The Ties that Lead to Trust

I ended up using some real places in this chapter, but I promise the location is purely coincidental! Still in hindsight I will nod my head to Mr Greenly who is not a crooked man... despite the association...

Chapter 31~ Decisions

Hermione’s reprieve came less than a week later when an old, stately looking owl landed in front of her and gave her a sour look. She offered a piece of toast, which the owl refused, and tucked the letter into her bag. Harry had given her a questioning look, but knew better than to interrogate her about the letter. She noticed the curious glance from Severus at the head table and smiled weakly before turning back to her conversation with her friends.

When classes were finished for the day she retreated to her room while Harry trudged down to Potions. Opening the letter she read it through thoroughly and furrowed her brow. Severus had been right, Winston Ashfordly really was an irritating old git.

Later, when he was done classes, Severus found her curled up by the fire studying the Daily Prophet very intently. He stood behind her and leaned over to look at what she was reading. Noticing she was perusing the classifieds he asked, “I take it your letter this morning was from the esteemed Mr Ashfordly. What did he have to say for himself?”

“Quite a lot actually. He’s a bit of a windbag,” she commented dryly, not looking up from her paper.

Feeling ignored, he leaned close to her and blew gently against the back of her neck. She sat stock still and shivered, not realizing that her distraction was obvious. “Are you going to tell me your decision or keep me in suspense?”

“Who says I have made a decision yet?”

“You are too calm. Regardless of what your letter contained, you are too settled not to have made up your mind.”

She snorted and turned her head so that she was nose to nose with him. “You can be a real git sometimes.”

He smirked, “I have plenty of practice. You have pointed that out already.”

“Well,” she continued turning back to her paper, “I will be glad when the school year is over. I don’t think I can handle a miserable git and a cantankerous old codger on a regular basis. One is more than enough.”

“So Ashfordly wasn’t too stubborn to agree to apprentice you? Congratulations,” he told her, pecking her cheek.

She laughed somewhat mirthlessly, “I must be out of my mind. He didn’t address me properly, insulted me several times in the letter and in my contract there is a clause which indicates that if I get pregnant anytime in the duration of my study the apprenticeship will be terminated without question. Like it’s any of his business anyway.”

Severus had moved around to sit beside her and suddenly froze, falling heavily to the leather sofa. “Shit!”

For a moment Hermione was stunned, shocked at his language. “I thought profanity a bit immature for you. What’s wrong?”

“Damn!!” he cursed and stood as suddenly as he fell.

“Severus? What is it?”

He looked at her with a distressed expression. “I forgot. I can’t believe I forgot.”

“Forgot what?” she asked bemused.

“Your birth control potion. I forgot about it completely,” he looked horrified.

“Indeed you did,” she said calmly.

“You were due for another dose before the end of February,” his panic seemed to be increasing.

She only nodded. “True enough.”

“You have to see Poppy. I don’t know the charm to test if you are pregnant,” he was reaching for her hand, fully prepared to drag her off to the hospital wing.

Hermione held up her hands, shaking her head vigorously. “Hold on a moment. I don’t need it. I’m fine.”

“But the potion hasn’t been effective for over a month,” he sounded a bit exasperated at having to explain this.

“I kept the vial you made and took the second dose on schedule. Since you told me that the potion had a shelf life of several years I decided not to bother you about it. I wouldn’t forget something as important as that,” she reassured him.

His eyebrows shot up, “You kept the potion?”

She nodded and he let out a deep sigh of relief. “Thank Merlin. How did you know you would need it? We didn’t part on the best of terms then.”

“After you waxed on about its merits, I thought it might be something valuable to keep my hands on, if not for myself then someone else in need of it. When I agreed to stay for the holidays, I saw the value in having a reminder and put the dose date into my homework planner so I wouldn’t forget,” Hermione explained.

“Anyone could have read it there,” he chided. “There are still people out to make our lives difficult.”

She rolled her eyes, “Well I didn’t write in bold letters ‘TAKE BIRTH CONTROL TODAY.’ I doubt anyone would question a girl writing down anniversaries in her calendar. The entry only marks 6 months from the wedding.”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked concerned. “Is there particular protocol for such an occasion? I ignored it completely.”

“Nothing important. Your birthday wasn’t long after, and we went out for that,” she smiled at the memory of the evening, thinking about the night after the evening out.

Severus took a deep breath. “Alright. Have you started writing back to the other offers yet?”

She nodded. “They are all finished, but I will post them in the morning. There’s no rush, except for Ashfordly’s. He expected a response before tomorrow evening so I sent it out right away. It’s a relief to have such a big decision out of the way.”

“Only to encounter another one. Are you still prepared to start looking for a house during the break next week? I know you will have a great deal of work to do,” he sat down again beside her, decidedly more relaxed.

Hermione felt the cushion sink beside her and leaned against Severus. “I might not get as much revision for NEWTs as I would like, but considering the work put into finding one I think its necessary. I can always pester you with Potions questions while we travel.”

They continued to chat for a while about potential locations and merits of different listings in the Prophet. After supper they fell into their regular ritual of reading until it was late. In the warm light of the fire, Hermione lay her head on his lap and listened to his silky voice. As had frequently happened in the past, when she could no longer focus on his words she drifted off to sleep.
*********

Hunched over the desk in his classroom, Severus scratched away on the parchments, dotting the pages with red ink as he worked. He could see Hermione out of the corner of his eye, carefully slicing her daisy roots into even rounds for the potion she was preparing this afternoon. He knew she didn’t need any help, she rarely ever did, but he glanced at her occasionally to note her progress. The essays he was marking were abysmal, as anticipated, and it was easy to get distracted watching his wife immersed in her work. She always had a focussed expression on her face and bit her lip slightly while doing precise preparation work. He had also noticed that while stirring and recording observations Hermione always pursed her lips and furrowed her brow slightly in concentration. It looked so endearing that it was all Severus could do not to sneak up to her and kiss her thoroughly.

The pile of homework to be graded never seemed to end, but on Wednesdays he was glad of it. Keeping himself suitably occupied and allowing Hermione to work would have proved difficult otherwise. It seemed odd to Severus that the more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to be with her. He noticed all sorts of little things about her in close quarters, small actions, habits and interesting quirks that always left him more curious than before. Her appearance, which he hadn’t paid any attention to prior to last August, now made him steal glances when they were apart in the Great Hall or working in the lab.

Hermione added the daisy roots to her potion and pursed her lips as predicted when she began stirring. Giving up on the parchment in front of him, he watched her fingers stir the viscous liquid for a moment before a small smile of triumph tugged at the corner of her mouth. That step complete, she began measuring her next ingredient, seemingly unaware, or at least unconcerned, of Severus’ watchful eye.

This was the last tutorial before break, and he had to admit that he was looking forward to their house shopping adventure next week. It had been years since he had lived in a proper house and he was excited in spite of his usual reserved nature. In some ways, teaching at Hogwarts was like living in a time capsule. He had aged, but part of him was not living as an adult. Here everything was taken care of for him. His rooms were cleaned, his meals prepared and his private space carefully guarded against the thousand plus others who also inhabited the castle. Students came and went, but much of Hogwarts didn’t change. In many ways he was cut off from the world.

It seemed somehow stifling to stay here now. Perhaps it was Hermione, with her vibrant personality and plans for the future, that had somehow shown him the difference. She was eager to see the world and enjoy life. In the short time he had spent at her home, Severus could see that hers was a loving family and happy home, even if her parents had been troubled about the news she had brought them. Mrs Brooks, too, was open and pleasant even in difficult situations. She had darker times in her past somewhere, but it seemed that she had overcome those troubles and truly enjoyed life. His own reserve had in a way kept him from that sort of enjoyment, and it was time for a change. Finding a house would be a start. A new location, a new job and a new family were good beginnings.

His letters with Emily Granger had also given him new perspective. They both knew Hermione had yet to receive a letter from her father since Christmas, but Emily was hopeful. Her regular correspondence kept him abreast of the situation at the Granger home and he felt a friendship was developing between them. They had each written of their past and the telling had removed much of the tension between them. It was easing the tension with Greg that would prove difficult.

Severus was disturbed from his thoughts when he saw Hermione begin bottling her brew. She labelled the container carefully, set it on the counter and looked up at him smiling. He noticed she was playing with her collar unconsciously, as if fiddling with a non existent necklace. Her locket was still with Kingsley, kept for examination, and she had no other jewellery to wear. She seemed to notice what she was doing suddenly and blushed, turning back to her work area and cleaning up. Severus continued to look at her contemplatively and considered what she might wear in the necklace’s stead. From everything he had learned of her, she preferred simple things that would not get in her way. He set aside that thought for the time being and moved towards her table to check her work...and kiss her glowing cheeks.
*********

Collapsing into one of her comfortable armchairs, Hermione sighed deeply. Nearly a week of looking at houses across the country had almost driven her to breaking point. Severus had insisted upon looking at listings from the magical world first in the hopes of finding something already suited to their needs. What he seemed to have ignored completely was the fact that most house listings were either estate sales from people who had died during the war or Ministry seizures from criminals and Death Eaters. Neither prospect was particularly appealing. Both had quickly agreed that Ministry holdings were not something they even wanted to pursue, but the estate sales were equally unpleasant. In many cases, Severus knew about the attacks carried out in these houses, bringing back painful memories. Even if he hadn’t, it was clear that the magical community as a whole were reluctant to live in attacked houses. The market was saturated, causing prices to drop, but this still did not make them appealing enough for most.

It was with great reluctance that Severus allowed them to venture into muggle listings, though he quickly lost any resistence he had. While the places they viewed were not equipped for a potions lab or observatory, there was no guilt associated with the houses they visited. Apparating several times a day to concealed points then walking to specific locations had tired her out, but Hermione was beginning to feel they were making progress. Well at least they were having an easier time agreeing on things. The last place they had visited that day was in York, but it had been obvious right away that it was not suitable with too many houses close by and little privacy. The agent who had shown them around was very helpful however and had contacts outside the city. By the end of the tour, they had an appointment with a man named Greenly the next day in Pickering where they would branch out in their search.

Looking at her clock, Hermione groaned when she noticed she was almost late for her study session with Harry and Ginny. She knew full well that Harry hadn’t been doing any revisions on his own this week and though Ginny was by far more studious she was also a year behind them and a huge distraction. Because she was not allowed in the Gryffindor common room and it was usually far to noisy anyway, they had agreed to meet in the Room of Requirement. Feeling tired and clammy from her adventure that day, she decided to tell Harry she was going to be late and have a shower first. Looking speculatively at the fireplace she wondered if she could require herself right into the room by floo. With a pinch of powder she called out, “Room of Requirement.”

Her head passed through a couple fireplaces and came to rest looking into a fairly small room with comfortable looking chairs, a few tables and purple cushions on the floor. She would have wondered about the cushions on the floor if it hadn’t been for the activities of the individuals on the cushions. The first thing she was aware of was the relative state of undress of the individuals. The red haired girl, presumably Ginny though her back was turned, was wearing no top and straddling the legs of a very dishevelled Harry whose shirt was unbuttoned and only attached to him at the wrists. Both appeared to be struggling with the buttons there and when they were released the shirt was quickly tossed across the room. Harry’s hands came up around Ginny’s back and she hummed against him as he nipped at her neck.

Hermione was frozen there watching as if stunned, unable to pull her head back or disturb the couple on the floor in front of her. Harry looked up briefly from Ginny, who appeared to be trailing kisses down his chest, and went wide-eyed when he noticed both the fireplace that hadn’t been there before and Hermione’s head in it. He gasped, though this seemed to be because Ginny had licked one of his nipples, then said in a shocked tone, “Hermione?!”

Ginny looked up at him, frowning though there was humour in her voice. “You know, you aren’t supposed to be calling out other girls names Harry.”

He shook his head and pointed to the fireplace, “No, it’s Hermione.”

Looking over her shoulder, Ginny noticed her friend, squeaked in alarm and suddenly found a sheet under her hand which she wrapped around herself. Her face was blushing seven shades of Weasley red and she waved meekly. “Um... Hi Hermione... How was house hunting?”

Shaken from her temporary paralysis, Hermione started laughing uncontrollably and nearly fell out of the fireplace in her mirth. Harry too turned from the shocked ghostly white to a deep red, though he seemed a bit less concerned about his state of undress. When she finally regained control of herself, Hermione choked out a coherent response. “Frustrating and tiring. I was just going to pop in to say I will be late because I need a shower, but I think I’ll revise on my own tonight.”

“I.. We were just... um... it’s not...” Harry stammered then let out a sigh of frustration. “Sorry ‘Mione.”

She shook her head. “I’ll go. We can study tomorrow night. Same place, but make it an hour later, alright?”

“Er.. Sure... tomorrow... sounds good,” Harry continued to stutter.

Hermione’s wry look was somewhat unsettling to the pair who had been caught in the act as it were. She quirked an eyebrow at Ginny and very pointedly said, “Good night.”

As she pulled her head out of the fire, she thought she heard Harry mumble, “Scary how she acts more like Snape all the time.”
*********

The next day, Hermione and Severus’ search made a marked improvement. They met with Greenly early in the morning and he escorted them around the countryside dotted with small villages. There weren’t many houses for sale here, but the few that they were able to view were infinitely better than anything else they had yet seen. The man seemed a bit perplexed that they weren’t concerned with selecting a particular town, commenting occasionally on commuting distances and times from the villages and their outlying areas.

When it was time for lunch, they stopped in yet another small town for a bite. Settled at a table near the window, Hermione watched people strolling up the street, hair whipping in the wind and jackets pulled tightly closed against the chill. Despite the miserable weather they had been out in during the past week, it was still obvious that spring was on its way. Buds were swelling and the grass was slowly peaking out green from the brown detritus that partially concealed it. The buildings here were sturdy, old stone with a few more modern shops along the main street. While they were eating, she continued to watch the scene outside the window and smiled unconsciously. Mr Greenly gestured out the window and asked, “Fancy the scenery ma’am?”

She nodded. “It’s lovely here. I’m from the city, but I prefer this. Peaceful.”

The man nodded. “Goathland is peaceful most of the time. Summer’s a bit bustling with the tourists an’ all, but not so much as is a nuisance. When we’re finished here, there’s a place you might like to look at up the road a ways. Bit out of the way for most folks, but I reckon it might appeal to you.”

They passed by root rail fences and herds of sheep as they travelled up a bumpy back road winding leisurely away from town. Hermione noted that houses were well separated here and the trees along the road gave the feeling of remoteness. Turning up a poorly kept gravel lane, she drew in a breath when she caught sight of the house they were approaching.

The old farmhouse was partially hidden by the trees and would likely be nearly invisible in the summer. It was clear at first glance that the roof had seen better days, but the structure itself looked as solid as the day it was built. There were a few, somewhat dilapidated, outbuildings and rusting farm machinery in the open sided shed off the barn. When they climbed out of the car, the vicious wind that had plagued them throughout the past week seemed to be virtually nonexistent, cut effectively by the windbreak. Severus raised an eyebrow to her and she gave him a small smile as they followed Mr Greenly inside.

They were soon to find out that the house had belonged to a longtime community resident who had passed away a year ago. His children had all moved away and tried selling, but had little success. Looking around, it was apparent why. In addition to the roof, work was needed on the flooring and the plumbing appeared to date from close to the founding of Hogwarts itself. Yet even with the amount of work needed, the house was stable and well layed out. The basement could reasonably be turned into an effective potions lab while the parlour had great potential as a library. Hermione noted that there were several bedrooms upstairs which could be converted into offices and more usable space. The yellowing wallpaper that was peeling from the walls was the least of the decorating issues, but despite it she felt very comfortable.

Mr Greenly occupied himself with a stuck door hinge, while she and Severus went outside to peruse the outbuildings. Past the protective trees, the wind was sharp as it blew across the empty fields to the hedgerow. Severus put an arm around her against the cold and asked, “What do you think?”

“I like it, but it does need an awful lot of work,” she said, turning back to look at the main house.

He nodded. “True. The basement will do well for a lab, though it will take some doing, but most of the rest can be fixed in a few days.”

Her brow furrowed. “A few days? There is months worth of work in there.”

“That is what wands are for Hermione. The plumbing will take some effort no doubt, but cleaning and repairing shouldn’t be so much work. I think the biggest issue is accumulating the furnishings for a house this size. It isn’t huge, but a far cry from my rooms at Hogwarts,” he commented.

A gust of wind came up and she tucked herself closer to him. “I think he mentioned that some land comes with it as well. What would we do with that and the barns?”

“Exotic hippogriff breeding?”

Hermione nudged him with her elbow. “Seriously.”

He shrugged. “Does it matter? I think there is a bit of a garden, though it looks rather ragged. I could use a functional greenhouse and you never know what you will be doing with your charms development.”

She gave him a curious look. “Is this the one?”

“It has a good location and enough space for what we need. The work is a touch off putting, but that only means we can do as we like with everything,” Severus surveyed the scene carefully once more. “Do you like it? If it isn’t what you want, there is no reason to stop looking now.”

A smile quirked her lips. “Optimism? You are full of secrets.”

“I have never led you to believe otherwise.”

“True,” she shivered and began to walk inside the shelter of the trees once more. “I agree it is a good location, not just from the town, but also with regards to Ashfordly. Not too far, but not particularly close either. It’s a big decision, but I would be content with something like this if you are. I don’t know why, but I’ve felt very at ease since we arrived.”

Severus walked with his hand in hers back towards the house. “Perhaps we should see what Mr Greenly has to say about the price. I wouldn’t think a place like this would be extremely costly with all the work it needs, despite the land attached to it. You do know this would be easier if I could deal in Galleons.”

Giving a small laugh, Hermione shook her head at him. “It’s only a bit of math to convert. I do feel badly that I have nothing to contribute to this.”

“We discussed this before, Hermione. I’m not concerned about the cost of establishing a house since I have more than enough saved. I have been working for years and spending very little of my earnings. I would have purchased a house soon regardless,” he had stopped walking and pulled her close. “You can worry about supporting me in my old age.”

Though he had said this with a serious face, the corners of his lips twitched and Hermione started laughing. Hugging him to her, she continued to chuckle into his chest, hearing his own laughter rumble against his ribs. When their mirth had subsided, he pulled her face up to meet his and lowered his lips to hers. The wind whipped his long hair around them, stinging their cheeks with the cold abrasion, but the heat from their kiss dulled the effect and they embraced for some time. When they broke apart and looked back to the door of the house, Mr Greenly was standing in the entrance watching them with a pleased expression on his face. With his mouth close to her ear, Severus spoke causing small puffs of warm air to brush against her sensitive skin. “Let us see if we can’t secure ourselves a house.”
*********