A Matter of Circumstance

Chapter 38 ~ Hermione Goes Home

Severus fragrantly made his way through the halls of Hogwarts, passing students and leaving a funk that nearly made them gag.

”I always knew the Potions Master was a stinker, but daaaaamn,” one student said, clasping her hand over her nose and mouth as he billowed by.

Albus was in the Main Hall and hailed Severus as he walked down the main stairwell.

”Hello, Severus. How is Hermione?” the Headmaster asked.

“She’s recovering, Headmaster,” Severus said, irritated at being stopped. He could smell his own rankness now and really wanted a shower. Sure, he could have scourgified himself but he would still feel dirty. Only soap and water would help.

”That’s wonderful,” Albus said, smiling broadly.

Then he caught a whiff of the Potions Master and his smile faded.

”Er…carry on,” the wizard said, hurrying off.

Severus smirked.

Body odor was good for something after all. Maybe he should stench himself up a bit whenever Albus called him for one of his boring meetings. He bet they’d be shortened considerably.

The wizard continued to the dungeons, his Slytherins greeting him, their faces stoic as he passed. They knew better than to comment, even to each other. Someone might go back to the Professor and tell in an effort to garner a bit of the snarky Head of House’s favor.

Severus let himself into his office, then his study. He strode into the bedroom, pulled out his wand and divestoed his clothing and headed straight for the shower. He mixed the water, picked up a bar of sandalwood-scented soap and began bathing, washing his hair and body. As he scrubbed, his mind turned to Hermione.

Gods, it was so good to hear her voice, to see those eyes looking at him and those arms holding their child. The emotion that washed over the wizard was still unfamiliar and slightly fear-tinged. He had taken an oath to straighten out her life and the life of her child. There was only one way to do that.

Marry her.

To make an unbreakable commitment that would bind the witch to him until the end of his days. Yes, he wanted her…he knew that now. Her and Cassia. They were his family. He was loved.

Loved.

Something the Potions Master ever thought he would be. But accepting it meant he would have to open himself up to possible hurt and pain as well as love. His coldness had protected him from that even as it curbed his ability to truly feel.

That coldness was going to have to go out of the turret window, at least when it came to Hermione and Cassia. Well, he could always double up on snarkiness dealing with others who did not have loving him to protect them.

All right. Marrying Hermione was next on the agenda. But how to do it? He couldn’t imagine himself bending down on one knee. He doubted Hermione would even think that was sincere coming from him…besides, it seemed so…contrived.

His stomach tightened as he thought about asking her to marry him. What if she said no? That would be awful. He’d be humiliated if she turned him down. She might too. He hadn’t been stellar in his treatment of her. He didn’t show her any…well…romance. He never got the hang of romance. All the romance the women he screwed needed was either plenty of alcohol or a galleon or two.

Still, Hermione loved him. She’d say yes.

Wouldn’t she?

Damn it. He wished he could look into her mind and see what she’d say…but since Hermione never brought up the topic of marriage with him, he doubted it was anyplace in her mind where it would easily be accessible. A passing thought didn’t retain too well. Legilimency had its limits. He’d have to scrounge around in her mind for hours to find it, if it was even there. Knowing Hermione, it would be like walking through a shifting kaleidoscope, thoughts swirling around and around in a confusing manner. She seemed to be an associative thinker, not a linear one. That would be a problem.

The wizard sighed, standing under the water and letting it stream over his face and body. He had to find a way to ask her to marry him without seeming like some love-struck fool. There had to be a way to do it with dignity but protect himself from being rejected.

Poor Severus. He was out of his element again. Trying to find a logical solution to facing Love. He’d have a better chance of lassoing the sun.

He cut off the water and exited the shower. He’d wait until Hermione returned home and give her a few days to settle in. Maybe he should wait a few weeks and propose to her when he was on the stroke and she was completely under his power. She’d say yes to anything then.

But that would take too long. He needed to rectify the situation now so she could go out in public with Cassia without being humiliated. He doubted Hermione would ever be ashamed of her daughter, no matter what her situation. In fact, a few hexes might fly if someone said something inappropriate…and that would most likely mean arrest, if not Azkaban. Hermione could be quite volatile. No, he had to do something before that happened.

The wizard dried himself off. There had to be a painless way to approach this problem.

He’d find it.

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Two days later, Hermione was released by Poppy and allowed to go home with Cassia. Eli preceded them, the elf carefully cleaning the bedroom and bathroom of blood. There was so much blood. Eli’s ears flattened in horror as he looked at it.

”The Miss is very lucky,” the elf said to himself as he removed the bedsheets, cleaned the mattress then flipped it over.

He put Cassia’s crib back into the nursery. If she were going to be spoiled, the house elf intended to do it. Eli knew wasn’t good for mother and baby to be together all the time. They needed space from each other or else the child would be clingy and demanding. Eli would keep things balanced.

Severus was back to teaching classes, and was furious Albus had indeed let Professor Binns teach the class during his short absence. It took him more than an hour to get the ectoplasm off his chair. The green goop was very resistant to scourgifying and had to be scraped loose first.

He made a Gryffindor student do the scraping.

Severus didn’t plan to go visit Hermione the evening she came home, because she was expecting visitors.

Her parents.

Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter were going to pick them up and bring them for a visit. Severus wasn’t ready to do “parents” yet. He still had Hermione to deal with. Besides, he had seen Mr. Granger on several occasions, and he was a large, burly muggle. No doubt he’d have a few choice words for him, if not a couple knuckles as well. Severus was a good fighter and it just wouldn’t be conducive to Hermione accepting his proposal if he kicked her father’s ass. So he decided to lie low.

Hermione’s parents were shocked and dismayed to discover that Ron was not the father of Cassia, and even more shocked to find out Professor Snape was the sperm donor and Hermione had been secretly seeing him while dating Ron. Ron and Harry discreetly departed, promising to return in three hours to see the Grangers back to London.

”Nice place,” Harry said to Ron as they left the house.

“Yeah, Hermione said Snape rented it for her and the baby. Good to see it’s not a hovel,” the redhead replied. They decided to pass the time at the Three Broomsticks.

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“Hermione, what in the world were you thinking? Did he put a spell on you or something?” her mother asked, recalling the dark and rather ugly wizard. If he had been devastatingly handsome, Jane Granger might have understood. But there was nothing remotely attractive about the Potions Master that she could see. His voice was even creepy and gave her the shudders.

Well, there was no accounting for taste.

“No mum. I was attracted to him since my seventh year. I just didn’t act on it until I returned to Hogwarts,” Hermione said.

She hadn’t yet introduced them to Cassia. She wanted them to know the situation first.

”Well, at least you have a nice home,” Jane said, looking around the house with approval.

She walked into the kitchen as Hermione’s father looked at her with his arms crossed.

”I’m not happy about this, kitten,” John Granger said to her, “Where is the Professor?”

”At Hogwarts, teaching,” Hermione said, her eyes filling.

“I want to ‘talk’ to him, man to man,” her father growled.

”I’ll see if I can arrange a meeting in a little while,” Hermione told her father, “Dad, I’m really sorry about this. I…I just wasn’t thinking…”

John’s hard amber eyes softened a bit.

”Well, your mother had a thing for older men. I guess she just passed the gene on. What bothers me is that I married your mother. You haven’t said anything about tying the knot with my grandchild’s father. He should step up and be a man,” her father said.

John Granger was twenty years older than his wife. He knew the attraction a young woman could have. But still, this Professor could have done the right thing when he discovered Hermione was pregnant. John intended to ‘convince’ him to do the right thing, even if he had to break the wizard’s ugly face.

Hermione was about to reply when a shrill scream came from the kitchen, then a crashing noise, then some high-pitched squealing.

”What the hell?” John cried, running into the kitchen trailed by Hermione, whose eyes widened in horror as they fell on the scene before her.

”Mum, stop it!” she screamed at her mother.

Jane Granger had a broom and was soundly beating Eli with it. The poor elf was squealing, trapped in the corner with his arms over his head as the little muggle went to town on him. Pots were scattered all about.

”Mum, stop it! That’s Eli! He lives here!” Hermione cried, running up to her mother and grabbing the handle of the broom so she couldn’t swing it.

“That lives here?” Jane said, panting as Eli lowered his arms and looked at her, his eyes round.

Hermione let go of the broom and walked up to the trembling elf.

”Eli, are you all right?” she asked him.

Eli ran his scaly hands over his body carefully, wincing as he gingerly touched the top of his head. Then he looked up at Hermione.

”Yes. Eli is all right. Hurts a little but all right,” he squeaked as Jane looked at him with narrowed eyes.

”He looks like a little demon, Hermione. Why in the world would you keep something like that near the baby? He looks like he’d eat her,” Jane said, frowning.

Eli looked quite affronted.

”Eli not eats babies,” he said huffily, “Eli loves babies and cares for them. And for the Miss.”

Hermione turned to her mother.

“Eli is a house elf, mum. Kind of a servant. He helps me with the baby and the housework. He’s really quite handy. I would have had a hard time without him,” Hermione explained.

”I serves the House of Snape,” Eli added, brushing himself off now.

”Well, he’s absolutely frightening, Hermione. I thought he was possessing the house or something when I saw him,” Jane said.

John stood in the kitchen door with a small smirk on his face. His wife was certainly a brave little woman, taking a broom to something like that without hesitation. She was a spitfire all right.

“Well he’s not. He lives here and takes care of me and the baby,” Hermione said, “So no more attacking him with brooms.”

“Fine,” Jane said, not looking very sincere as she glared at Eli, “Let me see my granddaughter now.”

“Sure, just go wait in the living room and I’ll be right there,” Hermione said.

Jane left the kitchen, followed by her grinning husband. Hermione turned to Eli.

”I’m so sorry, Eli. My mother never saw a house elf before,” she said to him apologetically.

“Your mother is very brave,” the house elf replied, rubbing his head, “And strong.”

”Yeah. I have her temper I’m told,” Hermione replied, “Are you sure you’re all right?”

”Yes,” Eli said, “But Eli thinks he goes to the cupboard for a little while. Until your mother leaves.”

”All right, Eli,” Hermione said, watching the little elf climb into the small cabinet on the right and close the door behind him.

She sighed.

Poor Eli. Attacked by her mum.

The witch exited the kitchen and approached her waiting parents.

“This way,” she said, leading them through the house, down the hall and into Cassia’s nursery.

The baby was awake and lying there quietly, looking up at the blurry shapes that suddenly appeared cribside. She gurgled.

“Awwwww,” Jane said softly, “Hermione, she’s beautiful. Can I pick her up?”

“Of course,” Hermione said, smiling at her mother’s smitten expression.

Jane reached into the crib and picked up the baby, cradling her in her arms.

”Oh, she’s such a good baby,” she cooed as Cassia frowned up at her, “Look John. Isn’t she precious?”

John leaned over his wife’s shoulder and studied the baby’s pale complexion.

”Good thing we live in England. The sun would fry her to a crisp otherwise,” he said.

Both Hermione and Jane scowled at him.

”But yes, she’s beautiful,” he added, smiling down at the baby, “What’s her full name?”

”Cassia Jane Granger,” Hermione said, her mother looking up at her in astonishment.

”Jane?” she asked.

Hermione nodded and her mother beamed down at the baby.

“A beautiful name for a beautiful baby,” she crooned, rocking Cassia gently.

John however, was scowling.

“Granger? Shouldn’t it be ‘Snape?’” he growled.

”Well, in the wizarding world a child can’t take on the father’s name unless he is married to the mother,” she said hesitatingly.

John didn’t say anything. Now he really wanted to talk to the Professor.

Hermione’s parents spent the rest of the time playing with the baby and exploring Hermione’s house. It really was roomy and gorgeous.

”You say this is a rental, Hermione?” Jane asked her, carrying Cassia as they moved from room to room.

”Yes. Severus rented it for us,” Hermione said.

”At least he did that much,” John said, still scowling.

Just putting Hermione up in a home wasn’t nearly enough as far as her father was concerned.

”He provides full support as well,” Hermione said.

John grunted.

”I didn’t raise my daughter to be a ‘kept woman,’” he groused.

”Oh, I’m going to go back to school, Dad. And work. I’ll be taking care of myself soon enough,” Hermione said.

”Yes, but the way I understand it, being a single mother in the wizarding world doesn’t afford you much opportunity. Maybe you and the baby should come back to London,” he said to his daughter.

Hermione shook her head.

”Dad, Cassia and I are witches. We belong here. We’ll get along, believe me,” she said to her father.

“Well, I’ll be keeping my eye on you, Hermione…and if things get too difficult, I expect you to leave here,” he said in his best “I’m your dad and you will listen to me” voice, “Your mother and I can help you.”

”I’ll keep it in mind, Dad,” Hermione said, kissing him on the cheek, but thinking it would never happen. This was her world, imperfect as it was. She wouldn’t leave it.

Ron and Harry returned as promised to return the Grangers to London.

”Remember, I want to meet with that wizard,” John said warningly as he and Jane walked toward the front door. Jane kissed Cassia and handed her back to Hermione.

”I’ll let you know when, Dad. I promise,” Hermione said, “But you have to promise not to brawl with him. He’s a wizard and a hero. He can protect himself very well.”

”Doesn’t seem like much of a hero to me,” her father snapped, saying nothing about brawling. As far as he was concerned, Snape deserved a punch in the nose at least.

”Goodbye, Hermione, Cassia,” Jane said softly, kissing Hermione on the cheek, then cupping her face with one hand gently.

”You’ll be all right. You’re a Granger,” she said to her daughter encouragingly.

”Yes, I am,” Hermione said to her mother smiling.

Her parents left and Hermione returned to the living room and sat down with Cassia, who started mewling.

Hermione unsnapped the shoulder of her shirt and drew it down, exposing her breast. She removed the little pad and offered her nipple to Cassia, who latched on to it hungrily.

”Well, you met your grandparents. How did you like them?” she asked the baby, who continued suckling.

”Yes, they are nice aren’t they. But I think your grandfather wants to punch your father’s lights out,” the witch said, adjusting the baby, “I know the feeling.”

“You do, do you?” a silken voice said.

Hermione looked up to see Severus standing alongside the chair. He had placed a silencing spell on himself and apparated home, intending to apparate right back if her parents were still there.

They weren’t.

”Severus,” she breathed up at him.

”Yes, it’s Severus. I have something I need to say to you witch,” he said scowling down at her.

Hermione looked curious. There was something unfamiliar in his eyes.

”What is it?” she asked the pale wizard.

Severus cleared his throat several times, then said, “I want to marry you.”

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A/N: Thanks for reading.