A/N:
Hello Friends, this is a super duper long chapter. Enjoy!
Yippy Skippy to Bri892 for her help with this monster of a chapter!
Chapter 19: Summer Holidays
With school out for the summer, the Snapes went into full relaxation mode. Sabrina and Severus, not having to adhere to a schedule, lounged. They hung around house in pajamas and dressing gowns. Sabrina's unbraided hair was wild and Severus had stopped shaving.
Hermione's summer schedule was anything but relaxing. She was putting in more hours at the tech firm and reviewing theory with Filius. She hadn't gone out with her friends in weeks, spending her limited free time with Sabrina.
One evening in the middle of June, Hermione found herself with nothing to do. Sabrina was spending the night at the Burrow with the Weasley cousins. She had completed her work for the current phase of the media player project; she couldn't move forward without the technical specifications from Justin.
Her charms theory essay on warming charms had been completed (she had asked one too many questions about the warming charms and Filius thought she should be able to answer them herself). Her newly created spell had been tested to her satisfaction. She knew that her Charms Master would be impressed with her self renewing warming charm. Filius went into the dungeons quarterly and reset the warming charms on the rugs, wall coverings and furniture in Snape's home as he had originally done when Sabrina was born. Hermione's charm had a monitoring spell that renewed the warming charm once it weakened to less than 70%.
Hermione tried to get him to review her spell but he had not been available to meet this evening.
"Going to smarten up a bit and then off to Madam Rosmerta's for drinks with my wife. It's Saturday night, you should be out on the town." He said as he ushered her out of his office.
Hermione wished she had made plans with Oliver. They had only been out a handful of times since they had started dating. They went out, had fun, sometimes had extra "fun" fun but there wasn't a standing date night or expectations of starting a serious relationship.
Grumbling to herself, she returned to home.
Moodily, she put on the kettle and slumped into a chair. Severus padded into the kitchen with an empty tea cup. He was wearing his dragon hide boots and pajamas with his black robes open and trailing behind him like a cape. His dark scraggly beard covering most of his face.
"That's quite a getup you have on there, Severus." Hermione told him cheekily, "Are you a super hero? Batman? Perhaps, Pajama Man..."
He joined her at the table, "Once I button up the robes, no one will be the wiser."
"You are planning on going out in public?"
The tea kettle whistled; Severus headed to the stove. He busied himself with the tea and refilling his cup and handing one to Hermione. "Only to my private lab. The castle is deserted and as I mentioned mere moments ago; once the robes are buttoned..."
Hermione felt a bit more settled; no longer alone with idle hands. "What are you working on?"
"I am attempting to create a non addictive Sleeping Draught." Snape finished his tea in two long sips and began buttoning up his robes.
"May I observe?" Hermione asked her former professor.
He seemed surprised at her request; his eyebrows arching. "I suppose. Do you not have plans for this evening?"
She followed him out of the living quarters and down to his office. He opened the potions closet and headed in.
"Coming?" He called over his shoulder.
Hermione was puzzled. She stepped forward watched as his dismantled wards along the back of the small closet. A doorway opened into another room.
She was mesmerized by the private potions lab before her. The lab was small but well organized. The fire was lit in the stone hearth and the reflections of the flames danced over the dungeon walls. Most of the space was used up by long counters covered in different types of cauldrons.
On one counter, several cauldrons were in use with a stasis spell over them. This is where Severus had stopped. He motioned to the small gold cauldron over low flames.
"This is my 17th attempt at this. The valerian root seems to be the ingredient that causes the person to become addicted."
Hermione leaned over and looked at the simmering liquid. "Do you have your notes?"
Severus handed her his leather bound journal. She opened it to the marked pages and started to read.
Setting up in front of the counter, he gathered his utensils and ingredients. Watching Hermione read for a minute, he conjured up a small arm chair and pushed her into it.
Free falling for a moment before landing on a cushy seat brought Hermione back to the present. She muttered "git" and kept on reading.
"I didn't realize you were interested in potions." He commented.
She glanced up and saw his back turned to her as he prepared ingredients. "I'm not, well, not interested in pursuing the art of potion making. But I am interested in your process and methodology."
He made a low sound and continued to chop.
"You are documenting your process and your outcomes by hand and cross referencing them. How do you review multiple findings using this journal?"
Severus was stirring the potion and didn't answer for a moment, "Duplication charms and lots of parchment."
She settled back into the chair read through his notes as he handled the delicate liquid. They remain quiet for some time. The silence was comfortable with each immersed in their individual tasks.
"Severus, may I copy your notes on this draught? I have an idea."
He gave a noncommittal nod of his head before turning the heat down. Turning, he conjured another chair and sat beside her. "What do you have in mind?"
"I'm thinking about analyzing the data in a comprehensive manner using a computer program. You wouldn't be able to use the computer here but we can always go to my parents' house."
Severus snorted, "A computer program is going to analyze which ingredient works well?"
A cross look came over her face, one he had seen many times before. It was the look she got when she lectured Harry and Ron.
"A computer program would compile the data you put in it. It just streamlines the analysis and with a few clicks you can see trends."
Hermione lectured Severus on the benefits of using technology; undeterred by the fact that she was previously his student . They traded barbs and argued over the use of technology in the wizarding world for hours. When Hermione tried to hide her third yawn; Severus stood and began cleaning up the lab.
"Thank you for allowing me to see your private lab, Severus. It's amazing."
~~~~O-O~~~~
The summer continued with Hermione working non stop during the week and visiting with her family and friends on the weekends. She was barely dating Oliver however and that bothered her. When they went out, they had a great time but those were few and far between. On the advice of Diana, she even asked him out several of those times. Unsure of their standing, Hermione opted to let the relationship falter.
Sabrina thrived with the relaxing days with her father and frequent visits with her friends. She grew taller and her chubby cheeks seemed to diminish a bit. Her wizarding clothing altered with simple incantation, one that Hermione learned from Sabrina herself. "It's what Daddy always says…" Her muggle clothing was donated to a women's shelter near the Granger's home.
This led to a shopping trip with Hermione, Diana and Ginny to replace a few items (mostly princess themed clothes). Ginny had loved the muggle styles for babies and tried to buy James a whole wardrobe. Diana intervened often, reminding them that muggle clothes are not adjustable.
The trip ended with three cranky kids; Sabrina and Helena fighting over who got to sit next to James (who was fussy about being strapped into a torture device also known as infant car seat). The moms' decided to return to the Granger's where they could put the "adults" in charge and then proceeded to drink themselves silly.
~~~~O-O~~~~
That afternoon, Severus was enjoying a cup of tea while contemplating his current situation. From scared boy to defiant teen; Death Eater to spy. He had become a potion's master as he desired. He had been forced into teaching but now he had come to enjoy it especially now that he was focusing on upper level students. Perhaps it was not serving two masters that allowed him the freedom to become himself. In the past five, no six years, his friendships had been allowed to grow. He had true friends for the first time since Lilly. His relationship with Minerva no longer had to be restrained by deception. He dated, had relationships and breakups like adults do.
He had become a father; A Father! Not like his own but a father who loved unconditionally and did right by his child. And now, his child, his little precocious girl had a mother.
He hadn't anticipated having Hermione living with him to be a positive experience. She had finally gotten over her stumbling shyness around him. She treated him as she treated all of her friends. Friends, he had not expected that either. He found himself looking forward to their quiet evenings; drinking tea and chatting. He hoped for another long drawn out argument with her like the one they had about incorporating asinine computers in his potions.
The summer holidays were going well. Sabrina was flourishing and he had more free time than ever with Hermione sharing the parent duties. He had time to experiment more often. He had time to visit with friends. He had even made it to a potions workshop held in Budapest last month.
He missed the intimacy of his relationship with Alexandra, perhaps more than he missed her. Perhaps he would date again. But for now, he was content with his life, maybe even happy.
His musings were interrupted by Hermione and Sabrina returning through the floo in the early evening. Hermione was struggling with the heavy sleeping child. Severus reached her side and swiftly pulled Sabrina into his arms.
He put Sabrina to bed and returned to find Hermione still a little off kilter in the living room. She was pulling miniature bags out of her purse and muttering to herself.
"Hermione?" he asked; his voice softening, "Are you well?"
Her face was flush as she turned to look at him, "I'm fine, why?"
"You seem a bit unsteady on your feet."
Hermione chuckled, "Ah, that would be hours of shopping with small children followed by several bottles of red."
She reached for her wand and enlarged the shopping bags. They filled the coffee table and tumbled on to the floor.
Severus was shocked at the volume of clothing that was bursting out of each bag. "Yes, that would necessitate the need to consume large amounts of alcohol."
Leaning down, Hermione picked up a sparkly purple sweater off the floor and then sat down heavily on the couch. "I'm tired and drunk."
"Why did you buy winter clothes?" He asked, settling down across from her.
"Stocking up while the prices are low." Hermione filled him in on the antics of the girls and the look of horror on Ginny's face when she had to use an infant car seat.
The conversation reached a lull and Hermione felt emboldened by the alcohol. She leaned forward and stared at the man in front of her.
"Severus, I've been wanting to ask. I don't want to overstep our friendship but I would like to know you more. How did you get here? You are still Severus Snape but you are so different, lighter, more approachable. Not just here in private, but around the school, around the students. Did Sabrina soften you up? I'd like to think you changed after the war rather than because of Sabrina." Hermione's voice trailed off as Severus was laughing openly at her. His deep voice rumbled with laughter.
"Are you asking me or talking to yourself out loud?" He asked her.
She blushed and apologized, "Sorry,"
Severus remained in his seat, with his shoulders relaxed. He took a breath before he began speaking. "I didn't expect to survive the war. I was resigned to die."
He didn't grimace or frown but his eyes glazed over as he stated darkly, "A painful death would have been an appropriate recompense for all that I had done and all that I wasn't able to prevent."
Hermione watched him as he disappeared before her eyes. He was physically still sitting in the chair, leaning back but his mind was elsewhere. She waited for him to snap out of it but after a few minutes, she decided to leave him to his memories. He hadn't dismissed her questions, giving her hope that perhaps he would explain someday.
~~~~O-O~~~~