Logic is the Key

“You aren’t– you weren’t serious just now, were you?” Snape asked, slowly righting the tea kettle he had dropped just seconds before.

Hermione’s icy calm exterior shattered the moment her decision was questioned. It was stupid to decide something like that so early, she realized. Just as it was stupid to try and imagine that her married life was going to end up with a happily ever after like the cheesy romance novel she’d read before bed. That’s probably what had put the idea in her head in the first place. Now that Snape was standing in front of her, Hermione was coming to grips with the disappointing truth that Snape was not–nor would he ever be–some type of Romeo character.

“I-I don’t know,” Hermione finally said, uttering the words she hadn’t used in years. “I thought I was but, I’m really not sure.” She could feel herself under the Potions master’s scrutiny, and she immediately reddened, focusing her eyes on the pancakes cooking before of her. Without looking up, she piled a few pancakes on two plates, bringing them over to the table.

“I’ve always wanted a family,” Hermione added, still staring at her breakfast. “A nice little home in the country, and two or three children. Of course, I’d probably have to quit my job in order to raise the children.” Snape looked up from his pancakes, but was unable to meet Hermione’s eyes. She was a rarity, he decided. Most young career witches, especially ones with such promising futures as Hermione, did not often fantasize about giving up a job to take care of a few brats. His appreciation of her went up a notch.

“I’ve always wanted at least two children,” Snape admitted, now that Hermione had finally shared her little dream. He saw the look on her face, and added, “I can’t stand most children, but my own would be raised in such a way that they would be tolerable.”

Hermione had an image of a black-robed Snape chasing a small toddler around the mansion, trying to get the little boy into his diapers. Unable to help herself, she snorted into her glass of water.

“And just what is so funny?” Snape asked crossly, setting down his utensils and glaring at his wife.

“You haven’t been around children much, have you?” Hermione commented, trying to rein in her giggles, but only succeeding in gagging on her pancake.

“Hermione,” he replied, using her given name to the surprise of both, “I am around children every waking moment. I am a teacher.”

“Not school-age kids, little children. Toddlers, babies.” Snape probably wouldn’t know what to do with them, Hermione realized, the thought of him utterly helpless and clueless endearing him to her. “I used to babysit,” she added, “The little ones were so adorable. I used to wish I’d have a baby brother or sister so I could take care of them.”

“I absolutely loathed being an only child,” Snape confessed, glancing around the kitchen he’d spent so little of his childhood in. “There were no other children in the house. My father forbade the help from keeping any young children with them. I devoted all my time to my studies, because it was the only thing I could do.”

“My parents made me feel as if I was their last hope,” Hermione said, picking at her pancakes. “I was the only child, so everything I did had to be exceptional. I wasn’t very good friends with the other children in my neighborhood, and because I didn’t have a brother or sister, I spent a lot of my time alone.” She shrugged, finishing the last bit of food from her plate.

Rising, Hermione cleared the empty plates off the table, just as she had watched her mum do for years. She realized that she’d never really talked to Snape before, and now that she was, she was finding it to be quite pleasant. She was suddenly struck with an idea.

“How about,” she began slowly, “we weigh our options. We’re both logical people, it shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out the pros and cons of actually living together as a married couple.”

Snape suddenly, surprised. But he nodded. It sounded look a good idea. Weighing the pros and cons probably wasn’t the best way to decide whether a couple wanted to marry, but hell, they were married already, so it couldn’t really make a difference.

Snape summoned a piece of paper and a quill, while Hermione started dictating.

“Pros,” she began, the quill immediately writing down what she said. “Companionship. Support. A family. Not coming home to an empty apartment late a night. Someone to sit with and discuss important issues with in front of the fire,” Hermione added, sighing wistfully. Snape raised a brow at the last comment, but managed to contain any rude remarks he might have made.

“Cons. Having to share living space. Not being able to do whatever we want, whenever we so care to do it.”

“Housing,” Snape interjected, interrupting Hermione’s endless listing. “Hogwarts teachers live on campus, which means you would have to come live in my quarters. It might be a bit cramped. Especially,” he hesitated, “especially if there are children later on.” Both fell silent.

“I know this isn’t a full list, but,” Hermione nervously bit her lip, glancing at Snape. “I think I would like to try it. Just one week, and we’ll see how it goes. Is that alright, Severus?” She purposely used his given name, and was relieved that he did not seem to be bothered by it. Of course, she realized, he had called her Hermione first.

“Shall we be telling your family?” Snape asked suddenly, an awkward silence filling the air after his question.

Hermione shook her head. “If it doesn’t work out, well, I don’t think I could stand having them–or Ron and Harry for that matter– talking about it. They’d go on for hours about it. I’d never hear the end of it, and come to think of it, neither would you. They’d probably think you forced me into it.” Snape looked ready to reply indignantly, but Hermione cut him off with a tired wave. “They do it because they care, I know. But their chivalry is a bit misguided.”

“So we shan’t be telling anyone,” Snape confirmed, looking rather relieved. The less people who knew about it, the better. If they were lucky, only themselves, Dumbledore and the Weasley girl knew. If they were unlucky and Dumbledore insisted on broadcasting their happy news to the staff, well, the entire wizarding world would know by Sunday.

“And so starts day one,” Hermione muttered, under her breath, placing the dirty dishes in the sink and running the tap. “Good morning, Severus.”

“Good morning, Hermione.”

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Later that night, Hermione watched Snape from her position on the couch. He must have assumed she was asleep, but she was wide awake, and she’d been watching him for the last hour. Finally he set down his book, extinguishing the candle. Hermione took that as her cue to move. Scrambling out of bed, she tiptoed across the floor and hesitating for a moment, climbed into the makeshift bed next to Snape.

“What are you doing?” He asked, quite unsure of how to react to both the sudden physical contact and Hermione’s bold move.

Hermione took a deep, calming breath, fully aware of what she was about to do. “Well, we are married now...”

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Author’s Note: Tune in tomorrow for the next challenge requirement...the smut scene.

Many thanks to my wonderful Muse-Goddess Chelsea, despite the fact that she kinda sorta wanted to beta these chapters, but kinda sorta never got around to it.