Chapter 4

Another month had passed since Hermione and Severus had started dating, and they were still keeping their romance a secret. They hadn't had much time together between school, Severus' after hour classes taught by Lucius, and Hermione spending time with her friends, but they did manage to sneak off during the weekends, especially during Quidditch matches.

On one date, Hermione took Severus up to the Room of Requirement, which he had no idea was there. They spent several hours walking in front of it, asking for different things. Hermione took him to the room where everything was hidden. They went through mounds of discarded items, laughing at some of the things people had hidden and were amazed at some of the treasure they found. Severus decided he could use some of the older books he found and took them with him as they left. He had also found some old silver hair clips and helped Hermione pin back her long hair. She thought she had seen them before, and then she remembered she had.

"Good evening, Miss Granger. Are you ready?"

He watched her the entire time.

On another date, Severus took her atop the Astronomy tower and taught her how to duel better. She thought she had been an adequate dueler, but she was nothing compared to him. He was quick, smooth, and silent. His wordless magic was amazing. Of course, she understood why people said that he was very into the Dark Arts--his choice of magic was dangerous, but he never turned his wand on her.

It was difficult for Hermione to stay away from him during class. He didn't want anyone knowing about them just yet, because once they did, they were going to be harassed by everyone, especially the two people he hated most. Several times, she caught herself staring at him, but would quickly turn away before he noticed.

Sirius hadn't stopped flirting with her either. It was actually getting worse; now, he was trying to get her alone any chance he could get. One night, she snuck off, on her way to meet Severus in the Room of Requirement, when she began to get the feeling that someone was following her. Instead of going to the room, she headed down the stairs toward the library, listening very closely. Then she had a sickening feeling in her stomach. James' invisibility cloak! Damn! She thought she heard the familiar swish of the cloak; she had been under it so many times before. She stopped in a corridor, wondering if she should pretend she didn't know about the cloak or confront her follower head on.

She abruptly turned around and reached out with her hands swinging them widely. Finally, she hit the invisible wall and yanked the cloak off to reveal Sirius' head.

"Oh Shite! How did you know?"

"I have my ways, Sirius Black! Why are you following me?" she shouted.

"I'm sorry, Mione. I just can't help it... I want you. I wanted to get you alone, so we could talk."

He had pinned her against the wall with his hands on either side of her, breathing down her neck.

"Sirius, have you been drinking?"

"Just a bit. I nicked some firewhiskey from my mother. I keep a stash of it in my trunk."

He leaned over and kissed Hermione roughly. She punched him in the gut, causing him to bend over and yelp in pain.

She tried to slip past him, but he grabbed her arm and swung her back against the wall. Her elbows hit the rough stone surface, and the jolt to her head gave her a moment of blurring vision.

"OW! SIRIUS--STOP!" she screamed. Holding her against her will, he kissed her again, shoving his tongue between her sealed lips. She couldn't breathe, her head was aching and she was starting to panic. She couldn't move her arms to reach for her wand, and he had her half lifted against the wall, where she could barely kick her legs. She was screaming from the back of her throat when suddenly Sirius was ripped off her lips and thrown to the ground. Something black was on top of him.

Then, Hermione saw Severus' profile. He was attacking Sirius, punching him across the face, like a Muggle. Blood was on his knuckles and she thought he was surely going to kill the boy.

"YOU FUCKING TOUCHED MY GIRLFRIEND! YOU BASTARD!" He slammed his fist into Sirius' face again. The crack of his nose was almost deafening.

"SEVERUS, STOP, STOP! NOW, SEVERUS! LET GO!" Hermione scrambled over to the animal in front of her and tried pulling back on his arm, but he was too strong, and she fell backward onto the ground, hitting her head once again.

Severus must have heard Hermione fall over because he quickly turned around to see her sprawled across the stone floor. She was seeing stars but could make out his outline. He quickly jumped off of Sirius to check on her. Before he could do any healing charms though, he was tackled from the side by Sirius and thrown into the wall.

This time it was Severus' turn to be punched repeatedly in the face. Because Severus was the taller of the two, he was able to use his long legs to push Sirius off of him, giving him time to pull his wand out. "Stupefy!" he yelled at Sirius. A bolt of red light hurled out of his wand and knocked Sirius down.

Hermione tried to move, but suddenly all went black.

"MISTER SNAPE!"

Shite!

"Professor McGonagall, he was attacking Mione, he's been drinking!" Snape shouted in defense.

"Go get Madam Pomfrey! Tell her I'm on the way up with two unconscious students! And don't you leave until I get there!"

"Yes ma'am," he mumbled, running off toward the hospital wing.

"So, yet again, he gets a week of detention, and I get two weeks, because I started the fight."

"I know its unfair, Severus dear, but that's the Hogwarts rule. The person who started the fight gets the harsher punishment. I think it's time for a change though. However, that's not why he got the detention; he is being punished for forcing himself on Mione and being drunk. They said fighting with you was self-defense."

"Figures. Dumbledore hates me, just like everyone else."

"Oh, Severus. It wasn't Dumbledore who handed out the punishment: it was Professor McGonagall; she's the one who caught you."

"Well in that case, she hates me. Why do they always stick up for those prats! He could have really hurt Mione!"

"Just like you hurt him?"

"I had to defend her. I was so pissed when I saw her screaming and him not letting her go, I didn't even reach for my wand; I just attacked like a filthy Muggle."

"Well, don't be ashamed of that. Of course, you didn't hear that from me. So, you had to defend her, hmm? I haven't seen you in here for a while. Do tell."

"She's my girlfriend. I'm the only one who is allowed to kiss her. And he put his disgusting hands and lips on her, treating her like the whores he is used to."

"Severus, watch your language! Although, I do know what you mean. I'm glad you found a girlfriend. She must be doing you some good since this is the first time you have been in here for the past few months."

"Yes, she is."

"By the look in your eye, I think there is more to it than that."

"You really know how to read me, don't you?"

"Of course. You're the only student I have seen on a consistent basis, so yes, I know you very well."

"Yeah. Well, you're right. There is more. I love her. But I haven't said anything, I'm trying to take it slow. I don't want to scare her off, but after tonight, I don't know if she'll forgive me for acting like a maniac."

"I think she'll understand. Have you two..."

"Not yet, I'm waiting for the perfect time."

"Well, you know where I keep the contraceptive potions. Take what you need. If you are going to do it, be smart about it."

"I know."

"There, that should heal your wounds nicely. I want to keep her overnight. You can come back up in the morning to see her; she should be awake then."

"Thanks, Madam Pomfrey."

Hermione felt a gentle kiss on her cheek. They had no idea that she had woken and heard every word, but she had laid perfectly still, wanting to hear him talk. He loves me, he really loves me. YES!

With great difficulty, Hermione forced her smile away and fell back to sleep, extremely happy.

Hermione was disappointed that Severus didn't return the next morning. Poppy was finishing checking over the small bump on her head and giving her some instructions on the different potions she was going to give her. She re-dressed in her clothes from the previous night and left the hospital wing.

When she walked into the hall, Severus was leaning on the opposite wall. When he saw her come through the doors, he stood up, trying to read her expression.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey. You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little tender. You?"

"Fine. I'm used to it. Look, I'm really sorry for acting like that and then causing you to hurt yourself--"

She put her hand up to stop him from talking.

"Don't. You were protecting me, I should have used my wand to pull you off of him, not tried to do it physically. It was an accident on your part. Thank you for standing up for me though. However, do try to remember that he is my friend, and I don't want you killing anyone. I don't want a boyfriend in Azkaban."

"Your friend? You're still going to be friends with him! He tried... he forced... you know what he did!"

"Oh, believe me, I'm sure he's hearing it from our friends, but he has yet to hear it from me. However, I'm going to stay friends with him. I don't like to hold grudges."

Snape snorted. "Fine, but if he tries it again, I will not stop him!"

"I understand," she said.

"So, we are... okay?" he asked timidly.

"Yes, what makes you think differently?"

Snape shoulders slouched forward and he lowered his head. "I didn't know if I scared you off."

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "What do you think now?"

He smiled at her. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving. Kiss me again."

"Not for that."

"Oh, sorry," she giggled. "Yes, I'm hungry."

"Good, so am I. Let's go eat something then start studying; we have exams in two weeks."

She unhooked her arms from around his neck, and he wrapped his arms around her body, bringing her closer to him. He bent down and gave her a long, wet kiss.

"Mmm. Thank you. By the way--you told Sirius that I was your girlfriend--everyone will now know."

"Good. I want everyone to know that you are mine and to stay away. I guess keeping it a secret didn't protect you from anymore harm than telling them would have. Maybe if we had said something, he wouldn't have tried that. Well, I guess we can't go back in time to fix it. I'm sorry," he said.

Well, if my damn Time-Turner was working we could. Speaking of which, I'd better start wearing it--if someone should find it in my belongings... Ugh, I shudder to think what would happen!

"Are you going home for the holidays?" he asked her before they walked into the Great Hall.

"Nope. Why?"

Snape pulled open the doors and walked in. "Just wondering," he said with a smirk.

After they enjoyed breakfast together, Severus walked Hermione up to the seventh floor, so that she could get her study materials and speak to Sirius.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, do you want me to meet you somewhere?" she asked.

"No, I'll wait for you right here."

Hermione walked into her common room, preparing herself to see Sirius. As she suspected, he was waiting on the couch, along with her other friends.

"Hi, Mione. How are you feeling?" Lily asked.

"I'll feel better once I've had a chat with Sirius, do you guys mind?"

"No problem," James said. He and Peter followed Remus out of the room.

When Lily walked by Sirius, she smacked him upside his head. "Behave," she told him.

"Mione, I know what I did was unforgivable--"

"Sirius, please be quiet. Let me speak first. As much as I am flattered that you find me attractive, I am not interested in you that way. When a girl tells you no, she means it. You must listen to the tone of voice. I wasn't giggling and playing hard to get, I was serious. You need to learn the difference."

"I never wanted you to get hurt. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. You did deserve the beating Severus gave you, though."

"I know. I didn't know you were his girlfriend; if I had known, I swear I would never have made any advances on you."

"I know, that's my and Severus' fault. We thought if you knew, you and James would make life even worse for him, and maybe even stop being my friend."

"Never. I may dislike him, but if that's who makes you happy, then I will be completely supportive. My friends are like my family to me, and I never want to lose my family. I have become an outcast from my real family, so James, Remus, Lily, Peter and you are all I have."

"I know, Sirius. I know friendship means the world to you--that's why I'm still your friend after this incident."

"So, you forgive me?"

She sat down next to him. "Of course, but I haven't forgotten. If I ever see, or hear you forcing yourself on anyone ever again, drunk or not, I promise you will wish you were never born."

"Thanks, Mione. I promise, I will never do that again."

"Good."

"So, Severus Snape... May I ask why?"

"Yes, Severus Snape. He makes my heart flutter. And I know what you are going to say--"

"That he's dangerous? Well, I guess you could say that I am, too. If he hurts you, I'm going to be the one beating him."

"Understandable. So are you guys going to let your little feud die on my behalf?"

"And give up my favorite form of entertainment? Never. But, I won't be as harsh. We have an unspoken understanding, see. Hasn't he told you?"

"Told me what?"

"Our fighting goes back and forth. He starts something, I finish it. I start something, he finishes it. Been that way for years. I don't think normal people would call it friendship, but it's something twisted and wicked."

Hermione remembered all those times they meet each other at Grimmauld Place. They still bantered back and forth, trying to show each other up, and she started laughing in her mind.

"Well, he did tell me that you tried to kill him one year, but wouldn't give me the details."

"Ah, yes. That one was pretty stupid, I admit."

"I'm sure it was. Well, he's waiting on me to go study." She gave him a hug, and he slowly hugged her back. "It's okay to hug me, that's what friends do."

"Okay."

Hermione left Sirius and went to her room, gathered her book bag and trotted back down to the common room.

James, Remus, Lily and Peter had returned.

"So, we hear that you're dating Severus," Remus said.

"Yes, sorry you had to hear it from Sirius and not me--"

"It wasn't Sirius who told us. Severus is waiting outside the portrait hole for you, and we heard it from him. I believe his exact words were, 'Mione and I are dating. She's mine. Don't try to interfere,'" James said in his best impersonation of her boyfriend.

Hermione chuckled. "He has a way with words, doesn't he?"

James snorted.

"Have fun studying. We'll see you for dinner, yes?" Lily said.

"Sounds good. See you guys later."

"Later, Mione."

"Have fun."

"Well, that wasn't so bad," she said after walking back through the portrait. Severus was standing against the wall.

"I told your friends we were dating."

"I heard, thank you."

"What did you tell Black?"

"None of your concern."

He looked at her like she had said something disgusting. "Fine. Don't tell me."

"Don't get upset. You wouldn't want me to share some of our private conversations. Would you?"

"Don't you dare."

"Exactly." Hermione walked off in front of him, leaving him in her dust. He quickly picked up speed and caught up to her. "So, where would you like to go study?"

"Room of Requirement."

"Good choice."

"All right, we've had the entire Order search the grounds and have come up empty. Potter's right: she's not on that magical map either," Mad-Eye Moody grumbled.

"It's been forty-eight hours! What if she's lying dead somewhere!" Ron yelled.

"We have got everyone on this, Ron. We are working on finding her," said Moody.

"Try Malfoy's home!" Ron yelled back.

"We are working on it--we have to dig around for a reason to enter his home and search it, give us another day." Tonks said.

"ANOTHER DAY?" Ron screamed.

"Ron, calm down. It won't do Hermione any good if we start yelling at each other." Harry said. "Professor Dumbledore, is there anyway to get Professor Snape back here?"

"No, Harry. When he is with Voldemort, all communication is cut off," explained Dumbledore.

"Remus is checking with the underground. With his connections, he will hear if someone abducted a young lady. But we have to be patient," Arthur said.

"I'm working on some ancient magic that might help us track her down, but like Arthur said, we have to be patient," Dumbledore explained. "We will start with the raid on Malfoy Manor tomorrow, wait to see if Severus shows back up, and I will continue working on the ancient magic, while Remus checks with his kind. Until then, we will meet back here tomorrow, same time. We will then see if any other clues have come up," Dumbledore said as he finished addressing the Order.

Again, many thanks to Lariope.