Chapter One
I dedicate this story to all my friends and my loved ones. The people in my life that make everyday interesting and fill my heart with such love. Thanks for always being there and also to Anthony my new editor thanks for all your help.
Lullaby
The train rolled to a quick stop at Hogsmeade with a shuddering jolt, it seemed that even magic could not fix this train, it was so old it seemed that it would almost fall apart if were not held together with magic. Following her two best friends silently, her head down they headed to the carriages that were awaiting them the doors open welcoming them to the warmth that they would give the passenger. But this year she was finally able to see the animals that were pulling the carriage.
She had remembered when Harry had asked about some mysterious winged creatures and she had thought he had gone crazy. But as soon as the creatures came up in Care of Magical Creatures she believed him. There was a reason though that a person could see these creatures, when finally seeing someone die will your site for these animals be created. They looked like such scary creatures but still looked so beautiful, like for Hagrid he seemed so scary and big, but was for a fact a friendly giant. He was the most caring man she had ever known, who wouldn't even hurt a fly. For years so far the man had always looked out for all the of them trying to keep the other two out of trouble.
Harry had told her they ran wild in the Forbidden Forest, maybe she would go there sometime and see them, just as Luna would do sometimes. At least she would be able to find some quiet in her now hectic life. Read a good book and enjoy some free time instead of staying in the library all the time. Ron and Harry were looking at her weird and she realized that she was just standing there looking at the animals, so getting into the carriage she closed her eye for a minute and took a deep breathe, she just hoped that school was going to be okay, for right now her brain was in a million different places. At the moment the next step she was going to take was uncertain to her.
She could see the lighted windows in the darkness; they shone like a beacon of home. The only home she had left right now, the only place were she fit in sort of. Pushing back her bangs yet again they were so annoying, she had let Ginny cut her hair she did it really good but too fancy for her. It made her eyes seem so much bigger and her cheeks more prominent. For the first time when she had looked in the mirror after Ginny had finished she gasped, she looked gorgeous.
She thought of all the things in her trunk that she had needed to buy this year, with what little money she did have left. It was a good thing she would work this year she could make some money and keep herself out of poverty. There were so many things on her shoulders and it seemed that everything just kept getting more burdening and more burdening each day. Even with Dumbledore being there trying to help it still felt so overwhelming to her. When she had been younger she had never thought of all the responsibilities that an adult had. Her parents had always told her to focus on her studies and to forget about prices just to do well in school. Now it was all coming into reality that she was now an adult, forced to grow up and lead her own life.
This morning when she had met the boys at the platform they had embraced her tightly, for only Ginny had been allowed to see her over the summer. The boys had been in training, she was thankful for that she didn't think she would survive with them pestering her all the time. She had stood motionless she couldn't hug them, she felt so bad so much in pain she was afraid that she would transfer her pain to them. Every since she had been little she had hated physical contact, she had kept away from all those things by being perfect in school. She had hugged the boys once or twice in the past six years but didn't like to be touched, she liked to keep to herself, and would rather be ignored than applauded and congratulated. Even in the first year when she had helped to win the house cup people had applauded her and she had felt so embarrassed. For people to direct their attention upon her made her uncomfortable, so she tried to avoid it to any extent.
Stretching her neck she could feel the headache starting to build, she had forgotten her potions for head aches in her trunk which were probably now in her rooms already, being stored away by the elf's. She had given up on fighting for their freedom it seemed that they were quite happy serving people, some elves though got their way and freedom and as you could say advertised their services. She was just happy she was able to help a couple. A couple is better than none.
She wondered how her friends would react when they found out what she would be doing this year, would they be happy or mad. She hoped they would be happy for this was what she wanted to do, both of them wanted to be Aurors and had expected her to join in on there plans but she just didn't feel like fighting evil, she just wanted a nice peaceful life. After everything that had happened to her she was done with it all. A great future full of long hours of work, hopefully paper work and potions for that was her specialty. She didn't want to keep being in their shadows all the time keeping them out of trouble. Most days that's what it seemed she did help them but she never got anything in return. It was as if she was surrounded by friends but yet she felt alone, without anyone beside her in the things that she had to face. She could feel the ache in her heart, a need of something, but she just didn't know what it was.
Finally the carriage came to a stop in front of the gates and they all got out and entered. As soon as she stepped in the castle she could feel the warmth seep into her body fill her with happiness but sleepiness? She could rest now she was safe, home.
He sneered as he looked at all the students piling into the great hall, glaring at a few kids he wished hadn't come back. He glared at a few that dared to look at him for so long and they quickly turned frightened. With one look he could frighten anyone; he was a hard man, raised one and cared as one. There was nothing that would ever change that fact. No matter how long Dumbledore had bothered him to lighten up he wouldn't, these were the future, the leaders of tomorrow and if they weren't taught with a strong hand they would become ruffians for the rest of their life. Jokers running around uncontrolled, there was one thing he demanded was order and obedience.
He knew it was his job to teach them and teach them he did but it was just a chosen few that chose not to learn or just could not get the point. A bigger bunch of dudder heads. Dumbledore had told him that this year he would have more help with his classes for he was always being called to meetings more and more often. It just meant the movement was going faster than what he expected. More and more Order members would be here this year to help guard the golden trio. He snorted; those were the three he could not stand above all of them. Potter the chosen boy, always being the hero, Ron the one that was the biggest idiot of the group with his flaming red hair who was always at Grangers beck and call if she wanted. Always right, always studying, he had never seen such excellent work before, not even he as a child could beat her scores she got information that sometimes he didn't even know about. As Dumbledore had stated a many times she was truly gifted, but still a little know-it-all, with her rat nest hair and baggy clothes. As Dumbledore stated she had powers that even he could not uncover, but her future was for sure to be full of power and knowledge. The day when he finally had to admit that she was the brightest witch ever would be the day he died, he hoped.
Suddenly his eyes were drawn to the doors as the golden trio came in, Harry Potter, and it looked like Ginny Weasley was holding hands with him. He wondered when the two would finally hook up, the way they were always looking at each other. He knew they had been an item before, but when he had told the young man about using anyone that was close to him to pull him out and kill him he had dumped the little girl immediately. He had remembered a many days when he found the young girl crying her eyes out over the insufferable little brat in the hallway, he had been more than happy to deduct points from her house or give her a detention, which made everything worse for the girl. As he liked to say he gave his students backbone to deal with the other terrible people worse than himself out there.
The older Weasley though was staring off into the distance. That child had a head full of stones, he had never encountered someone so stupid, he was skilled in fighting maybe not as much as Potter, Potter usually survived on luck not brains.
But what finally drew all his attention was Granger; he sat up erect at the sight of her. What had happened to her?
Her hair was in a tight bun, but she looked incredibly tall, like an amazon as she stood there with her friends. Her long tan legs seemed to stretch for miles below her skirt, toned and nice, but yet a little chunky. He thought it was just the way a girl should be, not all skin and bones but to at least have a little bit of meet on herself. Even from so far away he saw ever detail in her face, it was absolutely amazing. He had never known her to be all that attractive yet he didn't want to look away.
Slapping himself he shook his head, what was he just doing thinking about know it all Granger like that. Completely disgusting, how could he ever think that, and besides he was her teacher. She would always be just the stupid little know it all always handing in the best and correcting everyone, and helping that stupid Longbottom all the time with his potions.
Dumbledore stood up and everyone went silent and he drew his attention to him. The man that was always sticking his long nose into everyone's business, like recently during an order meeting he brought up how he seemed so lonely and maybe it was good to go and get a girlfriend. He just glared at the man but he went on, about getting a younger girl so he would not get bored like he always complains about. He had to admit that most of the women he met were just women he knew as a death eater. They were usually older and far from innocent; he had never been with an innocent and was glad that he would never have to. For what innocent would find him attractive he was getting older and older what person would find a sexual interest in him if it was not forced.
They were there to please and be pleased, they liked it his way, rough and rougher. He had always been a hard man and would stay like that. Besides who would want to date him he was almost forty, middle aged. What it would be like if he could go back in time, to when he was younger, especially before he got his nose magically broken and could not be repaired. That was his trade mark, the hooked nose bat professor. After years of having the name he stopped getting mad over it, but in fact the name scared most first years.
Hermione's mind wandered as she just stared into her lap, twiddling her thumbs thinking. Not really thinking at all just spacing out, not really understanding anything. She felt weary, like all the nights she couldn't sleep were creeping up on her now. She didn't even notice as the first years were sorted and were already seated. Then she thought of well she just thought, random things crept into her mind and she thought about them. It was like her brain couldn't stop functioning. Rubbing her eyes, she tried to get rid of the sleep. Dumbledore drowned on again but she was in her own world.
She didn't hear the words around her as she looked down at her legs as she looked at her rather large thighs; she wished they weren't so big. As a child she always had a healthy diet she wouldn't call herself fat but rather big, she wasn't like the other girls in her class they were nice and petite while she herself was incredibly tall now and rather chunky.
"I have some especially great news, for everyone, this year we will have a teachers aid that will step in for Professor Snape when he is on important business, now this person is a student and well have to continue there studies and help the teacher out." Dumbledore stated," we only let the most gifted student do this, and Hermione Jane Granger will be our teacher's aide."
Hermione looked up slowly and smiled at her friends, then put her head back down. It was more work but it would look great when she wanted a job. She looked around the great hall and smiled; maybe she would stay and teach. Her life was now wrapped around Hogwarts it was now her home. If she did decide to stay it would always be a family here, the teachers flocked to her and she knew that they looked upon her as an equal, well except for the ding bat she had to admit that made a little smile stretch across her face for a moment before dieing.
Since her parent's death during the summer, nothing had been home. Travelling from the Burrow to the Grimmauld place she felt incomplete, as if her body was not her own, her mind was not her own. She had not been allowed to see anyone but Ginny who was a god sent, other times she was just staying in her room sleeping or reading. Dumbledore had completely cut her off from the world; as if she were allowed to interact with others she would overload and die.
Looking at the magical food that appeared she has lost her appetite. She pushed her plate ahead and just folded her arms and laid down her head, she decided to just rest her eyes just for a couple minutes. But before she knew it she was drifting off letting sleep take her.
Dumbledore leaned over while he was eating and got his attention.
"You see her don't you," Dumbledore stated, Severus didn't even have to ask who he was talking about, he had seen the girl push her plate away and just put her head down on the table. It would not do he did not want his assistant sick. He nodded to the man.
"The girl has taken it hard as you know, but you and I both know she is a hard worker, Severus keep an eye on her please," Dumbledore stated, well it literally sounded like an order. Groaning in annoyance he glanced at the girl with her head still down and kept eating, something else he got thrown on his plate and he just knew that she was going to be much more to deal with than anything else. He could not deny the pull that she had on him; she was no longer the little girl he had taught but a woman, who now was going through incredibly hard times.
Dumbledore saw the man look up at the girl then focus on his food again, it was time to plan.
"Hermione, Hermione," Ron shook her shoulder, trying to wake her up, almost all the students had left, and she had been sleeping for a couple hours as everyone sat talked and ate. Shaking her shoulder again she still didn't wake up. It seemed her body was just too tired and her brain completely shut off.
"Potter Weasley, shouldn't you be going up to your dorms," Snape sneered glaring at the two.
"Hermione just fell asleep we are going to wake her and take her up to her room," Harry stated.
"She will be dealt with now leave," he stated, the boys just looked at Hermione deciding if they wanted that detention and house points lost, they took the safe route and left.
Snape looked down at the girl her head on the table asleep.
"She's so beautiful, just like her mother," Dumbledore stated," such a beautiful woman." Snape had to admit that something had happened to the young witch.
He had seen her and was shocked, she looked beautiful, but he had tried to push those thoughts out of his head about her. But there was no use his eyes kept looking at her. News about her parents being assassinated by the Death Eaters rang everywhere, every meeting he went to he still heard it. The horrifying news, the bloodshed and her fight to stay alive. If it was not for magic the young girl would be dead right now. It only happened not even a month ago and it looked like the girl was taking it rather well. Other than the fact that she had refused to eat and was now asleep for the past three hours.
Now as he looked at her, she was sleeping peacefully, he couldn't believe he had her as an aide now. What would he do with this sleeping siren?
"Her rooms are in the dungeons, I know it seems like a bad idea, but we had no other choice, they join to your rooms, and don't worry she can't get in without whispering the password and you for hers, have a nice night Severus," he stated smiling," oh and make sure that Ms. Granger gets tucked in well don't want your new aide to get sick down there."
Severus just sneered at the man and looked down at the girl, what he should do. Maybe leave her no that would be too cruel even though he loved terrorizing the girl he couldn't bring himself to do it. Shaking her shoulder, she still laid there. Sitting next to her he looked around there was no one in there and he bent his head down to where her head was poking out from her arms, she really was a beautiful site. There was a big different from the bushy haired girl that he had seen for the past six years. Mentally slapping himself he couldn't think of her like that she was his student, well really she was no longer a student but an assistant and was of legal age. That didn't matter she was too young for his taste, way to young. He liked women that knew what he wanted older more experienced. He didn't really like the idea of being with a girl that had been with the Weasel or Potter, he snarled a bit at the thought. He had thought she would be smarter than that but her constant presence among the boys told her differently. But still his mind kept wondering to her, he felt like a bludy teenager again.
After a final shake he gave up and got out his wand and levitated her. The girl slept like the dead. He walked down the hallway to the dungeon with a young girl levitated beside him. Imagine what people would think if he saw him, actually caring about this girl. Well if she slept in the great hall she would probably wake up with a sore neck and would be unfit to work. He didn't want to give people extra time on assignments because he was called away to a Death Eater meeting.
Finally reaching the door that Albus had told him was her room he spoke the password "freedom" and the door opened and he walked in.
He was taken aback for a couple minutes; everything was a dark green a Slytherin green. Walking in everything was green the carpet couch, walking into her bedroom even her bedcovering were sage green. Levitating her onto the bed he smirked. He now knew that this little Gryffindor has a little Slytherin in her as well. With a swish of his cloak he disappeared leaving Hermione sleeping peacefully.
Finally back in his room he took his glass of scotch and went to his chair in front of the fireplace and sat down. Taking a drink he gazed into the fire, lost in thought. Tomorrow everything would be back to normal, the same usual classes, same idiots to teach. Sending his glass to the kitchen to be cleaned he headed to his bedroom hopefully to get some good nights rest, so tomorrow he could be extra evil to the students, and hopefully deal with the girl for the whole day. He would be dealing with her closely for the rest of the year and maybe longer if she decided to stay. But for now he pushed it all out as he stripped and got into his bed falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
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New story people, I really hope you like it. For some reason I just can't get back into my other stories which really sucks, I know I will eventually start with them again but for now this is my new one.
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StephanieBlack
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