Sorry if this chapter isn't up to my usual standard, grammar wize, I perhaps sent it sooner than I should have, but it's sent now so - ho-hum! This is a scary one!
The last day arrived all too soon and Hermione woke up feeling morose. She'd had such a wonderful time with Severus; it had been like they'd been in their own little world. She so wished she could stay longer and knowing that it just wasn't possible didn't make it any easier to accept.
She stroked Severus's silky hair absent mindedly for a while, then got up and padded over to the window, leaving him to sleep. She pulled the curtain aside and saw that the weather seemed to match her mood – it was dull and cloudy after a week of near total sunshine. She went and flopped back into bed again, wrapping her arm around her lover and pushing her cheek to his back. Sighing dejectedly, she tried to stem the tears that were beginning to well up in her eyes, but soon gave up and let them fall.
After a few minutes, however, her sensible side took over; she berated her self, took a deep breath and decided that she had to pull her self together.
"There's no point wallowing in misery about something which you can do nothing about!" she told her self sternly and pulling the pillows up behind her head, she sat up against them, blew her nose and wiped her eyes.
She leaned back and stared blankly at the ruched canopy above her head, thinking about all that her and her lover had done, what the future would hold and most of all – when she'd see him again after she left the house. She told her self, though, in no uncertain terms, that she would see him again – "Oh yes - she'd make sure of that! Yes - when she was determined, that was that!" This cheered her a little.
Suddenly, Severus sat bolt upright, making her jump. He was holding his left arm and grunting as if in great pain.
Hermione looked at him with a sense of dread.
"What is it?" she asked anxiously, putting her arm around his shoulders
He turned - his face now changed to a much calmer expression – though it seemed a little forced.
"Just a bad dream" he mumbled
But Hermione wasn't convinced.
"Are you sure?" she questioned,that dread feeling growing stronger in her belly and - not knowing if she really wanted to know -she continued "It's not ..you know.. is it?"
"No!" He shot back gruffly, pulling away and sitting up. He stood and walked over to the bathroom. "It was just a dream!" He assured her, as he disappeared through the doorway.
They didn't make love as usual, but went straight down to breakfast. Severus ate very little and just sat staring distractedly into his cup of coffee. Hermione continued to give him anguished looks and eventually, reached her hand across to his. Tentatively curling her fingers around his thumb, she squeezed, not knowing if he would pull away or not, but he squeezed them back gently without looking up.
"What's wrong – please tell me" She said softly
"I shall miss you ..that's all. I don't know when I shall see you again after this..it may be some time.." Hereplied, looking up and forcing a brief smile.
"How long?" she asked, a lump forming in her throat
"I don't know" he answered quietly, looking down again and Hermione's heart sank
"The time for the battle is coming closer, I don't know how much longer I can.." but he didn't finish what he was saying, as his face suddenly contorted with pain again.
He got up and strode quickly to the door, then turned and spoke briefly
"I have to go..I'll be back as soon as I can"
She didn't question him this time, as she knew that he was being called.
As soon as he was gone, the tears began to flow down her cheeks un-checked and she felt restless and fearful. She worried not only for him, but also for Harry and the rest of them.
Suddenly a wave of guilt washed over her – here she'd been, enjoying her self, when everyone else could be in serious trouble!
This thought made her cry even harder.
An hour or so later, once she'd calmed down a little, she went for a rather listless wander round the house, then the garden, but she couldn't seem to stop crying, everywhere reminded her of something she and Severus had done or said together. She needed to talk to someone to take her mind off things, but there was no one – she certainly couldn't talk to Stinky!
Then she thought of Alf - even though he was a pain, his company would be better than none at all, so she walked off in the direction of the library.
She opened the now familiar, fancifully carved door to see Alf's ethereal presence disappear quickly into one of the shelves.
"It's alright ..you can come out!" She shouted, still sniffing, then added reassuringly "I won't send you off today, I promise!"
With a wave of her wand, she conjured yet another hanky, then wiped her eyes and blew her nose with it.
"Why so sad my lovely?" He asked sympathetically - appearing suddenly beside her. He was lying on his front with his chin on his hands.
"I have to go away soon" she said looking at him with a weak smile
"Ohh!" he sighed, sounding genuinely disappointed and his shoulders sagged a little.
"You're not going to live here then?" he asked mournfully
"No ..I'm afraid not" She looked down sadly
He sighed again
"Ohhh.. I was hoping for someone decent here for once..instead of all those.."
But before he could finish what he was saying,Stinky suddenly burst in
"I've done you something to eat Mistress!" He exclaimed, in an overly loud voice - and if she wasn't mistaken with a glare at Alf
Hermione looked at him in surprise - it wasn't like Stinky to offer her something off his own back. He normally only begrudgingly agreed to her requests for food, yet he was even more sniffy about her doing her own.
As it was nearly dinnertime by now, she got up and made her way to the kitchen, to see tea and sandwiches neatly laid out on the table.
"Will there be anything else Mistress?" asked Stinky with a rather forced smile.
"No.. thankyou" Hermione answered, still a little bemused. She only managed to eat half the sandwiches, but drank all the tea.
For some reason after she'd finished, she didn't feel like going back to the library again and went to sit in the conservatory instead. She picked up one of Severus's discarded potion's magazines from the table and sat down on the comfy wicker sofa to read it, but didn't get very far with it, as the weather outside was dull, hot and oppressive – making her feel sleepy.
It must have been nearly evening when she felt her lover's hand on her shoulder, shaking her awake.
He said nothing, but Hermione could tell by the look on his face that something wasn't right.
She stood up rather groggily and held onto him tightly. She sighed gratefully as he wrapped his arms around her in return, pushing his hands into her hair.
They didn't speak much, as Severus was edgy and distant and Hermione knew by experience that he would not be in the mood for answering questions. In some ways she was almost too scared to ask, though she burned with curiosity.
They had a light supper and afterwards, just as Hermione was about to say that they should have an early night, Severus suddenly announced:
"I think it would be better if you left now!"
"Why?" she responded, looking at him with a mixture of anxiety and obstinance
"Things have changed..I may be called again..I don't know when, but you'd be left here alone" He answered rather bluntly
"I don't care, I'm not going anywhere!" Hermione wailed "You can't deprive me of this last chance to be with you - it's not fair! Please Severus!"
Severus looked unmoved at first, but after much begging and pleading on her part, he at last relented- albeit reluctantly - and only then after she'd promised not to leave their bedroom if he had to go.
That night it seemed to take them both ages to get off to sleep. It was hot and they both tossed and turned restlessly for ages, but even after producing a cooling spell Hermione couldn't seem to nod off. It seemed a perfect opportunity to ask her lover whathad happened earlier, but she just couldn't find the courage to ask him. If it were important, she told her self, she would find out soon enough anyway.
The next thing she knew she was being shaken gently awake.
She turned and asked sleepily "What is it? What's the matter? Are you being called?"
"No, I can't sleep, that's all..I'm going to the study for a while to think" said Severus's voice quietly, out of the darkness "just don't try to leave this room. I'm putting a locking spell on the door just in case"
Hermione began to sit up, but Severus pushed her back down
"Now go back to sleep and remember.. do not try to leave the room – promise me!"
"Okay I promise!" Hermione said earnestly, she was far too tired to want to leave anyway, but she was curious as to why he was quite so insistent if he wasn't leaving the house.
She pondered this for a while, listening to the rumble of thunder in the distance, but soon went back to sleep.
She began to have a very disturbing dream. She was running up the stairs of the house and felt very afraid of someone who was chasing her. She sped along the corridor and stopped outside the haunted room door. She stood with her hand hovering uncertainly over the door handle...then a loud crash woke her with a start
The noise seemed to reverberate around her head and she was suddenly wide-awake.
A tingle ran down her spine- something was breathing in her ear -which she knew was definitely not Severus and whatever it was, had their cold hand on her forehead, but as soon as she turned to see – it disappeared in a flash.
She sat up with a squeal and grabbed her wand from the bedside table, breathing hard and looking around fearfully, but saw nothing. Just as she was beginning to relax and think she must have still been dreaming, she noticed that the bedroom door was wide open.
Hermione creased her brow in confusion. Hadn't Severus said he'd put a locking charm on that door to prevent her from leaving? So as he wasn't back yet - why was it open?
Cautiously she got up to close it, but just as she was about to, she heard a noise and stopped dead.
At first she presumed it was the sound of rain on the windows - from the storm that was now in full swing - but then the noise got louder. Curiosity over-rode her fear for a moment and after slipping on Severus's black robe, she padded silently out into the corridor to investigate.
The noise got louder as she walked along and a feeling of dreadbegan to flutter in her belly - the noise didn't sound like anything natural - in fact it sounded more supernatural!
Her fear was realised when she found the cause- the haunted room door was vibrating with great rapidity in its frame, as if someone was shaking it urgently from the other side.
"Severus?" she ventured softly, her belly tightening further and her mouth becoming dry.
Then more loudly
"Severus?" but there was no answer.
"You're not playing a trick on me are you?" she asked hopefully.
Hermione looked down and became strangely transfixed by the movement of the door. Then for some inexplicable reason she reached out for the handle - maybe thinking subconsciously that she could stop it moving by pulling it forward a little.
As soon as she touched the handle something was set in motion. The corridor began to swirl around her and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't let go. The door burst open and she was thrown unceremoniously into the room. She sat up and looked around, it looked very different from how she'd imagined – all dark with broken furniture and ragged curtains - instead, it looked really cozy. There was a fire in the grate and pictures on the walls - similar to those over the rest of the house and a comfortable looking bed with red drapes. After a few minutes she heard the raised voices of a man and a woman coming down the corridor and she quickly hid behind a chair - peeping out just enough to see whom it was.
A woman entered first – she was beautiful - with long reddish-brown hair and an hourglass figure, set off by flowing emerald green, satin robes. A man followed her, looking furious. He was also good looking, but his face was marred by the grimace twisting it.
He began a tirade of abuse - accusing her of letting men touch her and flirting with them. She never said one word back, she just sighed resignedly as if she'd heard it all before. Then suddenly the man grabbed her and swung her round making her back slam against the door.
"Are you listening to me?" he demanded, obviously angry that his tirade seemed to be having little or no effect on her.
"Do I have to put my voice on megaphone to make you listen to me?
She shook her head sadly and at last spoke
"I'm sorry Henry, I didn't mean to - I didn't know I was doing it I swear. Tyrone said he was just brushing something out of my hair - you know what he's like!"
"You love it though, don't you? All the attention you get! You love it! Making a fool of me in front of everyone! Laughing at me behind my back! Well I'll show you what you get for that!" he pulled his arm back, then a red line like a laser came out of his wand and he lashed at the poor woman with it, making her scream in pain.
Hermione felt like coming out of her hiding place and yelling at him to stop, but she knew there was nothing she could do. She'd realised who they were - the couple that Severus had told her about and she was about to witness what had actually happened the night they both died.
"You don't love me at all do you? Everyone told me you were only after my money and you weren't good enough for me! They told me, but I wouldn't listen. No -I loved you and I thought you loved me back! I was so wrong, so wrong to trust the daughter of muggles! You're a liar! I heard you talking to him – your lover - telling him how you only stay with me out of pity! How dare you pity me! When I dragged you out of the gutter and made you what you are today!"
The woman just cried and Hermione's heart went out to her, she wished she could do something but knew the woman's fate was already sealed. She hoped sincerely, that maybe at least in death the poor thing had found some peace.
"I should kill you for what you've done to me, you heartless bitch!"
"Then do it!" the woman suddenly screamed. "Do it! I'd be better off dead than live like this! I can't take anymore of your jealousy!" she sobbed, her hands pitifully scraping against the door.
Hermione turned away then, as the man drew his arm back and screamed out "Avada kedavara!"
She heard a terrible scream, then for a few minutes there was silence, until the man began to sob quietly. He kept saying he was sorry over and over, then he screamed too. It was a cry of unmitigated pain and anguish and after shouting those terrible words again, this time pointing the wand at himself - he too was silent. Hermione dared not open her eyes and just as she heard a muffled hammering from the other side of the door, the room began swirling again and she found herself dumped back in the corridor. She stood up shakily and backed away fearfully. She was in terrible shock and needed Severus very badly, so raced down to the study expecting to see him there - but it was empty. Breathing hard, she half ran, half stumbled down the stairs
"Where are you?" she cried out desperately, as she reached the bottom, her heart pumping so hard she could hardly catch her breath. She now knew why he'd warned her away so much - why did her curiosity always have to get the better of her?
She vowed not to let it in future.
As she raced from room to room she at last saw a light under the library room door, ran over to it and burst in.
She saw Severus and smiled with relief, but just as she about to speak, she noticed he was not alone!