Chapter 14

A/N: These chapters just keep getting longer! Oops. I hope you enjoy it, we've got a lot of emotions in this chapter.

Thank you, as always, to those you left a review or kind message: leonix2009, Guest Fantomette34, lia. , emjrabbitwolf, Silver Orbed Lionness, HildeVonKrone, LFA, pggoodrichboggs, Chelsea Always, Lucoyle, and RaveclawIrene.

The moment Severus disappeared through the floo, Hermione collapsed in a heap of misery, her hands cradling her face. Eventually, she picked herself up, wiped away her tears and resolved that there was no point in worrying until the next day if Severus did not return. Knowing sleep would not come, she made a pot of tea, found a book in Severus' immense collection - 'honestly', she thought, 'between his three homes, the man had more books than the Hogwarts library' - on warding and set to reading.

At midday, Severus had still not returned, and Hermione began to worry. She paced the length of the Viennese flat and chewed her fingernails down to nubs, all the while her mind in overdrive imagining what torture the Dark Lord must be submitting Severus too, or the unspeakable acts he could be forced to do in servitude to his master. She wanted to send him a patronus, but having no idea with whom he was with, that could prove to be deadly, or at the very least, blow the cover on their secret, taboo relationship. As the sun began to fade away in the late afternoon, Hermione knew she could not spend another sleepless night in Vienna. Severus could be injured or incapacitated at Spinner's End or Hogwarts, and she was determined to find him or wait for him on British soil.

Quickly summoning her belongings, and knicking a couple of Severus' books on warding, she shoved everything into her beaded bag. Stepping into the floo, she called out "Spinner's End" and landed in the dark, miserable Cokeworth home.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, Hermione's breath hitched as her gaze fell upon a rumpled Severus passed out with an empty bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey on the floor.

Without getting too close, she pulled out her vinewood wand and cast a non-verbal diagnostic charm to ensure he was unharmed. Relieved that he was injury free, her anger soon took hold of the realisation that he was fine and instead of returning to her safely, he had decided to get pissed and pass out.

Hermione was about to let her fiery Gryffindor temper consume her and hex her lover awake when he cried out in anguish. "No! Not Hermione!"

Severus laid on the cool stone dungeon floors of Malfoy Manor, his face swollen from being repeatedly beaten with the tinny taste of blood in his mouth. The Dark Lord was standing over him; his wand pointed at him. "I will kill you for betraying me Severus, but only after you have watched your Mudblood whore suffer and die."

'No. Not Hermione. How did they find Hermione? She is supposed to be safe. The Order is supposed to keep her safe. I am supposed to keep her safe', he thought.

In an instant, Snape heard anguished screams. Peering through his swollen eyes, he saw Bellatrix dragging Hermione into the room by the hair on her head, her hands magically restrained behind her back.

His muscles and bones loudly protested as he was forced to his feet. A wand held to his neck by one of his former Brethern, Severus was forced to watch as Voldemort, Bellatrix and others took turns performing cruciatus, slicing hexes and other methods of torture on Hermione, killing her slowly. He tried to scream, but no sound could escape. Suddenly, he watched as the love of his life was hit by a spell of his creation and her blood spilt all over the dungeon floor. He found his voice, struggling against his captor, "NO! HERMIONE! NOT HERMIONE".

Severus woke with a start, his body instantly went rigid as he sensed an intruder in the room. His wand slid from his sleeve into his hand and in an instant was pointed at the potential assailant. The curse died on his lips as the room was illuminated with magic and he laid his eyes on a shocked Hermione Granger. Severus wand fell to the floor and his body hunched over, head between his legs as he began gulping deep breaths of air as the adrenaline left his body.

Hermione rushed across the room to Severus. Cupping his face with her hands, she lifted his head and hugged his face to her abdomen as his body continued its wracking sobs.

"Severus", she whispered, taking his large hand in her small one. He noticed how warm hers was and he let it soothe him.

He buried his head into the soft middle, pulling her close. He inhaled her familiar scent, a mix of bergamot, amber, vanilla, parchment and peppermint toothpaste, that was so comforting to him now. One hand moved from to his back, rubbing soothing small circles, then stroking his hair and pushing it out of his face.

"Shhh", she whispered, "you're safe now love, you're safe." She kept murmuring those words over and over, like a benediction.

Hermione had not seen Severus this emotional since the night he admitted to his vow, and she was frightened for him. She buried his head into her middle as she rubbed his back slowly. Stopping her soothing words, she posed the question eating away at her. "Severus, what happened? Dumbledore? I thought the plan was to wait until June … did the …"

She was cut off as he removed himself for her person and stood up, straightening his rumpled clothes as best he could. "No," he responded hoarsely, "nothing happened to Dumbledore, and nothing happened to innocents."

She noted that he did not include Dumbledore in with the 'innocents', and tucked that information away for later.

He sighed, "Tonight was the Dark Lord's birthday, there was a celebration at Malfoy Manor. I was only called because the Dark Lord noted that Rowle had gone missing and needed me to recover him. He also punished Bellatrix for sending him after Sarah. To attack someone of Sarah's station is to declare open warfare with not just the magical world, but the muggle world. The Dark Lord intends to continue to amass a following and wait to strike down the Ministry once Dumbledore is gone. Bellatrix risked exposure. She was punished."

"Okay…. But I don't understand. Why has that gotten you in such a state? Severus, what is going on?"

Hermione noted as Severus gulped and averted her gaze. "The Dark Lord was not content to torture Bella himself. After a couple of round of cruciatus he had me 'finish the job', so to speak."

'Finish the job,' Hermione mouthed, "You didn't …"

"No! Hermione, contrary to popular belief, I have never murdered in cold blood. I continued Bella's torture. I forced her a potion that I created for the Dark Lord in the final year of my mastery – designed to cause seizures and force the drinker to relive their worst nightmares. When she passed out, I woke her up so I could use the cruciatus curse on her several times."

He looked her in the eyes, and she noted that his obsidian eyes seemed duller than usual, "I enjoyed it, no I loved it", he whispered, "I relished in the dark magic coursing through my veins. Hermione, you are goodness and light personified. Being with me, you're only tainting your goodness with my evil."

Hermione pushed Severus back down onto the sofa and straddled his thighs. Taking his face in her hands, she glared at him, with a fire burning in her eyes. "That bitch deserved it. She would have had Rowle kidnap and torture Sarah, and we would have just been killed in the crossfire. You've told me she is constantly undermining you to the Dark Lord and trying to paint you as a traitor. It was even her idea for you to take that thrice-damned vow! Do not hold me up on some pedestal Severus. I am not goodness personified. Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody." She placed a hand over his heart and continued sermonizing, "You told us on our first day of DADA this year, the dark arts are many, varied, ever-changing and eternal. They are seductive, but they do not lay claim to your heart or soul. You were commanded to torture someone you hate, and the magic coursing through your body seduced you. Of course, you enjoyed it, but Severus, you do not torture innocent or helpless people. You protect me, Sarah, Harry, Draco, every single student at Hogwarts. You caused pain to someone who caused you pain at the command of your master. Answer me this, would you have tortured Bella, no matter how much you wanted to, if you had not been ordered?"

She watched Severus process her words in barely disguised shock. At that moment she realised that the had assumed she would leave him for his actions, and be disgusted by him. As he shook his head in response to her question, she whispered, "Severus, I love you, I choose to take you as you are, past, present and future."

Before she could say another word, he kissed her hungrily, threading his hands in her hair and devouring her mouth. Her hands reached out for his shirt, unbuttoning it and caressing his pale, scarred chest with her small hands. She ghosted his small, pink nipples with the tips of her fingers, causing him to groan in pleasure and thrust his hardening cock against swollen, tight quim.

Hermione lost herself as she ground her throbbing sex on his arousal, letting the pleasure thrum throughout her body, lighting her nerves on fire. Severus let out a loud grunt of frustration, his hands gripping her hips painfully in an attempt to keep her still. With a muttered spell, she felt the cold air of the heated room hit her naked body contrast with the heat radiating off the Potion Master's body as he banished their clothes to the armchair next to them.

In one swift movement, Hermione gripped the base of his shaft as Severus gripped her hips and lowered her onto it. They let out a sigh of relief at the sensation of being joined together. His mouth attached itself to her neck, biting and sucking, knowing full well she would be covered in love bites come morning but she couldn't find it in her to care as she rode him with slow passion as he thrust up into her.

Feeling she was close to completion, Hermione lowered a hand to her swollen clit and began to rub while Severus quickened his pace. Too quickly, pleasure consumed them as Hermione felt her orgasm crashing over her. Severus followed soon after growling as his thrusts slowed and he eventually pulled out.

The lovers, emotionally and physically exhausted, rolled from their sitting position to snuggling side by side on the sofa. Having not slept the day before, Hermione buried her face in Severus' chest, and her breaths slowed as she began to fall asleep. Severus quietly lit a fire and summoned the duvet from his bedroom and covered them. Before he too could fall asleep in his bliss, he planted light kisses on her face and pulled her tightly to him, almost afraid he would wake up in the morning, and this would be nothing but a blissful dream.

Albus Dumbledore was pacing the length of the Headmaster's Office at dawn. He had not heard from his spy since Severus had sent him a quick patronus informing him he had been summoned. It was now New Year's Day, and there had been no news. That meant Severus was still at Tom's right hand, or he was too incapacitated to contact him. Dumbledore placed his hand on the stone walls of Hogwarts and reached out to the wards. Nothing, the spy, had not returned to Hogwarts yet. No longer content to be left to alone with his worried thoughts, he grabbed a fistful of floo powder from the box on the mantle, sunk to his knees and called out "Spinner's End."

Severus awoke the next morning as a small sliver of sunlight came in through the dirty window. He pulled the coverlet tighter around their naked bodies as he examined the still sleeping nymph in his arms. Hermione's face was mostly obscured by her riotous curls that were tickling his chest and chin. Snape closed his eyes, willing himself to fall back asleep, even though he knew he was now awake for the day. He also discovered his very erect penis was poking into her soft, tight stomach. Trying to ignore his member, while not waking Hermione, Severus went about reciting his most recent Potion's research – a nerve potion meant to heal damage from extended exposure to the cruciatus curse.

Severus was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of the fireplace flaring. His eyes widened as the flames turned bright green. Anyone floo calling him would see a naked Hermione atop his equally naked body. Quickly shaking Hermione awake, "Hermione love, quickly get up. Someone is flooing."

Hermione jumped up, and realising her naked state, wrapped the coverlet around her tightly. Severus summoned their clothes from the armchair and threw the young woman her trousers and jumper. Hermione dashed behind the couch to dress as the voice from the fireplace called "Severus? Severus, my boy, are you alright."

Severus groaned as he buttoned the placket of his trousers. Staring at the Headmaster's head bobbing in the fireplace, he returned, "Yes. Albus, I am alright."

Dumbledore's features seemed to harden at that moment, and he curtly said: "I'm coming through."

Hermione squeaked from behind the couch in panic, and before Severus had a chance to stop him, Dumbledore's head was gone. He cast a quick disillusionment spell over Hermione's person and threw on his white dress shirt. Dumbledore landed in the middle of the cramped sitting room as Severus stood buttoning his shirt.

"You know, it's rather rude to invite yourself over to someone's home," he snarked.

"We have an arrangement Severus, you are to report to me as soon as you return from Tom's side. I have been worried sick for you, imagining all manner of things and I find you taking a kip on your couch!"

"If you'd been awake for over two days straight you'd need a quick kip too Headmaster! Do you want your report? The Dark Lord summoned me to his birthday celebration. I did not stay long. He wanted me to find Rowle. The eldest Weasley boy and I found him in the Forest with frostbite. William implanted false memories of him being in a bar brawl and dumped for dead. I returned him to Malfoy Manor unconscious and in the care of Cissy. Happy? Now Good day Headmaster," Severus all but shouted.

"Severus …" Dumbledore sighed, "I was only concerned for your well being, my boy."

"I am not your boy Albus, and if you gave a whit about me, you would not force me repeatedly into that viper pit."

"Severus, you promised..." Albus reprimanded. Dumbledore was gazing around the room as if looking for a reason for Severus more hostile and usual behaviour. Snape tracked his master's gaze and suddenly spotted, to his horror, Hermione's white cotton knickers poking out from behind the sofa.

"Ah. Entertaining were you Severus? Where did you force the young lady to hide?" Dumbledore's voice airy, but holding a hint of contempt.

Pointing his wand at the sofa, Dumbledore murmured, "Finite Incatatem" and came face to face with a stubborn Hermione Granger with her arms crossed and her hair crackling.

"Miss Granger, why are you not with your parents in London?" inquired Dumbledore.

"Seeing as I am an adult and you are not my father, that is none of your business … sir", Hermione responded defiantly.

"Now, Miss Granger, I am only …"

"Looking out for my well-being?" She scoffed, "you only care about any one's well-being – me, Severus, even Harry. You only care about the greater good."

"Hermione…" Severus cautioned, turning to his employer he continued, "I am taking Hermione to Hampstead this afternoon."

"I suggest you do so now Severus, and then return to my office where we will discuss yours and Miss Granger's positions at Hogwarts and within the Order."

This conversation sent Hermione into a rage. He would dismiss her and then the men would discuss her future without her like she was some errant child. She would not stand for it. Hermione's magic manifested in a blue aura around her person as she tried to contain her fury. "What will you do to me, Headmaster? Expel me? You need me to keep Harry in line and safe. You need me to help him get close to Slughorn and continue the content of your private lessons once you are gone. You bound me to Severus in front of the entire Order. We protect each other, care for each other and love each other. You have no one to blame but yourself Headmaster. You will not punish us or separate me from Severus. You need me … for the greater good."

"The bond is meant to be similar to that of a Master and Apprentice, not a soul bond Miss Granger."

Severus snorted derisively, "Right, and you well know Albus that many Masters end up in sexual relationships, even married to their apprentices. I believe you stopped taking apprentices in the forties after you broke things off with a young man. Septima has gone to bed with just about all of her apprentices, within the walls of Hogwarts. I went to university to avoid an apprenticeship bond, all the good it did me. So don't stand there and act self-righteous Albus. You just assumed if you bound Hermione to me, it wouldn't matter because there would be no way she could ever be attracted to or love the greasy, snarky, Death Eater, Potions Master who all her peers despise."

"Well, quite frankly you are correct Severus", stuttered Dumbledore.

Severus turned to Hermione and caressed her cheek, "Love, go upstairs to shower and ready yourself for the day. Then we will apparate to your mother and father. Our original plans will have to be amended. Between Voldemort knowing I have returned, and Albus. It will not be possible."

Hermione gripped his hand and squeezed it tenderly and summoned her clothes and beaded bag. Throwing one final dirty look towards the Headmaster, she headed up the stairs and out of view.

Once Hermione left, Severus discretely cast a muffliato charm at the top of the staircase. Before he could open his mouth, Dumbledore rounded on his DADA professor. "Severus, how could you! She is your student."

"She is an adult witch Albus; the Hogwarts by-laws do not prohibit Professors and adult students from being together."

"You are in a position of trust as her teacher!"

"Then remove her from my classroom. She has more than enough out of class training to sit her N.E.W.T. in Defense."

Dumbledore sighed, "I cannot do that. It will raise too many questions about her position, your relationship, favouritism, extra lessons, etc. She must remain in the class."

"Well then, your hands are tied, Headmaster. I will not give her up."

"You won't … Severus, this dalliance cannot continue."

Severus advanced on Dumbledore, stalking him like prey with a menacing look on his face. "Let me make this plain Albus. I will not give Hermione up. Fuck you, Fuck the Order, fuck the vow. I could kill you right here, right now, pack this house, grab that girl and head to America, Brazil, Ghana, India, Austraila. Anywhere but fucking Great Britain. I would cut off my left arm, abandon The Boy-Who-Must-Die, and love that girl until my last breath. Don't tempt me."

"Severus, be reasonable…"

"I have been reasonable Albus. You. Owe. Me. For sixteen years I have been your patsy, your spy, your enforcer. In six months, I will kill you by my wand and be Headmaster. Hermione and I will be discrete, and you will look the other way. Do I make myself clear?"

"Very well Severus. I will leave you both alone, but if this compromises either of you, I'll have no choice to dismiss you."

"Sure, and who will kill you? Bellatrix, or will you ask Minerva?"

At Dumbledore's horrified expression he smirked in triumph. "I thought so. Now, return to Hogwarts old man. I will deliver Hermione to her parents, I'm sure Mrs Granger will be as courteous as the young woman she has raised and foist tea on me, and then I will return to your office to continue this fascinating conversation."

They stood on the stoop of Spinner's End in their winter garb. Severus looked down at Hermione, "I don't know where your parents live to apparate us."

Hermione rolled her eyes cheekily, "I'll apparate us."

"But you've never done it with anyone side-along… you don't even have your licence yet Hermione."

Hermione glared at him, crossing her arms as she would when she was gearing up for a fight, or a lecture. "Well, the alternative is to apparate to London and take the tube. Do you want to take the tube, Severus? Really?"

Severus flinched at the idea of the muggle transportation. He had not taken the tube since he'd been a teenager going to Diagon Alley with Lily for his school supplies and he hated it. Too crowded, grimy, stale. An uncivilised way to travel in his opinion.

"Fine, but if you splinch either of us, you can explain my delay to Dumbledore."

Hermione smiled triumphantly, as she held out her arms to Severus.

They arrived, with a pop, in a large churchyard at the top of a four-point cross of roads with houses along each side. "Home's just down this main street on the left near the corner", she smiled, taking her arm in his.

Severus gazed around the suburb. Slightly in awe of the urban planning. Factory owners had designed his neighbourhood, wanting to fit as many tiny row houses as they possibly good into the area for their workers to have cheap accommodations, cheap being the chief operative. Everything in Spinner's End was cheaply made and held together by magic while the rest of the homes fell apart abandoned.

Hampstead had wide tree-lined roads; houses were detached dwellings, separated by hedges, there were public gardens and open spaces. What his life could have been like if he and Lily had grown up here and not in Cokeworth.

"You can return to the churchyard to apparate, or the back garden is mostly completely lined with tall hedges and trees so the neighbours can't snoop. Papa hates nosy neighbours."

He pushed it from his mind when they opened she opened the gate to a large red brick house and made her way to the front door. Before Severus could catch his bearings, the door flung open, and a woman of average build, just slightly taller than Hermione, with bushy, curly chestnut brown hair that fell just below her shoulders pulled her daughter into a hug as Hermione cried out, "Happy New Year Mum!"

The resemblance was uncanny, and it took Severus back, but quickly assessing Mrs Granger's features, he realised the woman was likely ten years his senior and he sighed in relief. Finally focusing on the mother-daughter embrace, his heart clenched at the scene. Hermione and her mother were obviously very close and loved each other very much, and yet she had chosen to stay with him for an extra four days.

"You didn't warn me you were bringing a guest Hermione, but no matter, there's plenty of food, and we can make up one of the other bedrooms," lifting her eyes to Severus, taking in his impassive appearance. At least Hermione had insisted he wears his Slytherin scarf with the black pea coat, so he didn't look like the grim reaper.

"No Mum. Let me introduce Professor Snape, my Defense teacher. He used to teach Potions, remember, but I wrote that he'd changed subjects this year. The Headmaster asked that he see me home safely."

"Well Thank you, Professor Snape, my husband and I appreciate you taking care of our daughter. I know she can be a handful, we seem to get an owl once a year from Professor McGonagall telling us what new trouble our Hermione has gotten herself into with those boys she calls friends."

Severus smirked at that, giving Mrs Granger a knowing look, "Did Minerva ever tell you the time Miss Granger saw fit to set me on fire Mrs Granger?"

Hermione's mother sent her a scathing look, and the young witch looked chastened. "Professor, please call me Helen, and you must come inside for a spot of tea so we can hear more about Hermione's misadventures."

"Oh Mum, Professor Snape is a very busy man, I'm sure he has somewhere…"

"I would be delighted Helen, and please, call me Severus."

"Severus, what a rare name, rather like Hermione, don't you think."

'God, the woman's eyes are twinkling,' Severus despaired, 'Is she a relative of Dumbledore?'.

"David!" called Helen, "Hermione is home! And she brought a friend, his name is Severus."

Hermione groaned loudly, her mother at the subtlety of a Hippogriff. Severus just looked at Hermione and shrugged. "At least she doesn't want to castrate me," he whispered.

"Let's just hope Papa is more oblivious. I'd prefer if you kept your bollocks."

After an hour and a quarter, Hermione was practically shoving Severus out the back door and into the garden to disapparate. He had told her parents every single embarrassing story he could remember. He started with her setting his robes on fire; the day he had been called to the Hospital Wing and found her as a catgirl and how he had never laughed so hard in his entire life, before brewing the antidote to set her to rights. Even things she didn't know he knew, like that she had the boys create the diversion so she could steal ingredients for Polyjuice from him or how she hexed Marietta Edgecombe's face.

Her parents ate it up, starved for news of their only child and her progress in the Wizarding World. She felt a twinge of guilt, realising she had been distancing herself as she grew older and the war came closer. Spending more time with the Weasley's over summer and Christmas holidays, or remaining at Hogwarts. Her entire adolescence had passed them by and was coming to a close as she fell in love with a man nineteen years her senior.

He also heaped on the praise, telling her parents that she was one of the brightest students he'd taught in sixteen years of teaching and how Hermione persevered in the face of prejudice for being a muggle-born. Her father looked very proud at those words, and her mother's eyes were swimming with tears. Neither mentioned the war, Voldemort or the much more dangerous aspects of Hermione's tenure at Hogwarts.

"Good-bye, sir. I will see you in class in a few days. I'll have that research on the efficacy of non-verbal hexes vs verbal when I return." She was babbling, but she knew her mother was getting suspicious of their relationship and she needed him out before she faced the inquisition.

"Good day Miss Granger", he said impassively, the mask of stern Professor Snape firmly back on. I expect your essay to be the specified length, not a foot over as usual." With a quick nod and small bow to Mrs Granger and a handshake to Mr Granger, "Mr and Mrs Granger, thank you for having me. It has been a pleasure."

With that, Hermione watched Severus walk into the back garden, her eyes, fixated on his arse in those trousers, visible with his short muggle coat. She had wanted to kiss him goodbye desperately, but as he disapparated with a loud pop in the back garden, she contented herself with knowing she would see him in four days time. When she turned around, she noticed her father had left for his study, but her Mother was looking at her coyly, leaning against the kitchen countertop. "So, how long have you been seeing Professor Snape?"

"Mum? What are you talking about?"

"Oh Hermione, don't fool me. You've never been a good liar. Besides, I was watching you come up the walk from the parlour window, and you were holding hands. I won't judge you darling. He's brilliant, his hair looks like silk, and he obviously adores you. He kept trying to hide it with his stern face, but his eyes were dancing when he'd look at you or speak to you."

"You're not upset that he's older or my teacher?" Hermione's shoulders sagged with relief of her mother knowing, but also fear that she would be disappointed.

"Oh dear, I always knew you'd need an older man. Harry and Ron make lovely friends, but those boys are too immature for you. Always talking about Quidditch, never focusing on their studies. You and Severus are well matched. Just be careful darling he seems like the type of man who could brood very easily and get into dark moods. They can be hard men to love."

"Oh mum, you have no idea! Severus is all of those things, but," she blushed, "I do love him. Dark brooding and all."

"Well, I hope you're taking the necessary precautions. You still have a year and a half of schooling plus university or an apprenticeship. You wouldn't want any unexpected bundles of joy."

"Of course we are Mum," Hermione crossed her arms. "Severus and I are both responsible adults. You don't have to worry." With that, she hugged her mother once more and went up the stairs to unpack her bag in her room.

Internally, Hermione's mind was racing, 'My pills… I saw the doctor the week I returned home from Hogwarts, the first week of July. She gave me six months worth. It's New Years Day. I'm fine.' But as she paced her room, chewing what was left of her fingernails, she began to panic. She couldn't' remember taking any pills the entire holiday. She grabbed her beaded bag and dumped the entire contents on the floor. Unable to use magic to summon items, she sifted through the books, clothes, parchment, toiletries until she found her birth control case. She popped it open, and it was empty. Sinking onto the floor, surrounded by the piles and piles of items she had crammed in her bag, she hugged her knees to her chest. 'How am I going to tell Severus?' she thought.

A/N 2: Well we're here. Many of you guessed we'd reach this point. I hope you don't find it too contrived. We're back to Hogwarts next chapter. It was a much longer Holiday break than I'd originally anticipated, but hopefully, you all enjoyed it.