Going Home

Continuing to glare at Hermione, where she remained frozen in shock, Severus growled to himself, "Why do I imagine you're weeping? You've got more backbone than that, you tormenting harpy." Raising his voice slightly, he hissed, "I refuse to give you any satisfaction, you infernal scourge. Remove yourself immediately!" With that said, Severus resolutely closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the stones. He continued to ignore her even when she called his name.

Finding herself at a loss, Hermione stared at him a moment. She couldn't use her Empathy to access his mental state, as one slip of her wall would draw the Dementors like flies to honey. Perhaps if she could get him talking, then she could decide if it was safe to risk him seeing Sirius--or if the mere sight of the Animagus would send him into a fury. "Severus," she began softly, "I've been so very worried about you. It took five days for Draco to get a message to Hogwarts, and I was terrified you were dead. You have no idea what joy it brought me to hear you lived. I love you so very much, Severus."

Barely cracking his eyes open, Severus regarded the young witch with obvious disdain. "This is a switch for you, chimera."

"What do you mean, Severus?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"Shall I humor you and thus humor some sick and malignant part of myself? What is the point of that? The moment I do so, you will undoubtedly begin to rant at me again...telling me how I let you down...telling me you never cared for me..."

"Severus, I have never said such things to you. Nor will I, as they are so far from the truth as to be comical," Hermione explained calmly.

"That is not what you said last night, you torturous phantasm," Severus growled in his raspy voice.

"Severus," she began, her voice going a bit high in exasperation, "I wasn't here last night. I've only just arrived to...well--to rescue you."

Closing his eyes again, Severus spoke, his voice low and resigned, "Now you lie, you ridiculous fabrication, as you have been haunting my nights all this insufferable week."

Releasing her breath in a relieved sigh, Hermione spoke cheerfully for the first time since entering the cell. "Oh, blessed Merlin! I thought you'd gone barking mad, beloved. It seems our only trouble is that you can't believe I'm real."

"Of course you aren't real; you are only a product of my growing dementia." Opening his eyes again, he gazed at her sorrowfully. "Oh, my vixen, how I wish it were otherwise."

Walking to where he sat, Hermione gently knelt between his legs. "And how, my dear Professor, shall I convince you that I am really here?"

"There is no way you can convince me, you are but a figment...a mirage...all you can do is talk, and thus torment me--" Severus broke off suddenly when Hermione reached up, tucking a strand of his filthy, tangled hair behind his ear. Leaving her hand there, Hermione rubbed her thumb gently across his cheekbone. At the first touch, Severus' eyes went wide, his breath catching in his throat. "Perhaps this will convince you, beloved," she whispered, leaning forward to softly brush her lips against his. Pulling back to meet his eyes, Hermione saw his lips move to form her name, though he had no breath to lend sound to the utterance. Raising a trembling hand, he lightly touched his fingertips to his lips, pure disbelief upon his face. That same hand then traveled the brief distance between them and--after a moment of insecure hesitation--Severus pressed his fingertips softly against Hermione's mouth. With a wild, inarticulate cry, Severus wrapped both arms around Hermione and tugged her forward against his chest. Still incapable of speech, he buried his face in the crook of her neck. Feeling his whole body tremble with emotion, Hermione hugged him back tightly. Rubbing her hands up and down his back, she murmured that he was safe now, that he was loved, that she was going to take him home.

"To Hogwarts?" he croaked into her neck.

"Yes, love, home to Hogwarts."

Though he made no sound, she could feel his hot tears against her skin. Resuming her calming words, Hermione held him tight for the short time Severus required to get his emotions under control. When he raised his face from her neck, Hermione saw that his black lashes were wet. The few tears he'd shed left clean trails of pale skin on his dirty, bruised, and bloody face. "You are the most beautiful thing I have seen in my entire life," she whispered. He smiled then, reaching a hand up to tangle in her hair and pull her face to his. Gently at first--as if still seeking to prove she was real--he then deepened the kiss as he explored her mouth hungrily. Severus was filthy...he stank...she could taste the dried blood on the skin around his lips--she didn't care. So joyous was she to find her love alive and sane that she happily wound her hands in his matted hair and did her best to snog the living daylights out of the man. For a long moment the two people crouched on the floor of a cell in the midst of Azkaban forgot where they were--forgot there was need to hurry. They forgot that any world existed except the divine feeling of lips and tongues and hands. When Hermione felt his hand slip around her torso to knead her breast, she moaned into his mouth, arching her back to press firmly into that welcome caress. They may have gone on in that fashion until Sirius and Turpin came in to see what the delay was, but at that moment an enthusiastic turn of Hermione's head caused her to bump her nose into Severus' broken one. At his hiss of pain, Hermione came to her senses.

"Love, I could snog you forever, but what say we get you home first?" she said, with a chagrined smile.

"How are we getting out of here, vixen? We've been damned lucky so far, the Dementors won't stay away forever," Severus said, his normally smooth tones still rough and scratchy. Hermione hoped desperately his voice was rough from disuse and not from screaming. He'd been through a terrible ordeal; she knew there were bound to be aftereffects--no matter how enthusiastically he snogged her. Vowing to do her level best to help him forget--once she got him safely home--Hermione reluctantly disengaged herself from Severus' arms and stood.

"Headmaster Dumbledore gave me the portkey that goes to your study. We'll have you home in a moment," she replied with a smile. "Let me just go and collect the others."

"Others?" he asked with a scowl that looked so exactly like his normal self it made Hermione giggle.

"Yes, others. One whom I think you'll be happy, indeed, to see. One whom you will likely not be pleased to see--to say the least." Hermione leaned down to look him in the eye. "Before you even think about letting one nasty comment fall out of your lovely mouth..." here she paused to give said mouth a quick peck, "I want to make it very clear to you that I wouldn't have gotten here safely without his help."

The kiss distracted Severus just long enough that he failed to question Hermione further before she turned to go to the cell door. Severus was startled for a moment when a small, furry, missile launched itself from the dim corridor and raced across the cell floor to land firmly in his lap. By that time he had identified the missile and cheerfully caught his familiar.

"Syphilis! Syphilis!" the jarvey chattered happily.

The smile Severus gave to his familiar fled abruptly from his face as he looked up to see who else followed Hermione into the room. He knew that mangy mongrel...Black!

Walking into the cell, Sirius took one look at the glare on Snape's face and the tentative wagging of his scruffy tail immediately halted. Though he could not stop the instinctive raising of his hackles as he looked at the bedraggled and obviously angry Potions master, Sirius managed to stop short of growling. Damn stubborn man! I should have known better than to think the blasted git would appreciate any sort of effort on my part. He's said to be so bloody brilliant; doesn't he realize how fucking hard it was for me to come back to this madhouse? I waltz back in here--risking my own sanity for the bloody bastard--and for what? To be fucking glared at like he caught me pissing in his wardrobe! Well fuck that...and fuck him. I didn't do this for gratitude...I did it because I owed him. We're even now, that's enough for me. Sirius forced himself to calm down as he watched Hermione help Snape to stand.

Once she had him upright, Hermione handed Turpin to Severus to hold in one arm and then pulled his free arm around her shoulders to steady him. Though Severus made every attempt to hide it, his weakness and pain were easily apparent. When Severus was situated, Hermione motioned Sirius closer as she took the worn Altoids tin from a pocket of her Muggle jeans. Once again she wound her fingers in the fur at the scruff of Sirius' neck as she prepared to activate the portkey. Hermione hoped mental activation would work. With one hand full of dog fur and the other holding the tin itself, she would never manage a wand as well. Closing her eyes, Hermione pictured the window seat in Severus' study. The familiar--if nauseating--tug in her stomach was welcome, indeed. In the blink of an eye the putrid cell in Azkaban was left behind and the odd foursome found themselves back at Hogwarts, safe in Professor Snape's study. When Severus stumbled, Hermione dropped the portkey and let loose of Sirius' neck in order to use both hands to steady him.

Albus, Minerva, and Poppy were waiting for them. As they appeared, Minerva gave a glad cry as she fairly flew off the sofa, giving Severus a fierce hug. Severus' eyebrows flew up in pleased shock. Despite the fact that the overenthusiastic embrace made him wince with pain, he returned the hug for a long moment. Eventually, he was forced to speak. "Minerva, while I am quite pleased to see you as well, this embrace is not doing my broken ribs any good," he said in his strange, raspy voice.

"Sweet Merlin--Severus, I'm so sorry!" Minerva said as she loosened her grip. "I was so glad to see you...I'm afraid I got quite carried away."

"I'm rather glad...to be home as well," Severus replied quietly.

"Help me get him into his bed, Minerva, and I'll see what he's done to himself this time," Poppy said, coming forward to help the injured man to his bedroom.

The two women led him away as he groused, "I assure you, Madame Pomfrey, none of these injuries are self-inflicted."

Albus chuckled as they left the study. Turning to Hermione, he said, "It's good to see the boy's snark is still intact. Considering what he's endured, he seems little worse for wear." Looking Hermione up and down, Albus chuckled again. "In fact, I'd venture to guess Severus was feeling rather frisky when you found him." If Hermione was puzzled by the Headmaster's obvious amusement and odd statement, she didn't have long to wonder about it.

"What the bloody hell did he do to you in that cell?" the now human Sirius snapped. "Now we're here in the light, I can see exactly why it took you so blasted long to calm him down!"

Hermione stared at Sirius in shock. How could Sirius know what had happened? Had he been spying on them instead of looking for trouble in the corridor?

"Sirius, that's quite enough, my boy. Hermione, perhaps you might like to adjourn to the lavatory and...er...freshen up a bit?"

Now completely confused, Hermione gave up attempting to figure out the odd situation and docilely headed for the lav. Once there, the mirror showed quite clearly what caused the Headmaster's amusement and Sirius' gruffness. The skin around her mouth and jaw line was smeared with dirt. There were smudged, but obvious, fingerprints on the pale skin of her throat--and what could only be described as a handprint on her jumper, directly over her left breast. Hermione blushed to the roots of her hair, then burst into a fit of laughter. Why, anyone at all could tell exactly what she and Severus had been up to in that cell! "Let them tease me," she muttered to herself as she tidied up her appearance with a few well-placed charms. "Severus is alive, he's home, and he's no longer a spy. They may tease me at will; there's nothing that can tarnish my happiness!"

Returning to the study, Hermione found the Headmaster and Sirius discussing Severus' situation. She was surprised to learn Professor Snape would not be returning to teaching his classes.

"It simply isn't safe for him, my dear," Albus explained. "Voldemort will eventually learn Severus is no longer in Azkaban--no matter how we handle this situation. Tom's quite mad, you know. If he thinks Severus has escaped Azkaban unharmed, he will stop at nothing to ensure Severus is killed. However, if we keep the boy's whereabouts secret from all but the Order, Voldemort will likely assume he died and was disposed of by the Dementors."

"Do you think that will work?" Hermione asked.

"I believe it will. Even if Voldemort suspects he is alive, he can't kill Severus if he can't find him. With Draco in place to assure the Death Eaters that Severus is not here, I think he will be safe enough."

"But will the stubborn bugger stay put?" asked Sirius.

"We can persuade him to, of that I am certain. Severus is a brave man, but he's no fool--and I know very well that he wants to be around for Voldemort's fall," Albus said with confidence.

"Won't he miss teaching his classes, sir?" Hermione asked.

Albus gave a snort of laughter at that. "I imagine he will enjoy the break. He's been complaining of not having time enough to do private research on potions that might aid the war effort. With no classes and no more DE meetings, he'll have all the time he wishes."

"It's not like the students will miss the bastard at any rate," Sirius sniped.

"Possibly not," Albus said with a chuckle. Then his expression grew more serious. "Though we may very well miss him doing it. Severus is the best Potions Professor Hogwarts has ever seen."

Now it was Sirius' turn to laugh. "Surely you're joking, Albus! The man's a menace in the classroom."

"He certainly does have a...distinctive style of teaching," Albus admitted. "He is, however, the only Hogwarts Potions master who has never had a fatal accident in one of his classes. Potions is a dangerous subject, Sirius. We are quite lucky to have Severus as an instructor, despite his lack of popularity with the students." Here the discussion was interrupted by the return of Minerva and Poppy. "How is the patient?"

"Severus is resting comfortably," Minerva answered. "Draco was correct--none of his injuries were too serious. He had a fractured fibula, three broken ribs, assorted cuts and bruises, and his nose was broken again, I'm afraid. Poppy has fixed him up, now he just needs rest and some decent food."

"Miss Granger," Poppy said briskly, "Professor Snape needs to take a Dreamless Sleep potion, but the stubborn man refuses to do so until he speaks with you. I would've forced the issue, but...well--I didn't want to be gruff with him when he's just gotten back from that terrible place. Perhaps you could go speak with him for a bit?"

"I would be happy too, Madame Pomfrey, if you think it will do him no harm?"

"Not at all, his injuries have been healed; I'm only concerned that he gets his rest. The draught is on the bedside stand; do make sure he takes it before you leave."

"I will, Madame Pomfrey. Thank you." That said, Hermione left the study. She was eager to see with her own eyes that her snarky Professor was none the worse for wear.

Severus lay motionless in his four poster bed, his head propped up on the pillows. Minerva and Poppy had cleaned him up, as well as healing his injuries. All trace of the filth of Azkaban had vanished from his pale skin, his still-damp hair lay across the pillow, and Minerva had helped him into a grey flannel nightshirt before tucking him in beneath the coverlet. As Hermione approached the bed, she couldn't help but be distracted by the dark, curling hair peeking out the open neck of his nightshirt. He looked tired. He looked pale. He looked absolutely delicious.

"How are you feeling, sir?" Hermione asked as she reached the bedside.

"Minerva informs me that I am no longer your Professor, Hermione," Severus said with an amused smirk. "I believe a lovely young witch who has just saved my sanity--if not my life--might be allowed to use my given name."

"Then let me rephrase that query," Hermione said with a happy grin. "How are you feeling, love?"

In answer, Severus reached a hand out to her. Hermione thought he simply wanted to hold her hand, but she failed to recall that a recuperating Slytherin was still a Slytherin. As she put her hand in Severus', he gave a hard tug. Unprepared for such a maneuver, Hermione toppled over and came to rest sprawled half over Severus' prone form.

"At the moment," he murmured, winding a hand in her hair, "I'm feeling surprisingly well." Severus pulled her head down until her lips were pressed firmly against his own. Hermione could tell he was exhausted--this kiss had neither the strength of their first kiss nor the almost frantic quality of the kiss they shared in Azkaban. It was slow, sultry...and completely consuming. Hermione felt heat from the kiss speed down her spine, causing a flood of arousal, and literally curling her toes. When the same wandering hand that had caressed her breast in Azkaban again found its target, Hermione moaned into his mouth, arching against him once again. Severus' caress reminded Hermione that she had hands of her own. One found its way down Severus' side, clutching at his hip, as the other journeyed to the opening of his nightshirt to play happily with the crisp curls she'd glimpsed earlier.

Hermione could feel Severus' growl of pleasure vibrate though his chest. She could also feel the growing proof of his desire against her hip. A short battle raged in Hermione's understandably distracted mind as she weighed letting Severus get much needed rest against taking this delightful embrace a little farther. Severus' tongue stroking her own, his hand wound tight in her hair, and his fingers--which had begun tweaking and teasing her nipple--made up her mind for her. Shifting farther over Severus so she straddled his hips, Hermione began to rock gently. Even through nightshirt, blanket, and Muggle jeans, the feeling of rubbing her tingling sex over his hard cock was almost painfully arousing.

Evidently, Severus enjoyed it as well. With another rumbling growl he pressed up into her, falling easily into a rhythm which meshed with her caresses. At last, breaking the kiss, he spoke, "Love, as amazing as this feels--I fear I'm not up to much more than this tonight. I cannot...damn it, woman! Thoughts of you...of having you wrapped around me like this...that's what kept me sane in that horrid place and now I cannot..."

"Hush," she interrupted. "There will be other times for me...other nights for love. Darling, I know you're too exhausted for anything more, let me give you this now. Do you honestly wish me to stop?"

"Gods, no, vixen," he said as he pressed up into her again. "Even with all this blasted cloth between us you feel amazing."

"Then hush," Hermione said, bringing her mouth back down to halt his protests.

Hermione writhed against him as he ground his hips up into her. His hands traveled down her back to grip her hips tightly, encouraging her thrusts. It wasn't long before Hermione felt his body tense beneath hers. He once again broke away from her lips to whisper roughly into her ear, "Yes...oh, my vixen, yes." His words turned into a throaty growl as he pumped his release into the blankets. Almost immediately, his body relaxed and his hands fell limply away from her hips.

Looking at him fondly, Hermione saw his eyes were already closed. He was falling asleep with what could only be described as a pleased smirk on his dear face. Carefully removing herself from atop him, Hermione took a moment to hit the blankets with a quiet cleaning charm before taking up the potion Poppy had left. Raising Severus' head with one hand, she roused him enough to drink the potion, then gently laid his head back down.

Hermione wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed next to him. Deciding it wouldn't be prudent, she gave him a last kiss on the forehead before leaving his quarters for Gryffindor tower. Classes began in the morning and Severus needed rest to recover. As difficult as it was for her to leave his side, it seemed for the best.

Hermione couldn't have known the trouble she'd have avoided had she only stayed.