Spoilers: Order of the Phoenix
I noticed recently that first, I misspelled the name of Professor Grubbly-Plank, so the mistake has been corrected in chapter 7. Second, her real name is given in The Order of the Phoenix, so I changed it from Diana to Wilhelmina. I still prefer Diana, though :) Anyway, it means that I uploaded again chapter 7 (Three Bloods) with the corrections.
Thank you for the reviews!
Ezmerelda: you're absolutely right! And well, there's also another reason, to be seen in this very chapter!
Severus knew when to give up. He knew he had lost and he let go of his sanity. His shoulders slumped slightly and Albus knew immediately that his Potions Master was resigned to whatever fate had in store for him. Severus looked at Hermione. She nodded at him and looked down nervously, not knowing what to say – or if there was something to say. Severus recalled her bluff earlier – was it only a week ago? – and how she had seemed so determined. Now that they had to call the bluff, she didn't look as confident. In fact, she looked as distressed as he felt.
Albus cleared his throat. Severus looked at him and was surprised by the deep sadness in the blue eyes.
"Well, according to the chart Poppy has kept since we know of the threat, I would suggest that you… reach an agreement during this weekend."
Severus saw her blush with humiliation and tears welled up in her eyes. Only then did he understand that, not only she was distressed, but scared as well. He cursed his ancestor; maybe Salazar had loved Rowena more than anything else and maybe Hermione was like Rowena, but he certainly didn't feel like Salazar right now! I shall find you where you least expect me to, indeed! Salazar, old fox, you always refused to lay a hand on Rowena before marriage, what are you expecting me to do? Marry a student and then say to the Dark Lord that, oops, I forgot he wanted her for himself? I'm supposed to protect her, not to precipitate her death!
First things first, he had to make her relax, if only a little. He gathered his wits – alright, I'm in the middle of a world gone insane, but it doesn't mean I have to be stupid – and immediately remembered where they should have gone two hours before.
"Do you want to go to see Firene tonight, Miss Granger?" he asked.
She shrugged and said tonelessly:
"I don't see the need. He already knows of it and approves."
He took a deep breath. That was it. There was no way back; they were at the point of no return.
"Come with me, Miss Granger," he said, trying to gentle his tone.
As he passed in front of Albus, the Headmaster murmured:
"Be nice to the girl, Severus."
He scowled and held out a hand to her.
"Hermione?"
She looked up, took his hand and followed him wordlessly to the dungeons. They were not to be seen for the whole weekend.
Much later on Friday night… or was it very early on Saturday morning? Hermione was curled on herself, her hand covering the white scar that marked the place where the narwhal tusk had hurt her.
"Why did you say earlier that you would have me if I disgust you so?"
"Hermione, I'm a man and you were offering yourself to me. What were you expecting? That I would refuse you?"
She turned on her other side to look at him; he was on his back, staring at the ceiling.
"You're lying. If it were true, you wouldn't have waited when I offered myself to you. And you said you wouldn't touch a student."
"And you believed me?"
"Of course I did."
He sighed.
"You didn't know by then who I was. I'd have liked to think that, though you were desperate, as you put it bluntly yourself, you would have chosen me and you would have known that I had chosen to help you. Now, we both know we don't have much choice, since we were destined to be together. This is very humiliating, for the both of us. Call it on my stupid male pride," he added with a soft laugh. "And also, no matter how proud I am to be a Slytherin, I have always fully intended to let Salazar's blood die with me. Seeing how a fraud like the Dark Lord can raise chaos, I dread to think what I could do, as Salazar's true Heir. I was a Death Eater and if I hadn't seen that I was wrong, I think the Dark Lord and I would have taken over the world. So, yes, I would have agreed to help you get rid of your virginity, but we are now trying to create a child. This is a completely different matter."
"But then… the second prophecy, about the child with the four bloods–"
"I never intended being his father, Hermione."
"Is it why you refused me? Because I repulse you so much?"
"Because you enjoyed being with Firene and the foals. It was the only joy you had. You may think I'm despicable, but I would not have taken this from you, so soon, when the threat was still not perfectly defined. It's not a question of repulsion, Hermione."
There was a short silence.
"Would you have accepted before the Headmaster forced this upon you?"
"Most probably, yes. Don't forget that we are bound to each other. I'm drawn toward you the same way you are drawn to me. And remember you were offering yourself to me. Not even the most honourable man can resist forever such an offer."
"Yet you said you would never touch a student."
"Those are exceptional circumstances. I am a man of principles, Hermione, and I try to stick to them as much as I can. But saving your life would have been more important than principles, believe me."
She sighed. He rolled on his side, straightened on his elbow, looking down at her, and asked suddenly:
"Why were you so silent when I touched you? Do I repulse you that much?"
She blushed.
"Did you want me to call 'Professor Snape!' in ecstasy?" she retorted wryly. "Knowing your ideas on the subject of student-teacher relationships, I don't think you would have appreciated the reminder of the situation."
"True, but still…"
She turned the head away.
"I didn't think you would care to know if I liked it or not."
"Hermione… there's nothing to be ashamed of. By all means, feel free to shout if you feel so. And if you have the fancy of calling my name, I'd appreciate if you called me Severus rather than Professor Snape, for the sake of my sanity."
She had a soft laugh.
"Severus…" she said, as if tasting the sound. "I like your name. It suits you."
"Because it means strict, stern, severe?"
"You are strict, sometimes even harsh. So, yes, it suits you for this reason. But it's also a name for someone honourable. And… I don't know, I just like the sonority of it."
She blushed slightly.
"I'm sorry."
"There is no need for you to be sorry, Hermione. What are you afraid of? That I'll bite your head off for a comment? That I will take points from Gryffindor? After what we just did, I don't think I'm in the position of doing so."
"After the first time or the second?" she asked, trying to look innocent.
"Be serious," he growled before pulling her to him. "That would be the third now, anyway."
She moaned softly under his caresses and sighed his name:
"Severus…"
A thrill ran down his spine.
Even later – or a bit less early in the morning…
"Hermione, why did you ask me before you knew who I am?"
She looked at him warily, the sheet tucked under her chin, even though his hand was underneath the sheet, resting on her stomach.
"Because you would understand and not whine about it or pretend to feel something for me," she said wearily, closing her eyes. "You wouldn't lie to me. We both know why we're here, there is no need for pretending."
"I see."
"And you were there by my side, no matter what. You trusted me, you knew I was innocent of what they accused me."
"I knew more than they did."
"You hated me yet you trusted me. They were my friends and they called me a traitor."
"Krum trusted you."
"Viktor… it's… I don't know. I don't think I could have stood his touch. I like being with him, he's a real friend to me, but more? No."
"He's more the protector type, maybe?" he said with a chuckle.
"Yes, a protector. He would have protected me from you, you know."
"I know. I'm sorry for what you have to go through."
"Thank you. I'm sorry for forcing this upon you. I know how… repulsive it is to you."
The bitterness was clear in her voice and he wondered about it.
"We could still have transfused some of my blood in your veins and then, you could have had a normal… boyfriend."
She sighed.
"No, I couldn't. There are reasons why I'm always alone. First, naturally, there are my studies. But then, I cannot stand for anyone to touch me. In my fourth year, with Viktor, the ball was pure torture. Each time he kissed me, I was almost sick. There, you know my shameful secret."
"You never protested when I touched you."
"At first, I thought it was linked to emotions. I could stand Harry and Ron's friendly hugs or things like that. But I never could stand any of Viktor's attentions, no matter what. Then, Harry tried to have something more than friendly between us and his hugs became unbearable to me. When you touched me, like taking my hand in the forest for example, the very first contact was disagreeable, but after that, it was all right. It never went all right with the others. When it was Draco, I was ready to retch. I guess now it's because of who you – we – are."
"You told this to Albus. The day I came with the news from Lucius," he realised.
"Yes."
"That's why he insisted."
"Yes."
"I hate Salazar," Severus murmured. "I'm sorry for what he did to you."
"It's not Salazar," she said, choking back something that sounded suspiciously like a sob. "It's Rowena."
"Surely there is a young man in your life, Hermione…"
She hugged herself, hard.
"No, there isn't," she murmured miserably. "And there won't ever be. I can't. I just can't. With Viktor in fourth year, it's as if it triggered something in me, something forbidding me to stand the touch of a man. A mere kiss makes me feel terribly sick."
Albus sat down heavily, his blue eyes filled with sadness.
"Now, I know why. I'm Rowena's Heir, I'm the one Salazar has been waiting for."
"Which means… Tom or Severus."
She nodded, closing her eyes in dejection.
"It's probably something Salazar cast on Rowena before anything happened, since he was quite possessive for what we know."
A silvery laughter filled the air.
"No, it's not Salazar, it's me."
A ghost floated above their head.
"Rowena! It's a surprise to see you. You were gone a long time."
"I came when I felt that my Heir was here. The walls of Hogwarts are humming with the presence of the Heirs."
She looked closely at the young woman on the bed.
"I did cast the spell of fidelity. As soon as I gave birth to my child, I cast the spell so that I would never be separated again from Salazar. It was to be only activated on a witch."
"So you cursed your bloodline and if whoever is Salazar's Heir doesn't appear, you cursed your descendants to die."
"I cursed my bloodline and I cursed myself. Salazar was all I ever wanted."
"I could have never met him!"
"Oh, but you did! I was afraid he wouldn't meet you, because I've heard the walls hum with his presence for quite a moment now."
"You mean… Tom?"
"No. Severus, naturally. Who else?"
Hermione was almost seething with rage.
"Who else, indeed! Did it occur to you that I might want to do my life without your burden on my shoulders? Why should I care for a man who hated me for the seven years he has known me?"
"Why should you care? Because he's your heart and soul," replied Rowena, surprised. "He's bound to you, to every fibre of your being."
"Nonsense," said Hermione flatly. "I will not let the romantic notions of someone who died long ago fool me."
"Then you've never felt his kiss. Wait till you feel his touch and then you will understand."
With those last words, Rowena's ghost disappeared. Albus sighed before looking at Hermione with a strange intensity.
"So we know it has to be Severus, that he's the only one who can come close to you."
She looked down, ashamed. He sighed again.
"He will never let me hear the end of it."
"Why did you never try to jerk free from my touches then, if they were disagreeable at the beginning?"
"Because it was due to me and I didn't want you to think it was because of you."
"Everybody calls me the greasy git, so naturally, no woman would ever accept my touch?"
She nodded miserably.
"And now?" he whispered.
He moved his hand slowly to caress her ribs and stomach and she shivered, but he could tell it wasn't from disgust.
"It feels… good. Alive," she admitted, closing her eyes and turning her head away.
He knew it was because of Rowena and Salazar they felt this way, both of them, and he knew also she was ashamed of her reactions.
"What is it?" he asked, his hand sliding down to her hip.
"I will never be able to look at them again. Now the rumours have become true."
Before he could say anything about it, she looked at her stomach outlined by the sheet.
"How do we know if it worked or not?" she asked, frowning.
He chuckled.
"Didn't you notice the spell I cast at the beginning? There will be a light. Blue for a boy, white for a girl."
"Why?"
"I don't like pink," he said, yawning.
"Still no light," she commented.
"The light doesn't appear after only five minutes. It takes at least one hour. Come here," he added, snaking an arm around her and pulling her to him. "It's not because we were thrown in this situation against our will that we can't make the best out of it."
She sighed, her back pressed against his chest, and tucked her head under his chin.
"Sleep now, little one," he whispered.
She drifted away, filled with a strange feeling of safety.
Severus woke up to the most marvellous sensation, probably provoked by the warm body snuggled against his, the slim arms around him. He kept his eyes closed and tried to shun all the guilt he was feeling, so he could almost believe that she was with him because she wanted to, because she had looked past the masks and seen who he really was. He tightened his arm around her and smiled when she sighed and snuggled closer, tucking her head under his chin.
He opened his eyes and looked down at her brown curls spread on his chest. He pushed them away and gently ran his hand up and down the satiny skin of her arm and shoulder. He chuckled when she purred and rubbed her cheek against his chest. Then she stretched languorously against him and his breath caught. She slipped her arm under his and her fingers came to rest against his throat, gently caressing his Adam's apple.
Then she opened her eyes and craned her neck to look at him. Fear invaded her eyes and she hurriedly rolled away, muttering a stammered apology that he didn't even hear. He straightened up, leaning on his elbow, and looked down at her. She was curled up in a ball, trying to hide her face from him. He guessed she was as disturbed as he was to be next to him, in his rooms, in the same bed. He saw the pulsing blue light on her belly and, the way she was wrapping her arms around herself, he knew she had seen it also. He waved his hand and the light disappeared.
"I suppose you would rather stay here for the rest of the weekend, even if now there's no reason for you to," he said softly, running a finger on her smooth shoulder.
She nodded silently and he couldn't help but notice the irony of the situation. She was so keen in avoiding her friends for the rest of the weekend that she chose to hide in the rooms of her hated Potions teacher.
"I never hated you," she said with a muffled voice, and he realised that he had spoken aloud. "Well, except that time in fourth year when you were so cruel to me after Malfoy's hex. Even when you yelled at me in the Shrieking Shack, I could understand why."
Severus didn't answer; he just trailed his finger down her back.
"I just don't like your teaching methods," she added.
He chuckled softly and saw her tense, probably expecting a cruel remark.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, as if choking back a sob.
He decided it was more than time to make her understand that she should stop with the apologies. It was far too confusing. He wanted to be able to distinguish Hermione, the woman he had held in his arms and made love to, and Miss Granger, the annoying Gryffindor student. He forced her to roll around, so she would face him, and bent down to kiss her, something he had not done yet, something he hoped would make the difference. After a brief moment of shock, she snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her.
"Salazar, my love," she sighed, her voice husky. "Reunited at last…"