Hermione shook her head and hugged Ginny again. Ginny always tended to break out terrible jokes about herself when she was in the hospital.
When Hermione departed, Ginny was fully ensconced in the attentions of Harry and her brothers and under the watchful eye of Poppy and Padma.
Moody sent word that Severus would be home at two o'clock so Hermione apparated there a few minutes early and then approached Spinner's End carefully. How any place could be so dreary even in summer never ceased to baffle Hermione. It was as though Severus' personality were contagious.
The door was shut. Hermione rapped quietly and then waited. Since he was no longer a professor, even Severus' most basic courtesy had entirely vanished. He would occasionally leave Order members waiting at his doorstep for an hour. Fred and George had once tried to just break in and came back to Grimmauld Place sporting boils across their entire bodies.
Hermione stood waiting for two minutes before pulling a book out and resigning herself.
She had made it through two chapters of her psychology book before the door abruptly jerked open. She stood up quickly and followed the billowing robes that were already vanishing around the corner into the sitting room.
Severus was already seated in one of his agonisingly uncomfortable armchairs when Hermione arrived. She perched on the very edge of another chair and looked at him
“A goblin-wrought blade infused with basilisk venom. Would it be enough to destroy a horcrux?” she asked, similarly choosing to skip the basic courtesies of small talk.
Severus blinked, his onyx eyes always inscrutable. She could almost see the occlumency walls behind them.
“The sword of Gryffindor,” he said after a moment.
Hermione nodded.
“I believe it would,” he said slowly, steepling his fingers and looking thoughtful. “Although we won't know for sure unless we find a horcrux.”
Hermione nodded with a faint sigh. Severus' lip curled slightly and he snorted faintly.
“At times like this… I wonder just how much Albus manipulated events over the years,” he said.
Hermione stared at him in surprise. “You think second year was intentional?”
He waved her off with a flick of his wrist.
“With Albus, it's impossible to say. But it is mysteriously convenient that we happen to have such a weapon within our grasp,” Severus said, then his expression grew harsh. “He was always quite confident about his skills of manipulation. Perhaps if he had been less opaque we would not be losing the war.”
“What do you mean?”
Severus looked at her.
“You are aware his injury from the ring was terminal. I had been preparing potions to keep the curse at bay, but his death was inevitable the moment he placed it on his hand. He planned his demise for the end of sixth year. He even requested that I kill him, rather than leave him to the final ravages of the curse. He also suspected before the term began that Draco had been assigned to try killing him as well.”
Hermione stared in shock.
“Albus was so confident that he had everything in hand that he didn't take sufficient precautions,” Severus continued, “I cannot imagine that he would have neglected to mention the horcruxes after being cursed by one. He likely intended to inform Potter through a series of vague hints. He knew far more about the Dark Lord's early years than anyone, but he never deigned to confide such things to others.”
Severus' expression grew bitter and far away as he fell silent.
“He knew Draco was going to try to kill him?” Hermione asked, floored by the revelation.
“Knew. Suspected,” Severus said with a faint nod. “It was hard to differentiate when it came to Albus, but yes, he was anticipating it. Unfortunately for all his plans, Draco acted much more quickly and decisively than even Albus anticipated. You would think a wizard so old would have been more meticulous, but clearly not. His overconfidence was to the detriment of all who survived him.”
Severus glanced at Hermione.
“What made you suddenly think of the sword of Gryffindor?” he inquired, his tone suspiciously casual.
Hermione met his eyes.
“An injury that I encountered gave me the idea,” Hermione said.
“Indeed,” Severus said with an arch expression.
Hermione gave him a look. “You know about Draco's punishment.”.
“Of course. I had the delightful task of milking Nagini for the venom. Alastor mentioned that you've been treating him. I was surprised to hear it.”
“It's not as though he could hide the injury. Did you realise how severe it is? Tom intended to poison his magic with it. By the time I found out—,” Hermione fell silent for a minute. “I wish you would have informed me, so I could have started sooner.”
Severus was silent and appraising as he studied Hermione.
“You're using it,” he finally said.
Hermione flushed faintly and met his eyes.
“Yes,” she said. “It seemed like the logical thing to do. You were right, he is isolated. He nearly jumped out of his skin the first time I put my hands on him to heal him.”