Dark Ecstasy

by Chantal

Chapter Twenty-Five: Forgiveness and Promises

"Professor Snape, please go and get some rest. I promise I will tell you if there is any change in Miss Granger's condition. It's only a matter of time and she'll be better off if you're well-rested. You'll be no good for her if you're unable to even take care of yourself." Madam Ludlov had decided it was time for the professor to stop trying to exceed all records of wakefulness. He needed to rest or he'd make himself ill.

Severus slowly slid his face from his hands as he sat with his elbows on his knees in a hard chair next to Hermione's bed. He felt like he'd been hit with a few dozen bludgers and slipped a couple of liters of sleeping draught. He looked at his Hermione sleeping peacefully in the bed in front of him and felt his heart swell. This woman had somehow slipped into his heart and captured his soul and now he couldn't bear to be without her anymore. He needed her to comfort him and ease this pain worse than any Crucatius curse he'd ever suffered. Without a word or another thought, Severus took out his wand and transfigured the twin bed into a queen. He silently laid himself next to the woman he loved, wrapped his entire body around her, and fell into a blessedly peaceful sleep.

Madam Ludlov watched this automatic display of love and need with a heavy heart. It was highly unorthodox to allow someone to lay in a bed with a patient, but in this case the mediwitch wholeheartedly believed they both could only benefit from such an action. She hoped and prayed more than ever that Hermione Granger would beat the darkness with which she was plagued.

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After a very pleasant conversation with Selena, Hermione was feeling relaxed and more like her old self than she had in recent memory. Selena was a very amiable and interesting woman. She was very sorry that she couldn't be friends with this woman in the real world. Soon enough, Severus would cure her and…

"Selena, what's going on?" Hermione gasped after feeling her stomach lurch. She felt like a thousand butterflies were in her stomach trying desperately to get out.

"What do you mean, Hermione? Are you alright?" Selena got up to comfort Hermione when she noticed her companion rise and begin to look around as if she needed to go somewhere, but wasn't sure which way to go.

Hermione surveyed her surroundings carefully. Someone was out there and she knew she just had to find that person. 'I can feel him,' Hermione thought, not daring to hope. 'How can that be? Unless…no I'm not dead…I can't be! Severus is going to cure me so I can go back!' Then it all made sense to Hermione. Severus did indeed walk through the trees and into Hermione's sight. Their eyes locked instantly and she knew her fears were for naught. She could feel his relief and elation. Hermione closed her eyes and allowed a few tears to escape. She then quickly looked directly at her companion with delighted amazement.

"Oh my gods, Selena! It's Severus! Over there through the trees…It's him! Oh thank the gods he's come for me!"

Selena Snape smiled quietly as her soul was gifted with the peace she'd longed for since before she died. She walked over to Hermione and hugged her.

"Go Hermione…go and give my brother your love and the happiness he so desperately deserves. Go and be happy, my sister!"

A tear escaped Hermione's eye as she took in Selena's heartfelt words. She could feel the peace enveloping Selena's aura and knew it was time.

Hermione embraced Selena again and whispered, "I will take care of Severus and love him forever, I promise! Good-bye, Selena! Thank you for everything!"

The women separated and Hermione turned to face Severus who had emerged in the clearing where the two women had been bonding.

Hermione's voice caught as she repeated Severus' name over and over. She approached him slowly at first, but quickly broke into a run as she ran into his arms. He enveloped her completely and kissed her sweetly, softly.

Severus whispered into her hair as he held her, "Hermione, my love, it's time to go home. I need you back with me. I can't bear a moment longer without you. Nothing else matters to me anymore. Let's please just go home."

Hermione moved to look into his eyes. They were shimmering with unshed tears. How could she have ever thought it was possible to live without this man? Overwhelming emotion encompassed her as she brought her lips to meet his. She kissed him with all the love she held deep inside. Their embrace was so desperate and complete they were oblivious to all that was changing around them.

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Severus slowly opened his eyes as he felt his surroundings change. He saw a fleeting glimpse of his beloved sister actually smiling and waving, but then she was gone almost instantly. He thought perhaps he'd just imagined it. He didn't have much time to contemplate the situation as he was suddenly hit with the sickening sensation of freefalling. He kept his gaze firmly on Hermione who was still firmly held in his embrace, but he could tell that they were definitely moving. He rested his head in the nook of Hermione's neck and shoulder and closed his eyes again to await their fate.

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"Sev-rus?" a dry whisper sounded.

Severus was wary of opening his eyes again, but it felt like Hermione was moving and calling out to him. With great trepidation, Severus opened his eyes and was greeted with the glistening amber ones of his love.

Hermione smiled at Severus as the tears flowed freely.

"Am I awake, Sev-rus? Are you real?" Hermione certainly felt like she was in her body with the aches and grogginess of one who'd slept too long very apparent, but she was afraid to hope that things were as they seemed.

Severus' groggy expression exploded into an extremely rare, full-fledged smile. He ran his hands over Hermione's hair and kissed her lightly.

"Yes, Hermione, I do believe you have finally woken!" He kissed her a few more times and embraced her once again. "Thank the gods you have come back to me, Hermione! I love you, I love you, I love you…"

Just then, the mediwitch came bustling in with her wand at the ready.

"Professor? Are you awake already? Is everything…" Madam Ludlov gasped as she noticed her patient's open eyes looking straight at her.

"Miss Granger! You're awake! Thank Merlin! How are you feeling?"

"Please, Madam, give her a moment to fully wake! She's been unconscious for too long…" Severus began his onslaught of protection, but Hermione was anxious to accommodate the mediwitch and be rid of her.

"Sev-rus, it's okay…I'm okay. Mad'm, I'm a li'l groggy, but there's no pain. I jus' wan' to lie still for a while…take it slowly. I feel safe now. Peaceful. No fear, no despair…oh gods!" The tears began to flow as the emotion of her recent ordeals began to surface for the first time. The realization of what lead to her presence here seemed to hit her like a carefully aimed bludger.

"Oh, Sev-rus…Gods, Sev-rus…forgive me…oh gods!" Hermione stared wide-eyed at the man holding her as she was overwhelmed with an onslaught of memories and vivid emotions they evoked. She could clearly hear Lucius Malfoy's voice echoing in her thoughts now and Severus could see she was reliving it all quite involuntarily.

Severus held Hermione's face with both of his hands and captured her gaze. "Shhh, Hermione! Shhh, it's alright, love…It's all going to be alright. There is nothing for me to forgive. You were not at fault in any way. I have you now and I'm never letting you go. You are safe now…you're with me and you're going to stay with me."

As Severus stared into Hermione's eyes, he unwittingly cast Legilimens on her and was struck with the most degrading images. Hermione's memories of what occurred with Lucius Malfoy were overwhelming her and he was now a witness to the emotional attack. He was saddened and horrified at the memories. He was even more resolved to bring his love some much deserved relief. He would find a way.

"I'm never letting you go, Hermione! No matter what, my love, you are not to blame and I will never hold you accountable for the despicable humiliation you've been forced to endure." Severus tried to reassure her, and he was relieved to see her countenance relax somewhat. She seemed to believe in him…to actually trust him after all she'd been through. She clung to him and cried her heart out into his strong chest.

Madam Ludlov was by Hermione's side instantly. She managed to give her a calming draught as soon as the bitter tears subsided somewhat.

Hermione just looked at Severus as he insisted his allegiance and love for her. She could feel him enter her mind and found herself utterly ashamed. He was seeing what she was reluctantly remembering. Oh, the shame of it all! How will he be able to even look at her after what she's done?

But Severus could hear her thoughts as a result of the Legilimens spell. He could feel her fears and hear her despair. Of course she'd hate this, and want to run from the judgment she feared he'd bestow upon her.

Severus simply whispered that he could hear her thoughts and see her pain and that he loved her just the same. Then he broke the mind link and felt her body relax.

She accepted his pledge silently as she drank the potion the mediwitch gave her and relaxed against him again. Severus seemed pleased that she'd calmed down and that fact made her happier than she'd been for so long. She just sat there in his arms in the bed he'd conjured for them in her hospital room. She was vaguely aware that there were other people in the room, but didn't feel up to acknowledging them, so she feigned ignorance. She just wanted to try to get to a place where she wouldn't hear Lucius' voice and feel his hands on her.

Severus ignored their visitors as well. He just stared off into space as he gently rocked Hermione on the bed. He was considering options that might help her escape the memories and erase the pain without having to resort to obliviating his young love. If he did that, he'd run the risk of her memories of their relationship disappearing as well. He didn't think he could survive that, but could Hermione survive the haunting of Lucius and the ordeal of the Optare Potion? And then, of course, there was the task of making both Malfoys pay for what they had done…

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Two days passed as Hermione recuperated at St. Mungos. Severus spent a lot of time just sitting with her, reading to her, or simply talking. He explained how he'd come up with the salve to remove her enslavement bonds. She was shocked that they were gone and even more surprised that Draco had helped.

"Oh it was simple once I'd done a little research and obtained the necessary ingredients. I figured it out the night before your graduation actually and enlisted young Mr. Malfoy's help in providing the key ingredient for the Malfoy tattoo while I provided the main ingredient for the Slytherin marking. I needed the blood of those to whom you 'belonged,' but it had to be given willingly with a genuine desire to see you freed. Fortunately for him, Mr. Malfoy did seem to have this desire when I explained what I needed. I guess he was trying to free you before his father…well, anyway, I had the potion ready the morning of your graduation, but you'd already gone to the ceremony and I was abysmally late, so I figured I could tell you after the ceremony. And, well, you know why I didn't, so I just took the liberty of applying the cure whilst you slept here."

Hermione had been shocked that Draco had helped Severus free her. She was convinced that he was working with his father when he went with them after the graduation. Then, when he took her to the cottage so she could be with him, she thought he really must care somewhere deep inside, but was just severely misguided. She really wasn't able to consider him much due to the withdrawal pain, but thoughts did cross her mind. She wondered what had happened to him and Severus explained that he left him at the cottage in France and wasn't really sure what had become of him since.

He continued bitterly, "I don't really care, but Draco had better watch out for his father, because it isn't going to take long for Lucius to put two and two together and come up with Draco being behind that stunning spell that allowed you to be taken from him."

Hermione actually felt guilty over Draco's predicament, but didn't express this particular emotion. She knew that would send Severus into a rage, so she just dropped the whole conversation.

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In addition to her time healing with Severus, Hermione spend time with her extended family: Harry, Ron, Ginny, Molly, Arthur, Minerva, and Albus. They had been by to see her repeatedly and she welcomed them, but didn't talk much. They mostly understood, but were saddened by her lackluster, defeated aura. No one was willing to give up. They were all determined to find a way to allow Hermione to get past the ordeal of the past several months, so they kept visiting and trying to cheer her up.

There was one other visitor that no one, save the new front desk receptionist knew about. It was this visitor that ultimately made the difference in Hermione's road to recovery.

The room was dark as this mysterious visitor opened her door. Getting by security wasn't that difficult considering it was early morning and people were coming in to the hospital to begin their workday in droves. He merely applied a glamour and blended in. In an effort to avoid Severus Snape, he waited outside the room until he watched him leave to take a shower and eat some breakfast.

According to the front desk witch, Severus Snape had taken up residency in Hermione Granger's room and no one seemed to care. The receptionist had merely shrugged her shoulders when he inquired about the impropriety of it all. What did she know? She was new not only to this hospital, but this country. It very well could have been considered acceptable here.

With a softly whispered 'lumos,' the room was faintly lit with the glow of a few candles. Hermione Granger was lying on her side fast asleep facing the visitor as he entered. He quickly muttered a silencing spell and one that would warn when anyone was coming. He just had to see her again, but definitely no one else. He knew he was most definitely not welcome here.

He stepped purposefully over to the sleeping woman and felt his breath catch. How lovely she was even with all that she'd been through! How he ached to hold her next to him as he used to. How had she gotten to him so thoroughly? How had he actually learned to love? How had he fallen in love with her? The answer was simple: he'd fallen into his own trap.

Hermione's visitor removed the glamour, knelt next to her bed, and gingerly stroked her hair. It was this familiar, light touch that roused the sleeping woman. She opened her eyes slowly and simply smiled when she saw him.

"I knew you'd come," she whispered. "What took you so long?"

Severus was feeling better than he had in weeks…he had just eaten a rather satisfactory meal and was freshly showered. Hermione should be awake by now and he was hoping she'd like to go out for a walk in St. Mungos enchanted gardens. It was perfect weather and she really could do with some fresh air.

Unfortunately, Severus was stalled by an anxiously waiting headmaster outside Hermione's room.

"Severus, please wait a moment. Don't go in there just yet. I need to talk to you."

At Severus' incredulous look, Albus heavily sighed, "It's important and will most certainly keep you out of Azkaban. Please sit."

Severus raised an eyebrow at this declaration. His curiosity was certainly piqued, so he sat at on the bench just outside Hermione's room to await Albus' explanation.

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Hermione's visitor was shocked at her…well, her friendliness. He just stared at her for a minute before responding.

"How did you know? You mean you're not angry or upset to see me?" The man squeezed Hermione's hand and felt his eyes tear up at the unexpected warmth she was sending his way.

"Draco, how could I not know you'd come? I know what you've done to help me...and, well, I know how you feel about me…I can truly feel your love radiating around you when you're with me. It's actually quite beautiful." Hermione seemed to be eerily calm and unreasonably content.

"Hermione, how can you be so kind to me? This…all you've gone through is ultimately and thoroughly my fault. How can you say that my love is a beautiful thing? It's done nothing but hurt you! I'm the reason you feel pain! I'm the cause of it all, Hermione!" Draco bent his head and pressed his lips to Hermione's hand. She could feel the dampness of his tears on her hand and felt her heart go out to this boy, no man, who was such an enigma to her. He constantly surprised her.

"Shhh, Draco, please listen to me…I forgive you. It's that simple. I can see in your eyes that you are truly sorry and that you truly love me the best you know how. I know you were the one who got this whole mess started, but you've been trying to fix it and make amends in the end. That's all I need to forgive you."

Draco was floored at this declaration. He had expected her to scream and hit him, not welcome and forgive him! He was honestly speechless. He just looked at her like she was his breath of life.

Hermione sat up and grasped both of Draco's hands in hers while he continued to kneel before her.

"There is one thing that I need you to do for me, for me to feel like it is truly over and that you and I are free from this burden of the events stemming from my first dose of the Optare Potion."

Draco squirmed at her frank appraisal of how this all got started, but he knew he deserved it. He'd do anything to make this up to Hermione, so he was ready for her request…or so he thought.

"Anything, Hermione! I'll do anything for you…just name it!"

"I knew I could count on you, Draco. I need you to get me the original recipe for the Optare Potion and any copies that may be in existence. It's a Malfoy potion, so you are going to have to be the one who does this. No matter what, Draco, I need you to get me that potion."

As shocked and saddened as Draco Malfoy was by her request, he was ready to do whatever she wished…and so he reluctantly agreed.

"Okay, Hermione. I'll get you what you've asked for…I promise."

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Okay…you probably hate me if you're still reading this. All I can say is that this chapter has gone in SEVERAL different directions in the course of writing it. I've rewritten this chapter four times! I had planned for this to be the chapter where Severus and Hermione FINALLY got together, but there were other things that needed to happen first…namely this encounter with Draco. Any guesses why Hermione wants the recipe for the potion that has made her life hell? Well, at any rate…the long awaited reunion WILL take place in the next chapter, so if you're patient with me…I'll try to get it out next week! Thanks for reading even though I don't update regularly. Please let me know what you think!

Namaste