Chapter 4
Right after dinner, when he knew Hermione would be with Potter Severus sent a bouquet of flowers to her chambers. The bouquet included roses in the color of the four houses (red, yellow, blue, and green) as well as a black rose to signify his favorite color. He had enchanted the roses so that they would never die. With that done Severus settled down and began to mark papers once again, waiting, (quiet impatiently if the truth be told) hoping that Hermione would answer his latest letter. He smiled softly when he thought of the message on the card that he had sent with the flowers, 'With all my love. Rus.'
He hoped that she would get the secret message he had thought up when he had sent the flowers. That message was, 'No matter what houses we are from, I still love you.'
Harry and Hermione were walking out by the lake. Harry had noticed the way that Hermione had began to act after receiving that letter earlier that morning at breakfast.
"Hermione, what's bothering you? What is the matter?" Harry asked feeling concerned.
"Oh, Harry, please don't ask me right now. I will tell you when I am ready, but I am just not ready to talk about it just now." Hermione answered.
"Ok, Hermione, but you know you can tell me anything, right? I mean we've known each other for twelve years." Harry said gently.
"Oh, Harry, it's just that I love him so much, and I know that he could never feel the same. To top it off I have been receiving these letters from a secret admirer and I don't know what to do." Hermione said bursting into tears.
"What! Calm down and tell me slowly. You are in love? Is it Ron?" Harry asked baffled.
"No, Harry. I've been in love with Severus for such a long time, but there is no way that he could love me." Hermione whispered.
"You are in love with Sev? That's wonderful! Oh, Hermione, you thought I would be upset with you, didn't you? I'm not. I am just so glad that you have finally found someone to love. But, what is this about a secret admirer? Harry asked.
"You did not write them? Do you know if Ron would do something like that? Hermione asked.
"No, Hermione, I would not do anything like that. Not to you. Not in a million years. Ron would never do something like that either, besides he's too preoccupied right now. He's fallen in love with Cho, and she is all that is on his mind as of late." Harry said.
"Ron and Cho? Wow, I would never have guessed. Well, anyway, I've been receiving love letters from a secret admirer. This is only the second letter, but I just don't know what to do about it. I want to remain faithful to Severus." Hermione said pulling the letter from her robes and showing it to Harry.
~Thank Merlin I did not have to use the veritaserum. ~ She thought.
He took the letter and raised an eyebrow, "Have you read it yet?" He asked.
She shook her head and motioned for him to read it aloud. He did, and she almost burst into tears again at the point where she was told that she could call him Rus.
"Hermione, it is going to be ok. I will help you figure this out. Maybe it is Severus. After all the last three letters of his name spell Rus." Harry said.
"Oh, Harry, how I wish that were true. I love him so much, but that is just wishful thinking." Hermione said.
"Come on, I am going to go escort you to your chambers, and get you into bed, and than I am going to go have a talk with Albus." Harry said, gently leading her back to the castle.
They met up with Albus in the entrance hall. "What is the matter? Miss Granger…Hermione, are you okay?" Albus asked, concerned.
"She will be fine, Albus, perhaps you could get a hold of Severus and have him send some dreamless sleep potion up to Hermione's chambers? She has had quiet a shock and needs to rest." Harry explained.
"I'm right here, Mr. Potter, I will of course give you some dreamless sleep potion for Miss Granger." Said Severus coming out of the shadows. He handed Harry the vital.
Hermione whimpered and turned her face into Harry's chest. "It's alright, Hon." Harry whispered in her ear.
Turning to Albus Harry asked, "Albus, may I speak with you in a few minutes, Sir?"
"Of course, Harry." Albus answered.
"Thank you, I am going to get her into bed, and than I will meet you in your office. Oh, and Sir, this is the result of a certain letter she received this morning." Harry said motioning to the sobbing young woman in his arms.
As he was saying this he had glanced at Severus out of the corner of his eye, and had noticed how pale the other man had become after the words had been said. While Harry helped Hermione to her chambers Severus had a house elf take the roses from her chamber to his. He was heart broken. He had done this to her. He had made her cry. He would keep the roses for her in his chambers, and maybe someday he would be able to give them to her.
Once Harry had gotten Hermione calmed down long enough to take the potion, he got her into bed, and watched over her for a few minutes until she was fast asleep. Letting himself out of her chambers he made his way to Albus' office.
A/N: Sorry for the absence. I will try to update more frequently. I have just had a lot to do in regards to school work, but will try to get back into updating at least once a week. Let me know what you all think. Please R& R. Thanks. Flyeagle~Faye