You Promised It Would Be Forever - Edit

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 27 ~ Sybil Goes for the Gold

Severus, Hermione and the rest of the staff were all in the Great Hall enjoying supper Thursday evening. Severus was feeding Hermione a piece of Orange Duck from his plate, wanting her to taste it. Hermione exclaimed how good it was and soon Severus was left with little more than bones and vegetables. But he didn't mind. He liked to see Hermione eat. She didn't eat nearly enough in his opinion. The Potions Master ordered another plate for himself.

Sybil Trelawney watched the pair with narrowed eyes. She'd had enough of this. Only this morning she asked the bones if she could overcome Hermione's wicked hold on the Potions Master, and the answer had been in the affirmative. So now, buoyed with a bit of sherry, Sybil was planning on confronting Hermione directly. Dueling her to be exact. For the affections of one Severus Snape. It never occurred to her that even if she did defeat the Spells Mistress, Severus wouldn't give her the time of day. Those were details that could be worked out later. The most important thing was to get the witch to leave him alone.

She watched as Albus walked over to the Potions Master. She listened carefully.

"Severus, I'd like you to come up to my office to discuss the Potions Budget for next year," Albus said.

Severus groaned. He had planned to spend the evening reminding Hermione whom she belonged to. Tomorrow night was her 'date' with Lord Horny-swallow.

"Can't it wait, Headmaster?" Severus asked him, knowing the answer would be in the negative.

"No it can't, Severus. My office after supper," the Headmaster said with authority, then he exited the Great Hall.

Severus looked at Hermione.

"Well it looks like you've got an hour's reprieve," he growled at her.

She smirked at him, which she probably shouldn't have done. He scowled blackly.

"So, you're happy about Albus sucking up my time, time I could be spending fucking you?" he hissed at her.

"No, Severus. You just get so upset when Albus wants to talk to you," she said, "It's funny."

"We'll see how funny it is when you're tied to the bedpost with your ass in the air," he threatened.

Hermione just shook her head, not knowing he meant it.

"Whatever Severus. Go see Albus," she said dismissively.

Severus' nostrils flared angrily. The witch didn't believe him…fine. Now, what was better, leather ties or soft rope?

"When you're done with supper, go to my rooms and wait for me," he said to her, giving her a peck on the cheek and scowling at everyone who saw it so fiercely, they all turned their heads away.

"I have parchments to mark," she said to him as he walked toward the exit.

"Bring them," he called back, leaving the Hall.

Sybil left right behind the Potions Master, turning left in the Main Hall as he went right. He didn't notice her as he headed up the main stairwell, thinking about the best knots to tie in leather thongs.

The Divination teacher slipped down the dungeon corridor, past both Severus' and Hermione's rooms, and waited in the lower hall for the witch to appear. Then there would be a reckoning. She pulled a flask out of her sleeve, opened it and took a swig of sherry for good measure.

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Hermione walked briskly down the dungeon corridor, stopping in her classroom to pick up the parchments she needed to mark. She reduced them and stuck them in her robes pocket. After warding the door, she continued down the hall, heading for Severus' rooms. Unlike the Potions Master's set up, Hermione couldn't access her class, office and lab from her quarters. They were located before the Potions class.

She stopped in front of Severus' office and was about to let herself in, when she heard someone call her from further down the corridor.

"Stop right there, Hermione," a female voice commanded.

Hermione peered down the corridor. She could make out someone tall and thin.

"Who is that?" Hermione asked.

Sybil Trelawney appeared her large glasses glittering as she approached in her gauzy green robes and spangled shawl. An assortment of chains and beads dangled from her thin neck. Numerous bangles hung loosely, rattling on her bony wrists while large rings covered her fingers. Her wand was drawn.

"I challenge you to a duel," the witch said, brandishing her wand.

"A duel?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows almost disappearing into her hairline. "Whatever for, Sybil?"

"For Severus of course. You've put some kind of spell on him that locks him to you. If I win this duel you will release him…and give that spell to me!" Sybil said, her eyes narrowing.

Hermione scowled at her.

"Severus isn't under any spell Sybil. He's with me because he wants to be," Hermione said.

"That's a lie! How could he want you when you divorced him?" the Divination Professor spat.

"He's forgiven me. I wasn't myself when I divorced him," Hermione said, trying to explain.

"A likely story. I say you've spelled him, and I challenge you!" Sybil cried.

"I won't duel you," Hermione said taking out her wand and beginning to unward the door to Severus' office.

"Oh you will or you'll just get your little ass kicked," Sybil snarled, firing a blast at Hermione

Hermione was hit squarely with the spell and thrown several feet down the corridor, landing painfully on her back.

"Some Spells Mistress you are. Probably charmed your way through university too, or earned your degree on your back," Sybil said nastily, as she approached the fallen witch. "Ready to give him up?"

Sybil pointed her wand at Hermione again.

In pain and thoroughly pissed, Hermione snarled, raised herself on one elbow and quickly fired a spell at the witch before she could utter another word.

"Odonata Insecta!" Hermione cried, a beam of bright green light shooting out of the tip of her wand and engulfing the tall, thin witch. Sybil's jewelry rattled loudly as she began to shake uncontrollably. Her wand clattered to the floor.

Hermione had cast a modified transfiguration spell that she had developed. It was also adaptable, transfiguring the victim to whatever muggle genus and class the witch intoned. With Sybil, it was pretty obvious what Hermione turned her into.

The witch's body began to shrink within the light until it was about three and a half inches long and brightly colored. Sybil now had large compound eyes, chewing mouthparts and two pairs of outstretched, elongated, many-veined wings.

Hermione had changed her into a dragonfly.

Sybil hovered in the air, her wings buzzing angrily as she watched multiple Hermiones rise from the floor slowly, holding their backs. The witches walked toward the insect and slowly picked up wands off the floor. Suddenly, Sybil darted at Hermione who waved at the transformed witch agitatedly, heading back for Severus' office door and unwarding it, flinging her hand at the bug as it circled her head.

Hermione let herself in, but Sybil followed, still attacking her. Her back aching, Hermione slowly opened the study wall by pulling on the torch. The wall slid back revealing Severus' study, and Severus himself, testing lengths of rope in his pale hands.

Hermione limped in, followed by the dragonfly, which darted at her, hovering then diving over and over.

Severus looked up at the witch.

"I got back early. Something came up for Albus, thank the gods," he began then noticed her limping. "What happened to you, Hermione? And what is that buzzing around your head?"

"A dragonfly," she said tiredly.

She didn't notice Severus put down the ropes and walk over to his desk. He rolled up a piece of parchment.

"I'll get it," he said stalking the dragonfly, which hovered in front of him.

Sybil saw him raise the parchment to swing at her and dipped away just in time. Severus swung viciously.

"Damn," he said, chasing it.

Hermione suddenly realized Severus was trying to kill Sybil.

"Severus no! That's Professor Trelawney!" she screamed at him.

Severus stopped.

"Really?" he asked her.

"Yes," Hermione said.

Severus took off after the dragonfly again, redoubling his efforts, leaping over the sofa in his quest to crush the bug.

"Severus, you stop it right now!" Hermione yelled at him as he pursued the buzzing Sybil around the study.

"I might not ever get this opportunity to rid myself of her again, Hermione," he panted, stopping.

"That would be murder, Severus. She's a human being," Hermione said.

"That's a matter of opinion," Severus replied, swatting at Sybil as she buzzed by, and taking off after her again. Finally he trapped her in a corner. He raised the parchment.

"Bye, bye, Sybil," he breathed, grinning evilly.

Hermione pulled her wand out of her pocket and shot a blast at the dragonfly, transforming it back into the witch just as Severus brought the parchment down, hitting Sybil soundly in the face with it.

"Damn it, Hermione," Severus seethed at her.

"How dare you try to crush me!" Sybil shrieked at the wizard.

"Obviously I didn't try hard enough," Severus replied, stalking away from her and scowling at Hermione. "Now kindly leave my rooms."

"You knew it was me, and you purposely tried to kill me!" the witch continued to shriek at him, pushing out of the corner.

Hermione painfully lowered herself into the armchair in front of the fire and placed Sybil's wand on the table.

"Severus, could you get me a bit of pain potion?" she asked him.

"What's wrong?" the Potions Master asked her, ignoring the shrieking Divinations teacher.

"My back hurts," Hermione said simply.

She didn't want to tell him Sybil attacked her. She didn't know what he'd do to the witch.

Severus looked at her for a moment. Sybil approached them.

"Lean forward," he said. "Let me see."

Hesitantly, Hermione leaned forward. Severus unfastened the first couple of fasteners on her robe, then reached around and pulled it back, then her shirt. Her entire upper back was black and blue.

"What happened?" he roared, "You tell me right now!"

Sybil picked up her wand off the table next to the armchair and began to quickly move toward the study door when she saw how outraged the Potions Master was, then slipped through it and the office door, fleeing for the safety of the North Tower, her gauzy robes billowing and jewelry clinking merrily as she fled.

The witch had a feeling this wasn't over. She'd be taking meals in the tower and keeping the door securely warded. Severus had actually tried to kill her with a rolled up parchment. Maybe he really wasn't secretly attracted to her after all.

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Severus went to his potions stores and brought back several items. He saw that Sybil was gone and securely warded his office and study as well as the floo. He carried the items into his bedroom and deposited them on his nightstand, then went to get Hermione.

He didn't want to pick her up, because he wasn't sure how much damage was done. She still hadn't told him what happened. While he was gone, Hermione's eyes shifted to his desk and rested on the lengths of rope that rested there. He really had intended to tie her to the bedpost. Damn Trelawney!

Severus gently helped Hermione up from the chair and into the bedroom. Once there he helped her into the bed and made her lay on her stomach. He took out his wand and divestoed all her clothing but her knickers. He gasped as his eyes took in her back. It was completely black and blue. How had she done this? Had she fallen? Even a hard fall couldn't have done this much damage. He gently pressed his fingers along her spine. Hermione cried out softly in pain.

"Hold on, Hermione…let me check you," he said gently.

Nothing appeared to be damaged or broken and there was no swelling along her spine.

The Potions Master opened a jar of salve, scooped a generous amount in his hand, and began to rub it gently into her bruised skin. He applied several applications, working it into her flesh. The bruising was lightening. By morning it would be gone. The salve was also a mild painkiller, and soothed her ache. Severus gently sat her up, and gave her a red vial.

"Drink that, it will help the pain," he said.

Hermione looked at it.

"This isn't purple potion," she said.

Severus smirked.

"The purple potion is more 'localized' in its properties. This will work on your back. The purple potion works primarily on your…orifices," he said delicately.

Hermione uncapped the vial and drank it down. He was right. Her back stopped hurting altogether.

Severus looked at her a bit harshly.

"Now, are you going to tell me what happened, or am I going to have to use legilimency?" he asked her sharply.

Hermione sighed.

"I'll tell you Severus, but I want you to promise you won't explode or go after Sybil," she said.

Severus scowled.

"Sybil? What's that dragonfly got to do with this?" he asked. "Anyway, why was she a dragonfly?"

"Promise me first," Hermione said.

"I will promise no such thing. If the witch has done something worth being punished for, then she'll get what she deserves," he seethed.

"Severus, you can't go beating up on witches," Hermione said.

"Who said anything about beating her? A few well-placed slaps ought to do it," he replied.

Hermione scowled at him.

"All right. I won't physically touch her," he said evenly.

"Or hex her," Hermione added.

Severus frowned. Damn it.

"Or hex her," he agreed.

"All right. She challenged me to a duel over you," Hermione said.

"A duel? Over me?" the wizard exclaimed, "The witch is mad. Insane. Albus ought to send her to St. Mungos for a few weeks."

He looked at Hermione curiously.

"So, you dueled her?" he asked.

"I didn't have a choice. I told her I wouldn't duel her and she blasted me away from your door. I landed on my back a few feet down the hallway," Hermione replied.

"She what?" Severus seethed. "You weren't even facing her?"

"I was unwarding your door," the witch said.

Murderous thoughts of strangling Sybil ran through the Potions Master's mind. Her bug eyes bugged out larger as his pale hands slowly crushed her windpipe…

"Severus! You promised!" Hermione said, alarmed by the vicious look in his eyes.

He looked at her.

"All right," he said angrily, "so how did you get her?"

"She was walking up to me, ready to hex me while I was down, and I got the drop on her and turned her into a dragonfly."

Severus chuckled a bit.

"Very fitting bit of magic," he said. Then his eyes sobered.

"I should tell Albus," he seethed.

"No, don't do that. Sybil's in love with you, Severus. She has been for years," Hermione said. "Albus will sack her and I don't think she has anyplace else to go."

Severus shook his head.

"I just don't understand how you can have compassion for someone who did you bodily harm," he said, "or someone who covets what belongs to you and you alone."

"I can heal. And what belongs to me is mine by his own admission. I don't worry about anyone taking you. If any witch does, it will be because you want her and not me. I'd just have to live with it," Hermione said softly.

"That is not going to ever happen," Severus said. Then he sighed. "Maybe Sybil got the message I don't care for her this time. The object of your affection trying to kill you is a relatively sure sign that you are not wanted."

Hermione frowned at him.

"You really did try to kill her, Severus," she said.

"I really don't like her, Hermione," he replied. "If I had crushed her, I would have said I didn't know it was her."

Hermione sighed and shook her head.

"You're terrible, Severus," she said.

"One of the things that attracted you to me in the first place," he replied, kissing her on the forehead.

The Potions Master looked down at Hermione's full breasts and sighed. There'd be no tying her to the bedpost tonight. Her back had to have time to heal. If he worked her over, the bruising and pain would return and he'd have to treat her again. Damn that bug-eyed witch.

Well, he couldn't beat Sybil and couldn't hex her, but he would certainly get her back for this.

And soon.

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A/N: Wow. Sybil went for the gold didn't she? That MY man. Lololol. And being transfigured into a dragonfly, and Severus trying to kill her with a rolled up parchment…even worse when he found out it was her. Oh man, I was cracking up writing this. I kept thinking about LCBABOAW, the scene where she traps Severus in the library (with Hermione's help) and strips naked, and I thought, yeah this is good payback for that one. Anyway please review. I want to thank all of those who did and do review constantly. I really appreciate your feedback. It keeps me writing. Thanks!