Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Filius, have the students assemble in the Entrance Hall for the Hogsmeade weekend. Professor Dawson and Hagrid will chaperone, right?"

Filius nodded.

"You're sure you've found nothing about my condition out there?" Hermione asked in desperation.

Filius shook his head. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I've searched every possible book I could find. There's just no trace of this type of thing being documented."

Hermione folded her hands in front of her. "Well, that's going to be the first thing I do when I get out of here."

Filius smiled wanly and nodded. Excusing himself, he made his way out of her office. Hermione turned to Severus with a look of defeat.

"He's given up. He doesn't think I'll ever get out of here." She looked down, trying to hide the tears that were threatening to come.

"I'm about to give up, too," she whispered. "It's been three weeks, and we've found nothing. Nothing we try works." Her head came back up, and she frowned at Severus. "I'm stuck here, aren't I?"

Severus' lips thinned. "I don't know, Hermione. You're right, we've searched everything, but I can't believe that you must be consigned to such a fate. We're missing something."

She gave him a hopeless look. "But what is it?" she asked. Her shoulders sagged in defeat as she buried her head in her hands. "I can't run a school from a bloody portrait!"

She felt his arms surround her. She fell into him, the tears she'd tried so valiantly to hold back streaming down her face. "I should just accept it and resign my position," she wailed between sobs.

His hand was stroking her hair. His other arm was around her, comforting her. Despite her desire to get back to her life, she couldn't deny that a part of her was enthralled by his nearness.

"We'll figure this out, Hermione," he soothed.

She pulled back and looked at him. "What if we don't?" Her voice quavered with emotion.

"Then you will make this work."

A sharp breath escaped her. "How on earth will I do that?" she muttered.

"You are a resourceful witch. Look at what you've done all your life. From the time you entered the wizarding world, you have made a place for yourself. You have determination, and you succeed in everything you wish to achieve."

She blushed. "I just do what's expected of me," she said, trying to minimize her accomplishments.

"I have watched you work, and I have spoken to the other portraits about you. You far exceed what's expected of you, Hermione Granger. I know that whatever happens, you will rise to the occasion."

Hermione sighed. She reached up and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Of course you're right. I'll figure a way to make this work if there's nothing more I can do." She gave him a tentative look. "You'll still be my friend, right? I've grown accustomed to your grousing."

Severus arched an eyebrow, and she felt her stomach drop three feet. "As long as you keep your incessant babble to a minimum," he groused right back at her.

She shook her head and smiled. "Incorrigible..."

She'd gone back to her book search, but it didn't last long.

"You need a break," Severus told her. "You've done nothing but pore over books ever since you got here."

"If I don't..."

His raised hand stilled her.

"You need a break," he said sternly.

Hermione sighed and lowered the dusty tome she'd been studying. "What would you rather do, then?"

He rose and arched an eyebrow. "I'll be right back."

He walked to the willow tree and reached behind it. Pulling a picnic basket from it, he strode back to her and reached out for her hand. She smiled slyly at him and let him pull her up.

"How did you hide that from me?" she asked.

"As I said, you've had your nose in that book all day. You never noticed me leave or come back."

Hermione's eyebrows rose. "Maybe I do need a break," she muttered.

"Indeed..."

Severus motioned for her to follow him, and they made their way around the pond to the back part of the picture. He set the basket down and removed a blanket, spreading it on the grass. The two of them were soon settled on it and munching on sandwiches.

"Where did you find these?" Hermione asked.

"There's a painting of a village on the third floor. There was a restaurant in it, and I had them package it up for me."

Hermione nodded absently as Severus studied her sad face. Obviously she was still upset about her present dilemma. He didn't know what to do. Any conversation would lead her to thinking about the life she'd left behind and only make her more upset. He chose to remain silent, continuing to eat instead.

After what seemed like an eternity, Severus cleared his throat.

"You know, you can still be viable, even if you're trapped here."

Hermione looked at him with a sour expression. "How? You know our world. We don't pay much heed to paintings."

Severus frowned. "You can do research."

"I suppose," she said softly while looking to her lap.

Severus studied her, unsure of what to say next. He surprised himself by blurting out the one thing that had been on his mind ever since he'd pulled her into the picture.

"Despite your propensity for blathering on endlessly about whatever subject suits you, I will miss your constant presence when you find your way out of this."

He snapped his mouth shut and wished he could Disapparate away. He'd not planned on telling her that. He'd not planned on admitting that to himself, but it was the truth. The last weeks had been... fun. He enjoyed conversing and sparring with her on different topics, and he found that the usual solitude he craved in death seemed to pale in comparison to spending time with her. She was... intriguing... to say the least. Pretty, too.

His eyes narrowed. Don't go down this road. It can only lead to heartbreak. It always does.

Hermione's head snapped up, and her eyes met his. She searched his face, looking for deception in his last statement. Finally, she smiled. His heart was warmed by it.

"You'd really miss me? I thought you couldn't stand being around me."

"You improve with age," he said blandly while looking away, trying desperately to make less of what he'd said before. He didn't want her to know he was attracted to her. She would think him a fool.

She laughed lightly and muttered about how incorrigible he was. Severus was horrified to feel himself blush. This really wasn't leading in the right direction at all.

"I... I mean..." he stammered.

Her hand came over to his, and she stilled him with a squeeze. "I know what you mean. I've learned to appreciate your dry wit and caustic mannerisms."

He glanced up at her. She was smirking. He frowned and pulled his hand from hers.

"If I am that disagreeable, perhaps you should find somewhere else to dwell."

She cocked her head at him, and he secretly found it alluring. "See, there's an example of those mannerisms. I was joking, Severus. You don't need to fly off the handle at every word."

Her hand came back and gripped his a bit more firmly. "As I said before, I want us to remain friends. I find I enjoy our time together."

He removed his hand a bit slower this time, enjoying the contact with her and not wanting it to end quite so suddenly.

"I suppose I enjoy your friendship as well."

She beamed at him. "See, that wasn't so hard to admit, was it?"

Ignoring her, he fiddled around in the basket, pretending to look for something he could stuff in his mouth. He found a large chocolate chip cookie, which he proceeded to devour with gusto.

Hermione turned away, but not before he heard her mutter "Incorrigible," under her breath. He couldn't help but smirk as he chewed.