Hold Me Close

Severus entered the dank tunnel that led to Voldemort’s lair. There was about a ten minute walk in the tunnel before reaching the stronghold, so that all one would see was the moist earthen walls and ceiling that led down deep into the ground, to the Throne Room of the Dark Lord. The ten minute walk served to disguise the palace.


When Severus finally reached the Throne room, he approached Voldemort on his golden throne with green velvet upholstery. He knelt, pressing his lips to the floor, just as his master required he and his brethren to do.


“You may sstand, my faithful ssservant,” came the shrill voice of Voldemort.


“Thank you my Lord,” Severus said sycophantically as he rose to his feet, not daring to make eye contact, as such was forbidden.


“You return alone, why isss that?”


“Macnair was killed, my Lord,” he replied evenly.


“Yesss, I am well aware, Severussss. Asss am I aware that it wasss your wand that brought him down. What I am waiting to hear isss your explanation for ssslaying one of your brethren, and for returning to me ssso late,” Voldemort said, irritation laced in his cold voice.


“I have news that I think may please you, my Lord,” Severus said uncertainly.


Gods he hoped Voldemort bought this.


“Go on,” the despot indicated with a scaly hand.


“We came upon Potter, with his friends, Weasley and the mudblood,” he began. “I saw an opportunity to get back into the good graces of the Order, thereby continuing your work as a spy, my Lord.”


“Do continue,” Voldemort said interestedly.


Severus sighed inwardly. It seemed as though he were off to a promising beginning.


“Macnair made to attack Potter, but I know you want the boy for yourself, on your own terms. I cast the killing curse on him, my Lord. If Potter and his friends saw me act duplicitously towards a fellow Death Eater, I thought perhaps they could be fooled into thinking I killed that fool Dumbledore on his own orders.


I fabricated a memory, my Lord. A memory that showed that old fool telling me I must kill him in the event Draco should fail. It seems Young Malfoy’s attempts to kill the man were brought to his own attention by Malfoy’s carelessness.


Potter and his friends were convinced I am innocent, and asked me to accompany them to that old crone, McGonagall, to be reinstated in their ranks, Lord. I am back in their good graces, and can now bring you the information you desire in regards to their plans,” Severus said, beginning to sweat unnoticeably.


Voldemort’s red eyes brightened in understanding. Perhaps the loss of the oaf Macnair was profitable.


“Thissss pleasesss me greatly, Severusss. I want you to take your leave of your normal dutiesss, and rejoin the ranksss of the Order. I expect you to bring me newssss that pleasesss me, Severusss, or I shall have to reconsssider your worth to my caussse,” he said, much to Severus’ relief.


“I will leave for the Order as soon as you permit, My Lord,” Severus said, hoping he would get to leave immediately.


“You may go, Severusss,” Voldemort said, waving him out.


Severus bowed slightly, and left the throne room, intending to return to Hermione as soon as possible. She had some explaining to do, and he was not going to waste any more time in getting said explanation.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Hermione lie awake in bed. Molly had checked on her so many times, she had lost count. Hermione felt more guilty than she had ever felt in her life. She knew that Molly was just going to be heartbroken to find out that the baby was not Ron’s. She had no intention of taking the baby away from Molly, even after they revealed the her true paternity.


Molly had always been like a mother to her, and if the woman could find a way to forgive her, she would still be “Grandma Molly” to her daughter. Perhaps she will love my baby so much, she will forgive me after all, Hermione tried to reason.


There was a soft knock on her door again, and Molly peeked her head in the door.


“Hello again, dear. Are you feeling alright?”


Hermione smiled, trying to hide her slight irritation at the interruption of her thoughts.


“Yes, Molly. I am feeling just fine,” she said warmly, not wanting to hurt the woman more than she was going to when the truth came out someday.


“I was just checking, Dear. I am going to go to bed now, and have some rest. Don’t forget to ward your door, so no one disturbs you,” she said kindly, setting a glass of pumpkin juice on Hermione’s nightstand.


Hermione thanked her and accepted the warm hug she offered.


“Goodnight, Dear. Goodnight, Baby,” she said, patting Hermione’s swelling stomach.


She smiled at Hermione one last time before taking her leave.


Hermione was relieved when Molly insisted that Ron take a separate room than she. Molly had told him Hermione needed her rest, and Ron had agreed, for which Hermione was very grateful. She had no idea how she would explain to Severus why Ron was in her bed when he came back to the house.


Where was he? She was beginning to get restless, waiting for him to show after she warded the door, allowing only his signature to pass though it. She rolled to her side and faced the wall. She hoped he was not being tortured.


Her thoughts drifted to her unborn daughter. She knew that by way of muggle medicine, it would have been another three months before she would have known the child was a girl. She wondered what her child would be like. Would she look more like her, or like her father? Would she be studious? Well that was a given, she supposed, as both she and Severus were such.


She wondered if her daughter would be a Slytherin or a Gryffindor….or if there would even be a Hogwarts by that time. She shivered at the thought of having to raise her baby in a world ruled by Voldemort. She would rather be killed along with the child than to serve that fate.


Hermione wrapped her arms tighter around her body as she thought about the state of turmoil the wizarding world was in. Harry just had to destroy that monster; he just had to.


Hermione’s thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. She turned to see Severus coming into the room.


“How did it go?” she asked him, sitting up.


“He seemed pleased that he would once again have a ‘spy’ within the Order,” he said quietly.


Hermione sighed with relief. She was glad that Severus had not been punished for killing Macnair. She patted the space on the bed next to her, beckoning him to join her.


He sat on the bed next to her, and she burst into tears.


“Oh, Severus, I am so sorry,” she sobbed.


He suddenly looked quite uncomfortable, and wrapped his arms around her tightly.


“I am so sorry I got you into this mess,” she cried into his chest.


He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back a little so he could look her in the eyes.


“I don’t ever want you to think I blame you for any of this,” he said quietly. “I am just as much at fault here, we created that child together. I would never have asked you not to carry my daughter.


Hermione nodded in understanding as he wiped a tear from her cheek.


“How are you feeling?” he asked her.


“Much better now that you’re here,” she told him, leaning against his chest.


He breathed in the scent of her hair, and placed a light kiss on her forehead.


She looked up at him, her eyes wanton with desire. He bent down and placed a light kiss on her lips, and she hungrily kissed him back, wanting to taste him. He was very receptive to her kisses, rubbing her back gently as she ran her fingers though his hair, wanting him, needing him.


She leaned back onto the pillows, pulling him with her. He continued to kiss her passionately, running his hand over her breast. She felt him harden into her hip, and she pulled him closer, allowing him to settle between her legs. He pulled his robes off, revealing that he was wearing only boxers beneath them.


His erection slipped through the slit on the front of his silk boxers, and grazed the fabric of her knickers. She felt the flush of wetness as her body coursed with heat, with need. Severus slid his hand up her nightgown, softy caressing her breasts, as he nibbled on her neck.


“Severus, please,” she begged him as desire consumed her body.


“Divesto,” he whispered, and dove into her hot, wet center.


She gasped in pleasure and clawed at his back as he thrust into her, filling her. “Oh gods, how I missed you,” she breathed, wrapping her legs tightly around him, bucking her hips to make him go faster.


He moaned softly as he moved with her, their bodies becoming one. He kissed her neck and she moaned in pleasure, squeezing him tightly.


He felt the tension beginning to build within her and quickened his pace, sending him over the edge, climaxing into ecstasy with her.


She trembled with satisfaction as he lay atop her panting. She kissed his face and hugged him tightly.


“I love you,” she said.


He answered her with a fierce kiss on her swollen lips.


“Perhaps we should get some rest,” she said after a few minutes. “It wouldn’t do for someone to catch you sneaking out of here.”


He nodded in agreement and cleaned the bed and their bodies with a flick of his wand. He then turned her so her back was to him and wrapped his arms tightly around her, both falling into a deep, blissful sleep.


A/N:Thank you all for reading, and for you kind words and encouragement! My daughter is well again, as am I. I hope you enjoyed that tasty lemon as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please review and lemme know what you think!