Chapter 14

L'Anno Nuovo

(The New Year)

Ron,

I don't care if you think I'm crazy. After all we've been through, really? You know I'm not crazy. You're not an idiot. You may be an arse, Ronald Weasley, but not an idiot. So, stop acting like one and get over yourself. I will not be writing to you after this, but I hope the next time we see each other it goes better than at Grimmauld Place, because you definitely made a fool of yourself there. I will say this once and only once, and if you care about me like I think you do, then you'll care enough to trust what I say. I love Severus Snape, and I know he loves me. I know this isn't at all what either of us expected would happen after the war, but I wouldn't change it for anything. I am happy, Ron. I really, truly am. And if you have any love left for me, then you'll be able to be happy for me.
Sincerely,
Hermione

Dear Ginny,

I am so sorry that Severus and I had to leave Grimmauld Place so unexpectedly on Christmas Eve. We had a wonderful dinner, and I am so very happy for your engagement to Harry. Ron upset both Severus and me and we could not stand being around him when he was acting so foolishly. I know you love your brother, and I still care for him, too, but he was not at all welcoming or understanding on Christmas Eve and I couldn't stand it. I hope you can forgive us for leaving.
Love,
Hermione

Dear Harry,

Really? You couldn't have at least warned Ron as to who I might bring to your holiday party? Perhaps you hoping I wouldn't bring Severus? Or maybe hoping that he wouldn't want to come? Well, don't make that mistake again, because yes, even though he didn't want to come, he came anyway because he loves me. He loves me, Harry. And I love him. Please accept that. Congratulations on your engagement.

Love,

Hermione

Dear Molly & Arthur,

I'm terribly sorry that Severus and I had to leave the party so suddenly. Please don't mention this to Severus, but Christmas time is difficult for him for many different reasons. We are both so very happy for Ginny and Harry and I can't wait for their wedding. Sorry again for our sudden disappearance. Arthur, it's always a pleasure to see you. Molly, if you'd like, we could talk more once you come back from the holiday break.

Take care,

Hermione

Hermione laid down her quill and folded each note tightly. She put Ron's and Molly's together, and Harry and Ginny's together, then made her way out of Severus' study and into his private lab. Her lover was working on a potion, and when she told him she had some letters she wanted to send he merely shrugged, and she guessed that he knew exactly what letters she was sending out; his slight smirk admitted as much. She was pleased when he gave her a tender kiss just before she left his quarters to go to the Owlery.

The next few days passed by with little special occasion except of the evening of New Year's Eve when Severus insisted they open a bottle of elderflower wine and have dinner in his quarters. He was continuously surprising her with small, thoughtful acts of romance that she didn't even know for certain he was capable of. Other than having more time to make love and cuddle in bed together and read and talk, the rest of the holiday break passed with them both helping supervise the few students who had chosen to stay at Hogwarts.

She didn't hear back from anyone she had written to until the third day into the new term, and it was a letter from Ginny, who addressed everyone Hermione had written to in her letter. Ginny explained to Hermione that Harry was sorry for not preparing Ron, that Ron was sorry for causing a scene, and that her parents were glad to have seen Hermione and Severus even if was only for a short time. She guessed that Harry, Ginny, Ron, Molly and Arthur had all gotten together and talked together about what had happened. She wasn't sure if this upset her, or if she didn't really care.

The following day, she received another letter, this one much more surprising. It was from Luna.

Hi Hermione, it's Luna!

I know this is rather unexpected, but I'm writing to you about Pandora Twinkle-Toes. Next month I'm going to begin a six-month trip to advance my studies in Magizoology, and this will require a lot of traveling. I would leave Pandora Twinkle-Toes with my father, but he isn't in the right state of mind to take care of her right now. I know you once had a cat, and I could tell you really miss having one, so I was thinking maybe you'd like to take care of her while I went on my journey. If you agree to this, I could come by the school and reintroduce you to each other, see if she likes you as much as I think she will, and vice versa of course. I hope to hear from you soon! And I hope you've been doing well and that everything has been working out for you since I last heard from you.

Watch out for Nargles!

Luna Lg

Hermione placed the letter down on her classroom desk and pondered it for a moment. She couldn't be sure why Luna was asking her in particular to care for Twinkle-Toes as opposed to Neville or Ginny, who Hermione has always thought we closer friends with Luna than herself. But, if she was being completely honest with herself, most of the decisions Luna made she didn't fully understand, and she did miss having a cat. On her travels she had considered getting an owl but decided she didn't want to have the extra worry about caring for an animal companion. Now that she wasn't traveling, though, the option to have a pet seemed more reasonable to her.

There was a light knock on the entryway of her classroom, and she looked up. Severus was standing there, and she could tell by his expression that he had been watching her for at least a minute. Feeling herself blush, she smiled and gave him a small wave.

"You were very interested in whatever it was you were reading," he said, striding down the middle of the classroom and towards her desk.

She felt herself suck in a breath; she still couldn't get used to the way his once spidery-like gait had become strong and confident, his hands sure of themselves, his eyes focused on hers, the way the soft billowing of his black cloak caused her to feel things she never in her younger school days would have imagined she would feel just from looking at him.

"I'm curious," he continued, once she had not answered right away.

"It's a letter from Luna," she replied, forcing herself to look away from him and back down at the letter laying unfolded on her desk.

"Ah," he sighed, coming to stand beside her. "And does Miss Lovegood have anything of, uh, interest to say?"

Hermione gave him a small smile. "Luna always has interesting things to say," she retorted.

He smiled back. "Perhaps."

"Actually, she was writing to me to ask if I would take care of her cat for her while she went on some travels for the next six months," Hermione explained.

"Interesting that she would ask you," he replied.

"I was thinking the same, until I remembered when we sat together on the Hogwarts Express on the way to our last year of school. She had the cat with her then, just a kitten, but I think she thought I had formed a kind of connection with it. She knew…" for a second, Hermione trailed off, the memory of Crookshanks still causing her sadness. "Luna knew that I used to have a cat."

"Oh, yes, that smashed-face menace—"

Severus cut off as soon as he saw Hermione's pained expression. His own face showed sudden concern and he brought his hand up to rest a few warm fingers against her cheek. "I'm sorry, love, I was only teasing."

Hermione nodded and forced herself to smile. "I know, Severus. It's just… I never saw him again… Crookshanks, my cat. After the Death Eaters swarmed the Burrow on the night of Fleur and Bill's wedding and Harry, Ron and I were forced to flee… I don't know what happened to him… and it might be silly of me, but I still feel sad about it sometimes."

Severus gently ran two fingers from her cheek across her jawline and down her neck. "I've never told anyone this, but I used to have a pet rabbit when I was very young."

She stared up into his eyes and saw that they were soft, like calmly rippling waves of the black lake. "You did?" she asked quietly.

He nodded slowly. "Yes, for a short while. I must have been five or six years old at the time."

"What was its name?" Hermione asked.

"His name was Apollo."

"What… happened to him?" She wasn't sure why, but a part of her was afraid of the answer.

Severus smiled sadly. "Nothing horrible. He escaped from his hutch one day and never came back. I'd only had him a year, but I did bond with him. I remember feeling sad that he had left."

Hermione nodded. "Well, that's better than what I had been fearing."

Severus raised his eyebrows in question.

"I was thinking that, maybe your father had…" she trailed off, nervous to have mentioned his father.

When she looked back up at him, she saw that his eyes had darkened, but he didn't look angry. "Fortunately, or unfortunately, my father was usually only cruel to the things he loved. He never loved Artemis."

Hermione nodded. "Thank you for telling me," she whispered. "Now I know another thing about your childhood."

Severus brushed back a lock of her hair and tucked it behind her ear. "Do you want to help Miss Lovegood with her cat?"

Hermione looked up into his eyes, which were brighter now, and nodded. "I would like that, yes."

He kissed the tip of her nose and said, "Let's meet the little beast, then."

-S.S.-

Miss Lovegood brought her cat to meet Severus and Hermione the following week, and with it brought news that she and Longbottom had called off their relationship. She confessed that she didn't feel ready for marriage, whereas Longbottom apparently did. She explained that, though it was a hard decision for both her and Longbottom, they decided that it would be best and that they would meet each other again after Miss Lovegood's travels to see how they felt at that time.

Severus could tell that Hermione was worried for Longbottom, but also impressed by the maturity Miss Lovegood was showing.

The cat, who Miss Lovegood had christened Pandora Twinkle-Toes Lovegood, was a white long-haired cat with large blue eyes and a loud purr. To Severus' amusement, Hermione referred to her as Twinkle-Toes. Also to his amusement, she had donned her dirigible plum earrings for the occasion of meeting the cat and her eccentric owner.

"She should fit right in," Severus found himself saying as he, Hermione and Miss Lovegood all watched the white cat sniff around and explore Hermione's sitting room.

"Oh, yes, she's going to love it here," Miss Lovegood replied with a genuine smile. Out of the many ex-students Severus had taught who now knew he and Hermione were together, Miss Lovegood was the one most unphased. She had said hello to them, cat in her arms, and smiled at each of them in turn with a knowing look and bright smile, which Severus felt was sincere and not at all surprised or bewildered or forced.

Other than bringing the cat, Miss Lovegood also brought along some exciting news, at least to her and Hermione.

Fleur Weasley was pregnant.

While Hermione clapped in delight and Miss Lovegood explained how she knew, Severus sat on Hermione's sitting room couch and absent-mindedly stroked Pandora on her back. While Lovegood told Hermione that she had visited Ginny Weasley and Potter yesterday, to say goodbye before her travels, Miss Weasley had told her the good news, and Lovegood asked if she could pass on the news to Hermione. Miss Weasley had heartily agreed that she could. The conversation between Hermione and Lovegood was happy and full of hope, but inside Severus felt troubled. He knew that, though the chance was small, Fleur could pass the depressive side effects of her curse onto her child. He decided not to tell Hermione this until after the baby was born. He didn't want to worry her, or anyone else, and was sure that Fleur's Healer would have already told Fleur and Bill of the possibilities.

"Severus, I would like to take care of Twinkle-Toes while Luna is away," Hermione said to him now, a bright smile on her face.

He nodded. "Yes, I think she will do well here," he agreed.

"Truly wonderful," Luna said. "I know she will be in the best of care with you."

Severus nodded, still silently worrying about the outcome of Fleur's pregnancy.

"Well, I wish I could stay longer, but adventure is calling!" Luna smiled and gave a twirl of excitement.

"It was great to see you. I promise Twinkle-Toes will be safe with us until you get back," Hermione said with a kind smile.

Severus stood and shook Lovegood's hand formally. "Safe travels, Miss Lovegood."

"Thank you," the golden-haired witch smiled happily at him, then glanced with the same happiness at Hermione. "You two make a refreshingly interesting couple."

Hermione chuckled and looked at Severus, who couldn't help but smirk slightly. "And a visit from you, Miss Lovegood, is always just as refreshingly interesting."

"Well, I must be off!" Luna hugged Hermione and waved to Severus, then skipped out the door.

Severus kissed Hermione tenderly. "I was working on a potion when Miss Lovegood arrived. Would you and Pandora like to help me finish it?"

Hermione nodded and scooped the cat into her arms. "That would be wonderful."

The potion that Severus had been brewing was Amortentia. He was brewing it for his class of sixth year students.

"It… it smells different to me now." Hermione had a puzzled expression as she lightly sniffed the potion she was helping him to brew.

"What did it smell like to you the last time you smelled it?"

"Parchment, spear mint toothpaste, and freshly cut grass," she replied.

"And what about now?"

A blush began creeping into her cheeks. "Parchment, spear mint toothpaste, and… your dianthus flowers."

Severus gave her a smirk. "I see."

Embarrassed, Hermione asked, "Well, what does it smell like to you? A brand-new cauldron?"

He chuckled and shook his head, continuing to stir the potion as she cut up ingredients. "No, it smells like lilies, black ink, a smoldering fire, and lavender."

"Lavender?"

"Like the perfume you wear," he explained, finding that he didn't feel embarrassed. It was a good smell; and one he was not at all ashamed of enjoying the smell of.

Hermione was quiet for a while, but she had a small smile on her face. When they had finished adding all the ingredients, she looked at Severus and asked, "When we're done here, would you like me to play a song for you?"

"I would enjoy that, very much."

-H.G.-

Hermione sat over the piano in her sitting room, but instead of Severus sitting in a separate seat, she insisted that he sit on the piano bench next to her. She yearned for him to be close to her.

She began to play for him. As she played, he gently stroked the bare skin on her neck and right clavicle. His touch wasn't distracting enough to prevent her from playing, but just enough for her heart to speed up ever so slightly. When she had finished, she leaned into him and sighed in contentment. The act of playing the piano, and especially to play with him listening, always brought a calming sensation to her. The added touch of his hands on her skin added desire. The two feelings combined were intoxicating.

"That sounded like your Italian, but it was a song I did not recognize," Severus whispered in her ear.

She nodded as her skin tingled. "He released a new album called Eden Roc. Most of the songs have other instruments accompanying the piano, like violin for instance, but I decided to learn the piano parts and play them as solos. Unless, of course, someone I know and love would like to attempt to learn to play the violin." She gave him a small wink.

Severus chuckled. As he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, he asked, "What was the name of this song?"

She smiled. "Password."

His expression showed surprise, and amusement. "Not very Italian," he said, smirking.

"No, but the title reminded me of the night you changed the wards to my door to respond to the word 'brave' as opposed to 'insufferable'. It is a nice memory for me, and the song is pleasant as well."

She had been gazing into his eyes as she said this. Now he was looking away from her. Was he, possibly, ashamed at the memory? Or ashamed at having given her the word 'insufferable' to begin with?

"There's no need to look away from me, Severus," Hermione cooed gently, a small smile playing on her lips at his reaction. "I cannot fault you for the teasing, and I love you even more for having the compassion to change the word once you saw me in distress. It helped me to realize that you were different than before."

Severus peered back down at her and sighed. "Not different. Just… willing to let my feelings show. To this day, that moment still confuses me. I can only explain it by blaming you and your beauty. You were beautiful to me even when you were in pain—I was just too dull to realize that what I was feeling was a desire for you."

"Of course, at the time, you probably didn't want to feel desire for any of your students," she reminded him.

He nodded. "This, too, is a fact. I would not be in anyone's good graces, including my own, if I had acted on my desires whilst you were my pupil."

"Yet you were an idiot not to respond to me upon my graduation," she said, her tone clearly teasing.

His eyebrows shot up. "An idiot, am I?" and he scooped her up in his arms and rushed her into her bedroom, all the while he lips next to hears saying, "An idiot? Truly? An idiot?" and then they fell into bed together.

A/N: I am so sorry that it has been months since I have posted! As I'm sure everyone is aware, the world is in some truly crazy times right now. Other than getting a job promotion back in January, I am now working and going to school from home due to COVID-19. Things have been crazy busy, but I'm happy to say that I have plans for finishing off this story, even though it may take a few more months. While this chapter is short, I found it fun to write, and I hope you all enjoy it. Please bear with me as I try to finish up the last few chapters of this story that I hold very dear to my heart.