At His Wit's End - Part 7 of A Woman Scorned (H/D, PG-13)
Title: At His Wit's End, Part 7 of A Woman Scorned
Author:
sesheta_66
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2797
Pairing/Characters: Harry/Draco, Hermione, Severus
Challenge:
hd_angst "Severus Snape"
Warnings: No beta. Please point out any errors you find.
Series Summary: Harry has been kidnapped; he tries to figure a way out, while the Ministry is looking for him, and Draco and Hermione work together to find some other way to get him back home.
Summary: Draco goes to Severus for help.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. They belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
Part 1 - A Valentine Surprise
Part 2 - The Plan
Part 3 - Without a Trace
Part 4 - A Beautiful Lie
Part 5 - Whatever It Takes
Part 6 - The Best Laid Plans
"Let's call it a day, Draco. I can't see straight," Hermione said as she closed yet another useless book.
"But we have to find something. We can't just abandon Harry."
"I know that, and we won't." Her tone was a mixture of frustration and hurt. "I just can't think any more. I need a break, and so do you. And by the looks of you, some food wouldn't hurt either."
"I have another idea. Let's talk to Severus."
"He's searching along with everyone else. We've been getting regular updates through Kingsley and Ron. What do you want to talk to him about?"
"It's just a feeling I get, Hermione. Like I'm missing something. And whenever I get like this, he's the person I call on for help."
"Do you really want to call him away from the search? He's the one most familiar with ways to hide, so they're counting on him. Do you really think it's something we should take him away for?"
"No. Yes. I don't know. All I do know is that I've got this feeling that there's something I'm not seeing. Something that's there, but I can't quite put my finger on it. And I just need to talk to Severus. For a few hours at most. I just need to." He felt defeated as he gave Hermione a pleading look.
He had no way to reach Severus, and he knew the Ministry wouldn't do anything for him. He had to rely on Hermione for this, and it frustrated him to no end. Dammit, he was the one who lived with Harry, yet they kept him on a short leash. Well, that was actually the reason they had done so, according to Hermione. He was too close to the situation, so he wasn't thinking clearly. His emotions were fogging his judgement, they had said. But Hermione and Ron were fine. This was bullshit! Of course he had freaked out at first, but that was then. He was perfectly rational now. Well, perhaps not perfectly rational, but rational enough. Merlin, he wanted to string Kingsley's ass up for this. Why hadn't they found Harry yet?
Hermione brought him back, looking at him sceptically. "I know I’m not making a good case for myself,” he continued. “I sound like I’m being selfish, like I want a shoulder to cry on, but that’s not it. Look, I’ve trusted my instincts in the past, and, while they are not foolproof by a long shot, they have served me well over the years. And right now, they’re screaming at me to contact Severus.”
“Alright,” she relented. “Let’s stop off at the Ministry and talk to Kingsley on our way back to your flat.”
“Actually, Hermione, I was hoping you could talk to Arthur instead. I don’t think Kingsley will take too kindly to being asked to pull a main resource off the case, just to answer to the call of a distraught man, desperate to find his lover. He already thinks I’m off my tree.”
“Well, can you blame him? After the way you lost it on the lot of them at the last briefing?” Her words may have been chastising, but her face was amused. “You really must warn me the next time you are going to call the crack investigation team a bunch of nifflers rooting around after fool’s gold, and their head of department the biggest fool, with his head up the leprechaun king’s arse.”
He snorted at the memory, as she continued. “I nearly fell off my chair laughing.” She cast him a stern look. “It wouldn’t do to have him believe that I actually agree with you!”
“Or Merlin forbid,” he replied dramatically, “that we actually get along.”
“Exactly. You do know that they expect me to keep you out of their way, right?”
“Yes,” he grumbled.
“So give a witch a warning next time, so I can brace myself, and look appropriately aghast at your outbursts.”
“Oh, alright,” he relented. “But you’re no fun!”
“Yes, well, you knew that about me a long time ago. I’m afraid you’re stuck with this boring witch for the duration.”
“I’m glad.”
“What?”
“I said I’m glad. No matter how much I may tease you, Hermione, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have by my side at a time like this.”
Hermione’s eyes started to well up at his declaration.
“Oh, don’t go getting all girly on me, woman! You’re brilliant, you’re tenacious, and you love Harry almost as much as I do.”
“And I’m not afraid to put you in your place.”
“Unfortunately, there’s that too.”
“And I cook a mean roast.”
“Yes, well ...”
“And I ...”
“Alright, already. We’ve established now that you’re wonderful. Let’s not get carried away with ourselves.”
Hermione laughed, nudging his shoulder with her own. “Fair enough.”
“Oh, and Hermione ...”
“I know, I know. This conversation never happened, and if I try to tell anyone it did, you’ll hex me,” she deadpanned.
“Too true.” They shared a smile.
“Now, would you mind terribly contacting Arthur to get word to Snape? He won’t listen to me, but he might do it if you ask.”
“Sure. Consider it done.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll go there on my way back to the flat. Why don’t you pick up some take-away, and I’ll meet you there in an hour.” At Draco’s desperate look, she added, “I can hardly pop in on my father-in-law to be and not have a cup of tea.”
“Right, then. See you in an hour.” An hour. Perhaps that would give him enough time to formulate some sort of coherent train of thought before talking to Severus.
“Hermione?” came the call of a familiar voice in the floo later that evening. "Miss Granger?"
“Severus, it's Draco. Thanks for responding so quickly. Please, come through,” Draco invited.
"I was to understand that Miss Granger had me pulled away from important business for some reason. Is she there?"
"No, she went out for the evening," he replied. Draco had thankfully managed to get her to leave him alone for a few hours. "Actually, I am the one that needs to speak with you. I had no way to reach you, so Hermione assisted. Please, come through."
“Really, Draco, can we not make this quick? I am, after all, out looking for Mr. Potter, along with everyone else.”
“Quick, perhaps, but I’d rather speak with all of you, if you don’t mind.”
Surly as always, Snape replied, “I do mind, but if you insist then very well.” Belying his statement and tone, when he emerged from the fireplace, he brushed the soot off his robes, then took Draco in an abrupt embrace. That small gesture was almost Draco’s undoing.
“Thank you for coming on such short notice, and for all the effort you are putting in to find Harry,” Draco said, leading him towards the sofa in the sitting room. “I took the liberty of preparing tea for us. You look like you could do with some decent food.” Snape looked at him curiously, but said nothing. “I know how you hate to eat on the run.”
Snape nodded his head in thanks, and helped himself to tea, and a plateful of assorted meats, breads, and cheeses. Once he settled back with his plate, he looked pointedly at Draco. “So, what is so important that you had to drag me away from the search?”
"Well, I don't quite know."
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Really, Draco. I thought you wanted Mr. Potter back. Pulling me away at a time like this is hardly prudent ..."
"I know, I know. It's just that ... well ... you know how I get when there's something nagging at me." Snape nodded, as if to say continue. "Well, that's just it. I know there's something I'm missing. Something that I should be doing, but I'm not."
"And is there something that is triggering this feeling? Is there some sort of trail that is leading you somewhere, and perhaps you have taken a wrong turn? Or you've not considered everything?"
"Again, I'm not sure. I think it has something to do with what Hermione and I are doing, but ..."
"And what exactly are you doing?" he asked.
"Well, nothing really. At least I feel like it's nothing. Certainly nothing productive." He met Snape's exasperated look with one of his own. "It seemed brilliant at the time she thought of it, but the longer we look, the more frustrated I become, and the more I feel like we're just wasting time, when we should be out there looking for Harry, not in some library."
Snape put down his tea and looked at Draco, giving him time to calm down. "As fascinating as your perspective is, Draco, I still haven't a clue what you're talking about. Perhaps if you could enlighten me, I could confirm your opinion of Miss Granger's latest foray into the world of investigation. Until then, I shall keep my opinions to myself. Now then ..."
"Right. Well, we were talking about the investigation, and how frustrated I am that they haven't found Harry yet ..."
"Clearly."
"Anyway, I couldn't understand how it was that the Ministry couldn't find them, when they have their magical signatures on file."
"As they have all of ours. Go on."
"We know that the weaselette planted an elaborate maze of portkeys, to throw us off the trail, but everyone is still convinced that they remain in the country. Hermione figures that they're living like Muggles, so we cannot trace them."
"Quite right. So far, you are not telling me anything I don't already know."
"Sorry. Well, during the course of our conversation, Hermione recalled that Harry had been caught doing magic out of school in the summer."
"Ah, yes, but precious Potter always managed to worm his way out ..."
"Severus. Could we focus here, please?" He received a grunt in reply. "Anyway, Hermione said that he performed the magic wandless."
"Performed might be a stretch. As I recall the story, it was uncontrolled magic that simply got away from him."
"Yes, well, be that as it may, Hermione thought she was on to something. She figures that if Harry did wandless magic, the Ministry could pick up his magical signature, and we could find them."
"The idea has merit."
"Well, I thought so at first too, but the problem isn't that simple to solve. We've been unable to find any examples of wizards casting any spells without a wand, besides basic ones that would be undetectable. I understand it has to be a powerful enough spell to be traceable."
"That is correct. It takes a sustained spell for the signature to be established."
"Right. So the wandless magic Harry did when he was in school was detectable. That's why the Ministry knew about it. We all know - don't bother arguing with me on this one - that Harry is a very powerful wizard. Hermione figures that if anyone could perform a strong enough spell, it would be Harry."
"Presuming this fascinating assessment is true, what pray tell do you believe you are missing?"
"Well, it's not enough to know that Harry can perform the magic. The problem is letting him know that he can do it. He hasn't a wand right now, and years of magical training taught us to channel our magic through our wands, so it is no longer natural for him to think of his magic as an entity separated from his wand. He likely wouldn't think to use it at all."
"You have a point there. So what do you expect from me?"
"I don't know. While Hermione has been searching for past examples of wizards and witches that have used wandless magic, I have been looking for some way to communicate with Harry without knowing where he is."
"And you have found nothing." It was a statement more than a question.
"And I have found nothing. I thought ... I hoped ... oh, I don't know ... I just know that whenever I feel like this, you are the one I call. You somehow manage to get me thinking things through, and you help me focus. I hate being helpless, Severus, and that's exactly how I feel. I am sick at the thought of Harry with that, that ... bitch! She has to be doing something to him to keep him there. Otherwise he would have broken free by now."
"Ah, but you forget."
"Forget what?"
"He cares for her."
"What?! He does not! He ..."
"Now, calm down Draco. I do not mean that he wants her in that way. I simply mean that he has a history with her. She is his best friend's sister. She loves him, in her own deluded way. He is a Gryffindor, remember. He is not out just to save himself. He would not wish to harm her, no matter what she is doing to him. So he will have to find a way out of his predicament without causing harm to his captor. That makes his situation much more difficult."
"Perhaps you are right."
"Perhaps?" Snape lifted his eyebrow. "Of course I'm right. He has a saviour complex - don't bother arguing the fact with me, as we both know it's true - and he will try to save her just as much as he tries to save himself. That is what you're up against."
"I hadn't thought of that."
"That much is obvious. I suspect, if it were you in the same predicament, that you would have manhandled her and been home the next day. However, Saint Potter - wasn't that your pet name for him in school? - won't have any of that."
"Very well," Draco agreed. He hadn't even considered the fact that Harry wouldn't want to hurt the she-weasel. They have a history together. What if she's able to rekindle something in Harry that used to be there? Oh, God, what if Harry ended up falling for her all over again? No, that wouldn't - it couldn't happen. Harry loves me. But what if the time away from me, and with her, changes his mind? What if she poisons him with all sorts of lies, and reminds him of all the awful truths about me? A whole new feeling of panic entered Draco's mind, causing his chest to ache. What if I really lose him?
"Draco?!"
"What?"
"I have been speaking, and you went off somewhere. What were you thinking?"
"Um ... er ... nothing. What were you saying?" Draco could hear the shakiness in his own voice.
Snape scowled, but continued. "I was asking you what you thought I could do to help. Obviously I cannot get word to Potter, as you well know."
"I'm not sure. Is there any potion or spell you know of that could enable me to contact Harry?"
"Well, there may be something, but as far as I know it only works in close proximity, and if both parties take it."
"Oh." He let his face fall into his hands, and struggled not to let the tears come.
"Draco, listen to me. I will look for you. And you keep looking as well. Where is it you are searching?"
"Hogwarts and the public library."
"Might I suggest you look a little closer to home?"
"You mean the manor?"
"That's exactly what I mean. Don't for a minute believe that you will find such dark spells and potions readily available to the public or students at Hogwarts, even in the restricted section. No, I think you'd do best to consult your father's tomes. And if you find anything, contact me immediately."
"How?"
"Here." He handed him a coin. "I have a similar one. Press the centre, and mine will heat up. As soon as I am able, I will contact you. Now, I'd best be on my way before I am missed."
"Thank you, Severus."
"Don't thank me yet. Just do what you can, and I will do the same."
"We're going to get him back, right?"
"We will." He gave Draco's shoulder a squeeze. "And Draco?"
"Yes?"
"He doesn't love her."
"I know, but ..."
"But he loves you. He will come back to you. Merlin help me, but I will make sure of it."
Draco smiled at that last comment, slightly relieved by Snape's unexpected declaration, as he watched the other man leave.
But as he sat alone in his flat, he kept replaying the words over and over again in his head: he cares for her ... they have a history ... he wouldn't want to harm her ... he cares for her ... he cares for her ... he cares for her.
Part 8 - Last Hope