Spoilers: Order of the Phoenix
Taya: can't promise you another chapter before Saturday, but I'll try anyway :)
She was again in the foals' paddock, playing the song of the foals on her flute. She was probably shy of playing the song of the unicorn in front of him. He leaned against a tree, crossing his arms on his chest.
"Miss Granger, hiding again."
"I'm not hiding well enough if you found me so easily," she replied.
"You're so predictable," he said with a sneer. "May I know why the unicorns always? You've already read all the books in the library?"
"How about we do as if we just spent the last twenty minutes bickering so you can go directly to the part when you take points from me?" she said wearily.
"Shunning a good argument?"
"Why not? You always ensure you win it by deducting house points anyway."
He entered the paddock and sat by her. The foals snorted a bit before coming back to Hermione.
"Truly, why the unicorns?"
"Because nobody else comes near them?" she whispered with a strangled voice.
"Why avoiding your friends?"
"Why the concern?" she shot back. "Oh, I forgot. You were appointed my bodyguard. I didn't know it included caring for my moods. What is the reward? The Defence Against the Dark Arts position next year?"
"Miss Granger…"
"Don't you know anything?" she interrupted, her voice barely contained. "You should listen to students' gossip, you really should."
One of the foals whined and she calmed down slightly.
"Sorry, little one," she murmured.
She stood up and went out of the paddock, obviously waiting for Severus to follow.
"They don't like angry people," she explained.
"Where do they come from?" he asked, settling for small talk, hoping to help her to relax before tackling the real subject.
She looked disconcerted for a moment.
"Romania. Their family encountered a Hungarian Horntail. Charlie arrived just in time to save them, but not their mother. As they were too near to his Dragon Keep, Charlie sent them to Hagrid. He thought that would be interesting for us and that if we had another teacher like Professor Umbridge, it would help Hagrid to keep his position."
"Very thoughtful of Mr. Weasley, I have no doubt. Now, what am I supposed to listen to?"
He knew what was coming. After all, he had surprised the discussion between Harry, Ron and her and he had seen how she was shunned. Her way of saying he was her bodyguard, her loneliness, even her aggressiveness were signs that he usually knew to recognise. Yet he had never expected them coming from her.
She looked at him for a long time then had a brief laugh.
"After all, you would understand, wouldn't you?"
She threw him something and crossed her arms on her chest. He looked down at the heavy silver ring in his hand and froze when he saw the Death Eater symbol on it.
He had thought he knew what to expect but he was wrong. He had never seen the ring before, yet he knew what it meant. He closed his fingers on Hermione's wrist.
"Where did you get this?" he hissed. "Do you know what it means?"
"Hard not to," she replied coldly, not even trying to fight him. "After all, the note attached to it was quite explicative: 'To my betrothed, Lord Voldemort'. Do you think he will let me call him Voldie in private?"
"Where. Did. You. Get. This. Ring."
"I found it on my pillow one evening, along with several notes and messages. I'm so glad my fiancé thought of my security by assigning you to me. If not, the student body would certainly have killed me already."
"How is it they know?" he asked, wondering if she already knew whom she owned all her problems to.
"Because some people took care of spreading the news, that's how. They all know he sent me the ring, fit for my ring finger–"
"Did you put it on?"
"Of course not. I wasn't sure I could take it off afterwards. Don't worry, I already checked it for curses and hexes. Though I suppose it's somehow a portkey, but I can't find how to activate it. And it's not as if I can get rid of it. If I put it away, it always finds its way back to my pocket. Anyway, the Gryffindors shun me, the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs slavishly imitate them and the Slytherins snigger, because, after all, I'm still a Mudblood."
"Malfoy. The son is even worse than the father. Miss Granger, I'm sorry. I should have been protecting you against such accusations, but I failed."
"Oh, you protected me alright," she said bitterly. "Half the school thinks I'm your little toy that Voldemort gave you after tiring of and the rest thinks you keep me for him."
"The second one is the impression we wanted to give," he said quietly. "In truth, we wanted to avoid that Mr. Malfoy got to you."
"He won't. The foals don't like him," she smirked.
"They didn't say anything about me," he noticed, surprised.
She shrugged.
"They know you're my protector," she said vaguely. "Could we go in the Forbidden Forest?"
"What for?"
"To see if I can lure a grown unicorn to me."
He stared at her for quite a long time before murmuring:
"You're afraid you've lost your purity, aren't you? You shouldn't worry about this, Hermione. The Dark Lord could never taint you."
His hand caressed her cheek briefly and her eyes widened.
He pointed his wand to her and she couldn't help but feel a tinge of apprehension. One flick of his wand was all it took and she found herself clad in a long dress of white silk, her feet bare. He smirked at her look of disbelief and added nonchalantly:
"Expelliarmus."
Her wand jumped in his extended hand.
"What was that for?" she asked, fighting hard to keep the panic from showing in her voice.
"This is how you meet properly a unicorn, Miss Granger. Do not try to perform this spell on your own. It's very advanced magic and has repercussions on more levels than just the obvious. And do close your mouth, it's very unbecoming."
She obeyed, blinking. Since when was Severus saying things like 'it's very unbecoming' rather than 'twenty points from Gryffindor for staring at a teacher'? And how…
"How what, Miss Granger? How is it that evil Professor Snape knows a spell concerning unicorns and not designed to harm them in any way?"
Guilt invaded her brown eyes and she shook mutely the head. Sighing, Severus muttered a levitation charm on her, smirked when seeing her surprised face and directed her in the Forbidden Forest, following her.
Severus chose a dark clearing for stopping. He levitated Hermione in the middle of it and broke the spell to have her sitting on a stump in the middle of it while he leaned against a tree, his frame hidden in shadows. Though he was behind her, Hermione knew his arms were crossed on his chest, a scowl was on his face and his back eyes were glittering, fixed on her, as all his muscles were tense, ready to pounce forward to protect her, should the need arise. She knew the Forbidden Forest was dangerous, but Severus's presence strangely made her feel safe. She raised her flute to her lips and began the haunting melody Callisto had taught her.
The melody was not as fluent as it could have been if she had been an experienced flutist, but she managed to make each note sound like a soothing prayer. Severus had the impression each of them was brushing against him, relaxing his nerves, making him enjoy this single song of praise to Nature's glory.
He could still tell the difference with the pieces he had heard her play before. Her song to the foals had been assured, because she knew they would answer to her – flute or no flute, they would have come to her, if only for a caress – but this song lacked confidence. He knew she would hate to look vulnerable in front of him – her aggressiveness to mask her distress at receiving the ring was a proof – yet each note was revealing her soul to him.
Then he came, white and magnificent, entering the clearing as if he owned it, looking like a king granting a request on a whim. Her breath caught and the melody stopped for a brief instant. Severus mentally exhorted her to continue and she started again, her fingers trembling on her flute, her song now taking a note of humility and thanks. The unicorn crossed the clearing and stopped in front of Hermione, who slowly raised her eyes to look at him. As her last note died in the air, he knelt in front of her and put his head on her lap.
Slowly, she ran her fingers through his glorious mane. A silvery voice rose in the air:
"It has been a long time since I heard that call. It soothes my heart to see that some have not forgotten it."
"Thy praise is grand, for it was my joy to play thy song," Hermione replied softly.
"Thou art not alone. A man of darkness is with thee."
"He means no harm to me and would imperil his life for me."
"Thy faith is absolute in the Dark One," the unicorn noticed, quite surprised.
"I have no reason to doubt him, for he has never failed me."
Severus blinked at Hermione's statement. He wondered which was more surprised, the unicorn or he.
"If he is thy companion, I shall accept him like thou didst. But he must not come closer for his darkness is a remainder of the evil who threatened and killed my people not long ago."
"He fights against this evil with all his strength," Hermione assured him promptly.
"Ah! Darkness protecting thee… how uncommon. But thy purity is a relief to my aching limbs and grieving spirit. Pray, gentle maiden, what is thy name?"
"I am called Hermione and if my presence indeed brings thee some relief, please feel free to call upon me at any time."
"I shall remember thine offer, fair Hermione, and I thank thee for it. In exchange, I will give thee my name. I am Firene, lord of the unicorns."
"I thank thee for thy gift and for granting me thy presence," she whispered in awe, tears filling her eyes.
"Shed no tear for me, Hermione, for each of them would burn my heart were I to cause thee grief. Treasure them for they will have the healing properties of a phoenix's when the time comes. Until then, farewell, gentle maiden."
"Farewell, sweet lord," she murmured as the unicorn left the clearing.
She stood there, tears spilling down her face.
"Hermione… we must go."
His voice was soft and she turned a smiling face to him, despite her wet cheeks.
"I am not tainted…"
He smiled wryly and reached for her, brushing her tears away with his thumbs.
"Told you so," he said gruffly.
She had a shaky laugh. Again he pointed his wand at her and she was in her uniform and school robes, socks and shoes back on her feet. He held out her wand to her and she took it gratefully. They made their way to Hogwarts and he fought the urge of taking her hand in his, yearning to touch her in her radiant glory. Silently, he thanked Firene for bringing her peace.
She seemed to be walking in a dream, not noticing where her feet led her. He caught her elbow as she stumbled on a root and she looked up at him with a luminous smile. He stopped fighting, allowing himself to take her hand for the rest of the way out of the Forbidden Forest. At the edge of it, she turned to him and leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on his cheek.
"May my peace be with you," she whispered.
He took a sharp intake of breath.
"Don't…" he began, his voice shaking slightly. "Don't do this. It's dangerous."
She took in his restrained posture and smiled again.
"I'm not afraid of you," she murmured.
They looked at each other for a moment, eyes locked, and he felt as if he was sharing her purity with her. The thought seemed ludicrous; he could still feel the brand of Voldemort on his left arm. There was no chance anyone with such a mark could have even a whiff of purity. Without stepping back, her brown eyes still looking up at him, she held out her hand to him. Sighing, he took the Death Eater ring from his pocket and placed it in her palm. She smiled gently.
"I can take it now."
"I don't like it."
"I know, but you will be there should I need you. I know this for a certainty."
He let her take some advance on him before calling her back:
"Miss Granger! I won't let you become his betrothed. I will kill you first."
She smiled brightly.
"I hope so."
They stared at each other for a moment, knowing that, as soon as they would be in Hogwarts, this shared instant of closeness, brought by Firene, would come at an end. Severus felt a pang of regret at the thought and he could see it too in Hermione's eyes. But he was used to regrets.
After coming close to Firene, Hermione seemed to be pining if she stayed too long away from the Forbidden Forest. Severus saw no objection of going every two days – though he always took care of being noticed by several students when he accompanied her outside. Each time he cast the spell of purification on her and Hermione stopped to wonder what would happen to him if the Ministry discovered what were the last spells cast by his wand. She also stopped to wonder what exactly the spell was doing. Severus had refused to tell her the name and it seemed the library hadn't any book about it – or else, she didn't find it in the brief moments she could be in the library without anyone glaring at her.
He still levitated her to the usual clearing, muttering a vague explanation about her not bruising her feet by walking in the forest barefoot when she asked him about it. Often, Firene would lead them to other places, Severus always staying behind, in the shadows, following them soundlessly. When the weather was sunny, Firene would lead his 'fair maiden' to a clearing whose ground was covering with thick grass, and Hermione would lie down on the ground, next to him, her head resting on his warm flank. Severus would stand behind, looking at them, envious of the peace oozing from them.
He wondered several times how it was that no unicorn except Firene would ever answer to Hermione's call and what changes Callisto had made in the song she had taught Hermione. Or maybe… He shook his head, cursing his wandering thoughts, and once again, looked at the girl in front of him. Her eyes were closed and she seemed to be asleep. Firene turned the head and his liquid black eyes bore into his, despite the shadows concealing him. Severus knew better than to underestimate a unicorn – especially their lord – and slightly nodded in acknowledgement – and thanks. In answer, Firene nuzzled gently Hermione's hair, as to tell him that she was under his protection.
The look of fierce protectiveness Firene cast on Hermione was such that Severus almost expected him to hum a lullaby to ease her sleep. He seemed so much like a concerned father that the usual brooding man couldn't help but grin without a single trace of bitterness. Once again the eyes of the unicorn met his and the silvery voice whispered:
"She takes care of mine young."
"They are orphans," Severus replied tightly.
"I am their lord."
Severus nodded, understanding. The unicorns were one. Had Charlie left the foals in Romania, they would not have been abandoned.
"She takes care of them, so I shall protect her. We protect our own."
Then something sounding suspiciously like mirth entered the ageless eerie voice.
"The huge man cares for them too. He is clumsy but…"
Severus nodded again.
"Yes, Hagrid cares."
"He understands our people."
Severus thought of all the dangerous creatures Hagrid liked to care for. Fluffy, guarding the Philosopher's Stone. Norbert, the Norwegian Ridgeback – whom Severus wasn't supposed to know about, but then, nobody knew he had been present when Charlie had come for him. Buckbeak, the hippogriff condemned to die by Macnair – and who probably was the reason why Sirius Black had escaped, though Severus still had no idea how he had managed the feat.
"She cared for them," Firene said, his eyes still on Severus. "The dragon, the hippogriff. She helped to save them."
Severus nodded. He should have known that Hermione – who had fought for house elves' rights – would fight to save a hippogriff from death.
He looked around and said softly:
"We must go. It is dark already. If thou canst bear to let me near thee… she needs her sleep."
The unicorn returned his gaze unwaveringly and Severus came to him cautiously, gently lifting Hermione in his arms.
"I will bring her to thee in two days."
"I thank thee, Dark One."
Cradling his precious burden, Severus made his way back to Hogwarts. He knew he wouldn't see any student in the corridor – it was way past curfew – and was glad for it as he headed for Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady glared at him when he stood in front of her and told her the teachers' password. There was still life in the common room; Harry and Ron were playing wizard chess, Seamus and Dean were speaking of soccer and Quidditch, but all conversations died when Severus strode across it, going straight for the girls' dormitory. Parvati gave a little shriek when he entered and looked at him with huge eyes as he lowered Hermione on her bed and covered her with a blanket. He coldly returned Parvati's gaze and left Gryffindor common room without saying a word, wondering how Minerva would react if he took points in Gryffindor Tower itself. The thought made him smirk.
The Fat Lady was still glaring at him when he heard Hermione's voice let out a bloodcurdling scream.