Disclaimer: I tried to buy the rights to Harry Potter on Ebay but somebody outbid me.
Life For Rent
Chapter 21
Hermione watched Ginny as she nursed first her daughter then her son, the wedding and Matron of Honor dresses both abandoned. Hermione found the prospect of being a mother much more interesting at the moment than her upcoming nuptials and they chatted happily about what it was like to breastfeed and compared notes on Hermione's first trimester versus Ginny's. Hermione had slight nausea and little in the way of cravings while Ginny had copious amounts of both. Hermione did admit to feeling unusually tired and Hermione assured her that was normal. Soon the talk turned from babies back to the wedding.
"Ginny, is there a bonding ceremony that includes a fidelity charm?" Hermione asked thinking about Narcissa.
Ginny at Hermione for a moment and then in true Ginny fashion she launched into a tirade of questions. "Why? Are you worried about Severus cheating on you? Oh my god! You're seeing David again aren't you? Is there a chance that David's baby?"
"No!" Hermione cried grimacing back at Ginny. "I was just wondering because we saw Narcissa and she had this weird, mournful look on her face when she was asking Severus and me about our vows. She was twisting her ring and said something about how it was a good thing we weren't doing a fidelity charm and that some bonding charms are rather cumbersome. I can't believe you would accuse me of cheating on Severus!"
"Sorry, I just had to be sure. You didn't say anything about Severus cheating on you though. Are you worried about that?"
"No Ginny, back to the bonding ceremony please." No conversation with Ginny could just stay on track.
Ginny laid a sleeping James back in his bassinette and stood up to stretch. "Well, there is a really antiquated Pureblood tradition that puts a fidelity charm on the wedding rings. It's designed to alert the wearer of their spouse's infidelity. I haven't heard of anyone actually using it for ages. There is a lot of speculation as to what it actually does if someone cheats. I have heard stories ranging from the ring burning to fingers falling off. I wouldn't be surprised if the Malfoy's still practice that kind of nonsensical tradition."
Hermione was about to respond with her agreement when the doorbell rang. Ginny ran to the window and looked down.
"Hey! I thought you said you weren't seeing David anymore!" she cried.
Hermione leapt to her feet and ran to the window. David was standing at the door with a bundle of flowers. To Hermione's horror she saw him enter the house. Praying that it was Kreacher who let him in and not Harry with Severus nearby, Hermione ran down the stairs. Ginny hastily charmed the bassinettes so she could carry them both and followed right behind.
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Harry and Severus had moved from the library to the downstairs sitting room. Severus was interested in getting as close to the front door as possible so that when Hermione was finally ready they could make a hasty exit. Harry was still gloating about Severus asking him for advice and it was getting really annoying. Not that Potter wasn't already annoying enough just existing he was taking it to a new level. He actually had the audacity to mark on his calendar in bold letters that Severus asked for advice. Severus responded to that by promptly burning a hole through Harry's calendar.
Severus was just about to send Harry upstairs to find out what their women were doing when the doorbell rang. Oh sweet mother of Morgana, let it be urgent so we can leave! Severus thought desperately. Harry seemed to sense Severus' growing frustration because he jumped up and rushed off to the door.
Harry looked through the peephole and gasped before he opened the door. "David! What are you doing here?"
Severus' interest was instantly piqued. David? The David? The David that could have had Hermione? Against his better judgment Severus found himself rising from his chair and slowly walking toward the door. He immediately backed up and stepped out of sight though as Hermione came rushing down the stairs. What is she rushing for? Was she expecting him? Severus felt his insecurity and his temper rising as he saw Hermione rush to the door.
"I came to see Hermione." David said to Harry but watching Hermione as she slowed at the bottom of the stairs and approached the door slowly.
Ginny finally reached the bottom of the stairs completely filling up the already crowded foyer.
"Harry, help me with the babies please." Ginny said motioning for Harry to take one of them and leading him into the parlor where a very agitated Severus was pacing to and fro.
"Severus, you might want to go lay claim on your lady. David's brought her some lovely flowers."Ginny said sweetly forcing back a laugh as she watched the color rise inch by inch in his face. If there was any doubt that Severus cared for Hermione it was immediately erased at his reaction to her being in the same room as her ex.
Severus looked at Ginny scathingly his jaw working as if he was about to say something. He opened his mouth to speak and then snapped it shut with an audible click of his teeth. Instead he gave Ginny a sneer that was reminiscent of his teaching days and stalked back toward the hallway.
Hermione stood before David with a look of surprise on her face. Seeing him after all those months shocked her more than it did anything else. The tingles and the butterflies were gone and she gratefully realized that she didn't miss him at all.
"Here, these are for you." David said thrusting the flowers at her.
Hermione took them slowly but did not bring them to her nose which would have been normal response to receiving flowers. "David, what are you doing here? How did you even know I was here?"
"Lucky guess. If you weren't here I was just going to leave a message. I didn't know you had moved." David was rocking back and forth on his heels nervously.
"Yeah, I moved a few months ago." Hermione responded beginning to shuffle her own feet uncomfortably.
"Look Hermione, I know it's been months but I still miss you. I tried dating again but no one could compare to you. I am really sorry about everything. I just couldn't let you go through with your arranged marriage without trying one more time. Please Hermione, we were together for three years, surely we could just pick up where we left off?" David pleaded.
Hermione was beginning to feel terrible. She didn't want to be with David again but she also knew how badly it hurt to be rejected by someone you love. Severus also knew how that felt and was intensely curious as to how Hermione was going to respond. He was surreptitiously peeking around the doorjamb. He could see most of David's face over Hermione's head. He was quite tall, and Severus was disappointed to see, quite handsome as well. It was a wonder what Hermione saw in Severus after being with someone as young and good looking as David.
"It's not that simple, Dave." Severus said heard Hermione say. What do you mean it's not that simple? It's as simple as you are getting married to me in two short weeks, not to mention you are carrying my baby! Severus thought viciously. He bit back an agitated snort as he saw an extendable ear sneak by his foot. Ginny was sitting comfortably on the couch with Harry and they both had their ears pressed against the receiving end of the ear. Severus was about to say something to stop them from listening but just shook his head in resignation. He was technically spying too, after all.
"How is it not that simple?" David asked.
"I'm not marrying Severus under the marriage law anymore." Hermione said simply. Severus actually had to bite his tongue. You're leading him on, Hermione, just let him down and get it over with.
Hope flashed across David's eyes and he smiled slightly at Hermione as he reached for her hand. Ginny snickered as Severus growled quietly. She really wished she could see what was making him so angry. Hermione let David take her hand for a moment and then she pulled it away.
"So are you not with him anymore? Are you seeing someone else?"
"No. We were both offered positions at Hogwarts, my old school, and by taking them we were released from the contract." Hermione said. "Severus burned the contracts and asked me to marry him of his own volition."
"And you said yes." It was not a question. Severus had had enough.
"Yes she said yes."
Hermione turned around to see her fiancé standing in the hallway behind them glaring daggers at David.
"Severus!"
"So this is him?" David said barely concealing his disdain. Severus took a menacing step forward causing David to quickly back up into the door.
Hermione noticed David's less than polite reaction as well. "Yes, David. This is him and we are very happy together. I am sorry but it is definitely over between us. I thought I made that clear before."
"But Hermione, he's… he's old!" David couldn't help but exclaim. "Isn't he a little old to have kids? Isn't that what you wanted?"
Hermione stretched out an arm to stop Severus from advancing on David further. Severus' eyes had gone blacker the longer David talked.
"No David, he is not too old. Wizards live well into their hundreds I told you that. It is one of the reasons why you and I are better off apart. And no he is not too old have children, that was a ridiculous thing to say and completely beneath you." Hermione chastised David.
Severus wanted to holler that he'd already impregnated Hermione but he didn't want the conversation to turn into a pissing contest on whose penis literally was better. Instead he wrapped a possessive arm around Hermione's shoulder and stared hard at David.
"It was nice meeting you, David." Severus said glancing meaningfully at the door.
David got the hint and stepped toward the door again but not without a parting shot. "I would have given you children right now if that is what you wanted Hermione."
Severus couldn't take it anymore. "It's too late for that. I am quite capable of performing the deed seeing as Hermione is three months pregnant with my child. As such, I would appreciate it if you would leave and never bother my family again."
Hermione's heart burned with pride and love as heard Severus say 'my family.' She could even forgive him for telling David about the baby solely for the purpose of declaring his masculinity for it. She looked at David practically begging him with her eyes to just take his advice and leave. Hermione reached out the hand holding the flowers offering them back to David. David took them slowly his eyes full of the anguish he was trying to hide earlier.
"I'm sorry I bothered you. Good luck for the future." David bit out sarcastically before disappearing out the door and walking dejectedly down the street.
"Well that was fun! David sure is persistent, isn't he? Wow, Hermione, you are so lucky to have two men who want you face off like that. If David was a wizard I bet Severus would have hexed him into next year before he could say 'boo.' Who wants tea?" Ginny rambled happily, her eyes bouncing back and forth between Hermione and Severus. Harry rolled his eyes at his wife.
"Oh Ginny. Do shut up." Hermione said but not without the ghost of a smile.
Severus glanced at his watch for the trillionth time that day. "Actually, we really ought to be going." He said through gritted teeth.
"Yes, you're right. Let me just nip upstairs to get our dresses and then we can go."
Severus sighed and waved a hand in the direction of the stairs signaling for Hermione to hurry up. It was bad enough to be left alone with Harry but now he had to deal with his over bubbly wife and the babies too.
"Severus, do you want to hold one of them?" Harry asked him cheerfully.
"No."
Harry chuckled deeply. "You aren't going to be able to avoid holding babies forever you know. Unless you plan on ditching Hermione the moment yours gets here because you know she won't let you get away with doing nothing."
Severus watched Harry as he tickled his son and made silly faces at him. Severus would be lying if he said he wasn't impressed with how happy Harry seemed with his children. He hoped he could feel that happy and comfortable around his own baby but the thought of holding one of Potter's children actually made his stomach turn. Draco was the only baby he'd ever held and it had been so long he couldn't even remember what it felt like.
"Oh Severus, stop being such a spoil sport." Ginny said as she practically dropped little Lily into Severus' arms.
Severus had no choice but to grasp the baby and pull her close to his chest. Why did she have to give me the one named after Lily? The baby had fine red hair covering her little head. Her eyes were closed so Severus couldn't see what color her eyes were but he wasn't sure he wanted to see. He didn't know if his heart could take it if she opened them and they were as green as his father's and his mother's before him. One thing he did know was that if Lily were still alive she would be thrilled that Severus was standing there holding her granddaughter. The little girl in his arms stretched her mouth open in a yawn forming a perfect 'o.' Severus couldn't help but think it was adorable. He was immensely grateful that no one could hear his thoughts.
Severus continued to watch the child's tiny fingers open and close as Hermione reentered the room with the dress bags shrunk to a more manageable size. Hermione felt tears forming in her eyes as she watched Severus hold the baby. His eyes were roaming all over her face as if memorizing her every feature. After a moment little Lily finally opened her eyes and blinked blearily up at Severus. Her eyes were blue. Severus felt silly about his earlier worry and found himself smiling down at the child. So what if she looked just like Lily? He had Hermione who was perfect in her own way and she was going to give him a child of his own.
Severus looked up at Hermione to see her wiping away a tear. He handed the baby back to Ginny and went to pick up the dresses for his fiancé. "We will be going now."
"I'll see you next week at the rehearsal dinner." Hermione said over her shoulder as Severus led her to the floo. Once they were back in the comfort of his own home Severus pulled Hermione into a tight hug.
"Why were you crying, my love?"
Hermione's breath hitched in her throat and Severus could feel more tears moistening his shirt.
"You've never called me that before." She said hiccupping.
Severus had never really thought about what he had or had not called her. He wasn't exactly a pet name person but obviously she liked it. He pushed her away so he could look at her.
"I didn't realize. Why are you upset?"
"I'm not upset, I'm happy. Seeing David was just plain weird and kind of exhausting but seeing you hold that baby just made my heart melt." Hermione said timorously. "I just cry easily lately. I really hate it."
"Pregnancy hormones?" Severus asked.
Hermione pursed her lips together in a very Minerva McGonagall manner. "Perhaps, but that doesn't mean you can just blame everything I say or do on hormones, Severus."
"Agreed." He said pulling her close to him again. "I really hate your ex-boyfriend."
"You sound jealous."
"I am."
Hermione lifted her face to give Severus a soft but lingering kiss. "You have no reason to be jealous."
"I know. I am not jealous of him now. I am jealous because he got to be with you for three years. I wish I had that time with you." Severus said enjoying seeing her eyes light up with his compliments.
"That's sweet but irrational. We will have much more time together. I don't want to talk about David anymore."
"Good. Neither do I." Severus took Hermione's hand and brought her to the kitchen. He put a bowl of grapes and a glass of ice water before her. Hermione gratefully took a grape. It was funny how Severus seemed to know what she needed before she did.
"I want to talk about Narcissa." Hermione deadpanned. "What kind of fidelity charm did Lucius Malfoy use?"
Hermione had been thinking about it since Narcissa's conversation earlier. She really wanted to learn to like Lucius Malfoy and give him the benefit of the doubt but if he wrapped Narcissa up into some sort of fidelity charm and then hurt her, she didn't think she would ever be able to forgive him.
"Lucius' father Abraxas performed the ceremony and he put the fidelity charm on them." Severus answered honestly. "Neither of them knew about it until the rings burned."
"So they do burn?"
"It's more like a stabbing pain as if someone is trying to cut off your finger. Of course your finger remains on your hand but that is what the pain is supposed to mimic." Severus said carefully peeling the skin off of a particularly large grape.
"Did they both cheat, or was it just one of them?" Hermione asked. The pain Severus described did explain the rumors Ginny had heard.
Severus looked at Hermione in the eyes thinking carefully. "Hermione, it is not my story to tell."
"Severus, if I don't know the truth I may never be able to forgive Lucius and I want to put all my bad feelings about him behind me so that I can get along with your friends. What do you know?"
"It was both of them, but please don't hold it against them. Their marriage was essentially arranged but in a way that was much more ominous than ours. Their families had promised them to each other from the moment of their birth and they had a rough beginning. They both had other lovers at the time of their wedding and discovered the fidelity charm Abraxas placed on them the hard way." Severus put down the grape and reached for Hermione's hand. "They are very much in love now and for them there was nothing to forgive. The charm actually encouraged them to work together on building a relationship. They made the best of it."
Hermione found herself actually respecting Lucius Malfoy for his loyalty to his wife. She had already developed a respect for Narcissa but it was harder for Lucius but his affection for his wife was clear and Hermione found it hard to believe that there was ever a time when they weren't absolutely enamored with each other.
"Narcissa seemed so sad." Hermione replied.
"It was a hard time for them." Severus nudged the bowl of grapes toward Hermione encouraging her to eat them all.
Hermione chewed the grapes slowly not saying anything. It was quite an eventful day. Her emotions were running on overdrive after trying on her wedding gown, seeing David, and then watching Severus hold Lily. Even if she wasn't pregnant and slightly hormonal the day would have been wearying. Severus was still holding one of her hands and she watched as he slowly stroked her palm with his thumb. He had an intense look in his eyes that she had only seen twice. Once when he'd proposed and again when he told her he was happy she was pregnant.
"Hermione, I would like to write my own vows for the wedding."
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A/N: Hello everyone! I am going to be moving into my apartment this week finally! I have been living in a hotel for a month waiting on it. Needless to say I don't have an appointment to get internet set up yet. I don't know when I will but hopefully it will be within the next week or two. My schedule is kind of hectic. If someone desperately wants an update they will have to let me come use their computer ;) So if you live near Manchester, NH….
I can't give a big enough thank you to all my reviewers, readers, people who put my story on alerts and favorites. It all just makes me feel good.
Let's send a giant cookie from Mrs. Fields to my beta whoopsydaisy!
