Harry stood outside the Potions classroom the next day, wondering what exactly he thought he would accomplish by talking to the wizard inside. But he had so many questions about the bond and he had a feeling that Hermione would be reluctant to talk about it. Though he wasn't sure he'd get anything more out of the surly professor, he had to try. With a great bit of apprehension, Harry knocked on the door.
"Enter," The timber of the Potions Master's voice only spiked his anxiety.
The Gryffindor took a deep breath and entered the classroom, closing the door and casting a silencing spell. When he looked at the Professor who was seated at his desk, grading, the man simply raised an eyebrow. Harry moved forward and waited patiently as Snape finished whatever note he was making and put his quill down.
"Now what, pray tell, has granted me the gift of a private conversation with the Chosen One?" He looked him up and down suspiciously.
Harry felt his irritation at the man renew, but consciously tempered it. This was the only man who could provide him any answers. "It's about Hermione, sir."
"I gathered," Snape leaned back in his chair and sighed. With a wave, one of the classroom chairs moved to situate itself in front of his desk, "Have a seat, Potter. I'd rather get this over with before dinner."
He couldn't say he wasn't shocked at the borderline courteous actions of the professor, but he took the seat without feeling the need to justify his presence any more than he already had. He watched as the dark man looked anywhere but in his eyes, seemingly waiting for Harry to start the conversation.
"Um, Professor I just wanted to know more about the b-bond between you and Hermione," the request caused Snape to exhale and pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"There isn't much to know considering the know-it-all and I have not had a chance to start deconstructing which bond it was. We are bound by our magical cores and souls. We are intrinsically linked to each other until further notice," Snape answered with a scowl.
"Does it hurt her?" Harry asked, remembering the grimace on the girl's face the night before.
"Besides the initial draining of her magical core to near nothing, she is generally unaffected unless either of us are in mortal peril, which we will no doubt both be before the end of this war," Snape continued, unfazed by the questions and sounding detached. Harry had never known the Potions Master to be so forthcoming with information.
"Do you think you can break the bond? Hermione shouldn't be stuck bound to you…she deserves better."
"I am well aware of that Potter! I will do all I can to break this bond and relieve myself of the torment of her constant presence in my mind. Wouldn't want to dishonor the Gryffindor Princess with her association to me." He scoffed, "If that was all, you may get out."
"I have one more question. I-if Hermione were to say, um, kiss someone else other than," He couldn't get the word 'you' to spill from his lips and dodged it, "her partner, would it hurt her?"
There was a dark look that passed over the wizard's face that looked surprisingly emotional.
"Miss Granger and I have established that the compulsions of the bond are not evenly distributed, with me taking the brunt of it. I will not feel her…discretions…but I would suffer greatly should I be the one to stray. From what I have gathered from my communication with the girl, the bond may retaliate somewhat to any amorous affection. Nothing more than the feeling of a sting or slap on her part," The Professor was standing now, with his back to Harry. For a moment Harry felt even more guilty for kissing Hermione if it had caused her pain, no matter how minor. "It is oddly fortunate that I am the one…afflicted with the stronger needs of the bond as my mental control surpasses that of a teenage girl. With a more traditional bond, the physical consummation of the bond is paramount and highly suggested by the bond itself. Due to whatever modifications Miss Granger made, we have been spared the ordeal of either of us ravishing the other."
Harry felt a little queasy at the thought of Hermione throwing herself at the professor. Jealousy flashed when he considered the opposite, where the professor seduced his friend. Hermione hadn't told him about any special feelings for the potions master or any uncomfortable encounters. If he were honest, she was showing the professor the usual respect that she always did. But could the bond change that?
"Potter, do stop thinking so loudly, you're irritating enough as it is." Snape rolled his eyes at him.
"You'll free her. You have to," Harry said with more confidence than he thought he had. But that confidence was quickly quelled by the look on the professor's face.
"I don't have to do anything, Potter. But as you have so recently discovered, I am not as evil as you have always believed me to be. I will do my best to end our mutual torment," With that said the door of the room slammed open as he gestured for Harry to leave.
Harry had turned to do just that when the girl of the hour arrived at the door looking concerned. "Harry, what are you doing here?"
He ran a hand through his hair. She hadn't talked to him much at all during classes that day despite his constant apologies. "Nothing, Hermione, let's go. It's almost dinner."
Harry went to take her arm but she shrugged out of his grasp.
"You go ahead, Harry. I need to ask Professor Snape a question about the homework." Hermione said as she brushed past him, eyes on the professor.
"Miss Granger, I suggest you join Mister Potter for dinner. I do not have time for any more inane chattering," The professor snarled out. Harry didn't like how the man's tone was sharper and harsher than it had been with him moments ago.
"Harry, I'll catch up," Hermione looked at him briefly, "It will take only a second."
He sighed, knowing that she was set on whatever she was doing, "I'll be just outside waiting, alright?"
Hermione nodded and he leaned down to kiss her forehead. From the corner of his eye he saw Snape swiftly walk towards the door to his office. A few moments later, Harry was standing in the dungeon hallway trying to listen in, yet already knowing Hermione had locked and warded the door.
"What brings you down to this neck of the woods, Pothead?" Malfoy's snarky tone surprised him. He'd seen more of the boy this year than any other year previous. He could begrudgingly admit that, with Hermione playing referee, the verbal sparring could be fun. Even Ron had fun during a pick up game of Quidditch a few days ago. The palpable change in the remaining Slytherins were noticed by all.
"I'm waiting for Hermione," He responded when Malfoy was level with him.
"She's in there with Uncle?" Malfoy looked surprised for a moment then smirked.
"I don't think I will ever get used to you calling him that." Harry slumped against the wall.
"If he knew I called him that outside of his presence. I would be six feet under without the ability to call him anything," Malfoy quipped. "So what's got you looking uglier than usual?"
Harry glared at Malfoy then figured that now that the blonde was on their side he might as well talk to him. "I just asked Snape about the bond. Ron is convinced it can't be reversed. But from what I've read you shouldn't be able to kiss someone else if you are already bound."
"You've kissed Granger, then?" Harry blushed realizing what he had just said.
"Don't be a prude now, Potter. I'm sure Granger has had more fun than you have. She dated Krum for most of 4th year remember? I just always thought it would be Weaselby that fancied Granger, what with the whole 'enemies to lovers' vibe they give off. You'd think the man liked being yelled at," Malfoy laughed at the thought of it.
"So what do you think?" Harry turned to the boy, giving him his full attention.
"About the bond or about you and Granger?" Malfoy raised an eyebrow and looked eerily like his father.
"Both, I guess," Harry could not have imagined that this would be a conversation he would have ever had with Malfoy, and yet here they were.
"Well, if I'm honest and nice," He gave Harry a pointed look, "You and Granger make sense. You're best friends. You've always been close. You both grew up muggles. Hero gets the girl type of deal. I'm well informed that there have been bets on who Granger was going to end up dating, you or Weasley."
"Bets?"
Malfoy laughed, "Yes. I'm sure the professors have been involved in that one too."
"Well, thanks for that. But what about the bond?" Harry hoped that as a pureblood, Malfoy would be able to shed some more light on the whole situation.
That's when Malfoy's joking countenance slipped. There was now an awkward air about him, "Bonds are very serious and pretty deadly when the pair didn't enter the bond willingly. Those traditional bonds are predictable. But Granger changed things, recklessly. She's lucky she didn't kill them both. But breaking bonds, soul bonds, can only be achieved with great power. Uncle is a powerful wizard whether you hate him or not, but the variables make me wonder if it's worth it to try and break what they've got."
Harry closed his eyes, "Ron said nearly the same thing."
"You've got bad timing, mate," Malfoy actually patted him on the shoulder. "When Hermione comes out, take her and have dinner at the Slytherin table with me. It might lift your mood to see old McGonagall gone apoplectic at the sight."
With a wave, his former nemesis left him in the hallway. Suddenly the door to the Potions classroom burst open. Hermione rushed past him without a word. Harry barely took two steps when he heard the cacophony of glass breaking right before the door slammed shut on its own.
When the door to the classroom had shut behind her, Snape cast a silencing charm on her and spelled her stuck to a chair. Then he stood there, looking at her. He hadn't even tried to enter her mind, he just glared at her.
She fought, she screamed, she tried to cast counter curses, but even when she did succeed, he would re-cast the spell so quickly it didn't matter. He refused to look her in the eyes.
"I will only remove the silencing charm. For my own safety, you will remain stuck to that chair."
She nodded, then a moment later hummed to make sure she could be heard. "Care to explain why this is necessary?"
"I will not allow you to make another mistake under the compulsion of the bond, Miss Granger. Now what is it that you are here for?" Snape didn't look at her the entire time as he sat back in his desk and continued his grading.
Gritting her teeth she replied, "You are acting like an idiot. Isn't it a good thing that we like each other? There is no guarantee that we will ever be able to break the bond."
"10 points from Gryffindor for insulting a teacher. Do not think that just because I have some affection for you that I will allow your impertinence," He snapped, still keeping his head down.
"You are being entirely unreasonable!" Hermione struggled against the spell keeping her stuck to the chair, to no avail.
"I am thinking of your future!" Snape slammed his hands on his desk. "Despite your death wish, you are alive. And will remain alive, long after the end of this war. You would have a myriad of opportunities for apprenticeships were there not a war going on. There are wizarding universities that you would no doubt be accepted to. I refuse to be the reason that you do not get to explore that future. I will break the bond so there is no point in your attempts to indulge in it. You would only end up regretting it."
"Don't I get a say in this at all?!" Hermione was seething. "Is it so impossible to think that I too hold affection for you? It would be odd not to! You have saved my life over and over! I have craved your approval since the moment I met you! You're a war hero!"
"Hermione, do shut up." He bit out, dropping his head in his hands. The former spy drew in a deep sigh. His shoulders dropped. "Please, just stop. Potter is waiting for you."
She didn't miss the snide way he said Harry's name. The spell holding her to the chair faded away. It took her a moment to stand but when she did he spoke again.
"Go to dinner, Hermione, please," the sound of his voice made her falter. Gone was the vitriol. He was begging her to turn away from him.
"Severus-"
"Do not say my name! Get out! GO! Leave me!" His magic curled around her, turning her around and nudging her towards the door so quickly that she hadn't had a chance to fight it.
She was shoved through the door with such force that she just kept running. Vaguely aware that Harry was following her, she headed up to the Room of Requirement. Hermione needed to get away somewhere, anywhere that she could let the guilt wash over her. Snape was suffering just as much as he was before the damned ritual, all thanks to her.
Severus stood in the chaotic remains of his classroom. He was drained, having had such a wild burst of spontaneous magic that it had amazed even him. The man could feel the tell tale sting of small cuts from the broken glass that had flown through the air as jars of all kinds exploded moments earlier. He struggled to calm down, bringing up his mental shields and pushing any thought of the girl to the back of his mind.
He did not know how long it took him to put his classroom to rights but it was late enough that when he made his way to the entrance hall, he could tell even the late night rounds had all passed. Not bothering to tell anyone, too intent on his own despair, he made his way to the Shrieking Shack of all places. The tunnel he used to take to leave the grounds when he was summoned had been destroyed after the recent attack, leaving him only one option to get outside the castle and clear his mind.
He sat in a repaired chair at one of the back windows looking up at the half moon and drinking straight from the bottle of firewhiskey he had brought with him. All his ruminations had led him to the morbid thought that he might have preferred having the old codger and snake man as his masters again. At least then he wouldn't want so badly to live.
That was the problem, his sudden desire to live. For over a decade he had been ready to die at a moment's notice. His precarious position alone was highly risky, but his own darker predilections sometimes begged him to tell off the Headmaster in such a way that he might be provoked to end the spy's misery lest he double cross him. Even as he put himself in the line of fire to save the ungrateful students, he had never worried about his life ending.
It wasn't that he wanted to die. No, it was that he expected to and had made peace with that. But the feel of her magic beckoned him to choose life. The irony didn't escape him how she had made him crave life in the process of trying to end her own. A fucked up duo they were, especially together. That was the true issue. He wanted the future together that the bond promised, even if it was all a lie. Had he not earned the love of someone else?
Severus chuckled at himself. His musing so outside of his normal thought processes that he knew he was going to need several Hangover potions the next morning. He was distracting himself so assuredly that he did not notice the creak of a floorboard. Nor did he feel the presence of two Death Eaters making their way into the room, wands pointed at his back. But he did see the reflection of a garish mask in the dirty window in front of him before his body flared with pain until unconsciousness became his escape.