All the way

The next few weeks went quickly for Severus, in a daze of teaching, kissing and telling Hermione how much he loved her. Tomorrow was Halloween and Severus was sitting in his living room; Hermione was teaching.

He took a sip of whiskey and settled back on his sofa. It shocked him how much his life had changed, as well as his feelings for Hermione. He was ashamed to say that the first time he saw Hermione that he would have been quite happy with a quick shag. Now, though, he wanted -and had- much more.

Severus had always thought that he would never have a life after Albus, but obviously he had been wrong. His life was better that the one he had with Albus. He wasn\'t saying that he was happy that he had killed his old friend, but if he hadn\'t he would never have seen Hermione like he saw her now and he would have probably be killed in the final battle, instead of safe in Azkaban.

For the first time, he wondered what it had been like on the battle field. What had it looked like? What had it smelled like? What had actually happened? He decided that when Hermione came back, he would ask her.

Severus put his empty glass on the coffee table and sighed. Things were finally going his way, for once.

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Hermione dismissed her last class of the day and started to tidy away the essays on her desk. Although she loved teaching, it was tiring and a bit weird some times. Severus had put the frighteners on her first years and they were quite well behaved, apart from Malfoy.

The child was strange; first of all he was taller that all the other first years and looked a lot older than them. He was, like the other Malfoy\'s, rude, pushy and arrogant. But Hermione couldn\'t figure it out. If he was Draco\'s son, he would have had to have been conceived when Draco was about 12. That couldn\'t be it, could it? Maybe he was Draco\'s cousin or other relative?

Some one cleared there throat from the door way and Hermione looked up. Speak of the Devil, Lucius sauntered into the room.

\"What can I do for you Mr. Malfoy?\" She asked politely.

\"What ever you want.\" He said suggestively as he leaned on her desk. Hermione sat back in her chair and looked at him blankly. He sighed, \"I was wondering if I could talk to Professor Snape.\"

\"Why?\" She asked suspiciously.

\"I don\'t need to give you a reason.\" He sneered.

\"Alright, I will get him if you answer a question for me.\" Hermione bargained. The boy looked her malevolently, but nodded. \"Who are your parents?\"

\"Draco Malfoy is my father,\" He said, \"I don\'t know my mother.\"

\"Draco Malfoy? Are you sure?\" Hermione frowned.

\"I know my own father!\" He snapped.

\"Alright, alright!\" Hermione put her hands up, \"I was just curious. I was in the same year as your father.\"

\"I know,\" Lucius growled, \"he told me.\"

\"I bet he didn\'t say very nice things.\" Hermione sighed.

\"You\'re right, he didn\'t. That’s why I wanted to come to this school instead of abroad, to see whether you really were as bad as he said.\"

\"And am I?\" Hermione smiled. Draco looked thoughtful and then shook his head. Hermione looked kindly at him. They shared a silence and then Hermione stood up.

\"What are you doing?\" He asked.

\"You wanted to see Professor Snape?\"

\"Oh, yeah that...\" He started to walk to the door, \"Don\'t worry about it.\"

He left Hermione frowning. What had just happened? Had she just got along with a Malfoy? How strange, Hermione thought as she walked through to their rooms.

As always, Severus was sprawled on her sofa, waiting. He jumped up and scooped her into a kiss before she could say any thing. Finally, she managed to pull away.

\"The strangest thing just happened.\" she informed him as they settled onto the sofa together.

\"Oh,\" He raised an eyebrow, \"Do tell.\"

\"Just a minute ago, Lucius came into my classroom and asked to see you,\" Severus frowned, \"I said that I would get you if he told me who his parents were. He said his father was Draco, but he doesn\'t know his mother. He said that the reason he came to Hogwarts was to see if I was as bad as his father said. Then we kind of went quiet, but it was a nice silence. I stood up to get you but he said it didn\'t matter and left.\"

\"Interesting...\" Severus seemed to pull her close with out noticing, \"I don\'t like it. Malfoy’s are sneaky, don\'t trust them.\"

\"Severus, he\'s only a child.\"

\"Draco was just a child when he was at school with you and look what he did!\" he snapped, \"I\'m sorry, but I just think that he\'s up to some thing and I don\'t like the fact that it seems to have some thing to do with you.\"

Hermione smiled; He was so protective.

\"Severus,\" She kissed his lips lightly, \"I can take care of myself. He\'s a child -\"

\"A Malfoy child!\"

\"Ok, he\'s a Malfoy child, but what’s the worst he could do when I’ve got you glued to me?\" Hermione smiled.

\"Just... promise me that you\'ll be careful. I don\'t want you to get hurt.\" He said softly.

\"I promise.\" She sealed it with a kiss, \"I love you so much.\"


\"Hermione!\"

Hermione groaned as Ginny’s voice carried through from her bedroom. Lily was home. As Hermione stood up, a blur of black rushed at her and latched onto her leg. She pulled Lily up onto her hip and looked up to see Ginny emerging from the bedroom.

\"Hey Hermione.\" She smiled.

\"Hey Gin. What did you do today?\" Hermione asked.

\"We went to see Tonks. She told me what you did for Remus and she\'s so happy.\" Ginny gushed, \"They\'re coming to the party tomorrow night.\"

\"What party?\" Hermione questioned as she gave Lily to Severus and led Ginny to the other sofa.

\"Oh didn\'t you know?\" Ginny squealed, \"Well, Minerva\'s throwing a party tomorrow night in the Great Hall, for the staff here and order members and their families. Every one\'s gonna be there. Are you coming?\"

Hermione looked over to Severus, who shrugged as Lily played with his fingers.

\"Yeah, we\'ll come.\" She nodded.

\"Hermione,\" Ginny whispered, leaning closer, \"Harry said that Ron is sort of coming round, but very slowly. He said that if you get sick of Lily, send her to me and mom.\"

\"Oh no. I could never get sick of her.\" Hermione said quietly.

\"So... are you and Snape... you know, together?\" Ginny asked.

\"Harry told you, didn\'t he?\" Hermione said bluntly.

\"Well... yeah.\" She said sheepishly.

\"So why ask the question when you know the answer?\" Hermione frowned.

\"I wanted to hear it from you.\" Ginny smiled, \"So, what type of relationship are you in? Casual? Love? Or are you gold digging?\"

\"Who said I have any gold that she can dig for?\" Severus chipped in.

Ginny blushed and Hermione laughed, \"Oh Ginny! Never think that he can\'t hear you. He has supersonic ears, I swear.\"

Severus rolled his eyes, \"What can I say... it’s true.\"

\"Any way,\" Ginny said, trying to change the subject, \"What are you going to wear to the party?\"

\"Oh I don\'t know.\" Hermione sighed, \"Why don\'t you go and see pat and Annie, while I look through my clothes? Then you can come back and help me chose.\"

\"Ok, see ya in about... half and hour.\" Ginny jumped up and headed for the door as Hermione went to her room.

She sifted through her dresses and picked some out, laying them on her bed. One by one she tried them on. None of them really said sexy-Halloween though. Frustrated, Hermione slipped the last dress over her head.

It was midnight blue silk, with thin gold straps and gold, embroidered swirls around the bottom, which fell gracefully to her ankles. Hermione remembered buying it for a Ministry ball that was canceled, so she had never used it. She twirled in the mirror. It looked nice, but she couldn\'t decide whether she really liked it.

She heard the door open and close again.

\"Oh Gin, the others were terrible. This is the only one that really said what I wanted it to, but I’m not sure. What do you think?\" Hermione spun around when she heard a growl from behind her. Instead of Ginny, Severus was leaning against the door, \"Oh, you scared me.\"

\"You can\'t wear that.\" Severus told her.

\"And why not?\" Hermione asked as she turned back to the mirror and smooth the non-existent creases out of the silk, self consciously.

\"1) Because you will upstage the host and 2) because the other women will be jealous.\" he said, pushing off the door and approaching her.

Hermione blushed, \"I don\'t think so. There will be lots of people dressed better than me.\"

\"You\'re wrong.\" He insisted as he put his arms around her from behind, \"You\'ll see tomorrow. Oh, and Miss Weasley said that she had to go home and she\'s sorry.\"

\"So you like this dress then?\" Hermione sighed.

\"Definitely.\" He murmured into her neck.

\"Right then,\" Hermione wriggled out of his arms, \"I Better hang it up.\"

\"And that involves taking it off...\" Severus observed with a smirk.

\"So clever.\" Hermione giggled as he strode forwards, his eyes on fire.

\"Oh, I am.\" He said before he pounced.

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Lily shut the bedroom door quietly, her hand smothering her giggles. It was funny when her Uncle chased her Auntie. They always ended up kissing in that weird way. Some times she got jealous of her uncle, but \'Mione always made time for her. Lily missed her auntie in the day, but always had fun with Her Auntie Ginny and her Grandparents.

Lily trotted over to the sofa and clambered up onto the seat. She sighed and swung her feet. A knock at the door surprised her. Her uncle had told her not to open the door so she waited. When it became clear that no one else was coming, Lily hopped down from the sofa and went over to the door. She reached up and pulled it open.

On the other side stood a tall boy with nearly white hair and grey eyes. He gave Lily a look that scared her and then swept off down the hall. Lily slammed the door and ran to the bedroom. She opened the door to find her auntie lying on the bed with her Uncle on top of her.

\'Mione gasped and rolled from under Sev. She stood up and straightened the dress she was wearing.

\"Lily!\" She panted, \"What... what do you want?\"

\"A man knocked at the door.\" Lily told her.

\"A man?\" Her auntie frowned, \"Who?\"

\"I don\'t know,\" Lily said honestly, \"He scared me. He had light hair and grey eyes.\"

\"Oh Gods Severus,\" \'Mione turned to Sev, \"What was he doing here?\"

\"Who?\" Lily asked curiously.

\"No one Dove,\" Hermione reassured her, \"Come on,\" She walked over to Lily and picked her up, \"Severus, I’m going to take her to stay with Pat and Annie. I don\'t want her here if he comes back.\"

Hermione took Lily over to the fire place and lit the fire. She threw some powder into the flames and stepped in, Lily still on her hip.

\"Gryffindor common room.\" She said. Lily clutched her auntie tightly as they began to spin. Soon they stepped out into a big room with lots people in. They all looked around to her.

\"Hey Professor!\" They greeted.

\"Hi,\" Hermione smiled at them as she placed Lily on the floor. \"Pat! Annie!\" She waved over two girls with red hair. One had blue eyes and one had green. \"Can you look after Lily for a couple of hours?\" The girls nodded, \"Take her to the Great Hall for dinner and I’ll come and get her when I’ve finished my rounds. Do not let her out of your sight or leave her with any one else.\"

Lily was pushed gently towards the girls and they smiled kindly.

\"I\'m Pat.\" Said the one with the blue eyes as \'Mione went back through the fire.

\"And I’m Annie.\" Said the one with the green eyes, \"Come and play exploding snap with us.\"

Intrigued, Lily followed the eccentric red heads.

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Severus sat scowling. He heard the floo open in the bedroom and after a few moments Hermione came into the living room, back in her pastel blue teaching robes. She sighed and came to sit next to him.

\"What was he doing here?\" She asked, \"He\'s a student, he shouldn\'t be coming to my rooms.\"

\"He\'s up to something.\" Severus said darkly as he put his arms around Hermione and pulled her into his lap, as if to keep her safe.

\"Oh well,\" She sighed, \"If he is, we will soon see what it is.\"

Severus didn\'t like it. Lucius was a Malfoy and when they were \'up to something\' it was serious. Hermione sounded indifferent, but Severus wouldn\'t take it so lightly.

Hermione rested her head on his shoulder. He fought off a tremble as her warm breath skimmed over the skin on his neck. Severus stroked her hair and held her close. Suddenly he remembered something.

\"Hermione, love?\" She sat up a bit and looked at him, \"What was it like in the final battle?\"

She sighed, \"Horrible, really horrible. Lots of people, including me, are lucky to be alive.\"

\"Who\'s lucky to be alive? Tell me about it.\" Severus pressed.

\"Umm...\" She thought for a moment, \"Remus... he\'s lucky.\"

\"How so?\" Severus asked again.

\"Well,\" She shifted and looked a little guilty, \"We -Remus and I- were stuck in a battle with five Death Eaters. We were both tired, the battle had been going all day and the sun was going down. I was fighting when suddenly I heard a yell and looked over to Remus, then up at the sky. It was a full moon and he was transforming.\" Hermione took a deep breath.

\"He started to attack the Death Eaters and they started to try and kill him, while he couldn\'t use his wand. I... um... I was fighting... some one and as I looked around... he was gone. After, when the battle was over and we were all in the hospital wing, Tonks wanted his body, so I used \'Accio\' and a small rock with the letter R on it smashed the window. Minerva transfigured it back into the werewolf, who was stunned and then it changed back to Remus.\"

\"So,\" Severus concluded, \"Some saved him by stunning him and changing him into a rock.\" Hermione nodded and looked any where but at him, \"It was you.\" He said bluntly. She started to protest, \"I know it was you Hermione. It\'s the type of clever thing that you would do to save a friend.\" She gave a sad smile, \"Does he know it was you?\"

\"No, no one knows, so don\'t tell them.\" She pleaded.

\"Why? You saved his life. He has a right to know.\" Severus told her.

\"I know, but he\'s happy enough not knowing and I don\'t want the fuss.\" She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder again.

\"What was it like?\" he asked again.

\"It was upsetting. You had to try to stay strong and fight, when you had to watch you friends and the people you called family die. It wasn\'t so bad when they were killed by a simple killing curse. It was terrible when you could see people dieing from horrific and excessive injuries, but you couldn\'t stop to help them because you had to keep on your toes. If you did stop you were an easy target.\" Hermione said in a strangled voice.

Severus could feel her tears on his neck. He stroked her hair and rocked them slightly. Hermione pulled away from him and wiped her eyes, laughing weakly.

\"Look at me, silly cow,\" She smiled, \"it\'s over and there\'s nothing I can do. I am lucky that me and most of my friends are alive.\" She stood up and checked her face in the mirror, \"Come on, we should go to the Great hall.\"

Severus followed Hermione up to the Great hall. Some students were there, but not many. As Severus took his seat next to Hermione, he looked down at the Slytherin table. His eyes darkened and he scowled. Lucius was staring up at Hermione. The boy noticed his glare and looked down at his dinner.

Severus was silent through dinner. Lucius was young and impressionable; if he was up to something his father was involved and if his father was involved, it -what ever \'it\' was- could not be taken lightly.

Soon, dinner was over and Severus headed back down to the dungeons. He was about to take the hall down to his rooms when he heard Hermione call. He turned around.

\"I\'m going to do my rounds and then collect Lily,\" She informed him, \"See you when I’m finished.\" She was about to leave but he caught her arm.

\"Let me come with you.\" He said.

\"No, don\'t be silly,\" She smiled, \"I’ll be careful... although of what I’m not sure.\"

\"Promise me that you\'ll come straight to me if anything happens or if you see Malfoy.\" He pressed.

\"I will come back if anything happens, but if I see Lucius, I will send him back to his common room.\" Hermione pulled her arms from his grip and hurried back up the corridor.

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Hermione had made up a way of searching the castle for wayward couples and sneaking students. She worked from the dungeons to the astronomy tower and back down again. Tonight had been odd. There was no one about.

Hermione climbed the stairs to the astronomy tower and stopped in the small room at the top. She sighed. Lucius was sitting on the window ledge, looking out over the grounds. Hermione cleared her throat. He jumped up.

\"Professor!\"

\"Mr. Malfoy,\" She said, \"What are you doing up here at this time of night?\"

\"Waiting for you.\" He told her.

\"Oh,\" Hermione said uncomfortably, \"And um... why is that?\"

\"I came to your rooms, you know.\" He said.

\"I know, but I asked you a question.\" She said as she approached him.

\"Oh,\" He said taking a seat again, \"I wanted to ask you why you helped Professor Snape out of Azkaban when you know that he was once a Death Eater and killed for real.\"

Hermione sat gingerly next to him, \"I did what I did because I knew that he helped the Order of the Phoenix more than any one and he did not deserve to be in prison.\"

\"Do you even know what your precious prisoner did as a Death Eater?\" Lucius sneered.

\"I bet I know a lot more than you do.\" Hermione said frankly. They sat in silence for another minute and Hermione opened her mouth to tell him to go to bed, but he beat her to it.

\"I hate you.\" He said, barely above a whisper. Hermione frowned.

\"Why do you hate me?\" She said softly.

\"You broke my fathers’ heart.\" He informed her, \"In school he loved you, but didn\'t know how to show you. He didn\'t really hate you, but his father hated all mud... muggleborns, so he couldn\'t do anything. The night that Professor Snape took him to a safe house -the night Dumbledore died- my father had all these dreams about after the war. He planned to come and find you, to get married to you and have children with you. In reality, after the war ended, he couldn\'t find the courage to come and find you. About three years ago I went to live with him and I was there when he got the Daily Prophet one morning. He was so angry when he read that you had helped free Professor Snape because the paper said that you were a couple. You broke his heart.\"

Hermione was in shock. This was wrong; Draco \'posh boy\' Malfoy in love with Hermione \'mudblood\' Granger. This kid was lying. She looked into his face, which glowed in the moon light. If he was lying, why was he crying?

\"Lucius,\" Hermione said quietly, \"I think you should go back to your dormitory.\"

\"I don\'t know what he ever saw in you.\" The boy sneered as he wiped his tears angrily, \"You\'re nothing special.\"

\"You\'re right,\" She agreed softly, \"I\'m not special. I have never been and will never be. I don\'t know why you have told me about your father like that and I don\'t know what you want me to do, but I think you should get some rest and forget this conversation if it upsets you.\"

Lucius sniffed and stood up, straightening his robes, \"Good night Professor Granger.\" He said regally. He turned to go.

\"Lucius!\" she called him back, \"Please don\'t come to my rooms again, because it’s not me that you will get in trouble with.\"

\"Oh yes,\" He snarled, \"I forgot about Professor Snape, your personal lap dog.\"

\"Good night Mr. Malfoy.\" She said with finality.
____________________________________________________

Without finishing her rounds properly, Hermione hurried up to the Gryffindor tower. She gave the password and entered the common room. Pat was trying to teach Lily how to play chess, while Annie dozed on the sofa.

\"Alright you lot?\" She asked them. Lily jumped from her chair and ran over to hug Hermione around the middle. Annie opened her eyes slowly and sat up straight.

\"At last.\" The girl grumbled.

\"We wanna go to bed!\" Pat complained.

\"I\'m sorry girls,\" Hermione shrugged as she picked Lily up, \"I tried to hurry.\"

\"It’s ok.\" The said together as the approached, \"We forgive you.\" Hermione gave them a one armed hug each and left the tower.

\"Did you like them?\" Hermione asked Lily. When she didn\'t get a reply, she glanced at the girl. She was asleep, \"Aww...\" Hermione smiled quietly.

Hermione carried Lily back to the dungeons and her rooms. She waved her wand and Lily was in her cotton night dress. After tucking the little girl into bed, Hermione turned the lights off and shut the door slightly.

Hermione slumped down on her sofa and closed her eyes. Draco Malfoy loved her! It was laughable. She had been quiet shocked to see how vulnerable Lucius had looked tonight. And he still hadn\'t told her why he had been to her rooms.

Hermione decided to forget the conversation ever took place; it was best that way.

\"Back already?\" Whispered a voice in her ear. Hermione started and looked over her shoulder. Severus was standing behind her smirking.

\"There wasn\'t many kids out of bed,\" She said rubbing her eyes, \"I\'m so tired.\"

\"Come on then,\" Severus walked around in front of her and pulled her up, \"bed.\"

Hermione let herself be led into his bedroom and she changed into her night dress. Soon she crawled into bed next to Severus and he pulled her to his side.

\"Good night.\" Hermione placed a tired kiss on his shoulder.

\"Night love.\" She felt him kiss the top of her head as she let sleep take her.


The next morning, Hermione showered and packed Lily off to The Burrow early, even though she didn\'t have a class first thing. She wanted some time to just relax before the party tonight. Severus had just left for his class and Hermione was about to go back to bed fro another hour when there was a knock at the door.

Grumbling, Hermione answered the door and was shock to find an angry looking Minerva.

\"Hermione,\" She said quickly, \"I need your help. I know you don\'t have a class now so you are perfect.\"

\"Perfect for what?\" Hermione frowned.

\"Its Peeves,\" Minerva scowled, \"He\'s some how locked Professor Binns in the Room Of Requirement. I know, I know he\'s a ghost, but he can\'t get out! I need you to cover his first class; Filius can do the other three classes today.\"

\"Alright, give me a minute to get ready and I’ll be there.\" Hermione nodded. She shut the door and cursed loudly. Rushing to her room and quickly dressed in her pastel pink robes and a cream dress made out of denim. She brushed her hair out, grabbed her wand and hurried up to the History of Magic classroom.

Hermione opened the door and cursed again under her breath; she had first years, Gryffindor and Slytherin. She walked up to the desk and looked at the lesson plans that had been left. Hermione bit her lip to stop from screaming; this day was getting better and better. For this lesson, Binns was meant to be lecturing them on the war with Voldemort. How something so recent was categorized in the History of Magic, Hermione didn\'t know, but if she had to do this she would at least do it her way.

\"Right,\" She smiled, turning to the class, \"How far are you on this area?\" A couple of hands shot up. \"Annie?\" The girl wouldn\'t lie.

\"Professor Binns was meant to start a new topic today. We don\'t know what it is though.\" Annie said smartly as Pat nodded beside her.

\"Ok,\" Hermione was going to enjoy this, \"we are learning about the war against Lord Voldemort.\" Each student turned to their friend and started to mumble; several of them raised their hands and Hermione ignored them, \"I want you to forget every thing that you have ever been told, because not many people really know what happened. Lots of facts have been twisted.\" She looked directly at Lucius as she was sure his father would have told him some cock and bull story, \"When I was a student here, I found Professor Binns\' lessons to be very boring,\" Every pupil nodded, \"So today is going to be a practical lesson. Every one please line up by the door.\"

Whispering excitedly, they got into a line and waited for Hermione.

\"I want you to stay near and listen.\" She said as she opened the door, \"Follow me.\"

Pat and Annie and some other Gryffindors hurried to the front to walk next to Hermione. They tried to find out what they would be doing, but Hermione wouldn\'t tell them. She decided to only start from the beginning of the second war, when she was alive.

Hermione led them through the corridors to the third floor, where Fluffy once lived. She stopped by a door and opened it, ushering the children into the room with the trapped door.

She waved her wand and lit some of the torches, leaving the shadows dancing about the room.

\"Right,\" Hermione started as the students watched her intently, \"12 years ago, this room was filled by a giant, three headed dog named Fluffy,\" some Slytherins giggled, \"Fluffy was owned by Professor Hagrid and Professor Dumbledore -the Headmaster at the time- borrowed him to protect a very special stone. Does every one know what that stone was?\" they all nodded, \"Good...\"

Hermione explained the whole adventure of her first year to a perfect audience. They gasped in the right places and clapped the the end. Hermione gave a theatrical bow and then they moved to the next location: Moaning Myrtle\'s bathroom.

The miserable ghost was overjoyed to have an audience for the story of her death and then for the story of when Hermione made the Polyjuice potion and changed into a cat. At that memory, Myrtle burst into hysterical laughter and couldn\'t carry on. Hermione told them of how Harry and Ron went into the Chamber of Secrets and defeated the basilisk. In the end Annie and Pat were boasting about how their Aunt and Uncle were involved in it all.

Hermione was about to take them down to the Whomping Willow, when she realized the time.

\"Well class,\" She said as she ushered them out of the toilet, \"I hope you learned some thing. I\'ll be sure to tell Professor Binns that you were really good for me. 50 points to both houses now go to your next lessons.\"

\"Oh Miss!\" a Slytherin girl moaned, \"My house have a free period, can you carry on our lesson? Please!\"

\"Yeah!\" some one else chipped in, \"Please Professor!\"

Hermiones smiled; she had to admit that it had been fun.

\"No,\" She told the Slytherins, \"I have things to do.\"

\"Like what?\" drawled a voice. Lucius pushed his way to the front of the group.

\"That is none of your business Mr. Malfoy. I\'m sure that Professor Binns will finish the rest of the story in your next lesson. If you will excuse me...\"

Hermione could hear their groans as she made her way back to the dungeons.