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Kiss The Serpent	By : indigonightowl Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 32590 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 9
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters. That pleasure is JKR’s. I only own the plot…and since I lost the plot a while back, I’m not sure I own even that

Big thanks to ShySly who wrote a chunk of this for me many, many moons ago and to my beta MoodySavage

Friday

Severus awoke long before the woman lying at his side. Her eyelashes fanned over her cheeks, concealing warm hazel eyes from his sight. One long finger trailed over her soft skin and tucked an errant curl behind her ear.

She stirred and turned towards him, draping a heavy arm over his waist and burying her nose in his chest. A flame sprang to life within him. He loved her - so much that he was having trouble recalling what it felt like not to love her. He would never let her go. Not even if she wanted to leave him. So much had happened in such a short time, it seemed almost unreal, yet he could not deny this feeling.

She would never love him; never return the wealth of emotions he was discovering himself capable of feeling. But he could have these moments with her, her presence in his bed, her company at his side, and he would have to be content.

“What time is it?” Sleep still clouded her voice.

He kissed the top of her head, his breath catching when she smiled up at him, blinking away the remnants of slumber from her eyes. “It’s early,” he told her, unwilling to relinquish his hold on the naked witch and return to the world that dictated it was still improper for them to be together, married of not.

She snuggled back into his chest, filling his heart with an ache that made it hard to breathe. Wrapping his arms about her, he promised himself that he’d tell her today…

*************

They must have fallen back to sleep, for it was some time later that Hermione woke. Glancing at the clock, she nudged him awake.

“Severus!” she hissed, “you are going to be late for class.”

She watched him crack open one eye and groan. He released her instantly and rolled out of bed, disappearing into the bathroom. One minute later he emerged, clean and dressed. Dropping a kiss onto her upturned lips, he vanished out the door without another word. She fell back onto the pillows, stretching her naked limbs and smiling.

There was work to be done, but she didn’t feel like getting out of bed. It still held the warmth of her lover’s body. She reached for her wand instead.

“Accio,” she instructed, and the large textbook she pointed to flew from the dresser into her hands. It was the Emerald Tablet. This book had been the source of the Rite that had returned Voldemort to physical form. It stood to reason that it might also contain the Rite that would banish him again. She opened it and began to read.

***********

An hour later, she was still lying naked in bed when Severus returned. He leaned against the door frame, his heated gaze exploring her naked curves. Her nose was buried in a book and she made a delightful picture.

“I’ve found something!” she declared, beaming up at him. “Look!”

“I am looking.” He raised one suggestive eyebrow.

She blushed under his intense stare and grinned. “Not at me, idiot. At this…” She turned the book towards him.

He took a step closer to the bed. “If you want me to work, you had best cover that delightful body of yours.”

Hermione unfolded herself from the sheets and stood up, unashamed of her nudity. She took several steps forward, pausing in front of the buttoned up Professor who watched her so intently. She trailed her fingers down the front of his robes, a wicked glint in her eyes. Reaching up, she planted a soft kiss on his lips, only to dance away as he reached for her. Laughing at the consternation on his face, she grabbed her robes and disappeared into the bathroom, his longing gaze staring after her.

When she emerged, fully dressed, he was perched on the bed reading the page she had indicated. “This Banishing Rite is old magic.”

She nodded and sat beside him, reading aloud over his shoulder.

“Seek ye a place bound by darkness.

Place ye a circle around about thee.

Stand erect in the midst of the circle.

Use thou this formula, and thou soul shalt be free.

By their names call them to aid thee,

free thee and save thee from darkness of night:

UNTANAS, QUERTAS, CHIETAL,

and GOYANA, HUERTAL, SEMVETA, ARDAL.

Pronounce the words of power;

Mekut-El-Shab-El Hale-Sur-Ben-El-Zabrut Zin-Efrim-Quar-El.

Then be thou sure the soul will be called."

Their eyes met. They wouldn’t even need the killing curse. All they needed was a sacred circle, the seven sacred names, the words of power to invoke the ancient magic, and the soul would be extracted. Surely it couldn’t be that simple? But then sometimes the old magic was simple.

“Where will the Revel be held?” Hermione asked him, her mind whirling with information.

“The same stone circle where I was summoned last time,” he told her.

“A sacred stone circle?” she queried.

His eyes glittered hotly for a moment remembering the instructions of the Banishing Rite. “You think this should be performed tomorrow?”

She nodded slowly. “If you answer his summons, and I use my ring to find you, the others can track me. Within minutes we can have the circle filled with Aurors and Order members. Then while You-Know-Who is busy screaming at Dumbledore and trying to disintegrate Harry, we could perform the ritual.

“We?” he glanced at her sharply.

“Well, you don’t think you are in this by yourself, do you?” she demanded. “And besides, you need someone to watch your back while you banish the bastard’s soul.”

“Language, Miss Granger!” he chided. But there was more warmth than reprimand in his tone. “I’ll speak to Albus.”

**************

She spotted them the instant she entered the portrait hole and paused, almost dancing on the spot with apprehension as she rehearsed her argument in her head and prepared for battle.

“Hermione! Over here,” Harry called. Several heads looked up with interest.

“Hello, stranger,” Ron grinned wryly as she flopped into the nearest seat and crossed her legs nervously. He tossed a chocolate frog at her. “We were getting ready to come and search the dungeons for your mutilated body.”

The words of defense disintegrating in her mouth, Hermione stared from one to the other in disbelief. A slow, relieved smile spread across her face. If they could joke about it, then things were going to be ok. She had expected worse. Her eyes narrowed suddenly. They never took bad news this easily. They were up to something.

“Ok, confess,” she demanded.

“What?” Two identically innocent expressions looked up at her.

Hermione crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, her foot tapping the air impatiently. “So, you are perfectly comfortable with it all then?” she asked disbelievingly.

Harry and Ron shrugged in unison.

“It’s your life, Hermione,” Harry insisted.

“Yeah, who are we to interfere?” Ron agreed.

Hermione glared from one to the other before deciding to take them at their word. Well, if they were up to something, at least they seemed to be handling the news well.

The boys looked relieved when she changed the subject. “So, what have I missed?”

Harry was looking at Hermione as though he wanted to say something, but his gaze kept flicking nervously to Ron.

“Harry?” she prompted.

“Malfoy kissed me,” he blurted suddenly. He clapped his hands over his mouth as though the escaping words had caught him by surprise.

Ron burst out laughing. “Good one, mate!” His laughter petered out rapidly when he saw the expression on Harry’s face and realised he wasn’t joking.

“What happened?” Hermione asked with a worried frown.

Ron’s forehead furrowed as he stared at his friend. “Are you serious?”

Harry’s wretched expression was answer enough.

“Eww. I’m going to thrash that miserable ferret,” Ron growled, cracking his knuckles threateningly. “What a thing to do to a bloke. Bet it made you feel sick.”

Harry’s face went a horrible blotchy red. Hermione put a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes. This was Harry’s story to tell…and she really didn’t want to watch.

“Um, actually, I liked it,” Harry mumbled. He did not meet Ron’s eyes.

Ron frowned. “What do you mean you ‘liked it’? We are talking about Malfoy here.”

Harry raised his eyes to Ron and took a breath. “I’m not saying I like Malfoy, but I did…like the kiss.”

Ron shook his head slowly. “What are you telling me, Harry?”

‘I, um, prefer boys, Ron.” He looked at his shoes again.

“Prefer? As in, fancy?” Ron was looking decidedly uncomfortable.

Harry nodded, making Ron stare and fidget in his chair.

Hermione interrupted at that point. “Why did he kiss you, Harry?”

Harry shrugged. “I think he’s trying to manipulate me. There is something going on that we don’t know about it. It was too neat, too friendly. I’ve never seen Malfoy show any genuine feeling before. It was too…convenient.”

“We had better keep an eye on him then,” she agreed. “And try not to let him catch you alone again.”

Harry nodded. Ron’s face was frozen in stunned horror.

“Are you okay, Ron?” Harry asked, peering at Ron nervously. He clearly didn’t want to lose his best friend.

“Um, yeah,” mumbled Ron. Then he lifted his head, a worried look on his face. “Um, Harry, you don’t…err…fancy ME at all, do you?”

Harry stared at him, aghast. “Of course not! But you are still my best friend,” he reassured him, quickly.

Ron nodded and chewed on his lip for a long moment, before looking at his best friend once again. “Why don’t you fancy me, Harry?” he frowned.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

**************

“FILTH! MUGGLE-LOVING SCUM!! DEFILERS OF MY ANCESTRY! OH THE SHAME OF IT!...MMPPHHTT!!” The words became muffled as Fred and George smothered the canvas with several packets of chewed up Droobles Best Blowing Gum and then stuck a giant fluffy pink blanket onto it. Slowly the portrait ceased its tirade, and the twins made their way back into the kitchen.

“Thank you, boys,” Remus Lupin offered in his understated way, “we’ll be more careful in future.” He gazed affectionately at the witch sitting beside him, her spiky hair a violent shade of orange.

“Wotcher, lads. Sorry!” Tonks blushed, embarrassed at having set off Mrs. Black’s portrait for the seventeenth time that evening.

The doorbell sounded again and a muffled yelling started up in the hallway. Fred and George exchanged matching smiles. It was a definite improvement.

Molly scurried out to let the stragglers in. This would be the Hogwarts contingent. Everyone else had arrived.

Dumbledore led Harry and Ron into the kitchen at number 12 Grimmauld Place, followed closely by the sallow-faced Potions master escorting Hermione. Eyes followed curiously as he ushered her into a chair and then sat beside her.

Albus Dumbledore wasted no time in calling the meeting.

“Something remarkable has happened,” he greeted them. There was a strange excitement in the glance he cast about the room. “I shall give Severus the floor.”

A buzz ran through the room. Something unusual was going on for the aged wizard not to give his normal welcome. The black-robed man nodded to the Headmaster and stepped to the front of the room. He too wasted no words, and immediately got down to business.

“The Horcruxes are a decoy,” he announced with no pre-amble.

“What’s a Horcrux?” heckled Fred.

“Little fluffy things…with teeth,” grinned George.

Severus sighed deeply. “The Headmaster and I have been aware for some time that the Dark Lord had kept his soul alive through the use of Horcruxes – Dark magic that preserves a piece of a soul that is fragmented by performing unspeakable acts, such as murder,” he explained with scarcely concealed impatience. “The fact that he had created them was the reason that when the Killing Curse rebounded, he did not die, though he was dramatically altered.”

He looked around the room at the faces listening raptly. “We,” he indicated the Headmaster and himself, “have been seeking these Horcruxes in an attempt to weaken the Dark Lord’s grip on life, so that he may be defeated.”

“And you have been looking for the wrong thing?” Remus asked quietly.

“Not the wrong thing, precisely,” Severus shrugged elegantly. “The Horcruxes were important…until the Dark Lord resumed a physical form. Our information leads us to believe that, through alchemical processes, he blended the remains of his soul with another living creature so that both would have to die simultaneously, or neither will.”

A collective gasp broke the silence.

“Tom was always obsessed with immortality,” Dumbledore observed almost to himself.

“Do we know with whom he performed this act?” Professor McGonagall asked briskly.

“Nagini.”

“The snake?” she gasped. “I thought it would have at least been another person. How is it possible?”

“Thanks to Potter’s memory,” Severus inclined his head in the boy’s direction, “I was able to observe precisely what took place in the graveyard that night. You may not have heard of the Ouroborous Effect,” he explained. “It is an alchemical process that has been explored for centuries in the attempt to prolong life.”

Harry and Ron sent annoyed scowls at each other at the Professor’s use of his ‘teaching voice’.

“We believe,” he continued, ignoring their rudeness, “that the Dark Lord has perfected the technique.

And so he explained what he and Hermione had found and outlined the basic plan they had developed. Tomorrow night he would be summoned. Hermione would follow to be tracked by the others. The entire Order of the Phoenix would descend on the stone circle. They would engage the Death Eaters, Potter would engage the Dark Lord with Albus at his back, while Severus, Hermione and the Dementor would take care of the Dark Lord’s Soul. Sounded simple enough.

Simple enough to work, he hoped.

A ripple of approval ran through the room. For the first time Severus was aware of feeling like he was part of the team. The thing that made his heart beat fastest was Hermione’s beaming smile of approval and admiration. She made him feel ten feet tall.

“How do you plan to kill him? Lupin’s voice cut into his distracted thoughts.

“Why do you assume that it is I who shall perform the deed?”

“I’d say you were the best placed to do it. So, let’s hear the details.”

Severus blinked. “I’ve just told you. Tomorrow night-”

“No, no,” Lupin cut across him, “in detail. So we know exactly what to do to help you.”

Severus stared at him. Help? It’s not often anyone wanted to help him. He looked at Hermione again; she was still smiling at him.

“We… haven’t really got that far, yet.” Severus said, still gazing at Hermione. The room broke out at once into a massive brainstorm—everyone was talking except for Severus and Hermione. Severus sat back down and stared at the people across from him, lost in thought, only half listening to the wild, half-formed thoughts that were currently flying around the room. Hermione, still looking at Severus, placed her hand on his thigh and kissed his cheek. In the chaos, no one saw except Dumbledore who beamed.

Suddenly, she got up and strode across the room and grabbed a large, fresh roll of parchment and several quills and ink bottles. The talking ceased abruptly as she unfurled the parchment onto the table with a great whoosh! She looked pointedly from Severus to the ink bottles and quills until he understood and began passing them around. When he sat down again, Hermione stood at the head as they clustered around the parchment.

Severus watched Hermione with an impressed curiosity as she spoke like a General in a War Room. “Our strategy is dependent on the few facts that we have.” She drew a large circle on the parchment. “This circle represents the stone circle. Where will Voldemort likely be?” she asked Severus.

“About here.” He said, pointing to the circle’s center with the tip of his quill. He marked the spot with ‘LV’.

“Do you have assigned places in the circle?” she asked him. “I mean, do you just stand next to anyone at all, or is there a specific order to who stands by who?”

“No, there’s an order” he answered. Everyone kept silent as they worked, all of them paying close attention. “If I’m here,” he continued, poking the circle’s edge that was closest to him, “Malfoy, Sr. is here.” He poked another part of the circle’s edge. Hermione wrote S. Snape where he had indicated himself. “Crabbe,” he poked again. “Goyle.” And again, “Wormtail, Macnair, Nott.” He continued to list them each in turn, and every time he poked the circle, the Order member nearest would write the name down. In no time they had a map of the expected scene.

“Where’s Nagini? Does she have a place to be or is she just anywhere?” Hermione was frowning at the map.

“She could be anywhere,” Severus answered, feeling uneasy. “She will be the tricky part.”

“Not really,” said Ron. “If Voldemort is in trouble, she’ll come to help, won’t she?”

“We can’t just show up and all take aim at Voldemort, Ron,” said Bill. “We’ve got to manage the death eaters, too.”

“Yes, but if a battle breaks out, she’s going to find Voldemort as quickly as possible, both to protect him and to be protected.” There was a murmur of agreement.

“She will, at that.” Severus answered, taking a new look at Ron. “The, er, guests will be stationed here. He poked the parchment with his quill again. “There’s likely to be several muggles who may or may not be awake…or conscious. We’ll have to be careful with them, and they’ll need their memories modified afterwards regardless.”

“It’d also be good if we didn’t break the Statute of Secrecy,” Tonks said. “Whether or not we succeed in killing Voldemort, the ministry will throw us in Azkaban if we expose ourselves to the muggle world.”

“No one’s going to Azkaban,” Remus said soothingly, “but who will be assigned to protect the muggles?”

“Arthur,” said Molly, simply.

“What?” said Arthur. “Molly, I’ve got to fight. I need to help the Order-“

“You’re perfect, dear,” Molly cut across him. “You’ll be compassionate to them, and we need a competent wizard watching over them. You can battle it out with the best of them Arthur, everyone knows that; but, they need looking after by someone who can be firm but kind with them. They’ve been through enough just getting there. They need you, Arthur. Please, just agree. It’s no small job, in fact, it may be quite dangerous.” She finished as though she didn’t want to think about how dangerous it might be.

“Molly, how dangerous could it be?” Arthur asked her, disbelieving.

“Ar, when yer get any animal scared ‘n cornered like tha’, you’d be s’prised at how violen’ they c’n get. If yer ask’n me, I think y’ll have yer hands full,” Hagrid said solemnly.

“Yes, and they need someone who can protect them from the battle, from themselves, each other, the death eaters, and Voldemort,” said Molly, her cheeks rather pink. “Actually, you may need help.”

“Charlie can do that,” said Bill at once. “He’s got lots of experience with stunning spells and animals.” He grinned. “Hold on, I’ll go and get him. He ought to hear as much of this meeting as he can if he’s going to be involved.”

“Wait.” It was Dumbledore who spoke this time. “Take this with you.”

He tore a piece of the parchment off and wrote something on it. “Maybe he’s got some friends?” Dumbledore winked at Bill, who grinned back.

A moment later, the portrait in the hallway shrieked and screamed as Bill slammed the front door behind him. The twins hurtled towards the portrait, and silence descended upon the meeting. The twins came back but did not sit down.

“No point in sitting down,” they said in answer to Harry’s puzzled stare. “He’ll be back in a minute.”

As though in answer to this statement, the portrait began to shriek again and the twins hurried out of the room. They could hear many voices now, they all sounded happy. Bill had returned with Charlie and several other people. Dumbledore stood and greeted the newcomers and in no time they were caught up to the meeting so far, and the Order had what they needed. They all agreed that Arthur was perfect to watch over the muggles and Charlie and his friends would help him.

“Good, well, we got that sorted out then,” Hermione said to the room at large. “Mr. Weasley, are you comfortable with that role?”

“Oh yes,” said Arthur. “Yes, I suppose someone does have to look after them, bless them.”

“Good, now who’s going to handle the Dementor? We need to let it know when the attack will be and how to find us,” she said, as though it were no big deal.

“I will,” Dumbledore and Severus declared in unison.

“Albus, you can’t,” chided Minerva.

“Why ever not?”

“Just, because.”

“I can go, Albus,” said Severus again.

“No,” said Albus, “this task is mine.” He cut across Minerva before she could object again. “It will be too dangerous for Severus to go this time,” he said calmly. “Considering all that we are asking him to do, what we are planning next; too much has happened and is happening to him. The risk is too great that his emotions might slip, that his skills might falter under the weight of the situation; and the last thing we need is for Severus to get kissed by a starving Dementor. Besides, we need Severus in the Circle.”

“But, why would a Dementor take Severus’s soul prematurely? Why take just one soul, when he can have two…or possibly more? Or are you telling me that Dementors can’t count?” challenged Minerva.

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, Minerva. Besides, you heard what Hagrid said. That Dementor is starving. He’d eat this whole room and then leave without as much as a backward glance if he thought he could.” He paused and then looked at Severus as though thinking about it, then shook his head. “No, I agree with Albus.”

If Severus was surprised at the support, it didn’t show on his face.

“I’ll go tonight,” Albus said, as though that had settled the matter. “Minerva will you assist me?”

Hermione knew what that meant. More bait for the trap. Minerva understood too it seemed and though she hesitated for a moment, she nodded. “Yes Albus, I suppose so.”

“Excellent!” said Dumbledore, and he beamed at her. She returned his smile and blushed just a little. “Hagrid, will you help us, too? I just need you to look after Minerva, see her to safety; and keep some chocolate at the ready. Oh yes, and perhaps a large brandy, too?”

“Of course!” Hagrid beamed.

“That’s the Dementor sorted out, Hermione. What else do we need to do?”

“We need to engage the Death Eaters in a fight, to keep them occupied and distracted. Aim at Voldemort and the Death Eaters are sure to return fire. Harry, Professor Dumbledore, Severus and I need to be free to move to the circle’s center. We might not have long. Once Voldemort sees how things are setting up, I think he’ll guess what’s coming, so we’ll have to be quick.”

“How could he know?” asked Charlie.

“If he used this method to return, he would know precisely what it would take for him to die.” Severus said. “He may recognize the set-up.”

“Exactly,” said Hermione, “which leads me to my next point-”

“Hold on!” It was Ron who interrupted this time. “How will we know which Death Eater is him?” he asked, pointing at Severus. There was a murmur of agreement.

“He’ll be the one with me, of course.” Hermione answered.

“Yeah, but what if one of the others grabs you or something and one of us kills Snape by mistake?”

“Oh. Well…don’t!” she said flustered at the thought. She shared a slightly panicked look with Severus who was clearly thinking the problem over.

“No problem,” said Fred and George together; and with a mischievous look at each other, they dashed out of the room and galloped up the stairs.

“Filthy turncoats, shame this house no more!” bellowed the portrait of Sirius’ mom, half muffled behind the blanket. Sirius raised his eyes to the ceiling and shook his head slowly as though he had heard that song once too often. She continued wailing until the twins, on their way back to the meeting, stuck spellotape over the portrait’s mouth.

“Sheesh,” said Fred, “it’s too bad portraits can’t lose their voices.”

“Tell me about it,” growled Sirius.

“There ya go,” said George as they dumped two armloads of things on the table in front of Severus. “We ought to find something in here,” and all three of them started raking through the pile.

“What’s this?” Severus asked, holding up a thick green roll of tape.

“Aha!” Fred answered.

“Ya!” cried George.

“Well, what is it?” Severus asked again, trying to keep impatience out of his voice.

“Glow-tape.” They spoke in unison.

“We didn’t invent this,” said George.

“But we have been improving it,” finished Fred.

“You see,” George continued, “muggles use this when they perform on stages, you know, while they’re acting and stuff.”

“Right,” said George, “they put this on the edges of stairs and the like, and then, when they perform and it’s all dark, they don’t fall down said stairs, because the tape glows in the dark and they can see where they’re going.”

“Oooo… Fred, can I see that?” asked Arthur with a note of longing in his voice.

Molly rolled her eyes. “You’re perfect to look after the muggles” she said, half lovingly, half exasperated.

“Please?” he persisted.

“No, dad, we need this,” said Fred.

“We’ll get an extra roll for you later. For a few sickles,” said George.

“You will not,” said Molly sternly. “Do you think I want my house covered in Slow-tape?”

“Glow-tape, mum.” Fred corrected her “But maybe you’ve got a point.” The twins looked at each other with wicked grins.

“Right dad, you can have one piece, but not now. We need this one,” said George.

Arthur Weasley tried not to look disappointed.

“And how’s that supposed to help me?” Severus said icily. “I’ve got a little more to worry about than falling down stairs”

“Well, we could put a strip of it down the back of your robes. Then we can see you from the back.” Fred said.

“Ridiculous! If I show up with a glowing beacon on my back, don’t you think the Dark Lord will at least be curious?” Severus snarled.

“Well, you could always drink this instead. We’ll definitely know it’s you from quite a distance away,” George grinned and held up a curious green potion in front of his face.

“And what is that?” Severus asked, resigned to the answer.

“One of our soon-to-be best sellers!” exclaimed Fred. “Glowtion!”

“Bless you,” said Tonks.

Everyone laughed. Everyone except Severus.

“Glowtion,” said George. “Just slip this into your friend’s drink and enjoy the show!”

“Show?” Severus asked, clearly reluctant to learn the answer.

“It makes your skin turn florescent green! George and I invented it.” Fred said happily.

“And he said we were no good at Potions.” George nudged Fred.

“And you developed an antidote?” said Severus, swishing the potion around in the small bottle.

“Are we green? Of course there’s an antidote.” He pointed to another small red bottle on the table.

“But again, how do I explain to the Dark Lord why I am…green?” Severus asked, getting annoyed.

“Easy,” said Harry. Severus stared at him.

“You think showing up to a Dark Revel florescent green is something I can easily explain away?” Severus asked, as though arguing with someone that two and two really do equal four. “Pray tell, how?”

“Look, Voldemort thinks you’re with Hermione in order to get to me, right? In fact, it would be very convenient for you, were this true, to let Hermione invite me and Ron around for tea, right? And we might invite Fred and George too, right? And if we put Glow-tape on the back of your robes as a prank, that’s not your fault, right? And if we put Glowtion in your tea for a bit of fun, there’s nothing you can do about it, right?” reasoned Harry. “You tolerate it because it’d be a bit of a give-away if you killed her friends.” The room was quiet when he finished this statement.

“My line of defense is that Hermione has amusing friends who hate me?” Severus asked, blank-faced.

“It’s not like anyone’s going to brew you an antidote, or tell you you’ve got something on your back,” Sirius said. “That’s not the Slytherin way, well, not usually anyway.”

Hermione had been watching the dangerous look developing on her husband’s face. “Fred, how long does it take for the potion to take effect?”

“Not long, about five minutes. We timed it so you can spike someone’s drink and get away before they realise they’ve been had.”

“So Severus could take some immediately before he enters the circle and no-one would be any the wiser, giving us a window of about five minutes to get in position before he starts to glow? Would that give us enough time?”

There were murmurs of agreement from around the circle. “That sounds like an idea, Severus,” Hermione said. “What do you think?” Severus considered it for a moment.

“I suppose it could work,” he conceded, finally.

“Is that everything all sorted out, now?” she asked the room. Everyone nodded. “Good,” said Hermione. “As I was saying, Harry, Professor Dumbledore, Severus and I need to be able to move into the circle unhindered. Speed is key. We need to catch Voldemort almost immediately.”

She pointed to the circle on the parchment. “As we should just about match them for numbers, I will leave it to each of you to put your name down against a particular Death Eater. Learn their position in the Circle and make it your job to put them out of action as best you can. Once you succeed you can help others.”

“If we distract and threaten the Dark Lord,” Snape cut in, “Nagini won’t be long in coming to his defense. Once she is inside the circle we can perform the spell.”

“And if she doesn’t come right away, I could call to her in parseltongue,” Harry added.

“Y’ought ter have plen’y of an’i-venom there, ‘cause I think she’ll bite jus’ about everythin’ in ‘er path,” Hagrid said knowingly.

“Good point, Hagrid,” said Hermione. “Mrs. Weasley, will you see to that?”

Molly Weasley took in a deep breath, highly disapproving of all this fool-hardy danger, but said “yes” all the same.

“Harry, Professor Dumbledore will have your back. As you walk forward, he will walk backward, guarding you while you concentrate on Voldemort. I’ll be doing the same with Severus, covering his back. Severus will focus on Nagini. The Dementor will be at the ready and then, once Voldemort and Nagini are stunned and in the circle, all four of us will speak the seven sacred names and the words of power.”

“All four of us?” Harry asked.

Hermione shrugged. “It’s the backup plan, Harry. If only one person knows the right words and that person is incapacitated, we have lost. If four of us do it, at least one of us should be able to get through to the very end.”

“And the Dementor gets the souls,” Harry agreed.

“And becomes the first and only Dementor to earn the Order of Merlin, first class,” growled Mad-Eye.

Everyone laughed.

“Is anyone going to tell me the seven sacred whatevers?”

“The seven sacred names and the words of power.” Severus carefully explained the names, enunciating each syllable perfectly. Harry jotted the words down on a piece of paper and read it again and again, trying to commit the odd sounds to memory.

“Look at the time!” Molly said in alarm. “You really ought to be in bed, the whole lot of you!”

“Finally, someone with sense!” Minerva McGonagall turned to look approvingly at Molly.

Albus chuckled. “Is there anything else, Severus? Hermione?”

“No, Headmaster,” Hermione said. Severus shook his head. The plan was done.

“Excellent. Meeting adjourned.”

*********

Severus and Hermione reached his quarters in silence.

“I can’t believe we are going to do this,” she whispered finally, turning a worried face to him. “All because of a stupid prophesy.”

Severus discarded his outer robes and slumped into an armchair by the fire. “Is it stupid?” he asked her seriously. “Perhaps I am the one it talks about, since it seems it will be my planning that might cause the end of it, if we succeed. Besides, there is no other it could be.”

“How can it be you? That was the whole point of making sure you were no longer ‘untouched’, so that it couldn’t be you!” She threw herself into the chair opposite.

“Ah well, prophesy is a complex thing. Everything is always either some kind of riddle or hidden under so many layers it is impossible to tell up from down. Who is to say that ‘untouched by womanly love’ even had anything to do with physical contact?”

Hermione stared at him. “What else could it mean?”

Severus was looking at his outstretched legs, lost in thought. “The love of a woman is not something I have seen much of, Hermione.”

“But your mother…”

“-was terrified and downtrodden. My father’s display of love consisted of his fist. She spent every waking moment trying to avoid it. She may have loved me, but she died when I was young and my memories are few.”

Hermione’s heart ached for the lonely boy she heard in the man’s words. “I’m so sorry about your mother, Severus,” she said gently, “but it still can’t be you.”

“Why not? Nothing has changed.” He snorted softly.

She was silent a fraction too long.

“Hermione?” He was suddenly out of his chair, leaning over her.

She swallowed hard, her face a riot of indecision. Finally she smiled weakly. “Well it’s obvious isn’t it? I love you.”

He pulled her up out of the chair and kissed her fiercely. He would likely die tomorrow, either on the battlefield, florescent green and alone, or later, but still alone. He knew eventually she would leave him. Regardless of what she thought she felt right now, she would come to her senses. It was just a matter of time. When that happened he would die of loneliness.

Blocking the thought he held her more tightly to him, a burning sensation in the corners of his eyes, and kissed her more deeply than ever. But tonight, she’s mine, he thought to himself grimly. Tomorrow I may die, but tonight, I live.

______

A/N:Quotes borrowed from the Emerald Tablets of Thoth http://www.crystalinks.com/emeraldprefacebw.html
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Kiss The Serpent