Adventurous Hearts Part 2: Nimue's Island

CHAPTER 3: Seeking Snape







Lucius Malfoy entered the main doors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the first time since the war’s final battle. All of the destruction had been erased, that which had been demolished had been rebuilt and the school was once again whole.







Students were milling about, staring at him as he walked through the corridor towards the headmaster’s office. Some recognized him from the news or maybe because of their parents, and they cowered slightly, fleeing before him in fear. That amused him somewhat. Some of them simply stared in awe at the rather large, blond wizard so elegantly attired. Especially the seventh year females who cooed and batted their eyelashes, giggling to each other when he passed.







He rolled his eyes, he knew he was attractive; it was a trait that had come in handy often in his less than pristine past. It wasn’t going to help him with Hermione however; she wasn’t easily swayed by a pretty face. Of course if he couldn’t get face to face with her he didn’t stand a chance anyhow.







It still baffled him that he wanted her as he did. Life would have been so much easier if he had never come in contact with her, though it would mean he would still be sitting in a filthy cell being slowly starved to death and visited only by his son. Of course he would not trade the memories of his time with her, it was some of the best sex he had ever had in his life and it wasn’t simply because of his long bout with celibacy.







She fascinated him on many levels and he wanted to explore that, because very few women had made him want anything more to do with them than what they could provide him behind the bedroom door. He wanted her, for himself for however long it took him to figure out what it was about her that drew him, and that meant getting rid of the competition.







That wasn’t going to be easy as Severus was his dear friend. While he hadn’t come to visit him often he had written and sent books, though he never mentioned Hermione in any of his letters. Lucius figured if it had been him he would have mentioned the brilliant witch continuously as he couldn’t stop thinking about her.







He walked up the winding staircase that lead to the headmaster’s office, laughing softly; not at all surprised that Severus would not be bothered with password nonsense. One came uninvited into his lair at their own risk. Lucky for Lucius he was expected.







He knocked on the door, smirking at the sharply barked “Enter.” Lucius stepped inside and couldn’t help the warmth that came over him when he saw his friend. He didn’t expect to be hugged or to receive some ridiculously sappy welcome, but it was damn good to see the man.





He took a seat across from Severus, removed his gloves and laid them over his thigh. He propped his cane against the desk within arms reach and smiled.





“What brings you to see me this evening, Lucius?” Headmaster Snape asked from behind his desk. “It’s good to see you out and about by the way.”









“Thank you, Severus, old friend; it is good to see you as well.” Lucius said as he leaned back in his seat. “I am here on a personal matter.”









“Really?” Severus queried. Truthfully he had expected the wizard sooner.









“I wish to speak with you about Hermione Granger.” Lucius said, staring at his friend and attempting to read his expressions and discover just how much Severus knew.









“I saw her only yesterday, it was her birthday.” Severus saw the tick in Lucius’s jaw.









“I have come to ask you to put an end to your…arrangement.” Lucius said.









“Our arrangement?” Severus was close to smiling. “She and I are very close, we have been for quite a long time actually, I have no desire to end our friendship, I am sorry I can not accommodate you.”









“She has been unfaithful, with me.” Lucius stated.









“She can not be unfaithful as we have no commitment. I have indulged myself with other witches from time to time when she was unavailable to me. Though I will admit that they all fell painfully short compared to her. She’s quite the little hellcat.” Severus said, his hand going to his shoulder as though rubbing a sore spot compliments of the witch. Truthfully they hadn’t had sex in quite awhile and he had been called back to the school on an emergency before they could do anything the previous night.







She had confessed her assignation with Lucius over dinner; they kept nothing from each other and discussed the fact that she had some tender feelings towards the blond wizard. Severus had been somewhat jealous, he cared deeply for Hermione and if she had wished it he would have made a commitment to her, he would have married her and settled down if she asked it of him. However, he knew she would never love him enough for that. He was content in her feelings for him; he knew she loved him in her own way and for a man who was loved by no one it was more than enough.









“I wish to pursue her.” Lucius said tightly, trying hard to restrain his self from flying across the desk and punching the smug look off of Severus’s face.









“Have you spoken to her about it?” He asked.









“No, I can’t find her, thus the reason I am here speaking to you. Where is she?” He asked.









“She certainly has gotten under your skin hasn’t she?” Severus was a bit amazed to see the possessiveness in the senior Malfoy’s eyes. “She is on assignment in North Cornwall; it seems she has figured out how to access Nimue’s Island on Dozmary Pool.”







Lucius was shocked at the revelation and once more awed by the brilliance of the witch. He started to speak but was interrupted when the door flung open and Claire came rushing into the headmaster’s office.







“Headmaster Snape!” She exclaimed breathlessly. She caught sight of Lucius, dressed so handsomely in his newly purchased and finely tailored robes and immediately she began smiling like a loon and batting those obnoxious eyes behind her spectacles. “Oh, hello Mister Malfoy.” She cooed. The wealthy wizard curled his lip and greeted her with a slight nod, already annoyed by her presence.









“Claire, what is it?” Severus demanded tersely. He had little patience for the air headed twit but knew she wouldn’t seek him out unless it was urgent. The girl was afraid of him so she stayed as far away as she could get and that suited him just fine.







“Oh! Sir, you are Dr. Granger’s emergency contact and well…sir she has gone to the Island…she went ahead like she always does and when the team followed…” She gulped and shuddered. “Well, it was just after nightfall and sir, the island was crawling with….the living dead.”







“Where is Dr.Granger?” Severus asked, rising to his feet, worry shadowing his face.







“On the island sir…no one will go ashore for fear of those creatures…we do not know where she is or if she is even alive sir!” Claire said dramatically.







“How long since she was heard from?” Severus demanded as he went to a large cupboard and retrieved a leather satchel that he began filling with various potions and objects.









“We haven’t heard from her since she left this morning, we were to follow and meet her on the dock but when we arrived they came for us….we had no choice but to turn back.” Claire looked at the angry faces of the two wizards.







“Cowards, all of you!” Snape snarled as he looped the satchel over his shoulder. “She would have fought her way through them had it been one of you on that island!” He snapped, rushing towards the fireplace and calling for Minerva.







“Yes, Severus?” Her face danced in the flames.









“I must leave the castle, an emergency that requires my immediate attention has arisen. Please act in my stead during my absence.” He said.







“How long will you be gone?” She asked. Severus looked back at Claire.







“Sir, the island can only be accessed on the day and night of the full moon, if you can not retrieve her before sunrise then you will be there for at least a month.” Claire explained.







“It could be as long as a month, Minerva, I will be out of contact I’m afraid.” He said.









“Be careful.” She said, knowing better than to ask about his personal business. Her face winked out and Severus turned to Lucius.









“We will have to discuss this another time, Lucius, I need to go.” Severus grabbed his cloak and headed towards the door.









“Hold up, Severus.” Lucius called, striding across the room quickly to catch up to him. “I’m going with you.”







Severus stopped by the door and looked at Lucius. His face was flushed with worry as he pulled his gloves on, his cane tucked beneath his arm.







“Lucius, I am going onto that island after her. I won’t leave until I have her; alive or dead I am coming back with her. It could mean being stuck there for a full moon cycle and you are on probation.” Severus said.







“I am going with you.” Lucius said again. “You will need someone at your back and I want to find her as much as you.” Lucius looked down at the blonde who was too close to him for his comfort. “Claire…” He frowned and backed up, putting some space between them. “Can you send a message to Minister Shacklebolt and my son; fill them in on where I am and why?”







“Oh, of course Mr. Malfoy….anything you need just ask me.” She purred. Severus gave Lucius an appalled yet amused look when he saw how blatantly Claire was flirting with him.







“Thank you. Let’s go, Severus.” Lucius said, shouldering past him and heading outside of school grounds. Severus walked behind him, certain now that the wizard’s feelings for Hermione ran deeper than he would admit. He was risking everything by going to find her, his life and his freedom on the line.







“Um…if you will just hold on to me I will take you to base camp.” Claire said, smiling up at Lucius.







Lucius shoved Severus forward so that he nearly bumped into the witch and scowled at him over his shoulder. Severus grasped her shoulder tightly while Lucius held onto the back of Sev’s neck as the disappointed Claire apparated them to the base camp at Dozmary Pool.







Instantly the entire team was on their feet at the sight of the two wizards. Gilford came forward quickly, his hair mussed and sticking up from his head.







“Headmaster Snape, Mr. Malfoy, thank gods you came!” He said.







“Yes, you should be thankful…and ashamed of yourselves! How dare you abandon her? If it had been any one of you on that island I guarantee that she would have fought her way to get to you.” Severus snapped, staring around at the group in disgust. “And you know what, she would have found you because let me tell you, that girl is glorious in battle and she fights to win. She has more courage in the tip of her nose than the lot of you combined.”







Lucius was shocked by Severus’s valiant defense of Hermione, and certain that she was mistaken when she said that he felt nothing more for her. He had known Severus Snape a long time and had never heard him speak of anyone so passionately.









“What did she take with her?” Severus asked.







“Just her ruck.” Gilford said, his face flushed. “She had a few rations and first aid inside, she thought we would be setting up camp by now, she didn’t expect complications.”









“I need someone to shrink supplies and fill another rucksack with enough for 3 people for a month.” Severus said. “I don’t know how long it will take to find her and we may not make it back out before dawn, I want to be prepared.”







“Should I go with you?” Gilford asked.







“No, you have already proven your cowardice and I don’t want you in my way! Lucius and I can handle it, believe me, we have seen worse than a few moldy corpses.” Severus sneered, snatching the newly packed rucksack from Claire.







“Notify Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley; let them know Hermione is in danger.” He said before turning his back on her. “Lucius, do you need anything before we go?”







Lucius withdrew his wand, shrinking the hollow end of the cane and shoving it into his pocket.







“No, I am ready.” He said before following Severus into the boat and shoving off.