Marked

by Aubrey'Snape

In the heat of the Battle of Hogwarts Hermione runs into the path of Greyback and Professor Snape. The consequences of this action will change her, her future, and the way she views the world. Can Ron and Harry set aside their malice and accept the new Hermione? ***Reposted after taking my stories down***

4. Awaited Returns and Murderous Revenge

A brunette woman was sitting at her writing desk in her room when a tapping on her window pulled her from her work. She looked up to see an owl perched on the windowsill holding a letter in its; as soon as the window was open the owl flew inside, dropped the letter on her desk, and flew back out again. The woman stared at the letter but ignored it and turned back to her work. That letter could wait; the letter she was working on now however could not. Her hand flowed across the paper easily in a tiny cursive she had always used. The only sound in the room was the scratching of her quill on the parchment and the occasional silence as she dipped the tip into her ink. Her eyes flicked towards the letter many more times before she had finished her missive but she ignored the pull of curiosity. Finally, once the parchment was full and the letter was written, she tapped in with her finger and watched it roll itself up then seal.

She looked at the Hogwarts crest on the envelope and her hands shook a bit when she turned it over to read the contents.

Dear Miss Hermione J. Granger,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to the new term starting 1 September at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of supplies you will be required to bring along with your class schedule.

Hope to see then,

Minerva McGonagall

Headmaster of Hogwarts School

Hermione knew it was coming, she knew that this letter would find her here, even when other people could not. She leaned back and stretched the neck muscles that had cramped from sitting in the chair for so long reading over her work. Four months. Four months since she had left London, four months since she had seen her mate attached to some woman, four months since she had been without him. She felt her face twist into a sneer as she thought back over the scene that had made her leave. Anger and resentment made her stomach burn so she turned her thoughts away from that day. He had tried to find her of course, but she was used to living on the run, she was a pro in living under the radar. Standing up and stretching she rubbed her shoulder where she knew her mark still was, it had tingled almost constantly for the last four months, only when she slept did she forget about it. The tingling reconfirmed her thoughts about what he was doing. Probably shagging whoever that woman was senseless, she thought bitterly.

She looked around the room she was in and with a wave of her hand all of her possessions were packed in her trunk. She had come to Australia in hopes of finding her parents and find them she had, but unfortunately it had not been what she wanted to find. A pop later and she was gone, leaving the room she was in untouched; when the squeezing of apparition released she found herself in front of a wrought iron gate. It creaked as she pushed it forward scaring some birds nearby into taking flight; she walked down a familiar trail past trees and others shrubs until she found what she was looking for.

Here lies Wendell Wilkins

Beloved Husband

Monica Wilkins

Beloved Wife

Her knees hit the ground as tears flooded her eyes as they had only a month ago when she finally had found where her parents were. It had taken some digging to discover that they had died in a flash fire one Christmas Evening only 9 months before. Her mother had been expecting a baby at that time, quite a shock to the expecting couple according to those they had known. The funeral had been a small intimate affair as they had not made a lot of friends in the 18 months they had resided in Australia.

Hermione sat there staring at the graves where her parents lay long after her knees had gone numb and the tears had dried on her face. Then pushing herself to her feet she looked down at the markers once more before turning on the spot and disapparating.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione looked up at the newly rebuilt Hogwarts castle with some trepidation. A letter from McGonagall had asked her to stop by her office before she headed to the Burrow to let the Weasley's know she was back. The familiar smell of the castle hit her as soon as she opened the front doors and for the first time in ages, she had the sense that she was really home. She walked the familiar path to the headmistresses office taking in the parts of the castle that had been rebuilt. She knocked lightly on the door and waited until she was told to enter before stepping into the room.

"Ah, Miss Granger," McGonagall's voice said as she crossed the room. "How are you?"

"I'm well, Professor, thank you." Hermione answered politely as she walked over to one of the windows and looked out over the grounds.

"I'm sure you are wondering why I have asked you to come here," the older woman asked and Hermione turned around to look at her. She looked older, more aged than the last time she had seen her. "I was wondering if you would be willing to be Head Girl this year, you will get your own quarters and won't have as many restrictions as the other students." Hermione opened her mouth to answer but the office door opening and a deep voice cut her off.

"Minerva, why does it appear that all of my storage room items have been moved?" Hermione's heart stopped beating then took off again as Snape stalked into the room, a black scowl on his face. He didn't appear to notice her presence and Hermione was frozen to the spot watching him. She felt her body begin to shake from the effort of keeping herself rooted to the spot and a burning pain erupted across her shoulder.

Snape must have been experiencing something of the same because his eyes suddenly surveyed the office, finally coming to rest on her. She saw fury and desire flare in his eyes mutually and his face shifted into a sneer.

"Miss Granger, what a surprise," She resisted the urge to flinch at the coldness that had seeped into his voice.

"Professor Snape," Hermione said dropping her eyes from his. Her heart hurt, remembering the betrayal that had taken place months before, and the pain in her shoulder was enough to make her cry out. She heard Snape sniff dismissively at her refusal to give him attention, but she heard him turn his back to her to continue to talk to McGonagall. "Erm, Professor McGonagall, I think I'll come back at a later time. Send an owl, it will find me." She kept her eyes and her head lowered as she walked from the room, each step she took away from him made her shoulder throb.

As soon as she stepped off the spiral staircase behind the Gargoyle she broke into a run, she hadn't run like this since she had left four months ago; only this time she heard the sound of footfalls behind her. A hand closed around her arm abruptly and spun her around into a wall and she looked up into the angry face of Severus Snape.

XXxxXXxxXXxxXXxxX

Hermione looked up into the furious face of Severus Snape and felt her own anger rise up to meet his.

"Let go of me, sir," She said mindful of his authority in this place.

"Why are you here?" He snarled at her, his anger flowing from him like lava from a erupted volcano.

"I was asked here by the headmistress."

"Why did you come back?" He asked still not releasing her.

"Why do you care you arse, shouldn't you be sucking face with you little girlfriend or whoever she was?" Hermione threw at him and she felt triumphant when shame flickered in his eyes. "Not so high and mighty now are you?" She yanked away from him and picked invisible lint from her sleeve.

"People have said that you are the brightest witch of your age, very clearly they were mistaken." Snape sneered at her as he stepped away then turned his back on her and began to walk away.

"People have said that you are a very great man, loyal and faithful to those you care about, very clearly they were mistaken," Hermione said throwing his words back at him and walked by him when he stopped harshly.

"Is that your opinion of me?" The pain in her voice made her stop and turn back to him. He was staring at her with cold black eyes, no anger, no desire, just a cold dead look that made her heart freeze up.

"I—" Her words were cut off as he abruptly walked up to her and gripped her arms in a bruising hold.

"Is that your opinion of me Miss Granger?" He shot at her again; the dead look replaced with anger once more. "You think that I betrayed you? That I have been having a great time with other women these last four months?"

"Haven't you? Or are you going to pull the age old 'she kissed me'?" She said back in response to his questions.

"You know nothing you foolish brat," He released her again and walked around her, and up the corridor. She watched him till he was out of sight before she allowed tears to well in her eyes again.

"Well, at least he isn't calling me a child anymore," she claimed out loud with a dry attempt at humor. She continued to walk through the castle and out onto the grounds towards the apparition point oblivious to the black eyes that followed her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus watched her leave the grounds and felt anger course through his system at her words. How dare she think that he had been having a fine vacation shagging countless women while she was merlin know where doing merlin knows what. He scowled and shifted his stance slightly to try and relieve the pressure his trousers were putting on his semi-hard erection. Desire had been coursing through his body since he had seen her in McGonagall's office; he'd almost stumbled over to her and taken her against the window ledge but no, that wouldn't do. She had left, without as much as a goodbye.

'She thought you were using her' a tiny voice in his head said but he ignored it. Maybe he was using her, he certainly didn't like the chit and she very clearly didn't like him. It was better this way; she was his student, nothing more. Her status as his mate meant nothing to him, to hell with what his mother had tried to teach him. Women were despicable creatures that used and manipulated men for their own ends then tossed them away without so much as a backwards glance. No, he would ignore her and once school started she would once again be under his authority as his student.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione appeared in the yard next to the burrow and saw Harry, Ron, Ginny, and George flying through the air on brooms.

"Hermione!" Harry and Ron called down to her and flew towards her, dismounting smoothly and enclosing her in a hug.

"Where've you been?" Harry asked her immediately and she felt fresh tears spring to her eyes. She threw herself into his arm and wept into his chest, oblivious to the confused look on his and Ron's face. "What's happened Hermione? What's wrong?" He asked softly as she continued to cry.

"I-I went to Australia, and-and I found my par—parents." She managed to choke out and she felt Ron pull her hair away from her face.

"Well then why the water works?" Harry asked her, his voice told her he was slightly uncomfortable with her crying on him; probably more to the fact that men hated crying women, than the fact that it was her crying.

"They—they died!" Hermione wailed and felt Harry's arms wrap around her tighter.

"Oh, 'Mione, I'm sorry."

"I'll go tell mum," Ron said, clearly wanting to give them some time alone. She heard him say something to someone but didn't catch what it was or who he spoke to.

Harry held her until her tears dried, the two of them now orphans and virtually without any family other than those that had adopted them. She pulled away from him slightly and wiped her nose on her sleeve, before she looked around the yard.

"You know I'll always be here Hermione, I'll be your family." Harry whispered to her and she gave him a watery smile.

"Thanks Harry," She said as they walked into the house. She was pulled into Mrs. Weasley's motherly embrace and she fell apart again. Each person took turns giving her their sympathies and telling her that she would always be part of their family.

As she laid down for bed that night, her thoughts turned back to her black haired professor, and she wondered if the Weasley's would still think of her as family if they ever found out she was Snape's mate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

September 1st arrived with wind and rain, the weather very clearly echoed her mood as she prepared to board the Hogwarts Express with Ginny. Ginny was kissing Harry and saying teary goodbyes to him as they would not be returning with them. Dread had filled her stomach since she had woke up that morning, and it simply increased as 11 o'clock got closer and closer.

She watched the landscape fly by the window and thought of what she would have to deal with upon her arrival back at Hogwarts. Mentally scolding herself for even being concerned about him she turned her thoughts back to the conversation Ginny and Luna were having.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus buttoned up the numerous buttons on his frock coat taking comfort from the familiar tight fabric across his body. His fingers worked quickly and nimbly though it took no thought for him to do so. He would see her tonight of course, sitting at the table with the rest of his students; she was nothing but another student. The burning in his shoulder had not receded since he had seen her the previous day, and he knew that it would only get worse as time went on. The four months away from her had been hell, he'd felt like a hole had been missing from himself. Now she was back, and his anger had been the easiest emotion to draw on. It was best just to treat her like every other student in his care; nothing more, nothing less.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione kept her eyes down as she walked into the great hall and bit her lip against the flare across her shoulder. She wondered, not for the first time, if she would ever stop being so sensitive to him. She sat down next to Ginny facing away from the staff table and tried to focus on the sorting.

Severus tried to keep his eyes from finding her, tried to ignore her presence in the hall, but he felt his gaze shift to her. She looked thinner, he allowed himself to realize, her face most gaunt and her smile forced. His shoulder throbbed again and he wondered, not for the first time, if he would ever stop being so sensitive to her. His curiosity was piqued at what she had done when she left, where she had gone, and why she looked so lifeless.

They both sat through the sorting and ate very little thought no one noticed their mutual and equal lifelessness.

Hermione watched Snape stand and walk out of the hall, but was unable to follow due to her Head Girl duties. She rounded all the younger students up and took them up to Gryffindor tower; she wondered if she had looked as stunned, shocked, and afraid as they did on her first night there. The students returning from the previous year that had seen the damage were looking around and taking in the rebuilt castle. They were more reserved and quiet than she had ever seen any students; further proof that the battle as well as the fall of Voldemort had taken its toll on all. Once she had fulfilled her head girl duties she slipped back out of the castle and willed herself to shift into her bat form. She had been unable to do it in the months since she'd left Snape and she had half a mind to ask the man himself why it was but a voice behind her took the option out of her hands.

"Miss Granger, it is after hours," Snape's voice said behind her and she turned from the wall she was standing next to.

"I am head girl Professor," She responded wearily and she turned her back to him to look out over the grounds again.

"That does not give you special privileges to be out of the castle after hours," his tone wasn't as bitter as it had been the night before but it was just as cold.

Hermione sighed and shook her head slightly as she continued to look out over the grounds and ignore the man standing behind her. What was the point of arguing with him? What was the point of even trying to explain herself? Why should she explain why she had run, when he had clearly been enjoying her absence?

"Get back in the castle Miss Granger," His voice cut across her thoughts and she turned her head around to stare at him. He was standing around ten feet from her with his hands clenched at his sides and she could almost feel the bitterness flowing from him. She pushed away from the battlements and walked back to the castle; she breathed deeply as she walked past him and the pain in her shoulder intensified.

"Yes Professor," She said as she passed him and wanted to smack herself when her voice waivered.

"Is there a problem Miss Granger?" She heard him ask from behind her.

"Yes." She replied simply.

"And whatever is wrong with the Gryffindor know-it-all?" His words sliced through her chest and she turned to look at him. Her eyes meeting his for the first time and she felt her hopelessness reach a new peak.

"Everything," Hermione said softly as she turned back around and continued on her walk back into the castle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus stared after Hermione long after she had left feeling confused as well as frustrated. The lack of hope in her voice had made him pause, had closed up his throat and made him want to go after her. He had stayed where he was however only by leaning against the pillar behind him. This was not the woman that had left months ago; this was not the same girl that had stood in front of him naked with a fiery challenge in her eyes. He took the spot she had vacated and looked out over the grounds, how he wanted to hate her. How badly he wanted to say that he didn't care what she did or what had happened while she was gone; but there would be no truth in that at all. He scowled out at the grounds before he followed her tracks back into the castle and scolded himself not to care.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione didn't sleep well that night, the pain in her heart as well as her shoulder making it impossible to sleep. She cried herself hoarse over the thought of not having a mother to talk to about her problems; her mother would never see her graduate Hogwarts. Her mother would never know her grandchildren, her mother wouldn't be there to help her plan her wedding, if indeed she ever had one. When Hermione finally fell asleep it was with tears drying on her face and a soul-deep pain in her chest that she had grown used to.

The next morning dawned sunny and warm but Hermione didn't pay attention to it. She covered up the dark circles under her eyes and pulled her hair into a low ponytail letting the curls flow down her back. While she waited for Ginny by the Fat Lady's portrait hole she looked over her class schedule; she snorted with amusement, she would have potions right after breakfast wouldn't she? Ginny walked out and she gave the redhead a forced smile.

"You don't have to do that," Ginny said gently and Hermione looked at her with a confused look on her face. "Fake that you're happy, I know you aren't. You've changed since you got back, is it just your parents or is there something else?"

Hermione stared at the younger girl in bewilderment before answering. "No, just my parents, I—I miss them." She tried to keep tears from falling from her eyes but she was unable to stop the sob that escaped her throat as Ginny pulled her into a tight hug.

"I can't even imagine Hermione, I am so sorry," Ginny said as Hermione cried against her shoulder. They stayed that way standing in the hall until the noise of students filling the corridor made them pull away.

Hermione quickly wiped her eyes and nose; but she knew that her eyes were red and puffy. "Thanks Gin, it's just been hard." Ginny nodded understandingly and they allowed themselves to be swept with the other students into the great hall.

The two girls sat down next to each other, this time facing the staff table, and began to fill their plates with food. Hermione felt eyes on her and she looked up into the eyes of Severus Snape. He was looking at her intently, not in anger or annoyance, but rather like she was a particularly hard puzzle he was trying to figure out. She lowered her eyes away from his swiftly then told Ginny she was going to go to the loo; she left the hall quickly and headed for the potions classroom slowing her pace down considerably.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus followed her soon after she left the great hall, curious as to why she was crying or had been crying. He found her leaning against the wall next to his classroom and she jerked her head up to look at him when she heard his footsteps.

"Miss Granger, why are you outside my classroom?" He asked firmly coming to a stop in front of her. She had lowered her eyes as well as her head when she'd seen that it was him coming towards her.

"This is my first class, sir."

"I am well aware that it is your first class, Miss Gramger, but why are you here at this time?" He repeated.

"I don't know," She answered him quietly and he felt himself grow irritated.

"You were crying this morning, why?" He said changing course.

Hermione was surprised at his question but shrugged, "I don't know sir."

"How interesting, I have never known you to not know something." He commented blandly.

"That could be because you do not know me Snape," She said, her voice bitingly cold.

"Watch your tone Miss Granger, I am your professor." He warned feeling his anger well in his gut again.

Hermione rolled her eyes and ignored him, choosing to stare at the opposite wall. He continued to stand there and was taken aback when she raised her eyes suddenly to meet his and he saw tears in them.

"What would you like me to do sir?" She asked him in a small quivering voice.

"I beg your pardon?"

"What would you like me to do? You hate me, you hate who I am, and yet you seek me out to have little chats." She spat at him, tears spilling over the rims of her eyes and down her cheeks.

"I do not hate you," He said quietly but students walking up the corridor made him step away from her and open his classroom door.

Hermione wiped her face quickly, and felt her face burn with embarrassment as well as anger; she walked by her professor and raised her eyes to his again. "You bloody well could have fooled me."

"5 points from Gryffindor for your language Miss Granger," He hissed at her as her classmates filed in after her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione barely listened as he launched into his lecture and was the last person to collect her ingredients to start her potion. She mixed her potion quietly without really paying attention to where he was in the room and jumped when his voice suddenly came from behind her.

"You have 10 minutes," He called over the classroom.

Hermione looked down at her potion with a scowl as it began to bubble and spurt out purple slime. She had jumped and accidentally dropped too much Lacewing into her cauldron. She backed away from her cauldron as the slime flowed over the side and onto the floor.

"Evinesco," She said quietly and the mess disappeared, her body bumped into someone and she looked up into the angry black eyes of her professor.

"Miss Granger, do not assume that you can clean your mess with magic!" He roared and she stumbled away from him shaking. "50 points from Gryffindor and detention tonight, 8 pm."

Hermione glared at his back as he walked away from her and continued on his way around the room. She threw herself down at her table and scowled at him for the rest of the class until his voice rang out in the silence.

"Bottle your potions and take them up to my desk; do not clean you work stations. Miss Granger will have that happy task tonight in her detention." His silky voice said and she felt herself grow angrier. As the students began to file out of the classroom she grabbed her bag and began to leave the room only to be called back.

"Miss Granger," Snape said. She growled in frustration but turned back to face him. He was standing by his desk staring at her. "Was your potion too hard?" He asked as he walked towards her.

"No sir," Hermione hissed out through clenched teeth.

"Were your ingredients wrong?" He inquired again and she ground her teeth together at his sarcastic tone.

"No, sir."

"Then why did your potion explode?" He probed as he came to stop five feet from her.

"Because I accidentally added too much lacewing," She had to try to keep her voice from shaking. His proximity as well as her anger was making her quake.

"You what?" He pressed.

"I added to much lacewing, sir. Can I go professor; you are not the only class I have to attend today?" She asked flippantly and had to stop herself from smirking when his eyes flashed with anger.

"A further 10 points from Gryffindor Miss Granger, for your cheek." He hissed to her anger clear in his voice.

Hermione rolled her eyes and turned to exit the room but a hand on her arm stopped her. She looked down at it and then up at him, before she raised an eyebrow. "Yes professor?"

She glanced up into his eyes and saw the desire pooled there, he opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off abruptly, "You might want to be careful sir, I'm a student after all, and I'm quite certain there are rules against touching students." He jerked his hand away from her arm and she smirked then left the room. Her mood improved slightly as she heard him growl in anger and frustration behind her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione walked down to her detention with a heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach, she was sure he was pissed, and now she was going to be under his authority in a detention. She knocked on his door and waited for him to bid her to enter before she pushed the door opened and walked into the room.

He was sitting at his desk writing quickly over a piece of parchment and he didn't look up as she walked to his desk. She waited patiently as he continued to write and surveyed him with interest. His handwriting was fluid and graceful, much like the man himself, it flowed across the sheet easily. He wrote for another five minutes before he put the quill aside and finally looked up at her.

"You know what to do," He said briskly, his eyes darting over to the pile of cauldrons waiting for her. She held his gaze when it flicked back to her before she tilted her head to the side in acknowledgement.

She walked over to the cauldrons and pulled her hair into a high bun on the top of her head; she rolled up her sleeves and set to work. The task was not terribly taxing so her mind was able to wonder aimlessly, coming to rest on the situation she had found herself in. She never thought that she'd have to deal with losing her parents; she had hidden them away for this very reason. A fire though, wasn't something she could control, wasn't something she had anticipated. What if she hadn't been a witch? Would she be dead now as well? What if she had gone to them sooner, hadn't gone with Harry and Ron, would they still be alive? Was that something that she could've done? No, she thought, she couldn't have abandoned her best friends; they had needed her.

She'd been so lost in her thoughts she hadn't noticed Snape walking over to her until she heard her name being called.

"Miss Granger!"

"What?" She said hotly, annoyed that her pondering had been interrupted. "What professor?" She asked less harshly when she remembered where she was.

"I think perhaps that cauldron is clean enough, you've been scrubbing it for 20 minutes." He said roughly.

"You came all the way over here, interrupted my thoughts, simply so you could berate the way I'm washing the cauldrons you sent me as punishment?" She tested incredulously.

"Yes—" He began.

"Do you have nothing better to do than to pick on me?" She shot at him hotly.

"What is your problem?" He hissed at her as he closed the distance between them.

"What's my problem? WHAT'S MY PROBLEM?" She shouted at him. "What a loaded bloody question! What is my problem, let's see, the guy that I'm forever tied to hates me, he spent the months I was away from him shagging some dumb bimbo senseless, my parents are dead, and I HATE YOU!" She screamed, her voice so loud that her throat hurt by the time she was done. "You have the audacity to ask me what is wrong; YOU are what's wrong Severus Snape. You are your—your stupid stupidness!" She felt tears well in her eyes and spill over onto her cheeks burning a path down her face. "I trusted you!"

She stood there staring at him as she shook from the force of her release of emotions and just wanted to curl into a ball. Her head swam painfully as she looked into his eyes and she sank to her knees with a sob. Arms wrapped around her and she instantly turned into his chest as well as hitting her fists against him. His arms tightened around her until there was no more room to hit him, so she just started saying she hated him over and over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus held her in his arms until her struggles stopped and her chant of hating him was over. He thought she had fallen asleep until she began to pull away from him. He lowered his head looking into her eyes and his heart squeezed painfully.

"What happened?" He heard himself ask, but his whole being seemed to be zoned in on her.

"What do you mean?"

"What happened when you left my home?" He repeated gently but she pulled away from him.

"Why should I answer your questions? What were you doing while I was gone? Did you shag that woman the same way you shagged me or was I just a special triumph?" Her voice was hard, cutting.

"Why are you so determined that I did anything with that woman?" He questioned as he stood to his feet and stepped away from her.

"I saw you! I saw you with your face attached to hers," Her voice was low and raspy, the wear on her throat still evident.

"You saw what you wanted to see! Had you actually stayed instead of going into a childish tantrum you would have seen that I did not encourage her, nor did I want her there at all." His voice was silken swords as they cut across her already ragged soul.

"You say that now, you've probably grown bored with her, going to go after other students here?" She shot at him and immediately regretted her words as his face turned to stone. His rage was so intense that she actually felt her mark burn on her shoulder and she felt as though she'd just swallowed fire. "I'm—"

"Leave." He whispered in a dangerous voice.

"Now who's being childish? You get mad and you instantly go into your little bubble of hatred and loathing. What's the matter Snape, never learn to deal with human emotions?" She knew she was treading on dangerous ground but she pressed forward. "Why are you so damned determined to push everyone away?"

Severus was trying to rein his temper in, but with his temper was the urge to rise to her bait; to show her that she was the only witch he wanted. He heard as well as felt himself growl low in his throat; he'd never before been in this situation, where the urge to strangle someone with his bare hands warred with his firm belief to never touch his mate, or a woman, in violence. He had heard his dad talk about this happening, it was allegedly supposed to draw a bat's mate to him but if anything he didn't want his mate, his student anywhere near him.

"You left, Miss Granger, not waiting for the reasons or explanation." His voice was calm regardless of the emotional tidal wave that was crashing through him.

"And you didn't follow me. What was I supposed to believe? You didn't come after me; you didn't try to find me!" She accused and his control over his temper finally broke. He grabbed her arms and shoved her back against the table she had been cleaning cauldrons on; the cauldrons fell to the floor but neither of them noticed.

"I wanted to follow you! I tried to send you owls but they all came back. I tried to find you, but even your mark wasn't letting me near you. I could not find you." He admitted quietly. He pushed her onto the table top then dragged her hips forward and ground her against the proof of his desire for her. "Do you feel that? You do this to me, no one else."

Hermione felt her desire flare up as she felt him hard and ready against her but she fought to keep her mind clear. "Why was my mark burning the whole time I was away then? It burned when that woman touched you; you said it tingled when I touched another man. Why was my mark burning the whole time I was gone?"

Severus stepped away from her in frustration and let out another growl. "Mates are meant to stay together for a reason! Your mark tingled and burned because it was the bat part of you, the bat part I put into you through my blood and semen, was trying to get back to me. Did you learn nothing from your reading?"

"None of the books said anything about that; they said nothing about the finer details of bat mates." She replied hotly, her body still on fire from the need that had swamped her system.

"The know-it-all didn't think to ask a question? Merlin, contact the Daily Prophet."

"The great bat from the dungeons making a joke? Merlin's beard, contact the world." She shot back at him and the atmosphere in the room suddenly lost its hostile tension.

He stepped closer to her and reached his hand up to cup her face but she pulled away. "This changes nothing, you—we—I don't want this. I—I don't want you." She said quickly, avoiding his gaze and she turned and fled the room.

Her feet carried her through the castle and out of the front doors, grateful to feel herself shift on her command into her bat form. She tried to take off but she was rusty, not used to flying, it took her two more times of trying to get airborne before she finally felt her claws leave the ground. A noise of delight came from her mouth as she soared over the forbidden forest and circled the sky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus felt her shift into her form as he entered his private quarters but resisted the urge to go to her that flooded his gut. He knew she had been lying when she said she didn't want him. Her eyes had told him a very different story, not to mention her body. He shifted his body trying to find relief from the tight fabric on his crotch but rolled his eyes when nothing helped. He wanted her, he wanted her body under his, around his, to be inside her and feel her come apart. The images of her lying on his desk at his house came back and he groaned again. Thoughts of going and retrieving her, then taking her in the forest against the trees flashed through his mind but he quickly dismissed them.

His hands found their way down to his zipper and freed his straining erection from the tight confines of his trousers. He leaned against the wall as his hand stroked his length slowly as he recalled the images of their last coupling. His other hand came down to rub his nut sack and he immediately let his head fall back. It only took six or seven strokes before he balls tightened and he exploded into his hand groaning out in pleasure.

After he cleaned himself up he walked over to his mantle to pour himself a drink, he drank down the first helping in one swallow and felt the whiskey burn on its way down.

"Damn," He said to the room at large. She was going to be the death of him; he could no longer deny that he wanted her. She annoyed the shite out of him, and perhaps he only wanted her because of her status as his mate; but want her he did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione returned to the castle that night and fell into her bed fully clothed; she was asleep before her head hit the bed. She woke the next morning feeling better than she had felt in over a year, better rested, and her head felt clearer. Her mood dampened slightly however when she remembered that she had potions again that afternoon. Ginny looked up as she sat down and smiled at her.

"Hey, how was your detention yesterday?" Ginny asked as she watched Hermione fill her plate with food.

"The same, I suppose. I had to scrub cauldrons from the day's use." Hermione replied somberly as she bit into her eggs. She wrinkled her nose in distaste as she chewed but swallowed them down. Her stomach gave a hearty growl telling her she was hungry as she pushed her plate away. She looked around the table at the food placed there hoping to see something she saw that looked good. When her eyes landed on a plate of bacon her mouth instantly started to water, so she reached across and grabbed a few pieces; after she had eaten those, she found herself reaching for more.

"Woah, Hermione," Ginny said with amusement in her voice. "You getting ready to start your period or something?" Hermione looked at her oddly for a moment not stopping in her eating. "I always crave meats and such when it's my time of the month."

Hermione stared at her and felt the blood drain from her face; she hadn't had a period since she had left months ago. "I gotta go." She said to Ginny and took off for the Infirmary.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus saw Hermione run from the great hall looking as though she was going to pass out any second. He quickly got up and walked from the hall, turning a corner just in time to see the girl go into the infirmary. Looking up the corridor he checked to see if anyone was coming and then he crept towards the door.

"—Period in months, maybe 4 or 5." He heard Hermione say.

"Well, that can be fixed with a simple test I should think." The school's mediwitch said. There was silence from inside the room and then the nurse started talking again. "Negative, has your diet changed? Been under any real stress perhaps?"

"Yeah, a bit." Hermione responded and he backed away from the door.

He turned on his heel and headed for his first class of the day, his mind racing. Why would she think she was pregnant? Had she been seeing someone while she was in Australia? Anger coursed through him at the thought of her in someone else's arms and he slammed his classroom door open. She dared to accuse him of cheating, or being unfaithful, and yet she was worried about being pregnant because she'd been sleeping with other men.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione walked into potions that afternoon and sat down to wait for Snape to being. He didn't begin the class with his normal lecture however, he simply told them the ingredients they'd need and told them to get to work, and the directions were on the board.

The class looked shocked at his abrupt manner, but decided not to argue with him. Once everyone had started brewing he began to walk the classroom, stopping here and there to berate students. All of them were used to this by now, but he was being particularly nasty today, making everyone nervous and on edge.

"This is shameful, you are in your seventh year at this institution and you have yet to figure out how to follow directions. Do any of you have brains at all? Clear up and get out, you've all failed for today." He snarled at them at the end of the class. There were mumbles around the classroom as the students cleared away their things but with a quick look from their professor, their grumbles were silenced.

Hermione was clearing up and putting her potion into a vial when her shoulder suddenly burned hot making her drop her potion onto the floor. She stared at the glass and liquid as it seeped into the concrete growing annoyed at the constant twinges of pain she kept feeling. The last of the students were trickling out of the classroom while she heard him walk over to her.

"Another zero for today Miss Granger? My, my, what are we going to do with the resident know-it-all having such poor grades?" She heard him sneer behind her and she stiffened. She kept her temper in check as she kneeled down to clean up the mess but his voice cut through the silence again. "How terribly sad it must be to have such troubling things on your mind that you can't even pass potions."

Hermione's temper snapped and she turned on him with anger written clearly on her face. "Going to fail me Professor? Go ahead. I'd love nothing more than to inform the headmistress why you failed me." She saw his body freeze and knew she had his attention. "Why the bloody hell does my shoulder keep hurting all the time?" She shot at him.

"My shoulder is perfectly fine; mayhap you should see the nurse again?"

"I don't need to see—How did you know I went to the nurse? Were you following me?" Anger evident in her voice as she stepped towards him.

"How many men did you sleep with while you were abroad? So many that you're unsure if you're pregnant?" He snapped at her.

"How dare you—"

"How dare I? How dare you Miss Granger?" He said as he closed the gap between them forcing her back against her desk. "Have you forgotten you are mine! You are my mate."

"Oh what a load of shit, sir, I'm not your mate." She hurled back at him standing her ground.

"The mark on your shoulder proves—"

"The mark on my shoulder proves that you bit me, I am not your mate."

"Yes you are, dammit." He hissed at her again.

"I stopped being your 'mate' the moment you found yourself touching another woman. You have no mate." Hermione was furious and both of them were now nearly shouting despite only being inches from each other.

"How many times are you going to beat a dead horse? I did not touch her."

Hermione snorted in disbelief and gathered her things, then made to walk past him, "Right. And I'm the tooth fairy." She made it almost to the door before it slammed in her face and was whirled around to face a red faced Snape.

"Why are you so dead set on challenging me on everything?" He asked in a quiet voice, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Because I get under that tough skin of yours Severus Snape, I get to you, I grate on your nerves, but you can't stand to not be around me; and the bugs the hell out of you." She answered back. "And as much as you hate it, as much as you deny it, you want me." The words had barely left her mouth before he was pressing her against the door, his body firmly touching hers.

"Ah, but you deny it as well, Miss Granger. You want me." He challenged back grinding him hips against hers. Her eyes met his and the challenge hung in the air between them, neither pulling away but neither moving closer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione looked into his face; the only sound in the room was the sound of their breathing. Hers was rapid and shallow; his was calm and level. She marveled at his ability to stay calm in the types of situations most people would sweat in; most situations she'd sweat in. She pushed him away from her roughly and turned to open the door again.

"Running again? What happened to the Hermione Granger who ran after the danger, the woman that ran into a battlefield to help her friends?" His voice said behind her and she froze again.

Her eyes closed as the stinging of tears prickled her eyes again and she breathed in deeply to calm her raging emotions. When she was certain she had them under control she turned back to face him and held her head up, looking him in the eyes. "That woman doesn't exist anymore. That woman died first when she saw you in the arms of another woman, then when you didn't try to find me, then lastly when she lost her parents. That's what happened to that Hermione Granger, professor. She grew up." Her voice was hard, making her sound years older than her nineteen years.

"I don't believe that, I think she's in there. But this wanna-be tough bitch has her gagged and bound." He said. "I am sorry to hear about your parents, I'm sure that was hard to deal with but blaming their actions for your behaviors is a pretty piss-poor way to act mature. They're dead. You think they want to watch over their daughter as she drives herself into the ground?"

Hermione pulled her fist back and sent it flying for his nose but he grabbed her wrist and dragged her against his body before it made contact.

"I strongly recommend hitting me Miss Granger," He said coldly.

"Why are you doing this?" Hermione asked as the control she had over her emotions crumbled slowly. "Why do you insist on pushing me? I'm not made of stone, Snape, and I can't just take your heartless words anymore."

Severus lowered his head to hers till his mouth was inches from hers and whispered quietly, "You may get under my skin, but I scare the shite out of you because you can't control me. The reigns of this relationship are not in your hands Miss Granger, and that infuriates you. You are so damned wrapped up in being in control of everything that anything you can't control, you run from." He shoved him from her roughly and she bumped against his door. "Grow up Miss Granger, don't give me that look, and quit being scared of shit just because you need constant control."

Hermione was shocked at his words; she felt her anger course through her and her tears spilled over her eyes. "Go to hell." She said to him before she opened his door and ran from the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus stared at the spot she had just occupied until her footsteps died away then he stumbled over to a nearby chair and sat down heavily. He lowered his head to his hands and gave a deep sigh, after a moment of focus he had shifted into his bat form and took off out into the corridor. He flew through the castle until he came to an open window and he soared through it. His thoughts were cut off for the moment and he enjoyed the feeling of the wind on his wings. He let out a low cry, and then waited a few minutes before doing it again. A brown bat suddenly flew towards him and joined him in his flight, both bats moving in sync seeming to move as one.

Nott let out a low cry, which Severus answered with his own and they flew towards a clump of trees transforming smoothly so that their feet touched the ground gently.

"What's wrong?" Nott asked instantly, looking at Severus' face.

"She's what's wrong! She's—she's—" Severus tried to get out but Nott interrupted.

"She's just like you."

"What? I am nothing like her!" He proclaimed indignantly.

"Please Severus, you both feel like you have to be in control and any sign that you don't have control you run." Nott said bluntly.

"I—" Severus began but shut his mouth. Nott was right, she was just like him. "What do I even do? She's completely different, she's come back different than when she left."

"Did you expect her to change? Merlin's pants Severus," Nott said in a tone that was exasperated.

"I don't know; I don't know how to handle her now." Severus admitted grudgingly.

"You need to figure it out Severus, she's your mate. You know what happens if she's not by you, you know the consequences of being estranged from your mate and you know what happens if you go too long without—"

"I get the picture Nott," Severus snapped, he sighed. "I apologize, I know, but it's not that easy."

"Why not?"

"She still thinks that Leighanna was something more than what she is. She thinks that—"

"Then tell her otherwise, show her otherwise. Swallow that damned pride of yours and suck it up." Nott said angrily and transformed into his bat form, he flew low over Severus and clipped the back of his head with his wings.

"Thanks Nott!" Severus shouted after his friend but transformed as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione was sitting at a table in the library attempting to study but her mind kept running through the conversation between herself and Snape. She was still shaking with anger as she tried to read the book on ancient witchcraft in the Middle Ages but it was useless. With a grunt of anger she threw the book across the library and placed her head in her hands.

She thought over the words Snape had said to her and tried to stay mad but the truth in his words made it hard. Her head cleared slowly which allowed her mind to think clearly, something that seemed impossible when she was around him.

She slammed her books back into her bag then shrunk her bag into her pocket; and walked quickly back through the library, through the castle, and out of the front doors. She focused on her body, on her mark, and felt her body shift into a bat. The feel of the wind coursing by under her wings made her heart soar and all the worries she had left. Flying had come back to her quickly; she had learned how to glide through the air with merely a small adjustment of her body.

A sharp cry came from her left and she looked to see a bat with pristine white feathers and a solid black body. There was a single feather on its wing that was pitch black, it stood out in sharp contrast against the other feathers. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen and for a reason she didn't understand she wanted more than anything to be with this bat. Her body followed her unknowing command and she found herself suddenly flying next to the other bat; soaring gracefully through the air without any real thought given to what she was doing. Another cry sounded through the air causing her to look around at the bat and saw it descend towards the ground; she followed without thought, and focused on transforming back into a human.

Her body hit the ground and she gave out an unlady-like grunt but a hand reached out to help her up. She followed the hand up the arm, up the body into the black eyes of Severus Snape and her heart split open with so many different emotions she couldn't name them all. When she placed her hand in his the electrified feeling she had felt all those months ago burst across her skin giving her goose bumps. He pulled her up and she hit his chest hard with another grunt and she raised her head up to look in his eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus searched her eyes looking for the anger she had displayed earlier, the absolute loathing that had been written in every line of her body but he saw nothing of the sort. Her honey brown eyes were alight with the same daring fire he had seen on the night of the battle when she had faced him, fought him. His eyes flicked down to her lips to see them parted in her breathing, which was rapid both from the excitement of flying as well as their close proximity. His body was on fire from the need of her, the need to have her again.

"Are you done running?" He asked her quietly, his voice only a whisper but still loud in the darkened silence of the forest.

"I—I don't know," She answered him, her eyes searching his face as if looking for some proof of a lie. "I'm scared."

"Fear is a good thing to acknowledge Miss Granger," He said, his voice still soft. His eyes met hers again and he saw his desire for her mirrored in her eyes. "I'll ask you again, are you finished running?" His lips were inches from hers as he asked his questioned her.

Hermione looked into his face and felt no hatred or anger at her that she had previously felt. She felt calmer than she had in longer than she had remembered, safer than she had since before the war, before her world had been shattered by Voldemort. She could feel his heart beating against her chest and her own heart seemed to have restarted to beat in time with his. Her eyes moved from his eyes to his lips then back again and she sighed softly. "Yes."

He seemed to be waiting for this answer because as soon as she said it his mouth lowered to hers in a kiss that sent fire bursting from her shoulder across her body and spiraling down to her stomach. His mouth forced hers opened and she let him in with no protest, her tongue warred with his and she placed a hand behind his head holding him against her. A groan echoed through his chest as his hands went to her hips and he pulled her against him. Her hands slid from his head and shoulders down to the buttons of his frock coat, he broke the kiss and tipped his head back to give her freer access. When all the buttons were undone she pushed his frock and shirt from his body to reveal his white torso to her. His own hands reached to do pull her shirt over her head and he made quick work of her bra as well, and then pulled her into his chest so that their bodies touched.

The night was chilled but not enough that they noticed as their mouths met again in a silent battle of dominance. He forced her to walk backwards till her back met that of a tree trunk and she gasped when the rough bark rubbed against her back. His hips ground against her and she let out a moan, his lips left hers to burn a trail of kisses across her jaw and down her neck. She felt like he was breathing fire onto her skin and her head swam dizzily.

"Why—why do you do this to me?" She asked him as he continued his assault against her neck and shoulder.

"Do what?" He queried in between kisses, he moved his attention downwards to her breasts and her back arched when his lips closed around her nipples.

"This? This way I react to you," She said trying to remain focused on her thoughts but his sinful mouth on her breast was making it difficult.

He didn't answer her question but rather dropped to his knees and pulled her down so that she was kneeling with him before pushing her down gently. Softness at her back made her look under her to see that he had conjured a blanket for her. His kisses continued their way down her stomach from her breasts until she felt him part her legs with his shoulders. Her hips jerked of their own accord when his fingers parted her slicked lips. He waited for her to calm and still before he lowered his mouth to taste her essence.

Hermione's head spun with desire as he ran his tongue down her slit and around her entrance before he moved his mouth up to encircle her clit. She tried to focus on the sensation of his lips around her sensitive bud but he slipped a finger into her wet passage and she pressed her head into the ground behind her.

Severus marveled at the feel of her around him fingers and the taste of her in his mouth; she tasted like honey, only more salty, but with the same sweetness. He could feel her muscles flexing around his finger, and he added another one with a moan as her body reacted to the invasion. She was tight, but hot and wet; he reapplied his tongue to her clit and heard her take a gasping breath. Her muscles tightened around his fingers in a squeezing grip before she shuddered and came apart with a moan of pleasure.

Light burst in front of Hermione's eyes as she felt herself tip over the cliff after her release and she was still dazed from the power of her climax when she felt him shift. He nudged her legs further apart with his then settled between them, he positioned himself at her entrance then pushed slowly into her. Her heart felt like it would explode; never had she felt such a sense of rightness, a sense of belonging than in that moment. When he was fully seated in her he stilled and looked down at her, studying her face.

"This is where I belong," it wasn't a question; but rather a statement that she couldn't argue with. He withdrew from her just as slowly as he had entered, then thrust in again. His strokes were slow and steady, but they ignited Hermione's already sparked desire.

She leaned up to capture his lips in a searing kiss and he picked up his pace thrusting quicker now. He placed a hand on her hip and showed her how to move against him, guiding her to raise her hips when he thrust in so that he was as deep as he could be on his inward stroke. Once she got the hang of moving he removed his hand from her hip and brought it up to clutch her shoulder. He was thrusting harder now, catching her clit when he thrust in and she felt her body tense.

Severus looked down into her eyes, the brown color now pools of trust, desire, and admiration. He closed his eyes and groaned as her body tightened around him, squeezing him like a glove. He opened his eyes to look down at her when her body tensed, the sight of her coming undone under him sent his own pleasure over the edge.

"Severus," she moaned as her body continued to shudder from her pleasure and the sound of his name made his own release speed up his spine.

His hips thrust hard and fast into her body as his seed shot hotly into her over and over each spurt accompanied by the groan of pleasure from him. Hermione watched his face as he continued to flex his hips reflexively riding out his orgasm. His head dropped forward onto her shoulder so he could catch his breath, he pulled out of her, but didn't roll off of her.

"You realize that this changes almost nothing," She said softly. He picked his head up to look at her eyes flashing dangerously with anger. "We still have much to talk about." She offered further and the anger faded from his eyes almost instantly.

"I know, Miss—" He started to say but she shook her head.

"Hermione." She corrected him.

"Hermione," He tried out; her face broke into a broad grin at her first name being spoken in his smooth voice. "I know, Hermione."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione didn't know how long they lay on the ground surrounded by the trees and the night but she shivered when she suddenly felt her skin get wet. She turned her head to look at Snape and saw him staring up into the canopy of the forest.

After a few minutes of watching him she took a deep breath, "Now what?"

There was no response from the man lying next to her for a long time, but as she opened her mouth to say something else he finally answered.

"We work it out." He said in his smooth silky voice. He glanced at her and she nodded slowly still unsure about what he meant, but as he got up he explained. "I'm not an easy person to be with Miss—Hermione."

She slowly stood to her feet as well feeling the aches from her thighs and hips from their coupling. "I would surely die of boredom if you were easy." She smirked at the reproachful look he shot her but shrugged.

"I do have a question though?" She said as they began to walk through the trees back towards the castle.

"Only one? My, I am certainly impressed," Severus said good-naturedly and she glared at him.

"Oh, ha ha. What—what about her? The woman you were with—before?" She asked uncertainly. She heard his sigh of frustration and bit her lip. "Never mind, forget I asked; it's not my business."

"Miss—Hermione, stop," He said calmly and grabbed her wrist when she tried to continue walking. "I'm assuming you know some Occlumency?" When she nodded and lowered her eyes, he tipped her head up till her honey-brown ones met his coal black ones.

Hermione stared into his eyes until she felt like she was falling through them, a moment later she was standing next to him looking at a frozen image.

"What the hell?" She thought but heard her own voice echo around the space.

"We're in my mind; I want you to watch this." Severus' voice said and the image in front of her suddenly began to move. She saw herself lying on his desk through his eyes and blushed bright red at the thoughts he had in his memory. She watched as Nott came in to tell him that there was someone there for him. He walked from the room and down the stairs to see his old acquaintance and lover Leighanna standing there. When she noticed him she threw herself into his arms and pressed her lips to his; anger shot through Hermione at the sight again but she could hear his thoughts this time, could feel the disgust and anger coursing through his system.

"Leighanna, what are you doing here?" He asked the woman in a cold voice.

"I came to see you Severus, I missed you."

"We cannot do this Leighanna, I have a mate." He had responded keeping his voice hard and cold.

Hermione felt herself being shoved from his mind at that point and her head gave a painful throb. She quickly turned from him and bent over emptying everything she had in her stomach onto the forest floor. Hands came up to hold her hair back while she continued to vomit, she body was shaking from the force of her heaves, and she felt a cooling sensation on her neck. When the heaving stopped she stood back up and leaned against Severus.

"I apologize, I should have asked if you had ever done that before," He said softly his concern clear in his voice.

"I've—I haven't ever done anything past probing the fore-front of someone's mind." Hermione rasped out trying to settle her stomach. Severus walked a little ways away from her clearly looking for something, he appeared to have found it because he bent then stood and walked back over to her.

"Here, eat this." He said as he handed her three leaves from a plant. "It'll help," He said when she gave him a questioning look.

She took the leaves and put them in her mouth, chewed and swallowed instantly feeling the uneasiness in her stomach settle. The taste of vomit left her mouth as well as peppermint filled her senses.

"Peppermint leaves," She said and he nodded in confirmation. The memory she had seen came back to her and she flushed with embarrassment. "I'm—erm—sorry."

"What for?" He questioned as they continued on their path, occasionally walking ahead of her to hold branches aside.

"Accusing you, not knowing the whole story," Hermione said softly as she walked by him.

"Where did you go?" He queried.

"Australia. To find my parents. I found them, in the ground, dead for nine months. My mother—She was expecting, I would have had a younger sibling, and now—Now I have no one. No family." Hermione said thickly, tears filling her eyes quickly then spilling down her cheeks.

Severus watched her as she came to a stop and buried her face in her hands; the shaking of her shoulders told him that she was sobbing. He thought for a moment then walked forward and pulled her into his chest. "Let me show you something."

"But, classes, it's almost morning." She said looking away from him to where the castle was located but he gripped her chin in his hand.

"It won't take long, come." He transformed a moment later and waited until she followed suit before the pair of them took off into the sky.

The feeling of flying next to him came back to her stronger than before but this time she understood why. He was her mate, her companion, she was meant to be beside him whether in the air or on the ground. She was meant to stand or fly beside him in every area of life; her body floated closer to his and he looked over at her in surprise but let out a cry to her. The landscape flew past them and she knew by the change in the smell of the air that they were flying away from Hogwarts. After about 30 minutes of flying they started to descend, finally reaching the ground and transforming an hour from where they started.

"Where are we?" Hermione asked as she looked around. They were standing on a rock cliff looking over the water directly in front of a cave.

"Come with me, don't be afraid." He reassured her when she hesitated. She felt magic slide over her body as they walked into the cave but she didn't get the feeling of needing to defend herself. They stopped in front of a stone wall but after a muttered word from Severus, they walked straight through the wall.

"What the-?" Hermione said in amazement as her eyes adjusted to the light. They were standing in what looked like a house, only built inside a cave. There were rooms off the main one they were standing in and it didn't smell stale or dank like she expected it to. The house inside a cave wasn't even the most amazing part, no, what was even more amazing was that there were people sitting on couches, chairs, and cots either reading or talking with the others. A fire was roaring in the mock fireplace that had been built.

"Welcome to the bat pack," Severus said looking back at her and cocking an eyebrow, he walked further into the room and the people sitting or lying around instantly stood up.

Hermione watched them come up to Severus and shake his hand or say a quick word of greeting. Someone bumped into her shoulder making her stumble forward and she turned to glare at the person only to break into a wide grin.

"Nott!" She said as she ran to him and he enclosed her in a large hug. She put her face into his shoulder and breathed in the reassuring scent she had come to associate with him.

"Hey, how are you?" He asked her but as she opened her mouth to respond a female voice came from behind her that made her blood run cold.

"Severus, I knew you couldn't stay away."

Hermione looked up at Nott's face to see him looking at the woman that had spoken and then his eyes flicked down to hers. She caught sight of something close to panic in his eyes before he masked it and looked away from her. She turned to see the same woman, Leiganna, standing a few inches from Severus. Though there were several other people in the room, she seemed to be acting as though they were alone. She looked around and noticed that the people that had been standing around Severus before had now backed away from the four of them leaving a large space. Leighanna reached a hand out to Severus' cheek but Hermione's body was in-between them in an instant without knowing how she had actually gotten there.

Leighanna looked down in fury at her and sneered, "What's this Severus, a play thing of yours. Move along little girl, the adults are talking." The woman attempted to push Hermione out of the way but a growling noise started radiating from Hermione's throat.

"Back up bitch," Hermione said in a voice she barely recognized, her voice had taken on a deeper more husky tone. The growling she realized, was coming from her own throat and though she tried to stop it, she found she couldn't.

Leighanna's eyes grew wide at the little slip of a girl in front of her and she reached out a hand and shoved the girl aside. "I don't know who you think you are brat, but I am not someone—"

SLAP.

Hermione watched in satisfaction as Leighanna's head slammed to the side as she slammed the back of her hand across the older woman's face. She put herself back in front of Severus' body as the woman shot glares at her.

"Leighanna, my mate, Hermione Granger," Severus' voice said from behind him and Hermione felt an arm wrap around her waist pulling her against his chest and torso.

"You must be joking, Severus, she's a child. I didn't know you were one to screw pups." Leighanna snarled.

Severus felt as well as heard Hermione start growling again and his desire flared up once again. He fought down his own need in face of the situation he found himself in. He had actually been shocked that Hermione had hit the woman, though he didn't have any complaints.

"I am his mate, if you touch him, contact him, or so much as breathe in his direction I will make that pretty face of yours not so pretty. Get out." Hermione said calmly, taking strength from Severus' chest again her back.

"Why you little bit—" Leighanna said but Severus cut her off.

"I do believe my mate told you to leave."

Leighanna stared at him in disbelief before she lowered her gaze to Hermione, hatred flashed in her eyes and she raised her hand. Before it could make contact with Hermione's face she was thrown backwards across the cave and hit a wall, then slumped to the floor unconscious. Hermione looked down at her hand in stunned silence before looking up at Severus. She saw fiery desire in his eyes and she felt her own rise up to meet his.

"Well, about time someone got rid of her," Nott's voice said breaking her and Severus' heated gaze.

There were sounds of agreement around the room and the group of people walked up to her to greet her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time the two of them left the pack it was nearly daybreak, Hermione tried to transform into her bat form but after several time of trying she was unsuccessful.

"I can't do it," Hermione said down to Severus as he had transformed into his bat form before her. She blinked and the man was standing in front of her again looking at her in concern.

"What's wrong?" His voice was laced with concern for her.

"I'm—so tired." Hermione said on a yawn and she walked over to the rock wall behind her and leaned against it. Severus walked over to her and pressed his hand against her mark, a second later she was looking up at him from her own bat form. She huffed in frustration at him but he merely chuckled at her.

"Stay here, I'll be right back." Severus said before he walked back inside the cave. He looked around the room until he saw the brown head of hair he was looking for. "Nott!" He called across the room and the man in question looked up. "I need your help." He and Nott walked back outside to find Hermione curled up in her bat form sound asleep.

"Think she'll awaken?" Nott asked him looking down at his friend's mate.

"Unlikely. She's been through a lot the past few months." Severus answered. At Nott's questioning look he quickly added. "She went to Australia to find her parents, only to get there and find that they had died. With a baby on the way." Nott nodded his head.

"What do you need?"

"Help me get her back to Hogwarts?" Severus asked and Nott nodded his head. Severus transformed first and waited for Nott to join him. Once they were both transformed, Severus cried to Nott and took off into the air, Nott grabbed Hermione gently in his claw then took off smoothly.

The trip back to Hogwarts took very little time at all, and the corridors were empty due to everyone still sleeping. When the trio made it back to Severus' quarters, Severus transformed and led Nott into his room and motioned for Nott to lay Hermione on the bed. Once he had deposited her, Nott smoothly transformed back into his human form as well.

"How long will she sleep do you think?" Nott asked.

"At least till afternoon," Severus whispered as he led the way back out of his room. He looked around to see Nott staring longingly at his couch. "Go on."

"What?"

"Get some sleep; I know you are as used to being awake during the day as I am." Severus said and his friend nodded then made himself comfortable on the couch. Severus dressed in his teaching attire and checked on Hermione once more before he left his quarters and headed to breakfast.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day passed fairly quickly, and without any incident. He had spoken to Minerva about Hermione being sick so she was excused from classes for the day.

"Miss Lovegood," Severus called as his 6th years exited his classroom for the last class of the day.

The blonde Ravenclaw prefect turned back into his classroom and walked to his desk. "Yes Professor Snape?"

"I require you to gather Miss Granger's work for today and bring it down to my quarters." He said, his voice still in the authoritative tone he always had.

"Yes sir." She replied airily as she turned to go.

"Miss Lovegood, I have not told you how to get to my quarters," Severus called in mild amusement.

"Oh, I already know how to get there sir, the door just before your classroom door leads to your quarters." Her voice held slight amusement.

"How in merlin's name do you know that?" Severus asked in outrage.

"The wackspurts of course." Severus stared after the girl in confusion but followed her out of the classroom and up to the Great Hall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione woke up to a dark room and she shot upright, only to fall back against the pillows holding her head. She heard voices coming from somewhere outside of the room she was in, so she got up slowly trying not to move too quickly, and lit her wand to find the door. When she walked through the door she saw Severus, Nott, and Luna standing in Severus' living room.

"—Then she just slapped the woman." Nott was saying to Luna and they both started laughing.

"Uh, hi," Hermione said and the three people turned to look at her. Luna looked unsurprised to see her standing there and merely waved her hand vaguely at her.

"Are you feeling better?" Severus asked from where he was standing by the mantle looking at her. His face was thrown into relief by the light of the fire in the fireplace, and she nodded slowly at him.

"Hello Luna," She said smiling politely at the blonde girl sitting by Nott.

"Hello Hermione, how long have you been Severus' mate?" Luna asked her voice just as vague as always.

Hermione's eyes shot to Severus but he was staring at the sixth year with a suspicious look. "How did you—?" Hermione asked her voice cracking slightly.

"Your auroras of course, they match. They're very pretty, all purple's and blues, but both pure white in the center." Luna said staring at the space around the two of them. The other three people in the room were staring at her with different expressions; Severus with outrage and disbelief, Hermione with humor and amazement, Nott with admiration and wonder. Hermione's eyes narrowed as she studied Nott, the way his body was turned to face Luna and the way his eyes were searching over his face as though he'd never seen anything like her before.

"You can't tell anyone about this Luna," Hermione warned turning her attention away from Nott and back towards the threat of exposure. "This has to stay a secret."

"Can't tell anyone what?" Luna inquired looking at her straight in the eye. Luna had always been a bubble head, and Hermione had always thought she was crazy; but when their eyes met an understanding passed between them. "I must get back to my dormitory; I'm reading a story about the Crumple-horned snorkack."

"I'll walk you," Nott volunteered, jumping out of his chair. Luna smiled at him and the two of them left through the door that led to the corridor.

Hermione waited until they were gone before she turned her attention back to Severus and raised her eyebrows at him. "Why was Luna here?"

"I asked Miss Lovegood to bring your homework you missed," Severus said as he sat down on the couch Luna had just vacated.

Hermione walked over to where he was sitting and leaned against the couch arm. "Why not Ginny?" She asked momentarily forgetting that he wasn't aware that the female Weasley knew.

"Why would I ask Miss Weasley?" He said curiously looking up at her. She avoided his gaze and she felt him tense. "Hermione, why would I ask Miss Weasley?"

"Because I told her when I was staying at the Burrow," Hermione mumbled under her breath.

"What?" He hissed through clenched teeth.

"Because I told her when—" Hermione began to repeat.

"I heard you the first time!" Severus snarled as he shot to his feet.

"Then why did you ask what I said?" Hermione exclaimed angrily. "How could you even hear that?"

"I have heightened hearing and smelling."

"She noticed something was wrong when I went over there, and she asked." Hermione answered the question she knew he wanted to ask. "Wait—If your smell scents are heightened shouldn't be you able to smell if I've been with another man?"

"I can smell if you've been with another man," He answered unconcernedly.

"Then why did you accuse me of sleeping with Ron?" She felt her anger spike again.

"I can't smell that, I can smell if you've been around another man. I can smell everything about you." Hermione watched as he walked over to her and leaned in close. "I can smell your hair, the vanilla shampoo you use. I can smell your body wash, and your perfume, you spritz it behind your ear and on your wrists." He kissed her neck and she shivered, but the nagging questions she wanted answered kept her head from clouding.

"You didn't answer me, why did you have Luna bring my homework?" Hermione pressed him. She looked up at his face to see the corners of his mouth twitching. "What? Tell me."

"I want to shut Nott up, he's far too smug in his—freedom." Severus claimed looking down at her with a smirk.

"You really think he's going to fall for that? He's what? 30?" Hermione said skeptically.

Severus chuckled and shook his head, "He's my age. We went to school together, and if he had been able to—" Severus started to say but Nott entered the room at that moment. Hermione and Severus raised their eyebrows at him with identical looks of amusement.

"You guys could be mirror images when you do that," Nott commented as he walked over to the couch and flopped back down. "What?" He asked looked between the two of them staring at him.

"Care to explain what you were doing walking her to her dorm?" Severus asked and Hermione crossed her arms as she nodded.

"Well, it is dangerous isn't it? Walking alone through the school being a girl," Nott replied convincing no one.

"Indeed." Severus commented his disbelief clear in his voice. He and Hermione shared a look making Nott frown.

"Listen you two, no—no matchmaking or whatever you're planning. No schemes." Nott accused as he sat forward leaning closer to Severus.

Hermione gave him a wide-eyed innocent look that clearly said, "I'd never do that." Nott and Severus snorted their humor and Hermione's eyes narrowed as she glared at the two of them. "Well, I am going back to my dorm if you two are going to gang up on me." She walked towards the door prepared to exit the room when Severus' voice called her back.

"I believe you are forgetting something," He said, his voice silky making her shiver.

Hermione smirked as she turned around and walked back over to Nott, "Of course, sorry Nott." She kissed the top of his head before she walked over to Severus and patted the top of his head. "See you tomorrow Severus."

Severus growled as he pulled her wrist from his head and dragged her to him bringing her lips down to his at once. Their tongues warred against each other and Severus nipped her lower lip making her moan out against his mouth. Severus pulled her down into his lap and she shifted her hips when his hardness pressed against the apex of her thighs. Nott cleared his voice from behind them alerting her to his presence again. She scrambled quickly off his lap and to her feet with her face bright red.

"I'll see you later," She said quickly before practically sprinting from the room. Severus glared at Nott in frustration but Nott merely smiled at him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HGSS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione walked into supper and her eyes shifted immediately to the head table where she saw Severus, and to her surprise, Nott. She smiled slightly at Severus when his eyes jerked up to hers after a nudge from Nott. The corners of his lips lifted up minutely in greeting but he dropped his eyes back down to his food. Nott grinned widely at her but she simply rolled her eyes as she sat down at Gryffindor table.

She'd just started eating her meat pie when she felt someone sit next to her and she looked around into the eyes of Draco Malfoy.

"Hello Draco," Hermione said after she'd swallowed, the pair was getting glares and curious glances from the other tables but they were ignored.

"Hermione, have you gotten any letters lately?" Draco asked her quietly.

"What kind of letters?"

"From—from my father maybe?" His voice and body language showed that he was nervous.

"No…Why would your father write me?" Hermione asked him. Draco's steel gray eyes met her and she was startled to see fear in them.

"Can we go somewhere? To talk," She almost said no until his eyes sought hers again and she saw the silent plea in them.

"Yeah, alright." He stood up first and grabbed her wrist, dragging her behind him out of the hall. She felt a set of eyes follow the two of them but didn't look back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nott nudged Severus and when the other man looked up, he nodded at the table where Malfoy's spawn had just sat next to Hermione. The two men watched Hermione and Draco converse, the boy was notably agitated. Severus scowled when he saw Draco stand and drag Hermione behind him; his mark burning because of the touch added to his anger. He looked over at Nott and raised an eyebrow, causing Nott to stand and unobtrusively follow the two students out of the great hall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione jerked her wrist out of Draco's grasp once they were out of the Great Hall, and led him up the stairs to an empty classroom. The two of them stepped inside and she placed up wards around the room guaranteeing privacy.

"What is this about?" Hermione asked angrily.

"I think my father may try to contact you, try to lure you out of the castle so that he can hurt Snape." Draco proclaimed uneasiness in his voice.

"Why does he want to hurt Snape?" Hermione inquired.

"My father isn't very pleased that Snape was a traitor that helped bring down the Dark Lord."

"Your father didn't even fight, he turn and ran once he realized Harry survived, again." Hermione told him, confused as to why Lucius would react this way.

"Don't ask me to decode the crazy man's actions," Draco snapped.

"Well, if he sends me any letters I'll be sure to burn them." Hermione snapped back as she lifted the wards but Draco grabbed her arm before she could leave the room.

"Be—be careful. I know the type of man my father is and the things he can do." Draco warned putting his face close to hers. She tipped her head to the side when she saw something flash in his eyes but it was gone so quickly she shrugged it off.

Hermione pulled her arm away and left the room but didn't head back to the great hall; instead she started walking towards the Gryffindor portrait hall. She may have put on a brave face with Draco but the thought of Lucius Malfoy coming after her scared her. As she rounded a corner the hairs on her neck stood up in a way that alerted her to someone watching her. She picked up her pace as she walked towards her destination but the sound of footsteps behind her made her walk faster until she was almost running. When she rounded another corner she slammed into a body and she screamed until a hand covered her mouth.

"Hermione, hey, quit screaming," Nott said as she screamed against her hand. Her terrified eyes met his and he lifted his hand quickly. "What happened? Why were you running?"

"Someone was following me," She gasped, tears of relief filling her eyes. Nott's eyes flashed suddenly and he pushed her back against a bit of wall that was in shadow behind a statue. His eyes met hers and he raised a finger to his lips, waiting till she nodded before he looked around the statue. He could hear footsteps but was unable to see anyone. A scent hit his nose that he knew and his blood froze in his lungs.

"Is someone there?" She whispered quietly into his chest. She felt him nod against her head and felt more tears well in her eyes. Her eyes widened with fear as the footsteps continued but came to a stop on the other side of where they were hiding.

Nott pressed his mouth to her ear and said "sh" in a low voice. Her mark was burning painfully alerting her to the fact that Nott's body was pressed fully against hers, not that she was going to pull away from him. A sob escaped her and his hand came up to press her head and mouth into his chest just below his shoulder. The footsteps walked closer to them and she was suddenly yanked from Nott, a red flash of light later and she was thrown back against the wall blackness claiming her vision.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus stayed in the Great Hall waiting for Nott to return, but when his shoulder felt like it had been set on fire, he got up quickly and left the hall. Once into the entrance hall he heard footsteps heading up the stairs so he walked towards them, catching the scent of Hermione, Nott, and another person. His blood froze in his veins as the scent hit his brain alerting him to who it was. His pace increased as he followed the trail, the burning in his shoulder increased substantially making his steps falter. Anger and concern coursed through his body, his mark would only burn this badly if Hermione was in full contact of another man. Her entire body would have to be touching him in order for the pain to be this full force and without stopping. He rounded a corner and saw Lucius Malfoy, wearing clothes two times too small, standing in the middle of the corridor in front of a statue. Movement behind the statue told him that there was someone behind it, and when his ears picked up Nott telling someone to shush, he realized that Nott had Hermione behind the statue. The anger that had flashed up suddenly now simmered down as he took in the situation. Lucius walked towards the statue and reached behind it, pulling out a fighting Hermione, and Severus reacted on pure instinct.

Red light flashed from his wand as he pointed it at Lucius sending both the blonde haired man and his mate flying across the corridor and into the opposite wall. Nott peeked out from behind the statue and was relieved to see Severus standing there. Lucius was standing to his feet pointing Draco's wand at Nott and Severus alternately. Hermione was still slumped against the floor a small drip of blood sliding down her forehead.

"Why are you here Lucius?" Severus growled pulling his eyes from his mate to deal with the immediate threat.

"You are to blame for the Dark Lord falling; you are to blame for my family's current position." Lucius snarled, his face was gaunt and his body showed the wear Azkaban had inflicted.

"Time to pay up." He flicked his hand and stunned Nott who hadn't been expecting it. He ducked under the curse Severus threw at him and grabbed Hermione's leg; he sneered at Severus showing filthy teeth before he grabbed something from his boot and said "Revenge."

An instant later he and Hermione were gone leaving Severus to stare at the place they had been with fear. He ran to Nott and dropped to his knees sighing with relief when he felt the pulse of the other man. "Renervate," He said in a gravelly voice, trying to keep his panic and fear from overwhelming him.

Nott blinked slowly and groaned as he opened his eyes, Severus pulled him into a sitting position. Everything that had happened came back to him suddenly and he looked around the corridor then up at his friend with a horrified expression.

"He took her?" Severus nodded. "Do you know where?" A shake of the head. "Now can we kill him?" Nott asked as he climbed slowly to his feet his body aching.

"Now we go kill him," Severus replied with anger in his voice and murder in his eyes.