The Weight of the World

Bleak stone. That was all she could make out. Every twitch sent tender chills up her spine. Her eyes were too heavy, her mouth too dry, her mind too chaotic for rational thought.

Severus..? Where are you know? Only time could tell…

Strangely enough… he was the only thing she wanted right now. Not Harry nor Remus… just Severus… Her skin bristled in the draft… the misted light that trailed between the bars of her cell did little to aid her vision… That light was broken by the form of a tall cloaked figure that drifted past her cell…

She could close eyes, but she could not stop the scene from playing beneath her lids, the memories that flooded her mind unbearable. Yet the pain was dull… an ache… an ache that could not be placed nor relieved.

So many forgotten fears rose up, with only the cold uncertainty of unconsciousness to quench them, and the only hope of rescue would be a visit from the darkest lord that ever had lived…

She knew it would only be a matter of time for her master to seek her out, knew that her mission would then be in action, knew that only then she could see Severus again.

So she waited…

'M-my Lord… I have tried…'

'You have done well enough. One would never have guessed such lies could fall from your mouth. And to the Ministry as well…' his voice was raised in slight bemusement. As amused as the Dark Lord could be.

'I'm assuming that you have news for me?'

'Much… as you know the Order still believe me to be theirs'

She lowered her hooded head to press her lips once more to the hem of his robes.

It was not until she caught site of the tall, prowling form of her lover amidst the shadows of the darkened corridor that a seemingly unreadable emotion burned in the pit of her stomach, and it was not until she had collapsed into his strong embrace that she felt safe once more. Just the faint hint of smoke that lingered in the folds of his black robes brought fresh tears to her eyes.

'I… I missed you.'

'You know what you have to do'

'I… yes I do. Severus… your with me aren't you'

He didn't answer, but his arms tightened slightly around her waist, she could feel the hammering of his heart and it consumed her.

'Stay with me. Don't let me go.'

'I won't.'

'Promise?' she prompted him.

You see, now things really had changed, as she had sworn herself spy.

She was a double-crosser.

And she would not be double-crossed.

'I… promise'

'Take me home'

He nodded, and as he wrapped his arms once more around her waist, she let the musky scent hidden in the folds of his collar invade her senses as the familiar sensation of apparition took over.

Soon they were standing amidst the bare, grey-tiled kitchen of his residence, and she found herself being steered toward a stool. The sound of clattering china echoed of the bleak walls, but the warmth of the stove was comforting, and Hermione huddled in her thin robes while Severus concocted a simple meal of faintly spiced rice and set it in front of her.

He chose to sit across from Hermione as she ate, preferring a glass of wine to actual food, and occasionally answering her questions -

He could see her struggling to keep a conversation going, though he would have favoured silence.

So far she had avoided any asking about him personally… instead enquiring on material things such as Potions she had heard of -

Getting bored with the formalities, he decided to ask her a question 'The boomslang skin you stole from my office back in your second year, what was it for?'

She choked, a nervous smile flickering over her soft features for a moment 'How did you-'

'I know more than you would care to guess Miss Granger. Typical of Potter, too scared to do it himself'

Hermione ignored that remark 'Well, it… it was for a polyjuice potion'

He raised an eyebrow, opting to drain his glass instead of question her -

'I err… made a mistake and… spent the rest of the week in the hospital wing'

'I've heard worse'

He had not realized how soothing the reassuring weight of her limp form in his arms as she slept had been, until later that night as they lay once again entwined, no space for the weigh to of the world on his shoulders as her arms rested upon them. Hands clasped, reluctant to let go, she slowly dragged him into a deep sleep.

I am so very grateful to each and every reviewer… the end is near but I am taking time to write it… I think I owe it to you all…

XxPeridoxX