Inside

Chapter Fifteen: Hermione

Severus's POV

I couldn't help but wonder, as I sat behind my desk, my fingers folded in a triangle and resting against the tip of my nose, if I had gone too far on Potter? Students have, in the past, and always, had a habit of picking fights with one another. Though it was rarer to see within a single House, it was even rarer to see so violently expressed between friends, and extremely close ones at that. If it had been only Weasley, or Weasley and another student, and not my Hermione… would I have given Potter such a severe punishment as to taking away his wand for an entire year, nearly, and banned him from the school?

No, I decided, it was not. The severity of his offense was worth far much worse, and the boy came out lucky to only have his wand taken and sent back to his muggle home. He hit her… beat her to a bloody pulp… Questions may have been brought up, asking why she nor Weasley did not defend themselves with their wands, or any sort of protection spell or charm, at that, or why they did not subdue Potter firstly before any of it began. The answer to that would be simple: magic is not always the first thing on your mind. If I had been there when it happened, and saw Hermione take the first assault, I would have stepped in between the two and given Potter something to really complain about. My wand would have been the furthest thing from my mind, all I would have been able to focus on would be to protect her from harm. And besides, had I gone too far with my decision to take Potter's wand and temporarily expel him from the school Albus or Minerva would have come to me by now with their feelings towards the matter.

The news Potter received about his Father would have come to a shock to anyone – Hermione herself did not believe it, or refused to let herself, for the longest time. When she finally came to me that first day of detention, asking me to have her, to keep her… it was the happiest moment of my life. I hated what she was telling me, the torment she was going through, but the fact that she couldn't go through it alone, and wanted me – needed me – to be there for her, with her, was something I never imagined possible. I was so sure after she told me we could not be together that that would be the end of it – if there was even an 'it' to begin with, aside from my kissing her in the Summer.

I stood up and walked over to my window, my hands clasped together behind my back, and looked out at the early day.

While at the time seemed incredibly impulsive and reckless, kissing her turned out to be the smartest thing I had ever done. I was so sure her response of shoving me and running away was a sign of complete and utter disgust; when truth was, she was fighting herself. It felt like fireworks were going off inside of me, I had never felt so warm or immediately comfortable in my life. I wanted to stay there, in your embrace, I wanted to kiss you back… I wanted you to carry me to my bed and hold me while I slept… I wanted to wake up and find you there still, watching me. I wanted to spend every waking hour – and sleeping one – with you after that moment… and I hated myself for it, I didn't understand it, and it scared me. Passing you in the hallway, or kitchen… it was agony, I couldn't, and can't, begin to explain the turmoil that was going on inside of me. The only thing that was clear, more clear than anything has ever been in all my life, was that I had found my soul mate. You, Severus… you, who's been there all along. Just waiting beneath the surface, waiting for me to grow up, waiting for your own feelings… waiting inside, to come out and grow together, with mine.

I looked down at my hand, and clasped it within my other, remembering the sweet, tender, warm feeling of her soft caresses of her hands on mine as she confessed her heart to me; the feeling of her lips against mine and her body in my arms.

Seeing her in the Hospital Wing; the pain clear in her eyes and all too apparent on the marks covering her body… it was the worst kind of hell I had ever felt. Seeing her, laying there, all alone, and being unable to go to her. To hold her hand in mine, to kiss her forehead or even speak to her… To be unable to have laid beside her and held her close; safe. Not being able to prevent it in the first place, it was the worst of it all. Seeing her like she was, so hurt and innocent and in pain – inside and out – all I wanted to do was hold her and tell her I loved her and keep her close to me, to protect and comfort her. To hear her voice; strained and groggy, and be unable to respond to it with my own, it killed to be able to do nothing but stand there and watch and listen, silent.

Why Poppy had not given her the potions to heal her really confused me, and I made a mental note to speak to her on the matter. Subtly, of course.

I let out a sigh, and a slow series of soft knocking sounded against my door.

I turned on heel and walked to it, hoping I knew who it was already, which, without really thinking, knew. It didn't take much anymore for me to find her of for her to find me, it was as if we could feel each other.

I opened the door and found her standing there, a gentle smile on her lips and her arms wrapped around herself. Without speaking she came in as I stepped to the side, and closed the door.

"Hermione," I breathed as I pulled her into my arms and kissed the top of her head. "I am so sorry I wasn't there to stop it."

"You can't have been," she said back, hugging me to her. "Besides, it was my own fault. I was being stupid. I kept pushing."

"Pushing or not," I said, lifting her chin with my forefinger to raise her face towards mine. "He had no right, he could have killed you."

"It's just another number on the list," she shrugged, looking up at me, though I could see the hurt still in her eyes. "The number of times Harry, Ron and myself have escaped near death is quite lengthy. Though, I must say, this year it seems to be piling up a bit faster than others," her voice trailed softly, and I slid my finger away from her chin as I slowly caressed my hand up the side of her face, looking into her eyes. She slid her hand up and cupped it over mine, stepping closer to me still.

My fingertips in the base of her hairline and hand cupping her cheek, she closed her eyes and held her hand securely around mine. I stood there, holding her and watching her as she opened her eyes to look back up at me. She parted her lips slightly, and I stepped closer to her, seeming unable to get as close to her as I wanted to be – needed to be. I leaned down slowly and kissed her. She sighed softly as our lips met, and slid her hand up my chest to my shoulder, where she pulled me into her. "I missed you," she whispered between kisses. "I wanted you there with me … needed you there … it hurt more than all my injuries combined … not having you with me …"

"I would have been there every moment if I could have been," I whispered back, drawing her body closer to mine. "It killed me not to have been … I needed to be with you … I needed to keep you safe … warm … loved … protected …"

"But I am," she whispered as our lips parted, and she looked up at me with a gentle smile on her face. She pushed herself up to her tip toes and reached her lips up to mine, kissing me softly. "Severus, when I am with you, that's all I feel," she leaned up as I leaned down, and we kissed again, and again. I watched in adoration as she slid her hand away from my shoulder and trailed it down my chest and stomach. Cupping her hand around mine, she brought it up to her lips and kissed it with closed eyes. After she graced my hand with a seventh kiss, she pulled it up and cupped it against her cheek, holding it beneath her own.

"So beautiful."

She opened her eyes and looked up at me, saying with her eyes what words could not express: the total and complete trust that she had in me, the comfort and happiness, the feeling of safety, love.

She slid my hand beneath hers and brought it to her lips once more, kissing the palm softly, tenderly. "Stay with me," she said softly.

"Always," I told her, wrapping my arms around her and hugging her against me. "Always," I repeated softly, gently swaying back and forth with the side of her face pressed against my chest, eyes closed, and palm resting against my chest. "You've no idea how long I've waited for you. For this. To have this," I said, one hand wrapped securely around her waist, and the other gently cupped around the back of her head. I leaned down and kissed the top of her head softly. "I love you so much, Hermione."

"I love you," she said with a gentle sigh as she curled her fingers against my chest.

Draco's POV

I waited in the hall, crouched down on the floor with my jacket spread across my lap, for Hermione to come from Snape's office. It seemed she had been in there all day, but still, she did not come out. What she was doing in there for so long, I had no idea, and truthfully, I didn't really care. I just wanted to see her. I needed to see her… All night I had stayed up thinking about her, unable to get even a wink of sleep. I wanted to go to her in the night and stay by her side, to hold her hand and make sure she was protected and safe. I had woken up – or more, gotten out of bed – early to do just that, and find her already gone. By the time I found her she was leaving McGonagall's office and headed to Snape's, where she had been ever since.

The most troubling part of it all, the part that really had me lost and confused, was that last night wasn't the only night I had lost sleep due to thoughts about her. It seemed ever since I discovered she was my sister I was unable to think about anything but her. In class, during meals, when I was with friends or alone… She haunted my every thought and every breath, never giving me a moment's peace.

Not that I wasn't peaceful when I thought about her. In fact, it was the most peaceful I ever felt, was when I was thinking about her. Which, to add onto my endless reign of being lost and confused, also added on a nice helping of concern: she was my sister, half sister, but still blood-sister, nonetheless. I was thinking about her as if she were just another girl… another girl I couldn't stop thinking about or following, unsuspected, around the school. Which was, to say the least, creepy.

I bent my head down and stuck it between my knees, pushing it further still with my hands. Get it together, I told myself, she's your sister – your sister. Your blood and kin. You've the same Mother as her – you've got to stop thinking about her, at least like this. This… this madness has got to stop. I can't keep going about my days and nights thinking all of this is normal. She's Hermione – sister and once hated by me for thinking she was a muggle born. Gah! I thought, raising my head from my knees and nearly bashing it on the stone wall I leaned against. I can't even call her what I used to… makes me sick just to imagine thinking about it… mad beyond words to imagine someone, anyone, calling her that. She's not, she's not muggle born… she's a pure blood, like yourself… a young, friendly, beautiful, logical, brave, breathtakingly gorgeous, smart, intelligent, elegant, mesmerizing, sexy… Dammit! You stupid, stupid idiot! I cursed myself, slamming my foot against the stone floor and covering my eyes with balled fists. Sister! Brother! Brother and sister! Sister and brother – same Mother!

"Just go away," I said aloud. "Leave me alone! Please…please… just disappear…"

"Fine then," came Hermione's sweet, angelic voic… STOP! "I didn't want to see you anyways, I'm going to Hagrid's." She spun around, and just as she was about to take another step away from me I shot up from the floor and took her wrist into my hand. We stood silent, just looking at each other; my eyes darting between her eyes and lips.

"Don't," I begged, taking a step closer towards her. "Please, I wasn't-"

"Gosh Draco," she said, pulling her arm away from my grasp. "I was only joking; I knew you weren't talking to me. Are you feeling alright?" She wondered, looking up at me with concern. She reached her hand up and gently rested her palm against my forehead, it was all I could do to stop myself from leaning into her touch. "What were you doing on the floor, anyways?" She asked, pulling her hand away from my forehead. "It's a beautiful day outside."

Not nearly as beautiful as you are.

"I- I didn't sleep last night," I choked, rubbing the back of my head. "Perhaps I better go and lay down a while."

"Why didn't you sleep?" she wondered, looking up at me, concern back in her eyes.

"I was worried about you," I said honestly. "I didn't want anything else to happen to you."

"Oh, Draco," she said, a small smile playing about her lips. "Honestly, I know we're siblings and we should worry about each other… go get some sleep," she told me, and stretched up to her tip toes and leaned her face into mine. I subtly leaned into her as her lips pressed against my cheek, just grazing the corner of my lips. "I'll be at Hagrid's if you need me, alright?" I watched in mute silence and physical torment as she walked past me and down the corridor. I reached my hand up to touch my lips where her lips had met mine, and let out a long sigh.

Yeah, I thought, dropping my hand back down to my side, I'm a goner…

The thought seemed to come on its own accord, and I didn't care. I was done fighting it. I loved Hermione… I loved my sister. It was wrong and immoral and down right freaky, but I didn't care. How could I? The only moments I had ever felt true contentedness or happiness were when I was with her, be it holding her as she cried or being kissed on the cheek in the hall… Hermione was my happiness, and that's all that mattered. As wrong as it sounded, and wrong as it seemed… nothing ever felt so bloody right as when I was with her.

I turned around, tossing my jacket over my shoulder, and headed to Slytherin Common Room.

TBC

Author's Note: I know, what the heck, right? Well, what can I say… from the beginning this story has literally written itself, I have had little to no control over it. Without saying too much, don't you fret, constant readers, this is and will remain a Severus / Hermione romance… with a few twists and turns, of sorts. Nothing will get too weird, well, then I might be saying too much… ;)