A/N: What? 2 back to back days of updates? Yes, despite the low-grade fever I've been suffering through all day, I've managed to prep this chapter for you all as promised. I hope you enjoy!
Chapter Fourteen
A week after the wards were completed, Hermione and Ginny sat in the Leaky Cauldron together enjoying some post-shopping lunch. They had chosen a table off to the side and away from the afternoon rush, surrounded by their school supplies, and took pleasure in the semblance of privacy it gave them.
"It's going to be awfully different, isn't it?" Ginny asked over a bite of salad.
Hermione pushed a pea around her plate, an anxious ball knotting her stomach. "I've just decided not to think about it," she said gloomily. "You and I will be there, and that will be enough."
The start of school was fast approaching. Hermione had spent the entire summer with the Weasley's, feeling like an intruder in a home she did not belong to- but now, finally, she was returning to Hogwarts, the closest thing she had to a home of her own. Yet it felt strange, knowing that when she returned, it would be with so few familiar faces.
"Luna will be there as well," Ginny reminded her. "Besides, it's just one year. You won't even have time to miss anyone."
"Yeah..." Hermione forced a smile, trying to shake off her melancholy. She had made her decision; it was time to stop wallowing in it. "I'm sure it won't be easy being a seventh year, even with less classes."
Ginny nodded in agreement as she took another bite. "So how soon is your lesson with Snape?"
She checked her watch. "I'm meeting him at the castle gates in about twenty minutes. We should probably be heading out soon so I can put my school stuff away beforehand."
"Don't worry about it," Ginny said, waving her hand dismissively. "Harry will be here soon, I'll have him take your things for you."
"You sure he won't mind?" When Ginny assured her it would be fine, Hermione said, "Well if I'm not here when he shows up, tell him I say thank you."
"Will do."
A silence stretched between the two as they focused once more on their meal, and Hermione absentmindedly looked around the dining hall as she took a sip of pumpkin juice. Most of the tables near them remained empty, save one- a trio of men sat nearby, barely touched drinks in front of them. As she watched, the man facing her glanced up, and before he could see her staring Hermione quickly turned back to her friend.
Ginny set her fork down and looked up at Hermione. "Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Uh... sure," she replied, the tone of the question putting her on edge.
"I was just wondering what had happened between you and Ron? You guys have been off all week."
I had a feeling that would be it, she thought with an internal cringe. Sighing, she put her cup down and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "We had a fight. I haven't been able to move past it very easily."
"What was the fight about?"
"He..." Hermione, still blown away with the nonsense of it all, wasn't sure how to phrase it any differently than, "He thinks I enjoy spending time with Snape more than I enjoy spending time with him."
Ginny's eyes grew wide and her eyebrows rose. "What did you say?"
"I said that he was being ridiculous."
"And how did he take that?"
Hermione laughed humorlessly. "Not well at first. He's apologized, but I don't think he feels any differently."
"Ah." Ginny took another bite of salad. "Can I ask you another question, then?"
She looked over at her friend, confused. "What is it?"
"What is your relationship with Snape?"
"What?" Hermione's heart skipped a beat and she stared at her friend in surprise. Ginny threw her hands in the air defensively.
"Look, it's just that I can kind of see where Ron is coming from."
"How?!"
Ginny pushed her plate aside and leaned forward. "Ron's busy with his Auror training, right? When he has time off, he wants to see you. But you're often too busy to see him because you're either working at the task force, training with Snape, or studying up on either one. And I know after today you'll be done with them both, but... Hermione, I don't know if you realize it, but you don't really talk about much else these days."
"Okay but-" Hermione paused. "Do I really not talk about anything else?"
"I mean occassionally you'll bring up the weather."
"Are you serious?"
Ginny shrugged. "So will you answer my question? What is your relationship with Snape?"
"He's just..." Hermione paused for a moment. How do I put into words what I've been feeling? How do I explain this unknown connection I've felt growing between us, when I don't even know how to explain it to myself? She simply said, "it's complicated."
Her friend huffed. "Try harder."
Glaring, Hermione snapped, "It isn't easy to explain."
"You make it sound like he's the other guy."
"Ginny!" Hermione could feel the heat flowing to her face and knew she was blushing. "It isn't like that at all!"
"Then how is it?" Ginny pressed.
Shifting in her seat, Hermione rubbed her palms on her thighs as she collected her thoughts. Her eyes glanced over the dining room again, and she found herself drawn back to the table with the three men. "There isn't really a word for what we are," she started off, her eyes lingering on the group long enough for one of the men to make eye contact with her- she quickly turned back towards Ginny.
"We aren't even really a we at all," she continued. "But if I had to place us somewhere, I would say that we're in a grey space between 'Professor and Student' and 'Friends.'"
"You're friendly with Snape?"
"Not exactly." Hermione bit her bottom lip, trying to find a way to describe it. "He's still incredibly sarcastic and prone to sour moods. But I can meet him head on with it now, and he doesn't get upset." In fact he seems to almost enjoy a good back-and-forth, she thought with a smile. "And he seems to go out of his way to help me," she continued. "Last week at the task force, for instance; he volunteered to team up with me because he's one of the few people who knows about how hard I've been struggling post war, and he..."
Ginny nudged her friend's foot with hers under the table. "He what?"
She wasn't sure why, but Hermione could swear she felt eyes on her. She looked around once more, but she saw no one staring, no one paying her any attention at all. It must be this conversation putting me on edge, she considered as she continued. "I had a hard time at the last task force. I didn't just go to bed right away to avoid Ron. I had let myself get too drained, and I was exhausted. Snape helped care for me when I almost passed out because of it, and even took partial blame for working me so hard in our training the night before."
"You got an apology from Snape?"
"Yes," Hermione laughed. "But he followed it up with a strict lecture before dragging me up to the Headmistress's office."
Ginny sipped from her goblet, considering. "Well the lecture sounds about right," she said, "but the rest of it is hard to imagine."
A gentle smile crossed her face as she said, "I don't know if it's because we're on the other side of the war now, or maybe because he nearly died, but I'm telling you he's different. He's... kind. Sympathetic. You just have to look past the harsh outer exterior." She tapped her fork on her plate and added, "It's either that or he feels really, really sorry for me."
Ginny laughed, but in her gut Hermione knew that that wasn't it. Snape didn't just tolerate her, their last interaction proved that. He seemed to genuinely look after her wellbeing as if her safety interested him personally. In some ways, he went out of his way to do so. He felt a certain way about her, she just didn't know what that meant yet.
As for herself, she wasn't sure when it had started, but she had come to look forward to her lessons not because of what she would be learning, but because she would be spending time with him. What was it that made his presence more enjoyable to her than learning? Was it a lingering attachment she had formed in the first few days of sitting by his side, or had it transformed into something else? Had she become attached to her former professor in a more meaningful way, or was she looking into something that wasn't there- and if so, why?
That was something she could unpack later.
The three men nearby stood and exited the building, leaving Ginny and her alone in their corner of the dining hall. Hermione downed her glass, dabbed her mouth again, and asked, "So, how are you and Harry doing? He's just as busy as Ron, if not more so."
The last few minutes of conversation were light and friendly, and she and Ginny wrapped up just in time for Harry to appear and for her to head off. She thanked Harry in person for taking her things for her as she said goodbye and walked outside, on her way to her last training with Master Snape- and filled with a sudden sense of loss at the finality of it all.
Severus sat back in his desk chair and rubbed his eyes. The letter he had been trying to pen for quite some time now lay before him, and he scowled down at it. He had been asked to provide a documented account of Draco Malfoy's involvement in the war as it pertained to the Dark Lord, and while the subject matter was not a difficult thing to put into words, trying to do so while also refraining from painting Narcissa in an unfortunate light was proving to be troublesome. It was still his desire to see them both out of Azkaban before the end of the year, and the crafting of this letter was a crucial step in doing so. As unbothered as he was by Lucius Malfoy's fate, he found he cared deeply for his wife and child.
He glanced at the clock on the mantle behind him- twelve fourty-five. That meant in a short fifteen minutes, Miss Granger would be waiting for him at the gates. He wouldn't have enough time to walk there even if the letter had been ready to mail out. Apparition it is, he decided.
He placed the letter in a drawer and stood, walking out into the hall. He had just enough time to check his latest batch of pepperup potion before heading out.
He had been moved in for a few weeks now, and was surprised at how well he was able to fill the place. Even without his belongings from Spinner's End, the collection of items from his Hogwarts residence was enough to make the house feel well lived in. His book collection alone filled an entire wall in the living area, and barely provided enough room for a hutch, couch, and his desk, which he shoved into a corner near the fireplace. His bedroom was probably the most sparse room in the house, with a bed and wardrobe its only furniture, while his kitchen was surprisingly well stocked, if not a bit sparse in decor. The workroom, however, was everything he had hoped it would be; and seeing as Hogwarts had already requested his aid in stocking the Hospital Wing, it was seeing quite a bit of use already.
He walked into the workroom and moved between the two long tables, one littered in books and materials ready for prep and the other laden with three distinct cauldrons, all bubbling peacefully with various concoctions. Shelves, crates, and barrels of supplies littered every corner, plants grew from hanging pots, and jars of ingredients lined the walls as the lit fireplace created a soft, pulsing glow to it all. It wasn't as large as his work room at Hogwarts, nor as well stocked, but he was happier in here knowing it was all his, no strings attached, no favors owed- no life debt weighing him down. He found peace in here, and it had very quickly become his favorite room in the house.
He peered into the cauldrons and studied their contents carefully; the potions were perfectly on point. He cast a stasis charm and put out the flames underneath, looking at the time once again. Five minutes till. He supposed now was a fine enough time. He walked out into the hall, secured the door, and with a crack he disapparated.
He was far enough away from the gates of the castle that though he could see Miss Granger waiting for him, he still had a short walk to make to reach her. Even from a distance he could see that she looked better off than the last time they had been together. She waved a greeting to him as he approached, close enough now to hear each other had either of them spoken. Close enough to see a smile forming on her face.
Close enough to see a shadow of a man appear behind her.
"Granger!" he shouted, but it was too late.
He reached for his wand as she was grabbed from behind, but before he could pull it out, thick ropes hit him in the back and began to snake up and down his body. He toppled over, falling to the ground as he heard Miss Granger shout a stunning spell.
"Finite!"
At his wandless command, the ropes around his body fell off of him limply. He hoisted himself off the ground as quickly as he could, wand in hand as he scanned the area.
"Miss Granger, are you all right?"
He heard shuffling behind him and glanced back, relieved to find her rushing towards him, eyes wide and wand drawn.
"Found yourself another mudblood to fancy, eh Severus?"
The voice came from his left. He grabbed behind him and pulled Miss Granger closer. "Back to back," he muttered, and as she faced away from him he shouted, "Antonin! What a surprise. I wish I could say it were good to see you."
A stunning spell came at them from his right, and Severus threw up a shield at the last second. "And you brought friends!" he yelled, thinking quickly. He couldn't see where either of the men were standing, and could only assume they were under Disillusionment charms. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
If he could keep them talking, he might be able to pinpoint their location. His eyes scanned the grounds before him, looking for any hint of irregularity. Antonin spoke again, his words dripping in venom.
"You know damn well why we're here, you traitorous filth. Confringo!"
He shielded them from the blasting curse, rebounding it and cratering a bit of ground to his right. Behind him, he heard Miss Granger whisper "Homenum Revelio," followed by a shield of her own as she avoided an attack she could now see coming.
Hot pain seared his left arm and he looked down to find a long gash forming- a slicing spell. He turned towards Antonin, casting his own revealing spell, and watched his form flicker into view.
It wasn't perfect, but he could see glimpses of where the man was. He quickly followed up with a stunning spell, which Antonin successfully blocked and sent back towards him. Severus barely stopped it in time.
A flock of finches appeared beside him and shot off towards the direction of who was most likely Walden MacNair, shooting through the air and striking their target repeatedly; Miss Granger was clearly capable of holding her own. Turning back to his own threat, he tracked Antonin- what little he could see of him- and cast a powerful knockback jinx in his general area. A wide cone of air hurled itself from his wand and struck Antonin's form with incredible force, causing the man to fly backwards a great distance. Severus started to charge forward just as he heard Miss Granger scream.
She was falling to the ground when he turned, writhing in pain as she wailed repeatedly, her body contorting in horrible ways. MacNair was casting the cruciatus curse on her.
And Severus could not see him.
"Homenum Revelio!" he shouted, and MacNair laughed.
"Need to be able to see me for that to work," he cackled, and Severus saw Granger go limp as fog appeared from MacNair's wand, disguising his location further.
He saw the flash of a spell being cast to his left and threw up a hasty shield, but was still thrown back by the force of the blasting curse. Antonin had risen and was on the offensive once again.
Granger's screams began again as Severus rose to his feet, blood dripping down his slashed arm. I need to get her out of here. That was the only thought he had in his head as he cast a ventus jinx into the obscuring mist. As the blast of air blew back the makeshift cover he sent a slicing hex of his own towards Antonin, whose grunt indicated a successful hit. He turned back towards the fog.
There! He could see enough of MacNair in the clearing field to target the man. "Stupefy!" he shouted, and listened in satisfaction to MacNair's body hitting the ground.
The first man was stirring. Severus wasted no time. He grabbed Miss Granger, pulled her up onto her feet, and disapparated them both just as a blasting curse sped past his ear.
They landed in front of the Burrow. He made to pull her into the house, a need to get her to safety still prevalent in his mind, but stopped when he realized she was fighting his grip on her arm in a state of panic.
"Let go of me!" she shrieked, clawing at his hand. Her wand was nowhere to be seen.
He grabbed her wrist to stop her fighting and pulled her to face him. "Granger, look at me!" he shouted, and when her wildly panicked eyes met his, she froze. "We escaped. You're not in danger here. You're safe now, I swear it."
Tears began to spill down her cheeks as she stood there shaking in front of him. "We aren't safe," she whispered, shaking her head. "We're never safe. They'll just find us again. They'll- they'll-"
He heard the door to the Burrow fly open but he didn't look away. "Listen to me. Listen to me, Hermione!" Her eyes had darted over at the noise and she had started to pull from him again, but at his insistent tone and use of her name her eyes snapped back to his. Good. "We are going to keep you safe. I promise you that. I swear to you that I will keep you safe." His eyes bore into hers, begging her to believe him, and he saw her chin begin to shake as reality fully sunk in.
"Severus, what happened?!" Arthur Weasley had reached them, Molly shortly behind, and when he glanced their way he saw Harry Potter appearing in the doorway.
"Potter! We were attacked at the Hogwarts gates. Three men, two disillusioned- they may still be there. Her wand, as well." Without hesitation, Potter disapparated.
"Severus, let go of Hermione." Molly's tone was gentle, but nervous. "I've got her now."
Looking back into Miss Granger's eyes, he released his grip. Molly took her hand and led her into the house, but Granger's eyes followed him as she went, reluctant to look away. He shared her gaze, allowing himself a moment to breathe.
"You're bleeding!"
Arthur's words pulled his attention away from the girl and he looked down. His arm, the one struck by the slicing spell, was still dripping blood. The cut started above his elbow and traveled well down into his forearm. "Severing Charm," he muttered, fussing with his torn sleeve.
"Well, let's get you inside and take care of it," Arthur said.
Severus followed the man into his kitchen. He didn't see Miss Granger, but could hear her voice, unsteady as she tried to talk through the tears he knew were still falling.
"The Order needs to convene," he said as the two sat at the table and Arthur began to work on his arm.
"Yes, we'll get the word out shortly. Did Hermione take any damage?"
"She was struck by the cruciatus curse more than once." He grimaced as the other man poured a cleansing potion on his wound, and guilt washed over him as the severity of the situation struck him. "I've made her a target, Arthur."
"We don't know that for certain."
"I do." He clenched his fists in anger. "This is Walden MacNair we're dealing with. Antonin will at least stick to a semblance of a plan. MacNair has a thirst for this sort of thing." With a groan he pounded his free fist onto the table.
"Stay still!"
"He saw how I reacted in defense of her. He won't let that go- he thinks she means something to me now. He'll target her to hurt me."
Arthur glanced up at his face quickly before continuing his work healing the gash. "We'll get it sorted, my friend. For now, you're safe here."
A distinct crack sounded outside and Potter walked quickly into the home. Severus met his eyes and before he had an opportunity to ask, Potter said, "They were gone. They left no trace."
"Damn it all!" Severus hit the table again in anger and ignored Arthur's chastising. With no trace, no tracks to follow, there was no hope in finding the three men before another attack. "Did you alert the ministry?" he asked, grasping for any good news.
"I'm about to. I found Hermione's wand, I wanted to return it first." He headed off to the living room, and Severus let out a heavy breath.
"This isn't good," he muttered, running his hand through his hair as his thoughts spiraled. "Why attack us at the gates? If they're just after me, why include her?"
"Why would they come back for you at all?" Arthur mused. "Right, your arm is as patched up as I can make it. If you want to save your clothes, however, I'd ask Molly to help with that. Her ability to mend clothing is far greater than I could ever hope to achieve."
Severus studied his arm. The slash had been washed and closed, an angry red line the only remaining indication of injury. He thanked the man, stood, and turned toward the living area in deep thought as a flash of green light erupted from the fireplace.
Hermione was curled up in the corner of the couch when Snape walked in, her legs tucked under her and a pillow in her lap. Their eyes locked, and she couldn't think of anything to say.
There were no words to describe the level of intense gratitude she felt for this man in front of her, no ways to express how comforted she was in his presence. There was no way to tell him how safe she felt, just knowing he was nearby.
Mrs Weasley saved her from having to speak, walking over to her with a steaming cup of tea. "Here you are, dear," she said gently. "This should give you your strength back. Severus, come sit, I'll make you a cup as well."
Hermione watched quietly as Snape declined a seat but was forced a teacup regardless. The Weasley matron eyed his torn sleeve as he reached for his cup, and with a tut said, "Oh my, your clothes. May I?" He wordlessly held out his arm, and the Weasley matron gently and diligently dragged her wand across the fabrics of his shirt and coat until both were mended. "There, you can hardly tell," she said as she patted his arm and moved past him into the kitchen. Snape studied his clothes for a moment, adjusting his cuff to his satisfaction, before leaning against the wall across from her.
Alone again, they sipped their tea in silence for a few awkward moments before Snape broke the tension. "Has Potter gone, then?" he asked her, eyeing the soot in the fireplace beside him.
"Yes." Her voice was small, weak from screaming. Her throat was raw. She took a sip of tea and tried again. "Yes, Harry just left as you came in."
"Good." Another minute of silence.
Snape set the teacup on the mantlepiece with a clink and turned to her abruptly. "Miss Granger-"
The fireplace flashed green again as a tall, lanky figure burst through.
"Hermione!" Ron shouted as he crossed the living room, covered in soot. He threw himself next to her on the couch, his hands grasping her shoulders. "Are you all right? Harry only just said-"
"I'm fine, Ron," she assured him, setting her teacup down on an end table and glancing at Snape, who looked taken aback by Ron's sudden appearance. "I'm okay. We're okay."
The fireplace lit up again as Harry rejoined them, followed shortly by Percy, who waved quickly to the room and hurried off into the kitchen. When Harry saw Snape standing nearby he informed him, "I talked to Kingsley. He's spreading the word and will be here shortly."
Snape inclined his head in thanks to Harry before turning around and exiting the room. Hermione heard the front door open and fall shut, and grew anxious at his departure, worried he was leaving. He wouldn't leave, would he?
Ron was talking to her, so instead of worrying about Snape and where he might be heading off to, she tried to focus on him. "Are you sure you're okay?" He held her hands in his and continued, "Harry said you were pretty shaken up when you got here. What happened?"
"Save it for the meeting." Arthur and Percy walked back into the living room, holding kitchen chairs. "Hermione doesn't need to relive it more than once. Ron, help us get these chairs situated. We're about to have a lot of people squeezed in here."
Green flames flashed once again as McGonagall rushed into the living room, her usual pointed hat in her hands. Shortly after her, Kingsley Shacklebolt stepped from the fireplace, and a series of cracks outside indicated more members appearing- George and Ginny walked into the house, Fred floating behind.
Soon enough the Weasleys, Kingsley, McGonagall, Harry and herself were all present, her friends squished on the same couch as her in the packed living area as the meeting began. Snape re-entered the room as Kingsley called the group to attention, lingering in the doorway.
"Thank you to those of you able to come, and so quickly. I'm sure you're all aware of why we're here, so I won't waste time. Severus, would you do me the honors of enlightening us as to the events that transpired?" He stepped back, and Snape moved forward.
Ron took her hand as Snape walked into the center of the room and paused, looking her way. She met his stare with nervous energy, clenching Ron's fingers tightly as she waited for him to speak. "It should first be said," Snape began slowly, "that if you're unaware, Miss Granger and I have been working together on and off since June as I've been training her in occlumency in an effort to help her regain control of her magic. We've been using Hogwarts as a meeting point while the school has been out of session, and today was supposed to be our final meeting.
"We had just met outside the castle gates when we were set upon by three men, whom I can confirm were the missing death eaters Antonin Dolohov, Walden MacNair, and Julien Gurth. Their motive for attacking me is obvious, but to target Miss Granger..."
His eyes held hers as he spoke, and her stomach twisted into knots as her breathing quickened, fighting not to relive the attack. He seemed to notice her discomfort, for he looked away from her as he continued. "These men want to hurt me. They want to see me dead, but not before I suffer for my transgressions. And now that they have seen me protecting Miss Granger, they will assume her harm will, in turn, harm me.
"I'm not sure why they targeted us both." he continued. "It's possible it was merely a coincidence, that she was there and they were forced to improvise. Regardless, it is my main concern that from this point on, Miss Granger is as much a target in their ploys as I am."
Oh god. Hermione's chest tightened as she fought back a wave of panic. The answer to his musing came to her suddenly, and she knew she'd have to speak up.
"I know why they targeted me," she said, her voice shaking, and the talk that had begun to pick up around the room fell silent immediately.
Snape's eyebrows furrowed and he took a step closer to her. "How?"
She took a deep breath and looked at Ginny, sitting at the other end of the couch, who looked back in confusion. "Ginny and I were having lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. You came up in our conversation, sir." She could feel her face flush as she looked back at him. "The only other table near us was a group of three men. When I was first attacked, the man that grabbed me was one of those three. I only just now realized." She heard Ginny gasp quietly.
"What did you two discuss, Hermione?" McGonagall's voice broke the tension that had been building and Hermione bit her lip, knowing exactly what they had talked about that would make them attack her, and wishing she didn't have to admit it out loud to everyone she knew.
"We discussed..."
"She told me she was meeting Snape for another lesson," Ginny interjected. "She said she was enjoying her training with him, and specified when and where they were meeting when I asked." Hermione managed to send a tense but grateful smile towards her friend, who nodded.
McGonagall turned her attention to Snape. "Well, Severus? Does that sound like enough to put a target on her back?"
"More than enough," he growled, and Hermione looked up into his face. He wasn't looking at her, instead glaring at the wall above her as his jaw clenched. He seemed furious.
"Okay, so Hermione's a target," Harry spoke up. "She'll be going to Hogwarts soon; she'll be safe there, right?"
"Until then we'll keep her safe here," said Mr Weasley, taking his wife's hand in his own.
"That isn't good enough," Snape replied. "She can't stay here, that's risking all of you as well."
"Surely there are enough people here to protect her?" George said. "Harry and Ron are aurors in training, that has to count for something."
"They're still in training," Kingsley pointed out. "They aren't exactly seasoned veterans."
Harry took offense to that. "I feel like we've proven ourselves perfectly capable over the years."
"More than capable, really," agreed Ron.
"You've been lucky- that's not the same thing," Mrs Weasley argued. "You also had a lot of help, and the Order had to bail you out many times."
Voices expressed their opinion all around her, but it all became noise as Hermione slowly slipped back into a panic. In all this uncertainty, all this debating, only one truth rang clear in her mind: she wasn't safe. She wasn't going to be safe any time soon. She was being thrown back into a war she barely escaped, and as small as the threat was in comparison, it still felt like she was drowning. She leaned forward, elbows on her knees, and dug her hands into her hair as she took quick, shallow breaths.
"Hermione? Everyone stop! Hermione, are you okay?"
Ron slid off the couch and knelt before her, pushing her hair out of her face. "What's wrong?" he asked her.
"I can't do this again," she whispered.
"What?"
"I can't do this again!"
She had shouted- she hadn't meant to. She looked around the room at all the eyes staring at her, and grimaced.
"You don't have a choice."
Snape's words were stern, and when she finally looked at him again his expression was firm. "Miss Granger, it might be hard to swallow, but this is your reality. You are in grave danger, and you cannot stay here."
"Severus, I hardly think scaring the poor girl is going to help," McGonagall chastised.
Hermione held Snape's stare. "What would you have me do?" she asked weakly. It was a plea as much as it was a question; she felt defeated, hopeless.
He was silent for a moment, considering. He turned towards the fire, and she watched as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Minerva." Snape didn't turn around. "Could you allow Miss Granger early access to her Hogwarts Dormitory?"
"I can arrange it."
"Could you arrange it as soon as tonight?"
"Tonight?" Hermione stood in alarm, and her friends stood with her. "You want me to go tonight? Alone? After everything-"
"Could I go with her, Professor?" Ginny asked.
"Hermione shouldn't be alone right now," Harry added, holding his girlfriend's hand in support. "That's not fair to her."
"Can't she go tomorrow? Can't she stay at least for tonight?" Ron asked, wrapping an arm around her.
"Will you all shut it?" hissed Snape as he finally turned around. "No, Mr Weasley, it would be unwise for her to spend even one more night away from protection. I would think you of all people would want her sent off to safety-"
"Severus you forget yourself," Mr Weasley warned, standing as well.
"Enough, all of you!" Kingsley finally stepped forward. "I've heard enough squabbling. Minerva, is it possible for Miss Granger and Miss Weasley to move in as soon as tonight?"
McGonagall looked incredibly flustered at the rapid decay of order that had just transpired in front of her, but nodded. "Of course they may," she answered. "If this is settled, I can have arrangements made within the hour."
"Wait!" Hermione called out. "Don't I get a say in this?"
"Would you prefer a vote?" Snape snarled. "My goodness child, your safety is on the line-"
"I'm not a child!"
Anger fueled through her as she stared Snape down. "I'm not a child, Master Snape, and I have a right to speak for myself."
He scowled at her, holding her gaze as she glared back. "Then by all means, speak." He stepped back, as if to give her the floor.
Taking a deep breath, Hermione looked around the room as she weighed her options. Far too much had happened today and she could barely hold onto a thought in her head, but the one thing she was absolutely sure of was that she could not handle an isolated move to Hogwarts tonight. Even if Ginny joined her, the cavernous emptiness of the castle would weigh too heavily on her.
Ron still had his arm around her shoulders, and she reached up to grab his hand. "I'll go to Hogwarts," she started, "but I'm not going tonight. I can't. Not after today." She looked around the room and added, "Please, give me one night."
The room was silent for a moment, her request hanging in the air as she waited for someone to grant it. Kingsley kindly broke the silence by saying, "Legally, none of us can deny you your decision, Miss Granger. And I personally feel like your request is more than fair."
"I can stay tonight, if it would help," Percy said. "One more body, and all."
"We'll be here as well," added George, Fred nodding behind him.
"It's not like I need a whole lot of sleep, anyway," the ghostly twin added with a wink.
"Hermione will be safe, Severus," Arthur said assuredly. "You have my word."
Hermione felt as if a wave of tension had just exited her body. She sat heavily, exhaustion hitting her out of nowhere, and allowed herself a moment to zone out as the conversation continued. She looked up at Snape, who had turned back to the fireplace, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. How she wished she could talk to him alone, to explain her feelings to him. She hadn't had a chance at all to process any of what had happened today, and the last thing she needed was a quiet place with only her mind for company, cycling over the events and spiraling her into a state of panic all over again. The thought sent a shudder down her spine.
"And what of you, Severus?" McGonagall's words brought her mind back to the conversation. "Where will you go?"
"They don't know where I live," he answered her quietly. "Had they been aware, they have had ample opportunity to strike me there. I should be safe enough."
"Safe enough?" Hermione's disbelief caused her to speak out rashly. "You were adamant I be shipped off to a safe space immediately, yet you're content with safe enough?"
He spun around to face her as he snapped back, "I am perfectly capable of watching out for myself, Granger. I've been doing it all my life."
"She's right, Severus," Kingsley said, putting his hand on Snape's shoulder gently. "If Miss Granger is not safe here, surrounded by others, surely you are not safe in your home alone."
Snape shook his hand off and took a step back. "Would you have me stay here as well, then?"
Kingsley shook his head. "I know you well enough not to suggest such a thing. I was thinking of something more along the lines of a Fidelius Charm."
"You would have me hide away?" Snape glowered at Kingsley. "I have obligations to see through, I can't sit at home-"
"I agree with Kingsley," McGonagall interrupted, and Snape turned his glare onto her. "Don't you look at me like that. You are perfectly capable of seeing your obligations through long distance, Severus, and you well know it."
"No." Snape shook his head, and Hermione could almost feel the frustration emanating off of him. "No, you're not going to cage me away. I'm not the one we need to be worried about here."
"Miss Granger is not the only one that was attacked," McGonagall argued.
"You lock me away, you'll be cleaning up after those men for a long time," he growled.
Kingsley sighed. "I concede, Severus. For now. But this discussion is not over."
The meeting was drawing to a close. Hermione began to truly feel the drain of the day and she curled up against Ron as she fought to stay awake. The rest of the conversation was lost on her, as her eyes grew heavy and her vision blurred. She watched vacantly as Snape argued with the other members of the Order, pacing in front of the hearth in agitation. How she had been so blind to the side of him that worked so hard to protect others while dismissing himself so easily? She wished he weren't so difficult, she contemplated, as she slowly began to give in to her fatigue. She wished she could convince him to care about himself. With that thought floating in her mind, she succumbed to sleep.
Severus sat in the Weasley's living room after the official meeting, Kingsley and Minerva lingering as well. The Weasleys themselves were seeing to Miss Granger, getting her settled for the night and, hopefully, packing her and Miss Weasley's things. Her insistence to stay another night caused him more distress than he cared to admit, and he rubbed his hands together in irritation.
Arthur and Molly returned to the living room shortly, Molly with a tray of tea. The front door opened and closed quietly and at Severus' questioning glance Molly explained, "Percy and George are off to do a perimeter warding while Fred searches the grounds. Just to be sure." He nodded gratefully, and took the offered teacup.
"It doesn't make sense," he muttered. "It's been nearly four months since the final battle. Why wait until now to strike? These men aren't idiots, they easily could have found me by now."
"Maybe they weren't looking." Arthur pulled a chair near the group and joined them. "You said yourself they had business in Wales."
"I did, but that puzzles me as well." He took a sip of the tea, and continued, "Why travel all the way to Wales only to come back for petty revenge?"
"And why risk being seen in The Leaky Cauldron?" Minerva was shaking her head. "If Hermione recognized one of them, they weren't doing much to alter their appearance."
Severus frowned. "She recognized Julien Gurth. He isn't exactly a seasoned Death Eater. The average person would have no idea who he is."
"No one is paying attention these days, anyway," added Kingsley. "The public would rather act as if the danger is over completely. Bellatrix Lestrange could walk into The Leaky Cauldron and no one would bat an eye."
"Would that she could," muttered Molly, sipping her teacup nonchalantly.
"Getting back to Miss Granger," McGonagall asked, "how did she fare in the attack? Should we be concerned at all?"
Her pointed stare to Severus was well noted, and he sighed. "Miss Granger did remarkably well to take down Gurth so quickly, and proved a valuable support in combat. But she was stricken by the Cruciatus curse not once, but twice. I do fear she will struggle with that for a time."
"Struggle with what?" Molly asked, eyes moving between the two. "Do you mean her nightmares?"
Severus shared a glance with Minerva, who raised her eyebrows. He was taken aback at Molly's unawareness, and it seemed she was as well.
"It was always more than nightmares, Molly," Severus began to explain as he set his teacup down on the low table between them.
"How so?"
"Miss Granger's trauma from the war caused her a great deal of mental difficulties," Minerva continued. "She wasn't eating or sleeping, and her magic suffered because of it." Severus nodded in confirmation.
"She was prone to crippling flashbacks as well," he added. "It's the main reason I started to train her in occlumency- to give her control over her mind once more."
Molly stared at Severus as if he had grown a second head. "I... I wasn't aware of how severe it was." Molly looked at Arthur desperately, who shook his head, his face drawn in shock. "We knew she was struggling, that her magic was dampened, but... what an awful thing for us to miss!"
"You were dealing with just as much," Kingsley said softly. "Don't go blaming yourself for anything here."
"Besides," added Minerva, "Hermione was not alone. She had support in your children, in Harry, and in Severus and myself."
"I wouldn't exactly call myself supportive," Severus grumbled under his breath.
"Nonsense," tutted Minerva. "I would argue you've helped her the most out of anyone."
"Is that so?" asked Arthur, sounding- unsurprisingly- quite surprised.
The front door opened, and Percy re-entered the room. "Sorry," he said as all heads turned in his direction. "I didn't mean to interrupt. Fred and George are going to stay outside for a bit, keep a watch on things, but everything is clear at the moment." He took a seat on a chair nearby and said, "Anyway, please continue."
"Actually," said Kingsley as he looked at his watch, "It's getting quite late in the day. I should probably be heading back to the office, finish some things up before heading home. I'll check in with you all in the morning." He stood, the others following suit, as he moved towards the hall. "I think I'll apparate this time. Breathing in too much soot gets the better of me, you know." With a nod, he walked out the door and disapparated with a crack.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea," agreed Minerva as soon as he had gone. "Severus, could you do me the honors of escorting me out?" Raising an eyebrow, he agreed.
After a brief farewell with the Weasleys, Severus and Minerva stood out on the front lawn. The sun had begun to set, and a lazy breeze blew by, blowing his hair against his cheek. He brushed it back in irritation, studying his companion closely.
Minerva was staring at the sunset in solemn silence. When she finally turned to him, he saw her concern in the tightness of her lips.
"What is it?" he asked, uneasy. She sighed and shook her head.
"You don't realize it, do you?" she asked. "The impact Hermione is having on you."
Of all the things she could have said, he was sure nothing else would have shocked him more. "I don't know what you mean," he responded carefully.
"No, I suppose you don't." She looked back towards the house in contemplation. "It shows, though."
"What, pray tell, do you think you see in me?"
"Your attachment for her." A small smile formed as she glanced back at him. "It isn't anything to be afraid of, Severus. You're allowed a bit of vulnerability in your life."
Severus said nothing. He merely stared, finding he had no words. No thoughts either, for that matter. She had left him truly speechless.
"She's attached you as well, you know."
"Don't be ridiculous!" he snapped, thrown out of his stupor by her wild speculations. "You're looking for something that isn't there. It's like talking to Albus again."
She let out a soft chuckle. "Well, anyway. It seems I have a few preparations to make." she turned towards him and asked, "I'll see you tomorrow, then?" At his nod, she said goodnight, and disapparated.
With one long, confused look back towards the house, so did he.
A/N: Ah, finally, the chapter I've been most excited to post! This is probably my favorite moment in the story so far, and it being the longest chapter yet probably shows that. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing and fine tuning it. I'll try to get the next chapter up quickly for you. Please review and let me know what you think!
