A/N: I am once again completely flummoxed by the support of this fic so far. Thank you everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favourited. I can't tell you how much it means. Please keep leaving reviews; I appreciate hearing your thoughts.
Thanks as always to my wonderful beta, AdelaideArcher. Any mistakes are my own.
Chapter 3: Stuck with Me
"What do you mean, I'm 'stuck with you'?" asked Snape incredulously, as I lay on the couch across from him, feeling like I'd really like to have another nap.
"Well, unless you want to threaten the lives of Harry, myself, and Ron, and everyone else who is fighting this war, I am stuck here—with you, in this tower—for the next eight months," I said, not bothering to look at him.
I could see Snape massaging his temples with his fingers on the couch across from me.
"I am going to kill that old man twice," he growled, but I said nothing and waited for him to gather his thoughts and realise that he now had a roommate whether he wanted one or not.
"Fine. I see have no choice in this silly plan concocted by Albus and his little Potter—oh don't tell me Potter had nothing to do with it; I can just see it now, Mister Hero has the chance to save his poor old professor—I'm surprised he's not with you," hissed Snape, and this time I did look at him.
"I was to come alone," I said, refusing to rise to his bait. I was finished with arguing with the stubborn old man. I just wanted to sleep.
"So you do not deny that Potter's involved?" he asked, trying again.
"He is aware, but not involved, no," I answered honestly.
"I will not throw you out—for your own safety and that of others," said Snape, and I silently thanked whatever Gods were out there for finally getting him to accept me. "But if anyone finds you here or sneaking about in that damn cloak, I cannot promise to protect you."
"That's fine," I said, stifling a yawn with my hand. I didn't plan on sneaking around in the cloak anyway, unless it was absolutely necessary.
"You're tired," said Snape, the anger fading from his voice and turning into mere irritation.
"Oh, you know, just busy battling Death Eaters and killing an evil Dark Lord all night," I said sarcastically, and noticed Snape's body language change suddenly to one of intent interest.
"He's dead?" he asked quietly, his eyes wide, leaning forward in his chair.
"Well, in eight months, yes," I said with a smile. "Thanks to you and that little secret about Harry you carry—oh yes, I know about that too."
He stood up then and moved in front of me, tall, dark, and powerful as I lay below him on the green velvet sofa, and stared into my eyes. Suddenly I felt something in my head, and saw flashes of Harry and Voldemort casting at each other, Voldemort falling; then Dumbledore's portrait, asking me to rescue Severus.
"Sir!" I said, realizing Snape had just invaded my mind with Legilimency. I turned my head to the side, knowing eye contact was important, and felt suddenly violated. He could have asked!
"So you are telling the truth," said Snape smoothly, returning to his seat across from me.
"Of course I am telling you the truth!" I shouted, sitting up and glaring at him. Could he not fucking listen? He was worse than Ron, for goodness sake!
"Then why are you here? Coming back could ruin everything! All that matters is that the Dark Lord falls!" shouted Snape, shaking his head. "Stupid girl!"
"Stop calling me that. I am not stupid," I said firmly, getting really angry now. First he invades my mind without asking, and now he's insulting me! I stood up from the couch and marched over to him, staring at him right in those cold black eyes.
"I am not stupid and I will not screw everything up!" I shouted. "I do not plan to get in the way of what you need to do, only to help you live at the end."
"As I told you before, that choice is mine alone. I do not want your help," said Snape, his face emotionless as I glared over him.
"Well you have it," I snapped, feeling my temper flare once more and doing nothing to stop its fiery burn. "You may be too proud or bitter to accept it now, but I am going to help you, Severus Snape. If Lily were here, she—"
"Never speak her name!" he roared, grabbing his wand as he leapt to his feet, making me stumble backwards. "Get out!"
Snape's wand was inches from my face, his body not much farther, seething with anger, but I stood my ground. I was pissed off. Doing my best to look confident, I pulled myself up so I was looking at him eye-to-eye, and gritted my teeth.
"No," I said angrily, my voice close to a growl. "Call me a Mudblood, tell me to get out, hex me if you like, but I am not leaving."
I forced myself not to flinch as his face contorted in rage and he screamed, sending a red jet over my shoulder. I heard it hit the door behind me with a loud crack, sending splinters flying.
"Fine, then I am," he said, and with a billow of black robes he stormed past me and down to his office, slamming the door behind him.
I turned to face the door, which now had a deep gouge from Snape's spell, and I could hear him yelling at Dumbledore's painting. Their voices were surprisingly clear, and I wondered if some sort of magic was piping whatever was said in the office to the room. Some sort of security measure, perhaps?
"What the fuck do you think you are doing, bringing her here?" shouted Snape.
"Now, Severus, there is no need to yell," said Dumbledore calmly.
"There is every reason to yell! Am I not doing enough for you, I need some meddlesome brat to watch over me?"
"I'm afraid I don't know what you are talking about," said Dumbledore.
"Don't lie to me! You told her to come here and help me!"
"Who is her, exactly?"
"Potter's friend Granger!"
"Ah, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore fondly. "If I told her to come here and help, then I suggest you let her do so."
"What can she possibly do to help me? I deserve to die after all this!"
"You cannot still believe that."
"Everything since I came to you has been for her—my death will be no different!"
"Hermione is far more talented than you have ever given her credit for, Severus. Surely, the brightest student that has stepped foot in this castle for some time—possibly since you."
My heart swelled a little to hear Dumbledore praise me, but my momentary pride was quickly turned back to anger by Snape's next words: "She is a bothersome know-it-all."
"Severus…"
"I have no use for the girl!"
"I think, in time, you may find her quite valuable." I couldn't see Dumbledore's portrait, of course, but I had a feeling his eyes would be sparkling in a way that said he knew something everyone else did not.
"Oh don't look at me that way, old man," growled Snape, and I smiled to myself, knowing I was right.
"Go upstairs and welcome your guest properly, Severus." Though his voice was light, Dumbledore said this in a way that meant it was not to be questioned.
Moments later, Snape opened the door to the room and shut it softly behind him. I waited. He took three steps, then stopped and massaged a knot between his furrowed eyebrows for several moments before sighing.
"From now on, you will stay in my chambers," he said, clearly irritated. "I don't care what you hear downstairs, you will never step one foot outside this door," he said, pointing at the door to his office below.
"Do not touch any of my potions, but you may help yourself to the books," he continued. "I will make a place for you, but it will stay hidden when you are not sleeping. If, at any time, I tell you to hide, you will do so immediately. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir," I said, feeling suddenly like I wasn't quite sure what I had got myself into. From his words, I would be more of a prisoner than a guest.
"As I see you have come completely unprepared, you will give me a list of the supplies you need," he said, summoning a parchment and quill and handing them to me roughly.
"Actually, sir, I have most things I need in here," I said, pulling my little beaded bag from my robes. "There are a few things I'd like, however, if you don't mind."
Snape continued to hold out the parchment and quill, and so I took them, going to the table to the left of the window to write. A mirror hung over it, and I could see Snape behind me with his arms crossed over his chest as I wrote: robes, pajamas, socks, hairbrush, shampoo, conditioner, razor, deodorant. I wondered if I needed anything else, but couldn't think of anything, so I handed the list back to Snape.
He snapped his fingers and a house elf appeared.
"Headmaster Snape, sir," it squeaked, bowing.
"You will buy what is on this parchment, and bring it back here by tomorrow morning. You will instruct the elves to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner brought to my rooms for my… guest"—his eyes flicked to me with purest loathing—"You and the other elves will not tell a soul about this, nor that I have company in my rooms," said Snape. "Leave now."
"Yes, Headmaster, sir," it said, then popped out of sight.
"Now, I am already late, so I must leave you. I will return in the evening after dinner and we can discuss this more thoroughly. In the meantime, you may sleep on the sofa," he said, conjuring a blanket and pillow and shoving them into my arms.
"Thank you," I said quietly, unsure of what else to say.
"Don't make me regret this more than I already do," said Snape, spinning away from me in a billow of black robes and exiting the room with a click of the door. I felt the magic shimmer in the room as he placed wards around the door, effectively locking me inside.
It seemed I was to be his prisoner. Well, at least here I won't be tortured or killed, unlike Malfoy Manor, I thought.
Part of me wanted to look around where I would be living for the next eight months, but the other part—the more insistent part—was so tired. So I went over to the couch, propping the pillow at one end, and pulled the grey woollen blanket over me as I lay down. The couch felt like heaven, its plush seat cushioning my tired body.
A few moments later, I was out like a light.
