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The Reckoning	By : Snapeoutofit Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 21947 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: All characters and settings are the creation of JK Rowling. I own nothing of Harry Potter and make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 1-One
- 2-Two
- 3-Three
- 4-Four
- 5-Five
- 6-Six
- 7-Seven
- 8-Eight
- 9-Nine
- 10-Ten
- 11-Eleven
- 12-Twelve
- 13-Thirteen
- 14-Fourteen
- 15-Fifteen
- 16-Sixteen
- 17-Seventeen
- 18-Eighteen
- 19-Nineteen
- 20-Twenty
- 21-Twenty One
- 22-Twenty Two
- 23-Twenty Three
- 24-Twenty Four
- 25-Twenty Five
- 26-Twenty Six
- 27-Twenty Seven
- 28-Twenty Eight
- 29-Twenty Nine
- 30-Thirty
- 31-Thirty One
- 32-Thirty Two
- 33-Thirty Three
- 34-Thirty Four
- 15
- 16
- 17
Over the next year, Severus and Hermione fell into a comfortable routine. At first it felt strange to have knowledge of their relationship known to staff and students when they did nothing to flaunt the information outside of closed doors. Hermione need to remind Severus on several occasions that it was naive to think people wouldn’t simply assume they were together. Since he had done a fantastic job of making sure he was unapproachable for so long it was silly to think that people wouldn’t notice the slightest change. This always elicited a trademark grumble from him. Also, she reminded him, living together in addition to working together didn’t help them in keeping things quiet had that truly been the goal.
Hermione didn’t mind that people knew they were together, and she knew he didn’t really mind either. He simply hated discussing his personal life and watching him navigate that field was oftentimes quite funny.
Two years into their joint tenure, Severus and Hermione had a really incredible partnership going. Oftentimes they would both occupy the classroom at the same time, or one of them would be working in the lab or office, and they would play off of one another consistently. Hermione began teaching some of his beginner level potions classes and sometimes they even taught together. The younger students who knew only lore about pre-war Professor Snape seemed placated by Hermione’s presence in the classroom. Sometimes, while Severus took care of matters in Slytherin House, Hermione would set the notes on the blackboard for class and make sure that everything was prepared for the students. The students often joked about who’s handwriting would be printed in the blackboard: Severus’s spidery scrawl or Hermione’s tight, neat notations. .
One afternoon as she was setting the room to rights after class she overheard two students whispering to one another. At first she thought to reply, but decided against it.
“You’d think they’d be like oil and water,” Randall Winsten whispered to his friend.
“I think they once were,” Sara Starkling replied.
“Well I’m glad we got here when we did. Potion’s certainly isn’t as horrific as I thought it’d be with Professor Snape and Miss Granger,” Randall finished as the two walked out of the classroom.
Hermione felt her face flush as she smiled to herself.
During that second year they also hit a bump in the road when Severus angrily stormed into their chambers one evening, tossing a copy of The Daily Prophet down in her lap.
“Did you see this, Hermione? Did you fucking see this!?” He raked his hand through his hair before sitting beside her.
She took a sip of her tea before placing it on the table, then picked up the paper. She read in her head for a moment. Printed there was a picture of the two of them, hand in hand, leaving a restaurant the night before. She read the headline aloud: “Gryffindor’s Princess and Hogwarts’ Potion’s Master: in love?,” it read.
“At least you’re just the Potion’s Master. I really can’t shake my misnomer, can I. Besides, don’t you think this should be old news?” She folded the paper and tossed it into the fire. “They’ve gotten a bit slow on the uptake, haven’t they?”
She reached out to touch his arm affectionately. “It’s ok, Severus. Nothing printed in the paper is actually news, you know this.”
He nodded with his head in his hands. “I’m just tying to live a quiet life. I don’t need anyone talking about me, or you for that matter.”
She got up and straddled his lap. His hands rested on her thighs and he gazed into her deep brown eyes. She kissed him deeply.
“If you don’t listen it won’t matter what they say,” she explained.
He took those words to heart and vowed never to read a page in The Daily Prophet again, whether he was in it or not.
Three years after becoming adjunct faculty, Severus proposed that Hermione take her exam to become a licensed Potion’s Mistress. At first she resisted, saying she had been to busy, but Severus waved that away as nonsense.
“You are the brightest witch of your age. You are an expert when it comes to brewing. Hell, anything you’re not an expert at you simply, somehow, become an expert at. There is nothing that I can brew that you can’t at this point and there isn’t any reason you shouldn’t have the title to show for it,” he said earnestly.
“You really think I’d pass?”
“Hermione, I know you would pass. Probably with the highest score in decades. I’m not saying you have to do it right now, but I want you to take that exam. You’ve earned it. You deserve it,” he said as he kissed her.
A few months later she registered for her exam and received her results not long before the Christmas holidays. As Severus had predicted, she passed. When she showed him the results he laughed out loud.
“What’s so funny?” Her brow was furrowed as she asked the question.
“That’s the same score I receive on my exam,” he pointed at the number at the top of the page and chuckled. Once he composed himself he hugged her tightly.. “Let’s go. Celebrations are in order.”
They spent a lovely evening out to celebrate her accomplishment before sharing her news at the staff meeting the following day. Hermione hadn’t told anyone else she was taking the examination (incase she had not passed) and was wildly congratulated after their surprise wore off. Hermione also sent an owl to Number 12 Grimmauld Place to share her news. Harry replied that they should both join them for the holidays and to toast to her new title.
After significant cajoling, Severus agreed to attend the Holiday party on the condition that they wouldn’t stay too long. There was even more to celebrate when Harry and Ginny announced their engagement. Hermione and her friends had made it a point to have a monthly get together, but this evening felt particularly special.
After saying their goodbyes they apparated back to Hogwarts. The halls were quiet, since all remaining students were already in bed for the evening, and Severus and Hermione took their time returning to their quarters.
“What do you think you want to do next? Now that you have earned your mastery, I mean,” Severus asked as they walked through an empty hall.
“I honestly haven’t given it any thought,” Hermione explained. “I like what I’m doing right now. Hogwarts feels like home to me.”
Severus nodded. “Speaking of homes, I’ve been thinking about selling mine.”
Hermione stopped on the spot. “You want to sell the house you grew up in? Why?”
Severus chuckled. “You just answered your own question. I want to sell it because it’s the house I grew up in. I’d like to buy something new. Somewhere happy.” He paused momentarily. “Together.”
“Are you saying that you’re ready to leave Hogwarts?” Hermione's question was laced with concern.
“No. I’m not ready to retire just yet. As you said, Hogwarts feels like home to me as well. But I would like for us to have a place that is our own.”
Hermione nodded in understanding and she pulled him a bit more closely to her. As they walked they discussed what their future home might entail.
They spent the summer tidying up the old house and preparing it for market. Some flippers bought it quickly at a decent price, stating that the neighborhood was undergoing a revival, but Severus grumbled at that notion.
Hermione and Severus purchased a sunny little home on the outskirts of London. It had three bedrooms, a study, and a basement that could be turned into a suitable home lab. The house also had a small garden with enough space to plant herbs and vegetables in the summertime. When they finally closed at the end of August, right before term began, they agreed to spend the entirety of the following summer settling into their new home.
Hermione’s fourth year at Hogwarts was markedly different than the rest. Severus and Hermione we’re teaching more classes together. This seemed to be an ideal arrangement because between the two of them they could monitor the students more closely and provide more individualized attention. Severus was still surly when he taught, but he was certainly softened and more patient in Hermione’s presence.

One afternoon, Severus had his wand pointed to the board in order to change the notes before their second class began. Hermione was sitting at the desk at the front of the room marking a stack of second year’s essays.
“I had an interesting conversation with the Headmistress this morning,” she began without looking up from the stack.
“Did you now? Do tell,” Severus arched an eyebrow as he walked towards Hermione. He rounded the desk to lean against it beside her.
Hermione put down her quill and leaned back in the high-back desk chair. “She asked if I would take over her role as head of Gryffindor House.” Severus stared at her stunned, so Hermione continued. “She said she has been waiting for me to be ready to ‘accept the role’.” Hermione punctuated the end of the sentence with air quotes.
Severus’ thoughts were racing quickly through his brain. Did she have time for that? Was she old enough? Would she be able to shoulder the responsibility?
“Will you still be here with me?” The question poured out of him before he had a moment to register how selfish it sounded.
Hermione rose and stood before him as he tried to regain co his shaken composure. She straightened his cravat. “Sweetheart, I am a Potion’s Mistress, remember?” Her voice was gentle and loving. “Potion making is what to do. And, thankfully, I do it with you. That isn’t going to change.” She smoothed the front of his teaching robes with the palm of her hand. Severus grabbed her wrist and squeezed it affectionately.
“Of course,” he said quietly. A moment later, his eyes found hers again. “That Minerva is calculating for certain,” he said.
Hermione looked at him quizzically.
“You and I are the literal embodiment of the joining of Slytherin and Gryffindor,” he said.
Realization struck Hermione in the face as his words sunk it. She smiled as she leaned into him and wondered how she had missed it. Their commitment to one another had certainly helped heal their own wounds, but she hadn’t thought about how their relationship represented the healing of other fissures.
- 15
- 16
- 17
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The Reckoning