Author's notes
WARNING! Trigger: there is graphic description of violence and blood in this chapter, also parental cruelty. If these are sensitive topics for you, avoid the final scene and send me a message so that I send you, in private, a summary of the events without the graphic descriptions. Stay safe!
Translation by Jessinthedungeons.
Chapter 20 - Smiles and Blood
— How was your weekend?
I looked up, from below on the steps of the entrance to the castle, to see Minerva addressing me.
— Great. It's always great when I spend time with the Potters. And yours?
She shrugged, going down the steps to stay on the same level as me, before answering me.
— I slept a lot. It is a habit of people my age. — She sighed.
— Oh, great, I think. — I answered, smiling.
Minerva made a nice face, but it wasn't quite a smile.
— Dear... — her maternal tone of voice made my intestine immediately contract, because I already foresaw that there would be something wrong. — More photos appeared this weekend. I want to be fair, right?
I turned my eyes toward her, gathering all the truth in my voice.
— We are friends, Minerva. Just that.
The grave expression on her face was not exactly reassuring.
— I believe in you, dear. I would believe you, even if you told me you saw Hagrid flying on a broom, but I know Robards will be upset and there is very little Vector can do.
My stomach froze. — What are you telling me, Minerva?
— I want you to think about what you are doing. — The Headmistress of Hogwarts put her hand on my shoulder. — I want the best for you, Hermione. That is the only reason I'm not going to say anything. But I don't want you to be taken by surprise.
Surprised by what?
Before I could begin to gather my thoughts and ask her for clarification on what she was saying, Minerva continued down the steps and left. There is very little Vector can do. Think about what you're doing. I don't want you to be taken by surprise. Was it that bad to take a friend with me on a holiday?
We had done nothing but kiss. I know it was an intense kiss, full of feelings and desires repressed for years, at least on my part. But Severus immediately imposed a respectful distance between us and took refuge in a hotel. H rented a taxi to get back to Scotland so we wouldn't fall into some sort of temptation as we travelled back and it was nothing but respectful when we greeted each other from afar today.
But if my guesses were on the right track, Minerva had just warned me that my position at Hogwarts was in danger. Even though she knew Severus went with me to start a training that both he and Minerva herself prefer me to do in secret, she was still warning me about a possible layoff from the Hogwarts team.
Maybe I should panic and cry. Or curse the moment when I decided to be friends with someone, who so obviously needed a friend. But I didn't do any of these things. Not even close to that. I knew that Minerva was just acting on her protective instincts with me, warning about what awaited me, but suddenly I felt indignant. Really indignant.
I didn't do anything wrong. Of course, there is a clause in my collaboration agreement with the Hogwarts team, about fraternizing with mentors, but I know, in my heart, that neither I nor Severus are "fraternizing" with each other. He practically assured me of this, when he used the words "I do not feed anything that is not real" with anyone.
Why will I be punished for feeling a connection with Severus? I like him. A lot. Severus is not an easy-going person, and he annoys me most of the time, but the closeness I have with him is something I have never had with anyone else. I don't want anyone else. Why would I be judged for that?
This is an absolute injustice. And I really wanted to curse Robards. Repeatedly.
Tension screamed through my shoulders and arms. I clenched my fists angrily. I forced my feet down the steps, giving up going to my room in the castle and heading straight to the Quidditch field, using some of the combination of sun and icy wind from the school grounds, to ease my frustration with this whole situation.
The fact that only a few people on the team spoke to me during practice didn't make things better. All the rest of the staff threw cross-eyed glances at me, even if they didn't say anything to me directly. I managed to keep my mouth shut to avoid starting any discussion, even noticing that when they weren't giving me sarcastic glances, they directed their glances at Severus, as if expecting to meet him with my bra hanging around his neck.
But there was something good about being "involved" with my advisor. And that "good thing" was that while I needed to keep my mouth shut, he didn't. And it is obvious that Severus Snape did not keep silent.
He had noticed something in my eyes at the very beginning of training and frowned. His frown had continued to deepen throughout our exchange in Transfigurations, but he didn't try to ask me what was going on, but I knew he was aware that something was bothering me, and that it had to do with the rest of the team staring me up and down.
And my favorite thing I heard that morning was a soft baritone, in a furious tone saying, "I don't know what in the name of Merlin you're looking at, but I'll jinx you if you're still useless at training!" It was so gross and angry that I couldn't help but laugh silently and then try to hide it.
In the long run, though, it didn't help me get any less angry. Everyone was still talking about me behind their backs and giving me cross-eyed looks and there was nothing I could do.
Someone was sitting at the bottom of the stairs leading to my house the moment I got home from Saint Mungus that night. It took a split second, after I got out of the car, to recognize the black hair stuck in a bun.
Severus stood up, wiping the back of his robes and waited for me to park the car a few feet away from him, and did not say a word, when he opened the passenger door and took my backpack taking a look at the lime green robes I was still wearing. He had never seen me in my work clothes before, and I had not bothered to fix my hair, which has doubled in volume since when we saw each other this morning.
— Hey, you. — I greeted with a smile, as we climbed the steps to reach the front door.
He followed behind me, locking the door as soon as we were inside and hung my bag on the hook where I always left it. I sat on the puff and took off my work shoes, too exhausted to even try to do it standing up. He waited for me to finish and reached out to me to help me get up. I stood, not moving an inch, as we were too close to each other.
During the second half of the day, I had tried not to be sad that the controversy I was going through was technically his fault. That if I hadn't been good to him, we wouldn't have started spending time together and becoming friends. And if Severus were anyone else in the world, no one would have given a damn about what we did together. After all, I am the Golden Girl, war heroine and smartest Witch of my generation and I had a certain "clearance" to do whatever I wanted, even if I had spent my adult life trying day after day to improve and not use the freedom of my fame. I have always been careful and attentive with my relationships to prevent them from tarnishing my name. Until Severus reappeared in my life and condemned all this.
I had put time and effort into building a harmonious working relationship with the Hogwarts team. I've never been as popular as Harry and Ron, but I finally got some connections, after the thud that was the loss of magic. And now, all this work was practically lost. No one except Dean and Cho cared about me.
Severus shook my hand that I had not even noticed that he had not yet let go. Palm with palm, thumb rubbed over my palm once. Just once.
— If you expect me to apologize, I will not. — He spoke.
I closed my eyes and stood there, letting him hold my hand and did not allow myself to overthink my doubts when I decided that I would accept everything he was willing to give me.
— What do you not want to apologize about? — I asked him with my eyes still closed.
His long fingers, shook my hand again.
— For forcing you to be my friend.
— You didn't force me into being your friend, Severus. — I answered, smiling lightly.
— Yeah, I forced it. — He argued.
— No, you didn't force it. I was good to you when you were still being an idiot dictator.
He paused. — Was that before or after you called me "fucking gross"?
I opened my eyes. — Before, I think.
The corners of his mouth bowed in a small smile, before getting serious again.
— I will not allow you to be removed from the team.
I nodded, looking directly at Voldemort's former spy, and let out a sigh. — Alright.
Words hovered in the air between us as I felt compressed by the external pressure of people's expectations. And I was torn between knowing that I wasn't going to tell him not to wait in plain sight on the steps of my house, while wondering if it was really worth it. But I knew the strength of my feelings for him. And that makes up for being snubbed by my teammates and being blacklisted by Robards.
I climbed on my toes and wrapped my arms around his neck, inhaling his scent as I calmed down. We stayed for a few minutes in this embrace, until Severus walked away to land a light kiss on my forehead and murmur a good night, before leaving.
And I fell in love even more when he acted like this, predicting that I needed space, without me having to talk about it.
Almost a week later, on Saturday, Dean called our night of pizza and wine and I should have noticed that something was going on when we arrived at his apartment and Ivan was nowhere in sight, but Cho yes, and Neville. But the biggest surprise was Ginny's presence. Which meant that Dean had apparated or traveled via portkey to Bamburgh, and brought her from there. He was the only one in this group, besides me, who could do one of the wo things. I was so disconcerted by Ginny Potter's presence that I couldn't think of a reason why Dean put so much effort into this task.
It took the first question out of Ginny's mouth for me to realize that my friends' mission had been to corner me. Literally. When I sat on the floor of Dean's porch and settled the cushions on my back, I only had time to grab my glass of wine before finding myself surrounded on both sides, docked like a lone deer cub surrounded by a pack of hungry lions. Ginny ripped the cup out of my hand as Cho followed the movement with a mischievous smile.
— Did you like James's party? — Ginny started.
Disoriented by the invasion of my friends, I blinked and rubbed imaginary dust from my sweater.
— I was with you most of the night, so you know the answer is yes. Even with the disastrous argument with Ron, it was a pleasant evening. — I answered, clearing my throat when I learned that I omitted what was most so pleasant that night.
Cho pretended to be immersed in thoughts, a well-groomed red nail hitting her chin.
— I learned from a reliable source, that you were apart once or twice during the evening. Right, Weasley?
— I've been married to Harry for four years; will you keep calling me Weasley until when? — Ginny rolled her eyes at Cho, who gave her an enthusiastic smile as she confirmed with her head. — But yes, Hermione disappeared for a moment.
— So... — Cho said as if he were really talking about the weather when she raised her eyes to the sky, which displayed a discreet sunset and nothing like the intensity of what Severus and I witnessed in Bamburgh. — Did you manage to admire the sunset before dark?
There was an alarming, expectant smile on Cho's face that inspired me nothing less than fear. First, because she was crazy as a serial killer. Second — and most importantly— because I was suddenly sure they all knew what happened. All this confirmed that this night of wine and pizza was an ambush that they planned together. And it led me to a deep regret that they had become friends and an instant desire to go back to the days when Dean and Cho were just the Potter couple's exes.
I calculated an escape plan that didn't have a high probability of success, but that was all I could think of with so little preparation.
— I think I have a headache. — I said, trying to get up.
— Bullshit, Granger. — Cho grabbed my wrist. — Ginny saw you.
Heat flooded my cheeks like a ruptured dam, as it always did when I felt really out of orbit. I took a deep breath, exhaling as slowly as I could. Hopefully, the vapors of alcohol would reach me before I had to tell the story. Maybe they were already working, because I felt weak.
— Well, I…
— You kissed your advisor. — Cho snapped her fingers impatiently. — Ginny saw it and now let's all talk about how it happened. No excuses. If necessary, I am prepared for violence.
I froze in fear, almost as if I had taken one Petrificus Totalus. It was as if my brain suddenly had a surge of energy that split and spread as panic began to grow in my chest.
— Ah, hum... Cho, your aggressiveness is at level ten. — Ginny knew me well enough to recognize the absolute chaos occurring in my head. — Let's cut it down to four.
— Um. — Cho really seemed to consider it for a moment. — No, I can't go that low. Maybe a six... my magic level?
— Five. — Ginny hit back.
— We can divide the…
— Are you two really negotiating this? — My voice sounded much more hysterical than I expected. It made me shudder.
Cho winked at me and then returned to Ginny. — We can close at half a point below my level. Five and a half.
— I've had better nightmares than that. — I muttered, stroking my temples.
There was a pause, then Ginny called Neville: The Voice of reason.
— Just a minute! — The soft voice of my assistant in the hospital floated from the kitchen. — Do you want baked cheese? I think only pizzas will be little. — There was a thoughtful pause. — Since that's going to take longer than I thought.
Probably I thought, until I started laughing, trying to drain the tension that ran through my veins. Ginny patted my arm in solidarity, which had the blessed effect of turning my panic into irritation. I didn't need comfort because I know the strong control I have over my actions and emotions. I'm doing okay — shrill voice and nervous anxiety aside.
Also, I am a conscious adult and I can kiss anyone I want. My inner awkwardness became external and complete just because I allowed myself to think about the kiss. Yes, I had thought about it before, in the wee hours of each night since then when I found myself staring at the ceiling watching an endless repetition of that moment at sunset.
But I had no one around me to watch my two different emotional responses from that scene: shame and bewilderment. That's what made me flinch when I thought about it in front of my friends. Because I've never felt so horny at the thought of a single kiss
— Let's start from the beginning. — Ginny took the lead, cutting off my thoughts. — Hermione, when you're ready.
— Which you mean right now. — Cho completed.
My two friends looked at each other like cats as I tried to put my thoughts together to form coherent words. It was hard. The whole experience was something I was still trying to explain to myself. Using my own mental voice and listening to it out loud to convince other people, it was very different. Much more concrete and real.
— He was already at the observation deck when I got there. — I kept a clinical explanation, devoid of the nervous energy I felt. — We watched the sunset and talked. It happened by accident…
— What? — Cho shouted loudly enough for me and Ginny to cover our ears for a second. — Did you just say that you kissed Snape by accident?
— Yes, I did. — I answered, putting a bunch of hair behind my ear. — I went to say goodbye to him as I do to any of my friends, giving him a kiss on the cheek and he accidentally turned his head.
Cho winked several times before bursting into laughter; Ginny joined in as well. Dean and Neville let out a more restrained smile, sympathetic to me.
— That was…
— Nothing. — I finally explained my irritation. — It was nothing.
Cho's smile slowly faded and her expression returned to normal.
— It didn't look like nothing, Hermione. — The disbelief in Ginny's voice was palpable. — Neither of you even noticed me. — I cleared my throat twice before giving up and leaving. It was like the two of you were lost in…
— I don't need the mental image. — I cut her. — I was there, thank you, and we both agreed not to discuss it.
— Snape said that? — It was Dean who asked, arching an eyebrow. — With those words?
— It doesn't matter if he did it or not. — I didn't let Dean say one more word. — In the end, he is my advisor, you two... — I bent my chin towards Cho and Dean. — They know I can't get involved with him. It's an ethical nightmare and this kiss shouldn't have happened.
— Okay, I can understand that. — Ginny supported her elbow on her thigh. — Your boss would not react well, given how he is pressing you.
Euphemism.
— But if it had been anyone else? — Cho managed to reduce her aggressiveness a little. — Would you have let your guard down? — I gave her a sharp look. — Yes, Granger, I have audacity. It is not an exclusive feature of former Gryffindors.
— Are you really bringing rivalries from our old houses to the fore now? — I asked, unable to believe that Cho brought this as an argument just to prove a point.
— Yes. — The only Ravenclaw among us confirmed it.
— Alright. — I knew that the key to winning any battle was to have a strong defense. — To answer your question, I do not operate on the basis of House feuds.
— Great time to try to act like this. — Ginny gave me a fun look. — If it were someone else, what would you have done? How would you have reacted?
I pulled the braid hanging over my shoulder. My arrogant side that never cared about being introspective yelling at me to tell everyone that I wouldn't give anything to anyone who wanted to get into my life, as I did to the press and team members who ridiculed me. But here, I knew I was among true friends, and I know about their need to make me "open up more", though I didn't think that was necessarily a good thing. And there was also the acknowledged fact that if he were anyone else, I wouldn't be thinking about the risks of our involvement. But that was a luxury I could not have in relation to Severus. The variables were all against us. My two friends were still looking at me, so I realized I needed to give a proper answer.
— I would be logical and sensible, as always. I don't go around assuming relationships that easily. Viktor and I have been having sex for years and I don't see any of you asking me to make a decision. — I answered.
— Mione, you don't like Viktor. Why would we ask you to assume something that is clearly only physical? — It was Neville who asked, in his timid way.
— And as for using logic and wisdom, this never extended to Snape. You cursed him behind his back. This is clearly missing any of these features. — Cho insisted.
I gave her a long look, which Cho only smiled at in response. Feeling frustrated and exposed, I rubbed my hands on my face a few times before speaking.
— Okay, I wasn't thinking about anything when I kissed him, but you know I'm not the type who would just throw me into something for the sake of a good kiss.
— A good kiss, huh? — Cho's mouth twisted into a mischievous grin before she took a long sip of her drink. — Tell me more.
— I rubbed the side of my neck, still nervous. — It was…
How to mix fire and gasoline so that they served as a catalyst for the explosion between us, which resulted in all that heat. I thought, remembering every feeling. I couldn't forget it, even if I tried.
— I'm sure you don't want to hear about me kissing our advisor. — I tried one last time.
— Oh, I absolutely do. — Cho's eyes shone with malice. — I mean, I saw Weasley's memory of that, but…
I backed down. — You what?
— Yeah, yeah. — Cho waved at me. — Dean has a Pensieve. We all took a look, except Neville. — Everyone exchanged glances. Ginny nodded as if having shown a private memory was not unethical at all. Cho's smile changed from cunning to affectionate, so it became very wide. — Now continue.
— I don't see why this is necessary, since you both watched it as if it were a damn muggle movie. — I was angry.
— Only a fraction, Granger, since Ginny was only there for a minute. — Cho shrugged. — And you certainly looked... willing.
Ginny made a simulated explosion noise and gestured with her hands. None of them had any idea how accurate that moment was.
— Our spirits were exalted by the previous discussion, in a way. — I explained. — It happens. It could have been so with anyone.
— But it was with him. — Cho reaffirmed.
— Yes, it was, which makes my argument valid. — I frowned to Cho. — I will not even bother to bring up the point that Severus saw me as a child; that would not be fair since nowadays we are both adults and I can recognize that we have been through too many things so that he does not see me that way anymore. The fact is that the complications of getting involved now are absurd. I can't even think of calculating the professional risk of this, it's ridiculous.
— No one said anything about the two of you publicly assuming anything. — Cho pointed rolling her eyes. — We are only asking about the kiss that you enjoyed clearly and enthusiastically.
I shuddered internally at the truth in Cho's words.
— But we are not surprised that your academic brain thinks too far ahead. What we found interesting is that you thought so much about something that you rated so quickly as nothing. — Dean reiterated, giving me a wink.
— It's not a classification. I…
— I spent seven years making moves to convince myself I wasn't gay, Hermione. I know what it's like to kiss someone and not feel anything. And you…
— It was a moment! — I cut him.
— Can you really classify that as "a moment"? — A perplexed Ginny was still making gestures that alluded to what she had witnessed. — There were a lot of hands and he pushed you against the wooden pillar and…
— One moment! — I repeated with a fierce frown. — That's exactly how I'm going to describe it because that's what it was. A single moment. A lapse of common sense that I totally blame the thrill of seeing him defend myself so fiercely from your asshole brother.
— If the argument was really as bad as you suggested, I believe it when you say that it was he who let his guard down. — Neville said in his reassuring voice, before sitting next to Ginny with a thoughtful expression. — But I don't think a single discussion with Ron can create a connection that didn't exist with Snape before.
Cho leaned toward Neville, landing a smacked kiss on his cheek.
— And that's why I like you. — My assistant flashed a radiant smile and shook the wine in his glass before tasting it. — What he said. — Cho pointed to Neville and I knew that this discussion was far from over. — Discuss that, Granger.
I was prepared and ready to do just that when Ginny metaphorically hit me on the head with more facts.
— Besides, you referred to his gifts to James as "from the two of us". — Ginny's piercing gaze did little to ease my discomfort. — And you two were very easily convinced to share a room. I expected protests.
— That's because we're friends, Ginny. — I contested.
Ginny considered my point. — You know that everyone here believes in you. Newspapers suggest otherwise.
— Just because they're some hyped pigs. We never gave any reason to insinuate such things. — I hit back.
— My statement continues to stand, based on the interactions of the two of you in my house. — Ginny gave it back.
I crossed my arms over my chest. As much as I wanted to argue and deny it, Ginny wasn't blind and wasn't wrong. But blessedly, she and Dean have kept quiet about my terrible teenage crush by Severus, since the time he was our teacher. Neville and Cho were probably not aware of this part of my past.
But nowadays, my passion for him was much more palpable and real, only that is something that now I have to fight to hide, since there is all an animosity from the press and my boss, about us.
And then there's the fact that I can talk about Severus which is his side of being selective about who he spends his time with and keeping his distance from anyone outside his social circle as if they had some contagious disease. The romantic part of my brain tells me that I should be happy to be one of the people he chose to spend time with and offer his friendship. Added to this, there is still the fact that I was completely surrendered by his kiss, and he also confessed that he would not apologize about it, proof that he liked what we did, should make me make sure that he was very interested.
But the rational side of my brain told me that the logic of Severus spending so much time with me is that this is something situationally necessary at best. He is my advisor and the wizard with the greatest known power, it is obvious that naturally he would be assigned to me by Minerva. He confessed that he went with me to Bamburgh because she sent him to train me. So, it makes perfect sense for him to be close to me, since at some point, we'll go away, the two of us, for training. I'm nothing to him, Severus confessed with his mouth that he was paid by the Ministry to train us, so that's it.
Except for that moment at sunset where his walls fell and his emotions ran wild... a neuron went off, pushing that moment of our kiss from one cell to another; which made me think that maybe I was much more than an advisee to him. No. I won't fool myself with him again.
I already have to deal with enough emotional issues over the years, especially as far as Ron was concerned. Problems that I am still dealing with, which concern my mission with the magical community. I have no capacity to take on anything else.
— You seem thoughtful, Hermione. — Ginny rested a patient hand on my shoulder. — We'll talk about it again when you…
Cho shouted like a bird in vehement disagreement.
— But I was about to say…
— She's not ready. — Ginny glanced at Cho and now passed his whole arm over my shoulder. Her next words were low, spoken only to my ears. — But when you are ready to talk, we will all be ears. — I didn't know how to feel when Ginny's smile took on an ominous glow. — Anyway, I think it is time to change the subject. — Ginny announced. — There was something else I learned from a letter. You and my brother. — She pointed to Cho, who gasped dramatically.
— That traitor!
I slowly cheered up now that it was no longer me who was being judged. — I'm definitely interested in hearing this story.
Cho snorted. — Just to divert attention from yourself!
— I'm sure it's a compelling story. You still owe me after stealing all the cereal bars from my bag.
— Well, I'm not as reticent as you are in exposing my adventures. — Cho's eyes shone with malice. — I'm not sure how he got it. But since you're dying to know, we made out and we are... going slow, discovering ourselves, I suppose.
— Slow down? — I asked, making the connection with something that Cho received this week at the castle. — He sent you those roses!
With a shrug, Cho checked her nails. — He's as romantic as he is annoying. It must be a Weasleys thing. — She answered, looking at Ginny, who smiled brightly.
— Wait, Neville and I are a little lost. Ginny has many brothers. Which one are we talking about? — Dean questioned.
—The only successful, obvious! — Cho replied.
— George? — Neville wanted confirmation.
— Yes. — She confirmed, turning her attention to the kitchen. — And I think I don't care about one ear missing…
— You like him! — I accused her.
— Well, all right. I like that he gives me freedom and lets me set the pace. None of us are in a hurry. We're busy people. — A slight blush covered Cho's cheeks. — Besides, he's still so fit. And I'm pretty sure he's adopted. Except for his red hair, no way can George be related to any of his brothers. I mean, have you ever seen his ass?
Ginny covered her ears, visibly distressed. — Okay! That's my brother, gross!
— You asked. — Cho's smile was unapologetic and retaliatory.
— I will never make that mistake again. — Ginny grumbled in response.
— I see you won't. — Cho finished by giving me a naughty wink.
We all fell into laughter and the topics were general and light after that. An evening of pizza, wine and much-needed baked cheese among friends. I almost felt myself again in the Gryffindor common room on a Saturday night in front of the fire. And I almost missed that time. Almost.
The evening with my friends was refreshing, after they stopped insisting that I should explain myself about the kiss with Severus. But I should know better about light and happy moments, because in my life they always preceded storms. And that's what I faced as soon as I stepped into the castle and received the information that Robards was waiting for me in the Headmistress office.
When I arrived, Severus was already there, surrounded by several people I didn't recognize, all wearing purple tunics with a raven embroidered in black thread. Rebel clothes. How did they get in here? My heart sped up and I stuck my hand in my pocket, drawing out my wand.
— You will not use magic against us. — Ordered a cold voice, coming from the headmistress's desk, partially hidden under the crowd of people in the small circular space. — I have the headmistress of Hogwarts under the tip of a sword, you use the wand, and the magic detector spell that was placed in this space, will warn my other soldiers to kill her.
I did not know yet whose voice was threatening me, until some of the rebels took a step back and revealed the figure of Lucius Malfoy, sitting behind the headmistress's desk. But it wasn't his image that made my heart jump out of my mouth. To his left, Draco was harassed in a corner, not only him, but a woman I didn't know.
— Interesting information what the newspapers point out about you two. — Malfoy spoke, looking from me to Severus. — The most talented pupil of Hogwarts is discovered coming out of Scotland and photographed, and for the press conferences of the Ministry she does not even bother to participate. And somehow, despite years of hostilities, she becomes close friends with my former favorite Death Eater. Meanwhile, my son — I didn't envy the smile Lucius gave Draco — is apparently involved with Muggles. Again.
Draco grunted and retorted: — Consider your words carefully, Lucius.
— Ah? — Lucius raised an eyebrow. — I heard from a reliable source that you are planning to marry this muggle. Why would you even do such a thing? Have you learned nothing from what happened to the last one?
I saw Draco's Adam's apple wobble, but his head held high. — You have no right to have an opinion with whom I engage. I am no longer your son, you have banished me from your lineage. What I do or fail to do with my life is no longer your business.
I couldn't help but admire Draco for that, for standing up to the man who made his life hell and killed his wife. He was brave. But maybe that wasn't enough for what I thought would happen here.
— I see you haven't learned anything. — Lucius answered. — You will understand, Draco, that it doesn't matter if I crossed you off the line, you have my blood running through your veins. — His father gestured with his hand, and, before I could give a warning, his servants separated Draco from the girl. Four of them held Draco, and two forced the woman to kneel with a kick behind her knees. She screamed as she hit the stone floor, but was silent — everyone in the room, including me, was silent — when a third pulled out a sword and put it lightly on the back of the head.
— Don't you dare. — Draco grunted.
I looked at Severus, but he was frozen in place. Perhaps as surprised as I am to see rebels inside Hogwarts. The robes were those of the men who had killed Sarah's family. They had the same revolting eyes, and a cruelty that I had only seen before in the eyes of Death Eaters. When my gaze met Severus's, I felt the twinge of legilimence poke into my mind.
Get close to Draco and when I say now, throw yourself at him, I will throw the most powerful Protego at you both. Under no circumstances use your magic, think of Minerva.
His voice echoed inside my ears, as if he had spoken out loud. I didn't even know that it was possible that he had such power. I nodded discreetly and took a step closer to where Draco was.
— If I were you, I would choose the following words carefully, son. — Lucius said to Draco with disdain in his voice.
Severus could not start a reaction now, not with that sword resting on the back of the girl's head. And although his order for me was about Draco, what I really wanted was to get the woman out of here alive. I'm sure Lucius won't kill Draco, something inside me says he doesn't have that courage, and I suspect this is related to Narcissa.
—Let her go and I'll do anything. — Draco said between cracked teeth. — She has nothing to do with this.
— But you still have? Do you still know what happens in the magical world? — Lucius gave the same cold smile as before. There was a carved, round piece of black stone on the table in front of him. From afar, I couldn't see what it was, but my stomach rolled anyway. — Say, Son: What do Severus and the usurper of magic plot when they meet?
— I don't know. — Draco growled.
Lucius cracked his tongue, and the lackey raised his sword to strike. I managed to approach another step towards the back of the office when the girl took a deep breath.
— Stop! — Draco reached out.
— Then, answer the question! — Lucius roared. — What does Severus have in common with this muggle-born scum?
— I'm answering! You bastard, I'm responding! I don't know why they were meeting!
The man's sword was still raised, ready to descend before I could move another inch.
— You know, Draco, there's been a spy in my resistance for several months. Someone giving information to the Department of Mysteries and plotting against me with someone here in this castle. Did you know that?
Shit. He may well be talking about Ron. My blood roared in my ears.
— Just tell me who, Draco, and you can do whatever you want with your friend. Lucius continued. — I know you maintain a network of informants in the Ministry and here. If there is something going on, you are aware.
I took a deep breath, preparing to say what Lucius Malfoy wanted to hear. Words that would probably condemn Ron, but that I would find a way to warn him first so that he could protect himself. But it was Severus who spoke before I could.
— Do you want information, Lucius? — Asked the man with whom I was involved, with the soft and lethal voice that was one of his most striking features. — You want to know who's spying on you? I myself, I'm an exceptional Potion Master, in case you forgot. Polyjuice is one of my specialties. I am the one who has discovered and ruined your precious plans. So, ask me directly, not Draco. Do you want to know why Granger and I met? She kisses well, and does other things too, the newspapers are right. And want to know one more thing? — Severus smiled at everyone, evil embodied in his eyes. — All of you fucking supremacists will burn in hell. Because my woman likes to fulfill my desires and she is the most powerful witch today and when we get Minerva back, I will ask her to impale all of you on the outer walls of this fucking castle. And I can't wait to gut you like the pigs you are. — Severus spat at Lucius's feet. And the hatred, arrogance and triumph in his eyes was impeccable, even if some of the things he said were a lie.
However, Lucius Malfoy did not hesitate.
— I think I will reinforce my security around that old woman. — The older blond answered, his eyes sliding briefly to the wand in my hand. — Maybe she herself can't stand a month or two in the dungeon in which I placed her. I recommend that you be fast. The full moon will be soon. — His arrogant smile was back.
Werewolfs. I shuddered in fear for Minerva, feeling my blood begin to boil. Severus grunted.
— If you can get to her only after that — threatened Lucius, looking from Severus to me — you will have to scrape what is left of her from the walls. — Then he turned his eyes away from us, turning to Draco and the girl, who barely seemed to breathe. She kept kneeling on the floor and did not raise her head when Lucius crouched in front of her, leaning his forearms on his knees and said: — And what do you have to say for yourself, muggle?
She shuddered, shaking her head.
— Enough! — shot Draco, sweat shining on his forehead. — Severus confessed, now let her go.
— And why should I let go of the real reason why I tracked you down, son?
I couldn't stop shaking when I heard that. Everything Draco told me about Diana was invading my head. Everything.
— Leave her alone. — Draco Grunted.
It was enough to make the young woman start crying. With her face bathed in tears, she raised her head and even with her mouth trembling, stared at Lucius's eyes.
— You deserve everything he said that will come upon you. — She said. I knew she meant what Severus had promised. Then the girl looked at Draco, whose eyes were also shallow in tears and his face white as bone. — You told me not to love you. But I loved. And there is so much I wanted... that we could have done together, seen together.
I could hear the pain in her voice. Draco looked away from her, staring at her father.
— Tell your price. — He told his father. — Ask for what you want from me, but let her go. Anything, say, and it will be done.
Both I and the girl began to shake our heads, trying to indicate that Draco did not make such an offer to his father, but he did not look at us.
Lucius stared at his son for a long time. Then he looked at me and Severus, both silent and nervous. Then he looked back at his son, and finally answered.
— No.
I don't remember if I heard the word "now" of Severus's inside my head, but I knew that one "No" from Lucius changed everything. As soon as the voice of patriarch Malfoy intoned the negative, the powerful blow of the lackey's sword cut through the air and cut off the woman's head.
The scream that erupted from Draco was the worst sound I ever heard. Worse still than the wet and heavy stamping of her head hitting stone floor. Severus roared and ice spears came out of his hands and buried themselves in the throats of half of Lucius's servants, before they realized who had attacked them. In the instant of confusion, I took three more long steps towards Draco's reach and launched myself upon him, feeling at the same instant the Protego Severus cast upon us. I was too overwhelmed to do anything but watch the rest of the girl's body fall to the ground. While holding Draco, still screaming, from crawling through the blood coming towards us.
— I will kill anyone you dare get involved with. — Lucius roared the promise, before picking up the dark stone on the table, and disappearing from the office. The stone was a Portkey.
Final Notes
Try not to kill me by the parallel of the end of last chapter and the beginning of this one. Remember: slow burning.
The scene of the conversation between friends was written in honor of my beta munjaaay. She really wanted a "girl's night". It turned out to be a friend's night, but I think she will enjoy it anyway.
This chapter, once again, was betted by the incredible mrenata19. Thank you so much for saving us, Marcela. We love you.
Translation by Jessinthedungeons.
