Assaults and Misunderstandings

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o 55 o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Assaults and Misunderstandings

Hermione was glad to be back at the castle. Staring up at the towers, turrets and high stone walls when she arrived, every window glowing as if in welcome, she had the feeling of being home. The old stone corridors and staircases illuminated by brilliant candles were quiet, not an eerie silence, but rather a peaceful and calm quiet. Even the moving staircases were still. The portraits they passed greeted Hermione and Severus by name, although they respectfully called him either Headmaster Snape or Professor Snape. Hermione was excited to resume her lessons and equally thrilled to see her friends, Ginny, Luna, Alestra, Wendlynne and Veronica, on Sunday night.

When she and Severus entered the Headmaster's tower, Mispy had tea set out for them in the sitting room and a fire blazing in the fireplace. Upstairs in the bedroom, Aideen trilled happily upon seeing them again, flapping newly feathered wings as she stretched her neck out toward them.

"Hush, you silly bird," Severus said softly, walking up to the phoenix's nest and gazing fondly down at her.

Aideen cooed contentedly as Severus stroked her head with one finger, and she nuzzled his hand affectionately.

The baby bird had grown considerably while they were away. Even though she was only four weeks old, the baby phoenix's plumage was changing; Aideen was covered with the new growth of her juvenile feathers still in muted darker shades of brownish-reds, varying hues of amber-oranges and dark gold, poking up through the mottled grey-browns and golden brown downy feathers, showing signs that she'd have the brilliant coloring of her sire. She was taller than Hermione thought she would be by now, about sixteen or seventeen inches tall, and she moved about the nest easily on steady legs, her wings wide and strong. But her eyes, beak and feet looked big in comparison to the rest of her, possibly because they had already fully grown to adult size.

Hermione watched the pair with a sense of awe. She knew that Aideen would most likely be ready to take her first flight in ten weeks, or so, according to what she'd read about phoenixes. However, Aideen's growth rate after her first rebirth would only be six to seven weeks to maturity, and the growth period after each subsequent rebirth would be sequentially shorter until her maturity rate became a staggering two weeks. "She missed you," Hermione said softly.

Severus chuckled soft and deep. "It's only been a few hours," he stated, still transfixed on the phoenix. Hermione tilted her head in confusion, her mouth opening, but he quickly added, "I came to feed her at least three times a day, the exception being the day we spent with your friends at Grimmauld Place."

"It's the Phoenix House," she corrected him softly, enjoying the sound of Aideen's cooing trill.

Severus turned to face her. "It will always be Black's house to me, regardless of the renovations or who resides there now."

"I suppose," she replied, cutting off the retort she wanted to make. He'd been very amicable, even friendly toward her friends, and she wasn't going to do anything to spoil that. Tired from all the activities and parties, she changed out of her clothes, actually looking forward to sleeping in the outlandishly, garish Headmaster's bed. When she reached for her nightgown, Severus moved close to her, and she could feel the tickle of the tiny hairs of his bare chest on her back as he yanked the gown from her fingers.

"I have other plans," he said deep and silkily next to her ear.

The heat from his body warmed her backside, making her front feel chilled. "Such as?" she asked in mock innocence and then shrieked in surprise as he suddenly swept her up into his arms.

"Just a little exercise to wear us out for the night," he said smoothly and dumped her unceremoniously onto the middle of the bed. She laughed as he pulled her to him, spreading her legs as he did. "Lovely."

"Hardly," she said with a giggle.

"Oh, yes, Hermione, absolutely divine," he replied as he bent down and licked her.

She inhaled sharply, closing her eyes for a moment as she gave herself over to the sensations he created with his incredibly talented tongue. He laughed softly as his tongue did deliciously sinful things to her, the vibrations increasing the tingle into an all out mind-blowing pleasure. The orgasm jolted through her entire body, and she stiffened all the way to her curling toes and clenched her hands on his arms as she cried out, real tears falling from her eyes. He rose up, looking down at her as his penis rubbed against her moist lips, coating himself with her wetness as she held onto his arms. He pushed his tip into her and withdrew, little more than a teasing nudge. She tried to move her hips so that he'd impale her, but he chuckled, his tip teasing her entrance again.

"More?" he said in his deep, tantalizing drawl.

"Hell yes, more!" she cried, straining to push herself down onto him, to take him inside her.

"Eager minx," he said and pushed part way in, then pulled back.

"Don't tease me," she pleaded, arching her back so that she could feel him slip in a bit. "I want you in me."

"Oh, I intend to be," he said, smiling mischievously as he slowly entered her only to withdraw again.

"Please, Severus," she whimpered, managing to rub her entrance on his tip again, nearly crying that all she could do was feel the head of his shaft. "I need you."

He shoved into her hard, and she closed her eyes at the euphoric sense of him filling her. She looked at him, purposefully tightening her muscles in her groin and grinding against him so that she squeezed his penis inside of her. It was glorious, how he filled her so completely.

"Keep doing that and I won't last long," he growled softly, moving within her.

"You just feel so good," she purred. She tightened on him again, feeling him inside her, her breathing becoming hard and erratic. She was so close, so turned on, her body still taut from her last orgasm, that even the little friction of his thrusts on her overly sensitive clit sent wonderfully sharp twangs and shocks through her body, building an exquisite tension deep within her. He matched her movements as she undulated underneath him, angling her hips and tightening her butt cheeks with each forward move he made, trying to make the agonizingly glorious throbbing pressure move so she could come again.

He cupped her hips with his hands and guided her, deepening his penetration in the process, making her whimper in lustful need. She was so close, almost there... so very close...

"I can't... Oh, gods, I'm – I'm sorry," he grunted slamming into her in ragged thrusts, grinding himself against her, catching her just right so that she thought she'd explode.

His forcefulness, pounding into her, made Hermione come undone. She fell back onto the bed her body rigid, her hands clenching the covers, as she literally cried out her orgasm, tears falling from her eyes into her hair. "Gods, Hermione... yes," he growled, his voice husky with his own needs as he came. "Oh gods, girrrrrl."

Her vision swam as he collapsed on top of her.

As her breathing slowly slowed and the erratic beats of her heart became deep rhythmic pounding, Severus rolled off her and pulled her into his arms. The last thing Hermione heard was Severus' warm breath near her ear and Aideen softly cooing at the moon.

~S~

As Severus expected, he received Lucius' letter with the morning post. Further down the table from him, Hermione sat with Pomona, deep in discussion about some magical plant or another, both engrossed in their conversation. He smiled, watching her. His fiancée. The thought still amazed him – he, Severus, was Bonded to her, remarkable as it seemed. She was his. In six months, they'd be legally married. A formality, really, hardly necessary since they were magically Bonded, but he knew that Hermione wanted a wedding. So he'd suffer one day of inconveniences for her sake. He'd already decided to take her to the Mediterranean for their honeymoon.

The sound of Hermione's laugh made him smile, well, feel like smiling. He had a reputation to uphold. Whatever she and Pomona were discussing, Hermione had that radiant glow about her that she got when excited about something new or that fascinated her. He secretly enjoyed how excited she got in academic discussions. So far, Hermione seemed to have accepted his relocation arrangement of her living with him in his – no, their room. It had taken him four months to make her move in with him, but at least she hadn't balked at it as he'd expected.

Severus opened his letter and read the contents. Inside, Lucius confirmed that Miriam Margoyles had finally admitted that Rabastan Lestrange had come to her, cut badly from a curse that she couldn't heal, and he'd bled to death in one of her rooms. That attack in Runcorn last month – so he was the wizard that got away.

It was confirmed now; he'd killed Rab. No great loss, he told himself, he'd tried to kill Ronald and me. Apparently, Rabastan had refused to allow Madam Margoyles to call for a Healer, fearing that the Aurors would arrest him, a justified concern, so she'd done her best. According to Lucius, Lestrange had been turned into a bone and buried near the stone wall that separated her property from the river, his initials magically carved into one rock to mark the site. The curvaceous witch did always have a soft spot for the Lestrange brothers.

The fight in Runcorn, a run down industrialized town near Manchester, had been a quick and fierce fight to the death. Ronald and Finnigan had organized the assault on the abandoned factory, supervised by Aurors Loraine Matsuno and Darrel Cattouse, which had gone off surprisingly well; only two Aurors were injured, two wizards were dead, although it was unknown if they'd been Death Eaters or merely supporters, and another wizard had been captured but in critical condition. But a wizard Severus hadn't recognized at the time, because of his filthy coat, long, straggly hair and scruffy, matted beard, had tried to kill him and then Ronald. Severus had cast his Sectumsempra at the wizard but he had Apparated away before he could be apprehended.

Dragen had used Fiendfyre to allow him, Phillip Selwyn and another two to escape. William Rathbone, someone neither Severus nor Lucius had known was connected with the Dark Lord, had been captured, although he'd claimed to have been their prisoner, but he hadn't been able to sufficiently explain why he'd had three thousand Galleons in his robe pocket or the four large bottles of Essence of Dittany.

To gain some leniency, and avoid any of Severus' more creative potions, William Rathbone eventually offered the names of Hettie and Godfrey Chow and Agnetha and Rotherey Bell as supporters, and the location of the hideout of Fergus Jugson, Wallace Jugson's brother, in Toxteth, Liverpool.

The address in Toxteth turned out to be a raid on a dilapidated house in a row of post-World War II social housing. Jugson, half starved and injured from gun shot wounds from a previous raid on some Muggle-borns, turned in the names of several more supporters of Dragen's cause, Reginald Scunthorpe, Charles Hackney, and Phillip Brixton, as men who'd joined the Dark Lord after the demise of Dumbledore. They now called themselves Dragen's men. Unfortunately, that brought the list back to eight.

Severus opened the thick envelope from the Ministry, surprised that a personal note from Potter – Harry fell out. He opened the letter with trepidation. The Ministry horned owl stood imperiously on the headmaster's podium watching him.

Severus,

I intercepted a message intended for Wallace Avery. It was unsigned, and there were a number of concealing charms on the parchment, which lead me to believe that it was genuine.

The message said that he should stay where he is. There was one line 'tell Walsingham he's to stay put and enjoy Immeliadora's hospitality', but I don't find any Immeliadora in my records.

Severus immediately recognized Morgund Walsingham's name, and the only Immeliadora he knew was Graven's widow, Immeliadora Graven who'd gone by the name Amelia or Minnie since she was a small child. Madam Margoyles had mentioned that Avery had started seeing Minnie after her husband's incarceration, but he'd had his doubts as to the validly of the statements at the time – she'd been much too forthcoming. And now Harry has intercepted a letter indicating that Wallace Avery and Morgund Walsingham are living in Minnie Graven's house... interesting.

It also stated that he should ignore Walsingham's taunts. Being cooped up in the old house with two women would drive any sane wizard to stir crazy, but to keep their magic under control and stay inside the perimeter.

Severus was distracted from the letter when Hermione shrieked. He looked up, amused to see both a snowy owl and a tiny screech owl fluttering about in front of her, vying to give her their deliveries first. The screech owl won, only because of its smaller size, and circled about her head in pure joy as the white owl perched on the table and held out her foot. Hermione untied the missive and fed the bird a bit of sausage. However, neither bird flew away, both apparently expecting a reply.

He turned his attention back to Harry's letter, reading the last few lines.

The letter was signed, 'tell Antonia that I'm doing well', and 'those idiot Aurors haven't found me yet and they're not bloody likely to either'. Do these names mean anything to you?

Antonia, Antonio Dolohov's daughter, is living with Minnie Graven, Wallace Avery and Morgund Walsingham. Severus knew he'd been to the house, but it had been a long time ago. If he used a Pensieve, he might have a better recollection of the house... and its location. It was worth trying. He looked up at the owl. "I will have to send my response through another owl since I don't have his answer yet," he said, and the owl huffed in annoyance and flew off. Severus excused himself from the table, a bit curtly in his haste, and hurried up to his office.

~H~

Hermione wondered what news Severus received that would have him hurrying from the Great Hall in such a manner. She excused herself as soon as she could and tried to follow him. Severus had meetings today, to address those last minute details before the students all arrived tomorrow, so his abrupt exit at breakfast not only startled Professors Sprout and McGonagall but many of the other staff as well.

Severus was gone by the time she entered his office, but she did see a glimpse of the green flames in the Floo fading away. She searched his desk for a clue. His desk was tidy; there was a packet of material from the school governors... mundane things about finance and budget approvals, the minutes of the last meeting... and a notification of a sizable donation to the school choir and the Astronomy Club. She found a partial letter to Narcissa Malfoy underneath, which appeared to be the beginning of a thank you letter.

She turned to look out of the window. She had enjoyed her time at the Malfoys, but she'd felt like she'd been on display. Having to constantly be on her best behavior, trying to follow the exacting rules, rituals and expectations of the magical social elite had been exhausting. She'd returned all the jewelry to Narcissa with a letter of gratitude, and then sought out Astoria to thank her as well for her kindness, glad to have made a new friend.

Hermione put the papers back as she'd found them. The letter Severus received was not on his desk. Turning in frustration at once again being left in the dark by her fiancé, Hermione left his office and walked though the castle, heading to the library. She'd ask him about it later. But for now, she'd look up the books Professor Sprout suggested and get a head start on her reading for the next term.

~S~

Severus Apparated to the small town of Sturminster Newton on the River Stour, in Dorset in the Blackmore Vale. He knew that he'd recognize the Gravens' house if he saw it. He landed on the bridge and smirked at the nineteenth century plaque affixed to the bridge that read that anyone attempting to damage the bridge would be transported to Australia as a felon. Severus gazed at the old watermill on the south bank of the river. He Disillusioned himself, sprang into the air and flew over the village as he searched for the house he'd only been to twice as a teen.

He spotted the old stone farmhouse with its magical additions nestled in a grove of trees and an overgrown field. He landed and walked stealthily toward the building. He felt the perimeter wards before actually setting them off, thankfully, and stopped. He mumbled a little known incantation as he allowed his magic to blend with the wards before moving forward, a trick that he'd learned from the Dark Lord. Stealthily, he approached the house and peered into the windows.

He could see the back of a witch sitting in a parlor on the ground floor, working on some embroidery, her dark hair secured up in a neat chignon. Slipping his wand out, Severus cast a revealing charm to determine if there were any other residents. Other than a room to his right where the signature was strong but decidedly not human, he could only detect only one other magical signature in or around the premises, in a room on the far right. He moved cautiously toward the room on the right and peered into the window, seeing Antonia Dolohov sitting in a rocking chair, reading.

He slipped away from the house and took flight, landing on the old walking trail and removed the charm, becoming visible. Aurors Blume, Fairley, Ronald, and Harry sprang to their feet as Aurors Hobday, Brodes, and Duncan turned and walked over to them. All seven wizards were wearing long sleeve Muggle shirts and cargo pants with their dragon hide boots. The new Auror Muggle uniform, he scoffed silently.

"Nothing," Severus stated. "Minnie Graven is in the sitting room, and Antonia is reading in a bedroom, but they are there alone. I detected no other resident signatures in the house except a house-elf. Their signatures are different."

"So, if not there, where?" Blume asked.

Severus shrugged. "I cannot say," he turned to Harry, "unless there was more to the message?"

"Nope. Just what I wrote you; he is to stay put and not leave the house," Harry said with a shake of his head. "I used a Quick Quotes Quill to get down what I read before it exploded into ash."

Good thinking. The boy was finally thinking before acting.

"My guess is that they are out and will be back," Ronald said, looking at the others as if for confirmation. "Should we arrange a stakeout?"

Severus simply stood there with his arms crossed. Where would they go? Madam Margoyles is being watched as is the Rose and Thorns and Knockturn Alley. The Green Afanc pub on the waterfront...? "The Green Afanc in Newport is one of Avery's favorite places: old, seedy, plenty of dark corners and warm beer, and it has three exits. If not there, he also liked the Abraxhound Inn in Dorset...but the Abraxhound has become popular with wizards who like to hunt."

"The Green Afanc sounds plausible," Blume said. "Fairley, you, Ron and Harry come with me. Hobday, get Sparks and Chang to back you up and check out the Abraxhound Inn; Brodes and Duncan, stay here. If you see or hear anything, call in Matsuno, Cattouse and Finnigan." He looked up at Severus. "Your call – coming or staying?"

Severus smirked. "Going. Although, I suggest changing clothes. The Afanc is a tough place, frequented by old sea dogs."

Harry smirked and quickly transfigured his clothes to those worn by deep sea fishermen.

Blume examined the knee-high boots, dirty jeans, camo fishing jacket and a cap, which Ronald copied almost exactly, but Fairley only changed his trousers.

"Right, let's go," Blume said, after matching his apparel to Harry's.

"Meet up at the wharf, south of the pub," Severus said. All four vanished immediately. Gryffindors. He shook his head, transfiguring his clothes to match those his Uncle Snape used to wear and Apparated to the wharf in Liverpool.

~H~

When Hermione returned to the Headmaster's tower after lunch to get her books from her trunk, she couldn't find it. She'd even looked under the bed, not that the trunk would have fit under the massive bed frame, but she had few options. She set the books Professor Sprout had suggested she read on the bed and opened the wardrobe. All her clothes were hanging up or folded neatly inside – even her shoes were lined up in a neat row and looked as if they'd been freshly polished.

She looked about, concerned and starting to feel agitated as she closed the wardrobe doors. She had essays to revise. She wanted to check Severus' Potions book to see what potions she and Ginny could do next term. She needed to check her study guide... But her stuff was gone: no books – none of her school supplies – even her Potions equipment was missing.

Suddenly, Kirch and a young female house-elf appeared and bowed lowly to her. "Does Mistress needs something from Dezzy?" the female elf asked.

"Where are my things?" Hermione asked, sweeping her hand to indicate the room. "Where is my trunk? My books? My parchment and quills?"

"Your trunk is where all the trunks are puts, Mistress," Kirch said, his ears folding back against his head. "Mistress' books are on the shelfs in reading room. Kirch makes spaces for mistress' books. Mistress' school supplies is in mistress' bag in the wardrobe and ins the secretary."

Secretary? What secretary? There is no secretary in here... Hermione stared at the elf in disbelief. She hadn't seen her bag in the wardrobe, but then it could've been tucked back behind her shoes... and Sunday night she'd be returning to her dorm; she'd have to find everything, repack and... "Why did you unpack all my things?" she asked suspiciously.

"Mistress lives in the castle now," Kirch said with a big smile. "Dezzy and Kirch is to serves mistress while she lives at Hogwarts."

Dezzy grinned at her as she nodded, her ears flapping. "Dezzy is happys to serves miss! You is Dezzy's first witch to serves."

"While I lives – live in Hogwarts?" Hermione asked, trying to piece together what was going on. Live in Hogwarts. Not in Spinner's End? This is to be home? She and Severus hadn't really talked about where they were going to live once they were married; she'd assumed they'd live in Spinner's End. But as Headmaster, he'd have to be here, wouldn't he? Was this another decision that he'd made without consulting her?

"Yous is the Headmaster's Bonded mate. You will lives in the Headmaster's apartments with the headmaster," Kirch confirmed, and Hermione gritted her teeth. "Mispy and Cracker serves the Headmaster, Kirch is to takes care of the family rooms, Dezzy serves you, Mistress, and Moppet and Dingle is learning how to do nappies and feeding and washing of babies..."

"I'm not having a baby!" Hermione said, her voice a few octaves higher than normal. "I'm not pregnant!"

"Yets," Dezzy said with a huge smile. "We is hopeful, Mistress. Kirch opens the nursery and the other rooms for you and the Headmaster's family."

Nursery? Family? "Other rooms?" Hermione asked. "What other rooms?" What was he talking about? Nursery?

"The castle makes rooms off the Headmaster's sit and read room for the needs of a family. Play room, family room, bedrooms, eating room, nursery – whatever rooms mistress wants, Kirch cans ask the doors to makes."

Hermione could only stare at him. He had! Her head felt like it was spinning. She'd never really considered what the living arrangements would be – but apparently it had all been decided for her, right down to which house-elves would take care of her children.

"Pacey is old miss, but she teaches Moppet and Dingle to takes care of babies..."

There was a noise downstairs. Hermione turned and hurried from the bedroom, finding Severus standing in the sitting room. She froze, staring at him. He'd been in a fight. He had on an old, muddy, double-breasted, navy blue pea coat with a torn sleeve and dark trousers with mud on the knees. There was a thin pink scar on his lip that hadn't been there before, and there was a long bloody tear on his trouser leg. "Where have you been?" He opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off. "You've been hurt again, haven't you?! You've been playing Auror!"

"I don't play Auror. I sometimes assist them," he said sharply, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "Now, what is going on?"

"They've opened the nursery! My things are gone – and they're deciding who will take care of my babies!" she stammered loudly, indicating the two elves behind her. "Did you know about this? When were you going to inform me? I have a say in this, Severus, or I'm – I'm..." She stamped her foot. "I have – you're impossible!"

"I'm impossible? Will you make some sense, woman," he snapped.

"I want to be asked before you go and make life altering decisions that concern me – that concern us," she snapped back.

"Before I make life altering decisions," he repeated. "What life altering decisions are you talking about?"

"This. Them. Babies. Nurseries," she shouted as she stormed by him. "I'm not – I'm not... I need to go think."

Tears rolled down her cheek as she fled downstairs. She wasn't ready for this. She wanted to focus on her NEWTs! Hermione looked around the office. She needed to talk to Ginny, and she wasn't here yet. She saw the Floo pot on the pedestal by the fireplace. If she used the Floo, it would be the fastest way to reach Ginny, but she didn't know if the Floo was still connected to Grimmuald Place now it was officially called the Phoenix House. She grabbed a handful and stepped into the fireplace. "Ministry of Magic," she said, tossing the power at her feet and disappeared in a rush of green flames. Hermione hurried through the mass of people in the atrium, dodging and swerving to avoid knocking anyone down, and used the visitor's exit to leave the Ministry. From there she knew she could use the Tube to go to Grimmauld Place.

~S~

Severus turned and followed Hermione, watching the green flames swirl her away. He turned and glared at the two house-elves standing on the stairs. "What happened?" Severus barked at the two cowering house-elves.

Both of them looked like they were about to go scald their hands in boiling hot oil. The one named Kirch bravely stepped forward. "I puts miss' things away and makes room for miss' books on the shelfs, Headmaster, master, sir," he said, still cowering as if expecting to be cursed any minute. "Dezzy introduces herself to miss, and Mistress gets angry about the nursery for the baby."

Hermione's pregnant? "What baby?" he asked sharply. She took her potion regularly, didn't she? Merlin's balls he wasn't ready to be a father – ever!

His mind whirled as he half listened to Kirch explain that he'd opened the doorway and Pacey was teaching Moppet and Dingle how to do nappies. Holy mother of... shite! I'm going to be a father? No wonder she is behaving irrationally – it was hormones!

He quickly cast a mending charm on his coat sleeve and trousers, then cast the Tracing-Revocalization Charm on the Floo. Hermione's voice repeated from the firebox, "Ministry of Magic," clearly and distinctly as he cast a quick charm to get rid of most of the mud.

Severus followed her because it was far too dangerous for her to be about alone. Even in a place as populated as the Ministry, accidents could happen, and she could lose the baby. When he arrived, the Atrium was swarming with people, but he couldn't see Hermione anywhere. He sent his large hawk Patronus to Potter for assistance and warning, but the hawk circled back and disappeared. Bloody hell. Is Potter still at St. Mungo's? Inhaling, Severus used his 'threatening menace' mode to make his way to the lifts quickly to seek out Weasley.

~H~

The Underground had been so full of people that Hermione opted instead to Apparate to the top step of the Phoenix House rather than take the Tube. She timed her Apparition with the arrival of the train and knocked on the door as soon as she arrived. Kreacher opened the door and told her that Ginny was out shopping with Luna. With a heavy sigh, she asked to be let in and sent her Patronus to the girls, asking if she could join them.

A minute later, Ginny's silver horse leaped into the Drawing room, and Ginny's voice broke the silence. "We're at the bakery – the one with the amazing lemon cream patsies. Do you remember the one?"

Hermione smiled. Of course she remembered. She hurried from the house and Apparated for the small car park across the street from the bakery. Luna waved at her as Hermione ran across the street.

"Did you want a lemon-cherry pastry?" Luna asked, then cocked her head. "You had a fight with Severus."

"Yes, sort of... I'm..." Hermione stammered as Ginny exited the store, holding a crisp white bag. "It wasn't exactly a fight, per se."

"Well, if it wasn't a fight, what did happen, precisely?" the redhead asked.

"Do you mind if we go somewhere more private to talk?" Hermione asked, not really wanting to open up to her friends here in public.

"All right," Ginny readily agreed. "Let's go to your house. Luna and I bought tea down the street, and I've got pastries for all three of us."

"I'll have to take you with me," Hermione said as she took Luna's hand, and Luna smiled serenely. Hermione turned to Ginny and asked, "Do you remember where?"

Ginny laughed. "As if I'd forget."

Hermione shrugged. "Fair enough." She Apparated to Spinner's End, taking Luna with her, arriving only a moment before Ginny did.

"This is a gloomy place to live," Luna said as they exited onto the street from the dark alley between the two brick houses. "Why did they board up the windows?"

Hermione turned, seeing Luna point to a house across the way. "No one lives there anymore. It's to keep vandals and vagrants out."

"That's odd, I'd have used stone – or planted a snapping dragon spurge," Luna said thoughtfully as they walked. "They grow really tall and have nice flowers, and it would protect the house with their thorns and teeth."

~S~

"When Hermione needs to think, she goes to the library," Ronald was saying.

"Unless she wanted to talk to her girlfriends," Miss Chang replied, turning to Harry and Severus. "Whom does she usually confide in?"

Ginevra, Severus thought the same time Harry answered, "Ginny."

"Hermione..." Severus started to say as he felt the stone in his pocket vibrate. He pulled it out and it vibrated again. "And I think I know where she is," he announced and turned to go. "Thank you."

"What's happening?" Harry asked, matching Severus' stride. He could hear both Ronald and Miss Chang hurrying to keep up behind him.

Don't they have lessons or some training to do? "I thought she came here to see you, but I was mistaken," Severus said, forcing his way between two women.

"Severus," Harry called out as he pushed his way to catch up to him.

"I told you; she said she needed to go think and disappeared through the Floo," Severus explained as he entered the visitor's exit. He wasn't going to tell Potter about the baby, not yet, until he sorted out exactly when Hermione had become pregnant. All three Auror trainees piled in to the phone box with him. Bloody hell. Well, it is three more wands if there's trouble, he scoffed to himself. "Do you remember where my house is?" he asked Harry as they stepped out onto the pavement.

"Of course," Harry said with a sharp nod.

"Good, you take Ronald; I'll take Miss Chang," he said and turned to look at her. Miss Chang nodded in agreement, so he continued. "I'll meet you by the Apparition point." He took Miss Chang's hand and Disapparated them away.

Harry and Ronald arrived a heartbeat later.

"Follow me," Severus said and took off running, scanning in all directions for anything suspicious. Hermione and he were still targets, and although the house was warded, his past associates might still be watching his house, especially since school hadn't resumed yet. There had already been three attacks and two raids in Manchester this month.

He entered the house, followed by the Auror trainees. He cast a spell at the bookshelf-paneled door so he could hear everything from the kitchen and heaved a sigh of relief; the girls were there, three of them by the voices he heard. He waved Harry off, silencing the boy so he could hear the conversation. Hermione, Ginevra and Luna were apparently having tea, and, from what he could make out thanks to the sound enhancing Charm, Ginevra was giving Hermione advice about him. Good grief.

He listened to Luna offer the advice of "wrap a jabbernoll feather and a cannibus leaf in a bright orange yarn or ribbon and place it under his pillow...or you can lace his tea with salvia leaves..."

Bloody hell? Salvia in a tea induced a psychedelic-like 'psychotomimetic' episodes or experience. As if I'd fall for that!

Luna's next suggestion was equally as offensive "...or the Braziallian herb, Muira Puama, but he'd be able to taste that one."

To drug me! Of course I'd detect it, you silly girl. The root and bark of the Muira Puama plant were used in potions for its libido and desire enhancing properties. Which is bloody ridiculous advice – there is nothing wrong with our sex life. On the other side of the door, both Ginevra and Hermione laughed, making him scowl. You find that funny?

He ended the spell and thought about what Ginevra had advised Hermione. He hoped Hermione was paying less attention to Luna's suggestions and more to Ginevra's. At least he was warned. Narcissa is right; girls are far too vocal. He realized that he would have to become more forthright with the girl if only to keep his personal affairs private.

"So, I'm guessing that this was merely a matter of misunderstanding?" Miss Chang asked.

"Apparently," Severus said, just as the hands on the old clock on the mantel began to move, indicating a triggering of wards.

"What's that?" Miss Chang asked, pointing at the clock.

"Intruder detection device that is keyed to my perimeter wards. The Dark Lord had a spell that only Death Eaters can pass through; he taught it to a few of us," Severus explained, drawing his wand. The long hand stopped on three, but the shorter hand bounced between foe and annoyance. Outside, the old bat that lived three houses down raised a ruckus with someone on the street. "With a few minor adjustments, I modified it and placed it on the perimeter surrounding the house to warn me of encroachment."

"How wide is this perimeter?" Ronald asked, turning to peer out the window at the commotion in the street.

"Over three hundred meters in all directions," Severus answered. He activated the complicated spell on the window.

"Excessive," Miss Chang said with a lift of her eyebrows.

"Necessary," Severus said as a map appeared. He cast a revealing spell on the map. The images all glowed a soft blue, nonmagical, except for three. "There, two on Unsilven Closure and one by the river." He opened his door. "Coming?"

"Right, Ron, you go with Cho and take care of the one by the river – I'll go with Severus," Harry suggested and the other two nodded in agreement.

Severus cocked his eyebrow at Harry, but the boy gave him a questioning look back.

"What? You can't dispense with two of them?" Ronald asked, and Severus frowned at the impertinence of the young Auror trainee, which he shrugged off. "They won't have the element of surprise, and you know the neighborhood," Ronald stated, and then he turned to Harry. "I'll signal you when the one by the river is apprehended."

"Right," Harry said and turned to Severus as Ronald and Miss Chang ran off for in the direction of the river. "So, it's you and me. Ready?"

Severus snorted. He assumed that they had already left Parkview Road and were most likely heading up Laxson Street for Moores Crossing. It was the most direct route to the house since he'd put a Fidelius Charm on the alleyway he used as an Apparition point. "Potter, go through the alley down there," he said, pointing at the break between the row of houses, "to Moores Crossing; that's the next street west of here. I'll go around here," he indicated the single lane street that ran by the side of his house, "and come up on the other side of the street. We should have them cornered."

"Right," Potter agreed with a nod and took off running.

Severus quickly changed to his Animagus form, a red fox, and ran the distance as fast as he could. He turned onto Moores Crossing and moved quickly along the houses for the Laxson intersection. His keen eyes caught movement down at the intersection, and he could smell Harry's scent on the breeze. He slipped behind some bins and transformed back. As Severus predicted, the men walked carefully along the pavement directly toward Potter. Both Severus and Harry sprang into action at the same time, making both men collapse on the ground, immobilized. He ran over to where the men lay, but Harry reached them first. Harry bound both men and raised his wand, sending an Auror trainee signal in the air.

"Moellers and Struthers," Harry said as Severus approached. Harry revived Moellers and forced a bit of water into the man's mouth. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"Morgund said he was looking for us," Moellers said as he pointed to Severus. "So we thought we'd give him a visit – hey, you drugged me."

"Where's Morgund Walsingham?" Harry asked, clasping the wizard by the collar.

"By the bridge with – I ain't telling you anything, ya hear."

Harry let the man fall back face down on the ground. "This is the third set we've caught in this neighborhood. I think your house is a little too well known," Harry said to Severus.

"I'm realizing that. Pettigrew resided here for a while," Severus stated. "Damn that bloody rat, he had the address on an envelope – in my handwriting." He snarled, "The Dark Lord insisted," when Harry raised an eyebrow. "Damn him."

"I think you should consider moving," Harry replied as Miss Chang appeared with her training instructor, Auror Raphael Sparks. "We got Walsingham, but one got away! Auror Blume and Ronald are taking Walsingham in for questioning."

"I see you're up to your tricks," Sparks said as he examined the two wizards. "Who authorized the Veritaserum?"

"It's mine," Harry stated. "Blume said we could use it, but that any statements given in the field might not be admissible in court."

"All right. Potter, grab that one," Sparks said, clasping the back of Struthers's robes. "I'll see you in the Aurory. Headmaster, you'll have to come give a statement."

"As soon as I escort my fiancée and her two friends home," Severus replied. "Harry, you may come by the castle tonight for dinner."

"I'd be delighted," Harry said, grasping Moellers by the cuff of his robes again. "See you tonight."

When Severus returned to his house and opened the bookcase to the kitchen, Luna was saying, "Yellow is a very good color, bright and cheerful."

"Ladies," he drawled out while staring at Hermione.

Hermione gazed up at him with a look that could only be called guilty. "I just brought them here so we could talk," she replied.

"I gathered that," he replied, "but there is a problem." He thought about it and decided to at least be honest with her. "Hermione, it has come to my attention that Peter Pettigrew informed others about this house, and therefore I have to ask you and your friends to leave."

"What?" she asked, looking about worriedly. "Are you sure?'

"Yes," he replied. "I will instruct Mispy to have everything in the house boxed and moved to the castle..."

"But my figurines..."

"The house-elves will take great care of them, I assure you," he said, trying to make light of the situation. He'd have to secure the house and collect his potion implements and Dark Arts things later. "Mispy has done this in the past," he said, remembering the fiasco last summer when the elf tried to organize the packing of his belongings. "But you must come with me now."

There was a knock on the door. Severus turned to answer the door and sighed as Harry, Ron and Auror Blume entered the house.

"Why are you still here?" Blume asked as Harry rushed into the kitchen.

"Ginny, c'mon, it's not safe here. We have to go," Harry told his fiancée.

Everyone started talking at once. Ginevra and Hermione demanding to know what happened while Harry and Ronald were trying to get the girls to leave. "How am I supposed to know what's going on if I'm always left in the dark?" Hermione asked, raising her voice.

"We wanted privacy," Ginevra said as Hermione added, "I had no idea it wasn't safe, Harry!"

"What did you think, we'd send you a message each time we went to apprehend a dark wizard," Harry snapped back as Ginny shouted, "But with mum in the house all the time, and dad and George coming in for lunch..."

Severus crossed his arms, counting to ten.

"It would have been safer," Ronald said as Hermione said, "You used to complain about Dumbledore keeping things from you. How is this any different? If I don't know..."

"That was different," Harry shouted as Luna asked Auror Blume something to do with Wrackspurts...

"ENOUGH."

Severus uncrossed his arms as everyone turned to look at him. "Hermione, two Death Eaters were captured on the next street over today and one was apprehended by the river. Please, come back to the castle with me," he said more calmly than he felt. "Harry and Ginevra, you may come as well. If you both want to sleep at the castle, I'll allow it. I will send a house-elf to collect Ginevra's school things tomorrow."

"Kreacher can do it," Harry replied as he turned to Ginevra. "Do you want to?"

Ginevra nodded. "Yes. What about Luna? Can she come too?"

"She may come as well," Severus said, agreeing with Harry, it would be safest. "Or, if she prefers, I'm sure Ronald would be happy to escort you home."

Luna shrugged. "I think I'd like to return to school. May I stay with Ginny and Hermione? It will be like a slumber party." She turned to Harry and Ronald. "Are you coming, too?"

"I suppose, if they wish, but the boys will sleep in separate rooms," Severus added with a stern glare. "I'll notify Mrs. Longbottom."

"Now that's been solved, I suggest that we all go," Blume said impatiently.

Severus made a quick glance about the room, his mind taking a quick inventory of all the things he had that could get into the wrong hands if he'd delayed. Avery knows about this house, and now apparently Walsingham does. Had either told Dragen? It was a real possibility. He warred with the decision of taking Hermione to the castle himself, to make sure she and the baby arrived unharmed, or securing the house from intrusion. He had little choice – there were things upstairs that Dragen mustn't have. "Blume, will you please escort Hermione?" he asked the Auror, reluctantly. "I need to secure the house."

"All right," Blume agreed and then turned to hustle everyone out. "Everyone outside. We'll rendezvous at the gates in sixty seconds."

~H~

Hermione entered the girl's dorm with Ginny and Luna and stopped short. The room was already made up for the new term: the wardrobes, bedposts and bedside tables had been polished, and the beds all freshly made... but there was one missing.

"Oh, your rooms are like ours, only red and gold," Luna stated, fingering the red drapes. "Do you have Pigmy puffs breeding in your wardrobes?"

"Er, no," Hermione stated, realizing that here were only seven of each item, not eight. One for each of the girls... except her! As if the castle had erased her presence. The entire room appeared as if she'd never been here at all. Kirch's words flashed in her mind, 'You will lives in the Headmaster's rooms with the headmaster.' Mispy and Cracker serve Severus, the Headmaster. Kirch takes care of the family, Dezzy is to serve me, and Moppet and Dingle is learning how to take care of babies for when I have one... and Kirch opened up the rooms... ohmygods! "Why, that selfish bastard!"

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ginny asked, standing up in front of her, blocking her path to the door.

She was going to give Severus a piece of her mind. "How bloody dare he!"

"He – Severus," Ginny stammered, grabbing Hermione's arm. "Wait, calm down! What happened?"

"My bed and wardrobe are gone!" she shouted, indicating where her bed used to be. "And all my things are in Severus' rooms."

"Oh, that," Luna said as she looked up under the canopy of one of the beds, adding, "You don't have vines carved in the wood," conversationally in her offbeat serene way.

Hermione was suddenly perplexed by the odd statement. "What do you mean... vines? You have vines carved into your bedposts?" she asked, wondering what Luna was talking about. She thought all the beds were the same, only with different colored drapes and quilts. Slytherins' beds, although dark wood, were exactly like the ones used in the Gryffindor dorms, which were a warm oak: strong, sturdy and practical.

"Oh yes, it's quite pretty," Luna said dreamily, turning to face her. But then her voice had suddenly lost its whimsical quality when she added, "Why don't you want to live with Severus? He loves you."

Hermione was shocked at how quickly Luna managed to switch the conversation off topic and then back on again effortlessly. "Because I want to finish out my school year, here, with you," she said, indicating Ginny, "and go to my lessons like everyone else."

"But you're not like everyone else," Luna stated very seriously. "You're you and you're unique."

"I wanted ordinary this year: no drama, no mysteries, no Dark Wizards, disasters, catastrophes or wars," Hermione replied and sat down on a bed with a huff. "I just wanted one year that was normal."

"What fun would normal be?" Luna asked, clinging the bedpost beside Hermione. "I consider myself to be extremely lucky to have such exceptional friends as you and Ginny. Even Neville agrees."

Ginny sat down on the bed next to Hermione. "You do know how petulant and childish you're sounding, right?" Ginny asked, and Hermione looked down at her hands. "We did this spell to find our soul mates, and we have – you, me, Luna – and so far things are working out quite well, don't you think? Luna's happily married; you and I are engaged to wizards who love us. Do you know that I'd give anything to be living with Harry for the next five months? I will have to sneak out of the castle just to see him, and your Bonded mate – fiancé – is right here, wanting you to be with him, and you're still fighting against this?"

"Neville said he'd rent a room in the Three Broomsticks on every Hogsmeade weekend so we can be together," Luna said wistfully with dreamy smile. "Grandmother Longbottom has written a note to Professor Flitwick asking that I be granted overnight Hogsmeade privileges. I suppose I'll be informed if I can tomorrow. Neville will be using a Portkey in February because he will be on another expedition with Felix Marchbanks, but that's such a long time from now." She turned to look at Hermione and Ginny. "I wish he were here tonight. I'd sneak into his room... if I could find it. It's up the other staircase, the one on the right, isn't it?" she asked, her finger flicking as if she could see the stairs from here. "Didn't Harry and Ron say they were sleeping in their old dorm room?"

"Yes, the one on the right. They're on the seventh floor." Hermione stifled a laugh at the thought of Ginny and Luna sneaking into the boy's dorm to be with their wizards. "Ron would feel left out."

Ginny smiled. "Besides, you know that Severus never stops us from visiting you in the Headmaster's tower, and you can always come up here and hang out with me," she said.

"I could show you the Ravenclaw rooms – or we can use the Room of Requirement!" Luna suggested. "We can have revision parties or I can show you where we camped in the Alps last summer... Neville said the room could do that."

"The only difference is where you'll be sleeping, Hermione," Ginny said, gently bumping her shoulder into hers. "We'll still have lessons together; we're still working on our NEWT projects together and the Médousa Potion... So, you'll see so much of me, you'll be sick of my freckled mug."

"Never," Hermione said with a smile. Ginny was right, however much she hated to admit it.

"And when has Severus ever prevented you from doing your revision – he's a bloody teacher!" Ginny said. "You were always telling me that he asked after your school work each time you saw him last term, remember?"

Hermione closed her eyes and sighed. Yes, Ginny was right. Severus always allowed her to put her school work first.

"Life doesn't always turn out how we want it to, but sometimes it's better than we expected. Aren't you happy with Severus?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, Severus makes me happy," Hermione said with a sigh. "He does try. I just wish he'd asked me or we'd talked about this."

"So... go and talk to him. Tell him how you feel about the change and let him apologize," Ginny stated, but Hermione gave her friend an incredulous lopsided grin with her head cocked slightly to the side. "Okay, let him make it up to you – same thing."

"You mean makeup sex?" Hermione asked.

"Exactly! I hear it's the best kind," Ginny said with a grin and making her eyebrows go up and down.

Hermione laughed, and Luna joined in, her laughter becoming ebullient, making both Hermione and Ginny laugh even harder.

~*~

Hermione stared at Severus in utter disbelief. Now everything made sense.

Severus had been overly attentive all evening. Not just opening doors, extending a hand to help her out of the school carriage, and taking her arm on the stairs, but he'd changed the benches at dinner into chairs, and then gentlemanly helped her sit. Likewise, he'd helped her rise as well. Before dinner he'd given her a purple concoction to drink, one he'd claimed was a vitamin enriched, nutritional supplement, high in folic acid, calcium, iron and omega-3 fatty acid for her health. After dinner he'd refused to let her drink butterbeers, giving her a delicious chocolate drink instead, something similar to Horlicks. A pleasant surprise, but rather odd.

"I'm not pregnant," she said again, for the third time.

"You're not?" he repeated, his brow creasing and his lips thinning. "But you said..."

"I said that the house-elves opened up the nursery; I never said I was pregnant," she repeated.

Severus sat down on the sofa and stared into the fire. "You were acting... oddly."

"I was angry because all of my things have been moved into your rooms without my consent. Imagine my shock to go up to my dorm room and find that not only has my bed and wardrobe been removed, there is one less window, and the entire room has shrunk to accommodate only seven girls – not eight."

He turned his head to look at her. "I thought we'd agreed..."

She sat down on the chair closest to him. "I thought things would go back to the way they were once school resumed," she pointed out and noticed a slight tick in his jaw. Ginny was right, if she paid attention to the minute twitches and quick flickers of his mouth, eyes and jaw, and not just listen to the inflections of his voice, he did show what he was thinking and feeling... sort of. "And I still don't know where my Potions supplies are or any of my school supplies or my revision guide. All my books are here in this room, apparently, but my trunk has been put where all the trunks go – wherever that is – and my writing things are in a secretary desk somewhere."

He leaned forward, his forearms on his thighs with his hands clasped tightly. "This is the first I've heard of there being a nursery, let alone other rooms. I have no idea where the desk is."

"I'm sure Dezzy or Kirch will tell me." This was the first time they'd talked about something important without yelling at each other first. If you discounted the scene they had earlier today after lunch. "What really hurt was you making this decision without talking to me about it first."

"Would you have agreed?" he asked, more a challenge than inquiry.

She thought about it for a moment. "I... can't answer that. I don't know – maybe." His eyebrow rose as he stared at her, and she laughed softly at it. It was adorable how he could convey so much with one eyebrow.

His face became stony. She probably shouldn't have laughed. "I'd have been upset, and I'd... This entire year has been difficult. Nothing is how I imagined or expected..."

"And that's my fault?" he asked dryly. He stared into the fire and the side of his mouth twitched almost indiscernibly, not upward, just back, so it wasn't a flicker of a smile – annoyed. Understandable.

"No, it's my fault, too," she stated, thankful that after her talk with Ginny and Luna she could tell him this rationally and calmly. "I had expectations and certain hopes that were not... realistic given our circumstances. But this isn't the eighteenth century; you can't make all the decisions without me and just expect me to go along with it. We have to be a team, or this – us – isn't going to work for me. My parents discussed everything, but as the child, I didn't always have a say in the plans. I hated that. I don't want to be treated like a child." She looked at him pointedly, waiting for him to apologize.

He raised his chin subtly as he inhaled. "I have maybe been a little presumptuous," he replied softly.

She was surprised by the admission, apparently as close to an apology as she'd get. "I forgive you, but in the future, I'd prefer talking about it beforehand and not fight about it afterwards," she said, wishing he'd look at her. "We're soul mates, according to the spell, which means we fit together, but that doesn't guarantee we'll always agree on everything."

He nodded and finally turned to look at her, his gaze intent but there was a little bit of uncertainty in his eyes. "So, is this all settled? You're staying?"

The vulnerability of his uncertainty touched her. There was no pleading in his eyes, but she could feel it. He really did want her with him, even though they were not married yet. It really meant this much to him, to have her here, living here. His eyes darted away and back, and she smiled, realizing he didn't like being watched. Well, he'd just have to get used to it if she was ever going to be able to read this man and not set him off. "Yes, I'm staying," she replied and smiled as he relaxed. "But not tonight – tonight I want to be with Ginny and Luna. But after that, yes, I'll live here – with you."

He didn't smile, not exactly, but he seemed relieved. "Your slumber party."

"Yes, my slumber party," she said with a grin. "And after that, we'll see how long it lasts before you're ready to throw me out again."

"Yes, you can be pretty tough to take," he said as he reached out and took her hand, giving it a tug to make her go to him. "I'm not going to throw you out," he said and pulled her onto his lap. "I'm going to keep you. It's you and me, Hermione. You're mine."

She snuggled into his lap and fingered his buttons. "And you, Severus Snape, are mine."

He lifted her chin up with his finger. "Don't ever forget that," he said and kissed her.

"How could I possibly," she murmured against his lips. "No one else makes me feel like you do."

"I'm glad. Now shut up and kiss me," he growled.

~ T B C ~>

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Author's notes:

I want to thank Arabellabloodgood, my alpha-reader, Proulxes for adding a bit of British flare to my chapter, and my beta, FrankQ, 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!

I chose Severus' Animagus form to be a fox because it's a beautiful animal, sleek and clever, but also because he can already fly, so he didn't need to be a hawk, which is his Patronus. So, in this story, your Animagus form is not always the same as your Patronus, a Patronus can change, but your Animagus form is always the same regardless of your emotional state or place in life.