Hold Me Close

“Minerva you cannot be serious!”


Minerva fixed Severus with an exasperated glare.


“I am indeed serious, Severus,” she said harshly.


“I won’t do it,” Ron said scathingly.


Everyone turned to Ron. His eyes were steely and he was practically shaking with rage. His calm tone sent a wave of silence over the entire room. Hermione’s eyes looked sad for a moment.


“Headmistress?” Hermione said softly.


Minerva looked at her.


“Could I have a moment alone with Ron?”


“Of course, Hermione. We will wait in the hall,” Minerva said gently.


Severus glared mutinously at Ron. Ron just stared at the wall, looking murderous.


“Minerva, are you sure that is----” Severus began.


“Miss Granger is entitled to a moment alone with Mr. Weasley, Severus. We will wait in the hall,” she said firmly.


The room cleared, leaving Ron and Hermione alone together.


“Ron, I know that you hate me right now,” she began timidly, “but I feel you are entitled to know the truth.”


Ron still stared at the wall, unblinkingly.


“Look, Ron. I never meant for any of this to happen. You have to know that,” she said softly.


“When did it happen?” he asked her flatly.


“Before the end of last term. You were going out with Lavender. When you two came into that classroom to shag, I just lost it. I went to another classroom to be alone, and Severus found me. He started saying these things, and before I knew it, I was kissing him. Then he kissed me back, and well, one thing led to another…” Hermione trailed off.


“So the git took advantage of you when you were upset,” Ron said, conveniently leaving out the fact that it was because of him that Hermione had been so vulnerable.


“I am the one that initiated the kiss, Ron.” she replied almost inaudibly.


“Still, he was a teacher, way too old for you. He took advantage of you, Hermione,” Ron said, voice raising.


“It’s not like that, Ron,” Hermione said.


“So it was more than just that time? Who am I kidding? Of course it was,” Ron said sorely.


Hermione’s face fell.


“So why did you pick me then?”


“Because I was scared. Because I cared about you. Because I thought it was what everyone expected me to do. I am always the sensible one, the levelheaded one. Choosing you was the sensible, levelheaded thing to do,” she replied plainly.


“Did you ever love me?”


“I do love you, Ron. Just---”


“Just not like you love him“ Ron finished for her.


Hermione hung her head.


“How many times did you fuck him after we got together?” Ron asked testily.


“Once,” Hermione said quietly. “But I--”


“I don’t want to hear your excuses,” he said coldly, and started for the door.


“Ron, please,” Hermione said, a tear spilling down her cheek.


Ron’s face softened. He stopped walking.


“I never meant to cheat on you. I didn’t expect him to be in my room that night. I was so afraid, so shocked to see him. It only happened that one time, even though there were many other opportunities. I did not allow it to happen again after that,” she said, voice wavering.


“Why did you let it happen that time?” He asked her quietly.


“Because I couldn’t stop myself,” she said truthfully.


Ron’s face fell.


“I don’t think I can do this, Hermione,” he said softly.


“Ron, you have to. There is more at stake here than just Severus. I know you don’t care about me anymore, but my life is at stake, too. My child is at stake too. She is innocent, Ron. She didn’t ask for this either. The entire wizarding world is at stake here, Ron. You have to see that,” she said softly. “If Voldemort finds out Severus is a double agent, it would be disastrous for everyone. He is our only link to the monster. Without him, we have no hope of winning this war.”


Ron considered her.


“You realize that McGonagall meant everyone, don’t you? That means my whole family, Hermione. My mum. Think how crushed she’s going to be when she finds out that she is not having a grandchild after all,” he said. “Think about my sister, Ginny. Think about what we would be doing to them.”


“I know, Ron. They will understand one day. They will realize it was necessary,” she said quietly.


“They won’t forgive you, Hermione.”


“I know.”


Ron wiped a tear from her cheek.


“I will do this. But only for you. I hate him. I hate him so much, it’s taking all I have not to kill him right now,” Ron said evenly.


Hermione looked up at him gratefully.


“I don’t want to see that greasy git touching you, Hermione. I don’t care what you do when I am not around, but I don’t want to see it. If we have to pretend to be lovers, then you have to at least pretend to be faithful to me,” he said firmly.


Hermione nodded in understanding.


“I will make sure Severus is aware.”


Ron drew her into a tight hug.


“I’m sorry I couldn’t be what you wanted,” he said sadly.


“It’s not your fault, Ron. It just wasn’t…meant to be,” she said, sniffling.


He let her go.


“Well we better let them back in here before Snape has a heart attack and makes it all pointless,” he said. “Then again…”


“Ron,” she said warningly.


The pair laughed.


Suddenly, there was a light tapping on the door. Hermione walked over to answer it, letting the others back into the hospital ward.


“Ron has agreed to your plan, Minerva,” she said when they had all settled back into their respective places.


Severus cast a suspicious glare at Ron.


Ron looked at Hermione meaningfully.


“Under the condition that Severus and I not be intimate around him,” she amended.


Severus scowled venomously.


“And what of my opinion in the matter?”


“Severus, honestly. You really don’t have a choice. Stop acting like a beef-headed seventh year, and wise up to the situation,” Minerva scolded harshly.


Severus closed his mouth. Harry just stood there, looking very detached.


“Harry?” Hermione asked gently.


He looked up at her, as if broken from a daze.


“I guess I just don’t understand how all this happened,” he said quietly.


Hermione looked away.


“I don’t really feel that it is any of your business, Potter,” Severus said scathingly.


Hermione’s face turned red.


“I think I will be the judge of what is my business or not,” Harry retorted coolly.


“I am afraid you are wrong about that when it comes to my family,” Snape shot back.


“Please, both of you,” Hermione said pleadingly.


The two wizards stopped arguing, but fixed each other with cold stares.


“Harry is my best friend,” she said softly to Severus. “He has a right to know as well.”


Severus scowled blackly, but nodded in defeat.


Hermione proceeded to tell the story, once again, of how she and Severus became involved with one another. After she finished, a deafening silence filled the room.


Minerva and Poppy just stared at the floor, and Harry was the first one to speak.


“Well, there you have it. I guess I just never thought of you as the type to go after someone so much older,” he said.


“What exactly do you mean by that, Potter?” Severus asked threateningly.


“Nothing,” Harry said defensively. “It’s just that Hermione has always been so sensible, like she said. I just always figured if she didn’t end up with Ron, it would be some Ravenclaw her age.”


The tension in the room was palpable.


“I think an Order meeting is necessary,” Minerva said, trying to change the tone. “Poppy, is Hermione well enough to apparate?”


“I would rather she not,” Poppy said sincerely. She needs to rest this evening. “Perhaps if someone apparated her.”


“Very well,” Minerva said. “We need to reconvene at headquarters. There is much to discuss.”


Both Severus and Ron reached for Hermione.


“Severus,” Minerva said gently. “We are going to headquarters. Even Order members need to think that Mr. Weasley is Hermione’s lover, and father of her child.”


Severus glared at Ron menacingly, but let Hermione’s arm go.


If you act inappropriately towards her Weasley, so help me gods, I will kill you Severus thought, using legilimency to send the message to Ron.


Ron’s face paled slightly, but no one else seemed to notice as he and Hermione disappeared with a loud crack.


When everyone had arrived at headquarters, Minerva informed them they had about twenty minutes before the others would begin to arrive. She wanted to give Hermione time to settle into a room, and rest for a bit before the meeting began . They decided it was a good time to announce the pregnancy, and Minerva felt that Hermione could use some time to prepare.


After Hermione had used the loo, washed her face, and had a chance to just breathe, she approached Severus.


“May I speak with you?” she asked him quietly.


He nodded curtly, and followed her to her room.


When she had closed to door behind them softly, and joined him on the bed, she spoke.


“Are you angry with me?” she asked quietly.


“Do you think I should be?” he asked in response.


Hermione nodded guiltily.


“Why did you do it?” he asked her.


“I don’t know. He was being a git all day, saying crude things, and then for once, he was actually being considerate of me. I was just caught off guard, I suppose. I kept thinking about us, and how I was going to hurt him. He really didn’t even give me much of a choice in the matter,” she said, tears beginning to pool.


Severus looked taken aback.


“Are you telling me that he raped you?” he asked, anger beginning to grow.


“No,” Hermione quickly amended. “Well, I mean, he was rather insistent. I was trying to tell him about you, and about the baby, but he wouldn’t listen, he----”


“I’ll kill him,” Severus growled.


“No, no, I mean, he, oh gods,” she said, and began to cry.


Severus’ face softened. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, rocking her back and forth as she cried.


“It’s ok, love. Please don’t cry anymore,” he said, all the while thinking murderous thoughts about Ron.


Hermione looked up at him.


“He didn’t rape me, Severus. I just found myself unable to tell him no firmly, though I wanted to. Please, don’t hurt him. It will only make this horrid mess even worse,” she begged.


Severus’ face melted.


“Alright,” he said, through clenched teeth.


“Severus, please. Give me an oath,” she pleaded.


“I swear to you Hermione Granger I will not hurt Ronald Weasley for having intercourse with you last night,” he said.


The magic swirled around them, sealing the oath. Hermione raised her eyebrow at his cunning wording of the oath, providing him a loophole for future incidents. He was a Slytherin after all.


Suddenly the door opened. Ron entered, face growing red at the sight of Hermione and Severus embracing on the bed.


“I just thought you should know the other members are starting to arrive,” he said distractedly. “McGonagall said that you should stay up here,” he directed at Severus. “To avoid panic before the evidence can be shown to the others.”


Severus nodded coolly, and Hermione stood to follow Ron.


“Ready?” Ron asked her, as she took a deep breath.


“As ready as I can be, I suppose,” she replied, as he took her hand to lead her downstairs.


Severus scowled blackly after them.


A/N: Sorry that took so long. I have the flu, and have been down with it for several days. My baby has been sick too, so I haven't been writing much, but please review! Ps. Yes, the pink potion is for PMS