Dark Days

AN - You guys must really hate me for not updating for so long!!! That's if you've just not all forgotten about me! Sorry that it's taken so very very long. I'm just crap basically, although I have recently moved out which hasn't helped. But mainly I'm just crap and had major writters block. Anyhoo, here be the next instalment!

Dark Days Chapter Twenty-two – New wards

His laughter grew and grew until tears of glee rolled down his face. Hermione stood gazing at him, hands on hips and haughty expression on her face. She had never seen him like this before. The man was usually so reserved and in control so to see him now convulsed with laughter was an odd experience. But his laughter soon became contagious and her hands slid from her hips as her smile grew on cherry red lips. Giving in at last she threw herself down into his lap and his arms snaked around her. Slowly his laughs subsided as he buried his face in her hair. It smelled of vanilla, warm and comforting.

“Hermione,” he asked at length, finally getting the better of his mirth. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you…”

“Hmm…” she murmured.

He stood up then lifting her with him and placing her gently back down on to the seat. She curled up there looking at him puzzled. He paced the room.

“Its…well, this house it’s been mine and my families for years. Not that it ever felt like home, not really.” He stopped at the window and gazed out into the growing darkness. “I hated it as a child, any excuse to get away I took. I never wanted it when my parents died. The only reason I ever came back here at all was to escape bloody annoying students.” Hermione watched him speculatively wondering where this was leading.

“It’s a nice enough house I suppose. A bit grand for some tastes, but it’s always been filled with bad memories…” He paused, his silence saying more than any words could. She longed to get up and hold him but sensed that she should just wait and hear him out. “But recently things haven’t been so bad here.” He turned to look at her. “Not just bad memories any more, there are good memories here, and more than that. There are things that I want to share with you, and I care about losing like I never have before.”

The pause that followed was rather longer than the others. “Severus…” Hermione began.

“Hermione I need you to help me.”

“Of course I’ll help you,” she said standing and coming to his side. “You shouldn’t have to ask. What do you need?”

He smiled; a feeble smile after the raucous laughter of a few minutes earlier. “This place feels like home now and I don’t want to lose it. But I’m not optimistic at the moment. Voldemort is conquering more land everyday. I don’t want him to have this house. I’m strong enough alone to ward it the way I’d like, but if you help me…We could hide it from everyone who we didn’t want here.”

“But don’t some of the Death Eaters already know where it is?” she asked quietly as though reluctant to bring up his past.

“A few, but what I want to do will prevent those who know where it is from entering, except us and maybe a chosen few. And anyone who doesn’t know where it is could walk right through it and never see it even if someone else is pointing right at it and banging their head against a wall!”

Hermione’s eyes shone. This was something she had never heard of, something she had not thought possible, and new knowledge of any kind intrigued and drew her, the proverbial moth to a flame. “If this is possible why hasn’t anything of the kind been done before?” She was thinking of Lily and James.

He seemed to know what she was thinking. “We didn’t know how then…” he said quietly. “Or THEY didn’t perhaps I should say. It’s a new discovery anyway really. Something I amused myself researching in my spare time. You may not have noticed but I’m not the most sociable man in the world. The idea of a house that no-one but a select few could enter appealed to me.”

Hermione laughed fondly, “It would.”

“Will you help me?”

“Of course,” she said. “When do we start?”

“How about now?” he asked.

She smiled again. “Now works for me!”

* * * * * *
Voldemort watched as twenty-thousand Death Eaters took positions before him. The city would never stand against them. A few thousand of Dumbledore’s troops were already inside, desperate to hold them off, but even they knew that all they were was a delay. There was no way that they could hope to defeat Voldemort now. Not when they were spread so thin to ward off Dementors. He could have laughed. It really was pitiful.

Inside the city the order of the phoenix waited. Those with religion prayed while others merely stared blankly at walls. They knew that they could not win here. And they knew that Voldemort knew too which really grated at their nerves!

An icy chill descended over Order members and Death Eaters alike, chilling them to the bone. Overhead Vultures circled. Long ago it was when Vultures had inhabited Britain, but now, with death everywhere the carrion eaters had returned.

Kingsley Shaklebolt stood motionless watching the birds wheeling and idly toying with his wand. His face was more scarred than it had been, and the eyes less warm. Personally he was amazed that he was still alive, but he had a peculiar feeling that after today he wouldn’t be.

* * * * * *
The cauldron stood bubbling on the fire that licked at the top, almost it seemed to be trying to get into the cauldron itself and so consume it with fire from within. Two silent figures stood watching the liquid within bubble and boil.

“What next?” the smaller of the two enquired.

“Well in theory the liquid should turn a bright blue, and then must be immediately be removed from the heat and bottled. But of course, this has never been attempted before, there are no certainties!”

She slipped her hand into his much larger one, “It’ll be fine. Everything’s going to work exactly like it always does when you brew a potion! I mean have you ever done ANYTHING wrong?”

“Yes actually, I blew up an entire wing of a house once when I was researching a potion for… well, it wasn’t a nice one. It’s probably just as well it didn’t work!”

“That’s reassuring!”

He grinned at her, “It’s turning blue!”

The two immediately grasped their wands and levitated the cauldron from the flames to a place on the work bench.

“What did I tell you? Perfect!”

“That’s yet to be seen. We’ll only know if it works when we try the spell out as well and test it on someone,” he said turning away and collecting some bottles.

Hermione grinned at his back and stuck out her tongue at him.
“That’s rude,” he said without turning round.

“How did you…” she trailed off. He smirked at her. “Years of being a teacher,” he said.

It didn’t take long to bottle up the potion and store it away to cool in a dark corner of the potions lab. It was always cold down there unless the fires were going, in the darkest corner of the basement of Snape manor. Hermione hader qer quite grasped why potions labs always seemed to be underground, at least with the Snape’s. To her mind it would have been much more sensible to have had it in a bright airy place with windows that could be thrown open to let in light and air, and to let out those noxious fumes that often came with an ill brewed potion. But hey, what did she know?

Hermione stifled a yawn, and blinked gritty eyes shut. It was almost dawn, they had been working all last evening and most of the night on this potion, after a long day yesterday and she was now thinking longingly of her bed.

“Tired?” asked Severus in a wonderful example of stating the obvious. She nodded.

“You should go to bed,” he said.

“What about you?”

“I’m going to tidy up, you go, I won’t be long.”

“I should help you,” she said yawning.

“You should go sleep!” he said, “So go!”

“Yes sir,” she smiled and stretched up to kiss him. “Don’t be long.”

Wearily she climbed the stairs and entered her comfortable room. She undressed quickly and uncaringly, for once leaving her clothes where they fell, to tired to be bothered picking them up. Then clad in a long black silk night gown she made her way to Severus’ room and curled up in his armchair. She tried to convince herself that it wasn’t so she could make sure he did actually sleep at some point, but it wasn’t working.

An hour later Severus made his way upstairs to his room, listening at Hermione’s door on the way past to check if she was asleep. Hearing no noise he went into his room and found her curled up in his chair fast asleep. She shivered slightly in her sleep, her gown was thin and the room not warm. Quietly he pulled back the blankets on his bed and gently picked her up and laid her inside. She didn’t wake and snuggled under the blankets, grateful for the warmth. Undressing quickly he slid in beside her and wrapped her up in his arms. She sighed as he kissed her hair.

It took Severus a long time to get to sleep that night. Instead he watched the tiny woman in his arms sleeping, amazed that she should be there. It had amazed him that she would ever want him and it amazed him still more now, after everything that had happened, when he had thought her lost forever.


They woke late, Hermione still wrapped up in Severus’ arms. “What time did you come to bed?” she murmured sleepily.

“Not long after you,” he said. She looked skeptical, “Really!” he assured her. Reassured she closed her eyes again, reluctant to wake up fully and content to merely lie there in the security of his arms.

“What time is it?” she asked at last.

“Almost noon,” he replied.

“Mmmm…” she groaned pathetically, “I suppose we should really get up then.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well we have this warding to finish, and probably Dumbledore to face at some point. Then we get to explain why we decided to go off half cocked and steal things from the Malfoys!”

Now it was Severus’ turn to groan, “Can we postpone that conversation for a bit please? I don’t feel like talking to Dumbledore today!”

“I doubt we’ll get a choice,” she said and kissed him softly on the lips. He kissed her back more passionately, she kissed back for long minutes before gently pushing him away. “Come on, that’s not getting anything done,” she said and pushed back the blankets and quietly left the room.

Severus lay back on the bed, reluctant to get up and gazing at the closed door through which Hermione had departed. For all that they were trying things were far from perfect between them. He sighed, longing for the day when past problems no longer affected their relationship.

In her room Hermione gazed out of her window, fingers lightly brushing her lips where Severus had kissed her so fully. Resting her forehead on one hand she closed her eyes and took long, steadying breaths. How much longer would there be this breach between them? She loved him, of that she was certain, so why did she still feel so…strange around him sometimes. Shaking herself mentally she dressed in simple jeans and a white blouse with plain navy work robes thrown over them, against the cold more than anything else.

They ate in silence and afterwards, moving as one towards the potions lab they went to continue the warding. No words were needed between them and they worked in harmony and in silence, save only for the words of the incantation.

* * * * * *

Dementors flooded into the city, a plague of death and icy fear. Few could withstand them and those who could were soon reduced to exhaustion to hold them back. Death Eaters and resistance alike were blooded and battered. It had been an evil day for both sides and thousands of men lay dead or dying in the streets and the gutters ran red with blood.

Kingsley leaned wearily against the wall of what had once been a primary school. Children’s paintings and work still decorated the notice boards, many charred and half burned. A lone pink mitten lay unscathed atop the rubble and ruin. Breathing heavily, grateful for the brief respite Kingsley sighed. The Dementors must have moved to another part of the city, he felt warm for the first time all day. It was getting harder and harder to fight them off. He was battling exhaustion and the awful visions in his head now as much as them.

Standing up straighter he made a move to join the rest of the battle again. He never made it. As he moved a Death Eater hit him with the killing curse from behind, leaving him sprawled across the floor, eyes open staring up at a child’s drawing of a knight in shining armour.

* * * * * *

The messenger hurried up the spiraling stairs which led to Dumbledore’s office. Beads of sweat glistened on his face and his breath came in ragged gasps. Without knocking he burst into the office, to find Dumbledore pacing the room, Fawkes perched calmly on the mantelpiece, the desk half buried in parchment.

“The city has fallen sir!” he cried.

Slowly Dumbledore turned to face him. “Survivors?”

The young man looked at the floor, “There hasn’t been time to make sure…” he stopped.

“Michael…” Dumbledore addressed the man.

“None sir. We have had no contact with any of the fighters who were sent. It has been confirmed that Kingsley Shacklebolt is dead, we gained this information before the end, but the woman who gave us this information went back to continue fighting, I don’t know if she or any of the others survived.”

Dumbledore sighed. “Thank you, could you please deliver this news to Minerva and Professor Flitwick.”

The messenger bowed his head briefly and left the room.

* * * * * *
Hermione and Severus sat at their ease in the comfortable sitting room at the rear of the house. Words still escaped them and they sat apart, Hermione absorbed in her book and Severus scrutinizing some old notes. A brown owl tapped it’s beak on the window and Hermione rose to let it in. It fluttered on to the table and calmly held out it’s leg to allow her to remove it’s letter bearing the Hogwart’s crest. Accepting the water she offered it the owl drank and flew out of the window.

“What is it?” asked Severus breaking the long silence.

“A letter from Dumbledore,” she said and began to read. “Due to unfortunate circumstances I will not be able to visit with you today. The talk about your foolhardy idea will have to wait. I also regret to inform you that Kingsley Shacklebolt has fallen in battle along with all others with whom he fought. Regards, Albus Dumbledore.”

She sighed and put the letter down on the table. “Which means that the city fell. So Voldemort now controls all of England save London and that very southern tip. How many people has he killed and enslaved! I begin to wonder whether anything can stop him now!”

He stood up and came towards her, “Hey, I don’t want to hear you talk like that! That’s not the Hermione I know! We can beat him and we will!”

“Will we?” she asked. “I wish I could be so sure!” Disconsolately she left the room leaving Severus to stand and watch her go, again.

The great bath usually relaxed Hermione but not so today. Not matter how long she floated in it none of the tension left her. She knew that here she was safe, but outside all was becoming dark, a vast plague that spread rapidly and she was afraid. Letting herself sink to the bottom she looked up through the water hoping that it would leave her feeling purified as it usually did. It didn’t work and giving up she climbed out and dried herself on the thick towels.

Severus was in her room when she emerged, hair still damp and clinging to her back.

“Are you okay?” he asked. She nodded, but really there was another problem. She had felt so awkward with him all day and she knew that he had noticed it, but she had no idea how to correct it.

“I have something for you,” he said. “I meant to give it you yesterday but then, well, we didn’t really get the opportunity.”

“What is it?” she asked.

He smiled, “Come and open it and see.”

She sat on the bed next to him and took the blue velvet box from him. Inside was a silver chain with an amethyst set into a silver heart on it. “The crystal is charged with a protection spell,” he said.

“It’s beautiful!” she replied. “But what’s it for?”

“Valentine’s day,” he said looking amused. “February 14th, that was yesterday!”

“I’d forgotten,” she murmured. “I feel guilty now, I have no gift for you!”

“You just being here is a gift!” he whispered and stood up to leave. “I’m glad you like it!”

She reached out and took his arm, “Severus, I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“I’ve been so off with you today, I don’t know why…”

“It’s okay,” he said.

“No it isn’t,” she stood up and wrapped her arms around him. “I…”

“Hush,” he murmured enfolding her in his arms and inhaling the clean scent of her hair.

She looked up at him through her eyelashes, “I love you.”

“I love you,” he said.

Standing on tiptoe she kissed him, “Don’t go!”

“Not if you don’t want me to.”

Carefully putting her gift down on the bedside table she wrapped herself more closely about him and kissed him. She needed to kiss him, needed like she needed oxygen. He kissed back just as fervently. The dressing gown that she wore slid seductively down her body, though whether by design or by accident he couldn’t decide. He slid his hands across the smooth skin of the back and shoulders and she moaned into the kiss. Picking her up easily he set her on the bed and quickly rid himself of his garments.

She watched him undress even as he watched her as she lay there, naked, waiting. Crawling up across her she shivered at his touch. She kissed him again, passionately, tangling her hands in his hair. Softly he laid tiny kisses at the base of the throat and down her breast bone before taking a nipple into his mouth and gently caressing it. His fingers, nimble and deft found her other nipple and teased it into a peak.

With surprising strength she pushed him off her and rolled on top of him. Resting with her crotch over his groin she began to explore his chest with her lips and tongue, hips rocking gently, teasing him into erection. She could feel his hardness pressing against her and slid down his body, never losing the connection with his skin. Placing her hands at the base of his cock she began to masturbate him, listening to his breathing growing heavier. After long minutes she touched her tongue to the tip of his penis and he shuddered at the connection. Teasingly she continued masturbating him, taking her mouth to him for short periods at irregular intervals so that he would never know what to expect.

Finally relenting she allowed him right inside her mouth, caressing and lapping with her tongue. He moaned, enjoying the moist warmth that surrounded him. Slowly she drew her lips up and down his shaft, growing more rapid as she listened to his breathing. Her hands stroked up and across his thighs, and reached down to briefly cup his balls before continuing their exploration of his legs.

Severus lay back enjoying the ministrations of his lover. He surrendered himself completely to the sensations between his legs. He could feel his climax building and tried to stop himself, gently tried to remove Hermione so that he might last long enough to be able to fuck her properly.

Smiling inwardly Hermione refused the suggestions to remove her mouth and merely speeded up the rate of her gentle sucking and licking, driving him on to release. Finally with one last shuddering gasp he came. She held him in her mouth a while, feeling his hardness soften. Releasing him she slid up his body and lay atop him, resting her head on his shoulder. He tangled his hands in her hair, his breathing still heavier than was usual. She lay there a while breathing in the musky fragrance that was uniquely his.

After a while she felt nimble hands slide there way down her back and across her buttocks. His touch was electric. Rolling her over he began his own exploration of her body, teasing her nipples back into peaks and swirling his tongue across her creamy thighs. Writhing she attempted to make him shift to her engorged folds now wet with desire, which naturally merely made him slow down.

At length she felt his finger stroke softly along her lips, teasing the folds aside and swirling his finger across her moist flesh. She moaned and bucked her hips to force his finger up inside her. For one he complied without any teasing, sliding two fingers up inside her, the forefinger of his other hand moving up to stroke her clit. Then holding her hips down against the bed he pushed his fingers even further up into her causing her to cry out and struggle ineffectually against the hand holding her down.

“Oh gods…” she moaned.

Hearing that Severus removed his fingers and kissed her fully, his lips stifling her moan. Shifting so that he lay on top of her, she felt his length, already grown and hard again pressing against her. Almost roughly he pushed himself inside her and rode her hard. Wantonly she threw back her head, her hands sliding up across her belly to her breasts, fingers stroking and tugging at nipples already hardened and erect. Her eyes were closed in ecstasy and he gazed down at her as he plunged himself in and out again and again, watching on her face the pleasure that he was giving her.

She moaned again and he felt himself jerk within her. The moisture from her soaked both her thighs and his, she was not far from climax. Her walls quivered and tiny whimpers escaped her lips as she felt the pressure inside her building. Unable to contain himself he sped up his movements. She opened up her eyes and they gazed at each other, seeing into their very souls. Her tongue snaked out of her mouth to wet her lips and he stooped to catch it with his own. They kissed passionately as their bodies rocked together. All at once he felt her clench about him and her eyes flew shut. A great sob escaped her lips as she climaxed. Once more he felt himself jerking within her as her orgasm drew his own on.

They lay tangled up in each other in the aftermath of their orgasms, neither speaking, eyes closed. He could feel her twirling strands of his hair around her finger and he nestled his face closer into the crook of her neck. She smelled good, vanilla and honey and the smell of warm woman. A fair veneer of sweat glistened on her skin as it did on his own. He sighed contentedly, shifting reluctantly only to pull the bedcovers over them both.

Under the covers Hermione snuggled closer to Severus, fitting her body perfectly up against his. She felt complete; all the tension that the bath had failed to relieve was gone. She felt whole. That night she slept with a smile on her face and did not dream, safe in his arms.

* * * * * *

It had not been easy, explaining themselves to Dumbledore. They had sat in his office telling their side of the story while he had gazed disapprovingly over his half-moon spectacles at them both.

“Humph,” he exclaimed at last. “Well, I don’t pretend to approve of what you did, it was foolhardy and rash, but what’s done is done so lets not lose any sleep over it!”

Severus and Hermione looked at each other, somewhat relieved.

“But now the question becomes what do we do with it?” he asked.

“Well from what Maoli has told me and from what I’ve been able to reason out, I believe that Harry must use it against Voldemort in the final battle. We know that he’s the one who has to face him, we’ve known this for years and now we have a weapon…of sorts for him to use.”

“Use how?” he enquired. “And for what purpose? What does it do? We still know entirely too little about this ring or this ‘Maoli’ for my comfort.”

“We don’t know what it does. But I get the feeling that Maoli hasn’t finished meddling in my dreams yet. I also get the feeling that she doesn’t entirely trust humans not to try to meddle in things themselves and so mess up her plans, or her masters plans, whatever. I think she’ll tell us when we need to known.”

“That means leaving a lot up to chance, and if you’ll excuse me I’m becoming cynical in my old age it seems.” He sighed then. “Very well, we leave ourselves in her hands and hope that all will go well. Indeed I see no other choice!”

“We should tell Harry,” said Hermione then glancing at Severus.

“Probably, but that job you get! The boy sets my teeth on edge!”

Hermione merely smiled, some things never changed.

* * * * * *
“Come again?” said Harry, a look of pure confusion on his face. “You’re trying to tell me that some ‘handmaiden’ of some mystical ancestors has been visiting you in your dreams and giving you instructions?”

“That’s about the sum of it yes.”

“And were all sure that you’re not just hearing voices and need to be locked in a looney-bin?”

“Harry!” chided Cho digging him in the ribs with an elbow.

He grinned, “Sorry. But why does this have to do with me?”

“Because you’re the one who ultimately has to face Voldemort. The ring is somehow connected to that, we just don’t know how yet.”

“Where is the ring? Shouldn’t I have it?”

“Sus hus has it. He’s going to keep it for now.”

“Why, it’s mine isn’t it?” he asked a touch of belligerence in his voice.

“No, it’s Merlin’s it’s always been Merlin’s and it always will be Merlin’s. You’re just the person who has to wield it. But by now the Dark Lord knows that we stole the ring from Lucius,” she shuddered inwardly at his name, trying to force down the rage that she felt when he was mentioned. One day she actually enjoy killing him! “They also know that you are the one who will have to face Voldemort,” she continued. “Logic would state that they’ll realize that the ring is important and if you have it and they target you then they’ll be able to get both you and the ring in one fell sweep!”

Cho looked worried at this. Madame Pomfrey had checked her out and she was now actually three months pregnant. She was just beginning to show and she had also taken to worrying about things of late.

“Everything’ll be fine Cho. Harry’s got so many wards and guards around this house that they’d never get near him!”

Harry put his arm around his wife and kissed her temple, “Everything’ll be fine,” he whispered reassuringly. She snuggled into his arms but after only moments he stood and kissed her forehead. “I have to go, I’ll be back soon but Dumbledore asked me to call in today. You girls be okay by yourselves?”

“Of course we will,” said Hermione. “Now get going!”

He grinned at her, kissed his wife and planted a peck on Hermione’s cheek then went to the fireplace to floo up to meet Albus.

“Drink?” asked Cho.

“Drink would be great!” said Hermione and the moved into the Potter’s airy kitchen adjacent to their rooms in the castle. “So how are you getting along?”

“I’m good,” said Cho smiling dreamily.

“Being pregnant seems to suit you!”

“It’s great, except that Harry constantly fusses over me. He seems to think that I should be confined to my bed for nine months, and possibly longer in case I break! Tea or coffee?”

“Tea please.”

“Other than that everything’s wonderful. Did you see the room that Harry’s planned out for the nursery?” Hermione shook her head. “It’s beautiful, we’re turning the junk room in to it, it’s only half painted at the moment though.”

“What colour?” asked Hermione taking a chocolate biscuit from the tin.

“Yellow and green because we don’t know whether it’s a girl or a boy!”

“Sounds nice.”

“So how are you and Severus getting along? Are we going to be hearing the pattering of tiny Snape feet in the near future?”

“Give me chance Cho, it’s not long ago I wanted to gut him! Besides we’re not married, so they wouldn’t necessarily be Snapes now would they?”

“Are you okay?” asked Cho, sensing something wrong. She handed Hermione a steaming cup of tea.

“Yeah I guess. Things are a little awkward sometimes, but we’re getting there. I feel…better when I’m with him. Do you know what I mean?”

“You feel complete,” said Cho.

Hermione nodded, “Exactly,” she said and took a sip of hot tea.

“I’m glad you’re both okay now.”

“I’m not sure Harry and Ron are!”

“They’re okay with you two now. They may not particularly like him but even they can see that he makes you happy. Anyway Harry’s too busy ranting at Sirius at the moment.”

“Sirius? Why?”

“Didn’t you hear? He and Jo eloped. They got married last week.”

“Married! Where was I?” she exclaimed.

“Who knows,” said Cho.

“Harry doesn’t like her does he?”

“He doesn’t approve of it, lord knows why. He says it’s the age. Though I think that he’s jealous. Before Joanne he pretty much had Sirius’ affections to himself, now he has to share. Besides, he’s miffed that he didn’t get to be best man!”

“Sounds about right!” laughed Hermione.




AN – Bit of an abrupt ending but I have nowhere else to go with that that wouldn’t take forever. You shall have to wait until next chapter.