Chapters 211-220

Goodbyes

Hermione staggered from the bed. Her knees were so weak she could barely walk. She wobbled dangerously and had to grab for the door frame to keep herself upright.

‘Merlin, Severus—you’ve shagged my legs out from underneath me!’

Laughter bubbled up inside her. She willed her muscles to cooperate and glanced back at the bed. Severus was watching her with an undeniably smug, self-satisfied smile. Hermione beamed at him, then she tottered into the bathroom.

The hot shower helped to get her legs back under control. Unfortunately it also brought back thoughts of what lay ahead that day. For Severus and Harry, the Department of Mysteries and the Death Chamber. The Veil. The Curse. Death.

And for herself…another chilly picnic at the White Horse of Uffington. This time with a full guard of Aurors, just in case. Disillusioned so they wouldn’t raise any suspicion. Not that anyone was likely to notice them at the White Horse late on a January evening. That was not exactly the time of the year or the time of day for a visit there.

Of course that strange Muggle priest had found her in the middle of London, in a crowded bookshop. If he had—if it wasn’t all just stupid coincidence.

Standing under the hot spray of the shower, Hermione experienced a strange reluctance to turn off the water and step out of the tub to face the day and all that lay ahead.

‘But we did it,’ she muttered to herself, as she carefully washed herself and smiled at the sore feeling between her legs. ‘We made the potion, we did the spell, and if it wasn’t even better than last time, my name’s Argus Filch.’

As she lathered her breasts she remembered how Severus’ hands had felt on them, cupping them gently, squeezing them almost reverently.

We made some beautiful new memories last night, she thought.

When she left the bathroom at last, she was feeling confident once more and smiled almost cheerfully at Severus before turning to their armoire to pick out what to wear underneath her Apprentice robes that day.

oooOooo

Later Hermione couldn’t say how the day passed. In a blur of faces and classes and lunch. She was dimly aware of how lucky she was that her students were kind enough not to exploit her distraction. But she never stopped to wonder if they knew something or if they were just worried to see her so pale and obviously anxious when she thought they weren’t looking.

oooOooo

‘Are you sure you want to accompany us again, Lois?’ Ron asked. He’d stayed at Lois’ place for the night and now he was getting ready to leave for the shop and Diagon Alley. ‘I mean, look at last time. It was cold and damp and boring. Nothing happened at all. Just standing around in the rain for two hours. And this time there’ll be a full guard of Aurors, just in case.’

He winced under his girlfriend’s fierce motherly glare.

‘If there are all those Aurors there, Ron,’ Lois replied icily, ‘then there’s no reason for me to stay behind at all, is there? It’s completely safe.’

Then she grabbed his arms and pulled him close to her. ‘Alina will be there. I’m her mother. Of course I’m going, you moron.’

After a long moment Ron released a shuddering breath. Mothers were scary things, witches and Muggles alike.

‘I’m sorry, Lois,’ he mumbled. ‘Of course you’re going. I just—you know, I felt I should ask?’

She just raised her eyebrows at him.

He sighed. ‘I’ll be back in time to take you there.’

oooOooo

Ginny hugged Harry fiercely. She wouldn’t be at the White Horse at Uffington that Monday. The Holyhead Harpies had an open training and she’d wrangled one of her rare free days out of Rita Skeeter so she could participate. When it became clear that this arrangement would coincide with Harry’s second escapade into the Realm of Death, she had wanted to cancel. But he would hear nothing of it.

Finally she’d given in, though she wondered how well she’d be flying with that kind of a distraction. Or indeed, if she’d manage to stay on her broom at all.

‘It’ll be all over within two hours or so,’ Harry insisted. ‘There’s no need to cut your day short. It’s such a great opportunity for you. And I’m going to feel better if I know that you’re doing something useful and not sitting around, fretting about me. Hermione and Alina will be fine. Madame Dubois, Ron and Lois are going to be there and a dozen Aurors.’

Ginny sighed. ‘I know you’re right. But damn, sometimes I hate your job.’

Harry grinned. ‘Sometimes I hate it, too. Especially the paperwork.’

Ginny rolled her eyes. ‘Oh yeah. You actually like a day in the field, don’t you? The thrill of danger and all that. Like that Muggle agent, what’s his face? 700, 800 something?’

‘Said the witch who’s going to fly for the Harpies…’

‘Shut up and kiss me.’

Harry complied enthusiastically. But she was aware that he pretended not to see the tears pricking in the corners of her eyes. ‘Be as careful as possible, do you hear? I want you back in one piece. And—if anything happens—don’t forget—’

He held up his hands. The tattoos with the symbols of the four Houses of Hogwarts shone brightly in the dim bedroom of Grimmauld Place. ‘As if I ever could. Thank you, Ginny. I promise I’ll try. I’ll do my best.’

‘I know,’ she whispered. ‘You always do, you oaf.’

oooOooo

Hermione clung to Severus and wished she could say ‘Just come back to me’.

But she couldn’t. Not after Draco’s return as a ghost. She loved Severus too much to want him to come back as a ghost.

Thus their goodbye remained silent: a tight, intense embrace in the privacy of their chambers, concluded with a kiss that really didn’t need any words.