Hilltop Cottage

A/N: Here\'s another chapter - please don\'t hate me! I promise all will be well.

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Hermione was nervous, she couldn’t deny it. Severus’s letter had taken her by surprise, not least because it had come directly by Owl. He had obviously decided to forego the usual mail route in his haste to get to the garden, and Hermione could only hope that no-one had seen the large tawny pecking away at her kitchen window.



He had been polite but to the point, and she had responded in kind. Yes, she was home, yes it was convenient and yes, he could come as soon as he was able.



But with no specified time, it left her few options where Donovan was concerned. The last thing she wanted was the child to meet his father for the first time in this way, with awkwardness or an atmosphere. She knew children were sensitive to that sort of thing. She thought of Harry, but he was working, as she would be herself before long. Ideally she would need a live-in nanny for the boy, someone magical who could work within Hermione’s rules. Advertising in the Prophet seemed the best idea, much as it stuck in her throat. The only real option right now would be to put him in the play space and hope that Severus couldn’t spot the edges of her ‘Notice-Me-Not’ spell. With some luck, he would go directly to gather his plants, anyway. She didn’t like the fact she was hiding his son, but she had no intention of them meeting until Severus brought it up and showed he was favourable.



Tidying up some of Donovan’s toys with her wand, she lifted him and put him by his toy box but didn’t raise the safety wards just yet. She didn’t want him to think he was a prisoner in his own home. Once he was settled, playing with his stacking cups and clapping as he pushed them over, she went to the kitchen and filled the kettle, almost dropping it when she heard a sharp rap on the front door. She didn’t need to guess who it was, or what sort of mood he was in. The knock explained it all.



***



Severus stood tensely outside Hilltop Cottage and waited. He could hear her moving around and the low murmur of her voice. He gritted his teeth at the thought she might be discussing him with her husband, perhaps placating him, and impatiently, he rapped again.



The door opened abruptly, and Hermione stared out at him with large, angry eyes. Her mouth twisted into a grimace.



‘Hello, Severus,’ she said. ‘I did hear you the first time.’



Gods, she was still beautiful. Her hair was lighter than he remembered it, probably due to the sunshine in America, and he had been right, she had filled out in all of the right places. He was suddenly full of regrets, wishing he could turn back the clock, stop her leaving him. His body reacted to her closeness, and he felt a twitch beneath his trousers.



She was glaring at him.



‘Miss… ah, what do you call yourself now?’ he asked, his smooth voice betraying his fluttering stomach.



Hermione scowled. ‘It’s still Hermione Granger, Severus, or Dr Granger, if you wish to be formal.’



‘Miss Granger, then,’ he said quickly, trying to hide the relief in his voice. Whomever she was shacked-up with hadn’t had the sense to marry her yet.



‘I wanted to thank you, for allowing me to continue to use the garden.’



Hermione looked up at him a little nonplussed, nodding slowly. ‘You’re more than welcome, Professor,’ she said.



Severus winced. He deserved that, and he knew it. She had all but told him to call her Hermione, but he couldn’t. Not to her face, anyway. It was too personal, too reminiscent of before. Too soon, his inner voice whispered, but he ignored it.



‘Would you like tea?’ Hermione said, inhaling deeply in an obvious attempt to stay calm.



‘That would be acceptable,’ he agreed.



Awkwardly, Hermione stood to one side, allowing him to walk through into the living area. He gasped as he stared around the room. It was virtually unrecognisable to the room where they had first kissed, larger and easier to negotiate. He scanned the walls, now decorated with bright blue, striped wallpaper, and then the open-plan layout leading into the expanded kitchen.



‘Different,’ he said softly, voicing his thoughts.



‘I fancied a change,’ Hermione said quietly. He turned, not realising she had already made the tea and was handing him a mug. He took it, and their eyes met uncomfortably for a brief moment. How many times had they shared tea in this way? And yet, now something so innocuous seemed loaded with meaning, and they were both aware of it.



Hermione smirked slightly. ‘Here we are again,’ she said.



Severus acknowledged her need to lighten the mood, and he smiled briefly at her.



‘Indeed,’ he said. ‘May I?’ He indicated the couch on the far wall and Hermione nodded. As he sat, she followed suit, and they were silent for a short moment.



‘Are you well, Professor? Luna said you have been very busy,’ Hermione began.



‘Severus,’ he said. ‘I hope my post as Professor will only be temporary, so I’d prefer not to get used to the title.’



‘Of course.’ Hermione understood. He was only keeping Minerva’s seat warm, after all.



‘In answer to your question, I am very busy. I was hoping we could discuss your offer. If it still stands, that is.’ Severus sipped his tea. He watched the emotions playing on her face through the rising steam, and wanted to shorten the distance between them suddenly. Instead, he sat straight, awaiting her response.



‘Of course. Poor Minerva. I read through the hospital notes briefly, but apart from her physical improvements thanks to your potion, there’s been no change at all, has there?’ she said.



‘None,’ Severus said, shaking his head. ‘Luna is of the opinion it is an immune disorder, but the Healers know little about such things. They rarely affect the wizarding world, you see.’



Hermione nodded. ‘A bit like HIV, or AIDS, is it? How on earth could she have contracted that?’



‘As I said, we don’t know enough about those illnesses to make a proper diagnosis.’



‘Perhaps we should arrange a time to go over what you have so far?’ Hermione looked at Severus slowly.



Severus nodded. ‘Owl me when it would be convenient. I understand you have… family, to consider,’ he said blankly.



Hermione bristled. ‘I have family?’ she snapped.



‘According to Sam Parker you do,’ Severus said, frowning. He hadn’t expected that reaction to his words, and up until that point it had been going quite well, considering.



Hermione stood quickly and wrenched his half-empty mug from his hand. ‘You had better gather your ingredients, Professor, before it starts to rain.’



Severus recognised her dismissal, but felt completely confused. Standing, he walked to the back door, followed by a shaking Hermione.



‘Hermione,’ he said, pausing. ‘I apologise if I spoke out of turn. Your family is none of my business, of course,’ he said quietly.



Hermione stumbled at his words, and her hands jerked forwards. The mugs fell, smashing loudly on the floor. Her concentration lost, Severus stared at her, and then behind her, as a shimmer of magic appeared by the side of the room.



As if in slow motion, Hermione said ‘Oh, my god,’ and turned, following Severus’s gaze. They both stared as her safety wards dropped, revealing the play space, and a now screaming child.



Hermione’s mothering instinct snapped into action almost instantly, and she walked over and gathered Donovan in her arms, cradling him and murmuring softly.



Severus could only stare. She had a child! That was what Sam Parker meant when he said family. She kept her back to him as she soothed the baby, and instantly everything fell into place. She hadn’t wanted him to know of her child, which was clear. Too many questions, and answers she wasn’t willing to give, most likely. Jealousy seared through him at the thought of her bearing a child with another man, and he suddenly felt closed in by the scene before him.



Without a word, he turned and walked out into the garden, closing the door firmly behind him and taking a huge gulp of air. His stomach lurched, and he turned and vomited into the ditch beside the house. Trembling, he walked to the garden plots, gathered all he needed and Apparated away so quickly, he didn’t see the crying witch running towards him, calling him to come back.