Author's Notes: I have absolutely no idea where this came from. But it
came, so here it is.
Disclaimer: Not mine, never were mine, never will be mine.
Dedication: Teek. She knows why.
* * *
She watched them all.
From her vantage point of being next-to-invisible to most people, she watched them mingle and interact, watched their dramas, saw their secrets, knew their hidden needs and desires. She knew their hearts and minds, and lived through them.
She watched all the romantic liaisons from afar. She knew about them all. Knew about Colin Creevey's secret meeting with his Slytherin girlfriend. Saw the hidden, lust-laden glances between Padma Patil and Dean Thomas. Watched the easy friendship of Ernie Macmillan and Lavender Brown turn into love. Saw the cautious, covert looks and touches between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy.
She watched in silence as Hermione Granger slipped away time and again to her Potions Master lover in the dungeons. She smiled at the almost-hidden romance between Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. Saw the rough love of Hannah Abbot and Daphne Greenglass, and did not wonder at the strangeness of the pairings she saw.
She knew all the friendships, intricately woven between student and student, and teacher and teacher. Knew that Flitwick and Hagrid were best friends and could drink each other under the table, on the right night. Saw through his barbed comments to the genuine respect Snape felt for McGonagall. Saw the friendship between Neville Longbottom and Professor Sprout, begun through love of plants.
And yes, she saw their secrets also. The secrets that tried so desperately to be hidden, but were laid bare for her. She knew of Snape's desperate visits to his Lord. Saw Parvati Patil hide the fear she felt at being outstripped by her twin. Knew about Harry Potter's midnight wanderings, with or without his secret lover. Knew about Neville's desperate studying in the dark of the night to keep his place in the Advanced Potions course. Knew that Terry Boot was in danger of being removed from the Quidditch team.
She knew why Lucius Malfoy visited the school so often, secreting himself away in Dumbledore's office with the headmaster, Severus Snape, and Remus Lupin.
She knew that Malcolm Baddock bypassed the spells on the Restricted Section, and that he already had his Dark Mark.
She knew why the teachers started watching Harry Potter with concern.
She saw the looks they gave her, when they thought she wasn't looking, but she always was.
She watched. She watched everything, saw everything. Nothing escaped her notice; not Snape's pained walk, not the ring that appeared on Draco Malfoy's finger, not the books with which Hermione Granger tried to distract herself with.
She knew the end was coming.
She knew which side everyone allied him or herself with.
She saw everything, and remembered everything.
And when he came, when Hogwarts fell, as she had known it would, she waited for him. She sat in a corner, watching as always. She watched the remnants of the student body rounded up by Death Eaters and guarded carefully in the Great Hall. She saw the staff slain. She saw Dumbledore's defeat, saw Harry Potter fall with his lover. Saw Snape and Hermione Granger escape. Saw Neville Longbottom give his life to protect others.
Saw him come. Watched his eyes sweep over her, not noticing her at first, then saw his eyes hone in on her, frowning.
"Why don't you run, child?" he demanded. "Why aren't you afraid?"
She folded her hands in her lap. "Why should I be afraid of you, Tom?"
"Because we are enemies, Virginia."
"Are we?"
She rose, and looked the students over. They saw her now, she thought vindictively. She was not so invisible now, and they feared her for it.
"Patil and Thomas have a weakness for each other," she said softly, so only Tom could hear her. "The Patil sisters are no longer close, you cannot hold one over the other. Snape will not leave Hermione, so where you find her, you will find him."
"How do you know this, and why are you telling me?"
She turned and looked at him. "Because I'm invisible," she said softly. "But not to you."
He kissed her, and she gave away all their secrets for a sweet kiss. Because to him, she had never been invisible.
* * *
Disclaimer: Not mine, never were mine, never will be mine.
Dedication: Teek. She knows why.
* * *
She watched them all.
From her vantage point of being next-to-invisible to most people, she watched them mingle and interact, watched their dramas, saw their secrets, knew their hidden needs and desires. She knew their hearts and minds, and lived through them.
She watched all the romantic liaisons from afar. She knew about them all. Knew about Colin Creevey's secret meeting with his Slytherin girlfriend. Saw the hidden, lust-laden glances between Padma Patil and Dean Thomas. Watched the easy friendship of Ernie Macmillan and Lavender Brown turn into love. Saw the cautious, covert looks and touches between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy.
She watched in silence as Hermione Granger slipped away time and again to her Potions Master lover in the dungeons. She smiled at the almost-hidden romance between Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. Saw the rough love of Hannah Abbot and Daphne Greenglass, and did not wonder at the strangeness of the pairings she saw.
She knew all the friendships, intricately woven between student and student, and teacher and teacher. Knew that Flitwick and Hagrid were best friends and could drink each other under the table, on the right night. Saw through his barbed comments to the genuine respect Snape felt for McGonagall. Saw the friendship between Neville Longbottom and Professor Sprout, begun through love of plants.
And yes, she saw their secrets also. The secrets that tried so desperately to be hidden, but were laid bare for her. She knew of Snape's desperate visits to his Lord. Saw Parvati Patil hide the fear she felt at being outstripped by her twin. Knew about Harry Potter's midnight wanderings, with or without his secret lover. Knew about Neville's desperate studying in the dark of the night to keep his place in the Advanced Potions course. Knew that Terry Boot was in danger of being removed from the Quidditch team.
She knew why Lucius Malfoy visited the school so often, secreting himself away in Dumbledore's office with the headmaster, Severus Snape, and Remus Lupin.
She knew that Malcolm Baddock bypassed the spells on the Restricted Section, and that he already had his Dark Mark.
She knew why the teachers started watching Harry Potter with concern.
She saw the looks they gave her, when they thought she wasn't looking, but she always was.
She watched. She watched everything, saw everything. Nothing escaped her notice; not Snape's pained walk, not the ring that appeared on Draco Malfoy's finger, not the books with which Hermione Granger tried to distract herself with.
She knew the end was coming.
She knew which side everyone allied him or herself with.
She saw everything, and remembered everything.
And when he came, when Hogwarts fell, as she had known it would, she waited for him. She sat in a corner, watching as always. She watched the remnants of the student body rounded up by Death Eaters and guarded carefully in the Great Hall. She saw the staff slain. She saw Dumbledore's defeat, saw Harry Potter fall with his lover. Saw Snape and Hermione Granger escape. Saw Neville Longbottom give his life to protect others.
Saw him come. Watched his eyes sweep over her, not noticing her at first, then saw his eyes hone in on her, frowning.
"Why don't you run, child?" he demanded. "Why aren't you afraid?"
She folded her hands in her lap. "Why should I be afraid of you, Tom?"
"Because we are enemies, Virginia."
"Are we?"
She rose, and looked the students over. They saw her now, she thought vindictively. She was not so invisible now, and they feared her for it.
"Patil and Thomas have a weakness for each other," she said softly, so only Tom could hear her. "The Patil sisters are no longer close, you cannot hold one over the other. Snape will not leave Hermione, so where you find her, you will find him."
"How do you know this, and why are you telling me?"
She turned and looked at him. "Because I'm invisible," she said softly. "But not to you."
He kissed her, and she gave away all their secrets for a sweet kiss. Because to him, she had never been invisible.
* * *