Chapter 9: A Night of Bonding
Only a few days later, Hermione hung behind the others after Transfiguration class to discuss a question she'd had about the Animagus transformation. During her discussion with Professor McGonagall, the Headmaster's face appeared in the office fire. "Minerva, I was wondering if you have those reports ready for me. Hello, Miss Granger." The last was tacked onto the question with mild surprise.
"I can bring it over on my way to dinner, Albus."
"I really would like to get a look at them before that. Could you send Miss Granger to my office with them? I believe she has a free period right now."
How does he know that? "I'd be happy to help, Professor," Hermione said.
"I'll see you soon then." His eyes twinkled at her and he disappeared with a pop.
"Well, Miss Granger, I have a book that gives more information on the process than what you will have seen elsewhere." The professor turned to her long bookshelf and ran her finger along the backs, stopping at a slim volume with a muted purple cover. The book was titled, Uncovering the Animal Within.
"I appreciate it, Professor." Hermione clasped the volume carefully like the treasure it was, then took an envelope with the Headmaster's reports and said goodbye.
After walking fifty feet, Hermione stashed the envelope in her rucksack, then continued her journey. She carefully opened the book, unable to wait to see what new things she might learn.
The gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office jumped aside as soon as she drew near, and Hermione reluctantly closed the book as she took the last turn in the stairs. It was a fascinating process, and she wished she could devour the entire book immediately. Promising herself she would make time to finish it that night, she smiled at the Headmaster and handed over the envelope Professor McGonagall had given her.
"Thank you, Miss Granger. It was quite serendipitous you were around when I Floo called. I wanted to speak with you anyway."
"What can I do for you, Professor?" Hermione couldn't think what he wanted.
"I understand you are using your time with Severus to good advantage, strengthening your Occlumency." He cut straight to the point, though his eyes may have sparkled at her.
Uncomfortable with the conversation, knowing that the relationship between her and Severus wasn't exactly appropriate despite their engagement, Hermione licked her lips and nodded. "Yes. We both felt it was a necessary skill. Something I can work on with the boys this summer. Harry didn't really take well to his previous lessons."
"Yes," the Headmaster pursed his lips in thought. "My mistake, I suppose. Your soul mate and your friend are unlikely to get along at any point in the future, either, I'm afraid."
"It seems rather hopeless, doesn't it? But I have hopes when everything is said and done that they might put up with each other, enough for me to continue my relationships."
His blue eyes flashed back at her, piercing her to the heart. "And if you were forced to choose between them? If it appeared they were on different sides, if you couldn't have both Harry and Severus in your life?"
Hermione felt her eye twitch, surely Harry would be able to see how happy Severus made her. She took a long moment to try and read what lay beneath the Headmaster's question. "I am against Voldemort first and foremost. If both men are on the side against that madman," she swore reflexively as she imagined having to give up either her love or her best friend, "I hope and pray I can work things out, that they can behave like adults for my sake. If not, I hope I can make Harry understand that I have no choice. Even if I didn't desperately want to be with Severus, I have to if I want to live." Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "I worry about him constantly. What would happen if Voldemort found out about our real relationship? And I know the wedding is putting him in more danger."
The Headmaster's face grew serious. "If discovered, he would die a most painful death, Miss Granger. Or perhaps, Voldemort would instead ensure you died a long and painful death in front of Severus's eyes, then leave him to waste away in a cell. What better weapon?"
Hermione flinched at the honesty of his words, but was grateful he felt her responsible enough to be told the truth.
"That said," Dumbledore began again after a long silence, "you must stay safe, work on your Occlumency to protect the both of you, and help the others in the Order with their shields. It is of utmost importance." His eyes were serious, all the twinkle dimmed when he paused for a moment. "I had another reason to wish to speak to you. Your wedding is sneaking up on us, it seems."
"Yes, I've barely had time to think about it, things have been so crazy. I really have no idea what to expect. I always thought I would have a big wedding with my family and friends . . . " She stopped and covered her open mouth with her hand, shock rocking through her. "Oh, my gosh. What do I tell my parents? I can't, of course. How do I keep something so huge from them? They'd never understand." With everything going on, the whole wedding thing seemed completely unreal, so unreal she hadn't allowed herself to consider the ramifications. How would it happen? How would they keep it hidden from the Ministry? Severus's life would be worth less than the tripe currently being printed in the Daily Prophet if it were learned.
"I'm sorry for the subterfuge you will have to employ on your parents and friends. Such a burden can be heavy, I know. But, as you said, it is necessary. I will be taking care of any arrangements for the binding. I will see to it that you received the appropriate clothing and instruction before the ceremony. I will have them waiting for you in the Prefects' bathroom at curfew Friday evening. You must keep the event entirely secret, Miss Granger. For now, at least. Even from your closest friends and Professor McGonagall. It is necessary."
Hermione only nodded her agreement. It was unclear why she had to keep the secret so close—aside from the fact that her best friends hated Severus with a passion. However, she trusted the Headmaster's judgment.
"I have another job for you, as well." He paused a moment to be sure to gain her full attention. "There are certain things that have been required of Severus in my service and in the service of the Dark Lord. Such requests may seem incomprehensible to you, but they are necessary. Severus will need you more than ever when you feel least inclined to help him."
Again with the foretelling of doom. What was going on, anyway? "He has hinted as much, but I don't understand. Why can't he tell me what's going to happen so I can be prepared?"
"He has decided it would be best if he didn't share that information with you at this time. And I do not disagree with him. I want to reiterate for you that he has his orders to complete certain promises to me, despite the way it may look to others when he carries out those orders. Please stand by him. You can be his best thing, his biggest strength. The one person who keeps him sane when things are looking their worst."
When Hermione left his office a few minutes later, she had the feeling that she was missing an important piece in the puzzle and that once she had the piece, she wouldn't like the picture one bit.
*****
Friday night arrived—the day of her wedding—and Hermione felt like a bundle of nerves, both wondering what she was doing and anxious for the night to follow the binding ceremony. By now she was really becoming quite adept with the Disillusionment Charm, though she was playing around with a few other charms as well. A big sign was placed on the Prefects' bathroom "Closed for Repairs" early in the afternoon so she would have privacy to prepare for her wedding.
"My wedding? What am I thinking?" Of course a part of her couldn't be happier about marrying Severus, she admitted to herself as she lay back in the lilac-scented waters and ran her fingers through her wet tresses. They had time for little more than a few lingering kisses at their meeting the previous night, what with Occlumency lessons and Prefect rounds and homework piling up for her to complete and for him to correct.
And really, with the wedding night ahead of them, they would have plenty of time to explore all of the other territory she had been so anxious to cover. The thought made her blush, and she finished rinsing the conditioner from her hair, then slowly rose from the water and made her way to the edge. It was time to begin preparation.
A large white box sat on the edge of the counter. It had been sitting there when she'd arrived in the room, just as Dumbledore had told her. She glanced again at the instructions on the sheet of paper that came with it, then turned to the mirror while she finished toweling off and charmed her hair dry.
She had always thought for her eventual wedding—whenever she bothered to think that far ahead—she would be decked out with her hair tweaked into decent shape and her makeup just so. However, the binding the Headmaster had chosen required her to come with no enhancements. The drying charm listed on the sheet of paper had made her hair far more manageable than usual without taking the curl out of it. A fact she would be forever grateful, she acknowledged, as she wished she had found the charm earlier.
With a bit of trepidation, she smoothed back the tissue paper for the first time and pulled a sheath of white fabric out. She would have called the fabric satin, but that wasn't quite right. It was silky and shimmered like stars as she touched it, and though it looked rather shapeless as she lifted it to pull it over her head, when it fell down to her toes, it seemed to cling and cuddle her body, creating an elegance she could never have imagined. Thankfully it was opaque enough it wasn't obvious that she wore nothing underneath. She wondered if it had embarrassed the Headmaster to write those instructions to her as it had to receive them from him.
Atop the box had been a few tiny white blossoms, larger than baby's breath, but not much. They were separated into small bunches, and Dumbledore's note instructed her to place them in her hair. They would be the only decorations appropriate for the ceremony. A glance in the mirror nearly shocked her, and she had to look again, studying herself. There was a natural glow to her cheeks, something she blamed on nerves, but looked nice none-the-less. She felt older somehow, like she was really entering womanhood. Though she knew she was no beauty, much like the night of the Yule Ball, she felt pretty. She only hoped Severus agreed.
After sliding her feet into slim white slippers, Hermione turned to the clock on the far wall and saw that it was nearing midnight. She picked up her wand and cast a Disillusionment Charm, then stepped out into the hallway.
The castle was dark and quiet as she walked toward the doors leading to the Herbology gardens. Not a ghost was in sight and even Mrs. Norris seemed to be in another part of the castle entirely. The night air hit her with a blast as she stepped out into the cold dressed in so little. A quick warming charm later and she felt comfortable as she crossed the school grounds. An internal clock ticked in her head, reminding her that midnight was drawing ever nearer.
Greenhouse 2 had a slight glow about it, and as Hermione entered, she saw dozens, if not hundreds, of floating candles surrounded a clearing in the center of the building. She slipped from her shoes, tapped her head to release the charm on her, and set her wand on a shelf next to the door. A pang of worry came and went as she left her wand behind, but she knew she was safe here with Severus and the Headmaster, though she never went anywhere now, not in the wizarding or Muggle worlds, without her wand tucked away within reach. Again, the ceremony dictated she approach her future without it.
Professor Dumbledore stood about twenty feet away at the far edge of the circle, Severus only a few feet away, his eyes glued to hers. Though she still couldn't call him handsome, he had never looked so striking or appealing to her before. His outfit was made of the same material as her own, a pair of simple, flowing trousers and a loose-fitting shirt. There were no buttons on the shirt, rather it had a wider opening at the neck, much like a Muggle t-shirt, to allow it to be pulled over the head. Hermione doubted she would ever see Severus with so few buttons again.
That was, when he was wearing clothing at all.
The thought made her blush as she stepped toward him, placing her hand in his extended palm. As his hand closed around hers, she felt calmness enter her, though she could tell he was as anxious as she was. They stepped into the clearing surrounded by floating candles, plants of all types, and the moonlight pouring from the skylight above. Even if she hadn't been at Hogwarts, even if such a scene had occurred at a purely Muggle location, she couldn't describe it as anything less than magical.
She couldn't say later that she heard the Headmaster's words as he intoned the sacred rituals, binding her to Severus. She barely remembered the feel of the silk-like cords wrapping around their clasped hands, or the moment they placed simple platinum bands on each other's fingers. What she would always remember was the touch of his fingers lifting her chin so he could kiss her, and the power that sped through her system as their lips met. Her eyes stayed closed for only a moment before the bright lights surrounding them made her eyes open again, though the kiss was nowhere near finished.
There seemed to be a whole set of Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-Bangs going off around them—emanating from them to be more accurate. It was spectacular as the feeling of fireworks going off inside her was hardly less brilliant than that of the lights outside. She allowed her eyes to drift closed again as she let Severus's mouth dominate her senses.
She had no idea how much time passed before the Headmaster cleared his throat a bit later, and Severus pulled away. Their kiss had been powerful and overwhelming, and Hermione found herself swaying into her husband as they both turned toward Professor Dumbledore. Severus pulled his free arm around her, helping her stand, though she felt weak both as though she had expended a great deal of magical power and the power of his kiss had drugged her.
The Headmaster stood before them, his eyes twinkling as he tapped their bound hands with his wand and the cords came undone and flew up to rest in his empty hand. He then tapped each of their rings in turn, though Hermione saw no noticeable difference in them. She glanced back at the Headmaster with curiosity.
"That was a type of Disillusionment Charm, if you will. Only the two of you will ever be able to see the rings on yourself or each other unless you wish to show the ring to someone. The rings cannot be removed while you are both alive—thus a proof of sorts of your marriage, should one be necessary. I made sure to place special charms on both rings to prevent them from interacting with any potions ingredients."
"Thank you, Albus, we appreciate it." Severus's voice rumbled where Hermione's shoulder touched his chest. She had never heard anything so sexy in her life.
"Yes, Professor. Thank you."
"You are both welcome. Now, I will release you for the night with a reminder to be circumspect, to remember that there are always eyes on you both. Please try to continue being discreet."
"Of course, Albus."
Hermione agreed as well and the old man waved them out the door.
Though she had vague memories of receiving another Disillusionment Charm to hide them from prying eyes, crossing the grounds again, entering the school, and walking through the dungeons, Hermione couldn't say that anything registered for her so much as the feel of his arm around her, and the sensation of their growing desire slowly spiraling upwards between them.
As soon as Severus pulled her into his rooms, she found his arms surrounding her, his mouth on hers, and a fire growing in her belly. He continued to kiss her, his hands everywhere over the soft sheath of cloth covering her body as her hands took on an exploration of their own. The next thing she knew, the backs of her knees made contact with his bed and they were falling onto the mattress.
*****
She had no concept of the time that had passed when she came to her senses again. All she knew was that their union had made every part of her being throb in ecstasy. Now she lay in his arms, their skin cooling, the thrumming slowly ebbing as her ragged breaths grew longer and slower.
"Hermione," he paused, as if uncertain how to tell her what he had to say. She could sense the reluctance, the embarrassment in him. "I've never felt anything like that before. The power of this bond . . . it staggers me."
She smiled wanly, pleased with herself as his hand slowly traveled from the middle of her back, down her side, along her hip and onto her thigh, drawing it up and over his own. Their bodies meshed and she could feel the desire slowly growing again. "Insatiable, aren't you?" She said the words with a pleased grin. Who would have guessed that it could be like that between them?
"Only with you. Only ever with you." He murmured the words against her cheek, then took her mouth again.
Chapter 10: Unknown Curses
The following Thursday Hermione was sitting in the Gryffindor common room, still tingling from the memory of her wedding night the previous weekend. She hadn't been able to get more than a few moments alone with Severus since, but she was looking forward to their appointment in his chambers that evening.
Arithmancy homework was keeping her mind occupied when she felt Severus's fury shooting through her, along with a healthy dose of fear. Since finding out where the extra emotions were coming from, she had managed to differentiate between their feelings, and keep her own from being too affected by his. She had even managed to use her Occlumency to block some of his more moderate emotions. No amount of Occlumency would block the raging emotion pouring into her now, however. She pulled her feet up beneath her in the chair and tucked her book more firmly in her lap, pretending to be absorbed in her studies while riding out the temper thrumming through her.
Harry burst into the common room a few minutes later, his shock and horror obvious. He asked Ron if he could borrow his Potions book. Hermione wondered if Severus's anger had something to do with whatever was eating at Harry.
When asked, Harry explained he had to stash his book in the Room of Requirement. Harry disappeared too quickly for Hermione to ask questions, however. What happened? Why was Severus so upset with Harry? And why the underlying fear from them both? Of course, the fear was beginning to fade a bit now, as though Severus had been reassured, but it still clung to him. He had never liked Harry, all but hated him now, Hermione knew. Severus had expressed his feelings for the teen's rash behavior and a large dose of lingering hate left over from Severus's own school days.
Giving up on her studying, Hermione focused on Severus, locating him on the far side of the school, away from his own quarters. He was suspiciously near the Hospital wing, from what she could tell, and realizing that only increased her worry. Biting back a sigh, Hermione shoved all her books and papers back in her rucksack and headed out the door, muttering something about the library for anyone who noticed her leave.
She made a beeline for Severus's private quarters, not forgetting to Disillusion herself when she had a moment of privacy in the hallway. He was still on the other side of the castle when she reached his private rooms. She made herself visible, then settled down in a comfortable armchair to try and focus on her studies. Her mind kept straying to what Harry was doing with Ron's Potions book, however. If he stashed his in the Room of Requirement, did that mean Severus knew about it? If so, did he know everything in the book, or had he only glanced at it? Why was he keeping it around, and how did he find out Harry had it?
She was still pursuing this circular line of thought when Severus entered his quarters, slamming the door behind him, and came to stand in front of her, glowering. Moving with deliberation, Hermione stuck a bookmark in her text and set it to the side of the chair, then turned her full attention on her furious husband.
He didn't let her stare at him for long. "Do you know what your idiot friend has done?" He didn't wait for her to answer, instead taking a step closer to her. "The bloody Boy Who Lived nearly killed the Malfoy brat today."
That brought a response from her. "What happened? I know he came tearing through the common room and ran out with his school books. And I could tell you were livid." She carefully constructed her Occlumency shield, protecting her memories of Harry and Ron's discussion.
"Livid hardly covers it. He used a dangerous curse—a little-known curse, I might add. Malfoy was cut down the whole front of his body. If I hadn't been nearby and able to close the wound so quickly, Malfoy could have bled out in minutes." By now he was all but hovering over her, wand in hand.
There was no warning. In the next moment he was casting Legilimens, and she could feel him burrowing into her mind, trying to find any evidence of Harry having the wrong textbook. Angry that he would invade her mind like this, she focused all of her energy on closing him out. Finally she gave him a physical push to complement the mental one she was pursuing. When she got her bearings again, he was sprawled across the floor, shock on his face.
She stood on weak legs and glared at him. "I don't care what our relationship is, it doesn't give you the right to invade my mind over every little thing. My mind still belongs to me, regardless of whatever the damned potion has done to twist it." It didn't register with her that she had actually sworn at him—something she never did.
"Every little thing?" He pulled himself up onto his feet, like a cat gracefully rises from a prone position, and glared down at her. "You call Potter nearly killing someone a little thing?"
"Wrong choice of words, but Harry wouldn't have cast that spell if he'd known what it did. I'm certain of that."
"Bloody stupid of him to cast a spell when he didn't know what it would do." He pushed the hair back from his face, all of the fight gone from him.
"Agreed." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, whether out of defiance or to protect herself from the hundred emotions that seemed to be thrumming through her, she didn't know.
"Potter has possession of a textbook that is not his own." It was half statement, half question as he stared her in the eye.
Hermione stared right back and remembered that Harry had stashed the book before returning to Severus's side. "Not to my knowledge." She put every ounce of confidence she owned into her words. They were technically true.
He studied her for a long moment, then lifted an eyebrow. "Why do I get the feeling that you're prevaricating? No matter." He reached out and pulled her to him, wrapping her in his arms and settling his cheek on her head. "I had all kinds of plans for tonight, and they didn't include arguments about that idiot boy."
A slight wave of irritation rose in her, she hated the way he spoke of her friends and was inclined to protest and protect them. Then she thought of the damage Harry had done and tamped back the irritation. This time the idiot deserved the derision. "So what did you have in mind then?" a smile slid onto her lips as she felt his fingers slide down her spine.
He kissed a line down the side of her face and hovered at her ear, his warm breath causing her to shiver. "Something requiring far less formal attire." His lips captured hers in a teasing caress, then slowly upped the power until she was clinging to him, desperate. He pulled away, leading her through the door to his bedroom.
*****
Harry had to miss the Quidditch match Saturday, his detention working for Filch taking precedence. Though Hermione hated for him to miss the big match, she could hardly blame Severus for the punishment. Considering what could have happened, he'd gotten off easily.
The match had been exciting, and Ginny had caught the snitch in a magnificent maneuver, ensuring the Gryffindor win.
The entire house was in the common room celebrating when Harry came up from detention. Hermione watched with fascination as Ginny pushed through the crowd toward Harry and Harry swooped her into his arms, pressing his lips to hers. Hermione could almost hear the wash of energy around them as the potion was satisfied. She blinked in surprise and wondered again how the two of them had managed to keep so much distance between them when she and Severus had been so inexplicably drawn toward each other. Compelled.
She wondered if Harry and Ginny would finally have gotten together if he hadn't been forced to miss the match that day. That brought her back around to Severus's irate response to Harry's spell casting a few days earlier. It wasn't the entirely justified anger that bothered her, but his fear that had coursed through her. Why the fear? Then she recalled the conversation Harry had overheard between Severus and Draco back before Christmas. Severus had made an Unbreakable Vow that he would protect Draco. That meant he would have died if Harry had succeeded in killing Draco.
Now she thought perhaps Severus had been a little too kind to Harry. And the stupid idiot was planning on going back for the Half-Blood Prince's textbook.
Not if she could convince him otherwise.
*****
Several weeks passed before Hermione remembered to ask Severus about his theory on why the Amoriata potion had affected them differently, more strongly than other couples she had noted around them.
She lay in Severus's arms in his bed, feeling the rising and falling of his chest beneath her hand as her heartbeat returned to normal after a spectacular interlude. Neither of them spoke, both enjoying the moment of peace and comfort away from the rest of the world. Severus had visited the Dark Lord the previous night. Though he had gotten off lightly, he still had experienced a fleeting moment when he thought he would be hit with the Cruciatus Curse. He hadn't said so, but she sensed the dread from him, then the relief.
Hermione realized that before their bond, she had never considered the very real danger he faced every time he answered a summons. She sometimes caught glimpses of his meetings in his mind when she had turned the Legilimancy spell on him. He had been quick to shut her out of those memories, as she had when worried about the purloined textbook.
Severus seemed fully aware that Harry had possessed said textbook, though Hermione still wasn't sure how he had known for sure that the spell had come from there. The kid who owned it previously had been seriously messed up. Bordering on evil. Yet Harry had been so quick to defend the Half-Blood Prince.
She let her mind drift back to the potion again. "Severus, I have a question about Amoriata."
"You, questions?" His chest rumbled under her fingertips, and she smiled at the amused sarcasm in his voice.
"Shocking, I know." Her smiled widened when he chuckled low in his chest.
"Ask, Wife, before I lose my good humor."
"I noticed about the time we, um, got together, there were several other couples formed that appeared to be unexpected, or at least given a magical boost. But I didn't see that same desperation that flowed through my veins, the compulsion to be in each other's arms constantly. The attraction between them seemed fairly strong, but still . . . ."
"Why was it so much stronger with us, then?" His arms came around her, sliding over her back.
"Yes. Why us?"
"I've wondered that myself, even done some more research. One theory I've come up with is that the compulsion would have to have been stronger for us because we could not otherwise have come together. Potter and Miss Weasley were all but guaranteed to get together eventually even without the potion's effects. One or two of the bonds I've seen around us seem so strong those affected practically simmer in each other's presences." He tugged her closer to him and began running his fingers through her hair.
"Is that the prevailing theory, then?"
He tugged her hair, so she tipped her face back toward his. "It's one." He buzzed her forehead, eyelids and cheeks with his lips as he spoke. "The Headmaster also suggested it may be related to how much the couples need each other." His lips landed on hers, and she could feel the desire beginning to simmer inside her. "I need you again," he whispered, then drove all questions from her mind.