A new Life for Harry Potter.

Authors Note: Hey guys here is chapter 23, 24 will be out in a few days. I gotta say thanks for all the votes I got last chapter since I didnt get any reviews.

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Hermione and Helaine were sitting in the roof garden enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. It had been a quiet day for the two young ladies. They were spending a rare moment alone just talking and catching up, something the two hadn’t been able to do since arriving at the castle. Hermione was a little worried by all the quiet however; she hadn’t seen her aunt or uncles once the entire day. Helaine didn’t seem too phased by this as she was enjoying being with her friend. Helaine had felt bad for neglecting Hermione for so long, but constantly being around Tom made her regretfully forgetful.



“Helaine I need your advice on something rather personal.” Hermione said. Helaine looked up at her friend noting the dreamy far off look that was on Hermione’s face. She sat her tea cup down and turned her full attention to her best friend.



“Sure Hermione, what do you need help with?” Helaine asked. Hermione blushed slightly and cleared her throat.



“Well this is a little hard for me to ask you. If you were me what would you do by way of getting Severus’ attention? He knows I have feelings for him but he refuses to see it as more than just some silly school girl crush; it’s infuriating, I just want him to give me a chance.” Hermione told her friend. Helaine sat there for a moment at a total loss for words. She had no idea Hermione even felt that way about Severus.



“Well Hermione I don’t know what I would do if it were me but I’ll tell you this, it won’t take some grand gesture to get him to notice. To me Severus seems like the type of man who would need to see how serious you are. He seems the type of man that would want you to pursue him, and he wouldn’t make it easy for you by any stretch of the imagination.” Helaine told her with a chuckle. Hermione smiled at her.



“Yes your right, I just wish I didn’t get so nervous whenever I’m around him. Whenever I’m alone with him I just stare at him like a complete idiot.” Hermione told her flushing a bit in embarrassment.



“When did you start having feelings for Severus anyway? I have always assumed you didn’t like him.” Helaine said. Hermione smiled softly as she thought back on a pleasant memory.



“Well I guess it started when he saved your life. He was so caring with you, making sure you got the potions you needed and just generally being concerned about you. I guess seeing that softer side of him made me want to know more.” Hermione told her. Helaine studied her for a bit before nodding her head. The two of them dropped the conversation and drifted off into a comfortable silence.



After a few moments a quiet pop from the side of the room brought both girls out of their musings. A small female house elf was standing with her head bowed in the corner trembling softly. Helaine and Hermione walked over to see about the little house elf.



“Hello, are you alright?” Hermione asked the elf. The little elf raised its head flashing a pair of bright violet eyes at them. She curtsied low before righting herself.



“I be Tibby your personal elf mistresses, I be sent to tell you that master has just arrived and is wanting to see you in the infirmary.” Tibby told them before she bowed and left the room. At the mention of the infirmary both Helaine and Hermione were instantly worried. They quickly left the atrium and headed straight to the infirmary.



When the two of them entered the infirmary they saw a flurry of activity on one side of the room, obviously a few people had been hurt. Hermione and Helaine rushed over to the side of the room trying to see if they could help and to figure out who exactly was hurt. Hermione gasped when she saw that Severus was one of the injured. She pushed her way past the others and attached herself at his side.



Severus was laid out on his back on one of the infirmary beds. His robes were open revealing a gruesome looking curse scar. Helaine looked around at the other injured death eaters, it was plain to see that were all involved in some sort of battle. She turned her attentions to Tom who was standing away from everyone on the other side of the room quietly pacing. She walked over to him and waited until he calmed down enough to talk to her. Helaine could tell he was angry if his glowing red eyes were any indication.



“Tom what has happened? It’s clear that you all were involved in some sort of battle, with whom were you fighting?” She asked in a quiet voice. He looked at her but didn’t answer; instead he turned and left the infirmary. Helaine was worried and confused about what to do. After a few more moments of waiting she mustered her courage and followed after him.

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Hermione sat quietly as she watched her aunt Bellatrix try and heal the large gash on Severus’ chest. They were no alone in the infirmary; the others had only suffered minor cuts and burns from spells. They were quickly patched up and sent on their way. Hermione watched teary eyed as her aunt drew the black blood for Severus’ wound.



“How did this happen to him?” Hermione asked. Bellatrix wasn’t worried about the concern she heard in her niece’s voice, she had know for a while how Hermione felt about Snape.



“He was wounded protecting our lord, one of those filthy blood traitors tried to fire a curse at the dark lord when his back was turned. Severus jumped in front of it taking the full blast of the curse.” Bellatrix told her plainly.



“Who were you fighting with?” Hermione asked. Bellatrix paused for a moment and looked up at Hermione, whose eyes were glued to Severus. She didn’t know how much the dark lord wanted them to know.



“We were fighting with Dumbledore and his order.” She told her. Hermione just nodded her head and continued to watch Severus. After a while Bellatrix had gotten the wound to close but Severus wasn’t quite out of the woods yet. She went over to the potions cabinet and fished around until she found what she needed. She came back over to the bed with several bottles of potions and some fresh gauze and dressings.



She placed all of the items on the small try beside the bed. She summoned a bowl and dumped what looked like mud into the bottom of it. She poured in several other potions into the bowl until the brown substance turned a dull yellow color. She poured the salve onto Severus’ wound; with a flick of her wrist his chest was tightly bandaged. Bellatrix viewed her handy work before leaving to put the unused potions back. When she came back over to the bed she noticed Hermione was gently stroking the back of Severus’ hand.



“Now what do we do?” Hermione asked her aunt. Bellatrix smiled softly at her niece, she reminded her so much of her mother.



“Well we just have to wait for him to wake up, it shouldn’t take too long. Someone will have to wait in here with him just in case he is in pain when he wakes up.” Bellatrix told her.



“You should go and rest aunt Bella, I’ll stay with him.” Hermione said. Bellatrix gave her a knowing smile and placed a calming hand on her shoulder before leaving the infirmary. Hermione waited for over an hour for Severus to wake up. He hadn’t stirred once, if it wasn’t for the heavy rise and fall of his chest Hermione would have thought he was dead. She reached forward to move a few stray hairs from his face, when his arm suddenly reached up and stopped her. His eyes flashed open and he looked right at her. It took him a moment to really focus on her face, when he finally did he frowned a little and let her arm go.



“Miss Sinclair, where exactly am I?” He asked her. Hermione didn’t notice how close they were and that her breasts were firmly pressed into Severus’ side.



“You’re in the infirmary. You were wounded protecting the dark lord.” She told him quietly. He struggled to raise himself up on his elbows, Hermione help him up. After seeing his bandaged chest he cursed quietly under his breath before falling back onto the bed.



“Who is responsible for tending to my wound, surely you didn’t do all this by yourself?” He asked her. Hermione blushed and cast her eyes down. She felt instantly foolish, the man had asked her a simple question and she turns into a mute. No wonder he isn’t interested in me she thought. She was determined to get him to see her in a different light; she squared her shoulders and sat up until their eyes meet.



“My aunt Bellatrix tended to your injury. I volunteered to wait with you until you woke up.” She told him. He looked at her for a moment, as if he were trying to find something.



“That was quite nice of you Miss Sinclair.” He said. Hermione smiled at him shyly. He suddenly tired to sit up; he winced causing Hermione to put her arms around his waist to help him. Once he had righted himself Hermione didn’t move she was trapped in his obsidian gaze. His eyes kept moving from her mouth to her eyes. She knew he wanted to kiss her and she wanted to kiss him too. She held her breath as she waited for him to claim her lips. After a moment of nothing happening Hermione felt suddenly bold and pressed her lips against his.



Severus was still for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer to him. Hermione’s head was swimming; she had never thought a kiss could be this amazing. His lips were soft and his mouth tasted of fresh mint and honey. Hermione wanted to lose herself completely in this kiss, before she could try and deepen the kiss the doors to the infirmary burst open causing the two of them to pull apart. There standing in the door way was a very angry looking Rabastan LeStrange.



“Snape get your bloody hands off of my niece!” He shouted. Hermione pulled away first, flushed in embarrassment. Severus simply rolled his eyes at the man but on the inside he was seething over the interruption. Hermione made to say something when Severus cut her off.



“Run along now Hermione, your uncle and I have something to discuss.” He told her. Hermione was going to protest but the look on both her uncle and Severus’ face silenced her immediately. She left the infirmary casting one last glance back at Severus who winked at her. She left the two men in the infirmary, hoping their talk didn’t turn into blows.

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