Author's Note: I'm not sure how I even feel about this chapter, but it's here, and it's short. So that's a good thing, right?
Chapter 4: Biscuits and Manipulation
He felt an odd sense of déjà vu when he walked past Hermione's room in the middle of the night only to hear two voices talking quietly. Though he was not a nosy boy anymore, he was still a curious man, spying having taught him that information was never an unwelcome surprise. He stopped at the outside of the door, hidden away in the shadows of the night. Though the door was not open, Severus' proficient hearing let him understand what was being said.
"You shouldn't stress yourself out right away, Hermione. You're barely back in your own time," Lupin gently said.
"Yes, but I've been thinking about it since I was in the past. That spell was full-proof, Remus. It was one demonstration away from getting patented. It should not have screwed up that badly. I am not a brash person, and I would never have thought to have Draco perform the spell on me if I thought that there was even a possibility that it might backfire in any way."
"Have you considered the possibility that-"
"I trust Draco. He's grown into an honest, responsible, trustworthy man. He is not evil."
"Okay. I honestly don't know then, but I do know that you should take a break from fighting evil. You've just come back from fighting your second war in a row," Lupin teased.
"It's not like I have anything else to focus on… like a relationship," she muttered darkly.
Severus felt his stomach lurch uncontrollably. It was evident from her voice that she wanted a relationship to work on, and he was intelligent enough to infer that she was talking about him.
He could hear sighing, and he wasn't sure whether it came from Hermione or from the wolf. Either way, the frustration practically leaked out of the room.
"I don't know what to tell you, Hermione," was Lupin's only response.
"I know. I love him, Remus, and I wish that I could have told him I was from the future. Maybe he wouldn't have given up on me then. Maybe he would've waited. What a fool I was to expect him to not move on," Hermione now sobbed, her voice cracking.
He hadn't given up on her. He still loved her.
"It's not your fault nor is it his. You've seen only a fraction of what his life has been like. He was never a happy boy, but life has hardened him, I fear, irreversibly."
"I don't believe that. I can't believe that. Maybe it's rash and immature, but right now it feels like I will always love him like I do now. Maybe when it's been 20 years for me, I'll be different. For now, all I can do is blame myself because it's easier that way."
Severus closed his eyes and put his hands at the bridge of his nose reflexively. If he hadn't read so much Rand as a child, he might have believed that fate was being cruel to him. He never overheard as many conversations between two people as he did between Lupin and Granger. They talked excessively and openly, and he wished that they didn't.
He spent a short part of his life falling in love with the Muggleborn witch and spent a great part of his life trying to forget about her. Then, he spent more years trying to ignore her or berate her. Now, he had to continue to do that for no logical reason other than the fact that life wasn't fair.
It had been too long. He was old and broken, and she was young. She would move on. She was a bright witch, without a doubt, and would be better off with someone like Thomas or Boot. He knew it would hurt to see her with other men as it had with Weasley, but he would get through it.
It would be more difficult now with her confession, but it was still possible.
"I think you fell for him because he was like you. You felt alone when you came, and he did, too. You're not alone here, Hermione, and there are plenty of people to get along with. I think you'll find love here easier than you'd expect though I suppose that's not easy to hear."
No, it definitely wasn't. Lupin confirmed Severus' fears. She would move on easily, and he would once again have to deal with watching her fall in love.
"You expect me to get back together with Ron, then?" She asked sourly.
"Heavens no, Hermione. Ron was puppy love- a childhood crush. You two have nothing in common besides physical chemistry. You know that I care a great deal about Ron and respect the man he has become immensely, but he is not an intellectual match for you. He is not the wittiest of men and often rash while you, my dear, have the sharpest tongue of anyone I know and think everything through many too many times."
"He's not stupid," she huffed out. Severus had to hide his snickers. He begged to differ.
"No, that he is not. I wasn't implying that. I was simply stating that you are freakishly intelligent and will be bored unless you have someone to butt heads with. It's why you and Ron lasted at all and why you and I never would've worked."
"Remus, I…" She trailed off, her voice sad.
"No need to apologize. I've had many years to deal with it and have found a love of my own." The wolf calmly stated, and Severus could practically hear the smile in his tone as he thought about the clumsy Auror with an affinity for pink hair.
"I'm glad. I hated that I couldn't return your feelings especially since you were my best friend," she confided.
"As did I. However, time heals most wounds. I think yours will heal with time if Snape doesn't get his head out of his ass." Lupin snickered.
"Language, Remus!" She cried in a shocked tone.
"An old man can state the truth, can't he?" Lupin laughed.
"You are not old! You're still young by Wizarding standards and as handsome as you were when you were seventeen," Hermione said firmly.
"Only because you, Harry, and Nymphadora make me feel young. Speaking of feeling young, Teddy's learning how to walk."
Severus took this as a cue to step away from the shadows and walk toward the stairs at the other end of the hall. He didn't care about the little teal-haired, shape-shifting child. It would've at least been a little interesting had he been born with his father's curse. Oh, how he would love to hold the potion-making process over Lupin's head. Of course, he would never intentionally make a baby suffer, but he liked to pretend he would. Fear was the easiest way to get respect and in his opinion, the most efficient.
The stairs still creaked as Severus walked down them. It would've been quite simple to repair them with magic, but Potter insisted that the house be kept in original condition (sans the portrait of Black). There were oodles of new charms on the house with Potter as its secret keeper, and it was a safe haven for the Order. Potter, himself, didn't live there so he let everyone have a free run of the place. It was also, obviously, used as Order Headquarters.
"Severus, my dear boy, you're still awake!" cried the shrill voice of Molly Weasley as Severus entered the kitchen. Her still bright red hair bounced around her chubby face as she walked to the stove.
"You don't have to get me-"
"Have some tea to go with the biscuits, Dear. You're getting far too skinny. I know that you don't feed yourself well at home-"
"I feed myself just fi-"
"-but I cannot let you go without a decent meal under my watch. Have a seat while I heat up the biscuits."
"Thank you, Molly," Severus said as he refrained from rolling his eyes at the elderly witch. He knew that there was no way out of eating at least two or three biscuits. The woman could mother a basilisk into submission.
"You're quite welcome," she said, setting down the now magically heated food items. She sat down across the table from Severus, stirring her tea idly.
There was an atypical tense silence between the two. Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth and closed it several times, pursing her lips.
"Severus, may I be frank?"
He considered the question for a moment before nodding. He could easily guess what she would question him about.
"What went on between you and Hermione?"
Severus took a knife and dipped it into the raspberry jam, smearing it onto his food, thinking about an answer. He knew Molly Weasley was sharp despite her affinity for playing dumb. There was no way she could've produced smart children such as Percy Weasley and Ginevra if she wasn't.
"We had relations in the past," he answered simply, shrugging it off. He knew that he couldn't lie to the elder woman, and even if he could, he had no reason to. She was not one to judge. She certainly was nosy though.
"I see. It's as I thought then. And what now?"
"Nothing," he answered, taking a bite.
"Too bad, Dear. It's time for you to be happy, and my Hermione certainly is smitten with you."
Severus wasn't clear on what his reaction to that should be. Shock? Outrage? Anger? He simply stared at Molly, his beady black eyes searching hers while his face and body remained impassive.
"I have the right to meddle a little, and you can't tell me that you haven't noticed her blatant affection for you. It's clear as day," she chastised as if he had done something wrong. "I know you better than quite a few people do, and I know your feelings are very raw. I think perhaps you should think about pursuing a relationship with Hermione. I have a feeling she'll need it, and I know for a fact that you do."
"You can't tell me that you approve of what happened between us even though you do not know the full extent of it."
"And why not? You were both of age to decide who you wanted to date, and I see no evidence that it has scarred you irreversibly."
"And what now? I would not be able to make her happy nor do I know if I want to deal with a relationship. I don't think I'm capable of successfully maintaining one."
"Oh pish. I do not for one second believe that. I think you're a coward, afraid of getting hurt."
Severus' eyes flashed dangerously, hinting at the rage he felt. "I do not know where you got the idea that you could insult me so openly, Molly."
"Is it an insult if it's true?" She challenged, dropping her friendly attitude.
"How dare you, woman?!"
"Prove me wrong then."
And then he kicked himself for being so easily manipulated. While Severus was still in shock that such a traditional witch of Pureblooded heritage could approve of such an affair, he definitely gave Molly Weasley credit for backing him into a corner.
She was right though. Maybe he was a coward.
He pondered this thought for a second before putting on his best Slytherin smirk, sweeping out of the room, a purple biscuit still in his hand.
Severus was out of sight before a red-headed non-Weasley stepped out from the pantry doors and sat in Severus' vacated chair. Molly Weasley sighed when Bade sat down.
"You were brilliant, Molls," Bade whispered.
"I just hope you're right and this works. If it doesn't, both of them are in for pain that I'm not sure they can handle."
"Don't worry. I've got it under control."
Molly's worried face turned into a smile. She trusted Bade Hudson. He was a clever young man.
A now not-worried Molly Weasley summoned herself a knife and helped herself to a biscuit. She deserved it, after all.