Chapter 19

Hermione hadn't been so excited about a Saturday in a long time. It seemed as though all she ever did was work, and while she used to enjoy being busy all the time, it was hard when all she really wanted to do was spend time with Sirius.

She realized she was becoming pathetically sappy and made a mental note to do something about that.

But for the time being, she was going to enjoy it. Overanalyzing might be her forte, but she was out to prove to herself that she could take things in stride just as much as the next guy.

The next guy being Sirius, of course.

The man honestly didn't have a care in the world. One would think that spending one's twenties in prison, one's thirties either trapped in a house or floating in oblivion would make one a little cautious, a little wary.

But Sirius acted as though his life was perfectly normal, and it was enough to drive her barmy at times. His total nonchalance, while endearing, grated against her high-strung (his words) nature.

Of course, that didn't mean she could hide her smile when he'd snuck into the shower with her and showed her the exact opposite of nonchalance. But now Hermione was determined to just live a little, take things as they are, relax.

After she figured out what that ripping feeling was, and why the bond seemed to have dissolved, of course. She was only human, after all, and no one would be able to relax without knowing exactly what was happening inside them.

Except, of course, aforementioned "next guy."

Hermione really, really did not like keeping things from Sirius. The way they'd been living completely precluded that. It was impossible to keep a secret from one another because they were so close in proximity, but also because they'd become used to talking everything out in loving detail. Of course, this usually meant Hermione talked and Sirius distracted her, or Sirius talked and Hermione analyzed until Sirius grew bored and distracted her.

But this was something Sirius seemed unwilling to discuss with her. She wanted to know what the hell was going on with the bond. She believed the bond was more than just a connection due to the spells she'd performed. Hermione had the suspicion the Veil was actually behind the bond, that it had orchestrated it. She was beginning to believe the Veil was actually a sentient being, with desires and motivations.

And this made her question what it wanted from them.

Because at first, they were compelled to have sex. The compulsion was so strong that Sirius nearly died from it. So why, then, would the bond dissipate after the consummation? If the bond, or the Veil, got what it wanted, what was it? What did the Veil gain from their having sex? It didn't make any sense.

Hermione sipped her tea and thought back to what this was really about: keeping things from Sirius. Of course, under normal circumstances, she would never go behind his back, knowing his qualms. Or rather, going directly against his qualms. But she wasn't getting the answers she needed.

So she would go where answers were always somehow found.

Hermione hadn't meant to lie when she told Sirius she was going out. Avoiding the truth would be easier for both of them, and she was so tired of hearing vitriol against her former Potions professor. So she would save Sirius the angst and just leave him in the dark.

She said she was going to see Ginny. Easy enough; she knew Ginny always did her errands and visiting on Saturdays, so if Sirius went to see Harry, she wouldn't be there.

When Hermione Apparated on Hogwarts grounds, she took a few minutes to absorb the true enormity of the school. This building housed and educated nearly every single witch and wizard in England. It was an astonishing feat, something at which to be marvelled.

She decided to walk and marvel at the same time. She was, if nothing else, a multi-tasker.

A gnawing sense of guilt had taken root in her belly, and she could only convince herself to calm down by telling herself that Sirius honestly wouldn't care; that he needed answers just as much as she did, and that she was doing them both a favour. What he didn't know couldn't possibly hurt him. And really, he acted like a child sometimes with this age-old animosity with Snape.

The wards admitted her and Headmistress McGonagall met her at the doors, opening one wide for Hermione's entrance.

"Miss Granger, what a surprise I received when the wards informed me of your arrival," said the older woman in her lilting accent. She looked a little older and slightly less pinched. The defeat of Voldemort had, of course, relaxed even the staunchest of dispositions.

"Headmistress, it's so nice to see you! You look well," Hermione said smiling. They were walking together through the hall, students taking notice of Hermione's rather casual Muggle clothing.

"As do you, I should say. Would you care for some tea? I have a meeting soon, but I could..."

"Oh, no, Professor McGonagall," Hermione softly interrupted. "I wouldn't want to hold you. I've actually come to see Professor Snape."

The Headmistress startled a bit, though she hid it well. "Why ever for, Hermione?"

Hermione saw no real danger in telling her the truth, or at least an abbreviated and censored version of it. "You've heard about the return of Sirius Black?"

"My goodness," the Headmistress exclaimed. "Was that true? There were so many witnesses, but I just couldn't believe..."

"It's very true," Hermione informed her seriously. "He is alive and well."

"Oh, Harry must be so thrilled. The poor boy, he'd lost so much." Hermione's eyes didn't linger on the shine in her companion's, but she sympathized.

"Harry is ecstatic to have Sirius back. And Sirius is just as happy to be back. But there are, as always in such situations, complications."

The older witch was quiet for a moment, before saying, "Nothing comes without a price, does it? And Severus will be able to help with these complications?"

Hermione nodded. They were nearing the dungeons, and the cold air wrapped around her like ribbons. "I really hope so."

"So do I, from what you've told me. Well, he is in his office now, but I suspect he'll see you regardless."

"I do hope so, with me showing up so unexpected. I know he dislikes my company still, but he really is brilliant."

"I should not say he dislikes your company, Hermione," McGonagall said with a twinkle to rival that of her predecessor. "In fact, he commends you highly to his students, in his typically roundabout, backhanded way. Your academic achievements are held over the heads of every Slytherin...I assume with the intent to break your record...but the praise speaks for itself."

Hermione absorbed this quietly. The approval of her former, impossible-to-please professor meant more to her than she'd realized. And it certainly made asking for his help easier.

"Well, that's unexpected," she said, carefully casual. "Well, I hope to see you again soon, Headmistress." They'd stopped in front of the dungeon office doors.

"I would like that. Best of luck and please, if you see Mr. Black, tell him to expect an owl from me. I should very much like to catch up."

"I'll be sure to do that."

McGonagall walked away, and Hermione waited until she was out of sight before knocking on the door.

"Enter," called an unmistakable voice.

She did so, seeing Snape seated at his desk as usual.

"Miss Granger, how utterly expected," he deadpanned, rising slightly in his chair in greeting. He gestured to the chair before his desk, seating himself only after she did.

She smiled expectantly, waiting for the familiar greeting. Unfortunately, her grin gave her away, because Snape waved at her impatiently.

"How can I help this time?"

Hermione schooled herself not to goggle at the blatantly helpful words and expectant tone of voice. Deciding those blessings could be counted on her own time, Hermione did what she knew Snape would appreciate and got right to the point.

"I think something has changed in the bond. No, I know something has. But I'm not entirely sure what, and..."

"And it makes you insane not knowing?" he accurately surmised.

She smiled self-deprecatingly and nodded.

"Tell me what has happened and I shall see how I can be of assistance, or more likely, what I can tell you to do to fix whatever it is you've broken now."

"Well, Sirius and I did what you told me last time..." Looking at him to make sure he knew what she was referring to and assured that he did by the dramatic roll of his eyes, she continued, "And afterward, there was a rather terrible and very unexpected ripping feeling. We both experienced it. It was painful, but more than that, it was uncomfortable to a very intense degree. As though something was wrong. And now, the bond seems to have... dissolved."

"Dissolved, you say?" Snape asked quietly.

"I think so. We don't need one another, though we haven't tested the extent to which that's true. I can spend an entire day at work without even a twinge, and he is unaffected as well."

Snape was silent a long time, first looking at her and then at the wall behind her. She could tell he was thinking, so she endured the quiet. She hadn't realized before coming exactly how much she was relying on him for an answer that was both easy and painless. She didn't exactly know what outcome she hoped for, but she placed an inordinate amount of faith in Snape to uncover it.

"I can only hypothesize that the bond has been satisfied; that your sacrifice was sufficient and the bond needs no more from either of you."

Now it was Hermione's turn to be silent. The bond wanted nothing more? But why did it want them to be together in the first place?

"So, that's just it? It's done? Why all the dramatics? What was the point?"

"I can not begin to guess at the intricate workings of an artefact older than wizardry itself. I can only assume that the forces at work have intentions we know not." Snape looked a little uncertain of his own words, and Hermione guessed that he disliked being in the dark as much as she did.

"Well, I suppose it's best this way, really. Being bound to another person for life could have been quite... difficult." She tried not to think about all the words she wanted to use instead of difficult.

"To be perfectly honest, I see no reason for the bond to have disappeared. Do you recall the main ingredient of the potion...the essence of pure azure?" At her nod, he continued. "It is a bonding agent. It should be a permanent bonding agent. Although the spell you performed was Dark Magic, I had seen similar bonding spells in the past. Most were used as a way to tie slave to master or army to leader, but they were bindings nonetheless. And those can never be broken except through death... or a horribly painful and nearly impossible ritual that causes ruptures in one's soul and kills as often as it cures."

"Have I bound Sirius to me like a slave?" Hermione quietly asked, aghast.

"I don't think so, though it might have been a good idea, Merlin knows the man needs a collar and leash." Hermione waved her hand at him to show him she was unaffected by his spiteful commentary and to just get on with it. "I think your bond is mutual for a reason, though I confess to be ignorant as to what that reason might be."

Hermione sighed. For once she would leave Snape with no answers.

The Daily Prophet

This information brings many questions to the fore. Who brought Sirius Black back? Why would he lie about having no idea of his return? Who was their Bonder? And who has gotten away with Dark Magic right under the nose of the Ministry?

Hermione folded the paper back into squares, calm exterior belied by trembling hands. Not only did someone have more information than she, they had more information about her than she had.

Why did the Prophet have to finally hire a reporter who could actually research?

Snape was going to be very displeased to learn that he was the Bonder for a relationship he wanted absolutely nothing to do with. And he must be the Bonder...no one else knew anything about her work until after Sirius had been brought back. But what exactly was the role of the Bonder?

And how could she find out what happened with the Alenskys?

And how long would it be until her role was exposed and she was tried by the Ministry?

And what was Sirius going to say about all this?

When the Floo sounded, Hermione suspected she would know the answer to her last question soon enough.

"'Mione, love? Are you here?"

"In the kitchen!" she called, hating the shaky tenor of her voice. Sirius came through the doorway, smiling widely and looking much too innocent.

"Were you with Harry again?" she guessed. No one else could put that type of grin of his face.

"I was, indeed, I was. I won nearly twenty Galleons off the scamp, despite his attempts to cheat, the little bugger."

Hermione laughed, pushing the Prophet away. She knew Sirius would read it eventually, but she needed a few minutes...possibly days...to gather her thoughts on what she wanted to say.

A tapping was heard and Sirius left the room to deal with the owl making the racket. Hermione made tea for them both, hoping the day would bring no more strife until she was ready to deal with it.

When Sirius returned, he casually asked, "How was Ginny? Harry hadn't known you two were getting together today."

"Oh," Hermione answered not quite as casually. "It was rather last minute."

"And what did you ladies do today?" He poured himself a cup of tea, sweetening it lightly and smiling softly at her.

"Oh, you know. Girl stuff." Pouring her own tea, Hermione ordered herself to stop acting so guilty and meet Sirius' eyes.

"I never did take Snape for the type to enjoy girl stuff."

Oh, Shi...

"Snape?" she asked weakly, caught and too stubborn to admit it.

"McGonagall did say, in her owl, you were at Hogwarts to see him. Was he the whole purpose of your trip, or just one of the errands?" Sirius' voice was deceptively calm, and Hermione had the vision of a trailer park all too idyllic in the eye of a storm.

"Listen, I didn't tell you because I know you don't like him and I didn't feel like listening to you go on about how horrible he is." She was immediately defensive, all the while knowing that she wasn't handling things very well.

"How I feel about the prick is irrelevant. You didn't just not tell me, you lied. Why, Hermione? Why lie unless there is more going on than you're telling me?"

"What exactly are you saying? I was only there to get more information on the bond!"

"I'm saying, Hermione, that I think you're fucking Snape. I'm saying, Hermione, that I think you need to leave."