Disclaimer:- I neither own nor earn anything from this story. Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of JK Rowling and associates.

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A/N:- Thank you yet again to everyone for your alerts and reviews, it makes my day to know people like what I'm presenting to them.

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Chapter Thirty – Disquiet

Lucius and Severus left the Aurory after speaking to the new witch in charge, Susan Bones. She was someone who had worked hard to stay beyond reproach, especially after her experiences in the war, and had indeed proven honest in Shacklebolt's measures after Potter's disappearance. She had been promoted to her new position as department head just last month.

After being present at some of the more important Veritaserum interviews Severus knew that this witch was not a Potter supporter. She may have started out as one, but Potter had cured her of that by his attitude. This was something that bothered Severus, he actually wondered if Potter—in his work as an Auror—had found an undetectable form of Imperious Curse, because Shacklebolt had sat there and listened to person after person come forward and denounce Potter, but he had still protected him.

Bringing himself back from his thoughts, he looked at his former student. The dewy face that Severus remembered from her school days was gone; she had suffered too. Now there was hardness and tenacity present in her expression. He listened as she said, "I'll come and speak with Ginny when she's feeling up to it, perhaps this afternoon?" and he saw Lucius nod.

Severus' eidetic memory for faces came in very handy when identifying the witches involved in the attack. He named three out of them because he remembered them from Hogwarts. The others he left Pensieve records of so that Susan and her staff could follow it up.

xox

Then it was on to the Burrow, where luck would have it, Molly was not at home.

"You want me to what?!" Ron squeaked, he was still reeling from what they told him had happened to Ginny, and now they wanted him to spill the beans on Harry?

"You vowed and declared not a week ago that you wished to make a difference. Here is your perfect chance," Severus told him with his usual detached coolness.

"Are you, or are you not a Gryffindor?" Lucius queried. "Your sister and her children will not be safe here in England unless the true story comes out, I think it's the least you can do after the pain and suffering you have been party to causing her."

He actually had the audacity to pout and look petulant. "I'm still a bit angry at her for what she said in front of mum the other day."

"None of which was untrue," Severus offered, smoothly.

"How do you know, Snape?" Ron sneered.

"You forget that I have been inside your sister's head, I have seen exactly what she has endured at the hands of you and her ex-husband. Not to mention the reason why I was in there to start with," he took a step towards Ron. "Curing a curse placed there by the same ex-husband."

Ron opened his mouth to speak, but Lucius cut him off. "There is nothing you can say in defence of Potter's actions; he had meant to kill her. He was mad, we know, we've seen that kind of madness before," the blond wizard stated soberly, his steel-grey eyes fixed on Ron's brown ones. "The darkness had consumed him."

They all knew who he was speaking off. "But Voldemort was just an evil git. Harry wasn't…" but his voice trailed off as he realised that his best friend and lover had been that cold and calculating towards the end, even towards him. Despite his resolve to find answers and make a difference, Ron was finding it all very difficult. He flopped unceremoniously into a chair, and sighed. "What do you want me to do?" He was looking up at them with resignation written in his eyes.

Severus and Lucius looked at one another and then they sat down opposite the redhead.

xox

While all this was going on, Hermione had taken Ginny into the kitchen at Wood Cottage. She had the kettle on the stove and she looked at her friend. "What say we have this in the bath, try to relax a bit?"

"I would like that," Ginny agreed as she watched Hermione prepare a tray with tea and biscuits.

"You know, you are as special to me as Lucius is, and what we have between us all is something unique, much more than mere friendship," Hermione told her, smiling gently. "I'm so glad you were not seriously hurt."

Ginny pulled her into a hug and sighed, resting her head on Hermione's shoulder, letting her friend caress her arms and back for comfort. Hermione remained quiet and turned back to the kettle when it boiled. Once the tea was prepared they walked towards the bathroom, the tray hovering along in front of them.

They had just made it up the stairs when a slightly puffed voice called out, "Ginny?"

"Mum," Ginny muttered in surprise, turning around.

There stood an anxious looking Molly in the doorway of the cottage, red-faced and puffing. "Are you all right, Gin?"

Seeing Ginny becoming hesitant at this development, Hermione took charge. "Molly," she said, and sent the tea tray to its destination, placing a stasis spell over it. She turned Ginny bringing her back down the stairs. "How, are you?" Hermione asked Molly, offering her a peck on the cheek.

Hermione frowned when there was no recognition forth coming, and glanced at her friend again. It bothered Hermione that Molly often ignored her presence, and she wondered why, but dismissed her concerns this time. She knew that although things were not rosy between the two redheads she recognised that Ginny needed her mum at the moment, and she was hoping that Molly's arrival heralded a new start for them. The fact that Molly had obviously heard what had happened and come looking for her daughter, told Hermione that the situation wasn't as bad as Ginny thought. "Come to the lounge, I'll go and make some tea," Hermione said, moving forward towards the lounge.

She looked back at Ginny as she followed; she did truly appear to be a little dumbfounded at this development. Hermione pushed Ginny gently towards her mother, whispering, "Let her fuss over you, Gin, you deserve it."

"H-how did you know where to find me?" the redheaded witch asked after what seemed like an age.

"Violet Cummings told me you were here, and how to get here."

"Oh," she muttered, distractedly, but allowed her mother to pull her into a hug.

Seeing this, Hermione turned and went into the kitchen, thinking that maybe Molly had been too distracted to acknowledge her.

xox

When Severus and Lucius returned, they found Hermione busy in the front garden, determinedly stabbing at weeds with her little garden fork. She was wearing a look of someone greatly troubled, and when she saw them, she rose up and ran to Severus.

"Hello, sweet," Severus said, taking her into his arms and sensing that something was bothering her intensely. He kissed her, but she remained silent.

"Where's Ginny, pet?" Lucius asked, concern touched with a hint of steel in his voice.

Severus' eyes narrowed at his friend, but he waited for Hermione's explanation. Hermione kept hold of Severus' hand and turned to Lucius, offering him a kiss of welcome as well. "Ginny's inside, Molly's with her. They have been talking now for almost an hour, I thought they needed some mother, daughter time she I left them to it."

"Oh," they saw Lucius' face visibly relax. He took Hermione's face in his hands, and kissed her again. "I'm sorry, pet; I must have sounded abrupt before."

"That's understandable, you left Ginny in my care," and she smiled slightly, and brought her other hand up to cover Severus' arm that had just slid around her waist.

Lucius thought that she was very hesitant in her attitude, and this concerned him, but he answered her honestly. "I was more concerned that she might have gone off thinking she was all right despite your concern."

"I would not have allowed her to do that either. I had taken up Severus' bath idea and had decided to keep her here and occupied until you returned. However, Molly came before that and she has occupied her."

"You're a good girl, pet, a very special witch," Lucius told her, kissing her forehead.

She tried to smile at him, but he noticed that she was also holding tightly to Severus. "I have cold drinks ready under our willow trees," she told them, in a decidedly quivery voice. "You can tell me all about what you've been up to," but she bit her lip. "Although, I guess you'll want to go and sit with Ginny?"

Severus noticed her distress also and he tightened his arms around her. It was only natural that this incident would make her feel insecure, but he wondered if something else had happened as well.

Lucius stroked her cheek. "You know that we," he motioned between himself and Severus, "would not let anything happen to you, or Ginny. Ginny only ran in to trouble because she went off on her own without one of us with her." He watched Hermione nod, her lip still lodged in her teeth. He smiled slightly, "I'll see you both when she's finished talking to Molly," he said, taking a step towards the house.

Severus nodded and started leading Hermione around the back. She had become even quieter. Banishing his heavy robes, and transfiguring his shirt and trousers into a tee-shirt and old soft, somewhat holey jeans as they walked, he didn't loosening his grip on Hermione, just encouraged, "Talk to me, little one."

She sighed, but remained silent as they walked, and when Severus sat down in the shade and pulled her into his lap, she buried her head in the crook of his neck just taking comfort from him. Her thoughts were all jumbled, what had happened to Ginny had scared her. She hadn't thought about it while she was comforting Ginny, but when she started weeding the garden her brain began reflecting on it. Then there was Molly's attitude towards her when she had arrived, like she still didn't exist.

Taking a deep breath Hermione crumbled, "I can't do it anymore," and she sniffed, "No matter how many times I think I'm over it, somebody always manages to bring it back to the surface. I'm torn, Sev. I don't think I want to go back to Hogwarts, but I don't want to be without you if I retire early and you go back," and she hiccupped slightly.

"Shhh," Severus encouraged, tightening his arms around her. Internally he cursed yet again the damage that had been inflicted on his beautiful wife. "If you do not go back, then we will relinquish our rooms there completely, and I will only go back as a day teacher. I promised Minerva a year, so I will give that to her. She will understand if you need a break, besides I can find her a competent replacement easily before term starts back."

Hermione looked up at him with teary eyes. "Are you thinking of Matilda, from Prince Potions?"

He smiled at her. "As astute as ever, my love," and he kissed the end of her nose, making her giggle.

"I think she would be perfect for the job," Hermione said, snuggling back down and wiping her eyes. "She's ready for a change."

Matilda Mason had just turned sixty and she reminded Hermione of a slightly younger and taller, dirt-free Pomona Sprout. Her family were grown and her Muggle-born husband had died in the war. Hermione had taken an instant liking to the witch. The first time they met they had hit it off like a house on fire, and now they talked—often going for coffee or lunch—every time she visited the Arithmancy department of Severus' company, the headquarters of which were in Paris.

"You know, once we've finished having babies, I think I might like to do something like Matilda's job in your company," Hermione mused after several minutes.

"Our company, sweet." Hermione's head came up. "As my wife you own half now," Severus reminded her, and kissing her he told her, "And in time whatever job you want is yours, however, at the moment I am most content for you to concentrate on just being Madam Hermione Snape, beautiful, pregnant witch."

"I love you; you know exactly how to make me feel secure," and she attempted to snuggle in closer to him, even though she was already against him.

This made him chuckle, as she wriggled closer. "And I you, sweet, you'll become more confident."

"I hate how things can still un-nerve me."

"Mya, it took time—many years in fact—to recover from the damage my childhood, schooling and early years as a Death Eater caused me, and that's not even mentioning what Albus bloody Dumbledore inflicted on me." He kissed her head, and smiled down at her. "Then along came this gorgeous, feisty Gryffindor witch. I fell in love with her at the absolute worse time in my life and even after all the horrible things I'd said and done to her, she saved me. You," he gave her a longer kiss. "You, my darling girl were the beginning of my salvation, and then my friendship with Lu was my saving grace. Once we were away from the torment in England we helped one another out of the prisons we had put ourselves in." Their kiss this time was longer and more heated. "I never forgot you though, you were always there in the back of my mind, and I'm intensely sorry that I did not come back before I did. You did not deserve what happened to you, and you were completely powerless to prevent it." He took a deep breath. "What I'm saying, sweet, is that the only thing that will cure you is time… and probably distance, don't fret, we will do this together, and we will do whatever makes you comfortable now. Our baby's wellbeing… both of you, is far more important to me than anything else."

"Oh, Sev, that was beautifully said," and she pulled his head down to meet hers. Hermione never tired of kissing Severus. She loved everything about it, from the taste of him and the sexy way he breathed while he was kissing her, to the sweep of his talented tongue in her mouth and the little groans he stifled in the back of his throat.

After a breathtaking kiss, Severus brushed his lips across hers. "You know," and he moved back a little so he could see her. "The fact that only a few people realise the extent of your suffering is actually a blessing, we can take a step back now and just help Lu from the background."

"Why do you think no one but Minerva, Luna, Neville and Hagrid ever worked out what was happening." She bit her lip a moment, "I mean Kingsley, used to… well what he did never did much. It was like he was only shaking his finger at them."

"That's exactly what he was doing; they had a strong repelling charm on you. That's why most people didn't see you, you were invisible to them, only witches and wizards who had an abstract perception, like Mrs Longbottom and Hagrid, or those who were stronger magically than the caster were immune to its effects."

"Oh," Hermione said in a huff. "So that explains why people didn't react when they insulted me, and why I could never get a job outside of Hogwarts." She sighed, "And why Neville used to know I was there, but often seemed to look straight through me. Molly still does, she looked straight through me again today."

"Mmm, that's typical Molly I'm afraid, she's like a dog with a bone, especially where one of her children is involved, and her recognition of you will fluctuate. The same with Mr Longbottom, his magic fluctuates with his level of comfort in a situation, so yes, that's quite possible, and Shacklebolt?" Severus sneered, "Well, he's not a very strong leader, regardless of his bearing and confidence. His words would have rolled off Weasley and Potter, like water off a duck's back. In fact, if you're not working next term I have a project for you now that the mirror project is complete."

"What?"

"I want you to research different types of cohesion spells. I believe that Shacklebolt may have been subject to something like an Imperious Curse. Would that interest you?"

"Oh yes," Hermione said, as some of the sparkle came back into her eyes. "Also, we need to take a trip to that room to see if the rest of those books are there. We still haven't done that."

"Books?"

"You know the erotic ones from Binn's office."

"Oh yes," he laughed. "What made you think of that?"

She shrugged coyly. "A small sideways leap of my brain, when you mentioned research."

"You are incorrigible," he laughed.

They sat in silence for a time, but then Hermione said, "Not even Dumbledore's portrait could speak to them once you and Lu started making waves on my behalf."

"Sweet, a portrait has no magic anymore, so the curse made them ignore even the most powerful wizard they knew."

She pondered all that they had discussed, and finally said, "But the children I taught could see me."

Severus' brow furrowed slightly, and he looked into the distance, obviously thinking. Finally, he said, "I'm not so sure about that one. It could be a child's acceptance of things that adults tell them are real," he shook his head. "I'm not sure, Mya."

"You think I was like Father Christmas to them?"

"Perhaps, as I said, I'm not certain."

"It's all very sad really, isn't it? And not just for me," she added, but then her brow furrowed. "But how come, after Bellatrix died, the curse didn't die with her, like most magic does."

"Because it was tied to the house of Black, therefore Narcissa, Andromeda and even Draco and Dora perpetuated it without knowing. That's why they had to be the ones to cure it. I could facilitate the cure, but they had to cast the counter-curse."

"Oh…" she snuggled back into the crook of his neck. "I think you should kiss me again," she murmured, changing the subject.

Severus grinned and lifted her chin, making her smile and giggle as his mouth came down to hers again.

When this couple focused on one another it was a wonder to behold. Hearing that it was quiet when they approached, Lucius cleared his throat to herald them before he and Ginny stepped through the weeping branches of the willow that hid them from the rest of the world. It was merely a courtesy, he knew they were free to enter, it wouldn't matter what their friends were doing they would do it in front of them. There were no secrets between their quartet. He glanced at Ginny, Or so I thought, she very standoffish all of a sudden.

Severus opened an eye lazily when he heard Lucius, and they ended their kiss. "I know, list," the raven-haired wizard said, placing one last kiss on Hermione's lips and encouraging her head back down to his shoulder.

Hermione smiled at the gesture and started nibbling his ear. Severus steadfastly ignored her as he watched Lucius sit in the two seater lounge next to their chair. Severus thought he looked troubled, and he stiffened when Ginny curled up next to him. There was something wrong, and Severus gently pulled his head away from Hermione's attentions, although he was glad that she was so caught up in him that she had missed the signs. "Later, my love," he whispered, and rubbed her backside softly. He just hoped that he could keep her oblivious; she didn't need any more upset.

He then set about playing host and served them all with a cool drink with a swish of his wand, to try lighten the mood, which seemed suddenly very full of tension.

After wiggling her backside into Severus' crotch in retaliation for him stopping her ministrations on his neck, Hermione turned to Ginny, and asked brightly, "How did it go?"

The redhead nodded. "Yeah, fine," was all she said.

Severus could have sworn that she had sneered at Hermione, and sensed that the problem centred around the redhead somehow, and he wondered what was going on. She usually didn't hold things back. His eyes flicked to Lucius', and he saw that he still hadn't relaxed and there was a minute furrow in his brow now as well.

Hermione still didn't seem to notice, although she was very distracted at present, and Severus listened as his wife started the discussion they needed to have.

"We all agree that our major priority is James well-being," she said, "So we need the public to see that even if they don't like us, that the children have no blame in things." Hearing an almost inaudible scoff, Hermione quickly looked at Ginny, "And I'm not saying that you do, but people are stupid sometimes, and I'm not sure they're going to believe what Ron says without evidence. It was like Skeeter's book, 'The Life And Lies Of Albus Dumbledore', people just didn't believe most of it, because Dumbledore was such a hero to them. I think we will find the same thing will happen with Harry Potter.

"Of course you'd know, wouldn't you," Ginny said, her smile just a bit too quick, and there was a hard edge to her voice.

Severus rubbed Hermione's arm. "That's a very good point, love," he commented, narrowing his eyes at the redhead.

"I think that the easiest way to make him safe would be to enrol him somewhere else," Ginny then announced. "I am heartily sick of the English attitude. May be it's time to move somewhere else and just forget difficult people," and her eyes lingered on Hermione.

What the fuck? Severus thought. She was Mya's friend earlier, and now… He cast a silent, Legilimens and slipped into her mind, after having such extensive access to it while he cured the curse he knew just where to enter so she wouldn't notice. What he saw startled him. Molly was telling Ginny not to trust Hermione. That there was something sinister about her, the redhead was telling her daughter that Hermione was a freak, not normal, and that she thought that she was all together too attached to Lucius. That there was something weird going on there, the stupid witch had said, you mark my words. His mind repeated its earlier epitaph, and he slipped back out, but he had to fight the anger that he felt rising up in him. Merlin help the silly little bint if she repeats any of that trash to Mya… I'll kill bloody Molly Weasley, she always was an idiot, and after everything we've done for her. He sighed quietly, and Ginevra's not much better, he pondered. As far as I'm concerned she could never be one of us if she could think this about Hermione so easily.

Hermione heard his sigh and looked up at him with a questioning look. He tightened his arms around her and forced a quiet smile to his lips as he kissed her temple and they heard Lucius' next comment.

"You are forgetting, love, that James finally has friends, and we have worked hard to make him feel secure. All that work will be undone if we up and move him somewhere else."

Ginny looked up at Lucius, anger in her expression. "Of course you wouldn't think my idea was any good, we have the money, I don't see the problem."

Lucius' expression changed to confusion, and then hardened. "I am merely being practical," he told her, sitting up even straighter. "I think the measures I have taken will be enough. I have set it up so that several well known people will corroborate Weasley's story, via the use of Pensieve records, so people will believe him." Lucius told them, before taking a breath and looking back at a still belligerent looking Ginny.

Severus wondered briefly if perhaps on top of what her mother had said to her, if the girl had hit her head this morning, because she seemed to be going out of her way to be petulant and childish.

Trying to steer the conversation back to its subject, Hermione asked quietly. "What do you think would be the best thing to say first, Lu?"

Lucius' eyes turned to Hermione, she looked so damned vulnerable again, and he wasn't certain of what Ginny was up to, but she was way out of line. He smiled slightly at her in encouragement. "Practically speaking the things that would most quickly alienate Potter from the wizarding population's good books are slips that he was a werewolf, and that Shacklebolt covered this fact up."

Hermione was quick to then say, "But haven't the Lupins got an adopted son starting with Teddy this year who's a Lycan? We have to word it in such a way that it doesn't put the fight for werewolf rights back. Minerva has worked so hard to get things organised, and he deserves the chance to go to Hogwarts. Mrs Creevey is also excited because Ester will be going to Hogwarts the year after."

Ginny sat bolt upright, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Are you saying that some kids we don't even know are more important than my James?"

"No," Hermione exclaimed, shocked that Ginny would think that. "All children are just as important as each other; you can't say one has greater needs than another. We should protect, nurture and care for every one of them in the same way, that's the whole premise of the homes I've set up. All children need caring adults to be there for them."

Ginny's eyes were narrowing further. "I still think you are saying that James isn't as important."

"I'm not," and Hermione huffed, but Ginny had the typical pig-headed Weasley nature, she retaliated with nastiness and accusation.

Hermione's expulsion of air was like a red flag to a bull. "Oh you're such a smartarse, miss-I'm-always-bloody-right. You're just a freak!" the redhead spat, only realising her mistake after the words had left her mouth, and seeing her closest female friend crumble under the remark. Only then did she realise exactly how wrong her mother had been, but the damage was done.

Severus had heard enough, and he intervened swiftly; no one upset Hermione when he was around. "This conversation is at an end. I do not know what has gotten into you, Ms. Weasley, well I do actually," and he sneered, "But I will not countenance anyone speaking to Hermione like that; we are supposed to be friends, therefore I will not hex you, but I will offer you a piece of advice. Moderate your language, you know the circumstances, and you also know Hermione's views on werewolves and the rights of magical creatures, and that she would never place one child in front of another. Don't you think it's about time you grew up, or is this as grown up as a Weasley gets?"

As he was talking, Severus rose from his seat still holding a shocked Hermione close to him, and he apparated them both away.