Harry and Ron had barely gotten to the train station before they were attacked by Hermione. She squeezed them both so tightly they thought their heads were going to pop off. She hadn't gotten the chance to see them before the feast or talk to them, so she was anxious to be told what had gone on without her. They were both happy to see her, as it had been hard the last few days.
"You must tell me everything!" Hermione exclaimed. "We'll have the whole train ride to talk and you can't leave anything out."
Harry and Ron smiled at each other. They did have a lot to tell her. They told her about the Chamber of Secrets and Lockhart right away while they were standing there waiting to board the train. Once they were on board and settled into their own compartment, they told her the rest of the story. Hermione got so emotional that she cried when Harry told her about Ginny and she was shocked when she learned that Voldemort had used Ginny to come back to full power.
"She was the one who took it!" she said.
Harry and Ron both nodded. Harry proceeded to tell her about Professor Snape coming after them down into the chamber and saving them from Lockhart's memory charm. He ended the story with his and Ron's latest adventure, going into detail about how he had called out to his mother and she had saved them from the clutches of death once again.
"My goodness!" Hermione cried. "I'm glad you and Ron are okay, but is he alright? Professor Snape?"
"You saw him," Ron reminded her. "At the feast."
"Oh, right. I nearly forgot with everything else Dumbledore was saying. He was sitting next to Professor Evans."
"I'm just glad Harry got away from You-Know-Who. I can't believe he's back."
"His name is Voldemort, Ron," Harry told him.
"I know. I just don't like to say it. He gives me the creeps. Not to mention that everytime someone says his name everyone around them looks like someone just ran a finger down their spine."
Harry grinned. He knew it was true. He was about to tell Ron when a loud pop suddenly rang out, causing the three of them to nearly jump out of their skin. Harry's eyes widened in surprise when he saw who it was standing there in the middle of their compartment. It was someone he thought he would never see again.
"Dobby!" he cried. "What are you doing here?"
The small elf smiled at him. "Dobby came to thank you, Harry Potter."
Harry was confused. He wasn't aware that he had done anything for him. "What for?"
Dobby wrung his hands. "Dobby had been set free for his loyalty to Harry Potter instead of to his wizard family. Mistress Malfoy was furious when her husband was taken to prison. She set Dobby free with one condition."
"What's that?"
"Mistress said that Dobby had to do one last thing. Dobby has to deliver a message to Harry Potter."
Harry stared at him. Dobby seemed extremely nervous. He was still fidgeting with his hands. "Just tell me, Dobby. It's okay."
He sighed. "Dobby has to tell you that no matter how safe Harry Potter thinks he is, he isn't safe. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will get him and the Malfoy family will help."
Hermione gasped and Ron's eyes stretched in shock. Harry swallowed hard. He figured they would come after him. Why wouldn't they? Lucius was a Death Eater. It only made sense that his family would follow in his evil footsteps. Harry looked the elf straight in those bright, green orbs he had come to know so well.
"Thank you, Dobby. I appreciate you bringing the message to me. I'm just glad that you're free."
"Dobby is glad too. Harry Potter is safe and Dobby is free. How can Dobby ever repay him?"
Harry smiled. "I didn't do anything. But if you really want to know how, Dobby, promise me you'll never try to save my life again."
Dobby smiled and nodded. That was good enough for Harry at the moment. He bid goodbye to him and Dobby disappeared with a snap of his fingers.
Hermione smiled. "House elves are so cute."
"They are," Harry agreed.
"Cute? He just brought Harry a death sentence!" Ron exclaimed. He didn't care about the elf being cute. He was more worried about what he had to say. "What are you going to do about his warning, Harry?"
He sighed wearily. "I don't know. I guess I'll just have to be extra careful. But I should be safe with Mum around."
Ron nodded with a smile. "I'd say you will be, but what about school?"
"I'll just have to make sure I watch myself."
"And we'll watch you too," Hermione declared. "We always do."
He nodded. It was true. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys." Hermione and Ron always had his back. There were the best friends in the world.
~ * ~
Alaina hadn't taken her eyes of of him since she and Severus had boarded the train. He was laid back on the seat, a pillow beneath his head. His eyes were closed, but she doubted he was sleeping. His forehead was creased like he was thinking about something. She was thinking about something that he had said when they were in Dumbledore's office. The words wouldn't leave her alone. I'm a marked man, he'd said. She watched him intensely as if willing him to sit up so they could talk. She couldn't imagine how tired he was though, after all he had been through. As if Severus could hear her thoughts, his eyes fluttered open. He looked over at her and smiled.
"If you don't stop looking at me like I'm going to shatter, you're going to make me really self-conscious," Severus said softly.
She smiled shyly. "You noticed."
"I'm efficient at securing my surroundings, noticing things other people do not."
"I see that." She sighed. "Severus, I just can't get it out of my head."
"What?"
"That you're a marked man. Those words just won't leave me alone."
He sat up slowly. She told him not to, but he did anyway. "I'm going to be fine."
"You don't know that," she argued.
Severus motioned for her to come and sit beside of him. Alaina moved from her seat over to his happily. She needed comforting right now. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it affectionately. "I'm going to be with you until I get better. I trust you with my life, Alaina."
She glanced over at him, her cheeks flushing with color. He could always make her blush. "I know you do and I trust you with mine, but what if I'm not there when Voldemort decides to kill you? He can find you anywhere, Severus. James and Lily's death was proof of that. They were magically hidden and he still found them."
"They put their trust in the wrong person. I won't make that mistake. The only people I trust are you and Dumbledore. But if you're so worried then I guess you're just going to have to keep Harry and I by your side at all times." His tone was light and he was smiling. He had meant the statement to lighten the mood, but it was a failed attempt.
"I just don't want anything to happen to you. I wouldn't be able to stand it. I couldn't- No, I won't live without you."
Severus caressed the side of her face. His touch was soft and sensual. "I won't live without you either. I don't want anything to happen to you. Look, Alaina. I'm used to living dangerously. That's the life of a double agent, dangerous and unpredictable."
Alaina sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. "I never should have gotten so attached to you."
"I'm glad you did. I'd be a different man right now if you hadn't."
She frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Voldemort threatened you. He said he should have gotten it right the first time and he wouldn't make that same mistake again. Alaina, I wouldn't let him near you or Harry. I don't care what I have to do."
Alaina kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Thank you."
He smiled. "Although, judging by the way you took Lucius down, I'd say you're going to be just fine. Albus told me before he started the feast."
She chuckled. "He never could keep anything to himself." Then her smile faded. "I thought you were dead. I thought he had killed you, Severus. I was so...angry. All I could see was red. Revenge. That was the first time I have lost it since I left the hospital. Even when Voldemort attacked my family I managed to keep it together. But when I saw you lying there on the grass so still, I snapped. If Dumbledore hadn't grabbed my shoulders when he did I-I would have killed Lucius before I even realized what I was doing."
Severus placed his arm around her slender shoulders and hugged her close. "It's alright. You would have stopped yourself in time. You're not a killer."
"But I would kill for you."
He stared at her for a moment, unsure of what to say. Should he be flattered or frightened? When he finally came up with something, he chose his words very carefully. "I never want you to have to kill for me, Alaina. For me or even to avenge me. It would change you in ways that you couldn't possibly imagine. You would be miserable. Trust me. I've never killed anyone, but I've come close and I felt horrible."
She nuzzled her head into his chest. "I know it would be horrible. I could never sleep again probably."
"That's because you are a good person."
"So are you."
He smiled. "You are too kind to me."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Severus's smile remained. He knew she loved him and how much he loved her. She was his world and she meant more to him than his own life ever would.