Eight Years Later

"Bye Rose! Have fun! I'll send you an owl every day! Be careful! We love you!" Hermione smiled as she waved goodbye to her daughter. She couldn't believe Rose was old enough to go to Hogwarts, she thought, as she watched the scarlet steam engine disappear in a cloud of smoke. It would certainly be different around the house with Rose gone and things would change in again, when, in just a few years, Hugo would join her at Hogwarts.

"Well, that's it. She's off. Let's get going if we're going to make it to Diagon Alley." Ron said as he clapped an arm around Hermione's shoulders. In typical Ron fashion, he wasn't terribly affected by his first born going off to Hogwarts. Emotional range of a teaspoon indeed, Hermione thought inwardly.

"Yeah, Mom! I wanna go see Uncle George!" Hugo said excitedly as he bounded towards Hermione. And Hermione caught her breath, as she did every time Hugo looked at her.

Now eight years old, Hugo was a tall, sturdy little boy with dark hair and even darker eyes that had not faded as Hermione had told Ron they would. Many people commented on how Hugo must take after Hermione's side of the family, as he looked nothing like Ron and bore a very little resemblance to Rose, who took after her father with red hair, blue eyes and freckles. Only Hermione knew that Hugo was the image of his father and that every time she looked at Hugo, she saw Severus Snape gazing back at her.

She and Ron had never talked about Hugo's lack of physical similarity to the Weasleys. It was clear that Ron, like everyone else, assumed that Hugo took after Hermione's family. And why would Ron think any differently, Hermione thought. He would never even consider the possibility that Hugo wasn't his son. He would never believe that I had been unfaithful.

And in many ways Hermione didn't consider herself to be unfaithful to Ron. Her affair with Severus-and Hugo's subsequent conception-had last for only one night, although she carried the memories from that night to this very day.

"Moom! Let's go!" Hugo's tone was slightly irritated, as Hermione realized she'd been lost in her thoughts and focused on the scene in front of her.

Hugo was standing besides Ron, an impatient expression on his face. Ron was talking to Harry and Ginny was crouched beside Harry, comforting Lily, who was still upset at being left at home while her brothers and cousin went off to Hogwarts.

"Okay. Let's go." Hermione put a hand on Hugo's shoulder and smiled down at him. She knew that he was anxious to get to Diagon Alley, as he'd been promised a trip to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and his uncle George always made sure that he never left the joke shop empty handed.

"Ready guys?" Ron asked, in a break from his conversation with Harry.

"Yup. Let's go, Daddy!" Hugo exclaimed, bouncing from one foot to the other.

Hermione turned towards Harry, who was now holding Lily in his arms, and Ginny.

"What about you two? Fancy a trip to Diagon Alley with us?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I really wish we could, but Lily's cranky and I think we should just get her home."

"Maybe next time." Harry added, as he gave Ron a slap on the back and Hermione a peck on the cheek as a goodbye.

"Yeah, next time, mate." Ron said as Harry, Ginny, and Lily disappeared through the platform barrier.

Hermione extended her right arm to Hugo. "Hold on tight."

Hugo grabbed his mother's arm excitedly. He loved Side-Along Apparation, for some unexplained reason, and much preferred gripping his parents' arms to using Floo powder or brooms as a means of travel.

"Ready then? Ron, we'll see in you a minute?" Hermione asked as she checked Hugo's grip on her arm.

"Yup. Where do we meet?"

"Let's meet in front of Flourish & Bolts. I want to look for some new books."

Hugo started jumping up and down excitedly upon hearing Hermione's words. He, like his mother and biological father, had a thirst for knowledge and greatly enjoyed reading new books.

"I wanna go to Flourish & Blotts with Mommy! I want to look at new books too!"

Ron sighed as Hugo's display of exuberance for books. Even after everything that had happened on their search for the Horcruxes and Ron admitting that Hermione's vast knowledge of books had greatly enhanced their search, he still preferred other activities to reading. He had hoped that Hugo would Quidditch crazy, much like Ron had been at his age and still was. And Hugo did love Quidditch, he was even quite good at it, although he much preferred reading.

"Fine. I'll make a quick run to Gringotts while you all are in the bookshop."

Hermione nodded, closed her eyes, instructed Hugo to do the same, and concentrated all her energy on Apparating to a spot in front of Flourish & Blotts, which she did a few minutes later.

By the time Hermione had opened her eyes and collected herself after the brief shake that Apparation always gave her, Hugo had taken off into the shop at a dead run, leaving her standing in the street.

She found Hugo a few minutes later in the Magical Creatures section, browsing through books by Newt Schmander. Magical Creatures was another of Hugo's interests, he'd read his copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them so many times that Hermione had resorted to SpelloTape in order to preserve the bedraggled book.

"Hugo, I've told you a thousand times not to take off without me." Hermione said with a touch of exasperation.

"Sorry, Mommy." Hugo mumbled, not taking his attention from the books.

Hermione had to smile. She couldn't scold her son, not when it came to books.

"Ten minutes, okay? Then we've got to go meet Daddy."

Hugo nodded, not even paying attention to his mother.

Ten minutes later, after paying for their purchases (two new books on magical creatures for Hugo and a magical cookbook for Hermione) the duo was exiting the shop, Hugo a few steps ahead, when Hermione suddenly heard him say, "Oh! Excuse me sir! I didn't mean to bump into you."

Hermione looked up, ready to apologize to whoever Hugo had unintentionally trodden upon in his little boy rush and gasped when she saw a pair of black eyes staring back at her.

After eight years, Hermione was face to face with Severus Snape.

"Miss Granger. And your son, I presume?" Snape said, with a sideways look towards Hugo. He looked back at Hermione and the fire in his eyes was unmistakable. He knew, without words, without proof. Severus knew that Hugo was his son.

Oh gods. He knows. Severus knows. What's going to happen now? Hermione wondered as she pressed her lips together and prepared to face her son's father.