Great Misunderstandings

Disclaimer: All characters belong to JKR. I promise to put them back when I'm done.

AN: A generous thanks to Ariadne. This chapter came a long way from the original and is everything I wanted. She truly does bring out the best in me. Cheers. :-)

Remus and Tonks stood, shocked at what they had just seen, or thought they saw. They stared at each other with confused looks. If at that moment a Hippogriff had raged through the Entrance Hall, they wouldn't have noticed.

Tonks threw her hand in the direction the couple had gone, complaining, "Why can't you do romantic things like that? To think, Severus of all people..."

Remus was speechless, taking a moment to find his voice. "I, well..."

"Well, nothing," Tonks said, folding her arms and staring off towards the dungeons. A grin crept onto her face.

Remus shook his head, saying, "I never thought I'd see the day."

Tonks turned around and headed back to the headmistress' office.

"Where are you going?" Remus asked, not appreciating the mischievous grin on her face.

"We have to go tell everyone!" Tonks said excitedly, tugging on his hand.

Remus followed reluctantly, muttering, "This cannot be good."

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"He did what? So soon?" Minerva said, rising from her chair. Part of her was ecstatic that he had not only apologized, but proposed. The rest of her mind questioned how it could have happened so quickly.

"What do you mean – so soon?" Remus asked suspiciously. "Did you have something to do with this?"

"Oh, of course not," Minerva said defensively, even as a smile slipped onto her face. "All right, I may have left a slight hint," she admitted, adding, "Severus is dense when it comes to such things, I'm afraid."

Remus rolled his eyes as if that were a severe understatement.

Thinking hard, Minerva asked, "Are you sure of what you saw?"

Remus opened his mouth to offer his doubts, but Tonks quickly cut him off. "Yes, he went down on one knee, held her hand, and asked her something. Then they kissed and walked off."

"I'm not so sure. We didn't actually hear..." Remus started.

"Oh, Remus, you said it yourself. Severus proposed!" Tonks said loudly, her voice carrying across the office.

"WHAT!?" Ron yelled, his face turning an amazing shade of red.

Ginny and Harry looked at each other with wide eyes before rushing over to McGonagall's desk.

Molly and Arthur stood, clueless, watching their son becoming angrier with each passing second.

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Hermione and Severus entered the Great Hall after spending several hours in companionable silence, researching possible Occlumency-enhancing potion ingredients.

Immediately upon their entrance, Minerva rushed up and grabbed hold of Severus, holding him tight.

Severus, both stunned and grimacing in pain, held his arms out and stared in disbelief at Hermione, who could only offer a shrug.

"Oh, I'm so happy for two of you. How nice! We must celebrate!"

"Minerva! Please! I must demand you let me go!" Severus demanded, scowling and attempting to extricate himself from the older witch.

Hermione had absolutely no idea what was happening, but could not help but enjoy Severus' reaction to being hugged. He looked positively mortified, his arms up in the air and his teeth gritted. Minerva had most likely squeezed every single bruised rib together.

"Well, the two of you..." Minerva said as she stepped back, confusion on her face.

"Minerva, if may I ask, celebrate what?" Severus asked irritably, attempting to smooth out the wrinkles Minerva's surprising show of emotion had inflicted on his robes.

Before she could respond, their attention was diverted. Ron was stalking across the Hall, awkwardly drawing his wand.

"You bastard!" Ron yelled, pointing his trembling wand at Severus. Molly let out a loud gasp and hurried over.

"Mr. Weasley!" McGonagall cried.

Severus glared as if insulted and said angrily while drawing his own wand, "What did you call me?"

"You know bloody well what!" Ron yelled, as Harry, Molly and Arthur tried to pull him away. Harry had a grip on Ron's shirt, twisting it up around his neck. It was impossible to tell whether Ron's red face was caused by rage or near strangulation.

Hermione stood in stunned silence, watching as they all struggled with Ron and tried to force his wand down. Molly and Arthur each wrestled with an arm, while Harry still twisted his shirt. Ginny had joined in, taking hold of one of Ron's legs, lifting him in the air.

With a sneer, Severus flicked his wand slightly.

Ron stared in disbelief as his wand flew obediently to Severus' waiting hand.

Severus politely handed Ron's wand to Minerva and repeated, "As I was saying. Celebrate what?"

Ignoring the drama, Tonks walked past where Molly and Arthur were still wrestling their son away. "You can announce it now, Hermione. Everyone knows. We saw you two earlier."

Remus hesitantly placed his hand on Severus' shoulder, saying, "Congratulations, Severus."

Severus jerked away and glared at Remus in a state of half-confusion.

As everyone surrounded them, congratulating and chatting, Severus finally had had enough. He shouted, "QUIET!"

Silence fell.

Severus turned to Hermione and saw the look of amazement on her face. Following her gaze, he saw the Great Hall properly for the first time. The ceiling was festooned with thousands of candles, throwing soft light onto several tables where a feast lay. The High Table was decorated in white lace and set with beautiful place settings. Two chairs were set, one red and gold and the other emerald green.

Slowly, Severus closed his eyes and asked, "What in Merlin's name is this about?"

"Why, your engagement, of course," Minerva said, looking suspicious about his reaction. She then turned towards Tonks and Remus, regarding them with a disapproving glare. Remus shrugged, and Tonks seemed suddenly to find the floor profoundly interesting.

"What? Engaged? Are you completely insane? You've all lost your minds!" Severus said, caught so completely off guard he laughed nervously. When he looked at Hermione's expression, his laughter died.

"Hermione, I didn't mean..." Severus said quickly, hoping to avoid another altercation.

Disappointment spread on Minerva's face. "You mean – you didn't... ?"

"No, I most certainly did not. What in the world made you think such a thing?" Severus asked angrily.

"But we saw you," Tonks said, embarrassed. Remus looked at her as if to say "I told you so."

"Saw me what?" Severus asked, advancing on her.

Tonks quickly said, "You knelt – and – I – we saw you." She looked to Remus, who shook his head while backing away slowly.

Gritting his teeth, Severus said, "I was apologizing to Hermione for an earlier argument. That is all."

Tonks managed a small, "Oh."

"'Oh' is right," Severus growled.

Minerva stepped forward and said, "Severus, we're sorry; we just thought... it's obvious that our information was flawed." She looked around in confusion, and asked, "Wait. Where's Hermione?"

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Severus stalked out of the Great Hall, his gait uneven as he crossed to the Entrance Hall doors to see if she had gone outside. He was as shocked as Hermione was by the assumption that he had proposed, but it was his verbal reaction which had driven her away.

Standing just outside the castle doors, he was struck by how high the wind had come up and by the smell of rain in the air. As his hair and robes rippled, he called her name, scanning the grounds. While he listened intently, a movement up high caught his eye. He looked up quickly to see brown curls moving back over the Astronomy tower ramparts. Smirking to himself, he nonchalantly turned and went back inside the castle.

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Hermione fled the Great Hall feeling totally humiliated, her mind reeling. Severus' reaction had nearly broken her heart. At first she was going to head outside, but she noticed that a storm was approaching. Something about the power and violence of a storm attracted her. The smell of electricity, damp earth, impending energy, the wind carrying it all in varying directions – it made her feel alive. The Astronomy Tower seemed like the best place to think clearly and hide from everyone.

She placed her hands on the cold stone ramparts and gazed out at the grounds. Tears blurred her vision some, but she could still see the stars where the approaching clouds hadn't yet obscured the sky.

Her thoughts carrying her from side to side – asking herself why she felt so humiliated. Was her love for him strong enough to affect her this deeply this soon? There was no question, though; something more than love was happening between them, if they could stop yelling at each other long enough to figure it out.

Earlier, when he had held her, it had seemed right, as if nothing else would ever take its place. Her heart already knew what her mind had yet to fully accept: that she did love him. Hermione guessed that no amount of logic would help her now – and that, like Dark Magic, love was both attractive and terrifying.

She ran her hands along the stone, wondering if it was true that places retained a certain energy when tragic things had occurred there. Sadly, she thought this was the same wall where Dumbledore had leaned when the man she now loved killed him.

Suddenly, she heard Severus calling her name. She quickly moved away from the edge.

Hermione was thankful for the rain – not because it was refreshing, but because it hid the tears.

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Severus cursed Lupin, Tonks, and his leg with each step. Gone were the days of sweeping dramatically from rooms and moving quickly. He wondered how long this would take to heal fully, and he knew wandering all over creation on the afflicted limb didn't help.

Being demoted to the ranks of the slow-moving gave him time to think. He certainly had little experience dealing with women, but the little he did know told him that he and Hermione were both making a complete disaster of things by arguing. Severus knew he loved her. Of that there was no question. The problem was his temper. Years of repressing all emotion had turned him into an antisocial being, one lacking the skills to communicate without resorting to intimidation. While that strategy worked as a spy and a teacher, it had no place in a relationship with a witch who could very well hex important pieces from his person. Hermione could hold her own nicely in an argument; that was certain, and was what attracted him to her. He told himself that if he could control himself when dealing with arguably the most insane wizard in the known universe, he could choose his words carefully when dealing in love.

Now, with a chance for happiness, he was nearly paralyzed. Part of him still wanted to drive her away to save her from the emotional wreck he had become. His true heart, however, knew he was already too far in love with her. That knowledge triggered a different kind of fear, the kind one feels in the face of losing control, of surrendering even a small part to someone else.

Arriving at the bottom of the Astronomy Tower stairs, he froze. His heart rate soaring both from wondering how to express his feelings and from the fact that the last time he had been there he had committed murder. If he never saw the place again, he would feel no loss.

"Hermione, why here of all places?" he thought, and, with a hand that betrayed a slight tremble, he took hold of the rail and started to climb the stairs.

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Hermione felt the rainfall increase, but didn't care. She raised her face to the sky. Her emotions had moved from embarrassment and confusion to anger, and come to rest in a general sadness. She leaned against the rampart wall, feeling the cold stone under her hands, the texture, unmoving no matter what trauma occurred around it. When she heard Severus approach she sighed, but didn't turn.

"Leave me alone, Severus."

Severus stood next to her and looked out over the grounds. The wind carried the scent of the forest to them before rising again in anticipation of the coming storm.

Hermione shook her head, refusing to look at him, "I've never been so embarrassed. You have no idea how humiliated I feel."

"I have to respectfully disagree with you there," he said, slightly tilting his head.

"What?"

"I believe turning yourself into a cat your second year would be a more embarrassing event. Any time a large amount of fur and a tail are involved, it cannot be enjoyable," Severus said, shaking the hair out of his eyes. The wind had picked up and could not seem to choose a direction from which to blow.

"How will this work? I've never acted this way, or said such things..."

Severus leaned over the rampart. "We all make mistakes, Hermione."

She turned to watch him, his eyes fixed on the grounds, his only tell being the intense grip he had on the stone.

Hermione sighed. "I've made a lot lately. I've treated you terribly out of my own insecurities."

"There is no denying that."

She looked up at him.

"You wish me to lie?"

Shaking her head, she said, "I've never felt like this before. Something changes when I'm around you. Everything becomes more important. I've become so wrapped up in wanting to know how you feel, I've forgotten how to be normal."

"You may blame youth. I, however, have no such excuse."

Hermione smiled sadly, and considered how Severus most definitely did not act his age.

Severus raised his eyes to the night sky, as if searching for a memory.

"Hermione, I do not forgive easily, but I did see that you didn't mean what you said. Something hurled in the heat of the moment is one thing; truly acting against someone out of malice is another. You will find that there is a difference."

"That sounds like..."

"Dumbledore? Yes. I have been subjected to many lectures on forgiveness."

"Does this get easier?" she asked, gathering her hair in her hand. The wind had reached an urgent level, the rain's angle and intensity increasing.

"I'm afraid you are asking the wrong person. To quote McGonagall, I think we will have quite spectacular disagreements."

Hermione groaned and leaned back on the rampart wall.

Severus stepped in front of her. "My reaction in the Great Hall was purely in the moment. I was given no time to think or prepare."

"I might have said the same thing if you didn't beat me to it," Hermione said with a shrug.

He raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. So my strategy should be one of silence?"

"Seems so," she said with a sad smile.

He nodded and ran a hand through his hair, now heavy with rain.

"Severus – what do you want with me? With us?" Hermione asked seriously.

Expecting her question, Severus said, "You must understand, my life has been filled with lies, and devoid of emotion. This is a tremendous change. I'm afraid that I have no idea what to do, let alone how to do it correctly. You know as well as I do how infuriating that can be."

Hermione nodded, knowing exactly how it felt to be suddenly shoved into uncharted waters.

"Yes, there is an 'us'," he said turning to face her, "If you still want this broken down, unemployed ex-spy, that is. You have already found a way to lay claim to my heart, something I hadn't known I still possessed," he said, pushing her wet hair behind her ear. The wind and rain had joined in their intensity and were rising together.

Hermione was searching his eyes, looking for sincerity. "Severus, if this is to work you'll need to learn to control your temper. You jump on everyone, including me."

"Yes." His hair was thoroughly soaked, hanging in strings.

"I need to think. You're late for Harry's lesson," she said, fighting a smile at his crestfallen expression – and at the role reversal. She watched as the rain soaked his robes and streaked down his face.

Nodding, he expertly schooled his expression.

"Until later," he said, then turned to leave.

Hermione smiled slightly and turned her face upwards to feel the rain once more.

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"Tonks, how could you! You're usually so thorough," Minerva complained, both angry that they had caused such a mess and stunned that she had actually hugged Severus.

"I'm sorry – I thought – we thought – Remus!" Tonks said quickly, looking at Remus and pleading for help.

Remus held up his hands, saying, "I tried to offer my doubts, but was cast aside. We never heard what Severus said."

"Well, what's done is done. Hopefully, Severus will be able to repair the damage to their relationship. His reaction was hardly ideal," Minerva said, wringing her hands. "I'm afraid the man needs lessons in diplomacy."

With a wave of her wand, Minerva banished the engagement decorations and moved the tables off to the sides. She knew Severus would keep his word to teach Harry. Having someone level their wand at one should be an unsettling event, but Severus hadn't moved an inch. Minerva was at least thankful that Severus had merely disarmed young Mr. Weasley rather than bouncing him off the ceiling – or worse.

As the last table obediently completed its journey to the side of the room, Severus limped into the Great Hall, looking even more miserable than usual. After throwing a withering glare at Tonks and Remus, he approached Minerva.

"Hermione will not be joining us, at least not now."

"Oh, Severus, I'm sorry for all of this," Minerva apologized.

Raising his hand, Severus said, "Minerva, if you don't mind, I'd rather not discuss it further. Right now I need something to take my frustration out on." Scanning the room, he said loudly, with a slight grin, "Ah Potter, there you are."

"Severus..." Minerva said in a warning tone.

As Harry approached, Minerva said, "Severus, please try to keep the Hall in one piece and stay in it?"

Severus responded with a distracted nod, but said nothing.

"If you are ready?" Minerva asked, glancing at the two of them as they glared at each other. "Begin."

Immediately, Severus reached out and grabbed ahold of Harry's robes. He cast Legilimens, moving effortlessly into Harry's mind. A mix of memories and thoughts moved around him like tendrils of smoke. Severus saw Dudley towering over Potter as he was roughly shoved into a cupboard, the Hogwarts Express, Dementors descending onto Sirius to deliver the kiss, Lily and James Potter in the Mirror of Erised...

Moving along leisurely, another memory came to the surface. To Severus' horror, he saw Voldemort moving along a line of Death Eaters on the night of his rebirth. He remembered how he almost died that night, after returning to him hours later. It had taken everything in his power to convince Voldemort that he had stayed away to preserve his position as a spy.

Severus pulled out of Harry's mind and pushed him away roughly, growling, "This is how you come to me? I told you to at least attempt to close your mind, and tonight I could have circulated an entire Quidditch team in there!"

Harry had a glazed look to his eyes. He staggered backwards before recovering. "I'm sorry – I tried..."

"Tried?" Severus said, advancing on him, "TRIED? Potter, are you even taking this seriously? You offered absolutely no resistance!"

"I'll practice. I promise," Harry offered, looking panicked. The way Severus had entered his mind was more invasive than anything he had ever felt during their Occlumency lessons. This was more of a tearing sensation, a loss of control.

Severus paced, running a hand through his still wet hair.

"Potter, you haven't improved. In fact, you've gotten worse. Anyone with even slight Legilimency skills can walk into your mind. Even if the potion is successful, you will need to rely largely on sheer luck and dueling ability to survive, neither of which you possess in large quantities," Severus said with a sneer. He moved a distance away, turned, and asked in a condescending tone, "You can still cast a spell – can't you?"

"Yes," Harry said, his anger increasing with each passing second. He was embarrassed by being berated in front of several people, especially Ginny.

"Potter, you have one minute to disarm me or I will declare you dead. Voldemort will not be leisurely about killing you, when the time comes."

Harry gritted his teeth and raised his wand. Lunging forward, he threw several hexes and spells in rapid succession, all silently. Severus arrogantly stood his ground, blocking the volley of light with an almost casual flick of his wand. All of the spells twisted into one shockingly bright spiral of light, shot upward, and hit the ceiling with enough force as to blast it wide open. A hail of stone, brick and wooden beams rained down, forcing Severus and Harry both to leap in opposite directions to avoid the falling debris.

Immediately, rain and wind swept through Great Hall, drenching several torches and tearing two banners from the wall.

"Severus!" Minerva cried, throwing her hands in the air.

"Forty seconds, Potter," Severus growled, circling around the ruins in the middle of the Hall. He tossed his head, trying to move the wet hair out of his eyes.

The realization that the clock had not stopped dawned on Harry's face. He screamed, "Petrificus Totalus!" almost tripping over random blocks of stone which were strewn about the floor.

With the swirling rain and wind, Severus could barely see, but he had no trouble locating Potter by his thoughts. He blocked the spell easily, sending it gleefully towards where Weasley sat. To his irritation, the prat dodged out of the way. The spell blasted a nearby window, blowing glass out into the windy night.

"Thirty, Potter," Severus said conversationally, moving towards Harry. "Think of last night."

An expression of understanding flashed over Harry's face and he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he had a look of immense concentration and anger on his face. Harry raised his wand and began advancing on Severus.

"Twenty..."

Harry slashed his wand, throwing a Stunner which Severus simply side-stepped.

"Fifteen. Potter! I'm not even fighting back! What is your problem? Ten!"

Harry threw another barrage of spells, which Severus blocked, sending them hurtling wildly to blast a leg off of one of the long tables. It groaned before collapsing, leaving the table to resemble a rather large ramp.

Severus yelled impatiently, "Five!"

Harry stopped to stand in the pouring rain that was falling though the ruined ceiling. With a look of sheer determination, he let out a roar and lunged forward, consistently casting one spell after another, anything he could grasp in his mind, swinging his wand violently, stumbling over broken wood and stone.

Severus blocked most of the spells, sending them to drive into the floor at Harry's feet, blasting craters in the stone. Severus dodged a final Stunner, but was not quick enough to miss the disarming spell that followed. He watched as his wand flew into the darkness of the ruined portion of the Hall.

As he summoned his wand, Severus said, "Better, Potter."

Before Harry could look satisfied, Severus added angrily, "Tonight you would have died only one hundred times."

Harry pushed his wet hair out of his eyes before turning to stalk away through the rubble and rainwater.

"Potter! My rooms! NOW!" Severus bellowed and turned to leave the Great Hall.

As Severus passed Minerva, he stopped and said irritably, "Potter and I are going to discuss his award-winning performance. Privately."

"Severus, do try to be easy on him," Minerva said, placing a hand on his arm. "This is a tremendous burden to bear."

Severus jerked his arm away and said viciously, "Really? Interesting. I couldn't possibly comprehend what it feels like to be manipulated in a grand plan and forced to kill."

Minerva recoiled as if struck. "Severus, I didn't mean that you didn't..."

Observing her reaction, he interrupted, "Who was around to pity me when I was cursed to near death because I failed to deliver Potter? Who cared when, instead of seeking help for my wounds, I first went to Dumbledore to give my report, fearing I might die before delivering it?"

Minerva stared at him, her mouth open in shock at the raw anger he was hurling at her.

"Do you know how many times I have bled on the very steps that lead to your office?"

Minerva pressed her lips into a thin line.

After a long pause, Severus straightened and sneered in disgust. "Do not speak to me about burdens."