Chapter 3

A/N: This chapter is kind of short. It's really a transitional chapter that I couldn't elaborate on. I am also extremely sorry for the slow update. It may not look like it, because of the short chapter, but I had my first bout with major writer's block. I always try to give you guys the best, so I had to re-write this a couple of times. Thanks so much to my beautiful beta, RobisonRocket. Bless you, RR! I wouldn't know where a comma goes if it came up and bit me in the rear!!

Chapter 3

Hermione felt completely drained by the time they had arrived back home to Spinner's End. She knew they needed to start packing up for their return to Hogwarts, but she just couldn't find the energy. She knew she needed to start getting herself ready for dinner, but she just sat in her chair in the her bedroom.

Grace had gone over to the Malfoys to pick up Brian, and Hermione had a feeling they'd be there for a while. Sure enough, not sooner had she thought it, did her husband come through the door with a bewildered grimace on this face.

"What is it, Severus? You look slightly... disgruntled."

"Grace just Floo called me from the Malfoys. She has so kindly offered to stay with Brian so I can take you for a lovely evening of dinner and dancing."

Hermione frowned. "I think she's a bit young to be home alone, not to mention the added responsibility of her younger brother."

"That's exactly what I told her. But, she was ready for me to say that."

Hermione's eyes widened. "What did she tell you?"

"She said that the Malfoys would love to have them stay with them until we come home. And then that Luna woman insisted that I just let them stay the night because there is plenty of room at the Manor."

Hermione chuckled. "What exactly are you worried about, Severus? Draco and Luna will watch our children, and you can take me out on a much needed dinner date."

Severus scowled at her.

"Oh, I get it. You're concerned about Gracie's friendship with Devon, is that it?" Hermione crossed her arms and waited for the answer.

"Hmph!" Severus responded.

"Come on, Severus," Hermione said. She started walking toward him with her hips swaying seductively. "A private dinner with candlelight and music could be very... encouraging."

Severus watched Hermione's fingers walk slowly up his arm. He crossed his arms in an attempt to stay focused on the matter at hand. He was losing.

"You know how quiet the house is when the kids are away. Can you just imagine how quiet it's going to be when they are out all night long?"

That was his undoing. He grabbed her and pushed her against the wall. "You, my little minx, forgot about the sounds of you screaming my name."

Hermione pushed gently on Severus' chest in order to move him out of the way. Swaying her hips from side to side, she made her way to the bathroom. Severus could hear her low chuckle and, right before she closed the door, she turned back to him.

"I suggest you get dressed if we plan on making it back home at a decent hour."

After she closed the door, Severus whispered to himself, "I don't know what I was thinking when I married a witch half my age. That woman will be the death of me." Severus heard the shower come on, and with a lascivious smirk he took off his robes and headed for the bathroom. He was in need of a shower as well.

**********

Severus and Hermione were halfway through their dinner, making polite conversation and completely avoiding the subject of the day's events. Once their plates were empty, the waiter appeared and filled up their wine glasses.

"If you are interested, I shall bring the dessert menu over," the waiter said.

Without taking his eyes off of Hermione, Severus replied, "You can hold off on the dessert for a while. Right now, I want to dance with my beautiful wife."

The waiter gave a slight bow and departed.

"Severus, you are such a charmer," Hermione remarked as she allowed her husband to take her hand and lead her to the dance floor.

As they swayed together, the rest of the restaurant's patrons disappeared, and they became the only two people in the universe. They locked eyes with one another, and Severus lightly brushed his lips across Hermione's. They never noticed when the music stopped; they continued, locked in an embrace on the dance floor.

"Hermione, do you have any idea how much I love you? For as long as I can remember, you have been the only light in the darkness that has been a part of my life for so many years. I owe Ronald Weasley such a tremendous debt of gratitude, and my only regret is that I don't know how to pay it back. He gave me you and Grace, and essentially, my beautiful son. He is responsible for my life having a purpose for which I didn't think possible after the war."

Hermione stopped swaying and put both of hands on either side of her husband's face. "Severus Snape, you have repaid the debt in so many ways. You took care of us. More than that, you have loved us. You have always been a good man. You saved us – me and Grace. You saved us from a life of loneliness and sadness. You gave me a reason to love again, when I didn't think it was possible."

"Hermione, I don't know if this is the right time to bring this up, but I need to ask you something."

"I've learned, Severus, that there is no such thing as a right time and a wrong time. You may ask me anything you want."

Severus took Hermione's hand and guided her back to their table where the dessert menus sat untouched. He took pride in the smiles and nods they received from those who noticed their continuous dancing long after the music stopped. He couldn't help but notice a few of the men ogling his wife, and another surge of pride shot through his heart. He pulled the chair out for her and kissed her hand before returning to his own seat.

He moved his chair closer to her so that he could avoid eavesdroppers. To the other customers, it looked as though they had carried their private dance to the table. Taking her hand in his, he rubbed circles on the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb and looked deeply into her eyes.

Hermione smiled. After all these years, his gaze could still pierce her soul. "Okay, what is it that you need to ask me?"

"What was all that about this afternoon? What made you decide to have... words with Ronald's tombstone?"

Hermione sighed, and Severus thought he'd overstepped his bounds, but she smiled at him. "It was time. I know how much my missing him has been a burden on our marriage. You have been so wonderful and patient with me. I had to do it for your sanity as much as my own. Severus, I want to tell you something, but I want you to know that it doesn't change my love for Ron in any way. Ron was a wonderful man and a wonderful friend. When we were in school, we skirted around the idea of a relationship for so long."

"I think, deep down, our relationship was something built out of loyalty and trust. I believe that, if Ron had lived, we would have married. We probably would have had a very long and loving marriage. But, I want you to know that I'm not sorry that I married you. I loved Ron, but what you and I have is a completely different kind of love. We have loyalty and trust, yes, but we also have passion. I'm not saying that I wouldn't have been happy with Ronald, because I would have been. But, I don't ever want you to think that I settled when I married you."

Severus smiled at her. "What do you think Ron thinks of us?"

"He's probably wondering what compelled me to marry the Bat of the Dungeons," Hermione said through giggles.

Before Severus could respond to her, the waiter came back to the table. "Have you decided on dessert?"

Severus gave Hermione a feral smile and said, "No, I believe we are ready for our check. I need to take my cheeky wife home and punish her for her insubordination."

The waiter blushed and left the table. Hermione's giggles stopped immediately, and she gasped. "I can't believe you told him that. That poor boy has probably heard stories about you, and he's going to call in the Aurors."

"Well, then I suggest we run away."

"Severus, you are an arse!"

"Ah, but you love my arse, my dear."

The waiter returned with their check, still blushing. Severus left some gold on the table to cover the bill and to give the waiter a substantial tip. He stood and pulled Hermione up from her chair.

"Shall we, Mrs. Snape?"

"We most certainly shall," replied Hermione.

**********

MEANWHILE AT THE MALFOY MANOR

Grace Weasley was not happy. She was trying to have a nice game of chess with Devon, but her little brother was having none of that. She had a funny feeling that Brian had been given instructions by their father to never let her be alone with Devon.

She thought to herself, honestly, it's not as though we're doing anything wrong. And it wasn't as if Devon were her boyfriend... or anything. Grace sighed.

As if the gods were answering her unspoken prayer, Luna poked her head out from the kitchen door. "Brian, would you be so kind to accompany me into the garden? I need some help gathering some tomatoes for dinner."

"But, Aunt Luna, it's getting dark," Brian objected. Irritating his sister seemed like a much more enjoyable pastime than picking tomatoes from the darkened garden.

"Yes, it's getting dark, but the best time to pick tomatoes is when the sun is going down and the moon is coming up. Come along."

Brian fought the urge to roll his eyes. He loved Luna, but sometimes she was just so out there.

After Brian followed Luna outside, Devon and Grace continued to play in silence. After a few minutes, Devon finally cleared his throat and spoke.

"So, Gracie, why don't you just go ahead and check me so we can be done with this game?"

Grace smirked. "Now, where is the fun in that?"

Devon shrugged. He watched her as she watched the board intensely. He had wanted to get her alone for a while, but now that he had her, he wasn't sure he had the courage to ask her what he'd been dying to ask her.

Sensing this, Grace took the initiative. "Whatever you have on your mind, Dev, just spit it out."

Devon sighed dramatically and sat back in his chair. "We've known each other our entire lives, Grace."

Grace gave him a strange look. "Yeah, so?"

"You know there's going to be a ball this year, right?"

"Of course I know that. I'm a Prefect, just like you, so I got the memo. What are you on about?"

"Will you go with me? Will you be my partner at the ball?" Devon asked, flushing.

Grace grinned. "You're cheating a little, don't you think? You're asking me before we even go back to school."

Devon hung his head. "Well, I was hoping you'd say yes to that because I have something else I want to ask you."

"Alright... I will go to the ball with you. What else did you want to ask me?"

"Willyoubemygirlfriend?"

"I'm sorry, Dev, I didn't quite catch that."

Devon looked her square in the eye and asked again, "Will you be my girlfriend? I know it's weird and all, because we've been friends for so long, but I really like you."

"I don't think it's weird at all, Dev. Of course, I'll be your girlfriend. But, we can't make a big deal out of it around my dad. You know how he is."

Devon grinned, feeling much more lightheaded than he had a few moments ago. Just then, Draco came into the room.

"Hey, kids, where's Luna and Brian?"

"They're outside, picking tomatoes," said Devon, still smiling.

"Picking tomatoes? Oh, yeah, it's nearly dark. That's Luna's favorite time to pick tomatoes. I don't know why – something about the moon and the sun. How's the chess game coming along?"

"We're having fun, Uncle Draco."

"That's good to know. Um, Gracie, why don't you hurry up and check my son so you can get the game over with. I might even let you play me."

"That sounds like an easy win," Grace giggled.

"Enough of that cheek, young lady," Draco said sternly.

Grace took mercy on Devon and checked him after two more moves. She started piling the chessmen back on the board quietly. She was Devon Malfoy's girlfriend. She couldn't get that out of her head. She also couldn't wipe the grin off of her face.

Draco took Devon's vacated seat and also took the first move. Devon excused himself to help his mother. He also wanted to send Brian back into the house so he could tell Luna about Grace agreeing to be his girlfriend.

Brian came in and went straight to the kitchen, muttering about setting the table.

Draco and Grace played in silence for next twenty minutes when Grace finally won. "See, Uncle Draco, I told you it would be an easy win."

Draco raised his eyebrows at the girl. "Hmph! I let you win, little one."

Grace just giggled. "I think I'll go and help Aunt Luna. Why don't you practice, and we'll play again tomorrow before I have to go home."

Draco grinned, and Grace stood to go into the kitchen. Devon and Luna had just returned from the garden when Draco spoke up.

"Another game sounds great, Gracie, I'm looking forward to it. Oh, by the way, I find it extremely weird that my son's new girlfriend calls me 'Uncle.'"

Grace turned Weasley red and ducked into the kitchen.

A/N: Next up, Grace talks to dear old dad about her career choice.