Hermione Granger and the Tactile Contact Theory

Chapter 19 Recovery and Discovery

When Hermione opened her eyes, Madam Pomfrey’s face was the first thing she saw.

“There you go child. How are you feeling?” Madam Pomfrey asked.

After a couple of tries, Hermione managed to say, “I’m tired.”

“You should be child. You gave quite a performance out there I hear. Some serious wandless magic. Not everyone can master wandless magic, dear. That is very impressive,” Madam Pomfrey finished plumping Hermione’s pillow and looked to the other side of the room.

“You’ve got some visitors here. Do you feel up to seeing people?”

“Yes,” Hermione responded as enthusiastically as possible.

“You can talk to them for a short while, but then I’ve got a round of potions for you to take. Try to avoid getting excited,” Madam Pomfrey said to Hermione.

Two faces quickly appeared over Hermione’s bed. Ron and Harry looked at her with anxious eyes.

“You alright, Hermione?” Ron asked.

“Yes. I’m fine, just tired. Are you two ok?” Hermione asked.

“Oh yeah, we’re fine thanks to you. That was some bloody brilliant work out there Hermione. Why didn’t you tell us you’d been studying wandless magic?”

“I’ve just been using it mostly to stir my potions and add ingredients. I didn’t think it would ever come in so handy,” Hermione responded.

“But that doesn’t explain the cool hair blowing and glowing stuff. How did you manage that?” Harry asked.

“Um, what are you talking about?”

“When you threw Myrtle half-way across the forest, your hair was all blowing up around you and I could swear you were glowing,” Harry responded.

“Sorry, but I have no idea how that happened,” she said quietly.

“Excuse me, but I think I have an answer to that,” Professor Dumbledore said as he walked towards the bed. “I think it’s connected to Hermione’s Tactile Contact Theory,”

“You mean my theory helped me gain more power?” Hermione asked.

“Yes, touch holds a deep, powerful magic all its own. It is an ancient magic, that few people remember anymore.”

“So all that hand holding and stuff gave Hermione a power boost?” Ron asked Professor Dumbledore.

“I think so. Although the more intimate the touch, the more powerful the magic,” Professor Dumbledore answered as he looked up at Hermione with mirth in his eyes.

Hermione blushed crimson under the Headmaster’s gaze. Apparently he knew that she and Severus had been researching the theory more intimately than was professional. She hoped this didn’t mean she was off the project.

Hoping to take the focus off herself, Hermione asked, “Professor, what happened to Myrtle?”

“Ah, Myrtle. It appears that she and Voldemort had in been communication for much longer than she told us. They were introduced when Tom Riddle’s diary caused so much trouble three years ago.

“She has been working with him since he got his body back two years ago. He had convinced her to work for him by promising to bring her back to life. As you know such a feat takes a lot of preparation and it wasn’t until last night that Voldemort was ready to restore Myrtle to her body.”

“So Myrtle is alive again?” Hermione asked.

“Yes, she’s alive again. However, due to her terrible behavior, she’s been sent to Azkaban to spend the rest of her days. She might get parole in a couple of decades. But I don’t think it’s likely,” Professor Dumbledore said with a certain amount of sadness in his voice.

“And what about Voldemort?” Hermione asked hurry.
y.

“Unfortunately, he hasn’t been found. Somehow he managed to escape the Aurors last night. But, with all the Death Eaters we captured last night, we have taken a large portion of his forces away. I don’t think he’ll be able to recoup the loss very quickly, and it will be some time before we see him again,” Professor Dumbledore said softly. “


“Anyway, I see that Hermione’s potions are ready. We should leave and give the poor girl some rest.” Professor Dumbledore said as he hustled the boys away.

Hermione leaned back against her pillows and closed her eyes as she heard Madam Pomfrey approach with the potions tray.

“They might not all taste very good, but they’ll be good for you,” a voice said that certainly didn’t belong to Madam Pomfrey.

“Oh, Severus. I was beginning to wonder if you were going to visit me,” Hermione said as she felt her heart begin to beat harder.

“I’d have been here when you woke up if I hadn’t been making these potions for Madam Pomfrey. She’s got a frightful array of them for you,” Severus said as he used the back of his hand to caress Hermione’s jaw line.

“I’m so glad you’re ok. The things Myrtle was doing to you…”

Severus put a finger to Hermione’s lips, “Let’s not talk about it. I did what I had to do to save us. I’d do it again.”

“Would you kiss me again?” Hermione asked.

Severus answered by leaning close to Hermione’s face, his eyes never leaving hers, and pressing a kiss to her lips. He would have kissed her more, but Madam Pomfrey said she was too delicate now to be excited.

“I was so worried about you. When I turned around to find you, you had fallen to the ground. You were as still as you had been in my vision. Thankfully, you’re more powerful than any prophecy,” Severus told her. “You really did some amazing magic out there, Hermione.”

“That’s what everyone has been telling me. Truly, I don’t remember doing anything spectacular.”

“Well, you’ve been practicing elementary wandless magic for as long as we’ve been doing our research. You simply took the next step and used it to force people instead of objects.”

“But this was different. I felt power coursing through me. It wasn’t like any other time I had used wandless magic. Professor Dumbledore said it was my theory. He said the more intimate the touch, the more powerful the magic it produces.”

“Yes, I’m afraid he’s on to us. What shall we do about that?” Severus asked Hermione as he uncorked the first potion he was to give her.

“I have no idea. But he didn’t seem upset about it. In fact, he seemed tickled,” Hermione said as she remembered the look in the Headmaster’s eyes a few moments before.

“You know what I think?” Severus asked as he placed a smoking green vial of potion into Hermione’s hands.

“What do you think?” Hermione asked as she brought the potion to her lips.

“I think the significant rise in power you had was caused by the fact that you love me.”

It was with great restraint that Hermione managed to avoid spluttering and spitting the potion everywhere. Instead she swallowed the vile liquid hard and took a deep breath. Of course she was in love with him. Hermione hadn’t wanted to take the risk of saying it out loud when she wasn’t sure Severus loved her back.

“That may be true, it it is contingent on you loving me.”

“Well, you can put your mind to rest on that. I’ve known for a long time that I love you. I was just waiting for you to grow old enough that I wouldn’t seem a creepy pervert for feeling that way.”

Hermione could barely contain the joy she felt, “Are you sure? You do love me?”

“I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life,” Severus said as he brought Hermione hand to his lips and kissed the inside of her palm, his black eyes full of emotion.

“Well, it’s a shame I’m stuck in the hospital wing. We could celebrate this discovery,” Hermione said as she happily plucked the next potion from Severus’ fingers.

“I don’t think you’re quite ready for celebrations just yet. Let’s just thesthese potions down, before you fall asleep again,” Severus said.

“I’m not going to fall asleep again. I’m too happy.”

“Yes, well that first potion you took was a sleeping draught. Unfortunately, you will be falling asleep again very soon.”

“Damn potion maker. I’m not going to take the next round of potions if you’re going to slip stuff like that in on me,” Hermione said as her eyelids grew heavier.

“Hush, now. I’ll still be here when you wake up, thanks to you,” Severus said as her eyes closed and her breathing deepened. “Sweet dreams, Hermione.”

“He loves me,” were Hermione’s last thoughts before she fell asleep with Severus lovingly stroking her hair.