General Relativity

Disclaimer: Except for OCs, the characters here and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling and her assigns.

During the next week, Andromeda was taking down laundry in the back garden as Severus went over the lesson plans he intended for his Slytherin students. There was a crack of Apparition and she looked over her shoulder expectantly. She didn't wait long. Hermione bounded across the lawn and hugged Andromeda tightly.

"I had a wonderful time! My parents were wonderful, and their friends were very kind. I had a great deal of fun exploring Australia, but I'm glad to be back." It all came out in an excited woosh that left Andromeda breathless even if Hermione was unaffected. She let go and stepped back. "Tell me, how is Severus?"

Andromeda barely caught her breath from the hug before she was expected to answer. She managed a laugh. "You'll have to see for yourself, but I don't think you'll be disappointed. He was in the still room when I came out here."

Hermione ran toward the house, and Andromeda sighed. Her time alone with Severus was over, and now a new phase of their relationship would begin. Tonight would tell how he planned to develop his various relationships. In the meanwhile, the laundry needed to be done, and Teddy had torn yet another hole in the knees of a pair of trousers as he crawled through the house.

In the kitchen, Hermione exchanged a word or two of greeting with Tim, who was working at mathematical equations in a notebook. Teddy was in a sort of playpen near the table, stacking blocks. She continued on to the hallway and peeked into the parlor. Severus wasn't there, but two other wizards were. They sat in chairs opposite each other, silent but glaring. She backtracked to the kitchen.

"What's going on in the parlor?" she whispered.

Tim dropped his pencil and glared at his notebook. He looked up at Hermione and shrugged. "It's extremely old-fashioned, but obviously it still happens. Both of those wizards want to marry Mum, and they're determined to wait each other out."

"Wait each other out?"

"One will leave before the other, and by leaving will essentially leave the field open. In theory, she will supposedly marry whoever is left."

"How draconian!"

"It gets better. She lost all her savings to the taxes this year and they both want to save her."

"Why did her savings go to her taxes?"

"They're blaming the pure-bloods for the war."

"But she has income."

"Yes, there's something she's not telling me, but she says there's enough income to run the house." Tim frowned at his calculations and tapped his notebook. He shook his head, frowned again, and then erased something. After that, he put in some more terms and worked for a minute or two. He nodded and then set his pencil down. He folded his arms and frowned down at what he had written.

"So is she going to marry one of them?"

Tim shrugged and looked at his notebook. "One of them? I don't think so. I hope not. Dear Aunt Cissy and Grandmother Druella want it, so who knows what Mum will actually do when it comes down to it."

Hermione tried to absorb it all. "I came to see Severus. I guess I should go find him." She went into the hallway and right past the parlor this time.

"Severus," Hermione called from the door of the still room.

He turned his head and smirked. "Come in, come in! I can't leave this right now, so you'll have to wait for further gestures."

"What are you working on?"

There was a sort of shrug. "It's just a concoction for Andromeda's medicine cabinet, for mending scraped knees and that sort of thing. Her grandson is starting to pull himself up on the furniture."

Hermione looked at the directions on the countertop. As he had said, it was a simple enough concoction. It just needed his constant attention just then. She turned to one of the issues at hand. "Do you think Andromeda will marry one of those wizards in the parlor?"

"Absolutely not," he answered vehemently. There was a dark look in Severus's eye that Hermione didn't understand.

"Tim said they can help her financially."

"Oh, yes, Narcissa made sure we knew all about that. One has pull at the Ministry and might help her get her taxes reduced, and the other claims he has a large family estate here in England somewhere."

"Wouldn't it be good for her, then?"

"Neither is completely able to help her, and...have you seen those wizards? Would you want to be married to either of them?"

Hermione shrugged. "I didn't think they were so very awful... for an older witch."

Severus snorted. "The one is twice her age, and the other is simply unthinkable."

Hermione looked at him for a moment. "Do you think his being twice her age is a drawback, then?"

He shook his head. "If there were any reason to think she loved him, I would advise her to marry him." Severus's voice sounded a little strange, and Hermione stopped to look at him. She didn't see anything in his face and simply looked at the rest of him.

Something she saw stopped her in her tracks. Her eyes were stuck on the third finger of his left hand. "What is that?" she asked, pointing.

He looked down and saw what disturbed her. Did he wince? He did shrug. "It was my grandfather's wedding ring. I've been wearing it..."

She made a great show of sighing with relief. "That's good. For a second I thought you must have gotten married while I was gone."

His face set in its expression, and he asked quietly, "Would that have been a problem?"

"Don't even joke about it. I would have to kill the witch." He knew better than to look into her eyes. He wasn't sure why, but he suddenly knew that upon this subject she would be particularly serious.

As she continued describing the complete unsuitability of his getting married, Severus reflected that it was good that he and Andromeda had not announced their marriage. Hermione seemed a bit unstable on the subject. They could wait until after she took her N.E.W.T.s. Then he would manage whatever fallout there was when it wouldn't impact her future.

"Tell me about Australia," he said, "and grab an apron. You may as well be useful. You may start by chopping those leaves."

Andromeda brought the laundry back inside and smiled at her son in the kitchen. "How are your calculations coming?"

He hastily closed his notebook. "They worked out just fine, Mum."

"Are you doing Statistics or Arithmancy today? Shall I look it over?"

He swept his notebook into his bag. "Professor Snape helped me get started, and the rest almost did itself."

"That's good then, isn't it? I should have realized you would have an aptitude there years ago."

Tim waved dismissively. "It's not like it matters. No one wants an Arithmancer who's a Squib otherwise." He cleared his throat. "Mum, when's he leaving?"

Tim watched his mother carefully as she dropped the basket and fussed about picking everything up. "Mum?" He hadn't seen fingers so shaky since Nym had that crush on her werewolf.

"He's staying as long as he likes, Tim."

"Is that wise?"

She was kneeling on the floor to retrieve the basket. Her hands fluttered over the laundry, which hadn't fallen out. "He's staying every single minute that he likes."

"But, Mum..."

Barnaby Fudge burst into the kitchen. "Mrs. Tonks, I'll take my leave of you, now."

"All right, Mr. Fudge, if that's what you wish."

"I don't wish it, but I find that I must. Please tell your mother that I've decided to cancel our negotiation."

"If you think that's best, Mr. Fudge." She walked him toward the front door.

"I wouldn't, if I thought you cared. Is there any way to change your mind, Mrs. Tonks?"

Her smile was dreamy as she shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

"I'll take my leave then."

"Farewell, Mr. Fudge."

The wizard muttered as he went down the path. She returned to her kitchen and the laundry. "I see you're capable of getting rid of some wizards," said Tim.

"Watch your cheek or you'll see how well I get rid of bad-mannered sons, too," she answered with a smile. She sighed as she remembered the other visitor in her parlor. "I suppose I'd better see whether Mr. Roberts needs anything."

Andromeda went to the parlor and saw Mr. Roberts looking at some family portraits and smiling. "Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Roberts?"

The door behind her clicked shut. "You can agree to marry me at once, Andromeda. We'll start our family and as soon as I get a child on you, I can sort out the paperwork and claim my family estate."

"I'm not sure I follow your line of reasoning, but I'm fairly sure that I can't...Mr. Roberts!" This was said as the wizard came and pulled her into his arms.

"We can start now, Andromeda." He pulled her tighter than before and lowered his head.

"No," she whispered, turning her head away.

"You're right. Why waste valuable time?" His hands started working at the zipper of her dress.

"Stop, please..."

"It pleases me to do this," he replied.

The doorknob rattled. "Mum? Are you in there?"

"Tim! Help!"

The door rattled again but did not open. Andromeda heard footsteps down the hall. The wizard held her tight, and she despaired of getting away. He tried to kiss her again and she shrank away from him. He held her at arm's length and shook her. "Here, now! That's not how a proper wife acts."

"I'm not your wife!"

"You will be."

She couldn't let this go on. She felt sick and angry all at once. She could feel magic growing within her, gaining focus.

"Ouch!" She fell to the floor as he dropped her. He clasped his hands together as though they hurt. Suddenly the door opened and Severus stood there, Hermione and Tim standing right behind. Stanley Roberts pointed at her. "The bitch hexed me!"

"That would appear to be your cue to leave," said Severus.

"I believe I shall. Snape, explain to your hostess that she needs to play nice if she doesn't want to lose everything." With that, Roberts went out the door. Severus followed him to make sure he really left.

"Mum, are you all right?" Tim helped her back onto her feet.

"Yes, I'm fine. It will take more than the likes of that to hurt me," she answered. "Let's get dinner." Severus returned from the door and looked at her. She shrugged and smiled. "It's over. I'm free of my mother's and sister's meddling in my life, now."

Severus looked at her relief. Then he looked at the two younger ones standing with her. It wasn't the proper time to worry about the threat Roberts had just made. He would discuss it with her later as he took steps to ensure the wizard stayed away from the house.

Hermione and Tim stayed through dinner, and Andromeda never said a word more than "Dinner is ready," or "Leave room for pudding." She watched Severus's eyes glow as he looked at the girl. Once he looked up at her and right into her eyes. He had never looked happier to her. She quietly shooed them back to his room and took care of the dishes with Tim.

"Mum, what is going on here?"

"I'm not going to answer that question right now, Tim."

"Please tell me that I'm reaching certain conclusions with Arithmancy because I'm a Squib."

"I don't know what those conclusions are, Tim, so I can't answer honestly."

He was reluctant to put his suspicions into words, so he helped her finish the dishes and then prepared to leave. "I hope you know what you're doing. I worry about you."

"You should worry more about yourself, dear. How is Sophy?"

He smiled in a way that reassured his mother that all was well. He gave his mother a big kiss and whispered a special hope. Andromeda smiled and encouraged him in pursing that hope. Then he stepped into the fireplace and was gone.

As she bathed Teddy and put him to bed, Andromeda wondered if she should be quite so hasty in eliminating suitors. The problem was that the two that visited today would be simply impossible, even if she had never met Severus. Having been his wife, she knew that there was no way she could possibly let those men touch her.

She undressed and brushed out her hair as she tried to puzzle it out. Was there a man who wanted to take on her household? Was there such a man whom she could love, or at least enjoy being with? She slid between the sheets, unable to answer the question, and was essentially asleep by the time Severus came up to bed. "I didn't realize how much I missed her," he said. "Isn't it wonderful to have her home?"

"Hum," she said, waking up, "I'm sure you must have been happy to see her."

"It seems as though I have everything I could possibly want around me right now," he exulted. "Speaking of which..."

His hands slid around her and started caressing. He kissed her neck, and she responded eagerly. It was just the two of them in their bed together tonight and every night, whatever might happen downstairs. "My dove," he hissed as her fingertips touched and explored.

When it was over they lay quietly together, sharing little moments from their day as they relaxed. He reached for the ring that hung around her neck on that chain. "We can't announce our marriage yet."

"I didn't expect to."

"I forgot that I've been wearing my ring, and Hermione was very upset to see it."

"What did you tell her?"

"I got as far as saying that it had been my grandfather's ring, and she accepted it. However, she started raving about the unsuitability of my getting married. I don't think I can tell her about the marriage until after she's taken the exams."

Andromeda nodded. "You can't risk ruining her grades. It would be a shame to compromise her future."

"You understand." He sounded a little too relieved, but she let it pass. "It's not that we have any reason to be ashamed. My dove, what we share is..." He couldn't find the word.

"I know," she said quietly. "I'm not sure I'm ready for everything that will happen when they all know, either. Tim's been asking questions in a way that implies disapproval."

He pressed his lips to the side of her head and whispered. "I don't know what I've done to deserve a wife who's so understanding."

She turned her head to press her lips to his. "You deserve every good thing that comes to you, Severus Snape. After everything you've been through, after everything you've done, you deserve the best of everything."

He lifted his head to look into her eyes. "You really believe that, don't you?"

"I do."

He smiled, because it reminded him of their wedding vows. "I'm going to hold you to that."

He went to sleep and she held him for a while longer, grateful that she wouldn't have to face Hermione or Narcissa any time soon. She wondered why he kept acting as though he didn't deserve good things. She would be grateful for the fact that he valued her.

"I do believe it," she whispered, knowing he wasn't listening, "and you're going to get every good thing I can arrange, even if a time comes when what you want isn't me anymore."

A/N: I realize something else was expected here, but as you can see, Severus chickened out. He's not good at interpersonal things, yet, and he's afraid of ruining some things. Thank you for your patience! Thank you also to Trickie Woo, whose red quill occasionally works overtime.