It was a Monday afternoon when his second visitor from the wizarding world showed up in his store in less than a month's time. Harry's visit had neither shocked nor annoyed Severus. Potter just wanted to verify his best friend was truly okay. In fact, Severus respected the younger wizard for taking the initiative to do so. It wasn't something he'd given him credit for. He wasn't sure why, underestimated how deep their friendship ran. Underestimated Harry Potter's ability to truly care for someone else's well being.

Molly Weasley, however, had no business being here. Not really.

Hermione owed her nothing. Molly was not Hermione's friend nor was she her mother, as much as she might have wanted to be by marriage.

His witch was upstairs working on a belated birthday dinner for him. She'd asked him the day before what he wanted to do for his birthday. Presented with the possibility of anything he could think of for his day (because he knew his witch would grant him anything he wanted within reason) he opted for neither of them to get out of bed other than to take a bath and get themselves food they could feed one another all day.

It had been very possibly the best day of his entire life. He wasn't sure if that made him a pathetic excuse of a man, but it was what it was. Now that actual sex was a part of their relationship he was (exhaustingly) thanking Merlin for her appetites. She was more than willing and able to try and make up for the time they missed.

He was willing, too, more than obviously. What man in his right mind wouldn't be? The able part was catching up with him as he barely made it out of bed this morning to work in his lab before the store's opening. A price he was more than willing to pay and he certainly wasn't about to wager a complaint.

And now here was Molly Weasley, looking fit to be tied. He was in no mood to have her ire directed at him. He'd been on the receiving end of it more than just a time or two over the years as professor to her spawn. Today, though, she was not here as a mother. Well, she likely was but she had no business doing so. His marriage to Hermione was none of her concern.

"Molly," he said, sounding cautiously stoic. It wasn't just him hearing that in his tone either because she stopped briefly before approaching him.

"Severus," she said.

"In the market for some muggle reading material now that all the offspring have flown the coop?"

"What?" she asked with a frown and Severus chuckled.

"Your children are all done with their schooling so perhaps you have downtime now that you haven't had in the past to read."

She scowled and huffed, removing her gloves. Evidently she didn't like the suggestion she'd want to pick up a book and read. He knew there were those who did not find reading … enjoyable. She'd attempted to blend in with muggle Liverpool, but she still managed to stand out. The hat, for one, was nothing a muggle her age would be caught dead in. He wasn't even sure Hermione or Ginevra would wear it. It had maybe been popular in the late seventies by someone like his mother.

Brown eyes assessed black ones.

"What can I do for you, Molly, as I'm quite certain you are not here as a customer despite this being my place of business."

"What game are you playing, Severus?"

"My days of game playing are over, Molly. As are my days of talking in or trying to decipher others' riddles. If you have a question, ask it."

"You stole that girl from Ronald."

He scoffed. Of course that was how she (and likely her son) would see it.

"That is not a question, however, I will answer you. I did no such thing. First. She is a grown woman or witch if you prefer, not a girl. Second. Ronald Weasley took himself out of contention as a suitor when he abandoned my wife and Harry Potter for weeks with a possessed locket."

"It had to have been worse for him due to him being a pureblood."

"If that's what you need to tell yourself to sleep well at night about the fact that your son abandoned his supposed best friend and the witch he loved. That the well-being of our world could have ended because he couldn't handle it and he left his friends to do it on their own."

"She's young enough…"

"To be my daughter. Technically that is true I suppose, however, I can assure you that I have no illegitimate children roaming around so it's not as if I have a son or daughter within a year or two of her age. More importantly, neither she nor I have an issue with the age difference. Ironically enough, you're not her mother nor are you mine, thankfully. What's more, you are not included in our marital decisions so your opinion means little."

"You're using her to bolster your reputation."

He scoffed, gesturing to his store. "Does it look to you, Molly, as if I'm missing the wizarding world? Does it seem as if my reputation needs any bolstering? Last I heard I was to be given an Order of the Merlin: First Class when I present myself next to the Minister. My reputation seems to be in good standing. We went to Potter's home because he invited us and Hermione thought it would be a good way to assure her other friends not named Potter that she was indeed safe and sound."

"I just don't understand why you would do that to my son."

"I didn't do anything to your son. Molly, really, think long and hard before you put Hermione in the position of having to choose between her marriage and life with me and her friendship with your son. The fact that she's written to only Harry should tell you what her choice will be. Do you really believe Hermione Granger, most brilliant witch of her age and very possibly the brightest witch Hogwarts has seen, would have been happy with your dunderhead of a son when all's said and done?"

"How dare you!"

"How dare I what? Speak the truth? I didn't come to your domicile or place of employment and insult you. You came to me. You have your head shoved up your arse if you think that Ronald Weasley would have gotten through even his first year without Hermione's assistance. If you think for one moment that he's even fit to wipe her boots you're sorely mistaken."

He took a deep breath.

"My wife didn't have to go with Potter on his hunt for the horcruxes. She could have erased her parents' memories and fled once they were out of harm's way. She's astute enough to know how not to be traced or found if she cared to do that. She stayed, though, and fought for the betterment of a world that she didn't even know existed until she was eleven and that shunned her because of her blood status. She didn't have to nurse me while I healed and she certainly didn't have to continue coming around to ensure I was all right. She did, though, because that's the kind of person my witch is. Now, if you're done with your crusade I have work to do."

"Do you even love her?"

"My feelings are between my wife and myself, Molly, they are not for you to gossip about. And if I hear or read one word of our marriage being public knowledge or this conversation I will hold you responsible."

"I wasn't the only one at Harry's house."

"No you weren't, but everyone else there was a friend of Hermione's, aside from your husband I suppose but something tells me he would agree with my assessment of the situation. The only others were associates of Potter's. I trust if he invited them he trusts them. They would respect her wishes for privacy until she decides on her terms to return to the wizarding world. I'll know it was you because I know how you work. We are married, Molly. Legally and according to her muggle God we are man and wife. No amount of gossip or backstabbing is going to undo that. Perhaps young Mr Weasley should have been more attentive and not a selfish imbecile so the witch didn't find him lacking. His loss is my gain so please be sure to thank him for his inability to appreciate what he had within his grasp."

He peered at her, enjoying the flabbergasted look on her face. He held back from saying everything he cared to say to this woman because she had been the one to kill Bellatrix. It was the only fact keeping him from delving further into his thoughts on Molly and Ronald Weasley.

"Now, if there's nothing else."

"If I find out that you are harming her."

He scoffed. "I've done nothing to the witch she hasn't asked me to do, Molly."

Hermione chose that moment to make her way into the store. He was glad she hadn't come down a minute or two ago.

"Severus, do you mind checking the roast to see if it's done. It looks like it is to me, but you've more experience than I do."

"Of course, my witch," he said evenly.

"Mrs. Weasley," she said, seeming to just now realize there was someone there.

"Hermione."

"Is Ginny all right?"

"Of course, why wouldn't she be?"

"Why else would you be here?"

"I wouldn't be here regarding Ronald?"

"I presume not, no," she said, glancing at Severus. He shrugged. He stopped trying to figure out the mind of the matriarch of the Weasley clan.

"Excuse me, Molly, I apparently have a roast to look after."

"I assumed you'd be at work or school," Molly said once Severus had left. Hermione was glad she spoke because for once in her life Hermione had no idea what to say to this woman.

"I have the afternoon free from classes and took a break from the library to cook Severus a birthday dinner since we didn't get to it yesterday," she said, blushing profusely at that.

They'd made love so many times yesterday that she was absolutely positive she had a sign on her forehead that said "thoroughly shagged". He'd given her a potion when she woke up this morning for any discomfort she might experience as a result and looked rather proud of himself while presenting it to her.

"You should have told Ronald."

"Told Ronald what?" Hermione asked. What did this woman think she owed him? And why? Because of a kiss? Because of years of being unable to decide whether he was interested in her? Because of laughing at her about her lack of a date for the Yule Ball? Because of him throwing it in his face that he was with Lavender?

"That Severus was courting you."

"I didn't owe Ronald anything. I didn't tell anyone, Molly."

"An indication you were ashamed, obviously."

"No, neither of us wanted the wizarding world to report on our relationship. We are both happy here for now," she said, gesturing to the store. "We've talked of returning when I've finished my degree, but we'll see then where things take us. Harry has known for months that I'm fine, just not how to get a hold of me. That was the way I needed it. It had nothing to do with shame. I needed time."

"Hermione, how can he possibly provide for you?"

"He's providing just fine," she said. "I work here part-time on weekends to keep myself from doing nothing but studying. I don't need to nor do I want to justify myself to you. If Ron left the final battle with ideas in his head."

"He says you kissed him."

"Yes, I did. I didn't think we were going to make it out alive. You were there. It was chaotic and exhilarating. I'd seen my best friend die and come back to life. I was relieved, overjoyed. I kissed my other best friend out of joy. I did not promise or commit to anything. Honestly, if we hadn't run into two of my Hogwarts classmates I probably wouldn't have met with Harry a few weeks ago. I was pretty content."

"But Hermione…"

"Mrs. Weasley, I don't mean to seem rude, but I have things to do. I appreciate that you may have been under some sort of impression regarding my relationship with Ronald. That was his doing, though, not mine if he led you to believe something that wasn't true. The fact I left the wizarding world and wrote to only Harry should have been a huge clue. And if he is so in-love with me and upset over my being gone please tell me why he's on the eighth or ninth witch now?"

"So you married someone else because he's dating around?"

"I married someone else because I didn't love Ron and never said that I did. I cared for him a lot, I won't lie about that. That time on our own made me think about a lot of things. He never even asked me to be in a relationship with him. Severus is who makes me happy, understands me, and supports me in everything I'm endeavoring to do where Ron ridiculed and laughed at my idea. I certainly try to do the same in return for Severus. One day we'll return to the wizarding world I'm sure but not for now. Maybe not even until our children go to Hogwarts. I don't know. Now, I really do have dinner to see to or he's going to do it all himself again and the whole point of this was him not having to cook for his birthday."

Severus came downstairs then, sliding an arm around her waist once he was by her side.

"The roast is indeed done, Hermione."

"Thank you. I wouldn't want to make you sick."

He chuckled softly. She was by no means the world's greatest cook, but she was doing fine. She was learning as well as they went, which was fine with him. In truth, most evenings he had time to cook where she did not so he did not mind making dinner.

"You did very well. I left it out of the oven so you can do whatever else you were planning now."

"I'm glad to see you're well, Mrs. Weasley, even if you cannot accept or understand the decisions I've made with my life."

She returned upstairs then, Severus was kind of surprised Mrs. Weasley didn't leave. How he wished she would, but even he had his limits as to how rude he could be to this woman. He was indebted to her for ridding the world of Bellatrix, if for no other reason than what the crazy witch had done to Hermione. He saw the remnants of that every night. The physical scars weren't all that had been left behind either.

"You'll be good to her, Severus?"

"Does she look deprived or mistreated to you, Molly? Really?"

"No," she said, "but you live…"

"In an apartment above a store in a building that I own, Molly. I have a lab in the basement where I have a rather profitable potions business going. She's close to campus, and works the store when her homework allows. We are far from being destitute. Truly this store is more of a side business now that my potions are selling. Despite what you may have thought about me over the years I prepared for a rainy day, or my survival as it turned out. If there will be nothing else," he said, gesturing to the door which he wandlessly and wordlessly opened just in case she couldn't take a not so subtle hint.

He made his way upstairs to their rooms once Molly left. The wards and bell would alert him of someone entering before closing time came. He wanted to ensure Hermione was truly all right after Molly's unexpected visit.

He slid his arms around her waist, brushing his cheek against her jaw, and kissed her ear.

"Is she done scolding us?"

"For today," he shrugged. "I can't blame her."

"For thinking I owed Ronald something because I kissed him?"

"I prefer not to think about that at all, my sweet. However, she is not a stupid witch. Her son marrying the brightest witch of his age would have been quite the feather in the Weasley family cap."

"I suppose," she said, leaning against him. "Is that really all I was to her, do you think? A way to increase their social standing?"

"Oh, I have no doubt she likes you, Hermione. You're a likable witch. However, that doesn't mean that she's not disappointed a witch of your calibur has slipped through her fingers. The younger Mrs. Weasley is not in the competition for brightest witch of her age."

"Fleur is…"

"Yes, I'm aware of what she is. She is still nothing compared to you. Trust me, your husband is a wise wizard," he said, chuckling against her ear. "Now, are you done cooking for the moment?"

"Well," she said, glancing at the stove. "I do still have things…"

"Nothing pressing then," he said, working the buttons on her top from behind her.

"Severus."

"I assume since you're cooking me a birthday dinner that my birthday present still applies."

"I'm beginning to wonder if I've created a monster."

"Mm," he said, kissing her neck. "Something tells me that is not the case."

"Why?"

"Because your curiosity in all things is not because of me. That's you. If it was not how you are, I'd have a lifetime of missionary position in my future."

"That is true," she admitted. "I do enjoy discovering…"

"Yes, well, let's stop talking about those discoveries, and see if we can't make a new one."

"The store…"

"I'll trade you quick now for not so quick later. I do want to eat dinner sometime today after all." He moved then, taking her with him so he could settle her on the table.

"Would you be disappointed if it is just because this is all new to me?" she asked as he did his best to ensure she was ready for him.

"Mm, as long as you don't delegate me to a separate bedroom, no."

"Really?"

"Really."

"I would never want you sleeping separately from me again."

"I will remind you of that when we argue," he said, chuckling. "Now, I believe I have more of my present to enjoy before dinner."

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com