Fourteen

A/N: This is perhaps my favorite chapter in the entire story. Well, this one and the next. ;) Big sloppy kisses to those sweet enough to review. No beta- so any mistakes are my own.

Disclaimer: They are not mine, I only take them out to play.

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"If even Voldemort couldn't get in there, how will you ever get him out?" Hermione's entire body was trembling in reaction.

Steven tugged at her hand, drawing her to the bed to sit beside him as he put an arm around her and held her close. "Hermione, it's all right. Don't worry so. I hate not knowing so much of my life, but I've managed well so far. I imagine I'll be fine."

"But I can get the walls to drop," Malfoy said. "I'm sure of it. Severus Occluded himself to protect his mind from magical attack. That isn't the same thing as a friend coming in to gently encourage the walls to open up."

"But what if it goes badly? What if I lose what memories I have?" Taking Hermione's hand, Steven raised it to his lips and kissed it. "I won't take a chance of losing that, love. Not even to get my old memories back and be complete again."

She kissed him right on his mouth, a quick, hard kiss. "I understand, Steven, I truly do. But it isn't as easy as all that. Harry? Do you have Severus' wand?"

"I do," Harry answered, and drew it from a pocket of his robes. "I stopped by home to fetch it after we found Draco. I was hoping we'd need it."

Hermione plucked it from Harry's fingers, feeling it hum angrily at her touch. "Steven, would you hold this, please?"

Hesitantly, Steven reached out and took the dark wand from her. A gentle breeze stirred his hair and a soft glow of light flashed from the wand.

"Dear Lord," he whispered, gazing at the wand in his hand.

"Steven," Hermione said softly, "magic runs through your blood. You can't turn your back on it. You were the most fierce, terrifying, amazingly wonderful wizard I've ever met. If you'd had your magic, the likes of Ronald Weasley would never have been able to hurt you. He'd never have been able to touch you."

When he looked at her, still obviously disconcerted, she continued. "Draco knows what he's doing. He's not going to take the memories you have. Please trust me."

"You know I do." He handed the wand back to her and she set it on the nightstand. "All right, boy," he said to Draco. "Do your worst."

Hermione went back to her chair, the spell was chanted, and grey eyes locked to black. After only a few moments, Draco disengaged again.

"It's no use. He's too distracted. Hermione, can I see you by the door for a moment?"

She followed Draco to the door and asked him to explain.

"Granger, with you so near, you are absolutely all he can think of. I'll never get those walls to drop unless you give us some space."

Though she hated to leave his side, Hermione knew she had to give Severus the best chance he had to recover everything he had been. With a sigh, she agreed and told Malfoy she'd be in the library.

Draco began to turn away and then faced her again with a wide grin. "Severus was right, Granger. They are very nice knickers."

As she huffed in indignation, he turned and walked away, muttering to himself, "Five times...holy hell!"

She made her way to the library, blessedly free from students on a Sunday morning. It was no use trying to read, not even in the coveted restricted section. Too wound up and worried to focus on any book, she paced for a while before she finally settled into a quiet window seat and stared out at the grounds of Hogwarts.

What would it be like to have Severus restored? The frog that had replaced her heart certainly liked the thought and rolled contentedly as she considered it. Steven had been a version of Severus who had been tempered by kindness, both from the elderly friend he had lost, and Marta, who loved him like he was her own uncle. She couldn't possibly imagine the man would turn into a complete stranger when he got his memory back. Steven would still be there after all.

Hermione also rather thought she would have taken to her surly former professor even without the memory mishap, though she imagined he wouldn't have given her the chance to get close enough to woo him. He had always been intelligent and fierce, and the man knew how to wield a wand. To defend against three enraged Hogwarts professors, all the while making it look good while not causing them any injury, was a feat of skill only the likes of Harry could hope to duplicate.

And the man could fly. Dear Merlin, the man could fly without a broom. Hermione knew of no other wizard or witch who had ever managed that bit of magic. Great power, tightly controlled by force of will and determination. Magically, the man was a stud. It was enough to make a girl flustered.

No, there was no doubt that she found the memory of Severus infinitely more intriguing as an adult than she had as a schoolgirl. His power and demeanor had frightened her then, now it only made her want to rip his clothes off. It might not be all smooth sailing, to have a relationship with Severus Snape, but she felt she could handle it. She was every bit as stubborn as he, after all.

The sun had set and the moon risen above the lake before she heard footsteps in the library. Hermione rose quickly and turned towards the sound. Draco Malfoy strode to her.

"Is he--?"

"He's fine...he's him. He's Severus again, I mean."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know. He thanked me, grabbed his wand to conjure a set of robes, and flew out of the room like all the devils of hell were chasing him." At her shocked look, Draco's voice softened as he continued. "I doubt he's gone far, not without speaking to you first. Listen, Granger, when you find him, don't let him be a bloody great git, all right?"

"I'll do my best."

Rushing out of the library, Hermione could hear the sound of students in the Great Hall. It must be dinnertime. Good. She didn't want to have to deal with a bevy of students getting in the way of her finding Severus. Starting in the hall outside the infirmary, she asked the portraits breathless questions, following their directions as they led her from one painting to the next.

She tracked him down, finding him outside on the Astronomy Tower, the highest tower of Hogwarts, and the place where he had followed Albus' directive and thrown the old wizard to the ground below. He was sitting in a puddle of black robes, his back against the wall, staring at the moon.

Saying nothing, she went to his side, sitting close against him and taking one of his hands in her own.

"You held my hand as I lay dying," he murmured.

Before she could speak, he dropped her hand, climbed to his feet, and went to stand a few feet away with his back to her.

"You were very kind, Miss Granger, in your attentions to me. However...clearly now that I am once again myself, there can be nothing between us."

Startled, Hermione gaped at his back for a moment, trying to pull her scattered thoughts together. She hadn't been certain what his reaction would be, but she didn't expect him to brush her aside with harsh words spoken in clipped and calm tones. It was as if he felt nothing for her but annoyance.

Jumping to her feet, Hermione walked around to face him, ready to give the damned bastard a piece of her mind. When she saw his face, the angry words died on her lips. Still staring at the moon, his expression was completely blank of emotion. The man's words had been gruff and dismissive, but she knew that blank look. He was terrified.

"Severus, you idiot," she said bluntly.

Then his eyes, at last, met hers as his face twisted in rage.

"How dare you!" he shrieked, spittle flying from his lips with the strength of his emotion. His hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Crossing to him, she grabbed both his hands in hers and held tight as he tried to pull them away. He succeeded only in pulling her flush against his chest.

"Severus, I believe you've forgotten something."

"I remember everything, you harpy." He stared down his nose at her with a furious scowl on his face. "Release me!"

"I won't. No, you don't remember everything. I think you've forgotten that while your memories were locked away, I knew exactly who you were, practically from the second I ran into you. I'm arse over tits in love with you, Severus Steven Sondheim Snape."

The rage fled from his face and there was that gobsmacked expression she loved so well. His eyes were wide, his mouth slack, the struggles to release himself from her grasp had ceased.

"Merlin, but you are so fucking adorable when you do that," she whispered breathlessly.

Then his mouth was crashing down onto hers, his kiss nearly violent as his tongue plundered her mouth. This time, when his hands tugged at her own, she released them. His arms came up to crush her so tightly to his chest that she could scarcely breathe.

Who needed breath when that wicked tongue was sliding around hers so passionately? A moan escaped her lips and she felt his entire body shudder against her. When the need for air finally broke them apart, he picked her up in his arms. Stepping back to the wall, he sat down, cradling her tightly against his chest. She could feel the length of his hard cock pressing delightfully against her bottom, and she couldn't help but wiggle a little, which made him clutch her even tighter.

"You said you would kill Weasley for daring to touch what was yours," he murmured against her neck.

"I might be a wee bit possessive of you," she admitted with a slight blush.

"It made me hard," he growled into her ear. "There I was, two old witches fussing over me, with a cock so hard I felt it could penetrate granite. Then the wards were falling, and you stood with your wand in your steady hand, your face fierce. You were like an Amazon, a Valkyrie, an avenging angel. You were magnificent, and I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life."

Then he was kissing her again, leaning her over his arm as he made love to her mouth, her jaw, her neck.

"I might be a wee bit possessive of you as well," he murmured against the skin of her throat.

The frog in her chest rolled furiously. "Good. Severus?"

"Hmm?" he replied, the noise vibrating over her skin as he sucked her neck.

"You feel hard enough to penetrate granite right now," she purred, wriggling again on his lap.

"Shall we do something about that then?"

"Merlin, yes. Please, Severus."

"Oh, I do so like my name spoken in that sultry tone."

He surged to his feet, still cradling her. A feat of strength that made her clit twitch so hard it almost felt like an orgasm. Grabbing his face between her two palms, she kissed him, thrusting her tongue into his mouth wantonly. One of his hands shifted away from her, and she felt a flicker of magic over her skin. When the kiss ended and she opened her eyes, she saw that they were in her flat.

"How...we were on Hogwarts grounds...how could you apparate us?"

"I was a Headmaster, Hermione," he muttered, as if that explained anything.

Then Severus gently placed her on the bed before he flung himself on top of her.