1Redefining Nothing

Ch. 5: Dreamscapes

A/N: Thank you to everyone for the glowing reviews. They've kept me focused on where this story is going next. I want to double thank my wonderful beta ShadowC for her continual support. She gave me two ideas on where this story could go after Ch.4 and I managed to take two of them and splice them together into the longest chapter I've ever written.

Hermione smiled as Severus strode over to her down an open corridor. He swept

her into his arms and kissed her passionately.

"My Hermione." He purred between kisses along her jawline.

Hermione's pulse raced and she returned his kisses with equal passion. But in the back of her mind something nagged at her. Something about this didn't feel right. As he ran his hands lovingly through her hair it struck her. "Severus,"

"Hmm?" He mumbled, kissing her cheek.

Hermione pushed him back slightly. "Sev, someone's going to see us." she protested half-heartedly.

He kissed her behind the ear and then whispered, "I don't care. I'm tired of hiding. Let them find us."

Hermione would have protested that he should care, but his kisses were too sweet. She adored them too much.

When they parted her heart ached. She knew that they shouldn't be together publicly. For one thing she was his student. For another, he was a spy and she could compromise his cover. But she loved him and she hoped to god that he loved her.

The next night she met him in the potions room. She ran to him and entwined herself in his arms. Just as their arms clasped the room began to spin and melt.

"What's happening?" Hermione called, clinging to Severus' arms.

"I don't know." He responded.

As suddenly as it had begun the spinning stopped. They were standing in a rather ancient looking ballroom. The room was dark, but Hermione could make out the shadow of silver serpents on the walls. The only light was the sort of eery blue light that comes right before dawn. Hermione quivered. "Where are we?"

"I'm not sure." Severus' voice was low and worried.

Suddenly light flooded the room as fire blazed to life in a hearth big enough for three men to stand in. As a pair, they whirled to face it. As they did, a high-pitched, cackling hiss issued from behind them.

"Severus, kind of you to join us. And I see that you saw fit to bring Miss Granger along. Good, good. Two birds, one stone. She'll enjoy the show." The voice hissed. It was accompanied by the figure of Lord Voldemort striding into the firelight. "Come here, Severus." Voldemort ordered. "You must be curious as to why you are here. Why I brought you here."

"Run, Hermione." Severus whispered to her. Then he stepped forward.

Hermione turned to run, but Voldemort's cold voice stopped her in her tracks. "Not so fast Miss Granger. I want you to stay and watch."

Against her will, Hermione was whirled around. Whatever spell Voldemort was wielding forced her into a high backed wooden chair. She screamed as chains snaked up from nowhere to bind her to the chair. She writhed in horror as her wrists were bound to the chair arms, her ankles to the chair legs, and her torso to the chair back. "Severus, h–" she choked off and found herself unable to speak.

"Ah-ah-ah." Voldemort chastised. "That won't do." He turned from her to face Severus.

"My Lord, please leave her out of this." Severus begged. "She has nothing to do with this."

"SHE HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH IT!!" Voldemort raged. "I trusted you as my most high profile spy. Watch Potter and his friends. Report to me on the doings of three sixteen year olds. And you let the Mudblood seduce you. It's disgusting! 'Crucio'!"

Severus screamed as the curse set him writhing in agony. "Please my Lord. She did nothing. I pursued her. I love her." Severus pleaded between gasps of pain.

Voldemort lifted the curse. Severus stayed kneeling on the floor panting. " I would have expected you to have better taste. However your obvious love for the girl requires punishment."

Severus cringed. "Please," he whispered, "let Hermione alone."

"Touching." Voldemort said sarcastically. "But I really think she ought to go first. That way you can watch. In recognition of your love," he choked over the word, "for her perhaps a spell of your own creation? SECTUMSEMPRA!"

Hermione screamed as a raw, bleeding gash was torn open on her chest. She could feel the warm blood poring down her robes. The pain was white hot and searing. Vaguely she heard Voldemort place Severus back under the Cruciatus Curse. She heard Severus scream, and the only coherent word in his shrieks was her name.

"Severus,... Severus,... Severus!" she cried out to him.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort shrieked, with a hint of a laugh in his voice. Green light flashed and Hermione watched Severus crumple.

"NOOO!" She yelled.

"Your next." Voldemort said advancing on her.

Hermione sat bolt upright in the dark. A cold sweat drenched her body and green

light blinded her eyes. In her mind she could still hear screams of agony and Voldemort laughing. She glanced at her clock. It read 2a.m. She reached for her wand and whispered, "Accio Invisibility Cloak!"

A few moments later, Harry's Invisibility Cloak zoomed into the room. She pulled a bathrobe over her nightgown and the cloak over that. Silently she slipped out of Gryffindor Tower. Quickly and quietly she slid down to the dungeons.

She knocked on the door that led to Severus' office. After several knocks he answered dressed in a black flannel shirt and matching pants. His hair was rumpled from sleep. "Hello?" he called to the seemingly empty hallway.

Hermione pulled off the cloak. "Thank goodness." She gasped, throwing her arms around his neck.

"You just saw me not four hours ago." Severus said, surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"I had to make sure you were alright. I had the most terrible dream." She whispered.

"Would you like to come in and tell me about it?" Severus asked kindly. He was tired but he could see that she needed him and he deeply wanted to comfort her.

"Yes." She murmured. Holding her delicately, Severus led the way to his kitchen. Minutes later they were seated at his table with hot cups of tea.

"What did you dream about?"

"We decided to let people know about us. And Voldemort found out. I don't know how. He tortured you, he hurt me with your spell, he made me watch him kill you. I had to make sure that you were alright. In my dream, I had to hear you beg for my life. I woke up with your screams in my ears." Tears flowed silently down her cheeks. "We can't do this, Severus. I'm going to get you hurt. I'm not worth it." True sobs began to wrack her frame.

Severus felt like his heart was being ripped from his chest. He didn't want to believe that she really wanted to end it like this. Rising from his chair he went to her and pushed her chair back from the table. Kneeling in front of her he took her hands. "That isn't going to happen. He won't find out. And I won't let him hurt you, ever. You really are worth it. He rose up on his knees and cradled her to him. He stroked her hair and kissed her face and neck. "You're so beautiful Hermione...so beautiful."

"But what if You-Know-Who finds out. What if he gets his hands on me. My memories show you in a kind light. Worse yet they show you being loving to a Gryffindor. Don't you see? I'm a danger to you."

"I don't care." Severus said adamantly.

"Don't say that!" Hermione yelled, pulling away from him and backing away. "That's what you said in my dream, right before...Oh god!!" A fresh torrent of tears broke loose. "I..-we...can't." she sobbed.

Severus watched her as she stood and full two yards from him. She quivered with sobs. He felt so helpless. Whatever she'd seen in her nightmare wasn't real, but he didn't know how to convince her of that. Doing the only thing he could, he went to her and wrapped her in his arms. She cried against his shoulder and he just held her. He kept the contact as simple yet loving as possible. She continued to blubber her protests between sobs. Finally, it irritated him. Holding her at arms length he stared her full in the face. "Do you want this to end?" he growled.

"N-n-no. I j-just don't w-w-want to see y-you hurt." She stammered.

"I'm not in any danger." He assured her. "Voldemort doesn't need to ever see your memories of me. And if something goes horribly, terribly wrong and he does find them, I can make him believe that they are mere fantasies." He smiled wryly. "Trust me."

"I trust you." Hermione said as she relaxed in his arms. She tensed again though when he bent and scooped her into his arms, bridal style.

"Close your eyes, my Gryffindor." Severus whispered in her ear. He held her small frame close and waited to move until he was sure her eyes were shut.

Hermione closed her eyes and waited patiently for Severus' command to open them again. She was surprised to feel padding beneath her back as he laid her down on something soft.

"Open your eyes, my darling." he whispered.

She opened her eyes and gazed around. Shock settled in slowly as her eyes met a wardrobe, a chair, and a door to a smaller room. Sitting up and looking behind her, it finally hit home that she was lying on his bed. It was a big bed made of a dark wood. A down comforter covered it and it was on this that she now lay. "Why?" she asked in confused amazement.

Severus chuckled. "Because it's two thirty in the morning, and I want some rest, but I want to hold you as well." He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled his socks off. That done, he slid under the covers. Smiling, Hermione joined him. Severus rolled over, and wound his arms around her narrow waist.

Hermione wiggled around so that she could comfortably lay her head on his chest. She ran her arms around his neck. They just lay there, relishing their closeness, and eventually, Hermione drifted off to sleep.

Harry woke up at 3a.m. as was his habit. He'd taken to consulting the Marauder's Map at odd hours in order to establish the teachers' watch schedule. He saw McGonagall, Sprout, and Sinistra on patrol in addition to Filch and Mrs. Norris. He marked down the date, time, and teacher's names. He scanned the map for Snape and found him in his dungeons as usual. But his system received a jolt when he say Hermione's dot next to Snape's. Its 3a.m. What is Hermione doing there at this time? He wondered to himself.

To rationalize the event, he convinced himself that it was just that the map had gotten old. The charm was wearing off and it thought that Hermione was still in detention. He would make a point to ask Sirius about it tomorrow and that would solve it. He rolled over and went back to sleep.

Severus woke Hermione up around forty-thirty. "'Mione, time to get back to your dorm." He whispered, kissing her awake.

Hermione groaned and rolled over. "Is it morning already?"

"Late enough." Severus said. He was laying on his back staring moodily at the ceiling.

Hermione crawled over and lay on her stomach on top of him. "What's the matter, Sev?" she asked.

Severus took a deep, steadying breath. "I wish so much that you didn't ever have to leave me, Hermione." He said. Without looking at her he wound his arms around her and stroked his hands through her hair.

"Then I'll never leave. Say the word and I'll never be more than an arms length from you." she said pressing herself closer to him.

"You have to finish your schooling, my darling. But if I could make it so, I would." Severus kissed her forcefully. His hands ranged from her shoulders down to her lower back. His kiss was passionate and furious. Hermione had to fight to keep pace with him. At last they parted, breathless and panting.

"You should go." Severus said.

"Yes." Hermione agreed, remorsefully.

Minutes later, Hermione slipped under Harry's cloak and out of Severus' door. She worked her way carefully back to Gryffindor Tower. She charmed the cloak back into Harry's trunk and slipped into her own dormitory. When the others awoke and came down, Hermione was dressed and sitting in the Common Room.

"Good morning, Hermione." Ron offered as he came down the boy's stairs, still yawning.

"Good morning Ron. Good morning, Harry." Hermione said brightly, looking up from her book. "How did you sleep?"

"Well thanks." Harry answered. "You?"

"Splendidly. Shall we go to breakfast?"

Harry hung back after Defense Against the Dark Arts later that morning.

"Come on, Harry!" Ron urged. "Let's go to lunch."

"You and Hermione go on ahead, Ron. I need to talk to Sirius for a minute." Harry said. Ron shrugged and he and Hermione left.

When all the other students had left the room, Harry approached the teachers' desk. "Professor Lupin?" He inquired.

Remus looked up. "What can I help you with, Harry?" He asked kindly.

"I need to speak with Sirius." Harry said.

"Alright. He should be in his office." Remus said pointing to one of the two smoked glass doors in the back wall.

"Thanks." Harry said. He hurried to the door and knocked.

"Come in." Sirius barked.

Harry opened the door and entered. "Do you have a minute?" he asked.

Sirius looked up and smiled at his godson. "Always for you, Harry. How have you been?"

"Great actually." Harry said sitting down opposite Sirius.

Sirius smiled. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"This." Harry held up an old brown piece of parchment.

"The Marauder's Map? Why?"

"I think that the charm is wearing off. It's sticking."

"Sticking, hm? Let me see." Sirius said gravely. He tapped the page with is wand and muttered "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." Ink slowly spread across the page in a perfect floor plan of the Hogwarts castle. Sirius checked the location of different teachers who could be expected to be in their classrooms. They were all right where they should be. Right down to Remus in the office next door. "Everything appears to be fine with it."

"That can't be." Harry exclaimed, puzzled.

"Why not?" Sirius asked.

"Last night Hermione had detention with Snape." Harry started. Sirius' eyebrows rose in curiosity. "And she came back around ten o'clock. I was her come back, and Ron did too. Then I woke up at 3 a.m. last night and couldn't sleep so I checked the map for the heck of it."

Sirius scoffed as if he didn't believe that was really why Harry checked the map. He knew that it wasn't, but he wouldn't chastise Harry for it. He and James had done much the same once.

"The map said that Hermione was still in Snape's dungeons. What would she have been doing there at 3a.m.?"

"She wouldn't be there." Sirius said plainly. "She shouldn't be. I'm sure she wasn't really there, Harry. But I don't know why the map said she was. Do you mind if I keep it for a while to see if it does it again?"

"Sure. Go ahead." Harry said. "Thanks Sirius. I knew that you could help." He rose to leave.

"See you tomorrow Harry." Sirius smiled pleasantly at him. When Harry had gone he began staring at the Marauder's Map. A few minutes later Remus knocked on his door and entered.

"What did Harry want?" He asked.

Sirius explained the situation to him along with Harry's concerns and theory.

Remus' brow furrowed. "But we all put charms on it to keep the spell and James bound them."

"I know." Sirius said.

"Did you tell Harry that?" Remus asked.

"No." Sirius said. "You know Harry. He would have tried to fix it himself. He would have done something rash if I'd told him."

Remus smiled at his friend. "So you stopped Harry from doing something rash so you could run off and do just that." He mused.

"I never said–"

"Sirius, how long have we been friends?" Remus cut him off.

"Twenty years and then some." Sirius guessed.

"Exactly." Remus continued. "I know how you operate. You and James never let an offense slide. Ever. Why would I think that you wouldn't defend your godson's best friend?"

"You know me too well, Moony." Sirius sighed at last.

"Let it go Sirius." Remus advised him with a stern look. "At least until you have more concrete evidence than a glance Harry took at the map at 3a.m."

Sirius nodded. He knew that it wouldn't convince Remus but it was worth a try.

Remus was as unconvinced as Sirius suspected he'd be. "Do it for Harry's sake." He pleaded. "The boy is finally happy now that he's living with you. Don't take that way from him because you lost your temper with another teacher."

That time he really got through to Sirius. Sirius loved having Harry living with him. It broke the loneliness he'd become used to and was like having a son of his own. "I won't say anything to Severus without more proof, but when I get that proof, Remus, nothing you say will stop me."

"I won't even try." Remus looked at his watch. "Well, I ought to be getting home. I'll be back this time tomorrow."

Sirius nodded. His teaching agreement with Remus was in 24-hour shifts. For now Sirius would teach the afternoon classes, do night watch, and teach the morning. Then they'd switch. It was terribly boring for Sirius but it allowed Remus more time with his family. "Give my regards to Tonk and little Teddy." Sirius said.

"As always." Remus promised, stepping into Sirius' fireplace and throwing down some Floo powder.