~ Chapter 5 ~
"Keep him," Severus could see the sadness on Hermione's face as she offered Bruce to his mother. Tears welled up in Eileen's eyes and she pulled Hermione into her arms. It's just a damn puppy. "He likes you more than me."
Severus rolled his eyes and started to move their bags down to the cart in the alleyway. They'd stayed at his mum's home for a week, which meant they were behind schedule, but that didn't matter according to Hermione. She was just happy that he got to see his mother again. The selfless Gryffindor...always putting others first over herself.
To say things have been awkward between them would be an understatement. He hadn't had the chance to expose his soul to her and she seemed to be avoiding being alone with him. She regrets kissing me, and I don't blame her. His technique was lacking; he'd never kissed somebody that meant something to him. I still don't know what she means to me.
Somebody cleared their throat, and Severus turned to look at Michael. "Can I talk to you?"
Severus nodded his head. This can't be good.
"Your mother and me have been together for many years, and I love her very much," Severus inwardly cringed. He knew what was coming next. "I'm going to ask her to marry me."
"I'm not her father, you don't have to ask me for my permission," he grumbled back.
"But, you're the only family she has left. She tried to seek out the rest of her family, only to be met with a slammed door or bad news that they had arrived at the black gates instead of golden," he explained. "You're the only one she's spoke highly of, and she regrets what happened during your childhood-"
"I've had this talk with her," Severus rolled up his sleeves. "You make her happy, so marry her."
Michael smiled. "We're due on another expedition in a weeks time, and I have plans to ask her then. You'll come to the wedding?"
I guess Hermione and me should get out apparition licenses. "We'll be there," he said without thinking, and Michael's smile furthered.
"Shouldn't you ask Hermione first?" he headed towards the door laughing just as Hermione and his mother stepped out. "I'm so sad to see you go!" he pulled Hermione into his arms. "It was a pleasure to meet you."
Hermione blushed. "I enjoyed meeting you too."
His mother walked over with the puppy by her feet. "My boy," she kissed his cheek and he wrapped his arms around her. "You'll keep in touch?"
"Of course," he whispered.
"Hold out your wand," she turned to look back at Hermione. "And you."
"What's going on?" Hermione asked, taking out her colourful wand.
"I'm going to connect our wands so we can easily find one anothers locations. It makes it easier for the owls to seek us out, they don't do well here without a destination in mind," she explained. "Touch your wands with mine," they did as she said. "Iungo."
Severus watched as silver magic wrapped around their wands, then disperse up their arms. "All done!" Eileen pocketed her wand. "I wish you well on your travels," she quickly hugged Hermione, and gave Severus a lingering one. "Now, hurry up! You need to get an early start to make it to the nearest town!"
He could tell that his mum was struggling to say goodbye, and as he took his seat in the cart, Michael wrapped his arms around her. She sunk back into his embrace and closed her eyes when he kissed her head. Hermione made sure to wave goodbye until they were out of sight, and when they passed through the gates out onto the open road, they fell into an uncomfortable silence.
It was clear as day that she regretted kissing him, and he hated that something painful clawed at his heart at the prospect. She meant a lot more to him than he was willing to admit. We hardly know one another. Even though that was true, their circumstances were rather unusual to begin with. Of course feelings would develop, and once again, it seemed to be just him developing such feelings.
Severus glanced her way and saw the heavy bags under her eyes. She hasn't been sleeping properly, obviously she's fretting over what happened between us.
They journeyed for a long two hours and Hermione soon gave into the tiredness consuming her, and Severus' chest tightened when her head landed on his shoulder. I'm obviously not that repulsive if she wishes to use me as a human pillow.
However, Severus' chest tightened even more when a whimper escaped her lips. He pulled the reins and they came to a stop on the woodland trail.
"Hermione," he whispered.
"No…" tears pooled beneath her eyes, and she started to convulse like she meant to be running. He lowered her down so she lay across the seat and crouched by her side.
"Hermione," he said softly. "Wake up."
"Harry, run!" she screamed, and within moments, she awoke with a start gasping for air. She scrambled to grab him and cling onto him like a lifeline. His shaking hand patted her head as she sobbed into his chest.
A part of him wanted to push her away. They'd built up so much negative energy this week — or maybe it was just him? — that it didn't feel right to comfort her.
She pulled away and wiped the tears from her face. "Something's wrong."
His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I...I've been having these dreams — nightmares — oh, I'm not really sure! They're too real! Harry looks more worn, and he's still fighting the darkness. I think...no I know, that I'm seeing what's happening back in England."
"What?" he stared on, befuddled as to what she meant.
"In my dreams I'm always watching an event happen. In one of them...I saw Harry and Ron standing at my grave," she sobbed. "Then in another they were arguing with each other about whether to fix my parents memories to tell them that I was dead."
"What was this one about?" he asked.
"H-Harry...Grimmauld Place was on fire and he ran back inside to save Draco; he kept screaming his name, and once he got inside, a cloaked man stood over Draco's body. I kept screaming at him run, but I woke up before anything else happened."
He wasn't sure what to make of it. To him, the idea of an afterlife hadn't been plausible, so who was he to say that she wasn't experiencing insights into life back home.
"Draco?"
She nodded. "If I truly did have a vision, then they must've put their past to rest."
"Or, Potter's Gryffindor idiocy has only got worse."
"That's not funny," she muttered.
He ignored her previous comment. "Is this why you haven't been sleeping well?"
"Yes," she rubbed her eyes. "And...well...I'm sorry for kissing you."
And here it comes.
"I never meant to make you uncomfortable, Severus, I know that you're devoted to Lily but I couldn't help myself."
Huh?
What?
What the bloody hell is she going on about?!
"Lily?" was the only word that came from his mouth.
"Yes."
"Lily?"
"Yes, Severus, you don't have to keep saying her name!"
He couldn't help it, but he laughed deeply in her face. She let out a shocked gasp and he could see that he'd offended her.
"What's so funny?!" she spat. "I know you can be childish, Severus, but I didn't know you were cruel enough to laugh in my face! I would never mock your feelings, how very dare you—"
He kissed her. Not in the tender way she had when they danced together. Their teeth crashed together and she let out a surprised squeal. His hands cupped her face and she gripped them tight.
What a foolish woman!
He pulled away to take in the surprised look on her face. "What was that for?" her lips seemed more endearing when they were red from a snog.
"To shut you up," he said. "Otherwise, you'd keep on talking, making up a million more false accusations."
"What?" She replied dully.
The corner of his mouth twitched upwards. "Are you forgetting that I kissed you back?"
"I know that," she blushed.
"I'm not devoted to Lily."
"Oh," a small smile graced her lips. "Is that true?"
He grunted in response, then leaned forwards to kiss her again. She sank against his chest and reached up to touch the unblemished side of his neck. He'd never enjoyed kissing before, but he could safely say that snogging Hermione Granger was better than being in Heaven.
The blissfully unaware pair didn't see the black hawk that swooped down onto a nearby branch. With a tilt of its raven head, it flew away to inform his Master of a surprisingly new development.
…
They made quick work of setting up the tent for the night, all the while moving around one another in silence. There was tension in the air, but it wasn't enough to make Severus feel awkward around her.
He glanced at her as she stood over their bubbling pot of food. Whenever they had to camp the night she was adamant that she cook for them both; he'd offered countless times, but she always managed to reason with him somehow.
She caught his eyes through her frizzy hair and a blush grew on her face. "Would you mind grabbing me the bowls?"
He walked over to the bag that contained most of the kitchen essentials and grabbed everything she would need to plate up. He took a seat at the table and thanked her with a nod when she placed the soup in front of him.
"Can I ask you something?" she sat down opposite him, and he responded with a quick nod. "That day in the travel agency, why did you panic and come running in?"
He swallowed hard. Should I tell her? He couldn't help but feel like she'd call him crazy.
No, he had every faith in her that she wouldn't judge him. "I keep seeing this black hawk everywhere. That time in the village I saw it again, but it made me feel uneasy and it brought dark thoughts to my mind. I had to see that you were OK."
"Oh," she mindlessly moved her spoon in a circle.
"You don't believe me," he grunted.
"What?" she exclaimed. "Don't be daft, of course I believe you!"
"Then why do you have such an absent expression on your face?"
"I…" she bit her bottom lip. "Was it the same bird we saw a while ago after we left Ravos?"
"I believe so."
"Hmm," she mused. "How odd."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
She sighed. "I...I've seen the same bird in my nightmares."
His eyes widened slightly. "Seriously?"
"Yes, I didn't think it meant anything, but now that you've seen it...I-I thought we were able to live in peace here?!"
He could see that she was starting to panic as she shot to her feet and started to pace up and down the tent. After letting her wear the ground away, he pulled her down next to him when she passed him and cupped her cheeks.
"We'll discover what's going on," he said. "Let's just see what develops over time, and if it gets too serious I know exactly where to go."
A devious smirk grew on her face. "You can just admit that you want to see Dumbledore again."
He pulled away from her. "Don't be so insufferable!"
They settled down in silence and ate their dinner. Severus kept glancing her way wanting to ask her the question that lingered over both of their heads. What were they now? Together? Fooling around? The title boyfriend was never made to be associated with his name.
"So...what did Michael want to talk to you about before we left?"
He cleared his throat. "He's going to propose to my mother; he asked for my permission as if I'm her father."
Hermione laughed. "I think it's sweet that he asked you."
"No doubt we'll be receiving an invite to their wedding."
"I wonder if the ceremony will be any different?" She pondered on the thought and he watched her closely as she bit her bottom lip.
"I guess we'll wait and see."
"I suppose so—" her spoon clattered against the table and terror washed over her face. She stared at a spot just over his shoulder and he whirled around with his wand drawn only to find no intruder was there. Suddenly, he realised she was having some sort of vision.
She screeched. "R-Ron!" Her arms flailed around and Severus caught her before she could fall from her seat. They tumbled to the floor as she continued to thrash in his arms screaming out for the Weasley fellow. "NO!"
Her screams echoed throughout the forest for a short while, then she went lax in his arms with her eyes closed. "Hermione," he shook her gently. "Wake up!"
Her eyes fluttered open and she glanced around disorientated. It took her a few moments to gather her senses then she shot up with a gasp. Her fingers curled around his shirt and she gaped up at him.
"Ron's badly injured!" She buried her face into his chest and sobbed helplessly. He stroked her hair and wrapped his arms around her. He wasn't sure whether his whispered words of comfort helped her much, but her grip didn't loosen.
His lips found their way to her forehead and she inhaled sharply. Even though he didn't know where they stood right now, it still felt right to kiss her this way, and she didn't seem to mind it either.
"Something's wrong with me," she whispered against his chest.
"There isn't anything wrong with you," he said deeply. "We'll go and find someone who can give us some answers."
"Dumbledore?"
He nodded. "Even though it pains me to say this, he'll know what's going on."
"OK," she pulled away from his chest and wiped away her tears. "Thank you for, well, erm...comforting me," she looked away from him sheepishly.
AN:/ Hello! In the next chapter Hermione and Severus will be bumping into two familiar faces, I bet you can guess one but how about the other? Thank you to everyone who reviewed, let me know what you think of this one!