Unknown Halves

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!

***

Chapter Nine


Hermione took care of Severus for several days. He complained, if and when he could. She put up with it and stayed, as she knew that he wouldn’t ask for the help despite needing it. He explained days before to her that resurrecting the dead was never the best of ideas. When one did, black magic was almost always involved. That being the case, he told her that bringing back Fred or anyone else would spell disaster. George, she thought, what would he do once she told him that?


She was in the middle of cooking the lunch when there was a knock on the door. Frowning she went over to answer it when Snape stopped her. His wand was out as he went over. Motioning her over, he told her in a whisper to ask who it was first.


“Who is it?” she called out, feeling foolish doing so.


“Me.” It was George. He found her? She pushed Snape’s wand down and opened the door. He stood there looking at her intensely. “Hermione.”


“George.” She heard Snape snorting behind her as he walked away. “You might as well come in. I assume you know Severus Snape, former professor of Hogwarts…”


“What?” he snapped, looking over to see Snape. “He’s a Death Eater! He killed Dumbledore!”


“Merlin,” Snape muttered.


“Dumbledore was already at death’s door, George,” she told him. “Now get in here before you create a scene.” She stepped aside and waited for him to walk inside.


“How is it that he lived?” he asked her to which she shrugged. “And how did he get here to Australia?” Again she shrugged. “You didn’t ask?”


“If and when he wants to tell anyone that information, he will,” she murmured. “I need to get back to cooking the lunch.”


He caught her arm, pulling her back gently. “We need to speak.”


“Yes, I know, but as I have a fire going in the kitchen, it’s going to have to wait.” She pulled away from him and went back over to cooking the meal.


George left with no other alternative and followed her in and said, “I’m sorry.”


“I’m sure you are,” she muttered, cutting the vegetables with care. “We’re having minestrone today…”


“Why are you here playing nursemaid to him?” George asked tightly. “He doesn’t deserve…”


She looked at him sharply. “What that man deserves is a parade! He risked everything to do what he did. True, he’s an arrogant prat, but that doesn’t diminish what he’s done. He needs someone to take care of him.” She set aside the zucchini she was slicing and began on another vegetable. “How is everyone back home?”


“Ginny came out,” he told her. “Harry’s been a mess, but not as big of one as I would have figured.”


“That’s because he’s been involved with Oliver Wood,” she murmured. “That’s why he kept blushing when Ron continued to mention Wood’s skill with a broomstick.”


“He meant quidditch,” George whispered.


“Yes, I know, but remember all those quidditch games that Harry went to? They were all Oliver’s games and Harry wouldn’t end up coming back until the next morning or later.”


A realization dawned on his face. “That one time he was gone for a week!”


She nodded. “I just happen to find out that Harry get’s…uh…aroused at the sight of Oliver in the uniform when the man came over to drop off tickets for Harry one time. They vanished within minutes and I wished to Merlin they had remembered the silencing charms.” She finished with the carrots and began with the celery. “What else has been happening?”


“I went to visit Lucius Malfoy.” She stopped what she was doing and looked at him slowly. “I was looking for you. I figured you went there to visit him.”


“I didn’t.”


“I found that out.”


She went back to cutting as she said, “It wasn’t because you didn’t want me to. I didn’t go because I needed away from everything more than I needed to solve a puzzle.”


“Hmm.” He pulled a paper out and held it out to her. “Read it.”


She stopped working and went about taking it from him. It was a primary evaluation report from the man she had given George the business card for.


“He said I’m suffering from separation anxiety as well as mourning the loss of my brother, making me a right prat at times.” She looked up at him and he grinned. “That prat business was all me.”


“I figured. Mental health workers rarely use the word ‘Prat’ in regards to a patient’s well being.” She went back to the report. “What is this about you wanting to take sex classes?” She looked to him. “A class in sex?”


“So we can get it right.”


“We?” she hissed. “We? I don’t need a class in sex! I got it right.” She poked him in the chest hard with her index finger punctuating each of her following words. “You…need…classes…not…me!” She then used that same finger to point out the door. “Get out of this kitchen!”


He rushed out of the room and found a viciously grinning Severus Snape watching him. The older man leaned back in his chair, watching George with that same mean smile on his face.


“You told a woman that you think she needs to work on her sexual congress? That was a very poor a conversation decision of you to make, Mr. Weasley. If you keep that up, I just may end up with her yet.”


“I heard that, Mr. Snape! If I hear another comment like that, you can bloody well cook for yourself!” she yelled from the kitchen, making the older man wince and George smile even as the door to the kitchen slammed shut.


“Fire whiskey?” Snape asked him as he stood up.


“Yes, please,” George answered. “And may be you can tell me what you’ve been up to with my witch.”


“Nothing, Mr. Weasley. Nothing at all,” he sighed, as he poured the smoking liquid into two tumblers. Handing one over to George, he added, “She’s been helping me heal by cooking and tending to my wound.” He looked at the young man a moment. “I am sorry for your loss. Fred, for all his aggravating ways, left this mortal coil far too soon.”


Choking up, he whispered, “Thank you.”


***

Please review!