Disclaimer: All of the characters and story belong to JK Rowling.
Rating : M for later
Author's note: As it already written, here is the second chapter, itroducing the story a little bit more. Hope you'll like it.
He was very tall. He was dressed all in black and his hair was as black as his clothes, framing his pale, waxy, tired face. More tired than he had ever been. He glared at her.
Hermione was petrified and unconsciously lowered the defensive stance she had taken. Her feelings caught her off guard and churned in her head and in her heart. She looked at him with wide eyes. So, Severus Snape pulled him out of Malfoy Manor. He looked much thinner to her than before. Wrinkles had scoured his face, at the corners of his eyes especially. It had been almost a year since she last saw him. She couldn't help but find him beautiful, majestic. He still smelled of freshly cut grass and woodsy notes.
Hermione clenched her fists and cursed herself for her weakness. Whatever she had felt for him in the past was no longer acceptable today. And surprise was quickly replaced by anger:
"You!" she cried, pointing at him.
He did not move, did not say a word.
"How dare you! How dare you!" she heard herself shout.
"You dirty traitor" She threw herself on him with all her weight. He withstood the assault with ease but did nothing to defend himself. His head was tilted slightly to the right and he looked out the window.
"You killed him, our only hope of bringing this war to a successful conclusion," she struck Severus with all her might, landing punches that didn't seem to hurt him. He withstood the blows in silence.
"Your only friend! the only person who really believed in you and trusted you, how dare you? and why? for glory? do you feel glorious now? You are pathetic!"
She continued to hit him and shout but now tears of rage were running down her cheeks. She was angry at him obviously, but also at herself. How could she trust him? Believed in him? Had feelings for him? Since the end of her sixth year, since he had committed the irreparable, she had repressed her feelings and now, everything resurfaced.
She had even looked for logical explanations for his behavior, for the murder he committed, for excuses... How could she believe, even for a second, that he was innocent? She was terribly angry at herself for having thought that. She felt like a traitor just thinking about it.
"Why am I here? Are you trying to blackmail them by holding me prisoner? You won't succeed! I'll kill myself long before you use me, you traitor!"
The overflow of emotions reminded Hermione of her injuries and her still weak body failed her. She felt herself fainting. To her surprise, Professor Snape supported her by her elbows, keeping her from falling.
She looked up at him with teary, hateful, angry but also surprised eyes.
For the first time since the beginning of his tirade, she met his eyes. She read nothing in them, no anger, no remorse. Nothing.
"Are you done emptying your little Gryffindor bag unable to handle her own feelings?" he spat, but the tone was almost familiar.
She opened her eyes wide as a new wave of anger washed over her. She pushed him back hard and he capsized a few inches, but quickly regained his upright position. Hermione opened her mouth to scream again but he raised a hand to stop her.
"I don't have all day to suffer your moods Granger," he said as he stepped into the room. She stepped back, instinctively.
She realized that she had just physically attacked to insult the second most powerful and dangerous wizard in the magical world.
She was probably in danger. Why couldn't she feel in danger? She held his gaze despite his instinctive gesture.
- You're not a prisoner here, Granger, it's just that you can't leave this house yet. Not until you've regained your strength. Only then can you leave, join Potter.
Well, this was not planned.
-You're lying! What do you know about Harry's whereabouts? she said, angry at the first part of the sentence, desperate for the second.
She wanted outside information, even from him;
-Let me think, given our respective positions, I see no point in lying to you. And yes, I know where Potter is.
-Stop playing with my nerves Snape, how is Harry, where is he!
He didn't answer and took out his wand. Hermione took a second step back and cursed herself for her cowardice. Moreover, this conversation was so surprising that she lost her concentration for the protego.
Instead of attacking or gagging her, he conjured up three bottles, each containing a different potion.
- If you believe that I will touch or ingest something coming from you, you put the finger in the eye. she hissed. You can torture me if you want, I'm used to it.
Snape's eyes had been on the various potions until now. Now he turned them to Hermione, who tried to hold them up. For they were full of words.
- Yes, I killed Dumbledore," he said simply, "but I have my reasons.
-You have your reasons!" she said indignantly, "is that all you have to say to me? You have your reasons?!
-Yes, that's all I have to tell you.
The Gryffindor was more confused than ever. She knew the man in front of her very well. He was her mentor, her teacher, he elevated her magic and wizardry learning to the level she currently had. A level far above a witch of her age. Much higher than an ordinary witch. He prepared her for the war.
From her fourth year until the end of her sixth year, Hermione regularly saw Professor Snape in advanced wizarding classes. And if they were still alive in their horcruxes hunts, it was only because of these evening classes. So she owed him a lot.
"A lot, but not enough to forgive him for the treachery" she thought.
With the passing of the months, she had also learned to know him, to decipher his so cold glance and his so closed face. She knew the man in front of her very well. NO. She did not. She thought she knew him. He turned out to be a traitor.
- Professor Snape, please," she said more softly, almost pleading with him, "please, I need an explanation.
The emptiness returned to Professor Snape's obsidian.
-This house is my second home. It is in Northern Ireland, I come here very rarely. He said, in a tone of confession. Hermione calmed down slightly, her curiosity piqued.
-It was my house elf, Lotty, who took you out of Malfoy Manor and brought you here. He took care of you. he continued, laconically.
The young witch drank in his words, attentive to every detail.
"Your presence at Potter's side to find the horcruxes is essential, but you already know that". He had a particular way of pronouncing each word distinctly. "But before you join him, you must heal your wounds and regain your strength."
He pointed to the potions with his head.
"You will have them every day for three days and Lotty will bring them to you. He will also bring you food and drink."
He was staring at her now, his deep, soft voice echoing in the silence of the place.
"I don't care if you trust me or not, but the more you resist drinking them, the more your reunion with Potter will be delayed, just know that. He looked down on her. And no, you will not end your life, I will see to it .nnly. This last word was spoken slowly, he pressed each syllable.
Hermione was now completely calm, she had regained her senses. The dark professor's voice had the gift of relaxing her.
-Professor, was it you who discovered our position? Is it because of you that we were hunted down by the Raiders? She asked, not very convinced. She just wanted to make him talk.
He had a disgusted sneer and a sound of indignation came out of his mouth. The man whom she knew resurfaced the time of an instant but quickly it took again its mask of coldness.
-Your foolish friend, Potter, blinded by his arrogance hidden under a mask of Gryffindorian courage, said the word that must not be pronounced, you idiot. He spat annoyed, do you think I have nothing else to do but to report you, to get you out?
Hermione mentally smacked herself on the head. So that was what had betrayed them. She wasn't the one who had missed the protection spells, she thought selfishly.
-No Granger, you didn't miss your protection spells, he said, as if he had read her mind. Which he hadn't, because she had strong notions of Occlumency.
-Professor, why did you save me? Why am I in your house? Are you really a traitor? Why didn't you report Harry to You-Know-Who?
She had taken a step towards him, she was no longer afraid of him. In fact, she had never been afraid. This man would never hurt her.
Snape had raised an eyebrow, a sneer on his lips, letting her know that he would not answer her questions. Instead, he pulled a wand from his inside pocket and handed it to her.
-It's not yours, but it will do for now. It will keep you safe while you're here, even if the house is already protected. But," he insisted, making her jump, "you won't be able to get us out of here. I advise you not to even try.
He turned in a majestic swirl of cloak and walked out of the room, snapping Hermione out of her thoughts. She followed him quickly, she had so many other questions. He couldn't leave her now.
She rushed to the door but it was too late. He was already gone.
Hermione cursed the taciturn man. She didn't know if she was less confused or more confused than before he arrived.
She had to get her thoughts in order. So, Snape's position was unclear. He had killed Dumbledore, but he was still helping the trio? What did that mean? She didn't know yet. But he wasn't a traitor. Not really, anyway. According to her teacher, Harry would be alive and safe. She clung to that idea, silenced the thoughts that maybe they were lies. Rationally, Snape didn't really, have any interest in lying to her about it. If he was purely a Death Eater, Hermione would already be dead.
The witch went back up to the room because she was getting tired. She lay down on the bed and looked at the bottles. She decided not to drink them today. Her feelings towards the potions master, although mixed, were still too conflicted. She told herself as she fell asleep that she would make her decision the next day.
The next day, Hermione woke up to the smell of coffee and scrambled eggs. Her stomach rumbled loudly. How long had it been since she had eaten? Three days?
She opened her eyes and saw Lotty, a house elf she knew all too well.
-Hello Lotty," she said.
-Oooh Lotty woke up Miss Granger, Lotty apologizes. The house elf bowed in respect. The ten or so white hairs he had appeared.
-You don't have to apologize Lotty," Hermione replied gently. She was happy to see the elf. The latter was bound to be more talkative than the potions master.
-Lotty wanted to apologize to Miss Granger, he said, Lotty wanted to save her from the hands of the Death Eater Lestrange instead. But Lotty couldn't, because Mangemort Lestrange did not leave the room.
The old elf didn't have Dobby's emotionality and ardor in the way he expressed himself, but she could sense from his voice and posture a real pain.
-Lotty remained hidden in a corner of the room, watching Miss Granger being tortured. But he had orders to take her out of the manor only when she was alone. Lotty can't disobey Snape, so Lotty had to watch Miss Granger suffer. Lotty is so sorry.
Big tears had formed at the corners of her bulging eyes.
-Lotty did everything he could to heal Miss Granger," he continued, as the two tears flowed, "he used the potions and ointments provided by Master Snape. He managed to heal everything but a scar. It was dark magic and Lotty cursed herself for not being able to do anything.
The elf slapped herself in the face and Hermione ran over to stop her.
-Don't worry about it, old friend," she said softly, "it's okay, you managed to stop the pain, that's the most important thing. I'm glad to see you, Lotty.
She smiled at him. Then the big ears of the little being quivered and he smiled at her.
-Lotty is also happy to see Miss Granger, Master Snape's protégé.
Well, that's new. Was this a fact or a deduction from the elf?
-Lotty was instructed to take care of Miss Granger while she was here. Master Snape indicated that it would take as long as it took.
She smiled to herself understanding the hint. Snape was a determined wizard. In a way, Hermione is a prisoner until she heals. She had gotten the message right.
-Lotty," she ventured, "do you know who Master Snape is working for now?
The elf's face broke down. He began to slap himself violently.
-Lotty's orders are to hurt himself as soon as Miss Granger asks suspicious questions. he said between blows, Lotty is well aware of the stakes and can't enlighten Miss Granger.
She ordered him to stop by withdrawing his question. She cursed Snape's sadism and intelligence. He always managed to stay one step ahead. She knew she would get nothing from the elf. So, she dismissed him. He did so by making her promise to call him if she needed him.
Hermione devoured her breakfast. She took a shower then went to the first floor. She found that the kitchen had been equipped and the fridge filled. In the living room, a light fire crackled in the fireplace. A book sat on the coffee table: "The Secrets of Gringotts" she read.
She put it back in its place, not seeing any point in reading about this place. Instead, she should read something about defense or attack spells. She also needed to get better at wandless spells. Because the one Professor Snape provided her with was not working the way she wanted, although it was doing the job for the moment.
So, she headed to the library in search of more interesting reading, but as soon as she touched a book entitled "Dogma and Ritual of High Magic" by Elphias Levi, she was electrocuted. She held her hand in pain and then tried again with another book. Same reaction. The Potions Master's library was sealed. Hermione noticed that every time she touched the magic barrier, the book on the table shuddered slightly.
She sighed and picked it up. Never mind, she would read it, rather that than do nothing. In any case, she was stuck here for at least three days. The silence of the room, interrupted by the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks, helped her to concentrate. She forgot about being a captive, about hunting horcruxes, about being separated from her friends, and about the need to reach them. The book was exciting after all. "So there's a dragon in the basement of the bank," she murmured, "I wonder what state the poor creature is in.
After two hours of reading, she was seized by a lacerating pain in her skull, reminding her of her recent injuries. The pain was very similar to dolorous pain. It spread throughout her body, immobilizing the young witch. She threw the book away and curled up on herself. She moaned in pain. After many seconds, the crisis passed. Then Hermione sat down and thought. The professor must have known about the side effects of the unforgivable spell, surely he had undergone it, and made it happen. If it wasn't to poison her, the potions he wants her to drink must have something to do with the pain crisis. Probably this crisis will happen again.
She came to her senses then went up to the room.
"Revelio," she whispered as she passed her wand over the three vials. They glowed slightly. Hermione didn't detect any form of dark magic.
She carefully picked up the first vial, it was green. Probably a Wiggenweld potion. She sniffed it but didn't feel anything.
Should she drink it? If she didn't, she would be trapped here. She knew her teacher, he could be truly uncompromising; he had saved her life and then taken care of her, through an elf, but he had done it anyway. What would be his point in hurting her now? When she was in his home, alone and in the middle of nowhere? It was not logical.
She brought the vial to her lips and took a sip. Nothing bad happened. She felt a tiny warmth spreading through her body. She decided to drink the entire contents of the vial.
Indeed, it is a Wiggenweld potion. A wave of energy coursed through her body and she immediately felt better. Was Snape holding her prisoner here to administer Wiggenweld? A first-year level potion? She had a dozen in her beaded bag and the ingredients to make more. Why doesn't he let her go straight to her friends.
She took the second vial, slightly irritated, and sniffed it. The contents were purplish and the smell was iodized. It was curious, she did not know this potion. Yet, she knew a lot of it. Well, maybe she had underestimated Professor Snape.
She drank it in one gulp. Immediately, a ringing in her ears stopped. The ringing had been there since the private session with Bellatrix and Hermione had gotten used to it. The continuous dizziness she had been feeling also disappeared.
This potion was probably a healing potion for the Curcio spell. True to form, she made a mental note to research the drink.
She took the third vial. The contents looked much more viscous than the first two. An ointment perhaps? This one was a deep blue, whereas a regular ointment was transparent.
Hermione pulled up her sleeve, revealing the scar left by Lestrange. All her other scars were gone. She poured the contents of the vial over the wound and applied it carefully. The operation burned her strongly. She saw her skin redden alarmingly and began to smell the burn. The young witch rushed to the bathroom and ran the water and dipped her arm in it. After several minutes, she turned off the faucet. With surprise, she found that the scar had completely disappeared.
Hermione was truly dismayed. This scar was anything but urgent. He had already healed her pain so why was he worried about her aesthetics. Hermione felt gratitude for her teacher. True, the words etched on his skin were not the most delicate. But they were at war and Hermione figured she could survive this tattoo, she just had to not look at her arm. Apparently, Professor Snape didn't think so.
Thinking about her teacher, she thought that he didn't lie to her after all. Therefore, if he was telling the truth about the contents of the vials, then she might have a chance to see her friends again soon. This thought relieved her.
She came out of the bathroom, feeling better than ever and realized that she was in front of the mysterious man's room. She entered. The room was impersonal. A large bed, a wardrobe, a desk, a table and a bedside lamp. The view of the sea was unobstructed.
Snooping, she opened the drawers of the desk and found nothing. Then she opened his closet and the smell of Professor Snape hit her nose. She breathed in deeply, filling her nostrils with his essence, letting herself go for the first time in several months, to some very deep feelings. She exhaled slowly, her eyes closed as she closed the closet doors.
When she opened her eyes, her feelings were already reburied.
It was already mid-afternoon so she ate a bite to eat and sat on the couch to finish her required reading. When she finished the book, it was getting late so she stretched and went up to the bedroom but noticed a slight crackling sound coming from the library. She walked over and moved her fingers to a book of some sort, ready to get the juice. She touched the book but nothing happened. The professor wanted her to read the book on the secrets of Gringotts. But why?
The next day was more...peaceful than the first day. Let's say, nothing was happening. She woke up to the smell of breakfast and two potions only, which she took without hesitation this time. She spent the day reading. It was late afternoon and Hermione was bored stiff. She needed to stretch her legs. She went back up to her room and turned on the Muggle radio. On the first channel, she heard a song by an English pop group she knew well. The Smith's, she rememberd. Her father liked this band. She turned up the volume slightly, closed her eyes and began to dance, gently, to the rhythm of the lyrics.
Take me out tonight
Because I want to see people
And I want to see life
Driving in your car
Oh, please don't drop me home
Because it's not my home, it's their home
And I'm welcome no more
And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine
The Gryffindor suddenly opened her eyes because she thought she heard a door creaking. She immediately stopped dancing as she thought she saw a piece of black cloth twirling on the landing. Was it there? She rushed out of the room and down the stairs. No one was there. She must have been dreaming.
On the third day, Hermione woke up with a knot in her stomach. It was the day of truth. She took a shower and ate breakfast. She put on her clean clothes with a cleaning spell and shoes that she readjusted to her size.
She took the first vial between the hands, feverish. She drank it of a dash then drank the second. Then she called Lotty, ready to leave.
Hermione was pacing back and forth in the living room. She was biting her nails. Two hours passed with no sign of the house elf or the dungeon master.
Dark thoughts were taking up more and more space in her head. Professor Snape had no intention of helping her find Harry and Ron. He didn't care about her. What fate did he have in store for her?
An umpteenth sigh and she resumed her hundred steps in the living room. Professor Snape's restraining spells couldn't be that powerful. Maybe she could break them. She was heading for the front door when she heard a loud pop.
The old house elf had appeared in the living room behind her.
-Lotty! she exclaimed, relieved.
-Is Miss Granger ready to go? Lotty was ordered to take her to her friend, Harry Potter.
Hermione sighed with relief. Her eyes closed and a single tear fell from the corner of her eye. She could see the end of the tunnel.
She reached out to take Lotty's hand and was immediately sucked into the whirlwind of the transport.
By the time she stabilized and looked around, the dungeon master's house elf was already gone.
Hermione was on a beach, sandy this time. She was about fifty yards from a house covered in shells. It was Bill and Fleur Weasley's house, she was sure. As she ran toward the house, the front door opened. Harry came out and ran towards her, followed closely by Ron.
The three friends hugged each other long and hard.
-Hermione," said Harry finally, breaking free of the embrace. He held her by the shoulders. I am so happy to see you. I thought I'd lost you. You disappeared from Malfoy Manor when we came looking for you. Where were you?
-In the English woods, she heard herself say. She had not anticipated this discussion and had not planned to lie to her best friend. On the moment, she felt the need of it.
-Come on, let's go home, you can tell us everything inside. Said Ron, he was staring at Hermione. As if he didn't believe that she was there in front of him. There was a lot of relief in his eyes.
In the shell cottage, there were also Bill and Fleur, Luna, but also Mr. Olivander, the wand seller and Gripsec, the goblin who worked at Gringotts.
She was warmly welcomed by the hosts and then went with Harry and Ron to their room. She told them that under Bellatrix's torture, she managed to transplant in pure survival instinct. She confessed that she was half unconscious when she did it; she crossed her fingers that this monstrous lie would pass and that her two friends would not think that she had let them down.
-I found myself in the middle of nowhere, and I've been looking for you ever since. She said. I'm really sorry, I really didn't want to be separated from you. I didn't really control this transplant.
- Mione, you don't have to apologize," Ron reassured her, "We're so glad to see you safe and sound.
- How did you finally find us?
- I decided to go around to all the places you could be," she improvised, "I did it by elimination. When I saw you guys coming out of the house...boys...I was so happy to see you.
They embraced once more. It was Hermione's turn to know what happened in the last four days.
They explained Dobby's intervention and announced his death. Hermione was very sad.
Harry told her about his discussion with Mr. Olivander about the Deathly Hallows and their potential existence. In his speech, Harry seemed skeptical about the existence of deathly hallows. Hermione was less so. The fact that they were inherited, the Tales of Beedle the Bard, from Dumbledore no less, only confirmed their existence. And Voldemort was actively searching for the Elder Wand.
Then the boys told them about the discussion with Gripsec. She learned that Professor Snape had put a fake Gryffindor sword in Lestrange's chest. She was both surprised and dismayed by this news, but continued to listen to her dark-haired friend's speech.
-I had a vision too," he said.
-Harry, you haven't closed your mind! she couldn't help but say.
-I had visions of Bellatrix Lestrange's safe at Gringotts. He continues to ignore it, he doesn't want us to go near it, he's worried about something that's there. I think...I think there is a horcrux at Gringotts. It's a cup.
Hermione said nothing, she was thinking. It was obvious that the next step was to go to Gringotts. Professor Snape knew this, or he wouldn't have made her read a book about the building, its secrets and how to get in and out of it, totally at random. Ron snapped her out of her stupor by handing her his wand. She took it back with great pleasure.
It was now dark. After eating and chatting with the people in the house, Hermione returned to her bed. A dark and taciturn man haunted her mind. He was not the traitor he wanted people to believe. He was even helping them, but that didn't explain the murder he committed. The murder of Professor Dumbledore had counterbalanced the power of the dark side. Dumbledore was powerful and tactical, the only wizard Voldemort feared. He was their leader. Without him, the Order of the Phoenix lost its cohesion. So what was Snape's reason for killing him? What good would it do to help them, if he was the reason they were fugitives now? She decided to keep her thoughts for her now, aware of the impulsive nature of his friends but especially the connection between Harryand Voldemort.
She sighed and turned on her side, she couldn't sleep. Then she remembered the beginning of her relationship with her teacher. Tonight, she was too tired to resist the memories that were resurfacing.
In his office as the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Severus Snape was standing with his hands crossed behind his back, looking out the window but not really seeing the landscape. He was staring into the void. Severus thought to himself that he was a very weak man indeed. He gambled away his role as a spy and therefore his tactical plans made months ago just to see in person if she was okay. He could have just let Lotty handle it, or better yet, not intervened at all. Let things take their course. She would have been saved by her friends and the elf Dobby. But he couldn't. Knowing she was stuck in the same room defenseless with Lestrange had made him mad with rage. And then, the elf described to him the state she was in when he exfiltrated her from the manor. And he became mad with worry and guilt. So he went to see her not once but twice. It was stronger than him, he felt a vital need to be in the same room with her, to see with his own eyes that she was okay.
Now, his cover and thus his life but also the end of the war depended on her silence.
Author's note: for the first chapter, I haven't received any reviews. I have to admit I'm a little worried. Is my story that bad? As it's the only way to communicate between us, it allows me to know if I should continue or not! critics are also welcome, it allows me to improve :)