Summary: Plans to take down the Death Eaters.

So, I upped the rating on this. There are lemons in this chapter. Many thanks to my beta AmortentiaInMyVeins!

Chapter 12

Severus, Hermione, Harry, and Albus were again in the headmaster's office. Everyone was looking to Severus, awaiting his report on contacting Bellatrix Lestrange.

"I sent Bellatrix an Owl telling her that because of my killing of Voldemort, she was now in power. I told her I wished to negotiate a partnership where we would control the Wizarding world together. I asked her to meet me at the allotted time.

"As you can imagine, her response came quickly. She wants to meet. She did not say as to whether she was amenable to becoming partners, but knowing her, that has given her all the more reason to want me dead. She worked her way up in the Dark Lord's ranks. She does not want to share her glory."

Albus nodded his head at Severus' report. "So, all is going along as planned. Harry, have you gotten the Aurors ready?"

Harry gave a quick nod of his head. "A group of us Apparated to the site yesterday afternoon. We scoped out where everyone will be. We will all be using Disillusionment Charms, so hopefully the Death Eaters won't see us until we want to be seen."

"So, Severus and I just stand out in the forest, waiting for the Death Eaters to pop in?" Hermione asked.

"Hermione," Harry said with concern. "I thought you weren't going to be involved in this."

"Well, I am."

Harry looked angry. He looked mad enough to spit nails. He looked over at Severus.

"How can you let her do this? She shouldn't be within a mile of this meeting."

Severus narrowed his eyes at Harry. "I'm sure, Potter, you are well experienced with trying to talk Hermione out of anything."

He was about to continue and say something caustic, but Hermione beat him to it.

"Severus doesn't make my decisions for me, Harry. It is my decision to go."

Harry turned to Hermione. "You're being foolish! We can do this on our own."

"Harry, don't we have this argument every time you go into some dangerous situation? When are you going to accept the fact that I am a part of this war?"

"Severus and I can handle this ourselves."

"I'm sure you can, but it will be easier with help," Hermione spat.

"Enough!" Albus commanded. "If Hermione has decided to accompany Severus, there will be no further argument. Are you sure, Hermione, that this is what you want to do?"

Hermione nodded. Severus sat next to her with his lips thinned, but he said nothing to dissuade her. He had made his feelings known the day before.

"As I said yesterday," Albus continued, "Lucius has turned sides. He will be with the Death Eaters but will fight for us."

"Can he be trusted?" Severus asked.

"I believe so. He has given us vital information about the goings-on since

Bellatrix has taken over as Dark Lady."

"There's nothing lady-like about that woman," Hermione muttered under her breath.

Severus took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. She squeezed his back. She looked back to Albus.

"Will you be involved in this fight, sir?" Hermione asked him.

"Yes, I will be among the Aurors. Hermione, perhaps you should consider being hidden among them also. Bellatrix might find it odd that Severus would bring a Muggle-born to this meeting."

Severus turned to Hermione. "He's right. You can be just as effective from the ambush point, maybe even more so."

Hermione thought about it and then agreed. "But I want to be closest to Severus, Harry. I won't be stuck off in the back."

"All right, all right!" Harry growled.

"If that is all, we'll adjourn," Dumbledore said.

They all nodded, rose, and said their goodbyes.

oooOOOooo

Severus held the door open for Hermione to enter his quarters. She stepped through, and Severus closed the door behind them. He turned back to Hermione and frowned.

"Hermione, please reconsider. I don't want you hurt, and this mission is incredibly dangerous."

Hermione came up to Severus and ran her hands down his arms. "My love, we've discussed this already and made a decision."

Severus huffed. "You made a decision."

"I won't let you do this alone, Severus. I'm going to be there with you to help defeat Bellatrix and her Death Eaters."

Severus heaved a great sigh and gave Hermione a look of surrender. "Fine."

"I knew you'd see things my way," Hermione said with a grin.

Severus rolled his eyes. "You are impossible."

Hermione hugged him to her. "And you love me for it."

"I suppose."

Hermione pulled back. "You suppose? What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, my sweet Hermione, that although I love you without reservation, your stubbornness can be… difficult."

"I'm sorry. It's one of my worst traits… to most everyone but me."

Severus chuckled. "It's meritable until it goes against what I want."

"Sorry…"

She smiled, not really sorry at all. Sobering, she looked at Severus seriously.

"We may not make it through this fight, Severus."

"I know, that's why I want you to stay here."

"I'm your partner. We do things together," Hermione replied.

"You're right, of course." Severus gazed at her intensely. "I love you," he declared emphatically.

"I love you, too. Maybe it's time we…" she looked away as she turned red.

"What is it?" Severus asked. As he gazed at her, he seemed to understand what she was implying.

"You want to express our love for one another in case we don't make it through this?"

Her eyes met his, and she nodded.

"Hermione, you know I've wanted to show you just how much you mean to me for a while now."

She smiled shyly at him and nodded again.

His hand came up and cupped her cheek.

"Are you sure? I know you wanted to wait until we were married."

Hermione's eyes grew big. "I want to be with you now, Severus."

His lips crashed into hers, and the couple was enveloped in one another. Severus broke away, scooped Hermione up into his arms, and brought her into his bedroom, shutting the door magically behind him. He gently laid her on the bed and stared into her eyes.

"You're sure?" he asked tentatively.

"Make love to me, Severus," she replied as her hands ran down his chest.

Grasping his shirt, she pulled him into her and made her own assault on his lips. He eagerly returned her passion. They continued their onslaught as they made to remove each other's clothing. Before Severus knew it, he was shirtless and unfastening Hermione's bra.

Breaking off their kiss, he pulled back so he could look upon his fiancée.

"So beautiful…" he murmured.

Leaning in, he took one of her nipples in his mouth and began to suckle it. She arched up into him as she tweaked his own nipples and ran her fingers along his chest. Her hands moved down, and she worked to unfasten his trousers. With a quickly murmured spell, Severus had vanished what was left of both of their clothes, leaving Hermione to wend her way down toward his privates.

"Let me see you," she demanded. "I want to see you."

Severus smirked before his grin dissolved. "I'm nothing to look at, Hermione."

"Nonsense," Hermione countered. "You are so sexy."

Severus' eyes grew wide. "I know that I am not," he countered.

"You are to me."

"I am scarred and…"

He was silenced by her finger covering his lips. "I have scars too. We've all been involved in battles that have left us scarred. Your scars only make me love you more for the sacrifice they represent."

His face showed doubt in what she was saying.

Hermione pursed her lips at him before pushing him back slightly. "My God, Severus, look at you. You're magnificent."

She admired his chest, and as her eyes were drawn down, they grew wide.

"Oh!"

Severus arched an eyebrow at her.

"I… you're… wow."

Severus let a laugh burst from him before leaning in and kissing her. He pulled back soon after.

"Thank you, love. You've made me feel worthy of you."

"You have always been, Severus."

He kissed her again, pouring his love for her into the kiss. Soon he was working his way all over her body, showering her with passionate kisses. He settled on her breasts and moved from one to the other, suckling them, while his hand drew down, and he began to finger her.

She moaned and arched into his hand. His eyes drew to hers, and he saw the desire in them. He smirked at her.

"So wet, and all for me."

"Oh, Severus, please…"

"Please what, pet?"

Her eyes opened and she stared into his.

"Please… I need you in me."

"As you wish, my love."

Moving so he could enter her, he thrust in slowly, understanding that this was her first time.

Hermione winced and some of the passion left her eyes. He slowly moved within her farther. He watched her expression until the tension eased from her face.

"All right?" he asked.

Her lips were thinned with concern, but she gave him a quick nod.

Reaching out, he caressed her face. "I love you," he murmured before he began to slowly move within her.

She sucked in a breath, but then relaxed and began to enjoy it. His slow motions began to increase in speed as passion began to overcome him. They both began to moan as Severus threw his head back languidly.

"Harder," Hermione begged.

Severus let a small smile flit over his features as he moved faster and harder. Soon they were moving together furiously. Severus restrained himself until he felt she was about to come. Letting himself release, they both came together, each calling out the other's name in passion.

Severus looked down at his fiancée and found tears in her eyes. He grew serious as he looked at her.

"That was amazing," she gulped out.

Giving him a saucy grin, she pulled him down and kissed him with abandon. Feeling relief, he reveled in her affection, kissing her back just as passionately. Slowly withdrawing from her, he laid beside her. His arms surrounded her, and he pulled her to him, surrounding her in his embrace. His nose buried itself in her curls, and he nibbled at her ear.

"I love you," he murmured softly to her.

Hermione turned in his arms and embraced him. "I love you, too," she replied before pulling him even closer in her embrace.

oooOOOooo

Hermione and Severus waited at the Hogwarts' gate for Harry to appear. They had agreed to meet there and Apparate together to the intended battlefield. A sharp crack announced Potter's arrival. He nodded at the couple before looking upon Severus.

"We're ready to go. The Aurors are preparing the site as we speak."

"All right then," Severus replied. "Let's get going. I'd like to examine the area before Bellatrix arrives."

Harry nodded. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to stay back for a minute with Hermione. We need to talk."

Severus regarded him sternly before nodding in agreement. He looked at Hermione. "I shall see you in a few minutes," he told her before turning and disappearing from sight.

"I still don't like the idea of you being involved in this," Harry said with a huff as he looked upon his friend.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not going to sit by the sidelines when all my friends are fighting Bellatrix Lestrange."

"I understand, Hermione, it's just that…"

"Stop now!" Hermione said tersely. "I am just as good with a wand as you are, Harry Potter! You're not going to convince me to not help, so just stop."

Harry shrugged. "I'd say you're probably better." He gave her a hard look. "Okay, Hermione, you win. But be careful, okay? I just don't want you hurt."

"I don't want you hurt either. I don't want any of us hurt."

Harry grinned. "Let's get going. The enemy should be getting to the meeting point in about half an hour."

Hermione nodded, and they both Apparated to the forest where the meeting was to be held. Harry walked over to Severus, who was already moving around the area, casting spells and wards to help with the battle. Other Aurors were doing much the same. Ron came up to them when he saw them appear.

"We'll have some Aurors stationed behind that hill," Ron said after he nodded at the other three. "The rest of the Aurors will be scattered along the field."

"Snape… Severus… you'll be over there," Harry said as he pointed to an area near the hill. "The hill will protect you from being attacked from behind."

Severus nodded. "Hermione, perhaps you can be behind the hill," he said.

Hermione frowned. "Very funny. I'll be disillusioned about ten feet from you."

Severus met her gaze. His eyebrows knit together, but it seemed like he knew it would be no use arguing with her. "You will be careful," he said finally with a sigh.

"Of course."

"Why can't you be behind the hill, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Severus and I will face this together," she said determinedly.

"Severus? Since when is he Severus?"

Hermione looked to Harry. "You haven't told him?" she asked.

Harry shook his head. Hermione reached out and grasped Severus' hand.

"We are engaged, and we want to face this threat together."

Severus scoffed and muttered, "Yes, we…" under his breath.

Ron looked to him then to Hermione. He swallowed hard.

"You're engaged to him?" he asked incredulously.

Hermione's chin lifted a little. "Yes, Ronald, and this isn't the time to go into it."

Ron's lips thinned, but he said no more about it. "Okay then. I'm going to be over there by those trees. I'll work on getting those in the back without the others noticing."

Harry nodded and Ron headed over to his place.

"The rest of us should get into place too. We don't know whether they'll surprise us by appearing early," Harry said.

Severus and Hermione nodded, and Harry brought his wand to his neck, amplifying his voice.

"Aurors," he said with authority. "Let's get into place and Disillusion ourselves. They could arrive any minute."

There was a hustle among all of them as they took their places. One by one, everyone disappeared except Severus. He moved to the hill, and Hermione moved about ten feet to his left. She studied the area. The hill area was open, but the rest of the area was laden with trees. There would be lots of places to hide for both sides. She quickly pinpointed the closest tree so she could have some cover if needed. She hoped that everything would work in their favor.