Chapter Twenty-Three: Post-Oz Results

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

(ii) Thank you to all the readers who have stayed with me through the writing of this story. Your kind reviews have helped me so much. Please do continue to let me know what you think of the story.

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

*******************************************************************************

August proved to be as hot and as sunny as the rest of the summer months. Hermione, Luna and Astoria took delight in their new friendship and spent most of their last days before their return to school sunbathing by the Malfoys' Japanese water garden. When not sprawled inelegantly around the grounds and gardens, the three spent much of their time reading and preparing for their return to Hogwarts.

Staying at the Malfoys' had at first seemed strange, but soon Hermione found that she was able to quite confidently call the Manor home. It made her laugh in amazement, because she had never thought that she would be so comfortable around the haughty Slytherins.

Draco seemed to find the three girls' friendship very amusing, and he started calling them the Tempting Trio. Luna had blushed furiously at this moniker before informing Draco quite categorically in her unabashedly sincere manner that the man she fancied was still too blind to notice.

Astoria and Hermione both grinned at this comment. In their lazy afternoons of relaxation and sun-worshiping, the two had been able to discover that Luna had formed a more than passing interest in the Saviour of the Wizarding World.

Severus had always been a fairly regular visitor to Malfoy Manor. Now he had another reason to visit, and it soon became a fairly frequent occurrence to have him join the Malfoys and the three young women for dinner and drinks. Indeed, the slow and gentle courtship that Severus had initiated at the start of the summer vacation had progressed to the state that it was now an open secret among their friends. However, as the days moved swiftly towards the start of term, Severus decided to speak candidly to Hermione. Going out into the rose garden where Hermione was reading in the evening sunlight, Severus sat down on the wrought iron bench beside her.

Hermione put down her book on wizarding feudal practices and turned to kiss the man beside her. "Hello, you," she said with a happy smile.

Severus continued to find it amazing that she would greet him so openly with a happy smile and kiss. No one else had ever really wanted him as openly as Hermione did. Returning her kiss, he drew her to straddle his thighs. Sliding his arms to hold her to him, he groaned as she began to wantonly rub herself against his immediate and insistent erection. "Stop that, Princess," he murmured. "Cissy and Lucius are probably glued to the window watching us at this very moment. Do you really want to give them more teasing material?"

Hermione blushed and giggled. She knew how much her friends enjoyed roasting the two of them for their so-called slow-burn relationship. Indeed, Cissy had taken Hermione aside on more than one occasion to ask if she required contraception potion, or even, at Hermione's most recent revelation that she had still not been bedded by Severus, a bit of Bella's incredibly powerful lust potion. Letting her hands caress his long, lank hair, she impishly replied, "Yes."

Severus chuckled darkly. "Bloody Gryffindor," he said before standing swiftly to turn and deposit her back onto the bench. "I'm not going to ravish you for the amusement of the match-making duo."

"You always have a reason for not ravishing me," said Hermione with a pout. She knew she sounded ridiculous, but she wanted him. Ron had been dying to get into her pants, but he had left her feeling cold and frigid. Now that she'd finally found a man who turned her body to molten lava, he buggered up her plans of being taken by playing the bloody gentleman. "It's really not fair that you can be such a gentleman when all I think about is ripping your clothes off and begging you to take me any way you want," said Hermione in annoyance. She was beet red as she finished her little tirade, but she wanted there to be no doubt in Severus' mind that she was more than ready to be taken.

Severus chuckled again, even as he grew impossibly hard at the image of Hermione ripping off his clothes. He had never thought that he would be accused of being too much of a gentleman or of hearing a beautiful young woman beg him to take her any way he wanted. He could easily imagine taking her in a number of ways. Kneeling before her on the grass, he gently caressed her face. "You know I want you, Hermione, but I'm no callow youth. I don't want to take you and then pretend that we've not been lovers. I don't want to make you mine, only to let you go."

"I don't want you to let me go, ever," said Hermione tenderly. "Severus, I care deeply for you."

"Oh, Princess," groaned Severus raggedly. His heart swelling with unnamed emotion, he arose in one fluid move to stand before her. Struggling for control, he took her hand in his and said, "Walk with me please."

Hermione nodded. Leaving her book on the bench, she allowed herself to be led to a low wall that overlooked the formal marble fountain. Once there, Severus lowered himself to sit on the wall, pulling Hermione to sit astride him.

Pleased that he'd drawn her to sit on him, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and laid her head on his broad chest. "I'm listening," murmured Hermione. In their slow courtship, Hermione had learned that Severus needed time to speak his heart.

Sighing, Severus tightened his grip on his beautiful companion. What he was going to say was sure to hurt his Gryffindor, especially now that she had admitted to caring for him. But he knew it was the best thing he could do for her. He knew she could not take subterfuge and skulduggery in her stride like he could. Hiding her affection for him would destroy her purity. Burying his sensitive nose in her hair and breathing in her jasmine and honey fragrance, Severus said hoarsely, "I've given us a lot of thought, Hermione. This relationship cannot continue at Hogwarts. There's no way for us to keep the nature of our friendship a secret. It is part of the Hogwarts enchantment. The castle will not allow us to carry on an illicit love affair. And we can't openly announce our involvement. The scandal would ruin your chances of taking the NEWTs in a calm and unbiased manner. They would blame me for ruining you, at best, and at worst, they would find reasons to suggest that the only explanation for why you've done so well in all your educational endeavours was because you were willing to do extra credit assignments, and I don't mean that in the polite sense. You've worked too hard to let being involved with me tarnish your academic record. This, your final year, should be about finishing your education, not about your relationship with me. There's far too much attention on us now, but if we go back to Hogwarts and this continues, it's going to be much worse."

Hermione's eyes had filled with tears as Severus had begun to speak. Now she listened, tears streaming down her cheeks as he bitterly finished his explanation. She knew he was doing the right thing, that he was being mature and reasonable. But she wanted him, and she couldn't understand how he could be so strong as to let her go.

Severus tenderly wiped the tears that were pouring down her face. He kissed her softly on her mouth, taking her desolation and sadness into himself. "I'm not abandoning you, beautiful," he said gently. "I'm just saying that we can't continue this at Hogwarts. Once you finish your NEWTs, and if you still want to be with me, then I shall welcome you into my arms and into my bed with all the passion that I possess. But for now, we must keep our heads."

"Oh, Severus," moaned Hermione. However, she did understand his point of view, and although it hurt her greatly, she clung to the fact that he had not said he did not want her. Sliding her hands into his slick locks, she pressed her forehead against his. "I will not change my mind, Severus. I want you now, and I know that I will want you when the year is done. Promise me you will not turn me away."

"Never," breathed Severus raggedly. He had not thought it possible that he could feel so strongly for another person. Realising that he cared deeply for Hermione, just as she professed to do for him, his heart bloomed with the thought that in a year's time, he would finally know true love. He realised that he had come to the edge of the precipice. Soon he would defeat the Dark Veela Curse. Soon, when the coming year was through, he would be able to explore the depth of his feelings for Hermione and hopefully find and express true love. Bracing himself for the loss of the girl-woman who had come to mean so much to him, Severus strengthened his resolve.

"We can continue to be friends," said Severus decisively. "We will not speak of this again until your NEWTs are complete, but we will both know, and we can look forward to us being together then. I have waited a long time, Hermione, to find a woman to love and adore. Now that I have let you into my heart, now that we are on the brink of something truly precious, I will not let this slip through my fingers."

Hermione sighed. Severus had all but admitted to feelings of love and adoration. She could bide her time. She was no foolish girl. Her year on the run, together with the maturity that living through a war had brought, had taught Hermione the importance of patience. "Yes, Severus," she said gently. "I will wait and be your friend in the interim."

Narcissa and Lucius were full of encouragement for the unfolding relationship, for they had taken Hermione into their hearts with no reservations. But they worried that things had changed between their beloved Hermione and their dour friend, for they could see that the couple no longer spent quality time together. Narcissa had been sure that Severus was about to propose when he had gone out to speak to Hermione in the rose garden. But on their return to the house, Severus had seemed withdrawn and morose, and Hermione had worn no additional piece of jewellery.

Hermione, in turn, had begun to treat the older Malfoys like the surrogate parents they wanted to be. Thus, she gently told the older couple over coffee the next morning that she and Severus had decided to put a halt to their relationship until she finished school. This disturbed the Malfoy couple, for they had been sure that their friend Severus was growing attached to Hermione, just as she was growing attached to him.

Unlike Molly and Arthur, Lucius and Narcissa had both the time and the money to indulge their newest honorary family member, and Hermione was showered with the affection she craved after the cruel rejection of her parents and Severus' supposedly sensible withdrawal. Indeed, Hermione now began to see and learn first-hand what it felt like to be a truly wanted and adored child. Draco had been spoilt and pampered for so long because he had been the Malfoys' only offspring. He had had to bear the burden of being their perfect son, the only manifestation of their aspirations and desires. Now, it seemed that Hermione had taken over some of that burden. Indeed, Lucius and Narcissa confided in Hermione that her influence seemed to have helped Draco grow up, and the formerly listless and spoilt boy had become a man with a mission to help bring back the lost glory of the Malfoy name through solid hard work.

Thus, Hermione returned to Hogwarts on the first of September to complete her final, seventh year and sit for her NEWTs with a calm and serene mind if a troubled heart. She was looking forward to completing her exams with no crazed Dark Lord looming over the horizon, just as she was yearning for the time when she could claim her place beside the dark man who had swept her off her feet so thoroughly over the summer. She hoped too that Severus would have more time to spend with her, since he had been working flat out for most of August. He had, over the many evenings spent at the Malfoys' home, discussed over dinner how he and Minerva had taken it on themselves to totally overhaul the Hogwarts syllabus.

However, Hermione discovered on arriving at the Hogwarts Express that she was one of the very few students who had chosen to return for their final year. She had, of course, heard as much from her close group of friends, but she had not really thought of what it would mean in reality. It was only when getting on the train that she realised that most pupils had, like Draco and Daphne, sat for their NEWTs before the start of term. Others, like Harry, Ron and Lavender, had gratefully accepted the token results handed out by the Ministry and left Hogwarts and its traumatic memories behind.

Moreover, on Hermione's return to Hogwarts, she found that her public friendship with the Malfoys had made her suspect with most of the junior students of her own house. They had, like Ginny, not been able to reconcile the stories of Severus Snape, daring spy for the Order of the Phoenix, with Severus Snape, git of a Potions master and headmaster. Severus' tenure as Head had been one that had caused immense suffering for the students of Gryffindor House, and they could not see the subtlety of his performance that had saved them from serious injury under the brutal Carrows. Thus, the other Gryffindors were happy to follow Ginny's lead of keeping away from the brains of the Golden Trio.

Apart from the teachers and the Hufflepuffs, the only people to look kindly upon Hermione were Luna and Astoria. Their unity encouraged the other Slytherins to form tentative acquaintances with the now proclaimed heroines of the Battle of Hogwarts. This caused the Gryffindors to be even more suspicious of Hermione.

This, however, did not trouble Hermione as it would once have done. She was content with her two girlfriends. It felt strange to be without Harry and Ron in classes, but Luna and Astoria were intelligent, vibrant young women, and their company helped Hermione adjust to being in school once again.

The end of the war and the summer had done much to transform Astoria and Luna. Astoria's formerly more reserved behaviour, at least outside Slytherin circles, had lessened. Having two non-Slytherins for friends had allowed the young woman's natural personality to emerge in public. Luna too seemed to have lost some of her formerly vacant mannerisms. She still gazed searchingly at the empty spaces around people, and she still wore unusual accessories, but there was a new and more forceful presence to her. When Luna spoke, people now seemed to listen.

Late one night, a week into the new term, Luna and Hermione were sitting quietly in the library. Astoria had retired to bed, but the two girls who had discovered a special affinity for history and charms, were researching some of the enchantments of Hogwarts castle.

Neatly placing a bookmark and closing the book that lay before her, Luna rested her head on her hands. Then, with a vacant stare that seemed to be focused on the stained glass windows, Luna brought up the subject that was constantly on Hermione's mind: Severus Snape. "Do you know," said Luna without preamble, "Headmaster Snape is even more lonely this year?"

As Hermione's eyes widened in shock, she too shut her book to focus intently on her friend.

Luna did not seem to be aware of Hermione's deep concentration. Still gazing at the image of Merlin depicted in the centre panel of the library archway window, she continued, "I think he's got used to company and affection. However much the staff regret their actions, they were horrible to him last year, and they don't seem to be able to get over it now. Have you seen how strained their conversations usually are? Guilt and remorse are ugly things when they are continuously tainting the surroundings. He's doing his best, but his eyes are more lost than they were last year. Before, he gave his duty all of his attention; now without that to cling to, his loneliness and desolation seem even more acute. It's only Professor McGonagall who seems to have been able to get beyond remorse to actually doing something about it."

This brought Hermione up short. Looking at Luna inquiringly, she asked her friend candidly, "What can we do?"

Luna smiled. "That's easy, Hermione. Be his friend. He needs people who really care about him to be around him. He needs affection and caring that's not brought on by a sense of wanting to do the right thing, or indeed, a sense of pity or righteousness or shame. I've started kissing him on his cheek every time I see him in the greenhouses, which seems to be nearly every morning. It really startles him, but it does make him work hard not to smirk or indeed, blush."

Hermione laughed. She could well imagine her friend startling Severus with random kisses. Resolving to not let him maintain the distance he'd insisted on before the start of term for what Hermione could now see were superficial reasons, she once again began to plot. She knew that she needed ammunition if she was to persuade her Slytherin of her ability to maintain discretion while still pursuing a relationship.

It gladdened Hermione to see Luna coping with their return to Hogwarts. Hermione had worried that her friend would suffer as a result of her separation from her father and the memories of her long imprisonment at Malfoy Manor. Spending time at the Manor or lying on the grounds and sunbathing with the Slytherins, had seemed easy enough for the Ravenclaw to accomplish, but Hermione knew from firsthand experience what dark fears emerged when the drapes were shut in lonely bedchambers.

"Are you sure you're truly okay?" Hermione asked Luna gently. "You don't need to hide the pain. I tell you almost everything, you know. You can tell me if you're not sleeping well or something."

Luna smiled and hugged Hermione. "Thank you, Hermione. But don't worry. I've got specially charmed radishes around my bed to ward off nightmares, and my father has given me some womble wimbles, which I've kept in my trunk. It stops bad thoughts from lingering in my room."

At Hermione's widened eyes, Luna smiled and stroked her friend's arm. "I wasn't really mistreated at the Manor you know. Lucius even came down and healed me at one point when Bellatrix had wanted something to play with and had me brought up for her amusement. And when Draco returned to the Manor and learned that I was imprisoned in the cellar, he came below a few times with rations of food that were significantly better than anything Pettigrew ever brought down."

Hermione shuddered. She knew firsthand what it was like to be a plaything of the crazed Bella. She could not imagine how Luna could be so forgiving of people who had imprisoned her. But Hermione had come to realise that there was a core of steel within the psyche of the random Ravenclaw, and she acknowledged if anyone could know of the Malfoys' true intent, it would be Luna, with her strong skills in perception.

Hermione had never really been friends with people who were serious about education before. For the first time, she found that she did not have to force or drag her friends to the library, for the girls were more than happy to spend much of their free time in the library studying. The library had been for both Luna and Astoria a special place, especially during the last trying year. When the girls were not in the library, which was one of the few places where students of different houses were allowed to mingle, they were out in the grounds when the weather was mild, walking around the lake. It was on one of these walks at the end of their second week back at Hogwarts, as the trio strolled arm in arm, that Luna said into the quiet gloom of twilight, "Headmaster Snape is quite beautiful."

Astoria sighed dramatically for a moment before giggling. Then, with a sly grin at Hermione she said, "I wouldn't say beautiful, but he is extremely sexy in a dark and dangerous kind of way."

When Hermione merely startled at her friend's audacity and blushed furiously, Astoria broke into amused laughter. With a devilish smirk Astoria asked, "Did you think you were the only girl to fantasise about him, Hermione?"

Hermione tried to formulate an answer and failed completely. Her friend, however, did not seem to want a reply, for she continued speaking. "I'll have you know that we Slytherins have thought him hot for years now. Almost every year there's a dare going around to try and seduce him, to get beneath the layers of his dark and suppressed exterior."

As Hermione goggled at the thought of girls wanting to seduce Severus, her Severus, Luna explained with a dreamy voice, "I see with my heart, not my mind. I wasn't talking about his sexuality, more about his magical signature."

Astoria smirked. "Well, everyone's allowed to see something in our sexy headmaster if they so desire. He's never encouraged any of the students to pursue him before though, so you must be doing something right."

"What do you mean, pursue him?" asked Hermione in confusion.

Astoria laughed. "Really, Hermione. No wonder you've not made your move yet. He's all but told you outright that you can have him if you want. He's not going to do the running, girl, he's a Slytherin. He'll not make his heart vulnerable. But if he wanted, don't you think he would have cut you up into little pieces for the familiarity you showed when you spent time with him over the summer?"

Hermione nodded. "I did think so. I mean, we've been having a kind of relationship, and he did say he wanted me. But then, just before the start of term, he said us having a liaison would not be appropriate. He insisted that we maintain our distance, that he would not have my reputation ruined by rumours of an illicit affair between a member of staff and a student."

Astoria was now grinning openly. "Silly girl, he more than openly said he wanted you. He was giving you the opportunity to disagree. He was putting the ball in your court, leaving it to you to find a way to be with him without letting your little friends at Gryffindor tower know about your passionate affair with the headmaster."

"Oh, dear," said Hermione with a blush, "couldn't he have just said so?" Then, she grinned. "No, of course he couldn't; he's a bloody Slytherin. I had planned on doing something about it, but the days have just sped by and I've not really found time to be with him alone."

Astoria giggled. "Well, I'm no Harry Potter, and Luna here is no Ron Weasley, but I'm sure we three can come up with a plan or two to ensure you've got plenty of alone time with our sizzlingly sexy headmaster."

Hermione grinned and flung her arms around the shoulders of her two friends. "I never really thought of him as sexy before this summer. I've always respected him, of course, but I never really thought about him as a man until I learned about his love for Harry's mum. Now after getting to know him, he just seems more real. I guess because he's stopped being merely a two-dimensional figure of the brilliant but sarcastic educator and brave but misunderstood spy and has become a person."

Luna nodded. Then looking beyond Hermione to gaze into the Forbidden Forest, she murmured, "There's more to Headmaster Snape than we all realise. He's got a dark shadow that surrounds him, and his light pierces through it with great difficulty. It's like looking at the sun through scratched sunglasses."

Hermione stared at her friend. She'd never really thought about magical auras. But lately, hearing Luna explain more clearly what she saw when she looked at people helped Hermione understand Luna's often distracted expression when talking to others. Hermione vowed to herself to pay more attention to people. She wanted to see what Luna saw.

Thus, Hermione started to look at Professor Snape with more care and began to see the blindingly bright beauty that seemed to glow from his hands, his eyes and his upright posture. It was as though some parts of his body were more conducive to emitting light than others. It confused her but it did little to halt her amazement that the beauty of his brilliant aura was so obvious but had been so well hidden for so very long. Her attraction for him that had begun at the Victory Ball had over the months of knowing him and seeing him in a more personal setting altered her feelings for him. Now it was no longer just mere attraction, but the real tendrils of love.

***************************************************************************

Severus was uncomfortable pursuing a student, but he missed his Gryffindor Princess. He longed for her intoxicating kisses, and he constantly berated himself for allowing her to return to Hogwarts. He should have insisted that she sit for the exams with Draco so that she could be courted instead of avoided.

Late one night, just before curfew, Hermione ran into Severus as she was leaving the library. It was a few days before Hermione's nineteenth birthday, and the Gryffindor Princess had been plotting. Looking around to make sure they were completely alone, she slipped her hand into his before reaching up to kiss him softly on the mouth. "I've missed you so much," murmured Hermione against his lips. "I can't believe we've been back here for so many days and have not managed even a few minutes alone."

Severus was undone by her admission. Squeezing the soft hand that was ensconced within his, he led her swiftly to a deserted alcove in an out-of-the-way corridor. There, he promptly cast Silencing and Privacy Charms before pulling her into his arms for a deeply satisfying kiss. He'd been dreaming of her soft and yielding mouth for days, and he was not going to let this opportunity slip through his fingers.

Hermione moaned as Severus unleashed his passion upon her. Sliding her fingers through his locks, she rubbed her body wantonly against his.

Severus groaned at her obvious reciprocation. Letting his hands slide down to capture her delectable arse, he fit himself between her thighs and pleasured her through their many layers of clothes.

Hermione could barely restrain herself. Pushing herself slightly away, she began attacking the buttons of his robes in desperation. She wanted him; she had been denied him for too long. Now nothing was going to stand in her way.

Severus seemed to realise the frenzy that had been unleashed in Hermione. Capturing the hands that were busy undoing his row upon row of cloth-covered buttons, he did his best to still her.

"Don't stop me now, Severus," pleaded Hermione. "I can almost hear what you're going to say: 'This is neither the time nor the place.'"

Severus chuckled darkly. "Well, I would be right, would I not, my wanton know-it-all. We can't fuck in a deserted corridor, however impressive my Silencing and Privacy Charms may be."

Hermione moaned in annoyance. "I'm tired of you being reasonable. I promise to be very discreet if you will let us carry on exploring this thing we have between us."

Severus sighed before kissing her gently on the mouth. "Have I not said I want you? Of course I want to explore what lies between us. But we cannot have your reputation being dragged through the gutter. Wizarding Britain would not take kindly to us being together if our affair became public knowledge while you were a student."

Hermione sighed. "I know. But I'm not a fool. I know you've been avoiding me. I miss you, Severus. I miss our conversations, our time together."

Severus wrapped his arms around Hermione and caressed her back. He did not know how to respond, but her words pleased him beyond measure. He now more than ever believed that he could defeat the Dark Veela Curse. She obviously cares for me, thought Severus. She wants me, she misses me. I'm sure to defeat the bloody curse. Buoyant at this Severus decided to speed up his slow courtship. Sighing gently, Severus nudged Hermione to sit on the broad window-seat of the alcove before taking a seat beside her. Holding her hand, which he caressed with his thumb, he softly began to speak.

"Princess, you must understand the castle enchantments. I've done plenty of reading into the laws governing staff-student relationships. If we continue to meet in private and if our relationship progresses to the physical, which it obviously will, the castle will reveal our liaison to all and sundry. This is an inbuilt enchantment to protect the interests of students. The castle will not allow a student to be secretly abused by one of the professors. If a relationship is in existence, it has to be open and above board."

***************************************************************************

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