AN – I own nothing!

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Chapter 8

Hermione felt a sharp tug pull her belly button. She was pushed fourth into the unknown abyss. Colors swirled around her, making her dizzy. She felt a pressure in her lungs as she tried to breathe normally, and she couldn't. She shut her eyes and tried to think of something else. The fact couldn't be ignored; she started to feel really sick.

Once her feet had reached solid ground, her legs just trembled and her knees refused to lock and hold her up. Hermione groaned and bent over, and felt an arm catch her around her waist before she fell to the grassy ground. She couldn't control the bile that was rising from her throat. The contents of her stomach was the puked out onto the ground.

Severus saw the familiar color of green as he watched Hermione as they traveled through port key. He knew moments before that there was something wrong with the witch right before the departed Hogwarts. She was dreadfully pale and sweaty. He asked her if she was alright and she just nodded. Damn the stubborn witch that she was!

"Princess!" Lucius gasped as he and everyone else ran towards her.

"Give her air everyone," Severus said as he pulled back her hair with one hand as he continued to hold her up with his arm. He felt the skin at the back of her neck and shook his head.

"What is it?" Lucius asked with worry.

"She's a little too warm," he answered. "Princess, does your stomach hurt?"

Hermione groaned and shook her head.

"Headache? Migraine? Anything?"

"D-Dizzy…" she whimpered.

Severus then carried her up in his strong arms bridal style and looked at Lucius. He then looked at Hermione whose eyes were closed, as she laid her head against his shoulder. He and everyone else knew that the she had passed out.

"Come, we must get her inside and to bed," Lucius stated as he started to walk quickly. Everyone else started to follow behind him.

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Hermione slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred and she still felt awful and sickly. She groaned as she opened and closed her eyes a few times, trying to make her vision focus.

"How do you feel Poppet?" and elderly man asked as he brushed his hand against her cheek, and head, feeling her temperature. He sat down and smiled at her, though there was a significance of sadness in his eyes.

"Grandpa?" Hermione asked as she looked around to figure out where she was.

She recognized where she was instantly. She was in her suite in the castle. This was her room ever since she was a child when she would come to the castle with her parents. She looked ahead and saw the door to her own living room. It was slightly open and she could see Severus, Lucius, Albus, Minerva, Remus and Draco, and Narcissa all waiting and sitting. She knew that they too were talking to her. She couldn't hear what they were talking about, but she was a hundred percent sure that it was about her.

"Still feel ill?" he asked her.

"A bit," Hermione whispered.

"Professor Snape gave you a draught for fever and nausea," he said. "He told me that you weren't eating all too well."

Hermione didn't say anything, and just turned her head away. She could feel tears starting to pour from her eyes.

"Poppet… you should take better care of yourself."

"It doesn't matter. I don't matter," Hermione said coldly.

"There's no need to say such things-"

"Why couldn't you save them or Lucius? Why couldn't I?" she snapped at him. "You knew, I knew, we all knew. And still we couldn't do anything."

King Richard sighed and shook his head. "If we knew exactly when the attacks happened, then yes. You know the reality of your Grandmother's dreams and visions. Even though she was a seer, the exact date and time was unknown."

"I refuse to believe that," Hermione said as she turned her head away from him again. Even though her grandfather had told her the truth, or the fact that she knew of the truth for years, part of her was still in denial.

The King's brow frowned. This wasn't the Hermione that he knew—filled with joy, and smiles. The flicker in her cinnamon eyes was gone. Lucius warned him and said that she took her parents' death hard. It was understandable, but he never imagined her taking it this hard. She seemed cold and distant.

Hermione's eyes looked yet again at the open doorway. She saw a man that stood standing with his black clothes, and his long black hair. It was Severus; his back was to her, blocking the opening. She bit her bottom lip and thought about the wizard.

"You know it's him don't you?" King Richard asked as he caught Hermione looking at Severus.

"It can't be…" Hermione said softly not taking her eyes of Severus.

"You can feel it? You can feel him?" he asked.

"What if Grandma was wrong?" Hermione questioned back. Her question was not a no. The king knew that she answered him with an indirect yes.

Since the first night in which she felt her arms wrap around her, Hermione felt very safe and protected. She felt no fear. For years, she had been living a lie, and she had been living with fear. In Severus's arms though, all her fears and worries had vanished. Yes she could feel him. She could also feel the need for him.

"You know very well that your Grandmother was never wrong," he said to her with a smile. He then looked at Severus before looking into his granddaughter's eyes. "He's a good man."

"If he says no?" Hermione asked with more tears coming down her eyes.

"No one can refuse you Poppet," he said softly as he wiped her tears with his handkerchief. He then kissed her brow and then said, "You'll need to rest and eat properly. I'll let Narcissa watch over you while I talk with Severus."

"I miss them so much," Hermione whimpered as she took one of her pillows and hugged onto it tightly against her chest. She then let out a sob.

"As do I Poppet. As do I," King Richard said softly as he gently started to rub her back. It pained him to see his only granddaughter in such a state.

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"My King," Lucius immediately said as he stood from the chair and bowed when he saw King Richard walk in from the bedroom. Everyone then followed his lead and also bowed down.

"Please," King Richard said gesturing them to stand and not bow towards him. he then turned to Narcissa. "Keep an eye on her will you please."

"Of course," Narcissa said without hesitation. She always regarded Hermione as the daughter that she never had. She swiftly entered the bedroom and closed the door behind her.

"Forgive me, for I haven't introduced them to you your Highness," Lucius said. One by one, he then started to introduce everyone in the room to King Richard. "And lastly, this is the Potions Master at Hogwarts, Professor…"

"Severus Snape," King Richard finished Lucius's sentence as he shook Severus's hand. "It's finally nice to put a face on the name."

"It's a pleasure meeting you your Highness," Severus said as he shook the man's hand. His nerves were getting to him once again. Was it because he was standing right in front of the King, a man of such great power? Or was it because of something more?

"I understand that it that it was you who took care of my granddaughter the past few days?" the King questioned.

"Yes sir," Severus answered.

"I am thankful."

"It was nothing your Highness."

"I apologize for meeting under such circumstances," the King then said, knowing clearly well that they needed to hear the entire truth. "Now with the death of my son, Hermione is set to be the next in line for the throne. With that said, there will be some challenges ahead of her."

"She is not ready," Draco stated.

"That is why we are all here to help her," Lucius said.

"We?" Draco questioned loudly, "Or him?" he asked as he pointed a finger at Severus.

Severus raised an eyebrow as Albus, Minerva and Remus looked at him completely baffled and clueless. Why was he always the subject for the past few days?

"Draco, please calm yourself," Lucius said.

Draco walked briskly towards his godfather and looked up at him. "You break Hermione's heart, I swear to you, I'll kill you myself with my bare hands." He then stormed out of the room.

Severus frowned as he watched the young Malfoy walk out of the room, as he slammed the door. What in Merlin's name was he talking about? And why in blazes would he even break Hermione's heart? He had no reasons not to. They weren't even lovers.

"Professor Snape," King Richard called him and caught his attention. He stared at the King who was now standing with the door towards the hall open. "I must speak with you in my study in private."

Severus didn't say anyting, but just followed the King out the door. He then stopped when Lucius called his name, and looked back at him.

"If you say no and refuse Severus, doom and darkness will swallow us whole and we will all fall into the hands of evil. Do not let it happen, for it is not an option."

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AN – The answer is finally just around the corner. Review!