Chapter Thirteen
"Oh my God…" Hermione breathed. She drew in a short, ragged breath. "But how…"
"When you're dead," explained Harry, "things can be done that you never even thought you could do before."
Goodness knows that was true, thought Hermione, just look at Sevolod. "I miss you guys so much," she whispered, and a fat tear rolled its way down her cheek.
"Don't cry, 'Mione," Ron pleaded.
She sniffed loudly, and drew herself up to her full height. "How dare you leave me, Ronald Bilius Weasley and Harry James Potter? Don't you know I need you?"
Harry pursed his lips. "We need you too Hermione," he said softly. "And, there is now someone else who needs you, as well."
"What in the name of high heaven are you talking about?" she asked them, puzzled.
They smiled in response. "Come on, Herm. Everyone here knows that you've been hanging around a certain Potions master lately." Ron raised a hand in protest when he saw the look on Hermione's face. "Now, simmer down there. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just stating a fact."
Hermione shut her mouth. She thought for a moment, and then she said: "Well, he's not so bad, you know. And he's very intelligent."
"Really." Ron responded flatly. Harry slapped him upside the head.
Harry grinned ruefully. "Well, because we're ghosts that didn't work out quite the way I had planned it to, however, you got the general idea I'm sure."
"Anyway," Ron interrupted, "We've got to go now, and so do you. I believe you have a class to teach, Professor?"" He grinned.
A tear began its slow descent down Hermione's face. "No, please don't," she whispered softly.
"Oh 'Mione," Ron said miserably, and Harry made to rub her back, stopping his transparent arm when he remembered that he could not touch solid things.
"We're not going forever, you know," Harry informed her. "You can't get rid of us that easily!"
And with that, the two ghosts disappeared. Hermione looked at the clock on her bedside table, gasped at the time, and hurried to get ready for her day.
*~*
Meanwhile, Severus Snape, who had never slept late in his life, was oversleeping due to a very strange dream. He was dreaming that Hermione was in her room, talking to Harry and Ron. It was like he was in a Pensieve – because he was right there in the room with them, however nobody could see him. But they're dead! he thought wildly, and awoke. He shook his head to clear it. "Now that was just a tad odd," he muttered to himself as he padded out of bed towards the shower.
When the Potions master was showered, dressed, and ready to go to breakfast, he left his rooms and traveled to the Great Hall. He saw that Hermione was already sitting in the DADA teacher's spot next to his seat. He navigated the house tables skillfully, although he was groaning inside; this was why he was never late! Severus finally reached the staff table, and sat down with a swish of his long robes.
"Good morning, Severus," said the pretty voice of the DADA mistress next to him.
"Is it?" he grumbled, and began to pick at his toast.
Hermione only smiled; she was used this sort of response from her colleague. But, she did want to see him later, alone, to ask him about Harry and Ron. She didn't think he would appreciate it if she asked now, in front of the entire staff. Hell, she didn't think she would like it if someone did that to her! So she settled on slipping him a note. She left the room for a moment to send her letter.
When the mail came, a small brown owl that he had never seen before came straight to him, dropping a letter into his lap, and flew away immediately. Hermione smiled to herself. Severus inspected the letter, with its strange seal, and slowly broke it. He unfolded the heavy parchment, and began to read the words written in blue ink and elegant script.
Severus –
I really would like to see you this evening. Something has happened to me that I think you would relate to. I would appreciate this, and gratefully remain
Hermione Granger
Severus refolded the note calmly, at the same moment that a black hawk swooped down and dropped a letter with a curious insignia for a seal. Hermione observed him out of the corner of her eye; she wanted to see who that letter was from. Unfortunately for Hermione's curiosity, Severus simply tore the letter to shreds and silently continued to eat his breakfast. Hermione was dumbfounded, why would someone shred a letter they had not even read yet? She resolved to ask him about it later that night.
*~*
After dinner that night, Hermione slipped away and went to Severus' chambers. She whispered the password, which she had been given by a laughing Dumbledore – House of Usher – and slipped into his inner sanctum. She sat upon a dark couch, and made herself comfortable, waiting for Severus. She noticed a thin book next to her, so she curiously picked it up and read the cover: Shakespeare's Sonnets. She laughed softly to herself, remembering the Potions master's penchant for Muggle literature. She had just opened the book, and begun to skim the poems, when the man himself entered the room. He jumped when he saw a figure settled comfortably on his couch.
"Good Lord!" he exclaimed under his breath. "Where you trying to scare the living fuck out of me, Hermione?"
"No, just a side benefit," she smiled. "I actually have something to ask you, Severus, and I figured that you would know because of Sevolod, so…"
Severus sighed. "Could you spit it out, already, do you think?" he asked impatiently.
"I was visited by two ghosts this morning," she began. "Actually, I'm not quite sure that it was real. Perhaps I was dreaming, and believed it because I want it to be true." Seeing Severus' impatient look, she got to the point. "Harry and Ron were in my rooms this morning."
He raised an eyebrow doubtfully. "I'm not saying that it definitely isn't true, Hermione, but I really think its rather more likely that it's a hallucination. You have been so upset lately – I mean, your emotions probably got the better of you."
Hermione knew, logically, that he was probably right, but she still didn't want it to be true. "I guess…I guess you're right." She lowered her head to her hands, and allowed a tear to make its slow descent down her cheek.
"Hermione, look at me," came Severus' rich, deep voice. She did not, and with a sigh, he extended an arm and tipped her face upward so she could see him. "It's understandable that you should be upset. And, if you ever need to talk…Well, I'm here. You know where to find me." He said this last part uncomfortably.
Hermione smiled through her tears. "Thanks, Severus," she whispered. Then, she did something that she had been wondering about for days. She kissed him full on the lips. He jerked back slightly, as if shocked that she would do something like that. Then, as her lips did not leave his, he began to kiss her back. Their tongues dueled fiercely, and Hermione moaned softly as one of Severus' hands lost itself in her hair.
Hermione's hands became busy as well, fumbling with the buttons on his robes. Severus followed her lead, and deftly unfastened her light robes. She moaned, lost to the power of the sensations, as his hand caressed her breast through her bra. Suddenly, Hermione's small hand disappeared into the waistband of his Muggle pants which he wore underneath his robes. Severus shuddered and moaned. He was lost t anything other than the sensations her hands were provoking in him.
Abruptly, her hand stopped moving. Severus' head snapped up from her breast. "Hermione," he panted, needing her desperately.
She smiled coyly at him. "Tell me what you want, Severus," she purred.
Severus gasped. "You know what I want, Hermione…" he muttered, nearly in pain with his desire.
"But…well, I mean, it's kind of late, and it would take me awhile to think of a good bedtime story," she murmured seductively, and giggled.
"Hermione…" Severus trailed off, completely taken over by his instincts. He picked her up off his lap, ignored the squeal from her, and carried her into his bedroom and shut the door.
*~*
Severus lay in his bed, next to Hermione, who was sleeping deeply. He never slept after sex; he never had and he doubted that he ever would. His mind was full – what had he just done? He had just had sex with a woman who was young enough to be his daughter…oh lord. He buried his face in his hands. How had he let his guard down, how had he allowed this to happen?
He was interrupted from his self-chastising thoughts by a male voice clearing his throat. Severus' head snapped upwards – he saw Sevolod before him, looking intensely amused. Severus sighed, and motioned for his brother to follow him into the kitchen.
"Well, my brother," Sevolod began, a twinkle in his eye, "I would not have believed it possible. I cannot believe that you actually got laid! And with such a beautiful woman, too!"
"Oh shut up, Sevolod," he grumbled. "She's going to regret it immensely when she wakes up and realizes who she has spent the night with."
Sevolod shrugged delicately. "You never know, my dear brother," he responded lightly. "But, a piece of advice: you don't want to deal with her two disgruntled best friends."
Severus was puzzled. "But, they're dead…aren't they?" But he asked the question to thin air; Sevolod had disappeared. He heard a disembodied voice answer him with a chuckle: "But you still have to deal with me, don't you?"
Just then, Hermione entered the kitchen, looking for Severus. "Good morning," she said hesitantly.
Severus looked mournfully at her. "Hermione, I think we need to talk…" he began, but was cut off by the entrance of two angry looking ghosts. Hermione gasped, and Severus took a step backwards.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself, you old lecher!" accused Ron. Harry just folded his arms across his chest and waited for an explanation. Hermione rubbed her eyes and wished that this was not happening.
"Oh my God…" Hermione breathed. She drew in a short, ragged breath. "But how…"
"When you're dead," explained Harry, "things can be done that you never even thought you could do before."
Goodness knows that was true, thought Hermione, just look at Sevolod. "I miss you guys so much," she whispered, and a fat tear rolled its way down her cheek.
"Don't cry, 'Mione," Ron pleaded.
She sniffed loudly, and drew herself up to her full height. "How dare you leave me, Ronald Bilius Weasley and Harry James Potter? Don't you know I need you?"
Harry pursed his lips. "We need you too Hermione," he said softly. "And, there is now someone else who needs you, as well."
"What in the name of high heaven are you talking about?" she asked them, puzzled.
They smiled in response. "Come on, Herm. Everyone here knows that you've been hanging around a certain Potions master lately." Ron raised a hand in protest when he saw the look on Hermione's face. "Now, simmer down there. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just stating a fact."
Hermione shut her mouth. She thought for a moment, and then she said: "Well, he's not so bad, you know. And he's very intelligent."
"Really." Ron responded flatly. Harry slapped him upside the head.
Harry grinned ruefully. "Well, because we're ghosts that didn't work out quite the way I had planned it to, however, you got the general idea I'm sure."
"Anyway," Ron interrupted, "We've got to go now, and so do you. I believe you have a class to teach, Professor?"" He grinned.
A tear began its slow descent down Hermione's face. "No, please don't," she whispered softly.
"Oh 'Mione," Ron said miserably, and Harry made to rub her back, stopping his transparent arm when he remembered that he could not touch solid things.
"We're not going forever, you know," Harry informed her. "You can't get rid of us that easily!"
And with that, the two ghosts disappeared. Hermione looked at the clock on her bedside table, gasped at the time, and hurried to get ready for her day.
*~*
Meanwhile, Severus Snape, who had never slept late in his life, was oversleeping due to a very strange dream. He was dreaming that Hermione was in her room, talking to Harry and Ron. It was like he was in a Pensieve – because he was right there in the room with them, however nobody could see him. But they're dead! he thought wildly, and awoke. He shook his head to clear it. "Now that was just a tad odd," he muttered to himself as he padded out of bed towards the shower.
When the Potions master was showered, dressed, and ready to go to breakfast, he left his rooms and traveled to the Great Hall. He saw that Hermione was already sitting in the DADA teacher's spot next to his seat. He navigated the house tables skillfully, although he was groaning inside; this was why he was never late! Severus finally reached the staff table, and sat down with a swish of his long robes.
"Good morning, Severus," said the pretty voice of the DADA mistress next to him.
"Is it?" he grumbled, and began to pick at his toast.
Hermione only smiled; she was used this sort of response from her colleague. But, she did want to see him later, alone, to ask him about Harry and Ron. She didn't think he would appreciate it if she asked now, in front of the entire staff. Hell, she didn't think she would like it if someone did that to her! So she settled on slipping him a note. She left the room for a moment to send her letter.
When the mail came, a small brown owl that he had never seen before came straight to him, dropping a letter into his lap, and flew away immediately. Hermione smiled to herself. Severus inspected the letter, with its strange seal, and slowly broke it. He unfolded the heavy parchment, and began to read the words written in blue ink and elegant script.
Severus –
I really would like to see you this evening. Something has happened to me that I think you would relate to. I would appreciate this, and gratefully remain
Hermione Granger
Severus refolded the note calmly, at the same moment that a black hawk swooped down and dropped a letter with a curious insignia for a seal. Hermione observed him out of the corner of her eye; she wanted to see who that letter was from. Unfortunately for Hermione's curiosity, Severus simply tore the letter to shreds and silently continued to eat his breakfast. Hermione was dumbfounded, why would someone shred a letter they had not even read yet? She resolved to ask him about it later that night.
*~*
After dinner that night, Hermione slipped away and went to Severus' chambers. She whispered the password, which she had been given by a laughing Dumbledore – House of Usher – and slipped into his inner sanctum. She sat upon a dark couch, and made herself comfortable, waiting for Severus. She noticed a thin book next to her, so she curiously picked it up and read the cover: Shakespeare's Sonnets. She laughed softly to herself, remembering the Potions master's penchant for Muggle literature. She had just opened the book, and begun to skim the poems, when the man himself entered the room. He jumped when he saw a figure settled comfortably on his couch.
"Good Lord!" he exclaimed under his breath. "Where you trying to scare the living fuck out of me, Hermione?"
"No, just a side benefit," she smiled. "I actually have something to ask you, Severus, and I figured that you would know because of Sevolod, so…"
Severus sighed. "Could you spit it out, already, do you think?" he asked impatiently.
"I was visited by two ghosts this morning," she began. "Actually, I'm not quite sure that it was real. Perhaps I was dreaming, and believed it because I want it to be true." Seeing Severus' impatient look, she got to the point. "Harry and Ron were in my rooms this morning."
He raised an eyebrow doubtfully. "I'm not saying that it definitely isn't true, Hermione, but I really think its rather more likely that it's a hallucination. You have been so upset lately – I mean, your emotions probably got the better of you."
Hermione knew, logically, that he was probably right, but she still didn't want it to be true. "I guess…I guess you're right." She lowered her head to her hands, and allowed a tear to make its slow descent down her cheek.
"Hermione, look at me," came Severus' rich, deep voice. She did not, and with a sigh, he extended an arm and tipped her face upward so she could see him. "It's understandable that you should be upset. And, if you ever need to talk…Well, I'm here. You know where to find me." He said this last part uncomfortably.
Hermione smiled through her tears. "Thanks, Severus," she whispered. Then, she did something that she had been wondering about for days. She kissed him full on the lips. He jerked back slightly, as if shocked that she would do something like that. Then, as her lips did not leave his, he began to kiss her back. Their tongues dueled fiercely, and Hermione moaned softly as one of Severus' hands lost itself in her hair.
Hermione's hands became busy as well, fumbling with the buttons on his robes. Severus followed her lead, and deftly unfastened her light robes. She moaned, lost to the power of the sensations, as his hand caressed her breast through her bra. Suddenly, Hermione's small hand disappeared into the waistband of his Muggle pants which he wore underneath his robes. Severus shuddered and moaned. He was lost t anything other than the sensations her hands were provoking in him.
Abruptly, her hand stopped moving. Severus' head snapped up from her breast. "Hermione," he panted, needing her desperately.
She smiled coyly at him. "Tell me what you want, Severus," she purred.
Severus gasped. "You know what I want, Hermione…" he muttered, nearly in pain with his desire.
"But…well, I mean, it's kind of late, and it would take me awhile to think of a good bedtime story," she murmured seductively, and giggled.
"Hermione…" Severus trailed off, completely taken over by his instincts. He picked her up off his lap, ignored the squeal from her, and carried her into his bedroom and shut the door.
*~*
Severus lay in his bed, next to Hermione, who was sleeping deeply. He never slept after sex; he never had and he doubted that he ever would. His mind was full – what had he just done? He had just had sex with a woman who was young enough to be his daughter…oh lord. He buried his face in his hands. How had he let his guard down, how had he allowed this to happen?
He was interrupted from his self-chastising thoughts by a male voice clearing his throat. Severus' head snapped upwards – he saw Sevolod before him, looking intensely amused. Severus sighed, and motioned for his brother to follow him into the kitchen.
"Well, my brother," Sevolod began, a twinkle in his eye, "I would not have believed it possible. I cannot believe that you actually got laid! And with such a beautiful woman, too!"
"Oh shut up, Sevolod," he grumbled. "She's going to regret it immensely when she wakes up and realizes who she has spent the night with."
Sevolod shrugged delicately. "You never know, my dear brother," he responded lightly. "But, a piece of advice: you don't want to deal with her two disgruntled best friends."
Severus was puzzled. "But, they're dead…aren't they?" But he asked the question to thin air; Sevolod had disappeared. He heard a disembodied voice answer him with a chuckle: "But you still have to deal with me, don't you?"
Just then, Hermione entered the kitchen, looking for Severus. "Good morning," she said hesitantly.
Severus looked mournfully at her. "Hermione, I think we need to talk…" he began, but was cut off by the entrance of two angry looking ghosts. Hermione gasped, and Severus took a step backwards.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself, you old lecher!" accused Ron. Harry just folded his arms across his chest and waited for an explanation. Hermione rubbed her eyes and wished that this was not happening.