A/N - so the last couple months have been kinda interesting. I spent the last month living in a tent. YAY for extreme camping! BOO for no internet! So now I am staying my mother in her apartment. Beds are lovely things by the way. ANYWAY on with the story! As stated in previous chapters I still don't own.
Hermione was reclined on the couch in Severus's rooms, on a lazy Sunday afternoon, a book on ancient runes in one hand and a glass of pumpkin juice in the other. This was how she spent most of her free time when she wasn't tutoring Draco or practicing with Hooch. Nothing had changed really on that aspect. She had read this book many times before already, but she had an exam coming up soon and wanted to be sure that she knew the material before she even set foot in the classroom.
She had just reached the chapter explain the uses of Futhark runes in magic and the representation in the different spells that were used, when she heard a quiet giggling coming from the door to the back rooms of the suite. Entering from what she knew to be the potions master's rooms was Ginny and the older wizard. Hermione watched as the two entered the room. Severus had his arms wrapped around Ginny's waist and his nose buried in her hair. Ginny's arms were wrapped firmly around his neck and the smile plastered on her face was brilliant enough to light up the room. She cleared her throat firmly and grinned when the couple sprang apart.
She let the awkward silence hang between them for a few moments, watching the two of them fidget and blush, before finally speaking. "You know you should probably check to make sure the room is empty before coming in here like that. You never know who might see you." She teased. She ducked the bat-bogey hex that Ginny sent her way and the vial of itching powered chucked at her by Sev. Laughing she told them both, "Seriously though, I won't tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me, I promise."
Ginny let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks 'Mione. I appreciate it. You know that you can still tell me anything too right? You have my discretion as much as I have yours."
"Yeah I know Gin, I just don't like talking about myself anymore." Hermione replied.
"Well, if you ever want someone to just listen."
"It wouldn't hurt to try talking about it, Hermione. I'm not trying to pressure you, "Snape defended himself when met with the brunette's kidney melting gaze, "But it does help."
"I know. I'm starting to talk about it. Just not to you guys. I promise, when I'm ready to tell you I will, just not today. But," she glanced at the clock on the wall, "I need to go meet Draco in the library so we can go over his Charms essay. So, I shall give you two your privacy and get myself to where I needed to be 10 minutes ago." With that Hermione stood and gathered her belongings. She marched out of the dungeons and started up the stairs towards her destination. While en route she ran into Minerva, who seemed to be on her way to the dungeons to find the younger woman.
"Hermione, I would like to speak with you if you have a moment." Green eyes searched brown.
"Sure." Hermione gestured and Minerva began to follow her.
"Your detentions, I would like to turn them more into meeting for tea in the evenings rather than true detention sessions. These are unusual circumstances and I don't believe that our meetings should be classified as 'detentions'. They won't of course go in your permanent record but, even after the allotted time of a month is up, I would like to continue our meetings if you are up to it." Minerva stated most of this in what came off to Hermione as a bit of a rush.
Hermione thought about this for a moment before answering. "That would be wonderful. I really do enjoy our conversations, Professor." Hermione smiled. "I know that I haven't exactly been the easiest to deal with recently and I'm sorry. I'm working on it I promise."
"Hermione, I know you are working on it. I can see it. You smile more, you laugh more. Although I am not sure how I feel about your sudden relationship with Mr. Malfoy, I believe he has been good for you." Minerva smiled slightly though not enough to allow anyone but Hermione to notice.
"He has helped me through a lot. I appreciate everything that he has done for me." Hermione answered as they came to a stop at the library doors.
"Yes well, have a good day, Hermione. I will see you later for tea." With that the older witch turned and walked away, in the direction of the head's office. Smiling and shaking her head, Hermione turned to open the door to the library only to be confronted by a pair of silver eyes staring at her from the crack between the doors. Draco had opened them slightly and had been watching their interaction. He blinked and Hermione started laughing. The ridiculousness of the situation she now found herself in was utterly ludicrous.
"Oh stop staring and let's get started on that essay." She shoved through the doors and pushed him, with both palms on his back towards the closest table. As they sat she nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. He looked at her then shoved her off the chair. The pair began to chuckle at their antics and soon were laughing, much to Madame Pince's displeasure, so hard that Hermione hadn't been able to get up from her place on the floor, and Draco was doubled over with his head on his arms.
After several minutes the 2 of them finally calmed down enough to get started on the essay. Hermione read it through and was impressed that there wasn't much she herself would change about it. "I would move this paragraph up to here and switch these 2 lines. Okay. Now re-read it, see if it flows better to you." Hermione paused a moment to wait for him to read it through.
"That does sound better. Thank you." He glanced over at her as she read through the essay one more time.
"You need to include the side effects of this particular charm. And the effects it has on inanimate objects. Other than that you have everything you need." Hermione smiled at the young man.
"Where in the essay should I put those?" he asked just to be sure that he would be able to get a good mark on this assignment.
"Put the inanimate objects right after the animate ones. That way it flow from one to the other," she showed him where and he quickly wrote out all of the information he had on the paper where she showed him. "Then put the side-effects at the bottom, as your last statement." He did as instructed. "Now read through it."
"Thank you, Hermione. I appreciate this. Father has been all over me about my charms scores for months. Now maybe he will get a life other than mine." He chuckled.
Hermione smiled tightly at the mention of Lucius Malfoy. While she couldn't truly say she hated the man for what had happened to her, she definitely wasn't ready to befriend him and if she ever came across him in a dark alley she wasn't sure if she would curse him, curse at him, or simply ignore his existence.
"You know he never meant for any of that to happen right?" Draco laid his hand on her arm. "If he could have prevented it he would. To this day I don't think he has set foot in the drawing room."
Hermione smiled at Draco and stood. "Thanks. But now I have to get to the Room of Requirement. Ro is expecting me soon, so I don't want to make her wait. I'll see you later Draco." She left quickly before her friend could see the tears that burned her eyes. She wasn't sure what to make of what he had told her. It definitely wasn't something she was prepared to try and process today. She quickly made her way to the room and slipped in silently. Stepping to the side of the door she leaned against the wall and slid down it to sit on the floor. Deep breath in, she told herself. Slowly exhale. She used her inner mantra to struggle against the images and thoughts threatening to swim up and engulf her. Nausea hit her hard and she fought against her body's response.
She was so wrapped up in her own introverted fight that she didn't hear Ro come in. She didn't even realize the older witch was there until she was pulled against her soft curves and hard muscle. Of their own accord her arms encircled Ro's waist and she clung to her. The instructor's scent and hard body helped serve to anchor her to the present time period and keep her from spiraling backward into her memories. Gradually her breathing evened out and she relaxed against her friend.
"Better?" came the careful whisper from the white haired woman. Gentle fingers brushed brown hair away from the face that was now laying against her chest. Hermione had her eyes closed and was breathing easier. The heat from her breath caused goose bumps to rise all over her arms and shoulders. The older witch couldn't fight the urge to tip her head down and press gentle kisses into the younger woman's hair. She buried her nose in the fragrant tresses and inhaled her scent, whispering close to her ear that she would be ok.
Finally Hermione looked up at her. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now, come on." She dragged the brunette to her feet and towards the center of the room. "Dance, I know it helps you."
Hermione grinned and mounted the pole to begin her dance. She spun and twirled and completely forgot her surroundings and why she was so afraid to begin with. She was smiling slightly when she dismounted and discovered that Ro had spent the entire time watching her instead of practicing much like she did in the mornings. There were tears on her face.
"Ro?" she reached up and brushed the tears off her cheeks very gently.
"You wear your emotions on your sleeve when you dance. The person watching feels everything that you want them to. It's so blatant and such a privilege to know that I am the only one that has seen this." Ro pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her hair. "I will never speak of this to anyone. I swear to you I won't."
Hermione smiled against her friends shoulder. "We need to get to dinner, then I have to get to Minerva's rooms again." For some reason Hermione didn't want to tell Ro about the change in her detentions. It was something she wanted to keep between her and Minerva for as long as possible.
When she pulled away her friend smiled gently at her and reached up to move a lock of hair away from her face. Their eyes connected and suddenly neither wanted to look away. Heat flooded Hermione's body as she turned her face into the flying instructor's palm. Ro's other hand developed a mind of it's own and came up to cradle the younger witch's face between her hands. Long moments passed in silence, the two of the simply watching each other, neither daring to break the spell that held them both. Hermione wanted so badly to kiss her friend. The temptation was almost too much for her, but she couldn't. She remembered her thoughts from the last time she had felt this way, remembered her own weakness in contrast to Ro's blatant strength. She still wouldn't want her. Hermione backed away effectively shattering the enchantment that had held them both.
"We should go." and for the first time since they had begun practicing she ran from the room, leaving Ro staring after, wishing graduation was a lot sooner than it actually was.
A/N – My apologies for the insanely long wait. I will make a supreme effort to get this updated a whole lot faster next time. Please bear with me! As usual I love all my reviewers! See you next time!