The Victor ~ An Alternative Scenario

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 1 ~ A Sudden Decision


“No, Severus,” she sobbed, “You can’t be dying. You can’t be. You promised me…you promised you would be with me always.”

Severus opened his dark eyes and looked at the seventh year witch, and he clutched her hand tighter.

“I’m sorry, Hermione. It seems the fates had other plans for me,” Severus said softly, his life force slipping away from him. “You will have to find another wizard to love.”

“No!” she cried, burying her face in his chest.

Hermione Granger and her Professor had somehow fallen for each other passionately. The dark wizard had promised after she graduated, that they would be intimate, and she would be his forever. But they never got a chance to be one and now it seemed they never would.

Up to this point, they had kept their attraction a secret, Severus being even snarkier to the witch in public. Only in private moments did he show her an uncharacteristic tenderness. The most they had done was kiss and touch, the wizard hard put not to take her on several occasions when she begged him to relieve her.

“Not yet witch. When you are free of Hogwarts, then I will free you,” he’d say silkily and send her back to Gryffindor tower protesting, then taking a cold shower.

Now it didn’t matter that the secret was out. Their love would never be consummated.

“I love you, Severus. I want you to be my first and my only,” Hermione murmured into his chest. The wizard weakly raised a hand to the back of her head, feeling her soft curls and wishing now that he hadn’t had such discipline concerning the young witch.

“Your love is returned, Hermione…but life is what it is. I am not meant for you. I have served my purpose. Voldemort is dead, and I shall soon follow him into the darkness. But you have made my last days on this earth something beautiful and full of hope. You made me happy, Hermione. I had never been happy before you witch, and I go to my death a satisfied wizard,” he said weakly. It was getting harder not to sleep.

“No,” she said, looking up at him. His eyes were half-lidded and his pupils dilated. He drew a deep ragged breath.

“Promise me you will live, Hermione Granger, live and find love. Live and do great things. I can leave this world in peace if I know you will continue and not pine for me. Please promise me, Hermione,” the wizard gasped his silken voice fading.

“I promise, Severus,” Hermione sobbed, tears pouring down her face. Albus embraced Poppy who was crying uncontrollably as she watched the young witch with the dying wizard.

“Oh Albus,” the medi-witch sobbed. Albus patted her back, his own blue eyes blurred with tears. The Potions Master had come so close to happiness.

Severus gave a shudder and looked at Hermione, his eyes brightening for a moment.

“A kiss?” he whispered, “A kiss before I go…”

Hermione rose and moved to the top of the cot, lowered her head and pressed her lips against his cooling mouth tenderly, moving them gently, feeling the life leave the wizard’s body as she did so. She pulled away and stared down on his pale face, those dark, passionate eyes closed in death.

“No! No! Nononononono!” Hermione screamed, beating the wizard on his chest.

Poppy and Albus walked forward and gently restrained the grief-stricken witch.

“He’s gone, Hermione. There’s nothing you can do,” the wizard said softly, tears streaming down his face.

Hermione looked up at Albus, her eyes igniting.

“There is something I can do,” she said, tearing out of the wizard’s grasp with amazing strength and streaking through the privacy curtain. Poppy looked after her then said, “Shouldn’t we go after her, Albus?”

Albus shook his head.

“No, Poppy. I believe I know what she is going to do. But sadly, it will make no difference as to the outcome,” he said heavily. “Destiny is destiny.”

Hermione ran up the several flights of shifting stairs until she reached Gryffindor Tower.

“Grindelow,” she said to the Fat Lady, who swung back and let the witch in. Hermione ran to her Head Girl room and tore open her night stand drawer.

“Where is it? Where the fuck is it?” she breathed, rifling through the items in the drawer until she found what she was looking for.

Her time turner.

The witch ran out of her room, the tower and down to the main floor then out across the grounds to the place of Voldemort’s demise. She drew her wand and turned the turner back several hours.

Suddenly screams, yells and blasts filled the air. Black smoke churned around her. Harry was charging Voldemort, Godric Gryffindor’s sword extended. Severus had cast a powerful binding spell on the wizard, but it was weakening. It failed just as Harry ran the Dark Lord through.

“Avada Kedavra!” Hermione cried, casting the Killing Curse on Voldemort before he could cast the crippling curse that killed Severus. The wizard slumped.

Hermione turned to Severus who was looking at her in amazement. She smiled at him and he began to walk toward her when suddenly a flash of silver appeared in his midsection. The wizard looked down in shock as it disappeared, blood gushing out as he fell to his knees, a grinning deatheater standing behind him, his sword covered in gore.

“No!” Hermione screamed, casting the Killing curse.

The deatheater fell, but it was too late for Severus, who was lying in a growing pool of blood. He was already dead.

“Noooo! Noooo!” Hermione screamed, turning back the time turner again. This time she killed Voldemort and the deatheater. Severus was again walking toward her when he was bathed in green light, shock on his face before he fell dead.

Hermione screamed again, and turned the time turner back again. And again. And again.

Severus continued to die over and over in different ways.

A total wreck now, Hermione fell to her knees. No matter what she did, she couldn’t save the wizard she loved. She looked at Severus’ body lying on the ground before her, then clenched her jaw. She turned the time turner back.

This time she killed Voldemort, the sword-swinging deatheater, then ran to Severus, throwing herself into his arms just as the Killing Curse hit him.

They both fell dead.

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”Hermione? Hermione,” a soft silken voice said, sounding oddly hollow. “Wake up. Wake up witch.”

Hermione opened her eyes to see Severus standing over her, a worried look on his face. He was standing in the midst of a rolling white mist that stretched as far as the eye could see. He sighed with relief and offered Hermione his hand. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet.

“What have you done, Hermione?” he asked her as they stood in the swirling fog, his eyes hard.

“I tried to save you, Severus…but I couldn’t. I tried over and over but you still died,” Hermione said brokenly. “Finally I decided if I couldn’t save you…I would go with you.”

Severus looked at her and shook his head.

“Oh you foolish, foolish little witch. It wasn’t your time,” he said softly, smoothing his pale hand over her cheek. “You had so much to live for.”

“I had nothing to live for without you, Severus. I would have been miserable for the rest of my life. I love you. I didn’t want to live without you,” the witch said, wrapping her arms around the wizard’s waist and drawing him against her, resting her head on his chest. She didn’t hear a heartbeat, but he was warm…alive with her.

Severus sighed and embraced the witch as well. They stood together like this for quite a while. It could have been an eternity. Finally Severus broke the embrace. He looked around.

“There has to be more than this,” he said, taking Hermione’s hand. “Come, let’s see what we can find.”

Severus and Hermione began to walk through the mist. It seemed they had walked for hours. Hermione felt no fatigue, no hunger, no call of nature as she walked beside the wizard. She was just about to speak when…

“Hallo!” a male voice cried out. “Hallo!”

Severus stiffened, and his face contorted into a frown.

“I know that voice. I will never forget it,” he said darkly.

It sounded familiar to Hermione too.

“Let’s find out who it is, Severus? Perhaps he can lead us out of here,” she said walking forward, still grasping the Potions Master’s hand. Severus stalled for a moment, then followed reluctantly.

“Hallo!” Hermione called back.

“Ah, there you are. Bloody mist. Follow the sound of my voice,” the voice called.

Severus and Hermione walked through the mist, the voice calling them from time to time, the mist thinning until they were on a great empty plane, a starlit sky above them. There was light, but no source of it. Hermione’s eyes widened when she saw who it was that called them.

“Sirius!” she gasped.

Severus felt his pockets for his wand. It wasn’t there. He glowered at the Marauder.

“Obviously I’ve been sent to hell,” Severus said blackly.

Sirius scowled at the pale wizard.

“Afraid not, old boy…though that’s where I would have sent you if my vote counted. Especially since you caused the death of this young witch,” he snarled at Severus.

Severus started forward, murder in his eyes as Sirius took a defensive stance. But Hermione pushed at Severus’ chest until he stopped advancing. Then she turned on Sirius.

“He did not cause my death. I chose to come with him,” she said to the wizard. “It was my choice, and I chose death with him rather than life without him.”

Sirius shook his head.

“Adolescents,” he breathed. “So fucking dramatic.”

“Well Snivelus, you’re here now. Paradise is lost. Follow me,” the wizard barked, walking away.

Severus watched him walk a few paces, not moving, Hermione pulling on his hand.

“Come on, Severus. I know you dislike Sirius but obviously he’s our guide,” she said, “We have to follow him.”

Severus snorted but he began to walk.

”I don’t know what kind of twisted gods would send that bastard to meet me,” Severus said, “It’s enough to make me want to be a ghost.”

Soon they saw what looked like a small gated community in the distance.

“Hurry up,” Sirius growled, “If you weren’t such newbies we could have been there instantly. Distance is only a human impediment. You have to get rid of those old notions.”

After a few minutes, they arrived at the gate. It was made of pearls.

Severus’ nose wrinkled.

“Pearly gates? Dear gods,” he groused.

Sirius looked at him.

“You’re lucky you aren’t in the hot seat, Snivelus,” he replied as the gates opened. Sirius walked through, followed by Hermione and Severus. It was a kind of odd community. There were small homes, larger homes, mansions, castles and flats.

“This is the afterlife for magical souls,” Sirius said. “Sort of a holding space until they decide to reincarnate into earth. Pick a bit of land anywhere and construct your home,” Sirius said.

“Just how are we supposed to do that, dogface?” Severus snarked. “We have no wands.”

“Think, you greasy git. You can do that, can’t you?” Sirius snapped back. “Use your imagina…” Hmm. Maybe you’d better let the witch do it. A piece of dragon dung has more imagination than you evidence.”

Severus smirked nastily.

“You didn’t say that when I hit you with that breast hex,” the wizard said.

Sirius’ eyes narrowed. Severus had given him huge breasts one day. It took a week for them to deflate. He’d had hell with other wizards giving him squeezes and asking for a look.

“Do whatever,” the wizard hissed, suddenly disappearing.

Severus looked around.

“He’s gone. Maybe this IS heaven,” he commented.

Hermione put her hands on her hips.

“Really Severus…you are going to have to try and get along with others here,” the witch said, frowning at him.

“You mean they are going to have to try and get along with me,” he replied striding forward. Hermione followed him as they looked at the landscape. “If Sirius is here, that means James is here as well. I’m not looking forward to seeing him again.”

Hermione didn’t say anything. She could hear the hatred in the Potions Master’s voice.

Severus found a plot of land set off from the other buildings. It was very green and grassy with quite a few vivid trees scattered about.

“These trees will give us privacy,” Severus said. “Now, that idiot said we needed to use our imaginations…”

Severus focused on a stone fortress. Hermione watched as a stone building with narrow barred windows and a drawbridge began to form.

“Wait a minute!” Hermione said.

The fortress faded.

“What is it, witch?” Severus asked her, irritated.

“Severus, we didn’t talk about this but do you plan to live with me?” she asked him.

“Of course I do. I can’t engage you if you aren’t with me,” he replied, frowning at her.

“Well, I want to live in a normal house…not a fortress made of stone with a moat and drawbridge,” she said, putting her hands on her hips.

“But Potter…Black,” Severus began.

Hermione sighed.

“We can handle them. It’s not like they can kill you,” Hermione replied. “You don’t even know if they are still feuding with you.”

”I know I am still feuding with them…the imbeciles,” Severus seethed.

Hermione looked up at him.

“Severus…we’re free now. Free from Voldemort…free from the past. Our old lives are over now…we’re free to do what we want…free to love each other. Don’t let the bitterness of your life ruin our eternity…please Severus,” the witch said softly.

The Potions Master looked down at the witch in realization. He was free. Free from service to the Dark Lord and to Albus. Free from the darkness that surrounded his life for so many years…free from the pain, free from the guilt, and as he looked at Hermione, Severus realized he was free to love the witch in a way that would not have been possible with all the baggage that surrounded his life.

Again he looked at the plot of land, and another shape formed. It was a white cottage with a green roof. It was encircled by a porch on which was a swing, sitting chairs of wicker, a loveseat, potted plants and a large hammock, the home itself surrounded by low lying flowers of every color and a few colors mortals had never seen.

“Is that more to your liking?” he asked the witch.

Hermione looked at the pretty little cottage and wrapped her arm around the wizard’s slim waist.

“Oh yes, Severus…that’s perfect,” she breathed.

Severus looked down at her.

“As are you,” the wizard said silkily, sweeping the witch into his arms and striding up the three steps to the porch and entering the house.

Sirius Black and James Potter stood a distance away, and watched the couple enter the cottage.

“Damn him,” Sirius seethed.

James looked at his friend.

“Sirius, get over it. Snape deserves some happiness. Look at what he’s done for the wizarding world. You have to face it, old boy. He’s a hero. He’s got paradise and the witch,” James said with a small smirk.

“He’s no blinking hero to me,” Sirius growled.

“Well, if you tangle with him, you do it alone this time. Snape’s looked out for Harry his entire time at Hogwarts. Been tortured for him too. For my son, Sirius, my son. He died helping him to defeat Voldemort. The wizard could have ignored his debt to me and let Harry be taken by the Dark Lord. But he protected him to his own detriment. If I engage Severus Snape for anything, Sirius, it will be to thank him,” James said, his eyes glistening behind his glasses as he looked at the small cottage. “And Harry is your godson. You are in Severus’ debt as well, you dolt.”

“He was always such a git,” Sirius said hesitatingly.

“Did it ever occur to you it was we who were the gits, Sirius? If we had never targeted Severus in the first place, he wouldn’t have reacted to us the way he did. We made him the way he was. He might have been a kinder, warmer man if not for us,” James said wistfully. The wizard had a lot of time to review his short life and felt guilty for how cruelly he had treated another human being. Yes, he was young, impulsive and a show-off, but that was still no excuse.

“Could have, would have, should have,” Sirius said coldly, “He was a fucking bastard all his life.

James shook his head.

“Even death hasn’t made you any wiser, Sirius. We’re beyond the things that happened in life now. Forget about the bad times. You’ll be happier,” James said, “I’ll see you later.”

The wizard faded out.

Sirius stared at Snape’s house, his nostrils flared. That git had come to the afterlife with a witch who loved him so much, she gave up her own life to follow him. How had he inspired such love? And now he was in there with Hermione, probably dipping his wand in her. Sirius bristled. He hadn’t been able to find a witch that would have him yet…and he’d been here two years. He was much better looking than the wizard too. Yet the Potions Master was the one with the woman.

“It’s just not fair,” the wizard griped. Why the fuck should Snape end up with such a happy afterlife?”

“Because his earthly life was so full of pain, that’s why,” a female voice said next to him.

“Hello Lily,” Sirius said, making puppy-dog eyes at the red-haired witch. Sirius had a thing for Lily Potter since he first laid eyes on her. But Lily thought both he and James were idiots, though she finally came around…for James at least. Lily tolerated Sirius because he was James’ best friend.

Lily turned her green eyes on Sirius.

“Still plotting on Severus, Sirius? Really. Grow up. He’s been through enough,” the witch said, looking toward the cottage. “He certainly created a lovely little home.”

“You should have seen what he started to make,” Sirius said, frowning. “A fortress. And in this neighborhood too.”

Lily laughed.

“Probably because of you. But obviously the witch he’s with made him see reason. He couldn’t create something so lovely if he weren’t motivated. You can’t create what isn’t in you. Something beautiful is inside Severus now. Most likely, Love,” the witch said, smiling tenderly.

Sirius wanted to barf. He was sick of everyone making such a fuss over the Potions Master. For the past two years all he had heard about was the wizard’s “selflessness” and “courage.” It was downright sickening that such a poor excuse for a man was so admired.

“I’m leaving,” he said to Lily bad-temperedly. He faded out.

“I’m happy for you Severus,” Lily said softly toward the house, then faded out also.

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Severus and Hermione explored the house. There were three bedrooms, a nice sized furnished living room, dining room and large kitchen…though they didn’t need to eat. There was a basement, and to Severus’ delight, a dungeon area, complete with rooms like his own at Hogwarts down to the last detail.

Hermione frowned a little at this, but noticed there was no bed in the bedroom. Instead the bedroom was a lab.

“Ah, a taste of home,” the wizard said appreciatively.

“Only you would have a dungeon in the afterlife,” Hermione commented.

“Yes,’ the wizard said, turning on her, his dark eyes sweeping over the witch. “But I notice the lack of a bedroom here. I suppose that means it is upstairs.”

There was something in the wizard’s gaze that made Hermione’s belly flip over. He walked up to her and took her small hands in his and looked at her soberly.

“Hermione, are you sure you want to spend an eternity with me, witch? There is more than likely much to explore here,” he said softly, “You could have your own home…”

”I do have my own home, right here…with you,” the witch said adamantly, “I can still explore. I died to be with you, Severus. I am not going to abandon you now or ever.”

The wizard gave her a half smile, then lowered his head and kissed her gently. Hermione responded, wrapping her arms around Severus and pulling herself tight against his body, inviting him to deepen the kiss. This had been a tiny torment the wizard went through whenever he was with the witch. Her small body moving sensuously against his own, instinctively seeking more than the kisses he would give her. He had to restrain himself then, but not now.

Severus pulled back from the kiss, his dark eyes smoldering down at the witch, who protested the break.

“Hermione, you realize that we are no longer bound by convention. I do not have to hold back and do the ‘honorable thing’ towards you, witch,” he breathed.

Hermione could feel him swelling against her. She had felt this before, just before he would pull his hips away from her. A hot, long hardness pressing against her belly urgently before withdrawing, the wizard’s face slightly contorted as he controlled his urges, after which he would hastily expel her from his rooms. Well now, there was no place to send her.

“Severus, this means we can…you can…oh gods…I’m so ready,” the witch said in a low voice, her amber eyes full of desire as she practically slumped against the wizard in her need.

Severus swallowed as he looked down at Hermione. It was true…he could take her now. For some reason however, he was apprehensive. He had never been apprehensive about fucking a witch before. He was a very good and thorough lover, and the only complaint he ever received from witches was he didn’t give them another go before he left.

The Potions Master suddenly realized why he felt as he did. He loved Hermione Granger. If he hadn’t been sure of this when he was alive, it was clear to him now that he was dead. He loved her with every fiber of his being. She had been good for him, brought out emotions that he never knew he had. He wanted to protect her, to please her, to keep her happy. He never had such tender feelings for another human being. He never had been a witch’s first either. Possibly he was suffering from a bit of performance anxiety.

Hermione’s brow furrowed.

“Severus,” she said softly, “You look…nervous.”

The wizard promptly scowled at her.

“Nothing makes me nervous witch,” he growled down at her. “If anything, I’m concerned for you. You’ve never been intimate with a wizard before. I don’t know how you will react to me.”

Hermione gave him a small smile.

“I think I will react to you like I love you,” the witch said hotly, pulling him down for another kiss. “I think I will love what you do to me.”

Gods, the witch was so willing.

Severus shuddered against the witch, his reaction to her words were so strong. He imagined how Hermione would look and feel underneath him and he throbbed against her. Now, Hermione didn’t have any experience with wizards but she knew that throb could only mean one thing. The Potions Master wanted to take her badly.

He might be dead, but he certainly didn’t feel it. Still, he seemed hesitant. Hermione knew what to say. It was naughty but she wanted him to break.

“Gods, you feel so long and hard, Severus. I want to know what you feel like inside me. I want you inside me,” she said softly, rolling against the wizard’s huge erection. His apparent size might have been daunting if she wasn’t so hot and ready for the wizard.

The Potions Master let out a groan.

“You haven’t even been touched and already you’re a little seductress,” he growled, rubbing his cock against the witch. She began to shudder and moan sweetly. Severus hardened even more.

“You sound so good, witch,” he breathed, tightening his hold on her. Suddenly he swept Hermione up into his arms.

“I can’t wait any longer,” he hissed, “Dead or alive, I have to have you.”

He locked his mouth to Hermione’s and began walking quickly toward the stairs.

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A/N: A reader on AFF said she could see another scenario, one of Hermione going back in time to save Severus. Although I am working on “Hallow’s Eve” this scenario caught my attention, so I wrote this alternative. Plus there were no lemons in the first “Victor” so of course I have to rectify that. Am still working on Hallow’s Eve too. Drank a bunch of coffee to try and perk myself up. Seems it worked. A placebo…but any port in a storm eh? Please review.