A/N: To answer a couple of questions, this does sort of head in the same direction as LoU did, but it goes beyond that too. Next answer, yes it is HGxSS in a romantic sense, but right now, I just think she's too young, and at this point in the story she doesn't even feel that way for him. She cares for him yes, but it hasn't been categorised. I should have put that this would be an eventual HGxSS but I had to be frugal with letters since I ran out of space in the summary. And thinking about it now I should have just stuck it in the authors note in the first chapter, it honestly never occurred to me til now. When it does finally happen, she'll be over the legal age of consent, probably not by much but she will be older and she will have a bit more experience in that area, there's a bit of HPxHG before HGxSS starts off. There is still a long way to go in this story.

Sorry for the long author's note.

Chapter 20

Hermione woke up in the morning, bright and early to find Severus already gone. He was the early riser between them. His bed had been made, but he had left the curtains shut for her. It was actually kind of strange waking up to find him not there. It had been the norm for so long.

She noticed a pile of clothes at the foot of her bed and assumed Mrs Weasley left them for her. She changed into the pair of faded jeans and a black form fitting sweater, though it was a bit loose. It would be nice to be out of those transfigured clothes. No offence to Remus' magical skills, but they had been uncomfortably itchy. She pulled on the shoes and socks, wiggling her toes a bit, there was plenty of space in them, but they would do.

After shoving her hair up into a pony tail she made her way downstairs to find Mrs Weasley bustling about the kitchen.

"Good morning dear," she greeted kindly. "You're up early."

"Habit," she shrugged. "Severus usually has me up earlier and on the road. And good morning Mrs Weasley."

"Just Molly please, I think the days of such formalities have long since passed."

Hermione gave her a smile and a nod. She had never known such warmth from anyone before. Even her own parents, what Hermione could remember of them anyway, they had been loving and protective, but not warm. They had been trying to survive, it really wasn't a place for warmth or softness.

"Do you need help with anything?" She asked. "I don't really know how to cook that well, mostly we just eat out of cans or packets or leave things hovering over a flame 'til the blood stops dripping."

Molly just chuckled and came towards her, taking her chin in hand and examining the damage to her face.

"No, I don't need your help," she said. "Your injuries seem to be healing well. Sit down, breakfast is almost ready."

"Ok then. Do you know where Severus went?"

"I believe he went to the store. He didn't even wait around for breakfast."

Hermione's brows rose a bit with her surprise. "You have a store?"

"Sort of. It works on a bartering system, and of course if there is something someone needs, it's given. Medicinal potions, feminine products and such."

"What other things does it have?" She asked, her curiosity piqued. "Why would Severus be interested?"

"The potions ingredients and supplies I would imagine," she replied, setting a plate of steaming hot food in front of her.

Eggs! Scrambled eggs and actual bacon! Sausages, fried tomatoes, hash browns, baked beans, toast and fried mushrooms. Hermione grinned up at her before digging into it with gusto, her appetite having made a full return. She also considered it morally questionable to waste food when there was so little of it out there.

In another life she imagined she would have been something of a glutton. If not, then it certainly would have been a life wasted.

"You're amazing Molly."

The woman returned the smile as she continued her work, getting everything ready for when the rest of the household woke up.

"So where does this store get its stuff?"

"We have connections to people still within the safe zones, they smuggle things out to us."

"Do they sell weapons?"

"Weapons no. Weapons are given to those who protect the town."

"I would be very interested in acquiring a bow and some arrows," Hermione said, smiling sweetly.

"A bit young to be playing with such things aren't you?"

"No, I'm very good with a bow, I needed to be able to protect myself out there."

"Well," she seemed hesitant but eventually conceded. "James and some of the others teach the younger ones how to hunt and how to defend this place so you might want to talk to him. He should be out in the training yard in a couple of hours."

When Hermione finished up her breakfast, she offered to help Molly with the dishes. A few of the others had trickled in by that point and were all eating the hearty breakfast. Molly just shooed Hermione off and told her to go and explore the village but stay within the confines of the wall.

"Ok, I'll see you later Molly."

Hermione left the house after grabbing a scone and slathering it liberally with butter. When she got outside it looked like most people around here were early risers, already up and ready for the day. At least there were plenty of people about she could ask for directions to the store if she couldn't find it soon. She wouldn't mind a bit of aimless wandering though, maybe she could figure out how they kept it hidden. To all appearances it should have stuck out like dogs balls should Death Eaters fly over head.

It turned out to be very easy to find the store. It was right in the centre of the town and its sign-age actually read 'General Store.' There were other stores along side it, though they looked empty. This whole town had to have been here from before apocalypse. Everything was so old with blatantly obvious repairs.

As she moved through the town, she grew aware of just how accustomed she had become to watching her back, moving silently and keeping to walls. It was all second nature to her now. She would almost laugh at herself whenever she remembered there were no Corrupted or Death Eaters here.

Hermione entered the store, flinching at the jingling bell over the door alerting all and sundry to her entrance. Had there been Corrupted here they would have flocked to her. She gave what felt more like a grimace than a smile to the clerk as she passed his counter and started glancing down aisles looking for Severus. She quickly found him near the other side, down the back of the store. He was bent over, inspecting something on the bottom shelf intently, his long dark hair falling in front of his face. He had such a severe profile. But not unappealing she supposed. Or maybe she was just so used to it now. She hadn't been afraid of him when she first met him, but nor was she blind to how intimidating he appeared or acted.

"Morning Severus," she greeted as she headed towards him.

He glanced at her a second before returning his focus to the glass jar in front of him.

"Good morning Hermione."

She held the scone she had brought with her, to him. "Because you didn't eat breakfast."

"How do you know I didn't?"

She shrugged. "Molly said."

Severus took the scone. He hadn't wanted to stay there with just himself and Molly. She was only tolerable up until the point she opened her mouth. He liked her well enough but he preferred her silent.

"What are you looking at?" She asked. To her they just looked like jars of crap.

"Bat guano," he replied.

"Guano?"

"...Shit. It's bat shit. It's an ingredient in a few potions."

He almost smirked at the face she pulled.

"People drink those."

"Trust me, this isn't the worst that goes into some potions. Why do you think they taste so foul?"

"I just thought wizards had no sense of taste," she replied, ignoring the urge to scrape her tongue with her fingernails. What use would that do now? "Have any of the potions I've taken had shit in them?"

He straightened up, fixing his gaze on her. "Were you looking for me?"

"Severus," she pressed.

"Were you looking for me?" He asked again.

"The potions-"

"Are you going to whine about the answer?" He asked, suppressing the irritated sigh.

"Well that really all depends on the answer doesn't it."

He gave her a flat look and she shuddered, knowing the answer to her question was definitely a yes.

"So you were looking for me."

"Yeah, I was bored. I'm going to try and get a new bow too, Molly said James might give me one. Do you know where the training yard is?"

"Wait until I am done here and then I'll take you there myself."

It was an obvious dismissal but Hermione was used to it. He wasn't doing it to be insulting, he just didn't care about how rude he was. Hermione left Severus in peace to browse the store wares. She could pester him with questions later. The store carried a broad range of things, from clothes and shoes, to food, hygiene products, books and stationary, potions ingredients... None of the food was fresh though, it was all dry or preserved in other ways. And though the range was broad, there wasn't a lot of it.

She picked up a few books, obviously wizard in origin and flicked through them. One of them was in a language she couldn't understand and was instantly put back.

She browsed the shelves another few minutes before Severus appeared at her side.

"All done?" She asked. He gave a nod and she noticed he hadn't actually bought anything. "Don't want anything?"

"No, they don't stock enough for complete potions. Come, I will take you to the training yard."

"No rush. Molly said no one would be out there for a couple of hours yet."

Severus said nothing as they made their way out of the store. He had been hoping to put up a bit of distance between them during the time they would be here. It hadn't lasted long at all. He hadn't wanted her around while he tried to find a woman who might be interested in something casual.

He took her to the training yard which was just a big dirt patch with a few target dummies set up down one end. It wasn't what she thought it would be and was a bit disappointed with it. She supposed her expectations might have been a bit high.

"You can wait here," Severus told her. "I will see you later."

Hermione watched his retreating back with a furrowed brow. What's his rush?

She meandered over to the short wooden fence and took a seat to wait. Maybe she could use the time to try and enjoy being out in the open without having to constantly look over her shoulder or be on her guard. But despite knowing she was relatively safe here, every loud noise that shattered the peace caused her to jump and seek out its source, her muscles to instantly tense. Footsteps made her glance in their direction just to be sure it wasn't a Corrupted or a Death Eater. Low speaking voices had her on the look out for hostiles. She never realised how much work went into being so alert.

Finally she caught sight of James and Harry entering the training yard with a wicker basket full of bows and another full of arrows. Hermione slid off the fence and made her way towards them, offering a pleasant good morning which they returned.

"Your injuries are looking better," James noted.

"They feel better."

"So what can I help you with?" He asked, setting the basket down and readying everything for the days lessons.

"Molly said I should speak to you about acquiring a bow. I have nothing to barter with, but I am a skilled hunter. I could earn my bow that way."

James thought it over. Giving away a bow wasn't much, but he had no idea of her training. How good could she be? He did not want to be responsible for her accidentally shooting someone.

A hunting trip would be a good way to get an idea of her skill. She could come with him, they had a hunting trip planned for tonight anyway. He would also have the patience to put up with any mistakes she might make.

"Let us set up and we'll see how you go," he told her. "Find one that would suit your size and string it up."

Hermione nodded and set to it. Others began to trickle into the yard, most of them looked like people her age, or a little older. Since Harry was standing near by, Hermione asked him what they did here.

"Everyone gets trained in defence and with various weapons, in case the wall is ever breached or Death Eaters find us," he replied. "Plus, when you get older you're expected to contribute to the safety of our home, joining the patrols, manning and defending the wall. And to go on the hunting trips."

Hermione nodded her understanding. It sounded fair.

She readied her bow and grabbed some arrows. "Why are there no quivers?"

"Just haven't made enough," Harry replied. "The hunters have them."

Hermione took her position quite a distance away from the target dummies, causing James to chuckle.

"You might want to go a bit closer, we stand around there, where that marker is."

He pointed to a coloured rod buried in the dirt that stretched the span of the dummy layout.

"That's ok," she said. "I can manage from here."

She took her arrows, arranging them in a half circle around her, stabbing them into the ground so they stood straight. With quick and practised movements she knocked an arrow and fired it off, not bothering to wait for the arrow to hit its target before she was nocking the next. After she had fired off all six arrows, each hitting a vital part of the dummy, she looked to James, allowing a small smile to play at her lips as she took in his some what stunned expression.

"So? Can I have a bow?" She pressed.

"Yeah." He nodded slowly and gave her a grin as he came towards her. "Yeah definitely. Are you as good with a moving target?"

"Almost."

"How long have you been at this?"

"Since I was a kid," she shrugged. "Like eight or nine maybe."

"We're going out on a hunting trip this afternoon, won't be back until tomorrow. You want to earn your bow, you can come along."

"Who's 'we'?"

"Me, Harry, now you, Remus if he's feeling up to it and Alicia Spinnet. It's going to be her first hunt." James crossed his arms over his chest. "Who taught you to shoot?"

"Theon. He took care of me after my parents died. Taught me to hunt, taught me to track, taught me to prepare it and taught me which plants were poisonous to eat."

"So you've had a lot of experience."

"A pretty decent amount."

There were days they'd had to go hungry because they couldn't find anything, or times when one of them had screwed up and they'd lost their quarry. Hunting was a matter of survival for them, they didn't have anything to fall back on. Not like this place had.

"Right, well, like I told you, it's an overnight trip. Pack a bag. Sleeping roll, some rations for tonight, whatever you feel you need. If you don't have it, let Molly know and she'll get it for you."

Hermione smiled and nodded. "What about a quiver?"

"Ask Bill, he might let you use his."

"Ok."

She left the training yard at a jog, bow in hand. Eagerness was bubbling within her for this hunting excursion. It was a slice of normalcy she had sorely missed since they had entered Cork.

She would have to tell Severus, maybe he would want to come. At Molly's, she bounded into the house and found the matriarch in the kitchen, it had been cleaned up from breakfast and she was baking something.

"Are you all right Hermione?"

"I got a bow. And I'm going out hunting this afternoon, overnight. James told me to pack some things, bed roll, some-"

"I know just what to pack, Bill goes out all the time when he's here. All of my sons have gone out hunting at one point or another."

"Even the twins?" She couldn't imagine them being very good at it, it required patience and the ability to shut up and keep still for more than five seconds.

Molly let out a laugh. "James only made that mistake once. Don't you worry about a thing, I'll get your pack ready."

"I can do it, just tell me where to find-"

"I'll do it Hermione, you just rest up before you head out."

"Thank you Molly, for everything. You've been...really great to us."

"It's no trouble," she gave Hermione a warm smile.

"Is Bill around? I need to ask him something."

"He's upstairs."

"And has Severus come back?"

"No, not yet. I don't expect we'll see him before dinner."

"Oh. It's just we leave this afternoon and-"

"I'll tell Severus where you've gone and who with."

Hermione flashed her a bright smile. "Thanks again."

She turned and headed up the stairs trying to recall which door led to Bills room. She figured it must have been the only one with a closed door. When she knocked on it she heard a couple of muttered curses and some fumbling around inside before Bill opened the door a little and slipped out, red, flustered and shirtless.

"Hermione, something you need?"

"I'm going hunting this afternoon and James said I should ask if I could borrow your quiver."

"Right uh...give me a second. Just wait right here."

"...Ok."

He slipped back into his room, careful not to open the door too wide. When she heard Fluers voice inside she held back a laugh, pretty sure she knew what they had been up to. After a few moments Bill returned, handing her the leather quiver.

"Thank you. I'll take good care of it."

"I'm sure you will. Run along now. Good hunting."

xXx

"Where is Hermione?" Severus asked as he glanced around the table, every Weasley that was currently at the settlement was in attendance. Hermione should have been here too.

"Ah there you are Severus," said Molly. "Hermione has gone on an overnight hunting trip with James and a few others."

"What!? She left the safety of the walls?" He hissed it through clenched teeth. His voice was low, but everyone could feel the malice emanating from him.

What in the bloody hell was she thinking? Why hadn't she asked him first? Because she knew you wouldn't allow it of course.

"Calm down Severus, they've never had any incidents before."

Severus slammed his hands down on the table. "Hermione attracts trouble like fly's to shit. Potter is not equipped to handle-"

"It's a good thing he took Remus too then," said Molly. "You're over reacting Severus. It's just a hunting trip. And James was in here earlier praising the girl's ability with a bow. Trust them, they will be fine."

Severus turned to leave. "I'm going to find them."

"Severus."

He paused in the doorway. Molly was bloody well using the same tone she used on her disobedient children. He turned back to glare at her.

"There is no guarantee you'll find them, and you'll only be putting yourself in danger."

"Hermione should have talked to me before she went out there."

"She probably knew you wouldn't let her go," one of the twins pointed out.

"Gotta loosen that leash some time mate," the other twin said.

"Every good parent knows when to back off Severus," Molly told him.

"There is no leash and I do not think of her as a bloody daughter," he bit out.

That would just be wrong on so many levels considering the kinds of dreams and fantasies that had been developing in his twisted little mind.

"Whatever. It's clear you care about her-" Severus' brow furrowed deeply. He hadn't realised it had become that obvious. "-and that's all well and good, but Hermione seems like a good girl. Trust her. And trust James and Remus to keep her safe. If you went out there you could be wandering about all night and not find them. Now sit down and have some dinner.

"I've suddenly lost my appetite."

With a parting sneer for all of them he stalked up the stairs and to his room, reigning in the urge to slam the door. With the force of his anger it might very well come off its hinges.

He paced the floor, ruminating on the situation. Trust Potter and Lupin? Not bloody likely. But Molly raised a fair point. He didn't know how far from the settlement they would be or even in which direction they had gone. He could not believe Hermione had taken off like that, with out even talking to him, letting him know where she was going.

She probably couldn't find you.

He had been so busy rutting about he had been out of her reach. Still, he tried to silence that voice. He had spent much of the day with a Miss Lleiwellin, pretty enough, didn't talk much and wasn't looking for anything beyond a short term fling, or even beyond the sex that day. Conversation wasn't required. Of course, he had noticed the similarities to Hermione, the colour of her hair, the curls, the warm honey coloured eyes. But she wasn't Hermione and every time that girls face had popped into his head while he was pounding into Lleiwellin, he had been disgusted at the desire that shot right through him. This...thing that was starting to twist him up over Hermione, it needed to stop. But he wasn't sure how to make that happen. Even after sating himself in that other woman, this desire he had for Hermione was not going away. Was it some kind of co-dependence forged by everything they had been through together? Possible.

He sighed and sat down on the bed, Hermione's bed he noticed. Some distance, some time apart would definitely do them some good.