Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Confinement	By : Lucreace Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > Het - Male/Female Views: 14059 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I dont make money from this.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
The soak in the bath did a little to clear her mind, it certainly calmer her ardour if nothing else. The way in which Severus had sparked such a reaction so quickly in her made her pause and think about what it was they were doing. It was alarming when she first thought about it but now she was out of the situation, she felt as though she had made a mistake by running away like that. It was clear they both found each other attractive. The thought made her grin, what would Harry and Ron think if she told them? Ron would be disgusted and pull that face he always did, probably say ‘bloody hell,’ about it too. Harry, he wouldn’t be able to get his head around it but he’d just nod in his quiet way and let her get on with it.
It was with this thought on her mind that she climbed out of the tub and wrapped herself into a giant fluffy towel. As soon as she was dry, she pulled on her pyjamas and sat on the bed that she’d come to love so well. It now had a Hermione shaped indentation where she slept and the pillow was moulded to her head. It was by far the best bed she had ever slept in, and that included the one she had as head girl the previous year.
Dismissing all thoughts of the kisses they’d shared, her mind turned towards the information instead. What he’d confirmed about the revenant was a bit of a worry but so long as they left the house alone, they would all be fine. She made a mental note to make sure the children were aware of it and knew they were not to go breaking the place up. Not that they had so far, they had all behaved incredibly well during their stay. She wondered what type of threat Minerva had used on them to keep them all so in line. Her thoughts turned to her own school days and slowly, she drifted into the realm of sleep.
The pounding on her door jerked her out of slumber, along with the raised voices, “Hermione!” through the door. That was Severus’ voice, and he didn’t sound too pleased. She threw the covers back and yelled something that may have been a word in her mind but came out as a muffled sound instead. The door flew open just as she was sitting up. Brushing her hair out her face and blinking a couple of times, her eyes finally found his face. He was scowling. The anger was coming from him in waves and despite everything they’d shared, she flinched back.
                “What is it?” she asked when she found her voice.
                He shoved Lara through into the room, her face was pale and her cheeks tear streaked. Hermione swallowed, this was not going to be good.
                “I told them it was a bad idea, that they shouldn’t have done it but they wouldn’t listen,” the poor girl said. Her voice was close to breaking into sobs once more. Severus folded his arms over his chest, the satin of his black pyjama’s rustling as he moved.
                “What?” Hermione said as she rose from the bed.
                “Harrison and Jack. They’ve gone with Sasha to –“
                “Try and find the secret passages underneath the house.” Severus finished when the girl’s voice cracked. Hermione’s eyes found his, they both understood the danger the idiots had put themselves in. They’d be knocking on the walls trying to find hollow sections and if they did, trying their utmost to get in.
                “Get back to bed Lara,” Hermione said sharply. The girl paled further and scampered out of the room as quickly as she could. “We have to find them.” It was a statement, not a question.
                “Sometimes, your ability to state the obvious overwhelms me…” his retort was not undeserved and she rolled her eyes in response. She wondered whether she should dress properly, exploring the house in her red pyjamas didn’t seem like a good idea but then again, it was imperative they find the children as soon as they could. She slipped on her shoes and snatched up her wand in a compromise. He nodded in approval before striding from the room, expecting her to follow. She joined him in the corridor and they strode along the familiar ground floor.
                “I suspect that we’ll know when they disturb the revenant and the screaming starts…” she said as they skirted the kitchen and headed towards the main staircase.
                “That is a rather morbid way of putting it,” Severus said.
                “Maybe, but it doesn’t make it less true,” she replied as they trotted up the stairs quickly. He nodded as they reached the top and lead her along the landing. He gestured for her to follow him into a room. When she glanced around, she saw that it was filled with portraits. They all looked around as they both entered and then began yammering to each other about the stranger the only surviving Prince had brought before them.
                “Enough!” Severus snapped. They all stopped talking and looked around. One of them scooted back to their painting and began nonchalantly sipping at a glass of wine. “Have you seen three children?” he barked.
                One of the women, that had the same complexion as Severus, the same bearing and mannerisms, drew herself up to her full height and pointed at Hermione, “Who is this?” she demanded.
                “Grandmother, not now. The children?” he asked again. This time, there was a note of desperation in his voice. The elderly woman gave a brief nod.
                “Mind you don’t forget young man.” She said. Severus nodded and this finally seemed to satisfy the terse old lady. “They came in here about an hour ago, according to that clock on the wall, jabbering on about secret passageways and the secret magic hidden here and that sort of twaddle. Of course, we told them nothing and they moved on determined to find out.”
                “Thank you,” Hermione said. The entire room turned to look at her and she flushed under the scrutiny. The old lady’s face softened a little and she gave a small nod. Severus turned and left the room, she followed close on his heels. They didn’t exchange a word as they made their way through the first floor of the house.
Hermione was once more taken aback with how beautiful the décor was. If she had some time later on, she would very much like to explore the rest of Prince House. Maybe when there were fewer children to be rescued and more time for leisure. That was if she could get permission of course, this was Severus’ home after all, not some tourist attraction. A cough caught her attention and brought her thoughts to the task at hand, rather than her own musings.
“They’re not on this floor,” Severus said.
“No.”
“There is a basement here but I doubt they’ll have found the entrance to it, its hidden downstairs and warded,” he said as he placed a foot on the next flight of stairs. Hermione nodded and followed him up.
This floor was not so well kept as the other two. The paint had begun to peel a little in the corners and the plaster could use freshening up. She refrained from comment as they swept through the rooms however. The furniture was still beautiful, even beneath the dust sheets and there was a serene hush to this floor, as though they were trespassing in a silent landscape frozen in time. She kept her footsteps light, her breathing shallow and her mind alert. The further they crept from the stairs, the deeper the hush became.
As they eased open door after door, a growing sense of pensiveness descended over her. Her palms became cool and clammy and she gripped her wand tighter. The indentations on the handle dug into her skin but she seemed unable to loosen her grip. Measured footfalls beside her were the only thing that kept her from turning and fleeing. If he could walk through this house in such a calm and collected manner, then so could she.
“What’s with this place?” she asked as she thought she heard a window creek. Her voice was little more than a tight whisper.
“What do you mean?” He glanced at her from the corner of his eye as they walked to the next door.
“This floor is…” she trailed off, unable to end her thoughts. Did it just get colder?
“It’s not been used for years, since before my grandmother was born so far as I know,” he said with a wave of his hand, “The Prince family have been in decline for hundreds of years. During the early modern period, when this house was constructed, the family was large and prosperous. However with the mentality of most purebloods, they only married other purebloods. So the birth rates fell over the years until my mother was the only one left. The line died when she married my father,” he explained. Hermione had no answer to his words so fell silent, following him wordlessly as they opened the next unoccupied room.
Instead of seeming scary, the place only felt sad now. Knowing that it would no longer be the thriving place it once was. She didn’t know what his future plans were but she knew of his attitude towards children. It was unlikely he would have any and after his passing, the place would be a haunted relic of an era passed. She let out a sigh. It must be lonely living in a place as large as this alone except for a house elf. There was no wonder he had invited them to stay there. He may have a certain disdain for the young but at least it beat being alone. A sudden unpleasant thought occurred to her as they walked along. What if the desire they’d sparked in each other was merely a by-product of his loneliness and because she was there and available rather than any true sentiment at all. What did it say about her? She shook her head, now was not the time to think such things.
A sudden, distant wailing caught their attention and they exchanged a look. No sooner had it started then it stopped. “What in Merlin’s name was that?” Hermione asked. The blood fled her face and she felt her stomach hollow out. Cold sweat prickled her brow and she wiped with her hand.
“Something’s happening inside the house,” Severus whispered. Even he looked a shade paler than was normal. She swallowed, finding her throat suddenly dry.
There it was again!
“Downstairs!” Severus barked. His order broke through the descending fog of fear and the movement drove it from her completely. They charged down the stairs two at a time, she just half a step behind him. There was no way of stopping the thoughts colliding inside her mind. What had those kids done to cause such a noise? Had they found the basement? Had they annoyed the revenant to do them harm? Where they injured? Where they alive even? That thought made her cough as they reached the bottom step.
He didn’t stop at the bottom, instead he continued into the drawing room – a room she’d not entered before, having had no reason to. In the far corner, a large painting had been eased off the wall. In fact, when she looked at it, it was less of a painting and more of a door. A cold draft was coming from the gap. Severus had his wand in his hand and a cool expression on his face. The wail sounded once more. It was coming from the narrow passageway that could only lead into the basement. Hermione swallowed. There was no way she was going to let her fear stop her now. Reaching for some of that courage deep within her, she took a deep breath and followed him into the dark passageway.
- 14
- 15
- 16
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Confinement