𝙻𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍 II SS/HG ✔️

Waiting Game

Severus paced around his office. He had lambasted Longbottom for daring to duel one of his professors. He forced him to empty his pockets and leave his coin behind lest he 'take the toad instead and test a few poisons on him.'

Amycus had spat at Severus's offer to escort him to the Hospital Wing.

Severus would have found great joy in Longbottom having bested Amycus, had he not sent Potter directly to Bellatrix's monstrous clutches.

Seeing as how his Dark Mark did not erupt, he assumed the Dark Lord had not managed to kill Potter.

A year ago, that would have been fine. Severus would be asleep by now.

"Fuck," he growled to himself. "Fuck!"

He covered his eyes.

He paced his office until his knees hurt.

The fire burst green.

Severus whipped around—but it wasn't Hermione.

It was Draco and Alecto. Both of them were pale. Their clothes were torn.

"What happened?" he asked, voice sharper than he intended.

Draco leaned against a bookshelf. Severus saw bruises on his wrists. "They got away."

"It's your fault," Alecto spat at him. Her voice was hoarse.

Draco raged forward. Severus quickly stepped between them.

"What do you mean, they got away?" Severus measured each word carefully.

"My stupid—a house-elf we used to own came and grabbed them, along with a few other prisoners."

Alecto clutched Severus's arm. Her hand shook. "I'm sorry, Severus."

He turned his face to her.

She barely contained her tears. "I feel so stupid. We had them—we had them, and they were spirited away, right before the Dark Lord arrived."

Severus gripped her hand on his arm. "You did what you could." He said to Draco, "You both need rest. If you need anything for the pain, let me know."

Draco heaved himself away from the bookcase. His face was twisted in disappointment.

Alecto acted like she may stay, but she all but fled the room.

Before the door swung shut, Severus pulled Longbottom's coin from his pocket.

It had been blank for the past hour.

Longbottom had found another coin and, between then and now, given up asking Hermione for her status. It didn't seem anybody but Severus knew Hermione had been taken off the grounds.

Severus couldn't sit down.

Albus's acrylic eyes followed him.

The night wore on. The prickling in his Dark Mark wouldn't stop.

Severus drew his wand when the fireplace flashed green.

Ron Weasley stumbled from the hearth. Weasley froze when their eyes met.

Where the hell was Hermione?

"Hermione said being near you heals her. That true?"

"Yes."

Weasley slowly retrieved a coin from his pocket and slowly pulled his wand from the back of his jeans, eyes on Severus. Assured Severus wasn't about to hex him, he tapped the coin and stepped away from the fire.

"Why did Dobby not return here with her?"

Weasley had aged in the few months he had been on the run, and lost some weight. "Dobby is dead." He turned back to the fire to wait. "Knife."