Lessons In Love

Chapter 72: Never Ceasing to Amaze Him

"That woman is a horrendous storyteller. Everything that comes out of this paper is practically false if linked back to her. I don't know why they still keep her around. This is absolute rubbish." Severus hissed, tossing the paper down to his lap as Hermione prepared the tray of breakfast for him. She set it on top of the newspaper and kissed his forehead, smiling against the cool skin, happy to be reassured that the Potions Master's fever was indeed gone. Now all he needed was to gain his strength back from his injuries and he would be back to new again.

"I'm sure they have their reasons, Severus." Hermione explained, leaning back in her chair and enjoying a nice cup of cocoa amid the frigid morning air. She brought her knees to her chest and rested the steaming mug in between her heart and legs to warm her up and to blow away the scorching temperatures.

He huffed, "The whole account of this incident is completely wrong. How does any witch or wizard make sense of what is going on with their government with so many lies?"

She held up one of her hands in surrender, "Listen, I am not the one who invited Rita Skeeter to the supposed trial that afternoon. The reporter practically walked in on a full-on battle. What do you expect Severus? Of course she is going to expound upon the truth and print that garbage up," she sighed and leaned her head back in contemplation and a look of disgust, "The problem is that our wizarding community actually believes this nonsense... it always amazes me at the stories that people are willing to believe."

He nodded in agreement, "The world is full of fools. Its time you accept it... life will be much easier if you apply this to your daily interactions early on."

Hermione smirked at his sarcasm, "This coming from the teacher who purposely surrounds himself with... oh what do you call them," she laughed to herself, more than amused. She finally remembered and chuckled, "Dunderheads?"

Severus scoffed at her, "Oh trust me, Hermione, teaching was not my cup of tea. It still isn't. If I had my way without Albus forcing me to stick around, I would have never returned to Hogwarts after Lily."

She raised an eyebrow, "If you say you were forced, then why are you still teaching?"

He looked back at the girl, "I am far too old and have far too little motivation to change careers. I lived with it for almost twenty years; I don't think it would hurt to continue until my early retirement."

"Early retirement?" she questioned, a little uneasy about the foreign subject of their age difference. Hermione had always tried to forget but the fact that he was creeping up on forty years did worry her. She didn't mind his age, really it was just a number. It just made her nervous to think about how early on in her life she could lose the man she had fallen so desperately for. She didn't want to even tread on the sore topic.

The Potions Master seemed to understand her troubled look, "I don't want to be miserable my whole life now do I? Besides... I have plenty of money put away for when I do finally rid myself of hormonal teenagers once and for all. Not to worry, my dear."

Hermione couldn't tell if he was consoling her about their future together that he would be able to take care of them or if he thought she was only concerned for his welfare and was reassuring her that he was well off to break away from the school without financial troubles... away from her... Hermione shook her thoughts and gave a weak smile, "Leaving so soon?"

He was working on his eggs and had a mouthful when his eyes darted up to her from the plate and he leaned back after swallowing, "Excuse me?"

She folded her arms, putting up a symbolic barrier between them, "Are you planning on retiring soon once I fully take over being a Potions Mistress and Professor?"