Disclaimer: I don't take credit for anything associated with Harry Potter. No financial profit is being made.
Unlikely Partners
Chapter 13
It was well into the morning when Hermione awoke from a restful sleep. To her relief, this morning was unlike the previous one. There was no sudden assault on her mind that stemmed from being close to Voldemort. There was no profound and painful awareness of Voldemort's presence. Hermione could breathe easily and for several seconds she just enjoyed the fact that she could fill her lungs with oxygen.
The next thing Hermione noticed was that she smelled the wonderful aroma of freshly cooked breakfast food coming in from the other room. Her next thought was of Severus. Hermione rolled to the right and peered off the edge of the bed to the white mattress Severus had magically created the night before. Severus wasn't on the mattress.
Is Severus cooking?
Then suddenly after that she thought, Well obviously he is, Hermione. What else could explain the presence of that smell?
Hermione sat up and got out of Severus's bed, stepping across his mattress to get to the bathroom, grabbing her bag of fresh clothes and other personal items from underneath the side table as she passed by it. A few minutes later Hermione appeared in Severus's sitting room dressed in a white knee length skirt and light peachy orange short sleeved top. She wore the white camisole she had slept in underneath the V-necked shirt, more for propriety's sake than anything else.
Severus was standing at the stove, tending a skillet of bacon when Hermione started to approach him. Before she reached the room's kitchen area, Severus turned to face her.
"Ah, you've finally risen." Severus remarked as Hermione went to the white marble sideboard to pour herself a cup of hot water for tea out of the slightly steaming kettle.
Hermione said nothing as she opened a tea bag package and submerged the contents in her water. She took a deep breath and stared down at her cup for a few seconds, focusing her gaze on the hot water quickly turning a russet brown as the tea diffused into it.
"Still set on ignoring me, are you?" Severus questioned her.
Hermione turned her head and raised her gaze to Severus's face just a couple of seconds after he chose to look away from her and direct his attention on the iron pan in front of him again.
Severus let out a quiet sigh, saying softly under his breath, "Perhaps it's for the best."
Hermione had been about to say that ignoring Severus hadn't been her intention at all, but upon heaing his last comment, she bit back the words that were just a second away from forming on her lips. She shifted her gaze away from Severus's face, now unsure of what to say.
There could be some truth in what he said, she told herself as she resumed staring at her darkening tea. Though it's not as if I can ignore the man for the entire duration of my stay, she thought. I'll likely be here for weeks, maybe even months . . .
No, trying to totally ignore Severus wouldn't do. Hermione had to suppress the urge to let out a derisive snort at the very thought.
But perhaps after my quite colourful outburst last night, he's decided that he wants to have as little to do with me as possible.
Hermione leaned against the edge of the sideboard and slowly moved the tea bag back and forth in her cup, looping the string loosely around her index finger.
I suppose, given some of the things I said, I can't really blame him for wanting to keep his distance. I really should apologise to him, but I have to wonder if it would make a difference. If I did apologise, would he even care?
Regardless of his reaction, I must at least make an effort to change things. I truly hate this tension between us. It's almost as worse as arguing like we did last night.
Hermione eyed her tea again and satisfied with its coloration, she reached forward to the paper towel dispenser in front of her, ripped off a square, folded it in half and set it on topof the marble. She then took the tea bag out of her cup and dropped it gently onto the paper towel.
Hermione raised her teacup and inhaled the tea's mild and soothing aroma. She took a small sip to test its temperature. It was hot, but not scalding.
Hermione set her cup back on the surface of the sideboard and looked at Severus. When he did not look in her direction, she took a tentative step towards her former potions professor.
"I want to apologise for how I acted last night," Hermione began. Severus still did not meet her gaze. "I should never have said some of the things I did . . . And what's more, I want you to know that I do trust you,"
Severus turned his head to rest his gaze on Hermione's face. His expression couldn't be easily read, but Hermione thought she saw a flicker of surprise and then a glimpse of true gratitude in the depths of his dark eyes.
"Miss Granger, considering what you've recently been put through, you have every right to be upset," Severus said to her.
"Yes, but that's no excuse for how I acted." Hermione told him.
"There's no need for you to dwell on this," said Severus as he transferred the bacon from the stove to a plate. "It's all right. I understand that you're . . . less than pleased . . . to be here."
"But it's not because of you. Please don't think it's because of you," Hermione told him sincerely.
Severus held her gaze without blinking.
"It's not necessary for you to conceal any resentment you feel towards me," he told her evenly.
Hermione looked up into his eyes with a solemn gaze.
"But I don't resent you, Snape," she said to him softly but clearly.
"It might be better if you did," he told her seriously, his eyes staring into hers.
Hermione felt a chill run down her spine.
"I don't think it would be."
Hermione was vaguely aware that her voice was slightly breathless. Had she been holding her breath for a long time? She hadn't noticed. All of her attention was focused on the man in front of her. She had seen him hundreds of times before and yet never had she been so completely aware of him. Aware of his masculinity. Aware of how his fine chiseled cheekbones and jaw made his face quite pleasing to look at. Aware of the strands of silky jet black hair that fell just above his shoulders . . . Was his hair as soft and smooth as it looked?
Hermione was close enough to reach out and touch the side of his face but she didn't dare move. Her gaze stayed firmly fixed to Severus's dark eyes. His eyes gave nothing away, but seconds ticked by and yet he did not look away.
Dammit Hermione, snap out of it! she told herself as she realized what was happening. Her eyes widened and she took a small step back. Severus turned away.
After a few long seconds he said, "If you resented me that would not have happened."
"You want me to resent you?"
Severus let out a sigh. "What I want is for the magic from that bloody fucking thrice damned Occlumency lesson to completely wear off."
Hermione turned back to her tea and took another long sip. She didn't mention the fact that Severus still had to teach her the final part of the reduction process.
Surely the magic from yesterday's lesson will wear off in the next day and when it affects us again we'll be expecting it and will ready for it so it won't affect us badly as the first time, she thought.
Hermione decided that it was a good idea to change the subject.
"If this breakfast tastes as good as it smells, I may just tell Molly Weasley I've found her rival in the kitchen,"
Yeah, that really sounded intelligent, she thought, mentally berating herself.
"It's more of a luncheon actually as it's now almost noon." he explained to her.
"It's that late?" Hermione asked, surprised.
"Yes, Miss Granger. It's that late."
Hermione saw that silverware was set out on the dining table against the left wall. Severus saw where she was looking and reached up to the cabinet above his head and brought two white plates down. He put one next to the stove and held the other one out to Hermione.
"Here. The eggs were finished not long before you came into the room."
Hermione took the plate from him.
"Thank you,"
Severus threw her a look.
"You're acting as if I'm going out of my way to provide you with what you want. I'm really not, you know. I, like any other mortal man, require food to live, and as Death Eaters here don't employ their own servants, I must prepare my meals myself."
Hermione passed Severus and went to the counter space to the right of the stove where he had laid out all the food. She selected a couple of eggs and a couple of biscuits.
Severus took a few strips of bacon and then handed the plate to Hermione. She put the plate on the counter with the rest of the food and took what she wanted. She then went to pick up the rest of her tea and walked over to the rectangular table, set her plate down and took a seat.
A minute later Severus joined her, sitting in the chair across from her.
"Am I allowed to speak to you, or must you eat in silence?" Hermione asked him.
Severus arched a brow.
"It depends on what you're going to say. If you're about to bring up the subject of why Albus trusted me, don't waste your breath asking. You won't get any answers from me right now."
Hermione looked at him and took a sip of her tea.
"That wasn't what I was thinking about," she told him.
"No? Then go ahead and say what you want."
Hermione took a small bite of biscuit and swallowed it before speaking.
"What happened to Draco?"
"That's an interesting question," Severus said before taking a drink of tea. "I've not seen the boy since the last night I was at Hogwarts. I'd imagine that he's with his mother somewhere on the Continent, the Malfoys have property in France and Germany. Voldemort is quite keen to see both Draco and Narcissa. I'm sure he's told Bellatrix to bring to his attention any correspondence Narcissa might send her."
"So Voldemort wants to punish Draco for not following his orders," said Hermione.
"That depends on the degree of value he perceives Draco to have," Severus told her.
"It's been over a month, surely Voldemort can't be very happy that Draco and Narcissa are avoiding him,"
"Very true, if given the chance, he may very well torture the boy to death. But there's still a small possibility that he'll give Draco an opportunity to redeem himself. Voldemort has been known to give second chances. It's very rare for him to do so, but it does happen. At this point, there's no way to know for sure."
Hermione swallowed a bite of bacon and said, "Is Voldemort stronger now that he looks more or less fully human?"
"The only reason he's not going out to kill Potter this afternoon is because he has to recover from creating two fresh Horcruxes. I'm sure you noticed his pale skin, if he were to go out into the sunlight he'd have severe damage done to his exposed flesh. He's also physically weak, though still very much immortal with all of seven Horcruxes intact."
"How long will it be before he regains his full strength?" Hermione asked.
"I don't think it will be any longer than three or four months. While he recovers, he doesn't want there to be any possibility of Potter going out and destroying more Horcruxes."
"And that's why I'm here," Hermione stated flatly.
Severus nodded once.
"What's going to happen in three or four months?"
"Are you familiar with the Muggle term 'total war'?"
Hermione's eyes widened slightly. "You truly think it will come to that?"
Severus's expression was grim.
"I honestly hope it doesn't, Miss Granger. But the Order of the Phoenix must prepare for the possibility. Though, . . . I may be able to do something to increase the Order's likelihood of success. I've been working on an experimental potion, though it's still in the early stages of development. If I can perfect the formula, successfully brew the potion within the next two months or so, and get the bastard downstairs to drink it, I believe Potter will be able to save the world a second time."
"What sort of potion are you trying to make?" asked Hermione with interest.
"One that's never been made before. If I can get it right, the potion will render Voldemort magicless for a period of time, and if that can occur, Potter can kill him."
"But Voldemort can't be magicless unless all of his Horcruxes are destroyed first, can he?"
"Not with seven of them intact, no. But if some of them, even two or three can be found and destroyed, Voldemort will be susceptible to the potency of the potion."
Hermione looked thoughtfully at her plate for a couple of seconds and then raised her gaze to Severus's.
"Seeing as how I'm here and I don't have terribly much to do for the next several weeks, might you let me work with you on this potion? If the two of us work together the potion can be completed quicker than if you work alone."
"Creating this new potion is not easy work by any means. It is far beyond even the most complicated of University level potions. This is a task that requires a tremendous amount of effort and is unlike any potion you have ever made. However, over the years you've shown that you have an aptitude for complex potion making that I've only seen a select handful of students possess. I will allow you to assist me, but you must do exactly what I tell you to do. Developing this potion is a very exact science, in a normal situation a potion like the one I am trying to create could take years to successfully complete."
Severus regarded Hermione for a couple of seconds with a steady gaze.
"Are you sure you're up to the challenge?"
A/N: Sorry for the wait. Again, I'm not sure when I'll be able to update. I have to get exploratory surgery next week because I've had bad ovarian pain. :(
Please leave me a review, your opinions and comments are much appreciated.