Grumpy was stubborn, Snow could see that much. Though the other Dwarfs tried many times in many different ways to apologize to him, he refused to acknowledge them unless he absolutely had to. He was wounded by their little joke, which had not been little or funny to him, and the brothers were becoming more and more anxious to make up with him. Snow didn't dare to intervene. She needed Grumpy to like her, or at least not hate her, so she stayed quiet and watched the brothers fret and talk about what more they could do.

Snow enjoyed the quaint cottage, flitting about and keeping house in a way that was new to the Dwarfs. Everything was always immaculate, and now there was always a sweet treat like a gooseberry pie or cookies to enjoy after dinner. Though Happy was a good cook, baking was not in his repertoire of cooking skills, and the Dwarfs all enjoyed the treats. Snow was peppy and cheerful, always smiling and helpful. Things went well for a week, then Snow ran into a bit of a problem.

The Dwarfs were outside, working in the garden when Snow approached them. Grumpy glanced up from his planting as she opened the gate and came in, her yellow skirt blowing in the spring breeze.

"Need something?" Doc asked when he noticed her.

Snow hesitated, something that was usual for her. She never liked asking for anything. The Dwarfs had told her several times that she could use almost anything she wanted in the house without asking, but she still asked every time.

Shifting from foot to foot, she took a breath. "I was wondering if there's any cloth I can use."

Doc adjusted his spectacles and looked to Sleepy, who stood up and brushed his dirty hands onto his pants.

"What do ya need it fer?"

A faint pink blush splashed across her cheeks and Grumpy pursed his lips. He had a feeling he already knew, and he wondered if she'd tell them or skirt around the issue.

"I just need some more clothes. This is a pretty dress, one of the finest I've worn, but it's not too practical."

Skirt around it, then.

Sleepy smiled. "Don't you worry 'bout that Snow. I'll make ya sommit."

"Oh, no, I couldn't ask that of you. I'll do it myself."

But Sleepy wouldn't budge. Snow did so much for them, and they were eager to pay her back. Snow's shoulders slumped, but she finally smiled and thanked them then turned to go make dinner. Grumpy stood up and followed her back into the house. Doc watched him go but said nothing. There was a good chance he wouldn't deign to answer any questions. When Grumpy opened the door, Snow was pacing, looking worried. She whirled around to see Grumpy.

"Need something?"

Grumpy went to pump out a glass of water and drank half of it at once. He squinted at her.

"Have ya started yet?" he asked bluntly.

Shock filled her expression, followed swiftly by embarrassment. "I don't know what you mean," she said.

"Don't jerk me around, Snow. It's yer time a the month. Do ya need rags or not?"

Snow blushed and nodded. Grumpy grunted and drained the rest of the water then gestured for her to follow. He walked upstairs and dug around in a trunk then pulled out the remains of a bolt of cloth. He pulled a knife from his hip, unrolled the bolt, and began to cut the cloth into useable rags. Snow watched in astonishment, perplexed as to why Grumpy was taking this without a hint of discomfort or embarrassment. Any time the subject came up with any boy or man in the castle or the village, they were all embarrassed and quickly changed the subject. But Snow was very grateful that it wasn't a big deal to him. She hadn't been sure how the Dwarfs would react to such a womanly problem.

"Here," he said after several minutes. "Double 'em and stitch 'em together. Let me know if ya need more. Don't reuse 'em. Ain't good fer ya. We'll burn 'em afore t'others get up in the mornin'."

"Thank you," she said fervently.

Grumpy grunted and shut the door behind him as he headed back to the main room. He sat down at the table and waited patiently for Snow to come downstairs. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see him there, but after a moment's hesitation, she came downstairs and added wood to the fire to start dinner. Grumpy sat and watched her, his face impassive. After putting oil in the frying pan to heat, she began to season and prepare chicken for frying.

"Does it not bother you?" she finally asked, hesitant but curious.

"Nope," Grumpy replied.

"Why?"

Grumpy shrugged one shoulder. "I took care a some girls afore I came here. Ain't nothin' ta be 'shamed about."

"The others…?" she trailed off, unsure of how to phrase the question.

Grumpy let out a bark of laughter at the thought. "I doubt most of 'em even know much about it. 'Sides Doc, and that's cuz he's a doctor. Dopey certainly don't know nothin' 'bout it. Ain't sommit they think about. Ain't got no sisters and they don't see their female cousins too often. Doc prolly hasn't even thought ya might need sommit fer it."

Snow nodded as she dipped the chicken in seasoned flour. "To be fair, I am a rather early bloomer."

Grumpy shrugged. "Ain't unheard of." He tapped the table and glanced at the door. "How's yer magic?"

Snow winced and glanced at the door then looked down at the chicken. "Erratic," she finally admitted.

"Do ya know how ta use it at all?"

"I can talk to animals."

"'Sides that."

Snow pursed her lips as she slowly shook her head. "My stepmother did not like for me to use magic," she said, her voice neutral. "She would punish me if she caught me using it. Even if it was accidental. And it often was."

"Punish ya," Grumpy said then nodded. "She's a witch."

"Oh no. She has no magic like me."

"Not natural magic. But she practices witchcraft. Black magic," Grumpy said.

Snow turned and paled, her rosy cheeks draining of color. "She does?"

"Mmhm."

"Are you sure?"

"I keep track," Grumpy said tersely. "Black magic is the worst kind. Them who practice it use it ta hurt and destroy and kill."

Snow nodded and turned back to the cooking. "Magic is for bad people," she said sadly.

Grumpy nodded dismally. "Yep. But we gots natural magic. That's good, ya know, kinda. We don't hafta use it ta hurt people."

"What's the difference?"

"Natural magic is sommit folks is born with. Most folks with natural magic is good, kinda. Other's magic is learnt through spells and potions. Most black magic is learnt magic. Folks who crave power or money usually seek out the books ta learn so they can control people an' get what they want."

Snow laid the chicken into the hot oil, which sputtered and spat. "I don't know how to control it," she said. "So it usually comes out rather… violently."

"Ain't gonna work here," Grumpy said. "I'll teach ya how ta use it so's ya don't burst."

"How?"

Grumpy stared at her then the air shimmered as he waved his hand. At once, the chicken turned over in the pan. Snow jumped and looked back, startled. Then she turned to see the rest of the chicken being seasoned and laid out in a perfect pile on the plate. The broom also leaped from the wall and began to sweep up dust beneath the window.

"Ain't that hard," he said, unable to suppress a grin. "Can shows ya little things first. Then work up ta bigger things."

Snow laughed, covering her mouth with her hand then shook the fork playfully. "Now don't you go messing with dinner. Happy will have your head."

Grumpy snorted and rolled his eyes. "Don't much care. He won't do nothin'."

Snow sighed. "You're really hurting them, Grumpy. They're desperate for you to talk with them."

Grumpy sat up and shifted. "I know," he said reluctantly. "But they shouldn'ta done it."

"I know that, Grumpy," Snow said gently. "And they know it, too. It's been a week. Please forgive them."

"Don't know how ta start up," he grumbled.

"Just talk to them," Snow said. "They're trying to say they're sorry, but you won't listen."

Grumpy tapped the table and waved his hand so that the broom settled back against the wall.

"Guess I'll go and talk to 'em. Ya good on dinner?"

"It'll be about twenty minutes. Plenty of time," Snow said with a tender smile.

Sighing, Grumpy stood up, came around the table, and patted her arm. She turned to give him a hug, but he flushed and flashed to the door in a burst of magic, skipping several feet of flooring in the process. Giving her a stern look, he went out the door, ignoring her startled expression. He stood in the yard and stared at the water trough, his mind recalling the humiliation he felt at the brothers' trick. It still stung, but it wasn't as sharp as it had been. Snow hadn't laughed maliciously at him, and he had to admit he must have looked ridiculous. She had even said the next day that they were acting like his brothers, which touched him now that he thought about it. And he knew it was time to let them apologize so that he could forgive them.

Grumpy licked his lips nervously then headed for the garden. The brothers were still working away, chatting to each other as they planted potatoes and carrots. They looked up as Grumpy came back in, but he didn't join them. Instead, he went to sit on the bench. Doc glanced at Bashful, who quickly stood up and walked over.

"Everythin' okay?" Bashful asked.

They didn't expect him to answer, but when he shrugged, they all jumped up and hurried over. The fact that he answered and wasn't glowering at them gave them hope that he was finally ready to listen and possibly forgive them. Doc and Bashful plopped on either side of him, and Bashful tentatively wrapped an arm around him. He wasn't shrugged off. That was an even better sign.

"We're sorry," Doc said immediately, unwilling to miss the opportunity. "Really we are. I shouldn't have started it. I just… You were being so rude to Snow, and it wasn't fight, uh, right. She was so frightened and she'd cleaned the house and made trupper, erm, supper. But I shouldn't have reacted the way I did."

"I knows she broke in, and that probably made ya nervous and scared," Bashful added. "An' we knows ya don't like women. I'm so sorry that I joined in. I didn't even think a how ya'd feel about the joke."

"'Tweren't funny ta me," Grumpy answered, his face turning pink.

Bashful embraced him. "We knows that now," he murmured gently. "And we're real sorry."

Grumpy didn't move for a few moments then hugged Bashful back. The brothers relaxed and each hugged Grumpy tightly. Grumpy swiped at his eyes with his sleeve then stood up.

"Dinner's about ready. Better wash," he said blandly.

They all laughed. Snow made them wash before every meal, and though it had confused them at first, they were well used to it now. They trooped off to the water trough, grabbed soap, and lathered up. By the time they had rinsed off, Snow came out to get them.

"Oh, good," she said, pleased. "I was just coming to get you."

The Dwarfs grinned at her, except for Grumpy, and they hurried inside to dry their faces and hands. As they passed, she scanned them.

"I'll do laundry tomorrow," she said decisively.

"Gardenin' is dirty work," Bashful said, his cheeks flushing.

"Of course it is. But that doesn't mean you have to wear filthy clothes for days. Just pile them up in the bedroom tonight and I'll get to them tomorrow."

"Thank you, Snow," Doc said, smiling at her. "You're too kind."

"Speakin' a which, how's yer tick?" Sneezy asked.

"Quite comfortable. And you all have your beds back," Snow said. She knew they had all been sore after nearly a week of sleeping downstairs in various places, so when they'd stuffed a straw tick for her and rearranged the bedroom to fit her in, she was very happy. They'd even hung a long curtain across the room for her to have some privacy if she wanted. Grumpy had insisted on it, and the brothers had no objections.

Sneezy plopped down in his chair, and he leaned his elbows on the table. "I'll start carvin' a frame fer it tamarra. Gots everythin' I need now."

"Oh, that's so kind of you," she said brightly. "And elbows off the table."

Sneezy straightened at once as the others joined him at the table. Grumpy and Doc first grabbed the bench and dragged it over to the foot of the table for Snow to sit on. Sneezy was planning on carving a lovely chair for her to sit with them, but for the moment she was using what they had. She was so gracious about everything, so eager to please, and they too were eager to make her stay comfortable.

Grumpy plopped down and deliberately placed his elbows on the table. Snow looked at him.

"Elbows off the table," she repeated sternly.

Grumpy grunted and stuck out his tongue. Doc was frustrated by his obvious taunting of Snow, but Snow only thought for a moment then walked over and plucked up Grumpy's hat. To their astonishment, and before Grumpy could react, she kissed him. Grumpy let out a yowl and swatted at her. She ducked away.

"Get offa me, woman!" he shouted, snatching his hat as he turned red.

"Elbows off the table," Snow said, a sly smirk on her face as she sauntered away to get the food.

Grumpy snorted and scrubbed at his head then jerked his hat back on. He did not put his elbows back on the table. The brothers burst out laughing. This time, Grumpy didn't mind.

"Derned woman," he grumbled.

Snow giggled.