Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Heart harder than feet descending stairs. Pain wider than doors flinging open.

“You went without me,” she said. “Sir.”

“I popped up to check the terrain and weather,” he said. “Did you expect me to go on an expedition like a mindless, well, whatever?”

“Like a mindless Gryffindor? Is that what you were going to say, sir?”

“Do you still think, Miss Granger, that we can be successful partners?”

“We’re all we have, sir. And you could have taken me with you. Harry’s with Dumbledore, Ron’s with Lavender, and no one would have missed me.”

“I might have missed you,” said Severus. What am I saying?

He watched the emotions play across her face, thinking that Gryffies would never be poker players. He told her that he had only checked on one of the sites used by Salazar, one in a forest where there was once Druid activity. He was certain there were more since Salazar used to watch the coast for Viking raiders and the South for Christian expeditions. They might have to physically hunt for these since the records were poor. They could explore together with the coast next, and its danger and hardship would make up for the easy trip to a forest that she had missed. Besides, he had merely located but hadn’t searched the forest cabin. A smile replaced her scowl of anger and disappointment. He thought about the proclivities of her house, thought about how pleasant it was to make her smile, and thought about how lonely men had strange thoughts.

The next Saturday saw Severus cruising along the coast with his wand sweeping back and forth like a search-radar. It saw Hermione buffeted by gusts and clinging to her broom. He signaled and descended to a spot that was now glowing blue. After landing, he observed Hermione coming in, aimed his wand, and levitated her to the ground. He pried the stiff fingers of the blue-lipped girl from the broom and walked her into the hut.

“Success,” he said, handing her a cup of hot chocolate laced with brandy.

“I’m holding you back,” she finally managed to say.

“Au contraire, this outpost is close to the location you picked, a good position for a watchtower,” he said. “I could have searched for days otherwise. We’ll mark it on our map and head back before you’re missed.”

She shook her head sadly.

The thought of her not being missed gave him no pleasure, but he decided to act positive. “We can look for another next Saturday, about the time you’ve thawed out.”

“We mustn’t let me get warm and cozy, do we, sir?”

“That would violate the rules of questing,” he said. “The gods of adventure would not be pleased.”

Sarcasm one can count on, thought Hermione. A steady beacon in an uncertain world.

Sunday morning at the breakfast table, Filius said, “You and Miss Granger were gone yesterday.”

“Does nothing escape your eagle eye?” asked Severus.

“Lots, but she should have been a Ravenclaw.” Filius stared into the distance. “Careful, Severus, intelligent women can grow on you.”

Hermione, too, was staring into the bleak distance until she noticed Severus whereupon her expression turned soft and warm.

Severus became thoroughly occupied with getting some marmalade on his toast.

That Friday evening, they examined the scraps of ancient maps they had found in various places around the school.

“We might examine the South,” suggested Severus.

“There must be a good reason you didn’t start there first where the climate is more moderate,” said Hermione. “What is it, sir?”

“Must I always suffer your accursed intelligence?”

“For ever and ever, sir.” What am I saying? “Tell me.”

“I found some chapters that didn’t make it into the official history,” he said. “Salazar may have spied on the Christians by posing as an itinerant monk. Can you guess the rest, oh brilliant one?”

“It was a time when disease was mysterious, from evil spirits,” said Hermione. “With a few spells and potions, Salazar could pretend to pray for someone’s soul and perform a miracle.” She paused. “But that should have made it into the official history although if Salazar is persona-non-grata, they may have pretended it was some unknown wizard. But no version appeared because no one was able to gloss over what is now considered politically incorrect.”

“Keep going,” said Severus.

“Salazar only healed the rich and powerful. From them, he received enough monies to support himself while spying, and from them, in a moment consisting of their relief, gratitude, and trust, he discovered all their plans for their campaigns against the wizards.”

Hermione basked in Severus’s approval.

“Hence,” she said, “we will discover nothing in the South since Salazar was too clever to leave any revealing traces.”

She smiled. “A true Slytherin, sir.”

“Are you trying to be sarcastic?”

“I wouldn’t dare, sir.”

Hermione was not to be restrained. “That means our next trip will be more fun exploring the Northern coast.”

She considered the next round of entertainment. “Do you have any warm clothes I can borrow? And a better-behaved broom, sir?”

Author's Note: Severus-Hermione never seemed viable to me, and the original intent of this chapter was to give this story an erotic ending, but the pairing appears to be a tough couple.