Chapter 38 The Otter and the Doe

Hermione yawned sleepily as she stood in the hallway watching over three students as they fervently polished one of Hogwart's chandeliers. The last hour had been about as exciting as watching mold grow and just about as interesting.

As the trio of chandelier polishers completed their task, she inspected the chandelier and nodded. "You may go. Next time you wish to prematurely pull up mandrakes, please think on how many chandeliers are hung around Hogwart's."

"Yes, Professor," the trio nodded emphatically and scurried off to their dormitories.

Stifling another yawn, she went about her patrol. Finding a few students passed out in the corridor with their books, she helped them gather their books and shoo them back to their respective dormitories. Catching a few late night snoggers, she sent them packing with a stern warning to their face and a private laugh behind their back.

The hallways became the more peaceful quiet she remembered from the summer as the students and staff went to sleep, allowing her to be more alone with her thoughts. She walked out onto the ramparts, reveling in the soft blow of the wind around her. The scent of winter was mixed with the damp musk of fall. Her mind calmed in the peace of the night, setting aside the stresses of added responsibility. She imagined herself as Fawkes, flying over the ramparts.

She caught a familiar scent on the wind and turned with a small smile. "Good evening, Severus."

"Hermione," he greeted, joining her on the castle ramparts.

"Is the Astronomy tower clear of wayward deviants?" She chuckled as she looked at him.

"Miraculously," he said dryly.

"The lake looks so beautiful from here," Hermione confessed. "I can smell the scent of winter mixed within the loam of the forest."

Severus' dark eyes met hers, and she looked up at him with a gentle smile. "Would you like to get a closer look?" His voice was soft.

"Are you hiding a port key in your robes that I do not know of?" she chuckled. "it is an awfully long way down there and we can't apparate while the students are here."

"Something like that," he said, looking down at her with his dark unfathomable eyes.

She met them fearlessly. "Yes, I would."

Severus extended his hand, palm up.

Hermione took his hand, feeling the familiar touch of his fingers curl around her own, and closed her eyes. His forehead pressed against hers and the familiar touch of his mind brushed against her own. Images danced within her head of what he wished to teach her combined with the feel of the power word in her mind. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized what knowledge he was weaving into her mind. His thoughts interlaced with hers in a rush of warmth as the realization of the gift he was giving her sank in.

He pulled away and she opened her eyes, amazement written on every line of her face. He lifted his arm to her as if to side-along apparate. She stepped into it, looking up at him as his arm curved around her back… and they flew.

It was dizzying.

It was exhilarating.

It was like racing as fast as you could run and being so caught up in the momentum that you couldn't stop if you wanted to.

It was electric. She felt like a bolt of pure energy shooting across the landscape.

Hermione gave a cry of delight as they landed at the shore of the lake, breathless as her voice trembled in excitement.

With a spin of her arms she cried out over the lake, making a movement with her wand, "Expecto Patronum!" Her otter flew forth from her wand and dove in and out of the lake's surface, playing in and out of the water as though it were real. She laughed with a genuine rush of warmth that had been buried deep within her wounded soul.

Severus moved his wand with a smooth circular movement, whispering, "Expecto Patronum!" into the wind. His doe sprang forth from his wand, bouncing across the lake's edge a few leaps at a time, then slowly walking to the edge as if to put her head down to drink. The otter glided closer and their noses delicately touched.

Hermione turned to face him, her expression was beaming with pure, uncontained joy. She stood in front of him, looking up at him, unrepentant and unafraid.

"Thank you," Severus whispered as he looked down at her, his face was calm and unburdened. "For trusting me.

Hermione looked up into Severus' dark eyes, watching the flicker of something pass across them. She placed her palm against his cheek, weaving her fingers into the hair around his ear. A shudder moved within him as his eyes half closed. He leaned into her touch warily as if he was afraid the act of pressing closer to her hand would cause her to disappear like mist over the lake. "I trust you, Severus," she whispered softly. "With my life."

He took in a ragged breath, enfolding her to him, the dark folds of his robe wrapped around her like a living thing. He shuddered with each breath, pulling her tight against himself as if they were able to merge into one being. He pressed his forehead to hers, his pale hand pressed her head against his. His mind was suddenly within hers, and she felt the rush of his emotions he normally kept meticulously and zealously guarded. "And I trust you," he whispered into her mind. "With mine."

A/N: I'm not usually one to put A/Ns in after every chapter, but this one is long in coming. Phew. That was an exciting chapter to write. Thanks to my lovely beta, Uverett, whom I have dragged into the job under duress, kicking and screaming. Also thanks to all of you who have reviewed my work so far and offered positive encouragement to keep writing. This is not the end, but I felt like I need to thank those who have been there for me during this whirlwind writing compulsion that literally started a few days ago and hasn't let me go since.

As for why they don't say "I love you" at this point. I don't think Severus is capable of saying that just yet. If ever. Not verbally. Not yet. I think he says something more powerful with the things he is willing to do for her. Teach her and ultimately trust her, not just with his knowledge, but his life. That, I think, for a man such as Severus Snape, is the highest compliment and gift he can bestow, because when it came down to it, he couldn't trust Lily to be there for him when he needed her. That doesn't mean he didn't love her. It just means that his wounds are that double edged blade. Anyway. On to the next chapter!