Some Kinda Wonderful.

"I've been making a list of things they don't teach you at school....

They don't teach you how to love somebody...

They don't teach you how to walk away from someone you don't love any longer...

They don't teach you how to know what's going on in someone else's mind...

They don't teach you what to say to someone's who dying...

They don't teach you anything worth knowing...." -Neil Geilman

Like a sharp eagle, Hermione flew down the marble staircase that led into the Entrance Hall. Healer Puddlewank had discouraged her from running so quickly and overextending her body, but she was in a hurry. She rushed down the stone staircase as fast as her high heels would take her and prayed to whatever Gods that listened that she wouldn't slip. The Great Hall's doors quietly slammed shut. Unbelievably large and wooden, they must have been charmed to cause little noise.

A small smile flittted across her features as Hermione was momentarily mesmerized by the girth of the Entrance Hall. She wondered if she had ever really stopped and looked at it.

As she stepped down to the last step, her foot slipped, and missed the step. She gulped and braced herself for the fall that would surely come. The floor would be hard and leave bruises, but hopefully it wouldn't be anything that Madam Pomfrey wouldn't be able to clean up. Hermione clenched her teeth and wrapped her arms around her torso. Her body slammed into something, but it was definitely not the floor.

Severus Snape glanced down at his golden Muggle wrist watch and gritted his teeth in frustration. He had fallen asleep at his desk, and was running late for dinner. It would do him no good to show up late for the feast. Young Master Etienne was up to his tricks today, and if he were gone, Draco would suspect he had helped. No, they couldn't have that. It was enough that poor Draco suspected him in many of the tricks pulled upon various staff members anyway. Severus Snape had never been much of a jester, and at first he thought the jokes would make him sick.

In school he'd always been the subject of cruel jokes from James Potter and Sirius Black. Yet, Etienne Malfoy brought light into his life and showed him the fun in jokes. Etienne was skilled and only played tricks on those who deserved them. The young boy willingly took all attempts at retribution, but was clever enough that no one dared to cross him. Thus was the beauty of Etienne Malfoy. He was not anything like James Potter or Sirius Black. He played a trick and received one in return; all with a bright smile.

Severus Snape picked up his pace and felt his calves burn with the strain of walking so quickly. Forty-nine years of life were beginning to wear on him, and now and again his muscles would remind him of the various bouts of Cruciatus he had endured. Severus pushed away the feeling and was just about to lunge toward the antechamber when a weight smacked into his left side.

A pair of strong hands wrapped around Hermione's arms. Her blood surged and her heart pulsed. They clung to the thin fabric of her robe, and she felt legs tangle with hers. At least the fall wouldn't be so painful if she landed on top of someone else. She grabbed onto the front of a pair of thick black cotton robes and braced her body for the fall. Professor Snape and Hermione Granger tumbled onto the cold stone floor. Their bodies burned with heat and the proximity of another. They had clung to each other to brace against the evident fall. Their legs were curled around one another and robes brushed each other. The silver clasp which held Hermione's usual nest fell out, clattering to the ground and allowing her curls to slip out. They spiraled down her back and framed her heart-shaped face.

"Miss Granger!" Snape drawled in his usual sardonic tone. "If you would kindly remove your person from my own I would be most grateful." Although she could not see them, Hermione knew his coal-toned eyes narrowed momentarily to emphasize his point. They always did.

Hermione remained tight lipped, but used both hands to push herself upward and away from her old professor. It was awkward enough to fall flat on her arse, but she did not need the added humiliation of landing atop her old Potions professor. A curtain of shadows had fallen over his face and obscured the mysterious contours and coal dark eyes from view. A shiver slid down her body as the freezing stone touched her bare palm. She went to push herself up, and she felt her hands shake within her robes. Hermione chewed upon her lower lip and forced her knees to prop herself upward. Hermione hugged her arms to her chest to hide the quiver that continued through her body. She refused to be seen as weak or, worse, allow Professor Snape to figure out the truth.

With little to no effort, Severus pushed himself upright and dusted off his slacks. They had turned a dusty ash color from falling upon the castle floor. He puffed some air into his face, and the curtain of hair pushed from his view. He could now see the sickly demeanor in which Miss Granger held herself. Severus swallowed thickly as he took in her appearance. She was dying. He had seen the signs many times in Voldemort's Army and with Dumbledore himself. No one needed to confirm it.

Her thick mane of chestnut hair was visibly thinning. A few stray curls had fallen upon her outer robe, and Severus could tell that it would fall out by the handful if she were to run her fingers through it. Her once rosy cheeks were sunken and now deathly ashen. Dark rings had formed beneath her slightly reddened eyes. Her lips were somewhat dry, and there was no womanly glow to her skin. She very much appeared as if she had escaped a five-year stint at Azkaban.

"Miss Granger," Severus asked as his eyes raked over her body. She was thinner than she had once been. He remembered clearly how shocked he had been when she had grown into a woman. She had curves just like a woman, and Severus had watched the men of Hogwarts appreciate her. "Do you require Madam Pomfrey?"

As Professor Snape asked if she were well, Hermione reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She knew her rat's nest was much more presentable now, but that was the illness at work. It was thinning her hair and controlling her curls. She craved to confess to someone that she was dying. She wanted to just cry to someone about the revelation of never having children. She never knew she had wanted to be a mother until the possibility was taken away from her. Now she would never be allowed her own children. She would die, and her legacy, her extraordinary mind, would end with her. As tears formed in her eyes, Hermione blinked them away. "No, thank you, Professor. I am well," she choked out and steered herself toward the Great Hall.

Severus watched her in silence as she slipped through the doors of the Great Hall, and swallowed thickly. He had watched tears form in her eyes and had wondered why she hadn't cried. He had always thought of the Gryffindor as a know-it-all cry-baby. Yes, she was strong. She had demonstrated her strength during the war, but even strong people cry when facing death. A feeling of loneliness crept into him as he realized that he too would probably die alone. 'But she isn't alone. She has Weasely, remember?' Severus chastised himself and slipped into the antechamber.

The feast had already been served by the time he entered the Hall. Severus smirked and couldn't say he was sorry that he had missed Minerva's schedule of announcements. The Scottish witch read a set of announcements every evening, and he sincerely did not need to hear yet another warning about the Forest. He knew it was forbidden, but if the students were too thick to not heed her warning, then they should be allowed to be eaten. Severus snorted at this suggestion and then sat down in his chair. He glared at the occupants of the Great Hall and then specifically at the Gryffindor table for good measure.

"You don't say 'hello' anymore. Your manners are horrible, Uncle Severus," Draco remarked as he took a sip of his tea.

Glancing to his right, Severus realized Draco was sitting next to him. Had his eyesight gone too? He hadn't even realized Draco was there when he had entered the Great Hall. He mumbled to his plate what soup he would like, and it suddenly appeared.

"Hello, Draco," Severus said and twirled his spoon between his fingers. "And I'm not your uncle, you cheeky prat," he added as an afterthought.

Draco chuckled softly and turned to speak with Severus. "Granger is here...or is it Weasley now? Do you think McGonagall is trying to turn the staff into a bunch of Gryffindors? We should just all dye our hair red for good measure, you know."

Severus turned and glanced down at the staff table. It did appear that Minerva was allowing the Gryffindors to take over. He chuckled at the thought of Draco dying his hair red. "Watch your tongue. If that dear husband of yours hears you speak like that, he'll have your arse. Oh wait...," Severus smirked at the suggestion and chuckled when he saw Draco's sour expression.

Draco muttered quietly to himself and glared at his godfather. Severus always loved to remind him he had married into Gryffindor territory. The King of Gryffindor and Boy Who Lived Again and Again! "Shut up," Draco snapped lamely and smiled. He didn't care. He loved Harry; that's what counted. "At least I'm getting shagged. When was the last time you were shagged, Uncle Sevvie?"

Severus dropped his spoon with a quiet clatter and choked in response to Draco's question. The look on Severus' face caused Draco to burst into laughter. The entire staff stopped and looked down at them, smiling slightly. They all agreed Severus' godson, Draco, was good for Severus. He handed back what Severus so deserved. Clearing his throat, Severus turned to Draco and glared. Then his eyes stopped narrowing and he turned back to his soup. "When is dear Narcissa coming back to school? I've missed her so." A large smirk crossed his face as Draco audibly choked.

A visible glare crossed Draco's features, and it only darkened when Severus didn't add he was only joking. "Sever.."

The doors to the Great Hall were flung open, and Argus Filch flew through them. His brown pants were smeared with dirt and grime. A shirt was tucked into his pants, and it appeared that years ago it may have been clean. A scarf, which dripped with a thick slime, was draped around his neck. This would have all been normal for the infamous and evil caretaker if his hair wasn't bright neon pink. He had little hair and practically none atop his head. Yet a few thick straggly strands surrounded his head, and it appeared they had been grown with a bowl atop his head.

All four tables broke out into various volumes of laughter as they watched the caretaker rush toward the Headmistress. The staff looked torn between being horrified and amused. Miss Granger had a small smile on her face, which she attempted to hide behind her cloth napkin. Severus barked out a laugh and covered it with a cough. Draco's head shot toward him and he narrowed his eyes.

The Great Hall doors creaked and for a moment everyone just thought it was the wind. A blond boy with emerald eyes walked slowly between the tables of Hufflepuff and Slytherin. The Great Hall went silent for a moment, and then Filch burst out with anger.

"He did it!" He pointed to Etienne with a grimy finger. "I knows he did it, Headmistress! To punish me for takin' his Weasley wand last week! He did it! I knows he did!"

Etienne offered the Great Hall a coy smile, and they burst out into cheers. He remained silent, but showed the Slytherin table a glimpse of his gold Weasley wand. He had gotten it back! Slowly, Etienne made his way up to the staff table and refused to look Draco in the eye. He knew he'd be in trouble later, but for now Etienne took his victory with pure unashamed joy. The Headmistress dismissed Filch as Severus conjured a chair for Etienne.

"Etienne, you are in so much trouble, young man. Wait until your Dad hears about this," Draco hissed quietly under his breath as he continued eating his dinner.

Etienne barely listened to a word his maman exclaimed. He would always fuss over his father hearing about things, but his father would always chuckle over them. Etienne understood he had two men for parents, but Draco was his maman because he gave birth to him. Harry was his dad because, well, just because. Etienne turned toward his godfather and flashed him a smile. He flashed him a glimpse of the wand, and Severus just shook his head.

"Eat your dinner, Etienne, or your maman will shite his pants." Etienne burst out into a fit of giggles, and Draco glared at Severus over his son's head. Severus mumbled the order to Etienne's plate, and it appeared.

Hermione watched in silence at the end of the table as her old Potions professor spoke quietly with the small child. She had actually caught glimpses of a smile upon his face, and she wondered if he was actually a nice teacher now. He seemed happy with Malfoy, and their child was a beauty. A thick lump formed in her throat at the thought of Malfoy having a child, when she would never have any. It wasn't that she would deny Malfoy happiness, but well, perhaps she would. Why did someone who had done so many horrid things in the past get to live a fulfilling life when hers was forced to end?

She sniffed quietly and felt a hand squeeze over hers. "Are you alright, dear?" Minerva asked, and her smile was sincere.

Hermione had never understood why she hadn't stayed at Hogwarts. Ronald had convinced her London would be so fantastic and that a job at the Ministry would bring them closer. She had worked various jobs at the Ministry in an attempt to make a difference, but the classroom was where she should have been. She could have made a difference at Hogwarts. She should have become a professor. Hermione nodded hastily and glanced longingly down at Professor's Snape family.

"I didn't know he had a family," she quietly whispered to Minerva as she turned to face her and went back to her dinner.

"Who, dear?" Minerva asked with a glance at Hermione.

"Well, Professor Snape, of course. I never knew he and Malfoy..." She offered an odd expression at Minerva's own.

Minerva ground her teeth in attempt to stop bursting out in laughter. Hermione thought Severus gay, and Draco his lover. If Severus could only hear that! Oh, it suddenly hit her that the Golden Trio were no longer friends. She chewed on her lower lip and sighed quietly. "Professor Malfoy is Severus' godson. Etienne is Professor Malfoy and Harry's son," she said quietly and patted Hermione's hand.

A stream of brown curls swished through the air as Hermione's head snapped around. She met the gaze of a pair of large emerald eyes. They were hidden behind black rimmed spectacles, but Hermione had to admit they looked much more fashionable now. "Harry...," she breathed quietly in shock.