Severus' eyes widened as Hermione self-consciously walked into the living room. Fuck he wanted to demand she go and get changed. Lori had dressed her like a pureblood, subtle makeup, her hair tamed more than even Cissa had managed and swept back from her face, demure mint green robes and fucking heels. He hated it. He wanted her back in her jeans and oversized jumpers immediately. Back to looking like a little girl rather than this miniature woman in front of him. It hit him like a bludger just how little time he had left before she was truly grown as he felt the panic rise.
"Is this ok?" she asked shyly, fidgeting with one of her sleeves.
He took a deep breath in, trying to calm the panic, mindful that she was probably more nervous than he was about tonight.
"Yes. You look beautiful, sweetheart. Just….don't adopt it full time."
She snorted, "I think I can safely say that I don't ever intend to give up my trainers for heels, Father."
He blew out a relieved breath, making her smirk. "You look far too grown up for my liking," he offered by way of explanation as she rolled her eyes at him before he checked the time. "I need to go and collect your parents. If the remainder of our guests arrive while I am gone, try not to murder your Uncle Lucius. Blood is challenging to remove from the rugs. The elves would be most displeased."
She rolled her eyes again, muttering something about there being more than one way to murder someone. He thought she was joking. He hoped she was joking. Fuck. Maybe he should send an elf to get the Grangers just in case.
She huffed a laugh at him when she realised he was watching her, looking concerned. "Go and get mum and dad. I promise not to murder Uncle Lucius."
He narrowed his eyes at her before he apparated to the Grangers, ushering them to his side quickly and heading back home. He breathed out a large sigh of relief noticing Hermione was still alone when they returned.
Jean shot him an odd look before heading for their daughter, gathering her into a hug "Oh my goodness! Look at you! You look so grown up."
"So I've been told." Hermione laughed, "Father hates it."
"That is not what I said, Hermione!" Severus spluttered as Richard muttered something about agreeing with him wholeheartedly. The floo roared into life, preventing Hermione from responding as first Draco, then Narcissa and finally Lucius stepped out of the floo.
It's showtime! Severus thought with unholy glee.
Lucius fidgeted under the scrutiny of the Grangers. With more than a little vindictive pleasure, Severus had sat him directly across from Hermione and her parents. Draco and Narcissa were smirking slightly on either side of him. The entire table was silent as they ate.
"What is it you do?" Lucius ventured suddenly, looking at the Grangers.
"We're dentists." Richard frowned.
"Dentists?"
Richard exchanged a slightly wicked grin with his wife before he turned back to Lucius.
"Yes." he replied nonchalantly, "We look after people's teeth. Drilling, removing, cleaning etcetera. Of course, we generally use anaesthetic for the bigger procedures…..the equivalent of a strong pain potion, I'm led to believe, but we can do it without. You apply it with a syringe attached to a rather long needle. Just stick it right into the gum. Multiple times. We have wonderful instruments. Most of them are sharp and pointy."
Lucius visibly swallowed. "Drilling?"
"Yes. Wonderful tool, the drill. It's a sort of metal stick that spins really quickly and makes a hole. People use one all the time making furniture and putting holes in walls to hang pictures and the like. Of course, inside your mouth, you have to be so careful, one slip and well…"
Hermione was shaking with barely suppressed laughter at the look of abject horror on all three of the Malfoys' faces.
"And people let you?" Lucius asked faintly.
Richard smiled, "Some of them even pay us."
"I….I see. And you both do this?"
"Indeed we do. Knows her way around a needle does my Jean. And pliers…..did I mention them? You have to get right in there when you're removing a tooth. A lot of brute force needed to pull one out." Richard supplied, complete with actions.
"Pull one out?" Lucius asked, horrified.
"Well yes, it has to happen sometimes. Lots of wonderful anaesthetic in the gum and then you get right in there with the pliers. Of course, sometimes you have to cut the gum, we've got wonderful little knives for that." Richard replied cheerfully. Lucius looked ready to vomit.
"I had no idea muggles still condoned torture"
"Don't be silly, Lucius. It's only torture when we forget the anaesthetic." Richard replied with a slightly sinister grin.
"And do you?"
"Forget the anaesthetic? Only when someone really deserves it."
Lucius swallowed visibly. "I….I see," he replied, turning back to his plate, paler than before. Hermione had her hand over her mouth as she attempted not to giggle.
"How do you like your wardrobe, Hermione?" Narcissa broke the silence that had descended.
"I…. it's very different from what I'm used to." Hermione replied hesitantly, "It's all lovely, of course, just unusual."
Narcissa frowned slightly. "Do you not wear robes?"
"Um...no, this is the first time. I wear jeans mainly." Hermione replied with a shrug.
"Jeans?"
"Sort of denim trousers?"
"Oh. is that what those are called? I see. Well, perhaps we simply need to get you some more robes, casual ones you can wear day to day. I was thinking of Paris. The fashion there is glorious. Maybe we should start with separates, skirts and blouses, with over robes."
"Cissa." Severus bit out warningly, as Draco snickered next to his father, clearly enjoying Hermione's discomfort.
"Yes, Severus?" She asked sweetly, warning flashing in her eyes.
"There is nothing wrong with jeans."
"I never said there was, I was simply pointing out that casual robes or separates may be beneficial. Hermione is staying here over the summer, should she attend events she will be expected to adhere to the dress code. Now, Paris?"
Hermione darted a panicked look at him. "Events?" she squeaked.
"Well, yes," Narcissa replied, frowning. "Luncheons, charity events and balls. Severus, have you not prepared her in the slightest?"
"She will be returning to her parents of an evening and at the weekends. I did not see the point."
Narcissa looked scandalised before turning beseechingly towards the Granger's. "She may attend some though, no? Her friends will be present, after all, even if she were staying with you you would expect to lose a weekend or an evening to social events, would you not?"
Jean sighed. "Yes, I imagine we would. However, they would have decided on in advance."
"Wonderful!" Narcissa beamed, "We'll discuss the schedule after dinner. And of course, you'll accompany us to Paris?"
Jean smiled wryly. "Of course. Are there many of these events?"
"Some, however, most are daytime events reacquainting the children with their chosen charities. You'll have to pick a couple to patron, Hermione."
"I….I will?"
Severus sighed and rolled his eyes, remembering his own initiation into this society. It wasn't worth fighting Narcissa. "Yes. We will discuss it once you have returned from your holiday," he answered grudgingly.
"Now, of course, I imagine you'll wish to attend the Nott ball, I hear you and young Theodore are friends."
"Absolutely not." Severus hissed, surprising everyone bar Draco. Lucius smirked as understanding danced across his face.
"Come now, Severus. They're friends," he replied tauntingly, his eyebrow quirked.
Severus took several deep breaths. His daughter was not getting dressed up like she had tonight, more so, if he knew Cissa, so she could be paraded in front of Theodore fucking Nott. No. It wasn't happening. Any other fucking boy. Not the one that had designs on his daughter.
"Why not?" Hermione asked with a frown. "We're clearly missing something."
Draco snickered then paled abruptly as Severus glared at him. "Can we not just leave it at I've said no, Hermione?"
"No," she replied with a stubborn slant of her chin.
He sighed, he didn't want to do this. What if he planted the seed? And she hadn't been thinking about boys and then she started? For fucks sake, why couldn't she just do as he said?
"I think, Hermione," Lucius interjected, speaking directly to her for the first time that night, "that your father is simply struggling with the idea of his teenage daughter potentially acquiring the interest of a boy."
"What?" she scrunched her nose. "That's ridiculous, Theo and I are just friends."
Draco snorted. He watched with interest as Hermione glared at him.
"Something you'd like to share, Draco?" Severus drawled, pinning his godson with a gaze.
Draco held up his hands in supplication. "No. No, nothing. Although….." he smirked, making Hermione's eyes widen. Fuck she knew what was coming. What had he missed? "Friends don't tend to ask their friends to accompany them to Hogsmeade without their other friends."
Fuck. Fucking bloody hell, the little bastard had better not have. No. Absolutely fucking not.
"Draco," Hermione growled. "Shall we discuss Pansy, then?"
Draco paled, significantly. "What? No!"
"Oh, I think we should." Hermione singsonged. "Remind me how your courting nonsense works?"
"Your courting nonsense too, cousin." he shot back as Hermione paled.
"Don't be absurd." she stuttered. "I won't be held to that….right?" she turned her panicked eyes towards him. "Right, Father?"
Severus shared a quick look with Richard Granger before he raised an eyebrow at their daughter. "You are the daughter of two Pureblood Houses, Hermione. Exactly why wouldn't you be held to their standards?"
"B...because it's absurd!"
"Theodore Nott will be held to those standards. " he glared at her sternly, "Unless, of course, he is simply playing with you."
"But it's just Hogsmeade!" she wailed.
He turned to Richard. "Shall we jointly approach Thoros? One must ensure the contracts are all above board."
He hid his smirk as Hermione paled further. "Don't you dare!" she growled. Jean appeared to be biting back a smile. "Mum, tell them!"
"Well, truly Hermione I'm not entirely sure what you want me to say? I'm not familiar with courting expectations."
Hermione's head thunked onto the table. "I hate you all," she muttered. "Fine. I'll tell him you're all insane and I can't go with him."
"Wonderful," Severus replied, smiling at her as she glared back.
After dinner, they retired to the sitting room, Hermione silent and brooding. Fucking hell she reminded him of himself when she behaved like that. But really, she was only thirteen, far too young for boys. Especially Slytherin boys. She'd get over it. And he had better keep a closer eye on what she was getting up to. Being invited to Hogsmede at thirteen! Jesus fucking Christ. Was she trying to make him grey before he hit forty? Was his life not stressful enough?
Lucius cleared his throat, "Hermione?"
Her head jerked up sharply, "Yes, Uncle Lucius?" she sighed, sounding utterly defeated. Draco looked contrite as he watched her and he felt a momentary pang that he ignored. She was too fucking young.
"I asked you before for your forgiveness. I wondered if you had given any thought to the matter?
"I'm still pretty angry with you, to be honest." She said bluntly as Lucius winced.
"Angry enough that you won't consider forgiving me?"
"Angry enough that it's probably going to take you a reasonably long time to earn it," she responded with a shrug. "I need to know that you'll never do anything like it again."
Lucius nodded thoughtfully. "But you will allow me to earn it?"
"Yes."
Severus didn't think he had ever seen Lucius look more relieved.
"Wonderful. Now that's out of the road, we'd like you to join us for dinner." Jean said cheerfully.
Lucius looked like a deer caught in headlights. "At your home?"
"Yes. Don't worry, we leave the dentistry tools in the practice." She replied, grinning.
"Ah, wonderful," Lucius said faintly.
"So, either this Thursday or the Wednesday after we return from France?"
"Perfect, let's agree to Thursday and perhaps our trip to Paris could coincide with your holiday," Narcissa beamed, glaring at Lucius. "Now, the schedule. The Greengrass ball is on the twenty ninth of July. You're friends with Daphne, are you not, Hermione?"
"Yes."
Was she? When had that happened? Still, at least Daphne was female. Perhaps he should just be grateful. Although he was missing things. Clearly, his daughter was sneakier than he'd given her credit for. It was a sobering thought.
"Wonderful, may she attend that one?"
Jean nodded. "I don't see why not."
"And then the Nott's is on the sixteenth of August."
"I thought we had established she wasn't attending that one."
Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Theodore will be at the Greengrasses, Severus. Quite frankly I think your stance on this is absurd. Hermione is not far off fourteen, you cannot keep her locked up forever or she'll just learn to hide it better. Is that what you want? Your daughter unable to tell you anything?" she asked sternly.
"What? No. Of course, it isn't."
Fuck would she really not tell him anything? That wasn't what he wanted, he wanted her not to be considering boys. Why was that such a difficult request? It wasn't unreasonable, was it? Of course, it wasn't, he knew what happened in those alcoves. Fuck Cissa was speaking again.
"Well then stop with this nonsense at once! Theodore is a lovely boy, even if Thoros is slightly odd. Did you hear that he ordered a tux collar and bowtie for that chicken? What was its name again?"
"Loofah," Lucius answered, laughing. "Bloody man's obsessed with that bird."
"That thing actually has a name?" Severus asked horrified.
"Well of course. He loves her." Lucius replied as if that was a perfectly normal statement.
For fucks sake. There was no way Theo was normal with that man as his father. It was definitely in Hermione's best interests to stay away.
"I'm sorry. Did you just say the man loves a….chicken?" Richard asked, looking bewildered.
"Adores it." Lucius smirked, "It's really rather odd."
"That's more than odd," Richard muttered. "Are you sure you want to be friends with this boy, Hermione?"
Hermione shrugged. "Apparently not."
Fuck she was really pissed. He'd quite like to keep his balls attached to his body. Although he imagined that she wouldn't think to aim there. Hopefully. Although she was spectacularly vindictive when she wanted to be. He wasn't unaware that she had set him on fire in her first year. Perhaps a repeat of that? Probably not, she'd think up something else wouldn't she? Fuck. Maybe he should make sure to ward his bedroom door…..and put up a permanent shield charm around himself. That should work.
Jean coughed and looked at Severus and Richard pointedly. For fucks sake. He wasn't taking it back. She was too young to go to Hogsmeade with a boy. And now Jean was glaring. Fucking wonderful. Cissa appeared to have cottoned on, she was looking at him pointedly too. What was with these women? Lucius looked like he wanted to laugh. Traitorous arsehole. Fuck Cissa was reaching for her wand. That wasn't going to end well.
Fine. Fucking fine. And when that little arsehole hurt his girl he could tell them all he had warned them. He'd also be upping his evening patrols. Perhaps he could put a tracking charm on her or Nott. Definitely on Nott. Hermione would maim him if she found one on herself.
He rolled his eyes before clearing his throat. "Theodore is not the worst boy you could be friends with," he said through gritted teeth.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "So you'll stop this nonsense about Hogsmeade?"
He wanted to shout no….Cissa's warning glare and slightly threatening palming of her wand stopped him, however. "Yes," he replied grudgingly. "However you are tied into the usual standards of courtship. No, Hermione, do not roll your eyes. I'm sure your Aunt Cissa will be delighted to teach you over the summer."
"Of course." Narcissa beamed. "We'll need to discuss etiquette and expectations regardless. If you are attending the luncheons, we'll want not to give anyone reason to be bitchier than normal."
Hermione paled. "Must I?"
"Yes," he replied sternly. "You must."
Serves her right, he thought mulishly. If she wanted to go to Hogsmeade with the little sod she was bloody well going to learn proper standards of behaviour. It might make her less keen.
"Fabulous!" Narcissa beamed, "Now the last ball you really need to worry about is ours, it's the twenty seventh of August, the last weekend before you go back to school."
"Fine. Now that's all sorted, we'll be heading. See you tomorrow, darling." Jean spoke brightly, amusement clear on her face as she stood to hug her daughter.
Severus was glad someone was amused. Because it sure as fuck wasn't him.
Severus deposited Hermione at her parents the following evening and prepared to face Ella for the first time in over a decade. It wasn't that he was nervous. It was that he was fucking furious and he wasn't sure he could keep his temper in check.
"Ready for this, old friend?" Lucius greeted as he stepped out the floo.
Severus rolled his eyes. "I'm currently attempting to convince myself not to murder her on sight," he replied.
"Just remember, blood is a bitch to remove from the wooden floors, so aim for a rug," Lucius said with a shrug as he walked him to one of their sitting rooms. "Cissa and I thought we'd stay."
"Don't trust me to hit the rug?" he asked sardonically.
"Something like that," Lucius replied, smiling faintly as he opened the door.
Ella was standing near the fireplace, drink in hand. The sight of her took Severus' breath away as he catalogued just how like the woman Hermione was. He realised that he now had a very good idea of what his daughter would look like as she aged. There were slight differences, Hermione's colouring was a shade or two darker, her skin paler, his influence, he supposed, she was shorter than Ella, her mouth a slightly different shape. Still, the resemblance was uncanny.
"Severus. I can't say I'm not surprised to see you."
He bristled when Ella turned to him, her voice immediately grating. "Yes well, when one discovers a child they had no idea existed an explanation is generally warranted."
Ella rolled her eyes at him. "Don't be absurd, Severus. You and I both know you've never wanted children."
"I want that one," he replied scathingly. Ella's eyes widened at his venom.
"Dear Gods, you sound like you actually know the child well!"
"We've spent the last few months getting to know one another." He said stiffly.
Ella looked genuinely surprised before she tilted her head, "What's she like?"
"She's delightful," he replied shortly. "What do you want with her, Ella?"
"Holy fuck." she breathed. "You actually love her."
"Of course I love her, she's my daughter!" he shouted, his control slipping.
Ella moved and sat down heavily on the sofa, clearly not having expected that reaction. He felt Lucius press a glass of something into his hand. "Sit down, Severus, before you murder the infuriating woman," he murmured as he moved past him to sit beside Narcissa. Severus sat in the chair furthest away from Ella as he watched her process his words.
"That surprises me," she murmured as if to herself.
"We can't all be unfeeling shrews, Ella," he said caustically. "Now, answer the damn question. What do you want with her?"
"Or what?" she spat. "Daddy will keep her away? She's almost fourteen, Severus. Old enough to make up her own mind!"
"But young enough to listen to my council." he spat back. "And the opinions of her parents. If I say I don't think you should meet her, they'll back me up and she'll listen."
Ella rolled her eyes. "You expect me to believe that you regularly discuss issues with two muggles, Severus? That an almost fourteen year old girl heeds her father's advice?"
"Believe what you want, Ella. I correspond with her parents regularly, just last night, Lucius and Narcissa had dinner with them in my home."
Ella's eyes went wide as she turned to Lucius. "Tell me he's lying," she demanded.
"He is not," Lucius replied. "Her parents are lovely. He is also not lying about the girl heeding his council. They have a close relationship despite the little time they have had, she will listen."
"I don't believe you," she said flatly.
"I told you, believe whatever you want," Severus responded with a shrug. "I truly do not care. Now. What do you want with her?"
Ella sighed. "I just want to meet her."
"Meet, not get to know?"
She shrugged. "I imagine the answer to that will depend on how the meeting goes. I'm not averse to getting to know her, as long as she understands my life. I refuse to be tied down so if she's expecting the dinner parties you appear to be hosting from me, then someone had better properly inform the girl that that is unrealistic."
Severus tensed as he fought the urge to hex her. Selfish fucking bitch. However, it was Narcissa who spoke, in a tone colder than he had heard her for a long time.
"What about you understanding her life, Ella?"
She shrugged, "She's a thirteen year old girl, it's not particularly complicated."
"No? You have no idea." Narcissa said scathingly, making Ella's eyes widen as she stood abruptly and walked from the room.
"What's got into her?" Ella asked, turning to Lucius.
"Your self-absorbedness astounds me, Ella, it truly does." Lucius drawled before he turned to Severus. "Are you sure it's wise to allow them to meet? She hasn't even asked the girl's name."
"No," Severus replied. "However it ultimately has to be her choice." He turned to Ella. "Her name is Hermione, by the way, since you were clearly so interested."
Ella scrunched her nose. "It could be worse, I suppose, although I don't like it," she replied with a shrug. "Now is anyone going to tell me what this child is like?"
"Why should we?"
"Because how else am I going to get to know her?"
"You could try asking her questions, Ella. Writing to her, asking before someone had to point out you were a self-absorbed bitch." Severus kept his tone even, fantasising about the various ways he could murder the woman. Currently, he was considering just levitating her off a cliff.
"I'm asking now," Ella replied, sighing.
"Fine. She is brilliant. Easily the top of her year."
"Boring. What house is she in?"
Severus smirked. "Gryffindor."
Ella's eyes widened. "You expect me to believe that a child with our genes is a Gryffindor? Tell me he's lying, Lucius!"
Lucius snorted. "Indeed he is not. She is very much a Gryffindor, all noble, self-sacrificing and brash."
"No. No, I won't have that! The child should have been Slytherin. Or even Ravenclaw would have been better."
"She could hardly have been Slytherin believing herself muggleborn, Ella!" Severus responded scathingly.
"Then Ravenclaw!" she retorted, not missing a beat.
"She almost was. It was a hat stall. In the end, she ended up as a Lion. As much as it pains me to admit it, it suits her."
"Tell me she has redeeming friends?"
Severus huffed out a laugh. "Her best friend is Harry Potter."
Ella stood abruptly, moving to the drinks cabinet to pour herself a large firewhiskey.
"No," she said flatly. "No, I won't allow that."
"You have no choice. She thinks of the boy like a brother and will not take kindly to you interfering."
"So you're just accepting your daughter mixing with James Potter's son?" she laughed derisively. "Don't make me laugh, Severus. She can't have made you that soft. No. The girl needs proper friends."
Severus' voice went low and dangerous. "She has proper friends. Better friends than either of us ever had. Regardless of my own feelings about them, her friends are loyal and willing to put aside their own prejudices and experiences to support her choices. You will leave it alone."
Ella spluttered as the door creaked open, Draco's eyes going wide as he realised what he had walked in on. "I was just looking for Mother." he blurted "Clearly she's not here so I'll just…."
Ella turned to him quickly. "Draco, what do you think of your cousin's questionable choice in friends?"
Draco glanced from his Godfather to his father, indecision clear on his face. "I'm not a fan of Weasley." he said eventually "but he's been remarkably civil since Hermione told him off. Potter is surprisingly alright. We're unlikely to be best friends but it's clear he loves Hermione. Longbottom isn't aware of our connection but I don't see him being an issue and girl Weasley is inoffensive."
Ella's eyes narrowed, "Harry Potter is alright?" she said
"Yes. Both he and Weasely accepted it when she told them we were related despite how much we hated each other."
She rounded on Severus. "You're telling me the child's friends are Harry Potter and two families of blood traitors? And no one has an issue with this?"
Severus rolled his eyes. "Only you, apparently. Interesting seeing as you used to profess not to care."
"Interesting seeing as you and Lucius supposedly did." she shot back.
"Hermione's happiness means more than outdated ideals. And as you are aware I never gave a fuck about blood status so do try harder to be outraged." Severus drawled.
Ella glared at him. "Clearly someone is going to have to take this child's education in hand. This is absurd."
"She has a name you know." Draco voiced from the door.
"I'm well aware." Ella griped. "A fucking awful one."
Draco rolled his eyes. "She won't tolerate you speaking to her like that, and she has very little filter so don't expect her not to just say it And she won't allow you to speak badly of Potter. May I now be excused?"
"Go, Draco," Lucius replied before Ella could open her mouth.
"You need to teach that boy better manners." she griped as Draco fled. "That girl won't be given a choice but to listen."
Severus and Lucius shared a look. Despite their ever-growing horror with Ella's attitude, before they could help themselves, they both laughed. He was worried about how Hermione would cope with this once the reality set in but he couldn't deny that he was absolutely looking forward to Ella bearing the full brunt of her anger. And angry she would absolutely be, especially if Ella brought Potter into it. She was disgustingly loyal to the boy. He wondered briefly if it was unethical to remind her that no one could tell who cast magic inside a magical household. Possibly. But the results would probably be worth it.
"You have no idea what type of child Hermione is, Ella. I cannot wait to see you fail." Severus snickered as he mockingly toasted her with his scotch.