Disclaimer: Don't own them, except Drodgen. He's mine.

Snape had arranged for himself and Hermione to have Sunday brunch with his mother. Hermione was not entirely sure what to expect. She had not been given any information regarding the woman. At half past ten, the pair was due to arrive at the Snape residence. Hermione was dressed in her nicest set of dress robes, Severus likewise. Hermione had also received strict instructions on how to behave around Mrs. Snape.

"Miss Granger, listen! My mother would kill you given the opportunity. Don't give her reason to doubt this isn't a marriage of convenience. She'd probably kill us if she knew you were with child and that was the reason for the marriage.

Be polite, but not annoyingly so. And whatever you do, do not stray from the story. She's already convinced you're gold digging or worse. Don't let her find proof of anything that would suggest it. Finally, if she asks you to do something, you better damn well do it! Understood?" His tone was condescending throughout the whole speech, a fact Hermione did not appreciate.

"Yes, sir. I understand quite well," she responded in a tone to match Snape's. She was curious as to whether he was on edge because of the previous evening, the meeting with his mother, or both.

"Good," he replied sharply. "Now, come. We best not keep the insufferable woman waiting." Hermione felt like his dog.

'So he's not fond of his mother,' Hermione thought. She wondered if the woman really was as bad as he made her out to be. However, she did not have much time to think about it as they had reached the edge of Hogwarts' grounds. With a "pop" they were in front of a very impressive manor. The surrounding grounds were spacious and that was being modest.

"Quit your gaping!"

Hermione realized she had been staring slightly open-mouthed. "Sorry," she quietly apologized. She was quickly dragged to the front door where Snape rapped loudly. Hermione could tell he was tense. She again wondered at his state, but was cut off by the house elf answering the door.

"Master Severus, Madam is expecting you. Please, follow."

Literally dragging Hermione behind him, Snape replied with a curt thank you and followed the elf.

"Madam is much surprised. She not expect son to visit like this, especially with miss."

"She never expects me, Drodgen, so she certainly wouldn't expect me to bring someone along, especially a woman." He was not exactly mean, but he was not nice either.

After what felt like several minutes to Hermione, they were escorted into a dining room. Mindful not to look too dumbfounded, she took in the room. It was not large by any means, but it felt spacious enough. The décor was modest, but not overly. As a whole, Hermione was completely uncomfortable. It did not have a feeling of being at home to her. Sitting at the end of the lone table in the room was a woman. She did not appear to be more than sixty, but Hermione knew better. There were any number of charms and potions that would allow one to preserve her looks if she desired.

Snape pulled Hermione behind as he went to greet his mother. With a forced half smile, he said, "Good morning, Mother. I trust you've had a pleasant day thus far."

With none of her son's attempted kindness, she replied, "It was fine until you brought that girl with you. Honestly, Severus, I don't know why you insist. I'll have to make the house elves clean everything twice after she's left." Hermione corralled her sudden anger.

"Mother, perhaps you could make an effort to be nice in my fiancé's presence."

"And why should I, dear? I don't approve of . . . her. This way there'll be no question as to my feelings toward the matter." Well, at least the lady was honest.

Hermione felt Severus clutch her hand harder as his mother replied. The woman really was insufferable. Hermione understood why Severus did not like his mother. She was incredibly close-minded. He relaxed a bit and put on a fake smile once again. He then proceeded to seat Hermione and himself. There was a tense silence for quite awhile before Drodgen announced brunch would be served.

So it was that Hermione found herself only talking when addressed and doing as told. Four hours later, or what felt like four days, Severus had excused them under the pretense they needed to be back to the school before four, Dumbledore's orders. In the time spent with Snape's mother, Hermione had no doubt the woman would kill her or Severus if she found something remiss. Fortunately for both, the only incident occurred when the woman was out of the room. Hermione had nearly choked herself when, completely lost in her thoughts, her food decided to go down her windpipe. Severus and Drodgen quickly came to her aid, and, amazingly, all was well before Mrs. Snape returned.

Mrs. Snape held her son back a moment before letting him leave. "She'd be much better for you if she were a pure-blood. However, for a mudblood, she's not completely awful. She seems to know her place. Make sure you reiterate that for her, will you dear?"

"Yes, Mother," Snape replied tersely.

"And don't have any children with her. We can't have her filthy blood mixing with our pure blood. It wouldn't be right."

He did not even reply to that comment in fear he would actually begin to get violent toward his own mother. Her arrogant tone grated on his nerves when she spoke of Hermione. As it was, he was on his last straw. He quickly made his way to Hermione who was waiting in the garden in front of the house. Snape barely grabbed her before apparating both of them back to Hogwarts. On the way into the castle, he let out some steam.

"Vile woman! Who the hell does she think she is? I'm not to ruin the bloodline? Well, you've got something else coming, Mother!" Then, he remembered something his father once told him before his untimely death.

"As long as Snape blood runs in a child's veins, it will not be abandoned by the family."

"Of course!" Severus said somewhat happily. Hermione looked at him. She was sure he was going crazy after talking to himself on the way in. All in all, is current behavior was completely unlike him. The sudden shift in his emotions was most bizarre. One minute he was fuming mad and the next, he was almost joyful.

"Um, Professor, is there a problem?"

"No, not at all." He proceeded to explain to her what had transpired between his mother and himself before mentioning what his father had told him. "My own father's got some bastard child running about somewhere. I remember him telling me it was necessary to avoid inbreeding. An idiotic excuse, but then he did marry my mother, so who can blame the fool. My mother's been paying allowance for years as a result. She's none too happy, I guarantee."

Hermione suddenly looked concerned. "Um, Severus?"

"Yes?"

"You're not going to, I mean, that is, um . . ."

He knew what she was trying to ask. "Hermione," he turned to her and looked her in the eye, completely serious "I am not my father, nor do I wish to be like him. I promise you, there will be no bastard son or daughter of Severus Snape." He added quietly, "Well, there won't be one as long as I'm married to you."

That seemed to reassure Hermione. She shook her head in response to his last statement. "What's put you in such a good mood all of a sudden? I've never seen you happy. It's, well, uncharacteristic."

He smiled, truly and honestly smiled. Hermione got butterflies in her stomach as a result. "My mother's in for a shock when she finds out she's going to have a grandchild. The look on her face will be priceless!" He laughed confusing Hermione more.

End Part 6

A/N: OOC Snape at the end, I know. I just needed to get it in. I thought it was kind of cute. Anyway, please review. I'm a glutton for feedback.