Coming Home

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Ronnie.

A/N: Squeeeee for reviews!!!

Laceyweasley: We\'ll have to wait until next chapter to see if your suspicions are correct. *big evil grin*

Innogen: I\'m glad you found it again, too!!! Have no fear, the story is written, I\'m just taking my time and posting a chapter a day. Not too much longer until we get to the good stuff, promise.

Hermione sat there for a moment confused. Then she looked up at the headmaster. “What?”

His blue eyes twinkled brightly, “You heard me, Hermione. Have Madame Pomfrey check to make sure there isn’t a little Snape on the way.”

She just sat there unsure what to do. She came to him for answers, and he may have just alerted her to another complication. “I, uh, well Professor, it’s been a pleasure talking to you. Now, I have to go get Ronnie and write a letter to Molly.”

She left his office with her mind reeling. Last time he told her she had a glow about her, she had Ronnie. Surely in 3 weeks she hadn’t… Her thoughts were interrupted as she realized that she was at the door to the day care.

Hermione picked up Ronnie and asked him if he wanted to write his gran a letter. The 4-year-old was ecstatic. “Oh! Mum! I’d love to write Gran and Grandpa! Can we get He’wid and bring her to the dungeons with us?”

“Of course we can, Red,” she answered.

The two made their way up to the owlery and retrieved Hedwig. The snow owl was very excited to see Hermione and perched on the same side as she held Ronnie. He stroked her gently as they made their way down to the dungeons.

Hermione took out a quill and parchment for herself and her son. He still didn’t write more than his name, but his penmanship was very good. She always let him write a letter to Molly and Arthur when she did. The familiar scratching of her quill filled the room as she and Ronnie wrote letters. He was finished well before Hermione, and he said, “Mum, can you read this for me?”

She put down her quill and took his parchment. What she saw, she couldn’t believe. He’d written a letter, a real letter!

Gran,

Hi. It’s Ronnie. I love you and grandpa and can’t wait to stay with you again. Can we go to Lunden next time?

Love,
Ronnie

PS Tell Aunt Gin and Aunt Luna I want to stay with them, too.

Hermione looked from the parchment to her son and back. “When did you learn to write and spell??”

Ronnie smiled triumphantly. “Aunt Gin started teaching me, and Uncle Severus helped me too!”

Hermione smiled with tears in her eyes. “Well, I think we should send this letter all by itself to the Burrow. What do you think?”

Ronnie’s eyes lit up and he exclaimed, “Really?! He’wid, come here! You’re going to take my letter all by itself!”

The snow owl landed softly by the child and he and his mother tied it to her leg. “Hedwig, take this to the Burrow.”

The owl flew from the dungeons immediately and made for the Burrow. Hermione decided she’d wait to finish her letter until she’d talked to Madame Pomfrey.

Ronnie fell asleep in the floor and Hermione on the couch. When Severus came in from his office, he found them both sleeping peacefully. He looked at his watch and instead of waking Hermione, he moved her to the bed, as it was still several hours before she had to be in the infirmary. He came back, and put Ronnie on the couch with him. He poured his customary glass of absinthe, and began to grade parchments. “Idiot…Git…Idiot…” Severus sighed. He wondered if every year the children were getting dumber and dumber. “Wolfsbane, not henbane,” he said crossing out the wrong label on this page. “Nightshade, not hemlock,” he said marking through the answers on the next.

He checked the time again, and realized that Hermione had two hours until she had to be at work. He sent word to the kitchens that he would like a platter of fruit, a pitcher pumpkin juice, and some hot dogs sent to his chambers. Then, he woke Ronnie.

“Would you like to help me serve your mother breakfast in bed?” he asked the little boy.

“It’s not breakfast time, yet,” answered the child puzzled.

“For us it’s not, but for your mother it is. What say we surprise her?”

With that, there was a knock at the door. A house elf was standing there with a large platter. Severus took the plate and thanked the elf. He and Ronnie took the food to the master bed chamber. Ronnie ran ahead, “Mum! We’ve got breakfast!”

Hermione didn’t stir. Snape sat on the bed and pointed his wand toward the hearth. It suddenly exploded in a bright flame. “Hermione,” he said, “Wake up, it’s almost time for you to go to work.”

She still didn’t open an eye. Finally Ronnie moved very close to his mother and shook her gently with his small hand. “Mum, wake up, we’ve got breakfast.”

She rolled over and opened her eyes only partially. “Breakfast?” she muttered.

“Yes, breakfast,” answered Snape. “I know you didn’t eat anything last night before you left. You have to eat. If you don’t, you’ll get sick. And, if you get sick, who’s going to take care of Ronnie and me?”

Hermione laughed at that question. She sat up and looked at the two of them sitting on either side of her. So different, she thought.

Severus pulled the lid off of the platter to reveal a large plate of fruit, a pitcher of pumpkin juice, and two hot dogs just how Ronnie preferred them. “Eat up, you two,” Snape said as he put a hover charm on the dish.

Between mouthfuls of melon, Hermione asked, “What time is it?”

“It’s almost time for you to go to work.”

“Oh,” she answered. Being reminded of work made her think of what Dumbledore told her earlier that day.

Ronnie finished off what he wanted of the hot dogs and Hermione asked him to go take a bath. He ran as fast as he could to the tub and began heating the water.

“Severus,” she said seriously. “I went to see Dumbledore today.”