All The Knowledge I Possess

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review. Very much appreciated.

Hermione was exhausted. She wiped down the workbench slowly and cast the necessary cleansing charms to disinfect and sterilise the area, ready for another long day tomorrow.

Professor Snape had been released from the hospital wing the previous evening and had only entered the lab once that day to check that she was there. Hermione had forced herself to behave as she would normally do, but knowing what she did of him had changed everything. Instead of her moody and irritable Professor, she saw the pitiful sight of a man desperately trying to hold onto whatever was left of his dignity. He had looked at her in a haunted, almost frightened way, and it was then that she realised Dumbledore had told him of their conversation. Snape knew that she knew and had avoided her ever since.

She glanced at the door that led into Snape's private quarters, and her stomach churned as she took the first tentative steps towards it. Knocking lightly, she almost hoped he wouldn't hear her, so that she could leave and deal with it another day. The door clicked open, and she laughed to herself. Snape must have ears like a bat!

Seeing the open door as a positive invitation, she walked through and into Snape's private quarters with a little more confidence than before. He was seated at a small writing desk tucked into an alcove beside the bookshelf, his shoulders hunched over a sheet of parchment as he wrote almost urgently. Hermione could feel the waves of despair permeating the room, so instead of speaking she slid quietly into a nearby armchair and waited. Her heart felt full of compassion for him, and not for the first time, she wished that there was something she could do to help. She had already mentally listed the women she knew who could be potential child bearing material, but how could you approach someone and say, 'Would you have Snape's baby? You'd be doing me a huge favour because I need him to finish my apprenticeship, and it would save his life in the process?'

She could just imagine Molly Weasley's face. Molly was the most fertile person she knew and was around Snape's age. It had been a glimmer of hope for a few seconds, but she doubted that Molly, Arthur or Severus would go for it, regardless of the beneficial outcome. She had thought of another idea however, and now she just had to broach the subject with him.

After another five minutes, Snape finished writing and folded the parchment over before placing it inside an envelope. He turned to face Hermione, his lips firmly set in a grim frown.

'You will be requiring this.' He held out the envelope.

'What is it?' she asked.

'It's a letter of recommendation, Granger. I am sure you will find an adequate master to take you on.' His voice was raspy, and he sounded like he was wheezing.

Hermione felt the colour rise in her cheeks as she realised what he was saying. There was no way she was going anywhere else, not if she had any say in it.

'Thank you, sir, but it won't be necessary. I'd rather stay with you.' She sat forwards, her chin jutting out as if challenging him to argue.

Snape let out a long breath. 'I am aware that you know my circumstances, Granger, and I appreciate the sentiment.' He snorted out an ironic laugh. 'But it is not a request. I want you to leave and find another master as soon as possible.'

'No,' Hermione whispered.

Snape glared at her, his eyes flashing with something she didn't recognise. He stood abruptly and started to pace the room, anger overriding his previous distress and making him look like the Potions master she recognised, vital and masculine.

'You cannot help me, Granger,' he growled. 'I am dying.'

Hermione fought against the well of emotion that rose in her throat and wondered fleetingly at what point she had come to care so much about her professor, and if it was normal. She certainly didn't feel this way about any other teacher, but perhaps that was because she hadn't spent so much time with them. None of them had been through as much as Snape during the war, either. Perhaps it was her internal Gryffindor radar that made her want to reach out to him suddenly?

'Well, actually, sir, I did have one idea,' Hermione said softly. 'You could find a surrogate parent. There are Muggle agencies that can search out a suitable parent for your child.'

His face had been hopeful as he turned to look at her, but the light in his eyes faded and his shoulders drooped at her words. Despondent again, he sank into the sofa beside her, his head falling forwards so that his hair hid his face.

'That would not work in this instance, Miss Granger. But I thank you for giving the matter some thought,' he mumbled.

'I don't understand,' she said quietly. It had seemed like the ideal solution.

'And I cannot explain it to you, Granger.' Snape sighed and closed his eyes.

'Why not?' Hermione said, exasperated. 'The headmaster told me that you need to have a child in order to save your life! There is a way to do that!'

'For gods' sake, Granger! Do you have to involve yourself in matters that do not concern you?' he snapped.

He looked up at her through his curtain of hair and Hermione stared right back at him, not breaking his gaze. Where he had previously intimidated her, she now felt frustration.

'It does concern me, sir. I need you to be here to complete my apprenticeship. If you die, that won't happen, and I know of no other Potions master with your skills and knowledge. It has to be you,' Hermione stated firmly.

Snape stared back at her incredulously and confused Hermione when he whispered back.

'It has to be you...'

There was silence then, so palpable that Hermione felt she could hardly breathe. His eyes didn't leave her face and seemed to be memorising her features as he looked at her, his face a pale mask. Suddenly, he stood and walked into what Hermione assumed was the bedroom and then closed the door.

***

Severus leant his back against the bedroom door, fighting all his desires to fling it open and grab Hermione Granger in his arms. The past half an hour had been a torture to his senses, and yet she was innocent of the effect she had on him. His hand drifted down to his hard, painful erection as it pressed against the buttons of his fly. His palm flattened against the hardness, and he caressed himself softly. He could do nothing while the girl was in the other room. His orgasms were generally vocal, and he couldn't risk casting a Silencing Charm. If she chose to keep badgering him, he wouldn't hear her knock at the door, and he felt his temperature rise at the thought of Hermione Granger catching him, mid-wank, her name on his lips.

Of course, it was all Dumbledore's fault. When he learned that the girl knew, he wanted to kill the meddling old bastard where he sat behind his desk and damn the consequences. Always interfering, he had forced Severus to make a wand oath that he would not mention The Calling to Hermione. If she was to assist in the way Severus wanted and needed, it had to be of her own volition. There would be no coercion and no putting ideas into her head, and for one beautiful moment, Severus thought she had gone there herself. Her surrogate parent idea had caused him almost as much pain as taking in Nikolai's soul.

The ache between his legs was subsiding, but the ache in his chest remained. Not for the first time, Severus wondered what had come first, The Calling or his feelings for the witch. They were the same thing now, intertwined around his heart like a climbing rose, thorny and painful and tearing him apart from the inside. If this was what love felt like, he hated every minute of it.

***

He awoke from a fitful sleep, still clothed bar from his robes, boots and socks. It was hard to tell the time of day in the darkness of the dungeon, but the lack of natural light had always been a bonus rather than a hindrance. Not that there was any truth to the myth that vampires couldn't bear sunlight, but the skin of the Strigoi was more susceptible to the effects of the sun, and so he avoided it if at all possible. With a groan, Severus rolled himself onto his side and struggled to sit on the side of the bed. He had often wondered how his physical body would cope with two souls, and it seemed that his own weight was heavier somehow. Moving around took more effort, and he certainly wasn't as fluid or as supple as he had once been.

He ran his fingers through his lank hair and padded to the door. He needed coffee before going to speak with Dumbledore. If Granger wouldn't accept his own dismissal, he would get the old man to do it. He knew that Granger wouldn't dare ignore him, hoodwinked as she was by the soft grey hair and twinkling eyes. Snape thought he was probably the only member of the Order who knew just how manipulative and ruthless the Headmaster could be when the occasion called for it. Snape curled his lip ruefully, recalling that it had usually been at his expense. Severus walked on silent feet to his Floo, but stopped at the sound of a soft breath.

She was still there in the chair, sleeping curled up like a dormouse and covered in a deep, red blanket. He couldn't help but stare at her. At some point, she had removed the grips holding her hair, and soft curls framed her face and cascaded down her shoulders. Severus stepped closer and knelt beside her, taking in the bloom on her cheeks and the way her eyelashes curled upwards at the ends. Her mouth was parted slightly, making her Cupid's bow even more perfect, and almost unconsciously, he cupped her face gently with his hand, moving the hair away to show more of her perfect visage. He froze as Hermione let out a contented sound and pushed her cheek more firmly against his touch. As if burned, he pulled his hand away quickly, just as she opened her eyes. They stared at each other unspeaking for what seemed like forever, until Severus came to his senses rose slowly to his feet.

'Professor Snape, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep.'

Hermione pushed the blanket from her knees and shifted awkwardly to stand. As she did so, there was a soft 'thunk', and both of them stared at the book that had fallen at her feet. Hermione looked up at Severus abashed, and as he bent to pick up the book, his shoulder brushed her thigh, and she almost lost her footing. He cupped her elbow to steady her and lifted the book with his free hand. They were standing so close that he could feel her breath against his neck. When had the witch grown this tall? He forced himself to drag his eyes from hers and looked down at the book she had been reading. He had known what it was before he looked, and he snorted softly before finally turning away from her.

'Always searching for the answers,' he whispered.

'Please don't be angry, sir. I just want to help,' Hermione said, and it was hard for her to hide the emotion in her shaky voice.

Severus shuddered. The words were on the tip of tongue, but he felt the strength of the wand-oath and remained silent, cursing Dumbledore and his high bloody morals that protected the Gryffindor Princess, but never the Half-Blood Prince. He realised that knowledge was the key, and that the only way for Hermione Granger to find her way to him through choice was for her to know everything. He hadn't promised not to give her research materials, had he? He looked at the book in his hand, 'The Traditions and Heritage of Strigoi Culture,' and weighed it lightly as if considering something. He closed his eyes and thanked Macha that he had been sorted into Slytherin.

'Very well,' he murmured, as if reluctant. 'You may keep the book. It belongs to the Headmaster, and you would do well not to make him aware that you have it.' He walked slowly to his writing desk, his back turned to the witch as he distracted her with conversation.

'I would be willing to answer any question you may have, Miss Granger, once you have exhausted all lines of research, of course.' He slipped a folded sheet of parchment amongst the leaves of the book and turned back to Hermione, holding it out for her to take. He watched as she approached him tentatively and took the book, her lower lip pursed in an almost sulky pout.

'Thank you, sir.' She clutched the book to her chest, and Severus bit his tongue to hold in the moan that leapt into his throat at the sight of her perfect breasts squeezed together by her arms and the book nestled comfortably between them.

'You should leave, Granger. I have no idea of the time, but appearances should be maintained, don't you think?' He raised a suggestive eyebrow at her and felt smug as he watched the flush of her blush as the implication of his words sink in. Her eyes flashed at him suddenly, and she laughed out loud.

'That's ridiculous,' she giggled. 'I could have been brewing all night in the lab for all anyone would know.'

'Indeed. But that would not explain your dishevelled appearance. You look like you have been... ravished...' he said quietly, his tongue playing over his final word as if he were tasting honey, and he looked pointedly at her hair and creased clothing.

Hermione's hand went automatically to her hair, and she groaned as she felt the birds nest of tangled curls.

'Point taken, Professor,' she said through gritted teeth. 'It would make life so much easier if our Floos were connected. Then you could rest easy knowing that your reputation is intact.'

Severus flared at her words and closed the space between them in an instant. Hermione didn't recoil but stood even taller, the ire in her eyes almost matching his own.

'You stupid girl!' he growled. 'My reputation is already shot, and to most I am worth nothing! Your reputation, however, remains unsullied, though if you continue to associate with me, that state of being will not last long, I can assure you!'

He grabbed her shoulder to emphasise his words, and Hermione batted his hand away as if it were an insignificant fly.

'You really are a total prick, Snape. Why the hell I want to save your life is beyond me,' she shouted into his face. 'If I gave a flying fuck what other people thought of me, do you think I would have applied for an apprenticeship with you? I wanted you to teach me because I admire you, and not just because you are brilliant at potions. You put your life on the line for us... Protected us! I wouldn't be here if not for you. You mean everything!'

Hermione was shaking violently as she finished her rant, her eyes holding nothing but challenge, and Snape stared at her unspeaking until he could bear it no longer. Closing the gap between them, he wrapped his arms around her firmly and crushed his lips to hers. He felt her tense momentarily, until her lips parted and she sagged against him, moving her tongue unsurely against his. Gods, she was nectar! His nose was buried against her soft cheek, and he sighed and deepened the kiss, tasting her sweetness and losing himself in the sensual delights of her mouth. She moaned softly, her lips vibrating as she hummed her approval. They kissed urgently until Hermione squirmed to adjust the book still lodged between her breasts. Reality crashed around Severus then, and he broke their embrace as abruptly as it had started.

'Go, Granger. Just go...' he rasped before walking back into his bedroom and closing the door firmly behind him.

Hermione stared after him for a brief moment and then ran out of his chambers.