AN: I'm back! Hope this is worth the wait.
If you celebrate it, Happy Valentine's Day! I hope it's filled with love and joy.
Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
Severus had never attended a sleepover. As a child, nobody wanted to enter his dilapidated house. This was for the best given that Tobias spent most nights screaming slurred words before passing out. As an adult, nobody stayed with him until dawn. He had expelled every woman from his room once the act was complete, and left any woman whose house he had entered before the sun's first rays. A year ago, he swore this is the way things worked best for him, and how they should remain.
Hermione changed everything though. In the span of a few hours, his world was much different, and he would not give up this new reality for anything. Part of him wondered if she would one day awaken and realize she was with a man almost two decades her senior, a man who was called the dungeon bat for a reason. Yet, that day seemed far off. If she was to be believed, it would never come. Perhaps he was going to receive the love he'd only dreamed of, the kind of love which made one feel alive and eager to begin a new day, the kind of love that made one look at the future with optimism, believing his beloved would always be by his side.
Before he could meditate for long on how much his life had improved within the last twenty-four hours, he turned the doorknob from his classroom to his dungeons, only to almost stumble upon seeing Minerva.
"Oh good, I don't have to hunt you down." She lowered the hand meant to knock on his door.
"You were searching for me?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, I needed to speak with you about an important matter." Minerva's eyes fell on the bag over Severus' left arm.
"Please make this brief," he frowned. "I have somewhere important to be."
"I can see that," she looked into his eyes. "Where are you going?"
"To my lover's quarters."
"You finally found love?" Her eyes glistened.
"Yes," Severus smirked. "Those blind dates will no longer be required. I have found a romantic partner, and she would be quite distraught if she saw me dining with another woman."
"I'm so glad to hear you've found love," she clasped her hands together. "I knew you would see the wisdom in going on those blind dates."
"Actually, I found love in spite of, not because of, your asinine blind dates," he scowled.
"Perhaps, but you wouldn't have met Judith if I hadn't set you two up."
"Yes, and Judith nearly cost my current lover."
"Current lover?" Minerva tilted her head.
"Indeed, and she's upstairs waiting for me." He gestured to the stairs.
"Wait, if she's upstairs, how did she get into Hogwarts?"
"She lives here."
"You, you aren't with Sybil, are you?"
"Of course not," he huffed.
"Then who are you going to see?" She asked.
"Hermione."
Minerva blinked.
"Hermione and I are now romantically involved, meaning all my future dates will be with her, and only her."
"I…I don't understand."
"What is there to understand? Hermione and I love each other. I do not understand why she loves me, but she does. In turn, I love her. That is the only thing which is important."
"Wait, you two are already declaring your love for each other?"
"What do you mean already? If Neville is to be believed we've been dancing around our feelings for years."
"Perhaps, but," she swallowed. "You two are actually dating?"
"Indeed we are," he lowered his voice. "Is that problematic?"
"N-no," Minerva shook her head. "I just didn't think you and Hermione would ever want that kind of relationship with each other."
"Admittedly, I did not think she wanted that kind of relationship with me. I was mistaken."
"But both of you seemed content with friendship."
"We were content with friendship because we believed the other would never reciprocate our love," his lips curled upwards. "Both of us know better now. For the first time, I have a woman who returns my sentiments, something I never believed I would have. I love her all the more for it."
"So you think you can make a relationship with Hermione work?" She asked.
"Of course I can," his voice was lower.
"It may prove difficult at times."
"Of course it will be difficult at times. I am who I am. Some days it will not be easy for her to be my partner. Still," he softened his voice. "I will show her my appreciation for her love every day."
"I'm sure she'll do the same for you."
"Indeed, and that will cover a multitude of sins." He looked past her. "Now if you'll excuse me, she is waiting for me."
"You know dating someone like her will pose challenges," she blocked his way. "Ones which you may not be considering at the moment."
"What the hell does that mean?" He glared at her.
"It means you're going to have to accept every facet of her life. Even those which prove to be," she twisted her lower lip.
"Prove to be what?"
She shifted her feet and swallowed a few times.
"What obstacle could possibly be so insurmountable that we cannot overcome it?" He snapped.
"You cannot make a leg stop shaking."
"So? Why should that matter?"
"It's going to make certain kinds of intimacy difficult on certain days."
"What the hell does that mean, except," he furrowed his eyebrows before lowering his voice. "You...you're the one who put it into Hermione's head that I could never want a disabled partner."
"I said no such thing to her," she argued.
"Do not lie to me," he snapped. "Last night, Hermione brought up her perceived inadequacies several times. Although Mr. Weasley may have put some of those ideas in her head, it was clear someone else was reinforcing them."
"I didn't mean to put such ideas in her head."
"What does that mean? Did you imply she was inadequate?"
"I never said she was inadequate."
"Then why wasn't she my first date?" He demanded.
"I made a promise to Sybil," she shifted in place. "Sybil had her eyes on you for so long. I had to honor her wish."
"So the bet was more about Sybil than me."
"Not initially, but I wanted you to be happy. She assured me she could do that."
"That was rather presumptuous of her."
"Yes, but I thought you both were suited to each other. She had prophecies and dreams about you. I thought you two deserved a chance."
"Fine, you wanted to please Sybil. Still, you saw how close Hermione and I had become. She should've been my second date, or third, or fourth."
"I did not know if you two were compatible."
"How could you not?" He raised his voice. "We spent almost all our free time together, we could converse for hours, we were flying together, and we were good friends. How were we not compatible?"
"If you were so compatible, why did you not ask her out?" She demanded.
His voice was softer. "Because her rejection would have destroyed me. I couldn't risk such a thing, not if it cost me our friendship."
"Then you understand my reasoning," she replied. "I saw how close you two were, and knew if a romantic relationship failed between you two, it would destroy you both."
"And why would you think a relationship between two good friends would fail, yet a relationship between two strangers would succeed?"
"Because you and the stranger could do things, things that Hermione," she grew silent under the weight of his darkening expression.
"Watch your next words carefully," he growled. "I may not be an honorable man, but I will not allow anyone to dishonor Hermione."
"You must admit, there are difficulties..."
"Which I can work through!"
She left back.
"I love Hermione as she is," he barked. "She is the most beautiful, intelligent, compassionate woman I've ever met. If I must find different ways to demonstrate my love when the weather is a certain way, then so be it. We will find a way to make things between us work, no matter how hard it may be some days. I love Hermione, disability and all."
"Clearly I was wrong in my assessment that you would struggle with that aspect of her," Minerva squeaked.
"Clearly."
"Yes," she cleared her throat, though her eyes remained wide. "You do look happy."
"I am very happy," his expression lightened. "And I'm going to make Hermione happy."
"I know," she replied in a quiet voice.
"That being said," He appeared identical to a Death Eater ready to duel an auror. "Never doubt Hermione's ability to be my partner again. She is a more than outstanding partner, and does not need anyone such as you planting unnecessary doubts in her heart."
"I didn't say anything to her."
"Then where did she get the idea that you believed she would be an inferior partner?" Severus glowered at her.
"She overheard me speaking with Neville when he," she sighed. "When he wanted me to select her as your next blind date."
"As odd as it sounds, you ought to consider listening to Neville more often. Outside of the potions lab, he says intelligent things."
"I should have listened to him on this matter."
"Indeed," his voice was low. "Also, never question my relationship with Hermione again. Otherwise, I will forget you are my employer, and the consequences will be less than pleasant."
"Are you threatening me?"
"I am telling you the truth. Hermione will never be degraded by you or anyone else again. Is that clear?"
"Yes," Minerva shrunk.
Severus huffed and gestured for her to move aside. She did so, allowing Severus to return to Hermione, the woman he loved more than he ever loved his solitude.
Lucius must have been exceedingly bored. That was the only reason he would indulge in Hermione's revenge fantasy and research Judith Turner.
He sat on his couch and took a bite of his blueberry scone. As he perused the seven year old newspaper, he took note of all the other stories. While some were familiar business scandals he'd found a way to benefit from, he couldn't help but be confused on the reporting about a muggle team called the Yankees. Did he want to know what a Yankee was?
Better question: why would any self-respecting wizard care that Derek Jeter lost out on the Golden Glove?
Turning the page to something more useful, Lucius discovered the article in question.
New Skin Care Sensation: Judith Turner Turns Massive Profit
Lucius took another bite as he read the work. So far, it was a typical expose. Judith Turner created several potions, became wealthy, gave hefty amounts to charity, all while smiling at the camera. There was nothing special about her, other than the fact she'd managed to get on Hermione's bad side.
"Having horrid skin while being a teenager is one of the most difficult things I've had to endure," Judith continues. "I remember wearing a balaclava just to hide all my blemishes. Kids are such wankers at times. It makes going to school that much harder."
Lucius put his scone on a plate and reread the sentence a few more times. Then, he set the paper down and scratched his leg.
Wasn't it Judith's friend who had the skin condition? Why was she saying she was the one who had it? Also, why would an American who has only lived in America and showed no affection for British culture use the word, "wanker?"
Lucius hummed, and scratched his chin.
What was Judith Turner hiding, and how did it involve Severus?