I don't get much time to answer reviews anymore, but I'll try to do so every few chapters at least.
Pomphrey had ordered Hermione to stay in the hospital wing overnight. She had some very bad bruises, especially about her face and neck. Ginny was furious with Hermione for being caught alone by Malfoy, even if it wasn't Hermione's fault. She stayed with her, sleeping on the bed beside her. Before going to sleep, they had both rejuvenated their concealment charms, just in case.
Hermione stared at the wall across from her, propped up in her bed, her stomach still tender and painful. The bruises were all gone and Hermione was little worse for the wear, but the pain still lingered as a dull ache. She couldn't sleep so she sat there.
She gasped when there was a pop and Minnie stood at the end of her bed, looking her over carefully. "You should be sleeping," Minnie whispered to her, matter-of-factly.
"I can't," Hermione mumbled, her thoughts turning to Severus, and making her wince with how she had to treat him. She realized that she shouldn't have kissed him and her words were incredibly stupid. If Professor Snape thought he would turn too early to the side of light for her, then her saying, "We aren't the same, Severus. You are a death eater and I am a Phoenixer," was probably a pretty stupid thing to say.
"Master Severus is depressed ma'am, do yous know why?" Minnie asked, nervously.
"I can't know, Minnie," Hermione said, trying to make the little elf understand with the tone of her voice only.
"He was called away, ma'am and Minnie is worried about Master," Minnie said, wringing her hands.
"Called… by the dark lord?" Hermione asked.
"How-how… Minnie must punish herself, now miss," Minnie said, turning to disappear.
"Don't, Minnie; just, don't worry about him. He's going to be okay," Hermione said, her voice unsteady as she was trying to convince herself and the house elf simultaneously. Every second in this time, made her forget the stabilities and the truths of her own time. She was being entwined with this time and kept forgetting simple facts, like Severus will be okay. He'll live to see forty.
"Do yous care about my master, miss?" Minnie asked.
"I can't care about him, Minnie. I can't," Hermione said, sadly, as if fighting to make it true.
Minnie hopes you're right about Master being okay miss. Minnie will see you soon," Minnie said, disappearing with a pop. Hermione closed her eyes, willing the pain to just go away.
"Damn it, why are you in my head," she shouted, waking Ginny, who hurried to her side, but she pushed the girl away, turning on her side and squeezing her eyes shut.
Severus Snape finished listening to his house elf's conversation with Alaira Howard, via the pendant they shared. Minnie appeared at his side, and frowned, grimly at the ground.
"Minnie saws her close to tears, sir. Minnie caused that pain," Minnie murmured.
"You did well. I will make her tell me why this sudden can't has appeared. I have to find out," Snape said, desperately. He was falling for Enemy Number One against Voldemort and oddly… he was going to fight for her. She would be his, no matter what anyone had to say about it.
Severus was becoming desperate. He had to find a way to stop this himself. He could remember his plans as if they were broad in front of him and from what Ginny had told him, he was sure she wasn't about to fight him very hard. He scowled, angrily, slamming his fist on his desk, leaving a dent.
He stood quickly and walked out of his room and down the stairs, interrupting everyone's dinner. It was usually near dinnertime that they gained new memories so dinner was becoming a casualty in this situation.
"Albus, we have to try something else," Severus said, sitting stiffly in his usual seat.
"I don't have anything else that I think we can do, Severus," Albus said.
"I want her back here now," Severus snapped. "She's changing everything!" Snape said.
"You're just jealous she chose me over you," Sirius snapped.
"I'm more worried about the fact that she kissed me," Severus growled, pride mixed in with his concern.
"She did not!" Sirius shouted.
"Or that she was worrying about me because she knew I was called," Snape added.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think the two of you were fifteen year old boys fighting over a pretty girl," McGonagall chided.
"It's because they are really," Remus said, quietly.
"Oh, shove it Remus. You want Ginny," Sirius snapped.
"Albus, I agree with Severus. I just want it over," Remus said, not answering Sirius' accusation.
"I can't leave Voldemort for four weeks and two days, from where she is in time," Snape said. "She's getting dangerously close to changing me," Snape said.
Suddenly a bright light shot through his head and a mix of images. He winced in pain. "NO!" he shouted.
"Set up the ritual now!" he barked at the group, stalking from the room towards his own.
Hermione walked slowly down the corridor, her bare feet padding on the ground. She wore a white tank top and black pajama pants, courtesy of Ginny.s
It was three days after her 'meeting' with Lucius and the first time she had been able to get away from Ginny and that was only because Ginny was fast asleep in her bed, while Hermione was restless. She was heading down towards the kitchens in search of some company, Minnie's company actually. The house elf was very friendly and even if she was Severus' house elf and they weren't on the best terms, Minnie was still a creature that she could talk to.
Hermione entered the kitchen, to immediately see the back of a dark head. She turned, quickly to leave, when Minnie's shrill voice greeted, "Alaira!"
She turned back and her eyes immediately locked with Severus' dark ones. She turned quickly and fled.. She ran as fast as she could, but his booted feet echoed behind her, catching up quickly.
She let out a soft cry of protest, when his arm clamped down on her arm and pulled her to a stop, turning her quickly and holding her against the wall by the shoulders.
"Why can't you just talk to me?" he shouted at her.
"I just can't!" she cried. "Please, just let me go!" she whispered.
"You acted like you cared and I believed that," Snape spat angrily.
"I don't, I don't feel anything, I don't!" she shouted.
"Not anything," Snape repeated. Hermione's hands shook, terribly. She tried to move back further against the wall, but it was right there. She could feel the cool stone against her. He stared down at her, gently, his dark eyes locked onto hers. She could feel his breath upon her brow. His grip on her arms loosened and one moved up to cup her cheek tenderly. She involuntarily leaned into the warm touch, all too aware how cold she was and how warm he was. He dipped his head slowly, eyes not leaving hers as he did.
She felt his lips on hers and her eyes fluttered closed, all her resistance gone as she kissed him back. His hand moved from her cheek to gently hold the base of her head, while his other arm wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her to him, even as he pushed her against the wall with his own body. Her now-mobile hands found their own way to him, one clutching the fabric of his robes at his shoulder, the other tangling in his hair, which was much softer than it looked.
His tongue drew across her bottom lip and she opened her mouth, moaning as his tongue slipped into her mouth, his warm body flush against hers, pinning her to the wall, pressing against her as he kissed her passionately. She felt her knees weaken and was glad he was holding her or she was sure she would have fallen.
She moved her tongue tentatively against his as it caressed her mouth, gently. She felt a jolt as she felt his hand on her bum, moving lightly over it. Suddenly her senses came back and she pushed him away, shouting, "I can't!"
His eyes showed hurt… then anger. He came back at her and slammed his hands on the wall on either side of her head.
"You can't lie to me. You want it and you know it. I will have you," he growled. Hermione shivered, feeling trapped. He kissed her possessively, but she refused to kiss back, which was the extent of her Gryffindor courage. He growled. "I played nice so far… I played this game, but it won't happen long," he growled, stalking off, angrily.
Hermione fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. "Didn't I warn you?" an eery voice said to her. "He's a death eater, Hermione. You knew that. Death Eaters get what they want remember? It's like an obsession with them," Ginny said, kneeling beside her and wrapping her in her arms.
"He's different though?" Hermione sobbed.
"Yes, he is. The man you love, 'Mione, cannot be found here. He's in the future and no where else. He told me not to mention him to you, but I have to… you should have known," Ginny said. "He is the one who can care for you, Hermione. He is the one who can protect you, not this teenaged version of him," Ginny said.
"I understand," Hermione whispered, through her tears.
"No, neither of us can even begin to understand this, Hermione. Only he knows," Ginny said, softly.
"I want to, Gnny. I just want to go home," she whispered.
"Then that's where we'll go. It will just take a short while longer," Ginny said.
"Until then, we'll just be more careful, understood? You go no where without me, got it?" Ginny asked.
"Yes," Hermione said.
"We have to take this seriously now, or we can't get home," Ginny told her. Hermione nodded, tears still streaming down her face.
Thanks to my reviewers. I hope you understand all of this chapter…
