Snape was pacing back and forth while Harry sat in the bed next to her. She and Harry had changed into muggle clothes for ease of movement if they had to jump into action. He was dozing next to her with his head on her shoulder and an arm around her waist.
Hermione's eyes were glued to Professor Snape. He looked strong, in his prime. He'd kept his distance after rushing out of her mind but she could still feel his hand in her hair and his thumb on her lip. If she was feeling the bond, although faintly, then there was no doubt he was too. It didn't help that she had always had a soft spot for the surly man. From quiet admiration that transformed into a minor crush a couple years earlier when he had insisted on running one of her detentions instead of Umbridge.
His pacing was making her nervous. As selfish as it was, she had not wanted to deal with the consequences of her reckless heroics. The fall out of losing their spy and what it would do to Snape's place among the Order, were things she had refused to think about. When the patronus had delivered its message the silence that followed was deafening. But what came after put the fear of Merlin in her.
Dumbledore couldn't hide his rage. He had barked at the three of them to stay put. Had even pulled his wand on Snape and commanded him, as if he were a student, to stay put and out of the way. The pulse of his magic had made her feel sick. It felt like molasses filled with nails, scraping along her being, stinging and sweet. Harry had gone pale next to her and Snape had stumbled. Even Madame Pomfrey had backed away. It was the first time Hermione could see how Dumbledore was one of the most feared wizards alive today.
Dumbledore took the medi-witch with him and left the wing, the doors closing behind them with a glow that told them he had warded them inside.
The sun had just set when they felt the castle rumble. Professor Snape had rushed to a window to catch a glimpse of anything, despite being on a completely opposite side of the castle as his quarters.
"Damnit, Albus! I should be down there," he growled.
"It's a bit reckless isn't it? Sending Death Eaters here when everyone is here, even Dumbledore isn't away this time," Hermione tilted her head in thought. Her ear brushed against Harry's hair, reminding her of his close proximity. She had wanted the comfort but knew that her suspicions of Harry's feelings for her had been confirmed with the kiss.
Snape looked over at them and sneered. "You're one to talk of recklessness."
She raised her brow at him but didn't respond.
He huffed and sat at the end of the bed across from them. His dark eyes looked her up and down. Stopping for a moment where Harry's arm was around her waist and his head on her shoulder. "I don't understand how he can sleep when this is all going on."
"Oh, he'll be furious when he wakes up. But I didn't fancy being caught in the middle while you go for each other's throats with no way out of the hospital wing," Hermione scoffed. She patted Harry's hand on the bed as if to appease her unconscious friend.
"You knocked him out?" Snape raised a brow, smirking at her, "Hermione, if I didn't know you were a Gryffindor I might assume you were one of my snakes."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It is."
Hermione tried not to look surprised at the admission. Silence followed for a while, she was not sure how to react to this rather complimentary version of her dreaded professor.
"I can feel it." Snape said, looking away with a grimace. "The bond. I can feel it like a constant throb in the back of my head. The jealousy eats at me."
"I can feel it too. Like a pull at the edge of my being. You know, I always had a positive regard for you, Professor. You can ask the boys. I've always defended you. The bond seems to have only strengthened those feelings." Hermione admitted. There were no tell tale signs that she expected, like the consuming need to be near him. No overtly sexual thoughts or musings about him. It felt tame.
Snape looked at her for a long moment. He seemed to be hesitating. She noticed the hands on his thighs were clenching and unclenching. "Hermione could you remove Potter from your person before this bond makes me remove him myself?"
"It's that strong for you?" Hermione's eyes widened. Her mind started racing. Maybe I have botched it. At least a part of it. If anyone was supposed to end up with the stronger bond it should have been me as the caster. "I'll find a way to free you from the bond, sir."
"Don't call me 'sir'. I owe you a debt and I'm feeling things no professor should feel for his student. Do not remind me of our abhorrent age difference while I am resisting the urge to blast Potter into oblivion for touching you," Snape growled.
"I'm 21 so it's not that bad of an age difference, really. 17 years is only 2 years larger than my parents age difference. Not to mention you're a wizard and have a much longer life expectancy." Hermione said, as she gently pulled away from Harry. She swung her legs off the side of the bed and stood.
"Sit down, Hermione. From my knowledge, officially, you are 17." Snape didn't seem that surprised that she was older. "Regardless of how many years you have added with your overzealous time turner use, the news of Severus Snape bonded to one of the blasted 'Golden Trio' won't fare well even if we manage to survive this godforsaken war."
"I told you, I will find a way to break the bond. I never meant for you to be stuck with me. I never wanted to make you indebted to me." Hermione crossed the room and stood before him. She was itching to touch him. Her magic was reaching out to meet his. The closer she got to him the more she wanted her magic to mingle with the dark liquid heat of his. Proximity seems to increase the pull of the bond.
Standing as close as she could without touching him she met his eyes. It surprised her to notice that his crooked nose was now straight. A scar at his temple that she had noticed one summer at Grimmauld place was gone. Even the pits that adolescent acne would have caused had vanished. She could admit to herself that he looked younger and handsome. Like the weight of the entire wizarding world had been lifted off his shoulders. But the way he looked at her now, told her that she was the new burden, "I wanted you completely free, sir. Like I would have been if I had succeeded."
This close to each other it was obvious they could both feel the pull of each other's magic. A sadness flashed in Snape's eyes when she reminded him that her original plan did not end with her survival.
"Don't you remember what I said in that library in your head?" Snape kept his gaze focused on her. His eyes dilated slightly. "I'll stop you every time you try to die. Death is not freedom, Hermione."
His hand moved up to cup her cheek and she gasped at the contact. His breathing became more pronounced as he caressed her cheek. Snape's eyes were blown black and his gaze was fixed on her lips. Unconsciously, she licked her lips.
"Tell me to stop, Hermione. Treat me like the bastard that I am and push me away," He was almost pleading. But his other hand reached for her hip and pulled her closer. "Please."
She didn't move. Whether it was the bond or her own fascination with him, she didn't know, but she wanted this.
His lips crashed down on hers and the bond sang between them. Suddenly it felt all consuming. It was no longer a slight tug at her being, it was a fireball surrounding her. His lips were soft and his kiss passionate, like he was drowning and she was the air he needed. The need was rolling off of him in waves that made Hermione want to whimper. She had never been kissed like this before, and she knew she would not be the one to pull away.
Then he pushed her back, reluctant to break the kiss but obviously trying to get ahold of himself. They were both panting and he was shaking. His hands that were on her shoulders when he pushed her, were now raised in the air beside them as if to show the world he wasn't holding her. She stepped back out of his reach, combing a hand through her curls nervously. Curiously, Hermione felt the bond settle again to that barely negligible tug and brush of his magic.
Snape growled and buried his face in his hands. His shoulders were slumped and she could see him gasping for air through the curtain of his hair. Hermione was feeling many different and conflicting feelings. It was obvious the bond was there but the intensity of it was almost completely burdened upon Snape. If they were equal her bond would have lashed out when Harry had kissed her earlier. Guilt flooded her at yet another failure.
"Go back to Potter, Her-Miss Granger," He gritted his teeth as if speaking to her so formally caused him physical pain. "It is obvious the bond is rather lopsided and I would hate for you to be stuck in my clutches while you yearned for Potter."
She winced at the malice in his voice. Harry had told her about the memories he had seen in Snape's head. The know-it-all had thought it was unfair for Snape to treat him badly because of his father's actions. But now it seemed Harry would suffer for the ardor he held for her. The Potter name had truly only ever brought him misery.
At that moment, sounds were coming from her cot across the room. The boy in question was writhing around in his sleep, obviously having a nightmare. Reluctantly, Hermione turned her back to Snape and climbed back into bed with Harry, holding him until he settled back to sleep.
Severus gripped the edge of the cot so hard his knuckles were bright white. It was like the bond was growing stronger now that she was awake. He was using every ounce of willpower he still had to not cross the room and drag her from beside Potter into his arms and his own bed.
If the texts were to be believed, a true bond would make it impossible for either party to act amorously with anyone else. But as he watched Hermione whisper into Potter's ear and kiss his cheek, far too comfortable sharing a bed with him for it to be the first time, he knew that the depth of the bond, the severity of it, was much worse for him. Kissing her had felt like coming home and being enveloped in the warmest and safest of embraces. Now that he had experienced it, he craved it even more.
He felt like an utter wretch to feel such longing for the young woman. Regardless of her platitudes about their age gap and her apparently pre-existing care for him, it was still wrong. Severus would make it his goal to sever the bond, if only to allow Hermione to live a normal life. The life he was going to make her live. If she were to ever succeed in her attempts to take her own life, now that the bond had been established with their kiss, he feared what it would do to him.
His ruminations were interrupted by the doors of the Hospital Wing opening. The Headmaster walked in with Mcgonagall, Pomfrey, Remus Lupin, Arthur Weasley, Ronald Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and to his great disdain, Sirius Black in tow. From the corner of his eye he saw Potter awaken and stare wide-eyed at the troupe. His face turned red when he realized he was snuggled into Hermione's side. He hopped out of bed and greeted the group who looked somber and battle worn.
While Black, Remus, and the other two students greeted Harry and made their way over to Hermione's bed, the rest of the congregation were openly staring at him. He stood up, occluding, and bracing himself for whatever accusations may follow.
"You will all remain here. Madame Pomfrey will see to any wounds. We will hold a private Order meeting when I return," Dumbledore announced. There was an edge to his voice, but nothing compared to the vitriol he had unleashed upon him earlier. The others nodded and immediately Madame Pomfrey began fussing. The Headmaster took a few steps towards the fireplace. "Come with me, Miss Granger."
The steeliness of his voice made McGonagal inhale sharply and Lupin's hackles rise. It was a command not a request. He turned to the bed across from him and felt his own anger flair at the possibility of the wizard hurting her, taking notice of the way he said only he would be returning from their meeting. He strode from his bed and pointed his wand at the wizard in question who did not flinch.
"She will not be leaving my sight, Albus. I do not care who you are or what power you think you have. But if you think I will allow you to be alone with Hermione, you are gravely mistaken," Severus felt the bond's protectiveness flair brightly in his chest. The warm heat of her magic tried to temper his ire to no avail.
"Oye! Snape, you greasy git! What do you think you're doing?" It was the younger Weasley who strode forward with his wand raised at him and he scoffed.
Arthur was behind his son in a second, trying to pull him back. He knew the rest of those watching were ready to hex him although their wands were still pointed at the ground. The air was tense and heavy with the magic of those present.
"Severus, what is the meaning of this? Albus, I'm sure whatever it is doesn't have to result in pointed wands!" He looked over at the Transfiguration Professor. The confusion and betrayal on her face cut him.
Albus Dumbledore had the audacity to 'hmph' in a slightly amused tone, his eyes twinkling. "Nothing to be concerned about, Minerva. You know that Severus can act rather rash when it comes to muggleborns, he has a type."
Severus growled at the implication, his wand sparked but before he could aim Hermione invaded his vision and grasped his wand wrist. The bond burst forth with the urge for him to pull her back and behind him. But he was stayed by the venom in her eyes. Even more shocking was Remus, standing between them and Dumbledore.
"Albus, I will say this only once. If you harm either of them I will let Moony rip you to shreds," There was a deep rumble behind his normal speaking voice that made everyone pale.
"Enough!" Hermione yelled, a hot wave of spontaneous magic flooded the room. Her hair sparked to life and all he wanted to do was kiss her again. Before he could give in to the urge she had released his wrist and turned to place her hand on Lupin's back. The muscles of the werewolf relaxed under her touch. "It's alright Remus. I will be back. There is a lot that's happened in the last day or so. For me, will you make sure Harry and Ron don't attack Professor Snape? He has done nothing wrong. He had no idea what I had planned."
Lupin bowed his head in deference and then glanced back at Severus. He tilted his head and his eyes widened with realization. Then he was suddenly in front of Severus with his wand raised at the others in the room, poised to strike whoever tried to attack the Dark wizard. Someone gasped to the side of them. He suspected it to be Black who was no doubt growing more confused.
"Shall we?" Hermione's voice had that dead quality he hated. The one that told him she was deeply occluding and likely disassociating.
"Hermione!" He called to her, his bond roaring at him that she was in danger.
"I will be back. I promise." She strode confidently to the fireplace, stepped inside, and threw the floo powder, "Headmaster's Office!"
Dumbledore eyed the room, then followed Hermione soon after.
With the two gone the room only marginally relaxed. He felt the warm lick of her magic soothing him and the fear that had bled into him when she floo'd away ebbed.
"Will someone explain to me what the hell is going on?" Sirius barked.
"We'll get the full story while I tend to you lot. Or have you forgotten that you just had a battle with some Death Eaters in an enclosed space?" Madame Pomfrey practically screeched as she pushed the aurors and Order members to sit on the hospital wing cots.
Lupin turned around and eyed him. In a low voice so no one else could hear, "You're bonded to her."
He raised his brow, "You can tell?"
"She is part of my pack. I knew the moment I walked in the room that someone had been added through a bond with her. When our eyes met I knew it was you." Lupin explained, still calm as ever.
"I'm part of your pack?" Severus wanted to punch a wall. Of course he would be pack bound to the werewolf that nearly killed him in his youth.
"Moony, what the hell are you two whispering about?" Sirius strode over, with a look of disgust. Severus increased the space between them and sat back on the edge of his cot, trying to mentally prepare himself.
"Harry. Severus. You two were here with Miss Granger so I suspect you know more than any of us. So out with it," The headmistress commanded haughtily, obviously still rattled by the tense situation earlier.
Severus looked across the room for Potter who was standing next to Hermione's cot looking pale faced. Everything had escalated rather quickly. He was still probably trying to process what had just happened. Severus pinched his nose and sighed loudly.
"Well then gather around, you nitwits. I'll answer questions but only ones that aren't stupid and I will not be repeating myself. Is that clear?" Snape put on his teaching persona and glared at the room.
"A 'please' would go a long way in making this less trying than it already seems to be," Minerva scoffed as she summoned chairs and set them facing Severus in a semicircle. Everyone settled as best they could while he glared them all down, as if daring someone to talk.
"Professor," To his surprise the ethereal and always dreamy Luna Lovegood had raised her hand as if she were in one of his classes rather than an emergency order meeting, "I don't have a question but I would like to say that you look rather dashing tonight sir. I don't think I've ever seen you out of your robes before. You look like you've slept away all your stress. I am glad, sir."
Severus blinked surprised at her words and how she smiled softly at him. Before he could stop himself he asked her, "Miss Lovegood, what exactly are you doing here?"
"Oh! I was out on the grounds looking for warblesnarts. They only come out in the wee hours of the morning you see. I was rather startled when my journey was interrupted and I was dragged down a tunnel. Then I was in your chambers and then your office, I quite like your office by the way. Then they blasted through the potions classroom and Ron happened to be on his way back to Gryffindor tower after a midnight snack. It was all rather a blur after that but I do know that Ron got me away from whoever ripped my robes." She said all this in the same ethereal and soothing voice that she said everything in and even gestured to the rip in the sleeve of her robes.
"So you got all the Death Eaters then?" Harry broke the spell of Luna's story telling.
"Yes, we had just made it past the entrance hall when the blast happened." Kingsley remarked, as he ran a tired hand over his face. He fixed him with a hard look. "You-Know-Who sent some of his best duellers after you, Severus."
"Should I be relieved or disappointed that he didn't come himself to make an example of me?" Severus refused to let his fear of that very thing come through in his tone.
"Severus, why on earth would he send them after you to begin with? Was your cover blown? Do you think Lucius gave you away?" Arthur asked, he stood behind his son with hands on his shoulders, keeping the teenager under his thumb.
He rolled up his sleeve as he spoke, "There have been a few developments in the last 36 hours. As Miss Lovegood pointed out, I have benefitted from it, in more ways than one."
With that said he showed his bare arms to the congregation.
"How can this be?" Minerva looked as if she might cry. He knew that the older witch had spoken up for him against Dumbledore's extortion of him because of his mark.
"I can thank Miss Granger for that. Though the extent of the ritual she performed has yet to be fully discussed, we were a bit preoccupied with repairing her magical core and pulling her away from death's grasp." Severus allowed his bitterness out, his heart clenched at the thought of her death. In the back of his mind he felt her magic pulse against his.
"What did you do to her, Snivellus?" Black's voice dripped with scorn. He was standing and confidently preached to the room, "Hermione is a clever young witch and I don't doubt that if anyone could solve the 'problem' of a Dark Mark, it would be her. But why would she? What did you do? Blackmail her? Threaten her parents?"
Snape practically purred with a smirk on his face, intent on riling up the mutt for bringing up the girl's parents."You'll find that Miss Granger was more than willing to do whatever she could for me."
Black roared and strode forward, ignoring the wand in his pocket and going for a punch only to be stopped by Remus. Arthur had held down his son and Minerva, although looking appalled, still grabbed Harry when he too had wanted to join the fray.
"Moony, let me go! Did you hear what he fucking said? Making Hermione out to be some tart!" Sirius fought Lupin's hold on him, but was forcefully shoved back into his seat. Lupin backed up until he was once more between Severus and the rest of the room.
"All of you will remain in your seats until we get to the bottom of all of this. Severus, of all of us, has nothing negative to say about Hermione." Lupin glanced at him.
"Why the hell are you on his side?" Ron finally chimed in.
"There are no sides in this. Severus has done nothing wrong. You all know already that I will not hesitate to protect my pack," Lupin admitted with little preamble. Severus was surprised that he would be so open about it considering how it came to be.
"Snivellus is part of your pack? Since when?" Sirius practically yelled, horrified at the thought.
"It doesn't matter. What matters is figuring out what to do now that Severus is in danger and can no longer spy for us," Lupin reasoned.
"But what ritual did Hermione actually do? We never got an answer about that. And why does Dumbledore need to talk to her alone?" Ron asked. The boy looked so overwhelmed that Severus almost felt pity for him. Almost.
"I defer to Mister Potter to explain that as I had not been privy to any information concerning the witch and a particular ritual," Severus leaned back into his chair, saying loudly without words that he was done speaking for the moment.
"Harry, what is he bloody talking about?" Ron turned to the bespeckled boy imploringly.
He watched as the Chosen One steeled himself for the explanation. All eyes were on him, "She found something in a book back at Grimmauld place. It's a way to tether your magical core to someone else's. To save you from death in the case that you're injured. But it was too dangerous so I convinced her to forget about it."
"I don't think Miss Granger has ever forgotten anything she's read in her entire life," Kingsley sighed as if he knew what was coming next.
Harry sat up straighter, "She had said she wanted to modify it when we talked about it but I thought she had dropped the idea. I couldn't let her bond her core to mine, because obviously she wanted to be the one and it had to be a girl. But the likelihood of her dying was too high, almost guaranteed."
"She's not dead though so it worked, right? I mean Snape's here," The red-head added.
"She almost did. The core tethering is only supposed to come into effect when one of the pair is in mortal danger. Look, Hermione was better at explaining it. But whatever happened with Snape, she used a modified version of the ritual. So there's no telling what could have happened. The fact that she is alive is nothing short of a miracle." It was silent as everyone took in the new information.
"Harry, you sound awfully sure that it should have killed her," Sirius looked thoughtful.
"I told you, Hermione explained it better but the gist is that when your magical core is depleting while trying to keep you alive in your last moments, you can't produce enough magic at that pace to refill what's already been used. So by tethering yourself to another person, when your core needs more magic than it can produce on its own it will absorb the magic from the other person's core. If the person you are bonded with is more powerful than you are, then they will absorb your core completely to ensure survival." Harry explained, stuttering and flailing his hands.
"So Hermione did this ritual knowing it would kill her? That makes no sense. We've all made sacrifices but no one would ask Hermione to sacrifice herself." Ron prattled on. "I mean she's got so much to live for!"
"Does she, Mister Weasley?" Severus couldn't stop the biting reply. "Because if she did I doubt I would have had to save her from throwing herself off the Astronomy Tower the first night of term!"
Hermione was sitting at a chair in front of Dumbledore's desk when he walked in and took the seat in front of her.
She met his shimmering eyes, blinked, and then found herself in her mind's library.
Dumbledore's eyes narrowed slightly then reverted back to their shimmering blue. "Occlusion? Impressive."
"With friends like you, I thought it was necessary," Hermione replied calmly. "Why not just ask me what you want to know, Headmaster? I'm sure one of these books holds the answer."
"Something tells me that, unlike most libraries, I would not find anything so easily." His eyes bored into hers. "No matter what I consider, Miss Granger, I cannot find any reason for you to have done what you have."
"Do I need a reason?" Hermione replied
"I would think that making sure we still have an upperhand in this war would be a priority. But you've lost us a spy," His voice grew cold.
Hermione observed him, wondering how she had ever thought the old man had ever been a benign fool. The man had defeated powerful wizards to get where he was and she doubted he had granted anyone mercy. "Use Lucius. Professor Snape has more than paid his dues to you and everyone else."
"That is not for you to decide!" Dumbledore stood, towering over her.
"And it was right for you to extort him? Manipulate him into your service all these years? Severus Snape has saved Harry and I, and even Ron more times than you have ever lifted a finger for us!" Hermione raged back, "Does it sting that you aren't the one holding the strings?"
He sneered at her, "I was wrong about you Miss Granger. I thought you would rally behind Harry and help him win this war but you tried the coward's way out. What would your parents think? After all, they gave their lives for this war as well."
Hermione felt like her heart stopped. "W-what the hell does that mean? My parents were killed by muggles. How do you even know they are dead?"
"We must all make sacrifices for the greater good, Miss Granger. I had thought the loss of your family would remove them as a distraction. Harry needs people beside him who are willing to sacrifice everything." Dumbledore sat back down, a calm expression sliding onto his visage.
"Did you kill my parents?" Hermione ground out the question.
"No, no, my dear you were the one who sent them to Australia and removed any knowledge they had that could have whisked them away from that sordid affair. I may have just nudged you into the idea of banishing them to save them," He tilted his head to the side and had a smile on his face that sent chills down her spine.
"Y-you had me send my parents away?" The question stirred something in her, "No. No. I had planned that. I was trying to protect them."
"Obliviating them so they would never again be part of your life was a bit drastic, in terms of protections. We both know that obliviating them would mean that you were in all essence condemning yourself to a life without them. Something you would never have chosen. After all, the Order has safehouses." Dumbledore explained. "But muggles can be so stubborn. They would have insisted on knowing more. They would want to remove you from school and the fight. They would have broken the Statute of Secrecy to protect you Miss Granger. Righteous people, your parents."
Hermione said nothing as she tried to understand all that the Headmaster was revealing.
"I may have pointed you in the direction of what I needed but you were the one who sent them to Australia, where they died," The gleam in his eye made her want to vomit. She stood up, remembering they were in her mind, her library. Hermione ignored the old man as she searched for the memories from last year and found the moment when she had mentioned to Harry about the safehouses. Dumbledore had interrupted and then all she could think about was obliviation.
She felt something in her crack.
The dark liquid touch of Snape's magic flared up and pushed away the coldness of deep occlusion. He must be able to feel her distress.
"A distracted Hermione Granger, would result in a distracted Harry Potter." His voice was the same grandfatherly voice she had heard give the welcome feast speech every year since she was 11 years old. It was vile, "If his ardor for you wasn't such a large driving factor to his will to fight, I might have martyred you along with your parents. Considering the situation now, I think I regret not doing just that."
Anger flared and surged in her. So powerful that she shoved Dumbledore from her mind and found themselves back in his office. She jumped up from her seat and pointed her wand at him. He simply raised his hand, telling her to stop.
"Miss Granger, let me be very clear. I could make you disappear right now and it would destroy not only Mister Potter but Severus as well. But then our war effort would be in more shambles than it is now. Use your intellect, Miss Granger. Cease carrying out anymore of these plans you have and you will be able to continue your life here in Hogwarts, and the wizarding world. You can remain at the side of your paramours and help us win this war." Dumbledore leaned back into his chair looking smug.
"And you expect me to go back to the Hospital Wing and keep everything I've just heard a secret?" Hermione bit out.
"No, Miss Granger. I expect you to tell Severus, who will no doubt continue working for the Order to ensure your safety. As for Harry, and the temper we know he has, you will keep this from him. As you have kept your parents' death from him. To spare him the pain and suffering and the spite that the piece of Tom inside him would latch onto," It was said with such assurance and it made Hermione's skin crawl because he was right. Hermione knew how war worked, she had read enough about it. He was their general and without him the movement would crumble. Harry needed both of them to do what he needed to win the war.
"I never doubted whether you were a great man, Albus Dumbledore. But I had hoped you would also be a good one," She turned and walked straight into the hearth to make her return.