(A/N: Okay, it's been awhile since I've updated…I'll try to be more
frequent, cause summer is almost here…yay! I saw Private Lives on Broadway
with Alan Rickman…and I got his autograph and picture. Fun stuff!!)
Chapter Fifteen
Severus sat up straight in his bed, breathing heavily and sweating. He closed his eyes as the details of his dream came rushing back to him, like a flood. He rubbed his temples and sighed. His days as a Death Eater still haunted him.
"Severus?" came a sleepy, feminine voice.
He looked to his right, and could just make out the form of Hermione lying next to him on the bed. "Yes?" his voice cut into the silence, sounding more harsh than he had intended.
Hermione sat up. "Are you all right?"
"Fine."
She straightened up even more. "No, you're not. You're pasty white, Severus, and you're sweating. Come on, you can tell me."
He gritted his teeth. "Go back to sleep. I do not wish to discuss it."
When he received no response, he threw back the covers and went into the bathroom. He stripped quickly, and stepped into the shower. He stood under the comforting stream of scalding hot water for what seemed like hours. When Severus finally emerged, wrapped in his bathrobe and toweling his hair dry, the light was on next to his bed and Hermione was reading a novel. She looked up when she heard him enter.
"Oh good, you're back. I couldn't sleep without you."
Severus did not reply. He simply climbed back into bed, and turned away from Hermione. She pursed her lips, unsure of what to do. In the end, she just turned over herself, and fell back to sleep. Severus, however, was unable to sleep. When Hermione woke up the next morning, he was gone.
*~*
Hermione went to breakfast, and still she did not see Severus. She knew that he did not often eat breakfast, so logically she knew that she should not be worried, but she was. Halfway through the first class, which Hermione had free and was spending grading papers, she decided to go and look for him. She descended into the dungeons.
She peeked into his classroom, and saw students, roaming aimlessly around the room, chatting with each other. "What is going on here?" she asked in a loud voice.
A small Gryffindor boy spoke up. "Professor Snape has not shown up for class, Professor."
She bit her lip. "I suppose that you may be excused then. Class is canceled." She remained in the room as the students joyfully skipped out. After spending a moment in thought about what was best to be done, she left the room, and headed towards Albus' office.
But Albus wasn't worried. "Hermione, although it is unusual that Severus would leave and skip his class, he often needs time alone. Don't worry…he'll turn up. He always does."
Even thought Albus tried his best to reassure her, Hermione's fears were not alleviated.
*~*
Severus walked. And walked, and walked. He had been so disturbed by his dream. Well, not really a dream, he corrected himself, as he kicked a small clump of grass. It was a message.
* He could see a clearing, one that looked suspiciously familiar. Ah yes, he had remembered suddenly, the clearing that the Death Eaters apparated to when Voldemort called. At first, there was no one there, and then, all of a sudden, someone was. And Severus recognized him. It was Lord Volemort himself. Fully powerful. Alive. Severus bent to kneel, but he found that he couldn't move a muscle. Voldemort laughed, and spoke only one word. "Crucio." *
Severus shivered as he recalled his dream. Suddenly he looked up at the sky. It was dark, and the stars were beginning to shine brightly in the sky. He realized with a shock that he had been gone all day, and missed all his classes. He turned to walk back to Hogwarts.
*~*
Around ten o'clock that night, Severus stumbled back into the entrance hall of Hogwarts. He looked up from the floor tiredly to see a small crowd of people standing about ten feet away from him, looking worried and relieved all at the same time.
"Are you lot the welcoming committee?" he said in tired sarcasm.
Dumbledore moved forward, taking Severus' arm. He pulled him away and spoke in an undertone. "Severus, I've been worried. Where did you go all day?"
Severus did not meet his eyes. "I was thinking."
Dumbledore did not release his arm or loosen his grip. "That wasn't the question, Severus. Where did you go?"
"I took a walk, Headmaster."
Dumbledore paused. Severus hadn't called him Headmaster since he was about 20 years old, and confessing his involvement with Voldemort. "Severus," he said more gently, "what's happened?"
"Voldemort isn't dead," he answered quietly, his eyes fixed on a point somewhere beyond the Headmaster's shoulder. "I've had a message in a dream."
Dumbledore felt as though his heart had stopped. He said nothing, but pulled the stiff, resistant Potions master into his arms. He simply held him there until the younger man relaxed slightly, and he felt Severus give a long, shuddering sigh. When Dumbledore finally allowed Severus to stand up, he saw that his friend's face was streaked with silent tears. His heart went out to the man he thought of as his son. He placed a strong arm around Severus, and steered him into his office. Once there, he ordered food to be brought from the kitchens by the house elves, and he pushed Severus into a chair.
When the food came, he practically forced the Potions master to eat. "You haven't eaten for several days, have you?" he asked, as he poured tea.
"Not hungry."
Dumbledore tried another track. "You know, Hermione's really worried about you. Perhaps you should go and see her…"
Severus shook his head slightly, as he broke down and grabbed some toast. "I don't know what to say to her. You see, we…" He trailed off.
Dumbledore nodded. "I know, Severus. I think you two would be good for each other. I have no objections."
Severus was too tired to wonder how Dumbledore knew this. He simply nodded. After a few minutes of silence, he felt himself being pushed onto a bed and soft sheets covering him. He slipped into black sleep.
Dumbledore stood watching him for a moment, before he slipped noiselessly out of the room. He headed straight to his desk, where he removed a small, extremely old bit of parchment on which was written this ancient prophesy:
The chosen of Gryffindor
Shall be as earth; brown and sweet
She shall love the favored of Slytherin
Son of night; dark and noble.
Together, they will defeat Him.
Dumbledore just knew the prophesy was talking about Severus and Hermione. And he was going to do anything and everything he could to bring them together.
*~*
Severus awoke to the crackling of a fire. He stretched slightly; where was he? Then it all came flooding back to him, all at once. He was in Albus' room. He didn't recall falling asleep, though. As he slowly opened his eyes, he became aware of someone else's presence in the room. He sat up quickly when he realized who it was. "Hermione!"
She smiled slightly, nervously. "Severus, I'm glad you're awake."
He sat up, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "erm…Hermione…" he coughed. "What are you doing here?" His words came out a little harsher than he had intended, but perhaps it was better this way.
She looked slightly hurt. "I'm here to see you, Severus. I was worried yesterday."
He pursed his lips. "You shouldn't have been."
Hermione could not understand what was going on with him. His moods were just too much for her.
"Don't you fucking tell me that," she answered calmly.
He glared at her. "Get out."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. You were a nice piece of ass, but now its over and done with. Leave."
Hermione stood up, a cold fury in her eyes. She slapped him hard across the face. "You son-of-a-bitch," she muttered. He did not react to her slap, so she left.
When she was out of the room, Severus rubbed his temples tiredly. He hadn't wanted to do that, but he couldn't put her in danger if Voldemort was truly back. It just wasn't an option. Yes, he told himself, this was all for the best.
**************************************************************************** *
Alan Rickman: Gee, kids, it would be nice if you would review. It would mean the world to Juleya here…Please? For me?
Readers: Yes, yes! We want to review this story…we want to review this story…
** All right, consider yourselves brainwashed! You want to review, yes you do! **
Chapter Fifteen
Severus sat up straight in his bed, breathing heavily and sweating. He closed his eyes as the details of his dream came rushing back to him, like a flood. He rubbed his temples and sighed. His days as a Death Eater still haunted him.
"Severus?" came a sleepy, feminine voice.
He looked to his right, and could just make out the form of Hermione lying next to him on the bed. "Yes?" his voice cut into the silence, sounding more harsh than he had intended.
Hermione sat up. "Are you all right?"
"Fine."
She straightened up even more. "No, you're not. You're pasty white, Severus, and you're sweating. Come on, you can tell me."
He gritted his teeth. "Go back to sleep. I do not wish to discuss it."
When he received no response, he threw back the covers and went into the bathroom. He stripped quickly, and stepped into the shower. He stood under the comforting stream of scalding hot water for what seemed like hours. When Severus finally emerged, wrapped in his bathrobe and toweling his hair dry, the light was on next to his bed and Hermione was reading a novel. She looked up when she heard him enter.
"Oh good, you're back. I couldn't sleep without you."
Severus did not reply. He simply climbed back into bed, and turned away from Hermione. She pursed her lips, unsure of what to do. In the end, she just turned over herself, and fell back to sleep. Severus, however, was unable to sleep. When Hermione woke up the next morning, he was gone.
*~*
Hermione went to breakfast, and still she did not see Severus. She knew that he did not often eat breakfast, so logically she knew that she should not be worried, but she was. Halfway through the first class, which Hermione had free and was spending grading papers, she decided to go and look for him. She descended into the dungeons.
She peeked into his classroom, and saw students, roaming aimlessly around the room, chatting with each other. "What is going on here?" she asked in a loud voice.
A small Gryffindor boy spoke up. "Professor Snape has not shown up for class, Professor."
She bit her lip. "I suppose that you may be excused then. Class is canceled." She remained in the room as the students joyfully skipped out. After spending a moment in thought about what was best to be done, she left the room, and headed towards Albus' office.
But Albus wasn't worried. "Hermione, although it is unusual that Severus would leave and skip his class, he often needs time alone. Don't worry…he'll turn up. He always does."
Even thought Albus tried his best to reassure her, Hermione's fears were not alleviated.
*~*
Severus walked. And walked, and walked. He had been so disturbed by his dream. Well, not really a dream, he corrected himself, as he kicked a small clump of grass. It was a message.
* He could see a clearing, one that looked suspiciously familiar. Ah yes, he had remembered suddenly, the clearing that the Death Eaters apparated to when Voldemort called. At first, there was no one there, and then, all of a sudden, someone was. And Severus recognized him. It was Lord Volemort himself. Fully powerful. Alive. Severus bent to kneel, but he found that he couldn't move a muscle. Voldemort laughed, and spoke only one word. "Crucio." *
Severus shivered as he recalled his dream. Suddenly he looked up at the sky. It was dark, and the stars were beginning to shine brightly in the sky. He realized with a shock that he had been gone all day, and missed all his classes. He turned to walk back to Hogwarts.
*~*
Around ten o'clock that night, Severus stumbled back into the entrance hall of Hogwarts. He looked up from the floor tiredly to see a small crowd of people standing about ten feet away from him, looking worried and relieved all at the same time.
"Are you lot the welcoming committee?" he said in tired sarcasm.
Dumbledore moved forward, taking Severus' arm. He pulled him away and spoke in an undertone. "Severus, I've been worried. Where did you go all day?"
Severus did not meet his eyes. "I was thinking."
Dumbledore did not release his arm or loosen his grip. "That wasn't the question, Severus. Where did you go?"
"I took a walk, Headmaster."
Dumbledore paused. Severus hadn't called him Headmaster since he was about 20 years old, and confessing his involvement with Voldemort. "Severus," he said more gently, "what's happened?"
"Voldemort isn't dead," he answered quietly, his eyes fixed on a point somewhere beyond the Headmaster's shoulder. "I've had a message in a dream."
Dumbledore felt as though his heart had stopped. He said nothing, but pulled the stiff, resistant Potions master into his arms. He simply held him there until the younger man relaxed slightly, and he felt Severus give a long, shuddering sigh. When Dumbledore finally allowed Severus to stand up, he saw that his friend's face was streaked with silent tears. His heart went out to the man he thought of as his son. He placed a strong arm around Severus, and steered him into his office. Once there, he ordered food to be brought from the kitchens by the house elves, and he pushed Severus into a chair.
When the food came, he practically forced the Potions master to eat. "You haven't eaten for several days, have you?" he asked, as he poured tea.
"Not hungry."
Dumbledore tried another track. "You know, Hermione's really worried about you. Perhaps you should go and see her…"
Severus shook his head slightly, as he broke down and grabbed some toast. "I don't know what to say to her. You see, we…" He trailed off.
Dumbledore nodded. "I know, Severus. I think you two would be good for each other. I have no objections."
Severus was too tired to wonder how Dumbledore knew this. He simply nodded. After a few minutes of silence, he felt himself being pushed onto a bed and soft sheets covering him. He slipped into black sleep.
Dumbledore stood watching him for a moment, before he slipped noiselessly out of the room. He headed straight to his desk, where he removed a small, extremely old bit of parchment on which was written this ancient prophesy:
The chosen of Gryffindor
Shall be as earth; brown and sweet
She shall love the favored of Slytherin
Son of night; dark and noble.
Together, they will defeat Him.
Dumbledore just knew the prophesy was talking about Severus and Hermione. And he was going to do anything and everything he could to bring them together.
*~*
Severus awoke to the crackling of a fire. He stretched slightly; where was he? Then it all came flooding back to him, all at once. He was in Albus' room. He didn't recall falling asleep, though. As he slowly opened his eyes, he became aware of someone else's presence in the room. He sat up quickly when he realized who it was. "Hermione!"
She smiled slightly, nervously. "Severus, I'm glad you're awake."
He sat up, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "erm…Hermione…" he coughed. "What are you doing here?" His words came out a little harsher than he had intended, but perhaps it was better this way.
She looked slightly hurt. "I'm here to see you, Severus. I was worried yesterday."
He pursed his lips. "You shouldn't have been."
Hermione could not understand what was going on with him. His moods were just too much for her.
"Don't you fucking tell me that," she answered calmly.
He glared at her. "Get out."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. You were a nice piece of ass, but now its over and done with. Leave."
Hermione stood up, a cold fury in her eyes. She slapped him hard across the face. "You son-of-a-bitch," she muttered. He did not react to her slap, so she left.
When she was out of the room, Severus rubbed his temples tiredly. He hadn't wanted to do that, but he couldn't put her in danger if Voldemort was truly back. It just wasn't an option. Yes, he told himself, this was all for the best.
**************************************************************************** *
Alan Rickman: Gee, kids, it would be nice if you would review. It would mean the world to Juleya here…Please? For me?
Readers: Yes, yes! We want to review this story…we want to review this story…
** All right, consider yourselves brainwashed! You want to review, yes you do! **