See a Man About a Dog
Chapter 28 of 31
quaffswinegailyHermione's eyes are opened.
ReviewedSee a Man About a Dog
Disclaimer: They are all hers. Their current position is my fault.
Snape took a deep breath. Catching both of the witch’s hands between his, he sat back away from her. Pale dawn light filtered into the room, and he could now see her clearly. Her mouth was round with surprise. Finally, she had realised who he was. There was no doubt from the startled look on her face that this was a metaphorical and physical eye-opener for her.
“Oh!” she said again. “It’s you!”
Throwing her hands away from him, Snape rose to his feet abruptly.
“Yes, Miss Granger. It is.”
He turned his back on her as his mind raced over the best way to minimise his utter humiliation. He needed to get her out of his house as quickly as possible.
“Well, that’s... that’s good.”
“What?” he snapped. “Good?”
“I thought I was dreaming.”
“More like a nightmare for you, Miss Granger.”
“Well, yes, it was a nightmare.”
Severus ground his teeth together. “I fully understand your predicament, Miss Granger. Now your condition is stable, I shall arrange for your immediate transfer to St Mungo’s for the remainder of your recuperation.”
“What? Why?”
“To abbreviate the time you must spend in my company.”
“You want me to go?”
“Of course I want you to go, Miss Granger,” he snarled. His body was rigid as he scowled at the wall.
“Turn round and tell me that to my face, Severus Snape.”
“I do not wish to prolong your nightmare, Miss Granger.” He sneered as he turned back to her. His heart lurched at the sight of her tumbled curls framing her still wan, bruised face.
Her soft, brown eyes caught his gaze. It was the first time he had seen her eyes since she had slammed back into his life, the first time she had been able to open them fully. Now, they were wide open. She watched him warily, like a frightened animal. One false move and she would be gone.
Slowly, her gaze ran over him. The corners of her lips curved slightly up.
“It is you. I can see you now.”
“Yes, we already established that.” Snape rolled his eyes. “Did the beating you received dent your intellect?”
“I thought this was a dream. I... I thought I might wake up again, lying on Voldemort’s floor, dying... and that... that was my nightmare.”
“I couldn’t protect you back then.”
“You have just saved my life, Severus.”
“No, I haven’t.”
“For me, you have.”
“From my perspective, I have only recently sent away Miss Granger. You appear to have aged several years in the time you have been absent.”
“How long was I gone from here?”
“Not long, though the wait seemed interminable.”
“Did you miss me?”
“No. I—”
She held up her hand to silence him.
“I understand why you don’t want me.” Her voice quivered. “You’re older. You’re Professor Snape. To you, I’m Hermione Granger, your ex-pupil. But, Severus, I’m not the same person you sent away. I’m Charmaine. I thought maybe as Charmaine...”
“I didn’t miss Charmaine.”
“Oh! Charmaine never meant anything to you, then.” She took a shaky breath, looking down at her nervously twining fingers as she spoke again. “I wasn’t even in your memories at your trial, was I?”
“No,” Snape admitted, his hand covering both of hers, stilling them. “Why does that distress you?”
“Because... because...” She turned her head away from him, blinking tears from her eyes. “This isn’t fair. Now I can tell you how I feel, you don’t want me. You don’t care.”
Pulling her hands out from under his, she tucked her unruly hair back behind her ears and looked up at him. Sniffing loudly, she wiped her nose on the back of her sleeve.
“Charming!” he muttered, pulling a scrap of linen out of a pocket and holding it out for her.
“Where will the hanky take me this time, Snape? Is this your way of getting rid of me?” Her words stumbled a little on a nervous laugh.
Severus sat down on the edge of the bed. He glanced at her sideways from behind his hair. “It won’t take you anywhere. It’s only a handkerchief. A gift, from—”
“—from Remus.”
“He loved you.”
“He loved you, too, Severus.”
“I know. Those were his dying words.”
She nodded. “I believe he remembered me when he was teaching at Hogwarts. Why didn’t you?”
“It’s the Blaze, I think. It protected my memories. I was only able to remember fully when you arrived back.”
Cautiously, she ran a hand up his left forearm. Her thumb circled the argent mark. “The Blaze,” she murmured. “I regret leaving you with Lily afterwards. She wasn’t your chosen mate, was she? Remus took better care of you than she did.”
“Indeed. Remus always took care of me. We looked out for each other. He was the best mate a man could have. Thank you for bringing us together.”
Her smile was brief. “Well, I suppose I’ve done the job I was sent to do. You can take me to St Mungo’s now.”
She moved to swing her legs off the bed, but Snape’s hand stayed her.
“No.”
“No?”
“We need to—”
“Severus. Severus?” A female voice called from downstairs.
“For the love of Merlin,” Snape muttered.
“SEVERUS! Where are you, sweetie?”
“Stay here. I don’t want her to know you’re in my bedroom. She’ll give me so much grief if she finds out.”
With that, Severus whirled out of the room and ran down the stairs.
Hermione folded her arms across her chest, trying to hold in the rush of hurt. Not only did Severus not want her, he obviously had a witch already. How stupid she was. Of course he did. It was years since he had last seen Charmaine, and, since his most recent trial, she had no idea what he had been doing with his well earned freedom.
No wonder he hadn’t wanted her to touch him. She flushed with embarrassment.
With some determination and only a little wobbliness, she got off the bed and, with a quick turn and an angry crack, she Disapparated.
*
“G’day, Severus.” Madam Megansdochter’s Aussie twang came through the Floo system.
“What do you want, Jo?”
“I was just checking how it went last night. You weren’t at work this morning. I thought you were either throwing a sickie, or you might have gone walkabout with that Granger sheila.” She grinned cheerily at him.
“I’m fine. She’s fine,” Snape replied curtly.
“And...?”
“I will return to work for a debriefing once I am sure she has recovered fully from her time travels.”
“Beaut!”
“Indeed. Is there anything else, Jo?”
“I just wanted to let you know I’ve figured it out. It’s not a bitch in the prophecy. It’s une biche, which is a doe in French. I’m not sure what it means, but I’ll speak to you later.”
Severus opened his mouth to question her further, but she was already gone in a puff of sparkling green. What was it with his superiors and their love of sparkles, twinkles, and drama? Closing his mouth with a snap, he turned towards the stairs. He started mulling over Jo’s information as he walked.
The prophecy talked about the emblazoned man, which was him, the wolf, which was obviously Remus, and the doe. He recalled how his Patronus had changed to a female deer during his final year at school, when he had first fallen for his Potions mistress.
La biche m’enchantait.
The doe had to be Charmaine.
A loud bang from upstairs startled him.
The daft girl has fallen out of bed again.
Taking the stairs two at a time, he was soon standing in his bedroom, which looked empty.
“Miss Granger?” He checked behind the bed.
Nothing.
“Charmaine? Charmaine!”
Frantically, he searched the upper floor of his house. She was gone. Just when they were going to sit down and talk everything through, she up and left him. He understood, really. He wasn’t the young lad she had known. He was old, he was scarred, and he was cantankerous, but he still wanted a chance.
“Shit!” Severus kicked the rumpled blankets, which had been strewn across the floor in her haste to get away.
A/N: La biche m’enchantait = the doe enchanted me
Australian / English translation:
throw a sickie = to take a day off work, pretending to be ill
go walkabout = to disappear for a while
sheila = Australian woman.
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Latest 25 Reviews for A Man's Best Friend
353 Reviews | 7.7/10 Average
Damn so he came back cured of the love that he had,but stilled loved them as a friend.I am not sure I understand how he was cured from being dead...did he not really die cause of the Blaze? I loved the story,felt a little rushed at the end,but it was supposed to be a one shot right!! Great work thanks!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Thanks for taking the time to read to the finish and review. I wrote this story three years ago, so perhaps would take more time on the ending now. Maybe one day I'll revisit it.
I think they could have been a triad. Do you ever write those stories? You would write a great one I know!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
I haven't yet. Maybe one day.
i like the older Snape and I am sure Hermione does too!!Great story!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
He matures rather well.
If he had lived would Lupin have been thier third? I would like to think so...I LOVE this story!!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Perhaps... or maybe not...
i love the way you incorporate canon and fanon!!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Thank you very much. I appreciate your reviews.
poor Severus and poor(Hermione?)
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Indeed.
I never liked Lily, a real friend would have forgiven!! I hate the fact Severus never recoved from her loss and went to his death alone on a dirty floor...Thank goodness for fan fiction!!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Fan fiction just lets us explore other options.
i was not expecting the unicorn to hurt our Severus!! I think it is for the good in the long run!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Here's hoping...
Hermione?
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Really?
Response from deedeebug95 (Reviewer)
Hahaha!
oMG, this really could have happened this way!! Poor Severus this is breaking my heart
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
It's certainly a possibility.
like the start of this!! How dare they shave Severus' hair!!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
I know. Oily and lank though it may be at times, we do love his hair.
If the professor knew how the dance went, why would she not be prepared to be kissed by Severus? It seems odd that a professor would dance this dance with a student. Obviously she has some kind of magical sight that Severus can pick up on when he touches her. Legilimins? Could they have gotten away with a kiss on the cheek? She should chastise Snotter for trapping her and Severus and taunting him right in front of a teacher. I know I need to just buck and deal with the tragedy that is Silly Lily Evens the idiot girl who has no ability to judge character and Severus Snape. I still don't like it though. F the Gryffindors. I hates them all!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
I'm sure they woudn't have let them go with just a kiss on the cheek.
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
I'm sure they woudn't have let them go with just a kiss on the cheek.
Lily is such a little airheaded dolt! She has no common sense! She knows Severus better than that! She should know he wouldn't say such a thing! And that Snotter deserves to be killed by Voldemort. The world is better off without his kind of riff raff. I know that sounds stinky, but I'm a fat, greyheaded, crotchety and cantankerous old broad so I get to say things like that.
"That little whiper snaper probably smokes dope like all them other little pimply faced reprobates! All those young people are are on dope, damn it!" 
That's the mood I'm in and it's late. So I'd better go to bed before I do or say anything else antisocial. 
If you knew the week I've been having you'd understand.
Some little wanker stole my car and got it impounded for driving with no licence and for possession. He also just happens to be married to my idiot, enabling daughter who makes excuses for the little A-hole. I have no idea who raised these damn kids of mine!
Just freeking kill me now before I ever have to live with with any of the ungrateful leeches. I'll have bed sores and a wet diaper all the time.
I could totally kick that drunk, skinny little ass of his if I wanted to, you know... he's a little putz and I weigh more than he does. All I have to do is knock him down and sit on his face until he suffocates. He just better hope I don't cough, sneeze or laugh while I'm at it! Oops! it's too late. There I went and said something else antisocial. Somebody make me go to bed! I have to work tomorrow so I can buy diapers and wipes for my spawn's babies.
If you have to have kids, for the love of god don't have girls! Drama Drama Drama! I'm just warning you now. Kids are over freeking rated.
It's time for sleeping pills. I can't believe how late it is and I'm still up bitching... 
Now you know why I read Harry Potter fan fiction. In my head magic is fixing everything right now and Snape thinks I am the sexiest thing he's ever seen!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
I hope this manages to take you away from real life dramas, if only for a short time.
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
I hope this manages to take you away from real life dramas, if only for a short time.
What special gift does she have? Oooooo, I know! She must be a werewolf! No wait. She does't smell of dog. But maybe she just knows how to keep the smell away. Hmmmmm. Touching Snape's face would have been OK if he had been a 4th grader but, teenager? Does she uderstand teenage male hormone function? Or should I call it a disorder? Just kidding. When I was a girl I didn't know what not to do around boys. I don't think I got wise until my mid 30's. I'm thinking she must be at least that old, however or she wouldn't have been thinking the things she was thinking. Women at the bottom of the hill wouldn't notice such attributes. Interesting.
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Teenage male hormones... does anyone understand them?
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Teenage male hormones... does anyone understand them?
Hmmmm. She wants to let Severus know that Lupin is a Werewolf? I sincerely hope she isn't the one behind the prank that almost killed the young Severus.
Why would Dumbledore want the two boys to work together? Training them for something? Are you saying that the speech on the first day of potions isn't Severus Snape's original work?
I am very surprised he would use someone elses speech, but I guess if she turns out to be someone he truely admires I suppose he might use it to honor her. Maybe it caught his interest so well that it inspired him for life and he uses it hoping to inspire other young people the way he was. I guess we will find out. Black is such an arse! No wait, worse, he's a vulgar dick head.
I take it we won't be super attached to Sirius Black in this story. That's fine with me. I read for the love of Severus Snape and the love of Snape/Granger romance.
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Hopefully all will become clearer as the story moves on.
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Hopefully all will become clearer as the story moves on.
Bummer! They shaved his beautiful long black hair. Hasn't the poor man suffered enough assault to his dignity? I wonder why they let him out of Azkaban for the funeral? Is it to humiliate him? Is he out of Azkaban but under house arrest with guards? It must be shocking to Hermione to see Snape sobbing. I guess you'll tell us how he survived the war. An ausicious beginning!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Thank you. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Thank you. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.
This has got to be one of the most gorgeous convoluted twisty exciting mind bending epic stories I've ever read!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Thanks very much. I'm delighted you enjoyed this and appreciate you taking the time to leave a review.
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Thanks very much. I'm delighted you enjoyed this and appreciate you taking the time to leave a review.
I started reading this just before bed time, telling myself that I'd only read a chapter or two then off to bed... its now 5:30AM and I just finished! I just couldnt stop reading! I loved it. I really enjoyed every word! Great job and I look forward to reading more from you!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
I'm absolutely delighted. Thank you very much. Now, go and get some sleep!
What a fun roller coaster! Thanks for posting it where we can read it.
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
You're most welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it. And thanks for taking the time to stop and leave a review.
Charming story! I've definitely never read anything like it. I love the Portkey idea, and how the story flowed between the past and the present. Thanks.
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Thanks for reviewing. This was my first ever long fic. I hope you enjoyed it.
I'm not sure if I loved the story more or the A/N! Fabulous write;)
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Thanks very much. I really appreciate your review. A/N: must remember to give everyone squishy hugs for reviewing...
Thank you for a happy ending - Severus & Hermione wedded, and Remus brought back, as well as Remus finding another special person to love and share/continue a new life with! I can't believe you intended this first to be only a one shot - thank Merlin's Beard that you got carried away or we all would never have had this wonderful, creative adventure in our ff lives - big heartfelt thanks! Looking forward to more of your multi-chaptered works as well as all others!
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
It was a one shot, but the darned thing wouldn't lie down. Normally I struggle to string more than a couple of words together, so this was a bit of a one off. Thanks very much for your encouragement. Cheers, qwg
Ah-ah, Quaffie. I told you quite a few chapters back that you couldn't kill off Remus and you told me to get some new specs or something of that ilk because your prologue dictated that the lovely werewolf had shuffled off his mortal coil or pelt or whatever. Hmmmph. I'd like you to know lassie that I have 20-20 vision....and hindsight and can see through walls too. I enjoyed this ending but I secretly thought that Remus was going to end up with Harry. No??? Anyway thank you for a wonderful story. I have thoroughly enjoyed both Remus and Severus' and indeed our banter over the last few months and look forward to hearing from you again in the near future. Best wishes, Love Ali xxxxx.
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Fie on you, and your xray, 3D, perception... glasses... thingies. It was very tempting to set Remus up with Harry, or in a threesome, but Jo was looking a bit left out. And being a true Aussie sheila used to wrangling crocs and dingoes, I reckoned she'd be able to manage his scrawny, flea-bitten hide.And the bloomin' happy ending fairy took over...I'm away to sink into the slough of despond, or onto the couch, or anywhere out of this infernal summer heat. Thanks for all your edifying reviews.Cheers, qwg
So glad this was more than a one shot! I've loved every minute of it. I'm really loving this unicorn magic. You should explore it more in future stories. Beautifully written and one of my favorite fics.
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
I'm very glad you liked it. The story just kept expanding - in some part due to sunny33, who read the original, and never made a comment, but the look on her face just said 'crap ending, write some more' - so I did (but not exactly what she wanted).As for more unicorns - not sure if I trust the mutant horse much - we'll wait and see.Thanks for all your lovely reviews.Cheers, qwg
Yay for you! Your first long fic and it went out on top. This was an even better ending than expected. I have to have my happy ending, always, and I knew you would let Severus and Hermione end in that fashion, but I was so pleased to find that they were able to have their friend back, even if it was through a portrait. THEN, you went and did one better by bringing him back for real. I, for one, am pleased that this one-shot got carried away. Feel free to let that happen again ...
Response from quaffswinegaily (Author of A Man's Best Friend)
Darn! The happy ending fairy got a bit over exuberant, didn't she? I'll have to go and think up something evil she can't tamper with. I hope you enjoyed the read. Really, it shouldn't have worked - a story about a time travelling poisoner, a dead werewolf and a hard drinking wizard with memory defecit. What a load of tosh!Thanks for all your wonderful reviews, they are much appreciated.Cheers, qwg