…
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN – THE HOLS
Hermione decided she rather liked the holidays at Hogwarts now. It was quiet since so few remained at the school. There were only a handful of Slytherins and a smattering from the other houses of kids who would still rather be here than home. Some professors left – Hermione wondered if they would come back for next term – and even the Carrows had gone off somewhere. To Hermione, it almost felt like she and Severus had the whole castle to themselves. Of course, the joy of the blessed solitude was somewhat dampened by a meeting with the Dark Lord short after term ended. His plans were forming and taking shape, Voldemort was gathering forces among other creatures. The werewolves had been there, crowded into the back, and although in their human form, Hermione could almost see their furry bodies writhing over each other as they yipped and snarled, some were nearly as wolf-like as Greyback. Nearly. The werewolves had almost been as horrifying as the Dark Lord's plans taking shape. He was determined to attack Hogwarts and he felt that, with his growing army, he was about ready to do so. Hermione feared for the students and professors left at Hogwarts, and she feared more that Harry wouldn't have the time he needed to destroy all of the Horcruxes. But according to Severus, unless he thought of something brilliant that Voldemort wouldn't notice, they wouldn't be able to help on that front.
Hermione watched as the following week unfolded and haphazard holiday decorations appeared throughout the school, shocking anyone who tried to remove them. Hermione smiled at the determination of her professors and had a good laugh at Severus the first time he tried to remove one. But the decorations reminded Hermione that the holiday was indeed coming, and with the impending doom of Voldemort's attack and the horrid effects of the war, Hermione wanted to cheer things up a bit. At least for her and Severus. At night, during one of his patrols, she magicked a tree up into the lounge area of his quarters and conjured a few baubles to hang. But she wanted something more. Smiling to herself, Hermione went into the bathroom and carefully pulled together her glamour, steeling herself to sneak out of the castle. It was easy enough to go via the whomping willow to the shrieking shack when there were so few eyes to keep watch. From there, it was a simple crack of apparation and she was in Diagon Alley, confidently striding down the cobblestone streets in her lavish robes, her blonde hair pulled tightly away from her face.
The Alley was falling apart. Mostly of the buildings blasted to pieces, those that weren't had obviously been closed down for a long time though. There was one light on the street though, loud, and attracting the small crowd that dared the streets. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Hermione stared at it longingly for a long moment before turning her back on the disheveled Diagon Alley and walking down the narrow path to Knockturn Alley. Hermione wandered the streets for a long time, poking in shops here and there until something caught her eye in the apothecary. A thick leather-bound book all in a charcoal grey with a raven on the cover that appeared to fly on its two-dimensional space as she walked around it. It was stunning. She approached the book and, knowing better to touch anything in Diagon Alley without checking if it was hexed first, she called over the shop owner. "I would like to know more about this book, sir."
The man came over to her, frightfully tall and his voice so deep she had to make effort not to look surprised. "Potions journal. First half has some potions, dunno what, second half is empty. It'll read the recipes to you as you work so you don' have to keep squintin'."
"Is it cursed?"
"Not as far as we can tell."
"How much?"
The man glanced at the book, then at her, sizing her up. "Well for an esteemed madam such as yourself, hundred galleons."
Hermione pinched her lips and glanced at the notebook. It was more than a fair price but she liked that she had the option to barter here. "Very well." She reached out and grasped the journal in her hands – happy to not catch on fire or anything – and dug the galleons out of her pocket. "Pleasure doing business." Now, she just had to go home and wrap it without Severus noticing.
SHSHSH
The days leading up to Christmas and Christmas Eve were uneventful. Severus and Hermione opted to skip breakfasts for sleeping in and dinners were and awkward and quiet affair with what was left of the school. The professors had gone from glaring at the odd pair to furtive glances and hushed whispers. Hermione had the sense that Minerva had told at least one person what she had walked in on, and that person told someone else. No doubt all of the professors of Hogwarts would know by the time term started again. Hermione wondered what they thought of her: was she really a thrall? Did they pity her? Or was there something else going on? Was Hermione genuinely considered a threat now? Severus told her to pay no mind to the gossip, that's how this school was, and she did try. But curiosity had always overwhelmed any other emotion of hers.
In the calm before the storm, Hermione was shocked she found alone time to wrap the journal and take walks. It was easier to feel free here when the Carrows were away. Regardless of Severus' claim on her, she felt the brother and sister duo held little honor. But hopefully a healthy fear of their Dark Lord – and Severus – both of whom were sure to retaliate against any violations of the bond of thrall and master. She often pondered these things as she sat by the frozen lake, nostalgia pulling at her heart how, during any normal year, students would have been frolicking and skating on the ice.
For Severus, the slow passage of time was indeed the calm before the storm and the rising tension of war plagued him. This was the battle to end the war and he would have to reveal his true colors somehow, at the right time, and make sure Potter knew what he was, so that good could win. It was a burden that kept him from sleeping at night and locked in the office during the day. Except when he realized there was a rather large tree in his rooms. That was anything but normal. It had to have been Hermione and there was a box placed there under the tree already, in the most exceptional Slytherin wrapping paper, silver with a green bow that continuously slithered loops around the package and seemed a bit snake-like. Sighing heavily, he decided he would figure out something to get her too.
SHSHSH
Christmas morning dawned sunny and beautiful, the sky dappled with clouds and the earth wiped clean with a fresh snow. Hermione woke before Severus, nervous and excited for him to open his gift. She rolled on her side to stare at him a long while, asleep on his back with his hands under his head, one knee slightly crooked before she slowly rose, putting on a warm robe and slippers and shuffling out to the sitting area, a yawn escaping her. She summoned an elf and requested breakfast be brought to them. The elves, while originally fretting quite a bit over the unusual sleeping arrangements, had seemed to adjust to the circumstance faster than anyone else. Hermione thanked the elf with a smile before pouring the tea and setting out the dishes. It seemed not long after when Severus emerged, sporting black sleeping pants and a black tee, which Hermione found quite amusing every time she saw it.
"Happy Christmas," she smiled, standing up to pass him the tea, prepared just the way he took it.
Severus took the tea with a grunt, flicking his eyes at the tree and away. He still hated Christmas, that hadn't changed one bit. "I see you got gifts as well."
Hermione sighed, glancing over her shoulder at the two very small stacks. "Yes, frankly I was surprised there was anything at all for either of us."
He nodded once, solemnly, "as am I."
Severus awkwardly opened his gifts first with jerky, stuff movements and Hermione was surprised at his lack of usual precision and grace. The first two turned out to be some minor hexes, one turned his hair pink for an hour – Hermione nearly died trying not to laugh – and the other made him burst into ugly coughing fits Every time he touched Hermione. Neither of them really knew how that worked. One gift was a tin of quality tea (Hermione knew it was just Ginny's doing but the boys had signed it too). Another was something Hermione had gathered was from Narcissa, but Severus wouldn't let her see it. Finally he reached for the gift he knew was from her. He ceased the slithering of the ribbon with a wave of his hand an untied it, watching in veiled amusement as it slithered away under the tree. It was rather a surprising little gift, and the potions inside it must've been created by the original owner, some he could tell were dark, the others he would have to try.
"It reads the directions to you as you brew." Hermione stated quietly.
Severus turned his head toward her and nodded. That was useful. "Why the crow?" To his surprise she blushed.
"I remembered your story, from the house. About the crow boy."
Severus stared at her long and hard. "You never brought it up."
"I didn't think you would want me to." Hermione shrugged, glancing away from him. "But thank you for telling me."
He inclined his head, not really sure what to say but appreciative of the gift. Hermione figured she better start opening hers before the silence got too awkward. There was a gift from Hagrid, as always, rock cakes and a couple of books. A gag gift from the twins that, while not useful, put a smile on her face. From the trio, there were letters and a few muggle treats. Molly sent her a sweater, which Hermione refused to try on for Severus. And finally, the last gift. She held it in her hands a long while, wondering if it was from Severus or someone else. Slowly she unwrapped it and found a black box in which was contained a necklace. It wasn't particularly beautiful but the delicate silver chain fell softly from her fingers and at the end hung a small pendant, almost like a marble, pale green and riddled with milky lines. Hermione held the small pendant I'm her palm, feeling it's odd, pebbly texture, warm in between her fingers. Severus cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"With the impending battle, I thought you might want some assurances. The pendant will be warm as long as I am alive. Put it on."
Hermione fumbled to do as he said and felt a warm pressure low against her sternum, when she glanced down, the pendant was glowing as well. "What's that?" she asked, startled.
"It glows the closer you are to me, the further the less." He reached into the pants pocket of his trousers and pulled out a pocket watch. "this does the same in regards to you."
"These are brilliant." Hermione mumbled, "thank you."
Severus nodded uncomfortably again. It had been a tedious decision to make, whether or not to separate this set again and give a piece to Hermione but it seemed only natural, he was her protector and, to the world, her master. In the even of his death, she would no longer be under claim. She could escape. In the event of her death… he didn't want to think of that. He tightened his hand around the warm, glowing pocket watch and memorized the feel of it, determined that one day it would not grow cold.