A Magical Pact

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o 42 o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Magical Pact

Hermione was sitting crossed-legged on her bed, reading from one of the books Severus had borrowed for her from the Malfoy library, when Ginny came back to the room from her morning shower. She plopped down on the foot of Hermione's bed and started to comb out her hair. "So, tell me, how was your evening?"

"It was fine," Hermione stated, knowing that Ginny would never accept that as an answer to her question. She wasn't disappointed.

"Oh, no you don't! I want details," she said, brandishing her comb at her. "I know you left the castle. So where did you go? What did you do? How did it go?"

Hermione looked up and smiled as she lowered the book to her lap. "We had dinner at the Cornishman Inn in Tintagel and then walked to Tintagel Castle. After that, Severus Apparated us to Merlin's Cave. Well, that's what the Muggles call it, Merlin's Cave."

"Oh c'mon, I want details," Ginny prompted, picking up one of the books by Hermione's knee.

"The North Cornwall coast was absolutely gorgeous, Gin. The ocean views were beautiful, and the ruins were fascinating, but then I've always loved castles. The stairs up to the castle gates were steep, but it was worth it. Did you know that the castle is the same one that Muggles associate with the tale of Tristan and Isolde? I didn't know that Severus was familiar with the tale, or that he knew so much about the area. He told me that the Romans inhabited the site in the thirteenth century."

The story of Tristan and Isolde was one of Hermione's personal favorites, and she'd been thrilled that he knew the legend as well. "Anyway, we stayed on the peninsula until well after sunset," Hermione elaborated, unable to hide the smile as she reminisced about the evening and the fact that they'd made love against a wall of the castle ruins as the sun disappeared over the horizon.

"Okay, thank you for the mythological and historical information, but that only covers dinner and a stroll until dusk. You weren't here when I fell asleep, so I know there was more to it. Besides, you're positively glowing. So tell me – did you do anything else?" Ginny asked with a conspiratorial grin. Hermione felt her cheeks heat up, and Ginny squealed softly, "You did, didn't you?!"

"It was a very romantic evening," Hermione said, now certain that she was blushing a deep red.

Ginny scooted closer and crossed her legs. "So things are going better?"

Hermione nodded, unable to meet the redhead's eyes. "Yes, much better."

"About bloody time!" Ginny exclaimed softly. "George was about to have me slip you a love potion."

Hermione looked at her aghast. "You wouldn't!"

"Didn't. But if you were going to keep being so stubborn about things, it was likely the only way to get you two together," the redhead replied with a devilish grin. "So, does this mean I'm losing a dorm mate?"

"Not yet," Hermione said with a sigh, adding, "I want to finish school before I move in with him," at Ginny's incredulous stare. "I mean, I don't really want to move into the Headmaster's tower."

"Why ever not?" Ginny asked, her smile disappearing to a look of concern.

"And give up evenings revising with you?" Hermione asked with a devilish grin and then became serious. "Say, the Polyjuice Potion is nearly done. We have to add the boomslang skin this morning and let it simmer, and of course, we have to add the hairs. And the Verso-Quixotically Potion is near complete – we only have to add the yohimbe bark and cowitch." She reached over and picked up her bag. "We have nine potions to choose from for our next project... What?"

"You're not changing the subject that quickly," Ginny stated. "So give. Was I right? Was it anything like in the dreams?"

Hermione pulled out her revision guide. "No, in a way it was different, but yes, it was very nice."

"Nice?!" Ginny exclaimed, her eyebrows rising and her mouth gaping open in disbelief.

Hermione knew she was blushing again, and from the way her cheeks burned, she was beet red again. "All right, it was amazing."

Ginny squealed, and Hermione shook her head as she picked up her book.

"So?"

Hermione dropped her book back on her lap and looked up. "So what?"

"Which potion did you want to do next?" Ginny asked, making Hermione laugh. "We could ask Professor Reynolds when we go down to the lab today?"

"We'll do it tomorrow when we hand in the potion samples," Hermione suggested. There were only a few of the advanced potions that she hadn't already tried, but personally, she would've preferred working with Severus on the Médousa Potion instead of any of the potions in their book.

After finishing the Polyjuice Potion, lowering the flame to have it simmer until the next morning, and nearly completing the Verso-Quixotically Potion, Ginny dragged Hermione outside to the Quidditch pitch to watch the house team practice. She enjoyed watching her friend fly, but she wished she'd had her books, which Ginny had insisted she leave in the dorm room. Afterwards, Ginny wanted to take a stroll by the lake, but Hermione insisted that she wanted to spend the rest of the day catching up on her assignments. So, Ginny went to go visit with Hagrid after lunch and then joined Hermione in the library until dinner.

The next morning before breakfast, they checked on their potions. Hermione added the shredded boomslang skins to the three cauldrons of Polyjuice Potion, pleased by the sludge-like appearance and mud-like consistency in each cauldron, as Ginny added the yohimbe bark to the three cauldrons of Verso-Quixotically Potion. Each batch of the Verso-Quixotically Potion turned the perfect shade of carnelian. The potions, with Severus' variations, came out exactly like the versions in the book said they should.

Hermione pulled out her Potions journal and wrote down her documentation for the validation process. "All right, sign," she said to Ginny, pushing the journal over to her. "Unless you have something to add."

Ginny, after she'd checked over what Hermione had written, added her own notes to the page and signed her name. "Just to be thorough," she said with a grin as she handed the journal to Hermione.

"Right then. Let's wait until after breakfast to talk to Professor Reynolds about which potion we get to do next," Hermione suggested as she stoppered the last vial. Ginny agreed.

Finding him after breakfast, however, proved to be a bit problematic. Professor Reynolds wasn't in his office or his classroom or the N.E.W.T. lab. They went back to Professor Reynolds' office to leave a note.

"Okay, so we have nine options," Ginny said, standing in front of the blackboard. "The Invisibilis Draught or Fearlessness Elixir might be fun and could definitely come in handy. Or the Anamnesis Potion, except that if our professors find out we're brewing that one, they'll watch us closely to see if we're under its influence."

"Especially if we make a mistake and have hallucinations that we can fly off the Bell Tower or something," Hermione said with a smirk, jotting down a note to their professor. "Fearlessness Elixir – I don't really want to brew Liquid Courage."

"Too bad Wolfsbane isn't on the list – that's one I'd really like to..." Ginny jumped back from the black board as the board faded to black and changed. "Whoa! What is all this?"

Hermione looked up. She knew that the blackboards in the school had layers that the professors could change with each lesson, but this was definitely not directions for a Potion class. Hermione walked closer for a better look. The surface was literally covered in both Severus' and Professor Reynolds' handwriting – with circles, sections or words crossed out or underlined, and with various arrows going in all directions. She read the ingredients, and her eyes grew large in recognition. "The Médousa Potion. Gin, I think this is the potion that Professor Reynolds and Severus are working on – the one I told you about!"

"Very good, Mrs. Snape," the cool tone of Professor Reynolds made both girls turn around and stare at him.

"We were here to talk to you about our next project," Ginny stated.

Hermione had turned back to the blackboard. It looked like one version of the potion's directions was written on the board as if with a bright green marker. There were numerous ingredients listed on the sides in white chalk and between the potions original directions, most crossed out. Some of the ingredients were circled with arrows indicating where Professor Reynolds and Severus had considered inserting them. Alchemic and Arithmancy calculations covered a good section of the board on the right, showing the latest of probabilities of their current hypothesis.

"Well, what potion did you girls want to brew next?" Professor Reynolds asked, coming up beside Hermione. He waved his hand and the seventh-year list reappeared.

"I want to try the Wolfsbane Potion," Ginny stated as Hermione said, "I want to help you and Severus with the Médousa Potion."

"So, you two don't find my selections challenging enough?" he asked, crossing his arms and leaning against his desk. "Why should I allow it?"

Hermione turned to face him. "As you already know, I made the Polyjuice Potion in my second year, and I made the Hair-Alternation Draught and the Draught of Fame my sixth year – and I made the Invisibilis Draught and the Fearlessness Potion last year. The Anamnesis Potion or Astuteness Draught is complex enough as is the Amortentia Potion, Felix Felicis, or Veritaserum... But I really want to work on the Médousa Potion. Severus already said I could help you and Severus with the research..."

"Mrs. Snape, while you are an accomplished brewer when you're not distracted, you lack the natural intrinsic instincts of the art to be involved with experimentations on such a level as our project involves," he stated, although not unkindly, but still his statement stung her pride.

"How do you know I..." she started to say in protest before he cut her off.

"As your professor, I have watched your performance in class. While you are an accomplished brewer, I do not believe you have an affinity for how the ingredients interact with each other, nor have you demonstrated the ability to see beyond the directions and improve upon what you're brewing. I'm sorry."

She hung her head, remembering how well Harry had done in Potions following Severus' suggestions in his Advanced Potions text. She'd been angry then at his experimenting with the Half-Blood Prince's directions, but she'd never tried experimenting on her own.

"But that's not to say that any of these others wouldn't challenge you."

Hermione looked up. "And if Ginny and I can finish five of them, the Anamnesis Potion, Astuteness Draught, Veritaserum, Felix Felicis, and Fearlessness Elixir," she said and Ginny gasped, "may we at least help you and Severus with the research for the Médousa Potion?"

"I don't see why not, but add the Invisibilis Draught to your list," Professor Reynolds relented with a smirk. "And you'll have to make an improved version of at least two of them: the Anamnesis Potion, Invisibilis Draught, Astuteness Draught or Fearlessness Elixir. Your choice."

Hermione stuck out her hand. "It's a deal."

"Hermione!" Ginny gasped, but she ignored her.

"However, I want to copy down what you've got on the board," Hermione added as he clasped her hand. She tightened her grip so he couldn't pull away. "And I would like to see your notes on the potion to date."

His fingers tightened on hers. "Then I expect you to make improved versions of all four potions: Anamnesis Potion, Astuteness Draught, Amortentia Potion, and Invisibilis Draught," he said coolly, "as well as brew an acceptable batch of Felix Felicis or Veritaserum."

"Agreed," Hermione said and noticed a slight glow emanate from between their hands.

"What have you done?!" Ginny screeched, but Hermione only smirked at Professor Reynolds.

"If you'd please exchange the blackboards, Professor," she said with a smile, pointing at the board. She pulled out her Potions notebook, quill and ink out of her bag as Professor Reynolds flicked his hand, making the board change back. She sat down at the nearest desk, opened her notebook and her color-changeable ink, and meticulously copied everything down as Ginny sat next to her, glaring at her with her arms crossed.

By the time she'd finished, including changing the ink to match the colors of the writing on the blackboard, the timer in Ginny's pocket went off. "It's time to add the cowitch to the Verso-Quixotically Potions," Ginny stated, getting up to leave, apparently still miffed about the arrangement.

"Very well, girls, bottle your samples and bring them here," Professor Reynolds said, taking his seat behind the desk.

Hermione followed Ginny out the classroom. "Why on earth? Mother of Merlin, why?" Ginny stammered, trying to get Hermione to stop.

"Do you remember the Advanced Potions book Harry has?" Hermione asked, motioning for Ginny to follow her.

"Yes," Ginny said with a nod as she hurried to keep up.

"All four are in that book – the one that Severus wrote in. All we have to do is get..."

"Harry to lend me that book!" Ginny finished for her, grinning mischievously.

"When are you seeing him next?" Hermione asked.

"Tomorrow," Ginny replied. "And I'll send him a letter right after we demonstrate the Polyjuice Potion for Professor Reynolds. So, we brew two at a time, and then we get to help Professor Reynolds and Severus with the Médousa Potion – not only getting credit for assisting them in the discovery of the missing ingredients and creating a viable potion, but credited for validating it as well, and you get to spend some real quality time with him – you're bloody brilliant!"

"It also helps that I remembered that Severus had written on the pages of the Anamnesis Potion, Astuteness Draught and Invisibilis Draught. I think the Fearlessness Elixir had annotations as well – well, I'm fairly certain it was written on. Let's hope that the suggestions of the Half-Blood Prince work," Hermione stated. "We're lucky he said 'make an improved versions' instead of discover an improvement or create an improvement. It's only semantics – but an important one."

By the time they finished the potions and bottled their samples, Hermione was feeling a bit nervous. What if she'd been wrong? Walking back to the classroom, Hermione heard voices coming from the room, and she grasped Ginny's arm to make her stop just outside the door.

"... her help with the potion. What will it hurt to have her look at the materials?" she heard Professor Reynolds ask someone, most likely Severus. "It will give you more time in her company, even if she can't be of any real assistance."

Hermione clenched her hands, inadvertently gripping Ginny's arm tightly.

"I only asked her to look at the directions out of curiosity. I do not want to have her experimenting with volatile ingredients." The tone in Severus' voice sent an angry chill down her spine.

Ginny forced Hermione to let go of her arm, but she was too furious to notice.

"If you and I haven't determined what the missing ingredients are, what makes you think she will? She follows instructions," Severus was arguing. "She doesn't hypothesize probabilities of variants or experiment with ingredients."

"But she's a capable brewer," Professor Reynolds stated. "Besides, I thought you wanted more time with the witch?"

"I want her living with me, not brewing... You've made a magical pact; she's now in on the project whether I wanted her to be or not. If she comes to any harm – I will take retribution out on your hide," Severus snarled, "slowly and painfully – you will beg me for death. Do you hear me?"

"I have little doubt you would – she's right outside. Should we continue this at a later time?"

Ginny nudged her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Hermione said, holding her head up high. She wasn't going to let them see how much their words had upset her. Taking a deep breath, Hermione entered the classroom, avoiding Severus' dark expression as she and Ginny set down their potion samples on Professor Reynolds' desk and each plucked a hair from their heads.

"Headmaster, please don't mistake me for Hermione and kiss me by mistake," Ginny said as she watched her first sample of Polyjuice Potion turn the color of fresh green grass.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Potter, I won't be kissing either of you until that potion wears off," Severus said with his arms crossed, still glaring at Professor Reynolds. "All three doses."

*

It was the longest day of her young life. Hermione and Ginny sat across from each other in the Revision Hall trying to concentrate on their evaluations and essays. Hermione checked her watch again and sighed, not only at the time, but at the sight of Ginny's tanned, freckled wrist with her wristwatch on it.

"What?" Ginny asked in Hermione's voice. Not only did Severus' version of the Polyjuice Potion take longer to wear off, it changed everything about you, even the vocal chords, so you sounded just like the person you had changed into.

Hermione didn't want to look up. It was disconcerting to look up at her friend only to be staring at herself across the table. "An hour and ten minutes to go," she mumbled in Ginny's voice.

"Well, at least we can say that the potion is working," Ginny stated, making Ginny's typical mischievous grin with Hermione's face.

"Okay, it's just been weird being you all day, that's all," Hermione replied and rolled her eyes as her face across the table stuck her tongue out at her. Oh yes, quite disconcerting.

The potion worked quite well, too well. It lasted a whole two hours. They were testing the last batch, so Hermione had already been Ginny, and Ginny had been her, for four hours and fifty minutes. Severus insisted that the girls wait at least an hour in between doses, thankfully, which had given her a bit of a reprieve, but so far she was still adjusting to having everyone around them calling her Ginny and Ginny, Hermione. Since they'd both had lessons earlier, Professor Reynolds had given the girls letters for their professors, but in both classes Hermione still felt like she'd been an experiment on display because of all the furtive glances she'd received from her classmates. And going to the loo – oh that had been dreadful. It had just felt wrong, and then seeing Ginny's face staring back at her while she'd washed her hands... Ginny's hands. No, Hermione couldn't wait until the testing was finally over. At least Ginny is a girl. If I'd have to have done this with either Harry or Ron... She shuddered at the thought.

"Oi, Hermione, there you are!" Hermione turned around surprised to see Blake standing right behind her... Only, of course, he was looking over at Ginny. "Do you think you might have some time later tonight to work on the...?"

"Blake, I'm Hermione," she said, waving her hand to get his attention.

"Wha'?" He looked confused for a moment and then crossed his arms. "Very funny, Weasley, but this is..."

Ginny laughed, cutting him off. "I'm Ginny – she's Hermione. We took Polyjuice Potion but it hasn't worn off yet."

"And no, I'm sorry, Blake, I won't have time tonight," Hermione said, wincing at his incredulous stare. "I – we have to report back to Professors Reynolds and Snape regarding the results of our Polyjuice Potion and to discuss our evaluation, and then we have to demonstrate the efficacy of our Verso-Quixotically Potion... So, I won't have time."

He looked from her to Ginny and back, and then shrugged his shoulders. "Okay. How about day after tomorrow?"

"At three?" Hermione asked.

"Sounds good." He walked away, and Hermione glanced at her watch again.

"It's only been ten minutes," Ginny stated.

"Eleven," Hermione said with a sigh, writing a notation on her study guide so she wouldn't forget.

Ginny smiled. "Oh, then I stand corrected," she replied as three members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team entered the Revision Hall and headed straight for Hermione.

"Here we go again," Hermione said with a smirk, making her best friend chuckle.

"Yep."

"Ginny, did you hear?" Jimmy Peaks asked excitedly. "Lambert and White are in the hospital..."

"She's Ginny – I'm Hermione," she interrupted him as Ginny waved her hand.

"We took Polyjuice Potion for Potions, so she's me and I'm her," Ginny explained as the guys did a double take. "So, what happened to Lambert and White?"

Hermione glanced at her watch and sighed. It was going to be a long fifty-eight minutes. At least tonight's demonstration of the Verso-Quixotically Potion would be quick, although she wasn't looking forward to having Professor Reynolds using the Quixotically Curse on her three consecutive times.

*

The next evening, Hermione joined Severus and Professor Reynolds, Reginald when in private, in the Advance Potions lab to discuss their progress, or lack thereof, on the Médousa Potion. Hermione read through all Severus' and Reginald's notes as they brought her up to date on their research. Severus had several books with the description of the potion and two with a version of the directions. However, in each book, the directions had gaps and variances, and this was after the men had tried to break the Bedydrian Curse.

On the printed versions, sentences would just stop and start again on the next line as if it simply didn't line up right when printed, except this happened on the handwritten texts in the journals as well and not always on the same sentences. Frequently, the second halves of the sentences, if read together, made some modicum of sense, but not all of them did. However, if you knew the preparation of the ingredients, then it was obvious that the two halves were two different incomplete lines of directions.

Severus' copy from Master Gruener's journals had gaps and unreadable scribbling on the page where he'd documented the directions. Reginald's copy that he said had come from Master Ogden did the same; only the variations were not necessarily in the same places, which confused her. It was as if no one was able to get a proper translation off the original parchments.

Severus' old book, which Hermione had read before, was lying obstinately on the end of the table and refused to cooperate, regardless of how she'd tried to coax it open. She'd even tried stroking the binding while speaking to it, but it just wouldn't budge.

Because of Severus' harsh words about her abilities and Reginald's doubts, Hermione was determined to prove both of them wrong – or at the very least, be an asset to their project and earn their respect. Hermione picked up the old journal that Reginald had received from Master Ogden and began to turn the pages. "You said this one has the directions in it?" she asked.

"It's on the index, although it's not in the book. I've checked. However, it does have his notes of the Medullaoblongata Potion, which is the primary base to the Médousa Potion," he said, pausing from his work on some calculations to answer her.

Hermione turned the page in the book and frowned. One side of the page had a slightly coarser quality and feel than the other side. Close in texture, sure, but not exactly the same. "Odd. I think these might be stuck together," she stated, examining the way the ink had bonded to each side of the page. The two sides of the page in the handwritten journal were close, possibly the same ink... or not... No, they're not! "I think that the ink has definitely permeated one side of the leaf a bit more than on the other side."

Both men turned to look at her.

It amused her, although she carefully concealed it. It wasn't too hard to see why he hadn't noticed – the pages of the journal were made from different weights and qualities of parchment, and a few pages even felt like animal velum – as if Master Ogden had bound the book himself from his loose leafs. "This side has the list of ingredients and directions for Claude Wartenson's version of the Medullaoblongata Potion, but the back of the page has notes comparing Erwing Wiestler's version... but no notes regarding the directions to Claude Wartenson's version and the ingredients and directions are missing from Wiestler's version. 'Unlike Wartenson's, I find that Erwing Wiestler's version should be given more consideration although the potion was unable to be repeated as written...,' so there is something between them, I'm sure."

"Erwing Wiestler went insane, Hermione," Severus stated. "He returned to Austria and lived with his daughter until his death."

"Ah-huh," she mumbled, examining the next page in the journal: it didn't feel right either. "I don't think it's the only one – this is another leaf that feels... inconsistent," she said and turned the page. Reginald looked up as she leaned over the table. "This page has some story about a journey to the Egyptian city of Heliopolis which seems out of context to the notes on Medullaoblongata Potion, and this side starts right off with the Qualidentifying Potion. I don't see any ingredient for the Qualidentfying Potion that comes from or has a connection to Egypt..." She flipped the page back. "And it feels too thick and this side has a linen finish while the back of it has a smoother laid surface."

"Really. Let me see," Reginald insisted. Hermione turned the book and slid it across the table toward him, and he examined the pages more closely. "Damn, I hadn't – how did you?"

"She loves books," Severus stated. "I wouldn't be surprised if she smelled old books and parchment when inhaling the Amortentia Potion."

"Freshly mowed grass, books and new parchment, and patchouli blended with mint and cedar," Hermione said softly.

Severus cocked his head and raised an eyebrow as Reginald carried the book to a workbench. "Is that so?" Severus asked softly.

Hermione nodded, hoping she wasn't blushing. "Sixth year. In Professor Slughorn's class," she admitted as she watched Reginald pour a clear blue potion into a cauldron and set it to boil.

As the steam grew thicker, he held the book over the cauldron so that its steam permeated one of the pages in question.

When edges began to curl, Severus joined him at the workbench and drew his wand. "Pulveris," he said, pointing his wand at the book, and a fine white powder coated the wet pages. "Haustum," Severus said with a swirl of his wand, and the dust darkened as it absorbed the moisture and clumped together.

Reginald blew the dust off the pages and tapped the book to make the excess fall off. They repeated the process on the other pages Hermione had indicated. Reginald laid the journal on the desk and, Severus and Hermione leaned in to see the pages as well. The pages after Claude Wartenson's version of the Medullaoblongata Potion that had been stuck together revealed a convoluted version of what first appeared to be the Medullaoblongata Potion by Erwing Wiestler, except the directions had been broken and rewritten as if elongating the steps. Between the gaps and breaks there were numerous annotations jumbled together as well as on the margins, and lines with crossed out of directions with unreadable scribbling.

"Is that – it's Erwing Wiestler's version of the Médousa Potion!" she exclaimed.

"Very astute," Severus said and pulled out several pieces of parchment. He cast a replication charm on the journal, then made the copies appear on the parchments. He compared the directions to the writing on the board. "Most of these we've considered already," he stated, setting one sheet aside. Hermione continued to examine the journal with Professor Reynolds.

"It is as if he was trying to rework the potion – or invent one..." Hermione stated.

Professor Reynolds leaned over Hermione's shoulder as he read the page as well. "And these are Master Ogden's notes," he said pointing to the facing page and then looked up at Severus. "It looks like he tried to sort out Erwing Wiestler's directions..."

Hermione turned the page which revealed Master Ogden's version of the Médousa Potion with a few of his minute annotations on the pages, some so heavily scribbled or scratched out they were undecipherable. Equally confusing, the following page, which would have been Master Ogden's notes on the Médousa Potion, had instead Arithmancy equations, rambling Alchemy notes and numerous scribbled out annotations. In addition, and much to Hermione's dismay, even Master Ogden's copy of the Médousa Potion had the gaps and variances in the directions.

Hermione sighed and sat back on her stool. "So, do you think this is copied from the original notes of Barrett Muldoon?" she asked.

"I know Master Ogden mentioned copying the directions, so this one must be it," Reginald stated as he compared Erwing Wiestler's directions to the one Master Ogden titled as the Médousa Potion.

Seveus smirked at Reginald. "While I concur that it might be an accurate copy, I still believe that Master Gruener managed to complete his version since he was credited with actually brewing a viable potion."

"And I presume that you've preformed the every known charm to reveal the text hidden by the Bedydrian Curse?' she asked.

"Of course," Reginald drawled out in a deep growl as Severus narrowed his eyes, glaring at her as he exhaled.

"So, that's a yes," she replied, placing her hands on the table with her arms extended. "Sorry to state the obvious, but I had to ask."

Severus rolled his eyes.

"Hermione, we've done several versions to break the curse, but each time the translation comes out differently," Reginald said as if she were dense.

"Each one isn't the same," she pointed out, more to herself than the guys, but added, "I know, again, obviously," when she caught Severus' annoyed expression. She turned to stare at the ingredients cabinet. "Professor Botcher mentioned there were other charms, ones that were too complicated because they required..." She turned to look at Severus. "What wand core do you have?"

"Dragon heartstring," he replied as his eyes narrowed slightly and a crease formed between his brows.

She glanced at Reginald, so he added, "Same. Why?"

"Mine too," she said with a sigh, staring at nothing in particular. The three strongest wand cores are: Dragon heartstring – representative of the primal forces of nature – wind element... Unicorn – purity, innocence, fearless, great strength and agility – earth element. The phoenix – healing power, great strength, loyalty, destruction and truth – fire element. Earth, wind, and fire... "Too bad we don't have different wand cores," Hermione said with a sigh, now staring at the books in front of them on the workbench.

"And what does that have to do with the directions being inconsistent?" Severus asked, staring at her as if trying to discern what she was talking about.

She turned around to face the men. "We were always warned not to mix wand cores. What happens if we do?"

Severus scowled at her. "The cores might connect and – if they do – they create a force most find too powerful to control." He crossed his arms. "Not that any of this is related since I serously doubt that Barrett Muldoon used multiple wands."

"Barrett Muldoon may not have used multiple wands with different cores, but all the versions of the charm we've tried haven't worked out either. The man was an egocentric person, antisocial, and extremely paranoid," Reginald said, although he had a glassy-eyed look about him. "A triad, a convergence of homogenous yet disparate elements, used to separate the bind – it could work! He might have layered the Bedydrian Curse – I wouldn't put it past him. That may be why we haven't been able to get a clear copy of the directions," he rambled and then snapped his fingers and pointed at Hermione. "She might be right; using the three strongest wand cores may break the curse."

"We only have two of the three," Severus stated, amending quickly when Reginald and Hermione looked confused, "I have a wand with a phoenix core."

"And Ginny's is unicorn hair," Hermione stated, already running for the door, yelling, "plus she's really good at Charms," over her shoulder, "and she's really strong."

"Hermione," she heard Severus call after her.

But she'd already left the lab and was running down the corridor, heading for the stairs. She'd managed to reach the Entrance Hall by the time Severus caught up to her. "Hermione, no," he shouted, making her stop and turn around.

"No, what?" she asked, although she knew what he'd say even before he growled out, "I'm not having Mrs. Potter involved."

"Why ever not?" she argued, seeing Reginald coming up the stairs from the dungeons.

"Hermione," Severus growled in warning.

"She's a friend," she argued back.

"She's a student," he snapped at her.

"Who is?" Ginny asked, coming through the huge oak doors with her broom in her hand, and her face still flushed from flying.

Severus ignored her. "This is not a N.E.W.T. level spell."

"This is not the place or the time," Reginald said as he approached Severus and Hermione the same time Ginny did.

Turning to Ginny, Hermione asked, "Have you ever tried revealing charms?"

"Of course," the redhead replied. "Sixth year, on all my letters from Dad, Bill, Fred, and George, and Fred and George were really creative on the curses they used on my mail my sixth year – to hide their messages from the Carrows. So, I know how to do some really complicated revealing charms. Why?"

"Shall we take this somewhere more appropriate?" Reginald asked, grasping Hermione's arm and hauling her with him toward the antechamber door.

Still scowling, Severus turned to Ginny, but Hermione called out to her. "You better come too; we need you."

"I will not include another student in this..."

"If you recall my pact with Professor Reynolds, if Ginny and I can brew improved version of four potions we may help you and Professor Reynolds with the Médousa Potion," Hermione stated as she stared smugly back at Severus, "and our hands glowed. You, yourself, said that we've made a magical pact – so she's in. Besides, we need her."

"It's bad enough I have to allow you to risk yourself in this, I will not have another student put at risk," Severus snarled back. "If anything happens to you, I'll..."

"What? Kill Reginald?" Hermione asked, actually raising her voice to Severus and pointing behind her at Reginald. "I heard you."

"This is not just some trivial magic; it's extremely dangerous!" Severus snarled and raked his hand through his hair.

"You'll risk yourself, but not me?" Hermione asked, undaunted.

He dropped his arm and his hands clenched at his sides. "Damn straight."

Reginald moved to stand between them both. "This is not productive..."

"Stay out of this," Severus snarled as Hermione shouted, "It is my choice, and I know the risks..."

"Do you?" Severus snarled, looming over her with his arms rigid and his hands clenched tightly at his sides.

"Guys?" Ginny asked, placing her hand on Severus' arm. He rounded on her, but she asked him boldly, "Just what are the risks?"

"Besides blindness and insanity?" Severus snapped. "Death. And I will not have..."

"We've encountered a few surprise reactions," Professor Reynolds stated, cutting Severus off, and again, Hermione was amazed at his boldness. "Besides the obvious reactions of the Bedydrian Curse..."

"We blew up a classroom," Severus snarled at Reginald.

"And that too," Reginald stated with a shrug. "Mostly we melt cauldrons."

"The fumes from the last two batches were extremely toxic," Severus stated, ignoring the girls.

Reginald shrugged. "I'm sure the girls know how to cast the Bubble-Head Charm."

But Severus continued undaunted, "And the potion three before that erupted," to which Reginald countered by saying, "Which we contained with a simple shield."

"It's not as if you and I don't know when a potion is going to react badly or how to handle it if it does," Reginald stated, smirking at Severus. Hermione wondered briefly how he managed to do that and not get hexed. She'd have ended up in detention or worse, well, before she'd been Bonded to him.

"We've both been teaching students how to brew potions for years – and this time we're dealing with only two."

"I'm not going to risk her," Severus snarled, holding up his hand to indicate Hermione.

"It's my choice," she stated emphatically.

Reginald crossed his arms over his chest. "And she's right, we've made a magical pact," he stated firmly.

"Which can be broken," Severus snapped back, never taking his eyes off Reginald.

"You will not!" Hermione recoiled both in anger and in disbelief that he would – could annul the magical pact. "I thought magical pacts were binding!"

Severus finally turned to look at her, although his dark eyes were hard and unrelenting. "Want to bet?"

Ginny said, "Severus!" loudly enough to get everyone's attention. "I thought Hermione and I were to help you with research?"

"And brewing," Reginald stated and then smirked as Severus glared at him. "Or not..."

"Ginny, we need your wand to break the curse," Hermione stated.

"Although that's only a theory," Severus stated, to which Reginald immediately added, "That has a lot of merit."

Hermione ignored them both. "I think that with three different wand cores, your unicorn hair, my dragon heartstring, and Severus' phoenix feather, we can break the Bedydrian Curse that is distorting the directions so they can read it; and if the curse was layered, as Reginald thinks may be the case, it might be the only way to read it. All other attempts have apparently been unsuccessful. Only, there's a huge risk involved."

"Obviously," Ginny stated as Severus said, "At least you acknowledge that fact," snidely.

It took some persuading, but in the end, it was Ginny who talked Severus into allowing her to help them break the curse so they could translate the potion directions.

"Fine, then you will meet with me each night this week to learn the necessary spell," Severus insisted.

"Fine by me," Ginny said with a shrug of her shoulder. "When do we start?"

Severus' eyes narrowed as he scowled at Ginny. "This is very difficult magic, Ginevra, and your cavalier attitude could get you killed."

"What's life without a bit of risk?" Ginny said with a smile.

Severus' answering scowl would've made even a fourth-year faint; however, Ginny and Hermione were both so happy they were to be included, they simply smiled back at him.

~o0o~

Hermione left the Potions lab exhausted from the late hours she'd been keeping in order to stay abreast of her schoolwork. When Ginny had returned after seeing Harry in the Shrieking Shack, she had Harry's – well, actually, it was Severus' Advanced Potion Making textbook. She'd been right: sure enough, the Anamnesis Potion, Invisibilis Draught, Astuteness Draught, and Fearlessness Elixir had all been written on by Severus when he'd been a student. They'd decided on how to best divide the work, working around their class schedules, each took three, with Ginny brewing the Veritaserum and Hermione the Felix Felicis since they were both such tricky potions. Severus hadn't written any variations on the directions in his book, just a few warnings and some rather nasty spells to use 'against enemies' or 'against Dark creatures.'

Ginny had wanted to brew the Invisibilis Draught first, so Hermione had chosen to brew the Anamnesis Potion. The Anamnesis Potion, also called the Remembrance Potion, only had one annotation regarding the ingredients, shredding the fleshy, succulent Pontorinia leaves lengthwise rather than slicing them crosswise. Severus had also specified using a glass stirring rod instead of the wooden one, although she didn't know why. Likewise, although the annotations on the page for the Invisibilis Draught were mostly regarding several hexes his teenage self was interested in, Severus had made two suggestions – adding a counter clockwise stir after each fifteenth clockwise ones, and to lower the flame minutely before adding the velvetworm slime secretion.

Ginny and Hermione had considered a third change to the Invisibilis Draught: how to add the Diricawl egg yolks since Severus' change to the directions simply stated, 'Gently add the egg yolks without breaking them.' When the directions in class stated to use only the yolks, they usually broke the shell and used it to separate the yolk, which was difficult to do because the yolk membrane was so thin, so it was hard not break the yolk. Also, just dropping it in, gently or not, most of the time the yolk would break on the surface of the potion anyway, and sticking your hand holding the yolk in the eggshell into or to close to the rim of the cauldron was a definite no-no.

Hermione had suggested trying to use an egg separator to separate the egg yolks, and using a long-handled spoon, bent slightly at an angle, so the egg yolks could be literally laid on the surface of the potion without breaking. Hermione had transfigured their spoons at lunch into a fair facsimile of the cooking utensils, and they'd worked perfectly.

When she entered the Headmaster's suite, Hermione smiled at the welcoming sight. It had been two days since their argument, and she'd sent him a note, hoping that, if he hadn't forgiven her for yelling at him, he would at least let it be bygones and wouldn't hold it against her. From the look of the room, he'd put it behind them.

Severus had moved the sofa and chairs back a little, and the huge Alpine lambskin rug lay on the floor in front of the fireplace again. She surveyed the room as he rose from the sofa to greet her. Candles, fire, fruit, cheese and crackers, and wine. He certainly has everything ready, she thought as she dropped her bag on the floor by the sofa. It really amused her. However, a nice relaxing evening by the fire seemed extremely inviting. "So does this mean you're going to read poetry to me again?" she asked as she shrugged out of her robe and dumped it on her bag, then toed off her shoes.

"I hadn't planned on it," he replied, taking hold of her waist and pulling her to him so he could wrap his arms around her.

"Oh, darn," she said with a disappointed sigh as she hugged him back, feeling his warmth and lean muscles through his linen shirt. She liked it when he dressed down to his shirt and trousers; he seemed more casual, more reachable this way.

A deep chuckle escaped from him, almost mockingly, as he arched an eyebrow, and his mouth twitched into a smirk. "Well since you put it so eloquently – I might. But I want some encouragement first."

She smiled. "Please?" she asked softly as she lifted up on her tip-toes to reach his lips so she could kiss him. Her hands slid down his back as she lowered her heels back to the floor. "Do you realize that you are tall?"

Both of his eyebrows rose. "Tall?"

"Yes," she said, resting her cheek on his upper chest. "Tall." She smirked as his cheek rested on her head.

"You're just short," he stated against her hair.

She leaned back to look him in the eye. "I am not; I'm five feet five, I'll have you know."

"Compared to my slightly over six foot advantage, that makes you short," he retorted with a smirk. "Perhaps you'd like to sit on my lap so then we'd be more evenly matched?"

Hermione moved over to the sitting space, but instead of sitting on the sofa, she grabbed a throw pillow and plopped herself down on the rug. Severus enlarged the other throw pillow and stretched out beside her, reclining against the sofa. She scooted closer to rest her head on his shoulder, and he put one arm around her.

"So what type of encouragement is necessary to have you read Shakespeare to me?" she asked, snuggling into his side.

"Shakespeare? I think not." He smirked and summoned a book from an end table. "How about Broughman's Tale of the Enchanted City?"

She looked up at him. "I don't know that one?"

He chuckled softly and opened the book. Hermione was soon enraptured in the historical, spy thriller about a young wizard lost in the city of medieval Venice.

"You're not falling asleep on me are you?" he suddenly asked.

Hermione looked up. "No! Not at all. This is a really good story."

"You've been awfully quiet, even for you," he replied.

"I love the sound of your voice," she admitted.

"Just the sound of my voice?" he asked with a curl of his lip.

She smiled. Alone here in his room, he let his guard down around her, and she really liked his personality. Oh, the sharp wit and sarcasm were still there, as was his snarky humor, but the bite was gone. "You have the most... melodic, silky voice. Sometimes you can send chills through me with just a word."

His signature smirk was back, although there was a glint in his eyes. "Can I?" he asked in a deep drawl.

"Yes," she replied and leaned up to kiss him. His hand slid into her hair to cup her head, and his other hand slid on her waist, helping to support her weight as they kissed. She relished these times when she had control, but it never lasted long.

Severus seemed to draw her closer, and his mouth on hers became... hungry as if the short time apart had left him yearning for her. Well, they had spent time together nearly every night before the argument. Still his desire for her was mindboggling. She melted into his embrace, the light, heady feeling she felt from his kisses erasing all coherent thought. They rolled together so that he leaned over her. Wanting to touch him, she unbuttoned his shirt to his waist.

His hands pushed her jumper up. Hermione sat up and raised her arms, shocked when her blouse was removed with her jumper. "You're so lovely," he said silkily as his fingertips stroked her skin, and he unhooked the clasp of the peach bra he'd given her.

She opened his shirt, and he shrugged it off as they kissed. She loved the hard planes of his body under her hands, and his exploration of her body with his mouth and tongue. Tentatively, she slid her hand down, toyed with his buckle for a moment, and then reached down to feel his hardness against her palm. It was brazen, she knew that, but she wanted him – all of him.

His breath caught for a second, and she drew her hand away. He looked up at her and gave her one of his crooked smiles. "It is all right if you touch me, Hermione," he said, cupping her breast as he lifted up to kiss her. She reached down again and gave him a light squeeze, then raked her fingers up his length, pleased by his ragged inhalation at her action, but other than that he didn't stop the sensual caress of his mouth and lips on her breasts.

"Minx," he growled and nipped at her skin. He leaned over her on all fours, his body making her lie back down on the soft fur, but instead of kissing her, he yanked her skirt, knickers, and socks off of her body with one fluid movement without needing her to raise her bum.

"How?!" she exclaimed as his trousers and pants just as quickly joined hers by the sofa.

"Really?" he asked mockingly as he loomed over her, pinning her between his arms and legs. "What part of I'm a wizard escaped your notice?" He leaned over her again, and his weight crushed her slightly as his mouth claimed hers in a searing kiss.

She was putty in his hands. When he positioned himself and entered her, she closed her eyes at the blissful feel of him filling her. His strokes inside her were teasingly shallow at first, just his tip rubbing at her entrance, or the head darting in and back repeatedly, nearly driving her mad. "Deeper," she pleaded, straining to feel more of him.

"Come for me," he purred in her ear. She was close, a pressure trapped deep inside her core, but she wanted more of him so desperately it was like an ache. He reached down, flicked her clit, the pleasurable shooting sensations caused by his fingers making her body arch, clench, and stretch all at once, sending her over the edge, and he plunged in, making her scream in euphoric satisfaction. His movements, instead of allowing her to come down, continued to drive her. He knew just how to touch her, where to do exactly what, and just how soft or how hard. She felt herself build even more, tightening and surging...

He pulled her leg up to his waist and moved with ardent thrusts. "Hermione," he growled her name with a lustful drawl as he plunged in and ground himself against her. "Circe, love, I can't... I'm going to..." he gasped, repeating the movement.

It was her undoing; she felt herself explode, her legs extended, and she seemed to even gush as her climax hit.

She laid there, her heart pounding wildly, her breathing ragged and her body limp and exhausted. She hoped she hadn't urinated on him, but the rug felt soaked beneath her bum. He was sweating as he looked down at her, and she pushed his hair back to look at his eyes. His satisfied smirk made her laugh. "Proud of yourself?" she asked.

"Extremely," he said silkily. He lay down and pulled her to him, holding her tightly in post-climactic bliss.

The grandfather clock in his office chimed the hour, and she sat bolt upright. "I have to get back! It's curfew!" she exclaimed.

He sat up and smirked at her. "I can extend your curfew," he stated.

"You shouldn't though; I'm still a student," she said, pulling on her blouse.

He flipped her over so that she was lying beneath him. "You are my wife," he said smoothly as he kissed the sensitive spot under her ear.

"And I have to get back to my dorm," she said, pushing against his chest.

He rolled off her onto his back. He watched her in annoyance as she scrambled to collect her clothes. "My knickers," she said, turning around in circles as she searched the floor.

He kept his face impassive as she checked under the sofa. "If the house-elves find them, they will undoubtedly return them to you."

Sighing, she quickly dressed. "Good night, Severus," she said, leaning over him for one last kiss. He tried to pull her down onto the rug with him, but she scrambled away, laughing. "I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow."

He let his arm drop with an exaggerated sigh. "Tomorrow. I'll hold you to that."

"Good night," she said again from the doorway.

*

He rose to his feet, transfigured the rug back into a coffee table and summoned her knickers to him from where they lay on the floor as he mentally traced her departure by the sounds of her footsteps until he heard the door to his office close. He inhaled her scent on the fabric, thoughtful of the way the evening had unfolded, and stuffed her knickers in his pocket. He was pleased that she'd initiated their love making, but he wasn't going to count this as a victory until she moved into his rooms. He quickly pulled on his robe as he slipped his feet into his boots and left the tower. He stealthily followed her up to the seventh floor to make sure she made it undisturbed to her common room and then returned to his rooms.

~ T B C ~>

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Author's notes:

I want to thank Arabellabloodgood, my alpha-reader, and my betas, EverMystique, von Hardenberg, and DuchessOfArcadia, for giving this a read and helping me clean up all my mistakes. I really appreciate it very much..

Thank you also to Jay for my beautiful banner. I really love it!