Thirty-Three

They slept late the next day, missing breakfast. Hermione was not sure if they had done this deliberately or not and could not pinpoint her feelings about facing her friends now that their relationship had been disclosed. She was so perfectly content with Severus and their love that any concerns she had were buried deep within her. And as she awoke to find him still drowsing beside her, a few strands of sleek black hair hanging over his face, she felt utterly at peace.

Hermione reached over and brushed the hair off his eyelids. He stirred and rolled onto his back. She feared she had disturbed him and withdrew her hand quickly.

"Don't stop."

His eyes remained closed, but the low tones drew her into him. With a smile, she reached over again to move the remaining strands off his face.

They lay still for a moment, but Hermione knew that there was an awareness between them that they would have to face the music with their peers and colleagues. It would be harder than facing McGonagall.

Severus held her close, stroking her arm. "What are you doing today?"

"I suppose I'd better go and revise. I'll go to the library. I can find a quiet corner in there."

"I know."

She laughed. "Yes. And I don't want any surprise visits today, thank you very much. My exams start on Tuesday. No interruptions from now on."

She glanced up at him. He was pouting.

"I'll make it up to you tonight."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

They kissed.

But there was a sense of urgency starting to press down on Hermione. She needed to go. It was not just her need to revise; she wanted to get it over and done with: 'it' being facing the music with her friends and schoolmates.

She strangely felt no dread. In fact, she just wanted to get on with it.

Kissing Severus once again, she rose from the bed.

"Where are you going first?" She could sense the concern in his voice. It touched her.

"I have to go back to the Common Room first."

She pulled on some jeans and a top she left in his rooms for the mornings, luckily not having to get back into her ball gown. She did not look up.

"Will you go to lunch?" he inquired.

"Will you?" She glanced up at him.

Hermione detected a slight flicker cross his features before he at last responded, "Yes."

She carried on dressing. "As will I."

After a trip to the bathroom, she was ready. She crossed to him, still in bed, and kissed him again, stroking his face. "Bye bye, my love. See you later."

She turned to go but Severus caught her arm and pulled her back. "I will be thinking of you."

"I know. Me too."

Hermione smiled tenderly, at that moment far more concerned for him than for herself.

Neither of them had mentioned directly the issues they were facing. After one last kiss, she pulled herself up and left.

Shutting the door of his classroom, Hermione held her head up high. Then she started walking through the halls of her school, the school which had accepted her, given her a home and a purpose for over seven years.

The first people she passed were two First Year boys. They did not even seem to recognise her, and were talking excitedly about the new Nimbus broomstick. She breathed in deeply. That wasn't so bad.

She turned a corner to discover some Fourth Year girls sitting on a ledge. They were chatting animatedly when one looked up and saw her. The girl immediately leaned over to her friends and they all turned to face Hermione, the group of them quickly falling silent. Hermione managed a faint smile as she walked past which they did not return, more from distraction than deliberate rudeness.

Hermione continued past them. Once she had turned the next corner, she distinctly heard their sudden giggles echoing down the hall.

She pursed her lips and continued. There were more huddles of students to come. A similar story presented itself each time. On seeing her, they seemed immediately to lose the power of speech, and once she was past, dissolved either into giggles or hushed whispers.

By the fourth time of this happening, Hermione was so used to it that she simply smiled at any students in her path.

It was as she was approaching the staircase to Gryffindor Common Room that she faced her toughest test: at the bottom of the stairs stood Professor Piercy and Madam Pomfrey.

A similar pattern unfolded. They went from happy chat to silence on seeing her. Hermione breathed deeply and set herself straight. Then fixing her by now well-practised smile on her face, she approached them.

"Good morning, Professor Piercy, Madam Pomfrey."

They looked at her, clearly startled that she had spoken so directly.

"Uhh ... Good morning, Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey managed to squeak out.

"Hermione," the young woman corrected tersely.

They looked down, embarrassed, and mumbled her name in confirmation. "Yes ... yes ... of course ... Hermione."

There was silence. Hermione thought she may as well grab the bull by the horns. She smiled broadly and asked with exaggerated cheerfulness, "Did you enjoy the ball?"

The two members of staff looked as if a Hippogriff had just landed in front of them to sing Happy Birthday.

Hermione waited for an answer, her smile still on her face, her eyebrows raised expectantly, looking from one to the other.

At length, Professor Piercy mumbled out slightly incoherently, studying his shoes, "Yes ... yes ... most enjoyable. Did you?" He had obviously forgotten the significance of the follow-up question. Madam Pomfrey dug him sharply in the ribs, causing him to emit a strange guttural squawk before staring down at his feet again.

Hermione almost laughed out loud, so surreal was the situation she had deliberately put herself in.

She waited before granting them an answer. The two people before her were staring at the ground as if they might be able to conjure a hole in it to swallow them.

"Most of it."

They looked up at her, astonishment still etched on their faces.

Then suddenly they both started jabbering at once. "Right, I must go and sort out those bandages." "I've got so many essays to mark." "Off we go then, another day and all that." "Yes, goodbye then ... yes ... err ... goodbye."

With hardly a glance at Hermione, they set off in opposite directions. Again, Hermione's over-riding emotion was amusement. She did not detect any malice as such towards her, just embarrassment. Still, that was their problem, not hers and Severus'.

Her eyes rose up to the portrait of the Fat Lady at the head of the staircase above her. Hermione walked up it, aware, despite the fortitude still gripping her resolve, that with each step she took, her feet seemed to be growing heavier and heavier.

She at last reached the top and looked up at the Fat Lady. The portrait smirked down at her a little. "Just to let you know ..." she jerked her head back, "they're all talking about you."

Hermione ignored her comment, fixing her with her eyes and giving the password.

The Fat Lady bristled a little but swung open for her.

Hermione's stomach suddenly dropped from within her and her hand came out to steady herself on the wall. Then, summoning all her fortitude, which seemed to have suddenly and inexplicably vanished, she stepped through the opening.

She could hear happy, contented Sunday chatter and, for a moment, Hermione almost convinced herself that it was no different to any other lazy weekend. But as soon as she stepped into the room, she was reminded forcefully that it clearly was not.

The silence which suddenly gripped the air was all-encompassing and immediately stifling. Hermione involuntarily swallowed hard, but maintained her straight back. All eyes in the room had turned to stare at her.

She spotted Ginny and Harry in a corner and almost sobbed with relief that he was still there.

She knew she must not stand there for long. Already it felt like minutes, but in reality it had only been a few seconds. Hermione walked purposefully over to Harry and Ginny.

Harry stood immediately and kissed her on the cheek, saying clearly, "Hermione. Glad I saw you before I left."

Ginny continued, as normally as possible, "Do you want to sit down?"

Hermione wondered what to do. "No ... no ... I ... need to get some books, and then I'll go ..."

"Right." They smiled awkwardly at her, but Harry kept his hand on her arm gently.

She so wanted to sit and talk to her two best friends, but was not quite able to bring herself to stay in the room.

She was about to ask them to follow her up to her dorm when there came loud giggling chatter from the girls' staircase. As with all conversations she had intercepted today, it stopped abruptly when its originators saw her.

Hermione turned. One of the girls was Rose. Their eyes met. Rose had a small smirk on her face and walked over to Hermione.

"Hi, 'Mione."

"Hello, Rose."

There was silence for a while. But Hermione did not shrink from it. Some strange force inside wanted her friend to broach the subject, the subject everyone wanted to talk about. The bubble of tension enveloping the whole castle needed to be popped. She waited for what she knew she could depend on Rose to do.

"Kept that quiet, didn't you?"

Hermione just smiled.

Rose sighed deeply. "Well ... you've got guts, I'll give you that."

The two friends stared at each other, Rose still smirking. Then her smile became more genuine and she leaned into Hermione a little. "You know I'm just jealous, don't you?"

Hermione could only laugh.

"You also know I want all the juicy details at some point, don't you?"

Ginny started laughing too.

The rest of the Common Room turned to look at them in amazement, and then slowly returned to conversation. The tension was dispersing.

Hermione sighed. "Maybe I will sit down for a minute."

She slumped down next to Harry, a strange relief seeping through her. Rose squeezed in next to her.

"Was McGonagall really hard on you?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shook her head. "No ... no ... not at all. She was very ... understanding."

"So ... they're not going to expel you?"

"I'm not sure yet. It has to go to governors. But ... it doesn't look like it."

"And what about Snape ... Professor Snape?" It was clear Rose was not sure what to call him now.

Hermione drew in a breath. "He is resigning. It's not a new decision. He had decided to a while ago. He is moving to London with me."

Her three companions glanced at each other.

"Right," said Harry awkwardly.

There was silence for a moment before Rose broke it again. "You know, they say Lawrence Filmore is going to be expelled."

"We'll see," replied Hermione non-commitally.

"He was completely rat-arsed, and I heard some of his language to Snape. It was pretty out of order."

"Yes."

"And I could tell he was coming onto you pretty badly."

"Yes."

"Deserved what he got from Snape really."

"Let's hope the governors see it that way."

"Are you going to be allowed to take the exams?"

"Yes."

"So ... basically ... you've got away with it."

Hermione felt annoyance for the first time. "Got away with it? What would 'it' be exactly?"

Rose was as blunt as ever. "Well ... you shagging a teacher."

"Is that what you think? Is that what you see this as?"

"Sorry, Mione. But ... yeah."

"Well, then you really don't know me ... and you certainly don't know Severus. I love this man more than I could ever imagine possible, and believe it or not, he loves me and we are starting a life together. After the war, my life seemed meaningless; I didn't know where to turn. I didn't feel right being here, I didn't feel right at home. And he ... had been to hell and back, and I mean that in no uncertain terms. And we sensed that and we came together. Who cares that I was technically his 'student' ... that term is meaningless to me. I am just so grateful, if that is the word, to whatever force brought me back here, because if I hadn't come back we might never have found each other and god knows what would have become of us."

There was silence. Rose sat, stunned and humbled, unable to speak. After a while she lowered her head and mumbled an apology. Then slowly, her eyes rose to Hermione again and she whispered, "Still ... I bet you had some great sex."

Hermione glared at her momentarily before dissolving into giggles. Harry and Ginny eventually joined in. The rest of the Common Room turned and looked with intrigued curiosity at the little group in the corner.

Hermione smirked. "Well, now you mention it ..."

More giggles.

"And there was I thinking you were just spending all your time in the library! No wonder you weren't interested in Lawrence."

"No ..." Hermione sighed.

She smiled at her friends. "Thank you." They looked at her quizzically. "For being here for me and ... letting me talk about it. I needed to. I'll be able to face other people now. And now ... I need to go and revise." She got up determinedly. Harry rose and kissed her on the cheek again.

"I'm off in a moment. Come and see me as soon as you get to London. You can stay in Grimmauld Place for a bit."

"Yes ... I will. Thanks, Harry."

"And so can ..." He smiled awkwardly.

She looked at him with gratitude. "Thanks."

"And good luck with the exams ... not that you need it."

Hermione squeezed his hand and walked off. There were a few curious glances as she passed by, but nothing like the thunderous silence which had greeted her earlier. She had crossed the first hurdle.

She took herself off to a quiet part of the library until lunch. She spent the first half hour writing up her account of the events of the ball, and went to hand it discreetly to McGonagall before returning swiftly to the library. The quiet familiar academic environment helped ease her mind further, and she found herself able to concentrate well on her work. She even recognised that tingle of intellectual excitement she got in the run-up to exams.

Some time later she heard the clock strike one, and with a startled realisation hurried out of the library to the dining room. She was late; lunch had started fifteen minutes ago. She forgot for a moment the circumstances she found herself in.

Hermione rushed into the dining hall, not noticing that every head turned to look at her as she sped past. She found a place next to Ginny and went to sit in it. Suddenly the reality of what had happened to her the night before flooded her senses. She noticed that there was a palpable silence throughout the hall. It was the first time she had been in the place since the events of the ball, and she glanced up towards the ceiling with a sigh. The memories which besieged her were a curious mixture of great happiness and resentment towards Lawrence. Her head dropped again but still she knew eyes were staring at her.

She glanced up at High Table. Starting at the far left, she scanned the staff. They were staring at her just as curiously as the Fifth Years. Her eyes moved along. They came to McGonagall. She managed a faint smile at Hermione who continued to move her eyes further along until she got to the far right end.

There he was, sitting in his usual impassive way. When their eyes met, Hermione did not realise that nearly every head in the room had swivelled from her to him. She smiled warmly at him.

There was a spare chair beside him. Hermione could not move.

Then slowly, with the eyes of all of Hogwarts looking at him, Snape raised a long finger and pointed it at her, rotating the curled palm around so that it faced up. Then, fixing her with a look that melted her insides, he beckoned her over, the single finger bending and flexing smoothly and seductively to draw her to him.

Her smile broadened. She glanced briefly at McGonagall, who gave her a look of acquiescing confirmation. Hermione mumbled, "Excuse me," to her friends and, holding herself tall, walked proudly up to High Table.

As she approached Severus, he stood, and moved behind the chair next to him, pulling it out for her. Hermione had never known the Great Hall so silent. Even the Headmistress had twisted her head to look at them.

She was breathing rapidly, but her strength was heightened by his, and with a tender smile at him, she sat in the chair he proffered.

For a moment the silence remained. Then McGonagall loudly set about clanking her cutlery and engaging Madam Hooch in discussion. Suddenly, the rest of the hall snapped out of their awed wonder, and the usual hubbub of chatter and laughter sounded again.

Hermione turned to him. He was looking at her with the faintest smile of admiration. She felt a warm firm hand placed on her leg. It squeezed and rubbed along her. "I love you," she mouthed silently. The hand rubbed ever more smoothly.

On her other side was Professor Flitwick. Hermione turned and smiled at him. "Hello, Professor. How are you today?"

At first the diminutive teacher looked startled, but then managed to stammer out a response. "Very ... err .... very well, Miss Gr ... Hermione." He took a sip from his drink before continuing more confidently. "I understand you have a job at the Ministry?"

"Yes. I'm really looking forward to it. Now I just have to sort out a flat and things like that."

With that, she fell into easy conversation with him, and forgot entirely about the extraordinary position she now found herself in. Severus' hand remained on her leg the whole time.

After a while, Flitwick turned and talked to the teacher on his right, giving Hermione a quiet chance to turn to Severus.

"Are you alright?"

"Certainly." The drawl was as self-assured as ever.

"You know what I mean."

"Very few people are judging my actions against Filmore ... and as for you ..."

"Yes?"

"The female members of staff seem to be swooning with romantic delight, and the male members of staff are green with envy. People seem to be more understanding of the complexities of human nature than I sometimes give them credit for. Apparently ... and somewhat surprisingly, I confess ... I have done well."

She spluttered a laugh out. "Really!?"

He smirked at her.

"And me, Severus? Have I ... done well?"

He turned to her. His hand crept further up her leg until his fingers rested firmly right between them. He proceeded to rub slow but hard. Even through the thick material of her jeans, she knew she was responding to him. A slight gasp was pulled into her.

"Oh ..." he drawled, "I should say so."

She smirked, trying for once to ignore the feelings building inside. "How did they respond to your resignation?"

"They were not surprised."

"Regretful?"

He was silent for a moment. "I cannot tell."

"I'm sure you can."

He changed the subject. "Did you hand in your statement?"

"Yes. You?" He nodded. "Have you heard anything with regard to Lawrence?"

Severus tensed somewhat on hearing her referring to him by his first name. "His behaviour was reprehensible. At best, for him, he will be suspended. I believe a decision is to be made this afternoon. McGonagall has it in her powers to decide that matter at least."

Hermione took in his words before turning out to look at the sea of students before them. A few were still glancing up in her direction and muttering, but most had returned to their food and their friends. How fickle children were, and how easily they moved on to the next piece of intrigue. Hermione smiled ruefully.

At last she was able to look out at the hall from his perspective. She did not feel superior as such, but did feel strangely in control, as if she could sense all the ripples of disquiet or tension that may swell through the masses of seated pupils. She wondered briefly if it would have been so bad to stay and become a teacher. The thought quickly passed.

She glanced at the Gryffindor table, at her vacant place at it. How many times had she sat there, looking up longingly at the man now seated beside her? She lowered her head and smiled.

He looked across at her. "What?"

"Nothing. Just – this whole thing."

The corners of his mouth twitched up.

"What are you doing this afternoon?"

"Revising."

"You could come to my rooms if you like."

"Would you like?"

"You know I would."

"Then I shall. But – I will have to work."

"Naturally." Severus looked at her with a slight amused smile. "What a conscientious girl you are, Miss Granger."

"Naturally."

They finished their lunch contentedly. For once, Hermione was able to walk out with him and not have to hurry after him secretly or wonder when they would meet again.

They walked through the corridors together. Another hurdle.

Again, they drew predictable stares and whisperings, but Hermione was used to it by now, and Severus did not seem at all perturbed.

By the time she reached his rooms, she wondered what she had been worried about.

"Oh god, I've left all my stuff in the library. I'll have to go and get it."

She turned to go. He held her back and pulled her firmly through to his sitting room, indicating his desk. There atop it sat her books and parchments.

Hermione looked at him with quizzical wonder. She had not been out of his sight since deciding to come to his rooms.

"How did you do that?"

He looked at her with wicked arrogance. "Oh ... did I not tell you? ... I'm a wizard."

Hermione thumped him playfully and he quickly drew his arms around her and encircled her hard into him, kissing her passionately. She responded with equal hunger, but then remembered her responsibilities and pulled back.

"Now now. Remember what I said; I have to work. I have the most important exams of my life next week."

He rolled his eyes a little.

She gasped exaggeratedly. "Professor Snape! It is not like you to discourage the pursuit of academic excellence!"

"Only when faced with a certain encumbrance." He took her hand and placed it at his groin. She immediately felt the throbbing strain.

"An encumbrance? Is that what you call it?"

Severus pressed her hand into him, but she pulled it off, causing him to groan with frustration. Hermione spun from him and went and sat at the desk. Clearing her throat loudly, she unrolled a parchment and opened a heavy textbook. Then with a furrow of her brow she set about deliberately ignoring him and focusing on the words before her.

He moved silkily round to her side, and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "As long as you keep your promise."

She glanced up momentarily, a smirk capturing her features.

"To make it up to me tonight."

She kissed him briefly. "I always keep my promises. You know that. Now," she returned to her work, "bugger off."

He buggered off as far as the chair opposite her, took out a book and started reading, his eyes frequently rising to stare at the beautiful, brilliant witch sitting at his desk.

The minutes ticked by in quiet concentrated silence. Hermione was able to tidy up a few confused issues in her mind about transfiguration and went over the ordering of some of the more complex potions with Severus. He assured her that they were unlikely to come up. Her level of expertise was far beyond NEWT level as it was.

Hermione had expressed her insecurities about Defence Against the Dark Arts, having only gained an E in her OWL. He smiled at her with wry amusement. "That was over two years ago. I think you have had ... sufficient experience in the subject since then."

She held her head in her hands. "Oh ... I don't know ... there's a difference between practical experience and academic understanding."

"You will surprise yourself with what you know, I am sure of it."

They were interrupted by the ringing of a bell.

"What was that?" Hermione was startled.

"The door bell. I will be back in a moment." Severus hurried out through his classroom, a slight look of concern on his face.

A few minutes later he returned, his face grim. A sudden fear gripped Hermione. "What is it?"

"Lawrence Filmore has been suspended for the remainder of this term and all of next term, starting from today."

"I see." Hermione was not sure initially how to take the news.

"He should have been expelled," Snape spat out venomously.

Hermione was silent. "Was there any explanation?"

"They said his behaviour was entirely unacceptable, but apparently the fact that he was so under the influence of alcohol tempered the harshness of their judgement somewhat. Tom Radford has been suspended as well. He was apparently pouring the stuff down Filmore's throat and encouraging his behaviour."

Hermione suddenly felt aggrieved. "That doesn't excuse what he did to me."

"Exactly."

"Or you. But, to be honest, that is a pretty tough punishment. He'll only have a term left after that, and the Quidditch season is over by then. He'll miss all of that. I think justice has probably been served."

Severus sniffed derisively. "It is the behaviour towards you which concerns me the most. How dare that boy remain in the school?! They referred back to his previously ... 'unblemished' record. And there is the little matter of the Headmistress being the ex-head of Gryffindor."

"Oh, Severus, McGonagall would never let that influence her decision."

He did not reply, merely frowned further.

Hermione got up and crossed to him. "Severus! You mustn't say things like that!"

He turned his eyes to her. "Am I offending your sense of decency?"

"Yes. A little. I forget how loyal you are to Slytherin."

He cocked an eyebrow. She smirked. "It's alright. Opposites clearly attract."

"Haven't you done enough for one day?"

She sighed and looked down at her work. Picking up a parchment, she was about to peruse it further. "I really wanted to look at ..." His hands had worked their way under her shirt and unclasped her bra. Long agile fingers were cupping her breasts and questing over her nipples.

The parchment fell from her hands and tumbled to the floor.

"On second thoughts ... I think perhaps I have."

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Almost there. They've come a long way. LL x