Disclaimer:- I neither own nor own anything from this story. My plot is my own but the world of Harry Potter is the intellectual property of JK Rowling and associates.

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A/N:- Thank you to everyone who left alerts and reviews on the last chapter, please know that I appreciate every one of them. I am still posting without a beta, so any mistakes you may find are all mine. Thank you all for your patience for my extended absences from posting, I'm getting things posted as I can.

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Chapter Eight – Problems Exposed

They finally made themselves get up from their intimate position, and Hermione and Severus returned to the castle, walking into breakfast in the Great Hall together. To their surprise, several of the other staff members were present this morning.

"There they are," Pomona Sprout cried as they entered, and the Hufflepuff followed by Poppy Pomfrey, Roland Hooch and Filius Flitwick all hurried towards them.

"We heard what happened," Poppy said to Hermione. "Are you quite well now?"

"I'm getting there," Hermione said, but found that the school matron's attention had been shifted to Severus.

"And Severus. Welcome home," she cried, and wrapped herself around him.

"Unhand me, Madam," he demanded.

Hooch chuckled at this. "Still as snarky as ever, I see," she scoffed.

Everyone tittered at the comment, and Severus proved that he could still give a withering stare. "Go fly your broom up a chimney, Hooch," he replied imperiously.

Rolanda belly laughed, and slapped him on the back. "It's good to have you back, Snape. It has been boring around here without you."

"Oh, dear me, yes," Filius agreed. "Top form to have you back, and with the charming Hermione on your arm. My, my," he sniggered. "Well, done, my dear," he said to Hermione. "You're wrongly thrown into Azkaban of all places, and you come out with the hero of the hour on your arm. I'm a dap hand at wedding charms, and you can owl me any time."

However, it was Minerva who broke the welcome party up, "It is only early days yet, Filius, don't get carried away," she told him.

"Oh, yes. Righto. Sorry," he said, and hurried back to the table.

Hermione was quite bemused by it all, but she moved towards the breakfast table at Severus' urging, and he seated her. They seemed to be the centre of attention, as all their greeters came back to the table and watched them as they settled down to breakfast.

"We won't be making this mistake twice," Severus whispered, as he leant across in front of her for the coffee pot.

"No, we do seem to be something of a curiosity," Hermione replied.

"Don't you people have holidays to go back to?" Severus asked everyone, with a glance around the table and one eyebrow raised haughtily.

"No," Poppy said, pouring herself another cup of tea. "My inventory can wait until later."

"Yes, the pruning I noticed on my way in can wait a bit too," Pomona put in. "Anyhow, I said I'd drop in and check on things while dear Neville and his family are away."

"Agreed," Filius stated. "I've come back to renew the grass trimming charms on the courtyards, but I have the remainder of the holidays to do that."

"Yes, we're all just so pleased to see you, Severus," Rolanda told them.

"And do you have an excuse for being here this morning as well, Rolanda?" Severus questioned.

"Oh heavens no, I'm just a busy-body," the flying instructor stated, her eyes sparkling. However, then she leaned closer conspiratorially, a sly smile on her face, and added, "And I just thought that perhaps there might be something you could have possibly needed me for," and she cut a quick glance at Hermione. "But I can see that all your needs appear to have been already satisfied in that department."

Severus' eyebrow quirked slightly, but he did not bite. It was true that he and Rolanda had once shared a no strings attached sexual arrangement, but he wasn't interested anymore. "Indeed," he replied, "and admirably so, thank you," he stated, squeezing Hermione's hand under the table.

Rolanda gave him one of her sharp bird of prey kind of looks, and rose from the table. "Then I'm going to see a man about a broom, tat-tar," and she strode from the hall.

"Oh, is that a euphemism for… Oh dear," Filius squeaked. He got up quickly and said, "Welcome back, Severus. Good to see you safe and well, Hermione. I must also see a man about a broom too, do pardon me," and he was hurrying from the hall.

Severus leaned close to Hermione's ear and chuckled. "It looks like mine wasn't the only broom she polished."

Hermione snickered softly. "No," and they ate quietly for a while, and the meal was almost over when Poppy made her next comment.

"You will be teaching again, won't you, Severus?" she asked.

"I bloody-well hope not," Severus replied, almost inhaling the remainder of his coffee. "As I understand it, Hogwarts has a perfectly acceptable Potions teacher at the moment," and he glanced at Minerva who nodded.

"No, perhaps Minerva will need a new Transfiguration mistress instead," Pomona put in merrily.

Hermione almost choked this time, and looked at Severus, wondering if he was going to explode.

"I think we've heard enough speculation thank you, kindly mind your own business, ladies," he said, and rose from the table.

Hermione followed him, and Minerva got up as well. The headmistress hurried after them as they marched out of the hall. "My apologies, Severus. I did not think that they would descend on you like a plague of locusts."

"I suppose that it is gratifying to know that my oldest colleagues missed me," Severus conceded, "but they're a nosey bloody lot, aren't they?"

"They have your and Hermione's best interests at heart… although, for the life of me I can't understand why Rolanda bothered coming."

"She saw an opportunity," Severus stated. "The only thing is that the position is now permanently filled," and he squeezed Hermione's hand.

Minerva's brow crinkled slightly, but she moved on without commenting further. "Yes, well I'm certain that you two have much to do, so I'll leave you to it."

"Have a good day, Minerva," Hermione called as they crossed the entrance towards the grand staircase.

However, they were just stepping on to it when Kingsley Shacklebolt and John Dawlish entered through the huge entrance doors.

"Good morning, Kingsley, John. How may we help you?" Minerva asked, watching Severus and Hermione pausing with a foot on the first step of the staircase.

"Good morning, Minerva," Kingsley replied. "John and I were hoping to have a word with Severus and Hermione."

The couple in question turned in unison, they'd been planning a quick escape to their quarters to continue what they'd started before breakfast in their forest hideaway. They glanced at one another.

"I knew it wouldn't be that simple," Hermione murmured.

"Indeed," Severus replied. "What can we do for you, gentlemen?" he asked, in his best bored tone as they turned away from the stairs to face the new arrivals.

"We were hoping for a few words about the changes that occurred within Azkaban, from the perspective of someone who was there," Kingsley stated.

However, before Severus had answered they all looked towards Poppy and Pomona leaving The Great Hall, and Minerva cut in.

"Perhaps my office would offer more privacy," and she opened a portal into her office.

They all went through it and Minerva closed it as she followed them. "I am happy to leave you to speak with Hermione and Severus," she stated, starting to walk towards her private quarters. "I will organise refreshments."

"No," Kingsley called after her. "As long as Severus and Hermione do not mind, we are happy for you to stay."

Minerva looked at Severus and Hermione, and Severus said, "We do not mind," after glancing at Hermione.

"Then let's all sit down," Minerva stated, indicating the seating area in front of the perpetually burning fire.

"Well?" Severus questioned when they were all seated.

Kingsley cleared his throat. "This is rather awkward, Severus, but we realised last night that you were uniquely qualified to answer a question for us," the dark-skinned wizard stated.

"And that would be?" Severus asked, his curiosity only shown in one arched brow.

"Could you tell us how life changed in the last six months of your stay in Azkaban?" John Dawlish asked.

"The last six months," Severus responded, the furrow between his brows deepening in thought.

"Since the Azkaban grid has been offline," Kingsley quantified.

"I'm afraid you are mistaken, gentlemen. The changes at Azkaban started well before that. Its closer to two years ago when all privileges were suddenly revoked without explanation. Our uniforms were replaced with our own clothing… or what we'd been wearing at the time of our arrest. All personal items, including cot mattresses unceremoniously disappeared, and instead of allowing us to walk to and from the exercise yard—our only excursion from our cells once a week—we were compelled by badly crafted spells to do so." He looked at the two visitors listening to him speak, and he realised that they knew nothing of any of this.

"Don't forget about the awful forced showers and disinfecting," Hermione added, but when she glanced at Severus she saw him sizing the situation up.

"That is true," he replied distractedly, but then he pursed his lips and his eyes narrowed. "You did not know about any of it, did you?" He was met by silence. "Did you?" he repeated louder.

Finally Kingsley shook his head. "It was done behind a wall of deception and lies."

"It is only ten years after the worst mad-man of our time did exactly what unknown persons have obviously done to Azkaban. Are you honestly telling me that you did not know? That your guard has slipped that far, that quickly?"

"I know, it's unforgivable," Kingsley conceded.

"Unforgivable?" Severus hissed. "Am I correct in assuming that those who have been taken from Azkaban are no longer alive?"

"Unfortunately, I believe that you may be correct," John Dawlish stated.

Both Hermione and Minerva gasped, and Kingsley heard them. "Yes, someone was slowly exterminating the prisoners. It seems that wrong doing was punished with death," he said, looking around those gathered together.

"Who would do such a thing?" Minerva wanted to know.

"We have some information, but we're not entirely certain yet," he told her.

For her part, Hermione's brain could not take any more in at this point, and she merely sat there, pale and realising just how lucky she'd been to survive her recent experience in the prison, and that was not to even mention how Severus had managed to stay alive.

She rose stiffly from the lounge. "Please, pardon me, b-but… Minerva, may I use your Floo?"

"Certainly. Are you all right?" the headmistress asked.

"N-No… umm, I don't believe I am," and she looked at Severus, but her eyes filled with tears. She could have lost him without ever having known what she now had with him, and she put her hand over her mouth and stumbled towards the Floo.

She landed in her quarters as the first sob escaped her, and moments later Severus arrived and picked her up from where she'd landed as her knees had buckled under her.

"I've been waiting for this to hit you," he told her softly, and carried her to her bed. Laying her on it, before climbing on beside her and holding her while she cried.

xox

At the same time as this was happening at Hogwarts, Ron was just coming down for breakfast at home after spending a very unsettled night due to his own rather confronting realisation.

"Good morning, Ronnie," Molly said, as he entered the kitchen. "You've just missed your father, he's gone out to his shed," she continued, enthusiastically.

"Oh… umm, okay," Ron said.

He sounded lost, and Molly sat his breakfast in front of him, and sat down with her own cup of tea. "Do you want to talk, Ron?"

"Honestly, Mum. I wouldn't know where to start," he said, taking his loaded fork to his mouth.

"Well when you're ready, we're here," Molly said, patting his hand.

"I'm going to go for a fly," he said suddenly, and left his breakfast half-finished as he bolted for the door. Being in the sky always made him feel better, and he desperately wanted to feel better at present.

xox

"Shh," Severus crooned, as Hermione cried against his chest.

"But I could have lost you," she sobbed. "I could have lost you without knowing what we could have had."

"You didn't though, I'm here, and we're together. You are going to be… are my partner."

She suddenly stilled, and turned blood-shot eyes up to his face. "Oh, Severus," and she sniffed and brought a hand up to her eyes.

He pushed her hair out of her face and dipped his lips down to hers momentarily. "Yes," he told her, but then took a deep breath. "Hermione, I know that it is almost lunacy to speak of bonding and forever after just on two weeks, and I do not give my heart easily, but whatever is left of that tattered metaphysical organ, you have renewed, it finally feels whole and full. You have done that, and I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm being too intense, but magic also ratified this agreement earlier."

"Yes, it did," she confirmed, "and you're not being too intense."

"That's good, because I've never had a functional relationship before; it's all new to me," he told her.

"No," she said, sniffing again. "I understand completely, and I feel the same way, but I just realised how things could have worked out so differently and it scared me."

"I know, love. What you went through, being ripped away from your world and placed somewhere you never should have been… well, the impact of that was bound to catch up with you."

"But I went through a war," Hermione told him.

"Yes, ten years ago. So, in my estimation, that actually made it doubly traumatic."

"So did you," she replied.

"Ah, yes, but my awful upbringing made me perfectly suited to being in adverse conditions. You, on the other hand, were never—and should have never been—suited to it, and should never have been shoved into the middle of it. At least Albus knew what he had with me, he had absolutely no conception of what he'd inflicted onto you and Misters Potter and Weasley in his quest to be the great general leading a war." He kissed her forehead. "We'll talk more on this again soon, but you rest now."

However, Hermione's eyes suddenly opened wide and she gasped. "Oh, no," as she lifted her head to look at him.

"What?" he asked.

"You must have run out on Kingsley and his friend."

Severus chuckled. "They understood, and it would have been too bad if they hadn't. You are far more important to me than anything they had to say to me."

"Oh," she said, and snuggled back into his arms. "I am tired."

"You will be intermittently for some time yet. You were very ill yesterday. Now, rest," and he encouraged her head back to his chest.

"Surely you have better things to do than lay here with me."

"I will stay here with you until you're asleep."

"Thank you, Severus."

He kissed her temple. "I wish to go and take possession of our new estate later, and I would like you to come with me, so I would like you well rested before we go."

"Oh, I'd like that," and she leant up and kissed his lips.

They kissed languidly for some moments. "I'm not sure I want to rest after all, "she told him as she pulled back momentarily.

His hands started caressing her torso, and his lips covered hers once more. "Well, at least you're lying down, that could be considered as rest," he told her.

Hermione snickered into their kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

He allowed her to for some moments, but then he broke their kiss, and said, "As much as I'd like to continue what we started before breakfast, I do want you to rest."

"Spoilsport," she chuckled.

"Am I indeed, Madam," and his long fingers skimmed over her ribs, and started moving.

"No!" she cried. "No, don't tickle!"

The corner of his mouth twitched. "You're ticklish!" he asserted.

"No, Severus, no!"

However, their game was interrupted by a very human yelp, the rattle of falling roof tiles, and the tinkle of broken glass, which was all followed by heavy thud.

They both sat up. "What the hell was that?" Hermione said.

"It came from out in the sitting room," Severus stated, and they were both on their feet and running.

They stopped dead in front of the French doors that led out onto a small balcony. There was Ron, sprawled out, arms and legs akimbo on the balcony. He had part of his broom in one hand, and his booted foot had gone through the glass door as he'd landed.

"Weasley, can't you use a door like a sane person?" Severus said, moving towards him.

"Ron, are you all right?" Hermione asked, hurrying to the door as well.

"Bloody broom oversteered," Ron told them, slowly collecting himself and shaking his head as they came out to help him up.

"Are you cut anywhere?" Hermione asked, her eyes looking up and down his leg.

"No, it's just my pride and bloody hell, look at my broom."

His rescuers obligingly took in the fact that Ron was only holding half of his broom. Severus dragged him up to his feet and then their eyes moved from the broken tiles that had been under him to the tower roof way above them.

Severus mended the glass door panel that Ron's foot had gone through as he landed, and then he turned his wand to the tower roof and watched the tiles snapping back into place, unbroken.

"I'm having a really crappy time," Ron told Hermione as she led him inside, but then he suddenly hugged her. "I'm sorry 'bout what that bitch did to you," he said.

"Well, yes," Hermione managed to say, but then she pulled away from the hug and sidled up to Severus. She grasped his hand, and looked back at Ron. "Do you have any idea why she did it?"

Ron sighed and flopped down into the chair Hermione had been leading him towards. He pushed his fingers through his hair, and then glanced up at her. "I think it was jealousy. We often fought about you," and he shook his head. "But what she did was way over the top. You know that we're just not compatible as more than friends, but she didn't ever seem to get that. She hassled me about Lucy too…" but then his voice trailed off.

Hermione glanced at Severus, and then sat on the lounge opposite Ron and pulled Severus down next to her, as she said, "Ron, what brings you here today?"

"I wanted to…" he stopped, but then tried again. "I t-think… well, that is, I w-wonder if maybe she's…" and when he continued it was very softly. "I think she might have cursed me or dosed me in some way."

This had Severus instantly interested. "What makes you think that, Mister Weasley?"

Ron swallowed hard, and glanced at Severus, before licking his lips nervously and saying, "I've been away from her for about a week now, and I'm starting to remember things… important things that I seem to have forgotten."

Severus stood and took the few steps towards Ron as he drew his wand. He drew it in a circle around the redhead, and a complicated pattern of runes started dancing around him. Hermione gasped and instantly accioed parchment and a quill, but Severus simply conjured a blackboard. He handed her a stick of chalk and said, "This will be easier, love."

"Yes, you're right," she agreed, and with amazing speed she started writing the Arithmetic numbers of the runes down as Severus started adding them to find their potion equivalents on another board next to hers.

As they compiled their results, they glanced at one another. "I believe that you had best summon, Mister… I mean Harry, as I'm certain that he will wish to see this."

"Yes, I agree," Hermione nodded, and putting her chalk down she picked up her wand. She summoned her otter and told it, "Harry, could you come to my quarters at Hogwarts, please. We've found out something you'll want to know."

The three of them watched the patronus streak off out the wall and they looked back to the board, but Ron screwed his face up as he looked at all the numbers and said, "What have you found out?"

Severus turned to him, and he flinched expecting to be put down for his ignorance, but was surprised, when the raven-haired wizard replied genially, "You have been being dosed with several potions over a long period of time. You will require a course of cleansing potions, but first Mister Potter—and or his associates—will wish to procure the evidence of this from you."

"H-How will they do that?" Ron asked hesitantly.

"They will have their own people do exactly what we've just done, and then you will be examined by a healer before he will most likely tell you exactly what Severus has just told you," Hermione said.

Severus raised an eyebrow authoritatively and looked at her. "Most likely?"

Hermione snickered. "Well, exactly, but he may also suggest other things as well as the cleansing potions."

Severus seemed satisfied with this answer, and as he nodded, Harry walked through the Floo. "What's up?" he asked, but then looked at the runes and spied the blackboard. "Hells bells," he gasped.

"You understand all those numbers?" Ron questioned.

"Sure, well I don't get how they do it, apart from the fact that certain runes have equivalent arithmetical numbers that Arithmancers can use to find out information. We learned the resultant numbers in training, and if this is what I think it is," and he glanced at Hermione and Severus, and when they nodded, he continued, "then someone is a walking potions factory." Then Harry looked at Hermione and Severus. "You're both looking better this morning."

Hermione grinned. "I'm feeling so much better."

"She's exaggerating, Harry. She's much better, but not well, and I've been trying to get her to rest," Severus told him.

"Snitch," Hermione accused.

That imperious eyebrow rose again. "Disrespect," he sighed, rolling his eyes. "Is there not a witch somewhere who will respect my better judgement?"

Hermione smiled sweetly at him. "You would hex such a witch in ten minutes flat," she assured him.

He snorted. "Yes, you're probably correct."

"I know I'm correct," she countered.

Harry and Ron were watching the words flying back and forth between them like they were watching a tennis match, and finally, Harry said to Ron, "Well, I'm assuming that it's you, mate, allow me to escort you to headquarters, Seamus and Dean will want to add this to their log." However, before he ushered Ron towards the Floo, he turned to Hermione and Severus. "Ginny wants to have a dinner tonight, would you both be able to come?"

Hermione looked at Severus, and he nodded slightly.

"We could be available," he said.

"What time?" Hermione asked.

"Seven," Harry responded, and then they were gone.

"Well, that was rather strange," Hermione commented, still looking at the fire.

"Mmm, all around," Severus intoned thoughtfully, but then turned to her and wound his arms around her. "Well, now it really is time for you to rest," and he glanced at the clock. "And it is also time for your next potion."

Hermione glanced at the clock too. "My gosh, it's almost lunch time."

"That it is, now into your bedroom, Madam. You will rest."

Hermione smiled slyly at him, and her hands glided up the front of his frock coat. "I would settle better if you were with me," she informed him softly.

He smiled, but stilled her hands. "I think not, my dear. Resting alone would be of more benefit to you," and he leant forward to kiss her forehead.

She turned determined eyes to him. "But what if I can't settle… what it I'm feeling all hot and bothered?"

"Hermione, it would be so easy to give in to you at the moment, but I have your best interest at heart."

She sighed. "Yes, I know you do. Thank you, Severus," she replied, and she kissed him.