Hermione woke up that Thursday alone. She worried briefly Severus had somehow found her out, but heard the shower and relaxed back into the covers. It wasn't like she talked in her sleep or he could read her mind then either, but every turn of phrase felt wrong when she wasn't quite herself. Almost a week they'd been here, and she felt rather settled.

Only the fear that Severus would find out exactly what she was hiding was a worry that abated and came on with great fluctuation. He was a very skilled Legilimens through wand-work. It was too late to tell him at this point, and while she argued with herself over it every day, knowing what Draco was going through with Harry justified her behavior. Just like Malfoy wasn't himself here, neither was Snape. These were different wizards both deserving of love.

She needed to protect her past best she could, however she could.

This also meant occlumency lessons from someone.

Lessons that she had already taken from Severus her seventh year supposedly. Groaning, Hermione flipped over and decided she would take a shower after work, grasping her wand and sending her clothes her way, casting a quick cleansing charm to hold her over for the day.

"Hermione?"

"Hm?" She replied, walking up to the bathroom where Severus had called her. She distanced herself in hopes to avoid the humidity. Not to mention the smell of his shaving charm made her sick to her stomach.

"Would you be so kind as to fetch me a set of robes?"

"For your meeting at the school?"

"Not my meeting, but precisely."

She smiled to herself. He really was an odd sort.

Collecting all the pieces of his outfit, frankly unsure if she'd gotten them all or not, Hermione knocked on the door, which was a notable mistake when her husband laughed in response, mockingly uttering, "Come in."

There were many things at Hogwarts that she imagined over the years which fascinated her imagination and drove it impossibly wild, or scared the living hell out of her, but the one thing that hadn't ever crossed her mind was what Severus Snape looked like under all those robes. Hermione had blissfully glossed over such a question, even as she spent the prior evenings in his company, under his arm. He'd changed, sure, and showered while she was at work, but this was just a towel slung over his hips and not exactly in a secure way.

"That look was how we created our child, so if you'd like to keep us from those actions, my dear, I'll have to have those robes."

She had a healthy attraction to her husband, there was nothing wrong with that. What kicked her out of looking wasn't even his words, but moreover the fact she nearly forgot she knew their child was a girl. Merlin, he better not look into her mind.

"Sorry," she mumbled quickly, handing over his robes and attempting her escape from the humid surroundings.

He grabbed her waist faster than she could leave, his hands soft but strong in his pursuit of her. He kissed her neck as she turned her head to find his clothes abandoned on the counter.

"I thought I was saved?"

"No, not when you look at me like that... like you want me no matter the cost."

"It's why we're together," she assumed, feeling heat rise in her. Magic really was something else, but Hermione had grown to understand over the past six days that magic had little to do with her attraction to her husband.

Holding his wet hair with her hand, he nipped at her neck, "It's why I live."

Said so cavalierly, Hermione would have missed the sincerity if her moan had been any louder, but she was decent enough to have gotten the edge as he pushed her robes a bit off her shoulder, kissing the warm skin there.

"Don't be late," she filed away his comment for later discovery and slipped from his grasp, "or McGonagall will skin your hide."

He sighed, seemingly rather put-out over the whole thing.

"Yes, love."

She shivered at the sentiment and left the door open on her way out to watch him finish dressing. If her hair was extra untamable at the Ministry that day, she was sure only Harry would have the audacity to tease her for it.

To Severus, Hermione hadn't seemed like herself all that much as of late. It was like that talk she'd had with Harry Friday evening had spooked her, though from what he wasn't sure. Her intelligence and general demeanor had not altered, but something was fractured somewhere along her normal day.

He left the bath after some finishing touches and watched her attempt to spell her hair down from the heat.

"Are you alright?" He asked her.

Sometimes, his mind would forget she was pregnant, it having been solely them since they'd gotten together. Their child, an increment towards their future, had been a surprise, but not a bad one. With his significant age difference over her, they started trying to conceive early and were given what they tried for with prudence.

"I'm perfect."

Humming a quick reply, he grabbed his wand from his side-table and kissed her head, enjoying the way her eyes closed, peace flushing her cheeks. It could be possible he was becoming overly cautious of her due to their child.

"I'll see you in the evening."

"Sounds lovely."

There was no hesitation in his leaving, for if there had been, he would have held her for the duration of the day, much too far into the next.

Every time Severus walked the castle grounds, he saw memories of the past in each corner. It wasn't often when he worked that he would come outside, flooing between the castle and his home, so this walk from Hogsmeade filled him with sentimentality. He'd made friends with Lily as they'd grown up in the same neighborhood, meeting Remus Lupin right on the castle stairs where they had saved him from being bowled over by Sirius and James. He tried not to think about the hall they met Pettigrew in as he passed it. He'd been reluctant to be friends with them especially when they'd all gotten in a load of trouble for nearly destroying the whomping willow- it was very much fine, all its leaves grew back like nothing had happened, the near-suspension wasn't worth the effort- but getting away with that had been a thrill, and a bond like no other.

He'd been honored when Minerva invited him to be the Potion's Professor at Hogwarts after his apprenticeship, claiming he wanted a life all his own, away from the school he'd spent seven years of his life in. He couldn't have known a life would come to him because of the position.

The youngest Headmistress ever stood primly in her office, smiling as he arrived, a few others already in attendance.

"Minerva," he greeted, remembering how long it had taken him to get used to calling her that. She returned in kind, though when Quidditch started, that was when kindness became evanescent. As term progressed, so did their fierce betting.

The teachers would never admit it to the students, but they placed bets each and every year on a multitude of things. When the younger Potter had occupied Gryffindor house team, however, Severus had barely been able to put down a knut in good faith... even with his god-son on the Slytherin team.

He chose his spot next to Lupin purposefully.

"A galleon she mentions she's the youngest to ever lead the school."

"You're on," Remus said with a grin, shaking his head all the while. "You know I have a bone to pick with you."

"And?"

"I got several dead-panned looks from the older girls here for the Young Women's Quidditch camp Iris did this past week. You've set an unhealthy precedent."

Severus only chuckled, crossing his arms.

"Ah, but unfortunately, I'm taken and you're committed, so that doesn't leave much, does it?"

Remus shook his head. "'Spose not."

"And how is your traveling lover lately?"

Severus felt that Sirius spent more time with the dragons than he did Remus, and often worried it was Charlie he was studying. Sirius was his friend too, but Severus did have a terrible habit of assuming the worst in others. Remus would never tolerate it, however, so he merely kept the thought as a tease instead of an actual concern.

"Swell, I imagine," he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Last owl I received was the one I showed you about Charlie and the new infant dragon who won't let him be."

Blatantly ignoring other professors who arrived one at a time, Severus responded, "Not jealous of young Charlie Weasley, are we? Or perhaps the infantile dragon?"

"And you weren't ever jealous of a Weasley, Severus?" Lupin said, a cavalier smile on his face.

"Remus," Severus' tone heightened, "I was never jealous of a student."

He only grinned.

"And the day she kissed Ron what was it... three months after she graduated- at the Weasley Twins gala, you just, what? Talked to her when you stormed out and she chased after?"

"How many times-"

"Yes, yes, we know, you were worried exclusively because she'd sworn off relationships until her career was set, and as her mentor it felt like a betrayal."

"I hadn't seen her for three months, and didn't see her for a whole year after that."

"Except for the hols and copious Weasley birthdays where you saw her, and I recall you equally as steamed."

Severus nearly lifted his wand if it weren't for the interruption of their Headmistress.

"Attention." It didn't take much for Minerva McGonagall to have the room's undivided stares. "I want all of you to remain calm, but I have some news that must stay between us. The Minister for Magic was attacked by Peter Pettigrew, and with the... connections of some of the staff here, I want everyone on high alert. Currently, the DMLE says there is nothing to worry about, but I do suggest caution. As the youngest ever Headmistress of Hogwarts, we wouldn't want to give me a bad name, now would we?"

She winked at them all and Severus discretely put out his hand for his galleon.

There was certainly something to be said for their relationship with Pettigrew. It hadn't been non-significant, they were all friends with him, did assignments together. Severus remembered vividly healing his broken nose after they'd gotten into a fight with a few nasty Ravenclaws towards the end of their sixth year.

He pocketed the galleon and frowned.

Minerva didn't dwell, moving quickly past her opening speech, as they discussed school topics, each subject getting attention and briefed of what they were to be doing over the months to come. A few professors had altered their curriculum slightly, Pomona announcing that she was taking on an apprentice in Neville Longbottom. He hoped the boy handled plants better than he handled potions.

When everyone was freed from the meeting, he and Remus walked down the halls towards Hogsmeade to meet James and Lily for lunch. There had been hush rumors between them that Sirius had applied for a portkey and may join them to surprise his partner, but considering that had been in his last letter a few weeks prior, Severus took it with a grain of salt. Lucius was also a possibility, but he was the busiest of them all, even compared to the Minister.

Remus was oblivious to the whole matter as they talked lowly about James' attack.

They entered The Hog's Head and were accosted immediately.

"Did Minerva hold you two over, or are you just slow?" Lily wondered brightly, her arms around them both before either man could say hello. Luckily enough, the place was empty, and her husband's security was far enough away to give them a small amount of privacy, while still considering James protected.

"He's slow, the old bat," Lupin remarked, laughing happily on at James who just seemed to stare at his wife, concentrating.

"Were we to expect Lucius?"

"So Lily could get hit-on, Severus? No," Potter determined.

"He has business, you prat," his wife scolded him, "Now can we eat? I'm in need of chips."

They all settled into a table, ordering drinks as the waiter came over, then they fell into easy conversation, mostly about James' brush with Pettigrew on Monday. Severus never minded his time with Hermione and her friends, intermingling with them, as he loved her with a capacity his heart hadn't fathomed. But time with just the adults preened his feathers almost as much as time alone with his wife.

He watched as Remus glanced at the door, pitying him that they could all be together like this while Sirius was off so far away.

Pettigrew became the dominant discussion between them, as it should when he'd straight out attacked James in broad daylight. He worried there might be correlation, as it was right after Hermione and Harry had gone to Azkaban, if there weren't only a handful of people who knew about the trip.

Lily was most upset, as he expected her to be. Severus would want the same reaction from Hermione if he was put in danger. Merlin knew he'd tear down the world for her.

James was rather indifferent in the matter, coming out unscathed was all he cared about, as Pettigrew was but a minor threat to him. The rest of them simply could not agree.

"It hardly matters," James stated firmly, fist on the table in a flurry. "He is a petty, careless, rat, and amongst his crimes against me, he'll be going away for being an illegal animagus."

"Serves him right," Lily said, hiding the fact the rest of them were only legal animagi because her husband was Minister.

"I feel guilty, sometimes. I'm the one who pushed us to be friends with him," Remus said woefully over his butterbeer.

"We were all wrong about him, Moony, you can't charge yourself all the fault."

"Please, with the name, not right now. I haven't howled at a moon since I was drunk off my arse fourth year."

James laughed, arm thrown around Lily as he glanced at the door himself.

"And we'll never let you forget it."

"It's better than Batty, Moon Moon."

"I'll take back that galleon you won off me earlier by force if you say that again, you winged beast."

Severus only smirked. He might be going through a stage in his life far later than his friends did, but at least they never acted like it. They could mercilessly tease him about being a bat animagus forever as long as they didn't bring Hermione into it.

"My wings saved us from detention that same night, now that is what we should not forget."

It was quiet for a moment until a familiar voice stepped in with a laugh.

"Yeah, but it didn't help the Vampire rumors, did it, Batty?"

Remus looked up first, grinning at Sirius who was sporting a new scar above his temple into his hairline. He squeezed in next to them and pushed Severus up against the wall. Maybe they should have sat at a table with chairs instead of a booth.

Lily huffed.

"I think I agree with you, Rem, we must cease this pseudonym nonsense instantly."

"I quite like being called Prongs, though," James argued.

"Ah, so befitting of the Minister of Magic," Sirius commented.

"Did one of the dragons knock sense into you, Padfoot?"

"Of course not," Lily determined, a devious smile on her otherwise innocent face, "He doesn't have scars big enough for that."

"Unfortunate," Severus added briskly.

The meal continued on, Sirius ordering a load of food much to the chagrin of the staff in the pub. Briefly wondering what his wife was doing for lunch, he tried to focus on the conversation at hand which had somehow circled back to Pettigrew.

"I just cannot believe the bloody bastard attacked you in the middle of the day! It's a crime, and the fact you didn't file any charges yet nor had Harry try to bring him in is ridiculous. I don't know what maze you're trying to play with him in, James, but it's got to stop."

"That would be all well and good if I could catch him, Pads. He slips through cracks like the rodent he is."

Sirius Black looked quite depressed at this, while Lily was intent on changing the subject.

"How's work, you two? Did McGonagall sort everything out with the new Charms requirements for seventh years?"

"Only just barely. Flitwick discovered a few topics that hadn't shown on the NEWT's in a notable amount of time and made space for the new by removing the old," Severus answered, looking at the two couples surrounding him and suddenly wishing Hermione had joined them.

"I should have become a Professor, maybe magical creatures?" Sirius said giddily, "Imagine us working together, Rem?" He snogged him, and even James threw a napkin at them for the explicit show.

Apparently it was an awful idea, though, as Remus rolled his eyes and pushed him off.

"You wouldn't dare threaten those poor kids like that."

"That's how I get treated after coming all this way?"

Everyone scoffed at Sirius who did not seem to be joking but went on, only to be interrupted by the arrival of their food.

"The kids have their dinner this weekend, don't they?"

"Friday," Severus replied to Lily's question automatically. Hermione, like him, had everything planned and enjoyed spending time alone with people her age. "And please do not call my wife a kid."

Sorry, Lily mouthed, looking over at James as he started talking.

"Iris is coming to town just for it, I hope she visits."

If Severus had a girl he planned to be just as attached as James was to Iris, but he would be equally as excited over a boy. No matter what, the thought of the experience with Hermione was more what he was looking forward to than anything, bonding with her and the child and teaching them magic once they grew of age. His heart squeezed at the thought.

"She has a life now, darling, there is only so much visiting she can do. You must understand being Minister of Magic and all. You know, those little things called responsibilities."

Sirius, James, and Remus all collectively laughed, but Severus agreed with the smartest one there.

"You all have to admit they've been doing well. Especially Ron now, with the wonderful influence Aries has on him. I never thought I would see the day that boy settled down."

"Much agreed," Severus said wholeheartedly.

"She ruined him! Ron was a lot of fun." Sirius grinned. "He always played a good game of chess. Which was probably why he was so good at flirting."

"He still plays an exemplar game of chess, Aries hasn't changed that about him. Hermione complains it shouldn't be so hard to best him, she's gone so far as to memorize every possible move on the board."

Severus then tried to get them all past the fact his wife, Weasley, and flirting were all put in the same conversation.

After they'd eaten and had dessert, plus a healthy dose of attempting to get James' assigned Auror to eat, the group dispersed and went on with their days, only slightly worried at the cautionary warning the Minister had given them about Peter Pettigrew.

They just hoped it wouldn't have to come in handy.