Hold Me Close

Leaving Hogwarts

When Hermione awoke, she knew she was in bed alone. Severus had promised he would leave, and she knew he would. She felt a bit unsettled to see him this way lately. Reckless, feeling, and jealous were not traits of the snaky potions master. War did things to people. Hermione supposed it was rather difficult to be in his position; to be forced to kill those you are in actuality allied with, and to watch them be tortured mercilessly.


Severus had been a spy for years, but not for long before Voldemort’s downfall. This was war, and no one from either side was truly safe. Hermione knew that Dumbledore’s death tore Severus up inside. She wondered if he was this broken and unshielded in front of anyone else. She knew he wasn’t. Voldemort would never tolerate weakness, and Severus was still alive. For all his snarkiness, and shielded demeanor, Severus was human too.


She imagined Voldemort had punished Severus greatly for completing Draco’s task. Voldemort was the sort of wizard who would torture his own mother if he had the chance. He’d probably have killed Merope himself, come to think of it. She was the reason the Dark Lord was half blood. Hermione felt certain Severus was the only Death Eater privy to that information. It chilled her how like the muggle dictator, Adolph Hitler, Voldemort truly was.


Hermione stretched, and rose from the bed. On the side table was a note. She recognized the privacy charm immediately. She placed her thumb over the faint mark on the parchment, and it opened, allowing her to read it.


H,

I know you are going to Godric’s Hollow today. Be cautious. There is most certainly a Horcrux there, of that I am certain. I have just learned that Voldemort sends Death Eaters there once every week to kill anyone they see. He will not tell them why, and no one is stupid enough to ask. I believe he has left this one with minimal securities, as a means to show he is so foreboding he does not need curses and traps to guard his soul. It may also explain why he has kept the ruins untouched since the night of his prior downfall. I do not know whether I will be among the guards, as Voldemort still sees fit to punish me for completing Draco’s task for him. This was my mother’s. I want you to have it.


S.


Hermione stared at the parchment, confused. What was his mother’s? Suddenly, something glittered on the desk. Upon closer examination, Hermione found a platinum ring with a brilliant emerald set into it. On either side of the Emerald a small “S” was carved into the band. Hermione felt a tingle in her belly. What did this mean? Did this mean he loved her? Of course he loves you, you bloody idiot. Why else would he give you such a valuable heirloom? Heirloom. Unless…did he mean for this to be for the baby? Hermione thought, looking at the parchment again. No, it would have said ’This is for our child,’ She resolved looking at the sparkling jewel in her hand.


How on earth was she supposed to wear this? Suddenly, an idea struck her. She placed the ring on her right ring finger and tapped it with her wand, whispering “Tego.” her hand looked bare, she touched her finger, and it felt as if it were a bare finger. She would lift the illusion when she was near Severus.


She showered and headed up to the Great Hall for breakfast, drinking a few drops of the morning sickness potion. She decided to add the vitamins to her porridge, as she did not want to take them on an empty stomach.


Minerva smiled at her, beckoning her over to the head table when she entered the room. She decided that was best, as Minerva was aware she was taking some vitamins.


“I wish you luck on your journey,” Minerva said, as Hermione spooned some of her vitamin enriched porridge into her mouth.


“Thank you very much, Minerva. We will be leaving this afternoon, but I am heading back to The Burrow first, so we can get everything we need in order.


“Just remember what all your years at Hogwarts has taught you Dear,” Minerva said. Hermione thought she saw the faint glisten of a tear.


Suddenly Ginny rushed over to the table.


“Mione, Mione, you have to come have breakfast with us!” She shrieked, practically jumping up and down. Hermione cast a sidelong glance at Minerva.


“Go with Ginny, Dear. I have taken up more than enough of your time,” the older woman smiled.


“Thank you, Minerva. I hope to see you again….sometime,” Hermione said, somewhat uncomfortably, as she knew this could very well be the last time she saw her mentor.


“Of course, Dear,” the elder witch replied, giving Hermione’s shoulder a squeeze.


Hermione picked up her bowl of porridge and followed Ginny to the Gryffindor table. She was not pleased to see Lavender sitting a few seats away, and only half listened as Ginny and her girlfriends idly gabbed.


“Can you be-lieve she is going out with him?” one of the girls said


“I know, it’s like hel-lo, where on Earth did that come from,” Ginny giggled along.


Suddenly the double doors opened and Pansy Parkinson came into the Great Hall. Her stomach was quite visibly round.


“Oh my gods, it’s like, the Slytherin Slut,” a brunette Hermione didn’t recognized said nastily.


“I cannot believe the didn’t expel her,” Ginny agreed. “It’s bad enough she didn’t use protection,” she whispered, leaning in so her friends could better hear her, “but I heard she doesn’t even know who the father is,” she finished with a cruel smirk.


“Anyone who would be stupid enough to get pregnant before they’re married belongs in Slytherin in my book,” said a girl with bouncy red curls.


Hermione felt her face go red.


“Are you ok, Mione?” Ginny asked, touching her arm.


“Uh, I am not feeling so well, I think I’ll just go and splash some water on my face,” Hermione replied, rising from the table. She walked as briskly as she could to the double doors, and then sprinted to the lavaratory. She vomited in the toilet, all her porridge and vitamins exiting her body in a torrent of shame.


“How am I going to do this?” She asked her reflection as she splashed some cool water on her face. Stilling herself, she headed for the bathroom door and nearly collided with Ginny.


“Mione, are you ok?” Ginny asked her, concern etched on her face.


“Yes, I am fine, sorry about that. I just got really hot all of a sudden,” Hermione said nervously, hoping her friend would just drop it.


“When are you leaving?”


“In a few moments actually. I was just coming along to say goodbye,” Hermione replied, looking at her friend earnestly.


“I will miss you so much, Mione. You be careful. Promise?”


“Promise,” Hermione said, giving Ginny a timid hug. She wondered if Ginny could feel that her stomach was getting rounder.


“Tell Harry to call on me now and then,” Ginny said, wiping away a tear.


“Gin, we are going to be fine. I know it. We are going to make it through this. The light will prevail; it must,” Hermione said, in an attempt to comfort the closest person to a sister she had.


“I hope so,” Ginny said, smiling.

“This isn’t goodbye….it’s See you soon,” Hermione said, hugging Ginny one last time before heading out the double doors to go back to the Burrow, to meet with Harry and Ron.


Ron. Oh gods, he was going to want to be intimate. She didn’t know how she would handle that. Once she reached the gate and was safely on the other side, she apparated back to the Burrow.


A/N: That chapter was longer than I had intended it to be, originally I was going to put her return back to the Burrow in this same chapter, but as an afterthought, I decided to put in next chapter. The lime will be in the next chapter. Please Review