Decisions

Disclaimer: see first chapter.

Many thanks to Dacian Goddess for her invaluable help.

Hermione felt fully rested when she woke up the next morning. She stretched languidly, relishing in the feeling of the soft cotton sheets on her skin, and nudged Severus as a consequence.

"Hmm," emerged from the lump that was Severus' form under the covers.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. Did you sleep well?"

"What is your opinion on the matter?" He opened his eyes and gazed at her, still sleepy.

She smiled softly at him. "You've slept well. Hungry?"

"I need the loo first," he grumbled. He stood up and strode in all his glorious nudity to the bathroom. He came back, already clothed in his customary black robes.

Wide-eyed, she told him, "I know I'm not supposed to linger here, but you could have waited a bit before getting dressed!"

He sighed. "Hermione, I'm not casting you out of my bed or my quarters, but I only have nightshirts and robes, and it's too chilly here to wander with just a nightshirt on. Besides, I will soon have to attend breakfast in the Great Hall." He smirked. "Believe me, I'd rather attend any need you might have."

"All right." She sat down and started to collect her own clothes. "I'll get dressed and go back home." She had a smirk of her own. "When will you next be available to attend my needs?" she asked coquettishly. She was downright irresistible like that, batting her eyelashes in a parody of a pin-up girl with only her underwear on.

He went up to her. "I think I can manage an evening a week out of the castle and entertain you here every Friday and Saturday evenings. Your choice, my dear."

"Saturday, Saturday evening is fine. I'd like to go out with you and then to take you to my home. I promise I'll have a warm bathrobe for you to wear in the morning."

"We have a deal." He pinned her against him and kissed her for a long time. "Get dressed so that I can walk you to the gates."

"Don't you fear we'd be seen?"

"I've thought about it, and I've come to the conclusion that I don't care. In fact, I expect everyone to be shocked that such an unpleasant man like me can get a girlfriend." He looked smug about it, though there were denigration and self-teasing in his voice.

"If you'd like, I'll write a plea to defend your case against the world."

His lips tightened to prevent a smile, but he couldn't hide his appreciation of her words to show in his eyes.

"Thank you, Hermione. It will not be necessary, but I'll keep the offer in mind."

She smiled at him...again. He couldn't get enough of it.

In September, Hermione and Severus managed to see each other two to three times a week. Severus' propensity to give detentions drastically decreased during that time. Between long conversations with Hermione, sex with Hermione, and the paperwork required to have the extended Polyjuice patented, he really didn't have the time any more to punish mischievous students.

As for Hermione's lawyer office project, things were going nicely. She'd found a place, studied enough, and had enough savings to start working without earning money yet.

By November, she'd quit her job at the pharmacy and was falling madly in love with Severus Snape.

What? What do they mean?

Severus was staring with incredulity at the parchment he'd received from the Ministry.

Mister Snape,

Executive Clerk of the Ludicrous Patent Office

In the same letter, they were congratulating him and telling him he had done all this work for naught! Unthinkable. He would appeal the decision in front of the High Committee for Marketing Magical Products. But first, he needed some cheering up. He stood up from his chair at the High Table and approached Dumbledore.

"Headmaster, I have to leave the castle this morning, possibly until this evening. Could you please cancel my classes?"

Dumbledore frowned, concern etched in his old face.

"Are you unwell, Severus?"

"I have received bad news from the Ministry. I cannot wait to take action," Severus said impatiently.

"You can go, Severus. You are indeed in no condition to teach today. I would fear for an accident to happen. Don't worry for your classes."

Severus nodded. "Thank you, Headmaster." He then turned on his heels and briskly walked away.

"Say hello to Hermione for me," Dumbledore shouted at Severus' back.

Less than a half hour later, he was in front of Hermione's flat door. Her smile soon melted in a frown when she saw his tense posture.

"Severus, what is it?" she asked softly, stepping aside to let him in.

"This." He shoved the Ministry parchment into her hands and sat down on "his" sofa with petulance.

She beamed, then frowned at the content of the missive.

"Bullshit!" she exclaimed.

In spite of his current difficulty with the Ministry, Severus couldn't help but be shocked at the very rude word Hermione had just uttered. "What?" he said.

"That's all bullshit. They want to keep the recipe a secret so that the Ministry will be able to use it on unsuspecting wizards. I won't let them get away with this!"

"What do you mean by 'I'? You're not concerned by this 'bullshit', as you put it."

She put her hands on her hips. "Severus, we are in a relationship, aren't we?"

"Of course," he scoffed.

"So, if something happens to you, it is a concern to me. I'm going to help you." She smiled cunningly. "Would you mind being my first customer?"

He narrowed his eyes. "What would your fee be?"

"Nothing monetary," she said in a sultry tone. When she saw his expression darken, she hastened to add, "Of course, this is a special Severus Snape fee."

He pondered the question a bit. On one hand, he knew her enough not to doubt her abilities; what's more, thanks to their relationship, she would have a personal interest in his victory against the Ministry. On the other hand, wasn't it against her profession's ethics to represent one's lover? After a few minutes, he opted for "employing" her as his lawyer. He realised when he started to talk that she was anxiously waiting for his answer.

"You will represent me. I intend to appeal the decision in front of the High Committee for Marketing Magical Products. You could help me build my case and be my go-between between the Ministry and myself, especially as I can't leave my job every day."

His confidence and trust in her filled her with warmth, and she grinned. "Thank you, Severus. You can't fathom what it means to me." She knew right there and then that she had definitely fallen for him.

The date for the appeal was fixed on November 29th. Hermione worked hard to prepare Severus' appeal. It reminded her of the time she had spent in her third year to gather information for Buckbeak's defence. She hoped that the nowadays Ministry officials were less susceptible to favouritism than they had been at the time.

Severus fetched her at eight that morning and Apparated them both to the Leaky Cauldron, whence they could Floo to the Ministry Atrium. From there, they headed to the seventh level; the High Committee would meet them in one of the meeting rooms of the Ludicrous Patent Office.

They were the last to arrive. They took their seats in leather chairs on the nearer side of an oval table, in front of three other persons who introduced themselves as Percy Weasley, Executive Clerk of the Ludicrous Patent Office, Mafalda Hopkirk, from the Improper Use of Magic Office, and Benjamin Croaker, from the Department of Mysteries. No one was smiling, and the atmosphere was tense. Percy waited for Hermione to set all her notes on the table in front of her before he cleared his throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today to hear Severus Snape's objection to the Ministry's decision to ban him from marketing a twenty-four hour Polyjuice potion. The Ministry's decision was based on ethical considerations as follows: if the recipe of such a potion were made public, it would be only too easy for criminals to impersonate people usually trusted, such as Aurors or family members, and to take advantage of the weakest members of our community. Past uses of an hour-only Polyjuice have already led to disaster. The danger is too great for our community. However, you've decided to appeal the decision, as is your right. We're listening to you, Mister Snape."

"Mrs Hopkirk, Gentlemen, my lawyer, Miss Granger, will represent me." He turned his head toward her. "Hermione, if you will?"

"Of course, Severus." She watched the members of the High Committee straight in the eyes. "Mrs Hopkirk, Gentlemen, I believe banning Mister Snape from marketing the twenty-four hour Polyjuice is unfair, and I will prove it to you. The Ministry's fear that the wrong people would use this potion is perfectly understandable, but it's not proved that making it illegal would prevent criminals from using it. After all, the news of such a discovery has probably reached all the Ministry's employees, who might have spoken of it at home."

She stopped to assess the effects of her words. She noticed with satisfaction that the Committee members looked uncomfortable. She pushed her advantage. "Besides, it's a well known fact that the Aurors are taught a spell, created last year, which exposes impostors. The risk isn't as big as the Ministry makes it."

She decided a theatrical pause would further her cause. She let her eyes fall on each Committee member silently. When she was through with the motion, they were all fidgeting uncomfortably. Then she resumed her speech. "A medical use has been found for the potion, too. If people would store parts of their bodies such as their hair or nails...under a stasis charm, of course...while they are healthy, those body parts could be used in the twenty-four hour Polyjuice to put them back in said healthy condition if they fall gravely ill. It would grant Healers the time to treat the disease, or to brew the needed potion."

The High Committee felt uneasy, she could see. They hadn't expected this argument, one of the kind that couldn't be ignored, especially if the wizard of the street would hear of it. And there was no doubt that he would hear of it.

Now that Hermione was sure that her case was all wrapped up, she decided to put forward their last argument, which would provide the Ministry with some sense of security and control, and therefore win them over.

"Severus Snape also accepts that the recipe of the potion not be made public. He accepts that the potion be sold under restriction, without the recipe or the ingredients made public, but he feels that simply prohibiting it would deprive the community of something useful. I have nothing else to say."

Mafalda Hopkirk, Benjamin Croaker and Percy Weasley exchanged glances before Percy Weasley spoke, "Thank you, Miss Granger. You and Mister Snape can wait in the corridor while the High Committee for Marketing Magical Products deliberates and makes a decision."

Hermione and Severus rose in silence and walked into the corridor. Severus began to pace at once while Hermione leaned against the wall opposite the meeting room door. They waited, not saying a word, for fifteen minutes. It was a very starchy Percy Weasley who opened the door and invited them back in. When everyone had returned to their seats, he spoke.

"Mister Snape, the High Committee for Marketing Magical Products has carefully examined the arguments that you submitted to us in relation with your application to market a twenty-four hour Polyjuice. The following decision has been made: you may patent the recipe of the potion in question, but with restrictions." Hermione fought to keep her face straight at hearing those words, and Severus' face relaxed minutely. "The recipe is to remain strictly confidential and only accessible to the employees of the Ludicrous Patent Office and of a Ministry-authorised laboratory which will brew it. Its distribution will be restricted to St Mungo's, Healers, the Aurors, and individuals with special authorisation from the Ministry."

That was a victory. Severus felt elation invade his mind. If he were a lesser man, he would have grabbed Hermione and spun her around the place. Instead, he grabbed her hand under the table and squeezed it. His reputation of someone of importance in the Potions makers' community was now certain; realisation brutally dawned upon him that he'd in reality worked more for acknowledgment and recognition than for money.

As for Hermione, she didn't mind showing her relief and joy about the High Committee decision. She managed to restrain herself from hugging him publicly, but her grin and sparkling eyes brought the sun in the underground building. Or at least, that was what Severus thought. Damn, I'm becoming sentimental.

They nearly missed the end of Percy's speech. "This decision has yet to be upheld and signed by the Minister for Magic. The final answer will be sent to you by owl. The meeting is over."

That certainly dampened the couple's enthusiasm, though in Severus' case, the change wasn't very apparent. This explained their shock when Benjamin Croaker amiably spoke to them. "Don't worry too much. The Minister will follow our decision. He always does."

With those words, the members of the High Committee filed out of the room, passing by Hermione and Severus without another glance at them, leaving them awkwardly standing in the Ministry room. After a short while, Hermione's stunned face was disturbed by a twitch of her lips. Little by little, like water threading its way through the mud until it reaches the surface and bursts in the open air, her smile grew into a grin, to finally erupt in a full throat laugh. "We've been played," she hiccuped, clutching her belly. "This Committee always intended to allow you to patent your potion. It's Scrimgeour, the Minister, who didn't want it to be patented. But his staff disagreed and used these proceedings to thwart him.

"Don't you see that, Severus? Their arguments were feeble, and they gave in after a ten-minute deliberation only."

Severus' mind did a double take; they'd been played? But it'd been to their advantage! He'd never heard of a situation in which a person had been played to their advantage. There had to be a catch! However, his mind was too frantic to come with an answer, and Hermione's noisy glee didn't help, either. Actually, Hermione's glee appeared to be contagious, or maybe it was how his mind decided to cope with the revelation, but he started to laugh with Hermione. They were soon obliged to support each other for the next ten minutes until their laugh subsided, and they could think rationally again. Later, they would bless the fact that no one had used the corridor while they were so incapable of maintaining their dignity.

They felt good after their outburst; they had needed the outlet after the weeks of tension, and it was as good as sex for relieving tension meant.

"I guess now we only need to wait for the letter," Severus finally said.

His posture was relaxed, and this was a bit disconcerting. Not that Hermione wasn't used to seeing Severus that relaxed; but when that happened, he was naked in bed after a healthy bout of sex, not in full Snape regalia in the middle of a Ministry corridor. She smiled naughtily at him. "Why don't we go home? We have the rest of the day to ourselves."

He smirked, took her arm and led her to her flat, where they made sure they would get even more relaxed.

Severus was mildly surprised when, a few days later, he received permission from the Ministry to patent the twenty-four hour Polyjuice. He hadn't been entirely sure that his request wouldn't be rejected after all. However, he didn't feel as elated as he should have been by his success. He briefly wondered why, until his eyes travelled through the open door that led to his bedroom and fell on the young woman still asleep in his bed; the rumpled sheets, lifted in a regular rhythm by her breathing, were baring her delectable throat. Hermione was the only real reward for his efforts, he reflected, and there was no way that he would let her go.