted her hand before rising to pull up a chair beside her.
"I passed Severus on the way."
Hermione leaned her head back against the chair and closed her eyes, but didn't respond.
"I brought some food from the Hogwarts kitchens. Dobby has been very generous," Remus smiled, "Is there anything you need?"
"Just a good night's sleep," Hermione muttered.
"Let me help," Remus said quietly, as he moved to take Samuel from her arms. Hermione hesitantly turned her son over to Remus' care, rising from the rocking chair and inviting Remus to take her place. She walked over to the bed and crawled beneath the covers.
"Thank you, Remus," she barely whispered before her eyes closed and she drifted off into a deep sleep.
Remus placed Samuel in the cradle, not knowing what else to do, he sat in the rocking chair and kept vigil over mother and child until the wee hours of the morning.
It was the first time that Samuel had slept for more than an hour at a time that week. When he finally woke up for a feeding, Hermione was feeling much better for having had a few hours of sleep. Rather than let her get up to go to her son, Remus carried Samuel to the bed and told her to lie there and relax while she fed him. By the time Samuel had finished nursing, Hermione had fallen back to sleep with him tucked close by her side. They both slept peacefully the rest of the night.
*****
As the sun began to rise, Remus quietly made his way to the kitchen, brewing a pot of coffee while fixing a light breakfast for Hermione. He conjured up a breakfast tray, and carried it to the bedroom laden with eggs, toast, a fruit cup and a steaming cup of coffee as well as some fresh Pumpkin Juice. Hermione was just beginning to stir, and smiled at him in gratitude as he placed the tray on her bedside table before picking up Samuel and settling down with him in the rocking chair.
"That is the first time this week that he has slept at all during the night," she informed him.
He looked at her in sympathy, asking, "Has it been that bad?"
"Worse," Hermione replied with a yawn, as she pulled the breakfast tray on to her lap and began to pick at her food.
"Eat, Hermione. It won't do Samuel any good to have a mother who isn't taking care of herself."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "You sound like Severus," she grumbled.
Remus looked at her for a moment, "Is that what last night was all about?"
Hermione sighed heavily as she began to tell Remus what had transpired the previous evening. The situation that Severus had walked in to, how he almost instantly got Samuel to sleep, how he cleaned the house and drew her a bath while she slept, how he scrounged up a meal for her. "It was all so simple, Remus. What I couldn't manage to do in an entire week, he accomplished in less than an hour."
"Is that so bad?" Remus asked.
"It's not that, Remus. It was all so sweet, and I did appreciate it. But it just made me feel so... so inadequate."
"And that's why you fought with him?"
"Not at all. Well, it may have led up to it." Hermione began to explain, "I told him that I can't do this, and that I am going to go live with my mother."
Remus sighed, "And are you?"
"I don't know, Remus! All I know for certain is that I can not go on like this!" she choked.
"You don't have to anymore," spoke a gentle voice from the doorway. They both turned in surprise to find Albus Dumbledore standing there, smiling at them.
