Chapter 19:
Hermione had awoken that day once again in the arms of her husband, ever since that second morning, the two awoke in the same manner and followed the same routine every morning. Hermione would always get in the shower first and then while she got dressed, Severus would take his shower and get dressed, afterward, he would join her in the sitting room where they would order breakfast. Severus had managed to talk Hermione into only studying for two hours a day for her tests. After two hours after hitting the books, they would go out for a walk around The Lake where they would sit in under the same tree in the same spot as that first day together. Everyday Hermione took her position between Severus' legs with her back behind him and Severus's arms around her waist and each day was filled with more conversations getting to know each other better, it was relaxing. But today was going different.
"Do you think this year will be ok?"
"What do you mean Hermione?"
"This war is going to happen; there is no way that can be denied. What I am worrying about is whether or not Albus is going to be able to protect the school and her students."
"I don't know Hermione, I am afraid that we are going to have to take this as it comes."
"Will we be ok?"
He looked at her, "Always."
"Do you promise?" Hermione asked looking up at him.
"Yes," and he leaned forward and kissed her.
"Well isn't it nice to see the two lovebirds enjoying their last day of their honeymoon, isn't it Minerva?"
"You know it is Albus but we should let them enjoy it."
"Oh Nonsense, we haven't seen them in a week and I am interested," and with that he sat down next to the couple in the shade. Hermione sighed and took her place back into Severus's lap and Severus in tern wrapped his arms around her possessively. Minerva, while secretly pleased to see the couple so happy, sighed quite heavily and plopped herself next to her lover.
Minerva and Hermione had taken up a conversation about the upcoming semester while their men sat there watched the interaction. However, Albus made the mistake of comparing the women's conversation to two young school girls getting ready for the Yule Ball, Minerva and Hermione grabbed a handful of grass and threw it at him.
"Albus, I can't believe you," Minerva said laughing.
"Yes Albus, I mean I understand you comparing my wife to a school girl but I do believe that you are reaching quite a bit with yours." Severus joked.
"SEVERUS!!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Severus, I raised you since you were a fifth year, I can still beat you." Minerva threatened.
"I'd like to see that," Severus murmured in Hermione's ear.
"Severus Tobias Snape, I will give you a ten second head start."
"You wouldn't dare, Minerva."
"I would run if I were you my boy, she's got that look in her eye again." Albus said as Minerva pulled her wand out and pointed it at Severus."
"1…2…3…" Minerva started.
"She won't do it." Severus said cockily.
"4…5...6..."
"I wouldn't doubt her Dear."
"7…8…"
"Crap!" Severus said jumping up and running from the angry witch. His sudden movement caused Hermione to fall back on her elbows.
"Run Severus," Hermione yelled giggling.
"9…10! Gigregious!" Minerva Shouted.
Severus was only ten yards away when he collapsed in a fit of laughter.
"Gotcha!" Minerva shouted as she approached him
"Please Minerva…. Please….." Severus laughed uncontrollably.
Albus and Hermione watched the scene with smiles on their faces. "I love his laugh." Hermione said.
"So does Minerva, which is why she created the spell, Severus used to sulk around the house and one day Minerva got tired of it and so she created the spell of laughter and it is much like the cruciatus curse but instead of pain, it tickles."
"Brilliant."
"Yes she is."
"Sir Can I ask you something?"
"Of course Hermione."
"Are you worried about this year?"
Albus looked at her, "My dear, I have everything to fear and everything to lose, are you?"
"I am, I am worried about Harry, I am worried that the Dark Lord will discover where Severus' heart really lies and one day he won't come home, I am worried about my parents, and I am worried that I won't be able to help Harry as much as he is going to need me in the final battle, but I fear most of all that we are going to be unprepared if he hits us without any notice."
"Understandable, does Severus understand this?"
"We have talked about it."
"Does he know about how you feel about losing him?"
"I don't know."
"You should tell him." Hermione nodded, "Don't worry my child, he knows what he is doing, he knows what is at stake and what to do, he will take care of you." Hermione teared up and looked at the old wizard and hugged him which he returned much like a fatherly figure would. Their moment was interrupted by a scream and a splash. They looked up and noticed that the other two weren't in sight so they got up and searched for them. They couldn't find them anywhere; all they saw were two large splash holes in the water.
"Severus?" Hermione called. "Albus, you don't think that the squid would grab them do you?"
"I don't know Hermione." Hermione went white, and leaned over the edge looking for them. However she lost her balance and started to flail around trying to regain it. Just as her arms flung around a hand reached up, grabbed it and pulled her in, of course Hermione screamed and when she hit the water, she inhaled water.
She resurfaced after a moment coughing and sputtering she noticed that Severus was right beside her with a smile on his face. "Severus, you are an asshole."
"Hermione!" Minerva exclaimed.
"I told you she was cheeky." Severus chuckled.
"Would you like a hand out my dear?" Albus asked from the shore.
"Sure," she swam over to him and when he grabbed her had, she pulled him in too. Everyone laughed when he resurfaced; he looked like a drowning rat with his beard and his long hair. When the laughter died everyone slowly made their way to the shore where Albus and Severus hopped out first and then they helped out Minerva and Hermione. They all walked up to the castle where they went to Albus' chambers and drank tea while they talked.
After a good two hours of talking, the group ordered dinner and ate together.
"I hadn't realized that you had lived Minerva and Albus, Severus."
"Oh dear, did we open a door that you weren't ready to open."
"No I already told her."
"Yes but you simply said that they became your 'parents,' you never actually explained that you lived with them, I assumed you meant while you were just at Hogwarts they took on the role of guardians. I also suppose that means that I didn't think this through."
"Oh dear, my bookworm didn't think something through, what shall we do Minerva?"
"Shut up Severus."
"Now if I can get her to use that tone in the class, we shouldn't have a problem," Minerva Stated, Hermione blushed.
"Not just in the class Minerva, I think she would have an impact on her 'boys' if she used that tone."
"Hey the boys have behaved just fine this past year."
"With the exception to hexing Draco; causing his legs to tie together and fall into Trelawney."
Hermione once again found herself blushing, "actually that was me. In my defense, Professor Trelawney wasn't anticipated to be coming around the corner at the exact same moment."
"Ah it that inner eye thing that Sybil said that you don't possess."
"Yes and the ultimate reason for me to drop the class."
"Well I am very glad that I am not married to a seer, I don't think I could handle that." Severus said flatly.
"That makes two of us," Hermione concurred.
The conversation dimmed to lighter things and before they knew it, it was eight o'clock. "Oh dear, I have to go to bed, I want to have plenty of sleep for my test tomorrow, what time will they be here Albus?"
"Nine o'clock sharp."
"Very well, goodnight, Severus, you are welcome to stay and chat, I am not going to force you to go with me."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive, I will be in bed when you get in." She kissed him and walked out of the room.
"She looks good Sev." Minerva said.
"She looks great for a young woman who was just forced to marry her professor and lost her parents all in the duration of the summer." Severus replied.
"I agree, does she know upon the terms you were married in Tom's eyes."
"I don't know, I was hoping that after her tests she and I could confirm what each other know."
"Good choice, she needs a clear mind for those NEWTs." Minerva said.
Hermione awoke to the gentle shakes of her husband, "Hermione, you need to get up its seven thirty and you need to get ready for your test."
"Ok, five more minutes."
"No Dear, now."
"No."
"Don't make me get Minerva."
"Go ahead; I am not afraid of her." Severus sighed and went and got Minerva, when they returned they saw Hermione had not gotten out of bed yet.
"Hermione, you need to get up."
"No." Minerva conjured a cold bucket of water and dumped it on the sleeping woman.
"Oh My GOSH!" Hermione screamed. "That was cold Minerva."
"That was the idea dear now get up."
"Thank you Minerva."
"Anytime Severus." And with that she was gone.
"Oh that was cold."
"Get up and get in a warm shower so that you can get going with a good breakfast in your system."
"Ok." Hermione agreed practically jumping out of bed. A half an hour later, she joined her husband in the sitting room, where he had breakfast freshly ordered. She smiled in thanks and ate taking one more look over her books and Severus asked her questions on the potions portion he thought might be asked.
"I am confident that you will do wonderfully, Hermione."
"Thank you, Albus said that I should be back around four this afternoon, so I will see you then."
"I will be here waiting," he kissed her as he took her plate. Hermione grabbed her wand and left for the Great Hall where the Testers were awaiting her arrival.
Severus watched as she left for the test and faintly realized the green light that swept up the room, Albus stood next to the man he viewed as a son, "Did you tell her?"
"No Minerva is right, she needs all the focus she can have on these tests, and worrying would not help her. Does Minerva know?"
"No I was going to tell her later today when she has a free moment."
"Fair enough." And Albus departed the room to find his own wife. This is going to be interesting indeed. Severus thought
Hermione returned to her rooms at four ten that afternoon and was quite exhausted. She laid on the couch and fell asleep, she didn't even notice that her husband was nowhere in sight. About two hours later she awoke to a quiet and dark room. "Severus, where are you?" she called, she got nothing in response. She explored every room in her quarters and even looked in Severus' classroom and personal lab, he wasn't there. Now she was a bit concerned, he said that he would be here when she got back at four. She tried not to panic so she summoned the headmaster and his deputy to her rooms.
"Good evening Mrs. Snape, I trust your tests went well."
"Albus I don't have time for this right now, have you seen Severus?"
"Not since this morning."
"Oh no."
"What is it Hermione?" Minerva asked.
"Severus said he would be here when I got back and he isn't here. I have looked everywhere for him and I haven't found him." Albus looked at Minerva and sighed. "What?"
"Hermione…"
"NO Albus what are you keeping from me?"
Albus sighed, "Perhaps you should sit down."
"No you two sit down and TELL me what I need to know, he is my husband and I will find out where he is."
"Hermione just calm down and Albus will tell you."
Hermione shut her mouth and let the headmaster continue. "Hermione, after you left, your parents called on the floo network, they had a message for Severus."
"What was the message?"
"The Dark Lord wished to see him for the next two days; he won't be back until the day before term starts."
"WHAT???? How could my parents keep something like this from me? I am his wife and I have a right to know!"
"Hermione, this is why Severus didn't say anything this morning, he knew that you had your tests and he didn't want you to worry or freak out, he wanted you to do your best without this knowledge."
"I swear if he doesn't get himself killed by the Dark Lord, I am going to kill him myself."
"Hermione relax, I am sure we have updates as it is needed."
"No I want them NOW!" she stormed off to fireplace grabbed a handful of floo powder and called upon her cousin.
"DRACO!!!!" Hermione called.
"Hello cousin was your honeymoon nice."
"Oh shut up! I want to know where Severus is, NOW!"
Draco got pale, "Oh I take it that Dumbledore told you that he was with the Dark Lord?"
"Yes now answer my question."
"Hermione, listen to me, Father, uncle Rudolphus and aunt Bella are with him."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"No just let me finish. Mother and I have been sitting by the fireplace all day waiting for word, the last we heard from them was about three hours ago, they said that they would be home in three days, and they told us that they wouldn't be making any contact until then. I am not inner circle so that's all I have for you, I am sorry Hermione."
"Thank you Draco, I must go." And Hermione withdrew her head from the fireplace. When she was in her rooms again, she sat back on her feet and let the sobs overtake her body.
"Hermione, what did you find out?" Minerva asked running to the side of her ex-student.
"Draco said… that the inner circle would be home in three days and… that they weren't going to make any… any contact until then." Hermione said between sobs.
"Oh Hermione come here," Minerva guided Hermione over to the couch where she sat next to Albus and Hermione sat down next to her. Hermione continued to cry as she laid her head in Minerva's lap, she sobbed until it became hard to breathe. "Albus will you go and summon some dinner?"
Albus put a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder and did as requested.
"Are you alright Hermione?" Minerva asked when Hermione had calmed down.
"What if they don't come back Minerva?"
"What do you mean Hermione?"
"What if the Dark Lord realizes where their loyalties lie and he kills them? I can't bear to lose another set of parents Minerva; it hurts to even think about how I couldn't protect the Granger's and then the thought of losing my biological parents on top of it? It's unbearable, and the thought of loosing Severus breaks my heart, he is so wonderful and understanding and the thought of his death because of me makes me sick to my stomach."
"oh Hermione, Tom wouldn't kill his three most valuable people; if he kills Severus, he loses his connection and advantage over Albus, if he kills your parents he loses you as his inner eye to Harry, he wouldn't risk it, maybe after he wins but not before, you are all too valuable in his sick game Hermione, you have nothing to worry about." Hermione was once again quiet and let the tears fall from her eyes. Albus returned with three plates of food for the group. They ate in silence and when it became a bit late, Albus and Minerva had decided that it would be best to get to bed.
"Are you going to be alright Hermione?" Minerva asked.
"I'll be fine; you both have a good night." And with that the older couple was gone, leaving Hermione to her thoughts.
That night Hermione attempted to sleep in her bed, but sleep wouldn't claim her, so she laid on Severus' side of the bed and breathed in his scent.
The next night things were the same but she couldn't take it anymore, she went out to the couch and collapsed in a fit of sobs, she was so worried and helpless, she could do nothing but wait, she was so wrapped up in herself that she didn't realize that a house elf had come in to bring her some tea. Her sobs alerted the elf that something was wrong, so she went to get Professor McGonagall.
Soon afterward, Minerva was at Hermione's side comforting her. "It's alright Hermione, he will be home tomorrow."
"You HOPE he will be home tomorrow."
"Yes but I also Know that he will be home." She held Hermione as she fell asleep in her arms.