A Looping of the Scales ~ COMPLETED

Chapter 18 ~ The Inevitable

For the rest of the week, Ron fell into the old habits of carrying Hermione’s arsenal of books to class and eating supper with her, but anyone could see that he wasn’t his bright, fun-loving self. There was an air of seriousness around him, and his smiles were smaller and less often.

Hermione felt the difference in him, too, but was sure once they had their hour together they’d straighten it all out.

But, they didn’t. They just bickered back and forth almost the entire hour about what was and wasn’t important and finally Ron told her what it was he wanted, a wife and mother who would devote time to nurturing and raising a family. He didn’t mind if she worked, but she had to work at home too, and show him that there were other things more important than ambition and recognition. Such as love and family.

”In other words, Ron, you want a witch who is like your mother,” Hermione said to him.

”No, she doesn’t have to be like my mother, Hermione. I know my mum gets wood for cooking and housework and all that. But someone who wants to have a normal home life. Who can balance it out.”

”You keep saying ‘someone’ Ron,” Hermione said. “You’re not saying ‘me.’”

Ron looked at her, his eyes becoming rather wet. “I was waiting to see if you’d say you could be that someone, Hermione. Only you know if you can. If I said it, then I might be pressing you to be someone you aren’t—and to be honest, I’m starting to see you that way. It’s not bad, but it’s not good either. Not for us, Hermione.”

Hermione got a cold feeling in her stomach.

”What do you mean, Ron?” she asked him.

Ron took both her hands. They were standing near the lake, the breeze ruffling their hair as they faced each other.

”What I’m saying, Hermione, is that this isn’t going to work out for us. We’re too different, want different things, find different things important. I know people say opposites attract, and maybe it’s true, but it doesn’t mean they belong together—“

”Ron, what are you saying?”

”I think you know what I’m saying Hermione, and I think you know I’m right.”

Hermione blinked up at him.

”Ron, is this because—because we haven’t shagged in a while, because if it is—“

Ron shook his head.

”It could be a little part of it, Hermione, but there are bigger problems that shagging just wouldn’t solve. Even if we shagged like bunnies, you’d still be ambitious and I’d still want the things you don’t. Sometimes you just have to know when to give up the Queen.”

Hermione’s eyes began to well up.

”I love you, Hermione, and I think you love me in your way. But it’s unfair for me to try and make you change who you are, and if you don’t change, it’s unfair to expect me to be happy. We need to break up, Hermione. There’s really no reason to stay together as boyfriend and girlfriend. It’s not going to lead to anything good. But, we’ll always be friends. Always.”

”Ron,” Hermione said, tears rolling down her cheeks. Ron’s eyes were sad too. He looked at his watch, then at the rise where several students with books were walking toward them.

”Here comes your three o’clock, Hermione,” he said, then leaned down and softly kissed her cheek. “I’d better go. I’m sorry.”

Ron released her hands and slowly walked toward the approaching students, Hermione looking after him.

It was over. Ron had dumped her.

She sniffed and wiped at her eyes, trying not to show how emotional she was as the students each took comfortable boulders and took out their books.

Suddenly, something fluttered around her. It looked like a bat made out of parchment. She tried to catch it, but it darted just out of reach, then came back to aggravate her until she tried to catch it again. She ended up chasing it for a bit, and had to fight the urge to rip it into pieces when she did manage to catch it. Frowning, she opened it up and read the message.

Hermione,

It’s been more than a week since I made my offer. I assume you’re not interested, so I am going to approach a Ravenclaw named Lisa Turpin, who is taking NEWTS in Advanced Potions.

SS

Hermione’s mouth dropped open in horror. Lisa Turpin was the Ravenclaw witch who let slip that she was developing a theory to boost her marks. If she got hold of Severus’ library—

Her breakup with Ron seemed to fly right out the turret window as Hermione took immediate action.

“I’m sorry but I have to cancel this session,” Hermione said to the stunned students, throwing her knapsack over her shoulder hurriedly. “I have to go.”

She began running for the castle.

Ron was slowly taking the shifting stairwell upward, feeling as if he had stones sitting in his belly. He and Hermione were no longer involved, not that you could call their relationship “involved” in the first place. From his vantage point he saw the main doors fly open and Hermione run across the entrance hall. He leaned over the rail to see where she was going and she zipped into the dungeon entrance.

She was running to Snape?

Fine.

More than likely the youthened wizard would get any more of her attention than he did after the novelty wore off.

A few of those stones disappeared as he began walking purposely up to Gryffindor tower. He had to let Harry and Ginny know he and Hermione were no longer together that way. It didn’t mean he was back on the market. Breaking up with Hermione hadn’t been easy and he wasn’t looking for an immediate replacement. If there was one positive thing about being Hermione’s Granger’s boyfriend, you learned how to be patient. He didn’t plan on having another girlfriend for a while. He might date a bit, maybe even snog a bit. But as far as committing himself, he wasn’t ready to do that right away, and the next time he did, he’d make sure the witch he was attracted to had all her dragon in a proper row.

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Draco was walking up the dungeon corridor and was surprised to see Hermione tearing down it. He stepped aside as she whizzed past, her bushy hair trailing behind her. Draco treated Hermione with more respect after the final battle. They weren’t buddies, but he didn’t target her. He saw as she slid to a stop in front of Snape’s office and began pounding on the door like she was insane.

“Severus! Severus Snape, you open this door right now!” she cried.

Both of Draco’s pale eyebrows lifted at the familiarity with which Hermione used the former professor’s given name. He watched as the door opened and she disappeared inside.

“Hm. That’s interesting,” he said to himself, then continued up the corridor.

No one had seen hide or hair of Snape all week. He was busy studying and taking all his meals in his rooms. He didn’t have any friends after all. Hermione herself hadn’t seen him since the night she gave him the Pensieve. Well, she certainly saw him now.

”What do you mean you’re going to contact Lisa Turpin?” she demanded, poking him in the chest with her pointy little finger as they stood in his office.

”Well, you didn’t contact me in days. What was I to think? I did my homework and found that she’s running a very close second to you in Advanced Potions, according to the last marks I gave her. I can’t wait for you to decide when you’re going to give me an answer. I need to get to work right away,” Snape said before he slapped her hand away.

”And stop poking me.”

“Forget about Turpin. I’m going to study with you,” she snapped at him.

”Starting when?”

”Monday.”

Snape nodded. He knew the weekends she tutored. But, he couldn’t help what he said next.

”Do you think you’re going to have any trouble with your boyfriend about it?”

Hermione’s eyes immediately began to fill as Ron was brought up. Snape cocked his head at her.

”No,” she said tremulously. “We broke up.”

Snape blinked at her.

”Good,” he said shortly, walking through the wall into his study. Hermione followed him, sniffing and frowning at the same time.

”Good? What do you mean good?” she demanded. “I just broke up with my boyfriend. That’s not good, that’s bad.”

”In your case, it’s good. You don’t need a boyfriend. You need something else,” the wizard said, walking over to his liquor cabinet and making himself a small shot of Firewhiskey. Apparently, his palate had matured over the past week. He knocked it back as Hermione scowled at him.

”What are you talking about, something else? What else is there?” she asked him.

Snape put the glass down and looked at her steadily. He was in a set of his heavily buttoned robes and shining boots. He cut a fairly decent figure as he studied the witch.

”Hermione, you don’t have time for a boyfriend. You probably won’t ever have time for a traditional relationship because it will cut into your plans for your life,” he told her, sitting down on the sofa.

”So, what are you saying? That I just need to get used to be alone?” she asked him.

Snape quirked an eyebrow at her.

”No, I’m not saying that at all. You just need to find someone like-minded, someone who’s selfishly ambitious.”

”I’m not—“

”Trust me, you are. I know because I am, too.”

”That’s ridiculous.”

”Call it what you like, Hermione, but again I say a boyfriend’s not what you need—“

”So, oh wizard with all the answers, what do I need?”

Snape looked at her soberly.

”Well, you said you had a boyfriend because you wanted to have someone closer to you than a friend. I assume that means someone to shag—“

”No! It means more that that!” Hermione declared, reddening.

”Did you shag your boyfriend?” he asked.

”That’s none of your business! What kind of wizard asks a witch that?”

”A nosey one,” Snape replied, “but it does have something to do with the solution to your problem. Did you or didn’t you?”

Hermione stuck her nose in the air.

”I refuse to answer that question,” she stated flatly.

Snape’s dark eyes swept over her.

”You did. If you didn’t, you would have just said no rather than make a big production of being outraged by my question,” he said. “That’s interesting. I wouldn’t think you the type, really. It must have been scheduled in.”

”Oh, shut up,” Hermione said whirling as if to leave. Snape stood up.

”Wait,” he said softly. “Don’t you want to know what it is you need other than a boyfriend?”

Hermione stopped walking. She did want to know what he thought.

”What?” she said, not turning back around.

Snape walked up to her rigid back, leaned over and said softly, “You need a lover.”

Hermione whirled back around, facing the wizard.

”A—a lover? A boyfriend is a lover!” she said.

”Not necessarily. A boyfriend can be a lover, but a lover doesn’t necessarily have to be a boyfriend. Lovers make no demands on your time or person. You only engage when it’s wanted. There is a loose attachment but that’s all. It’s satisfying but allows you all the freedom you need. I think that would be much better than a boyfriend for you, Hermione.”

”Casual sex? That’s your answer?”

”It’s the closest thing to a tailor-made relationship you’re going to get. And it’s an acceptable life choice too, one that won’t ruffle your Gryffindor sensibilities too much.

”That’s—that’s no kind of solution,” Hermione said as she met his dark eyes.

Snape shrugged.

”For someone who is supposed to be strong on logic, you’re a bit thick, aren’t you?”

”I’m not thick. I’m—I’m ethical. I have morals and boundaries.”

”Yes, and that’s going to be a real comfort when you wish you had someone closer than a friend some dark night,” Snape replied witheringly.

”Don’t you worry about it,” Hermione said. “I’ll be here Monday evening. And don’t you go anywhere near Lisa Turpin.”

Snape followed her to the wall.

”You sound quite possessive, Hermione, ordering me not to talk to witches,” he purred at her.

Hermione gave him a look of disdain.

”Don’t flatter yourself. I’m possessive about your library. You promised only I would have access if I studied with you. You’re going to make good on that promise. No Lisa Turpin.”

Hermione pulled open the office door.

”Wait, Hermione,” Snape said, walking up to her.

”What now?” she snapped at him.

”Tell Potter I said ‘Thank you.’ for the Pensieve,” he said quietly. “And thank you, too. Without the narration, it would have been a very unpleasant viewing.”

Hermione gave him a small smile now. Harry would be so happy to hear that.

”You truly are a courageous and brilliant witch,” the wizard added.

Hermione flushed.

”And Weasley, he’s a brave one as well. I can see why you were drawn together, you know, but not everything drawn together should stay together. You’re too different from him, Hermione. You’re different from everyone you’ve associated with—until now. Good day.”

Snape closed the door and left Hermione standing before it, a slight frown on her face.

What did he mean by that?

Hermione looked down at her watch. It was going on four o’clock and she’d already skived off on one tutoring session. She began to walk quickly to the entrance hall, a smile beginning to form on her face as she realized she had exclusive access to one of the best libraries in the wizarding world. It would be just like Christmas, except for her breakup with Ron.

But still, it felt close.

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A/N: Thanks for reading.