Runic Miscalculation

Author: Ladyhuntress36

Rating: T

Disclaimer: In no way, shape, or form, do I own Harry Potter.

Summary: Ehwaz translates to partnership and Eihwaz translates to defense: switching them during her OWL's was a miscalculation Hermione swore to never make again. When she returns to Hogwarts years later to teach Ancient Runes she finds herself on the receiving end of Professor Snape's loathing and believes that they will never get along. However, when a dangerous situations throws them together she discovers that she made have made another miscalculation.

A/N: This is an AU fic as Snape survived the Final Battle. I'm venturing outside the Marauder Era and my usual genre to write this fic for my awesome friend Theresa who ships Hermione/Severus. She is extra awesome for not killing me for how long it took me to actually write this fic. Love you my Alpha Panda. This fic was loosely inspired by the Bones episode Aliens in a Spaceship. Happy Reading!

Runic Miscalculation:

Hermione leaned back against the stone wall and cast a quick warming charm to combat the dank chill of the dungeons. Though she stood mere feet from her destination she couldn't seem to muster the will to move her feet. It was not all that surprising that she had no desire to move, few people would willing place themselves in a position to be ridiculed and that is indeed what awaited Hermione the moment she entered the private labs of Severus Snape.

Hermione sighed as her thoughts turned towards her old Professor. It was a shock to everyone when he was found near death in the Shrieking Shack after the final battle had ended. According to Madame Pomfery it was a Bezor that had saved him, along with the paranoia necessary to have carried one on his person. With Harry's help the truth about Severus Snape and his actions came to light and the man was recognized for his part in the fall of Voldemort. He chose, to the surprise of many to return to Hogwarts and retain his position as Potions Professor and Head of Slytherin House.

"Not that a near death experience has changed his attitude or anything" Hermione thought with a grimace.

When she had accepted Professor McGonagall's offer to return to Hogwarts to teach Ancient Runes she had expected a bit of awkwardness as she took her place beside those witches and wizards who not too long ago she had referred to as Professor. That first day a week before classes started had been the worst. She had walked into the Great Hall for breakfast and when she passed the Gryffindor table on her way to the Head table her heart had skipped a nervous beat. Professor McGonagall had smiled warmly at her and made an introduction that was entirely unnecessary, though she had gotten a thrill out of hearing herself introduced as the new Professor of Ancient Runes.

Throughout the week that followed she got to know her new colleagues better and was humbled and grateful for the mostly warm welcome she received. Professor Flitwick, or Filius as he had insisted she call him had been thrilled to see her join the staff at Hogwarts and they had enjoyed many fulfilling conversations on various magical topics. The rest of the staff had similar sentiments and welcomes to share and by the time September 1st had rolled around she felt as though she truly belonged.

Only one member of the staff seemed to have a problem with her, Professor Snape. He had sneered when she was introduced, snarking some comment about the necessity of hiring children, though he quieted at a glare from the headmistress. At first, Hermione tried to improve her relationship with her old professor but it became clear rather quickly that he had no interest in any kind of reconciliation and in fact enjoyed ridiculing her whenever he got the chance. Hermione took his comments in stride, trying not to let his words bother her and had taken to simply ignoring the man in situations where their interaction was necessary.

This plan had been working rather successfully until Professor McGonagall stepped in; irritated that two of her brightest professors could not successfully remain in the same area without insults flying. She had informed them that they would have to learn to work together. Since that initial meeting she had forced the two professors into each other's company at any available notice. It was for this reason that Hermione now stood leaning against the wall outside of Professor Snape's private labs, she had been instructed by Headmistress McGonagall to aid him in the brewing of certain potions for the Hospital Wing.

Heaving a deep sigh she walked the few feet to the old wooden door, knocked and waited.

"Enter."

Pushing open the door she walked into the dimly lit room to find Professor Snape huddled over a large gold caldron situated towards the middle of the room. A mortar and pestle lay beside the caldron filled with a fine white powder and various other ingredients were strewn about the workstation. Looking around the room she saw numerous other cauldrons bubbling away, in various states of completion. As she looked at the ingredients surrounding the various cauldrons trying to piece together what each could be a sharp voice interrupted her thoughts.

"If everything meets your standards Granger there is work to do. The sooner we finish the sooner you can leave."

Hermione sighed deeply and rolled her eyes.

"Merlin he is so irritating!" she thought as she walked over to one of the cauldrons and peered inside.

"Pepper Up potion." She said after a few moments, taking in the ingredients surrounding the cauldron and the color of the potion itself.

Snape nodded once before turning back to his own potion. They worked in silence for a long while, Hermione moving from cauldron to cauldron finishing the steps of the various healing potions. After the potions had all been bottled and boxed, ready for the delivery to the Hospital Wing Hermione started for the door.

Snape did not acknowledge her presence as he was still bent over his cauldron, carefully adding the leaves of some plant one by one. Although Hermione knew that she should just leave before another argument broke out her curiosity got the best of her and the question just popped out.

"What are you working on?"

Snape finished adding the leaves before he looked up at her. His face hardened into a scowl as he muttered "insufferable know it all" under his breath.

"Private research" He finally snapped out after glaring at her for a few moments. "Now get out of my lab!"

Feelings the blood rush to her cheeks, Hermione headed for the door but at the last moment she stopped and turned around. The weeks of taking his snarky and nasty comments had taken their toll and she had had enough.

"What did I ever do to you? I ask you a simple question and get my head bitten off. I've tried for weeks to get along with you, to just be colleagues but you fight me every step of the way. What do you want from me?" Hermione cried out.

"I want you to leave me alone. I want absolutely nothing to do with you Granger. Yet time and time again I am forced to suffer your presence." Snape spat turning his back on her deliberately.

"Well that is hardly my fault, I didn't exactly beg to spend time with you. " She yelled, moving forward to stand right in front of him. "You haven't changed at all; you are still a bully and a coward snarking at everyone and putting other people down just because you can."

Snape's head shot up and her words and he twisted roughly to face her, a scathing retort on his lips. The words never made it out though as in the process of turning to face her he knocked into the worktable causing a gnarled looking root to fall into the simmering potion. Snape turned in time to see the root fall into the potion and the potion begins to bubble wildly. Eyes widening in horror he tore his gaze from the potion and dove forward knocking Hermione to the ground as an explosion rocked the dungeons sending the professors flying through the air to come to an abrupt and painful stop against the far dungeon wall.

Hermione blinked her eyes open with a groan and wondered confusedly about the solid but not uncomfortable weight that was atop her body. Her head was pounding and as she ran her hand through her hair she discovered the source, a large lump situated at the base of her skull. Still groggy she tried to sit up and it was only when she had trouble that she really looked at the weight that was atop her.

Hermione's eyes shot open as she recognized the still form of her old professor now colleague. His form brought back the events that she had not recalled right away.

"The potion, something fell into it and it exploded. He dove at me, trying to knock me out of the way. Professor Snape, he was trying to save me. Right, ignore that for now, he took the brunt of that blast and is out cold, probably injured and I smashed my head against the wall. No telling how long I was out for, I have to get us to the Hospital Wing."

Hermione managed to roll Snape off of her and got shakily to her feet. Taking a few wobbly steps towards the door she was forced to stop as the world began to spin rapidly around her. She sank to the floor and crawled back over to Professor Snape.

Alright that didn't work so well, time for plan B.

Grasping his shoulders she shook him lightly while calling, "Professor Snape. Professor you have to wake up, I can't make it to the door and we have to get help."

When he didn't budge Hermione looked around and after a moment found the object she had been searching for.

Taking her wand in hand she pointed it at him and said, "Rennervate"

It took a few seconds but slowly the professors eyes fluttered open. It took him only seconds to come fully awake and his eyes grew sharper and more focused as he took in his surroundings. After looking around the room his eyes locked with Hermione's and he asked, "Are you alright Granger?"

"I bashed my head against the wall pretty hard. My head is pounding and when I tried to get up and walk to the door to get us help the world started spinning and I was majorly off balance." Hermione told him. "What about you, are you alright sir, you took the brunt of the explosion."

"I'm fine Granger." He said brusquely as he started to get to his feet. He never got there as a sharp pain radiated from his midsection causing him to hiss sharply.

"Professor!" Hermione called out in concern.

"Calm yourself Granger; it's just a few broken ribs." Snape tells her.

"Well that's not too bad. You can wrap them and then Madame Pomfrey can fix them when we get to the hospital wing." Hermione said.

"We're not going anywhere for the moment Granger. I realize your brain has been rattling inside your head but surely even you cannot miss the containment field." Snape said

At his words Hermione looked around the room and as she focused she saw it. A light blue wall of energy hummed around the remains of the ruined golden cauldron, spreading out a few feet around it in every direction.

"That's incredible; it's runic magic isn't it, a ward of some kind." Hermione commented.

"Yes." Snape said as he shifted to bring himself into a sitting position against the wall. "In case of an explosion that releases a deadly or dangerous vapor into the air the containment field activates to contain the worst of the vapor until it dissipates. Once the containment field is activated it triggers a ward that locks the door."

"That's some advanced warding." Hermione says, impressed.

"Yes unfortunately it means that we are stuck in here until the containment field runs its course. The door won't open until the vapors are gone and the danger has passed." Snape said.

After his declaration the pair sat in an awkward silence, both pained yet both too proud to complain.

"Do you feel that too?" Hermione asked after a long while, finally breaking the silence.

"Feel what Granger." Snape questioned.

"I feel a little light headed." Hermione started, taking a slightly labored breath that caught Snape's immediate attention before continuing. "It's also getting a bit harder to breath. I don't know if it's just me."

Snape watched her for a few moments, taking in her paling face and labored breathing before struggling to his feet. He ignored Hermione's protests and the pain in his ribs as he moved towards the remains of the golden cauldron. Pulling his wand from a holder on his arm he murmured a quick spell. He walked slowly around the containment field surrounding the cauldron before making his way back to Hermione. He sank slowly to the floor and shut his eyes.

"Professor what's wrong." Hermione asked frantically.

"The containment field around the cauldron is failing. The potion was too volatile I suppose or the wards just failed but the containment field is leaking and eventually it will fail completely." Snape told her in a hollow voice.

Hermione was not the ancient runes professor for nothing, she knew wards and runic magic well but still she asked wanting her conclusion confirmed, " If the ward is failing and the containment field leaking than the vapors from the potion which are deadly or else the field wouldn't be up are leaking into the air."

"Yes, it's a slow process but you have already begun to feel the effects of the vapor leaking out." Snape said.

"Also since the doors are locked until the vapors are dissipated we cannot get out."

"Also true." Snape confirmed, keeping all emotion out of his voice, waiting for her to come to the end of this train of thought, to their end.

"Professor," She asked softly, "We're going to die aren't we."

It was not in his nature to pull punches but as he looked at his former student, now colleague, his gaze softened. Her face showed no fear as she calmly awaited him to confirm their death sentence but her eyes held the terror that she had masked from her face. She was trying to put on a brave front.

"Stupid Gryffindors" He thought, but even in his mind it lacked the normal malice.

He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder as he said, "Yes Hermione, we're going to die."

So deep was the panic at his confirmation that she almost didn't notice him use her first name, something she had been trying to get him to do since she first arrived back at the school as a professor.

"No, there has to be something we can do. We can't just sit here and wait to die." Hermione said, trying desperately to find some hope to latch onto.

"It's no use Granger. The ward on the door is too complicated to dismantle; it was put in place to insure the protection of the rest of the school if something were to go wrong in this lab." Snape told her.

"Well what about the containment field itself? If we could fix it somehow or put up a different field than we should be okay." Hermione pointed out.

"Even if we stop the field from collapsing we are both injured and we still have been breathing in the vapors. Every second that passes we breathe more of it in and we have no idea of how long the field will last. We need medical treatment and we can't get out. The amount of time that it would take for the vapors to dissipate on their own is more time than we are going to have.

His tone was even and lacked the malice with which he had previously spoken to her with but it still managed to infuriate her.

"That's it then, we just sit here and wait for death to take us. I won't have that; it can't end this way, not with everything we have been through. You are a war hero Snape a former spy and the head of Slytherin house. A Slytherin to the core you were even able to fool the Dark Lord so I am not going to sit here and watch you just give up. Muster up some of that infamous cunning and help me think up a way out of this!" Hermione said, her voice growing in volume until she was screaming at him.

Snape's eyes blazed and when he opened his mouth Hermione was sure that she had gone too far and that he was going to rage at her.

"The other professors." He said after a few very tense moments.

"What?" Hermione questioned.

"Do try to keep up Granger we don't have a whole lot of time here. Professor McGonagall sent you down here to work with me and she knows that we get along about as well as oil and water. She also knows about how long the brewing should take. Once dinner rolls around and neither of us show up she is going to get concerned and come looking for us. If we can manage to fix the containment field around the ruined potion or put up some kind of barrier of our own then we can perhaps hold out until the professors come looking for us." Snape explained.

"That's brilliant Professor." Hermione said with a small smile.

"Admire my brilliance later Granger we have work to do. Your breathing is already more labored than usual and mine is starting to become so. The more vapors that leak out the worse we will become. If we are going to try and contain the vapors than we need to move fast." Snape told her.

" Right." Hermione said as she struggled to get to her feet. She steeled herself and started to walk towards the ruined cauldron but her balance was no better than before. The world spun and she would have crashed to the floor if not for the strong arms that caught her.

"Would you be more careful Granger!" Snape said as he helped to steady her.

"I'm trying!" Hermione snapped in annoyance.

"You've got a concussion I'd wager, given your appalling lack of balance." Snape told her.

Hermione's eyes flashed in anger as she said, "I'd like to see you walk in a straight line when the entire world is spinning around you."

Snape sighed before admitting grudgingly, "You have to be alert Granger, you have to think and work though the dizziness. I never studied ancient runes so I'll be little help in trying to come up with this barrier."

"Then we will have to work together on this. I can think through the dizziness and it isn't so bad when I'm not moving but I need to get closer to the containment field in order to see what we are working with. You need to help me get over there." Hermione said.

With Professor Snape's help Hermione managed to hobble over to the ruined cauldron and began to examine it. Taking out her wand she performed a few spells and then finally stood quietly thinking things over.

"Well?" Professor Snape asked after several minutes.

"Do you want the good news or the bad news?" Hermione asked.

"Out with it Granger!" Professor Snape snapped at her.

"I can add some runes to strengthen the existing containment field which should stop the leakage. The only problem is that I'm not strong enough to place all the runes myself. I'm going to have to show you how to cast a few of the more simple runes." Hermione said.

Snape nodded and then guided Hermione over to sit against the wall, stopping along the way to grab some parchment and a quill that had survived the explosion. Taking the parchment Hermione drew the specific runes that were needed, explaining to Snape what they meant, how to cast them and where they needed to be placed.

After enough practice to prove himself proficient in the casting of the necessary runes, Snape helped Hermione up and they slowly made their way to the ruined cauldron. Snape left Hermione at one end of the containment field while he followed her instructions to a specific spot near the other side. It was looking like everything was going to fall into place until the blue field started vibrating, large holes appearing suddenly and rapidly spilling the deadly vapors more freely into the air. One of the largest holes appeared almost directly in front of Hermione and she dropped to her knees after a few moments of exposure.

"Don't!" She called out hoarsely as she saw him start to move towards her, intent on dragging her out of the path of the vapors. "Cast the runes! Cast them now!"

She drew part of her robe up over her mouth, took up her wand, and pointed it at the containment field muttering fiercely under her breath. Snape turned from her and began his own muttering concentrating on performing the runic magic he had just learned. The task was difficult though as the longer the vapor spilled out of the field the harder it was to concentrate. His head pounded and every inward breath was becoming excruciating.

Finally after the last words of the casting left his lips the containment field glowed gold and the holes began to seal themselves. After a few moments the barrier was completely fortified and a labored wave of his wand showed that none of the vapor was leaking through. Snape looked over towards Hermione and upon seeing her still form lying on the ground he started making his way over to her. As he knelt down next to her he couldn't help but think that despite all the loathing he had for her and her irritating personality there was something profoundly wrong about seeing her there lying still and motionless on the ground, barely breathing. He also ignored the fact that the more time that had spent together the less irritating he found her.

"Did it work?" Hermione questioned, startling Snape though her voice came out in barely a whisper.

"Yes Granger, it worked. The containment field is stabilized." He told her.

"Don't call me that. You called me Hermione before, it was nice."

"Well I am not a nice man." Snape told her.

"No. I suppose you aren't. You are however a good one, as much as you try to hide it." She said slowly, as though each word required an enormous struggle to get out.

"I think those vapors have gone straight to your thick head."

"No." She responded, "You tried to knock me out of the way of the initial explosion, you've helped me get around while we have been stuck here and you were getting ready to pull me away from the vapors when those holes opened up in the containment field."

"All of those things were means to an end. I couldn't have gotten the containment field stabilized without your knowledge and Minerva would have my head if anything happened to one of her precious lion cubs, graduated or not." Snape said, moving to lie down next to Hermione as the world took to spinning more violently and breathing began to grow more difficult.

"Excuses, excuses." Hermione mumbled.

The pair lay in a relative silence only broken by the sound of their labored breathing.

"Why did you come back to teach at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Why come back? You don't like teaching, we all hear you complain about it enough. The students only ever seem to irritate you so why come back. You could be off doing research or selling potions privately making a lot more money than here so why come back." Hermione said, explaining her question further.

His first response was to snap at her that it was none of her business but he found that he just couldn't. It was like the vapors had burned something away in his eyes and now when he looked at the dying women lying next to him all he could see was her strengths. Her bravery and determination, her intelligence and spirit, all of the things he had tried for so long to ignore in favor of simply labeling her an obnoxious know it all. He thought back to the words she had shouted at him what seemed like a lifetime ago.

I've tried for weeks to get along with you, to just be colleagues but you fight me every step of the way. What do you want from me?"

He didn't want to fight anymore, he was too tired, too weak and they no longer had the time. So instead of snapping at her he found himself answering honestly.

"I came back for the Slytherins. People always say I play favorites with the Slytherins and maybe I do but if I don't who will. There is still so much prejudice and discrimination against my house. They have no one to turn to, no one to hold their best interests at heart except for me and so I returned. I stayed at a job I don't particularly love so that they have someone to turn to, someone to watch out for them and so maybe I can prevent another student from making my mistakes. That's why I came back."

With a bit of effort Hermione moved her hand towards him and clasped his in her own. The motion startled Snape but he didn't pull his hand away.

"I'm sorry." Hermione told him.

"For what?"

"I called you a coward before, before all this happened, and the things I thought about you. I was just so angry at you and how you were treating me. I wanted so badly to just get along and nothing I did ever worked. It's almost ironic that I find out the truth now, when I can't do anything with it. You are no coward Professor Snape and I was wrong." Hermione said softly struggling so that she could turn her head to look at him.

"You're not the only one who was wrong." Snape admitted, avoiding her eyes and wondering if this is what dying did to people, caused their feelings to roar up and honesty to rule.

A shiver ran through Hermione's body to the point that Snape could feel it through their still clasped hands. He finally turned his gaze to her and not liking what he saw moved forward slowly until he was right next to her and wrapped his arms around her trying to warm her shivering body.

Hermione stiffened for a moment and then relaxed leaning her body into his, threading her fingers into his robes and placing her head on his shoulder.

"Thanks." She mumbled holding tightly to him.

He looked down at the young women holding on to him, her breathing ragged and labored as was his. Perhaps it was because he finally saw her, the real person not just the student he had found so irritating, or maybe it was because it had been so long since he had been this close to another person. Maybe it was solely because they both lay dying but he moved his hand to stroke her hair and called, "Hermione."

The use of her first name in combination with his hand stroking her hair caused Hermione to look up at him immediately and a small but pained smile lights her face. He moved slowly so that his intentions were clear, giving her a chance to pull away if she wished but she didn't. Her eyes closed as his lips landed gently on hers.

The world began to fade around her, her pain seemed to vanish and she could no longer feel the struggle it took to keep drawing air in. The only thing she noticed were the lips moving on hers, the one thing keeping her tethered to this mortal life.

They were so lost in one another that neither noticed the lab door glowing or the ward keeping the door locked breaking. If either had been paying attention that would have realized that their teamwork had prevailed, their plan had worked, and that helped had finally arrived.

Fin