The Guardian of Slytherin

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Chapter Twenty


Lying utterly still, Hermione watched the storm clouds overhead pouring in with more speed than they had before. The wind was coming and soon the rain as well, she thought. Closing her eyes, she felt the first of the raindrops hitting her face. It was cold and smelled of mineral filled moisture as other heavy drops joined the first. Soon she was drenched and near freezing as she lay there. She didn’t want to move, but knew she must least she become sick.


Regulus watched her from the doorway, letting out a long sigh as he went over through the rain shower and helped her back into the castle. He cast drying and warming charms on her, even as he knew she was too tired to do so herself.


“Doing as you just did wasn’t worthy of your intelligence,” Regulus muttered to her. “You can’t afford to get ill!” When she didn’t say anything, he snapped, “Hermione!”


She looked up into his grey eyes. “I know. I’ve known from the start.”


Regulus didn’t say anything as the young witch struggled to come up with the words to say.


“Before now, I’ve spent my life with my head in books, studying when I should have been doing more than just that.”


“There is a way…” he started only to have her hold up her hand to stop him.


Smiling as best as she could, she said, “I’m going to find Severus. Perhaps I can get him to recite his first year lecture to me while I’m dressed like a naughty school girl?”


He watched her walking away, as Rabastan joined him. It was with a hand on Regulus’s shoulder he murmured, “Well?”


“Okay,” he sighed in resignation. “It’ll have to wait though.” He turned to his lover adding, “I know of a better candidate, but timing with this one is everything.”


***


“I didn’t think…that was possible…without…being double…jointed,” Ginny panted, absently looking at her own knee that was currently next to her head.


Rolling to the side, he laughed breathily and helped her into a more comfortable position. Rubbing her hips, he murmured, “So tell me, what do you have planned for the future?”


Frowning she looked over at him. “Pillow talk?”


“You chat me up so much, I figure you’d be good at it.”


Laughing she said, “You’re lucky you’ve worn me out or I’d be hitting you about now.”


“Well?”


Quietly she curled up next to him, saying, “I have to finish up at school. What with the war and the Battle of Hogwarts everything went a bit sideways.”


“Understandable,” he murmured. “When’s that going to be starting?”


“In a month,” she told him. “But my parents will be back from Romania before then.”


“Hmm, will they have a problem with you being here?”


“I’m the youngest of seven and the only girl,” she pointed out to him. “What do you think?”


Wincing he murmured, “Okay. We can deal with that, can’t we?”


Feeling an odd contentment that she had never felt before, she replied, “Yes, we can.” Moving over so that her upper body was now resting on top of his, she rested her chin on her hand that was on his chest to be able to look him in the eyes. “Quidditch season is starting soon as well.”


He nodded.


“Still playing out of Montrose?”


That had him blinking at her, as he began playing with her hair absently. “Are you a fan?”


“I follow all the teams and I play,” she told him. “I want to tryout for the Holyhead Harpies once I get my NEWTs.”


“What position?” he asked, genuinely curious.


“I can pretty much play any I want,” she told him without sounding immodest or boastful. “It was hard not to learn how to play any and all of the spots on a team in my family. But if I had to choose just one, I think I excel at being a chaser.”


Smiling slowly, he murmured, “I knew there was something I liked about you.”


***


Severus watched as Hermione fell asleep. This time he had fed her dreamless sleep without her knowledge. She would more than likely be upset by this, but she needed to rest. Taking up her hand, he wrapped it in both of his own and kissed her knuckles.


“Potter is pressing to learn more information,” Rabastan said from behind him.


“He’ll have to wait,” Severus said quietly. “She needs to sleep.” He combed her hair out of her face. “Do what you must. We stick to our priority. Keeping her well and protected.”


“Of course,” he murmured, but he didn’t move.


Sighing heavily he put down Hermione’s hand and turned to face the other man. Rabastan stood straighter as he told him, “Regulus is on board and he’s found a better candidate.”


Severus thought it over and gave a terse nod. “Fine. When?”


“He told me the timing with this one is everything, whatever that means.”


“It means that he has a plan and we shouldn’t interfere,” the potions master said casually. “I’ll have the potion done before the end of tomorrow. Remember to tell him that I can only keep it in stasis for two days.”


“I will.” Rabastan looked around him to Hermione. “Does she have that kind of time?”


Severus turned to look at her. “Yes and if not, we’ll make it.”


“What if…”


Snape turned on him, hissing, “I will move the heavens and, need be, hell to keep that witch with me. What do you think?”


Surrendering the other wizard stepped back, saying, “We all want what’s best for her. I just wanted you to think more clearly about what might happen.”


Nodding he went back to sit next to Hermione once more inquiring quietly, “Tell me for all your glib chatter back and forth, what you wouldn’t give to keep Regulus still amongst the living and at your side? And how clear thinking would you be about doing it?”


Head lowering, LeStrange muttered, “Point made.”


“I thought so,” he replied as he took up her hand once more, pressing it to his face. “Go! Keep Potter occupied for the night. Have Regulus help if need be.” He snorted as he added, “Something tells me neither one of you will mind that assignment.”


***

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