A/N: This is a tad bit shorter than usual, but things get a bit more interesting with our lovely main couple. Hope you all like it, let me know what you think. :)
XOXO
Chapter Twenty-Five
My eyes fluttered open from sleep to see Severus' sleeping face. He looked so peaceful in his sleep. The new stress lines that he had been gaining were gone but I knew they were going to come back soon enough. I couldn't help but creep us closer to him, basking in his warmth. His arms wrapped tighter around me instinctually and I felt his legs move as they were entwined with mine. Keeping my head rested on his chest I noticed how compromising our position was. I didn't care though. At that moment it was just me and him, alone in the world, uncaring of the problems outside of our little bubble. I heard his breathing change and he shifted in his sleep, obviously about to wake up.
His eyes opened slowly to look down at the weight on his chest, me. If he was shocked at our position he didn't make any indication. He just let out a relaxed sigh and closed his eyes once again. I looked over at the clock he had mounted opposite from his bed to see the time. It was nearly past breakfast time with only a bit more than half an hour until my first class. I shifted next to him, placing my hands on his chest and looked at his sleepy face.
"Severus, we need to wake up now." I said gently. He didn't move. "Severus, we have thirty minutes to get ready for classes." He kept his hands on my waist. I let out a sigh but my grin at his actions, or lack thereof, didn't leave me. "Severus, I think I'm pregnant." I said bluntly. His eyes snapped open and he twisted the both of us around to pin me on the bed.
"How could you? It's the weasel isn't it? I'll have him expelled somehow the moment I see him. Better yet, I'll kill him," he snapped angrily. I could see his murderous intent in his eyes and I laughed outright. That seemed to catch his attention as his thoughts focused on me again and assessing the words and how I spoke it. "You aren't pregnant are you?" he said softly.
"No I'm not but I had to wake you up somehow, Severus. If I didn't we would be in this bed sleeping the day away instead of going to our classes." I teased. He nodded at the truth in my words. "Can you unpin me now?" my eyes glittered and I smirked at him. His eyes widened finally realizing that he, my potions teacher, had me, a student, pinned on his bed, both of us scantily clothed. Though I was only technically his student, I hope he didn't see me as just that. I surely don't just see him as my teacher anymore.
He cleared his throat and moved away from me to rest on his side of the bed. I shifted to my side to look at him. I had myself propped on my elbow and I grinned.
"Why in heaven's name do you have that stupid grin on your face?" He said harshly, though I knew he was only trying to level the situation to something completely more platonic.
"I'm still grinning since we now have only twenty minutes or so to get ready." He gave a sigh and slowly sat up in bed. I got up completely, moving away from the bed.
"Where are you going?" He said from the bed. I turned to him with a playful smirk.
"I am going to take a shower." I closed the door to his bathroom before softly calling out to Tilly.
"Mistress called for Tilly," the elf said as his usual greeting.
"Morning," he nodded back to me waiting for my orders. "I need a full school outfit to change into with shoes and bring me my school bag too. Then get Milly to bring down some tea and a quick breakfast to go for me and Severus." Tilly nodded and left. Climbing into the shower I heard a pop as my clothes and bag appeared. I rushed my shower but nonetheless letting the scent of Severus' shampoo, conditioner and soap sink into me. Using my wand I dried myself before pulling on my school robes. Finally dressed I brushed my teeth using a transfigured toothbrush before heading back out into Severus' room. He wasn't there. Grabbing my bag I went into the kitchen were breakfast was usually set. There he was drinking his tea and nibbling on a piece of toast, still in his sleeping clothes.
"You're going to be late," he said as I sat down opposite of him. I took a sip of tea before grabbing a breakfast wrap and taking a large bite. Swallowing I took another sip before finally replying back to him.
"You're going to be later than me." I took another bite and watched the clock. Ten minutes.
"I don't have first class," he told me with a smirk. I frowned at his fortunate self. "You do not have the same luxury." I hurriedly ate the remainder of the wrap before downing the tea.
"That is completely unfair," I mentioned. He only grinned back at me before taking another drink, taking his sweet sweet time in doing so.
"I suggest using the tunnel hidden by the wall by the fireplace. Take the left and then take another left when given the option. Follow that the rest of the way to right near the charms classroom." He said slowly. I grinned at his advice, feeling more courageous than usual I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He seemed shocked as I pulled away. Turning on my heel I gave him a shout goodbye as I ran away to head to class. Five minutes.
Four minutes, I made the first left. Three minutes, the second left. Two minutes I followed the tunnel. One minute, I found myself in front of the Flitwick's class in an empty corridor. Everyone was already inside. I walked in, trying to calm by breathing from the sprint I had done to get there. All eyes seemed to turn to me as I walked in.
"Right on time, Miss Granger," Professor Flitwick said in his cheery voice. His smile beamed on me and I gave him a kind smile back. "Go on and take your seat." I looked around the room noticing there was only one seat open in the very back of the class, behind everyone else. Thankfully instead of it being next to Ron and Harry it was by Draco. I walked calmly to the seat ignoring the looks from the two boys who were probably wondering where I was last night. They will never know.
"Where were you doing breakfast? You weren't with Luna like usual," Draco commented. I stayed silent as the professor lectured about the bubble-head charm that we were to be learning for the week. Draco and I already knew it.
"I slept in," I whispered under my breath. My tone was short and I knew that he knew I wanted the questioning to end there but her pushed further.
"You didn't sleep in your dorms. I overheard Potter and Weasel." He kept his voice lower than a whisper and I knew the conversation wasn't going to stop there. Casting a quick notice me not spell I turned to him fully.
"What do you know?" I asked him calmly.
"Did you finally tell them that your parents are gone?" His question surprised and I slumped down in my seat a little.
"How'd you know?" My voice quivered slightly. If he knew as well, just how many did. Was I so obvious? Does Dumbledore know too? My sudden fear was obvious to Draco who shook his head at me.
"Luna accidentally told me. She thought I knew when I asked her what you were doing for the holidays. Don't get mad at her though." He whispered. I nodded letting my fears lay to rest. "So do they know?"
"Yes they do." I said honestly.
"That's why you didn't sleep in your dorm. They probably want to talk to you. And you-" He realized.
"I want to never mention it again to them. They pity me."
"And you don't want their pity." Draco finished for me. "You know, if you don't want to talk to them," he paused to look at me. "You can always talk to us." He had a sheepish face and I could tell he was embarrassed at the words spilling from his mouth. "We're always going to be here for you. Until the very end, right?"
"Thanks, Draco." It was silent from there on and it was only until the rest of the class started to fuss as they attempted to do the charm did we pay our attention back to class. We instantly casted the charms after dropping the notice me not spell and earned a quick easy ten points for both our houses. We were excused for the rest of the class. Grabbing our stuff we took down the homework and left for the exit together, neither of us speaking.
"Where to now?" He asked me. I shrugged and walked aimlessly through the halls with Draco by my side. The halls were empty as nearly everyone was in classes. "You do know we're walking to the dungeons, right?" I turned to him with my eyebrows raised in question.
"We are?" I said confusedly. He nodded and pointed at Severus' office door that was only a few feet away from where we stood.
"You have it bad, Hermione," he teased.
"You can't speak a word of this to anyone, not even him" I threatened. He grinned at my admission.
"Man, I owe Luna five galleons now," he chuckled.
"You two were betting?" I hissed. Oh, those two are going to be the death of me, I swear.
"She bet that you would admit it to the both of us this year. I said you would wait until next to completely sort out that you love him." His grin was so wide it looked like it hurt.
"You aren't freaked out about me liking him?" I tilted my head and he chuckled again.
"You two have the age thing going on and the whole taboo thing," he explained, "but somehow you seem perfect for each other. Invite me to the wedding by the way," he joked. His eyes were twinkling amusedly and I gave him a hard playful nudge.
"We aren't together you git," I replied back as he recoiled from my hit.
"You will be," Draco winked at me before turning away. "I'll be leaving you then. See you next class." He gave me a wave before walking to the direction of the Slytherin common room.
Giving a sharp knock on Severus' door I walked in quietly. He was sitting once again on his large desk chair grading his endless amount of papers.
"Shouldn't you be in class," he sneered at me, never once looking up to face me.
"I was excused seeing as I knew the spell anyways." I walked over and sat in my usual chair across from him, locking and warding the door as I did so. Shrugging off my bag I leaned to grab one of his extra quills before dipping it into the red ink bottle. Grabbing one of the papers I read the first few lines before slashing through it and writing side comments and corrections in the cruelest way I could.
"Your grading style has improved," I heard him say.
"I did learn from the best," I said smartly. I could see a near grin coming onto his face as he graded.
"Bode is dead," He said suddenly through the silence that had formed as we graded.
"Bode, the one who was magically injured while in the department?" I questioned as I finished grading the essay in front of me. He nodded. "Murdered?"
"By the Dark Lord or another follower to completely silence him." Severus mentioned off handedly.
"The Dark Lord will call upon you tonight perhaps. The death of Bode and the escape from Azkaban has him in a good mood. And I need to know the situation in the circle for us to change our plans accordingly." I said calmly as I grabbed another essay. He slashed through his own before settling his quill down.
"He already has," he said faintly.
"And you haven't gone?" I raised my eyebrows at him. "Making the Dark Lord wait isn't something a man trying to survive should do."
"He simply is letting me know that he is summoning me at my earliest convenience. I cannot simply disappear from classes every time he wishes to see me." I let out a chuckle at the absurdity of his words. I can't really imagine the all-powerful Lord Voldemort waiting at his home for someone to drop by.
"Does he cook dinner for the lot of you when you return home to him?" I mocked.
"No, his barbequed victims are only for his snake, Nagini's dinner. We are left to find our own meals." His dark joke hit me with new peals of laughter. It was a horrible thing to joke about, but the image of the Dark Lord cooking a meal hit me hard.
"What does it feel like, Severus?" I questioned when I finally calmed down from my brief hysteria.
"It feels like needles prickling my skin when it is a non-demanding call." He said softly.
"And when it's urgent and he's mad?" I asked softly.
"It feels like a hot iron being pressed onto my skin." I shuddered at his words and the silence consumed us again. It wasn't an awkward or empty silence. It hardly ever was anymore. The silence was common to the both of us now, and only when we thought of another conversation to discuss did we ever break it.
I looked over at the clock noticing the time that had already gone by. Packing my stuff I got up to leave.
"Which class?" His silky voice cut in.
"Transfiguration," I had turned to him, halting in opening the door to take my leave. "Why?"
"Go to my quarters and take the passageway again. Turn left, take a right twice then turn left again." I smiled at him though he kept his eyes trained on his papers as he graded through them.
I approached him again stealthily and when I was back at his desk he finally looked up at me. Leaning over I gave him another kiss on the cheek, pulling away slowly.
"Thank you," I said gently before heading to disappear into his quarters. The last thing I saw from him was his normally pale face turning to a dull shade of pink.
I'd arrived in front of the transfiguration classroom earlier than I expected when Harry and Ron called me over. I didn't move to go to them and so they moved closer to me, the same piteous look on their faces.
"You had us worried sick, Hermione," Ron said, he was irritated at how I reacted obviously. "Just because your parents died doesn't mean you can treat us like that." He said callously. Harry elbowed him in the stomach and Ron recoiled back. I looked around and thanked the fates no one heard him. Must have been the only reason the wand oath allowed it.
"If that's how you feel Ronald then you shouldn't ever need to be worried for me again," I spat at the inconsiderate prat. As if on cue McGonagall opened the classroom doors to let everyone in. I stormed in before all the other before settling in the seat closest to the professor's desk.
"Nice going Ron," I heard Harry say as they walked past me to take their seat. Everyone could tell I had turned into an awful mood and the seat next to me was kept empty until the last student came in. Draco came with his usual strut across the classroom until he settled next to me.
"Thanks for staying behind the rest of the class to sit by me," I whispered when no one else was looking our way.
"Weasel is a bloody git," Draco sneered under his breath. I sent him a secret smile.
"And you are?" I tried to joke. He gave me a hidden grin and I could sense his cheeky comment coming.
"I'm your git. I'm Luna's git first of foremost, but I'm your git secondly." I could have laughed outright that exact moment but I squashed it down.
"You're a git, ferret."
"That's Lord ferret to you, mudblood."