All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
I own nothing.
Chapter 3
Hermione dropped into her seat and began picking at her food, distracted. Ron and Harry exchanged looks with one another.
"Hermione," Ron began.
She dropped her fork and looked up at the red-headed man.
"Yes, Ron?" she replied, timidly.
"Are you alright? You seem, er…on edge," he finished.
Hermione smiled brightly.
"I've never been better, Ron!" she said a bit too enthusiastically.
"Hermione," Harry said solemnly. "Seriously, what's going on?"
Hermione let her eyes fall to her plate.
"Alright, fine. When I was on my way to dinner, I heard this voice," she started.
Ron chuckled.
"You've started hearing voices? That's not healthy, Mione," he joked.
Hermione glared at him.
"Not funny, Ronald," she said through gritted teeth.
Harry elbowed him in the ribs, ending his chuckling. He reached across the table taking Hermione's hands in his.
"Whose voice did you hear, Hermione?" he inquired.
Hermione felt tears fill her eyes.
"It sounded like‐," she began.
She stopped when Ron nodded his head towards the figure standing behind her.
"Pardon the intrusion, Miss Granger but I needed to speak with you," said Snape. "In private, if you'd be so kind," he added, glaring at the two young men in his view.
"Of course, sir," Hermione said, nervously. "I'll see you in the Common Room, guys," she finished.
"Right," Ron mumbled, angrily stabbing at the baked potato he was currently eating.
"Talk to you later, Mione," Harry said, looking up at Snape with hatred in his eyes.
Hermione stood, following Snape out of the Great Hall.
When they were out of earshot of any eavesdropping students, Snape growled:
"You really shouldn't fantasize about your professors, Miss Granger."
Hermione gasped and stared wide-eyed at him.
"You were using Legilimency on me weren't you? Oh!" she seethed.
Severus smirked at her irritation.
"To be honest, I'm surprised that you aren't a skilled Occlumens by now, with you always having your head buried in a book. I honestly expected you to have mastered the art."
Hermione briefly smiled at his expectations of her.
"Well," she began. "It's very complex. You have to have complete concentration, which, to be quite frank, I've been lacking lately."
So I've noticed. Severus thought.
"But since we're on the subject, what are you hiding then?" she questioned.
"That's none of your business," he returned, his face darkening.
They continued walking in silence for a few minutes.
"What do you want from me?" Hermione asked.
"I need to ask you something," was his response.
Oh Merlin, here we go.She thought to herself.