Everyone was quiet at the dinner table. It was the first time all five of them had eaten together in a while. Well, just the five of them (really just the four of them since James was only two and was more interested in his spoon than listening to the adults at the table talk). They'd seen one another at Christmas and New Year's Eve.

It wasn't completely uncomfortable, but it was a little. Things had essentially been back to normal between Hermione and Ron for years now. They were back to being good friends, all three of them, which really irritated Rita Skeeter.

Except, Ron had just broken up with his girlfriend of three years, and was eyeing Hermione with an interest she hadn't seen in five years (thankfully). She didn't want that look there again!

Thus the slight uncomfortableness at the table. Hermione could only assume she wasn't the only one who saw (and didn't like) the look there. Harry liked the two of them as friends. The three of them worked better when there was no romantic drama mixed into their relationship. And for a year or so post-war there had been drama.

Ginny was pregnant with two year old James' little brother and quite literally due any day now. Hermione wasn't sure what they were naming this one. She'd heard a few names bandied around, but it seemed neither Mum or Dad could agree. It might be one of those things where they decide after the birth.

These circumstances (Ginny due any day) were leaving Ron … having none while his younger sister was about to have her second … wanting a child.

The looks he was giving her tonight indicated that he seemed to be thinking once more that Hermione might be the person to give that to him.

As if.

"So, I was at Hogwarts the last two days," Harry said, breaking the silence.

Thank you, Harry.

Harry was the headmistress' favorite auror (as if anyone thought that wouldn't be true) and as such he went there periodically to talk to students. Or just to show a presence. She didn't ask him to do these things as much the past year as she had right after the war, but he had once or twice.

"Oh?"

He hadn't even mentioned he was going. She was surprised that as close to Ginny's due date he wouldn't have told Hermione to be prepared to go with her to St. Mungo's in case Harry wasn't here.

"How is everyone?" Hermione asked.

"I heard Hagrid got a new dog," Ron said.

Ginny said nothing, obviously she knew where Harry had been.

"Snape has a baby," he blurted out.

Three sets of eyes stared at him.

That had not been what Hermione had expected to come from her question or Ron's mentioning of Hagrid having gotten a new dog. (She'd heard that, too.). She assumed he'd give a breakdown of the professors and staff they were familiar with. There were some new ones they didn't know well, but it was nice to hear about them, too.

Ron started laughing then.

"Good one, Mate," he said.

Hermione looked from Ron to Harry's face. She didn't get the impression this was a joke.

"I'm not kidding. He has a little girl. Two of them actually. Minerva said the youngest is about one and the older one is about five. It didn't seem as if she knew about either of them before last week."

"Five and one year old?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. Minerva told me she wonders if the mother abandoned the girls because she says she didn't know he was involved with anyone and they just showed up at Hogwarts last weekend."

"How is that possible?" Hermione asked.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"How is it possible that the professor could have had a school aged child and baby, which would imply he got someone pregnant - twice - and no one knew about it? If the oldest one is five, she would have been alive around the end of the war. You can't tell me someone wouldn't have found that out. He was a prime target for The Daily Prophet at that time."

Someone had snuck into his room at St. Mungo's and gotten a picture of him even. Hermione swore to this day if she found out who dropped the ball on security she'd hex them. It was so unfair that he had to endure that when he wasn't even conscious to stop someone!

"Hermione's right," Ron said. "Skeeter would have sniffed out if he had a girlfriend or something."

Harry shrugged.

"I guess I hadn't thought of that," he said. "The timing of it, I mean."

"Maybe she was muggle or something?" Ron offered.

"I don't think so," Harry countered immediately. "Minerva called me to Hogwarts because she believes someone got through the wards. She said that Snape hadn't left the castle for days and no one passed through the gates or came through her floo the day the kids arrived."

"Really?" Hermione and Ginny both said.

"Yes, she was … concerned."

"It's a couple of kids," Ron said.

"True," Harry said. "I don't think she believes the girls are a problem. The mother, though, got through Hogwarts' security it would seem. And that concerns her."

"So are you going back?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, Monday. I was assuming you'd come with me, Hermione. You know the library better than anyone and I could use some help looking things up. I wouldn't even know where to start. I'd also like someone with me I trust to go through the map and see if any tunnels or anything exist that weren't there before. Or that we thought were closed off but aren't."

"You think someone created a way to get into Hogwarts undetected?" Ron asked.

"I don't know, Ron, I really don't. Minerva clearly doesn't either, but I told the headmistress of Hogwarts that I'd look into it."

Ron didn't seem particularly happy about not being included in this adventure. He, however, wasn't the biggest Severus Snape fan so he probably considered himself lucky he didn't have to get involved in something with regard to the man.

Ginny patted her very pregnant abdomen. She had a look in her eyes that told Hermione she was thinking something that had nothing to do with how the girls had gotten into Hogwarts.

"So, his youngest daughter and our sons will go to school together if she's one. They will know one another. If the older one is five she's three years older than James. So likely he'll know her, too."

Harry's mouth fell open at the statement. Evidently he hadn't thought about Professor Snape's one year old daughter being right in between James and the new baby. Hermione really hadn't stopped to think of that either.

"I suppose they will, yes," he said. "And hopefully be able to rewrite the Potter / Snape story for this generation."

"I hope so, too, Harry," Ginny said.

It was no secret that Harry wanted to talk to Professor Snape about his mother. To this point their former professor had been quite stingy. He hadn't refused exactly, but he'd claimed more than once that he wasn't ready to bear his soul again after sharing his memories inadvertently.

Hermione couldn't really blame the man. He was a private man and obviously didn't want anyone to know about his past, about his dealings with Harry's mum and dad. More than they already did anyway. It was what made her mad about that picture being posted. It just wasn't right.

"So you'll come with me?" Harry asked.

Had she missed him actually asking her to come?

"Well, I do have a job…"

He waved off her excuse, which was a little irritating.

"Kingsley's already approved you being assigned to work with me on this. It wasn't that long ago Death Eaters got into the castle…"

"I remember, Harry. We all remember. We were there!"

"I know. I'm just saying. While no one is under the impression this is a threat or that Snape's been fooling all of us for years and is truly evil. Well, there are a couple who still do, but not because of this. Kingsley is the only one outside of Hogwarts who knows besides myself. And now you three. So, it's not something to be gossiped about. Minerva and Kingsley just want to be sure the security is acting as it should be."

"That means you, Ronald, can't tell anyone," Ginny said.

"Who would I tell anyway? You have just as much of a chance of telling Mum or something as I do!"

"Enough. The four of us know, that's it," Hermione said. James, at the age of two, wasn't going to be telling anyone.

She wasn't sure she liked having information like that. It seemed almost … gossipy. And she thought the man had suffered enough of that over the years. On the other hand, if she went she could help get to the bottom of whatever the headmistress needed and clear the professor of any wrongdoing. Harry was right, few knew the library better than her.

The sooner that was done, the sooner people would realize there was nothing to gossip about.

"You're sure they're his," Ron asked.

"What? Do you think he borrowed someone else's kid?"

"Well, no, but that means someone had sex with the git."

"Ronald Bilius Weasley," Hermione said. "How dare you insult the man like that."

"Come on. We were all thinking it!"

"Not all of us. So, Monday?" Hermione asked in an effort to change the subject.

"Yes."

"From here?"

"Yes, we'll floo to the headmistress' office."

She nodded, going over her workload. She had nothing hugely pressing and clearly Kingsley approved her leave of absence. Nice of him to tell her!

Men!

The wizarding world was so antiquated about things. Why was it okay for Harry and Kingsley to shuffle her around without even consulting her? Mr. Loftus, her supervisor, too! He'd obviously agreed!

Then her mind turned to her flat and what she'd need to do to ensure she was ready to spend time in Hogwarts in January. Not to mention ensure her flat was ready to be closed up for a while. No doubt Harry would come home every night. She wouldn't have to since she had no husband or child to worry about. Without question, Hermione would pick up the investigation while Harry was taking his leave after his second son was born.

Now she knew why she'd really been chosen and not Ron. Harry was counting on her doing the bulk of the work. Looking into the potential breach of the wards meant researching them. These were not Harry's strong points.

"Fine," she murmured with a huff.

"Thank you, Hermione. You're the best."

"Mm," she said with a shake of her head. She smiled, though. She couldn't deny it wasn't flattering to hear him say that!

"So we decided on a name," Ginny said after a bit of uncomfortable silence again. Ron clearly didn't want to make her angrier.

"Really?" Hermione said.

She was surprised Ron hadn't spoken up immediately. Then maybe he already knew.

"Herman Arthur," Harry blurted out.

Hermione stared at her best friend and his wife, certain she was hearing wrong.

"We both wanted Herman. We were arguing because we couldn't decide if it should be his first or middle name. We came back to Arthur as another choice and decided Herman Arthur sounds better," Harry said.

She had to admit, it kind of did once she mulled Arthur Herman over in her mind.

"Harry," she said.

"I'd be dead if it weren't for you," he shrugged.

She stood then, hugging Harry first and then Ginny. "That's so … flattering, you guys. Thank you. I'm honoured to be included with your father's name."

She truly was. Years ago she assumed he'd be her father-in-law one day. It hadn't worked out that way, but she still liked the man and thought he was truly one of the good ones.

"You know if between now and when he comes you decide you don't like Herman…"

"It's settled," Harry said.

"Besides, it's not going to be much longer," Ginny said.

She took her seat again, still unable to believe that she was becoming an auntie again (in name only) but still had no prospects to give Harry and Ginny's kids cousins. Well, she had Ron, but she didn't want him. They both knew it wasn't meant to be.

All the making moon eyes at her across the table tonight wouldn't change that.

Once dinner was finished and the four of them had talked until they were repeating themselves Hermione found herself at home in her flat. Crookshanks was there, waiting but pretending that he wasn't. He was good at that.

"So, Professor Snape has daughters," she said, running her fingers along Crooks' back. He loved when she did this, especially when she'd been gone all day and evening as she had today.

She shook her head, before settling her cheek against Crookshanks' neck.

"I'm not even sure what to feel about that. Not that I have any right to feel anything, but what does it say that he's moved on and created a child, two of them, and I'm still … stuck."

Crooks responded with a meow and a purr, which was more than Hermione expected.

"I know. I can't compare my journey to anyone else's. The words 'Severus Snape has a baby' were just not ones I ever thought I'd hear."

Another meow. This one accompanied by Crooks brushing against her cheek, bumping against it was more accurate.

"All right. I have to think of what I need to take with me. Besides you, of course. Won't you have fun prowling around Hogwarts again," she said.

Another meow, this one a bit more enthusiastic than the last two.

"It has been a while, hasn't it?"

She wouldn't say she avoided Hogwarts, but she just didn't have many reasons to go there so didn't.

She always felt like she was returning to the scene of the crime versus returning to the place she'd been educated.

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com