It's What's Inside That Counts
Chapter 8- Ever read Dante?
January 1st, 1998
At breakfast, hung-over partygoers were enjoying a hearty breakfast before returning to work and school the next day. Two people were conspicuously absent.
"Hermione hasn't left without saying goodbye, has she?" Molly asked.
"Uh...no, she's still in bed," Ginny said.
"Well, she has a long trip back to Boston tomorrow," Molly said. "A bit of a lie-in won't hurt."
Ginny decided to be a bit mischievous. So Hermione wanted a bit of a lie-in did she? Not that I blame her!
"I think Professor Anderson is still in bed too," she said, the picture of innocence.
"Oh? He stayed as well?" Molly asked.
Minerva and Remus looked at each other and put two and two together, which in this case equaled Hermione and Severus. In perfect timing, the ceiling above the dining room table thumped slightly.
"Isn't that Hermione's room?" Arthur asked.
Now Draco was stifling his laughter. Narcissa elbowed him while casually drinking her tea. He was the first to catch on to what Ginny said. The thumping became louder and faster then stopped.
"More eggs anyone?" Molly asked.
Ron, the last to catch on, looked horrified. "She's up there shagging someone!!" he hissed.
Ginny started clapping lazily. "Bravo Ron, decided to join the rest of us?"
Ten minutes later, a whistling and flushed Professor Anderson came down the stairs and into the dining room. Ron choked on his juice.
"Are you quite all right Mr. Weasley?" he asked and sat down.
He glanced at Minerva, who was drumming her fingers on the table. Draco nodded and raised his teacup to him. Ginny was making polite conversation with Remus. They heard Hermione humming as she descended the stairs, and swept into the dining room, greeting everyone with "good morning" in a sing-song voice. She was the very picture of glowing, sated happiness. Yep, she had a good shagging. She sat down and loaded her plate, putting enough on it for two people.
"Hungry much?" Ron asked, looking at her plate.
"Famished," she replied. "Pass the eggs please?" she asked Ginny.
After breakfast, Hermione made a show of packing her belongings for "her trip."
"I have a two p.m. Port Key for Boston," she told the Weasleys.
"Is your great-aunt meeting you there?" Molly asked.
"Probably not," Hermione said. "I'm pretty much on my own."
"Are you sure you don't want someone to come with you?" Arthur asked.
"No! I mean, no thanks," she said.
"I packed some extra food for you," Molly said.
"Will you be all right Ron?" Hermione asked. He had been acting funny all day. "I'll be back when the term ends, I promise. This is my home."
Ron nodded. He couldn't believe it. He had known Hermione for years, that dumb professor a few days, and she ended up inviting the professor to her bed. So what if the professor was older, had looks, money, an Auror career behind him and was a professor? He had years of friendship with her and he really loved her! That should be enough!
Before lunch, Hermione had a tearful goodbye with her adopted family. To her, it really was goodbye. Her goodbyes to Ginny and Ron lasted the longest.
"I'll miss you more than you know," Ginny said. "I hope you had a good time while you were here."
Hermione smiled tearfully. "The best."
Ron stepped up. His bittersweet hug lingered the longest. "Come back soon, I love you," he choked.
"June will be here before you know it, all right?" she said and squeezed his hand.
She walked the Weasleys to the floo and waved to them one by one when they stepped through. Her shoulders slumped and she leaned on the mantle, the emotion of it all overwhelming. "Please Harry, wake up soon, I don't know how much more I can take," she whispered.
She was embraced from behind. "I couldn't agree more."
She opened her eyes and looked down at the arms holding her. She saw different hands and black sleeves. She quickly turned around and was facing Severus Snape. She saw the warmth and affection in his eyes and smiled.
"I wanted to hold you one last time as Severus Snape," he said. "Now that you see me, do you regret us?"
She put a hand on his cheek. "Not for one second. I know who made love to me, it was you," she said and rested her head on his chest.
"When will you be taking the potion?" he asked.
"Tonight sometime, I'm putting it off as long as possible," she said. "I enjoyed being a woman again, if only for a while."
"So did I sweet, so did I," he said.
That night, Minerva, Remus and Severus were in Harry's room when she took one last look at the cup of vile potion.
"Promise you will make this taste better sometime?" she asked Severus.
"She faints after she drinks it, so be prepared to lower her to the bed," Minerva advised.
"Bottoms up," she said and downed the cup. Seconds later, her eyes fluttered and closed. She swayed and Severus cradled her in his arms and laid her on the bed next to Harry. Minutes later, she was Harry again and in Harry's clothes.
"She'll sleep through the night, it's a difficult adjustment for her body," Minerva said.
Severus stared at the transformed Hermione. Just hours before, that beautiful creature was in my arms, her sweet voice called out my name in passion!
"Take heart Severus, Harry won't be asleep forever, just two weeks ago he showed signs of cognizance," Minerva said.
"For what it's worth, I'm happy for you," Remus said and patted his shoulder.
January 2nd
Hermione waited at the King's Cross platform for the Weasleys. She knew Ron would be out of sorts, but she would deal with that when the time came. After a while, the platform started to fill, and familiar faces smiled and greeted Harry as they passed. Finally she heard aan "Oi Harry!" and saw the Weasley clan walking toward her.
"Well, you don't look the worse for wear, how was the Auror academy?" Arthur asked.
"I can't tell you much," she said.
"Of course, secret Auror stuff," Ginny teased and lightly punched his arm.
"How was your holiday?" she asked. Everyone raved about it except for Ron.
"You got to see Hermione, didn't you?" Harry asked.
"Tell you about it on the train," Ron mumbled.
In their compartment, Ginny and Ron talked about Hermione.
"Harry, you should have seen her, she looked fabulous," Ginny gushed.
"Yeah, she did," Ron said. "She also shagged Professor Anderson."
"What?" she asked. She didn't know that anyone else knew. She and Severus had been pretty discreet, or so she thought.
"How do you know that? Hermione wouldn't just go off and shag anyone," Harry said.
"Well, the two did disappear during the New Year's Eve party," Ron said.
And I thought no one noticed! Hermione thought.
"The next morning, we were all eating breakfast and guess what? The two were still missing and then the bloody ceiling above the dining room table starts thumping. Minutes later, they came downstairs humming and looking all happy," Ron said. "It was obvious they were shagging."
"I jolly good shagging at that, from what I heard the night before," Ginny added with a grin.
Hermione was embarrassed to the depths of her soul. Not for herself, (well, a little bit) but mostly for Severus.
"What's that dumb professor got that I don't?" Ron asked.
Oh Ron! Don't start! Hermione silently lamented.
"Duh, where do we start? He's older, has ruggedly good looks, money, a job, and according to Hermione a big..." Ginny said.
"But we have a history! I've known and loved her for years!" Ron said.
"Does she know that?" Harry asked.
"I tried to tell her but..." Ron started.
"But got drunk and passed out, drooling on her shoulder, way to endear her to your heart, big brother," Ginny said.
Ron gave her a you're-not-helping glare.
"But she just met him! How could they just get together like that? Hermione isn't the love at first sight then shag sort of girl!" Ron said.
"Just maybe Ron, you're not sure what type of girl she is," Harry said.
"She has normal feelings like any other," Ginny said.
Thank you Ginny! Hermione silently cheered.
"If she fancied a good shag, then that's her business, isn't it?" Ginny asked.
Ron sighed and slouched. "If she wanted one, she could have very well came to me. I would have been happy to obilge."
Hermione's mortification had now come full circle. I should have sat in another compartment!! Never in a million years, no matter how drunk she was, would she shag Ron. He was like her brother. She visibly shuddered at the thought.
"What was that for?" Ron asked Harry.
"Just the thought of you two, you know..." Harry said.
In the compartment next door, Draco sat alone. It was no surprise. Word got around the Slytherin-Pureblood community what had happened at Malfoy Manor and now Draco was a pariah. He didn't care; now maybe he would have some peace and quiet. He was currently laughing and wiping his wet eyes when he heard the conversation from the next compartment. He didn't know what was funnier- the Weasel's Tale of Woe or Ginny's comments during. As far as Granger went, America had done her good. The girl grew a backbone. She was now shaggable, more powerful than he remembered and helped him and his mother unconditionally. She had been kind and respectful to his mother although she didn't have to, and that meant a lot. His mother was his world, so he wouldn't forget that. She also provided some entertainment for what would have otherwise been a dull holiday.
Ron left the compartment in search of Neville and Seamus. Ginny cleared her throat and scooted closer to Harry.
"All this talk of shagging has me wondering if we're ever gonna do the deed again," she asked softly.
Hermione suddenly felt very sick to Harry's stomach. Not only had Hermione's mortification come full circle, it had now sunk into another level of hell.
Harry and Ginny shagged! When! OhmyGod! She's got her hand on my thigh!
"I know you need to concentrate on Voldemort, but should you need a fling every once in a while, I'm here for you," Ginny said. "You were brilliant the last time," she said and kissed Harry's cheek. "Harry, are you all right? You're sweating and burning up!" she exclaimed.
Ginny saw Harry heave, bend over and throw up. She vanished the mess, cast a cooling charm on him and made him lay down.
"Couldn't find Nev-hey, what happened?" Ron asked when he returned to the compartment.
"I don't know, he just got really sick and tossed his cookies!" she said.
"Well, we're almost there, he can see Madame Pomfrey first thing," Ron said and sat down across from him. "Blimey Harry, you look awful."
"Thanks," she croaked.
At Hogsmeade station, Hagrid and Professor Anderson watched the train arrive. Students streamed off, the last off the train being Ginny and Ron supporting Harry as he stumbled, pale and shivering. He looked at Professor Anderson with a weak smile.
"He got really sick on the train," Ginny said.
"Its the infermery fer ye 'Arry," Hagrid said.
"You two," the professor said to Ron and Ginny, "return with Hagrid to the school whilst I accompany Mr. Potter."
"Will you be all right?" Ginny asked.
"I thank you for your concern, Miss Weasley, but I am capable of handling any problems that may arise," Severus said. "Come Potter, the carriages won't wait forever."
In their carriage, Severus sat next to him and felt his head.
"You are a bit feverish," Severus said.
"And I threw my guts up," he said.
"Did you eat something that disagreed with you?" he asked.
She shook her head. "No, I get an upset stomach from transformations, plus I heard something that disagreed with me."
"This I have to hear."
"Ginny asked why we haven't shagged again," she said.
Severus raised an eyebrow and she explained. "They know that we did and apparently she got inspired and propositioned me. She even ran her hand up my thigh," she finished with a shudder.
"So she expects it again?" Severus asked.
"I got that feeling, yes," she replied. "You've read Dante, right?"
Severus snorted. "This is not a level of hell, sweet. Look, we're here. Let's get you something for that stomach."
In the infirmary, Harry was given a pepper-up and nausea potion.
"Just lay here for a bit, you've been through a transformation. You should have gotten more rest before coming back here," the nurse scolded.
Minerva swept into the infirmary and snatched back the curtain surrounding Harry's bed.
"As if I don't have enough to worry about," she said and patted Harry's shoulder. "There's a staff meeting in my office after dinner," she told Severus.
After the staff meeting, Severus stayed after to talk to Minerva.
"May we talk plainly Severus?" she asked.
"I would have it no other way," he said.
Albus' portrait chuckled.
"What are your intentions toward Hermione?" she asked.
"After everything has played out, or when Potter wakes, whichever is first, I plan to further pursue a...relationship, if she will have me," he said.
"I think that's already been established that she will have you," Minerva teased.
Again, the portrait chuckled.
"Amusing Minerva, truly," he said flatly.
"Forgive me Severus, but you cannot imagine what it was like to sit at that breakfast table and hear the ceiling thumping," Minerva said.
Severus rose from his seat, crossed his arms and faced the window that overlooked the back grounds of the school.
"Minerva, you know the only woman I've ever loved is my mother. I'm...fond of you as you probably know. Hermione cares for me, in spite of me. I say in spite of me because she knows the deplorable, acts I've seen and in which I have sometimes been forced to participate. Her compassion knows no bounds; I saw that the morning the Malfoys arrived at headquarters."
He took a breath, rubbed a circle in the steam on the window and continued.
"That psychotic murdering bastard Lucius Malfoy took part in the murder of her parents and Draco has been the bane of her existence while in attendance here. Despite that, she helped them without hesitation, even after Narcissa's unintentional slip of the tongue."
Severus turned around and looked at Minerva with softer eyes.
"I'm sorry to have caused you, any of you, discomfort that morning. It's just been impossibly long since any woman has paid me that kind of attention and shown me so much affection. When I woke up to find her still next to me, gazing at me with those sleepy, loving eyes I-"
Minerva's heart warmed at his soft smile and far-away look.
"I don't need to know the details. No one disapproves, Severus; although I do expect Mr. Weasley to call Professor Anderson out any day now," she said lightly.
"Believe me, that whelp is of no concern," he said. "Now, if there is nothing else, my prefects have corridor patrols this evening. I need to ensure they know their duties. Good evening, to you as well Albus."
He swept from the room, his robes billowing behind him.
"Who would have thought, Severus Snape in love?" Minerva said.