Chapter Twenty-Four: Slytherin Plotting Gryffindor Style

(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.

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Hermione listened to Severus' explanation with quiet despair. She knew that he would have researched the topic thoroughly. He was too much like her to not read the fine print on staff-student relationships. Why did I not take my NEWTs with Draco? wondered Hermione. I could have easily sat for all the exams and been free to pursue a serious relationship with Severus. But even as she questioned her decision to return, Hermione knew that she had come back for a reason. She wanted to learn the mysteries of Hogwarts castle. She wanted to really take her time to understand the complexities of the various magical practices. She didn't just want to study material that was relevant for testing. In her heart, she knew that she wanted to figure out what to do next. She had no idea of what she would do at the end of her magical education and that terrified her. The wizarding world did not have universities. The next step after NEWTs was gaining a low-level employment position with the Ministry or finding an apprenticeship with a Master in one's chosen field.

Hermione's confusion arose because one, all Masters offering apprenticeships were based outside Britain due to the political climate of the last few decades, and two, because realistically, despite her love of learning, she had not narrowed down which field she really wanted to go into. She knew she loved Arithmancy, but she couldn't imagine dedicating her entire life to that one field. She knew she was particularly gifted in Charms, but she didn't particularly want to go live in Lithuania, where the foremost Charms Mistress, Grazyna Zujute, lived and taught. In an ideal world, mused Hermione, she would live with Severus at Hogwarts castle, take on one apprenticeship after another with the professors, if they were capable of providing it, and then write.

However, thinking about her ideal life was neither here nor there. Severus was waiting for an answer, and she needed to respond. And so, Hermione sighed and nodded her head. "All right, Severus," said Hermione in resignation. "I won't pounce on you in darkened corridors and attempt to rip your clothes off. But please, don't keep your distance. At least talk to me, if only in the presence of Astoria and Luna. I miss you so much. Let me have something to keep me warm in the chill of my too big and lonely bed."

Severus shuddered. Does the girl...no, woman...realise how her words affect me? thought Severus. For her words of need sent sparks of desire to his very soul. He wanted to be loved so desperately, and here was this innocent woman, telling him everything he had thought lay forever beyond his blackened soul.

Taking her small and delicate hand to his lips, he kissed her fingers softly. Then, he turned her hand over and kissed her palm before slowly, excruciatingly, kissing his way to her wrist. "I promise," he murmured against her pulse point.

Hermione groaned. She was burning up with desire. Never in her wildest imaginings had Hermione thought that she would find her snarky Potions Master so very attractive. Now, he was the centre of her universe. "One final snog before we need to be circumspect," whispered Hermione, leaning up to nuzzle Severus against his ear.

"I do not snog," said Severus imperiously, even as his lips curled up into a lazy smirk. "I ravish; I plunder."

"Do you, now?" teased Hermione nibbling his earlobe. "Then I suggest you demonstrate your technique of ravishment and plundering, for I am in great need of such treatment."

Severus chuckled darkly. "Minx."

"Yes, now kiss me, you great bat," ordered Hermione, the hand not being held by Severus coming up to slide into his hair.

"As my lady wishes," murmured Severus, raising his hands to twine his fingers in her unruly mop. Then, slowly, drawing out the tension in the moment to its almost painful culmination, he lowered his mouth once more onto hers.

Hermione gasped at the touch of his lips and opened her mouth fully to give him complete access, and as he'd stated, Severus ravished and plundered. But Hermione was no unwilling captive. She too poured all of her suppressed passion and desire into the kiss. Soon, Severus had pulled Hermione to straddle his thighs once more, and Hermione was pressed as tightly as she could be against him. They kissed for what felt like hours, hands exploring, stroking, while their lower bodies did their best to mimic the act of love through their many layers of cloth. Hermione was moaning almost continuously into the kiss, as she did her best to rub herself almost frantically against Severus' hard and insistent erection. Finally, with an impassioned groan, Severus wrenched his mouth away from Hermione.

"Enough now, Princess," he said gruffly, his voice thick with passion.

"Oh, Severus," shuddered Hermione breathlessly.

Severus growled softly at the pout worn by his aroused lover. Taking a deep breath to regain more control over his own raging libido, Severus gently put Hermione on her feet and stood up. Forcing himself to composure, he said in a silky purr, "Let me walk you back to Gryffindor tower."

Hermione sighed, but nodded. She knew there was no point in arguing with him when he had come to some decision, not until she had plenty of ammunition to help alter his mind. Standing up on tip toe, she straightened his collar, and he in turn smirked while casting a non-verbal spell to remove the creases from her robes. Once the evidence of their heated snog was eradicated from their persons, if not their still impassioned blood, the two walked in what was a surprisingly companionable silence up to the Fat Lady's painting.

Just before she said the password to awaken the dozing portrait, Hermione turned once more to squeeze Severus' hand. She knew that they ran the risk of being seen by any one of the dozing portraits. But Hermione had decided that she would display her friendship with Severus explicitly. Then, if people had anything to say, she could openly counter their claims of impropriety with the frank admission that they were friends and had been friends since the end of the Battle of Hogwarts. That was sure to silence the gossipers, even if it didn't completely halt the suspicious tongues.

He looked at her pointedly, as if to rebuke her for gesture, but she placed her finger on his lips to still his outpouring of words. "Friends, remember, Severus," she said gently. "Friends do occasionally touch each other, even hug." Then, drawing all of her Gryffindor courage together, she leaned forward and kissed him softly on the cheek. "If Luna can kiss you, so can I," she said cheekily.

Severus chuckled. "What have I ever done to deserve such a Gryffindor?" he teased gently.

Hermione smiled. Then, she said sincerely, "You've been the truest of friends." Giving one final squeeze of his hand, which caused Severus to smirk sardonically, she clearly called out, "Harry James Potter," to awaken the Fat Lady.

Severus' smirk turned into a snigger at Hermione's blush at the obviously Gryffindor password. But he did nothing but raise his eyebrow when Hermione turned to look at him in reproach before vanishing into her common room.

It was well past curfew when Hermione entered the common room. Most of the younger students had gone up to bed. It was only Ginny, Romilda Vane and a few of her friends who were seated close to the fire, painting their toe-nails.

Ginny looked pointedly at Hermione when she entered through the portrait-hole. Then, with an evil grin, she said rather loudly to Romilda, "Look, our heroine returns. I bet she's been snogging the resident Death Eater."

Hermione gasped at this audacious comment. She realised that Severus had been right. The castle would make sure that any illicit relationship was immediately brought to light. Doing her best to not react further to the sniggers of her fellow Gryffindors, Hermione quickly made her way upstairs. She was extremely thankful that she was the only returning seventh year. It was heaven-sent to have a room to herself at this juncture, even if the room was tiny in comparison to the larger chambers the other girls shared.

Deciding that she needed advice on the best way to seduce a Slytherin as well as get around the castle enchantments, she turned to what she had always done best, planning and list making. However, a tired yawn that caught her unawares made her realise the lateness of the hour. She had never been one to make the best of decisions when she was tired. Knowing that her planning would be better if done on the morrow, Hermione instead quickly prepared for bed.

The next morning, Hermione woke up bright and early. She had some serious thinking and planning to do. First, she made a list of all the people she could trust to help her with secrecy at Hogwarts. The list was short, but surprising. Besides Luna and Astoria, she came up with the names of three portraits: Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black, the dreaded sorceress Morgan le Fay and the powerful enchantress Arete of Cyrene. Harry, though willing to help, would be of no use, for he had no knowledge of pureblood etiquette. Furthermore, he was too busy in his Auror Training Programme.

However, the portraits would be ideal, for they had plenty of knowledge of the old ways and were so intimately connected with the castle that she could trust them to give her solid advice. Hermione had come to find Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black an interesting and surprisingly steadfast friend since their plotting to clear Severus' name. Indeed, when Hermione had returned his painting to Grimmauld Place, he had asked if she minded keeping him in what would essentially be her room. He had watched in pleased amusement as she had made friends with his great grand-daughter Narcissa, listened and offered his own brand of sage advice to their plans to give the public something to talk about, and had generally done his best to remain involved in the affairs of the Gryffindors. He'd had too much fun and excitement to want to go back to being a quiet portrait living out his days listening to mere family gossip and Slytherin plotting in the Malfoy ballroom or the tedium of administrative discussions and back-biting rampant in the Hogwarts headmaster's office.

Phineas Nigellus, like all good Slytherins, knew how to court someone they felt would be of use to themselves and their plans. Thus, he had made it a point to request for Hermione to come speak with him in his more regal portrait, which was displayed in the Malfoy ballroom when Hermione had come to stay with the Malfoys. Phineas Nigellus, like the other portraits in Malfoy Manor, had listened and gossiped about the growing attachment between the Mudblood and the current Slytherin Headmaster. Lucius had overheard and informed Cissy that Headmaster Black had even defended their latest Gryffindor acquisition from cruel commentary with the snidely delivered verdict that Hermione had more power and magic in her little finger than most of their other pureblood kin of her generation. He had gone on to state that if the current Slytherin Headmaster saw her potential and thereby took it on himself to attach that strength to his own, it could only be to the future and further glory of Slytherin.

This had pleased the Malfoys. Narcissa had found the friendship of her great-grandfather and the young Gryffindor so quaint that when Hermione had packed to return to Hogwarts, she had given Hermione a delicate gold locket that contained the portrait of Phineas Nigellus. The locket had belonged to Narcissa's great-grandmother Ursula and had been unworn for generations.

The dreaded sorceress Morgan le Fay had a long history in secrecy and deception. She had been one of the world's foremost Potions Mistresses, and there was a cruel-looking portrait of her in a fur-lined black cloak close to the Potions classroom entrance, as well a rather erotic painting of her in the Gryffindor reading room, where she lay languid and replete, clothed only in a ruby red silk sheet, discarded parchment and goblet of wine by her side. The reading room was only accessible to seventh years and was especially equipped for students working seriously towards their NEWTs. When Hermione had returned to Hogwarts, she had immediately fallen in love with the room. She wished with all her heart that she had had access to it in her earlier years. The walls were covered with books, low tables holding stationary placed conveniently beside them with comfortable armchairs, sofas and chaise lounges scattered around, allowing students to really study in sumptuous and relaxing surrounds.

The final portrait in her three-pronged portrait arsenal was that of the powerful enchantress Arete of Cyrene. Arete was the world's first Transfiguration Mistress. Hermione had squealed in delight when she had seen a portrait of one of her role models, and the two had immediately got on when Arete learned that Hermione was one of the very few in the recent decades of Gryffindor history to have attempted to read all of her books on philosophy, over forty of them.

Thus, Hermione felt that her council of advisors was strong indeed. Luna and Astoria would not be up this early, but the portraits were available for assistance at any time of the day or night. Thus, Hermione showered, dressed in her school clothes and made her way to the almost unused reading room in the Gryffindor tower. There, she placed the opened locket of Phineas Nigellus and addressed her friends, after ensuring that Privacy and Silencing Charms had been placed on the reading room doorway.

In a clear and as unemotional a manner as was possible for her, Hermione explained how she was deeply attracted to and in love with the Headmaster of Hogwarts. However, she stated that Severus refused to advance their relationship and gentle summer courtship within the walls of the castle due to Hogwarts' enchantments, pointing out dejectedly that he wanted her final year to be about her education and her achievements at the NEWTs. Hermione explained to them that she wanted very much to be with him, that she didn't want to put aside their relationship for a whole year just because he was being noble and honourable.

The three portraits listened to Hermione's explanation with bated breath. In truth, many in the castle's portrait network, especially those in Slytherin or with Slytherin tendencies, had discussed their current headmaster's courtship of the Gryffindor Princess and Muggle-born friend of Harry Potter.

Morgan le Fay, for example, was firmly on the side of the Slytherin headmaster for she had long disliked how Dark magic had been removed from the school's curriculum. She agreed with many in Slytherin that there was nothing that could be strictly called Dark magic, instead, there merely was magic that was stronger than most practitioners, which needed to be approached with knowledge, understanding and reverence lest it control the wielders of its abilities. Thus, the affiliation of Hermione and Headmaster Snape was in their interest, for it would send a sharp message to Dumbledore and the people who still found in the wizard the best way to envision magical society. Many Slytherins wanted things to change. They wanted many of the old ways to be re-established, and though they disliked admitting it, they realised that the Muggle-born friend of the Boy-Who-Lived was the best partner for their own Slytherin head. The combination of the two brilliant minds was sure to help show by example the best direction for the wizarding world that had tottered on the brink of destruction for much of the twentieth century.

Arete was, of course, a romantic behind her armour of philosophical teachings. Hearing of the young woman's love, she decided she would do everything in her power to help Hermione. She'd spent too many years being ignored by the insolent young adults who came to study and fornicate in the reading room. Here was true love, pure, unsullied by mere sexual gratification.

And Phineas Nigellus, well, he was willing to help in any scheme that would at some point infuriate Dumbledore. And if that scheme allowed him to extend his help to the young man that the old man had left to die like so much discarded rubbish, so much the better. For Phineas Nigellus disliked Dumbledore with a passion. All of his advice as former head had been taken as mere biased blabbering. Dumbledore had always felt that he knew more than anyone else. He had never listened to reason, to suggestions of being more cautious in his manipulations. It had broken Phineas Nigellus' heart to see the last of his male heirs used and thrown away so shoddily by Dumbledore. To see the same thing almost happen to the next Slytherin to take the headmaster's chair had been heart-wrenching. Now, if he could help Severus find love, then Phineas Nigellus would do all he could to help.

Slowly, the three questioned Hermione. They were gentle, but very thorough. Indeed, they seemed almost voyeuristic in their desire to know how far the relationship had progressed sexually. "Have you been taken, my dear?" asked the sorceress with interest.

Hermione blushed then. "You ask too much, Madam Morgan."

"Nonsense," said Arete briskly. "Morgan just wants to know if you've had intercourse so she knows which enchantments will be triggered the next time you are together."

"Oh," said Hermione, even more embarrassed. "Well, we've kissed lots, and he's touched me and I've touched him, but we've not really done anything more."

Morgan sighed. "Come child, don't be coy. Has he fucked you with his fingers, or his tongue? Have you pleasured him with your mouth?"

Hermione moaned in embarrassment, but seeing the smirking countenance of Phineas Nigellus to this thoroughly female inquisition, she realised that she needed to start acting like an adult if she was going to convince these powerful allies to help her. "No," said Hermione, straightening her spine. Looking Morgan le Fey straight in her eyes, she went on, "He's always the perfect gentleman. Yes, there's some frottage, but nothing more. He's never brought me physically to orgasm or, indeed, touched me without my clothes."

Arete clapped her hands. "Well done, dear child," she said encouragingly. "If you're going to make a man do your bidding sexually, you need to take control of your sexuality. Moreover, you need to be able to speak of your desires like an adult, so you don't trigger the castle's enchantments. They apply specially to those who are sexually immature. If a woman grown were to come be a student, then, although the enchantments would be made aware, they would not need to act protectively, for they would assume that the student knows what he or she is doing."

"Indeed," said Phineas, finally entering the conversation. He had listened to the two sorceresses finding out in intimate detail how far the Snape-Granger relationship had progressed. "Now, young chit, tell me how you want to progress this relationship of yours?"

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione in confusion. She had thought she had made her desire for Severus perfectly obvious.

"I mean," said Phineas Nigellus with a sardonic smirk, "do you want to be bedded, or do you want a proposal? Do you want to be seduced or do you, perchance, want him for all time? Think carefully before you answer, girl, for the castle is listening, even as we speak."

Hermione was alarmed to realise that the conversation she thought was so private was being listened to, perhaps even judged. But she reminded herself that she was a Gryffindor. She was not afraid. "I want him, both in my bed, and for all time," she said clearly. "Don't you get it? I think I've fallen in love with him. I've never been in love before, so I can't say for sure, but this is what I think I'm feeling. I yearn for him every night, and I miss spending time with him."

When she finished speaking, Morgan le Fey asked curiously, "Then what is the problem? If you read Hogwarts legislation, you will find that there is nothing barring a romantic, or indeed a sexual, relationship between a student and a professor, not if that relationship is above board. Why it was so common an occurrence during the fourteenth and fifteenth century that it was almost customary for the brightest and best students to marry their masters. It was the best way to ensure that the power and ability of offspring was preserved."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, Severus read the rules. But he doesn't want to make our liaison public knowledge. He's afraid that people will suggest that my grades were because I am involved with him. He wants to spare me from the gossip mongers."

Arete sighed. "It's all so romantic. But you do realise, don't you, that there is nothing stopping you having a secret betrothal that is known among those you know and trust. Perhaps even some members of Hogwarts staff, either past or present. This would allay the fears of the castle that you were being abused, because the relationship would technically be above board, but it would also offer you the comfort of your relationship being out of the public eye."

Hermione nodded. "I hadn't thought of that," she said softly. "I don't think Severus has either. But," and then Hermione grew silent, for she realised that although her feelings for him were strong, she was afraid that it was far too soon to consider being his wife.

"Now we've come to the crux of the matter," said Morgan indelicately. "Don't you want to marry him, girl?"

"Of course, I want to marry him," said Hermione affronted. "But..." she stopped again and chewed her lip in consternation. "My heart says yes to being his wife, but logically, I know I'm too young to consider marriage. It's not done, in my world, the Muggle world, to marry at nineteen, not unless you're pregnant and have no plans for further education or a career, both of which I really want to pursue." Hermione sighed, "I think Severus must have realised the same thing; that's probably why he's has not rushed our courtship with a proposal."

"Foolish chit," said Phineas, not unkindly. "Think for a moment who you're talking about. Headmaster Snape is no Ronald Weasley. He will not impregnate you with his spawn before you are ready to breed. Moreover, have you learned nothing from your time at the Malfoys'? It is customary to have a long engagement."

Hermione laughed. "Thank you. I know I came across as a silly little girl, but I was just so confused, and I needed some sound advice. It's hard to be rational and logical when it's your heart on the line."

"Think nothing of it," said Arete kindly. "We old paintings have been forgotten for too long. It's nice to be of assistance."

"Speak for yourself," said Phineas Nigellus haughtily.

Hermione laughed. She knew that Headmaster Black loved to pretend that he felt greatly put upon when she approached him for advice or, indeed, even conversation.

Soon after, Hermione retired after thanking the two portraits and putting away the locket with the miniature of the former headmaster. Emboldened by her discussion, Hermione decided that the next chance she got, she was going to bring up the topic of a long betrothal with Severus. She was sure that it would please and excite her taciturn would-be lover.

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