Author's Note: This is the 4th Harry Potter fanfic I wrote and it was written a very long time ago (quite before the 5th book came out) for my younger siblings.
As previously mentioned in other fics I got hooked on HP after taking my siblings to see the first movie. I was and will always be a major Harry/Hermione shipper and I never lost faith in Severus Snape (snarky and unpleasant as he was!).
I have written 11 stories in total for Harry Potter throughout the years and am only now posting them for the first time online. I hope you will enjoy reading them.
Harry's Secret Sorrow
"Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak whispers the o'er fraught heart and bids it break." - Shakespeare
It was the last Potions lesson for the year and Professor Snape looked around at his class with his cold eyes. As usual the Slytherins were making nasty comments about the other students. In fact, Snape had noticed that ever since the third task when Potter had been transported to Voldemort and had witnessed his rebirth, the comments had become nastier and more menacing, especially ones made by Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle.
At that moment, he heard Malfoy saying, 'now that he's back all these mudbloods better watch out, he'll be coming for them next, after he's finished with Potter, then it'll be all the Muggle lovers.'
Snape bent his head over his marking book. Obviously, Lucius had been in contact with his son, for he knew that no one, apart from those in the hospital wing that night, knew about Voldemort's return and his attack on Potter. He wrote down a few marks and then looked up again. This time, though, his gaze was focused on the side where Harry was sitting between Ron and Hermione. His face still retained a slightly haunted expression with his eyes filling with pain at times and occasionally he would rub his scar as though it hurt him.
Ron was talking to him quietly and Hermione was clearly agreeing with him, nodding her head, her expression serious.
Snape got up and quietly made his way around the room; stopping at a desk close to where the three were sitting so he could hear.
'Harry it was not your fault,' Ron was saying, his voice full of concern. 'There was no way it could ever be your fault. You didn't turn the cup into a portkey, you couldn't have prevented him killing Cedric in the condition you were in. The people to blame are Crouch, Wormtail and You-Know-Who. They were the ones who planned it all, who put your name into the Goblet. They're the ones to blame not you.'
Snape couldn't believe it. Potter actually thought he was to blame for Diggory's death. Why? He continued to listen as Hermione added her voice to Ron's.
'He's right Harry. No one could ever blame you. You did all you could. You brought him back to his parents, when you could have died doing that. You have nothing to blame yourself for.' She looked at Harry, her eyes filled with worry as she realised he was not believing either her or Ron. 'You have to believe us Harry,' her voice broke as she continued and she stopped, swallowing a sob.
Snape who had been listening intently, turned to look at the three and saw a single tear run down Hermione's cheek, which she brushed away hurriedly. Then he heard Harry speak and he leaned forward slightly as Harry's voice was quieter than either Hermione's or Ron's.
'It is my fault Hermione. You don't understand. I told him to take the Cup with me. He wouldn't take it because I had helped him twice before in the maze, first with Krum and then with the spider at the end. He said I should get it. I wouldn't take it and said he got there first he should have it. He wouldn't take it. Neither of us were going to take it, so I finally suggested we both take it, it would still be a Hogwart's victory, I told him, and he agreed. So you see, if I hadn't made him take the Cup he would still be alive and Mr and Mrs Diggory wouldn't have lost their son.' His voice died and he stared down at the desk in front of him. He drew a deep, shuddering breath, then whispered, 'I'll never be able to forget that I was the one who told him to take it. Never.' His eyes closed in pain and Snape saw Hermione reach out and take one of his hands in hers.
'Harry by asking him to take the Cup you showed that you truly are a champion. Cedric knew that, that's why he refused to take the Cup in the first place, just as you knew that he was a champion and that's why you told him to take it. Cedric didn't take the Cup because you told him to. He took it because he realised that neither of you would take it alone without the other, because you are both champions.' She stopped speaking, continuing to hold his hand.
Snape realised he had heard enough and walked quickly up to his desk. The conversation had surprised him greatly, especially Harry's story. The fact that Harry Potter would allow someone else to win a tournament confused him as he believed that Potter would never let anyone beat him at anything, for he had always thought of Potter as having a too good an opinion of himself.
Snape turned and walked slowly into his office chamber frowning. Suddenly, he heard Malfoy's sneering voice in the classroom calling out.
'Hey Potter, something wrong with your hand? Your girlfriend's been holding it for ages. Not afraid of catching anything are you? I mean, after all we all know what she is. I think it's a pity it wasn't her and not Diggory that got it. Filthy little mudblood.'
The next thing Snape heard was a gigantic crash. Hurriedly returning to the room he saw chaos.
Potter's chair had been thrown backwards and he was now on top of Malfoy, punching any part he could reach. Malfoy was yelling in pain for Harry's attack had taken him by surprise and he hadn't been able to retaliate.
Other students, all of whom were hoping Harry would beat Malfoy senseless, were holding Crabbe, Goyle and the other Slytherins back. Ron and Hermione, however, were trying to get Harry off Malfoy, afraid that Harry would get himself hurt.
Snape strode towards the two boys, and bending, broke them apart. His face was cold and unpleasant. When he spoke his voice dripped with ice.
'I will not tolerate this sort of behaviour in my classroom. I'm taking you both to Professor Dumbledore immediately.' Then leading both of them out he marched them to the statue that was the entrance to Dumbledore's office.
'Pear drops,' he muttered.
The gargoyle moved aside and he led them up the staircase. He knew he could easily have taken care of it himself – take fifty points from Gryffindor and send Malfoy to the hospital wing – only he couldn't help but feel angry at what Malfoy had said and, here he winced in self-disgust, he could understand why Potter had done what he did.
Pausing outside Dumbledore's office he knocked and waited until he heard Dumbldore's voice call, 'come in.' Glancing at the two boys he saw that blood was dripping from Malfoy's split lip and that a black eye was developing. Harry, however, only looked dishevelled.
Opening the door he gestured for them to go in before him. When they walked in Dumbldore looked up and his mouth twitched, although when he spoke his voice was serious.
'What has happened Severus? Why are Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy so...untidy?'
Coldly Snape told him. 'Headmaster, I have brought these two to you for punishment. They have dared to fight in the middle of my lesson and I will not have them disrupting the rest of the class.'
Dumbledore looked at him for a moment and then nodded.
'Very well Severus, you may go, I will deal with them.'
Severus curtly nodded his head and strode out.
Harry looked at Dumbledore who was gazing piercingly at Malfoy.
'Mr Malfoy.' Malfoy jumped at Dumbledore's quiet voice. 'Why did Mr Potter hit you?'
'I don't know sir,' Malfoy began, and then as Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, 'I said something to him sir.'
'Was if offensive Mr Malfoy?' Dumbledore asked quietly.
Malfoy looked, for him, quite scared. 'Yes sir,' he muttered.
'Very well,' Dumbledore said, 'in that case five points will be taken from Slytherin. You may go to the hospital wing now Mr Malfoy.'
Malfoy nodded and then quickly walked out.
As the door closed behind him Dumbledore turned to Harry.
'Now Harry, why did you hit Mr Malfoy?'
'Because of what he said Professor,' Harry replied, still angry at the memory of what Malfoy had said.
'And what did he say?' He waited and then as Harry remained silent, 'Harry tell me.'
So Harry told him, word for word, what Malfoy had said about Cedric and Hermione, his anger showing clearly in his voice and face.
When he had finished Dumbledore looked at him kindly.
'Harry I can completely understand why you acted the way you did. However, next time, and I sincerely hope there won't be a next time, I hope that you will give him a chance to stand up for himself.' He smiled at Harry who looked down at the desk.
When Dumbledore spoke again Harry looked up in surprise.
'Harry, defending one's friends is a very honourable thing to do, however, when next you defend them try to do it outside of class time.' His eyes twinkled as he smiled at Harry. 'Now Harry I'd like you to go to the hospital wing and have your hand checked out. And I'm afraid I'll have to take, let's see, two points off Gryffindor for your fighting in a classroom.'
Harry nodded.
'I understand sir,' he replied, then turned and walked out the door.
When he reached the gargoyle entrance he found Ron and Hermione waiting, Potions having finished.
'Harry.' Hermione grabbed his hand and looked at it. 'Are you all right? Did Malfoy hurt you?'
'No he didn't, I'm all right,' he replied and then blushed as she hugged him.
'Oh Harry you could have got badly hurt and all because Malfoy was being his usual unpleasant self. Promise me you won't do it again.'
Harry looked at her, thought, and then said, 'I'll promise I won't do it if I can help it.'
Hermione nodded, seeming to know this was all she would get him to promise.
Ron asked curiously, 'what happened with Dumbledore?'
Harry looked around and made sure no one was near them, and then proceeded to tell them everything. Hermione and Ron both laughed.
'Good old Dumbledore,' Ron cried. All three of them smiled for Dumbledore in their opinion was the greatest wizard there was.
On the way to the hospital wing Harry and Hermione fell back a few paces behind Ron.
Hermione turned to Harry and said, 'Harry I wanted to thank you for standing up for me. I really appreciate how you and Ron always stand up for me whenever Malfoy or one of the Slytherins call me a mudblood.' Hermione said the word with a look of distaste, then looking up at Harry she continued, 'you two are the best friends a person could have.' She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.
For the second time Harry blushed. He was glad Ron hadn't seen it or Fred or George; he would never have heard the end of it.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS MENTIONED IN THIS STORY. THEY BY RIGHT BELONG TO J.K. ROWLING, CREATOR OF THE HARRY POTTER SERIES. THE SITUATIONS MENTIONED, HOWEVER, ARE MY OWN IDEAS. I AM NOT MAKING ANY PROFIT OUT OF THIS STORY.