A/N:Hey all,
thank you so much for sticking with this story. I plan to go back and do a full edit, probably minor things and making sure everything is consistent once I hit 15 chapters which will be halfway through the fic.
If anyone would like to be an Alpha or Beta reader for me I would greatly appreciate it.
I hope you like this chapter and let me know.
"Severus, she deserves to know what she did for you!" Minerva glared at him.
"I don't care if she knows that she rid me of the mark, but you will not tell her about the bond. If I occlude well enough she shouldn't be able to feel it and we have already established that the bond puts more strain on me than on her. She need not be tormented by it while I find a way to break it," Severus argued. "I will not burden her with it when we also must inform her that her parents have been dead for months. She thinks she obliviated and sent them away only a week ago!"
"Are you certain that the bond will not react negatively?" Dumbledore asked.
"She is not screaming in pain when wrapped up in Potter's arms which is sign enough that she can stray from the bond without repercussions. If there are any, she will likely shake them off as imagination or something equally dull. She will never come to the conclusion of a soul bond on her own and none of you will give her the idea of it." Severus pulled on his robes, determined to leave the Hospital wing as soon as the Headmaster and Headmistress removed the sticking charm they had on the curtains around what was once his hospital bed.
"I think it would benefit Miss Granger to remain in the dark for the time being, Minerva," Severus didn't like the twinkle in the old man's eye but he would not question him if he was backing up his desire to keep the bond a secret. "I will have a talk with those who know of the bond and the need to keep it secret. The girl will suffer enough when she realizes the truth of her parents' passing. Let us spare her further distress for now."
Severus twitched at the reminder of the Headmaster's manipulation concerning the Granger parents. So much had happened to the young woman since July. It would not take much convincing to get Potter and Weasley to keep the bond from the girl. Her current blissful ignorance would not last long with her natural penchant to ask questions. But she deserved to enjoy a bit of carefree life while she could.
"What happens when either of you are in danger again? Hmm?" Minerva pushed.
"That will not happen. I won't let it. Last night was my own fault for straying from the castle knowing that I was a target. By putting myself in danger, I risked her life. It won't happen again," Severus answered vehemently. "I will begin working on a countermeasure to the bond, immediately. If we can remove that burden from the girl, it will be a blessing in a world of suffering. She will already be devastated by everything else."
"She doesn't remember performing the ritual! What can you do with so little information?" Minerva forced him to look at her. "You will not tamper with the bond when you have no idea what she actually did."
"What the hell do you expect me to do then?"
"You will find a way to restore her memories. You're a legilimens aren't you? You told me yourself that her mind is as organized and exacting as she is. Her memories were not erased, they are buried. You of all people know what that is like,"
"Fine. But we are in agreement that she must not know about the bonding aspect of the ritual?" He stared hard at the witch and then the Headmaster who both nodded.
"It's December. It's been 6 months," Hermione mumbled to herself. Harry was next to her, holding her hand. She had gone quiet upon hearing the news. Then Dumbledore and McGonagall had arrived, glanced at them, then went to Snape's bed, disappearing behind the curtain and sending the Malfoys back into the room. The two immediately went to the bed where they had dropped their books and immediately began flipping through them.
"Harry, what happened last night?" Hermione asked, looking at her friend imploringly.
He grimaced, not sure how to explain the last 6 months to her without causing a meltdown. So much had happened to her and he was embarrassed that the one who knew the most about it wasn't him or Ron but the spy across the room. "I don't know what to tell you yet, Hermione. So much has happened, huge things. Trust me that I will tell you all I can when I know you won't remember on your own. I don't want to shock you too much. What if it's like the muggle movies and you have a breakdown from too much information?"
Hermione nodded, but still looked distressed despite her attempt to be understanding, "But last night. Ron said I almost died. That it was because of Professor Snape."
Harry shot a glare at Ron who looked sheepish. The boy ran his hand through his hair, tugging on it in frustration, "That is technically true but Hermione, Professor Snape could never hurt you."
"Harry Potter, what could have possibly happened in the last 6 months for you to actually say something nice about Professor Snape?" The shock in her eyes almost made Harry laugh. "And not just that but we are friends with Malfoy now?"
"You're friends with Malfoy, he and I have a ceasefire unless you're there to mediate," Harry joked.
"Ron, you said Mrs. Malfoy did something to me that helped save me, Healer's something," She turned to their friend who was staring at the Malfoys across the room.
"Healer's Bain, it's old healing magic. Mum used to tell us about how her grandmother used it once during a muggle war. You have to be a really good Healer to do it right because if you mess up you could end up overwhelming both you and the other person with your magic. They even say that it can force a bond to accidentally manifest, which obviously isn't great, you can't have a Healer binding themselves to every patient. It's not been around in a long time because people were using it as a shortcut rather than a last resort. Not researching enough or following the proper steps was common which resulted in a lot of witches and wizards dying, or being bound to random people," Ron glanced back over to the Malfoys, "She's got to be a really strong witch."
Harry also looked over at the two blonds who were obviously researching something. Could they be working on returning Hermione's memories? He hoped so. The alternative would be breaking all the news to his best friend and that was not something any of them looked forward to. He almost didn't want her to know. She was holding herself the way she used to. There was no invisible storm cloud above her head that left a tinge of sadness in every move she made. But could he break the worst news to her?
"Oy! Pothead, take a picture it will last longer! Don't want your girlfriend getting jealous of my dashing good looks," Draco called from across the room.
"Oh sod off, Malfoy!" Harry shot back, although it was accompanied with a smirk. He squeezed Hermione's hand when he felt her tense up, probably preparing for the two of them to start arguing.
"Ya sure you want the Boy Wonder, Hermione? I know you prefer the more mature type," Malfoy winked at her suggestively.
Hermione's eyes widened in surprise at the familiarity, which made Harry laugh softly. The witch shoved him lightly, before shifting her gaze between the two boys. "Don't you dare laugh at me, Harry Potter! This is absolutely surreal. You're being nice to each other! You're joking around. You just called me Hermione!"
"If I'd known you were going to wake up with no memory I would have shoved Potter off the bed and taken his place. The look on your face would have been priceless. Though Uncle would probably have hexed my bollocks off for getting that close to you," Malfoy peaked over at the shut curtains of Professor Snapes's bed.
"Uncle? Professor Snape is your uncle?" Hermione looked cute with an incredulous expression on her face.
"Godfather, but uncle has fewer syllables and it annoys him a bit to have people think him and father are related," Malfoy answered with humor dancing in his eyes. It was oddly reassuring to see Malfoy doing better after the ghost he was at the end of the last school year. There really was so much to update Hermione on.
"Why would he hex you if you got close to me?" Hermione's brow was raised. If he didn't know better, he would also find the comment off putting.
"Uh, because he just would," Malfoy looked over at him, panicked. Apparently he and his mother had also agreed to keep the news of the past 6 months under wraps for the time being. The blond was grasping at straws for an explanation only for his mother to take over, elegantly closing her book to address the teenagers.
"Contrary to popular belief, Severus is an honorable man and is especially protective of women in his care. You were asleep so couldn't consent to Draco being next to you and he would be offended by the lack of manners. It's different with Mister Potter because you fell asleep together, you were aware of his presence and quite comfortable with it. Forgive me for saying this but it's obvious that this isn't the first time you two have woken up in bed together," Mrs. Malfoy replied in her soothing voice as she stood and made her way toward them. She had Hermione's rapt attention. "Hello, Miss Granger. It seems we must reintroduce ourselves."
"U-uh, Yes, um hello Mrs. Malfoy. Thank you for helping me last night," Hermione offered her hand which the older witch took in a firm shake that surprised Harry. He was still reconciling the image of a Death Eater's wife to this caring woman in front of them.
"Miss Granger, it was my pleasure to help you. I must ask that if you feel odd or that the remnants of my magic are manifesting in you, please don't hesitate to tell me. I funneled my magic into your core with a temporary connection. That connection should have already been severed and there will be some residual effects that should fade with time," The witch sighed and looked away, "Unfortunately, the life debt you have now entered with me will not be so easily ended."
"Is that the pull I feel? Something liquid and hot with a gritty sandy texture. It's hard to describe. Different from anything else magical I've experienced. If I'm honest there are quite a few new feelings in my head that I'm hoping will go away soon. I feel like I'm being pulled in several directions," Hermione's face was pinched as she thought hard.
"The grit you feel is a manifestation of my magic. I cannot answer for the rest. The Life Debt will feel like a string wrapped around your wrist or ankle," She explained indulgently. "Forgive me for not explaining it better. I had forgotten that you are a muggleborn and would not know."
"No, no, it's alright. Thank you for explaining it. It is all rather fascinating."
"You're already thinking about going to the library to research aren't you?" Harry teased her. She swatted at him and startled when the curtains to Snape's bed were pushed aside with a flourish to reveal the Potions Master, Headmaster, and Head of Gryffindor.
Severus had built the walls of his occlusion so tall and sound that he was nearly disassociating. But it was the only way he would be able to bear facing her, knowing that she wasn't the Hermione he had come to know. The flourish of the curtain made sure that all eyes were on them as they strode forward. He felt Dumbledore cast a locking and silencing charm on the door.
He did his best not to look in her direction, but he still saw from his periphery how she was practically glued to Potter's side. He slammed another wall down in his mind, locking away the green ooze of jealousy. She was alive, he should be happy with that. The jealousy was amplified by the bond but he was still in control.
"Miss Granger, would you join Poppy in her office? She would like to do a general check of your overall health, though we expect you to spend at least another night here," Dumbledore gestured toward the matron who beckoned the girl over. It was a thinly veiled tactic to get Hermione out of the room. Severus almost sneered when he noticed Potter's questioning gaze directed at the Headmaster. He would gladly let the boy learn for himself that the Headmaster was more calculating than he appeared.
Once Hermione was safely ensconced in the office and a silencing spell cast, Dumbledore beckoned everyone around two empty beds so they weren't speaking across the entire room.
"Now, as we have all come to discover, Miss Granger is without her memories of the past 6 months. That includes any activities at Grimmauld place, the ritual, and the reason for her physical distress last night. We," He gestured to Severus and Minerva, "have decided that it is in Miss Granger's best interest to be informed only of her involvement in removing the dark curses upon Severus, including the mark. With the other news that she will have to absorb, we feel that the bond can be withheld from her for the time being."
Minerve huffed loudly, showing her disagreement but not saying anything in protest. Weasley looked contemplative, Narcissa sent the former Death Eater a questioning look that told him she would corner him later, his godson nodded along, and Potter looked distressed.
"She'll still feel it though, won't she?" Potter glanced at the closed office door.
Severus sighed, "I will do my best to block the bond with my occlumency. With the stronger effects of the bond directed solely at myself, it will be easier for me to keep most of the…sensations away from Miss Granger. She will feel a pull, that without an explanation she is unlikely to question, one can hope. Proximity would make it stronger but even then as long as we are not physically touching, the bond will be negligible to her."
"What of you Severus? The bond would have you seek her out. Even if only for her presence and assurance of her safety, especially after this attack. If I hadn't stepped in she would have died; the bond will urge you to protect her," Narcissa looked frustrated, wringing her hands together.
"I will manage, as I always have. I plan to break the bond before she has any reason to suspect it or search for answers," Severus assured the room, "Thank you for stepping in when you did Narcissa. I know how risky that was, even with the skills I know you possess."
"She must be willing for the bond to be broken, Severus, even if you can figure out how to break it." Minerva interjected. "This is Hermione Granger, she will ask questions sooner than you think. You won't be able to figure out the ritual without knowing the modifications she made. The bond is honestly the least of our concerns."
"Minerva is right. We must first address how close Tom's followers are coming to the school. Harry, we have work ahead of us that you must take the reins on. Perhaps, Mister Weasley and Miss Granger will find it a worthwhile endeavor to help you with the task I have set forth before you," Dumbledore was twinkling bright as ever and Severus didn't like it. There was information the Headmaster had kept from him and it seemed the Golden Trio had been made privy to it. It hurt his pride to know that the Headmaster still didn't trust him fully, though it wasn't completely surprising. Miserly old fool.
"Yes, Professor," Potter replied, looking apprehensively around the room. He worried his lip and seemed to have tightened his hold on the young woman next to him, who was rubbing his back to comfort him. It was at that moment that Severus was reminded that, despite the terrors the boy had faced, he was still only 17. Whatever task Dumbledore had decided to give the boy he needed to know what it was. If only to help him so that this war may finally reach a conclusion.
Dumbledore looked around the room, "I will send out word that we will hold an order meeting here on the first day of Winter holiday. This should give Miss Granger enough time to reacquaint herself with the current goings on and possibly return her memory to her."
There were nods around the room although a somber mood had fallen over the group. The Headmaster waved his hand and the door to Poppy's office opened and the girl walked out slowly. She flushed in embarrassment as everyone turned to look at her. He wanted to envelope her in his arms and hide her away from prying eyes. With that thought stabbing at him, Severus swiftly left the room, counting on Potter and the rest of them to tell her whatever was necessary.
Draco watched his Uncle rush out and then shared a look with his mother. She nodded her head and he took it as a signal to follow him out the door, but not before stopping to grab a few of the books he had been looking at earlier. It surprised him how his godfather could be on his deathbed earlier that morning and was already gliding down the numerous stairs without issue.
"Uncle!" Draco called out.
The Potions Master's cloak billowed around him menacingly as he turned around. If he didn't trust the man with his life, Draco would have been scared shitless. But instead he noticed the bead of sweat dripping down the older man's temple. With a sigh he took the man's arm, "Let me help you before you pass out. You're worse than Father when it comes to running about before you're healed. Though you hide the pain better. Have you forgotten you were literally maimed less than twelve hours ago?"
His godfather glared at him silently but still leaned into him for support. He must truly be hurting if the man didn't have the energy for a witty biting comeback. Thankfully, the rest of the castle was still enjoying supper, and with a few shortcuts Draco was practically dragging the man into his quarters. Dumping the lanky professor onto his bed, Draco put his hands on his hips and stared down, "You and Granger are perfect for each other Uncle. I swear I've never met such a bullheaded pair in my life."
His Uncle let out a noise like a growl that was muffled by the pillow he currently had his face stuffed into. Draco smirked, "Oh hush, don't make me tell mum you nearly passed out on the third floor."
"You are insufferable," Snape snarled as he sat up, with some difficulty.
"I thought that was Hermione's pet name?" Draco grinned and dodged the pillow his Uncle threw at his head. "I'm glad my presence brings you such energy. But before I leave you to brood, here."
Draco pulled out the shrunken books from his pocket and returned them to their usual size. He dumped them on the bed next to Snape and opened one particularly old text. When he found his spot he turned the book to Snape and pointed at the title, Un Anima Duo. "We had one of our house elves bring us some of the books from the Manor. Mum thinks this is the ritual Hermione used, if it's not then it might be one of the others in that book. I know Dumbledore said that breaking the vow wasn't a top priority but after seeing what it did to the two of you, Mum and I decided to help in any way we could."
Snape ran his fingers over the words on the page and breathed deeply. "Thank you, Draco."
"I still think you two would be a decent match, despite how decrepit you are," Draco cackled.
"Get out you little shit!" Snape yelled after him as he ran out of the room