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And They Didn\'t Live Happily Ever After	By : ElizabethStump Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 90306 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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"And They Didn't Live Happily Ever After"

Chapter One Hundred Eleven
"Don't Worry, Baby"

Disclaimer:
Well, I've been disclaiming a whole lot
For oh I don't know how long
I don't know why
But I keep insisting
Rowling's owned Potter for so long
But she lets me go play
With her characters my own way
And she says "Don't worry, baby"
Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby
I won't sue you for infringement tonight
Don't worry, baby

A/N: Disclaimer a parody of "Don't Worry Baby" Songwriters: WILSON, BRIAN DOUGLAS / CHRISTIAN, ROGER VAL / MARGO, MITCHELL STUART / MARGO, PHILIP / MEDRESS, HENRY / SIEGEL, JAY
Don't Worry Baby lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

============

Severus practically flew out the front door of his shop when he heard the news Ginny and Draco's babies had arrived.

The medical clinic was decorated with obnoxious St. Patrick's Day paper décor that was more insidiously "cute" than the ones Bongo put up in his bar. Ignoring the tasteless decorating for the holiday, Severus walked back to the recovery room to find Ginny resting comfortably in bed, looking quite exhausted, but joyous. Draco was looking a bit haggard and unshaven, but he looked elated beyond even the day they had been granted sanctuary in Malu Palekaiko.

In his arms, Draco held one of his new triplet infants. "I have never seen anything so beautiful in my life. All three of them are perfect," he said in a reverent whisper.

Severus was thrilled for them. Now they were truly bound, and both of them could not be happier for it. And with the blessings of three healthy, beautiful babies, they were ecstatic.

"Congratulations," Severus said with deep sincerity as he entered the small room where Ginny was recuperating.

Rainbow had brought a specialist over from Sydney to help with the birth, since triplets were a rarity in the wizarding world. Everything went smoothly, thanks to the Healer's experience in birthing twins, which was his specialty.

"Ginny, how are you faring?" Severus asked with concern. He knew all the Potions required to help witches in postpartum, and he had already brewed many in advance of the slew of impending births on the island. Even Halulu had given birth to twin girls a few weeks prior.

"Wonderfully, all things considering, though a bit worn out."

Severus nodded, knowing all too well why she would be.

"So is it three boys, three girls, a mix?" Severus asked. When he received the news at work, he had not heard any more information than Ginny had finally finished giving birth. He was actually excited to know.

"Two girls and a boy," Draco informed him, looking up from gazing adoringly at one of his daughters that he was still gently rocking in his arms, but she began to fuss.

Ginny asked for her daughter, so Draco brought her over and Ginny began breastfeeding her.

As she nursed, Ginny said, "Draco and I have not entirely settled on all the names yet. And though we have debated, there is one name we would like to use, but only if you are all right with it," Ginny began.

"We would like to name our son Sebastian in honor of you," Draco announced. "We all know how life would have turned out differently had you not been there for me, Severus."

Severus felt his throat close up. "I would be honored," he choked out, suddenly feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Thank you."

Seeing Severus a bit overcome, Ginny asked, "Would you like to hold one of them?"

He nodded dumbly, sitting down. It had not escaped his memory that had his wife and child lived, he could have been a grandfather by now, as Ginny and his child would have been classmates from the same school year.

Draco got up and fetched one infant who was just waking up. As he cradled the babe in his arms, he cooed softly, "Come meet your godfather."

Severus had never held a child before, especially one so newly born, but he knew how to place his arms to rest the child comfortably in his arms, having seen it enough times.

"Severus, I'd like to introduce you to Libra, one of the twin girls," he said with great pride.

Severus stared down at the infant who gazed back up at him quietly with great intensity. "Hello, Libra. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." He wished more than anything that Hermione was here to share in this moment.

Libra began to squirm, which made Severus wonder what he did wrong to make her start to cry until it was explained she was probably hungry again. It was then he was introduced to his other goddaughter, Phoenix, and finally to Sebastian.

When Sebastian began to cry, Ginny suggested Severus try humming or singing to soothe him, since the baby was just fed and he wasn't in need of a nappy change. Severus began to rock his godson in his arms and hum softly, which caused Sebastian to calm down and begin to yawn. Eventually Sebastian drifted off to sleep. When Draco offered to take Sebastian and lay him down, Severus asked if he could hold him for a bit longer.

Severus missed the very meaningful glance exchanged between Draco and Ginny, since he could hardly pry his eyes away from this tiny being.

Now more than anything, Severus wished he could have seen Hermione hold her new cousin, Auberon, or Lavender's infant, Josephine, or even Potter and Zhubanysh's new child who was unfortunately named after Severus' old nemesis. Now he would be trying to imagine what Hermione would look like with their own child held in her arms some day.

Perhaps when the Malfoys went back to England next month, in April – for a spring party to introduce their children to Ginny's family and the rest of wizarding society, in addition to showing off the newly refurbished Malfoy manor – they might swing by Hermione's flat and she could finally hold one of their godchildren.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione hated reading the gossip rags, but she was curious as to what the tone was regarding the Malfoys coming back to England. If anything, she was doing reconnaissance to see if there would be something close to a public lynching, which was damn near what she faced upon her return. To her surprise, the news of the Malfoy family return was met with fanfare and growing excitement of a positive nature, especially regarding the one-month old triplets. She complained about this to Severus through their mirrors.

"Why is it Draco – who is also an exonerated ex-Death Eater who worked for the Order, and even ran off with Harry's wife – is welcomed home like the prodigal son, yet you are treated with such disdain and my association with you is comparable to selling one's soul to the devil?" Hermione queried, pretending to be bored reading while her disgust was thinly veiled at best. She took a sip of her morning tea, trying not to slam down the china cup on its saucer when she put it down.

"I took my mark willingly, as foolish as I was as a lad, and was a willing Death Eater for a few years before I came to my senses. In contrast, Draco took his mark against his will and joined the Order immediately," Severus reminded her as he ate dinner. "And let's not forget the fact that I taught Potions to most of the witches and wizards in Great Britain who were born between 1970 and 1988, and their memories of me as their professor are not fond ones, nor are the memories from my former classmates."

Hermione made more grumbling remarks under her breath, but Severus did not prompt her to speak more clearly, allowing her to mutter to herself in peace.

"Besides, Malfoy is an old name with wealth and prestige attached to it, while the Snape name is nothing more than a soiled name that has no money associated with it nor any clout," Severus went on as if reciting dry historical facts from a dusty tome. "My last name has long been a house renown for alcoholic abusive husbands, feeble-minded, weak-willed wives and progeny of no social standing and bad tempers. Ginny's family, of course, is poor but well-known, with one son a Quidditch player and two sons successful businessmen,

"And let's not forget that Draco and Ginny will be feeding the masses who come in hopes of getting a photo in the society pages. Of the simpering masses, who doesn't love a night of free food and drink on someone else's Sickle in hopes of ingratiating themselves to be invited to another fete filled with more free food and drink?"

Hermione knew exactly that type of people. They were the people in the neighborhood who only socialized with her parents when they threw a party at which the Grangers provided food and refreshments for everyone. She remembered a few of those parties her parents had thrown when she was a child, until her parents realized they were not being invited to other neighborhood parties in reciprocation.

It was a slightly underhanded way of buying the public's good will, with a spring party at Malfoy Manor. However, if that was what was needed to help turn public sentiment such that he did not have to worry about his family being hexed, Draco was willing to do so.

"Then there is the fact that the Malfoy family helped build the Grand Royal Supper Club," Severus added.

"Well, that explains why they put bread crumbs in their cassoulet if the kitchen staff used to work at Malfoy Manor," Hermione said as an aside, which made Severus smirk. He had told her about his bet with Draco and the beard-growing competition between them. "I wish you were going to be here for the party, Severus. You could see me wear those pearls you gave me for Valentine's Day with that new green dress I told you about, in person. A known Gryffindor wearing green in public on the arm of the former Head of Slytherin House; I'm sure it will be quite the scandal, and you would love to watch everyone squirm with discomfort."

"I know, but with the upcoming SATs, this is the worst time of year. Extra tutoring sessions and brewing classes had been booked long before Draco and Ginny picked the date; I can't leave." Severus was still rather reluctant to go back to England despite his December attempt to return, and even without the upcoming tutoring schedule he would have preferred not to, as tempting as the scenario Hermione presented was.

Hermione would have complained that Draco and Ginny could have picked another week, but that also was something that could not have been worked around. Portkey travel for infants under a month was strongly discouraged, especially for international travel, so they had to wait a month after the triplets were born before they could travel back to England. And they couldn't arrange their trip at a later date since the Lovely Lavender Company's new plant was finally going to begin construction and Draco had to be present to supervise. The week of April 17th was the only option, unfortunately.

"Speaking of tests, how do you feel about your upcoming code of ethics test tomorrow?" he asked, hoping to change topics and brighten her mood.

Scrubbing her face with her hands, she said, "Honestly, at this point, I don't know. I mean, I read any random passage or rule or section and it all seems like I've committed them to heart, but when I try to recall specifically word for word, I find myself faltering."

"It's not so much a word-for-word recitation they want; it's whether you understand the concept stated in various codes," he reminded her. "The purpose of the test for code of ethics is not to train you to be a parrot and regurgitate on demand, but to understand the meaning and intent of each code in the book."

"I know, I know," she sighed. She looked a bit worn out despite having almost seven hours of sleep after staying up late studying. "It's just I fear I'll freeze, jumble the words, and I'll wind up sounding like a drunken troll."

"Maybe a Calming Draught would be in order before you take your test then?" Severus proposed. He knew that it was skirting the bounds and was an allowable potion to take before some Potions tests, but he also knew Hermione would pass on it based on principle.

Hermione shook her head, just as he thought she would. "No, I have to do this on the up-and-up all the way, or I won't respect myself."

Rising from the kitchen table, she blew a kiss to Severus before reaching out and pressing her hand to the glass of the mirror, as he went to the mirror to press his hand to hers. This was a ritual during their daily farewells.

Smiling, Severus mused, "You know what Jerry would say at this point?"

Hermione shook her head, wondering what other pearl of wisdom Jerry would have added.

Severus tried his best at a falsetto, singing, "Don't worry, baby. Everything will turn out all right."

Hermione laughed, having never heard Severus attempt singing in a high voice, much less a song by The Beach Boys, but glad to hear him sing more often. Since her return in January, she had been able to get Severus to sing to her at least once every few weeks. It was nice to see him be a bit lighthearted. His musical comment was even optimistic instead of his usual dose of pessimism, which was a sign that Severus was learning that the future was not always going to be bleak and disappointing.

In closing, Severus said, "I'll see Draco and Ginny off tomorrow morning. Let me know that Draco and Ginny make it there all right."

"I will. I can't wait to finally meet our godchildren," Hermione nearly squealed with excitement, finally finding a topic to be happy about, her mood lightened by Severus' singing.

She had seen the babies through the mirror when the Malfoys came over to their house. Seeing Severus hold little Phoenix in his arms like he was an old pro certainly made her heart glow and her stomach flutter pleasantly, actually looking forward to the day when she and Severus could start trying for children. They hadn't talked about it since her trip back in December, but the idea of having children was becoming a much less intimidating concept for her.

Before Hermione went to work, she decided to swing by the Ministry. After walking up the stairs where the Auror offices were, she rounded the corner next to Harry's office and was nearly bowled over by someone fully concealed in a cloak. By the size and frame of the person, it was most likely another witch.

"Pardon!" Hermione exclaimed, shocked at the sudden bodily contact. She grabbed at her shoulder that now felt heat bloom across the joint, knowing that it was going to develop into a lovely bruise.

The other person kept plowing on as if they didn't notice the collision, though Hermione distinctly heard the person growl, "Bitch," under their breath.

Hermione scowled at the rudeness of the other person, wishing people would get over the fact she was in a relationship with Severus and move on.

Walking up to the entrance to Harry's office, she knocked on the open door. She saw Harry bent over his desk, his hand fisted in his hair as he stared blankly at the pile of parchments scattered across his desktop. Hermione asked, "Is this a bad time?"

"No, no, come in," he invited her as he exhaled. Harry glanced up at the doorjamb where Hermione stood and waved his wand to shut the door with a bit more force than necessary. She also heard him put up a Silencing Spell to prevent anyone eavesdropping at the door.

Hermione didn't like the look of concern on Harry's face and asked, "Is everything all right?" Out of habit, when she began to fret herself, her hand reached for the pendant around her neck and began to worry at it with her thumb.

"Yeah. Just, had a short row with an old friend," he said dismissively.

Hermione glanced back and wondered if the person who had nearly knocked her over in the hall was the same person Harry just had words with.

She was about to ask who it was when Harry noticed her nervous tic. "I'm glad to see you are still wearing that necklace I gave you. More than ever now," he said a bit darkly, reaching down his shirt to pull out his pendant, showing her he still wore its match night and day.

"Yes, it seems that despite Severus working for the Order and having proven he was in no way involved with the attack on Hogwarts, and that Dumbledore knowingly sent him and Draco away when he knew the school might be attacked in order to protect their loyalty to him until the final battle, are not enough to convince others of their innocence." Hermione sighed. Then she finally remembered something she had been meaning to ask him for some time, prompted by his comment. "That night Alan Parker attacked me. My mind was so muddled. I can't recall if I ever called for you by grabbing onto the pendant before I was hit with that Stunning Spell."

"Actually, the one you are wearing has an enhanced call for distress spell imbued in it. You merely have to be wearing it and call for me in your mind. It seems I gave you one of the new prototypes by accident. It was developed after one incident where someone was hit with a curse before they could grab their pendant," he confessed. "Good thing, too. If you had been wearing one of the older Auror pendants that night, if you didn't grab hold of the necklace before you got hit, I would have never known to come find you."

"Yes, that is a good thing, for I think I didn't grab hold of it at all, or maybe I did. The whole night was a big blur." Hermione looked at Harry's desk as she tried to not let her mind go down the rabbit hole of remembering her night of terror. Instead, she focused on all the items on his desk, noticing the piles of clutter here and there, and how one could easily loose a multitude of items amongst the scrolls, parchments, new family photos featuring himself, Zhubanysh and little James, an empty Chocolate Frog box, a half-drunk cup of tea that was stone cold, the latest copy of Quidditch Weekly, and old make-up mirror compact already buried under a sheaf of parchment. Many items were most probably left behind by Zhubanysh when she brought James by the office recently.

"Well," she said, trying to get back to the reason why she came by Harry's office in the first place, "I've been reading the society pages and gossip rags, and it seems sentiment toward Draco and Ginny has thawed considerably. People are even looking forward to their returning, with the spring ball they're throwing. So I think for the most part, the general sentiment is that this is a good thing."

"Thanks for taking time to read those articles for me. I've had such a heavy work load, as I've been staying late a lot of nights, and Zhubanysh is fit to be tied with these late nights this week and me coming home late for dinner. I know how busy you are with work and your apprenticeship. I truly appreciate it," Harry said gratefully.

"Well, they are my godchildren," Hermione replied, sitting up straighter with a more serious look on her face. "Severus and I would do anything to protect them, and if it means reading some twaddle on people guessing what Ginny will wear to the party, and if she has reached her pre-pregnancy weight already, it's worth it.

"So, has the entire staff at the Portkey office been briefed that further leaks to the press when people return result in getting sacked?" Hermione asked pointedly, glad the person who leaked her return in January to Rita Skeeter was fired.

"Yes. When are they arriving?"

"They leave in the morning at nine, which means they arrive here at eight this evening. I thought I would welcome them, since Severus is concerned about them arriving safely." Hermione noticed the time after glancing at the clock. "Well, I better be heading off to work. Albert has me initiating research on a new project today, and I have to deal with some accounting matters with the company goblin later."

"Have a good day then, and let Lavender know we're free this weekend to bring James over for a play date with Josephine." Harry rose to give Hermione a hug good-bye.

"Harry, they're only a few months old," she pointed out.

"Yes, but Zhubanysh says it's nice to have some adult conversation and trade mothering tips with Lavender."

Hermione laughed, wondering if she'd ever find herself trading tips with another mother. She had already heard most of the tips when she was married to Ron, as all the other Weasley women swapped ideas and tips for everything from diaper rash to gas to the children's magic kicking in at the most inopportune times, such as their diapers suddenly disappearing off their bottoms.

In the atrium of the Ministry, Hermione Floo'ed directly to work. She emerged from the fireplace in the company's main reception area, since she didn't have a fireplace in her office. After taking the lift up, she opened the lift door and heard a shriek behind Lavender's door.

Hermione had been told by Severus that some of the times he had heard screaming from behind her office door, it had been Lavender having a snit of epic proportions, and in one instance it was that time he had discovered Lavender with Ron in flagrante delicto. Hermione was about to let Lavender have her temper tantrum in peace when she distinctly heard a second voice screaming and a loud thump.

Bursting through the door, Hermione found Lavender and Padma Patil rolling about the floor like a couple of first years engaging in good old-fashioned fisticuffs. It seems their wands had been discarded, as they lay on the floor haphazardly forgotten as the witches scratched at and pummeled each other.

"What is going on here!" bellowed Hermione, feeling like a mother who had come in on two children causing mischief – instead of two grown witches in the midst of a bare-knuckle brawl.

Padma gave one last good yank of Lavender's thoroughly skewed hairdo before separating herself from the other witch. With a face of utter loathing, Padma turned to Hermione as she sat partially upright and screeched, "Nothing of your concern, you Death Eater fucking whore!"

As Hermione whipped out her wand, should she need to defend herself, Padma Summoned her wand and Disapparated from the spot with a crack.

Lavender still lay inelegantly sprawled on the floor, rubbing her jaw that was beginning to bloom with a lovely swelling where Padma's right hook had made contact. Hermione rushed over and helped Lavender go to her bathroom to begin cleaning up.

The bruised witch removed all her make-up with her wand, since her face was too sore to use the make-up removing cloth she'd developed with Severus years ago. Brushing out her hair, she hissed, "Feels like that bitch took a hunk of my hair out. Damn."

Once Lavender's hair was brushed, Hermione began tending to her employer's injuries.

"Care to tell me what that was all about?" Hermione asked.

"Just another periodic visit from Padma who still blames me for Parvati's condition. Seems the visits happen more frequently since that Quibbler article came out, the one where Severus told the world he and Draco worked for me all along. Padma has been calling me a hypocritical traitor and worse. She continues to insist that I should have been the one raped and Crucio'ed until my mind was like scrambled eggs," Lavender said while trying to avoid talking out of one side of her mouth, where she had a split lip.

Hermione had always known the story about Lavender and Parvati being kidnapped and Parvati's long-term condition, but only years later learned that Lavender had been able to escape thanks to Blaise while Parvati was dumped off at the gates of Hogwarts after being abused so terribly for a few days.

"She's pressing forward with trying to get the Wizengamot to block my ability to visit Parvati at St. Mungo's, despite the fact that I'm the one who visits her every week ever since I finished my seventh year and who pays all her extra care bills," Lavender ground out, trying best not to move her lips too much. "Padma visits but a few times a year at best, yet the Wizengamot is willing to hear her case given that she is Parvati's only family, since her parents disowned her after she was attacked."

Hermione knew about Lavender's financial actions – taking care of Parvati's bills at St. Mungo's full-time, and funding additional research to try and find a cure for her friend's condition – but did not know about this latest legal development until just now.

"Today, Padma came over to serve me legal papers to cease and desist seeing Parvati, which I'll contest in court, of course." Lavender turned her face to the side and began applying a cream to make the swelling on her face go down. "And then it all devolved from there. You came in right after we disarmed each other, and she launched herself at me like a banshee possessed."

Looking over her shoulder to the office, Hermione suggested, "Maybe you should lock the Floo in your office for safe measure. After coming home from my Christmas trip, I keep my Floo locked all the time, even if the Howlers have mostly stopped."

"Well, after Luna wrote that article about her honeymoon in Malu Palekaiko, and how people come there for a fresh start and all that rigmarole, the Howlers directed to me personally and the Lovely Lavender Company seemed to drop off entirely."

"What I don't get is, it was briefly covered in the press about Draco becoming your Vice President for Advertising and Marketing for Asia Pacific back in October, yet no one thought it was the same person or didn't care until that Daily Prophet tripe came out at New Year's. That's what bothers me." Hermione sighed, not understanding the mercurial nature of public opinion when swayed by a few choice words placed in print.

As Lavender dabbed on more potions and gel-like substances, the damage done to her face began to fade. "I've got it from here. Why don't you go back to your office? Albert is anxious to talk with you about the cellulite cream project."

Hermione walked though Lavender's office and noticed some items had been knocked off her desk. Using her wand, she repaired a broken figurine with a quick spell and levitated it to sit once more on the edge of Lavender's desk. She also put back into place a few papers, a quill holder, several quills, a cloisonne box that seemed to have held a small mirror that had fallen out of the box, and a picture of Ron holding Josephine.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus was ready and waiting for her when she got home. Through the mirror, though the other side was covered, he heard the Floo roar to life. It wasn't but for a few more seconds until the cloth was removed and Hermione greeted him with a radiant smile.

"How did it go?" he asked expectantly.

"I passed! With First Class level marks!" she crowed triumphantly.

With the good news, Severus popped the cork on the champagne and toasted to Hermione's success on passing her code of ethics exams. Marf had a chilled bottle ready for Hermione as well and served up a glass to his mistress.

"To Hermione, who will easily make Potions Mistress Extremely Talented, Third Class one day soon," Severus toasted, tipping his glass towards the mirror.

"Hear! Hear!"

They drank simultaneously.

"Pity I have to put in at least five years of work before I can graduate up to Second Class. Then I have yet five more years until I reach First Class, and that's with learning additional languages with each Class upgrade and more Potions developed, and publishing," Hermione noted.

Severus took another sip of champagne before putting it down and adding, "Yes, but given your academic and ambitious nature, that will be easy enough for you to accomplish."

"If it's just a matter of learning the languages, publishing, and developing Potions, I don't understand why there is a five-year wait to advance," she questioned.

"Because otherwise you'll have Potions masters and mistresses seeking to push themselves to reach the highest grade and burning themselves out in the process or not pacing themselves, and sometimes time itself can be an excellent teacher."

Hermione gave him a very sultry look as she leaned towards the mirror in her parlor-cum-boudoir. "Time has made you very, very knowledgeable, my dear Potions master." She tipped up the champagne flute and drained the last of it before setting it down on the settee. She had a look in her eye that said she wanted to celebrate with something a bit more intimate than a drink.

Just as she started unbuttoning her blouse, she heard a thunk in her fireplace, followed shortly by a rapping at her door.

Rolling her eyes, she held her finger up to indicate she would only be a moment.

Upon opening the door, she found Ginny on her front doorstep.

"So, did you pass?"

Hermione laughed and waved Ginny in. "Yes, Ginny, I passed, just as I was telling Severus I did."

"Hello, Severus," Ginny called through the glass. Turning back to Hermione, she said, "Well, I tried to Floo on over, but you locked your Floo."

"Yes, so I heard," Hermione said a bit dryly. "Maybe I should just unlock my Floo during the rest of your visit this week, but you should also owl ahead of time so I'm not in the middle of anything when you visit," she tried to hint delicately.

Ginny looked down at the champagne glass on the table in front of the settee. She then noticed the top button of Hermione's blouse wasn't properly buttoned, and Severus was buttoning up his half-unbuttoned shirt. Flushing, she stammered, "Oh, I am so sorry, I disturbed you. It's just that Draco and I were just eager to hear if you passed."

"It's okay," Hermione said, but heard Severus give a huff of protest. She then put forward, "How about you come over tomorrow night with Draco? We can have dinner here while Severus joins us while he has breakfast."

"Oh, that does sound lovely." Ginny turned to smile at Severus, but then noticed a slightly impatient look in his face. "Draco has a few questions for Severus, which he can ask then. So I'd better just toddle off now and leave you two at it, so to speak."

Severus gave her a look that her innuendo was not particularly subtle, but waved farewell to her regardless. "Until tomorrow."

Ginny didn't even bother leaving via the front door. Instead, she Apparated right from the spot back home, understanding that her friends no longer wished to be interrupted.

"Now, where were we," Severus purred as he began unbuttoning his shirt once again.

"I believe I was on the settee, but I suppose I can move on over to the bed for greater comfort and possibilities," Hermione said suggestively. She slowly sauntered over to the bed, using her wand to turn the mirror on the easel to face in the right direction.

Keeping her back to the mirror, Hermione slowly unbuttoned her blouse. She glanced over her shoulder with a smoky stare as she exposed one shoulder, then the other, as she let the fabric slide off her arms and expose her back for Severus' view.

Severus growled with appreciation, enjoying the slow building of anticipation. His own shirt was divested. He let his hands glide over the hard, flat planes of his stomach and chest; he knew Hermione liked watching him touch himself in the way she wished she could, imagining it was her own hands on his skin.

At an agonizingly slow pace, Hermione unzipped the back of her skirt, the zipper making a noise loud enough for Severus to hear through the mirror. She slowly pushed the waist of her skirt past her hips and let it fall to the floor.

"Ah, mercy me," Severus sighed. He was in awe of the sight of her wearing stockings with seams up the back of her legs; the stockings were held up by lacy black suspenders, and she had a matching lacy black bra and knickers. She had dressed in anticipation of the occasion, much to his delight.

Returning the favor, Severus undid the fly of his trousers and indelicately reached in to adjust himself.

Hermione licked her lips, remembering the feel and taste of Severus in her mouth, wishing it was already June when she would make her next trip out, since her March trip had been canceled due to construction not having begun yet. It had been a little over two months since they had been in each other's arms, during her Valentine's Day trip; they were both aching for each other, right down to their very core.

Turning around to face Severus, she reached up and pulled the pins from her hair before she shook out her mane. As it cascaded around her shoulders and caressed the tops of her breasts, Severus gave an audible sigh.

"The next time we meet, I want to tease you mercilessly," Hermione exhaled, her voice rich with yearning.

"You're teasing me quite well enough as it is." Severus began to slip his trousers down, leaving his underpants on to prolong the long-distance seduction. For added effect, he stroked his stiffening length through his underpants, making the shape of his member quite visible to discern.

"But I love to hear you beg, it makes me want to yield to your every desire," she cooed sweetly as she reached up and unclasped her brassiere. She slowly dropped the straps of one shoulder, followed by the next, before slowly pulling the lace and satin away from her breasts.

Severus ran his fingers through his hair, pulling it away from his face in order to keep his hands busy and stop himself from reaching directly for his own cock, wishing he was there with her. Had he been in the very room with her, he would have pushed her up against a bed post and begged to enter her right then and there.

To add to the torture, Hermione turned away from him to present him with a glorious view of her arse as she slowly bent over to slowly pull her knickers down. As they slid down, her could see her swollen lips dusted with her dark brown curls come into view from her position, as if taunting him that he could not sink himself into her snug warmth.

Still bent over, she peered behind her past her legs, her hair trailing down to her feet while she was still wearing her heels.

"Stay in that position and touch yourself," he asked in a husky voice.

Complying with his request, she reached around and began slowly caressing herself. As she toyed and teased herself, Severus finally shucked his underpants and began leisurely stroking himself in front of the mirror for Hermione's equal viewing pleasure.

Being bent over was fine and dandy for short periods of time, but not for long. She readjusted herself on the edge of the bed, spreading her legs wide for Severus to get a good look as she caressed her breasts with one hand and began fingering herself with another.

"Oh God, how I want you to fuck me," Hermione plaintively wished aloud.

"Then maybe something can be done about that," he proposed.

Reaching over to her bedside table, she pulled out one dildo, to which Severus shook his head.

"I don't think that will quite satiate your appetite tonight," he said, returning his eyes towards the side indicating she should try another.

When she pulled one out a little larger, he shook his head.

Pulling out the largest she was most comfortable with, he nodded his head that her choice was finally acceptable. It was just a bit larger than Severus, but he wanted to see her filled and view that exquisite look on her face when she felt something that large fill her.

Holding the dildo up, she ran her tongue along its length, giving Severus a view of what she would do to him if it were him and not some stand-in of the real thing. She engulfed the thing into her mouth, forming a wanton act of fellatio upon the inanimate object. She groaned with pleasure, as she ran her tongue around the head of it as her hand blindly reached for the bottle of lubrication.

Looking at Severus wantonly, she recited in Japanese one erotic haiku from the book she gave Severus for Valentine's Day – the book that also featured shunga prints.

"Majestic pine tree
Stout and towering it stands
Felled only in bliss"

With the lubrication bottle cap flipped off, she poured the clear viscous fluid along the dildo's length. She then rubbed her hand along the proxy cock, trying to warm it up and spread the fluid all around to ease penetration.

Spreading her legs as wide as possible, she slowly pushed the head into her as she sighed, "Yes, Severus. Take me. Fill me, I need you."

Severus' breaths were labored as he watched her remove the dildo and push it in a bit further, followed by pulling it out a little bit and pushing it in even father until she eventually inserted the entire length into herself.

Severus groaned aloud as Hermione shut her eyes and arched her back, using her wand to set the dildo to slide in and out of her at a languid pace. He caressed his sac with one hand while his other was still firmly sliding up and down his rigid shaft.

"Yes, Severus, oh how I've missed you," she groaned as she fisted handfuls of bedclothes, trying to remain upright in order to watch Severus stroke himself, imagine him between her legs. She could just discern the glistening of precum leaking from the tip and wished she could lick it off and taste his sweetness.

Severus watched the length of surrogate-lover slide in and out of her entrance. He glanced at her flushed face, hearing her voice calling to him.

He recited another haiku from the book.

"Beautifully painted
The fan is seen when opened
She unfolds for me"

With a twitch of her wand, the dildo began speeding up. Unable to continue sitting up on the edge of the bed, Hermione turned sideways on the bed, turning her head to continue watching Severus as he stroked himself faster.

Her hand slipped between her legs and began to rub her clit furiously.

Severus watched how her back arched up off the bed with each stroke of the dildo and how her nipples puckered even tighter, her sighs and cries increasing in intensity and pitch.

"You are my goddess," Severus exalted, "my gloriously divine Hermione. So beautiful."

Hermione's eyes slipped shut as she felt the heat in her abdomen throbbing with each penetrating thrust of the dildo. Severus' words of adoration in addition to her own finger work pushed her over the edge and she came, calling his name.

Seeing Hermione in the midst of an orgasm, Severus came himself, his semen spurting all over his hands and stomach, as he groaned with release.

It was a pale imitation of the real act, but it was better than masturbating alone, both agreed.

Hermione removed the dildo from herself and got up to use the loo while Severus sat there catching his breath. Once she came back, they said their farewells. Now it was time for Severus to shower and open up shop while Hermione cracked the books, now focusing solely on her Japanese language lessons. Each put the cloth over their own mirror until the next time when Severus would have returned home from a day at his shop and Hermione was waking, shortly before Gary came over for another Japanese language lesson.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

With one of her new ceramic peeling knives she bought herself recently, Hermione began deveining the prawns. She thought fondly back on when Severus opened his birthday present and unwrapped the set of Japanese ceramic knives. Upon her telling him about the particular attributes of the knives, he of course ran to the ice box and started chopping and slicing various items on the kitchen table. He was quite thrilled by the knives' performance and even went out and bought a set for their kitchen too, since the set she bought him was for the laboratory.

When she finished the prawns, she heard the Floo roar.

"I'm in here!" she called out, as she grabbed a dish towel to wipe her hands before greeting her friends.

Just as she was about to exit the kitchen and greet them, Ginny and Draco entered instead.

"I brought a Spanish Rueda and an Italian Fiano, since you said the dish was going to be garlicky prawns," Draco said, holding up a bottle in each hand.

"Wonderful!" Hermione said enthusiastically as she took the wine from Draco. She greeted her friends before putting the wine in the icebox to stay chilled. "Severus just got back from his morning swim and should be out of the shower soon."

"We noticed the curtain was still up on his side when we arrived," Ginny remarked before adding, "You know, you didn't have to give up Marf so you'd be cooking all by yourself tonight without help. I know what long workdays you have."

"Nonsense," Hermione said dismissively with a flip of her hand. "Your party is Saturday, and you need all the help you can to get everything ready in time. I think I can live a few days without Marf, as useful and helpful as he is."

"Lavender did loan us her elves from her home for a few days too, except the one that cooks and the one that takes care of Josephine," Ginny informed her.

"Yes, Lavender did mention that this morning when we were talking. But please, have a seat while I start preparing the garlic." Hermione held her hand out to indicate for them to sit at the kitchen table while she continued her preparations.

"Oomph," Draco said with relief as he sat down in a kitchen chair, "I feel like I don't know what to do with myself. This is the first night Ginny and I have had away from the triplets since they were born, so this is like a date night for us. Granted, we have an elf at home we hired to help us, and we have the elves at Malfoy Manor right now looking after them, but we both feel strange being away from them for once."

"Well then, relax and enjoy yourself. They're in good hands. Tonight we can have adult conversation, wine, good food, and good company," Hermione practically trilled, feeling like she was getting another slice of domestic bliss. If it wasn't for the fact that Severus was half a world away, it seemed like she could expect him to walk into the kitchen at any moment and begin helping by chopping the cilantro.

"You know, because the triplets were born on St. Patrick's Day, Fred and George were very disappointed we didn't name Sebastian Patrick instead, or one of the girls Patricia," Ginny said, wrinkling her nose with dislike at the idea.

"Given that Phoenix looks like she'll have your red hair, that would just–" Hermione trailed off, as she heard the Floo roar to life once more. "Hang on a sec," she said curiously, knowing she wasn't expecting anyone else. She drew her wand and went to investigate as Draco rose to follow.

Entering her main room, Hermione saw Lavender standing by the fireplace, a large sack laying by her feet.

"Lavender? Is there something the matter?" Hermione asked curiously as she put her wand away, noticing that Lavender's hair was down and looking a bit unkempt, which was highly unusual, in addition to the darker clothing she had on.

Instead of replying, Lavender pulled out her wand and stunned Hermione without saying a word. As Draco cleared the door, he was caught off guard, momentarily perplexed by the sight of his employer brandishing her wand standing above Hermione's limp body. Draco was fast, but the witch already had her wand out and was ready for him.

"Is Lavender joining us for dinner?" Ginny called out from the kitchen, having heard Hermione say the witch's name.

She fell out of her chair and onto the kitchen floor with a thud, not even getting a chance to see who her attacker was.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus rushed along, knowing he was running a bit late, but that Hermione would wait to start cooking the prawns until he was dressed.

Walking briskly out to the kitchen, he used his wand to remove the cover over the mirror he had already set up in front of his kitchen table.

As he rounded the table expecting to see the warm faces of his lover and friends, he was shocked by the image in the mirror.

Hermione, Draco, Ginny, and Lavender were all unconscious, sitting upright in chairs and bound with a Binding Spell.

Grabbing the frame of the mirror in panic, he called out each of their names hoping to rouse them. His face was nearly pressed to the glass as he tried to look around and discern what was happening.

The only response was a hand reaching out from the side, tacking a piece of parchment on the glass facing towards him in order for him to read it.

-------

Come back to England now.

Notify anyone, especially Aurors, and Hermione will be killed immediately. I have ways to know if you contact anyone.

Refuse to come and they all die.

You will pay for what you did.

You have one hour.

-------

"HERMIONE!" Severus screamed, wanting to pound his fists on the mirror, but afraid if he did he would shatter the mirror.

To add insult to injury, the unknown assailant draped Hermione's pendant – the one that Potter had given her to call him, should she be in trouble – over the top of the mirror so that it dangled as if taunting him. Somehow, whoever had stunned her unconscious had known about the Auror's necklace and removed it from her, no doubt before she could call for help from Potter.

There was only one course of action.

Severus ran to his bedroom and used his wand to change his clothes into his black woolen trousers, black frock coat, and starched linen shirt, trying to shave off every minute he could so he could get back to England as soon as possible. He grabbed his cloak and checked to make sure he had his wand, then Summoned a few things from his lab just in case before Apparating directly to the Portkey office.

Bursting through the door, he saw Halulu there at her desk bent over, playing with her twin girls who were resting in a playpen by her desk.

"I need a Portkey to England!" he said urgently, trying not to yell, his eyes dark and stormy with trouble.

"Yes, what's wrong?" Halulu asked, getting up from her desk, sensing something was amiss.

"Dammit, woman," he snarled as he slammed his open palm down on the countertop, "I don't have time for twenty questions. Get me a Portkey to London NOW!"

Sensing the urgency of the matter, Halulu created a Portkey immediately and set it upon the table in the middle of the Portkey departure area.

Before Severus reached out and touched it, he felt around in his pockets and pulled out a ring filled with keys. He tossed them to Halulu. "Here."

"What are these for?" she asked, dumbly.

"Keys to my house and shop. Tell Mounga I couldn't escape fate. It's time to pay the piper," he said with defeated resignation just before he touched the shoe transformed into a Portkey and disappeared.

Knowing nothing good was meant by Severus' foreboding statement, Halulu ran over to the nearest fireplace and threw in a handful of Floo powder.

Poking her head out of the fireplace at the Finaus', Halulu called out, "Mounga? MOUNGA!"

"Hang on, hang on! Hold your hippogriffs," Rainbow said casually as she emerged from the kitchen with a cup of coffee in her hands.

"We got trouble. Where's Mounga?" Halulu nearly shrieked, bordering on hysterical.

============

A/N: Thank you to my ever lovely and talented betas, JuneW and Hope.
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And They Didn\'t Live Happily Ever After