The Seaside Retreat

Chapter 12 … Making Their Way Back Home

Hermione and Severus sat across from each other in the comfortable armchairs in the living room. Hermione looked as though she had swallowed a lemon and Severus thought it was adorable. He did however feel a bit guilty because she obviously thought he was trying to end it. Her emotions were always so easy to read when she had worked herself up. He would have to speak with her about that. It couldn’t happen in the presence of certain others around the school. Like her friends who do anything to see him sacked.

“Hermione, I said we need to talk, and we do, but before we get started let me say that you should stop worrying this isn’t a bad issue, just a sensitive one.” Hermione nodded her understanding to Severus who took a deep breath and carried on. “Now that we have that out of the way, I suppose I should start at the beginning. When I left you here alone, I went to Hogwarts to speak to Minerva. I also had a word with Albus’ portrait. Hermione, I told them everything that happened this summer.” Hermione’s eyes grew wide upon hearing this and she immediately began to protest and question his sanity.

“I know…” he interrupted “that it sounds like a bad idea, but this is the summer and you are of age. What goes on here is Minerva’s business, but not the Headmistress’. What I mean to say Hermione, is that it has nothing to do with the school, and the only way Minerva has any say in what happened is because she is my friend and loves us both like family.” Hermione’s eyes misted a bit upon hearing this. Professor McGonagall was very important to her too, like a favorite aunt.

“I made the decision to do this because of some feelings I had been having concerning Albus’ and Minerva’s disappointment in me about this situation. I was relieved to hear however, that they not only respected my intentions with you, but also your maturity and decision making skills.”

Hermione had listened patiently through his speech thus far, but felt the need to ask him a question now. It was the one question she knew she may not like the answer to very much at all, but she needed to know. “I am glad to hear that Severus, but what ARE your intentions towards me?”

“I’m getting to that witch. Give me time. So as I was saying, they did not doubt us and it lifted a huge weight off of my chest about our…situation. It did however; lead me to the next step in my thought process. I know that there are technically no “rules” about professors and of age students carrying on, but it is very much frowned upon, so much so that if word got out, I would still be in danger of losing my position at the school. Not that I would be terribly disappointed about that, but I would prefer to resign instead of being sacked.” He stopped and took a breath willing himself to speak clearly about the next part. Needing her to understand how much he had come to care for her. He conjured them up a pot of tea and continued on. Hoping this next part came out correctly and eloquently.

“Hermione, I went there to ask them what they would think about me pursuing you during the school year. I have come to care about you and I just don’t think I want to be without you until after you graduate from school. After all you may come to your senses and decided I’m too old and ugly for you.” Hermione’s eyes grew as wide as saucers, and a blush crept up her cheeks when she heard this.

Severus saw her expression and his heart plummeted, believing it to be a negative response. Therefore, he was thrown off guard when a mass of auburn curls flew at him and kissed every available surface of his skin.

“Oh Severus! You can’t know how grateful I am to hear you say that. I have spent the last three weeks talking myself out of caring for you because I knew it had to end. I can’t believe you asked the Headmistress about us! Do we have her blessing?”

“We do Hermione. However as I said before it’s highly frowned upon and it has been made clear that if we are discovered then we are on our own, the Headmistress will not risk the schools reputation to cover for us.”

“I never expected her to. That she is willing to turn a blind eye to us is more then I could ever hope for. We just need to think of an adequate reason for me spending extra time with you. I am head girl this year, so I will have private quarters, but I am not going to risk my reputation getting detentions with you even if you can shag me from behind while I’m scrubbing cauldrons.” And with that Hermione did the most Hermione like thing she knew how to do. She stared off into space mumbling to herself and planning how exactly they could work off their deception.

Severus was so happy that her feelings were returned that his heart felt like it would burst. He had never felt that way before, not even with the dark lord fell. All he felt then was relief. Though he would admit that his happiness was mingle with arousal as his mind perused the picture of him taking her as she leaned over his sinks scrubbing cauldrons.

Night crept upon them and after many bouts of shagging all over the house, Severus came up with the idea to offer Hermione and apprenticeship in potions. It seemed a bit obvious to those who knew Severus, for he hadn’t taken on one since the year after he became a Potions Master. It was widely known that the first attempt didn’t end too well, with his apprentice not handling his caustic attitude very well. However, everyone who knew Hermione knew how exceptional she was and that her temper could be just as caustic. She surprised Severus when he brought up the idea however, by stating that she really intended to learn master level potions form him this year so she could apply for her Potions Mastership after graduation. He was quite proud of her at that moment.

When they awoke the next morning it was decided that they would need to leave later that day in order to collect Hermione’s possessions from her parent’s home. They would stay the night there together and he would drop her off at Platform 9 ¾ so that she could ride it with her friends one last time. Severus would apperate to the school and they would, to all outward appearances act as though nothing happened. Severus would announce that he had decided to take on Hermione as an apprentice during the feast and everything would proceed normally from there.

Severus and Hermione spent the morning collecting their belongings and packing them away. They were both amazed at just how sad it felt to be preparing to leave their little seaside retreat. Over the summer it had become something like a home for the two of them. It had become far too easy to play house during the month that both of them expected to be hell at the beginning.

With all of their possessions neatly crammed into trunks, Severus and Hermione shrunk their luggage and pocketed it. Hermione, who had never before apperated such a long distance was informed that to side along apperate her on such a long journey would drain him of his powers too much to be restored before term. Therefore, they apperated to Salem, Massachusetts, which was the closest wizarding town they knew of in America.

Once there, the plan was to floo to Arabella Figg’s house and apperate again to Hermione’s house for the night. In actuality it was harder to pull Hermione by the wonderful museums in Salem then anticipated, so an hour later then scheduled they tucked themselves into the nearest public fireplace and were on their dirty and dizzy way to Mrs. Figg’s.

After arriving intact and unwinding themselves from her 45 cats, Hermione and Severus stepped outside to the street, walked a couple of blocks to the nearest shopping plaza and grabbed a bite to eat before apperating a final time.

Finally, in what seemed like hours and hours later, which in all actually it had only been about 2 ½ hours since leaving Maine, including dinner, they arrived in the back garden of the Granger’s modest home. It was large and white with a stone walkway in the back as well as the front and had wildflowers growing all over. It seemed fitting to him, knowing what he did about Hermione. It was sturdy and unassuming, but with the gardens all about, it beautiful in an untamed way. Wow, thought Severus I need to stop thinking these things lest they accidentally come out my mouth.

Hermione let them in with her key and gave Severus the Knut tour. She had decided they would share the guest room tonight as her parents would still be in hiding until she reached school and the three death eaters were sentenced for good. With everything packed for school and her orders for her new school supplies sent out by Severus’ owl, they settled in for what may be their last full night together for the rest of the school year.