Author's Note: First let me thank everyone who had reviewed, alerted, or put this story on their favorites it means a lot to me.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do I really need to say that I don't own them? I'm just playing with someone else's toys and do return them in the same shape I have found them (well that may not always be the case).

Severus stood outside her front door, he had no idea why he was nervous. Well he did, but he didn't want to even think about it right now. He couldn't, this was a business meeting nothing else. Maybe if he kept telling himself that he would see it that way soon.

Hermione opened the door when he knocked stepping back letting him in. Severus couldn't help stealing a look at her she was dressed in shorts and a tank top.

"I thought we could work at the kitchen table."

"That is fine, I brought fish and chips."

"Great, I've been working around here most of the day I'm starving. It smells good."

They ate in relative silence, Severus kept trying to steal glances at her from the curtain of hair around his face as he ate. When he thought about it, it was something he tended to do when they were together. Most of the time he told himself that he did it too keep an eye on her, now he wasn't so sure. She had become such a beautiful woman, he still didn't understand what she ever saw in him, a snarky old bat that would rather bite out words at her than anything else.

"So what do you think we should put in the complaint?" she asked.

"The truth, you do know that it doesn't have to be complete. They will call for a meeting so Kaseload will answer the charges," he sighed knowing that this next bit might not sit well with her, it didn't with him when he found out about it. "We and any one we name will be called to give their account of what happen at the time, it is a veritaserum testimony."

Hermione's head whipped up from her plate as she said,

"What? Why?"

"When a lot of the death eaters brought their representatives up before the board it was usually them telling the lies, this was a way for it to be discouraged."

"What about Kaseload, will he have to submit to veritaserum also?"

"If we request it and we have a good argument for him to then yes they will require him to."

"Well we had better have a very impressive argument as to why he must submit to it also then."

"Hermione, I've been thinking about this and though I know you don't want to talk about the time we were married, I have a question that pertains to the complaint."

"I know, some of what happen while we were married is going to come out during this. It does pertain to this, and that is fine I'll deal with it. I just can't sit here right now talking about every little thing that happen."

"Are you sure, we could go about Kaseload another way."

"No we cannot, this is the best course of action or do you want to end up in Azakban this time without a chance to get out?"

"It doesn't…. yes it does matter and no I don't want to become a resident. I have some things that I would much rather have."

For some reason Hermione got the distinct impression he was talking about her, but she wasn't sure if the past could ever be erased enough to give herself what she truly wanted.

Severus watched her as it seemed the emotions she had been trying to hide played across her face, he would move forward with this. He hoped that by the end they would have some kind of relationship, he did have a plan if he could just make it work.

"So what do we need to say in this complaint?"

"Just that we would like him brought before the board for unbecoming practices, that new facts that were brought to both of our attentions led us to believe that he was untruthful with us and others. It doesn't have to be complete, that's what the meeting with the board is for. We just need to be convincing enough for them to require that Kaseload take veritaserum."

"I still don't understand why he did it other than to further his own career."

"That may be reason enough."

"I suppose, maybe I just don't understand how anyone can be that driven to lie like that."

"People will do many things for themselves."

"What happens if he can overcome the effects….."

"We could request that we brew the veritaserum, as long as a member of the board is present it is allowed. It would be the strongest allowed without side effects. We would be required to use the same though."

"I do not have a problem with that."

"Excuse me?"

"It's your…. I trust your skills as a potions master, I always have."

Severus was surprised by this saying without thinking,

"It's my skills as a human being that you don't trust."

He knew the moment that he saw the look pass over her face he had said the wrong thing, he just didn't know what to do about it now. Luckily she said,

"Let's get started." Not really ignoring his statement but she didn't want to deal with it right now.

Severus pulled out parchment, quills, and ink. When she looked over at him he said.

"Though I don't mind muggle paper I would think that a board with the ministry would frown on it. Do you not have anything from….." he didn't finish the sentence, it was more than likely one of the off limit topics for this.

"I packed my trunk in the attic, I haven't even been up to see it since then. So do you want to write it or should I?" she knew he had small spidery penmanship where hers was larger and more rounded.

"Would you mind?" he asked.

"Not at all." She took the items from him then asked him about formatting, once she had all the required information she looked up at the clock seeing that it was almost ten.

"Can we finish this another day, I have to be up at five to go to work."

"I don't mind, a week from today?"

"No, next week I start new hours and will be off Friday through Monday the other days I'll be working twelve hour days."

He thought that was a bit much, but then again he had no idea what she actually did for employment. Finally he said.

"So how about Monday then?"

"That would be fine, anytime after five I have plans for the day."

"Very well I'll see you then." He said as he walked to the door with her following him, at the door he turned saying, "Thank you for agreeing to file the complaint with me."

"Your welcome."

He had to fight the urge to lean down and kiss her cheek, he knew that if he did it would not be appreciated. He was down the steps before she said,

"Send the owl back so I can write."

He turned to look at her, she was chewing on her bottom lip a habit that she had had the whole time he had known her. So she had wanted to write and was apprehensive about it.

"Very well, see you Monday."

"Monday."

Hermione busied herself putting everything up before turning off the downstairs lights going up to bed, though she knew sleep wouldn't come quickly tonight, her mind was still going over his comment about not having skills as a human. Of course he was right, he really didn't have any people skills. She laid down after putting on her sleep wear thinking that in her first letter she might address what he said.

Author's Note: Comments really do make me smile and brighten my day.

Also I wanted to let you know that I have a couple of Severus/Hermione videos on youtube, the link is in my profile.