Harry stepped out of the fireplace and smiled at the headmistress. She probably wondered what he was smiling at because she would know he wasn't thrilled at being thought of for this task. He'd said yes, realizing she must have been desperate. And then his job as an auror interfered.

Thus the smile. He was relieved to get out of it, admittedly.

He wished he could stay for the aftermath of what he was about to drop on her, but he couldn't.

Not today.

He would be heading back to the Ministry as soon as he finished here. Then he and a team were off to some little town in Poland he'd never heard of, nor could he pronounce, to work with their local authorities about a rumoured nest of wannabe Voldemort followers who were escalating in their violence.

In Poland!

It never ended!

They hadn't even finished rounding up all of Voldemort's actual followers. Now they had groups who seemed to think the wizard had some good ideas.

He had to admit, dealing with the situation in Poland was preferable to being here, though.

"Hello Harry," she said from her spot behind her desk.

She offered him a kind smile, one that represented love and home. One that very few ever saw because she didn't want to appear biased. Gone were the days, though, that she had to pretend she didn't care about him.

"Minerva," he said with a polite bow of his head.

It had taken him about six months to feel comfortable calling this woman, his former head of house and the current headmistress of Hogwarts, by her first name. Eventually, though, it became second nature to the point he could no longer recall why he didn't think it was appropriate when she'd asked him to.

"I thank you for your willingness to step in on such short notice. I'm afraid Professor Robillard had a terrible fall and is in the infirmary for at least the next day or two."

"No problem at all. Except that I can't."

She pulled her glasses off, regarding him shrewdly. She was clearly confused. His smile widened a bit as her lips tightened, an indication she was trying to compile her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, but you're here. What do you mean you can't? Why are you here then? And if you can't, how am I supposed to find an appropriate substitute if you waited until the time you were to be here to tell me that you could not?"

"I am here to introduce you to the replacement I found. I know you wouldn't have asked me if it wasn't pretty crucial. I mean if you're asking me to fill in as a teacher then you have to be desperate. I'm not teacher material, we both know this. I'm always happy to do a demonstration or to be a part of a lesson. I've told you as much. To teach a day's worth of classes, though? And as it so happens I'm, unfortunately, embarking on a rather pressing assignment that I can't delay leaving for any longer than I already have this morning."

She shook her head and gave a soft sigh. She wasn't pleased. She'd get over it, though, pretty quick Harry imagined. "Harry. I don't want a replacement."

"You haven't even met them, Minerva."

Her lips thinned rather severely and her eyes narrowed. She was not at all pleased, but she didn't put up more of an argument. He took a deep breath, knowing he was giving her a cheeky grin before he turned to face the fireplace. He spoke into it after ensuring the other party was there.

"Hi. She's right here. You can come through now," he said and then stepped away from the fireplace to allow his chosen replacement to do just that.

He stood against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, and watched Minerva's face as recognition set in once Hermione stepped out of the fireplace. She looked positively elated, giddy with excitement. If Minerva McGonagall ever displayed such emotion, which most would say she did not. It was her eyes, though. He knew how to read them well enough after all of these years.

She was thinking this was better than Christmas or catnip, depending on which form was expressing their excitement at seeing her prized pupil standing in her office after almost four years away.

"Miss Granger?" Minerva said, clearly having regained her composure. That he'd surprised Minerva McGonagall was something he could be proud of.

"Well, technically that's not accurate. It's Madam Snape now, which I know that you are aware of, but please call me Hermione. And hello."

"Of course, my apologies, and Minerva, my dear. What are you doing here?"

"I'm Harry's replacement," she said.

"You don't even know what lessons …"

Harry scoffed at that. The very idea that the headmistress would think he'd be better prepared than this witch to do anything in a classroom.

"Really, Minerva, you're going to use that with Hermione but think I'd be any better prepared to teach on a moment's notice? You asked me via floo at dinnertime yesterday. This issue came up very suddenly, like two hours ago suddenly. So I called in a favor."

"Valid point," she said with an audible sigh.

Astute eyes were taking them both in.

Harry could tell the headmistress really was positively giddy at this turn of events, though even after a few minutes of realizing Hermione was truly here she showed none of that. She wanted Hermione back. She'd told Harry that many times, probably thinking that he had any influence over Hermione's decision to return.

Minerva truly missed Hermione. It had bothered many when they were students, but that was no longer the case. Current students, though, who still heard things like ‘Hermione Granger would have …'. Well, they didn't like that so well. Or so the rumours went. Harry didn't know that first hand. Everyone knew that she missed her favorite student, though.

"Harry has told me several times that you are truly all right, Dear, and I know that I saw you at his wedding last spring. I never imagined you'd be here in this castle again the more time went by."

"I really didn't either," she said, looking at the portraits on the wall and noting the changes she'd made to the office if Harry knew anything about his best friend. And he did know her. Even if they didn't see one another or talk every day did not mean that he didn't know her any more.

"Are we all right then? You're no longer questioning my choice in replacements," Harry asked. "I really do have to get back."

"Yes, of course, your replacement is more than sufficient," Minerva said. "Thank you, Harry. Come visit when you're through with whatever is taking you away and be safe."

"I will and you're welcome, Minerva. If you need anything, Hermione, just let me know."

"I will be fine," she said after a moment's pause.

He wasn't talking about teaching the class. She knew that, too. He just wanted her to know he was an owl away if she needed anything after being back here when she hadn't really been expecting to come back. Then, he hadn't really had to force her into agreeing to come today. The idea had come to him when he'd been told about this trip.

Harry knew it wasn't easy for her to come today, but Harry thought this was a perfect way to dip a toe back into the magical world - and Hogwarts truthfully - without jumping into the deep end doing a cannonball.

She only had one year left at university. He knew she had some post-graduate work to do, but if she wanted to start a practice in the wizarding world that catered to behavioral health she had to be present.

She had to be seen.

She had to prove that respect she'd earned by fellow students and professors alike when she was a student had been warranted and was still valid today. She couldn't expect people to show up five years from now after not seeing or hearing from her in almost a decade.

He was surprised she'd agreed, honestly. He expected to plant the seed. She'd know he was right. Evidently, she knew it really was a good idea.

He wondered how surprised Severus was that Harry Potter came up with a good idea. They got along better, certainly, but he had no doubt that Severus still thought he was that clueless eleven year old wizard who couldn't function without Hermione Granger.

"I'll walk with you to the classroom, of course, but unless my eyes deceive me you have some exciting changes coming up," Harry heard Minerva say as he stepped toward the fireplace. He knew they'd be fine. He knew Hermione would be quite excited at the prospect of teaching. Did she tell Severus she was excited, he wondered? What did her husband think about her coming here?

"I'd rather not talk about my personal life here, Minerva," Hermione said and Harry knew she was most likely looking at Dumbledore's portrait as she made the statement. His friend was not going to be throwing a posthumous parade for the wizard anytime soon he knew.

With that thought, he stepped into the fireplace and called out his destination in the Ministry and disappeared.

Hermione eyed the portrait behind Minerva's desk. She saw the twinkle and look of interest in the former headmaster's eyes and scowled. He saw it, too. She only knew that because the twinkle diminished just a touch.

"My, Madam Snape, he has taught you very well," the former headmaster said. "It's good to see you nonetheless and I wish you both congratulations. I hope one day you will convey my excitement to him."

"I'd be happy to talk to you on the way to the classroom," Hermione offered, ignoring the former headmaster for the most part.

"Of course. Albus, behave or she won't return."

"She'll return, Minerva."

"I'd like it to not be another four years from now!"

The twinkle left his eyes completely with that admonishment by Minerva and he shook his head. "Very well. Excuse me then, ladies. I'm sure there's something going on at the Ministry I can observe."

"I still don't feel comfortable."

"I understand. He's pouting," she shrugged. She grabbed a cane that Hermione hadn't seen until now and approached Hermione. "Well, Dear. Let's walk and talk, shall we?"

"Oh, Headmistress, if you shouldn't be…"

"I'm fine. Just ever since that stunner I have moments."

"I didn't realize," she said. She felt terrible about that, too. She honestly hadn't given things like that much thought. Minerva was alive and well, that was all she needed to know. She felt rather stupid and selfish.

"Nothing to concern yourself with, Dear. Poppy and the healers at St. Mungo's all say I'm fit as a fiddle otherwise."

"Okay," she said as they stepped out on the staircase and into the hall that would lead her to a classroom.

The classroom.

She hoped that was true. Despite her absence, she truly cared for Minerva. Seeing her at Harry's wedding had been a huge reminder of how much this witch meant to her. Was she using a cane then? Hermione hadn't noticed it if she was.

Merlin, that was awful.

"And, yes," she said finally, setting her hand over her abdomen. "A little over halfway along."

"Do you know what you're having yet?"

Hermione knew she was blushing profusely and Minerva glanced at her questioningly.

"It's, um, a girl," she said softly, biting her lower lip.

She had no idea if the three days her husband deprived her of release had anything to do with it, but he seemed to think it was a point toward that being a truth. She assumed it was just the luck of the draw and told him now that they had their girl if he did that again she'd give him a piece of her mind.

"I see," Minerva said, smiling with a bit of a blush herself. "I'm guessing there's a story behind you blushing as you are, but I won't ask you to tell. Severus wouldn't like us talking about him."

"No," she said. "Certainly not about that."

Minerva laughed then and stopped walking.

"Are you okay, Headmistress?" Hermione asked.

"Minerva, and I'm fine, Dear. I just realized that I hadn't hugged you yet."

"Oh!" Hermione said, not having thought of that either.

She stepped into her former head of house's open arms then and hugged her just as tightly as Minerva was hugging her. She breathed in the familiar smells that were not just Minerva McGonagall but Hogwarts.

She really had missed it here. She knew Harry expected her to say no when he'd visited her last night. She wanted to say no. In fact, she did at first, but Harry hadn't said a word. He'd let her think and puzzle out her feelings on coming back here without his influence. Once he knew she was contemplating it is when he'd mentioned the benefits of showing up now for any possible future endeavours of hers.

In other words, if she truly wanted to be successful, the wizarding world to accept psychology and mental health being just as important as physical health she'd have to be seen. He was right.

"I have missed you so, my dear witch."

"Me, too," she said. She sniffled then. "Oh, goodness, I swore I wouldn't cry!"

"Well, some things are just a way of life, Dear. Now," she said. "May I?" she asked, gesturing to her abdomen.

"Of course," Hermione said. Minerva set her hand over her abdomen through her robes and gave a soft tsk. It was her turn to get tears in her eyes.

"Severus is having a baby. I never thought I'd see the day."

"Well, I'm the one having it, but yes."

Minerva gave a low chuckle.

"Of course. When are you due?"

"Um, the end of June."

"And Ginny?"

"The end of August I think?"

"So you and Harry will have children coming here together?"

"So it would seem. Unless I suppose their son is stubborn and waits until after September first. If you're asking if Severus will refuse to send her here, no."

"Excellent," Minerva said, tapping the end of her cane against the stone floor as emphasis. That was exactly what she'd been asking then. "Hogwarts won't know what hit them with a Potter and a Snape entering its walls together. And as friends."

Hermione hadn't thought of it that way. It was an interesting twist.

They made their way to the classroom and she giggled slightly at the sight of the door. She never in a million years imagined she'd be here, about to teach this class. She'd think she was dreaming except Severus had sent her off to school today after a most satisfying wakeup call. She'd never dream that!

"Who is my first class?"

"Mm, second year Gryffindor / Slytherin I believe."

Of course it was. How appropriate.

"Okay," she said.

"Do you want me to go in with you?"

"I think I've got it from here, Minerva. I was told not to let them see I'm hesitant. If you come in with me that would display that I think."

"Have you been assisting him?"

"Yes."

"For four years?"

"Give or take," she answered evasively.

"Then they are in very capable hands," Minerva said.

She placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder and squeezed.

"In case I forget to say it later, I am very happy for you both. I know a moment ago I mentioned Severus having a baby. I've known him since he was eleven, you know, so my first thought today was of him. His last year, that I didn't believe in him. At first when I heard, I won't lie, I wanted to hex off his bollocks."

"Oh, Minerva, please don't do that. I like them exactly where and how they are."

Minerva chuckled.

"Yes, well, clearly I didn't follow through with that idea. The more I thought on it, the more I found it made a bit of sense. I think in some ways you're more mature for your age than you should be. That's not a criticism, Dear, just that some people I think are older than their years. You're one of them. Severus would not go for a simpering witch."

"No," she said, unable to deny she was correct.

"Anyway, the more I thought about it, and the more Harry made it known that you were happy. That both of you seemed to be. Well, I can't deny that I was happy. For you both. I like Mr. Weasley, of course, but he was not a match for you. At twelve and thirteen, of course I wanted that to be true. He wouldn't be a challenge, though, and I think you need that perhaps most of all."

Hermione giggled softly. Ron had been a challenge, while at school, getting him to notice her as a female and not just one of them . The more time she spent away from Hogwarts and with Severus it became obvious that her infatuation was just that and nothing to base a life together off of.

"If you need me, send a patronus. Otherwise, I've been told the lesson plans are located in the top desk drawer."

"Very well," she said.

"Oh, and Hermione. You'll sit next to me at lunch?"

"I'd be honoured, Minerva."

She took a deep breath and exhaled, patting her subtly noticeable swollen abdomen before opening the door. It had to be a Gryffindor/Slytherin class to start her morning off with. She wasn't as big as a house, but anyone who knew her well (as Minerva did) would certainly notice.

"Good morning, class. Professor Robillard is out today, but should return in a couple of days I've been told. My name is Hermione Snape," she said, gesturing to the blackboard with her hand where her name showed up in her precise script. "As I'm not a professor nor am I potions master, just substituting, you may call me Madam Snape, or Mrs. Snape is acceptable if that's what you prefer."

She sat behind the desk and opened the drawer and pulled out the lesson plans. She thumbed through them, admiring Professor Robillard's very neat script. And the detail in the lessons, as if he knew something was going to happen to him.

Or he expected to get sacked at any moment so wanted his replacement to be prepared.

She didn't know anything about him to know which was true.

Or perhaps he just preferred to be that detailed.

Severus was, too.

"It looks like brewing the Fire Protection Potion was on the agenda for today. Any questions?"

A hand shot up. Hermione glanced at the class list and seating chart.

"Yes, Mr. Blackwood."

"Are you married to Severus Snape?"

"I am, yes. As he's no longer teaching he would be Mister or Master Snape to you."

"Is it true he can't ever come back?"

"No. Absolutely not. We were at Harry and Ginevra Potter's wedding just last April."

"Why did he work as a spy and then turn his back on us?"
"Why won't he teach us anymore? My brother says he was strict but he learned so much. Professor Robillard is only all right."

"What's it like being married to him?"

"All right, class, I think we've gotten a little off the subject of why we're here. Potions. Master Snape will return to the wizarding world when he feels it's time. No earlier, no later. He doesn't hate the magical world, but I think he is relishing his privacy for now. I cannot speak for him despite being his wife. As to whether he'd teach again, I highly doubt it though, again, I can't speak for him. I will not answer questions about our personal life."

"But you're pregnant!"

"Good observation, Miss Yara. Now, get on with your potions work or I will start taking points."

It took them a few minutes, but they begrudgingly got to work. She had to admit she had kind of missed this. The sounds of the potions classroom. It was very different from the sounds of Severus' personal lab. It brought back so many memories, though. And this being Gryffindor/Slytherin combined even more so. She glanced at the tables where she, Harry, Ron, and Neville had sat. Here eyes moved to the table Draco had claimed. Hard to believe it was almost ten years since they'd been second years.

"Your slices are too thick," Hermione observed as she walked through the classroom.

"You slice the mushrooms and crush the Wartcap powder, as it's a powder there's nothing to slice. However, you don't want to crush the mushrooms."

Eventually, everyone seemed to be working efficiently and safely. She still walked the classroom, nodding or offering input as she was asked. She tried to remember what Severus had said about Neville. He had to do it, her doing it for him did him no favors. Yes, he was a successful herbologist now, but she knew looking back that Severus had made a valid point.

After the morning's classes had finished she made her way upstairs to the Great Hall. A seat next to Minerva was indeed vacant.

She got lots of looks as she made her way to the chair from staff and students.

Minerva stood then.

"For those who have not yet had Potions this morning or won't today, our substitute teacher while Professor Robillard is out is Madam Hermione Snape. Please welcome Hermione back to Hogwarts as it's been almost five years now since she's been here with us in an educational capacity and we'd like to see her again sooner than that next time."

A round of applause, some startled looks on students faces, a few on some staff members faces. Sybil Trelawney looked positively beside herself and Hermione couldn't help but snigger inwardly at that. Severus had told her about the Divination professor's attempts at wooing him over the years.

"Minerva," Hermione said.

"I don't want to make it easy for you to just leave, Hermione. Hogwarts and the magical world miss you both. I miss you both. You are both needed."

"I know," she said.

"Now tell me what you've been doing, because I know it's more than taking care of Severus."

Hermione told her about her university studies and her plans.

"Ronald laughed?"

Hermione shrugged. She couldn't say she was entirely surprised he had. It hurt a little less now than it had four years ago. How could she expect him to support something he truly wouldn't understand no matter how much Harry or she tried to describe her intentions.

"I'm sorry he did that. I think now he would react differently. You are so very much on the right track, Hermione, as if I would expect any less from you. Truly, I wish someone had thought of this twenty years ago. Have you spoken to Poppy?"

"Madam Pomfrey?"

"She could give you some thoughts, maybe." Minerva leaned in closer. "She might even be able to tell you if Hogwarts could use a, what's it called, psychologist?"

"Minerva, I want to help everyone, not just students."

"There aren't just students at Hogwarts the last I checked, many of the non-students were here in some capacity through both wars. Nor would we have to be your only client."

Hermione was stunned. That would be huge if she got the backing of not just Hogwarts' headmistress but their respectable healer.

"It's been almost four years, but look out at those tables and think of how many remember Death Eaters getting into this castle. Think of how many witnessed horrific crimes. I'm sure I don't need to tell you part of Ronald's issues may very well be what you're talking about. As far as I know he's never spoken to anyone about the war, about what you three went through while you were on the run."

"He wouldn't," Hermione said. "You've given me something to think about, and I'll look for Madam Pomfrey before I leave today."

"Excellent."

"I'd like my focus to be the magical world," she said. She truly had because there were psychologists everywhere in the muggle world. There weren't any here and she thought it was so necessary. "I just assumed it wouldn't be able to be. At least at first. I expected much more pushback and denial."

"I cannot deny what I've observed with my own eyes, Hermione."

"No," she agreed.

"Well, if you need help…"

"I know where to come. Thank you, Minerva."

"As I said, I will not make it easy for you to just walk away. Forget everyone else. I want you here, Dear."

Hermione smiled, sighing softly. In truth, as she'd spent the morning looking at and listening to students and the noises of Hogwarts. She wanted to be here, too.

At the end of the day she used the floo to get to Harry's and then apparated to Liverpool from there.

"How was the day, Professor," Severus said when she found him in the store. So there must have just been a customer. If she wasn't mistaken he sounded both amused and proud.

"Not too bad. Believe it or not, you are missed."

He scoffed. "You must be delirious."

"No, I had more than one class ask me why you left and why you were no longer teaching. Or if you were coming back. Some variation of that."

"Intriguing."

"Minerva likes my idea. She says she wants me to think of Hogwarts first."

"Meddling witch."

"No, Severus, I think this could be very good. My concern, my reason for thinking I'd have to open a practice that muggles and magical alike could find was because I was afraid the magical world wouldn't accept psychology. I mean, look at Ron, even Minerva brought him up. If I have the support of Hogwarts' headmistress and Poppy that would be huge. Minerva mentioned at lunch wanting me to look at the students, many of them were there that year we were on the run. How many of them saw horrible things," she said cautiously. "Family members murdered or tortured."

She knew his year as headmaster was still a touchy subject for Severus. It was, she thought, one of the main reasons that he refused to go back to the magical world. He loved Hogwarts and he'd had to allow atrocities to happen within its walls in the name of being a spy. She couldn't fix that for him, though. That was something he'd have to tackle himself. She'd help him, of course, push in that direction but he had to take that final step on his own.

"So I talked to Poppy and she agreed that there were a number of students who probably could use such services. I mean, I won't be ready yet, obviously, but the fact that they're both open to the idea is huge. She asked me for a timetable and when I told her three to four years she said she would start marking student records with notes of anything she observes that could be useful to me even now."

"You're right, it is," he said, nodding in agreement. "I understand your concerns and you are correct."

"Would you ever use the services?"

"From you?"

"Of course not, don't be silly. I wouldn't ask you to, nor would it be ethical."

"Probably not."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "The things I have in my head, Hermione. I have murders and rapes and robberies and…"

"I understand."

"I'm not sure that you do entirely. Not to say that they don't deserve to be punished, assuming they aren't already in Azkaban. I'm relatively safe as long as former followers believe I'm keeping my mouth shut. If it were discovered I was using such services…"

"Oh, yes, I get it. I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for. I'm sorry because I believe you. I believe in you. I believe in your dream. I've been listening to you, you know. I engage in conversations with you about your studies. I do realize that it would probably be a very useful thing for me. I prefer being alive though and that you and our daughter are safe. So I will refrain and do my own forms of therapy."

"Want to do some of it now?" she asked.

"You know, your hormones were bad before…"

She snorted knowing he didn't mind in the least, already heading to their bedroom. "Well, if you're too tired, you can watch while I…"

"As exciting as that may be, you know that I am never too tired for you, Witch." he followed her to their bedroom. "I was thinking today."

"Yes." 

"They know you're my wife," he asked, running a finger over her jaw and neck.

"Yes. I presume so. I mean I didn't shout it off the battlements, but my last name is Snape."

He leaned down and kissed her and she groaned softly. She wanted him, not to have a conversation about students knowing who she was married to right now and he knew it! She knew who she was married to for crying out loud and that was all that mattered right this second.

"Want to borrow my robes tomorrow?"

Her head jerked back then, pulling away from his kiss and he chuckled. He knew he'd scored points when something distracted her from sex these days.

"Shut up," she said.

"Is that any way to talk to your devoted husband?"

"You're teasing me!"

"I would never. About this anyway. They'd have to be shortened … quite a bit actually, but the idea is a serious one. And, well, that may lead to a very enjoyable evening tomorrow when you return."

She smiled cheekily. Severus had a fantasy. Who knew? "Me in your robes?"

"Mm hmm. I cannot wear them for you, I would not feel … comfortable doing so, but you could wear them."

"Yes," she said. There was probably more enthusiasm behind that one word than should be, but Morgana that was an exciting thought.

"Excellent. Well, let's see to that appetite of yours tonight and then we can think of all those buttons for tomorrow."

"I can't wait to watch your hands undoing them all."

"Mm, funny, neither can I."

"Oh, God, Severus, I'm not going to be able to think of anything else all day!"

He chuckled, clearly pleased with himself.

"Oh you will, trust me. Forget being concerned about your well being around potentially exploding cauldrons, you are carrying our daughter so you will be attentive. Those thoughts of my working those buttons one … by … one … will seep through occasionally, though. And that will excite me to no end."

"Me, too."

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com