Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Two days later, Harry Potter appeared at the Headmistress' doorway with a Daily Prophet folded under his arm. He brandished the paper and dropped it onto Hermione's desk.

"When were you planning on telling me about this?" he asked.

Hermione's eyebrows rose. "Harry, you have been hiding away with your family for months now. I didn't know you wanted an update."

Harry sighed heavily. "Look, I'm sorry I've neglected our friendship for the last little while. The days up to my retirement from the Ministry left me exhausted. I just needed a break from all of society. I'll admit having Ginny and the kids all to myself has been intoxicating, and I have just gotten around to poking my head up and looking at the world around me. Imagine my surprise to find that Severus Snape was alive and well and living at Hogwarts."

"Well, he won't be living here much longer. He is seeking a flat in Hogsmeade as we speak."

"So, this article is true?"

Hermione glanced down at it. "It is."

"From Skeeter?"

Hermione laughed. "Well, after the Minister was through chastising me for announcing to the whole student body that we brought a portrait to life, we decided we needed a good cover story. Skeeter was happy to add a little bit of intrigue in exchange for full bragging rights on airing the story."

"Well, which is the truth?"

"Let's just say Dumbledore didn't place any spell on Severus to 'hold his soul from the beyond' so it could wait for a portrait to be commissioned. It does make a nice cover story, though, and now Wizards all over Britain won't be trying to pull their departed loved ones off the wall and into their arms."

"Skeeter outdid herself this time. It's so seamlessly woven into everything else, and it makes perfect sense, too."

Hermione nodded her agreement. "It also affirms that Dumbledore was working with Severus during the last year of his life, and held no ill will against him for his death."

"I bet you thought that up, didn't you?"

Hermione shrugged and smiled sagely.

"I can't believe he's really alive..."

Hermione smiled inwardly. "Neither can I."

"I've got so much to say to him," Harry continued.

At that moment, the door to Hermione's office burst open, and Severus Snape strode in.

"Hermione, I've found the..." Severus' words died in his throat as he gazed upon Harry Potter.

Despite his knowledge of the truth, it seemed that Harry had seen a ghost himself, as he was now as pale as Severus.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Harry saw the paper and wanted to know if what he'd read about you was true."

"Yes, it seems that I had a crowd surrounding me wherever I went in Hogsmeade today," Severus said tartly.

"That will slow down as they get used to the fact that you're alive again," Hermione replied.

"I probably should have waited to venture out for a week or so, but I did find a suitable flat." Severus turned to Potter then. "You can stop gaping now, Mr. Potter."

Harry clamped his mouth shut, but continued to stare. Severus waited, then rolled his eyes. "Please, get it over with, whatever it is you find you must say to me."

"I wanted to say that I... I underestimated you during the war... and I'm sorry for that. You are the bravest man I have ever known. I suppose I could have told that to your portrait, but I've been rather busy as of late."

Severus eyed Potter and finally gave him a curt nod. "I expect we won't need to speak of this again?" he asked finally. "The past is over."

Harry extended his hand. Severus gazed down at it for a while before grasping it.

"I'm not quite sure what you want here, Potter. We were never meant to be fast friends."

Harry nodded in agreement as he shook Severus' hand. "I know that, sir. I would just like to have peace between the two of us. I won't ask you to tea, nor will I expect to hang out with you on weekends. However, after all this time, I hope that when we do cross each other's paths, we might be civil to one another."

"I can agree to that," Severus responded as he shook hands with Potter.

Their hands dropped, and Harry shifted his stance from leg to leg. He looked over at Hermione and smiled. "I'd best be going."

Hermione stood and wrapped her arm in his. "Let me walk you out," she offered. Looking back at Severus, she smiled at him. "I'll be back in a few minutes, Severus. You may wait here if you'd like."

Severus gave her a slow nod before she turned her attention to Harry once again.

They were half-way down the stairs when Hermione spoke.

"There's something else about Severus I should tell you before you go, Harry."

Harry looked at her curiously. "What is it?"

"I was trapped in a painting with him for some time before we were able to pull his soul from his portrait."

"Wow! What was that like?"

Hermione smiled. "It was quite interesting. I felt normal, and my surroundings seemed more than just brush strokes. In any case..." She looked tentatively at Harry.

"Go on..."

"Severus and I fell in love while I was trapped in the painting."

Harry stopped dead on the stairs. "Excuse me?"

"I'm in love with Severus Snape."

"You fell in love with a painting?"

Hermione huffed. "I know. It seems impossible, but his soul was trapped in that painting, and I fell in love with him."

"Does he treat you well? Isn't he an all around git to you?"

"He has his moments, but he's actually quite considerate to me."

"Hermione, will he make you happy?"

Hermione looked at him seriously. "He does make me happy. That's why I'm telling you about us. I think we might have something long lasting between us."

Harry started down the stairs again, his arm firmly anchored in Hermione's. He was quiet for a while, and Hermione let him ponder to himself. Finally he looked straight ahead and sighed.

"If he makes you happy, who am I to say it's wrong? I've underestimated him all my life. When I finally learned the truth about him, it was too late. This is a chance for me to see what Snape is really like. Just... don't let him hurt you, Hermione. You deserve the best in a relationship."

Hermione smiled as she clasped his hand in hers. "I'll be fine. I'm a big girl. He does make me happy, and I hope that continues for a very long time.

When Hermione came back into her office, she found Severus pacing back and forth. He looked at her with a look of dread when she came through her door.

"Well?" he asked.

Hermione gave him a curious look. "Well, what?"

"You told Potter about us, correct?"

"Oh, yes I did."

"I understand if you choose him over me."

"I beg your pardon?" Hermione asked in puzzlement.

"He certainly wouldn't approve of our relationship, Hermione. I know you see him as a brother. I will not be a cause for you parting ways with him."

Hermione came up to him and pulled her to him, embracing him fiercely.

"If he had been difficult, I would have told him to stop whinging and grow up. In any case, he's happy for me."

Severus pulled back. "He is?"

Hermione nodded.

"I thought for sure..."

She smiled and pulled him into a kiss. "He's not the impulsive boy you remember. He just wants me to be happy, and I assured him that I am."

Severus pulled her to him again. "I was worried."

Hermione sagged within his embrace. "You don't trust me, do you?"

Severus placed a kiss atop her head. "It's not that. I'm just used to things never going as I want them."

She met his gaze. "That was in another lifetime. I have no intention of leaving you. If my friends don't accept us, they'll have to deal with that themselves. I want this to work just as much as you do."

He smiled and pulled her into a quick kiss. "Thank you, Hermione. Once again, I have underestimated you. Forgive me."

Running her fingers through his hair, she nodded to him. "It's all right. We are still learning about one another. I suppose if I had lived your life, I would expect every good thing to slip from my fingers as well."

"Speaking of good things, I found it."

Hermione's eyes lit up. "You found a flat?"

"Not just a flat. It's a small store with an apartment above it. It's perfect for my needs. Do you have time to see it with me?"

Hermione glanced at the clock above Dexter Fortescue's portrait. "I have about an hour before I need to do anything. We can Apparate over now if you'd like."

"Excellent." Severus took her by the hand and led her out of the office enthusiastically. Hermione couldn't help but smile at him. To anyone else he'd just seem to be in a hurry, but she could tell that he was excited about his find and eager to share it with her. She delighted in each new discovery about the usually stoic man she was in love with. Being able to see what so many others just didn't understand made her feel so much closer to him.

They appeared in front of the shop, and Hermione gasped inwardly. "You do realize what shop this used to be, don't you, Severus?"

He shrugged. "Why do I care if hordes of lusty children used to sip tea and make eyes at one another in this place? It suits me perfectly. Come."

He dragged her through the door in his eagerness. She hid her smile and appeared to be all business as she walked around the room, surveying its interior.

"I do see what you mean by it suiting you. There's plenty of room to show your products in an open atmosphere."

"And we can have a testing counter over there," he said while pointing to the far wall. "Some shelving behind it with the tester products displayed will work perfectly."

"How do we get to the apartment?" Hermione asked.

"Through this back door." He led her through the door, which opened to a storeroom with a staircase on the left. They climbed the stairs and entered the lone door that was at the top landing. Hermione noticed the hard wood floors immediately. She wandered from room to room.

"It's bigger than I imagined," she remarked. Going toward the far door, she noted a room with no windows. "I wonder why this has no windows. Do you suppose Madam Puddifoot brewed herself? Perhaps she added something special to every cup of tea she served?"

Severus came up behind her. "I wondered much the same when I saw this room. I guess she's taken her secrets to her grave, but the room is perfect."

"Wooden floors, no windows... it certainly will make a perfect Potions lab." She turned to him and grinned. "I definitely think it's perfect, Severus."

"The best part is the building is within my budget," he said seriously.

"Did you tell the owners that you would buy it?"

"I wanted your opinion first," he said, looking a bit disgruntled. "Should I have done otherwise?"

Hermione threw herself into his arms and kissed him. "No, of course not! I just thought that you might have been excited and taken the place already."

"This is a joint venture. I would not make a large decision like this without your approval."

"You should definitely buy it. I want to put down half on the purchase."

Severus scowled at her. "Hermione, this is my venture. I do not..."

"You said we were to be partners. I will put in my share."

"I am not asking you to be a partner only to use your money."

She frowned at him. "I assumed you were asking me to be a partner because you enjoy my company and think that I would be an asset to your business."

"That is so."

"So, as your partner, I will contribute half toward the purchase of the building."

"The building includes a flat. You do not need to invest in half of my living quarters."

"All right, then. I will just pay for half of the store. Agreed?"

He gave her a curt nod. "I appreciate that, Hermione."

She pulled away from him. "Come on, let's go make an offer to the owners."

Severus pulled her to him again and kissed her. She felt weak at his kiss and fell into him.

"You really have to stop doing that," she said breathlessly once they'd pulled apart. "I can never remember what we are about to do when you kiss me like that."

"We're buying a business..." he offered with a smirk.

"Ah, yes... Well, we should be off then."

Severus grasped Hermione by the hand, and they were soon headed down the stairs and out the door. They moved to a shop two doors down that advertised Wizarding vacations and real estate. Severus held the door open for her to enter as a man looked up from a desk filled with travel brochures.

"Ah, Mr. Snape, what did you decide?" the man asked.

"Mr. Montgomery, this is Hermione Granger, Headmistress of Hogwarts and my business partner. We would like to negotiate a price on the building I looked at this morning."

Forty minutes later, Severus and Hermione emerged from the office. Hermione's eyes gleamed at Severus as they prepared to Apparate back to Hogwarts.

"What?" he asked sharply.

"How did you get him to settle for half of what he was asking?"

"Simple Slytherin cunning, my dear," he replied as he spun away. Hermione smiled and shook her head before following suit.