A Different Kind of Magic--UNDERGOING EDIT

Special thanks goes out to my great beta VIVAvivacious. You rock! JK Rowling owns it all and makes the money off it. I do not.

Chapter 15 – Without a Word

Minerva rushed through her morning meal in the Great Hall so she could go to the dungeons to check on her charges. She took Miss Longbottom with her to her office, and Floo’ed in from there.

Severus was awake, and he did not look pleased. In fact, he looked downright ornery.

“Severus, I am relieved you seem to be well-rested. How are you feeling this morning?” she asked, as she skirted the edge of the bed to pull back the drape.

He sneered at her with contempt. “I feel like shite, Minerva. I’m almost killed by Ministry psychopaths, have metal yanked out of my bones, and have to put up with fucking Dobby. How do you think I feel?”

Minerva clasped her hands together, as if pleased by his reply. “Ah, Severus. All these months, and you haven’t changed a bit.” She patted his leg as she would a small boy, knowing the patronizing gesture would really aggravate him. Her eyes twinkled when he roughly shoved her hand off his leg.

“While you’re here, could you please release the binds on my legs? It’s rather difficult to use the loo when I’m bedridden.”

“Oh, yes, of course! Ava, would you please release Professor Snape from his leg binds?”

Ava immediately set him free as he sighed with relief. “Now, Professor Snape, you’re not to walk on your right side for a full week. You can use this levitation chair to get about, but you are not to put any pressure on that hip or foot until the bones have properly solidified.” She produced the chair from the corner of the room, placing it by the bed. “You can have a staff member or Dobby help you into and out of the chair, but if I hear of you standing on that leg, I’ll have your head me self!” With a wink and a flourish, Ava disappeared over to Hermione’s bed, presumably to check on her condition.

Impertinent wench! “Minerva, where’s my wand?” Severus asked slowly.

He doesn’t waste any time, she thought wryly. “Yes, your wand. I was going to speak with you about that today. You see, Severus, much has changed since you’ve been gone. There is a lot to explain, and I’m afraid there are questions that need to be answered before I can address that particular concern.” She chose her words carefully, trying not to further upset him.

Shite, I KNEW this was going to happen, he fumed. Trust a bloody woman to pry where she’s no business being!Willing himself to a neutral expression, his blank face didn’t give away the extreme distress he felt inside. His eyes narrowed dangerously. “I’m not sure I follow. Surely, I’ve given you no reason to doubt my… allegiances…” he trailed off with a frown. The side of his mouth twitched.

Minerva recognized the telltale twitch of his mouth. It always gave him away, at least, to her and Dumbledore. Oh, he’s hiding something from me!

Minerva scooted up the side of the bed to sit closer to the professor’s face. “Severus, surely, you understand my position. I received a cryptic message in the middle of luncheon in the Great Hall, from a strange owl in Miss Granger’s writing. I was forced, on short notice, to round up as many members of the Order I could come up with, to go off on a wild goose chase, to rescue her from an unknown danger. Then, I find the two of you together on the roof of a Ministry-run establishment with extensive wounds, and have to hide you two away within the very walls I preside over. I have students to protect!”

A graceless sneer crossed his lips. “Oh yes, Minerva, your precious school. I should have known you cared more about the fucking Order and your position as Headmistress than your trust in me!”

She stood angrily, towering over him. “It’s not like that, Severus, and you damn well know it! How would you act if you were in my position? You tell me! You wouldn’t do anything any different than I have, but you’re too damn proud to admit it! This has nothing to do with the past – ”

“IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE PAST!” the professor roared at her. “After all this time, after all the sacrifices I’ve made for the Order, for bloody Albus Dumbledore, for YOU! But you won’t give me the benefit of the doubt when I am practically crippled! What must I do, Minerva, beg you? Well, you can forget it! I will never lower myself in such a way to you, nor to anyone else in this bloody school!” So much for not losing my temper.

Minerva’s patience was wearing wafer thin. “It’s always all about you in the end, isn’t it, Severus? You never did do anything for anyone else that didn’t serve your own little purpose, whatever that may have been. You are a petty, selfish man, Severus Snape. All I ask from you is a simple submission to a Pensieve or Legilimency to ascertain the truth for us, so that trust may be re-established. Then, I will be free to tell you all you need to know, and we can go from there.” There, she had said it.

Terror gripped his heart at her words. Oh, no, he couldn’t let her view his memories! She would find out he’d lost his magical abilities! “Absolutely not! It’s simply ludicrous! I refuse to allow such an invasion of personal liberty, after all I’ve already endured. That is simply not going to be possible.” He folded his arms across his chest to show her his answer was final.

A new idea came into the headmistress’s mind. “Well then, old friend, you give me no choice but to withhold information from you, until I can get a Legilimens I can trust to search your mind. You will be held in this room until your full recovery, and then, if you prefer, we can turn you over to the Ministry, and claim you tried to attack the school. If it is your desire to go to Azkaban after all…”

“That’s blackmail! You can’t threaten me! By Circe, that’s extortion! How dare you threaten me?”

“Suit yourself. My offer stands. These past months have been filled with too much pain already. I will not be held responsible for your actions, nor put my students at risk. You must prove to me I can trust you. I wouldn’t treat anyone else any different. Hermione must also submit to the same request. That is my final word, and you will, by action or inaction, seal your own fate. Good day, Professor.” She quickly spoke in hushed tones with Ava, and after peeking in on Hermione, she Floo’ed back to her office.

Ava said nothing as she checked over his wounds, ensuring the bandages held tight as he took the required potions needed to heal. He stared straight ahead, his face returned to the mask of indifference.

“You seem to have me at a disadvantage, Miss…?“ he asked cordially.

“Ava Longbottom, sir. It’s very nice to meet you. Would you like assistance to go to the loo, Professor?” she asked kindly. “I can escort you there, and then afford you some privacy while you freshen up.”

Snape’s lips curled in derision at the irony of the situation. Another young witch, assigned to attend to his personal needs. It was getting to be a way of life. A sneer graced his lips as he replied, “Yes, Ava, I would indeed.”


Severus spent the rest of the morning and afternoon brooding into the fire, thinking of nothing in particular. He was bored stiff. There was nothing to do in this stuffy room, and the confinement was already driving him mad, especially with fucking Dobby hovering over his every move. He moved over to check on Hermione occasionally, smoothing the bandages on her head, watching the rise and fall of her breast as she breathed.

She looks so peaceful, like a fallen angel. My sweet Hermione. He held her hand then, lightly stroking her fingers with his own while reciting Shakespeare’s sonnets from memory. She had cared for him, and now he was going to watch over her. He owed her that much.

Dobby popped in with some food for the evening, just as Severus finished reciting one of the sonnets. The same young woman from the morning Floo’ed in right after Dobby appeared.

“Good evening, Professor Snape,” she smiled brightly at him. “Madam Pomfrey said you were up and about. I hope you are feeling better, Professor. I should probably explain my position here. My cousin’s name is Neville. I went to school in France and trained at St. Mungo’s as a mediwitch, before the position with Madam Pomfrey opened up. She’s ever-so-strict, but I like her. She follows the rules, and I know exactly what to expect with her. Oh gosh, I’m sorry, Professor. I do tend to ramble on so. I came down to keep you company and bring you some creature comforts. Madam Pomfrey wants me to try and wake Miss Hermione this evening. Try and get her to eat something – ”

Does this witch ever stop talking?he wondered, as Ava took a small case out of her pocket and conjured it into a large chest. She opened it up, proceeding to tell him about each and every item in the box. He said nothing, thoroughly annoyed and amused as she prattled on incessantly, never seeming to draw a breath between each sentence. He stopped her when she added a chessboard to the growing pile at the foot of his bed. “Wait!” he commanded.

To his amazement, Ava quit talking and looked at him, abashed.

“Let me see what you have there.”

She held out the chessboard.

“Do you play?” he inquired.

She nodded. “A little bit. Remus, uh, Professor Lupin, has been teaching me to play.” Her cheeks turned the loveliest shade of pink at his mention.

Oh, really? This was a juicy tidbit. He filed it away for future reference. The young witch seemed to have a crush on the werewolf, if her colouring and usage of his first name were any indication.

His eyes looked through the young girl as she fussed about with some of the other items in the chest. Distant, painful memories of Lily and Remus were thrust to the forefront of his mind. He hissed quietly at the image of a shy Remus pulling away from Lily on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Their hands had been joined, and he could swear they had been kissing. Her eyes were sparkling, lips full and red, cheeks flushed. Their eyes simultaneously met with his own, as he realized this was not something he had been meant to witness. Lily’s hands flew to her lips, and then she dropped them, smiling at him with her eyes in a fake welcome to smooth it over. Remus had jammed his hands in his pockets, his head down.

He hadn’t wanted to hear it. First James, then Remus; she had really been getting around. Snape wondered what James would think about this little development. “Severus!” she had called, but like the coward he was, he turned and ran. He had never forgiven either of them, hadn’t wanted to hear her explanation. Knowing Remus, he blamed Lily for seducing the painfully-shy lad. There was no way he would have approached her on his own. That had been the final wedge between him and Lily. The damage was done, and the following day, he called her a Mudblood. There was no going back.

Turning his unpleasant musing back to the young witch, he gestured to the chess set. “Set up a game on that table over there, and we shall play after our evening meal. I am quite famished.”

Dinner was delightful with a bit of conscious female company, despite her carrying on about the most useless bits of information he had ever heard in one sitting. She turned out to have a knack for chess. He graciously let her win one game before checkmating her in twenty-four moves the second game, and nineteen moves on the third. Severus tried not to look disappointed when she moved to go check on Hermione.

“I need to try and wake Miss Granger, Professor. She needs to try and eat something.”

He nodded, watching as she roused Hermione with a Pepperup Potion and some gentle coaxing. Some smoke poured out of Miss Granger’s ears, and her eyelids began to flutter.

Hermione slowly opened her eyes, and saw two young witches standing over her smiling… no, just one witch. She blinked her eyes several times as they adjusted to the firelight and shadows of the room. It all came rushing back to her: the bricks raining down on her head, the smoke and explosions all around her. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t catch a breath. Oh god, I can’t breathe!She panicked and clutched her throat with both hands, gesturing wildly to her throat. The woman at her bedside massaged her throat, speaking to her in soothing tones. “Miss Granger, it’s okay! You’re at Hogwarts now. It’s okay; you’re safe. Nothing is going to hurt you here.” The soothing tone of her voice helped Hermione relax and gasp as air rushed back into her windpipe.

Hermione closed her eyes again, and simply let the warm air of the room calm her as her body and mind caught up to the present moment. Somehow, she and the professor were safe. Minerva must have gotten the message! Sweet relief flooded through her. She opened her mouth to thank the young woman, but no sound came out. Hermione tried again, but she was unable to speak. Pointing at her throat, she indicated to the woman she couldn’t talk. Her hands went up to her head to feel it swathed in bandages. Oh Gods, what happened to me?

In the next moment, a familiar dark figure appeared on the opposite side of the bed. Severus!

“What is wrong with Miss Granger, Miss Longbottom? Why is she unable to speak?” The professor looked pointedly at the young mediwitch, as if she had all the answers.

“I-I can’t explain it, Professor. Miss Granger should be able to speak. Our examination didn’t find anything wrong with her throat. It is possible her head injury has affected her communication! Oh, I must go and tell Poppy! Dobby!”

Dobby popped into the room. “Yes, Miss Ava?”

“Please stay with Miss Granger and the professor; I have to go find Madam Pomfrey!”

“Yes, Miss Ava, Dobby will stay here with Miss and the professor. Dobby obeys.”

Much to Severus’s disgust, the witch actually hugged Dobby before she Floo’ed out of the room. Good grief, another bleeding-heart elf-lover.

Hermione reached out and took his hand with a questioning look in her eyes. She seemed scared and confused, so small and vulnerable at this moment.

My beautiful, brave Gryffindor girl. When had he started thinking of her as his?

“Hermione,” he began gently, “it appears you did something very heroic that saved our lives. Minerva and the Order came and rescued us from the Manor. We barely made it out.”

She nodded in understanding for him to continue. “As you can see, I have suffered extensive injuries that require me to be bound to this chair for a week or more. You, my dear, have serious head injuries that require much rest and medical attention. I am afraid they also seem to have affected your ability to speak.”

More slowly this time, she squeezed his hand and smiled at him. Gods, he would die for that smile. “Miss Longbottom, the young woman that assisted you that Dobby referred to as Ava, appears to be an assistant to Madam Pomfrey. She has informed me there will be a meeting of sorts this evening in Headmistress McGonagall’s office, to discuss our current situation.” She squeezed his hand again. “In the meantime, she has brought down a trunk of books and a chess set. I can read to you, if you would like.”

Her eyes were the stars that twinkled at him from below his gaze. She took her hand and brought it to bear under the palm of the same hand of his that she was already holding. Hermione made light circles on his palm with her forefinger, tracing round the edges in a lazy pattern.

Severus sucked in his breath sharply at her touch. It seemed she was trying to tell him something with her eyes her lips couldn’t convey. He couldn’t even use Legilimency to skim the surface of her mind. She continued the slow movement as the minutes stretched out before them. His body was electrified by that one, simple touch. As if on cue, his trousers tented in a most obvious display of ardour brought on by her attentions.

Hermione playfully took one hand from his to discern the outline of his erection. His eyes never left hers as she rubbed his cock through his trousers. With a quick glance to see Dobby was tending the fire, he positioned his chair so his back was to the house elf, giving Hermione a better angle.

She blew him a playful kiss that sent his breath hitching in his chest again. If this is what she does to me when I’m an invalid, I bet she’s magnificent in bed.

He brought her hand back over his cock helping her stroke it in just the right way through the fabric. Severus closed his eyes, remembering the day in front of the fountain when she had made him come. His hands had cupped her firm arse cheeks over her thin dress, and hefted her pelvis onto his aching cock. He had ground his erection against her in wanton abandon as she kissed him ever so thoroughly. Those delicate hands had pressed his onto her delicious breasts, creamy delights under his fingertips.

His hand moved over hers more quickly, tightening her grip around the clothed shaft, giving it short, choppy jerks up and down. Despite his best efforts to stifle his respirations, his breathing became quick and laboured when his balls tightened in anticipation of the pleasure about to flood his body. Hermoine seemed to know what she was doing as she put pressure on just the right spot, and bingo! Severus gasped, his seed spilling into his trousers while jerking her hand in tandem with the pulsing of his scrotum.

He released her hand, opening his eyes to look at her. She had a very satisfied look on her face as if she, too, had taken pleasure in giving it to him. Incredible.

Dobby was still messing with the fire. It looked like he was dutifully ignoring them, if Severus didn’t know better. Ah, well then.

“Dobby, please accompany me to the loo, and bring a clean pair of trousers.”