Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to the goddess, JKR or it could belong to Charlotte Bronte or possibly Jane Austen. Only the convoluted plot belongs to me. I can't remember where I have heard this title but I am reasonably certain it does not belong to me and I am too tired to look it up.
Chapter 9: And the Lady Vanished
It was very early in the morning and Severus became painfully aware that he had been sleeping in entirely the wrong position. His neck was sore…his back was sore and his temperament could hardly have been termed as either cheerful or chipper.
"Why do the birds have to sing so loudly this morning?" He grimaced as he slowly stretched in his bed and got up groggily, noting that he had slept in his clothes…a very uncomfortable feeling.
He had the unnerving sensation of recovering from a Dark Curse but that made no sense at all in the present context.
"Nothing makes much sense this early in the morning," he muttered and decided that a short ride on horseback would clear the cobwebs from his mind…after a change of clothes and a quick wash. Yes, the fresh air would do him a world of good.
Throwing on a warm cloak, he stopped by Hermione's door momentarily. It was quiet. She was obviously still sleeping.
"I'll be back very soon…then we will have breakfast together and you can scold me soundly for taking you out in such frightful weather," he whispered, touching the door softly with his fingers. He smiled, knowing that any such outburst would be short-lived. Hermione did not hold grudges over such trivial matters.
Hurrying outside, he was pleased to see that the weather was more seasonable. Cold, yes…but no freak rainstorms when snow was more in order.
His horse was ready in minutes and soon Severus experienced the kind of freedom that one only feels when riding a horse at breakneck speed. It was sheer bliss to be able to leave behind all the worries and fears he had felt over the past couple of days and simply concentrate on the wind in his face and the changing landscape.
"I would have liked this much better if Hermione had accompanied me," he thought to himself suddenly, remembering how her hair streamed out behind her as she rode. He realized that it was something they could do when they returned home.
Reining his horse to a stop, Severus dismounted and walked with the stallion to a nearby stream.
"Drink up…it will be frozen over soon enough," he murmured softly, rubbing the horse's nose affectionately…he had grown rather fond of the stallion.
Looping the reins around the branch of a tree, Severus walked about for a bit. The scenery was not beautiful but it was much nicer than some of the places he had been to…including Malfoy Mansion with its carefully manicured lawns and impeccably arranged gardens.
"But it is not Hogwarts…the shimmering lake…the dark shadows of the Forbidden Forest…the quiet solitude of the Astronomy Tower…the almost palpable silence of the Library…the sanctuary of the dungeons. I miss it," he thought to himself as he sat down on a large rock. He wondered if Hermione missed it as much as he did. She probably did…it was her home, after all.
Just as it was his…the only place that had ever felt like home.
He found himself thinking of Harry and Black and Lupin. He missed them too.
"Yes, even you, Black. You certainly give life a distinct flavour," he smirked.
He thought of Ron and the smirk disappeared. He had respected the young man and his death had been hard on everyone…especially Harry. Severus vividly remembered having to go with Dumbledore to the Burrow in order to break the terrible news to Arthur and Molly. Ginny had fainted but surprisingly, it had been Percy who had taken the news the hardest. Severus firmly believed that the former Head Boy had always felt that the younger children, especially Ron and Ginny, were his responsibility.
"And Percy always took his responsibilities so seriously," Severus muttered, trying to clear his mind of the pain in Percy's eyes…
Arthur and Molly, pale, shaking with unshed tears yet still proud, had thanked him when he gave them Ron's wand.
Yes, that had been difficult, but Dumbledore had been with him.
Severus had been alone when he was forced to break the news to Hermione…and in many ways that was more difficult still…
**************Flashback**************
Three days had passed since Hermione had woken up. Although recovering well physically, Severus was deeply concerned over her state of mind. It was as if she were in denial over everything that had happened to her. Either that, or her anger was so great that it would allow no release of her emotions. Sometimes she would cringe when he would sit next to her…sometimes he found her holding his hand as he read…
She had asked him to read to her as a way of passing the time. She had told him how her mother used to read her stories of witches and wizards in faraway lands and how she used to laugh at them in delight, never once thinking that such things could be real.
But her mother was no longer alive to read her these stories and so the task, it appeared, had fallen to him. Not that he minded.
"It helps me, you know," she said quietly as she lay in her little bed, the sheets pulled right up to her neck in an unconscious shielding gesture.
"Helps you with what, Hermione?" He asked, pulling out a copy of The Daily Prophet…the usual reading material for the morning.
"It is very calming…your voice, I mean," she closed her eyes. "I could listen to your voice…listen to you reading for a very long time."
"Even if I were simply reciting from 'Moste Potente Potions?'" He asked, with an amused raise of his eyebrows.
"Even that," she replied. "What does the Daily Prophet talk about today?"
"The usual sorts of things…gossip…more gossip…happenings at the Ministry…Fudge's latest blunders. Oh, and the Chudley Cannons won their Quidditch match." Severus scanned the article to see the score.
"Ron must be happy about that," she commented, opening her eyes.
Severus looked at her, startled.
"Where has he been, Severus? I haven't seen him since…since…well, for quite some time. I asked Harry but he told me not to worry and to get some more rest. I'd love to have a game of Wizard Chess with him," she straightened her sheets.
Something in the silence made Hermione look up at him.
"Severus? What's wrong?"
"I had hoped that it would not be left to me…I am not well suited for this," he began to stammer.
"What do you mean?" Hermione started to look worried. "Is Ron hurt?"
Severus looked at Hermione, who was sitting up now and looking quite frightened. Quietly, he took her hand.
"Severus…please…tell me. I'll believe you…you have never lied to me," she whispered, her eyes quickly filling with tears.
"I am so sorry, Hermione. The night that you were brought…brought here, Ron saved Harry's life by pushing him out of the way of a Killing Curse…he…he got hit instead," Severus felt that wave of nausea again as he recalled the vacant brown eyes looking at him.
"Who was it?" Her voice shook with anger and grief, tears were streaming quietly over her pale cheeks.
"Lucius Malfoy. He was given the Dementor's Kiss…I witnessed it myself."
Hermione began gasping, hyperventilating…sobbing and hiccoughing at the same time. She seemed to be trying to say something but no words would come out.
Severus, not knowing what else to do, embraced her and held her close to him. For several long moments, they held onto one another…Hermione shaking with anguish and sobbing brokenly. Severus, unable to do anything else, simply kept her in his arms…offering quiet comfort and security and hoping that it might be enough.
It took a long time for the trembling to subside.
"He cared about you a great deal, Hermione," Severus murmured into her hair. "He cared about Harry. We have to be strong for Harry…right now. He is very upset by what has happened. You are all he has left, in a way. You have to find a way to carry on…and I know you will."
"You have far too much confidence in me, Severus," she managed to snuffle, still holding onto him tightly. "I am all books and cleverness…and I am so broken inside…shards of glass cutting my soul into shreds…I don't think I'll…I'll ever be whole again. Part of me belonged to him, Severus. He was my best friend…oh, gods…Ron…"
She began to cry again, her body trembling with pain and, once again, all Severus could do was hold her and comfort her. All the tried and true words of consolation were stuck in his throat…they seemed so inadequate. All he wanted was to see her smile again. Not now…it was not possible now…the wounds, both physical and emotional, were too raw…too fresh. But later…when the first waves of grief had settled into the relative calm of acceptance.
"You will be all right, Hermione. You have great strength inside you. As much as it pains me to say it, you were sorted into Gryffindor for a reason."
"Just as Ron was?" She asked, pulling away from his embrace and looking at him…her eyes were red from crying and she was still hiccoughing sporadically.
"Just as Ron was…and Harry as well," Severus affirmed, wiping away several errant tears with his thumb.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"For what?"
"For telling me the truth…and not treating me with kid gloves. It means a great deal to me, Severus. You are…you are a good friend."
For a moment, the very silence was charged with something more than magical.
He patted her hand gently, trying to calm his pounding heart. "As are you, Hermione."
"More than you could ever know," he thought sadly.
*****************End of Flashback*****************
It had seemed strange to be the one she turned to for comfort but perhaps it had been for the best. She was able to cry in his arms and then be strong for Harry. And Harry had needed her strength…losing Ron was the worst thing that had ever happened to him and he carried the guilt for a long time…carried it still although it was not so obvious to see.
"At least he did not lose you as well, Hermione," he whispered, picking up a twig and snapping it, throwing both pieces to the ground. "I don't know if he could have dealt with that."
Standing up, he felt much better. The cool morning air had done its work and he felt that he was not blurry around the edges any longer. It was time to return to Thornfield and wake its sleeping mistress…so to speak.
He mounted his horse and turned towards the building that was his temporary home.
He arrived as mid-morning approached and quickly walked into the dining room, depositing his cloak on a back chair. Mrs. Fairfax entered and frowned slightly at the muddy cloak but said nothing. Rather surprised not to see Hermione already eating breakfast, he shrugged and walked to her room. He knocked quietly.
Nothing.
"That's odd…she should be awake by now," Severus thought, rather puzzled.
He knocked again, a little louder.
Still nothing.
Looking up and down the corridor to ensure no one was watching, Severus tried the handle on the door.
Locked.
Why on earth would it be locked?
Worried now, Severus pulled out his wand and whispered, "Alohomora." The handle turned and the door opened. Severus, still with his wand out, walked into the room.
Everything seemed all right…except that Hermione…and her bed linens…were missing.
Severus looked around the room, checking in the closets, behind the curtains…anywhere she might have hidden herself.
Nothing.
She was gone.
"But if the door had been locked from the inside…how is it possible?" He walked over to the window and saw that it was securely fastened from the inside as well.
A cold tendril of dread encircled Severus' heart. Turning suddenly, he raced out of her room and ran to Bertha's small chamber. Thankfully, she was alone…but she was unconscious.
"Bertha! Bertha! Wake up…please wake up. She's gone…I can't find her anywhere," Severus shook her to no avail. He quickly pointed his wand at her. "Enervate!"
Bertha opened her eyes immediately and stood up when she saw Severus.
"She's taken her, hasn't she?"
Severus gaped in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
Bertha paced frantically…a growing wildness in her eyes. "She was here…she was laughing at me…took away my wand and laughed."
"Who was here?"
"Blanche Ingram."
Severus looked at Bertha, shaking his head helplessly. "Who on earth is that?"
Bertha looked positively vicious. "A would-be Mrs. Rochester. Only interested in the family fortune. She is also a witch…as dark as they come. She has been after you for years and would have no scruples about taking your companion."
"Merlin's teeth, Bertha. She…she kidnapped Hermione?" Severus asked, outraged and angry.
"She flaunted her whole plan to me…said that she was bringing the little governess to be with someone who truly deserved one such as she. As for herself, Blanche said that with your companion out of the way, she would be free to make…a connection with you."
"But…you are my wife…so to speak. Would that not be immoral?" He was absolutely flabbergasted.
"She is not a moral creature when it comes to money." Bertha replied tightly. "And she was not alone."
"Who else was with her?"
"I don't know…whoever it was hid in the shadows and had no magical aura. It was a man, I believe…perhaps the one that Blanche planned to gift with your companion," Bertha practically hissed. It was apparent that there was no love lost between the two witches.
"Where has she taken Hermione?"
"I can show you…but be careful. Blanche is a powerful witch…she knows a great deal of Dark Magic and will not hesitate to use it if it furthers her means," Bertha spotted her wand on the floor and picked it up. She created a map of the surrounding countryside and showed Severus exactly where he had to go. "It is best to travel by horse…it will not alert her to your presence."
"Thank you…it seems so inadequate but it is all I can say," Severus grabbed her hand and held it tightly.
"Go…find her and you will find a way to return to your world. All I ask…all I can ask…is that you do not hide your feelings for her. The mask you are trying to wear does not suit you and she deserves to know the truth," Bertha replied seriously.
Severus nodded gravely and then left the room, closing the door behind him.
Bertha looked out the window as Severus mounted his horse and raced off in the direction she had earlier indicated.
"And then perhaps, she will tell you the truth as well," she thought to herself.