A/n: very a/u something i've had for a long time. Hermione and Severus survived the war. Hermione is a part of a sorority at a magical university who is very reserved and still a studious woman. Severus and her had many previous lives together. Give it a chance. Yes it is OCC and a one shot. Please be kind in your reveiws and i am open to suggestions in making thing a longer story. Enjoy!
"I have loved the starts to fondly to be fearful of the night."
-Galileo
The door opened after a brief knock to reveal a short blonde poking her head curiously into the room. Hermione Granger looked up from her desk to see her best friend's bright green eyes narrowly looking at her "Where were you last night? You said you'd meet us at the party!" Jennifer said cutting straight to the point. Hermione took note how it was becoming hard for Jennifer to contain her excitement as it visibly looked like it were to explode at any moment.
Jennifer's perfect blonde eyebrows seemed to move with every word she said, as if she was remarking on how shocked she was that one of her favorite shows were ending. Jennifer was one of those girls who worried about things not worth worrying about and could care less about the important details of the future. She was a stubborn blonde pixie that always found a way to bend the rules, a rebel in her own right.
"Aw, I'm sorry Jennifer." Hermione said apologetically before continuing, "I lost track of the time at the library and totally crashed when I got back to the house. "I'm sorry, but how was it?" Jennifer was now grinning wildly with an almost mischievous glint in her eyes, causing Hermione to immediately roll her brown colored eyes towards the ceiling. She knew that look so very well and didn't even have to ask how Jennifer's night really went.
"It was amazing!" Jennifer squealed excitedly. "The party was absolutely amazing! And they had a Dj too! Can't believe you missed it! And then, Oh. My. God. Josh was there and he was totally all over ME! ME! Can you believe it!?" Jennifer went on for about an hour giving exact detail on how the night's events progressed.
Soon seven o'clock rolled around and the sorority house of Zeta Beta seemed to be busy with girls getting ready for their night out, just like every other weekend. It was like an internal clock that went off inside Jennifer and she instantly pulled up from the bed making her way for the door. Just before she left the room, Jennifer asked Hermione with an overjoyed voice, "you coming out with us tonight?"
At this moment, Jennifer took in the exhausted form of her best friend and Zeta Beta sister. Hermione was an unusual pale and her usually tamed brown hair was thrown into a messy bun atop of her head and it looked unwashed and snarly. Instead of wearing her favorite blue jeans and t-shirts, she wore an old baggy Hogwarts shirt and Capri sweatpants, and behind her black plastic framed glasses were dark circles from lack of sleep.
Hermione shook her head 'no' which was answered with a glare by Jennifer. "I've got to study, go have fun we've got all of next weekend to party." Hermione gave her a half smile. Jennifer knew that she wouldn't be able to press the matter further; she knew Hermione was a closed person and even asking her if she was alright would result in a non truthful answer. So Jennifer gave a look of indifference and shrugged before leaving the room to go join the mass of females preparing for the nights festivities.
She shut the door on the noise, shutting the world out of her small safe haven. She leaned against the door, trying to center herself, breathing in the stuffy air of her room, having the feel of the smooth wooden door hold her up. It was going to be a long night of studying for Hermione and she needed to really start cracking down. She walked the short distance to her desk and busily began flipping through notes and the text book, rereading and rewriting anything that would help her memorize everything that was expected to be on the exam come Monday morning.
As the midnight hour chimed from the grandfather clock below, a cryptic fog began to crawl throughout the streets outside. The town of Whitby, North Yorkshire was a small one; in fact it was usually referred to as a the elite magical college town. A soft yet chilly breeze disturbed the trees lightly from across the street of the small town hall. The fog grew thicker it seemed along Lexington Lane, where the only visible light was on the second story of the sorority house. Hermione entered her room with a task on mind and a struggle to resist the pull of sleep that beckoned her softly.
She made her way to the window closest to her bed and pulled it open, instantly shivering as the chill of the October air encircled her. The stuffy air of the room had made it to difficult for her to concentrate on her studies, but the thought of studying at such a late hour made Hermione cringe. Instantly in a zombie like state she crawled into her bed, pushing the books and hours of notes into a messy heap on the floor. Stacy just let loose of the stress as she pulled up the blankets about her and leaned over to turn off the lamp.
Unbeknownst to her, out on the street in the mist of the fog a figures gaze watched the house. He watched as the young woman crawled into bed and fell instantly asleep, the darkness seeming to have no effect on his sight. A wolfish grin played across his features with a playful glint in his eyes. Letting go of his mind and senses, he allowed them to drift towards her sleeping ones. He entered her dream, staying far away as not to be noticed but close enough to clearly see her facial expressions.
The dream opened up with Hermione laying out in a green meadow, watching the sky as small clouds lazily passed by. The grass was tall and the blades rustled lightly with the breeze lightly brushing against her form like a feather. It was a midsummer's day, hot with warm relaxing breezes that seemed to make everything calm all around them.
He watched the peaceful look that played across her features for a while, admiring her vulnerability and openness. It was a look that he barely saw in her awaken stated, note since she was his student. Hermione was not an open person, when she was angry or sad you could never tell. Her face always held this neutral look of no emotions. It wasn't as if she was a heartless girl, but showing her emotions was something she never liked to do. War had changed her greatly.
He waited a while longer until he sought it time to make his presence known to her within the dream. He slowly walked towards her, his dark hair rustling with the direction of the breeze.
Hermione averted her eyes as a shadow spilled across her form, her facial expression closed to a neutral look of careless emotion as she stayed lying down on the ground simply taking in the demonic angel standing in front of her. She took note of how the tips of his black hair brushed his broad shoulders ever so slightly. His face was a light peach color with dark mysterious features. His lips pursed into a thin line as he arched a dark eyebrow in a silent question towards her.
Her brown eyes stared into his deep onyx ones, mesmerized and paralyzed from the the familiar man before her. He was tall and mysterious, wearing nothing but black clothing. He extended his hand to her as a silent offering. She reached out and took his outstretched hand; she sensed that she had turned complete power of her dream world to this dark angel. In an instant everything around her melted away and so did he.
His hand was replaced with another man's leathered gloved one; this stranger did not hold her under the same dark magic as the demon before. She stood with him in a waltz like posture as if under her own free will. She no longer laid in a meadow but now stood in a huge dark ballroom where guests chatted mildly and others waited in a similar fashion. Stacy took this time to take in her surroundings, a large crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the room with black fabric that swooped from the chain of the chandelier to each corner of the ballroom. More people we scattered along the mirrored walls and atop of the grand staircase. Tables of exotic food and drink lined the southern wall. Candles littered the room, some floating magically in the air and massive candle stick holders illuminating the room seductively. Everyone seemed to be wearing black evening attire with some type of object that glittered a deep blood red, woman wore elaborate dresses the shade of the deepest black with big bell shaped skirts. The Men wore black silk tuxes, adorn with a red silk shirt and a red and black striped tie, black gloves were worn by both sexes.
A dark melody laced softly with the chatter and Stacy caught sight of herself in a larger Victorian style mirror. She wore a deep red gown with only a black laced chocker. She stood out in the realm of Dark clothing and black decoration. The room grew extremely quiet and many drew their gazes to the left of the room where a candle lit stage stood. Three figures materialized from behind a curtain dressed in black with elaborate masks decorating their faces, and as if by magic, or maybe it really was, the stage went dark and suddenly lit up with song and candlelight.
Then he appeared, Hermione's breath caught as he began to sing his gothic tale and in the next instant she was caught in a waltz. The drums beat wildly matching the sound of her frantic heartbeat and no matter which way she was turned she could not for the life of her tare her gaze away from him.
Black clothes fitted his form as he leaned in seductively, singing into his microphone. His voice was like a haunting October midnight. Dark, sensual and like a beautiful lullaby. His hair fell into his eyes as his voice seduced the room. Lightly he shook the strands out of his eyes and instantly dark onyx found brown ones. As his eyes pooled into hers, his voice seemed to be intoxicating her with his poisonous melody.
Hermione became tantalized and drunk from his silken tone, sending delicious shivers tingling throughout her body. She couldn't believe the power this devil held over her, but she could not break the spell even if she wanted too. Pairs waltzed all about the room, circling all about with a chaotic misdirection. Each couple twirled around coming close to each other until the very last second where they were whisked away into another direction almost colliding with another couple but never fully running into them.
Hermione's partner waltzed towards the stage and as she was brought closer, the devil walked closer towards the edge of his stage stepping off it and continued on forward towards her. She began to quiver; she didn't know what to expect or to think. Would he hurt her? 'I'm sure he would have done something already if he wanted to, right?' she franticly thought to herself.
He walked with a slow but determined pace down the middle of the floor where Hermione would soon be. Her partner gave her one final twirl and let go, she spun with a grace that she never owned in reality, right into his awaiting ones. Her breath caught as the lights dimmed lower and the melody of the music changed to a lighter air but still holding the same frantic heart beat.
He leaned in closely to her ear and whispered softly, "You look ravishing my dear." He pulled back to reveal a wolfish grin playing across his angelic features.
"S-S-Severus ." She gasped out finally, stumbling over his name. He scared her. Not in an uncomfortable way but in an unknowing way. He seemed to sense her fear and began to genteelly rub her back with the hand that was placed on her waist and she instantly grew calmer, letting out a long breath.
"Better?" he asked before twirling them away into another direction narrowly missing a couple. Hermione nodded her head 'yes' as she took note that they were waltzing towards the side of the ballroom where the floor length mirrors were lined along the walls. Her gaze caught sight of the look of her in his arms. It was a perfect fit, but she could only admire the exquisite picture of them for a moment before he had stopped dancing and opened the mirror as if it were a door, to reveal a large balcony. They both stepped out onto the marble floor, the door shutting smoothly behind.
The Balcony was large, with marble floors that seemed to sparkle from the moonlight like an ocean wave. Roses laced around the balcony rails scenting the warm air deliciously. The full moon shun brightly, illuminating the scene as stars glittered like dust straight across the dark sky. The only sound that was disrupting the silence was the even flow of water from the massive fountain that lay in the middle of the balcony.
A few moments went by before Hermione could build up enough courage to break the silence, "Why do you keep appearing in my dreams? I know who you are but you seem different, Who are you?" Hermione steadily breathed in the warm night air, trying to slow down her frantic heartbeat.
The dark creature stepped closer to her before answering in a seductive tone, "Why do you think?" He began to hum a lullaby that immediately recognized. It was a lullaby only she knew. It was something she had created when she was younger, something that would help her to forget she was no longer alone. He began to waltz her around as her eyes grew wide with confusion. "How do you know that lullaby?"
"I know a great deal about you Hermione." He began to dip her low.
"But how? And Why?" But before he could answer Hermione's question, he silenced her with a kiss. Hermione
B's senses ran wild. He pulled away slightly, brushing his lips over hers. "You have something that belongs to me dear, and it's time you've given it back. If you want the answers you'll have to find me when you wake." He whispered.
"What do I have of yours? I don't even know anything about you that isn't already common knowledge!" Her brows furred together in confusion. He smiled and leaned into her ear. "You do my love. You must try to remember who you are, who you were in your past lives, my pet. But you must hurry up, time is running out. Tomorrow you will go to the library and look in the basement for the old historian texts. You will find a book that will tell all and when you remember you will be able to find me. I need you, i need us to finally be reunited. The war is over, the time is ours now!" His tone was demanding yet gentle.
"But how?" and he began to kiss her again.
Hermione shot up in her bed, her sheets twisted around her legs. Beads of sweat formed across her forehead as she gasped to catch her breath; all the while she silently tried to convince herself it was nothing but a dream. Yet somewhere deep down it felt like more than that.
Outside the fog began to fade and he watched her with a smile of triumph. 'She will be disoriented tomorrow' he thought as he began to plan his next moves. He would get back what was rightfully his, but he would enjoy it every step of the way.
He had been waiting for Hermione for a long time. Except when they first met she was known as Lucrezia Borgia. She was everything to him. He still could recall the masquerade ball almost like the one in the dream, the night they first met in the spring of 1877 Vienna, Italy. She was a dark beauty of 18, daughter of one of the wealthiest merchants. Though she came from a good family and money, he was forbidden to marry such fruit. Prince Michelotto of Vienna, what he once went by so long ago, until he sold his soul for Lady Lucrezia's love. He smirked at how he was remembered throughout the history books. 'A mischievous child that had a knack of dabbling in the dark arts, he took joy in playing dirty tricks on friends and family' Though it was true they had failed to mention how he had sold his soul to the devil in order to save her life. She had leapt off the balcony of her villa the night of her wedding to a man she did not love. He had tried to save her, to nurse her back to health but he was too late.
Every century Michelotto has searched the world for his beloved Lucrezia and each time it ended tragically with her leaping to her death. This time he would handle it differently instead, the war had ended and he had finally paid his debt to the devil. This time they were free.
The darkness grew and the only noise from the silent street was the echo of his black shoe's clicking across the pavement as his figure vanished into the night.