Author's note: All characters within belong to JK Rowling, only borrowed by me for a brief moment in time to tell a story or two. I make no profit from this story. This is my first fic and I'd be very grateful for constructive criticism. Characters are somewhat OOC and the timeline is definitely out of sync with canon but as it was written for enjoyment I hope you can let that slide a little! Thanks for reading!
Hermione blinked slowly, trying to clear her vision as she yawned. Slowly a pair of obsidian eyes swam into focus. They were gazing at her intently. With a start, the memory of the night before came back to her and she blushed. Beneath the eyes, a sensuous mouth broke into a warm smile and she felt a hand come up to her cheek and caress it gently, drawing her closer. Before she knew it, those lips met hers and she lost herself to the warmth and tenderness of his kiss...
The following evening...
"Albus, this is madness! The full moon is upon us, the chances of Severus getting there in time to administer the wolfsbane safely are infinitesimal!" Minerva challenged, eyes flashing in anger. She had come to care for the young professor, much like a mother would a son. She had known him since he was 8 years old and had watched him grow into a skilled and powerful wizard. Over that time she had learned to look past his irritable exterior and had come to value the incredible intellect and acerbic wit that lay beneath it all. He never failed to entertain her during their fortnightly Wizard's chess evenings together and they often dissolved into a riotous affair following one too many of their favourite tipple. In a relaxed state, he made rather pleasant company.
She stole a look at him. His recent abandonment of the ghastly disguise he had worn for years had delighted her and reminded her what a fine looking young man he truly was. At this particular moment, however, he sat staring into the distance, bolt upright in his seat by the fire, the light flickering over his expensive black dress coat. He had always ensured his clothing was of the highest quality to afford complete protection from the volatile potions he brewed. Despite his currently blank expression, she could tell from the tension in his body that he was on edge. Torn between his two relentless task masters Dumbledore and Voldemort such as he was, it was any wonder that the man hadn't collapsed from exhaustion. They all knew he rarely slept, preferring to patrol the corridors or brew in his private laboratory when he wasn't out doing his duties. His stamina was something else entirely, it was no wonder he kept such a toned, lithe figure. She looked back at Dumbledore.
"I mean – has he not risked his life enough for you, for us - for your precious Order? You do him a great disservice asking this of him, does his life mean nothing to you?" she was aware her voice had taken on a shrill timbre, her emotions were getting the better of her.
Dumbledore regarded her coolly over the top of his half moon spectacles, "Minerva I understand your concern, if only there were another way – but we need Remus for the Order mission. It is imperative he avoids the change, we cannot afford to lose him for any length of time –" his eyes flicked over to where Severus sat silently, dark eyes locked onto some point in the distance. His posture was rigid, knuckles white where they gripped the arms of the chair, "It is most regrettable that Severus was delayed in his mission for us otherwise Remus would have received the potion in time."
A muscle in Severus's jaw tensed as the words sank in. So there it was, he was to blame. How predictable.
The insinuation wasn't lost on Minerva and she advanced on Dumbledore, eyes blazing. "You cannot mean to send him to the shack – this is a fool's errand, if he gets there and Remus has already undergone the change he will be cornered and will most likely be killed!" she gasped, eyes searching the older wizard for some sign of relenting. He returned her challenge, voice unfaltering.
"The mission MUST go ahead on schedule, as planned. It is for the good of the Order, for the greater good of us all. There can be no delay. I'm sorry, but Severus must go. Wolfsbane is volatile and needs to be handled by someone who knows what they are doing. In this case, I'm afraid the benefits outweigh the risk." He spoke firmly, his tone brooking no argument.
There was a stunned silence. Minerva met the bewildered gaze of Professor Flitwick as Poppy Pomfrey shifted uncomfortably in her seat before clearing her throat and addressing the Headmaster.
"Albus, please reconsider - you cannot have forgotten what happened here not so many years ago? I am astounded you would suggest such a thing, that you would risk Severus's life in such a reckless -"
Dumbledore raised a hand, "Enough! Whilst I value your experience and expertise in the medical field Poppy, your opinion here is unwelcome and cannot hope to address the many facets to this situation. I would be most grateful if you would heed my decision and not delay Severus any longer," he shot a quick glance at his Potions Master, who continued to stare resolutely at the fire blazing in the grate, "after all, the more we tarry, the narrower the time frame."
Minerva glared daggers at the old wizard as Poppy gave a frustrated sigh and got up to leave.
"Sometimes I wonder whom poses the greater danger. I will not bear witness to this madness, goodnight Albus." she swept from the room, her face blazing red.
Severus still sat silently, his body tensed. Despite his colleagues' protestations, Dumbledore's willingness to put him directly in the face of danger was nothing new to him albeit, some part of him had hoped he would not put him against a werewolf, not after last time. He continued to gaze into the flickering flames and allowed his thoughts to wander to Hermione.
In recent days she had convinced him to drop the awful glamour he had used to disguise his face for the past 16 years and finally revealed his true self much to the surprise of the greater contingent of Hogwarts. At first, the consensus had been that his new appearance was the true glamour and vanity had finally prompted him to change his uneven teeth and large nose. After all, he was approaching the age when a wizard would normally be expected to take a wife and produce an heir. What they didn't know, is that he needed to keep people from getting close to him - after Lily. He needed to protect people from getting hurt because of him. Hermione had finally convinced him it was safe to remove it, and so he did. The change was so dramatic that it was all the students could talk about for weeks and it wasn't long before Minerva had felt compelled to set the record straight. The news spread through Hogwarts like fiendfyre – this was the real Severus Snape. The contrast between his smooth pale skin and jet black eyes and hair was startling. His nose was in proportion with his strong jaw and defined cheekbones, in truth, Severus was a veritable feast for the eyes and combined with the smooth silk of his voice, he had many weak at the knees and vying for his attention. Being the youngest Potions Master in history was testament to his incredible intelligence and brilliance in his art. Not to mention the prestige that came from his mother's side. The Prince line was an ancient wizarding bloodline that stretched back to the days of Merlin himself. Suddenly, a large proportion of eligible young witches had turned their attention on him as being a very attractive proposition.
He still wore the high-necked black dress coat that marked him as a potions expert, but far from making him look frigid and uptight like his counterparts, it skimmed his lithe frame and gave him a dark and mysterious edge that was sensual and intoxicating. In essence, he was the catch of the wizarding world. The Half-Blood Prince indeed. Severus was oblivious to the shift in public perception towards him. Hermione. It was also her, who had given him a reason to live which now made such foolhardy missions so difficult to accept. He had too much to lose now. Gods how he longed to be free – to take her as his wife and raise chubby, rosy-cheeked children before their own hearth somewhere. Enough. Maudling over the life he could have had, had he not made such disastrous decisions in his past was unhelpful. He was never one to wallow in self-pity.
Time to get on with it. He cleared his throat before rising to his feet in one fluid movement. Straightening his cuffs and collar, he drew himself to his full height and met Dumbledore's gaze directly. When he spoke, his voice was soft, like silk.
"Albus is right. Remus is crucial to the success of the mission. Besides, I am used to risking my life on fools' errands. After all, had I not been late returning from Order business I would have prevented this from happening, clearly." There was an icy edge to his voice and Albus visibly flinched.
"Severus, I didn't mean –" he began.
"I know what my life is worth. I fear the path to redemption is never ending."
The young professor turned abruptly and seized the bottle of wolfsbane potion from Dumbledore's desk. As he strode from the room, he inclined his head to his colleagues in acknowledgement of their attempts to spare him this task. Minerva watched him go sadly, before turning back to Dumbledore, a mixture of grief and rage marring her features.
"I hope to God he returns safely Albus, otherwise this will be on your head," she managed before turning on her heel and storming towards the door.
"Minerva –" Albus called after her.
She did not stop. "I am going after him, Lord knows he could use someone to watch his back."
Albus watched her leave, promptly followed by Professor Flitwick, who gave him a cold, hard stare before disappearing through the open door after her.
Alone in his office, Dumbledore hung his head, "I'm sorry Severus."
