A/N: Hello everyone. Thank you all for the funny and wonderful reviews, I haven't had time to respond to most of them yet. I see many of you are anxious to see how this discussion goes, a few expecting hexes to go flying, others just waiting patiently with grins on your faces. I have done my best not to disappoint you with how I wrote this. Take care everyone and as always, Please Read and Review.
Special Thanks to my two lovely Beta's, KristineThorne and PandaHeart. You ladies are amazing, thank you so much for all your hard work.
Chapter 38
Severus let go of her hand in the kitchen when she pulled out of his grasp and headed to the refrigerator to get a glass of juice. He took a seat closest to the end of the long oval table near the appliances. He noticed the glasses of fire-whiskey at each seat that were filled three fingers deep. It seemed Minerva realized all would need it by the end of the night.
Severus watched as she poured her glass, putting the jug back, drinking it down, before coming back to the table. When she started walking by him, he snagged her waist and pulled her onto his lap. She quickly met his eyes with her own wide and startled ones.
She couldn't believe he was doing this when Harry and Ron didn't have a clue about them being a couple. This wasn't how she had planned on filling them in on it either.
What are you doing? She quickly thought, knowing he was scanning her thoughts.
Not hiding. Why? Are you? He pushed back at her.
No. But I planned on easing into it with them. They won't take it well this quick. She thought back.
They can deal with it. I love you, and I'm not hiding it and neither should you. You have nothing to be ashamed of and neither do I. He pushed back at her, taking her hand under the table.
She didn't get a chance to think anything else for him to read. At that moment she heard two gasps only seconds before Harry started shouting.
"What the bloody hell are you doing in his lap?" Harry yelled at her, jumping out of his seat as Ron stared with his mouth gaping in silence.
Hermione sighed and squeeze Severus' hand to keep him quiet. "Harry, a lot has happened since I left. Let me start at the beginning."
"No, you start with why you're sitting in Snape's lap. You hate Snape. Or at least you did. What the hell is going on, Mione? You disappear and we frantically search for you and then McGonagall brings us to some strange house where we find that not only are you fine, you're hanging out with people that we've all thought were dead. You couldn't seem to be bothered with telling us that they weren't dead either. Now you're sitting in the lap of a man we all hated. What the hell, Mione?" He snapped at her.
She felt Severus stiffen, heard a low growl escaping him, and caught his other hand to keep him from throwing the hex she knew he probably was about to. She was angry as well at Harry's outburst.
"Harry Potter, you blithering jackass, you will not speak to me in that manner. I am your friend and deserve some respect. If you want any answers from me you will sit down, shut up, and listen. Otherwise, you can sit there wondering what all has happened and hope these other people will be nice enough to fill you in on it. Because if you don't sit there and keep damn your trap shut, I won't tell you a bloody thing." She snarled at him.
Harry looked like he was about to say more when Sirius jumped in. Doing his best to keep his voice calm so the situation didn't get any worse. "Harry, listen to her. She has been through a lot since you last saw her. I know it only seems like an hour or two to you, but it's been a lot longer than that for her. Now sit. And don't insult her again. She's not the only one at this table that would hex the living shit out of you for it. We owe her a lot and none of us will stand for it. Do you understand?"
Harry gritted his teeth, but sat down. He still glared at her, but at least stayed silent. Ron finally closed his mouth and stayed quiet too.
Hermione sighed again, grateful for Sirius for siding with her. She saw him send her a smile and wink when she met his eyes. She gave him a small smile in return before facing her friends again.
"After you guys knocked me out, I woke up and didn't know where I was. I thought it was you guys standing over me, but it wasn't. Remus took me to the hospital when I blacked out again, but I didn't know it was him as a teenager. I thought I was still in the year two thousand. My vision was blurred and doubled, plus everyone sounded like they were underwater. I didn't realize the voices didn't match who I thought they were. I ended up passing out again." She said looking at Harry.
Hermione took a breath. "I asked Remus to lay down with me like he used to, because I was cold and he did…but he didn't want to. When I came to again I scared the hell out of him by yelling that he wasn't Remus. I still thought I was in my own time. I grabbed my wand and kept it ready to use and backed up to find you guys. That's when I bumped into Severus, literally. He caught me to keep me from falling and when I saw him…I knew it was him, even though he was younger. Then, I saw Dumbledore, and Sirius, and your mum and dad."
Harry gasped. "You saw my parents?"
Hermione smiled. "Only for a moment. I blacked out again from the shock and Severus caught me again. When I came to once again, Dumbledore and Minerva were talking and after much confusion we figured out what happened. That man always was too smart; I still don't know how he knew half of what he did." She said softly in remembrance. Though she was sure her memories helped a bit with what he always seemed to know.
Severus squeezed her hand to give some comfort, which she was grateful for. She took another breath and went on with her story. Telling them about talking to Dumbledore and creating a cover story so it wouldn't affect the time line now. Severus listened, not knowing all the details himself. He was surprised at a few things, understanding now more than he had about what all she had told everyone and why. Though he had come to many conclusions himself on most of it.
She told Harry and Ron about getting to spend time with the Marauders and Lily. Told them about how she constantly wanted to kill Peter, knowing what he would do, but knowing too the damage it would cause if she did. She talked of befriending Severus, wanting a chance to get to know the man she had grown up fearing slightly, while still respecting. Finding he wasn't as bad as they all had thought over the years. She told of getting to know them all.
During her story, Remus showed up and quietly took a seat as he listened. Harry and Ron saw he wasn't the least bit surprised to see the suddenly living people in the house, but kept quiet about it.
She explained that the more she got to know Severus, the more she liked him. Explained about them becoming friends in his younger days. Told them about stopping James from humiliating him, knowing Harry and Ron knew about it already.
Harry stopped her. "I saw that memory." The comment making Severus growl in annoyance, he remembered the boy slipping into his mind by accident during their Occlumency lessons.
Harry frowned. "I saw a girl stop it, but I didn't see her face. I only saw long brown hair that hung down her back as she yelled at dad. That was you?"
Hermione smiled, squeezing Severus' hand again. She had known about what Harry saw, though the memory obviously had changed a bit since she had seen it last. "Yes, that was me. I couldn't let them do that to him. It was cruel."
Remus sighed. "That it was. You were right Hermione. I still feel guilty about all the things we did to him. I know James did as well. He used to tell me that he would make sure to tell his son about the awful things he did and make sure his son didn't do anything like that to anyone. Only he never got to."
Hermione smiled as tears filled her eyes at missing her two other friends. She forced them away and continued her story, even as Severus slipped his arms around her waist to give comfort. He knew she had loved them and knew she missed them, as well as felt guilt still over them dying.
She told them about what Peter had done to lure her down to the Whomping Willow, earning growls from all three older men. Severus had known, but Remus and Sirius was just learning of it now.
Sirius jumped up. "He's why you went down there that night? I've been trying to figure it out for years. Once I knew who you were, I didn't understand why you'd go down and risk Remus attacking you. Why didn't you tell us? We would have killed the little rat."
Hermione reached over and took his hand, trying to calm him enough to get him to sit back down. "That's why. Don't you think I wanted to kill him too? I probably would have if Severus hadn't stopped me. I caught Peter alone the next time I saw him and had my wand at his throat. Ready to torture the hell out of him before I killed him too. Severus didn't say a word, but seeing him standing there, seeing the utter shock on his face, it made me pause long enough for reason to get in. I knew I couldn't kill him, even though every fiber of my being itched to do it."
Severus smirked at the memory. "It would have been one agonizing torture if she did what she was thinking about at the time too." He said, pulling Hermione back against his chest more.
Harry noticed him doing it, but held his tongue about it. "Why did you stop? If he would have died, he wouldn't have betrayed my parents." Harry paused as a new thought hit him, filling him with rage.
His eyes blazing as he looked at Hermione. "You knew what he would do. Why didn't you stop him? Why didn't you warn them? Why did you let them die, Mione?"
Hermione gasped at his words and Severus snarled, even as he held her tighter to him knowing Harry's words mirrored her own guilt about it. Trying to give comfort for the pain the boys words caused "You little idiot, don't think she wanted to? Do you not think that she would have saved them if she could?"
Sirius joined in as well. "Harry, she couldn't stop it. It would have changed the time line and Voldemort would have lived. What do you think our world would be like if he hadn't been gone for all those years?"
Harry glared at Sirius. "She stopped you all from dying. That didn't seem to change anything. Why not save them too? They could have hid here with the rest of you all. We could have found a way to destroy Voldemort too. She was just too selfish to save anyone that wasn't for her. How can anyone who claims to be my friend let my parents die without even a second thought?"
Hermione felt a tear slip down her cheek as Severus growled again. She looked at Harry. "I loved James and Lily. Do you think I didn't want to save them? Do you think I didn't beg Dumbledore to help me save them? Do you think I didn't agonize to find a way? There was no way, Harry."
Harry scoffed. "Maybe you didn't try hard enough."
Remus had enough, he hadn't been present for everything, but he wasn't going to sit by while Harry desecrated Hermione with his accusations. "Harry, do you really think Dumbledore would have let them die if there was another way. It took your mother sacrificing herself to stop Voldemort that night. If he had lived, his army would have been stronger and we would have lost. There was no way to save them and kill Voldemort. Don't you dare blame Hermione for any of this. You wouldn't have been able to save them either without starting some kind of chain reaction that would have led to us losing the war. We all wanted James and Lily to live, and we all understand why they couldn't."
Minerva had been silent up until this moment. She saw the tears on Hermione's cheeks, saw Severus trying to comfort her even as he fought his own anger. Saw Sirius and Remus trying to keep themselves from harming the boy as well. All three men loved Hermione dearly.
"Harry James Potter, I'm ashamed of you." She said, drawing the boy's attention. "You have no idea what that woman has been through while she was gone. You don't know the heartache she had over thinking she lost everyone she had come to love. She knew she couldn't change anything. She couldn't stop your parents' deaths, she couldn't warn them, or Sirius, or Severus who she fell in love with and cared deeply for. She was ready to come back to be alone just to keep the time line in place. She knew what was at risk. She begged Dumbledore to help her save everyone. It was impossible to save them all. Those that are here are only here because of what she shared with Dumbledore and myself."
Minerva stood to her full height, glaring at the young man before her. "You call her selfish? You dare to judge her? A selfish woman would have warned the man she loved to save him, no matter the cost. A selfish woman would have warned all of her friends that she cared deeply for to save them all, no matter what it changed. She took all of this and placed it upon her shoulders, when she didn't have to, and saved our world from changing into something horrible and terrifying. You dare call yourself her friend when you sit there blaming her for things beyond her control?"
Harry swallowed as he took in all the angry faces around him. Even Fred was glaring at him. He saw Hermione had turned into Severus as he held her while she cried on his shoulder. Cried for not being able to save them all. Cried at his hurtful words of blame.
Harry felt his own eyes stinging. "I don't understand why they had to die. I only had a year with them and now…I've had to go on all on my own, with no one really. I know I had Remus and the Weasley's…but I didn't have anyone who was my family."
Hermione turned back to face Harry, her eyes swollen and red from her tears. She had noticed that he had left her out of his statement, but she forced her heartache at it away. "Harry, all of us are your family. Blood doesn't matter. Didn't the war teach you anything? This whole mess was over blood. Nothing more. Voldemort wanted a world of pure bloods, but he didn't see the truth and neither do you. Blood doesn't matter. We're your family because we love you. Don't you see that? You did have someone. You had us."
Severus was rubbing slow circles into her back. Amazed once again by his beautiful witch. Someone she considered her best friend had all but attacked her, and she still told him that she loved him.
Harry swallowed again. Shame filling him as he realized she was right. Blood didn't matter. It didn't mean he didn't want his parents. But he wasn't alone either.
"Mione, I'm sorry. I know you would have saved them if you could. You're right. Blood doesn't matter. You're the closest thing to a sister I have. I know you did what you could and…I'm so sorry Mione." He said, looking into her eyes as his own tears spilled over.
Hermione stared at him for a long time, and no one said a word. Finally she went to stand, but Severus wasn't letting her go. He was still angry and her being in his lap was the only thing keeping him from ripping the boy to pieces.
She turned and faced Severus. She gave him a smile and patted his hand on her waist. "It's okay." She told him softly.
Severus didn't like it, but he let her go slowly. Watched as she stood and crossed over to Harry. She slipped her arms around the boy and hugged him to her.
"I did love them, Harry. Lily became like a sister to me in many ways. We talked about so many things. James was always looking after me like a brother. Smacking Sirius for being an arse, and helping to make sure I actually went to my meals. I wish I could have done something, and I'm sorry I couldn't." She told him softly, feeling the mild tremor shooting through him at hearing about his parents.
"It just seems so unfair that everyone knew them but me." He told her, holding her tight.
"I know, and I'm sorry. If it helps, I'll show you every memory I have of them. Well, most of them. There are a few talks with your mum…you don't want to see them. Trust me." She told him with a small smile.
Harry laughed softly and pulled back. "I'm sorry for what I said. Will you forgive me?"
Her smile grew. "What are sisters for?" She asked him.
Harry grinned. "I still don't get how you ended up with the dungeon bat though."
She smacked him in the head. "Be nice. I'll explain all that I can. Okay?"
"Okay." He told her and let her go. Watching as she went back to sit on Severus' lap. Though he didn't get it, he would support her if she was happy. Something he hadn't seen her be in a long time.
Severus slipped his arms back around her waist. Waving his hand briefly, vanishing all traces of her tears, before he kissed her temple. If he saw both boys shudder at seeing the kiss, he didn't show it.
She went back to her story. Telling the boys of the rest of her trip. Ending with her arriving and punching Severus. Making both Harry and Ron snicker. Then, finding out all that changed and that she had been at the house all week. Leaving out all the shagging while in the seventies and since her return.
Harry sat back in silence for a long time. Ron simply looked overwhelmed by it all. Fred knew some of it, but even he was amazed at the whole tale. Remus and Sirius had been there but they too had holes filled in for them concerning the whole thing.
Harry finally looked back at Hermione. "Can you tell me a few things about them?"
Hermione smiled. "What do you want to know? I can tell you that you fly like your dad in a Quidditch match. I only saw one game while I was there, but I got to see him catch the snitch."
Harry smiled slightly. "Remus told me that once. What can you tell me about my dad that Remus and Sirius may not know?"
Hermione smiled. I know your dad was good in the sack. She thought, fighting a laugh and a blush.
"How in the bloody hell would you know that?" Severus roared at her, startling everyone at the table.
Hermione jerked at his question, not realizing he had been scanning her mind still. She looked at him, blushing slightly. Lily told me. Repeatedly. It wasn't something I wanted to know either. She just thought it was funny to see me looking uncomfortable while blushing about it. She thought back to him.
"Oh." Severus said, smirking. "You are cute when you blush."
The others had no idea what the outburst had been about. Harry was frowning. "What do you know?"
Hermione blushed more. "You don't want to know, and I don't want to talk about it. I didn't want to know either."
Sirius barked out a laugh. "I want to know. Lily didn't do girl talk. At least she never did before you showed up. So if she spilled something about James that makes you blush, I'm very curious."
Hermione smirked. "You don't want to know this. Trust me." You don't want to know what all Lily said about James and his wand or his skill with it. She thought, as a few memories of their discussions popping into her mind briefly.
Severus scrunched up his face in mild disgust. "I wont ever get that out of my head."
Hermione laughed and kissed his forehead. "That's what you get for scanning my thoughts so frequently, love."
He smirked at her, knowing she was right. "Bloody know-it-all." He said, though it lacked any heat at all. Instead it was said with a small smirk and his voice held affection.
Hermione winked at him with a grin. "You forgot the insufferable part."
He smirked even more. "No, I didn't, love. I've told you before you're not insufferable."
Harry stared at the couple. This wasn't the Snape he knew. It kind of was…but this Snape was different. It was a bit unnerving to him too. "Wait, if you knew her during your seventh year, and supposedly fell in love with her. Why were you still so hateful to her during her school years? You did call her an insufferable know-it-all many times and it didn't sound as nice as when you just said didn't like her in school."
Severus sighed. He hated explaining himself to anyone. "I had to keep up appearances. I had to keep the time line in place. Hermione's memories were of me being malignant and cruel. So I had to do my best to still show her that side. Though, I may not have done as good a job being as bad-tempered, as I should have. But it was hard to stay belligerent with her when I did love her so much, and her skills as a witch still astounded me. But I knew I couldn't compliment them, since I guess I never did before."
Hermione grinned at him. "You couldn't be as mean?"
He shook his head. "I told you before, love, even if I did find you insufferable, I'd still love you. So it was hard to be cruel all the time."
Ron was frowning. "Hold on a tick. Did you just compliment Hermione?"
Severus smirked. "Her skills during our seventh year always amazed me. She did annoy me at times, never having to really work hard as I did to do anything. So yes, I complimented her."
Hermione giggled. "You know…I'd be curious to duel you again."
Harry's eyes widened. "You dueled Snape?"
Hermione smiled. "Yep." Remembering the duel fondly.
Ron was awestruck. "Who won?"
Hermione looked at Severus. Did we ever decide who won?
Severus smirked at her. I did.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. How do you figure that? I hit you with the most spells that night. You even conceded to losing, if I remember right.
His smirk grew. Yes, but I ended up getting to feel you up for the first time. I think that means I won. I don't see how you ending up topless and in my lap could be considered losing in anyway.
Hermione chuckled, even as she blushed. Tie?
Severus shrugged. I can live with that. If it's a tie, then I happily call a rematch.
Hermione smiled softly. Are you planning on feeling me up again afterward?
Severus chuckled. Of course.
"This is what I'm talking about." Remus said watching them.
Hermione looked over at Remus, noticing everyone at the table watching them. "What?" She asked trying not to blush more.
Harry and Ron looked a bit confused. Minerva found the couple amusing, she was happy for them. Sirius merely shook his head at them, while Fred ignored them. Both men who had lived in the house had had enough of their lovey-doviness, so they paid them no attention now.
Remus narrowed his eyes. "You lied to me before. You do know how to do it. You two are sitting there having silent conversations."
Bloody hell. Busted again. She thought.
Might as well admit to knowing Legilimency, love. Then, he'll leave it alone. He doesn't have to know about the thought projection though. Severus pushed back at her.
Hermione sighed. "Fine, I do know it. Severus taught me back in his seventh year. I'm not very good at it though." She still couldn't do it without anyone feeling it.
Remus frowned. "How did you lie without me knowing it? You are the world's worst liar. Did he teach you how to do that too?" His last question holding a bit of a sour note to it.
Hermione smiled. "No, but I didn't know how to do it before I came back and I simply told you that I didn't know how to do it then. It was true so it came out smoothly."
Harry was frowning. "What are you two talking about? What can you do?"
Severus sighed. "She knows Legilimency. Somewhat. She still needs to get it down better, but she can do a basic scan."
Harry's eyes grew wide. "You taught her to do that? You wouldn't teach anyone how to do that. Why would you teach her how? What did you get out of it?"
Severus smirked as Hermione fought a blush. I believe I got you in the end. Didn't I, love? He pushed at her. Hermione smirked too and gave a small nod.
Remus sighed. "Okay, no silent conversations. It's rude." He told the couple.
Hermione grinned. "You really don't want to be privy to some of our conversations. In answer to Harry's question, I taught him wandless magic and silent spells."
Ron frowned. "But he already knows how to do that."
Severus rolled his eyes. "I didn't then. She taught me the basics and I have simply improved since her absence."
Both boys since sat in a bit of awe over everything. Finally Harry spoke up. "So…you two are dating now?" It still unnerved him.
Hermione smiled. "Something like that."
Severus pushed into her mind. Are you planning on telling them that we're engaged? He asked her softly.
She turned and smiled at him. I am, I just don't know if now is the time to tell them yet. Maybe I should let them have time to adjust first. It's a lot to take in considering they didn't even know you were alive until tonight.
True. I'm sure you know your friends best. I'll leave it for you to decided when. But whether they know or not, you're still marrying me after you graduate. He pushed back, giving her a small smile of his own.
Her smile widened as her eyes softened. Nothing could stop me from doing that, love. I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you.
"Okay, that is kind of rude." Harry said, seeing them obviously talking to each other in their minds.
Hermione turned back to her friend. "Sorry. It's habit. We used to talk this way over our meals for a long time."
"So what's with the mushy looks?" Ron asked, not quite sure he was ready to know.
Hermione smiled. "Are you two sure you want to know?"
Harry and Ron exchanged looks and shook their heads. "No, but…we're still morbidly curious." Harry said.
Hermione grinned. You two asked for it. Her thought making Severus chuckle, all while pulling her tighter against his chest. "We were discussing what we are going to do after I graduate."
Ron frowned. "Which is?"
Hermione grinned, as Severus smirked. "We're getting married." Hermione said.
The silence that met her was almost deafening. Sirius was the only one that knew about their engagement so far. The marauder was enjoying the equally stunned looks around the table. Even Minerva and Remus looked shocked and they had known about the couple for years.
"I'm sorry. What?" Harry shouted. Severus sighed in annoyance and Hermione started laughing.
A/N: I always write Ron as being an ass and I didn't want to do that this time. I think its funny that this time he is the calm and reasonable one. lol. Hope you all liked this chapter. I giggled my tail off over Severus roaring at Hermione, asking how she knew James was good in bed. lol. Then, the look of disgust at seeing her memory had me gigging all over again. Oh, just so ya'll know...we're almost at the end. Only 3 more chapters to go and then it's finished. More coming soon. Take care and please leave me your thoughts.