AN: Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!

If there weren't so many witnesses, Severus would've hexed Minerva into oblivion.

Why she would set him up with Andromeda Tonks was beyond him. Was she trying to make him regret making the new bet with him? If so, she would be disappointed with his resolve. Even if he wasn't so dedicated to helping Hermione, he wasn't going to allow Minerva to intimidate him with a terrible date.

Then again, perhaps this may be a genuine date, unlikely as that may be. If that was the case, Minerva had gone round the bend. Why would she ever think he'd want to date the favorite cousin of his bitter enemy, or raise his tormentor's spawn? On what planet would Severus be compatible with her? The idea of them together would be laughable if it wasn't so insulting.

"I apologize for dirtying up your date," Hermione craned her neck and looked up at Andromeda. "If I'd known Severus had a date, I would have found a cleaner way to get up here."

"That is quite alright," Andromeda gave her a soft smile. "I am just sorry you had to spend so much time interacting with Severus. It must be degrading to have such a snarly caretaker."

"Caretaker?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," Andromeda spoke to her as if she was a six year old.

"Why do you think he's my caretaker?"

"He took you up here, and us friendly towards you. Obviously he is in some sort of caretaking position over you."

"I assure you, Severus is not my caretaker."

"I don't know what Minerva was thinking putting him in charge of you. Your life is already such a miserable drudgery with your condition. He must make it more difficult. Why she chose Severus I'll never know." She turned to Severus. "Perhaps you could explain it to me later."

"I assure you that Hermione does not need a caretaker," Severus cut in.

"Perhaps you aren't a full-time caregiver, but part time work is enough to qualify you as one."

"He doesn't work for me at all," Hermione argued. "I can take care of myself."

Andromeda spoke over Hermione. "Still, even you have a shred of humanity. Even you aren't callous enough to deny Hermione help given her," Andromeda's eyes fell on Hermione's left leg. "Impairment."

"Actually, it would be callous of him to ignore my wishes," Hermione argued. "Including my wish to remain independent."

"Tell me," Andromeda returned her attention to Severus. "How much of your time is taken up caring for her? Does she only need occasional help or must you spend hours with her performing menial daily tasks?"

"He doesn't need to do menial tasks for me."

"Does caretaking cut into your teaching duties?"

"No, Hermione and I teach just fine on our own because we are more than capable of conducting our own lives," Severus argued.

"What about being with anyone else? You never had much of a social life, but does it get tiring dedicating most of your free time tending to her needs?"

"Hermione requires little of my time," Severus argued. "The time I spend with her is done so because I want to spend time with her, not because she needs me to care for her."

"I only require his friendship," Hermione winced as the shaking in her leg increased. "I can take care of myself, so any time we spend together is voluntary on both of our ends."

"I will admit it's admirable of you to care for her," she kept her eyes on Severus. "It makes me believe you have a heart."

"He has a huge heart, which he hides from those he finds unworthy of his affection. That's why I'm honored to be his friend," Hermione argued.

Andromeda's attention remained on Severus. "I suppose even you aren't completely heartless, especially in the light of such obvious need."

Before Hermione could say a word, the crowd erupted into cheers. The golden snitch flew into the air. Soon, the players took off, beginning their game.

"Why don't you two sit down?" Minerva ushered Severus and Andromeda to two seats in the front of the box. "I'd imagine you have much to discuss."

"Yes, it's been years since I've seen Hermione," Andromeda took her seat. "I'd love to hear more about how you got involved in her care."

"If you want to speak with Hermione you may do so. She is more than capable of speaking for herself." Severus stood behind her.

"She's out in the rain," Andromeda continued. "Does this mean her leg doesn't hurt during inclement weather anymore?"

"Shouldn't you be asking her this question?"

"I'm asking you. You know her condition as well as she does."

"I will not answer questions for her." He pointed to her. "Especially when she's right behind me and is more than capable of speaking for herself. If you want to know more about her condition, ask her."

"Yes," Andromeda glanced back at Hermione. "It's unfortunate she can't stand on her own. I can't imagine spending my days stuck in a wheelchair or using one of those clunky walkers."

"I cannot speak on that issue," he argued. "If you want to discuss assistive devices, talk to her."

"Were you tasked with caring for her because you can brew her potions to ease her pain or steady her balance, or was it because for all your faults, you aren't physically frail?"

"For the last time, I am not Hermione's caretaker, and I hardly believe these questions are appropriate," he raised his voice. "If you want to speak to her, do so."

Andromeda kept going. "Teddy would love to see Hermione sometime. If you could bring her over, that would be nice."

"I won't do that because she's capable of going wherever she needs to be."

"So now you get to determine where she does and does not go?"

"No, I do not determine that at all. She decides who she does and does not want to see. If she decides she wants to see someone, she makes arrangement with that person independent of any wishes I may have."

"But you don't want to see Teddy or me."

"On that we can agree."

"That may be for the best." Andromeda sighed. "Hermione and Teddy can't play together anyway. He runs too fast for her."

"If you want Hermione to visit your house, I'd suggest speaking with her about it, not me. She is more than capable of traveling on her own."

"Yes, but if she visits," Andromeda frowned. "You'll inevitably be there monitoring things."

Severus threw up his hands and turned to leave. Minerva stood in his way and glared at him. In a low voice she began, "Why don't you sit down?"

"Why don't I leave this disaster of a date and force Andromeda to speak to Hermione in a respectful manner?"

"She's just fine, and you know it."

"You are actually going to allow Andromeda to speak to and about Hermione this way?" He hissed.

"Andromeda is simply trying to make conversation," she answered. "You're the one throwing a tantrum over her attempts to be friendly."

"She's treating Hermione like a child who is incapable of speaking without a parent present."

"And you're behaving like a petulant child," Minerva pointed to Hermione. "She is fine."

Severus glanced over at Hermione, who was laughing with Neville. When they stopped, she massaged her leg and flinched.

"See, she's fine. Now, enjoy the game with your date," Minerva replied.

"Is she my unfortunate date for the afternoon?"

"Yes, and she's a friend who wanted to see you."

"More like see you," Severus grumbled before slumping in the chair beside Andromeda.

"I'm sorry caring for Hermione clearly distresses you so much," Andromeda began. "It must be emasculating coming into a Quidditch tournament soaking wet, covered in mud…"

"If you want to survive this disaster of a game then I'd suggest remaining silent, or at least not spend the afternoon patronizing Hermione."

"I'm not patronizing Hermione, just asking about her."

"Then stop asking questions about her and consider speaking with her."

"Fine," she muttered. "Hermione is obviously a touchy subject."

Severus scowled.

For ten peaceful minutes, Severus watched the game. Slytherin was down by 40, and appeared to be disoriented. If this continued, then the only thing which would be achieved would be Hermione further injuring her leg, and more humiliation.

"I was surprised you regained your old position," Andromeda began.

He turned to her.

"I would've thought with your baggage they would have hired someone else," Andromeda continued. "You weren't the kindest potions professor after all."

"There are few people as competent as I am, a fact Minerva knows well. It was inevitable that I return."

"I see your ego survived the war intact."

"I am not arrogant, just aware of my own abilities."

"You did brew Remus Wolfsbane without killing him, so I cannot doubt your abilities."

"No, you cannot," he grumbled.

Now Slytherin was down by 50 points. Severus' stomach sank. How was he going to look at Hermione after this? Even if she didn't know he'd lost the bet, he would know that his last ditch effort to give her an interview had failed. Merlin could anything ever go right for him?

"Teddy is doing well," she continued.

"You act as if I'd care," he grumbled.

"I thought you may care about a future student."

"I will care for him when he arrives at Hogwarts. Otherwise, he is none of my concern."

"You know, I'm surprised Minerva wanted me to spend an afternoon with someone who is so snarly towards children."

"I'm surprised Minerva wanted me to spend an afternoon with someone who knows I couldn't care less about her grandchild," he mumbled.

"Remus was a good man," she shook her head. "I miss him dearly."

"I would imagine that his death took its toll on you."

"It has," her eyes hardened. "Sometimes I wonder what his life would be like if you had never given Voldemort that prophecy."

Severus bit his tongue. No way in Merlin would he ever tell her that he spent many a night wondering the same thing.

"If you hadn't been into dark arts, you and Remus could've been friends," she continued.

"I doubt Sirius would have ever been my friend, given my social class. Given that Remus worshipped the ground Sirius walked on, it's doubtful we ever would've been friends."

"Perhaps Remus didn't care for your impoverished ways, but he cared about people like you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means Sirius and I care deeply for muggles, muggleborns, and halfbloods, including you."

"He had a bizarre way of showing it."

"If you hadn't been so odd, he may have tolerated, perhaps even liked, you."

"Or perhaps he was only interested in defending the muggles, muggleborns, and halfbloods who conformed to his image of the perfect person. He only liked those who complied with his worldview and bowed to his greatness. The second we had needs or disagreed with him was the second he turned on us."

"He defended your rights," she paused. "We both did. Actually, I still do."

"How?"

"Well, I've always been tolerant of muggles and wanted to learn more about their way of life. I married one after all. Even after he died, I made sure Teddy understood muggle culture. We are both quite good at conversing with muggles."

"Really, because one would not know from the way you've behaved this afternoon," he argued.

"Excuse me," she snapped.

"You claim to advocate for muggleborns, yet you cannot initiate a conversation with a muggleborn in a wheelchair," he raised his voice. "Instead of treating Hermione like a functioning human being, you treat her as if she's incapable of having any kind of independent thought."

"I've treated her with nothing but respect since the day I've met her."

"Then why don't you go over to her, ask her how she's doing, tell her Teddy wants to see her, and converse with her? Better yet, why don't you invite her to your house, and explain to Teddy that he can still play with Hermione, but it will be a different game than the ones he plays with others?"

Andromeda blinked, unsure of how to absorb his words.

"You aren't tolerant of all muggles, just those who bow to your greatness and fit the mold of who a perfect muggle should be. The second they no longer fit the mold, you discard them the way you have Hermione."

"I do care for Hermione!"

"Then why don't you speak to her?"

Andromeda swallowed.

"I may not be a caretaker, but I am far more caring towards her than you ever will be."

"Slytherin has caught the snitch!"

All eyes turned to the Quidditch pitch

"In a stunning turn of events," the announcer continued, "Slytherin has come back and won the game by ten points!"

Severus glanced over at Minerva, whose eyes were wide. He smirked.

"Slytherin did it!" Hermione cheered. "They won!"

"No," he locked eyes with Minerva. "We won."

Before Minerva could react, Hermione wheeled over to Andromeda and extended her hand. "Thank you for the enlightening conversation. It truly was a pleasure to speak to you. I hope we are able to do it again sometime."

Andromeda glanced downward as she shook her outstretched hand.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I need to celebrate my friend's house winning the game. Perhaps if I'm lucky, he'll let me organize his potions cabinet. I'm quite good at alphabetizing things, and if I don't do that for him he tends to lose things. I wouldn't be a very good caregiver if I neglected his needs for too long." Hermione winked.

With a grin, Hermione wheeled over to Severus. Then, he picked her up and levitated her to the ground below, leaving a speechless Minerva and Andromeda in their wake.