Consequences

Disclaimer: J.K.R. owns these characters. I've borrowed them, but I'll Scourgify them before I send them home.

As always, I want to thank my lovely beta, Charmed Nay. She's quite brilliant.

"And though we are spending this time mourning those we have lost," Scrimgeour was saying, "we can finally look forward to a future of peace." He waved a hand towards the group of people on his right, which consisted of all those who'd gone to Voldemort's castle.

Hermione stifled a yawn as he continued. It had been two weeks since Harry had defeated the Dark Lord, and they were finally getting around to a mass memorial service where they would honor those lost and those that survived.

"Without further ado, I'd like to give out medals to those who helped to aid in Lord Voldemort's destruction."

She noticed that many in the crowd looked frightened at the voicing of Voldemort's name. Shaking her head in annoyance, she trained her eyes on the Minister, waiting for her name to be called. She would collect her medal, and she would also collect Severus' medal. Dumbledore had thought that he should be the one to accept it, but she'd refused to go along with it and didn't care what people made of it.

One by one, the heroes, as they'd been dubbed, made their way up to retrieve their medals. In a daze, Hermione walked up to the dais, collected her Order of Merlin, First Class, and moved back to her seat. She looked down at the polished medal. They'd all given up so much, yet they were to be mollified about their losses with a scant piece of metal.

"Severus Snape is the recipient of two, though he unfortunately isn't with us today..." Scrimgeour looked her way as she stood up and went to the dais again. "Retrieving his medals will be Miss Hermione Granger, who worked closely with him on getting the final location." He shook Hermione's hand and held onto it as a few camera bulbs flashed.

As she made her way back to her seat to listen to him again, she didn't smile. She truly had no reason to. Her life had taken a turn for the worse, and she doubted things would ever get better. Yes, all will be well eventually, Hermione. You know that.

Hermione gave a standing ovation, inciting others to follow suit, as the Minister gave Harry his medals and honored him with an honorary key to the Ministry of Magic, showing the public that Harry and the Ministry were on good terms and working together to make the Wizarding world a safer place. Although Harry hated being in the limelight, he seemed to be enjoying the ceremony. Her eyes wondered over to Pansy, who was sitting in the chair next to Harry's empty one. They'd become quite close since the final confrontation, even going so far as to sharing a bedroom at headquarters. When Mrs. Weasley had voiced her disapproval, Harry had pointed out that it was his house, and he'd do as he pleased if she didn't mind.

And that was the end of Mrs. Weasley's reign at Grimmauld Place. The Weasleys had since moved back to the Burrow, forcing Ginny to go with them, though Draco was there nearly all hours of every day to spend time with them...much to the Malfoys' approval. They supported the relationship wholeheartedly, especially since Arthur Weasley was so high up in the Ministry and had a good name in the community...enabling them to be seen as "good people" again.

"An Order of Merlin, Second Class, goes to Lucius Malfoy, who had been secretly working with Headmaster Albus Dumbledore before the war's end and is now working with us in locating all fugitive Death Eaters."

The haughty, blond-haired man made his way to the dais and collected his medal proudly, nodding at the crowd, smiling smugly at his wife and son, and tossing his hair as he made his way back to his seat, medal in one hand, cane in the other. Hermione had seen a calculating glint in his eyes more than once since he had been freed from his prison at Hogwarts, and she wasn't certain that he'd changed all that much. He was simply doing what he must to avoid a stint in Azkaban.

This angered Hermione. Why should Lucius be free and have a new chance at life when Severus was not given one? At that moment, his silver eyes met her narrowed brown eyes, and for a moment, his expression seemed to be mocking her. She sneered slightly when he smirked, but when she noticed Draco looking her way, smile on his face, she smiled at him and turned her attention elsewhere. Draco had proved the Malfoy name worthy of redemption if nothing else. She only hoped that Lucius would never again besmirch it.

The moment the ceremony was over, Hermione quickly made her excuses and left, hoping that nobody would follow her. She wanted to get home as quickly as possible. She Disapparated to the cobbled street, Spinner's End, where she'd taken residence. She paused as she made her way up the front walk. Flowers had been planted on either side of the doorway. She smiled despite her gloomy mood and entered the house.

"Mum?" she called, closing and locking the door behind her. She pulled her cloak off and hung it up behind the door and followed the aroma of beef stew to the kitchen. "Smells good," she said, moving to kiss her mother on the cheek.

"It's nearly done now. I'd hoped to have it done by the time you returned. Why are you home so early?" Jane asked, taking in her daughter's distraught expression.

"I... I couldn't bear to stay, Mum. Is everything all right here?" she asked hopefully.

"The same," her mother said with a sigh, "but I did manage to plant those flowers that nice Sprout woman brought. I followed her directions, and it seems they've taken already. Imagine! After only a couple of hours!"

"She's been developing those for a long time," Hermione said, kicking her shoes off and taking a seat at the table. "They will last for as long as you want them."

"If all things could be that way," her mother said wistfully, taking a seat next to her. "What are you going to do now, Hermione?"

"I don't know." She leaned forward to rest her head on her arms on the table.

"Well, if you want my opinion, I think you should just carry on as normal." At Hermione's incredulous stare, she asked, "Why not? It's what he would want you to do. Do you think he'd like to know that you mope about and refuse to accept things? You had plans before this. Carry them out."

"My plans were with him," Hermione said vehemently.

"Well, he's still a part of your life now, isn't he?" She smiled kindly. "Dear daughter, do you not think that your father isn't with me in all that I do?" She hooked her thumb towards the stove. "I'm making that beef stew, and your father is right there with me. I hear him teasing me about the excessive amount of potatoes and carrots I add in. I can still see him sneaking a peek at the pot and trying to pick a piece of beef out before I shoo him away. He is with me, and although I may loathe doing so, I will move on. It's what he would have wanted."

"It's not the same, Mum. This is different."

Shaking her head, Jane stood and busied herself in the kitchen. Hermione used magic to set the table and thought about what her mother said. She was right. It was time to get out and decide on her future. Severus would be proud of her and be impressed with how maturely she'd handled her grief and life after the double loss she'd suffered.

"I had a letter from the Minister yesterday," she said quietly. "He'd hoped to announce to the crowd today that I'd accepted a job at the Ministry. I told him I needed more time to think about it."

"Oh, Hermione, that's wonderful! What sort of job?"

"It's not like he really wants me. It's my name," she said bitterly. "He's offered jobs to some of the others as well. He isn't even asking that I take my N.E.W.T.s! Can you believe that?" She shook her head. "I will take them anyway of course. Harry still won't tell me what his offer was, though he slipped and said he had a couple of choices." She snorted. "He said he could work things out for me to fit my schedule as I need it."

"Go on. What's the job?"

"Well, it's complicated. I can't really say much, as I don't know much. My title would be an Unspeakable. Nobody could know what I do. All things done in those offices stay in those offices." She shrugged. "He insinuated that if I truly wanted to do some work from home, it would be easy to have a Ministry approved room added here so that it would be as though my office were there, allowing other workers to walk in or out like it is part of the building or allowing me to step out to join meetings and to work on projects."

"Honey, that works out perfectly. You could still be here, yet you can still work, giving you a sense of normalcy." She held up her hand. "Don't look at me like that. You know what I mean."

"But, Mum, if I start working now and get busy, when will I have time to read through books and research? I think that is more important."

"Talk to the Minister. Tell him you wouldn't mind the office he referred to, but let it be known that you have another project going and would like to devote equal time to it. Work out a schedule with him." She smiled and patted her daughter's hand. "I am not going back to work for a long while. I couldn't bear it. Not right now. Not without him."

"I thought you were selling the dentistry?"

Jane nodded. "Definitely. I thought to eventually open again elsewhere."

"Maybe near here?"

"Perhaps."

Hermione thought of what her mum had said. She wouldn't mind helping her with things and would remain living with her as long as she was needed. Something told her that her mother needed the company as much as she did. It could work.

"I'll speak with him tomorrow if he has time. He made it quite clear that he'd work with me just to be able to get me on there." She shook her head. "He thinks it helps his public image, you see, having us under him."

"Likely, that is true," her mother agreed. "Hungry?"

"Yes," Hermione said, realizing that for the first time in two weeks, she truly was. Things were looking a little brighter, and she wouldn't have to worry about depending on her mother or Severus' funds for money. She could earn her own wages and take care of things. I will still take my N.E.W.T.s, she vowed silently.

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ONE WEEK LATER

Harry laughed and spun her around. "I'm happy for you," he said. "I'd hoped that you would."

"I just feel as though I'm betraying Severus," she said, biting her lip.

"No, Hermione, do you think he'd want you moping about? Besides, we are going to continue our research each night. Nothing will change that. Between the two of us, we'll find something."

"Thanks."

"You know, you can always stay at Grimmauld Place with us. I know Pansy wouldn't mind the company, and I would..."

"I need to be here near Severus," she interrupted, moving to the door that Severus had always kept closed when she'd stayed with him.

He'd later explained that it was his parents' rooms and that perhaps they should use them one day. So the first thing she'd done was to pack all of his parents' personal items and store them above in the attic. She moved all of her things and Severus' things from his room into the room and had redecorated it to her taste.

She quickly opened a window to let a cool breeze of fresh air filter in. She grinned as she looked outside, the bright light of the sun's rays catching the ring...Severus' mother's ring...that she wore on her hand. "Mum's out there planting more of Professor Sprout's flowers. I think she is enjoying herself, what with not worrying about going to work each day."

"And being close to you," Harry added. He sighed. "Hermione, when I said for you to come, I didn't mean for you to leave him behind," he said quietly, gesturing to the bed where Severus lay.

Hermione quickly moved and sat next to her motionless, deathly pale lover, touching his face and pushing back his hair. "He needs to be here in his home. Mum and I can manage." She kissed his forehead. "I love you," she whispered.

"Did you get more of those books?" Harry asked, changing the subject. "I've finished the last two that I had, and I didn't see anything that matches the hex he was hit with or his symptoms."

"There are so many damn books," Hermione said bitterly. "And Voldemort wanted me to go through them and add them to the Hogwarts collection once he took over. There has to be something in one of these books that he used to hex Severus. Well, to try to hex me anyway."

"I've asked this before, but you never really answered. Why not let the others help us? Pansy would really like it. I know that Ginny and..."

"Maybe Pansy," she relented. "I just didn't want too many people involved where they might get bored and skim over something important."

"We'll start including Pansy then. She'll like that, and I'm certain she'll be as careful with the research as we are, and she'll have more time."

"Harry," Hermione said, smirking, "what jobs have you been offered?"

His expression grew serious. "He's trying really hard to get me. I can be an Auror and bypass most of the training, as I've already proven myself. I can also be an Obliviator. Better yet, I would make a great Hit Wizard." There was a tone of bitterness in his voice.

"What?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Yeah, seems I've killed before and all. Might as well set me on hardened criminals, killing them if they try to escape or fight back," he said sarcastically.

"No wonder you've not given him an answer."

"Right," he said, laughing slightly. "I admit that it is appealing...I've always wanted to be an Auror...but I think, for now, I've had enough of fighting or worrying about bad wizards and witches. I'd like to do something... fun."

"Play Quidditch," Hermione said immediately.

"Maybe," he replied. "There is another job offer."

"And?"

"Working for the Department of Magical Games and Sports," he said nonchalantly. "That's the one I like the most, but I don't know if I'd like all the traveling. I'm sure I would, but with Pansy to think of now and our research, I'd feel better finding something around here."

"Harry, don't put your future on hold for me," she said softly, looking down to Severus' still face. "I will find a way to bring him out of this magically induced coma somehow."

Jane Granger walked in, taking her dirty gloves off as she did so. "Oh, good. It's time for his potion. I wasn't sure if you were finished organizing your new office."

"I'll do it, Mum. Thanks."

"All right. Hello, Harry." She kissed Harry on the cheek. "I'll be outside if you need me. It's a lovely day out!"

After she left, Hermione pulled Harry from the room, not wanting to talk in front of Severus. "I wanted to ask you how Lupin is doing? He seemed so sad when I last saw him."

"He's all right. I think he's mostly relieved that the war is over, but he doesn't seem too keen on all the wedding plans that Tonks is making. I guess he feels guilty still about your dad and not being able to save him."

"Quite lucky, that Tonks," Hermione said. "I still can't believe she unknowingly ducked down right when that Killing Curse was about to hit her, killing the Death Eater she was dueling with instead."

"Yeah, she accidentally took Felix Felicis that morning. She thought she was taking a potion for extra endurance. Moody is still angry with her about it," Harry said, smiling.

"Why? He came out of everything all right, and it saved her life," Hermione said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Dunno. You know what he's like though. I'd bet he thinks she's thick for taking a potion without truly knowing what it was."

"Some Auror."

"Too right," Harry agreed. "Lupin said that they are going to let out their flat and move off for a while, do a bit of traveling now that times are better."

"Well, that's good. I think they need it."

"Let's go compile our notes and put away the books we've checked," Harry said. "I'm going to take an extra set home for Pansy, and don't worry, Hermione. I'll show her how to write her notes and what to look for."

As Hermione followed him to the sitting room, her mind played over the last time she'd seen Severus move of his own accord. He'd raced forward and pushed her out of the way just as a cream-colored jet of light had hit him. His eyes had been open for only a few moments, and then they'd closed. She'd thought him to be dead. Nearly everyone had, but she'd soon realized that it was something much worse. He'd been hexed with some unknown curse that enabled him to live, although in a coma-like state. Nothing had worked to bring him back so far. Dumbledore had tried using Legilimency, but there was nothing there. So, she and her mother took turns administering potions to him as directed by the Healers and seeing to it that he was comfortable while she and Harry researched the Dark Lord's books in hopes of finding a cure or a hint of what type of spell he'd been hit with.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ONE WEEK LATER

Hermione laid the brush on the nightstand after she finished brushing his black locks. "I can't believe it's been a month," she said, wishing that he'd simply been sleeping. She often wondered if he could hear her and hoped for some sign that he could. Was this a hopeless fight? Never. He would do the same for me.

She slid down next to him and propped herself up on one elbow to look at him. If her mother thought it strange of her to share her bed with him, though he was in such a condition, she never said anything. Hermione simply didn't want to sleep apart from him. Those nights when she'd had to were terrible. After persuading St. Mungo's to release him into her care...with the help of Dumbledore...she'd remained by his side as much as she could.

"Hogwarts will be opening again next week," she informed him. "I'm told that Dumbledore was able to get your old Head of House out of retirement to teach Potions and Head Slytherin... until you are well enough to return of course." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "What sort of name is Slughorn anyway? I'll bet he's not half as good as you."

Nestling her face against his chest, she placed her hand on his stomach. "Work is interesting," she said. "It's nothing like I thought it would be, but everyone is quite nice. It's like our own little place away from the rest of the Ministry. Nobody from the other departments have access, aside from the Minister himself. Even his access is limited." She placed a small kiss upon his nightdress. "My office is great. I hope you don't mind that I gave them that extra room to use for it. I can walk right in from the house, and there is my office. From there, I can use the other door, and it works like a Floo."

Running her fingers along his arm, she whispered, "I miss you, Severus, touching you, your touches. I love you." She couldn't cry any more tears. She'd shed many of those. "Our research is going a little faster with Pansy helping, but we've still come across nothing concrete. Each time we think we've found something, it's only a disappointment."

She laced her fingers with his, tempted to place his hand upon her breast just to feel his touch again. "I swear I won't give up, Severus." She moved her thigh up to drape over him and felt a twitch in his groin. It took a moment for the realization that his body had moved on its own to dawn on her. She bolted upright and shamelessly moved up his dressing gown to look at his pelvic area. He was nearly entirely hard.

"How is it that you are feeling arousal? I've never noticed that happening when I washed you!" She looked up at his face. His eyes were closed, lips slightly parted, face slack. Reaching down to slightly trace the area with her fingernails, she watched as he hardened even more. "Oh, my God!" she cried excitedly. "That's it!"

She raced from the room to the grate and Flooed Harry. "I know it's late, but please be up!" she called. "Harry? Pansy?"

Pansy walked into the room. "I'm here, but Harry went into town for a moment," she said. "Come through."

"I've figured out what type of spell Voldemort used! As soon as Harry gets home, please come over," Hermione said. She left the grate and began thinking about her last meeting with Voldemort. He'd plainly told her what he planned to do with her should she disappoint Severus or him. When he'd tried to hex her, he'd asked her if she remembered his warning. Why hadn't she thought of it before? All this time, they'd been blindly researching coma-type spells and creamy-colored hexes.

Voldemort's words came back to her.

I believe that I also told you to always address me with respect. You don't want Lord Voldemort to get angry with you, girl. There are spells I could put on you that would render you helpless to be nothing other than a vessel for... Well, you can imagine. Needless to say, I do always follow through with my warnings.

"He was going to make me into some sort of living doll that Severus could use for sex...alive but not really. Sick bastard," she said, running her hands through her hair. Tears that she'd thought she'd never cry came to her eyes. They now knew where to research and could make their own countercurse if they had to. It would take a lot of work, time, and research, but Severus would be freed.

"Hermione? What's all the racket? Something wrong?" her mother asked, sleepily rubbing her eyes.

She quickly explained to her mother what she thought about the hex that had hit Severus. In conclusion, she sighed sadly. "Only it was likely designed for a woman. I hope it won't complicate things much more since he's a man."

"Surely there is something that you can do," her mother said confidently. "And don't feel badly for not thinking of it sooner. You've had a lot on your mind as of late."

"But Harry specifically asked me what he'd told me, and I never thought about that once. I should have remembered," she said, feeling guilty. "We've now wasted a month! It's just that everything happened so fast, my mind has been such a blur, and I could only concentrate on the hex's color and the effect it had on Severus."

"It's not all been a waste, and nor will the time be wasted that you will spend finding a cure for him." She touched her daughter's shoulder affectionately. "You've grown so much, done so much with this house, with him, with work... This time apart, although horrible for the both of you, might be what you both needed."

Hearing the grate come to life behind them, Hermione turned around and went to explain her findings to Harry and Pansy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TWO WEEKS LATER

Ginny patted Hermione on the back. "We'll find it. Don't worry." She smiled and placed Hermione's hand upon her swollen stomach. "The baby is moving."

Hermione grinned as she felt a small little thump against her palm. A second later, she felt it again. "Life is such a miracle, isn't it?" Hermione said, not really looking for an answer, thinking of her lover, who was alive, yet not.

"We'll find something," Ginny said confidently. "Don't give up hope."

"I won't."

"You should have let us help sooner. You and Potter must have been going mad, what with all these books," Draco said, looking around at the numerous, high stacks of books. "How much have we to go through?"

She was glad that they'd finally asked for more help, but out of all their searching they hadn't found anything that worked. "There are only about ten books left."

"Well, there are five of us. We can each take two and go through them," he said. "After that, we'll go to Hogwarts and make use of the Restricted Section. There has to be something."

Pansy plopped down opposite of them. "Did Dumbledore not say anything?"

"He isn't familiar with it, but he's sent an owl to one of his old alchemist mates. I hope he might know something," she said. She'd thought that the headmaster...of all people...would be able to help her, but he'd disappointedly told her that he couldn't. From what Harry said, he was doing more than asking a friend; he was pouring over his personal books in hopes of finding something. He felt guilty for allowing her to go against Severus' wishes and held himself responsible for what happened.

Hermione knew that it was nobody's fault but her own. She was learning to live with her past mistakes, however, and looking forward to not making them again in the future. Her job had turned out to be one of the best opportunities ever. At the present, she was working with another team creating new Time-Turners. They were trying to make it so that these would allow for a person to come back to the present at will instead of forcing him or her to live through their past again as their only alternative to getting back. It was all quite fascinating. What bothered her most was that the majority of the work she'd studied in school was for naught. She could have simply taken only the basic classes and had the information she needed to do her job well...Potions, Arithmancy, Charms, and Transfiguration.

The salary she was being paid was quite generous, and she'd been able to pay the bills accrued so far and save a good portion. Severus would like that. She wondered if Severus would like how her mother had transformed the plain, drab yard into a flowery haven and had even started a garden. Out of all the old homes on their street...most were abandoned anyway...they had the loveliest lawn.

"We're going to leave," Harry said, pulling Pansy up and dragging her towards the Floo. "I've got that damn interview in the morning." Everyone laughed at his annoyed expression. "Think that's funny, do you?"

"Yes," Hermione said cheekily. "Off with you."

"We'll be back tomorrow evening," Pansy called as Harry pulled her into the grate.

Draco pulled a Portkey from his pocket. "We'll be off. Mrs. Weasley is probably wondering why we've been gone so long."

"Draco, Ginny," Hermione began, "I really appreciate this. I couldn't have done this alone."

"I hope it pays off," Ginny said, hand on her stomach, caressing it lightly.

After they left, Hermione went to the room she shared with Severus and changed into her nightclothes. She pulled out a book and began reading, wondering when she'd come across the information she needed to free him from his current state. She read aloud, hoping he could hear her and making her feel less alone at the same time. Once she'd read as much as she could and could keep her eyes open no longer, she put the book aside and turned down the lamp next to their bed. As always, she turned to face him, holding him until she drifted off to sleep.

Laughter woke her early the next morning. She pulled on her bathrobe to cover herself and made her way out into the kitchen. She stopped immediately as she saw Lucius Malfoy sitting at their table conversing with her mother over a cup of coffee.

"Oh, indeed," he was saying, "Draco nearly walked before he crawled." His eyes settled upon her. "Ah, Miss Granger, I wondered if I might have a word. I hope you don't mind that I've come to call so early. I've other obligations later this morning." He nodded to Jane. "Your mother was kind enough to give me a tour of your garden and to offer me a cup of coffee."

Hermione smiled at her mother, who was oblivious to the man's mocking smile. "Thanks, Mum." She pointed towards the doorway that led to the small hallway. "Would you like to go to the sitting room?"

"Oh, no," Jane stood. "I'm off for a shower. Stay here and talk. There is fresh coffee."

With that, the woman swept out of the room, leaving them alone. Hermione sat down and summoned a glass and orange juice to her with a couple of lazy flicks of her wand. "Well, Mr. Malfoy," she said, hoping to sound self-assured, "what brings you here?"

He put his cup aside and leaned forward. "I know you don't care for me, Miss Granger. I can see it in the way you look at me."

"Why come for a visit then? I know that you are aware of Severus' condition."

"I am."

They gazed at each other for a long while. Finally, Hermione asked, "Well, why have you come? He truly isn't responsive, so if you wished to speak with him, it wouldn't help you."

"Why do you not care for me? Why, I'm a reformed man to hear Dumbledore and the Ministry tell it. Has my assistance to the Order and Ministry not impressed you?" he asked, voice light and curious.

"I don't trust you," she replied honestly.

"Yes, I know that, but I'd like to know why?" he pressed.

"Well, what sort of man gives a cursed diary to an eleven-year-old child? What sort of man forces his son to do things as you've done with Draco? Who teaches their child to hate and feel prejudice at an early age? Who would use a young woman as a pawn to make certain you come out on the right side of the war?" She paused for only a moment. "You tried to kill me and my friends at the Ministry of Magic! You fought with Mr. Weasley at the bookstore the first day I ever saw you. You also..."

"Good Lord, girl, that is enough," he said, having heard enough.

"You look at me, sir, in such a condescending manner... that I can barely stand to gaze at you." She continued to look at him, even as he smiled nastily in return.

"Do I hold you in very high regards? I admit that the answer would have been a resounding no not long ago, but I am able to change my mind, am I not?" he asked mysteriously. "For you have proved yourself to be quite determined and seem to honestly care about Severus." He gestured to the room around them. "This unattractive place has been transformed into a cozy home, you work, and you take care of Severus without taking even a Knut from his vault at Gringotts, only using your own earnings."

"You've been checking up on me?" she asked incredulously.

He continued on as if she hadn't spoke. "Draco confided to me last night that you've been running yourself ragged, never sleeping at night, trying to read through all of the Dark Lord's books to find a cure or countercurse for Severus. He even explained the circumstances of the curse."

Hermione sighed. "Please, Mr. Malfoy, if you could make your point, I would appreciate it. I have some research to do, and before you ask, of course it's for Severus. I want him to be well. I love him, and honestly, I don't give a damn if you approve or not. So, if you've come to ridicule me or to speak ill of Severus, I would ask that you..."

"You misread my intentions, my dear. I've come to help you," he interrupted. "I was uncertain as to what your plans were for Severus, and I was biding my time before stepping in to do something about it. I do owe him my life, you see. Now that I know what it is you seek, I know exactly what you need."

"What do you mean?" she asked in confusion.

He waved his hand in annoyance. "In my possession, I have a few... er... items that might not have been found by the Dark Lord when he made a sweep through my home for anything he might be able to use."

"You have a book?"

"I do."

Hermione stood. "I'll get changed."

"Excellent," he replied in a bored tone, shaking his head as she exited the room. Severus, what have you gotten yourself into? That is one irksome little harpy. He chuckled despite himself. He hadn't truly expected her to start listing all the things she loathed about him. Perhaps she wasn't so bad. In fact, she might be just what Severus needed. It was obvious that she loved him, and from the conversation, he'd last had with Severus, he'd discerned that the man felt the same.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucius Malfoy had given Hermione exactly what she needed, and she read over the section pertaining to the spell the Dark Lord had used on Severus. It was just as she'd thought. He'd been intent on making her into some living sexual conduit. The potion she would have to make would take up to six weeks to make, depending on the current position of the moon.

She wasn't so daft as to think she could do it alone and especially needed advice since the spell was created to be used on women. What she truly needed was the advice of a Potions master, but not truly knowing the new professor all that well, she opted for the next best thing: an alchemist.

Tossing a handful of Floo powder in the grate, she said, "Headmaster Dumbledore's office!"

She stuck her head in and felt it spinning amidst the ash and green flames, stopping once she was facing the headmaster's office.

"Headmaster Dumbledore?" she called.

"Miss Granger, what a pleasant surprise," he said.

"I've found a way to get Severus back, but I need your help, sir."

"Come right through," he said anxiously.

Southern's Notes: One chapter to go. I can't believe it. LOL... I'm really going to miss these characters and this storyline. It's been great this far. Thanks go to all of you who've been following it faithfully. Cheers.

And thanks to CocoaChristy for always listening to my ramblings and for allowing me to force her to read clips of things here and there.

I also have a small PWP going, "Fallacious Tutor," which is posted here. There is only a chapter or two that needs to be added. It's an AU tale of sneaky!Hermione getting her man... hopefully.