Disclaimer and that stuff: See chapters one and two.
Author's Notes: Thank you so much for all the great reviews. I'm so happy to be receiving them. Sorry I don't have time to thank y'all individually, but I have finals. This chapter happened much faster than I thought. Don't get too spoiled, the next one won't be out until the weekend, at least. Please keep reading and reviewing, it means a lot.
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Chapter Six
As the next day dawned, it found a very upbeat Hermione sitting in her favorite chair and plotting her strategy for getting her man back. This time Crookshanks was nowhere to be found, probably hunting mice or something like that.
Hermione decided subtlety would be the best plan for the first part of the attack. She'd start it today, in fact, she already had. She put back on the engagement ring Severus had given her; it was his mother's ring, an antique. Apparently it was a family heirloom and had been around for almost 500 years. She knew this would get to Severus because he puts so much emphasis on history and family.
The reaction that she got to the ring would give Hermione her next move. There's still the baby trump card to play too. Family is all too important. First thing this morning, Hermione sent letters to everyone who knew and told them to keep quiet about the baby around Severus. Of course this was only Harry, Ron, Dumbledore, and Madame Pomfrey. There hadn't been time to tell anyone else.
So after a couple of hours of thought, Hermione headed to the Great Hall for breakfast. Everyone else had just arrived too, so she took a seat by Harry, Ron and Sirius. Ron was, as usual, stuffing his face with food, so Harry took the initiative to talk first.
"You look well, 'Mione. In fact, you look like a cat who just caught a mouse. So what's going on?" He asked.
"Oh Harry dear, I'm so glad you ask." Hermione said with a tongue in cheek grin. "I have come up with a plan to get my man back."
"Good for you kiddo, I knew you'd make the right decision." Sirius replied with a large grin and wink.
"So what's the plan?" Harry asked while Ron was still shoveling food in his mouth.
"Well…" Hermione began, then looked at Ron. "Honestly, don't you need to breathe? You're making me nauseous. Oh yes, the plan. Well, I'd rather not go into it here, but I'm wearing the first part of it."
Hermione flashed the ring at the three men as if she had only just received it. Their eyes got big in recognition of what the ring meant.
"I think you know what the plan is now." Hermione stated.
"Of course we do, just don't get burnt in the flames you're fanning, 'Mione." Harry warned.
"I know what I'm doing, and I'll be careful. I promise. Now, I need to get to Severus in the infirmary and start the ball rolling." Hermione said. She then got up and left the Great Hall.
She ate a piece of toast on her walk to the Infirmary. She wanted to get there before Madame Pomfrey got back from breakfast. All she was going to need was a couple of minutes alone with Severus. He would notice the ring immediately, she was sure of it. Hermione stopped outside the Infirmary doors and straightened her appearance. When she was finished, she entered.
Severus was absolutely fuming that morning. Poppy Pomfrey was refusing to release him, but he could not figure out why. Physically, he felt fine, it was just his supposed memories that were missing and how they would effect his day-to-day life was beyond him. He just wanted to get back to his labs and his own rooms.
Oh goodness, his rooms. If Miss Granger were his fiancée, they may not only be his rooms anymore. Maybe that was why Poppy was keeping him here, this and her need to smother and torture her patients to the brink of insanity. Poppy wouldn't give up that information, but Dumbledore probably would, especially if he thought Severus wanted to talk to Miss Granger in hopes of getting to know her again. Being a Slytherin wasn't so bad after all…
Hermione entering the room jerked Severus from his thoughts. He gave her a quick glance, and then looked back to the book he had sitting on his lap. Hermione, being determined not to let him get to her again, kept a calm look on her face. She approached the bed and sat in the chair next to it.
She sat there and stared at him, not saying a word. She did fold her hands in her lap in almost a prayer-like form, by crossing her fingers. The engagement ring was very noticeable.
Severus decided that it would be up to him to make the first move. It was in his best interests to deal with Miss Granger quickly so he could have his peace back. He lifted his head from looking at the book and looked her right in the eyes.
"And you are here because…" Severus asked the unfinished question.
"Obviously I wish to speak to you." Hermione retorted.
"Then speak." Severus commanded.
"Well, I'd like to know how you're doing for one. Yes, I believe that is where we can start today, please tell me how you are doing."
"I feel fine, but am not allowed to leave. Why do you think that is, Miss Granger?" Severus asked.
Hermione met his fishing expedition for information with the equally deserving comment of, "Well, how would I know? I'm not a mediwitch."
"Of course you are not. Did you even get to a university to study?" Severus snapped at her.
"How can you ever doubt that with my love of learning? I went to Oxford University for Wizards and Witches with a double major in potions and charms. I then came back here to Hogwarts and became your apprentice. Oh, but you wouldn't remember that, would you?" Hermione came back with.
Her emotions were running so high at this point that she was waving her hands around frantically as she spoke. The ring on her finger was causing shapes to float around the room in a prism-like fashion. This caught Severus's attention and his head snapped to look at her hand.
"What…is…that…on…your…finger?" He asked, barely controlling his anger.
"Oh, this? It's the engagement ring you gave me." Hermione replied in a very innocent manner.
"I gave you…my mother's…ring?"
"Of course you did. I don't wear it all the time, it's too valuable, but I felt the urge today. It's perfectly safe, I don't plan on leaving the castle today." Hermione reassured him. This was all going exactly as she planned.
"It being safe is not the point, MISS GRANGER! The fact that you have it in the first place is the point!" Severus yelled.
Hermione almost flinched when he shouted her name, but she knew he was shocked and still needed time to adjust. After all, if she lost all of her memories and someone told her she was supposed to marry Severus, she never would have believed them. Either she or the bearer of the news would have been committed to St. Mungo's, she was sure of it.
"Severus, you need to calm down. It can't be good for you to be so upset. Maybe I should leave so that you don't get any worse." Hermione said, then quickly got up and ran out of the room. There was no way she was giving him time to ask for the ring back, it was hers and she intended to keep it on her finger forever.
On her way back to her rooms, she ran into the rest of the staff leaving the Great Hall from breakfast. Harry and Sirius each gave her a look with one eyebrow raised, silently asking what had taken place. Hermione gave them a thumb's up and a smile.
Professor Dumbledore then interrupted the exchange. "Hermione, there you are. I need to speak with you. Could you join me in my office?"
"Of course Professor." Hermione replied.
Once in his office, Dumbledore asked her if she wanted a Milk Dud. Hermione politely declined and asked why she was here.
"Oh yes, yes, my mind gets a bit fuzzy sometimes. Must be the old age." Dumbledore stated with a smile. "This is a bit serious, my dear, and I do not like to bring it up, but I fear I must. Severus is about to be discharge from the infirmary and we must think of where he will go once he is able to leave. Poppy and I both believe that it would be best for him to go back to his rooms. He needs as much stability as he can get."
Hermione was a bit shocked at this, she hadn't thought about that. Severus's rooms had been hers for the past six months. The thought of leaving them took her previous good mood down several notches. She looked up at Dumbledore whose eyes were sparkling. How could that man have a sparkle in his eyes when her world was once again falling in around her?
Dumbledore continued speaking, "However, Hermione, instead of moving you all the way back up to the Gryffindor tower, I have asked the House Elves to move your things into the rooms across the hall from Severus's. This way you are around to help with classes and keep an eye on him." Dumbledore said with a wink.
"Thank you, Sir." Hermione replied. She left his office with a bounce in her step. If she couldn't be in Severus's rooms, she'd take the next best thing, and that was across the hall.
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Author's Notes: Thank you so much for all the great reviews. I'm so happy to be receiving them. Sorry I don't have time to thank y'all individually, but I have finals. This chapter happened much faster than I thought. Don't get too spoiled, the next one won't be out until the weekend, at least. Please keep reading and reviewing, it means a lot.
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Chapter Six
As the next day dawned, it found a very upbeat Hermione sitting in her favorite chair and plotting her strategy for getting her man back. This time Crookshanks was nowhere to be found, probably hunting mice or something like that.
Hermione decided subtlety would be the best plan for the first part of the attack. She'd start it today, in fact, she already had. She put back on the engagement ring Severus had given her; it was his mother's ring, an antique. Apparently it was a family heirloom and had been around for almost 500 years. She knew this would get to Severus because he puts so much emphasis on history and family.
The reaction that she got to the ring would give Hermione her next move. There's still the baby trump card to play too. Family is all too important. First thing this morning, Hermione sent letters to everyone who knew and told them to keep quiet about the baby around Severus. Of course this was only Harry, Ron, Dumbledore, and Madame Pomfrey. There hadn't been time to tell anyone else.
So after a couple of hours of thought, Hermione headed to the Great Hall for breakfast. Everyone else had just arrived too, so she took a seat by Harry, Ron and Sirius. Ron was, as usual, stuffing his face with food, so Harry took the initiative to talk first.
"You look well, 'Mione. In fact, you look like a cat who just caught a mouse. So what's going on?" He asked.
"Oh Harry dear, I'm so glad you ask." Hermione said with a tongue in cheek grin. "I have come up with a plan to get my man back."
"Good for you kiddo, I knew you'd make the right decision." Sirius replied with a large grin and wink.
"So what's the plan?" Harry asked while Ron was still shoveling food in his mouth.
"Well…" Hermione began, then looked at Ron. "Honestly, don't you need to breathe? You're making me nauseous. Oh yes, the plan. Well, I'd rather not go into it here, but I'm wearing the first part of it."
Hermione flashed the ring at the three men as if she had only just received it. Their eyes got big in recognition of what the ring meant.
"I think you know what the plan is now." Hermione stated.
"Of course we do, just don't get burnt in the flames you're fanning, 'Mione." Harry warned.
"I know what I'm doing, and I'll be careful. I promise. Now, I need to get to Severus in the infirmary and start the ball rolling." Hermione said. She then got up and left the Great Hall.
She ate a piece of toast on her walk to the Infirmary. She wanted to get there before Madame Pomfrey got back from breakfast. All she was going to need was a couple of minutes alone with Severus. He would notice the ring immediately, she was sure of it. Hermione stopped outside the Infirmary doors and straightened her appearance. When she was finished, she entered.
Severus was absolutely fuming that morning. Poppy Pomfrey was refusing to release him, but he could not figure out why. Physically, he felt fine, it was just his supposed memories that were missing and how they would effect his day-to-day life was beyond him. He just wanted to get back to his labs and his own rooms.
Oh goodness, his rooms. If Miss Granger were his fiancée, they may not only be his rooms anymore. Maybe that was why Poppy was keeping him here, this and her need to smother and torture her patients to the brink of insanity. Poppy wouldn't give up that information, but Dumbledore probably would, especially if he thought Severus wanted to talk to Miss Granger in hopes of getting to know her again. Being a Slytherin wasn't so bad after all…
Hermione entering the room jerked Severus from his thoughts. He gave her a quick glance, and then looked back to the book he had sitting on his lap. Hermione, being determined not to let him get to her again, kept a calm look on her face. She approached the bed and sat in the chair next to it.
She sat there and stared at him, not saying a word. She did fold her hands in her lap in almost a prayer-like form, by crossing her fingers. The engagement ring was very noticeable.
Severus decided that it would be up to him to make the first move. It was in his best interests to deal with Miss Granger quickly so he could have his peace back. He lifted his head from looking at the book and looked her right in the eyes.
"And you are here because…" Severus asked the unfinished question.
"Obviously I wish to speak to you." Hermione retorted.
"Then speak." Severus commanded.
"Well, I'd like to know how you're doing for one. Yes, I believe that is where we can start today, please tell me how you are doing."
"I feel fine, but am not allowed to leave. Why do you think that is, Miss Granger?" Severus asked.
Hermione met his fishing expedition for information with the equally deserving comment of, "Well, how would I know? I'm not a mediwitch."
"Of course you are not. Did you even get to a university to study?" Severus snapped at her.
"How can you ever doubt that with my love of learning? I went to Oxford University for Wizards and Witches with a double major in potions and charms. I then came back here to Hogwarts and became your apprentice. Oh, but you wouldn't remember that, would you?" Hermione came back with.
Her emotions were running so high at this point that she was waving her hands around frantically as she spoke. The ring on her finger was causing shapes to float around the room in a prism-like fashion. This caught Severus's attention and his head snapped to look at her hand.
"What…is…that…on…your…finger?" He asked, barely controlling his anger.
"Oh, this? It's the engagement ring you gave me." Hermione replied in a very innocent manner.
"I gave you…my mother's…ring?"
"Of course you did. I don't wear it all the time, it's too valuable, but I felt the urge today. It's perfectly safe, I don't plan on leaving the castle today." Hermione reassured him. This was all going exactly as she planned.
"It being safe is not the point, MISS GRANGER! The fact that you have it in the first place is the point!" Severus yelled.
Hermione almost flinched when he shouted her name, but she knew he was shocked and still needed time to adjust. After all, if she lost all of her memories and someone told her she was supposed to marry Severus, she never would have believed them. Either she or the bearer of the news would have been committed to St. Mungo's, she was sure of it.
"Severus, you need to calm down. It can't be good for you to be so upset. Maybe I should leave so that you don't get any worse." Hermione said, then quickly got up and ran out of the room. There was no way she was giving him time to ask for the ring back, it was hers and she intended to keep it on her finger forever.
On her way back to her rooms, she ran into the rest of the staff leaving the Great Hall from breakfast. Harry and Sirius each gave her a look with one eyebrow raised, silently asking what had taken place. Hermione gave them a thumb's up and a smile.
Professor Dumbledore then interrupted the exchange. "Hermione, there you are. I need to speak with you. Could you join me in my office?"
"Of course Professor." Hermione replied.
Once in his office, Dumbledore asked her if she wanted a Milk Dud. Hermione politely declined and asked why she was here.
"Oh yes, yes, my mind gets a bit fuzzy sometimes. Must be the old age." Dumbledore stated with a smile. "This is a bit serious, my dear, and I do not like to bring it up, but I fear I must. Severus is about to be discharge from the infirmary and we must think of where he will go once he is able to leave. Poppy and I both believe that it would be best for him to go back to his rooms. He needs as much stability as he can get."
Hermione was a bit shocked at this, she hadn't thought about that. Severus's rooms had been hers for the past six months. The thought of leaving them took her previous good mood down several notches. She looked up at Dumbledore whose eyes were sparkling. How could that man have a sparkle in his eyes when her world was once again falling in around her?
Dumbledore continued speaking, "However, Hermione, instead of moving you all the way back up to the Gryffindor tower, I have asked the House Elves to move your things into the rooms across the hall from Severus's. This way you are around to help with classes and keep an eye on him." Dumbledore said with a wink.
"Thank you, Sir." Hermione replied. She left his office with a bounce in her step. If she couldn't be in Severus's rooms, she'd take the next best thing, and that was across the hall.
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