He came to her in her dreams.
Warm hands caressed her arms, her shoulders, her hair. "I'll never let you be hurt again, Hermione. You're safe with me."
She savored his touch, and yearned for his lips on hers. But he was holding her, more in a protective embrace than a passionate one. His hands touched her in places where she had been violated. Her bruises, both physical and emotional, were healed when he touched her. She needed that touch…needed more than just protection. She wanted him.
"Make love to me, Severus," she whispered. But he was slipping away from her. She could feel coldness and a sense of fear as his presence fell away. "The Dark one is upon you. Stay here. You'll be safe with me…" but it was no use. He was gone, and she wasn't sure if she'd ever feel his touch again.
She awoke with a start. It was the early dawn, and there was an faint scratching at her door. She jumped out of bed and threw the door open. Severus leaned against the door frame, looking wild and terrible. He stumbled into her room and collapsed.
"Accio wand." She levitated him onto her bed and grabbed a cold cloth from the basin. He seemed feverish, and was completely incoherent. What had the monster done to him? She realized that she had never been in a position to see him after a return from Voldemort's side before. Was he always like this?
She was afraid to leave him, but needed to get a message to Dumbledore right away. "Crookshanks!" The cat had been watching the scene unfold with feline half-interest. "Go get Dumbledore! Hurry!" Crookshanks, always possessed of far more intelligence and cunning than the normal feline, rushed out the still-open door at top speed. She knew he would be successful in his mission.
A minute later, Albus walked in and tutted at the prone form of the Potions Master on Hermione's bed. At her unspoken question, he said, "I'm afraid this is rather unusual. Certainly, he comes back from his nocturnal visits to Voldemort battered and bruised now and again, but never this far gone." Albus laid his hands on Severus' head, and whispered a few soothing words. The muttering stopped, and Severus' eyes closed.
"He needs sleep now, and I daresay you'll let me know when he's awakened?"
"Shouldn't he be up in the Infirmary?"
"I trust he'll be in excellent hands here. Let me know, all right, child?" Albus left, and the room was suddenly quite chilly for a June morning. She lit a fire and started tea, and pulled a chair up to the bed and watched him sleep.
An hour later, a very excitable owl was pecking at the only window in the room, high on one wall. "Pig," she said with a smile, as she allowed Ron Weasley's owl into the room. He hooted and allowed her to relieve him of his note, and flew around the room noisily chasing Crookshanks. "It's all right, Pig, you can go on home. Here's a bit of biscuit for you, now. Be off with you."
Hermione,
We'll be there for tea. Can't wait to see your new Slytherin digs. We had fancied that you'd move into the Library before you'd take up residence near that git Snape. Weird.
Love, Ron and Harry
PS: Percy got promoted again. He'll be overseeing the American relations division. The colonies will revolt, surely. At least the mother country can rest safely knowing her cauldron bottoms are uniformly thick. Mum sends her love.
Little did they know that her "Slytherin digs" included the Head of House currently slumbering in her bed. Or that she was dreaming of a seduction. Or that Albus and the Mother Superior said she should go for the seduction. Ye gods.
After another hour, he began to stir and cried out. Hesitantly, she put her hands on his back, and began to massage lightly. He seemed to rest again, and she continued rubbing for a few minutes. She began to pull away, and he grew restless once more. She sat on the bed next to him and kept her hands on him, and that seemed to help greatly. After a while, she grew tired and wondered if she should just lie down next to him and take a nap…what was the harm, right? It was medicinal, after all…
He awoke with a painful groan as the late morning sunlight filtering through the high window hit his eyes. Something awful had happened, but he somehow didn't feel so bad. Where was he? Shaking the grogginess away, he became aware of a small arm wrapped around his waist.
As he stirred, she awoke. Self-conscious, she removed her arm and sat up in one fluid motion. "I'm sorry…you were just so restless…it seemed to help."
"What happened?" The warm imprint of her arm around him was permanently branded on his soul. "I was under a very extended Cruciatus, and lost consciousness, and … the next thing I remember is waking up a minute ago."
"I cannot say what happened for sure, but you arrived on my doorstep at dawn and Albus stilled you into sleep with what I think was a Somulus charm. You didn't sleep well, though, but contact with me seemed to assist you in getting some rest."
"I see. Well, we should tell Albus I'm awake; I have a few things to discuss with you both."
"I have a something to tell you, as well, but it can wait." He stood up, and wavered a moment. She offered her arm, and he took it and they left the room.
*~*
"Licorice sticks," Hermione said to the gargoyle.
"Severus, do sit down…let me help you, my dear," Albus rushed over. A very pale Snape collapsed on the nearest chair, and began his report.
"To say that Voldemort is angrier than I've ever seen him would be an understatement. I'm not the only one nursing a fairly serious Cruciatus hangover this morning. I'm sure Lucius and Wormtail are pretty well laid out."
"Wormtail? What does he have to do with this?" Albus seemed uncharacteristically perplexed.
"Nothing. He just gets the lucky job of being the Master's caregiver and receives the blunt end of his anger. At any rate, Voldemort does clearly understand why Malfoy and I could not protect Draco from his own idiocy, but that didn't make him any less prone to lashing out in anger. He would like your head on a platter, Albus, but there's nothing new there. What he really, really wants right now, is Hermione."
She shuddered for a moment, remembering the look in Harry's eyes when he returned with Cedric's body in their fourth year here. She had no wish to personally meet Voldemort anytime soon. But a part of her screamed out, If it would take away Severus' pain, you'd go in a minute. You're not afraid anymore.
"So he can silence me, and get to Malfoy before he is safely away in Azkaban." It wasn't a question.
Snape nodded. "He wants me to kill you in such a way that it cannot be traced back to me or to him. He's done it before. A little bit of a poorly-known potion, and you would develop a fast-growing cancer that would eliminate you in just a few days. No trace of the potion would remain by the time you were discovered. I made the bloody potion for him once; I didn't closely question why I was asked for these things back then. More kills to add to my Hall of Shame, I'm afraid."
Had she ever seen this man as evil? Yes, she clearly remembered a time as a child when she was certain he was out to kill Harry; gods, she'd even set the man on fire before she found out that he was actually saving Harry from Quirrel/Voldemort's curse. He wore the shroud of callous malevolence well, but she was seeing a side of him that lived in humiliation and perpetual angst for the crimes he had committed and the atrocities he had witnessed. Her Gryffindor heart went out to him, in a gesture that she knew he would condemn as sentimental tripe. At that moment, she didn't care.
"How well do you know Narcissa Malfoy, Severus?" Hermione asked.
The fact that Hermione and Severus were on a first-name basis now didn't escape Dumbledore.
"She's a drunken rich woman who does not get out of bed except to scream at the house-elves. Malfoy finds his pleasures, such as they are, elsewhere. It's a marriage of convenience, nothing more."
"Do you know why she is an alcoholic?"
"Presumably because she's married to Malfoy. That alone would drive anyone to the bottle. But to your question, no, I'm assuming it's a genetic predisposition."
"Except that there is a potion to counteract that. Why doesn't she take it?"
Albus saw where this was leading. " Given what the Mother Superior said, I'd wager she did not follow the Holy Spirit's advice, and she's been paying for it since Draco was born. She drinks herself into a stupor daily so that she doesn't have to deal with the ramifications of her choices."
"Was she a good mother to Draco, Severus?" Hermione continued.
"What's this bloody nonsense about the Spirit?" He was irritated that Albus and Hermione were in on a secret of which he was unaware.
"Just answer the question and we can discuss that in a moment. Did she care for Draco? Was she motherly towards him? Did she nurse him, change his nappies…" Hermione's mind was racing ahead.
"No. The house-elves did everything. She never once claimed him as her offspring in front of me; it was as if he wasn't even there."
"I need to speak to Narcissa Malfoy. If I'm right, this situation will take care of itself before you have to actually kill me."
"Hermione," he said much more softly and tenderly than she could have ever given him credit for, "I would die before I laid a finger on you. You're safe with me."
She suddenly had a chill down her spine, as she remembered the dream of the previous night.
"I know. Can you arrange a meeting for me with Narcissa?"
He thought for a moment. "Lucius has gone away to stay in London until the trial; I heard him mention it last night. Presumably, he is going to line up as many supporters as he can torture into it to help him with Draco's defense. They're grasping at straws right now, even so much that they are willing to sacrifice their spy at Hogwarts if necessary to have you killed. They are flailing about, unsure of how to proceed, and resorting to old tricks; if you can't catch flies with honey, pull their wings off and poke their eyes out. Now will someone tell me about this Holy Spirit thing? Have you converted Albus to the Church, then, Sister?"
Albus lifted the letter off his desk and handed it to Severus. His eyebrows shot up at the part about Hermione's Protector and Companion, but he kept his reaction to himself.
"I will see to it that you meet with Narcissa. Dobby can help us out; he always loved her and felt sorry for her. She is a broken, fragile soul that puts on a mask of ice to get her through the day. What are you planning on saying to her?"
"I personally have nothing to say; I believe our kindred Spirits have much to discuss, however." At this cryptic response, she indicated that she was leaving to prepare for Ron and Harry's visit, and would return in a few minutes for tea.
*~*
"Severus?" Albus said.
"Oh, don't start with me. I know what you're thinking."
"It is okay to fall in love with her, you know."
"It most certainly is not. She's a nun, anyway. Don't they have a vow of celibacy?"
"I believe the Mother Superior has absolved her of that responsibility."
"I'll probably have passed into history before this thing is through. I don't see any way out of this without blowing my cover. She doesn't deserve to be tied to a dead man walking."
"Let her help you. Her power is growing stronger. You've seen what the love of a woman of the Order can do for protection; look at Harry."
"It wasn't enough to protect James and Lily, now was it?" He was feeling particularly bitter about things now that he had known that Lily had run away because of him. Two more deaths he could add to his running total, certainly.
"Voldemort was reduced to near-nothingness because of Lily and Harry's strength, and I'll tell you something you haven't heard. Voldemort is like Harry and Draco. He is a child of the Order, as well. His mother had the power of the Spirit as well."
Everything was crystal clear to Severus now. Why Voldemort needed Draco so badly; he needed his power, to be sure, but needed an ally who was also a child of the Order to be able to defeat Potter. Without that ally, Voldemort was doomed to the type of failure he had always known in his battles with Harry. Harry was stronger than either Draco or Voldemort alone, but the two of them together could and would destroy everything that was good. He realized what Hermione had in mind. Two witches of the Order fighting alongside Harry would easily defeat Voldemort and Draco; Hermione's goal was to convince Narcissa to turn against her husband. The Gryffindor part of her probably had some foolish notion of using Narcissa to turn Draco, as well, but that was a highly unlikely scenario. The girl had taken enough Arithmancy to know that the probabilities in that regard were extremely low.
He felt a swell of pride and, well, there was no getting around it. Adoration. Was this truly the schoolgirl with an inflated ego and sense of self-importance that stalked his horrid student nightmares only a few days prior? The girl could be a Slytherin, with all that was going on in her mind.
Suddenly, Ron and Harry appeared in the fireplace. "Still traveling by Floo, Mr. Weasley? Didn't pass your Apparation licensing, then?" Ron cringed as he looked into the face of his erstwhile Potions professor. Aaaah, that was better. He hadn't gone completely daft and taken leave of his senses; he could still terrorize these two idiots. "And Potter. About time you showed up to join this cozy party."
"Er…we got an owl only yesterday…" Ron looked positively green.
"Sit down, young men, and don't let Snape get to you," Albus said with a tiny smile. "Behave, Severus. Would you two care for a lemon drop?"
"Where's Hermione?" Harry said.
"I daresay she'll be along shortly. Make yourselves comfortable, we have a lot to discuss."
As if they could ever be comfortable with the Great Snake of Slytherin glowering at them.
On cue, Hermione walked in and sat down right next to Snape. Harry looked at Ron, but they said nothing. Harry had been aware of the changed dynamic from the first moment that Hermione had returned from her few hours of self-imposed exile, but it was none the less shocking to see her sitting, apparently quite at ease, at the Potions Master's right hand.
"Harry," Albus began, "It is time that you knew the whole story of why you are the most powerful wizard in our time." And he began to lay out the intricate details of the human lives intertwined with the divine that had led them all to this point; the inevitable final battle in the conflict between good and evil in the magical world. Ron sat quietly while his wheels turned, and Harry asked a question now and then. Hermione chimed in with a few details, and Snape didn't take any house points.
Harry and Ron had known, of course, of Snape's activities. They had been part of late-night secret meetings where strategies were lain in place. Harry had been a part of a few things under cover of his cloak, and Ron was essential to everything as Harry's second, but more importantly as being the main strategist of the Light. Hardly anyone, including the Weasley family, had any idea how integral Ron's strategizing had been to get them to this point. Ron was possessed of a keen mind, and even Snape had grudgingly given him honor for his amazing work.
The rest of the world saw Ron as Harry's lackluster friend. Ron's secret was as well-protected as any in the wizarding world. The only clue anyone had was his amazing acumen at Wizard's Chess.
"There you go, then, Harry. You're Draco's much stronger counterpart, and now you know…the rest of the story." Albus peered intently at Harry over his glasses. "Anything else you wish to know?"
"Yes," Harry said glumly. "I'd like to know how the rest of this story plays out, because we're in for a nasty go of it and I'd like to get some of these variables under control. What if Narcissa says no? What if Lucius gets Draco off? And we're putting an awful lot of faith in the Pope here, are we English or not?"
"Harry," Hermione said, "the Pope has very little to do with this. You don't have to believe in this, but I know it's real. I can feel it. You wanted to know why I suddenly seemed more mature. The feminine Spirit made me this way in the same way she transformed your mother, so that I was no longer a young and frightened novice and instead was ready to do battle. There are variables; but you and I will be fighting together and should have Draco and Voldemort in a dead heat."
Ron interrupted. "The main variable is Narcissa Malfoy. If she agrees to help us, we win. If she runs to her old man and tells him, it's a checkmate, even if she doesn't lend her power to him, because they will know what we intend. Draco's power has been building for eighteen years rather than being used; for all we know, he has the strength to get out of Azkaban on his own. I find it difficult to believe that after all of this, that prison walls and dementors will hold Draco Malfoy. We have to proceed as if it's a guarantee that he will be fighting alongside Voldemort."
"There is a third possibility, Ron," Hermione said. Snape rolled his eyes, seeing the conversation get insultingly Gryffindor before his eyes. What does one expect when one is in a room full of them? "We may yet convince Draco to join us. Especially if we can convince Narcissa to come to our side, but even if we don't."
"Earth to Hermione! We're talking about your rapist. Isn't it unlikely that he would ever turn on his Death-Eating father and friends?" Ron was impatient with her ideas as usual.
Albus smiled. "He does not understand his power. He may do it just to stay out of Azkaban; he is very weak-willed, you know. If he knew what power he will be wielding, I'd be with you, Ron; but the cards are not down on the table just yet."
"We have work to do, Narcissa being our most immediate problem; if we can solve that variable, we'll know better how to proceed." Snape said. "I'm not inclined to wait. Let's get to it, and meet back here in a few hours. I don't anticipate being able to reach Narcissa right away, but I'll get on it, and I'll take Hermione to see her tonight if she'll agree."
Ron nodded; he was in his element, and began plotting scenarios on the work table in Dumbledore's office.
Hermione and Harry followed Snape to the dungeons. As Snape continued on to his office, the two best friends stopped at Hermione's rooms for a tour.
"Very, very nice. Hard to believe we walked by this place every single day, and never knew it was behind that portrait of Wendelin the Weird."
"Too true. Severus is right next door, though I've yet to see his rooms." He saw her eyes light for a moment when she mentioned his name.
"Oh, Severus, is it? My goodness, Hermione, what a difference a few days make. Who the hell knew?" He was teasing her, but somewhat concerned about what he had heard earlier about the clear changes his friend was going through. Both Snape and Hermione were acting quite strangely around one another.
"I agreed to be his apprentice, and he requested we use first names. It's nothing more. Don't give me that look, damn you, Potter!" She punched him lightly, but he became serious.
"You're falling for that greasy git, aren't you?"
"I won't even dignify that…"
"Oh, I know when you are lying. Who knows you better than Ron and I do? Snape and you together? Well, after the events of the past few days, I'll grant that anything is possible. All bets are off now. He's become a decent man underneath all that Head-Of-Slytherin-Death-Eater nonsense, you know. I know that we regarded him with nothing less than contempt, suspicion, and malice when we were students here," he mentally noted: three days ago, "but I've worked with him on several projects pertaining to the war, as you know. He may be a mean little snake on the surface, but his word is gold. He's about the only person on earth other than Albus, Hagrid, myself and Ron that I know full well I can trust with your life."
Harry was giving permission too? She was definitely living in an alternate universe.
There was a knock at the door. Hermione opened the door to one of the last people she expected to be standing there.
Narcissa Malfoy.
