Disclaimer: See Chapter one if its so necessary.
Sitting in the middle of the green and silver rug that covered most of Severus' floor sat a large shaggy black dog.
"Sirius!" She cried.
"Hermione." Said the man who had replaced the dog in a matter of seconds. "Harry said you had moved down here with . . . him. I'm sorry about your family." Said Sirius. He looked haggard, like a man who has been on his feet far to long and could use a decent rest.
"Right. Well, if that's all you have come here to say, then I trust you can find your way out . . ." Severus said strainedly.
"That's not all I have to say, thankyou very much. The Dark Lord is looking for you Snape. Searching. Did you not feel the mark burn a few days ago? He calls . . . He is waiting. He will come here soon. He will find you." Sirius said seriously.
Severus paled. "Have you told Albus yet?" He asked faintly.
"No. I thought you should know first." Sirius said.
"Go. Tell him. Now. MOVE!" Severus barked it like the order that it was and pop there was the dog again and it ran through the open door.
"Shit." Severus swore. "I never thought I'd see the day that Sirius Black came to save my ass . . ." His voice wavered a bit and Hermione had a sudden compelling urge to go over and hug him.
"Severus . . . Relax . . . It'll be alright." Hermione stumbled over her words as they came up her throat.
Severus jumped. "I forgot you were in here. Come here." He said, not really sure what he was going to do. He was leaning heavily against the wall for support. When Hermione reached him, he doubled over in pain. He clutched at his left forearm, crying out softly. Hermione grabbed him by both of his forearms, which was a huge mistake.
"Fuck!" Severus yelled. Doubling up once more. Hermione's mind had completely lost what had made her such a good student in a moment.
She grabbed him up by his shoulders and kissed him, hard. Rational thought came back in a moment and she pulled back. To her great relief, he was no more doubled up with pain, but looking at her intently.
"Was I supposed to take that as a 'I'm ready Severus' or 'Hey, I'm only trying to make you stop spasming out on the floor'?" He gave her a critical look.
"I don't know. I suppose it was half of both." She said, shaking her head now and then trying to make rational thought come back more quickly.
"How long do you figure you still need?" He asked, silently hoping it wasn't long.
"I don't rightly know. A week, a year. You can't really put a time limit upon these things Sev." She said quietly. She stood, walking back to her room to get dressed. She left a thinking Severus over next to his wall.
When she entered her room she collapsed upon the bed thinking, it's the first day of June, my parents' funeral is in 3 days, who'll blame me for three more hours of sleep?
Apparently, Severus Snape would.
He entered Hermione's room only to find that she was collapsed on the bed, pretending to be asleep.
"Hermione, I have to talk to you." He said before he could stop himself.
"About . . .?" She prompted.
"Your parents' funeral. Who are you taking?" He asked.
"You, Harry, Ron, Sirius. Minerva and Albus, why?" She asked.
"Just curious." He said casually.
Unfortunately Hermione wasn't fooled. "Why?" She asked again.
"Why not?" He smiled and left. (A/N I know that I got that from someone else's story, and I will probably borrow more from it, SORRY!!!)
~~*~~
Damn that man! He knows you far to well Hermione Lynn Granger. Damn him. She thought bitterly to herself. She only used her middle name in times of great frustration, or bitterness.
You know, if I didn't know better, I would swear you love him. Said the highly annoying voice in the back of her head.
I do not. She argued.
Do to. Her conscience said.
Not.
Do.
Not.
Do.
I don't and I'm not arguing with you anymore.
~~*~~
At about lunch, Hermione went around and told everyone she had wanted to come to her parents' funeral that she wanted them to come.
It seemed that only Albus, Minerva, and Severus could make it. Harry, Ron and Sirius had been sent off on an important secret mission.
The fourth drew ever nearer and Hermione had stopped sleeping. Severus was getting very worried about her and on the third he finally drugged her into a dreamless sleep.
~~*~~
They apparated from Hogsmeade to a small grouping of trees, nearest the church where the funeral would take place. As soon as Hermione laid eyes on the place where she used to go to church as a child, she started to cry silently. Some of her cousins and Uncles were gathered around and a few of her Aunts too. Her Grandmother was still there, and she hurried over to Hermione as soon as it was possible.
"Hermione, dear, are you alright. Come here dear child." She cooed.
"Gran, I'm not a child anymore." Hermione said chokingly.
"I know deary. I'm sorry. Your mother and father meant the world to us all. Not to mention most of your cousins . . ." Her voice trailed off.
Hermione walked over to her remaining cousins attempting to make a cheery conversation. It didn't seem to be working.
"ITS ALL HER FALT!" A voice carried from the small group of girls. The conversation continued but in quieter tones. There seemed to be some rivalry between the girls and soon an ashen-faced Hermione burst from the small group, crying over to a hovel where she knew she wouldn't be followed.
Albus and Minerva ran over to Hermione and started the process of making her feel better. Severus however, glided over to the group of remaining girls and laid a hand on the one who had yelled.
"You do know that there is a girl over there who is crying because of one of you?" He asked, putting on his best oily Potions Master voice. All four girls nodded.
"Do any of you know why?" He asked menacingly.
They nodded again. "I only said the truth." Piped up one of them.
"What did you tell her?" Severus asked completely menacing now.
The girl quailed. "I told her that if she hadn't been a witch my aunt and uncle would still be here.' She said timidly.
"Go apologize." He ordered. No one dared move. "Go. Now." He said. They all ran over to Hermione, Minerva, and Albus. All of them started stuttering apologies as quickly as they could. Then they scattered.
"What did you do Severus?" Minerva asked tartly.
"I just told them to apologize." He said and walked over to Hermione. "Are you alright Mione?" He asked.
"No. But I'm better than I was." She looked up at him and gave a weak half smile. "I think its time to go home." She said, and they all apparated back to the Hogwarts gates.
Hermione went immediately to the dungeons and locked herself in. The only person she would let talk to her was Severus, and that was only from massive amounts of pleading on his part.
"Fine. You can come in Severus." She sighed.
"Thankyou." She was sitting at the window seat reading a book. Hogwarts; A History. He inwardly groaned. She was obviously pretending to read it, it was upside down. He sat down across from her on the small seat and gently flipped the book right side up. She let out a small 'eep!' and looked him in the eyes.
"Are you all right, Hermione?" he asked.
"Oh yes!' Hermione said sarcastically, "My parents and most of my cousins are dead, They had a funeral today and I find out that my remaining family either thinks I'm a freak or brought upon their deaths. Oh yes! I bloody hell would be alright, wouldn't you?" She was yelling by then and was confused enough that she really didn't know what she was saying. He still got angry though.
"Get over it Hermione." He said in a deathly quiet and calm voice, "They were just a bunch of useless muggles anyway!" He said it very fast.
WHOOSH-THUNK! Hogwarts had left her hands (right side up, by the way) and had met Severus Snape's head with a satisfying thud. She awoke him so that she could whisper in his ear:
"If you say one more thing like that about my family, or muggles in general, more will reach your head than just a book. Do you understand?" he knew she was far too angry for him to speak so he just gave a tentative nod. "Come here Sev. You really don't want anything more than a bump there. You're gonna be in for one massive headache." He groaned.
She skillfully took her wand from her sleeve and muttered a few healing spells. Than she fixed the new Severus shaped dent in Hogwarts; A History.
"Is it safe to ask if you are all right?" He said suddenly.
"I'll be fine Sev. Go eat dinner or something." She was braiding her hair, which over the years had gone from bushy mass, to sleek plate. She continued to braid, faintly aware that Severus was still in the room and was watching her.
"I had once asked Minerva why you whore your hair like that, she said as a sign of femininity. Was she correct?" He looked politely puzzled, and a bit out of sorts in all this green.
"She would think that wouldn't she?" She asked with a chuckle. "No, really I'm not sure why. Shall we go to dinner?" She asked casually.
"Of course." He then offered his arm and she took it without question.
~~*~~
"You know you're right, right?" Severus asked her over dinner.
"About what?" she asked.
"I have a *massive* headache." He said dryly.
Hermione laughed, earning her a sidelong glance from Madam Hooch, her eyes forever reminding Hermione of a hawk.
"I'm sorry to hear that Severus. Do you have any idea how you got it? Your headache, I mean." Severus could tell she was putting on a show for the very interested staff, and one couldn't miss the fire of amusement alight in her chocolate brown eyes.
"I believe I was reading a book, when it suddenly came and hit me in the side of the head." He was looking at Madam Pince, for she was known to put spells on the books in the library and if they were mistreated, the book would take some action or other to get the reader back.
The whole of the staff table laughed, including Severus, but he only laughed timidly, for obviously, his head was being a pain the arse.
"After dinner, Severus, you should come see me in the infirmary." Poppy Pomfrey said loudly so Severus could hear her.
He groaned. "Fine, fine. Only if it means you won't drag me down there this month for a check up?" He said.
"Alright. We have a deal." Poppy confirmed.
~~*~~
Severus came back to the dungeons to find Hermione asleep on the couch, Hogwarts; A History rising and falling on her chest. He winced when he saw the title of the book, but got over it as he saw Hermione's eyes flicker open and register upon him.
"Lo Sev." She said groggily.
"Lo Mione." He said in return. She tried to get up to go to her room but stumbled over only to fall into Severus' arms. (hey, doesn't THAT sound familiar?) He scooped her up in his arms without hesitation and walked her the short distance down the hall to her room. He pulled the blankets up to her chin and turned to the door.
"Goodnight love." He said softly, and left.
"Goodnight, Severus." She whispered and fell asleep.
~~*~~
A/N I know this was a short chapter and I am sorry. Thank you to the four people who reviewed, and I thank anyone who reads this, even if they don't review. I love you all! Happy Holidayz.
Sitting in the middle of the green and silver rug that covered most of Severus' floor sat a large shaggy black dog.
"Sirius!" She cried.
"Hermione." Said the man who had replaced the dog in a matter of seconds. "Harry said you had moved down here with . . . him. I'm sorry about your family." Said Sirius. He looked haggard, like a man who has been on his feet far to long and could use a decent rest.
"Right. Well, if that's all you have come here to say, then I trust you can find your way out . . ." Severus said strainedly.
"That's not all I have to say, thankyou very much. The Dark Lord is looking for you Snape. Searching. Did you not feel the mark burn a few days ago? He calls . . . He is waiting. He will come here soon. He will find you." Sirius said seriously.
Severus paled. "Have you told Albus yet?" He asked faintly.
"No. I thought you should know first." Sirius said.
"Go. Tell him. Now. MOVE!" Severus barked it like the order that it was and pop there was the dog again and it ran through the open door.
"Shit." Severus swore. "I never thought I'd see the day that Sirius Black came to save my ass . . ." His voice wavered a bit and Hermione had a sudden compelling urge to go over and hug him.
"Severus . . . Relax . . . It'll be alright." Hermione stumbled over her words as they came up her throat.
Severus jumped. "I forgot you were in here. Come here." He said, not really sure what he was going to do. He was leaning heavily against the wall for support. When Hermione reached him, he doubled over in pain. He clutched at his left forearm, crying out softly. Hermione grabbed him by both of his forearms, which was a huge mistake.
"Fuck!" Severus yelled. Doubling up once more. Hermione's mind had completely lost what had made her such a good student in a moment.
She grabbed him up by his shoulders and kissed him, hard. Rational thought came back in a moment and she pulled back. To her great relief, he was no more doubled up with pain, but looking at her intently.
"Was I supposed to take that as a 'I'm ready Severus' or 'Hey, I'm only trying to make you stop spasming out on the floor'?" He gave her a critical look.
"I don't know. I suppose it was half of both." She said, shaking her head now and then trying to make rational thought come back more quickly.
"How long do you figure you still need?" He asked, silently hoping it wasn't long.
"I don't rightly know. A week, a year. You can't really put a time limit upon these things Sev." She said quietly. She stood, walking back to her room to get dressed. She left a thinking Severus over next to his wall.
When she entered her room she collapsed upon the bed thinking, it's the first day of June, my parents' funeral is in 3 days, who'll blame me for three more hours of sleep?
Apparently, Severus Snape would.
He entered Hermione's room only to find that she was collapsed on the bed, pretending to be asleep.
"Hermione, I have to talk to you." He said before he could stop himself.
"About . . .?" She prompted.
"Your parents' funeral. Who are you taking?" He asked.
"You, Harry, Ron, Sirius. Minerva and Albus, why?" She asked.
"Just curious." He said casually.
Unfortunately Hermione wasn't fooled. "Why?" She asked again.
"Why not?" He smiled and left. (A/N I know that I got that from someone else's story, and I will probably borrow more from it, SORRY!!!)
~~*~~
Damn that man! He knows you far to well Hermione Lynn Granger. Damn him. She thought bitterly to herself. She only used her middle name in times of great frustration, or bitterness.
You know, if I didn't know better, I would swear you love him. Said the highly annoying voice in the back of her head.
I do not. She argued.
Do to. Her conscience said.
Not.
Do.
Not.
Do.
I don't and I'm not arguing with you anymore.
~~*~~
At about lunch, Hermione went around and told everyone she had wanted to come to her parents' funeral that she wanted them to come.
It seemed that only Albus, Minerva, and Severus could make it. Harry, Ron and Sirius had been sent off on an important secret mission.
The fourth drew ever nearer and Hermione had stopped sleeping. Severus was getting very worried about her and on the third he finally drugged her into a dreamless sleep.
~~*~~
They apparated from Hogsmeade to a small grouping of trees, nearest the church where the funeral would take place. As soon as Hermione laid eyes on the place where she used to go to church as a child, she started to cry silently. Some of her cousins and Uncles were gathered around and a few of her Aunts too. Her Grandmother was still there, and she hurried over to Hermione as soon as it was possible.
"Hermione, dear, are you alright. Come here dear child." She cooed.
"Gran, I'm not a child anymore." Hermione said chokingly.
"I know deary. I'm sorry. Your mother and father meant the world to us all. Not to mention most of your cousins . . ." Her voice trailed off.
Hermione walked over to her remaining cousins attempting to make a cheery conversation. It didn't seem to be working.
"ITS ALL HER FALT!" A voice carried from the small group of girls. The conversation continued but in quieter tones. There seemed to be some rivalry between the girls and soon an ashen-faced Hermione burst from the small group, crying over to a hovel where she knew she wouldn't be followed.
Albus and Minerva ran over to Hermione and started the process of making her feel better. Severus however, glided over to the group of remaining girls and laid a hand on the one who had yelled.
"You do know that there is a girl over there who is crying because of one of you?" He asked, putting on his best oily Potions Master voice. All four girls nodded.
"Do any of you know why?" He asked menacingly.
They nodded again. "I only said the truth." Piped up one of them.
"What did you tell her?" Severus asked completely menacing now.
The girl quailed. "I told her that if she hadn't been a witch my aunt and uncle would still be here.' She said timidly.
"Go apologize." He ordered. No one dared move. "Go. Now." He said. They all ran over to Hermione, Minerva, and Albus. All of them started stuttering apologies as quickly as they could. Then they scattered.
"What did you do Severus?" Minerva asked tartly.
"I just told them to apologize." He said and walked over to Hermione. "Are you alright Mione?" He asked.
"No. But I'm better than I was." She looked up at him and gave a weak half smile. "I think its time to go home." She said, and they all apparated back to the Hogwarts gates.
Hermione went immediately to the dungeons and locked herself in. The only person she would let talk to her was Severus, and that was only from massive amounts of pleading on his part.
"Fine. You can come in Severus." She sighed.
"Thankyou." She was sitting at the window seat reading a book. Hogwarts; A History. He inwardly groaned. She was obviously pretending to read it, it was upside down. He sat down across from her on the small seat and gently flipped the book right side up. She let out a small 'eep!' and looked him in the eyes.
"Are you all right, Hermione?" he asked.
"Oh yes!' Hermione said sarcastically, "My parents and most of my cousins are dead, They had a funeral today and I find out that my remaining family either thinks I'm a freak or brought upon their deaths. Oh yes! I bloody hell would be alright, wouldn't you?" She was yelling by then and was confused enough that she really didn't know what she was saying. He still got angry though.
"Get over it Hermione." He said in a deathly quiet and calm voice, "They were just a bunch of useless muggles anyway!" He said it very fast.
WHOOSH-THUNK! Hogwarts had left her hands (right side up, by the way) and had met Severus Snape's head with a satisfying thud. She awoke him so that she could whisper in his ear:
"If you say one more thing like that about my family, or muggles in general, more will reach your head than just a book. Do you understand?" he knew she was far too angry for him to speak so he just gave a tentative nod. "Come here Sev. You really don't want anything more than a bump there. You're gonna be in for one massive headache." He groaned.
She skillfully took her wand from her sleeve and muttered a few healing spells. Than she fixed the new Severus shaped dent in Hogwarts; A History.
"Is it safe to ask if you are all right?" He said suddenly.
"I'll be fine Sev. Go eat dinner or something." She was braiding her hair, which over the years had gone from bushy mass, to sleek plate. She continued to braid, faintly aware that Severus was still in the room and was watching her.
"I had once asked Minerva why you whore your hair like that, she said as a sign of femininity. Was she correct?" He looked politely puzzled, and a bit out of sorts in all this green.
"She would think that wouldn't she?" She asked with a chuckle. "No, really I'm not sure why. Shall we go to dinner?" She asked casually.
"Of course." He then offered his arm and she took it without question.
~~*~~
"You know you're right, right?" Severus asked her over dinner.
"About what?" she asked.
"I have a *massive* headache." He said dryly.
Hermione laughed, earning her a sidelong glance from Madam Hooch, her eyes forever reminding Hermione of a hawk.
"I'm sorry to hear that Severus. Do you have any idea how you got it? Your headache, I mean." Severus could tell she was putting on a show for the very interested staff, and one couldn't miss the fire of amusement alight in her chocolate brown eyes.
"I believe I was reading a book, when it suddenly came and hit me in the side of the head." He was looking at Madam Pince, for she was known to put spells on the books in the library and if they were mistreated, the book would take some action or other to get the reader back.
The whole of the staff table laughed, including Severus, but he only laughed timidly, for obviously, his head was being a pain the arse.
"After dinner, Severus, you should come see me in the infirmary." Poppy Pomfrey said loudly so Severus could hear her.
He groaned. "Fine, fine. Only if it means you won't drag me down there this month for a check up?" He said.
"Alright. We have a deal." Poppy confirmed.
~~*~~
Severus came back to the dungeons to find Hermione asleep on the couch, Hogwarts; A History rising and falling on her chest. He winced when he saw the title of the book, but got over it as he saw Hermione's eyes flicker open and register upon him.
"Lo Sev." She said groggily.
"Lo Mione." He said in return. She tried to get up to go to her room but stumbled over only to fall into Severus' arms. (hey, doesn't THAT sound familiar?) He scooped her up in his arms without hesitation and walked her the short distance down the hall to her room. He pulled the blankets up to her chin and turned to the door.
"Goodnight love." He said softly, and left.
"Goodnight, Severus." She whispered and fell asleep.
~~*~~
A/N I know this was a short chapter and I am sorry. Thank you to the four people who reviewed, and I thank anyone who reads this, even if they don't review. I love you all! Happy Holidayz.