Binding Ties

Binding Ties

Chapter Four
Bumps in the Night

Clutching the unconscious Hermione in his arms, Snape drew his wand and pointed it skyward, thinking desperately of a place where Hermione could rest. He could not take her back to his house; it had not been fit for a woman in many years. He did not know what her house was near. He fought back flaming anger and spun into the darkness, taking her to the only place he knew to take her.

~*~

Ginny stepped out of the shower, steam following suit. She snatched a towel from the rack and wrapped it tightly around herself. She took a step into her bedroom where her husband was fast asleep, burying all of her favorite dress pillows. She smiled, walked across the room, and placed a kiss on her husbands head, removing his glasses. His eyes fluttered open.

Harry almost started. His glasses had been removed and all’s he could see was a white figure with hair like fire. He could feel the heat radiating from it. His logic got hold of him and he looked up at his wife.

“I love you,” poured suddenly from his mouth. He put his glasses back on and watched as her rosy pink lips softened into a warm smile. She opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a siren-like noise. A siren?

“Harry! It’s the intruder alarm!” Ginny grabbed her wand and quickly drew a nightdress around her. Harry picked up his own wand and practically ran out of his room. He skidded to a halt.

“Ginny, you get the kids!” He yelled back to her before racing down three flights of stairs and running towards the front door. Harry saw out of the window that a shadow had fluttered past the doorstep. Harry took a deep breath, and pointing his wand at the heart of the intruder, swung the door wide. Harry’s eyes adjusted to the darkness to see Severus Snape holding the limp body of Hermione.

“Potter! Are you going to help me or do I have to curse you first?” Snape spat. Harry backed up wordlessly, shock paralyzing every nerve in his body. Snape, the dead potion’s master was carrying one of his best friends because they were unconscious.

“What’s wrong with her?” Ginny’s scared voice came down the stairs. When the man who brought Hermione in turned to answer, Ginny gasped.

“I’ll explain later, please. Just let me lay her down.” Harry nodded darkly and ushered Snape into the den. Snape laid Hermione gingerly on the couch and turned to Ginny. “Will you tell me what’s wrong?”

Ginny agreed wordlessly and walked to Hermione. She waved her wand over Hermione’s body several times and muttered to herself. After several minutes of this, she finally turned back around and shook her head.

“She’s been poisoned. I can only assume you,” Ginny said coldly, “would have an antidote on you?” Snape glared at the young woman and whipped out his long black wand, conjuring a bottle of what looked like dried up kidneys. He procured one from the jar and handed it to Ginny.

“I daresay a Healer should know how to administer a bezoar.” His tone was ice and Ginny noticed, snatching the stone from his grip. She placed it on Hermione’s lolling tongue, closed her mouth, and tipped her head backwards. Hermione’s breath became less ragged and she rolled over in what happened to be a forced sleep.

“Now, will you sit down and answer questions?” Harry asked. To his relief, Snape obliged without complaint. After he was done explaining everything that he had explained to Hermione, Snape watched as Ginny curled into Harry’s arms and sat there, thinking.

“Evening Mr. Snape,” said a voice from the foot of the stairs. Both Harry and Ginny whipped around at the sound of their son.

“Ah, Albus. This is your family. I had wondered about your name. Though, I admit, I should have recognized the eyes,” Severus replied, almost bestowing a smile on the teenaged boy.

“You’ve been in contact with our son before now? Why?” Ginny asked as she sat up straighter, fire threatening in her eyes.

“Well, when I agreed to help him, I did not know that he was your son. I did not even know that you two had carried your relationship any further than school,” Snape answered honestly. Ginny then rounded on her son, with a look that rivaled Ginny’s own mother.

“And you, young man? Why did you not tell us that you were in contact with Snape?”

“I did not know it was relevant to anything. Why is he so special to you two?” Albus’ eyes spelled a multitude of questions.

“You can’t play that one off, Albus. Surely you’d have recognized his first name is the same as your middle name. ‘Severus’ isn’t exactly common,” Harry added sternly.

“Potter, in your son’s defense, he did not know my first name. I rarely take on students and tell them my,” Snape began but was interrupted.

“You’ve got your teaching job back again?” Ginny snarled.

“Of course not. How would that seem? Everyone in the Battle heard Potter’s claim, but some are still thick headed enough to not believe it. I just recently closed down a small shop on Knockturn Alley. But before, I sold antidotes and taught Legilimency. Needless to say, many adults were thoroughly excited at the prospect of being able to ‘see’ into minds, if you will. I, therefore, decided to teach only students of Hogwarts. Parents do not like the idea of Knockturn Alley and I had few students.”

“You closed down the shop?” Albus asked a hint of disappointment in his strong voice. Snape nodded and turned back to Ginny who had begun to speak again. Harry enclosed her hand in his and she was lost for words. She stood up, pulling Harry with her and stepped into a nearby room, closing the door.

“Harry. He lied. He’s taught our son Legilimency and Merlin knows what else. I say we give the rumors reason and kill him,” Ginny said, hatred dripping from her voice.

“Ginny, I will not kill a man. He saved my life,” Harry rushed. Ginny shrugged. “Would you rather me dead?” Ginny’s eyes swelled with what would be tears in any normal person. Ginny did not cry.

“Harry, how could you say that? Let’s go back twenty four years to when we thought you died,” Ginny said, apparently hurt.

“Well, it’s because of him that I didn’t die. I don’t know how he found Hermione but she’s owes him her life, too. Not only do I say let him live, I also say that he is welcome in my house until he sees fit to leave.” Harry’s eyes were firm on Ginny and she nodded, looking away. “I love you, Ginny,” Harry said quietly and captured her mouth in a kiss.

“Severus,” Harry said as they walked back into the room. “You may stay here to,” he paused, “keep an eye on Hermione if you so choose. We have an entire guest wing.”

“Much obliged.” With that, Harry showed Snape to his room and Ginny escorted her children and her brother’s children back to bed.