Chapter Four

For the next few days, Severus had time for little else but the Dark Lord's plans for finally asserting his control over wizarding Britian. The moments he spent with Hermione in her dreams were brief but calming. He helped her decide what potions she needed to bring with her, which she could brew in adverse conditions, and what ingredients she might find in the forest.

He felt oddly reluctant to teach her how to heal his Sectumsempra; he'd never taught that to anyone else. No one was even supposed to know he'd invented the spell, much less the magic that can repair the damage. He didn't want to fill their last few moments of peace with the reality that he'd invented a spell he felt was much more terrible than an Unforgivable because it could be used to kill accidentally.

He didn't want to be responsible for the further decline of her innocence. Wasn't what was sure to be ahead for her bad enough? Sometimes, even in daylight, he recalled that, though Defense hadn't been her best subject, her abilities out of the classroom had proven formidable, and he couldn't help but respect her. He reluctantly had to admit to himself that the old man had given him something good, after all.

The night before the planned attack on the Ministry, Severus excused himself for bed in the very early morning hours with the intention of reminding Hermione again of the importance of having everything she needed with her at all times.

Finding her dream was easy. The now-familiar sunlit backyard of The Burrow was decked out in wedding finery, as was Hermione, and his breath caught when he saw her dancing closely with Weasley.

She seemed enthralled as she smiled up into the young man's eyes. A flare of jealousy settled into thoughtful observation. There was a certain rightness in the scene. In a few years, it would be those two having a beautiful wedding. Having vanquished evil for their time, her memories of a relationship with her former Potions master would be relegated to the insubstantial dreams which comprised it.

He wouldn't be around to interfere; he felt sure of that.

Remembering the importance of the message he was to deliver, he drew nearer, the rest of the crowd fading behind fairy mist as he swept toward her to cut in.

Tapping Weasley on the shoulder, he relished the exercise of control that made the young man simply fade away. He clasped Hermione's hands. "May I have this dance?"

Her answer was a breathy, "Oh, Severus," as the vision in lilac stepped into his arms, beginning to move in step with him. The music was of no discernable tune, but that didn't prevent them from keeping perfect time with each other.

"Just the beat of my heart," she murmured--a sentiment that would have made Severus scowl and scorn were he not busy being on his best behavior.

With only the sense of shared rhythm to guide them, there wasn't an easy way to tell when the dance should end. Severus' reluctance to let her go surprised him, but how long had it been since such a beatific smile was caused by or directed at him? His savoring of her smile was cut short only when she decided to work her hands around him and rest her head on his chest. This, he would savor, too.

Even under the influence of the lust spell, past co-victims would sometimes approach him and attempt to grab and snog, but even had he allowed it, none had had the inclination to... snuggle with him. He allowed his arms to embrace her. He needed her to feel safe with him; it was vital that she have these associations in her heart when her world began to fall apart. He needed her to turn to him, not the boys, to maintain the bond through the months ahead.

He spent the next few moments reviewing his plan of what to say to her. He didn't want to give too much away. He sincerely hoped she would enjoy the real wedding tomorrow, and she couldn't do that if she spent the whole day waiting for the apocalypse. No, he'd have to carefully navigate the minefield of Hermione's intellect, attempting to avoid tipping her off. If she were nervous, it would spread among the wedding-goers, and that could be disastrous. Albus had been pleased that Voldemort had chosen the day of the Weasley wedding for his attack. At least the core leadership of the Order would be safely away from the Ministry during the of Death Eaters' first wave.

This was one more thing he wanted her to have, one last day of happy memories before her life would be in more danger than ever.

With reluctance that was only partially for show, he gently disengaged himself from her, taking her hand and leading her to a table. The mist had cleared, leaving only the two of them in the warm sun again.

"Have you finished packing?" he asked her, looking down into her eyes, still a bit dazed.

She looked as though she was about to say something else, but she shook herself and pulled a beaded bag from her shoulder. "Yes, I have everything right here."

His eyebrows rose. He didn't think her wand would fit safely in such a tiny thing. "You're going on a quest with a make-up case?"

She surprised him by slapping him with it, and it hurt more than the fragile thing should have. "No, I told you I'd been working with some charms. See." She opened the handbag to reveal her wand and a tube of lipstick. "Oh, now this is a nightmare." She shut it again, and he took it from her loose grip.

"What do you mean?" He opened it with the same result.

"In real life, this little bag has everything in it. Undetectable Extension Charm, plus a couple of more to keep it light... mostly. It still has a bit more heft to it than it should. Sorry about hitting you."

"At least there shan't be a bruise." He handed it back to her.

"Yes, well anyway, I've had all of my things in it for days, and I'll be adding the boys' bags and things in the morning."

"Not a bad bit of magic--and logic. Hidden in plain sight."

"Exactly." She hesitated before continuing. "We're leaving the day after the wedding. No one else knows that. I hope it's okay that I told you."

"I've been keeping secrets for years; yours are quite safe with me."

"Thank you, Severus." Again, she embraced him. "Any last words of advice in case I don't bump into you before then?"

Severus shivered. He knew she was as ready as she could be, and he couldn't very well tell her that it was the image of her dancing with Weasley that made him the most uneasy about the events that would inevitably unfold when the morning came and the varied plans of Molly Weasley and his dark master would both come to fruition.

"Just, remember that--no matter what--I'm still following Dumbledore's orders. And hold on to your wand."

***

Hermione shifted on the cushions and snuggled into the sleeping bag, then reached an arm out for Ron. Without opening her eyes, she felt around for his hand, but when she found nothing, fear gripped her, causing her to sit up and stare into the shadowy darkness and Snape's smirking face.

"What? How? Ron! Harry!"

"Hush, don't wake them."

"But, how did you--"

He lightly gripped her shoulders to still her. "Calm yourself. If you are thrashing about in your sleep, one of them will wake you, and the opportunity will be wasted."

"So you're not--"

"I'm not really here... but I assume by your reactions that you are."

"Yes, it's so odd to fall asleep somewhere and wake up, but not really wake up."

He released her. "Even the most ordered mind is prone to odd dreams. I'm glad you've decided to hide out here, though. I've convinced the Dark Lord that I am unable to penetrate the protective charms and such surrounding the old Black home."

"But you can?"

"It would be unwise for me to attempt again."

"But you have?"

"Apparently you haven't made a thorough investigation of the house yet."

"Oh... it is safe, though?"

"Yes. Though they are aware of the Secret Kept home, no other Death Eater can see it. You must be very careful when you attempt to leave."

"Okay." Hermione took a few deep breaths and brought up the lights in the room. "You knew, then."

"Yes. I assume you had time to put everything in that clever little bag of yours."

"Yes. I would have anyway, but I appreciate your reminding me. I was angry and afraid. It's good that you found me resting, or I might have tried to hex you. I'm so confused. Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Think it over a minute."

"Oh, I've been thinking it over. I know that you have to be very careful, but it's frustrating to know that you are keeping things from me, like Dumbledore used to with Harry."

"Believe me, I'm still taking orders from Dumbledore, and sometimes the more you know, the worse it is."

"Spoken like a teacher. Well, all three of us are of age now, and we have no idea what we'll be up against. If you can remember to treat me like an adult instead of your student, I would very much appreciate it."

His look softened slightly as he moved to touch her face. "It will be very easy from now on to think of you as an adult."

Thanks to my busy beta, Lady in the Cloak for helping me keep my ducks in a row.