Trust In You
By
StrangerEmotion
Disclaimer: All content besides word arrangement is property of J.K. Rowling and/or WB.
27. Muffliato
Curious by nature, Hermione Jean Granger followed after Professor Snape and left Luna to tend to the loony Ravenclaw's Head of House, Professor Flitwick. If he noticed her following him he gave no indication of it and raced ahead of her towards the Astronomy Tower. She hid behind a suit of armor as he turned the corner and as soon as he had disappeared down the hall she quickly followed suit. Only, he was waiting for her as she turned the corner. Her heart caught in her throat she could only watch as he casted Muffliato on her shoes and made a shhing motion with his slightly bony finger. "If you insist," He whispered, "Use your brain, girl." And then he left her slightly gob smacked in the hall as she tried to figure out what just happened. 'Did he?' She watched him ascend the steps to the tower, noticing that tonight his cape barely flipped. 'Did he just assist me with stalking him?'
She snapped out of it and, determined not to let him down, cast a Disillusionment spell on herself. 'Time to out spy the spy,' she thought with a quirk of her lips, 'Granger, Hermione Granger.'
2. Avada Kedavra
Severus couldn't believe the gall of that girl! He was already out of sorts though with what was going to happen tonight and didn't have the time, 'No Time!' to reprimand her properly. If he had the chance after this though, he would definitely not let it go unnoted. He gave her no more thought and assessed the situation before him. Draco had royally done himself in this time. 'But at least he brought friends,' He thought sarcastically. Draco was unraveling before him as Albus was trying to get the idiot boy to ask for help when he clearly needed it. Severus stepped into the scene whilst Bella was cackling and goading the boy to 'Kill him!' 'Eloquent as ever, Bella,' he thought and before he could figure out why he was still going through with this idiotic scheme, Albus was pleading for him to be the one to do it. Take the fall for the ridiculous youth. Of course he knew no one else would know that was what he was really asking for. 'As you wish,' He thought with impotent rage at the whole situation and casted Avada Kedavra. The green light sparked in his eyes, "It's over."
26. Morsmordre
It was only his words from before that kept her from screaming. He had whispered, 'Use your brain, girl.' And so she did. She stayed quiet as he left, jerking a dazed Draco Malfoy behind him. 'What the hell is going on tonight?' She thought but her body and mind were in shock. She stayed silent as Bellatrix Lestrange and the others Death Eaters cackled and left. She stayed put even as Harry raced after him with a murderous expression on his face. She finally sobbed when she leaned over the edge to see the broken body of her Headmaster on the cobblestone below. And above was their mark, HIS MARK, Morsmordre, among the clouds. Itself a sinister cloud painted a sickly green. She found herself throwing up on the wooden plats that made up the floor of the Astronomy Tower. She was shaking, with tears or the cold or the very disturbed reality she now found herself in she didn't know.
It wasn't until months later, in the tent with a sword they should not have, that she finally stopped shaking inside and realized the true extent of what he had meant when he said, 'Use your brain, girl.'
22. Legilimens
Severus apparated into Malfoy Manor to the sound of Bellatrix cackling with glee, 'She's probably torturing some poor Muggle; must be a Tuesday.' He entered the parlor and nearly gave himself away with a gasp. 'A loyal Death Eater would not be shocked to see a bleeding Hermione Granger in Malfoy Manor. Not that any of them knew her name as it was deemed inconsequential. Bigots.' He scoffed out loud as Bella turned on him with a glare. "Oh great you are here! Probably gonna stop me from having fun with the girl." She pouted at him. He sneered and looked into the face of the Granger girl. She was looking at him curiously and without hate. 'What's she thinking? Or has Bella already broken her.' Despite his annoyance with the chit he would be a bit disturbed to have her mind go to waste like that. Despite his shield she somehow slipped into his mind and said for him alone, "Dumbledore's Man. Don't try to free me. I have a plan."
He glared a bit and casted Legilimens. He was in her mind too now, "You insufferable idiot girl. Think of who you are dealing with!"
"I have, sir."
6. Crucio
"I have, sir." She told him silently and then she broke eye contact. She could feel him trying to enter her mind without it but it was much easier to resist this way. She was grinning inside. She was right, he may have killed the Headmaster but now she was certain it had been planned by Albus Dumbledore himself. Or at least the circumstances were already in place but he must have had Severus Snape go through with them to better position the spy for a crucial moment, presumably in the future. A Death Eater would have just ransacked her mind for what she knew about their quest. And then when she was utterly unprepared for it, he turned his wand on her and said maliciously, "Crucio!" She writhed but held onto that one truth, even as her hands, arms, and legs spasmed uncontrollably. She knew why he would do this to her, to protect her from worse from Bellatrix. They were both breathing heavily when he finally released the spell from her. It had seemed like hours, but was probably only a few minutes. Bellatrix spoke, "Exciting isn't it, Severus? She looks like she enjoyed it too." Hermione blushed.
1. Accio
He couldn't believe how foolishly brave the girl was acting. And how bloody brilliant she must have been to figure out his and Albus' plan. 'Or maybe it wasn't as bullet-proof as Albus had insisted.' He smirked lightly, not listening to Bella yammering on about the girl actually liking being tortured. He didn't even see the girl blush but said anyway, "Don't be ridiculous Bella. Only you like to be tortured. Why else would you displease the Dark Lord so much?" She smiled knowingly, which was a bit frightening on her face, and said with her slightly harsh voice, "She smiled the whole time, like it was bliss. I know you weren't looking at her closely, but I was. I would know what to look for." He conceded the point grudgingly, "Yes, you would." The girl was fidgeting; it would tingle a bit afterwards, or burn if you had been under a bit too long. "Accio, my potions bag!" Bella looked at him suspiciously so he said as he picked out a dark bottle, "This will help us more than you, girl." He opened her mouth and tipped the potion inside; her mouth closed until she swallowed it reluctantly. "Good."
44. Stupefy
She felt strange within seconds of ingesting the foul tasting liquid, 'Can't he make something in cherry flavour?' She thought spitefully. Her eyes swam with colors and she felt like floating, floating, floating away. She watched with disbelieving eyes as an army of Rons and Harrys entered the room and stupefied both Bellatrix, the evil witch of the west, and Severus, who looked surprised as she felt at the number of people now in the room. The Harrys picked her up and then teleported out with a bunch of house elves and Ollivander and Luna. She was on the coast, the sea smelled of salt and she breathed deep, giggling slightly. "Harrys put me down, I'm not an invalid!"
He looked at her strangely, or they did rather, and she giggled some more. "'Mione, you look doped up." The Rons said as eloquently as always.
She smiled softly, "He did it for me. All the pain is gone, gone, gone!" She pealed with laughter as they all looked at each other with bewilderment. Luna was the first to get it. "Professor Snape drugged you. How odd." The blonde girl seemed to ponder this for a moment before her eyes widened.
39. Sectumsempra
Severus was roused later by a very peeved Dark Lord. Bella was already cowering at the hem of his robes like a woman deranged, 'Oh wait!' He thought and bowed respectfully to the monster. 'And you are on the same road to hell with him!' He thought of Lily to gain the resilience he would need to pander to this ridiculous madman. Or tried to anyway, she wasn't there. Bella was screeching currently as the Dark Lord repeatedly sliced into her with hex after hex. Severus couldn't watch, it was like he'd gone from a warm fire side and been doused in a cold pool. 'Great time to wax poetic, Severus. Pay attention! Smirk at her suffering like the Dark Lord expects and wait for your turn. At least Granger isn't here anymore,' he thought. 'She and those idiot boys are safe again.' But for how long was left unthought-of. Bella was finally left to cry and tend to her wounds and the Dark Lord turned to him, "Ssseveruss... I'm displeased with you the most I think. However I have come up with a fitting curse to inflict on you. I think you will find it ironic... Sectumsempra!" Severus screamed.
29. Obliviate
Once Hermione sobered up again and everyone had talked down to her about accepting an unknown potion from a known traitor, she realized the actions he took and the failure to keep them at Malfoy Manor would be looked upon unfavorably by Voldemort. She worried about him then, despite what had happened there... in that room... she knew without a doubt that she trusted him implicitly. He was deep undercover though, so she couldn't exactly expect him to serve her tea and biscuits the next time they met. She would also have to better act the part. She didn't know anything really that could get him in trouble, but the little scraps taken as a whole... They would be quite damning if she was compromised. 'I'll have to get those two to think before jumping into dangerous situations. I can't let the Headmaster's death be in vain, nor the suffering of his most loyal spy.' Knowing she could not hope to hide those things from anyone with a decent amount of training in Leglimency she enacted her own plan. Staring herself in the mirror, brown eyes staring into brown, she said with her usual precision, "Obliviate!" She knew no more.
24. Lumos
"Hermione!" Luna shook her bushy haired friend awake. The girl had a serious case of nargle infestation. 'Perhaps because of her close encounter yesterday?' "Hermione, Bill's made pancakes for breakfast. Don't you want something to eat?" Hermione just shook her head at her and backed herself into a corner. Luna sat down with her and twirled her new wand; Hermione's would be made as soon as the old man decided which tree would have the desired effect. He had said that too much was up in the air yesterday afternoon and he would need to sleep on it. Hermione looked curiously at the wand Luna was twirling and spoke shyly, "What's that?" Luna thought nothing of the strange question and said, "My new wand. The old one was smashed." Luna sighed, she'd miss it. Hermione nodded but seemed confused somehow, "And what's a wand?" She asked while biting a strand of her bushy hair. Luna tilted her head to better see the nargles, could nargles cause brain melt? She smiled dreamily and said matter-of-factly, "You do magic with them," Luna casts Lumos to illustrate the concept, "Is this about Professor Snape?" Hermione looked absolutely clueless and asked, "Who is that?"
7. Confundus?
The strange girl left her alone and as she heard people arguing downstairs, all using that strange name the girl had called her; she approached the floor mirror on her knees. The reflection was strange, she touched the glass tentatively and it was cold, she thought with confusion, 'This is me. Yet... I don't remember what I look like. But, this is me. Isn't it?' She traced the bushy hair and soft round face. She poked at each caramel colored iris. None of it seemed familiar. "Who am I?" She said with a frown. She felt lost. Had Professor Snape, the man the blond girl mentioned, done this to her? She scowled. No, it didn't sound right somehow. 'Then who? How could I tell when I don't even know myself?' "Her-My-Oh-Knee." She said, testing the flavour of it in her mouth. She didn't like it, she decided, it was too verbose. She got up from the mirror and poked her head out the open window, a bush of white roses were close enough to touch. She sighed and plucked one out from the others. "Rose," She said and smiled at its simple beauty. "I SAY SHE IS CONFUNDED!" Someone yelled.
34. Protego
A red head came barreling into her room and she panicked, clutching the rose tight she screwed her eyes shut at the person invading her space and wished him away from her. Without knowing why she shouted, "PROTEGO!" And the force of it coming out of her very soul knocked the red headed boy back out of the room and into the wall, shaking several portraits. She breathed shakily, how did she just do that? Is this terrible force Magic? She opened one eye to survey the damage; she hadn't actually wanted to harm him. "Are you okay? Um... Whoever you are." The boy laughed to her befuddlement and said, "Yeah, guess I forgot myself for a minute there. I'm Ron. We're... friends."
She blinked as the boy walked over to sit on the other bed in the room. "Oh. I'm sorry then, I'd never hurt a friend."
"'Mione, you'd never hurt a garden gnome if it was in your power." He smiled goofily at her and she blushed, he was nice for a rude person. "But seriously, you can't remember us?" He looked put out. "It's all Snape's fault."
She reacted instinctively, "It's Professor Snape, Ron. Besides, it's not."
42. Silencio
The boy called Ron smiled even more. "That's the 'Mione I know and love!" She grimaced at the obvious nickname for her and said, "I want to be called Rose. That is- Until I get my memories back. I think it will help us all- adjust to the new me. Sans memory." He nodded genially and bounded out the door to yell, "'MIONE WANTS TO BE CALLED ROSE, DO IT OR ELSE!" A boy with glasses and startling green eyes came into her room then and, punching Ron lightly on the arm, said, "Don't make me Silencio you. This ears can't repel yelling of that magnitude." Rose laughed, she knew what he was referencing but couldn't remember HOW she knew. The boy, who she didn't yet know the name of, said, "So you remember Star Wars but not the Boy Who Lived to Annoy You?" She looked askance at Ron and said, "I'd have pegged Ron for that position." He chuckled at Ron's expense and replied, "Right, as always. I'm Harry, nice to meet you, Rose." He looked a bit lost too, she could relate, and before she could control her mouth she asked, "What happened to you?" She cringed.
41. Scourgify
"No, it's okay to ask." He said with a somber yet genial tone of voice, "My parents both died, protecting me from a madman." His green eyes became fiery with hate and she said, "Don't... Hate only hurts you. Not the person you want it to. Hurt them by rising above the hate. They won't expect it." He nodded sagely, which she didn't expect and with a wry grin said, "You're awfully wise for a person with no memory." She smiled and replied, "I'd say I've been told that before... But I can't remember if that's true or not." Ron groaned, "Now she's channeling Dumbledore from the beyond, it's right freaky it is."
Harry helped her up from the bed and they all went to breakfast. A new beginning and a new life; Rose didn't want to try to be Hermione. She wanted to take life as it came now, with no regret. She was taught the spell Scourgify, to clean her dishes, she used it instinctively. They all seemed shocked, 'What'd I do?'
Ron just shouted, "What are wands now optional? If Snape did this then he sure didn't check the side effects of that potion." He looked smug.
9. Disapparate
She obtained a wand, apple wood with an ivy handle. The man called Ollivander had asked her what trees she felt were right. His eyes had glittered strangely at each choice. It had a phoenix feather core, apparently from a deceased phoenix named Fawkes. She loved it. Because it was shorter than the others, Ron had joked that she had a midget wand but Ollivander had said cryptically, "Purer magic needs no filter. This wand is an indication of her spirit." She thought it was all a bit corny, but the wand felt right. It also still smelt slightly of apple and ivy. "The wood polish is specially made from those two trees' extract oils." He had said in the most reasonable sentence yet. Taking her aside he said in a confidential tone, "I made Severus' wand myself. I believe you. Believe in yourself." The old man tottered off, still limping slightly from the torture he'd undergone at Malfoy Manor. Walking down to the beach behind him, she watched him Disapparate, to where she did not know. She settled onto a rock shaped like a stool and watched the setting Sun disappear into the grey blue waves. She heard footsteps.
48. Unbreakable Vow
Someone set next to her on her rock. She kept looking at the waves and said, "I just wanted to watch the sunset, I'll be up in a minute." A voice unlike any of the others spoke in return, "Out past bedtime, Granger?" She turned her head and looked at the person who knew her but she did not know. He was tall, lanky one might say, and had an unusually large nose. His eyes were dark, and in this light she could not tell pupil from iris. She felt no fear however, something about him made her feel at ease. She smiled slyly and said, "Perhaps. But would you escort me back?" She saw him grit his teeth slightly and she continued, "I thought not." He sighed, clearly done with word games and said, "I'm not going to beg for forgiveness, I know there isn't any for me. Only ask you for a small favor. I want you to make an unbreakable vow." He looked deathly serious and she could only nod. He took her arm in his hand and she grabbed his forearm as well. "Vow to me, that whatever occurs you won't give up... on me," She did.
31. Orchideous
He felt weak for asking her to do that, but immensely relieved that he had. Ever since that day at Malfoy Manor, she had become important to him. He didn't understand it, and didn't want to, but she was capable of believing in him when he wasn't capable himself. He had tried to deride that belief in him with causing her pain, but she had all but thanked him for cursing her. He felt like scum in comparison. So now he would believe her, trust her judgment, if she found him lacking he wouldn't be too surprised after all. He looked on her face; she'd gone back to calmly watching the sea. Her lips quirked into a smile and she said without facing him, "You are making me nervous." Her eyes sparkled when she turned to him with her wand out, "Orchideous." Beautiful black roses came out of her wand. She held one out to him and said shyly, "You seemed like the black roses kind. I can do other colors though, Pink?" He smirked and took the flower, he wasn't big on flowers, personally, but he was glad she wasn't so frightened of him that she could not jest.
16. Impedimenta
She felt so stupid; giving a flower to someone she didn't know the name of... Of course the Unbreakable Vow thing was probably a lot higher on the idiot-o-meter. She blushed; he was staring at her again in that way that made her insides melt. She didn't know why this stranger made her feel this way, perhaps she had felt this way before about him. He looked away from her then and up towards the cottage. "They will be looking for you soon." He said with a faint touch of blush to his cheeks. She stood up and he followed suit, looking down at her seriously and she said, "I would like something in return. Would you give me a goodnight kiss?" She blushed but otherwise stood her ground. She wanted to know where she stood with him. His face turned faintly pink, but he pulled her up to him and gave her a very chaste kiss on the lips. She smiled and left him on the beach. She intercepted Ron as he was coming to check on her and she said, "Impedimenta!" Ron stopped in his tracks with a confused expression and she pulled him inside, "I'm coming alright!"
4. Blasting Curse
'It's her!' He thought with malice as he blasted yet another rose bush in the esteemed Malfoy's garden. 'Yet another person I'm bound to serve. Am I some kind of masochist? It must be her fault. But-' He thought of how she had looked at him, she wasn't sure of anything on that rocky beach not even of herself. It had messed with his mind, made him pliable to her wishes. That would not happen again. No, he must remember his one purpose left in life has very little to do with her at all. 'Remember how she had smelled?' His inner voice taunted him. He wanted to forget it all.
He stopped mid turn in his pacing and had a stroke of brilliance. 'Merlin! She did that to herself... And for me... To protect me.' He hated his own guts even more now and imagined his vileness must have poisoned her forever. He turned to the door as it opened, it was only Draco yet he kept his face the mask he wore for the Dark Lord and his followers. Draco shuffled over to him in his rather extravagant nightwear and said, "May I have a word with you?"
17. Imperio
He smirked and replied, "You've had seven so far." Taking pity on the boy he continued, "Go on, boy." Draco pulled the most pathetic face Severus had ever seen and said, "I can't do it... Not since I saw Aunt Bella do those- those things- those horrible things to her. She didn't deserve it. None of them do."
Severus quirked an eyebrow and replied, "Really? I do wonder if the Dark Lord will see it that way, Draco."
Draco eyes went desperately wide and he grabbed hold of Severus' coat. "Please, not anymore, don't play his games with me. I know where you went, you couldn't get away fast enough to make sure she-" Severus punched the little blighter right in the nose.
"Use a little common sense, Draco." He pulled the boy up with his feet dangling uselessly towards the pavestones and spoke, "Imperio!" Once he was sure the boy was fully under his command he said, "Forget this conversation, you went out to the garden to find me but I was already gone." Draco nodded his head listlessly and Severus let him down and walked away, apparating mid step. 'Tonight, I will require Dreamless Sleep potion. Oh joy.'
20. Knitting Charm
Molly taught her how to knit while the boys were off playing an impromptu game of Quidditch. Well, that is to say, she re taught her the spell. She knew exactly what she wanted to make with it. But the question before the court was would she dare to go through with it all? She now knew the man on the beach was none other than the one who had supposedly poisoned her and had killed the Headmaster. She kept her ear to the door and ground, nobody paid her much mind. And so with a flourish of her wand she wrought with her magic a silk handkerchief in black with a single white rose as embellishment. She'd modified the wand movement to support finer needlework. Just making wool socks and sweaters would be awfully dull.
Molly smiled serenely in her direction and spoke, "Good work, Her-Rose. Is that for someone in particular?"
She blushed before she could stop herself and blurted out, "N-no, not special really. But it is for one person. It's kind of private."
"Oh to be young and in love for the first time," Molly tittered. There's a first time for everything, some more than others.
18. Incarcerous
"I will not suffer fools gladly." Severus growled at the two miscreants in his office. Luna Lovegood and Nevile Longbottom, who would have thought these two would lead a resistance group against him? Neville looked at him rebelliously and said, "Good thing we aren't fools then, sir."
"No?" He asked with a raised brow. He tapped his lips as if in thought and then finally turned a baleful eye on the boy. "You are kids playing an adults game. Personally I find nothing wrong with holding you to the consequences befitting of adults' but- This position I am now in forces my hand to be gentler."
Neville looked like he would object to that but couldn't find the evidence to defend his position. Instead Luna spoke, "What would you do that hasn't already been done? I'm not a stranger to undeserved punishment." She sounded very much unlike a normal Luna Lovegood. Presumably because recalling her time at Malfoy Manor was perturbing to her. It had been perturbing to him too, for other reasons.
"Who says it was underserved?" He said with a sneer. Neville nearly jumped from his seat at him. He was faster. "Incarcerous!" Must everyone be so simple?
46. Tergeo
They were to leave soon, the mission was too important to visit with newlywed Weasleys for long. She was looking through her beaded bag to make sure they would have everything they could possibly need. Her hand settled on something wooden, she pulled out a framed portrait.
"Ah! Finally some fresh air." A surly looking gentleman of around middle age glared at her. "About time, what do you need now?"
She smiled uncertainly and tried to remember anything about the portrait. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"
The portrait laughed, "The mudblood finally botched a spell I see. I was beginning to wonder if you really weren't adopted by muggles."
"What does mudblood mean? Doesn't sound endearing. I take it we weren't friendly." She said calmly.
The portrait nodded and said humorlessly, "You seem changed for the better I'd say. I wonder if the dear Headmaster knows about this..."
"He might," She said, "In either case; he doesn't need to if he doesn't already. Does he?"
The portrait smirked, "Indeed."
She smiled evilly; the man in the portrait shuddered, and spoke, "Tergeo!" The dust on the portrait cleared and it was her turn to smirk at the now glowering old wizard.
28. Nox
He'd sent away the troublemakers with little more than a slap on the wrist. He scoffed, he was dolling them out more and more to help save students from the worst of it. It wasn't enough. But to do nothing, that he could not abide. Soon he turned to regard Albus' portrait. "You may wake up now, old man."
Albus startled in his frame, "Severus, dear boy, no need to yell." Snape just rolled his eyes; the man was just as insufferable when made of paint.
Severus frowned in concentration and revealed, "I went to see their hideout. I came upon Miss Granger. She has lost her memory, Albus. Also, Draco seems to be unraveling by the seams. I had to imperio him for his own safety. And mine."
Albus nodded, "Of course. But how do you know Miss Granger has lost her memory? Surely you did not-"
He merely nodded. "I know it was a risky maneuver."
"More akin to reckless I'd say."
"Nonetheless, I now know that should she regain it she will be in grave danger."
"My boy," Albus said with regret, "She already is."
Severus smile was one of grim determination, "Nox!"
The lights went out.
5. Colloportus
The battle was upon them, Harry had rushed off to find the diadem while Ron and herself were left to deal with the Cup. She honestly had no clue whatsoever about how to destroy it without killing either one of them. But she did know they needed privacy. She dragged Ron into a spare room and aiming her wand at the door intoned, "Colloportus!"
He smiled proudly at her and said, "Well done, 'Mione." She shook her head to indicate it was nothing to congratulate. He turned a serious eye to the cup she was holding. "Helga sure loved her flagons. Am I right?" He sighed when he realized there was no way to lighten the mood. "Yeah, bad joke in a bad time. I get that... It's just. Something's really been bothering me these last few months. Tonight is the culmination of that worry."
She nodded to indicate she was listening. He continued, "I might be out of line here. And I am probably wrong... I know I've not got the best track record. But I really think Snape might not be completely evil."
She rolled her eyes, "Of course he's not Ron. I've always said that."
37. Relashio
"You remember that?" He took the Cup from her shaking fingers. "Hermione, you remember telling us-"
She stumbled backward into a desk, her head rushing with images. A man in black. Lily's grave. A flock of canaries. Cold tears against her cheeks. A piercing glare from two impenetrable eyes. The horrid skull over the astronomy tower. He was cursing her and she felt no pain. All these little truths. She nearly collapsed but her best friend caught her. She choked on a sob, "He will die, if we don't do something, he will die."
"Who will? Harry?"
"No, P-professor S-snape."
Ron looked at her like she was mental. She clutched to his arm desperately, "Listen, I made him a wizard's vow. I can't let him die. Not tonight."
He nodded, unsure of just who he was dealing with... Hermione seemed more than a little distraught. "How do you know?"
She touched her heart. "Intuition. I feel it. He's in danger right now."
"What about the cup? We have to destroy it." Ron said, bewildered with how she was acting.
She turned her wand on the object and bellowed, "RELASHIO!" It was ripped from his hands and broke against the wall.
12. Furnunculus
"Now we can go," She said calmly, though on the inside she was roiling with fear and anxiety and several other unnamed emotions. They made it out into the corridor, and she saw him. He just flew out the window. Glass shattering on impact, she whitened from head to toe. He was running from the castle, and into danger. Meanwhile Ron was screaming at her to duck but it was too late, she was hit. Boils sprouted all over her face, she touched them. It all felt surreal. "Furnunculus? Are you kidding me? What kind of Death Eater uses furnunculus..." She then saw a blond head go into a room whose door disappeared.
"Let's get to the infirmary. I need boil cure and anti venom." She said though she was already sprinting down the corridor.
"Why anti venom?" Ron asked, not quite convinced of her sanity.
She said between huffs of breath, "You do remember Voldemort's snake, don't you?"
They reached the infirmary without incident. She slathered on the boil cure and pocketed anti venom and blood replenishing potions. Once she was sure she had enough she left with Ron to find Professor Snape. She was running out of time.
19. Jelly Legs
They headed back to the window together, and noticed everyone else had gone to defend the castle. The hole was left open, jagged glass with some drops of blood coating the edges. She suddenly felt a sharp sense of doom. This is too real.
"What's that?" She heard Ron mutter.
"Sorry?" She said in return, "Oh I didn't say that aloud, did I?"
"You did, but I didn't catch most of it. The battle raging below and all."
She only nodded and swallowed hard as if trying to swallow all the fear she felt rising. She noticed then that the Whomping Willow was stiff. "He went into the shack, Ron."
Ron looked like a cross between apprehensive and relieved. "Voldemort's probably camped out in there."
Suddenly she saw Crabbe and Goyle turn the corner. She leveled her wand at them and cried out the incantation for the Jelly Legs Jinx. "That ought to slow them down." Ron exclaimed with pride. Meanwhile the two goons were tripping over each other and the cracks in the cobblestone trying to get to her. She didn't even smile at how ridiculous they looked, even though Ron couldn't contain himself from laughing uproariously.
21. Langlock
Severus entered the shack and was glad to see that it was still empty. Quickly, he pulled out an unmarked vial and imbibed its contents. While he waited for the rendezvous with the Dark Lord he became morose and contemplated his past up until this point. It was truly a train wreck of a life. He supposed the crash would be forthcoming relatively soon. 'Brace for impact,' He thought with a wry half smile.
He heard two set of footsteps coming from the tunnel entrance of the Shack. 'That'll be Potter and one of his entourage.' He hid in the shadow behind a tattered curtain.
She entered and zeroed in on his location as if by radar. "Professor, we need to get you to safety."
"I don't believe that will be possible, Miss Granger." He said with a malevolent tone.
She seemed to smile from within. "You don't need to pretend with either of us. Though, if you like, I can just modify Ron's memory afterwards."
Ron looked put out and said, "Remember how well that worked for you last time, 'Mione?"
She gave him a devious wink and without taking her eye of him, cursed Weasley with Langlock.
10. Engorgio
"I don't believe that was necessary." He didn't move to counter her curse on Ron. Her eyes scoured over him hungrily.
"A gift," She said while handing him a bezoar wrapped with the handkerchief she had made for him. "Repay me by staying alive, alright?"
She shivered as he searched her eyes for what she couldn't tell. "Gladly, Hermione."
She raced into his arms and gave him a tight hug. Ron wouldn't understand, but she could always explain later. 'Better to ask forgiveness than permission.' She heard him take a shaky breath before pushing her away, gently. "This doesn't have to be goodbye. Anything I say..." Her thoughts raced with how to make the most of this meeting. "Remember, what you said when my teeth were engorged in 4th year?"
He winced, "I see no difference."
She smiled, "I've come to realize that it doesn't have to be a negative statement. It hurt at first. Really hurt, hurt so bad I cried for hours. Eventually, I stopped when I knew that of course you wouldn't see the difference. I was just your student."
He nodded with apprehension. She took off Ron's curse and said at last, her goodbye, "Severus."
38. Rictusempra
She was surprised to feel a vial in her pocket that wasn't there before. They had already met up with Harry again and she noticed the vial was addressed to him. It didn't bother her to think he would use her to carry a message to Harry. But how could she get him to look at the memories of the man that he hated so strongly. 'Lead him to the water, Hermione. He can't help but drink.'
"Harry, let's head to the Headmasters Office, see if he left you anything useful." Harry took off like a bolt, with them following behind.
Soon they were heading up the now dormant circular staircase and into the room. 'It's unchanged, as if he never felt he belonged here. Just like he never deserved being in this room as its owner.' She thought sadly.
Presently Ron thought that this was the perfect moment for his revenge. He said seriously, "Rictusempra." And she couldn't help but break out into giggles. She laughed while saying as murderously as she could, "You are going to live to regret that, Ron."
Meanwhile Harry stumbled upon the vial she had put on the desk without him seeing.
43. Specialis Revelio
"These are memories addressed to me. But by whom?" Harry asked suspiciously. She only shrugged and looked at the vial curiously, as if seeing it for the first time.
"Would you like me to view them with you?" She asked with care, Harry could be sensitive to the slightest things.
"No!" He said abruptly and then cleared his voice, "I mean, no thanks but I should really check this first." He ran several curse checks on it that he had learned from Bill. Finally, he finished with the Specialis Revelio charm. He nodded without expression. "It's clean. I'll just be a minute. Heh, or longer if it's as detailed an admission of guilt as I think it will be."
When Harry was finally immersed in the Pensieve Ron shared a look with her that very clearly said, "What are you doing?"
"Ron, listen. I didn't know who he was when he came to me at Shell Cottage."
"And that makes it okay, Hermione?"
"No, nothing about this whole damn situation is okay, Ronald. But it doesn't change the facts."
"And just what are the facts?" But she could tell by the way his face was crumbling that he already knew.
33. Point Me
"Tell me it's not true, 'Mione." Ron cried as his eyes became glassy with tears. She was very nearly crying herself. "I'm sorry, Ron. I'm so sorry." They held each other with the pain of unrealized emotions, parting only when Harry came out of Severus' memories.
"Where is he, Hermione?" Harry asked with a voice so cold she shivered.
"Harry?"
"And don't lie to me again."
"Alright, he was in the Shrieking Shack last Ron and I saw him."
Harry gave her a pointed look as if he was using the point me spell on her and north was the truth in her words. "He was alive?"
"Yes, but he is still very much in danger. He won't leave until he sees this through, I think. He's trying to give you more time."
Harry gritted his teeth with a look of seething rage. "He's a bloody idiot then. Braver than I thought him capable of; yet equally more stupid than I thought possible."
For a minute Hermione couldn't understand what Harry meant by that if he still hated Severus. "Harry, could it be you think Professor Snape is on our side?"
Harry rolled his eyes at her purposely obtuse tone.
13. Flagrate
"He's still a right bastard, especially so for what his spying cost you, Hermione." Harry said with greater geniality than he had shown anyone all year. She shook her head as if to say she was not affected by him in any way. She then noticed the huge burning letters in the sky, someone had casted Flagrate. The letters were written so that they were legible to people in the castle. She pointed out the window and Harry said them aloud, "Come out Harry Potter and Die." She was shocked however when Harry laughed.
"Just how immature is this Lord Vol-" Ron clamped down on Harry's mouth with his hand before he could finish saying the name.
"Don't say it now, Harry. Unless you want to give away your position." Ron looked very serious about such a possibility, so Harry didn't say it. Hermione wondered meanwhile if that was the origin of the phobia against saying you-know-who's name. "His followers are everywhere, Harry. And that mark is triggered to recognize his name and report the position of known resistance leaders. Reckon, you get an express line to Moldibutt himself."
"Guess it's time to face my destiny. Or some such rot."
45. Tarantallegra
Harry, Ron, and Hermione went their separate ways once outside the office of the Headmaster. Harry was going out into the forest to meet Voldemort himself. Ron would be joining the others in the Great Hall. Meanwhile, she would be retrieving whatever the Dark Lord left behind of Severus in the Shrieking Shack. She hoped that it was as she expected, he'd use his snake. She knew it would probably seem like ironic justice to the evil bastard. She didn't dwell on the thought of all the ways he could kill Severus without using the snake. She would need her full faculties for traversing the battlefield. Thankfully, most of Voldemort's followers were going to meet Harry in the Forest for whatever plan Harry had to kill him. She hoped it was a good one. So she only encountered one giant who was still trying to knock the walls off the castle, she yelled fiercely, "Tarantallegra!" It danced haphazardly, also making a diversion so she could slip into the shack unnoticed.
He was pale, lying in a pool of his blood. He had managed to swallow the bezoar at least but he was still bleeding from a violent looking neck gash.
25. Mobilicorpus
"Severus!" She screamed and fell to her knees in his blood. She tried to take the handkerchief from his fist; he coughed and looked at her blearily whilst clutching it. "It's charmed; let me put it on your wound." He closed his eyes and relaxed his grip. She tried not to jump to conclusions and just worked to stabilize him. The handkerchiefs magical properties activated when she pressed it to the wound. "That will stop the bleeding. I hope." She couldn't tell because the cloth was black but he didn't seem to be paling further. She rummaged in her pocket for the blood replenisher. Her hands were shaking so bad she could barely open it without spilling it everywhere. She carefully opened his mouth and tipped it in. He swallowed on reflex it seemed. She laughed shakily and asked, "Take a lot of potions, do you?"
He didn't answer.
She took out her wand and aimed it at him with more firmness than she had had while opening the vial. "Mobilicorpus," She said steadily but quietly. She felt sure that to stay here would mean his death. She'd hate to die in this Shack herself so she left with him.
11. Expecto Patronum
She was met with the surreal scene of Neville chopping off Nagini's head and Harry rising up from the ground as if he'd been dead. Harry moved into the Great Hall, presumably following Voldemort who had stormed in there when his snake had died. She knew she couldn't go in there while so many Death Eaters and Voldemort himself were in there so she headed to the infirmary.
It had seen better days but was functional enough for her purposes, and quiet. She sent a message to Madam Pompfrey using her patronus. She smiled softly at Severus, "Now we wait," She told him with heavy sigh.
Pompfrey burst through the doors so hard they finally broke off their hinges, though to be fair they hadn't been secure looking when she had arrived. "What is this, Miss Granger? I will not treat that traitor!"
Hermione calmly intoned, "He's not. That ought to fix your dilemma than, huh?"
The woman looked at her shrewdly, "Just what do you know that I don't?"
Hermione pointed in the general direction of the Great Hall and then the Headmasters Office. "Harry too. He's seen Severus' memory and told me that Albus Dumbledore gave the order."
40. Sonorus
"For what?" The school nurse asked, bewildered. Hermione, meanwhile, was too busy giving Severus another dose of blood replenisher to answer. So, of course, Harry did. His voice traveled loud and clear into the infirmary from the Great Hall where he was taunting Voldemort.
"Voldemort. Surprised to see me?" Silence, the sound of a spell missing its target. "I got better." More missed spell-fire. "More importantly, your track record is seriously messed up now. How many times is this that you have failed?" A reptilian voice screeched and echoed to them, "Shut up, Potter!" Harry laughed, "Certainly, but not before I explain a few things. Namely, that Snape was never on your side." A cry of outrage came from the Hall, Hermione just chuckled and looked toward the nurse. She seemed pensive. "Not convinced? Well, evidently you never saw Snape's patronus. It was a doe. He loved my mum all those years and never stopped loving her. So much so he vowed to end you and kept his promise by helping me."
"Harry thinks he is dead?" Pompfrey asked.
"No, but you know who does. Or close enough to it. That Snake left him bleeding to death in the Shack."
35. Quietus
They heard a battle begin but Harry had already cancelled Sonorus with Quietus. She hoped he would live through it like always. Severus finally came to while Madam Pompfrey was doing some fancy wand work on him. She was glad the nurse had agreed to help him finally, and was relieved she didn't speak about why Hermione seemed to care so much about him. "Hey," He croaked, his voice was weak. He tried to say more but she placed two fingers on his lips.
"Shh, you can't use those right now." He looked at her like she was his guardian angel. She supposed she was. She gave him an encouraging smile and nearly startled when she heard him speak in her mind. Hermione, I was dead. I saw Harry there, Lily and Albus as well. You brought me back.
It wasn't your time. She thought back. I couldn't give up on you. And not because of the vow.
I know. But it was my time. Something changed, it was not meant to be. Or so Albus said.
She took his hand and said out loud, "You were meant to live. Never doubt that you don't deserve life. You do."
50. Waddiwasi
"Hmm, there is something stuck in there." The nurse said as she finally removed the makeshift bandage from his neck.
"The pain," Severus bit out with his sharp wit. Implying she was the pain in his neck. "Stop prodding in there and just remove it already."
Hermione smiled at his grousing and gave a helping hand. "Waddiwasi," She said and caught the object in a metal pan. She looked at it and laughed, "Severus, the snake bit off more than he could chew with you."
His eyes laughed when his throat did not. He was trying to obey the nurse this time, considering how close to death he had come just three weeks ago. He thought it fair that he should try playing the good English patient, for a few weeks anyway. He wanted to be able to laugh and converse without coughing up blood and wheezing every few minutes. He looked displeased with his situation, that's because he was. The only perk was having Hermione come to see him every day. Sure, at first, he had tried to make her leave by yelling and growling at her. Her only response was to give him the handkerchief to cough into.
23. Levicorpus
"Let me rest in my own quarters, please Poppy." Severus growled; his voice still rough but showing improvement since they had removed the fang of the snake that bit him just a few days prior.
"He did say, please." Hermione smiled good-naturedly and said, "That has to be worth something."
Pompfrey huffed and answered haughtily, "Well, if you think so, you get to watch him to make sure he gets his bed rest."
Severus looked like the cat that ate the canary. "Bed rest will be had, I'm sure." Hermione knew he was getting well when Poppy smacked him playfully for his cheek.
"Take him to the dungeons, Hermione."
She looked at him and motioned for him to lay back; he only gave her a wink and acquiesced. She held her wand level with him and said, "Levicorpus." She managed to get him down safely, even with him teasing her every few seconds. It was a close call when he pointed at an empty wall next to a statue of what looked to be medusa and said, "That's my room; Drop my luggage inside the door, bell hop Granger." She let him release the wards on his room.
32. Petrificus Totalus
"No fidgeting! This is a delicate operation." He said with complete seriousness, holding the bottle of nail polish as if it was poison and the brush a pipette.
"I will if you will stop tickling me. You fiend," She giggled and he smiled deviously. "No, not there!" She tried to jerk away but he wandlessly petrified her. "That ought to do it. Don't you think so, Hermione, love?" If looks could kill.
He finished painting her toenails in some sparkly red color she preferred and released the spell. He only grinned as she lay into him with every curse imaginable, whilst still holding her ankles so that she wouldn't mess up the paint. She was the one who had dared him to do it; wouldn't she hate to ruin it? He laughed as she ran out of steam. "I think somewhere, a sailor just blushed."
She huffed and said petulantly, "As if you are one to talk."
"At least I'm a man."
"Says the man who just painted my nails impeccably."
He smiled with a gleam in his eye she wasn't sure was benign and said, "I wouldn't want to do a substandard job. I have my pride."
14. Horn Tongue
"Come on, you're not going easy on me are you?" Severus taunted from the other side of a cleared out room. She smiled and flicked a lightning fast spell in his direction. He deflected it with a wave of his primary hand. "I thought you were the top of your class?"
She yelled back, "My turn to do defensive. Then we'll see who can break whom."
He tutted and switch tactics immediately, hurling a hex fiercely at her. She dodged it, rolling to the right and firing off a series of hexes aimed at his feet. "That's better," He said pulling himself out of the quicksand she'd conjured. He countered by flicking the sand in her eyes, blinding her.
She quickly cleared her eyes with a gush of water from her wand. When she could see again he was nowhere to be seen.
"Hey, that's not fair." She said while scanning the room for signs of movement. "Show yourself!" Suddenly she felt her tongue split in two.
"Boo." He said dryly from behind her, chuckling as she hissed at him.
"You sssneaky ssslytherin!"
"Guilty as charged," he veritably purred into her ear, his arms linked around her waist.
47. Twitchy Ears Hex
She rounded on him immediately and cast the twitchy ears hex silently. His ears began flapping as if trying to fly. She laughed while he glared. "Oh come on Ssseverus. It'sss only fair." She said while hopping out of the way of a white hot hex that singed her sleeve. "Don't be a poor sport."
He grimaced as he tried to hold down his ears and fight her off at the same time. "I only agreed to this charade because of you. Normally I wouldn't fight with such weak hexes. But you said I wasn't ready for ones I could not cast non-verbally."
She shielded quickly as he threw another hex without saying a word. Truthfully he knew quite a few decent hexes non-verbally; she was having a hard time of it herself. "If my shirt's anything to go by you aren't suffering too badly for whatever restraints you might have."
His ears finally stopped twitching and he struck a very aggressive pose, his wand arm in a classical dueling pose and his mouth in a straight line. "Perhaps not, Hermione."
The next hex he threw came crashing into her and she didn't have enough time to block or dodge.
30. Oppugno
She awoke much later in the hospital wing. Poppy was fussing over her and Severus was glaring at the wall. "What happened?" She asked. Severus gave her a piercing look and said with scorn, "What happened was I got carried away. I used a spell on you that I wouldn't normally. I overestimated your abilities."
"What spell?" She asked, he looked away evasively, "Tell me, Severus. Which spell did you use?"
Still looking at the wall he spoke, "One of my own that I invented as a non verbal and never made a counter curse to it. I'm... Sorry."
She looked at him incredulously, that was the worst apology in history. She reached out with her magic and screamed, "Oppugno!" The drapes around her bed began wrapping themselves tight around him. He struggled for a moment, and then stopped. The curse dropped. He extricated himself from them and sat near her bed on a stool. "I will fix this, Hermione. I will make you whole again."
"And just what is it that I'm missing?"
He looked ashamed and ducked his head, hair covering his face; she could only make out his nose. "Your fertility is gone. You can't have children."
15. Hurling Hex
To his surprise she seemed shocked but not upset. At least not as much as he would expect. Most witches seemed obsessed with babies. She pulled his hand into her own. He looked up, into her eyes, they were misty with unshed tears. He wanted to end his life right then and there. "Stop, Severus. I need you alive if you are to make me well again."
"You're listening to my thoughts again?" He said a little angrily.
"They are written on your face." She stroked one finger along his nose and tapped his lips, "You were unguarded with distress about me. Don't be, I can take a lot you know."
"You're friends are here. They are playing Quidditch outside, waiting for you to awaken." He said nervously. She smiled and he helped her up, smoothing down her shirt rather suggestively in the process.
They walked together to the pitch, she had insisted he come along, and watched the fools play without realizing she had come out to see them.
"I thought it was you, you know. That made Harry's broom buck like it did years ago. It was my fault your coat was set aflame. I apologize." She whispered.
49. Wingardium Leviosa
His eyes widened at her apology and when she wrapped her fingers in his own. His heart went mad when she looked at him warmly. 'It's been so long since I felt this.' He thought, 'Too long.' He gave what he hoped was a warm smile and tucked a stray curl behind her ear, she blushed. He longed to cup her face in his hands and drink deep of her sweet ambrosia. 'Poetry, you old fool.' He thought meanly of himself.
Mr. Potter and Weasley soon crashed onto the seats beside them, followed by Ginevra Weasley. He let go of her hand and let them sweep her up in their arms. He started to make his escape when she called out, "Wait, Severus. You belong here too."
Ronald Weasley took the time to look at the two of them with a bit of resentment. 'He knows then.' Weasley spoke bitterly, "He does, does he? Bloody well got you injured and now you want him around?"
She rolled her eyes and said, "Ronald, you've gotten me injured more times than he, remember the troll?"
"Yeah and I defeated it with Wingardium Leviosa." He defended himself.
"Only after I nearly got killed."
3. Braking Charm
She was teaching their daughter to fly. "Rosie! Not so fast, you are scaring Mummy." Rose grinned at her and sped up, the devil child loved to make her worry. Severus was taking Hugo to St. Mungos to have his teeth straightened, and she was trying to entertain Rose to keep her from running up the walls. Literally.
"Rose, I'm serious here. Slow down!" She yelled at the 11 year old girl. She wanted to learn the basics before her first year of Hogwarts, so Hermione was trying to oblige her.
"I'm fine, Mum. Really. Dad says you should just take a few calming breaths and let go of your fear. He thinks you'll be in a right shape when I'm gone." She said, her curly black hair streaming behind her.
"Will not." Hermione said with little meaning behind it. "Okay, it's only because you mean the world to me my miracle." She got tired of telling her to slow down so she cast the Horton Keitch Braking Charm on the broom.
Rose looked put out but hopped of it gracefully and held the now immobile broom in her hand. 'What's Hugo, if I'm the miracle?"
"Miracle 2.0, smart aleck."
8. Diffindo
Hermione wrote out her instructions for her kids, Hugo and Rose, on a 2 foot parchment. She severed it in two with Diffindo and gave one half to Rose and one to Hugo. "You both need to make Mummy and Daddy proud by not getting into any trouble this year. Rose, I do not want a repeat of last year. You nearly were expelled." Hermione said seriously. Hugo nodded seriously and looked to Rose for her nod. Rose just rolled her eyes.
"You've already explained to them the severity of such a course of action, Hermione. I doubt they need be told twice."
"This is the fifth time, Daddy," Hugo said quietly.
"See," Severus said with a soft smile, "One of them can listen just fine. But Rose, don't think just because the Potters' kids are doing it you have to follow along. They have the misfortune of being raised by two of the worst former trouble makers."
"Was Mum a troublemaker?" Rose asked with a large amount of doubt.
"No question. She was the brains, they were the brawn. Don't follow the example of any of the Weasley's either."
She nodded but they could both tell she wasn't listening.
36. Reducto
They were back in their home, alone. The silence felt deafening. She turned into his embrace and was caught off guard by his sudden passionate kiss. They made it to the love seat before anything got too damaged. Except the lamp she had kicked with her foot. Just as things were heating up the Floo in the living room fired up. Luna's head was in the fireplace. Hermione rolled out from under him and hoped Luna hadn't seen anything too damaging. "Hey, Luna, what's the matter?"
Luna smiled and said, "Nothing at all. By the way your zipper is undone."
Hermione scrambled to zip it up and blushed violently.
"I just wanted to inform you that Rolf and I are going to the Americas this school term. We won't be able to make your 15th anniversary party." Luna said with regret.
Hermione gave her an understanding smile, "It's alright. I'll owl you pictures."
"That'll be lovely, though I do hope the Flying Otterbees won't snatch them." Luna said before closing the connection abruptly.
"She is strange." Severus said suddenly. Hermione agreed but said anyway, "She's my friend."
"Did you cast reducto on this lamp?" Severus queried before resuming their activities.