Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

...After Happily Ever After	By : Lissa & snowblind12 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 25739 -:- Recommendations : 4 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Harry Potter or J.K. Rowling. I make no money off of these stories. This is just fun for me.

Chapter List
- 21
- 22
- 23
A/N: I am terribly sad to say that we have arrived. Ahead is some tough stuff, guys. Explicit non-consensual sexual content of a minor2 (Hermione) in this chapter (not terribly awful in this chapter, but the next one or two might be unsavory for some). This was forewarned. I have answered reviews at the end.
Chapter Twenty-One
“You’ll cover for me?” Ginny whispered, giggling into Hermione’s ear.
“Of course, I will! Jump his freaking bones!” Hermione’s eyes danced with amusement. “Just meet me back here in about an hour and a half.” Ginny’s smile was dazzling as she hugged her friend.
“Snape will be here, soon?” The redhead gave her a momentary look of concern, glancing around the shop.
“Professor Snape is here.” Hermione’s eyes sparkled with happiness, nodding to the dark man in the entry way of the bookstore. Ginny flipped around and nodded a hello to the intimidating teacher.
“Thank you again!” She exclaimed and took off out of Flourish and Blotts before rounding the corner to the apparition point.
Severus raised an eyebrow at the Weasley girl aa she bolted past him before turning to Hermione. “Do I want to know what that was all about?”
Hermione chuckled as her eyes continued to dance with merriment. “She’s got serious plans to get some shag time with Harr – ”
Severus broke her off with a disgruntled growl, face dissolving from its usual impassiveness into a mask of horror, eyebrows shooting into his hairline. “I did not want to know that!” He sputtered.
The curly brunette burst into gales of giggles as he scowled at her. “The look…oh, Gods…the look on your face was so perfect.” She clutched her sides as her full-bodied humor shimmered through the room. A few people turned to look at her, her happiness drawing smiles and sparking a smattering of contagious snorts around them. It also garnished some inquisitive stares as the two were recognized. Severus’s face softened and his eyes warmed with her mirth, his discomfort at the turn in conversation was worth this reaction.
He cleared his throat and thrust his chin forward, indicating they find a more secluded spot in the back of the stacks. She wiped a trickled of moisture from her eyes from her chortles before following him into the shadows. She, too, realized they had been noticed.
Once they were out of the line of curious stares and whispers, he pushed her into a bookcase and kissed her lips passionately. “I missed you,” he declared, nuzzling her neck with his nose before pressing a chaste kiss to her temple. He stepped back almost as quickly as he had jumped her, knowing it wouldn’t do for them to be caught by the other patrons.
Her eyes had darkened perceptibly, but she remained in control of her faculties, just barely. “I missed you, too, Severus.”
“I have an appointment I need to keep, I was hoping you wouldn’t mind coming with me?” His voice was controlled, his expression guarded. Hm. What is he up to? She watched him carefully for a moment.
“Yes, I’m fine with that. Where else am I supposed to go? It’s not like you’ll leave me alone.” She quirked an eyebrow at him, a half-smile tugging one corner of her mouth.
“Indeed,” he agreed with a roguish grin. Her heart literally came to a complete stop at the expression. That smile hardly ever crossed his face, but when it did…oh Gods, when it did…it instantly left her a mess. Her breath shortened into little gasps and her eyes dilated, only a thin ring of the warm chocolate visible around the blown-wide pupil. Her reaction just made the grin all the more pronounced.
“Bloody hell,” she whispered. “Stop looking at me like that or we’ll have to go find a bathroom stall.” Her voice came out breathless and husky and the grin instantly morphed into a leer of desire. He made to reach for her, but she quickly stepped back and shook her head fiercely. He turned his neck over his shoulder, where her gaze was directed. Two women, a lovely blonde and a pretty witch with raven hair, who looked to be in their late twenties or early thirties, were whispering to each other and glancing at him. He grit his teeth. Damn did he hate being out in public these days. He didn’t understand these types of women. They were impeccably dressed and quite attractive. However, everything about them screamed of desperation.
“Are you Severus Snape?” The dark-haired witch called out.
“No.” His reply was blunt and he turned his attention back to Hermione, who looked at him with wide eyes.
“You are!” It was the blonde who spoke this time, her voice tinkled like wind chimes. Severus hated wind chimes. He much preferred the soft, husky tones of the surprised brunette by his side. Both women actually strutted up to him, much to his mix of horror and grotesque amusement.
“Ladies,” he said politely, inclining his head. “I apologize, but I cannot talk now. I am late for an appointment.”
Both faces dropped. “That’s okay,” the blue-eyed, blonde replied after a beat. “We just wanted to give you this.” She handed him a slip of parchment and he took it, glancing down at it curiously. For Merlin’s sake! He rolled his eyes and tried not to sound cutting when he replied.
“I cannot accept this.” He pressed the parchment containing floo call information back at her, firmly pressing it into the witch’s hands when she made to refuse. “I am extremely happily involved with someone and will not be disrespectful of her.”
Hermione’s gasp of surprise behind him almost made laughter bubble out of his throat, but the look on the faces of the women in front of him went sour. “Isn’t she a student? Hermione Granger, right?” The raven-haired witch accused hotly. “A little young for you, no?”
Severus forced a mask of steel over his features and pulled hard on the reins of his anger. “I never said this was the woman I was with,” he replied shortly. “It is absolutely none of your business, witch. Now, please excuse us.”
He stepped back and guided Hermione by the small of her back to pass the women in question before brushing past them himself. Both women looked disgruntled, but did not pursue him any further.
Once outside Flourish and Blotts, he took the lead, keeping Hermione in his peripheral vision. He slowed his pace when he noticed her expression turn from surprise to concern, brow furrowed. He could almost hear the gears grinding away in that bushy-headed brain of hers. Glancing around, he pulled them into a narrow, concealed alley next to the Quidditch Supply Shop. “Out with it.”
She didn’t even pretend to not know what he was talking about. “Does that happen a lot?”
“What? Women giving me their contact information?”
She nodded, eyes on their feet. Her shoulders were slightly rounded forward and one arm crossed over her stomach, knuckles white as she grasped the opposite side of her torso.
She was feeling insecure. He had to nip that in the bum immediately. “Hermione, look at me.” She glanced up and met his eyes briefly before dropping them again. “Hermione.” His voice was firm, but not unkind. He gently took her chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilted her face up to meet his eyes. “There is no one else I want. Not now, not ever. You are it for me.” His words were laced with sincerity; she realized how silly she was being. For Merlin’s sake, he had told Minerva McGonagall he was in love with her!
She heaved out a sigh – a mixed breath of a sob or laugh broke out of her lungs and she nodded. “I’m sorry,” she whispered as he pulled her into a warm embrace. “I don’t know what came over me. They were just so beautiful and, well, so much closer to your age. And…and I just…” She trailed off. His arms squeezed her a little more tightly.
“I know what you ‘just.’ You’re wrong.” She nodded against his robes and squeezed him back. “Good. Now, we must be going. You dressed how I asked?”
He pulled her back into the flow of people – it was insanely busy in Diagon Alley on this clear but cold Boxing Day. “I did, semi-formal. All though you have me very confused as to why.”
“You’ll see.” His tone was evasive.
“Hmm.” She agreed.
Ten minutes later they stood outside a small jewelry shop which looked very much closed to her. “Severus, they’re closed. What are we doing here, anyhow?”
“I need to pick up a watch that has been repaired for me.” His voice sounded odd and she glanced up, curiously. “They’re closed to casual shoppers today; appointments only.” He knocked firmly on the glass-fronted door. It opened on its own, thrusting a gust of warm air at them. He took her by the hand and pulled her into the store.
“Ah, Severus.” An elderly man smiled from the counter. “And this must be Miss Granger?”
“It is. Good afternoon.” Hermione glanced at him. Again, confusion flooded her body.
“What’s going on?” She whispered, tucking herself next to him. He gently reached up and plucked her hat off her riotous curls before pulling her scarf from around her neck.
“May I have your coat?” They took of their outer layers and hung them on an ornate cloak rack by the door under the watchful, twinkling eyes of the shop-keeper. Then, Severus lead her to the counter. “My watch is ready?”
“Yes.” The man, whose name tag read David, smiled at him. “I will get it from the back.”
When he left, Severus turned to Hermione and pulled her left hand into both of his, bringing it up to press a tender kiss to her knuckles. Then he started a speech that left her heart galloping like a flock of hippogriffs in her chest. “I just want you to understand that I have waited many years to find you. I had given up hope, and I am in no rush, but I need you to know how serious I am.” He swallowed hard as he watched her eyes widen and her full lips part in realization. He smirked, he knew she would catch on quickly.
“I have never in my life had the chance to fully feel the way you make me feel. I am not a sentimental or emotional man. I’m not the easiest man in the world to get along with – I know this. I know we will fight, because we are both stubborn and have volatile tempers. I know there will be bad days, but there isn’t anyone else that I would rather have those bad days with. I want to take care of you, and I want to let you take care of me. I feel like a completed puzzle when you are around – we just fit together.
“I want to go to bed every night with you by my side. I want to wake up in the mornings with your head on my shoulder. When you’re ready, I want to give you children. I will not rush you, and you do not have to answer right now if you are unsure – I will not be upset. We haven’t talked about this at all.” Here he dropped to a knee, continuing to firmly hold her hand in his, his heart racing as he watched her eyes fill with amazed tears. “Marry me?”
Her breaths came in staccatoed gasps of shock, her whole body trembling. A tear slipped down her cheek as she reached to brush the fingers of her right hand over his forehead, sweeping a lock of slippery, ink-colored hair from his eyes. Their gazes didn’t break, but for the first time ever he couldn’t read her at all. He had already told himself he would not use legilimency. He did not want to know what she was thinking at this very moment. Not when he had sprung this on her so suddenly, with no precursor conversation, in their brief (albeit intense) history together.
“We can be engaged for however long you’d like. There is no rush to the alter. I just want to –” He hurried to make a case, fearing she was going to say no when the silence had stretched longer than he was comfortable.
“Shh.” She touched his mouth with her thumb, brushing his lower lip. “My answer is yes.”
He didn’t even realize he’d been holding his breath until it forced its way out of his lungs, his whole body relaxed as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his with tender affection. He slipped his hands into her hair, cupping her head lovingly as he pulled himself to stand, never breaking their kiss. She wrapped his arms around his waist and clung to him ferociously. When he pulled away, he was embarrassed to find tears dampening his eyes and tried to turn his head to discretely wipe them away.
“Severus.” She hummed with expressive devotion, she – herself – brushed the moisture from under one eye. “I love you.” He kissed her again, pressing her against his body with one hand between her shoulder blades and the other at the small of her back. After, he just held her to him, cheek resting on top of her head, the arm that had touched her upper back was now circled firmly around her shoulders, the other around her waist.
“I love you, too, Hermione.” He said after another moment. Then he cleared the emotion from his throat with a soft cough. “Now, for your ring.” He pulled back and gestured to the case where David was now standing, his eyes full of warmth at their obvious happiness. “Choose what you like, cost is not a factor.” He chuckled at her astonishment and, after lacing her fingers with his, he pulled her to the counter.
An hour later, after a bit of an argument, she had chosen a beautiful diamond setting. A half carat, brilliant stone set in the top of a swirl of white gold, flanked on each side with more diamonds - alternating brilliant and baguette cut. The matching wedding band was just a thin piece of matching gold that would be soldered to the engagement ring just before they wed. Her protest of cost (neither Severus or David would tell her what the actual price was) fell on deaf ears. The moment she had put this ring on her finger he had seen her eyes light up like a Muggle Christmas tree – he knew before she did that it was the one.
He asked her to get her winter things on and wait at the door while he paid for her ring (and his watch, because he had not lied about that), before he also dressed to return into the winter weather. He offered his arm with a warm smile, love reflecting in his eyes. She took it and waved to David over her shoulder, they both expressed their thanks.
“You were surprised?” He murmured a few minutes later as they took seats in the small café where Ginny was to meet them. He ordered two hot chocolates and some biscuits.
“Surprised doesn’t begin to cover it.” Her eyes glowed with happiness, he felt humbled he had put it there. She glanced down at her ring finger where the diamonds twinkled back in low lights. “I’m so happy, Severus,” she whispered, reaching to take his hand.
“Me, too, love. Me, too.” He covered their joint hands with his other and squeezed before regretfully pulling away. They still needed to be cautious in public until hearing from the Board of Directors. “I know it was very sudden, you’re quite sure –”
“I could never be more positive.” She broke him off, a steady, sure smile on her face. He nodded, his smile soft.
Suddenly, the room grew eerily quiet just before ear-piercing screams filled the air. Both Hermione and Severus were on their feet at once, wands raised, eyes alert, feet shoulder-width apart and their knees bent. They had automatically gone back to back to protect each other, instinct not over shadowing their love for each other. Seven or eight dark cloaked and silver-masked figures stood in various positions around the café. Patrons were bolting for the doors, some dove under tables, others stood in the same posture as them – wands out, ready for battle.
“Hermione,” Severus breathed, not moving his lips. “Do not wait for me. If you can get out of here, run like hell hounds are chasing you. Disapparate back to Hogwarts. I will find you, I swear.”
“I will not leave you,” she stated stubbornly.
“Hermione, please.” His voice was laced with panic and fear. It brought her up short as he reached back with his non-wand hand and squeezed her hip. “Promise me!”
“I promise,” she said grudgingly. She wasn’t about to argue with him. “I love you.” It was said with an edge of desperation – and it was heard.
“Awww…the Mudblood is in love with her professor!” The cackling voice was distorted through the mask.
“I guess those rumors flying around at the elite Christmas parties were true.” Said another figure, voice equally unnatural.
Severus’s heart flew to his throat. Rumors? Who else knew?
“You thought we were hunting her before, Professor?” The first voice was speaking again – it was so twisted and odd that one could not even distinguish if it was male or female. “When we killed mummy and daddy Granger and left our nice little note? You were very wrong… Once we found out she had taken up with the biggest blood traitor of all…tsk tsk. You signed her death certificate, Snape.”
Snape grit his teeth as Hermione pushed herself more tightly into him, her heart was pounding so hard she could barely hear with her pulse beating her ear drums. She observed other patrons had understood they were not being targeted – just the famous couple by the window. Good, everyone get to safety. Someone bring help…please. Very few remained in the room…three, maybe four. They were staying, wands raised – poised to fight, to help. She was grateful.
Neither one of them dignified the cruel banter with a reply. Without saying a word, both started a silent attack. One Death Eater was slammed into wall with Hermione’s forceful Expelliarmus, another crumbled to the ground with Severus’s Stupefy. Then all hell broke loose.
Careful to maintain her shield as she sent hexes and curses one after another at the remaining five or so dark figures, she fought with every ounce of fury she had. How dare they. How dare this special day be ruined because of these sick, twisted people who couldn’t let ridiculous prejudices go. How dare life be so unbelievably unfair. She was so tired…exhausted. She didn’t want to fight anymore. She shot a stupefy but the Death Eater she aimed it at dropped in time and was missed. The rebounding spell hit a wizard on their side. She swore spectacularly. Then her heart froze as the warm mass that was Severus at her back collapsed.
“Severus!” she screamed. She whirled in a circle, keeping her wand outstretched as she straddled his body to protect him. She realized he had been four on one – odds set hard against him. Fear gripped her whole body, making her tremble with exertion.
“Stop!” She was sobbing. “Please, stop!”
Laughter erupted from all sides and the panic choked her. She heard a whispered “Avada Kedavra” and braced herself to know no more, but it did not hit her. It hit the only other patron still attempting to fight. “No!” She was horrified as she watched the young woman collapse, a surprised sort of determination still on her face even though her eyes were lifeless.
“I-I will go with you! I won’t fight anymore.” She was pleading with them and she didn’t care. She could feel the rise and fall of Severus’s breaths at her ankles. He had to live or she would die inside.
“Throw your wand to me, Mudblood.” She didn’t know who said it, it came from behind her. She threw her wand over her shoulder with no hesitation. “Please don’t kill him.” She sunk into a crouch over his body, trying to shield him, knowing it was useless. If they wanted him dead, he would be dead. She couldn’t save him.
“Oh, sweetheart.” The voice came from her right and was exceedingly cruel. “You have no leverage. There’s no use in begging. Certainly you see that?”
“Of course I do,” she whispered. “I have to try.”
“You’re in luck, Mudblood.” It was the very first voice again, she figured he or she must be their leader. “Our orders were to make sure he lives…you, on the other hand…eh.” She saw black clad shoulders shrug belligerently.
Throughout the conversation, Hermione slowly slipped her new engagement ring off her finger and slid it into the breast pocket of his frock coat. She was grateful she was not seen. She knew what was in store for her would be unbearable, she refused to give them the leverage of her engagement. At the conclusion of the conversation, she carded her hand through Severus’s hair, a litany of prayers pouring through her mind as she tried to keep her eyes focused on the five Death Eaters who surrounded her in a loose circle about three meters away. She silently told him how much she loved him, that she would figure out a way to come back to him; she begged him to be strong.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
She raised both hands quickly, making sure they saw they were empty. “Just saying goodbye,” she stated quietly.
“Stand!” Hermione complied immediately. “Take three steps away from him.” She followed the orders.
Hermione was grabbed roughly from behind and her terror escaped her throat without her permission. Her elbows were forced together behind her back and she whimpered as pain shot through her pectorals. Another hand slammed into the side of her face and the room spun alarmingly, blood filling her mouth even as she felt her lip split.
“I’ll tell you a secret, Mudblood.” That first voice was in her ear and nausea bloomed through her belly, creeping its way into her heart. “When we’re through with you, you’re going to wish we had killed you. Before we’re done with you, you will be begging to die. Instead…instead we’re going to break you to pieces. Then…” There was a dramatic pause. “Then we’re going to return you so destroyed that it will break him.”
She ignored their words, forced back her fear, and looked the person straight in the face. She raised her chin defiantly even as the blood dribbled down her jaw. A menacing chuckled filled her ears.
I hope Ginny is running late. It was the last thing she thought before debilitating pain crashed through the back of her skull and she knew no more.
She woke with a soft moan of anguish, her head pounding. Although she was having trouble remembering why, anxiety filled her body. She slowly attempted to unfurl her cramped extremities. Where am I?! Her breath started coming in fast, hiccupping gulps; the oxygen not getting to her fingers and toes which were agonizingly cold and tingling. She realized she was bound and twisted painfully. Eyes flying open wide, her disorientation continued as she attempted to peer into the darkness that flooded her corneas. She could see nothing. Using her shoulders and knees to press into a low kneeling position, she winced as the tough skin surrounding her patella was pinched painfully into the damp, concrete floor. “Hello?” she whispered. Her throat felt like sand paper and she swallowed hard trying to clear it.

She felt a trickle of liquid over her lips and her tongue flicked out and tasted the metallic tinge of blood. I’m bleeding? Her heart started to thrum in her ears as adrenaline surged through her veins. Oh, my head. She groaned as her chin fell to her heaving chest. The sound of heavy booted footsteps came from above and she startled hard, attempting to curl into herself. The rough ropes knotting her elbows and wrists behind her back and to her ankles allowed no such movements. There was another layer around her elbows, she distractedly realized this pushed her breasts out as if on a serving platter. She made a pitiful puff of pain as she pulled and her right shoulder stretched uncomfortably. It was then that she realized she was completely naked. A sob broke free and her body started to tremor violently. True and unrelenting fear coursed through her body.

A door creaked and a small shaft of blue light dimmed through her surrounding, lighting unfamiliar and terrifying objects. Those heavy boots started on the stairs and she recoiled with a small squeak, frantically searching for someplace to hide. She closed her eyes when she realized it was futile and sucked in a deep breath to hold, trying to calm her frantic mind.

“Isn’t she a hot piece of arse?” A deep, gravelly voice came from behind her. “Look at those perfect, heart-shaped globes.” She froze, back going ramrod straight while her shoulders hunched in attempts to cover her nakedness. Her breath whooshed out of her in a rush of panic and she squeezed her eyes tighter – willing this to be a bad dream. But it wasn’t – the attacked at the café was coming back to her. Severus. Everything came flooding back with crystal clear clarity.

“Hmm. For filth, she certainly has a viscerally appealing body.” It was a softer tenor that responded, oddly familiar in its lilt. “Poor Severus, to lose such a pet would be devastating.” Both men chuckled together. Two? She swore she hadn’t heard two people enter. Her breathing hitched to a more rapid pace and sudden, rough hands came under her arms pulling her up awkwardly against his chest, making her thighs fall open, exposing her most intimate of places. Another terrified yelp broke through her restraint as tears pricked behind her eyelids. The ropes dug in painfully in this graceless position.

“She’s going to make the boys go mad. How long do you think it will take to break her?” the gruffer voice questioned dumbly. “I hope I get my turn. Look at that slit, it’s fucking gorgeous. And her tits! Mmm.”
Hermione’s lips pursed tightly closed and whimpered a sound of pain out her nose as a rough, long nailed hand slapped her nipple with a sharp crack. A rolling chortle of breath fingered out over her breasts. A soft, surprisingly gentle, hand curled at her throat and another at her thigh. The second man. She opened coffee flecked with amber colored eyes and stared, mouth gaping in surprised horror, into the ice grey eyes of Lucius Malfoy. When did he get out of Azkaban? “Doncha ya wiggle like that, witch, or I’ll give you something to wiggle on.” One of the rough hands that supported her to his chest slid down her arse, pinching it roughly.

She whimpered frantically, attempting to pull away as the soft hand on her thigh rose higher. Her stomach clenched in revulsion, she sucked in a breath, returning her gaze to Malfoy.
“Please,” she whispered. Draco had said they changed. Draco had said they were going to start over and move on. That they were on the side of the light. As she searched his face she realized that either Draco had lied or he never realized his father’s true intentions. Fear coursed through her veins for Lizzie.
“Tsk, tsk, Miss Granger.” The white-blond-haired man’s face twisted into a severely cruel leer. “You will receive no help from me.”
Tears filled her eyes even as anger filled her heart. She pulled in another breath, letting her mouth fill with as much saliva as she could manage before daring to spit at him – hard. It hit Malfoy just below the left eye. She didn’t even have time to take a breath before the open-handed blow snapped her neck back. She cried out in terrified agony as the blow made her head reel all the worse – the room tilted alarmingly, but her sound was squeezed off as the hand at her throat tightened restrictively. She thrashed against her binds, desperate for life-giving oxygen. Seconds ticked by, she felt her eyes bulge. She met Malfoy’s eyes with pleading tears.

“Boss wants her alive.” The gruff, thick voice came from behind her and the pressure on her larynx disappeared. She choked sobbing breaths into her bruised esophagus. I don’t understand, she wept internally, trying to force the tears that prickled her eyes to stay put.

“Well, well, well … Miss Granger.” Malfoy’s silky voice sounded as one hand returned to her thigh. His voice was laced with satisfied amusement. “What have we here?” Hermione turned her face away from his gaze, ashamed, as a crimson blushed its way up her torso, breasts, and across her high cheek bones. One of his perfectly manicured fingers delved into the soft, slippery flesh of her sex. The sob that broke from her chest was defeated as he flicked her clitoris and her body betrayed her with a shiver. “Perhaps you are happy to see me?”
Her lips tightened into a thin, hard line and she pushed her mind outside of her body, trying to be clinical. She wasn’t a fool – her body was not betraying her, it was responding to the stimuli. It didn’t matter that she didn’t want it, that it wasn’t welcome. She couldn’t fight her physical response, but she had to control her emotional one.
“Stop.” She said coldly as two long fingers slipped into her vagina.
“Oh…I do not think I will, my dear. Humiliation for...humiliation? You will not spit at another person while you are with us, do you understand?”
Her stomach rolled with sick. She tried to detach herself from the sensation. She hated he was being gentle. Her humiliation would be an orgasm she didn’t want. This is not happening. Her thoughts were racing even as he enticed heat to swirl through her core. His other hand gripped her face. “I said do you understand?” Her eyes popped open at the menace in his tone. She glared at him as her breath hitched in her throat.
“Yes.” She spat the word at him and pushed a groan down. She would not give him the satisfaction. She gagged as she felt the erection of the man behind her press into her bum. The coil of heat in her belly was almost unbearable, she fought it relentlessly. “St-stop!” Her voice cracked and she squeezed her eyes shut, shame filling her as her climax spread through her body. She did not groan, but a shuddering breath escaped her as her body convulsed with her release. It was not the same, of course, the pleasure. Instead of making her feel warm and sated and loved, it made her recoil into herself – sickened and humiliated. Just what he had wanted. She was failing and it had barely even started. She bit the inside of her cheek until it bled. It helped calm her a bit.
Harry held Ginny while the girl sobbed hysterically. He, himself, was fighting tremulous emotion. She was gone. Hermione had been taken. There had been so much destruction. Four dead bodies – all patrons of the café – and Snape. Snape was still unconscious. There were no witnesses left from the battle, save him. None of the attackers had been left behind. One witness from before the fighting started said there had been seven of them.
They sat in a private waiting room at St. Mungo’s with most of the Weasley family, all wore the same devastated look. Kingsley Shacklebolt and a few Aurors were also present.
They all looked up when Snape’s voice could be heard raging from down the hall. “Get me the fuck out of these restraints!” he bellowed. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were out of the waiting room in a shot, only to be stopped by two large security wizards just meters away from his room. More people piled behind them. “Where is Hermione?” His voice was a combination of dangerous and hopefully pleading.
“Sir.” A calm, but firm voice came. “You were hit with three high level Stunning Spells. You cannot get up.”
“Where is my fiancée?!” The growl was frightening, but brought the trio up short with astonishment.
“Fiancée?!” Ron whispered in agonized disgust as horrified and shocked gasps chorused behind them.
“Not. Now. Ronald.” Ginny ground out through gritted teeth, all the while exchanging a sorrowful look with her own fiancé. He curled his hand into hers and lost his battle with his tears.
Fifteen minutes later, Shacklebolt entered Snape’s hospital room with the aurors at his side, allowing Harry to be present. He watched with a heavy heart as the stone-masked Snape gave a monotone account of what happened in Diagon Alley until he had blacked out. Fear gripped Harry harder than any he had ever known. No one has been found. They’ve all just disappeared without a trace. A trail of bodies in their wake. Snape looks utterly lifeless. His eyes have no light in them. He’s already given her up for dead. He took a shuddering breath, never taking his eyes off his professor’s face. When the Minister and aurors left, he stayed. Staring at the man who had loved his mother. Staring at the man who was in love with his would-be sister.
Finally, he spoke. “She’s not going to die.”
Cold, black eyes met his, his skepticism was tangible in the air. “She’s not,” Harry repeated determinedly. “Hermione is a survivor, she’ll figure out a way. She’s strong.”
It was silent for many minutes before the stoic, powerful wizard in front of him opened his mouth and said two sentences that broke Harry’s heart. “So was your mother.” His deep, usually silky baritone was devoid of all emotion. “Everyone I love dies.”
Nightstar: Thank you for sticking around, love! Great to hear from you. Glad you liked the Christmas smut! ;o) xLD
Mistress: A new reiewer! Thank you for your words! Draco's story has a bit of a way to go, but he and Lizzie will be on the back burner through the next handful of chapters. I will get back to them, soon. I agree, Draco deserves happiness. I heart Draco, very much.
SnowBlind12: THRILLED you are reading my story! I'm so so glad you like Lizzie. She is near and dear to me! Thank you for all your compliments. I'm touched you find it well written - I'm trying very hard! Let me know when you get to the end! ;o) Looking forward to your next chappie as well!!

xLissaDream
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...After Happily Ever After