It had been a strange sensation to manually take the food items from her arms. He hadn't realized the proportions of her to himself; she looked more delicate than he had thought before, although slightly taller. Rubbing his hands over his face, he followed her down the stairs.

…

CHAPTER NINE – JUST THE BEGINNING

The appliances didn't work. Hermione knew she shouldn't be surprised, but she did feel put out. Taking a few deep breaths, she walked to the other side of the stairs, grabbed one of the awful rickety chairs and put it near the window with the fewest boards across it. She reached her arm into her bag and pulled out a plush jacket to place on the chair before sitting down and looking out the window to think. She heard Snape coming down the stairs and she suddenly wondered what they would do here while they waited for whatever torture Bellatrix had in mind. There were no books, Hermione had only packed two academic ones in her bag, and it's not like she and the professor could have entertaining conversations together.

Hermione glanced over her shoulder, listening to the sounds of Snape pacing the kitchen, she could hear cabinets opening and then his heavy boots heading her way, he paused in the doorframe of the living room and locked his eyes on her.

"Your food seems the only thing available. I hope you know how to ration." He sneered.

Her lips pursed. "We do have plumbing and running water. No electricity."

Severus glanced around the darkening room. The sun would soon be fully set. He walked over to the window at which she sat and peered through the boards. The landscape rolled out away from them, with a few trees dappled along his line of sight. The weather looked dreary and he suspected a heavy rain would fall tonight. It would be cold. He hoped there were sufficient blankets on the bed to keep him warm. He glanced down at the top of Miss Granger's head and had the briefest moment of wondering if she would be alright on the floor. He resisted rolling his eyes at himself, he had claimed the bed for a reason.

"It will be dark soon." He stated.

He watched as she reached into her bag again, her arm disappearing up to her shoulder. She retracted her arm and held out a candle to him. After a moment he took it. She pulled out another one for herself and a handful of something else.

"How do you propose we light these?"

She actually smiled and held out a muggle lighter to him.

He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"I had the feeling I would need to be prepared for anything this year and I am a muggleborn."

He took the lighter without a word and turned his attention back to the landscape. As soon as the sun vanished under the horizon, leaving only the quickly disappearing remains of light, he lit his candle and pocketed the lighter. He turned to retreat to his bedroom and paused, looking down at Miss Granger in the chair, who was looking back up at him, her until candle and the lighter clutched between her hands. He nodded once at her. She dipped her head in response, wetting her lips. Severus proceeded up the stairs and utilized the loo. He placed the candle on the small table beside the bed and took off his robe, hanging it in the closet, also missing its doors, then his frock coat. He untied the cravat from around his neck and looped it over the hanger. He took off his boots and socks and pushed them into the bottom of the closet. He undid the first few buttons of his shirt and sat on the edge of the bed. He wondered how long they would be here, if Bellatrix really would come back to torture them or if she would forget them in this dump. It had happened before. He sighed and pinched his nose, wishing for some firewhiskey and laid back on top of the bed, crossing his ankles and placing his hands behind his head. Thankfully he wasn't hungry now and could save the food for tomorrow. He would have to ration carefully if they didn't know when they were going to leave.

After a long while, Hermione stood up from the chair, stretched, and stuffed the jacket she had been sitting on back in her bag. She didn't light her candle yet; her eyes were mostly adjusted to the dark and she was sure she could navigate the empty house without bumping into anything. She made it up the stair easily but paused in the hall between the two rooms. She had to use the toilet, but it felt wildly invasive to walk past a sleeping Snape to relieve herself. Gathering her good old-fashioned Gryffindor courage, Hermione peered into the room and let out an audible breath. Snape was asleep for sure, but she had never seen him so dressed down. His black layers hung in the corner, suddenly less menacing now that they were off him. He lay on top of the covers only in his slacks and white dress shirt. It felt uncomfortably intimate to her to see his bare feet and the top of his sternum were several buttons were undone. She averted her eyes, trying to erase the unbelievable image from her eyes. Hermione inched past the bed towards the bathroom door, cracked open a little, and slid inside, shutting the door as silently as possible. When she was finished, she took a moment to splash water over her face and study her reflection in the mirror. She could do this, she thought, she could handle whatever they were going to face. She felt her way out of the bathroom and paused a moment again, her eyes focusing on the bed and its occupant who had not moved. He looked different like this, not as snarky, but the few worry lines he had did not smooth. With his hair falling away from his face, she was sure she was seeing more of his features than she had before.

"Are you going to continue to gawk, Miss Granger, or are you going to bed."

Hermione flinched and flushed. "Sorry, sir." She fled the room.

Severus had been woken by the sensation again, the prickling and pulling on the back of his neck but when he had opened his eyes the first time, the room had been empty. He heard the noise of water running in the restroom. He closed his eyes again to go back to sleep, only moments later for the sensation to come back. He had peaked through his eyelashes to be sure before he spoke. Severus watched as she left the room, and from his place could see her cross into the other room and kneel at what he supposed was the foot of her makeshift bed, pulling things out of the bag. He watched her movements for a little before she disappeared from sight. He settled back in, trying to determine why he always caught Miss Granger staring at him.

SHSHSH

Hermione still couldn't sleep. Considering she was laying on the floor she was quite comfortable in her pile of sweaters and blankets yet sleep evaded her. This house reminded her of another one near Grimmauld Place. It had been abandoned too, but much less run down. At the time she had thought it was a lovely place to escape. But now… Hermione tossed over on to her other side, trying to forget the memories that surprised her when she least expected it. She buried her face in the pillowing, clinging a sweater to her that still smelled like the Burrow.

Hermione didn't know when she eventually fell asleep, but it had been late. She woke early with the sounds of Snape moving around and the slats of light streaming in through the boards. She groaned and tossed the two blankets she had back – one she had gotten from her bag – and stood up to stretch. She grabbed her back and slung it over her shoulders then took the few paces to the door. She paused, looking across the hall to where Snape stood, facing the open closet. She watched him button the top buttons on his shirt, then bend over and pulled on his socks, then his boots, he stood up and tucked in his shirt. He put on the frock coat, button by button, reached for the cravat then stopped. His hand hung in the air, his fingertips on the cloth, then dropped his arm, leaving the cravat and robe where they hung. Hermione ducked her head and hurried out of her room, down the stairs.

She unloaded her food and thought about how to portion, what to eat. It was a hard choice when she couldn't fathom the length of their stay. She sat and stared at her pile, holding her head up with her palms against her cheeks. Hermione felt a wave coming, sucking her into a void of unknown. She listened to Snape step down the stairs and into the kitchen area where she had arranged two of the chairs around the table. She heard him pause and after a moment, saw him sitting in front of her.

"Struggling with something Miss Granger?"

Hermione looked up at him, appraising his face. It was neutral and slightly smug. "Care to chance a guess at how long we are going to be here?"

His eyes dropped to his hands folded on the table. "Indefinitely." He looked back up at her. "Or until one of us cracks."

"From torture." Hermione said quietly.

Snape nodded. Hermione inhaled, looked back down at her food and shrugged. She broke of a quarter piece of one of the bars and chewed it as she stuffed the rest back in her bag. Snape watched her movements then stood, wandering to the kitchen sink where he opened the faucet, catching the water in the cup of his hand and bringing it to his lips to drink. Hermione watched him, slightly mesmerized by the act.

"Miss Granger, while I admit there is not much to do in this house I suggest you find an activity that does not involve staring at me."

He noticed! That alone was sufficient enough to make her blush and look down at her hands. She rose and retreated back up the stairs to her room, where she pulled out one of the two books she had brought along and settled into her pile of sweaters and clothing. She may as well read up on dark magic and horcruxes while she was here, she might yet get a chance to use the knowledge. One day.