1Redefining Nothing

Ch.6: Confrontations

A/N: Again, many thanks to all of you who have stuck with this and sorry for the delay in updating. I had some trouble getting this chapter going, but once it started it was off like a firecracker so I hope you all enjoy. Please review. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Nearly a week went by without allowing any time for Severus and Hermione to meet. On Thursday Hermione turned in her Potions work while smiling to herself. She had magically concealed the note attached so that only Severus could read it and she was anxious for a response.

Feeling the magic that was worked around Hermione's paper, Severus thumbed through it on his break. He smiled when he found the source of the enchantment. A little scrap of parchment was attached to the rest and thoroughly invisible to anyone else. It read:

My Dearest Severus,

When can we next meet? I fear I shall burst if I can't hold you soon.

All my love,

Hermione

Quickly he grabbed a scrap of parchment from his own desk drawer and began hunting for a quill. He found one by poking his hand on the tip and knocking into an ink jar in the process of pulling his hand back. Luckily the ink didn't tip over or break. Finally he managed to gather ink and quill without incident and wrote a note back.

Hermione,

We will meet soon my darling, I promise you.

-Severus

But he found upon concluding the note that he couldn't bring himself to write anything that even implied the words 'I love you'. The last woman he'd said those words to had broken his heart. He'd loved her so passionately and when she'd married his rival his heart had frozen. He could no longer say the words that had come so easily to him then. They meant nothing to him any more. Or at least not anything strong and lasting. Then why does it make your heart thrill when Hermione says it. That's a bit hypocritical isn't it, Severus?" That conscience like voice asked.

Severus had not answer for that. All he knew was that for years now Harry Potter had been a constant reminder of Lily Evans' betrayal. He wanted to believe that Hermione would never betray him, but he couldn't bring himself to take the risk. He had spent so many years fighting the wound that Lily had torn in him that he didn't want to face even the possibility of that happening again. He'd couldn't survive it. He'd never meant to get attached to anyone ever again, but Hermione had come along and slowly she was changing that.

Sighing to himself, he rolled and sealed the note and whistled. His black raven hopped from her perch and soared over to him. He attached the note to her leg. "Syra, take this to Hermione – secretly." Syra clicked her beak twice, her typical signal that she understood. He stroked her head and then carried her to the window. That was one of the advantages of being a spy. His courier had to be able to deliver secret messages. Perfect for spying...and conducting illicit affairs. He smiled at the thought.

However, against the wishes of both parties, Hermione and Severus were forced to remain apart for close to two more weeks due to the upcoming semester exams. At last another opportunity presented itself. As soon as the date for the next Hogsmeade trip was released to the staff, Severus jumped to tell Hermione. He quickly scratched out a note that read:

My darling, meet me at Brewer's Dream as soon as you can on this Saturday's trip to Hogsmeade village.

Yours,

Severus

He magically concealed it within the essay of hers that he was planning to return that day and waited.

Hermione could have screamed with delight when she saw the note. She had been practically driven insane by their forced separation. She'd been looking out for his beautiful raven for days now.

The day of the Hogsmeade trip, Hermione began to worry about telling Harry and Ron that she wouldn't be joining them. Fortunately, she wasn't the only one with alternative plans. Over breakfast Ron made an announcement. "Lavender wants to spend time together today, just the two of us." He said around a mouthful of eggs.

"Oh, I'm glad you're busy." Harry said, sounding relieved. "Ginny wanted the same thing. We haven't had much time together between Quidditch practice and homework. Are you going to be alright if we ditch out on you, Hermione?"

Hermione smiled. "I can entertain myself just fine, thanks." She said sarcastically. "Enjoy yourselves and tell Lavender and Ginny I said 'hello'."

"We will." Harry promised. "Enjoy your day."

Hermione smiled again and got up from the table. "Well, I'm off. See you both later."

"See you." Ron said.

Hermione was forced to walk at the pace of the crowd on the way to the village. Once she was on the back streets, however, she practically ran to Brewer's Dream. She threw open the door and burst inside. At the gush of cold air and the bang of the door, Severus rose form a corner chair. Hermione flew to him and wrapped her arms around him. "I thought I was going to go insane." she exclaimed as she kissed his jaw.

"You were going insane?" Severus scoffed. "I had to teach you most days. Having you right there on my territory and not being allowed to touch you...that, my sweet Gryffindor, was torture." Severus said, as he returned her kisses.

"Your torture is over, my heart." Hermione whispered, pressing against him.

Severus held her to him fiercely. "Shall we go sit in our café?" He asked at last.

"Yes." Hermione whispered.

Severus released her, but he paused. "There are more teachers that normal in the village today. We should go separate ways."

Hermione nodded and kissed him again.

I'll leave first. Wait a while then follow." Severus instructed.

Harry entered Hogsmeade with a smile on his face. He had made plans to meet Ginny at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and he couldn't wait to see her. Just as he was turning for the joke shop he saw Draco Malfoy slipping down a side alley. Oddly the Slytherin was alone.

Curious, Harry deviated form his course to follow Malfoy. He checked his watch. He still had half an hour before he had to meet Ginny. He followed Malfoy at a safe distance, using a spell to muffle his footsteps. They worked their way along the back streets, through rows of warehouses and dingy shops.

Draco accelerated and rounded the next corner. Harry hurried to catch him and found himself faced with a four way intersection. He turned right, since there were dusty footprints leading that way.

He froze in his tacks half-way down the street as he heard a door creak open. He watched Professor Snape swoop out of the shop and off down the street away from Harry, apparently with out seeing him. Breathing a sigh of relief, Harry waited for a few minutes to be sure that Snape wasn't going to come back. He was just about to move forward again, when the door opened a second time. To his surprise, Hermione strolled out and turned toward him. "Hermione!" He called out.

She looked up and surprise flashed across her face. "Harry!" She exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought you were meeting Ginny."

"I'm meeting her in a few minutes. I was tailing Malfoy. What are you doing here? Did you see Snape in there?"

Hermione fought furiously against a blush as she thought of what she was doing there. "I was looking at ingredients in a potion shop. I saw Professor Snape briefly. He looked to be placing an order." She shrugged. "We didn't talk."

Harry wasn't buying it. Hermione's cheeks were red and their was a bright new twinkle in her eye. Snape and Hermione had departed suspiciously close together. He firmly doubted that it was entirely coincidental.

"Where are you meeting Ginny?" Hermione asked, to change the subject.

"The Weasley joke shop." Harry said vaguely, still pondering his new evidence.

"Enjoy." Hermione said and began to walk past him.

"I'm headed back this way too." Harry said hurrying to catch up to her.

"I'm not going back to town just yet." Hermione said. "I want to explore some more. There's supposed to be some really cute little shops back in here somewhere."

Harry nodded, unconvinced. "Enjoy yourself and don't get lost."

"I won't." Hermione said, with a smile. "Tell Ginny 'hey' for me."

"I already promised I would." Harry said as he turned down the street that would take him back to the main street.

When he was out of sight, Hermione took off running. By the time she arrived at their café she was panting. Severus was standing outside waiting for her when she stopped.

"Good heavens." He exclaimed. "What has you running like a bat out of hell?"

She grimaced at him. "Harry saw us both leaving Brewer's Dream. I told him that it was a coincidence and escaped by telling him that I wanted to explore. He was going to see Ginny anyway." She panted

"Sounds like that went well." Severus said.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't think he bought it." She said glumly. "I think he suspects that something is going on. He might talk to Ron...or worse, to Sirius."

"Well, then we shall cross that bridge when it comes to it." Reaching out, he pulled her close against him. He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "But right now, I'm hungry."

His low silky purr made Hermione shiver. "Mmm..." She purred back pulling herself tighter to him.

Severus dipped his head to kiss her neck. It might have gotten out of control, but just then both of their stomachs growled in unison. The moment of tension shattered as they both laughed.

"Inconvenient hunger can sure ruin a moment." Severus grumbled.

Hermione pecked his cheek. "Shall we go inside?" she asked, smiling and taking his hand.

"I guess." He said, still pretending to pout.

Hermione laughed at him and led the way into the restaurant. The same waitress seated them. They ordered and she left.

"How have you been?" Hermione asked him, trying to start a conversation.

"Irritable." Severus admitted. "You make me so much happier. I go so crazy without you around that I'm not sure how many of my first years will be brave enough to come back to class on Monday."

Hermione chuckled. "You shouldn't take that out on them. It's not their fault that we can't be together all the time."

"I know, but I can't yell at the Minister of Magic when he makes idiotic policies. I do have the power to yell at a bunch on inept eleven year olds all I want though."

"I'll make you a deal. I turn seventeen in a couple of months. If you'll stop yelling at first years for no reason, then we can go and spit in the Minister's face together." Hermione promised. But then she qualified it with, "If we're still together."

"There is no 'if' about it Hermione." Severus promised.

Hermione smiled weakly. "You don't know that. You could tire of me eventually."

Severus' response was waylaid by the arrival of their food. Silently he cursed his inability to tell her how much he really did love her. The realization startled him and scared him, but there it was. All that remained was to win his battle with his old demons.

Sirius Black jumped and grabbed for his wand when the door to his office abruptly banged open. In his surprise he sent the papers he'd been grading flying off his desk. AS his adrenaline levels dropped back to normal he realized that he was pointing his wand at his godson. "Harry! I'm sorry, old habit." he explained, lowering his wand. "You really startled me."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." Harry said, turning to shut the door.

Sirius noted that Harry seemed oddly agitated and on edge. "Have a seat." he offered.

"I'll stand thanks." Harry said.

"Suit yourself." Sirius was struck suddenly by how like James this behavior was. Whenever James Potter was troubled or anxious, he was flighty and restless around friends. "What's on you mind, Harry?" He asked, retaking his seat.

Harry fixed him with his bright green eyes. "The Marauder's Map wasn't wrong that night was it? It's not just aging." It wasn't a question.

Sirius sighed. "Your father's spells prevent it from aging."

"If you knew that Hermione was really with Snape at 3am, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to do something stupid." Sirius explained. "Harry, what brought this realization on?"

Harry sank into a chair. "I saw them together in Hogsmeade today." His voice was heavily laden with dejection and disgust.

Sirius balked. He couldn't imagine them going public so fast. "Please explain."

Harry told Sirius what he'd seen. "But I don't think it was just a coincidence."

"Why not?" Sirius breathed as shock and anger settled in.

"Hermione looked like Ginny does when she arrives for one of our dates. Sort of lit up from the inside out. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were twinkling." Harry explained. "That's not like Hermione."

"No, I'll agree with you there." Sirius said. "Hermione doesn't glow."

"What are we going to do, Sirius?" Harry asked urgently. "Snape has got to be forcing her into this somehow. Hermione values her education too much to voluntarily begin an affair with a teacher. Not to mention with Snape."

"We are not going to do anything. You are going to continue on as if nothing has changed. Above all do not alienate Hermione or anger Snape unnecessarily. I am going to have a little chat with our Potions Master." Sirius said calmly.

"But Sirius I want to help!!" Harry cried, enraged.

"No. If I get fired I can get another job, but I doubt Dumbledore would fire me. However, it is not entirely up to Dumbledore whether or not someone is expelled. I don't want you in that kind of trouble. Will you promise to stay out of it?"

"But Sirius-" Harry started again.

Sirius cut him off sharply. "No buts. Promise me you'll stay out of it."

"Fine. I promise." Harry grumbled.

"Thank you." Sirius said. "I'll talk to Snape on Monday."

Harry nodded and stood. "Well, goodnight then. And thanks."

Sirius smiled. "Goodnight, Harry."

After the last class on Monday, Sirius stormed down to the dungeons. He waved his wand and the door to Snape's office flew open. He entered and the door snapped shut behind him. As soon as the door was shut he rounded on a very startled Snape. "How...Dare...You!" He growled.

Severus glared at him. "I shall give you the pleasure of me asking: What are you talking about?" He asked icily.

"How dare you seduce a student!"

"I repeat: What are you on about?" Severus sighed in irritation.

"How are you coercing her? Potion? Spell? Blackmail?"

"Who?!" Severus shouted in frustration.

"Don't play dumb! You know who I mean!" Severus snarled.

"No, dog, I honestly don't!"

"Hermione Granger! I know you've been seeing her romantically." Sirius accused.

"Prove it." Severus challenged, but inside he quivered. He was worried about what exactly it was that Sirius knew.

"I know she was here a few weeks ago at 3am. And a student saw you together in Hogsmeade on Saturday."

"Potter I assume."Snape muttered.

"How did you seduce her?"

"I didn't!" Severus protested. "I didn't seduce her I mean. We enjoy each others company if you must know."

"Than what was she doing here at that hour?" Sirius demanded.

Severus sighed. He knew that Sirius would never believe him. "She'd had a nightmare involving me getting hurt. It disturbed her and she came to see if I was alright. I comforted her."

"In your bed?" Sirius growled scathingly.

"No!" Severus countered. "I held her as she cried. She came to me distraught. Seduction had absolutely nothing to do with it."

Sirius scoffed. "You expect me to believe that you really didn't sleep with her?!"

"Yes." Severus said. He was growing weary of this debate.

"Prove it." Sirius snarled, turning Snape's own words against him.

"Fine." Severus retorted. He cleared his mind of all but that night, locking the rest away. "You've learned Occlumency, I presume you know it's opposite."

"Yes."

"Very well." Severus took on the tone he used with particularly inept first years. "Preform it on me and you shall have your answers."

Sirius was stunned. I was unheard of for Severus Snape to allow people into his mind. Nevertheless he readied himself and preformed spell. "Legilimens."

His view of Snape's office twisted and slipped. He found himself looking at a crystal clear view of Snape striding to the door and opening it. He watched as though it was all happening for the first time as Hermione threw her arms around Severus. It shocked him to see in her eyes a deep level of affection, even love. He watched until she left. Then he felt himself being pushed out of Snape's mind. As he returned to him own consciousness, he was stricken by the truth of Snape's relationship with Hermione.

"I told you so." Snape said.

Sirius nodded. "If you hurt her, I'll hurt you." He promised.

Severus looked him squarely in the eye. "I won't hurt her. Ever." He vowed.

Sirius might once have contended this claim merely in order to argue with Severus. But he detected a strength and conviction of feeling in Snape that he'd once assumed the dark man incapable of. Instead of challenging him further, he nodded and said, "That is all I would ask. I'll take my leave."

Severus nodded and retook his seat at his desk.

Sirius turned and left the dungeons, still rattled. He'd never in a million years believed that Severus had a heart. Nor would he have thought him likely to fall in love with a Gryffindor. But love her he did, Sirius decided.

Severus sat in his office feeling emotionally drained. It had taken a lot for him to show Sirius those memories. They were intensely personal to a withdrawn man like him. But more than that, he was still unsure of his exact feelings for Hermione and it made him feel guilty that someone else knew what he couldn't tell her.

He closed his eyes and a small smile broke his features as he replayed that night. In his mind's eye he watched her sleep and felt her snugged close to him. A knock on his office door woke him from his reverie. "Come in." He called, trying not to sound angry.

The door opened and then closed, but no one appeared to enter the room. After a few seconds the air in front of the door rippled and Hermione appeared holding a silver cloak. She said nothing, but came right to him and kissed him. She looked up into his eyes and brushed his lank hair out of his face. "You look stressed, my heart." she said.

"Long afternoon." He said focusing on her bright eyes.

Hermione nodded, and took his hand. "Come on. I'll make you some tea." With that she led him down to his own living quarters.

Severus allowed her to sit him down and told her where to find the things needed to make tea. He enjoyed watching her bustle around his kitchen.

She noticed his smile and stopped. "What are smiling at?" she asked.

"You." Severus said, pulling her into his lap. "I love having you in my home. It makes me happy to see you comfortable here."

Hermione looked around, and settled her head in the crook of his neck. "I enjoy being here. It feels like I belong."

Severus kissed her firmly.

When they parted, Hermione tried to rise from his lap. "The tea is almost ready." she said.

Severus pulled her back to him. He looked at her seriously. "I want you here all the time, but since that can't happen, I do want you to make you to make yourself happy here. Come here if you need comfort. Please?"

It was Hermione's turn to initiate the kiss. As she sat in his lap she pushed his head back and kissed him passionately. He held her around the waist. Her hands played through his hair in massage like patterns. Just then the kettle began to whistle. Hermione gave one last twist and press to her kiss, then scampered off his lap. He growled unhappily and reached for her, but she darted past his hands.

"No, no, no..." She purred, laughing at him.