Chapter Twenty-One: Conversations

(i) The characters and world of Harry Potter are the property of J.K. Rowling. I make no money from this.

(ii) Thank you for the thoughtful reviews. Please do continue to let me know what you think of the story. Your reviews definitely help me keep writing.

(iii) A big hug of gratitude to my beautiful beta, Queen_of_Stars.

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In thoughtful silence, his mind dwelling firmly on the Dark Veela Curse in light of his discovery of real emotion for the young woman on his arm, Severus Apparated Hermione back to Grimmauld Place.

Hermione too was quiet. She was coming to grips with their explosive passion and the realisation that she was not only attracted to Severus, she was also starting to feel strong emotion for him. Severus' display of tenderness had moved Hermione greatly. She realised that it was not an often shown emotion on the part of the sardonic Slytherin, and she was quick to grasp that he too had feelings invested in their growing relationship.

Hermione had understood, and correctly so, that although they had not spoken the words out loud, Severus was courting her. His intentions towards her were honourable and serious. She recognized that if he merely wanted a flirtation and a bed-mate, he would not be so attuned to her needs, he would not be willing to be so patient. Clarissa Nott would have been a much better option if Severus merely required a warm body.

Severus kissed her hand courteously at the entrance, and after ensuring that she was safely inside, he left with a silent spin.

As Severus had predicted, Harry was waiting for Hermione in the library.

"How were the orchids?" he asked by way of greeting.

"Brilliant, Harry, just brilliant," said Hermione distractedly as she walked over to look out of the window. She wished that Severus had not brought her home so swiftly. She wanted to be with him still. Her feelings were all in a muddle, and she wanted to discuss them with him. Is this love? wondered Hermione. She'd thought she had loved Ron, but it had felt nothing like this: this utter need for Severus' touch, his kiss. Goodness, thought Hermione, I can't think straight. All I want is to be back by the brook, Severus' stronger, larger body thrusting, grinding into me. I love the way he kisses me.

Harry could see that Hermione was confused. He walked over to her and slipped his arms around her waist. "Did something happen to upset you?" he asked in concern.

"No, Harry," said Hermione with a sigh. "I think..., no, I know that I have strong feelings for Severus." Hermione turned to look her friend in the eye. "I'm not sure what these feelings are, though. How can I be in love, Harry? I hardly know him. But when I'm with him, nothing else matters, and when I'm away from him, all I can think about is him. I never felt this way about Ron. I'm so confused."

Harry nodded and said, "I thought as much when I saw you both dancing at the Fudge Ball. There was such intensity in the way you looked at each other."

Hermione blushed. "I wonder if everyone knows." Then she giggled, "Cissy and Lucius probably suspect; Draco, too." Hermione looked at Harry. "Do you mind, Harry?"

Now it was Harry's turn to sigh. "Not really, 'Mione, though it does make me slightly uncomfortable. Not because I don't think he's decent or anything, but because I realise that he's a very complex man. He's done so much, seen so much. Can you live with his darkness?"

"I think his darkness is one of the things that attracts me," confided Hermione. "I don't know why, but his control over the darkness shows his tremendous magical power, and that power is intoxicating. He has such command over his magic, such vast stores of knowledge and magical strength. It's like a drug. When I'm near him, I can't help but want to touch him, be touched by him."

Harry blanched. "Too much information, 'Mione," he said with a grimace.

"Sorry, Harry," said Hermione with a cheeky grin. "But you did ask."

"True," said Harry, "just don't start getting all soppy on me, please. I don't think I could stand it."

Hermione laughed. She was glad she could talk to Harry about her feelings. At least her best friend understood what was going on.

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Harry's conversation with Hermione had got him thinking further. Realising that the Weasleys were the most likely candidates to upset his best friend, he decided to do something about it. For Harry reasoned that when Hermione's relationship with Severus became public knowledge, she was going to get the worst of it. He had heard what Ginny and Molly had been saying, after all.

Deciding to take the bull by the horns, Harry asked Ron out to Muggle London for a drink. "It'll be a change, mate," said Harry in encouragement. "We're always mobbed when we go out in Diagon Alley. This will be different, like an adventure."

Ron agreed immediately. He loved Muggle London. The girls were easy, and the drink though not as strong as Firewhiskey, was still cheap and gave him the feeling that he was being daring and adventurous.

Once they were comfortably ensconced in a Muggle pub called The Dog and Partridge, with two pints of ale, Harry brought up his concerns. "Ron, you know I've been working with Kingsley and Williamson to control my Dark Magic. How's your own training progressing?"

Because Harry had spoken of his own training, Ron could not deny his own. "Slow, mate, slow. I'm so angry and resentful all the time."

Harry nodded. "I just feel guilty and often times, despondent. I want to save the world, to make sure everything is fine and that everyone is happy. Kingsley says it's a good thing to have, but that I mustn't let that control my life. Severus just sneers and says that I need to control my urge to be the one to rush into things headlong without planning, and without knowing the full situation."

Ron nodded. This conversation he could handle. If Harry was having issues, then his problems were in comparison not such a bad thing.

"How are things with Hermione?" asked Harry next. He knew his two best friends were now speaking, but he had watched and heard their strained communication.

Ron shrugged. "You know Hermione, Harry, she's mental. She's always with the bloody Malfoys, or Snape." Then, as if recalling something, he asked, "Did I just hear you refer to the git as Severus? When did that happen?"

Harry grinned. "I know. I was in a meeting with Kingsley, and Severus turned up for it. Halfway through the conversation, he sighed and just said, 'I'm no longer your professor, Potter, just call me Severus,' and then shook my hand. I nearly died. The git's not that bad, really. A lot of what went on at Hogwarts was just us being an annoyance and a worry to him. He had to act like he thought we were scum for the benefit of the people watching. You know what horrid little snits most of the Slytherins were. He had to make sure that his absolute hatred for us was sent back home in their letters. Also, and this I learned later from Kingsley, if Severus was seen to be horrid to us, and if we were seen to mistrust him and dislike him intensely, Voldemort could never ask him to bring me to him. Everyone knew that I would sooner hex Severus than believe some cock and bull story he made up to get me out of Hogwarts."

Ron nodded. "Makes sense, mate, but he didn't have to enjoy it so much."

Harry grinned. "Well he is a Slytherin. Killing more than one bird with one stone is the normal mode of operation for that lot."

Ron agreed with a grunt.

"Anyway," said Harry, "I've been thinking. You need to ease up on Hermione, Ron. You know you both never really had anything in common. You speak a totally different language. She wants to study, to work, to change the world. You want a woman who dreams of being a wife and a mother, someone who wants to take care of your house and be like your mum. Hermione is not that woman. Lavender might be."

Ron sighed. "I know, mate. But I don't like seeing her with the Git. Have you seen the way the slimy bugger keeps dancing with her? It makes me want to puke. And besides, I wanted to shag her first."

"Ron," said Harry in disgust. "She's our best friend, don't be so crude."

"Sorry, mate," mumbled Ron in contrition. "But 'Mione's well fit, and well, I thought after our kiss that she liked me. This whole bloody Dark Magic thing ruined everything."

Harry nodded. "I know, but we have to fight it and control it. We can't let this hurdle ruin our friendship."

Ron nodded. "I'll try, Harry. But it's not easy. Especially when Hermione's so pretty and looks at me like I'm a bloody flobberworm. I want to shake her and then kiss her. It's just the way it is."

"Well kiss Lavender instead," said Harry in annoyance. "And leave my sister alone."

"Your sister?" asked Ron in high tone of surprise.

"Yes, my sister," said Harry gruffly. "She's the closest thing to family that I have ever had. I love her, Ron, and you're making her cry with your beastliness. You've got to stop, mate. She's affected by the Dark too, but it's just made her overly sensitive, overly fragile. She's always crying after you or Ginny say something to her. I'm tired of cheering her up."

Ron looked extremely embarrassed. He had not realised that he was hurting his friend so much. For despite the darkness and his insensitivity, he did care for Hermione in his own way. He did realise that he was being a berk. "Right, Harry," said Ron. "I'll try to be better."

One down, two more to go, thought Harry, doing a little victory dance in his head. He knew that now that he had explained things to Ron, that his friend would start thinking. Ron may be an insensitive prat, but he was strategic and a theorist. He would analyse what had been said and come to the right conclusion. This, Harry knew for a fact.

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Severus, unfortunately, had no one to speak to about his confusing emotions. Instead, he brooded and tried to come to grips with his unexpected and inexplicable feelings. Can this be love? wondered Severus. Can the Dark Veela Curse be lifted this easily?

The Dark curse, however, was like all Dark magic. It was insidious, sneaky. It worked on already established insecurities, weaknesses. Thus, Severus convinced himself that he was not in love with Hermione. I just want her body, he told himself ruthlessly. Just because I find her delectable, utterly and completely fuckable does not mean I'm capable of love. I'm probably confusing desire with affection. Saddened but resigned to his inability to love or be loved, Severus decided to take his seduction of Hermione even more slowly. I want her to want me, to come to me, to make the next move. I'm not going to sweep her off her feet. I never want her to turn around and accuse me of seducing her. Feeling more secure with his course of action, Severus began to plot once more.

Two days later, Severus sent out invitations. He had decided to hold his first luncheon at the Manor and thereby grant access to the select few who would be able to enter his new home. Hermione, the Malfoys, Potter and Kingsley had been invited. So too had Astoria, as Draco's date, and Minerva, as his long-term friend and colleague.

At the luncheon, Severus did his best to re-establish their boundaries. He still called her Hermione, but he made no move to be alone with her. Even when the opportunity presented itself while he was showing his guests around the estate, he made no move to kiss her or indeed, to give her an opportunity to kiss him.

Hermione was disappointed, but she did not despair. She was smart enough to realise that Severus, too, had been taken aback by their explosive passion. He's regrouping, she thought with a fond smile. Hermione was an intelligent young woman who knew her taciturn Potions Master well enough to know that he would find their sudden intimacy and closeness alarming. Her mother had always said, 'Fight fire with fire,' so Hermione decided that she would use Slytherin tactics on her Slytherin lover. She would seduce him. She would confuse him and force him to rethink his obvious ploy of re-establishing their guarded courtship.

Moreover, Hermione decided that she would find another, more covert way to engineer quality time alone with Severus. If he was uncomfortable being her lover, she would be with him as his friend. To that end, a day after the luncheon, Hermione sent Severus an owl. Working hard to maintain a cool tone, she wrote:

Dear Severus,

Hermione

Once the letter was written, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that she had made it seem very businesslike and practical. There was no cloying sentiment to alarm her sardonic professor.

Severus, on receiving the missive, was unexpectedly hurt. He had hoped that she would display some sort of desire for him. Instead, she wrote of his usefulness to her course of action. However, re-reading the letter, he paused at her phrase, I have no one else I am comfortable discussing this with, for it gave him hope. If she trusted him with her personal worries, then perhaps he still had a chance.

Thinking carefully, Severus decided to alter his planned course of action. He did not want her to dismiss him as a suitor, after all. Thus, the letter he sent back was warmer and more affectionate than he had previously designed to be.

Dearest Hermione,

Severus

Hermione smirked as she read Severus' note. Her businesslike tone had done the trick. He had immediately backtracked on his decision to play it cool. Smiling, she decided she would continue to woo him like a Slytherin. If her Gryffindor brashness sent him scurrying away, she would use her Slytherin wiles.

To that effect, Hermione dressed very carefully for tea with Severus. Not an overtly vain young woman, Hermione had learned via Cissy how to dress to emphasis her best features. Under Cissy's tutoring Hermione had learned that her eyes and her hair were prime features, as were her tiny waist and pert, full breasts. Thus, with careful thought, she realised that she would dress as if she were still unaware of her sexuality. The body of a young woman dressed in the garments of a young girl was sure to arouse and hopefully, positively confuse her Slytherin would-be lover, for Severus would not expect Slytherin cunning from Hermione. Hermione wanted his attention focused on her and her ripening sexuality.

Smirking in an exceptionally devious manner, she wore an old sleeveless cotton dress in pale ivory that had an all overprint of tiny green leaves that was now just a little too short and tight for her. She had grown in the bust over the last year, and this dress had been bought in her sixth year at Hogwarts. But because the dress was not in any way obviously provocative and did indeed look its age, she could just shrug off his suspicion that she had dressed for him. Once she wore the dress, she looked at herself in the mirror. The tiny pearl buttons that held the bodice were pulled taunt against her straining breasts, and Hermione opened the top two to give herself some breathing space. With the cotton frock, she wore her golden Grecian style sandals. They elongated her legs and showed off her slender calves.

Dressed and prepared mentally to seduce and entice, Hermione Apparated to Lestrange Manor at precisely half past three in the afternoon where she was met at the gates by Severus.

Merlin's baggy underpants, thought Severus. The girl is gorgeous. I wonder if she realises how utterly Lolita-like she looks in that dress. I could ravish her this very instant. Trying to discretely adjust his suddenly extremely tight trousers, Severus extended his arm to Hermione.

Smiling broadly, Hermione placed her hand on his arm. She had seen and noted the way in which Severus' gaze had flicked heatedly over her body. Pleased that she had caught his attention as planned, she moved on to the real purpose of her visit. "Thank you so much, Severus, for agreeing to help me. There is no one else I can trust with this problem."

Severus bowed his head graciously. Her words pleased him. "You're welcome, Hermione," he said. "I'm pleased you trust me with this delicate matter."

As they walked up to the house, she once again admired the grounds and the placement of the Manor. "This is such a beautiful drive," said Hermione. "You're very fortunate that the Malfoys were willing to part with it."

"I know," said Severus. "I think Cissy is the one who swung the deal my way. If it were up to Lucius, the house would still be rotting, sitting all closed up."

Hermione smiled. She realised that Cissy was planning ahead. She really did owe her newest girlfriend for her obvious plotting.

Once they were comfortably seated in his well appointed study, Hermione brought up the topic that was foremost on her mind. "Now that Kingsley assures me that all Death Eater sympathisers have been rounded up or contained, I think it's time to try bringing back my parents. I miss them, Severus. I miss talking to my mother, cooking with my father. I just want them home."

Severus listened to Hermione. He did not know how to respond to her candid explanation of her feelings. He had never really experienced anything similar. All he could do was nod his head in encouragement.

It seemed to be enough for Hermione. "When I placed the charm on my parents, I didn't know if I would be alive to reverse it. But I hoped that if we did win the war and I survived, I would go with Harry and Ron to bring them home. Now, I don't know. Ron and I can hardly speak civilly to one another, and Harry is in no condition to go with me to Australia. He's got enough problems trying to figure out what to do about Ginny and training for the Auror Programme. Severus, will you help me? Will you come with me? You know more than anyone else about Legilimency and Occlumency. We might need both of those skills if the incantation to reverse the Memory Charm does not work. Goodness only knows how successfully I did the Memory Charm in the first place. I had so little time and no previous experience in mind magic. Please?"

Hermione stopped then and left the chair she'd been seated on to kneel on the carpet before his armchair. She placed her hands on his knees and looked up imploringly at his face. "Severus, I trust you. When I'm with you I feel safe, secure. I know you'll take care of me if things go wrong: if we can't find my parents or if the reversal is unsuccessful. I know it's a lot to ask, but I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be with at such a troubling time. I know Arthur Weasley would be happy to come, but I would rather have you. I want to try and bring them home before I go back to Hogwarts for my final year. Please, will you help me?"

Severus was moved by her plea. He realised that she wanted him, not because he was her only option, but because she trusted him above all others. It helped soothe his ego. After a long silence, he finally sighed and inclined his head. "I shall accompany you. You cannot go to Australia alone, and if things do not go as planned, you will need someone to be of assistance."

Hermione threw her arms around him in gratitude and kissed him with all of her hopes and dreams. She did not hold back in her passion or her joy at his agreement.

When Hermione rose to her knees and embraced Severus exuberantly before smothering him in kisses, something in his cold, lonely heart shattered. She does like me, though Severus in satisfaction. I'm not just a tool. I do mean something to her. In response, he too returned her kiss, pulling her so that she was soon seated across his knees, Severus' arms wrapped securely around her waist. She cuddled into him, holding him tightly, her face pressed against his strong chest.

Hermione was where she wanted to be, with Severus, held securely in his arms.

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A/N: Love it or hate it, please let me know what you think.