He'd seen them in the halls twice since they'd exploded into his potions class. Both times they were darting into Professor McGonagall's office, looking around warily. The girl had spotted him once, he wondered what he had done to deserve the look she gave him. Her eyes boring into him with a look of such disgust on her face he took an involuntary step back. Not before he noticed the shade of her eyes though. His eyes. Who the fuck were these children?
It was luck that he ran into them again in an abandoned corridor.
"For fucks sake Alex, we should not be doing this!"
"I want to see her again! She's our mum and honestly, Phee, if we're doing this. If we're really going to tell her, I want to spend time with her first."
He watched as the girl's face softened, "We won't know, you know. If we cease to exist."
"I know." the boy choked. "Doesn't mean I can't miss her now."
"I miss her too." The girl murmured, before she turned sharply, clearly having heard his footsteps, her face closing off as she glared at him. Her twin turned too, the same look of loathing appearing on his face before they turned to move.
"Wait!" he shouted, "Please!"
The boy turned slowly, "Why the fuck should we?"
He paused momentarily, taken aback by his vitriol "What did I do to you?"
They sneered in unison, "Nothing." the girl spat, "You did nothing."
"What? I don't understand?"
"Do you know who we are? Have you worked it out?" she taunted.
"No. I….you're Nott's…..the eyes….but….."
"We're Granger's" The boy spat, his face contorted in disgust. "Not fucking Nott's"
His eyes widened, "Related to Hermione Granger?"
"Why?"
"I…we…fuck. Who are you?"
"You're with her already?" the girl asked, her mask slipping as she looked at him utterly horrified.
"Yes, but for fucks sake keep your voice down!" he hissed frantically, his eyes darting around the corridor in case someone was lingering.
"Oh, of course, wouldn't want word to get out that a Scion of the sacred 28 was fucking a mudblood."
"What? No! For fucks sake, have you any idea how dangerous it is for her? My father…." he shuddered, "Fuck, he'd murder her. I just need to find a way….I'm trying to find a way…."
The twins looked at him with wide eyes. "You're trying to find a way to what?" the girl whispered as if scared she'd break the bubble they were in if she was louder.
"Fix it!" he all but growled, "Take her away where he can't find us. I don't know, something that means I don't need to give up the best damn thing in my life."
The girl was crying silently as she watched him unravel, he wasn't sure what to do with that, given how much she appeared to hate him he imagined his attempts at comfort wouldn't be welcome. "Who are you?"
He watched them glance at each other, clearly having a silent conversation. "Ophelia and Alexander Granger."
"You're related to Hermione?" he asked again.
"She's our mother," the girl whispered.
His heart stopped. Fuck. Oh, fucking hell. That explained the conversation about ceasing to exist. What the fuck had happened? How were they here?
"And your father?"
The girl seemed to gather herself at the question, sliding her mask back into place, any sympathy she might have had for him disappearing with it, "You know exactly who our sperm donor is. You ruin her life, you know. If you love her at all, leave her the fuck alone. It'll be better for everyone. Congratulations on your marriage, Father. You decide to marry Pansy Parkinson in the end, while our mother works herself half to death dealing with the vilification the entire world heaps on her for keeping us."
He stood momentarily stunned, as he listened to the disdain dripping from the girl's voice. His girl. His daughter. Fuck, his children. Fucking bloody hell. What the fuck had happened?
"Please," he begged, as they turned to walk away, not even sure what he was begging for.
"No." she spat, "You fucked everything up. She's better off without you. I mean it, if you care for her at all, leave her the fuck alone."
They left him, stunned and heartbroken in the corridor. How had he managed to fuck it up so badly that his children hated him? Sperm donor, she'd called him. He clearly wasn't in their lives. Apparently, he was marrying Pansy. He shuddered at the thought. Why wasn't he with Hermione? Had someone found out, threatened her? It was the only explanation he had. His father had always been clear with his expectations but he loved her. He hadn't meant to but he did and it was selfish but she was his and the thought of her not being was physically painful. He was going to fix it, he vowed, he had to fix it. He wasn't ready to give Hermione up. She was the only thing that kept him going. Snape, he decided, he needed Snape. If anyone could help him come up with a plan it was him.