An Unusual Solution

Hermione had selected the ripest fruit and was moving on to the potato. Severus enjoyed a good baked potato and so did she. She moved through the market with a practiced routine, that is until she was stopped by a familiar face.



“Cathy, how are you?” She asked the elegant blonde. Cathy did have graceful looks, but knowing what Severus had said about his former girlfriend made her weary of the woman.



“I asked Severus to lunch with me the other day.” She said. “He told me you won’t allow it.”



“You must have misunderstood him. I would never forbid Severus anything. I merely said I would feel uncomfortable if he accepted invitations like that from past lovers.” She explained.



“Me and Severus had a good friendship now. I come to treasure it.” She said.



“I understand the friendship aspect of it and I respect that. I would never deny him friends. I will not however stand for the physical part continuing. He is my husband now.” Hermione stated with a firmness she knew Severus would have used.



“Don’t you think your being judgmental and restricting?” She asked.



“I never demand anything from Severus, I merely tell him what would make me uncomfortable and he acts the way he wants. Severus is his own man, and I am proud to be married to a man who cares about how I feel.” She left the woman standing there.



Severus found her in the kitchen and when he approached her she raised a cheek for a kiss, but went right back to putting groceries away. “What happened?” He asked.



“I ran into Cathy at the market.” She said, not looking at him.



“What did she say?” When she stayed silent, he took the bag from her hand and took her shoulders, making her face him. “What did she say?” He repeated.



“She said I was restricting you.” Hermione’s quiet voice nearly broke his heart.



“You are not restricting me. Everything I do is my choice, but I do it for you. I’m trying to be a good husband.” He told her.



“You are a good husband, better then I could have imagined.” She said wrapping her arms around his waist. “Would it be too much too soon to tell you that I care very much for you?” She asked into his chest.



“No, because I feel the same way.” She lifted her head quickly and they shared a hot kiss. When he pulled away he felt a relief at her lifted expression. “I’m going to go talk to her later on.”



“Oh Severus, just leave it be and don’t waste the time.” She said with a groan.



“I think it’s time me and Cathy closed the past.” He said with a definitive tone. He had made up his mind.





Severus showed up at the Three Broomsticks around mid afternoon. He asked Madame Rosemerta to tell Cathy she had a visitor. He waited in the lobby, until she came down.



“My room would be a more private place to talk, don’t you think?” She offered in the familiar grin of hers. He used to find it charming when she used it after they had spilt up. That was when the physical was just the physical, now his body didn’t respond.



“No Cathy, it’s not. Please sit down.” He said gesturing to the chair opposite him.



“Let me guess,” she started, “the little woman sent you down here because I hurt her feelings? Really Sev, that woman you married……”



“Is the woman I love, and anything me and you had is now over.” He said.



“You, in love? Who are you trying to fool?” She said with a half smile.



“I respect Hermione in ways I never thought I could. She is everything that is perfect in a woman and we are just starting a wonderful life together. I won’t let anyone ruin it, not even you.” He said.



“What does that mean?” She said, trying to sound amused.



“It means that you need to stay away. If you are going to try and cause problems for me and my wife, we don’t need you around. You don’t respect out marriage so you don’t respect us. I want Hermione to be happy, and I want to be happy with her.”



“Since when do you worry about a woman’s happiness Sev?” The bitterness she had felt during their own relationship was showing.



“Since I found a woman who is worth it.” Her anger filled her face. “Marriage is different from dating. I don’t see her every now and then, we have joined out lives together. She is the perfect partner, and worth anything I can do to make her stay with me.’ He looked away from her for a moment. “I love her.” He said quietly, meaning it and for the first time realizing it. “It would be best it we just avoid each other from now on Cathy.” He stood and looked down at his former girlfriend. “Good luck.” He said, then left.





Severus returned home to find Hermione gone. The house elf told him that she had gone with Luna Potter to organize a demonstration. He knew what that meant. The protest at the Ministry during the meeting about the new law. The elf told him she would be returning for dinner.



He had been engrossed in a book when the elf came running into the library. “Master, a message just came through the floo.”



‘Fight during meeting, Hermione injured, here at St. Mungo’s, come immediately. Healer Longbottom’



Severus was out of his chair and through the floo in a flash of green.