Chapter 13 – Somewhere only we know

Someone set the forbidden forest on fire. It was the only explanation for all the smoke, which was suffocating me. I tripped over a little first year. A Hufflepuff from what was left of her school uniform. I fell down a few times, too many to count really.

"You bastard!" someone screamed. I didn't know who had said it but I saw them. A woman, not much older than my own mother, was clutching a Ravenclaw boy in her arms. Tear were running down her face, leaving tracks in the dirt and dust covering her face.

The boy's eyes were lifeless.

It didn't take long to put together. I could see the death eater turning, ready to let her have it.

He was dead before he finished turning. The woman looked and saw me breathing furiously, my wand pointed towards the death eater. She nodded her thanks and went back to clutching her son.

I left her to it, knowing I wouldn't get her to leave.

I made my way toward the forest, staring at the flames leaping from his. Hogwarts was in ruins, the wards fallen. I looked at my bare feet, sliced, and brunt. I couldn't feel the pain yet, because of the adrenaline rush, I assumed. Harry was in there.

Voldemort was in there. I was going to help him!

But I couldn't make my feet move. I couldn't go into the forest, which was burning. I kneeled over, coughing, trying to take in a deep breath. It was happening. I cast a bubblehead charm, taking ten deep breaths before I could think straight.

I'd just spent hours being tortured. Did I really want to die after having survived all that?

I would die if I went in there. Harry had to do this alone, what could I do to help him anyway?

All I could do was die for him and no one would be happy about that. At least no one that counted. I struggled back to my feet, taking in shallow breaths hoping that would help me.

What I didn't know was that on one could help me. Only I could help myself. I wanted this helplessness to go away. I was alive and that's what mattered most.

I looked down at my battered body. Scars and blood covered me from head to toe. My eyes watered, but I refused to cry. The many names of death eaters were gouged into my skin and I couldn't stand to look at them any longer. I put a glamour around all the scars and blinked to clear up my eyes.

My clothes were so tattered that my jeans were almost nonexistent. My plain light blue t-shirt was soaked with my own blood. I covered all that up so I looked only slightly exhausted. I had to be strong through this. Stronger than before the torture. The strongest I could ever be.

I knew I'd been asleep for a long time when I opened my eyes. People were whispering around me so I assumed I was in the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey was standing at the foot of my hospital bed, talking in a worried whisper to the headmaster.

"How much can one girl go through? You should have never let children like that back into this school. No matter how it looked, Albus!"

"Madam Pomfrey!" I exclaimed, having never heard her speak anything but politely to the headmaster. She was almost yelling at him now.

"It's quite alright Miss Granger. I believe that she is right." He said as Madam Pomfrey began checking my vitals.

"If you say so, Headmaster." I said relaxing back onto my pillow. My eyes scanned the room, looking for him without permission.

"He is brewing that potion you're going to need." Pomfrey told in me in a soft voice. As soon as she reminded me, a tremor racked through my body, pulling a strangled gasp from my lips.

"Fuck!"

Neither of them reprimanded me for my cursing, because the ringing in my ears picked up and a pained moan came from my mouth.

Then it passed and I could see straight again. It was nearly as bad as during the actual curse, but it was still painful and I knew that even with the potion it would last a month before they stopped.

The closed door in the infirmary opened and Severus stepped out, his eyes going straight to my face. Another spasm chose to hit me.

"Damn it!"

Severus was by my side holding out the potion when it passed and I drank it slowly, like I remember. I saw him grab another vial and do the same.

"Severus? You were hit with the curse as well?" Pomfrey asked with concern and surprise. Really, why would Slytherin's attack their head of house?

"No, I was not." He said shortly. He had to know that he wasn't going anywhere without giving answers.

"Severus! You can't take-"

"Woman, I am not some clueless first year. I know what I can and cannot do!" Severus cut her off and I let out a laugh watching them argue.

"Hermione, I assume you know why he has taken the potion?" the headmaster asked.

"Albus you are completely aware of the soul bond we have, as is the rest of the wizarding world. I felt it as intensely as she did. I believe I am safe taking the potion, in less I should suffer instead. Would that be preferred?" He said in a dark voice.

"Oh such a dramatic. You know very well the amount of research done on these bonds, medically. I had no idea that was possible. You may as well be a first year, keeping things hidden like that."

Severus stiffened, "As you pointed out, there is no medical research done on this type of bond. So how exactly would I have known to tell you when I didn't bloody well know myself!"

"Okay, that is enough. Can I leave?" I said to stop more pointless arguing. Madam Pomfrey nodded, and flicked her wand to restore my clothes. I was grateful not to walk back to my room with a hospital night gown.

"Severus I assume you'll take care of her. Good day to you both." She said coldly, giving me a smile and Severus a glare.

The headmaster bid us goodbye as well, assuring me that Theo would be expelled and that I would face no charges for killing the other boy. No one would tell me his name and I decided it didn't matter. I'd killed nameless people before. For all I know, that boy's name is carved into my skin at this very moment.

I unconsciously rubbed my forearm where five names were located. Severus noticed.

"You should see the healer. No one would think less of you for wanting them removed."

I nodded, knowing he was right. "I would, though. I think I'll be out of classes for the week. Which means only one week left of my education?"

"What do you plan to do?" He asked, with a strange rasp to his voice.

"I have no idea. Nothing? The service reward I received from the ministry has set me for life. I'll move with Karen I suppose. Get this mothering thing down."

The question hung in the air, making me shiver. I looked up at him.

"I don't know what to do with you though. How do you fit? I can't see you in that life but I can't see you out of it either. I want you there."

He looked at me softly and led me into his rooms.

"We'll see. I plan to retire in two more years. I want to be there too. Surprisingly."

I stared at him, shocked beyond belief. Was he serious? Yes he was! I could tell looking in his eyes. I moved more quickly than I should have and planted a kiss on his warm lips, trying not to grin like a fool.

Things just might work out.

A/N: Sorry this is late! I am so sad to say that I think this is the last chapter. I plan to do one more chapter, tie up loose ends, but I never really had a plot aside from Severus and Hermione getting together. There wasnt a big evil. I hope you all have enjoyed this story as much as I have. Reviews have been amazing, always so many nice things. I love starting and finishing a story like this! Thanks to everyone!