There were several decisions throughout Severus' life that would stay with him forever.

Agreeing to the assassination of Albus Dumbledore. Giving the prophecy to the Dark Lord. Breaking his mother's heart by taking the Dark Mark.

Cursing Hermione Granger would be one of them.

Granger was the only person who had ever cared enough about him to come back, and he repaid her loyalty by inflicting insurmountable pain upon her.

It all happened so fast — finding her and the others sneaking down from his office with the Sword of Gryffindor in hand, then being found only minutes later by Alecto Carrow, of all people. Alecto, who always claimed he wasn't enough of a man, wasn't enough of a Death Eater to carry out the requests of their master.

And then when she prodded him into casting the curse himself?

How could he have done anything differently?

There was no possible way that he could have saved her and still maintained his cover.

The curse lasted seconds, although in the corridor it must have felt like hours. When her screams stopped, Granger knelt on all fours, panting. Longbottom and Lovegood had dropped to their knees beside her, their arms surrounding her protectively.

'You snake,' cried Ginny Weasley, stepping forward.

Severus' eyes flickered up to her, impassively watching as though through a long tunnel. His pulse thundered in his ears. Weasley's wand was clenched at her side. The clever girl was smart enough not to raise it on him.

'Her wand wasn't even in her hand,' she spat, her face red with rage; nostrils flaring. 'You didn't let her defend herself!'

Severus noted Granger's vinewood wand coiled through the top of her plait. He was too hot under the thick wool of his robe. He felt moisture gathering under his arms and across the expanse of his back.

'Do you get off on torturing young women? Is that it? You just can't help preying on those you perceive weaker than you,' Weasley continued.

Severus breathed out slowly through his nose, trying to remain in control. Granger slumped forward, her face low to the floor. Longbottom rubbed her back in slow circles.

'Mr Longbottom, return to your common room at once,' he commanded, ignoring Weasley. 'Take Miss Weasley and Miss Granger with you.'

The way Longbottom murmured, 'Come on, Hermione,' made his stomach churn. Longbottom and Lovegood carefully tried to lift Granger to her feet. Severus continued his slow breaths through gritted teeth, fighting nausea.

But a dismissal wasn't enough for Weasley. Her eyes had gone flinty, like she was ready to burn the world down to protect those she loved. He had fought against Arthur Weasley enough times in the first war to recognise the look.

'Does it make you feel big and powerful to know that you can bully us? That we can't fight back because you're our bloody Headmaster?'

The lasting effects of casting the Cruciatus curse flooded his veins, her shrill accusations and the heady adrenaline rush threatening to spark. It wouldn't take much. 'Miss Weasley,' he hissed through his teeth. 'Calm yourself at once.'

From behind him, Alecto cackled. 'Ooo. It's a shame you're a blood traitor. You've got a bit of fight in ya, haven't ya, girl?'

Weasley's head tilted forward and peered at Alecto through a curtain of copper hair. 'I'd rather be a blood traitor than one of you,' she smirked. 'Besides, I've fought your kind before. You can't be that clever if you can be taken down by a teenage witch.'

'Interesting, I seem to recall the only reason you're alive, Miss Weasley, is because Dumbledore's Order showed up to the Ministry on time,' Severus drawled, his gaze still trained on Granger as Lovegood and Longbottom managed to stand her on her feet at last.

'At the Ministry, sure,' Weasley replied. 'But not on the night we collected Harry. Or have you forgotten so easily, sir?'

Severus' brow furrowed in confusion for a moment, distracted from Granger. In a casual cockiness, Weasley made a move to brush her hair behind her ear— or attempted to, the hair falling behind her shoulder instead, for there was now a large, scared hole where her ear had once been.

The sweat sticking to his back chilled as his eyes widened.

It had been Ginny Weasley who he had hit that night with his errant spell.

Ginny, who he had watched plunge down through the air after slipping from her broom.

In the weeks that had passed, he had tried to live with the grief of knowing he had probably caused the death of a fellow Order member. The sudden relief that she had lived was quickly replaced with horror.

The youngest Weasley's accusation was correct. The residual buzz from using Dark Magic, on a student no less who he considered—

The pounding in his eardrums raised to a fever pitch, the dark thing inside him cackling as it clawed at his chest. He hadn't enjoyed harming Granger, but the rush from commanding a power so strong…

He needed out.

Now.

'Alecto, escort them to their common rooms. Do not touch them,' he ground out.

Without waiting to see if the Death Eater would follow orders, Severus was hurrying down the corridor.

The walls pressed in on him as the building pressure under his skin ached to get out. It itched and burned; a prickling heat that choked his airways and left his heart racing.

He hit the marble staircase at a run, nearly knocking over Higgs who was stationed at the front doors.

'Headmaster? Is everything alright?'

Severus ignored him. He sucked in great lungfulls of night air like a drowning man. Tears pricked at his eyes, blurring his vision. It wasn't enough to be outside. He needed to tear at his skin, to exorcise himself from the pain boiling his blood.

He hurried across the front lawns, and down the hill towards the Forbidden Forest. The darkness inside snickered at him.

Weak.

Pathetic.

Didn't it feel nice to let go?

Didn't it feel right to put that mudblood in her place?

His chest clenched painfully as he lurched past the treeline, his wand throwing off angry sparks as he held it high in front of him, ready to cut down whatever poor creature crossed his path. He was filled with the urge to move, to run without a sense of direction or purpose. Anything to put distance between him and the castle.

He pulled at the clasp of his robes, tearing them from his body. He didn't care where they landed — his need for air was greater. Several buttons met their death on the forest floor as he ripped the top of his shirt open.

He was no better than Voldemort.

There was only one person he cared about in the whole bloody castle and he had tortured her. It had been brief, but she had screamed in pain brought by his wand.

He was a monster.

A tree exploded near him, raining down splinters of wood.

With a roar he fell to his knees, his hands pressed into the sharp stones and dirt. The key to Hogwarts swung free from his shirt. Its weight around his neck grounded him. He sucked in great breaths of moist air and held the key tightly in his fist, letting its jagged edges bite into his skin.

Slowly he rocked back onto his heels and stared up at the forest surrounding him.

Without meaning to, he had returned to the same clearing he had brought Granger to when he tried to teach her a lesson about fear. The irony of the situation was not lost on him that he had his own bad habit of running away from things which scared him instead of facing them head-on.

Dumbledore. The war. His oath.

Hermione.

'Potter was right, I am a fucking coward,' he muttered allowed. He could admit it here in the forest, with only the beasts and the bugs as witnesses.

Time and time again Granger had stood at his door, politely knocking and asking to come in. Every time he had flung the door shut on her face, too scared to admit that just once he wanted to know what it felt like to be cared about in return.

He wanted to take Granger's hand. Wasn't it why he had told her of Dumbledore's request all those months ago? So he could have the reassurance that another soul knew of his innocent in the whole plot? And the girl had taken the bait and waited for him— returned for him— just like he had hoped.

And he had fucking tortured her.

A wave of nausea rolled through him. He brushed his hair out of his face, his brow clammy and cold.

He couldn't do it anymore. The fighting and the bickering, the maddening push and pull between them.

Looking up between the trees at the night sky, Severus wrapped his arms around himself like he had done as a child, terrified and alone against the raging storm in the next room. Without his cloak for warmth, he shivered.

He had to make things right.

If there was one thing Severus could do well, it was being patient. He knew how to play the game and bide his time, waiting for the right moment to approach. His years as a spy wouldn't be for nothing.

He watched Granger carefully over the next few days with glances as he trailed behind her in classes and longer studies during breakfast and dinner. She looked worse than her first few weeks back at Hogwarts after he had humiliated her by taking away the Prefect badge he still kept in his desk drawer. Her face was drawn, her curls hanging limply around her shoulders. She sat too far along the table to notice how much food she was eating but he reckoned it wasn't enough.

The only saving grace to his actions was that she appeared to be surrounded by friends once again. Weasley, Longbottom, Lovegood. They all rallied around the girl wherever she went. It would be difficult to get her alone.

But he was patient. And he had a plan.

Severus was waiting for her when she came out of Ancient Runes. One of the few subjects she attended without Longbottom.

'Miss Granger, a word.'

She looked up at him with wide eyes before her gaze darted frantically at the other students quickly filtering out into the corridor, keeping their eyes down to avoid his sharp tongue.

The realisation hit him in the stomach. She was looking for a way out.

But the handful of classmates — mostly Ravenclaws and a few Slytherins — ignored her completely. Reluctantly she followed him down the hall into an empty classroom.

She paused at the open door, fidgeting with the strap of her satchel.

'Close the door please, Miss Granger,' he asked.

She looked nervously behind her into the corridor. 'Please sir, I've got class—'

'Your schedule is free for the rest of the day,' he interrupted. 'Besides, your studies can wait a few moments, I'm sure.'

It wasn't the answer she was hoping for, clearly. Dropping her strap she finally stepped into the classroom and shut the door behind her. Though the room was small, she placed as much space as possible between them.

Her reaction broke him.

Granger had always come to him so freely, willingly placing her hand in his palm so he could check her heart rate. But the girl in front of him recoiled as though she were a puppy expecting a swot. Her spine curved in and she clutched her bag to her chest like a shield.

It was the exact position his mother took whenever his father entered the room after one of their arguments.

Granger was afraidof him.

He had caused this. There was no coming back from it.

'Granger—'

'Please, sir, can I just go?'

His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth like sandpaper. 'You're avoiding me,' he stated, his voice toneless.

She stared down at the polished toes of her shoes. His brave little lioness; reduced to meekness.

He pressed his lips into a firm line. 'Granger...'

She shook her head. 'I don't know what you want me to say, sir.'

The situation was all wrong. He had only wanted to talk to her, to try to create some order from the chaos that surrounded them. He was desperate to make sense of the madness that drew him to her every time she looked at him with those great doe eyes and now—

Now she couldn't even meet his gaze. She cowered like a mouse

It's what you deserve, isn't it? Like father, like son. You're just like him.

The cycle repeats.

'Why did you do it? Why did you try to steal the Sword?' He demanded.

She remained silent. Severus' fist tightened.

'Tell me, was that the only reason you came back?'

Again, Granger shook her head.

'You told me you came back for me, but it was a lie, wasn't it? It was all a ruse. Did you not think I would eventually see through your plan?'

'Sir, that's not—'

'Because the jokes on me, isn't it?'

'No…'

'Look at me when I'm talking to you,' he growled.

She looked up at last and it was as though all the light had gone out. Her brown eyes, so usually full of fire, were dull and lifeless.

Severus' fist came down on the nearest desk. She flinched.

'I trusted you, damn it!'

She looked at him for a long time, the silence between them loud and uncomfortable.

'I…' Granger licked her cracked lips. 'I can't do this. Please, sir, just let me go. I want to go back to my common room.'

No. If she left now they were done. She would never allow herself to be in the same room as him again. He took a step towards her and she backed further against the wall, shrinking away.

He froze.

He was exactly like his father. Intimidating young women to coerce them into giving him a response. Shame brought a stinging heat to his cheeks.

His shoulders hunched and he backed off, holding his hands up in a sign of surrender. 'Go,' he urged hoarsely. 'Before I change my mind.'

Granger didn't need to be told twice. She hurried out the door without a second glance.

Severus shut the door with a flick of his wand and collapsed against the closest desk, covering his eyes with his hand.

Overcome with grief and disgust, the Headmaster of Hogwarts broke down into tears.

Severus was leaving the Great Hall after breakfast when he was aware of a very blonde head bobbling alongside him.

'Whatever it is, I'm not in the mood,' he grumbled. 'I haven't had enough to drink yet.'

Draco scratched his chin in an attempt to hide his smirk. 'Oof, not a morning person then. I'd offer to come back later but I think you'll want to hear this.'

Severus rolled his eyes and steered the boy into one of the small chambers off the Entrance Hall, casting a locking charm swiftly behind him.

'Well?'

Draco shoved his hands into his pockets, looking overly pleased with himself. 'I found out why my father was here.'

Not the news Severus was expecting to hear. He raised an eyebrow. 'Lucius told you?'

Draco snorted. 'As if. He stopped answering my owls ages ago. But you know who will talk to me?'

Severus gestured for him to get a move on.

'Professor Slughorn. Seems like I'm finally interesting enough for the old walrus,' Draco explained.

Severus narrowed his eyes. 'What did you do.'

'Me?' Draco said, feigning innocence. 'Nothing untoward, I promise you. We were just having a chat after class, and I casually asked about my father, that's all.'

He was losing his patience. 'I seriously doubt it,' Severus growled.

'Well,' Draco continued. 'I may have mentioned it was a little warm, and rolled up my sleeves.'

Severus pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. 'Christ, Draco.'

'What? What's the point of even having this stupid mark if you can't use it to your advantage?

Fuck sakes. He was surrounded by idiots.

'Didn't your father teach you anything? No. Don't answer that.' He breathed out slowly through his nose, trying to remain calm. 'I hope you had the intelligence to at least cover up your query.' When Draco gave him a blank stare dug his nails into his palm. 'Divert his attention. Ask other questions so as to not make your intentions so obvious.'

'Oh. Yeah. I got trapped in his office listening to him rattle on about my grandfather for a good thirty minutes. He's invited me to tea next week. I don't really have to go, do I?'

The thought of Draco being forced to drink tea with Slughorn gave Severus a sliver of pleasure. Little git deserved it. 'He could be useful. I see no harm in it.'

Draco made a face of disgust. 'Useful for what?' He tilted his head, surveying Severus carefully. 'What are you up to?'

Severus leant against the wall, careful of the many portraits that were hung throughout. As Headmaster, they were honour-bound to protect his secrets. Not that he was worried about the Carrows snooping, or any of the other Death Eaters. He doubted they possessed that sort of foresight. But McGonagall? He was surprised her animagus wasn't a snake.

'Lesson one — assume everyone is a useful source of information. Even if you cannot see it from the start, keep the relationship warm and open,' Severus explained. 'Find out what makes that person tick. What are they proud of? Ashamed of?'

Draco rubbed his bottom lip. 'Well, that's easy. Everyone knows Slughorn likes surrounding himself with those who are famous or powerful.'

Severus nodded. 'Precisely. What Slughorn values more than anything is power. He was well known during his teaching days for hand-picking the brightest students and using his influence to give them a leg-up in life. In turn, they would be indebted to him. How could they say no, when in his eyes he made them?'

'Isn't that a bit manipulative?' Asked Draco, appearing morbidly fascinated. 'I can't believe Dumbledore just let him get away with it.'

Severus could. It was the same trick Dumbledore used himself.

'The point is, people are a commodity.' He crossed his arms against his chest, choosing his next words carefully. 'Half of this war will be won through information and secrets.'

He watched Draco carefully, gauging his reaction. The boy straightened his spine, his eyes narrowing. 'You think the Order is going to win.'

'I never said that.'

'The only information the Dark Lord needs is the location of Potter.'

'Is it?' Severus queried suggestively. 'And who's going to give him that information?'

Draco's brow furrowed. 'That's what my father was enquiring about. He thinks the mud— er —Granger knows where Potter is.'

'Granger has no idea where Potter is. I checked her mind.'

Draco awkwardly scratched at the back of his head. 'Yeah. I know. But the Dark Lord thinks she might be… I dunno… using Occlumency or something.'

Severus snorted. 'I highly doubt it.'

'Right… but…' Whatever Draco was considering was making him agitated.

'Draco.'

'Do you think the Dark Lord would call on her? To question her in person?'

Before, Severus would have said no. Voldemort would have taken his word as true, as one of his trusted advisers. But Lucius' insinuation that he had become nothing but a pawn left him feeling uneasy. Now, he wasn't so sure.

'That's his choice to make,' replied Severus cooly. 'It's not my place to argue with the Dark Lord.'

'But surely he'd kill her,' Draco blurted out.

Severus gave him a sharp look. 'And that's his choice to make,' he reiterated. 'Now, anything else you care to share, or can I get on with my morning? I'm fairly certain you're due to be in class soon. I'd dread to give you detention before the day even begins.'

Draco looked startled. 'You'd seriously give me detention?'

Severus raised an eyebrow. 'You want to try me?'

'Not particularly.' Draco wrinkled his nose. 'You really are a half-blood, aren't you?'

Severus ushered him towards the door, sending an unlocking spell as he went. 'What gave it away?'

'You said Christ,' Draco snickered.

Severus docked him 5 points for cheek.

Severus sat behind the desk in his old office, his battered copy of Advanced Potion-Making in front of him, the spine broken and pages split. He had thrown it across the room in a moment of rage and deeply regretted it. As sources of truth and knowledge, his books were his prized possessions. He adored them and tended to them, treating them with respect. In all his years he had never purposefully damaged a book. But he had already been on edge after his conversation with Draco, and seeing the old textbook sitting there reminded him of his failed attempt at fixing things with Granger. So in short, the book had met it's untimely end against the shelves above the fireplace, which, thankfully, he had not lit upon entering the room.

In a way, the broken book felt oddly like poetic justice. Once new and pristine in his youth it was now damaged and stained. Just like his soul.

Granger had been right all along. Of course she had. He was only a man, trapped in an impossible situation. The pressure of his task was too great and he couldn't do it alone. He needed an ally. But what other choice did he have? He had already damaged his soul, was it right to corrupt hers in return?

He could give her a choice, at least. She was an intelligent girl who thrived on reason and logic. He could lay out the facts in front of her and let her make up her own mind. If she'd speak with him again, at least.

If nothing else, he decided, he owed her an apology. He pulled a sheet of parchment towards him and picked up a quill. Taking a breath, he began to write.

Severus was not his father.

Severus waited for her in a dark alcove on the sixth floor by the Astronomy Tower. His heart was in his throat as the moon rose and illuminated the flagstones.

Finally, the hour turned late, and there she stood — her hair unbraided and wild, a halo of dark curls around her head, shimmering in the moonlight. She wore a cream jumper that gave her an ethereal quality. It was the same one she had worn the night he had fought her until her nose bled and he realised Dolohov's curse had done more damage than initially suspected. It was the first time she had expressed concern for him, and in doing so had wormed her way into his life.

He swallowed thickly. 'I didn't think you would come.'

She unfurled her hand, showing a crisply folded piece of parchment. She stared down at it, fidgeting with the corners.

'I nearly didn't,' she admitted.

But she had. Despite everything he had put her through, she had returned. Again and again.

'I… ah…' He cleared his throat. 'Carrow…'

She took a shuddering breath. 'Don't,' she said softly. 'I've replayed the moment in my head a dozen times every night, and every time I get the same outcome.' She looked up. 'I deserved it. I forced your hand by trying to steal the Sword. It was a dumb move and I'm sorry.'

She truly believed it. Severus shook his head. 'You didn't deserve that. No one deserves to be tortured, least of all by someone they trusted. And I'm…' He breathed in sharply. If he didn't say it now he would forever be a coward. 'I'm sorry. For casting the curse, and for how I treated you.'

Granger's eyes welled with tears and she looked away. 'It's not your fault. You warned me of the consequences.'

It was the truth and they both knew it. Even now, he knew if Voldemort requested her presence he would still bring her because they had a job to do that was more important than either of their lives. It didn't make it any easier to swallow.

He leaned against the wall, letting the shadows swallow him whole. 'Why did you steal the Sword?'

She sniffed and wiped her nose on her jumper. He could make out the slight rueful smile. 'Would you believe me if I told you I thought it would make things better? Not between us —'

His breath caught at the word us.

'— rather between Ginny and I. She's angry that I didn't go with… well. You know.'

When Severus said nothing, Granger followed him into the alcove. Her body blocked out the moonlight streaming through the windows and she began fidgeting with the parchment again. He was drawn to the way her fingertips stroked the edge of a crease.

They stood at a precipice. He had a choice to make.

The right thing to do would be to send her on her way. Hope that she was smart enough to keep herself out of trouble and continue to ignore her. It was what he should have done from the start when she stood in his office a year ago and asked him for help. He had no business messing about with other people's lives.

But the image of Granger reading on his sofa was part of him now, and he couldn't let it go.

She seemed to make her mind up about something then, closing her fist around the parchment. 'Anyway. I should probably—'

He watched as she turned away, her curls bouncing across her shoulders with the movement. Panic welled inside him.

'Granger, wait.'

Severus sat down on the stone bench tucked into the corner of the alcove. He promised himself he would lay all the facts on the table. Let her decide.

'I'm so tired,' he said quietly, his voice just louder than a whisper.

Granger had paused outside the alcove, her form washed in the moonlight once again. Out of the corner of his eye, she appeared so still, as though she had been carved of marble. Her steady breath was loud and incredibly close.

Her foot scuffed against the pavement floor and she turned back.

'So let me help,' she pleaded. 'With Dumbledore gone, how many others can you count on?'

He folded forward, his head clasped in his hands. He was aware of the heat of her body as she sat down next to him on the bench.

'We both know the truth about Harry, and we share the same goal,' she pressed. 'It makes sense, doesn't it? To work together.'

Severus turned his head slightly to look up at her over his arms. 'You don't know what you're getting yourself into.'

Granger rolled her eyes dramatically. 'I've been friends with Harry for exactly six years. I spent the better part of the last year studying under you. Believe me, Professor, I know exactly what I'm getting myself into.'

'You're in danger,' he protested mildly. 'Lucius Malfoy has been sniffing around to find out more about you. If the Dark Lord got a hold of you and broke into your mind my cover would be blown.'

'You could teach me Occlumency,' she suggested coyly.

'We've already had this conversation. My answer is still no.'

She huffed and tipped her head back against the wall. 'Then what does it matter? We've already had plenty of conversations that could incriminate you. The damage is done, as far as I can see.'

The girl had a point. 'You're right. Perhaps I should just Obliviate you and be done with it,' he grunted.

Her face paled. 'Sir, you wouldn't.'

'No,' he assured her. 'But I should.'

Severus straightened up, his back protesting as he leaned against the wall beside her. He was suddenly hyper-aware of how close she was. Her hand rested on the bench between them and he could smell her strawberry soap mixed with black tea and parchment.

'This wouldn't change anything. I still can't protect you,' he said.

'I can handle myself well enough on my own. I took down two Death Eaters on the train and managed to get a shot at Dolohov.'

'Don't get cocky,' he remarked, his mood turning sour at her childish self-assurance. 'Lot of good it did you when you couldn't defend yourself against an Unforgivable because your wand was tucked into your bloody braid.' He reached out to tug at one of her curls on impulse and her breath caught. 'You know I loath repeating myself.'

Her fingers absently twisted the curl around her fingers as she ducked her head. He couldn't make out her face as clearly in the dark, but if he was a betting man he would guess that her cheeks had flushed in embarrassment for being told off.

Severus sighed. 'I killed Albus Dumbledore—'

'Only because he asked you—'

'— and I have killed many others—''

'So you've said.'

Severus held up a hand. 'Let me finish.' Granger shifted on the bench, her face open and youthful. He felt the tug behind his navel again and the yearning need to fall into her mind. It would be so easy. He took a breath to clear his head.

'After the first war, my name was cleared only by the grace of Dumbledore. I committed many crimes, completed unspeakable acts…' He could still hear the keening, high-pitched screams ringing in his ears. 'I let them use my skills in Potions and the Dark Arts as a weapon, and I liked it. There is a beautiful sense of power knowing you hold another's life in your hands.'

In his mind's eye, a pair of lifeless green eyes stared back at him.

'I regret it. All of it. Which is why I have to make things right,' he told her. 'But this war is being played by a different set of rules. There is no mighty Dumbledore, and everything hangs on the actions of one seventeen-year-old boy. There are many things that could go wrong and I…' he raked his hands through his hair, pressing his palms into his temples. 'There are things that will be asked of me, choices I will have to make…' He swallowed against the thick lump in his throat.

Granger didn't recoil away from him this time, she didn't scream or run. She stared at him with those big eyes of hers, assessing him as though she were an Arithmancy problem to be solved.

'I'm not naive enough to claim that I understand, or to tell you that I will agree with everything,' she said slowly. His chest tightened. 'But from where I'm standing, we're currently stuck in a prison we can't leave, despised by half the population for who we are. There's an evil monster who, at some point, will want us both dead for protecting the only hope we have left in this whole stupid mess.'

Slowly, as if to give him enough fair warning, she placed her hand on his knee.

'Given all that,' she continued, 'logically, I still argue it would make sense for us to work together.'

Together.

He had never had anyone want to work together with him. He had worked alongside people — Lucius, Dolohov, and Lupin to name a few — but it had always been as part of a greater effort. But together insinuated they would be a team. Them against everyone else.

He had to admit he liked the sound of it a little too much.

'You must understand the ramifications of what you're getting yourself into if you were to be associated with me. It's bad enough that you're friends with Potter, but I'm a traitor to both sides. You won't be treated kindly.'

The pressure of her hand on his knee increased as she considered this, her teeth biting into her bottom lip. 'We're going round in circles,' she commented with a sigh, shaking her head in a way that made her curls bounce softly around her shoulders. 'Despite what you might think of me in class, I'm not an imbecile. I can see the risks quite plainly and I accept them. If you don't want to work with me then that's fine. I shan't bother you any further, sir.'

Granger stood up, and the removal of her hand left a cold imprint in its wake. For the second time that evening, Severus could see they were at a tipping point. Either way, he had to make a decision and stick with it. There would be no going back.

Before she could move away further he caught her hand in his own. Even in the dim shadows of the alcove, he could see surprise cross her face.

'I never said that,' he murmured. He flipped her hand over, exposing the bare skin of her wrist. His thumb gently brushed her pulse point where a smudge of ink once marked her skin. 'I need you to be sure.'

He felt her shiver at his touch, her lips parting. Severus' pulse was heavy in his chest, a strange light-headedness overcoming him.

'I am,' she told him, her tone holding a note of finality.

He could see she meant it too, from the ever-defiant tilt of her chin as she stared down at him.

'Bloody Gryffindors,' he grunted. This earned him a laugh, easing the tension between them.

Granger stared down at their joined hands and Severus thought he ought to let go, but couldn't bring himself to move. Instead, his thumb traced the line of tendon down the middle of her wrist.

'Professor… can I ask…'

He rolled his eyes. 'Out with it.'

'Well… it's just… don't be cross.'

He hummed.

'The Sword of Gryffindor. It was alarmed, obviously,' she asked, sounding mildly out of breath, 'but why wasn't it guarded? I was able to reach into the case and just take it.'

'Ah.' He let go of her at last. A smug smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. 'Because it wasn't the Sword of Gryffindor. With so much attention on the Sword, after Dumbledore bequeathed it to Potter, I had a sneaking suspicion that someone would attempt to steal it. Better to set out a trap to flush out the rat early on, wouldn't you say,' he commented dryly.

She had the grace to look ashamed. 'Not my finest moment, I'll admit.'

'One of many,' Severus agreed, pulling out his pocket watch to check the time. 'It's nearly curfew. You should return to your common room.'

Granger fidgeted with the hem of her jumper. 'How will we talk? I mean, it's not like I could just waltz into your office, and I don't fancy trying for another detention…' she trailed off, shuddering violently.

A pang of guilt hit him in the gut. ''I will find a way. Do not try to contact me, and whatever you do, stay out of trouble.'

'So no more sneaking into professors' offices to steal priceless artefacts, got it,' she replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

'Granger.'

She held up her hands, smiling. 'I'll keep my head down. I promise.'

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. It was late and the week's events were catching up with him. A cigarette, a tall glass of red wine and his bed called for him. 'Get out of my sight before I regret my decision.'

She nodded. 'Goodnight, Professor.'

She didn't wait for his response before she left the alcove and bounded off down the corridor, her footsteps echoing off the walls as she went. He'd have to remind her about casting a cushioning charm on her feet next time.

Despite the urge to retire to his rooms, Severus sat in the alcove late into the night, watching as the streams of moonlight slowly moved across the flagstone, the filigree windows casting long shadows.

He was so fucked.

Author's Note:

If you stuck with me after that last chapter, thank you!

I hope you can see why all the build-up and angst needed to happen. I really wanted their relationship to feel genuine and stay true to book-Severus. In my head, I felt like he needed a breaking point in order to let go and accept help. Not that their relationship will be easy from here out but... I hope the payoff to get here was worth it?

Anywhoo love and adore you all. :)

Playlist:
Broken, KONGOS
Pyrokinesis, 7Chariot
Go Your Own Way, Fleetwood Mac