The Serpent and the Lioness

Chapter 11

Severus slowly came to his feet, the fur pulling back from his face revealing a murderous look all his own. He was beyond livid, the girl had nearly gotten herself killed! What could she possibly be thinking!?

"What are you doing here?" His voice was deep, a bit of the lion still in his throat as he came to stand before her.

The woman trembled against the tree as she tried to understand just what she was seeing. She blinked dumbly at him for a few long seconds.

"You...you're a..." The blood still dripping from her mouth made her words slightly gurgled. The adrenaline in her system was keeping her standing but her brain was mush.

"Go on, spit it out." He snarled, he hadn't been proud to find out his animagus had been a lion. In fact, ever since he had completed the training to be one, he had only transformed on two occasions. It wasn't like his animagus was easily disguised but it had come in handy for surviving in the wilderness and for hunting for food.

Only he and Dumbledore had known what his form was, and when the late man had given him the task of securing the Forbidden forest from werewolves and other rather malicious creatures he used the form to complete the task. Since then, he'd never found another use for it. He was surprised he had even been able to complete the transformation so fluidly when he made the decision to hunt for food. He'd been at it for three days when he came across the werewolf.

He had smelled him for miles off and curious had come closer. The scuffle between the wolf and the woman had peeked his interest. He hadn't known initially who, or what the werewolf had been chasing until he came to the clearing.

"A lion." Hermione couldn't keep the smile from forming over her bloody lips. She blinked and put her hand to her throbbing mouth. Pressing the sleeve of the frock coat to the bruised flesh, she looked at him with mirth in her eyes.

"Very, observant," His sarcasm could have covered the entire forest in syrup, his eyes narrowed more, "I ask again, Miss Granger, why are you here?"

She made a bit of a face at his harsh tone and pulled the sleeve back, to speak properly, the blood was starting to slow enough that she could swallow it down instead of spit it out of her mouth, "I was looking for you." Her eyes met his and she lifted her chin just a bit. "I..." Why had she been following him? She raised a hand absently to her heart. "I...that is..."

Her words were further stalled when a series of heads and shouts rounded the rise the left, both she and Snape turned to see Auros scanning the area. Severus moved swiftly behind a tree and out of sight, he looked at the girl as if she were responsible.

"Go. Home." He growled, a black smoke forming around him as he silently apparated away.

When he landed back at his camp site her thoughts flooded into his mind like a raging river, the first thought he was able to discern made him feel guilty for leaving her behind.

I have no home.

Three swift flicks collapsed his campsite. The guilt over her words rested heavily on his soul. He lifted his eyes to a signal flare rising over the tree tops off in the distance and could hear more shouting. He lingered for just a moment conflicted but he had to do what was best for her. He had to do what was right, even if it wasn't easy. With remorse on his face, he was gone.