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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
- 8
- 9
- 10
A/N: Severus and Hermione together at last (yay!), but there are other things that will be starting to brew very soon, I promise. For now, our Potions Master is in need of his know-it-all, and a certain little girl we've been missing. :)

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 9: Returning Home

Give him the chance to bring it up, Hermione, the clever Gryffindor reminded herself as she moseyed about in the kitchen. Don't start prodding him right away. There's the whole weekend to discuss things. Ugh! For goodness' sake, what's keeping him?

Hermione had just put the tea kettle on when a Whoosh! echoed from the fireplace in the other room, followed by an intense green light that streamed into the kitchen before quickly fading away. The sound hardly worried Hermione, who merely peeked through the open doorway from whence the light had trickled in, her caramel eyes locked and waiting with anticipation. A warm smile emerged on her face when she heard a familiar, muffled growl coming from the sitting room.

"Hermione?" came Severus's deep, silky voice.

"In the kitchen!"

Severus's black form suddenly materialized in the doorway and lingered, his eyes staring intensely at his wife. For a brief moment, Hermione allowed herself to scrutinize his every feature—the trail of buttons that flowed down his chest, the tease of his white undershirt which peeked out at his neck and hands, the cascading robes that always seemed to bear a movement all their own. Her breathing quickened at the sight of him and all of his fine, handsome attributes that she relished. How she managed to get through almost two agonizing weeks without him, she did not know; but none of that mattered now.

Hermione made the first move, her gradual progression towards Severus transforming into a mad dash as she rushed into his open arms and threw her arms around his neck, practically gripping him in a headlock. A tiny smirk appeared at the corners of Severus's mouth as he, in turn, scooped her petite frame up with ease, his long cloak enveloping her.

"Well, you're abnormally happy to see me," he whispered into the nape of her neck.

Hermione squeezed her husband tighter, closing the tiny gap between them, the bridge of her nose nuzzling deeper into Severus's cravat, her face hidden by all of his raven hair. "Oh, stop it!" she breathed, tickling his skin. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," he purred back, close to her ear.

The two clutched one another in a comfortable silence for a long time, neither wanting to break contact with the other. Finally, Severus gave a profound sigh and reluctantly unlocked Hermione's grip from around his neck, causing her to moan in protest. But then he caressed her cheek, before planting a much desired kiss on her forehead. Hermione stared up at his tired visage, her arms moving mechanically from his cravat to his waist where she wove them around his back. Severus did not resist her possessiveness and took pleasure in her intense greetings.

"It's so good to see you," Hermione uttered. Her uneven voice broke, as if she were in some sort of emotional agony, causing a curious look to form on Severus's brow.

As if wanting to reassure him, one of Hermione's dainty hands reached gingerly from around his back and moved up his chest, coming to rest upon his cheek. She stroked his sallow, smooth skin affectionately, a simple act that she did so often. To the Slytherin professor, the heat of Hermione's touch was intoxicating. He did not know if any kind of magical powers resided in her skin, but he very much preferred to think of her touch in such a way; it was always soothing, no matter what kind of state he was in.

Severus closed his eyes, relishing Hermione's caress, almost forgetting everything for a time, until Hermione's voice trickled into his consciousness. "Severus?" His stark eyes fluttered open, dazed and a little confused as they took in Hermione's quizzical expression. She still had her hand on his cheek, and thoughtfully moved a few wisps of hair out of his eyes. "Why don't you go lie down in the sitting room?" She placed her heated lips against one of his high cheekbones. "I've made us some tea. I'll join you in a moment."

Hesitantly, Hermione backed away, taking in her husband's full presence again. Severus was staring at her with his usual inscrutable look, but she knew his emotions were just exceedingly subtle compared to anyone else's, hiding just below the surface of an otherwise remote exterior. Being a spy had had an unnerving effect on his sentiments, and attempting to read them was often, for the sharp-minded Hermione, like trying to deconstruct some cryptic code.

Severus nodded, cracking a rare smile for his wife, and walked out of the room. Hermione watched his infamous black cloak waving behind him, as his figure vanished as silently as it had come. He was always like that—so still and calm, and as quiet as could be.

The whistle of the tea kettle stirred Hermione back to reality, and she rushed over to the burner. In haste, she poured two cups of the tea and placed them onto a tray, along with a few scones. She knew Severus would not eat this late; he never did, but she would at least try to coax him into eating a little, if it could be helped.

Hermione had expected Severus to arrive sometime after dinner, but now it was almost eleven o'clock. Jeannie was in bed, after having wailed for some time about not getting to see her father, and now their Friday evening was almost gone. Initially, Hermione had been cross at Severus's tardiness, but then quickly relented, knowing that she could not take it to heart given the demanding nature of his job. She was still disappointed, however, that he had arrived so late; she had been hoping to spend more of the evening with him, especially in light of how short his stays usually were.

Having not seen Severus in nearly two weeks, Hermione was slightly alarmed at the state he had arrived in, and she fumbled about with the tea and scones, eager to return to her husband in the other room.

As she entered the sitting room, completely dark except for the light of the roaring fireplace, Hermione found Severus sprawled out on the green, velvet couch in front of the fire. He already had a pile of books laid out on the coffee table, and had his dragon-skinned boots propped up, spread out comfortably as he inked a few notes with his feathered quill onto a piece of parchment in his lap. His moves were so calculated, yet graceful, that Hermione stopped in the doorway, allowing herself a moment to admire the Potion Master's polished gestures. Finally, she shook herself out of her dreamlike state and waltzed over to where he sat, shifting a few of the books to one side and placing the tray down on the coffee table.

"Severus," she huffed playfully, "the table is not a place for your filthy, germ-infested boots. Off!"

With that, she plopped down beside him, sitting on a bit of his cloak that was spread out over the couch. Severus hardly flinched or moved, only rolled his eyes in response and removed his boots as instructed. He laid down his quill and parchment as well.

"Yes, ma'am," Severus grumbled, though he was quite content.

Hermione grinned and handed him a cup of tea but did not drink any herself, instead scrutinizing her husband as he took the first sip of his own. Severus glanced sideways at his wife, his sour expression hinting at some mixture of curiosity and amusement.

"What?" he snarled, causing her to chuckle softly.

Hermione traced her fingers affectionately over his wet lips, seemingly pleased with something unbeknownst to him. Her warm demeanor was infectious, and Severus felt his entire body relax as Hermione snuggled up next to him. It seemed that she was the sole individual who could bring the still-tortured wizard a tranquility and peace unmatched by anyone else. Not even the first love of his life could bring him what Hermione did, and Severus was eternally grateful to Hermione Granger, the unexpected, exceedingly kind woman who understood and accepted him fully and unconditionally.

Unaware of Severus's thoughts, Hermione casually pulled her legs up on top of his, their thighs touching, and rested her hand on his chest. Her fingers lovingly traced the outline of buttons on his jacket, something she regularly did whenever Severus allowed it. He had never understood her fascination with his buttons, but, nevertheless, indulged the woman at his side.

"You should eat." Hermione motioned to the scones on the tray before resting her head comfortably against his chest.

"No, thank you," Severus replied, taking another sip of his tea. "I'm not hungry."

Hermione's hair brushed his chin as she peered up at him. "Did you already eat?"

The dark wizard rolled his eyes again but was too tired to fend off her inquiries. "Yes, I did."

"You liar. You've gotten very bad at it, Severus."

He stared down at Hermione, still smiling at him, her caramel eyes flickering against the light of the flames. Severus mused to himself how unequivocally stunning Hermione was. Her chestnut curls were illuminated by the roaring fire and falling flawlessly about her exposed shoulders, only half-covered by a yellow sweatshirt. She stared longingly up at him. After all these years, she still made his heart stop.

"And you're still an insufferable know-it-all," he prodded, giving her a slight tug; she responded by jabbing him in the chest.

"Yes, I am, and you're stuck with my awe and brilliance for the rest of your life, Severus Snape."

"Lucky me," he moaned dryly.

Hermione's eyes narrowed, but her attempt to reprimand the Potion Master quickly floundered and she found herself laughing again, unable to compete with his infamous glare. Once the playful exchange was over, Severus wrapped his right arm more securely around her small shoulders.

"How are things at work?" he inquired informally, even though he was, in fact, keenly interested.

Hermione let out an exacerbated sigh and shook her head. "Frustrating, Severus. Small progress, as usual. I really would have thought these regulations would have evaporated by now without question. Things have been so painstakingly slow."

Severus offered her a thoughtful look. "You can't expect everyone in the wizarding world to change, Hermione. Racism is everywhere. Even in the Ministry, pureblood superiority still runs deep with many wizards. I'm afraid it will never be completely eradicated as we would like it to."

Hermione continued to trace the outlines of Severus's buttons, her brow now furrowed due to their conversation. "I know," she groaned, "but it feels like every time we take two steps forward in destroying these pro-pureblood laws, we take one step back." She inched closer to him, wanting to feel the thudding of his heart against her ear. "Let's not talk about this, love. I always end up on a tangent."

"Very well," Severus conceded.

Hermione peered up at him again and watched as he put down his cup and shifted his somber gaze from her to the fire. His midnight orbs glittered from the hypnotizing flames, and the sweltering heat radiated onto his skin, turning it slightly less ashen than usual. The professor was far away and lost in his thoughts.

The half-smile on Hermione's face faded as she examined him closely. Severus's eyes were unmoving, and she could sense something pressing on him like a great weight. She suspected what it most likely was and reminded herself again that he must bring it up if at all possible, although she had every intention of pressing him for answers if he did not. Now her entire plan was crumbling at the alarming sight of his drained, worn appearance.

"Hey," she whispered, cupping Severus's face in her hand and forcing him to meet her gaze. "Come back to me."

Severus unexpectedly leaned his forehead against hers and exhaled. Hermione was taken aback by the literal collapse of all his weight against her, but then she pulled him closer, wrapping her arms securely around him, Severus making no objection to her grasp.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," he muttered rather sleepily. "I'm tired. Can we go to bed?"

It was not what Hermione had wanted, but she expected it nonetheless, and was hardly bothered. Her sweet, genuine smile returned and she retook possession of her husband's face with both hands, loving the feel of his skin in her palms.

"Of course," she replied softly, placing a tender kiss on Severus's lips before moving to his cheeks and then the tip of his hooked nose. For several minutes, Hermione repeated the motions, her lips caressing and savoring every inch of his face, from the crease in his forehead, to the crook in his nose, and the dip in his lips. At the moment, she simply could not help herself. She had missed him so much, and her emotions were running away with her. When her eyes finally sought his again, they were shut, enjoying her delicate touch, and then, to her surprise, did not reopen.

Hermione listened to Severus's breathing, growing steadier, and was taken aback by how quickly he fell asleep in her arms. Comfortable and content with the professor in her embrace, Hermione simply watched him attentively.

The years of insomnia before and after the wizarding wars had made the simple act of sleeping miserable for him, and, without a sleeping draught, proved near impossible to control; but not tonight. Hermione moaned as she studied her man in black, knowing she would eventually have to wake him and move them both from this cozy intimacy that was so needed and desired.

A few hairs fell against Severus's protruding nose, and Hermione lightly brushed them away, her hand advancing from his cheek to his buttons once more, where she rested her hand for a long while as his chest rose and fell in motion with his gentle breathing. Once her body started to become stiff, however, Hermione inched in closer to Severus, allowing her nose to touch his. She waited awhile, thinking he might wake, but when he did not, she reluctantly prodded him.

"Severus," she breathed, although it pained her to stir him, having noticed for some time how exhausted he was. "Sweetheart, wake up." Severus roused a little before his body resettled comfortably against hers. Hermione pressed him again, though still ever so gently, coaxing the dark man to wake from his abnormally peaceful slumber. "Wake up, Severus. Come now. I don't want you to sleep on the couch all night. It's horrible for your back."

Severus's eyes fluttered, teasing Hermione, who thought they might open each time, even though they did not. A low moan escaped his lips as he protested her attempts to wake him.

"No, stop," he hissed, as his head jerked away from her.

Hermione let out a chuckle. "What happened to my insomniac?" she teased softly.

Finally, after several minutes, Hermione was able to rouse Severus, who awoke disheveled and defeated. He carefully sat up, putting a hand to his head, and keeping his eyes closed in objection to the strong light coming from the fireplace. Hermione rubbed his back, not letting him pull away from her though he evidently wished to.

"You need your sleeping draught, Severus. Come, let's go to bed."

Helping the fatigued Potions Master to his feet, Hermione led Severus out of the sitting room and down a long hallway to their bedroom. After some sluggish, unsuccessful protests, he finally submitted to Hermione's will, allowing her to properly undress him, changing him into the black pair of flannel pants and shirt he wore every night, and watching as he took a sleeping draught. All the while, Severus made very little protest to his wife's thoughtful attention, only occasionally grumbling faintly, far too exhausted to fight her off.

After taking the vial to his lips, he returned to his deep slumber faster than Hermione had seen him do in months. Hermione, on the other hand, lay awake at Severus's side, fully alert. Though her side became numb during the many hours she remained awake next to him, Hermione could not bring herself to reposition or turn away from the Slytherin man she had so missed, and took quiet pleasure in watching Severus sleep. It was comforting and a relief to her to know that the wizard she loved was right beside her, at home where he belonged.

Severus's eyelashes fluttered every so often but he never awoke and, unbeknownst to Hermione, slept rather peacefully for the first time since leaving for Hogwarts. At long last, Hermione finally fell asleep in the late hours of the morning, her head resting comfortably against her husband's.

"Daddy!" Jeannie squealed, running full-throttle towards Severus with her frisky black curls and jumping onto his lap.

Severus let out a small yelp, his face contorted in pain. His hair was tousled, and though he had slept a full seven hours, a considerably long time for him, he hardly appeared well-rested. Dark circles were etched under his eyes and his complexion was pale to the point of lifelessness. His eyes were only half-open, as if he would fall back asleep again at any moment.

That would be impossible, he concluded. Severus could not believe he had managed seven hours of uninterrupted rest and was contemplating that feat, when Jeannie swept in and surprised him with her very physical greeting.

"Careful, Jeannie!" Hermione gasped, slamming her coffee down on the kitchen table. "There's no need to jump on your father like that, for goodness' sake!"

"Sorry, Mummy," Jeannie grinned, unaware she was causing any pain.

"It's all right," Severus breathed, much to Hermione's dismay. She glowered at her husband reproachfully; he always crumbled to the four-year-old's every whim.

"It's hardly all right, Severus! No more of that, Jeannie, please."

Jeannie ignored Hermione and wrapped her little arms around Severus's neck. "You're home, Daddy!"

She was wearing the pink pajamas that she had worn the last time Severus saw her, and her curls were pulled back into two side ponytails. Though initially delighted to see him, her round face turned from elation to bitterness in a flash.

"I waited for you. Why didn't you come?" She pouted her lips, waiting for his reply.

"I'm sorry, pumpkin. I was late. I had a lot to do."

"Humph!"

The young girl removed her arms from Severus's neck and wrapped them around her chest, scrutinizing him with the most unpleasant look, an expression that Severus secretly loathed. It resembled him far too much.

"I really am sorry, Jeannie," he amusingly offered, though his reply sounded emotionless. It seemed sufficient to satisfy the little lookalike, who uncrossed her arms and gave him a broad grin once again.

"That's okay!"

Jeannie flung her arms back around his neck. Severus allowed his daughter to hold onto him for a few moments before pulling back to examine her fully.

"You ought to hurry. The stores will be opening soon."

"Daddy, will you help me?" Her dark eyes and dramatic pout pleaded with him.

Though Severus Snape did not appreciate being taken advantage of, especially after everything he had gone through in the past, his children had become the exception. He knew Jeannie was toying with him, something which he rather enjoyed. The little one was more than capable of picking out her own outfits, but when Severus was home, Jeannie insisted that she somehow needed her father's input, even though the drab professor wore nothing but the same selective, black items.

Severus sighed and cracked a small smile, taking her chin in his hand. "All right."

Jeannie beamed with excitement and hopped off of his lap with ease, this time much more gracefully. She sprinted down the hallway and disappeared whilst Severus turned to Hermione for some kind of support; she only shrugged.

"I'm afraid that's your department," she teased.

Severus gave a low growl and stood up rather carefully, before turning his back to her and following Jeannie down the hallway. Hermione watched him go, her pleasant mood fading as his form vanished from sight.

She must find time to talk to Severus about Hailey. She was going mad not knowing his side of the story and was anxious to hear what had happened. Granted, it was only Saturday morning and there was still the whole weekend for that conversation to transpire, but the next two days were filling up quickly. Severus had brought home a stack of papers to grade and would most likely work on them intermittently all weekend. In addition, they were having dinner with her parents tonight and might possibly take Jeannie out for breakfast the following morning. Severus would probably head back to Hogwarts in the early afternoon on Sunday, as was his preference, to get a jump start on the following week. Hermione also had plenty of things to occupy herself with as well, and their mounting plans, which she normally would have looked forward to, seemed to only be impinging upon a conversation that needed to take place. She had to speak to Severus about Hailey, and soon. There was also another matter on Hermione's mind, but that was less pressing at the moment...

Have they talked at all? she wondered as she sat alone at the kitchen table. Probably not. Severus won't spill it out willingly; I'm going to have to weasel it out of him, I'm sure. Hermione's face contorted at this conclusion, and a miserable groan escaped her mouth as she reflected over what was sure to be a less than favorable reaction from her husband. This better not ruin our whole weekend.

Severus and Jeannie returned to the kitchen a few minutes later. Jeannie was dressed in a purple skirt, fluffy white sweater, and matching purple shoes. Her ponytails were untouched, so Hermione took the precious curls in her hands and readjusted them.

"You sure you won't be cold in that, Jeannie?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"She insisted," said Severus in a disapproving tone.

Jeannie looked up at her mother with a defiant grin. Hermione finally let out a sigh of defeat.

"Very well. You ready to go, missy?"

"Yes!"

Jeannie gave a twirl, allowing her pretty skirt to sway with her little body. Severus stood behind her in silence, but then crouched down to kiss the top of her black mane.

"Have fun," he whispered in her ear, bending lower. "Behave yourself, and listen to your mother."

Hermione put on her jacket and pulled out a coat for Jeannie, who was skipping about the kitchen in utter joy. "We'll bring you back some sweets from Honeydukes, Daddy!" she gabbed excitedly, her eyes twinkling with wonder at their trip to Hogsmeade. Hermione smiled affectionately at her husband, whose eyes followed the little girl about the room as she hopped around in a dreamlike state.

"That won't be necessary," Severus replied and rubbed a hand through his disheveled hair, "but I'll take some tea from Madam Puddifoot's."

Hermione, still watching him, nodded and bent down to assist Jeannie with her coat. Although it was only September and the leaves were barely starting to fall, Hogsmeade was much colder than their humble abode in the English countryside, and usually colder than Hogwarts. Anticipating snow or at least freezing temperatures, Hermione wrapped Jeannie in a thick winter coat, mittens, and hat for the occasion.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Hermione offered, already knowing what her husband would say.

"Yes, Daddy! Please?"

Severus sighed and curled his lip, slightly irritated that his wife had asked again. It was the third time that morning.

"I can't, Jeannie. I have a pile of papers to grade and—"

"'Lots of work to do,' yeah, yeah," the little girl mouthed, echoing Severus's excuse. She dashed behind him and skipped away towards the sitting room, leaving Hermione and Severus alone in the kitchen.

Hermione inhaled and shifted her weight to one side. Severus found himself momentarily distracted by her pale blue coat, fitted jeans, and high brown boots, each of which accentuated and complimented what was, to him, a flawless, seductive figure. Hermione eased towards him and gripped his arm.

"I wish you could come with us," she implored with an inherent gentleness. Though Hermione meant it genuinely, she winced, anticipating some grave retort from Severus. She quickly spoke again before he could say a word. "I'm not trying to guilt-trip you, Severus. I understand. I'm just saying..."

Severus simply surveyed Hermione for a moment before leaning in and kissing her cheek, warm and supple against his lips. He desired more, much more, but pulled away instead.

"I know, Hermione. I'm sorry."

His silky voice might have sounded emotionless, but Hermione could comprehend the sincerity, and she was one of the few who could. She waved his apology away with her hand and donned a pair of blue mittens that matched her heavy coat.

"Don't worry. It's fine."

Hermione reached her arms around Severus's waist and hugged him to her, bringing his body into hers with ease, and buried her face in his flannel shirt. She felt his fingers twine in her hair and listened to his heated breathing against her forehead. His heartbeat was strong and steady against her ear, and Hermione could sense that Severus did not want to let her go. Neither did she want him to.

Finally, after a long pause, Severus spoke in a hushed voice, breaking the serenity. "Be careful, Hermione."

Her caramel eyes met his and she smiled lovingly. "Always am."

She pecked the bridge of his nose and, with reluctance, broke their embrace. She offered one last parting look to her husband before taking her leave. By the time Severus reached the open doorway and stared across the hall towards the sitting room, a green light burst from the fireplace and then quickly dissipated. Hermione and Jeannie were gone.

Severus lingered in the room for another moment before meandering away. He headed to the bedroom, where he promptly showered and dressed. He put on a bulky, black sweater and loose cotton pants, choosing not to put on his formal attire until later when the Grangers arrived. He then immediately set about grading the stack of papers from his first, second, and fifth years; the piles of parchment were still on top of the coffee table where he had left them the night before. The heat from the room was receding due to the lack of a fire, so Severus took out his wand, muttered the incantation, burning logs suddenly appearing, radiating immediate warmth.

Severus dropped onto the couch and stared at the countless hours of work ahead of him. He rubbed a hand through his damp hair and his pallid countenance took on a weary look, as he grabbed the pile and took out his feathered quill, dipping it into red ink before scratching furiously on the first page. The pattern repeated itself for the remainder of the morning and into the early afternoon. Severus only took one break to use the loo before returning to his work, writing intensely and without faltering.

He had not given any thought to Hailey for the first time in nearly two weeks, and, as he finished another round of grading, he gave his hand a rest, which, in turn, allowed his mind to wander to her, to all of his children. He gingerly rubbed his right hand, which was now sore and protesting the constant pressure he had been exerting.

He then wondered what Hailey, Surina, and Lily might be doing that weekend, at that very moment. Was Hailey settling in all right? How was Surina doing in Transfiguration? Was she helping Scorpius adjust? What was Lily up to, for that matter? Why had his eldest not visited him yet? Did Hailey still hate him?

Severus found his mind stuck on that yet again. He recalled the first week of his daughter's assistantship; it had not gone well. Hailey had shown up three nights that week and was virtually silent the entire length of time that she spent with him. Severus occupied her with restocking the ingredient shelves without magic, knowing she would be easily engaged with that duty for the four hours she was there. By the second evening, he could sense Hailey's mounting frustration at performing such tedious, mundane tasks without any breaks or the use of her wand. The professor secretly had hoped she might ask to leave or relinquish the post altogether, but so far she had not done so, much to his dismay and surprise.

Severus quickly decided that he would make her do the same assignment again next week to see how much more she could take. Surely, she would not care to continue stocking thousands upon thousands of potion ingredients day after day, week after week? Severus was almost certain Hailey would want to quit by next Friday, and that gave him some reassurance. The sooner she quit, the better...

Severus closed his eyes, swallowing hard. He did not want to remember her deaf-defying words. They had been echoing in his ears for weeks, and he simply had too much work at the moment to allow himself to get wrapped up in his daughter's enmity. If he allowed his mind to continue down this road, he would never get another paper graded.

Severus opened his eyes and exhaled, taking a large stack of the fifth years' essays into his lap and was about to commence grading, when the burning flames suddenly turned green. Severus's eyes darted up as Hermione and Jeannie came whisking through the fireplace with ferocious speed. The green flash made Severus squint, having grown accustomed to the natural light of the fire. When his eyes adjusted, Severus took in the two females standing in front of him. Hermione and Jeannie held several bags in one of their hands and had the opposite intertwined with the other's. Severus observed the various bags in their hands, each bright, colorful and stuffed to the brim with contents he could only guess were candy and all kinds of assorted sweets.

"You made out well," he said, raising an eyebrow.

Jeannie giggled and held up three overstuffed bags in her hand, as if her father had not already scrutinized them properly. Hermione peered down at their charming daughter and shook her chestnut curls.

"Jeannie insisted on buying you and the girls a couple of sweets."

"And I got you some tea, Daddy!"

Jeannie's hand slipped out of Hermione's grasp and her finger pointed to a blue bag that she was holding. She was beaming and obviously pleased with herself.

Severus could not help but indulge the dark-haired girl in front of him, and, when he spoke, his tone was uncharacteristically pleasant, "Oh, that's wonderful, Jeannie. Thank you very much." Jeannie bustled about with the bags and skipped towards the hallway as Hermione and Severus's eyes trailed after her bobbing curls. "And I'm assuming you paid for everything?" he called out to her as she disappeared beyond the open doorway.

"Yep, yep!" she squeaked, her tiny footsteps dying away as she headed for her bedroom on the second floor.

Hermione smirked at her husband's teasing, taking in the piles of parchment and books scattered all over the coffee table and couch. Severus seemed to be smothered by the mix, his frame still amongst all the clutter that surrounded him.

"It looks like you've made out well, too?"

Severus regarded her emotionlessly, before promptly taking out his wand and jerking his litter of work back into order. The papers instantly piled themselves on top of each other into several neat stacks. The books closed themselves, flying to the side of the couch in alphabetical order. Severus flung his feathered quill into its holder on the coffee table and folded his hands in his lap. He seemed slightly irritated, or possibly unsettled, though Hermione was not sure which.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, befuddled by the confusing look Severus was giving her.

"Yes," he replied, his voice inanimate. "We need to talk."

Hermione's body tensed. She assumed he wanted to discuss Hailey, and her face could not mask the surprise she felt at him bringing up the subject. She had been mentally prepared to approach him herself, and now he was doing so instead. The bright witch took in a quick breath to try and gather her composure for what she feared would be a most unpleasant conversation.

"Hermione?"

She blinked a few times before realizing she had been gawking at Severus in a manner that clearly alarmed him. His dark eyes were scrutinizing every inch of her face. His fatigue was still apparent and traced every outline around his eyelids, forehead, and mouth. Hermione suddenly felt horrible as she took in his rather haggard appearance.

"Sorry," she breathed, biting her lips as had become her nervous habit. "I - I'm just taken aback. I figured I'd be the one bringing this all up..."

Severus's brow wrinkled. "Bringing what up?"

Panic swept across Hermione's face and she considered that perhaps they were not, in fact, on the same wave length. Was Hailey actually whom Severus wanted to discuss? She could see the suspicion and curiosity in his narrowed eyes, and her mind began racing.

"Um, oh, never mind. It was nothing. What did you want to talk about?"

Hermione hoped her cheeks were not as flushed as they felt. Hopefully, it was just the heat of the fire which had resumed its normal hue behind her, casting a long shadow next to the dark figure on the couch.

"Last night," Severus offered slowly, cautiously, and with surveying eyes.

"Oh!" Hermione's face looked down at the wizard before her, still puzzled. "Yes?"

"Well, I wanted to apologize. I figured you were probably angry that I didn't get here sooner. I should have sent word that I would be so late. It was not my intention to keep you waiting, Hermione. I'm sorry."

Hermione searched Severus's weary visage, which was illuminated by the auburn and orange light from the fire. The changing colors were welcoming but peculiar against his otherwise pale skin.

Hermione felt her heart lift at hearing his apology. It was unexpected, and, though his voice was unshaken, Hermione knew that Severus meant every word of it, and she offered him a comforting look in return.

"It's all right," she replied. "I was angry at first, but I got over it. I understand. Really, Severus. Don't worry about me."

Severus paused, glancing down at his elongated fingers before meeting her soft gaze again. "Thank you for your help last night..."

Hermione knew what Severus wanted to say but was too proud to utter, so she gave him another gentle, reassuring smile. "You don't need to thank me, Severus," she murmured quietly.

"Yes, I do."

Hermione inched closer, wishing she could drop her bags and ignore the mess it would make. She wanted nothing more than to throw her arms around him.

"Stop, sweetheart. Don't go there, please..."

Severus did not say anything, but continued to stare up at her without emotion, though his words hinted at many. Hermione cocked her head to one side, her hair shifting a bit and tumbling down her shoulders. Perhaps he wanted to discuss Hailey after all; at least, that was her hope.

"Is something else bothering you?"

She was not sure if Severus's pupils widened or just flickered from the light, but she regretted asking because they were analyzing her again, searching her face for some kind of hidden meaning to her question. "No. Why?"

Hermione thought quickly. "No particular reason. You just seem distracted or upset is all."

"Just a moment. What did you think I wanted to discuss earlier?"

"Wha...? Oh! Well, erm, last night, of course."

"No." Severus's upper lip curled wickedly and his voice lowered in a menacing fashion, which only caused Hermione further anxiety. She remembered that look from when she was a student and it was unsettling, to say the least. "There's something else. What is it?"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Severus!"

Hermione stomped her foot and headed for the kitchen, determined to end the conversation. She had wanted so desperately to hear his side of things, but now she just wanted to get away from those threatening, sharp eyes that seemed to rip right through to her very soul. Why was Severus so good at seeing through her fibs? Even without being an extremely gifted Legilimens, the man could penetrate her mind to its very core. Every time.

Hermione stumbled momentarily with her bags and threw them down on the kitchen table in a failed attempt to 'act' annoyed. She did not have to turn around to sense that Severus had followed her into the kitchen.

"Enough of your shenanigans, Hermione," he snapped, as she made no effort to meet his intense stare, scanning the kitchen for something to occupy her attention instead. The last thing she wanted was for Severus to read her mind. It would only make things progressively worse.

"What's going on?" Severus demanded with a growl.

"Nothing, Severus! I already told you, I'm not mad. Why must you always look for something that isn't there?"

Severus clenched his firm jaw. The anxiety in her voice was unmistakable. She was definitely hiding something. If there was one thing Severus Snape could not stand, it was being taken for a fool. He sensed the unnatural temperature within his chest rising steadily, egging his anger onward, but he tried to repress it by taking a few calculated breaths.

"Don't lie to me," he hissed.

Hermione jolted at feeling Severus's rough grip around her arm. When she whipped her head around, their noses practically bumped, causing Hermione to gasp and tumble backwards. He had crept up on her so suddenly that she was not prepared to meet his eyes, so close to hers and as black as could be.

"Let go!" she reprimanded him when her initial shock wore off.

Severus obeyed but seemed to think the matter over first before releasing his grasp. He surveyed Hermione's fair eyes, which were larger than normal, and her rose-colored lips, which were hanging open. And she was nursing the arm he had grabbed too roughly.

At seeing his wife's gesture, the heat in Severus's chest subsided. He had not meant to cause her pain. He had merely wanted to get her attention. Why did he have to hurt her to do so? It was getting worse, though he did not want to acknowledge it, so he reprimanded himself quietly and heaved a deep, frustrated sigh, turning his gaze away from Hermione's distressed face to her injured arm.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't mean to. I just..."

Severus stopped speaking, unsure of what to do or say. His hands lingered in front of him, outstretched towards Hermione's hurt arm that he wished to caress more gently, but then they flew behind his back. Hermione inched towards him and stared at his striking features, which were now composed, but offered an inkling of emotion.

"All right," she breathed, "you really want to know?"

Severus took in her calm complexion, surprised by her delicate but direct response. "Yes," he implored, feeling ever guiltier.

"Then don't be so rough. There are plenty of other ways to get my attention, you know."

She jabbed him hard in the chest, but Severus could not be sure if it was meant lightheartedly or not, and he did not have time to analyze it, because she brushed past him before he could say anything else. She disappeared from the kitchen momentarily, and when Severus finally turned around towards the open doorway, Hermione reemerged at his side with a piece of crumbled parchment clasped in both hands. Severus examined the paper, fleetingly at first, but his heart sank as he took a second, closer look. He knew what it was without Hermione telling him: Hailey's letter.

His daughter's handwriting was unmistakable, despite the rather hasty execution with which it had been written. There were splotched stains throughout, and much of the ink had cascaded down the page. Severus felt as if his legs were crumbling underneath him as his eyes soaked in her handwriting, dripping in ink and tears; it was all his fault. Hermione examined his reaction, searching for what she hoped would be a reasonable explanation. To her amazement, Severus's entire visage altered from an unemotional reserve to overwhelming sadness and, was that self-loathing? She was not sure, but it sent a horrible shock through every fiber of her being.

"No," he murmured, his voice unnaturally thin.

"She wrote me last week," Hermione prodded, waiting for a reply, but her husband said nothing. "Severus, is it true? There are a few alarming things in here that she accuses you of. Did - Did you use your wand on our daughter?"

"I..."

Severus could not bring himself to answer her. He gawked at the letter with a reproachful, forlorn expression, as if it contained all of his faults and failures spilled out onto one page. It was not the sort of reaction Hermione had expected, though she knew this conversation would not be pleasurable for either of them, and her concern mounted. An unexpected wave of guilt overpowered her in a flash.

I never should have shown him this! her mind screamed as Severus's face contorted in an undisclosed agony. Damn it, Hermione. Why couldn't you just have waited for him to bring it up? Or why didn't you just ask him outright instead of shoving the letter in his face? It must be the letter. He didn't need to see it, I should have just asked.

Hermione could not fathom why she was suddenly so worried, only that the letter seemed to be causing Severus a tremendous amount of pain. Was everything Hailey said true? She was desperate for Severus to look at her, but he would not. His eyes were fixated on the letter and would not look away, not even for a brief moment.

Severus started to back away from her with fragile, deliberate steps, almost losing his balance, but Hermione filled the gap between them and tugged his chin to meet her troubled gaze. When his eyes finally met hers, they spoke volumes in spite of their blackness.

"Severus?" Hermione begged, trying to coax an explanation from the man that she loved. Even if Hailey's version of things was correct, she still needed him to tell his side of the matter. "Please... Tell me what happened."

A/N #2: Poor Severus. I will be tormenting him quite a bit in this story. My apologies... Kind of.
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Unquestionable Love