AN: Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
Hermione had forgotten how much she hated the cobbled streets of Hogsmeade. Her wheelchair shook and creaked as she wheeled herself over the uneven and pothole ridden road. A few times, she almost became stuck in a groove. Each time, Severus paused, waiting for her next move. She pushed her wheels harder, and managed to unstick herself. Regardless of what anyone said, she was capable of taking care of herself, something she was determined to prove.
Without complaint, she wheeled through Hogsmeade, hoping the smile on her face hid the aching of her cramped wrists and the nausea from an unsteady wheelchair. When her body screamed for reprieve, she remembered why she was there. Nobody ever invited her to Hogsmeade because they viewed her as incapable. It was kind of Severus to invite her to a Hogsmeade weekend, and he was more than generous in acknowledging her independence. The last thing he needed was to see how much of a burden she was and decide his act of goodwill was a mistake.
"Where would you like to go first?" He asked.
"An orthopedic specialist," she muttered as she rubbed her left wrist.
"Excuse me?" Severus bent so she could see him without craning her neck.
"Nothing," she forced herself to grin. "I just wish my leg was cooperating better. It would have been nice to use the walker or cane instead of trying to wheel down these streets."
"Do you regret flying yesterday?" He frowned. "I may have encouraged you to push yourself too hard. I would hate for you to suffer due to our lack of foresight."
"No," her body warmed as she remembered being in his arms, the feeling of security in his strong but gentle touch, and his lips drawing closer to hers. It had been years since she'd wanted to kiss someone, and even longer since someone had looked at her as if he was contemplating kissing her in return. It was as if she was a desirable woman, someone worth loving.
Did she want him to kiss her? Did she want him to hold her in his arms forever? Did she want him to love her?
"Hermione?" His eyes were soft with concern.
"Yes," she cleared her throat.
"Are you in pain? Should we go somewhere to rest?"
"No, we don't need to do that."
"Then why do you appear so distracted?"
"I'm not distracted, well not really." She blinked and shook her head. "I was thinking it would be nice to go to a bookstore. I haven't been to one in months. It would be lovely to go into one and browse the aisles again."
"Then lead the way," he extended his arms.
She chuckled as she continued to wheel, her stomach aching from being jostled so much. Then, she hit the pothole which jolted her body. Try as she might, the wheelchair did not budge from its position.
"Would you like me to push you out?" Severus stood beside her.
She sighed and she removed her hands from the wheels. "Yes."
He did so without a word.
"Thank you," she resumed wheeling. "I have a feeling we're going to have to refill my tires soon. At this rate, they're bound to go flat again."
"I thought you filled them this morning."
"Yes, but I forgot how much disarray Hogsmeade's roads were in. Then again, it's been awhile since I've been here. I suppose I can be forgiven for my oversight."
"It must be odd only flooing into buildings, never seeing their exteriors."
"You have no idea how odd it is to know the interior of a building so well, but forget how the exterior appeared," she rested her aching arms. "As a child I was so enchanted by Hogsmeade. Now, coming here is almost more trouble than it's worth."
"If you'd like, we can go home," Severus answered. "I can tell Minerva I've fallen ill and you must tend to me."
"No, I don't want to ruin your weekend."
"I spent the last half hour listening to the most asinine love triangle in existence and trying to cure a boy cursed with a horse tail. Getting out of this weekend is no burden."
"Maybe not to you, but," she glanced at the ground. "I was feel as if I was getting in the way of you having an enjoyable time. I would feel like a burden."
"You are not a burden."
She looked up at him, her eyes clouded with doubt.
He put his hand on her shoulder. "You will never be a burden to me."
"Thank you," she relaxed before resuming her trek. After a few meters, she reached her goal. Her eyes glistened before the reality of stairs sunk in.
"Of course you'd want to go to Flourish and Blotts," Severus mused.
"I'd imagine you do too," her heart sank as she eyed the narrow stairs. Even with a walker and cane, she would have struggled climbing them. Then again, the doorway appeared too small for a wheelchair anyway. If she remembered right, the book shelves were cramped together in a way which may prove inaccessible even with a walker.
Was it worth attempting to enter?
"Would you like me to go inside and ask for a ramp?" He asked.
"I don't want to bother you," she kept her eyes on the building, memories of running up the stairs to purchase the latest book replaying in her mind like a taunt. At some points in her schooling it felt as if that store was the only place she belonged. Now, the store may as well have had a gate affixed with a 'No Cripples Allowed' sign.
"It isn't a bother," he replied. "I want to go in there, and I want you to join me."
"I don't know if they'll allow you to make a ramp."
"There is no harm in asking. If the castle can make ramps, they must have something which would make a sturdy ramp."
"One would hope."
He gave her a small smile before rushing up the stairs. As she watched him, she wondered if she should tell him that it was fine for him to peruse the aisles while she waited outside. There was a bit of a chill in the air, but warming spells could keep her body temperature consistent. It would be burdensome of her to destroy what little joy he could gleam from this afternoon because she couldn't use a staircase. She was more trouble than she was worth, a fact he would realize in time.
"Mum look! It's a cripple!"
She turned around to a child of about four pointing at her, his eyes wide. The woman beside him blushed as she yanked him away. "Paul, it isn't polite to stare and point."
"No, he's fine," Hermione motioned towards them. "I mean, if he wants to learn more about my condition, I'm more than happy to discuss it."
The mother opened her mouth, but before she could utter a word Paul burst out, "what are you sitting in? Is it some kind of muggle technology?"
"Yes, muggles do use this. It's called a wheelchair, and it helps me move around." She left out the part that potholes made traveling much more difficult than it needed to be.
"Oh," the boy stared at her trembling leg. "Why is your leg shaking? Doesn't it hurt?"
"Paul," his mum hissed, though the glimmer in her eyes showed she was just as interested in the answer as he was.
"My leg is shaking because an evil witch was mean to me and hexed me during the war," Hermione continued.
"Really?" Paul broke away from his mother and approached Hermione.
"Yes," Hermione answered. "Sometimes my leg hurts really badly, which is why it's difficult to walk right now. On days like today, I use this wheelchair to get around."
"Do you like using it?"
"I do, because it helps me reach the places I need to go. I like being able to go places. In that way, the wheelchair is wonderful."
"Paul," his mother grabbed his hand. "That's enough."
"No, it's fine," she answered. "Do you have a question?"
The mother turned away.
"Why couldn't a Healer heal it?" Paul asked.
"Sometimes medicine doesn't work the way it should."
Paul gasped. "Could I get sick like you and have to be in a wheelchair?"
"My condition isn't contagious," her leg spasmed, sending pain through her.
"Then why are you in the wheelchair when nobody else is?"
"I fought in a war to prevent people like you from getting hexed by evil witches."
"That's good, although," he turned to his mother, "Now I want a wheelchair for Christmas."
"What?" His mother exclaimed.
"Yeah," his eyes were agleam. "I think it would be fun to wheel around all the time. I could chase all the other kids around and go really fast."
"Racing in a wheelchair is fun," Hermione chuckled. "I like going through Hogwarts as fast as I can, seeing if my friends can outrun me."
"See, the wheelchair is cool, and I want one."
"Uh, I suppose we'll see what Father Christmas brings," the mother turned to Hermione. "Uh, thank you for your time."
"Anytime. I'm more than happy to answer genuine questions from people who want to learn more about me and my condition."
"Thank you for your patience. Paul is a curious child," his mother relaxed.
"I know, and one day, that curiosity is going to lead him to do some amazing things, just like it did me."
"Really?" He asked.
"Yes, really," Hermione winked at him.
"You are making an outrageous demand!"
Everyone turned to the top of the stairs.
"Do you realize how a ramp would make this establishment look?" A male voice boomed. "I want a beautiful place, not something with a ramp obscuring the view of my newly cleaned stairs."
"You would only need to have it for a few hours at most!" Severus barked.
"That's a few hours too many!"
"Let's go," the mother pulled Paul away.
"It was nice speaking to both of you," Hermione waved at them.
"It was nice meeting you too," Paul then turned to his mum and began telling her all the things he could do in his own wheelchair.
"I need my quills right now! I can't make you a ramp!" The shopkeeper shouted.
"How much do you need a quill?"
"Desperately, I mean, do you see all the people around here?"
Hermione deflated and shook her head.
"I have a quill in my pocket I can make a sturdy ramp here and now! It is no great burden to you if I create the ramp from my own possessions," Severus argued.
"I said, 'no,'" the shopkeeper argued. "I don't want to ruin the integrity of the store with a ramp!"
"How is a ramp ruining the integrity of your store?"
"It looks ugly, and obscures my beautiful stairs."
Hermione blinked back her forming tears.
"As a student, Hermione was one of your best patrons. Why can you not do this one thing for her?" Severus demanded.
"Because we don't need to make a ramp, and we don't need her to scare all my customers!"
Her chest constricted as a pain went to her heart.
"Scare the customers?"
"Yes!" The shopkeeper shouted. "That leg, it shakes. It isn't natural. It just isn't natural! People don't need to be around it, not when it can frighten them."
"She received that shaking leg saving the Wizarding World."
"Fine, but it's not respectable to go out with that leg. It makes me uncomfortable, and it's scaring away my customers!"
Hermione's body began to shake as her eyes watered. It was unclear if she was holding back her sorrow, or threatening to erupt in rage.
There was silence. Then, the door opened. "Everyone from Hogwarts is leaving this store now!"
"What?" The store owner exclaimed.
"You heard me!" Severus boomed. "Everyone is leaving the store NOW! Nobody is to buy a single thing here! In fact, if I catch any student patronizing this store this weekend, I will give them detention for a week! Tell that to all your friends! NOBODY GOES INTO THIS STORE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!"
It had been years since she'd seen students scurry out of a building so quickly. From the doorway, she could see the wide eyes of the shopkeeper and his pale complexion. Severus scowled at him before slamming the door and storming down the stairs.
She squeaked. "You didn't have to threaten the students with detention if they shopped here."
"At some point the students need to learn about ethical business practices," Severus stood far enough away for her to see him without craning her neck. "They may as well start now."
"You didn't have to do that," a tear escaped her eye. "I know how much you love Flourish and Blotts. They're convenient for you, and they have the new books you need for your research. You shouldn't give that up for me."
"Everything there is overpriced anyway. I can find a catalogue of books and order from them. The shipping charge will not cost more than their outrageous prices," he replied.
"It doesn't change the fact that I ruined this weekend." She burst into tears. "I shouldn't have agreed to come. I knew my wrists would hurt from wheeling, I've upset the students, and now I'm causing you to boycott a store you love."
"I don't need to patronize anyone who would be discriminatory towards someone with a condition she cannot help."
Her breathing was uneven as the leg spasms increased. It was undignified to cry like this in public. What else could she do though? She had ruined Severus' day, and may cause a student to receive a detention. If there was any doubt she was a burden, it was erased with this episode.
"Would," he paused. "Would you like me to embrace you?"
She wasn't sure if she'd heard him correctly. Still, if he was offering any kind of affection, she wouldn't reject. Thus, she held out her arms.
He embraced her and rubbed her back. At first, the motions were stiff, but soon she felt his muscles relax. He hummed as she allowed the tears to flow.
"Would you like me to take you to the Leaky Cauldron?" He asked in a soft voice as he broke away.
"B-but you haven't shopped anywhere else." She whimpered. "You must have needed something around here."
"No," he answered. "To be quite blunt, I was only scheduled to do this Hogsmeade weekend on Wednesday. Before then, I had a nice weekend of reading planned."
"Huh," she sniffed. "It isn't like Minerva to change schedules like that."
"It is if she wants to torture me" He pulled out a handkerchief from his pants pocket and gave it to her.
"She doesn't intend to torture you."
"I beg to differ."
"Fine, what do you believe her next torture will be?" She blew her nose.
"I haven't the foggiest clue, nor do I care to know," he replied.
"Oh."
Silence fell between them.
"Would you like me to wheel you to the Leaky Cauldron?" He asked. "You've been rubbing your wrists, and I don't want you to injure them further."
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble for you."
"It is no trouble for me at all."
She smiled. "Thank you."
He got behind her wheelchair.
"And Severus?"
He hummed.
She put a hand on his. "Thank you for standing up for me. It's nice to know I have at least one good friend on my side."
"I will be your friend for as long as you'll have me."
"That would be the rest of my life."
"Then I shall happily remain by your side until death."
She felt the tension leave her muscles as he wheeled her down the street. Perhaps supervising a Hogsmeade weekend was more miserable than she thought it would be, but now she would be known as the woman who sparked the Hogwarts-wide boycott of Flourish and Blotts. While her younger self would be horrified at the prospect of a bookstore boycott, her older self took a perverse pride in someone prejudiced against her facing consequences for their actions. It also meant she had a friend.
In the end, a true friend in Severus was worth much more than anything else.