Echoes
Chapter 8: A Human Reaction
All thoughts and restraint instantly vanished, as Hermione's senses were filled. Snape's mouth covered hers in a deep kiss that was more forceful than she expected, taking her breath away. His passion and his words worked to increase her anticipation, heightening the warm tingling sensation that pulsed through her.
He had told her that he needed her with such fierce desperation that his words encompassed her heart and still rang in her ears. His body pressed tightly against hers, and she instinctively responded by lifting her leg, wrapping it around his waist. His arm slid between her thighs and propped her higher against the door as her other leg crossed behind Snape's back. The door creaked slightly on its hinges as they shifted, though Hermione's mind barely registered the sound.
The air seemed to grow thick and her head swam with sensations, so that she was oblivious to everything but him.
He thrust hard against her and she gasped in his mouth, her hands tangled in his soft hair. She looked down at him, and he smiled wickedly up at her. The way his smile carried to his eyes, causing his wrinkles to be accentuated, endeared him to her. His nose was so near hers, she leaned down, touching the tip of her tongue to its crooked bump, tasting the saltiness of his skin. She pulled back and returned his devilish grin, gazing into his shiny black eyes.
"You are so beautiful," he murmured touching her cheek with his thumb, his other fingers cradling her head.
He opened his mouth and reinitiated their kiss, tongues hungrily caressing. The taste of whiskey, his taste, soon became strong in her mouth, exciting her. When he finally moved away, Hermione's lips felt cool as she gasped for breath and the moisture evaporated.
A low groan permeated from deep within his throat and his hand moved down unbuttoning his slacks, while his mouth moved to her jawline, biting it hard. Hermione flinched and jerked her head back, allowing Snape to turn his attentions to her neck. His tongue ran a wet thin line down, and he pulled her into him tightly, sucking on her skin just above her collar. Hermione whimpered and leaned her head forward covering him with her thick layers of hair.
His hand ran under her sweater, up the side of her waist, rubbing his fingers roughly over her ribcage until his hand was cupping her small breast.
Hermione was suddenly very pleased that she had forgotten her underwear, and realized that they both were still wearing far too much clothing.
The excitement was building in her. His kisses and touches were so passionate and intense, that she tightened her legs, pushing her pelvis against him.
"I missed you," she whispered.
Her words prompted him to hug her tightly for a moment, hiding his face in her neck. He released a deep breath and his hands moved down to her bottom and lifted her carrying her with unfocused steps; all the while, kissing and touching, until they came to an abrupt stop as they bumped into the sofa.
Hermione soon found herself awkwardly positioned on the sofa back.
"This will do for now," Snape smiled as he moved against her opened legs. He quickly relieved Hermione of her sweater, and his attentions moved to her collarbone and breasts, teasing and biting as her hand slipped down into his opened pants, urging him on. She positioned her toes around his waist and pulled down his slacks and underwear.
She could feel the fire that raged behind the hearth radiate onto her back, yet its warmth was nothing to the heat between them. He quickly stepped out of his shoes and slacks, and closed his eyes enjoying the feel of her hand sliding along him.
"Bed," he grunted as he picked her gracelessly back up, this time making it to the bedroom, and they tumbled onto the mattress together. Their remaining clothes were quickly removed, as their bodies molded into each other.
~~~***~~~
Hermione lay staring at the ceiling, Snape covering her with his sleep. His arm was wrapped around her tiny stomach, and his leg was draped heavily over hers. His gentle breaths floated over her collarbone.
Hermione reflected on the experience that had been both passionate and intense. His touches, though less delicate from drink, had been very attentive.
She looked down at him and gently swiped the stray strands of black hair from his face. She had always loved watching him sleep. It was one of the few times that his many defensive layers peeled away. Many would imagine that he slept with a scowl on his face, but it was not so. His features were gentle and soft, much more relaxed than Hermione was feeling.
Slowly all of her doubts and fears, which she had been pushed to the back of her mind, had wormed their way to her consciousness. She remembered the intense emotions Severus had displayed earlier, which ran from pleasure and happiness to desire and affection. Unfortunately, Hermione was not confident that these emotions would continue when he awoke. Her fears were not without merit. The last time they had been together, his apparent affections had faded quickly.
Hermione's body tensed as unpleasant memories of their talk by the lake filled her mind.
Whatever feelings Snape had held for her then, had not been enough for him to desire a relationship with her. She doubted whether his wishes had changed during their separation. She hoped, rather than believed, her fears were unfounded.
And now, with her mind whirling, his closeness became intolerable. She could not sleep, and she could not bear to lay still waiting for him to awake.
His embrace, which should have been comforting, only compounded her fears, as she realized that it might mean nothing more than a convenient sleeping arrangement for him. She worried that the man now lying so warmly next to her would soon become cold and unfeeling.
She began to feel trapped, claustrophobic in his arms. She brought her free hand to her forehead to calm herself, but it did little to help.
She knew she did not wish to be there when Snape woke up. If he was to reject her again, she wished to enter into the discussion with as much dignity as possible.
She slid smoothly from under him, gently allowing his arm and leg to fall onto the mattress. Quietly she pulled on her slacks and sweater and made to leave.
As she walked to the door, she was in such a hurry, she did not notice the large book she had left on the floor and almost tripped, as her foot banged into it.
Looking down, she realized that research, whenever her mind cleared, might be the distraction she needed from all that had happened. She picked up Snape's notes and left.
Luckily, Harry's door was still closed as she shuffled past. She had no idea what state of disarray she was currently in, but knew it was best not to be seen.
She made her way into her room, closing the door and warding it before allowing herself to react to her emotions. A rush of feelings flooded into her mind, so that she felt unsteady and disorientated. Taking a deep breath, she rested her head against the wall, slowly regaining her balance.
She knew hiding was not going to solve anything, but at the moment, she needed the solitude to sort out her thoughts.
She threw Snape's notes to the bed and paced her room, not knowing how she felt, but definitely uneasy about everything.
One of her more energetic paces took her into the bathroom, and she glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She froze staring at her image in shock. Her hair frizzed out in strange knots and odd crimps, but that was not what had caught her attention.
"Brilliant," she mocked as she touched the tender bruises on her jaw and neck.
The mirror tutted its disapproval, which was definitely not what Hermione needed to hear at the moment.
Glaring at her reflection, she pulled out her wand, and the mirror suddenly became silent.
Hermione smiled with some sense of victory. For having no apparent brain, the mirror certainly knew when to go quiet.
She directed her wand at the dark bruises and puffy bite marks pushing all thoughts, except those to heal, from her mind, and the bruises faded away.
Now, if only she could as easily mend the rest of her situation.
She plodded slowly to the bed and collapsed, covering her eyes with her forearm. So much had happened in the past two days, she could not begin to fathom the many effects these things would have on her life and her mind.
She sighed, bringing her arm down to her waist.
At least she knew what to expect from Snape when he awoke. She decided this time, she would not go look for him. Maybe if she avoided him as much as possible, there would be no need for their inevitable talk.
These thoughts lingered in her head for longer than she would have liked, until at last there was a knock.
She hesitated staring nervously at the door.
Another knock sounded, and Harry's voice called out, "Hermione?"
"One moment," she managed to utter, before sitting up. She took a deep breath and flattened her hair with her hands. After she had composed herself as best she could, she headed for the door.
Cracking the door open slightly, she muttered, "Hi Harry."
Harry smiled curiously back, holding his Thunderbolt.
Hermione wondered where he was planning to go flying, as he asked, "Can I come in?"
Hermione backed up crossing her arms, letting the door swing open.
As he entered, Harry leaned his broom against the door frame and went to sit on the end of her bed.
"What's this?" Harry questioned reaching for Snape's notes.
Hermione grabbed the large book and set it under the nightstand before Harry had a chance to peruse the notes and question her on things she did not wish to discuss.
"It's research," she answered trying to sound nonchalant, but not quite succeeding.
Harry didn't seem to notice however, so she joined him on the bed, leaning her back against the head board.
He kicked his feet as they dangled off the edge of the bed, and asked, "Where's Crookshanks?"
Hermione pointed, "Under the bed. He's not used to the new surroundings yet."
Harry sighed, "I wish I could say the same. I've had enough of this place to last a lifetime. I'm already bored. I can't imagine being trapped here for very long," and he flopped onto his back and stared at the ceiling.
Suddenly he asked, "Do you feel like you have no control over anything?"
"More and more each day," she simply stated. Harry didn't realize how much she felt it at the moment.
"Everyone is always telling me what to do and where to live. I can't stay with Sirius, and now I'm forced to live with Snape," he stressed the last word with disgust. He sighed and added, "I don't suppose he can be much worse than the Dursleys though."
Trying to lead the conversation away from Snape, she motioned towards his broom and asked, "What's that for?"
"Well, I can't just sit around here and do nothing." He smiled mischievously, "I want to go scout out the area."
"Harry you can't. The house is warded and unless you remember the spell to enter..."
"It's something to do, besides I want to find out where we are. Snape's probably fine, but there is something I don't trust about him." He turned his head pleadingly toward her, "Come on, you have to be able to come up with some way that we can leave for a little while. Aren't you at all curious?" He smiled lightly knowing she would relent.
"I suppose I could place a Binding Charm on the entrance, keep it from closing up completely. But I only have my cloak, and it is bitter cold out there."
Harry's face lit up at this and he said enthusiastically, ready for a new adventure, "There has to be some winter wear in this house." He summoned Dobby, and they waited.
After a few minutes, Hermione became concerned. House-elves were always very attentive, even strange one's like Dobby.
Hermione looked at Harry who only shrugged saying, "Maybe he's busy with Snape."
Hermione nodded slightly, but she doubted if Snape was in any state to ask for Dobby's assistance.
Harry tried again. This time, Dobby instantly shot up through the floor like an apparition, though much more solid.
"Dobby is sorry Harry Potter Sir. Dobby got lost."
Though the tiny creature was no longer openly sobbing, there was an air of confusion to him. His normally perky ears hung low, and his green eyes were slightly dull. His hands kneaded together nervously. He was acting even more unusual than normal, if that was possible.
Hermione decided it was best not to question the little elf, and began, "I need some suitable boots, and thick mittens and a scarf, anything for enduring the elements."
The word "anything" proved to be a mistake as Dobby nodded and heaps of clothing fell around her.
Hermione smiled, slightly rolling her eyes at Harry as they bent over picking through the pile.
"Here, these look about right," Harry said handing her a pair of tall black boots.
Soon, she had more than enough hats, scarves, mittens and boots for ten winters in the little cabin. Harry went back to his rooms to change, and Hermione sat down on her bed pulling on the many thick layers until she felt like the stuffing in a pillow.
As she wrapped the scarf around her mouth and neck, she realized how livid Snape would be if they were caught. She considered whether his anger would be better or worse than the lecture for which she was already preparing.
She met Harry at the top of the stairs, and she stomped with her heavy boots to the exit, charming it open before leaving.
The moment Hermione stepped outside, she was very glad to have the extra layers, as the freezing wind blew across the small patch of exposed skin on her face. Ignoring the bitter cold, Hermione looked to see the sun dimly lighting the area and the most enormous mountain peak in the distance.
"It's lovely!" Hermione exclaimed at the natural beauty that surrounded her. "Where to?" She asked, her voice slightly muffled by her thick scarf.
Harry pointed off into the distance toward the mountains, "How about that way?"
They trudged through the heavy snow for a while. The trees loomed high above them. Hermione noticed that although tall, they were quite thin and spread out.
She took some comfort in the different arrangement of this forest, yet the sight of the trees, even in the daytime, gave Hermione an uneasy feeling.
"I'm not sure what you're expecting to find out here. I think we could go for miles and see nothing but woods," Hermione said warily.
"Let's find out," Harry replied, calling up his broom. "Hop on, I'll take you for a ride."
"Thank you, but no. I'm more than fine just watching," and Hermione brushed the snow off a fallen log and sat down.
She wrapped her cloak tightly around her and watched Harry zip through the trees. He really was a talented and daring broomsman. Hermione held her breath each time he nearly crashed into a branch or a trunk or the ground. His antics proved a nice distraction from her worries, and she smiled lightly.
The chill from the severe Alaskan winter quickly seeped through her clothing. The low lying sun did as little to warm the air, as her inactivity did to warm her body. It amazed Hermione that although she had experienced a magical storm more bitter cold than this, her mind could not accurately remember the intense feelings she had experienced, so that this cold was still shocking to her senses.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the strangest bellow. The noise reminded Hermione of a strangled dragon.
"Look!" Harry exclaimed as he zoomed by her. In the near distance, an enormous moose next to a smaller hornless one trotted through the snow. Hermione thought the smaller creature was huge, but it must have been just a yearling.
If she hadn't recently been through the most tortuous storm, she may have even thought the sight enjoyable. As it was, she observed her surroundings with interest, but the nagging cold only made her wish to return to the warmth and never be exposed to nature again.
The thought of being holed up in front of a warm fire was very tempting indeed.
After a short time, Harry landed, face red from the cold, breathing heavily from the excitement.
"I'm hungry let's go eat," he said.
Harry looked at her seriously, "If I promise to go slow, will you ride with me back?"
Hermione smiled and nodded mounting the broom, and they gently glided back to the little cabin.
As she made her way to the kitchen, Hermione felt strange. She wasn't sure what her body needed, but figured food was as good as anything else. She didn't feel hungry, but she knew she should eat, as she hadn't since the day before.
Unfortunately, dinner in a magical home with a confused house-elf was not a simple or enjoyable affair. Hermione was just about to search through the cupboards when Dobby appeared.
"Oh Harry Potter Sir and Miss. Dobby will cook for you," he squeaked, his ears quivering slightly.
Hermione sighed knowing all too well that it was a mistake and followed Harry into the dining room.
A plate of the most disgusting mess magically appeared on the table in front of her. Hermione could not quite decide if the gray heap was mashed potatoes or scrambled eggs, and she looked cautiously over at Harry whose eyes were focused in horror at his own plate. Not wishing to hurt Dobby's feelings, she ventured to eat a small bite, which was quickly and not altogether inconspicuously spit out into her napkin.
She paused for a moment contemplating her options. "Mmm, I'm really not hungry." She tried to sound sincere. She yawned, "I think what I need is rest."
"I'm going to take some cold turkey and ham up to Crookshanks," and she pushed her chair away from the table.
Dobby made to help, but Hermione insisted, "I can easily get it by myself, thank you anyway."
She grabbed what she could, as quickly as possible, before Dobby decided to help again. She walked past the dining room on her way to her room and noticed Harry was still sitting, staring in shock at his food.
When she reached her room, she entered quietly and knelt down on the floor. Holding a chunk of meat in front of her, she coaxed Crookshanks out from his hiding spot, and carried him to her bed. She sat with her cat, petting his long fur and picking apart the meat.
And as she and Crookshanks ate, exhaustion finally took over.
Hermione became so tired, that all of her anxiety, thoughts and feelings drifted away, so that she was no longer restless. The moment her head hit the pillow, she fell into a deep, exhausted sleep; at last not contemplating the many awful things that had and could happen.