Of Days and Ends

A/N: Chapter 11 by popular demand!

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Chapter 11—Dueling



“Severus.”



Snape woke feeling distinctly sleepy, as though his eyes couldn’t quite open fully.



“Severus!”



He could hear the voice, but it didn’t register with his sluggish brain. A rather pleasant squirming beneath him made it to his consciousness and his penis began to harden.



“Severus Snape! Get off of me! I have to use the loo!”



Hermione! He leapt up off the bed and his young wife, staggering as his blood-deprived head felt as though it were spinning. He hit the mantle of the fireplace and fell. Hermione immediately ran to his side, “Are you okay?”



“Fine, fine… you?” He recognized a tone of grumpiness more than concern and mentally chastised himself.



“I feel like I got a bit of a workout.” She responded as she stood up and made her way to the transfigured couch. Snape noticed with a bit of very male pride that his semen and her blood began to dribble down the inside of her thigh and she had a distinctly stiff swing to her walk. Wrapping the blanket around her body like a toga, she left the library for the bathroom.



Snape sighed and pushed himself up from the floor, feeling very sore and worse… very old. He followed her lead and snatched the sheet up to cover himself with before following her across the house into his bathroom. She had finished with the toilet and was now squatting at the edge of the tub, swishing her fingers in the warm water. He stood at the door and watched her as she loosened the drape of cloth and slipped into the chest level water.



“When do you plan on joining me?” She questioned before dipping below the surface to wet her hair.



He went to the tub-side and looked down at her. Apparently, she had added some rose scent to the water, because the water was a pink cloudy colour and the room was filled with an intoxicating aroma. “You could hear me?” He dropped his sheet and lowered himself into the tub.



“I could… sense… you.” Her hand reached out for the bar of soap and passed it to him over her shoulder.



“Um-hmm…” Stroking up and down her arms with first the soap and then his hands, he found himself thinking back to the previous night. “What are you going to tell the Order? They are likely looking for you.”



“Hmm… yes.” She was still drained, sore, and she really wanted to bask in silence, but Snape made a good point that she needed to consider. “This is going to be a tough one.”



“The best lies are based in truth.” He rubbed the soap over the leg she had proffered to him against the side of the tub over his shoulder. She was amazingly flexible and the move put him in a perfect position to take her again in the tub, and though his cock twitched with need, he remained focused.



“Based in truth…” she pondered. “I could tell them I was looking for you.” He stared into her eyes until she continued, “I could easily say that I went out for a walk in the cul-de-sac when I thought I saw you go around the corner, and followed.”



“And then?”



“Then, I can say that you made your way to the hilltop to look down on Grimmauld Place, and I was too afraid to do anything except watch you until you left.” She turned away from him.



His eyes narrowed in thought, “That would get them wondering what I was doing up there and they might even forget that you were gone all night. If they don’t though, you will get in trouble.”



“It’s just temporary.”



“Hmm…” He ran his hands against her scalp in a deep massage and she moaned appreciatively. When the Dark Mark began to burn and Snape recoiled from her, she sighed and turned back to face him. She was going to miss him now that he had stopped acting like an insufferable git. She refrained, however, from saying so.



“Come home safe.”



“It won’t be long.”



“I don’t care nearly as much about long, only safe.” She reached up to kiss his lips gently.



He had never wanted to leave his home less, and tried to ignore the burn in his forearm as he brushed his lips against hers, “You too…” Then as if by an afterthought he added, “No matter what you hear or feel, do not leave safety to look for me. Understand?” Hermione didn’t answer at first, so he repeated with more emphasis, “No matter what you hear or feel! Understand?”



“I… what are you suggesting, Severus.”



“It could be nothing, but I don’t want you being reckless either. This is not just for this time, but in the future. You never know when I set something up without being able to tell you, and I refuse to have you putting yourself in danger. Promise me.”



“I promise.”



He stroked her cheek, leapt out of the tub, and disappeared into his bedroom. The pop that came a couple minutes later let her know that he had disapparated, she sighed, and followed suit. Her clothes were on the bed, and she reminisced as she dressed. They seemed to have grown so close so quickly and she couldn’t help but feel good about that. It had felt so good to trust him the way she had, and she couldn’t help but remember with a thrill of arousal that he did not disappoint her. Shaking her head, she reminded herself that he had also trusted her to remain objective. She could not become attached to him. He didn’t want it and it would be stupid and dangerous for her to allow it to happen. She sighed, wrestled all of her thoughts into place, and disapparated to the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. She was surprised to see Mrs. Weasley and McGonagall there waiting for her and put on her best face of urgency.



She finished telling her lie and was surprised to find neither woman looking as though they believed her. Hermione looked between the two women and said, “Look, I know I shouldn’t have been out without anyone knowing I was, but I just can’t stand to be here all the time. I get so cooped up and I wanted to see if an experiment of mine would work out.” It wasn’t working… “Can’t I get in trouble later, and talk to the order now?”



McGonagall sighed and removed two vials and her wand from her robes. Hermione looked wary and gripped her own wand at her waistband under the guise of placing her hands on her hips. Mrs. Weasley too drew her wand, though she held it loosely at her side. “Come with us, Hermione.” The two women led her to her own bedroom and shut the door behind them.



“What is this all about?” Hermione had drawn her wand, already wary about their behaviour.



McGonagall placed two vials on the vanity between them and pointed to the first, a thick cloudy translucent goop, “This is Polyjuice Potion antidote. We expect you to take it without fighting us, to prove that you are who you say you are.”



“I don’t understand. Why not just ask me a question only the real Hermione would know?”



“The Order of the Phoenix could not seem to think of something that we know about you that Snape doesn’t as well.”



“How about my wand core?”



“It’s a one in three chance of being correct, and besides, it’s the same as Snape’s.”



“What about a riddle, the riddle from our search for the Sorcerer’s Stone?”



“Even a stranger could figure out a riddle, especially Snape.”



“Why am I suspect?”



McGonagall waved her hand, “You’ve been acting uncharacteristically, and we want assurance that you can be trusted.”



Hermione surveyed the second vial and sniffed it, “Colorless, scentless, and I’m a suspect… veritaserum.”



“The Order thought that it would be best and safest for us all.”



Hermione decided to save her objections for later, and turned back to the antidote. “Who brewed this?”



“I did.” Mrs. Weasley said calmly.



Hermione surveyed the witch carefully before turning her attention back to the vial, “Have you ever brewed this potion before?”



“Yes, it’s standard Newt level potions and I’ve made it in class before.”



“Under Professor Slughorn?”



“Yes.”



Hermione tested her boundaries with the next question, “Did you get full credit for it?”



Mrs. Weasley took insult and snapped, “Hermione, that was years ago. Just take the potion!”



“I can’t.” She responded. Professor McGonagall raised her wand threateningly and Hermione quickly explained, “If I am not in Polyjuiced form, that potion will make me violently ill. Also, I don’t trust that it won’t be too strong and kill me. I suggest we just wait the hour out. I’ve been here for at least fifteen minutes already; it won’t be too much longer.”



McGonagall pressed her lips into her trademark thin line and passed the veritaserum to Hermione. “Take this. You have no choice.”



“I have a choice. Who brewed this?”



“It’s a leftover from Snape’s old storage here.”



“Okay. I still don’t want to take it.”



“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice my dear.” Mrs. Weasley raised her wand and McGonagall followed suit.



Hermione glanced in the vanity mirror to survey her surroundings before raising her wand against them. “I don’t want a fight, but you have no right to force potentially years-old-Veritaserum on me.”



McGonagall spoke gently, “Please, Miss Granger, we don’t want to have to do this, but we will if we must. I am going to give you until the count of 3. 1…”



“Headmistress, you don’t understand.”



“…2…”



“It’s very well known in potion’s circles that veritaserum ages badly!”



“…3!”



Hermione deflected each of their first curses easily understanding with some trepidation why each of these women were notorious among the Order for their hexes. McGonagall seemed to blast curses as though they were propelled from a cannon while Mrs. Weasley’s curses were not particularly strong though they seemed to fly through the air with deadly speed and accuracy, but Hermione had improved under the tutelage of Snape and she was holding her own quite well.



Her back hit the wall about ten curses in and she decided to drop the respectful defence and go on the offence a bit. She began to weave just as her husband taught her and ducked a curse Headmistress McGonagall sent before sending an “Expelliarmus!” quickly followed by an “Accio wand!”



Professor McGonagall lost her wand and Hermione was blown into the wall when she caught it by a curse from Mrs. Weasley. All the air was knocked from her lungs and she gasped for breathe and rolled to dodge another curse, firing off a stunning charm blindly behind her back. The door slammed open a few seconds later, just as Mrs. Weasley was hitting Hermione with a small barrage of curses against a rather strong protective spell. Hermione glanced at the door to find Harry, Ron, and Mad-Eye standing there with wide eyes as the matron descended upon Hermione.



Hermione stood and switched shields as Mrs. Weasley hesitated for air, causing her next blasting spell to ricochet into her instead. Ron rushed into the room and Hermione did the first thing that came to mind, binding him before he could reach his mother and revive her. Harry fired a spell at Hermione and Mad-Eye joined as well. She was becoming exhausted, but maintained her fight until Lupin and Tonks ran into the room looking a bit dishevelled, but otherwise ready to join in.



Despair overwhelmed her and she thought of Snape as she blasted forth a spell she had read about once, though never tried. Harry and Mad-Eye ducked as the shockwaves shook the house, but Tonks and Lupin were hit directly and crumpled to the floor.



Harry and Mad-Eye jumped up and descended on her together, but her new shield was quite strong against them. The air around her was getting hot and she screamed with the effort of holding it steady. Meeting Harry’s eyes she knew what he was going to do and broke the shield to stun him, but he was ready and Mad-Eye stunned her quickly.



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Snape strode up to the gates of Spinner’s End where the ivy had been allowed to grow over the iron and the grass between the cobbled stones. Malfoy Manor had been kept up, but no one bothered to tend Snape’s property. The respect was not as great for him as it was for Malfoy. After all everyone wanted his position at the right hand of the Dark Lord, and lacked all of the wit and skill it took to be there. There was a fear of him that he reinforced from time to time by subtly provoking the best wizards among them to duels and winning. This always put him in a position of punishment with the Dark Lord, which made the others think he was crazy. He never had problems with obedience with anyone, but Bellatrix these days.



Bellatrix was very, very close to the Dark Lord who often used her during revels if he was disappointed with the kidnapped women. She was also fiercely devoted and dangerous, and he loved to watch her duel. Severus on the other hand, hated her with a passion, and the emotion was returned with greater vehemence. Their relationship around the Death Eater camp was known to be vicious and no amount of beating her in duels and torturing her until the Dark Lord arrived would get her to show him any respect.



He sighed before knocking on the door to his own home. It irked him to do so, but the Dark Lord had claimed the house as a base and he was now at the service of the Death Eaters within.



“It’s about time,” Snape growled when a young Goyle opened the door, “Where are Crabbe and your father.”



Goyle nodded and gestured to his sitting room and Snape swept in with a flourish of his robes. There on a vast, pillow-strewn, throne-like chair reclined Lord Voldemort and he strode up to him with a carefully blank mind, averted eyes, and a routine bow at his master’s feet where he kissed the hem of the monster’s robes. Rising when The Dark Lord commanded, Severus said, “I am ready for the mission, my lord.”



The Dark Lord seemed not to hear him, “Why were you late?”



“I was in the shower when you summoned me, my lord.”



“You smell like a girl, Severus.” It was Crabbe senior and his son snickered.



“I smell like roses. The tap on the bath broke, so I had to use the rose scented water. Where is Lestrange?” He moved on quickly.



“She is already at the location and will be watching the women you bring back to protect their charms until you return.” Voldemort explained with a dismissive wave of his hand.



Severus, Crabbe, and Goyle nodded and turned to leave when Voldemort’s sibilant heavy voice called Snape back, “Severusss.”



Snape turned back towards his master with a posture of more confidence than he felt. “Yes, my lord?”



“Are Crabbe and Goyle sufficient for your needs, or will you require their sons as well?”



“I could do this task on my own better, but their sons will not help.”



Voldemort nodded in understanding as Snape continued on his way out. “Oh, and Severus… You haven’t seen Lucius have you?”



“No, Master, how long has he been missing?”



“It is no matter. Bring me a pert young redhead.”



“Yes, Master.” Severus turned and left his home without a backward glance, exiting the grounds and disapparating to the agreed upon location.



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A/N: You all know I love you, right? Chapter 12. FYI: chapter 12 is called “Awakening” Hopefully that tells you absolutely nothing! LOL!



Anyway, I’d like to say thank you to catysmom who is still our first place reviewer! Sslover has now solidly taken second place so congratulations! Sureves Epans and Sampdoria are tied for third! And last but most certainly not least, Perservero, Juno Magic, and CB13 are tied for fourth! Additionally, I’d like to thank Dragonsqueaks, Sandra, Jocy, Maria, and slytherin-princess. Wow… I’m gonna have to find a way to cut this part short. It’s starting to sound like an MTV music awards ceremony. Thanks anyway, everyone!