Chapter 14

Concealed by trees and other flora, Severus pulled Hermione on. "Come on, woman."

"What is it, Severus?" she implored him.

"You'll see," he said with mystery and a bit of childish glee. He took her through the small garden, and when she looked back the way they had come, the path had covered itself over.

"It's enchanted," he explained.

Hermione almost said, Duh, but she held her tongue and looked at it all as an adventure.

Finally, they came to the old castle wall. Severus pulled out his wand and tapped a spot in the wall while whispering a command. Instantly, a bit of wall vanished, leaving a small door-like hole in it. He bent, stepping through it and pulling her with him. The door vanished as soon as they passed through, and torches flared to life, lighting the way. Hermione was astonished when the light revealed a carpeted, narrow tunnel.

There were small alcoves with potion vials, ancient tapestries hung on the walls now and then. Little alcoves with fine, small sculptures pocked the walls. It was warm, inviting and comforting. Hermione began to have her suspicions as to what it was, and her eyes began to tear up.

When she sniffed, Severus looked back at her and stopped, pulling her close. "Dearest, why are you crying?" he asked.

"This was for you, wasn't it? It was a gift from Dumbledore to help you when you came back from Voldemort. To get healing potions into you quickly and encourage and give you the strength you needed to reach Poppy if necessary."

He took her face in his hands. "Yes. It's wonderful isn't it? Don't cry; you have no idea how wonderful this hall makes me feel. It was the only kindness I saw and felt other than those old meddling women in my life." His voice could not disguise the fondness he felt for them.

She knew he was talking about the three older witches who were now on their way down the path, by wand-light, to greenhouse five to enjoy the evening with the flowers.

"Come." His lightness of tone and childish glee was infectious, and she ran with him down the thin winding hall of light. A brighter light showed ahead, and he pulled her through a doorway into a room.

"I don't know why I hadn't thought of this since I woke," he explained.

They were in an ancient, luxurious bedroom. There was a gold leaf four poster bed with ornately carved posts, and golden shimmering drapes canopied the top and down the posts. There were shelves and shelves of books, a table with lit candles giving off a warm glow, and a fireplace with a roaring fire. Fine, soft furniture was placed about to comfort aching muscles. Fresh fruit and crumpets sat on the table with wine in tall, golden goblets.

"How...?" She moved through the room, touching the various things almost in wonder.

Severus smiled when she looked up at him. "You guess; you're the know-it-all," he said with affection.

She thought for a moment then babbled, "It's like the Room of Requirement. It gives you what you need." She was eyeing the thick rug in front of the fire.

"This one's extra special; it provides refreshments, of which I've desperately needed a number of times. Hermione gave him that smoldering look, and all thoughts of the past fled his mind. "It's totally unplotable, which means no one can find or interrupt us."

She walked to the fireplace and lowered herself to the rug, crooking her finger at him.

He felt his desire rise. He took his dress robe off and laid it over a chair, then unbuttoned the formal waistcoat and added it to the stack. He toed his shoes and socks off, then got them some wine and joined her on his knees. She was lying on her side, propped up with a stack of pillows under, her elbow with one knee drawn up. The shimmering blue fabric of her gown draped over the curve of her hips. He handed her a goblet of wine. Once she had it firmly in hand, he said, "To us, to a long happy marriage with children and friends on into our old age together."

Hermione repeated what he said in her own words; the idea of being with Severus into old age warmed her heart. "To a life of love, children and friends. I will be honored to grow old with you."

They touched goblets and drank. Severus took the glasses and set them aside. He bent to capture her lips. "I love you... I want you... I can't imagine life without you," he said between kisses.

Hermione answered by sliding her fingers through his hair; she knew he loved it when she did that. His fingers found the clasp to the halter neck on her dress and nimbly unfastened it. The dress fell away to reveal her bare shoulders. He leaned in for a kiss, and Hermione quickly began undoing the buttons of his shirt. She pulled it from the waistband of his trousers and pushed it off his shoulders.

More clothing followed, and silken skin pressed against silken skin. Hands explored contours, lips tasted hot flesh, bodies arched against each other, and sighs of completion were heard.

Hermione lay wrapped in a throw, conveniently supplied by the room, against Severus and listened to his heartbeat settle while her own did the same. There was a bit of movement about them, and she cried out, "What!"

"Shhh," he cautioned, "relax." They were lifted silently and floated gently to the beautiful bed, whose covers had drawn back for them.

"Wow!" Hermione whispered as they were settled on the bed and were covered.

"Oft times I couldn't quite make it to the bed. But, when I woke, I always found myself in it. I suspected this happened," Severus told her.

Hermione snuggled closer. "Thank you for sharing this with me. This will come in quite handy, I think."

Severus, half asleep, said, "Yes, it will." His breathing evened out and he was asleep. She caressed his face. Poor dear. It's been a long week of work and changes, and I've plumb worn him out. She kissed the side of his mouth, and he smiled in his sleep. With a smile of her own, she settled down against his shoulder and slept.

Hermione woke when Severus moved under her. She was laying half across his chest, and she felt his arm holding her against him and small nibbles against her shoulder.

"Are you hungry?" she asked with a chuckle.

"Famished," he said, nipping a bit harder.

Hermione sniffed. "Is that coffee I smell?"

She pushed herself up and looked to see a small table covered with breakfast items and the aforementioned coffee. She gave Severus a quick kiss and, pulling the sheet around her, slipped from the bed. She padded to the table and the coffeepot. He watched, amused, as she poured herself a cup, added milk and sugar and took a deep sip, her eyes closed in ecstasy.

Hermione looked back toward Severus, who still lay quite naked, propped on an elbow, studying her with amusement.

"Upstaged by a cup of coffee," he grumbled. His desire was apparent.

She grinned at him, her eyes following the length of him. She abandoned the coffee and rejoined him for a morning romp.

They fell asleep again after their play and did not wake until noon. Severus was first to get up and use the loo.

Hermione was waiting for him when he opened the door, ducking under his arm to get in the room. She was quite surprised at what was revealed. Beside the toilet there was a sunken tub reminiscent of the prefects' bath. It was huge, like a swimming pool, and reflected the golden colors of the stained-glass windows, which depicted scenes of sunrises and sunsets.

"Give me a minute and then you will join me won't you?" she asked him.

"Absolutely," he smiled, bending to kiss her, but she ducked away.

"Let me brush my teeth."

"Hermione, we made love twice this morning, and you didn't do anything but simple cleaning spells," he reminded her, anxious to make love to her again.

"I know, but I was in the mood and nothing would have deterred me then." She laughed, shutting the door.

Severus had found a pair of black silk pajama bottoms on the bed when he rose earlier, so he had put them on. He padded back to the table and made himself a cup of tea and bit into a warm, fresh scone. "Thank you, Albus, for this room. For letting it still serve me well," he whispered to the walls. He ate the rest of the scone in a couple of bites, and when Hermione opened the door, he was already striding toward the bathroom.

******

The final weeks of term slid by, and as the school year finished and tests were taken, Severus grew stronger and felt almost like his old self again. He found, as he wandered the halls during his night patrol duty, that he remembered more and more about the castle, more of the secrets he had learned as Headmaster, and he began to wonder why.

When he turned his last class over to the test monitor for their NEWTs, he found the Head Boy there with an envelope. He turned it over and noted it had the Headmistress' seal on it. He broke the seal and found a note.

Severus, come and see me when you are done for the day. It's time we had a talk. Minerva

Severus rolled his eyes. What had he done now? Was she going to force him to set a date for the wedding? It's not like he and Hermione had not already talked about several options; he just was not at liberty to share anything right now.

He made his way to her office and knocked on the door.

"Come," he heard Minerva call.

He opened the door and stepped inside. "You wished to see me?"

Minerva looked up at him and studied him in silence for a moment then indicated the chair before her. "Of course I do, man. We have a lot to discuss."

Taking a seat, he relaxed and crossed his legs.

Minerva took two tiny glasses from a desk drawer along with a bottle of amber liquid and poured them both two fingers full.

"Drinking on the job?" he quipped, but took it and sniffed the liquid before giving her a smirk as he lifted it to his lips. It burned like fire down his throat, and he resisted the urge to choke. Croakily, he exclaimed, "Albus' finest stash."

Minerva grinned. "He can't enjoy it, so I might as well." She gave a laugh.

Severus felt his insides freeze at her comment, but then her laugh warmed him and he felt free. If she could laugh about Albus being gone, then it was behind them all now.

A voice came from above. "I am quite happy to see you enjoy it."

Severus looked up to see the smiling face of his friend. "Hello, Albus," he said, genuinely happy to see him.

"You haven't been to see me," Albus reminded him.

"It's been really busy, what with teaching and Hermione," he said in excuse.

"How is Ms. Granger?" Albus asked.

Severus found himself blushing, "She's very well, thank you. We will be getting married this summer."

"I am very happy to hear that. I can think of no one you are better suited to," the old wizard told him.

Minerva turned in her chair to address the portrait. "Excuse us please, Albus, perhaps you can return when we are done with our meeting," she suggested.

Albus nodded and began to move away; then he paused. "Stay after you finish, Severus, it's time for that visit."

"Yes, sir," he said. He watched as Albus left his chair.

"I will have to ask him where he goes," Severus mused, looking back to see Minerva studying him.

"You're quite different, Severus. The man you always should have been," she observed.

Severus smiled at her. "It's because of Hermione."

"Yes, and because you are perhaps quite happy to be back in the land of the living," she said. "Free of your two task masters." She cocked the tip of her hat up at Albus' portrait.

"Perhaps," he agreed. "What is it you want to talk to me about, Minerva?"

"I wish to talk of your future here. I want Hermione to remain at the school, and I know that if you go, she will go with you. That's a reason, but not the number one reason."

He eyed her. "It's not?"

"No." She got up and came to stand at the side of her desk. Her wand flicked out and put up a privacy shield. She had no wish for eager ears to listen to what she had to say.

"Severus, I have looked at your private records during your time here as Headmaster. As you know, they are given to the next Head when he or she commences. I saw you were under a great deal of pressure and dark influences, yet you managed to save nearly every student from the worst. I cannot run this school alone. The war took a lot of my energy, and my magic is weakened. It's been years and it has not returned. I know my time is being numbered in years. I want you to become my Deputy Headmaster next year. Stay here, and help me make this school the very best it can be."

Severus, sat back, surprised. "I thought you were going to beg me to stay on as Arithmancy instructor, and I was afraid I couldn't do that. It's not something I enjoy teaching. But Deputy Headmaster, are you sure? Filius has been here many years, and his loyalty has never been challenged."

Minerva said, "I have spoken to him many times about the position before you were known to be alive, and he does not want the job. He loves teaching and his choir. A good Headmistress knows when to back off. I might have had to force the man into it; there was no one capable. I'd even thought of Hermione, but she is young, and right now she needs to learn and teach. When you take over for me, she can become your Deputy and later Headmistress, if you ever decide you are too tired and just want to sit in front of a warm fire."

Severus snorted at that notion. He gave her a smirk, "They will have to carry me out, but you're right...maybe a good, loving husband would like to see his wife succeed him. And warm fires are comforting to aching bones."

Minerva smiled at him. "You will know when it's time. I do, however, plan to live my days out here. It has been my home for many years, and one day I will take my place up here on this wall among my predecessors."

Severus glanced around the room. "I suppose if I want Hermione up there with me for all time, I best let her serve a few years."

"Yes, that might be wise. Funny that one should aspire to become a living portrait. Albus assures me it is a wonderful life in there," Minerva said almost wistfully.

"Maybe there's a chance to rescind bad decisions or take back ultimatums." Severs cringed inside, thinking she would lash out at him.

She stared at him hard for a moment and then surprised him by saying, "He told you about that, did he?"

"Yes, I guess even he needed someone to talk to, and since I was here so much, conspiring, he would talk occasionally on cold winter nights. It was a great regret of his that he went."

Minerva glanced up at the empty portrait frame. "In retrospect, knowing what I know now, he was right. Albus was a good man, and he learned to control his desire for power. He returned the cloak to Mr. Potter at a young age. He and he alone was able to use the Elder wand for good. And it ultimately was placed in Mr. Potter's hands, which is where it needed to be. It was my damn fault I made him choose. We paid the price for my pride."

Severus reached out to her covering her hand. "I made terrible mistakes too, and I suffered as well, but now I have more happiness that I would ever have believed. Happiness can be yours too, Minerva."

Minerva smiled sadly, before her face brightened. "You just see that the painter takes about twenty five years off this old wrinkled face." She took a sip of the brandy.

Severus threw his head back and laughed while Minerva choked in shock.

After he clapped her on the back, Minerva regained herself. "Now, I understand you want to speak to Albus. I'm going to go up to Gryffindor Tower and make sure the students are packing for tomorrow's train ride. I will see you and Hermione at the leaving feast tonight." It was not a question but a command; they had been missing a number of meals in favor of spending time in their secret room.

"Yes, Headmistress." He stood and bowed slightly as she stepped past him.

"Oh, Severus, I know you said you've been planning the wedding. Do let us old ladies in on that as soon as you can. We all have holidays to plan," she said pointedly.

"Of course," he replied, watching as she left the room.

When she was gone, he turned to find Albus sitting back in his chair. He took his seat again and crossed his legs. "Albus," he greeted.

"My boy, you have no idea how happy I am to see you. I thought you were somehow lost to us."

"Has a Headmaster ever not appeared in a Portrait?" Severus asked curiously.

"There was one; his crimes were too dire, and the castle disinherited him." Albus said, quite gravely.

"Did you think I had gone over to the Dark Lord when I didn't appear?" Severus asked, studying the old man's face.

"Severus, I would never have believed it. But you know, I know you better than you yourself did at times. There were others that weren't so confident."

"Like Minerva. I gave her good reason; I do not fault her for her disbelief in me. It was planned that way, wasn't it, to deceive the Carrows and the Dar..." He stopped and then said, "Tom."

"Yes, it was, and you pulled it off most effectively. Forgive me for expecting it all of you, but Severus, I had no choice."

"I know. I have made my peace with it all. Hermione has a way of reaching into my head and lighting all the dark, making the darkness fade and not come back."

"I am happy for you. Young love is the most precious of gifts." He seemed to look into himself... then he looked back at Severus and said, "Now tell me where you have been and how you came to be found."

Severus sat back and began his story...

*******

That night as he lay in Hermione's arms, he let her use the pendant to see his discussion with Minerva and Albus. She was crying again when it was done. He chuckled at her and held her close. "You are an emotional little thing, aren't you? You seemed like such a strong-willed girl when you were a student here."

"The scary parts are over, and I don't have to be so strong. I couldn't cry then, and now I think it's all coming out. I cry at the smallest things, but it's not sad tears, it's sentimental and happy most times."

"Maybe you're crying some of my tears. It's been known to happen with this sort of bond," he told her.

Hermione was silent as she digested this theory before she said, "I'm very proud to shed your tears, Severus, it's easier for me." She snuggled tighter against him.

"Sleep with the pendant tonight, Hermione, it's time for a fun dream." He caressed her arm, and she sighed.

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