Chapter Ten: Closer

Disclaimer : The characters aren't mine, the Potterverse isn't mine, even the prompt is someone else's!

Betas are wonderful people. Commas quail before them, sentences stand to attention, and errors are evicted. I love my beta, ladyinthecloak, she is awesome.

Chapter 10: Closer

Hermione awoke earlier than usual the next morning and tossed back the bedcovers, eager to start the day. With fresh clothes in hand, she opened the bedroom door to make her way to the bathroom. Heading towards the bathroom she paused outside Severus' door, having heard an odd sound. Listening carefully, she heard occasional soft moans from within his bedroom. Concerned that he might be unwell, but not wanting to open the door in view of her previous experience, she leaned over and put her ear to the wooden panel. A few moments later she blushed and stood abruptly as she recognised the nature of the repetitive slapping sounds, heavy breathing, and groans that had increased in frequency, then suddenly ceased with a drawn out sigh. Living in a tent with two teenaged boys, who had thought their occasional early morning stress relief was going unnoticed, left her with no doubt about her house-mate's activities. Well, that's the final proof that Severus Snape is human like the rest of us, Hermione smirked to herself as she showered and dressed for the day.

When Severus joined her in the kitchen a little later, he was nonplussed at his companion's inability to look at him without a smug smile crossing her face.

"What?" he demanded, wondering if he had missed something while shaving.

"Nothing," Hermione replied, turning away to tend to the toast, something she could cook without mishap. Trying very hard to act maturely and ignore what she had heard, she eventually succumbed and collapsed into fits of giggles at the thought of the usually composed man in the room with her spanking the monkey. She abandoned the toast to its fate and leaned against the kitchen bench trying to control herself.

"Something has obviously amused you this morning, Hermione. I would appreciate it if you shared the joke," Severus crossed the room to salvage his breakfast.

"I... I... can't...," she gasped.

"Talk?" he suggested, smirking at her inability to speak coherently. He poured a cup of coffee and handed it to her, patiently awaiting enlightenment.

"Don't make me explain, Severus," she pleaded. "For your own sake!"

"Merlin, woman! Just spit it out. What can be so bad if it is so funny?"

"Truly, you don't want to know," she muttered, buttering a piece of toast.

"Hermione..."

"All right, all right! I have one thing to say to you. You are not in this house alone. Use an Imperturbable Charm!" One look at the dawning comprehension on his face and she relapsed into uncontrollable laughter. He flushed scarlet and covered his face with his hands.

"You didn't...?" he asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"I did," she replied, slowly calming down.

"Oh, bloody hell!" he exclaimed. Then he peered at her curiously. "What's so funny then?"

"Oh, I don't know. It's just the thought of you... doing that..."

"And am I so old that I should not have normal male urges?" he asked irritably. "Teenagers! You think anyone over thirty is past it!"

She snorted. "Well, next time you have an urge, could you deal with it behind an Imperturbable? I nearly burst in there bearing a cold washcloth and ice to soothe what I thought was a sick wizard. That would have cooled any urges mighty fast!" She laughed as she saw him flinch.

"Yes, yes. I get it. House Rule Number One: No Sexual Urges Without Charms in Place. Anything else? Want to make a decree on when we are allowed to release wind?" he grumbled, still a little annoyed at her laughter.

"No, not at the moment. I will let you know. But, seriously, I suppose it is like finding out your parents are still having sex. You know it happens, but you really don't want to think about it. It was bad enough in the tent with the boys when they thought no-one else was awake! It just seemed so out of character for the Professor Snape I knew before. I suddenly had images of you, in the Potions supply room... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," she apologised, seeing him cover his eyes again as his shoulders started shaking. As he looked up she realised he was no longer upset with her insensitive ramblings, but was trying hard to suppress laughter of his own.

"The Potions supply room..." he finally got out. "With you lot breaking in whenever you felt the need? Hardly a place I would go for some privacy!" He gave in and roared with laughter.

Relieved that he had finally seen the funny side of the whole situation, Hermione relaxed and finished her breakfast, enjoying the sight and sound of his laughter. When they were ready to leave for the café, she put her arms around him as he was about to Apparate. "I don't think you are that old, you know," she murmured.

***

Later that day they prepared to enter the Pensieve, this time using Severus' memory of the incident. Much as they had expected, the scene played out exactly the same as before, only confirming what they had seen the previous evening without adding any further information. The rest of the evening was spent poring over dusty old books, reading every word, trying to find any reference to the Bind and Conquer draught.

"This is hopeless," Hermione complained after reading the same section for the third time. This supposed potion does not seem to exist, even though we have seen it in action! Is there any chance that Riddle developed it himself?"

"No. His potions prowess was above average, but he required my services for a reason. I doubt that he would have been capable of the patience required for such a task, even if he had the skill. There must be something we are missing!" Severus slumped back into his chair, frustrated at their lack of progress.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I have had enough of this for one evening. How about you teach me how to make your divine hot chocolate and we relax for a while?" she coaxed.

"What... let you in on one of the few secrets I have that you haven't already exposed?"

She flushed at the reference to the episode that morning. "Oh, get into the kitchen and make your top-secret brew then. Just don't complain that I don't take a turn!" she said as she gently shoved him in the right direction.

***

That evening set the scene for the next few weeks. Once Hermione had worked out her notice at the café, she spent part of the day cleaning up the house, the Muggle way, only enlisting Severus' aid for tasks that were too heavy or out of her reach. Severus would continue trawling through the books, twice visiting the Hogwarts library and Malfoy Manor looking for any references to the Bind and Conquer draught that he had missed previously.

They would re-enter the Pensieve every few days to refresh their memories and work together on the books in the afternoons, but to no avail.

The latter part of the days were spent talking and relaxing. Sharing their past histories drew them closer together, and they were often to be found together on the couch reading, talking, or listening to music. Oddly enough, they shared similar tastes, with Hermione a great fan of some of the same bands that Severus had grown up with. They loved classical music and debated over the relative merits of Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Strauss, and Mozart. Every few days, Severus would Apparate them to a park or Muggle area of the city so Hermione could enjoy freedom and fresh air with little risk of discovery. Although they knew her friends would not recognise her, they were aware that seeing Severus with a strange woman when he was supposed to be deep in important research would generate unwelcome interest.

Severus even took up the challenge of teaching Hermione to cook. Sure enough, under his expert tuition, she quickly realised that following a recipe was not unlike brewing a potion. The panache, however, she left to him. They ate well and were living in a house that was now spotlessly clean and tidy. The close living arrangements had rapidly created an easy familiarity with each other that astounded but pleased them both.

***

Hermione was pottering about in the kitchen cleaning up after lunch. Severus had headed upstairs for a shower some ten minutes earlier when she heard sounds of running water – lots of running water. Wondering what was going on, she ran up the stairs to investigate, tea-towel in hand.

Stripping off his clothes, Severus had turned on the shower and, after waiting a few moments for the hot water to run through the old pipes, stepped in. No sooner had he done so, when with a loud bang, the shower pipe had split below the taps. Water cascaded sideways from the large tear, covering the floor in moments. He looked around for his wand in vain; it was still in his bedroom. All his clothes and towels were saturated. There was no option – he had to run for it. He opened the door to make a dash for his wand and ran straight into a very bemused Hermione. With no time to explain, he grabbed his wand from his bedroom, returned to the bathroom and cast Reparo on the waterpipe. He vanished all the water and turned to find Hermione leaning against the door frame shaking her head in wonder.

"The pipe burst..." he started to explain.

"I see that."

"I didn't have my wand..."

"I see that too."

"Then, why are you shaking your head?" he asked.

"I just don't think I've ever seen such a white body. For Merlin's sake, Severus, get some clothes on, or at least get some sun, the glare is blinding!" Once again she dissolved into laughter at his expense.

This time, he was prepared. "What? You don't like what you see?" he posed, unashamed of his nakedness. "I'm deeply wounded!"

"Oh, Severus. I am just afraid your magnificent body will spoil me for other men," she replied cheekily as she started twirling the tea-towel in her hand preparing to strike.

"You think to take on a man armed with a wand, miss?" he threatened, unconvincingly.

"Two wands," she retorted wickedly as she gave up tormenting him and returned to the kitchen.

"What did you delinquents get up to in that tent?" he muttered, once again amazed at her lack of embarrassment at the situation. Apart from that first morning, she did not appear at all disconcerted when she had occasionally seen him since, often wrapped in only a towel, returning to his bedroom after a shower. She treated him in the same way she had treated her two male cohorts at Hogwarts; with affection, humour, and no small amount of bossiness. What bemused him was that somehow he seemed to enjoy her friendship, something he never thought he would experience, especially with a former student. I must be losing my edge, he thought, letting a teenaged girl order me around. Then he sighed and realised dwelling on it only made him more confused. He needed to find someone he could re-sharpen his tongue against – and soon.

As if by sheer force of will alone, he suddenly felt a disruption in his wards. They had a visitor. Dressing rapidly in a clean white shirt and black trousers, he hurried downstairs and silently indicated to Hermione that she needed to go up to her bedroom until he had dealt with the caller.

He opened the door just as Lucius' cane was about to make his presence known.

"Lucius. How delightful to see you at my humble abode. Do come in." He gestured to the sitting room. Please, take a seat. I am just out of the shower. If you will excuse me for a moment I will finish dressing, then perhaps... tea?"

"Or something a little stronger, if you have it?" suggested his aristocratic friend.

"Certainly. Make yourself comfortable. I will be with you in a few moments." Severus swept out of the room in as dignified a manner as his bare feet would allow. Opening Hermione's door quietly, he explained who their visitor was and advised her to stay upstairs until Lucius had left. Quickly donning socks and shoes and charming his hair dry, Severus returned to his guest, collecting a bottle of reasonable wine on the way.

"So, Lucius. How can I help you?" he asked, filling the glasses.

"I have no particular reason for calling," Lucius replied. "Narcissa remarked to me today that we had not seen you for some time, and I promised to check to ensure our old friend wasn't overworking himself. I see, however, that you are looking uncommonly hale and hearty at the moment. One would have to wonder whether a woman was involved." He raised a pale eyebrow mockingly.

"Unfortunately, I am not as well-endowed with female admirers as you, my friend. Perhaps quiet living and working in a field of my choice may have something to do with my improved well-being. You know yourself that being at the beck and call of a power-crazed psychopath is not exactly conducive to good health." He raised his glass in a toast. "To a peaceful life!"

Lucius joined him in the toast, and after exchanging a few non-consequential pleasantries, left to reassure his wife that Severus was indeed safe and well. After checking his wards remained intact, Severus called up to Hermione that it was safe to return downstairs.

"What did he want?" she asked as soon as she entered the sitting room.

"He was merely checking up on my health," he replied. "There are some people who do notice if I am not seen for a while, you know."

"Of course there are," she soothed. "It just seemed uncharacteristic of Lucius Malfoy to go out of his way for someone else, is all."

"I suppose I can hardly blame you for that opinion," he admitted. "You haven't exactly ever seen Lucius in a normal social situation, now have you?"

"That was purely his choice," she retorted. "I can't understand why you are still friends with him, after all he has done."

"I'm not sure myself," Severus said quietly. "I just know that he is one of the few people left that I knew as a child, and he seems to have genuinely reformed since the war. His family meant the world to him, and when they were threatened... well, let's say he, like a lot of fathers and husbands, was prepared to do anything to keep them safe.

"After he managed to convince the Wizengamot that he was not a danger to the public, his time in Azkaban having been taken into account, he was fined heavily and remains subject to some close controls on his activities. He has taken pains to keep his business enterprises above board and made a point of employing Muggle-borns as well as purebloods. I think he has actually realised that he has gained a lot of skilled workers that he would not have previously considered. Enough to say that he has had his eyes opened and is now only an elitist in terms of wealth. I don't think that will ever change. Besides, you are well aware of the things I have done in the past and that some of them were, much to my regret, done willingly, and yet you appear to have forgiven me. Is my forgiving Lucius so very different?"

"I see your point," said Hermione, contemplating the information. "However, I would still prefer that we didn't invite him to dinner anytime soon."

"I don't think that is likely to be an issue, my dear. Lucius would probably starve rather than eat at this poor excuse for a dwelling."

"There is nothing wrong with your home, and if he can't see that, it's his loss," she defended proudly.

"Our home, Hermione, for as long as you want to live here," Severus offered.

"Oh, Severus, you are so sweet," she whispered as she hugged him tightly.

"Sweet. Now I know I've lost it," he grumbled as he returned her embrace.

***

A/N: Based on prompt 93. "Someone has his or her powers stripped away for misuse. Did he/she lose them because of actual misuse or was it a set up? How do they get them back?"