In a Lifetime

In A Lifetime
Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing of what you’re about to read, with the possible exception of the plot, although I’m sure it’s been done before. The places, characters, etc. belong to JK Rowling. Thanks.

It was late September at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The sun was shining, the air was surprisingly balmy, and Hermione Granger was late. She had run into Hogsmeade to gather a few supplies and she was due back to the castle to assist in setting up for a small get together for Ginny Weasley, one of Hogwarts’ two mediwitch interns. Ginny had taken an enhancement class in medical potion making and had received word that she had passed with flying colors. Hermione hadn’t needed to take that course as she was a full Potions Mistress. Yet it wasn’t Hermione who had gotten Ginny through the difficult final exam. It was Severus Snape who tutored her through the last part of the course. Hermione smiled as she thought of her tall forbidding dark haired lover sitting down night after night with a Weasley, helping her achieve one of her dreams. When asked about it, Severus merely sighed.

“Miss Weasley is far more palatable than any of her confounded brothers,” he had stated, “plus she actually wishes to better herself, not merely ride on the coattails of her brilliant friends.”

Hermione flung open the door to the staff room to find Minerva McGonagall deep in conversation with Severus. They both looked up her as she carefully placed her parcels on one of the tables.

“I am so sorry to be late, I was…”

“Held up at the new bookstore in Hogsmeade?” completed Severus, a small smile playing about his lips.

“We anticipated as much,” said Minerva, “we took the liberty of decorating the staff room.”

Hermione looked around, realizing that the room was indeed decorated in a simple and tasteful manner for the small gathering later that evening.

“Albus wished to assist,” said Severus gravely.

“I banished him to deal with the House Elves,” smiled Minerva, “I thought we wanted something smaller scale for Genevra and you know Albus.”

Hermione shuddered as she recalled the excesses each Valentine’s Day, only made worse one year by Gilderoy Lockhart. This was more to her liking. Simple garlands of autumn flowers and lanterns of fairy lights.

“Well dears, I am going to check on the food for the party, I wouldn’t want Albus ordering up enough for the entire castle,” said Minerva with a smile, as she quietly exited the room.

Hermione smiled at Severus and wrapped her arms around him. He pulled her down so that she was sitting on his lap. Without a word she ran her hands through his silky dark hair and kissed him softly on the lips.

“I missed you so,” she said.

“I did notice your absence,” he murmured, deepening the kiss.

“Are you annoyed with Harry coming to the party?”

“I’m resigned to the fate that like it or not, Harry Potter is a part of your life, and he’s certainly a friend to Miss Weasley. Please tell me that Ronald Weasley will not be present.”

“I didn’t invite him,” said Hermione, “I know that Ginny has had some issues with him lately as well. He was against her taking this internship, he claimed it was beneath her.”

“Yes,” said Severus with a glower, “Hogwarts is a step down from Chez Weasley. I always do find it amusing when people marry into money and suddenly they become judgmental on all around them.”

Hermione smiled as she stood up. She had discovered that Severus was from an abundantly wealthy wizarding family, yet he wore the trappings of wealth in an easy understated manner. The cut of his clothing was exquisite, the fabrics top of the line, the furnishings in his chambers at Hogwarts were stunning. He never flaunted his wealth. He worked as a Potions Master because he was in love with the science of potions. He worked at Hogwarts because he was indebted to Albus Dumbledore, a debt that was long ago paid off as far as Albus was concerned but would never be repaid as far as Severus was concerned. Hermione had learned a great deal about Severus Snape in the months since they had run into each other in New York and began their relationship. Since then, Hermione had ended her ill fated marriage to Harry Potter, they had discovered a possible cure for what was commonly called lycanthropy, Hermione had accepted the other mediwitch internship and resigned her position as Potions Professor at St Damian’s University. Now, she was living at Hogwarts, learning the ins and outs of mediwizardry and building a life with Severus Snape. Her life was happy and balanced, and the cause of that balance was Severus.

Hermione put the finishing touches on the décor and smiled at Severus, “Well, back to work for me. I have to do rounds in the hospital wing. I do so dislike Quidditch tryouts.”

“Slytherin looks to have a more than adequate team this season,” stated Severus with a sly look.

“As does Gryffindor,” shot back Hermione.

“Once the other half of the team is released from the hospital wing.”

Hermione shook her head and kissed Severus, “You are an impossible man. Are you off to the lab?”

“Yes, I have something I need to further research.”

“For the D-factor or C-factor lycanthropy potion?”

“Indirectly the C-factor lycanthropy study,” said Severus.

“I’ll meet you there as soon as I’m finished. I shouldn’t be too long.”

“That would be acceptable.”

They went their separate ways, Hermione to the hospital wing, Severus to the private labs he shared with Hermione. Severus was anxious to finally complete the testing on the samples from St Mungo’s. There was a sample from one of their werewolf patients that had Severus concerned. It was too familiar. Too many similar genetic markers to a blood sample he was all too familiar with. Severus took down the wards to his pristine lab and entered. He carefully picked up the samples that were delivered by owl that very morning and went through them one by one. He grinned as his lithe fingers closed around the sample he had waited for three weeks for. The label read Dennis M. and since he had discovered the strange similarities three weeks earlier, he had not had a fresh sample from this subject. Now it was here. He carefully placed a dropper of blood on a microscope slide and picked up an older sample that he had kept in his storage room. He placed a dropper of this blood on a different slide. Working cautiously, Severus slipped the first slide onto the first platform of the microscope. He then placed the second sample of the second platform. Peering into the viewer, Severus looked at each sample separately, then side by side. With a deftness that was innate to him, Severus picked up a dropper of a green solution and added a small amount to each slide. What he saw had him smirking. He knew it. He knew he recognized the sample. Even with the C-factor added, the basic genetic markers were the same. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. Every discovery opened up a new door. Some doors more difficult to deal with than others. He would have Hermione run the tests when she arrived and then together, they would figure out what to do next. Severus set up a station for Hermione, complete with his blood sample, the Dennis M. sample, slides, and the potions he had used to test the genetic markers. He set himself up a second station and went to work on the D-factor human blood samples.

Hermione entered the labs forty five minutes later. She smiled at the sight of Severus hard at work. He threw himself completely into his work. For all his talk about wanting the DADA job, Hermione knew he would never be satisfied with anyone else teaching his beloved potions. He was a consummate man of science. Hermione had been amazed to discover that not only was he one of the top five potions masters in the world, he was also adept in many of the muggle sciences. She glanced over at the work station he had set up in her section of the lab.

“Severus? Was this something you wanted me to work on?” she asked, looking at the samples.

“If you wouldn’t mind, Hermione, I would apprec it it if you could compare and contrast the two samples and let me know what you think,” he replied, looking up from his cauldron.

“Of course I will,” she said, tying back her hair and getting to work, “what am I looking for?”

“Add the red reversal potion to sample B and compare the two samples; blood type, rH, genetic markers…”

Hermione ran the standard battery of tests on the samples and examined them both carefully. She sat back on the stool when she had run the final test and furrowed her brow.

“Severus? What was I looking for? These two sample are identical. They’re from the same subject. Is there something else I should know?”

“You’re positive they’re from the same subject?”

“Yes, before and after the C-factor potion.”

“Hermione, I had sample A in stasis in my personal stores for over 10 years.”

“But sample B had the C-factor meaning that the subject was treated at St Mungo’s.”

“I know.”

“Then who do the samples belong to?”

Severus looked Hermione in the eye, took a deep breath, and gave Hermione the answer she already knew in her heart.

“Hermione, sample A was from Remus Lupin.”