A/N: Hey all! It's been a hot second since the last update. My workload practically doubled during the pandemic, and I had to accelerate a cross-country move by a few months so I could get settled in before the situation gets worse. I know things have been crazy for all of us, so I've been trying like mad to get something new for you to read. I really hope you all are safe, healthy, and sane.

I was sad to see some fires were started in the review section. Though I make it a rule not to remove honest criticisms of my work, I do not tolerate targeting/bullying of my readers and hold no compunction about filtering out spam. I sincerely appreciate how so many people care about this story and are willing to go to bat for it, even in my absence. I have not abandoned this story or my readers, and I endeavor to be a better moderator of anonymous reviews.

I love you all!

And a Happy 4th to my fellow Americans! While it may not seem like we have much to celebrate right now, we can and will come together (figuratively, for now, or at least with masks and safe distancing) during crisis and emerge stronger and better for it. Look out for each other, stand up against injustice, make your voices heard, and never give up.

Bound to Him

Chapter 86

"Hey, 'Mione! Wait up!"

Hermione paused before the Fat Lady's Portrait. "Ron?"

"Would you come with me?" The boy sounded rather winded.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Ron shook his head. "Nothing. Why would you think it?"

She cocked her head and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh." He rubbed his face. "No, Remus made us run the west staircases this morning."

"Ah."

"I think I'd have rather trained with Tonks."

Hermione smirked. "I doubt it."

"Why? What'd she make you do?"

"Run the east staircases."

"Ugh." Ron grimaced. "At least you had a view."

Giggling, Hermione wiped at the sweat on her forehead. "Where did you want me to go with you?"

"To talk to Harry."

She dropped her shoulders. "Ronald…"

"No, listen!" He shrank back at the scathing glare sent his way by the Fat Lady, then gestured toward the window. After relocating further from listening ears, he lowered his voice. "I know you and Harry aren't getting on –"

"There's an understatement."

"– but I've been working on him. He's willing to speak to you."

"Speak to me?" Hermione leaned against the window. "Or listen to me?"

"B-both," Ron stammered.

"Because I'm really tired of being screamed at and pushed about."

"I know!" The boy winced, realizing he had just shouted at her. "Erm, sorry."

She sighed. "It's alright, Ronald. I appreciated you've been trying, but I'm just… tired."

"Me, too," he nodded. "And hungry. Running really takes it out of you."

Hermione could not suppress a chuckle as he mistook her meaning, then wrapped her arms about him. "I've really missed you."

Ron hesitantly patted her back. "Me, too. Erm, I mean, I missed you, too, Hermione. I got a Troll on my last Charms essay."

"Berk." The girl playfully pushed away from him. "No offense, but you stink."

"Been running, haven't I? Not like you smell like a bed of roses."

She crossed her arms in mock indignation. "I can't understand what Lavender sees in you."

"Me neither. I think she's in it for the money," he smirked before sobering. "So… will you come with me?"

Hermione nodded. "If you promise to help keep things civil."

"Course I will!" Ron beamed, throwing his arm around her.

"Ugh, no!" she groaned, ducking out of his grasp. "I wasn't kidding, Ronald! You need a shower!"

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

Hermione folded her arms to her chest as she stood atop the Astronomy Tower, waiting for the boys to arrive. No physical signs of battle appeared anywhere within sight, but a heavy sorrow weighed on her. This was where Severus had been forced to put his very soul on the line to carry out Dumbledore's final command. She could only imagine how he felt, standing there in front of those sociopaths, feeling the weight of the Wizarding world on his shoulders, uncertain if he would survive the night, trying to find the will to snuff out a man's life with two Unforgiveable words.

"Hey, Hermione."

The witch started at the voice behind her.

"Alright, Mione?" Ron asked.

"Fine. I was just…" Her voice caught in her throat, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Whoa…" Ron guided her over to a stone bench and awkwardly knelt in front of her. "You haven't been up here yet?"

Hermione shook her head, embarrassed by the hot tears that dripped into her lap.

Several feet away, Harry shifted his weight as he watched her cry. His shoulders eventually slumped, and he shuffled forward. After another moment's hesitation – and a pointed stare from Ron – he sat down next to the witch.

At the feeling of a warm hand on her back, Hermione raised her head to look at Harry. When he opened himself up to her, she hiccoughed before tipping into his shoulder. "I'm s-s-orry."

With a sigh, Harry brought his arms around her. "I'm sorry, too."

Ron gave a tight smile in approval and repositioned himself to sit on the ground in front of his friends.

Several minutes passed in silence before Hermione drew back, wiping her face with the sleeve of her jumper. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to… it just… I don't know."

"S'alright," Ron murmured. "Not like we have class to get to or anything."

Fiddling with her hands in her lap, the girl glanced to her side. "Harry? I didn't… I didn't mean for any of this. I thought I could trust him. I thought he was protecting us. I didn't… I would never betray you or the Order."

Harry exhaled loudly. "I know. I… I'm sorry for hurting you, for reacting the way I did. I just… I can't explain exactly what came over me. Really. I know you wouldn't intentionally do anything to hurt me or to help Voldemort –"

She flinched but refrained from chastising him.

"– but I was so angry you weren't able to see what I could. I told you so many times that you shouldn't trust them, but you wouldn't listen."

"Harry," Ron cautioned as Hermione pressed her fists into her stomach.

The dark-haired wizard tugged at his hair and huffed. "Look, the point is I'm sorry. You're Hermione. You think better of people than they deserve and forgive a lot of things that most of us wouldn't. So, will you forgive me?"

"I forgive you," she swallowed, "if you forgive me."

Harry nodded. "I do. I know you went through a lot this year, and they took advantage of that. I couldn't understand it before, but I get it now."

Uncertain as to what she could say, Hermione picked at her sleeve.

"I figured it out –"

"Oi!" Ron leaned forward.

"We figured it out," Harry corrected. "You see, it was their plan the whole time – to earn your trust, to pull you away from me. That's why they didn't kill your parents. It's why you were only injured and not –"

"Only injured!" Her stomach revolted as she got to her feet. "They didn't push me off a broom, Harry."

"I didn't mean it like that!" Harry winced. "I just meant that they weren't going to kill you. They hurt you and made you think you were going to die so that when Snape pretended to save you, to save your parents… you would trust him deeply."

"And probably so you would blame Harry for what happened to you," Ron supplied.

"Only it didn't quite work, did it?" Harry attempted a grin. "You were happy to see us at the beginning of term, and you could barely stand Snape. You didn't fall for it right away, so they had to try again at Halloween. Snape pretended to save you again, stealing your gratitude. Then Malfoy began ferreting his way into your trust, into your heart. That's when you started pulling away from us."

"Harry," Hermione reclaimed her seat. "I never mean to."

"It wasn't your fault," he assured. "They did everything they could to take up your time and convince you of their good qualities until you couldn't see their faults any longer. If they were able to manipulate Professor Dumbledore into trusting them, how could you have stood a chance?"

Swallowing back bile, the witch focused on the stonework beneath her feet.

"And?" Ron prompted.

Harry took in a deep breath. "And I played into their plan, too. It wasn't just you."

"What do you mean?" she whispered, unable to look at him.

"I was so frustrated you were taking their side over mine; I couldn't understand it. And then it felt like Voldemort was pleased with you, which is why I said… what I said. But I realize you weren't pleasing him intentionally – he was pleased his plan using you was working. And it was working even better because I pushed you further away. If you and I distrusted each other, we couldn't work together to defeat him. It all makes sense now."

"It does…"

"That's why they bewitched me to attack Dean. They wanted to cut off my support, using both you and Ginny to drive a wedge between me and the Weasleys, the professors, and the rest of the Order."

Hermione slowly bent over at the waist.

"'Mione?"

"I feel sick."

Harry rubbed her shoulder in sympathy. "I did, too. But we can't let him win."

Hermione heaved in a breath and sat up. "No. No, we can't. So… what now?"

"I don't know yet. Ron and I are leaving after supper tonight."

"Alone?"

"Nah, Bill's coming to get us," Ron answered. "Once he's finished taking Gin home and escapes Mum's clutches."

The witch cracked a grin.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked.

"Nowhere yet," she replied. "They asked me to stay so I can restore the infirmary and Order's potion supply since…"

"Since Snape probably poisoned some of them."

Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Something like that, yeah. I don't know how long it will take me to manage it all, and I'm terrified I'll ruin everything."

"You're Hermione Granger," Ron smirked. "You brewed Polyjuice in second year. You'll be fine."

'They'll believe you capable of brewing actual gold.'

Hermione shivered as the memory of Snape's comment drifted through her head. "Thanks, Ronald. You'll be at the Burrow, then?"

"Nope!"

"He's going to be staying with me," Harry grinned.

"With the Dursleys?!" Hermione feigned surprise.

The boys nodded in unison before eagerly explaining what Moody and the Order had decided to do about protecting Harry and the Dursleys. For the time being, Harry and Ron would live out of the Weasleys' magical tent in the back garden with either Bill or Remus to look after them. Once a safehouse and guards could be procured for the Dursleys – and they could be convinced to relocate – the wizards would move into the house until the alleged blood wards expired.

"Maybe you could visit when you have time?"

"Oh." Hermione glanced up at Harry. "Sure… if that's alright."

Harry gave a slow nod. "We should probably give the Dursleys some time to settle down first. I can't imagine they'll be chuffed to have three wizards camping in the garden."

The witch flashed a smile. "Of course. I'll wait for your owl then."

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

"I don't like this, Crooks," Hermione grumbled, shaking out her arms. She paced about the empty Common Room while her familiar selected a new chair in which to take his third snooze of the night.

Harry and Ron had been the last students to leave the castle that evening, since Ginny and the few remaining stragglers had departed after breakfast. Thus, Hermione had Gryffindor dormitory entirely to herself – something that had only occurred during the ten days following the binding ceremony.

That's not a comparison I want to make. The young witch tugged at the end of her braid. A sick feeling had resided within her gut since she ascended the staircase to the Astronomy Tower that afternoon.

After several minutes' indecision, Hermione leaned her forearms against an armchair and sent a mental Patronus.

'You rang?'

A smile toyed at her lips. 'Are you busy?'

'Brewing.'

'Need any help?'

'Not particularly.'

Hermione sagged against the chair. She wanted to escape the solitude but without bothering anyone.

'If you're quick about it, most of the staff are drowning their sorrows in the staffroom.'

The girl scrambled for the portrait door. 'Where's Moody?'

'Undoubtedly frightening the Dursleys into submission.'

'Is Professor McGonagall in the office?'

'When the whisky's flowing in the staffroom? Hardly.'

Hermione snickered as she rounded a corner. 'Are you watching the map?'

'Obviously. Unless you're thinking of taking the scenic route through the fourth-floor boys' lavatory, you're fine.'

The witch hustled through the Headmistress's Office, oblivious to the frown forming in Dumbledore's portrait. Upon entering the private quarters, she calmly approached the kitchenette so as not to disturb Severus as he concentrated on a brass cauldron. His hair was loosely tied back, and the topmost buttons of his linen shirt were undone as he sat upon a wooden stool. Without his frock coat or teaching robes, he looked comparatively relaxed.

She knew better, of course.

"Wound-cleaner?" Hermione peered in at the lilac hue of the bubbling potion. Receiving an affirmative grunt, she settled in to watch him work.

"You spoke to Potter, then."

Mesmerized by his silken motions, it took her a moment to realize what he said. "Did you listen?"

"No." His shoulder tensed before he tapped the stirring rod on the edge of the cauldron and set it aside. "It was on your mind when you contacted me."

"Oh. Right." The witch leaned against his back.

"Went that well, did it?"

"I've been forgiven, I guess."

"You sound thrilled by your success."

Hermione slid her arms around him and rested her chin atop his shoulder. "What they think happened… the things they think of you… of me, even. I hated having to just sit there and –"

"You must."

"I know that," she frowned. "And I did, thank you very much."

The witch pushed away from him, folding her arms as he turned on his stool to face her. "Even though they informed me my parents were never in danger and I was merely injured so that I would fall for your white knight act. How between that and Malfoy fucking me, I was too stupid to realize the two of you were manipulating me into abandoning Harry. But, you know, it's okay I was such an idiot because Harry didn't figure it out right away either. Despite that, I sat there, and listened, and begged forgiveness!"

Severus exhaled slowly. "You knew whatever they came up with would be –"

"I know! But knowing it and dealing with it are two very different things!"

The wizard waited as she regained her composure, then slowly opened an arm. Ducking her head, Hermione stepped into his chest.

"I hate this," she whispered. "I hate it so much."

Snape shifted her braid to remove some of the frizz from his face. "You realize it's only going to get worse."

"I know." Closing her eyes, she mentally pushed away her fears and frustrations to focus solely on the warm strength of his embrace.

Eventually, a gurgling noise drew her attention to the cauldron.

"Stop that," Severus snarled at the potion. Though he extended one hand to stir the bubbling brew, he maintained his hold on her with the other arm.

When the potion resumed a quiet simmer and his hand returned to her hip, Hermione lifted her head and traced her fingers along his jaw. Emboldened by the tenderness in his eyes, she pressed her lips to his. When he did not object, she leaned more forcefully into the kiss. His fingers wound into her plaited hair and spread across her bottom as he pulled her tighter against him.

"Do you think that wise in front of an active brew?"

Hermione jerked out of his grasp, covering her mouth. Her cheeks burned as Minerva strode toward them.

Clearing his throat, Severus swung his gaze to the newcomer. "Forgive me, Headmistress. I forgot you were the Potions Master."

"Well, I had assumed you were the one with credentials…" Her eyes flashed in his direction before she quirked a smile at the embarrassed girl. "Relax, Hermione. I was teasing. There was nothing objectionable – except perhaps the immediate locale."

The wizard, attempting to disguise his own embarrassment, rubbed his forehead and turned back to his potion. "She made headway with Potter before he toddled off."

Minerva swatted his shoulder, then turned to Hermione. "Did you? Why don't you come tell me about it while Severus finishes up? Then we can all have a quick toast before bed."

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

"Harry claimed he would ask me to visit them once the Dursleys settled down –"

Moody snorted in disdain.

"– but in the meantime, they believe I'm staying here to re-brew the potions supply." Hermione flicked her eyes to Snape. "No offense, professor."

Severus shrugged off the comment as the Weasley twins snickered.

"Good. Go easy with Potter. I don't want his dander up any further than necessary." Minerva cracked half a smile. "And it isn't exactly a lie you told, for I would like you involved in brewing."

"What?" Severus snapped.

"You do?" Hermione glanced between Snape and McGonagall. This was the first she had heard of the idea, and she suspected it was as much a surprise to the Potions Master given his expression.

"Severus has been diligently working to improve stock for both the infirmary and the Order. Since you've been brewing for the infirmary this term, Hermione, I would like you to spend some of your time working with Severus."

"Have you lost your wits, witch?"

Minerva arched an eyebrow at Moody.

"I do not require assistance," Severus stated.

"There. That's settled, then," Moody proclaimed.

"I hardly think so," Minerva rebutted. "Severus, I am certain you can handle things on your own. However, should your attention be required elsewhere – or, Merlin forbid, should something happen to you – someone else must be capable of producing what is necessary. While Hermione can already brew a subset of those potions, I need you to ensure she can brew the rest. Including the wolfsbane."

Hermione flicked her eyes to Remus, who gave her a reassuring smile.

Less than thrilled, Snape murmured, "If that's what you wish, Headmistress."

"You're going to leave him alone with her?" Moody pressed.

"Hermione, are you uncomfortable working with Severus?"

Hermione shook her head. "I'm fine with it if he is."

"He is," Minerva responded before the Slytherin could interject to the contrary. "If it would appease you, Alastor, supervision by a third party can be arranged. Despite the colossal waste of time it would be."

"Merlin's sake," Severus growled under his breath.

"Well, if they'll be using the lab in the infirmary, I can keep an eye on things," Poppy offered.

"Thank you, Poppy. If it's alright with you, I'd also like to move Hermione into one of the spare nurse's quarters. I don't like the thought of her so far removed from everyone in Gryffindor Tower."

"Absolutely." The matron turned toward her apprentice. "You can take your pick as soon as you'd like."

Thanking her, Hermione sank back into the sofa. Crookshanks would be disappointed to lose the expansive territory he had claimed in the empty dormitory, but she was glad to have new arrangements. She was also excited by the prospect of learning more about potions from Severus and hoped his reluctance was merely for the Order's benefit.

"Now, Hestia – what have you learned about The Trace?"

Hestia sat forward in her chair. "The Trace is placed on magical children at different points – either when the child is brought into St. Mungo's for treatment or into the Ministry for whatever reason. In the rare case this doesn't occur – or if the child is Muggleborn – it is applied once they board the Hogwarts Express."

"Really?" Hermione frowned, trying to recall the details of that first trip.

"It's doubtful you noticed anything more than a tickle or shiver, which would have blended in with the rest of the new magics you encountered," Hestia explained. "It is mandated by the SOS, and therefore requires no parental consent prior to application. Regarding its usefulness, though – it cannot detect who performed the magic, only that it was done within the vicinity of the Traced. It's absolutely rubbish in areas of high magic use like Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade. Even in Wizarding homes staffed with house elves. Granted, it isn't exactly warranted in those areas since it's meant to protect against exposing magic to Muggles. It expires once majority is reached."

"So, since Potter does not reach his majority for a few months…"

"Any magic performed within a few yards of him will be detected."

"But not identified," Tonks murmured. "At least there's that."

"I think the Trace is the lesser of our concerns, however," Hestia sighed. "Anyone who has had their wand weighed by the Ministry could potentially be tracked. That includes Potter… and any of us."

Hermione subtly looked to Severus. I told you.

Kingsley narrowed his eyes. "Tracked how?"

"Hold on – why don't the Aurors know about this?" George asked.

"Seems like something they ought to know," Fred concurred.

Tonks mussed up her hair. "We receive reports from Magical Tracings on the occasion they feel intervention is necessary, but they always keep everything hush hush. We haven't a clue how they're generated."

Hestia gave a coy shrug. "It isn't spoken of outside the department for fear of information spreading. Especially when you consider how often Aurors go corrupt or…you know… mad."

Severus coughed back a laugh.

Before any of the Aurors could protest, Hestia quickly finished, "And the rest of you'd have a more difficult time hunting down criminals without our wand tracings."

"Worked incredibly well, didn't it?" Moody bitterly gestured toward Snape.

"Considering it took the Aurory an entire week to file the forms to place him on the watchlist? Without it, we can't place any monitoring and alert charms. The spells just won't work."

"Fuckwits!" Tonks angrily paced to the window near Severus. "No offense – but I would have had your arse on that list before lunch the next day."

"And would have found me within the week, I'm sure." Severus rolled his shoulders. "Perhaps it begs the question why those forms weren't filed on time. Incompetence or intentional intervention?"

Tonks snapped her eyes to a stern-faced Kingsley, who promised to investigate it.

"Just how is it you've managed to escape detection thus far?" Moody questioned.

"Constant vigilance."

Hermione smirked at Snape's bland retort and patted George's back after he choked on his spit.

"So, any magic Severus uses could bring the Ministry down on him?" Minerva returned attention to Hestia's report.

"No. The standard wand trace used by the Ministry is meant to keep us abreast of significant uses of magic. He could cast a thousand common spells, and we would never know it. Larger bursts of magical energy, however, will activate the tracer, and a temporary record of the spell used would be created in the monitoring office. Given his status on the watchlist, an alert would be triggered, and a location report sent to the Aurory."

"How large a burst of energy?"

"Apparition, Unforgivables, erecting wards, certain shield charms," Hestia listed. "I don't really know where the threshold is."

"A Patronus charm?" Minerva asked.

"Potentially. At least one cast out of necessity."

"But the Vocare…" Remus frowned. "That was far more demanding magic than a Patronus or Apparition."

"Yes, but it was conducted here," Hestia answered. "Hogwarts is Unplottable. The Masking spells which hide Hogwarts make it impossible to trace any of its occupants – at least from the outside."

"Explains Toady McToadface," Fred murmured.

"For those who aren't on the watchlist, how long are those records kept?"

"Only a few hours before the record book resets. Usually, there's a few employees monitoring the registry during the day for anything odd or Unforgiveable and will file reports with the Aurory if they feel it necessary."

"During the day?" Severus sneered.

"Nightshift is a joke. There's only one person scheduled, if anyone is there at all."

"And the record's gone by daybreak." Severus jerked to his feet and pointed his finger at Hestia. "The Dark Lord knows this. He must. His summons occur at night because he knows no one's watching, and after seizing Malfoy Manor, he ensured it was Unplottable. He's had or still has someone in that office."

"Which means as soon as the Ministry falls, Riddle will know how to use that watchlist to track any of us he suspects." Minerva sat hard on her desk.

Quietly, Bill slipped his wand from its holder, then studied the polished elm. "Is it possible to remove the tracking charm?"

"Without alerting the Ministry or compromising the integrity of the wand?" Hestia looked skeptical.

Bill gave a resigned nod, then glanced at Moody's wooden leg. "Mad-Eye, is that second wand of yours registered?"

The ex-Auror gave a gruff snort. "Do you think I'm daft?"

Minerva sent a warning glare to Snape, whose lips quirked upward.

"So, if Mad-Eye casts with the unregistered wand, is it detectable by the charm on his primary wand?" Bill asked.

Hestia pinched her lips and shook her head. "I don't know."

"What if you use someone else's wand?" Hermione asked. "Does it register the difference?"

When Hestia was again uncertain, Minerva cleared her throat. "I think these are questions we need to answer before the Ministry falls any further into Riddle's control. Hestia, what would it take to get you into the monitoring office? Preferably on nightshift?"

A sly grin spread across Hestia's face. "About five days. I had to request a transfer and start training for that position in order to bring you what I have. Once my supervised training is complete, they'll stick me on nightshift until a day position opens up."

"Good. We have some time to figure out everything we need to test." The Headmistress inhaled deeply. "If we do need unregistered wands, how do we procure them without drawing attention to ourselves?"

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

Stepping out of the Floo, Hermione let out a relieved breath at finding Snape alone in the Headmaster's quarters. Her relief quickly turned to irritation. "What are you doing?"

Severus raised an eyebrow as he scrubbed the kitchen counter. "What does it look like?"

The witch crossed her arms as she approached. "You had better be cleaning up after you've finished brewing and not doing so in preparation to brew."

He said nothing as he set a clean cauldron atop the heating element.

"Severus!"

The wizard rolled his eyes as he turned to open his potion kit on the small dining table.

"Minerva told us to get some rest."

"And yet here you are pestering me instead of doing just that."

Hermione covered his hand with hers, pressing his knife flat against the table. "You're going to be up all night."

He extracted his hand. "I will rest after I finish –"

"No, you won't," she argued. "You'll just start something else."

Heaving a sigh, Severus moved back toward his cauldron. "I need to finish whatever I can lest things not go to plan tonight."

Eyes narrowed, the girl wedged herself between him and the cabinet. "Severus, stop it. You're going to be fine. And if something unexpected does arise, you need to be sharp and alert to make sure things come out alright. You need to rest."

His gaze wandered to the lengthy list of potions he had stuck to the post. "Well, I'm not tired, so the effort would be futile. My time would be better spent occupied."

Hermione hesitantly glanced at his beltline. In the back of her mind were the images the bond previously used to arouse her to the brink of madness. She could see herself unbuckling his belt, dropping to her knees, taking him into her mouth, reducing him to grunts and moans as Lavender had done to Ron.

Yet her hands stalled in their approach toward his buckle. Instead, they redirected to his chest, smoothing over the warm linen of his shirt.

Snape's attention lazily drifted down to her hands. "And what do you think you're doing?"

"What does it look like?" she feigned confidence while undoing the first of his buttons.

"Here I thought you were supposed to be resting."

Hermione slowly tugged his shirttails from his trousers and pushed open his shirt.

Severus leaned against her to whisper into her ear. "This isn't resting."

"It isn't." The witch slid her hands over his exposed abdomen. "But if your time would be better spent occupied, we can rest after we finish occupying it."

"Oh, can we?" His fingers ghosted along her sides.

"Mmm." She stretched up to meet his lips.

Inhaling sharply, Severus responded to her kiss by pressing her into the cabinet. When he finally realized the awkward angle of her neck, he lifted her onto the counter and stepped between her parted knees to resume their exchange.

As she grew uncomfortably warm, Hermione grappled with the hem of her jumper. Taking the hint, the wizard wrenched it and her camisole over her head and hastily cast them aside before reclaiming her mouth.

"Severus?" Her eyes were closed as he suckled at her neck and unfastened her bra. "If Minerva comes to check on you again…"

With a low growl, he swept her off the counter. Upon being placed on her feet, Hermione staggered into him but steadied herself after another brief kiss. She took his hand before he could change his mind and led him through the sitting room. Heart pounding, she clutched her undone bra to her chest with her free hand and tried not to trip up the carpeted steps.

Severus warily glanced at the fireplace before following her into the bedroom. His ardor suddenly cooled, however, when his eyes fell upon his mark scarred over her spine.

His hand tensed on the door handle, but he tried to swallow his guilt as he caught her bashful smile. His feelings were his burden; he would not let them ruin things for her. Locking the door, he expelled a breath, stripped out of his shirt, and joined her on the bed.

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

"You are familiar, then, with what we intend to do?" Minerva leaned atop her broom.

Severus exhaled loudly. "Why am I being Side-Alonged by Granger?"

"Because you cannot Apparate –"

"I know that," he clarified. "But why Granger?"

Hermione glared at the back of his head.

Minerva eyed him as though he were particularly slow. "Her wand is unregistered. Unless you would like to cuddle up with Alastor? He's just upstairs, you know."

The wizard growled under his breath.

"When Hermione and I attempted this task the other night, nothing appeared on the register when she completed the jumps." The Headmistress straightened. "She's very competent, Severus. You trained her well."

Hermione rolled her eyes and leaned against the tunnel wall.

"I know that, also!" Severus snapped.

Recognition dawned on Minerva's face. "You're concerned it may actually trigger your Trace?"

He dipped his head.

"That's why you both have brooms, Severus. Apparate, then flee by broom immediately. Hermione and I have practiced this. She knows what she's doing, and I trust you are capable of following her lead."

Severus slowly swung his gaze to where Hermione stood.

"What?" she queried. "Have you finally remembered I am, in fact, here?"

"You're comfortable on the broom?"

Hermione kicked off the wall. "No, but I'll do what I must."

Minerva smirked. "I'll see you both at the rendezvous point."

As the Headmistress disapparated, Hermione buttoned her coat, then flexed her hand on the broomstick. "Ready?"

Arching his brow, Severus collected his own broom and stepped toward her. "Granger…"

Her eyes flashed to his, and he could see the hard edge within them.

"It wasn't a criticism."

Hermione sighed but extended her arm. When he linked his arm with hers, she visualized a specific copse of trees and, within seconds, they lurched into the darkened landscape. She took a moment to gain her bearings, then cleared her throat. "Bleeding?"

"No." He withdrew his arm and mounted his broom. "Let's get a move on."

With a huff, Hermione pushed off on her broom, ascending quickly to skim over the treetops. Severus settled in behind her, periodically glancing over his shoulder to check for pursuers. His anxiety calmed after several miles, at which point his scrutiny shifted to the silent witch beside him. Her broom handling was still stiff yet a vast improvement over where she had been months prior.

Distracted, the wizard had to take a wider loop when Hermione veered to her right, then dropped toward a meandering stream. They followed it for some distance until the girl glided down to a somewhat bumpy stop. Severus landed gracefully beside her.

Feeling his gaze on her, the witch glanced at him. "What?"

Snape paused. "You should loosen your hold on the broom. You'll tire faster when tense."

"I'll keep that in mind." Hermione tightened her grip on the broom handle, then picked her way up the steep embankment.

The man muttered beneath his breath as he followed her to where Minerva stood beneath a sizeable evergreen.

"Everything alright?"

Hermione forced a smile. "No problems."

Minerva glanced knowingly between the pair of them, then stepped forward and held out her hand. "Alright, Severus – here comes the real test."

Severus gave a suffering sigh as he produced his wand.

"It won't bite?" the elder witch questioned.

"I dismantled the anti-theft jinxes," he confirmed.

"Considerate of you." Minerva exchanged her wand for his, then straightened the collar of her cloak. "Hermione, you'll return to the tunnel straightaway."

"But…" Hermione glanced at Severus.

"We cannot be certain he will not trigger the tracking charm even without his wand. We've risked your safety enough this evening."

Though the young witch grumbled, Severus appreciatively relaxed his shoulders.

"You'll head west a ways from here, Severus, then Apparate into the Shrieking Shack. I will meet you there."

The wizard studied the fir wand in his hand. "Don't dither about. If we're right, the Dark Lord will soon know of my escapade and demand an explanation. I'll need my wand back before he summons."

Hermione grimaced at the ground, while Minerva nodded in understanding. "Bill is waiting for me near Hereford. I only need to travel a short distance by broom before we portkey to his safehouse. From there, I will Apparate onto school grounds and use the tunnel into the shack. I will delay nary a second."

After he nodded, the two professors turned to stare pointedly at Hermione, who quietly huffed. She knew they were working on limited time, but she hated the thought of waiting from the security of the castle while the two of them were risking their safety. The girl leaned her broom against a tree and stepped forward to hug Snape, who begrudgingly allowed it, and then McGonagall, who returned her embrace with a tight squeeze.

"I'll see you shortly."

Hermione gave a quick nod before collecting her broom. With another quiet goodbye, she pictured the tunnel beneath the Black Lake and appeared there a nauseating second later. She shivered as she passed through the wards and tried not to feel unnerved by the inky silence of her surroundings.

It would be some time before either of them returned, and she doubted they would return via the tunnel. She could wait in the Headmaster's quarters, but who was to say if Severus would even come back before he responded to his summons. If something happened to him and her last interactions with him were terse…

"Damn it." She slapped her hand on the wall. After a moment's indecision, she stepped back across the wards.

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

Appearing in the Shrieking Shack, Severus peered through the gaps in one of the boarded-up windows. Breathing slowly, he rolled the unfamiliar wand in his hand to find a more comfortable grip.

Wood creaked behind him, and he whirled about with a litany of defensive spells on his tongue. "Damnit, Granger!"

Hermione halted on the narrow staircase.

"This is not where you are supposed to be!"

"I went to the tunnel. And then I came here."

"Why?!" Severus hastily glanced through the boards to ascertain there were no Aurors arriving outside.

Hermione descended another step. "Because I wanted to make sure you were alright."

He flicked his eyes to her as he paced to another window. "I would be better if you were in the bloody castle."

"I wasn't certain when you would return to the castle."

"What god forsaken difference does that make?" he snarled.

"Because I wanted to know you were in one piece before the Dark Lord calls! If he calls."

Snape cast an annoyed glance over his shoulder. "He will call."

The witch folded her arms. "All the more reason, then."

After another cautious look out into the darkness, Severus turned to face her. "He will call because my apparating will bring the Aurors scrambling after me and place his plans in jeopardy. They could be here any second, which is why you shouldn't be here."

"They're going to go where your wand registered an apparition. Hundreds of miles away from here."

"We don't know that, Hermione! The entire purpose of this venture was to test that hypothesis." He shook his head in frustration. "Regardless, Minerva has my wand. If they can track it for any time period after the alarm triggered, it will lead them here."

"The portkey Bill has is unregistered, and Shell Cottage is now Unplottable. Minerva will be apparating from one Unplottable location to another. The trail will go cold in Hereford."

"Taken up Divination, have you?"

"It's the likeliest scenario."

"It's the optimistic scenario," he growled. "And how often has that held true for us, hmm?"

"Then I'd say we're due for some good fortune."

Severus snorted wearily. "You've seen me, Granger, so…"

"If you want me to return to the castle, then command me to do so!" She regretted her comment as soon as the color stole from his face.

"Goddamn it," he whispered, returning to the window.

You came here to improve things, not make them worse. Arms falling to her sides, Hermione slowly approached him. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't."

She briefly closed her eyes, then touched his arm. "Severus, I am sorry. I just didn't want to argue about this."

He shrugged his shoulder. "Fine."

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It isn't as though it isn't undeserved," he muttered.

Stomach twisting, Hermione tugged on his elbow until he faced her. "Severus, I care about you. That's why I'm here… because I care about you. If something does happen, I don't want to have spent our last moments together quarreling. Things were alright between us this morning, so I don't understand what happened."

Severus released a breath. "It's nothing to do with you."

"You're worried?" Hermione stepped into his chest as he grunted. "I understand. I'm worried, too… but I have to believe everything is going to be alright."

When he said nothing in response, she raised her chin to look up at him. "What are you going to tell the Dark Lord?"

Snape grimaced. "That I met you, then apparated to draw attention elsewhere to prevent anyone noticing your movements."

"You met me here?"

"Which is why you shouldn't be here. If anyone witnessed you near here…"

"No. I apparated from the tunnel. Hestia's already confirmed my wand doesn't register anything. Professor McGonagall can Side-Along me into the Head Office." She slid her hands over his torso. "You're planning to show him false memories?"

"Yes."

"Could you use something to work with?"

His eyes narrowed. "What?"

Hermione stepped back with a nervous grin. "Give me a moment and then come upstairs."

"Granger, we are not –"

"Not that," she reassured him from the staircase. "You should have plenty of those memories to work with. But perhaps a bit of context?"

"That's why I'm… here," Severus sputtered as she hurried up to the second floor. Groaning, he rubbed his face and completed another perimeter check. There was no sign of disturbance, but it did nothing to dispel the knots forming in his intestines.

As he slowly mounted the staircase, he acknowledged his heightened anxiety could be entirely explained by the shit-stack surrounding him. It had never ended well for him whenever he was in the decrepit building. Granted, Black was thankfully dead, and the next full moon was a fortnight away.

Taking a deep breath, Snape gently pushed open the bedroom door. Hermione stood behind the tattered armchair with her wand trained on him. At his raised eyebrow, a grin spread across her face, and her wand fell away.

"Severus!" she gasped, rushing forward. The wizard braced himself for impact before she threw her arms around him and buried her face in his cloak. "Gods, I've missed you."

"Do you make a habit of throwing yourself at wizards without verifying their identity?"

Hermione raised her head to nuzzle against his neck. "My mark recognizes you. What other verification do I need?"

"Granger," he grumbled, catching hold of her hand after it slipped beneath his cloak to undo the buttons of his frock coat.

"Severus," she whined. "It's been weeks! I need you. Please?"

Swallowing in discomfort, Severus placed his hands on her hips and detached her from his person. "Granger!"

Hermione huffed and turned away, covering her face. "I'm sorry, sir. I just… its burning."

"I will see to it in a moment. What do you have to tell me?"

The witch lowered her hands and leaned against a bedpost. "They've sent all of the students home, but McGonagall is allowing me to stay for now. I'm to continue training with Madam Pomfrey and to, erm, replace all of the potions in the stockroom."

"They believe I would waste my time and energy poisoning magical children?"

"Something to that effect."

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Enough. That's enough."

Hermione tilted her head. "What about my progress with Harry?"

"We already had that discussion in person."

"Right." She fiddled with the edges of her coat. "How soon do you think Minerva will be here?"

"Any moment, hopefully." He took a few steps closer. "What did you mean when you said your mark recognizes me?"

"Oh."

"Or was that just embellishment?"

"No. Well, to some extent, yes." Hermione rubbed the back of her neck. "If it's been too long…"

"It starts to burn."

"When you're near, though, it… I don't know, throbs, I guess? I don't know how to explain it. It feels different." Hermione grimaced when she saw the horror in his eyes. "It's not a bad feeling. It doesn't make it worse, at any rate."

Severus studied the warped floorboards. "It doesn't react like that usually?"

"No. Except…" She blushed when his eyes snapped to hers. "When your hand gets close to it, it… tickles a bit."

"It tickles?"

The witch grinned nervously. "Yes."

"Gods." He glared at the ceiling, then strolled toward the half-covered window.

Hermione watched him for a moment before observing all the broken furniture. "Do you want me to repair something for you to sit on?"

"No."

"It may be a while before the Dark Lord calls."

Severus shook his head. "Unlikely."

"I could clean the mattress. I don't think a Reparo could fix the bedframe."

"No, thank you." He cleared his throat. "I'm not sure my back has fully recovered from the last time you got me into that bed."

"What?" Hermione's eyes widened as she recalled his unconscious body careening into the four-poster. "Oh, gods. I'd forgotten about that. I'm sor—"

Her apology and his smirk died away as the sound of footsteps drifted up the stairs. Before she could even blink, Severus was at the bedroom door, wand in hand.

Minerva appeared at the bottom of the steps. "I'm going to have that fecking tree pruned as soon as I get a chance!"

The wizard snorted, relaxing when he caught sight of his wand. He gestured to Hermione before descending to the main floor.

"Take this back, would you?" She held out his wand to him. "The damn thing's exhausting. It's as precise and demanding as you are."

Upon reclaiming his wand, Severus felt some of his anxiety slip away.

"Much better," Minerva agreed before her attention was drawn again to the top of the stairs. "Hermione, why are you here?"

"It's that Gryffindor sense of hearing," Snape commented.

The Headmistress slapped his arm as she stepped around him to meet Hermione.

"I wanted to be sure you both made it here safely. I couldn't stand waiting alone in the castle."

"The two of you need to go. If the tracking spell reactivated once you left the school wards, the Aurors could be here momentarily."

"Alright, alright," Minerva nodded, taking hold of Hermione's arm. "Do not risk any more of his wrath than you have to, Severus. We'll see you upon your return."

"I advise against waiting up," he murmured. "The Dark Lord's lecture may be of some duration."

With a frown, Hermione embraced him despite his look of irritation. "Come back, alright?"

"I will do what I can." Severus solemnly watched the pair of witches disappear into the tunnel, then returned upstairs to the bedroom, where he claimed a dark corner in which to wait. Closing his eyes, he focused on building a believable set of memories until the sharp pain flared through his arm.

Knowing what was likely to befall him on his arrival, Snape shook the tension from his muscles before finally pressing the tip of his wand into his Dark Mark.

Fire rushed through his nerve endings as a Cruciatus welcomed him to Malfoy Manor. When it retreated, he sank onto his knees and panted, "Apologies, my lord."

"Severus, my rebellious boy." Voldemort oozed out of his throne. "Whatever were you doing out of bed in the West Midlands?"

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

Groaning, Hermione placed her arm over her eyes to block the light from the window. When it dawned on her what the light signified, however, she startled awake. She had only planned to close her eyes for a moment while waiting for Severus, yet it seemed she had fallen asleep for several hours.

"Oh!" Propping herself up on her elbow, the witch found the rest of the bed was empty and the covers were undisturbed. Of course, Severus may not have known she was waiting for him in the Headmaster's chambers since he tended to avoid the bedroom when on his own.

Rubbing sleep from her eyes, Hermione stumbled to the bedroom door and took great care to not trip down the steps into the sitting room. She paused, however, upon seeing the sofa was indeed occupied – not by Severus, but by Minerva and Crookshanks, who were both snoring.

A cursory glance of the quarters yielded no sign of Snape's return, so the girl retreated into the bathroom. She checked the time before stepping into the shower. It had been almost six hours since they had left him in the Shrieking Shack. He had a portkey to bring him back to the escape tunnel, but it was possible he had gone back to the cabin or was still at Malfoy Manor. Even under the hot spray, Hermione shivered at the thought of him being punished by the Dark Lord.

There had been no way around it. They needed to know the extent and limitations of the tracking charms. She just hoped the Dark Lord had been in a forgiving mood.

After toweling dry and re-donning her pajamas, Hermione leaned against the marble vanity and debated sending a mental Patronus. It was tempting to check on him, but she did not want to disturb him if he were sleeping or, gods forbid, still with Voldemort. Deciding against it, she left the restroom to find Minerva blinking groggily at her from the sofa.

"He hasn't returned yet?" When Hermione shook her head, the elder witch sighed and held out a hand. "Come."

The girl glumly claimed the seat beside her. "I don't want to bother him if…"

"Of course. He'll contact you when he's ready, I'm sure." Minerva slipped her arm around the girl's shoulder and settled into the corner of the sofa. "He'll be alright, you'll see."

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

Head pounding and body aching, Severus awoke with a slow groan. With great effort, he lifted his head from the goose down pillow to see an assortment of potions occupied the bedside table. Eyes narrowed, he pulled himself across the silken sheets to examine the vials. He determined the first three contained a headache remover, a pain reliever, and an invigoration draft, but the fourth gave him pause. Unscrewing the cap, he gently swirled the contents and allowed the scent to waft toward him.

The wizard promptly sneezed at the pungent floral aroma.

"Narcissa." Smirking, he recapped the perfume and set it aside, knowing the witch had included it to assure him of the potions' source. He downed the first two potions but elected to skip the invigoration draft for the time being.

Severus stumbled into the attached lavatory. By the time he finished relieving himself, a house elf had drawn him a bath. Sinking into the warm water, he audibly moaned as the potioned water worked at the tension in his muscles. After the late-night flying sessions and thrashing about on the hardwood floor, he felt far older than his 37 years.

The wizard stretched out in the oversized tub and closed his eyes. When he finally reopened them, he realized he had dozed off for some unknown stretch of time. Regardless of what the Dark Lord expected, he knew he could not afford to piss the day away, so he begrudgingly hauled himself out of the tub.

Once he finished dressing in his freshly laundered robes, a note fluttered out of his pocket. He perched on the edge of the bed and, under the guise of donning his boots, unfurled the missive.

The walls may have unfriendly ears but no eyes.

Severus abandoned the charade with his boot and sat upright.

Yaxley arrived just past 2 to alert Him to your alarm. Y claimed it wouldn't have been an issue had Werner(?) been on top of things, but he was confident their man on the task force will quiet things soon enough. No names mentioned.

I have no right to ask this of you, but I haven't seen my son since they took him away. They're watching him, so the elves can only deliver him food and ensure that he lives. Perhaps He would permit you a visit? I understand if you think it too great a risk.

As the missive disappeared in a puff of smoke, Severus flopped back on the bed and covered his face. It was undeniably risky to make a request of the Dark Lord so soon after upsetting him. That said, trusting Draco to successfully deceive the Dark Lord and his Mark after many weeks locked away in the dungeons was perhaps the greater risk.

Un-silencing the bond's connection, the wizard was simultaneously relieved that Hermione was awake and disconcerted to find her agonizing over his absence. 'Hermione –'

'Severus, thank god!'

'—there are better uses of your time than fretting about me.'

'You never came back! What am I supposed to do?'

Snape closed his eyes against the light. 'The Dark Lord demanded I remain at the Manor for a few days until the fervor dies down.'

'But you'll miss the Council meeting.'

He huffed a sigh, having forgotten the afternoon meeting. 'I can hardly claim to be disappointed.'

'Of course not. They're hardly civil to you. It irritates me to have to sit there and listen to it.'

Severus glared at the ceiling as her thoughts continued to vent her frustration with certain individuals. 'Hermione, my head is pained enough without – '

'Oh gods! Are you alright? How angry was he with you?'

'I'm fine, Hermione.' He rolled his eyes. 'It was fairly lenient as far as his punishments go.'

'Fairly lenient. As in it didn't nearly kill you this time.' When he said nothing in response, her thoughts continued. 'How many times did he use the Cruciatus?'

He crossed his arms. 'Just enough to note his displeasure at being hauled out of bed. His mood lightened after hearing your news, that the Order is fractured.'

'How are you feeling? Do you have potions?'

'I'm fine. Narcissa has the elves catering to my every whim.'

Relief laced her thoughts. 'I'm glad she's looking after you.'

'It comes with a price, of course. She's requested I check on her son.'

'Is that even something you can do? I can't even imagine what Draco must be feeling.'

'If the Dark Lord believes it his idea.' Severus struggled to sit upright and reached for his boot again. 'On that note, the Dark Lord no doubt expects I attend luncheon. I need you to pass information to Minerva.'

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

"Where's the fugitive?"

"Mad," Tonks cautioned, while Hermione stiffened in her seat.

Minerva folded her arms. "Severus is unable to join us this afternoon. After last night, Riddle has demanded he remain at Malfoy Manor until things cool down."

"Just how long does he intend to sit this out?"

"Severus is hardly sitting anything out," the Headmistress chided. "He's in a unique position to gather intelligence. The potential identity of the mole in Monitoring, for instance."

As several members perked up in their seats, Moody looked skeptical. "What, did he send it via owl?"

Hermione picked at her jeans, while Minerva rolled her eyes. "House-elf, actually. I have a former Malfoy elf in my employ, who is still able to enter the manor undetected."

"Who is the mole?" Hestia cut off further commentary from the ex-Auror.

"Someone named Werner was blamed for letting things go too far after the alert was triggered."

Hestia looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Warner. Sigurd Warner. He handled most of my training and just volunteered himself to supervise the night shift."

"Well, if that isn't confirmation of Snape's intel, I don't know what is," Kingsley declared.

"Is he willingly in their service, do you think?" Bill asked. "Or Imperiused? Blackmailed?"

Hestia shook her head. "I don't think it likely he's under an Imperius, but I cannot speak to his motivations. At least not regarding this."

"Meaning?"

The dark-haired witch squared her shoulders. "Meaning my work isn't the only thing he'd like to observe."

While Hermione glared at Fred for snorting, Kingsley piped up. "We could press that to our advantage."

"If you could get close to him, Hestia, we might gain more insight –"

"Yes, Remus, I think we all understood what Kings meant," Tonks sharply intoned.

"You don't think it will work?" Kingsley asked.

Tonks flicked her eyes to Hestia before crossing her arms. "I'm almost certain it will work."

Bill frowned. "But?"

When the young Auror shook her head, Moody growled, "Out with it, witch."

Having been wearily waved on by Minerva, Tonks cleared her throat. "I just find it interesting that two weeks ago the penis gallery was all a dither about Hermione possibly seducing someone on our behalf but now are full mast over the thought of Hestia doing the same."

McGonagall managed to swallow her laugh before it became audible, though Poppy audibly snorted. Between the snickering twins, Hermione nervously glanced at Hestia, who met her with a sympathetic half-smile.

"That's not –"

"It's completely different!"

"Dora, that's not fair," Remus mumbled.

"She's a grown woman," Moody pointed at Hestia, before swinging his finger toward Hermione, "while she is yet a child!"

"Hermione is of a majority and a spot more mature than half of this room," Tonks argued.

Relieved that Severus was at least not present to witness this unfold, Hermione sank back against the sofa.

"That aside, we are only after information, not attempting to bring Werner onto our side," Kingsley added.

"Either way," Minerva spoke forcefully, "it will be dangerous. As such, Hestia, this is entirely your decision to make. You're in a precarious enough position as it stands, and I do not expect you to take any greater risk."

Hestia dipped her head. "Thank you, Minerva, but I am willing to take that risk. I will put myself further forward and see what I can learn."

"Alright. If you change your mind at any point, you have our support." The Headmistress turned her head to the Aurors, who were silently glaring at each other. "If the three of you could see through your difficulties long enough to sort out your own mole, I would much appreciate it."

"We've been looking into it, but the trail is cold," Kingsley sighed.

"According to Severus, Yaxley claimed a man on the task force would ensure the heat died down relatively quickly."

"Of course, the mole's on the task force," Tonks snarled, then shot a warning glance about the room. "I'm not seducing any of those assholes."