Chapter 7

Severus paced along the rail of the Astronomy tower; nerves frayed. Dumbledore watched him placidly, leaning against the metal balustrade, blackened hand held gently in his unaffected one.

Severus whirled on him. "Have you ever considered that you ask too much, that you take too much for granted? Has it ever crossed your brilliant mind that I don't want to do this anymore?"

"Whether it has or hasn't is irrelevant. You gave me your word." Dumbledore replied calmly.

Severus stopped, bracing himself against the railing on outstretched arms, breathing deeply through his nose and exhaling through pursed lips in an attempt to quell the rising panic in his chest.

Dumbledore observed him for a bit, before slowly making his way down the stairs and leaving him in quiet, if not exactly in peace.

XXX

Hermione walked briskly through the halls en route to the library, mind firmly on the book she needed from the Restricted Section and how exactly she planned to go about getting by the dragon that was Madam Pince. So lost in thought was she that she never saw Dumbledore until she nearly collided with him as she rounded a corner. She stopped short barely in time to avoid treading on his silvery blue robes.

"Sorry, Headmaster. I was woolgathering, I fear." She stammered.

Dumbledore's eyes were kind. "No harm done, Miss Granger. Headed to the library, I'd imagine?"

"Am I really that predictable?" His smile was answer enough.

"Others should take a lesson. However, I believe there's someone who might require your assistance a bit more than whatever tome you have designs on currently."

"Sir?" Hermione was confused.

Dumbledore lowered his voice further. "Severus is in the Astronomy tower. He's weighed down with some very great cares at the moment. He could use a friend."

Hermione nodded slowly.

Dumbledore continued. "Miss Granger, you should know that there are dark times ahead. Severus is going to need someone who believes in him. It's not going to be easy. And no small part of it will be my doing." His face paled and Hermione instinctively moved to assist him but was waved off.

"Remember, not everything is as it seems and all will be revealed in due course."

"Yes, Headmaster."

"Good girl. Now, run along."

Hermione did as she was bidden, walking quickly to the Astronomy tower and climbing the spiral metal staircase to the platform that overlooked the castle grounds. Severus was indeed still there, arms braced on the railing, head bowed, jet black hair falling in a curtain to obscure his beautiful face. He was the picture of dejection and Hermione ached to hold him and tell him all would be well. As was, she stepped behind him and leaned into his firm back, wrapping her arms around him and breathing in his unique scent. He shuddered in her embrace before straightening up and turning to face her. Hermione gasped. His lovely face was streaked with tears.

"Oh, Severus…" she whispered, using her fingers to wipe the tears from his cheeks. "What's this? What's happened? Are you hurt?" Using her wand, she transfigured a stray leaf into a handkerchief and used it to wipe his damp skin more effectively. Severus stilled her hands before kissing the back of each in turn.

"I'm not hurt, darling girl. Not physically." Hermione breathed a sigh of relief before pulling him into a fierce embrace.

"Oh, thank Merlin."

"I take it the eternal meddler sent you?"

"Dumbledore? He said you could use a friend, yes. Seems my penchant for coming to your aid isn't much of a secret. He looks ill, have you noticed?"

Severus winced and Hermione cupped his cheek in her hand, her thumb brushing across his full bottom lip. Severus leaned against her palm with a sigh, closing his eyes.

"He asks too much sometimes. Too much, and too often, especially when he won't…" Severus trailed off, his voice breaking. Hermione lifted her other hand, framing his slim face between them.

"Breathe, Severus. Breathe with me. In through your nose and out through your mouth." He was calmer after a few repetitions but still more on edge than Hermione would have liked. He shuddered again and dropped to sit on the bench jutting out of one of the tower supports, burying his face in his hands.

Hermione stepped between Severus' spread knees, bending to press a kiss to his tangled crown as she stroked his back slowly. Whatever it was that was in the offing, it was eating him alive and nothing she could say would be likely to have any effect, so she settled for being a physical presence. Lifting his face from his hands, she hugged him to her chest, tucking his hair behind his ear and humming a nonsensical melody as she swayed slightly, rocking him as a mother would a fretful infant. He sighed against her and finally relaxed.

Severus eventually moved to sit straight, opening his mouth to speak, but stopping when Hermione lightly placed her fingers on his lips. Leaning forward, she nuzzled the tip of his nose with the tip of her own, then drew the tip of her nose up the bridge of his and between the vertical lines of his glabella, before pressing a kiss to his furrowed brow.

Hermione pulled back ever so slightly to look him in the eyes, her own widening as Severus cupped her chin, stroking her lower lip with his thumb, much as she had done to him. Her breath hitched as he raised his face and ghosted over her lips with his.

"Tell me to stop, Hermione." His voice was ragged.

Hermione shook her head.

"May I?"

"Severus, please…" the entreaty was cut short by the press of his lips fully on hers, his slender hands framing her flushed cheeks. Hermione gasped against him, opening herself for the welcome invasion of his tongue sweeping inside her mouth as he slanted his mouth over hers and deepened the kiss. Hermione's hands were fisted in his robes and she could hear someone whimpering. She thought it might even be her.

The kiss broke, followed by shorter, smaller kisses being peppered over her lips and cheeks, interspersed with whispers of 'darling girl' and 'so lovely'. Presently, Severus paused and Hermione took the opportunity to brush his silky hair back behind his ears, looking into the obsidian depths of his eyes.

"That was…long overdue." Severus' eyes widened at her statement. "And worth the wait." Now he blushed.

"I don't disagree. And I should very much like to do it again." He said quietly.

"And I should have no objections if you did." She responded in equal volume.

Before either of them could say more, the incoming Astronomy class came clattering into the tower and the moment was shattered. Severus mouthed a 'thank you' to Hermione before moving swiftly down the stairs, robes billowing behind him. Hermione smiled politely to the little first-years before following behind him and heading to the library, mind now decidedly not on what book to check out.

XXX

Three days later, Hermione again waited in the Astronomy tower, this time for Harry and Headmaster Dumbledore to return. Harry hadn't told her where they were going, he had only asked for her to wait in the tower. As Dumbledore was looking increasingly frail, and as they were traveling by way of apparition, Hermione didn't have the heart to refuse. And so, she sat with her book, listening to the rumble of approaching thunder.

A sharp crack signaled the arrival of the pair and Hermione hurriedly marked her place and climbed to the platform where Harry and Headmaster Dumbledore stood, Dumbledore leaning heavily on Harry. Harry staggered under the weight and Hermione rushed to help, supporting Dumbledore from the opposite side. His complexion was gray and his right hand was bleeding. His robes were dirty and snagged and Harry didn't look much better for the trip.

Dumbledore wheezed as he tried to stand. "Severus. Go and fetch Severus." Before either Harry or Hermione could move, there were footsteps on the stairs. Dumbledore quickly motioned them to the opening under the platform, admonishing them not to make a sound no matter what they heard. "Do as I say." He implored.

From the lower level, Hermione watched in horror as Dumbledore attempted to reason with Draco, who also looked positively ill. He was sobbing.

"I have to do this, I have to kill you. Or he's gonna kill me." Hermione's eyes widened as Draco pulled up his sleeve to reveal the Death Eater mark on his inner left forearm. She spared a glance at Harry, taking in the set of his jaw. He had been right all along.

Draco was swiftly joined by more Death Eaters, Bellatrix LeStrange, Fenrir Grayback, and more she couldn't identify. Hermione avoided giving away their hiding place only because of Harry's hand over her mouth. She could feel her shirt sticking to her, wet with sweat, and her mouth was dry as dust. Harry drew his wand and stopped. A movement in her periphery made her turn.

Severus stood there, wand also drawn, finger to his lips. Before Harry or Hermione could react, he silently crossed the area where they stood, jerking Hermione against him and kissing her fiercely. Hermione gripped twin handfuls of his hair as she returned the kiss with equal fervor, leaving Harry standing with his mandible somewhere in the vicinity of his worn-out Converse.

Severus broke the kiss, looking at her as though committing her to memory. "Forgive me, my darling girl." He whispered. Hermione nodded before jerking him into another kiss with her hands fisted yet again in his robes. When it ended, Severus looked at her one last time before ascending the stairs.

A few seconds elapsed and Harry and Hermione heard the soft request. "Severus, please?"

"Avada Kedavra." Blue light shot from Severus' wand, and Dumbledore went over the rail. Bellatrix shrieked, Draco sobbed and Severus looked at Hermione with such raw agony on his beautiful face that she would have raced to him if Harry hadn't had such a grip on her waist. She could feel the tears streaming down her face as she watched him stride away. Harry loosed his hold and spun her around.

"We will talk about that." He said firmly before he turned and dashed after the Death Eaters.

Hermione walked slowly out up the stairs and then down, out of the tower and out into the courtyard, where a crowd had begun to gather. One by one they held their wands up, honoring their fallen Headmaster, Harry sobbing in Ginny's arms.

The Great Hall was destroyed, the staff and students all wandered around in a daze. Nobody seemed to know what to do or how to proceed.

Hermione, finding herself at a loose end, ended up in the dungeons, in Severus' office, curled on his couch, finally understanding what he had meant about Dumbledore not being there. Her eyes were heavy and the couch smelled like him, which she found comforting. Hermione picked up the blanket on the end of the couch and unfolded it, spreading it over herself, breathing in the scent of him from the woolen fabric.

A soft flutter of wings alerted her just before a small tawny little owl perched on her knee, a tiny scroll attached to its leg. Hermione untied it carefully, and the little owl nipped a treat from the bowl on the table before hooting at her and flapping away.

Hermione unrolled the scroll with shaking hands, gasping in relief at the familiar spiky script.

Forgive me, my darling girl. S

Hermione smiled, pressing a kiss to the parchment, and fell asleep with it in her hand.