Chapter Three

Next morning Severus was more nervous than he'd been in his life if that was even possible considering he'd spied on the Dark Lord at threat of death if found. It was more the case that he knew that Hermione had really meant when she'd said she'd tell her parents and he'd meant his when he'd said he'd do it if she didn't.

How could he explain the situation to them? That after he'd lost everything, he'd latched onto Hermione like a bird to water in the middle of the desert. In a strange weird way, he'd made a friend. They would worry about his intentions, as any good parents would but how could he assure them he never had any intentions to ever hurt their daughter? That he truly meant to be just a friend.

He hoped they would understand, somehow. Robert and Marie had always been level headed people. They'd see through him.

As he'd expected, they were already there when he arrived at the playground the next day.

They were looking at him with wary eyes, appraising him, but he didn't see real judgement either. They were willing to hear his side. Or at least talk it out; he didn't know what Hermione had told them exactly.

He could see that Hermione was sitting on the swing, looking at him encouragingly. He opened his mouth to speak, but Robert beat him to it.

"Severus Snape."

"Robert Granger," he answered in the same manner. "Let's walk a bit to the left," he said, motioning for them to move further away from Hermione's ears. He had no doubt that she was attempting to eavesdrop.

As soon as they were far enough away, Marie took control of the conversation. She'd never been the one to beat around the bush after all.

"What do you want with our daughter?"

A question he'd been expecting, good. What wasn't good, he didn't quite know how to answer.

"Nothing," he said in the end.

"Then why did you come to hang out with her? She said you brought food yesterday?" this time it was Robert who spoke and he was right, of course.

"She makes a good friend."

Severus turned, fully facing the two of them. He had to choose his next words carefully.

"Look, I know why you're worried and I understand. I am not looking for anything. I am not expecting anything out of her. She found me last year, in a particular moment where I was mourning my own existence so to say." He could barely get the words out, he wasn't used to telling anyone about his feelings. However, they deserved his honesty. "When I came back this year, I didn't know what to expect. The very fact that I hoped she'd come back too, I know it's weird. But she treated me once, as someone normal. Even if I saw that she'd been warned against my name."

Both of them looked a bit ashamed of the fact. "Severus," Marie started, but he stopped her.

"No, let me finish. I am not an open person. For everyone who knows me. I am not a nice person either. But Hermione is different. We spent yesterday talking about Charles Dickens. She doesn't ask for more than I am not willing to offer, somehow she picks up when I don't want to talk. But the fact that had made me want to see her again was the fact that she isn't asking for anything unlike anyone else I've ever met."

He stops after that, mind turning to all the times friendship had been nothing more but an exchange for services or loyalty in his Hogwarts years. Severus noticed Robert and Marie looking at one another, and for the first time in a while, many firsts he'd had these days, he felt shy. He'd opened up basically to strangers in hope that they'd let him hang out with their kid. How desperate was that?

"And you swear that you don't have any other intentions? Any other… urges?"

"I don't, what—?" His voice trembled and he felt shaky inside. Disgusted and horrified at the question, but could he truly fault them their worries?

He started shaking his head frantically. "No, never. I would never. I'm a teacher and I—"

Severus stops himself however, hadn't there been monster teachers? To his eternal surprise both Grangers started laughing.

"Excuse me," he said a little harsher than intended,"but I fail to see what is that you find amusing. A second ago you were asking me if my intentions towards your daughter were sexual."

His words sobered them up, reminding them what was at stake. Imaginary stake, considering he'd never do anything of the sorts, but stake nonetheless.

"You're right. Our apologies," Robert said. "But you see, our Hermione… She's always had trouble making friends. She always got along better with her teachers. When she started telling us last night that she'd made a new friend, we were ecstatic."

"Until you found out that it was a man your age and Severus Snape from Spinner's End," he interjected. He could see what they'd laughed. Their daughter was a teacher's pet of sorts and he, her new friend, was also a teacher.

"Yes." It was Marie who responded. "Finding out that you're a teacher, it's a complete surprise."

"I haven't told her," he commented. She never asked anyway.

"We figured," Robert said wryly. "Look Severus, jokes aside, I am sure you understand our worries. Hermione has told us you'd encouraged her to tell us about you."

And he'd had. For the exact reason and questions they were asking. He wanted them to know he was no danger to them. To her.

"But," Marie interjected and it occurred to Severus how in tune the two were to each other. From their teenage days to the current day, always in sync, "we still worried. Some play the long con."

He knew that too. But he didn't speak, hoping that she'd say something more. And she did.

"However, I don't believe you are. I do find it strange if I am honest, and perhaps if I think too much, creepy, that you and her are friends. At the same time, I know how lonely you'd been when we were all kids and I have seen the same loneliness in my daughter. For the past two days she's been at her happiest and I know it's because of you. I've also never seen you so open. Years may have passed since I last saw you, but I don't think that's the kind of thing that changed about you. I don't know if it makes me an irresponsible mother, but I will entrust my daughter to you today as well."

Severus didn't know what to say. 'Thank you for believing I'm not a creep preying onto your daughter?'

"We're leaving tomorrow," Robert said before he could open his mouth.

"Yes, she mentioned yesterday," Severus answered, thinking he'd thank them a bit later.

"My brother has found out that we're not coming to the next year's reunion party so he'd decided to come here and try to convince us otherwise. I don't want to put Hermione through that."

"So you've told her you have work to go back to." Severus surmised that it was a good idea.

"We're going to leave in the morning. Today you can spend all day with her. We," Severus noticed Marie gripping Robert's hand as she spoke, "we trust you."

He looked at them, trying to think of words to express how much it meant to hear that. They trusted him.

"Thank you." Not enough, but all he can say.

"Take care of my little girl." Robert's voice was playing, but Severus knew better.

Before they turned to say their goodbyes to Hermione, he stopped them, motioning that he had something more to say.

"She wants to see my house."

He didn't know exactly why he was telling them. But he felt compelled to do so.

"We know, " Marie said.

So it had been a test. Or perhaps they trusted him enough to decide himself.

"But that's your choice. Severus, Hermione can be very opinionated and persuasive once she's gotten under your skin. She's going to be your friend even if you let inside or not."

He smiled, wondering how they had known his worries. They smiled back and they left, reaching Hermione who jumped out the swing to hug them. He saw them whispering something in her ear before they left, nodding at him.

Severus supposed now was his time to shine. Clearing his throat, he approached her.

"I told you they'd like you!"

He huffed. He wouldn't say that they liked him, more that they tolerated and accepted him for her sake. However, he didn't tell her any of that, settling for something safer.

"I think we said we'd get ice cream?"

She smiled at him; he'd said the right thing. Taking her hand in his, they left the playground. They had a full day ahead and Severus intended to make the most of it if she was to leave in the morning.

In the evening, he took her at Spinner's End, but he didn't invite her inside. She hadn't complained and he was glad. He couldn't have given her a true answer as to why he didn't want her to come in.

The time to give her back to her parents came soon enough and same with the next day. Time was moving too fast for Severus' taste. As the clock ticked 8 am, he found himself back at the playground, this time to say goodbye. He couldn't help but feel an immense sense of distaste for Robert's brother and his children. But he was a grown man and he understood exactly why Hermione had to leave. He'd have chosen the same thing in their stead, to protect her from more hurt. Inadvertently they would have found out that she was hanging up with him and would tease her about it.

"Don't forget me," she said, sniffing, hands covering her face. "I wish I could come back, but my cousins really hate me."

He crouched down to her level.

"Hey, I won't forget you. Don't you forget me," he retorted, taking her hand and grasping it.

His voice was gentler than usual, for the first time letting the feeling set in. He truly had a friend. A friend he won't be seeing for the next two years, but a friend nonetheless.

She smiled at him, and he smiled back at her, wiping her tears with his hand.

"I will see you in two summers! Don't be late!" She sounded quite bossy.

He stood up and motioned for her to go home.

"I won't be. I don't like tardiness."

He really didn't. Years of students being late to class, one could say he had an allergic reaction to it.

Severus watched her go into her parents' car, remaining still as they drove off until he couldn't see them any longer. It'd be two long years till he saw them again. He would have asked for their address, but he felt more time was needed until Robert and Marie agreed to it. When he'd brought Hermione home the day before, they'd told him they'd accept letters forwarded from their parents. They hadn't even let him suggest it and in a way, Severus was grateful. He didn't know if he was ready either.