The Granger family reunion took place on the 21st. It was a simple gathering, nothing too extravagant in activities. They mainly talked about the newest events in each other's lives then recalled their old ones. They would drink a little too much as they told stories and have a few good laughs that would leave them all in tears. They would then proceed to have a deliciously cooked meal. Settle down with another drink and then proceed to call it a night. This time was different. For one Hermione brought a date with her. Second, that date was Severus Snape.
For the most part, everything was going quite well. When Hermione and Severus arrived the family was respectful of Severus' space and mainly focused on Hermione. But now that everyone has had a glass of Bourbon, the curiosity's grown. Everyone can tell that he was the silent type. And it was no wonder what with his life as a spy and all. He sat and observed as everyone interacted with one another. He sat beside Hermione, while everyone was gathered in a circle in the living room.
"Would you like another drink, Severus?" Grandma Mary asked.
"No thank you. I am fine," Severus replied.
"Not much of a drinker?" Grandpa Max asked.
"No, I'm not," Severus replied. Despite him not being a social individual, he was rather comfortable with the present company. He sat on one edge of the couch with Hermione sitting next to him. Close enough for him to draw comfort from her presence but not so close as to draw unwanted attention to their affection.
"So what's your flaw?" Grandma Marry asked with a pointed look in her eye as she sat her glass down and leaned forward to get a better look at the man her grandchild fancies.
"I'm sorry?" Severus asked slightly puzzled by such a question. He was expecting the interrogation to be led by Hermione's father, not for her grandmother to take the lead.
"Grandma!" Hermione said startled.
"What? Everyone has some. Considering it's taken until now for you to be snatched up off the market, I'm curious to know your opinion on it. And if drinking isn't yours then what is it?" Grandma Mary continued.
"You don't have to answer that," Hermione's mother, Helena said. She took it to heart to have everyone behave at this family gathering. She didn't want to scare off the only man Hermione's ever brought home.
"It's fine," Severus waved off. "Do you mean a physical or a personal flaw? If we're talking about personal flaws then we might be here for a while," Severus said calmly with a raised brow. "As I am sure Hermione has mentioned my previous work during the war. Which has taken up quite a large amount of my free time."
"Physical then," Grandma Mary decided on.
"Smoking," Severus stated simply but clearly with Grandma Mary's pointed look one-worded answers were not to be accepted. "I've had many vices over the years. Many I've quit and some I've learned to find that I can't just give up," Severus said while trying not to look at Hermione. She wasn't a problem. He was. He was firmly aware that he was not good enough for her. But he'll be damned if he let the best thing ever to have entered his life to walk out. Not that she was planning on going anywhere anytime soon.
"I don't wish to make you uncomfortable with any of our questions," Helena stated.
"It's natural to be curious and considering that none of you pounced on my moment of entry. I'm more inclined to answer them now." It's as if Severus said the magic words. Because all of the family took it to mean it was open season with him.
"Have you ever been married?" Aunt Sara asked.
"No," Severus said. "I was not actively seeking out a romantic partner at the time. Nor was there anyone willing to fill that role."
"Of course. Clearly, that's changed though. You are the first man Hermione's ever brought home." Hermione's cousin Cecilia pointed out.
"Sara!" Hermione exclaimed. It was well known from the start of their relationship that Severus was Hermione's first. She had never been in a committed relationship with anyone else and that extended to include sexual relations. Severus was aware of this when they began dating. It was not an issue between the two and Severus never once brought up the topic. He didn't want to pressure her into something she was not ready for. In fact, he was more inclined for their relationship to start off slower. He has had his fair share of relationships over the years but they were few and far in between. They also didn't include the emotional aspect that he craved with Hermione. They were purely physical and he didn't want his relationship with Hermione to start or be based on physical relief. However, after several evenings together and endless nights filled with work. It was inevitable for them to fall into bed with one another. They took many days and nights exploring the other. Once they were intimate everything between them skyrocketed. They found they craved the other's company and more often than naught would spend the night together. They never had enough time with the other as they wished. But they took time to enjoy the quiet moments between the two. They appreciated the small things. Neither was a fan of grand endeavors of gifts. All they needed was each other. The two found comfort in the silence often shared with the reading of a book. And that suited them both just fine. To hide away in their own world with just the pair of them in it. But at the end of the day reality set in and they remembered that there were others in this world who mattered to them. They didn't want to hide this from them forever. They plan to start off softly with Hermione's family. Then soon Severus was planning on telling Albus and Minerva. Even though he is no longer a member of the staff at Hogwarts, he worked with the pair for approx. 16 years and even though he hates to admit it, Severus does consider the pair the closest thing to friends and family he has. They were planning to tackle Harry and Ron and the rest of the Weasleys on another date once the dust in Hermione and Severus' lives have settled. The order was also to be informed at a later date. But right now they were focusing on Hermione's family. However, Hermione never mentioned anything this personal to her family before. But if their relationship was so serious that Hermione brought the man home it was only to be expected that the pair were intimate with one another.
"What it's true. I mean we've met Harry and Ron but the two of them are like brothers to you, not a romantic interest." Cecilia explained. With the rest of the family secretly agreeing.
"I take it that you still teach at Hogwarts?" David asked.
"No, I quit once the war ended. There was nothing for me there."
"What do you do now, may I ask?" Uncle Frank asked.
"I work in a privately run potions business. It allows me more freedom to personally fund my own experiments," Severus explained. The Malfoys, whatever they may have become, were once good friends with Severus. Lucius Malfoy wished to become one once again. They fund his work and promote it to their more elite clientele, which pays more handsomely for his quality work and discretion. He provides potions that may be questionable in nature but are in the grand scheme of things harmless. "That is how I met up with Hermione."
"We worked together on a project for a time before we began a relationship," Hermione elaborated.
"Are you a Manchester fan?" Uncle Frank asked.
"I'm not a huge fan of the sport. But as long as West Ham United isn't playing, I enjoy a good game every now and then.
"What's your favourite novel? Grandma Mary asked, taking over the investigation once again.
"What makes you think that I am literate enough to have a favourite?" Severus inquired with an arched brow.
"There is no possible way that Hermione would fall in love with someone who didn't share her passion for reading."
"The Brothers Karamazov," Severus stated simply after a moment of thought.
"Really?"
"I read it after the first war. And I found myself resonating." Severus took a breath and closed his eyes as he repeated a passage. "Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love."
"You grew up in the muggle world! Grandpa Max exclaimed coming to the realization. "Sorry, it's just you seem to be more updated with our world than Hermione's friend Ronald."
"Well I'm not surprised by that," Severus mused with a smirk. Hermione then proceeded to elbow him in the side. And gave him a pointed look. When their relationship began they mutually agreed that he would try to not be so vocal about his disdain over her friends and she would be less hostile about the Malfoys. "I do not speak well of Hermione's friends so it has been suggested that I do not speak of them at all."
"Well having to deal with their stunts at school must give you a good reason not to," Uncle John said.
"You have no idea," Severus said. "But yes I did grow up in the muggle world. My father was a muggle and my mother a witch." He explained.
"And what of them now are they still alive or…? Helena asked.
"My mother died when I was 19. And my father well...he wasn't much of a father to me, not much of a good man either. Tobias was not a fan of magic," Severus said trying to keep the anger out of his voice.
"I see," David Granger said with a strained voice. He had an odd look on his face briefly before he quickly masked his features. The room fell into silence. He didn't say anything specific but Hermione's family is smart and they know how to read in between the lines. With the drawn-out silence and the unwanted attention, Severus grew stiff and decided that now was the time to make a quick escape. He lasted for over an hour before the need for solitude became too great. He squeezed Hermione's thigh in reassurance.
"Excuse me I am going to get some air," Severus said as he stood up and made his way out the front door. Everyone followed his movements but once the door closed behind him Hermione looked back to her family.
"Okay, can we please stop the interrogation," Hermione pleaded?
"You make it seem like you don't want us to get to know him," Her father said.
"Ya, what are you trying to do, keep him to yourself?" Cecilia asked with a smile.
"I just don't want you to overwhelm him," Hermione replied as she too stood up and made her way outside. It was chilly in the air with only a jumper keeping her warm. Luckily she didn't have to go too far as Severus was only standing at the bottom of the steps that led up to the house. He was leaning against a post as he smoked a cigarette. He was aware of her presence but he didn't acknowledge it.
"How are you handling all of this?" Hermione asked as she stood next to Severus.
"I've had worse," Severus replied, turning to lean his back against the post to look at her.
"Don't worry about it, at this point they completely accept you and are just seeing how far they can push you. They did the same thing to Harry and Ron," Hermione said in a reassuring voice. Severus only nodded at this. "What's wrong?" Hermione asked after a moment of silence. The sun had already set a while ago and besides the street lamps, the only source of light came from the windows in the house and from the cigarette hanging low in his hand.
"I was always aware that I had an unusual childhood growing up. But I don't think I ever realized how much I craved a positive one. Even after all of these years," Severus replied after a moment of contemplating his words. "I am finding myself enjoying this life you have allowed me to glimpse into and I don't want to let go of it or ruin it"
"You won't have to. In case you haven't noticed I am quite attached to you as well. I love being with you. And nothing that happens in there will change the way I feel about you," Hermione said pointing towards her family's house. Severus sighed as he took a step closer to Hermione dropping the bud of his smoke onto the ground. He placed his hand on her arms moving them up and down as he tried to ease the chill she was experiencing. She leaned towards him resting her forehead against his chest as she held her hands on his hips. She looked up towards him as he looked down towards her, their eyes searching into the others. Slowly they drew closer together until their lips connected.
"They look really good together," Helena said as she watched her daughter threw the window. She wasn't the only one though. Everyone was gathered on a small couch that sat underneath the window sill. They wanted to observe the couple when they thought that nobody was watching. And they were receiving quite the show.
"I don't think we should be watching them," David said. He was pleased to see that his daughter was happy but that didn't need to include him having to watch her snogging a man.
"If they didn't want people to watch then they wouldn't be snogging out in front of the house," Uncle Frank inputted.
"If you don't want to watch them you can always look away," Grandma Mary suggested. She on the other hand just couldn't look away from the passionate embrace of the couple.
"She looks really happy," David said, resigned that this was going to become a common occurrence from now on.
"Happy. That girl is completely smitten. And from the way he's looking at her, he is as well," Grandpa Max said.
"Dinner is done. Should we get them?" Aunt Sara asked.
"I say give them another minute," Helena said with a smile as everyone turned away from the couple.
"What about you? Have any new suitors knocking at your door?" Hermione asked as she was washing the dishes from dinner while her cousin dried them.
"Well considering my ex-girlfriend cheated on me. No. I'm just playing the field right now," Cecilia replied. "But I can see why you would like him. That beaux of yours is the epitome of tall, dark, and mysterious. Plus that voice of his is like sin." She said in regards to Severus, who was talking to Hermione's mother in the room opposite of them.
"You have no idea," Hermione said trying very hard when her eyes glazed over her partner to not think about all of their moments together.
"That must have been torture as a student. Trying to concentrate on what he is saying when denying that he was making you sexually frustrated."
"I didn't get sexually frustrated. I was too busy to be," Hermione said matter of factly. Romance wasn't exactly a priority when you're friends with Harry, who's always in danger, Potter. Romance may be different than sex, but while away at school and as a teenager for that matter, they were both one and the same. And the war took precedence over her own personal matters.
Cecilia suddenly stopped what she was doing and slowly turned to look at her cousin with a shocked look on her face as a thought occurred to her. "Tell me that you weren't having scandalous sex with your teacher. That would be more shocking than the time you snuck out of your bedroom through the window to break into the public library when you were 12."
Hermione almost choked on her breathing at that suggestion. "No, I just mean that I was so busy with the war and my studies, I wasn't focusing on any attractions. I never even considered seeing Severus in that way until we started working together a year ago." Which, in both Hermione and Severus' case was completely true. They both tried not to think about her time as a student. Luckily they both never interacted with one another outside of the classroom. Even in the classroom they only directed a question to one another every other week or so. Both of their lives were so hectic at the time that the thought never even occurred to them. It made it easier not to think about the implications. Luckily it isn't a subject matter that bothers the other or one they wish to bring up. However, others won't feel that way. It never bothered the pair how society will view their relationship. It only bothered Hermione if her parents would think that way.
Luckily they know their daughter and trust that something like that would never happen. It wasn't even a concern when Hermione told them. Them being her parents on the other hand did have other concerns about their relationship. One Helena Granger was addressing Severus across the room as they spoke.
"Do you prefer Severus or is Snape fine?" Helena asked Severus once the pair were alone. The others were all scattered throughout the house. So Helena took the time to talk to her daughter's suitor alone.
"Snape is fine." Severus gave Helena an examining look as he took in her behaviour. Then he sighed as the conversation took the expected turn that he was dreading all night. "Is this the part where you threaten me with your shotgun to not hurt Hermione?" Severus asked.
"No her father might later. I realize that it would be mute to do so since you could clearly evade us in the case of such an attempt. Nonetheless, I doubt threatening you would actually intimidate you," Helena stated matter of factly. Hermione made it a point to discuss Severus' history with the pair of them. While impressive it was intimidating.
"No it wouldn't, but I wouldn't begrudge you for trying," Severus said.
"She was never a social individual, our Hermione," Helena said, changing the topic. "We always wondered if she was lonely growing up. But she always seemed perfectly content if not excited at the prospect of burying her head into a book. Something that I'm sure came to the relief of my husband when it came to the topic of potential suitors. Even when we forgot about her, we knew that something was missing. That our lives were incomplete. The moment she was born she became our whole world. Even when she left ours. So obviously you can understand our concern about her being involved with someone. Let alone someone with your reputation," Helena said looking at Severus who was currently watching Hermione across the room. His expression was devoid of emotion throughout the evening and his shoulders were always tensed when a question was directed at him. However, while looking at her daughter he was relaxed and content in his position. "I mean it must not always be easy between the two of you, especially with your need to hide her in the shadows. She deserves more than that. She loves you though. She might not have said it but it is written all over her face. The way that she smiles as if…" Helena trailed off as she tried to find the words to describe her. But it seemed as though Severus knew exactly what she was talking about as he finished her sentence. "...As if she is the sun shining through the clouds."
The two sat in silence as they watched Hermione laugh at whatever her cousin said.
"I agree. She deserves more than I could ever give her. Many will say that she deserves better than someone like me. I would be the first to admit that. I am sure you can attest that once Hermione sets her heart on something nothing can deter her. Not even me. I am lucky that my love for her is reciprocated. You're right it is not always easy. Love is never easy. But it is something worth fighting for. But more importantly for me, it is something worth living for." Severus said full-heartedly.
"I can see what she sees in you," Helena said, causing Severus to turn to her. He had a frown on his face as he tried to decipher her words. "Your loyalty is much desired. But I will say this though. If you hurt her, I won't have to kill you. It would probably kill you to live with the knowledge that you broke her heart.
The night had drawn to an end. Severus was outside smoking once again. He was waiting for Hermione as she made her final goodbyes to the rest of her family before they all made their way to retire for the evening.
"Snape... Interesting name. Your father's I presume," David Granger asked as he quietly stepped up beside Severus. With the night ending it only seemed fair for the final interrogation to occur between the two men now before they go their separate ways. Severus turned to look at the older man and gave a slight nod of his head as he gave an affirmation to the man's question. Severus raised an eyebrow in question to the man's line of inquiry.
"I take it that Hermione hasn't mentioned what it is I did for a living." David continued without a reply.
"Before she was born I was a rookie detective. Made a name for myself and moved up the ranks. I've been catching killers for years now. Been retired for about 7. But 20 years ago when I was just starting I came across this scene. A young woman completely unrecognizable was found naked and bound, dead in this alleyway. This wasn't the first time a dead body was found like this. There were several cases of the same MO over the last five years. But then he came to our town. No one was able to connect that they were connected until I was given the lead. He would kidnap a young woman after he met her at a bar and hold her for several days as he tortured, raped and brutalized the women. He stabbed them, shocked them, and drowned them. But he always killed them by strangling them with a belt," David said this with a steady voice. Severus was watching the man as he said all of this. David wasn't looking at him though. He wasn't directing this towards him.
"It took three years to track this man down after he disappeared off the grid. You know the usual investigations take longer than the public realized what with interviewing witnesses and actual police work. 12 years ago, I went after him when I figured out the location of where he was holding his latest victim. Somehow even though I had the element of surprise, he was able to get the jump on me. He ended up tying me up like any of his other victims. I got lucky though compared to the others. All he did was stab me 14 times in the abdomen. But he didn't kill me. He left me to be found. When I woke up in the hospital, it was only then when I realized that he purposely didn't want me dead. He missed all of my vital organs. Hard to do with that many wounds but he did it anyway. He killed the women though. I've never seen him again. Never been close enough to catch him. He has always been six steps ahead of me. I've been tracking him for 2 decades but he always seems to disappear again. Smart bastard has escaped everyone who has searched for him. We always knew it was the same guy since he always kept the same MO. And his first name; Tobias. Found that out from the bars he picked up the women. He has gone by many last names though. Mark, Smith, Dawn, Snape…" David turned to look at Severus at the end of this. Looking to see if there was any reaction out of the man beside him. But there was no reaction, not even a tick in the jaw. But only if you knew Severus you would be able to know that he was occluding his mind as every second passed. His eyes darkened as he closed his mind off from the darkness of his past.
"Now ain't that a coincidence," David continued, not even remotely surprised by the man's lack of reaction. From a man with his type of reputation, he would be shocked if he wasn't capable of hiding his emotions. He wouldn't be alive otherwise. "You said that your father wasn't a good man?" David asked. The pair were both completely aware of what he was asking.
"He was a monster, never kept in touch with him once I turned 18," Severus said after a moment of contemplation.
"But did he keep in touch with you?" David inquired.
"He made his presence known."
"Where is your daddy nowadays?" David asked all pretense aside.
"Unfortunately not lying dead in a ditch as I desire. Haven't seen him in 8 years. But I see he has kept busy," Severus replied with a sigh as he took a drag from his smoke. "He has made it a priority to destroy all that is good. Especially when it involves me. The next time you see him I suggest you put a bullet between his eyes. If I don't get to him first." Severus didn't look angry, if anything, he looked resigned. As if he was exhausted.
"You gonna kill him?" David asked, calmly. As if the two were having a normal conversation and not discussing murder plans.
"You've seen the photos, the bodies. You know what he would do to her. Especially if he knew what she meant to me," Severus said as glanced behind him. Seeing Hermione hugging her grandmother through the window.
"Does she know?" David asked. Hermione was only a young child when he ended up in the hospital from that case. He never truly disclosed the details with her. She was too young at the time to truly comprehend.
"Yes," Severus said simply.
"That why you keeping this whole relationship a secret?"
"He has numerous resources that he has accumulated over the years. Always kept informed of my person despite my attempt to lose him. He sends me a picture of me now and then from a day that he watched me, despite my paranoia. Once I can put that piece of the past behind me, she won't need to hide," Severus said with determination as the thought of Tobias finding out about Hermione boiled his blood.
"Then my only suggestion for you. Is that when you find him, don't miss."
