And By Opposing, End Them

"Hermione Granger could be the best thing to happen to you since..."

Severus knew what Poppy had been going to say. He knew.

She had been going to compare Hermione Granger to Lily Evans. However worthy Miss Granger was, she was not, nor could she ever be Lily.

He yanked on the faucet of the shower, and as the flow of the water slapped the marble in a soothing rhythm, he ripped his clothes off, balled them up and threw them angrily at the mirror.

If she had completed her thought, dared use Lily's name, he didn't know what he would have done. He might have gone over the proverbial edge, he thought, and sneered at his retreating reflection as he stepped into the cold shower.

However, Severus was no self-deceiver; in one aspect Poppy was correct. Hermione was, in fact, a fine young woman, far superior to either Potter or Weasley, despite her unnatural attachment to both. In addition to being much less stupid then either of them, she was proving to be a superb record keeper for his business and quite a dab hand at Potions. As he scoured himself vigorously, he pondered the possibility that she was gleaning from his own talent. She had never shown a marked predilection or skill – apart from her usual acumen – for Potions while at school, therefore he thought it a fair possibility that she was taking on a trait of his as a result of the Lifebond. He had suspected from the first that they would glean traits or talents from one another, especially after what Hermione's and his own Healer had said about the magical properties of their blood changing. He himself, over the past few months, had found himself having positive – even chipper – thoughts, for no reason which was immediately apparent.

He sighed, concentrating on the glide of each droplet of water down his body. His life had decidedly taken a turn for the weird.

0o0o0o0

"Supper's almost ready. I've just got to baste the chicken again. Would you slice the bread?"

"Yes," Severus said, tiredly, moving to the cutting board.

Carrying the bread to the table, Severus took a piece and bit into the thick slice. As he seated himself in his place, he curved his fingers round the stem of the glass of wine Hermione had already placed there.

The two of them may not have shared a strong affection, but they had got used to the other's habits and had learnt to accommodate them.

Hermione joined Severus at the table and sifted through their pile of correspondence as she took a swallow from her water glass.

Severus closed his eyes and leaned his head back, contemplating. He felt drained. It had, after all, been an emotionally trying day with Poppy and... Lily and... Hermione... Lily. After all this time, he still remembered Lily's eyes and smile as clearly as if she stood before him.

Finally, feeling that familiar swelling in his throat, he opened his eyes and saw Hermione smiling over one of her letters. He shifted, the swelling in his throat dying as he contemplated Hermione's lips framing her teeth... They were rather nice teeth, actually, he reflected, reasonably straight and white...

"I'm sorry," he blurted out.

Hermione looked up and blinked. "About...?"

Damn it all, was he gaining the verbal grace of a Gryffindor as well?

He gritted his teeth. He'd rather die.

"What I meant to say was that I was reflecting upon the aspersion I once cast upon the state of your teeth and I would like to apologise."

"Oh! It's been ages since I thought about that. Anyway, that's hardly the worst – actually, that might be the worst thing you ever said to me."

"Yes," Severus agreed. "Either way, I apologise for the plethora of insults. You have garnered more than your fair share through six years of Hogwarts with me." He shifted in his chair. "In my defence, I was largely playing a role, however... I apologise."

Hermione gazed at him. "Thank you. I accept your apology." She looked down at her hands, then slowly stood and moved to the oven to baste the chicken.

Later, over their meal, Severus said, uncomfortably, "There simply is not an easy way to put this. I think both of us have been rather resistant to the idea of being – well..."

"Eternally fused?" Hermione supplied, a touch of gloom in her voice as she pushed her peas onto her baked potato.

Severus blinked. "... Er... yes. As I was saying, I have come to the conclusion that short of death, there is very likely not a way out of this. Therefore, I believe it expedient to make slightly more permanent arrangements." He paused in order to gauge her reaction. She had frozen with her fork halfway to her mouth, but her overall look and posture was generally favourable.

He continued. "Seeing as you have been a commendably meticulous accountant for me, I thought it would be suitable to start paying you for that position. Seeing also as you seem to have been developing a hitherto unsuspected gift for Potions, I may take you on as my Apprentice, so that you will be carving out some sort of an education for your future as well. Are you amenable?"

"You have got to be joking," Hermione said, quietly as she finally lowered her fork.

"No. Not at all," Severus said, bristling immediately.

"You're going to take me on as your apprentice? But... you don't take apprentices! Potions Monthly quoted you as saying you'd never seen anyone remotely qualified!"

Severus' bristles died as he re-gathered his thoughts and took a deft swallow of an excellent sauvignon blanc.

"To address your first question: Yes. That is my plan. To address your following protestation: I have never previously encountered anyone with the remotest speck of apprentice-worthy material in them. Since we have been... 'Lifebonded', for lack of a better term, you have gleaned some of my own talent and probably will continue to do so. It is thus that you are suitable for an apprenticeship with me."

Hermione chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed. "I'm okay with that," she said, happily twinkling at him.

He raised an eyebrow, the left corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

"To question your protestation: you read Potions Monthly?"

"I don't have a subscription to it, but it's a very informative periodical. Of course I read it," she replied dismissively.

Severus smirked and returned to his meal. "Of course. So, we are agreed?'

"Yes. Quite agreed. I'll write to my parents and..." She looked down.

"Weasley?" Severus just kept himself from sneering.

"I don't know. This... situation... hasn't been particularly pleasing to him."

Narrowing his brows, Severus said icily, "Naturally, it's been a constant dose of Felix Felicis for the rest of us."

Hermione flushed. "Of course not. He's being a git, I just... I miss him."

Realising they had just shared information of a personal nature, they both turned their attention solely on their food.

Later, while cleaning dishes in the sink, Hermione asked Severus, who was drying, "You know, I keep meaning to ask, but I've kept forgetting. Why is it you live in a Muggle house?"

"It is more inexpensive than living in a wizarding house and this particular house is very isolated. Also, there are remaining Death Eaters who would love to watch me die as slowly as possible. The last thing they would expect would be my abiding permanently in a Muggle residence."

Hermione was suddenly gripped by fear.

"You needn't worry; I've placed extremely powerful wards on the house."

She relaxed, but her frown remained. "Still... I never really realised how much you were still in danger."

"Miss Granger, please feel no anxiety on my account. I haven't not been in danger since I was fifteen years old. One becomes accustomed."

She smiled slightly. "Of course."

Severus finished drying the last utensil, put his wand in his pocket and began to move away to his nightly ritual of reading when Hermione said, "Wait."

He paused. "Yes?"

She fidgeted for a moment. "I just... Well, thank you."

He frowned slightly. "No thanks are necessary, Miss Granger.'

Narrowing her eyes, she said, "One of these days, I'm going to teach you to say, 'you're welcome'."

He raised a brow. "We shall see. Good night, Miss Granger."

"Good night, Mr. Snape."

He raised both his brows, but she walked briskly past him to her own chambers.