Cause and Effect
Chapter Three:
Darkest Shadows
Hermione groaned as she woke in a dark and bitterly cold room. Her chest pains were sharper and she was on the verge of giving up. What was it that Draco had said? 'Never trust a Slytherin.'
Severus was the head of Slytherin House and one of its alumni, but she would trust him to the end of her days. He would come for her. Hermione had no doubt of that.
The little brat should have said never trust a Malfoy. That would have been more accurate.
She had been so stupid to run off like that! Did the others know that she was missing yet? How long had she been missing?
A sudden flick of an invisible switch brought all the electric lights above her to life, blinding Hermione long enough to let her captors grab her hands and ankles, and painfully pin her to a cold metal table.
The chuckle that filled the room shook Hermione to the core. "Lucius Malfoy! I should have known you'd be in it with your brat!"
"So the dirty blooded Gryffindor whore is up? Why Severus would waste his time with a mudblood is beyond me." Lucius might have said that, but it didn't stop him from feeling up Hermione's leg to just under her skirt (which was hiked up a little from the struggle).
Now that Hermione's eyesight had cleared somewhat she could see that it was four Death Eaters holding her down! There were still Death Eaters? She had thought that the last of them had gone to Azkaban after the war trials. Then again, Malfoy and his son had escaped, so obviously they had helped others escape that cold and dismal prison as well.
After a few beats, Hermione saw that Draco was standing at the end of the table grinning and looking up her skirt.
She would have said 'take a picture, it would last longer' but she was scared that he would. And Merlin only knows what the scum would do with it.
Instead, she glared hotly at him. But what was that behind him … under that sheet? In a panic, Hermione fought so she could get a look around her. BODIES! There were tables with sheet-draped bodies all around her! No! Anywhere but a place like this! Only in the muggle world were there places like this!
Lucius grinned at her. "Yes my dear, what is it your muggle bloods call this place? Ah yes, a morgue. Which means that you are not in the Wizarding world anymore. Your precious Severus and dear little friends cannot help you this time, mudblood."
Hermione fought back her tears, but it was a difficult battle. Draco then had to release them with his additional comment. "They'll hear about your demise from your muggle parents. Of course that will be after they get news of it from the local coroners here at your hometown morgue. But, you'll only be under the effect from the Draft of the Living Death at first. Until your autopsy that is."
"I won't drink it! You couldn't get me to willing drink that stuff!" Hermione spat, the pains in her chest becoming excruciating with each panicked twist and thrash she gave in the vain attempt of escaping the men holding her down.
Then Draco's grin became even smugger. "Who said anything about 'getting' you to drink it willing, mudblood?"
Minutes later, the group left her there – fully taken out by the drug's effects and covered with a sheet like the other bodies. Draco tossed the evidence in the near by garbage bin and disaparated with the rest, shutting off the lights without touching the light switch.
***
None of them knew that Hagrid had a way to find where Hermione was taken. After all he was the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Among those keys was a skeleton portkey.
It would open any area where a portkey had been activated as long as the skeleton portkey was used within twenty minutes of the portal closing. Luckily Hagrid had been inside the castle taking care of a Hufflepuff first year's owl familiar.
He opened it and the group that had gone with him was shocked by what they we faced with.
Hagrid was confused. Severus was seemingly stone faced, but he was dying inside. Harry's heart sunk. The Weasleys were shaking and staying close together.
Ron swallowed hard and looked at his first friend in Hogwarts. "Harry? What is this place?"
"A morgue. Where muggles are taken to find out what they died from and things like that." Harry was shaking inside. This didn't look good for Hermione. No, he had to stay positive for her sake.
They all spread out to search the place. Ron wasn't far from Snape, but was terrified to touch the sheets hiding who knows whom from his eyes. Snape had no such fears, but was growing more ancy with each disappointment.
Ginny stayed near Hagrid. Both were having about the same luck in finding their lost friend as the other two were.
Harry on the other hand was searching the various doors on the cooler to see if she had been hidden in one.
Severus and Ron were the first to find Hermione. Though her body was covered with a sheet like the others, Ron accidentally jarred the table and her left arm slipped just enough for the Potions Master to notice the bracelet that he had given her for Valentine's Day – one she only took off to bathe and sleep.
In his frustration of not guarding her better, Severus ripped off the sheet to find her seemingly dead with a note pinned to her chest. It read:
Aww, what a shame it is … dead so very young.
Too late for your two's date OLD Snape.
He ripped that off of her and crumbled it before pulling her into his arms. That was when he smelt it on the air surrounding her body. "Draft of the Living Death … we have to get her back to the school now."
Harry had been looking around and found what he was looking for. What looked like a blood bag and a tube that was obviously forced down her throat. "Found what they used to force it in her. Can't have muggles find this."
"Nicely done Potter, now let's go!" Severus snapped. Without waiting he disaparated the group back to outside the Hogwarts' Gates.
Yes, he could have let Hagrid transport them all by the skeleton portkey, but Severus felt to angry to wait for it. Before he could get a step into the gates, Hagrid used a different portkey to transport them all into the dungeons.
Severus didn't wait to explain anything to Albus. He carried Hermione to his personal quarters and laid her on his bed. Kissing her softly on the forehead, he left into what seemed to be a large walk-in closet. In reality it was his personal lab.
Albus turned to the rest of the group with the most pained face any of them had ever seen on him before. "I am sorry, all of you. It seems that the rescue has been in vain."
"What do you mean Professor?" Harry wasn't ready to give up.
Neither was Ron. "Professor Snape can fix this … he can wake her up … can't he?"
"Wake Miss. Granger? Yes, however at a great price. The amount of the draft in her body has shortened her already diminished life span. To wake her from it will only shrink it further. I'm afraid that she has a few minutes left to her at best."
Ginny curled into Harry's embrace and started to sob softly. Harry and Ron were too stunned to really react at all. Their best friend, the one they had always counted on, was going to die.
The look on his face told them that Severus was taking this hard. The couple had made so many plans, and now it was all for nothing.
He pulled the upper portion of her body into his arm as he sat down on the bed, opened a small dark bottle, and made her smell whatever was inside of it. Almost immediately Hermione started gasping and clutching her chest as she groaned hard in pain. "Severus!"
"I'm right here. You're safe and back at Hogwarts. Just rest." He didn't bother with hiding behind his mask. This was killing him.
Hermione had tears pouring down her face. "Can't … it hurts so bad. Not fair!"
That comment all of them agreed with her on. Severus continued to hold her tight as the others came forward and kissed her cheek and told her how badly they would miss and how they would never forget her. Finally the others backed off to watch the end come for their friend.
She was gasping harder and fully laying into Severus' embrace as he twisted to hold her closer and look into her tear filled eyes. "It is so unfair. So, many regrets in my heart. And I can't do anything about it."
Severus kissed the top of her head and rocked her gently. "I will do all I can to ease you now. Just ask for anything, and I will do what I can."
"I … I …" Hermione finally forced herself to look into those eyes she adored and forced herself to say what was in her aching heart. "I love you, Severus Snape. I have for so long, and will until the end of time."
Those were the sweetest words he could ever hear. She loved him! Even with his past, this beautiful woman loved him. He felt his grieving heart soar and a weak but true smile slip onto his face. In their last moments together she gave him the most precious of gifts, her love.
Severus kissed each of her eyelids and then looked into them to find fear of his rejection and hope that he alone could grant her. "My heart belongs to you, Hermione. I love you more, and none will ever get me to say that of any other."
Suddenly, there were two loud pops from that bed that shocked the others. Severus was fighting for consciousness, while Hermione was out cold in his arms but still breathing. Albus went over and rested a hand on the Potion Master's shoulder. "Rest now, Severus. You are both safe again."
"Not until I see her eyes open. She shouldn't be alone when she wakes." Severus fought out in labored breaths.
Harry sighed. "She won't be alone. One of us will be here at all times."
"Yeah." Ron and Ginny both agreed.
"And I believe a week long holiday is in order. So, you will not have the argument of them or yourself missing classes. Now rest, Severus." Albus gently ordered.
With a nod, Severus rested his head next to Hermione's on his pillow, let out a sigh, and fell asleep. Harry sat down in a nearby chair while Albus magically rested the couple comfortably on the bed, both holding the other in relief. Looking up at his mentor, the-boy-who-lived asked, "will they live now?"
Nodding, Albus smiled – the twinkle had returned to his tear filled eyes. "Yes, my boy. They will live. It would seem that Mr. Malfoy had indeed been lying. The spell broke when the pair confessed what they had hidden in their hearts."
"That they love one another?" Ginny asked.
Again Albus smiled and nodded. "Yes. But I know, baring any further acts against them, they will wait until after the leaving feast to go any further than … shall we say dating? Thank you all for volunteering to watch over them. They both need this time to rest and recuperate."
Ron looked at the pair sleeping in front of them all and nodded. "I'm not sure about Professor Snape, but I know that Hermione would have done it for any of us. It still feels weird that they are pairing up, but if it makes one of my best friends happy … let's just say that he had better take very good care of Hermione."
***
Severus groaned as his stomach grumbled. Slowly he sat up, hearing Miss. Weasley at the fireplace. "Dobby, could you send a late lunch or early dinner up? Thank you."
"Thank you, Miss. Weasley." Severus groaned softly as he looked down on the now more life like face of his love. She loved him and he had told her the same. What mattered more to him at that moment was that his precious Hermione would live.
"You're welcome Professor. I'll leave you two now. Professor Dumbledore wants himself and the others notified if there was any change in you two." Ginny smiled.
Severus stopped the Weasley girl before she could move away. "Has she woke yet?"
Ginny shook her head. "No. You both have been out of it for over two days now. But I've heard her call out for you in her sleep. Maybe hearing your voice will help her come back faster?"
With that Severus was alone with his angel. He lovingly moved her over into her side of the bed, tucked her in, and kissed her forehead. "Rest all you need my love. I will be here when you wake."
He ate and drank, as he knew Albus would ask and order him to do in the same short sentence, all the while watching Hermione for any change. The two of them were free, and had admitted their love to one another. Now he hoped that they could begin to build their lives together.
An hour later, Harry brought Hermione's parents to Severus' private quarters. Tom smiled and shook the Potion Master's hand. "Hey there Severus. How are you feeling now?"
"Better," he looked down at Hermione's sleeping body and smiled, "in many ways."
Heather fussed with the blankets, which brought a surprise to them all. Hermione groaned. "Mom, leave them alone. I'm hot as is."
Severus slowly cooled the bedclothes to give her body a chance to adapt to the temperature change. She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Hey."
"Better?"
Hermione nodded. "What did you just tell dad? Yeah, in many ways."
Everyone chuckled at that. Hermione obviously was feeling much better. She looked confused for a moment. "Where?" The look in Ron's eyes gave it away. "Never mind. How long have I been out?"
"Nearly three days. Do you enjoy three day naps, my dearest?" Severus' face softened. She was alive, awake, and free of the chest pain that nearly took her from him.
Hermione was thinking the same thing. Now that she had her future back, she planned on spending it with this wonderful man. "If you will kindly remember, my Severus, neither nap was voluntary on my part."
Again the others chuckled. Tom shook his head. "Well she is obviously feeling better. After all, my baby girl doesn't joke when she is sick."
"Daddy! I am almost eighteen!" Hermione growled.
Heather raised an eyebrow, "correction young lady, you are nearly nineteen."
Tom smiled on the shocked looks of those who were in the dark still. "We know everything baby. And it is a good thing we only learned it all recently. Otherwise, I think we would have pulled you out of this school after your first week."
"And I'm sure she now knows to check and make sure that a hair is human or feline." Heather chuckled.
Hermione uncomfortably blushed, along with Ron and Harry. Severus looked hard at his love. "Feline?"
"Um … uh … mom forgot to mention that was a long time ago." Hermione finally sputtered out, shooting her mother a glare.
While Heather's face sported a grin, Severus' hard stare didn't change. "How long ago?"
Clearing her throat, Hermione focused on his chest. "My second year."
"The day my private storage room was pilfered. I had assumed it was a Slytherin not one of the Gryffindor trio. My, but don't you have moxie angel?" Severus grinned. "So what potion did you make, as if I don't already know."
That calmed Hermione down. "A polyjuice potion. I got a cat hair instead of a human. Not fun."
"Well that teaches you to pay closer attention to the finer details. Besides, that is a difficult potion to make – even for those so-called full-blooded wizards with years of training under their belt. Told you that you will be the best witch Hogwarts will ever produce to date." Severus smirked at her. Finally she had proven him to be right.
The entire break her parents, friends, teachers, Severus, and even the house elves all kept Hermione in bed. That last night her folks left and Hermione felt worried. "Severus, what if something happens to them?"
"Your parents? Nothing will happen. I have friends watching over them." He lay down beside her on the bed and pulled his love into his arms. "Even a hint of trouble, they know where to take your parents where they will be safe."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"Am I ruining our last night in this bed for a while?"
Severus sighed. "Not ruin love. Simply distracting." He grinned, "you know that this is your side of the bed forever now?"
That took Hermione's mind off of her fears. "Is that so? Mm, I like it. But, I like laying on your chest better."
"So be it." Severus pulled her so she was half sprawled on him.
***
The next morning Hermione stretched and sighed. That night she would be back in her Head Girl's dorm room in Gryffindor Tower – alone. The look in his eyes told her that Severus felt the same way.
Without much talk they each got showered and changed for that day. Hermione was surprised to find her book bag waiting for her in Severus' office with two notes on it. One was in a Gryffindor envelope; the other was a Slytherin. Looking at Severus she opened the one in his house's envelope first.
Welcome and we all are glad you are feeling better, Mrs. Snape.
Slytherin House
That stunned both lovers. "Looks like I've been adopted by your house, Professor dear."
Smirking, Severus turned her around and kissed Hermione deep. "That is because you mean something to not only me, Mrs. Snape-to-be. A Gryffindor that is adopted by Slytherins – what is the world coming to?"
"Severus Snape, do you want a marital spat already?" Hermione glared at her fiancé.
All he did was smirk even brighter. "No, but I know how to get back in your good graces."
She allowed him one kiss before pushing him for information. "How?"
"Let's say that Albus is being particularly generous with our relationship."
Sighing, Hermione pushed a little more. "Severus, please tell me."
"We get Friday and Saturday nights to ourselves to 'date' without the need of unnecessary detentions and in private."
"No friends keeping us in line? All on our own?" Hermione grinned and leapt into her fiancé's arms. "Remind me that we need to get him an extra nice birthday present this year – from the both of us."
Severus nodded and Hermione opened the second note. She smiled and laughed. The note read:
Hey there Mrs. Snape!
Miss ya at home. And we can't wait to see ya again. Thanks for the time off. We're also happy we're not going to lose you to anything but getting hitched to Professor Snape. We all see it coming – so don't bother trying to deny it. We're all happy for ya both.
Ron, Harry, Ginny, and all of Gryffindor
"I am so going to pay them back for this!" Hermione fought the tears from her eyes.
Severus held her close for a few minutes, and then resigned that it was time to start the trek on to June. Two months at that moment felt like an eternity. "Time for breakfast, my dear."
"Yeah. See you in Potions then?" Hermione smiled when he nodded.
They walked out into the hall to be caught by a large group of Slytherins going off to breakfast. Two that Hermione recognized from her first class smiled and nodded to her – a first in all seven years!
Alana Readson stuck out her hand. "Welcome to Slytherin … in a round about way that is … Mrs. Snape."
"Don't worry. In-school knowledge only. All four houses have sworn to secrecy on that." Basil Allyn, seventh year Slytherin and Hogwarts' Head Boy too shook Hermione's hand. "Slytherin is sick of Malfoy shaming us, and you and your friends have done your usual Gryffindor best to save us all. Basically, if the Professor thinks your good enough for himself – then you are welcome in our house."
Hermione blushed. "Thank you all."
"Now unless Gryffindor and Slytherin both want points taken away, I suggest that all of you get to breakfast." Severus' glare was thrown off by the mirth and pride in his eyes.
Seeing as she had just become House Mother to the group in a strange way, Hermione shook her head and chuckled, "you heard him, Slytherins. We'd better make tracks for breakfast fast."
"Sure, House Mom." The group grinned and escorted her to the dinning hall. She hadn't yet realized that the staff had planned that she would not be alone in the halls until they were certain there would be no further attempts on her person.
As they made it to the door of the Great Hall Hermione stopped and was mildly surprised when 'her adopted house' did the same. It was too quiet in that room for breakfast. Turning around she had a look on her face that said the game was up. "What exactly is going on here?"
The Slytherins smirked almost as wickedly as their House Head, who had a gleam in his eyes Hermione just couldn't describe – joy, mischievousness, longing, and pride blended together (to name a few). Severus said nothing, only indicated the door with his head.
Curiosity getting the better of her, Hermione opened the doors to find everyone standing there looking at her. Starting with Professor Dumbledore, everyone broke into applause and soon after cheers. Hermione had not felt this loved since the day she finally woke from being petrified in her second year. A soft nudge made her go on into the room, followed by her adopted house and finally her fiancé. As the Slytherins settled at their table, Hermione hugged her three best friends. Severus gently rubbed his thumb down her back as he moved past them and sat at his place at the head table.
Finally Dumbledore cleared his throat that had the quick effect of quieting everyone, who quickly found their seats, Hermione between Ron and Harry. The headmaster's eyes twinkled as he smiled at the Gryffindor table. "We are all relieved and happy that Miss. Granger is alive, well, and back among us once again. And that Professor Snape too is healed from the most vicious attack both suffered before the holiday break a few months ago. However, I fear more trouble may be ahead of us all."
All of Gryffindor closed ranks to tighten in on Hermione, while Slytherin all sat straighter as they listened even more intently. Severus wasn't the only one who couldn't help smiling at the act. His love was respected and cherished by all of her and his houses.
Dumbledore too saw the act and felt some hope. "It would seem that someone is out to remove Miss. Granger and Professor Snape from our school in death or shame. Not succeeding in death, whoever has started this has opted to try shame. First Miss. Granger's family was given a note that lied about the two of them. Then a similar note found its way to the board of governors of Hogwarts, who questioned Miss. Granger's grades. She has proven her knowledge and skill better than any ever hoped. Yet now, the same lies have been given to Rita Skeeter."
Everyone groaned, and Hermione felt so frustrated. Why couldn't they leave her and her love alone? And she feared that he would leave her for the sake of her honor. She caught his eyes and mouthed out 'stay with me'. She felt relief when he nodded with a determined look in his eyes.
Dumbledore went on. "If any of you spot or are confronted by Ms. Skeeter, either avoid her or direct her to my office and say nothing else."
Everyone agreed, and the headmaster smiled. "Then we should get to the business of eating." With a wave of his hands he created a celebration breakfast for all.
After breakfast, Hermione felt safer with her friends all around her. She wouldn't see her fiancé until after lunch, but she knew that he too would be lonely in those hours as well. Especially with the look in his eyes she saw as he left the head table to monitor the main hall. Even guarded, she knew that he was worried for them both.
Walking out between Harry and Ron, Hermione was glad to have a large amount of Slytherin house in front of them. Rita Skeeter was right there at the door, with a smirk that twisted Hermione's stomach! "Miss. Granger! Can I have a few minutes of your time? Or is it Mrs. Snape now? Which title and name should I use in my piece?"
All four houses blocked Skeeter from getting more than a few steps forward, while the second Gryffindor trio (adding Ginny into the group, as she had been since their second year) escorted Hermione to class. She was fighting tears off the moment she got out of Rita's sights. Being called Mrs. Snape by the students was a joy for her that morning, now – from Skeeter's polluted mouth – it made her feel dirty.
The heads of Slytherin (who Severus sent to check on Hermione) caught up with the four. Alana and Basil both saw the look in Hermione's eyes. Skeeter would pay for this!
"Look, what we as students call you is our business. Skeeter had no right to use your future name." Alana set before them all firm.
Basil set a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "The entire student body is standing behind both you and Professor Snape, House Mom."
That did the job he wanted. Hermione chuckled and grinned a little. Even her three closest friends were smiling at that. Ron raised an eyebrow at that thought, "House Mom?"
Alana relaxed against the wall with a smirk on her face. "Let's see. Professor Snape is the Head of our House, and Hermione is Mrs. Snape in our eyes … do I need go any further in depth with this explanation?"
Harry shook his head. "But, they're right Hermione. You two are not alone, and all of us will do anything and everything to protect you both."
"Thanks guys!" Hermione hugged even the Slytherins, who were still getting used to her new role in their house. "Now, I doubt that we'll get excused from class because of Skeeter."
They all laughed. Alana and Basil returned to report to Professor Snape, while Harry, Ron, and Hermione rushed off towards Defense Against the Dark Arts.