𝙻𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍 II SS/HG ✔️

Assurances

Now that Severus was headmaster, it afforded him more downtime. Hermione was grateful.

The past two weeks had…not been the best. Hermione stayed on the couch a lot. She missed classes. And all her friends. And her mum and dad. The only good things to happen were destroying a Horcrux and rescuing Luna from Malfoy Manor. She, Harry, and Ron were all safely at Shell Cottage, along with the goblin Griphook and Mr Ollivander.

Hermione spent a lot of time tracking Severus, Neville, and Ginny on the Map. Neville and the Creevey brothers and Seamus all moved into the Room of Requirement. The number of kids in there increased every day.

Hermione worried about Ginny, as one of the few remaining Army members to go to class. And she was especially worried when she saw her tiny footprints pause outside the entrance to the headmaster's tower. Was she in trouble?

The footsteps made a tight circle as Ginny wound her way up the revolving staircase.

Hermione scrambled from her spot and Summoned her Extendable Ear. As the flesh-coloured device wiggled under the door, Hermione heard Severus's voice bid Ginny enter.

.

Severus wondered what fresh hell Miss Weasley was set to unleash when she walked into his office.

She and Mr Longbottom had been quite the rabble-rousers this past month.

"In trouble again, Miss Weasley?" he snapped.

Weasley stopped in front of his desk. The hands gripping the handle of her satchel were scabbed and calloused from detentions with the Carrows.

She pulled the strap over her head and set the bag on his desk.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. Something poisonous in her bag, perhaps? Explosive?

"This is Hermione's bag."

He really should've Obliviated her as soon as Potter and the other Weasley ran off.

"She said to give the Cloak to you if she didn't make it back."

"If this is indeed her Invisibility Cloak," he said as he stood, "then you are quite the fool, aren't you?"

Miss Weasley grit her teeth. "Did she come back?" she asked, just the other side of civil. "Do you know where she is?"

The girl's eyes kept darting to the Sword of Gryffindor, back in its repaired case.

So she was here to scope out his office. "I do not know nor care where she is, Miss Weasley. Now return to class."

Miss Weasley lifted her chin and turned back towards the door.

Based on the way she twitched, she also saw the disembodied ear slipping under the door.

Miss Weasley turned to him to give a very unimpressed stare. Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. "I suppose that answers your question?"

The witch cracked a grin. "The Cloak really is in the bag. Sir."

"Get. Out."

"We both saw the ear, Mione," Miss Weasley murmured right as she made it to the door. "Do try to live up to the twins' standards." Then she shut the office door behind her.

Severus dropped into his seat. Far too many people knew about this marriage.

.

Hermione cracked open the sitting room door.

Ginny's body slumped with relief. "Bloody hell, Mione, you had us so bloody worried."

"Keep walking, Miss Weasley," Severus's sharp voice instructed.

The two girls giggled under their breath. Ginny skittered down the stairs. Hermione shut the door with a click.

Hermione returned to the couch. There was finally a new Potions Weekly for her to read. She only scratched at the bandages wrapped around her arm a few times.

.

Severus stood in front of the Pensieve. Albus watched him.

He pulled string after string from his memories. Any happy memory between him and Lily. The plans Albus made for Potter. The things both men had kept from Harry.

A few memories of Hermione laughing even though Severus had not intended to make it happen. The two arguing about Crookshanks and being his 'father.' The two facing down Moody at the holiday party.

Anything Potter needed to make his decision. Anything he needed to trust Severus.

After he was done, Severus found Hermione contentedly reading near a low fire in the grate.

Severus held out a vial no wider than his thumb.

Hermione squinted at the silver glow. "What is—"

Her eyes widened and darted up to his face. "Severus, what is that?" she asked sharply.

She knew what it was.

Hermione shook her head and scooted away from him. "No. I can't."

"Why," he asked, "do you think we were married?"

He saw her breath quicken.

"You will no doubt be wherever he is, at any given moment."

"When—when do I give it to him?"

Severus held the vial in his hand, but let it rest on the arm of the couch.

"Once people start dying, I assume."

She shook her head and didn't stop.

"Take it."

"If I take it," she choked out. She hung her head as her face scrunched. "You'll—run off and do something stupid."

"You can take this now, or I put it on my desk for you to find later." He lifted it up again and held it before her face.

She used her thumb to wipe her eyes.

They were still red, with splotches underneath, when she snatched the bottle from his hand.

"This had better be unbreakable."

"Obviously."

She tucked it into her bra.