A Valentine Lullaby

By Raneynr Lerrqu

Rating: PG/PG-13

Couple(s): Severus/Hermione, Hermione/Draco

Summery: Albus is a prat, Severus and Hermione are dating in two different ways, Hermione drinks a questionable potion and ghosts can always be your friends.

Warnings: Sappy and Angst.

AN/Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, places, or original plot. I am writing this for the pure fact that we enjoy playing with these two characters; I am not receiving any profit. I'd like to thank my betas: Naomi Jameston and Rynalin Onyx. (FYI I love Draco, always but he didn't pit my purposes.)

"Miss Granger," Snape's voice inquired to the shivering girl crouched in his classroom at midnight. "Miss Granger, look at me!" Hermione gazed up into her teacher's eyes and the tears can anew. She turned her face away from him and gasped as she felt his hands on her shoulders, electricity surging throughout her body. Severus' voice was defeated, "We cannot do this anymore, child, you know that. Albus has given us his final warning; we have to at least try to comply with his orders."

Hermione glared at Severus; she knew that he was right. The headmaster had told her that she and Severus had to stop seeing each other in an unprofessional way or else he would expel her and fire Severus. Neither ending was something that either of them wanted. She nodded softly and stood shakily turning towards the door. "It's probably for the best, anyway." When Hermione finely entered her rooms, being Head Girl was helpful she had a single; she burst into tears and flung herself onto her bed.

A knock rasped against her door and she glared at it, "Who is it?"

"Hermione," Minerva said softly, "Hermione, may I come in?" When no answer was uttered, she cracked the door open to see her beckoning to enter. She walked to her student's side and sighed. "I thought that you might need some company," Hermione glared darkly; "and I wanted to give this to you." She held out a clear glass bottle with a blackish red potion in it. "If things get to be to unbearable drink this and try to forget about everything."

Hermione smiled weakly at Minerva and sighed. "Thank you, Professor, I appreciate you trying to cheer me up but right now I think I'd rather be alone." Minerva nodded and left the potion on the desk as she left the room. She couldn't help thinking that Albus had made a mistake trying to stop their feelings for each other while they were in school; she knew that he was afraid of something happening to Hermione because of Severus.

The next day Hermione left for her first class, her mysterious potion in her robes. Transfiguration N.E.W.T. level course was almost a study class; they were given a research project and then set loose for a week, then they'd turn it in, have a lecture and a quiz, and then do it all over again. Today all she had to do was check in and then scurry off to the library. This made things easier for her, she didn't have to do anything for a one hundred and fifty minute block; she'd finished her project the same day it was assigned. She was sitting, a book about the history of Wandology in her lap, and Malfoy sitting across the room his back to her. She looked at the Potion and sighed, she wanted to forget now and be done with it. She drank the potion.

Hermione gasped in pain; pulses were spanning her entire body. She fell to the floor. Malfoy raced to her side and helped her to sit up. Her head swam, her eyes were glazed and her breathing had quickened as had her pulse. Draco whispered softly to her, "Granger, wake up, damnit!" His eyes fell to the vile besides her; he feared it to be poison. He picked her up, his Quidditch practice giving his arms and legs enough strength to carry her to see Poppy.

Poppy was, to say the least, suspicious of Malfoy as he entered with an unconscious Hermione Granger in his arms, panic reigning on his face. "What have you done, Mr. Malfoy?"

He carefully set her down and turned to look at Poppy. "Nothing, we were in Tran N.E.W.T. and researching for our papers when I looked over and saw her collapse. When I got to her I discovered her in this state and I found this besides her." Poppy glanced at the vile that Draco presented her. She looked at the colour and her face blanched.

"I'm going to test this to see what it is, if you would be so kind as to stay here and watch her in case she awakes, I'd be much obliged." Draco nodded as she walked into her workroom with the potion remnants. Draco gazed at Hermione, feeding his unprecedented crush for her. She looked like she was asleep. He sighed, and reclined into the chair that he was sitting in. Several moments passed in perfect silence. Then it was interrupted by a gasp by Hermione and he leaned over her to see if she was really awake. She initially glared at him, but then her features softened and she smiled softly at him. He was caught off guard by her gentleness as a hand came up to caress his cheek. In the tender moment he smiled gently and she responded by wrapping her hand into his hair and pulling him down to meat her lips in a passionate kiss. Draco was too stunned to react.

Poppy walked in, frighten by her discoveries about the contents of the vile. She panicked even more when she saw Hermione and Draco lip locked and tongue tied. "Mr. Malfoy! Miss Granger! Control yourselves!" They sprang apart, Draco's eyes still shocked, Hermione's eyes filled with mild amusement and frustration. Albus and Minerva entered the room, wondering what the urgent Owl had been about, but by the looks of Hermione and Draco; they almost didn't want to know. "Where did you get this, Miss granger?" Poppy asked softly, holding the vile. Her eyes darted over to Minerva in confusion. "Did you give this to her, Minerva?"

"Yes, it's only a relaxation potion; I am within my limits to give her it, why?"

Poppy blinked; "Is that what you thought this was, Minnie? Merlin, no wonder we keep telling you to label your potions, you don't know anything! This in fact is the newest Love Potion that the ministry issued to us for study and help find a cure for! You mixed up the bloody potions!" Minerva's eyes showed that she understood what had happened, she glanced at Hermione her hand still on Draco's neck and shuddered. "We need to find the antidote for her as fast as possible."

Albus nodded, his eyes twinkling as more then usual. "Perhaps we should tell Severus what has happened." Minerva nodded, leaving the room with Albus only a step behind.

"You two behave yourselves while I go and get something from my store rooms." She walked out and Hermione took that moment to pull Draco onto the bed and started to disrobe him, his control failed him and he quickly took full advantage of the situation. Severus entered the room in which his lover was to discover her wrapped in Draco's arms. No matter what Severus knew, she still had slept with someone else only a day after their forced brake up. He'd kill Minnie for this; somehow, someway, he would make her sorry for her disorganization.

Albus had interviewed Hermione later that morning to see if maybe screwing with Draco had cured her, it hadn't. So the faculty went to work on discovering the cure for her new condition. It was unhelpful until December when suddenly Hermione was cured for no reason. When asking the two young adults about it they realised that like normal Love Potions if the object of affection falls in love with the victim the potion dissipates. Hermione and Draco however continued with a relationship; much to Severus' displeasure. It was nearing the end of January when things turned from 'mildly irritating' to 'oh, Merlin'. Severus was unhappy, but there was nothing for it.

Draco had been getting sicker and sicker by the day for the last three or four weeks. Hermione was worried, and truth be told, so were the teachers. Nothing seemed to be causing it, yet he was even more pale then usual and clammy; he was also acting crazier. Hermione had asked for advice from Minerva one day when she suddenly jumped up and started out of the office. Minerva followed as quickly as she could; Hermione paused in front of the Prefect's bathroom, muttered the password to enter and without even entering screamed, then collapsed to the floor crying.

Minerva gazed into the room and gasped; she turned slightly and whisked her wand around in several intricate patterns. "Albus, Severus... get to the Prefect's bathroom immediately." Within seconds both men reached her side, unsure as to why they had been called. Minerva took in a deep breath and said as calmly as possible, "We need to contact Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy as soon as possible..." She paused to take in another breath.

Severus looked at Minerva and asked softly, "Why do we need to contact the Malfoys?"

Before Minerva could answer, Hermione stood and turned to him. She fell into his arms and cried, "Draco is dead." Severus held her tightly as he looked at Minerva for some type of confirmation; Minerva nodded and gestured towards the bathroom.

Albus entered slowly to see Draco lying in the bathtub, his cloths still on. Only the liquid around him wasn't clear, it was red. Draco's hair was even dieing itself red. It was obvious that he had killed himself. Albus left the room softly, changing the password so no one could disturb the body before he found out what Lucius wanted him to do. He looked at Hermione and sighed; "Severus take her up to the Hospital Wing, I'm going to go visit the Malfoys; Minnie, take care of the school and try to keep everyone calm."

Hermione locked herself in the hospital room for a week and a half. Draco had been her escape, her confidant, her last shred of control that had kept her way from Severus. She shuddered and pulled out her wand. Was she a witch or not? Surely she could summon a spirit, namely Draco's to ask him why he had done it. She began to chant an old Latin verse she had memorised in third year and started tracing complex designs in the air with her wand. Draco slowly appeared, looking like he usually did. He smiled and she stopped her actions so she could speak to him. "Why Draco, why did this happen...why did you kill yourself?"

"Voldemort was using me to get to you, he wants you to kill Potty when he's asleep or something; I don't want him to win, I had to stop him while I still had the mind-frame to care. And besides, I wasn't the one for you anyway, Severus is your knight in shining armour."

Hermione nodded and then smirked. "You were playing the Hero; oh, Draco I didn't know you had it in you."

A warm smile moved over his transparent face. "Only for you, Herm, only for you;" his eyes glittered, "it also appears that I can haunt Hogwarts and Malfoy Manor, this should be fun!" Hermione sighed and then looked at him. "Off with you, Granger; stop mopping and go tell Severus that you still love him! I can vouch that he still loves you..." The two of them left the hospital together, laughing.

Hermione woke up, shocked to see Draco smirking down at her. "What do you want, Drake?"

"Happy Valentine's Day, Mione! I am here only to deliver a present to you and a message from another Slytherin who cares about you." He smiled, handing her a box and a bouquet of purple roses. "Severus says that Albus will turn a blind eye to you and him for the remainder of time that you're at school. He asks that you accept him back with these roses, and accept his present as an invitation to spend the night with him in his rooms."

Hermione chuckled and looked at the box. "Tell Severus that I'll have him back, since Albus won't be a prat... and even if he is you'll haunt him until he relaxes... right?" Draco nodded mirth evident in his eyes. "And that I'll see him after I eat this morning." Draco smirked again and flew through the wall to frighten the first years that were on their way to the Great Hall. Hermione shook her head and opened the box, inside was a satin green thong and a lacy green bra with an accompanying black see through robe. Severus got her lingerie for Valentine's Day.

Hermione got up, showered, dressed and then eat a quick meal before leaving to go see her formerly ex-boyfriend so that they could make it obvious that they were in fact together again. Hermione was standing before the potion classroom door when Draco came through. "You can't go in there just yet, Herm; he's not ready for you." She smiled and giggled as he noticed the see-through robe slung over her arm. "Was that in the box?"

"Yes, it was, along with a few other garments." She entered the classroom and smiled. Severus was in his room. She walked into his office and turned to the wall connecting the office and his study. The door was already open. His voice was softly humming a nutty song Hermione's mom had taught her as a child. "Severus, may I come in now?"

"Yes, Hermione, you can come in."

She entered slowly and turned towards the bedroom, which was lit only by candlelight. The bed was covered by rose petals, red and white, and a box of kisses was resting in the centre of the bed. (Kisses in the wizarding world are chocolate lips with caramel filling that when unwrapped would fly up to the mouth that was nearest and kiss it, then it would hover there until eaten.) Hermione smiled and kissed Severus as he removed her robe and hung it on the cloak rack. She chuckled and whispered seductively, "I'm just going to get into something more comfortable."

As she was removing her cloths and donning the outer garment she heard Severus lightly singing the song: Teach me half thy gladness, that thy brain must know. She stepped out to see Severus blink in surprise and then he rushed her. He kissed her fiercely and they fell to the bed, everything being removed as fast as possible. They made love as passionately as the world had never scene. As they were drifting off Severus kissed Hermione softly and uttered, "Even though we've been put to the test this year, I love you and I would be honoured if you would marry me and keep me sane for the rest of our lives."

Hermione whispered, "Yes, as long as our lives don't end at the end of term, you know I'll marry you."

Severus chuckled. "And just think, we'll have Draco watch over our children and then he can be driven crazy by them and we can sleep. He use to drive me batty when he was an infant, I was always tending him."

"We'll you were his Godfather, and his father was a poor-excuse as was his mother."

"Yeah, but at least I did something right, I taught him Hail to Thee; I used it as a lullaby... Teach me half thy gladness, that thy brain must know... Merlin, I can never remember what the next phrase is!"

Hermione pondered it a moment and frowned, "Neither can I, that is really strange."

Draco chuckled above the talkative couple and sang softly as they drifted off to sleep; "Such harmonious madness, from thy lips would flow..." He sighed, "Of course I'll watch over you're children, being that Hermione is about to have mine, I wonder if anyone realised that she was pregnant when the potion wore off... or, more acutely, that the potion wore off because she was pregnant."

The End