Chapter 46. Encounter
Leaving Annabelle was possibly the hardest thing Hermione had ever done in her life. Her daughter was asleep in her crib, dancing butterflies in the air above her, and a quiet lullaby played to soothe. The girl has a mess of black curls, which Hermione had explained away noting her father's dark hair, and the cutest button nose Hermione had ever seen. She had thanked Merlin Annabelle was not blessed with her father's hair and his nose, but that she was a perfect mix of the two. She was a fantastic sleeper and very hungry, which made it even harder for Hermione to leave, given her usual job as meal-supply. Fleur and Bill had promised her she would be incredibly well taken care of and would treat her as if she were their own. Still, the goodbye felt as though she was tearing out a piece of her and leaving it behind.
She rejoined the group in the middle of a snowfall, and they quickly bundled her up in the tent. It was Ron's turn to keep watch, so Harry and Hermione stayed back and tried to brainstorm ideas for destroying the Horcruxes or where the next one might be. It had been hours and Hermione was deep into the book Dumbledore had left her in his Will. Each story reminded her of her daughter, what she was missing out on, the stories she could be reading to her, and exactly how much time would pass before she could reunite with her. She was startled from a particularly lonely thought when Ronald burst through the tent doors.
"I knew it," he declared, looking the two tent-dwellers up and down. "I knew there was something going on." Hermione was only then made aware of how much she had snuggled into her friend. Harry lounged on the bed and Hermione had started off leaning against his shoulder. Her head was now practically in his lap and her book rested on his knee. The witch sat up and Harry looked at his friend perplexed.
"Don't worry, 'mione, he always gets like this when he wears the locket for too long. Give it here, Ron," Harry demanded, reaching out towards his friend. Ronald spat at Harry's offering and stepped back towards the entrance to the tent.
"You're off giving birth Malfoy's spawn, and you have the nerve to come back here and sleep with my best friend after everything I did for you?" Harry lunged for the locket, but Ron brushed him off, starting towards Hermione. "No, Harry, she needs to know. You act all oblivious like you can't see what is right in front of you. I care for you, Hermione," he added, his words dripping with deeper meaning. "We both do," he covered quickly. "Then you go off and fuck a Slytherin. I covered for you, Hermione. I made it work and I did so much shit for you. I went on this stupid Horcrux hunt to keep you safe and what do I get in return? Nothing. Not even a thank you."
Hermione sat, her mouth agape, as she stared at her friend. He was bright red, his hair standing on and his face twisted with rage. Tears welled up in her throat and stung at her eyes, but she pushed it down and said nothing.
"Ron, give me the locket," Harry cautioned again. Ron glared at her, his chest heaving with every breath as he waited for her reply.
"Fine." Ron tore the locket from his neck and threw it at Harry before storming out of the tent. Hermione stood, chasing after him.
"Where are you going?" She called into the darkness, but he was already gone. Her breath puffed out like smoke in the frigid winter air as she stared into the darkness of the forest. A warm hand on her shoulder startled her a bit before she settled into Harry's side.
"That was a shit thing for him to say, Hermione," Harry whispered reassuringly.
"No, he was right, I never thanked you," Hermione's voice falters as she pushes down her upset. "You've been incredibly kind and caring and I've been so ungrateful, I-" Harry wrapped her in a warm hug, pulling her in close. She relished in the thought embrace, drinking in the comfort. "I'm so sorry," she mumbled into his chest.
"I'm just glad you're back." Hermione nuzzled into him more. It was hard to believe that Harry was thrilled about her return, given it drove away Ronald. Though perhaps she was simply the last straw that drove a wedge between them. Spending months together, sharing the burden of a Horcrux between two people, Hermione could see how it would wear nerves thin. Still, she felt terrible for coming in a seemingly messing it all up. She wanted to explain that to him, to apologize more, but he was holding her just as tightly as she held him, and perhaps needed it just as much.
-x-
A few weeks had passed since Ronald decided to leave and the remainder of the trio had moved on to the Oceanside Cliffs off Scotland's coast, then onto the outskirts of another village. It was even colder as they neared the end of December, and Hermione was heating up the tent when Harry came in. He clapped his hands together, warming himself up and appreciating Hermione's work.
"No word from Ron?" He asked. She shook her head. It was not as though either of them expected Ronald to make a sudden reappearance, but they were worried he had gotten lost trying to find them again. They had even tried to leave hints about where they were heading when they left. Hermione knew it was wishful thinking, given that he was not likely to be looking for them at all, but Harry seemed to hold out hope.
Harry took a seat next to the largest heat bubble Hermione had created and shivered as he adjusted to the warmth. "I'll stand watch," she said, heating up her palms once last time before standing up. Harry also stood, removing the locket from his neck, and walking it over to her.
"Alright, keep warm though," Harry cautioned as he placed the locket over her head. Instinctively, Hermione grabbed at the metal and nodded, heeding his word. She pulled out her wand and cast a few warming charms as she took a walk around the perimeter. The moon illuminated much of the trees, but there were still shadows that sent shivers down her spine. She was never one to be afraid of the dark, but since she'd had Annabelle, everything made her jump.
The sound of a twig breaking deep in the forest made her heart skip and she crept towards the edge of her enchantments. She squinted to make out the figures coming down the embankment. At first, they were nothing more than a black indistinct form, but as they drew near, a familiar face arose from the shadows. A gasp escaped her lips, but Hermione swallowed hard and held her breath as to not draw attention to herself, digging her nails into her palms to keep from crying out. The world seemed to blur around Severus his image hanging in the moonlight. There were deep circles around his eyes and his hair was a mess on his head. His ill-fitting robes were wrinkled and hung off his shoulders awkwardly. Still, her heart rapt against her chest, begging her to step out and touch him.
His voice shook her from her trance. "Do you smell that?" He said in a low tone, almost asking the foliage around him. Hermione noticed the others that had following him were gripping a bound man and were anxious to keep moving. The man looked around then seemed to stare right through her as if he knew she was there but could not see her. When no one replied to Severus' query, a knowing light struck his irises. Clenching his teeth, he turned and stormed away, the crew of people following quickly behind him.
At that point she fell, the leaves crackling beneath her legs as she held back a sob. His name clung to her tongue, willing herself not to scream after him and demand an explanation for the murder of their Headmaster, his friend. She wanted to scream at him and collapse into his arms all at once. He had missed the birth of their daughter. He forced her to go on a hunt to defeat the man Severus was working for. He forced her to leave Annabelle behind.
Once his form had disappeared into the darkness once more, she gasped for air, feeling the tears trapped in her throat. She retreated into herself, grasping her legs and hugging them to her chest. The saltwater fell from her cheeks as her emotions escaped her. All the images of their whirlwind together rushed behind her eyes. "I loved you," she gasped, crying harder and bending her head between her knees.
The quiet of the forest returned, surrounding her like a thick blanket as she struggled to compose herself. Hermione tried to compel herself to imagine all the horrible things students had reported he was doing at Hogwarts. The struggles muggle-borns face daily at the hands of their wretched Headmaster and the Carrows. He was her friend, her partner, and he abandoned her in the time she needed him the most. No wizard could conjure such powerful emotions and have them all be lies. No person had ever been so selfless in her company. The thought made her heart ache for him even more. "I loved you." She whispered again.
The silence clung on. So, she stood, wiping the tears from her cheeks. The idle gossip from sixth year felt like decades ago as she remembered conjuring a plan to fight the rumours about their love for each other. It had been hard on her heart, but she had no idea what was to come, or how much more she would have to bear in the coming months.
Harry was standing over the hill and watched her as she walked up to join him. "Snatchers," she said simply, omitting the fact she had seen their professor along with them. Harry gathered his friend in his arms.
"It's okay Hermione, he'll come back," he whispered comfortingly. Hermione's breath caught in her through and she nuzzled into him. He may have been right. Ronald might come back, but she did not care. He was not much help anyway. The man she was truly crying over, however, he was lost to her.
Hermione lingered in the hug a bit before pulling back. "You should get some sleep, Harry." He nodded, shooting her an awkward smile before heading back into the tent. She watched at the light flickered out before she walked back down to where she had stopped. As the leaves crunched under her feet, she looked up. Immediately air escaped her lungs.
Severus stood in the clearing, desperately looking around. He seemed to stiffen, then turn to face her. "Hermione?" He whispered. Hermione leapt through her protective wards and flung her arms around him, strangling him with her embrace. His hands gripped her back as he buried his face in her hair, holding her against him as though she would disappear if he let go. "Hermione," he breathed into her curls wrapping his arms even tighter around her. She could barely breathe, but in the moment, death felt the better option than release him.
Abruptly, he pulled back, cupping her face in his palms and gazing into her eyes. "I don't have long," he croaked. "You have to find the sword of Gryffindor. With it, you can destroy the Horcrux, and-" Hermione stopped him, closing the gap between them and pressing her lips to his. He hesitated, before kissing her back and pulling her in closer. She reached between them and pulled off her jumper. He broke the kiss to look down. "Hermione we-"
"We don't have much time," she asserted, kissing him again and moving to unbutton his robes. He stepped back, looking about then taking her hand and pulling her into the darkness of the forest. With a flick of his wand, he summoned a blanket and removed his robes, whispering warming charms around them, then turning to her. The witch let her jumper fall to the forest floor, then made quick work of her shirt and jeans, tossing them to the side. Left in her knickers, she watched as Severus devoured her with his gaze. Suddenly self-conscious, Hermione wrapped her arms around her stomach. She had yet to show her post-pregnancy body to anyone, and she remembered the loose skin that once harboured her child. Severus reached out and placed his hands on her hips.
"I missed you," he whispered, brushing his lips against her forehead, then capturing her mouth with his own. All her doubt melted away as he guided her to the blanket. She lay beneath him, watching his face closely as he slid his hand down her panties. The sensation of the pad of his fingers against her sensitive nub was different, but not at all unpleasant. Severus kissed a trail down her neck to her abdomen, as quiet moans escaped her lips. His tongue flick against her and she bit down hard to keep from being any louder. He worked her like he had those many times and it was not long before she felt the overwhelming release he consistently brought her. Her brain swelled as her orgasm wracked through her body, his face suddenly inches from her own.
"I want you," she whined. He obliged. His shaft entered her slowly as first, but as her fingers dug into his back, he pushed the rest of his cock inside her. She cried out, unable to control herself and he lovingly covered her mouth with his. She groaned into his kiss as he rocked his pelvis against her, the sensation familiar but deeply missed. She met his pace, bucking her hips to meet his. The hot pleasure welled in her stomach, her abs tensing and her hand clenching, holding him tighter against her. He looked at her pleadingly, and she furrowed her brows, focusing her attention on the pleasure and the tension building in her body. A second orgasm came over her, to which he matched his own, a grunt filling the air around them as he jerked against her.
They laid there, breathing heavily against one another. She watched his gaze as he examined her, his eyes lingering on the locked around her neck before squeezing his eyes shut. "I have to go," he said in a tortured tone. Hermione scuttled to the head of the blanket, sitting up and using her wand to summon her jumper, holding it against her chest. "I have so much to say to you, so many questions. I-"
"Just go," Hermione barked. Severus jumped back at the sentiment. "Go!" She repeated. He quickly redressed then apparated before her eyes. It felt as though he had taken her heart with him. Sitting in silence, the tears began to pour down her cheeks. She still loved him, she still yearned for him every moment of the day. The man she knew, the man who just held her, was not the man who killed Dumbledore. He was not the man in the stories told by Hogwarts students. He was kind. He was the father of her child. He loved her.
She ached to know what he wanted to say. Would he have asked after their daughter? Her health? He had said something. About the sword of Gryffindor. Hermione wracked her mind to remember what it was. The words seemed to escape her, chased away by the images of her love hovering above her. His face, his eyes. They were laced with sadness, but she knew there was love there. She knew that it pained him to see her as much as it pained her to see him. She kicked herself for making him leave. The minute the crack resonated through the trees, she wanted him back.
A sob overcame her, and she shuddered, huddling into herself. Releasing a shaky breath, she stood, picking up her pants and jeans, pulling them on, followed by her shirt and tugging the jumper back over her head. She fixed her hair back in an elastic and started back towards her wards. Stepping through, she felt relief wash over her. None of her questions had been answered, she was still on a hunt for unknown objects, and her friend had up and left them. However, Severus still loved her.
-x-
After their close encounter with Voldemort's snake, Hermione had a revelation, which she was eager to share with Harry as they apparated to the Forest of Dean. Harry stumbled against the snow, but Hermione caught him. "The sword of Gryffindor," she announced. Harry turned to face her, confused. "It only takes on that which makes it stronger!"
"Ok, so?" He asked, adjusting his glasses on his nose.
"You don't understand, you killed the Basilisk with it, and you destroyed Tom Riddle's diary with a Basilisk fang," Hermione explained, the light of understanding flickering on in Harry's green eyes. Hermione's stomach flipped with excitement.
"So that means it can destroy Horcruxes!" Harry added, his smile spread from ear to ear. Hermione leapt into his arms, pulling him into a hug.
"Exactly!" She confirmed, her mind flashing to the memory of Severus. I finally figured out why he brought it up, Hermione mused. It seemed as though everything clicked. She stepped back, practically vibrating.
"The only thing is, I don't have the sword of Gryffindor," Harry said glumly. Hermione's heart sank, pausing to think on this particular hindrance. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and began to pace, chewing on her lip mindlessly.
"We just have to find it, right? How did you get it in the chamber of secrets?" She muttered, hoping that Harry could offer some insight.
"Fawkes gave me the Sorting Hat and it was just sort of, in there," Harry answered with a shrug. Hermione huffed at the answer that gave her absolutely nothing to go on. They could not just summon the Sorting Hat to the Forest of Dean.
"I supposed we'd have to go to Hogwarts to get the hat then?" Hermione offered, though she knew it was a poor plan at best. A brief suggestion ran through her mind, but she disregarded it immediately. We can't just ask Severus to bring it to us, she scoffed internally.
"Alright, we'll go in the morning then," Harry agreed. Hermione cringed at the idea of sneaking into Hogwarts, but if Harry agreed, perhaps it wasn't such a terrible idea after all. Her mind flashed to a memory from their first year and all the boy's terrible plans. Though Ronald was a large part in aiding Harry in his poorly thought out schemes, Hermione mused, hopefully, I'm a better influence.
"I'll take the first watch," Hermione said, tucking her wand in her pocket, Harry yawned in response, not arguing as he made his way over to the tent. "Merry Christmas, Harry," she called over her shoulder as she walked towards their fire pit.
"Merry Christmas, Hermione," he shouted back from inside the tent. It was early morning and the sun bounced off the snow and made the whole world a bit brighter. Her eyes stung a bit as they adjusted, sitting down, and starting a fire to keep her warm. She pulled a book from her bag and opened it on her lap, reading through the pages she had already memorized.
Severus has given her this book, the last page inscribed with a message Hermione was too afraid to read. She brushed the writing with her fingers, feeling the bumps and grooves of his printing, but refusing to actually read it. Instead, her eyes glazed over as they circled the same paragraph countless times. Her thoughts wandered. First to the woods, the blanket and the hot feeling that washed over her every time she recalled his face. Then, she thought of the times on the couch, snuggled up by the fire and reading books. Finally, she remembered the look on his face as he ran off with Draco and Bellatrix and the other Death Eaters the day he killed Dumbledore.
Her chest constricted, her breath catching in her throat as she pulled her legs to her chest, resting her cheek on her knees. The feeling his lips on her cheek came with a flash of angry every time she remembered. He had betrayed her. He had lied to her. And yet, when given the chance, she melted into his arms as if nothing had ever happened. She had promised herself she would not lose sight of the facts even if she were in love. If she thought about reality enough, she could not be blinded by love. She had lied to herself, just as Severus had done to her. She was blind. The swam in the river of denial as though her life depended on it. He had to have an explanation for what he did, there had to be a resolution, there had to be more to the story than what she knew.
"Hey 'mione," Harry's yawn tore her from her thoughts, bringing her to the present. It was dark out and when she looked down at the book in her hands, she had not even turned the page. She stood up, brushing herself off and tucking the book back into her bag. "Everything alright?" He asked, his eye furrowed at he studied her.
"Oh yeah, just dozed off there a bit I guess, you came at the right time!" She responded hurriedly. "Come wake me if I sleep too long," she shouted over her shoulder as she walked back towards the tent.
-x-
"Hermione! Wake up!" A familiar voice called to her from outside the tent. She shot up from the mattress, pulling her cardigan over her shoulders and stumbling out of the tent. She was greeted by a pair of dorky smiles and beaming eyes staring at her. It was freshly morning light and it took a moment for her eyes to adjust.
Ronald stood before her, the locket, opened and crushed, dangling from his hand, grinning at her widely. "You destroyed it," she muttered, looking at it, before changing her attention to Harry who held the Gryffindor sword triumphantly. "Where did you get that?" Hermione demanded.
"In the lake, nearly drowned too, but Ron saved me," Harry explained, drawing her scrutiny back to the ginger beside him.
"When did you get back? How did you find us?" Hermione's pulse was racing. She was angry that he had left, pleased that he was back, jealous that she had been left out. All the emotions coursed through her as once and she wanted to scream, but she pushed it all down behind her mental wall and took a centring breath.
"This actually," he proclaimed, holding up the Dilluminator that Dumbledore had left him in his Will. "I was in a pub, hiding from some snatchers when I heard your voice coming from it. I opened it up, and a light shot out, went straight through me, here," Ronald motioned to his heart. Hermione huffed and crossed her arms, stepping back. "I apparated, and it brought me here. Just in time." Hermione wanted to gag at the story, but she held firm, biting her lip.
"So, you brought the sword?" Hermione questioned again, completely ignoring the legend he was trying to play off at the truth in the hopes it would warm her heart to him.
"No, it was in the lake. There was a Patronus, a doe, like my mother's, and it led me to the lake. I could see it, at the bottom. The sword." Harry explained, winded as though the events had just transpired.
"A doe?" Hermione echoed, recalling the Patronus from the wedding.
"Yeah," Harry confirmed. "I almost drowned, Ron saved me," Harry repeated, elbowing his friend playfully in the ribs. Hermione sighed again, looking at the two boys who were utterly exploding with pride.
"I'm glad you're both alive," she conceded, Ronald visibly relaxing. They rushed over to her and wrapped her in a hug, squeezing her tightly. While she wanted to shake them off, she relented and let herself get consumed.
When they broke apart, they glanced at each other in silence, which Ronald quickly broke. "So where do we look for the next Horcrux?"