Senses

Chapter 57

"Did you have to completely destroy it?" Severus was now ankle deep in water from the pool that had suddenly exploded through the magical protection of the suitcase. Water spilling out in torrents from the fractured side filling his chambers in seconds.

"You shouldn't have locked it." Hermione was doing absolutely nothing to aid him in the clean-up. Sitting on top of their bed with her legs crossed while she casually worked on stitching her coat.

"Now who's being insufferable?" Severus was beyond exhausted at this point and all his pleasantries where the woman was concerned were completely gone. His tone was sharp and had it been anyone else he was sure it would have sent them running for the farthest room in the castle to be away from him.

"Don't blame me for your actions." Hermione let out her own sharp-tongued retort, pulling the needle she'd been working with up to her teeth to break the thread. A soft sigh flopped her arms down over her coat where she leveled her still magically charmed red eyes on the man, " Even a caged lion has claws. Just be glad I didn't break the expansion charm completely."

"Small favors, that." Severus snarled at her one last time before leaning down to pick up some of the paper that was starting to float by, "You've destroyed our notes."

"It was a useless endeavor." Hermione leaned back against the pillows holding up her jacket to check her work.

Severus wanted very much to lash out at the flippant witch, a childish want indeed, yet he felt himself wounded by her words. Why couldn't she see that everything he had done was for her safety? Why couldn't she see the thin line he walked? Why was she constantly seeing to jumping on the thin cord?

"Besides, I have a better way of getting in."

"Such as?"

"Right through the front door." Hermione leaned over, pulling a long lock of his black hair from the pillow into her fingers, "I suspect you have your own vault?"

Severus' brows furrowed deeply and with a sharp flick of his wand the water that was growing disappeared in a small puff of smoke leaving the entire room waterlogged, "You can't very well expect to impersonate me?"

"Why not?" Hermione raised her chin, "All you need to do is make sure you're somewhere where you should be. With witnesses, reliable witnesses."

"Standing before the Dark Lord without reason is suicide."

"Then we'll give him a reason to hear you." Hermione slipped her legs over the side of the bed, her eyes running over the rather impressive bruise she'd left on his jaw, "What does the Dark Lord want now more than anything?"

"Potter."

"And?"

"To understand the power inside the elder wand."

"The latter of which I just happen to hold knowledge of." Hermione's cocky smirk quickly disappeared when the dark man covered the distance between them quicker than she could blink, his hand covering her mouth in a tight grip.

"Do not speak it." His words were sharper than ever, his dark eyes intense like the fires of hell, "You are not so clever."

Hermione's eyes widened when she realized that he too, held the precious information the Dark Lord sought. Of course, it shouldn't have really been a surprise. After all, she'd found the information inside one of the books in his rooms. It was then the pieces of the last few hours started to fall into place. She didn't know the particulars but she understood the man before her well enough.

Severus' hand snapped back when she'd stuck her tongue out to lick his palm. His face showing how uncomfortable he was by her action before he wiped his hand on his slacks.