Just to clarify, this fic takes place in a semi AU where Snape is still alive and spying for the Order after Hermione and the gang graduate from Hogwarts.
Please check out my Severus/Hermione multichap "Once".
Written for the Fanfic's Got Talent II Audition and The OTP Bootcamp (prompt: into the fire)
I've not been very creative with these fic titles, have I? :3
Into the Fire
By silver-nightstorm
Summary: "Goodbye, Miss Granger. Hopefully, I shall live through another journey into the fire once more." Oneshot. Post Hogwarts Semi AU.
XX
It was a Thursday night and it was very late and she was the only person still awake in all of Number 12 Grimauld Place. Midnight had passed long ago but Hermione Granger sat in the kitchen nursing a cool cup of coffee. She had dragged a chair over to sit in front of the doorway so she had a view straight down the hall to the door. Hermione had almost dozed off in her seat when she felt another presence enter the room.
She sat up straight in her chair. "Professor!" she managed, her voice sounding entirely too loud. "Why are you up?"
Severus Snape rolled his eyes and fixed Hermione with a stern look as he opened the potions cabinet and started sifting through the bottles. "I could very well ask you that question, Miss Granger. And I'm no longer your Professor."
Hermione picked up her mug once more and swirled the dark brown liquid around in it before looking up. "I couldn't sleep. Again."
"I..." Snape grimaced and clenched his left hand causing Hermione to jump out of her chair. She set the mug down on the table with a loud thud and gripped Snape's sleeve and pulled it up. The Dark Mark was a shadowy black blotch on his arm that writhed around as if it was living.
"I've never seen it look this bad before Professor," she said softly, running her fingers over the tortured skin. "Is everything...?"
"He's angry," said Snape shortly, snatching his arm back and pulling the sleeve down once more. "I'm late." He picked three bottles out of the cabinet and put them into the pockets of his robe. "Goodbye, Miss Granger. Hopefully, I shall live through another journey into the fire once more."
He spun on his heel and walked out of the room, his robes billowing after him as he swept down the hallway. Hermione was frozen in her place for a few moments before she ran after him.
"Professor! Wait!" she called as loudly as she dared, running, her bare feet pattering on the wooden floor. Severus paused turning back to look at Hermione as she dashed towards him. She skid to a stop only inches in front of him, grasping the front of his robes. With their closeness, she could see exactly how much taller he was compared to her.
Severus looked down into the honey eyes of the bushy haired brunette standing in front of him. Almost against his will, his hand moved to brush one errant curl out of the way. "I'm not your Professor anymore, Miss Granger," he repeated in his silky baritone.
"I know," she whispered. And she couldn't help herself. She drew even closer to him so she was pressed against his hard body and leaned upwards, landing a clumsy kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Please come home, Severus."
"I... I will... Hermione." In the dim light, it almost looked like he was smiling.
XX
Word Count: 494
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