Disclaimer: I do not own or ever will, the rights and such to the Potter Universe. Please don't sue me, I'm poor . and thanks to Sain Nikki for my first review on this story!!!!

Chapter 2: The Bookstore

"Come on, Hermione, you can't really believe that no one will buy books from your bookstore. It's been here since the 1600's and it's quite popular. Everyone comes here for book supplies while they attend school.." Ron said buttering a piece of bread and smashing it in his mouth.

"I just can't afford not to sell books. Wallace's papers will be finished soon and I will have those, but without the bookstore, I will have to move again. I can't make Henry move again."

"I couldn't imagine living in this big old house by myself anyway." Ron added, buttering another piece of toast.

"It's nothing compared to Grimmauld place and you and Harry live there."

"With Susan and Veronica. I mean, sometimes that house isn't big enough."

"How is Veronica doing? Harry owled and said that she was ill."

"She's well enough. I feel like her permanent nanny sometimes with Susan and Harry both at the ministry."

"You know you're not well enough to go back yet Ron." She eyed him, noticing his swollen eyes and slumped shoulders.

"It was five years ago and yet I still can't walk and still can't hold things properly." She had an image of Ron being hit four times with the Cruciatus curse, and then falling. The stress had taken most of his nerves and feeling in his legs and hands.

"Your left hand seems better." She said, hoping to help him feel better.

"Yes and my left big toe can do tricks now, see, it sits there like I've told it to." He laughed a bit, but Hermione could tell that he wasn't joking.

"Veronica loves you Ron and if you become her Nanny, at least Susan and Harry will have someone to blame when she turns out to be just like you and Harry anyway." He laughed at that and this time she was sure he was joking. As she sat and watched him eat, her stomach began to turn slightly, but settled itself as she stood to pour another coup of tea.

"Are you feeling alright, Hermione?" Ron asked, noticing her grimace.

"A little under the weather. Since Wallace's death, it seems like I just can't shake this cold. It seems to be getting better, though."

"It will." He rested his hand on hers lightly and smiled a truly wonderful Weasley smile into her pleading eyes.

"Let's go then and meet failure." She helped him back into his wizard wheelchair that like a broom rather had a mind of it's own and they were off to the bookstore.

"Your dress is lovely and that alone will make men want to shop at your store."

"Not if all the men in Hogsmeade are devoted to men instead of women as I fear they are." She giggled and walked swiftly to keep up with him. The bookstore had been open for a week and was doing okay, but she felt that soon enough people wouldn't need or want to shop at the store. She was afraid of the failure that came with trying to please everyone.

"Look, Hermione there are five people waiting at the door." She nodded politely towards the group and unlocked the door, noticing that the order for schoolbooks had come in by floo and was sitting directly in the middle of the show floor.

She let Ron go through the door and then quickly moved the books closer to the register to allow customers room to walk. The first hour or so she spent time setting out the schoolbooks and wondering if she would have any little witches or wizards come into her store for books. Most of them purchased them in Diagon Alley.

"Do you have books on trains, Miss?" She heard behind her from a tiny boy who looked no more than five.

"Yes, I do. I have a great one on a train called the Hogwarts express. Have you ever heard of it? No, well it is a magical train that takes little witches and wizards to school. Would you like to look at the pictures?" She handed the book to the boy and watched, as he seemed to dive right into the pictures. She had always loved that moment when a child discovered a book.

"Atticus, we are here to buy books for your brother, not books on trains." She heard from behind her and turned to face the man who had spoken.

"He can have the book if he likes my son doesn't read it any longer." Hermione replied recognizing her patron as Severus Snape.

"Can I really?"

"Yes, young Sir, you may and it would probably help your...umm..."

"Uncle."

"Uncle. If you read it over here with at the chairs so he can finish shopping." She watched as the little boy walked to the table keeping one eye on his Uncle and the other on his book.

"She has a kneazle, uncle." Atticus said, noticing the black kitten in the window of the store.

"Her name is Austen. We just bought her last week." Hermione said nonchalantly looking between the wide-eyed boy so obviously related to Severus Snape and the man himself.

"Yes, well, thank you, Madam."

"I find sometimes that children are more easily occupied at a book store when they have a book."

"I need to purchase the required texts for a second year at Hogwarts."

"I just received them this morning, Professor."

"I am no longer a professor, Madam, and do not wish to be titled as such."

"Old habit, Sir. Let's see most of them are the same aside from the potions texts and the new texts for arithmancy. I see they want to start at level three now for muggle studies, how interesting." She grabbed all of the books and packaged them for her former professor, wanting nothing more than to have him sufficiently satisfied.

"Thank you, Madam Stuart." He said, giving her the galleons and taking the books.

"It's Hermione, Sir." He nodded in understanding and walked over to the table where Atticus was looking through his book.

"It has a funny name in the front, Uncle. It says Wallace."

"That was my husbands name, Atticus, before he died. That was his book and I know that he would love it if you took it home with you. Henry enjoyed it a lot when he was little, but since he gets to ride the train now, he thinks he's grown out of it." The little boy seemed solemn as he looked towards Hermione. Severus eyed her cautiously, learning that her husband had past. He felt a tiny bit remorseful remembering the conversation prior where he had mentioned him and the hedges.

"My Mum and Dad died." With that, Hermione stopped and kneeled in front of the little boy.

"Then I am sure they would love for you to read and enjoy a book, darling." Hermione handed him a lollipop as well and watched as Severus shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"Bye, little one." She said to Atticus as he left.

" Good afternoon, Master Snape." He nodded curtly and took Atticus's hand before exiting the store.

"Was that Professor Snape?" Ron asked.

"Yes, didn't I tell you he was my neighbour?" Hermione giggled a bit and rolled out the rest of the books around the store completely happy for making a child enjoy something that she enjoyed and also for learning something so important about her former professor.