A/N: *Is egregiously sorry it's been so long*

*will do better in future*

*Loves you all for still reading this*

xx-Kitten.

Of Ticking Clocks and Beating Hearts

By Kittenshift17

Chapter 15: First Impressions

The train ride was tense, and Hermione couldn't help but frown over it. Lily had been in a strop all day long and Hermione suspected it was because she was being forced to go home to see her family before being allowed to visit with Hermione, while Severus was allowed to come straight around. Hermione got the feeling the little redhead was annoyed Severus had chosen Hermione over her, preferring to go to see Hermione and her family than risking seeing his own just for Lily's sake.

The other witch had been playing cards and reading all trip and Hermione was in no mood for putting up with her tantrum. She was acting like a petulant child, and Hermione wouldn't stand for it. She'd been ignoring the other girl's bad mood and alternating between reading; chatting with Severus, Rabastan, James, Remus and Sirius; and playing Gobstones with Peter and Molly.

"How far away do you reckon we are?" Sirius asked, peering out the window as night began to fall.

Hermione glanced around.

"Probably still an hour out from King's Cross," she said.

"Your folks going to be waiting for us, James?" he asked next.

James nodded. Hermione hid a smile. Sirius had been fretting all trip that James's parents might not be there, and that he might instead have to face the horror of owling or Floo Calling his own parents to collect them since, living in London, they were the closest adults.

"They'll be there, Sirius," James chuckled. "Stop worrying. You want a chocolate frog?"

Sirius took it, stuffing it into his mouth and obviously not even tasting it. Remus shook his head at the other boy and bit into his own chocolate frog hungrily, clearly savouring every bite.

"What have you lot got planned before coming to my place, anyway?" Hermione asked.

"Dad's taking us camping," James grinned.

"In the middle of winter?" Hermione frowned. "You'll freeze."

"Nah, the woods behind our place are pretty warm. We'll camp out for a few days under the stars. I think he's hunting something for some of his research."

"What does your Dad do?" Severus frowned, looking curious despite himself.

"He's been studying magical creatures since before I was born," James shrugged. "Last I heard, he was studying Flittering Jabblebills, and if he's taking us camping where I think he means to, there are a few populating the area. But they don't like adults, see? So, he's trying to use us as bait."

"Fat lot of good that'll do," Remus muttered just quiet enough for Hermione to hear and she almost laughed at his assumption that, as a werewolf, he would naturally be recognised as a predator in the woods and no other creatures would dare to venture close.

"Well, that sounds fun," Hermione smiled. "Obviously not as much fun as hanging out with Sev and I at my place, but you know, as a substitute, I'm sure it will at least keep you briefly occupied."

"Still salty that we're not coming to stay until later in the holidays, then?" James laughed.

"Of course not. Sev and I will have more fun without you, anyway."

"You know, sometimes you're as mean as him, Granger," Sirius informed her, nodding his head at Severus, who'd returned his attention to his book. He'd taken to shortening her name from Lyall-Granger to just Granger sometime last month and while Hermione didn't know his reason for it, she couldn't say she minded.

"There's nothing wrong with being a bit mean, sometimes," Hermione shrugged.

"Yeah, except for when it costs you friends," Molly muttered from the corner.

Hermione rolled her eyes, sharing a look with Severus at the girl's comment that spoke volumes of their shared disdain for snootiness.

"Friends can handle it when they're mean to each other," Hermione said contrarily. "Look at me and Sev. He's a right git, most of the time, but you don't see him getting all bent out of shape just because I say so, do you?"

"Swot," Severus retorted, not looking the faintest bit put out about the insult as he returned his attention to his book once more.

Hermione grinned.

"Pair of weirdos," Sirius informed them.

"Eat me, Black," Hermine replied, smirking at the other boy.

"I don't fancy the taste of bitter shrew," Sirius said primly, and they all laughed when Hermione stuck her tongue out at him before very purposely getting out of her seat and plonking herself down on the boy's lap, giving him a noogie in the process.

~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

"There they are," Hermione pointed, spotting Miranda and Eugene at King's Cross station where they were waiting to pick her up.

She waved enthusiastically, laughing when Miranda almost fell over, she was waving so vigorously in response. When she glanced back at Severus, she noticed that he looked wary, clearly wondering if Miranda was all there and uncertain about meeting these new people, even though Hermione had told him a hundred times how nice they were. She was sure that his experience with his own parents and even with some of the teachers at Hogwarts had instilled a natural distrust of adults into the young boy and Hermione shook her head, reaching for him and looping her elbow through his, tugging him along with her in the direction of her 'parents'.

Severus dragged his feet a little, clearly reluctantly, but the rush of the crowd on the platform and her insistent pulling carted him over to the adults eventually.

"Hermione!" Miranda exclaimed excitedly, falling on her in an exuberant hug.

"Hello," Hermione said, smiling widely, thrilled to see them. She'd written to them every other day throughout the term, and they'd fast become as close to being her real parents as possible without being genetically related.

She gave Miranda a big hug, noting the way Eugene shook his head fondly as he watched his wife immediately begin to tear up.

"Oh, we missed you so much, darling!" Miranda declared when she finally released her.

"I missed you too," Hermione smiled, hugging Eugene as well. "This is Severus."

She stepped back once they'd both had a hug, waving her hand at Severus and reaching for him to pull him forward a little more when she noticed that he was standing back just a bit, watching them and seeming somewhat at a loss. Hermione suspected he'd never seen anyone's parents be so thrilled to see them, since his own most certainly didn't.

"Sev, this is Miranda and Eugene Lyall," she said to her best friend, introducing them and nudging Severus forward when he looked rather shy.

"How do you do, Severus?" Miranda asked, smiling kindly as she stepped forward and pulled the suddenly alarmed boy into a soft hug. "Hermione's told us so much about you in her letters that I feel like I already know you."

Severus didn't return the hug she gave him, at a loss of how to handle being hugged by a stranger, it seemed.

"Er… thanks," he muttered when Miranda pulled back and beamed at him fondly. "I… um… she talks about you a lot, too."

Miranda looked even happier at the news, smiling so big she looked a little mad, and her eyes filled with tears.

"Severus Snape, was it?" Eugene confirmed, offering Severus his hand to shake.

"Erm… yes, sir," Severus said, accepting the handshake nervously. "Good to meet you, Mr Lyall. Thank you for having me 'round for Christmas."

Hermione grinned, wondering how long he'd been rehearsing that line in his head, knowing from the tone in his voice that he'd obviously put a bit of thought into what he would say.

"You're very welcome, Severus," Eugene smiled. "We were thrilled that our Hermione made friends so quickly."

Severus nodded, attempting an awkward sort of smile that mostly look a bit like a grimace. Hermione giggled just a little bit when Eurgene shot her an amused look before he reached over and took her trunk from her.

"Well, come on, you two. Let's get going, yeah?" Eugene said. "We'll stop for dinner somewhere on the way. There's nothing decent in the fridge at home."

"You didn't even cook me up a big feast?" Hermione teased.

"Oh, darling, we wanted to," Miranda said, looking like she might cry to think she'd not provided a welcome-home meal for her child. "But we were both so busy at work that we didn't get the groceries bought in time, and we've both been hard at it all day. I was worried I actually wouldn't be able to get off in time to come and meet you, I've been so busy."

Hermione laughed.

"I was only teasing," she said. "We all know that I do the cooking in our house."

Severus shot her a sideways look, clearly confused and maybe a little worried.

"I confess, I've been very much looking forward to your return to get some more of that stroganoff of yours," Eugene smiled, pulling her trunk along in his wake and curling his free arm around Miranda.

"I promise I'll make a big vat of it before I return to Hogwarts so you can freeze it," Hermione laughed.

"You're an angel, love," Eugene said and Hermione grinned, nudging Severus and heading after her parents, intent on reaching the car so they could go and get some dinner.

"So, how are you, Severus?" Miranda asked when they'd all piled into the car. "Hermione's told us so much about you. How are your studies? You haven't let Hermione annoy the stuffing out of you yet, have you?"

"She's certainly been trying," Severus replied, shooting a cruel smirk in Hermione's direction from across the backseat.

"Don't pretend you don't love it when I annoy you, Sev," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Who doesn't love being treated like an armchair and tormented at every turn?" Severus deadpanned, making Eugene and Miranda laugh in the front.

"Exactly. Everyone knows you can't get enough of my company," Hermione smiled.

"I've been meaning to ask if you were dropped on your head a lot as a child," Severus replied conversationally. "Only, you seem to be utterly deluded."

"Oh-ho!" Miranda laughed at his taunt. "Well, you're certainly as quick-witted and sharp-tongued as advertised, aren't you, Severus?"

"He's always this mean to me," Hermione insisted.

"Don't be ridiculous," Severus rolled his eyes at her. "We're in front of your parents, so I'm being nice. Usually I'm much meaner."

Eugene gave a low chuckle of amusement, clearly impressed with the boy's audacity and Hermione smiled widely to herself, pleased that they'd decided they liked him, no matter how scruffy and misfitted he seemed.

"What are you in the mood to eat for dinner?" Eugene asked after a little while when they pulled out of the car park at King's Cross and cruised into traffic.

"Maybe Chinese food?" Miranda suggesting, turning to look over her shoulder.

"Mexican?" Eugene offered.

"Thai food?" Hermione put forward.

They all looked at Severus, Eugene watching him in the rear-vision mirror, while Hermione and Miranda smiled at him.

"You're the guest, Severus," Miranda said. "What would you like to eat. We'll never agree if the three of us are left to squabble over it."

"Uh…." Severus looked alarmed, clearly not having expected to be put on the spot to make a decision as important as what to have for dinner for the very first time when he was eating with her parents.

"Are we getting take-away, or going in to have a sit-down meal somewhere?" Hermione wanted to know, trying to make it easier for him to decide.

"Take-away, I think," Miranda said. "It'll be much nicer to dissect your first term at Hogwarts from the safety of the dining room at home, rather than trying to censor our words in front of the muggles, don't you think?"

"Chinese probably doesn't the fastest takeaway," Hermione pointed out.

"Mexican tastes better," Eugene grumbled, always preferring the spicy kick of his extra-spicy burrito.

Severus looked like he didn't know what to pick and it occurred to Hermione suddenly that he might never have had takeaway food before.

"What do you feel like?" he asked, leaning toward her, his eyes wide and concerned.

Hermione bit her lip, darting her eyes toward Miranda and Eugene in the front before looking back at Severus. She'd be willing to bet he would enjoy Mexican food more than Chinese food.

"Let's get Mexican," she said. "The spiciness will help warm us in the cold."

Severus looked relieved, nodding his head slowly in agreement.

"Excellent," Eugene said, grinning in the front. "Miranda, darling, there should be a copy of the menu in the glovebox there. Pass it over to Severus, won't you?"

Severus blinked at Hermione when she grinned widely and accepted the menu, leaning over to turn on the centre console light so they could read the menu and pick out what they wanted.

"Have you ever eaten Mexican food before?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows at Snape.

He shook his head, frowning at the menu, obviously uncertain about all of it when he didn't know what any of the words meant.

"You like spicy food, right?" Hermione asked him.

Severus nodded slowly. Hermione knew he did. He often went for the spicier dishes the elves plated up at Hogwarts.

"Alright, good. Then I recommend these things," she trailed her finger over the menu, explaining what each item was and describing them to Severus.

She caught the way Miranda and Eugene traded a look in the front, clearly realising that everything she'd told them in her letters about Severus was true. That he came from a poor family who didn't much care for him and that he had missed out on many things that Hermione herself had taken for granted growing up. She smiled at the two of them before returning to helping Severus pick out things he might like to eat, resolving to make sure that this time around, even if his home life was rubbish, his life outside of Spinner's End would be happier.