Chapter 75: Shared Secrets
{A/N: Here's Another Long Awaited Update....Happy New Year To You All (2020)}
My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers...Enjoy-SS.
The Granger-Weasley Residence, Two Years Prior...
Numerous tears of anguish trailed down the supple cheeks of the be-grieved Hermione Granger as she slowly slid to the cold hard floor of her entrance hall with her back pressed against the newly closed and locked front door. She had never wished step foot in the horrific place known as Azkaban a day in her life and had done so as a special request. Regulus Snape had been carried off via Harry Potter's orders and placed under arrest following their time together in her home. The heated tears continued to fall as she thought back to what he had asked of her before informing her of his impending arrest.
The amber eyed witch had been nearly asleep when she felt the soft frequent kisses from the lips of her new found lover graze the exposed flesh of her belly as he attempted to remind her of just how much she meant to him.
"He will be here soon." said Regulus in a deathly serious tone despite towering over her, with his body just as exposed to the elements as hers had been.
His lank raven colored hair had been drenched via sweat from the intensity of their act and his sallow pale flesh glistened in the pale moon light. He had looked so peaceful in those moments before the inevitable destruction of their time together via a spiteful Harry Potter.
Hermione found herself reaching for him desperate in her attempts to change his mind and keep him as close to her as possible.
"Hermione." he urged attempting to get her attention one last time. "Remember what you promised me."
Tears began to stream down her cheeks even then as the thought of the strange American wizard she had fallen into bed with reminded her of his impending forced departure.
"This isn't right." she said clutching him still as if it had been for dear life. "You've done nothing wrong...he can't just lock you away like some criminal...I can put a stop to it..."
"Hermione." said Regulus again taking the tear struck witch into his arms. "We've talked about this...if Geek boy wants to bring me down to inflate his ego so be it."
"Regulus..." began the now emotionally weary witch. "I won't have any part of this...you are going to stay right here...with me."
Regulus sighed.
"There's no time to argue." he said in a stern tone. "You will do this, and you will be convincing and no one will suspect a thing least of all Geek boy...because you are my girl and we have bigger fish to fry, if you wish to beat Geek boy to a pulp afterwards so be it."
"W-What if something goes wrong?" asked Hermione with her mind giving multiple scenarios as to how bad this little ploy of his could get. "What if we fail or Harry is able to imprison you for life?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." replied Regulus kissing her lips one last time. "Make it convincing...witch...none of that drama class nonsense...make me believe every word...this is our only shot at putting an end to all of this chaos."
"At least let me visit, I can't bare the thought of you alone in that dreadful place for any length of time..." began Hermione once more trying to debate what had to be done.
"No." replied Regulus. "They have to believe you have turned your back on me completely...I have to believe it, otherwise we will have failed before we had even gotten started."
"But-..." began Hermione not at all liking this idea the more time drew near to put it into practice.
"But nothing witch, I need you with me on this." he said meeting her gaze. "This is what must be done, for all of us to have any peace...especially my father."
"You truly love him don't you?" asked Hermione coming to terms with the inevitable.
"Yes." replied Regulus still meeting her gaze. "And I love you too."
Hermione had been taken aback by his rather bold statement. She knew not if she had the right to make such a claim in her own right but she had not expected the American son of the fallen former Potions Master Severus Snape to fall head over heels in love with her, let alone accompany her to bed on a nightly basis.
"I will make this right...I promise." vowed Regulus kissing her on the lips one last time. "Take care of Icarus for me."
Within a matter of moments, the bedroom door crashed open and Hermione jolted in shock covering her body via a wayward sheet just as Harry came marching into the room signaling his men to seize Regulus and place him under arrest.
"Remember what you promised me." echoed in her mind as more tears began to stream down her cheeks.
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Interrogation Room, Azkaban Prison, Outskirts Of The Wizarding and Muggle Worlds...(Two Years Prior...)
Hermione could barely keep her hands from trembling as she swiftly put away her wand. The effects of the spell lingered for only a moment before dissipating. Regulus had been cuffed to the hard metal table looking more confused than ever. He had been aware that he'd been convicted of a crime and that Hermione had not wished to have anything more to do with him but that was the extent. Tears continued to stream down her cheeks as she glared at him, doing her best to give the impression of outright hatred to convince all whom needed to be convinced that she wanted nothing more to do with him, despite it being the furthest thing from the truth.
By the time she walked out of that room, there was indeed hatred in her heart. But it had not been for the brave Regulus Snape whom had been following in his father's footsteps to put an end to the madness that engulfed the wizarding world since this new reign of chaos began. No. It was Harry Potter that had earned her ire and with good reason given his audacity to interfere in her life at will.
Despite Ron's death being a tragic affair, she had known all too well what her so called husband had done to her and their children and all of the martyrdom in the world could not erase the years of suffering due to his selfish actions.
Hermione made it a point never to forget and kept tabs on Regulus via one of the guards whom believed she wanted an update on his torment to ease the loss of her husband. So much had to be done with so little time to waste but she accepted the challenge recalling all that her current lover would be subjected to for the sake of their preconceived plan getting the desired results.
Despite their best collective efforts, they had not foreseen Harry's alterations to their plan due to him being blinded by his anger over the losses of both Ron and Kingsley.
Presently, sorrowful Hermione Granger stood silently among those in attendance in Diagon Alley, watching as Regulus Snape disappeared with the rest of the S.B.D. She had hoped she'd be able to reach the indifferent wizard somehow but the situation had spiraled more and more out of her control.
"Remember what you promised me." he had said.
Hermione bitterly recalled his words and explicit trust on this matter as she attempted to get her thoughts together for a new plan of action.