A/N This is it for this story, but don't worry, Lydia will be back soon. Many thanks to all my readers!
Neminiwrites
Chapter 8
It felt like apparition. All squeezed and dizzy. Hermione awakened coughing and weak, gasping for air. Severus was holding her so tight she couldn't inhale. When he saw she had returned, he held her gently, covering her face with kisses. She was home again in her husband's arms.
She looked up at his tear stained face. "I heard you call me. Albus said I could come back if I wanted to." Severus could not speak, only shower her with kisses and rock her in his arms.
Lydia was looking down at them with tears in her eyes, grateful Hermione had found her way home. She touched his shoulder. "Severus. You are free of them." He looked at Lydia and nodded his head, still unable to speak. There would be no more nightmares. "Hermione will recover herself in a few moments, and be right as rain by morning. Call me if you need me. Goodnight."
oopOqoo
As I trudged the stairs to my rooms, I thought of how lucky I was. If Hermione hadn't come when she did, it would have been me going through the gate. I don't know that I could have come back with no one to call me.
Severus was safe. The demons of his past finally put to rest. I can't wait to ask Hermione what she saw and felt. It's not everyone who has been there and back. I wondered what had happed to Bellatrix. She was the most twisted soul I've ever known. She must have endured something horrible for a very long time for that to happen to her. I felt sorry for her and hoped she could heal now.
I turned at the top of the stairs and looked behind me at the school. The halls were empty and the kids in bed. It was so quiet and peaceful compared to the chaos of the day. Classes would begin again in the morning. I would have to go to Minerva and tell her what happened. She will be without her Potions Master and her Muggle Studies professor for a few days. As for me, well, a few stiff muscles are all I will have to deal with once the splitting headache goes away. I grinned as I entered my rooms. Right as Rain by morning.
oopOqoo
Severus carried Hermione to the bedroom and laid her gently down on it. He wanted to worship her. To cover her body with soft grateful kisses and vows of love. She opened her eyes and reached up to cup his cheek. His hand covered hers as he kissed her palm. "I almost lost you Hermione." Tears threatened his eyes again. "I couldn't bear to go on without you."
She smiled, "It was your voice that called me back Severus. It was an amazing place. Albus said it was the biggest library there is. It has every book ever created."
Severus looked into her face, awash with wonder. "A library? I'm lucky you came back at all."
She giggled, "It will be there waiting for us when our time comes." Her face became clouded. "Bellatrix was horrible. She was going to kill Lydia. I had to stop her. I pulled her into the gate. Albus said she was moving on to her destiny. We are free of her forever."
He closed his eyes as his eyebrows pinched together in pain. Once again he was the cause of someone he loved being put in harms way. "I'm sorry love. That you had to go through all of that because I didn't want to believe that she had returned."
"I'm not the one you owe an apology to Severus."
He knew who she meant. "I will speak to her tomorrow."
"Lydia risked her life for us. Maybe you could cut her some slack from now on?"
He grinned and held her hands to his lips. He looked to the window. The sun would be up in a few hours. "You need rest my love." Severus pulled the blankets over her and watched as she dozed off. He would watch over her the rest of the night, counting her breaths and his blessings.
She slept late. Minerva had already sent her patronis to tell them they were excused for the day. Lydia had explained everything. When she opened her eyes to him smiling down on her, it was like being reborn. She was inexplicably happy and then remembered why.
"Good morning Hermione. Did you sleep well?"
"Very well my love." She saw the worry and fear still in his eyes. Hermione sat up and kissed him until his eyes rolled back into his head. He wrapped his arms around her and whimpered as she pulled his sleep shirt off. Severus kissed a line down her jaw to her throat and removed her clothing to go lower.
They made love to each other slowly. To hold back the memory of how they could have lost one another forever. It was sweet and tender and fulfilling in a way that reached in to soothe their souls. Afterwards when they caught their breath and basked in the glow of contentment, Severus was about to doze off. Hermione got up on her elbow and looked down at her husband, tracing lazy circles on his chest.
"I have something to tell you." He tried to pay attention, but between the loving and being up all night watching Hermione sleep, he could barely manage a grunt. "Before Bellatrix and I went into the gate. She said something I think you should know."
Now concerned for her safety he was instantly awake and on guard. "What did she say?"
"She said it was a shame I wouldn't live to birth the brat in my belly. I guess she was wrong again."
THE END