Vixen

By

SheriLovingLecter

Disclaimer: Nothing but the plot belongs to me; J.k Rowling is a goddess, although I am looking to have a few harsh words with her about killing Severus off…

Severus thinking to Hermione.

Hermione thinking to Severus.

Chapter 28 – An Announcement.

They were sat in silence, she still wasn't quite brave enough to become Hermione again; that would mean taking responsibility for her irresponsible actions. Severus sat opposite her in the twin armchair; he had his hands arched by his chin as he looked at her, a look she couldn't quite fathom. She shifted on the armchair, the small leak from her wound having dried and congealed upon her tummy. She wrapped her bushy tail around herself, the comfort it afforded not quite easing her mind at this moment... If only he would just speak.

Hermione's eyes widened as she realised she had opened their connection without meaning to, and thus just shouted 'speak' into his head rather loudly. If the buzzing she usually got in her head at opening their connection wasn't enough as a clue; she saw him flinch slightly and furrow his brow at her.

Sorry I... was thinking too loud I guess.

She looked up at him as she spoke this in his head, her eyes guilty.

"Are you planning on cowering away from me all evening? Or will you change back so I can heal you?"

She flinched at his tone of voice, he sounded almost… Hurt.

Oh...

She understood now that he was under the impression she remained as Vixen to hide from him, rather than the truth, which was that she was in actuality; hiding from herself. She closed her eyes, imagining her form to change, which it did leaving a dishevelled looking Hermione in the same place Vixen had previously been sat.

She raised her eyes to his, biting her lip slightly as she was bursting to speak, but didn't quite know if it was at all appropriate at the moment.

"Why did you not inform me you were in trouble?" His voice was calm as he stood, and she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat as he moved to kneel before her, his eyes upon her now covered stomach and not her face.

"I couldn-"

"What part of 'be careful' did you not understand Hermione?"

She bit her lip again as she frowned her voice wavering.

"Severus I-"

"Don't." That single word, one so harmless and yet held such venom; it felt like the single syllable had pierced her heart as she watched his emotionless face.

She merely watched on as a single pale hand gripped the hem of her shirt and rolled it up, exposing her midriff and re-opened scar. She watched him heal her again, his face showing no emotion as he did so; she could barely catch the whisper of his spell. She had drifted away in a daze somewhere through the healing but was jolted back when a calloused finger ran over her smooth tummy, and the slight rise of her scar.

"Already you have been harmed three times whilst in my care, and we have not even begun our task yet." His head was slightly bowed as his fingers remained lightly running over her scar; Hermione was afraid to breathe should he stop. When he raised his eyes to hers she felt a firm jolt within her, one that set thousands of tiny butterflies lose in her stomach, one that made her mouth go dry and her heart speed up.

"Having gained a friend Hermione, I would be displeased should I lose her to her own foolishness." She nodded at him, her lower lip trembling slightly. She was not sure why she wanted to cry; only that seeing such care from him, such guilt in his eyes for what happened to her; made her want to weep.

She brought her own hand to rest upon his strong jaw line, her eyes beseeching his. "You will never lose me, not for as long as my heart beats; I will always be your friend Severus."

His black eyes seemed to hold her whole for a moment, before he cleared his throat and stood; offering her his hand which she took, trying to quell her disappointment.

"I am afraid Dumbledore has requested yourself rather than Vixen to appear at dinner; he is making some sort of announcement to explain your looming absence."

She nodded and smiled softly as him, her hand still in his as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his middle. "I am sorry for being so careless Severus, after everything you taught me I should know better… I will be more careful, I will make you proud; I promise."

She had her eyes squeezed shut as she spoke into his chest; his arms had wrapped around her, now only holding the slightest of hesitation before doing so. She squeezed him slightly before realising him again and sighing.

"At least I might finally get to eat now…"

He smirked at her, the amused glint returning to his eyes as he opened their chamber door for her to precede him into the hall. She had been watching Severus as he spoke, her eyes fixed firmly upon his face. In fact she was so much focussed upon him that she forgot anything else; the main problem with this being she had followed him through the staff entrance, right during dinner. The Great Hall fell silent as the door creaked shut behind them, usually none would have stopped eating the delicious food in front of them to watch Snape seat himself; however today was different.

Today Hermione Granger was walking next to him, a grin upon her face as she seemed to be thoroughly absorbed in whatever the potions master was saying, whilst Snape himself... Well Snape was almost smiling at her. At the Hufflepuff table poor Euan Fellagrade had choked on his dinner and yet none around him noticed, as they were all too busy watching Hermione Granger and Snape.

Severus' sudden halt of conversation brought her attention to her surroundings and the smile faded from her face. She was mentally cursing herself at her own stupidity, she had followed Severus as usual, and not realised it might seem a bit odd for her to walk in late to dinner with 'Snape'; and better yet grinning like an idiot at him. She looked up at the head table to see Dumbledore watching with no emotion on his face as he let them stand there in silence; thankfully Severus took the lead.

He swept his arm out in front of him inviting her to the staff table and then conjured a seat next to his own; she smiled at him greatfully and sat. Dumbledore then finally decided to speak.

"I believe congratulations are in order for Miss Hermione Granger, for she has taken her remaining N.E.W.T's early; and is no longer a student of Hogwarts."

Hermione looked out at the sea of faces before her; all of them sat stunned before whispers broke out among them, Hermione bit her lip and glanced to Severus. She had no idea what made him do it, she could have hexed him as she sat there, he was such a fool... A wonderful, stupid fool. Severus had looked at her, seeing the guilt in her eyes for leaving her friends behind and stood up next to her. Amidst the whispers and stares of the students Severus Snape stood and began clapping, he began clapping for Hermione Granger, 'Gryffindor Know-it-all'. She heard Dumbledore choke behind her, and she would have looked had she not been transfixed in horror at Severus.

What an earth are you doing?! Sit down for heaven's sake!

One word came back to her through their connection; a word that made her heart soar and plummet all at once.

No.

Had Hermione looked at the staff table she would have seen Professor McGonagall and Hagrid stand and begin clapping simultaneously, and then the rest of the staff follow their lead. At the prompt of their Head of House; Slytherin's were dragging one another up to clap, not wanting to face the wrath of Snape. Each house table followed their Heads of Houses as they stood to clap, and Hermione blushed profusely as she sat in slight shock.

The next voice she heard was not one she expected as again; Severus surprised her.

"Hermione Jane Granger has always exceeded expectations, defied limitations, and faced any fear she may have head on with calm logic and her sometimes irritating intelligence. I congratulate her on her success and now hope I will be rid of her ever hovering hand... Well done Miss Granger." He then inclined his head at her before sitting down and sipping his coffee.

-o-

She was still in shock as they walked back to his chambers after a 'meeting' with the Headmaster, she would occasionally look up at him as he walked beside her, open her mouth to say something, before shaking her head and looking away again. Once they reached their chambers she immediately made for her chair, and when seated looked up at him to shake her head for what felt like the millionth time.

"Well... If no-one was suspicious before; they certainly will be now..."

He rolled his eyes at her before calling a house-elf for tea, she watched as he then sat himself opposite her, a slight and rather irritating smirk on his face.

"Don't be so dramatic, I didn't exactly shower you with praise."

She gaped at him and snorted slightly. "Oh yes I am dramatising everything, since when have you ever stood up to speak of anyone that way?"

She was further incensed as he merely shrugged his shoulders as he poured the tea that had appeared before him.

"You know, I am not very used to publicly saving someone's arse, but I do believe the customary response would be 'thank you' rather than hysterics."

She let out a small noise of frustration before standing. "Severus Snape, you are impossible!"

She then walked quickly from the lounge to her own room where she sat upon the bed with her head in her hands. She knew why she was reacting so 'dramatically' but she couldn't exactly pronounce it to him, she was worried about him; worried about what his actions had just cost him. To stand up in front of the entire school and show her support, the 'mudblood' Gryffindor and best friend of Harry Potter; his masters enemy. How would he explain his actions, would he be punished and would it then be her fault?

She hadn't realised she was crying until a black handkerchief appeared before her line of vision, held by a long fingered pale hand.

"I apologise, I did not mean to upset you." It sounded like he wanted to say more, but chose not to. Hermione took the cloth and wiped her eyes as she felt him sit beside her, their shoulders touching.

"It isn't you... I mean... I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders and sniffed, her fingers playing with the black material and the S.S that was stitched there. She looked up as his hand brushed hers and he took the handkerchief from her hands to wipe away the new track of tears, his eyes were focussed on his task as he spoke again.

"You do not need to explain, I understand. You once made a promise to be loyal to me Hermione, as I did you; though not verbally. I did not act carelessly as it is all part of what is to come; I promise the Dark Lord will not harm me for my actions today."

She frowned at him as the cloth glided across her cheeks. "How did you know what I was thinking about?"

He gave her one of his rare smiles, the ones that she couldn't help but smile in return at.

"You keep forgetting Vixen; we are connected in more ways than one."

She looked confused, that was the first time he had ever called her Vixen out of her Animagus form, and she didn't quite understand.

"Connected..?" She asked, but when his hand touched her temple, her necklace and her chest just above her heart; she forgot her confusion as she swallowed nervously and watched him nod. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she noticed the emerald in her necklace take on a faint glow at his touch.

"Yes Hermione, you are my soul mate; are you not?"

She could have cried at the emotion of it all, she felt so proud to have him as a friend; and to hear him actually say those words set the butterflies loose in her stomach again. She nodded and smiled at him, letting out the breath she had been holding as they both stood and made their way back into the lounge; their chairs becoming a couch as he handed her a cup of tea and they sat side by side.

She curled her feet beneath her and leant her head against his shoulder, her eyes fluttering shut in comfort as his arm came around to hold her to him and they sat companionably. Just before she fell asleep from the calming potion she knew was in her tea, a single word was whispered into his shoulder; one Severus heard as he sipped his tea and smiled into the cup.

"Yours..."

A/N- Soo? Did you like it? I have to admit I loved writing this chapter and developing the closeness between them both. After all; I don't believe with them it can just 'happen' straight away. And I always enjoy the build up =)

Please let me know any thoughts, opinions and ideas via a review; or even if you just wanted to let me know you liked it, all are appreciated, so please REVIEW guys! Thank you! X SLL