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Life For Rent

Chapter 30

"Hey Severus, how was dinner?" Hermione asked her husband as he removed his travelling cloak.

Severus sighed in mock exasperation and flopped down dramatically on the couch. He flung his arm over his forehead and summoned a glass of firewhiskey with the other. "I have so little patience for hysterical women. Narcissa should feel fortunate that she is such a dear friend."

"You would think they would be happy the marriage law was abolished." News of the official abolishment of the law had been announced to the public only a week before. "Or, at the least not care since Draco is already married."

"Hermione that is exactly the problem. As soon as the law was abolished, Draco's lovely bride divested him of his bank account and left him. Therefore Draco sought out her younger sister and divested her of her virginity. It is quite the scandal, one in which I can only pray I am not asked to deal with any further." Severus closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I fear that my godson will never change, Hermione, I really do."

"I don't know, he seems much nicer since the war. I mean, we get along fine now." Hermione replied nonchalantly, trying not to laugh at both Draco's deeds and Severus' dramatic reaction.

"It was all a ruse, dear." Severus said looking in Hermione's eyes meaningfully.

"What do you mean a ruse? There was no reason for him to try to trick me. Not that I can think of anyway."

Severus downed his glass of firewhiskey and set the empty glass on the coffee table with a loud thunk. "He got wind of the marriage law before the rest of us apparently because he was seeing the Pureblooded daughter of one of the ministry officials working on the law. He intended to make you his intended until he found out we were matched. In a fit of anger I read his mind and saw that it was the truth."

"Oh." Hermione frowned for a moment and then laughed loudly. "You don't think he would have succeeded do you?"

Severus scowled at Hermione. Over the last few weeks he'd made significant strides in controlling his jealousy wherever Hermione was involved and had even behaved more civilly to Potter than ever before, even though Hermione didn't seem to be getting along with him lately

"Well, he is quite a dashing young man."

Hermione snorted again making Severus scowl even further. "Dashing, Severus? There is nothing in the world Draco Malfoy could do to make go near him in that way, dashing, or no. No offence, but the idea of being related to the Malfoys kind of makes me want to throw up a little. So any threat there is quite imaginary. In any case, I'm sorry your night out with friends wasn't under more pleasurable circumstances."

"No matter. I have resigned myself to the fact that life will never be just uneventful. In fact, I fear quite the opposite now that I have a family of my own. I believe we will both suffer from a deplorable lack of boredom until our child is grown and we ourselves are infirm." Severus deadpanned before sweeping Hermione into a deep kiss.

"I can live with that, but your deplorable lack of boredom might be short-lived because tomorrow is the final planning meeting for the Halloween ball next weekend. And yes, you have to be there to finalise everything, Severus."

Severus rolled his eyes. "You're right, that is boring. I guess you will just have to make it up to me tonight."

Hermione giggled uncharacteristically as Severus used a simple charm to divest her of all her clothing.

"Shhh, you'll wake Caris." Severus admonished playfully, "Maybe I will have to punish you."

Hermione laughed again and made a beeline for the bedroom silencing the room on her way in, a now naked Severus hot on her heels.

In fact, Hermione had been laughing with Severus a lot over the last few weeks. Ever since his impulsive trip to the graveyard he'd been a new person. He was still sarcastic and snarky but there was an added element of humour. He seemed much happier lately and even smiled a few times in public. Severus had offered to let Hermione see the memory containing his farewell speech to Lily but Hermione had declined stating that it was between him and his old friend. Severus had actually wanted to share the moment with Hermione but was secretly moved that she'd allowed it to stay private. She didn't offer to let him see the memory of her fight with Potter however, and Severus was very interested in that. Hermione had been laughing with Severus but she was quite morose when they weren't together as if she did lose her best friend.

Severus was even being considerably friendlier to Potter and had apologised for his rude outburst. Hermione on the other hand had not apologised and wasn't about to. Severus wasn't going to force the issue but he was sick of seeing Potter look at Hermione like a lost puppy dog all the time. She was being civil to him but not friendly and while Severus still didn't know the details of what had happened he feared intervention was going to be necessary. Harry hadn't come to Severus asking about Hermione at all and to him that was an indicator of something more severe than a spat between friends. Hermione was in a right strop with Harry and was clearly having a difficult time letting it go. Whatever was going on was solely between Harry and Hermione, and Severus assumed that it was Harry's fault because Ginny was perfectly amiable towards Hermione and had visited her frequently over the last few weeks. Severus was regretting ever thinking that Hermione should only have one best friend, him. He was beginning to see how important having more friends truly was.

Later, after Severus and Hermione were satisfied, sated, and very sleepy Severus pressed Hermione for more information.

"Are you still angry with Potter?" Severus asked Hermione's back as he pulled her body close to him. Hermione sighed deeply. "I told you, I'm not angry with him."

"What is it then?" Severus pressed on. He wanted his wife to feel as free of negative relationships as she did so either she needed to get over Harry or patch things because this spat with Potter was actually weighing on him. He never thought there would ever be a time he felt sorry for Potter, but getting a cold shoulder from Hermione was never pleasant.

Hermione yawned widely. "Not now, Severus, I'm tired."

"Fine." Severus replied. He was silent for a few moments and just before he knew she would fall asleep he tried again. "But what does Potter have to do to get you to be friendly with him again?"

"He has to apologise." Hermione said sleepily before waking up a little and flipping over to face Severus. "You tricked me. You knew I would answer because I was falling asleep."

"What does he have to apologise for?" Severus said not even attempting to hide his satisfaction that he'd manipulated her so successfully.

Hermione rolled back over and closed her eyes again. "Not going to work. I'm tired Severus and I have a stomach ache, if I promise to tell you tomorrow will you let me sleep?"

"Yes, but you have a stomach ache? Do you need anything?" Severus asked concernedly.

"I'm fine, just a little crampy."

"Ah, I see, it is around that time, is it not?" Severus replied finally letting his own tiredness overtake him.

"Mm, yeah. That must be it."

The next morning Severus visited with Poppy in the infirmary to collect a couple of potions for Hermione's cramps because she was still looking a little peaky in the morning. Poppy fussed over Caris for awhile whom Severus had brought along, declaring her ready to start eating solid foods and that she was teething. Severus was relieved to hear that she was teething because she was crying a lot lately and he hoped she wasn't getting colicky. Poppy fussed about Caris for quite some time before Severus almost had to yank the baby out of her arms.

"Poppy, I really must be going I have a meeting with the Halloween Ball committee to attend and after that I am going to visit with Potter." Severus said.

The Mediwitch frowned as she scrutinised the tall wizard closely. "You have been awfully cheerful lately, are you sure you aren't ill?"

"Of course I'm not ill. I am perfectly healthy." Severus replied nonplussed. "It is a crime to allow oneself to appear in a pleasant mood?"

Poppy harrumphed loudly. "It is a crime when that person is you. Are you sure you aren't drinking a little too much or Hermione isn't blasting you with Cheering Charms every chance she gets? Those are legitimate diagnostic questions, Severus."

"Enough, you crazed witch. I am quite alright." Severus said sharply turning on his heel to storm out the door; Caris' happy gurgling contrasting heavily with Severus' quick change of demeanour.

Poppy smiled widely as Severus exited the hospital wing, "Now I believe you are alright!" She called after him. When Severus was out Poppy's sight he smiled too and lifted his baby so that her face was directly in front of his. A large bubble of drool popped on her mouth and she babbled as she reached out to grab Severus' nose with one of her tiny hands.

"I kind of like how the new me is confusing everyone. This could be fun." Severus said to his baby before planting a large kiss on her cheek and continuing back down the hall.

"Potter, what is going on between you and Hermione?" Severus asked bluntly after the meeting about the ball. Severus had mostly just nodded along approving of everything the Head Boy and Girl had presented. He was quite confident that some liquor would make its way into the punch and several students would spend quite a few lonely nights in detention after being caught with their knickers down. Severus would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to freely handing out detentions. For him that would be the best part of the Halloween Ball, and perhaps the Slytherin versus Gryffindor Quidditch match that would take place on the same day.

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his chair for without saying anything. After a moment he picked up an ornately detailed letter opener off of his Severus' desk and examined it closely. It was silver with the Slytherin crest on the handle. Hermione'd given it to him and he was quite fond of it. Severus reached across the desk and plucked it out of Harry's hand.

"I thought you wanted to talk about my work performance." Harry replied finally.

Severus picked up a file from a pile on his desk and fished a parchment out of it. Once he found what he was looking for he unceremoniously dropped it in front of Harry.

"There's your monthly evaluation. I grudgingly admit that your performance is adequate. You can read that on your own time. Now, I repeat, what did you do to Hermione?" Severus stated calmly.

"I didn't do anything to her; she's the one who's angry. Besides I figured you both had a good laugh over what she did at dinner that night. She won't let it go. I mean she's talking to me but it's really formally as if we aren't that close so I give up." Harry reached for paper on the desk and folded down a corner but he didn't read it.

"Well, she didn't tell me what happened and only admitted last night that she was waiting for an apology but I don't know what for. With you, I imagine it could be a number of things but since you give up..." Severus said.

Harry frowned at the slight and bit back a sarcastic retort. "I highly doubt all she wants is in apology."

Severus sighed in exasperation. He really didn't care about Harry's feelings in the matter but he wanted Hermione to be happy with her friends and that was important to Severus so he pushed away his comments regarding Harry's childishness and got up to retrieve Dumbledore's old Pensieve from the cabinet.

"Show me what happened and perhaps I can help you." Severus said placing the stone bowl on his desk.

Harry eyed it warily for a moment. "Why are you so interested? Why do you even care if Hermione and I aren't friends anymore?"

"Because I care about her, you idiot. As much as I detest listening to her blabber on about you it is quite obvious that she misses you. Why, I have no idea but it is not up to me to decide what makes my wife happy, but I do feel it is my responsibility to make sure she receives the things that do." Severus snapped and then after a pause added, "And I do think it is important to have friends that really understand you."

Harry threw up his hands in frustration. "That's just it! I don't really know Hermione. I never appreciated her and I was always quick to abandon her when I disagreed with her. I've given her the silent treatment more times than I can count and it was always over really dangerous stuff that she was right about! She's right to not want to be friends with me anymore too. I don't deserve her loyalty. I've done absolutely nothing to earn it. She admitted that the only reason why she put up with all my crap was because she had no one else but now she does. She has you, and Ginny, and Caris, and her parents are back. She doesn't need me anymore."

"No, she doesn't need you to be her friend anymore." Severus deadpanned.

Harry crumpled his evaluation as his temper rose. "I just said that. Of course you would agree."

"Oh do stop whining, Potter. She wants to be your friend and that is completely different. It's not often that a person like Hermione desires things beyond what she already has. If you don't know that about her then perhaps she is right. But no matter, I don't need to see the memory." Severus stood up and placed the bowl back in its cabinet. "I have enough information to get on with. Hermione was right, this will resolve itself on its own. Forgive me interfering."

Harry stared at Severus in confusion for a full minute before shaking his head. "That was the strangest conversation I think we have ever had. You're so different."

"As opposed to?" Severus new full well that he was different but he was curious as to what kind of explanation that Harry would give him.

Harry shrugged, "I don't know, the greasy git, bat of the dungeons. Although, no one can really call you 'greasy' anymore. Hey! Do you use that shampoo they keep advertising in Witch Weekly?"

If Severus was the blushing type he would have gone scarlet. "I do not desire to speak with you about my hygiene habits."

"Right. Interesting stuff though, that shampoo. Prevents your hair from getting greasy no matter what's going on. Ginny says that her hair stays perfect even through the worst day of Quidditch. Fred and George want it in their shop. That would make some serious galleons."

"Potter," Severus said sharply, "How did we even begin this conversation?"

Mentally, however, Severus was calculating how much he could earn if he moved his product beyond mail order. With that kind of gold his daughter's future would be quite secure.

"Get out of my office, Potter."

A week later, Hermione and Ginny went shopping for new dress robes to wear to the Halloween ball. Severus had given the whole school the afternoon off on the Friday before because the whole castle was in an uproar over the coming Quidditch match on top of the festivities. McGonagall had been known to give the students off the afternoon before a Quidditch match in order to allow the teams an extra long practise each the day before. Severus saw no reason to discontinue the newfound tradition, particularly since the students already had very long hours in class, and he wanted Slytherin to cream Gryffindor. He even bet Potter fifty galleons that they would. He was more than happy to let Hermione off with Ginny so he could take Caris down to the pitch and watch his old house practise.

Hermione and Ginny met at Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions in Hogsmeade and both of them picked out found something really great to wear to the ball but Ginny was in a bit of a mood and Hermione could not help but feel that she was the cause of it. Hermione and Ginny went to the Hogshead to say hello to Aberforth Dumbledore and for tea and it wasn't long before Ginny let out a large exasperated sigh.

"Hermione, when are you going to be friends with Harry again?" She practically whined.

"We are friends, Ginny." Hermione replied.

"No you aren't. All he does is complain that you are being cold to him and I can't even talk about stuff we do together because he doesn't want to hear it. Admit, you are treating him differently and you know it." Ginny stated plainly.

Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Fine, I admit it. It's just that I don't know if he really gets it."

"I think he understood plainly why you were angry. You know that I think you were justified in what you said to him but he misses you. Despite what you think he really does value your friendship above all others. He says that he apologised, what else do you want?" Ginny asked.

Hermione thought about what she wanted to say and even though she knew it was going to sound selfish she said it anyway because it was honest. "I want him to tell me that he values my friendship above all others, besides yours of course. I know he's apologised but sometimes I wonder if he even really knows what he's apologising for. I am always the one who patches things up even when he's the one at fault and this time I won't do it. I need to know that he really respects my friendship. It seemed like the minute he realised I was going to Severus more he got jealous or something."

"He does care, and he does value your friendship!" Ginny said indignantly.

"I know, Gin. It's just, I can't even explain it. It was like I just need to hear it from him, that's all. Tell me the truth, is he waiting for me to just let it go and warm back up to him so that things will go back to normal?" Hermione asked looking at Ginny hard encouraging her not to lie.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Well, it won't work this time and I don't care if you think I'm being childish. As soon as he has something more to say than 'I'm sorry you got angry,' I will be more than happy to listen. And you better not tell him, he needs to figure this out on his own." Hermione closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, "I hope he hurries. I really miss him."

"If you miss him so much, why don't you just talk to him again and let it go?"

Hermione's eyes remained closed for another moment before she opened them and looked straight into her friend's eyes sadly, "I don't know, Ginny. I just can't"

Ginny didn't say anything for a minute. She just looked back at Hermione and noted the sadness there. She really did miss Harry and as much Ginny wished it weren't true, only Harry could fix it. And she would respect Hermione's wishes and not tell Harry what Hermione wanted to hear. But she would tell him that she was ready to talk.

Later that night after Hermione had hung up her new robes and put Caris to bed, she threw up. She was feeling fine one minute and the next Severus was holding her hair back as she heaved what felt like the entire week's contents into the bowl.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked as she finished heaving.

Hermione sat on the floor in front of the toilet and wiped her teary and sweaty face. "Yes, Severus. I worship a porcelain god and I was just making an offering."

"Very funny. You weren't feeling well last night either, are you sure you're okay?"

Hermione slowly pulled herself up and rinsed out her mouth. She was feeling much better but she avoided looking into Severus' eyes. "Yeah, I'm really okay. It must have been something I ate at the Hog's Head today."

"Probably." Severus replied quietly, but he wasn't so sure. He'd actually caught Hermione throwing up four of the last seven evenings and she was beginning to look different. Not in an obvious sort of way, just different. He could in fact, remember one other time when she looked that way but he refused to consider it. It was just too soon. Maybe she was just sick and part of the reason why she was being so moody with Harry was because she really didn't feel well. She'd been giving a lot of detentions lately as well, so… Severus shook his head. He wasn't going to think about it.

"Well, if you are sure you're alright, let's get some sleep. You have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow."

"Whatever, you just want to be refreshed for the Quidditch match." Hermione laughed.

Severus shrugged innocently. "What can I say, I have a lot of money on this game!"

A/N: Okay, so things are winding down again. This story is going to end soon for real this time. I do have a lovely little idea I got from a plot bunny (you know who you are) about writing a short story later on about Caris as an older student growing up in the castle and being the daughter of the headmaster, yada yada yada. So, I have never really considered writing an other character or next generation story but I might do this one.

Thank you, my lovelies, for reading this story. It was just a bit of mindless fluff that kind of took off and I am so happy that so many of you found it worth sticking with. Thanks so much for all the reviews and support. You all rock!

My beta whoopsydaisy, bless her heart, she was in Disneyland is back and in full swing! Whoot

Please review and have a lovely day!