Hermione locked up the store, glancing at her cell phone when it dinged signalling a text message.

It was from Harry. Of course it was from Harry right before she was going to have tea with Severus Snape. (Then again, not many others texted her so she pretty much knew who it was.)

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO TONIGHT?

JUST CLOSED UP THE STORE AND GOING TO HAVE TEA WITH A FRIEND.

A FRIEND?

YES. I DO HAVE THEM. YOU SHOULD TRY IT SOMETIME.

HAR DEE HAR. YOU CRACK ME UP. … A MALE FRIEND?

Hermione shook her head. Harry was happily single but for some reason thought Hermione should not be. Maybe he was hoping if Hermione was willing to try again then he could, too. She wasn't really sure. Their love lives had been stagnant to non-existent for years now, both seeming to think they were doomed to be alone if they didn't want to end up with someone who was taking a pay out to be with a member of the Golden Trio. They didn't spend much time talking about it, though, because it left them feeling rather depressed.

MAYBE.

DETAILS.

I HAVE NONE!

NOT NOW, SILLY, TOMORROW.

I WORK. SOME OF US HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES.

NOW YOU'RE BEING DIFFICULT. GO HAVE YOUR TEA. REMEMBER, I AM YOUR SUPERIOR.

She snorted. IS THAT WHAT THEY'RE CALLING IT THESE DAYS? NEED I REMIND YOU …

YEAH, YEAH, he replied.

She could almost hear his laugh. She liked to teasingly remind him of many things. He remembered them all without her assistance. He knew full well he likely would have been dead at the age of eleven if not for her. She knew she would have had a very lonely six years at Hogwarts without him. And she very well would have been hunted down her seventh year simply for being muggleborn.

ANY DATES FOR YOU?

NO.

OKAY. WELL, KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN. SHE'S OUT THERE, I KNOW IT.

Harry would be quite a catch. Unfortunately, Ginny had turned into a bit of a jealous shrew after the war. Harry had tolerated it for a while, but when she started sniffing his clothes for signs of other women he'd drawn the line and called it quits.

WILL DO. LOVE YOU.

She sent a makeshift heart back to him and then slid her phone back into her pocket as she made her way to the store room and the door that led to the rest of the building as she'd done previously when taking Austin home. Gosh that was a month or more ago.

To say she'd been surprised to see Severus today, looking as if he put some effort into his appearance just to come downstairs and invite her for tea was probably not sufficient to describe how she felt about this turn in her evening's plans.

She raised her hand to knock on the door when she got to the third floor, remembering at the last minute he'd said to go on in. She set her hand on the door's knob and felt his magic wash through and recognize her.

Once again she felt an odd sense of familiarity much as she had when Austin hugged her.

"Miss Harmony," Austin said once she stepped into the flat. Though calling it a flat wasn't doing it justice.

"How was the rest of your afternoon?"

"Good," he said. He held a good, sturdy looking toy truck in his hand and a stuffed rabbit in the other. She found that endearing for some reason.

"Did you get dinner?"

"Yes, Father made pasta."

"I thought I smelled something delicious. I bet it tasted even better than it smells."

"It was good," he said. "Do you cook?"

"I can but I don't have much need to so I don't as often as I should."

"Why not?"

She shrugged. "Cooking for just myself is no fun and I work weird hours so some days I come home and toast with peanut butter or maybe frying an egg to go with the toast is about all I want to do."

"Oh. You don't live with anyone?"

"No, I haven't since school."

"Did you go to Hogwarts?"

"I did."

"You knew Father?"

"I did, yes. He was my professor. My teacher. Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Father says not all dark arts are evil."

She scrunched her nose at the thought of discussing dark magic with Severus Snape's son. He brought it up, though.

"Actually, I tend to agree with your father. Dark can certainly mean evil but it's the intent. I mean I could see someone I don't like choking and use a spell to make it look as though I'm trying to help them without actually doing so. That person would die with everyone thinking I was some sort of hero for trying to save them when in actuality I helped them die. I think people fear what they don't know and they're too scared of it to understand it properly. There have been some bad wizards who used magic to hurt people."

"Do you like being a witch?"

"I do. Very much."

"Why did you get mad I gave you Daddy's potion then?"

She stooped down then, making sure she looked into his eyes.

"I wasn't mad at you in the slightest, Austin. I was truly flattered that you saw I was hurt and thought to give it to me. That gesture speaks of a very caring person, and that's a good quality. I was concerned. Even before I discovered who your father is. The magical world is still somewhat volatile. It's why I have a job. There are still some magical people who think muggles are the main source of their problem. Add your father into the mix who is a very private person. Well, you shouldn't draw attention to yourself. You never know when someone may want to hurt you. Your father has many enemies."

"Why?"

"For his part in the war. Some I'm sure would love to get their hands on his son."

"He says he may not send me to Hogwarts."

That was interesting. She could see why he may not want to, though. It sounded as if it wasn't an absolute conclusion yet.

"Your father doesn't act rashly so I imagine in the five years between now and when it's time for you to choose a wizarding school he will have made a logical and correct decision. The one that is ultimately safest for you."

"Will you read to me?"

"Maybe after I've had tea with your father. He invited me here and I'd hate to be rude and spend all of my time with you."

"Okay. He's in his lab," he said, leading her to the door she knew led to the room in question.

She stepped inside and gasped, felt more magic and wards pass over her. These allowed her to enter, but she could tell by the feel of them they were actually more serious than the ones at the entrance. No doubt because he had some volatile ingredients in here. If she gawked yesterday at seeing his flat. Well tonight she was positively gobsmacked. It was the most modern and pristine lab she'd ever seen.

No sarcasm aimed at her tonight, though. Obviously he knew his lab was impressive and he was (rightly) proud of it and the look of awe it inspired in her.

"You, like, never have to leave, do you?"

"I lead a very hermit-like life. I take Austin to school and such but I keep to myself."

"I can't blame you."

"Let me ensure Austin is settled and then I can give you the grand tour before tea."

"Thank you. May I …?" She didn't know how to finish the sentence because she wasn't entirely sure where she even wanted to start with her exploring.

He nodded. "You may. I don't imagine I need to ask you to refrain from touching anything obviously in process."

"I wouldn't dare!"

He chuckled softly and left the room. She walked around, looking at everything she could without touching. She found his store room, which was huge by itself. It was pristine and organized neatly.

"The polyjuice ingredients are over there," he quipped a while later from behind her. She could probably spend two days in here before she saw everything he had to offer. She spun to face him and shook her head.

"Funny man. It's magnificent, Severus."

He offered her a slight nod but with the nod came a smile. Her heart stopped for a second at the sight of Severus Snape smiling.

At her.

She remembered the one he'd given her years ago. Her reaction to it then had been quite similar. She liked being the reason Severus Snape smiled.

"I appreciate you saying so. While I know you are not a mistress you are no doubt as exacting and precise as I am."

"Absolutely." He thought she was exacting and precise? That was new, and exciting to think he gave that much thought to her. This was a side to him she'd never dreamt of seeing, certainly not aimed at her if she did imagine seeing it.

He showed her what he was brewing that were in various stages of readiness. She listened, enraptured as he spoke. So articulate. So passionate. What might it be like to have that passion directed at her? And then she blushed, realizing what she'd just thought.

"Are you warm?" he asked and she knew she was blushing worse now.

He'd seen! How embarrassing!

"I'm fine. Just my mind running away from me," she said.

"I find that difficult to believe, but you can have your secrets, Hermione. This isn't an interrogation."

"I know."

They'd been in the lab for close to two hours and she doubted she'd seen every nook and cranny. 

"Do you know Mrs. Gunderson?" he asked.

"Not that I remember, no," she said, realizing that Austin probably went to the same school she'd gone to since they were living in the same area. Her house growing up hadn't been far from here at all. "Maybe she was a Miss when I knew her."

"She mentioned having been a teacher here for a number of years, I just thought maybe."

"Well, it has been like twenty since I would have had her."

"I suppose it would have been."

"Weird to think," she said, offering him a somewhat shy smile.

"Would you like tea then?"

"Of course," she said.

"Very well," he said, opening the door that led to his flat. "Austin."

Austin ran into the room a short while later, clearly excited about something.

"Are you ready, young man?"

"Yes, Sir," he said, smiling widely.

"We're trying something different tonight. You'll be the first to find out with us if my experiment worked," he said. "It was Austin's idea, so if it works and you enjoy it, well, you can thank him."

"Oh, okay," she said with a slight frown.

What was experimental about tea?

He offered her a hand, tucking it into the crook of his arm when she'd accepted the gesture, and held Austin's hand as he led them to a door that opened into a closet. It was a large closet, the three of them fit into it just fine. It was still a closet just the same.

A confined space.

And dark.

"Um, Severus," she whispered, feeling her palms already getting sweaty. She also knew the grip on his arm was no longer politely loose.

She didn't do well in the dark anymore. She certainly avoided confined spaces unless necessary for work. She didn't need all the lights on in her flat to sleep or anything like that, but a nightlight in her room and one in the living room were still necessary.

He murmured something and a few minutes later opened the door again. Suddenly they were no longer in a dark closet or his potions lab but standing in a lovely screened-in outdoor room that was very obviously not London.

How did she know that?

It was February and she was more than sufficiently warm standing outside.

"Where…"

"I believe we've left Miss Harmony speechless, Austin," she saw concern evident in his eyes too. He knew that she was feeling frightened but had no idea why. How would he? "Best mark this one down, it doesn't happen often."

Austin gave a giggle on the other side of Severus.

"Can I go play?"

"Of course," he said and Austin darted off, obviously familiar with where he was.

It was no longer night wherever they were and taking in her surroundings a little better they had a perfect view of a beach and water.

"Are you all right?" he murmured.

"Yeah, I just," she swallowed. "Since Malfoy Manor. Dark, closed-in places," she shrugged.

God she hated it. Hated being weak. She understood why, and she was immensely proud of herself because six years ago she did have to sleep with every light on in her house. Back then she'd wake herself every couple of hours screaming. Now it wasn't even once every night, but rarely did three to four nights go by without a nightmare.

"I apologize, I should have warned you."

"It's okay," she said, smiling slightly. "Really, I'm fine," she said, wiping her hands on the legs of her jeans. He regarded her for a moment, seeming to assess if she was truly okay. He gave a slight nod, seeming to determine she was fine. She was. It just had been unexpected.

"Didi," Severus called out and an elf appeared immediately.

"Master Snape! Didi sees young master Snape already. Didi is happy to sees you and your guest."

"My guest and I will have tea and some snacks, please."

"Of course, Master Snape," Didi said, bowing before popping out of the room.

"You have just traveled via portal, consider it an overly large portkey without the discomfort."

"I'd say. Where are we?"

"Anastasia Island. St. Augustine, Florida more or less."

"In the United States?"

"Yes," he said.

"Just like that."

"Just like that."

"I didn't think that was normally possible."

"I'm not your normal wizard, now am I?"

"I'd say," she said. "This is your home?"

"It is. DiDi lives here. She has a sister, CiCi, I did not name them I assure you, who stays at the flat we started out in."

"I see," she said. "May I?" she asked, gesturing to the screened-in area. It wasn't a porch as they were on the second floor. A balcony, she supposed.

"Of course. I thought you might enjoy the view better than London winter."

"Oh, it is a delightful change of pace. Now I know where to come if I just need to get away for a day."

"Do you find yourself feeling that way often?"

"No," she admitted, turning a bit to face him from where she stood by the railing. He looked both curious and concerned. "Most days I love what I do."

"Even when you get attacked?"

"It comes with the job and I'm still making a difference."

"Indeed," he said.

She had no doubt he'd heard that question from people over the years. He'd been more than attacked over the years. He'd been tortured and nearly died. Yet, he'd done it expecting to die so that Voldemort would be ended for good.

DiDi arrived with a tea service, complete with a sampling of cheeses, crackers, and Hermione groaned when she saw an assortment of fresh fruit.

DiDi looked from her to Severus sharply. "Is it not pleasing, Master?"

"It is, DiDi."

"Oh, yes, it absolutely is. I was just surprised to see such a delicious looking assortment of fresh fruit."

"Enjoy," DiDi said and disappeared with a pop.

Severus took a seat after checking his watch, she noticed.

"Do you have somewhere else to be?"

He smirked. "No," he said, setting about preparing his tea. "You, however, have to work in the morning if I'm not mistaken so I'm ensuring we don't run too late."

"Oh, I see. Thank you then."

"Of course."

Silence as she also prepared her tea and then picked through the assorted fruits.

"It's not going to bite you."

"I know, but Severus!" There were kiwi and mango slices. There were also the most delicious looking figs and dates. It was most impressive.

"Eat what you like. I know you didn't get dinner after work."

She felt like an absolute glutton, but he was right she hadn't eaten dinner. She gave a soft groan as she bit into a small cube of cheese.

"I'm sorry. It's delicious." Who knew Severus Snape had such good taste in food?

"No need to apologize. So, tell me about your work, Hermione."

She told him. She could tell by his nod here and there that he was aware of some of it (Minerva probably as nothing about their work endeavors had been printed in The Daily Prophet). He was impressed, she could tell, by their success rate so far at finding people willing to believe in magic. Not only believe in magic but work with wizards and witches without fear.

And keep the secret. That was key. It was sort of like being an Unspeakable she imagined, but not quite.

He returned the favor, filling her in on the past six plus years. He seemed rather pleased with himself that he had lived them rather free from gossip and all that went with being Severus Snape. She was happy for him. Truly. As far as she knew no one even knew he had a son and he would have had to have been born even months after the war ended with his birthday being New Year's Day.

"DiDi," Severus called out.

She appeared with a pop. "Yes, Master Snape."

"Will you please take Austin home and ensure CiCi knows I will be there a little later and then assure my guest and I are undisturbed."

"Yes, Master," she said, bowing before taking her leave.

"Why are you…"

"There is a reason I brought you here, away from London and our normal world. Potentially prying ears."

"You're worried people have your flat bugged?"

He shrugged. Clearly the thought had occurred to him. She'd accuse him of being paranoid, except there were likely people who wanted to know where he was and what he was up to. People on both sides of the fence as to whether he was truly on the Order's side or not.

"I wouldn't put it past anyone. As far as I know, no one but you knows of my location. Minerva and I communicate sporadically, but it's me going to Hogwarts or her home during the summer. That doesn't mean no one knows, that someone didn't follow me from one of my visits to her or to my shop. No one knows about this property. I bought it under an alias. I have screened for them at the London home, muggle and magical, and found none but I realize that muggle technology is advancing every day. I feel safest here since I do not wish to be overheard. When we've come here in the past we fly the muggle way, or I take a portkey destined for elsewhere in America and apparate from that point of arrival here."

"Yes," she said, unable to disagree.

Paranoid? Maybe, but she thought he'd earned the right to be.

She could see why Severus Snape would want a place he felt secure in. A safe place. A place he could escape to if necessary, and she imagined that was what the portal in his lab's closet was for. She imagined it was keyed to his magic, and Austin's. So no one else would be able to utilize it to get from house to house. He'd said it had been Austin's idea, but she realized now Severus probably let the boy believe that so that he wouldn't realize Severus was creating essentially a magical panic room for them.

"And I wouldn't put it past the entrepreneur of the Weasley family to invent something someone like myself would not be able to detect. I imagine he would gloat for getting one over on the likes of me."

"Yes, well, George would never do anything…"

"I know," he said, holding up his hand. Silence went on between them. He looked determined but yet indecisive. It was an odd look for the potions master she always thought to be in control and knew exactly what he was doing.

"I must ask you a potentially painful question. I apologize in advance for doing so, especially in light of the way I brought you here and your reaction to it."

"Okay," she said.

"What do you recall of your time at Malfoy Manor?"

"I'm sorry," she said, head snapping up.

That had not been what she'd expected at all. She had no idea what he wanted to discuss with her, but Malfoy Manor had not entered her mind at all.

"Really, I'm fine Severus. I just wasn't expecting to be in a dark room. I assure you I'm not unstable."

"No, I apologize. Truly. For not thinking the dark would affect you as well as having to pose this question. I am not accusing you of being anything. Trust me, I'm the last person who would ask you to recount your time spent being tortured. If you're like me you have enough to deal with reliving it in your dreams. There is a reason I'm asking it, Hermione," he said softly.

"Sure," she said.

He wouldn't bring it up if there wasn't a purpose to it. He may have been unkind while she was a student, but they'd come to a bit of an understanding while he convalesced and she didn't see him rubbing salt in the wound of her time being tortured. He doubted he would want anyone reminding him of his experiences with torture.

"I don't remember much."

She filled him in on what she did recall.

"How about of what Bellatrix did to you in particular?"

She sighed, biting her lower lip. He reached across the table and settled his hand over hers. He squeezed gently. He was quiet, patient, letting her collect her thoughts, and close her mind. She imagined he'd had to do that many, many times over the past twenty-five years.

"She tortured me. I don't know what else to say. I don't know what you're wanting me to say. I don't remember half of it. I was out of my mind trying to protect the information I had. To protect Harry. To be sure we'd have a chance to get out of there and win."

He sighed heavily.

"I was hoping you'd have some recollection as it would make what I'm about to tell you less far-fetched and absolutely insane sounding."

"Okay."

"You asked me about Austin's mother if you recall."

"I do, and you said it was a long story."

"And a magical one."

"Yes."

"I don't know how else to do this then just say it as it is. He is your son," he whispered.

"I'm sorry? I'd remember being pregnant."

"You would if you had come by him in the normal way, of course."

"Explain," she said, knowing her voice sounded shrill. There was no way! Unless, could Bellatrix have used a time turner on her? No.

"I don't know the spell she used. I've scoured through books for years to try to find it. I have not been to the Black library since it happened, so it's possible the answer is there. She somehow was able to extract an egg from you and plant it in a … surrogate."

"So, he has a mother?"

"The surrogate was but a vessel. She was too damaged to survive, kept in the equivalent of a stasis essentially so the child, Austin, could come to term and be born. She actually expired, gave out, about a week or so earlier than what would be considered term."

"Why? Are you really his father? Did you…"

She gagged, pulling her hand out from under his almost violently at the thought of him having sex with an unconscious woman. She knew likely he had to do more abhorrent things than that during his role as a spy. She didn't want to think about him doing that though.

"No, of course not. I will not lie and say I haven't done terrible things. That was not among them. She extracted my seed, as it were, the same as she did your egg."

"Why?"

He sighed, taking her hand again. He seemed to want the contact so she let him. She found it oddly reassuring herself, truthfully. Real. Something tangible when he was talking about something that should be completely impossible.

"Who knew what Bella was thinking by that point? I really don't know. I'm sure she thought she was punishing me. She assumed I'd die and do so knowing that my son, my heir, would be an orphan, raised by the Dark Lord and her I can only presume. That my name would die with me despite a child out there having the birthright to carry it on. I never expected to have children so I'm not sure why she thought it was a suitable punishment. She never trusted I was truly on the Dark Lord's side."

"Egg? Was there only the one vessel? The one attempt? It would seem if she was planning on building … what? An army? There'd be more than one."

"There was only one egg taken from you. There are no more children. I assure you."

"How can you know?"

"I destroyed them," he whispered. "She had other vessels lined up, ready for use. I destroyed them. Other than Miss Lovegood there were no other options at that particular time for her scheme if you recall. You and Miss Lovegood escaped, but I wasn't sure she wouldn't try again with another captive. Interestingly, she did not try with Luna."

"I'm sorry?"

"This was in March, Hermione. A couple of months before the final battle. I had no idea what was going to happen. I assume her thought process was you finding out you had a child with me. That a child of yours, ours, raised in the pureblood ways by the Dark Lord and her would unravel you and make you give up. She clearly underestimated you, but I did not inform her of that. There were other vessels … I was not sure if she would use me again or if she would go with someone like Dolohov who would have loved to have an heir and obtaining one used by the Dark Lord. None of the other vessels were carrying a child, but I ensured they were destroyed so they could not be used in that way."

"I can imagine," she said wryly.

"I wasn't sure if the Dark Lord had instructed her to carry out this plan. If he was trying to create a race of brilliant witches and wizards. Or if this was something she devised herself."

"With a muggleborn witch?"

"Oh, Hermione, he was so far gone by that point I couldn't say he even realized anymore what your background was. I mean, ultimately of course he did. Day to day? Moment to moment? I don't know. For that matter you could have been there for the taking and she'd done what he asked not caring who the witch was. Knowing you had a child being raised by the Dark Lord would not have sat well with you."

"Of course not."

If she knew she'd had a child she would have fought tooth and nail to have him. She wouldn't have cared who his father was. She would not have abandoned her child even if he'd been created in an out of the ordinary way.

He sighed.

"After the final battle, in exchange for my testimony on behalf of Draco and Narcissa, Lucius agreed to leave the young woman at Malfoy Manor until she had come to term. Protected and safe. I'm ashamed to admit now that it took me that long to … want him."

"And you didn't think I'd want to know?"

"Know what? That you had a child out there that you didn't even know was possible? I didn't want to take the risk someone would think I'd done that." He lifted his eyes to meet hers finally. To this point he'd been talking essentially to their hands on the table. "To you. You were kind to me after the war ended. And I knew."

He drew away then, shaking his head as he looked down but she grabbed onto his hand.

"Don't pull away, Severus."

He looked at her and she could see the anguish in his eyes. This hurt him.

"Does he know?"

"Of course not! What would I tell him?"

"I suppose," she said, nibbling her lower lip. "Why are you telling me this?"

He shrugged, turning his head to look over the balcony at the water instead of at her. What she'd give to be able to read his mind right now. Then maybe not, thinking about all of this must bring things back to the forefront of his mind he'd prefer not to think about.

"He likes you. You ask if he knows. I wonder if a part of him senses something about you. He has never grown attached to anyone else. He likes the Bowdens well enough, but not as he does you. He was shy and somewhat standoffish with Mrs. Gunderson at first. As the year progressed he has gotten better, but he has talked about Miss Harmony since the first day he met you it seems."

He grazed her hand with his thumb, returning his attentions to her. "You deserve to know. I tell you truthfully I did not know it was you until last month."

"And then you didn't know what to say," she said, filling in the blanks as to why it had taken him a month to see her again.

"Correct. At first I thought you had found out somehow and were coming to hex me or something."

"I'm not sure I could have gotten the drop on you."

"Six years ago, no. Now? Maybe."

She smiled slightly at that. "On the other hand, I did get close enough to start your robes on fire when I was twelve."

"My focus was elsewhere and I was not expecting an attack from a friend of the one I was trying to protect!"

She smiled, blushing. "Shall I reimburse you for the robes now?"

He scoffed.

Silence. He was obviously letting her process, and she was going over what he'd told her. The idea of Bella accomplishing this with more than just one child. God, Voldemort could have had a slew of children to be brainwashed from the beginning with his hateful anti-muggle rhetoric. He'd said she hadn't used Luna. Why? What was more acceptable about her than Luna? She shook her head, she was getting off the subject.

Austin.

"So what do you want me to do, Severus? I can't just be his mom all of the sudden. That would be impractical, and truthfully I don't know him as a mother does her child."

"No," he said. "I realize that. He's too young to understand despite his intelligence. It's not something I'd want to explain to him until probably after Hogwarts anyway."

"I can see how that would be problematic."

"Do you? The child of Snape and Granger? My child alone there's a chance he'd be picked on. Our child it wouldn't be just a chance, it would happen. And Minerva would expect him never to fail a test. Never mind the field day The Daily Prophet would have. It's bad enough he's going to have to hear that I was a Death Eater ad nauseum. I do not want him to believe I was a rapist or a pedophile."

"Well, I would have been eighteen when he was conceived. Almost nineteen actually."

"Irrelevant, Hermione," he said.

"I know. I am just saying. And you certainly didn't rape me. I mean, I suppose there's a chance I don't remember everything but I think I would have felt that afterward."

"No, I did not, so you wouldn't have experienced that particular type of discomfort. So, I guess what I want is whatever you want. He is yours. Legally, I suppose you would have grounds to take him from me. Grounds could certainly be made, I'm sure, for my being an unfit parent. I don't see you doing that, though because you seem to see that I am doing my best with him. That is the reason I'm being upfront with you. I cannot deny that I would enjoy remaking your acquaintance with me not laid up in a hospital bed or at my trial describing twenty years of suggested horrific crimes potentially affecting your opinion of me."

Her eyes widened. She'd wondered for a long time why he did not want her involved with his trial. He'd been so adamant about it. He'd accepted Harry's help but had been staunchly uncooperative with her. She assumed it was dislike of her. Evidently it was just the opposite? He'd liked her and didn't want past misdeeds to turn her against him.

Interesting.

"They didn't, Severus. I don't let what people say dictate how I feel about someone."

"It was still my mindset."

"You want to be my friend?"

"If our time together goes in the direction I thought, nay hoped, that it could have seven years ago, no it would not be a friendship. I thought," he shrugged. He was obviously not comfortable talking about this, but he was doing it. She couldn't blame him. Feelings weren't her strong suit either, which was the reason she and Ron never really happened. "We got along rather well. I thought there was an attraction on both sides. I was not in a position to act upon it so I hid it. I made choices, putting Austin first as I believe it should be. And here we are, six years later."

She stood then, drawing her hand from his slowly before she walked to the railing and looked out over the water. He was talking about a relationship. He wasn't wrong. She had felt the attraction and assumed it was one-sided on her part. Or wishful thinking. Did she want that? It wasn't even it being him that made her ask. She'd avoided relationships to this point. She'd dated a few men and kissed a couple of those few. She'd never felt right, though. She assumed she just wasn't healed. Wasn't ready.

Was this why? Was he why?

He was right. When she'd sat with him he'd been somewhat pleasant. As time went on he became moreso. He even made her laugh a few times. And the first time he'd smiled at her (okay it wasn't much more than a smirk but still) she thought she was going to drop everything she'd been holding.

Was he the reason she'd avoided relationships?

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"It is," he said. She glanced at him behind her, still seated at the table.

"You're not even looking."

"I am looking and commenting on what I'm seeing, Hermione. If we are talking about two different things, that cannot be helped."

She ducked her head, turning to face the water again. He thought she was beautiful? She'd never been told that before. Pretty, maybe though she'd have to think long and hard as to when she'd heard that and who had said it. Cute. Lots of times, though she always took that as more of an insult than a compliment. As if they thought she was a dog or something. Cute brainiac Hermione.

Never beautiful.

She heard the soft sound of the chair he was sitting on scraping against the balcony and felt him step up behind her.

"I should get you home," he whispered. He was so close she could feel his breath against her ear as he spoke.

"It is late."

She hadn't paid attention to the time, but she knew they'd been here for a few hours.

"No one knows of this home?"

"No," he said with a scoff. "As I said it's not under my name nor is it a name anyone ever associated with me would know."

"How often do you come here?"

"Not as often as I'd like. It feels more lonely than our flat at home."

"I suppose," she said.

She could understand that. It was so peaceful yet kind of … romantic. She wondered why he'd chosen it. Then again if she thought at all like Severus Snape, which she thought she knew a little bit about how he thought. Well who would look for him here? Rumors of him being a vampire or a bat had been prevalent, sunny Florida certainly wouldn't be conducive to a creature who should avoid the sun.

"Austin knows no one here, either, so he's by my side non-stop when we're here."

"You don't sound as if you hate that."

"I do not," he said, resting his head against hers. He didn't try to kiss or touch her in any other way. "Now that the portal is working, perhaps the amount of time spent here will change. I hadn't much thought about it. This is a place to get away for a few days. The view and admittedly the weather help clear my mind. It is also an emergency location if needed."

She couldn't imagine living in fear this long after the war. Yes, she imagined there were followers of Voldemort still out there, but she didn't live every day thinking that someone would want to capture her any longer. Of course, she hadn't betrayed them for years.

"You like being a father?" It was a drastic change of subject, but she thought it was appropriate to move on to something else.

"I do," he admitted. "I am not the warmest person, but we make do and communicate decently. He knows I love him even if I don't say the words every second of the day."

"He obviously does know."

"You are more calm about this than I imagined in my head when I told you."

"Well, I'm shocked and we'll see how I react with a night to sleep on it." She turned then to face him, settling a hand against his cheek. "I'm a mother, Severus. I truly never imagined."

"Surely Mr. Weasley."

"Oh, he wanted a bunch of them. I didn't. It was one reason we never went past one kiss after the war. I just didn't think I could be what he wanted. I honestly never thought I'd be a good mother."

"Why ever not?"

"Well, like you I'm not the most emotional person."

"And yet your loyalty is still spoken about and reported on seven years later. That's emotion, Hermione. You would not have been so loyal to someone who didn't deserve it."

"I suppose."

"Speaking of Mr. Weasley. You haven't mentioned him, not even when you spoke of your work."

"He's not on our team. He wasn't interested," she shrugged. "What's to say? I realized what I felt for him wasn't enough to build a life off of."

"Oh?"

"We weren't compatible. Not in the way I saw couples like his parents and my parents working. He wanted a housewife and I just couldn't be that. Not immediately. One day, maybe."

"Nor should you. The brightest witch of her age should not be barefoot and pregnant."

"And yet…"

His eyes lowered and he shifted his face a bit, kissing the palm of her hand.

"Do not make such jokes, Hermione. I assumed, apparently incorrectly, that you would hate me when you discovered the truth."

"I'm confused and hurt, not by or with you. That someone would … do that. That poor woman."

"She was," he shrugged. His eyes were dark, but she still saw pain and horror there. She knew what to look for. She'd seen it in the mirror and in Harry's eyes. This man had seen a lot more horrific things than the two of them had. "It was for the best, Hermione. She was beyond healing by the time Bella was done with her."

Hermione shuddered at the thought. She knew full well what Bellatrix was capable of. She had scars, not just physical ones either, because of that crazy witch.

"Did you know her?"

"No," he said. "I'd never seen her before she was shown to me as Austin's surrogate."

"Will you let me take him to the library?"

He chuckled then. "I think that can be arranged as long as you don't plan on absconding with him. Believe it or not I'm rather attached to the boy."

"I wouldn't dream of it. You could come with us," she said.

"If you'll have me."

"It's a date then," she said.

"Just tell me when."

"Any evening works."

"Wednesday?" he asked. He sounded both uncertain and hopeful with just that one word. It was somewhat endearing.

"Sure," she said.

"Are you ready to return home?"

"I guess."

They returned to the room off the balcony (she had no idea what the interior of the house even looked like) and just like that they were back at his London flat. She reacted much better this time since she'd been expecting it.

"May I see you home?"

"I'm fine…"

"I know you are capable. It is late and I would feel better if I knew that you arrived home safely."

"Severus Snape is a gentleman."

"When I'm allowed to be, yes."

"Sure then. Do you need to check on Austin?"

"No, CiCi will have gotten him to bed and will be attentive until I relieve her of that duty."

"You just have the two?"

"I do. I rescued them, for lack of a better term. They belonged to Yaxley," he said with a shrug. "Most of his elves were beyond hope of being anything but hateful creatures. These two, though, were young and showed signs of just wanting to work for someone who would treat them fairly."

"I'm glad they have you."

"I'm glad I have them." He offered her his arm and they made their way to the front door. "Much like the Black residence, one can apparate to and from the building only to the third and fourth steps."

"Interesting."

"That is knowledge for you to have and to use if you'd like to. It was not meant to be merely educational or a conversational item."

"I see," she said.

"You will have to sidealong as I do not know where you reside."

"Of course," she said. She took a breath and apparated them into her flat. It was nowhere near as stylish or large as Severus'. In fact it was rather small and basic, but it served her needs. Between both jobs she was rarely here! "It's not much," she said quickly, suddenly feeling put on the spot. At least it was clean. She hadn't anticipated having company when she'd left this morning.

She watched as he scanned the room, taking everything in. She knew without a doubt he could tell someone who asked the title of the book on her side table and what color the teacup she had sitting next to it was. His eyes fell and stayed on the muggle picture of the Trio from Hogwarts she had out here. A magical version was in her bedroom, but she couldn't leave magical stuff in the living room.

"You never quite told me about him or what he's doing beyond the fact that he doesn't work with you?"

"No one's really sure. He went to Romania about six years ago after deciding being an auror didn't agree with him. Working for George he didn't find very fun because George still treated him like his kid brother. He thought working with Charlie would help him decide, but it didn't work out," she shrugged.

"Has he been heard from?" Severus said, sounding somewhat alarmed despite the fact it was Ronald Weasley they were talking about.

"His mum and dad get letters once in a while, but he never seems to stay put long enough for them to reply."

"Hmm," he said. "Finding himself?"

"I hope so. He's a good person, overall. He just liked the spotlight too much and that loyalty you spoke of me having. He didn't have it. At least not in the same way."

"No, he didn't. Nor likely will he get it. That's one of those qualities that's not learned behavior. You either have it or you don't."

"You think so?"

"You know the primary difference between you and me, Hermione?"

"Um," she said, knowing there were quite a few obvious differences between them. The biggest and most obvious one was that he was a wizard and she was a witch. Somehow she didn't think that was what he was referring to, though. To avoid him rolling his eyes at her she kept her mouth shut on that.

"You had Harry and Ronald. I had no one. You didn't even like them at first, you can't deny that."

"No," she admitted. "They didn't like me either, though."

"That may be true, however, you lied for them. You wanted to belong so badly that you took it in whatever form it came. Eventually, yes, it panned out into the friendship that most envied and respected."

"You think I would have been tempted…"

"I think anyone with nothing to lose and no one to tell them that they're worthy could be tempted. Your intelligence, while a strong point, is also a weakness. You want knowledge. Not all knowledge is good and not all knowledge is learned in the right way. Would you have fallen for Voldemort's rhetoric? Probably not since you are muggleborn yourself. Could it have been someone else, though? Someone who could have used you and your intellect to do bad things? Of course. Draco, for example. If he'd been smart, truly smart, he would have befriended you first and gotten intelligence on Potter and Weasley. That would have proven to be valuable."

"I hadn't thought of that," she whispered.

Had she been so starved for friendship? For any sort of affection in her first year that she would have accepted it from the likes of the ferret? She liked to think not, but who knows? He was an attractive and smart wizard and could be complimentary when he wanted to be.

"It wasn't his talk of killing muggles or pureblood rhetoric that attracted me. Yes, I hated my father, I do not deny that but I didn't want all muggles killed based on my father's misdeeds. It was belonging, feeling appreciated, having my contributions recognized and mean something. It was about being able to wield the power I knew I had. I know from a very young age I was … better than most. If that sounds conceited, it's not intended to. I'm merely stating what I knew to be true. I wanted to spread the knowledge I was full of. If Albus had just once punished the Marauders, made me believe that I was worth something…" he shrugged.

She closed the distance between them, sliding a hand to his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Severus. I really am. For all of it. You're here now. You have a son who you love and loves you. It wasn't an easy path for you to get here, no one's saying it was least of all me. You're here now and you have a century or more to live your life as you think it should be."

He reached for her hand at his shoulder, sliding it up to kiss it. "I shall see you Wednesday if not tomorrow while you're at work."

"You're going to come down and get your own milk and coffee now?"

"Mayhaps I will. I do like some of the games Austin plays."

"Really?"

"Who do you think taught him to play them?"

"Get out of here!" Somehow the idea of Severus playing pinball or something just truly blew her mind.

"Meet me at six o'clock tomorrow and I will show you."

"We close at six."

"I know," he said with a lift of his lips.

"Oh," she said.

"Anyway, good night, Hermione."

She must have looked as lost and confused as she felt because he smiled a bit as he set his finger under her chin and lifted her face so he could look at her.

"I have just shared something more than just a little life altering with you. I could not in good conscience take this evening further, even something as benign as a good night kiss, as I know you have not had the time to process what I said. As you say with time to sleep, think on it, you may not be as accepting of this as you are now."

"I," she said, biting her lower lip and nodding. "Good night, Severus." He drew his hand away then and bowed politely before apparating out of her apartment.

What in the hell was she supposed to do now?

She had a son.

She had a son with Severus.

She had an intelligent and cute son.

"Oh God, I'm going to be sick," she said.

Story ©Susan Matthews/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com