A New Beginning (DH -COMPLIANT)

Chapter 81 ~ Epilogue

So began the true relationship of Severus Snape and Hermione Weasley, each of them discovering a freedom with the other they hadn’t known existed. What was clear, however, was that there truly was love between the two, although Severus was never demonstrative in public. It just wasn’t his way. But Hermione didn’t mind that. She had lived with a man for many years who didn’t mind public displays of affection. Ron. Severus’ reserve was just as appealing. This did not mean to say that he wasn’t solicitous and protective, because he was.

They began to go out more, Hermione convincing him to stop wearing his hood so people could get used to seeing him. The more they saw him, the less likely he was to draw undue attention. Harry could just about go anywhere now without being bothered. Initially, there were a few unfortunate confrontations with Severus nearly blowing the robes off of a crowd of autograph seekers, and hexing a couple of annoying paparazzi who followed him and Hermione one night when they went out to dine. Several very unflattering photos of the snarling wizard made it into the Prophet the next day.

Then he did an interview about how he just wanted to live his life in peace with a sympathetic reporter named Dennis Creevey. He had been the youngest member of the group that attended the initial meeting of Dumbledore’s Army years ago, somehow managing to slip into the Hogs Head Inn in his second year, when only third years were allowed to visit Hogsmeade. When his brother Colin was killed at the Final Battle, he followed in his footsteps, first taking an interest in photography, then joining the Daily Prophet Staff shortly after graduation.

The column was enough to make the public understand that Severus Snape simply wanted to live a peaceful life. Although the paparazzi still lurked, the autograph hounds stopped sniffing about, which suited the dark wizard just fine.

Rose and Rod had a bit of a falling out, not that Rose wanted it to happen. The witch was finally forced to ask Rod to the Valentine’s Day Dance when it became clear he wasn’t going to ask her.

“You want to go with me?” Rod asked the witch.

”Yeah, I do. You’re fun at dances,” Rose said to the wizard as they walked across the grounds.

”Oh. I was just going to go stag,” Rod said.

Rose’s face fell.

”But if you want me to go with you, I will. I would have asked you, but I didn’t want to become a ‘Roland.’ You said he tried to take you to all the dances,” Rod explained.

”You’re nothing like Roland, Rod. You give me space,” she said to him.

Rod shrugged.

”Everyone needs space,” he said, then realized he was going to have to get new robes and a gift for Rose.

There was only two days left before the dance. He had turned down James and Winston’s request that he join them for another routine. He felt one was enough. He didn’t want people to think he was a show-off like they secretly thought about the two Gryffindors.

Rod did attend the Valentine’s Day dance with Rose, making sure she had a corsage this time, and he purchased another charm for her bracelet. She rewarded him with a kiss in the lips for his thoughtfulness. Of course he turned all kinds of colors.

But it was near the dance’s end where the problem started. Rose wanted to take a walk outside through the gardens. A lot of couples were doing it, so Rod took her. They strolled along in silence for a while, then Rose said she wanted to sit for a bit and found a little out of the way alcove with a bench in it. Fairies sitting in small bowers lit up the area with a warm and rather romantic light.

Rod ran his finger around his collar, aware Rose was looking at him. He felt extremely nervous, though he didn’t know why exactly.

”It’s a nice night,” he said, trying to break the tension and looking up at the starlit sky.

”Yes it is. Why didn’t you give me a Valentine’s Day card, Rod?” Rose asked him.

Rod looked at her a bit startled.

”I . . . I didn’t think to do it, Rose. I never gave out cards before. Did you want one from me?” he asked her.

”I wouldn’t have asked you about it if I didn’t want one,” she snapped at him.

”Sorry,” he said softly, looking down at his shoes.

Rose stared at him, just plain annoyed.

”Rod, don’t you like me?” she asked him directly.

He looked up at her.

”Yeah I like you. And Hugo,” he replied.

”I don’t mean like that. I mean . . . don’t you have any feelings for me as a . . .a girl?” she asked him.

“What do you mean ‘as a girl?’ That shouldn’t matter whether or not I like you,” he said to her, “Girls are all right.”

Rose pinched her nose. Rod really couldn’t be that thick, could he?

No, he wasn’t. But he didn’t want to get into this conversation with Rose. He wasn’t good enough for her.

”Maybe we should go back now, Rose. The ball is just about over,” he suggested, rising.

”Sit down, Rod. We need to talk,” she ordered him.

Rod sighed and sat back down, looking at the pretty witch in the glow of the fairies.

“I want to know if you like me . . . as a girlfriend,” she said to him, her voice low.

Rod blinked at her.

”No,” he said shortly. “Just as a friend.”

Rose stared at him. She had a distinctly Hermione-like look in her eyes as her eyes washed over Rod, who began to redden slightly.

”Ah ha! You do like me like that!” she said, pointing at him. “Why won’t you ask me out?”

Rod mumbled something.

“What?” she said to him.

”Rose, I’m not good enough for you. I don’t have anything to offer you. I don’t have a family, my grades bite and I’m going to have to work for Sparse Venues for years before I amount to anything,” he said to her.

Rose looked at him as if he were insane.

”Rod, you’re only eighteen and we’re only talking about going steady. You don’t need to ‘have a future’ for that,” she said to him. “Nobody thinks that way.”

Rod studied her.

”Well I do, Rose. What do you think? Do you think I’d like to go out with you then have somebody better come along and take you away?” he said to her honestly. “I see it all the time here at Hogwarts. People are together one week and then apart the next, with somebody else. I don’t want to go through that with you.”

“But that’s normal, Rod. Teenagers date a lot,” she said to the blonde wizard.

”I don’t want to,” he said sullenly.

He liked Rose more than she realized. He really didn’t want to become a Roland, someone who wanted her from afar because things didn’t work out. He’d be miserable. It was better to keep her as a friend than a girlfriend.

Rose studied his frowning face. He wouldn’t look at her.

”Let’s go back inside,” Rod muttered.

”Not yet. I want to see something,” Rose said to him, shifting closer.

Rod looked up and Rose wrapped her arms around him and snogged him soundly. Rod helplessly kissed her back, not wanting to push her away and make her angry with him. Then the kiss became very sweet, her mouth so soft and warm, and she smelled so good . . .

Rod’s arms slowly encircled the witch and he began to kiss her in earnest, becoming the aggressor, his entire body starting to tingle and nature rising to the fore as he began to harden. Before Rod knew what he was doing, he was leaning Rose back on the bench, taking her down to the hard stone, still kissing her and the witch still kissing him back.

Rose had it pretty bad for Rod and didn’t feel like breaking away from him, even when she felt him bending her back.

Rod couldn’t seem to help himself as he kissed the witch. Everything was getting fuzzy except for Rose, who was still holding him, still kissing him. So soft, so pretty . . .

He had to get closer. He just had to.

He broke the kiss, staring down at Rose, whose brown eyes were heated. He swallowed.

”Rose,” he managed to get out, noticing how his voice didn’t even seem to sound like it belonged to him.

”Rod,” she said softly, “You do like me that way.”

“Rose,” he said again . . . then suddenly …

”Hey! What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Dormers?” an angry voice called out.

Suddenly Rod was pulled up from the bench and hit in the face so hard he staggered back, blood flying from his nose as James walked over and pulled Rose up protectively.

“What did he do?” her cousin demanded as Rod wiped at his bleeding nose.

”He didn’t do anything!” Rose exclaimed, “We were just . . . just . . .”

”Yeah, I saw what you were just about to do, Rose. Now come on. You’re going back inside,” he said.

Another witch, Jennifer, was standing there watching the scene. She was James’ date for the night and he had brought her out into the gardens with the intention of doing to her what he believed Rod was about to do to Rose. Well, this had fucked up his plans nicely.

“James, wait. Rod wasn’t doing anything . . .” Rose protested.

”And he’s not going to. Not while I’m around. Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin, eh Rod?” he growled at the wizard, who pulled out his wand and fixed his nose, scourgifying the blood from his dress robes. “You won’t be shagging my cousin, I’ll tell you that! Get a witch from your own house. I heard it’s not that hard to get laid by one of them. Let’s go, Rose.”

Rose looked back at Rod helplessly as James led her away. Rod stood there a moment. He knew Rose would be trouble. Well, he didn’t need James dogging his heels. He’d just leave Rose alone completely.

It was the best thing to do in this situation.

Rod slowly exited the gardens, taking the long way around the castle, entering the front doors and heading to Slytherin House.

It had been a long night.

*************************************

Rod avoided Rose for the rest of the year, although he still talked to Hugo. James no longer spoke to him either, giving him a nasty glare any time he met his eyes. There was no talking to James either. He was a lot like Harry in that once he got something into his head it was hard to dislodge it, whether it was true or not. He promised Rose he’d beat Rod to a pulp if he caught him alone with her, he didn’t care how fair she thought it was. No one was going to turn his cousin into a slut.

James conveniently ignored the fact that he had shagged his share of Hogwarts witches and had quite the “slut list” under his robes. Or that could be exactly why he was so protective of Rose. He didn’t want her added to a Slytherin’s slut list. He might have been a bit more accepting if Rod was in any other house. Cool as he was, he was still Slytherin and Slytherins lived to bring down Gryffindor House any way they could. Even if Rod’s intentions were honorable, if his housemates ever got wind of it, Rose’s name would be permanently smeared.

When graduation time came around, Rod was seated with the rest of the seventh years. Every time a student was called, his or her family stood up proudly as they marched across the dais to get their diplomas. When they received them, they would turn their tassel and their family and housemates would cheer and applaud. When he would be called, there’d be no one to stand up for him. He doubted if any Slytherins would cheer either. He had returned to his solitary ways after the incident with James. Hugo tried to find out what happened but no one would tell him, not even Rose.

“Rod Dormers!” Wumblewort announced.

Rod sighed and stood up. He was the only orphan graduating. His belly tightened as he began to walk toward the podium, not looking at the silent audience. He walked up to Wumblewort and received his diploma. He received “fair” marks as was expected. Fair marks were just a bit below “acceptable” marks. One good year didn’t make up for six bad ones.

“Good luck, Mr. Dormers,” Wumblewort said solemnly.

”Thank you sir,” Rod said, dreading what was next. He was to turn his tassel then look out on the audience. There would be no one to cheer and applaud for him.

Taking a deep breath and reddening slightly, Rod turned his tassel and faced the audience, only to be met by applause, cheers and whistles.

There, standing in the audience was Hermione, Severus, Molly and Arthur Weasley as well as Harry and Ginny. All except Severus were cheering and congratulating him, but the dark wizard was clapping and nodding his approval at the boy. Whispers went up all around as everyone saw Professor Snape clapping for Rod, and slowly Slytherin house joined in. Rod looked over at the Gryffindor section and grinned as he saw Hugo jumping up and down cheering as his housemates scowled at him and tried to make him sit down. Even Headmaster Wumblewort and the staff joined in once they saw who was standing up for Rod.

Rose looked at him sadly, their eyes meeting for a moment as Rod walked down the dais and over to the congratulations committee. There was no way Hermione was going to let Rod graduate without support.

Hermione embraced and kissed Rod, as did Molly, telling him who she was and thanking him for saving Rose. Ginny hugged and kissed him too, and Arthur shook his hand so soundly, his graduation hat went askew. Harry, who he met before shook his hand as well. Then he faced Professor Snape, whose dark eyes glittered at him for a moment before he soberly stuck out his pale hand to the boy.

”Welcome to the world of work, Mr. Dormers,” the wizard said. “I expect you on the premises tonight or tomorrow morning at the latest. Your cottage is stocked and prepared for occupation.”

”Thank you sir,” Rod said smiling at the wizard.

”Oh, you will, believe me,” Severus said ominously, an unpleasant little smirk on his face. “Starting with the bubertuber fields. A few noxious pods have burst and need to be cleaned out as soon as possible.”

Rod sighed.

It figured.

*********************************************

Rose and Hugo came and stayed for the summer, Hugo getting to know the Professor better and coming to the conclusion he did like him, if only for the entertainment value. He and mum would get into some very interesting discussions and he liked the cool way Severus handled his hot-headed mum. He even caught him kissing her to silence and found it didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would, especially since mum was smiling. He made her happy and maybe she made him less sour, though it was hard to tell.

They didn’t see much of Rod because Severus worked him hard. He was always busy, even on the weekends, earning his galleons and learning the trade. Luckily, Rod showed some aptitude and his spell work was excellent. He didn’t mind getting dirty and Severus decided early on he had chosen the right wizard for the job and he would make a fine supervisor since he was quite meticulous, the dark wizard finding it difficult to find anything wrong with his work.

Rose wasn’t her usual chipper self, and Hermione noticed it immediately, sitting her daughter down and asking her what was wrong.

Rose told her about Rod and James in the garden on the night of the Valentine’s Ball, and how James had walked up on them kissing and got the wrong impression.

”Now Rod avoids me,” Rose said glumly. “He still talks to Hugo but won’t have anything to do with me. I can’t say I blame him mum. If it wasn’t for me, we wouldn’t even have been kissing. I made him kiss me so I could see if he liked me or not. It just went a little further than we planned. . . well . . . I planned.”

Hermione shook her head. Rose was as impulsive as her father sometimes. Then the rest of what Rose said hit her.

”How much further?” Hermione asked, scowling. Rose was the age of consent, but still…

”Oh, nothing bad mum. Just the kissing got a little heavy. I really like Rod, and he really likes me, though he won’t admit it. He says he just wants to be friends because he doesn’t want to date me and then have me leave him for someone else. It’s like he doesn’t even think like a young person,” Rose said.

Hermione thought about Severus, and how he had loved Lily and only Lily for years, even after her death.

”There really are one-witch wizards out here, Rose,” she said to her daughter. “It could be Rod wants any relationship he forms to be real and permanent. He’s had so little in his life. He doesn’t want his heart broken.”

“But how will he find anyone if he’s not willing to try?” Rose asked her.

”Maybe he’s just not ready to try yet, Rose. Maybe he wants to make something of himself first,” she said to her daughter gently. “Not all wizards are hormone-driven gits.”

”Most are. I guess Rod isn’t one of them,” she said with a sigh, “But he can kiss mum.”

”I don’t want to hear about it,” Hermione said to her daughter. “And you need to stop being so forward too.”

The rest of the afternoon was spent in a debate between mother and daughter about acting a proper witch. Unfortunately for Hermione, Severus came in and listened, a small smirk on his face waiting for an opportunity to get her alone. Presently, Rose went for a dip in the pool. Hugo was out helping Rod in the fields.

”Were you trying to school your daughter on ‘forwardness’ with wizards?” Severus asked the witch as Hermione flushed.

“Yes. I was just trying to tell her not to be too ‘pushy’ and not to force herself on a wizard she’s attracted to . . .” Hermione began.

Severus simply looked at her with a knowing smirk. If Rose ever got a gander at how ‘pushy’ Hermione could be behind closed doors, she’d be scarred for life.

“Isn’t that the pot calling the cauldron black?” he purred at her.

“Shut up, Severus. I’m older than Rose and more experienced,” she snapped at him.

”I’ve no doubt about that. If your daughter has even one-eighth the ‘experience’ of her mother, no decent wizard would stand a chance,” he quipped, ducking as Hermione took a swing at him. He caught her arms and kissed her soundly.

”You know I like it when you hit me, witch,” he growled at her, “although I prefer you pounding on my back as I’m pounding into you.”

Hermione colored. Their sex life had taken quite a turn, Hermione discovering she didn’t mind a bit of roughness from the dark wizard. He knew when to stop and when to go. Besides, she had brought it out of him with her twisted little ways, so she dealt with it. But both of them were very happy. She had finished another spell for the wizard, a large containment spell for the fields that allowed the plants to breathe and was now working on weather charms. It was Severus’ hope that he could grow plants all year, even during the winter months. When and if she completed the spell, then expansion would occur.

Not only would expansion occur, but the wizard planned to propose to her and make her a proper wife. She would move out of the worksite which would be expanded into a site suitable for a number of employees, all working on Charms. He would also be building another site for Potions brewing. Hopefully she would agree to marry him. Of course, he would make her a director and give her shares in the company. She would still earn a salary but technically she would be his equal. That ought to bring some peace to the marriage bed. If the witch said yes.

And she did.

They were married three years later on the grounds of Sparse Venues by Headmaster Wumblewort surrounded by friends and family, all on Hermione’s side. Molly had finally accepted Hermione’s choice and felt Severus was a good, stable wizard who would treat her and the children well. Rod stood in as Severus’ best man and Rose as Hermione’s maid of honor. Both of them looked at each other longingly as the vows were taken.

Rod was a supervisor now and a strapping young wizard of twenty-one, though he looked and had the bearing of someone much older. He was a lot like Severus when dealing with employees, hard but fair. He didn’t allow slacking or shoddy work because it was a reflection on his abilities. He and Rose had eventually patched up their differences, James backing off when Rose graduated the year following Rod.

”Now you can shag who you want,” he said to her at graduation.

He got a good slap with her hat for that comment, but he deserved it.

Hugo, now eighteen, worked with George at the joke shop and met a red-headed witch named Mildred that he was gah-gah over.

She was ten years his senior and a whole lot of fun. Educational too. Very educational.

Needless to say, Hermione didn’t know. She had other things on her mind.

Like the baby she was expecting.

Rose thought it was a bit gross that she was going to have a brother or sister twenty years younger than her, and already was giving her mum prices for babysitting services, since she had her own place and was going to school for . . . of all things, Potions.

It seemed she was going to get in on the family business as well.

Severus was a complete pain in the ass, always hovering over Hermione and trying to make her drink concoctions meant to keep her health up. Most of them tasted horrible and they were constantly arguing about it. Hermione was a real bitch too. The more she rounded, the worse her temper became and Severus spent a lot of time apologizing for things he didn’t do, and flitting around the wizarding and muggle world getting her foods she craved for at all hours, even work hours.

The employees in the Charms research department did their best to get everything right the first time, because Hermione would fly into a rage at the slightest error. Severus had nothing on snark during that pregnancy. But to be fair, Hermione was much nicer during the next one and the next.

She had two sons and one daughter, all of them pale-skinned and dark-haired. Severus Tobias Snape Jr. (Of course) Michael John Snape and Erin Jane Snape, all born two years apart. Hermione liked to say Severus gave her a year off between babies for good behavior.

Young Severus was very much like his father in demeanor, quite serious and snarky. He also looked like him, except his nose was a shade smaller and his hair less lank. Michael was a prankster and loved his brother Hugo, who tried to take him everywhere. He practically lived at the joke shop and looked like Hermione feature-wise. Erin was a little dark-haired know-it-all like Hermione, but with a sharper tongue. She couldn’t stand dunderheads and scheduled like crazy. She wasn’t happy unless her nose was stuck in some difficult to understand book. She was an interesting mix between her father and mother in looks, with curling black hair and light brown eyes.

On the mantle above the fireplace in the living room of their new home, rested a glass case that contained a small, shriveled, kidney bean-shaped stone. Hermione had found it in Severus’ drawer and asked him what it was. He said it was the original stone that saved him from Nagini’s bite. Her eyes glistened as she looked from the stone to her beloved husband, and promptly she made a case for it and put it on display.

Etched on the glass was a simple quotation, one that she truly believed summed up their lives in seven simple words. It read:

WHERE THERE IS LOVE, THERE IS HOPE.

Truer words were never written.

The End

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A/N: And that my friends, is the end of A New Beginning. I hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks for reading.