I Will Always Find You

AN: SO SO Sorry about the wait guys!! Thanks to Sunflower for Beta work!!

ALSO: If anyone is wondering, Yes,this story will continue as I had planned before Half Blood Prince came out and it is now officcialy AU. Thank you all for your patience.~BotticellisAngel

Disclaimer: All credit goes to the wonderfully talented J.K. Rowling. These are her charachters and Hermione\'s idea goes to her as well. I\'m just having a bit of fun and making no money, so please don\'t sue!! LOL

REVIEWERS:

angel: I\'m gald you thought it was funny. LOL I always like to make people laugh!


JTBJAB: Well, that\'s okay, beacuse my family etc, can\'t leave me alone long enough for me to take a shower, let alone write a chapter. Hopefully I can finish this before I\'m eighty. LOL

Selene: Here you be.

Sarah-Ayn: That\'s okay. I\'m glad you are enjoying it! LOL Breathe hon. LMAO!!
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Gwennavierre: Thank you. I\'m really glad you like it

Lydia: LOL I know I\'m so evil making you guys wait to find out what she remembered. LOL

slytheringryffindor21: I was hoping everyone would like that. I like it more every time I go back over it, especially since Sunflower suggested having Hermione be afraid. She was so right.

Cristie: I\'m glad you liked that. LOL I figured that Severus had resigned himself to the fact the they would be teased by the headmaster and was just waiting for it to happen. LOL

Tainted Angel: Thank you! I owe you guys so much for your great reviews!!

Jonathan: Thank you very much for that hint. I was wondering if I had got that right. LOL I know the British don\'t use cream in their tea. (Did I say that? And if so, where?) LOL I put milk in my tea too. LOL

JO: Glad you like here you are!

Jo: Here it is

Kari: LOL Sometimes the stories you try to avoid are the ones you like best. LOL I do that all the time. I\'m glad you decided to give it a chance. I\'m not a big fan of rape stories either; but it popped into my head and I couldn\'t get rid of it. Hope you like this installment!

Jennifer Carter: Thank you! Here you are.


Ch. 21 Hermione\'s Notion


Her shoes made sharp \"clack clack\" noises as she ran through the hallways of the castle. Her mind was focused on the idea in her mind. It kept growing and growing, and she just had to get to the Headmaster and ask him about it.

Her position as head girl allowed her to kow the password to reach his office. She reached the stone gargoyle and breathing hard, gave it the password.

\"Sugar Quill.\"

It slid to the side and revealed the stairs up to Dumbledores office. Hermione took them two at a time until she reached the hallway.

Before she even knocked on the door, Dumbledore called out for her to come in.

Still breathing hard, Hermione opened the door and stepped into his office.

\"Hello, Miss Granger. What can I do for you?\"

\"Good evening sir, I just had a thought and it seemes important. I thought I\'d discuss it with you before I brought it up to anyone else.\"

Dumbledore motioned for her to take a seat. \"Would you like some tea?\"

\"Yes, please,\" Hermione responded, trying to get her breath under controll as she sank into one of Dumbledores cushy chairs.

Dumbledore took his time making the tea so she could compose herself. She watched him as he filled two cups and then asked her how she took hers.

She told him, and soon they both sat sipping their tea. \"Thank you, sir.\"

He nodded. \"Now, what idea has come to you?\"

Hermione took a breath and then blurted, \"It\'s love isn\'t it?\"

\"I beg your pardon Miss Granger?\"

She went on, \"Well sir, I\'m sure you\'ve already got this far; but it occurred to me that it was Harrys love for Sirius that drove Voldemort away that day in the Ministry.\"

Dumbledore nodded. \"Yes, that is my understanding.\"

Hermione wondered if she were being silly; but plowed ahead anyway, \"My thought was, that if Harry\'s love for Sirius drove Voldemort away, then his love should help him in the final battle.\"

Dumbledore smiled. \"Hermione, you are the most clever witch I\'ve seen pass through these halls in many a year. I was thinking exactly the same thing.\"

She smiled; but then frowned. \"I don\'t think Harry really gets it yet. That he can\'t focus on his hate for Voldemort and the death eaters to get though this.\"

\"This too has occured to me,\" Dumbledore replied. \"Harry is as brave and intelligent as they come. He does not see this as well as everyone else does, because it\'s just his nature. But he tends to focus on the negative side of things. I\'ve got an idea, Miss Granger. If you could get some of Harrys close friends together, maybe at the next meeting, I\'d really like to discuss a strategy with all of you....\" He looked at her hopefully.

\"Of course I can, sir. I\'ll spread the word among the students if you could talk to Remus and the others.\"

Dumbledore nodded. \"I\'ll do just that Miss Granger. Now you had best be getting along to bed.\"

\"Yes sir, thank you.\"

\"Goodnight Miss Granger.\"

\"Goodnight sir.\"

~'

The next day, Hermione had a free period in the morning, which she used to get around to all of Harry\'s friends. Most of them were in the order, and some of them even offered to help spread the word over their free periods.


By the end of classes for the day, everyone knew that they were to got o headquarters early for the next meeting. It was going to be a long one anyway because it would be the last before the battle.

Things were getting tense within the halls of the castle. The younger students had already been sent home. The rest of them lived in a pepetual state of anxiety.

Even the teachers were constantly losing their train of thought during class. Trelawney was in such a state that she sent all of her classes to the library for independent study.

That is, all but Professor Snape. It was sort of a relief to see that at least one of the teachers was keeping calm. His classes went on as if nothing were wrong at all, and even he was surprised at the marked improvement in everyone\'s work.

\"I don\'t understand it, Hermione,\" he was saying to her on Thursday night after she had patrolled. \"The castle is in an uproar, and as soon as they get to my class they start to concentrate! Even
that fifth year twit, what\'s his name? Anderson, that\'s it. Even HE managed to brew a decent shrinking potion today.\" He waved an arm as he paced around his sitting room.

Hermione tried not to giggle at his consternation. \"Severus, it\'s because your classroom has stayed the same. It\'s the calm before the storm and everyone within these halls knows it. Your class is a sort of stabilizer for the students. You keep a firm hand on what goes on, and that\'s exactly what we all need.\"

He stopped pacing and smiled at her where she sat on the couch. \"Have I kissed you today?\" He wondered aloud.

\"No you haven\'t. and if you don\'t mind me saying, I\'m a little put out.\" Hermione pretended to pout, and Severus strode over to the couch and lifted her into his arms.

They smiled at each other for a moment before closing the distance.

Hermione\'s eyes slipped shut, and she parted her lips slightly. It seemed to take forever for their lips to meet. When they finally did, a tingle started there and worked it\'s way down her spine.

\"Mmmm,\" she moaned into the kiss.

Seveus delighted in the sound and deepened the kiss. He desperately wanted to make love to her again; but wasn\'t sure if she was up to it. She had looked extremely tired when she came in from patrolling.

When Hermione\'s knees were weak, and her panties damp, he finally broke the kiss. \"Maybe you should go to bed, love.\"

Her half lidded eyes widened immediately. \"Oh no you don\'t!\" She exclaimed. \"You can\'t keep doing this to me. Are you trying to drive me completely insane?\"

\"What do you mean?\" He asked, confused.

\"Every time I see you privately, you kiss me senseless and then send me away! Are you trying to drive me mad, or are you having second thoughts? Because if you\'re doing this just so I don\'t get my feelings hurt then I\'d rather not!\"

She had built up a head of steam, and Severus knew he needed to head her off before she really got going.

\"No! Of course not! It\'s not either one of those things.\" He assured her quickly. \"I just thought you looked exhausted, and that you might want to go to sleep!\"

Hermione looked disarmed immediately. \"Oh. Well, sorry then.\" She sounded a bit sheepish.

\"Nothing to apologize for.\" He smiled at her. \"I\'ve really been driving you crazy?\"

\'If you only knew.\' Hermione thought; but only nodded shyly. She was unsure about expressing her wants and needs.

Severus couldn\'t stand it anymore, and kissed her fiercely, taking her by surprise. Their conversation had severely dampened the fire; but as soon as his lips touched hers it began to spring back to life.

Feeling a bit dizzy, she wrapped her arms around his neck for support. She giggled when he began to take off her robes.

When he got down to her bra, she broke the kiss. \"What about the wards?\"

Severus shrugged and went for her neck. \"No one can come in.\"

Of course this was mumbled from the crook of her neck; but she caught it anyway.

\"How come?\"

He pulled back. \"I set the wards to recognize you. When you come in, they reset so that no one can enter except for Fawkes.\"

She nodded, and after a second pushed him back down to her neck.

She felt more than heard his rumbling laugh as he continued to seduce her.

He was reaching up her skirt, his hand skimming the flesh of her thigh when he pulled back with a gasp and gripped his arm.

His eyes were full of pain and apology. Hermione just gave him a quick kiss and said, \"Well, I guess it\'s the thought that counts.\"

He looked surprised and then barked out a laugh. \"I\'m so sorry, love. I promise we\'ll get back to this.\"

She was already pulling her clothes back on. She just nodded and said, \"You\'d better hurry.\"

He started to go to get his death eater robes; but then came back for one last kiss.

Hermione grabbed the front of his robes before he could go. \"I love you.\"

He knew that those words carried more meaning tonight that they ever had.

\"I love you too,\" he said before she let him go.

~'

Severus had to hurry like he had never hurried before. This would be the last gathering of death eaters before the raid on Hogwarts.

Voldemort had made him produce a detailed map of Hogwarts to determine the weakest pionts in the castle.

Severus was loathe to do this; but Dumbledore had encouraged it for whatever reason. Who knew what went on in that man\'s head?

He reached the clearing just in time to aviod being late. Voldemort gave him a long look as he took his place in the ranks.

\"Severus, have you the map?\"

\"Yes lord,\" Severus said, inclining his head in respect.

\"Bring it here,\" Voldemort commanded.

Severus removed the scroll from his robes as he walked toward Voldemort. When he reached the chair, he knelt and handed the map over.

Voldemort took it and then handed it to Wormtail. The simpering man scurried to a table that had been magicked there and spread it out.

Severus was on his way back to the ranks when he suddenly found himself on the ground. The pain was tearing it\'s way through his body, making his every nerve burn.

He writhed there for a full ten minuets until Voldemort decided that he\'d been punished enough and let him up.

Severus knew better than to ask what he had done, and just lay in the dead leaves waiting for the residual pain to ebb away. His breath came in shallow pants, misting in front of his face.

\"You will be prompt,\" was all that Voldemort said.

Severus took as long as he possibly could in getting up withou earning himself another punishment. He limped back to the ranks slowly and took his place.

He was fortunate that Voldemort was pleased with the map. The man spent an hour assigning men to certain points, trying to make sure that none would escape.

When they were finally released from the meeting Severus gratefully moved toward the appariton point.

He sensed more than saw someone at his right. \"What do you want Wormtail?\"

\"Our Master wants to talk to you,\" Wormtail replied in his ratlike voice.

Severus abruptly turned and walked back to Voldemort\'s chair. He knelt and bowed his head.

\"You wanted to see me lord?\"

\"Yes Severus. I have been detecting some hostility coming from you as of late.\"

Severus cringed inwardly. He knew he should have used the pensieve. Now he would have to rely on his skills with Occlumency.

Just in time, he clamped down on his memories and opened the rest of his mind to Voldemort. He knew how to route his memories to make sure they were fluid. Voldemort wouldn\'t suspect a thing.

When Voldemort was finished he dismissed Severus, though he was still gazing at him with mild suspicion.

Severus went to the apparition point as fast as he could and got out of there.

\"Damn you Potter, you had just better win,\" he muttered as he appeared at the castle with a loud popping noise.


AN: Hope it was all right.