Understanding
The first part of this chapter is from Severus' point of view, just to keep you all guessing over what's happened to Hermione!
Chapter 16 – Safe … for now
I woke up that morning to find my bed empty. Obviously, this was normal for me, since I had woken up with my bed empty for most of the nights in my life. This particular morning was different though, because I hadn't been the only one in my bed when I had fallen asleep. I sleepily glanced around the room for any sign of Hermione, but my suspicions were correct. She was gone and so were her clothes, I realised, my heart sinking. However, a note was on the pillow next to me. Smiling, I read her note. I was slightly annoyed that she had left without waking me up, but then I realised I didn't know what time she had gone, she could have left hours ago. I grabbed my wand and cast a time revealer charm on the parchment, which revealed that she had written it at 9:30. I looked at the clock. It was now quarter past ten. Not exactly anything to worry about, yet, but she should have been back around that time, so I pulled on the usual black robes and left the dungeons, in anticipation of waiting until she arrived back through the fire in the Entrance Hall.
There were a few people gathered in the Great Hall, eating late breakfasts, so I sensibly stayed away. I didn't want anything to eat until Hermione was back anyway. I leaned back against the wall by the fireplace for a while, waiting.
'Ah, Severus. How are you, this fine morning?' Albus came down the stairs towards me, his eyes twinkling far more than was healthy.
'Not so bad, Albus.' I answered, keeping my face as neutral as possible, I was aware that he probably knew exactly what I had been up to last night, and the thought made me feel the closest to embarrassed I would ever come.
'What time did she leave?' He asked, winking slightly.
'Half past nine. She's been gone over an hour. Shouldn't she be back, Albus?'
'Hmm. It's best to just wait for the time being. If she isn't back in two hours, we'll have to go in anyway and follow plan B, with or without the delivery of the potion.' His eyes had lost the twinkle for a second, but now it was back in full force. 'And Severus, don't worry yourself too much.' With that he walked into the Great Hall without a backwards glance.
'I wasn't worrying, Albus.' I called after him. His laugh carried into the hallway, reverberating off the walls. I leaned back against the wall, completely ignoring the clock for my own sanity. Obviously I didn't want to admit it to Albus, but to tell you the truth, I was worrying quite a lot about where she had got to. It was possible that the floo hadn't worked and she'd had to get there another way, or she'd just been held up. Of course, she might not even have left at nine thirty, that was just what time she'd written that note. But there was a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that she should be back by now, and that she was in danger.
People were beginning to traipse down the stairs and into the Great Hall now, everyone who had been at the meal last night. I fixed everyone who passed me with the fiercest glare I could muster. I knew I should be making an effort to be at least some where near agreeable, but to be honest I was very concerned now about where she was. The people who knew me already grinned broadly at my glares, my ex students averted their eyes as they passed, and the strangers either looked frightened or glared back. They all filed into the Great Hall and took seats at the big round table that had been there last night. I waited and waited, but she didn't appear through the flames. As time passed, I knew she wouldn't be coming, but still I couldn't leave. She'd now been gone almost two hours. I stormed into the Great Hall, raking my hair back from my face. I walked over to where Albus was standing behind his seat, obviously in the middle of some kind of speech, but I didn't care.
'Where the fuck is she, Albus?' I hissed, trying to be quiet but failing miserably.
'I don't know. We're just going to have to go in anyway.' He whispered. 'There's nothing we can do. We can look for her when we've sorted things out.'
'Are you trying to tell me that you think she's fucking dead?' I shouted, quite aware that everyone in the room was rapt in our conversation.
'No, Severus. Calm yourself down. I'm saying they've probably caught her, but I don't know what they'll do with her. But the worst thing you could do is go after her. That's probably what they're expecting.'
'I don't care. I'll never forgive myself if something happens to her that I could have prevented, and I'm just sitting here doing nothing.'
'I can't force you to stay here, Severus, but if you're seen I suspect you'll be killed immediately, and we need you on our side.'
'I'm sorry Albus, but I can't stay. I just can't. I've got to go and find her.' With that I turned around and marched out of the Great Hall, leaving everyone in silence behind me. I threw some floo powder into the fireplace in the Entrance Hall and shouted 'The Hanged Man' at the top of my voice.
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(We are now back to Hermione's point of view)
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I sat slumped against the wall, semi-conscious and shivering, with no concept of time whatsoever. I could have been there for half and hour or a week, I had no idea. Then I felt the darkness lift slightly, and I could think enough to know that at least some of the Dementors were no longer flanking my door, if not all of them. I took a few deep breaths, letting the relief of not having to wallow in my worst memories any more wash over me. Then I carefully stood up on my weakened legs and walked over to the door. With all my strength I threw myself at it, in vain hope that it would somehow collapse and I could transform again and escape. The door, however, was very solid and didn't budge.
With the room magic-proofed, I couldn't see any way of me getting out. I just had to hope that everyone would continue with the plan and go in a defeat Voldemort anyway, and get me out afterwards. With a sigh of resignation I sat back on the disgustingly dirty floor. There was absolutely no hope of me reaching that window a hundred feet above me. I was staring in a trance-like state at the window when it suddenly burst off its hinges and came clattering down off the walls, the noise probably carrying through the whole house. I jumped quickly out of the way as the window crashed to the floor next to me, the glass shattering everywhere. Then I looked up to see a wonderful sight. An eagle was soaring through the window, its wings stretched out fully, gliding into the room. I knew it was Severus at once, the eagle was almost all black and its eyes were fixed with a fierce glare that could belong to no one else.
He transformed a few feet from the ground and skidded on his hands and knees, gasping for breath.
'Severus, you shouldn't be here …' I whispered shakily, stepping towards him.
'Oh, Hermione … I'm so glad you're … I thought … Did you deliver the potion?'
'Sshhh. Yes, I delivered it, but I don't want anyone to hear you. They'll kill you straight away if they know you're here.' I reached him and pulled him into a hug.
'I love you so much, Hermione. I couldn't stand it if they killed you. I don't know how I could go on.' He whispered in my ear, gripping me tightly.
'I love you too, Severus, but how do we get out of here now? If someone comes in to get me, you're dead. The room is magic proofed.' I said hurriedly, before realising. 'Hang on a moment. How did you transform if it's magic proof?'
'The dark mark probably deactivates the protection charms, or something … but you're right, we need to get out of here, and now.' He thought for a moment. 'You transform, and I'll carry you out as an eagle.'
'I can't transform, remember.'
'Yes, sorry. I'll have to transform you then.'
'Can you do that?'
'Of course, hang on.' He kissed me on the forehead, then pulled his wand out. He transformed me into my cat form, then put his wand away and transformed into an eagle. Then he gathered the skin on my neck up in his beak, beating his wings powerfully as we soared upwards towards the window. His beak was clamped down on my fur so I didn't fall, and it was starting to hurt quite a lot. Outside now, I was able to will myself to disappear. It took seconds only to reach The Hanged Man, and we were flying through the window in no time at all. When he let go of me I landed on my feet and transformed, rubbing the back of my neck. Severus had transformed beside me, and was spitting bits of fur out of his mouth. To get to safety as quickly as possible I grabbed a pinch of floo powder from the mantelpiece, threw it in the fire and shouted 'Hogwarts'.
In no time at all, after spinning past dozens of fire places, I was spat out into the Hogwarts Entrance Hall, which was deserted. I gathered myself to my feet just as Severus shot out of the fireplace.
'Safe, at last.' I said, breathing deeply.
'Not for long.' He reminded me, standing up and brushing soot away.
'Maybe not, but for now, at least.' I said, walking over to him. 'Severus, thank you for coming to save me, I might not have got out alive otherwise.'
'Hermione, I've told you. I had to come. I meant it when I said I loved you. You mean the world to me.' He whispered.
'Oh, Severus, I love you more than anything. Even if you have hurt my neck.' I laughed. He smiled at me then, and pulled me into his arms. I buried my head into his neck, crying with the relief that we had both returned safely, and crying with joy at what I had found inside this man, who I had always assumed to be incapable of love, incapable of even feeling anything whatsoever. The feeling was the complete opposite of what I had felt earlier when the Dementors were guarding my door, as if all bad thoughts had now been sucked away and all that was left were happy feelings and thoughts. I pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes, which were smiling back at me with all the elation I felt. Our lips met in the sweetest kiss I have ever experienced, or probably would ever experience, before I heard someone shout.
'Hermione?'
I turned around slowly to see Ron and Harry coming down the marble staircase. A look of stunned disbelief was on Ron's face, whether it was because I had returned safely or because he had just caught me kissing our most hated Hogwarts teacher, I didn't know. Harry didn't seem to have noticed, and was smiling, relieved at my appearance.
'Hermione, thank God you're okay.' Harry said, running down the stairs towards me and crushing me in a hug as I let go of Severus. 'Did you deliver the potion? Everyone's getting ready to leave.'
'Yes, yes, I did it.' I said, smiling at Ron, who was still staring at me in disbelief.
'Good, come on, Albus will want to know you're here.' He said, walking over to a room next to the Great Hall. Ron followed him numbly. I shrugged my shoulders at Severus, and he put his arm around me as we followed them into the room.
A/N
Thank you to Chad Weasley(x8!!), ChishionoTenshi, Static Wolf, DragonFireAngelVWP, Ponine, kittykat52788 and mashnut.
Chad Weasley – Thanx for all 8 of your reviews!
DragonFireAngelVWP – Yes, I am English. Actually, it means I could get my OOTP copy about 8 hours before you, because of time difference, but I'm getting it delivered so I won't get it at midnight anyway. I have left school now, so I don't have to get up early, but I am doing lots of work so I get to my first choice university. Oh yeah, and I think the next movie is coming out next spring.
Ponine – He could see her because he had a magical eye, like mad-eye Moody. Magical eyes can see things that are invisible to others. Sorry if that wasn't clear, I get a bit carried away some times and miss things out.
Mashnut – Its okay, you won't have to eat vomit flavoured beans. You've reviewed now, that's the important thing!
Thank you to everyone, please review lots on this chapter, I want to get to 100. I'm on 92 now, so it shouldn't be too hard. The one hundredth can have a massive bar of honeydukes chocolate and a 10,000 galleon trolley dash in Diagon Alley, plus top box tickets for the Quidditch World Cup final! So hurry! Bye.