Fair Trade

Disclaimer: All of it belongs to JKR. No money, fame or glory to be made here. Only admiration.

AN: My apologies to the reviewers whom I haven't answered yet. I do appreciate every single one. Many thanks to Ariadne, who is a never-ending source of encouragement.

"Sure, Harry," Ginny said, confused at Harry's expression and how Snape was acting.

They walked down the corridor in silence and headed into an empty classroom. Cold gray light filled one half of the room, giving it a somber, desolate feeling. Ginny sat on a desk near the windows.

After Harry had succeeded only in looking at his hands for a full minute, Ginny spoke. "Harry, was there something?"

Finding his courage, he reached out to hold her hand. "Ginny, at the funeral – when I said I should go on alone. I thought that – with everything I will need to deal with that pulling you into that would be a mistake. I, well, now I know that..."

Ginny placed her hand on his and tilted her head, trying to catch his gaze that was fixed on the desk next to her.

Regaining his breath, he began again, "Ginny, I like you. A lot. I realize now that I need you. Will you? I mean – do you still?"

A smile spread on her face at his look of hope, a longing for the closeness that only she could provide. Ginny pushed herself off the desk and moved closer to him, holding his gaze. Before he could speak, she leaned in and kissed him gently, trailing her hand down his cheek. "Harry, I do."

Relief spread on Harry's face, and a bold feeling, as though he could conquer the world filled his heart. He took her in his arms and kissed her, moving his hands up into her hair, savoring every touch. Ginny couldn't help but laugh at how he was acting, like she had just returned from a long trip. As they held each other tightly in the moonlight, Harry reluctantly thought to himself he should thank Snape for pushing him to do this.

Harry looked at her, an apology for all the hardship still to come in his eyes. "Being with me won't be easy..."

Hushing him with a kiss, Ginny ran her hand through his hair and said, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

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"Narcissa – to what do I owe the tremendous pleasure of your company tonight?" Severus said slowly, struggling to resist the urge to strike at the cause of everything he'd endured in the past year.

"Severus, I've come to speak with you," she said, pushing her hood back to reveal her pale face. Her eyes turned briefly to where Draco remained on the ground, his shoulders shaking with barely contained sobs. Narcissa approached Severus carefully, hands held out, her wand nowhere in sight.

Severus thought it shouldn't be possible for someone to age so quickly. It was common knowledge that Narcissa was the only person who surpassed him in the realm of sour facial expressions, but this was a severe change. He had last seen her the past summer, but now she looked years older, as if her world had fallen apart. Some part of him was highly satisfied to see her suffering.

"I have nothing to say to you," Severus growled, ignoring Draco's choked sobs.

"Severus, the Dark Lord has... Oh, I can't bear it! Look at what he's done to my son! You must help us! Remember your Unbreakable Vow!" Narcissa rambled, rushing forward to clasp Severus' robes.

Severus recoiled, took hold of her arms and roughly shoved her away. "Don't you DARE touch me! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Severus..."

"Listen closely, Narcissa," he snarled, raising his wand to her throat. "I carried out Draco's task. If the Vow were still in place, do you honestly think for a minute I'd still be alive after whatever has happened to him?"

Narcissa looked panicked, as if her only ploy had failed. Begging, she sobbed, "Severus, the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to spy on the Order or he'll kill him. You must help us. Please!"

"Narcissa, if you haven't noticed, I am no longer interested in what Voldemort..." Severus started, only to be interrupted as she hissed, throwing her hands up to her face.

"You dare speak his name?"

Losing patience, Severus yelled, "Do not interrupt me!"

While Narcissa and Draco stared at him in silence, he continued, "I am not interested in what Voldemort wants. I am no longer a spy – for either side."

"Severus, he'll kill us both! Please! I..." Narcissa pleaded, then brought her voice down considerably, "Draco and I, we no longer wish to..."

"Spit it out, Narcissa. I'm growing impatient," Severus sneered, ignoring her tears. The wind picked up at that moment, blowing leaves across Draco's robes as he sat on the ground. Severus made a conscious effort to avoid looking at his disfigured face.

Taking a deep breath, Narcissa attempted to compose herself. "When the Dark Lord realized you had removed your Mark, he was furious. We thought..."

Severus scowled as she struggled to make her request. Freedom. Is that what I sell now?

"Narcissa, since you seem to be deficient in your ability to get to the point, I shall assist. Are you asking me to remove your Marks and hide you?" Severus asked.

Draco made a sudden movement. It was difficult to tell, but Severus thought he saw hope on his face.

Looking relieved that the truth was out, Narcissa nodded.

Staring hard at the two of them, Severus asked, "What do I gain in return?"

"This," Narcissa said, looking around carefully and pushing something heavy into Severus' hand.

Opening his hand, Severus' eyes widened as he passed his fingers over the locket. He traced the engraved S while in deep thought.

"An impressive start," he said, bouncing the locket in his hand and enjoying its weight.

"Start?" Narcissa gasped in disbelief. "Severus, that is..."

"I know damn well what it is!" Severus hissed.

Severus took a moment to savor the panicked look on her face as she struggled to stay silent. He then started to pace around them as he slipped the locket into his robes. Draco remained on the ground, staring up at him in some form of anticipation, his robes shifting with the wind.

After a long while, Severus stopped. Turning towards them, he spoke while gazing at the trees. "Freedom is a precious thing. Yes. Extremely valuable. One only needs to watch a bird in its cage to see that. As I said, this is a start. I require more, as you are asking me to save both of you, yes?"

Draco gathered himself and rose, throwing his hood back over his head.

Thinking for a moment, Severus tossed the hair out of his eyes. "You will locate another Horcrux and bring it to me."

Narcissa gasped, "The Dark Lord does not share that information with me!"

"No, maybe not," he said softly. "However, your dear sister Bella might – and then there's your fine upstanding husband."

Narcissa's eyes narrowed at the mention of Lucius.

Severus grinned and tilted his head in a gesture of apology, "Oh, please do excuse my manners... how is Lucius?"

At first, a fire rose in Narcissa's eyes at his taunting, but then faded to defeat. Finally she nodded and glared at the forest floor. "Agreed."

Severus held his wand up as a warning. In a dangerous voice, he said, "One parting thought. Cross me in any way and I shall not hesitate in making you very sorry."

"I assure you, Severus. We are sincere," she said, glancing at Draco.

Severus touched his wand to the base of her throat, admiring how she stood her ground. "I may be on the side of the light, but neither my temper nor my inability to forgive has changed."

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Leaving the two of them, Severus made his way back to the castle, turning the locket over in his hand as he limped. Knowing it would be best to destroy it as soon as possible, Severus stopped and began muttering a slow trance-like string of incantations. As he passed his hand slowly over the locket, its gold color deepened to green for a moment before returning to its former state. Nodding to himself, he had an idea of the kind of Dark Magic protecting it.

Severus considered what would happen if anyone else attempted to destroy the Horcrux. From his knowledge of the spell, any tampering with it would result in a violent explosion, enough to obliterate everything for hundreds of yards. Taking a steadying breath, he surveyed the area. Calculating the distance, it would only be a loss of himself and maybe a few trees should things go wrong.

The trees would gain more pity than me.

Scowling to himself, Severus opened his hand and the locket rose into the air, rotating slowly. The chain floated effortlessly above it, unaffected by the wind. Holding both hands out, Severus made a slight motion forward and the locket moved easily away from him. Once it was what he felt was a safe distance away, he cast several shielding spells around himself.

With intense concentration, he began to cast, moving his wand in an intricate pattern. Anyone within earshot would swear he was singing low in his throat while conducting an invisible orchestra. He allowed his head to fall back, his hair swaying in the wind, closing his eyes to the stars. The power he knew well rose within him, filling him, flowing through his veins, whispering promises of greatness, connecting his magic to the locket. A green haze moved along a current, sweeping around, weaving over itself at angles, before rushing out to join Severus' wand.

The locket's color changed to a deep green, then sank into the depths of black, bleeding out into the air. The aura obscured the locket's form as it grew in a fierce intensity. As the color rose in a blinding hue, Severus' voice rose with it.

His words accelerated and climaxed as he roared, "Attero is vomica animus!"

Immediately, the color's intensity surrounding the locket blazed into a green fire, obscuring it so the shape was no more than a shadow inside. Liquid fire dripped to the ground, setting the grass aflame. As the wind and flames exploded, the very air was alive, twisting, burning. Severus shielded his eyes from the intense heat, holding his ground, fighting the instinct to withdraw, his wand hand resolutely thrust forward into the swirling chaos. A loud scream pierced the air as a white wind shot through the flames and rushed upwards to the sky.

The wind and flames spun violently, lifting higher as it traveled away. The flames died, and the wind lost its ferocity, slowing, its intentions eased. It ended in a loose mist, the night wind quietly carrying it away.

Dropping his arms, Severus felt weak. He listed slightly before catching himself, having no intention of becoming intimate with the Hogwarts grounds again. Stepping forward, he scooped the locket from the ground and closed it again. For a moment, he stood, gazing at it as it rested innocently in his hand, its life as a Horcrux at an end.

Severus then looked to make a decision and placed the locket around his neck. In deep thought, he stroked its engraved mark as it lay against his chest.

Glancing up at the Astronomy tower, he tipped his head slightly.

"For you."

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As the sun's rays crept around the drawn curtains, Hermione entered the rooms to find Severus lying on the bed, fully clothed. He looked like he had done little more than lie down and fall into an exhausted sleep. She traced his jawline, intending to wake him with a kiss, when she noticed the chain around his neck. Following the chain's path, she found the locket lying next to him in his hair.

Hermione gasped when she realized what it was. "Severus!"

"What?" He jumped, grasping around for his wand before realizing it was in his robes.

"The locket! Where did you get it? Did Remus and Tonks find it?" Hermione asked, oblivious to his scowl at being awakened in such an undignified manner.

Sighing and rubbing his eyes, he stretched and mumbled, "I shall tell you, since I know better than to deny you information, but do me the justice of allowing me time to properly awaken?"

"Do you often leave in the middle of the night?" she asked accusingly.

"Hermione..." he growled, putting an arm over his eyes to block both the light and her disapproving look.

"You shouldn't go out there. Anyone could be there since you..." she started, as visions of Severus being captured sped though her mind.

"Am not exactly well loved by either side? You can say that much, yes."

"Well – yes," she said, placing a hand on his chest.

"You needn't fear, Hermione. I can take care of myself, though I shudder to think of being at the end of your wand on a dark night," he chuckled, moving his arm slightly to catch sight of her.

Her reaction moved from deep concern to the dawning realization that he was teasing her. "Do not start with me, Severus Snape," she said, imitating him.

Doing a poor job at containing his laughter, Severus grinned. "So I see."

Hermione took his hand, aligning their fingers. "You should laugh more often. Every day since you've returned, you look younger."

"Now who is teasing whom?" he said, with a faint scowl.

Leaning down, she had to compose herself to avoid laughing as she kissed him. She could feel him flex his hand under hers so they could intertwine their fingers. Hermione laid small kisses along his neck and smiled when he tried to pull her into bed with him.

As they traded soft kisses, Hermione turned her head and groaned.

"Am I that bad?" he murmured, rising up to kiss her ear.

"No," she said laughing. Gods, no... "It's just – you have about twenty minutes before Harry arrives for his Occlumency lesson."

He kept a grip on her hand and pulled her closer. "A lot can happen in twenty minutes."

Hermione laughed and rested her forehead on his. "You're lucky I love you."

As she went into the sitting room, Severus put his hands behind his head and said quietly to himself, "Indeed I am."

AN: "Attero is vomica animus" translated is "Destroy this cursed soul" or as close to it as I can manage.