Together

Thanks to my beta, MadBrilliant. Also, thank you for all the wonderful reviews I've received. Please keep them coming! I LOVE reviews!

***

Kingsley came in the next day while Snape and Hermione were eating lunch. They were both doing much better; soon they would be able to return to their own rooms. The mood had been light as they chatted with Madam Pomfrey. She regaled Hermione with the funniest stories of the various injuries, jinxes, and hexes that Snape had come in with during his years as a student.

"Well, only to be fair, I should tell you of some of the more interesting curses I had to cure when Mr. Potter and Mr. Black came to see me. Although, I have no idea who had a hand in such activities!" she said in mock ignorance.

"Poppy, were you a Slytherin?" teased Hermione as she laughed.

"Merlin, no!" gasped Snape. "Poppy was a Hufflepuff, were you not?" he goaded.

"Oh, you, Severus Snape!" she huffed. "I was a Hufflepuff and proud of it!" she said with her hands on her hips.

"Loyal to end, right Poppy?" he asked silkily.

"Don't try to work your wiles with me, young man! Don't let him fool you, Hermione. He is Slytherin to the core, even with all his Gryffindor tendencies! More than once he has tried to make me feel sorry for him so I would forget to report his misdeeds to the Headmaster!"

"Oh, really?" flirted Hermione as she turned her head towards him.

"Miss Granger, your tone is not appreciated. Now, eat your lunch! Poppy, I must say, this is not appropriate. Miss Granger is one of my students!" he chided.

"Don't get your Slytherin up with me, Severus Snape!" Poppy retorted. "You are just afraid Miss Granger will see what is truly underneath that prickly nature of yours. He's all bark, this one!"

She turned and stalked off to her office.

Hermione started to giggle.

"Miss Granger, do try to compose yourself!" he snapped.

She snorted in her soup. Snape dropped his spoon in his soup with an audible clank in exasperation.

"I'm s-sorry!" she said as she laughed. "I just remembered we all thought you were part vampire, but now that can't be true, you have no bite!" She laughed harder now.

She looked at him with her bright eyes. He leaned over towards her and whispered, his eyes glittering dangerously. "Oh, but I do bite, Miss Granger, make no mistake."

She leaned over towards him in return, her eyes shining at him. "Where do you bite, Professor?" she asked with fake innocence.

"Anywhere that will give the most pleasure, Miss Granger," he replied seductively.

She felt her mouth go dry and her mouth was gaping wide open with shock.

He leaned back and tucked into his soup with a satisfied expression on his face. He did not look at her again. Hermione did likewise, but noticed that she was feeling rather warm between her legs.

***

Kingsley walked into the infirmary during the silence and immediately let them know exactly how the public had reacted to the news.

"It was packed. Reporters from all over the globe were there; it was a circus! Then when I announced Miss Granger as one of the survivors, there was the expected cheering and happy words exchanged. Then when I announced that Severus Snape was the other, it was, well, not a pleasant reaction," he mumbled, embarrassed.

"So, shall I pack now for Azkaban, Kingsley, or wait for the mob's assistance?" asked Snape sarcastically.

Kingsley shot him a warning glance. "Severus, I've had a long day," he warned the younger wizard. "It took all that was within me to explain the situation of Severus' role as a double agent to the Wizengamot and the press. Of course, having the documentation from Dumbledore's diary that he had ordered you to kill him helped their minds in your favor. I also told of my version of the events during the battle where you took down both the Lestrange brothers. There will be a full inquiry, but I would not pack yet for Azkaban just now, Severus. After all, Hogwarts needs you!"

At this revelation, Kingsley stood and paced a bit, finally placing his large, dark hands to rest on the chair in front of him. "Actually," he began, "Hogwarts needs both of you! I need a Headmaster and a Potions teacher. I also will need a Transfiguration teacher, a Charms, and a Defense teacher. It will be hard, you both will be working harder than you have ever had to before, but I'm going to be getting some teachers from the other Wizarding schools. Hogwarts will open this fall! When you are both well enough, you will be able to see the work that is starting outside. We are rebuilding!"

Snape and Hermione sat in their beds with surprised expressions on their faces. Neither one spoke.

Poppy felt the overwhelming tension emit from her patients and took over. She whisked their lunch trays away with a flick of her wand. "Now, Minister, these two have had quite enough excitement for one day!" she said as she shooed him out the door. "You may return this evening. We'll try and have a meeting in the Headmaster's office."

She turned to her charges and Accio'd two phials of Sleeping Draught. "Drink up and sleep!" she ordered.

They obeyed with no complaint and drifted off into slumber.

***

After Poppy curtained off their areas, the two survivors dressed to leave for their separate rooms. Both were now fit and able to resume their lives. Although the two did not know what that would entail. It was an uncomfortable state of limbo for Headmaster and student. After they both were dressed, Poppy removed the sheet that separated them and they saw each other as they had for so many years before: she in her Hogwarts uniform and he in his heavy black robes. For a while, they sat and regarded the other. Images came to both minds of the other minutes after discovery. Lying bloodied and weak, scared that death was waiting just around the corner to claim them.

Snape stood and said matter-of-factly, "I shall be returning to the Headmaster's chambers. First, though, I should like to see the dungeons. Would you like to join me in checking the Potions storeroom, Miss Granger?"

Hermione looked up at him and nodded. She stood as well, and they gave their thanks to Poppy.

The mediwitch embraced the young woman. "Hermione, you are going to stay in my rooms until we can get you new ones of your own. Kingsley and I have discussed it, and we don't want you rooming in Gryffindor Tower. But, I know you would want to go and see your old common room. You will find there are other items still there, but do not be alarmed. They are just items from the younger students that they couldn't take during the evacuation."

Hermione turned to leave with Snape but turned back and asked her, "Where will we eat now?"

"In the Great Hall. The Malfoy, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Macnair, and Yaxley estates along with some others counted forfeit to the Ministry, and all their house-elves have been sent here. They have done wonders cleaning up the Great Hall. The three of us will eat together at the normal times, just as we have done here. In a couple of days, the workmen will arrive and the rebuilding shall begin." She glanced around her. "It won't be silent for long, praise be!" She smiled at the two. "Alright, off with you!"

As they walked out, Snape gave a low growl of displeasure in his throat.

"What was that?" asked Hermione.

"She still thinks I'm an eleven-year-old with skinned knees and a bloodied nose!" he snarled.

Hermione giggled.

"Must you do that?" he said uncomfortably.

"Sorry, Professor," she apologized. "I just find it interesting to picture you as a little first-year."

He glowered at her, but it only caused her to giggle again. He stopped walking and pulled up his full height. "You will control yourself, Miss Granger! Otherwise, you can be on your way. I was only being polite. After all, we are the only other living people in this entire castle!"

"I apologize," she said, utterly chastened. "I'm sorry my giggling bothers you."

He looked at her with exasperation. "It does not bother me. It is just that it does not become you, Miss Granger. You are a young woman now, not a second-year...and I am no Gilderoy Lockhart!" he grumbled.

Hermione blushed at his mention of her second-year crush on her Defense teacher. What? Does he think I'm flirting with him? she thought.

Snape cringed. Damn and Blast! What was that? Infernal woman! Well, she is no girl anymore. That is clear from the look of her. Why did I have to bring up that dunderhead Lockheart?

Snape began to walk a bit faster, taking longer strides. Hermione saw his face was set hard. She lengthened her strides to keep up with him. The wizard was extremely uncomfortable. Each time she giggled a shock went up his spine and shot to his heart where it beat into double-time and then sank down into his belly...and lower. He was feeling the heat now burning in his thighs. He tightened his hands into fists and willed the feeling to subside.

Their footsteps echoed painfully in the hallways. Hermione kept envisioning the people she would have normally seen running, gossiping, and laughing in these halls. Now she was accompanying her professor. They made quite the pair: the taciturn, potent, dark wizard with the most bright, brilliant, and clever witch of her generation, both powerful in their own unique way. They were a true complement to each other, but they did not see it. Not yet. They kept walking together in unison. He slowed for her, she sped up for him, and they found their stride.

Together.

When they had reached the dungeons, Snape was easily able to break through Slughorn's wards. He snorted at the idiocy of the man. He had been an idiot when Severus was a student and had been an even bigger idiot when he returned: in mind and body. He went directly to the storeroom and steadied himself for whatever he might find, taking a deep breath.

"Professor, are you alright?" Hermione asked tentatively. Her hand snaked out to touch his arm lightly. It felt...nice, soothing, and warm. It was not what she had expected coming from him.

He stiffened and closed his eyes. "I assure you, Miss Granger, I am perfectly well. It is that I am unaware as to what type of travesty I am about to find behind that door!" he snapped.

She removed her hand from him. He had felt so strong to the touch, solid, like steel. She had never touched him before...ever, but it felt strangely nice.

After breaking the wards, he wrenched the door open and walked inside. Hermione held back. She did not want to find herself in close proximity with a volatile Snape. She cringed, waiting for the inferno to erupt. Finally, he blew like a volcano.

"BUGGER!"

She had never heard, even on Ron's worst day, the filth that came from this man. He was right brassed-off. She stood with her mouth open like a perfect "O." She exhaled and walked slowly inside.

He was muttering to himself. "Couldn't be arsed, that bleeding tosser!" He swung around; his face was blushing.

"Pardon my language, Miss Granger, I hope you can understand the reason for my...anger," he said unevenly. She could tell he was only keeping his tongue in check for her benefit.

"Perhaps, Professor, if you and I both work on cleaning up and putting things to rights, then it will go faster. I know how orderly you like things to be," Hermione offered.

He shifted his eyes to her. A mad glint came over his hard, coal-black eyes. "I say, Miss Granger, you would, knowing as I do how much time you have spent in here rifling through to find ingredients."

Hermione blushed. Then she grew sad, remembering that month she had spent in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom making Polyjuice Potion second year with Ron and Harry. Snape sensed her sadness. He hoped she wouldn't cry.

"Let's start working, Miss Granger," he said softly.

He watched as she carefully removed each bottle, dusted, and examined its label. She was careful and conscientious. He kept glancing at her hands. They were so small, but capable. He lowered his head, letting his hair curtain around his face so he could watch her without her knowing. He looked at her figure. She had taken off her robe earlier and was wearing her uniform. She had a pleasant face, very pleasant and comforting. His eyes flickered to her chest and wished he could see a better outline. He looked at her skirt and followed her legs down to the floor. She had developed a woman's body as well as coming of age on the run.

He tried to remember the times he saw her at Headquarters during the early days of the war when they were meeting at Grimmauld Place. He decided to forget it. No use daydreaming about nonsense. Besides, she had been a child and had looked as such. The Hermione of those days meant nothing to him. He knew from the moment they had lain together side-by-side in the Great Hall struggling for their lives that something had changed. He felt he was no longer the same person somehow, and it worried him.

They worked all afternoon, cleaning, sorting, and re-labeling. Together, in unison, without direction or conversation, they kept on with their task. It was a comforting afternoon. At times, their fingers, hands, or shoulders would touch, and it felt delightful to the wizard. Hermione found her brain had shut off; it was as if she was just doing detention and at the end, she would return to Gryffindor Tower where Ron and Harry would be waiting for her. Snape kept glancing at his young companion. She was happily quiet with him and he appreciated her silence. He could get used to this new Hermione.

Snape finally broke her concentration and announced it was time for dinner. At first, she was confused and then it hit her all at once. She lowered her head and swiped angrily at her eyes. Snape stood straight and tall. He was uncomfortable with tears. He waited quietly until she left the storeroom. They washed up without a word, and they walked soberly to the Great Hall where Poppy joined them. They told her of the state with which they had found the Potions lab.

Hermione whispered to Poppy, "It was a right tip! He went beserk!"

"I can hear you, you do realize that, do you not?" he murmured as he ate.