***Chapter Fifteen***

August 1997

Harry left her at Flourish and Blotts while he headed to the quidditch store, which had nothing she needed. They agreed to meet in thirty minutes. It was a coin toss as to which of them would be late because both could get lost in their preferred store once they finished their seventh year shopping. It was so nice not to come with her parents anymore. Last summer she'd come with Harry and Sirius because her parents decided that they just didn't need to go with her. As curious as they were about the magical world, they felt very out of place when they came here with her.

She didn't think they'd felt quite so far removed from it her first or second year, but as she got more comfortable. And more adept at witchcraft. Well, they just hadn't been as curious. Or they were, but hid it well because they didn't like to be different. Or to possibly embarrass her. (Not that they could!)

She was leaving one aisle for another when she spotted Professor Snape near the entrance. He appeared to be leaving. She bit her lip, debating putting the books she planned on purchasing down to go say hello. It would be brazen of her to do so, but how was she ever going to get him to see her outside of his classroom - or, most importantly, Hogwarts - if she didn't. An opportunity like this had never presented itself before! What were the odds? Until today, she'd never seen him to approach him.

Except for those weeks in her yard last year. That hadn't happened again this summer. So, she was at a loss. She'd changed into her falcon form a few times in July, wondering if he'd fly near her home again. If he had, she hadn't seen him. That was not surprising, the sky was very large! Never mind, the thought occurred to her that perhaps he purposely avoided the area so as not to possibly encounter her again. Even if he didn't realize she knew who he was, he would know who she was.

That thought was somewhat depressing. Not that she was … in love … with him or anything. That wasn't it, however, they'd been chosen for one another. She wanted to explore that. Explore whether she could love him. Why? What about him made her appropriate for him? And vice versa? She was curious about everything, finding out she had a mate was no different.

Would he find her bothersome? Would he snap at her? That was what made her hesitate in following him out to the street to say hello. She didn't want to seem as if she was running after him either. Would it be too obvious that she went after him?

Why was this so hard?

"They make an interesting couple," Draco's voice came from beside her. She hadn't even seen him come into the store. Showed how attentive she was to her surroundings. She'd been so deep in though she hadn't even heard him come up to her. He could have been anybody! He tapped her on the shoulder, and she realized she'd been staring. "Don't you think?"

"Who?" she asked. Who was he talking about? Who did he think she was looking at?

"Snape and that woman. No one that I'm aware of even knows her name. Not even my father."

"Well, surely if they were…" she said no more when she observed Professor Snape offering the woman in question his arm. What was more, the woman took it, and looked very comfortable doing so, before they headed away from the bookstore. Their professor moved his head, clearly saying something intended only for the woman to hear. She tilted her head back and - from the looks of it - laughed, which was the last Hermione saw of them.

Her heart.

Why did that hurt so much? Morgana, she thought seeing Ron fawn all over Lavender felt awful. That had hurt, no doubt, but she'd found it more … obscene and rude to flaunt it as they did than anything.

That was nothing compared to this feeling of complete and utter betrayal raging through her currently. By the one person who shouldn't do that to her. There was no logic behind the feeling either. Objectively, she knew it was ridiculous. He was like twenty years older than she was. She was, honestly, surprised he wasn't already married (because wouldn't that be ironic, if her mate had married someone else!). He didn't even know she was his mate. He didn't know that she knew he was her mate, or, for that matter, that she figured out he was her falcon visitor from last summer.

Logic played no part in this, though. The absolutely visceral feeling that surged through her was like nothing she'd ever felt before. And it shocked her. Good lord, what would she feel if he did know? If she had done something toward accepting their being mates? If she felt love for him?

"I've seen him with her for years on and off," Draco continued, obviously unaware she was feeling utterly betrayed and devastated. "Father doesn't seem to know about her at all. I've asked a couple of times, and he always tells me that my godfather does not have a witch. He's a private man, so I've never pushed."

"He doesn't know you've seen him with her?" Hermione asked. How was that even possible? Draco said he'd seen them together for years. The witch in question was maybe an inch or two shorter than Professor Snape. Her hair was almost as dark as his, at least the glimpse she caught of it showed that. Perfectly coiffed as if she'd just stepped out of a salon. Something Hermione couldn't do on a good hair day in a controlled environment!

Oh!

She hated her!

"Not that I'm aware of. I don't think he's worrying about his godson when she's around." This was followed by a waggling of Draco's eyebrows that Hermione did not appreciate at all. Because she knew exactly what Draco was suggesting they were doing to not worry about Draco.

"Oh," Hermione said, feeling something she couldn't identify in her stomach. She'd been fine a moment ago. She didn't like these feelings at all! "Why would he hide her?"

He shrugged. "Why does Snape do anything? They're not married, and this is the third or fourth time I've seen her pregnant, I think. I would presume he's embarrassed. Of her, or that she won't marry him. I don't know. Obviously, I haven't asked him."

Obviously.

"Mm," she said, not liking where her mind was going at all. God, how … humiliating. Had he really been seeing someone this entire time? And she had no clue! Here she was giving him a rose and an Easter basket made out of a box a house elf found for her. As if he'd want something like that!

She presumed.

How stupid!

How humiliating!

Of course he wouldn't want someone younger than him as anything more than his friend.

He wouldn't want someone with buck teeth and frizzy hair either. Yes, she'd fixed her teeth, but her hair. Well, she was better with it than she was six years ago. Still. The woman currently on his arm didn't look like she fretted about anything! She hadn't really looked at witches who could be put together with little effort with envy before today.

And she was pregnant on top of it all, looking gorgeous.

"You ready for NEWTs then, Granger?" Draco asked. It took her a moment to understand exactly what he'd asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Is that really what you came over to ask me?"

She asked the teasing question he'd expect out of her. She didn't feel like engaging in their banter today. Not now anyway.

"It is. We'll see who's tops in July."

"Well, I'm not the one fretting over it, Draco. That's you."

He smirked, though his eyes told her that maybe her comment had been a little meaner than she'd meant. She shook her head slightly. He was the competitive one. Of course she cared which of them got the top marks. She just wasn't losing sleep over it. She was not going to apologize for getting better grades than he did. Still, she hadn't meant to take her mood out on him. "I do have to go meet Harry and Sirius, though."

"Oh. Okay," he said.

"Why? Did you have something else in mind?" He'd sounded a little … disappointed. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen him all summer. That was a little unusual. Usually, she saw him somewhere. He, she found, liked muggle films. She presumed when he hadn't contacted her that his parents had him busy doing things. What things, she didn't know. Malfoy things.

"No, I just didn't see Potter or your parents, so assumed you were alone."

"Harry went shopping for quidditch stuff."

"Ah, and you took the opportunity to buy more books instead."

"Well, yes," she said.

Obviously.

He walked with her to the counter and actually paid for the books for her. Now that she thought about it, she was a little surprised Draco wasn't at the quidditch store, too. Had he really come in here to talk to her?

"Thank you, Draco." She bussed him on the cheek, which she noticed made him blush.

"Call it an early birthday present. That lets me off the hook, right?"

She smiled a bit. "Yes, well, it certainly could."

"Excellent. Much less thought process involved."

"That's very Slytherin of you."

"Right?"

They walked outside then and she spotted Harry and Sirius.

"Thank you, Draco," she said, believing Draco wouldn't go with her to meet them. He got along okay with Harry, but Sirius wasn't too keen on anyone with the name Malfoy. He didn't believe that Draco was going to follow in his father's footsteps, but he just didn't trust the wizard to not be a jerk it seemed. (Hermione found this funny, because truthfully, Sirius himself could be a bit of a jerk.)

"You're welcome. I just needed to know what you're reading so I can be sure I do, too."

She shook her head and headed toward Harry and Sirius. She was surprised when Draco joined her.

"Malfoy," Potter and Sirius both said.

"Hello, Potter. Mr. Black," he said. "All right, she's all yours then, Potter."

"Is there a reason you're escorting me around?"

"No, other than you can't be too careful. If I win, I want it to be fair and square, not because you were kidnapped or something."

"Thank you, I think," she said with a scowl. What in the hell did that even mean?

She narrowed her eyes as off in the distance she spotted Severus and the woman again. His arm was at her back as they stopped at a vendor. Her hand was resting on her obviously pregnant abdomen. She glanced from the vendor to Severus, paying close attention to him as he said something.

"I was really hoping he wouldn't fall victim to it, too," Sirius said.

"What?" Harry asked, glancing from Hermione to Sirius and then down the street.

"Severus," he shook his head.

"Why?" Harry asked. He clearly wasn't sure what they were looking at. She was sort of embarrassed she'd been caught staring, but obviously Sirius noticed the couple, too.

Sirius shrugged. "Remus has a reason not to get married. I liked that I wasn't the only one."

"Oh," Harry said. He glanced from Sirius down the street to the couple they were talking about. Evidently, the vendor and the witch agreed on a price because soon she held something in her hand. "Well, we don't know…"

"I suppose not," Sirius admitted. He didn't sound anymore convinced about that than Hermione and Draco were, though.

"Do you know her?" Hermione asked. She probably shouldn't have asked. She didn't want to know. Having a face was bad enough. A name, too, would be horrid.

"No. We weren't friends, as you know. I've seen her with him over the years, but couldn't tell you anything about her. Not before the war ended, I don't think anyway. The only thing I know is that she didn't go to Hogwarts."

She nodded then, glancing at her feet, wishing the tears away. Why did this hurt so very much? How could she be devastated by something that was, in actuality, nothing. They weren't dating. They were nothing! She wasn't even sure he considered her a friend at all.

"I promised you both dinner. Where would you like to go?" Sirius asked. The wizard obviously wasn't aware of the turmoil Hermione was currently experiencing.

"Oh, I'm fine, really," Hermione said, no longer feeling particularly like being in anyone's company.

"Nonsense. You haven't eaten all day. I know neither of you stopped for lunch. Name it, Hermione."

He wasn't wrong. She was a little hungry. She just didn't particularly feel like being around them right now.

"Well, it was just Harry's birthday…"

"Yes, and he had his party. I can't give you a party for yours. And you're going to be eighteen! Come on, let me pretend the cleverest witch of her age gave me a chance for an afternoon."

She rolled her eyes. He was such a hopeless flirt. Funny, despite being the same age as Severus, she never once took his flirting seriously. Maybe she should have, she clearly wasn't offended by the age difference when she thought about Severus.

"He's not going to take no for an answer." Harry said.

She huffed, glancing at her feet, darting her eyes up to look at Severus and the woman as they walked further down the street. With her head lowered like this, she didn't think Harry or Sirius would notice where she was looking.

She couldn't mope about something that really was never true anyway. She was obviously wrong about him being her mate. The feelings she had when around him were something else entirely.

They had to be.

She knew Harry and Sirius, they weren't going to let her out of dinner. She took a deep breath, confident her emotions were in check and looked at the two wizards once more.

"Can it be muggle?" she asked.

"You know it can."

"Fine," she said. She sniffled a bit, hiding it well. At least she assumed she did because neither wizard asked her what was wrong as they made their way to the Leaky Cauldron and out to muggle London.

+++++

October 1997

Hermione glanced from the note she held in her hand to the gargoyle. She'd never been summoned here ever, this the second month of her seventh year. She'd been given a time turner in her third year, but she'd met with Professor McGonagall and the headmaster in her head of house's office. She couldn't even recall the headmaster saying anything during that meeting.

She whispered "honeycomb".

She ascended the stairs and made her way through the doorway as the door was already open.

"Miss Granger," he said, sounding very much as if this wasn't only the second or third time they'd ever spoken during her time as a student here.

"Hello, Headmaster, I received your note," she said, gesturing to the parchment in question. Stupid thing to say. Obviously she received it. She was here. Without the note she wouldn't have gotten past the gargoyle.

Or had any reason to come here.

"Good. Good. Have a seat, Miss Granger, won't you?"

"Okay," she did. An idea came to her, causing her to stop short of walking toward the chairs he'd gestured toward. "Are my parents okay, Sir?"

His eyes softened a bit as he regarded her. "Your parents are indeed fine, Miss Granger. It's you I wanted to have a word with."

He stood, joining her at the sitting area by his fireplace where he requested tea for them both.

"Okay."

She swallowed nervously as she took a seat. She was going over in her head what she could have done wrong to be summoned here. She was late to a class or two, but so was everyone. She was never more than five minutes late, and it wasn't because she was doing anything delinquent. She was usually in the library, losing track of time. She had no behavior infractions on her record. She had no outstanding work that was due.

She thought she was a rather model student.

She took advantage of the silence while the tea was brought to them and they each prepared it to their liking. She used that time to look around his office. He'd been headmaster for close to thirty years from what she could recall from reading up about him when she first read Hogwarts: A History before her first year. This office looked very much like it was inhabited by someone who'd been in his position longer than her parents had been married. Lots of things. Lots of muggle things, which made her curious. He wasn't muggleborn.

"Busy with your NEWTs already?" the headmaster asked, bringing her out of her thoughts of how he came by some of these things. She didn't get the impression he spent much time in the muggle world. It was really rather fascinating that he'd have some of the things she saw.

"Oh," she said. Was that what she'd been called here for? Had one of her professor's decided she couldn't sit a NEWT for them? She frowned, trying to figure out who that could be. "Yes, Sir."

"You are finding time for other things?"

"What other things?" she asked with a frown. Was there something else she was supposed to be doing?

"Well, your good friend, two of them actually, play quidditch you may remember."

"Yes," she said. She wasn't a quidditch fan, but she went to the games to cheer her friends on. Ginny was on the Gryffindor team, too. "There isn't a match for a few weeks yet."

"I'm sure they'd enjoy your support while practicing as well."

Now she was thoroughly confused. He summoned her here to talk about her not going to a quidditch match that hadn't even happened yet.

"I haven't…"

"It's been brought to my attention that you have not been doing your extra credit project with Professor Snape this school year."

"I really didn't think I could spare the time…"

"Of course," he said, sliding a hand along his beard. She found his eyes rather … intense so she focused instead on her teacup. "Mr. Malfoy's father is overjoyed at this turn."

"I'm sure that he is," she said. She was pretty sure her potions professor was likely, too.

"And your lack of time is the only reason for you discontinuing something you've been doing for six years now?"

"Yes," she said.

Liar.

"Okay."

He regarded her closely for a moment, saying nothing more. He clearly didn't believe her. What did he see, she wondered? Did he see that she hadn't said more than was necessary to Professor Snape since she'd been back at Hogwarts this school year? She hadn't raised her hand in his class once. She did her work and nothing else. She still, two months after seeing Professor Snape with the witch in Diagon Alley, felt as if someone had cut her heart out with a spoon.

He nodded then, as if approving of what he saw.

"Well, onto your future then. I have no doubt you will leave Hogwarts with some of the best NEWT scores the magical world has seen. So, what are your plans?"

She blinked at the question. Well, more the shift in topics.

"Plans?"

"Yes, after Hogwarts."

"I, oh," she said. Well, she'd presumed she'd be having this conversation with S … Professor Snape. She wasn't going to think of him as Severus anymore. Ever. She couldn't. Two months since she'd seen him with that woman and it still hurt so badly. She didn't understand. "I hadn't thought much beyond finishing. University is an option."

"So, nothing already in the works then?"

"No, Sir."

"Well, I can certainly put in a good word for you wherever you might think to go with the Ministry. If that's the path you choose."

"I will keep that in mind if I go that route, but I would hope that my performance and grades would speak for itself."

"I'd expect no less from you, of course. I suppose enticing you to stay near Hogwarts is out of the realm of possibilities." He said it as a statement, but there was clearly the hint of a question to his tone.

"I can't think of anything I would be able to do here. Hogsmeade, I suppose, but," she shrugged. What? And why? Why did he care where she went? She hadn't heard of him meeting with any other seventh years to ask these questions. This year, or any year. She would have heard, too, if Percy Weasley met with the headmaster about career plans and options.

"All right. Well, as the year goes on, should you have any questions, please feel free to send me a message. I will, of course, work you into my schedule."

"Thank you, Sir."

Was that it? Was she supposed to leave? He hadn't said so, but he was a busy man. She knew he didn't meet with every seventh year student about their future plans. Why her? Was she in trouble for something she didn't know about?

She didn't move, unsure if she was being dismissed or not.

"Miss Granger, if I may ask without appearing to be prying, did Severus…"

"Professor Snape is an excellent teacher, Sir. If he has anything to say about my performance this year…"

"No, of course he hasn't. I just wondered if there was some reason you might not want to reveal to anyone as to your sudden change of heart about assisting him. I know he can be a difficult man…"

"No more difficult than any other professor at Hogwarts, Sir."

He sighed, eyes watching her. Assessing no doubt. He looked … as if he felt sympathy for her, and she wondered what that was about.

"Very well, Miss Granger. I will let you return to your day. I appreciate you being punctual."

"Thank you, Sir." She fidgeted a bit. Somewhere deep down, she wanted to tell him. She wanted to confide in someone what she suspected. She couldn't do it, though. It was embarrassing enough without anyone else knowing. The idea of this man finding her thinking Professor Snape was her mate amusing bothered her. "May I go then?"

He chuckled. "Of course."

She stood then, setting her teacup down on the tray it had been brought to them on before leaving the office. She noticed the door that had been open upon her arrival closed behind her.

What was that about? Was he meeting with Draco, too? He was getting marks as high as hers. She couldn't ask him, because if he wasn't then he'd wonder why she had been asked to and he hadn't.

*****

"Well, Phineas?" Albus asked once Miss Granger was gone.

"You can't make her give you information, Albus. I mean, of course, you can, but you didn't."

Yes, of course, he could have used legilimency on her to find out what was going through that mind of hers. However, if he did that, and Severus found out, he'd never forgive him. That wouldn't do. He was certain that if Hermione Granger left here without embracing Severus as her mate he will have failed.

Again.

It wasn't as if they would have reason to run into one another again once she left.

"Why you care about the mud…"

"Phineas."

"Muggleborn witch anyway I don't understand."

"She is important."

"If you say so."

"And that muggleborn witch is giving a pureblood quite the competition. Your own pureblood, isn't he, Phineas? A few generations away from being your grandson."

"I'm sure I don't see your point, Headmaster."

"Oh, no need to be angry, Phineas. I'm just pointing out facts."

"Yes, well."

"You do realize that Draco is treating this competition very friendly. I think he actually likes the witch."

"Yes, well, instead of befriending the witch…"

"Ah ah, Phineas. He's doing exactly what the magical world needs, not just to heal but to thrive. It has to happen everywhere. With everyone. You know it as well as I do."

"Are you suggesting that Draco marry the…"

"Of course not," he said quickly. No, he wasn't suggesting that at all. That would not do at all! The last thing he needed was Phineas getting it in his head that Miss Granger was Mr. Malfoy's witch to be had! "However, if the magical world wishes to not just survive but thrive so that Draco has his own great great great grandson as a student here one day, the being muggleborn equates to inferiority or stealing a pureblood's abilities rhetoric needs to stop. It's been sixteen years. It's the perfect time to put the past to rest."

He huffed. "You have made your point, Headmaster. You have won your war. Both of them. What more do you want?"

Albus almost corrected the portrait. Then realized Phineas was referring to the war against Grindelwald. Not two against Voldemort. Wouldn't that be something, if one of the portraits knew something was off about this timeline!

"Nothing. Back to Miss Granger."

The portrait of the former headmaster huffed with a tsk. He did not like having this conversation, but Albus knew in all of the timelines he'd lived, this wizard held a bit of respect for Miss Granger. Begrudging, but respect nonetheless.

"She's hiding something. She was not being truthful in most of her responses, though I haven't a clue why she would lie to you about her future."

Phineas wouldn't. Albus did.

Severus had done something. Somehow. So that the witch was pulling away from him. It had been most … amusing listening to Severus go on about the Easter basket he'd received last spring. He wasn't sure he'd seen Severus blush in such a manner ever. If he had, it would have been many years ago. The witch, whether she knew it or not, knew exactly what to do to get his attention. Other than Albus, few had given him anything and to do so without fanfare was not something Severus was used to. No one but Albus was aware the wizard had a bit of a sweet tooth, so the candy was a well chosen gift.

In addition to the rose and Easter basket, there had been other items left for Albus' friend. All courtesy of her familiar, Albus wagered. Nothing inappropriate or overly costly. (No less of an impression-maker on Severus, though.) A muggle book and a handmade handkerchief among them. Green and silver, of course. The book, Albus had no doubt, had already been read by Miss Granger. She was just ensuring someone else read it.

The gifts had stopped when she went home for the summer, of course. Albus expected that. They hadn't started back up again. That coupled with her withdrawing from the extra credit tasks she'd been, happily, doing since late in the first term of her first year.

Well, Severus had to have done something! She certainly didn't go home over the summer and decide she did not want to pursue her mate. (Unless she did not enjoy the pursuit being so one-sided. Severus would never initiate a formal courtship with her while she was a student. She had to know that.)

He had no idea what Severus had done or why she was pulling away, and he had no doubt that it was something Severus had done. That meant, though, that he didn't know how to fix it. He asked Severus when he noticed only Draco was assisting him this year. His potions professor had not responded to his question with kindness. So, Albus let the subject drop. Pushing or prodding would not do. It could entrench Severus further into whatever the issue was causing his witch to be upset with him.

He sighed. The visit hadn't garnered him any information. Other than Hermione Granger planned on leaving here in June and, likely, wouldn't return unless Severus did something!

"Thank you, Phineas," he said.

"You are welcome. The only reason I agreed to it is because Severus deserves to be sitting where you are one day."

"I agree! I am setting things in motion for just that end, Phineas."

He chuckled a bit, remembering telling Severus that Hogwarts had never had a headmaster's wife.

"Is she really that far ahead of Draco? It sounds like he's been doing extra credit for the past six weeks and she has not."

"The extra credit does not go toward their marks. It will go on his final grading, though, as to the experience they obtained."

"What good is that?"

Albus chuckled. "Neither of them need any help earning the top grades, Phineas."

*****

October 31, 1997 (F)

Remus opened his door, and Hermione thought for a moment as she regarded the wizard that she'd made a mistake coming here. He was obviously dressed for something, and it wasn't for the dance about to start in the great hall.

She had no desire to watch students dance with one another in a mating ritual that she never completely understood. It didn't help this year that her mate was already in a relationship.

And a father. More than once, if she believed Draco. He had no reason to lie to her. Certainly both Sirius and Draco lying would be … odd. Harry and Sirius or Harry and Draco. Maybe.

He had children! Three or four of them Draco thought. With as far along as she was when they saw them in August, this latest one had to be born by now. Did he take time off? She hadn't seen him missing from classes or the head table for days on end. So that suggested he didn't take time off. She'd feel sorry for the mum if she wasn't still hurt and mad.

And embarrassed.

Did he even notice she had been doing nothing but what was required of her for his class? He probably didn't. He was likely too busy with a newborn, or helping with the other children when he could. Except, no one ever talked about him having children. Or doing anything outside of the castle. The children, and the witch, clearly weren't here at Hogwarts. Did he leave her to her own devices? With three or four children?

Morgana.

He wouldn't do that, would he? He really didn't seem the type to think that a woman's job was in the kitchen and rearing children. He'd worked with her no differently than he had Draco during their extra credit sessions. As if he expected her to go out and do something, not be a stay at home wife and mum.

"Hermione," Remus said, no doubt surprised. She'd never … come to his private rooms before. Well, not without Harry.

She realized, now, by the way he was dressed that he was probably going out. Taking the night off, knowing the students would be busy elsewhere.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I didn't realize…" She should just go. Leave him alone. Let him get on with his plans.

He held the door open. "Come in," he said. He was kind like that. That made her feel worse.

"You're going out, though."

"Sirius can wait."

"Oh?"

And then it dawned on her what day it was. What the day meant to Remus and Sirius. Harry attending the Halloween festivities was just a given, he was expected to. As seventh years, they had a little more leeway. Thus her being here instead of getting ready for the dance.

"He can. As you've never come here before, it must be something important that you need to talk about."

He was too astute for his own good. Maybe she shouldn't have come here. She didn't know who else to ask her questions to, though.

She sat when he led them into his living area. Now that she was here, she had no idea what to say. It seemed logical to come ask him. He and Professor Snape were two of the smartest and most well read people she knew.

She couldn't go to Snape with this.

It was on the tip of her tongue to make small talk. Ask him how he was and so on, but he had plans. So she decided it best to just jump right in.

"What does it mean if someone's mate is involved with someone else?"

He squinted, as if confused. Or just surprised by her question. "Well, it's possible, obviously if they don't find one another."

"Yes, but if one is … significantly younger than the other, that would point to them, presumably, not supposed to be together. Maybe not even meeting at all. Wouldn't it?"

"Well, it could. Clearly, Sirius isn't married. Neither am I. Professor Snape isn't either."

She bit her lower lip, nodding a little.

"Why create such a thing if they may not meet, or even like one another, if they do? Or already be involved when they do?"

"Well, it's about compatibility. I'm perhaps not an expert on the subject. In my pack, mates don't always like one another at first, but it's very rarely been wrong."

"And has anyone not accepted their mate?"

He shrugged, blushing a bit. She looked away. Morgana, he must think she was crazy asking him these questions.

"Not that I'm aware of. I'm sure it's happened. It's a big world. Back in the seventies, things were different, and I wasn't as active in pack business until after I left Hogwarts."

"Right," she said, nodding.

"Are you? Have you?" He slid the palms of his hands over the thighs of his trousers. He clearly didn't wish to have this conversation with her. Yet, he was doing it. She appreciated that. She knew what he was trying … not … to say, too. He was asking her if she'd been bitten.

"No, just doing some research," she said quickly, saving himself the embarrassment of asking.

"Oh, good," he said with a nod. She could tell he was relieved.

She felt bad … lying to him, but she also knew that if she said she had a mate or thought she had one that he'd ask questions. Of course, she didn't totally lie. She hadn't been bitten. She wasn't a werewolf. She assumed that's as far as his … questions would take him. She knew that Remus and Sirius had a history with her mate. She didn't want to hear what either of them would say about her being the wizard's mate.

"Do the humans have to be together?"

"Um, well, ideally, yes. I can't imagine anyone in my pack allowing their mate, male or female, to lead a life in their human form without their mate."

She looked away then, finding a painting on the wall he had of what at first seemed like a rather serene nightscape. Looking closer, though, it was rather haunting and dark.

"Thank you."

"Did I help?" He sounded so … hopeful. And she wished she could tell him unequivocally that he did.

He did help.

Some.

Just not as much as she might have liked.

"I don't feel as if I did."

"No, you did. I don't know anyone else to ask such questions to, and it's just something I was curious about."

He smiled at that. It was the right reason to give. She was curious about everything , and this wizard would know that. It was also why she chose to come talk to him and not any of the others she might have been able to get information from on this subject. He didn't think she was too young to get information.

"Of course. Well, if you think of any other questions, I'm happy to answer. Or to take them to someone who has found their mate."

"Thank you," she said, standing then. "I'm sorry I interrupted your night."

"You're never a bother, Hermione," he said.

She smiled and got tears in her eyes. He saw them, too, and likely wondered what that was about. She wasn't prone to fits of uncontrollable sobbing or anything. She was pretty level headed.

Why couldn't this man be her mate? He talked to her. He recommended books to her. He, with time, recognized she wasn't like the other students and didn't treat her like a child.

He wasn't dating anyone, and didn't have kids with another witch!

Three or four of them, Draco had said.

She'd liked him. She wanted to get to know him. Get to know what it was about him that someone, something, saw that meant he should be hers.

Those three weeks he was at her house. She'd read to him. Talked to him. She didn't admit she knew what he was, but he had to know she hadn't treated him as if he was just a falcon. That he was a wizard stuck in his animagus form. That she figured out that he likely missed conversation and keeping up on the news. She'd cared for him, ensuring he was clean and kempt. Though he seemed to do that himself toward the end. It had made her wonder if he did know she was his mate so felt the need to preen in front of her. (Obviously, she'd been wrong.)

He followed her to the door, opening it for her.

"Hermione," he called as she left.

She turned to face him, knowing he likely saw the unshed tears shimmering in her eyes. She'd hoped talking to him would help. It hadn't. It left her feeling, not just more confused, but more bereft and hurt.

"If you need to talk, let me know."

"Thank you, Remus," she said, turning to leave. There was nothing more he could tell her. Not without her telling him why she was asking. Who she was asking about. Likely the tears he saw told him more than she wanted him to know. She'd deal with that another day.

+++++

Remus smirked a bit at the sound of knocking on the door to Grimmauld Place. There was only one person that could be. To think they were … friendly with Severus. It was a little baffling, but perhaps fitting.

Smirk because he knew Severus disliked the Halloween festivities at Hogwarts as much as Remis did.

"I didn't think he'd come tonight," Sirius said as he stood, walking to the door in a way that he was able to make look both humanoid and canine at the same time. A sign he'd spent too long in his animagus form at some point over the years? (He still liked to sneak into Hogwarts and visit Remus and Harry.) Who knew? Remus had no idea why Sirius hadn't expected Severus. He'd been coming for years now. He followed on the off chance it was someone else. Doubtful. Remus didn't know Severus well, but he had a choice between coming here or attending the Halloween dance at the castle.

Like Severus, Remus chose to come here. He saw no reason that would change this year.

"Black. Did you make other plans?" Severus asked this from the landing outside the door.

"No, Severus," he said, stepping aside so Severus could enter. 

"I guess I shouldn't presume you aren't otherwise occupied."

"No, I never do anything on this date, you know that. It's not safe to be seen doing anything anyway, and I'm not sure I'd trust anyone not the two of you who wanted to spend the evening with me."

"No," he said, nodding in agreement. No doubt Severus had figured that out years ago. The Daily Prophet couldn't leave the past where it belonged. Did they think Harry enjoyed reading about his parents every Halloween?

Sirius led Severus into the drawing room where they ended up most Halloweens. He didn't seem at all surprised to see Remus was already there.

"Severus," Remus said when they'd both taken seats.

"Remus," he said.

"I didn't mean to seem surprised, Severus, but I assumed you wouldn't be here tonight," Sirius said.

"Why would he think that?"

He glanced from Sirius to Remus who shrugged as he poured Severus a drink. Remus wondered why, too, truthfully. He'd been with them on Halloween for a few years now. He'd be more surprised these days not to have Severus join them.

"I assumed you'd be with your witch."

If Remus hadn't been watching the wizard instead of Sirius preparing Severus' drink, he would have missed the surprise reflected on his face. He disguised it that quickly. "My what?" Severus asked.

Merlin. He was good. Sirius, no doubt, hadn't seen it, and wouldn't believe Remus if he told him that the wizard most thought felt nothing displayed an emotion, however, fleeting.

"You don't have to hide it," Sirius said as he handed Severus his drink. This many years of him joining them on Halloween, they both knew what he preferred to drink. And how he liked it. "I mean, I'm a little shocked neither of us knew about it."

"Knew about what ?"

"Severus. Come on. I know we're not best friends, but we have been friendly the past six or seven years. I saw you with the witch this summer. I've seen you with her before a few times. She has to be close to having the child by now, based on as far along as she appeared to be when Draco, Harry, Hermione, and I saw the two of you at the beginning of August. Not the first time either if I recall. I didn't know you had it in you."

Remus thought Severus might just explode. He'd never seen him look like this. It was odd, to say the least. He was staring at Sirius, and as such, Remus had a rare opportunity to watch the wizard.

"I mean, clearly we both," he said, gesturing between him and Remus, "knew the being secretive part you had in you, but kids without tying the witch down to you, Severus."

"And the four of you saw us?"

Sirius' gaze narrowed. "Yes. Draco mentioned the two of you. Again, I'm not insulting you. I haven't tried real hard because Harry was enough by myself, but I didn't know there were witches who would have one child without getting married, let alone three. Or is it four now? I may have mentioned being saddened you fell into the trap of tying yourself down. Harry seemed curious. Hermione wasn't very talkative at dinner, even if I did take her somewhere she said she liked."

Remus sipped his drink, listening as the two wizards exchanged words. If Sirius had mentioned the woman in question to Remus, he couldn't recall. He was fairly certain he hadn't. He would have told Sirius his thoughts on Severus fathering children were pretty far fetched.

Not that Severus couldn't father children.

No, that wasn't it at all.

However, if there was anyone Remus knew who would absolutely not get a woman pregnant without the formality of marriage in the equation, it was this wizard. Did Sirius not know him at all? Then, Remus supposed Sirius didn't think of Severus in such a way because he didn't see him every day as Remus had the past few years they'd been coworkers at Hogwarts together.

Severus was, Remus hated to admit it (because he was ashamed he hadn't seen it long before he did), loyal and true. He would not tarnish a woman's name, or his own name. It bothered him that his mother had already tarnished the Prince family reputation. Never mind, he couldn't imagine a contraceptive potion this man made failing. Or him forgetting to cast the charm once let alone three or four times.

Evidently, Sirius hadn't thought of these things. Remus also had information Sirius, and perhaps Severus, did not have. Because he hadn't had it either until a couple of hours ago.

His conversation with Hermione earlier in the evening came back to him. He'd been … a little afraid she'd been implying that Sirius was her mate. He recalled at the last couple of staff meetings it had been mentioned she was no longer doing extra credit work with Severus and Draco. That had surprised pretty much every professor at Hogwarts. Severus hadn't said anything about it, but had seemed a bit miffed at the witch's sudden change, too.

Was this wizard Hermione's mate?

Had she stopped doing her extra credit projects because she believed he was … otherwise occupied with another witch. And … fathering illegitimate children to boot? Assuming she actually listened and believed what Sirius (and apparently Draco) said, it was certainly possible.

The tears he saw in her eyes made much more sense. He admittedly wasn't in the frame of mind to push her into revealing what was wrong. Now he sort of wished he had.

Was it out of the realm of possibility? No. Was it odd given they had an age difference. And there certainly could have been a chance he was married to someone else without a war and such in play. 

"I'm sensing she, the one you were seen with, is not your witch then," Remus interjected.

"Your senses would be correct in this instance."

Remus sat back a bit, his tumbler resting against his knee as he sighed a bit. Should he do this? What if he was wrong?

He didn't think he was, though.

"I had a slightly uncomfortable conversation with Hermione earlier this evening," Remus said. Severus' eyes were on him.

"You did?" Sirius asked.

"I did. She paid me a visit."

"Remus!" Sirius said.

"Oh, settle down. Nothing happened, but her questions are making a lot more sense now than they did then. At first, I thought she was asking about you, Sirius, but she knows your flirtations are just for fun."

"She does," Sirius said.

"What did she ask you then, Lupin?"

"She asked me about mates. She said I was the only one she knew of to ask."

"And you told her?" Snape asked.

Remus shrugged. "I didn't say much. As I said, the conversation made me uncomfortable. She's Harry's friend. She seemed concerned that she would be mated with someone who would not treat her honorably. And if it would hurt her not to accept such a thing." He shook his head. "The reason my mind went to Sirius was because of his form. Dogs can have mates, but now thinking about it, seeing your reaction to the idea that this mystery woman is pregnant with your child. Well, I imagine he, James, and Peter were not the only unregistered animagi from our time at Hogwarts. And I am pretty sure Sirius would have told me if he'd found his mate."

"I would have," Sirius said. Remus wasn't looking at him, though. Harry's godfather hadn't seemed to catch on to the conclusion Remus was drawing.

"Wait," Sirius said a few minutes later. "She was asking you about Severus?"

"I think that she was. I didn't know about her seeing him in Diagon Alley, but I imagine if she thought he already had a witch who was pregnant that would lead her to want to know more facts."

"It is not my child! She is not my witch."

"I think you might want to have this conversation with Hermione."

"Why?"

"Well, I'm guessing because she thinks you are her mate who is acting dishonorably."

"When do you advise that I do that, Remus? She is my student! I don't even know how she would have discovered such a thing. We have never been in close enough proximity to one another."

He closed his mouth quickly with that last sentence. As if a thought occurred to him. Interesting.

"What are you?"

"A Peregrine falcon."

Remus gave a low whistle at that revelation. "They mate for life," Remus said.

"I am aware of that."

Severus seemed to think of something.

"I met her when she was eleven. She stopped me from eating a sick mouse when I was in that form."

"Stopped you?"

"Yes," he said. "At the time, I presumed her magic pushed out to stop me. She is strong."

Remus nodded. Not out of the realm of possibility. "You didn't think she might be your mate?"

"Good grief, no, Lupin. She was eleven! At the time, I didn't know how old she even was, until she arrived at Hogwarts for the next school year."

"And that's the only time you've been close to her in that form?"

"Well," Severus said. "No. For years, close to twenty probably, I've been drawn to that area. I had that encounter with her before she started at Hogwarts. The summer before last, I got injured after a scuffle with an eagle."

"And?"

"I fell into her yard. Her father, ironically enough, has trained birds with her over the years. They nursed me back to health."

"Could she be an animagus?" Remus asked.

Severus seemed to think the answer to the question was likely yes, just as Remus did. He didn't know that she was, but it made much more sense that she'd discovered Severus was her mate while she was in her form. Usually, animagus to human and even human to human wasn't as … potent.

"So who is the witch?" Sirius asked. "I've seen you with her more than just a few times over the years."

"Master Matteshall's granddaughter. She is married, just by the way, and not to me."

"You stopped at a jewelry vendor, Severus," Sirius said.

"We stopped a number of places, Sirius. And it's not what you think. She was browsing. She doesn't get to Diagon Alley frequently, so enjoys seeing the new things offered from her last visit."

"She is a falcon, too?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know," Severus said.

"You need to talk to the witch," Sirius said with a low whistle.

"Absolutely not. She's still a student." he said.

"You do, Severus, instead of being here with us. Go, talk to her. Asking her if she's your mate isn't wrong." He glanced at Remus. "Would it be?"

"No," Remus agreed.

"It is Halloween. There is no way I could speak to her…"

Remus nodded in agreement. It would be a logical excuse. Except.

"Is your animagus a bird, or isn't it, Severus?" Sirius asked.

He sighed. "She has months before she graduates."

"You were going to let her give you the silent treatment until July, Severus?" Remus asked.

"Well… I just presumed she'd gotten interested in something else."

"What?" Remus asked, as it looked like Severus was thinking of something.

"Nothing," he said.

"Severus. Who else are you going to talk to about this?"

He huffed. "Last Valentine's Day there was a yellow rose left for me on my office desk. The night before Easter holidays I received a box of muggle sweets. There were a couple of other gifts. A book. This handkerchief," he said, pulling the handmade handkerchief from his pocket.

"Nothing this year?"

"No."

"Okay. I'm not good at relationships, but you really suck if you were going to let her not talk to you for months and then what?"

"I didn't know! I didn't know why she wasn't talking to me. I just presumed she found something else to focus her mind on. She's an eighteen year old…"

"Stop right there," Remus said. "Don't ever say that to her."

"What? She is, in fact…"

"Irrelevant. This is a relationship, Severus. Your mate. Someone essentially handpicked for you. That is the only fact you need to be focused on. She is already questioning whether she has to accept being your mate. You saying things like that, suggesting that you don't approve of your chosen mate, will send her in the opposite direction. She can survive without you, Severus. She will find someone else who is not nearly forty years old. And make no mistake about it, it is not us who should be worried about an age difference. So, the question becomes, do you want to chance having to survive without her?"

The earlier look of surprise in Severus' eyes had been replaced now with astonishment. He was pretty certain that Sirius noticed it, too. The sitting room was completely silent after Remus' question.

"I do not believe that I would."

"That's better than yes," Sirius said. "Go. Summon her to your office."

"Surely it can wait until tomorrow!"

"And she finds out down the road that you discovered tonight why she wasn't speaking to you and waited until the next day to talk to her."

"I don't see either one of you married," he muttered. Remus chuckled softly at Severus sounding petulant. He wasn't wrong. "Should I be taking advice from you two about a witch?

"Well, do what you want then. That's led to your witch not speaking to you. So, if you know best…"

"We don't even know that's what it is. I could seek her out and make a complete fool of myself because your conclusion is wrong."

"You don't think it is, though, do you?"

He huffed.

"I swear to you both if this is a joke…"

"Severus. I can't speak for Remus, but I like to think that we've all changed since our Hogwarts days. I've observed you over the years and I can admit, while you were not the most personable person at Hogwarts, we were wrong about you. You have a mate. You are lucky to have found her. I, for one, am envious."

"Thank you," he said.

"Good luck," Remus said.

*****

Severus scowled at that. As if he knew what to say. He left them, returning to Hogwarts. He did not need to seek her out as it turned out. She was out walking the grounds. It was early enough that she was not violating curfew. From the looks of her, she'd been out here for a while. It was a nice enough evening, likely one of the few remaining of the year, so he could understand her desire to be outside.

"Miss Granger," he said when she spotted him and turned away.

"Miss Granger," he said again. And then for good measure added, "please."

She stopped, but did not turn to face him.

"I have one question for you. If your answer is yes. Well, then I guess I'll let you go on your way."

Still no response, and she hadn't looked at him yet.

"Have I ever given you the impression? Is there anything of my history that you are aware of? To make you believe that I would father illegitimate children?" He sighed heavily. "Two questions, I suppose. Have I not earned the right to be told of my transgression instead of being on the receiving end of the silent treatment by someone I have gone out of my way to be kind to?"

Still nothing, but she hadn't left. He stepped toward her then, brushing the back of his hand along hers. He felt it with that touch. She was his mate. It was like a jolt coursing through his entire body, but deeper than that. How hadn't he noticed before now? Other than, he supposed he hadn't been looking for it, and hadn't been this close to her until now.

With that recognition, he felt her pain. He felt that he was the reason for some of it. He grazed the back of her hand with his thumb then.

"If nothing else, Hermione, I thought that we had established a friendship during your extra credit sessions."

"I think that's why it hurt seeing you with her as badly as it did. You'd never mentioned a witch except Lily…"

He took a sharp intake of breath.

"So it is true?"

"What is true?"

"You know," he paused. Maybe she didn't? He had to be careful here. "How did you discover it without my knowing?"

"I changed into my form when you first fell into our yard to see if I could communicate with you." He let out a breath in relief, pleased that he did not need to talk in riddles or half answers. She did know, and knew what it meant.

"And never changed into your form again?"

"I didn't know what it was at first."

"And between when you did know and now?"

She shrugged. "I left you a rose and gave you candy."

He chuckled softly. "I should have known, but even had I guessed it was you leaving those items, I wouldn't have jumped to being mates."

"I might have told you this year…"

His lips thinned at that. Might have told him this year. Except she was led to believe that he had a woman who bore him children, multiple not just one, he hadn't even bothered to marry.

"She is my master's granddaughter. During the war, she stayed with him because he was … neutral. It was safe. She was kind to me when no one else was, because she was young enough the war didn't truly mean anything to her. I had to be so careful here with who I befriended or who I was seen with. She knew broad strokes. The Dark Mark meant nothing to her. She knew nothing of my supposed leanings, until later."

"Draco said he'd seen you with her several times."

"He has. He's not wrong. She, like most mothers and wives I imagine, enjoys excursions that do not involve her children or husband. She comes to London from time to time and, as she knows no one else here but me, I act as escort. She is from Poland and, while her English is more than slightly sufficient, her accent is still rather pronounced and can be intimidating to some."

"I just assumed…"

"Yes, well, I won't lie to you and say I lived the life of a monk the past twenty years, but there are no ex wives, children, or even ex girlfriends." There weren't a whole lot of anything, honestly.

"Why?"

He scoffed and she looked at him sharply then.

"That was a serious question?"

"Of course it was."

"Have you actually looked and listened to me, Hermione?"

"I have. I find you very appealing, Severus."

"You are the first to ever say so."

"Mm," she said.

"You will allow me the time to get to know you knowing this information?"

"What do you mean?"

"It means, you have had time to acclimate to my being your mate. Give me the same opportunity."

She folded her arms over her chest and stuck that lower lip out that he knew firsthand depicted her mood at times.

"I don't want you to…"

"Had I been aware, Hermione. If you had changed into your form and spoken to me. Told me who you were. Well, we would not be having this conversation tonight. And you would not have been the one gifting me with roses and sweets."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"You haven't even asked me why I'm not working with you anymore."

"I presumed you lost interest," he shrugged.

"After six years?"

"Well, it seemed odd, Hermione, but you wouldn't be the first person I thought was a friend who decided I wasn't who they wanted to spend time with."

"Oh," she whispered.

"And I wasn't going to make anyone think we were doing anything but potions work."

She nodded then, biting that lower lip. She hadn't thought of it from his perspective. Of course, he hadn't thought of it from hers either. Being her mate and essentially ignoring her. He had no idea anyone had seen him in Diagon Alley. Who knew people would think he would father any children let alone illegitimate ones?

Merlin! He never realized people … thought that.

"You had three weeks to talk to me, knowing … something was different. Allow me time to get to know that, too."

"I can do that."

"I guess I do have you as a rather captive audience until June anyway."

She smiled.

"You are not dancing?"

"No," she said, and he swore despite it being dark swore she was blushing. "I didn't want to dance with anyone."

"Well, would you care to join me in seeing if there is any evening primrose, sweet nicotiana, or moonflowers for harvesting?"

"Really?"

He nodded. "Your assistance has not proven tiresome."

"Mm," she said with a soft laugh, falling into step beside him.

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com