This chapter is several of the deleted scenes I took out of the final product because they didn't fit. Mostly, because they involved sexual encounters between the two main characters before Hermione was ready. If you were disappointed by the lack of sex scenes in other chapters, here ya go.
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Hermione replayed her own words in her head as she stared at the fire. "I cannot say I forgive you. However, I can say that I do not hate you." Her words felt wrong to her now, they tasted wrong in her mouth.
Draco had talked with her, sat with her at meals, sat through classes with her. All the while knowing what he did, knowing the unconsented carnal knowledge he had of her. He'd stolen intimacy, stolen a piece of her soul.
One moment she was mourning a wasted life, the next she was wishing to spit on his grave. She could feel the numb shock slowly being replaced by fire and wished for a draught. Or her professor's whiskey.
Professor Snape sensed the change in her mood, and silently accioed the Draught of Peace, which he handed to her.
"Thank you, sir. How did you know I was starting to feel like I needed it?" She uncapped and drank the vial.
"Your breathing changed and became more rapid. You sat up straighter. Your forehead wrinkled and your eyes narrowed and showed an angry spark. How do you think I survived as a spy for so long?"
Hermione smiled and eyed the ebony leather couch.
"Yes, you may sleep on my couch tonight."
The brunette laid down and pulled the familiar Slytherin green blanket over her head. The stress of the last two days, combined with the draught, sent her over the edge into slumber quickly.
Professor Snape transfigured his chair into a couch so he could sleep. He had a strong hunch Hermione was going to wake up in a poor frame of mind.
The former spy was correct in his deductions. He was woken up by the sound of weeping just a couple hours later. Hermione was sitting on the couch, the blanket wrapped around her, rocking and crying.
He sat down next to her and cautiously put an arm around her, and she buried her face in the robes over his chest.
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When Hermione woke up, it wasn't to the throes of another nightmare, but to the sound of a beating heart against her ear. She felt the woolen robes under her head, and the warmth of the professor wearing them. His arms were still around her, and they were both laying down on the couch. From the sound of his breathing, he was still asleep, so she fell back to sleep, too.
The next time she woke up, she felt large, gentle hands stroking her back and hair. She raised her head up, and was startled to see how close their faces were. She stared into his narrow, dark eyes for only a moment, then made her decision. She pressed her lips to his, and was pleasantly surprised when he briefly kissed her back. Then she laid her head back on his chest with a happy sigh, and felt his arms tighten around her.
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The sun was just coming up when movement nearby woke him up out of a restless sleep. Hermione was awake and pacing back and forth like an angry tigress. Her hands were balled into fists, her teeth gritted together. Clearly, her mood had changed drastically from when she'd snuggled into his chest and kissed him.
"Why couldn't we save him? What happened? I brewed that bloodbuilder and strengthener exactly like you said. Every time. Every cauldron. Why didn't it work?"
The professor watched her pacing, and took a deep breathe.
"Sit down, Hermione. Please. I'll explain to you why Draco died. But you have to promise to listen to me."
The girl nodded. As she sat down, she felt something in her pocket, and pulled it out. It was a vial of the sapphire blue Post Trauma Brew. She uncapped it, took a small sip, and put it back, casting a tempus to note the time.
Hermione clutched the blanket around herself, as if it would shelter her from the truth.
"Did he poison and cut himself? Or did someone else?"
"We believe it was all self-inflicted. Classes have been canceled for the remainder of the week."
"How can I feel sad and angry at the same time? I'm sad he killed himself, but I'm angry with him for what he did, too."
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"I need to chop up some ingredients so they can dry over the next several days. Would you like to help me? That might help you focus some of those emotions. I know it helps me. We're also needing to replenish the infirmary and the common room contraceptive cabinets."
Hermione turned to her professor. "Yes, I would like to assist you. I've gotten really good at dicing up ingredients." The idea of doing an apprenticeship crossed her mind, but that would have to be something he asked her about, she would never ask him on her own.
"I need to go up to the infirmary and make a list. Would you prefer to stay here or come with me?"
"I'll come with you."
Together, they flooed up to the infirmary, and returned with a list of 10 potions that needed to be made. Hermione was amazed at how many different ones had been used to attempt to save Draco. Then they rounded to each common room to check the levels of contraceptive potion in each charmed cabinet.
When they got to Gryffindor, its cabinet was empty. In separate corners, Ron was snogging with Lavender Brown and Harry was snogging with Ginny. Both girls stared daggers at Hermione. She heard the professor snort at the empty cabinet and watched with amusement as he put on his meanest face and growled as they walked through and then flooed back out. Just before the burst of green flame, she laughed as she saw all 4 classmates looking downright scared of Professor Snape.
When they got back to the office, he was shaking his head. "I'll have to add even more to that cabinet. Two weeks ago, I loaded 30 in there. I better make sure I have some maternus interruptus on the ready." He turned to Hermione, who grimaced. "You get 4 of pain reliever brewing, then while that's going, prepare the contraceptive ingredients. We're going to need 100 vials, 40 for the Gryffindors that shag like bunnies and 20 for everyone else."
"Yes, sir. I love the smell of the pain reliever. The Headmistress told me about a drink that smells like it, that she had once."
"Yup, she told me about that drink. I think I actually figured out the ingredients, but I have yet to make it. I prefer straight whiskey to mixed rum drinks."
"She said when I have graduated, she'd make it with me. I guess all 3 of us can drink it together."
Professor Snape smiled. "Your graduation isn't that far away, you know. It's October now, so 8 months. Have you considered what you're going to do afterward?" He pulled out a knife and cutting board and set to work dicing up geranium and Chinese chomping cabbage for a cauldron of skelegrow that he would prepare the following week.
"No, I really haven't. I didn't think I would survive the war. Then when I did, there was so much to deal with that I haven't thought about the future."
Her professor stopped dicing and turned to her. "Would you consider an apprenticeship in potions?"
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Hermione smiled into her tea, feeling her cheeks warm. She knew that how she felt about the dark robe clad man in front of her was deeper than just a fancy.
Professor Snape glanced over at her to see if she meant it or if she was messing with him, and saw the blush and the smile over her cup. He knew he still needed to bide his time, though, but her reaction told him she may just return his feelings.
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"I think I want to return to my dorm tonight to sleep. I really want to tell Luna. She actually predicted that I would be your apprentice and that we would fall in-" Hermione stopped herself and felt her cheeks grow red. She felt Severus' eyes on her as he waited for her to continue. She swore she could hear those dark eyebrows raise. Fuck!
He walked over towards her but stopped a couple feet away.
"So your roommate predicted that you would be my apprentice and that we would fall in… the Black lake? Fall in a hole? Fall in the ocean?"
Hermione covered her face with her hands. "No. She predicted that we'd fall in love."
Severus was stunned. He knew he had to let the brunette make any first moves. After she'd panicked in his arms the previous morning, he knew to be cautious.
Hermione was still covering her face and shaking her head. She couldn't believe she'd accidentally let slip out what she did. How mortifying!
The minutes ticked by in a highly awkward silence, with the brunette covering her face in embarrassment and the Potions Master waiting for her to make the first move.
Finally, Hermione decided enough was enough. Crossing the short distance between herself and the Slytherin, she put her hands on either side of his face and kissed him square on the mouth.
After she pulled away, he looked surprised for a moment, then he smiled. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again, and felt his arms wrap around her waist as he kissed her back.
Severus broke away, and led her into his quarters, locking and warding the door behind him. Then he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her again. As his tongue sought entrance to her mouth, her fingers tangled in his hair.
His hands spread across her butt cheeks and he lifted her up on the kitchen counter.
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A knock on the office door interrupted their conversation. The Slytherin Head opened it to reveal the Headmistress.
"I'm not brewing the pain reliever this time."
She smiled and sniffed the air. "It smells like Essence of Dittany."
"Correct you are. My new apprentice is replenishing the supply for the infirmary."
"Your new apprentice? Well then, congratulations, Miss Granger. I trust you are well?"
"Yes, ma'am. I had a rough couple of days, but I'm better."
"Glad to hear it."
"Headmistress, did you come to sniff my potions or was there something you needed?"
"I came to speak to you, Professor. I have several Gryffindor students in my office that have a story you need to hear as the Head of Slytherin."
Hermione almost dropped the knife she was holding, and looked up at her mentor in a panic. She just knew it had something to do with Draco and Malfoy Manor.
"I will join you in the hallway shortly and we can walk up there together. I just need to give some directives to my apprentice first." The professor could feel her apprehension and fear about what was transpiring in the Headmistress's office.
She nodded and exited into the hallway.
Severus wrapped his arms around Hermione and she hugged him back as she laid her head on his chest.
"It'll be alright. I won't reveal anything about you and what's been happening in your life without your permission, okay?"
Hermione nodded her head against his robes, savoring the herby smell with a slow, deep breath.
"If your name comes up, I'll insist you be present and send for you by patronus."
She nodded and looked up at his dark eyes. He put his fingers under her chin and kissed her.
"I better go. She's waiting. I will see you shortly."
Hermione nodded and turned back to her work as he exited.
The professor and the Headmistress walked to her office. Though she was now in the Headmaster's role, she'd retained her own office.
"Are you going to give me any idea what this is about before we arrive?"
"It's about the attack on the late Mr. Malfoy."
"Attack?"
"Yes, attack. The poison was apparently not self-inflicted."
The Potions Master drew in a sharp breath. He wondered if the Gryffindors were going to try to pin it on Hermione. He could vouch for her whereabouts that morning.
Inside the office sat Ginny, Ron and Harry.
He chose to stand against the bookcase as an intimidating presence, and from the nervous looks on the students' faces, it appeared to be working.
"Professor Snape, it has been brought to my attention that the poison ingested by Mr. Malfoy prior to his death was not self-inflicted after all. He was poisoned as retribution for an attack on Miss Granger that occurred at Malfoy Manor. Were you aware of this attack on her?"
He held his hand up. "Stop right there. If we're going to discuss Miss Granger, she needs to be here. End of story."
The Gryffindors started to protest, but were silenced by the angriest scowl that the Slytherin Head could muster.
"If you think so…."
"I insist. I'll summon her with a patronus."
"Expecto patronum…."
A doe danced around the room and took off towards the dungeon lab.
A few minutes later, a knock sounded at the door and Professor Snape answered it. He went out in the hall with Hermione and shut the door behind him. After casting a silencing spell, he told her what was happening.
"Apparently, the wounds Draco had were not self-inflicted and neither was the poison. It was done supposedly as retribution for what was done to you at the Manor. Are you going to be able to get through this?"
Hermione nodded.
"Remember what I taught you about breathing. It will help you. Keep your head together. If you need to, you can fall apart later on my couch under my blanket, but for now keep it together."
She nodded and looked at her Professor, wishing she could just curl up in the green blanket and lay on his chest. He must have guessed what she was thinking, because he smiled sympathetically and touched her face after a quick glance around. "Later, okay?"
"Okay."
"Keep it together. Don't let them see you fall apart."
"Got it."
The professor pushed the door open and entered the office behind Hermione. She stood against the bookcase with her mentor.
The Headmistress closed her eyes for a moment, collecting her thoughts as she determined the best way to proceed with what was sure to be a difficult conversation no matter how she went about it. She remembered visiting her colleague's office, and seeing Miss Granger curled up on his couch.
"She's been here since she left the infirmary Monday. Things…. happened to her when the trio were on the run, at Malfoy Manor. It's finally catching up with her."
Now she understood.
"Miss Granger, it has been brought to my attention that an attack was made on you at Malfoy Manor earlier this year, during the war. Apparently, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley took it upon themselves to exact revenge in your name. They poisoned Mr. Malfoy, which weakened his heart but did not kill him right away. When he slashed himself with the Sectumsempra curse, he wasn't strong enough to withstand the rapid blood loss.
Hermione surreptitiously grabbed her professor's hand and squeezed it as she stared at the Headmistress. If the bespectacled professor noticed, she said nothing.
"Do you confirm such an attack took place, Miss Granger?"
"Yes, it did." She shut her eyes and focused on her breathing as she'd been taught. In through the nose, out through the mouth…
"And was Mr. Malfoy a participant in this attack?"
A flashback screamed across her consciousness. She was on the floor, screaming and shaking as Bellatrix released the hold of yet another Cruciatis on her. Draco stood amongst the Death Eaters surrounding her, but he looked horrified, not hungry and lustful.
"Miss Granger…. Please answer the question." She felt Severus squeeze her hand.
"Yes, he was."
Breath, she told herself. Keep your head together.
"Did you ask Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley to seek revenge on your behalf?"
She shook her head. "No, ma'am. I didn't think they even knew about it. I thought they were in the dungeon when it happened."
"Ma'am, we heard Bellatrix bragging and laughing about it. She told us our filthy mudblood friend had been everybody's entertainment for the afternoon." Ron's knuckles were white from gripping the chair arms. "That's how we knew they all raped her."
Hermione gasped and flinched. Severus bent down by her ear. "Keep it together. Breath", he whispered. She did. In through the nose, out through the mouth.
Harry glared at Professor Snape, who glared back. "Why didn't you stop it, Professor?"
"I wasn't there that day, Harry. I was running a school and trying to protect the students. When Bellatrix told me what happened, I wanted to tear her to pieces with a prolonged bout of Cruciatis, but I couldn't. As it turned out, Molly Weasley dispatched of her quite effectively." He nodded towards Ron and Ginny.
Ginny remembered her mother jumping between her and Bellatrix. "Not my daughter, you bitch!"
"She sure did. No one messes with Mama Bear Weasley's cubs."
Ron and Ginny exchanged smiles. Their mom was tough, with her children and with anyone who tried to mess with them.
"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter. I understand you felt you were leveling retribution on Mr. Malfoy for what was done to Miss Granger, but what you did resulted in his death. However, I do understand that it was your friend that was brutally attacked during an act of war, and therefore what you did is also considered an act of war. Therefore, I do not see fit to expel you at this time. But you are both on probation and will be watched closely. Very closely. I expect both of you to report to my office on a twice weekly basis. Potter on Mondays and Wednesdays after classes, Weasley on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for the remainder of the year."
Both students mumbled a "yes, Ma'am" and nodded their heads.
"Very well. You are all dismissed."
Hermione let go of her mentor's hand and exited to the hallway. They silently made their way to his office.
"That Essence of Dittany really needs to be completed, along with the bruise paste and contraceptive. Could you do that before you hide under my blanket?"
The two of them worked together to crank out the three potions, and delivered the first two to the infirmary and stocked the third in the storeroom.
Upon their return, Hermione beelined straight for his couch and wrapped herself up in the Slytherin green blanket. Severus sat down next to her and she buried her head in his robes as he put his arms around her. Unsure of what frame of mind she could find herself in, he had placed a vial of Draught of Peace in his robe pocket.
Hermione kept replaying in her head what Ron had said. "She told us our filthy mudblood friend had been everybody's entertainment for the afternoon."
Hot tears slid down her face. She hadn't known Ron and Harry knew she had been raped. She wrapped her arms around Severus, and he tightened his hold on her as sobs shook her whole body.
When Hermione felt like every tear had been spent and she didn't have any left, she stayed in his arms. Her favorite place to be, with the only person who understood her.
"Severus, can I stay here tonight?"
He looked down at her tear stained, swollen face. "Yes. You can." How could he say no?
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The next morning, Hermione promptly was at the office at 7:55 AM again and started on Essence of Dittany. She was carrying an armload of ingredients into the office when she crashed into Severus walking the opposite direction. He caught her to keep her from falling backwards, but lost his footing as he stepped on dropped ingredients. They both ended up falling, and Hermione ended up landing on top of him.
This put their faces very closer together, and instead of scrambling to her feet right away, she paused. Her heart was beating wildly, and she could see something in Severus's eyes.
To hell with it, she thought. She bent her head down and kissed her mentor. He kissed her back, and wove his fingers through her hair as he deepened it. She ran the fingers of one hand through his black locks while the other hand was on his cheek.
She brought her knees up so she was straddling him, and she felt his hands move down her back and cup around her arse as the feverish kiss continued.
He finally broke away with a gasp. "Hermione. Not here."
She jumped to her feet, and so did he. He grabbed her hand and led her into his quarters after warding the office door. After warding the door to his quarters, he pushed her up against the wall and attacked her with his mouth again.
She grabbed hold of his hair and wrapped her legs around him. His tongue sought entrance to her mouth and she let him in.
When he pulled away several moments later, she actually whimpered.
"Hermione. I need to know if you want this or not. You can stop this."
She opened her eyes to look into his dark ones. "I want this, Severus. I do."
"Are you sure you're ready?"
"Yes, I am."
With a growl, he resumed the kiss as one of his hands grabbed her arse while the other traveled up to cup her breast.
Hermione broke away and smirked as she pulled the vial of contraceptive out of her robe pocket and promptly swallowed it. At his surprised expression, she shrugged and explained "I just had a feeling".
She put her legs down and he led her to his bedroom. She pulled off her robes and dropped them on the floor, then laid down on Severus' bed. He pulled off his robes and his shirt and laid down next to her, resuming their kiss. His hand travelled up and down her body as his tongue explored her mouth and she tangled her hands in his hair.
He pulled off her shirt and bra and kissed each breast before taking one of her nipples between his teeth and flicking across it with the tip with his tongue, smiling to himself as his actions brought forth moans. Then he switched to the other side and did the same thing. Hermione's fingers tightened in his hair. Breaking away, he pulled off her jeans and knickers, pausing to admire the beautiful naked witch in front of him.
Hermione watched as Severus looked at her, a look of admiration and desire in his face. She watched as he removed his own clothing, and moved to lay down next to her again. She pulled his face to hers and resumed the deep kiss again. His hand moved down to her heat and he slid a finger inside her, bringing out a moan from her. As his thumb worked over the sensitive nub, her eyes closed and her head bent back and she gripped his hair. She yelled out and her body spasmed as he brought her to a peak, and he positioned himself over her and entered her.
Hermione opened her eyes and looked into Severus'. Her hands still grabbed his hair as he moved over her, so she pulled his face to hers and kissed him. As they both struggled for release, the intensity in his eyes bore into hers. When they both reached a peak, it was almost simultaneously.
Severus turned on his side, and Hermione snuggled into him. He pulled her close to him and brushed her hair from her face. The turn of events surprised him, he wasn't expecting to be bedding his new apprentice today. His new apprentice that was still a student, he reminded himself. He remembered the contraceptive she'd pulled out of her pocket. She hadn't been surprised by it, expected it even.
Hermione smiled up at him. "I surprised you when I pulled that vial out of my pocket, didn't I?"
"You did. I was hoping someday this would happen, but I wasn't expecting it today."
Hermione ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his neck. "How badly does the infirmary need that Essence of Dittany?"
"Rather badly, actually. It's Quidditch season."
"Okay, I'll go make it. But first, I'll clean up my mess before my mentor gets angry." Hermione planted one more kiss on his mouth, winked at him, and squealed as he squeezed her arse cheek as she got out of bed.
After several minutes, the office floor was clean. Hermione set to work preparing the ingredients for the Essence and started brewing. Thinking of the events that took place just a little while ago, she stuck two contraceptive potions in her pocket. She noticed several were missing, and looked up at Severus. He smirked and pointed at his quarters. He'd already put some in his bedroom.
"Guess I should brew more, huh?"
"Might be a good idea, but start on some bruise paste first."
"I will do that."
"I'm assuming classes will resume next week. I'll want you here in the evenings, then, after supper. Also on Saturdays, at 8AM. Any weekday with no classes, be here at 8 in the morning."
Hermione nodded, excited to sort out the details of her apprenticeship.
Her mentor continued. "Occasionally, I might want you here on Sunday mornings", he explained with a smirk. It took her a moment to catch what he meant, but returned a smirk of her own.
"For research purposes, right?"
"Right."
The two shared a kiss, then she got back to her tasks with a smile.
After the Essence of Dittany had been completed and delivered, and the bruise paste started, Hermione started two more cauldrons of contraceptive. It was an odd thought to know she would be using some of this batch, but one that caused her to smile.
Uh oh…. She realized that Madame Pomfrey had specifically told her no sexual activity for 6 weeks following the maternus interruptus. It had only been 5. At the time, she didn't take it seriously because she was sure no one else would want her.
Severus noticed her distressed expression. "What's the matter?"
"Uhm…" She blushed, but knew she should tell him.
"After I took the maternus interruptus, Madame Pomfrey told me not to have sex for six weeks. I didn't really listen, because I didn't think anyone else would want me. I think it's only been 5 weeks."
"I won't tell if you won't. It's been close enough to the timeline she gave you that I think you'll be okay." He wrapped his arms around her and they shared a long kiss, until the sound of bubbling cauldrons distracted them.
Hermione stirred the contraceptive and determined it was ready to be bottled. She extinguished the fires and set cooling charms before bottling.
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Just as she was setting the bottles in place on the storeroom shelves, a knock sounded at the office door. Hermione froze when she heard Ginny's voice asking for maternus interruptus. She'd just received a positive pregnancy test from the mediwitch and did not wish to carry to term. Hermione made eye contact with Severus and retreated to the far corner, out of sight. Much like he did for her, he wrote out charmed instructions on parchment and gave strict instructions to see Madame Pomfrey immediately for heavy bleeding. She heard him ask if Harry was aware, and Ginny said he was, so she was told he needed to help monitor her condition. That it wasn't a process to take lightly.
As she eavesdropped, Hermione quietly began checking the stock of rescue, strengthener and bloodbuilder. She checked the logbook to see how many were brought to the infirmary in the last few days, then began collecting ingredients for bloodbuilder and rescue.
"Hermione, I need you to brew…." Severus stopped when he saw she had the ingredients for the potions he had been about to tell her to start.
"Rescue and bloodbuilder, followed by strengthener?"
"Yes. Exactly. I'm going to floo call Madame Pomfrey and tell her I gave it to her and find out what her stock numbers are."
He threw the powder down and called up to the mediwitch.
"Yes, Professor? You gave it to Miss Weasley?"
"I did. How much rescue and how much bloodbuilder and strengthener do you have?"
"10 rescue, 20 bloodbuilder, 20 strengthener."
"We'll make more."
"Who is 'we', Professor?"
"I have a new apprentice. Miss Granger."
"Perfect. I will see you later, then."
"Rescue first- stopping the source of the bleeding, then bloodbuilder to replace blood loss, then strengthener to aide healing?"
Severus dipped his head in approval, and Hermione got to work on four cauldrons of the maternus rescue. Diced Angelica root, crushed Evening Primrose flowers, Red Raspberry Leaf, Cinnamon stick.
It smelled amazing as it brewed, but it reminded her of her own experience. The horrible cramping, passing out in Advanced Potions, spending two days in the infirmary and then one more night soon after. She hoped all went smoother for Ginny than it had for her.
"Severus, what do we do if rescue doesn't stop the bleeding?"
He grimaced and turned to a page in his manual, in the 'reproductive potions' section. He pointed to a page he'd written notes on.
"I researched this after I lost that student, and found a high potency version. Maternus Rescue Maximus. Blue Cohosh, Lady's Mantle, Motherwort, Capsicum. I keep all the ingredients in stock, and can work it up quickly. You were close to needing it. That's why I stayed in the infirmary that day with you, in case I needed to brew it. It comes with bad side effects, which is why it's a last resort. Severe nausea and vomiting, sudden uncontrollable diarrhea, severe cramping. That's why the rescue is the first line of defense. Even giving it with stomach soother doesn't help, according to the research. It causes dehydration, which when coupled with blood loss, is dangerous." If he was honest with himself, it wasn't the only reason he had stayed in the infirmary with her that day. He'd known she was dealing with her trauma and abortion completely alone, so he'd stayed nearby for support.
Hermione listened, surprised to hear just how bad of shape she had been in. "I had no idea I was that sick."
"You were. I was very close to brewing it when Madame Pomfrey told me you had stopped bleeding."
"Do you think…. what happened at… the Manor…. had something to do with…. it?"
Severus nodded. "I do. Although, I guess we'll never know for sure. It's surprising that your body was able to sustain a pregnancy as long as it did, so soon after the cruciatis."
Hermione walked over to Severus and leaned her head against his chest as she held on to his waist. He rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. But, a moment later, she was back attending to her brews. Ginny may need them. She did a bit of soul-searching as she stirred, and found she didn't hate Ron, Harry or the youngest Weasley.
"Make 8 cauldrons of the rescue. It's better to have too much than too little."
After completing and bottling the rescue, she brought them up to the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey cornered her in the storeroom and insisted on running diagnostics on her "one last time" before officially declaring her recovered.
The mediwitch questioned her about her eating and sleeping habits, which had been poor since Draco's death. Because of this, she was given a vial of a milder sleeping draught for use when needed.
Hermione was also questioned about any sexual activity she may have engaged in since taking the potion. One day ago, the answer would have been a truthful no. But because her lover was her professor, she lied, unsure of whether it would be frowned on, despite her being 19 years old.
As soon as she was let go from the impromptu exam, she flooed down and started on 8 cauldrons of bloodbuilder. Then she made 8 of strengthener.
After she had finished that, she was surprised by her mentor picking her up and sitting her on his kitchen counter, after tightly warding the doors.
After a thorough snogging, and an even more thorough shagging, the two lay cuddled up on the couch under the green blanket. Severus buried his face in Hermione's hair and rubbed her back as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"Madame Pomfrey cornered me in the infirmary storeroom and gave me an exam and declared me fully recovered. She asked if I was sexually active."
The Potion Master froze.
"What did you tell her?"
"I lied my face off and said I wasn't, and that I wasn't seeing anyone."
He relaxed a little. "So are you?"
"Am I what?"
"Seeing anyone? Is that what this is, we're together now?"
"There's no one else, Severus. Only you. Is that what you mean?"
"Yes, it is what I mean. I don't have anyone else, either, and I don't want anyone else. Forever."
"Forever", repeated Hermione. She tipped her head up and kissed him.
"Just how big of a deal is it for a Professor to be dating a student, even if they're of age? I am 19 now."
"There are some who frown on it, but really there's nothing anyone can do, since you are past the age of majority."
"So we can't advertise it, and I shouldn't move in with you, but there's no risk of you losing your job over it?"
"Right."
"So… I shouldn't spend the night here, then?"
"Probably not. If there were a medical crisis going on upstairs, I could say you were here to help with brewing. But hopefully, that doesn't happen any time soon."
"Yeah, hopefully she gets through this without an issue. I bet she's planning on keeping it a secret from her mother. Maybe even from Ron. Even though Harry is his best friend, he'd still lose his Weasley mind."
"So you do remember that as the providers of the abortifacient potion, we're bound to secrecy and protecting Ginny's privacy, correct?"
"Right. You and Madame Pomfrey protected my privacy well. But Ginny did see me rounding the common rooms with you yesterday and may figure out that I'm working with you and therefore know what she's taking."
"That is true, yes."
"I better get back up to my dorm, before I get so comfortable here that I don't want to leave."
They shared one last kiss, then she dressed. Before she could leave his quarters, he shoved her against the wall for one more time.
"Bye, Severus."
"Bye, Love."
When Hermione arrived back in her dorm, Luna was sitting in the window reading. She glanced up at her roommate, then took a longer look.
"Someone's been sheathing the wand."
"Luna, how in Merlin's name can you tell?" The brunette was blushing furiously.
"Your cheeks are pink, your eyes are bright, your hair is more tousled than usual, your clothes are rumpled like they've been on the floor in a pile, and there's a hickey on your neck."
"There's what?" The brunette touched her neck and looked in the mirror. "I'm going to kill him with his own potions."
Luna laughed. "I was right. So is the dark bat of the dungeons a good lover?"
Hermione felt her face grow so red, it would rival a pomegranate. "Yes, he is. He's totally different from when he's teaching."
"So is it going to be completely weird to be in his class now?"
"I hadn't thought about that. I guess I'll see", Hermione shrugged.
The next morning was Saturday, so Hermione showered and made it to Snape's office just before 8.
She conducted an inventory of the potioneer's storeroom, and made lists of ingredients they were running low on.
"Normally, I would go retrieve the ingredients needed on Saturdays, but because there's a student in the castle actively taking the maternus interruptus, we need to stay here, ready to brew the Rescue Maximus at a moment's notice. It has to be taken right after it's brewed."
Severus summoned a house elf to send an owl to Hagrid with his needs list and an explanation that he couldn't leave the castle.
Hermione studied a potions text in the office while Severus chopped ingredients for drying and quizzed her on the content. How long does the Draught of Peace brew for? What is the main use for unicorn horn? Bicorn horn? What should pine sap never be mixed with? The main location to find and harvest Trilliums?
When they broke for lunch, Hermione noticed Ginny wasn't in the Great Hall. She caught the Potions Master's eye and nodded towards the Gryffindor table. He glanced over and nodded at the brunette to acknowledge he'd seen her signal and noticed the missing ginger. He caught Harry's eye and raised an eyebrow at him. Harry looked over at the empty chair and shrugged and shook his head.
Upstairs, Ginny was curled up on her bed in the fetal position breathing through excruciating cramps. She had no roommate at the present time. Harry and Ron were at lunch, then they had a Quidditch match. She couldn't get up to summon help. Eventually, she passed out.
After not seeing Ginny at supper, Professor Snape requested the Headmistress to check on her and sent a patronus to Madame Pomfrey. Not 5 minutes after she'd gotten up from her seat at the Head Table, she was flooing to the infirmary with an unconscious Ginny in her arms under a weightless charm.
When a lioness patronus charged across the table and stopped in front of the Potions Master, he called Hermione's name and they both raced to his dungeon office.
"Boil 2 measures of water in a cauldron while I chop the Blue Cohosh and Lady's Mantle." He sliced the ingredients so quickly his knife was a blur.
Once those were thrown in, he measured out the capsicum. "Crush the Motherwort leaves and throw them in."
30 minutes of simmering later, and they were bottling. The two flooed up to the infirmary, and the Mediwitch immediately spelled the Rescue Maximus in. Then they returned to make more. Hermione was focused on saving Ginny's life, there was no time to panic when a patient's life was on the line.
35 minutes later, they brought up another by floo. Then two more in succession. It could only be brewed one cauldron at a time and had to be administered immediately.
"More bloodbuilder, sir. I think she's finally stopped", Madame Pomfrey requested after the fourth dose.
Severus chopped the beetroot while Hermione prepared the spleen and marrow. While that brewed, they both used mortar and pestle to grind the spinach with the aloe.
After adding the mixtures to the bubbling cauldrons, she leaned against the office counter and caught her breath.
"She's going to be okay, Hermione. The healer said the bleeding stopped. I know you still care about her, even though you had a falling out with them. "
"I do. I've missed them. We were all best friends for years. Do you think it would help things if they knew it probably wasn't Harry's baby?"
"That would open up a whole different can of worms."
"Right. I'd have to tell them what happened."
"Unless they already know." Severus was pointedly looking at a cauldron instead of at her.
"Do they… know...?"
He nodded sadly. "They do. Bellatrix bragged about it afterward loudly, and they heard her from the dungeon. She told them you were everybody's entertainment for the afternoon. They heard your screams, and when they stopped, they thought you were dead."
"They told you this?"
"Harry did. He talked to me a lot, early on in the school year, and sometimes still does."
Hermione laid her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. Both stood in silence until a chime sounded. Then they worked together again to prepare and deliver it.
Up in the infirmary, Harry was sitting by a sleeping Ginny and holding her hand. He looked startled to see Hermione carrying in potions with Professor Snape.
"Hermione, what are you doing here?"
Madame Pomfrey turned from where she sat in her office making notes. "The Potion Master and his apprentice are saving your girlfriend's life, young man."
"Don't worry, Potter, we're sworn to secrecy", sneered the potioneer.
Hermione brought the basket to the Mediwitch, who took 10 and spelled them into Ginny immediately, then the rest were placed in the storeroom.
As the pair walked back to the Floo, Harry stood up and walked over to them.
"Thank you, Professor Snape. Thank you, Hermione."
The professor gave Harry a nod. Hermione paused in front of Harry, then he reached out and gave her a hug. "Thank you", he mumbled into her shoulder.
"You're welcome, Harry." She joined her mentor in the fireplace and they flooed back to the potions office.
"Are you alright?" Severus looked at her with concern.
"Yes, I'm alright. More bloodbuilder? Or strengthener first?"
"Bloodbuilder, then strengthener. 8 of each. Because we have a critical patient, you should sleep here tonight. I usually would sleep in my chair so Madame Pomfrey can floo call me, so we'll sleep on my couch."
Hermione smiled and kissed him, then got to work. Several hours and several kisses later, 16 cauldrons worth of potions were delivered. She saw Harry asleep in the chair next to Ginny, holding her hand. She felt a pang as she remembered sitting in the infirmary for two nights alone, not wanting Ron to know what was happening. Then she remembered the third night, when the man next to her had sat and watched her all night after stopping her from killing herself.
Both were exhausted by the time they collapsed on the couch, but they still found the energy to use up a vial of contraceptive. Morning found Hermione cuddled up on Severus's chest on the transformed couch, under her favorite blanket.
The Mediwitch hadn't called during the night, so Severus floo called her to see if anything was needed. The only potions she was short of was pain reliever and stomach soother. The Rescue Maximus had caused Ginny to experience severe stomach upset and cramping, as it was prone to do.
As Hermione prepared the pain reliever ingredients, she wondered if the Headmistress would find her way down there again.
Sure enough, she did.
"How do you know every time we brew it?", Hermione asked incredulously.
The Headmistress chuckled. "My office is directly over this one, so the smells waft up from the lab to my desk."
The Potions Master raised his eyebrows at her. "Maybe I should brew some skunk cabbage, then."
"I understand you have a new apprentice. Congratulations, Miss Granger."
"Thank you!"
"Do you plan on staying here after graduation to continue your apprenticeship?"
"Yes, ma'am. I do."
"At that time, you'll get your own dungeon quarters, then, close to the potions classroom and this office. I'm sure you'll be looking forward to that."
"Yes, I will. Luna has been a great roommate, though."
After the Headmistress left, Hermione resumed her work on the stomach soother while the pain reliever simmered.
But she couldn't help but wonder, "Do you think she suspects about you and I?".
"I'm not sure, but it sounded like it. She is as perceptive as Miss Lovegood."
"Speaking of Luna", said Hermione as her cheeks reddened. "She knows. All I did was walk in the dorm room yesterday, and she figured it out."
"What? How? You didn't tell her? She just came to the conclusion all on her own?"
"She predicted it a couple weeks ago. All I did was walk in, and she said "someone's sheathing the wand", and I couldn't lie to her. She said my cheeks were pink, my eyes were bright, my hair was a mess and there was a hickey on my neck."
"Oh, uhm, sorry about that. I guess I got carried away."
"Don't let it happen again." Hermione tried to sound angry, but the sparkle in her eyes gave it away.
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Hermione pulled the vials out of her pocket, and set them on the counter to wash and put away, forgetting one of them was the contraceptive.
"And why did you have a vial of contraceptive in your pocket? Do you have a boyfriend?" He sincerely hoped the answer was no.
"No, I don't."
"A bedpal, then?"
"No. Not that, either." That blush was creeping up over her face again.
"Then who were you planning on using it with?"
Hermione felt so incredibly embarrassed, she was ready to cast an Avada on herself.
"Uhm….." She turned to the sink to wash the vials out. As the water was running, she quietly mumbled, "you".
Severus stared at her, stunned, positive he'd heard wrong. Him? She really had feelings for him?
He reached over and turned off the faucet and took the vials out of her hands. Then he put his hands on her shoulders and turned her so she was facing him.
"Did you just say 'me', witch?"
Hermione didn't answer and looked at the floor, wishing it would swallow her up. She felt his fingers under her chin, lifting her head up.
That same expression she'd seen in his eyes briefly in the Great Hall was back, and she barely had time to process it before he pressed his lips to hers.
As she returned the kiss, she felt his hands slip around her waist and pull her closer. She closed her eyes and tangled her fingers in his hair. As he deepened the kiss, she felt herself being lifted up onto the office counter.
"Are you sure about this?" Severus had pulled away and was looking in her eyes.
"I'm sure."
He handed her the contraceptive vial she'd pulled from her pocket a few moments before.
"Then I guess you better take this."
Hermione swallowed the whole vial and grimaced at the taste. Oh, well. As long as it worked, she thought.
Severus wrapped his arms around her again and they resumed the kiss he had started. She tangled her fingers in his hair and felt his hands go under her shirt and unhook her bra. He was about to carry her into his quarters when a knock sounded on the office door.
Hermione quickly jumped down from the counter and ran into the storeroom. She fixed her bra and straightened her clothes while Severus ran his fingers through his hair to straighten it.
It was the Headmistress, inquiring about Hermione's well-being following the events of the previous day. The brunette had to come out of the storeroom, where she'd been pretending to do inventory, and answer that she was doing well. If the bespectacled witch noticed the flushed cheeks on both of them, she didn't say anything.
After they were alone again, Severus grabbed her hand and led her into his quarters. Once the door was shut and warded, he pushed Hermione against the wall and they crashed together.
Many moments later, the two lay on his bed wrapped up in each other's arms under a blanket, catching their breath.
"Not how I expected to spend my Sunday morning" mused Hermione with a smile. Severus was brushing her hair away from her face and stroking her cheek. At her statement, he stopped and looked into her eyes. Her breath caught as the dark irises locked onto her own.
"No regrets, Love?"
"None at all, Severus."
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