“Hermione?” Cat asked anxiously “Is everything alright? Has something upset Harry again?”

“More still than again..” Hermione answered truthfully “May I speak with you in private? I really think you need to know this before you go.” Turning to Mohrg she continued “You don’t mind, do you? I don’t want to appear rude.”

Mohrg smiled tenderly at Hermione, “Not at all child, I am sure Angel would be more than happy to talk with you, just please promise me that neither of you will stay outside for very long. I imagine it is quite chilly to you.” so saying, Mohrg bowed slightly to the women and left silently through the garden, disappearing as the darkness closed in around him.

Cat watched Mohrg leave before she turned and smiled at Hermione. “Why do I have the feeling this has nothing to do with Harry and Cho?” she asked. “You have the same look in your eyes as you did this afternoon in my room. Please don’t tell me this is about my love life again.” she sighed softly.

“Not exactly,” Hermione answered hesitantly, “more like, where does Harry fit into your love life, or maybe your decisions about your love life.”

Cat closed her eyes and sighed deeply, she gave Hermione a searching stare for a few moments, then gently placed her arm around Hermione’s shoulder and walked towards the lighted courtyard. “Hermione, as much as I appreciate your concern for Harry, I really don’t think this is an appropriate conversation to be having with a teacher.”

“I’m not asking you as a teacher, I’m asking you as Harry’s mother.” Hermione said boldly. “To be honest, I really never thought of you as his mother until this evening. I saw the way you talked to him, you let him cry, and then you made him smile again.” Hermione looked squarely into Miss MacLeod’s eyes and noticed how truly they mirrored Harry’s “You have to realize your choices affect him, especially your choice of a boyfriend.”

Cat paused and stared at Hermione, “Your not going to let me off the hook on this, are you Miss Granger? And what do you mean ‘you saw the way I talked to him’, I thought only Remus was around.”

Hermione looked down at her feet as she spoke “We didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but Ginny got really angry when she saw how upset Cho had made Harry. And when Cho repeated what she said to us. . .well,. .”

“Well?” Cat encouraged her, waiting for the rest of the story.

“Ginny kind of body bound her and levitated her to the hall and made her watch you and Harry. Ron and I went along because he was afraid Ginny might really lose her temper and, well, you know.” Hermione shrugged “We saw how you took care of Harry, and when Remus came up and you both hugged him.” she wiped at her eyes as she blinked quickly “Cat, how can you love Harry so much and still insist on dating Professor Snape? If you don’t want to see Sirius anymore, can’t you date Professor Lupin or someone else. My arithmomancy teacher, Professor Burns is always making eyes at you, at least Harry doesn’t hate him.”

Cat looked at Hermione with disbelief on her face “Hermione? What is bringing this on now? Harry and I discussed this earlier today, I know he’s not particularly fond of Severus, but I’d hardly say he hates him. And as for Professor Burns. . .he’s a nice guy, but he really doesn’t have what it takes to handle me, trust me, I’d scare him away within the week.”

“So Professor Snape has what it takes?” She asked softly “And no one else does? Not even Mr. Black. . .” Hermione paused when Cat placed her hands on Hermione’s shoulders and turned to face her.

“Ok Hermione, out with it. You have a specific thought going through your head, you have all day. No more beating around the bush, spill it now or drop it completely.” Cat insisted “I can see whatever it is, it’s bothering you horribly. So carte blanche sweetie.”

Hermione took a deep breath and asked the big question. “Why are you spending the weekend with Professor Snape? You must realize Harry and he don’t exactly get along. And Harry really had his heart set on Sirius spending the holidays with you, he’s kind of like Harry’s father.” Hermione asked softly, she truly did not want to offend Miss MacLeod, but Harry was her friend, and this was hurting him, it was time someone start asking the tough questions.

Cat bowed her head and paused a moment before speaking “Hermione, I know how much Harry loves Sirius, but he’s not exactly free to be with me. . .now is he?” she asked, not expecting an answer. “I cannot live my life like that. I’m not just looking for someone to father my children, I’m looking for a husband, for a man to be a father. . .as it stands now” Cat sighed deeply, how could she explain this to a fifteen year old girl so that it made sense. “I couldn’t exactly go walking down the street with Sirius and a baby carriage on a Sunday afternoon, could I? At least not without it getting back to the wrong people.” she added dejectedly

Hermione hesitated before she asked her next question, she didn’t want to upset Miss MacLeod, but she thought it was very important to know one thing “Do you still love Sirius? Or do you prefer Professor Snape?” she asked gently as she walked closer to her.

“Do I love. . .” Cat’s shoulders slumped as he heaved a great sigh “The truth be known, I’ve never stopped loving Sirius, even when I hated him for the hurt he caused me, I still loved him. And as for Severus” she smiled softly “He’s a good man, Hermione, I can see how much he cares for me. He *wants* to be my husband, he wants to be a father.” she turned to look at Hermione as she cleared her throat “Something else?”

Hermione looked at the ground as she took a deep breath “that didn’t exactly answer my question. Do you love Professor Snape more than you love Sirius Black?” Hermione tensed, waiting for Cat to yell at her for being so insistent, especially with a teacher. Instead, Cat took her hand and walked over to a bench by the roses.

Cash tore through the castle, cursing and muttering under his breath as he searched for Sirius. “Damn him, of all the times he chooses to disappear, why does it have to be now.” Cash grit his teeth as he finally stopped his searching and tried once again to locate Sirius through his thoughts. Standing perfectly still, Cash quieted his mind and reached out with his thoughts, searching for anything that might identify Sirius.

After nearly two minutes, Cash gave a exasperated groan “Too many minds in one place, I can’t get past that fool ball and all the students. Come on Sirius, you have to talk to me, and to her. I can’t stand the idea of her going anywhere with him, and the fact that I know what she intends to do.” Cash shook his head, he understood why she was doing it. He remembered all too well the bitter tears Wanda had shed over her forced marriage. “Never Angel, I promised your father, and I promised myself. I will NEVER allow them to do that to you. You will marry for love and you will carry the blood forward. Maharet and her prophecy can get stuffed.” he growled as he once again took off at break neck speed, hoping to find Sirius before Angel left the school grounds. . . .

“Hermione, normally I wouldn’t even answer a question like that, but you’re a very bright girl, and I know you’re only asking me so you can understand why I’m doing this. Hopefully you can help Harry understand as well. I do love Severus, not with the same depth that I loved Sirius, but I honestly don’t ever expect to feel that way about anyone ever again. As for why I would settle for. . .how can I put this without sounding cruel. . .” Cat said aloud as she bit her lower lip.

“I am choosing Severus because I know I must make a choice, and very, very soon. My clan is upset that I haven’t borne any children yet. If I don’t find someone strong, intelligent, and capable; they will.” Cat’s eyes became suddenly haunted “That’s what they did to my elder sister, they made her marry a stranger, he was nice enough, but they should never have been forced to wed. They hate each other now, my sister has turned her back on all of us, she’s betrayed us the way she thinks we betrayed her. Wanda used to be a good person, a kind person. Now she’s almost as bad as Voldemort. . .she doesn’t care who she hurts or kills, not even her own children.” Cat blinked away her tears. “I wish I *could* wait for Sirius, or talk Remus into marrying me, even if it were only for pity’s sake. But I don’t have the luxury of time. If I go home with no prospect of a husband. . .I can guarantee by Spring they will have chosen a husband for me, and neither I, nor my father, nor Harry will have any choice in the matter at all.”

Hermione looked up at Cat with moist eyes “So if Sirius were a free man? . .” she whispered hoarsely, it just all seem so terribly sad that the MoM could cause so much pain just by refusing to listen to the truth.

Cat winced as she turned away “But he’s not, is he?” Cat stood and walked towards the school, towards the light and warmth of the ball. She felt Hermione walking behind her. After walking in silence for a few moments Cat spoke softly “I haven’t forgotten about your request from this afternoon. If you still want to, I *will* teach you Sidhe magic, you are more than capable of performing it, as is Harry.” Cat smiled softly as she saw the excitement flash across Hermione’s face “Just as long as you realize, the MoM will frown upon it. They outlawed my magic centuries ago.”

Hermione knitted her brow for a moment, then asked “Why? It doesn’t seem particularly dangerous? And to be honest, neither do you.”

Cat chuckled “Looks can be deceiving dear. But you are correct, my magic is not *particularly* dangerous, but it is powerful, and can be hard to control, *that* scares the Ministry. Can you imagine having children so powerful that the Ministry could not control them?” she looked to Hermione “Its all about controlling the masses, it always has been, just like muggle politics” she explained as she shook her head sadly. “Humans, they just never learn.”

As Cat and Hermione walked back into the great hall, Harry saw them and smiled as he danced by with Ginny yet again. Hermione looked at Ron, who was standing by the table, snacking and drinking punch. Hermione sighed and shook her head “I should have insisted he learn with Harry.”

“Learn what with Harry?“ Harry teased as he came over to dance with Cat once more. “And what were you two doing out there so long? Mum, you’re freezing cold.” he admonished her. “Hermione, honestly, couldn’t you have had a discussion in here where its warm?”

Hermione stared at Harry, her eyes wide with disbelief as Cat laughed “And they say I’m overprotective of *you*” she teased as she wrapped one arm around Harry and the other around Hermione. “And trust me Harry, you wouldn’t be scolding her if you had heard the conversation.”

Harry leaned forward to look at Hermione, raising his eyebrow, hoping she would explain what Cat meant. He sighed when she gave him the ‘later’ signal, he wanted to know now. “Hey mum. Ready to dance again?” he asked brightly, hoping she might tell him what had happened “It might warm you up.”

Hermione watched as Cat and Harry danced with each other, she found it hard to believe how much pain Cat was hiding inside of her. To look at her, you would think she was the happiest person in the world, she was smiling and laughing with Harry as they danced in a shimmering whirl of deep emerald green, every time they moved his robe and her skirt would blend against each other, making it impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. Hermione felt Ron at her side, he was watching them too, she smiled when she felt him holding her hand. Leaning against Ron, she sighed sadly as she wondered what Cat would do about Snape…

Cat smiled and winked at Ginny when she took her place as Harry’s partner “My, my, but the two of you are practically inseparable tonight” Cat teased “is there something I should know about?”

“Muuummm” Harry whined as he blushed, “do you have to say things like that? Its embarrassing.”

“Of course I do” Cat said as she gave Harry a quick kiss on his cheek “I’m your mother, its my duty to embarrass you, especially in front of pretty girls and other people you’re trying to impress.” she winked as Harry rolled his eyes and tried not to laugh.

“Actually, Harry’s the best dancer here tonight” Ginny chimed in “I’m not giving him up, and Neville seems happy enough talking to the other boys and eating.”

Cat shook her head and walked away from the dancing students, not seeing Severus anywhere, she walked back outside, her eyes drawn skyward yet again. She leaned against the stone balustrade as she pulled her shawl tighter, trying to fight off the chill that had settled upon her, she had to decide if she’s going to go through with it or not. “Why couldn’t it be you?” she whispered softly, speaking to the star. “Why did I have to lose you?” she hung her head as her hands rested upon her abdomen “Even the piece of you I had left was stolen from me. I had so many dreams for us, so much hope for our future.”. . .

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