Disclaimer: I own nothing! Just playing in J. K. Rowling's amazing universe!
I love you all, really!
I hope you like this chapter! You will learn a bit more about Hermione's magic! Enjoy!
~o~
Severus' POV
Severus woke up at the 9th of January with a crack, and realized it was Honey, currently placing a breakfast tray in his lap. How the hell did she figure out it was my birthday, he thought. Damned Gryffindor. The breakfast looked delicious though, so he thanked Honey and picked up a fork. Honey looked pleased, wished him a happy birthday and disapparated. Looking at the tray, Severus smiled, put down the fork again, and opened the drawer on his nightstand, where he kept his notebook. He picked up a quill, and wrote.
I'm guessing this is your doing.
After about a minute he received an answer.
Good morning, Professor Snape. You should really work on your greetings. What is it that you want from me today then?
He chuckled as he realized she was copying his reply for her in an earlier conversation. He wrote back.
I want to know what you are thinking about.
The reply came almost instantly.
An unusual question, Professor Snape. Why this sudden interest in my personal thoughts?
Deciding to get to the point, he wrote.
Because I find you interesting, and quite intriguing, Little Lion. Now, it seems Honey has made an error with my breakfast tray. I am not sure what the chocolate pancakes are doing here, as far as I remember, they are your favourite, not mine. I can also see two cups of tea here, and I find it curious. Any theories?
A moment later he got a reply.
Very curious, indeed. I could perhaps be persuaded to come and help you solve this mystery. But only if you promise to elaborate on the fact why you find me intriguing.
He laughed, and wrote back.
That is very gracious of you, I must say. Now, come eat your chocolate pancakes. If you are lucky, I might even read you my inventory list.
A minute later he could hear a knock on the door, and Hermione entered, laughing. "Happy birthday, Severus!"
He forgot to breathe for just a moment when he saw her. She had obviously just woken up, because she was still wearing her pyjamas, and her hair was an unruly mess around her head. She called it The Chaos of Curls, and he understood why.
With wrinkled clothes, chaotic hair, and sleepy eyes, she was the most beautiful thing Severus had ever seen.
Remembering that humans had to breathe, he collected himself and raised an eyebrow at Hermione. "I thought you were a true Gryffindor, but this is a very Slytherin move, Little Lion." He had to remember to stop calling her that. Gods, I hope I never have to cast a Patronus with her around. That would have been awkward.
He snapped out of his thoughts when Hermione skipped over to the bed and stood there, looking at him. He looked puzzled at her, and she sighed. "Well, make room then! I do not plan to eat breakfast standing up." He rolled his eyes, lifted the tray and moved a bit so she could sit down with him. He was surprised, unnerved, and delighted all at once to see that she, without asking, slipped under the covers with him, so close that her leg almost touched his. He would have to learn to breathe all over again if she continued like this.
Hermione helped him place the tray between them, before she gave him a shy smile. "Happy birthday, Severus." Then she put her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. Before he had time to react she had let go of him, which was probably a good thing considering all he wanted to do was to flip her on her back and do all kinds of inappropriate things to her. Merlin have mercy, he thought, before looking at Hermione again.
"If you wonder how I found out, you can ask Minerva. I even know that today is your 39th birthday." She picked up a box she had been carrying behind her back, and smiled nervously at him. "You have to promise to not laugh. I baked this myself. I had to start over four times before Honey would even remotely approve. Though, with my new magic, the decorating part turned out to be easy." She lifted the lid and levitated a small cake from the box and placed it on the tray.
Severus burst out laughing. The cake had a marzipan lid, with little marzipan figures on it. He could see a tiny marzipan version of himself, arms crossed over his chest, and with a most displeased expression on his face. The displeased expression probably came from the fact that he was wearing a tiny, pink party hat. Next to where he was standing, was a tiny, beaming Hermione, holding a sign that said: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEVERUS!
He could hear Hermione giggling next to him, and turned to look at her. She smiled at him. "I was afraid you would be mad. Now, blow out the candle and make a wish!" He turned back to look at the cake, and just as he did, Hermione snapped her fingers, and a lit candle appeared on the cake. He turned to Hermione.
"First of all, nice trick. Second, are you really planning to make me blow out a candle? Honestly, Hermione." She gave him a stubborn look. "Severus, you know you will give in sooner or later. I would rather it to be sooner. And don't forget to make a wish." She grinned at him. "You can just deny it afterwards." Severus just shook his head at her, rolled his eyes and with one last, annoyed look at her, blew out the candle. And he couldn't help himself from making a wish. Let this be my life. Let me wake up next to this person with unruly hair and wrinkled pyjamas. Let me be happy.
They ate breakfast, and Hermione made Severus eat a chocolate pancake, which he enjoyed immensely, much to his surprise. Even the cake Hermione made turned out to be quite tasty.
Severus realized Hermione had been silent for a few minutes, which was very unlike her. He cocked his head at her. "What's wrong?" She sighed. "I am thinking about something Honey said to me last night. I tried to give her a light orb that I had placed in a glass ball, to put on the tray for you, but she refused. She just looked at it with an awestruck expression, before she said:
Do not fear the Darkness, Miss. Light will overcome the Darkness. But Fear will overcome the Light, if you let it. It is up to you to control your fears. Fail to do so, and we may all fall to the Darkness.
I couldn't get anything else out of her after that." Hermione gave Severus a desperate expression. "What does that even mean?"
Severus felt his insides go cold from Hermione's words. "I don't know, Hermione. But it does not sound good." He thought for a moment. "Hermione, the day outside the Forbidden Forest, were you able to use your magic?" Hermione shook her head. "No, I tried, but I couldn't. I couldn't do anything."
Hermione jumped when Severus suddenly snapped his fingers. "Maybe that's it, Hermione!" She just looked confused at him, and he turned to her and took her hand. "Fear will overcome the Light, if you let it. Your magic is almost purely light." He turned her hand and brushed his fingers over her palm. "Every time you use your magic, it's light. But when you are too afraid, you are unable to use it. It makes so much sense when I think about it."
He let go of her hand, and thought for a moment. "Have you read the book I gave you?" She nodded. "Yes, I finished it the day before yesterday. It didn't have too much on the subject of White Magic, though. But from what I understood, White Magic comes from the Sun Goddess. Apparently there is only one Sun Goddess, but you can find her in pretty much every mythology, and even in some religions." Hermione narrowed her eyes with concentration, and continued.
"In Buddhism she is known as Marici, Hinduism as Saranyu. In Celtic, Greek, Egyptian, Chinese and Japanese mythology she is known as Áine, Étaín, Eos, Theia, Alectrona, Bast, Xihe, and Amaterasu. And that is just a few of the names. But she is often referred to as The Sun Maiden, The Lady of Light, The White Lady, or just The Lady." Hermione gave Severus a weary look. "I prefer The Lady, to be honest. It seems like the easiest one."
Her expression turned focused again, and she continued. "The part I found most interesting, though, was this.
The Sun Goddess recognizes times of dire need and may give a Blessing of Light, should she find someone to be worthy of such a gift. This Blessing, in which she bestows a fragment of her power on to a mortal soul, is a gift rarely given.
What if this is a time of dire need? According to Honey, that seems to be the case. And what if there is some truth in this? Not that I truly believe I am given a gift from the Gods, but what if this magic is indeed a sign that something dark is coming? Like Honey said; It is up to you to control your fears. Fail to do so, and we may all fall to the Darkness. If that isn't a sign of impending doom, I do not know what is."
Severus could see Hermione shiver, and saw goose bumps appear on her skin. He promptly moved the tray, and pulled the shivering Hermione to him, wrapping his arms around her. She leaned into him with a relaxed sigh, and put her head on his shoulder. He nuzzled her hair and kissed the side of her head. "Do not fret, Little Lion. I have no intentions of falling to darkness. If you overcoming your fears are the solution, so be it. I'll help you in any way I can." She nodded. "Thank you, Severus."
Realizing the time, Severus sighed. "It's time to get up. I have a class to teach in thirty minutes. "Hermione nodded again. "I know. I have some studying to do." She turned to him and grinned. "My Potion Master is a slave driver, really." He grinned back at her. "He is? He sounds like a dreadful man." Hermione cocked her head at him. "Not really. I find him to be a quite extraordinary and wonderful man. I would not know what to do without him." Then she smiled and cupped his face with one hand before giving him a quick kiss on the lips, leaving him breathless.
Severus had just a second to decide how to react, because Hermione had just gotten up, and was on her way towards the door. Let her go, just let her go, he thought, as he got up and followed her. He reached her just as she was about to open the door. Grabbing her shoulders, he turned her around, pulled her to him and kissed her. A moment later he broke off the kiss, but put his arms around her and rested his chin on her head. "You are making this quite difficult, Hermione." He could hear her make an exasperated sound, and she stepped back. "No, Severus, you are making this difficult." Then she turned around, and left the room.
Hermione's POV
January was quite an eventful month. The night before the new term started, Severus and Hermione had released the spell that bound them together, and Hermione had actually cried in her bed that night. It felt so final, and she hated it.
After the kiss on New Year's Eve, and then again on his birthday, things had been different between them. She really wanted to kiss him again, but was getting increasingly sure he did not wish her to because of the way he acted around her. Severus was obviously trying to distance himself from her. His behaviour was much more 'professional'. He avoided touching her, and he didn't joke as much anymore. It frustrated her immensely, and saddened her greatly. She had all kinds of confusing feelings towards him, and she had no idea what to do with them.
She didn't regret the kisses for a second; she would have regretted not kissing him if it turned out to be the only chances she had.
Hermione was on her way to the library when she heard commotion by the front doors. She decided to see what was going on, and the sight that met her was a horrid one. Three students were screaming for help while carrying an unconscious, bloody Hufflepuff girl. Hermione ran over. "What happened?!" One of the boys carrying the girl looked at her with panic in his eyes. "We don't know! We found her like this!"
Suddenly Hermione could hear a familiar voice from behind her. "Please move, Miss Granger." She sighed with relief as she stepped to the side to let Severus pass. He took one look at the girl before gazing at the students surrounding them. "Get back to whatever you were doing. You all have classes to go to. I will take her to the hospital wing. Leave, now. All of you!" The students started to scramble away, and Hermione turned to leave as well. Severus glanced at her. "Not you, Miss Granger. Please find the headmistress and meet me in the hospital wing." Hermione nodded and went to find Minerva.
A while later they were gathered in the infirmary. She had found Minerva in her office, and they had hurried to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was currently examining the girl, and after a few minutes she looked up at them with a grave expression. "I have stopped the bleeding, but I cannot do much. There is Dark Magic here, and I cannot dispel it."
Hermione could see Severus hesitate for a moment before he looked at her. "What do you think, Miss Granger? This would be a moment to test some theories, I believe. I would suggest you try touching her."
Hermione could feel her blood go cold, but Severus shook his head at her. "Relax. No fear, remember? You can do this, Hermione."
She took a step closer to the girl in the bed, and closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath to let go of the fear, she opened her eyes to see Severus giving her a small smile. She felt the last trace of panic disappear, and turned to look at the girl. I can do this. Light will overcome the Darkness. Light will overcome the Darkness, she thought, as she put her hands on the girl's chest. Light will overcome the Darkness!
She could hear Minerva gasp as light flowed from Hermione's hands, encircling the girl for a moment, before vanishing. Hermione stepped back, and Madam Pomfrey leaned over the girl, examining her again. After a moment she looked up, with an expression of pure shock on her face. "There are no traces of Dark Magic here. It is completely gone. How did you manage this, Miss Granger?" Hermione did not know what to say, so Severus stepped in. "It is not certain at this time. We will explain later, and give you all a more detailed description of the situation. I'm sure Miss Granger is willing to give a demonstration of her new and quite extraordinary magic. Now, I have potions that need stirring in approximately five minutes, and so does Miss Granger. Shall we?" Hermione realized Severus was looking at her, and nodded before following him out of the hospital wing. She knew there were no potions that needed stirring, though.
Hermione looked at Severus as they walked towards the dungeons after leaving the hospital wing. "I hope you will forgive me, Professor Snape, but my memory seems to be failing me. I cannot recall exactly what potions we are supposed to be stirring." Severus glanced at her with a stern expression, but she could see the mirth in his eyes as he replied. "Really, Miss Granger. I would expect more from an organized student such as yourself. Five points from Gryffindor." Hermione gasped and was about to object, but Severus looked around before giving her a warm smile. "Forty five points to Gryffindor for saving a girl from an almost certain death." Hermione rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't tease the students Professor." Severus grinned at her. "I never tease my students, Miss Granger. My apprentices are a different story, though."
Hermione was unable to concentrate for the rest of the day. The meeting with Minerva and Madam Pomfrey went well, and they were now up to speed on everything that had happened, and everything Severus and Hermione knew so far. She had demonstrated some of her magic, and there had been a lot of oooh's, and aaah's at her light orbs and transfigurations. It had been a long day, and Hermione was at this point mentally exhausted.
She was relieved when she finally returned to the dungeons later that evening. She entered to see Severus sitting in the sofa, but he got up when he saw her entering. He had a grave look on his face, and she felt her blood go cold.
"What? Why do you look so serious?" He sighed.
"You better sit down I think." This made it even worse, and Hermione hurriedly sat down in the sofa. Severus sat down next to her and turned towards her. He leaned his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands in front of him. "I have some more information regarding the girl you saved earlier today. She was attacked outside the Forbidden Forest." Hermione could feel her blood go even colder.
Severus sat up a bit and drew a hand through his hair before he continued. "We do not know exactly what attacked her." He hesitated, and Hermione knew she wouldn't like what he had to say next. "Severus, just say it! You're driving me insane." He sighed. "Before the attack, the girl had heard something. She had heard laughter. A crazy laugh, she called it." He looked at Hermione. She couldn't speak. She just sat there, frozen. Her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke next. "Oh my God." Severus just nodded. "You need to be very careful Hermione. Do not leave the castle alone. Actually, do not leave the castle without me." She nodded with an empty stare. Severus spoke again. "We have searched the Forbidden Forest, but we found nothing. Something is off though. The creatures are restless. We need to figure out what is going on." She looked at him. "We really do."
A few days later there was another attack. Hermione had been to the hospital wing and successfully healed the unfortunate Ravenclaw boy, and he was now slowly recovering.
Hermione felt paranoid, spending as much time as possible in the dungeons. It was pretty much the only place she felt safe. And it was home to her now. She dreaded that she would be leaving in just a few months.
Severus' POV
Severus could see how stressed Hermione was from the recent attacks. He couldn't blame her, seeing how she was seemingly involved somehow. He was worried, and he was frustrated beyond belief that they couldn't find the source of the attacks, or what was going on in the Forbidden Forest.
It was hard to keep focus these days, and Severus saw how overworked Hermione was, but she refused to listen to him when he tried to tell her to slow down. He wanted to tell her she should take a break, and most of all he wanted to tell her that they should continue the apprenticeship next year, because that would give her a reason to come back. He got a sinking feeling in his stomach when he thought of her leaving.
He knew the moment from New Year's Eve and his birthday had passed, and his heart ached at the thought. He was starting to come to terms with the fact that she was not interested. Not like that, anyway. They were friends, though. That had to be enough.
Severus was amazed that he was able to live with someone after all these years of solitude. He was particularly amazed that he was able to live with an insufferable know-it-all Gryffindor. And the worst part? Or perhaps the best part, he didn't know how to put it. The most absurd part at least. He loved it. He missed her when she was gone, and he was relieved and happy when she returned to the dungeons in the evenings. He was surprised to see that it seemed like the insufferable know-it-all Gryffindor enjoyed it as well. He knew they weren't technically living together, but since Hermione never used the tunnels and doors that led straight to the apprentice quarters, it surely felt like they did.
He shook his head as he went to get ready for bed that night. Who knew that his life would change so much in just a few months. Thank God it did, he thought, as he drifted off to sleep.