Minerva McGonagall was sitting in her office, looking over school records, when someone knocked on the door. Sure that she had asked no one to see her, she assumed it was Severus and Hermione, back from their trip to Saint Mungo's.
She waited patiently as they entered and Hermione sat down in the chair in front of her desk. She conjured another chair for Severus, but he ignored its existence and stood behind Hermione's chair instead. Ignoring this strange behavior because there were more important matters to ponder at the moment, the headmistress raised her eyebrows. "Well?"
Severus was silent. Hermione was the one to speak. "Draco is recovering," she said before recounting the state of Saint Mungo's when they arrived but reassuring the headmistress that the rest of the hospital was fine before repeating what Narcissa had told them. She added that she'd visited her parents and that Harry and Ron had visited them with her, but nothing more. Remembering her row with Ron, she subconsciously reached to the place in her robes where she kept her wand and had kept Ron's for a short while. By now she was sure that Harry had caught up to his friend and returned his wand to him.
There was silence in the office for several moments. Then the headmistress spoke. "I am sure you reached the obvious conclusion that Rookwood is the one behind the undoing of Saint Mungo's meticulously done wards?"
Severus and Hermione nodded. McGonagall noticed that Severus leaned forward, setting his hands on the back of Hermione's chair and looking over the top of her head. She chose to ignore this as well; she was sure that Severus was simply keeping his protective post as he felt indebted to the young woman who had saved his life more than once. Severus had always been a bit strange and she'd found long ago that his mind worked differently than most people's, so she assumed that this protective behavior was just part of his being different. "I'm sure Harry and Kingsley think it was Rookwood too," Hermione said, bringing Minerva from her thoughts.
"You didn't discuss it?" the headmistress was obviously surprised.
"No," Hermione answered truthfully. There had been too much else going on for the source of the chaotic mess on the first floor to cross their conversation. Remembering how Ron had kissed her, Hermione resisted the urge to lift her hand and wipe the back of it on her lips once more.
It was so strange for her; once upon a time Ron had been her boyfriend and she had kissed him, hugged him, loved him even, without shame. And there had been no need for shame then. But now, after he had kissed her today, she felt as if her lips had been contaminated and needed to be cleaned. He now seemed to be something that shouldn't be touched, and kissing him was a thing that sounded so very revolting to her now she wondered how she had ever relished the touch of his lips. She was brought back from her thoughts when Minerva spoke.
"That is all, then?" the older witch was looking to the clock on the wall. Hermione glanced that way as well and turned to looked at Severus over her shoulder, out of the corner of her eye; they still had a few minutes before dinner.
Before Hermione could speak, however, Severus did. "There is one more thing, though it is not related to today's events," he said quite calmly.
Hermione wondered how he could keep his voice so steady and almost impassive while she herself was feeling tumultuous on the inside. Her stomach was tying itself in knots even at that moment. Had she tried to speak, she would have stammered and stuttered and her voice would probably have been strangely high pitched and unnatural. She watched the headmistress' face.
"Yes?" she asked simply, obviously suspecting that there was something amiss. The look on Severus' face told her it probably concerned Hermione, and she expected him to ask her about protection for everyone within the school, though he would of course be alluding to his desire for Hermione to be as safe as possible.
Hermione waited, and with every passing second, she could feel her heart beating faster and louder, until she wondered at why the headmistress hadn't looked at her and asked what the noise was. When they were both silent, McGonagall said, "Severus?"
Still, he was silent. Hermione didn't blame him if he didn't know what to say; she had no clue how she would break the news to the headmistress and was waiting for his lead.
"If this is about your concern for Hermione . . ." the headmistress began.
"It is," Severus agreed quietly.
"And?" the witch asked, pursing her lips as she waited.
"I am more than concerned about her safety," Severus stated simply.
The headmistress didn't appear to have heard him. "Well of course you will feel that you need to protect her during this time of danger, as she did save your life on more than on one occasion. You will feel indebted, and that is natural. However, Severus, I hardly think you're being reasonable by insisting on protecting her as you are-"
"I love her."
McGonagall froze, stiffening and not moving, staring in obvious disbelief at Severus. His blatant statement when he interrupted had apparently left her shaken. She didn't think she'd heard him correctly. "Pardon?" she asked, "I don't believe I heard you properly . . .?"
Severus straightened and looked her in the eye. "I love her," he said slowly, as if that would help the headmistress comprehend what he was saying.
McGonagall's mind was muddled. What he was saying made no sense. Surely he couldn't be speaking of Potter's mother? "Lily," she muttered, still fairly confused.
Severus didn't flinch when the headmistress said the name of the woman he had loved first, the one he had loved before Hermione. "No," he said, still calm and with a clear, steady voice, "I love Hermione."
McGonagall's eyes had wandered over the room, but they flew back to Severus' face. "What was that, Severus?"
"I love her," he said, and he moved his hands to rest on Hermione's shoulders. He felt very nervous and awkward doing so, but that was on the inside and on the outside he seemed calm and confident, and absolutely unperturbed by the look on Minerva's face.
The headmistress blinked rapidly a few times, and then simply stared. She didn't seem to comprehend. Then she suddenly stood and leaned over her desk towards them. "That is a very serious thing, Severus," she said sternly.
Hermione felt the absurd urge to smile and laugh at the how odd a situation it was. She managed to remain silent and straight-faced, however.
Severus chuckled dryly behind Hermione. "I am quite aware of how very serious it is," he said, still calm.
McGonagall appeared to be calculating, thinking, searching. It occurred to Hermione that she was probably trying to find something legally wrong with a relationship between Severus and Hermione, but she seemed unable. She looked back up from her desk at last and her eyes were locked on Hermione's face rather than Severus'. "And you?" she asked.
Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and reminded herself that she had done nothing wrong so the feeling of terror swelling in her chest oughtn't to be there. "I love him," she said, and her voice was steady and clear, much to her own surprise.
McGonagall was silent for a moment, eyes darting from one face before her to the other. "This," she said at last, "is absurd and ridiculous. You both obviously caught something at the hospital."
"I don't think so," Hermione said calmly, and she was surprised by the sureness in her voice.
"Well then, how long have you loved him?" the older witch asked, looking as if she felt there was victory within reach.
Hermione thought back. "Since . . . shortly after my birthday." A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she remembered how shocked but slightly pleased she'd been to find Severus following her.
McGonagall frowned, but said nothing for another tense moment. Then she looked at Severus. "And how long have you loved her?"
Hermione didn't have to turn around and look to know that he was smirking at the headmistress. "For just as long, I believe, as she has loved me."
Silence reigned for several moments. "This is ridiculous," McGonagall said again. She waited for one of the people in front of her desk to tell her it was all some ill-planned joke, but neither did. Rather, Hermione and Severus just looked as if they too were waiting, though she assumed it was for her to comprehend that they weren't making fun. She found her mouth going dry. There was no law against what was happening, or supposedly happening, between her two colleagues. Hermione was an adult in both the muggle world and the wizarding world, and legally able to make her own decisions about love in both. But Severus had been, based on her information from Hermione on what Harry had seen in the pensieve, so very loyal and in love with Lily, it just wouldn't make sense for him to move on. And of all people, Hermione?
She pursed her lips, looking over the two people before her. "If it has gone on this long, why have you decided to make it known now?"
Severus, with a smirk that was twisted by the pain of the memory, said, "Weasley made a desperate attempt to woo Hermione once again during our visit to her parents at the hospital."
The headmistress raised her eyebrows, asking for more detail. "He kissed me," Hermione heard herself say, though she hadn't thought to. At this, McGonagall's brow creased further.
"I will not have ignorant bastards snogging what is not theirs in my presence again," Severus repeated what he'd said earlier.
McGonagall frowned at them, and then her face cleared. She sighed. "All right. This is your decision, Severus. But Hermione, do you really think this is the best decision, for you?"
Hermione could tell Severus was smirking again. "Are you insulting me, Minerva?" he asked, and there was amusement in his voice.
The headmistress gave a wry smile. "I suppose I shouldn't do that."
She glanced at the clock again and said, obviously not willing to let the subject go, "It is time we went to dinner. But both of you, be very careful; students are prone to notice more than is often expected of them, and Rookwood will be targeting anyone you care about, Severus."
"We are aware," Severus said, "but are we honestly to keep feigning loathing for one another in front of the students?"
McGonagall smiled wryly once more. "I suppose it would be foolish to ask you to do so. However, both of you, I'm sure, are aware of the regulations when it comes to teacher relationships during school?"
"Of course," Severus answered with another smirk.
He released Hermione's shoulders and she stood, but he offered her his arm as soon as she had stepped near his side. She raised her eyebrows at him; yes, she had read the rules and regulations regarding relationships between teachers, but she hadn't paid them too much attention, never then imagining that she'd have to follow them. Thinking back, she remembered that she and Severus could, indeed, walk arm in arm and allow behavior that suggested they cared for each other in the presence of students, though anything beyond that was crossing the line. Kissing, holding hands, and most public displays of affection were forbidden. Hermione actually giggled when she pictured Severus daring to kiss her in the presence of anyone.
McGonagall looked mildly irritated when Hermione took his waiting arm, but turned her back on them, and they followed her out of her office and to the Great Hall. While they were on their way out the door, Hermione could have sworn she heard a voice that sounded much like Dumbledore's musing quietly, "Wonderful! How beautiful and fascinating a thing love is, the way it breaks through seemingly impossible barriers and makes its way in, softening even the hardest of hearts."
Most of the students were already in the Great Hall when the three teachers stepped into the entrance hall, but just then three girls came from the direction of the library. They were giggling amongst themselves, and Severus recognized them as the girls from Hufflepuff who liked the idea of Him and Hermione being together. They took one look at their two teachers, arm in arm, and all three of them squealed, covering their mouths with their hands and looking at each other with shining eyes before they ran into the Great Hall ahead of their professors.
It didn't take a genius to know that they were headed for their table, where they would whisper about what they'd seen and the news would spread like wildfire. Hermione took a deep breath as they entered the Great Hall, and it seemed that all of the students' eyes were on her and Severus as they came in and walked towards the staff table. McGonagall had hurried ahead of them, and Hermione realized what a sight they must be, walking up to the tables alone together.
Ginny Weasley was nudged by a friend and looked up from her book, feeling her mouth fall open in shock when she saw her best friend walking arm in arm towards the staff table with none other than Snape himself. Her eyes were wide and she stared, unable to believe what she was seeing. Surely someone had slipped some sort of potion into her pumpkin juice at lunch? She must be hallucinating. But what about Ron? She hadn't seen him in a week, but he'd said before he left that he was going to get Hermione back if it was the last thing he did. And today Hermione had gone to Saint Mungo's, where Ron was guarding with Harry. Had they met up? What had happened? Ginny had never wanted so badly to jump up from her seat and run to the staff table to talk to a professor.
Hermione let go of Severus' arm as he pulled out her chair for her and she took her seat, looking over the many shocked faces of the students gazing up at her. This was it. Everyone knew now. She saw a flash of fiery red hair and found Ginny's astonished face looking up at her. She knew that as soon as breakfast was over the next day, Ginny would be at her side wanting to go to her classroom to talk about this. But she didn't mind; now she could at last spill all of her emotions about it and the full story to her best friend. Harry needn't know the details. Besides, he was a boy, and he wouldn't really be all that interested, but Ginny would care very much about the entire story. Also, if Harry wanted to know that bad he would ask Ginny about it once it became public knowledge that the potions master and the transfiguration teacher were a couple.
Hermione felt the smile fade from her face as she imagined the things Rita Skeeter would undoubtedly write about the two of them once she got wind of the news. That nasty woman was still running amuck, writing lies about people and selling her articles to the Daily Prophet, where they were read by most of the wizarding families in the country.
Hermione and Severus walked back to the teachers' lounge arm in arm, and on their way Ginny shot Hermione a look that told her they were definitely having a talk in the transfiguration classroom or Hermione's office the next day and as soon as possible. Hermione grinned, and to her surprise, Ginny actually grinned back. The teachers walking to their quarters were in the dungeon when several Slytherin students passed on the way to their common room. Hermione noticed that they gave her dirty looks, but was astonished; the looks she received were nothing compared to the ugly glares and furious looks that Severus was getting.
Severus noticed this as well, though he only felt protective of Hermione against the glares being sent her way. He could care less what the brats from his house thought about he and Hermione. Of course they would be upset; she was, after all, from Gryffindor, and everyone knew that Slytherin and Gryffindor were mortal enemies. Smirking at the students' backs as they swaggered away, he thought of how he and Hermione's relationship could be likened to a snake and a cat, obvious enemies, making peace and becoming protective of one another.
They stepped into the teachers' lounge and parted ways, Severus walking her to her door and making sure all of the other staff had entered their own rooms or were looking the other way before pulling her in for a swift but sweet embrace and pressing his lips momentarily to the top of her head before letting her go. He watched her disappear into her rooms and then he went to his own.
The next day Hermione woke up and there was tea on the bedside table waiting for her, still the perfect temperature, as it always was. She smiled, knowing Severus had put a house elf up to it, and drank it as she got ready for her day. When she entered the teachers' lounge, most of the other staff had left, and she didn't see Severus among the remaining people, so she left the lounge and started walking towards the Great Hall. When she made it to the staff table Severus was already there, standing and talking to Flitwick, who turned bright red when he saw Hermione walk up, and there was no doubt in her mind that they had just been discussing her. "Good morning," she said kindly to the half-goblin, and he returned a mumbled greeting, though he was still quite red.
Severus pulled out her chair for her, and she took her seat, smiling at him as he sat down beside her. "Morning," she said, her eyes twinkling as she thought about what some of the Gryffindor students must think of their favorite professor falling for their most hated, who was also the head of Slytherin, their enemies.
His eyes were dark melted chocolate when he nodded and said, "Good morning."
McGonagall stood and spoke to the students, reminding them that Rookwood was still on the loose and wreaking havoc, so they must still be careful and take safety precautions. When she sat down again the meal appeared on all of the tables and everyone began to eat. Severus turned to Hermione halfway through the meal, which surprised her, because he had never been one to make small talk so she assumed it must be important. However, he said with a smirk directed at the Slytherin table, "You wouldn't believe the number of dunderheads who came into my classroom this morning with complaints about our surprise for them all last night."
Hermione laughed. She couldn't believe he was actually making pleasant—or semi-pleasant, anyway—conversation. "Hmm," she mused, smiling at the Gryffindor table and saying, "All Slytherins, I presume?"
He nodded once, smirking at the students in his house once again.
"The Gryffindors don't seem to mind so much," Hermione said, eyeing several girls who were sitting clustered together and giggling behind their glasses of pumpkin juice as they pointed and smiled at Hermione and then pointed and made faces at Severus.
"The silly girls who like the idea of us," he said, raising an eyebrow, "are fine with it, I am sure. But the rest of them seem a bit worried that their favorite lioness has been caught in the coils of a dark, slimy snake."
Hermione raised her eyebrows, musing over this way of putting it. "No," she said after a moment. "I mean, yes, that's what they think, but I think it's the lioness who's caught the snake, not the other way round."
He smirked at her and went back to eating. Biting her lip and smiling at her food, she did so as well.
As soon as breakfast was over, Hermione stood, watching for the flaming red hair coming her way that would announce Ginny's imminent approach. And soon enough, there it was. She met the girl in the middle of the Great Hall, leaving Severus behind, and they walked without a word to the transfiguration classroom. Ginny closed the door behind them, and Hermione went and sat on the edge of her desk, not comfortable sitting behind it when talking to her best friend, who sat down in front of her on the edge of a student's desk. They were silent, staring at each other for a few moments without a word before Ginny said, "Explain! Tell me everything!"
To Hermione's bemused surprise, the girl looked more excited and interested than upset or apprehensive. And so she launched into the story, beginning with recounting how she had taken the job of being Severus' caretaker when he came back from Saint Mungo's and explaining, bit by bit, how she had come to care about him, though she definitely hadn't loved him then. Ginny asked occasional questions here and there, but for the most part sat in silence and listened with rapt attention. When Hermione told of how she had gone out to wander the dungeon and think one night, Ginny nodded. Then she recounted finding that Severus was following her, and Ginny looked abashed. "He was following you? But why? When was this again?"
Hermione patiently explained, answering every question until Ginny was satisfied, and she found that there was a certain thrill in telling the story of how she and Severus had fallen for each other. She got the part of the story when they kissed for the first time and he pushed her away, and Ginny was looking incredulous. After another round of question and answer time, Ginny allowed her to tell about how miserable she had been.
To Ginny, this explained a lot. The things going on with Severus, especially when Hermione had been depressed and miserable after he pushed her away, had affected her behavior, and Ginny had noticed. Then, Hermione hadn't told what was going on, but now it made sense.
She told of how she had gone to Severus' classroom once again, sure that he had lied, and he had used her vulnerable state to push her away for good. Ginny was obviously very skeptical about how Severus could really love Hermione or how it was possible for Hermione to forgive him after doing something so terrible, but Hermione stayed patient and pressed on with the story after answering even more questions.
There was a short pause when Ginny had no questions and Hermione thought over the day that Severus had finally admitted his love for her. She saw Ginny's impatient expression and recounted how Severus had knocked on her door early in the morning and she had been furious with him still but wanted to be near him as well, and had only let him in because she was so shocked by his appearance and request to enter. She could tell as she said this that Ginny was on the edge of her seat, hanging on her every word. Even when she didn't try to make it sound dramatic or theatrical, Hermione realized how thrilling and romantic the whole thing sounded as she told about Severus falling on his knees and clinging to her hands as he cried and admitted the truth.
Ginny's eyes were wide as she listened, and Hermione knew that now she understood how it was possible to forgive Severus after his lying to her.
Hermione went on, telling about how she had been so undecided and told him to leave at first before giving in and letting herself fall into his waiting arms. She told of him picking her up and carrying her to the couch, where they sat, told her that Kreacher knew, told her about how they had sat and talked or stayed in silence for a while. She talked about their falling asleep, and during this part of the story Ginny's eyes were shining. Hermione knew that she was obviously overwhelmed by what she was hearing, and Hermione's tale wasn't finished being told yet. She then talked about how he hated when she bit her lip and about their first kiss after their reconciliation, and this was when Ginny covered her mouth with her hands and started giggling like a little girl. Hermione sat back and watched, waiting for her friend to get ahold of herself before continuing, though a smile touched her lips as she thought back over everything that had happened.
She recounted everything up until the day before and then took a deep breath and plunged into the tale of their visit to Saint Mungo's. Ginny wasn't in the least bit surprised over the news that there had been contagious diseases and things making their way around, as Ron and Harry were her brother and her boyfriend and were stationed there, so they would have told her. Hermione told about their experience with the Malfoys and everything that Narcissa had said, and then she fell silent for a moment as she thought about what had happened when Harry had left them to find Ron. Ginny waited expectantly, so Hermione told her about visiting her parents, and again, mixed emotions made her chest hurt when she thought about what she had always dreamed of happening when her parents met her boyfriend versus how it had really been. She told about Harry and Ron's arrival and then about how Ron had indeed tried to win her heart again.
Ginny gasped when she heard that Ron had kissed Hermione, and then she frowned, looking upset with her brother. "In front of Snape?" she asked, looking incredulous.
Hermione nodded, feeling a grin tugging at her lips. "Yes."
"What did he do then?" she asked, referring to Severus' reaction.
"He glared daggers at Ron as soon as I pushed him away and he looked like he wanted to kill your brother in the most painful way possible."
Hermione was surprised when Ginny actually laughed. "And he would have deserved it! Snogging you like that! I'm having a word with him as soon as he gets back to the Burrow!"
Hermione laughed and told about the row that followed their kiss, and how she had sided with Severus, leading to her disarming Ron and his leaving. She recalled Harry's warning and giving him Ron's wand to return to him. And then she talked about Severus' announcement to them that he wasn't going to hide their relationship any longer because he didn't want another instance of what Ron had done happening. Hermione repeated Severus' words exactly as he'd said them, and Ginny burst out laughing. Hermione joined her, and it was several moments before the giggling subsided. Then she told of their coming back to the school and going to the headmistress office to report in their trip to the hospital and to give her the news that they were in love.
When all of the explanations were done and Ginny seemed completely out of questions, they sat in silence for a while. Then Ginny grinned at her with a look of awe on her face and said, "You realize how crazy it looks, you and him, together?"
Hermione smiled. "I do."
Ginny shook her head in a mixture of admiration and disbelief. "Well, at least he never liked you when you were in school."
Hermione laughed and nodded. "That would have been terrible!"
Ginny looked completely serious and said sagely, "He would have been extremely jealous of Viktor and then of Ron."
Hermione laughed even louder. "Imagine that, Severus jealous of Viktor! And of your brother?!"
Ginny laughed, too. "Well he was jealous when Ron kissed you, I'll bet."
But Hermione shook her head. "I don't think so," she said. Seeing the quizzical expression on her friend's face, she explained, "when Ron kissed me I was shocked and angry and upset and I tried to get away. And when I did get away I wanted to kill him. I was furious. I doubt Severus would be jealous of me behaving that way towards anyone."
Ginny nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense."
They fell into talking about boys and how terribly confusing they were at times, though Hermione didn't notice the way that Ginny's eyes shone with excitement and pleasure when it became obvious that Hermione could read Severus' behavior much better than Ginny could read Harry's. They stopped talking only when they looked at the clock and realized that it was time for lunch. Hurrying to the Great Hall together and free of anything in their hands, Ginny challenged Hermione to a race.
Hermione paused, biting her lip. She knew she shouldn't run in the halls; not only was it against the rules, but she was a professor and needed to set a good example. But if everyone was already at lunch and the two of them would be late . . .
Without telling Ginny that she had accepted the challenge, Hermione ran through the corridor, and the redhead trailed close behind. They raced through halls, down staircases, jumping the vanishing step on their way, and stopped in the entrance hall, panting. Hermione had won the race, and Ginny looked pleasantly surprised by this. "Good job, professor," she said, grinning, "looks like all those days spent grading papers in that classroom haven't left you as weak and unhealthy as I'd thought."
They laughed together one last time before entering the Great Hall as teacher and student rather than best friends. Hermione made it to the staff table and grinned down at Ginny, who returned the gesture and winked.
She turned and looked at Severus when he cleared his throat. He raised an eyebrow, asking where she had disappeared to. Smiling, she told him that she had enjoyed a bit of long overdue best-friend-girl-time. He rolled his eyes and smirked at this, but nonetheless his eyes melted once more when he saw how happy she seemed after talking to Ginny.
Severus glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as they ate and smirked once more; women would never cease to confuse and amaze him with their diverse range of personality. It seemed several people and their own personal traits, characteristics, and behavior were wrapped up in Hermione's one personality, something he doubted he would ever understand. But he was pleased by how she seemed so happy after spending time talking to another female and she had seemed more than pleased to see him, which lifted his own spirits.
He noticed several Slytherins giving him dark looks from their table and raised his eyebrows at them, smirking. When they continued to scowl, he glared at them until they looked away. He smirked once more as he wondered how many of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students even cared about the current turmoil between Slytherin and Gryffindor that had come about because the two teachers from those houses had decided they were in love.
Severus turned and looked at Hermione, though she was focusing on her conversation with Longbottom. There was a smile parting her lips and she seemed to be glowing with happiness. Severus allowed himself a moment to get lost in how beautiful she truly was and smirked; Rookwood was still on the loose and the current darkness of war was still fading into light, but everything seemed brighter and more beautiful. When Hermione was happy like this, Severus himself was happy because he never wanted her to be anything but well. He turned back to his food, wondering as he did so often what it was that the beautiful young woman in the seat beside his could see in him that was worth loving.
So they've told! All right, I would love to know what you think of this chapter! Thank you all so much for reading my story and thanks again to all who had reviewed any of my chapters (or in select cases all of them)! Please review this one if you've got a second to spare. Much love! ~Taelr