Once 3.00pm came guests and paparazzi alike were slowly filling out of the Manor. Hermione thought it weird that Ang would constantly make excuses to run off and speak to Draco during the party, nether the less Hermione returned to Severus's side –at the end- and stayed put once her friends left, where was her comfort zone? Without them there she felt like a fish striving for oxygen out of its bowl.

"Lucius has invited us for diner; do you mind that I accepted Hermione?" Severus peered down to gaze at her reaction.
"Not at all Severus, Thank you for the invitation Lucius"
"Don't mention it, shall we?" Severus placed Hermione's hand in the crook of his elbow to escort her inside.

The Manor had been redecorated Hermione noticed, well the parts she had been dragged through had been. It was eloquent and chique at the same time. If she visited Queen Elizabeth in Buckingham Palace she would have hoped it would be decorated and furnished very similar to Malfoy Manor. Not an object or artefact out of place and you would need a white cotton glove for dust inspection -if there were any-.

"Ah Hermione dear, do come in" Severus almost pushed Hermione inside the parlour where Cissy sat in a Green chair next to the fire, was he purposely trying to annoy her today?.
"Lady Malfoy" Hermione smiled and sat down in a red beside Cissy.
"Please Hermione, I am sure you can call me Cissy by now" Hermione smiled at the informality she was granted over their own Daughter in law.

"Hermione" Scorpious ran into the room to his favourite person
"Why hello birthday boy, are you having a good birthday so far?" The room dropped a few degrees once the little man's parents had entered the room but she didn't give it a second thought.
"I am now I know you came"
"You are just the cutest" Hermione gently tapped his button nose with a finger.

"Which is your favourite present?" He tapped his chin with a finger in thought.
"I really liked the potion set Uncle Severus got me, and I love the broom Daddy bought me but my best present is my new book you gave me, will you read to me when it is my bedtime?"

"Well I am sure your mummy or daddy will want to read your bedtime story sweetie" Scorpious shook his little platinum head.

"Mother doesn't read to me, Daddy does. But I want you to read me my book. Please Hermione; it is my birthday after all"

"Yes Hermione, it is after all the boy's birthday" Hermione wish she could slap the smile off Lucius Malfoy's face at the moment but instead she steadied her nerves and smiled brightly back to the young Malfoy.

"Then of course Master Malfoy, I would be delighted to read you a bedtime story" Scorpious smiled and rested his head on Hermione's chest.
"Has all that running around made you tired darling?" She felt him shake his head, but she is he's Hermione so of course she knew better.

"Dinner is served" An elf called from the doorway.
Severus held his hand out for Hermione to take but Scorpious pushed it gently away.
"It's my birthday there for I get to escort the pretty lady in" Severus stifled a laugh and allowed him to do his job.

"Miss Hermione will you allow me to escort you into the dining room" Hermione smiled and took his outstretched hand.
"Why thank you Master Malfoy, I will be delighted"

Hermione sat in between Severus and Scorpious at the table and helped him to cut up his braising steak.

"Daddy says dinosaurs would eat steak, is he telling the truth Hermione?" Hermione smirked at Draco before turning to his son.
"Dinosaurs would eat anything they could Scorp, including little blonde haired boys" She tickled his tummy -much to his amusement- before cutting her steak into bite size chunks, not stabbing the fork in the meat and chewing it -much like a dog would- as Astoria was doing, Hermione wanted to put a shield up to protect herself from her saliva flying everywhere. Needless to say I am sure everybody was delighted once she finished her steak.

"I must ask Miss Granger, what you being my Husband's mistress and all, are you using a contraceptive pill or that muggle rip off with him?" Hermione's face paled an incredible amount.
"You see, of course we don't want to worry about catching anything or any bastard children that procure"
Hermione held onto Severus's sleeve as her magic crackled around the room -making her hair frizz slightly-, she wasn't going to lose her temper in front of Scorpious, she was better, she is better than that.
"Such words at the dinner table Ms Greengrass and in front of your son as well, I am very disappointed in you" Lucius drawled whilst squinting his eyes ever so slightly at his son's wife.
"It's Mrs Malfoy, and you will do well to remember that" Severus smirked at the temper sure to rise from Lucius Malfoy.

"You dare to disrespect me in my own house" He roared banging his knife and fork on the table –much like children would waiting for dessert- Cissy patted her Husband's hand to try and quiet him down and take hold of the situation.
"Astoria, remove yourself from my dining room. The elf's will bring your meal up later on" She tried to be calm for the sake of her Grandson, Merlin knew Narcissa Malfoy nee Black could Avada the girl with a flick of her wand … and make it look like an accident. Knowing when she had gone too far, Astoria excused herself from the dining room and sulked off up to her room.

"Sorry about my wife's behaviour, she has been under some stress at the moment" Hermione quietly wondered just what stressed he was referring to, the stress of abandoning her family for five years and the coming back to see she doesn't fit in or the fact she knows she is not welcome at the Manor.

"Not to worry, we just hope whatever it is she will recover in full health, don't we Hermione"
Hermione nodded her head simply, not trusting a snidy comment to come from her mouth.
"I must ask godfather, to what your relationship is to Miss Granger?" Hermione and Severus booth smirked at the jealous tone used in his voice.

"Shall you tell him or shall I dear?" She placed a hand on his arm; Severus shook his head at her antics and the colour quickly draining from his godsons face.
"Hermione is my ward of court if you must so know" Severus willingly smiled.
"How did that come about?" Cissy asked aloud, obviously curious and rightly so, who wouldn't be?.

"During the war I obliviated my parents memory, I had no way to go, no home no food nor shelter. You see I hadn't thought that far ahead rather stupidly of me, I am usually one to think things thoroughly to end, I don't usually jump into anything with my hands and feet tied, I wanted them safe but that was not the case at the end." She paused to glance at Lucius's face, studying it for a brief second.

"I walked until no one was in sight and begrudgingly called upon the knight bus, I asked Stan to take me to Hogwarts but he stupidly dropped me off outside an abandoned street, I knocked on the only door that wasn't boarded up and Severus opened the door. Rest of the story short he took me in and looked after me."

"How heroic of you, my old friend" Hermione laughed slightly at Lucius's gaze, it didn't scare her as much as it once might have, What Severus did was nothing Heroic. No Severus Snape should be a saint for the things he has put up with from Hermione in the past so many years.
"Finished Hermione" Hermione smiled at Scorpious's gravy covered face.
"Why is it, every time you have gravy you always manage to make a mess?" Retrieving the napkin from half way down his polo, she tentatively wiped his mouth.

"You're a better Mummy than Astoria" Hermione paused for a fraction of a second before finishing cleaning his chops.
"I am sure you don't mean that darling, because that would be rude and mean"
"But I do mean Hermione, I really do" Draco scraped his chair back and picked the little boy up before things got more out of hand.
"Come on, Daddy's little scorpion needs a bath" Scorpious pleaded over and over that he didn't need a bath but Draco was having none of it.

Hermione stared down at her hands not quite sure what to say to diffuse the awkward tension.
"Scorpious is having a hard time adjusting to Astoria suddenly coming back" Cissy decided enough was enough.
"He misses you terribly Hermione" Hermione met Cissy's gaze with her own.
"He will get used to her I'm sure, he just needs time, I will not be in contact if that is what he needs…"

"Draco misses you more my dear" Hermione bit her lip to stop herself from crying. She didn't need to hear this.
"As do I, but I refuse to be known as his mistress, a common whore or a bed warmer perhaps?"
"Hermione" Severus chided the snarky tone in her voice; she had definitely learnt a few things from him.
"We weren't quite thinking that, let's get straight to the point Hermione I hate to dance around a subject, I wish to hire you as my Grandson's nanny, he loves and adores you. What else is needed in such occupation?"

"I already have a job Cissy"
"I will allow you time off for what is necessary" Severus hastily agreed.
"Why is everyone so intent on making this harder?" Groaning she placed her hands over her face.
"Maybe you should read Scorpious his bed time story now my dear, shall we?" Lucius offered her his hand to take.

He booted up a conversation as soon as the dining room door was shut.
"Maybe you can tell me more about your relationship with Severus?"
"Where to start?"
"At the beginning is usually best" Lucius smartly pointed out.
"Ok, I will make this short. After Severus took me in I was a mess. I didn't want to fight the war anymore it got to the point that I was depressed and didn't care whom won. I had lost so many friends and family in the beginning that it really sunk home. Severus allowed my childish ways for no more than an hour. Why should he have me sulking in his own home? And rightly so too. I remember one night when you dropped by unexpectedly and of course my stuff lingered around the house. What choice did he have but to say he had a lady friend? I didn't hear anything you was discussing" Lucius raised an eyebrow at her blatant lie.

"Ok so I heard you talk about some curse, but apart from that I don't know what else was said. Severus allowed me out of the house and he gave me the care and security I so craved. Once we won the war we made it official via old blood magic. In all but genetics I am Severus's daughter, even the MOM recognises me as so. Our blood freely runs together in our bodies."

"But you don't take his name I see?" Hermione shook her head.
"I wanted to, but Severus had such a horrible childhood he wanted me to keep my name. I didn't protest ... much"
"You don't need to tell me my friend had a crap childhood, I know. I have seen the memories" Hermione shuddered at the bitterness in his voice, she hadn't seen the memories but the story's created just as much of a vicious picture.
"The magic between us allows him to be open with me, he can't lie or be angry with me -much- ... I honestly think this is what he needed, someone to love and take care of him in his time of need"

"We don't expect you to be a 'common whore' as you put it earlier my dear"
"It pains us terribly that they are both pining for you" Hermione swiftly wiped a treacherous tear from her face.
"Don't cry over trivial things. I and Cissy have the situation in hand"
"What does that even mean?" Hermione raised her tear stained face to Lucius who stopped in his tracks.

"Here we are, he should be tucked in for bed by now, today has done him a boat load of good but he has tired himself out beyond belief." Lucius kissed her cheek and swiftly left her alone in the deserted hallway speechless.

On entering the room carefully she saw Draco pulling a top over his son's head and turned to the noise of the door opening.
"Ready for your story little man?" Scorpious nodded tiredly.

"Jump in then munchkin" Hermione pulled the duvet up to his tummy and lay next to him on the bed.
Draco sat in the rocking chair in the corner watching Hermione read to his son sending him to sleep with her soothing voice. He contemplated telling her many times before now, he had Two years left. Two years in which he had to marry, bond and have a daughter with the witch, that was plenty of time ... right?
"The end" She whispered quietly, he looked up to see Scorpious fast asleep cuddling his toy dragon.

"Hermione we should talk" Climbing from the wooden dragon bed she placed the book in his bookshelf.
"I am afraid Severus is waiting for me" She made an attempt to leave.
"I need you" He pleaded, gently holding onto her wrist.
"I can't do this anymore, I'm sorry I'm trying to be there for Scorpious, merlin knows I care for the kid but everybody is intent on making this harder" Draco escorted her from the room quietly away from his son's sleeping form and down into the parlour in more neutral ground.

"I apologise for upsetting you earlier dear" Cissy wrapped her arms loosely around the young witch.
"Apology accepted" She tried to smile, sadly failed but she tried.
"Just think about my offer … please?"
"What would I have to do?" She didn't want to belittle herself to being a nanny but she needed a more stable income, being a writer is only good as long as the books are constantly flowing and truth be told she wasn't all that serious of a writer. Working with Severus gave her the company she so lacked but not the challenge … not that she dare admit that to him.

"Fantastic, Draco leaves for work at precisely 9.30am … or he is supposed to. You will be expected to wake up 9 and come down …"
"Hermione will not need accommodations at the Manor that is pushing it a little too far Cissy" With a brisk nod to Severus she let that one drop.

"You are expected to be here at 9.00am where I would have already fed and dressed Scorpious, you will tutor and look after his general needs, any questions or requests?"
"Yes, as I am looking after him during the day, Miss Greengrass is to see Scorpious in her own time, not mine. I cannot promise I won't hex her and I would really like to refrain from doing so around Scorp" Lucius smirked behind the witches back at her notions; she was far more Slytherin than she let on to be.
"Granted, most days she is out or in her rooms."

"Now that everything is sorted, we thank you for your hospitality but we must be returning home" Severus wrapped his arm around his ward and apparated them both home. She wasn't quite home when she heard Draco shout at his parents.
"I'm trying but she doesn't love me" A tear fell down her face, if only he knew how much she loved him.