A/N: Thank you for all your lovely (and very useful) reviews, I was glad to see a load of new people up there, I mean I love you guys who review every chapter, but it's great to see this is still attracting new readers. Some of you are beginning to see through parts of my 'cunning secret plan'… Which is great, I've been dropping subtle hints in every chapter and sometime will need to piece it together properly. Sometime…
Thank you:
PinkAphid: cliffies!
Megamie: I'm glad you think so
Kylala-San: Soon enough?
Sweetsyphn: Thank you, v.helpful review
Dimondcrystal124: we'll see, that's an idea but I don't want this to become too unrealistic
Becky: a bit late, read on…
Kana-Chan: I'm glad you decided to review; those are good points but I don't know whether to put too much of that in seeing as this is SSHG, but hey. A little bit in this chappie
Natsuyori: you know how much I love cliff-hangers ;)
With Or Without You
Harry stood still for a moment, Mrs Weasley stroked his arm, "are you sure you want to know?"
"Yes," said Harry defiantly, Hermione and Ron came up behind him, forgetting their differences for a moment and each put an arm round his shoulder, Harry cast them a thankful look.
"OK, here goes, Harry I heard this from Dumbledore this morning, I didn't want to tell you but he says you're entitled to know. But he wants you to see him in his office as soon as you get back next week. This is what Dumbledore told me, I'm sure there's more that he hasn't or that he doesn't know.
"On leaving for work that morning he was intercepted by Death Eaters somewhere. I don't know what happened in terms of time but he was somewhere tortured for information. Dumbledore had been prepared for this of course and had locked some important information but obviously not well enough. Your uncle has told You-Know-Who many things that will be important to him. Like who your friends are, your closeness to Hagrid and most worrying the contents of the letter they were given when you were left on their doorstop."
Harry stared at her, even he had never known the contents of this letter, Hermione and Ron squeezed his shoulders comfortingly.
"And Harry, Dumbledore thinks that there are only two ways that he will have revealed these; either he was tortured but hut it would have to be a very strong wizard to break through any shield of Dumbledore's, or he told them of his free will, opposing Dumbledore's protection. I will say no more, except Merry Christmas and presents are downstairs."
"Harry –" Hermione started,
"If he told them freely does that mean that he has joined their side?" Harry asked,
"I don't know Harry, I just told you what Dumbledore told me, ask him when you get back. Come on Ron,"
"No, Mum, I'll come down in a minute," Ron turned to Harry and Hermione, I'm so sorry guys, I've been a right bastard I know. Forgive me?" he held his arms out and the three of them embraced,
"How sentimental," Snape sneered, Hermione span round and shoved him gently,
"Oi, you be nice."
"Yes, Professor now you and Hermione are a 'thing' she'll be nagging you the whole time, good luck," Ron gave him a roguish grin and he and Harry ran downstairs.
Hermione giggled, "They don't mean that, honestly."
"I know," he sighed,
"What's the matter?"
"I just can't help feeling that if Dumbledore had let me carry on then none of this would have happened, I mean with Potter's uncle, I could have found out quicker and stopped it." He sighed again, "but no, I was shut up in this little cage."
Hermione took his hand, "But you've got me now, come on, let's go and face the rest of them downstairs."
"Oh the joy, I can't wait."
£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£
Dumbledore arrived two days before the end of the holidays, after he had explained the situation to a hysterical Aunt Petunia he gathered the Weasley children, Harry and Hermione in the lounge. "Now I suggest you say goodbye to these people, you won't have a chance to see them for a while."
"But we can write can't we Professor?"
"No, I'm afraid Miss Granger that I will not be allowing you to correspond with members of this household by any way other than face-to-face. Now hurry up please; we need to get back." Hermione felt sure he winked at her,
Mrs Weasley already had tears streaming down her face as she said goodbye to Ginny, Harry was giving Dudley a rather cautious pat on the back, and Hermione and Snape stood facing each other. "Soon, we'll meet again soon I promise,"
"But Hermione, the watches?" he said in a hushed tone,
"Yes I know, they must be good enough, I mean 'face-to-face', they're watch faces!"
"When's a good time?" Snape asked, stroking her face,
"Evening, I don't know, look at the inside dial. I have to go now,"
"Yes, but, never mind." He bent down and much to the surprise of everyone else in the room kissed her tenderly on the lips, "let them see," he muttered.
"Severus!" Hermione cheeks were tinged pink,
"Next time I see you, where that dress; it makes you look so beautiful, even more than you already are of course," he fiddled with a lock of her hair.
"When you've quite finished, Sir," Ron started to pull Hermione away,
"Weasley, stay out of this," Snape said coldly,
"Severus, please –"
"I don't like his tone,"
"I'm sure there are a lot of things he doesn't like about you too, but please this isn't the right time."
They held each other close until their skin touched and Hermione squeezed Snape so tight he couldn't breathe for a few seconds, "Hermione, please, I'm not much use to you dead!"
"Sorry," she loosened her grip, "I just can bear it, leaving you again, especially now, it's OK, it really means something."
"Well you're going to have to some time soon, Dumbledore's looking at his watch." Snape tried to take her arms from around his neck, "Thank Hermione,"
She stood on her tiptoes and gave him one last gentle kiss, let go of his hand and turned to face the woollen object on the table; one of the hats she'd made for house elves in her fourth-year, she shuddered embarrassingly. Ron smirked at her.
"Everybody put one hand on your trunk and the other on the tea cosy," Dumbledore ordered
"Hat," said Hermione through gritted teeth,
She turned for one last look at Severus where he stood at the window. The first morning light shone through a gap in the ever-closed curtains, catching the amber of necklace so that it filled with light. Around them the room lit up with a dazzling gold light that shimmered over the walls and danced on the faces of all those in the room.
"One…two…three."
The room swirled away behind her as she flew through a vortex of colour and sound.
"Severus!"
A/N: this ending is so soppy I know, thank you to sweetsyphn for the idea, I knew I had to do it somewhere, why not now. So we're not clear on Vernon yet, would you like me to tell you what Dumbledore knows? Or shall Harry just come back from going to see him and that's the end of that? Does anyone care about Vernon? Well I'll see what you guys think. Snape and Ron still not the best of mates, but what would you expect. Until we meet again my friends.
