Eternally Yours

Chapter Twenty

Modern Love

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Modern Love is a song courtesy of Mr. David Bowie.

Severus arrived in his mother's old room, nearly two hours after Hermione had left his arms, to find her curled up on the bed, wearing only his bathrobe, sound asleep. Severus removed his robes and climbed into bed next to her, wrapping one arm protectively around her waist. He'd nearly fallen asleep when Hermione called him out of his stupor.

'Severus?'

'Yes.'

'Why aren't you wearing any clothes?'

'Because you're wearing my bathrobe,' he mumbled.

She leaned back into him and pulled the robe's collar up around her neck. 'It smells like you.'

'I'll wash it,' he replied sleepily.

Hermione smiled, buried her face in the pillows, and fell silent.

Several minutes later, Severus was once more called out of the warm cusp of sleep by Hermione's soft prodding voice.

'Severus?'

'Yes.'

'Aren't you cold?'

Severus tightened his grip around her waist. 'You're warm.'

Hermione turned around to face him and pressed her body against his.

Severus smiled contentedly and wrapped his arms more tightly around her.

'Better?' She asked, closing her eyes.

'Better,' he answered, kissing her forehead. 'Now sleep.'

When Hermione woke up again Severus was gone. She got out of bed and stretched, straightening Severus' bathrobe around her, and looked around the room for some answer as to where he had gone. Remarkably, she found an answer, as there was the unmistakable rattle of an owl at the window. She flipped open the casement and let one of the schools large barn owls into the room. She took the letter that it proffered and the owl flew off.

She opened the silver envelope to find a piece of Severus' green stationary covered with his writing in silver ink:

Hermione,

Get dressed; I've had the House Elves launder your

clothes they should be in a basket outside the door. If you're

hungry grab some breakfast. Otherwise, use the fireplace to

floo directly to Dumbledore's office. I have Professor Flitwick

watching my class, so don't use the fireplace in my office.

Don't worry about classes; Dumbledore has talked to all

of your teachers and you're excused. Just try to get over here as

soon as possible.

I love you,

Severus

Hermione folded up the letter, frowning, and threw it onto the end of the bed. She found her clothes, washed and neatly folded, in a small wicker basket outside the door. She got dressed quickly, raked her fingers through her hair, and made her way to the fireplace in a kind of solemn haste. By the time that she threw floo powder inside the fireplace and stepped inside her heart was pounding in her throat; it continued pounding rapidly all the while she was spinning through the fire until she resurfaced into Dumbledore's office and found herself in Severus' arms.

'Are you okay?' Severus asked with a frown

Hermione nodded, breathing deeply. 'Yeah, I don't know what came over me. Would you care to explain what's going on?'

Severus led her over to one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk, watching her uneasily.

Dumbledore, on the other hand, was all business. He cleared his throat and Hermione turned her attention to him. 'Early this morning Severus was called to a death eater meeting by Lord Voldemort, and the time has come to bring him the potion.'

Severus turned to Hermione and took her hands into his. 'Hermione, do you understand what that means?'

Hermione nodded, 'Yeah Sev. I understand.'

'In all probability this potion won't work at all,' Dumbledore said gravely. 'The possibility has been considered and the odds aren't exactly good. If the potion does work Severus' cover will be blown, but hopefully that won't matter once Voldemort's power is gone.'

Hermione nodded. 'I know what it means,' she turned to Severus, 'it means you might not be coming back.'

Severus' eyes looked sad, and he twitched his mouth into a weak smile with a great deal of difficulty. 'Don't worry Hermione, I'll come back.'

Hermione lowered her eyes to the floor. 'When are you leaving?'

Severus wrapped a hand around each of her forearms and turned her to face him. Slowly, she brought her eyes up to meet his. Severus spoke slowly, holding her with his gaze. 'I have to go now, or The Dark Lord will suspect something, but I'll be back in your arms tonight and this will all be over; I promise.'

Tears were flowing steadily down Hermione's face as Severus pulled her up into his arms. 'Be careful,' she whispered. She didn't even feel him kiss her as she fell back into the chair and watched him floo out of the room.

It was several minutes later before she could register or feel anything other than the sickening feeling in her stomach, and then she burst into tears.

'Are you going to be all right Hermione?' Dumbledore asked her softly.

Hermione nodded slowly, wiping the tears out of her eyes. 'I think I'll just go lay down in my room.'

'I think that would be best,' Dumbledore agreed. 'Would you like me to walk you to Gryffindor tower?'

'No,' Hermione said firmly. 'I'll go by myself.'

'Alright,' Dumbledore nodded.

Hermione gathered herself together and left the room through the gargoyles passage.

When Hermione reached Gryffindor tower she wished that she had let Dumbledore walk her there; she felt weak now that Severus was gone. She felt uneasy and she longed for the ease of sleep. But, there was something between her current position and the sweet embrace of her four poster bed, and he had red hair and freckles.

The morning's events had wiped Ronald Weasley straight from her memory, but now the previous night's events returned in painful clarity; He'd said that he loved her.

'Look Ron, I…' but she was at a loss for words.

Ron shrugged, 'Don't bother Hermione, your lover put it all into sharp perspective last night during our little conversation.' Ron gave an uncontrollable shudder as he remembered the aforementioned conversation.

Severus leaned over Ron, his lanky hair hanging in the boy's face.

'Get away from me you filthy bastard,' Ron said in a scathing whisper.

Severus sneered at him. 'That seems a bit rich of you Weasley, considering the squalor that you live in.'

'Least I don't have to drug girls with love potions to get them to sleep with me, and I can get girls my own age,' Ron shot back.

'Since when do you date girls Weasley, you virginal little prat?' Severus scoffed.

Ron just gaped at him.

Severus smirked, but then he frowned as he remembered that he was supposed to be trying to convince Ron to support Hermione not having a row with the boy, even if he was winning. 'Look Weasley,' Severus grimaced, 'Ron. I don't like you, and I know you don't like me, but Hermione does like you, and apparently you're in love with her, so I think that it would be a good idea for the two of us to get along. It just so happens that I really do love Hermione, God help me, so you're just going to have to get used to it; why not make the best of it by not making a nuisance of yourself? Do you understand Weasley?'

Ron nodded, open hatred in his eyes.

'Good,' Severus said and straightened up. 'Now I suggest you go to bed before I have to give you a detention for wandering around the school after hours. If you tell anyone about this you'll be looking forward to a lot more than just a few detentions. Oh, and if you ever lay a hand on my girlfriend I'll be forced to castrate you.'

Ron sneered, 'Your girlfriend?'

'Yes, my girlfriend,' Severus affirmed. 'Although, I think the term in that particular sentence that you should have your attention on is castration. Have a nice night Weasley, and I suggest you refrain from actively thinking about my girlfriend as well if you want to keep your manhood intact.'

With that Severus left Ron alone in the empty classroom where he had brought the boy to have their little chat.

Ron gave another involuntary shudder and forced himself to continue the conversation that he'd rehearsed so many times in his mind already. 'My point is, Hermione, I really am in love with you, but if you don't feel the same way I'm more than willing to wait.'

Hermione gave him a forced smile. 'Thanks Ron, that really means a lot, but do you mind if we continue this conversation later? I was just on my way to bed.'

Ron looked at her in confusion. 'It's not even noon yet.' His initial thought, which in many ways would be the harbinger of sleepless nights to come, was that she was tired from having sex with Snape all night long, but that thought was soon wiped from Ron's mind when he saw the tears running down Hermione's cheeks. 'Why are you crying Hermione?' Ron asked in concern before his face darkened into an expression of malice. 'What did he do to you?'

'Don't be ridiculous Ron, Severus hasn't done anything. I'm just being a little overemotional right now; you know, P.M.S.' She managed a weak smile. 'I think I'll just go take a nap.'

'Oh,' Ron said, his face matching his hair. 'Yeah, I'll talk to you later, when you're feeling better.'

Hermione left Ron in his state of general embarrassment and made her way up to the girl's dormitory. She didn't know why she'd lied to Ron. It was just that she'd kept him out of the loop for months already and now didn't feel like the right time to clue him in. She suddenly felt so tired.

A.N: I know this isn't much of a chapter after not updating in such a long time, but give me a chance to get back into the story. The reason I haven't updated in so long is because I've been really flowing on my novel, and a girl has to have her priorities, you know. But I have writer' block on the novel right now, so I should be able to get a couple more chapters up on this. I don't think that it really has too many chapters to go; I think I was aiming for 25, and that's starting to sound about right.

I really want to thank any of my readers who are still with me despite the infrequent attention.