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Unquestionable Love	By : CRMediaGal Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 3380 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. No money/profit is made from this story.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
A/N: Subplots and subplots! We like subplots!

Many thanks to my wonderful beta reader, Brittny!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me.

Chapter 13: Alterations

Hermione sorted through a stack of papers on her desk, her mood evidently cross but focused. Her deep caramel eyes strained over the various documents she glanced over, carefully looking for loopholes in the formal content. After a few minutes, however, she shook her head in disgust and tossed the documents aside.

A moving picture at the corner of her desk caught the frustrated witch's attention. Her eyes darted to the front page of The Daily Prophet, which she had not found time to look at all day. Hermione picked it up and read the front page, scanning first the large black and white image and then the headline.

A young couple, roughly in their late thirties like Hermione, stared back at her from a family portrait with two adorable-looking children—twin boys—who could not have been older than seven or eight. Hermione's eyes widened in horror as she took in the enlarged black title beneath the endearing picture: Clausson wizard clan poisoned. Mysterious elixirs found in bloodstream in all four family members.

Hermione stared at the front page of the newspaper in disbelief. She did not recognize the family in the photograph, which was disheartening enough to look upon, but her fingers traced the more puzzling word in the headline: poisoned.

Murders were still an unfortunate occurrence in their world. Even with Lord Voldemort gone and countless Death Eaters locked up in Azkaban, the wizarding world was—Hermione often lamented—similar to the Muggle world in that ever present dangers still lurked around every corner and menacing witches and wizards continued to wander the streets. Homicides were, thankfully, not everyday happenings in The Daily Prophet, but they were common place.

Though the defeat of the Dark Lord almost twenty years ago had changed things for the better and for the greater good, Hermione, Severus and their friends still had plenty of work ahead before the wizarding world would be an entirely safe and secure place to roam once more. Hermione was about to begin reading the disturbing contents of the article when there was a sudden knock on her door.

"'Mione?"

The bright witch peered up to find Harry, followed by Ron, enter her tiny office at the Ministry of Magic, and a broad grin emerged on her face. "Harry! Ron!" she exclaimed, jumping up and running to the two men with her arms outstretched.

The three old friends exchanged warm, familiar greetings before Hermione stepped back and observed them intently. "I haven't seen you both all week! Where have you been hiding?"

Ron waved his hand at Hermione and gave a casual shrug. Hermione's eyes took in how unusually tired he appeared.

"Ah, just busy at the Aurors Office as usual. We've been looking over a few testimonies from the last Death Eater trials, trying to find any possible leads or clues we might have missed. I'm wiped." He turned to Harry with a hint of aggravation on his freckled face, his blue eyes narrowing. "I wish we could let it all just die away already. I've had enough with Death Eaters and dark wizards for a lifetime."

Harry and Hermione exchanged humorous looks, and then rolled their eyes together. "So have we, Ron," Harry replied with a chuckle, "but not everyone has been accounted for and, until they are, we have to keep up the search. You know that."

Ron grumbled, rubbing his bloodshot eyes. "Yeah, yeah, Harry. I got it."

"I thought you liked being an Auror, Ron?" Hermione asked, cocking her brown head to one side and offering her old friend a thoughtful expression.

Ron eyed her back rather sheepishly before a smile curled at the corners of his mouth. "I'm beginning to think I might have picked the wrong department. Let the younger Aurors take my spot and go snooping about, doing all the dirty work. I'd give anything to sit at a desk and prop my feet up for once!"

Harry, standing a few feet back, shot his best friend a serious glare. "No, you wouldn't, Ron, and anyways, you have quite a bit of fun giving the trainees a hard time. You were particularly wicked in the last training round. Don't tell me you didn't thoroughly enjoy putting those challenges together."

Hermione drew back suspiciously. "Really?" she inquired, narrowing her eyes. "Oh, Ron, I hope you didn't employ any of those ridiculous defense gadgets from George's shop. They're quite unpredictable..."

Ron snickered, a reminiscence of the playful boy from Hermione's youth floating back to her. "As a matter of fact, I did. My use of the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder was particularly effective in the last task. George tweaked its uses for me personally, but there are still a few kinks to work out, mostly having to do with permanent staining. One bloke's hair was turned hot pink and no counteractive enchantment has worked so far to change it back."

Ron pressed on, ignoring the alarm on Hermione's face. "It's wicked stuff! George is absolutely brilliant! Most of the guys had double the usual trouble trying to combat the stuff. Bunch of thick goons!"

Hermione laughed softly and crossed her arms. "You really ought to consider going into business with your brother, Ron. You'd be well-suited for it."

Ron turned to his amused, dark-haired friend with the glasses. "Harry here ought to start being more selective in his pickings, actually. The last group was particularly bad, the whole lot of them."

"Harry should?" Hermione's eyes darted between the two men, her brow furrowed over Ron's comment. "Aren't you a part of the Auror selection process anymore, Ron?"

The two wizards glanced sideways at one another, showcasing rather elusive smiles before returning their gaze to Hermione. Clearly, they were in on something that she was not privy to. Hermione placed her hands on her hips and shifted her weight to one side, staring them down.

"What exactly aren't the pair of you telling me?"

Harry slapped Ron on the back, pushing him forward encouragingly. "Well, Ron has some news, 'Mione..."

Hermione surveyed Ron as he stepped towards her with his hands twisting nervously in his pockets, something he often did when he was proud, yet self-conscious at the same time. It had always been a rather endearing quality to Hermione, who studied her strapping, former flame curiously, waiting for him to speak.

Ron shifted his long legs and stared into Hermione's face with an excited grin. "I've decided to go into the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes business with George. I'm no longer an Auror as of Friday."

Hermione's mouth fell open, and she turned from Ron to Harry, who was looking on at his friend proudly, then back at the redhead before her. He was eagerly awaiting her reaction, so Hermione gave him an elated smile. She threw her arms around Ron's neck and he gladly returned her embrace, wrapping his arms rather tightly around her with his fingers tracing the curve of her back. Hermione's eyes shot open and she immediately drew back, breaking their contact in one swift movement.

Considering the history that would always exist between them, Hermione felt rather uncomfortable most of the time when they exchanged hugs, even now. She was not sure if Ron minded the contact so much, but every time Hermione embraced him, she was reminded of how deeply she had hurt his feelings all those years ago. Ron had loved her so much when she cared for another man, unable to reciprocate his feelings, and, nineteen years later, Hermione still experienced a twinge of guilt whenever she looked upon her dear, freckle-faced friend whom she adored like a sibling. Ron had gone through a very rough patch after Hermione broke off their relationship, and the reminder of that pain was never too far from her mind.

As Hermione bounded back from their embrace, she noted Ron beaming at her, his face turning a brighter shade of red, and she smacked his shoulder like a sister would to a brother as an affectionate token of congratulations. "That's wonderful news, Ron!" she offered enthusiastically. "I always knew you would be such a great partner for George! I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks!" Ron glanced from Hermione to Harry, his goofy, trademark grin never leaving his face. "Harry will have to fend for himself now, I'm afraid."

Harry cackled and shook his dark hair, which was beginning to show a few grey strands near his temples. Hermione thought it curious that her best friend, in his late thirties and the same age as her, had started going grey when her Severus, considerably older, had hardly any grey hairs at all. Hermione could only spot a few now and then whenever she ran her fingers through it.

"I may be inquiring after a few more of those defensive gadgets before too long, Ron," Harry snickered, his green eyes twinkling with wicked liveliness, "so keep a supply order open for me."

Hermione immediately shot down Harry's request, giving him a reprimanding expression that she often had when they were at school together. "Don't you dare, Harry!" she cried, but the famous Boy Who Lived simply shrugged and continued to smile, unfazed by her scolding after so many years.

"Anyway," Ron piped in, still eying Hermione attentively, "Harry and I wanted to invite you to Mum and Dad's on Friday night to celebrate. The whole gang will there, so bring Jeannie. Erm, I'm assuming Snape won't be in town this weekend? If he is, he's, uh, certainly welcome to come."

Hermione could sense Ron's uneasiness, as well as the edginess to his tone of voice. The fact that he still referred to her husband by his last name annoyed her to no end, but she repressed her irritation, sucking in a deep breath.

"No, he won't be around this weekend, unless something changes at the last minute, but I doubt it."

"Oh!"

Ron's reply was far less twitchy than his invitation, which did not go unnoticed by Hermione. She tried to ignore the pang of hurt that hit her in the chest, deciding to quickly change the subject. She turned to Harry.

"Will Lily be there?" Hermione was, of course, referring not to her own Lily but Harry's youngest, who was only a few years older than Jeannie.

"Yes, she will. She's been asking about Jeannie all week, by the way. Ginny and I think she really enjoys having another girl in the house, given that she and her brothers fight like cats and dogs. This past summer was a nightmare. I thought we were going to have to permanently separate them."

"I heard; Ginny told me. Anyway, Jeannie will be so excited to see her! And she'll be thrilled for you, Ron!"

Ron appeared exceedingly grateful for Hermione's words and shot her a bashful, contented smile, blushing ever so slightly at her compliment. "Thanks, 'Mione!"

Harry abruptly sauntered over and wrapped Hermione up in another hug, catching her off guard. "Sorry, guys, but I gotta run. I was supposed to be home an hour ago."

"Ginny's going to be furious, mate," Ron smirked, to which Harry jabbed him hard in the shoulder, his green eyes widening behind the infamous glasses.

"You think?" he breathed dramatically before waving goodbye to them both and dashing out of Hermione's office.

Hermione stifled a laugh as she watched him go. She and Ron were left entirely alone, an occurrence that did not happen very often. When her eyes shifted to the unmistakable redhead in the room, her expression grew uneasy at the sight of Ron's stare; however, he quickly realized what he was doing and turned away to clear his throat.

"So, are you headed out too, 'Mione?"

"Just about," she answered hastily, relieved that Ron was trying to keep the conversation normal. "I need to grab a few items to take home, but I should be ready in a moment—"

"I'll walk out with you," Ron blurted out before adding, "erm, if that's all right?"

Hermione's eyebrows came together. Her friend was acting rather odd, almost nervous, but she tried to brush it off.

"Yes, of course."

Ron gave her a relieved look and continued to survey Hermione as she turned away to gather up a few papers on her desk, placing them into a black leather briefcase that had Hermione Snape etched across the front. Ron felt a twinge of heat permeate his already scarlet cheeks.

The now sensual woman whom he had grown up with looked positively radiant against the many levitating, scented candles that were scattered throughout her office. The lush scents of vanilla and lavender—two of Hermione's favorites—filled the office air, rousing Ron's senses as he took a moment to scan the woman before him. She was wearing an attractive violet sweater that hugged her upper body, as well as flowing black pants and matching high-heels. Her long, soft curls were pinned back in a beret, though a few strands fell loose and free around the nape of her neck.

Ron's eyes fluttered, and he tried to shift his focus away from her towards the rest of her office which, he mused, was infectiously 'Hermione-ish.' The walls were covered in moving pictures, including some of him, Harry, Ginny, Neville, Luna and the rest of their friends, but most of the photographs were of her immediate family. Countless images of Hermione's offspring stared back at him, smiling or waving, but it was the various pictures of her dark husband, Severus Snape, their former spiteful Potions professor, that Ron found most unsettling.

As his eyes darted about the room, he tried to suppress his growing agitation and swallowed several times. Snape's face was everywhere. There were various pictures from their wedding day, in each other's arms, at Hogwarts—probably from the occasional times she was able to visit him—and, of course, dozens of the pair with their four children.

The Potions professor was giving his usual scowl in many of them, although there were traces of a smile evident throughout; and even if the pale Slytherin was not grinning in any particular photograph, there was always a gleam in his black eyes that suggested to Ron a sense of peace and contentment. The chemistry between Severus and Hermione was indisputable in any of the moving images that Ron caught sight of. It was rather painful, even now, to gaze upon the obvious affection and adoration Hermione held for the professor and he, in turn, held for her.

After all, she had never looked at him that way when they were an item, or not that he could recall anymore. Ron quickly decided he had had his fill of such personal glimpses into their lives and refocused his attention on Hermione, who was just placing her wand inside her coat pocket.

"All right, ready," she stated, unaware of Ron's uneasiness.

He nodded and the two of them strode out of Hermione's office together. Hermione drew out her wand briefly and uttered a protective charm to lock the door against any intruders before they made their way down an extensive, bustling hallway. Several witches and wizards—some of whom they knew and acknowledged—passed by as they meandered towards a set of elevators at the far end, Ron trailing close at Hermione's heel all the while.

As they entered one of the deserted elevators, they promptly gripped handles dangling from the ceiling above as the doors shut, prepared for the excessive jolt the elevator made as it swooped backwards and dropped them down to Level 1. Ron fumbled with his free hand in his pocket as they made their descent and, despite the jerky movements of the elevator, Hermione glanced sideways at him. He was extremely fidgety, though she had no clue why. But she could clearly sense that something was not right, and was unsure whether or not she should ask.

For one, she knew Ron and Lavender were having marital problems, but only from occasional gripes or off-color comments Ron made the past few months. She, for one, never felt it her place to press the subject, despite how close they were. To Hermione, marriage was another matter entirely, and she hardly thought asking her former boyfriend about the issues between him and his wife was appropriate, even though she always made a point of inquiring after Lavender and Hugo. If Ron wanted to share more, however, Hermione determined that he would have to press the matter. He was still one of her closest friends, and she hoped he knew that she would be there for him if he ever needed a friendly ear.

Hermione was relieved when they reached the first floor and the doors flew open. She was anxious to pick up Jeannie from daycare and get home to her familiar, comfortable surroundings. She was also hoping to find a letter waiting for her from one of her daughters, or perhaps Severus. Her mind was preoccupied with warm thoughts of her family when Ron broke the silence between them.

"Erm, how is Snape?" he asked, causing Hermione to abruptly halt and eye him suspiciously.

"He's fine," she replied, her pretty eyes narrowing. "Why?"

Ron shrugged, his eyes darting to the ground sheepishly. "No matter, just wondering."

Hermione sighed and decided she had best return his harmless inquiry, although she turned her attention away and continued walking. Ron kept pace with her fast steps, following only a step or two behind, studying the pretty Gryffindor's every move.

"How's Lavender doing?"

"She's fine," Ron grumbled, causing Hermione to raise an eyebrow.

"That's good?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

A few moments of awkward silence passed again before a long row of entrances and exits to the Ministry came into view. Unbeknownst to Hermione, she automatically quickened her pace.

"You in a hurry to get away from me?" Ron chuckled, his voice slightly hurt.

Hermione purposely slowed her stride, her cheeks flushing. "Sorry, no, just in a rush to pick Jeannie up. I'm already late."

"Oh," Ron mumbled, his eyes darting to the floor, "well, I hope I'll see you both Friday then?"

As they reached one of the many exits that were currently deserted, Hermione turned to Ron and tried to act as polite and pleasant as possible. Their walk through the Ministry together had been terribly awkward, and Hermione contemplated that Ron must surely be feeling as uncomfortable as she; she was now desperate to get home.

"Absolutely! We'll be there, I promise."

Ron's downcast countenance brightened, his goofy grin returning. "Great! I'll see you then!"

Hermione gave a quick nod before dashing into the open-ended exit, which suddenly sent her spiraling upward and out of the Ministry in a flash. The image of her former boyfriend staring after her with an odd, almost sad look was the last troubling image Hermione saw before it disappeared from her sight.

A/N #2: Oh, you wicked, wicked Won-Won...
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Unquestionable Love