𝑮𝑬𝑵𝑬𝑻𝑰𝑪 𝑶𝑩𝑺𝑬𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑶𝑵 || 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟎𝟓.

Hermione,

I had an errand to run this morning, but I will return in time for your first speaking engagement. Please call Pepper to bring your breakfast when you awaken. Potter is aware that I had to step out and he should have men posted outside the room. Do not, for the love of little green apples, leave the room without either Potter or myself.

S.

He left the note after he'd made his arrangements, and went to the hotel lobby. A handful of floo powder and a moment later and he was walking into the offices that he might technically own, but very rarely saw.

Draco Malfoy was sitting at his desk, even as early as it was. The boy had grown up a bit in the past ten years. He worked hard, lived hard, drank hard, and pursued more women than Severus cared to think about.

Draco saw him come in and flipped open the social pages of the Daily Prophet. He raised one blond eyebrow in a gesture that made the two men seem almost kin, though they shared no blood.

Severus missed Draco's father with an ache that most people reserved for brothers. Lucius and Narcissa had given him the closest thing he'd ever known to family. In return, he had protected them as best he could during the rise and fall of the Dark Lord...but it hadn't been enough to keep Lucius from dying in a cell in Azkaban.

Severus wrenched his mind away from such maudlin matters as he examined the page. The wizarding photo showed that he was clearly protecting the smaller witch as he offered her his arm. He didn't bother reading the caption.

"Let me know if I need to buy a wedding gift..." Draco's voice held a great deal of good humor.

"They were about to eat her alive. Brilliant, the girl might be but..."

Draco smirked. "She wouldn't know subtle if it bit her on her..."

He broke off the sentence after a pointed look from his godfather.

Severus didn't bother to pull his punches with his godson. "How much do you think the Ministry could have made off her patents if they'd been funded by a private organization?"

Draco's eyes widened. "Are you thinking of luring her away from the Ministry? Do you think you can get her to agree to it?"

"I haven't the faintest idea. First I need to make sure she survives the conference."

Draco smirked, thinking that he was referring to the reporters. Severus did not disabuse him of the notion. "Yeah, that reporter from Witch Weekly is deadly...and willing to do anything for a headline." The idiot boy was practically purring.

"Careful where you put that wand of yours...there are a few things that not even our potions can get rid of."

Draco coughed delicately. "Noted. So...Granger?"

"She needs funding, she's not making what she should off of her patents, and the Ministry is yanking her around...I wanted to discuss it with you before I brought it up, the initial investment could be large."

Draco eyed the man who had allowed him to renew his family fortunes after the war. "There's a significant margin of profit to be considered as well."

Severus nodded and brought up the more important point he'd wanted to make. "She would be off limits of course." He raised a dark brow to his godson.

Draco raised his brow in return. "To both of us?"

Severus chuckled. "To anyone who does not have the girl in his hotel room at the moment."

Draco swore and laughed. It had been some time since Severus had seen that particular smile on Draco's face. He was glad to see it, though wary of its source. The boy looked at him with no small amount of awe. "How did you do it?"

Severus shrugged his elegant shoulders. "I simply took advantage when an opportunity was put in my path. A rather ardent admirer is stalking her...another matter to tidy up."

Draco chuckled. "Someone stalking what's yours? I'd like to be a fly on the wall when you have the opportunity to tidy up." He made some quick notes as he considered all of the factors involved, departments he would have to involve. Best to keep it quiet, even within the company...

"I'll have the papers drawn up." Severus nodded and walked toward the door.

"Sev?"

Severus turned.

"I've seen that look in your eyes before...possessive, a little obsessed...are you sure I shouldn't start looking for that wedding gift?"

Severus didn't bother to comment. He huffed out of the office, mission complete. If he offered Hermione a place at their company, Draco would not seduce the girl...which considering Draco's proclivity for seduction, was saying something. Making the boy think that Snape had already claimed her was simply good business...protecting a potential investment. Hermione Granger would not work for a man who seduced her then threw her away...

It had nothing to do with actually staking a claim to the witch against the only man who might be able to best him...