Chapter 16

This story becomes very adult in future chapters. Minors, please to do read this story.

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They all landed on their feet in front of St. Mungo's. Once inside the door, nurses and healers who had been put on alert by Barnamais Hookineye surrounded them.

Poppy and Minerva were still there and came forward. Severus sagged against Poppy, and two nurses commandeered him and took him back to his room. Poppy and Hermione followed.

The others were taken to exam rooms to be checked over and healed of their bruises and cuts. Ginny's collarbone was broken from the stun she had received, but it would heal quickly.

Severus was striped, cleaned, dressed in a hospital robe, and placed in his bed.

Hermione refused to leave him, so she was checked over as another bed was brought into the room and she was tucked in.

Severus would be okay, but he needed additional days in the hospital. Hermione was bruised and traumatized. Finally, when everyone cleared out of their room, she snuck out of her bed.

"Are you in pain, Severus? Can I sleep with you?" she asked.

He reached out for her. "I was waiting for you." He used his wand to combine their beds, and she crawled into the big bed and his arms.

They both sighed as she settled against him. She was trembling as he held her. "Let it go, Hermione, cry. I'm here, and I can take it. I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner. I'd like to tear Malfoy apart with my bare hands."

"I was so scared for you. You're not healed, and I worried you'd die trying to get there. Thank you for asking Harry and the others for help, Severus." She let hot tears spill from her eyes, and she cried, trembling against him for some time. It felt good to let her fear go and release some of her anger and shame.

Severus held her and stroked her hair and thanked God that she was safe.

"It's Harry's job, and he would have never forgiven me if I hadn't let him help. The others just sort of showed up. I think Poppy or Minerva alerted them."

"I was so afraid Lucius would take from me something that I'd been saving just for you," she said against his neck.

"You're a tiger; you fought him off and gave us the time we needed," he said, trying to comfort her.

"I was so close to losing," she cried, clinging to him.

"Tell me how to help you, Hermione. I don't have any clue how to deal with your pain."

"Just hold me; all I need is your arms around me," she cried.

He held her tightly. "I think we need to try to talk to Draco. I need to find out what he really thinks about today. I need to know if he's sympathetic or stands with his father, and we need to know what will happen to Scorpius. We need to be aware. That boy is young enough to be turned if someone takes an interest in him. Lucius has done a good job of poisoning him so far. But it may not be too late to make him see that hatred only brings man's downfall."

She stopped crying and scrubbed at her face with her fist. "Do you think he would allow help? It's a good idea, Severus, but I have my doubts. That boy is dangerous."

"Don't worry, I will have you protected, and we will search out Draco. Minerva thinks he's changed. We must try to end this before it escalates. Voldemort was also an angry young man."

Hermione trembled more violently in his arms. I can't go through an adulthood like my childhood. Severus, promise me we will disappear into some backwoods life. I can't spend my life battling evil."

"I can't promise you that. Freedom from evil is worth fighting for. Do you really think you could stay on the sidelines hiding, Hermione? You're a warrior. Would you honestly sit back and hide when good people are in danger?"

"No," she muttered in shame.

"That's my girl," Severus said, hugging her to him a little more firmly. "Now sleep. No one can bother us here. Malfoy's in Azkaban by now."

"I don't want to live my life afraid," she said.

"I will make things right, Hermione. Let me heal first, and then we will see what we can do." He gave a shaky laugh. "I can always sneak up on Scorpius and Obliviate him."

She laughed nervously. "That's a good idea, Severus. He can be Lockhart's roommate."

Their laughter helped cut the tension, and she relaxed. She snuggled in and eventually fell asleep.

Severus lay there thinking for a time. He vowed he would do just that, if the boy would not listen to reason. There were ways to alter his brain and not take all that he was like Lockhart. Severus only hoped that he could connect with the part of Draco that used to respect and care for him. Severus slept.

Severus was sitting up in his bed the next morning and Hermione was taking a shower when there was a knock at his door and Harry slipped his head inside. "May I come in?" he asked.

Severus nodded. "Of course, Mr. Potter."

Harry came in and looked around.

"She's in the shower. Did you come to see Hermione?" he asked.

Harry held out his hand to Severus, and Severus cocked an eyebrow but shook it.

"I'm happy to see you alive, sir. I didn't really get a chance to talk to you yesterday. It was a very fast and furious day."

Severus indicated the chair by the bed, and Harry sat, crossing his legs. He leaned back and seemed at ease. The boy had grown into a confident man.

"I understand. Thank you for coming."

"I will always be available to help you and Hermione, sir," he said. His eyes conveyed his sincerity. "I was able to talk to Madam Pomfrey last night, and she told me about why you're still here and what you've gone through. Do you know who was behind this?"

"Dumbledore, I'm almost certain. He's an arrogant bastard and still pulling my strings."

Harry tensed and sat up a bit straighter.

Severus laughed. "I do, however, have to thank him for Hermione. I would not have gotten to know her otherwise. I really do love her, Harry. Can I call you Harry? We should be on a first-name basis."

"Yes, of course, Severus." Harry sat back. "I've done my share of loving and hating Dumbledore over the years. I suppose he had to do what was necessary. I guess the secrecy is what pisses me off. Maybe if he had explained it all to us."

Severus shook his head. "The connection in your head to Voldemort made the secrecy necessary, Harry. In that, his hands were tied. I guess, in retrospect, I can understand why he kept things from me as well. But I still will go see him when I am better and give him a piece of my mind," he said with a growl.

Harry smirked. "He's just going to look down at you with that damn twinkle in his eyes. The end justified the means with him. He will see that you have love in your life, and he won't care how you got there."

Severus nodded. "You're right, of course. Are you okay with Hermione and me?"

Harry nodded. "It's a shock, and I can't say it isn't. But with the age difference dealt with, I'd say she has her own mind, and she has been knocking around the world with only a career in mind and no happiness. If you make her happy, Severus, then I can see no problem here."

"And Weasley," Severus asked, "will I have to keep an eye on my back?"

"No, Ron's gone back to his life. I think it bothered him to see Hermione so happy with you. He left so he would not interfere. He gave up his right to her years ago, and he knows there is no going back. I'm sure he wants so see her happy as well." Harry did not give credence to the nagging doubts in his mind. He'd seen the look of hatred on Ron's face.

"Good," Severus said, relaxing against his pillows.

"Sir, what will you do about Scorpius? Minerva told me what happened," he explained.

"I'll try to reach him and try to work with Draco to help the boy see right and wrong. If all else fails, Hermione and I talked about memory alterations and Obliviation. I will not have her in fear of her life," he said adamantly, his fist holding a wad of the covers on his bed. "I will do whatever it takes."

Harry nodded with a rueful smile. "Call for me, and I will help you if it comes to something drastic. Hermione deserves happiness and peace of mind."

The door to the bathroom opened, and Hermione came out dressed in a robe and rubbing her hair with a towel. "Harry!" she said, dropping the towel and coming to a now standing Harry to give him a hug."

"I was hoping you'd come by to say hello today. When do you have to go back to work?"

She used her wand to dry her hair and went to sit on the bed, winding her fingers into Severus hand.

Harry watched them smile at each other and was pleased to see the same gentle look in Severus' eyes as was in Hermione's. This man had changed so much. Had he changed, or was this the man his mother had called her best friend as a child?

Harry had forgiven Severus years ago. He'd come to terms with the memories Severus had given him. He'd realized the sacrifices the man had made for him. He'd agonized over his treatment of the man for several years after Severus' "death."

Severus pulled Hermione against him and said, "Harry, your son Albus is a fine, young man. He seems a chip off the old block."

Harry gulped with emotion and said, "Thank you, sir. That's high praise coming from my nemesis."

Severus grinned at him. "We have all been given second chances at life. I'm just getting started a bit later. A blessing in disguise," he said. "I would be much older now without the stasis charm."

"Maybe Dumbledore has bestowed a number of blessings on you," he said, smiling at Hermione.

"Oh, so you figured that out, too," Hermione said.

Severus nodded. "I was going to talk to you about it when we got home."

To Harry he said, "I agree." He brought Hermione's fingers up so he could kiss them. "I will take very good care of her, Harry," he promised.

Harry nodded. "I hope it does not entail any more physical risks like you have taken already. I'm sorry if it was a breach of confidence, but Poppy did tell me what had happened to you both. I'm now over the shock of you two being together."

"I'm glad," Severus said quietly. "You are being a gentleman about it all."

"I learned years ago to trust Hermione's judgment of people." He stood. "Well, I have been given leave to stay here a few more days, so I'm going to go spend some time with my wife and visit Albus. My assignment will last only a few more weeks, and then I will come back to this area for work." He looked at Hermione who had been very quiet. "Are you okay?" he asked concerned.

"I will be," she said. "I know Severus will take care of me. He's risked his life a number of times for me already. Now that he's free of the spell we can get on with our lives..."

"...together," Severus finished for her.

"I certainly hope so." She blushed.

Harry went to her side of the bed and hugged her. "They sure have relaxed their rules around here. I didn't know they made double hospital beds."

Severus and Hermione laughed. "They don't." Severus waved his wand.

"I see." Harry laughed and then came and shook Severus' hand. "I hope that we will get a chance to talk sometime soon."

"Count on it, Harry. It is good to see you. I hope that we can be friends," Severus said sincerely.

Harry said, "I hope so, sir." He nodded to Hermione and then turned away and left the room.

Hermione buried her face in Severus' shoulder. She cried, and he held her, stymied as to the reason, but he decided to just wait to see what was wrong. She would tell him when she was ready.

Hermione fell asleep and left Severus to wonder what was up. He finally decided it was the whole day, both good and bad, so he just held her and let her sleep. Finally he fell asleep as well.

*****

Two days later they were released. They'd had visitors every few hours. Most of the group of old DA members had come back to see them, and Severus had enjoyed the conversations with his former student's very much. Was it because they were all adults on a more equal standing? Hermione continued to be elusive and quiet, letting him do most of the talking.

As they walked into their rooms at Hogwarts, Severus watched Hermione walk around and touch her things. "It's good to be home," she said quietly.

"Yes it is." He came and placed his arms around her, drawing her close for a long kiss.

Hermione let him kiss her but drew away, smiled wanly at him, and went into the bathroom and closed the door.

Severus felt his heart skip a beat, Something is very wrong with her. Lucius' attack has changed her. The last few days she'd slept close, sometimes crying, sometimes just hanging on, but there had been no teasing or sexual advances even when he warded the door for privacy.

Hermione finally came from the bathroom. "I'm going to go to my classroom and see what kind of work the students have been doing." She didn't wait to see if he would object but tucked her wand in her sleeve and left.

He went and sat on the edge of the bed. They were no longer tied together. He could go where he wanted, but he didn't want to be anywhere but where Hermione was.

Lisa, you are doing an awesome job. I really appreciate all your hard work.

Becky, thank you for your enthusuastic opinions and help.