Three
Chapter 4 of 50
neelixSeverus Snape was breathing deeply as he pressed his back firmly against his front door. His eyes were tightly closed, trying to block out the many images of Hermione Granger that had flashed through his mind since he saw her leaning over the weir.
‘Shit,’ he muttered. He had expected she would be in New Mills at some point, but he had always hoped their paths would never cross.
It was standard Hogwarts practice to keep the family trees of each pupil on file for reference, particularly in the case of Muggle-borns. Family traits and patterns were logged, including the Houses into which each family member had been Sorted. In the case of Muggle-born witches and wizards, the further back the family tree could be traced, the better. There may have been ancestors within the family with magical ability, unknown to more recent generations, and genetics was an area of research the Ministry was particularly interested in.
He had known Bertram Mellor and hadn’t liked him. A grandson of the original mill owner, he had inherited certain properties across New Mills, including the houses in Spinner’s End. For a time, Bert Mellor had been his mother Eileen’s landlord, until Severus had been able to purchase the property himself.
It had been a shock to Severus to realise that a relative of Bertram Mellor had been accepted into Hogwarts, but after her first year, he had realised that Hermione had very little to do with her great grandfather. He had been relieved. New Mills was his escape, a place he could hide his true identity. The house meant nothing, but the privacy it afforded him meant everything.
And now, she was here, and he was sure she had followed him and knew where he lived. He should have stopped and spoken to her before coming back to the house, but his first instinct had been to flee. He knew of Granger’s penchant for ‘projects,’ but more importantly, he liked his life just as it was.
Since the end of the war, routine was a balm for Severus; the humdrum was like music to his soul. Ordinary life was extraordinary for Severus Snape, and he wasn’t willing to give it up. He kept the wizarding world at arm’s length, maintained a steady income through freelance potions projects and consultancy fees, and he even went on the occasional weekend break. Basically, he wanted peace and quiet. The thought that Hermione Granger could upset his very settled apple cart was giving him a headache.
Giving in to temptation, Severus opened his net curtain very slightly and peered out. He was just in time to see her turn and walk back down Spinnerbottom. Letting out a sigh of relief, he let the curtain fall and walked through his small lounge into the narrow kitchen at the back of the house. Years of having to live like a Muggle while at home had Severus set in his ways, and he quickly struck a Swan Vesta to light the gas hob, filled an old, battered silver whistling kettle with water, and set about brewing a pot of tea.
Like the street on which it sat, the house was run down and uncared for on the inside. The décor left much to be desired, the furniture old and worn. However, it was significantly cleaner than it had been for quite a while. Severus had more time now to attend to chores, and he found it quite therapeutic in an odd way. Beating the dust from the threadbare rugs was always particularly satisfying. The only thing he really pined for on occasion was a garden in which to grow things.
The two-up, two-down house had a small back yard enclosed on two sides by the house itself, the other two boundaries edged by a window-height brick wall. Any space that could have been set aside for planting had been swallowed up by the bathroom, which had been added onto the house at the same time as running water had been installed years ago. Nevertheless, Severus made the most of it by planting herbs in terracotta pots hanging from wires hammered into the pointing. But with more space, he could be more self-sufficient, and his potions would be more potent and subsequently more valuable, due to the freshness of the ingredients.
The kettle whistled loudly, and in minutes, Severus was walking into the lounge with his tea tray. Setting the tray on a small table, he folded himself into the green, moth-eaten armchair beside the fireplace, stretching his left leg out as he sat. It ached, especially so on damp days, but it was of no matter. He should be dead, so a war wound and a dodgy leg were the least of his concerns.
After pouring himself a cup of strong tea and adding a dash of milk, Severus turned back to the early edition of the Daily Prophet. He read the headline, which he had previously given only a cursory glance, and smirked to himself. According to the Prophet, the War Hero Hermione Granger had suddenly left her well-paid and respected post at the Ministry for Magic to travel the world, without even telling Harry Potter where she was headed.
Severus was sure it was driving the lackeys at the news desk totally mad not knowing where their meal ticket had vanished. Knowing that he had the information they so desperately wanted made him chuckle. He also felt a twinge of pride in his ex-student, for she had managed to evade them thus far. He was just about to take a slurp of tea when he paused.
If Granger had chosen New Mills as a place of refuge, then all well and good. He understood the need for an escape better than most. The Prophet probably had no knowledge of her family link to the town, so it was highly unlikely they would trace her here. However, Severus had no such anonymity, and his address was well known, having been publicised constantly during his trial. Even now, he knew that his house was watched when news was slow, and column inches would be devoted to ‘The Secret life of an ex-Death Eater.’ It was never very exciting and usually consisted of an account of his recent trip to the shops (Snape uses Muggle provisions supplier!) and speculation of how he spent his days within the walls of his small Muggle-built home. Severus rarely read it.
Snape knew that undoubtedly, Granger would not be able to leave well alone. Should she come calling on a slow news day, her cover would be blown and any hopes she had of taking a break from the realities of her life would be dashed.
‘Bugger it,’ he whispered.
Forgetting about his tea, he threw the paper down in exasperation, and without stopping to think about what he was about to do, he grabbed his black, Muggle jacket from the hook by the door. Wandlessly, he Summoned the paper to him and folded it neatly, placing it carefully into his inside pocket. With his mouth set in grim determination, Severus stepped out into the street for the second time in the space of an hour.
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Latest 25 Reviews for Hilltop Cottage
734 Reviews | 7.3/10 Average
This was such a great read, thanks for sharing! I was especially happy to see that Minerva recovered well enough to be able to attend Severus' and Hermione's wedding. It just wouldn't have been the same without her. And Donovan, you just know that boy is going to be such a heartbreaker. Well done!
God what a beautiful beginning. I got chills when I read the first few sentences of this chapter. It reminded me of a 19th century British novel.... something from Hardy. I love your writing. There are naughty bits that are fun to read, but you have a charming prose that just strikes me sometimes. So, I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your writing. THANK YOU!
Response from neelix (Author of Hilltop Cottage)
To be compared to Hardy made me smile :) You're very kind,but more than that I'm so happy you like the,story :)
For such inteligent people, in the love department they really had lower grades...so quick to think badly of one another, especialy Severus, but Hermione had her moments, too.
I was so glad when they finally learned and began to trust each other!!!
It was an interesting journey. Thank you.
Great story :) Excellent job with the buildup, realistic angst scenes, and a happy ending. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
WTF!! Why is she letting Alicia plant stupid doubts in her mind? Alicia doesn't even know Severus! And Severus was obviously not too happy with Alicia. For Merlin's sake! What the hell is the matter with Hermione?? When did she become so gullible and wishy washy? This isn't the Hermione who stood up to Malfoy and punched him in the face! She needs to take a pill or something.
And there are a hell of a lot of worse things in the world than a man who stands by you as the mother of his child!!! Get over the Cinderella complex Herms. 
OK! What the Fuck is wrong with Severus now? These aren't weak minded individuals. Snape is a freaking spy who fooled Voldemort for like 20 year, for gods sake! He should be able to see a BSer from a mile away! These two are really getting on my freaking left nerve. Doesn't Mister Ligilimens remember being inside Hermone's head? I don't know how much more of their BS I can stand. Get over yourselves Hermione and Severus! You two are freaking making me want to poke my damned eyes out!!!
Oooooh, I never would have thought! Severus will put her in her place. There's a reason Hermione is his first and only relationship. I'm sure Alicia isn't the first woman to come on to the Potion's Master. 
Too bad for Hermione, though. Betrayed by a friend. Hopefully if Alicia realizes tonight that they are engaged to be married she will back off, for Hermione's sake. I can't imagine she would think she had a chance with Severus if he want's to brush her off. He's a master at putting people in their place.
I'm looking forward to that if it becomes necessary.
I just hope this doesn't interfere with Minerva's cure.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, neelix! 
It was about time these two became a family. I'm so glad Hermione realizes she should not have left him. I will forgive her for breaking Severus' heart because of her youth and immaturity.
Now that she's a grown woman, she hopefully has her priorities straight. She can still be Dr. Granger, but she should keep it in prospective. Now, what about dear Minerva?
Severus wouldn't be the first man to change his ways once a father. If I was Severus though, like you said in the story, he needs to be sure she is committed to making this work and not leaving again when she feels hurt. Obviously she has no idea how she nearly killed him the first time she left him. By the same token, Hermione wouldn't be the first woman to grow up and make a committment to see the rough spots through rather than leave when things got rocky after having a child together. Everything changes when a couple says, you are stuck with me for the rest of our lives. How do you want to do the next 60 years? The hard way or the easy way? Make your choice.
Hopefully, she has seen that if you leave, you just change the problems you have for new ones. Unless there is physical abuse, infedelity or addiction, I think most things can be worked out. The 4 things just mentioned would be deal breakers for me. I hope they are happy together now. That's what stories are for. The happily ever after.
Please!!! It's not my place to say???? For God's sake! Let drag out the pain as long as possible shall we? Intereasting the penny dropped and Severus knew why he hadn't got her letter. Luna had told her but I guess she wasn't listening. I give up! Snapes blaming himself for being a jerk but she isn't blaming herself for anything at all. She didn't do anything wrong.
"What- an- idiot!" Hermione. How long did it take you to realize he didn't know.
I'm going back to Hermione's visit to St. Mungo's. Is she that thick? Did she hear Luna say he didn't get her letter, or at least take the hint that he may not have gotten her letter, the same as Minerva, and that she was wrong? Now she has a chance to do something about it and it doesn't seemed to have crossed her mind.
Poor Severus. I don't remember reading any stories where I liked Severus and thought Hermione was the idiot. Good original plot, just uncomfortable.
She didn't want to give up the parties and her work for Severus, but she has because she had his baby. Now, she's just lonely while giving them up. And it was all unecessry. He jumping to the conclusion that she left him for someone else, and she to he conclusion that he couldn't change.
You never even gave him a second chance to know he was wrong. Was it worth it Hermione, in the scope of things?
Did you think you were going to find someone else who understood you better and loved you more?
You could have been pregnant while with Severus and had a baby together.
There needs to be a smiley for="Self Absorbed!"
I'll think about it????
I had written a novel sized review after the last chapter but I hit one wrong button and lost it. Damn!!! I think I spent an hour and a half going back and researching the story so that I could review all the chapters I'd missed at the same time.
She needed to put chapter 14 in a pensive.
As for this
"Hermione was thrown. Not only had Severus left Spinner’s End to help find a cure for Minerva, he was also back at Hogwarts. After all that time spent in New Mills, avoiding the wizarding world and holing himself up like a hermit, he was back in the public eye in a way she would never have anticipated. She wondered what it all meant." 
I'll tell you what it all means, little sister. It means you jumped the gun when you went off in a huff! You never worried about any one elses pain but your own, including the man you claimed to love.
I am sorry to be so bitter toward her for your sake. I don't blame the story or think the story is lame. I'm just pissed off at Hermione, still have a migrain and should be in bed, because I have to go to work tomorrow, but I can't stop reading your story.
Please forgive me for not spell checking.
Goodbye Severus???? Hermione stared up into his face. It shocked her to realise that she didn’t truly know the man before her. He was more complex and insecure than she had ever imagined, and he wouldn’t change, not ever.
She's his first relationship in his entire life and he is her first love. How does she know he won't change, ever.( 
Know-it- All) I will say, OK he is being a really big prick, a huge bastard and a fuck up. He has really hurt you with this.
However, he already has changed by having his first relationship this late in his life.
She knows she is the first person he has ever trusted like, this doesn't she?
I know she's hurt and doesn't think he really loves her right now, but I dont feel like she was ever really committed to a long term relationship with him. He was handy and helped her get over the war. I guess she was on a war just rebound.
She sure made up her mind rather abruptly!
Only a few momments ago she was declairing her deep love for him. Maybe what she should really say is, "he's just too complex and insecure for her to waste any more of her time on."
Is she sweet little Hermione who just accepts him as he is, loving him so unconditionally. Or, is she just not willing to take the time to work on a relationsip with Severus Snape. She doesn't seemed to have warned him that this, not going places with her, was becoming a deal breaker for her.
Has she ever brought up the fact that it bothers her that he never says he love her?
This is his first relationship in his entire life for a reason. Of course, she is young and after all he isn't her husband, he's just a "boyfriend".
I don't know what she means though, when she says she's shocked and doesn't know this man.
He's been a mean tempered git since the first time she met him when she was 11, and she just now realized he has a tendancy to jump to the worst possible conclusions when he's worreid or up set, and that he has serious anger management problems?
If she truly loves him as much as she says, I think she should have told him what the deal breakers were and given him a chance to prove himself.
He's already pissed off right now, as it is. So she can tell him what needs to happen if he wants to keep her then leave him to stew and think about how much he is willing to do to keep her.
I've been with the same man three times the number of years I was single or 3 times longer than I was alive when we first got together. You don't get to have a lifetime mate unless you give people a chance to work on their issues before you bail for good. I don't think Hermione had ever intended to spend her entire life with Severus.
After 5 years, I think she would have pressed him a little harder to work things out sooner.
Snape is being a real shit. Yes he just falsly accussed her. However, ‘I understand, witch,’ he whispered. ‘I wouldn’t want to stay with me either.’ Is this the hint of the century or what? He can't imagine why she had wanted to be with him in the first place. From chapt. 11-'I missed you, you know. After you “died.”’ Hermione made quotation marks with her free hand and looked into his face. ‘I had no idea you meant so much to me, until I thought you were gone forever.’
She was looking at him with expectation. Severus shrugged.
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Hermione,’ he sighed. ‘Whatever you see in me is misguided. I have nothing to offer.’
This is so sad.
I'm sorry for not keeping up on my reviews for each chapter, but I've had a migraine all weekend. I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about all that I've read so far. I hope they work this out.
about time! I should have been in bed two hours ago but I couldn't leave it on such a sad note.
This isn't a good sign guys.
Poor Severus. She didn't give him much of a choice without him rejecting her outright. But he doesn't have a chance in hell of coming away unscathed. Will it be worth it? I hope Hermione doesn't let me down. She on a war rebound which is worse than a Ronnald Weasely rebound. She says she needs him. Does she know what she's asking from him? I really don't think so. If he's in for a penny, he's in for a pound. Severus Snape does nothing in the middle. I hope Hermione see's that.
I'm very happy she has given Severus a garden. I hope she isn't leading him on. She seems very young here. I know that in a story this long there are usually some bumps in the road to love, but I never look forward to them. The story is sweet and filling me with anticipation of them becoming a couple.
I know Snape will keep her secret. And I think Snape is going to get a friend. Will it turn into a romance or will it bite him in the butt just like he probably expects it to?
I hope Hermione is trying to figure out how to get Snape back as much as he's trying to get her back.
I assume Severus will keep Hermione's secret. It's not Snepelike to gossip. But he'll think about what Minerva has said and will feel duty bound to check on "the girl". I wonder who will contact who first. I am also assuming that Hermione isn't using her wand so that she can't be traced back to this place by the Ministry knowing her wand has been used. When she uses it in Diagon Alley doing little insignificant spells, is just no one paying attention because of where the magic is being cast and mainly only notice it when it's in a Muggle area? Could the Ministry have found Hermione, Harry and Ron the last year of the war by following thier wands? 