The Guardian of Slytherin

Hello! Hope you all are having a great weekend! Here's another chapter. Hopefully, you'll be getting more answers that you've wanted.

Narcissa's Sister-You're right. Instant gratification is great. But lately I find that there are many that expect it all the time. As for your comment about True Blood, I don't watch the show, nor to I read the books that it's based on. I haven't a clue what you spoke of. And in regards to what the chapter did or didn't answer, it also explained why Hermione is dying. Thanks for reviewing and I can't wait to hear from you again!

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Chapter Twenty-three


Regulus and Rabastan were waiting for Harry when he fell back. It was LeStrange who went over and helped the younger man to his feet. They watched him as he went over to the window and just stared out, more than likely gathering his thoughts from the look of him.


“She…she sacrificed her own life for him?” Harry asked them


“I suppose you could call it that,” Regulus answered. “Tea?”


“No thank you,” he breathed, looking over to Rabastan. “Did Black floo call you and had you help him get them both out of the shrieking shack before they were discovered?”


He nodded. “I didn’t believe it at first.” Looking over to Regulus who was watching him. “We were all so sure he was dead, but there he was again.” Rabastan looked back over to Harry. “Anything else between us is none of this affair. So do get to the questions that are of more importance, will you?”


“Always so secretive,” Regulus murmured, but then looked to Harry as well. “But he is right. Do get to the point, will you? I want to check on Hermione.”


“What do you mean you suppose? That doesn’t make sense.”


“When one gives the keystone to their life force to another without thought of the consequences,” Severus answered as he joined them. “That’s how, Mr. Potter.”


“How is she?” Regulus asked.


“Sleeping,” he muttered. “Pansy is with her now. I didn’t want her to be alone, but I thought it a good idea to be here to answer at least some of his questions.” He looked over to Potter. “Well?”


“I can’t believe she would give up her life for you,” Harry muttered.


“You aren’t the only one,” Snape replied. “When I came to and was able to yell at her, I did. I yelled and screamed and told her that she had done it for not.” Wonderment came into the dark wizard’s face. “She told me that if she didn’t fight for me as hard as she would for the lowest of individuals than she would be no better than a hypocrite and she wouldn’t want to live like that.” He went over to Harry, hissing, “She is my angel and I will not have her last moments on this mortal coil brought low by asinine fools like you and Weasley. I will see to it that you get your wand back. Once you do, I strongly suggest you leave.”


“Hermione is my…”


Severus grabbed him by his throat, but the other two wizards were able to yank Harry away from him.


“I will not have my time with her stolen away due to the likes of you, Potter. Your relationship is over with Hermione Granger and Dumbledore isn’t here to give you what you want this time.” Straightening out his robes, he turned on his heel saying, “I’ll have your wand to you in five minutes. Take it and leave.”


“That went better than I thought it would,” Regulus said casually once Severus was gone.


The other two looked at him stunned.


“From what I can recall, he was the only wizard besides the dark lord that I know of that was able to throw the killing curse wandlessly,” Black pointed out to them. “He is not a man to be messed with.”


***


Against the advice of both the other wizards, once Harry received his wand he went to say goodbye to Hermione. She was in bed in what could only be called a solarium. She lay quietly watching the storm tapping at the windows. It may not have been ideal weather, but she was where she wanted to be. Snape was lying with her in the bed, holding her closely as she watched the world outside. Their joined hands were resting over the potions master’s heart. It was, Harry thought, sweet.


“This was what I wanted,” Harry whispered, tears ripe in his voice. “What you two have. I should have known better than to think that I deserve…”


“You still don’t get it,” Hermione interrupted. “It’s not about you or what you deserve or not. Stop thinking about yourself and what you think you need.” She looked over to him to see him watching her in shock. “Think about someone other than yourself. If you have the ability any longer, give consideration to…” When she saw that nothing was getting through to her one time friend, she stopped. “Never mind, Harry. Something tells me that this is one lesson you’ll never learn.”


Harry cleared his throat and asked, “I suppose this is goodbye.”


“You abandoned me months ago,” she told him. “All you forgot to do was say the words.”


“I…” But he couldn’t say it, not again. “Goodbye, Hermione. You may not believe me when I say it, but I do love you.”


Harry walked away, leaving the two of them watching the weather once more. It wasn’t until Hermione knew he was gone of the castle that she said a word.


“I feel sorry for any bastard that he falls for,” she breathed.


“As do I, love,” Severus murmured, kissing her forehead. “As do I.”


***


Hermione felt as Regulus carried her over to where Severus was working. The potions master was finishing up with the first part of the potion as he watched as his witch was placed on the bed. He washed up his hands, going straight over to her. He kneeled next to her, combing her hair back from her face. It was clear that she was having trouble breathing and that she was struggling to stay awake.


Severus took her hand, kissing her knuckles and rubbing her arm only to find her too cold to the touch. “You have to fight, love, just a little bit longer. We’re nearly there.”


“Tired,” she breathed.


“I know,” he murmured. “We all are. But soon I’ll have you as right as rain. If you can’t fight your way through for yourself, do it for me.”


A tear ran down her face. “Our time…together too…short.”


“I know, but you’ll make up for it,” Severus told her, thinking of the weekly visits she made to see him. “We both will.”


They would have fights as a result of her refusing to leave Ron. This, he reminded himself, was more out of the need not to have to explain how she was now the guardian of Slytherin. Hitting Weasley with both the breakup as well as her new employment, as it were, would have felt unfair to Hermione, not to mention a pain. But despite having their disagreements, she would be at Spinners End every week like clockwork. They couldn’t be a couple, yet they couldn’t stay apart.


As a result, they had become friends. Not just friends, but the best of friends. Before too long, they had developed a physical attraction that was very hard to deny. He had made excuses, as had she. But in the end they had not made love until after Harry and Ron had hit her low by what they had done. Hermione had come over to him unable to stop crying.


She had raged, sobbed, and had ultimately broken down. Sorrowful over time lost between them, they had managed to strip each other in no time at all, all the while clinging to the other. Although both wanted to be fast and furious, they were limited by their own poor health. Patience was the name of the game and both needed to learn to slow the pace least neither of them would be satisfied.


No one had ever accused either one of being slow learners.


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And there you go, another chapter down! Please don't forget to review! Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day.