#4 ~ The \"Up Against the Wall\" Wars

Disclaimer: All characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine.
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Chapter 1 ~ When You Can’t Make Her See Reason…

Severus was sorely displeased with Hermione’s hand to hand combat skills. Although she had trained with Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt, she still hadn’t developed the killer instinct necessary to protect herself physically. He had tried time and time again to teach her moves that might save her life, should she find herself wandless, but she would not apply herself properly. She had a core of kindness that could cost her her life. She would never take the final, crippling blow that would enable her to escape an attacker. She felt if an enemy were down, that were good enough, while Severus knew from personal experience, that any attacker should be completely incapacitated, or they could return to attack again. Trying to get this into Hermione’s head was like trying to drench a duck with water. It all just slid past her. She needed motivation, and it seemed her own welfare just wasn’t enough incentive. Damn, exasperating woman.

“Hermione,” Severus began for what felt like the millionth time as they busied themselves in her Spells lab, “Voldemort might be dead, but there are still escaped deatheaters out here who would gladly kill you to punish me, now that our relationship is public knowledge. You have to work on your skills. A third year could probably take you down hand-to-hand.”

Hermione sighed. Who knew that better than she did, after her recent abduction experience? She still had not told Severus about it, preferring to keep the secret than facing his wrath at traveling alone, and being caught unaware. Now she took more precautions, doing all her traveling by day, if possible, or finding someone to travel with her if she needed to do anything at night. But sometimes she found herself stuck at Hogwarts because she couldn’t find a companion. She hated it. And Severus was becoming more agitated with her, wanting her to stop everything and focus on her hand to hand combat training, with the same alacrity that she showed toward research and spellwork.

Hermione might have a thing for pain, but that pain was very, very specialized, the source of it safely tucked beneath Severus’ robes. Being slammed to the mat and hurled all over the room of requirement until she was black and blue, brought no satisfaction at all. Her muscles screamed for relief every time she finished a session, and she spent a lot of time soaking in the tub trying to ease their soreness. Severus unmercifully applied himself to the chore of making her angry enough to fight back with a vengeance. Usually the day\'s training ended with her crying, or storming out of the room. Once or twice, though, she managed to get his legs out from under him, and spin away, so Severus knew she had the capability to take down an opponent at least as large as he was. But she still wouldn’t go for the finishing blow.

Hermione busily set up cauldrons for her next round of experiments, while Severus wiped down the countertop for her, scowling the whole time at his inability to drill the importance of the matter into her head.

“I don’t like to hurt anyone.” Herimone said lamely, “I mean, I can hex an attacker if he goes for me. So what’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is, you could be killed if your wand is taken from you, or if you are physically ambushed. You have to learn to fight, and fight hard,” Severus said, exasperated. He couldn\'t believe someone so logical in other matters could be dense as a troll concerning her own safety.

He watched with a frown as Hermione left the room and retrieved several tomes and notebooks. She set them down on the counter with that “I’m going to work, go away.” air about her. This meant that their conversation was effectively finished, as far as she was concerned.

Severus stood up stiffly and glared down at the witch, who already had a page open, running her finger down it in search of a passage. “Hermione,” he said through clenched teeth, “this discussion is not over.”

“Um hmm,” Hermione replied absently, before finding what she was looking for and falling into work mode. Well, there was nothing more he could do here.

Glowering, Severus wrapped his robes around him in a stately billow and exited the room. Hermione didn’t even notice him leave.

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Severus walked swiftly back to his private rooms, and threw himself into the chair before the fire, a brooding look on his face. How was he going to make the stubborn little minx listen to him? He wished that he could fuck some sense into her. It seemed the only time Hermione was compliant to his wishes was when he was pounding into her. Other than that, she was annoyingly stubborn. He wouldn’t have her any other way, her temperment insured things were never dull between them, but damn.

The ease with which he had abducted Herimone troubled him. Troubled was not the proper word...it frightened him. Not many things in this world frightened Severus Snape, but the possible loss of the young woman who inspired his love was a very real cold fear that settled on the shore of his dark heart like an iceberg. If he had been a real deatheater, she would have been horribly tortured and killed, and so easily too. The worst part was, Hermione had no idea it was her lover who had plucked her off the grounds of Hogwarts that night, to frighten and humiliate her. Who asked questions that tormented her, many of which had also tormented him until he heard her responses for himself. Since his identity was secret, he could not use the abduction as an example of why she needed to learn to better learn to protect herself. He sighed.

What to do, what to do? He sat there, tapping one finger against his forehead as if to rattle some relevent answers loose. The truth was, only when he was actually making his own, powerful form of love to Hermione, did he have any overt influence over her that he could see.

Hmm.

A syntax snapped into place and Severus sat up. He remembered reading in a muggle magazine about how when trying to reach success, one had to work with his strengths.

He shook his head. No, he couldn\'t. It wouldn\'t be right.

But then his Slytherin nature kicked in. And the code of ethics followed by any Slytherin worth his weight in galleons was that of \"Success by any means, necessary or not.\"

If he followed his mind concerning this, it could affect their relationship negatively. But if she were killed, that would have an even worse effect. Relationships could be mended. Death was permanent. There were no second chances with death. He might even lose her for good. He hated the idea of living without her, but he would rather live unloved in a world where Hermione survived, then mourn forever in a world where she didn\'t.

He needed to see Albus. Not wanting waste time by taking the stairs, he headed for the floo.

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“Severus, my boy! Welcome!” Albus smiled as the Potions Master stepped through the fireplace. The Headmaster was sitting behind his desk, with several small piles of lemon drops before him, which were assorted by size, shape and coloration. Severus shook his head. Dumbledore had too much time on his hands now that Voldemort was dead.

“Lemon drop?” the Headmaster offered cheerfully as Severus folded his long frame into the chair in front of the desk.

“No thank you, Headmaster,\" Serverus replied, “I’m here to talk to you about Hermione’s hand-to-hand combat training.”

Albus leaned back in his chair, placing the tips of his fingers together, and looking over his glasses at the dark wizard before him.

“Yes, I’m aware of Miss Granger’s … er…lack of enthusiam in this area. Not a good thing, really.” He looked at the Potions Master steadily, “What can I do to be of service?”

Severus sighed inwardly in relief. Albus was aware of the danger Hermione was in, and willing to be helpful. That was good.

“Well, sir. I’ve come up with a plan to ‘inspire’ her to work harder on her training…but it will be a very unusual technique. I need to have your permission to pursue this method on the school grounds”

“Hmm,” Albus said, popping a lemon drop into his mouth, his lips pursing slightly as the sourness hit his palete. “Would you be willing to tell me what this method entails?”

Severus fidgeted slightly. “I would rather not, sir. It is a bit...extreme. I think the details would best be left to me...to absolve you of any overt complicity, in case it should come out.”

Severus leaned forward in the chair, his black eyes serious.

\"Albus, she is in real danger. I would never hurt her too badly, at any rate. Just enough to make her understand what could happen if she were unable to fight back.”

Albus considered Severus, his brow furrowing for just a moment.

“Do you love Miss Granger, Severus?” he asked.

The Potions Master met his eyes firmly. “Yes. Yes I do.”

The Headmaster leaned forward himself now, blue eyes twinkling.

“Then by all means, do what you think is necessary to protect her, but try to keep your secret methods, a secret. It wouldn’t do to let my staff and students know that I have let you declare open season on another staff member,” he said looking at Severus rather sternly.

Severus felt as if he could breathe again. He rose from the chair.

“Thank you, Headmaster. I will be as discreet as possible.”

Severus strode toward the floo, his mind already working out details.

“Severus,” the Headmaster called to him just as he was about to step through the flames.

“Yes, Headmaster?” he replied, looking over his shoulder.

“I know you have Miss Grangers best interests at heart, but I also know your nature. I ask that you exercise some restraint in your treatment of her.”

“I will do my best, Headmaster.”

“Very well, Severus, you may go. I’ll see you and Miss Granger at supper.”

Severus nodded and stepped through the floo.

Albus turned in his chair to look at Fawkes. She blinked her lovely eyes at him, and fluffed her feathers as if to ask. “What?”

“Do you think what Severus has planned will work out?” he asked the phoenix.

Fawkes let out an uncharacteristic low, warbling whistle. Albus raised his eyebrows at the bird\'s response.

“That’s just what I thought too,” he said with a sigh.

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Severus informed Hermione on the way to supper that they needed to have a talk about her training. Hermione sighed.

“Again, Severus? You know this isn’t getting us anywhere.”

“I do know,” he said, looking down at her with such intensity, her stomach gave a flip-flop of desire. It was almost the same look he\'d have just before he’d enter her. “That’s why we need to talk about a drastic change in your training method.”

Hermione looked at him wide-eyed, and swallowed.

“Ok, we’ll talk after supper,’ she said softly. She felt a little worried about this. They headed for the Great Hall.

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“What?” Hermione said in shock as she looked at Severus.

“We will be suspending our usual…intimacies for the time being, because of your training.”

“No sex?” she said incredulously.

Severus shot her a dark look.

“I didn’t say that. What I said was, our usual bouts of intimacy will be suspended until your training is satisfactorily completed.”

Hermione was livid. “But…but…Severus, that’s blackmail!”

He frowned slightly at her.

“Call it what you want,\" he said, \"But that’s the way it will be for now.”

Hermione glowered and folded her arms angrily. She knew that tone of voice. He meant it.

“Well,” she said sullenly, “are you going to let me in on this new training process?.”

“Certainly,” Severus said smoothly, “I will be attacking you at random in the castle, on the grounds, in your rooms, wherever it is most expedient.”

“What? How can you do that? That isn’t…”

“I have the Headmaster’s permission and approval. It seems he also believes that drastic measures need to be taken in your case,” he purred at her dryly, knowing it would piss her off.

It did.

“This is so unfair! How can you force me to…”

Severus grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close, his face a mere inch from hers, his black eyes flashing dangerously.

“I can force you, because I love you, and I am not going to have you unable to protect yourself. This is very important, Hermione…and you WILL learn, or face the consequences,” he said harshly.

“Consequences? What consequences, Severus?” she asked, her brow furrowed.

He looked at her, his face cold and unreadable.

“You will see,” he said shortly.

He left the lab without saying another word.

Hermione watched him go, knowing better than to follow him when he was in a mood like this. She watched him depart until he disappeared into the gloom of his unlit office.

She closed the door, then let out a small scream of frustration.

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A/N: Oh oh. What does Severus have planned…you know its going to be good. Can’t you just feel the juices flowing?