Castaways on a Sullen Sea
By weasleywheezes
Chapter 21 – The Final Obstacle Falls
It was the last day of break. Hermione was preparing to return to the Burrow. Ron sent an owl to Ginny with instructions that he would come to accompany Hermione home. Hermione thought it was strange that Ron would send the note to Ginny and not to her directly. She knew that her leaving abruptly had opened some sort of wound in her friend. Then there was the matter of Harry. She still didn't know if Harry would be there to welcome her. She was afraid that she had lost his friendship forever. It hurt her deeply to know that Harry couldn't be happy for her. She understood, however, the betrayal that Harry must have felt.
She had spent the two previous days in meaningful conversation with Severus, walking around the grounds of the school. Once or twice, he had taken her hand while strolling. It warmed her heart, yet made her feel a little depressed. The barrier that he put between them could never be torn down; no matter how hard she tried. Hermione knew that things had changed in her life far beyond anything she could have ever imagined, but she would never go back. She knocked on Severus' classroom door. He bid her entrance, then took her hand and left the room. They started heading toward the Slytherin common area. Hermione nervously chattered the whole way.
"Severus, where are we going?" she asked.
"I wish to be alone with you," Snape replied. He paused and opened the door to his quarters. "Ladies first."
Hermione walked into the room. It seemed like he had taken a slice of Snape Manor and brought it to Hogwarts. She noticed that he had a huge library of Muggle books on the wall. "Aren't you afraid that the Slytherins will find out about your collection of Muggle literature?" she queried.
"Hermione, for once, will you shut your mouth?"
She stopped talking and Severus put his hands on her shoulders, bent to kiss her. Their tongues met and they fell onto a chair, caressing one another. Hermione gasped when Severus placed his hand on her breast and lightly squeezed. Severus stood up, drawing Hermione up with him. They never broke contact on the kiss. He scooped her up and took her to his bedroom. When Snape placed her on the bed, Hermione finally asked the question she had been wondering since he brought her to his room.
"What exactly do you plan on doing?"
He secured the door and moved close to her. "No talking." He kissed her again. The kiss seemed to deepen every second. Severus was soon hovering over Hermione. He looked into her eyes. It was at that moment she knew what it was he wanted.
"Won't someone hear us?" she whispered. "What about…well, you know?"
"I've taken all precautions, Hermione," Severus said huskily. "Do you want this?"
Hermione paused. Her emotions and logic seemed to battle one another. She wanted to be intimate with him, to feel the fierce passion that he kept denying they had; but she wanted to keep the relationship going slowly. She knew that somewhere out there, the Dark Lord was lying in wait for Severus. Until she could be sure that her heart would survive, she was afraid to let go.
But think about it, Hermione. Who has more to lose than Severus? She thought to herself. Didn't he just say that he couldn't get involved until after Voldemort was out of their lives forever?
"Severus," she said quietly, "I thought there was no we."
"I lied," he said candidly.
She saw, hidden within him, his plaintive longing to be part of something bigger than himself. It broke her heart, because she, too, understood that longing. She wanted it for herself. However, there was something else, something that caused her to wonder if this was what she truly wanted or needed. She took a deep breath and put her hand to his chest.
"Severus, you know that I love you, right?"
He shook his head yes, and turned away from her. "I…I understand. Perhaps now is not the right time. I'm sorry I've conducted myself in this manner."
"No, no, Severus, wait. I just…I'm afraid. I'm afraid of all the things that are happening around us. Harry and Ron know everything, V-voldemort's still out there…"
Severus swallowed hard. He understood her fear, felt it. "You don't have to say anything else."
She moved toward him, put her head on his shoulder. Severus smiled briefly, lay back upon the bed and wrapped his arms around Hermione. He kissed the top of her head and languidly moved to her lips. She returned the kiss, and before she realized what had happened, she had rolled onto her back. He caressed her, softly kissing her cheek, neck and shoulders. She ran her fingers through his hair and brushed it out of his face. She smiled shyly. They laid close together, neither saying a word, until Hermione looked deep into his eyes and whispered her love to him. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, and slowly, very slowly, they began their most private conversation, a duet without words. When they were finished, Severus laid beside her, stroking her arms. They stayed, poised in this amorous position, until Hermione looked out the window and saw that the sun was shining through.
"Severus, do you think it's noon?"
---
Ron and Harry sat quietly in McGonagall's office, waiting for Hermione to arrive with her bags. The professor offered them each a cookie and a cup of tea while they sat. Ron, especially, marvelled at how nice Professor McGonagall seemed when she was no longer their teacher.
"So, I hear from Ginny that you are working with a Quidditch team, Ron? Which one, exactly?" McGonagall asked.
"Yeah. It's fun. It's not just one squad; we go around to different teams working with their public relations agents. I get to see Oliver Wood at times. He's exactly the same, Professor," Ron began.
The door opened slightly. McGonagall's glasses slid to the end of her nose, and she peered over them. "Professor Snape, it's a surprise to see you here."
Snape stood between the boys and Hermione. Harry glowered at him; Ron ignored him. Hermione looked around Snape and caught Ron's eye. She waved hello.
"Potter! I thought Mr. Weasley would be the one to escort Hermione back to his parents' home?" Snape asked.
"Yeah, well, I decided to come, too," Harry said flippantly. "I couldn't wait to see you again, sir."
Hermione cleared her throat. Snape glared at Harry, but said nothing else. Hermione stepped around him, hugged Ron, and turned to Harry. "Hi, Ron. I'm happy to see you," she said.
Harry only nodded. Ron smiled at Hermione and hugged her again. "We're both happy to see you, too, aren't we Harry? D'ya have your things?"
"They are out in the hallway. Sev…er… Professor Snape helped me carry them."
Hermione, Harry, and Ron walked out into the hallway. Harry took Hermione's things and began to carry them. As they walked out of the castle, Hermione looked behind her. Severus was following them. She knew why. He wanted to say goodbye to her. They all walked down the path towards Hogsmeade, Harry stealing glances at Hermione, Ron walking beside her protectively. Hermione stopped walking and grabbed onto Ron's hand. "Ron, you and Harry can go on a bit. I'll catch up. I just want to say goodbye."
Ron nodded. The two boys walked on to Hogsmeade. When they had become a speck on the horizon, which didn't take long, Severus wrapped his arms around Hermione and held her close to him.
"I'm not sure when I'll see you again, Miss Granger," he said brusquely.
"It will be soon, Severus. I promise," Hermione whispered, and lightly kissed his cheek.
Suddenly, there came a rustling noise from the wood close by. Severus released Hermione, turned to look at the noise, and saw his worst nightmare. Lucius Malfoy and Voldemort stood side-by-side, pointing their wands towards him.
"Well, well!" the Dark Lord croaked. "It looks as though we've found ourselves voyeurs into Severus' sexual life!"
"Severus, I knew you had become a Blood Traitor, but never would I have thought you'd stoop so low as to…a Mudblood, Severus! You've put your tongue into her mouth. Doesn't it taste like dirt?" Lucius spat on the ground. "When you have sex with her, does it feel like quicksand?"
"Stop it, Malfoy! You don't know what you're talking about!" Severus bellowed.
"Oh, but I do. Or don't you remember? All that fun we had with those Muggle girls in Manchester? All those glorious screams and the sweet smell of fear mixed with sweat?" Lucius had a glassy look in his eyes. "Maybe I'm the only one who can fondly remember every little Muggle bitch I've assaulted. Of course, there are certain parts of me that could never forget. Maybe I can refresh your memory?"
"Lucius!"
Lucius seemed to stalk toward Hermione. His eyes flashed with an animal-like intensity. "Severus, don't tell me you don't recall watching as I had my way with those Muggles. I always wondered why you didn't join in the fun. Well, now we know, don't we? You would have enjoyed it too much. Looks like you've enjoyed this little Mudblood whore already…I'll have to take a taste."
Snape whipped his wand out of his robes and pointed it directly at Lucius Malfoy. "You never did know when to shut up, Malfoy!"
Voldemort cleared his throat, bringing all attention back on him. "Boys, stupid, ignorant boys. You can stop your fighting now. Severus Snape, you do know why I'm here, don't you?" Snape shook his head no. "You'll learn soon enough. Oh, no, not now - soon. I'll remind you of a time when you had it all, when you were reborn, when you had a family, but you threw it away."
Snape stared into Hermione's eyes. His mouth moved but made no sound. It looked like he was saying "Cliff. Cliff."
Voldemort looked at Hermione. It made her stomach turn. "Little Mudblood, don't worry. I'm not going to kill you. Yet. But your time will come. I'm going to kill your lover. And then I'll come after you. It'll be fun. Oh, but not for you." He laughed evilly.
"No!" Hermione screamed, trying to grab her wand. Malfoy grabbed her hand, nearly crushing it with his own.
"Lucius, let go of the girl. Let her scream. Let her do her worst. She can't stop me," Voldemort grinned.
"I can't stop you, but I know who can!" Hermione shouted again.
"No one can stop me now, little girl." The snake-like man turned to Malfoy, smiled grimly, and aimed his wand at him. "I have no further use for you now, Lucius."
Malfoy's smile of triumph quickly turned into a look of panic and surprise. "But. . .but, my lord, my master! I've done everything for you…"
"That's the problem with you. You think I believe you," Voldemort said flippantly. "Avada Kedavra."
Hermione watched in horror as Lucius' body twisted beneath itself. She trembled violently. Voldemort laughed. "Little Mudblood girl, did that scare you? I would hope that you tell everyone the news. I'm back. I'm more powerful. Are you afraid? You should be!" He aimed his wand at Severus and uttered a few words. The two wizards disappeared, leaving Hermione alone on the road.
---
Harry fell to the ground, screaming, clutching his scar. It had never burned so hot. He felt as though his head would split in two. Ron rushed to his side. "Harry! Harry, what's going on?"
"Voldemort."
"You-Know-Who? Is he around here? Is he trying to get you?"
Harry clenched his teeth. The pain was tremendous. "No, he's just murdered someone, I know it. Something is terribly wrong."
"Oh, god. We left Hermione with Snape. I wonder if she's all right," Ron said in a worried tone. "I'll be right back, mate."
Ron sprinted down the road, dreading what might lie over the horizon. He saw Hermione in a mad dash, faster than he'd ever seen her run. She was hysterical. "Ron! Ron! He…he… Voldemort!"
Ron turned a deadly pale. "Hermione? You-Know-Who? Where?"
"He took Severus! He killed Draco Malfoy's father! Oh, my god," Hermione said as she puked on Ron's shoe.
"Come on, Hermione. We've got to get Harry. He knew what was happening. His scar…"
The two ran to Harry, who was sitting on the side of the thoroughfare, shaking. Hermione rushed to him, hugged him tightly. "Voldemort! He ambushed us. He took Severus. Killed Malfoy…"
"Malfoy?" Harry asked quizzically.
"Lucius Malfoy was with him, and he killed him. Voldemort. He's coming after me… oh, my god! Why are we just standing here?"
Ron took the initiative. He grabbed Hermione by the hand and started heading back towards Hogwarts. Harry followed close behind. "What the hell are you doing, Ron?" he asked.
"We've got to get to Professor Snape somehow, right? And we don't how to get there, right? Brooms."
"Brooms?" Hermione said shakily.
"Brooms. Brooms! Ron, you're a genius!" Harry exclaimed.