The Calling

Chapter 16 - The Calling

Ordinarily Snape would get a slight tingling sensation in his arm before the Dark Mark began to burn, but this time the pain shot through his entire arm with no pretense, like being burnt with a fire-poker that was fresh off of the fire. He couldn't help but to gasp from the sudden wave of pain.

Hermione's eyes flew to him immediately. 'Severus?' she asked, worries creasing her ordinarily smooth features.

'He's calling me,' he gasped, leaping from his chair, sending his book flying across the floor, and rushing from the room.

Hermione took a deep breath and calmed herself. It wasn't going to help either of them if both were hysterical. And by the looks of things, it was Snape who was a little frantic this time, leaving her to be calm. She picked up the books and spelled them to their shelves. Walking slowly, she went to follow him to his room, still giving him time to get ready alone.

When she reached his bedroom, he was already dressed in his Death Eater robes, holding the silver mask in one hand and looking grim.

Hermione ran to him and flew straight into his arms, resting her cheek against his strong chest and taking another deep breath before she hyperventilated. But as soon as she exhaled, the tears began to well up in her eyes.

'Please be safe,' she whispered emotionally.

'I promise,' he said back quietly.

She looked him in the eyes and let the tears fall down her cheeks, holding on tighter than before. He leaned forward and kissed her softly but pulled away soon after lest it get out of hand.

'Hermione, there is a good chance that I am going to be in a great deal of danger, and I don't want you to be hurt,' he said, holding her shoulders lightly and rubbing circles with his thumbs.

'I know.'

'I want you to go to Albus. Tell him that I will report to him WHEN I get back,' he pleaded.

Hermione looked doubtful and turned away.

'I will come back, Hermione. I promise,' he said, turning her chin up to face him properly. 'Trust me.'

She nodded and kissed him once more, pushing him away and walking to the fireplace. 'Go now.'

Snape pulled up his sleeve and touched his wand to the Dark Mark, disappearing with a loud pop, leaving Hermione alone by the fireplace. She wiped away the stray tears and tried to restore as much normality to her appearance as she could before grabbing a handful of Floo powder and appearing in Dumbledore's office.

She found the headmaster staring out one of his grand windows, looking a little disturbed and dreamy. 'He's been summoned then?' the old man asked without turning to face her.

Hermione would have nodded, but he couldn't see her. 'Yes.'

'He's in a lot of danger, Miss Granger,' Albus started sorrowfully, 'and I'm afraid it is all my fault.'

'What do you mean?' Hermione asked quickly.

'I asked him to make an unbreakable vow with me, in exchange for my protection. It didn't leave him with much other choice, so he accepted, naturally.'

Hermione's eyes widened. 'So you mean to tell me that Severus is out there risking his life for a few miserable people that could not even give a flying broomstick about him, just because of some stupid vow?' she piped a little frantically.

'I would like to say no, but that would be a lie,' Dumbledore said with a sigh. He understood how the girl felt.

'Brilliant!' she said, throwing her hands up dramatically. 'We have no idea whether he is coming back or not!'

'He will come back, Miss Granger. Make no mistake, Severus is strong and he has too much to live for!' Dumbledore said firmly, voice rising a bit.

'What guarantees do we have?' Hermione retorted.

'We do not have any, Hermione,' he admitted. 'All we have is hope. I swear that if I could do one thing, I would take back the vow and chose another fate for him, but for now he must walk his own path.'

'I will not lose him, Professor,' she said quietly, staring at the ground.

'Have a seat, Hermione. We will just have to wait and see what the outcome is.'

Hermione sat herself precariously on a seat, trying to relax her tense muscles and then remembered the potions he had stuffed into her pocket earlier. Pulling out a muscle relaxant, she tipped it down her throat and swallowed. It was disgusting, but it helped.

They waited for about half an hour before the flames in the fireplace glowed green and Severus stumbled out, shaking violently.

'Call the Order, now!' he commanded croakily.

Dumbledore stood and summoned his phoenix Patronus to alert all of the Order members, before walking to help Severus onto the couch that Hermione was on.

'Miss Granger, a Cruciata potion, please,' he said firmly.

Hermione obliged and uncorked a vial, pressing it to Snape's lips and pushing him back onto the couch forcefully against the violent tremors.

'Drink!' she commanded.

He did as he was told and drank every vile drop of the potion and, after a few moments, relaxed back into the seat with Hermione still perched atop his lap.

'Thank you,' he croaked.

Dumbledore watched the somewhat changed dynamics between the two and saw that Hermione was smiling, albeit a little nervously, at him. Severus, in turn, didn't seem to be bothered at all by their close proximity, and welcomed her embrace. It looked, to him, like the beginnings of love.

'Severus, tell me what happened?' he said finally.

'The Dark Lord will attack at dawn. He discovered that I have betrayed him and tortured me, letting me live only to bear this message to you: he says that you will not live to see the end of tomorrow,' he reported, voice husky with emotion.

'How were you discovered?'

'I am afraid that I betrayed myself. There was no informant,' he replied, taking Hermione's hand.

'Very well. Is that all?'

'He will attack the Ministry of Magic first,' Snape said softly.

'I want both of you to remain here while I update the Order. Do not be too worried if I do not return tonight,' he said, stepping up to the fireplace and leaving in a swirl of green flames.

Hermione was left alone in the room with Snape now and slid down to sit on his lap properly, winding her arms around his waist and laying her head on his chest. 'I didn't think you would come back,' she murmured quietly.

'Neither did I. But my one redeeming thought saved me from the Dark Lord,' he replied with a heavy sigh.

'What was it?'

'I thought of you, and that is why I was discovered. But that is also why I am no longer tied to Voldemort,' he said, kissing her on the forehead lightly.

Hermione looked up, eyes shining and kissed him slowly, then more deeply, until she needed to catch her breath. He closed his eyes as she rested her head on his chest again, and they both drifted into a sleep-like state.

'Hermione...' he whispered softly as sleep took a hold of his mind.