Turas Sábháilte (Safe Journey)

~*~*~*~*~

Under the heavens, we journey far

Hope has a place in a lover's heart

~ Enya, "Hope Has A Place"

~*~*~*~*~

The moment the door closed behind them, Severus took Hermione by the wrist and pulled her quickly down the spiral staircase. "You must control your emotions," he whispered calmly as they descended, though he was becoming ever fearful of what may happen should her already fragile hold on her magic slip any further.

Hermione knew he was right; she could feel it building and roiling inside her ... the overwhelming urge to simply... burst ... to let loose her magic on anything and everything around her. She knew that she would probably harm Severus if that were to happen, yet she couldn't push Ron's accusing words from her mind, nor could she rid herself of the image of his bitter, horrible face as he had said them.

Gods, she wasn't a Death Eater; Severus was not a Death Eater, not truly. Death Eaters had tried to murder her; they had succeeded in murdering her unborn child... Severus' child. While she couldn't deny that Severus could be mean, spiteful, and vindictive, neither could she deny that Severus loved her, and that he too had mourned their loss. He would never harm her, or any child they may have in the future, even if it meant his own death.

The thought of losing him only served to make Hermione's head throb painfully, and even though she drew breath after rapid, trembling breath, there simply was not enough air. She became light-headed, her entire body trembling with the dual efforts of trying to remain conscious while containing so much raw power. More than once she stumbled as she and Severus made their way through the castle, his iron grip on her wrist the only thing keeping her upright.

By the time they made it to the dungeons, the air around them was pulsing. It reeked of sulfur, and the torches along the walls flared as the couple passed by, the flames reaching outward as Hermione's magic surged over them. Whorls of angry red lighting crackled and sparked along the young witch's body, snapping haphazardly at the floor and walls. The more aggressive bursts were soon chipping away at the ancient rock, sending fragments of razor-edged shrapnel flying around the corridor. The air rang with the ping of flying stone and mortar, and more than once Hermione was hit. To her dismay, she heard Severus hiss in pain as he was also struck.

"Make it stop... please... please... I don't want to hurt you...," she sobbed. Her voice was hard to discern over the now constant crackle and hum of the atmosphere around them. Her hands gripped his robes convulsively, threatening to drag him down should she stumble again.

"Please, Severus... please..."

Although he would never admit it, the dark wizard was truly shaken. He and Hermione were both bleeding from cuts to their faces and hands, yet he didn't dare cast any charms to shield them; who knew how the magic would react if given another conduit upon which to latch itself. No, he only knew that he needed to get Hermione somewhere safe, and that one day he would beat Ronald Weasley within an inch of his miserable, pathetic life for causing her such pain and distress.

Calling Hermione a Death Eater? Never had a more untrue phrase been spoken. She was no more a Death Eater than Severus was a fairy king. And that blasted little rotter knew that just as well as anyone. It had been a purely malicious comment, one meant to hurt, to shame. Well, the boy would get his in the end, one way or another. Severus would see to it.

Coming back to himself, he pushed all thoughts of revenge aside and tightened his grip on Hermione's wrist as he walked faster. They managed to make it to his rooms without further incident, but the door had barely closed behind them before Hermione fell heavily to her knees. Despite Severus' best efforts to remain standing, she brought him down with her this time, and he fell heavily against the closed door.

"Get up, Hermione," his deep voice commanded as he tugged gently on her wrist.

When she stayed where she was, unwilling ... or unable ... to do as he asked, he leaned forward on the cold stone floor and gently took her face in his hands. Her hair was wild, the curls undulating around her panic-stricken face, sparking and crackling with angry magic. Tiny, sizzling embers encircled and snapped their way along the brown ringlets, meeting Severus' hands where they were buried. The sparks ran along his fingers, twining and slithering their way beneath the cuffs of his shirt. They made his skin tingle strangely, but the sensation was not entirely unpleasant.

"Tell me...," he whispered, trying to keep the fear from his voice. "Tell me what to do."

For one long, singular moment, she looked into his eyes ... his beautiful, dark, beseeching eyes ... and then, without warning, she reached for him, wrapping her hands in his hair and pulling his mouth to hers.

The kiss was frantic, her small fingers gripping him tightly, desperately, as she shoved him bodily onto his back and straddled him. Her magic licked at his robes, twining itself into the tight spaces between fabric and skin. He gasped against her mouth as it pulsed, making his body sizzle and throb with need .

"Please," she panted, nipping his lower lip as she shifted her hips wantonly against his. "Please, Severus..." She kissed him frantically, her tongue licking greedily at his own.

For a brief moment, he lost himself to the heady sensations careening around him – lust and need and fear and desperation. He knew that they couldn't do this, not now. He had no idea what would happen should the both of them lose control while the situation was already so unstable. It took an enormous effort to pull himself away from her ... away from the wanton look in her eyes, away from her heaving breasts and kiss-swollen lips ... but pull away he did, if only just.

She tried to protest, but his finger on her lips stopped her. "Hush," he said softly, and against his better judgment, he slowly leaned in and kissed her once again, chastely this time. Both of their worlds narrowed to the spot where their lips met.

Hermione, too, could feel the power raging around them, could feel the pulse of it in her core, and was instantly bereft when he pushed her gently away again.

He sat up and met her gaze. "Listen to my voice...," he whispered.

She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.

"Listen." His words were calm, serene...

Finally, she nodded and closed her eyes, focusing on the feel of his hands trailing lightly down her arms.

"Remember who you are." His voice was dark velvet, caressing her, distracting her from her anger at Ron and making her focus on him instead. "Remember what you have survived..."

His hands had reached her waist now, and his strong fingers squeezed her hips gently. "This," he gave another squeeze for emphasis, "this is nothing. It is your magic... born of your own mind, your own body and soul...

"This magic is a part of you, Hermione, and you are a part of it. It cannot harm you, nor can it harm those you love." Severus watched as Hermione's brow furrowed in concentration, and the magic pulsed once more. He couldn't help but smile softly as the angry red morphed slowly to a deep, serene purple.

Hermione's breathing had slowed as she had listened to Severus speak. Slowly her head tilted forward, coming to rest against his shoulder. He reached up to caress her hair, and while the tendrils still popped and sizzled against his face and hands, they felt softer now, more delicate, caressing... not commanding. After a long moment, she reached up to touch his hand where he still held it against her hair. "Thank you."

She opened her eyes, and Severus could see that she was once more in control.

"Are you alright?" he asked anyway.

"Yes, I'm fine, just tired." She reached up to push his hair out of his face. "Can we please go to bed?"

He watched her for a moment before he sighed and stood, holding out his hand. "Come on then."

They entered his bedroom and slowly stripped out of their clothes.

Hermione climbed in first and held back the sheets as he climbed in behind her.

"Severus?"

"Mmm?" he replied, his breath warm against the back of her neck.

"What will happen when everything is over? When the Dark Lord is gone for good?"

He was silent for a long moment, so long that Hermione thought that perhaps he hadn't heard her.

Finally, he said, "I can only tell you that no matter what happens... I will do everything in my power to keep you safe."

Hermione couldn't help but smile at that. She brought his hand to her lips and kissed it. She felt him smile softly against her neck as she tucked his hand under her chin and closed her eyes.

They both slipped exhaustedly into sleep.

~*~*~*~*~

It was snowing when the day finally came for them to depart. It was the first day of the Yule holidays, and the students were gone until the New Year. The few that had stayed on were already in their common rooms for the evening, so there was no worry about anyone seeing them leave. Not that it mattered. No one cared about the wanderings of the Potions apprentice and her Master.

Not a soul.

Their supplies had been shrunk and stowed away safely in their pockets, and they were dressed for the cold in thick, woolen traveling cloaks and gloves, and each wore a pair of sturdy dragon-hide boots. Hermione's beaded bag was full of anything and everything they could possibly need, except for their shelter, which was currently in Severus' pocket; their translation charms were in place – the fact that Severus could speak Albanian being irrelevant, since Hermione couldn't, and she refused to be out of the loop during any impending conversations – and their instructions from Dumbledore had long since been committed to memory.

As it was, Hermione now stood just outside the front gates of the castle with Severus and the Headmaster, wishing more than anything that she could go back to the warm bed she had left only a few short hours ago. Her lips turned up in a secret smile as she remembered the events of the previous night. Their lovemaking had been desperate and heated, both of them feeling the extreme stress of the situation and needing to forget, if only for a moment, that the fate of their world was lying in the balance. They had lain awake long afterwards, twined around one another, talking softly, and eventually Severus had spoken to Hermione about the Horcruxes. She had been horrified when he explained the exact nature of the items in question, whatever they might turn out to be.

Her smile faded. That had been a conversation she would love to forget. What kind of person would split his soul... murder innocent people to ensure his own immortality? Both concepts were against nature. Hermione shuddered and stepped closer to Severus.

Apparently, the two wizards were finished with their conversation, as the Headmaster simply handed Severus an old, dirty beer bottle and said, "This will get you there initially." He looked at them each in turn. "After you arrive, find the Red Dragon Inn. The bartender will see you safely on your way."

Severus simply nodded and took the Portkey. "Shall we?" he asked, holding the bottle out to Hermione, who hesitated only briefly before grasping the other end.

"Turas sábháilte, my friends," the Headmaster said, raising a wrinkled hand in farewell just as the Portkey spun the two of them into the ether.

~*~*~*~*~

They landed in a small meadow covered in a white blanket of undisturbed snow. It was full dark, with the only light coming from the waning moon overhead. The trees surrounded them, a seemingly impenetrable wall of dark wood and unforgiving ice and snow. A chill breeze ruffled Hermione's hair where it peeked from beneath the hood of her cloak. She could hear the sound of branches creaking and tapping ominously in the darkness beyond her vision. The place instantly scared the hell out of her.

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep..." she heard Severus mutter.

Hermione snorted and glanced over at him. He was gazing around the clearing, his dark eyes shining in the moonlight as he surveyed the expanse of trees.

"Frost would not have been my first choice...," she said, eyeing the decidedly unlovely edge of the encroaching forest nervously.

Severus chuckled darkly, but continued to stare off into the distance. After a moment, he looked up at the sky, turned once in a slow circle, and then started walking. "This way," he said, motioning for her to follow.

They hiked for a long while, the only sound that of their boots crunching in the powder and the occasional snap of a branch as it gave way under the weight of too much snow. Once, Severus stopped, holding out a hand to indicate that Hermione should as well. She froze, her overwrought mind flashing with a memory of gnashing teeth and tearing claws. An involuntary shiver crawled up her spine. Were there Manticores in Albania? God, she hoped not.

Finally, Severus motioned her up beside him. She gave him a questioning look, but he merely shook his head. He did, however, take her hand tightly in his. Shaking away her fears, Hermione tried to simply enjoy the feel of his warm hand in hers as they continued their trek.

A long while later, she heaved a sigh of relief when they emerged onto a well-used road.

"There we are," Severus said, pointing down the way. Lights shone from a small collection of buildings in the valley below.

They descended the small hill, hands still clasped together firmly. Hermione could already feel the cold seeping through her warming charm, and cursed the Headmaster again for sending them on this Merlin be damned journey. She did take a moment, however, to look at their surroundings. The landscape was quite beautiful, covered as it was in a sheet of white and flanked by the night sky full of softly blinking stars.

The crunching of snow and gravel beneath their boots and their harsh breathing were the only sounds. If it hadn't been for the lights of the town, Hermione could easily have imagined that they were alone out here.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. "Severus... this is a magical village, isn't it? If there are Muggles about..."

He raised his free hand. "It's all right. It's a wizarding one, much like Hogsmeade. We'll be safe."

Hermione nodded, satisfied, and they continued on.

Once they neared the town, they could hear music and laughter coming from many of the buildings.

It seemed a cheerful place, with brightly painted shops and clean streets. People dressed in a combination of native Muggle dress and wizarding clothes nodded in greeting as the two of them passed by. Hermione thought they were probably accustomed to seeing travelers, although why anyone would come to Albania – especially in the winter – she didn't know.

When they finally found the Red Dragon, it was different than what Hermione had expected. Instead of being seedy and rundown like the Hog's Head, this pub was bright and cheerful and full of patrons, all drinking and laughing. It was a warm place, literally and figuratively, and Hermione found herself smiling as they walked further in.

The man behind the bar was tall and thin, much like Severus, but unlike the dark wizard, the Dragon's barkeep had a head of long blonde hair and blue eyes. He was wiping the countertop down as they approached. He looked up, saw Severus, and paused a moment before tossing his rag over his shoulder and leaning against the row of liquor-filled shelves behind him.

Hermione watched as the men exchanged knowing looks.

"What'll it be?" the barman asked.

Severus pulled some coins from his pocket and laid them on the bar. "A Black Dragon, please."

Another look was exchanged before the barman took a bottle of dark, nearly black liquor off the shelf. He poured a healthy measure into a small glass and slid it across the bar to Severus, who raised it to Hermione and said, "Cheers," before downing it in one go.

The barman nodded and said in heavily accented English, "Perhaps you'd like to try something with a little more... kick, shall we say?"

"That would be appreciated," Severus said, and he and Hermione were soon following the man through a side door that lead to a storeroom filled high with containers of foodstuffs and crates of liquor.

Hermione had a whole list of questions, but kept her mouth shut as she followed behind the two men.

The blonde man led them to the back of the storeroom where he flicked his hand and moved aside a large stack of crates, revealing a large wooden door set into the floor. It opened, and the man descended a pair of narrow stairs. "This way," he called back over his shoulder.

Without a second thought, Severus followed.

Hermione wanted to scream at him for going blindly into the dark, literally, but once again, she bit her tongue.

Sconces flared to life as they walked through the small tunnel. It was narrow, cold, damp, and it smelled terrible. Severus and the barman had to duck to keep from brushing their heads against the ceiling. More than once, Hermione's hair became entangled on a dangling root, and they had to stop while she unwrapped herself.

Ten minutes later they emerged into a dense thicket. The moonlight filtered down through the trees, illuminating the area with a pale, ghostly light. "There," the barman pointed.

Hermione followed his directions and gasped.

There, tethered to a tree, was a Thestral. It's ugly black hide clung to its bones, each muscle and tendon clearly visible through the thin layer of skin. It glistened in the moonlight, and it looked oily... moist.

"That!?" she hissed, giving Severus an incredulous look.

"Yes, that," he said, already moving towards the beast. He laid a hand gently on its nose and spoke softly. The creature wuffled at him and stomped a foot, seemingly eager to be off. "Let's go." He held his hand out to Hermione, who didn't move. "Hermione..."

"No one told me I would have to fly." She crossed her arms over her chest petulantly.

"You have nothing to fear."

"Except falling to my death!"

"You forget who you're with... There is no way you will come to any harm while with me."

"How can you be so sure?"

He smirked at her expression. "You forget that I too, possess the power of flight. If you fall, I'll simply catch you."

She gave an exasperated snort. "You fly? Hell... of course you do ." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Alright, but if I die, I'm coming back just to kill you myself."

He chuckled and took her hand, leading her to the huge beast. He gave her a leg up, and then leapt up behind her.

"Show off...," she muttered.

Severus raised a hand in thanks to the barman.

"Thank you, my friend. We owe you."

And with a muttered command from Severus, they soared into the Albanian night.

~*~*~*~*~

When they finally landed, and Severus helped Hermione down from the Thestral, she immediately fell to her knees and retched. He had the decency to hold back her hair until she was done, and then offer her a handkerchief to wipe her face.

"I told you I didn't like flying," she muttered miserably.

Severus sighed and helped her to her feet. "I'm sorry. I mistook your reluctance for fear, not..." He gestured at the pool of sick, and after curling his lip in distaste, vanished the mess with a flick of his hand.

Hermione huffed. "Yes, well... you should have been there after the flight to London in fifth year."

Severus gave her a withering look, but chose not to comment. Instead, he gave the Thestral a pat and a soft word of thanks, and gestured for her to precede him up the small rise in front of them.

She started up without comment, pausing only to turn and watch when the Thestral launched back into the sky, its mournful wail receding into the dark night.

Hermione fought the urge to shudder.

They walked for a bit, moving around boulders and trees, but always staying close to one another.

The hill was a small one and sloped upwards gradually, so the going was easier than she had anticipated. At the top, there was a large flat area near the base of another large copse of trees. It was securely hidden and provided a break from the wind. Severus pulled the tent from his pocket, tossed the card-sized package on the ground, and flicked his wand to enlarge it to its proper size.

Hermione stared at it for a moment. "Is this...?"

Severus nodded. "The very same. I believe my bloody trousers may still be in here somewhere...," he quipped as he pushed inside the tent.

Hermione snorted in disgust and followed him inside. It was exactly as she remembered: the same sitting area, the same kitchenette and bath, the same bed.

They milled about for a few minutes, settling their things, before Severus stepped outside to place the wards. Hermione popped her head outside once, only to see him midway up the rise, wand in the air, voice low and soft as he cast spell after protective spell.

She sighed and slipped back inside. After the incident with the Manticore, Severus had made damn sure that Hermione knew how to cast truly impervious wards. She knew that nothing...neither man nor beast...would bother them this night, or any night they slept under Severus' shielding spells.

She suddenly found herself wondering about the boys, and whether or not they were safe. They had already been gone for weeks now without word. What if they had run into trouble? What if they hadn't made any progress in finding the Horcruxes? What if they were still completely clueless and empty-handed?

Knowing that she would drive herself crazy if she continue to think about the what-if's, she finished putting her stuff away before finally slipping into bed, adding a warming charm to go with the small fire she had started in the wood-burning stove. A little while later, just as she was drifting off, she felt Severus slide in behind her. He spooned himself against her back and slipped his arm around her waist, nuzzling his nose against her neck.

Hermione shivered. "Finally done?" she asked, twining her fingers with his over her belly.

"Mmm...," he muttered.

She could tell he was exhausted as well. They would probably take up watch in shifts after tonight, but for now they were safe. No one knew where they were except Albus, and he wasn't telling.

With an equally exhausted sigh, Hermione snuggled back against Severus and let sleep take her as well.

~*~*~*~*~

It was in the wee hours of the morning that something woke them. Hermione opened her eyes slowly, only to shriek as she came face to face with the blinding white gaze of a Patronus.

Severus had sat bolt upright when she had screamed, his wand raised, but quickly lowered it when he realized what was happening. He held up a hand to shield his eyes when the light from the figure flared even brighter as it spoke.

"We've found one," the silver stag proclaimed in Harry's voice, pawing at the air with one glowing hoof. "Send coordinates. Need to meet soon." And with that, it reared up and vanished in a wave of quicksilver smoke.

Hermione shared a look with Severus and instinctively reached for his hand.

He gripped hers tightly.

There was no more time for speculation.

It had begun.

~TBC

A/N: Holy hell, an update! The world must be ending. I realized what a complete derp I've been in updating, so everything will be current within the month. Toby, if you're still out there, sorry for the absence. Real life has been killer. Thank you all for sticking with me even though it's literally been a year since this thing was updated. It's not abandoned, and neither are my others, it's just slow in coming. Love you all!