Severus had easily found the kitty, and he had returned in less than twenty minutes. He had been speaking with Albus, the cat purring happily in his lap, when Hermione and Draco finally resurfaced. He was pleased to see the girl seemed happy, while he wasn't going to be overly-affectionate he wasn't going to set out to make her life hell. Albus could think what he wanted, he was not going to 'adopt' Hermione like he had 'adopted' Draco. Draco was a different story...he had loved the child as soon as he had laid eyes on him. Hermione would simply a guest, a niece-like surrogate at most. That was all.
0oooooooooooooooooooooooooo0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000oooooooo
"I trust Draco was polite?" Severus asked the girl, watching Crookshanks run and jump into her arms.
"Very much so." She replied earnestly, smiling down at the cat. "Thank you for getting Crookshanks for me, sir." She was polite as always, making her one of the few more tolerable Gryffindor's. Not that there was an over-abundance of them to begin with.
"You are welcome, Miss. Granger." He drawled. "Do you have any questions?"
"What are your rules?" She asked, still standing stock still.
"Hermione- do sit down!" Albus insisted, gesturing at a chair. The girl hesitated for a moment before sinking down into the plush thing.
"For starters," Draco plunged right in, "If you leave your shoes lying about he'll toss them outside."
"Oh!" Hermione's eyes widened and she made a move to get up.
"I already kicked them aside." Draco assured, and Hermione sank back into the chair.
Thank you." She breathed, clearly still uneasy.
"This isn't Hogwarts, Granger." Severus drawled. "There are very few rules and you'll learn them as time goes by."
The girl nodded, and stared down at her cat. Clearly she was still uncomfortable and would be for awhile. He knew she likely wanted to be alone. "Supper will be ready in an hour or so- why don't you go an arrange your room?"
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000oooooooooooo00
The girl had all but ran off when he finished speaking and Severus went to the kitchen to start cooking with Albus at his heels.
"She doesn't seem to be afraid." Albus applauded, clearly pleased with Severus's efforts to be somewhat civil.
"She had no reason to be, unless she angers me." He insisted, pulling out a pan. "More so than usual..." He added.
"It's a start." Albus agreed, grabbing another can of Pepsi from the fridge.
"Is the girl allergic to anything?" Severus asked as Albus sat down on the countertop.
"She has a name, Severus." Albus pointed out, giving him a look that clearly meant he expected Severus to use it. "And not that I know of."
Severus rolled his eyes. "Not that you know of?" He scoffed, shaking his head. "Well...she's nearly a fourth-year, she's old enough to notice if there was anything that would kill her in my food...hopefully."
"Hopefully." Albus smirked. "Well...not planning on killing her is a good start."
"Baby steps, Albus." Severus insisted. "Baby steps."
"Oh!" Albus cried out happily as he clued into what Severus was making. "Fantastic! Lasagna! You know, child, you could have been a master chef instead of a potions master."
Severus rolled his eyes, having had this same conversation at least once a week. Cooking was nearly the same as potions- it only served to reason he was just as great at one as he was the other.
"Can I help with anything, Iceling?" Albus asked, using the pet-name he had given Severus at 11.
"You can make the cheesey-bread. If you promise not to burn it. Again."
"A man makes one mistake and..." Albus muttered, a twinkle in his eye as he grabbed another pan.
"One?" Severus scoffed. "Once is a mistake, Albus. Anything after that is a choice."
"I assure you, my intentions are not to fill your house with the smell of singed bread and the grating sound of those damned fire-detectors you insisted on installing."
Severus shook his head. Albus was usually amused at the things that irritated most people, however, fire detectors were not one of those things that the headmaster was fond of. "They wouldn't go off if you could manage to use the oven properly." He pointed out. "And Draco is a particularly heavy sleeper- he wouldn't just wake up if there was a fire."
"Well, I'd rather listen to banshees screaming than those awful noisemakers."
"Life-saving, awful noisemakers, Albus." Severus corrected. "Perhaps if Hogwarts had them, professor Bins would still be alive..."
"The day those things come to Hogwarts..." Albus muttered.
oooooooooooooooooo000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000oooooooooooo
Hermione had just finished placing everything where she wanted it, and she sat on the stool in front of her vanity. She didn't want to go downstairs just yet...she just wanted a few moments to herself. She'd head down the steps before she was called, not wanting to anger Snape, but it had only been a half hour so she knew she had a few moments. She wished she had chosen to lay on the bed instead, because the moment she had caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror her mood darkened. She was instantly captivated, and not in a good sense of the word. There she was, her flaws displayed back at her. With her stupid bushy hair that refused to be tamed. She scowled as she yanked at a chunk of it, disgusted with its texture. She should just chop it off, hack it all off. She couldn't do that though, it wasn't expected of her. And good little Hermione always did what was expected of her. Even if the expectations seemed way too high at times. She threw her hair back into a plait, not wanting to look at it any longer. She looked carefully at the door to make sure it was locked. She knew if Snape really wanted to get in her could, but she was sure he would at least knock first seeing as she was a girl. That would give her enough time to re-hide the razor she had carefully taped underneath the vanity. No one would ever look there.
Pulling up the sleeve on her right arm she smiled, tugging the knife through the skin and delighting as the warm blood rushed down. It was beautiful- unlike her. She abused that arm for awhile, calming down as she walked. Not bothering to wait for the blood to stop pouring or dry, she pulled her sleeve down. She would have worked on her left arm too, but there wasn't much room at the moment as it was mostly new cuts that hadn't healed yet. When they healed up- then she'd cut over them. She wasn't hurting enough to want to irritate the fresh wounds, so she let them be and carefully retaped the blade beneath the vanity. She closed her eyes for awhile, breathing deeply, before she stood up. She didn't look at the mirror at all as she left her room, and in fact, she was sure she was going to cover it up that night. She didn't need another reminder of her flaws.
0000000000000oooooooooooooooo0000000000000000000000000oooooo
Draco was eagerly sitting on the couch, the smells from the kitchen making his mouth watering. Supper had been ready for ten minutes already, but Severus was waiting for Hermione to come downstairs before he would let anyone eat. It was only polite, after all. Draco didn't fault her, she didn't know yet just how great Severus's food was. If she knew she'd never dawdle so long.
"Should I go get her?" He demanded, watching the television as Albus had, yet again, slipped in Alice in Wonderland. Draco didn't mind at all, it was a great movie and he had spent many a great night cuddling with Severus on the couch watching it. He associated the movie with only good memories, and just the beginning sequence was enough to make him grin. It would be enough to keep his mind off food...at least for a few moments.
"Give her a few more minutes, Dragon." Severus insisted, settling beside him on the couch. "The foods not going anywhere."
"Exactly." Draco drawled. "It should be going in my stomach."
"You make it sound as if I don't feed you." Severus smirked.
"He doesn't!" Draco put on a face of mock pain as he looked at Albus. "He hits me too!"
"You little shit!" Severus muttered, putting him into a mild choke-hold. Draco wiggled wildly, knowing what would be happening. It was futile, Severus tickled him without restraint, keeping on even Draco could hardly breathe.
"I'm going to pee!" He cried, kicking madly. "Stop!"
"Severus! Stop, that's not how you deal with a brat!" Albus mock-scolded. "Have I taught you nothing?"
"No.." Draco begged, knowing what Albus was going to do. His begging went unheeded. Severus held his arms down while Albus tickled his stomach- knowing full-well that it was his most ticklish spot. He kicked madly, close to peeing himself, but they would have no mercy. There was only one way to stop this torture. "Grampa...Dad...please..."
On cue he was released, and he made a beeline for the toilet. Returning he tried his best to glare, but found himself breaking into a chuckle as Severus held up his fingers threateningly. Still panting he gave Severus a pout before pointedly deciding to to walk over to Albus's chair and squeeze in beside him.
"Switching loyalties." Severus put on a look of pain. "What I did to deserve such betrayal."
Draco stuck his tongue out, earning a look of pride and a hug from Albus.
"Yes...everyday I see more and more Gryffindor within you two."
"Excuse me?" Severus demanded. "How dare you speak to me that way and in my own house?"
"With my mouth." Albus replied simply.
"Yes...everyday I see more and more Slytherin in you." Severus retorted.
"Careful, Severus." Albus jokingly warned. "I won't hesitate to put you over my knee."
Draco laughed loudly as Severus stuck out his tongue at Albus. If people from school could see just how soft Severus was, everyone would stop talking shit about him. But he knew Severus would kill him if he even breathed a word about any of these things.
"You two are both brats." Albus laughed.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000ooooooooooooooo00000000000000000000
Hermione finally went downstairs, the smell of the food impossible to ignore any longer. She made certain she was presentable before shuffling into the living room, surprised to see the Dumbledore was still there and that the movie Alice in Wonderland was playing. She stopped short and stared dumbly. She hadn't been expecting any of this.
"Can we eat now?" Draco demanded, his voice eager as he looked at Snape from his perch beside Dumbledore.
"I didn't mean to keep you waiting..." Hermione insisted, worrying that perhaps the only reason Snape was being so polite (kind, even) was that the headmaster was there. Once he left she was fearful Snape would turn on her, and she was just not in the mood to stomach any more criticism.
"You're fine, Granger." Snape drawled, standing up. "Have a seat."
"Yes, sir." She quickly chose a seat on the other end of the couch as Snape disappeared into the kitchen. She was staring at her socks, when he returned minutes later and handed two plates to Draco and Dumbledore.
"What to drink?" Snape asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Pepsi." Dumbledore smiled.
"Milk...Cho-"
Snape cut Draco off. "Chocolate. I know Draco." He actually smirked. "Granger?"
"Oh..um...I'm fine, thank you." She was actually quite thirsty, but she wasn't comfortable enough to ask for anything. Snape gave her a disbelieving look, but headed back into the kitchen anyways. She stared at her socks again, wondering why Draco and Dumbledore hadn't started to eat yet. Draco had clearly been ravenous. She didn't notice when Snape returned, until he spoke up.
"Granger."
She looked up at the silky voice to see Snape holding a plate out to her. She grabbed at the dinnerware that was filled to overflowing with lasagna and slightly burned-at-the-edges cheesy bread. As soon as she had the plate, Snape had held out a cup of chocolate milk. She took that too, and then Snape gave Dumbledore and Draco their drinks as well. He went into the kitchen again and returned with his own plate, and own cup before sinking down on the couch opposite her. Apparently they were eating in the living room that night.
"Thank you." She said gratefully, hardly finishing before Draco was shoveling food into his mouth.
"Eat girl." Snape insisted, noticing that she had yet to touch anything. She frowned. Why they hell did Snape find it so hard to use her name? "Hermione- eat." Snape spoke softer this time, and she sighed inwardly. She could always purge it up, and it did look good. She took a bite of the lasagna and her head swam with delight. She had eaten at plenty fine-dining establishments, and yet she had not had anything nearly as good as the food before her. She ate with relish, but with manners. She had not eaten in days, and her stomach was grateful. She wasn't even worried about her weight right then, she allowed herself the pleasure of guilt-free eating.
"The bread is hardly burned this time." Draco smirked up at Dumbledore. "Good job."
"Oh yes, I do believe I am getting better at using these muggle devices." Dumbledore agreed, as if conversations with Draco were a common occurrence. "Though I do need more time to get used the toaster...I must admit it scared the daylights out of me when it pops up."
"No one ever becomes accustomed to it, Albus." Snape insisted. "It's just how it is."
"If you would just let be alter it with a few charms and the sort..."
"Albus, don't you think I have already tried such things?" Snape pointed out.