Disclaimer – (See prologue)
I'm really sorry I haven't updated in a while. Thanks to my little brother, I was banned from using the computer for a few days. But I'm back now! But the next update won't be until Monday, I'm really bust tomorrow, sorry!
Chapter 16The next few days went by quickly. The supporters had arrived but Hermione only ever saw them properly during meals. The four long tables had been placed back in the Great Hall because there were so many people.
Hermione, Harry and Ron had spent most of their remaining week practising up in the room of requirement. The few Aurors that were in the room watching them had given them advice and helped them to set up moving targets. Ginny was down in the Infirmary, practising basic healing spells and learning some new ones.
Hermione had solved the problem of not being able to talk to Severus as often. She had learned of a spell that could be cast over blank pieces of parchment. She kept one and Severus had the other. The charm allowed them to talk through that. Almost like Tom Riddle's diary.
However, Hermione still missed him. She saw him during meals and she talked to him at night using the charmed parchment, but it wasn't the same as being with him. He felt the same way, but both agreed that it was better than nothing.
Hermione was still nervous, but the boys had been really helpful, so she wasn't as nervous. She now understood how Harry was feeling confident, he had improved a great deal over the years and so had Ron.
Today, they had decided to have a break from training and Hermione had found herself in the library, a couple of Aurors by her side. She sighed. She really didn't think it necessary for all the protection. The wards around Hogwarts were as strong as ever and that wouldn't change unless Dumbledore was replaced.
She was looking through books about defence. She had found out Harry and Ron's strengths and weaknesses, herself included. Harry's strength was, of course, his combat skills. His weakness was that he cared too much about what happens to his friends and his concentration seems to wander at times.
Ron's strength was blocking. His years of training as a keeper in Quidditch made his blocking and deflecting improve. His weakness was his combat skills, as Harry always had to help him. Ron was good at it, but just not quick enough.
She had a good knowledge of counter curses and hexes. Her weakness was much like Harry's, but she was also not quick enough to react.
So here she was, with this knowledge, trying to overcome their weaknesses and to make them a better team. She knew that they, combined, would make quite a team, but how could it be done?
She spent most of the morning looking through books, trying to find some way for them to put their strengths to good use.
An hour later, she slammed a text shut in frustration. She hadn't found a thing to help them. She decided to ask Harry and Ron for any ideas they might have later on. All she needed was an idea she could work with.
A voice interrupted her musings.
"Ah, Miss Granger. I was hoping I'd find you here."
She looked up, a smile threatening to form across her features. She forced herself to calm down and answered.
"Professor Snape, what can I do for you?"
Severus looked down at her, a scowl across his face. He replied coldly, "I'm brewing some potions for Poppy and I can't look at four cauldrons at once. As much as I loath seeking help from others, let alone a Gryffindor. If you have nothing better to do other than sit in here reading, then you may assist me if you so wish."
She smiled inwardly. She knew that, no matter how much he cared about her, he hated asking for help. She quickly muttered a charm to send all the books back to their shelves and stood up.
"Of course, professor, I'd love to help."
He didn't reply, but just nodded and walked towards the exit. He turned when he realised she wasn't following him and sighed.
"You won't get any work done just standing there. Follow me."
With that he turned and strode out. Hermione quickly followed, the Aurors right behind her.
When they arrived at the dungeons, Severus turned to the Aurors.
"You don't have to be here, Miss Granger is with a teacher, therefore she is safe. So you two may find Potter and Weasley to keep an eye on. I'll escort Miss Granger up to the Great Hall at dinner."
The two Aurors nodded and quickly hurried away. Hermione smiled to herself. Not many people were comfortable to be in the presence of Severus for long.
He held the door open and Hermione stepped through. In an instant she was pressed up against the door with Severus kissing her passionately. She returned the kiss with just as much enthusiasm. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Hermione pulled away, breathing heavily.
"I thought you said you needed help with some potions," she said.
"I do, but they can wait for now. They're nearly finished and need to sit for half an hour. I just need help bottling them. It will get done a lot quicker with the two of us. Besides that was just an excuse to get you alone for a few hours," he replied with a mischievous grin.
Hermione smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "How crafty of you."
"I know, but you like it."
"Of course I do."
He kissed her once more. This time gently and slowly. He pulled back and smiled down at her.
"I've missed you. I know it has only been a few days but I don't exactly have tons of friends to take my mind off you."
"I know what you mean, but those charmed parchments have helped."
"They have helped. But Albus now thinks I'm mad, writing down conversations to myself."
"So he doesn't know about us?"
"He knows, but I doubt he knows about our method of communication."
"He will probably find out though. Nothing gets past him for too long."
"Indeed. Well as much as I love our current position, we need to bottle those potions."
They spent the next ten minutes bottling up the potions and putting them into a box. He used the floo network to send them to the Infirmary. He turned to her, a look of hunger in his eyes. He held out his hand and Hermione took it without hesitation. In an instant he led her to his quarters where they made up for the past few days of being apart.
A few hours later they were getting ready to go to the Great Hall for dinner. They were about to exit his room when Severus suddenly grasped his left arm. Hermione looked at him, worry etched onto her features. He took a few deep breaths and turned to her.
"It's him. I'll escort you up to the Great Hall. Tell the Headmaster where I've gone, ok?"
"Ok," she nodded, fear clutching the pit of her stomach.
He rummaged through his closet and pulled out his death eater robes and mask. He put the robes on but placed the mask in his pocket.
They then made their way to the Great Hall. She stopped just before she went in and placed her hand on his arm.
"Please be careful."
He tried to smile reassuringly at her and replied, "I'll be fine. Don't worry, I'll contact you through the parchment when I get back. He doesn't seem angry anyway."
He squeezed her and before walking out of sight. Hermione turned and made her way into the Great Hall. She quickly made her way over to Dumbledore and told him the news. He just nodded sadly and thanked her for letting him know.
She walked to the table where her friends were sitting, who thankfully didn't notice the exchange between the headmaster and herself. She had suddenly lost her appetite and pushed her food around with her fork. How could she have gone from extremely happy, to scared and nervous so quickly?
"Are you, ok Mione? You're not eating," Harry looked at her with concern.
She looked at him and sighed. "I'm ok, Harry. I'm just not so hungry."
"Are you sure that's all?"
She tried to smile and replied, "Yeah, I'm just thinking about what we can do next week, you know. What do you guys think we should do?"
She was trying to take her mind off Severus, but at the same time she was trying to get her friends to talk about something else.
Harry spoke up. "Well, ever since we found out each others strengths and weaknesses, I was thinking. What if the three of us stayed together? You know and have Ron cast a shielding charm around us? Because Ron's best at doing that. That way you wouldn't have to be a quick thinker and just take your time."
Hermione perked up at this. "That's a good idea! I could look up on how to make shielding charms stronger, so we wouldn't have to worry about having some curses getting through."
They finished off their dinner and walked back up to the common room. They talked of their plan some more, everyone agreeing it was a good idea, until they all decided to retire for the night.
Hermione was unable to sleep though. Severus still hadn't contacted her and she was getting worried.
She felt herself growing tired and was nearly asleep when the parchment next to her glowed. Tiredness forgotten, she shot up in her bed, grabbing the parchment and looked at it, relief sweeping through her.
'I've just got back and I'm fine. I hope you weren't worried.'
She grabbed her quill and wrote her reply.
'What did he want?'
She looked at the parchment expectantly and for a while she thought he wouldn't answer. When he finally did answer she felt sick with fear.
'He's going to attack sooner than he had planned. He's going to attack on Saturday.'
There you go! Once again, sorry for the delay! Thanks for the reviews people, you are all too kind! Well, review, and you will all get T shirts with a picture of your choice on the front!