Author's Note: This chapter is a bit more lighthearted. I needed to tie up a few loose ends as well as begin laying the groundwork for what it to come, before moving on with the rest of the story. Enjoy!

Thank you again for reading my story. All questions, comments, and constructive criticisms are welcome if you would like to leave a review.

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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.

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Chapter 21 ~ The Surprise Visitor

Severus was startled awake nearly two hours later by a knock on the door. Not wanting to disturb Hermione, he slipped gently off of the bed and propped pillows around Samuel so that the child would not roll off. He rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair before opening the door. Remus Lupin looked into the room with a concerned look on his face.

"Lupin." Severus grudgingly let him into the room.

"How is she?" Remus asked quietly.

Severus growled tiredly, "She's sleeping. Perhaps it would be better for you to come back later."

Remus paused as if he wanted to say something before looking over to glance at Hermione, sleeping soundly on the bed with Samuel tucked in next to her. He smiled gently, "Yes, of course. I will be... out for the afternoon. I'll drop by this evening."

Severus sighed as he returned to Hermione's side. This time, he left Samuel to sleep by her side and he resumed his place in the rocking chair. Samuel eventually woke up, but Hermione slept until late that afternoon, and by early evening Severus couldn't convince her to stay in bed any longer.

"I can't lie around all day, Severus," she sighed in irritation, "I promise I'll take it easy. I just want to go sit by the fire. Perhaps do a bit of light reading."

Severus reluctantly agreed, and allowed her to lean on him as he assisted her to the sofa. Handing her a warm blanket, he insisted that she put her feet up before he retrieved one of her text books. He summoned Dobby to bring her some warm broth and toast while he made a pot of tea. When Dobby returned with his tray of food, Severus carried it to Hermione and set it on a table that he had conjured in front of the sofa.

"Thank you, Severus... but I don't have much of an appetite..." she broke off as Severus interrupted her.

"I insist that you eat something if you wish to have any visitors this evening."

"Visitors?" she asked in a surprised tone of voice.

"Yes," he sighed, "Lupin dropped by while you were sleeping. I suggested that he return later... if you are up to it."

"Oh," Hermione whispered as she pulled the tray on to her lap and began to slowly sip the warm broth. "Hmmm... you were right. I needed that."

Severus smirked in satisfaction as Hermione finished her light meal before leaning back to drink her tea.

Just as she finished, there was a knock on the door. Assuming that it would be Remus, Severus tried to supress a groan as he called "Enter".

Indeed, it was Remus... and behind him was Elizabeth Granger.

"Mum!" Hermione squealed as she tried to get up. One look from Severus was all she needed to sit back down as her mother approached the sofa.

"Hermione!" Holding on to Remus' arm, Elizabeth made her way across the room to her daughter. There was a marked improvement in her walk, though she still wasn't completely steady on her feet. Remus helped her to sit, and she gathered her daughter into a tight embrace.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione gushed excitedly.

"I had made arrangements with Remus to come visit you today. He stopped by to tell you this morning, but you were sleeping."

Severus avoided looking at Remus, after all it was his fault that Remus hadn't left a message, but he covered his guilty expression quickly as he asked, "Why didn't you tell me, Lupin? I'm sure Hermione would have liked to have known that her mother was coming for a visit."

"Severus!" Hermione shushed him before looking at Remus, "Don't worry about it, Remus! Nothing could make me feel better than a surprise visit from my mother!" she smiled brilliantly, as Severus tried not to glare at the werewolf. How was it that Remus could make her smile like that, but Severus never could?

Tearing his gaze away from Remus, Severus approached their guest, "Elizabeth, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"Thank you, Severus," she smiled at him. Severus was just now noticing how much Hermione resembled her mother when she smiled. No wonder the werewolf was attracted to the elder Granger, he smirked to himself.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart? Remus tells me you fell ill last evening." Elizabeth frowned as she reached up to brush the back of her hand against Hermione's brow.

"It's just the flu, Mum," Hermione assured her, "I'm feeling much better now... Thanks to Severus," she smiled shyly as she looked beyond her mother to the man who had sat by her side throughout the night.

"And my grandson?" Elizabeth looked around, not seeing Samuel anywhere in sight.

"Allow me," Severus offered, as he walked into the nursery and gently plucked a sleeping Samuel out of his crib. When he returned, he placed his child into Elizabeth's arms as she looked up at him in admiration, "Hermione's lucky to have you here, Severus. Thank you for taking care of my daughter... and my grandson," she smiled lovingly at the child in her arms.

Severus tried to conceal the color rising in his cheeks as he turned to Remus and said, "Well, Lupin... perhaps we should give these three some time alone."

"That reminds me, Severus. Albus has called a meeting in the staff room. He'll be expecting us in about 15 minutes."

"A staff meeting on a Saturday evening?" Severus sighed as he grabbed his robes, "Need I grab the brandy before we go?" he sneered as he stalked out the door behind Remus. Staff meetings on the weekends were rarely a sign of anything good, and by the time this one was over, Severus would regret not following through on his threat of having a stiff drink beforehand.

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Hermione and her mother spent the first part of the evening fawning over Samuel, as they caught up on what they had missed in each others' lives since they had last seen eacy other on Christmas. Elizabeth eventually brought up the living arrangements between Hermione and Severus.

"I wasn't too sure about Severus when I met him, Hermione," Elizabeth smirked, "Dark and brooding... doesn't seem like your type at all."

"My type?" Hermione squeaked.

"You know what I mean, Hermione. I just didn't think the two of you would get on that well. But it appears that I was mistaken."

"Oh... Yes..."

"And Remus tells me that you're studying Potions with Severus?" she paused as Hermione nodded, "And...?" Elizabeth raised her eyebrow in question.

"And WHAT, Mum?" Hermione asked in exasperation.

"Well... how is it going?"

They spent the next hour talking about Hermione's apprenticeship, and the complex potions that she was learning to brew. Hermione kept steering the subject back to her studies whenever Elizabeth would mention Severus. She didn't want her mother to get the wrong idea about the two of them.

Just as Hermione was about to change the subject for the fifth time, Severus stalked through the door, grumbling incoherantly "the old fool... hearts and flowers... what is he thinking...?" Remus was behind him, an amused expression on his face.

"What's wrong with Severus?" Hermione whispered to Remus quietly.

Apparently, she hadn't said it quietly enough, as Severus whirled around, throwing his hands into the air as he fumed, "The old fool has let the Head Boy and Girl talk him in to having a Valentine's Day ball!"

Knowing that the Head Girl was none other than Ginny Weasley, Hermione stifled a giggle and asked, "And the problem is...?"

"I have no patience for hearts and flowers and students snogging in the bushes!" he growled as Remus stepped behind him and said, "Come now, Severus, it won't be that bad!"

Severus snarled, "Easy for you to say, Lupin. You'll probably luck out and spend Valentine's Day with that blessed moon!"

Hermione's jaw dropped at Severus' unintentional slip of the tongue. At least, she hoped that it was unintentional. Elizabeth likely didn't know that Remus was a werewolf, and this was no way for her to find out! She looked over to Remus, and saw that, though he looked none too pleased at Severus' words, he wasn't embarassed or angry. She was surprised to hear a soft voice speak up behind her, "I believe the full moon is only two days away from today."

Hermione whirled around and saw her mother smiling softly. "You know about Remus?"

Remus sighed and answered, "She was almost as quick to figure it out as you were in third year, Hermione."

Elizabeth explained, "I remember you speaking of a professor who was a werewolf. You seemed quite fond of him at the time, if I recall," she explained, "Once I met Remus, it didn't take me too long to put two and two together. I knew for sure last month when he cut our visit short the night before the full moon."

"Your visit last month?" Hermione gasped, "What...?"

Elizabeth looked embarassed at what she had just blurted out. She smiled and explained, "Remus and I have become good friends, Hermione. He's visited me a couple of times a to update me on you and Samuel. How do you think I received the news of Samuel's birth?" Elizabeth looked up and smiled at Remus before continuing, "You couldn't ask for a better friend than Remus, Hermione. He's been good to me, as well."

"Oh..." Hermione didn't know what to say. She thought maybe it was something more than that. She didn't know if she should be relieved or disappointed... did she want it to be something more than that? She sighed as she smiled at her mother, "I worry about you so much, Mum... knowing that Remus checks in on you once in a while eases my mind a bit. I only wish I could do it, myself," her smile quickly turned to a frown.

Elizabeth took a deep breath before she said, "I've been meaning to talk to you about that, Hermione."

"What, Mum... you're not going to try to talk me into coming home...?" Hermione choked.

"Oh! No dear! Not at all..." she sighed, "It's just that... I don't think I can continue to live alone in that big empty house. I've decided to sell, and move into a smaller flat. I was hoping to find... something closer... to be near you."

Hermione squealed in delight, "Oh Mum! Really? That would be... wonderful!"

Elizabeth reached over and patted her daughter's hand, glancing briefly at Remus as she said, "I think so, as well."

*****

Remus had made arrangements with Albus for Elizabeth to spend the night rather than rush her back to London that evening. They had set her with her own quarters... a small room on the first floor that was occasionally used for overnight visitors. Sunday morning, Elizabeth sat with all of them at the staff table for breakfast, next to Hermione.

Severus sat brooding over his coffee when the discussion turned to the upcoming Valentine's ball. Albus leaned over and looked at Elizabeth, "If you'd like to join us next weekend, Dr. Granger..."

Elizabeth was taken aback for a moment, "Thank you, Professor Dumbledore. But I'm afraid that another trip so soon may be a bit too much for me."

"Mum," Hermione spoke up, "Why don't you stay with me for the week? I don't get to see you very often... I'm not ready for you to go!"

"An excellent idea, Hermione," Albus replied jovially.

Elizabeth shook her head, "I don't want to impose..."

"Not at all, Dr. Granger. Please, do stay," he smiled kindly at her.

The only further convincing she needed was the smile on Hermione's face. She nodded and smiled at the Headmaster, "Very well, I'll stay!"

*****

Though Valentine's Day would not be until the middle of the following week, the ball had been planned for the upcoming Saturday. As the weekend approached, Hermione was becoming excited about attending the ball, along with her mother. With the exception of meals in the Great Hall and her sessions with Severus, she had spent far too much time cooped up over the winter, and she was eager to get out. She left Samuel in Severus' care on Friday evening, as Remus escorted her and Elizabeth to visit Hogsmeade. Hermione needed new dress robes, and thought her mother would love seeing the village. Elizabeth also wanted to get a new dress for the evening. She hadn't packed anything formal for what she had originally planned to be a weekend visit, and she didn't want to feel out of place among the witches and wizards who would be wearing their formal dress robes.

Hermione and her mother enjoyed spending time together in the village that day, and enjoyed preparing for the ball the next evening even more. The Granger women were not about frills and lace... they both had simple but elegant tastes in clothing, and their choice of formal wear reflected this. Hermione dressed in robes made of a soft flowy material in a shimmery emerald green. They were slightly form-fitting with a low, square neckline, and back of the robes draped elegantly from her shoulders. Her mother chose a full length dress of the same soft material in a blue so deep, it was almost black. The dress had long, fitted sleeves that flared at the wrists, and an empire waistline. The front of the gown was nearly straight, while the back was slightly fuller as it draped down to her ankles. Hermione assured her that the style of her dress would not lok out of place among the robes that the students and staff would be wearing. The women giggled in delight as they dressed Samuel for the evening as well, in tiny robes of green to match Hermione's.

It had been many years since Hermione and Elizabeth had the occasion to go out for an evening together. Their time spent getting ready for the ball together had been bittersweet, as it was the first time they were going anywhere formal without Hermione's father, but their moods lightened as they heard a knock on the door. It was Remus, who had arrived to escort them to the Great Hall. He smiled brilliantly as he saw the two women dressed so elegantly, and he held his arm out for Elizabeth to take hold of the crook of his elbow. Hermione carried Samuel, looking adorable in his very first set of robes, and she tried not to feel nervous as they made their way to the Great hall.