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And They Didn\'t Live Happily Ever After	By : ElizabethStump Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 90306 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 2
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
- 93
- 94
- 95
“And They Didn't Live Happily Ever After”

Chapter Ninety-Three
“Ut Sementem Feceris Ita Metes” (As You Sow So Will You Reap)

Disclaimer:
I'm disclaiming in vain, just disclaiming in vain.
What a litigious feeling, so obvious again
I'm stating Rowling owns
Harry Potter down below
The lawyers make me do this
And I'm ready to bow
Let this disclaimer state to
Everyone from the place
Scholastics and Bloomsbury
Have a stake in the place
Warner Bros adds to the train
With an ownership refrain
Just disclaiming
Disclaiming' in vain
I ain't infringing on Rowling's game

A/N: Disclaimer a parody of “Singing in the Rain” by Arthur Freed.

============

Upon entering the Pensieve to view the new memory from Severus, Hermione gathered her bearings, finding herself in a strange place. The ground was damp – from recently fallen rain, by the look of it – and though she could not feel it on her skin, there was a breeze from the nearby ocean in the air, judging by the way the trees moved.

Severus was standing on a broad veranda at the front of a house that overlooked the tops of the town's buildings below and a view of the vast ocean beyond. He still was sporting a beard; it looked even more grown in, but well-trimmed. There was a slender shock of solid white hair at his temple; it wasn't large, but it was still quite visible in stark contrast to Severus' raven locks. He hadn't had it in the photograph, and it went down to the very ends of his long hair. Severus wearing a Hawaiian shirt was a bit of a shock, but at least he was wearing trousers, and not shorts. She doubted Severus had broken down and bought a pair yet.

He smiled into the distance as if trying to focus on some unseen ghost. She knew this wasn't a past memory – rather, he had made it specifically to send to her as a message to watch.

“Welcome and Aloha, Hermione.” Severus turned and walked inside, then glanced over his shoulder. “Come. I know you will be taking in your surroundings in this memory, but you can watch it again. I have much to show you.”

Hermione followed him inside, noting the dark woods and high, open beamed ceilings.

Looking about, turning around, Severus said, “I had this house built with the hope someday you could come and share it with me, and make it a home.”

It was beautiful and Hermione was awestruck. The design was spacious, simple, and elegant while the architecture still evoked a hint of something foreign and exotic. Severus walked on towards another room. “I had a library built with you in mind, anticipating there would be enough shelf space for all your books and mine.” He gave a short laugh, adding, “I do have about half of my other books at work. But I hope I planned enough space for you.”

Hermione spun about looking at the richly exotic woodwork and the tall bookcases lining the room. In the ceiling over the center of the room, there was a skylight that cast bright and even light about the room – plenty of reading light for the two chairs placed with a table between them. There was also a couple of hanging chandeliers which were currently filled with half-burnt unlit candles. Hermione glanced at the cover of the book Severus was reading and noticed it was written in Chinese. She wanted to say how the room was perfect, and she could imagine them spending many nights in there reading together in quiet companionable silence, but she knew this was merely a memory and he could not respond.

Severus then led Hermione to the kitchen where her bouquet of palm fronds and rudbeckia was placed in a vase in the center of the table. There was plenty of cupboard space. Hermione recognized some of the skillets hanging by the cooker on a rack with hooks, remembering the many meals they cooked together using those cast iron pans.

Severus sat down at the table, as if they were about to have a cup of tea together. Looking out across the room, he said, “I can't tell you how much I have missed you. It would take far too long to say how much, but know you've occupied my thoughts and are still entrenched in my heart. And while I had to let you free when I left, I also regret not contacting you sooner and telling you plainly how much I've needed you.”

A bittersweet smile grace his lips as he looked at his hands folded on the table. “I have everything I've ever wanted: my freedom and my name restored, all thanks to you. And through your act to help me reach sanctuary, I've also been able to build a thriving business, gain the respect of the community, build a house, have everything I've dreamt about for years while I suffered under the Death Eater Decree, and before that even. Yet you were right, I was never truly free until you exonerated my name and deeds. I'm finally free, and it's all because of you. ”

Severus looked back up and across the room, exactly where Hermione was facing him in this memory. “But even with everything I have, it still lacks what I need the most, and that is you.”

Hermione felt the tears coming. She pulled out a handkerchief she had brought along with her into the memory, knowing she would probably cry at some point. Her heart sang and danced knowing he still loved her just as much, but still broke at the sight of Severus' face, telling of the pain he felt in missing her, a reflection of her own longing for him.

“And as much as I would like to ask you to pick up your life and come here to be by my side now, I know that would be selfish of me.” There was a sigh of resignation from both Severus and Hermione in unison. “Just as I've striven so long for the things I now have, thanks to you, I cannot deny what you've sought for so long as well. You must finish your apprenticeship with Albert Dobmeir. Unfortunately, the old traditions and prejudices of our profession frown upon any apprentice who changes masters unless there are certain conditions, such as death and incapacity. Finish your apprenticeship, become a fine mistress of the art of Potions, and then come join me.” When he said the last part, she heard his hint of warning that despite how much she might want to buck convention, she must stay the course.

Hermione watched as Severus swallowed hard, the same nervous swallow she had seen him do before talking about something difficult.

“To say that I was upset about hearing how you received the wrong flowers would be understating it by a bit.” Severus actually gave a short laugh, and Hermione could tell he'd made the choice of his words to trivialize his reaction. “I hope by this point you have received the correct flowers, though I can't wait to hear from Draco how that original mix-up occurred.” The somberness returned to Severus as his face became grim and he drew his lips into a thin tight line. “But to hear about what that monster did. I...”

Severus dropped his chin to his chest. She saw him take a moment to collect himself, as Hermione did as well, as her tears started up once again.

“I was overcome with grief. Looking back, I can objectively say I went temporarily mad. I had heard most of the story when I stormed off... and into a cyclone. Literally.” Severus lifted his head and pulled a hank of his white hair aside from his head, frowning a bit. “No doubt you've noticed the hair.” He sighed with resignation. “As Mounga said, 'Not everyone who has been kissed by Pele has lived to tell the tale.' And knowing you, you've probably already researched a bit about Hawaii and know that Pele is not only the goddess of fire and volcanoes, but wind and lightning as well.” There was a bit of humorous lilt to Severus' voice, and she could see he had tried to make light of something very grave.

Hermione gasped in shock realizing that Severus had been struck by lightning.

“I am glad you have recovered. Please know I would have done anything to spare you from what happened, even risked coming back to face Azkaban,” Severus admitted freely with sincerity.

Rising from his seat, Severus held out his hand, his gesture inviting Hermione to come along with him. “Enough talk of that which has brought us much grief. This is supposed to be a happy memory, something for you to view when you miss me, and bring a smile to your lips and hope to your heart. Come with me, and I'll show you the rest of the house.”
Hermione smiled and followed him as he took her on a tour of his house – their house.

The bathroom was better than she could have imagined. There was even an outdoor shower, where she could imagine her and Severus showering beneath the stars at night, and it even had a bench to sit. It did not miss Hermione's notice that there was a photo of her on Severus' bedside table, and he gave a brief explanation it was a gift from Ginny. Next to it was the lemon she had given him as a promise to clear his name. Severus didn't say anything about the card with a child's drawing of two people flying in a lightning storm; one of the flyers had obviously fallen off their broom. It was on the table beside her photo, and it must have meant a great deal to him to place it there.

The Potions lab was gorgeous, and she delighted in the spacious work space. Severus reminded her not only the house was built for her in mind, but this lab as well. Looking about, she did see that both of them could comfortably work in the same space and not get under each other's feet. The guest bedrooms were introduced as such, and Hermione noticed a slight shuffling of Severus' foot. She wondered if he wanted to bring up the option of a bedroom for children in the future, but was afraid. Or maybe he didn't want children and this was a way for him to avoid talking about something they may not have in common. The rooms were empty and barren, being left as an afterthought to deal with later.

The house was minimally furnished, filled with only the absolute necessities for daily life. There were only a few decorative or extraneous pieces – a beautifully carved wooden bowl that rested on a simple console table made of some exotic striped tropical hardwood, both by the front door entrance. There was the same mahogany armoire in the bedroom she remembered from before, but everything else was new, though the bed looked amusingly very similar to the one they shared back in London.

Out in the garden, Severus talked of life in Malu Palekaiko, his usual daily life at his shop, Friday night drinks with the Malfoys and the Finaus, Sunday dinners with Draco and Ginny, and Wednesday night trips to the hot springs to soak away his aches and pains of working over cauldrons daily once again. He told the stories in between familiarizing Hermione with some of the plants in his Potions garden and some of the rarer tropical plants she may not have seen before.

“Now that Lavender has been able to transfer to Draco and me all the gold we earned in her employ, I've been able to pay back Draco for all the money he lent me to help get my business up and running and to have my house built.” Severus kicked at a rock along the path between the beds. “Now that I have a small fortune, I was thinking of getting another parcel of land on the leeward side of the island where it's drier. Many of my Mediterranean plants find all this rain and humidity a bit much too properly thrive.”

Severus looked about and tilted his head back, his face full of the morning sun. “I found this place thinking about you.” He dropped his head and went back to scuffling his dark canvas shoe in the dark dirt, like some small boy somewhat embarrassed to admit something. “Draco said I should write to you. And I tried. Part of me was afraid that if Moody or other Aurors raided your flat, they'd find my letter to you and then you'd be under inquiry by the Ministry. But a large part of it was that I couldn't find the words, which is pretty ironic.”

Severus gave a crooked smile. “I would berate others for prattling on and here I am, going on to empty air in hopes that I haven't begun to bore you with details. As hard as I tried, I couldn't put to parchment everything I felt. I was worried about being too sentimental, and here I am pouring my heart out to you, talking to an imagined vision of you, listening to me with the same intent as when you would ask me to go on about the history behind a certain potion. And in my frustration to find the words back in February, I went stomping off into the jungle and came upon this abandoned property. All that was left was a barren slab when I found it.”

Sitting down on a simple functional bench carved from a fallen log, Severus continued on with his monologue. “I found distractions to keep me occupied with as I tried to ignore the desire I had to send word to you, any word. I also feared you had moved on as I suggested, but I'm glad you didn't. I've never stopped thinking about you, and from what Lavender has told me, neither have you.

“I've waited decades to have my freedom, something that I wanted most in the world. But now I need you, and I will not wait decades to tell you.” Hermione crouched close, seeing the same look in his eyes as the morning when he fled Polyjuiced in her form. “I love you, Hermione. And I always will. I'll wait for you, and hope that Draco and Ginny will return with news for me that you will wait for me as well, and that any misunderstandings, falterings, or doubts are put behind us.”

Severus drew in a deep breath before announcing, “I've ordered a Pensieve of my own from the town's general store. It should be arriving within the next week. Send me back a memory of you so that I can see your face and hear your voice once more. I've missed the sight and sound of you as much as I've missed you.”

Smiling one last time, he said, “Ku`u lei. Nau ko`u aloha. My beloved. My love is yours, Hermione.” Once he finished uttering those words, the memory ended.

Hermione had to sit down in her office and catch her breath. Her head was spinning in the same way that her body flew with the same euphoric elation as when she first realized she was in love with Severus. She had told Severus to find peace, and by his demeanor, she could tell that not only was he far more relaxed, but many of the demons which had periodically seemed to cloud his face had now vanished. Hermione had noticed the same relaxed and free-from-anxiety sensation from Draco as well, as if that which troubled his mind had been swept away with the same Hawaiian breezes that ruffled Severus' hair in the memory.

In the memory, Severus did not to hesitate to tell her his heart plainly, whereas before, he struggled to state such matters. The barriers that would have kept them apart were gone now, except for her finishing her apprenticeship. While Severus seemed quite changed by his eight months in Malu Palekaiko, he was still the same man she had fallen in love with. There was still the dry humor and the wit, but there was also an acceptance and less armor around his heart. The anger that had colored Severus' face to the world seemed to have melted away. Not entirely, but he seemed rested, and had that same tranquility about him after they would have made love, or enjoyed a long, conversation-filled dinner together, happy in the moment. He seemed no longer restless.

Hermione had to think about what she wanted to say to Severus before she could create her own memory for Draco and Ginny to take back to him. Pulling out a sheaf of parchment, she began listing all the things she wanted to remember to tell Severus.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The mewling outside the sliding glass door to his bedroom woke Severus up. It was time to get up anyway.

He padded into his kitchen for a cup of Kona coffee, as he needed something a bit strong that morning before his morning swim. In the kitchen, his attention was drawn to the cat whom was carrying on on the other side of the back door, having run around to the other side of the property when it heard that the wizard was up.

Severus opened the back door and was greeted by the young cat proudly standing behind two rats that laid on his back porch. One was dead, the other was still twitching but definitely stunned. Severus dispatched both rats, as he had plenty of rat parts. His students brought him in properly processed rat parts that he paid them well for, but still below cost from the local apothecary.

The cat jumped as the magic left Severus' wand and made the rats disappear. The diminutive furry beast decided it had earned a reward. It promptly invited itself into Severus' kitchen and sat there, looking up at him expectantly for some food for a good night's work.

Crossing his arms across his chest, one eye squinting as he gave the cat a dismissive glare, he said, “All right. I suppose you've earned your keep for now. Now maybe I won't be losing so many tomatoes to those little thieves, so I'll have more tomatoes for gazpacho.”
A plate of leftover locally-caught grilled fish that wasn't quite enough for a whole meal was given to the cat for a job well done, along with a saucer of milk. Severus set out a small bowl of water on the back porch, as the animal was going to keep his property free of vermin until Ginny and Draco could come back and take charge of the cat.

As Severus walked down to the beach for his morning swim, the cat followed him like a familiar, keeping him company. Before Severus went into the water, he pointed at his shirt and towel, and instructed the cat it was not to claw at, piss on, vomit hair balls on, or otherwise rub any cat hair on these items while he was out for his swim.

The cat merely made a trilling noise. Severus was unsure if this was a sound to indicate it understood or to say, “Fuck you, I'll do what I damn well please,” as he knew cats were wont to do at times.

Returning from his swim, he found that his items were untouched as instructed, but that the cat had left three partially mauled giant cockroaches in his sandals. He was glad to have caught it before slipping his feet in the sandals, and made a point to remember to mention the footwear next time as well.

In the bakery, Kosal remarked on what a sweet cat Severus had adopted. After Severus paid for his morning croissant, Kosal gave the cat a bit of cheese danish to nibble on. He petted the cat's head before it followed Severus out the door and back home.

Severus refused to let the cat into his bedroom while he was showering and changing into his work clothes for the day. He knew how Pettigrew hid for years in his Animagus form. The spell to turn an Animagus back into human form was cast and the beast remained in its current state, with a short hiss in response to the surge of magic that coursed through it. This meant that it really was a cat and not someone who was spying on him or seeking a free meal. Still, having the animal about watching as he paraded around in the altogether was just not going to happen.

The cat seemed to forgive Severus pretty quick about having a spell cast at it, and went back to rubbing up against his leg, willing to forgive him as he did give it the best meal of its short life. It's hard to lose a cat's loyalty after giving it fresh liver and grilled fish.

Severus evicted the cat from his home as he locked up for the day. He wondered what other “gifts” the cat would have waiting on his doorstep when he returned at the end of the day, or find the cat had moved onto a new home, one that would spoil it rotten with inside bedding, spells to amuse it, endless petting, and effusive cuddles.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There was a new vigor in Hermione's work. She had more energy and was more focused than she had been for the past few months. There was a bounce in her step that did not go unnoticed by Albert or Lavender, and her cheerfulness was almost downright annoying.

Ginny and Draco were busy themselves while Hermione was at work. Draco had to check his vault at the London Gringotts branch to see if all the money taken by the Ministry had been returned, along with what items were replaced and what the compensation was for unreturned confiscated items. Then there was the surveying of Malfoy Manor, and hiring of repair wizards and witches to fix what was damaged during the years of abandonment. At least there were no owners to kick out as Malfoy Manor had no one interested in buying the place.

Hermione learned that the overgrown mansion she saw in the distance the night she and Ron went to the Grand Royal Supper Club was Malfoy Manor. She knew there would be a lot of work to bring the property back up to habitable levels. It wouldn't be ready to inhabit until after the Malfoys had gone back Hawaii, but it would be ready, with a small staff of caretakers, for when they returned. There was talk of them coming back for a grand ball in the spring already, after the baby was born.

For the first few nights, Hermione tried to create a memory for Severus, but would become frustrated when she had forgotten something and wanted to go back to a subject she already discussed, or she had forgotten whole topics she wanted to include all together. Sometimes a subject came up causing her to burst into tears, when she needed to stop, collect herself, and start fresh from the beginning again. By Wednesday night, after the third try that night, Hermione realized this just wasn't going to work. She was better at putting her thoughts down onto a scroll versus speaking freely, the opposite of Severus' problem. It was in its own way also pretty ironic, considering how she originally came to Severus spilling her heart out so freely, talking on and on.

Sitting down with several sheaves, she began writing. Hermione would still create a memory for Severus as he requested, but it would be something a little different and special.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Scratching with quill and ink into his ledger, Severus heard the front door bell ring indicating another customer. Now that Draco was gone for the week, he had deal with all of his customers personally versus having someone field the nature of the call before being disturbed.

“Come in,” the Potions master called from his office, finishing up some notes on some recently-delivered commissions.

“Buenos días, Señor Snape,” Maria greeted him as she sat down in a chair opposite from him.

Severus put down his quill and sat upright in his chair, gazing at the witch with a cool eye. Speaking in Spanish, he asked, “And what brings you into my business today, Señora?”

Maria did not look at him with any of the same hostility she had for the past several weeks. Instead there was a contrite look about her. “I've come to tell you that I just received news that my husband has passed away. And with that, I am free to go back home, no longer fearing his wrath directed at me or our son.”

“Are you looking for sympathy or my congratulations?” he asked, his exterior as icy as a glacier.

“Neither. I am telling you that I will be leaving for Peru soon so that my son can grow up to be surrounded by my family. As much as Hawaii has become a home, I have family that I want to go back to. And Miguel would love to get to know all his cousins, his grandparents, aunts, and uncles.”

“And you are bothering to tell me now after refusing to speak to me, and spreading word about the island about what a lousy screw I was... because?” he asked, becoming agitated by her mere presence, feeling his resentment towards her simmering to the top once more.

“I'm here because before I leave I felt I should apologize,” she answered hotly, beginning to yell, agitated by Severus' blunt and abrasive confrontational style. “Rainbow evidently didn't know about you and this Hermione when she tried to set us up, telling me how I should get you to come around. She said a nudge was all at was needed to push you in the right direction. How was she to know?” Maria as being rather defensive, laying the blame upon Rainbow.

“It was none of her business to begin with. And let's not forget that you were the one to act upon such suggestions, so she's not entirely to blame,” he reminded her of her part in this as well. Rainbow had already apologized to him personally and did it in a manner that was much more gracious and sincere than this witch before him.

“Nor did you have to shove me up against a wall and fuck me like some macho shithead,” Maria jogged his memory as well, getting quite aggravated at Severus evading his part in the whole debacle.

“You were quick to accept my impromptu advances, and seemed to have no qualms about fulfilling your needs right there and then, after you provoked me into such action by word and touch,” he growled at her, not willing to let her forget she was the instigator. “And as for the 'lousy' part, you seemed to enjoy yourself quite a bit during the act.” There was a smug grin of triumph as he sat back in his chair.

“You arrogant bastard!” she huffed with indignation.

“I've been called that and far worse by people higher in my esteem than you, but never by the many, many witches I've had have I ever been called 'lousy.' So your opinion matters not, and with your departure, we'll never have to cross paths again. So there does seem to be a bright side to this conversation.” Severus went back to his ledger. “Adios, Señora.” He was ignoring her as he scribbled away once again.

Furious at being dismissed to rudely, Maria stood up and grabbed a jar of pickled bat wings from the corner of his desk and threw it against the wall behind Severus.

“I'll be sure to send you the bill,” Severus said nonchalantly to her retreating back as his wand casually swished to clean up the mess, echoing the same last words she had spoken to him during their previous encounter.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lavender insisted on a long girls-only lunch, which consisted of eating at some wizarding restaurant with lovely outdoor seating amidst a garden and requisite bubbling fountain. The meal was followed by some shopping for clothes at Madame Maurelle Mandel's House of Haute Couture.

“So have you made a memory for Severus yet?” asked Ginny with a wicked grin. She was glancing over her shoulder as she was shuffling through some of the maternity lingerie Madam Mandel had brought out for her, upon learning the good news of her pregnancy.

“How did you...?” Hermione was about to ask, but Ginny answered her unfinished question.

“Because I remember Severus talking with Draco about which Pensieve to buy: the one made in China with ancient Chinese characters, the one made in Greece with ancient Greek symbols, or the Swedish model with runes like Dumbledore used to have.” Ginny held up the dark green silk and lace peignoir, sticking her hand underneath the fabric, imitating an enlarged baby bump to gauge how flattering it would be, and deciding if Draco would like it. “And I saw the way he handed off his own memory to Draco to give to you, like he was handing over a precious relic.”

“It was a very precious memory he gave to me. And no, I intend on making mine tomorrow night. I've tried, but I put most of my thoughts in a very long letter and intend to make a short but very sweet memory for Severus.”

“Please tell me you're going to dress up or him,” Lavender said, as she looked over stylish yet functional nursing bras, accented with lace.

“Well...” Hermione hadn't really thought about it.

“The wizard has been mooning after you like a love-sick boy, pouting and moping about. Give him something to keep him warm at night until you get back together,” Ginny suggested, hinting that the memory should stress the “fun” in the functional part of communicating with Severus across the vast distance between them.

“You don't have to go starkers,” Lavender said, sensing Hermione's hesitation, “but wear something stylish and then reveal yourself wearing some very enticing lingerie underneath? A bit of teasing of things yet to come would not be out of order.”

Hermione couldn't believe it, but she agreed to get herself a bit of racy lingerie. Hermione had thought to wear the purple dress she wore to Viktor and Anne's wedding, since Severus had not seen that one yet and it was rather flattering. Though she had a matching bra and knickers set to go with it, Lavender suggested a corset for something a bit different.

Madam Mandel brought Hermione a variety of corsets which would go along very well with the royal purple dress.

When Hermione disrobed, Ginny stifled a gasp at the sight of the scar across Hermione's left breast, where Parker's hex had sliced open her chest.

Noticing the look of shock on Ginny's face, Hermione said, “Maybe this was a bad idea. I mean, he wouldn't want to see my scar. It's so ugly.” She held back tears, as she thought she had dealt with how upset she was with the scar marring her body.

“No,” Lavender insisted. “To Severus it will not matter. I'm sure he has his own scars from the war and if his scars do matter to him, it's not like it made you appreciate him any less.”

Hermione nodded, knowing Lavender was quite correct, but it still didn't stop her from being self-conscious about her scar. At least the staff at St. Mungo's assured her if she ever had children, she could still breastfeed from both breasts without any problems, but there was nothing they could do about the surface scarring due to the hex.

Madam Mandel, who was still in the fitting room, said, “Do not worry, chéri. I shall make sure the corsets we try on you will cover you just so, if you wish. You will look magnifiqué for your beau.”

Hermione turned around to allow Madam Mandel to slip the purple silk and black lace corset around her. As Madam Mandel began to lace up the corset, cinching tighter and tighter to give her shape, Hermione suddenly began to panic.

She felt bound and restricted, as if she couldn't breathe. Closing her eyes, she tried to force herself to calm down. Hermione knew she was safe, she was with her friends, and nothing was going to happen to her. Still, no matter how much she tried to convince herself, the more Madam Mandel tightened the corset, the more it was like Hermione was back in that dungeon bound by Alan Parker as he talked on before hitting her with that slicing hex.

“Get me out of this,” Hermione demanded, her voice trembling and filled with fear. “Get me out of this now!” she shrieked, fighting against the hook closures in the front.

Before Madam Mandel could cast the spell to pull free the corset ties, Hermione whipped out her wand and cast a spell that split the garment in two down the front.

Collapsed on the floor, breaking into tears, she saw the beautiful piece of lingerie ruined. “I'm sorry. I couldn't... I couldn't...” Hermione shook her head trying to fight the memories which still haunted her nightmares. Even Zhubanysh's sweet songs and healing touch at night before going to bed could not erase all the pain and fear she still felt inside.

Ginny pulled Madam Mandel aside and quietly explained the scar was given while Hermione was recently restricted under a binding spell.

Hermione could hear Ginny, and felt ashamed she had reacted so violently when all it was was some scraps of lace and silk.

Pulling herself off the floor, Hermione straightened up and said, her voice still trembling despite her brave face, “Please allow me to pay for that. It was truly lovely, but I can't wear anything so... restrictive. I'm sure you understand.”

Madam Mandel came over and gave Hermione a brief hug and kiss upon the cheek. “I understand, and I am sorry for your pain. Let me come back with something a bit looser fitting, but just as alluring.”

Hermione nodded, trying to smile while wiping away the last of the tears.

Lavender insisted she should pay for the torn corset since it was her idea to begin with.

Once back at work, Hermione sat down and wrote a letter to James Hoover, asking to see her old Muggle marriage counselor for personal counseling at his nearest convenience. She had tried to move past the trauma of what happened to her, but what transpired that afternoon was surely a sign that she could no longer deal with it by herself any longer. Harry had said how much James had helped him with personal one-on-one counseling with all the things he had suffered over the years, Hermione figured he could help her deal with not only the trauma, but other things she still had trouble processing by herself. There were so many things she still needed to get off her chest, besides the recent attack.

Severus had seemed to have found peace, but she had yet to find her own.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Calpurnia Fudge stood at the window of Dolores Umbridge's Ministry office, peering down with contempt at the witches and wizards gathered below in the atrium to listen to the debate between her husband and Amelia Bones for the upcoming election. The Ministry had decided to hold the debate on Saturday when people could attend or listen in on the Wizarding Wireless Network at home.

“Tea, Calpurnia?” Dolores offered in syrupy sweet tones she used with only those in her closest confidence.

“Yes, Dolores, I think I'll need a cup to brace my nerves, as I'll be expected to mingle amongst the vacuous masses after the debate.” Mrs. Fudge turned to accept the proffered cup and saucer with milk and just the right amount of sugar from her friend.

There was a slight clearing from Umbridge's throat before she took a sip from her own cup of tea. “Well, my dear, imagine how much more hostile those witches and wizards would be had they known that Alan Parker was your nephew. But as you and I have been able to keep news out of the Daily Prophet that it was he who murdered all those Death Eaters and nearly killed Hermione Granger...Weasley – whatever her last name is – last month, that won't be an issue.”

“It is a pity he didn't kill that divorcing Mudblood who has polluted the purity of wizarding with her filthy Muggle notions. But at least Alan's heart was in the right place. Kill the Death Eaters so we could make the hoi polloi forget that much faster about the war, so we could begin to rescind those pointless laws that punish discrimination against Muggle-borns. To think that Mudbloods would deign to think themselves as equal to one of us is ludicrous.” Calpurnia continued to gaze down her nose at the mass who appeared agitated. They were an unruly bunch, and she would only show up on the stage near her husband when it was time for the debate to begin.

Madam Fudge certainly sympathized with the Dark Lord and his views, but she knew to ally her husband with either side of the war, as it raged, would risk having him be kicked out of office and replaced with a candidate picked by the victors. Sitting on a fence was one way to say her husband was there and then claim he'd helped the side that won in the end, despite what his and Calpurnia's personal views were.

“Where is our dear Minister of Magic, your husband?” Dolores asked as she gazed about.

Calpurnia huffed. “Doing an interview with that silly little blood traitor, Luna Lovegood. It's about time she's come around to granting an interview to Cornelius.”

“Well, with you and me controlling what does and doesn't get printed in the Daily Prophet, it's not like that rag of hers, The Quibbler, matters much,” Umbridge said with a sneer, distaste curling her lip while uttering the name of that printed tripe.

“Don't discount those who might speak against us,” Calpurnia warned her friend as she turned away from the window, unable to stomach looking down upon the crowd whom had become even more boisterous and restive. “Remember The Quibbler ran an article which was flattering of Mergatroyd Morgan, the wizard Cornelius ran against in the last election. It was enough to tip the scales and I had to make some ballots disappear so that Cornelius won. But if you hadn't helped dispose of those ballots so cleverly, Dolores, I wouldn't be running the Ministry today thanks to you.”

Umbridge nodded in agreement. “Indeed. And does Cornelius enjoy deferring to you for your expertise? Or is he still sometimes difficult – insisting on running the Ministry himself?”

Calpurnia gave a short laugh. “As if he's bright enough to know when he's being told what to do. Unfortunately, I can't be the one who speaks out there, as I certainly would make more sense than his incessant ramblings.”

“And shall we employ the same methods of ballot disposal should the count be in favor of Amelia Bones?” Umbridge asked.

“Might as well, since it worked in the past. This isn't the first election I fixed, you know.”

Looking down, Umbridge spied Harry Potter among the crowd. “I see Harry Potter is down there now. What will you do should he ever decide to run against Cornelius? It would be harder to obscure the vote count if the margin of error is much higher in his favor.”

“Maybe arrange an 'accident' to happen to him on an Auror assignment abroad before he would even run. Too bad he didn't die during the broom race in Asia. Or better yet, pity You-Know-Who didn't kill him first instead of hitting that stupid Mudblood mother of his first. Would have saved both of us years of grief if he was the Idiot-Who-Died instead of the Annoying-Twat-Who-Lived. Now we have to smile sweetly to those blood traitors who won the war and pretend we were always on their side.”

Finishing her cup, Dolores Umbridge sighed. “Well, I guess the debate will be starting soon, so I'd better visit the Little Witch's room before it starts.” Opening her office door, she held it open as she added, “If you'll pardon me, I won't be but a moment.”

Calpurnia nodded her head in recognition of her friend's needing to excuse herself.

As the door to Dolores Umbridge's office shut, the toad of a witch ran as fast as her fat, pinched feet – shoehorned into heels too small for her – could carry her. Running into the loo four doors down from her office, she held the door open a little longer than necessary.

Shutting the door, she whispered aloud to the seemingly empty loo, “Did it work?”

Hermione pulled off Harry's Invisibility Cloak and turned to Lavender, who had emerged from a stall that held the real Dolores Umbridge, who was comatose.

“I could hear Calpurnia and you loud and clear, Draco,” Lavender replied to the wizard transformed into the officious Ministry bureaucrat. “I don't think there was a corner of the Ministry that didn't hear your 'Hot Mic' Spell, Hermione. Well, except for the office where Luna is interviewing Fudge right now.”

Hermione handed off the Invisibility Cloak to Draco, who had taken Polyjuice Potion to look like Dolores Umbridge. If Draco was going to make it back to Lavender's home without being torn apart by the masses of angry witches and wizards now teeming through the Ministry, he would need to be hidden while in Polyjuice form as Umbridge. Unfortunately, like Hogwarts, one could not Apparate directly from within the Ministry, except at the designated Apparition point at the far end of the atrium.

“We'd better hurry,” Hermione reminded them. “Kingsley can only misdirect everyone from Umbridge's office and this toilet for so long. Have you done the Memory Charm on her?” she asked indicating to Umbridge, who was still passed out while sitting on a toilet.

Lavender nodded before Draco, still looking like Umbridge, disappeared under the cloak. As the three of them left the toilet, Hermione and Lavender walked down the stairs with Draco trailing right behind them as they made their way towards the nearest Floo in the Ministry atrium. Harry soon joined behind them to make sure no one walked too closely and accidentally stepped on his Invisibility Cloak, and in the process, reveal Draco Polyjuiced as Umbridge. Harry walked far enough behind to give Draco space.

“It was a pity we couldn't stay longer in her office, as Calpurnia kept rambling on, providing more rope to hang herself with,” Hermione admitted under her breath.

“Yes, but it was prudent of Draco to end the conversation when he did,” Lavender added quietly to avoid being overheard. “Once she mentioned about her wishing Harry had died as a baby, there was a roar of outrage from the crowd which seemed to shake the walls. Good thing you thought to add the 'sound feedback' dampening part of the spell so you and she couldn't tell how outraged the crowd was, nor could they hear themselves broadcast through the whole place.”

No one would have likely overheard Lavender and Hermione, as people were shouting with rage having heard Calpurnia Fudge and “Dolores Umbridge's” candid confession. Draco had merely repeated close to word-for-word what Umbridge had admitted to under Veritaserum. Everyone was trying to hunt the two witches down. Kingsley had placed a spell to misdirect anyone trying to locate them until he saw Lavender and Hermione next to a fireplace – rather, he had spied a tip of a pink shoe poking out of the bottom of an Invisibility Cloak. Upon their exit, Kingsley ended his Mislocation Charm, and let the crowd find the instigators of their ire.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The biggest frustration for Hermione was she and Albert could tell no one at their monthly Potions master meeting she was the one behind the “Hot Mic” Spell earlier in the day. Even if she had told them, none of them would even get the reference to the situation where a Muggle would ramble on at the mouth, without realizing that their candid words were being broadcast by a live microphone for everyone to hear, with them none the wiser that they were being overheard.

Calpurnia Fudge had “friends” and allies all throughout the wizarding world, and not even Albert was sure who at their meeting might have had an allegiance to the machinating witch. It was better to play innocent and keep their opinions to themselves anyway, as Potions masters were usually apolitical. Usually.

As Hermione and Albert showed up at the monthly meeting of fellow masters, Hermione was greeted with a mix of hearty claps on the back for her brilliant work discovering Albus Dumbledore's will and consoling handshakes for the attack she had suffered. One of her bouquets of flowers at St. Mungo's was from several Potions masters who had chipped in together, wishing her a speedy recovery.

Once everyone had their turn congratulating or consoling Hermione, the talk immediately turned to the news of the day regarding Calpurnia Fudge and Dolores Umbridge broadcasting the crime of election tampering, in addition to the various other bits of impolite talk. No one brought up the fact that Alan Parker, Calpurnia's nephew, was publicly named as Hermione's attacker by his own aunt.

Discussion went round as to how the conversation had been broadcast to the whole Ministry, and how the two machinating witches could not have heard themselves. Niles was convinced the confession was done under an Imperius Curse, a Sonorus Charm, and a dose of Veritaserum. Royston thought it was done with a set of some Weasley Wizarding Wheezes Extendable Ears and another sound magnification spell. Braxton came up with a scenario which was highly improbable and resulted in nearly everyone chucking something at him for being so daft as to suggest such a thing.

“I think it was two people Polyjuiced as Mrs. Fudge and Miss Umbridge,” Chuff volunteered.

“Yeah, but Polyjuice Potion ingredients are highly regulated, and no one short of a Potions master would have them on hand,” Royston countered.

“I admit it,” Albert put his hand up and waved dramatically, as if close to fainting. “I brewed a Doppelganger Potion and then had my copy and me take Polyjuice to pretend to be them, then I cast a Sonorus Charm.”

There was a pause before everyone, including Hermione, bust up laughing at Albert's “joke.”

“You lying sack of dragon shit. I was helping you in the garden this afternoon when it happened, as it came over the Wireless,” Niles pointed out. “If you're going to lie, make it half-way believable. Doesn't work to confess if you have an alibi. Though that doesn't explain where Hermione was,” he noted overdramatically in jest. “Anything to confess, young apprentice?”

“If you want to hear details about how I was doubled over with menstrual cramps today and would like to hear about my hands shaking with pain as I attempted to brew...” Hermione was cut off by the groans of wizards who did not care to hear about such matters.

She gave herself a small mental pat on the back for coming up with a way to deflect any accidental finger pointing at her, even as a joke, with a reply making any one of the men in her company wish to change the subject quickly.

Conversation rambled on for a while before the games part of the evening began. Hermione let the other Potions masters win the round of 'Name That Ingredient,' purposefully misidentifying the powdered toenail of troll in order to be able to select the next game.

“How about 'Guess what's in this drink'?” she offered, to the cheers of her fellow Potions masters who were always eager to drink something alcoholic while trying to identify what is in it.

“It's about time you concocted something for us. Hit us with your best shot, you young chit,” Reginald Chuff goaded her in good humor.

Hermione came prepared as Draco and Ginny had brought a case of distilled palm sap wine back to England, giving half the case to Hermione. They had also brought with them several crates of fresh pineapples to hand out to friends and family. Hermione had enough to serve everyone who was up for this round of the game. Niles already had rum and vodka stocked in his bar, but Hermione had to procure coconut liquor beforehand, and prepare her own fresh pineapple juice and guava juice before she came over with Albert that evening.

Erecting a screen with flick of her wand, Hermione began to use her knife with the speed of a fully-credited Potions master, preparing the drinks behind the screen so they could not tell what she was putting in each hollowed-out pineapple. Everyone, separated by the screen, was quite curious as she macerated the lavage in vodka and added essence of valerian, which effects were amplified ten-fold when added fresh and combined with alcohol and an acidic base, versus added dried to hot water in tea. Hermione remained hidden from view, mixing with the distilled palm sap wine, rum, vodka, and topping off with fruit juices. She even did some fancy carving of the extra pineapple pieces, and sliced, twisted, and folded some pineapple leaves into decorative shapes.

“Voila!” she announced as she removed the screen to reveal a row of seven pineapples containing drinks, ready and waiting.

“If you don't cut it as a Potions mistress, you'd make a passable bartender,” Chuff said not too kindly.

“Drink and name the ingredients,” Hermione challenged him and the rest who were playing, her arms folded across her chest in triumph.

Everyone bellied up to the bar with their own pineapple. Nile turned around and asked Albert, “Aren't you going to participate in this round?”

Albert waved his hand dismissively and shook his head. “It wouldn't be fair. I already know what's in this drink.”

“And what do you call this enticing little concoction of yours?” Braxton asked, licking his lips, drawn by the heady scent of fresh tropical fruit juices mixed with rum and other exotic scents.

“Wipe-out,” Hermione said with a smug grin.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Waiting in the atrium of the Ministry with a bouquet of flowers in her arms, Hermione looked about anxiously. It was late Sunday afternoon, and there were only a few people milling about. She arrived early, but still there was no sign of them. She hoped she didn't miss them.

Suddenly, the Floo across the atrium flared to life and out stepped Ginny, Draco, Lavender, and Ron from the fireplace. Ron was helping Lavender exit, holding her arm to help her keep balance.

“Sorry we're a bit late,” Ginny apologized, “but Bill wouldn't stop hugging me goodbye, and neither could the kids.”

“Yeah, he's been worried about you, so I'm glad you were able to put his mind at rest.” Hermione turned to Draco. “So, get a taste of what's to come?” Her eyes darted towards Ginny's still flat abdomen.

“A bit more boisterous than I anticipated, but nothing I don't think we can't handle.” Draco smirked as he put his arm around Ginny and kissed the top of her head.

Ron made an odd huffing noise.

“Something wrong, Weasley?” Draco asked, his eyes narrowing a bit, looking a tad defensive.

“Nope, just still getting used to the idea of you being my brother-in-law and spawning with my little sister. Not that I object any longer, it just takes a while.” Ron shrugged casually.

Draco held a large satchel in his free hand that wasn't wrapped around Ginny's waist.

Looking down at the bag, Hermione said, “I have something for Severus. I made the memory Friday night, but finished my letter this morning. And Severus will be wanting these two memories back. They're the ones I used at the Wizengamot. My memory is in the box with his.” She handed over a small wooden box with slightly tarnished brass hinges and a small swiveling hook closure. The other item was a thick roll made of many sheaves of parchment rolled together, and tied with a red ribbon and sealed with wax. Hermione also handed over a bouquet of flowers for Severus.

“I'll make sure he gets these,” Draco promised as he placed the parchments and wooden box in the satchel, while Ginny took the bouquet.

“We should get going if we don't want to miss our Portkey back home,” Ginny said reluctantly, not wanting to hasten their departure.

They walked across the atrium to the Portkey Office where the Malfoys went straight up to the front desk of the scheduled Portkey queue. Once they checked in, Lavender and Ron said their final goodbyes first, with Draco and Ron merely shaking hands, though with far less animosity then they once shared between them.

Hermione gave Ginny huge hug, making sure to not squeeze her too tightly, as much as she wanted to though. “I'm going to miss you both so much.”

“It's only a couple months until we'll see you again,” Ginny reminded her friend.

She smiled and wiped away a few tears before turning to Draco, who put down the satchel. Hermione gave him a warm hug. “Thank you so much.”

“I'm the one who should thank you,” he said with great sincerity.

Hermione laughed and gently hit Draco in the chest with her fist before giving him one last hug. “Take care of Severus for me.”

“That has been what Ginny and I have been doing since we left. Just don't take too long to finish up your apprenticeship, so you can take over that job full-time. Ginny and I will have someone else who will need our full attention soon.” Draco smiled and looked over at his wife, who was tearing up for the umpteenth time that day.

“I'm trying as fast as I can,” Hermione assured him before letting go and allowing the Malfoys leave to take a Portkey to San Francisco, and from there to home.

As the departing couple walked through the door, waving one last time, Lavender huffed with exasperation, “I have got to get someone in the Ministry to see about lifting Dumbledore's spell to block Hawaii, so we can start getting direct Portkeys, not to mention future advertising that doesn't have scrambled words.” Turning to her husband, she added, “Maybe I should contract your brother, Bill, to break that since it's almost like a curse, and he's good at curse-breaking.”

============

A/N: Thank you to my lovely betas, JuneW and Cygnuz, for cleaning up my grammatical and punctuation messes.
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And They Didn\'t Live Happily Ever After