Hermione listened to Professor Flitwick. She tapped her heal repeatedly as her professor spoke. She nearly jumped out of her skin when a hand snapped down and grabbed her leg.
"Hermione, you're making me very nervous" Harry growled in a whisper to her.
"Sorry," She said and tried her hardest to keep her leg still. Before either of them knew it, she was tapping her quill against her notebook. Harry reached forward and grabbed her hand.
"For the love of Merlin, Hermione, ask to go to the lavatory already," Harry said.
"I don't need to use the restroom, Harry," Hermione said.
"Then what are you so anxious about?" Harry asked.
"I went to my double potions class and it was canceled," Hermione said. Harry nodded.
"I assume it would be with Snape in the condition he's in. You didn't expect him to be back teaching classes again did you? Dumbledore says Slughorn will be here on Monday to take over," Harry told her.
"To take over?" Hermione asked.
"Snape's blind Hermione, he can't exactly teach anymore," Harry said. Hermione looked at him open mouthed.
"Why can't he? He could do anything he wanted!" Hermione said. Harry raised his hands.
"Of course he could Hermione but if you had just been blinded would you be feeling very up to teaching?" Harry asked. Hermione looked at him and sighed.
"No, I would be a wreck," Hermione said. Harry smiled at her.
"Yes, but you have Ron and Me. We would stay by your side and help you through it," Harry said. Hermione hung on that thought. 'Does he have someone helping him?' Hermione and spent the rest of the class thinking on everything but Charms.
Hermione walked to Professor McGonagal's office and knocked on her door. When her professor answered the door Hermione looked up to her.
"Can I help you Miss Granger?" McGonagal asked.
"Yes, I've come to inquire after Professor Snape," Hermione answered.
"Well that is a first, someone inquiring after Severus," Minerva replied. Hermione shrugged.
"How is he?" Hermione asked.
"Not well to say the least. He lets no one near him and has even scared off the wizard Professor Dumbledore hired to help him," She answered. Hermione took a deep breath and hung her head.
"If you don't mind me asking, Why do you care?" Minerva asked.
"I'm the reason he's blind," Hermione answered. Minerva looked at her shocked.
"Can't I see him? I got him to the dungeons I may be able to get him out," Hermione said.
"Miss Granger, I must urge you to think this through very thoroughly. Severus has never been a pleasant man and he's even more vicious now that he's been injured. He's has a cruel wit and a sharp tongue," Minerva warned.
"I'm not worried about my feelings Professor. He could be on his own feet by now if everyone else wasn't so afraid about how mean he is. I took him to the dungeons weeks ago, I owe him. If not for him I would be dead," Hermione said. Minerva just looked at her.
"Well, I admire your courage Miss Granger. You truly live up to the name of Gryfindor. I will speak to Albus and tell you of his decision by dinner tonight," Minerva said. Hermione nodded and walked from the door as she spoke.
"Thank you Professor," Hermione answered.
Hermione sat down at the Gryfindor table and smiled at Ron and Harry.
"They know where the real locket is," Harry said. Hermione smiled at Harry.
"That's good, where was it?" Hermione asked.
"Kretcher traced it Mundungus Fletcher and Fletcher admitted to stealing and selling it," Harry answered.
"Who has it now?" Hermione asked.
"Our favorite Dada professor," Harry said holding up a copy of the newspaper. Hermione grimaced as she looked at the image and saw the necklace around Umbridges neck.
"And how are they going to get it now?" Hermione asked.
"We don't know yet," Harry said.
"Maybe we should just go get it and be done with it," Hermione laughed at herself. Harry looked up at her.
"Don't tempt me," Harry said. Hermione laughed again.
They all began to eat as the owls came in. A letter landed before Hermione and she quickly snatched it up.
"What's that?" Ron asked.
"Something from mom and dad," Hermione lied and opened it. The inside message was brief; The password is Emerald and you must not be seen for it is highly inappropriate for a student to be in a teachers private quarters. I suggest borrowing Harrys cloak and good luck ~Albus.
Hermione smiled to herself and put the note in her bag. She finished eating with the boys before going up to Gryfindor tower. She could get Harrys cloak after they fell asleep and go to see Snape first thing in the morning.
Hermione took a deep breath as she stood outside Snape's quarters.
"Emerald" She whispered and a door appeared before her. She walked through and pulled the cloak off her head as she shut the door. She was standing on a small landing and hung the cloak and her book bag on the coat hangers that were on the wall next to her.
She looked around the room, a few steps down was the main floor with a great fire place along one wall with chairs and a couch in front of it. The walls were covered in shelves which were filled with books. There were tall windows on either side of the fireplace that showed an underwater view of the lake. Hermione walked forward and gazed out the window for a moment. Off to her right was a hallway. She stepped up into the hallway and one side was a one long window for a wall. She came to a door that was about three steps up from the hall. She went to it and found an empty guestroom.
She went to the next and found a study. She came to the end of the hall and to a set of double doors. She pulled them open and found the master bedroom. There was a large bed in front of her against the wall, black curtains, a stand on either side, off to the right was another door that led to a bathroom and the left was another grand window. Hermione's eyes looked around the room with a new found longing to become a teacher. She stopped when she found her professor sitting on the floor, leaning against his bed.
"Professor?" Hermione questioned and stepped forward. He lifted his head.
"Who's there?" He asked. Hermione looked him over. His face was scruffy from not having shaved, he was in a white shirt and black pants that were haphazardly hanging on him. He looked awful.
"Hermione Granger, sir," She answered and knelt down before him. He groaned and threw his head away from her.
"I am grateful for you getting me out of the hospital wing but I didn't mean to imply for you to come bother me again!" He growled.
"It's been two weeks professor," Hermione said to him. He turned his head up towards her.
"Believe it or not, Miss Granger, I do not care in the least," He replied.
"You should, you've no idea how pathetic you look right now!" Hermione snapped at him. She froze as soon as the words came out. She couldn't believe she had insulted the scariest man she had ever met in person.
"Pardon?" Severus spoke dangerously. Hermione drew a shaking breathe before deciding to keep up that momentum.
"Pardon yourself! It's true and I'm not afraid to say it! Are you scared of the dark because you are acting like a coward afraid to move forward!" Hermione said.
Hermione jumped backwards as Snape reached up, grabbed the bedside and got to his feet as he yelled at her.
"Don't call me coward!"
"If you're not a coward, then why are you hiding down here!" She asked, she tried to pretend he was Harry or Ron but even blind this man intimidated her.
"I'm blind you stupid girl, what do you want from me!" He yelled, taking a step towards her voice.
"To take care of yourself! To take back what's yours!" Hermione answered him with passion in her voice.
"What are you on about?" He asked.
"You are the potions master and a great fighter!" Hermione told him.
"I'm blind you insufferable know-it-all!" Snape shouted. Hermione reached forward and grabbed the front of his shirt.
"Your ears still work! And you have you magic at your disposal! You don't have to see anything just remember everything. You are on the right side of your bed according to the door," Hermione said and pulled him forward.
"Granger!" He said to her as he stumbled with her. He was about to lose his balance and grabbed her shoulders.
"It is one, two, three, four, five steps to the Bathroom," Hermione said.
"Miss Granger I know bloody well where my bathroom is," He growled as she turned him towards the door.
"Good then take a bath, you stink," Hermione said and let go of him. She stepped aside and Snape glared at the place she had once been.
"You could use a shave too," She added and he snapped his head up at her.
"Stop moving around! You're making me feel like a fool!" Severus snapped at her.
"You look like one too. If you would just listen you could hear me walking around, so it's your own fault," Hermione replied as she continued to walk from him.
"Fifty Points from Gryfindor!" Snape snarled at her.
"Too bad you're not a teacher anymore," Hermione said.
"Pardon?"
"Professor Dumbledore has re-hired Professor Slughorn to take your place again this year and Professor Dumbledore is handling Defense Against the Dark Arts himself," Hermione answered him.
He went silent for a moment and Hermione watched him. He hung his head and with a sigh he turned towards the door, arms outstretched. He found the door frame and paused. Severus felt the wood beneath his fingers and the tile beneath his feet but he couldn't bring himself to step forward. He wanted to do it just to shut her up. He also wanted to do the other things she spoke of but the fact that he was blind weighed on him. And now Horace Slughorn of all people had taken his place as potions professor. Perhaps Albus would allow him to become the Dada teacher once more but, How could he do any of that?
Severus jumped when he felt her hand on his back.
"You used to come into this room every day. Just imagine your eyes are closed and remember what it looked like," Hermione said gently. He 'looked' over his shoulder at her and sighed.
"One step at a time Professor," She said with a smile in her voice. Severus sneered and walked forward. He found the door handle and shut the door behind him. Hermione laughed to herself and looked around the room again.
The furniture was darkly stained, a very large wardrobe stood against the wall opposite a bay window with its curtains mostly drawn. She walked over to the window and drew the cloth back. She sat on the sill and smiled to herself. She couldn't believe she actually did it. She was still shaking and took deep breathes to calm her nerves. She pulled her knees to her chest and looked through the water.
So much had happened, not just Snape saving her arse. At the end of their sixth year Draco Malfoy had actually let in a hoard of death eaters. There had been a terrible battle. The rumor was that Draco had been ordered to kill Dumbledore but that night Dumbledore had taken Harry somewhere and they had been delayed. The death eaters had been run off by time they got back to the castle. Dumbledore had been very sick when they got back to boot.
Voldemort was moving, getting ready for something. There were a lot of rumors that he had infiltrated the ministry. Things were about to become extremely dangerous for muggle borns, Hermione could feel it, especially with Umbridge gaining power herself.
"How are we going to do this?" Hermione asked herself aloud and rested her head against the cold glass.
Hermione looked up some time later when the door opened. Snape stepped out wearing a towel about his waist, he was clean and no longer scruffy. Hermione looked him over. Snape had a lean build, though he seemed malnourished, and his body was covered in scars.
Hermione watched him grope around for his wardrobe.
"You really should memorize your own quarters," Hermione spoke and her professor jumped.
"You're still here then," Severus said.
"I am," Hermione answered.
"Don't you have classes?" Severus asked.
"Not on Saturdays" Hermione said. Severus found his wardrobe and opened it.
"Wonderful I get to look forward to your...pleasing company all day then?" Severus asked sarcastically.
"I can leave you to mope on the ground again, come back in another two weeks and make you take another bath," Hermione replied.
"You've gotten fairly brave, Miss Granger. Makes me wonder if the other students have gotten as lax in my absence," He said as he found clothes.
"Won't know until you get your act together," Hermione replied. Severus went back into the bathroom to get dressed.
Hermione dazed out the window again and didn't look up until Severus came back out, dressed. She looked at him and laughed.
"Is that all the effort you're putting into this?" Hermione asked when she found in a pair of black trousers and a white button up shirt that wasn't buttoned all the way. Severus stopped and began to finish buttoning his shirt. He tucked it in and then crossed his arms over his chest.
"Anything else?' He asked.
"Socks and shoes," Hermione answered. He raised his eyebrows.
"Are we going somewhere?" He asked.
"Not today but stubbing your bare feet hurt," Hermione replied.
"Wonderful," Severus groaned and found the wardrobe again. He got a pair of socks and shoes.
"What the bloody hell now?" He asked, standing up again.
"Dancing," Hermione said. Severus sent a strange look into her direction.
"Pardon?" Severus asked.
"We will dance around the room and if you can lead me around the room without hitting anything or stepping on my feet then we can move on to the other rooms," Hermione said and walked over to him. She grabbed his hands and placed one on her waist and held the other.
"Something like a waltz for now," Hermione said.
"Miss Granger..." Severus trailed off, very unsure about this.
"Do you need music?" Hermione asked.
"uh...No," He grumbled and pulled her to the side. They got a few steps in and Severus bumped into the wardrobe.
"That was your wardrobe," Hermione told him. Severus looked disgruntled and tried again, this time he swung Hermione against a bed post.
"Bed Post" Hermione said as she regained her balance.
They danced for some time and Hermione told him everything they collided with. Lunchtime came to pass and Severus was angered with himself. He found a new determination to accomplish the task she has set for him. They danced around the room and Severus paused.
"Good, now where in the room are we?" Hermione asked. Severus groaned and thought for a moment.
"By the bathroom?" He asked.
"By the Window and I will see you tomorrow," Hermione told him.
"You're leaving because I was wrong? Some teacher you are," Severus asked her.
"Harry and Ron's quidditch practice is over by now, they'll be missing me." Hermione said and opened the door.
"Tomorrow then," Severus said.
"Tomorrow," She said and shut the door behind her.
"By the window, she said," He said and tried to remember what his room looked like. He raised his arms in the air as if Hermione was still there and moved around the room. He was getting confident until he smacked his elbow off a bed post.
"Bloody hell," He groaned and took a breath to try again.
