A/N – Oh thank you to everyone who reviewed and kept me motivated on this one…I'm now back at uni, and this semester is the most important in my entire degree, so don't be surprised if this particular fic isn't updated for the next 4 months or so…I'll try my bery best to write in between essays and prac, but I can't promise anything…See, I have to prepare my final portfolio and interview piece this year…shudders The things we Queenslanders go through to be teachers… Anyway, I do hope this chapter was worth the wait, and that it will…er…satisfy you for the time being. ((Grins)) Let me know…
Upon arrival at the Bed and Breakfast, Snape informed Hermione that they would be returning to Snape Manor within the hour, then stormed into his room, presumably to pack.
Hermione sighed. They couldn't spend the rest of the holidays like this, but she wasn't prepared to talk to him just yet. He needed time to calm down, despite the fact that he had absolutely no right to be angry with her to begin with; a point she was prepared to raise, should their argument (there was no doubt in her mind that it would be anything less than that) call for it.
"This was never going to be easy." She reminded herself aloud. "I should be flattered by his reaction. Pleased, even."
Sophia gurgled a sleepy response.
-?-
"Severus?" Hermione queried later that night, having sought him out when he'd failed to join her in bed.
He sat in a high backed leather chair in the downstairs study, nursing a snifter of brandy and staring into the embers of a fire long dead. He barely glanced up at the sound of her voice. "Leave me be." From the corner of his eye he could see her silhouette; she stayed, not even wavering at the bite in his tone. Frustrated, he threw his glass at the fireplace, where it promptly shattered, the last of the liquid reacting violently with what was left of the fire. "Go!" He hollered. Still she stayed.
Damned Gryffindor.
"Severus." She stepped forward and he vaguely registered that she was shaking, for which he immediately felt guilty.
Damned Woman.
"Sev-" She tried again, her voice hitching. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she moved forward again and dropped to his level, gently grasping his hand in the process. "Severus, please...Talk to me."
"I've nothing to say to you." He responded, his tone curt. "Leave me be."
The well of self-righteous anger inside the young woman over-flowed and bubbled to the surface, drowning the fear and sadness she had felt only moments earlier. Pushing herself to her feet, she glowered down at him, her hands planted firmly on her hips. "I am not leaving until you tell me what's bothering you."
He scowled. "Who do you think you are, invading my privacy and speaking to me in such a tone?"
"Your friend." She informed him matter-of-factly. "And I will not let you drink yourself into oblivion or scare me away just because you're in a mood."
"You should have more respect."
"I will not respect you if you continue to act like child."
Silence fell between them, and they glared at one another.
After a few minutes had passed, Hermione felt calm enough to speak again.
"What did I say or do to provoke this?" She asked. When he refused to answer, she hypothesised aloud. "It wasn't the fact that I kissed you, as our day following that was relatively pleasant. Then Jackson appeared..." Snape frowned at the mention of her ex-lover's name. Ah-ha! She fought the urge to smirk. He was jealous! "So, clearly, this has something to do with him..." She paused. "I'm right, aren't I?"
"You're always right." He mocked her sneering maliciously as he continued. "An insufferable, know-it-all child; which I've said all along."
She blinked, momentarily stung. He doesn't mean it. She reasoned silently. He's just...insecure. Somehow, though, she knew that excuse just wouldn't cut it. "Severus..." She began, "Jackson...He and I..." What? He and I what? Was there anything she could say that wouldn't sound pathetic and rehearsed? "I never-"
"Save your breath, Girl. I don't care about your conquests."
"Obviously you do," she countered, "otherwise you wouldn't be acting this way." She watched as his fingers tightened around the arm of the chair, the usually pale finger tips and knuckles turning white with the pressure.
He ground his teeth and struggled to calm himself. He knew she was right, and it angered him more than he cared to admit. After all, his biggest fear had come to pass: he'd allowed himself to feel comfortable with the suggestion of an intimate relationship with a student. Hell, he had even prepared himself for one, thinking that it might actually work out for the long run! Then that boy had turned up and shattered his illusions, and he had realised that Hermione couldn't possibly want the same things as he. She was young and attractive with the world at her feet. The last thing that she would want -or need- would be an older, cantankerous former Death Eater holding her back.
A sort of sad resignation settled in the depths of his soul, eliminating the anger, and he sighed. "It's complicated, Miss Granger." He eventually admitted.
"Don't go back to the 'Miss Granger' rubbish now...Especially seeing as it was your idea to be on a first name basis to begin with..."
"And it was a bad idea. This entire situation was a bad idea."
"I disagree."
Despite himself, he snorted. "You would."
She smiled, but it was short-lived. "Why is it complicated? I thought I'd made my intentions clear...You were as keen as I was... As I still am..." He looked away, and she frowned. "Severus, my feelings haven't changed. Seeing Jackson was a surprise, yes, but it hasn't had any effect on the way I feel about you... About us." She took a deep breath. "I'd have thought that perhaps the knowledge that I'm not a virgin would have removed some of your anxiety, not added to it..." Realising that she hadn't exactly made herself clear, she rushed to extrapolate. "What I mean by that is that I understand you might have felt...conflicted, I suppose, at the thought of taking my innocence, so to speak. Though, I should point out, being involved in a war did that. My decision to give my virginity away was actually an attempt to recapture a little of that innocence, in a roundabout way." She hesitated. "Does that even make sense?"
"Not really."
"Oh."
After a span of silence, Severus tentatively asked, "How many lovers have there been?"
"Just Jackson. Men don't generally notice me...Not that I'd be willing to let just anyone that close. As I've said, Jackson was a spur of the moment decision...The war had just ended, I'd survived...and I wanted to feel like a normal seventeen year old...if only for a week." She smiled softly. "It really wasn't fair on him, you know. While I was with him, I was thinking of someone else...Someone I knew would never think of me in that light...It helped that Jackson resembled him..." She trailed off, feeling a little sheepish and rather vulnerable.
Severus stared. Had she really harboured feelings for him for that long? Perhaps even longer still? Was it really wrong for him to want her as well? He'd been able to convince himself that it wasn't immoral earlier...Surely the knowledge that she'd been yearning for his embrace -even in another man's arms- could only make his initial argument stronger...
"Hermione," he began, his voice sounding strangely strangled, even to his own ears, "I'm not the man you want me to be."
She rolled her eyes. "If you're about to suggest that I'm after a warm, soft, thoughtful type to pamper me and shower me with flowers and gifts, I will hex you." She sat tentatively on the arm of the chair, craning her neck to face him. "I know you're stubborn. I know that you don't often offer compliments or the like. I know that any gifts you give will be of practical or academic value and will only be given on occasions where gifts are required, rather than on a whim. I know that you show affection with gestures and carefully veiled concern..." Her gaze was fond, her smile soft and her tone gentle. "You are perfect as you are. You are the man I want."
Snape's throat suddenly felt dry. "Hermione, I don't believe you understand-"
"I understand perfectly." She sighed. "I don't expect anything to happen between us immediately. Nor do I expect us to get along brilliantly all the time. However, I refuse to ignore my feelings any longer now that I am certain you reciprocate."
The alcohol Severus had imbibed that evening was beginning to undermine his judgement, as well as his inhibitions. He felt it best to warn her, as her speech and their proximity had already aroused him to the point of no return. "Be that as it may, Hermione, I believe it would be best if you left me be for the night, as I have had a fair bit to drink and I am not certain how much longer I can last before I become a slave to my more... primitive urges."
A sly smile -one worthy of Salazar Slytherin himself- slowly spread across her face. She leant closer to him, so that their lips were almost touching, the gentle warmth of her breath effectively sending erotic shivers down his spine when she spoke. "Perhaps I was wrong then..." She whispered. "Perhaps things might just happen immediately after all..."
He closed his eyes, wishing that she would leave him well enough alone, while at the same time wanting nothing more than to have his way with her.
Realising that she would have to make the first official move, Hermione gently pressed her lips to his, begging entrance with her tongue, which he accepted with a moan of approval and need. However, he pushed away moments later as waves of guilt washed over him.
"This is wrong." He said.
"Severus..." She panted, fairly aware that she was too deeply involved now to let him ruin it all, "We've been through all this! I'm not your student; Dumbledore even went as far as making us equals with my assessment! And don't start on the age difference rot either." She added when he moved to argue. "I am considered a consenting adult in both Muggle and Wizarding spheres...Add to that the fact that magical folk have extended lifespans, which makes a nineteen year difference average at worst..." She paused. "This-" she gestured between them. "-is not wrong by any means. Besides," she grinned wickedly, "I'd feel much better if we were truthful at the Leaving Feast. After all, we were going to have to put on a show... At least this way, if tested under Veritaserum or memory examinations via pensieves, our stories would hold, meaning greater chance of truly punishing Dumbledore."
Unable to fault her reasoning, he rolled his eyes. "And the fact that you'll be getting what you've wanted all along?"
Her grin turned positively predatory. "A welcome bonus."
As she claimed his lips again, he vaguely mused over her sudden aggressive persona. What had happened to the bookish schoolgirl? Where had this temptress come from? She'd always been a dominant figure in the classroom and in the war, he supposed it seemed only natural that she'd be the same in the bedroom, so to speak. She certainly knew what she wanted, and definitely knew how to get it...
He gasped as he felt her hand fondling his erection through the fabric of his trousers. "Merlin, Woman..."
She giggled, clearly delighted with his reaction. "Imagine that," she said deviously. "The feared Potions Master can be reduced to monosyllabic responses."
"I'll have you know those words contained more than one sylla-" her hand was now inside his trousers, and he trailed off with a moan.
"You were saying?" Hermione asked innocently, not even pausing her ministrations.
This time it was he that initiated the kiss. Pulling away to catch his breath, he took the opportunity to gather his thoughts. He knew there was no turning back now, though he wasn't certain that, given the opportunity, he would have turned back at all. However, he also knew that it would be best to slow down somewhat, despite the release he so desperately needed.
"Hermione," He protested softly, as she began to suckle his neck. "Stop." She complied, looking thoroughly perplexed.
"What's wrong?"
"Perhaps we should…pace ourselves."
"Pace ourselves?" She echoed.
Nodding, he extrapolated. "I don't believe we should rush into this-"
"Who says we're rushing?" Hermione was not impressed. She understood that he was trying to be a gentleman, giving her the option to reconsider, but, damn it, she'd wanted this for so long… "Severus, over the past few months our relationship has developed at an almost excruciatingly slow pace…I've finally managed to get you to see sense and you want to stop?"
The Slytherin shook his head. "Not stop, exactly…But you must understand, Hermione, I am already far too attached to you than I am comfortable admitting. If we consummate our 'relationship', as you've dubbed it, I will not let you go, should you realise that you've made a mistake. I'm for life, Hermione. You need to consider the ramifications that your decision to sleep with me will bring." Alright, he mused once he'd said it, 'I'm for life' was perhaps a little too melodramatic, even for a Hufflepuff! And he was no Hufflepuff. However, he couldn't think of anything else to say that would shake some sense into her. It would just have to do. And, taking one look at her stunned expression, it appeared to have done the trick.
She blinked. She was only eighteen, was she ready to make such a commitment? She knew that she lusted after him, and it was true that she loved him…But was she in love with him? Though she longed to say that yes, she was, she knew, deep down, that she didn't know him well enough for that just yet…But she felt potential for it, right down to her bones. They had quite a lot in common, so there was no chance that they'd tire of one another's company, but a relationship built on shared interests and lust would fall apart rather quickly if there wasn't much else tying them together.
"Alright," she nodded slowly. "We'll slow things down a bit…Not too much; not now that I've finally got you in my clutches, I intend to enjoy myself as much as possible…" She grinned at the small smile her comment elicited. "But I agree that we should, perhaps, get to know one another a little more intimately before taking such a big leap of faith…" She leant down and placed a tender kiss on his lips. "After all, you might decide that being stuck with an insufferable know-it-all isn't all it's cracked up to be, and by that stage I'd be crushed should you leave."
He rolled his eyes. "Indeed."
They made their way up to the bedroom hand in hand, relieved to find Sophia fast asleep. Neither really felt as though they needed a wailing infant to interrupt their thoughts just then.
-?-
Hermione and Severus fell into a comfortable pattern as the next few days passed by. They would rise to the sounds of Sophia's cries of a morning, feed her, bathe her, and dress her together, then eat breakfast downstairs, before showering and preparing themselves for the work ahead of them. The days would then be spent fixing and remodelling the rooms of the manor which needed the least amount of work, all the while discussing various topics in depth, in order to get to know each other on a deeper level. In the evenings, following dinner, they would retire to the study downstairs and play chess, stealing kisses more often than they stole pawns.
Though it had only been a few days, Hermione knew that she was falling head over heels in love with her former Potions Professor. She relished her time spent with him, realising that he now knew her better than any of her friends, perhaps even better than her parents. She felt her most comfortable with him, as she could be herself without having to apologise for not really enjoying Quidditch, or for wanting to read instead of sit around and gossip.
Though she'd been sceptical at first, she was beginning to believe that the Hat had been correct in pairing them together. Perhaps they were meant to be…Though she refused to jinx herself by admitting it. Secretly, though, she thanked the Hat for its decision every day.
On Christmas Eve, during their nightly game of chess, an impatient owl arrived at the window, carrying a package addressed to Hermione. She smiled as she read the attached note, and muttered, "It's about time."
From his seat by the fire, Severus arched an eyebrow. "Indeed?"
Blushing slightly, Hermione shook her head. "It was something I ordered a while back…I was beginning to think that it wouldn't arrive in time…"
"In time for what, exactly?"
Her blush deepened. "Christmas. It's a gift…Your gift, actually. And, no," she added, "You won't get it until the morning."
Severus couldn't help rolling his eyes. "You are terribly Gryffindor at times."
This, of course, only made her grin.
-?-
Waking up the next morning provided a break from their usual routine, as neither Hermione, nor Severus, could be bothered waking up any earlier than necessary. It was Christmas, after all. They deserved a small break at the very least. Severus was the first to wake, though he made no attempt to leave the warmth of the bed. He'd become accustomed to waking with Hermione snuggled against his chest, though he still felt a little uneasy at their proximity.
It wasn't as though he regretted allowing her under his skin…No, it was more a moral dilemma. She was still a student at the school. Their relationship -though they hadn't gone past kisses and groping- was highly unethical. And against the rules, according to the school charter, despite Dumbledore's adjustments. Should they be discovered before she held her diploma in her hand, he'd be fired and she would most definitely be expelled. However, when they put The Plan (which was now no longer based on fiction) into action at the Leaving Feast, Dumbledore would cop a lot of criticism and outrage from the community for pushing them into the relationship to begin with, whether Hermione held her diploma or no. Either way, that man would be knocked down a peg or two…
His musings came to a standstill when he felt Hermione shift against him, clearly in the process of waking. Yawning, she stared up at him and blinked blearily, before realising that it was Christmas and grinned wildly. "Merry Christmas, Severus." She said, moving up for a quick kiss.
"Merry Christmas," He nodded, the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips.
She stretched languidly against him, unaware of the effect it had on his nether regions. "Sophia awake?"
The thought of the infant was like water to a flame. It doused his growing arousal quite effectively, which he supposed was a good thing, even though it left him feeling extremely frustrated. He shrugged. "She hasn't made it known as of yet."
Hermione smiled. "Good. We actually get a lie-in, then." She closed her eyes as if to illustrate her point.
Severus rolled his eyes as an owl tapped frantically at the window. "I'll get it, shall I?" he said when the young woman in his bed made no move to let it in. She mumbled incoherently and rolled over. He had his answer.
After opening the window, he took the letter and sent the feathered beast on its way. Deciding to leave the window open lest any other winged pests arrive, he padded back into bed, thrusting the letter at Hermione.
"It's from the school." She informed him, before unfurling the parchment and proceeding to read. Her face paled considerably.
"What's the matter?"
She thrust the scroll at him. "He's insane! He might have warned us..." She'd leapt from the bed and was halfway towards Sophia's crib. "Oh, thank Merlin..." She breathed.
Severus scanned the letter and finished with a groan. Apparently, as the entire class had been deemed 'competent' in their abilities to look after infants, the ante was to be upped by aging the infants into toddlers which would take place over Christmas as a sort of 'gift' to liven up the holidays.
"...I've got to transfigure her clothes, her nappies...her toys, her cot..." Hermione was fretting. "And we're expected to work on potty training them! Where am I supposed to find the time and patience to do that? This is our NEWT year...Babies I could deal with, barely, but I could. Toddlers take up more time and effort..." She was hyperventilating.
Severus sighed. "We will find a way to work around it."
"We?" She echoed. "Severus, no...You could hardly deal with an infant...I won't make you look after a fictional toddler. I wouldn't have even wished such a thing on Voldemort." She shuddered pointedly.
"You are most definitely over-reacting."
She shook her bushy head. "I've babysat toddlers...They are not fun or easy." She was sitting on the edge of the bed now, her head in her hands. "This is not fair."
With a rather large amount of self-restraint, Snape abstained from informing her that school was never meant to be fun, easy or fair. Instead he carded his hands through the tangled mess she called her hair and reassured her that he wouldn't allow her grades to be affected by the latest twist. Then he pulled her to her feet and instructed her to get herself ready for the day. After all, it was still Christmas.
-?-
The day turned out to be rather pleasant, despite the rough start. They ate breakfast on the patio over looking the snow-covered grounds, before turning inside to exchange gifts.
Severus was pleased to discover that Hermione had bought him a book detailing recent breakthroughs in Muggle science, as well as a large, leather-bound notebook which he was to use however he pleased.
He, in turn, had purchased a new quill and set of all purpose, multi-coloured, magical inks for her, as well as a six month subscription to an academic publication/journal of her choosing.
Albus had sent him his usual gift consisting of lemon drops and neon pink socks. Minerva had sent him a gift certificate to a reliable apothecary, and Matthews had forwarded a copy of the Kama Sutra, complete with animated illustrations. She'd also included a note offering her services should he take a liking to a particular position. Naturally, he'd incinerated the note, but elected to keep the book, in the chance that Hermione might like to experiment, should their relationship turn down that path.
Meanwhile, the Gryffindor had received quite a few gifts herself. Harry and Greg had sent magical lip balm, which would change colour and flavour according to her mood. They'd also given her a gift-certificate to be used in the Hogsmeade bookshop. Draco had forwarded an outdated Muggle Studies text, which he guaranteed she'd find amusing if nothing else. Her parents had sent trinkets and souvenirs from their travels, as well as an assortment of sugar-free Muggle sweets and a locket. She'd been surprised and, at the same time, touched by the final gift: a large hand-knitted jumper from the Weasley matriarch, which she'd put on immediately.
After putting their presents away they opted to do a little more work on the manor -which was beginning to shape up nicely- before a light lunch in the study.
As they were cleaning up their plates, the fireplace lit up, signalling a fire-call. Severus drew his wand before answering.
"Severus, dear, did I startle you?"
"Of course not, Mrs Weasley. Forgive me... Old habits die hard."
The head in the flames nodded. "Understandable." She paused. "And it's Molly to you, dear."
"And how can I help you today," he asked, his tongue tripping over her name. "Molly?"
Hermione stifled a giggle at his expense.
"I was hoping that you and Hermione would be interested in joining the family for Christmas dinner."
Hermione ducked out of the room, wondering how Snape would talk them out of it. She almost collapsed from shock when she heard his silken reply.
"That sounds lovely. What time would you like us to arrive?"
-?-
It was precisely 3:56 that afternoon when Sophia changed. Where a tiny baby had slept, sat a child of approximately two to three years of age. Hermione was the first to notice, namely due to the fact that a loud "Mummy!" had caught her attention only a moment after Severus left the room. She spun and raced to the cot, freezing at the sight that she had vaguely anticipated.
The little girl was deceptively adorable. She had dark silky hair, dark eyes, Severus' nose and full lips. Hermione supposed Sophia got those from her.
"Mummy!" The little girl urged again, extending her arms. "Up, up!"
Hermione complied, heaving the child up and settling her upon her hip. She patted the nappy-clad bottom and sighed. Her first hurdle. Toddlers, she knew, could be far more stubborn and difficult when it came to nappy changes than tiny little babies. However it had to be done.
"C'mon bubs..." She said softly, gathering supplies as she went. "Let's get you changed and cleaned up."
Dark eyes narrowed as she spread a towel down over the bed. When she moved to lay the child down on top of it, the struggle began. "No!" The little girl cried, thrashing her legs and squirming violently. "No! No! No!"
"Yes." Hermione responded, not caring that it was near pointless to argue with a toddler. "Yes. Yes. Yes."
Tears welled in the child's eyes as her nappy was removed, exposing her damp behind to the cold air. Her body's reaction was naturally to wet herself again, but not until a new, clean nappy had been placed underneath her.
Taking a deep, calming breath, Hermione went through the paces again, muttering "Merlin give me strength" under her breath. Once done, she placed Sophia back in her crib, then set about summoning another towel and transfiguring it into a warm winter dress, complete with scarf, gloves and stockings. She also transfigured a pair of tiny court shoes from an old leather belt she'd forgotten to discard during her last cleaning frenzy.
Satisfied with her work, she took the clothes over to the cot and proceeded to dress the toddler.
"There we go." She grinned once the job was done. "Pretty as a picture." And, really, she was. The dress was in Slytherin colours and was a perfect fit. It suited the little girl quite well.
"Up, up!" Sophia extended her arms. "Peas?"
It took the Gryffindor a moment to realise that 'peas' meant 'please'. She beamed delightedly as she complied; her little one had manners, which meant that some of her rambled teachings to the infant had paid off! No wonder the girl had recognised her; she'd remembered her -albeit short- 'upbringing'... That didn't quite account for the 'Mummy' thing, though. She and Severus had refrained from using any titles. Perhaps the age-advancing spell from the school had also given the children false memories? That would make sense...It wouldn't be terribly difficult to create a set of generic memories and give the same to each 'child', manipulating the identities of the 'parents' by using the original strands of hair...And of course the individual memories and personalities would develop based on the actual amount and types of care they received in the first stage of assessment... It was brilliant, really. She couldn't wait to discuss the workings of it all with Professors Flitwick and McGonagall.
However, she would file those thoughts away for another time, when a fidgety toddler wasn't trying to wriggle out of her grasp.
"I'm afraid that we'll be late for dinner if you continue to dawdle," Severus was saying as he entered the room. He froze and blinked, having come face to face with the small child in his partner's arms.
The little face -so much like his own, and yet so different- broke into a large grin. "Daddy!" It squealed, struggling against Hermione's grasp. "Daddy!"
"I am most certainly not 'Daddy''." He responded, uttering the title with something akin to distaste. He scowled at Hermione. "Was that your idea?"
Her glower rivalled his own. "Don't be stupid. I'm assuming it's part of the school's spell." She shifted the squirming child to her other hip. "She called me 'Mummy' before I even had a chance to speak."
"Then I apologise." He said, giving in and accepting Sophia into his arms. She seemed to settle immediately, much to Hermione's irritation. "It's not a title I ever envisioned anyone bestowing upon me, much less a faux-toddler." Said 'faux-toddler' giggled and tugged on a lock of his hair.
"Tell me about it," the young woman replied, offering him a small smile. "Though I can't say I'm finding it all that displeasing..." This earned her an amused smirk.
"Indeed?"
She blushed and averted her gaze. "Surprisingly..."
"Should I take that to mean you would like children some day?"
Hermione took a fortifying breath. Yes, she would like to have children one day in the distant future. Did he? Would he put a stop to their blossoming relationship if that was the case? Merlin, how did one approach such a monumental issue with such casualty? "Er..." she started, momentarily speechless. But then she took in the ease with which he held their faux-daughter and decided that he mightn't be as opposed to children as she'd first assumed. "One day, yes." She was emboldened by his nod of understanding. "There's a fair bit I'd like to do, that I'd like to experience first... But, yes, I'd like children one day."
"I must admit, I've never considered them. In fact, I'd never even thought about being in a long-term relationship."
"Oh."
Seeing her face fall, Severus felt the need to better explain himself. "As a spy, one tends to give up hope of surviving a major war. Too high a chance of being caught. Thus, there was no reason to daydream about things that I'd probably never live to experience."
Hermione nodded, and touched his cheek tenderly. "And now?"
"I wouldn't be averse to starting a family," he informed her softly. "If that is indeed what you are asking."
She smiled, finding that she could no longer trust her voice. Then she glanced at the clock on the wall, and gasped. "Oh, Merlin, we're running late..."
-?-
They stepped through the fireplace at The Burrow precisely one minute behind schedule. Molly, of course, didn't even notice. Naturally, Severus was mortified for their social faux-pas and apologised profusely.
"Nonsense, Severus. You're right on time. One minute either way doesn't make a lick of difference." The Weasley matriarch informed him with a wave of her hand. She then turned to the little girl clutching the Potions Master's hand. "And you must be Sophia." She beamed. The toddler nodded, and eyed the woman wearily, shifting closer to her father. Not put off in the slightest, Molly continued to talk to her, "My name is Molly. I'm friends with your Mummy and Daddy. Would you like to go play in the snow with some other children?"
The little girl looked up for her parents' approval. They nodded, and Hermione cast a warming charm over her clothes.
Molly took her hand and the group made their way into the next room, while the red-headed woman informed Hermione that Harry and "that nice Goyle boy" were already there.
"And what adorable children they're going to have, if little Matt is any indication..."
Hermione chuckled. "I doubt they're planning on having any for a few years...Especially after this exercise..."
"You have no idea," Harry agreed as he entered the room from the adjacent doorway, having caught the tail-end of the discussion. He moved forward and pulled his best friend into a deep hug. "Missed you, 'Mione." He turned his attention towards the Potions Master and extended his hand. "Merry Christmas, Professor."
Molly chose this moment to leave the group to their own devices and led Sophia out into the yard to join the other kids, who were making snowmen.
Inside, Severus nodded stiffly and shook the boy's hand. He was determined to be civil towards the brat, for Hermione's sake. "And the same to you, Pot-" Hermione nudged him. "-Harry."
His efforts were rewarded by a bright smile from the young woman at his side. The civil discussion that ensued was interrupted, though, when Sophia came running up to him, tears streaming down her cheeks. She burrowed into his robes, howling, clinging onto his legs for dear life. Flabbergasted, he looked to Hermione. "What in Merlin's name...?"
The young woman knelt down and pried her 'daughter' away from her partner's leg, pulling her into a maternal hug. "Shh..." She tried, smoothing down soft black hair. "What's wrong, bubs? Tell Mummy."
Severus watched the exchange with interest, suddenly realising that he hadn't been entirely honest when he'd said that he wasn't averse to having children...In fact, he decided, he did want them. He wanted to have children with her in particularHe couldn't help but acknowledge the pang of longing that he felt as he watched her cradling the little girl against her chest. One day they might just share real moments like these. Real moments of normality. But that, of course, was entirely her decision.
His musings ceased as the Potter/Goyle child raced into the room, followed by his other 'father', who nodded by way of greeting. Noticing that the little boy had also been crying, Severus arched an eyebrow in his Slytherin's direction. "What happened?"
Gregory frowned. "An altercation-"
"Really?" The older man cut in, his tone one of mock-surprise. "A Snape and a Potter fighting...You don't say?"
"No, actually." Goyle replied smoothly. "Weasley's kid was picking on little Soph, here. Matty, ever the hero," he shot his boyfriend a look that implied it had to be the Gryffindor's influence, "stood up for her. Got them both a bit roughed up."
'Matty', meanwhile, had moved to Hermione's side and was awkwardly patting Sophia's back, babbling muddled-up platitudes and offering his own brand of child-like support.
When Sophia pulled away from her mother, she accepted a hug from the taller child, as well as a sloppy kiss on the cheek that he said would "make it better".
Severus blinked. His faux-child was in the arms of Potter's! There was something inherently wrong with that.
"I think it's adorable." Hermione informed him, having seen the look on his face. "Besides," she shrugged, "They're not real..."
"That doesn't make the thought of it any less horrifying." He responded tartly.
Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "Well, either way, I need to go talk to Ron about this." She gestured towards the children who now appeared to be playing some sort of dancing game. "Bullying should not be fostered or tolerated, despite family differences or whether the kids really exist."
Harry nodded, dragging his attention away from the playing children. He couldn't help but agree with the Potions Master; Potters and Snapes should not cuddle and kiss! It was just plain wrong! But Hermione had still made a valid point; Ron needed to be spoken with. "I'll come with you..."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" The other Gryffindor replied. "Won't he feel a little outnumbered?"
The-Boy-Who-Lived frowned. " 'Mione, the three of us used to be inseparable...We need to talk about this together."
Her shoulders slumped slightly in defeat and she nodded. "Fine. Let's get this over and done with, then."
-?-
When they finally found Ron in the yard, they were surprised to find him admonishing his 'son' all on his own.
"...Now I want you to march right on up there and say sorry for what you've done."
The little red-head scuffed a foot along the ground and nodded. Ron softened.
"Mr Potter and Miss Granger used to be my best friends. And even though we're not anymore, you shouldn't let that make it harder for you to make friends with their kids."
The little boy looked somewhat confused, but nodded anyway. His Daddy wasn't yelling, so he was happy to play along.
Ron smiled. "Off you go, then... Go find the others, say sorry and play nice."
The child didn't need to be told twice. He scampered off immediately to find the other little boy and the girl with the funny nose, leaving his Daddy alone by the big tree.
When the child was out of sight, Harry and Hermione made their way towards the young man that had once completed their trio. After listening to him, they had realised that reconciliation was still possible, and they were determined to try.
"Hey," Hermione said softly as they approached.
He looked up and nodded. "S'pose you're here to complain about the rug rat's behaviour." He sighed. "Go on, then. Let's have it."
Hermione shook her head. "No...We come in peace." The Muggle reference was lost on him, so she forged on. "We, er, thought that, this being Christmas and all, we should talk... See if we can't work out our differences a bit..."
Ron looked between them, taking in their hopeful expressions, and frowned. "I've been such a fool." He finally said, and that was all it took for the other two to crumble.
They spoke at once, hurried and emotional, repeating themselves as they stumbled over apologies and half-formed declarations of brotherly/sisterly love.
"We've all been a bit foolish-"
"It's been a stressful time for everyone-"
"Missed you so much-"
"Let's never fight again!"
The three froze at Hermione's girlish impromptu outburst, before breaking into light-hearted laughter.
"You're asking a bit much." Harry informed her.
"Yeah," Ron agreed, swinging his arm over his best mate's shoulder easily. "We manage to do this every year, in one way or another."
She sighed melodramatically. "What am I going to do with you, then?"
The boys looked at each other then shrugged.
"Face it, 'Mione," The red-head began, "You're stuck with us."
They laughed again and made their way back up to the house.
Mrs Weasley beamed at them when she noticed that they were arm-in-arm. "We were about to send a search party," she joked, sending a steaming pot to the table. "Thought we'd lost you for good when you didn't come running at the mention of food."
"Sorry, Mum." Ron apologised, tugging off his scarf. "Didn't hear you call."
"No harm done, dear." She assured him, "Go sit down…This is the last of the plates…" She sent a large pan full of potatoes to the table.
The reunited trio grinned and complied. They were soon joined by Gregory and Severus, as well as an unusually small number of Weasleys. When Hermione enquired as to the whereabouts of the two eldest Weasley boys, Arthur informed her that there'd been a dragon-related emergency and Charlie hadn't been able to make it, while Bill had opted to spend Christmas with Fleur and her family.
"But don't you worry your pretty little head," Fred (or was it George in Fred's Weasley jumper?) began, only to be interrupted by his twin.
"-You've got us to make up for it."
They nodded in unison, wearing identical troublesome smirks.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, I was afraid of that." She teased.
"So," Fred (she was going to call him Fred, even if she wasn't quite certain if it really was him) began, after a comfortable silence had spanned a little too long for his liking. "How many people d'you reckon'll come back to school knocked up, then?"
His mother hit him upside the head.
"I'm serious!" He protested, rubbing the now sore spot. "You did!"
Molly's cheeks coloured, but she managed an angry glower nonetheless. "You're forgetting the fact that your father and I were married…"
The argument seemed to stretch on for hours, much to the amusement of the four non-Weasleys seated across from the action. Hermione's attention wavered, though, when she noticed the little girl tugging at Severus' sleeve. She watched as the usually stoic man lifted the toddler and settled her in his lap, feeding her from his plate as he carried on a conversation with Arthur and Gregory, and she couldn't help but think that he would be a wonderful father to her children.
And then she knew her mind had been made up. There was no one else in the world for her. It was him. It would always be him. The Hat –which she would now call her hero for the rest of time- had definitely been right; they were a perfect match. And if she'd actually believed in 'soul mates' and all that rot, she would certainly have agreed that Severus Snape was hers.
-?-
"That went rather well," Severus said as they stepped through the fireplace at the Manor. "Wouldn't you agree?"
Hermione, who was still contemplating over her earlier revelation, barely registered that he was speaking. "Hmm?"
He was concerned now. She always paid attention when others spoke. Gently shifting the sleeping child in his arms to rest on his hip, he touched her shoulder gently, forcing her to look up at him. "What's wrong?"
"Wrong?" She echoed. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just…thinking."
"Indeed?"
She flashed him a smile. "I promise. Tonight was a bit full-on."
"Quite. Though I am…glad… that you and Potter were able to sort out that business with Weasley…"
"Thank you." She responded softly. "That means a lot to me."
He nodded as she fell silent once more, wondering exactly what it was that was occupying her thoughts.
They made their way up the stairs in companionable silence and put Sophia to bed in the next room, making sure to erect a monitoring charm should she wake disoriented and panic. Once in their own room, Hermione disappeared into the ensuite to prepare herself for bed. While she did so, Severus dressed in his pyjamas and slipped under the covers of the bed. He was glad to have done so when Hermione finally emerged in a negligee that left very little to the imagination. He swallowed audibly.
Hermione sat on top of the covers and struck a pose. "Do you like it?"
He swallowed again. "It's somewhat…"
"Sexy?" She asked.
"Revealing." He finished, shifting uncomfortably under the heavy blanket.
Her face fell. "Oh…You don't like it…"
"That's most certainly not the problem."
Hermione frowned. This effort to seduce him wasn't going to plan. "Then what is?" She asked, feeling vulnerable and foolish.
"It's rather the opposite…"
Now on the verge of tears, she blinked in surprise. "What?"
Severus smothered a sigh. Did he have to spell everything out to this woman? Then he realised that it was probably best if he showed her. "Come here." He extended his arm pulled her flush against him, certain that she could feel his arousal through the thick fabric. "This is what you do to me, you silly woman." He growled into her ear. "How do you expect me to keep my hands to myself if you walk around here with barely anything on?"
She blushed and toyed with the top edge of the blanket that separated them. "Actually, I was hoping that you wouldn't…" She felt his arms stiffen around her, and hoped that it was a good sign. "You see, I realised tonight that I can't imagine myself with anyone else…You're the one for me, Severus…I…I've fallen head over heels in love with you. I don't know when it happened, nor how..." She kissed his lips gently, though in a way that promised so much more. "I don't want to wait any longer, Severus."
Unable to think of an appropriate verbal response, Severus pressed his lips to hers and begged entrance with his tongue. She moaned appreciatively and he took that as an invitation to further his ministrations. Continuing the kiss, he moved one hand up to fondle her breast. She moaned again, and opened her eyes, which were, by this stage, dilated with lust.
"Gods, Severus…" She whispered against his lips.
He pulled back, his lark eyes searching hers for any sign of regret. "Are you certain this is what you want?" He asked. "There'll be no changing your mind once it's done…"
She smiled and eased herself under the blanket, so that only their clothes separated them. "I'm more than sure, Severus. I want this. I want you."
He smiled. "Good."
As he removed their clothing with a muttered spell and pressed their bodies together in a possessive kiss, Hermione couldn't help but think that the Sorting Hat was definitely her hero; after all, she wouldn't be in this position –with the one who was literally the man of her dreams- if not for it. Then Severus' hands began exploring her body and she was no longer capable of forming any coherent thought.
A/N- Well, I considered taking this further, but I might leave it to your imaginations for now. ((Smirk!)) Please leave a review whether you hated it or loved it, or even if you felt it could have been better. Just tell me why! I love specifics, they're a big part of my efforts to continually improve with each story I write.