Of Days and Ends

A/N: I’m going to take some serious liberties with the origins of Avada Kedavra. J.K. Rowling had cited its similarity to the ancient Aramaic word Abracadabra, meaning, “let the thing be destroyed”. Apparently, the ancient people who used this spell did so against illnesses. An alternate origin cites the word meaning, “disappear like this word”, but I will be tweaking it just a bit... more. Forgive me…
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Chapter 23—Avada Kedavra!

Upon arriving in the library of their home, she was only moderately surprised to find Snape reclining on a chaise lounge in front of the fire. He appeared to be reading the Book of Days and Ends and Hermione approached him silently. Taking in his outfit, it was obvious that he too had put more thought than usual into his clothes. He was wearing a pair of robes that seemed black at first glance, but upon closer examination in the firelight, appeared to be made of a beautiful blue material. She finally caught his eye and he looked up at her.

Snape’s eyes roamed over Hermione’s body as he stood. His elegant stride carried him across the fur carpet to her and the feeling of his arms enveloping her made her tingle and tremble throughout her body. His lips dropped to hers and she accepted them gladly, enjoying the exchange.

When they separated, Snape stroked her cheek with the back of his knuckles. Drawn in by the warmth of her skin, Snape glided his hand down the side of her neck until he reached her robes. Standing very nearly immobile, it was only an increase in the speed of Hermione’s breathing that revealed her anticipation. Not until he had divested her form of the robe, did she begin her work on his robes. Their eyes locked when she had finished and they instinctually began to move in synchronicity with each other. They gently and carefully lowered each layer of each other’s clothing, attending to the newly exposed skin they revealed.

Snape was the first to be fully naked, and Hermione found herself being raised off of the ground and felt Snape’s ready cock at her core. Reaching down, she shifted her panties aside and he slid past her wet, tight opening. They remained locked in place for a few seconds before he began to lift her at her hips. She threw her head back with pleasure and moaned sharply. He watched her beautiful brown locks roll down her back until her head came back up and he stared at her rosy lips.

She was entirely surprised when he turned and placed her on a high, fluffy pile of pillows that she hadn’t even noticed he had conjured. He slid down her body, taking her panties with him. At her core, Snape lavished a massive amount of attention on her body. His tongue moved across her in different patterns and she smiled with a soft moan on her lips.

“Severus, come here.” She pleaded. As he moved up the bed, she slid down until his hips hovered over her mouth. Her soft lips engulfed his large, engorged head and her tongue made slow circles. He had never had the privilege of being with a woman who loved having her mouth on him, and he was once again reminded of how special she was.

With that thought, Snape pulled away from her and began to line himself up with her dripping wet slit. The mere pressure of his member at her entrance made her moan and bow her back. He kissed up her throat and kissed her lingeringly before laying his head alongside hers and pushing into her warm vagina. She gasped with pleasure and gripped him tightly. Her vaginal walls throbbed with pleasure, and he grabbed her hair firmly down to the roots and used her for leverage.

Arching, both under the pressure he was placing on her neck and pleasure, Hermione writhed beneath him. He was moving slowly and she whispered several incoherent nothings. Her hands gripped the rippling muscles of his back as he plundered her body. She heard him mutter, “I will always cherish this… the best I’ve ever had. I’ve never had it this good.”

He pulled his body up from hers and pulled her feet onto his chest. She could tell by his desperate-paced thrusts that he was close, so it surprised her when he stopped, withdrew, and kissed her passionately. When he sat up and looked at her, she let her eyes wander to his still erect manhood. “What’s wrong?” She questioned breathlessly.

“Nothing. It’s actually, too right.” He chuckled, but at the look of confusion on her face, he inserted two long fingers inside her.

“Mmm…” Hermione released. His fingers moved in and out teasingly for a few strokes. When he turned his hand and began to stroke against her g-spot, Hermione arched her back and gasped. Reflexively, she grabbed his wrist.

He stopped and looked at her with concern, “Are you alright?”

“Oh yes!… So good! Don’t stop!”

He smiled at her and curled his fingers up again, making her writhe. It seemed odd to him that Hermione held onto his hand, but for her, it seemed to increase the sensations as she felt her husband’s muscles and tendons flexing beneath the thin skin of his wrist. She had always admired him. There was something different about Snape that made him seem to exude power. The bad-boy factor played a significant role, but it was also his calm, quiet, intelligent demeanour. He made sure his authority was understood. Second to Voldemort himself, Snape inspired an incredible amount of fear in those around him, and justifiably so. He was always a force to be reckoned with.

Noticing that she was distracted, Snape lay along side of her and stroked her side with his wet fingers. “What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing.”

“You seem bothered, love.”

She just shook her head in response. Her small hand wrapped around his penis and stroked across the soft appendage. Soon he was swelling in her hand. Leaning down and laying her head against his stomach, she sucked him into her mouth. Snape inhaled and whispered encouragingly to her while her lips moistened him. He loved watching her. The little peek of her tongue as it lathed his shaft, the small tears that formed in the corner of her eye as she struggled to suppress her gag reflex, and her long earthy curls that cascaded across his leg were all very sensual.

When she pulled away, Snape rolled on top of her again and pushed into her without hesitation. They rose quickly, and Hermione clung to his sinewy form. Her voice rose, his thrusts quickened, her back arched, his rhythm became more sporadic, she exploded around him, and he quickly followed as her pulsing muscles seemed to pull him over the edge.

Sating on top of her with his weight supported on his arms, Snape watched her smile and bask in the feeling of completion. Her eyes were closed and she hummed gently with a small smile on her face before opening her eyes and looking up at him. What he had to say was not going to be pleasant, so he hesitated. Sensing a big blow to her after-sex bliss, Hermione’s smile slowly faded, she cocked her head, and looked into his eyes with curious concern.

“Hermione,” he said gruffly after a moment, “Your mother, father, and I have finished the potion, and I have perfected the spell that must accompany it.”

She felt suddenly numb. She knew what he would say.

He noticed her expression change. “We can’t stay bonded forever, and you know it.”

“I said I wouldn’t participate—” It didn’t sound like her voice somehow.

“I told you not to fall for me.” It seemed to take a large amount of energy for him to say it, but he managed to continue. “I don’t…”

She held her breath.

“I don’t love you.”

A tear leaked from her eye against her bidding. She was trying desperately to fight the miserable rage that was swelling within her, but failed. “I cannot believe you are telling me this after you’ve just used my body.” At the slightest sign that Snape would try to speak, Hermione shoved him off of her and slapped him hard. The sound of it carried and echoed throughout the library. “How dare you!” She hissed vehemently. “I feel naïve. I feel stupid. I feel… I feel hurt! Severus…” Her voiced died out and a stream of tears began to flow. “I feel.… I feel…”

“These feelings you’re feeling are the bond, but you’re too young and inexperienced to fight them.”

She quivered, but otherwise remained incredibly still. Internally she was fighting to gain control of herself. He might be correct. It could just be the bond. She had only admired him before the bond. Right? There was nothing there for either of them. This was the end, and she would feel better when it was over. When, she wondered, had she succumbed to the bond in the first place. With a few steadying breaths she straightened and turned to her academic nature to get her through. “What do we have to do?”

He offered her the chaise lounge and her pink robe as he pulled on his dark blue robe and sat beside her. They took a while to discuss the potion and the spell that would accompany it. They had to learn the sequence of events so well that they could even perform it under pressure. It took all day long, but eventually Hermione felt just as confident as he did.

Neither of them had eaten all day, because they both felt sick with nervousness. Even when they each felt sure of their ability to complete the ritual, they admitted to each other just how scared they were.

“I want you to fully realize the risk we are undertaking, Hermione.”

“I do.”

“No, I don’t think you do.” He stood and went to prod at the dying fire. The physical action seemed to take some of the stress out of the explanation. “In magic, the words we use are almost entirely unimportant. It is the mindset of the castor that makes the difference. Magically, the only significant thing is the mindset.” He paused to let Hermione ponder that before continuing. “Have you ever tried to cast an unforgivable, Hermione?”

She shook her head, fighting a sudden bout of bile rising in her throat.

“The unforgivables are entirely ineffectual if the castor doesn’t wholeheartedly feel the desire to inflict those curses. Similarly, any spell or curse that leaves your wand cannot be cast without a wholehearted desire to see it through.”

“Then why do any of us need Hogwarts?”

“Hogwarts teaches you what is possible and how to find the frame of mind necessary to create the effects that you want. Hogwarts teaches the art of potions, entirely unlike any spell or curse casting art. Most importantly, Hogwarts teaches control. Therefore, even though I could use this curse in the conventional way without a second thought, I will have to put a little more concentration into the meaning of the word to perform it correctly and avoid killing you.”

“What does the curse mean?”

“Eradicate like this word.”

“Eradicate like this word?”

“Yes. The spell should remove our souls beginning with you, and pull mine along with it. Then, with nowhere else to go, our souls will have to go back to our bodies because of the containment circle you will have created.”

Hermione nodded and Snape smiled at her. “I see,” she whispered, carefully pondering the ritual. “I’m ready.” Snape moved towards her then, but she stepped away. “This is incredibly dangerous. I need to see my parents first.”

“Of course.” Agreed Snape.

Hermione forced a smile, dressed fully, and disapparated to the hallway outside of her parents’ room. Her parents opened the door to her and she walked in silently.

“Did you like the potion we made for you?” her mother asked, plopping on the side of the bed and patting the space between she and her husband.

“We haven’t taken it yet.”

“Severus is an excellent teacher. He made it easy for us to understand as well. He lets us read his books and use his potions ingredients to create potions.”

Hermione looked shocked, “You haven’t had any of them have you?”

“No. It’s poisonous to muggles.” Her father said.

Her mother quickly added, “The irony is that the only thing not poisonous to us are poisons.” She laughed a light and tinkling laugh.

Hermione wanted to laugh, but the knowledge of what was to come really bothered her. “Why did you do it?” She asked with a bit of a tremor in her voice.

“Regardless of what happens in your life, everything will turn out alright for you in the end. If this is meant to be, than a simple separation potion will not have the ability to truly separate you.”

Hermione wanted to cry, but she held the tears back. Instead, she murmured, “The bond itself does take a strong hold. I’ll probably feel much, much better once this is all over.”

“You probably will.” Her father said, placing a soft kiss to her temple.

“And I should probably go get started.”

“You definitely should.”

She stood from the bed and her father rose with her. Bending to kiss her mother, she softly said, “I love you.” Her father smiled as she turned to him. “I love you too, daddy.” Then, before either of her parents had the chance to respond, she apparated back to Snape in the library.

He now stood at the fireplace, apparently deep in thought. He didn’t seem to notice her at first, so she cleared her throat. He remained fixed in place as though petrified in place. His gaze did not stray from the fire. She approached him and slowly raised her hand towards his shoulder, but he spoke just as she was about to bring it down. “I think it best we get started now.” Her hand hovered where it was for just a moment before she finally withdrew it. As though reacting to her movement, he turned around. He cleared his throat and resisted the urge to pull her closer. Instead, he drew his wand. “Let’s take our places.”

She took the hand he offered her, and they walked across to the centre of the vast room. For just a moment, as he was about to release her and go to his place, he almost lost control. Placing a hand behind her delicate neck, he leaned in, and she held her breath in anticipation. Their lips were a mere centimetre apart, but Hermione surprised them both by stepping away first. “I will never be more ready than I am now. Let’s go.”

Quickly moving to his place and gathering his concentration, Snape turned to Hermione and they each accioed the flasks of the potion into their outstretched palms. Now, facing each other as though preparing to duel, Hermione and Snape raised the flasks to their lips and dumped the contents down their throats.

There were no effects at first. Hermione ran her tongue around the inside of her mouth, tasting the very distinct taste of Snape on her tongue. The texture was slimy and unpleasant, though the warm massaging sensation it left in her mouth was quite lovely. She looked up at Snape to scrutinize his reaction and noticed that he too was pondering the taste in his mouth. He looked up at Hermione and cleared his throat. He didn’t need to say anything. His face revealed that he was experiencing a familiar taste.

The sudden strike of the potion startled them both, and forced each of them to start the ritual they had memorized. The sudden pain of the bond struggling to stay intact against the separating potion was excruciating. They cried out in tandem and stumbled towards each other. The pain became torturous by the time they reached each other and they groped wildly as they tried to find each other through eyes clenched tightly closed.

Snape finally got a strong hold on Hermione’s left hand with his own and bound them from the wrists to the base of their ring fingers with a silky blood red ribbon that shot from his wand. The pain diminished somewhat and Hermione opened her eyes to find her face a mere hand’s span away from Snape. He breathed heavily for a few moments and fought the desire to kiss her.

Hermione grunted with the effort and raised her wand, feeling suddenly weak and as though her body temperature was rising in protest. The spell she spoke in a strained and almost inaudible voice sent a sizzling radius of sparks around them, and Snape grimaced as he raised his wand. He was hesitating and she squeezed his hand encouragingly. It was the best she could do for him. She wanted to tell him that she trusted him, but didn’t want to interrupt the spell.

He took aim at her temple and blinked his eyes closed hard before squeezing them tightly shut with concentration. When he opened them, the glistening of a tear in his eye startled her.

“Avada Kedavra!”

~~~~~~…please, Please, pLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!
A/N: Okay! Okay! Now I know many of you would probably like to see me dead right now, but I had to. You don’t understand, logic came out to play with the little voice in my head and we came to a decision that this is definitely for the best. There are soooooo many things I am going to do from here. I really don’t want you to lose faith in me!

1. catysmom
2. Queen_Celestia
3. meankitty69
4. Johanna3030
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Let’s also give cait a nice welcome to the family, and an additional thank you to nmos and Carha. Thank you ALL soooooo much!

I swear it’ll get better from here. Just read and see.