AN: Thanks for all your lovely reviews!
I don´t own Harry Potter and don´t make any profit.
When Hermione came down one morning, Severus handed her a piece of parchment, with a grim expression on his face.
Reading the letter, she just said, "Oh!"
"What does that mean?"
"I don´t know, are you planning on going?"
"Not sure. I mean they have been close friends at some point, and it says ´and guest´, but I guess you wouldn´t wanna come with me? Go there were ..." his voice trailed off.
"Are there gonna be other death eaters?"
"I think Lucius wouldn´t dare that and most of them are in Azkaban anyway."
"But why are they hosting a dinner then?"
"Isn´t that obvious? He is squirming his way back into society, after he has been despised by many people for being in Azkaban and being a death eater. I bet Kingsley and Minerva are invited too. It´s in two weeks, so there is plenty of time to think about it."
"So last night I finished the first chapter of my book. I´ve actually written more, but the first chapter I have also proofread."
"That´s brilliant, what does it cover?"
"The first four years of Harry being at Hogwarts."
"Sounds promising."
"Could you may be read it and tell me what you think?"
"Are you sure you want that?"Severus asked with a doubting expression on his face.
"Yeah, why not?" she smiled happily and handed him a couple of sheets of muggle paper, prompting Severus to raise an eye-brow.
"Well I bought a laptop, I´m not writing it by hand. Being muggle-born has its advantages," she answered his unasked question with a grin.
"So what are your plans for today? Because, I thought since it´s Sunday today and I really finished my work load for the week we could do something together. What do you think?"
"I would love that." Hermione hugged him and sighed contently.
"So what do you want to do?"
"The beach."
"Again?"
"What can I say, I love the sea. And the weather is really nice and sunny today."
"Well the beach it is," he laughed.
Hermione and Severus were sitting on the beach looking out on the sea.
"So tell me something about you I don´t know yet?" Hermione looked at him with the look of a nosy little girl.
"Like what?"
"Like which country would you love to travel to? What´s your favourite flower? I don´t know, tell me anything."
"I´d very much like to go to South America, Argentina maybe or Chile. And my favourite flower I think would be the lily of valley. It´s such a delicate flower, but with it being as poisonous as it is, it can very much take care of itself. It reminds me a bit of you."
"Can I take this as a compliment?"
"Absolutely. So what about you?"
"Well I would love to go the Middle East at some point and my favourite flower would be lilac, although it´s technically not a flower. But I like the smell and I like that, when you cut it and put in a vase it dies rather quickly. It´s like it needs its freedom."
"So are we done with the interrogation now?"
"Just one more question. Why don´t you take off your shoes?"
"I don´t know. It didn´t occur to me. Isn´t it gross? I mean the sand."
Hermione laughed, "No, why would it. It´s wonderful . The sand gets cooler and cooler the further down you burry your feet. Try it."
Slowly and carefully he took of his shoes and rested his feet on the sand, "Interesting."
Hermione burst into laughter and gasped, "That´s really funny!"
Severus just grumbled something incomprehensible. Hermione laid down on her back gazing into the blue sky. After a while she closed her eyes, since it was just too bright.
Hey, where is the sun gone to? Hermione slowly opened her eyes and looked in a pair of black eyes. I love his eyes. They are gorgeous.
"Hi sleepyhead!" Severus lowered his face to hers and tenderly kissed her.
"I guess I just dozed off."
"Dozed off? You slept two hours straight."
"Oh," she sat up.
"So I bought some lunch. I hope you like chips."
"I do." They ate in silence.
"Can I ask you something?" Hermione said after she finished her chips and licked her salty lips.
"Anything," Severus smiled.
"How come you took care of me at St. Mungo´s?" Hermione asked curiously.
"I think I was bored and curious, that´s why I looked into your room at first. And when I saw you I was shocked, you weren´t the girl I remembered. And to be honest you were always one of my favourite students. I noticed that your friends weren´t able to help you. So I thought I give it a shot. I didn´t think I would be successful. But looking at you now, I think I was. Fortunately!" Severus smiled and stroked Hermione´s cheek, who had her head in his lap.
"Thank you, Sev!" she mumbled and kissed the tips of his fingers.
"I actually got some dessert too."
Her eyes lit up, "What did you get?"
"Fudge."
"Great, I never had fudge."
"You never had fudge? What is it with you and sweets? You know what the great thing about being a neglected child is, nobody cares how unhealthy you eat or drink. So if you want I can teach you all about that. Eating sweets, drinking lemonade and alcohol," he waggled his eyebrows, making her laugh.
"I would love that very much, but only if you allow me to teach all the nice, little things life has to offer, like burying your feet in the sand, or smelling lilac."
His expression softened and he gave a small and sad smile "I like that idea very much."
"So … fudge?" he offered her a small bag.
"Hmm … that´s delicious," she sighed.
"I know."
"So I guess you read the first chapter of my book." Hermione asked a couple of days later, pointing to the stack of paper on the coffee table.
"I did."
"So?"
"It´s good," he slowly said.
"But?", she asked sensing that there was a ´but´.
"Well … to be honest, you´re rambling."
"I´m not."
"Yes you are. Nobody cares about Sir Nicholas` Deathday Party for example."
"You just don´t know what you´re talking about," she snatched the papers out of his hand, and stomped out of the room and upstairs, slamming the door to her room.
"I knew reading it wasn´t a good idea," he mumbled and poured himself a glass of firewhisky.
After a couple of days, where Hermione was hardly speaking to Severus she came down one evening looking shyly at him saying, "I´m sorry you were right! I was rambling. I shortened it and divided it in two chapters. Would you be willing to read it again?"
"Only if you promise me you won´t be in a strop with me again, if I criticize your work!"
"I promise. Can I please sit next to you and get a cuddle. I missed you."
"I missed you too," he sighed putting an arm over her shoulder.
"By the way I decided about the Malfoys. I´m coming with you." She smiled at him.
"Are you sure?"
"I´m sure. I know they are friends of yours and it´s important to you. And I won´t let myself intimidate by them."
"I´m not quite sure if we are friends anymore. But I want to make sure I know what Lucius is up to and what he is planning for the future. Thanks Hermione! I promise you I´ll be there for you and as soon as you say you want to go we are leaving." He said reassuringly squeezing her arm.
"Thanks, that means a lot."
It was the evening of the dinner at Malfoy Manor and Severus was on the way to the bathroom to take a quick shower and get ready, when he heard Hermione sobbing in her room. He quietly knocked at her door.
"Can I come in?" There was no answer, and so he carefully pushed the door handle down and peeked inside her room. Hermione was kneeling beside her bed, her head resting on the bed, she was crying. He hurried over to her and gently pulled her up and embraced her.
"Shh, Hermione what´s the matter? We don´t have to go."
"Look at me, I look hideous."
"No you don´t," he smiled at her. Hermione was wearing a simple, but stunning black dress and looked beautiful to him.
She mumbled, something he didn´t quite hear.
"What did you just say? I didn´t catch that." He gently stroked her cheek.
"SCARS!" she screamed at him," LOOK AT MY SCARS!" He pulled her closer and rocked her back and forth to soothe her.
"I hate them. I tried to cover them up with a charm, but it didn´t work."
"Hermione look at me," he let go of her and took off his t-shirt. She gasped, there were scars all over his body, not to mention the faded silver stain the dark mark left on his forearm. He closed the gap between them again and then he kissed her throat, her chest and her forearm, everywhere were he saw a scar. She couldn´t help but shiver under the feeling of his bare skin, on hers.
"Listen to me! The scars are part of your life now. They tell a story about you, about how brave you were, about how you fought for what was right, about how you didn´t give in even, when you were at the mercy of one of the most evil and mental witches of the century. They are nothing to be ashamed of."
Severus gently kissed her. "And to me you look beautiful. Scars or no scars. But if you want me I´ll cover them up for you."
She gave him a small smile, "What would you say if I just leave them as they are, don´t hide them? Just to make them all a bit uncomfortable," she timidly asked him.
"I would be proud to be with the cleverest, bravest and most beautiful woman I know."
They were standing on the threshold of Malfoy Manor and Hermione gave a little shiver.
"It´s still time to turn around, if you don´t want to go."
"No, I´m doing this, but please stay by my side," she quietly said.
"Always." Severus kissed her temple and offered Hermione his arm. When Severus knocked on the door an ancient house-elf opened the door.
"Good evening! May Floppsy take your and your companies cloaks, Professor Snape, as Floppsy recalls it."
When Floppsy hurried away buried under their cloaks, Hermione whispered, "They should be allowed to retire. It´s really preposterous." Severus chuckled, but his expression went blank as soon as Lucius Malfoy came around the corner to greet them.
"Ah Severus my dear friend, it´s good to see you, " Lucius said giving Severus an awkward hug.
"Who did you bring? We were all so curious who would accompany you this evening, when you wrote in your reply, that you would be bring a guest." His gaze fell on Hermione and for a fraction of a second she saw something like hate, but also, if that could be possible insecurity.
But Lucius quickly had his face back under control and said, "Good evening, Miss Granger, please come in and make yourself at home."
I will most certainly not.
He smiled sweetly, but his smile never reached his eyes.
"Let me take you to the dining room and introduce you to the other guests," and giving a second glance at Hermione, Lucius said quietly, so Severus who was walking next to hear hardly understood, "Couldn´t you at least cover up your scars, do you want to spoil my appetite?"
Hermione could feel her anger bubbling up inside her, "Mister Malfoy, of all houses in wizarding Britain, this is the house I think I am allowed to show my scars publically, since I received some of them here in this very house," Hermione said loud and very clearly, making sure that everybody else, who was already in the dining room would hear.
Lucius walked in front of them, when Severus whispered in Hermione´s ear, "Well done, my little know-it-all!" When they arrived in the dining room, everybody else was already there drinking, what looked like champagne.
Kingsley saw them first and gave her a wide smile, "Hello Hermione, it´s nice to meet you again. I hope you are well?" He hugged Hermione and gave her a kiss on the cheek, making Lucius look like he just had a stroke.
"I think you just gave Malfoy a heart-attack, " Hermione tiptoed and whispered into Kingsley`s ear. Kingsley´s deep and rumbling laugh, made everybody look at them.
Lucius who felt being out of the picture, hurried over to Kingsley and with a suck-up voice he said, "Minister Shacklebolt, I would love to talk to you about a fund I want to set up for St. Mungo´s…" And he ushered him away from Hermione and Severus.
"And so the squirming begins," Severus muttered under his breath.
"Good evening Severus," came a shy voice from behind. They turned around to find Narcissa standing behind them.
"Good evening Narcissa," Severus replied politely, "I guess you met my date for the evening before?"
Narcissa Malfoy blushed and stammered, "Y…Yes I d…do! Good evening Miss Granger!" When her gaze fell on Hermione´s scars her complexion went from red to pale and Severus had to steady her for a moment, since she was slightly stumbling.
Hermione noticing her insecurity and taking in her appearance as being dreadful, quickly asked, "Will your son joining us this evening?"
Narcissa gave a little thankful smile towards Hermione and said, "He will be coming a little bit later, he is working a late shift at St. Mungo´s. He is trained to be a healer."
"Wow. I´m sure he will make a good healer. He always had top grades, didn´t he?"
"Yes, he did. You are very kind Miss Granger."
"Good evening, Narcissa, Hermione, Severus!" Minerva came to greet them.
"I´m sorry I´m a little late. There was a minor incident at the school including some articles of Weasleey´s Wizard Wheezes." Hermione and Severus snorted at the same time.
"Exactly my reaction," Minerva huffed.
"It seems Mr. Weasley is making good business, " Narcissa smiled.
"He is. But I would prefer if I not always end up with a first year being too stupid to actually use the Skiving Snackboxes right." All four of them were laughing now, when Lucius invited everybody to join him at the dinner table. Severus was sitting between Hermione and Narcissa. The seat next to Hermione, who was listening intensely to the conversations, stayed empty.
"Who are all these other people, I don´t know any of them?" She whispered towards Severus.
"Well, they are mainly people who are pulling the strings in the background, high up in the ranks of the ministry or our society in general. Most of them were leaning towards Voldemort, but never being actually so stupid as to take the dark mark. Some of them actually forked out some money for him." Severus whispered back.
His answer made her listen even more intensely to the conversations. She noticed, that Malfoy was still that pompous git, she knew and she noticed that he didn´t seem very intelligent and didn´t quite fit in with all the intellectuals assembled around the table. I guess it´s his money than.
"Good evening, ladies and gentleman," came Draco´s voice from the door. "I am sorry for being late, but I was working a late shift at St. Mungo´s."
"Good evening Draco!" Lucius addressed his son with a cold voice and eyes matching his voice, "You are sitting next to Miss Granger tonight."
Draco looked over to Hermione astonishment written across his face, but also pain and sadness.
"Good evening, Hemione!" Draco greeted her with a friendly smile, while he sat down neext to her.
Hermione gaped at him, "Good evening Malfoy … I mean Draco!"
"May I be so bold, but you look beautiful tonight, " Draco said quietly, prompting Severus to turn his head and glare at him.
"Sorry Severus! By the look on your face, I guess Hermione came with you. I just stated the obvious," Draco grinned. Severus grumbled and turned his attention back to Narcissa, but his hand found Hermione´s under table and gave it a squeeze.
"So Draco I heard you are trained to be a healer. How do you like it?"
"It´s brilliant. I really enjoy it. Although father doesn´t approve of it. He wants me to work for Malfoy Industries, but I can´t be bothered, I want to do something useful."
"I think you´ll be a good healer, Draco."
"Thank you!"
"Tell me Draco, how is your Mum doing, she is nothing like I remembered her," Hermione asked looking over to Narcissa who was talking to Severus with a tired expression on her face.
"I know, the last year, actually the last couple of years were very hard on my mother, ever since he moved into the Manor. She has nightmares and some repercussion of being tortured and living with father doesn´t help at all. She needs somebody who loves her and can guide her back to life. But father insensitive as he is, won´t be the one to help her," Draco looked at Hermione with a sad expression.
"I´m sorry."
"You of all people don´t have to be sorry, after what happened to you in this house. I am sorry about you being tortured by my aunt and nobody of us stepping in. I should have done something. By then I it already dawned on me, that Voldemort was not right … I should have stopped Bellatrix, I´m sorry," he whispered.
"I don´t know what to say," Hermione said.
"Please don´t say anything. I know my apology can´t make up to everything that happened to you, but if you ever need anything, please let me know." Hermione nodded.
After dinner Minerva held her back to quickly discuss some Hogwarts business. When they finished, Hermione was about to look for Severus, when she heard Lucius´ voice around the corner.
"What is this Severus? I guess she is just a good shag. For a mudblood she is quite good looking, even I have to admit that." Lucius chuckled.
Severus answered him with fury in his voice, "I can´t believe you´re still using that word and to be honest it´s none of your business, but I´m in love with Hermione."
Lucius laughed loudly, "Oh please. In love. That´s ridiculous! The death eater and the mudblood."
"Severus is a very lucky man to have Hermione in his life. She is beautiful, intelligent and the bravest woman I know. Coming back here tonight and to face us must have taken more courage, then you and your horrid death eater friends have all together."
Hermione heard a resounding slap and seconds later Draco hurried past, without noticing her, one of his cheeks bearing a red mark. After a couple of moments Hermione went around the corner, to find Severus alone, shaking with anger, clenching his fists. Hermione took one of his fists in her hand and slowly brought it up to her face and kissed it gently, prompting the tension to leave his hand and open up.
"Come on Hermione, let´s join the others in the drawing-room. Even if I´m not sure why I´m still here." As soon as Severus opened the door to the drawing room, Hermione´s gaze fell onto the huge chandelier and suddenly it all came flashing back to her. The unbearable pain of the Cruciatus Curse, her mortal fear, Dobby saving them all. Hermione went pale and stumbled, her feet about to give in, when Severus caught her and guided her out of the room again.
"I knew we shouldn´t have come here," Severus mumbled to himself. Narcissa who was still in the dining room giving orders to a house-elf, came over to them and helped Severus to place Hermione in an armchair in one of the corners.
"What happened Severus?" Narcissa asked and helped Hermione to drink some water from a glass she just conjured.
"We went to the drawing-room, she looked up at the chandelier, her face went as pale … just as yours went now, please don´t you too collapse on me."
"The drawing-room …" her voice trailed off and tears were streaming down her face.
"What did you do to them, they both look like they´ve seen a ghost?" Draco requested, entering the room.
"Yes they did, the ghost of their past. Hermione and I just when to the drawing-room… " Severus replied, noticing Draco becoming as pale as the two women.
Suddenly it dawned on Severus and he turned to Hermione, "Hermione is that where she tortured you?"
Hermione nodded a silent single tear running down her face.
Severus sighed, "I think it´s time for us to go home. Please tell Lucius … well nothing actually I don´t have anything to say to him anymore. Draco, we might meet each other soon, since I´m trained to be a healer too. Narcissa thank you for dinner. Come on Hermione, I´ll take you home."
"Thanks Mrs. Malfoy for dinner it was delicious, please let your house-elves know and Draco good luck with your training," Hermione shook both of their hands.
Hermione slumped down on the settee, cuddling into a blanket, while Severus set a fire going and went to the kitchen. When he came back into the living room, he handed her a mug with hot chocolate and marshmallows and sat next to her scooting closer.
"I´m proud of you my little bookworm. You did beautifully tonight. Thanks for coming with me."
"I hope we don´t have to go there again soon, although I have to admit I enjoyed Draco´s company at the table. I´m a bit worried about Misses Malfoy though."
"You know you don´t have to concern yourself about her. She is actually not yours to worry about. She has got a family," Severus sighed about her Gryffindor starry-eyed idealism.
"So how are you Hermione?"
"I`m fine, it just all came flashing back, when I saw the big chandelier. Dobby actually saved us by loosening the chandelier, so it came crushing down, causing a distraction, so Bellatrix let go of me and Dobby was able to apparate us all to Shell Cottage, were he died, with her knife in his chest. But I don´t want to talk about it now. Just hold me and maybe we could listen to music."
They spent the rest of the evening cuddling together under a blanket, listening to some music and when the fire died down, Hermione got up saying, "I´m going to bed."
"Me too," Severus said following her upstairs.
Hermione stopped in front of her room, turned around and said, with burning cheeks, "Do you want to come in?"
"Hermione, I would love to and I feel honoured by your offer, but not tonight, you are vulnerable and sad tonight and I would feel like taking advantage of you." Severus smiled and kissed her gently.
"Sometimes I´m afraid of the dark, with all the images of war imprinted in my memory. Can you maybe sit next to my bed and hold my hand, until I am asleep?" she asked timidly looking at her feet.
"Certainly."
AN: I hope enjoyed!?