Disclaimer : I don't own Harry Potter, or the awesomeness that is the Twilight series I have grown to love.
But I once again have a working ice machine!!
Chapter wise…this is after Severus returns in the first chapter.
Have a good read!!
It seemed like an eternity before Tonks and Ginny let out an adoring 'aww' at the sight of the snarky Potions Professor letting his feelings be known to the occupants of the large kitchen, therefore startling the said man and Hermione to remember that the world was still there.
Severus quickly regained a commanding composure and looked thoroughly at the four Order members now chattering away at the table - well, mainly Ginny and Tonks talking of foolish romance with Molly saying an inputted word once in a while. Laying a tired hand on the worn wall, he looked Hermione straight in the eye.
"Hermione…" his voice dropped several notches and Hermione had to listen hard to hear what he was telling her. "I need to address you later on an important matter."
The girl's eyes narrowed curiously while her mouth moved to form a question, only to be cut off prematurely.
"Not now. Not here."
With a curt nod he pushed himself off of the wall and wobbled for about three steps until his footing was attained, then commenced to head up the stairs to clean himself up before talking to Hermione.
Hermione watched in helplessness as her love painfully scaled the shallow stairs leading to the landing, slow and unsteady footsteps landing heavily every now and then. Her mind was racing with unknown situations that could be reason why Severus would not tell her while they were there what he needed to say to her, and that in itself was cause to worry. She hoped with all her being that it was not about what had supposedly happened over the nights meeting - Hermione's heart stumbled at the thought that her professor had been betrayed after all the fabricated stories and false loyalty.
Everyone knows that he had been very cautious in his behavior while around the enemy, but even then vigilant events pass secretly underneath that cannot be helped.
Heaving a heavy sigh, Hermione picked up her left foot, placed it in front of her right one and proceeded to follow her love's path up the stairs, but to the room currently shared with her friend in the quest to change from her pajamas.
Passing by the bathroom after changing into comfortable jeans and a button up shirt Hermione heard the bathwater running and knew it to be Severus, especially after hearing small gasps and hisses that resounded when the water hit something other than the empty tub bottom. Her head swiftly turned to the side while a pained expression took hold of her face at the sounds being made behind the door and treaded lightly to the ancient house's library to anxiously await Severus and his 'talk'.
--
Hermione was bored. It had been - well, she didn't know how much time had passed, but enough for her to read half of a book, walk to the kitchen four times, and have an in-depth conversation with Tonks, Ginny, and Molly which left her wishing she had never said that she was just doing some 'light reading', and 'no, of course it won't bother me if you talk in here'.
She was about to resume reading the book she started after an intense ceiling stare when the door to the large room opened quietly, revealing a Severus Snape squeaky clean and looking a little refreshed. Staring at her he quietly closed the door and cast a silencing charm so they would not be heard. After completing his tasks, he looked at her with a small smile on his face.
"My apologies. I seemed to have fallen asleep."
Hermione let out a quiet laugh and followed him with her eyes as he made his way to a small armchair somewhat across from her and watched as he gracefully plopped down. The young witch's patience was tested as the two bodies sat and stared at each other, time slowly ticking off into the past.
Taking a sturdy breath, Hermione broke the silence of the large library.
"Severus - what happened last night?"
"I'll spare you the horrible details…" he sat back and propped his left leg upon his right. "I was on the verge of being exposed last night. Yet due to my 'loyalty' to the Dark Lord, I was able to lay the accusations on the feet of a man who has already been suspected of treachery for some time now. But I cannot deny that it was a night that challenged my persona as a spy."
Hermione's hand went to cover her mouth as her companion finished his sum-up of the previous night. "W-what, what are you going to do?"
"I know I am being watched, and there's not much I can do to change that. Only my long and faithful history with the Death Eaters is stopping them from taking me in and formally questioning me. But Hermione…"
He peered over at her face, catching her eyes in his and studied the feelings floating in them - and swallowed the lump that suddenly appeared in his throat.
"Hermione, I have to leave. Staying here, close to the Order, is the worst thing I could do. It would put everything everyone here has worked for in jeopardy - and I simply will not do that."
Hermione was silent, trying to absorb the four small words that were the first things he had said. Leave. Severus. Severus had to leave.
"I'm departing early tomorrow morning…I would leave tonight but there are matters that need tending to and settling. I do not know where I will be going, but I felt the need to tell you this information before you woke up and I wasn't here. I also don't know when I will be back, if I will be back. Just know that I love you - will always love you."
It was if her heart had stopped and time had frozen just for his explanation that he was leaving her. Leaving her for Merlin knew how long. She didn't know what she was going to do, but letting her love leave her was not a part of that plan.
Straightening up in her seat, she registered that the room was laced with head ringing silence and Severus was looking at her through expressionless eyes and a sudden revelation crossed into her mind.
"I'm going with you."
He blinked at her.
"You will do no such thing - "
"I will, and I'm going with you. Coming with you. Whatever." She shook her head at her frenzied thoughts. "I'm not leaving you. You're not leaving me."
"Hermione, please think - "
"I have. And I don't care, because I'm not going to leave you. I'm going wherever you're going, and that isn't going to change."
Sorry for the grammatical errors AND the insanely long update time. Heh heh…I guess summer got the best of me. :) But I will try my hardest to continue this story, either to the end or no one reads. Or until I get so many evil stares that I randomly burst into flames.
Tid-Bit Information Time:
Summer is unbearably hot. Though I'm sure you all have noticed that.
Love to All,
Kat³
You've already read, why not review?
