An Unlikely Savior ~ (Edit) COMPLETED

Chapter 47 ~ An Uncomfortable Meeting

After supper, Ron soundly thrashed Eileen at chess while Rose and Hermione washed the dishes, put away leftovers and did kitchen maintenance. Hugo warned Eileen his dad was good, but Eileen was also a good player.

Just not as good as Ron.

Ron also employed distractive measures on the witch, such as bellowing for Hugo to bring him pumpkin juice while she was concentrating on an important move, and pretending to have dropped a chess piece, making a big production of looking for it. Eileen scowled at Ron’s antics, catching on quickly as to what he was doing. It was rather funny and Slytherin-like to be honest. Her dad sometimes did things like that, too, especially if she was beating him. So, she didn’t complain. He really was very good, too.

After finishing their chores, Rose and Hermione joined them in the living room and they played a few games of Snap. Eileen was very focused and wore a poker face, not giving away anything as she waited her turn, then made her move.

”Bloody hell,” Ron breathed as she just swept the table clean with a smirk. “Where’s your wand at? That hand had to be magicked.”

It was a little before ten when Hermione returned Eileen to her father.

Severus was still awake, waiting for his daughter to return and hoping things weren’t too horrible for her. Being surrounded by Weasleys for hours couldn’t be good for her psyche. All that bubbliness was bound to irritate her. Snape imagined it was like being trapped in the world of the—what was that Muggle children’s show?

Ah, the Teletubbies.

He stood up quickly when the door opened and Eileen and Hermione walked in. He quickly scanned his daughter. She didn’t look any worse for wear.

”Hi dad, I’m home,” Eileen said, walking up to him and kissing his cheek as Hermione looked on.

”You seemed to have endured your ordeal quite well,” he said to her.

Eileen smirked at him.

”It wasn’t that bad, dad,” she said, then she turned to Hermione, shifting her eyes at her meaningfully. Hermione started.

”Severus, I’d like Eileen to spend the weekend with us. We’re going to the Burrow and I’d like to formally introduce her to the rest of the family,” Hermione said to him.

Snape blinked and looked at Eileen.

”The Burrow? You’re going to be smothered in Weasleys,” he warned her as Hermione scowled at him.

”I’m sure I’ll find an air hole someplace,” Eileen replied. “Can I go, dad?”

”It’s against my better judgment, but there’s no putting off the inevitable, so yes, you can go,” Snape said. “I can only hope you aren’t caught in the crush.”

”There aren’t that many Weasleys, Severus,” Hermione said.

”If Molly’s and Arthur’s tribe of offspring have inherited their parents propensity to breed, there are probably more Weasleys than I can shake a wand at,” the dark wizard replied. “I also imagine gathered in one place, the sheer amount of them would break several residential zoning laws.”

“That’s not true,” Hermione said, incensed.

Snape snorted as Eileen smirked at him. He was terrible, but funny.

”Eileen, could you give me a moment alone with your father? I want to talk to him,” Hermione said to her daughter.

”Sure. I’m going to get ready for bed. I’m exhausted. Good night,” she said to Hermione, then she kissed her father’s cheek again.

”Good night, dad.”

”Good night, Eileen.”

Hermione watched Eileen walk away. She hadn’t kissed her good night, and Hermione didn’t know if she ever would. Rose and Hugo didn’t do it. They just said they were going to bed, and it was always fine. But there was something about Eileen kissing her father, but not her that hurt a little bit.

“What did you want to talk to me about?” Snape asked her directly.

He’d had enough of Hermione at the Three Broomsticks today. She haggled worse than a cheap customer.

”I just wanted to say I appreciated the Pensieve you sent me. It doesn’t in any way make up for what you did, and what you stole from me, but at least I got to see that Eileen was well-cared for,” Hermione told him. “But I have to say, I never thought you would be a decent father to anyone. I didn’t believe you had it in you to care for another human being, until Harry shared your story about his mother with us. To be honest, it was a little creepy that you continued to love her and to such an extent that you would— ”

”I would rather not discuss Lily Potter,” Snape said tightly, “or my service because of her. Are you finished?”

Hermione eyed him, thinking about how different he was with his daughter.

”Almost. I just wanted to ask you—was it worth it, Severus? Was it worth taking my child without saying a word?”

Snape looked at her, then sighed.

”Yes, it was worth it,” he said softly, “Eileen has brought me more joy than I could ever express—but if it is any solace to you, Hermione, if I found myself in the same situation today as I was those many years ago, with you indebted to me, I would not have taken Eileen without telling you. Having a daughter has broadened my horizons and I wouldn’t want any man to do to her what I did to you. You are someone’s daughter as well. Although I do not regret taking Eileen, and never will, I am sorry for the pain I’ve caused you.”

Hermione blinked at him.

”Sorry will never be good enough, Severus.”

”I know,” he replied, “Which is why I haven’t said it before. Now that this particular exercise in futility is over, I would like to retire. Is there anything else?”

”No, not a thing other than I will pick Eileen up on Friday afternoon at three,” Hermione said rather coldly.

“Very well,” Snape replied, walking past her and opening the front door. “Good night, Hermione.”

Hermione stalked past Snape and exited his home. He closed the door firmly behind her, but didn’t slam it. He heard the crack of Apparition, then turned, heading for his bedroom.

”And to think, I’m probably going to have to deal with that woman for the rest of my life,” he muttered.

Hermione reappeared in front of her home, completely pissed at the apothecary’s dismissive demeanor.

”And to think,” she muttered as she let herself in, “I’m probably going to have to deal with that git for the rest of my life.”

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Eileen cashed in the gift certificate her father gave her, and her Firebolt was upgraded. It now flew fifteen miles faster per hour, as if it hadn’t been fast enough to start with.

Odessa showed up at work promptly at eight-thirty. Snape looked up at her as she entered the store and did a double-take. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, and she wore glasses. Beneath her white lab coat, she wore a black shirt, black trousers and sensible black shoes. She wore only a hint of make-up. She sort of looked like a scientist.

Snape stared at Odessa as she walked up and smiled at him, then spun as if at a fashion show, letting her hand fall to her hip as she struck a pose, looking over her glasses at him like a school marm.

”Do you like?” she asked Snape, who blinked at her—nearly speechless.

”I’m not sure,” he admitted. “You look very different. Glasses?”

”I wore contacts on the streets. It’s hard to hook in glasses unless a customer had a fetish or something. But I prefer my glasses.”

”I see,” Snape said.

”I decided to put my best foot forward. If I’m going to be a clerk, I might as well look the part. See, no cleavage,” she told him, opening her lab coat to show him her covered up breasts.

There might not be any cleavage, but there was plenty breast. A shirt and a lab coat wouldn’t hide that. And she still had the sexy little walk she’d developed over the years. That wouldn’t change anytime soon, if at all.

As Snape watched her walk around the counter, he decided she looked more like a sexy Muggle doctor than anything else. The kind of doctor that did naughty things to her patients behind closed doors.

Hm.

Odessa opened the cash drawer and began to count out the morning till, writing down the amount on a clip board. Snape watched her carefully. Just as she slipped the drawer back into the register, a wizard entered and walked up to the counter.

“Golem clay,” he said shortly, looking at Odessa, who looked at Snape.

”Third aisle, second shelf,” the wizard said.

”Follow me, sir,” Odessa said, walking from behind the counter and past the customer, who blinked, his eyes resting on her shifting bum, eyebrows raised. He followed her all right.

Snape smirked as she led the smitten customer to the clay. Perhaps Odessa would be good for business in more ways than one.

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Odessa was stocking shelves when she heard the little scream that heralded an arriving customer. She looked up to see a handsome older wizard with long blonde hair, an aristocratic bearing, and a silver tipped cane walking up to the counter.

”I’ll be right with you,” she called out, quickly placing everything back into the box neatly, then hurrying behind the counter.

Lucius Malfoy studied the attractive clerk. There was something familiar about her, but he couldn’t put his wand on it.

”How may I help you today?” Odessa asked him politely.

”I would like a strong potion to soothe stomach problems. I believe I may be developing an ulcer,” Lucius said, as Odessa’s expression turned sympathetic.

”Oh, that’s terrible. Would you like an over-the-counter potion, or a fresh-brewed one, courtesy of our apothecary? It’s a bit more expensive, but well worth the price.”

”Fresh-brewed,” Lucius stated firmly.

He knew Snape’s skills. He was a Potions master after all.

”Very good, sir,” Odessa said, taking out a clipboard. “Your name, please?”

”Lucius Malfoy.”

Odessa efficiently took down the wizard’s information, then said, “Would you mind waiting for a moment, sir? Fresh-brewed potions require a short meeting with the apothecary, so they can be brewed to suit the individual.”

”That will be fine,” Lucius replied.

Odessa gave him a smile, then walked into the back of the store, where Snape was dicing up ingredients. A doomed African frog scrambled frantically against the glass of the small fishbowl it currently occupied, noticeable because of its bright colors.

Despite its efforts to escape, it wasn’t long for this world. Frog heaven would be its next abode.

“There’s a Mr. Lucius Malfoy here, Severus. He wants a fresh-brewed potion for stomach complaints. He believes he’s developing an ulcer.”

Snape frowned slightly over his work, then put his utensils down. He put on his robes, fastened them, then followed Odessa into the shop.

”Lucius,” he said tightly.

”Hello, Severus,” the blonde wizard said. “I am in need of a stomach potion . . . “

”Yes, I’ve been told. I imagine serving on the Board of Governors isn’t good on the digestion—“

Lucius knew immediately Snape was making a reference to the issue of his daughter Eileen.

”It can be a difficult appointment,” Lucius replied. “I don’t agree with every action they take, such as the hearing on your daughter. I am very sorry to put her through this. I tried my best to take it off the table. I was the only one who voted against the measure. I find it utterly ludicrous that anyone would attempt to claim she was magically-enhanced because of a simple fertility rite.”

Odessa had gone back to stocking the shelves, but was listening intently. They were questioning Eileen’s magical ability? That was insane.

Snape studied Lucius.

”So, tell me, Lucius—who made that ‘ludicrous’ claim?”

”The Board received letters from nearly all the parents of children enrolled in Ravenclaw, suggesting that your daughter’s continued academic excellence and superiority over their own children’s marks might be magically inspired. They find it hard to believe a Slytherin could outdo Ravenclaws. They claim if she was that brilliant, then she would have been sorted into Ravenclaw.”

Ah. So that explained it. Snape was familiar with how pushy and anal Ravenclaw parents could be. He had to deal with them during teacher/parent conferences, and every single one of them felt he wasn’t giving their children proper marks. Book knowledge and brewing abilities were two very different things. Just because a student knew how a potion was supposed to be made, didn’t mean they could do it, or do it well. Ravenclaws generally did quite well on written tests. It was the lab work that generally brought their marks down.

“Well, her mother is a brilliant witch, and also beat out Ravenclaw time and time again,” Snape said quietly.

”What? I thought you married a Muggle, Severus? What’s this about a witch?” Lucius asked him.

”I did marry a Muggle, Lucius, but Eileen’s mother is a witch. Hermione Weasley. You are familiar with her as Hermione Granger,” Snape informed him.

Lucius immediately went three shades whiter.

”Hermione Granger?” he nearly choked.

Snape nodded somberly.

”And she isn’t happy about the situation. Neither am I,” Snape added.

Lucius couldn’t believe this. Hermione Granger? Not that witch going before the Board. Anyone but her. He remembered her at Snape’s hearing. Hermione had lashed out at the entire Ministry Council for not giving Snape his due and practically calling him a murderer. She had been furious—and right. Now, she was going before the Board concerning her daughter? Merlin, it was going to be a disaster, he was certain.

Lucius felt a pulse of pain in his mid-section and bent over slightly, cocking one reddened gray eye on the silent Potions master.

“Severus, I really need that potion as soon as possible,” he groaned.

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A/N: Thanks for reading.