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When the Magic's Gone	By : Avrild Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 4155 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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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Chapter 3 - Not Dealing With It

A/N: On Sat. May 10th, for a period of about 4 hours, only one third of Chapter Two was posted. Mea Culpa. The chapter ends with mention of a haircut. If you read only about coffee, please go back and re-read.

Angst and smut ahead in the next couple of chapters — you’ve been warned. It all belongs to Rowling, except what you don't recognize. Many thanks to Giova, Mandi, Red, Campy Capybara, Emiko and Ezmerelda for the kind reviews!

&&&

‘Russ’ Snape sat at the kitchen table drinking his morning coffee. He looked rather natty in his grey suit, sage green, button-down shirt and silver tie. His teeth were sparkling white and his mouth was now minus four teeth, which had been pulled to allow the invisible braces in his mouth to do their job in improving his smile. His hair had been cut for a ‘natural’ look. And, over a week in the back garden pulling weeds had done wonders for his completion.

Hermione, quite frankly, looked like hell. Her hair was a total frizz, her face had broken out in spots and her clothes were slovenly. Snape was worried about her. She’d said hardly a word to anyone since the Weasley twins’ funeral last week.

Liz pursed her lips. ‘Er, Hermione. I wanted to let you know that your dad took the liberty to sign you up for a computer class. It starts next week. It might be a good thing if you keep more regular hours. You were watching tapes until 4 AM last night.’

Hermione looked from her mum to Snape and back again. ‘Oh, fucking sod off. I’m not a child anymore.’ She huffed out the room leaving her untouched breakfast plate.

‘Well, so what time is that job interview? Proctor and Gamble, did you say?’ Liz looked tired.

‘Yes, indeed. They want to hear about some of my more practical potions. It would be a position in research and development. Of course, it would only be items with common herbs. No magic allowed. Still I think I can handle it.’ I had better handle it. The sooner I’m working -- the sooner I can pay what I owe and be out of here.

Snape had found that over the past few days, life at the Grangers had become more dysfunctional than he felt he could handle.

‘And then you’re meeting Rachel again? She said that your first two dates were quite enjoyable.’

‘Um, yes. I suppose.’ His brows knitted together. ‘I fell asleep during the Bruce Wallace or Willis cine thing, -- lots of explosions -- reminded me of a student I used to have, and then last night I fell asleep at the Yami concert. It’s been a most restful week.’

Liz smirked. ‘And you have a bag packed for tonight?’

‘Well, I can’t keep any secrets from you. Ha, ha. She’s booked a court for an early morning tennis instruction tomorrow.’ Snape sincerely wished that Rachel would keep her very lovely, but chatty, mouth shut. Unfortunately, she was the Grangers’ receptionist and some gossip couldn’t be helped.

‘Quite. Well, have to be off. Good luck and ring me later.’ She left the table and sneaked a peck on Snape’s cheek. He flinched, but she didn’t notice it as she headed out the door.

Snape waited a minute or so and then headed up the stairs to Hermione’s room. She was lying on her stomach on her bed. He sat down beside her and stroked her hair. She batted his arm away.

‘I can stand you being the evil professor. I can even take you being my first lover. But for heaven’s sake, leave off the bloody Uncle Russ shite.’

He continued to stroke her hair.

‘It’s not so bad, Hermione.’

‘Oh yes, it bloody well is. They closed down all the wizardry divisions of the university. If you have no effing ‘O’s or ‘A’s then you’re out of luck. I’m nothing. Just an overweight, acne-covered teenager with a future in word processing.’

‘They sell spot lotions at Boots the chemists. I could pick some up for you. And you aren’t overweight, not by wizarding standards. You’re, you’re beautiful, Hermione.’

‘Sure, but if you haven’t noticed, there are no wizards anymore. Everything I learned for the last seven years is a total waste.’

‘It’s not wasted. You know how powerful you are.’ Snape continued to caress her back and spoke softly, ‘When I was a child, I believed that my mother had to be one of the most gifted witches in existence. After all, how many women had their own magical numbers tattooed into their forearm? Later I learned I was wrong.’ He paused, waiting for a response. He decided to change tacks. He gingerly took her shoulders and forced her to face him.

‘Do you know why I hated Harry Potter? I hated him because, in spite of him being Gryffindor and myself being in Slytherin, in the end we were no different. I was considered the most brilliant student that my house had in over a century. And I was full of myself just like him.

‘I went to Prof. Dumbledore and told him my plan of how I would personally take Voldemort down, in true Slytherin manner. He laughed at me and told me to not even try. I ignored his advice. After I took the dark mark, I learned that he was right and I was a fool. I couldn’t bring down Voldemort. I tried and failed. I learned a hard lesson; one that Harry Potter learned and it brought about his death.’

Hermione struggled against his grip. ‘You know nothing about Harry. He wasn’t that way at all!’

Snape continued in a calm, controlled voice. ‘What has happened to us is right and good. It’s good that the muggles have ended the wizarding world. Look at what we allowed Voldemort to get away with all these years, with the Ministry of Magic trying to cover it up. Look at all the widows, the orphans, and the people driven insane or killed. And here was our world, hiding it all along. Co-conspirators with Voldemort, that’s all we were.

She threw off his hands and she started to leave. He grabbed her again, harshly.

‘This will be a better world now, Hermione. One where it won’t matter if one is muggle-born or pure-blood. This is the world that I devoted my life to bring about, so you won’t find me complaining. Stop moping and get on with things.’ His voice deepened into a low hiss. ‘You’re bright and you will get to the university eventually.’

Without a word, Hermione shook off his hand, went down the hall and locked herself in the bathroom. Snape got off the bed and left for his appointment.

&&&

‘Harry, thanks for the lovely supper. Where did you learn to cook so well?’

Harry shrugged. ‘Surviving the Dursleys. It taught me a lot.’

‘You’re a strange young man. Could they have possibly been as bad as you make out?’

‘Worse.’

‘And you. You never go out, never do anything except study that parchment. What could be so important?’

‘Annie, I’d love to tell you.’ Harry’s green eyes crinkled as he smiled. ‘You’ve been good to me. I’m not sure how I’d gotten through the past week without you.’

‘You are very sweet. It would be difficult to treat you any differently.’ She reached over the dinner table and kissed him on the nose.

‘Ummm. I’ll clear the table now and do the dishes.’

Annie came around the table and stopped him. ‘Leave the dishes. I’ll get them later. We need to talk.’ She walked over and sat on the living room couch, patting the seat next to her. ‘You told me you’d be leaving for a while? Where are you going and is there anything I can do to help?’

Harry studied the older woman. It was getting difficult to stay there. He wanted her and he couldn’t afford to get involved or let life get too complicated. ‘Annie, I was put in charge of figuring out a puzzle. And so far I’ve failed. The more time goes by, well, I worry that maybe I’ll never solve it. For all the expectations that have been put on me, I’ve always depended on my friends to help me out.’

She took his hand in hers. ‘I’m your friend, too. Just tell me what you need.’

Harry wanted to say that what he needed was her. Was that a corny line or what? he wondered. ‘I have to find a friend of mine. I have to break this riddle and then’. Well, the book is finished and will be coming out whether I’m here or not.’

‘It really sounds like you’re not coming back. Harry, will it be dangerous?’

‘No, Annie, don’t worry about me. I’m not worth it.’

‘Harry you are very worth it.’ She leaned over and kissed him on the lips.

‘Did that just happen?’

‘Are you offended?’

‘Are you joking! I’ve only been dreaming about that for a week.’

She laughed and removed his glasses. ‘Well, Harry Potter, maybe I should give you something to really dream about.’ She took his hand and led him out of the room. Harry felt like he’d just caught the golden snitch.

A/N: Did you see me in my cameo back in Chapter Two? As Phyllis the legal assistant? Just to let you know with the right judge and the right process server, it is possible to get Harry emancipated without the Dursleys or anyone else finding out that Harry’s still alive. You just need a judge willing to meet in camera and have a process server who’s good at ‘sewer service’. It also helps that the muggles have no clue as to who Harry is and most of the wizarding world are still in camps.

As for the evils of a 17-year-old boy having sex with a divorcee old enough to be his mum: well, he is emancipated in the eyes of the law. Hoping that people will take this in good humor and, if not, well we’ll give Harry a plot device to age him to 18, too.

A.G.
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When the Magic's Gone