Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

<<H it works :) gr8 2 b in touch. much news. I am gud. Got new job I think.  PS alive n well. more l8tr. H>>

<<Took me ages 2 work out what PS meant. Don’t b leve u. how? H>>

<<H PS n me living 2gther. I’m in luv!!! Best thing 2 hapn 2 me. PS unspkable. Me 2. Let’s meet OK?>>

<<2 much 4 me 2 take in. yeah lets meet. H>>

<<midday next Tuesday @ kenwood house? Can’t wait 2 c u. PS sends regards. >>

<<Gr8.  But make it 1 pm am working :o(( >>

<<C u then H.>>

**********************************************************

‘Haarrryyyyy!’

Hermione jumped up and down waving her arms in greeting as she spotted Harry coming towards her.  He broke into a run and they fell into a bear of a hug as he lifted her off her feet and spun her around.  Two old friends.

He pulled away and held her at arm’s length.  ‘You look … different,’ he said, deciding to ignore the punch to his arm.

‘Good or bad different?’ she asked.

‘Good, yeah, definitely good.’

She threw her arms around him again.  ‘It’s great to see you, Harry.  I’ve missed you.’

‘I’ve missed you too, ‘Mione,’ and he hugged her back.   ‘So, where to, coffee or a walk?’

‘Oh, let’s walk and talk, Harry.  It’s a glorious day, let’s make to most of it.’

She linked her arm through his and they set off.  They walked in companionable silence, she squeezed Harry’s arm now and then, as if re-establishing their friendship.

‘Severus will join us for coffee at about two o’clock,’ she broke the silence.

‘How is he?’

‘Very good considering,’ she replied.

They passed the ornamental lake of Kenwood House and entered the wooded area.

‘When you told me he was alive … I …’

She squeezed his arm.  ‘I know Harry. I know. Anyway, woods or Heath?’

‘Heath, I think,’ Harry said.

They left the grounds and walked out onto Hampstead Heath.

‘How is everyone … Ron …?’ She left the sentence hanging.

‘Managing would be the best description.  Molly of course thinks you are the ‘Wickedest Witch in all Wizardom’ for leaving Ron like that.’

‘And Ginny …?’

‘I won’t lie and say everything has been fine, but we are both working through it and trying to ignore Molly and Ron.  So yeah, I think Ginny and I are doing OK.’

The day was warm and because it was a weekday, there were not the crowds that usually congregated on Hampstead Heath. So they walked, arm in arm, comfortable with each other. Hampstead Ponds came into view, there were swimmers in the Men’s Pond and so they stopped and watched.

‘It was Severus’s idea, the mobile phones I mean. Muggles use them all the time and they are more anonymous than owls. Getting you to buy one and then being able to speak to you was great Harry, just great,’ she laughed.

‘I was beginning to worry about you ‘Mione, not hearing from you for months. So yeah, it’s a brilliant idea,’ Harry said.

‘I know they don’t work where there are charms or magic, but I thought, sometimes, when you leave the Ministry each day, instead of going straight back to the Burrow, you could call and we could catch up. I’m sorry if I shocked you that first time, but I really did need to bring you up to date quickly.’

‘Well, I nearly did fall over when you told me about Snape,’ Harry laughed.

‘Which part?  Him being alive or me and him …?’

‘Him being alive.  I actually did fall over when I read the second part.’

She laughed her unmistakable laugh.

‘Sooo, … this Unspeakable thing,’ Harry finally said.

She was silent for many minutes.  ‘It was how he survived,’ she said at last.  ‘I mean, after we left him in the Shrieking Shack.  He had a Watcher.’

‘Watcher?’

‘I’m fine Harry. How about you?’  She managed to keep her face straight for all of  five seconds and then she exploded with laughter again.  ‘Oh … your face Harry!  Sorry, sorry, I couldn’t resist.’

‘Terrible woman,’ was all he said as he pulled her into a playful hug.

‘Seriously though, the Department assigned a Protector to him during the last year.’

‘By Department I assume you mean the Department of Mysteries?’

She nodded.   ‘A Protector watches, hence ‘Watcher’, but they prefer to be called Protectors.  They keep a very close watch on their subject.  They have strange… powers.  You can never detect them unless one has been assigned to you. I don’t think that even Death Eaters would be aware of them.

Harry looked around as if expecting to spot a shadowy figure lurking in the trees.

‘No silly. I don’t have one and even if I did, you wouldn’t know it was there.’

‘So Snape’s Protector was there that day?’

‘Yeah, after we left, it came straight in and apperated him back to the Department, the Department got him to St Mungo’s.  It saved his life.’

Harry looked her incredulously.  ‘It?’

‘Well, yes. Severus still isn’t sure if his Protector was male or female. As I said, they have strange powers.’

‘But I thought it was Aurors that protected people, who watched them, make sure crimes against Muggles are followed up, catch Dark wizards and witches, locate the Dark objects left over from the War, all that kind of thing.  It’s what me and Ron do.’

‘I think it’s more like, ‘who watches the watchers’. But, you have to remember, an Unspeakable is just that. No-one knows who they are or what they really do.’ Hermione was warming to the subject.

‘It’s how they do what they have to do, within the Department and outside of it. Most Unspeakables are very good at mixing with Muggles and blending in with them. It’s how they live outside of the Department and how many of them survived during the War.  You know how open the Ministry is now Harry, Shacklebolt is changing things for the better and so people are coming and going all the time; the Daily Prophet has access to most of the Ministry and the Minister. The Department is the only really secure area of the Ministry.’

They walked on in silence again, heading up towards Parliament Hill.

‘You’ve been in the Chambers, Harry. You know what is kept in them.’

‘Yeah, however all I really remember is being chased through the Chambers, fighting and then Sirius falling … they weren’t very secure that day …’

She slipped her arm around his waist and squeezed him. He nodded his thanks for the gesture.

‘Times have changed. Something like that would not happen again. I’m not sure, but I think that the Ministry has been … well, blocked from direct influence in the Department.  From what Severus tells me, the Department is now independent of the Ministry with its own Chief.  So if there was a … shall we say … an unauthorised, sudden change in the Ministry, the Department would be secure and therefore able to … fight back.’

‘How many people know he’s alive?’  He asked.

‘Well, the Chief of the Department of course, Kingsley Shacklebolt. Me, now you … that’s it.’  She smiled weakly at him.

Harry let out a breath.  ‘Thanks for telling me ‘Mione, it puts me under no pressure whatsoever, but, why the Minister?’

‘Apparently Shacklebolt knew all along – he and Dumbledore came up with the plan to protect Severus should it ever be needed. Once Shacklebolt became Minister during the War, he arranged for a Protector to be with Severus every minute of every day, thank Merlin.’

 ‘It’s still a responsibility for me,’ he said.

‘Yes it is.  But we are grown up now and we have to take responsibility. Severus bore his alone for all those years.’

They reached the top of the Hill and looked down over London.

‘He’s looking forward to seeing you.’

‘I’m not sure if I’m looking forward to seeing him,’ Harry said. ‘So much happened between us, you don’t know the half of it, Hermione. Words were said; I tried to curse him on a few occasions; he made my life miserable at Hogwarts and then believing he had … murdered Dumbledore … I was pretty shitty towards him.’

‘He has changed, Harry.  He doesn’t say much about you and him, but I think that he feels pretty shitty about the way he treated you … had to treat you, remember that. He had to maintain the pretence of being your most hated enemy. I don’t think he enjoyed it. Sometimes...’ Her voice drifted away.

They stood in silence, each seemingly lost in their own thoughts.

 ‘Hermione …?’

‘It’s all right Harry. You can ask.’

‘Yeah, right.  OK.’  He turned to her. ‘Are you sure about this? I mean … about Snape?’

She smiled at him.  ‘Never surer.’ She paused, as if searching for the right words.  ‘I … I did love Ron and he will always be my friend, if he wants that. But my decision to leave him had nothing to do with Severus.’

‘So you hadn’t … already … y’know … met Snape and fallen for him and then thought of leaving Ron?’

She looked at him, shocked.  ‘Oh no, Harry, nothing like that.’  She grabbed his arm and turned him to face her.  ‘Does anyone know about me and Severus?  I mean, the Weasleys … anyone?’

‘What? No, no, as far as I know no-one in the wizarding world knows,’ he paused, ‘except me of course. Oh bloody hell! Thanks again Hermione.  I suppose it’s something else I have to keep to myself?’

She laughed.  ‘Well, you are Harry Potter, Boy Wonder.  You’ll manage. C’mon, let’s head back.’

She caught his hand and held it as they set off down the Hill, back towards Kenwood.  The sun was shining and from far away, the sound of children’s laughter drifted towards them.

Harry studied at her as they walked. Yes, she had a ready laugh and she was genuinely pleased to see him. But something was off, he sensed it. He hadn’t spent nearly a year in her company without knowing when she was worried about something or worse, keeping something from him. Right now, he couldn’t work out which it was.

She broke into his thoughts.  ‘Harry?  About Ron and me … I don’t think it would have lasted anyway.’

‘You don’t know that.’

‘Yeah, but I do. We wanted different things from life.’

They re-entered the wood and took a path that took them deeper into the woodland.

‘Ron was ready to settle down,’ she continued.  ‘Get married, have kids.  He loves his job at the Ministry.  I hated mine and I am just not ready for domestic bliss.’

Two joggers and a mum with an all-terrain buggy complete with wailing baby passed them, otherwise they were alone.

‘I enjoyed it y’know,’ she said.

‘What?’

‘The whole war thing, searching for Horcruxes, being on the run, the fighting.’  She dropped his hand and turned to face him, walking backwards as she did. ‘I liked it and that scared Ron.’

‘Miss Granger, are you seriously telling me that you miss being hunted? Miss dodging the spells and curses, the Death Eaters, the destruction?’

She nodded. ‘Yes, Harry.  I enjoyed it.  I was challenged and I know that’s what I need in my life, at least for a time.’

Harry pulled her to him and hugged her.  ‘And I always thought I was the reckless one.’

They left the woodland and took a path that would lead them back up to the house.

‘How long have you and Snape … been … er, together?’

‘His name is Severus, Harry.  Please use it, at least in front of me, OK? Four months with Severus and six weeks with the Department, just like becoming an Auror, you have to do lots of training. I’ve got at least another two months before I can do … well whatever I’m asked to do.’

Harry remained silent.

‘That means … that means you have been with Sna … Severus since you left the Burrow … Hermione … you just said that you didn’t leave Ron for him … but you must have .. the timing …’

‘No.  Honestly,’ she said firmly.  ‘I did not. It’s a long story for another time … but you must believe me, I didn’t leave Ron for Severus.  It just happened that way.’  Her voice trembled, as if on the verge of tears, which was not like Hermione at all.

Harry ran his hand through his hair and sighed, ‘OK ‘Mione.  I believe you,’ he said

They reached the upper path that would take them back to the house and the café.

‘What time is it?’  She asked.

‘Five past two.’

‘OK. Let’s go and meet Severus but …’ she pulled him to a stop. ‘Before we do that Harry, you haven’t asked the other important question.’

‘Which is?’

‘Why I’ve been recruited as an Unspeakable.’

Harry looked at her blankly. ‘You mean … you get … headhunted, you don’t just join?’

Hermione nodded.  ‘You have to have some special skill and be able to use very advanced magic.’

‘Yeah, I can understand that and you always were very advanced in magic.’  He paused, thinking. ‘So what’s your special skill?’

Hermione looked around conspiratorially.  When she was certain there was no unseen observer, not even a Muggle around, she took a deep breath and dropped her voice to a whisper. ‘Harry.  I don’t have to use a wand.’

‘What!? That’s …  very, very difficult and … so bloody you, Hermione.’

She grabbed his arm.  ‘Ssshhhh. Not so loud and no it’s not and it works.  For me at least. And I only have to think about a spell, I don't have to use the command to cast one.’  She moved to leave; Harry remained on the spot, stunned.  He had to run to catch up. He pulled her to a stop again.

‘And I suppose I have to keep this to myself as well?’

She leaned in and kissed his cheek.  ‘You catch on very quickly. So yes, it would be best.’

‘You really are the most exceptional and shitty witch of our generation,’ he said.

She punched his arm. ‘C’mon, let’s not keep Severus waiting too long.’

‘What’s Severus’s special gift,’ he asked.

‘He’s dead,’ was all she said.

They linked arms again and walked to the café.  They took the steps down to the seating area and saw Severus sitting at an outside table, sipping an espresso.  Hermione waved. Severus saw them and stood as they approached.  Hermione gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

‘Sorry we’re late … lost track of time talking.’

Harry stood before Severus Snape, for so many years his nemesis; the one person at Hogwarts who had made his life really miserable. But who was the bravest wizard that he, Harry Potter, had ever had the privilege to know. He held out his hand. Severus took it.

‘Professor … I can’t tell you how pleased I am, really pleased.’

 ‘Thank you Harry, it’s good to see you as well.’

Hermione smiled at them both.  ‘OK, I need to visit the Ladies and then I’ll get us a couple of cappuccinos, Harry. Would you like a refill Severus?’

‘I’m fine, Hermione, thank you.’

She turned and headed inside.  Harry noticed how Snape watched her until she disappeared.

‘So Harry, how have you been?’

‘Very good sir, I didn’t go back to Hogwarts to take the whole of my last year like Hermione, I got very good grades in my OWLS, except in potions, but I think that was to be expected. I took my NEWTS in transfiguration and got a good grade, good enough to become an Auror. I got an interview at the Ministry so I went along for that and was offered the job along with Ron.  I’ve spent some time helping Professor McGonagall with the rebuilding of the school. She asked me if I would like to stay on and teach. But I like being an Auror and have been with the Ministry for the last two years. I’ve been living with the Weasley’s for most of that time although I do sometimes stay in Grimmauld Place, Ginny and I are still together and I think I’m babbling, sir.’

‘Well, that brings me right up to date, thank you,’ Snape said and took a sip of his coffee.  ‘Tell me Harry, how is Hermione?’

Harry blinked at Snape, who raised an eyebrow at him.

‘Clearly you did not understand the question. Let me rephrase it. How does Hermione seem?  It’s just that she has been a bit distracted the last couple of weeks, quieter than usual, which is not like her. I just thought perhaps, she may have mentioned something to you.’

‘Me sir? Oh no. We talked about, well … Ron and the Weasley’s, about her new work and her … erm ..gift.’  Harry felt himself blush.

‘So nothing about any worry or concern she may have?’

‘About what in particular sir?’

‘If I knew that Potter, I wouldn’t be asking you’ Severus snapped.  Then more gently, ‘I apologise for that, Harry, it was uncalled for.  I .. I’m worried and I thought she may have mentioned something to you.’

Snape’s crestfallen look said it all. There was a brief silence before Harry decided to take a risk.  After all, he wasn’t the Boy Who Lived for nothing.

‘Severus?’ he said, expecting a rebuff for using Snape’s given name.  When none came, he pressed ahead. ‘I’m not sure what you mean exactly but … when Hermione talks about you, she … she…’  Harry felt the dark eyes piercing him.

‘She what …?' Came the softly spoken question.

‘She glows and sort of … melts at the same time.  Look, I know that doesn’t make any sense, but when she was with Ron or even now when she talks about him it’s like ‘oh yeah, Ron’ as if it doesn’t matter if Ron was in her life or not.’  Harry paused once again, expecting some pithy retort, but again, none came.

He carried on.  ‘When she speaks your name, her eyes light up and her body language becomes much softer.  It’s as if … you and she are one and the same.’

There was another silence between the two men. Severus kept his eyes cast down, away from Harry’s.

‘Like we were one unit, joined?’ Snape said at last.

‘Not exactly.  I mean, look, Hermione is her own woman.  She will always be independent, annoying and utterly brilliant.  The last thing she needs is someone who would smother that.  She needs someone in her life who can match her, quality for quality.’

‘So I’m independent and annoying am I?’ Snape said with a small smile that threatened to spread across his lips.

‘And utterly brilliant of course,’ Harry responded and was surprised by Snape’s laugh, which was rich and warm.

‘You think she needs a partner?’ Snape asked.

‘No.’ Harry was emphatic. ‘She needs something much deeper, much more … stronger.’ 

He stopped. He had no idea where all this was coming from, or if Snape even wanted to hear any of it.  But Hermione was worried about something, that much he did know. Perhaps it was something to do with her relationship with Snape. Perhaps he was not willing to commit to her and this upset her.

<< 'OK, Harry,' he thought, 'now you are a matchmaker, it was becoming obvious that Snape had it bad for Hermione, maybe a little push?'>>

‘I think she needs a soul mate,’ he continued. ‘Ron wasn’t it. Ron loves … loved her for all the wrong reasons.  I know Ron … and I love him as my best mate. But at the end of the day he would have wanted her to be like …’ he stopped, leaving the rest of the sentence unsaid.

‘Molly?’ Snape finished for him.  Harry nodded and Snape sighed.

‘What’s keeping her?’ he said as he looked around. ‘Don’t underestimate Molly Weasley; she is after all the witch who reduced Bellatrix Lastrange to dust.’

‘Don’t get me wrong Professor.  I love Molly, she has always been a mother to me, but her life is not the life Hermione would choose.’

Snape eyed him. ‘Since when did you become the expert on the needs of Miss Granger?’

‘Because I’ve known her for a long time and I lived with her every day for a year through some pretty rough stuff. I’ve seen her hunted, tortured and dodge some nasty curses and hexes. I also saw her fight and sometimes fight dirty. I have seen her laugh, held her when she cried and danced with her when everything seemed hopeless. She is fiercely loyal to her friends.  So yeah, I know her.’

Harry saw the frown again.  Severus Snape may be alive and well, looking very dapper in his dark sweater that could well be cashmere and expensive jeans.  But he was also conflicted and very unsure of himself where Hermione was concerned.

‘You said she was tortured. She’s not mentioned anything about that to me. What happened?’

‘I’m not sure if I should say anything, I really think you should hear it from Hermione.’

‘If you could just tell me something, anything ... please.’

Harry nodded. ‘We were captured by Snatchers and taken to Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix was there. Ron and I were placed in a cellar, which was more like a dungeon. I mean, who has a bloody dungeon in their house?’ When he got no response from Snape he shook his head and continued. ‘Anyway, Bellatrix wanted to know why we had the Sword of Gryffindor as it should have been in her vault at Gringotts. She used the cruciatus on Hermione and … carved the word ‘mudblood’ on her arm. If Dobby hadn’t saved us, Bellatrix would have killed her.’

Severus’s gaze was stone hard and for one fleeting moment, Harry thought he saw a blaze of flame in the dark eyes.

‘Thank you, Harry. I didn’t know.  Now I can … ah, here she comes,’ Snape’s relief was obvious.

‘Sorry about that, boys,’ she said and Harry caught the smile on Snape’s face. ‘Had to queue for the Ladies and then for the coffee.’  She handed Harry his cappuccino and placed a plate of cakes in the middle of the table.  ‘I got you a refill as well, Severus, hope that’s alright?’

‘You read my mind … again,’ and this time he made no attempt to conceal his smile.  He smiled at Hermione not only with his lips, but with his eyes and Harry felt his stomach flip.  The look was unadulterated love.  Not puppy love or wistful romantic love.  But a deep, adult love filled with adult desire.

‘So what did you two find to talk about while I was away?’ Hermione said as she reached for an obscenely large coffee éclair with fresh cream.

Harry noticed at once that her mood had changed.  She was now lighter and seemed more playful.

‘Oooh yeah, this is lovely,’ she said, breaking off a piece and feeding it to Severus.  He rolled his eyes in mock ecstasy then took a deep slug of espresso.

‘Much better when washed down with a strong Italian brew,’ he said.

Hermione giggled. ‘He doesn’t really like cream, except when it’s placed strategically on my body.’

‘Hermione!’  Both men exclaimed together.

‘… And to answer your question,’ Harry said, diplomatically changing the subject to spare Snape more blushes, ‘we were catching up.’

‘Good,’ she replied. ‘I would have hated the thought of my two favourite men sitting in stony silence glaring at each other.’ She reached for another cake. ‘Anyone want to share this strawberry tart? No? OK.’ and she bit into it without waiting for an answer.

‘Oh? Upset that we were not organising duelling wands at dawn over you?’ Severus quipped.

‘Of course. A girl loves to know that she is worth fighting over. And I don’t mean just for sex either.’

‘Hermione!’ both men answered together again and were rewarded with Hermione collapsing in another fit of giggles. Snape rolled his eyes at Harry and mouthed ‘women.’  But he took her hand and kissed it all the same.  Harry decided he was beginning to like this new Professor Snape.

‘When’s the wedding?’ Hermione asked once she had regained her composure.

‘Wedding?’ Harry yelped.

‘Of course.  You are going to make an honest witch of Ginny aren’t you?

‘Oh, yeah. Course I am. We just haven’t decided yet, but I think sooner rather than later. You’ll both get an invitation of course.’

‘Hmm, I think Molly and Arthur would hope that particular owl got lost in transit,’ Hermione said.

Harry’s face dropped.  ‘But I would want you two at my wedding.’  He slumped into his chair. ‘Oh hell, I think you might be right.’

Hermione covered his hand with hers.  ‘Don’t worry Harry; we’ll work it out when the time comes.’

‘Yes Harry. We will,’ Snape added.

The rest of their time together was spent in pleasant friendship. Because he had been so severely injured, after his treatment at St Mungo’s, Severus had been sent to recover at a secret location; so he knew nothing about what happened after Voldemort had left him for dead. Hermione and Harry told him of the demise of the Dark One and the immediate aftermath of the Last Battle and the destruction of Hogwarts. Those who had given their lives in the War were toasted and those who lived to tell the tale were also toasted. And throughout it all, Harry could only be amazed at the change in Severus Snape. He laughed, he joked, and he took Hermione’s ribbing in his stride. And once or twice Harry had caught Snape looking at him with sad eyes.

Then it was time to leave.

They walked together down the path and back into the woodland.  Hermione walked between her two men, arms linked.  She chatted to both of them, making them laugh until they arrived at a quiet spot, deep in the woods.

‘I’ll apperate from here,’ Harry said.

Hermione pulled him into a hug.  ‘Don’t forget, it you want to meet up or make contact, use the mobile, no owls, alright?’ She flicked an imaginary piece of fluff from his jacket. ‘It’s been wonderful seeing you Harry.  You take care of yourself. And Harry, can you tell Ron …?’

‘No, Hermione, I’m not going to be a go between.  You have something to say to Ron, you have to tell him yourself, OK?’

She nodded.

‘Professor … Severus,’ Harry held out his hand. ‘It’s wonderful to know you are alive and well.’  Snape took the proffered hand.  ‘Take care of her,’ Harry whispered.

‘Thank you Harry. And I will, with my life.’

They all looked around to see if anyone was close by and with no-one in sight, Harry apperated.  As soon as he was gone, Hermione flung herself into Severus’s arms.

‘Let’s go home,’ she said, planting a kiss on his lips.

He held her tightly as they disappeared into the black swirling void.

**********************************************************

Harry arrived at the front door of the Burrow.  He went in and found Ron waiting for him.

‘Well?’

‘Well what, Ron?’

‘Did she say anything about me? Did she give you any message?’

‘No Ron. I told her exactly the same as I told you.  I will not be a go between.  You are going to have to work this out between the two of you.’

Ron was obviously not happy with this answer.

‘Is she … y’know, seeing anyone?’

Harry paused briefly and then sighed.  ‘No Ron, she’s not.’

‘Well, that’s something, isn’t it Harry?’

He placed his hand on Ron’s shoulder.  ‘Yeah, Ron, that’s something.’

Ron smiled at him. ‘Ginny’s upstairs,’ he said.

Harry gave his best friend’s shoulder a final squeeze and went upstairs to find Ginny.

*********************************************************

Hermione climbed onto the bed and knelt before Severus.

When they decided to move in together, they had started off in his small bedsit. But it soon became clear that it was far too small for two adults and all of Hermione’s stuff.  They couldn’t decide on the best place to live, so she had suggested her parent’s house, at least until they found somewhere they both liked. It was working out better than either of them expected.  She had used a transformation spell to turn her single bed into a lovely king size bed in her room and she  purchased a TV with money from her bank account, so they could lie in bed and watch Muggle programmes, something Severus had started to enjoy. There was plenty of room in the rest of the house for all their things and Severus had taken over the smallest bedroom as his potions room.

He was sat up in bed, reading. 

‘I started my period today,’ she said.

‘Oh, would you like me to get you a ….?’  He stopped mid-sentence and stared at her. She looked divine in her usual bed attire of sexy vest and shorts.  She had showered and washed her hair which was drying in a halo around her face. ‘So that’s what all this has been about this last couple of weeks?’ he pulled her gently into him.  ‘You thought you were pregnant?’

‘Yes,’ her voice was small.

‘Oh my love,’ he kissed her hair. He could smell coconut and orange. ‘Are you sorry you’re not?’

‘No.’ she looked up at him. ‘Not yet anyway. I mean, I do want babies and I would like them with you, but … just not now.’  And she buried her head in the crook of his neck.

‘I should have been more careful with the contraceptive charm.  Do you have any idea when it happened?’

‘Yes. And it’s not your fault; I could have used it just as easily. It was after my first interview with the Department. I was so excited they were even considering me. I was excited that I could be working with you. Merlin, but I felt sexy.’

He laughed softly. ‘I remember I was working that day.’

‘Oh yeah, and I came home and you weren’t here. So I waited, I had some wine and when you finally arrived …’

‘I was wearing my robes …’

‘Oh yes, your frock coat, the white shirt, you were soooo hot.’

‘You jumped on me as soon as I removed my cloak.

‘I didn’t let you remove anything else, except to open the important part of your trousers.’

‘You ravished me.’

‘It was the hottest sex.  I should have remembered the charm, but I forgot. I just wanted you.’

‘And you have spent … what? The last …’

‘…Two weeks worrying.  Silly I know.  But I wasn’t sure … y’know whether I wanted a baby.  And then I thought well, it’s your baby and then I became very conflicted.’  She leaned up and kissed him soundly on the lips.  ‘I love you Severus Snape.  I love our life together and I know I am going to love the job we do.’

‘I could mix a potion so that you wouldn’t have to worry every month.’

She placed her fingers on his lips.  ‘No.  No potion.  I like to know when I have my period and if I took a potion, I would have to wait for it to wear off before becoming pregnant. And I don’t want that. I want us to decide when we have a baby, not some potion. And yes, I know you are the most brilliant potions master of any age in any time and in any existence and that you could reverse the effects in a snap. But I don’t want that. But I do want your baby one day.’  She snuggled down into him again.

‘Just not today,’ he said.

She nodded. ‘Is that very selfish of me Severus, to want to keep you to myself for now? Not to share you with anyone for a time?’

He took her hand and kissed it. ‘No, Hermione, it is not selfish.  I feel the same way.  I would like children, one day.’

She knelt up and kissed him again.  ‘Do you know what I adore about you Professor Snape?’

‘No, Miss Granger, please enlighten me.’

‘You take me as I am, as a woman, with all my womanly bits and pieces.’

‘I happen to like your womanly bits and pieces.’

‘And when I get stroppy or have cramps with my period, you cuddle me or rub my tummy.’

‘I am a saint.’

‘The other boys didn’t,’ she added.

He frowned. ‘Other …  boys?’ his voice dropped a register.

‘Yeah, at Hogwarts.  They didn’t understand what it was that I really needed, they …’

‘Wait!  There were others boys besides Victor and Ron?’

She sat back on her heels and ran her hand through her hair, pulling out the tangles.  ‘Oh yes, loads.  They all fancied me like mad,’ her face had a faraway look on it.

‘Who?  Who were these other boys?’  He demanded.

‘I can’t remember them all, silly. But, there was … Liam.’ She started counting on her fingers. ‘Draco naturally, he was really into me. Who else, oh yes, Neville.’

‘Neville Longbottom?’ he spluttered.

She looked at him as if he was mad. ‘Yeah, why not? Then, well Crabbe and Goyle, they tried, but I was having none of it. Victor you know about and then the other boys from Durmstrang.’

Severus was shaking his head in disbelief.  ‘You mean to tell me that the whole of Durmstrang …?’

‘Why yes,’ she said keeping her face completely neutral.  ‘Then there was the Quidditch teams, well the boys anyway, I’m not into girl action.’

‘Quidditch teams?’

'Of course. Why not?'

‘But … but …’ he looked at her, at the faint smile that threatened to break out on her lips, the way she tilted her head, just so. ‘Wait! Oh no … oh no you don’t! I’m not falling into that particular hole again. Oh no!’ And he grabbed her and wrestled her to the bed and kissed her.

‘Nearly got you that time, didn’t I?’

‘Yes you did, wicked witch.’

‘What gave it away?’

‘Durmstrang visitors.’

‘Oh, I thought it would have been Neville.’

He gathered her into his arms. ‘No, not Neville, sweetheart, Neville is a nice boy.’

‘Why Durmstrang?’ she asked.

‘Because my little sex kitten, if you had said half of the Durmstrang boys I would now be apoplectic and throwing all sorts of curses around the room because I would have believed you.’

‘But why?’

‘Because half of the Durmstrang boys are into girls, the other half … are not.’

‘You mean …?

‘Oh yes my darling.  Including Victor,’ he smiled at her.

She stared at him, wide eyed, her mouth slightly agape.  ‘Victor … no no no no waay,’ she shook her head.

‘Why not? Did you sleep with him?

‘Of course bloody not. I’ve only ever slept with you and Ron.’

‘And for that I am eternally grateful,’ he said.

‘Wait a minute.  How do you know about the Durmstrang boys, eh?’ she accused, pointing a finger at him.

‘Because I know Igor Karkaroff.’

She shook her head again. ‘He’s, he’s … gay?’

‘You may think that my beautiful darling, I couldn’t possibly comment.’ He reached out and tucked her hair behind one ear and kissed the exposed neck.

She didn’t seem to notice. She opened her mouth to say something, but shut it again. She stared hard at him.

He smiled and lifted her chin with a gentle finger. ‘Hermione?’

‘Yes?’  She replied, a sullen edge to her voice.

‘Gotcha!’

She lunged at him.  ‘Severus Snape you are a total git,’ she said as they fell laughing and rolling on the bed. ‘But, as I love you, you are forgiven.’  And she planted a chaste kiss on his forehead.

He pulled her into bed and once under the covers, gathered her into his body.

‘Do you want to watch telly?’  He asked. ‘There’s a film on about a couple who fall in love on a train station.’

‘No. I want to make love to you.’

‘You have your period.’

‘Yes I do. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with my mouth or my tongue.’

And she proceeded to prove it.

**********************************************************************