Summary: Our couple gets even closer, and then the final battle happens.

A/N: Thanks for reading! We're getting close to the point where Severus finds out that Hermione has really been in his dreams. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 13

Severus readied for bed, thinking about his dream Hermione. It had been several weeks since they'd told each other they loved one another. He'd awakened that morning feeling both elated and crushed. Why couldn't anything ever work out for him?

He had let his dreams grow–not that he really had a choice as to how they ran anyway. Hermione and he had stolen kisses and whispered words of love every night now for weeks. He was looking forward to awakening to find he'd had another sweet dream with Hermione.

He settled into his bed, pulled the covers up around him, and turned onto his side, falling asleep quickly. Soon he was dreaming again. He was in his bedroom. Interesting how his thoughts led his mind to this setting. He heard her call out to him at long last.

"In here," he called back.

He saw Hermione sneak her head around his door. "May I come in?" she asked.

"Of course," he replied.

His arms were soon filled with appreciative witch, and his mouth was enveloped in her sweet kiss. Their ministrations continued, both feeling the passion growing between them.

"Hermione, I need you," he murmured.

Hermione drew back, her eyes wide. "Oh!" she said in surprise. "I… I wasn't expecting that!"

His hand caressed her arm. "What were you expecting? I've missed you. I want to show you how much."

She smiled at him then. "I've missed you too! I just… It's too soon."

"Do you think so?"

"Yes, we've only been together a couple of weeks."

"But you love me, and I love you. Isn't that the natural progression of such feelings?"

Hermione broke from his embrace and moved away from him. She wrung her hands and finally turned back to him.

"It's not right, Severus."

He moved up to her and grasped her arms again. "How can it not be right? Don't you want to express your feelings with me?"

She bit her bottom lip. She looked frightened. He pulled her close.

"What is it? You can tell me."

She buried her head in his chest and closed her eyes. She stayed like that for a long time. Finally, she pulled her head up from him and met his gaze.

"I want this to be special."

"Oh, it will be," he smirked.

She chuckled before becoming serious again. "This is just a dream, Severus. I want it to be real," she answered finally.

He looked at her curiously. "What difference does it make?"

Her lips thinned as she studied him. She shook her head. "Never mind. I just… I don't want to do it right now."

He frowned. "Do you not truly love me?"

She huffed. "It's because I love you that I don't want this."

"Well, that makes no sense whatsoever."

She nodded. "I understand how you can think that."

"Hermione, I will never force you to do something you don't want to, but I've felt the passion in your kisses. You want this just as much as I do."

"I do. I do. But what will you think of me?" she muttered mostly to herself.

"I will think that we have shared something beautiful that expresses our love for one another."

"Severus, I… I can't."

He frowned at her and turned away. "Perhaps you should go," he muttered in defeat.

She moved to his back and reached out for his arm. He pulled it back. "Really, Hermione. Leave me, now."

"I thought you said you wouldn't force me."

He turned and looked at her angrily, his teeth clenched. "I am not forcing you to do anything."

She frowned. "But you get angry and cast me off when I say I don't want to make love to you. Isn't that a form of coercion?"

Severus looked slightly shocked. Looking away, he was quiet for a while before looking back at her.

"You are right. I apologize. It's just that your rejection makes me doubt everything we've said to one another."

Tears filled Hermione's eyes. "Please, Severus… don't ever doubt my love for you. I will always love you, no matter what."

He relaxed slightly. "I believe you," he murmured.

Leaning in, he kissed her. Pulling back, he gave her a determined look. "I love you, too. I respect your wishes and apologize for being so pushy. I didn't mean to make you feel pressured. Please forgive me."

"It's okay. I understand your wanting to be closer."

"When you are ready, I will be also."

"I don't want you to think that I don't want to do this. I do. I'm just not ready. It's not the right time."

He nodded his head. "All right. We'll wait."

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Severus."

She reached up and kissed him. They were filled with passion once again, kissing over and over. His tongue entered her mouth, and he worshipped her as best he could, his arms caressing her lovingly.

"Merlin, I love you," he whispered between kisses.

"Love you too," she murmured between breaths.

She groaned at his ministrations, which just made him more aroused. He moved down to her neck and began kissing it passionately. Hermione gasped and pushed him away.

He gave her a puzzled look as she caught her breath and stared at him longingly. Finally, she appeared to make her mind up.

"Oh, to hell with reality. I want you now! I want to show you how much I love you, Severus. I need you!"

He grinned like a loon before pulling her close and continuing his onslaught with his lips. Her hands moved to unbutton his frock coat and loosen his cravat. He groaned within himself as she slowly divested him. His hands came up and reached under her shirt, unfastening her bra and pulling both items up over her head.

She stared at him shyly as he beheld her.

"Hermione, you are so lovely."

"I am scarred," she said as she averted her eyes from him.

"I also am scarred, Hermione."

"Yes, but yours are there because you are a hero."

His hand reached out to her and caressed her cheek. "So are yours. You are beautiful."

She smiled then and caressed his bare chest, running her fingers over one of the scars that ran across his chest.

"So are you, my love."

He kissed her then, raining love down upon her, showing her how he felt. Slowly moving her to the bed, they both sat down and eventually laid down on it. Hermione wandlessly made the rest of their clothes vanish. Her eyes grew wide as she beheld Severus naked before her.

"Oh, wow," she commented.

He chuckled and pulled her to him, kissing her some more. He pressed against her, making her moan into his mouth.

"Oh, you feel so good!" she moaned. "Severus, please. Make me yours."

He smiled down at her. "That is my intent," he commented before leaning down and taking her nipple into his mouth and suckling religiously.

"Ohh!" she cried as she arched up into him.

"So very responsive," he muttered before moving to the other breast and continuing his worship.

His eyes moved up to meet hers. He slowly drew off her breast and moved down, kissing a line down to her nether parts.

"Open up," he urged.

Her legs moved open, and he descended and licked her, making her grasp the side of the bed and the sheet. Clutching them furiously as she groaned.

"Oh gol, don't stop. Don't… stop…"

He smiled as he continued pleasuring her. She arched more.

"I'm close! Oh, Merlin, you are magnificent!" she cried.

He became more urgent, and she wrapped her legs around his head. He kept at it, and she screamed his name aloud as she came. Relaxing back on the bed, she panted and reached her fingers into his hair. His head came up and he smirked at her as he moved up to her mouth and placed a wanton kiss upon her lips, letting her taste herself on his passionate kiss.

He entered her then, and it was bliss. She fit him as if she were made for him. He groaned as he began to move in and out of her, kissing her before raising up and looking down into her eyes as he moved within her.

"You feel amazing," she said as she found her rhythm, and they moved together as one.

Moaning together, their movements became faster and faster.

"I'm gonna…" Severus uttered. "Hermione!" he cried.

"Severus!" she replied as they both reached climax together.

They caught their breath together as they slowly came down from their high. Leaning low, he kissed her before moving to her side and dropping down onto the bed.

"That was… perfection," he murmured.

"Mmm hmm," Hermione replied.

Looking at her, he noticed her eyes looked misty.

"Are you crying?" he asked.

She gave him a wide-eyed stare. "No! I mean. Yes, a little, but they're happy tears."

She reached out and pulled herself into him, kissing his cheek and settling her head next to his.

"I love you," she whispered to him.

He smiled and snuggled her closer.

oooOOOooo

Hermione's eyes snapped open and she sat up abruptly. She gasped for breath as reality set in. What had she done? She had given in to her desires and had sex with Severus.

She let her head drop into her hands.

It had been phenomenal. Amazing. Fantastic. She could go on but she didn't. She'd never felt so loved and desired. She'd never loved anyone like she'd loved Severus. There was something special between the two of them. She could no longer deny it.

But what had her loss of restraint done? What would happen when he realized he just hadn't made love to a dream woman but had fucked her in reality? Would he revile her for making him a fool?

She gasped in agony. "Oh, please… please don't hate me!" she cried into the night.

oooOOOooo

Severus sat in front of his fireplace and mulled over his dream the night before. Although it had taken some time to convince Hermione to make love to him, when they had, it had been completely unforgettable. She was magnificent. Of course, his dream psyche would conjure up perfection. How could he ever find someone to compare with that?

He sighed. He knew he'd never find anyone like her in real life. He'd just have to enjoy a healthy sex life in his dreams…

His musings were interrupted by his fireplace bursting into flames. Alecto Carrow's foul face appeared in the ashes. Severus frowned.

"Snape! The boy was spotted in Hogsmeade! We must alert the Dark Lord!"

Severus stuck his head into the flames.

"We will alert the Dark Lord when there is something to alert him of! If the boy was seen in Hogsmeade, some of the students may know what's going on. Assemble them in the Great Hall, and let's see what we can find out."

"Amycus and I will get them ready!" the sycophant cried before disappearing from sight.

Severus pulled back and frowned even deeper. What was Potter doing in the vicinity? The boy was looking to be killed, he'd swear to it. He only hoped he wouldn't take Hermione down with him.

He hurriedly got dressed again, pulling his long grey nightshirt off his body and putting his robes back on. He worried as he dressed. If they did find Potter, the Dark Lord would come to Hogwarts, and the children would be in danger.

He was sure that the battle would come with Potter. A school was no place to wage a war, but there was nothing for it. How he wished that it would work out some other way.

The thing was if this was the final battle, Severus was sure he would not survive it.

He sighed… almost in relief. Death was something he'd been ruminating on for a while now. He couldn't see any way he would survive. As he thought of the many ways he could possibly die in this war, he moved to his bathroom and opened up the drawer under his sink. He rifled around and pulled out a green potion.

Anti-venin. He'd been dosing himself for months now. If the Dark Lord decided to have Nagini eat him, he was prepared. Well, if the snake ate him, then he truly wasn't prepared, but the bite of the snake would not be his end…. Hopefully.

Taking the vial, he swallowed the entirety of it chasing it down with a Blood replenishing potion.

Death… he was as ready as he could be. He faced it without fear. If it was his destiny, so be it. He welcomed death if it would release him from this hell he was living.

Straightening out, he stood tall. Enough defeatist thinking. He had a job to do. He needed everyone to think he hated Harry Potter. Well, he didn't like the boy, if he were to be honest, but he had to put his indifferent shell back on and be the hated Headmaster once again. He buttoned his last button and left his room to confront the students.

oooOOOooo

"Now then… if anyone in here has any knowledge of Mr. Potter's movements this evening, I invite them to step forward… Now."

No one moved. Then, from the back, Potter stepped out. Severus almost gaped, but he controlled his features, only showing mild surprise. As Potter moved to the center of the aisle, the back doors opened and the Order came in, Hermione and several other students with them. He quickly looked at her and noticed her looking at him. It didn't look like she hated him. It almost seemed as if she were blushing, but that couldn't be right. He internally scoffed at himself. He was putting his dream woman in place of her. He drew his gaze back to Potter and drew his wand.

Before he knew it, Minerva had stepped in front of Potter. He cringed inside and drew his wand up, but then trained it on her. The fight was quick, as he diverted her curses and made a speedy exit.

oooOOOooo

Hermione watched as Severus flew through the window and Professor McGonagall cried "Coward," after him. Anger filled her at her professor's caustic words, but then she calmed. No one knew what she did about the Headmaster.

Her eyes went to the broken window again. She hoped that wherever Severus went, he would be safe. But if he wasn't, she was ready. She had all she needed in her beaded bag, and with her Empathic healing magic, she was going to help Severus Snape live through this war.

oooOOOooo

Memories leaked out from Severus' eyes. Hermione fished in her bag for a bottle to capture them as Harry reached out to her. She handed the vial to Harry, who turned back to Snape and captured the tears. Hermione looked on, worried about Severus.

"You have your mother's eyes," Severus said as his head lolled to the side.

Hermione wanted to scream. Had he just died in front of them? Harry was rising and slowly backing away. Hermione rushed to Severus' side and waved her wand over him. She sighed in relief. He was still alive, but just barely.

"Come on, Hermione. We have to go." Harry held out his hand to help her up.

She shook her head. "Go without me. I'm going to see what I can do for Sev… Snape."

"Hermione, he's gone," Ron advised.

"No, he's not. He's barely hanging on. Please…" She looked up at them both. "Please go do what you have to. I have to do this. If I didn't try, I'd never forgive myself."

Harry looked at Hermione with understanding, but Ron just scowled at her.

"Why do you care about the slimy Git anyway? He killed Dumbledore."

Hermione looked at him crossly. "No one deserves to die like this, Ron! Surely, you understand that."

He waved his hand at her in annoyance. "Whatever. Come find us when he's dead."

He turned and left the shack. Hermione was tempted to hex him as he left, but she had more important things to do. Harry gave her a sympathetic look.

"Don't get killed," he advised.

She smirked at him. "That would definitely defeat the purpose of trying to save Snape."

Harry turned and disappeared after Ron. She secretly wished him luck. He'd definitely need it. Turning her attention back to Severus, she waved her wand over him some more. She dug deep in her bag and pulled out some Dittany. She poured it over the wounds in his neck. They sizzled and smoked, which made her wince. It was probably good that Severus was unconscious. She couldn't imagine that it felt good.

She pulled out a Blood Replenishing Potion from her bag and opened Severus' mouth. She let it trickle in and made sure he swallowed it. Placing the empty bottle on the floor. She took Severus' head in her hands and moved over his body so she was looking down at him. She opened his eyes and looked into them. They seemed lifeless, but she knew that his heart still beat within him.

She concentrated on Severus and her intense feelings for him. She thought about his wounds and what she wanted to accomplish.

"Vulnus Salandum," she said softly.

Letting his eyes close, she took her wand and waved it in an infinity pattern over his neck as she concentrated on Severus' pain and closing the wound there. She repeated the spell over and over again as she imagined it closing internally and then filling in outward. She watched as what hadn't been healed from the Dittany knit together and heal itself. She continued until there was no trace of the tear at all.

Smiling to herself, she moved back to his eyes and tried to visualize the snake venom coursing through his blood system.

"Transferi," she said.

Her mind entered his, and she found her magic guiding her through Severus' body. She quickly traversed his entire system, noting that he'd taken an antivenin. It had neutralized most of the venom, but there was still some left in his systems. She mentally pulled the venom from his body and dissipated it with her magic.

As she finished removing the poison, her mind pulled out of his, and she was looking into his eyes once again. She envisioned his personality and transferred her empathy to his psyche, transferring everything she had of her feelings. Finally pulling out of his mind, she reached out and closed his eyes.

With that done, she collapsed over his prone body.

oooOOOooo

She didn't know how long it had been that she had been unconscious, but after a while, she slowly opened her eyes.

She listened for movement around her but heard nothing. Slowly raising her head, she peered down at Severus. He was still unconscious. She bit her bottom lip. She couldn't stay here with him like this. Thankfully, she'd had a contingency plan in case he wasn't able to move.

Standing, she waved her wand and levitated Severus so he was floating waist-high next to her. Waving her wand again, Severus moved into an upright position, floating a little off the floor with his head lolling to the side. Her arms went around him, and she Apparated away.

She appeared in her home in Hampstead. She had come here late one night to make sure that it would be safe to use as a temporary hiding place if needed. The entire home had been ransacked. At that moment, she had been thankful that she'd wiped her parents' memories. She knew they wouldn't have survived the onslaught that must have happened here in their absence. Tidying up magically, she had cleaned up the house so it looked as it had before the attack.

Appearing in the guest bedroom, she let go of Severus and had him float beside her, moving him over to lie down on the bed. Before she settled him down on it, she cleaned him and his robes, then Transfigured his clothes into black silk pajamas. She smirked as she looked at him. He looked so sexy.

Shaking her head, she settled Severus down onto the bed and pulled the covers up over him. She pushed his hair out of his eyes and looked at him. She wasn't sure how long he'd be unconscious. As she looked down at him, she wondered what he would think when she confessed that all this time she'd really been in his dreams. She figured it wouldn't go over well, but she hoped that in time he'd come to forgive her.

She frowned. She wasn't sure if her deception could ever be forgiven by him. She loved him, but she didn't know if that would be enough. Getting up from the bed, she waved her wand over Severus, setting an alarm to alert her if he woke. She left him alone, went to her room, and collapsed on her bed. She was asleep in moments.