Work Text:
Hogwarts was her home. It had been for years. All of her youth, even the year they were on the run, it wasn’t the address her parents lived at that she considered her home. It was here. Hogwarts. So why was she so nervous? She placed her hand on her stomach, trying to calm the butterflies. Her stomach rolled under her fingers and she smiled softly to herself.
“It’s ok little one. We are home.” She hoped that no one would see her and start the gossip. Hermione Granger, brains of the Golden Trio, lauded as the Gryffindor Princess, now due to start working as Hogwarts latest…something. She hadn’t really cared about the job title. Had only cared that the position had come with a roof over her head and the promise of discretion. That was what was so important to her.
Very few people knew about her current situation. Harry, of course, and Ron. Both had offered to do the honourable thing. Both had been told in no uncertain terms that this was not the 18th century and she would be bringing up the child on her own. She had purposefully told neither of them who the father was. It didn’t matter anyway. He was definitely as far out of the picture as it was possible to be.
Minerva and, she assumed, whoever Minerva had chosen as Deputy after Flitwick had retired at the end of the school year, knew the full details. No one else needed to know. She hoped she could avoid telling anyone else the full details. There was still the risk that the whole world would find out. The father didn’t matter anyway. The mother did. And she was determined to be the best mother she could be.
The school was quiet as she entered through the tunnels that Minerva had told her would be opened for her. A light at the end of the tunnel was the only thing to guide her and she ran her fingers along the stone walls, feeling the old castle welcome her back with a shiver of magic, reaching out to touch her and her baby. The reassuring presence of the castle began to calm her nerves and she wiped her clammy hands on her robes. Her fingers caught on her beaded bag and she smiled for the first time since she had arrived on the Hogwarts grounds. She could do this. She would do this. For herself but, more importantly, for her baby.
The light at the end of the Hallway was suddenly snuffed out as a black shape moved in front of the flickering torch and she cursed as she stumbled slightly. Strong arms caught her as the shadow moved faster than anyone she had ever known. She briefly smelled sandalwood and knew straight away who Minerva had sent to meet her.
“Professor Snape…” She heard his sniff of disapproval as he helped her stand up. His hand brushed her stomach and she cursed under her breath.
“As Minerva’s Deputy, I am aware of some of the circumstances surrounding your arrival. Miss…may I call you Hermione?” Severus got her steady on her feet and helped her into the light, looking strangely at her stomach.
“I…yes, of course. I would prefer it.” The nerves were back. Or that’s what she told herself. Why else would her pulse have spiked when he said her name.
“Then if you would oblige me and call me Severus, Hermione. I believe we are to be working closely together.” Hermione sucked in a breath sharply and he frowned. “Am I to take it you have not been given the full information regarding your position here?”
“I…I didn’t ask. Minerva promised me a roof over my head, somewhere safe for myself and my child, and freedom of hours.” Hermione felt faint and must have looked horrendous as he immediately transfigured a chair for her to sit on out of an empty vial he pulled out of his robes. She sat down with a small thump and rubbed her stomach gently, feeling the flutterings therein. As always, it started to calm her.
“Hermione, I require an assistant. I do a lot of brewing and I need help between both the brewing side of things and the teaching. You are a more than capable student and, when Minerva told me that you needed the support of the school, I agreed that she could offer you the position.” He gave her a slightly nervous half-smile and she smiled back.
“And when the baby comes?” She had to known that he would not throw her out if her baby cried or made too much noise.
“Then I would hope you would still want to work with me. I have…perhaps you should follow me if you are feeling well enough?” Severus offered her his hand and she grasped it gently as he helped her up, flicking his hand negligently to return his vial back to its former shape and into his pocket. They had taken a few steps before Hermione realised that she was still holding his hand. She apologised softly and pulled her hand away. A slight frown puckered his brow and she almost questioned it. Instead, she followed behind him, slightly confused when he began to descend a flight of steps that she distinctly knew lead them to the dungeons.
“Severus? Where are we going?” She didn’t want to ask something so banal but at the same time she felt it rather necessary. He quirked an eyebrow at her and just kept walking, saying nothing as he led her through the castle to the top of the dungeon stairs.
“Hermione…do you trust me?” He turned to her and she tried very hard not to giggle as he held his hand out, looking for all the world like Aladdin asking if Princess Jasmine wanted a ride on a magic carpet.
“Of course I do.” She put her hand in his and he pulled her towards the Potions classroom she knew so well. She noticed a tapestry she had not seen before and she made him stop so she could look at it properly, her hand brushing the fabric. The scene was simple, a woman and child running through a field, spinning around. The woman moved to sit under a tree and the child wobbled and laughed, chasing butterflies that flitted around her.
“It is just a tapestry Hermione. Come, not much further.” He tugged her hand slightly and she shook her head, waving at the little girl in the tapestry as she headed deeper into the dungeons. They walked for only a few moments until they came to the door of the classroom. He smiled and pressed their joined hands to the door. It opened and, for the first time in many years, she smelled the scent of herbs and oils that came from the Potions classroom. She stepped into the room and noticed, for the first time, that there was a door behind the desk at the front of the classroom.
“You are keyed into my wards now Hermione. That door leads to a private hallway. Go through.” Severus looked nervous and she wondered at the look on his face then. She walked to the door and turned to look back at him. He smiled slightly and waved at her to touch the door and go through. The door opened instantly at her touch and she turned back to him again, smiling to him to beckon him through. He walked to her then and smiled, opening the door wider. The room beyond seemed to expand as he entered it with her, making sure she did not feel to enclosed in. He closed the door behind them and then pointed to the double doors in front of them.
“Through that door you will have a choice. You can accept the room in there for what it is or you can choose anywhere else in the castle. The provisions of your job do not include me telling you where you may reside, Hermione I promise you that.” She pushed the doors open and gaped. In front of her was a large round room with a huge wall of glass in front of her that looked directly into the Black Lake. It was stunning and her jaw dropped.
“Severus this is…this is beautiful! But what are we doing here?” She turned to look at him and he smiled shyly.
“This room is our shared space. We will be able to sit here and discuss whatever we are working on. Through the door on the left is my chambers. I have my own private lab, a small kitchenette, my bedchamber, and my bathroom. The bedchamber and en suite are warded against you. The lab and the kitchenette are not.” She smiled up at him and his eyebrow twitched higher. She looked around again and he spoke again, pointing to a second door she had not noticed. She really was not very observant these days.
“Through the door to the right are your chambers. You have a kitchenette, your own bedchamber with en suite and a second bedroom for your little one. My wards are strong Hermione. No one except you or I know the location of the door to these chambers through the Potions classroom. The only way in is through the Floo and I do not get many visitors. What I am trying to say is that, if you choose to stay here Hermione, you would be safe with me. As would your baby.”
Hermione felt her eyes well with tears and knew she could only partially blame it on her hormones. She had no idea what possessed her as she moved to him and wrapped her arms around his waist from the side, tucking her stomach in front of his body in order to get closer. She was finally safe from those who wanted to harm her, or worse, her baby.
“Thank you, Severus. Thank you for letting us come home.”