Maternal Instinct

"Please tell me you had nothing to do with that potion, Ron. Promise me."

Ron looked down at his hands, "I... I didn't...I didn't know it would do that... She just said it would get you away from Snape... You know, She thought you would suspect him 'cause the potions so rare and he's a Potions Master and he was a Death Eater... I didn't know it would do that..."

Hermione sunk back into the bench, staring blindly out at the park and the village of Hogsmeade beyond, "To me, Ron. That potion didn't just do something - it did something to me! It's killing me -"

"But it's over! They're getting you a cure, right? An antidote? It'll be fine, honestly! I'm really, really sorry! I just didn't want you with Snape! He's evil! Just because he has a daughter doesn't mean that he can't be the devil incarnate!" He spoke quickly, trying to avoid the explosion that was sure to come. "And anyway, you shouldn't have it off with other peoples husbands! And I bet he's to blame! You should have hexed him the minute he touched you, then none of this would have happened!" He stopped, bracing himself for one of her rants.

But it didn't come. He put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off and stood up. Her voice was monotonous, without emotion or spirit, "Stay away from me."

Ron looked down, gathering himself together, but when he looked up it was only to see her retreating back.

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Hermione ran. The wind sent her tears streaking across her face. She got to a crowded street, but carried on as fast as she could, ignoring angry grunts from people as she went.

She needed to get away. Away from Ron and Amy and Viktor. Away from witches and wizards and magic. Away from Healers and Potions and hospitals.

But there was Ginny's hen night. She couldn't let Ginny down just because of her brother’s faults.

She went back to the house. Shutting the front door behind her, she headed towards the living room, plucking Mr. Snuggles from on top of his 'wife' as she went; didn't those cats ever give it a rest, she thought savagely.

Depositing the cat on the floor by the back door, Hermione nudged it with her foot until it was outside, then shut the door quickly; he needed to cool off. There was the sound of laughter from the floor above.

Silently, she went up and found Corrin rolling around on her bed laughing, as her father stood, scowling at a rather large pile of paper and hairpins.

"It isn't funny. I said that cat was a bad idea!"

Corrin giggled, "Why don't they have proper babies?"

Severus growled, "Because they're not real -"

Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder, "What's going on?"

"They had babies!" Corrin chirped, pointing at the pile, "But they aren't right!"

Hermione smiled, despite her mood, saying quietly so that Corrin didn't hear, "My transfiguration skills don't stretch that far."

Severus turned and guided her out of the door, shutting it behind them as Corrin crawled from the bed and started prodding the pile of hairpins and tissues.

"So?" He asked, somewhat grimly, "Did you speak to him?"

After the few minutes of respite, horrible emotions welled up with in Hermione; a terrible sadness and the sorrow of a betrayal. She turned away to give her a moment to get herself together, pretending to check that Corrin’s door was shut.

She nodded as she turned back to Severus, "I met him in Hogsmeade. He... He knew all about it..." Spinning away, she squeezed her eyes shut. "Amy told him how it worked and he helped her..."

A hand rested on her shoulder, "Why?" It sounded more like a hiss than a word.

Hermione shook her head slowly, "It's my fault. I was so stupid! So stupid..."

She felt very stupid. When had she become so... stupid? She had done something she thought she would never do. Married men were off limits, whether they loved their wife or not. It only amounted to fierce revenge from said wife and heartache.

And Corrin!

There was a child involved. Why had this situation ever seemed like a good idea? Where had all her commonsense gone? All thoughts like that were wiped from her mind however, when Severus turned her to him and wrapped his arms around her.

His smell, so familiar now, brought her some form of comfort and the feeling of safety. It didn't matter that he had been her most hated Professor and she had been his most hated pupil - in fact Hermione felt he was possibly one of the best people to be in this situation with. He knew how long she and Ron had been friends and how close they had been, yet he wouldn't try to get her to make up with Ron, mainly because he hated the redhead as much as he had once hated her - if not more so.

"It is not your fault." He told her firmly, "And you are not stupid. Why did he do it?"

Hermione sighed, "Viktor did it because I cheated on him with you. Amy did it because you cheated on her with me. Ron did it because he hates you and didn't like me 'having it off' with other peoples husbands - especially if that husband is you... He thought I would blame you..."

The arms around her turned into steel-like bands as Severus tensed, "Well he thought wrong, didn't he." It was a plain statement.

Even so, Hermione nodded against his chest, "I never thought it was you."

"Mmm..." He pressed his lips to the top of her head.

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Wednesday came far too quickly for Severus' liking. Healer Angela visited and gave Hermione another potion to cure her. Hermione had told the Healer about Amy and Viktor - though not of Ron, much to Severus' frustration - and the Healer had promised to inform the Ministry and sort everything out so that she didn't have to worry.

It was nearly seven and Hermione was getting ready for Ginny's hen night. He supposed that she must have told Ginny about her brother and his part in giving her the potion, because suddenly the couple weren't having a proper wedding, but traveling to another exotic country to say their vows, wanting no family with them. It must have been a shock to Ginny that her brother was capable of something like that.

Severus desperately wanted to get his hand on Weasley, but never got the chance, as Hermione kept him occupied. She was very quiet, often just sitting and staring, and - faster than Severus thought was natural - she was beginning to smile again, life coming back into her eyes. He was thankful for that; he hated the shadowing emptiness that sometimes crawled into her gaze, darkening the amber to dark chocolate, almost as black as his own eyes.

She had warned him to expect a visit from Draco and told him to make sure Corrin was in bed and asleep before they started talking about anything that 'little ears shouldn't hear', as Corrin had started to wake up after a few hours because of nightmares.

Severus heard footsteps on the stairs as he shut the back door behind two very disturbed cats. Hermione had just finished doing her coat up as she entered the living room. He didn't know what she was wearing, but she had put make-up on and tied her hair up.

She went over to Corrin, who was sitting on the sofa, and kissed her cheek, telling her to be good and go to sleep early. She straightened and turned to him, "I'll try not to be too late." She glanced at Corrin quickly, "If she gets up just put her back to bed; it's not difficult so don't make that face." She walked over and pressed her lips to his for a second.

Automatically his arms went around her, "Don't forget -"

She smiled, saying softly, "I won't forget; no alcohol. I won't have any -"

The fire roared. Hermione pulled away from Severus, her hand rising to her hair self-consciously. He caught her wrist, giving her a stern look; Draco Malfoy had no right to judge her any more - well, he never had - and certainly not now when she was so beautiful that she was practically glowing.

The blonde stepped out of the fire. Corrin squeaked and ran out of the room, her footsteps banging on he stairs. Hermione, shoulders straight and eyes avoiding the new arrival, smiled slightly at Severus and made quickly for the door. He knew she wouldn't have normally run away from Draco, but she had been through too much to spare energy fighting with him.

As she passed, however, Draco caught her arm; she looked at him, alarmed, but he only said quietly, "I'm sorry, Granger."

She smiled slightly, "Thanks, Malfoy."

Draco let her go and she was nearly out of the living room when he poke again, "I always knew Weasley was a prick."

There was the faint sound of her quiet laughter before the front door opened and closed behind her.

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Ginny cackled as she stumbled through the front door of the Burrow. Hermione gabbed her arm to steady her and guided her to the living room, where the red head collapsed onto the sofa. Hermione shrugged off her coat and threw it over her friend. The light flicked on suddenly, and Mrs. Weasley hurried in.

Hermione was just wondering what she was doing up at nearly one in the morning, when she spoke, "Oh, Hermione dear! Thank Merlin it's you! Severus is going frantic! Corrin, bless her, has had a bad dream and refuse to go back to bed. She says she wants you."

Hermione sighed, "Will you be able to cope with Ginny? I don't mind putting her to bed if you're tired."

Mrs. Weasley shook her head, "No, dear, but thank you. Hurry now!"

Quickly, Hermione apparated. The first thing she heard was crying. Hysterical, frantic crying. She found Corrin in the living room, on her fathers lap, clinging to his neck for dear life, while Malfoy watched from an armchair.

Silently, Hermione went over and lifted the girl from Severus' lap. Corrin, realizing who it was, curled her legs around Hermione’s waist and cried jumbled words into her shoulder.

Hermione rubbed her back, "Ssh... It's alright..." She sat down next to Severus with Corrin in her lap, "Tell me what's wrong."

All through Corrin’s explanation of her nightmare, Hermione could feel two sets of eyes on her. She took Corrin upstairs and put her to bed. When the girl was asleep, Hermione went back down stairs. She stopped just outside the living room door, listening.

"... I should have believed you." Malfoy sighed, "That was one of the strangest things I’ve ever... felt."

"I see it every day and still it fascinates me." Severus murmured, "I never experience it with Amy - she was never the maternal sort - but... It's very strange."

There was a pause and Hermione opened the door. Malfoy coughed, "Well, I should be going. Early start in the morning and all that. Goodnight."

When he was gone Hermione sat down; she could help but ask, "What's strange?"

Severus looked up and put his arm around her, "Where you listening?" She nodded and he smirked, "We were talking about you."

"You think I’m strange?"

His eyes glittered with the same amusement as hers, "I suppose so. What you just did with Corrin - there was something... strange about it. It was so natural and you looked so concerned... We - Draco and I - have never seen such a thing before." Hermione rested her head on his shoulder, tired and cold. He touched her arm and his skin burned against hers. He sighed, "You're freezing."

"I left my coat at Ginny's. I'll be surprised if they manage to get married tomorrow - she'll need a strong hangover potion."

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As Hermione slowly fell asleep on his shoulder, Severus looked down at her. She was so beautiful and there was something equally as beautiful about the way she had looked after Corrin.

The girl had been beyond hysterical and his patience had been thinning. And then Hermione had been there, a silent, calming presence to Corrin; and she had been so gentle and so understanding that Severus had felt his heart flipping with in his chest.