A Matter of Circumstance

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 31 ~ House Hunting

Severus awoke to find Hermione out of the bed. He could hear the shower running in the bathroom. Sunlight streamed through the windows, flooding the room with morning light. Naked, the wizard stretched, then rolled out of the bed and entered the bathroom, using the loo. He could see the silhouette of Hermione bathing behind the shower curtain. He flushed the loo, then pulled back the curtain, startling Hermione.

”Severus, I’m showering!” the witch exclaimed.

”So I noticed,” the wizard purred as water cascaded down her body, between her full breasts and over her rounded belly, “I need to shower too.”

Uninvited, he stepped into the shower and moved behind Hermione. His erect cock poked her in the buttocks as he moved closer to her so he could catch the stream that passed over her short form.

“Hey!” Hermione said when prodded, spluttering a little as water got into her mouth.

”You should have smaller buttocks,” the wizard said, pulling another washcloth off the rack and reaching around Hermione to take the soap out of her hand.

Hermione turned to look at him.

”You should have a smaller tool,” she retorted.

Severus, washed his face and neck, then smirked down at her.

”Now, you don’t really mean that witch,” he said, his mouth quirking.

Hermione didn’t answer him, but watched as he washed his shoulders, under his arms and over his pale torso. This was the first time they shared a shower together.

Severus soaped the cloth again and washed around his pelvis, then grasped his cock, pulling the foreskin back farther and gently washed his tool thoroughly before going over his balls. Hermione watched him in fascination, not realizing she was so focused.

“I didn’t know you found showering so…interesting,” the wizard said to her as he rinsed the cloth, then soaped it again, “Perhaps it is not the showering itself but the part of me being…cleansed.”

Hermione started then blushed furiously looking up at him. Severus smirked then bent to wash his legs and feet. He straightened, then gave Hermione his washcloth.

”Do my back,” the wizard ordered, standing in the stream expectantly.

Hermione’s eyes fell on the terrible scars that covered the Potions Master’s back and her eyes softened as she remembered all she went through in service to the wizarding world. He had suffered more than anyone and received the least recognition. He might have received more if he had wanted it. But he refused to give interviews or to allow a story of his life to be written. He just wanted to enjoy his freedom in peace. Let the attention-hungry Harry Potter get all the glory. Severus had what he wanted. Freedom from Voldemort.

Hermione washed his back reverently and thoroughly, the wizard’s muscles flexing a bit. She washed his tight buttocks as well, the wizard jumping as she drew the cloth between the cleft.

”Watch it, witch,” he growled as Hermione grinned behind his back.

Severus turned back around to face her, his eyes glittering.

”Now, do you have anyplace you wish to be ‘scrubbed’ witch?” he asked her, poking Hermione in her expanded belly lightly with the head of his cock.

He had never fucked her in the shower before.

Before Hermione could answer, the baby began kicking furiously as if returning the poke it had received.

“In the womb and already cockblocking,” the wizard thought, though his face softened as he watched Hermione’s belly bounce.

“Maybe later,” the wizard said, pulling back the shower curtain and stepping out of the tub.

Hermione felt a bit disappointed as the wizard left the shower, but he was right. The baby was far too active for them to engage now. It would be unsettling to feel both her child and Severus pounding her body at the same time.

Severus watched as Hermione turned off the water then helped her out of the tub carefully, frowning a little as he thought about the possibility of her slipping and falling.

The couple dried off and dressed, Hermione fixing two roast beef sandwiches with lettuce, tomato and mustard for breakfast. It wasn’t traditional fare, but delicious just the same, chased with a glass of cold milk.

There was very little conversation while they ate, both witch and wizard lost in their own thoughts. Hermione was thinking about last night and how passionate Severus was, while the Potions Master…like most men, was thinking about the day ahead of them. They were going house-hunting, Hermione completely unaware that the wizard intended to buy the house rather than rent it. Severus would eventually tell her he owned the house, but not before it was selected. The Potions Master had a feeling that Hermione would not be as picky as she needed to be if she knew he was buying it and would probably just go for the cheapest house rather than the one that suited her best.

“How many places are we going to look at today, Severus?” Hermione asked the wizard, who shrugged slightly.

”I don’t know. Several I imagine. And I don’t want you asking anything about the rental fees. That is my concern. I want you to focus on selecting accommodations that would best suit your and the child’s needs. Think long term,” Severus said to her firmly, “But I hope you can make your decision relatively quickly. It is costing a fortune to keep you here at the Three Broomsticks. My resources are not limitless.”

Hermione had no idea what Severus was paying Rosmerta to put her up. If she had, she would have been furious and refused to stay.

“How much is she charging you?” Hermione asked him, frowning slightly.

”Too much. Now finish your food so we can go,” the Potions Master said, sitting back in the chair and folding his arms as he waited.

Hermione knew he wasn’t going to tell her how much he was paying…but the fact that he complained meant it was too much. Severus wasn’t a cheap wizard by any means. He’d shown her that when he set up the account for her and the baby. She’d choose a place quickly.

In a few minutes, Hermione finished her meal and they departed the inn, walking up the street heading for the public apparition point. Severus was to meet the realtor at his office at ten sharp.

As they walked, Hermione saw a young witch of about the same age as she was walking toward them. She seemed to be in her seventh month like Hermione was. The young woman was smiling as she approached Hermione since both of them were expectant mothers. Hermione smiled back.

Then as the woman drew closer, her eyes flicked to Hermione’s hands. Hermione also looked at hers. A small golden engagement ring rested on the witch’s finger. Her own was bare.

The woman’s smile faded, then her face twisted with disdain and her nose went up in the air as she shouldered past Hermione, averting her eyes. Hermione’s head dropped slightly as she and Severus continued on.

Severus looked at her sidelong. He had seen the exchange, seen the change in the approaching witch as she realized Hermione had no ring on her finger. No man to claim either her or her child. What was a lovely shared moment between two expectant mothers became something dark, almost dirty.

Severus felt another pulse of guilt as Hermione’s shame was once again driven home. Both Albus and Ron had told him he should marry her, but Hermione never once brought that up. Not once. It was clear to see she didn’t want to force him into marriage, though it would be the solution to all her woes concerning the child.

For a moment, Severus considered telling her he would buy her a ring for show. No one would know she wasn’t actually betrothed, but it would stop the way she was being treated. Then he decided against it. He didn’t think she would pretend to be engaged. She wasn’t a Slytherin. Gryffindors all had that disgusting “martyr” syndrome. They wouldn’t do anything remotely underhanded to make life easier. Fools. The whole lot of them.

More than likely Hermione would be highly upset and insulted that he would even suggest such a thing. So he kept quiet, though he felt her pain. A pain that was ultimately his fault.

The young witch that passed them had been no ordinary witch. She was Hera in disguise. The goddess wanted Severus to see for himself what Hermione faced in daily society, the subtle disdain and humiliation she went through even when not confronted directly. The Queen of the Gods had made her point quite clearly to the wizard.

“Conscience is quite the whip, isn’t it mortal?” Hera said as she sat on her throne and gazed into a floating mirror, watching the couple arrive at the apparition point, enter and disappear.

Zeus walked into the throne room.

”What are you watching, wife?” the King of the Gods inquired, looking at the mirror curiously as it focused on Severus and Hermione walking to the realtor’s office.

The god’s brow furrowed.

”Isn’t that the mortal Snape?” he asked his wife, a bit of thunder in his voice as he sat down on the throne next to hers.

Hera nodded.

”I found his situation interesting and have been following it,” the goddess replied.

Zeus watched at the couple entered the realtor’s office.

“Isn’t that the witch he impregnated?” he asked his wife.

”Yes. Apparently, the mortal is taking some responsibility for his actions,” the Queen said, keeping her face straight.

Zeus took on a self-satisfied air.

”See, mortals need no one to meddle in their lives. Snape is coming around on his own. I am wise, am I not my Queen?” he said to his wife.

”Oh, so wise, Zeus,” Hera replied with a sly grin.

Zeus thought his wife was smiling because he had made such a wise decision keeping the gods from meddling in Snape’s life any further. Because of him, nature was taking its course.

Like most men, Zeus didn’t have a clue and Hera had no intentions on giving him one

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“Ah, hello Mr. Snape, Miss Granger,” the realtor said, shaking each of their hands warmly. His brown eyes turned on Hermione, careful not to drop to her belly.

“My name is Goode. Goode Sails,” he said with a smile.

Hermione fought back a giggle at his name. Well, he was in the right business…that was for sure.

“A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sails,” Hermione said, “Do you have many homes for rental?”

Goode’s eyes flitted toward the Potions Master for a moment. Severus was standing a little behind Hermione so she couldn’t see his expression. He was scowling warningly at the agent. He’d better not mess this up or not making a sale would be the least of his problems.

“I have several very nice accommodations to show you and Mr. Snape, Miss Granger,” the agent replied as Severus nodded slightly, “I’m sure you’ll find one to suit your needs.”

Good man.

Hermione couldn’t sense any of the usual disdain directed toward her. It felt nice not to be judged. She warmed toward the agent.

”I’m sure we will,” she replied, smiling at the realtor, who rubbed his hands together briskly. He picked up two sets of parchments from his desk that had a picture and description of eight houses.

”If you don’t mind reading over these, you can decide which homes you would like to see first,” he said, handing a set of papers to each of them.

Hermione leafed through the pages of pretty little houses.

”Oh Severus, they all look so wonderful. Such big yards,” she gushed, “This one even has a little stream behind it.”

Hermione walked over to a chair, precariously hovering over it before dropping into it heavily, reading the information on each house. Severus joined her. Two of the houses had basements. He liked the idea of that. He was thinking Potions Lab.

Goode surreptiously studied the couple as they discussed the homes. The witch was quite pretty and it seemed the two got along well. What was the problem? Life could be so much easier for the witch if the pale wizard would just slip a ring on her finger. He could see Severus was taken with her. No wizard bought a house for a woman that meant nothing to him.

It could be Mr. Snape just wasn’t ready for marriage…yet that was distinctly unfair to the little witch. He was doing everything else that was proper. Why not marry her?

Goode realized there might be things about the relationship he didn’t know about, and it really wasn’t his concern. Still he couldn’t help but wonder what was going on here.

Finally Severus stood up and approached Goode.

”We’ve narrowed it down to three homes. The two with the basements and the one with the stream behind it. These are distanced from other residences, correct?”

”Oh yes Mr. Snape, though the areas are all residential with paved roads and access to the Knight Bus. All three come with adjustable apparition wards and magic dampeners as well to provide extra security.”

“Yes, I saw that,” Severus said, “I must let you know that I will be performing structural spells on the homes to check their overall conditions, Mr. Sails. I hope you haven’t set us up with less than stellar homes.”

Goode shook his head.

”Mr. Snape, every home usually has some small repairs to have done, but I assure you these homes are sound. Every one of them,” the agent replied.

”Good, because if they aren’t, I expect…” Severus said.

Suddenly Hermione appeared beside them, looking interested at what Severus was saying to the realtor.

“…I expect the ‘landlord’ to make any necessary repairs,” the wizard finished.

Goode understood at once that the wizard wanted the seller to repair the home they settled on before he purchased it.

”Of course,” Goode replied, “Now let us be off to see the homes, shall we?”

He led them out of the office, locked and warded the doors and escorted them behind the building to a private apparition point. The realtor slipped an arm through Hermione’s and Severus took her other arm.

They disapparated.

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After taking a look at the stream, Hermione nixed the first house. The water was too deep and the flow rather fast. She didn’t think it would be safe for a young child, though she would have liked it otherwise.

”Perhaps we will be able to persuade the landlord to put a small fountain pool in at one of the other homes,” Severus suggested when he saw her face fall.

Hermione’s expression brightened immediately.

”Oh, do you think that’s possible, Mr. Sails?” she asked the agent.

”Anything is possible, Miss Granger,” the agent replied, “I have a feeling whichever home you choose, the landlord will be quite accommodating.”

They visited the next house, Hermione wandering from room to room. There was a bright airy breakfast nook, a library, living room, dining room, study and two and a half baths, the one in the Master bedroom complete with a sunken marble tub and several scented spigots. A large glass enclosed shower and huge double basined sink rounded it out nicely. Outside in the back of the house there was a large ceramic tiled patio, surrounded by tall bushes to insure privacy and provide shade. There was a grill as well and plenty of yard space.

Severus prowled the basement which ran the length and breadth of the house and already had shelving up. He looked around it approvingly. This would be perfect for a Potions lab. He cast a structural spell to check the foundation. It was solid, though some piping needed replacing. That was fine.

When he returned upstairs, Hermione was waiting for him.

“I really like this place, Severus. Do you think the rent will be high?” she asked him.

Severus scowled at her.

”Didn’t I tell you not to worry about that?” he sniped at her as Goode looked on, “You just worry about if it suits your needs. That’s all that matters…not the cost.”

The agent shook his head. These two should be married. Definitely.

“Well, I do like it, though I still think we should check the other house out just in case,” the witch said.

Hermione shifted a bit uncomfortably. Severus caught the motion.

”What’s wrong?” he asked her.

”My ankles are swelling a bit. But it’s nothing to worry about,” the witch said.

Severus immediately transfigured a folding chair into a cushy recliner.

”Sit down,” he said imperiously, guiding Hermione to the chair and carefully settling her in it. He pulled the lever so it reclined back, lifting her legs in the process. He pulled up her robes and the legs of her maternity pants slightly, his black eyes taking in the swollen condition of her ankles. He scowled up at her.

”Now, you rest witch. You can’t just go barreling about as if you’re not carrying a child. I expect you to sit here and relax while Mr. Sails and I discuss some details. We will go visit the other house in an hour or so, after your ankles have gone down,” Severus said, hovering over her.

Hermione felt very protected.

”All right, Severus,” she said softly, smiling at him.

Still scowling, the wizard turned and walked by the agent.

”Come with me, Mr. Sails,” Severus said, heading for the part of the house where the piping needed replacing.

The agent followed the dark wizard.

He was certainly a take charge fellow.

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After visiting the final house, Hermione decided she liked the other one better. Severus had suspected as much and already had Goode contact the owners with an immediate offer. Now they stood in the realtor’s office. Hermione had gone to the loo. She’d be a while.

“I want this purchase to go as quickly and smoothly as possible, Mr. Sails. I want Hermione out of that inn and in her own home as soon as it can be arranged. Contact me at Hogwarts when the seller responds. I am willing to make a very large down payment to secure this home,” the Professor told the smiling agent.

”I don’t believe there will be any problems, Mr. Snape. The repairs you pointed out are minor and with a bit of pressing on my part, we can close as early as the end of next week,” he assured the Potions Master.

”Miss Granger is not to be contacted in any manner concerning this home, Mr. Sails. Do I make myself clear?” Severus asked the agent, his eyes narrowed.

”Very clear, Mr. Snape, very clear indeed,” Goode replied, feeling a bit threatened by the wizard. He didn’t doubt Snape could be very nasty if he was displeased. The agent didn’t intend to find out.

Hermione rolled from the bathroom, one hand pressed against her back.

”I’m ready to go back to the inn now. I’m exhausted and my back is killing me,” the witch said tiredly.

”We’re leaving now,” Severus said, concern in his eyes as he walked up to the witch and took her arm. He looked back at Goode.

”I expect to hear from you by Tuesday evening at the latest, Mr. Sails,” Severus said.

”You will, Mr. Snape,” the agent assured him.

Severus led Hermione out of the office solicitously, a slightly worried look on his face. He’d like Poppy to have a look at her as soon as possible. But Hermione was just going through the usual pre-labor symptoms all mothers experience. Carrying that much weight in front always caused some backache. Overall she was fine. Just tired.

They had quite the argument when they returned to the Three Broomsticks and Hermione refused to go to Hogwarts. For the first time, Severus had to dodge a hex from the angry little witch.

”You tried to hex me!” the wizard exclaimed.

”I’m going to Kedavra you if you don’t leave me alone! I’m fine. I just need to rest. Poppy’s going to say the same thing and we’ll have traveled to Hogwarts for no good reason. Now stop nagging me, Severus!” she spat, her wand clutched in her hand.

Suddenly, Hermione bent over, dropping her wand and clutching her belly.

Severus ran to her, his heart pounding.

”Hermione! Hermione! What’s wrong?” he asked, going paler than usual.

”Just…just help me to the bed, Severus. It was just a pre-labor contraction,” she said, straightening.

”A pre-labor what? Is that supposed to happen?” the wizard demanded, feeling out of his element as he helped Hermione into the bed. Her face was flushed and he put a pale hand against her forehead to see if she were hot. No, she didn’t have a fever.

Severus gently removed Hermione’s slip-on shoes, her socks, then unfastened her robes and worked them off of her. His dark eyes rested on her belly anxiously.

”Do you have these pains often?” he asked her, sitting down on the edge of the bed, twisting his body so he could look at her.

Hermione sighed and shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable. She looked up at the concerned wizard. She couldn’t remember him ever looking at her with such concern. Lust, hunger…yes. But concern? No. This was new too.

”No. Only once in a while. It’s perfectly normal, Severus. I just need to rest,” she answered, giving him a soft smile for being so worried.

The Potions Master really did care what happened to her. It was as clear to the witch as if he said it. Not just about her situation, but her personal welfare.

Snarky Severus Snape was starting to feel something more for her. Hermione was sure of it.

Severus frowned at Hermione thoughtfully. Once in a while was once too many as far as the wizard was concerned. It was clear to see that whenever Hermione experienced that ache, she was incapacitated for a short while. Something could happen to her and the baby if she was by herself.

That was it.

Hermione Granger was getting a house elf.

And soon.

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A/N: Thanks for reading. ***