Hello again, I know that it's been a while since I updated-sorry about that-but I'm having some unfortunate issues with Doc manager. It's not letting me upload whole chapters, so I have to copy and paste, then save it all in intervals. It's very annoying -_- So I'm not sure when the next chapter will be...For those of you reading Magic That Binds, I'm hoping that I'll have a chapter up by tomorrow, but again, I just don't know. Hopefully, whatever bug that's messing with Doc Manager will be fixed soon.
Until then, enjoy the next chapter!
Chapter 4
The feel of cool stone under Hermione's fingers was pleasant, though not as pleasant as the satisfying feeling of contentment she felt, now that she was back at Hogwarts. She took in a deep breath, reveling in the familiar scents of brisk Scottish air and old stone.
It was good to be home.
She continued walking down the cobbled stone floor, allowing the memories of her time spent within these walls to wash over her. She welcomed them. The laughter, even the tears, she welcomed them all with a pleased sigh.
Her steps were carefree, with no urgency behind them. With her usual prompt punctuality, she had arrived an hour earlier and had already had a lovely chat with her old Professor McGonagall.
No that's Minerva now, Hermione mentally reminded herself. The headmistress has insisted that old formal titles be dropped. They would be working together now, after all.
After being corrected on how to address her fellow professors, Hermione had been given the password to her new rooms. The Headmistress obviously knew her old pupil well, since she had given the self-proclaimed bookworm a room on the second floor, two doors down from the library.
If the brunette witch hadn't been trying to impress her old Head of House, she would have squealed in delight.
Grinning like a fool, Hermione turned a corner absentmindedly, stopping when she heard voices. Or rather one particularly familiar voice, that sounded like dark chocolate wrapped in velvet. Her heartbeat sped up in anticipation.
Peaking around the corner's edge to confirm her suspicions, Hermione, sure enough, spotted Professor Snape, gliding down the hallway. His usual ground eating pace was reduced to half a speed, so his robes were only mildly flickering behind them.
It was surreal watching the man walk down the hallway to her, after all this time. She had of course seen him at the various victory balls and events the ministry had forced them all to attend, (As if fighting and defeating one of the darkest wizards of their time wasn't enough for the public), but that was always from a distance.
Being apart of the Golden Trio, she was expected to dance, make witty banter, and rub elbows with all the 'important people', in the middle of the crowd. But Professor Snape, through some twist of luck-or more likely because Kingsley didn't want him to hex anyone-had been allowed to hang by the sides. A silent shadow at every dance, with, what she expected to be, several Notice-Me-Not Charms protecting him from the clearly unwanted attentions of his numerous fans.
Although, there was one occasion that she would never forget, in which she had somehow managed to finagle an actual conversation out of the usually taciturn man. She still wasn't sure how she had done it, though if she had to guess, the glass of whiskey he had been nursing at the time probably had a lot to do with it.
Breathless, from yet another dance, Hermione had snuck over to a lonely corner to hide. She hadn't realized that she wasn't alone until Snape's slightly slurred voice was hissing in her ears, demanding that she find her own hiding spot. She had begged to stay, at least until Henry, one of her more ardent fans, got tired of looking for her. In a brief moment of pity, or maybe it was borne from empathy, from dealing with his own new and certifiable admirers, he had relented. Within ten minutes, she was gripping her own glass of wine, and they were discussing magical theory, arguing over the merits of Wandlore in Potions and even trading the odd flirtation.
Or rather, she should say that well into her cups, she had decided to shamelessly flirt with the man and he hadn't seem opposed to it. Emboldened by the fact that he hadn't thrown a volley of hexes at her, she had continued to slip in sly innuendos and outrageous comments all night. Snape, for his part, seemed surprised, but pleased.
It had been a fabulous night. Actually, Hermione could easily say that it was the best time she ever had at one of those insipid events. It was a night that she would always remember. Unfortunately, from the partial glaze in his eyes, Hermione could only guess that, for the professor, their surprisingly lively conversation had been swept away behind the haze of alcohol the next morning. That's what it seemed like anyway, when the man went right back to ignoring her existence.
Nevertheless, that moment of shared camaraderie and intellectual stimulation had been an epiphany for the witch. Professor Snape, when he was not acting rude or biting, was funny, intelligent, and a pleasure to be around. And when his face wasn't scrunched up into a bitter sneer, he was actually-her blush spread-quite attractive.
Yes, the impossible had happened. On that night, Hermione developed a crush on her ex-Potions professor.
Not simple-minded, she had kept the new development to herself. She could only imagine what her friends would say. Probably try to get me checked out at St. Mungos. But that would be nothing compared to what the man in question would do to her, if he found out. And she wouldn't have the shield of alcohol to protect her either.
Still, she found she couldn't let her crush go all together. Unbidden, her mouth would open with a friendly greeting whenever their paths crossed. Her eyes sought him out in a crowd, and she made up excuses to be pass him at ministry functions.
So, just as she had done many times before, Hermione moved to intercept the man, a smile already forming on her lips.
The usually observant wizard still had yet to see her.
He was obviously distracted by something, as his face was turned away from her and looking down to his left. Hermione followed his gaze and nearly gasped when she saw the little girl tugging on his hand. Curiosity seizing her body, Hermione cleared her throat politely, alerting the two to her presence.
Snape was the first to see her, as he came to an abrupt stop, not even ten steps away. An odd expression came across his face, as he stared at the witch in front of him. The little brunette holding his hand followed his lead, shifting her body so that she was hiding behind his robes. Pretty brown eyes peaked at Hermione curiously.
Hermione smiled warmly at her, giving her a small, non-threatening wave. "Hello. My name is, Hermione Granger. What's yours?"
Snape replied, before the girl could, tugging her more firmly to his side in a protective stance. "Her name is, Selene." At his words, Hermione's attention snapped to him.
She gave him a smile that she hoped was just as welcoming. "Hello-" what did she call him now that he wasn't teaching? Mr. Snape, Potions Master Snape? She decided to play it safe and settle on, "sir. How have you been?"
"Perfectly well, Miss Granger." He paused, uncomfortably, as if waiting for her to scurry off, now that he had answered her questions.
As if. She mentally scoffed. There was no way she was walking away without some answers. She didn't think the girl was his daughter. The two looked nothing alike. The child's hair was too brown, her skin too tanned, her nose round and button like and her lips rounded and rosy.
Then again, she could just heavily favor her mother…There was an unpleasant pang in her chest that she tried to ignore.
She looked back at the girl. "How are you liking Hogwarts then, Selene?"
Selene, growing more confident, stepped out from behind the professor's legs. She looked up at Snape expectantly, tugging on his hand when he wouldn't make eye contact.
Snape heaved a dramatic sigh, before looking down at the girl. After a moment of silence, he addressed Hermione. "She says that the castle is wonderful."
Hermione looked between the two, one of her eyebrows rising in question. "She does, does she?"
"Yes." Looking uncomfortable, Snape cleared his throat. "Selene was in an Fiendfyre accident that damaged her vocal cords. At the moment I am her only means for communication."
"Oh…" Hermione looked down at the little girl, pity flashing across her face only briefly, before she conjured a warm, but determined, smile.
Kneeling on the floor so that she was on Selene's level, Hermione's hands rose, gesturing awkwardly. Selene followed her hands, her little eyebrows furrowed in a frown of frustration.
When she wasn't getting the reaction she had been hoping for out of the young girl, Hermione gave up with a wry smile. "I'm sorry," the older witch said to Selene, sheepishly biting her lip. "I'm not that good at it, so you probably couldn't understand a lick of what I just signed."
"Miss Granger, what are talking about and what were you doing with your hands?" Snape asked, sharing a look of confusion with Selene.
A blush swept up Hermione's neck when she realized neither man nor child had understood what she had been doing. The young woman kept forgetting that things were done differently in the Wizarding World.
Hermione clasped her hands in front of her. "Um…I was doing sign language…it's a muggle language for those who are mute or deaf. They speak with their hands in a series of gestures and signs instead of with their mouths. Only, I'm not that good with it. I had a cousin who was deaf, so I read a book on it when I was about nine, but it's been ages since then, and I can only basically remember the alphabet and a few words." And she realized she was rambling, and quickly shut her mouth.
Snape nor Selene seemed to care, though, both looking equally as interested in what the curly-haired witch had to say. "Sign language," Snape murmured, thoughtfully. "And you said that there were books on the subject?"
Hermione blinked. "Um, yeah-yes! I mean yes, there are. There are also classes you can take or tutors you can hire for a more hands on approach."
Snape looked down at Selene, his eyebrow quirking up. Whatever he said caused Selene to nod her head enthusiastically. A dimpled smile emerging on her face.
"Miss Granger, would you mind giving me the information on these classes?" the wizard asked almost politely. "While I have been given leave to use Legilimancy with Selene, a better option needs to be found. And until we can find a more permanent magical solution, teaching her sign language should suffice."
"Oh, well alright then. If you'd like I can talk to my cousin about who she was taught be. Will you be staying in the castle?"
"For the time being, yes," the professor replied. "I take it that you will be staying in the castle as well?"
Tucking an errant strand behind her ear, Hermione nodded with a small smile. "Yes, I'm taking over the Charm's position for Professor Filius."
If Snape was surprised by this, he didn't show it. Instead his dark eyes raked over her slowly, making her insides squirm. "Indeed."
Swallowing, Hermione looked away, cursing as her cheeks heated again. Could her body not stay calm for just one second around this man? She needed to leave before she did something stupid.
Smiling down at Selene, she pumped the girl's tiny hand in a brief handshake. "Well, it was nice meeting you Selene. I imagine that I'll be seeing you often." She turned to give the Professor a respectful but quick nod. "Professor. I'll bid you both goodnight."
With that she walked passed the unlikely pair, towards her new rooms. With her head down, she entirely missed the roving black eyes that watched her go, following her figure with interest, before she turned a corner and was out of sight.
A/N: Don't forget to leave a review! Thanks for reading! ^-^
