Hermione saw Harry eyeing where they were. He was looking both out of curiosity as to where she'd brought him and from a law enforcement official's perspective of taking everything in. She imagined she had the same look in her eyes. You couldn't do what they did and not have it bleed into your life off duty. She didn't like sitting where she couldn't see an entire room, for example. She hated having exits or windows behind her. Part of that was the officer in her, part of it was being the survivor of a war.

It'd been a month and she needed to talk to him. To tell him. She didn't want to do it in London. She didn't want to risk being heard. She wanted to respect Severus' privacy.

"What in the hell are we doing here?" he asked.

She hadn't been in any hurry to see the Forest of Dean ever again either. She knew, though, it fit her needs for privacy. She reached into her bag and pulled a blanket out so they could sit and cast a warming charm around them.

"I need to talk to my best friend."

"Yeah, sure," he said.

"I didn't want anyone to hear us."

"You're starting to scare me. What's going on ‘mione?"

"I've been seeing someone."

"Yeah, I know."

"You know him," she said, fidgeting with the blanket.

"Okay."

He frowned, obviously thinking over the men that they both knew she could be dating. And who had a child. None fit the bill.

"It's Severus Snape."

His eyes widened.

"Snape? How?" He shook his head. "Wait, he's got a son?"

"He does."

"How'd that happen? I mean, you said he's six. That'd put it right around the war. How did he even have time?"

"It was Bellatrix."

"He had a child with Bellatrix?"

Hermione chuckled softly.

"No, silly. I suppose I can see how you thought that. It was a spell she did. In March before the final battle," she said. "She extracted an egg from a witch and sperm from Severus, planted them in a woman. Little more than a vessel really. She wasn't conscious the entire pregnancy."

"Okay," he said. "March…"

"Yes."

"That's when…"

"Yes," Hermione said.

Green eyes met hers, imploring yet sad. Recognition as he did the math. Another thing to add to his list of things to feel guilty about. "He's yours?"

"He is," she said.

"How do you know he's telling you the truth?"

"I've run the diagnostics. He's mine. I was not raped," she said. "Nor did I deliver a baby."

"Well, yeah, I'd have remembered that."

"He's not sure what Bellatrix was trying to do. He wasn't even sure if she wanted to use my egg or if it's how it worked out. I mean, I can't imagine she'd intentionally use a muggleborn witch's egg. I thought of Luna, but I don't think she met her needs. Severus mentioned she hadn't even tried with her, so perhaps whatever gift she has saved her."

"Intelligence," Harry said simply. "She was going for intelligence. She had to be. Luna would seem flighty to anyone who doesn't actually take the time to listen to what she says. I mean, sure she is flighty but mixed in there is real stuff."

"Yes."

"Well, it makes sense. A child of you and Snape would be wicked smart."

"He is," she said, smiling a little.

"Why are you telling me?"

"I needed you to know. We're not telling him yet. We don't know when we will. Severus has it in his head that he'll wait until after Hogwarts even."

"That's like eleven or twelve years from now."

"I know."

They were quiet, likely thinking of twelve years ago versus twelve years from now and what a difference they both hoped there would be in their worlds. Both of them. Harry loved the magical and muggle worlds the same as Hermione did.

"I mean, by that time, I'll have been involved in his life since now so it really won't matter. I mean, other than the title."

"Why after Hogwarts?"

"He's afraid that the stigma of being his child will be bad enough. If it's found out that he's mine, too, Severus is afraid people will think he had a relationship with me."

"You and I can deny that."

"Sure, but you know people will believe what they want."

"I suppose," he said.

"I brought you here," she said, gesturing to their surroundings. "Because you have to occlude the information, Harry. He knows that I planned on telling you, but he's not ready for anyone else to know."

"Yeah, sure," he said. "I get it."

"Severus is a very private person, he doesn't want people knowing where he is."

"I get it. I'm not going to tell anyone and I will do what I can to ensure no one finds out from me."

"Thank you."

"Are you happy?" He asked after a moment's silence. She was letting him digest all of this. It was a weird situation so she was trying not to be pushy.

"I am."

"How often have you seen him?"

"Just about every day for the past month."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Any overnights in there?"

"Maybe," she said, brushing against his shoulder with hers. She was blushing terribly now. In truth she hadn't been home to stay since the night she'd fallen asleep on his couch. She went home weekday mornings to get ready for work but otherwise her flat had gone unused.

"Do I need to worry he's going to have a sibling any time soon?"

"No," she said. "We haven't done that yet."

"Oh. Your idea or his?"

"Both, I think. It's nice, though. I think he thinks so, too."

"What is the boy's name?"

"Austin Oliver."

"Austin Snape," he said softly.

"Yes."

"Look out world," he said with a laugh.

"He calls me Harmony."

"That's kind of sweet."

"Leave it to my parents to give me a name my own child can't pronounce."

He chuckled.

"Can I meet him?"

"Austin or his father?"

"Well, Austin, but both."

"I was thinking you might want to. I'll have to ask Severus, but I imagine it can be arranged."

"I'd like that."

"I would, too."

"So, what are you going to do?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. That's the weird part. I mean, I'm getting to know him. I help him with his homework some nights. Homework that a six year old has," she shrugged. "He loves to read, so Severus and I alternate who reads to him."

"That's kind of sweet."

"You think so?"

"Well, speaking as a person who never got read to, yes."

"I suppose. To think I take for granted that's normal."

"I don't suppose Severus had it done for him either."

"He hasn't said, but I imagine his mum must have. I mean, right?"

"Maybe so," he said. They both got quiet as if thinking on that. There was something she hadn't thought of. If she hadn't how did Severus know to do these things? Just things he wished had been done for him? Observation? She didn't see him reading parenting self-help books.

"So you and Snape," Harry said finally.

"Yes."

He nodded then, taking Hermione's hand and lacing his fingers through hers. "It makes sense. I do have to ask because I'm your best friend not because I'm trying to be a Negative Nelson. If it wasn't for Austin…"

"Well, we wouldn't have started talking, I wouldn't even know he was around there. So, I guess I can't answer to if there was no Austin."

"I suppose."

"I'm not with him because of Austin, though. I started liking him when I sat with him after the war. I never said anything to you because I never imagined he'd reciprocate. When it was just the two of us he could be almost nice at times. We had some good conversations. It was enthralling actually."

"I suppose you haven't really been able to talk to anyone on your level. Malfoy maybe."

"Yeah, that wasn't happening."

"I know, but he's about the only one I could think of who came close to your intellect."

She was quiet again, thinking. Decision made she summoned her patronus. The otter wiggled from side to side, front paws moving quickly as it waited for her instructions.

"Please bring Austin to where you left Gryffindor's sword. There is someone who would like to meet him," she said. The otter bounded off with an excited squeak and Harry chuckled softly.

"Will he be mad?"

"I can't imagine he won't realize it's you, so no he won't be mad."

A little while later there was the pop of apparition. Harry and Hermione stood then to greet their guests.

"Witch," Severus said with a polite bow of his head.

"Severus," she said. "Hi Austin."

"Hi Harmony," he said, smiling widely. "Father says I'm going to meet…" he stopped talking then, his jaw dropping open as he stared at Harry.

"Austin, this is Harry Potter."

Hermione nudged him. He was still very humble, and didn't really like the celebrity that came with his name.

"It's nice to meet you, Austin, Hermione has told me a lot about you."

"She told me about you, too!"

"Yeah," Harry asked, sounding curious.

Hermione watched as Austin's eyes went to Harry's forehead. He wore his bangs long enough these days that the scar was usually covered up by them. He pushed his bangs back a bit and Austin glanced back at his father who nodded before looking again at Harry.

"May I touch it?"

"Yes, you may, thank you for asking," he said.

He knelt on the blanket then as Hermione moved next to Severus, sliding her hand into his.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi yourself," he said.

"Not everyone asks," Harry said as Austin reached with his index finger to touch the lightning bolt shaped scar on the wizard's forehead that marked him for all to recognize who he was.

"Thank you for coming," she said.

"Oh, I knew this day would come. The location you chose to tell him is … fitting."

"I thought so, too, and there's little risk of anyone eavesdropping."

"Quite right," he agreed with a nod.

They both watched as Harry and the young wizard interacted.

"No threats to my person?" Severus asked.

"None."

"Then either you explained very well or he's in shock."

She squeezed his hand. "I think he'll be right there with us to see him onto the Hogwarts Express."

He sighed, but it was one of good humor not irritation. She was learning to know the difference. In fact, he was very rarely truly irritated any longer. She liked to think she had at least a little to do with that. That and not being tortured or serving two egomaniac masters.

"Should we invite him to dinner?"

"We could," she said.

"Mr. Potter," Severus said. "Harry. Would you like to join us for dinner?"

"Sure, um, Severus? I'd like that."

"Severus will do just fine. Hermione can apparate you to my flat."

"Sure," he said. "I'll see you in just a bit then, Austin," Harry said. He stood then and he used his wand to fold the blanket they'd been on.

Severus and Austin went first. Hermione stuffed the blanket back in her bag and slid her hand through Harry's arm.

"Ready?"

"This is not how I envisioned this day going when it started," Harry said.

"Me neither. You know, I turned in my notice with the Bowdens."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. They understood. I told them I'd continue to help if they ever needed it, but," she shrugged.

"You have other things that you want to do with your Saturdays and Sundays now."

"Yeah," she said. "There are a couple of older teens in the neighborhood they're talking to about working there. It'd be a decent job for a university student, too. They didn't mind if I read or whatever when there was downtime. Maybe they'd be different with someone they hadn't known all of their life, but I doubt it. I think they just like having two days off. It's their store, I think they kind of prefer someone who lets them do what they need to weekdays."

"Right. I hope they find someone soon."

"Me, too."

"He lives in the same building?"

"Yes," she said.

"Is that why there have been some sleepovers?"

She snorted softly.

"Yes," she said, knowing she was blushing.

She actually kind of liked sleeping with Severus and the fact that he wasn't pushing her to move beyond the under the clothes petting they'd gotten to.

"Truthfully, I haven't wanted to go home."

"Mm, that sounds pretty serious, Hermione."

She sighed and gave a soft laugh. "It does, doesn't it?"

"And you're all right with that?"

"You know, Harry, I think I am."

"Boy, the guys at work…"

"Now you know why I was so defensive last month when they were asking me about him! Can you imagine people not knowing they were investigating Severus Snape conducting surveillance on him?"

Harry scoffed. "No, no I can't. They wouldn't have found much and likely would have ended up looking like that chaos demon we saw on Buffy."

One of the things she and Harry had done the past few years after the war was catch up on muggle pop culture they'd missed being caught up in a war. Buffy the Vampire Slayer had been one of those shows they'd both heard mentioned numerous times so they'd watched.

And become addicted.

Hermione laughed softly, picturing exactly that. "Probably."

"Ron's going to flip when he finds out."

"Yeah," she said. "I think I'll wait to tell him for a while even if I knew how to get a hold of him. I'm not telling him about Austin right away, though. Only you."

"I get it," he said with a nod.

He understood. Ronald wouldn't be as understanding as Harry was about any of this. Seven years post-war and he still had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that Severus Snape had been a hero all along. Well, since 1981 at any rate. She was quite sure Ronald would not believe Severus didn't have something to do with what Bellatrix did.

They apparated to the door outside of Severus' flat. She could go directly inside these days, but Harry would not be able to so they appeared on the third step and she set her hand on the handle to gain entry.

"He's not going to talk to me about books, is he?"

She stifled a laugh as they walked in. "Well, he might, he does like to read."

"Of course he does," he quipped.

"Thank you, Harry," she said, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"For what?"

"For being you? For not flying off the handle. For not jumping to conclusions."

"Oh, I can see where some might, but really what idiot would purposely create a child during a war?"

"A crazy idiot," Hermione said.

"Harmony! Harry!" Austin said, running to them. "Harry, you sit by me," he said, patting the chair next to his.

"Sure, Austin," he said, going to the chair in question. "Thank you for having me, Severus."

"Hermione's best friend is always welcome here," he said and Harry nodded in response.

"I told Harry that I turned in my notice at the store."

"Ah, yes. Is he going to give you more work investigating then?"

"No," she said. "I hope not at least. I admit I'm kind of looking forward to having my weekends again."

"As are we," Severus said.

"There's a movie Austin has heard about from other classmates he wants us to go see," Hermione said.

"Oh?" Harry asked.

"Ice Age 2," Austin said. "My friend Tucker saw it. It's really good."

"Well, you tell me when and I'll be there, too," Harry said.

"Really?" Austin asked.

"Absolutely!"

"Harry," Hermione said.

"What? I want to see Severus Snape at a movie. Sue me."

"I've been to movie theaters before, Harry," Severus said.

"I imagine that you probably have. I have not seen it nor can I imagine it so count me in."

Severus' lips twitched. Harry looked a little scared, but Hermione knew this look of Severus' to be one of amusement not anger.

"We'd be happy to have you, Harry," Hermione said.

"Great," Harry said.

Hermione and Severus sat on the couch, watching as Harry played a game of Chutes and Ladders with Austin.

"No, it doesn't go like that," Austin said when Harry moved his piece the wrong way.

"Oh," Harry said. He glanced at Hermione who shrugged. "Sorry. I've never played before."

"Really?" Austin said with a slight frown.

"No."

"Now you know what you have to look forward to, Harry," Severus said.

"It's not so bad," he said.

"Try playing it every night for months."

Harry stifled a laugh. "Yeah, I can see where that might get tedious."

"I'm surprised you know that word," Severus said.

"Why would you be? You accused me of being it several times."

"Yet you never changed your behavior so I assumed you never looked it up."

"Just keeping you on your toes."

"Keep telling yourself that, Potter," he said.