AN: I do not own Harry Potter and I write for enjoyment and others. I do not make any money from this. Chorozon and the dark creatures move the End forward
Winding Down Chapter 11
Luna and Neville groaned and stood up in front of the cave the stayed in while in hiding from Voldemort.
"Hermione must have turned her coin." Neville muttered. "We knew it was coming."
Luna pointed to a smoking form curled up on the ground. "Unless Hermione has grown a few inches, I think not."
Neville rushed up and turned the form over and jumped back. "It's Snape!"
Luna pushed her husband aside and checked him over. "Neville we need to get him inside and out of what is left of his clothes off of him and check for injuries. Now move!"
Neville immediately picked up the unconscious wizard and immediately went inside with Luna lighting the torches. Gently placing his ex-professor on the cot he mentally chanted. "Please let him have underwear, please let him have underwear…" Carefully removing the burnt robes and left him in said undergarments.
Luna went to the kitchen and used her wand to fill it with water. Walking back in, she knelt down next to the unconscious man and used a washcloth to gently wash away the grime and make sure there were no injuries. "No injuries so far." Luna murmured.
A thump was heard outside of the cave. "Go get Hermione and tell her Headmaster Snape is here."
Neville rushed out of the cave and a few minutes later Hermione walked in. "Is this why you turned the coin?"
"We thought it was you." Luna replied back.
Hermione knelt down next to Luna casted a diagnostic spell she learned during her life on the run from Voldemort with Harry and Ron.
Hermione covered him with a sheet at the foot of the cot. "Let's have a chat outside."
They left the cave and went to the ledge of the cliff. "Tell me everything."
They told of the years that passed and Julius foolishly taking Cherise back to France, with no word back and sensed that he died.
"So tell us about what you've been up to the last three days." Neville asked.
Hermione talked about her time in America and stuck in a room for a few days watching the Yank's demise courtesy of video and radio communication.
"Everyone is dead." Luna sobbed out.
"Yes." Hermione whispered. "We talked about Destiny in the past. That will come shortly and we need to find out what Headmaster Snape has been up to for he is the one to turn the coin." She held their hands. "And we need to accept our Destiny."
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Severus moaned out in the twilight between wake and sleep. He fought against consciousness knowing he would feel pain. Pain of physical and mental sort.
He fought to keep his eyes closed and a voice chuckled out. "I know you're awake."
Opening his eyes, he found warm brown eyes locking into his. "You turned a coin that was given to Luna, Neville and their son Julius. Care to tell me how you came by it?"
Severus snarled back. "I'll tell you if you apply burn paste to my back."
Hermione murmured in shock. "They did not tell me of injuries and the diagnostics I ran indicated no injury. It will take me a couple of hours to create it. I do have Sleeping Draught to tide you over though."
"I remember Longbottom chanting that he hoped I had underwear. What diagnostics you ran on me needs improvement." He sniped back.
She refused to be treated as a First Year. "Better than nothing! Remember my education was prevented and little access to knowledge." She snapped back.
"Get me the Draught and apply the paste and then we'll talk." Snape replied back tiredly and laid back down on his cot.
He watched her leave and come back in a moment with a phial of blue liquid. "Take this and turn on your stomach. Fortunately for you I do know how to heal burns after breaking in Bellatrix's vault."
He drank portion of Sleeping Draught and lay as commanded. "I am sorry that you have to be with me at the end Hermione." Severus murmured out and fell asleep.
Hermione looked over him, shaking her head in sadness while she covered his back with a light sheet.
She joined her friends in the kitchen portion of the cave. "He has burns on his back and I've given him a sleeping draught. I'm going to my room and create a burn paste. Let me know if he wakes up or in discomfort."
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Severus slowly woke up, realizing that he was not on the cot but in a proper bed not in the main room.
Sitting up, he reached a hand behind him and felt no burns, only his normal scars.
It was then he realized he was naked. Shit. He found a pair of black pajamas lying on a chair and quickly dressed.
Just as he debated changing his dress, Hermione walked in with a tray of food. "I was hoping you'd be awake." Smiling and placed the tray on a rickety table next to the bed.
He remained silent and watched her fidget nervously.
"We need to know what you've been up to so we can prepare." She started and nibbled her lower lip in nervousness.
No change from when she was his student, "There is nothing to prepare for Miss Granger."
"There is always hope Headmaster Snape." She firmly replied back.
"And this is coming from one who told me to accept Destiny?" He lightly reminded her. "My name is Severus and you have used it in the past. Hogwarts is no more so I am not its Headmaster."
"Call me Hermione then. Join us when you are ready to talk."
He watched her leave and sat on the bed eyeing the food she left behind. Eggs, beans on toast, with a few slices of tomatoes along with a link of sausage called to him. It had been a while since he had a decent meal.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Severus emerged from the room he was placed in a few hours later dressed in tan slacks and a short sleeve shirt, finding his ex-students chatting in the main area of the cave.
He sat down in a chair across from the three. "I'll not repeat myself and you may address me as Severus since we are fated to die together." He spoke out with no emotion in his voice. He told them everything. Taking Sybil to Voldemort, the revelation of the daemon Chorzon. He did not hold anything back. Destiny revealed, marrying Julius and Cherize, trekking through England and moving to Germany and the black creatures forcing him America and arriving at the cave.
Severus met Luna's grey eyes. "Your son was very brave when he realized he should have heeded your warning."
Luna jumped up and hugged her ex-professor tightly. "Thank you."
Severus forced himself to remain still while Luna hugged him until Neville spoke. "Severus, your Mark is gone."
He held out his arm and observed it. He never noticed. "So it seems." He murmured.
Hermione coughed and spoke of her travels and finished when she was pulled away from the American Ministry.
Luna spoke brightly. "So what do we do?"
Severus stood up. "Wait for our death."
They watched him leave the cave.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
They gave their ex-professor space and noted he left for days at a time. One day he came back with a muggle generator to provide electricity.
Time passed and they slowly eased into an easy acceptance of one another.
Hermione watched him connect a muggle ham radio to an antenna and connected the radio to the generator after being away for a week and they would spend time huddled together in the cave listening to the chaotic radio transmissions and in three months it silenced.
Time passed and when the radio was silent for a week Hermione decided to talk to Severus alone.
She walked out of the cave and found him sitting at the edge and stood behind him.
"I hate that you would not allow me to go gather food with you Severus."
"It's too dangerous. I told you Chorozon's plans. The creatures will not attack me until the end." Severus replied, voice sounding hollow. He turned and looked up to her.
"No growl, no demands? Very unlike you Severus." Hermione chuckled and sat down next to him.
Severus smiled slightly. "No doubt you've noticed the days have shortened. Have you told them?"
"No." Hermione whispered out. "How can I?"
Severus turned his attention back to the sun setting. "Luna and Neville love one another. To deny the information prevents them time to settle things, to…"
"Reaffirm their love? To say their peace and get ready? To mourn their son?" Hermione finished.
"Yes." Severus replied in a short voice. He looked out to the sea in silence.
Hermione jumped when he spoke. "I loved Lily Evans and I never had the chance to tell her I loved her. She never forgave me for words spat without thought." Pulling a bottle of muggle whiskey and drank a healthy portion before handing the bottle to her. "My actions resulted in her death."
She drank from the bottle and set it down.
She listened to him speak for hours, revealing all of his awful deeds. Dumbledore's Unbreakable vow based on his guilt. His try of atonement protecting the Golden Trio. Voldemorts's success and how he was left alone. All that he had done. Every horrible act for the cause of the Light. His dismay when Sybil revealed his Destiny and the years that passed knowing he was saved for the End.
Hermione felt a pleasant buzz, enjoying the companionship that formed while he talked of his life.
He handed her the bottle. "Very little left in there. You can have it."
Hermione finished the bottle and set in down next to her. Taking a chance she talked of her life. Bullied in the muggle schools because she loved to learn. Meeting Harry and Ron on the Hogwarts Express. Nights of crying because it seemed no one accepted her. The Troll incident, bonding her friendship with Harry and Ron. The year on the run from Voldemort to destroy his Horcrux's.
Ron holding her tightly watching the final showdown, realizing that Harry was losing and forced a port key into her hand and told her he and Harry planned for her survival in case he failed. Her anger when she found herself back at the Forest of Dean alone and frightened out of her wits.
Infrequent forays into the Magical world for news, praying she would not be recognized. Her happiness when she found Neville in a Poly-juiced form, her discovery being her friend could never change the way he walked. Luna joined them after Neville was assured she was not a Deatheater disguised. Their decision to travel to the island they were on when the purges came, public executions where men and woman were tortured for hour for those who supported Dumbledore and the Light. Life on the island, helping Luna with Julius. Neville…
Severus noticed her pause. "You don't have to tell me everything Hermione."
"I need to Severus. Everything locked inside of me and no one to talk to about it. I don't want you to think less of me for the next part."
Severus murmured. "You listened for hours of my acts and you think I would think less of you? I admit airing my laundry out helps me to accept the inevitable."
Hermione smiled wistfully. "It does." Continuing on that at the times she felt the loneliest, all hope loss, Neville would come and love her the best he could, the physical act helping her to carry on. Luna's remarks of minding her being with Neville, remarking it was what Hermione needed.
"You know everything else." Cheeks flushing in embarrassment at her revelation
"You have remarkable friends that they share when needed. Move closer." Severus remarked.
Hermione moved closer and Severus held her hand and remained silent.
A pulse of love and acceptance thrummed through her being and knew Severus felt the same.
They continued sitting in silence holding hands.
Neville and Luna watched from the cave entrance. They heard everything.
Luna smiled. "Hermione will not be alone when the time comes."
"Nor will Severus." Neville replied back and held Luna tightly.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Chorozon laughed. Light and Dark met and accepted. It was time to call in his bet to the Head Daemon.
Dark creatures moved around their master. "Go to them and wait for my return." Chorozon commanded, knowing the last four living drove them crazy with hunger.
The dark creatures hissed out in pleasure and immediately left.