Eight

Disclaimer = the usual!

Thanks go to fizzabella for the beta! :)

Harry looked at her, aghast, and leaned back in his chair. The sounds of the pub died out around them as she concentrated on his green eyes, waiting for him to tell her what she should do with herself. When he snatched up his tumbler and knocked back the last of his drink, she finally spoke.

"Please say something."

He lifted his glass towards the witch waiting on tables, and she hurried over to replace it with a fresh drink. When the witch left, Harry said, "I think you're bloody insane."

"Why? I told you what Healer Scott told me!"

"Hermione, you need to tell Ron."

"I can't! You saw him with her!"

"Yeah, they've had, what, one date? Two? It's not too late." Harry took a deep drink and added, "He'd want to know, Hermione. He loves you. He's just doing that because he thinks it's what you want."

"But what if I can't get pregnant?"

"I doubt that Ron would care in the long run. There's always adoption."

"He would care. He wants to be a father...of his own children. I'm just afraid that I would ruin things for him. I mean, if she can give him what I can't, then why not let her?"

"It's stupid. This will come out eventually, and he'll be angry that you lied to him."

Hermione sighed, wondering why she'd even bothered. "I just wanted to talk to someone. My parents are still in Australia, and it's not like I can just pop round for a chat at any time, especially with something like this. Mum would..."

"So you think she'll be pleased that you didn't tell the man you love that you still want him, that you let him go off with some other woman, and that you're considering using a Geneamorological Agency, one that you despise, mind?" He snorted. "Yeah, she'll approve of that. Why not?"

"If I use the agency, I can find someone who is looking for the same things that I am, and I can be up front about the endometriosis and how it may play a part in an inability to conceive."

Harry leaned forward and took Hermione's hand. "You don't even know if you'll have trouble, Hermione. You've admitted that you only didn't use the potion the one time. Do you know how many times Ginny and I forgot the potion? Loads."

"But I was ovulating! You might have forgot when she wasn't."

"Ginny and I have sex all the time. I'm certain she was ovulating at least part of the time," he said, sitting back again. "She went off the potion completely for the last few months, and she's finally pregnant. It's just a matter of timing and... and whatever else." He shrugged. "I think you loving Ron and going off to marry someone else because you think you're doing him a favor is mental. That's what I think about it."

"And I don't despise the agency."

"That's news to me. You were pretty riled up about it."

"Well, look at the people it's actually helping. I could be one of those."

"You should be talking to Ginny about this."

"I can't talk to Ginny about this! She'll tell Ron!"

"And I won't?"

"Of course you won't." Hermione smiled. "You love me too much." When he said nothing, she asked, "Right?"

"Right," he said with a nod. "I just hate this and don't like being put in this position. Ron's going to kill me."

"He'll never know."

"Yeah? Going to explain how you suddenly up and married someone else, are you? How you couldn't give him kids but don't mind having one with a stranger, eh?"

"Harry!" Hermione admonished. "You make it sound so... so cold."

"Because it is." He finished his drink. "I don't know what you were expecting me to say here. I think your reasoning is all mixed up. You're being a bit... irrational, which is something I'm not used to where you're concerned."

"I just need someone in my corner. I thought," she stood angrily, "that since I've never left yours, that person might be you. You're all I have, Harry. Thanks so much." She turned and pulled on her cloak as she made her way towards the door, Harry calling out after her.

The moment she stepped out onto the street a hand grabbed her arm, stopping her. Harry had followed her out. "Don't just leave like that," he said. "You know I'll always support you. It's why I didn't walk out, but that doesn't mean I have to approve of everything. Look at all the shite I've done that you didn't approve of, and you never minded telling me the truth. What sort of mate would I be if I weren't honest?"

Hermione became teary-eyed as she leaned into Harry and whispered, "I'm so confused. I feel like time's going to run out on me. I feel stupid for letting Ron go, but I can't make myself tell him how I feel. I'm afraid it will be a mistake. She's perfect for him."

"I still think you should tell him."

"If... if things with her don't work out, I will tell him," Hermione said, "but that's the only way." She looked up at Harry and wiped her eyes. "What did you think when you saw them together?"

"I, uh... Well, I hated it. She's not you."

"But?"

"But they seemed to get on."

"Exactly. And I'll bet she wants loads of little babies now she's taking a break from Quidditch."

"Don't know. Didn't ask all that."

"Maybe I will talk to Ginny. I can swear her to secrecy."

"I'm sure she'd have better advice than me, and you really need to see your mum. It's been a long time."

"I guess I'm still angry that they've decided to stay there instead of coming home."

"They probably just need time to deal with all that's happened. I mean, you cast charms on their minds to alter their memories without permission, you know?"

"Thanks for reminding me, but I was saving their lives!"

"I know that, but it's likely they don't think of it that way. What parents wouldn't want to try to protect their kids? Mine died for me. I doubt yours wanted to die, but they probably would have wanted the choice." He closed his eyes in regret. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"No, it's all right." She squeezed his shoulder. "I'm going to go home. Shorty's cooking something special for me he says. And I want to look up some things on the internet. There's always loads of information out there."

"Stay away from all those dirty story sites," Harry said, laughing and ducking her hand as she swatted at him.

"I can't believe Ron told you about that! I happened on that site by accident. I had no idea the author was writing something so... provocative!"

"Uh-huh," Harry replied. "That's why it's on your favorites then, eh?"

She laughed. "Well, Ron took a liking to it after that."

"Sure, blame Ron."

Hermione laughed. "Thanks, Harry. For everything."

"I'll tell Ginny to expect you."

"Tell her to pop round instead."

"Will do." He hugged her, looked around to see that nobody was about, and Disapparated.

Hermione, in turn, Apparated to the Ministry, intent on getting a copy of the agency's questionnaire.

Outraged couldn't begin to describe Severus at the moment. "You have discussed my personal information with others in the past, and I wouldn't put it past you to do so again. I demand that someone else take over my case," he said firmly, facing the smug witch before him.

"I'm afraid you can't prove that, sir," Joslyn Ulbrook said. "That would be against the rules, and I'd never do something like that." The glint in her eyes said otherwise. "However, if you would like me to look into your matches further, perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement. I could possibly fill out a questionnaire and might be a nice match for you."

"I would reject you just like I've done all the other halfwits!" Severus said angrily. "I want to speak to your supervisor."

"I am this department's supervisor," Joslyn replied, sitting back against her desk and bringing a hand up to play with the strand of pearls around her neck. "While my boss is away on maternity leave anyway, so your complaints about me shall be handled by me, and I seriously doubt I'll chastise myself." She smirked. "Why don't you...Miss Granger! Hello."

"What are you on about?" Severus said before he realized that someone else had entered the room. He turned to see an irate Hermione Granger standing behind him just in the doorway.

"Madam Ulbrook, I will be discussing what I've just heard with the Minister! How dare you use your authority to bully someone in such a way! I am appalled."

"You've misunderstood, I think," the woman said nervously.

"I have not," Hermione replied.

"Professor Snape, if you wish to make a complaint against Madam Ulbrook, I will be willing to document it, as I have one of my own to write as well."

"I will indeed," he said, rising. Part of him was annoyed that this particular person had come to his rescue, but he needed help. He'd not allow Ulbrook to get away with giving out personal information and then trying to bully him into choosing her as his match.

"Wait, I'll lose my job!" Joslyn said as she rounded her desk. "Let me explain."

"Explain it to the Minister," Hermione replied curtly, snatching up a blank questionnaire from a shelf next to the woman's desk. "I'll handle turning in mine on my own, thanks." Her next words were addressed to Severus. "Follow me please."

They walked down the hallway, leaving a sputtering Ulbrook behind, and waited for the lift. Once it came, Hermione punched in a number, and it slid sideways before dropping. At another stop, several parchment airplanes zoomed in and hovered above them. At another, many of them flew out. Finally, the doors opened on Granger's floor.

"It's just down the hall here," she said, walking to the left and looking at the form she'd taken from Ulbrook's desk. At her doorway, she waved her hand to unlock the warding and opened the door. "Come on in," she said warmly. "Have a seat."

"Thank you."

A moment later, she fetched a set of complaint forms, a quill, and some ink. "Please put anything you feel pertinent. I will bring this directly to the Minister. He's taken a special interest in dealing with those who dare abuse their power here. I will also log what I heard."

"I appreciate it." Unable to help himself, he nodded to the form in her hand. "Are you filling out the agency's questionnaire?"

"I'm thinking about it," she said, moving the paper to the side. "Is it not... Are things not going all that well for you?"

He decided to be honest since she'd come to his aid. "I loathed the idea of being forced into this at first, but then I thought it might have merit. The matches I've been given, however, have not been, in my opinion, true matches. I wonder if the Ulbrook woman has purposely been interfering with my case, hoping that I'll become desperate enough to accept her constant advances."

"I'm so sorry that you've had to deal with this," Hermione said. "It won't happen again, and I can guarantee that whatever matches you have next round will not be tampered with."

"I thank you." He dipped his quill in the inkpot and began writing, the scratching of their quills loud in the closed in room. After a few minutes, he said, "I thought that you and Weasley were an item."

"Oh..." Her voice cracked. "Well, we were, but things have, uh, changed. I just thought I might see what this is all about. Some people are saying that it's actually given them a better lease on life."

Severus snorted and continued writing in companionable silence. He couldn't help wondering what had transpired between the girl and Weasley. He supposed the oaf had done something to drive the girl away. The boy had never been one of the fastest brooms on the pitch. Once he'd completed his complaint, he asked, "Shall I leave this with you then?"

"Yes, and I'll make sure that Kingsley gets it. Er... the Minister." She grinned.

"Kingsley is a fair man. I'm sure he'll look into it diplomatically."

"I agree." Hermione held out her hand, which he took and shook. "Thanks for trusting me with this."

"Good day, Miss Granger."

"Good day, Professor."

Severus paused in the doorway. "I was a little... inebriated and angry when I answered the questions the first time. I wonder if I might be able to alter some of them?"

"I'm not sure how that works, but I can find out for you. Shall I send an owl when I know something?"

"That is acceptable."

"Bye."

"Until later."

He left her office feeling better than he had in days and knew that he'd finally get a fair shake. Granger might have been an annoying swot back at Hogwarts, but she'd always been honest...aside from her lie about the Troll back when Potter and Weasley had rescued her. Maybe his matches would be more appealing this time around since they'd remain unaltered.

AN: And so now they've finally met up in the story. More up soon!