"I'm sorry Severus, for what you had to endure, for everything that they took from you" She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his forehead as the tears dripped from his face.
It was at that moment they quickly turned to the door when they heard a whimper, and saw the wide eyed form of Rose staring at the two adults entwined on the bed, eyes focused on Severus.
Rose's eyes were locked on Severus, and both adults were frozen in place, totally unprepared for Rose's intrusion.
There was distress in her eyes, and Hermione and Severus's eyes locked as they both quickly thought the same thing.
Why was she upset? Was it their closeness? How long had she been stood there? What did she hear? Of what she did hear, how much did she understand?
It was Rose that broke the stillness of the moment as she moved forward and climbed onto the foot of the bed, quickly situating herself between the two adults, who had hastily parted to make room for her.
The last thing either of them expected her to do, was to lean forward and wipe Severus's tears with the sleeve of her nightclothes, and look at him with a such a look of concern it made his heart clench in his chest.
It was then they realised that her distress hadn't been from seeing them lain so close together, or hearing what Severus said, but simply seeing the man crying.
Hermione leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her daughters head.
"It's alright Rosie, Severus just had a bad dream, he didn't get much sleep and he's tired, that's all" Hermione spoke, rather than having to try and explain exactly what they'd just been talking about, as a small child Rose would often cry when she was overtired so she would understand this explanation.
It was then that Rose looked at him with such fierce determination, he couldn't help but be reminded of Hermione when she was younger.
She crawled out of the bed, holding onto Severus's hand and gave him a sharp tug. Even as he followed the small girl, he looked at Hermione with a quirked eyebrow but she lifted her shoulders in an 'I don't know' shrug and made to follow them.
Rose dragged Severus into her bedroom and pulled him to sit down on her bed, not stopping pushing him until he'd lifted his legs up and laid fully on it. It was a very sturdy made bed, so it had no trouble taking his weight, but he was a rather tall man and the bed was a short single, so his legs hung off the end a bit.
Hermione watched from the door way as he daughter gestured with 'grabby hands' for her to come closer. She was also brought onto the bed, though Severus had to put an arm around her to hold on, lest she fall off the edge.
When the three of them were on the bed, Rose pulled the curtains around the canopy and situated herself in between the two of them.
She repeated the sign from last night, Safe. which he remembered, then kissed him gently on the cheek before laying down in the middle of them.
He struggled to hold back the tears, when he realised what she'd done. Hermione wasn't having as much luck.
She'd brought him to her bed, her safe place. So he could sleep, and be safe from his bad dreams.
With a shuddering breath he pulled them both closer to him and shut his eyes.
oOo
Days turned into weeks, and soon it had been a month that Hermione and Rose had been living with Severus.
They had the routine down as though they had always been this perfect little unit, and Severus could not remember a time when he'd been more content. Though every day his chest ached with the thought of their departure growing ever closer, for there was no way they would choose to remain here forever, despite his desire for them to do so.
Though still nervous with others, Rose was becoming very quickly attached to Severus, and likewise Severus was besotted with her. Hermione was certain that if Rose asked Severus for the moon, he would find a way to give it to her.
After a long thought out discussion a week previous, Hermione had decided that instead of returning to work once she'd used up her sick and holiday days that she was currently making use that, that she was going to hand in her notice at the Ministry. She felt that she'd done as much as she could in the department, and she wanted to leave with her drive and her sanity still intact.
Though she wanted to spend more time closer to Rose, she didn't want to stop working altogether and was broadening her horizons, and considering other lines of work that would be more flexible.
For their sake, Severus had increased his already formidable wards and they had basically spent the last few weeks as shut ins, apart from the various trips to shops to restock, always muggle.
Severus had lowered the wards enough to allow owls access, so that Hermione could send and receive mail from her work among others.
Hermione and Rose were sat at the breakfast table, drinking juice whilst Severus made breakfast, when one such owl arrived. Giving the owl a treat and sending it on it's way, Hermione opened the Ministry stamped seal as she bit into her toast, ready to read the responce from her boss.
It was the sound of her laboured breathing, that had Severus quickly turn around and take in her stricken face. A quick scan to Rose saw that the girl had yet to notice her mother's distress, so he quickly put a notice me not charm around her, before going to her side.
"Hermione?" He asked carefully "Your boss?..."
"It's not my boss." She managed to get out, carefully.
"Then what?-"
"They're my divorce papers" She said quietly.
She'd applied for divorce in absentia, and had also applied to change Her own and Rose's name back to Granger, so neither would carry the Weasley name.
"And?" He questioned , watching her reactions carefully.
"They approved it. I'm now legally and officially divorced. And we're both Grangers again" Her face was worried though and the parchment was gripped tightly in her hands.
"There's something else?" He could tell from the anxiety in her frame that there was something terribly wrong, as he could practically see the tension rolling through her.
"It's a court date, for a hearing"
"A hearing?"
She nodded but couldn't get out the words, instead handing him the parchment, which he quickly scanned, the words etching into his brain and making his blood both boil and run cold.
Ms Hermione Granger
This is an official summons for your (Mandatory) appearance at the Wizegamot Hearing
Dated 30th June this year.
For the case of
Hermione Jean Granger versus Molly Weasley (nee Prewett)
For the sole custody of Rose Granger.
For the reasons mentioned below
- Neglect
- Unreasonably Withholding visitation from direct family
- Lacking the means to adequately provide for a minor.
- Lacking a suitable dwelling in which to raise a minor
- Mental Instability
Yours Sincerely
Hector Hobblethwaite.
Head Chair
Wizegamot