LIFETIME MATE

Chapter Fifteen


Severus entered Dumbledore’s office smiling until he noticed Harry sitting in front of the desk, with Dumbledore himself behind it. “Ah, Severus. I trust Miss Granger left okay?” Dumbledore asked his eyes twinkling, noticing Severus’s flushed face.

“Yes, she did. She apparted to the Potter’s.” he replied as he looked to Harry, then back to Dumbledore. “So Albus, what is this impromptu meeting about? You said it has something to do with Hermione?”

Dumbledore smiled. “We’ll get to that. First I wanted to let you know that Harry will be coming to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts in September, as he wants to be able to spend time with the kids and Ginny.” He looked to Harry who nodded in agreement.

Severus looked to Harry again. “I hate to admit it Potter, but I think you could teach the students quite well.” He admitted grudgedly.

Harry smirked to Severus. “That was hard, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. Yes it was.” He answered trying not to smile back.

“And Severus, you mentioned you wanted to decrease your time in teaching, to pursue in research in potions for the Ministry. Is this still your wish?” Albus asked.

“Yes it is Albus.”

“Well I have decided for you to teach just the Advanced Potions and bring another professor to teach the younger students.” His eyes twinkled knowing that it would be very much to Severus’s liking.

Severus was overjoyed with this news, as he found he didn’t have the patience for the bumbling younger years. “Thank you Albus, that sounds perfect. But who will teach the younger years?”

Dumbledore looked to Harry then to Severus. “This is where Hermione may need you and her friends.” He pointed his wand to the window where a purple flash went out to the sky, as if he was signaling someone. Moments later, someone came into the office by way of the fireplace.

Harry didn’t look surprised, but Severus looked like he was in shock, but quickly recovered. “Draco!?” Severus exclaimed as he looked to the tall blonde man then to Dumbledore.

Harry had stood up when Draco had come through the fireplace. “Malfoy.....or do you go by the name of Chase now?” Harry said as he gave a very Malfoyish sneer.

Draco regarded the faces around him and looked to Harry to return the sneer. “No. Draco would be the name.”

“Do you have any idea what Hermione went through after your little visits to her during her cycles?” Harry asked his hands clenching, then unclenching at his sides.

Draco looked to the floor, a look of pain across his features, then looked up, his face once again hard and composed, once again. “I couldn’t stay away. I tried. But I couldn’t. Then when I saw her with Weasley the day after my visit, I was livid. I had promised myself that I wouldn’t go back, and then when I heard that she was going to London to visit the club we had went to in our seventh year, I had to see her. I just planned on just looking, then she approached me and looking wasn’t enough anymore. I had charmed my appearance, changed my hair to black and my eyes to green.” He leaned his hip against Dumbledore’s desk, then looked to him. Dumbledore nodded for him to continue. “I tried to tell her a few times, but it just didn’t come out.”

“So how did you get those scars, or were they charmed also?” Harry asked.

“No. They’re real enough. I did tell Hermione a somewhat version of the truth. Lizette Riddle and some death-eaters came to the manor late one night, when mother and I were sitting in the libra Liz Lizette had shot me in the shoulder and in the leg while the death-eaters were doing the ‘Crucio’ curse on mother. She thought she had killed both of us. They finally left, thinking we were both dead and started to set explosives throughout the manor. At the first sound of an explosive going off in the basement, I crawled over to mother and we both were able to make it to the fireplace where we flooed our way here.”

Harry looked to Dumbledore. “Always keeping secrets hey Dumbledore.” He said bitterly, remembering some of the secrets that were kept from him while he was a student at Hogwarts.

“It was necessary Harry. If Miss Riddle knew that Draco was alive, she would come after him, and then Hermione and....... It was for that reason we kept this a secret.” Dumbledore stated.

“How did you know I had visited Hermione Potter?” Draco asked as he looked to Harry.

Harry looked him straight in the eye. “A couple of years ago, Hermione contacted me, thought she was losing her mind. Did you know that’s what your little visits did to her?” He glared to Draco. “Well, that day I checked her room. In her bed was the gold chain with blonde hair in the clasp. You see, I was with ‘Mione when she bought that for you for Christmas that year. It was one of a kind. Then I had asked her how long her cycles lasted, during those nights and after she had her visits with ‘Chase’. She said they lasted just three days. Only you can make them last for those short amount of days. Anyone else it would be about five days.”

“That’s true.” Severus volunteered.

Draco looked to his former Potions Professor and mentor and sneered. “Yes, and you would know wouldn’t you Snape?”

Severus stood up. “Yes I would. If you have a problem with that, too bad. We thought you were dead. She needed to get on with her life.” He glared back to Draco. “She and I have become close friends over the years.”

Draco snorted. “Yeah right.”

Dumbledore stood up. “Alright enough. I would like for you two.....” He looked to Harry and Severus. “....to keep this to yourselves for just a bit longer. I will be talking to Hermione in the New Year to explain some things. As for the Potions position, Draco will be coming in to teach the younger students. Over the years he has fulfilled his wish to become a Potions Professor, so he is fully qualified.”

Shortly after, after Harry and Draco left in different directions, Severus sat there looking to Dumbledore. “Are they both gone, they won’t overhear what I have to say?”

Dumbledore paused, then looked to Severus. “Yes, are are both gone.”

“Is there a reason you didn’t mention Katrina? Does he know about her?”

“No. He doesn’t know about her. When he had his visits with Hermione, Katrina always was away from the house. And I think it should be Hermione to tell Draco he has a daughter.”

“Why didn’t you tell me Albus? You know how close I felt towards Draco and his mother.”

“That is precisely why I didn’t tell you. I saw how you felt towards Hermione and especially Katrina. You probably wouldn’t have allowed yourself to form a friendship with either one of them if you knew the truth.” Albus paused and looked to Severus, very serious. “Tell me Severus, do you love her?”

Severus thought about it. “Love. I’m not sure I know what that means anymore. I care for Hermione and Katrina very much, but love....” He shrugged his shoulders. “Who knows if there was no Draco, there may have been a future for us. But I will be there for her when she needs me. Merlin knows, she will need it soon.”

“More that you know. I will also be asking Hermione to come teach at the start of the next term.”

“Teach what?” Severus asked.

“Transfiguration. Minerva would like to semi-retire. Like yourself, she will only be teaching the Advanced classes.”

“Does Hermione know yet?”

“No. Soon. I am hoping she will accept. I know she is very good with the children that she teaches at the wizards pre-school. If she accepts, Katrina will get her Hogwarts letters also. Katrina is a very bright girl, I don’t think there will be a problem with her falling behind, or not understanding some of the classes. After all, look who her parents are.” Dumbledore finished smirking.

“You wouldn’t happen to be trying any match-making between Hermione and Draco, would you?” Severus smirked back knowingly.

Dumbledore smiled mischievously. “Who me?”