Strong Enough

CH 13 THE OTHER SIDE

Thank you Zephyr, you are my confidence!

Thanks at the bottom

J.K owns most of it
I don‘t!

“Maybe I ought to mention,
Was never my intention,
To harm you or your kin,
Are you so scared to look within,
The ghosts are crawling on our skin,
We may race and we may run,
We’ll not undo what has been done”

-The other side, David Gray

Hermione spent the all day Saturday with her team, going over tegitegies and ideas for tightening up security around the castle.

That way, she didn’t have to think about anything.

When the rest of the team went off for dinner, she decided to go for a walk to clear her head.
The grounds were beautiful all year round, but she had always liked them best in the autumn. Everything had turned a shade of golden brown, and the leaves were falling off the trees, she enjoyed the noise they made as she walked through them.

She walked until she came to the cliff edge on the opposite side oe gre grounds from the forest. The sea below her was starting to get rough and was crashing against the rocks below, as though it could tell that summer was gone and winter was approaching.

She sat on a large rock by the edge of the cliff and looked out across the horizon.

\"What a fucking mess.\" She said to herself.

She was trying to recall every detail of what had happened the previous evening. There was something between her and Snape besides hate, that much she knew, but if that was a good thing or a bad thing, she had no idea.

When he had touched her face, on the morning she had found him, he had stirred up some long forgotten emotions in her and for a second she had remembered that there was a time when she would have done anything just to be near him.

When he had started shouting at her in his office yesterday, she had felt them again, mixed with the anger and anticipation of the fight.

When he had kissed her, she felt like the floor had opened up beneath her and had wanted him to take her, right there on the desk.

She had just started to let her guard down, when he had said what he did about her and the deatheaters and she had felt the pain. Not the usual, ‘ever present at the back of your mind’ pain that she had dealt with every day since Voldemort started picking on her parents and friends. No, this had been sharp ‘stick a knife in your stomach and twist it’ type of pain.

Then, in Dumbledore’s office, she had tried to make some kind of amends by healing him, for the sake of the school as much as anything else, and he had touched her face again, she had felt... what?

Forgiveness? Compassion? Affection?

\"I actually think I am going bloody mad.\" She said, dropping her head onto her knees.

~*~*~*~*

Severus had spent the day in London, replenishing his stores. He thought that by getting out of the castle, even if Dumbledore did insist on him going heavily disguised, would force him to think about other things.

He had returned just as the dinner bell had rung and had immediately been reminded of what he been doing twenty four hours before.

\"I’ve got to get out of here,” He said to the empty room, as he finished putting away his supplies.

He started walking through the grounds, his mind whirling. He didn’t know what was going on between him and Hermione but he knew that it was more than just being enemies.As sAs soon as she came back, she had started with him. The anger and the threats shattering the memories he had tried to build of her sixth year, when she had become his friend.

She had wasted no time in finding his sore spots, like being shut in the castle and not actively fighting in the war, and though he had come right back with one of his famous put-downs, it had stung him.

Finding out that she was the angel in the grounds that morning had thrown him. It had been her eyes that showed relief at finding him alive, he only found out when she had snapped his last nerve and he was going to seriously hurt her.

Her accusation about him returning to Voldemort had cut right through him as though it were physical. He covered for it by turning his hurt to rage at her.

He had kissed her. He couldn’t help himself. Every other thought had left his mind when she gave him that smile and for a moment all he wanted was to be inside her.

He had been foolish to say what he did to her, knowing how mad it would make her, but having to cover himself in case she figured out that he wasn’t completely devoid of all emotion.

After their serious reprimand from Dumbledore. She had surprised him again by gently healing his wounds, while saying nothing. After he had returned the favor, he found himself unable to leave it like that so he reached for her hoping to repair some of the damage done, and as shed hid his hand there, he felt like he couldn’t breath, such was the power of the emotions that had come over him. So all he could do was apologize and leave before she saw how weak he really was.

He pushed through the bushes on the other side of the castle. There was a quiet spot overlooking the sea, where he liked to go and think.

He came round the corner and saw smoke. He carried on walking and there she was.
Sitting on the rock and smoking, just staring out to sea.

He looked to the heavens, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.\"

He sighed as he slowly made his way over to her.

~*~*~*~*~

He came to a standstill next to where she was sitting and looked out to sea. She turned her head to look at him.

\"I’m guessing that you were not, in fact looking for me, Severus?\" She said.

\"No.\"

\"In that case, I’m guessing that this is where you usually come to think, only today, the bane of your life is sitting here instead?\"

\"That’s pretty much it, yes.\" He said, turning to her.

She moved along the rock she was sitting on and looked at him and then at the rock in invitation. He paused for a moment and then sat down beside her as she lit another cigarette.

\"Those things will kill you, you know,” he said matter-of-factly.

She laughed out loud.

\"What’s so funny,\" he said, although the corners of his mouth were twitching.

\"A warning about the dangers of smoking from the man who was going to kill me with his bare hands yesterday.” She said, offering him the pack.

He took one and lit it, exhaling the smoke into the sea air. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon. A shimmering haze of red, pink and orange, was lighting up the clouds rolling in off the sea.

\"There’s a storm coming.” He said quietly

\"I know.\" She said, not looking at him. \"He’s afraid isn’t he?\"

\"Dumbledore? Yes. We all are. You know we have to do this Hermione, put all our differences to one side and help him, help the school.\"

\"It’s not that easy Severus. In case you hadn’t noticed, you and I do have a problem.\"

\"Oil and water.\"

\"What?\"

\"Oil and water. No matter how much you try to put them together, the two don’t mix.\" He asserted, giving her a small smile.

She realized that, in seven years of being his student this was the first time she had seen him smile. A smirk or a sneer was about the nearest thing. She found herself liking it. She had to know one thing before she decided how to play this, and she was sure he had been bluffing with his first answer.

\"Why did you kiss me yesterday, really?\"

\"Isn’t that one of the awkward things people usually avoid talking about?\"

\"Yes, but I am known, in some circles for being ‘the one who asks all the questions, even if she knows she shouldn‘t.\" She said, smiling to herself.

\"Why did you let me?\" He slyly asked.

\"Bloody hell man just answer me, don’t answer a question with a question!\" She said exasperated.

Severus crushed his cigarette out. If she was going to try and make the effort, then the least he could do was to start being honest with her. He didn’t think he could make her any angrier than she had been with his first answer.

\"Because I wanted to.\" He said, looking out to sea.

She looked at him, momentarily dumbstruck. (Careful what you say back, this could get get out of hand) Hermione thought.

\"Me too.\" She said, resignedly, looking at him. (Oh yes, that was good, very guarded)

He looked back at her, without smiling, lowered his head to hers and planted a chaste kiss on her lips.

\"Well.\" He said standing to leave.

\"It’s a start.\"

Read em and weep!!

Rilla ; thank you hon, I’m glad

Shem ; O.K, What? I’m cutting of your Vodka supply.. come to think of it, I’m cutting of your Sev ly, ly, you are obviously addicted!!

Deb ; That’s exactly the right saying! I know this relationship is slow starting, but because of the way they hated each other I didn’t think they would fall at each others feet!

Lidra ; Welcome, thanks, and maybe a little bit!!

Estrilda ; Thanks very much. She is a bitch isn’t she?!

Erica ; Welcome back, I hadn’t thought about using ‘angel’ again, but I might. The lemons are coming in about three chapters, after Zephyr has gone over them with a fine tooth comb! lol

Jen ; I know!! It seemed like a good idea at the time!! but I’ll manage!

Red ; Welcome. I’m glad you decided to give me a go and glad you like it.

Sophie ; Thank you very much. I thought they needed something to make each other see that their feelings were changing.

Princess ; Welcome and thanks. I think it’s going to be quite a long story and hope you will stay with it.

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PotionsMistress ; Thank you, Thank you, hope you liked this one as much!!

Thank you all. Keep up the lovely reviews and I’ll keep writing!!

Kisses
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