Where There's Smoke
Pairings: Hermione\Snape
Summary: After the final battle, when the light had beat back the dark, two people who seem so different find out that they have something very important in common.
Author's Note: Really out of character for Snape and Hermione. Do not read in public. No plot what so ever, well, might be some. Author is not responsible for an injuries obtained while reading this story. Post HBP but has Dumbledore still alive. Author is also sorry if anyone is offend by Snape's opinions of the people around him, Snape's opinions do not reflect the view of the Author on the characters. Thank you and make the smut kitten that has taken up residence on my shoulder and is even as you read this drinking herself into an early grave very happy by reviewing. Don't let the smut kitten die without a smile on her face. ;-)
Chapter 1: Love or Hate
Of all that life had thrown at Hermione Granger, this would have had to have been the most surprising. She was standing in the rain looking up at Professor Severus Snape as if he had just sprouted another head. Had she just heard the words she thought she had come out of his mouth?
"What?" She screamed back at him over a loud crack of thunder closely followed by a bolt of lightening. Staring over at the clouds on the horizon that were much blacker than the ones that currently hovered overhead she knew that the rain was not about to let up. But it cooled the air that had seemed hotter than any of this earth and helped to put out some of the fires that burned around them. The small village was almost completely engulfed in flames and bodies lay sewn across the vast part of the landscape. It looked like a massacre and smelled of one to. But it had been the final battle nothing less had been expected and the light now stood triumph. But that didn't stop her from thinking that she or Snape had one lost their minds. And for her own sake she hoped it was the latter.
"You heard me." Severus yelled back putting his hand on her cheek to pull her attention back to him. "I said I'm in love with you damn it." There was softness in his eyes that spoke to her heart and brought tears to her eyes.
"How?" Was all she cold say. He hated her, Harry and Ron with a passion. How could he love her and hate her at the same time? It made no since to her.
"How! How the hell am I supposed to know? I watched as Voldemort grabbed you up by the throat and threw you and all I could think about was how much I wanted to kill him fur hurting you." His hand shook against her cheek and she thought she saw tears. The tears she had been desperately holding onto fell and she threw herself forward into his arms. "Oh gods, Hermione I…I love you so much." There was another crack of thunder and a bolt of lightening that caused her to snuggle closer to him. Somewhere behind her she heard several faint pops and turned her head slightly to look over her shoulder and see who it was.
Dumbledore, Harry, Ron, McGonagall and several others, including the Weasley's stood behind her and Severus looking on with shock and amazement. She felt Severus tense under her arms and heard his sharp intake of breath under her ear.
"What the hell is going on here?" Harry demanded looking back and forth between the two of them. The man he hated almost as much as the man he had just killed was holding one of his best mates like…like a lover. He felt anger, was sure they could see it on his face but he didn't care. He raised his wand and leveled it at Snape's head but Hermione screamed.
"No, please Harry. Why are you so angry?" The words barely penetrated his anger hazed mind. He thought of only one thing, blood, Snape's blood. He had not right to…
"He loves me Harry, he told me he did and me…I love him too. Please, you've already taken one life out of necessity don't take one just because you're angry." Harry felt her touch his arm and looked down at her. The tears that had been falling from her eyes polled with the rain and he could see it. In her eyes there was all the love she had, it burned like fire, scorching his heart and making him lower his wand. She really loved him, Hermione Granger, his best mate, really loved Professor Severus Snape, the greasy git from the dungeons. How was this possible? Snape hated Hermione. Hell, Hermione hated Snape.
"Thank you Harry. I know this is probably one of the worst things for you but I really do love him." She looked at Ron who was shaking his head and looking at the ground. "I'm so sorry Ron. I never thought I would have this chance, you must understand." She reached out but he pulled away and with a pop his was gone. She felt a fresh batch of tears well in her eyes. Poor Ron, he would find someone else, she wasn't the only fish in the sea.
Looking at the group of people in front of her she noticed there was an assortment of emotions on all of their faces. Some registered shock, while others fear or even anger but it was Dumbledore who looked at the two of them with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes. She felt some of the tension she'd felt leave her body, at least someone was okay with this. She felt Severus come up behind her and reached back to take his hand. Remus and Tonks looked at each other then shrugged and turned away disappearing with two small pops. But Severus wouldn't take her hand he reached forward and gripped her shoulders pulling her gently toward him. She leaned back against him and looked down at the ground.
Bending forward he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. He watched as Potter shook his head and rubbed his hand over his face. He couldn't believe this was happening, well neither could Severus. He couldn't believe he'd told Hermione how he felt about her. It wasn't like he hadn't imagined it before but he had sure never planned on telling her.
He'd noticed that changes in her over the years and the way she had started to get closer to the red haired pain in the arse Weasley boy. Weasley wasn't good enough for her. She was much too intelligent and beautiful for that piece of wizard trash. And then there was her relationship with Potter that he could never figure out but he knew it wouldn't last, Potter like the limelight to much and wouldn't be willing to share it or the rest of his life with someone who had far more brains then he. He had looked at all the other boys she'd shown interest in and came up with the some reason she was to good for all of them.
One thing was for certain to him however, it was apparent even as he watched her with the boys. She might not have been good enough for anyone else in Hogwarts or the world over but she sure as hell was too good for him to even think about. After all the he had done, everything that he had been forced to do over the past twenty-five years that he had been with the Dark Lord or as a spy for the Order, he didn't deserve her. No way, shape or form but it had not stopped him from spilling his proverbial guts to her when he had found her crouched beside a dieing man doing her damnedest to save him.
"I don't know what kind of game your playing at Snape but you'd better pray to the Gods I don't find out you harmed a hair on her head." The threat made him raise an eyebrow at the skinny little boy who stood in front of him. The lighting bolt shaped scar that had once marred the skin of the famous Harry Potter's forehead was now gone but in its place was another, one of a shield. Severus had not been close enough to the boy to examine it but he knew that it was a brand that would carry the young man through his life with as much if not more popularity as the lighting bolt had.
"I assure you Mr Potter that I am not playing games with Hermione and that it is none of your concern what happens between myself and her." Harry started at him as if he couldn't believe he had just spoken to him in the same tone he'd used to scowl him in the classroom for seven years. He felt a little satisfaction at the thought of having shocked the Great Harry Potter.
"Please, haven't we fought enough this past year?" Hermione spoke up her voice sounding small and tired. Severus looked down at her and noticed she was barely able to keep her eyes open and that she was swaying just slightly as she stood there in front of him. He turned his attention back to the young man in front of him.
"I agree with her." He said reaching down and sweeping Hermione up into his arms. She was lighter than he'd expected, she couldn't weigh more than a hundred pounds even soaked to the bone as she was now. Her hair feel back in wet matted strands and several rebellious hairs stuck to her prefect forehead.
"I think it's time that she got some rest." He said simply before he turned and took two steps before disappearing on the stop. He reappeared at the front gates of Hogwarts which stood as it always did, untouched and welcoming as ever. Several of the students whom had not fought were cowering inside the Great Hall along with several teachers and staff who had been designated to stay with them and keep them out of trouble. When they saw Snape carrying Hermione inside several rushed forward but were stopped short by Professors Trelawney and Flitwick.
"Is she hurt?" Flitwick asked looking up at the young woman who was lying in Severus' arms. He shook his head.
"No just tired." He took a breath before announcing the lights victory. "We've won the war. The Dark Lord is gone for good." Ginny Weasley rushed forward and past the two professors.
"Is Harry alright? What about Ron? Do you know anything about them professor?" Her questions came quickly and so rapidly that Snape just barely caught any of them.
"Both Potter and Weasley are fine. We didn't lose as many as we could have. The largest hit was to the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord himself." He told her and the room at large. Immediately there was cheering and tears along with several students throwing their arms around each other and several boys kissing several of the girls. It made Snape want to gag.
"Now calm yourself children. Just because we've won the war doesn't mean that there's need to get all worked up." Short Flitwick said even thought there was a triumphant smile on his face.
"We won." Came the unison cheer as they looked up at Snape with Hermione cradled in his arms close to his chest. The unison cry faded off as Hermione snuggled loser to him and muttered something in her sleep. Professor Trelawney bent close to catch it.
"Well, I do declare." She said looking up at Snape who snared at her as she brought her hand up and covered her throat. She smiled at him before sighing as saying rather loudly: "I believe you have an admirer Severus." There was a hush over the students and he felt his cheeks start to burn with embarrassment.
"Why the blush Severus?" Professor Flitwick asked speaking as loudly as Trelawney had and Snape heard some of the students snicker but all eyes remained on him and Hermione.
"This is none of your concern. Hermione is simply asleep and doesn't know what she is saying." He heard several of the students start to whisper and realized a bit too late that he had called her Hermione instead of Miss Granger.
"I'm sure she is." Said Flitwick who gestured for Snape to walk on by and he quickly made his exit. Damn all to hell, he was done. He was taking Hermione to his private rooms and then he was going to have a nice long, hot shower and the largest glass of firewhiskey he could stomach.
TBC???