A/N: Sorry I haven't written in so long! I was on restriction, and couldn't
write or post. I wrote down like three more chapters by hand, and then I
lost it!!! ( I'm retyping them, though. Don't give up on me!
CHAPTER 4
Severus was surprised when Hermione asked to help with grading papers, but was glad for the help. Papers were dull and repetitive, mostly owing to the fact that many of them had been copied off one another's. He watched her for a few minutes as she worked, head bent low over the papers, face serious and still. She looked so beautiful like that-all of her attention focused completely on something, her eyes deep and wise...
Suddenly, he was wracked with excruciating pain. He tried to keep silent but gasped as another, particularly strong wave hit him. He doubled up in pain, clutching his left arm from which the pain emanated in a futile effort to ease it. His muscles went rigid and his whole body tensed. He felt blood trickle down his chin as he bit the inside of his lip.
He knew that it was Voldemort, trying again to kill him. He'd had attacks like this ever since Voldemort had found him out. He could survive, if he didn't go mad with the pain...
He felt someone's hand on his shoulder, a gentle hand. Who could it be, he wondered, through his pain. No one ever cared for him...wait...a woman, a girl, with brown hair and sad eyes...Hermione! Hermione! He had to live for Hermione...she needed him. He needed her.
He vaguely heard a shaky voice whispering words that he could not comprehend, a spell, maybe? Yes, it had to be a spell, for in an instant, the pain lessened. It did not disappear, but just was toned down enough so that he could see again. Another whispered word, and coolness enveloped him, like he had been plunged into a pool of ice. It was relief at last.
Severus sat up, wiping of his face with shaking hands. He looked around to see Hermione's tear-streaked face looking worriedly at him.
"Sev', are you all right? For a moment, I thought...I thought...Oh, Severus!"
She fell into his arms and embraced him, but gently, as Severus was very thankful for. He wasn't sure his body could handle any great pressure right now.
She pulled away, sniffing. "What was that?" Hermione asked.
"Voldemort," Severus answered grimly.
Hermione gasped. "Does this happen often?"
"About once a month or so," he answered with a shuddering sigh. "He's trying to get revenge for me being a spy."
"Isn't there any way to stop it?"
"No." Severus shook his head sadly. "The connection established by the Dark Mark cannot be broken, except in death."
"And I hope that you do not plan on dying," Hermione said, another tear slipping down her cheek. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
Severus said nothing, just held her closer, still trembling slightly from the aftershocks of his attack.
~~~~~~~~
A few days later, Severus had recovered completely from his attack, apart from moving a bit stiffly. Hermione worried about him, but he seemed completely well. He was even back to his old 'nasty' self in Potions.
On Tuesday, Potions was their last class, and Hermione stayed behind on the pretense of wanting to ask Severus about her grade. After the last student had left, Severus waved his wand at the door, magically shutting it. He smiled as Hermione ran into his arms, kissing him happily.
"Hard day?" he asked, laughing. Hermione nodded, hugging him around the waist. "It's just so lonely, now that Ron has stopped hanging around with me. We used to be such good friends-but now that Harry's gone-we have no real connection anymore. And after-my parents-"
A single tear slid down Hermione's cheek, and Severus brushed it away with gentle hands.
"Hermione, what happened to them wasn't anyone's fault, not yours, not Po- Harry's, no one's. The only person on whom the blame lies is Voldemort."
"I know. But I can't help but feel that if I wasn't a witch."
Severus gripped Hermione's shoulders and shook her slightly. "No. Don't ever think that. All Muggles are targets, not just parents of witches. It's not your fault."
Hermione nodded, but was not convinced. She was glad for the distraction when a small black owl tapped on the tiny window up near the ceiling. Severus let go of Hermione and opened it with a wave of his wand, and the owl flew in. It dropped a package into Hermione's lap, and perched patiently on the back of Severus's chair.
Hermione opened it and a cry of joy escaped her lips. "It's from Harry!" She began to read out loud, with Severus looking over her shoulder.
"Dearest Hermione,
I'm sorry you haven't heard from me before this. I've been trying to send letters, but Snuffles said that it was not safe until the fuss died down.
"I'm in a safe place, with Snuffles. He's been keeping me company. I'm learning to be an Animagus! I should be able to transform on the next full moon. Snuffles is great company, but it's just not the same as you."
Severus stifled a growl. He thought he could see where this was going.
"Hermione, I just want to tell you that I miss you with all my heart, and I regret every moment that I ignored you or did not treat you like I should have. And, above all, I regret that I never got a chance to tell you how much I love you."
Hermione gasped, and looked up at Severus. "No! This can't be happening! This-this-I can't handle this right now!"
"Read on," Severus said, wanting to know what on earth this child was thinking.
"I-I want you to know that I loved you from the moment I first saw you, back on the train. I wish that every moment could be spent with you. I hope to see you sometime soon. With all my love, Harry."
"No." Hermione repeated. "No. He can't love me. And I can't tell him about us-he wouldn't understand."
"Damn right, he wouldn't," a voice growled from behind them. Hermione and Severus whipped around, and Hermione gasped. There, looking malevolent stood Harry.
"Potter," Severus hissed. "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to see Hermione, you bastard," Harry spat. "But I never expected her to be down here with you. You evil, slimy git. She's half your age. How dare you even come near her, you-you-gigolo!"
"Harry, no!" Hermione cried, moving to stand between the two fuming men. "Harry, he hasn't enchanted me or anything. I didn't drink any strange potions, and he didn't put any sort of spell on me! I love him, Harry," she added softly. "He's the only thing that makes me happy these days. Please, just leave us in peace."
"How can I?" Harry spat, eves blazing. "Hermione, in case you didn't remember, he's the evil, horrible person who tormented up since first year, and made you cry once. And, he's old enough to be your father! Hermione, how could you? I thought you were my friend. But I come back to find that you're-that you're-the whore of Gryffindor! What, are the students not good enough for you? Do you have to sleep with teachers n-"
Harry was cut off by Severus's hand at his throat. The dark man's eyes were blazing with a fury that matched even Dumbledore's scariest moments. He drew out his wand with his free hand and aimed it directly in between Harry's eyes.
"Get out," he hissed in a deadly voice. "Get out of my dungeon. Leave. I never, ever want to see you back here again, even if you do someday come back for schooling here. Never! How dare you insult Hermione. Do you have any idea of what she's been going through for the past few months? You had no right! Get out! Leave now, before I do Voldemort a favor and kill you myself!"
Harry's form blurred into the black owl, and he flew out of the window with a screech. Severus slammed the window behind him with his wand, clipping off a tail feather or two. Severus turned back to Hermione, only to find her gone.
A/N: Poor Hermione!!! I was just so sick of Ron always being the one to flip out in SS/HG fics, and I wanted some way to get Harry kind of out of the way for the moment. More coming soon!!!
CHAPTER 4
Severus was surprised when Hermione asked to help with grading papers, but was glad for the help. Papers were dull and repetitive, mostly owing to the fact that many of them had been copied off one another's. He watched her for a few minutes as she worked, head bent low over the papers, face serious and still. She looked so beautiful like that-all of her attention focused completely on something, her eyes deep and wise...
Suddenly, he was wracked with excruciating pain. He tried to keep silent but gasped as another, particularly strong wave hit him. He doubled up in pain, clutching his left arm from which the pain emanated in a futile effort to ease it. His muscles went rigid and his whole body tensed. He felt blood trickle down his chin as he bit the inside of his lip.
He knew that it was Voldemort, trying again to kill him. He'd had attacks like this ever since Voldemort had found him out. He could survive, if he didn't go mad with the pain...
He felt someone's hand on his shoulder, a gentle hand. Who could it be, he wondered, through his pain. No one ever cared for him...wait...a woman, a girl, with brown hair and sad eyes...Hermione! Hermione! He had to live for Hermione...she needed him. He needed her.
He vaguely heard a shaky voice whispering words that he could not comprehend, a spell, maybe? Yes, it had to be a spell, for in an instant, the pain lessened. It did not disappear, but just was toned down enough so that he could see again. Another whispered word, and coolness enveloped him, like he had been plunged into a pool of ice. It was relief at last.
Severus sat up, wiping of his face with shaking hands. He looked around to see Hermione's tear-streaked face looking worriedly at him.
"Sev', are you all right? For a moment, I thought...I thought...Oh, Severus!"
She fell into his arms and embraced him, but gently, as Severus was very thankful for. He wasn't sure his body could handle any great pressure right now.
She pulled away, sniffing. "What was that?" Hermione asked.
"Voldemort," Severus answered grimly.
Hermione gasped. "Does this happen often?"
"About once a month or so," he answered with a shuddering sigh. "He's trying to get revenge for me being a spy."
"Isn't there any way to stop it?"
"No." Severus shook his head sadly. "The connection established by the Dark Mark cannot be broken, except in death."
"And I hope that you do not plan on dying," Hermione said, another tear slipping down her cheek. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
Severus said nothing, just held her closer, still trembling slightly from the aftershocks of his attack.
~~~~~~~~
A few days later, Severus had recovered completely from his attack, apart from moving a bit stiffly. Hermione worried about him, but he seemed completely well. He was even back to his old 'nasty' self in Potions.
On Tuesday, Potions was their last class, and Hermione stayed behind on the pretense of wanting to ask Severus about her grade. After the last student had left, Severus waved his wand at the door, magically shutting it. He smiled as Hermione ran into his arms, kissing him happily.
"Hard day?" he asked, laughing. Hermione nodded, hugging him around the waist. "It's just so lonely, now that Ron has stopped hanging around with me. We used to be such good friends-but now that Harry's gone-we have no real connection anymore. And after-my parents-"
A single tear slid down Hermione's cheek, and Severus brushed it away with gentle hands.
"Hermione, what happened to them wasn't anyone's fault, not yours, not Po- Harry's, no one's. The only person on whom the blame lies is Voldemort."
"I know. But I can't help but feel that if I wasn't a witch."
Severus gripped Hermione's shoulders and shook her slightly. "No. Don't ever think that. All Muggles are targets, not just parents of witches. It's not your fault."
Hermione nodded, but was not convinced. She was glad for the distraction when a small black owl tapped on the tiny window up near the ceiling. Severus let go of Hermione and opened it with a wave of his wand, and the owl flew in. It dropped a package into Hermione's lap, and perched patiently on the back of Severus's chair.
Hermione opened it and a cry of joy escaped her lips. "It's from Harry!" She began to read out loud, with Severus looking over her shoulder.
"Dearest Hermione,
I'm sorry you haven't heard from me before this. I've been trying to send letters, but Snuffles said that it was not safe until the fuss died down.
"I'm in a safe place, with Snuffles. He's been keeping me company. I'm learning to be an Animagus! I should be able to transform on the next full moon. Snuffles is great company, but it's just not the same as you."
Severus stifled a growl. He thought he could see where this was going.
"Hermione, I just want to tell you that I miss you with all my heart, and I regret every moment that I ignored you or did not treat you like I should have. And, above all, I regret that I never got a chance to tell you how much I love you."
Hermione gasped, and looked up at Severus. "No! This can't be happening! This-this-I can't handle this right now!"
"Read on," Severus said, wanting to know what on earth this child was thinking.
"I-I want you to know that I loved you from the moment I first saw you, back on the train. I wish that every moment could be spent with you. I hope to see you sometime soon. With all my love, Harry."
"No." Hermione repeated. "No. He can't love me. And I can't tell him about us-he wouldn't understand."
"Damn right, he wouldn't," a voice growled from behind them. Hermione and Severus whipped around, and Hermione gasped. There, looking malevolent stood Harry.
"Potter," Severus hissed. "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to see Hermione, you bastard," Harry spat. "But I never expected her to be down here with you. You evil, slimy git. She's half your age. How dare you even come near her, you-you-gigolo!"
"Harry, no!" Hermione cried, moving to stand between the two fuming men. "Harry, he hasn't enchanted me or anything. I didn't drink any strange potions, and he didn't put any sort of spell on me! I love him, Harry," she added softly. "He's the only thing that makes me happy these days. Please, just leave us in peace."
"How can I?" Harry spat, eves blazing. "Hermione, in case you didn't remember, he's the evil, horrible person who tormented up since first year, and made you cry once. And, he's old enough to be your father! Hermione, how could you? I thought you were my friend. But I come back to find that you're-that you're-the whore of Gryffindor! What, are the students not good enough for you? Do you have to sleep with teachers n-"
Harry was cut off by Severus's hand at his throat. The dark man's eyes were blazing with a fury that matched even Dumbledore's scariest moments. He drew out his wand with his free hand and aimed it directly in between Harry's eyes.
"Get out," he hissed in a deadly voice. "Get out of my dungeon. Leave. I never, ever want to see you back here again, even if you do someday come back for schooling here. Never! How dare you insult Hermione. Do you have any idea of what she's been going through for the past few months? You had no right! Get out! Leave now, before I do Voldemort a favor and kill you myself!"
Harry's form blurred into the black owl, and he flew out of the window with a screech. Severus slammed the window behind him with his wand, clipping off a tail feather or two. Severus turned back to Hermione, only to find her gone.
A/N: Poor Hermione!!! I was just so sick of Ron always being the one to flip out in SS/HG fics, and I wanted some way to get Harry kind of out of the way for the moment. More coming soon!!!