Authors Notes: These characters are JK Rowling's, not mine…I'm just giving them a different ending. I would love your reviews and comments but please be kind; this is my very first story.
Blissful sleep By: Sage Spelling
Chapter 9: The Tour of Greece
~Hermione~
Hermione looked in the mirror and surveyed her appearance; she wore a cream and red polka dot short summer dress that fit her tight around the bust and waist and sat off her right shoulders with a small ruffle.
Her mass of hair was being a problem; she finally decided to tie it to the side letting her curls loose on her shoulder. Looking at the clock, she realized he will be there in ten minutes, her pulse started to race in anticipation and she wondered what the night had in store.
All afternoon she could not focus on anything other than him. He has changed so much she thought; the manner in which he carried himself was so different than before, he no longer was tense and uptight but relaxed. He was always well mannered but now he was rather debonair. She wondered how can he changed so much, but then she realized he didn't change, he just never had the chance to be himself. As long as she's known him, he had been a tortured soul and a double agent working for two mad men. How would he have time to be debonair, she thought as she shook her head.
She has been wondering about the memory he seen while she was sleeping. She wanted to ask him what he viewed but she feared which memory it was. Whatever he viewed she knew was what softened him towards her and she didn't want to ruin it. The problem was, she had a problem not saying what was on her mind and knew she could not control herself for long.
The sight of him standing in the open door made her stir somewhere below her dress; sending tingles through her body. His tall and lean but muscular form made his white button down shirt grip to his arms and shoulders. His white shirt was tucked in to his tailored black trousers, showing every curve in his statues physique. His usual cold stare had turned in to a cocky smirk, as he noticed her reaction to him and the look in her eyes.
"Hello Hermione" he said in a sneaker.
Realizing she was staring at him and that he noticed, she recovered herself and invited him in.
"Hi…come on in, just have to grab something,"she said a little breathless as she walked away from him to the desk.
She noticed him watching her, the look in his eyes were not far from hers.
"A camera, have you turned in to Mr. Creevey?" He asked.
Laughing she said, "Tonight I will."
"Do not harass me to take pictures Hermione…I do not care for them."
Shaking her head, she answered in a very innocent voice,
"I wouldn't dare…I just want pictures of the sites we see." smiling to herself at the idea.
"All ready!" she said with a smile, "Where too?"
"It's a surprise."
"A surprise?"
"We did toast to surprises…did we not?"
"Well, yes….I thought that was just for lunch?"
"No Hermione, it's for the reminder of your stay in Greece…take my arm, I will apparate us to the first place…believe me, you will not be disappointed."
She placed her arm slowly in to his, feeling his muscular arm under hers and then felt his other arm around her as she began to feel the familiar pull and they disappeared from her room.
When they landed, she opened her eye to survey their surroundings, not wanting to let go of him, she held on for balance; the rocky ground did not seem solid enough for her high wedged sandals. The sight in front of her was breath taking, they were standing on what looked like a mountain; a very high one. The sky was crystal clear as she noticed the sun starting to set. The sun seemed so close, as if she could reach out and touch it.
A bird caught her attention, and she asked "Is that a woodland kingfisher?"
"Yes, do you know where we are?"
"Are we on Mount Olympus?"
Smirking at her he said "Yes, we are. We are on Mytikas, the highest peak in Greece."
"It's magnificent! Completely breathe taking." she said as she tried to balance herself to take out her camera and take pictures.
Noticing she was not capable of keeping her balance without holding on to him, he held her waist and she leaned on him for support.
"Sorry, it seems I wore the wrong shoes for this evening."
Looking down at her legs with a very lustful look, while holding her for balance he said, "Practical they are not, but I do not believe they can possibly be wrong."
She could not help the tingling sensation she felt traveling through her body as she leaned against him. She shot pictures of the cliff, the sky, the bird and even the bottom of the cliff.
"Are you done? I have more places for us to see?"
"Yes." she answered.
His arms still around her waist from behind, she felt him holding her tighter and pulling her against his body; he apparated them.
As she opened her eyes she was faced with massive columns of limestone. "Oh Severus, the Parthenon!" she said in awe.
He had landed them in the middle facing the ruins of the ancient temple and she was able to balance on her own; he slowly let go of her and she had no choice but to let him.
She moved towards the ruins of the temple, she wanted to touch them; taking out her camera, she took pictures of the ancient temple. As she reached the columns, she touched them with her finger tips. There was something so reassuring about them, they were old and ruined because of war and the power struggles through the years but still they stood tall and still very beautiful; the site of them brought tears to her eyes.
"Hermione, are you alright?" he asked as he stepped closer to her putting his hand on the small of her back.
"Yes, it's there just so beautiful."
"Yes, they are."
Watching her face he asked, "May I see your camera.'"
"Of course" she said a little curious.
He took the camera in his hands and said, "Let me take a picture of you standing here."
Amused he wanted to photograph her; she turned and faced him, the wind in her hair, her eyes still glossy with tears, her flowing dress moving with the wind. He took the picture with an expression on his face she could not read.
Finally he spoke, "Are you ready for dinner?"
"Yes, I'm suddenly famished."
Moving towards her and taking her arm by the elbow while his eyes still watched her intensely with a look she didn't understand, then he apparated them way.
They landed again, but this time Hermione recognized where they were; they were back to the wizarding part of the Apollo Coast. As they started to stroll through the cobble streets of the coast, walking very closely to each other but their bodies barely touched. She wondered and then had to ask.
"Why Greece?"
"Hmm?" He answered, as he seemed to be pulled from his thoughts.
"Why did you choose to move to Greece?"
He looked at her for a moment before he answered, "When I visited here once years ago on a mission for Voldemort, I found it comforting and after the war, it's was one of the first places that came to mind when I thought of getting away."
"I can understand that, it seems like a different world here."
They walked in quiet for the reminder of their stroll. She was surprised by his answer; she didn't expect him to ever mention the war or Voldemort to her.
They reached a path surrounded with exotic plants and flowers as they walked through it she noticed a golden gate that glistened with a pull of very strong magic.
Intrigued she asked, "Where are we?"
"This is the entrance to the Muggle part of the coast."
"We are going into a Muggle city?"
"Yes, there is a Restaurant on this part of the coast that I enjoy."
"I didn't think you would enjoy any part of a muggle area?"
Smirking at her he answered, "Truly I do not, not for long anyway…I found this restaurant when I first came to Greece, I lived in a muggle village not too far from here and would eat at this restaurant often."
"You lived in a muggle village?" she asked with shock in her voice.
"Why does that surprised you? My father was a muggle if you recall."
"I know…I just can't imagine you living away from our world, is all. I find it difficult and I have muggle parents and school friends."At the mention of her parents she had the impulse to ask him about their memory being restored but felt that it was not the right time.
"I will admit I did not enjoy living as a muggle but at first I wanted nothing to do with the magical world…I even worked in that building over there."
"What did you do there?"
"I worked in the Pharmacy as a Technician."
"Well, I guess that makes sense…I always thought that potions are equivalent to pharmacy."
"Yes and I learned quite a bit that I have incorporated with potions I create for patients."
They reached the restaurant and were seated by the hostess. The interior of this place was completely authentic. In the Greek fashion, murals painted on the walls in tribute to the Greek Gods and the tables and chairs were all white and covered with white and blue striped table cloths resembling their flag. The table was set in a private alcove in a balcony facing the ocean.
"I see why you like this place, it's really beautiful."
"It is not the only reason, you must try there cuisine, it's impeccable."
He ordered for them again and a glass of wine was set in front of her.
She lifted her glass and toasted, "To you Severus, thank you for showing me around this magnificent place!"
Lifting his glass to her he said, "It has been my pleasure Hermione." Drinking her in with his eyes, then he drank from his glass and she followed.
She looked out over the sea mesmerized by the moon and stars, he spoke waking her from her daze.
"Hermione, so do tell; I was surprised to see a picture of you with Mr. Boot last summer when the Prophet did the article on the Golden Trio." He snickered as he said Golden Trio.
"You still have a subscription to the Daily Prophet?" she asked amused.
"Yes, I kept it at first to make sure no signs of trouble would follow here; then I supposed I kept it because I never believed the trouble was truly over."
"Well, yes I guess we all are on guard even after so many years."
"That does not answer my question Hermione, you and Mr. Boot? I thought you and Mr. Weasley were an item?" he asked in a smirk that reminded her of the old Severus.
"Ron and I are friends, we were never more."
"I remember Molly planning your wedding while you were in your fifth year."
"Yes, Mrs. Weasley always assumed Ron and I would marry, she loved me as a daughter and wished I would truly become one I suppose. But she's happy now; Ron is getting married in a couple of weeks to Pamda Patil."
"Poor Miss Patil… and you and Mr. Boot?"
"We are no longer together."
"And that is because?" he asked waiting for her to explain.
She didn't want to talk to him about Terri and their love affair, it was over and was never meant to be but he has been open with her and she didn't want to shut him out and she had a few questions of her own to ask so she answered, "Terri and I ending our relationship because our feelings for each other were not mutual, he wanted to marry and have a family but I did not… at least not with him."
"I see." is all he said.
"How about you? Any steamy relationships here in Greece?" she asked shyly, wanting to lighten the mood between them again.
An amused grin formed on his face as he answered "Any relationship I am involved in is…as you say… steamy, Hermione."
Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks she said "Are you involved in a relationship at the moment?"
She really did wanted to know, not wanting to get involved if he was, even though she knew at this point it didn't matter; she wanted this man, really bad. She watched him as he looked over the ocean, thinking about his answer before he spoke, he turned to her and looking at her with very lustful eyes he said "We shall see."
Trying to contain her excitement at his last words she changed the subject.
"May I ask you a question?" she asked.
"If I say no…will it stop you?" he answered with a smirk.
"No, Undoubtedly not." She smiled shyly and asked "Why did you leave England?"
He watched her for a moment as if he was thinking about his answer and then he spoke "I needed to get away…from everyone and everything I knew."
"I don't understand…why did you need to get away?"
"I had lost who I thought I was, as a young man I had joined Voldemort and believed I was evil and then after joining Dombledore I still worked as a double agent between the two derange wizards doing there bidding. I never truly found myself. I never thought I was going to have the chance but someone saved me and gave me a second life." He said softly as his black eyes burned in to hers.
"The nerve of that insufferable know-it all", she said with a small smile as she continued, "Honestly I agree, Dombledore was as deranged as Voldemort and used anyone he could and claimed it was for the greater good."
"That he did indeed." is all he said and she thought it would be best to leave the rest of her questioning for another time.
After two bottles of wine and dinner they strolled back to the Golden Gate, as they walked Hermione felt intoxicated and she walked very close to him. He didn't seem to mind, his hand on the small of her back to guide her in the right direction and keep her close. He was on his best behavior, he seemed much more alert then her but still relaxed. Once they reached the gate he turned to her and without a word held her tightly to him as she opened up her arms to embrace him. While in his arms she felt that familiar pull as the Golden Gates disappeared from view.
Once she opened her eyes she was standing in her hotel room still in his arms. She looked up at him and he was watching her, he seemed in deep thought as if they were locked within each other's arms.
Finally he moved and he reached to touch her face; his fingers caressed her cheek, as he gazed at her.
She closed her eyes to his touch and then felt his lips on her cheek, he kissed her ever so softly and lingered a moment.
She felt his breath near her ear as he whispered "Goodnight Hermione" in his silky voice that made her melt in his arms.
She opened her eyes almost to protest, but thought better of it.
"Goodnight Severus," she whispered in return but not letting go.
He smiled at her then slowly letting go and stepped away; not giving her a choice.
"I will Owl you tomorrow." he said and he disappeared before her eyes.
She stayed there for a moment, staring at the spot he disappeared from completely disappointed and dumfounded that she was alone in her room without him.
