Disclaimer: It all belongs to JKR. No infringement intended.

Rating: R for language and sexual situations.

Pairing: Severus/Hermione



Lightning Strikes



by Auror Borealis



Chapter 8



Callie paced the floor of her temporary bedroom. She couldn't hear the storm, couldn't feel it, but somehow, she still knew it raged. She also knew she would not relax until it passed, and hoped fervently that it wouldn't last much longer. She barked her shin against the corner of a low table, and yelped.

The door opened. Professor Snape was wearing the familiar grey robe. Now I know what to get him for Christmas, Callie thought. He's had that thing forever.

"Is there a problem, Caledonia?" His cool tone held an undercurrent of concern.

"I didn't mean to wake you, Daddy. I just can't sleep when I know it's storming." She saw the shocked look on his face, and hurried to correct herself. "Sorry… Professor."

He turned and went back into his sitting room, and she followed. He hasn't had time to get used to this, Callie told herself, trying not to feel hurt. I haven't even been born yet, for crying out loud. She took what would be her mother's chair by the fire, and he settled into his own.

"I cannot encourage you to call me anything other than Professor Snape, Caledonia. It is difficult enough to keep your situation from becoming common knowledge. But…" he looked into the fire as he spoke, "I look forward to hearing myself called "Daddy" on a regular basis. It's more than I ever hoped for."

Tears glistened in Callie's eyes at this. It hurt to think of the loneliness her father endured for so long. He's far more a hero than anyone knows, she thought. She reached out, and he took her hand.

"You're trembling. Are you quite well?"

"Yes… Professor. I just can't relax."

"I don't imagine that I encourage the use of sleeping potions in the future?"

"No, sir. Every so often, but definitely not regularly."

"Is there anything I can do?"

Callie was struck with a notion. It was unworthy, manipulative, a testament to her Slytherin forbears. She was delighted with it.

Her voice quavered. "I really want my Mum."



A quick conversation ensued with Professor McGonagall through the fireplace, and Hermione was summoned out of bed and down to the dungeons. Her errand was disclosed only as 'prefect business.' The Potions classroom door opened at her knock, and the doors already stood open the rest of the way into Snape's living quarters.

She stood uncertainly in the doorway, and Callie stood and ran to her, throwing her arms around her. She thought again of her father's years of isolation and suffering, and managed to bring a few tears to her eyes.

"The storm… I'm so sorry for dragging you out of bed…"

Hermione hugged the younger girl tightly. "I'm glad to be here, if it helps. I wish I could do more."

Callie led the Gryffindor to her own chair and pushed her into it before perching on the arm. "It makes me feel a lot better when you two are here. I think I could almost go back to sleep now." You're shameless, Cal, she thought with an inward smile.

"If you really can, I think you should try," said Hermione. "I won't leave until the weather calms down, I promise."

"Well, if you think I should…" C'mon, Mum, twist my arm just a bit more.

"Do you want me to tuck you in?"

"Mum!" cried Callie indignantly. "I'm not three years old anymore!" She turned before closing the door behind her. Snape was regarding her thoughtfully. He knows what I'm doing, she thought. So long as he doesn't screw it up, that's fine. Saying goodnight, she went back to bed. She knew that she still wouldn't sleep, but it really was better, knowing they were both out there. And she could be alone, if it was all in a good cause…



"Maybe a sleeping potion wouldn't hurt," ventured Hermione, nervous at suddenly being alone with Snape. It was far too intimate to be comfortable. They were both in pajamas and robes, sitting cozily by the fire in his quarters. Was this what it would be like in the future? she wondered.

"If she has trouble sleeping for more than a few nights, I'll give her one, but it's too easy to become dependent on them. It's best not to use one if you have a choice about it." He spoke matter-of-factly, as though having a female student in his rooms in the dead of night was an everyday occurrence.

"I find it hard to believe that you and I could produce a child with such fearful tendencies," said Snape.

"She's got a phobia, all right, but she's not fearful in general. If anything, she's got a bit too much nerve sometimes." Callie provided conversational common ground, all right, but that didn't mean the topic was safe, and Hermione felt her own nervousness increasing. She'd spent a lot of time recently thinking about the encounter in the Potions classroom, and the feelings it had evoked in her. She wondered how long it would be until she could go back up to bed, but she wasn't at all sleepy now.

"What do you mean?"

"She went for a walk in the Forbidden Forest today. Ron told me about it."

Snape's face hardened. He was aware of Weasley's attitude towards his daughter, and although he couldn't order the boy to keep away from her, he wished heartily that he could do so. And what was the girl thinking, venturing into the forest? It made even him nervous, and he had less to fear there than most wizards.

"What happened?" His tone was calm.

"She goes in there quite a bit, apparently. Ron said she seemed to be very familiar with it. He said she was completely comfortable there."

"Weasley took my daughter into the Forbidden Forest?" He stood, as if to march up to Gryffindor Tower and drag the boy out of bed to demand an accounting.

"No, Professor," said Hermione, who found herself amused at his outrage. A smile quirked on her lips. He saw it, and scowled.

"No, Professor. Severus." The scowl deepened and he looked away, but didn't protest the use of his name. "She went for a walk. Ron wandered in there and got lost, she found him and led him back out. He also said that she startled him, and he raised his wand at her."

Snape started to speak, but she cut him off. "He didn't know it was her. And remember, they were in the Forbidden Forest. I usually have my wand out in there, too. He said that before he knew what happened, she'd disarmed him."

"She disarmed a wizard four years her senior? While out for a stroll in the Forbidden Forest, no less." He was going to talk to her about that particular habit, but he was impressed. It was difficult to reconcile this picture of Caledonia with the shaking girl who had asked for her mother so short a time ago. But then, he had his doubts about how frightened she'd been when she made that particular request, so…

He looked at Hermione, and smiled. She smiled back. It was cozy, being with her here, like this. A man could get used to it. This man could get used to this particular girl – no, woman – her companionship, her intelligence. Her loveliness. Was it so impossible, after all? And would it ever have happened without the appearance of the girl from the future? He pondered the possible paradox for a moment, then decided that, at this moment at least, he didn't give a damn.

He rose and closed the few steps between them, and held out his hand to her. She took it, and then they were standing, face to face. Her breath quickened. His free hand found her other one, and they looked at each other, each face registering wonder. I could love her, he thought.

"I'm sorry, Hermione."

"For what?"

"For the way I spoke to you in the classroom that day. I was angry with you, and I wanted to hurt you, or at least frighten you. And I was jealous; I was horribly jealous. You are not mine; I hope very much that you will be one day. But until that day comes, I have no claim on you. You must conduct your affairs," he smiled wryly here, and won an answering look from her, "as you see fit. If you wish to continue with Weasley, I have no right to interfere. You can take up with Potter, for all the say I have in the matter."

Hermione jumped at this, and blushed.

Snape's face fell. He'd meant what he said, truly, but he hadn't expected…

She looked up at him. "I'm not in love with Harry. I'm not in love with Ron, for that matter. I thought I might be, but I know now that I never was. I was attracted to him, that's all. And a few days ago…"

His brow lifted inquiringly.

"I was angry with you too. And I was tempted… Harry and I almost…"

"Did you want to?"

Hermione sighed. "What I wanted most, I think, was to do something that would hurt you. I came very close to using Harry, just to show that I didn't consider myself bound to you."

"Somehow I doubt Potter would have minded."

Hermione laughed. "You're right, he wouldn't have. He told me if I ever changed my mind…"

Snape released her. "I would advise you never to take someone into your bed for such a reason, Hermione. It never leads to anything good. But beyond that, you must do as you wish."

She took a deep, steadying breath. "Are you withdrawing your proposal, Severus?"

His eyes bored into her. "Do you wish me to?"

"I don't know what I want, Severus. I want to know why I feel so comfortable calling you that. A week ago, the idea of being here with you, like this, would have horrified me. It still scares me, but for a different reason. I want to know if I would ever have even considered the possibility of taking you into my bed, as you phrase it, without proof that I'll do so someday. Is this really all about Callie? Would there be anything between us if she hadn't come here?"

"Are you saying you're considering taking me into your bed?"

She thwacked him on the chest. "Just like a man to latch onto that one point. You're just like Harry and Ron. All you ever think about is sex."

Her eyes widened. Had she just said that? To Professor Snape?

"Fair enough. It's a hazard of being male. Now answer the question."

"Yes, I'm considering it." She glared at him.

He caught her by the waist and pulled her to him. Something hard and hot pulsed against her belly. She caught her breath, shocked, but didn't even think about pulling away.

"As you have no doubt surmised, I'm also considering the matter." Still holding her close, he brought his mouth down on hers. His tongue teased her closed lips, and she parted them slightly. He pushed inside and began to explore thoroughly. She moaned softly, her own tongue beginning to move against his. She threw her arms around his neck. One of his hands slid up her side, and moved around until it cupped one breast. He groaned, and she arched into the touch. His other hand slid down to her buttock, and he pulled her even closer. It was the most exciting thing Hermione had ever felt, and she knew instinctively that none of the boys she knew could make her feel like this.

To Hermione's intense disappointment, Snape pulled away, a stream of shocking obscenities flowing from those swollen, thoroughly kissed lips. He stalked to the other side of the room, yanking viciously at his crushed dressing gown, straightening it.

"If you don't leave now, you may find me doing a great deal more than considering it." His voice was thick with arousal and frustration.

"Severus…" She didn't recognize her own voice. It sounded hoarse, as though she'd spent hours shouting.

"I was weak just now, Miss Granger. I'm trying to be stronger, for both of us. Help me – go."

"No."

"Are you out of your mind, girl? I nearly ravished you. Go!"

"No, you didn't. You didn't do anything I didn't want you to do. And you can't make me want you like that, then just send me away when you've had enough. I won't allow it."

"You're mistaken; I haven't had nearly enough. But we've had much more than was wise." He couldn't allow this to happen; not now, not tonight. Surely she must see that, he thought. How could I ever face Minerva again? She sent her down here, trusting me. I can't do this. Why doesn't she leave?

Desperation made him cruel. "If you require satisfaction, I suggest you go and rouse Potter. Take him to the Astronomy Tower; I'll make sure you're not disturbed."

Hermione closed the distance between them, and slapped him hard. "Harry told me he wanted to be able to look at you, and know he'd had me first. Is that really what you want? Because if it is, I'll be happy to oblige you. Give me fifteen minutes, and we'll be in that horrid tower, and it'll be his name I'm screaming."

"Go, then."

She paused at the door. "I hate you, Snape."

"I know," he whispered when she was gone.



She slipped into Harry's dorm, and roused him quickly and quietly. Sleepy and confused, he followed her out of Gryffindor and up to the Astronomy Tower. The thunder and lightning had long since ceased, and a gentle rain fell upon the roof.