Sorry all, short chapter and I am not overly happy with it. It is one of those filler chapters and the fun broom ride isn't going to be until the next chapter. Please don't hate me or stop reading this story just 'coz of this chapter puppyeyes
Chapter 12
After several more minutes of discussion a voice sounded throughout the train announcing that they would be arriving at London within the hour. Hermione picked up the invisibility cloak from the floor and wrapped it back around her shoulders.
"Well," her disembodied head spoke, "We need to get back to the carriage before the others start wondering where we are. We have been gone for hours."
"Miss Granger, I thought I made it perfectly clear that you were to come back to Hogwarts with me! Your parents are not home." Hermione looked ashamed for a moment.
"I know Professor, but we are so close, cant I at least see my house, there are a few things that I would like to pick up and we are practically there anyway." She pleaded with the over-bearing man. Harry and Draco looked on, this was a battle of wits and it took all of their strength not to start placing bets.
"Whether we are almost there on not is beside the point Miss Granger, your house is unsafe, that is why your parents are not there anymore. What makes you think that I am just going to let you waltz in there?"
"Because you will be there to keep me safe?" She looked hopeful.
"No Miss Granger, both you and I are mounting that broom and I am flying us both straight back to Hogwarts." Fear suddenly spread across Hermiones face.
"I am not going anywhere near that-" she pointed wildly at the broom, "-thing. Not even if my life depended on it." Both Draco and his godfather looked at the near hysterical girl as she backed away from the wooden pole. She jumped slightly as her back came in contact with the wall but she did not remove her eyes from it.
"Miss Granger has a weakness I see." Professor Snape chuckled. Anger flared up behind her fear.
"One day I am going to- to show you a stereo and see who is scared then."
"Contrary to popular belief Miss Granger I was virtually raise as a muggle and I doubt very much that a bit of music would scare me. That is more Draco's forte." Draco looked annoyed by the comment but had become lost in the conversation so did not take its full meaning.
"Five minutes Professor, that is all I am asking. Then we can catch the next train back to Hogwarts and we could be back in time for supper." The potions master knew that this wasn't going to end until he either petrified the girl or succumbed. He was tempted, for a moment, to petrify her but knew that that would only end in him being sent out again to find her in a few days. He nodded.
"Five minutes, Miss Granger. And next time I give you an order for your own safety you will obey it!" Hermione was so happy that she almost ran up to the professor and gave him a hug, she managed to stop herself just in time and instead detoured over to Harry Draco.
Harry returned quickly to the carriage with his friends after saying goodbye to Hermione and promising to write. He quickly shoved his invisibility cloak into his pocket and opened the door to the chatting bunch who immediately bombarded him with questions about his whereabouts.
As the train pulled up to the station, Draco left Hermione and his godfather alone in the heads compartment. They were going to wait until things had quietened down before they headed out.
"Come along Miss Granger, let's get this over with." Professor Snape drawled after a few minutes. They picked up their belongings and headed out of the train. Harry was waiting patiently with Hermione's trunk which Snape promptly shrunk and put in his pocket. "I do not want to wait more time on this than I have to."
The two had been at Hermiones house for almost 15 minutes and Professor Snape was getting frustrated. She was up stairs and had insisted that he stayed down stairs, but this was taking far longer than he had anticipated. It was the almost inaudible footstep that alerted the well trained spy to the presence of someone in the backyard and within an instant he was silently running up the stairs towards his wife. He found her sitting on her bed holding what looked like a small piece of white cloth.
"Miss Granger," he whispered harshly. She looked up and quickly shoved the item in her pocket. "We must leave, now." She made to protest but glass shattered below and she quickly ran to his side.
"Apparation." She whispered. He shook his head.
"Too noisy, they don't know that we are here yet, that and the house has wards all over it. Come on Miss Granger, time to live up to your word, it is either Deatheaters or a broom ride." Hermione looked apprehensively at the broom that her husband still clutched in his hands and swallowed. "Now Miss Granger." The sound of metal clashing together rang from downstairs and spurred her into action; she ran to the window and opened it.
"How do we do this?" Severus wasted no time in mounting the broom before grabbing Hermione and sitting her side-saddle in front of him, she tensed immediately.
They were barely out of the window when Professor Snape began to regret forcing his young wife onto the broom. Already she was clutching his jacket with a vice-like grip and her breathing had become uneven. How on earth was he going to survive the whole trip back to Hogwarts with her.