Stolen Child
Chapter 21
That Was Just a Dream
Hermione woke Wednesday morning, and smiled before she even opened her eyes. That night was the staff Christmas party. She stretched lazily and then rolled over, staring out her window at the dimly lit tops of the trees bordering the forbidden forest- the only she could really see from her vantage point. Since Monday she had been filled with building excitement, which had a strange undertone of gentle peace. There was so much ahead of her, so many things happening, frightening, and wonderful as well. But no matter what, she had a solution she would be content with, and for the first time in six years, she wasn't afraid. She could die, she could live, she could triumph or fail- it did not matter, she was happy, and she would try, and she would give it her best, the outcome was not what mattered.
Slowly she rose from her bed, taking a moment to lightly touch her wand sitting on her end table. The day before she had visited the library early in the morning and had scanned through every book she could find on hexes, spells, curses, and charms and then had presented her new knowledge to Professor Snape in their evening lesson, after another dull dinner without him. Again she had impressed him, and their duel had been fierce but decidedly good natured. He had won, but she had done well, and held her own.
*~*
Sliding into her hot, lavender scented bath, Hermione sighed contentedly, the warmth causing her belly to tense up before relaxing completely as she leaned back against the porcelain. She ran her fingers through her hair, allowing the water to saturate the thick, curly lot of it, closing her eyes and smiling.
The fact that she wasn't at all nervous or anxious over the evening to come was a bit unnerving in itself. She should be hysterical, and yet she was not. The night before she had chosen her robes- they were formal, of course, deep royal purple with gold accents. They had been tucked away in one of her drawers and it took a bit of digging for her to find them, but she knew that Minerva would have made sure she had a set of formal robes, just in case. Hermione had been thankful that they were presentable, and actually liked them, though she probably would have chosen a more sedated color. Her purple would compliment Slytherin's green, however, unlike red or yellow, should Snape choose to stray from his normal pitch black.
Stepping out of the bathroom, wrapped in a thick towel, she immediately went for her wand. Removing the towel from her hair she pointed her wand at her head, "Exaresco." There was a strange tickling sensation, and suddenly her hair was mostly dry, though, wisely she hadn't attempted to completely dry it. She grinned slightly, remembering the book she had borrowed from the library on hair charms. They were only for simple tasks, such as drying, untangling, smoothing, etc- but for someone who spent at least a quarter of an hour each day raking a brush through hair that only bristled even more the harder you worked, the charms were a life saver. After dressing in the robes she would wear until just before the party, simple and dark gray, Hermione stood in front of her small mirror, again pointing her wand and her unwilling hair. "Evolvo." Again there was a slight tickling sensation, as her hair rapidly untangled itself. "Evincio." Her hair pulled itself back into a neat pony tail which would hold together until she released it with the counter charm.
Grinning delightedly she crossed the room and sank into an armchair, pulling an advanced book of charms into her lap. The previous day, after they had met for their "class", Professor Snape had apologized, and told her he would be unavailable the next morning and afternoon, but he would come to her room at six and escort her to the party. She was both happy, and disappointed by the announcement. It would give her more time to read, but she definitely preferred to do her learning with him by her side.
And so, with Professor Snape lingering in the back of her mind, she read until late afternoon when she finally set aside her book, her hands suddenly trembling. It would be less than three quarters of an hour before he'd be there. Her breathe caught in her throat and she forced herself to breath normally. Why suddenly had she become nervous? She had had all day for that, and now that she had less than an hour, her subconscious mind had gone haywire. Sighing Hermione stood and set about preparing for that evening, having to stop several times to calm herself and keep from losing the little bit of lunch she had eaten.
*~~~*~~~*
At exactly six o'clock there was a polite rapping at Hermiones door, and her heart plummeted into her stomach. Taking a deep breath she tucked a few wrapped gifts into her robes, which thankfully had the charmed pockets within them that allowed the wearer to store any number of things in them without unsightly bulges. Gathering her strength and her wand, she opened the door, trying not to either rush or dawdle. For a moment she thought that perhaps Minerva would be on the other side, or Madame Pomfrey, and all her fuss would have been for nothing, but she was not disappointed as a towering figure draped in black came into view. Her breath caught in her throat, but she smiled nonetheless.
His robes where black as night, accented tastefully with bits of Slytherin green. His long, fine, ebony hair cascaded down past the high collar of his robes, just past his shoulders. He was elegant, angular, and more handsome than she had thought possible. He was not smiling, but his eyes held warmth, and she smiled enough for both of them.
Professor Snape surveyed the woman before him, her hair had been pulled up into a lovely French twist, her lips where tinged very slightly darker than usual, and they had the slightly puffy look which was normally achieved by heavy kissing, and his mind immediately drifted to the memories of the night after Diagon Alley. She had used a touch of eye makeup, not enough to look unnatural, though. Quickly his eyes darted over her robes, not wanting to give the impression of ogling her cleavage, and felt warmth rush through him as he noticed how perfectly they hugged her gentle, but ample curves. Snape forced his eyes away from her body, and found her smiling nervously, apparently not having noticed his staring. "Good evening Ms. Granger." Tonight was indeed going to put his resolve to the test.
"Good evening Professor Snape, how was your day?" Her voice cracked slightly and she swallowed, attempting to sooth her suddenly parched throat.
"Quite well, and yourself? Have you been studying?"
"Of course, all day." She laughed nervously and looked away when she realized how odd the irregular titter of sound that had erupted from her had sounded.
"Well, shall we? Perhaps we can discuss what you've learned along the way?" He did not offer her arm; instead he linked his hands behind his back. He had made a vow to dedicate himself to her safety, to her retraining, and if he allowed himself the luxury of being anything but her Professor, there was no doubt that in his mind that'd he'd completely loose that focus.
Neither of them spoke very much as they made their way up to the great hall, though Professor Snape made mention of the fact that many of the people present were either former faculty members, or friends, also there would be many ministry employees, and he also made mention of the fact that normally he wouldn't be caught dead at one of these little get togethers. Hermione had smiled at that comment, though she turned so he wouldn't see it.
The great hall was already crowded with people when they arrived, and not many people noticed them entering the door. The hall was now splendidly decorated with boughs of holly, several large Christmas trees brimming with lovely glowing lights and delicate glass balls. Enchanted snow fell from the ceiling, and the lighting was soft, dimmed down to a gentle glow. The school tables had been replaced by a smattering of eight people round tables with ornate centerpieces. In the place where the head table normally sat there was were several people with instruments playing lovely medieval style music. The smell of pumpkin spices and cinnamon permeated the air and she was instantly reminded of the man standing at her side. She had to force herself not to lean against him just so she could catch his strong, delicious scent once again. He hadn't quite been distant, but he had been far from affectionate, and his interests had been centered on her training.
As they stepped into the crowd, Hermione was suddenly aware of exactly how many people were around them and her recent calm began to melt. She glanced up and Snape and smiled faintly, which earned her a reassuring twitch at the corner of his mouth. The gesture filled her with warmth and she absently reached out and touched his hand. He did not respond, but he didn't pull away either, and her smile broadened before she pulled her hand away, savoring the lingering tingle in her fingers.
They meandered through the crowd, and Hermione was introduced to many people who she had never met- Avery Baldric, a young, rather handsome man who vigorously shook her hand, smiling brightly, Snape later mentioned that he had graduated last year and was in training to be an Auror. Then there was Peter Marsh, a middle age looking man with round features and beady little eyes who had shook Snape's hand and pulled away a bit quicker than was normal, and had completely ignored Hermione. Apparently he had been in the same year as Snape, though they were never friends. Several other random people greeted them with warm smiles and friendly handshakes, but thankfully none of them seemed to have known her.
At the foot of the band though, they hit what seemed to be a pocket of bad luck and found themselves face to face with Molly Weasley and Minerva. "Oh Hermione, dear, you look lovely!" Minerva exclaimed, Molly nodding enthusiastically, they both hugged her warmly, gushing over how nice her hair was and how well the robes suited her.
She blushed furiously the entire time, wishing Snape would grab her and pull her away, anywhere but with them. Suddenly wondering about Molly's lack of hostility, Hermione glanced behind her and found that Snape was no longer behind her. A cold rush of anxiety welled up inside her, beginning at her feet and traveling up to her face immediately causing her to blanch. "E-excuse me, Molly, Minerva, I seem to have lost someone, I'll see you around, though." Offering them a half hearted smile she squeezed through the crowd, her heart pounding. She suddenly felt very small- when had everyone around her grown a foot? Breath quickening, she began bulling her way through a bit more forcefully. Finally she broke through and immediately saw him sitting placidly at one of the middle tables, completely alone.
Sighing in relief she quickly crossed to where he was, and smiled when he noticed her approaching. "May I?" She motioned to an empty chair near him and he nodded. "Thank you." Not bothering to ask why he had left since she was already quite certain of the answer she took the seat and worried her lip looking out across the crowded floor, noticing for the first time that there was a clear area not far from them which had obviously been designated as the dance floor. Several couples danced enthusiastically, smiling broadly. Hermione briefly wondered if Professor Snape enjoyed dancing, but decided that he probably did not. "Do you know most of the people here?"
He considered her question for a moment, and regarded the crowd once more before answering. "Most of them, yes. I attended Hogwarts at the same time as many of them, some of them I taught, quite a few I've met at previous parties. None are friends, though, if that's what you mean, Ms. Granger." It didn't bother him to admit it; he had realized that a long, long time ago. The last friendship he had been privy to was the one with Albus, since then he had simply not bothered.
"Ah, ok. Do I know anyone here?" She laughed and looked around, quite clueless. Should she be waving someone down? Hugging someone?
He almost smiled as she laughed, and instead surveyed the crowd once more. "There are a few former students who attended Hogwarts when you did, but I do not recognize any of them as having been more than an acquaintance to you." And for that he was thankful. Though he was remaining true to his vow, he still did not wish for the one of her former friends to whisk her away from the "greasy git" she was sitting next to. He allowed himself to glance over at her, and found that she was looking out over the crowd as he had been, occasionally glancing at the dance floor. Having grown in a pureblood family, he had of course been taught to dance, and danced quite well, but he had never cut loose like that in front of anyone present, even though the music called for nothing more than a simple waltz.
Hermione turned away from the dancing couples and found that Snape was looking at her. She offered him a bit of a smile, trying to hide her disappointment. It was true; she wished to dance, but not just to have a good time. She longed to feel the length of his body pressed against hers once more, to smell the spicy scent that clung to his robes and his hair.
Abruptly Snape stood from his seat, suddenly desiring a drink. "I shall return, Ms. Granger. Would you like a drink?"
"Yes please, do they have fire whiskey?" She grinned, her eyebrows raised.
"I doubt it, perhaps some wine instead?"
"That would be lovely, Sir, thank you."
Nodding, he turned and made his way through the crowd, towards the buffet table across the room. He needed something to relax, something to take his mind off of the woman sitting so close and yet so far from him, even if it was just a glass of wine. It didn't take very long, and he was held up by no one. When he returned, he was strangely pleased to see that no one had sat down with Hermione- they were all still too busy mingling and dancing.
Struck by a bit of inspiration, and a sudden voyeuristic streak, he paused at the edge of the crowd, still unseen by Hermione, and watched her for a moment, allowing himself a short respite from the rigidity of his vow. She was watching the dancing couples, one arm lying on the table, the other propped against her chin. Her long, swanlike neck was gracefully exposed, as well as her creamy white shoulder, her previous golden tan having faded after a week spent mostly indoors. Snape found himself wanting to feel her delicate skin beneath his fingers, wanting to press his lips to hers once more. Absently he sipped from one of the glasses in his hands, savoring the warmth that filled his mouth before sliding down his throat, warming him all the way down. He was vaguely aware of his own resolve crumbling, but in a fit of rebellion against his own sensibilities, he chose to ignore it. The achingly beautiful woman before him and the warmth of the wine consuming his world.
The music had changed a bit, and for the past few songs there had been a woman singing both songs he recognized, and songs that were completely foreign to him, a few he was sure were from muggle musicians, but it didn't matter. Her haunting, angelic voice was the perfect soundtrack as he watched the young woman not fifteen feet from him. The band finished a rather depressing rendition of Barbara Allen, and began a new song which started with the simple strumming of a guitar; it was the perfect pace for a waltz. Snape took another long drink of his wine and finally crossed the rest of the way to the table where Hermione had been waiting, setting the glasses down in their respective places.
"I had thought you were lost." She laughed, her eyes betraying her, revealing the relief she felt at his return.
"Ms. Granger, would you care to dance?" He did not care if she said yes or no, all he knew is that he'd deeply regret it if he did not at least try. His vow was quickly being shuffled to the side.
Hermione swallowed compulsively and slowly stood, taking his offered hand, praying that hers wasn't repulsively clammy. "I would love to, Professor."
They swept onto the dance floor, Hermione thankful she didn't trip on the way there, Professor Snape terrified that someone would turn this dance into some sort of a cruel joke. It had happened so many times before- just when he had faded from people's minds, something would happen that would bring him right back into the lime light. He could just imagine all of them standing around the floor, pointing and mocking him, criticizing Hermione for even touching him, but it never happened. The world around them was washed away as they're bodies neared, their hands linked, Snape's other hand going to her waist, Hermione's hand going to his shoulder, and then they were dancing. Graceful, natural- he leading, and she following perfectly, it was as though they were one entity. His concerns quickly drifted away, and all he knew was the woman in his arms.
*~~*~~* Do you always trust your first initial feeling?
Special knowledge holds truth bears believing.
I turned around,
And the water was closing all around
Like a glove,
Like the love that had finally, finally found me.
Then I knew
In the crystalline knowledge of you,
Drove me thru the mountains
Thru the crystal-like clear water fountain
Drove me like a magnet
To the sea
How the faces of love have changed turning the pages
And I have changed oh, but you...you remain ageless
I turned around
And the water was closing all around
Like a glove
Like the love that had finally, finally found me
Then I knew
In the crystalline knowledge of you
Drove me thru the mountains
Thru the crystal-like clear water fountain
Drove me like a magnet
To the sea
*~~*~~* "Hermione?!"
Both Hermione and Snape jerked to attention, suddenly wrenched out of their little world by a young man's voice across the room. Slowly they pulled apart- by the end of the song they had abandoned the waltz and instead had been embraced in a more intimate slow dance, though not pressed as closely as either would have liked, due to their current location. His hand had rested in the small of her back, the other had been linked with her own, which was delicate as a tiny bird in his large palm. Her other hand had rested gently on his arm which still felt slightly different than the rest of him from her touch. Hermione could still distinctly smell the nutmeg, and cinnamon from his robes, and Snape's mind was still reeling from the scent of lavender which had wafted up to his waiting nose from her hair.
"Where?!"
Again the loud man's voice rang clearly across the hall and Hermione began to become curious, as had the rest of the crowded hall. Everyone had stopped talking and were looking about for the source of the shouting.
Snape, however, felt dread welling up within him. He quickly stepped away from Hermione, just in time as two young men, one with wild black hair, the other with flaming red, and a young woman with matching red hair exploded from the crowd near the dance floor.
Hermione's eyes went wide as the three rather energetic people, who were about her age rushed towards her, each with wide smiles and open arms- and then it hit her. The three people in the picture with her, it. "Oh god." It was Ron, Harry, and Ginny, the last people she wanted to see. Before she could react, though, they had all latched onto her in a rather stifling group hug.
"Oh Hermione! What happened? Where've you been?! We missed you! How are you?!" Their words ran together into a cacophonous jumble of incoherence, which she didn't even attempt to answer.
Snape shrank away, blended in with the crowd and disappearing, a cold winter descending upon his heart, freezing it solid once more. For the length of the song he had been free. He had not been Severus Snape with twenty years of rage, bitterness, and pain weighing him down. He had been a man holding a beautiful woman, uncaring of anything else; but the freedom had slipped right through his grasp at the sound of "the boy who lived", the boy who had saved the day, saved him from death. The golden trio was once again reunited, plus one, and he was once again the dreaded Potion's Master, alone in the dungeons- always alone.
He slid from the hall, stealthy as a Slytherin ought to be, hearing the sounds of laughter, and pleased "awwwing", no doubt over the sweet reunion. Had she remembered them? He did not doubt it, they had been so close, if anyone she would remember them, and soon forget the greasy git who lived three doors down from her, who had just held her so gently in his arms.
Hermione was completely overwhelmed by the happiness around her, Harry and Ron had dragged her off to a table, Ginny not far behind, sniffling from tears of joy. Minerva and Molly had joined them, and they all chatted happily, excitedly, apparently six years of absence and her lack of memories of them did not faze the trio in the least, and they spoke as if it had only been a month at most. She tried her best to care, and to become excited as well, but found it exceedingly difficult, and repeatedly searched the throngs of people in colorful robes for any sign of Snape, even just the corner of a billowing black robe would have reassured her, but there was nothing.
"What was it like Hermine? I bet it was beautiful where you went, wasn't it?" Ginny was leaning forward, looking incredibly interested.
She didn't know what to say. The other's had leaned in as well, thoroughly fascinated, on the edge of their seats. For a moment, she felt tears welling up, but pushed them away forcefully. There was no way she could tell these strangers what had really happened, what had been done to her. "It.was lovely." Her voice was barely loud enough for any of them to hear, but she didn't care. Never had she lied to Professor Snape. She had laid her heart open for him, and hadn't pushed him away when he delved into her mind, even though it was against her will. He had cared, perhaps even understood- but if they knew the truth, it would repulse them. "It was always spring, everyone was beautiful, every bit if food was like a little slice of heaven, no one was poor, and everyone was happy and loved. But I'm glad to be home." She smiled just as she knew she should, her heart breaking a little more.
"That's great, Hermione. Be thankful you weren't around for the war." Ron laughed, a slight bitter edge to his voice.
Hermione cringed slightly, remembering everything he had lost. "I wish I had been here to help." It was the first bit of truth she had spoken. Indeed, she would much rather of been at Hogwarts, defending it valiantly and possibly dying in the process, instead of cowering on the cold stone floors of the palace, servicing its inhabitants.
"Are you going back to school? I bet you could finish in a year, maybe less, you're so smart. Maybe you could join us? It'd be just like old times." It was Harry's turn to interrogate her, his hair ruffled, green eyes bright, curious.
"I was planning on finishing, yes, but I haven't really thought about what I'll do after that." Again, she gave them a snippet of truth; what on Earth WOULD she do after she finished? In between questions, Hermione desperately fought for an excuse to leave, to find Professor Snape. She had been so excited about that evening, and now it was slowing slipping away. "If you all will excuse me, I'm.I'm..feeling a little light headed, it must be the wine. I just need a bit of fresh air." Slowly she stood, praying that none of them would try to follow her, praising Merlin and Circe when they all began to chat about how it would be possible for her to continue her education. Quickly she pushed her way through the crowd, forcefully ignoring her discomfort, and it didn't take long before she realized that he had obviously left.
The coolness of the entrance hall was a welcome change from the suddenly stifling heat of the room behind her. Her eyes darted about, hoping he hadn't locked himself in the dungeons already. Thankfully he had not. He was standing across the hall, partially hidden in the shadows near a suit of armor, gazing out one of the many windows looking out over the grounds.
"Professor?" Her voice was barely audible. Something had changed about him, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it, all she knew was that the man who had danced with her what seemed like only moments ago had faded and perhaps vanished. He was once again the towering, rather frightening figure in black, snarling and scowling at her.
"Shouldn't you be enjoying the party with your friends, Ms. Granger?"
His voice had lost any semblance of warmth, and held nothing but cold bitterness, making Hermione immediately recoil. "Things may change if I regain my memories of them. but for now they're just acquaintances, sir. Are.are you alright?" Slowly she edged towards him, as one would approach a wild creature, afraid that he'd lash out at her.
He whirled around and within a few steps he was nearly on top of her, towering above her suddenly cowering form. "Things WILL change, Ms. Granger, I assure you." Snape internally cringed at the sight of her, cast in blue in the dim light of the hall, she looked almost the same as when he had pulled her from the snow. Outwardly, though, he was made of stone. Thrusting his hand into one of his pockets, he withdrew a small vial, his frozen heart cracking, achingly frostbitten as he held the small, innocent looking thing out to her, the contents of which would bring about the end of their little renaissance.
Hermione stared blankly at the little glass bottle filled with red liquid. It was so innocent, and yet she found herself backing away from it. "What.what is it?"
The malice in his voice was almost rivaled by the cold, fierce, anger within his eyes, but not quite. "You're Christmas gift, Ms. Granger, and the reason I was not available for your lesson. Within this vial. is the key to your memories."
*~~~*~~~~*
REM
Losing My Religion
Life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up
That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've said too much
I haven't said enough
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try
Every whisper
Of every waking hour I'm
Choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up
Consider this
The hint of the century
Consider this
The slip that brought me
To my knees failed
What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around
Now I've said too much
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try
But that was just a dream
That was just a dream
*~~*~~*
Authors notes: DUN DUN DUN (dramatic suspense music stuff) alrighty, hope you guys like that chapter.me tried ^_^..another chapter coming pretty dang soon, I'm already started on it. I hope Snape wasn't really ooc.I mean, love can to some seriously strange things.ack..did I just say love? ;) anyways.even the bitterest souls can sometimes forget themselves. Anyways, PLEASE read and review.I hardly got any for the last chapter ( must've sucked more than I realized *LOL*.ok, and this chapter hasn't been beta-ed, so I'm not sure about the mistakes..I read it twice and corrected all I saw, though. Once it's been beta-ed, I'll post the new and improved version, just for gits and shiggles. :D
(((THIS VERSION HAS NOW BEEN BETA-ED YAY! Thank you again Cristy AKA Flashy- you rule!))
Alright, and as I promised, here are the answers:
Jessica the Homicidal Maniac: *L* Thanks! The wild hunt and battle are coming soon.as is the end of the story *more dramatic music*.And, well, I figured Snape wouldn't be the time, not matter how much he digs someone to jump headlong into a relationship ;) but ah well.we'll see what happens.Again, thank you! I love reviews! And it's really, really makes me do happy dances when I find out people are actually reading this silly thing *L*
AZ: Np! ^_^ thanks for reading!
Someone28: ^_^ thanks! I have, and I will again! :D
Hawaii5063: I figured that's what any decent gentleman would do ;)...And I thought that perhaps he'd show instead of tell. Ack.that sounded dirty *L*.Hrrmmm.well, considering what he's probably gone through emotionally, constant rejection and ridicule.it might take awhile. I used to just be mildly teased when I was in school and I'm still completely terrified of rejection.but what Snape went through seemed to be a lot more intense..I can't wait to see if JK Rowling delves into that any more.I mean, did Snape deserve it? Does he deserve the malice everyone shows towards him? Dumbledore trusts him, so I can't help but take everything he says or does with a grain of salt. *L* Sorry, hopped on the tangent-mobile :P. LOTS of info on the Wild Hunt/ Furious Host: I've borrowed a lot of it, and I've made a lot of it up..but no matter what, its extremely fascinating ^_^ Thank you for reading! And reviewing for that matter!
Nataly Ravenlock: Thank you SO much! :D
Sweetygirl420: Yup! Though of course, you've never offending, exactly *L*..anyways..I'm really glad to see you're still reading! And I liked the spell to, even though I think it'd be pretty creepy to see him forced into something like that.like the imperious curse ( anyways.thanks again!
Chapter 21
That Was Just a Dream
Hermione woke Wednesday morning, and smiled before she even opened her eyes. That night was the staff Christmas party. She stretched lazily and then rolled over, staring out her window at the dimly lit tops of the trees bordering the forbidden forest- the only she could really see from her vantage point. Since Monday she had been filled with building excitement, which had a strange undertone of gentle peace. There was so much ahead of her, so many things happening, frightening, and wonderful as well. But no matter what, she had a solution she would be content with, and for the first time in six years, she wasn't afraid. She could die, she could live, she could triumph or fail- it did not matter, she was happy, and she would try, and she would give it her best, the outcome was not what mattered.
Slowly she rose from her bed, taking a moment to lightly touch her wand sitting on her end table. The day before she had visited the library early in the morning and had scanned through every book she could find on hexes, spells, curses, and charms and then had presented her new knowledge to Professor Snape in their evening lesson, after another dull dinner without him. Again she had impressed him, and their duel had been fierce but decidedly good natured. He had won, but she had done well, and held her own.
*~*
Sliding into her hot, lavender scented bath, Hermione sighed contentedly, the warmth causing her belly to tense up before relaxing completely as she leaned back against the porcelain. She ran her fingers through her hair, allowing the water to saturate the thick, curly lot of it, closing her eyes and smiling.
The fact that she wasn't at all nervous or anxious over the evening to come was a bit unnerving in itself. She should be hysterical, and yet she was not. The night before she had chosen her robes- they were formal, of course, deep royal purple with gold accents. They had been tucked away in one of her drawers and it took a bit of digging for her to find them, but she knew that Minerva would have made sure she had a set of formal robes, just in case. Hermione had been thankful that they were presentable, and actually liked them, though she probably would have chosen a more sedated color. Her purple would compliment Slytherin's green, however, unlike red or yellow, should Snape choose to stray from his normal pitch black.
Stepping out of the bathroom, wrapped in a thick towel, she immediately went for her wand. Removing the towel from her hair she pointed her wand at her head, "Exaresco." There was a strange tickling sensation, and suddenly her hair was mostly dry, though, wisely she hadn't attempted to completely dry it. She grinned slightly, remembering the book she had borrowed from the library on hair charms. They were only for simple tasks, such as drying, untangling, smoothing, etc- but for someone who spent at least a quarter of an hour each day raking a brush through hair that only bristled even more the harder you worked, the charms were a life saver. After dressing in the robes she would wear until just before the party, simple and dark gray, Hermione stood in front of her small mirror, again pointing her wand and her unwilling hair. "Evolvo." Again there was a slight tickling sensation, as her hair rapidly untangled itself. "Evincio." Her hair pulled itself back into a neat pony tail which would hold together until she released it with the counter charm.
Grinning delightedly she crossed the room and sank into an armchair, pulling an advanced book of charms into her lap. The previous day, after they had met for their "class", Professor Snape had apologized, and told her he would be unavailable the next morning and afternoon, but he would come to her room at six and escort her to the party. She was both happy, and disappointed by the announcement. It would give her more time to read, but she definitely preferred to do her learning with him by her side.
And so, with Professor Snape lingering in the back of her mind, she read until late afternoon when she finally set aside her book, her hands suddenly trembling. It would be less than three quarters of an hour before he'd be there. Her breathe caught in her throat and she forced herself to breath normally. Why suddenly had she become nervous? She had had all day for that, and now that she had less than an hour, her subconscious mind had gone haywire. Sighing Hermione stood and set about preparing for that evening, having to stop several times to calm herself and keep from losing the little bit of lunch she had eaten.
*~~~*~~~*
At exactly six o'clock there was a polite rapping at Hermiones door, and her heart plummeted into her stomach. Taking a deep breath she tucked a few wrapped gifts into her robes, which thankfully had the charmed pockets within them that allowed the wearer to store any number of things in them without unsightly bulges. Gathering her strength and her wand, she opened the door, trying not to either rush or dawdle. For a moment she thought that perhaps Minerva would be on the other side, or Madame Pomfrey, and all her fuss would have been for nothing, but she was not disappointed as a towering figure draped in black came into view. Her breath caught in her throat, but she smiled nonetheless.
His robes where black as night, accented tastefully with bits of Slytherin green. His long, fine, ebony hair cascaded down past the high collar of his robes, just past his shoulders. He was elegant, angular, and more handsome than she had thought possible. He was not smiling, but his eyes held warmth, and she smiled enough for both of them.
Professor Snape surveyed the woman before him, her hair had been pulled up into a lovely French twist, her lips where tinged very slightly darker than usual, and they had the slightly puffy look which was normally achieved by heavy kissing, and his mind immediately drifted to the memories of the night after Diagon Alley. She had used a touch of eye makeup, not enough to look unnatural, though. Quickly his eyes darted over her robes, not wanting to give the impression of ogling her cleavage, and felt warmth rush through him as he noticed how perfectly they hugged her gentle, but ample curves. Snape forced his eyes away from her body, and found her smiling nervously, apparently not having noticed his staring. "Good evening Ms. Granger." Tonight was indeed going to put his resolve to the test.
"Good evening Professor Snape, how was your day?" Her voice cracked slightly and she swallowed, attempting to sooth her suddenly parched throat.
"Quite well, and yourself? Have you been studying?"
"Of course, all day." She laughed nervously and looked away when she realized how odd the irregular titter of sound that had erupted from her had sounded.
"Well, shall we? Perhaps we can discuss what you've learned along the way?" He did not offer her arm; instead he linked his hands behind his back. He had made a vow to dedicate himself to her safety, to her retraining, and if he allowed himself the luxury of being anything but her Professor, there was no doubt that in his mind that'd he'd completely loose that focus.
Neither of them spoke very much as they made their way up to the great hall, though Professor Snape made mention of the fact that many of the people present were either former faculty members, or friends, also there would be many ministry employees, and he also made mention of the fact that normally he wouldn't be caught dead at one of these little get togethers. Hermione had smiled at that comment, though she turned so he wouldn't see it.
The great hall was already crowded with people when they arrived, and not many people noticed them entering the door. The hall was now splendidly decorated with boughs of holly, several large Christmas trees brimming with lovely glowing lights and delicate glass balls. Enchanted snow fell from the ceiling, and the lighting was soft, dimmed down to a gentle glow. The school tables had been replaced by a smattering of eight people round tables with ornate centerpieces. In the place where the head table normally sat there was were several people with instruments playing lovely medieval style music. The smell of pumpkin spices and cinnamon permeated the air and she was instantly reminded of the man standing at her side. She had to force herself not to lean against him just so she could catch his strong, delicious scent once again. He hadn't quite been distant, but he had been far from affectionate, and his interests had been centered on her training.
As they stepped into the crowd, Hermione was suddenly aware of exactly how many people were around them and her recent calm began to melt. She glanced up and Snape and smiled faintly, which earned her a reassuring twitch at the corner of his mouth. The gesture filled her with warmth and she absently reached out and touched his hand. He did not respond, but he didn't pull away either, and her smile broadened before she pulled her hand away, savoring the lingering tingle in her fingers.
They meandered through the crowd, and Hermione was introduced to many people who she had never met- Avery Baldric, a young, rather handsome man who vigorously shook her hand, smiling brightly, Snape later mentioned that he had graduated last year and was in training to be an Auror. Then there was Peter Marsh, a middle age looking man with round features and beady little eyes who had shook Snape's hand and pulled away a bit quicker than was normal, and had completely ignored Hermione. Apparently he had been in the same year as Snape, though they were never friends. Several other random people greeted them with warm smiles and friendly handshakes, but thankfully none of them seemed to have known her.
At the foot of the band though, they hit what seemed to be a pocket of bad luck and found themselves face to face with Molly Weasley and Minerva. "Oh Hermione, dear, you look lovely!" Minerva exclaimed, Molly nodding enthusiastically, they both hugged her warmly, gushing over how nice her hair was and how well the robes suited her.
She blushed furiously the entire time, wishing Snape would grab her and pull her away, anywhere but with them. Suddenly wondering about Molly's lack of hostility, Hermione glanced behind her and found that Snape was no longer behind her. A cold rush of anxiety welled up inside her, beginning at her feet and traveling up to her face immediately causing her to blanch. "E-excuse me, Molly, Minerva, I seem to have lost someone, I'll see you around, though." Offering them a half hearted smile she squeezed through the crowd, her heart pounding. She suddenly felt very small- when had everyone around her grown a foot? Breath quickening, she began bulling her way through a bit more forcefully. Finally she broke through and immediately saw him sitting placidly at one of the middle tables, completely alone.
Sighing in relief she quickly crossed to where he was, and smiled when he noticed her approaching. "May I?" She motioned to an empty chair near him and he nodded. "Thank you." Not bothering to ask why he had left since she was already quite certain of the answer she took the seat and worried her lip looking out across the crowded floor, noticing for the first time that there was a clear area not far from them which had obviously been designated as the dance floor. Several couples danced enthusiastically, smiling broadly. Hermione briefly wondered if Professor Snape enjoyed dancing, but decided that he probably did not. "Do you know most of the people here?"
He considered her question for a moment, and regarded the crowd once more before answering. "Most of them, yes. I attended Hogwarts at the same time as many of them, some of them I taught, quite a few I've met at previous parties. None are friends, though, if that's what you mean, Ms. Granger." It didn't bother him to admit it; he had realized that a long, long time ago. The last friendship he had been privy to was the one with Albus, since then he had simply not bothered.
"Ah, ok. Do I know anyone here?" She laughed and looked around, quite clueless. Should she be waving someone down? Hugging someone?
He almost smiled as she laughed, and instead surveyed the crowd once more. "There are a few former students who attended Hogwarts when you did, but I do not recognize any of them as having been more than an acquaintance to you." And for that he was thankful. Though he was remaining true to his vow, he still did not wish for the one of her former friends to whisk her away from the "greasy git" she was sitting next to. He allowed himself to glance over at her, and found that she was looking out over the crowd as he had been, occasionally glancing at the dance floor. Having grown in a pureblood family, he had of course been taught to dance, and danced quite well, but he had never cut loose like that in front of anyone present, even though the music called for nothing more than a simple waltz.
Hermione turned away from the dancing couples and found that Snape was looking at her. She offered him a bit of a smile, trying to hide her disappointment. It was true; she wished to dance, but not just to have a good time. She longed to feel the length of his body pressed against hers once more, to smell the spicy scent that clung to his robes and his hair.
Abruptly Snape stood from his seat, suddenly desiring a drink. "I shall return, Ms. Granger. Would you like a drink?"
"Yes please, do they have fire whiskey?" She grinned, her eyebrows raised.
"I doubt it, perhaps some wine instead?"
"That would be lovely, Sir, thank you."
Nodding, he turned and made his way through the crowd, towards the buffet table across the room. He needed something to relax, something to take his mind off of the woman sitting so close and yet so far from him, even if it was just a glass of wine. It didn't take very long, and he was held up by no one. When he returned, he was strangely pleased to see that no one had sat down with Hermione- they were all still too busy mingling and dancing.
Struck by a bit of inspiration, and a sudden voyeuristic streak, he paused at the edge of the crowd, still unseen by Hermione, and watched her for a moment, allowing himself a short respite from the rigidity of his vow. She was watching the dancing couples, one arm lying on the table, the other propped against her chin. Her long, swanlike neck was gracefully exposed, as well as her creamy white shoulder, her previous golden tan having faded after a week spent mostly indoors. Snape found himself wanting to feel her delicate skin beneath his fingers, wanting to press his lips to hers once more. Absently he sipped from one of the glasses in his hands, savoring the warmth that filled his mouth before sliding down his throat, warming him all the way down. He was vaguely aware of his own resolve crumbling, but in a fit of rebellion against his own sensibilities, he chose to ignore it. The achingly beautiful woman before him and the warmth of the wine consuming his world.
The music had changed a bit, and for the past few songs there had been a woman singing both songs he recognized, and songs that were completely foreign to him, a few he was sure were from muggle musicians, but it didn't matter. Her haunting, angelic voice was the perfect soundtrack as he watched the young woman not fifteen feet from him. The band finished a rather depressing rendition of Barbara Allen, and began a new song which started with the simple strumming of a guitar; it was the perfect pace for a waltz. Snape took another long drink of his wine and finally crossed the rest of the way to the table where Hermione had been waiting, setting the glasses down in their respective places.
"I had thought you were lost." She laughed, her eyes betraying her, revealing the relief she felt at his return.
"Ms. Granger, would you care to dance?" He did not care if she said yes or no, all he knew is that he'd deeply regret it if he did not at least try. His vow was quickly being shuffled to the side.
Hermione swallowed compulsively and slowly stood, taking his offered hand, praying that hers wasn't repulsively clammy. "I would love to, Professor."
They swept onto the dance floor, Hermione thankful she didn't trip on the way there, Professor Snape terrified that someone would turn this dance into some sort of a cruel joke. It had happened so many times before- just when he had faded from people's minds, something would happen that would bring him right back into the lime light. He could just imagine all of them standing around the floor, pointing and mocking him, criticizing Hermione for even touching him, but it never happened. The world around them was washed away as they're bodies neared, their hands linked, Snape's other hand going to her waist, Hermione's hand going to his shoulder, and then they were dancing. Graceful, natural- he leading, and she following perfectly, it was as though they were one entity. His concerns quickly drifted away, and all he knew was the woman in his arms.
*~~*~~* Do you always trust your first initial feeling?
Special knowledge holds truth bears believing.
I turned around,
And the water was closing all around
Like a glove,
Like the love that had finally, finally found me.
Then I knew
In the crystalline knowledge of you,
Drove me thru the mountains
Thru the crystal-like clear water fountain
Drove me like a magnet
To the sea
How the faces of love have changed turning the pages
And I have changed oh, but you...you remain ageless
I turned around
And the water was closing all around
Like a glove
Like the love that had finally, finally found me
Then I knew
In the crystalline knowledge of you
Drove me thru the mountains
Thru the crystal-like clear water fountain
Drove me like a magnet
To the sea
*~~*~~* "Hermione?!"
Both Hermione and Snape jerked to attention, suddenly wrenched out of their little world by a young man's voice across the room. Slowly they pulled apart- by the end of the song they had abandoned the waltz and instead had been embraced in a more intimate slow dance, though not pressed as closely as either would have liked, due to their current location. His hand had rested in the small of her back, the other had been linked with her own, which was delicate as a tiny bird in his large palm. Her other hand had rested gently on his arm which still felt slightly different than the rest of him from her touch. Hermione could still distinctly smell the nutmeg, and cinnamon from his robes, and Snape's mind was still reeling from the scent of lavender which had wafted up to his waiting nose from her hair.
"Where?!"
Again the loud man's voice rang clearly across the hall and Hermione began to become curious, as had the rest of the crowded hall. Everyone had stopped talking and were looking about for the source of the shouting.
Snape, however, felt dread welling up within him. He quickly stepped away from Hermione, just in time as two young men, one with wild black hair, the other with flaming red, and a young woman with matching red hair exploded from the crowd near the dance floor.
Hermione's eyes went wide as the three rather energetic people, who were about her age rushed towards her, each with wide smiles and open arms- and then it hit her. The three people in the picture with her, it. "Oh god." It was Ron, Harry, and Ginny, the last people she wanted to see. Before she could react, though, they had all latched onto her in a rather stifling group hug.
"Oh Hermione! What happened? Where've you been?! We missed you! How are you?!" Their words ran together into a cacophonous jumble of incoherence, which she didn't even attempt to answer.
Snape shrank away, blended in with the crowd and disappearing, a cold winter descending upon his heart, freezing it solid once more. For the length of the song he had been free. He had not been Severus Snape with twenty years of rage, bitterness, and pain weighing him down. He had been a man holding a beautiful woman, uncaring of anything else; but the freedom had slipped right through his grasp at the sound of "the boy who lived", the boy who had saved the day, saved him from death. The golden trio was once again reunited, plus one, and he was once again the dreaded Potion's Master, alone in the dungeons- always alone.
He slid from the hall, stealthy as a Slytherin ought to be, hearing the sounds of laughter, and pleased "awwwing", no doubt over the sweet reunion. Had she remembered them? He did not doubt it, they had been so close, if anyone she would remember them, and soon forget the greasy git who lived three doors down from her, who had just held her so gently in his arms.
Hermione was completely overwhelmed by the happiness around her, Harry and Ron had dragged her off to a table, Ginny not far behind, sniffling from tears of joy. Minerva and Molly had joined them, and they all chatted happily, excitedly, apparently six years of absence and her lack of memories of them did not faze the trio in the least, and they spoke as if it had only been a month at most. She tried her best to care, and to become excited as well, but found it exceedingly difficult, and repeatedly searched the throngs of people in colorful robes for any sign of Snape, even just the corner of a billowing black robe would have reassured her, but there was nothing.
"What was it like Hermine? I bet it was beautiful where you went, wasn't it?" Ginny was leaning forward, looking incredibly interested.
She didn't know what to say. The other's had leaned in as well, thoroughly fascinated, on the edge of their seats. For a moment, she felt tears welling up, but pushed them away forcefully. There was no way she could tell these strangers what had really happened, what had been done to her. "It.was lovely." Her voice was barely loud enough for any of them to hear, but she didn't care. Never had she lied to Professor Snape. She had laid her heart open for him, and hadn't pushed him away when he delved into her mind, even though it was against her will. He had cared, perhaps even understood- but if they knew the truth, it would repulse them. "It was always spring, everyone was beautiful, every bit if food was like a little slice of heaven, no one was poor, and everyone was happy and loved. But I'm glad to be home." She smiled just as she knew she should, her heart breaking a little more.
"That's great, Hermione. Be thankful you weren't around for the war." Ron laughed, a slight bitter edge to his voice.
Hermione cringed slightly, remembering everything he had lost. "I wish I had been here to help." It was the first bit of truth she had spoken. Indeed, she would much rather of been at Hogwarts, defending it valiantly and possibly dying in the process, instead of cowering on the cold stone floors of the palace, servicing its inhabitants.
"Are you going back to school? I bet you could finish in a year, maybe less, you're so smart. Maybe you could join us? It'd be just like old times." It was Harry's turn to interrogate her, his hair ruffled, green eyes bright, curious.
"I was planning on finishing, yes, but I haven't really thought about what I'll do after that." Again, she gave them a snippet of truth; what on Earth WOULD she do after she finished? In between questions, Hermione desperately fought for an excuse to leave, to find Professor Snape. She had been so excited about that evening, and now it was slowing slipping away. "If you all will excuse me, I'm.I'm..feeling a little light headed, it must be the wine. I just need a bit of fresh air." Slowly she stood, praying that none of them would try to follow her, praising Merlin and Circe when they all began to chat about how it would be possible for her to continue her education. Quickly she pushed her way through the crowd, forcefully ignoring her discomfort, and it didn't take long before she realized that he had obviously left.
The coolness of the entrance hall was a welcome change from the suddenly stifling heat of the room behind her. Her eyes darted about, hoping he hadn't locked himself in the dungeons already. Thankfully he had not. He was standing across the hall, partially hidden in the shadows near a suit of armor, gazing out one of the many windows looking out over the grounds.
"Professor?" Her voice was barely audible. Something had changed about him, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it, all she knew was that the man who had danced with her what seemed like only moments ago had faded and perhaps vanished. He was once again the towering, rather frightening figure in black, snarling and scowling at her.
"Shouldn't you be enjoying the party with your friends, Ms. Granger?"
His voice had lost any semblance of warmth, and held nothing but cold bitterness, making Hermione immediately recoil. "Things may change if I regain my memories of them. but for now they're just acquaintances, sir. Are.are you alright?" Slowly she edged towards him, as one would approach a wild creature, afraid that he'd lash out at her.
He whirled around and within a few steps he was nearly on top of her, towering above her suddenly cowering form. "Things WILL change, Ms. Granger, I assure you." Snape internally cringed at the sight of her, cast in blue in the dim light of the hall, she looked almost the same as when he had pulled her from the snow. Outwardly, though, he was made of stone. Thrusting his hand into one of his pockets, he withdrew a small vial, his frozen heart cracking, achingly frostbitten as he held the small, innocent looking thing out to her, the contents of which would bring about the end of their little renaissance.
Hermione stared blankly at the little glass bottle filled with red liquid. It was so innocent, and yet she found herself backing away from it. "What.what is it?"
The malice in his voice was almost rivaled by the cold, fierce, anger within his eyes, but not quite. "You're Christmas gift, Ms. Granger, and the reason I was not available for your lesson. Within this vial. is the key to your memories."
*~~~*~~~~*
REM
Losing My Religion
Life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up
That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've said too much
I haven't said enough
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try
Every whisper
Of every waking hour I'm
Choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt lost and blinded fool
Oh no I've said too much
I set it up
Consider this
The hint of the century
Consider this
The slip that brought me
To my knees failed
What if all these fantasies
Come flailing around
Now I've said too much
I thought that I heard you laughing
I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try
But that was just a dream
That was just a dream
*~~*~~*
Authors notes: DUN DUN DUN (dramatic suspense music stuff) alrighty, hope you guys like that chapter.me tried ^_^..another chapter coming pretty dang soon, I'm already started on it. I hope Snape wasn't really ooc.I mean, love can to some seriously strange things.ack..did I just say love? ;) anyways.even the bitterest souls can sometimes forget themselves. Anyways, PLEASE read and review.I hardly got any for the last chapter ( must've sucked more than I realized *LOL*.ok, and this chapter hasn't been beta-ed, so I'm not sure about the mistakes..I read it twice and corrected all I saw, though. Once it's been beta-ed, I'll post the new and improved version, just for gits and shiggles. :D
(((THIS VERSION HAS NOW BEEN BETA-ED YAY! Thank you again Cristy AKA Flashy- you rule!))
Alright, and as I promised, here are the answers:
Jessica the Homicidal Maniac: *L* Thanks! The wild hunt and battle are coming soon.as is the end of the story *more dramatic music*.And, well, I figured Snape wouldn't be the time, not matter how much he digs someone to jump headlong into a relationship ;) but ah well.we'll see what happens.Again, thank you! I love reviews! And it's really, really makes me do happy dances when I find out people are actually reading this silly thing *L*
AZ: Np! ^_^ thanks for reading!
Someone28: ^_^ thanks! I have, and I will again! :D
Hawaii5063: I figured that's what any decent gentleman would do ;)...And I thought that perhaps he'd show instead of tell. Ack.that sounded dirty *L*.Hrrmmm.well, considering what he's probably gone through emotionally, constant rejection and ridicule.it might take awhile. I used to just be mildly teased when I was in school and I'm still completely terrified of rejection.but what Snape went through seemed to be a lot more intense..I can't wait to see if JK Rowling delves into that any more.I mean, did Snape deserve it? Does he deserve the malice everyone shows towards him? Dumbledore trusts him, so I can't help but take everything he says or does with a grain of salt. *L* Sorry, hopped on the tangent-mobile :P. LOTS of info on the Wild Hunt/ Furious Host: I've borrowed a lot of it, and I've made a lot of it up..but no matter what, its extremely fascinating ^_^ Thank you for reading! And reviewing for that matter!
Nataly Ravenlock: Thank you SO much! :D
Sweetygirl420: Yup! Though of course, you've never offending, exactly *L*..anyways..I'm really glad to see you're still reading! And I liked the spell to, even though I think it'd be pretty creepy to see him forced into something like that.like the imperious curse ( anyways.thanks again!