Blossom ➵ A Snamione Fanfic

chapter six

Conjuring a spell such as the tracking spell was particularly easy to do, but the spell had to be spot on to work. It wasn't an impossible feat but it did require a skillful or powerful witch or wizard to conjure it so that the location was absolutely right.

The sun was slowly setting, falling beneath the horizon in a mist of yellow, amber and bronze. Severus raised his wand, and pronounced very clearly,

"Captura Lux."

A flow of pale red light flew from the wand and formed a circle around Severus and Hermione. The red spark then shot out of the window and flew into the open air. It went on for as far as either of them could see.

"I guess we'll have to follow that trail." Hermione said bluntly and without emotion in her voice. She grabbed for her bag and for her wand that lay on the desk of drawers near to the door. Severus was shuffling through his suitcase to make sure that he hadn't left anything of importance in their room. God forbid what would happen if he left his address book or his notepad, then that mad woman Beatrice would show at his front door declaring her love for him.

"If you are ready, we should go. We can apparate to a hotel closer to our trail and carry on tomorrow," Severus said whilst putting on a jacket. When he heard no response from Hermione he called out her name.

"Hermione, are you okay? You seem to be elsewhere?" The concern in his voice was cleverly covered up by the harsh tone in which he used to speak. Hermione smiled weakly.

"I'm..don't worry, I'm just a bit anxious that's all." She smiled again but Severus was not fooled. He stepped, just close enough, and grabbed her hands. She needed a little encouragement and maybe just a small boost in confidence.

"Hermione, I know that this is daunting. I understand that you have probably never done anything like this and that there is an immense amount of pressure on you, both of us in fact. I also understand that I am the last human being that you would want to be stuck with at a time like this but just remember that you are doing a truly honourable action Hermione. There's nothing to be afraid of alright?"

She looked up at him from under her long lashes. Her heart was beating at an abnormal rate just from the words that came out his mouth.

"Thank you Severus. I needed that." Hermione wrapped her arms around his midsection and gave him a tight hug. He responsed around a second later, wrapping his arms around her small frame. He inhaled her scent - an intoxicating concoction of vanilla and what he presumed to peppermint.

When she let go, despite having a small blush on her cheeks, she let her gaze fall on his eyes.

"Let's go then, I want to get started before I can change my mind." She said with a nervous laugh. She zipped up the parka that she had on and gave her hair one more smooth pat.

After leaving their room, they took to tiptoeing down the stairs. It was only six pm, guests would be having their tea by now and where there was food and people, there was Beatrice, a lady whom Severus wanted to desperately avoid. She was a touchy lady, and he did not like strangers touching him, even if it was only a hug. They reached the little reception desk by the main corridor unseen. Hermione handed over the key, and they carried on walking until the door. With a sigh of relief, Severus opened the door.

"Lacey and Hugh Hunter! Where on earth are you going at this time. Tea is being served right now. Get back and eat!" Beatrice's plump body attempted to grab at Severus's hand but he yanked it back.

"What is your infatuation with my body? Are you always this touchy or do you just take profound care into annoying me?" Severus hissed. Beatrice gasped loudly and placed a palm on her heart.

"Hugh Hunter! How dare you talk to your Aunt Beatrice like that," She looked hurt but Severus could not care one little bit.

"Sod off you senile bat." He shouted at her, and Hermione was trying her best, honestly, not to laugh.

Severus stormed out the door angrily and Hermione followed him.

"That woman.." He muttered quickly. They had began to follow the faded red spark down a cobbled little street. Severus had taken to walking in long strides and his companion was struggling to walk on her own, let alone keep up with him.

"Hey.. Severus! Wait up..you're too fast," Hermione said in ragged pants. He turned around swiftly and paused. Hermione caught up to him, and grabbed his hand.

"What are you doing?" He asked quietly, he didn't want to have Hermione holding his hand for the journey. It was hard enough covering up his feelings just when he was looking at her.

"We are still apparating, right?" She asked skeptically. Severus looked up at the red spark which was soaring ahead of them both.

"We cannot apparate now. It's dark, and we do not know where the spark will lead us. I suppose we'll have to go through that path," He pointed to a brown path in the distance, lit by nothing but the moon and the faded light that came from the spell. "And hope that we are lead to a place nearby."

Hermione gulped as they grew closer to the pathway. It looked pitch black and disheveled with debris from broken bricks falling in a scatter.

Hermione gripped Severus's arm tightly. She was afraid to go in the darkness, but then she took a look at Severus and realised that she wasn't alone.

He was with her.

They approached the pathway and walked in casually, as if it didn't look like a scene from Dracula. Suddenly, light burst from a little further down the path, a light so bright that they were both temporarily blinded. Severus's head pounded heavily and he felt panicked. His worst fear was beginning to play out in front of him. What if he couldn't protect Hermione?

"Hermione, do not let go whatever you do don't-"

He heard her scream loudly and then a thump, as if she was being hit over the head. He thrust his wand into his hand and turned around.

A burly, herculean man with tufts of silver hair looked back at him. He was hauling a limp body roughly through the muddy track and near to some trees.

In no time Severus was up on his feet. He ran after the man, but he didn't realise that the man wasn't alone.

No, Severus hadn't noticed the faint sound of twigs breaking and jagged breaths behind him.

The man stopped pulling Hermione and instead, just stood there with a smile etched on his ugly face.

"Alright big boy? Pretty little thing you've got with you. Does she normally wear tight clothes or did she know that she'd be running into me?" He laughed maniacally.

"Get your filthy hands off her." Severus growled possessively. He had never felt so fueled, so possesive over someone, but then again, this was Hermione. He wasn't going to let anyone touch her.

"What are you going to do big boy? Make me cry? I think I'm going to take your little girlfriend away and have a nice time with her," His laughter grew more manic, and Severus raised his wand ready to harm whoever this man was.

But Severus had no chance to attack. He felt a bash against his head and he had a chance to yell out before he plunged into the darkness.

A/N

Yes, that just happened.
Don't worry, I've got many mad things planned for this story and this is just the first.

Thank you so so so much for nearly 300 reads, I hope those of you who are still reading are having a good time. Next chapter will be longer, I just thought that this was a good place to end.

love

anya