The Fortress Within

Severus and Hermione had worked through what remained of the morning and
a good portion of the afternoon


Severus and Hermione had worked
through what remained of the morning and a good portion of the afternoon. 
They had decided that a mass brewing would be easier and less time
consuming.  Now several huge
cauldrons were set up in her old quarters. Although few adult wizards, and even
fewer students, had ever heard of the Cito Exsanguis Neco, they still
felt it wise to brew the potion in a private area. 
Not to mention the fact that if a clumsy student knocked over one of the
cauldrons, the results would be disastrous.


 


At mid-afternoon Severus had insisted
Hermione take a break to eat and rest.  A great argument had ensued, which had come to a screeching
halt when Severus told her he would like nothing more than peeling her off of
the floor like the weak child he knew her to be. Hermione had stormed off into
their quarters and hadn’t been seen since.


 


Severus worked for a couple more
hours, before the last cauldron that could be spared was filled and brewing. 
He was sitting in his chair dozing when Hermione emerged from the
bedroom.  “Sure, Snape, send me
off to bed so you can goof off.”


 


He groaned at the interruption to his
dream.  “The last cauldron is on
the fire.  We can’t fill any more. 
In case you’ve forgotten, Granger, I have classes to teach. 
And since I happen to teach potions, I do need some cauldrons for my
students.  What’s on now must brew
for a week.  Next Sunday, we’ll
bottle it and set another 10 cauldrons to brew. 
Four weeks work should see us with enough potion to complete the job.”


 


She moved to sit by the fire. 
“Once it’s in its liquid form it’s a simple enough job to vaporize
it, correct?”


 


“I’ve developed a technique to
atomize liquids.  We set that up in
the classroom, and seal the room.  I
can begin the process magically from outside the room.”


 


“Now, I believe we had best make an
appearance at dinner tonight.  I’m
going to shower and change my robes.”  He
groaned slightly as he stood and stretched upwards trying to loosen up.


 


“Not getting any younger, are you,
Snape?”


 


“Oh, just shut your mouth for
once.” 


 


Severus was standing in the shower,
leaning forward with his hands propped against the wall, allowing hot water to
pulse over his sore back. It irritated him to admit that she was right. 
He wasn’t getting any younger and years of bending over the lab tables
had taken their toll on his body.  Not
to mention all the hexes and unforgivables delivered to it at the hands of
Voldemort. He was oblivious to everything but his thoughts and the ache of his
tired muscles.


 


Severus started a bit when he felt
small hands on his back. “Hermione?”


 


“Yes, Severus.”


 


“Just checking, you may proceed,”


 


“Thank you, Professor.”


 


 He closed his eyes as Hermione began to knead and work the
fatigue away.  After she finished
with his back, she worked her way up across his neck. 
Suddenly, he felt a sharp pull on his hair and she yanked his head back
underneath the water. 


 


Severus spun round to see her holding
a bottle of shampoo.  Hermione rose
up on tiptoe and began to work a generous portion through his hair, massaging
his scalp and temples as she went.  Another
yank told him to rinse it and when he was finished she pushed him gently out of
the stall.


 


“My turn, go get dressed,” she
ordered


 


“What do you mean, ‘your turn’. 
You come in here all naked and everything and practically have your way
with me.  Then push me out and tell me to go get dressed. 
You’re playing with fire, girl.”


 


Hermione was working her own hair
into a lather, arms reaching up and over her head.  Her eyes were closed as she spoke, “It was your idea we go
to dinner, not mine, and not hers.  Now
go get dressed, or I’ll hex you and do it myself.”


 


Severus’ body was already howling
and it took every bit of strength left in his tired bones to turn around and
walk out.  “Funny, the idea of
that wet naked witch hexing me is actually quite appealing.” 
He chuckled to himself and opened up his closet.


 


Severus immediately went tense again
as he escorted Hermione into the Great Hall.  The fact that neither of them had been seen since the end of
classes on Friday was not lost on even the first year Hufflepuffs. 
Around the tables could be heard whispers and giggles. 
Some of the Seventh year Slytherin boys even dared to issue a few
Catcalls.


 


They made their way to the front,
pausing long enough for Severus to strip his house of fifty points for some
vulgar comments he caught on his way past. 
True to the role of devoted lover, he pulled a chair out for Hermione and
remained standing until she was seated. 


 


At their entrance the staff had begun
to whisper as well; but from the look on Albus’ face Severus knew the
Headmaster had issued a quiet, but stern warning.  Poppy Pomfrey came to whisper in Hermione’s ear. 
Severus heard her whispered reply that she was feeling fine and a thank
you for tending to her.


 


The urge to eat quickly and fly from
the Hall was strong; but Severus was aware that would only fuel the already lewd
speculations flying about.  He
forced himself to eat slowly and would only leave when the rest of the staff did
so as well.


 


 He turned when he heard Hermione trying to hide a giggle
behind her napkin.  He leaned closer
to her and hissed, “What do you find so funny?”


 


She shook with more laughter as her
eyes indicated the Gryffindor table.  A
group of young Gryffindor females was staring starry-eyed at him. 
“It looks as if the Potions Master has a fan club,” she managed to
spit out, a little more loudly than she would have liked. 
This resulted in most of the Head Table also noticing the love struck
young women and also joining in Hermione’s mirth. 

 


Severus shot the girls a horrible
look and was pleased to note several of them go white before they turned their
attention to the plates before them.  “I
don’t know what you find so funny about being on display like this.”


 


“Why Severus, I don’t feel like
I’m on display.”


 


He crossed his arms over his chest
and sat back with a sulky look on his face, “Well, I do!”


 


“I know you do, and that’s
what’s so funny.”  Hermione was
overtaken once again with a case of the giggles. 

 


Severus brooded (halfheartedly)
through the remainder of the meal, ignoring everyone in the Great Hall. 
As soon as Albus rose to leave, Severus was on his feet and heading out
the door behind the Head Table, eager for his escape. 
Just as he stepped through the doorway, he was met by Hermione’s
sing-song call, “Oh Severus.”  He stopped dead and fought to keep from taking two more steps
and slamming the door viciously. 


 


Instead, he turned around and stomped
to where Hermione stood waiting at the Head Table. 
He grabbed her hand and half-drug her out the door, feeling satisfaction
at the slam that he knew was heard to the other end of the Hall. 
As soon as the door shut he looked down at Hermione, prepared to give her
a good, scowling, Potion’s Master Tongue lashing!


 


Her cheeks were high with color and
her eyes were sparkling.  His anger
was quickly forgotten as he chose to give her a tongue lashing of another sort. 

 


Hermione found herself pushed up
against the door as Severus took her mouth fiercely.  They spent several minutes in the duel, until he tore his
mouth from her and rumbled, “You weren’t actually laughing at me were you,
Miss Granger?’


 


Hermione plastered a wide-eyed
innocent doe look on her face, “No, Professor.”


 


“Didn’t think so.” 
He laughed as he bent to take her lips again, much softer this time. They
were soon so caught up in the moment, that they didn’t realize they had an
audience until some muffled giggles interrupted their exchange.  

 


Hermione peeked around his shoulder
to a small group of students standing at the end of the corridor. 
Severus didn’t turn around, just spoke quietly, “What house and how
many?”


 


“Hufflepuff and 4,” was the
whispered response.


 


His roar reverberated down the length
of the hallway, “10 points eaor sor sneaking up on people!!!” The sound of
hastened footsteps answered.  He
smiled down at Hermione and took a quick swipe at her lips before continuing,
“And 5 more each for just being bloody nosey!!!!”


 


Hermione buried her face in his robes
and bit down on the fabric to keep from howling with laughter. 
When the sound of their footsteps had faded, Hermione looked up at
Severus.  “I think we had better
move this somewhere a little more secluded.”


 


“Well, there goes my Head Table
fantasy.” 


 


Hermione pushed him back gently,
“Well, I do have an invisibility cloak in my closet…”


 


He wrapped an arm around her back and
steered her toward the dungeon stairs.  “I
think we had best forget about any public appearances for now, even with an
invisibility cloak.  Imagine the
Gryffindor’s faces if it slipped off and they were met with the sight of me
shagging you senss.&ns.  I suppose
that our quarters will have to suffice.” 

 


“If you insist, Professor.”


 


“ And stop with the Professor
stuff, you’re making me feel like a dirty old man.”


 


Hermione broke away from him and ran
a short way ahead before calling back over her shoulder. 
“Well, the way your back was creaking earlier, I think you got the old
man part right.”


.


“Wench!!  I’ll show you an old man!” Severus caught up with her in
the corridor outside the potions room.  No
sooner did he grab her than Hermione found herself hanging upside down over his
shoulder, caught somewhere between screeching and laughing hysterically.


 


Down the corridor he went with
Hermione on his shoulder.  He went
straight through the living room and threw her on the bed with a bounce, just
barely missing the orange lump in the center of the mattress. 
“Out you go.”  Severus picked the hissing feline up by the scruff of the
neck and tossing him rudely out the door before closing it.


 


Severus soon had the fire blazing and
was stretched out beside Hermione on the bed.  “Now I believe you were saying something about me being an
old man. Would you care to elaborate?”


 


“I said that? 
I don’t think so, it must have been someone else. 
Are you sure that’s what I said?  Nope,
not me.”


 


“Oh, so that’s the game tonight. 
Well, since she doesn’t allow me to touch her, I suppose I’m
just going to go to sleep.”  Severus
swung his legs off the bed and started for the bathroom door. 
Swiftly he changed his clothes and returned. 

 


Hermione was under the blankets
waiting for him.  His slid in next
to her and rolled on his side, facing away. 
“Severus?”


 


“Hmmmm.”


 


“You know, I think maybe I did call
you an old man.”  He felt an arm
slide around him from behind.  He
turned to face her, pouting.


 


“Well, Hermione, that really
hurt my feelings.  I hope you are
prepared to make it up to me.”


 


She was, and she did; several times
in fact.


 


Deep in the night, they lay in each
other’s arms.  “It’s going to
be strange, you know.  Not having to
answer Lucius’ summons anymore.”
 


“Hopefully we can see this through
the rest of the way without having to actively participate in the revels. 
No one will dare question either one of us but Voldemort. 
We’ll just have to wait and see.  Either
way, this will be over soon.”


 


“Yeah.  I almost don’t want it to be, though.  It will be strange, not having time with you anymore.” 
Hermione seemed to be reaching for him, trying to pull out words that he
had not intention on offering up, not now.


 


“Well, we’ll have to have a talk
after Voldemort’s gone.  See what
the future brings then.  No point in
worrying about anything until that’s taken care of.”  Severus hated himself for saying things he knew would hurt
her.  No matter how gently he tried
to put it, it still sounded like there was no future for them. 
The Deatheater’s words haunted him. 

 


“I will push her down so deep
that she will never, ever see the light of day again.”


 


He rolled her to her side and wrapped
himself around her.  “Go to sleep,
you have a full day of classes tomorrow and you need your rest. 
Don’t think about anything further than December 20th. 
That’s where we need to focus.  December
20th and these nights here.”