It Happened One Hallow's Eve

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 4 ~ A Possible Solution

“You might not be a ghost, Peeves, but you’re still evil!” Hermione snapped, keeping her wand trained on the poltergeist.

Severus put his wand away.

“Peeves is NOT evil. Peeves is how Peeves is supposed to be,” the creature said argumentively.

He was floating cross-legged in the air. Peeves was solid, not translucent like a ghost, and he wasn’t pearly white either. He resembled a squat little man with a wide mouth, and wore an absolutely ghastly and outlandish, green and orange plaid suit, a hat covered with little bells and an orange bowtie. He did have very wicked dark eyes however. But he wasn’t looking too wicked right now. More worried than anything else.

“Can Peeves stay with you?” he asked the couple.

“No! Why, so you can drop something on us at the first opportunity?” Hermione seethed.

The witch was angry because a little more than a month ago, Peeves had poured a bucket of freezing never-ending ice water over her head while she walked out of the library, her face in a book.

“Ooh the great Brain is all wet!” the poltergeist had chuckled before zooming away, leaving Hermione dripping as the other students chortled.

“No tricks tonight,” the little man breathed, “No students…so no tricks.”

Hermione frowned at him.

“What’s that got to do with anything?” she spat.

Severus decided to intercede.

“Miss Granger, did you ever wonder why Albus has never gotten rid of Peeves?” the Potions Master asked her.

“Yes I have. He’s a menace,” the witch said, glaring at the poltergeist.

“Peeves was created by the students of Hogwarts. He’s a manifestation of their collective angst and subconscious destructive anger. He pulls the worst of their uncontrollable emotions from them and provides an outlet for it. Without Peeves, the students at Hogwarts would not be as well behaved or balanced as they are. Inversely, without their presence, Peeves has no impetus to do mischief,” the Potions Master said.

“No impetus,” Peeves agreed, though the poltergeist wasn’t exactly sure what the word meant. It sounded good however. “No students…no trouble from Peeves.”

Hermione looked surprised. She had never thought of Peeves as anything more than a pest. The fact that he regulated the emotions of Hogwarts entire student population was…well…amazing. The witch lowered her wand.

“Why do you want to stay with us? You don’t have a soul…do you?” the witch asked the poltergeist, who relaxed slightly.

“No. Peeves has no soul but still attracts ghosties if they are near,” the creature said.

Hermione understood.

“You’re giving off a mortal signature,” she said, "Because of the students."

“Yes. Peeves needs protection. Ghosties hurt,” the little man said, his orange bowtie whirling annoyingly.

Severus looked at the poltergeist.

“I see no benefit in helping you Peeves,” the Potions Master said.

Actually Severus had no idea what he could do for the poltergeist. He had his hands full with Hermione.

“I have benefits, I do…like what I know right now,” Peeves said, “I know what the ghosties are up to for you two.”

“They’re up to killing us,” Hermione said, frowning at the little man, “We already know that.”

”No, they are doing more. Planning,” Peeves said with a nasty smile. He wanted their help but he couldn’t help but enjoy the danger they were in. The poltergeist thrived on that kind of thing.

Severus sobered.

“What are they planning, Peeves?” he asked.

The poltergeist drifted back, shaking his head vigorously.

“No. I won’t tell you until you promises to help Peeves,” he said, smirking with satisfaction.

Severus scowled and was about to pull his wand, but Hermione beat him to it, streaking up to Peeves and holding her wand between his eyes.

“If you think the ghosts hurt, Peeves, wait until I blast you. I know you feel pain and I can give it to you,” the witch said darkly, “Now tell us what they’re planning or I’ll splatter you all over this tower. I mean it, Peeves. It will take you days to reform.”

Peeves looked at the witch. Her eyes were narrowed and her jaw thrust out with determination. Her wand never wavered.

“And I thought you was a Gryffindor,” the poltergeist complained.

“Being faced with death can bring out the Slytherin in anyone,” she retorted, “Now out with it!”

Severus was impressed. Hermione also gave him an idea.

“Tell us Peeves, and I will help keep the ghosts away from you,” the Potions Master promised.

“An oath! I want an oath!” the poltergeist replied, realizing if Hermione blasted him they wouldn’t be able to get any information.

“Very well,” the wizard said, “I solemnly swear I will keep the ghosts away from you.”

Magic swirled in the air.

Hermione looked back at the wizard. If he could keep the ghosts away from Peeves, why couldn’t he keep the creatures away from them? She lowered her wand.

“Professor, how…” she began.

Severus held up his hand.

“Later witch,” he said to her, focusing on Peeves, “Now tell us what you know.”

Peeves told the pair about the ghosts congregating in the Great Hall, how many there were and how they planned to position themselves around the castle to wait for them with the intentions of wearing them out. Then they would take them at their leisure.

Severus looked thoughtful.

“That’s sixty positions, but only two ghosts per position. We won’t know exactly where they are…but two are better than twenty at any rate. More than likely we can stun them like I did Nick and slip by them. Now would be a good time to utilize the silencing spell if we apparate back to back, our wands drawn and ready for action. Do you know the Congealing spell, Miss Granger?” the wizard asked her.

Hermione shook her head.

“But it shouldn’t take me long to learn it,” she said, “I’m fairly decent at spells.”

Severus knew this was an understatement. Hermione was a wiz at spell casting.

“Very well. I suggest we get started then, before the ghosts come. A pair will certainly be posted here,” the wizard said. “Now watch closely.”

”Wait! What about me? You swore to help me. Help me first!” Peeves demanded.

“Certainly Peeves,” Severus purred.

Suddenly the wizard pointed his wand at Peeves and splattered him all over the astronomy tower. Hermione screamed as she was covered in ectoplasm. The witch hurriedly scourgified herself and spun on Severus.

“You swore to help him,” she said…then she hesitated when she realized the oath hadn’t affected the wizard.

“I did help him. In this condition the ghosts won’t pursue him,” the Severus replied evenly scourgifying himself and the tower. Hermione blinked.

“Where did he go?” she asked.

Severus shrugged. “I don’t know, but he’ll be back. He’s been blasted and scourgified before. Now witch, your Congealing lesson,” the wizard said.

It took Hermione only five minutes to learn the proper invocation and intent as well as the subtle wand motion. Severus shot bubbles out from his wand for the witch to practice on. She was soon proficient.

“Thank the gods you’re a quick study,” Severus said, hiding his admiration. It had taken him the better part of a day to get the spell down pat. He looked around the tower.

“I think we should go to the library now,” he said. “This is a main area. Sentries will be posted here.”

He and Hermione drew their wands and stood back to back, pressed against each other. Hermione felt protected with the wizard at her back, and Severus felt less vulnerable with Hermione at his. The wizard cast a silencing spell around them.

“Stay sharp,” he hissed…and they disapparated.

Sure enough when they appeared in the library, two ghosts were there. One was a tall, willowy elderly female ghost, the other appeared to be a very young wizard’s ghost. But the creatures had their backs to the pair. Still, they felt Hermione and spun just in time to catch the Congealing spells squarely. The ghosts didn’t get a chance to make a sound as they fell heavily to the floor.

Wizard and witch both relaxed and Severus removed the silencing spell.

“The spell will wear off in about an hour. We should be finished before then,” Severus said. “If not, I will just give them a touch-up blast.”

But he was talking to himself. Hermione was already off to the section that held the blueprints, pulling out a large stack and carrying them to one of the large tables. She passed half the stack to Severus.

“Spread those out on the other table. Try to keep them in order,” she said bossily.

The wizard hesitated, then realized she was simple in “research mode,” and did as she asked. Both witch and wizard went over the documents side by side until they found what they were looking for. The blueprints of the completed subdungeons. After studying it, they found the protective circle was at the end of the third archway on the left when you entered the main cavern. It was quite large. Twenty feet across.

“I don’t believe an invocation is needed, or Albus would have informed me,” Severus said as they studied the blueprints, “Possibly, we can stay within its protection all night if we drag the congealed ghosts for that post with us, and continuously blast them. Albus said the protective circle weakens if constantly attacked, yet even if they do congregate, we can strike them all, and simply keep them under the effects by hitting them again as they waken.”

At last. A possible way to make it through the night.

“Will we be able to fire through the circle’s influence?” Hermione asked him.

“I am relatively sure we will be. It keeps out things spiritual. We can pass its boundaries. There is no reason to think the blasts of our wands can’t,” the wizard said.

Hermione stared at the Potions Master.

“It seems as if you’ve come up with a way to get us through the night without deflowering me, Professor,” she said a bit wistfully.

Severus looked at the witch sharply. Was that disappointment he heard in her voice?

“You should be grateful witch. I imagine you are waiting for some young, handsome wizard to have that honor,” he said, his black eyes rather intense as he looked at her. “Not a snarky old man like me.”

Severus knew Hermione was attracted to him, but he wanted to hear what she would say to this. He was rather surprised at the way she reacted. With vehemence.

“You’re not old! You’re in what…your late thirties, early forties? You’re not even middle-aged, Professor…nowhere near it. Plus, you are intelligent, a Potions Master, a member of the Order…you risk your life every day for a world that doesn’t give a damn about you without a single complaint. You’re a hero, Professor. It wouldn’t be hard for me to accept you…”

Here Hermione faltered for a moment as she met the wizard’s eyes.

“I mean…if I had to,” she said softly. “If…if I wanted to…”

Severus looked at the witch, and his chest tightened a little.

“So, Miss Granger…if I were to approach you in such a way…would you accept me?” he asked the witch.

Hermione felt her heart begin to pound.

“Well, I wouldn’t immediately reject you,” she said, her voice almost a whisper. “You’d be a worthy suitor, Professor…despite your meanness. I don’t think you would be mean or cruel to a witch you were courting, would you?”

Severus looked at Hermione.

“No, I wouldn’t,” he replied, his dark eyes seeming to grow darker.

Hermione sat in the chair, looking up at the wizard, her face upturned.

Before he could help himself, Severus leaned closer and captured her lips in his, suckling them gently, then moving against her mouth sensuously.

Hermione was swept away by the gentle fire in the Potions Master’s kiss. It flowed over her slowly, like honey…but sweeter, pooling in her belly. Helplessly she wrapped her arms around the wizard’s neck and rose, continuing to kiss him, returning his sweetness with her own…instinctively opening her mouth slightly.

Severus felt her innocent invitation and let out a little groan. He flicked his tongue across her lips and pulled her tighter against him. He could feel the curves of her body pressing into his, and had a powerful physical reaction, his trousers tightening as his erection grew.

Severus pulled back from Hermione, holding her at arms length, the witch trying to move in close again, her eyes full of desire and half-lidded.

“No,” he said hoarsely, “No…I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry Miss Granger.”

Hermione wasn’t having that.

“You weren’t alone, Professor. I was kissing you back. It was wonderful. You felt wonderful,” she breathed.

”Still, it is…improper. We are caught up in our situation,” he said releasing her. “That kiss never should have happened.”

He began rolling up the blueprint to do something with his hands.

Hermione looked at him, her eyes soft and hot at the same time.

“I’m glad it happened. I’ve wanted it to happen for the longest time, Professor,” she said.

Severus pretended not to hear that.

“We have to go back to the subdungeons, Miss Granger. Pull yourself together. Our lives are still in danger,” he said, sticking the rolled and folded blueprint in his pocket, then hastily carrying the rest of the documents back to the shelves.

“Just in case the other ghosts come to investigate. We don’t want them to know we were doing anything other than hiding in here,” the wizard said to Hermione, who was still looking at him with longing eyes.

Finally the wizard sighed.

“Miss Granger…if you believe that you are…amicable to the possibility of my courting you, then we will have to wait until you graduate properly and are no longer my student to explore that…possibility,” the Potions Master said, his heart pounding in his chest as he did so.

“I don’t know that I can wait,” Hermione said…then she blushed as she realized how wanton she sounded.

“I have the strength if you don’t witch,” the wizard said softly. Gods, he’d like to kiss her again. But her reply must have meant she was willing to see him as a suitor, and lover. Severus shook it off.

“We must go,” he said, taking Hermione by the hand and positioning her so the witch's back was to him. He backed up against the witch. This time the contact was electric.

“Merlin,” he breathed as he drew his wand and cast the silencing spell. Hermione had her wand drawn as well.

She was smiling quite naughtily as they disapparated.

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A/N: Well an interesting chapter. It seems Severus has a feasible plan to keep them alive that doesn’t involve deflowering Hermione…who doesn’t seem thrilled about that. Nice little hot moment between them…Severus being the reluctant voice of reason. But…what was that naughty little smile about, Hermione? Anyway, please review.