I Will Remember You

I Will Remember You

by elvenprincess

Disclaimer: see prologue

Chapter 10

Today was Hermione's last day of lessons with Severus before term started. She took a quick shower and hurried to get dressed. She had already packed her satchel, it was very heavy but she wanted to get as much done today as possible. She still didn't know what she was going to say to Harry and Ron when they arrived tomorrow, but she hoped the words would come when they were needed. She put on Muggle clothes, as Severus had permitted her to wear them as it was still summer. She put on a plum peasant top with a pair of faded bluejeans that were about 2 sizes too small. She grabbed her bag after a quick spell to fix her hair, and began her run from Gryffindor tower to the dungeons. She was at the entrance to the stairs when she suddenly hit the floor. She was still conscious, but could barely breathe. She sat on the cold stone floor, her only thoughts of how angry Severus would be for her lateness.

Hermione was late, and Severus was worried. Normally, his first reaction would have been anger as it was when other students wasted his time, but Hermione was special. Over the past few weeks, he had come to really care for her. Her intellect frequently astounded him, as it was equal to his own, as did her ability to keep a posative outlook on life, despite her current situation. He, unbeknownst to the rest of the castle, save Albus, was working on curative potion for her. He was finding that the idea of losing her was too much for him. ~I don't understand anything anymore. She was just a know-it-all Gryffindor, and not in the father-daughter way that most people, including myself, would expect, but something deeper...almost...romantic. Merlin's beard, she is my student! After all these years serving the lightto attone for my deeds as a Deaterater, I have finally found someone that has made me love again and has made my happy. The beast has finally learned to love, and Fate stabs me in the back one last time by having me lose my heart to a dying student. I best go look for her.~

Severus made his way up the dungeon stairs to find a limp Hermione laying at the top of the stairs. Her chest was rising and falling, so he knew she was breathing. He lifted her tiny frame into his strong arms and started off to the Hospital Wing. Suddenly, Hermione's long lashed fluttered open and she looked at him. A bog smile appeared on her face and he stopped walking. "Please..." "Shh, Don't talk. I am taking you up to y." y." "No...don't" "Hermione, you obviously need some sort of medical attention." "I just lost my breath for a few moments. I'll be alright." "Then I will take you up to Gryffindor tower so you can rest. You may be excused for the day." "No...please." "Hermione, where would you like me to take you?" "Can't I just rest on your couch like last time? Please?! I just want to stay with you." Severus thought it was surely her exhaustion talking, but as he looked at her pale, innocent face, framed by her playfully bouncy curls, he knew he could not deny her. He turned around and took her back down to the dungeons and into his quarters, yet he walked right past the couch and headed into another room. Hermione guessed that this was his bedroom. She was too tired to care at this point. "Lumos." He spoke one word, and all the candles in the room were brought to life. She looked around and saw that this room was much more fitting of the Head of Slytherin. The room was done in black and green, with hints of silver throughout. The bed was a four post canopy bed with green silk hangings. He whispered a word that parted them and turned down the black duvet, satin that was embroidered with silver snakes, and tucked her into the green satin sheets. She fell asleep within moments , and he put a ward on the room that would alert him if she needed anything and he set off for the Headmaster's office.

"Headmaster, Hermione had some sort of episode. I found her on the floor at the top of the dungeon stairs. She said she was running with her heavy satchel and she got winded and collapsed. She is resting now." "Yes, in your quarters if I am not mistaken." "Does nothing escape you, Albus?" The wisend Headmaster grew somewhat solemn. "Yes, my boy, I do miss somethings. The mistakes I have made have cost too much to too many people..." "Albus, will you ever stop blaming yourself?" "Will you?" "Albus, there was NOTHING that you could have done. It was my own pride, greed and ambition that led me to them." "Severus, we both know it was your need to belong. Perhaps that is why you are so drawn to Hermione. She is much as you were, so remarkable that she doesn't really fit in anywhere. Except with you." "Albus, she is 16 and my student. Even if I do care for her as you are suggesting, which I am not admitting to, it could never work." "She is 17 and therefore of legal age in our world. She had a time-turner in her 3rd year and it aged her by a full year. She is biologically 17, and is 17 on the Ministry records." Severus was floored. Albus was practically giving him the green light for a teacher-student relationship. "You can't be serious, Albus! She is still my student!" "Merlin's sake, Severus, You both deserve a little happiness in your lives. She makes you happy, as you do for her." "She is DYING! I cannot bear the heartbreak again Albus." "If anyone can save her, it is you. Now you have the motivation." "I suppose you are right. You always are. But what are we going to do? She can't keep tiring herself out like today or she is going to get sick faster." "How right you are, Severus. Perhaps a room in the dungeons near yours, with an open floo. I don't want her walking the halls in the Serpent's Den alone. That way she can floo where she wants to go. I will keep it one way, she can decide who comes in the room other than her so that she will be safe. does this sound like an acceptable arangement to you?" "Yes, I will go tell her. She should be waking up soon." "Excellent. The house-elves will have her things moved in before dinner."

Sure enough, as Severus was making his way back to the dungeons, Hermione was waking up. She was not completely sure where she was at first, but she recognized HIS smell and knew that she was safe. She cleared the cobwebs from her head and noticed that she was not on the couch as last time, but in a four poster bed. She remembered what happend, that she had a dizzy spell and he had found her. She racalled her declaration of feelings and knew she had to explain. She rose from the bed and slid off the edge, her feet not touching the ground from where she sat. She slipped on her shoes, wanting to avoid the chill of the stone floors and made her way to the sitting room to find him.

Severus walked into his chambers to find Hermione sitting on the couch in front opurppurple fire. He stared at her, his ginger haired goddess sitting on his couch. He stared for what seamed like an eternity until Hermione broke the silence. "Like Albus, I love purple. It took me three weefterfter learning the Bluebell flames spell to figure out how to conjure it without a wand and to turn it purple. But I finally figured it out. I thought it would match the room better then harsh orange. So...is the Headmaster going to send me to the Terminal ward at St. Mungo's?" "No, but you are to be given new quarters here in the dungeons, so that you will not have to carry such heavy books to and from our lessons. Your floo will be open so that you can come and go as youase.ase. You will have to set the permissions for who may come through to your quarters." "Where are these rooms? Certainly not in the Slytherin dorms?!" "No they are the quarters next to mine, there are no outside doors. The only way in is by Floo. You will be safe, I swear it by my life." "Thank you...I wanted to talk to you about what I said wyou you found me." "No explination is necessary." Severus' heart plumeted. He knew she hadn't meant it, but he got his hopes up after his conversation with Albus. "You were ill, and grateful for being found. I understand." "No, you don't. I was grateful, but I meant every word. I feel safe when I am with you. Over the past few weeks, I have finally found someone who rspects me for my intelligence, and doesn't chide me for it or try to exploit it. And you have let some of your walls down. Underneath the exterior of the cold potions master is a man who is very sensetive, who unknowingly wears his heart on the sleeves of his billowing robes. A man who can smile and laugh, as well as feel sorrow and regret. You are just a man. A good man." "Hermione, I am your teacher! I am old enough to be your father! I was a DeathEater. I have taken part in the torture and death of countless girls just like you. You cannot mean what you say!" "Dammit, Severus, I love you!"

Okay. Chapters 11 and 12 are short and 13 is not much longer. I doubt I will get up more that that today. but you gotta admit getting up 6 chapters in one day is pretty good, right? Please don't kill me or hex me...