Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or ideas which you recognise as being from JK Rowling's Harry Potter series or any other trademarked or copyrighted work. The plot of this story is my own, but I have no intention of making any money from it.

In this chapter, I suspect that "Uncle Sev" and "Sevviekins" and variations thereof have been filched from other fanfictions, but frankly I've read so many that I really can't remember where I got them from. If you think it's your fiction I've borrowed from, feel free to tell me and I will disclaim properly in the next chapter.

Chapter 15

Severus stood up, not looking at her. "Your tea's gone cold. I'd like a cup. Potter probably will too. I'll go and make one."

Without so much as glancing at her stricken figure, he walked into the kitchen. There was the sound of a thump, then of the clattering of crockery and the hissing of the kettle. Hermione made no move to follow him, but instead returned to her place on the corner of the settee, curling her feet up underneath her and picking up her stone cold tea, trying not to cry.

X

The thump Hermione had heard was Severus banging his fist painfully against her granite worktop. A student! How dare she be that precocious know-it-all brat? Why? What had happened to the beautiful woman he'd been seeing in his head to the extent that the Dark Lord had somehow discovered her, the woman of his dreams?

And then he paused, and a little voice inside his head responded to the questions. She's sitting outside this door, clutching a cold cup of tea... she's the same woman, she just didn't tell you her name... it's been a long, long time since she was your student...

And his brain responded: She's not the same! It's not just her name she hid, it's her entire personal history!

But you already knew that Helena Andrews didn't exist. Do you object to the fact that she's Hermione Granger, or that she's not Helena Andrews?

Faced with such a blunt question from his conscience, Severus had to admit that the majority of his anger was at the fact that the woman he'd thought he'd been dating definitely didn't exist. Before it had been a sort of nebulous idea... in his heart of hearts he'd been hoping that she'd have some sort of explanation. Helena was the only part of his life where he allowed such fantasy. Oh damn, did he have to call her Hermione now? It didn't exactly trip off the tongue, not when that tongue was used to whispering "Helena..."

No, he hadn't thought about Hermione Granger in years. There was a vague impression of bushy hair and a waving hand, next to Potter of course. Always Potter...

That reminded him suddenly that Potter and Weasley would probably be arriving within the next few minutes, and he'd promised tea. Severus looked down to realise that he'd been aimlessly moving plates from one side of the draining board to the other as he thought. Shaking his head, he filled the kettle, then firked around in a few cupboards for some cups. He found only mugs, so placed a few mugs on a tray. Unfortunately, the colour was horrendous, but there were certain rules about charming others' property in their own homes.

Somewhere between the living room and the pouring of the tea into the sensible metallic teapot, Severus realised that he'd come to a decision. He lov- really liked- Helena, dammnit, Hermione – and needed her co-operation to survive the next few days. So, he was going to tell her that.

Being a Gryffindor, she'd probably want some sort of public display of affection. And that might be a good way of announcing his intentions to her friends at the same time.

X

To Hermione, it seemed like only seconds after Severus retreated to the kitchen that there was a vehement banging on the door. She stood up to open the door, and found Harry and Draco behind it, looking panicked.

Seeing her stricken visage, Harry barged past her into the flat. "What's wrong, Hermione, what's wrong? Has Snape attacked you? Are you compromised? Do you need to go into hiding? Don't worry, I can have you squirreled away in South America within twenty four hours..."

Draco laid a hand on his arm, and Harry immediately fell quiet. "I don't think it's likely that Uncle Severus is going to be a threat to Hermione."

Harry rounded on him. "How are you so sure?"

"He's made tea."

Draco pointed over Harry's shoulder, where, sure enough, Severus Snape had just entered Hermione's sitting room carrying a hot pink tray with four steaming mugs of Earl Grey.

The sight was so incongruous that Hermione had to fall about laughing. She stopped suddenly, realising whom she was laughing at and that they hadn't actually discussed anything yet. Severus met her eyes and they exchanged a long look.

He placed the tray down on the coffee table, strode across the lounge, and kissed her. She sighed with relief.

"Look, Hel- Herm- Gran- I'm just going to call you H, alright?" She laughed in pure joy, acquiescing. "We were both playing roles when we met, but somehow out of that has grown something real. You are the most brilliant and beautiful woman I've ever met and I'd be a fool to castigate you for only doing your best to protect yourself when you thought I was actually a Death Eater. I'm not reconciled to the fact that you were my student – I just can't seem to fit the images together, and I'm not even going to try because we have more important things to deal with at the moment. However, you are going to give me a full account of how you spent the last few years. And how you survived. And-" he appeared to notice the two men behind her for the first time "-why, when I was expecting Potter and the youngest Weasley male, my godson and his Premiership footballer boyfriend are standing in your flat?"

X

It was an hour later, and they were all sitting around Hermione's coffee table, Draco and Harry lounging together on the settee, Severus and Hermione in an armchair each. While Draco and Harry explored the pensive, Hermione had explained her grandplan to Severus, who had questioned her meticulously on every detail as she spoke, explaining her methods for forging documentation, her contacts both worlds, and the plot to kill Voldemort on election night.

Severus was staring at Hermione in awe. "H, you are brilliant. You've managed to hide the Wizarding World's most wanted people in plain sight, and when I stood three feet away from Harry Potter I didn't recognise him. And you've got a fairly viable plan to kill the Him. You're amazing."

Harry coughed lightly. "Hey, we were there too! Besides, I think we need to talk about you."

He sat up straighter in his chair and put on what Hermione thought of as his "General" voice. "I've seen the memories, done the spells, but I'm sure that you could have found a way around that – we know that you're a genius spy. I don't mean to offend, but I need more proof."

Severus nodded. "I would think less of you if you did not. I-"

"Uncle Severus." Draco, who had been remarkably quiet for the whole evening so far, interrupted. Hermione and Harry turned to his quzzically. Draco said nothing further, just paused looked at his godfather without speaking.

Severus took out his wand and pointed it at Draco. Harry was about to draw his own wand to defend his lover, but Draco simply laid a hand on his arm, and he quieted. Hermione marvelled – she hadn't thought that anyone could stop Harry once he was in protective mode. However, all that Severus did was say quietly, "I release you from your vow." Blue light enclosed both of them, and Hermione gasped as she recognised an Unbreakable Vow being lifted.

Draco sighed and slumped back against Harry. "Why you couldn't have done that as soon as you saw me in the flat, Uncle Sev, I don't know! I've been in fear of my life for the past hour, and not even able to say anything!"

Severus shrugged. "Don't call me Sev. I trusted you to have enough sense not to say anything or make any move. And your silence was rather refreshing." He smirked, then glancing at Hermione added, "Besides, I was a little distracted." Hermione blushed a deep red, making him smirk even more.

Draco "I'll call you Uncle Sevvie then. Anyway. Harry, Uncle Sevviekins here is on our side, and always has been."

Harry goggled. "How – what – you knew – and didn't say – you – WHAT?"

"I was the one that the Flobberworm tasked with killing Dumbledore to start with, remember? I was on the tower that night. I was pointing the wand at him but I – I couldn't – he was so –" Draco shuddered, and turned towards Harry's chest. The other man put his arms around him, providing shelter, and comfort as he could.

Draco took a deep breath and continued in a juddering voice. "Then Severus came running up the stairs, took one look at Dumbledore and petrified me. He said "Oh God Albus, is it now?" And Dumbledore replied "Yes, my boy. Thank you, for this. Thank you, for saving me and the rest of the wizarding world. We were all so proud. It'll be over soon." And then – and then Severus killed him.

"I'll never forget that moment. Then, of course, I realised that he was on the other side, when he carefully laid down Dumbledore's body, being as respectful as when he was dealing with explosive potions ingredients. He turned to me, and made me swear the modified Unbreakable Vow, the one that doesn't need a binder, that I would never give any suggestion to anyone that he was a spy and that I would always keep my memories so well hidden behind Occlumency barriers that no-one could guess, and that I'd never make any motion or speak to agree with anyone suggesting that he was not wholly true to Him. I promised that I would never tell anyone the whole truth of what had happened on the tower that night. Then, he levitated Dumbledore's body over the side, and the next thing I knew we were running down the stairs and back to the Flobberworm. I didn't have time to think about it till later, but when I did I began to realise that His way wasn't entirely the right way, which was why I knew what I had to do when Mother died. That gave me the courage, but I think Severus planted the first seeds of rebellion that night on the tower."

There was a long silence. Harry hugged his boyfriend close to his chest. "I love you, Draco. You know that right?" he whispered.

"I love you too, Harry."

It was the first time that they'd said it out loud, but even having two other people in the room, it somehow seemed right.

X

"So, back to business," said Harry formally, once they'd all recovered somewhat from the revelations of the evening. His tone was oddly incongruous to his position, with Draco in his lap, and Harry's arms wrapped tightly around the other boy's waist. "The reason all of this came out in the first place is that Flobberworm wanted to see Hermione. What are we going to do about that? There's so much at stake here."

Draco looked at his godfather. "What are the risks? Aside from the obvious, of course. What does he want?"

"I don't think that he wants to kill her immediately," Severus responded. (There was a snort of "Oh, that's reassuring, it won't be immediate!" from Hermione. He ignored it.) "In fact, he seemed to be rather intrigued, which is a good sign. I think he wants to use your magical skills. Maybe you could show him your golems? Can anyone recreate that but you? By the way, now that we've established that that art story was rubbish, what do you actually use them for?"

Hermione looked thoughtful. "The charms themselves aren't that difficult, but it's the working them all in tandem which takes practice. I don't think a wizard of average power would be able to do that immediately. I suppose someone very powerful, like Harry or the Flobberworm could do it by sheer force, but it does need focus as well. You have to connect the image or memory to the sand. Harry's never been able to manage that bit, you remember, when we were first setting up the Room, Harry?"

The man-who-lived nodded. "Yeah, I did all the animation charms, but I just couldn't get keep the properties of the sand and the person in my head at the same time."

Hermione nodded. "No, I think it probably takes a good understanding of muggle chemistry, an understanding of the sand as a crystalline molecular structure, to be able to modify it in that way. So no, Severus, I don't think that anyone but me can make a whole golem at the moment. Well, you would probably be able to if I showed you how, but I think you're the only other person with both the understanding of Muggle science and the power and focus to do all the spells together."

Severus was looking a little confused. "That's good, but what's this Room? The true purpose of the golems, I presume, but what does it do?"

Hermione laughed. "Maybe the premiership footballer Sam White will invite his boyfriend's Uncle over for dinner one day and you'll find out!"

Draco sniggered. "Oh, please, let's. I can't wait to see his face."

"Or," said Severus, "you could just tell me. Since the Dark Lord wants to see me bring H to him on Saturday night, and so we might never get that dinner party at all."

That brought them all down to earth with a snap.

"We know when," said Harry, "do we know where he'll be? We could try an assasination attempt."

"Don't be ridiculous, Harry!" cried Hermione.

"I'm afraid not, Potter," explained Severus. "He never tells us where we're meeting, only the time so we can be prepared. Then, he uses the Mark to summon us there."

"Except, of course," added Hermione, "about his plans for Election Night, which he's been boasting about for months, so there's a good chance he'll stick to them."

"What are we going to do?" asked Harry. "On the one hand, if Flobberworm doesn't discover Hermione's identity immediately, then we've got a huge bargaining chip in terms of your powers with magical golems. He'll like you, and maybe take you in which would give us another spy in his ranks. On the other hand, if he does figure out who you are, we're all completely screwed and the war is basically lost. For real this time."

There was a silence as they all considered this solemnly.

"I think she Occlumency is up to it," said Severus. "If she managed to withstand my attack, which she wasn't expecting, then if she goes in prepared she should be fine."

"Yeah," added Draco. "Besides, Uncle Sevviekins and I have been lying to him for years, if anyone can train you up in a week it's us."

"Are you sure?" asked Hermione nervously. "Because frankly, I probably have more in my head about the way that we're all hidden than anyone, including Harry. Without me, you'll never get everyone back out of hiding in time for the battle at the very least, and if Flobberworm learns where we all are... that reminds me," she changed topic suddenly and turned to look at Severus. "Earlier on, when we were talking, you said words which we know are Taboo. The real name of His organisation, for example. Why isn't the entire might of the Ministry down on our heads?"

He grinned at her. Hermione was struck again by the thought that it was possibly the most beautiful sight in the world. "I have special dispensation. In fact, so does Draco. The Taboos don't apply to anyone with a Dark Mark. In fact, I did rather wonder why my Godson has continued to use those ridiculous euphemisms. Flobberworm, indeed."

Draco shrugged. "I rather liked it. It seemed appropriately demeaning. Then, talking to Harry so much, I've rather got in the habit."

Harry coughed lightly. "As interesting as that little digression was, back to the subject at hand – will Princess Hermione go to the Ice-Cream ball?"

"Since it's the only way to keep both of us alive past next Sunday, yes," said Severus.

"At least I won't be the only half intelligent person there any more," said Draco.

"Well, it does seem like the best option," said Harry.

"Oh god, I'm going to meet the Flobberworm for real," said Hermione.

"Oh, and Uncle Sevviekins?"

"Don't call me that."

"You're officially invited to may boyfriend's mansion for dinner on Sunday night. Because if you don't survive Saturday, I'll have to kill both of you myself."

"I suppose I shall have to accept, if I want to see the secrets of this mysterious room. Can I bring a date?"

"But of course."

"We shall be there at seven, then."

"Oi!" interrupted Harry. "Don't I get a look in? It's my manor!"

"And what about me," interjected Hermione mock-indignantly. "Does the date actually get asked, or where you planning to just turn up and hope I was free?"

Severus turned to her. "My dearest H, would you consider coming to dinner at the mansion of my godson's ostentatious and pretentious footballer boyfriend on Monday night?"

She smiled. "Alright then. If I must."

Harry looked at Draco expectantly. The latter rolled his eyes. "Oh Harrikins, love and light of my life, I'm inviting them to dinner and there's nothing you can do about it so hire the caterers!"

They all laughed.

Author's Notes:

I know that some of you might think that my Severus is too confident and slick. I just think it's the matter of a man who has found a woman he wants to be with, and doesn't want to give her up because of her past. I also realise that some may think that towards the end they are being rather glib about the danger Hermione and Severus are in, but I believe that that is a coping mechanism as any other.