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Timing is Everything	By : Parmel Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 2494 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, and I do not make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
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Timing is Everything

Chapter 3: Saturday Morning and a Cup of Heaven

Ten Years Later
Hermione�s eyes scanned over the bookshelf, her fingertips grazing the spines of new and undiscovered readings. A feeling of excitement filled her as her brown eyes sparkled, as though she was looking at a mountain of treasures, instead of a cramped bookshelf. A new shipment of books had arrived early that morning and Hermione was determined to explore every book, cover to cover, page by page. But where to start?

She had almost decided on 'Malcolm�s Top Five-Hundred Advanced Potions' when she saw it, 'The Power of Manipulation' by Lucius Malfoy. �So that�s why he wanted to meet here,� she thought with a grin. She freed the book from the tightly packed shelf, and her lips twitched upward. �What was Malfoy up to now?� she thought after looking at the back cover, and reading �About the Author� and �About the Editor�.
Hermione�s feet idly took her to the front of the store, where she waited patiently in line; her mind wandering back to that night.
~~~~~~

�-I understand he saved the world, but honestly Harry, Snape was a git. Why should he get special treatment? Couldn�t Hagrid come get his body?� Ron complained, his voice echoing around them in the passage way. The war was over, Voldemort was dead, and everyone was counting their loses; and now the Golden Trio were going to retrieve the body of their Professor. The man who was known as a murder, traitor, and Voldemort�s right hand man; the Wizarding World�s hero.
�Really Ronald, if you didn�t want to come you should have stayed at the castle,� Hermione ground out as tears began to build up in the corner of her eyes.
�It's okay Hermione,� Harry whispered. �Let him talk, it�ll keep his mind off Fred, at least for the time being.�

�You can�t tell me, Hermione," Ron continued unaware of his two friends whispering and exchanging looks, "that Hogwarts isn�t just a little better off now that he�s gone. He was unfair, a bully. Remember when he made fun of your teeth? And let�s face it, did we ever learn to �brew glory, bottle fame, or put a stopper in death?��
�Maybe you didn�t learn much in potions Ron, but I did. Hogwarts will never see another Potions Master like him again,� she said stopping outside of the room where Snape had been murdered, letting Harry enter first.
�I can�t believe your sticking up for that git,� he said softly, stepping closer to her, "You�re too nice.� He took her hand in his firmly, and Hermione could feel him tremble with sweaty hands. He still hadn�t swallowed the fact that his brother was really gone, that he would never see him again. He swallowed the lump in his throat and gave a half smile, �Well . . . let�s get the git.�
�Umm...guys,� Harry called.
Hermione and Ron both knelt down and peered into the dark room.
�Yeah mate?� Ron asked.
�He�s . . . he�s gone. . .the body�s gone,� Harry said in disbelief.
�Impossible,� Ron said turning to look behind them and back to Harry. �Well. . . not unless the Death Eaters came to claim the body.�
Hermione pulled out her wand, and casted lumos. Where Snape�s body should have been, was a puddle of blood, and a disturbance in the dust. It hadn�t been an illusion. He died there only an hour or so before. �Death Eaters?� she asked tearing her eyes away and looking at Ron who was still standing at the door.
�Yeah,� he said softly with a shrug of his shoulders. �Dad said that in the last war, Death Eaters used traitors as examples. Took their remains and made a public display of it. . . to send out a message, or threat rather.�
Hermione used her free hand to cover her mouth in shock, as tears ran freely down her cheeks. �But how would they know. . . only Harry knew the truth. . .We�ve got to find him, we�ve got to find his body, and not allow them to-�
�How touching,� came a familiar droll from the dark corner.
Malfoy. How could she be so stupid, not to check the premises. This was still a war and there were still threats.
�What have you done with Professor Snape?� Harry growled.
Malfoy was only able to give a short chuckle before Hermione cast a fully body bind curse into the corner. �Answer him!� There was a moment of silence before Malfoy. . . did he just snort? followed by a slap to the thigh.
�Miss Granger, you have less than three seconds to release me.�
�Pr-Professor Snape?�

~~~~~

�Miss Granger?� a gentle voice called, breaking her out of her trance.
�Yes?� she asked, shaking her head.
�The book? Are you ready to check out?� The older gentleman smiled, his regular customer flushed momentarily before stepping to the counter.
�Oh. . .yes I am, sorry,� she mumbled. A few chuckles and murmurs broke out behind her as the line lurged forward three steps.
�Are you alright, Miss Granger?� the cashier asked over his half moon spectacles, concern etched into his face.
Hermione smiled sweetly, "Yes Alfred, I'm fine. Just zoned out in thought.� She counted out six galleons, and laid them in his palm before taking her book, leaving the bag on the counter. �You should know by now I never need those bags. Thanks again, Alfred. See you next week.�
�If not sooner,� he joked.
Hermione flashed him a quick smile before darting into the bookstore�s coffee shop, to find him already at a table, with his back to her. He always seemed to stick out in a crowd. She moved around the table to see he had already ordered their tea, and was sitting with a single finger pressed to his lips as he read the mornings paper. She took off her cloak and placed it over the arm of the third, vacant chair, and observed him. She had grown accustomed to his ways and habits as he ignored her presence. Hermione poured a cup of tea and waited patiently, sipping on her cup of heaven, as she called it. He always finished his article before addressing her, giving her even more time to observe him.
A strand of hair had fallen in front of his face but his eyes continued to dart back and forth. His masculine jaw twitched when he read something of serious matter, and at the moment his lips were hard pressed, and with an exhale through the nose, she was given a mental image of a Spanish Bull preparing to charge. Her lips twitched upward as her eyes glanced over the scar on his neck, but she quickly looked away knowing it was a touchy subject, and she didn�t want to get caught staring.
He wore dark robes, no surprise there, with silver buttons and nicely creased shoulders. He looked good.
As if he had read her thoughts, he folded his paper, took a sip of his tea, and looked at his new companion.
�Morning, Love.�
Hermione lifted her left eyebrow at her blond friend, �Watch it, Lucius.�

Lucius smirked at her response.
�So tell me, why didn�t I know anything about this,� she said dropping her new book on to the table, and crossing her arms. �What else are you keeping from me? You know I hate secrets.�
�It�s not a secret,� Lucius said with a shrug, as he moved to the edge of chair to straighten his posture. �It was just a hobby that turned successful, I wasn�t purposely shielding you from anything. I didn�t think it was a big deal.�
�Who�s your editor, and don�t lie, I�ve already looked,� she said sternly. It had started off as joke but now he was on thin ice, and was careful with his next words.
�Hermione. . . He�s my friend,� came his gentle reply.
�Your friend? Lucius, he-�
�He saved the world. We�ve had this discussion a hundred times,� he said reaching across the table to hold her hand.
Hermione looked down at their joined hands, but didn�t pull away. Lucius was a charming wizard; smart, handsome, and very powerful. But something kept her at bay from this bachelor. What was wrong with her? After the war it had taken a few months but Lucius soon became quite helpful to the Order, locating dangerous Death Eaters, and offering to train future Aurors against �real Dark Magic�, as he had told the Minister. But when Narcissa died two years after the war, everything began to move downhill, and Lucius eventually tried to commit suicide. He swallowed a poison during a visit to the Snape Manor, and Snape rushed him to St. Mungo�s where he was berated by a fuming Hermione Granger. When Lucius slipped out of his coma a week later the two were at one another�s throats. They hadn�t even noticed he had awoken til his rich laughter gave him away. Hermione had rushed to his side, while Snape threw him a murderous look before storming out.
Hermione sipped her tea before biting on her lower lip, looking at Lucius, �fine.�
�Thank you,� he said as his thumb stroked the back of her hand. �Now, for the real reason I asked to see you.�
�You mean this wasn�t about your book?� she asked idly stroking the cover of her book.
�No. It�s actually about a new job I�m taking up in September. The Ministry no longer needs me,� Lucius began. Hermione opened her mouth to interrupt, but Lucius silenced her with a rise of his eyebrows. Hermione cleared her throat casually and leaned forward, listening intently, staring into his eyes. He loved it when she did that. He smiled ever so slightly before continuing. �The Ministry has dealt with the Death Eater threats, Aurors have been trained, Shacklebolt knows that if he needs me, I will still provide assistance in anyway I can. But something else has come up,� he ended avoiding her gaze.
After a moment of silence she snapped her fingers in her free hand, getting his gaze back on her. �Well, Lucius, I�m dying over here. . . what�s the news?�
Lucius opened his mouth to answer her, when a shadow fell on their table.
�Am I interrupting?� a familiar voice asked. Hermione�s teeth clenched as she turned to look at her former Potions professor, who seemed amused at the sight of their joined hands.
�Oh you�ve got to be kidding me,� Hermione almost shrieked pulling her hand away. �Lucius you�ve got-�
�I�m going to teach,� Lucius interrupted.

A/N:

To all of my reviewers, thank you, and a special thank you to my Betta, LadyMalfoy

As always, I love constructive criticism, so please review and let me know what you think.
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Timing is Everything