'I always hated flying.'
It was an odd thought to have while falling from a broom. Hermione watched the sky as she felt her body hurl toward the ground. Brooms carrying witches and wizards flinging curses back and forth. It was the final battle, it had happened during a quidditch match, hence the ridiculous amount of wizards and witches on brooms, and Hermione had been tossed a broom by Ron and expected to fly. Look where it got her. 'I'm probably going to be the first paraplegic witch.' But her thought was quickly dashed by a strong arm catching her about her middle and zooming in another direction. Hermione thought idly of whiplash and nausea, but all too quickly she had her wand in hand and flinging curses at the death eaters teeming over the quidditch pitch.
Hermione was too busy to look or even think of her savior, but clung tightly to his frame. She knew it was a him by the masculine scent, the tight abdomen, and the muscled back. Not that she didn't know personally the physical build of every man at Hogwarts, but her savior felt like none she had encountered before. Pushing her thoughts aside, Hermione focused on what she could and couldn't see. The numbers of death eaters were quickly thinning. Daring a glance toward the grassy plain of the pitch, Hermione felt her axis tilt and her vision swim. Clinging tighter to her savior, she took several breaths before closing her eyes. So many bodies! She bit her tongue to keep the tears back. Oh, goddess! Her anger swelled within her chest and with new abandon, flung curse after curse at the silver masked men and women daring to harm her friends.
Harry was flying like a hornet, weaving through the students, faculty, and death eaters searching for Voldemort. You would have thought that someone who was so avid about attacking society would at least be prominent, not hiding away like some coward. He had seen Hermione fall from her broom, but was surprised when Professor Snape had caught her mid air. Harry had been heading her direction to catch her when he saw the save. Harry's opinion of the surly Professor changed then, he met eyes with Snape and nodded. An approval among men. Harry had pulled a hard turn making a death eater go head first into a barrier wall.
He chanced a glance at Hermione and caught his breath. Her cinnamon hair flew around her like a halo, her amber eyes snapped like lightning, and her face glowed like an Amazon within battle. She was magnificent. Harry shook his head to clear it and in doing so spotted Voldemort making haste from the pitch. With a snarl, Harry followed.
Ron saw Harry take after Voldemort and smirked, it was like his best friend to keep his eye on the most important. Knowing that the future was in able hands, Ron turned to throw a couple of hexes at some Durmstrang students and a couple of death eaters. He only hoped that he was able to be by Harry's side at the victory. He was his best friend, and best friends had to be there for each other. Even in victory.
Harry held his wand aloft and took a deep breath. "Riddle!" Harry bellowed. It echoed within the narrow halls of the pitch's underbelly. The cloaked figure spun and hissed inhumanly.
"Potter!" Voldemort pulled his wand from the pocket within his sleeve. "I knew this day would come. The oracle told of it. And here we are." His words hissed and grated.
"We are." Harry kept his eyes glued to Voldemort. "Let's be done with this, shall we? It's eighteen years in the making, the least we can do it make it flashy." Harry smirked.
"So like your father, you are. He was cocky until the end you know." Voldemort's slit of a smile looked hideous. "Thinking that I was so easy to kill."
"I know my father was cocky. I know how much I am like him, but I will never know from my perspective, will I?" Harry growled. "You stole my childhood!" He nearly trembled with hate.
"You hate me, don't you?" Voldemort's smile was so reptilian. "Feed it. It will justify your actions." The dry acidic laugh from his lips made Harry's skin crawl.
"I do this for everyone you've killed. Everyone who's had their life ruined by you!" Harry could feel his wand arm tingle, warmth spreading to his fingers. "For Hermione's parents, for Ron's brother, for Neville's parents, Sirius!" Harry grew louder with each death. "You stole their lives from them!" Harry pointed his wand at Voldemort. "Face your death you sniveling coward!" Like a shockwave, Harry felt a burst of warmth exit his hand and shoot into his wand. It exploded in a flash of color and light, enveloping the hall in a bright light. Harry felt his glasses crack from the impact and staggered. This wasn't about him, this wasn't about just his friends, this was about everyone. Everyone who had lost their lives and those mourning the lives. Harry steadied himself and let out a yell, forcing the power from his hand toward the center of that grief.
This, was for them. Harry saw Voldemort get ripped apart, and it wasn't until he was a mass of flesh scattered down the hall that Harry passed out.
Hermione was lowered on her saviors broom when a flood of light erupted from an entrance to the pitch.
"Harry!" Hermione gasped and as soon as her feet touched the ground, she rushed toward the hallway, forgetting the secret identity of her savior. Wizard and witch alike gathered around the entrance as the light faded to a dim glow. She saw Dumbledore sweep in like a phoenix and soon several other Order members followed. She spotted Ron's ginger locks near his siblings.
"Ron! What happened? Can you see anything?" At five eight, Hermione was not short, neither was she as tall as Ron's impressive six three.
"I saw Harry follow Voldemort into the tunnel." Ron was peering into the hallway.
"Do, you think, he's alright?" Ginny sounded distraught.
"We must have faith that Mister Potter can handle himself." The rolling voice of Professor Snape came from behind them.
"Professor." Charlie Weasley nodded at the elder Professor.
"Weasley." Snape nodded.
"Harry!" Hermione lurched forward when Hagrid came stumbling out with Harry's body in his arms.
"He is quite fine Ms. Granger. Merely unconscious." Dumbledore followed with a large bag floating behind him. "And I can assure you all that Voldemort is quite gone. What remains is within this bag. Magically sealed." Dumbledore gave a tired smile and walked forward. The crowd parted and let the trio through.
"It's over?" Hermione dropped her wand, and brought a trembling had to her mouth. "Over?" Her voice merely a whisper.
"It's over!" Ron whooped, he grabbed the nearest girl - which happened to be a very flummoxed Beauxbatons student - and kissed her soundly on the mouth. Hermione on the other hand felt her vision blur and her chest tighten. All of this time for vengence and anger, it was over. She no longer had to fight for her parents' untimely death, or for her friends' futures…. It seemed oddly overly done…. There was no more purpose.
Professor Snape was feeling the same. For nearly twenty two years his actions had led to this moment. All of the pain, broken bones, and scars had come to a close in a flash of light. His vengence was stolen from him. His end was stolen! What was the purpose of tomorrow, what was the purpose of going on? Severus snarled to himself. There was always his poison sitting in a small bottle next to his bed, if decided to end his life, which seemed to be the next step. What good would he do if there was nothing to be done? Teach? He ever so loved that, the sniveling children, the whining, the whispers. Severus restrained from pinching the bridge of his nose to curb the migraine that was going to bloom soon. He could take off these ridiculous glamour charms and look as he should, not like some unwashed, greasy rat. He turned to head back to the castle. His dungeons should be in tact, his lab hidden was in tact he knew. It was his spirit that lay dying on the pitch.
Hermione watched Snape leave in a swish of robes billowing behind him. Seeing that she was not up for kissing random men, or making out with a Weasley Brother, Hermione followed her professor back to the castle. In her years at Hogwarts, Hermione had felt oddly connected to the recluse of a teacher known as the Potions Master. He never was one for social engagements - like herself. Never one of shirk his scholarly duties - like herself. And willing to do the right thing, even if it made you look bad - like herself. Hermione caught up to him just as he was mounting the steps to the great hall.
"Professor." Hermione choked out. He paused and half turned on the stairs.
"Ms. Granger." A delicate brow arched above his nearly black eye.
"I.. I was wondering if… we could talk." Hermione swallowed hard. She saw Professor Snape set his jaw and a tick began near his ear.
"Is this academic? Or perhaps a personal matter?" His voice came out strained. Snape turned slowly to face her mostly on the stone stairs.
"I… I just. I don't have anyone to talk to." Hermione looked toward the hems of their robes.
"After seven years you decide to strike up a conversation with me now? I would think Mr. Potter or Weasley would be able to talk to you." He nearly sneered.
"I… I don't want to be alone." Hermione whispered. Snape blinked as he studied her bent head. He could deal with his house student, he could deal with a hurt child, but the emotions of a girl outside of the classroom were quite different.
"Ms. Granger, I'm hardly the type to consult on your state of distress." Snape began to turn around when a soft body was plastered to his side.
"Please!" She half sobbed into his chest. She breathed in his scent and then her eyes snapped open. "You! You caught me out on the field!" Her eyes met his.
"Ms. Granger, this is highly inappropriate. Please, let me go." He looked at her in distress.
"Professor, you saved my life! Thank you." She hugged him closer and Snape felt his awkwardness grow ten fold. Her young body was doing odd things to him and he needed to go kill himself so that he may move onto the next life.
"Ms. Granger, please." Snape was about to finish his thought when her arms snaked around his neck and pulled him down for her to place a kiss on his shocked lips.
"Thank you. Now may we go talk? Not as a student to a professor, but from person to person?" Snape sighed in defeat. There was a reason Ms. Granger had the highest marks in his class. She was vicious enough to fight for them.
"This way." Severus had to put of his death for another hour or so, that would be fine. He'd end up in the same place anyway.
Ron looked around for any sign of Hermione.
"Ginny, did you see Hermione anywhere?" Ron kept looking.
"I saw her head back to the castle with Professor Snape. Maybe she was tired." Ginny yawned. "As am I. Plus I would like to see how Harry is."
"I'll walk you back." Ron sighed. Life was good. Life was going to keep going. Percy didn't die in vain, he died a good man.
Severus seated Hermione in one of his wing backed chairs that was placed before the hearth that held a cauldron and ladle. It crackled in the silence of the dungeons making them a lukewarm temperature, fighting off the usual nipping cold.
"Drink?" Severus held up a glass.
"Tonic and lime please." Hermione curled into the chair. Professor Snape's rooms were comfortable enough that Hermione wished her own home was like it. A glass appeared in front of her, signaling that Snape was there.
"What is it that you wished to talk about, Ms. Granger?" He held a tumbler with and amber colored liquid swirling with a couple of ice cubes.
"How is it that we are so alike, yet hate each other?" Hermione asked frankly.
"I never said I hated you, Ms. Granger. Annoyed at times, but never hate. And alike in what ways?" He sipped from the glass.
"We both hate social engagements yet attend for our colleagues or in my case fellow students. We both would rather read texts than chase a small golden snitch. We're both left handed. And we both read Voltaire." Hermione smiled when Snape's eyebrows rose considerably.
"And how do you know what I read?" He asked silkily - which happened when he was angry or extremely pleased.
"You leave copies on your desk when I turn in my scrolls." She smirked. "We both feel empty right now." She smiled sadly into her cup. "For different reasons, but once empty does not every glass look the same?" She looked at his shocked face.
"What.." She cut him off.
"Your entire adult life has been committed to Voldemort's downfall, while my entire childhood was wrecked by him. With his death, our lives are somewhat over in a sense." Setting the glass on the table beside her, she stood. "You were planning to die out there, weren't you?"
"Yes." He stared into the watery contents of his glass.
"But instead of dying, you saved me." Hermione put her hands on her hips, her hair flowing around her like a cape.
"Yes." Snape growled and set the glass on the table beside hers.
"You were probably going to swallow a poison and be done with it, weren't you?" She peered at him angrily.
"Yes! But what is it to you! What is it to any of these drunk with their own mortality children that think that since the big bad wolf is gone that they're safe!" He felt a vein tick in his forehead. Turning quickly, he growled. "I don't look like this. I do this for a reason." Snape murmured with his back to Hermione. He pulled out his wand and murmured beneath his breath.
"Professor?" Hermione whispered.
"I'm not a monster." Snape turned to Hermione and she gasped. He wasn't a monster, but a man with so much weight upon him. Instead of the sallow skin, beaky nose, and yellowing teeth, he looked different, yet the same. His nose was more aristocratic, his skin a faint olive, and his teeth were well behind a pair of well sculpted lips. "This is how Potter's sire would have known me. But for the apt description of a potions master, I had to change my appearance." He stepped toward her. "What do you think of me now little girl? The wolf has been in sheep's clothing this entire time, will you scream?"
"No." She sighed out. "Because, inside, the wolf hurts too." Hermione reached up to trace his features with her fingers. "The wolf feels lonely too." She rose on tip toe to press her lips against his own. "And when the wolf is hurt, the sheep wants to be eaten." With this she pressed her lips to his reverently as if it was the last kiss she would ever have.
Snape felt his arms wrap around the woman, for no girl should kiss like this, and pull her against him. He felt choked up, a lump settled in his throat, and his heart felt warm. The chit of a girl had known him more than he had known himself. He would never love, but this moment would stay with him. Two lonely people in a world of happiness. Two people lost within the celebration.
He dragged her toward his rooms still pinning her to his body.
"Professor." She sighed.
"Severus, call me Severus." He nearly panted. Her fingers were entwined in his hair and her lips were making a trail down his throat.
"Severus." Her voice was soft like a cloud and made him groan as he settled her on the bed.
"We're just lonely people in need of human touch." He growled as he unbuttoned his shirt quickly.
"Yes." She was quickly undressing herself and lay back on the bed with her shirt splayed and fingers fumbling for the catch of her bra.
"Nothing outside of tonight. Tonight is for lonely people." He growled going for his pants.
"Yes." She shimmied out of her skirt and knickers.
"Keep the stockings on." She had a pair of thigh highs that were kept up by a garter belt, so innocent yet so sexy. His erection stood firm as he leaned over her. "The wolf is lonely."
"The sheep is willing." Hermione murmured as he pressed his lips to hers and thrust deeply into her. She was no virgin, yet he felt so different! Wrapping her legs about his firm hips, she clawed at his back as he set a slow yet vicious pace. Gasping into his ear, he ground his pubic bone into her clit making her squeal. "Severus!" She gasped. He groaned into her ear.
"Hermione." The first time her name slipped from his lips, Hermione felt her control slip and she came around him. He held still and ground his teeth together. Slowing the pace even more, she worked on the placement of the movement. Groaning, he made sure to hit her hot spot each time and felt the familiar spiral of release. "Gods above!" He growled. Thrusting hard, he felt her convulse around him sending him into a shockwave of an orgasm. Moaning, he was barely able to hold himself above her. His body a thin coat of sweat gleaming in the fire light.
"Severus." Hermione's voice sounded a bit frightened.
"Yes?" His eyelids were half mast as he turned his gaze upon her.
"I think you got me pregnant." She looked away from him. Her words sunk in like a ton of bricks.
"Shit."
A/N: I like my notes at the end so ha! Um, I recommend you download Enigma's Gravity of Love and listen to it while reading, It's great reading music specially for this piece. So, yeah… that's bout it. Glad ot be back!