It\'s All Done With Mirrors

A/N: Thanks for continuing to review!! Shoutouts:
Talene - cannot be held responsible for breaking your heart. I must give you more!
TheCharmedOne - *winks saucily* Bless your buttons! :-D
Amanda - if I kiss him any more he will become spoiled. Fear in their eyes is always good...however, just one, perhaps, while he is sleeping...? Glad you liked the chapter!
LittleBird - so glad you like!! And I\'ll do my best - the Muse has the Final Say, however!


Chapter Twenty Eight
Dreams


Gryffindor Common Room, Hogwarts, August 2010


My heart leapt, and I looked up into those midnight eyes. Hope and fear burned there in equal measures. Slowly, tentatively, we moved towards each other…cautiously now, in contrast to our previous, desperate embrace.

At the moment when his lips touched mine, my body was almost quivering in anticipation. The whole world seemed to cease to exist. Just two pairs of lips, meeting and pressing together, hesitant, warm. My eyelids fluttered closed as his arms snaked around my waist, pulling me even closer to him. His mouth slanted over mine, and I parted my lips, opening myself to his exploring tongue.

A thrill coursed through me as the tenderness of our kiss deepened and blossomed into a passionate symphony. Craving more, I pressed closer, my hands diving into his hair. I drank in the taste of his mouth – sweet and dark like the coffee we had been drinking – and moved my burning body against his, aching for fulfilment…

“No! Help!”

We broke apart, breathing heavily, looking around in confusion. Then I realised the cry was coming from the right-hand staircase. Severus stood up, and so did I, and we both dashed towards the boy’s dormitory.

Robin was sitting bolt upright in his bed as we threw the curtains back. His eyes were open, his face paler than ever in the icy shine of moonlight. I rushed towards him, but Severus held me back, whispering “Don’t touch him! You’ll scare him even more.” I realised my son was still asleep, but dreaming.

Severus drew his wand, and hissed “finite insomnium!” * and Robin’s body shook violently before his face cleared, eyes coming back into focus.

“What is it?” he sounded scared, and I pushed past Severus and sat down on the bed, holding Robin by the shoulders.

“You were dreaming, love,” I murmured. “It’s OK now, you can go back to sleep…”

He was looking at me strangely. “I was dreaming…yes, I dreamed that a man came and was going to hurt you, Miss Granger.”

“Hurt me? Who?” I glanced at Severus, but his gaze was firmly focused on the boy.

“He was wearing a cloak…I couldn’t see…”

“It was just a nightmare, Robin, “ Severus said softly. “Everyone dreams four or five times each night. Some dreams are good, some are bad. Dreams help the mind process complicated events or information…they very rarely have any real meaning. You should try to get back to sleep, it is very late. Would you like us to leave you a light? ”

“I feel OK now, Professor Snape,” Robin whispered, still a little unsettled. “But a light would be good.”

“Very well then, Robin,” replied Severus, and he quickly summoned a candle, which suspended itself in mid-air at a safe distance from bedclothes and drapes.

Robin lay back down on the bed, and I pulled the covers smoothly over him, tucking him in. He smiled up at me, and I couldn’t resist bending further down and dropping a kiss on his pale cheek.

He squirmed. “Your hair tickles,” he complained, and then he smiled. “It feels…ni

“You sleep well, Robin, you hear me?” I stood straight again and wagged my finger at him jokingly as he snuggled down, almost asleep already. I glanced over towards Severus again – he was looking at me, a strange expression on his face.

“We’d best go down again, Hermione. He’ll be fine.” I nodded, and took one more look at the sleeping boy. He appeared to be fast asleep again.

“You were very nice to him,” I said softly.

“It must be the effects of staying too long in Gryffindor Tower, Hermione,” he replied, holding up his hands in a parody of surrender as I rolled my eyes, grinning. We began to descend the stairs, but just then I heard Robin mumble something, and Snape, who was nearer, stopped to listen.

“What is it, Severus?” I asked, fearing that Robin was having another nightmare.

“He must be dreaming again…he said, ‘Goodnight, Mum and Dad.’”

I froze, then turned around with difficulty in the narrow passageway of the stairwell, and met Severus’ eyes. He raised an eyebrow, questioningly, and I took his hand.

“There’s more I need to tell you, Severus,” I whispered.


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Opportunity Squibs Office, Knockturn Alley, August 2010


“Mill, wake Weasel up for me, will you darling?” Pansy was lurking behind Millicent’s shoulder as she finished charming the Portkey.

“Do I have to? He’s much better company when he’s asleep.” Millicent Bulstrode scowled at the red-haired man crashed out in her favourite chair.

“Yes, you do have to. I don’t want to have waited around all fucking night for nothing. Just. Do. It.” Pansy shot a venomous look at her friend and rival, irritated beyond belief that without her wand she couldn’t do anything for herself.

“All right, Pan, but first tell me how you managed to get him here,” Millicent pressed, knowing that for now she still had the upper hand.

Pansy snorted, fixing her pale eyes on Ron’s sleeping form. “Easily enough. When I met up with him the other night, I mentioned our little magic enhancement business. He seemed very keen, the poor darling. So I wrote the address on the back of a rather nice photograph of myself, and he stuffed it in his pocket. Later on, I went over to his grotty little town house, and, there being no sign of the bitch, let myself in.”

She wandered back over to the window and stared out of it, her unpleasant features animated with a spiteful grin.

“The silly git was fast asleep, beer cans everywhere. Not a very civilised beverage, beer…anyway, I stuck the photo back in his pocket, gave him the old Wingardium Leviosa, and dumped him in the garden. Then I got to a safe distance and pulverised his dingy little domicile. I think I did the neighbourhood a favour, frankly.”

Millicent frowned. “Why didn’t you just bring him straight here? Then you wouldn’t have had to draw attention to yourself. Being sent to Azkaban’s not a joke, you know.”

“You don’t understand, darling, because no matter how highly you think of yourself you are never going to be as brilliant – ” Pansy whirled around and faced Millicent, her eyes gleaming with narcissistic glee “ – as I am. Now wake the bastard up before I commit bare-fisted murder.”

Millicent drew her wand, and flicked it at Ron. “Exsuscito!” **


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Gryffindor Common Room, Hogwarts, August 2010


“He’s…our…son?” Severus was incredulous. I nodded, dumbly. “But I thought you said you left the baby in Wiltshire…with a muggle woman, no less!”

Severus looked at me with distrust written all over his face. He stood by the fireplace, hands on hips, having backed right away from me. “And when exactly were you going to furnish me with this…trifling…piece of information? While we were making love? After? Perhaps you had decided to keep him entirely to yourself, and keep me in the dark for all eternity. Well? I require some answers…Hermione,” he spat, voice dripping with sarcasm as he intoned my name.

“Severus…” I began, but he was not finished.

“Did you bring him here to taunt me? To rub my nose in it?”

“Severus, I – “

“Is this to be my punishment for failing you, Hermione? You – “

“THAT WILL DO!” I roared, surprising both of us. Severus stood very still, his face impassive, his eyes flickering with the reflections of the flames in the fireplace.

I swallowed. “Severus, listen. I did not know that my son was here, until yesterday evening. I did not even meet him until tonight, and that was by accident. I did not even know he was my son until then. “ I took a deep breath. “And furthermore, he doesn’t know that I am his mother. Nor does he know that you are his father.\"

“Then what the blazes is going on?” Severus’ voice was gentler, calmer.

I looked at him, deciding that it was time to finish the story. “Take a really wild guess, Severus,” I muttered, scowling, and he met my gaze, eyes wide with understanding.

“Albus Bloody Dumbledore,” he almost whispered, and I nodded.

Severus swiftly crossed the floor towards me, and took my hands in his own. “Tell me,” he said, simply.


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Opportunity Squibs Office, Knockturn Alley, August 2010


Ron Weasley raised his head from the arm of the chair, and stared groggily at the two witches, his eyes bloodshot. “What you do that for, Millie?” he whined.

“Millie thought you needed a bit of a rest, Ronnie, that’s all,” Pansy affected a soothing voice, but it was about as effective as a cat-flap in a Hippogriff house. Ron frowned at her, mistrustfully, and she scowled back.

“Now, now, you two lovebirds,” said Millicent, highly amused. “Let’s all just calm down before one of you challenges the other to a duel – oh sorry, guys…I forgot. You can’t.” She smirked, toying with her wand deliberately.

“Mill, one day I am going to get you for this,” Pansy muttered, murderously. She grabbed hold of Ron’s skinny shoulders and hauled him out of the chair. “Ronnie darling, you must hurry. Severus Snape just kidnapped Hermione, and tried to kill you!”


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Gryffindor Common Room, Hogwarts, August 2010


“Let me get this right, Hermione,” Severus was pacing the floor of the Common Room. “Draco brings Robin to Dumbledore, who leaves him in the care of that witless Miss Brown.”

I nodded agreement.

“There my son lives for the next ten years, right under my nose, during which time no one decides to acquaint me with that essential nugget of information. The child grows up, not knowing either of his parents, having only the dubious foundations of the combined mischief and idiocy of his godfather – my own godson – and his foster mother – a foolish Divination-obsessed hatter – upon which to build his character. Am I right so far?” he snapped, looking at me with fury in his eyes.

“Yes, Severus. And don’t you dare think for a minute that I am not as upset about this as you are…I’ve had just about enough of this interference in my life!” I shouted, heat rising in my face “Wh “Why? What possible reason could there be for doing this to me – to us? That bloody old man and his meddling entourage had better be able to explain this to my satisfaction, or I shall – “

“What’s that noise?” I put my hand up, the flat palm facing him, signalling him to stop for a minute. We both listened, but there was nothing. Most probably a log had broken in the fireplace. I was getting too jumpy. ‘Roll over, Moody,’ I thought, shaking my head.

“Look. Let’s be methodical about this. The explanation I was given was that Pansy Parkinson – I mean Malfoy – was plotting to kill me…and probably Robin, too.”

He was silent, as he considered this. Frowning, he spoke his thoughts aloud. “I know Pansy was found guilty of destroying your home…and your husband. Something of a ‘crime passionel’, I am led to believe. However, I find it difficult to imagine why Dumbledore should be so fearful of Pansy…after all, she’s not exactly Voldemort, is she?”

I crossed the floor towards Severus, and took his hand. “Even Tom Riddle was just a schoolchild once,” I reminded him.

Then I told him about Draco’s discoveries, and that Pansy had been the author of my poison pen letters, her recent affiliation with Ron…everything I had discovered in the past forty-eight hours regarding the former Miss Parkinson.

He grimaced. “Dumbledore still blames himself for Tom Riddle.” Severus flopped back onto the couch, pulling me down beside him. “He must see the same kind of darkness within her, explaining why he brought both of you here, to the only place he knew would be safe. Pansy is obviously more dangerous than I ever imagined. And now that she has escaped the guards who were taking her to Azkaban – “

“What??” I nearly shrieked.

“They didn’t tell you?” Severus looked at me, aghast. I shook my head, speechless.

“You were probably asleep, when they discovered Pansy’s escape. Minerva told me this morning after breakfast, in a meeting with Arthur Weasley.”

“He said nothing to me all afternoon…I was right beside him!” I growled. “Does Ginny know?”

“I have no idea,” Severus replied, a little sardonically. “As I was not invited to their little party tonight, I did not have the opportunity to make polite inquiries over the canapés. I think, however, that we can safely assume that everybody is in the know except you and I.”

“And Robin,” I muttered, angry for him, too.

His arm snaked round my waist, pulling me against his shoulder. “And, as you say, Robin. Our son.”

We both fell into silence, lost in our individual thoughts. Logs fell apart in the fireplace, sending a myriad of sparks flying up the chimney. The clock ticked. Eventually, I broke the silence:

“It was funny how he called us Mum and Dad while he was asleep, wasn’t it? Almost like he knew in his subconscious,” I mused aloud.

“Possibly some kind of psychic ability…Auror Lovegood would be able to tell us in more detail, but basically some wizards and witches have the dubious gift of prophetic dreams,” Severus replied, lazily stroking my shoulder with the thumb of his right hand.

“Mmm…but Severus…what about Robin’s other dream, then?” I looked up at him, worried.

“Hades! The one about you being attacked – “

“By a man in a cloak – “

Severus sat up slightly, and pulled me into his lap. “We mustn\'t jump ahead of ourselves. Albus may be a bloody nuisance, but he does have experience in protecting those inside Hogwarts. He’s had Aurors in the Castle all day sealing the Floo Network from the outside connections. No one can Apparate…no one can enter – or leave – through the Gates, and there’s not a single Portkey that can get into Hogwarts besides the one Albus himself holds. We’re possibly even more highly guarded that we were during Voldemort’s reign of terror. Thankfully, though, we have Aurors at the Gates instead of Dementors.”

I relaxed a little, partly from the common sense Severus was speaking, and partly because, while I lay curled in the arms of the man I loved, I felt…safe.

And then he was kissing me, and I had no more thoughts at all.










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* finite insomnium - literally “end the nightmare” (Latin)
** exsuscito - “awaken from sleep” (Latin)
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