Chapter 18

Hermione was sitting in Severus’ lap as he read to her late at night. They could barely contain their excitement. The potion would be completed tomorrow, and neither of them could sleep. Hermione wore only a silky, blue nightgown, and Severus wore his black pajama bottoms. The last month had sealed their relationship. They were as close to being one as two people could emotionally get.

Severus put down the book and was kissing her with expertise that left her weak with desire. “Tomorrow night,” he whispered against her lips.

Suddenly the door blew off its hinges, and dust rained down around them.

“Hermione! Are you there?” came Harry’s voice from behind the cloud of dust.

“POTTER!” Snape stood, holding her against him—partially for protectiveness and partially to cover his half nakedness. “Expelliarmus!’ he shouted.

The wand flew from Harry’s hand, and he crashed back against the wall. “SNAPE!” Harry cried in shock when the dust settled. “Get away from her. What’s going on here? You’re dead!”

“Hardly,” he drawled, glaring at the once-despised, young man.

Harry ducked, grabbed his wand, and fired a spell off. Hermione stepped in front of it and deflected it, knocking Harry back on his behind.

“Harry, what are you doing here?” Hermione demanded, standing protectively in front of Severus.

“Rescuing you,” he said, starting to look a bit sheepish as he realized there was more going on than met the eye. They were in a very obvious state of undress, their physical contact was gentle, and Hermione was protective of Snape. The room looked cozy and homey. It wasn’t the the dungeon of torture Molly had led him to believe Hermione was in.

Hermione laughed. “Harry, I don’t need rescuing.” She summoned their robes.

Harry looked very embarrassed, and extremely confused, as he climbed to his feet. He bent to pick up his wand. He looked at Snape for signs of attack, but the man was now relaxed. He did a Reparo on the door, and the dust from the room reassembled into a door. Aware that Snape could easily disarm him again if he wanted to, Harry made no threatening moves.

“I told Molly many times, in many letters, that I was not in any danger and that I was doing something I really wanted to do. I could not have been more clear.” She had slipped to Snape’s side, and they now stood arm in arm.

“I don’t understand. How can you be alive?” He addressed Snape. “I saw you die.”

“Near death, as close as a man can get. Sit.” He indicated the couch across from their chair. “I’ll make tea.”

As he moved away Harry noticed a limp and realized he was not using his hand. He glanced at Hermione and saw that she was watching Snape with a tender look in her eyes.

“You’re in love with him!” he accused, bitterness creeping into his voice.

“We found each other when we had a need so great that we had almost given up on life. He needed me, and I needed him. You have no idea.”

“Hermione, why did you let Ginny and I go if you were hurting so much? You should have known we would do anything for you.”

“I did know, Harry,” she said, reaching out and taking his hands. “But I was holding you back from having the life all newlyweds need.”

“What are you doing here?” He glanced at Snape. “How did you find him?”

“Let’s wait till Severus joins us.”

Harry nodded and sat back. He glanced around the room and saw the big, curtained bed and fought the red heat that climbed up his neck. He glanced at Hermione and saw her blush, and he knew they were sleeping together.

“I do love him,” she said softly. “More than I could ever imagine.”

“That’s weird, Hermione,” he whispered, noting that Snape was coming toward them, levitating a tea tray and biscuits.

“Thank you, Professor,” Harry said as he took the teacup from Snape and selected a biscuit.

Snape just raised an eyebrow. “Hardly your Professor, Mr. Potter.” After serving Hermione and taking a cup for himself, Snape sat in his chair, and Hermione perched on the arm.

“If you thought Hermione was in such danger, why did you come here alone?”

Harry squirmed. “I’m sorry about the door. It was so heavily warded, I thought for a moment that Molly was right.”

“But you didn’t when you came here?” Hermione prompted.

“No, not really. I read your letters. If you had been in trouble, it would have been encrypted with messages of some sort.” He sipped his tea and bit into the biscuit. Looking down at it, he realized how hungry he was and how good it was. He attacked it and grabbed another one.

Snape chuckled.

Harry stared at him like he’d grown another head.

“I can laugh if I find something funny, Potter. Life’s a lot different now that Hermione’s here.”

“I can see that,” Harry replied unbelievingly.

“I’m surprised you’re not trying to tear me apart after all the things I did to the people you loved.”

Harry surprised the older man when he laughed. “I’ve changed my mind about you, sir. Without your help, I would never have been able to defeat Voldemort. The memories you shared with me were very helpful, and I realized how much you sacrificed to keep me alive and to bring me to the point of being able to defeat that monster. I realized you were counting on me to free you from his servitude. I also realized how much Dumbledore loved you and believed in you. He forgave you. I learned after time that I could too.”

Harry saw the look of shock pass across Snape’s face, and he was gobsmacked when the man’s eyes filled with tears.