Chapter Two
They'd decided to meet around lunch and spend the afternoon together in the playground. So naturally, Severus woke up at an abnormally early hour. It was still a long time until lunch and yet, he could feel himself getting nervous. Again.
He wished she wouldn't bring his vulnerable side out, but Hermione was something special. The kid really didn't judge him. For anything.
Severus set off to make some pastries and sandwiches for the lunch meeting. It would be good to have them as snacks and it would also help passing the time till then.
Around half past eleven, he put everything he'd prepared in a basket and headed off towards the playground. He wondered what she would think of his cooking skills.
"Severus!" she shouted and he smiled—again—at her. Of course, smiling had become almost normal in the presence of one Hermione Granger.
"Hello," he said curtly. "I brought several snacks, if you get hungry later!" He went and put the basket near the swings.
"Ooh, that's great! I didn't have lunch!" she went and opened it, picking one of the salad chicken sandwiches.
Severus frowned at her. "You didn't have lunch? How come?"
She shrugged at him while munching her food. "I had a late breakfast, I had to finish this book when I woke up and then I went to eat. I told my parents, I am going out to play and they were so happy I am not staying inside anymore, just reading that they said I can skip lunch. But you brought lunch, so I am not skipping it anymore!"
She went and sat down on the swing, motioning for him to come as well. "Did you have lunch, Severus?"
"No, I didn't," he said, realising he'd been too busy cooking to actually eat.
"Come then! We can have a picnic!" Hermione suggested.
He chuckled at her enthusiasm and after getting a sandwich himself, he sat down in the other swing.
"I take it you haven't told your parents about me yet."
"Not yet."
Severus sighed. He really wished she'd had. And yet, he wasn't marching down her house to tell them himself anytime soon. Wizard or not, he didn't want to need to defend himself. Of course, they had nothing to fear, he'd never hurt Hermione, but they didn't know that. All they would see was Snape, Spinner's End resident, getting close and personal with their little girl. He barely suppressed a wince. That sounded so wrong, even in his head. Looking at her, he noticed that she was analysing him again.
"I do hope you're not making a habit of eating food that strangers offer to you," he commented.
Next to him he heard her sigh. It seemed that she'd pondered the subject as well. That or she was tired of his allusions.
"No, I don't! But you're not a stranger, are you?"
Seeing her brown eyes look at her with trust, Severus forced the biting remark down. He settled for something nice.
"I suppose I am not."
One minute of silence, then she spoke again. At times he really wished he could read her mind. The girl had different reactions than all the other children he knew.
"I will tell my parents about you tonight. I just… didn't want them to stop me. Don't be mad."
He wasn't, not really. She was still a child, even if a very intelligent one. She still saw the world through innocent eyes and Severus appreciated that about her. And yet, he could see that she knew why exactly she was delaying telling her parents; they would be vary of him and Severus couldn't blame them. He would do the exact same thing if the question came about his own child.
"I'm not mad, silly girl. It's for your own good after all," he murmured. Severus tried at best not to sound snarky or crossed with her, but so far, despite his attempts, his voice tone resembled a quite angry person. Left over from classes he hoped. He really wasn't angry. In fact, this was the most relaxed he'd been.
"Sooo, what are we doing today?"
The question came unexpectedly and for a moment Severus, didn't know what to say. "Whatever you wish. You asked me here, remember?"
She suddenly looked way younger than her ten years old.
"Maybe we just talk? You cut off our twenty questions early."
Severus pretended to sigh. "Yes. But if you repeat questions, I will be upset."
"I have a very good memory," was her answer. Only years later, Severus would come to understand how true her words were.
"But I want you to start! Ask me anything!"
Thinking back to the day he first met her, Severus pondered his question carefully.
"Last year, you said you didn't like your last family reunion. Why?"
He could see by the look on her face that she didn't appreciate his question that much. Inwardly, Severus smirked. If she thought he'd go for easy questions she had another thing coming.
"Huff. Because of my cousins. They don't like me."
So that was what it was. His initial hunch had been unfortunately correct. It seemed that Robert's cousins had passed down their atrocious behaviour upon their children as well. Severus was very glad Hermione had had such a healthy influence in both her parents. Robert and Marie were truly good and gifted people.
"They're brats."
Her laughter surprised him.
"You don't like children much, do you?"
'Oh, where to start.' For he really, did not.
"No, I don't. Children are loud, messy, disrespecting the rules, and don't have any respect for their teachers. Always running around the hallways, calling names." He could have dragged on and on, but the expression on her face stopped him.
"Do they call you names? They call me names too. You heard them." The sadness in her voice almost made Severus cry and his heart went out for her. He knew what she was going through and that made it all day way worse for him.
He stretched his arm across the space between the swings and took her hand in his. She looked at him, brown eyes, looking sadder than he'd seen them.
"Yeah, they call me names," he murmured, and saw how she turned and grabbed his hand with her other one.
"My mother said that it's very sad that they feel the need to mock others to fill their own happiness."
Yes, Marie would say that. She'd said that many years back when she'd defended him in school. Before Lily, Marie and Robert had been there. And after Lily too, when they came home from their studies.
"Wise woman, your mother. You should listen to her. She knows what she's saying. Your cousins are mean. They're jealous of you."
"Jealous? What do they have to be jealous of?"
Of course, insecurities. Everyone had them, but Severus hated the break in her voice when she asked him.
"Because you're special Hermione. You're smart and I know that because what 10 year old has already read Austen and Shakespeare? And actually understands them?" he said, going back to their little game from yesterday.
"They say that makes me a freak."
Severus inwardly cursed the cruelty of children. If he saw those cousins of hers…
"No, it does not. It makes you brilliant." He raised his hands and cupped her chin, making her look straight in his eyes. "You understand, Hermione Jean Granger? It makes you brilliant."
He let her go, her eyes were now shining with tears. "Thank you."
Severus looked away. It was all too emotional for him now. Clearing his throat, he stood up from the swing. Almost immediately she stood up as well. Walking around fast, she gripped his jacket.
"No, stay. I'd like to push you this time."
He gaped at her, eyes following where her little hand was tugging his clothes.
"I think I am a bit too heavy for you, little Hermione." He echoed his own words from the year before. However, this time it seemed to be the wrong thing to say. She huffed and narrowed his eyes at him. He'd never seen that expression directed at him from a child. Of course, not face to face.
"I am not little. I'm not gonna push you high up, silly! Just a bit. You pushed me," she said simply as if that explained her want to return the favour. It didn't really, but Severus found himself not really caring about a further explanation. So he sat back down and let her push. She couldn't really, despite her best attempts, he was indeed a little too heavy for her.
After around 15 minutes, it seemed that her hands were tired and she gave up. "Sorry, Severus," she murmured. "You're a bit… too heavy indeed."
His head snapped backed into her direction, watching how her eyes how she was both a bit amused and a bit fearful. Why?
"If you'd have listened in the first place when I told you so," he almost snapped. To his eternal shock, the fear left her eyes, and she giggled at him.
"You're not mad, that's good."
Severus frowned. "How do you know?" He'd noticed that since the year before, when she'd shrunk down at his voice, now she wasn't. Not really.
"Because I have observed you, even from last year. You sound more mean than you are. When you speak, if I listen, you're nice. You were nice to me before I tried to be nice to you last year too."
It took a moment, but Severus understood what she meant. It baffled him enormously how she could be so perceptive. Why were the children at Hogwarts so obtuse and without fault purely dunderheads?
He had the feeling that she would still be a foolish Gryffindor, if he had to place any bets. But she'd be the smartest of them all.
It seemed that the afternoon had flown out of the window. Soon enough all the food was eaten and they'd discussed their favourite Charles Dickens book. Severus found it completely ridiculous considering her young age, but prodigies were something real after all.
"Will you show me where you live?" Her question was a little short of breath, they'd run one after another in a one to one game of tag. Severus was glad no one else had been there to see him lose to a ten year old. Who could have thought that she could run that fast?
Severus blinked at her and wondered what he could answer. His whole house was protected by magical charms, but it was in a Muggle neighbourhood and of course, Muggles could come in. But did he want her to come in? He'd have to hide all the magical books for one. And there was the fact that she was ten and it was creepy. Especially since her parents still didn't know.
"I can show you," he said in the end. "But you're not coming inside until you tell your parents. Even better if you ask them to accompany you."
He could tell that she wasn't exactly pleased by his answer. "They won't agree. You know that."
"I also know I wouldn't like my daughter going alone in a stranger's house," he bit back and she smiled.
Severus had to do a double take. Smiled? Why was she smiling?
"See, right now you just passed the test."
"Test?" She was indeed very confusing.
"I will tell my parents. You don't even have to show it to me this evening. We can do that tomorrow. While you also could get me some ice cream."
Hearing her speak Severus realised her intentions. She hadn't truly wanted to visit today, she'd wanted to see his response. Another point to make when she'd tell her parents.
"What time should I come?" was all he said in the end.
She grinned at him, clapping her hands. "After breakfast! They'd want to meet with you soon." But then, her grin fell and she turned her head on the side.
"What now?" he asked, trying not to sound cross at her mood change.
"We might have to leave early."
"How come?"
He didn't know if to feel relieved or sad. Severus knew that their friendship wasn't natural by any means, if he'd been less lonely… He needed time to process it. And yet, he remembered from last year that she won't come back to Cokeworth for the next two years.
"My parents need to go back to work earlier than intended."
"Well, that's nothing either of us can do. Let's take you home."
He extended his hand towards hers, hoping to make up for the fact that he was a little short with her. By her eyes, he could tell that she knew he wasn't really upset. He appreciated her inner sight.
Severus walked her until near her gate entrance, before quickly moving and disappearing out of sight.
"Bye Severus!" were words carried by the wind, but he didn't turn his head to acknowledge them.
It was hard to settle this feeling of friendship with the weirdness of the situation, but he'd ponder it after he left Cokeworth. Hermione didn't deserve his demons on top of everything.
