Spoilers: Order of the Phoenix
Thank you for your reviews!
Lady Penwrath: as for who is speaking, look attentively at the way they call each other, it should help a bit :) And if you think it was confusing, I don't think this chapter will clear the things for you. Oops :)
Eolyn Greenwood: your wish of a civil conversation is granted in this very chapter!
Ezmerelda: yes, the anger and jealousy are Hermione's, not Rowena. As for their behaviour... Well, there is the case when they are possessed by Salazar or Rowena. Then there is the case when they think the other is possessed, but not themselves... I tried to tell the story from Severus's point of view, so the confusing part of Hermione's behaviour comes from the fact that he doesn't understand it either. He doesn't know when she's Rowena or herself, what she feels for him, etc. Hopefully, he will have more insight in the coming chapters :)
Insper A. Shen: you are perfectly right, of course, Durmstrang doesn't have the same Houses as Hogwarts. It will be explained a bit later :)
At breakfast the following day, Severus sat in his usual place with relish. Finally something close to normal. He was drinking his tea when the owls entered for distributing mail. At his surprise, he discovered he had a message. Feeding the brawny owl a bite of bacon, he unrolled the parchment and read the few words. If I'm your reward for being a good slave, then am I less than a slave? It was not signed but he didn't need a signature to identify the sender. The handwriting was familiar and the words enough. He looked up at the Gryffindor table and met the cold brown eyes of Hermione. She held his gaze for a moment before leaving without a word and a big lump descended in Severus's chest.
No matter how hard he tried in between classes, he could not catch Hermione. Each time, it seemed he had just missed her. She didn't come at lunch and, when he asked Irma Pince about her, the librarian said she hadn't seen Hermione for quite a while now. He told himself that it was alright; after all, she was still going in class, nobody seemed worried and she perfectly had the right to avoid him if she wanted to. But when she didn't come for dinner, he decided that it was too much. Without caring for the curious gazes following him, he made his way to the Gryffindor table.
"Where is Her… Miss Granger?"
Ginny looked up at him.
"You mean now that she had finished to scrub herself raw?"
It was a shock for Severus but his face didn't betray anything.
"Where. Is. She."
"Where does she usually spend her time?"
The library? No, Irma said she hadn't gone there for a while. The…
"The foals?"
Ginny rolled her eyes.
"No. Where do you go with her?"
"The Forbidden Forest? Is she crazy? Why didn't you stop her?"
"Because when Hermione has that look, unless you're suicidal, you don't say a word to her. May I remind you that she cast Petrificus Totalus on Neville during her first year and she wasn't even angry? Nobody wants to cross her, trust me."
"I can't believe that you let her go there alone! She–"
"She nothing. She's Lord Voldemort's betrothed. What can happen to her?"
Severus didn't even deign to dignify the remark with an answer and left the Great Hall.
He ran to the Forbidden Forest and there, coming out of it, was Firene, Hermione on his back, looking unconscious.
"I told thee to watch over her," the unicorn said, his voice angry. "Watching over her does not mean sending her back to me when she is hurt."
"I didn't send her to thee. She simply doesn't want to see me."
The black eyes of Firene were merciless.
"Doest thou know exactly how many words thou needst to destroy something that would have lasted thy whole life? I tell thee: one word is all thou needst."
"I think I know the word. Despise."
"And thou wonderest why she ran away from thee?"
"She knew the clauses."
"Thou wert shown what to do. Salazar and Rowena did not possess both of you for nothing."
"How much doest thou know?"
"Everything. She poured her heart to me. She told me about the prophecies, about standing in front of evil, about Samhain."
"Thou already knewest about Samhain," Severus said, relieved she hadn't spoken about him.
The black gaze didn't waver.
"She told me about thee, about what happened during the past days."
Severus was silent. Every mention of the weekend brought back memories he wanted to forget but that kept coming back at him. Hermione in his arms, pressed against him, Hermione arching her back under him… and then the way she had stiffened when he had said her name. When he looked back at Firene, it seemed the unicorn knew exactly what had been on his mind and the dark eyes gleamed knowingly.
"She haunts thee," he stated.
Severus replied with a non-committal grunt and stepped forward to take her from Firene's back. The unicorn shifted uneasily when the Potions Master gently lifted her in his arms and then retrieved a safe distance between them. He looked at the two humans and noticed the way Severus held her tightly against him.
"Thou hast a dark past, yet thou standest against it for her. She explained to me how thou fightst against what thou once believedest in."
"I could have my own motivations. I am Salazar's true Heir; I could be willing to defeat the other descendant from Slytherin, the same way his ancestor tried to kill mine."
"She did not tell me thou wert Salazar's Heir, though I could guess as much. She seemed to think it was not her secret to say."
"The Snape family kept the secret since Salome, Salazar's grand-daughter, became Leila Snape. Until now it had never been in the open."
"Take care of her, Dark One. She is hurt and fragile; she does not know where she stands anymore. Rowena gives her desires she fights against and I daresay Salazar makes thee feel the same."
Severus nodded curtly and tightened his embrace on Hermione as her head rolled to rest in the crook between his shoulder and neck.
"The situation calls for new rules. It is a call from centuries ago, from soul to soul. Thou canst not ignore it or deny it. Her soul cries for thine and I suspect thou cravest for her."
Severus didn't answer and Firene emitted a sound that could have been a silvery laugh.
"Thou art used to deny thy heart's desires. Sometimes rewards come when one gives to one's desires."
"She's not my reward! She's such that she should never be belittled to be only considered as a reward, let alone mine!"
"Maybe ye are each other's reward for having suffered from separation for too long. Maybe ye are destined in finding solace in each other's… company."
Severus was about to answer that he didn't believe in destiny – it reminded him too much of Sybill and her predictions – but then he remembered that during the weekend he had almost never thought of Voldemort and that his sleep had been free of nightmares. When he had been with Hermione, nothing had existed but her; he had wanted to understand her reticence, wanted to ease her awkwardness, wanted her to feel at home.
"Remember Rowena's words about the power of touch? Maybe Hermione never found the occasion to tell thee how she exactly felt," said Firene softly.
Severus shook his head mutely.
"I have to bring her home, Firene. Please excuse us and I thank thee for bringing her back to me."
"Do not let her come here on her own. She does not have only friends in the forest and the centaurs would not intervene on her behalf now that Firenze is gone."
"I will remember. Farewell, Firene."
"Farewell, Dark One. Remember to live thy life in the future rather than in the past," whispered the unicorn.
Severus carried her to the dungeons, taking care of not being noticed, though by the looks from some paintings, Albus would know about it very soon. He lay Hermione down on the couch in the room behind his office, preferring a more neutral place than his bedroom – and he didn't really like intruders in his private quarters anyway. He asked for two mugs of to chocolate and several scones from the house elves, cast a warming charm on the mugs, lit the fire and left for his office.
He warded heavily his door as to avoid intruders – like Pansy – and repeated the action on the door between his office and his back-office. He contemplated the portrait leading to the Slytherin common room for a moment and decided against warding it. After all, few knew of its existence and even fewer knew the password; finally, Sejanus Snape – the wizard in the painting – was not of the friendly type. Severus had brought the painting from Snape Manor, knowing that his great-grandfather would guard the door jealously.
He sat himself in a comfortable chair next to the couch and began reading parchments covered in his own handwriting, quill and red ink by his right hand. The parchments constituted a chapter of the book he was writing about Potions that could be used by Aurors – even though brewing them was not really legal. He had already corrected several mistakes when he felt that someone was looking at him. He turned his head and met Hermione's eyes. She was still lying on the couch, her eyes fixed on him as if fascinated.
"Don't mind me," she murmured.
"Hot chocolate and scones," he said with a move of his quill to point them. "Help yourself. It should easily replace the dinner you missed."
He took his own mug and drank from it before bending again his head on his parchments. He could still feel her eyes on him, her attention unwavering. He corrected two more sheets before giving up and put his quill on the coffee table.
"I didn't want to bother you, I'm sorry. It's… relaxing to watch you. I'll go."
Her scone was hardly touched and she probably hadn't had more than one or two sips of chocolate. He frowned slightly.
"No, it's alright. But you should eat; you'll need your strength."
"How did you find me?"
He sighed and put his parchments away, in a neat stack.
"Firene carried you to the edge of the Forbidden Forest."
"I'm in trouble then."
"Yes. No. I mean, I'm the only one from the staff who knows. Well, I guess Albus does too, but it's alright. You should have told me you needed to speak to Firene; I would have understood."
"We were not really on speaking terms," she said carefully.
"Hermione, I'm sorry. I didn't intend to send you running into the forest, to Firene, without any protection."
He rose from his seat and sat on his haunches in front of her. He gently pressed the mug of hot chocolate in her hand and she docilely drank from it. The dark eyes watching her were unreadable, but he didn't seem angry.
"Hermione…"
She looked up from her mug. He took it from her hands and put it back on the table, his eyes never leaving her as she quickly licked the chocolate at the corner of her mouth. He caught her hand in his and rolled up her sleeve, revealing skin that was irregularly scratched. His fingertips followed the pattern of the red marks on her inner forearm and she shivered slightly.
"Sev… Severus?" she asked shyly.
The dark eyes rose from her arms to her face.
"Did you manage to scrub me down of your skin?" he inquired, his voice suddenly hoarse.
"No," she confessed. "I can still feel your hands on me, your gentle caresses that made me feel wanted…"
"The tenderness was Salazar's."
"The gentleness was yours."
His hand cupped her cheek and she leaned into the caress, her eyes half-closing. A heartbeat later, their lips were joined and her arms were around his neck, pulling him closer. His free hand slid on the small of her back, pressing her against him.
"You should go see Poppy," he murmured against her lips, his forehead resting against hers.
"And tell her I tried to get you from under my skin? I think not."
"I should have some healing salve somewhere. Can I trust you to use it or should I apply it myself?"
"Don't tempt me."
He chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose. He drew her close, enveloping her tightly in his arms.
"Hermione, there is nothing between Pansy and me," he said, his voice urgent. "You're the only one in a long time and I promise you won't have to share me with anyone else should you continue to want me."
"I don't really have the choice, remember?" she replied, her voice muffled against his neck.
He cursed briefly their tendency to hide their feelings for each other – if they were really theirs and not induced by Salazar and Rowena. He was beginning to have a faint idea about the exact nature of their possession. As long as Hermione and Severus were behaving the way the two Founders wanted, they wouldn't intervene. Otherwise, they would possess them, showing them the 'correct way', thus explaining Firene's remark.
"You could look for a counter curse," he said gently, his hand rubbing her back.
"She probably wouldn't let me."
"True. Same for me and I don't think Albus would be of any help. Though he may not like the situation – a relation student-teacher isn't good for the school's image – he would probably welcome anything that would take me away from the dungeons."
"I wouldn't dream of making you leave the dungeons," she replied seriously.
He chuckled again.
"You know what I mean."
He kissed her again, longingly, and she returned it with equal eagerness.
"We should stop."
"Yes, I know."
"This is crazy. I don't even know who I am."
"I know. But it feels so right."
"And so good. Yet I don't even like you."
"I don't either. I mean, not this way. I mean… she wants me to deny it!"
"I understand. On three?"
"Alright."
"One… two…"
Three never came because they deepened their kiss. They came up for air and looked at each other, their breathing ragged.
"I should go," she whispered.
"Stay here, on the couch. I'll come for you tomorrow morning. The doors are warded, nobody will disturb you."
She eyed with distrust the portrait of his ancestor.
"Sejanus won't say a word," he promised.
"Alright, I'll stay. Block the fireplace, please? I would rather not be awakened by the Headmaster, or anyone else. You could have problems."
He considered the fact for a moment.
"No, I'll leave it. Lucius could call and thus see that I'm effectively protecting you."
"Now I'm delighted to know I can meet Lucius," she replied sarcastically.
He smirked.
"Sweet dreams, Hermione," he said, brushing his lips against her forehead.
"Have a good night, Severus," she replied.
He left, closing the door behind him, and she curled up on the couch, falling asleep in minutes.
When he came back the following morning to let her out, he heard voices in the room. He opened the door slowly and peered inside. Hermione was sitting on the couch, fully clothed, clutching the blanket with one hand, her other hand hidden in the folds, tightened into a fist. In the fireplace was Lucius Malfoy's head.
"Draco really didn't lie," he said with a sneer. "You're quite good-looking. My master will appreciate you, I'm sure."
"He cares only for the blood in my veins, not the way I look. It would be the same for him were I an old hag."
"But a lot less enjoyable…"
Severus entered silently and put his hands on Hermione's shoulders. He could feel her body go stiff, but she willed herself not to show it.
"Ah, Severus! I was telling your little protégée how fit she is for our Lord."
She raised a hand and gripped one of his, twisting around to look at him, her eyes dilated with fear.
"Professor, don't let him have me, protect me, please…" she pleaded.
"Miss Granger, please stop whimpering. Hogwarts is safe and besides, Mr. Malfoy is a gentleman. There is nothing to fear."
"But he said–"
"Only scared little girls would believe him," he chided.
He saw her bite her lips to avoid grinning. He had managed to remain true to his character yet providing words of comfort.
"A moment please, Lucius. I need to take care of my 'protégée'."
He led Hermione in his office and patted her shoulder.
"Good thinking," he murmured. "Now, before I forget…"
He drew his wand and murmured a charm. Hermione looked at him quizzically.
"Against virginity detection spells," he explained. "It is how Draco knew you were the one they were looking for. I wouldn't want for Crabbe or Goyle to cast a spell on you only to discover you're not a virgin anymore. The charm I just cast should resist their attempts and should hide the fact that you are pregnant."
She nodded.
"Now, go to breakfast. I'll take care of Lucius."
She left his office without a word and Severus went back to the fireplace.
"You really shouldn't have asked Draco to use a narwhal tusk, Lucius. Now Potter is persuaded it was his fault and he presented his apologies publicly yesterday morning," he said, his dark eyes unreadable.
"So I was told. Is she again Miss Perfect Gryffindor?"
"Not yet, but several people have forgiven her, now that the misunderstanding is cleared. You should have simply told me. I would have found a way to add the new bloods to her system without raising suspicions. Now she has her protectors back."
"It doesn't matter really, Severus. If Potter comes to his best friend's black wedding, the Dark Lord will be more than happy to receive him properly and the others will make lovely sacrifices. Who knows, maybe he will give you a new plaything, seeing how you took care of his future bride."
"I did only my duty," he replied coldly.
"Don't enjoy it too much, Severus. In two weeks, she will be his and you won't see her again until her child is consecrated for our fight. As she's not a Mudblood in truth, maybe our Lord will keep her. Or else he might give her to you after she gives birth to the Child."
Severus shrugged carelessly.
"Too bad Draco isn't at Hogwarts anymore. With her leaving in two weeks, he would have been the best student. Well, Lucius, I have to go. I have a class to teach. Tell our Lord we will be there for Samhain."
Lucius's rage was obvious in his cold eyes after Severus's remark about Draco's grades, but the Potions Master closed the communication before he could answer. Severus sighed and wondered why it felt like he was missing something.