This chapter is a little bit darker but we see the kinder side of Severus Snape (oh how we adore him)

For all those who aren't liking the Severus parts – he is important to the story :/ he appears quite a lot but not for too long.

Chapter 9

Over the next couple of weeks, Hermione found herself growing to like the snarky Potions Professor, who was actually quite sensitive towards her. One of the times that they were due to go see her, she had been struck down with a headache but had decided to go nonetheless. As soon as he had seen her in pain he had given her a potion to ease the pain and had then made her a cold drink. All they did during that time was talk, learning more and more about each other as they did.

On the last night that she was due to see him before the Christmas Holidays began, she was almost an hour late going to see Severus (as she now thought of him as). This time it was without Draco, and they took the time to sit down and relax.

However, Severus knew her habits, and knew that she wouldn't have been late without a sufficient reason, so it wasn't long before he asked her what her problem was.

"Why were you late?" He asked her, watching her reaction closely.

"No reason," Hermione replied, her eyes fixed on the page in front of her.

"Hermione, something is bothering you," Severus took the book out of her hands and laid it down on the table. "I'm here to listen. Please, what's wrong?"

"I was talking to Dumbledore," Hermione sighed, running her hand through her hair like she did when she was nervous. "I haven't heard from my parents in a while and they used to write every week. It's worrying. I mean, they lost their dental practice in August because of the economic crash."

"Ahh, I see," Severus looked thoughtful. "How long since you heard from them last?"

"Six weeks," Her lower lip trembled.

"I'm sure they're fine," Severus reassured her, moving over to her and wrapping her in his arms. "If anything's wrong then you can get hold of me and I'll come help, okay?"

She smiled up at him as a tear slipped down her face. He wiped it away then kissed her softly, allowing her to snuggle into him.

"You've become a right softie, you know that?" Hermione said.

"No, I haven't!" He seemed both shocked and annoyed by this observation.

"Would you have done this with anyone else?" Hermione asked.

"I used to," Severus said.

"Oh? With who?" Hermione asked.

"That's a story for another night," Severus replied. "Now, if you run into problems, send a patronus. What is your patronus?"

"An otter," Hermione replied. "Do you really think I'll need your help?"

"Hermione, you can call on me for anything. Anything at all. Even if it's emotional support, okay?"

"Thank you," she kissed him. "I appreciate it."

As Hermione snuggled back down into Severus, she couldn't help but wonder what Draco would be thinking about this. It was only supposed to be a sexual arrangement, but in the last couple of weeks she had found herself growing to like Severus, as surly and sarcastic as he was.

As soon as Hermione stepped through the wall of Platform 9 and ¾ onto King's Cross Station, she knew something was wrong. Her parents were nowhere to be seen. She saw Ginny, Ron and Harry go over to Mrs Weasley and she offered up a smile with a promise to visit sometime during the summer. But her mind was elsewhere.

She hurried into the bathroom and, after making sure no-one was around, apparated into the local park by her parents' house, which was thankfully deserted. She walked along the road, desperate to see how her parents were. When she reached her parents' house, she found it locked, and she fumbled about trying to find the key that was somewhere in her little overnight bag. Once she had located it she opened the door, only to take a step back as a musty smell hit her.

It was a strange smell, especially considering that her parents were almost OCD like in their cleaning due to their work. She stepped into the house and left the door open, hoping to air out some of the mustiness. She walked through the house and was disgusted by the amount of mess everywhere. It wasn't tidy. She reached up for the light switch but it simply flicked, not turning on at all.

"No electricity," she sighed to herself as she continued her walkthrough of the house.

Hermione went into the kitchen and found plates piled high and food caked to the crockery and the sides. There were stains up the wall as well. She covered her mouth and nose from the rancid smell and went up the stairs, dreading what she would find. In the hallway she stepped on something that cracked under her shoe. When she looked down she saw a needle on the floor.

"Oh, shit," Hermione began to breathe quickly, hoping for the best but fearing the worst.

As soon as she opened the bedroom door she screamed.

"Mum, Dad!" She cried out, rushing to the bed where they laid. She checked their pulses and when she was sure that they were still alive she pulled out her mobile phone which she used in the muggle world and called an ambulance.

Tears were beginning to fall now as she looked around the bedroom and found needles all over the floor. On the bedside locker she found a brown powder, and knew that her parents had been taking something highly illegal. She desperately tried to wake them up but to no avail. The bed was caked in a white substance, and she dreaded what it was.

By the time the ambulance arrived she was sobbing hard, standing helplessly by her parents' bed, unable to do anything to help.

"Alright, love, what's the situation?" An friendly paramedic asked her as he edged into the room.

"I don't know," she cried. "I've just come back from boarding school today and this is what I found. I think they've been doing drugs or something but they were normal before I left in September."

"Okay, it's going to be fine," he ushered her out of the wall and radioed for backup. "You don't need to worry about them."

"Why won't they wake up?" She asked.

"It's a common effect of heroin," He replied, causing her to cry out in alarm. "Look, love, what's your name?"

"Hermione," she took the tissue that he offered her.

"Okay, Hermione, I'm Luke," he began to check her Mum's vitals as his partner checked her Dad's. "We're going to look after your parents now. You can come along to the hospital in our ambulance, if you want, and then we can set you up with a place to stay if you have no immediate family nearby."

"Luke, I can stay here," Hermione said, purposefully looking at him so she wouldn't have to see her parents in such a sorry state.

"It's not really safe with all the needles," Luke said firmly.

"I'll stay in a B&B and call in a cleaning crew to get it all fixed," Hermione said, her logical brain beginning to kick in. "I want to be in my own home for Christmas."

"I understand that," Luke and his partner lifted her mum onto a stretcher just as the other paramedics arrived.

As Luke briefed them quickly, Hermione took in her parents' appearance for the first time. They were sallow, with spots and blisters over their faces and their exposed skin. Hermione realised that they were both dirty and smelt really bad and she had to forcibly hold down the contents of her stomach.

Before Hermione knew it she was sat in the back of an ambulance with Luke, who was carefully looking over her Mum as they rode along to the hospital.

"Is she going to be okay?" Hermione asked.

"Well, her vitals are relatively stable so as long as she stops taking heroin she should be fine," Luke smiled at her.

"Thank you," she smiled back.

"You said you've just come back from boarding school?" Luke began to make small talk. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen," Hermione answered. "I had to take a year out last year due to personal reasons."

"Oh, I see," Luke said. "Nasty then. Well I'm twenty-four now, just turned. Only finished my medical training last May."

"Wow, so you haven't been a paramedic for long then," Hermione commented.

"I graduated top of my class, your parents are in good hands with me," Luke mistook her comment as an insult.

"I didn't mean it like that," Hermione was quick to reassure him. "I meant, you handled the situation well. You checked their statistics and you managed to calm me down a little. You did well."

She smiled at him and he smiled back at her. After a few seconds she began aware of him looking at her a little intently, and she broke off the gaze and dipped her head, not wanting him to get the wrong idea.

They arrived at the hospital and it became hectic as they efficiently got her mother seen to and stabilised. However, her father was rushed in, the paramedics shouting out orders as they briefed the staff on the situation. Hermione barely managed to catch any words of it but she knew instantly that something was wrong. Her heart-rate raised and as she tried to hurry after them she was stopped and escorted into a 'family room'.

After about an hour, Luke popped his head round the door.

"Hey, Hermione," he stepped into the room. "My shift's just finished. I thought I'd bring you some tea. You don't seem like the coffee type."

"Thanks," she took the disposable cup and wrapped her hands around it, thankful for the warmth. "You're right. I hate coffee."

He sat down next to her.

"Don't you have somewhere to be rather than sitting in a room at a hospital with some stranger?" Hermione asked.

"Erm, no, not really," he looked down at the floor before looking back up at her. "My girlfriend left me back in February and I have no one to go home to so I tend to work a lot. Besides, I don't like the idea of you sat by yourself, especially when you came home to be with your family for Christmas."

"Thanks," Hermione said again.

After about half an hour of silence, a doctor came into the room. The serious expression on his face was enough to make Hermione leap to her feet.

"Miss Granger, I take it?" He asked. She nodded. "I'm Dr. Tiernan. I have to tell you that your father passed away a few minutes ago."

Hermione collapsed to her knees and cried out loud, the horror of the doctor's words almost too much for her to bear.

She was barely aware of the doctor leaving as Luke escorted her back onto a seat. Tears fell from her eyes as she cried for the sudden loss of her father, the loss of her father to a hideous habit. In fact, it had been her father who had sat her down from a young age and had described the horrors of illegal substances and now he had succumbed to them in the worst way.

"I'm so sorry about your father," Luke offered her a hug once she had calmed down a little and she accepted it, too upset to worry about simple things like him not being her boyfriend. "I'm here if you need me. If you need a place to crash, I've got a spare bed at mine."

"Um, Luke, thanks but no thanks," Hermione stepped back from his embrace.

"You have a boyfriend, right?" he sighed.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so," Hermione felt sorry for Luke. "Believe me, if I didn't, I'd been accepting your offer right about now. You're really nice and you're good-looking. Trust me, some girl will come along who deserves you."

"Thanks, Hermione," Luke smiled weakly. "Well, I actually live two streets down from your parents' house so maybe we could trade numbers and meet up sometime? Strictly as friends."

"Sounds like fun," Hermione quickly took his number down and offered hers. "I guess I'm going to have to go see my dad now."

"You don't have to," Luke said. "You can leave it."

"Luke, with all due respect, he was my father! He was a wonderful man and just because he started taking heroin does not make him any less of a wonderful man!" Hermione couldn't control the rage that spiralled up inside of her.

"Hermione, I didn't mean it like that," Luke tried to talk to her but she left the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

A kindly nurse showed her to where they were keeping her father until he was to be moved to the morgue and wisely left her alone. When she looked at her father she was shocked by just how much he had changed in only three months. He seemed emaciated and hollow, his cheeks sunken. When she touched his hand it seemed dry and papery, rather than the warmth and comfort she was accustomed to.

She broke down at his bedside, unable to deal with the death. She wasn't sure how long she was there, tears falling, clutching his hand, but it was a while later than Dr Tiernan was back to escort her to see her mother.

"Mrs Granger is stabilised and awake," He informed her as he took her along the A&E. "She seems alert and responsive, but we haven't yet told her about your father in fear it would send her into shock. I suggest you talk to her about anything else."

"Thank you, Dr Tiernan, for everything," she took his arm briefly before taking a deep breath and entering the private room that her mother was in.

As soon as she was inside her mother smiled at her.

"I know you, Hermione, don't blame yourself," she said instantly.

"But why not? You lost your dental practice and instead of helping you out I went back to school!" Hermione cried out.

"Hermione Jean Granger, shut up!" her mother had surprising force in her voice considering how weak she looked. "We love you and you need to calm down. We'll be fine. I promise."

"Mum, how did you get on this stuff in the first place?" Hermione asked the question that she was desperate to hear the answer for.

"It was just after you left. We were struggling with money and we used to go to the job centre all the time in the hope of finding jobs," her mother took a breath before continuing. "We made friends with some of the people there, people that were in a similar situation to us and we used to invite them around all the time. One time, one of our friends offered us a roll-up and we accepted it, not knowing that it was cannabis until after we'd tried a bit. We quickly became addicted to the high and starting trying more and more serious drugs. It was the feeling of being invincible and having no fears at all. God, it felt amazing."

There was a far-off look of happiness in her mother's eyes that Hermione didn't like.

"Mum, you have to stop it," Hermione pleaded. "Please. It's dangerous. You could die from it."

"I know," she dropped her head. "But I like the high."

"Mum, Dad's dead," Hermione blurted out. "He died about an hour ago from a heroin overdose."

Her mother's face crumpled for a minute and it was clear that she was fighting back tears. It was so difficult to see her mother so weak.

"Mum?" Hermione stepped forward.

"Hermione, I'll stop taking it," her mum looked at her with a fierce determination in her eyes. "Baby, I will stop it for you because you shouldn't have to lose your parents to something so pathetic after everything you've been through."

Hermione cried then, her mother embracing her like she had done many times before throughout her childhood. Hermione wept not only for the loss of her father, but for the loss of all those throughout the war, and for the bravery of her mother in a horror like this.

When Hermione finally got back home at about ten o'clock that evening, she wanted to collapse on her bed more than anything. However, she made it her first priority to clean up the household. She threw herself into her work, closing all the curtains so that the neighbours wouldn't see her performing the magic to clean up the place.

It took her almost three hours to clean the house back to its normal state. By the time she had finished there was no trace of the needles or the horrific stains all over the place. She dutifully cleaned up her parents' bedroom as well, but she had to take a few minutes out so she could sit down and try not to cry due to all of her father's things that brought back so many memories.

To her dismay, as she cleaned up the place she noticed that a few valuable things were missing, such as the television, the stereo and some of her mother's jewellery. Thankfully, her room had been left completely undisturbed, and her precious necklace that was left to her by her grandmother was still there, along with other valuables.

When she had finally cleaned up the whole house she sat down and composed two letters, one to each of her lovers, outlining what had happened. She called on the owl post delivery service and sent the letters off on their way.

Once it was all done she was able to collapse on her bed. She was asleep instantly.

It was breakfast at Hogwarts and Severus was looking his usual surly self as he took his place at the High Table. He had barely began eating his food when the owl post arrived.

He glowered into his plate, hating the owl post more than ever. Always at Hogwarts, it had been noted by the other students that he was practically the only one to never get any post. His parents simply hadn't cared enough about his to worry about contacting him during the school year, and even as a teacher he still never got post, his acquaintances always contacting him in different ways.

So it was a huge shock for an owl to drop a letter onto his lap. He started then checked the name on the envelope to make sure it really was for him. The headmaster looked at him inquiringly.

"Someone I should know about?" He asked, a twinkle in his eye.

"No, Headmaster," Severus said.

He looked at the writing and knew who it was from. The tiny, yet perfect font was the trademark handwriting of Hermione, and he tore open the letter, scanning the contents.

It was typical Hermione. She had informed him in almost a detached way the events of yesterday, and she had tried to remain nonchalant, but it was obvious that it was hurting her. When he reached the part about her father's death, he almost gasped, but managed to refrain from doing so.

He did scoff at the last bit, which read:

Although the situation may seem bad, I can assure you that I am perfectly capable of managing it by myself. I am not asking for your help, but I thought I had better inform you of the events that I've had encountered since leaving Hogwarts. I will see you in January.

All the best,

Hermione.

He turned to the Headmaster who was looking back at him over the top of his half-moon spectacles.

"Headmaster, would it be possible for me to go somewhere for the holidays?" Severus asked, his tone polite.

"Where?"

"That's personal," Severus's tone changed.

"Who's the letter from, Severus?" Dumbledore's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Please tell me it's not Draco."

"It's not Draco," Severus answered truthfully.

"Are you getting involved in another of my students, Severus? You know the protocol on that," Dumbledore warned.

"Albus, you know as well as I do that as long as the student is 17 or over, it is permitted," Severus replied calmly. "Now, please, can I go? Poppy has enough potions to get her by for a couple of months and I will be gone for two weeks top."

"Well, I guess that's okay then," Dumbledore said.

Severus rose up from the table and exited through the staff door. He went down to his quarters, quickly packed a bag and left Hogwarts for Hogsmeade.

Hermione awoke to a loud and persistant knocking on the front door. She dragged herself out of bed, ignoring the pounding in her head from all the crying she had done the day before, and went downstairs to open the door. All the grogginess was shocked at of her by who was at the door.

"Severus, what are you doing here?"

"I came to support you," He answered simply.

"I can manage myself," Hermione snapped.

He looked her up and down slowly with a smirk on his face and Hermione was painfully aware that she was still in yesterday's clothes and that her hair was a frightful mess. She clutched her cardigan around her tighter.

"It looks like it," he drawled.

Hermione grudgingly stepped aside and let him into the house. He appeared to be rather curious by the house, and Hermione led the way into the kitchen.

"Tea?" Hermione offered. "I would offer you coffee but my family hate it."

"Tea's good," Severus replied as he sat down on one of the breakfast stools.

Hermione busied herself with making the tea and she stood by Severus once she had finished.

"How are you holding up?" He asked.

"I'm fine," Hermione said shortly.

"Hermione, you are talking to me," Severus pressed.

She took a deep breath and when she looked at him her eyes were filled with tears. Instantly he engulfed her tightly in his arms as she cried and cried, unrelenting in her sobs. Severus simply stood there and held her until she had calmed down enough to lift her head away from his now soaked chest and stare up at him, her eyes red-rimmed.

"I'm sorry, I've made your shirt wet," she went to step away but Severus tightened his hold on her.

"It's okay," he said, "Besides, I like how you feel in my arms."

"Ohh, is the moody Severus Severus a secret romantic at heart?" Hermione lightly teased.

"I'll have you know that I am actually," he answered, a frown on his face. "The only reason why I was also so moody was because of what I had to do at those awful Dark Revels and also because I was mourning for someone that I had loved with every fibre of my being and who had never reciprocated."

Hermione froze up and stepped back, her heart falling at the thought of Severus loving another. Severus understood her actions and pulled her back again.

"She's out of the picture permanently," Severus continued softly. "I think some part of me will always love her. I loved her for so many years and she was my first love after all. But, I've moved on. Why should I get upset and angry over someone who died many years ago?"

"Severus, who was it?" Hermione asked.

"Lily Evans," Severus sighed.

"As in, Harry's mum?" Hermione checked. "Jesus Christ, I would never have thought that!"

"Well, in my defense, I did know her before school," Severus seemed a little offended by Hermione's reaction. "We were friends up until fifth year when an unfortunate incidence threw her into the arms on my most hated enemy."

"James Potter," Hermione looked at him wide-eyed.

"Yes," Severus looked as if he was going to expand that but they were interrupted by an owl tapping on the window. Hermione rushed over to the window and let it in, taking the letter off its leg and placing a knut in the pouch strapped to it. It flew off, a little affronted about the lack of food. Hermione recognised the scrawl on the outside of the parchment and her heart fluttered as she unrolled it to read Draco's words.

My dearest Hermione,

I can't help but write this in a state of shock. This was the last thing I expected, especially considered how you have talked about your parents in the last few months. However, although I am rather taken-aback by the events, my primary concern is you, my dear. How are you taking it? The loss of a parent is horrible in the best circumstances (take it from someone who knows) and I dread to think just how you're feeling. I want you to know that I will be there tomorrow, but I will have to leave to come back to the Manor for Christmas.

My mother is perfectly understanding of the situation and passes on her condolences. In fact, she has asked that you attend the Christmas dinner at our place, save you having to deal with Christmas alone. I will talk to you about everything tomorrow, and I want you to know that if you ever need me, all you have to do is write me and I will be there in an instant.

I love you,

Draco.

"Oh, God," Hermione clutched the letter.

"What's wrong?" Severus asked, trying to glance at the letter.

"I've been invited to Malfoy Manor for Christmas," Hermione said.

"Well, I'm not surprised," Severus laughed. "With Lucius gone there is no qualms about muggleborns entering the house. Narcissa adores all company, regardless of their stature."

"Why was she a Death Eater then?" Hermione questioned.

"Alas, love is blind," Severus sighed. "She only joined the Death Eaters to please her husband. She loved him desperately and all he ever did was have affair after affair after affair."

"That's horrible," Hermione was stricken. "Poor woman."

"Lucius never did learn how to treat women, I'm afraid to say," Severus said. "Poor Narcissa was often beaten and Lucius regularly offered her to other Death Eaters to enjoy. He didn't care about her."

"That's sick," Hermione felt a little ill at the thought. "That really is sick."

"Yep, but she put up with it so it's her own fault," Severus said casually.

"What is wrong with you?" Hermione exclaimed. "The poor woman was in love and if you truly love someone you'd do anything for them."

"Maybe so, but something like that isn't love, its domination," Severus answered.

"Yeah, and you'd know all about domination, wouldn't you, Severus," a familiar voice interrupted them.

Hermione squealed and ran into the arms of her beloved. He dropped his small holdall and held her tightly to him, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow?" Hermione said questionably.

"I know but my Mother decided that I should come to your side as soon as possible, so here I am," he smiled at her.

Hermione turned to look at Severus and was surprised by the look he was giving Draco. It was full of daggers, and Hermione reckoned she had never seen so much hatred before, not even aimed at Harry.

"What's wrong?" She asked him.

"Nothing," he snarled.

"Severus doesn't like the fact that I referred to his joys of domination," Draco explained, his voice sour.

"Domination?" Hermione looked puzzled. "You mean, as in, S&M?"

"Exactly like that."

"Shut up, Draco," Severus was fuming now.

"Severus used to be my dom, and I was his sub," Draco explained, much to Hermione's shock. "It was from my fifth year up until my seventh year. He taught me everything I know."

"You mean, you two, were together?" Hermione pointed a shaking finger between the two.

"Yes," Draco said. "We were. That's one of the reasons why we thought of this whole threesome thing."

"Draco, shut the fuck up!" Severus lost his composure.

"You wanted to fuck each other again, didn't you?" Hermione's voice rose. "You just didn't want to lose me. God, you two make me feel sick! You know what? You're more than welcome to have one another! I'm leaving."

"Where are you going?" Draco asked, his voice worried and his face pale.

"Somewhere away from you two."

As she left the room she heard Severus begin to shout at Draco. By the time they had thought to chase her down, she had disappeared.

Ooooooo :O Hermione now knows…why did Draco tell her?

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