A/N: Thank you AlwaysShan for all the help! I very much appreciated your beta-ing! It's been a blast working with you :)

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Chapter 7: The one with Luna Lovegood

Severus Snape was a man of habit. He loathed to admit that he had developed a sense of calm and domesticity in Hermione's small London flat. He found himself free and comfortable amongst her things, and he was acutely aware that his own possessions were encroaching into her space. This she did not seem to mind. He on the other hand found it best to not dwell on the implications of his toothbrush sitting next to hers, or of other such patterns and habits. The reward for ignorance were nights spent with the beautiful woman - something he wanted to keep enjoying. The fact that his toothbrush looked right at home in her bathroom was not going to put a dampener on that.

He clamped down on said toothbrush, to free his hands to pull up his pants and fasten them in place. He knew if he let his neurosis take over it would beat him with the very pants, and its compatriots that were stored in the third drawer of the dresser in Hermione's bedroom. When he resumed brushing, he stared at himself in the non-magical mirror. He was not quite sure what to think of himself. The man who stared back at him seemed so familiar and yet unlike the man who had stared back at him a mere year earlier.

He was no Adonis. He had lean muscles from years of hard work, both making potions and playing the game of war; Hermione once commented that he had a swimmer's body, but he was not sure what that really meant. From his point of view he was barely more than skin and bones - not scrawny, but far still from brawn. He was fine with how he looked. His eyes traversed his chest tracing over his scars; small ones, big ones, some straight, others curved and even some that zigged this way and then zagged the other.

Having finished with his morning ablutions, Severus headed to the kitchen through the bedroom. Hermione lay sprawled across her bed, her cat rolled up in the crook of her knee. The cat and the Potions Master had reached some sort of an agreement: Severus left the beast alone, and it left him alone. For the most part this was the case and this suited him fine. However, on more than one morning Severus had awoken to the ball of fur prattling across his chest to get to his mistress.

Mornings like today were his favourite - not that he would admit that aloud. Mornings like this gave him the opportunity to explore her flat. In the quiet of the morning he often found himself browsing through her small personal library. It was her Muggle collection that fascinated him most. Whilst well read, Severus was quite unfamiliar with Muggle texts - fiction and non-fiction alike. After tea, he would look for something to peruse.

As he padded towards the kitchen, he couldn't help but consider further how easily he had grown to enjoy the small, warm flat. It was quite small, with darkened wooden flooring running through. Being in the corner of the building it had the advantage of natural light, which was a welcome change from his usual dungeons.

Like Severus, Hermione enjoyed a cup of tea before breakfast, and it had quickly become a morning ritual for the two to take tea together. He twisted the knob to get the stove going, and set to filing the kettle.

It was as he moved to set it on the stove that the sing song voice broke his reprieve, 'Good morning, Severus.'

Yes, it had surprised him. Worse still it had caught him off guard - something he did not think was possible, not with his extensive experience as a spy. Turns out he was wrong. Severus had become complacent.

The saving grace for the Potions Master was that at least his muscle memory had not become complacent. His shoulders tensed, but he did not jump. He placed the kettle down on the stove and ignited it. With a calming breath (as if he was preparing for battle), he turned to confront the intruder.

'Miss Lovegood.'

He had not expected her, or anyone else for that matter. For a brief moment he hoped he was simply senile and had imagined the morning platitude. No such luck. Swiftly he motioned wandlessly for his shirt.

'I did not realise Miss Granger was expecting you.'

The shirt zipped its way across the small hallway and into his hand.

'She wasn't. I was in Scotland tracing the migration of the Weetimorousbeastie from the banks of the River Clyde, so I thought I'd -' she was interrupted in mid sentence.

'Severus, that wasn't very funny, I was just putting that -'

Hermione had stormed her way into the living area, thankfully wrapped up in the sheets. She stopped, stunned at the sight of the blonde in her kitchen with her paramour.

'Hermione!'

The blonde seemed unfazed by the situation; the goings on of the Bat of the Dungeons and the Know-it-all was not a tidbit the two had shared with anyone. If the visitor felt anything along the lines of surprise, disapproval or curiousity she showed no indication. Instead, she launched herself at her still stunned friend and hugged her firmly.

Severus held Hermione's gaze over Luna's shoulder.

'Why don't the two of you catch up. I need to freshen up.'

And without waiting for a response, Severus walked past the two young women and headed into the bedroom.

Not pausing in his retreat, he added, 'Tea is on the stove.'

#

Properly dressed, including his customary dragonhide boots and black robes, the Potions Master returned to find Luna and Hermione on the settee in enthusiastic conversation. Hermione who sat still in the tightly wrapped bedsheets, her laughter and cantor genuine. He had been unaware of the close friendship between these two women. Sure he could have deduced that they would find each other's companionship engaging, but he had not expected Hermione to take so well to Luna's eccentric personality.

Two cups of tea had cooled on the coffee table, as the women remained deep in conversation. His presence currently going unnoticed.

'I shall take my leave,' he announced.

Both heads snapped up and looked to him as he started towards the fireplace. Luna was quickest to jump up.

'Oh no, stay for breakfast at least. I have been meaning to try out my new recipe for porridge.'

'No, Miss Lovegood, I have other things that require my attention.'

'Oh pish posh -'

They went back and forth for a bit, eventually, the two women wore him down - a fact he would not admit quickly.

And that is how Severus found himself working at the kitchen bench in silence with Luna. Hermione had left the two together as she had retreated to freshen up. Apparently his wordless threats as he glared at Hermione had gone unheard.

Offering to slice the fruits, Severus discarded his cloak on a nearby chair, and buttoning and rolling up his sleeves, he set to work. In the silence, he thought back to his time with the Lovegoods. They had welcomed him into their home - they had been kind and accepting. The Lovegoods were good people.

It was from his time with them that he had learned the ways of the Lovegoods. As such he knew that Luna, much like Hermione, preferred the Muggle way of cooking. And that, Luna should not be trusted with porridge.

'It makes me happy that you are keeping so well,' Her sing song voice broke the silence.

'Yes, Miss Lovegood,' He paused momentarily, and looking towards her, 'I do have yourself and your father to thank - without your generosity my days would have been short.'

Luna filled the kettle once more and started the stove.

'Nothing more than what anyone else would do -'

'You are wrong,' His voice was gentle, 'Not many would have taken a Death Eater in and-'

She cut him off, 'You are hardly a Death Eater,' She silenced him with her gaze, and continued 'You're a good man, Severus, I always thought so.'

Silence filled the kitchen for another moment before she spoke softly and directly, 'It is wonderful seeing you so happy.' Her words hung in the air.

'Thank you, Miss-'

'Gosh, I hope you don't call Hermione Miss Granger in bed.'

His breath caught, his gaze on her unwavering, 'I think that's a little uncouth,' he said in his most Severus Snape way.

'What is so uncouth?' Hermione spoke to the pair as she returned, showered and clothed.

Luna replied, 'I was just saying to Severus that I hoped he did not call you Miss Granger in bed.'

If this caught Hermione off guard, she did not show it, 'Only when I've been bad-'

'-Hermione!' He looked affronted.

She walked over to him, patting him lightly on the shoulder she grabbed a slice of pear, 'I'm only teasing.'

Looking from one smiling woman to the other, he decided this was not a battle he wanted to fight, and exhaling lightly, 'Time to eat I think.'

As they sat down together, the conversation turned to research. At first of potion-making which allowed Luna and Hermione to engage Severus, and then to Luna's current literature and archaeology driven research. He was well aware of their tactics but found himself thankful for it and he sent Hermione a brief smile of gratitude.

Soon the conversation drifted to Luna's appearance on the couch. She had been tracing the ancestral migration of the Weetimorousbeastie by way of literature and archeology so to compare them to their more contemporary migration paths. Severus was intrigued by her thesis and asked for her to keep him informed on the development she made.

Hermione had been glad for the conversation. Initially, she had been concerned that Luna's sudden appearance that morning would scare Severus off. However, by the end of the meal, her concerns had disappeared. She gathered that this was not the first breakfast the two had shared. The details remained blurry to her, but she figured that Severus would enlighten her in his own time.

Hermione and Severus learned that the young blonde had appeared through Hermione's fireplace sometime in the early morning and made herself at home on the settee. Severus learned that this was not a rare occurrence. He, and Hermione, silently hoped that the two themselves had been quiet enough earlier that morning. Luna made no mention of it, for which the two were grateful.