Chapter 27
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London, 1995
Hermione slid her arms through the sleeves of her black zip-up sweater. She quickly pulled up her Smith person and put on her glasses. They irritated her eyes but it would have to do since she didn't want to use charms or enchantments.
They were all three dressed similarly as not to draw attention to themselves.
Hermione had fun playing dress up with Zeph, especially since this time they both had ambushed Dimitry. Of course, he was a bit on the mature side so he had on his sleek dragon boots while Zeph had heeled black ones that looked really nice on her.
Hermione had been gifted a set of no-heel ankle booties that had made her smile widely. Zeph had good taste. She turned to Dimitry who had once again tried to pull at his suite, the attire being muggle made, so he kept trying to adjust certain parts of it. He asked if he could wear his robes again but Hermione shook her head.
"Muggles don't really wear those anymore. It has been a couple of decades, old man."
"I'll have you know that I am NOT that old. I merely feel uncomfortable in such attire." Dimitry wearily stated, his nose scrunched just the slightest.
They laughed at him. "Dimitry, I didn't know you were such a snobby prat. What are you? Twenty and depressed?"
He moved lightning fast and threw her across the room so that she bounced on the bed before she could blink. He smirked. She sent him a jinx that had him sputtering in a burst of surprised laughter. He was very ticklish.
Zeph shook her head in open amusement. "Alright, love, we need to act our age, lest we embarrass ourselves."
Hermione shook with laughter, she really loved them.
o0o
Cold winds hit the building that shielded their forms as they waited by the building that housed Slughorn.
They had walked a couple of blocks from the subway station, which had made Dimitry very cranky. Zeph had enjoyed it up until they had to leave. Now they stood and watched in hopes of catching Slughorn leave his hide hole. It was late at night, barely midnight so they didn't expect to see him for a couple of hours. Marcus had told her that he was staying in the upper levels. He also used the roof to disapparate instead of using his private rooms because of noise complaints.
He hadn't left yet so they needed to wait.
But Hermione didn't want to wait so she signaled to the others to follow her.
She had only gone back a day even though she had warned Zeph and Dimitry to pack for longer.
Not that she planned to be gone a whole week but shite happened sometimes.
With her wand ready, she slipped out of the dark alley and walked down the wet pavement. She felt the others follow her as she searched for any sign of Death Eaters.
Or wizards in general.
There was the occasional person or couple out and about but far in between. Hermione pushed back her hair and walked up the stairs leading to the bright lobby. It wasn't empty. There was a man standing at the end of the hallway by what seemed like the stairs. He set her off, his face averted away from them as he nodded at somebody in front of him, his figure hunched forward as he gave a wheezing laugh. But it wasn't his laugh that warned her but his words.
"We found the dumpy old man. He will be very pleased about this."
A female voice replied with the same glee. Hermione felt a nudge down the blood bond between Dimitry and her. She opened it as she locked the lobby doors silently.
"The one that just walked up the stairs is Amycus Carrow. The female voice must belong to Alecto Carrow, his twin. They are Death Eaters who bear the mark and who I haven't heard from them in years."
It seemed like they had been in charge of finding Horace Slughorn. But why? Marcus must not have been the only one to have been looking for him.
Or they must be acting out...but why exactly?
Hermione slipped in right behind the twins as Dimitry pushed Zeph back behind them. They followed the twins to the seventh floor, their steps silent, unlike those of the twins who continued to brag. They sounded like prats, especially the male.
Hermione debated on whether or not to intercept them but figured she could trust Marcus's own belief that Slughorn wasn't somebody that Riddle wanted to kill. She shared her thoughts with Zeph and Dimitry.
"Yes, I think he has something that Riddle wants to obtain," Dimitry said, his presence a silent shadow beside her. Zeph held back down the stairs, her eyes bleeding black in the darkness. Hermione froze in shock at the color, bringing Dimitry to a stop a step later too. He glanced back at his wife and whispered across her mind.
"She does that when she openly does an open grid mind scan. That's what she calls it when she searches the area for other minds. The only way she uses Legilimency. She wasn't lying when she told you that she was more inclined to Occlumency. But when she does try any form of Legilimency it turns to this."
That was really impressive but even when Zeph stopped using it, it kept the darkness in her eyes as she focused on them. She shot Hermione a small rueful smile in pure delight as she communicated on the same link as Dimitry. "I probably should have said something."
"What a time to do it, Zeph, next time I will jinx you for the scare," Hermione said as she resumed walking.
The pause had given the twins time to open the door to Slughorn's floor. She pushed the same door open and saw them stop right in front of Slughorn's door.
The woman, whose hair seemed to be slicked back with slug slime, going by the color of the shine, touched the door handle only to pause when a loud bang rang out from within.
Hermione winced at the sound and sprinted down the hallway without a second thought; she trusted them to take care of the twins. They proved her right when the bodies of the twins dropped like stones when she came up beside them.
The door banged open with a flick of her wand. Smoked greeted her in heaps as she stepped inside, her body hunched down incase Slughorn sent a spell where her head should be.
The smoke was probably hard to see through but her eyes didn't have that problem once she removed her glasses.
Not knowing what to do but knowing that there wasn't time to waste, she used the sight and located Slughorn near the back of the room. He was being careful not to make noise as he picked up a heavy looking bag. She jumped over a large couch and crouched silently on the other side, her weird eyesight tracking his movements.
She had a feeling he would try to disapparate the instant he held the bag securely in his grasp so she ran forward and yanked him into her arms and disapparated them out of the room. Seconds later, they arrived back at Marcus's family house.
Slughorn didn't even realize what she had done until they landed. Zeph and Dimitry came a second later with both bodies. She let go of him when he turned in panic. His eyes went to Zeph, who was smiling at him.
"Lady Zephrine! Dear me! Why have you come? How did you find me?"
Hermione stepped back, blending into the shadows of the house as Zeph took control. It was better if he calmed down with a familiar face. Dimitry was the next one to be welcomed.
Hermione stilled when Slughorn finally turned to Hermione with wide eyes that should have have been clear but instead was full of confusion and fear. Hermione cursed inwardly just as Zeph spoke using the link.
"Hemi, your eyes aren't covered."
Shite, she should have realized it and the idiot Dimitry just mocked her silently as he introduced Hermione.
"This is Elizabeth Smith, she is an acquaintance of ours. A special somebody that just saved you from them," he said and pointedly glanced at the Twins who were still out. Slughorn nodded sharply as he cast a huffy look at the twins.
"He has been trying to recruit me for months now. I ran the instant Dumbledore sent word to me about HIM being back." Slughorn said, his distaste apparent as he used his hands sharply in anger.
Hermione shifted farther back as he became distracted by his anger at having been chased for so long. She casually cast a charm to shield her eyes, she really needed to remember about them or find a long term enchantment to hide them.
And tell Severus about the damn owl sight.
After making sure that they were shielded, she stepped forward with determined steps. He looked back at her in surprise as she casually flicked the lights around the house with her hands easily. The electricity of the house going haywire since it really didn't mix well with magic. But the squib had been very careful in building the house.
It was somehow able to work just fine.
She walked over to the twins, who were out cold. Kneeling down on her knee, she pulled the man's face up, his face misshapen as she took a closer look. His mouth was lopsided, his nose broken in several places. Even comatose, his face held a leer that even creeped her out. She spared the sister a look before pointing her wand to his temple but was then stopped by Dimitry.
"No, let me. You do not want to see what goes on in his head."
Hermione frowned but didn't want to fight him about it. She moved aside and stood by Zeph, who also held a slight frown on her face. All three of them watched as he checked one than the other. He stood nonchalantly and turned to look at Slughorn than Hermione.
"There was a rumor with the lower Death Eaters. That if they found Horace first and brought him unharmed, they would gain entry to the inner circle. But it's a lie. That is not how it works."
That was news to her though.
But they could not be left to live. Hermione opened her bag and accioed a small bottle without a label. It didn't need one. She knew what it was. She kneeled down once more and unstoppered it with careful fingers.
She made sure that Alecto's head faced sideways and tipped the dark slimy liquid down the woman's ear. It looked alive as it began to slither down the ear canal. She did the same to the male before standing up with the near-empty bottle. Nobody knew what it was except for Severus and her.
After putting it away, she faced them.
"The potion will kill them the instant Riddle tries to read them. It will be like the Egyptians used to do to take out the brain without damaging the skull. Scrambled. Just like Neville's parents. They will live a half-life unless somebody tries to use Legilimency on them," she paused as she turned to look at Slughorn. "You look horrified. But regardless of Dimitry not wanting me to know what went in their heads, I saw it all. They like young children. They love to torture them. So, don't look so sorry. They were promised young ones at the next Revel if they brought you back alive by those that would have killed them in order to claim you as a prize."
She noticed Dimitry's jaw tick in anger but didn't say anything. Zeph even looked a bit mad at her. They would discuss it later.
Slughorn stared at her with a particular look in his eyes. Not exactly afraid...
He gestured with his hands. "I suppose you saved me for reasons of your own?"
Hermione smiled. "Ah, yes, you're right. I did save you, I suppose. But earlier you mentioned Dumbledore. Does he still send you messages?"
"Yes, he does. He wanted me to come back to teach Potions this year but wasn't allowed to since the Ministry had already assigned Dolores without telling him. He had no choice but he assured me that the upcoming year I could come back to teach Potions while Severus would take on Defense Against the Dark Arts. I declined since I didn't want to risk it. Plus, I know why both of them want me on either side."
That was very true. They both did want him.
Hermione took off her sweater and pushed her hair back as she leaned back against the fireplace. Her eyes locked to his. "I could read it from your head but I suppose if neither one of them could get it from you before then that means you have tampered with the memories that they want? That isn't a wild guess either. If it was a physical object they could have just killed you or threatened you in some way.'
Zeph left them and walked down the hall to the kitchen while Dimitry stepped in between the unconscious twins to re-stun them.
Slughorn turned red as he nervously fiddled with his heavy bag. He sighed and set them down before taking a seat. He rubbed his tired face repeatedly in agitation.
"I don't know why I'm telling you this. Probably because you're accompanied by Lady Zephrine, who I once hoped would marry into my family, or because you are with two of my favorite Slytherins. But yes, I have done what I can to hide from both of them and even tried to get rid of certain memories that could very well cost me my life."
"More like you're tired of running, Horace," Dimitry said, his eyes turning to the hallway as Zeph walked in with a tray.
It held warm tea and they all took one. The house was warm but the floor below them was cold against their shoes. Hermione sat down on the arm of the couch next to her and sipped her tea, her thoughts filled with countless possibilities.
But one thing was simply not adding up.
"Let me get this straight. You taught at Hogwarts for a few decades, meeting many many students who are now very much adults with their own offspring. You taught Riddle and quit right after he started the war. But once again you disappeared the instant Riddle came back. I think you are a lot more afraid of Riddle than Dumbledore. Why?" she asked as she set her cup down and picked up a biscuit. She turned it around and around before taking a small bite.
All the while taking in every nervous gesture he made. But he didn't look away once. He cleared his throat as he sent a small smile to Zeph, breaking eye contact finally.
"I don't know what any good it will do for you," he closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead nervously. His shoulders slumped in defeat as he shrugged. "Look, I did this foolishly years ago but I might be the reason he is back fully."
Hermione raised a hand. The last word had sealed his fate. The word 'fully' had given her what she had wanted.
"I know what it is now. Let me guess once again. You told Riddle something you should not have and now you know the extent of what those small words have caused."
Dimitry nodded in understanding, his gaze hard as he stared at his former professor.
"You told him how to make a Horcrux." she coldly stated.
o0o
The room was cold and empty when Hermione walked inside. Severus wasn't in his rooms so most likely meant that the twins had been found.
It was early in the morning, barely six, so she was a bit surprised that he had been called so early knowing full well that he had to teach in the morning.
Zeph and Dimitry had spoken quietly to her before they had left the night before.
Well, more like giving her a dressing-down for what had happened. She had taken it in stride since she understood why they had been angry. They had been worried. But it had all resulted in her favor.
Not to mention Slughorn's role in it all.
Hermione sat down on Severus's bed and laid back in his sheets after turning on one of the candles sitting on the nightstand. The bed smelled wildly of him. Making her feel safe and lulling her to sleep without warning.
But it wasn't long until she felt his presence as he slid in beside her. He pulled her up onto the pillows and she curled up onto his chest like a cat. He wasn't shaking in aftershock so she knew he was okay physically. The link rang clean and healthy so she didn't worry. Although now she came fully awake when his body didn't relax against hers.
"You used the potion?"
"Yes, I used it on both of them. It worked?"
"Most definitely. They died instantly. Riddle was beyond shocked. He didn't read anybody else, not even me, in fear of scrambling anybody else's brains. He thinks he's too powerful to risk it. He dismissed us but he will soon figure it out."
That was reassuring. The potion had worked perfectly then. She should have been disgusted with herself especially in the way that she had handled it all but she had seen what the twins had done to the muggle young in their memories and knew that they couldn't be allowed to live either way.
But this way, she didn't have to do it directly and neither did any of those she loved. She left her open palm on his neck and arched up for a kiss, a kiss to chase away the darkness.
For a while all she could hear was their heavy breathing as they met in a kiss so scorching she knew she would feel it for days after. She knew he was also pouring his own demons into the kiss.
She pulled herself away and found herself straddling a very prominent erection. It touched her so deliciously, she didn't stop herself from squirming. He hissed, his dark eyes becoming heavy with lust.
His lips glistened in the candlelight coming from the nightstand. Hermione leaned down and in a daring move so unlike her yet Her, licked it in a slow sensual move. A surprised growl came from the back of his throat as he pulled her down for another.
Severus trailed his free hand down her side, his fingers briefly dancing across her hips, the pressure unmistakable. She pushed down, her eyes closed in bliss as he applied his own strength. She felt his pleasure zing through the link that seemed to be permanently connected and open between them. If she could feel him this way than that meant he could too. She opened her eyes to find his own centered lower, where they touched.
That flamed her desire to dangerous levels.
In a movement uniquely hers, she pulled her sweater and shirt off in one sweep and removed her bra with a bit of magic. He had stilled the instant her clothes had come off and now he stared at her pink tipped nipples with rapt attention that made her arch her back just to see his eyes follow the movement.
She stayed upright and only reached down to grab his arms. He watched her silently but his breath was choppy and his erection hard as steel as it stabbed her center.
Hermione placed his hands on her breast and left them there once he cupped them on his own. She gasped as he tugged and rolled her nipples. She hadn't realized how sensitive they were until that moment.
"Severus," she said in a breathy voice that didn't sound like her own. It was keening and full of want.
"Lean forward." Words delivered in the most sensual whisper she had ever heard from him, she did as he said and had to bite her lip as he suckled at her nipple, his other hand still kneading her left breast. She couldn't help herself and rubbed herself harder on his bulge.
Frustration had her making a needy sound that shocked them both. He released her and pushed her down onto her back. She pulled her own pants off as he shrugged out of his own clothes. They both watched each other in burning intensity.
One that almost threatened to engulf them with a passion fundamentally alerting.
But she didn't care.
Neither did he.
They had waited. Taken their time.
As soon as his clothes were off, he grabbed her bare thigh in a tight grip but his eyes still connected to hers in a silent question. She nodded her head and spread her legs, her quim bare to his eyes. He didn't look down right away.
No, he took his time, his eyes darker than ever before as they trailed down her body. She grabbed the bed covers in anticipation. He didn't disappoint, his eyes finally looking down at the tangle of curls that covered her most private parts.
But he wasn't the only one that was looking.
She too stared in open appreciation. He was sleekly muscled, his stomach flat with muscle lining his frame. Although that wasn't what caught her attention.
It was what had been pressed against her that had her undivided attention. It was long and so thick that it should have worried her but she wasn't thinking logically. She reached for it and gave growl when he leaned back and grabbed her other leg in his hand.
He shook his head, his hair all over the place. "If you touch me right now, it will all end too quick."
That simple statement filled her with satisfaction. It must have shown since he flashed her a smile. One that didn't last long as he pulled her legs further apart. He went down, his hands letting go once he told her to keep them open.
"I need to get you ready."
Hermione didn't know if she would survive it. She gasped out her thoughts and was rewarded with his fingers spreading her gently. He blew hot air across her pussy, causing her to arch her back in pure pleasure.
But it was nothing compared to when he finally wrapped his lips around her clit that really had her body writhing in complete pleasure and frustration when he pulled away too soon. He used his other hand and plunged one finger inside of her, her hands almost ripping the covers as he stretched her deliciously.
In and out, over and over again as he came back to her clit. She shuddered with pleasure and want. She needed more.
Not being able to word it right she sent him the mental picture and was punished with a sharp bite that caused her to blurt out a filthy word.
He laughed against her moist entrance right before using his tongue as a piston.
"Severus!"
o0o
After a few hours of rest, Hermione sat between Harry and Ginny at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. Her stomach in need of nourishment. She dug in with relish and wasn't paying Harry or anybody attention until she finished her second bowl of oatmeal that she realized that they were all staring at her. Harry, Ginny, Neville, and even Ron stared in surprise as she reached for some sweet bread and a pitcher of tea. But their attention didn't stay too long on her as the owls began coming in. Hermione drank her tea and felt Severus's voice slid across her mind with traces of memories.
"Let's see what they make of this," he said, his voice tinged with pleasure.
Ah, yes, she was eating a lot due to the activities from the previous night. She smiled to herself and crossed her legs as her copy of the Quibbler landed in front of her. Hermione noticed that she wasn't the only one who received one either. There was a good fair amount of them in their table as well as the two others aside from Slytherin. Hermione already knew what it would say.
"The Evil that the Ministry has sent to Hogwarts has done it now." Ginny read out loud, her eyes shooting glances at the angry toad that had obviously heard what the Quibbler had written. Hermione saw Harry stiffen from the corner of her eye, his hands fisting under the table. She saw him glance up at the High Table but knew that the one he searched for wasn't present.
No, Dumbledore wasn't here to help Harry.
Hermione reached for his hand and held it tightly. He didn't shake her off and instead locked his fingers with hers. She didn't even open the Quibbler as the chatter began to die around them. Ginny still read it out loud as George leaned forward, his eyes glued to Angelina's but his head was cocked to the side as he listened to his sister. Angelina was staring at Fred, who was turning the pages of the Quibbler without seeming to see it.
That was interesting. But not her business.
Ginny paused in her reading as she came across new information and a moving picture of a hand dripping blood. "The Ministry has authorized the use of Dark Magic against our children. Why have they allowed a monster to thrive on their pain?"
Why indeed.
o0o
A day later, Harry finally agreed to teach a small group of students.
Hermione had been tasked with finding a suitable place to duel and practice. Not that she had to look long since she had already thought of it. The only place they could do it without being caught was the Room of Requirements. Something she had shared with Harry and Ron after debating on where to go. They had agreed that the people meeting there had to be absolutely sure they were all in or else they could not be permitted to go.
She didn't tell them where it was until later that day when they walked inside her prefect's room. Harry looked a bit better, his eyes clear of what usually lurked in them and Ron was actually talking non-stop as he bit into a large piece of licorice.
"We have most of the people in our house and year attending. George, Fred, Angelina, Lee, Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, Cho Chang, Parvati and Padma, Anthony Goldstein, Terry Boot, Hannah Abbott, Luna Lovegood, Susan Bones, and Ernie will be the initial ones to join." Ron said as he chewed the last piece of candy.
That was quite a list of people but none surprised her. But that also reminded her that she had to train Luna and Theodore separately. She agreed with the list and handed them each a real galleon.
"Use this to communicate with them. Turn it twice to check for new times and dates for meetings. It will grow warm to the touch when there's a summon for a meeting. Use your wand to write messages and such."
Not that they would need them for much longer but it was also another way to track Harry and the others. Harry nodded and took his while Ron bit his. She rolled her eyes like her former herself would have and punched him lightly on the shoulder.
"Ron."
o0o
On the way to the meeting, Hermione ran into George and Fred. They sandwiched her as they looped their arms through hers. She smiled as they droned on about their next invention when they suddenly went quiet. She glanced up at them in question. Fred hesitated and it threw Hermione off.
"Fred? George? What is it?" she asked gently. Or as gently as she could.
Fred laughed nervously and wouldn't meet her eyes as they neared the 7th floor. George let her go once they came up to the entrance to the RR. Fred kept his arm loosely around her as he stared straight ahead.
She closed her eyes and waited for a couple of seconds only to open them instantly as the stone changed to form a door. The twins stared in awe. She watched Fred closely as they walked inside.
They were the first ones to get there. Hermione walked up to the dummies supplied by the room and inspected them.
She casually asked in a mild tone. "What did you want to say to me, Fred?"
She heard them move around behind her but it didn't bother her in the least. He finally spoke up after a few seconds of silence.
"We saw something a few days ago. But we weren't sure if we should say something."
Not again.
She swore inwardly but waited patiently. Hermione pushed the dummy aside and turned to face them with a raised eyebrow in question. Fred smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. Now that didn't seem right.
He opened his mouth several times before shaking his head. "We saw something on your back, when you took your robes off we saw something very particular."
That wasn't what she was expecting at all. It must have shown since they both frowned in suspicious. Hermione opened her mouth but the entrance to the room opened and she closed it. She shook her head when they would have spoken. Clear understanding washed across their face before they turned to greet the others.
It was Harry and a few others trailing cautiously behind that walked in. Ron was the last one to step in. It was time for them to began practicing.
She hung back for most of the class, watching Harry grow in confidence as he helped the kids. Many failed but nobody stopped trying.
Eventually, Luna danced her way to Hermione's corner of the glassed room. She was twirling around with her wand producing strands of magic behind her. But she didn't fool Hermione like the way she was fooling the others with her dream-like persona.
That's not to say it wasn't real but people tended not to look beyond that to the sharp intelligence within. Her silver eyes caught Hermione's as she stopped in front of her. Nobody paid them any mind as they all continued practicing defensive and attacking spells.
All expect a certain pair of twin eyes that would glance at her every other second. She ignored them as she turned to face the wall behind her. Luna sat down against it but didn't stop moving her wand around.
When the class ended and everybody left, she stayed behind. She had asked Harry to go ahead since she was going to the Library to search up more spells.
Harry had hesitated for a second but was pulled along by Ron and Seamus. She had waved him off with a smile.
Now she stood in the middle of the room after a few minutes of silence. She didn't jump when Murin popped inside a minute later with four trays of food and a large jug of pumpkin juice. Hermione smiled and thanked her just as she popped back out.
Hermione ignored the food and pulled out her wand. The dummies multiplied by two more so that she now had four. She smiled and turned just as Luna walked back in. Theodore came next, his face set in a small smile as he watched Luna push one of the dummies.
But right behind him was Daphne Greengrass.
Her eyes were glassy as she walked inside, the reason why following her a few steps behind. Severus stepped in last as the doors closed. He released the girl when Hermione nodded.
Greengrass closed her eyes and seemed to shake herself awake as she first looked at Theodore; who had walked up to stand in front of her so that he would be the first thing she saw. She frowned instantly, her eyes narrowing in suspicious. Which instantly turned to cold anger as she noticed the others.
"What is this about?" Greengrass asked, her eyes darting around the room.
She still hadn't seen Severus who was standing behind her. Hermione walked over to her and grabbed her left arm. Not giving her a chance to pull away she bared her arm.
No mark.
Greengrass flinched back, her face instantly drowned in fear. Hermione dropped her arm.
"Severus, explain it to her, please."
She turned her attention to the others. Luna had just charmed the dummy from earlier so that it now had a large pink bow on its head that morphed into a cat an instant later.
It was such a sight that she let out a guffaw of laughter. Luna's twinkling laugh joined hers. Hermione shook her head at her but gestured to her and Theodore to follow her to the end of the room so that she could give Severus some space.
The dummies followed them and stopped when she did. Theo shot her a questioning look when he glanced over at his fellow housemate. Hermione only said later and pointed at the first dummy. It swung around and charged Theodore. He stiffened but didn't hesitate in lifting his own wand.
"Confringo," he said loudly, his wand never wavering as it blasted the dummy clear across the room.
Hermione didn't let up and sent the next one right after the other. He used different spells but always came back to the first one. Hermione halted it and instead of sending another, she raised her own wand. He froze, his eyes showing his reluctance to attack her too. But she didn't wait for him to attack and for appearance sake used both her wand and voice to use magic.
"Stupefy."
He flicked it away with his wand and stood very still as he watched her unflinchingly. It was then that Severus walked over with Daphne Greengrass. Nott didn't get distracted by their audience and defended himself with spell after spell. After a few minutes of working up a sweat, it was Luna's turn. Hermione was curious as to what she would do so she didn't start off easy as she had with Theodore. Luna skipped forward, wand in hand and settled her silver-blue eyes on Hermione.
Again, without warning and a swirl of her wand, she cast Oppugno on the dummies and charged forward physically. She vaguely noticed the looks of alarm from the other.
Luna lost the dreamy look and waltzed back and touched the ground with her wand. Hermione swerved to the side and saw brown/green vines slither across the floor at a rapid speed. Knowing she didn't have time to avoid them she pushed one of the dummies down and jumped off of it just as she released the reins to her magic.
A spill of curls danced across her face as her magic once again popped the tie, she huffed and pushed it back. It was an annoyance really. Brushing that thought aside, she concentrated on the duel.
She landed a little to the left of vines but she didn't run and instead let the vines wrap around her legs and up to her thighs.
They weren't painful or anything but it was a hindrance to move around. She looked up when Luna gave a loud snorting laugh that should have pissed her off but only made her grin right along with her and was rewarded with silence the next second as she touched the vines and a second later watched them go up in green flames. They suddenly raced down the rest of the vines, silencing Luna as she skipped back in quick steps. Her silvery gaze alight with new awareness.
"That wasn't very nice, Hermione, wandless magic?"
"Hm, yes. I have mastered it but for appearance sake, I use my wand to avoid questions," she whispered, her words loud enough so that only Luna heard them.
"That makes perfect sense. I'm hungry now."
Hermione laughed openly and motioned to the tray of food waiting for them. But once she turned she saw Severus giving her a deadpan look while Theodore stared in a bit of shock by what he had just seen. Daphne Greengrass couldn't seem to completely hide her awe and surprise as she gazed at Hermione.
Yes, that would get old real quick.
She sent Severus that thought and received a grunt in return. As well as snide comment. "You were holding back the whole time. Especially with Lovegood."
Now it was her turn to be shocked. She hadn't realized that Severus had been able to see past it. But she still answered truthfully. "Of course I was. I don't want to hurt them. That will only make them fear me. I will not have people like them fear."
"You might be underestimating her. We don't have time to baby them."
"I know. I wanted to test them."
She turned her back to him and walked over to the trays of food that had been kept warm by a charm. Not really interested in the food, she picked up a cup and filled it with pumpkin juice. The others followed her to the food except for Greengrass. The blond girl continued to stare at Hermione.
"Sit down, Daphne," Theodore said as he picked up a plate filled with fish sticks and gravy.
Greengrass didn't sit but did make her way over to his side and Headhouse. Her eyes not losing sight of Hermione. "This is quite the surprise, Granger. But it really shouldn't be. Professor Snape has told me something really mind-boggling. He also said you need me?"
That was one way to put it.
"I do. More like I need your body. But also I want to know something more. I'm told you don't believe in the same rubbish as your parents."
Greengrass went sheet white, her eyes flickering to Theodore first than to Severus. Hermione noticed that her hand trembled a bit as she tucked her strawberry blond hair back before hiding it behind her back.
"I don't think I want to be here anymore," Greengrass said, her eyes flickering away from her direct stare.
Hermione stood up and walked over to her. She gave her kudos for not stepping back as she approached. But she didn't miss the shadowed fear in her eyes. Hermione came to a stop a foot away from her and crossed her arms.
"Look, we don't have time for this. Your elf, Lock, told us about you. We don't want to expose you to your family but we need an in with one of the females that wasn't a central person but was known amongst the Pureblood children. We really do need you and soon. Are you in?"
"Let me eat first, I skipped a meal earlier."
Three hours later, Hermione stood on the cold Stone Bridge with the twins. Both shivering in the dark.
The half moon gave them enough light to see each other but not much else. Hermione leaned her hip to the side of the bridge and crossed her arms for a second time that night.
"So, you both saw it. The mark. Now, why would I have to explain myself to you both?"
Fred nodded. "I know we shouldn't be asking this either but we do care about you and we have noticed something strange about you. We aren't sure what it is but you are not the Hermione we once knew. We noticed that in the last year. But we didn't want to say anything since you didn't seem to want attention."
George stepped forward so that he could pull her side braid with a small grin. The gesture was so familiar but only because of a certain Slytherin group.
George brought her attention back to them and asked in an almost gentle tone that didn't match his usual playful mood.
"What caused that?"
Not knowing what to do, she was about to speak when pain snapped her attention away and had her almost dropping to the floor. She looked down, expecting to find blood but immediately knowing it wasn't her that was hurt.
Shite, she needed to get rid of the twins. But both of them had rushed to her the instant she had winced in pain.
"Hermione!"
"Go back to the common room. Don't be seen!"
Without out looking to see if they did as she said she turned and ran. It wasn't until she was near the Entrance Hall that she realized that he couldn't have been far from her with the way she had felt his pain. Hermione clenched her fist tighter and turned a corner that led to his office.
Once near it, she almost stumbled as he opened the link between them before abruptly closing it just as fast.
For a second she stood there, trying to catch her breath. That second cost her as she opened the door and was pulled back harshly. Ready to destroy whoever grabbed her, she turned and stopped mid-spell. George was standing there, his eyes taking in everything, especially the intent to harm and let her go.
"Get inside and don't speak." she hissed out as more pain escaped him. "Close the doors."
Robes already halfway off, she threw them and left them on his desk and barged inside with them following her. He was slumped over an armchair, his hair obscuring his face but what really drew her attention was the way his leg was twisted and the amount of blood coming from it.
She checked his pulse and pulled up a diagnostic graph as she ran her hands all over his body.
In total frustration, she vanished his upper clothes, leaving him in his breeches. She levitated his body onto the rug and cleaned away the blood that had gathered around his leg.
He made a futile effort to lift himself up but his leg just didn't work. She growled at him to stop and lifted his leg so that it lay on her lap. She pulled her beaded bag off and acciod the dittany. She unstoppered it and set it aside.
Wanting to know what happened, she asked him exactly that and used her wandless magic to cut his pant leg off. It wasn't going to ever be clean again either way.
"The Floo Network is being watched, I made the mistake of using the one in Albus office. I usually don't use it but this time I was being summoned personally. But the calling stopped just as I stepped through the floo and decided to step back. The damn woman is watching the Floo in Albus's office. I turned back just as her hand grabbed me. She didn't see who it was but I used it to come straight here instead." he said as he bit his lip as she ran the Dittany around the jagged flesh that was open on his inner thigh.
Hermione closed her eyes as rage filled her body. THAT woman! They had literally left that woman not that long ago. She pulled out a paste and slathered it on, her fingers making sure not to miss a single spot. Severus finally seemed to become aware of their company and switched to their private link instead.
"The Weasley twins?"
"Ah, yes, they had detention with me. They followed me here."
"Hm, how are you going to handle it?'
"I have no idea."
After a few long minutes, she had him as good as he would get. He stood with her help and sat down in his kitchen while she gestured to the twins to sit. She went about making some tea as she spoke.
"Now, boys, didn't I tell you both to head back to the common room?"
George sent her a smirk as he avoided looking at Severus. Fred didn't smile, his face averted from hers. But she could read the tension in his body well. He was brimming with questions.
"Why, yes we did. But the question is, are you going to answer us or make us forget," Fred asked as he took his own cup.
Hermione looked up at Severus, his wand in hand, and answered truthfully.
"Make you forget."
...o0o0o0o0o...
Feedback is appreciated!
Editing 5/19
Vanee