Chapter Five by Southern Witch 69

Disclaimer: We're playing with JKR's characters and will have them home by teatime. No Galleons are being made...sadly enough.

Thanks go to RobisonRocket for the beta! We appreciate it, mate!

This story is the start of a round robin, which is being brought to you by some of the Admins here at the Petulant Poetess (amsev, LadyintheCloak, Soul Bound, and Southern_Witch_69). I have more details listed in the author's note at the bottom.

Chapter Five – By Southern Witch 69

Hermione wiped at her eyes, unable to stem the slow flow of tears. "I'm so sorry I got you into this mess, and now, we're stuck here, and I can't get you to Madam Pomfrey!" She sniffed and shifted so that his head rested partially in her lap and partially on the crook of her arm. With her free hand, she lifted her wand and chanted a few incantations to check his vitals. All seemed to be in order.

"Severus?"

There was still no response. What could be wrong? Shock? Had someone Stupefied him without her realizing it? It was possible.

"Finite Incantatem," she said softly, flicking her wand at him. Still nothing happened.

"Damn it." Frustration chased away any remaining tears as she gazed down into his peaceful face. Gone was the dispassionate expression or scowl he normally wore. She'd never seen him look so relaxed and liked the way his lips seemed to almost smile. "You're quite attractive, you know," she said softly, bringing her free hand up to caress his cheek and move back a lock of hair from his face.

"Why, thank you, Hermione," he said, eyes still closed, but his lips were curved up in a smug smile.

"You scamp!" she said, pushing him off of her. "There was nothing wrong with you at all!"

"Not in the least. However," he sat up and smoothed his robes, "your concern was quite touching." His tone was mocking.

Growling slightly, she stood and moved towards the next doorway. "Come on. Let's get this over with." When he didn't reply, she turned around and shouted in surprise. He'd quickly moved directly behind her and was now inches away from her. "W-what is it?"

"Did you mean that?"

"Mean what?" she asked innocently, knowing full well what he was referring to. Unfortunately, she felt her cheeks heat and blush, giving her away. "Oh, all right. I did."

His brow furrowed in thought, eyes not leaving hers. "You didn't really have anything to show me, did you?"

"I...yes."

"Forgive me, my dear, but I don't think I believe you." He smirked. "I can tell by the expression on your face, you see. Now, what was it you really wanted?"

When he stepped even closer, she backed into the door and brought one hand behind her to fumble with the latch. "I just wanted to talk to you," she blurted with a nod. "That's right. A chat."

"Mmm. A likely story." He closed the small distance between them and placed one hand on the door above her head, bracing himself, and leaned closer. "And what, Hermione, did you want," he paused for a moment and arched an eyebrow, "to talk about?"

Her lips parted in anticipation of his kiss...stomach clenching excitedly. She was going to allow him to kiss her. She wanted him to kiss her. Then... "I thought you deserved to be happy."

The lips that were just grazing hers abruptly pulled back and formed the word, "WHAT?"

Startled, her hand behind her flexed, and the door sprang open, causing them to stumble through and land in a heap, him on top of her.

"Oh, shite!"

"Damn!"

Severus began to scramble off of her, but he stopped when her hands clutched his robes and held him in place. "I said that wrong," she began. "And it doesn't mean that I don't want to kiss you."

"Who said anything about kissing you?" he said with a hateful sneer. "If you would kindly release me..."

"Right." She let go of him and sat up to look around. "What the bloody hell are we doing here?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What do you theenk you're doing, Fleur?" Gabrielle asked indignantly, swatting at the wand pointed at her.

"Where ees, 'Arry?"

"At 'Ogwarts. Why?"

"I will speak to 'im about zis!"

"No. Zis ees my choice. I'm old enough, no?"

"But you are still my little sister! I will not let 'im use you zis way!"

"'E's not using me! I love 'im and 'ave agreed to marry 'im!"

Fleur lowered her wand in shock, mouth gaping open. "Marriage? Mon Dieu! But when?"

"E 'az asked me more zan once. I finally said yes to 'im last night."

"'Ow could I not know about zis?"

"I never told Mama or anybody else."

"But you should 'ave told me. When zey said 'Arry 'ad anuzzer lover, I waz worried eet was you. You theenk I did not see ze way you looked at 'im? Ron said 'e found blond 'air, but 'e thought eet might belong to Luna Lovegood."

"But no. Eet ees me!"

"'Ermione said eet may be Draco Malfoy. Somezing about a camping trip."

"'Arry is not gay! 'E ees my lover."

"Only I knew ze truth." She frowned and closed the door finally. "I just do not want my little sister to be 'urt, and 'Arry hurt Ginny, no?"

"Ginny 'urt 'Arry if you will remember."

"Maybe so, but zat..."

"Eet ees 'ow 'Arry remembers eet, and even Ronald 'az said 'is sister 'urt 'Arry." Gabrielle shrugged. "'Er loss, eet ees my gain."

Fleur then smiled. "You and I, we 'ave a way with ze men, ah? I married ze best, most brave Weasley, and you will marry ze Chosen One." She hugged her sister. "When 'e saved you in ze lake years ago, I thought to myself zat one day, 'e might make a good man for my sister."

"You did not!"

"Maybe not, but I should 'ave thought of eet then."

Both women laughed, and then Gabrielle pulled her sister into the living room so that she could finally, and happily, tell her everything she'd been keeping to herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry stopped and looked at Neville oddly once they reached the gates of Hogwarts. "Neville, what exactly have you been doing with Hermione... in her chambers... at night? Why was she expecting you?"

"Oh, er... that's, uh, personal, Harry. Sorry."

"You fancy her!" Harry accused.

Looking around wildly before bringing a finger to his own lips, Neville hissed, "Sshhh!"

"Admit it," Harry said, voice lowered.

"Don't get me wrong... I... No, Harry, I'm not going to tell you. It's private."

"Yes, but this is..."

"You should talk!" Neville blurted.

"Eh?"

"Shagging Draco Malfoy!"

Harry's eyes widened, and it was his turn to look about wildly. "I am not! Who said that? Is this about that trip down to the Continent? I'll have you know..."

"Hermione says Ron saw a bit of blond hair on your pillow last week. She figures it's Malfoy!"

Shaking his head and laughing, Harry said, "No, it's not Draco."

"So, Ron's right then?"

Harry's smile faded. "What did Ron say?"

"He said you might be seeing Luna."

"Luna?" he replied incredulously. "No, mate, she and I are only friends."

The look of relief on Neville's face was immediate. "Well, if not them, who?"

"I wasn't going to say anything until this Sunday," Harry began, "but I guess there's no harm in letting you know." His grin widened. "Gabrielle Delacour. She and I have decided to be married."

"Co-congratulations, Harry!" Neville said earnestly. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks."

"How did you ask?" Neville swallowed thickly, eyes wide in awe. "Weren't you afraid she'd turn you down?"

"She did."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I've asked a few times though. Finally said yes."

"And you weren't deterred at all?"

"No, I knew it would be a matter of time." Harry frowned at the thoughtful expression on Neville's face. "Is there something you want to tell me now? Like when you're going to ask Hermione to marry you?"

Neville smiled. "Let's go down to the Three Broomsticks. I'll tell you everything over a pint or two."

"Right then. Come on."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This is your fault!" Severus accused, rising and dusting pink and white confetti from his robes.

"Oh, no, it's not! I've always detested this place," she said heatedly, looking around at the frilly decorations and cozy couples.

"What? Haven't been coming here with Longbottom then?"

Hermione crossed her arms and tapped her foot, thinking of something snappy to say. How dare he keep throwing Neville in her face! Deciding on a better punishment, she reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him behind her to a private table in the corner. "I think since we're here, we might as well enjoy Madam Puddifoot's famous tea."

"I will not take part in this," he said curtly, refusing to sit down.

She simply pointed back to the door they'd come through, which was fading from sight. "It appears you have no choice. There must be a reason for us to be here."

He sat down with a thump. "Yes, and I know exactly what it is!"

"Oh?" she asked, eyebrows arching in question. "Please share."

"You..."

"Hello, you two. What would you like?"

"A pot of your finest tea please," Hermione said sweetly. "And some sugar biscuits."

"Anything else?" the young girl directed this to Severus, though she didn't dare meet his eyes.

"Nothing else," he snapped.

When she walked away, he turned on Hermione and said, "You know very well why this room came into being! You're wishing to... kiss me; therefore, it sent us to this wretched place!"

"I was not! I..." Her words were cut off as a teapot, cups, and a tin of biscuits appeared on their table.

"You just said minutes ago that you thought I..."

"But you were! If I hadn't opened the latch accidentally, we would have!"

"I believe it was your mouth you opened accidentally," he said while sweetening his tea with sugar.

"You seemed intent on mouth all right," she retorted, blushing at the remembrance of his lips grazing hers.

"Very well. It was an error on my part," he admitted, not meeting her eyes. "One that I shall not make again."

"Why not?" she asked suddenly, disappointed, placing her teacup on its dainty saucer.

Incredulously, he asked, "And make a fool of myself? I think not!"

"How is a small snog making a fool of yourself? I would... I wouldn't mind, so there's nothing to feel foolish about."

"I've known you for many years, and you've always had the notion that you could fix things...house-elves, classmates' homework, friends' relationships, Muggle-born rights... and many other projects." Here his eyes met hers firmly. "I will not be added to that list."

"It's not like that."

He smirked and changed the tone of his voice to mimic her nastily. "I just wish you'd be happy, Severus. Let me help you, Severus. Let me give myself to you if it will ease your suffering, Severus."

It was Hermione's turn to sneer. "How dare you say such a thing? I would never donate my body to some cause!"

"Wouldn't you?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Isn't it interesting that Weasley, not Potter, got the girl? Easing the blow that his best talent to always come in last after everyone around him...brothers, Potter, you?" He chuckled hatefully. "And now you've tossed Longbottom into the mix."

"What a nasty thing to say! Ronald is not always last in line or lacking anything. And to think I thought you..."

"That's just it. You know nothing! You've no right to assume anything, Granger!" His knuckles whitened as his grip tightened on his cup. "I am content with my life as it is."

"I don't believe you," she whispered sadly.

"Pity has no place in this conversation. See to it that you lose it."

"I just want to be your friend! What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, but that's not all you want. You want to meddle. You want to fix things as you see fit." He sighed. "Do you think so little of me that you believe I can't go and find a woman if that is what I felt I lacked?"

"No, of course not. I'm certain you could choose from among many women."

"Indeed?"

"Yes, do you think I was lying when I said I found you attractive or when I foolishly admitted that I wanted you to kiss me and would have allowed it?"

"Why?"

"Are you looking for compliments?" She'd intended for this to be a joke, hoping to lighten their conversation, but it had the opposite effect.

"Go to hell, you pesky wench," he said darkly, grip tightening too much and causing the cup's handle to break away, resulting in shards of China and drops of tea on the table.

The serving girl popped over and quickly cleaned the mess, replacing and filling Severus' cup. "Not a problem at all," she muttered before leaving.

"I'm sorry," Hermione offered. "I'm saying everything wrong." When he didn't reply, she added, "And I hope you don't mean the things you're saying either."

Surprisingly, he changed the subject. "Have you never been here?"

"Not on a date," she said softly, glad to return to safer conversation. "You?"

He nodded tersely.

"On a date?"

His eyes narrowed, but he answered her. "Once."

"Did you shatter your teacup then, too?" she asked with a smile, receiving a small one in return.

"Not because of her," he said, eyes lowering to look into his tea. "All was well... until others arrived, and then things turned out quite unexpectedly."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yes, well, it's in the past." He frowned. "All four of them are dead now."

Hermione bit her lip for a moment, and then she asked, "Harry's father and his friends?"

"Feeling sorry for them, are you?"

She frowned. "I feel sorry for anyone whose life is cut short, but if you think that I condone anything they put you through, the answer is no."

"What do you know about it?" he asked suspiciously. "Potter's been talking?"

"What do you mean?" she asked honestly.

"Did he never tell you what he saw in my Pensieve during his Occlumency lessons?"

"No, he didn't. What did he see?"

"I... He simply saw that his father wasn't the man he thought him to be."

"I know he approached Lupin and Sirius about things they'd done in the past, but he never gave us any details." She shrugged. "I do know about the memories you gave him though. And about his mother."

"Yes, then you must know it was her who came here with me."

"Maybe you could have brought her again after that and had a better time."

He shook his head. "No, things were different then, and I'd already done something to make her want to spend less time with me. She rarely did anymore, and I almost had to trick her to get her here."

"I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that!"

Feeling bold, Hermione extended her hand and placed it on his arm. "I am glad to be here with you," she said with a small smile, hoping to put him at ease and maybe give him a fonder memory of the place.

His eyes closed for a moment, and when he opened them to gaze at her, she could tell that he wanted to say something. However, his eyes darted to the left, drawing her attention away from him.

The door had reappeared.

"It seems we're deemed ready to leave now," he said, a small hint of disappointment in his voice.

"Why don't we finish our tea and biscuits, Severus? Who knows when we'll be able to have anything else?" She grinned. "Using the loo wouldn't be amiss either...even though there are those fairies in there who fly about and try to assist you!"

They both smiled and reached for the tin at the same time, his hand lingering over hers for a moment.

Southern's Notes: And here is the next installment. I do hope you've enjoyed it and the little surprise with the "blonds" I put in. The girls were warring over it being Draco or Luna, so I pulled a fast one. Hahahahaha.

And just what is up with Neville?

Next up is Soul Bound, who will have the next update ready to go soon enough. Thanks for reading this round robin. It's great fun. I'm sorry to say that CocoaChristy still has computer problems and won't be able to join us in this one, but I'm certain she'll be around for the next one.