For weeks Hermione stayed at Severus' home in complete safety. She was not allowed to go to work for fear that Ron might show up there. So for the time being Hermione relegated herself to Severus' library. When she had asked to see his library she was shocked that there were no restrictions to what she could read. She had expected him to make the dark arts books off limits.
"So it's okay to read the dark arts books as well?" she asked hesitantly.
"Having taught you for six years and known that you are not one for the side of the dark I can confidently trust you to read those books without being poisoned." Severus had paid her a complement. "And a lot of what is considered dark arts is actually old magic." So, after that admonition Hermione kept herself busy day in and day out doing nothing but reading. The only time she didn't read was when Severus forced her to eat something or when she slept.
After a month at his place Severus began to notice Hermione more. She had gained some weight now that he was making her eat three meals a day, and sleeping normal hours, and she was doing what she loved most. Occasionally she would go looking for him in the house to ask him a question or to help him in whatever needed to be done in the lab for a potion. Severus was confident in her capabilities and he could see confidence and independence returning as well but he was starting to wonder if being inside for so long was the right thing. Even Severus could get cabin fever from staying in for too long.
"Hermione?" Asked Severus as he walked in to the library. She was on the floor surrounded by books, scrolls, and muggle notebooks and pens.
"Yes." She answered as she looked up at him. There was a slight smirk on Severus' face but she did not question it.
"I was planning on going hunting for some ingredients, would you care to join me?"
"I'd love to." She answered as she jumped to her feet. "When?"
"Tonight around seven." Then Severus turned and left the room leaving a positively giddy Hermione in the library. Hermione returned to her self inflicted studying while Severus tended to his plants in the green house. It was always warm in the green house so Severus did not need a jacket or his robes. Once he was done he noticed that it was late and it was his turn to make dinner so he set to it. An hour later he got Hermione from the library to sit with him and eat dinner. He was happy having her in the house with him. She was quiet mostly and when there was conversation it was always intelligent, something very hard to come by with anyone else he knew. He liked the fact that she had calmed since her schooling but he did not like the series of events that had caused this change in her. But she was healthy and safe now.
At half past five Hermione cleared the table and cleaned the dishes as Severus went and got the necessary supplies for their night hunting. Once she was done Severus had everything in two sacks, one for each of them. Hermione grabbed her jacket and slung the strap of the sack over her and they set off into the night.
"If I may ask what are we hunting for?"
"There are a few trees around here that only flower at night. And they can only grow here." He answered as they walked in to the night. Severus led the way in to the dark with his wand lit a light blue just enough to make out their surroundings without blinding them. Then without warning Severus stopped and he put out the light. Instinctively Hermione stopped and had her wand at the ready. Severus noticed and placed a hand on her shoulder as if to say it was all right. He bent down and picked up a stone and tossed it in front of them. It was then that the surrounding foliage had lit up to a blue/purplish glow.
"Bioluminescent." Hermione whispered.
"Exactly, we need some of those too. I'll be getting the plants from up high while you harvest these." He ordered as he walked away. Hermione and Severus immediately got to work. For a moment she was angry that he had not let her harvest the night flowering blooms until she realized it would require flight. He remembered her dislike of heights. For a few hours they harvested in silence until their sacks were full. Hermione stood in the remaining glowing plants waiting for Severus. Unbeknownst to her Severus was high in the tree branches looking down at her. Unexpectedly a ring of light surrounded him.
"Plan on coming down? You look like a crow." She said smiling. Hermione had cast Homonum Revelio wordlessly and without her wand. Severus made to the ground landing as gracefully as ever.
"We should get back." He said as he walked past her. Hermione chuckled to herself and followed. When they got back the sacks were placed on separate tables in the greenhouse and they both went to bed that night. Hermione could not fall asleep as quickly as she'd liked so she resorted to reading one of the books she found in Severus' library. Severus on the other hand lay in bed thinking on what Hermione had just done. She had just cast a somewhat complicated spell without wand or words. He wasn't sure if it was her pure power or if this was a result of her reading his books but he liked it. Maybe if she kept on she could really defend herself if for some reason Ron got to her.