The Truth Will Come Out.
A week later,
marked two weeks since Hermione first came to Severus.
It was another sunny day, that found Hermione hidden away in Severus's potions lab. Severus had set up a small, single sized bed for her in the corner, so she wouldn't have to hide away in his hall closet to stay out of the sun.
Severus had also dimmed the room, with very little light coming in through his small tafco window on the far left side of the room.
It was almost two in the afternoon and Severus had been out collecting more nourishment for Hermione. He had told her that they wouldn't be blood shedding anything else, until the rats blood proved to be a success.
When Severus got home, he quietly made his way into his lab, past a sleeping Hermione, who was buried under the covers. He carefully set the cage of petrified rats on his potions bench. He had to stun them, otherwise their blood would have gone cold quicker if he had killed them.
It was then, when Severus was eyeing the rats deep in thought, that a sudden gasp came from behind him. He swiftly turned to see Hermione sit up in bed, holding her throat as she tried to swollow in big gulps with a perplexed look on her face.
Severus knew that her thirst for blood would pine for more as her diet started to change. I mean a rat is not much, compared to the blood that ran through the length of a human body.
Severus hastily grabbed the cage off the bench and set it on the bed in front of Hermione, and opened the cage door. She immediately lunged her hand through and pulled one out as her fangs appeared before she hungrily sank her teeth into it and drained it of its blood.
Severus flinched as she frantically drained the blood out of every single one of them. Feeding it to her from a glass cup was one thing, but watching her feed for herself, was quite disconcerting.
After her fangs had disappeared she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment in quick discomfort before opening them again.
"I expected this would happen, sooner or later," Severus finally spoke, knowingly. "Are you alright now?," He asked anxiously as he eyed the dead rats that were scattered on the bed in front of her
"I think so," Hermione murmured with a dubious expression as she slowly nodded her head before glancing up at him.
That's when Severus noticed a dramatic change in her eyes. His eyes widened.
'What?," Hermione asked eagerly in curiosity. She wanted to know what made Severus react like that.
"Your eyes," Severus remarked dumbfounded as he pointed to her eyes.
"My-," Hermione started in confusion before her eyes widened, and she sped out of the room.
"You know, you are starting to give me whiplash," Severus stated briskly as he leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom while Hermione stared in shock at her reflection.
"You did it!," Hermione exclaimed in amazement while ignoring his comment as she examined her eyes in the mirror. They had turned from that deep red color, to a bright vivid orange.
"I did not expect them to change so quickly," Severus declared, raising his eyebrow thoughtfully. "But then again, you are quicker then everyone else," He added with an ironic smirk.
Hermione beamed at his reflection in the mirror before a slight blush crept onto her cheeks. Forcing her to look away.
Severus cleared his throat. "So, are you ready for step two?," He asked cautiously. Crossing his arms as he mentally shoved the awkward moment to the side.
"What's step two?," Hermione asked avidly as she gazed at him intently through the mirror again.
"Socializing," Severus replied in a careful tone as Hermione's eyes widened in fear.
She opened her mouth to protest but Severus cut her off. "We need to see how you react around other people," He asserted in a firm voice.
"Are you sure that is a good idea?," Hermione asked uneasily as she swiftly turned around to face him.
"Look how much you have improved already," Severus proclaimed astoundingly as Hermione sighed nervously.
"A short walk, will do," He stated patently.
"But what if I can't control myself?, what if I attack someone?, what if you can't stop me?," Hermione argued in trepidation, as she quickly gazed back up at him while strands of her long hair fell lightly over her face as she shook her head.
"There is no, stopping you," Severus retorted gruffly while furrowing his eyebrows at her as she blinked at his harsh voice.
"But if you don't do it now, you never will. You'll just live in fear for the rest of your life. And for you, that is a very long time," Severus declared brusquely.
Hermione grimaced as she exhaled in distress. "Do you really believe that I am ready to go out there?," She asked anxiously.
"It doesn't matter what I believe," Severus replied coolly."You have to believe that you are ready to go out there," He added as he pointed at her, then towards the door.
"Well I don't," Hermione stated firmly in disbelief with fierce eyes.
A low growl sounded in his throat. "Bloody hell, Granger, what happened to the insufferable know it all who wouldn't let anything stand in her way to achieve what she wanted?," Severus asked scornfully.
"I'm still me, I have just been through alot," Hermione exclaimed defensively.
Severus scoffed. "Brightest witch of her age, my arse," He snarled to himself. "You have not done what I have done, or seen what I have seen," He continued in a cold voice.
Hermione gaped at him in shock.
"You killed Dumbledore. That's one person. I'm a serial killer, I killed twelve innocent people!, one for every month of the year!. I killed them in cold blood to save myself. Don't you dare, compare yourself to me," Hermione shouted furiously with penetrating eyes.
Severus scowled at her before closing his eyes, as he exhaled exasperatedly through his nose.
"This went too far," He stated patently in penitence as he bowed his head.
"You think," Hermione muttered bitterly through her teeth as tears welled up her eyes. Severus remained silent.
"Why do you even care?," Hermione asked curiously as her tears trickled down her cheeks when she blinked up at him.
"Because I promised to help you," Severus replied earnestly. "Because we are friends," He added quietly.
"We are?," Hermione exclaimed softly as her eyes widened in surprise.
Severus nodded as he tilt his head back up to look at her. "I know I am not the best person, but I'm trying to do right by you. I owe you that," He proclaimed in genuine sincerity.
"I-, I don't know what to say," Hermione murmured sheepishly as she tucked her long hair behind her ears. Dumbfounded.
"Don't say anything," Severus protested solemnly as he stiffened in the door way while Hermione stared questioningly at him.
"I'll go fetch your cloak," Severus said in a low voice as he awkwardly strode away.
"What a strange man," Hermione thought curiously to herself as she watched him go before turning around towards the mirror to examin herself some more.
When Severus returned with her cloak, he kinda stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed that Hermione had just finished magically braiding her hair into a long braid down her back while leaving out two curls to caress her face. He couldn't help admiring her. The corset dress didn't help either. She still refused to part with it. She was even more stubborn now.
"What is wrong with you? get a grip, old man, she was your student, for merlins sake!," Severus thought, berating himself while shaking his head.
Severus cleared his throat as Hermione quickly gazed up at him before turning around to face him.
"Ready?," Severus asked with a raised eyebrow as he handed her the cloak.
Hermione sighed nervously again.
"As ready as I'll ever be," She replied anxiously as she took her cloak from him.
Severus flashed her a quick encouraging smile before swiftly turning and making his way out towards the front door to wait for her.
"Luck is on your side," Severus remarked as he opened the door when Hermione met him a moment later, after clasping her cloak around her neck. Luck was in her favor, the sun had started to move away behind the clouds.
After pulling her hood up, she slowly stepped out into the light of the day with Severus right behind her.
They started by walking down the street. It was going alright, but everytime that someone passed them, giving them odd looks, Severus would flash a cautious glance at Hermione. Which she would return with an uneasy one.
"Are you alright?," Severus whispered worriedly as he studied her nervous expression.
"I can smell everyone," Hermione intoned in a timorous whisper as she stared down at the ground.
Against his better judgement, and his berating mind, Severus then carefully grasped her hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. Hermione gazed up at him in surprise before flashing him a grateful smile as she slowly wrapped her other hand around his forearm.
They continued to walk, and as they turned the corner they practically bumped into a tall, blonde haired man who was dressed in all black, apart from the green scarf he was wearing around his neck.
"My, my, what a pleasant surprise to see you walking about, Severus," Said the blonde haired man with a sardonic smirk.
Hermione, still with her head down, shuddered in revulsion at the sound of the mans voice as he swiftly moved his cane into his other hand.
"I wish I could same the same about you, Lucius," Severus replied coldly after he got over his initial shock as Lucius continued to smirk at him. Finally noticing the hooded figure at his side with her head down.
"Ah, and who might this be?, did you finally find someone who was willing to shag you, Severus?," Lucius remarked in a malignant tone with a mischievous look in his eyes as he then eyed the figure intently while Severus glared daggers at him, and moved to stand partly in front of Hermione to shield her from Lucius's prying eyes.
"Oooo, protective are we?, I won't hurt her," Lucius smiled mischieviously.
"I can not say the same for her," Severus retorted in a low warning voice as he tightened his grip on her arm a little.
"Is that a threat?," Lucius asked coolly. Furrowing his eyebrows as his eyes landed on the cloaked figure again.
"Reveal yourself," He ordered harshly while Severus continued to glare daggers at him.
Hermione by now was angry, humiliated, and repulsed by his accusations. She slowly raised her head, and flashed her vivid orange gaze on him.
Lucius stared in shock for a moment before he finally opened his mouth to speak.
"Well well, Ms. Granger, I see what the war has done to you," He remarked in astonishment as she glared furiously up at him.
"I must say, I am quite impressed with you. All those helpless people, dying at your expense, well done," Lucius added in admiration as Hermione huffed dangerously.
"Do not antagonize her," Severus snarled.
"I think I like you better this way," Lucius continued with a smirk. Ignoring Severus's warning like he hadn't heard him.
Severus scowled at him.
"Although, it is a shame, that our world will never be gifted by your knowledgeable offspring," Lucius said with a wicked grin.
"Such a waste," He sneered with a lascivious look in his eyes while shaking his head at her as he leaned on his cane in fake pity.
Severus's eyes widened as Hermione violently whacked his cane out from under him, and lunged at Lucius with her fangs bared. Knocking him to the ground.
"Hermione, don't!," Severus called as he quickly whipped out his wand and shot a stunner at her. Making her freeze in place, ontop of him.
No matter how much he hated it, Severus had to stun her. He had no other choice. Given her new state, he knew he couldn't of held her back. She was too strong.
"Have you no brains?!," Severus hissed as he stepped forward to carefully pull Hermione's petrified body off of Lucius.
"She's a feisty one, she's got fire," Lucius complemented. Standing up, and quickly composing himself before picking up his cane as Hermione stood frozen in Severus's arms. glaring death at Lucius.
"I warned you not to antagonize her. Next time, I will not be so forthcoming to save your arse," Severus growled as he glowered at him.
Lucius sneered at them as he hoisted his cane up higher in his hand before stalking off past them, and around the corner.
"Rennervate," Severus muttered with a flick of his wand when he knew for sure Lucius was out of sight.
All of a sudden Hermione gasped as she could finally move. She collapsed to her knees in shock. Her dress and cloak forming into a circle around her.
"I failed. I almost killed him," Hermione mumbled through her hands that had flown up to her mouth in regret.
Severus stared thoughtfully down at her with steely eyes before he hurriedly pulled her to her feet by her arms at the sound of approuching footsteps and apparated away with a quick pop.
Moments later they reappeared, where they could not be seen. Deep in the woods, surrounded by thick trees, and long grass. Nothing for miles.
"Where are we?," Hermione asked inquisitively as she examined her surroundings.
"We are Fourty miles south of Cokeworth, two hours distance from London," Severus replied, emotionless as he raised his eyebrow in her direction.
Hermione quickly turned her head to look at him. "Cokeworth?, isn't that where you grew up?," Hermione asked with keen curiosity.
"Yes," Severus answered curtly in reluctance. Seeming very taciturn in discussing his childhood with her.
"Okay, umm, what are we doing here?," Hermione asked awkwardly as she moved to stand in front of him.
"Step four," Severus said in a firm voice as he folded his hands together in front of him.
Hermione frowned in confusion.
"But I failed step three, I attacked him," She retorted as she stared at him in disbelief while shaking her head.
"But you did not kill him," Severus declared seriously with fierce eyes.
"Only because you stunned me!," Hermione exclaimed as she turned around with her arms crossed.
"I had no choice," Severus stated coolly in a low voice as he scowled at the ground.
"I know," Hermione muttered as she rolled her eyes in self hatred. Then took a deep breath before turning back around to face him.
"Thank you," Hermione said solemnly with a grateful smile.
Severus nodded at her in return.
"Now, I want you to tell the truth," Severus then said brusquely as he carefully took a step towards her as Hermione's eyes widened slightly.
"Did you attack him because you did not get enough to eat?," Severus continued seriously with inquiring eyes.
Hermione tensed.
"I didn't like the way he was speaking to us," She quickly replied. Receiving a knowing eyebrow from Severus in disbelief.
"If that were true, I would be dead," Severus stated patently as Hermione turned her head away from him.
"Did you not get enough?," Severus asked again as he furrowed his eyebrows at her.
"No," Hermione replied as she swiftly turned her head back to look at him.
"Why didn't you say something?," Severus exclaimed, frowning as he chastised her.
"I told you I didn't want to go!, but I went anways because I didn't want to disappoint you, because out of everyone at Hogwarts, you were the one couldn't bare to disappoint!," Hermione retorted defensively.
Severus's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, incertitude, and slight shock as Hermione stood there awkwardly shifting her feet.
"I am going to allow you to hunt on your own, you will find plenty of specimens here," Severus spoke slowly with an odd look on his face as he took a step back.
Hermione blinked up at him in surprise.
"You're letting me go?," Hermione asked disbelievingly.
"You say that as if I am imprisoning you," Severus snapped scornfully.
"That's not what I meant," Hermione blurted out as she shook her head. Quickly trying to fix things.
"I just don't understand why you would trust me to go off on my own," Hermione said in bewilderment.
"Because this is something, you must do on your own, without me. If I am to do everything for you, you will never learn to believe in yourself," Severus declared gruffly.
"Now, I will wait for you right here," Severus said earnestly. "Go," He commanded nodding his head in the direction behind her.
"Will you take this then?," Hermione asked softly as she began to unclip her cloak. "It will be easier without it," She added as she pulled it off before handing it to him.
Severus nodded as he slowly took her cloak from her and folded it over his arm. Then Severus's face softened a little.
"Now go," Severus said as he nodded his head at her again before she slowly turned away from him, then turned her head to say something to him over her shoulder.
"You're a good friend, Severus," Hermione smiled as he raised his eyebrows in surprise. Smirking at him before she sped off out of sight.
Severus scoffed. Rolling his eyes before smirking to himself as he transfigured a fallen tree branch into rustic looking wooden bench that now sat under a large carpinus betulus tree. He sat down to wait.
No more then an hour later, Severus heard a twig snap from behind him and he quickly jumped up to see Hermione standing a few feet behind him.
"Do not, do that," Severus exclaimed aggitatedly as he clutched his chest, and the arm of the bench as he walked around it to face her.
"I'm sorry," Hermione responded apologetically with a broad smile.
Severus rolled his eyes again.
"How did it go?," He asked curiously as he walked over to her to give her cloak back.
"Oh, it was amazing, I have never felt so alive," Hermione replied excitedly as she swiftly wrapped her cloak around her shoulders.
"I actually caught a wild boar," She added with a smug grin as she clasped her cloak around her neck.
Severus raised his eyebrows in astonishment.
"Well, actually a few, but I don't want to brag," Hermione crowed happily as Severus scoffed to contain his laughter.
"I see," Severus smirked as he finally noticed the splattered blood on her neck, and chest that made a long trail down the front of her dress, and down to the hem of her skirt.
Hermione blushed as she swiftly wrapped her cloak firmly around herself.
"Believe me, I washed most of it off in the river, just north of here," Hermione asserted sheepishly.
"You missed a spot," Severus pointed out teasingly as he motioned to the blood in her hair.
Hermione puffed out a sharp breath as her hands flew to the top of her head. Severus laughed as Hermione gaped at him.
"What?," Severus asked upon seeing the strange expression on Hermione's face.
"Oh, nothing, I've just never heard you laugh before," Hermione murmured wondrously. Shaking her head.
"Terrifying, is it not?," Severus sneered contempuously with a raised eyebrow.
"No, It's nice. You should laugh more often," Hermione proclaimed eagerly as she brushed past him. Smiling to herself at the taken aback expression on Severus's face.
"What the bloody hell," Severus thought bemusedly to himself before he turned around to find her twirling her loose bloodstained strand of hair, seeming to be lost in thought.
He decided to push it to the back of his mind for now as he slowly walked up to her and held out his arm.
"Shall we head back?," Severus suggested, raising his eyebrow at her as she gazed up at him.
Hermione nodded as she took his offered arm, and held it tight as they disapparated with a loud crack.
They apparated outside of Severus's flat in London moments later. Quickly heading inside before anyone noticed them. Who knows what kind of things Lucius Malfoy could be telling everyone.
"Well, I'm gonna go clean up in the shower," Hermione said as soon as Severus had shut the door behind them.
He nodded as she made her way towards the bathroom. Unfortunetly it was a one bedroom flat, meaning the bathroom was attached to the one room. His room. But Severus had been nice enough to allow her access to it.
About twenty minutes later when she was cleansed of the blood, Hermione got out of the shower. She wrung the water out of her long wet hair before wrapping a towel around herself, and stepping out of the bathroom into his room to find her dress missing, and to be replaced with a dark colored pair of eunina jeans, and a navy blue geccinice chiffon blouse. She found a note layed ontop.
Hermione,
I summoned it to be cleaned. You will get it back. I know how obstinate you are about it, but for now, your other halfs fashion needs are going to have to make do with this.
Severus.
Hermione inwardly growled. She could just imagine the smirk on his face when he wrote this. She threw the note back down on the bed before examining the outfit next to it.
After she got dressed, she went to put her boots back on and then realized how ridiculous they would look with her outfit. She groaned to herself as she retrieved her wand from the shelf in the bathroom, and with a wave of her wand and a few muttered spells, she transfigured her shoes into a pair of black leather PU ankle boots with a pointed toe, and a three inch stiletto heel.
"There," Hermione thought smugly to herself as she examined her new footwear.
Deciding not to use magic on her hair, she left it to dry naturally. Then Hermione walked out of Severus's room as she started combing her fingers through her damp hair. Walking back into his sitting room when all of a sudden there was a knock on his front door.
Severus swiftly set the book he was reading down and stood up from his chair. Holding his hand up while pressing his index finger to his lips before he stalked out of the room to answer the door as Hermione leaned her back against the wall to listen.
She heard Severus open the door and inhale sharply as the unexpected visitor began to speak.
"Hello, sir," Greeted the young man as he patiently waiting for Snape to speak.
"Potter, what are you doing here?," Severus asked. Trying to sound bored, and nonchalant, even though he knew exactly why he was here.
Hermione let out a soft gasp while her hands covered her mouth as she heard her best friends voice.
"I was wondering if I could steal a few moments of your time?," Harry asked.
"If you must," Severus replied in a bored tone as he stood aside to allow Harry to stand in his entryway before closing the door behind him.
"I'm assuming it's safe to say that you already know why I am here," Harry implied inquisitively with somewhat of a flicker of hope glinting in his green eyes.
"I am aware," Severus admitted in a gruff voice as Hermione held her breath.
"This can not be happening right now, it's too soon," Hermione inwardly whimpered. Squeezing her eyes shut as she pressed her head to the wall.
"Did you see Hermione at all during the battle?, or afterwards?," Harry asked desperately.
"I know I sound desperate, but I have asked everyone. You are the only one left that I can ask," Harry declared. Feeling hopeless.
Hermione dropped her head to the side as she felt a pang of guilt in her chest. He was heartbroken and it was all her fault.
Yes, I saw her dueling with Fenrir greyback, down by the quidditch fields. That is the last I saw of her," Severus confessed honestly as he inwardly twinged with guilt. It was the truth. He had not seen her since then, until two weeks ago.
Hermione's mouth fell open in shock.
"He saw me?," Hermione thought incredulously to herself as her eyebrows furrowed.
"Have you heard anything from her?," Harry asked next, while at the same time he knew deep down that it was pointless.
Severus didn't answer right away, and Hermione knew he was fighting with himself. Whether or not to tell the truth.
Hermione grimaced in dolor, as she to had to make a choice. "I can't make him do this," She berated herself as she shook her head.
And just when Severus was about to answer him, Hermione stepped out from around the corner.
"Stop!," Hermione shouted as both men whipped their heads around to look at her. One with disbelief, while the other couldn't hide the shock on his face.
"I can't let you do this, It's selfish of me to expect you to lie, What kind of friend would I be," Hermione stated shakily as Severus stared at her in shock, and wonderment.
"Hermione?, is that you?," Harry asked excitedly as his eyes lit up while Severus and Hermione continued to stare at each other. Closing her eyes when she heard Harry say her name. She took a deep breath before turning to her best friend.
"Hello, Harry," Hermione murmured as she swollowed the lump in her throat that would've came out as a sob.
"It is you," Harry exclaimed, sighing in relief as he rushed forward and threw his arms around her.
Hermione gasped at the sudden contact and her eyes widened slightly as she gazed at Severus over Harry's shoulder.
"Uh, Potter, I would not do that-," Severus started urgently. Taking a step forward as he held up his hand before Harry cut him off.
"She is my best friend. She won't hurt me," Harry quipped as Severus snapped his mouth shut before rolling his eyes.
"But I already have," Hermione whispered regretfully into Harry's ear.
"That doesn't matter now," Harry replied dismissively as he shook his head. Refusing to let her go.
"Of course it does," Hermione exclaimed as she pulled away from him, quite easily.
"I let you think I was dead, so I could go aplay hide and seek. Doesn't that bother you?," Hermione asked fiercely in disbelief.
"Hermione, stop trying to make me mad at you," Harry demanded brusquely as he tried to keep a firm hold of her wrists.
Hermione blinked at him in shock while Severus watched them apprehensively.
"You're not mad?," Hermione whimpered as tears started to well up in her eyes.
Harry shook his head. "All I wanted to do was find you, and now I have," Harry said earnestly as he hugged her again.
Hermione smiled through her tears as she wrapped her arms around him and began sobbing into his shoulder.
"I was so worried you would never forgive me," Hermione mumbled into his shoulder as she sniffled.
"If that's what you truly thought, Hermione, you don't know me at all," Harry remarked teasingly as Hermione chortled before they pulled away from each other.
"I won't lie, and tell you that you didn't hurt me, Hermione, because you did. I thought I'd never see you again," Harry stated in dejection as Hermione looked down in shame.
"But I understand now," Harry added as he tilted her chin up to look solemnly into her orange eyes.
Hermione's eyes flickered to Severus's for a moment as he raised his eyebrow at her as if to say, (I told you so.) Hermione smiled as Harry wiped away her tears.
"What happened?" Harry asked softly as Hermione sighed before relaying the same story to Harry as the one she told Severus on the night she found him.
"I didn't see any vampires during the battle," Harry exclaimed furiously in confusion as they all made there way back into the sitting room.
"He wasn't apart of it, he just stumbled upon the bonanza," Hermione grumbled. Frowning in remembrance as she seated herself down onto the couch.
"Oh, Hermione," Harry uttered in sympathy as he sat down next to her before starting to rub her arm to comfort her.
"Don't feel sorry for me!," Hermione suddenly snapped as she scooted away from him. "Feel sorry for all the innocent people I killed, the bodies that you discovered!," She added before saying.
"I'm a monster," She muttered bitterly as she bowed her head.
"Don't say that," Severus spoke suddenly in a firm voice as he stepped forward out of his corner. Not being able to keep quiet anymore.
Hermione quickly gazed up at him as he slowly took a step towards them.
"You are not a monster," Severus declared with earnest sincerity in his dark eyes.
"Snape's right, Hermione," Harry chimed in. Eyeing them both awkwardly as they continued to stare at one another. Again.
"Oddly enough," Harry continued suspiciously before bombarding them with questions.
"How Long have you known Hermione was alive?," He asked curiously as he directed his gaze onto Severus.
"Two weeks," Severus replied truthfully as he fiddled with his fingers.
"No offence, Snape," Harry said politely as Snape raised an eyebrow at him before Harry continued. "But why did you go to him," Harry asked as he turned his questioning gaze back on Hermione.
"I didn't GO to him, Harry, we just ran into each other," Hermione stated earnestly as she flashed a knowing glance at Severus. She knew he probably didn't want Harry to know how they really found each other.
"Ran into each other where?," Harry asked curiously. Catching onto their secret glance.
"That's not important right now, Harry," Hermione said dismissively. Holding her hand up in front of her.
"The important thing is, is that you found me," Hermione added softly as she smiled to reassure him.
"But why are you here?," Harry asked questioningly as he eyed her wet hair intently. Hermione sighed.
"I begged him to help me. I don't want to hurt anyone else, I don't want to be a killer," Hermione responded sadly as she shook her head.
"What are you doing to help her?," Harry inquired. Turning his attention to Snape.
"I've changed her diet. Quite drastically. She now feeds off the blood of animals," Severus replied calmly.
"And that's working?," Harry asked in slight surprise as Hermione bowed her head while Severus regarded her knowingly for a moment before answering him.
"As you can see, the blood has proven to be successful. The color effect in her eyes has changed," Severus proclaimed patently as he motioned his hand in Hermione's direction as she glanced up at Harry before dropping her eyes back down to the floor.
"I've kept her away from the outside world for the time being, but today was her first outing in two weeks, and we had an unexpected run in with Lucius Malfoy," Severus continued gruffly as Hermione closed her eyes.
"She attacked him," Severus stated.
"You did?," Harry exclaimed in shock as he quickly turned his head to look at her.
"Yes," Hermione answered sheepishly as she slowly rose her head to look up at him.
"I would have killed him if it weren't for Severus," Hermione murmured seriously before Flashing Severus another grateful smile.
"What do you mean?," Harry asked in confusion. Eyeing the both of them once again.
"Have you ever encountered a vampire before, Potter?," Severus asked curtly with an incisive eyebrow.
"Professor Quirrell was a vampire, right?," Harry asked conclusively as Severus scoffed.
"Hardly," Severus smirked. "He was nothing like this. You are in for a surprise, Potter," He quirked as Hermione blushed.
"What's that suppose to mean?," Harry asked with furrowed eyebrows as he gazed expectantly at Hermione.
"I can do things, Harry, things others can't, things only people like me can do," Hermione explained softly as she anxiously bit her bottom lip.
"How do you mean?," Harry asked eagerly as Severus continued to smirk at them.
"I won't go into details right now, but I promise, you will find out soon enough," Hermione stated apologetically in a firm voice as Harry nodded reluctantly.
"Harry, I need you to understand, I can not go with you," She murmured sadly with regret as Severus's smirk faded while he regarded her thoughtfully.
"But I just got you back," Harry protested.
"I know, and I am so sorry, but I can not go back, and put all of you in danger," Hermione declared solemnly.
"I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I attacked one of you," Hermione added shakily while shaking her head as she panicked at the thought.
"But you can stay here with Snape?," Harry briskly accused as he knitted his eyebrows together.
"It's not like that, Harry," Hermione huffed. "It takes every fiber of my being, everyday, to control myself, to not let temptation take over me,"She asserted defensively as she tried to avoid Severus's questioning gaze. Unfortunetly for her it was Severus who spoke next.
"What do you mean by that?," Severus inquired as he cautiously took a step closer.
Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat before lifting her eyes to his curious ones as Harry watched on, quite curious himself.
"Each persons blood is different, everyone has their own scent. Some are more inviting then others, and then it's like an addiction, until you give in," Hermione explained uneasily as Severus narrowed his eyes at her.
"So when you attacked Lucius-," Severus started before Hermione cut him off.
"He smelt like cigar smoke, and bourbon," Hermione grumbled. "I only attacked him to protect you, plus that disgraceful man never learned when to shut his mouth," She added furiously as she crossed her arms.
"So in the woods, when I specifically asked you not to lie to me, you lied anyways," Severus accused coolly as Hermione quickly scooted to the edge of the couch. Blinking rapidly in thought.
"I already revealed too much to you, I didn't think you'd want to know the truth," She replied patently as she gazed up at him while shaking her head.
"well, you're right," Severus retorted brusquely as he swiftly flicked the end of his cloak behind him.
"wait, what?," Harry exclaimed in confusion, and shock.
"Nothing," Hermione dismissed as she shook her head. "This conversation is over," She added with a quick glance at Severus as he shot a glare at her.
"You should go, Harry," Hermione said as she quickly stood up to face him.
"What?-," said Harry as he stood up to protest but Hermione quickly pulled him into fierce hug.
"I'll see you soon, I promise," She whispered solemnly into his ear before taking a step back, and smiling at her friend as she pushed a strand of his untidied hair out of his face before he turned to head towards the door.
"What do I tell everyone?," Harry asked urgently as he quickly turned to face his best friend.
"Tell them I'm fine, that I'm getting better, and that I will be home soon," Hermione replied softly after a minute in thought.
Harry beamed at her, then politely nodded his head at Snape before turning around and exiting his home.
As soon as he shut the door, Severus rounded on Hermione as she brushed past him.
"This conversation is not done," Severus spat briskly with penetrating eyes.
Hermione whipped around to glare fiercely at him, and for a second Severus thought she was going to attack him. But instead she sighed heavily as she crossed her arms, and waited for him to speak.
"I do not want your protection, nor do I need it. I don't know what made you think I did so," Severus stated moments later in a low voice as he knitted his eyebrows together in contemplation.
Hermione exhaled a sharp breath as she leaned against the hallway closet door.
"I did it to repay you," Hermione admitted genuinely as she glanced earnestly at him.
Severus frowned in disapproval.
"I do not want you to recompense me, you have done nothing. It was my job as your professor, to watch over you," Severus retorted briskly as he furrowed his eyebrows.
"Yes, and you did, but that does not mean that you don't need someone who will stand up for you, and as your friend I will not apologize," Hermione exclaimed persistently as she shook her head.
"I will not. You can not make me, nor stop me," Hermione added stubbornly at the displeasing look on Severus's face before she swiftly turned on her heel, leaving him standing in the hallway all alone.
Severus sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair, then he made his way into his lab where he found Hermione standing under the little window with her arms wrapped firmly around herself as she watched the last bit of the sunset as it peeked through the thinning clouds and went down behind the rows of houses near by.
"Beautiful, is it not?," Severus remarked quitetly as he walked up beside her.
Hermione shifted on her feet as she turned her head away from him before turning back to gaze upon the sun as it shined into the window. Her eyes almost glowing in the light as it beamed on her.
"Yes, it is," Hermione intoned as she tightened her grip on her arms.
Severus watched in concern as her skin started to sizzle as if there were little bubbles under her skin.
"Maybe you should move away from the window," Severus suggested anxiously.
"I'm okay," Hermione murmured as she continued to stare out the window in a daze.
Severus rolled his eyes before turning his worried gaze back on her.
"Does it hurt?," He asked curiously as he studied the blank expression on her face, looking for any signs of discomfort.
"No, it only tickles at first, then it starts to ich, and then the burning starts," Hermione replied. Scoffing as she finally tore her eyes away from the window to stare down at her hands that were slightly turning red with tiny blisters.
It was only seconds later that her shoulders tensed as she lightly scratched the skin on her hands, and Severus stepped forward to quickly pull the curtins shut.
"That's enough," Severus said gruffly as he turned to face her, and within seconds later the redness and the blisters were gone.
"I am not a child," Hermione muttered through her teeth.
"You want to burn to death? I cannot help you if you are dead,Severus retorted brusquely.
"What do you want?," Hermione huffed as she rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"I am trying to apologize," Severus replied coolly in a low voice.
"You seem to be apologizing alot today," Hermione rejoindered sarcastically as Severus narrowed his eyes at her, but he bit his tongue before opening his mouth to reply to her.
"I did not understand the seriousness of this situation, nor how it's really effecting you," Severus replied solemnly as Hermione dropped her cold facade, and she looked down at the floor.
"At times, I still see the insufferable know it all, and I forget about your new found ability to snap my neck in a second," Severus added sarcastically with an ironic smirk as Hermione quickly gazed up at him and her face sofened.
"Really?," Hermione asked eagerly as he nodded at her.
"Apart from what we see with our own eyes, you haven't changed that much, Hermione," Severus responded earnestly to reassure her, and Hermione smiled gratefully at him.
(A/N welp I think I'm gonna end this chapter here lol it got a bit long, but I've been working on it for a couple months now and I didn't know how I wanted it to end.
I hope you all liked this chapter, I decided to add some drama to it lol that damn Lucius! and yay, Harry finally found her! How will everyone react when they see her? stay tuned!
I will try to update again soon!)
(To be continued...)