Aftermath

Talking.

Quietly humming a melody that got caught in my head while listening to a muggle radio some days ago, I returned to the living room with an antique tea set in both hands. Carefully I placed it on the small table and poured the steaming liquid in two cups.

"So, why is it that you are here?"

"I told you before that I found you..." Snape interrupted me before I could finish speaking: "Not that. Why are you still here? I am awake now and can sit. This could be your signal for leaving."

"As you've said it: it could be a signal. But it isn't. I will stay here with you until you are feeling completely well again." He gulped at my comment, not expecting that I would stay that long.

"Miss Granger, ..."

"Hermione. At least we are going to spend the next days together."

"Hermione. I can hardly imagine that you really want to stay in this old, ruined house. Not only that, you would be around the old dungeon bat itself for more than a hour. Even I could never require such a burden from you."

"How charming. But you know how stubborn I can be when I make a decision. And this is my decision."

"Right, I guess I know that habit of yours.", he said with a faint smile. This day really can't get any stranger. Severus bloody Snape is smiling! "You didn't know that even I was able to smile, did you?", he asked after reading my thoughts.

"The threat from earlier still exists."

"You would never arrest me, my dear. I am the great Severus Snape, war hero and officially a dead man. I don't want to know how much paperwork it would entail if you arrested a dead man, Hermione." Dammit, why does this man always have to be right?

"Now, this is a habit I hardly want to change."

"Insufferable.", I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?", he teased me with a humorous glamour in the corner of his eyes.

"Nothing.", I replied through clenched teeth.

"Anyways. If you would kindly help me up. There is an urgent matter I need to discuss. In the bathroom. Alone." Surprised my eyes shot up to meet his. He was just smirking at me, completely aware of my thoughts. "No need to be surprised, Hermione. I couldn't use the loo for approximately 12 hours now and after that tea my bladder is a little bit full." I smiled nervously, embarrassed by the thoughts that rushed through my mind earlier. I helped him up and supported him to an inconspicuous door at the end of the corridor. Leaning against the door frame I replayed the conversation. Severus Snape is neither being a git nor an insufferable dunderhead. Well, at least not completely. Freaking strange, that day. I can't say it enough.

Back in the living room, he laid down on the couch again, relaxing his muscles and aching back.

"Where have you been all those years?", I asked, my curiosity showing off.

"Obviously here." Another annoyed look from me, a sigh from him. "This is the house where I grew up. I don't really like it. This disapproval is caused by many bad memories I have got here throughout my childhood." I didn't say anything. There was no necessity. But I listened to his words. "Everything I experienced here has got a great impact on me. I didn't...couldn't realize that until I was there. In the Shrieking Shak, on the brink of death. So, I returned to the place that I hated most all those years. My father died here, my mother turned away from me and I followed the wrong path.", he sighed deeply, his mind following the river of memories that has begun to flow again. I was merely able to understand a part of what he was telling me.

"Thank you.", I said, my thoughts foggy after his revelation.

"For what?", he asked, his mind present again in the here and now.

"For telling me."

"There is no need to thank me, Hermione. I should be the one thanking you. I haven't talked about that since...I can't even remember.", he laughed slightly at his last words. "But I do appreciate that you've listened to me. That means more to me that you can probably imagine."

"What happened that you are so open to me now?", I couldn't hold back the question burning on my tongue.

"It's like there's finally someone able to understand me. To feel what I feel, you know. And I hope that you will stay the only one knowing about all this.", his hand motioned through the room.

"Of course, Master Snape."

"Well, it would be more suitable if you called me by my given name now, wouldn't it?"

"Sure.", after a short break I added: "Severus. But there is one question that is really persistent in my head."

"As I said before, you are free to ask. Everything."

"Well, what have you done the last five years? There must be an activity, a job, anything that kept you, firstly, insane and, secondly, with enough money to live."

"I do have a job. I make potions for several providers."

"That's fantastic! I am sure that is an intriguing pastime."

"If you say so." My stomach growled loudly, showing my sudden hunger.

"There must be some lasagna in the fridge. I guess, warming it up won't be a problem."

I quickly sat up and reached for my wand. Right after I held it in my right hand I accioed the lasagna and two plates. Magic is definitely perfect for lazy people.

While I ate I frequently glazed to the other side of the table where Snape -Severus- was eating in silence. Only then I noticed how much he had changed over the past five years. His hair was shorter, but as raven colored as it used to be, his body was wider, somehow more muscular as it was in my time at Hogwarts.

"What sport do you do?" He looked up from his plate and stared at me with a frown. "You must do something, otherwise you wouldn't be that...uhm...."

"That?" Don't make me say it, please, don't make me say it. But he kept staring and so I was forced to answer.

"Muscular", I whispered, afraid of his reaction.  He just chuckled at my comment and shrugged.

"Pilates." No way!

"That is a joke, isn't it?"

"Who knows?", was the only answer I got, and we continued eating the slowly cooling lasagna.