AN: Good news! Most of this story is outlined and I know where I am going with everything, mostly. BAD NEWS! My computers power port has decided to break- meaning I will HOPEFULLY be able to access everything at some point. I won't be able to run things off my computer for about another eight weeks, meaning I will be running this off Permanent Roommate's old dinosaur of a laptop. PLEASE be patient with me. We are getting ready to move (hence the repair delay) and things will be crazy here starting in July. I will do the best that I can but I just ask you guys work with me a little. I do the best I can. Also- quick question- would anyone care to know what music I am listening to while writing this stuff? Just curious -TGP
Severus had never felt so helpless in his life. Not the night his mother died. Not the night Lily died. Not the night the Dark Lord rose again.
Hermione laying under the glow of the Hospital Wing lights while her life signs beeped softly in the corner was leaving him numb. There was nothing he could do, nothing he could say, nothing he could feel besides the fear that he might not ever see her eyes again.
His long fingers traced the puffiness below his eyes, the exhaustion he felt deep in his bones was becoming more apparent. It had been three days since his darling girl had last squeezed his hand. It had been three days since his heart stopped beating.
"Why exactly is it that we have to have dinner with Potter and Miss Weasley again?" Severus growled at Hermione in the mirror. She giggled and walked over to him, gently rescuing his tie from his jerking fingers. Severus stood tall and looked down at the petite woman with his best teacher scowl as she flipped his collar up and gently began to work out the knot he had managed. "Because they are my friends, well Harry is, and he would like to have dinner with us as both a thank you and to get to know you better," she said gently before tugging on the tie's point. "I know it's a lot to ask but this might be a good idea, start introducing 'us' as a couple to the rest of the world- yeah?"
Severus fought to drop the scowl and ended up looking down at her forlornly, his hands clenching and unclenching as he walked over to the armchair in the corner and tugging on his boots. His voice carried from below his lank hair, "I am aware of that Hermione, I am more concerned about the rest of the dining room and of Miss Weasley's reaction. As you are aware I am not her most favorite person in the world with all I did the last year of the war."
Hermione gave her love a soft smile and rested her hand on the small swell of her hip before walking over to him and resting her hand on his back between his shoulders. "Relax my love. Small Muggle restaurant and Harry said it has a wonderful steak menu," she said with a smile. The tension easing slightly before he rose. Taking her hand in the crook of his arm, Severus took her down to help her into her light peacoat before stepping out into the chilly September air.
Before spinning away in the familiar vortex of motion via apparation, Hermione pulled the lapels of Severus' jacket and kissed him soundly. His hands tangled in her hair before both vanished, leaving a small storm of dust in their wake.
Severus had been surprised that dinner had lasted as long as it did.
Hermione had been right, it was a beautiful Muggle restaurant. The long oak beams reflected the light of the ships on the Themes. Big Ben was across the way and the stars doubled in the unusually calm water. The table Potter had managed to get was in the corner by a large wall of windows, blending with the tables candlelight and starlight giving the room a romantic glow. Potter and Weasley had already arrived by the time Hermione had a chance to gather herself and pop a mint outside. Their coats had been taken and as they were led to the table, Severus had known exactly when Hermione had been spotted by the couple and when he had.
Miss Weasley had been about to jump up out of her seat when Hermione had rounded the corner but her bright smile faded in the instant after Severus had. Weasley had been half sitting and half standing by the time they had reached the table and had fallen into it gracelessly after he had pulled Hermione's chair in after her.
The curtain of red hair whipped to Potter, who had taken a large gulp of his wine after they were all seated, "what is he doing here Harry? I thought you said we were meeting Hermione and the man she was seeing. Not her and Snape." Severus fidgeted in his chair and his gaze dropped to the hand Hermione had suddenly grabbed.
"It is good to see you so well Professor," Potter had said softly. Severus responded with a curt nod and began to feel his breathing begin again before responding. "As well as yourself Mister Potter. I believe I was in a much worse situation the last time we saw each other."
Hermione turned to Severus and gave him a small smile before turning back to the waiter and ordering a sparkling water and a salad for her appetizer.
It had taken about half an hour, Severus knew it was 28 minutes not that he was counting, before Weasley finally burst. "You chose a DEATH EATER over my brother Granger? Do you have any idea how ruined you will be? It isn't bad enough that you had to take care of this piece of waste but now you are with him?" The volume of her voice didn't seem to catch the attention of the other diners, Severus had seen Potter go for his wand after their starters had arrived but now he knew why. Tugging on her hand gently and giving a guilty look at Hermione, Harry turned to Ginny. "You know I love Ron as a brother and I love Hermione as a sister but this is her choice. I mean whatever makes her happy makes me happy and as her friend-" "I am no friend of a Death Eater's whore Harry! How can you even look at her after this? How can you even tell me that you can even be in the same room as this thing!"
Severus had been looking between the two with anger boiling near the surface before turning to Hermione, but finding her seat empty. "Handle this Potter," he ground out before tearing from the table and out the door. Their coats hung over his arm as Severus looked frantically up and down the street.
His long legs caught up with Hermione quickly after he saw her mane of hair about a block up. "Come on love. You know you can't believe what Weasley said, lets get your coat on and get out of this neck of the woods. Not exactly the place you want to find yourself after dark as beautiful as yourself you know," Severus said as he stepped in front of Hermione. Effectively blocking her way. Her eyes were full of tears and before a second thought could cross his mind, his arms were around her softly shaking frame.
After a few minutes of whispering comforting words into her hair and closing his eyes to refrain from running back to rip Weasley to shreds Severus opened his eyes. It felt like ice ran down his spine at the sight in front of him. Gently sliding down his hands from Hermione's shoulders and speaking low enough that only she could hear, "we need to run. To the closest underground station. Do not question me. If you have to leave me behind so be it. Just get you and the baby out of here." Hermione turned her eyes up to Severus questioningly before turning in the direction he was looking.
The silver from the mask looked liquid and the tendrils of cloak melted into the shadows. All but a few lights were knocked out in a quick flash and before Severus could put himself between Hermione and the Death Eater, another two popped to their side and behind them. Severus pulled his wand out of his sleeve and took her hand tightly. "Run Granger. RUN!"
Hermione felt out of breath and had to try to stop the stitch in her side before going on. It seemed like they were in a abandoned market of sorts. Warnings against trespassing and smoking lined the wet stone. Severus was behind her a few hundred yards and rounded the corner before his eyes became wide as he took her in. Before he or she could say anything Severus turned and whipped a blindingly bright yellow spell behind him. As soon as Severus caught up to her, Hermione found herself dipped into the warehouse behind the market, the hanging plastic whipped around them as Severus pulled them deeper and deeper into the building.
The tears went unnoticed by both of them until Severus stopped to pause. His dark eyes were almost invisible, a neon exit light a few yards ahead gave a dark outline of him and Hermione felt his fingers gently smooth the tears away. Pulling her close, Severus whispered into her hair, "we are so close Love. I need you to trust me. I will not let anything happen to you. Either of you." Pulling back and placing her face between his hands and kissing her forehead softly, "Do you trust me Granger?" The jerky nod was all he needed before pulling them into the corner of the room across from the exit sign. Hermione felt herself forcibly being turned into his warm chest and Severus lifted his wand before him in defensive stance. "Do. Not. Move."
It took several minutes before she heard a few sets of feet scurry around the building, the echos of hexes hitting empty air bounced and amplified as they came closer to them. "They must be in here somewhere, we would have seen them leave if they had. I think there is only one exit left. You two go check there while I take the roof." Hermione strained to hear the conversation and all other thought vanished as Severus tightened his grip even more on her.
Two soft thuds were the next sounds that fell across the room and then there was silence. Hermione felt Severus loosen his grip as he strode over to the figures, he had cast a cushioning charm after the stunner. Severus bent after knocking them both with his boot and removed the masks, setting them quietly on the floor. "Who-" Hermione began before a look from Severus silenced her.
After snapping their wands and dropping them on the prone bodies, Severus cast a silencing spell on the door as he swung it open slowly. After staying back for a moment Hermione followed. Severus scanned the rooftops and cast a Lumos down the dark alley.
"Station. Now."
Hermione thought she should be surprised that Severus managed to pull two metro passes out of his jacket, but really wasn't in the end. They didn't speak as they made their way down into the almost empty platform. A older balding gentleman was reading today's news and a young business woman looked at the new occupants with a high level of boredom before gazing back at the clock.
Hermione felt empty air for a moment before coming into contact with Severus' woolen sleeve. His hand grasped hers after a moment and spoke in a low voice just above her ear. "They won't risk it, not where there are Muggles around, the Ministry would be here in a heartbeat."
Hermione turned as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Her nausea was coming around again and she told herself that she would make it till they were home. "Besides we need to calm down a bit anyway right love?" she said in a soft voice. Her body was crashing from the adrenaline and her eyes felt heavy. Severus kissed her forehead and felt for his wand in the same moment.
He would never tell her this but they wouldn't be out of danger until they were safely behind his wards at home. It was almost too easy. There had been three voices and only two bodies had been knocked out. And while he didn't think whoever was left, or awake, would attack in plain view of the Muggles and their security cameras, he knew they needed to get home quickly.
After about half an hour the balding man had departed from their train and the business woman was up about three cars from them and eventually fifteen minutes later she got off as well.
Severus had Hermione sit in front of him while he stood stiffly, looking from one end of the train to the other, head moving ceaselessly. Only after Hermione spoke did Severus look down at her, "I suppose I should have said no when you asked me if we had to go to dinner with Harry." Severus tried to give her a small smile and failed.
Hermione stood and after a moment of pulling, took Severus' hand in her own for what felt like the thousandth time that night and cupped his face with the other. "You did wonderfully tonight my love," she said with a small smile and a gentle kiss on his lips. Severus took hold of her waist in one hand and the pole in the other as they slid from another stop into the blackened tunnel.
The lights flickered.
In reality, Severus knew what happened next was in fractions of seconds rather than hours that they seemed. A tall Death Eater fell into reality at the end of the car and Severus shoved Hermione behind him and backed her into the door, feeling her open the door. Severus locked the door wandlessly and begged silently for Hermione to understand as her angered cries met his ears. Severus whipped high and low every curse he knew. Every hex he had ever learned flew from his wand and was deflected while others were sent back at him. The Death Eater dropped to one knee after a reductor curse blew apart a knee and angry eyes met the black fire that burned from Severus.
Before Severus could send the tenth stunner the Death Eater vanished. The clacking of wheels sounded like a roar and Severus turned back to Hermione. Her eyes blazed and tears fell rapidly down her cheeks. Just as Severus unlocked the door another pop echoed through the car. Before Severus could move a blaze of blue fire tore between the poles, illuminating the entire car in bright blue light, Hermione hit squarely in the chest before being flung into Severus.
Poppy Pomfrey was just turning down her bed when a familiar voice screamed her name in the corridor outside the Hospital Wing. After throwing on her dressing gown and racing through her bedroom, sitting room and then office, she was stopped in her tracks.
Severus was cradling Hermione to his chest and his face was white with fear. "A Death Eater... found us... I don't know what was used... I can't... she isn't breathing Poppy... help me."
Poppy ran over to the nearest bed and glanced at the young girl. She was breathing but just barely, if Severus had ran here it was doubtful he would have felt it over his own heaving breathing. Severus was brushing the curls out of Hermione's face as Poppy starting running diagnostics. "I couldn't trust her anywhere else, there is no way they could have gotten into here Poppy."
The pain in his voice made Poppy look up. Tears were falling down his cheeks unnoticed. Patting his hand gently, Poppy turned back to her spells, "You did good dear, you did good."
Half an hour passed before Poppy dropped her wand, it was a powerful stunner combined with a sedative that had hit Hermione. Only time would tell when she would wake up from it. Wiping a hand across her brow Poppy thought for a moment. It was a rare and old spell, the strength and determination of the caster would determine how long it would last.
After relaying the information to Severus, as well as the knowlege that Harry Potter and Minerva would be informed, Poppy turned to go back to the office. "Poppy?" She turned back to Severus, his voice tired and pained. He looked at her with empty eyes before they shut slowly. "The baby. We didn't check the baby. Please." The last word broke her heart.
Taking the pale and long hand in her own, Poppy sent a wish to the universe as she cast the spell. This boy had lost so much, had been through so much pain and suffering. Hermione was young and their love was so new and powerful.
A loud beating tore through the room as Poppy started above Hermione's heart. It became slightly faint as she moved down to Hermione's belly. After a thick moment of silence, a small echo sounded in return to the louder one.
"Count the heartbeats Severus," Poppy said thickly, tears clouding her vision. "One... two..."