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Chapter 11
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After the potion had been shown to be effective, Luna monitored the professor's vital signs several times over the next hour. When he was determined to be stable, the healers pulled a curtain around him and Hermione and left them alone.
She tangled her fingers into his hair and resumed the kiss they'd started that morning. As she deepened it, he turned onto his side and pulled her closer to him.
Eventually, they both fell asleep holding each other. When Hermione woke up, just as the sun was coming up, he was still sleeping. She roused him long enough to tell him she was headed to the forest and then to the office to brew all day. They shared one last kiss and she left.
Just like the day before, she sent a patronus to Hagrid, then retrieved the Dragon's Tail kit and met him at his hut. They chatted easily as they ventured deeper into the forest to find more unharvested plants. It took longer, but she was able to harvest enough for the two cauldrons that St. Mungo's requested.
On the trek back to his hut, Hagrid talked about a wound on one of his hippogriffs that was taking a long time to heal. It had gotten into a fight with another hippogriff over a mate and been bitten. Two months later, the wound remained. He told her he had tried the standard wound cleanser potion but that it caused a rash.
Hermione promised to brew him a wound cleanser with slightly different ingredients that he could try.
After spending the day brewing, Hermione delivered the Dragon's Tail to the hospital apothecary and then spent the night in the infirmary with Severus. Madame Pomfrey had done a diagnostic spell on him earlier in the day and determined that his heart had improved to 35%.
The next morning, he was discharged with strict instructions. No apparating, no caffeine, stairs only when necessary and no sex. The brunette had been sitting with him when the Mediwitch went over the discharge parchment, stressing the last point, and had looked away to hide her blush. Even though it was not a part of their relationship now, she knew it eventually would be.
After accompanying him to his quarters and making sure he was settled into his favorite chair with tea and a book, she went to the library to research potions for magical creatures, specifically hippogriffs. She also spent a chunk of time the next day researching the subject.
After leaving the library, she ventured to the broken section of the castle. The air was still and there was no sign of the trapped spirit of her former classmate. She set down the vial with the remainder of the Dragon's Blood Tree potion on a window sill.
"It's here, Draco. I'm setting it out for you. Professor Snape took it and now his heart is healing."
She looked around one more time, but not so much as a piece of dust moved. No candles lit themselves or flickered.
"Good night, Draco."
There was no answer.
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That evening, while Hermione was brewing for Hagrid, Professor Slughorn entered the office and dropped a huge stack of essays on the counter. "I'll need these graded by tomorrow morning, Miss Granger."
Hermione stared at the stack in shock. As she formulated a response that she would be busy all night brewing for the groundskeeper, the retired professor started to leave, until he was stopped by Severus.
"I don't think so."
They had kept the door between the office and his quarters open so they could talk while she brewed and he rested.
"She's apprenticing for potioneering, not teaching. She's not here to grade your essays for you, Horace."
"Excuse me? Isn't that what an apprentice does?"
"Not in this case. Do your own work yourself."
"For the life of me, I do not understand why they keep you around. You are an exceedingly unpleasant man."
"I am an unpleasant man, indeed. I may be an insufferable git, but I grade my own essays."
The older professor turned to leave, but Severus stopped him and handed over the stack of essays. "You forgot these. You assign it, you grade it."
After the door was closed, Hermione warded it. Severus was leaning against the doorway, breathing hard and still looking angry.
"Come." She took him by the arm and led him back to the couch. "Lay down, you should not be getting yourself worked up."
"I was not going to let him take advantage of you."
"Thank you." Hermione gave him an appreciative smile. "This specialized wound cleanser will keep me up most of the night."
She didn't mind one bit brewing for Hagrid, as he had helped her with locating Dragon's Tail twice and over the years had been there for her and Harry and Ron. Many times over the previous several months, he had dropped everything and retrieved ingredients for them.
"It isn't just about the essays. He will try to take advantage of you in other ways. He's known for sleeping with students and apprentices in exchange for favors like money or high grades."
Hermione shuttered and actually gagged. "That is just foul. I couldn't imagine doing that. If he was Tom Riddle's professor, then he must be over one hundred years old."
"One hundred and ten, actually. He'll try to approach you again, when I'm not nearby. Just give him a Hermione style bollocking if you need to." Severus smirked at her and actually winked and she smirked back. He had received two from her in as many days while hospitalized.
Early the next morning, Hermione bottled the cleanser when she had finally completed it. She looked up in the doorway and saw Severus watching her. He had been sleeping, after she had insisted he go to bed around eleven PM.
"You're already creating new potions or modifying existing ones to meet people's needs. I'm proud of you. Make sure you record everything in your manual." He nodded at the thick book, which sat open on the counter where she could access it easily.
"I created a section in it for magical creatures already." She pointed to where she had made notations of the ingredients, amounts, colors, stirs and brew time. "I need to deliver this. Take it easy while I'm gone."
She walked up to him, wrapped one hand around his neck and kissed him. He wrapped an arm around her back as he returned it.
"I wish I could come with you."
"You'll be stronger soon enough. Make sure you take your Dragon's Tail today."
"I will, Love. When you come back, we can eat together." He planted one more kiss on her forehead.
"It's a date, then. Go sit down and bury yourself in a book. I'll be back soon."
"Yes, Sargent Granger." He winked at her again and headed inside to his quarters while she exited into the corridor.
Out at the groundskeeper's hut, she accompanied him to where the hippogriff nested in the forest. The half giant applied it to the wound and the surrounding rash. Both cleared up almost immediately.
"Thank you, Hermione. I thought it would never clear up."
"You're welcome, Hagrid. You've been there for Harry, Ron and I so much over the years. It was the least I could do. Thank you for dropping everything and retrieving ingredients so many times. I especially thank you for accompanying me in searching for Dragon's Tail."
On her way back to the dungeon, Professor Slughorn caught up with her. He tried to put an arm around her, but she silently sent a mild electric shock hex to his arm and he let go.
The centenarian then asked her to go to The Three Broomsticks with him that weekend. She declined.
Not ready to back off, he asked if she would help him get Professor Snape dismissed, because he felt he clearly was an ineffective potioneer, professor and mentor.
"No, absolutely not. In no way is he incompetent. I learned more from him in one class than I did from you over an entire year. I would appreciate it if you would never touch me or even speak to me again, please." The brunette glared at him with an expression that would have made Bellatrix tremble and continued on her way. She cast a disillusionment spell on herself.
When she entered the professor's quarters and removed the charm, he put down his book on Chinese potioneering.
"Why the disillusionment spell?"
"Professor Slughorn cornered me on my way back. He tried to hug me, then asked me to go to The Three Broomsticks with him this weekend. After I declined, he asked me to help get you dismissed for incompetence. I told him I learned more from you in one day than I did from him over an entire year. I did the spell so he wouldn't continue to badger me."
Severus shook his head, beyond irritated. The old goat was trying to move in on his position and his partner both. "Perhaps it is time to brew a batch of pain reliever." He glanced up at her pointedly, hoping she caught his meaning.
Hermione nodded in agreement. "Sounds good. I will brew a batch after lunch. I think she has a free period in the afternoon."
She summoned an elf to bring them breakfast. She had taken all of her meals with Severus in his quarters since his release from the hospital. She spent the morning brewing strengthener, Invigoration draught and bloodbuilder. All potions Severus was taking daily along with the Dragon's Tail.
After they were done eating lunch, she began working on the pain reliever. When she lit the fire under the cauldron, no bets were set. In the twenty five minutes it took for the Headmistress to appear, there was no laughing or banter.
She entered the office with a smile but it soon faded when she saw their serious expressions. With a critical eye on the recuperating professor, she inquired as to what was wrong.
"It's Professor Slughorn. Last night, he attempted to coerce Hermione to grade a huge stack of essays for him. This morning, he tried to put an arm around her and asked her out. After she declined, he asked her to help get me sacked."
"Yes, at breakfast he told me he wished to speak to me about you, Severus. I convinced him I did not have any free periods today and that I would see him tomorrow after dinner. I do not understand why he would be after your job. No need for concern, you are not going anywhere."
She turned to the brunette. "Did you correct his essays for him?"
"No", answered Hermione. "We had the door open between the office and his quarters while I brewed for Hagrid. Severus overheard him, came in and told him to do it himself."
"Have you been following Poppy's orders, Severus?" She noted he was seated in his office chair and appeared pale and tired.
"Yes, he has. Every one of them." Hermione blushed slightly. "He's taking the Dragon's Tail every day, as well."
"Every one of them….?" The Headmistress looked between them, puzzled as to why the brunette had blushed. Then understanding crossed her face. "Oh."
She turned to the brunette again, changing the subject. "You'll be sure to tell me right away if you have any further issues with him, correct?"
"Yes, I certainly will." Hermione nodded, hoping it wouldn't be necessary but suspecting that Slughorn was not done bothering her just yet.
Since Severus had returned from the infirmary, she had been sleeping on his couch at night in case he needed her. When she woke up the next morning, she realized she had not been to the lake or meditated since his illness had started.
It was early April now. The snow had melted and in various scattered spots on the ground, Hermione could see crocuses poking through the dirt. The air was still cool, and the sky was full of red and gold as the sun rose. She climbed up on a rock by the lake and watched the sky, breathing deeply until a feeling of complete peace came over her.
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In a hospital room in St. Mungo's, a bespectacled young wizard with green eyes and perpetually messy hair despondently stared at the ceiling. He had been there for weeks, since being severely beaten by Death Eaters in Azkaban. Because his injuries had been inflicted under a ban of magic, they could not be healed by magic.
The Minister had visited and informed him that the criminals responsible for the violence against him had been transferred to a magical prison in a remote section of Canada. Others associated with them were sent around the world.
Still, he did not want to live but the wizarding world insisted on keeping him alive. His brain was injured and his body was terribly painful, weak and stiff. He needed physical therapy, but he only participated when Ginny was at his side pushing him. The visits from his new wife were the only bright spots in his life. He suspected the Minister had allowed the marriage, at the insistence of the Hogwarts Headmistress, to give him a reason to live.
He barely ate, only when the healers pushed him to. They poured potions down his throat and he knew better than to fight it. Everybody wanted to save the Boy Who Lived, but he could not be convinced to save himself.
He was always under Auror guard, but he ignored them and they ignored him. They sat outside the door.
He felt his mattress move, as if someone was sitting down on his bed. He braced himself for yet another lecture on why he should work harder to heal and stared pointedly at the ceiling.
"Harry…"
He knew that voice anywhere. He turned his head, finding the spirit of his mum sitting next to him.
"Harry, do you know why I died? It was to save you, my darling boy."
"Mum?"
"Don't give up, Harry. Please try to live. Get better. For me."
His dad appeared, standing next to his bed. "You're strong, Harry. You can do this."
"I let you both down. I was supposed to be a hero, but instead I became a murderer. I let everyone down."
"The only way you could let us down is if you give up on living. We love you, Harry." His dad placed his hand on his shoulder and it was surprisingly warm, not cold as one would expect the touch of a ghost to be.
"Promise us you won't give up." His mum had taken his hand and her touch was also warm.
"I promise. I won't give up. I'll try harder."
"We love you, Harry.'
"I love you both, too. Please don't go."
"We can't stay in this form, but we'll always be near you."
Lily and James disappeared and Harry was alone again. He pondered what had just happened. His parents gave their lives to save him and he was spitting on the enormous sacrifice both of them made.
Determined not to dishonor their memories, he rang the bell next to his bed. When a healer appeared in his doorway, he stated he was ready to work on his physical therapy. They looked extremely surprised and pleased and soon two healers were helping him to get up and out of bed. He was assisted to shower and dress and even took a few steps in the hallway.
His rib, spinal and pelvic fractures made movement painful and the brain injury made everything cloudy, but the young Potter was determined to heal.
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When Hermione was returning from her meditation session the next morning, Professor Slughorn caught up with her again.
"The Headmistress agreed with me that Professor Snape needs to go. I think you should apprentice with me."
"I highly doubt she agreed with you. Professor Snape is an excellent potioneer and I am perfectly happy with him as my mentor, thank you."
He tried to put an arm around her again, but Hermione silently hexed him with the mild shocking hex. She'd learned it from Fred and George during her 6th year when a 7th year student wouldn't stop hitting on her and asking her out.
"How about that trip to The Three Broomsticks this weekend?"
"I believe I already told you no."
"You know, you may want to reconsider that." The professor's voice had became cold and hostile. "I am on the licensing board for potion masters. Spending time with me in my quarters will help you get your license, otherwise you may find you are unable to obtain it."
Hermione immediately sent a patronus to the Headmistress, then proceeded to level a verbal beat down on her nemesis.
"Is that a threat, Professor Slughorn? Are you threatening me with not getting licensed if I don't sleep with you? Because that's what it sounds like. You think I'm afraid of you? I've faced down much scarier people than a centenarian potioneer who can't even create an antidote for a love potion and didn't know to give Ron a bezoar when he collapsed. If I can survive Bellatrix Lestrange's cruciatis, I think I can deal with you. I'm not a meek little witch you can push around. Don't you ever threaten me again…"
She was cut off by the Headmistress.
"I was just around the corner, Miss Granger. What is the matter?"
"This sorry excuse of an apprentice is angry with me that I won't sleep with her in exchange for helping her with her license."
Hermione's eyes grew enormous and her fists clenched at the blatant lies. Fortunately, Professor McGonagall knew she was no seductress.
"I sincerely doubt that is the case. I know Miss Granger well, clearly better than you do."
"But she just…"
Professor McGonagall cut him off. "Miss Granger, would you mind telling me what happened?"
'He told me you agreed with him that Professor Snape should be fired."
The Headmistress set her lips in a firm line and shook her head.
"He said I should apprentice with him. Then he asked me out to The Three Broomsticks again. When I declined, he threatened me with arranging it so I couldn't get licensed as a potioneer if I did not spend any time with him in his quarters."
Hermione thought that she had never seen the Headmistress so angry, not any of the times she'd been in trouble with her two best friends.
"We do not exchange sex for favors here, Horace Slughorn. Albus Dumbledore may have turned a blind eye to your ways, but I will not. As of right now, you are fired. I want you and all of your belongings out of my school by supper time."
"Well, who is going to cover your many potions classes while Severus just loafs around?"
"I believe that it is my business to make arrangements regarding that. You are fired and we will both be contacting the licensing board regarding your threats to Miss Granger."
The Slug turned and stomped down the hallway to his quarters. When he reached it and entered, he found it inexplicably trashed. No one else was able to access his apartment, as the wards he set made sure of that.
The Headmistress turned to the seething brunette. "I believe we need to head to the dungeon. Should we retrieve a Draught of Peace from the infirmary first?"
"No, Professor, I am alright."
"Well, I meant it for Severus, but of course you are welcome to one should you feel you need it." She eyed the brunette carefully, knowing she was a rape survivor who had just been sexually harassed by a superior.
"He just might need one when he hears this. He's going to be furious. I've been trying to keep him calm and rested."
"I appreciate how you are looking after him, but we cannot keep this from him."
"No, we can't. I agree."
When they reached the potions office, the Headmistress stayed back while Hermione entered his quarters. After seeing he was awake, dressed and receptive to company, she opened the door.
As they had both predicted, Severus was absolutely furious that Professor Slughorn was threatening Hermione's ability to obtain a potioneering license if she didn't sleep with him. He jumped up and headed to his office. The brunette tried to tell him to sit back down but Professor McGonagall quietly put a hand on her arm and shook her head.
"It is better to just let him do this. I've seen what happens when he holds it in. How many times do you suppose he has destroyed and repaired this furniture? Or those statues out in the dungeon corridor?"
Hermione watched quietly as he retrieved a parchment, quill and ink from his desk and began writing the licensing board. After he had written several letters, one for each board member minus Horace Slughorn, all three of them signed each one.
The two women carefully sent off each piece of correspondence from the owlery. As they watched the birds fly away, the Headmistress turned to the younger witch. "Are you sure you are alright, dear?"
"Yes, I am. Well, I will be."
"I have a mind healer coming to work here on Monday. They'll be able to see students and staff over the summer as well. Should you feel you need it, help will be available to you."
"Thank you, Professor. I will consider it."
"You're welcome. Now I think you should go check on him."
Hermione smiled and nodded. She found she was nervous about running into Slughorn as she walked to the dungeon and cast a disillusionment spell. Thankfully, the corridors were mostly empty, as classes were currently in session.
She found Severus sitting in his favorite chair with a mostly empty cup of whiskey. A scolding started to form on her lips but she bit it back. When he saw she had entered his quarters, he quickly tipped back his glass and drank the rest. Then he stood and sat down on the couch. She sat down next to him.
"Are you alright, Hermione?" His eyes showed concern.
"I'm okay." She knew her voice betrayed her. She felt less safe in the school than she had two hours ago. She stared at the fireplace. Feeling chilled, she flicked a wand at it and a fire appeared.
"Hermione, look at me." She turned away from the orange glow and looked into those dark eyes she loved so much. She knew her own would give her away. "That's what I thought. You're not okay. I know you."
"Why do I feel less safe than I did just two hours ago?"
"Because a very nasty trauma happened to you not all that long ago and something like this reminds you of it. Did he try anything with you?"
"He tried to put an arm around me again. I hexed him with a mild electric shocking hex and he stopped."
"A hex you created yourself?"
"No, Fred and George taught it to me. Parva electrica inpulsa. For a bigger shock, leave the parva out."
"So did you give him a good bollocking?"
"I did. I told him I didn't learn anything from him. That he should have known how to treat Ron when he was given the love potion and then poisoned but didn't. I told him if I could face Bellatrix Lestrange, then I could deal with him."
"I totally understand now how you nearly chased Potter up a tree."
Hermione laughed, but only for a moment. "When the Headmistress arrived, he told her I tried to seduce him."
"He's not a good person any way you look at it. So this brings me to my original question. Are you okay? And please don't lie to me, Love."
"No, I'm not okay. Is the PT brew still good? Maybe I should take some of that. I haven't taken any since Ginny's coma ordeal."
"It's still good. That will probably be helpful."
Hermione retrieved a vial of sapphire blue potion from the office and returned to the sitting room. "I'm only going to take half a vial, since I already know a whole one knocks me out."
Severus nodded and watched as she swallowed half and placed the other half in her pocket. His eyebrows raised when he heard a clinking sound as she placed it in her robe pocket.
"What else have you got hidden in there?"
His eyebrows raised even higher when she blushed, then furrowed in confusion.
With a sigh, she retrieved the vial of contraceptive that had been in her pockets for six months and showed it to him.
"Why?"
"Because it's a promise to myself that someday, I'll get over this trauma. That they didn't destroy me. That being gang raped nearly a year ago won't keep me from one day sharing my love with you. I've been carrying it in my pocket since October."
"I think I understand. You are strong, Hermione. You are correct, they did not break you." He nodded towards her pocket then looked up at her. "But when that time does come and you're ready, we will need a fresh one." For a split second, she saw desire in his eyes, then black ice, then they returned to normal.
She nodded. "I know. My nerves have been dancing on the edge of a panic attack since Slughorn."
"You should probably do some meditation. It's always helped you."
"You're right. I should." She closed her eyes and found the first peaceful scene that came to mind was the snow covering everything after the storm that left them stranded. She breathed deeply and slowly until the panic that had stemmed from her run in with the Slug had evaporated for the time being.
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When Ginny made her way up to her husband's hospital room, she steeled herself for another day of cajoling him into getting himself better. The healers had told her that when she wasn't there, he barely ate or spoke and practically refused to move. With a deep breath, she pushed open the door to the rehabilitation unit, and stopped short.
Harry was fully dressed in regular clothes, walking down the hallway with two healers. Smiling. Her husband was actually smiling and talking. She walked up to him, stunned speechless.
"How… What happened?"
"I'll explain it to you when I return to my room, Gin."
After a circle around the unit, they returned to his room. After Harry had laid back down and been given a vial of pain reliever, she sat on the edge of his bed and took his hand.
"What I'm about to tell you is gonna sound rather crazy but I swear it's true."
"Go on, I'm listening." Whatever it was, she was all for it if it brought about this positive change in Harry.
"A couple days ago, I was laying in bed staring at the ceiling and wishing everyone would just let me die. My parents both appeared to me. They told me they had died so I could live. They said the only way I could let them down was if I gave up. So I decided to fight. I realized that wanting to die was spitting on the sacrifice they made."
"You saw Lily and James?" She felt skeptical for a moment, but she had never known Harry to lie. Maybe to authority figures, but not to her.
"Yes. I did. I decided to start working on getting better. Ron is going to take his NEWTs from prison, so I am going to study and do so as well."
"I love you, Harry. I'm so glad you decided to get better."
"I love you, too, Gin."
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Back at Hogwarts, Hermione sat with her eyes closed while meditating away an impending panic attack. It had been growing since the Slug had tried to put an arm around her and threatened her future licensing if she didn't sleep with him.
Severus had been watching quietly while she'd meditated, not wanting to interrupt. Feeling his own anger burning hotly towards his former professor, he closed his eyes and focused on his breathing for several minutes as well.
He was angry on several levels. First of all, Hermione was his apprentice and Professor Slughorn was openly trying to undermine him and take her as his own understudy. Secondly, she had been his student and he would never take kindly to a former student being treated this way. Thirdly and most importantly, she was his significant other and this excuse of a man was demanding sex from her in exchange for favors.
He wondered if the Slug, as the brunette so unaffectionately referred to him, was aware of their relationship. Remembering how the man had thrived on gossip when he had worked with him previously, Severus decided he had been aware. That made the offense even more backhanded and deliberate.
Had he not been mostly confined to his quarters and office due to orders to rest, avoid stairs and take it easy, Severus knew he would have stalked through the castle until he found the old goat. Then he would have had no problem delivering more than just stinging hexes.
He thought back to the time he had observed Narcissa deliver a castration curse to a drunk snatcher who'd had the stones to smack her arse. Lucius had been ready to tear the fool to pieces, but his wife had already taken care of business without needing his help. After pondering this, he realized Hermione could handle the Slug on her own and didn't need her partner to play the shining knight any more than Narcissa had.
He opened his eyes and saw she had opened hers.
"Hermione, do you know the Castratio curse?"
Her brow furrowed. "Is that the castration curse? I've never used it."
"Yes. If he ever bothers you again, keep it in mind. Just point your wand in that direction and say it."
"Have you ever used it?"
"Myself, no. I witnessed Narcissa Malfoy use it on someone who dared to smack her arse, though."
Hermione's mouth fell open. "Wow. That was foolish."
"Tell me about it. There is also the engorgio that you can use on him. Or reducio."
"What brought this on?"
"I just was trying to suppress the urge to stalk the halls until I found him and deliver some punishment for trying to coerce sex from you. Then I realized it was your battle to fight, not mine. You don't need me to go play the shining knight, as much as I would love to kick his arse. You're a strong witch perfectly capable of doing it on your own."
"Thank you. Do you think he knows we're together?"
"Yes, I am quite sure he does, given his penchant for gossip."
"Gross. That's just gross he would go behind your back like that and assume I would willingly cheat."
"Exactly."
"Did you take your potions today?"
"Yes, Love, I did. I'm not going to let my heart fail."
Hermione stared at the fire for a long moment before she spoke quietly. "You were going to, though."
"Yes, I was going to and I am still so sorry I did not tell you."
"I'm rather fond of you, you know."
"I'm rather fond of you, too."
She raised her head up and looked at him. There was some color back in his cheeks.
"You're looking better. Not so pale."
"Poppy was here yesterday. She said my heart is functioning at 55%. The Dragon's Tail is working quickly."
After spending some time snogging on the couch, Hermione made the common room rounds and brewed the required amount of contraceptive potion.
That night, she slept on the couch in Severus's quarters again. Partly through the night, he was awakened by her screams. The incident with the Slug had brought on the nightmares again. Progress and setbacks, he reminded himself.
He hurried to her side, calling her name from a few feet away until she woke up. After she had sat up, he fixed her a cup of chamomile and lavender tea and set it on the table next to her. Then he sat down in his chair to give her physical space.
He had this nightmare business down to a science. He knew it would never really go away. This was something they would be dealing with for the rest of their lives. He found he was okay with that, with spending the rest of his life being there for her on both good days and bad.
Hermione had wrapped herself in the green blanket so that only her hands and face were showing as she sipped her tea and stared at the fire. Her vacant eyes acknowledged him but she said nothing.
A pit formed in his stomach. He hadn't seen that look in her eyes in months. He retrieved a bottle of PT brew from the stock room and set it next to her. After she had swallowed it and finished her tea, she laid back down with the blanket over her head.
Not again, he pleaded silently with the universe. Please don't let her get this bad again.
He sat there for hours, watching her unmoving form and eventually dozed off. He was awakened by a knock on the office door. A quick glance at the office clock revealed it was 11 in the morning.
Getting up to open it, he found the Headmistress on the other side. She followed him into his office and then into his quarters. She stopped short when she saw Hermione on the couch completely covered by the green blanket.
"Oh, no." She shook her head sadly.
"Yes. That bastard set her back. She had nightmares last night for the first time in months. Now she's here."
"He left last night before supper, just like I had instructed him. I received a response back from the other potion board members. He's being dismissed and his license suspended. Miss Granger should have no difficulty obtaining her license after completing the requirements."
Severus turned to the brunette and called her name until she sat up. He handed her the correspondence from the potioneering board. After she read it, she looked better. A little bit of life returned to her eyes.
"I have some more news for you, as well. Professor Sprout has told me Neville made room in the greenhouses to allow the expansion of the potions garden for Dragon's Tail. She and Hagrid are willing to help you tomorrow to transplant several bushes of it so it is more easily accessible."
Hermione's face brightened up considerably as she listened to the Headmistress. She shed the blanket.
"I need to be sure I know how to care for them, then. Also how to transplant them, for that matter. I need to go to the library today and research everything I can about Dragon's Tail. I'm assuming that I'll need to assume maintenance for the plants myself?" She glanced up at her mentor. "Well, ourselves."
"Yes, you will be expected to maintain and harvest those plants yourselves, just like the rest of the potions garden."
She stood up and straightened her robe, then summoned an elf to bring her and Severus breakfast, and a biscuit and tea for the Headmistress.
After wolfing down toast, eggs and beans, she grabbed her potions manual. She threw it into her bottomless bag with a quill, ink and parchment, and hurried out.
The Headmistress started to speak when Hermione suddenly came back through the door. She walked straight up to Severus, put a hand on either side of his face and planted a kiss on his mouth.
"Make sure you take your potions. I love you."
Then she hurried back out to the library again.
The Headmistress and Severus looked at each other in amazement.
The Headmistress was the first to speak. "That was a quick turnaround."
"She certainly snapped out of it quicker than she used to." He shook his head sadly remembering the days when nothing could pull Hermione out of her slumps.
"She has something to live for now. Or rather, someone. She knows the Dragon's Tail is being transplanted for you. She would not be where she is without you, Severus."
"Is this when I get another bollocking for not telling her about the venom and my heart?"
"I don't know, do you need another one?" The Headmistress raised her eyebrows at him. "Are you taking care of yourself like Poppy instructed? Are you taking all your potions?"
"Yes, to both. I guess she's given me a reason to live as well. We're both alive because of the other."
Professor McGonagall smiled. That was the closest she had heard Severus come to saying he loved the brunette. Then a thought occurred to her and she changed the subject.
"Before Horace left, he came to me and told me his quarters had been completely trashed when he returned to it after I fired him. He thought you did it."
Severus looked at her for a long moment, then glanced around his quarters in amusement.
He put his arms behind his head and nodded at the flickering candles on the wall.
"Got your own revenge, did you, Mr. Malfoy?"
The candles went out, despite the absence of an air current in the apartment.
"Well, I suppose I should say thank you. Hermione thanks you, too."
The fire in the fireplace shrunk down to coals then returned to its previous size.
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Hermione was able to find information on Dragon's Tail transplanting and maintenance after much searching of old Herbology texts. Then she made her way to the greenhouse and talked with Professor Sprout regarding how much room they had for the plant. Neville was there as well and Hermione learned he was apprenticing in the subject. He planned to come along on their trip into the Forbidden Forest the next day.
There would be room for 8 bushes. Finding that many in the Forest was certainly going to take some time.
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The next morning, Hermione was awake well before dawn. She had slept on her mentor's couch again, in case he needed anything during the night. She stayed in his quarters every night but not in his bed because he was still healing from the venom induced heart failure. She wanted him to rest and not be awakened by her. She showered in her own quarters, then dressed for a day in the Forest. Boots, jeans, tee shirt and an old sweatshirt. She decided to forego the robe and instead donned an old lined flannel jacket that had once been her father's. After eating a quick breakfast brought by an elf, she headed back to the Potions office.
Grabbing a piece of parchment, pen and quill, she quickly wrote him a note saying she loved him and to make sure he ate and took his potions. She also left him a few ancient books on African potioneering she had found in the library while researching the Dragon's Tail.
She set all this on the table next to his bed using his silent walking spell. She left a plate with two pastries, bacon, eggs, and beans, plus a glass of water and a cup of tea that she knew he could cast a warming charm on.
She stopped in the doorway and watched him sleep for a moment. He was lying on his stomach, clad only in black pajama pants. The blanket had been cast aside sometime during the night and he was covered by the sheet from his waist down. His near shoulder length black hair was spread out over his face and over the pillow.
When she saw his bare neck, she took a deep breath. He must have removed the glamour charm that normally covered the scarred flesh from Nagini's bite. It was red and jagged, extending down to his shoulder.
Then she noticed the extensive scars covering his back and arms, some smooth and some jagged. Some appeared to be from a whip, others likely from slicing hexes and other dark curses.
Hermione had the urge to crawl into bed next to him and hold him, but her duties called. She also realized he may not be happy to know she saw his bite scar without his glamour covering it.
She closed the door and made her way to Hagrid's hut. Professor Sprout and Neville were already there. As they started their trek through the forest, the two apprentices talked.
Neville was enjoying his apprenticeship in Herbology and planned to take his NEWTs and graduate in June. He visited his parents in St. Mungo's every other week, now that he was able to take himself.
More than once, he had intentionally 'gotten lost' and ended up on Harry's unit and briefly checked on him.
"Have you been to visit him, Hermione?"
"No, visiting hospitalized prisoners isn't allowed and is punishable with a three year sentence. I was going to bring Ginny and sneak in back in January but I had to cancel that plan. As much as I wanted to see him, it was time for me to stop acting like an irresponsible student. How is he?"
"The second to last time I just happened to wander past his room, he looked terrible. Sad, thin, staring at the ceiling. This last time, he looked better. He was up, dressed, eating and talking with the Auror on guard duty."
The brunette was saddened that he hadn't been doing well, but happy that her friend was improving.
"I guess that means he'll be going back to prison soon, then." She sighed sadly as she realized Harry and Ron had nine more years of their prison sentences to go. "I just can't believe this happened, that they murdered Draco. It just seems so pointless. The war was over."
"Luna told me they said they did it because of you, because of…" Neville's voice dropped off, unsure of how much to say and kicking himself for bringing up his friend's trauma.
Hermione's eyes dropped to the ground. Her nightmare from two nights before was still fresh in her mind. Malfoy Manor, lust crazed Death Eaters, horrible pain.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Neville mentally kicked himself. "Nobody blames you for Draco's death. You know that, right?"
"Yes, I do know. I just still have horrible nightmares. I wish they would go away." She closed her eyes and willed away the nightmarish images. "Can we talk about something else now?"
"Yes, of course. How is your apprenticeship going?"
"Well. It's going well. I created a wound cleansing potion for hippogriffs and it cleared up a wound that had been hanging on for months."
"Great job! I discovered two different plants can be co-bedded, so that's how I was able to increase the space for the potions garden."
Hermione smiled gratefully at her friend. "Thank you, Neville. He's going to be on the Dragon's Tail potion for a month. Not only that, St. Mungo's relies on us to brew it for them."
Her former classmate looked at her curiously. "You really love Professor Snape, don't you?"
"Yes, as crazy as it sounds, I do love him." She smiled, thinking of the last time they had snogged on the couch. "And he loves me."
"Well, I'm happy for you. I really am. Even though he used to terrify me. I'm planning to ask Luna to marry me after graduation. But don't tell her."
"Oh, that's exciting! No, I will not tell her. I swear."
"Thank you."
They reached the first plants and everybody donned bubble charms for protection. Hermione and Neville dug it up and placed the roots in a sack. Then they placed it into a cart and the Herbology Master cast a charm to water it.
"You'll have to teach me that one, Professor." The brunette smiled appreciatively at her former instructor, who demonstrated the wand movements and incantation.
"Thank you!"
Seven more times, they repeated the same process. By the time they had set the last one in the cart, the sun was low on the horizon and they were over 3 kilometers from the castle.
It was dark when they reached the greenhouses. After all eight had been successfully transplanted, Hermione made her way down to Severus's quarters.
She found him asleep on the couch, a book on his chest and a cold cup of tea next to him. The skin on his neck looked smooth, so she knew he had replaced the glamour charm.
She set the book on the table and curled up next to him. He opened his eyes and smiled as he turned on his side towards her.
"Hello, Love." He wrapped an arm around her.
"Hi, Sev." She pressed her lips to his and they snogged for several minutes. For the first time, Hermione felt heat build up in her and spread through her body as their tongues plundered each other's mouths. She pulled herself closer to him and slid a hand under his tee shirt onto his bare shoulder and put her leg up over him. She felt his hand slip under the hem of her shirt and move up her back. She started to turn onto her back and pull him over her when she remembered Madame Pomfrey's last rule for his recovery.
She pulled away reluctantly with a gasp. "Severus, Poppy said no sex."
He sat up with an exasperated sigh, so she sat up as well. "Yes, she did and I did not think it would be an issue. But here we are. Are you even ready for this, Love?" His eyes were drilling into hers.
She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes as she searched her soul for an honest answer.
"Yes, I'm ready." As she said it, she knew she was.
He did not look convinced. "You were on this couch yesterday morning under that blanket for hours. You had a panic attack because of the Slug and then had a nightmare."
"Sev, I promise. I'm ready." She believed every word of it as she said it.
"Poppy was here while you were gone and checked the progress of my heart. It's at 75%. She said I can start teaching next week but that I can't apparate, use a PortKey or sheath the wand for a month. So I suppose by the time I'm ready, you'll have had plenty of time to be sure that you are."
She reached over and touched his chest. "75%? That's great!" Then a sober expression came over her face. "I can't believe I almost lost you. Don't ever do that to me again, Severus Snape."
"I won't. I promise, Hermione Granger."
"I love you, you big stubborn arse."
"I love you too, you insufferable know-it-all."
"Greasy git."
"Bushy haired freak."
"Dungeon bat."
"Frizzy haired bookworm."
Hermione glared, trying to think of another insult, but decided to place a hand on each side of his face and kiss him.
The next several moments found them snogging again. Hermione finally jumped up from the couch, grabbing her hair in frustration.
"I'm going for a walk. I'll be back before I go to sleep."
After she left, Severus decided a good, long shower would clear his head. At least the Mediwitch hadn't taken those away.
Out in the corridor, Hermione had practically ran through the hallways until she felt herself calming down. When she finally stopped, she was in the broken section of the castle.
The vial she had left with the tiny amount of Reversal potion was empty.
She looked around, but everything was still. Too still.
"Draco?"
She was met with silence. Not even the wind was heard whistling through the windows or cracks in the stones.
"I heard you trashed the Slug's quarters after he harassed and threatened me. Thank you. By the way, we reported him and he was removed from the Potions board."
The corridor was still deathly quiet. The candles were not lit and the only light was from the tip of Hermione's wand. She walked over and stood in front of the window, staring outside at the night sky. The stars were visible and the full moon reflected a path over the lake.
Alone with her thoughts, the brunette pondered what had transpired in Severus's quarters. She had been just moments away from sharing everything with him, were it not for his heart restrictions. She remembered what he had told her at The Three Broomsticks over two months before.
"I do not want to make love to you until you are absolutely ready."
Even now that she had cooled down, she felt like she was ready. But the Mediwitch's orders needed to be followed.
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In a frigid prison cell in a remote section of Canada, a haggard blonde wizard was looking out the window at the blowing snow. He'd been here over two months, thousands of miles away from the British Isles he once called home.
He would be here until he died, which Lucius knew wouldn't be long. All the bearers of the mark would die a year after the Dark Lord had died, unless they could find a way to reverse it. He briefly wondered if Severus had found a way, and decided he likely had. He knew the Potions Master had always described his art as being able to "even put a stopper in death" to his first year students.
He felt his cell grow even colder, and the wind stopped blowing through the gaps in the stone. Feeling a presence behind him, he turned around.
His son Draco's spirit stood in his cell, staring at him. He shuddered at the expression in the cold grey eyes he had inherited from him.
"You tried to make me like you, Father, but I never was. You tried to make me a monster and you almost succeeded."
"All I ever wanted was for you to continue the legacy of the Malfoy name." Lucius pressed himself against the cold rock wall of his cell.
"You destroyed the legacy of the Malfoy name. There was nothing to carry on but shame."
"You were supposed to repair it, Son."
"You raped her."
"So did you, Draco. So did you."
"With Mother at wand point. Because if I didn't, Bellatrix would have inflicted the cruciatus on her. I did it to protect her. You all made me choose between raping my classmate or watching my own mother be tortured. I hated every minute of it. You enjoyed it. I watched you toss her around like a ragdoll, take her from behind and then beat her. I am not you and I never was."
"She was just a worthless mud…"
He was cut off by his son's spirit suddenly roaring at him and flying at his face.
"Do not call her that!"
Then Draco's spirit was gone and the wind resumed its icy assault on his prison cell. The last Malfoy resumed staring out the window, wishing the Dark Mark would hurry up and do its job.