J. K. Rowling owns everything! I'm making no money from this!
Severus Snape had been cursed. Tortured. Poisoned. In the two decades that he'd worked as a spy for Albus Dumbledore, his life had been in danger several times. There were nights when he had been summoned before the Dark Lord that he was sure he was not going to live through the night. Nights that he had been sure the hoax was up, his Occulumency was slipping, Voldemort knew that he was a traitor. Many, many times he felt sure that he would not to Hogwarts that night. Not alive, anyway.
But even after everything he'd been through, nothing, nothing could have prepared him for the moment when he saw Hermione Granger again for the first time in eight years. And with a son, no less!
His son, he realized after looking at the boy. The boy couldn't have belonged to Weasley, not with that black hair and those black eyes. No, the boy was his son, and he was hard pressed to believe that no one else had inquired about the boy's paternity, when his looks so blatantly screamed his mother's betrayal.
"Professor Snape. How wonderful to see you after all this time." Hermione said, looking anywhere but in his eyes. Her eyes kept darting towards the boy, as if she expected Severus to reach out and snatch him away-or worse. Reach out and tell him the truth.
"Indeed, Miss Granger. Indeed." Snape said as he stood, firmly planted, arms across his chest, blocking Hermione and Hugo's exit from the shop.
"It's Mrs. Weasley now, if you please, sir." Hermione replied, feeling the battle that would be coming. Perhaps if she started holding her ground now, it would be easier later on, when Snape confronted her face to face, as she knew he would.
Severus raised an eyebrow at Hermione's statement. "Perhaps. But to me you'll always be Miss. Granger. I never forget." He whispered as he brushed past Hermione, leaving the doorway free and disappearing into the shop. Hugo turned to look at his mother, his eyes wide. "Who was that man, Mummy?"
She took a deep breath, still staring at the doorway through which Snape had just disappeared. "Someone I knew from a long time. Come along now, Hugo. It's time we met your father. And I'm sure you're anxious to see what Uncle George has in store for you." Hermione teased, trying to forget what had just happened and the confrontation that she knew was in store for her.
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Hermione was sitting in her office two days later, a letter from Rose in her hands, reading of her daughter's first Hogwarts antics. She'd been sorted into Gryffindor, Rose wrote, along with Albus, much to their relief. Rose wrote of her classes and which ones she liked best (she liked Transfiguration and Charms, but didn't really care for Potions) and of the new friends she'd made. She and Albus had also paid a visit to Hagrid, who'd thrilled them with tales of their parents' antics at Hogwarts. Rose was doing well, it seemed.
Hermione laid the letter on top of her desk and smiled. She was glad Rose was doing well, not that she'd really worried about her. Rose had been an easy child to raise, she was extremely smart and friendly. She'd had had some doubt as to whether Rose would be sorted into Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, but she knew her daughter would be fine wherever she went.
Unlike Hugo, who Hermione feared would one day reveal her betrayal by following in his father's footsteps and being sorted into Slytherin. Of course, Hermione thought, remembering her run in with Snape, that may have already happened.
At that exact moment, an unfamiliar owl swooped into her office, dropped a letter on her desk and swooped out again. Hermione only had to pick the letter up and glance at it to realize the familiar scrawl. She opened the letter, dreading what was inside.
Miss Granger,
I will be apparating to your office in five minutes time. You will permit your wards to admit me, lock your door, and not let anyone interrupt us. If you do not follow my instructions, you will regret it.
Severus Snape
Hermione groaned and covered her face with her hands. She'd known the confrontation was coming, but she'd half hoped Severus would ignore the fact that Hugo was his son and let them all continue living their lives. Obviously, that was not to be.
Instead Hermione waved her wand and muttered that incantation that would dissolve the apparition wards and waited.
It was less than five minutes later when Severus appeared in front of her desk, arms crossed, his familiar scowl firmly in place.
"Hello Severus. I've been expecting you." Hermione said, shuffling the papers on her desk, just to do something.
"Indeed." Severus eyed Hermione, his scowl becoming, if possible, even more pronounced.
"So? What do you want, Severus?"
"I think you know exactly what I want." Severus paused. "That boy. He's my son, isn't he?"
Hermione considered lying. For she knew that once she told the truth, her entire world, along with Hugo and the rest the family, would unravel. But she also knew that Severus would not tolerate her lie.
"Yes. He's yours."
Snape's expression didn't change with Hermione's revelation. Instead, his fingers hand went absently to the scar on his neck where Nagini had bitten him. It was a miracle he was still alive, a miracle they'd been able to save him. A miracle, he'd later learned, that he could attribute almost entirely to Potter and Granger. It was they who'd brought Minerva McGonagall to the Shrieking Shack to find him lying half dead on the floor in a pool of his own blood. It had been weeks before the healers were sure he would survive and even then, it had taken him months to fully recover from the nearly fatal bite. And he would have always had that jagged ugly scare reminding him every time he looked into the mirror.
"Severus. Please. Say something."
Snape brought his thoughts back to the present and looked at Hermione. "He's my son. My son. And all this time you've let that..that..weasel raise him as if he were his son."
Hermione shook her head. "What else was I supposed to do, Severus? Admit to Ron that I'd had an affair? Break his heart and tell him Hugo wasn't his son?"
"Better than to live a lie. And let that boy grow up with a lie as a father."
Hermione's eyes brimmed with tears. "I didn't know what to do. We were only together for one night. I didn't know Ron wasn't the father until Hugo was born."
Snape swallowed back the urge to ask her what she'd thought when she'd realized Hugo was his son. It didn't matter. Not now, anyway.
"Regardless. Hugo is my son and I'll not let him be raised by Weasley any longer."
Hermione gasped. "Severus, no. Don't do this. Don't tear his life apart. Just let him be."
"Don't tear his life apart or don't tear your life apart?" Snape smirked.
"Please." Hermione whispered, dreading what was about to happen.
"No." Severus glanced around the room. "Fortunately for you, I have an appointment I have to keep. We'll continue this discussion. But be forewarned, Grange. I will claim my son."
And with a crack, he disappeared.
Hermione's face sank slowly into her hands, tears seeping onto her cheeks. What would happen now?
Thanks for all the reviews! Sorry it's taken me so long to update! School's ending soon and I'm all wrapped up in finals and such! I don't know when I'll get to update again, but I'll try to make it sometime soon!