Chapter 72: A Mother's Work

Hamershal Estate, Wizarding World...

To say that Theodora Hamershal formerly Eileen Prince-Snape was upset about the latest article in The Daily Prophet would be an understatement. She was positively fuming that her son had kept the secret of his affair with Hermione from her, when she of all people had worked so hard to push them together. What had been more surprising was that the little boy Severus had brought with him to dinner at the Malfoy Manor had been his love child with the witch all along. And to think she had been hounding him about his lack of interest in siring children. It was apparent to the wizarding world the both he and Hermione had been shagging like rabbits with her already pregnant with a second child and they were not even wed.

The Lady of the manor promptly walked over to her floo threw in some powder and insinuated herself onto Hogwarts grounds. She was going to give a certain snarky son of hers a piece of her mind wither he liked it or not. The irate older witch made her way through her son's quarters her obsidian eyes burning in a state of rage reminiscent of his own as she searched for him.

She heard the shower running and ventured toward the bedroom.

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Snape's Bedroom, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts...

Severus had been enjoying a nice relaxing shower with the anticipation of climbing into his large black four poster bed and getting some much needed rest. He would never let it be known that his latest escapades with a certain bushy haired witch had left him more than a little drained as of late. The dour wizard let the warm water of the shower flow over his pale skin once more and stepped out. He cast a drying spell on himself and wrapped his dry towel around his waist.

Embracing the peace of solitude Snape made his way into his bedroom only to find his peace shattered by way of his mother's unwelcome presence. She stood with her arms folded across her chest in more casual attire. Her obsidian eyes glaring daggers at him as he ventured from the bathroom.

"Why am I not surprised to find you here?" he asked in a bored tone.

"Why am I not surprised to find you indisposed?" she asked narrowing her eyes at him. "Tell me...is she in the bath as well or have you finally let her come up for air?"

"I won't dignify that with a response." said Snape.

"Of course you won't." replied Lady Hamershal. "There is no way to justify not telling your mother that you're involved with a witch."

"What I do in my personal life is none of your concern wicked old crone." countered Snape. "Now if you will excuse me...I have to get dressed."

"Oh please, I've changed your diapers." said Lady Hamershal unimpressed.

Snape narrowed his eyes at her.

"There is a major difference between changing a baby and viewing a full grown man without clothing." he said irate. "Now Get Out!"

Lady Hamershal rolled her eyes as she made her way to the door. Apparently, she had not been moving fast enough because Snape cast an ejection hex on her and threw her out of his quarters. Lady Hamershal had been upset to say the least by the treatment from her son but as she saw Hermione making her way down the corridor she smiled at the opportunity to finally have a word with the young witch arose.

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The Corridors, Hogwarts...

Hermione had been half way down the corridor when she was stopped by a rather familiar looking woman. It had been years since she had seen Sebastian's mother and had not yet come to terms with the fact that she was Severus mother, whom he thought had been dead for years. Hermione had not been looking forward to his encounter given what the woman might have read in The Daily Prophet. Lady Hamershal appeared to be sizing her up for a second. Hermione realized that she was most likely trying to tell how far along her non existent pregnancy had been.

"Hermione darling." said Lady Hamershal with a grin. "It's been ages."

The bushy haired witch nodded.

"Five years last I checked." she replied.

"So...tell me how things have been going." said Lady Hamershal. "We've so very rarely had time to catch up...from what I hear my son has been keeping you quite busy."

Hermione felt her skin heat at the embarrassment from the comment and hoped that her cheeks were not red at the moment.

"My work keeps me busy." said Hermione in their defense. "I am a Spells Mistress you know."

"Indeed." replied Lady Hamershal. "It seems you have done quite well for yourself...you've come a long way from being the bushy haired girl with books in her arms."

The bushy haired witch had not really known how to take that. It seemed Lady Hamershal had the same unique ability to twist a compliment and an insult into the same package and deliver it flawlessly.

"We don't have a lot of time to speak considering at any moment my dear son will be here in his overprotective persona to escort me off the premises." said Lady Hamershal in a bored tone. "He does tend to loath my being in your presence...Any way...I would like to know if there is some kernel of truth to your being involved with my son...and if you truly have feelings for him...after all I am his mother and a mother's work is never done."

Hermione sighed.

Just before she could open her mouth to give a reply Snape came with his eyes blazing as he glared murderously at his mother.

"You owe her nothing." he said not looking at Hermione. "This conversation is over."

"Well hello dear." said Lady Hamershal with a pleasant grin. "We were just talking about you."

"Get out." said Snape not letting up on the venom. "You are the last person that needs to be anywhere near her."

Lady Hamershal winked at Hermione and calmly strode up to Snape and kissed him affectionately on the cheek. She left a trace of her black lipstick on his pale cheek and smirked at her mischief.

"I look forward to dinner with you at some point darlings." she called as she walked away. "And Severus do try and reign in your temper...you have a tendency to act like your father and it's unbecoming."

"I am nothing like that creature you married." he shot back. "Don't hold your breath about any dinner wicked old crone."

Hermione looked at Severus for a moment. Part of her couldn't believe that he would talk to his mother like that due to his policies on disrespect and so forth but the other part of her knew that it was what the witch had done to him that made it so.

"Severus." said Hermione softly.

He turned his attention to the bushy haired witch beside him.

"I know that you are nothing like that man." she said.

Snape sighed and looked her in the eyes for a moment.

"That makes two of us." he replied. "Good day, Miss Granger."

"Good day Professor Snape." she said.

With that he walked away sweeping back down the corridor in a billow of angry black robes. Hermione sighed and headed toward her quarters. It had been weeks since she had been alone with Severus. Work and what was happening with the article had gotten in the way of them spending time together. Severus decided that they should wait before engaging again with everyone's eyes and ears on them lest something else be published in the rag newspaper from yet another "source close to them."

Besides she still had no idea how her parents were taking the news about their relationship. She dreaded to even think about it. Snape had gone through all the trouble to put their minds at ease when he allowed Dumbledore to temporarily turn him back into Sebastian Prince and now it was all coming unraveled again. Not to mention the prospect of them believing her to have been pregnant as the age of 17 by one of her professors. The bushy haired witch sank into bed with the sheets pulled over her head. This was all getting out of hand.