What's That, Weasley?

Hermione's Point Of View

Severus understood when I said I wanted to sit with Harry for the start of term feast. He didn't argue or look disappointed, simply said 'You're technically a school girl. Go be one.'

So I did.

And I am.

Sitting on Harry's shoulder as a bright purple ladybug, no one noticed me. The Sorting was much the same- little Slytherins, Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws popping up everywhere- as was the rest of the start of term feast, but when Dumbledore stood to give his speech, I was more than a little annoyed that he mentioned that 'Star student Hermione Granger has fallen into ranks with the Dark Lord, and no longer serves us at Hogwarts. It is our duty as good witches and wizards, against Voldemort's cause to turn against her, and follow the orders as directed by the ministry. Destroy her on sight.'

Harry had glanced sideways at me when that happened, but I didn't react. I refused to react to him.

Harry didn't notice me when I left the feast. I just had to get away from there. There was too much conversation about me that I couldn't stop. Harry had to play the part, but he kept firm ground that he was still my friend and he wouldn't hurt me.

By the end of the evening I was locked in a classroom by myself, I was fuming. Picking up a vase and throwing it at the wall, over and over again. The fucking vase kept repairing itself.

I knew it was unwise to be in my natural form without Severus or Harry near me, but I couldn't help it. I was too angry.

Who was Dumbledore to judge me? He knew what I was going through! He knew how tempting it would be for one such as myself to turn my back on how I was raised. If you can call it being raised- more like raped.

I began transfiguring things, trying to calm myself down, but to no avail.

'Herms?' There was a knock at the door. Oh man. Harry, not right now. I ladybugged and flew through the keyhole back out in front of my friend. 'Uh. It's time for you to go home now.' He whispered, pretending to be leaning against the wall. 'I'll see you in potions tomorrow, okay?'

I landed on Harry's nose briefly before flying off into the dungeons.

Severus' Point Of View

'I can understand why you're angry, Hermione, just don't take it out on my possessions.' I drawled.

'You understand?' she screeched 'He's ordered for the entirety of Hogwarts to kill me! I'm safe around no one but the Slytherins!'

'You're forgetting Mr Potter.' I intervened, watching her bash her fists into the walls.

'Harry has to be the only one in Gryffindor Tower I can speak to. And he's in a dormitory full of boys!' She continued on, trying to bash her head into a wall.

Before she could successfully concuss herself, I grabbed her by the shoulders and held her to me. I don't generally approve of physical contact with people, but she wouldn't have stopped hurting herself if I tried anything else... or that's what I tell myself.

'I trusted Dumbledore. For six years, he said home was a good place to be, I had to stay there, it was safe there, even if I did get hurt.' She began to speak, leaning into me as I held her back from any hard objects. 'You'd think when a student approaches you and tells you that they're pregnant to their father after he abused you would be enough to earn them a one-way ticket to jail, wouldn't it?'

I said nothing; it was obviously a rhetorical question. And what exactly is jail?

'Dumbledore just said that "Deep down they love me and they're just confused" I guess that gave me comfort for a year or two.' I was now supporting her weight, she wanted to fall to the floor, but I wouldn't let her.

After a minute or two of just standing there, her leaning against me as I held her, I spoke. 'Hermione. Promise me you won't try to concuss yourself again, if you do, I'll have to wrap my arms around you so I can hold you back again... though I daresay this is a much more agreeable situation than having potions poured all over you by me.

As she nodded against me and reclaimed her balance, I let her go.

'Thank you, Severus.' She whispered, looking up at me, big doe like brown eyes catching mine before walking to her room.

Perhaps it's a good thing she's not a student any more. I just have to worry about her uncle disapproving of any possible relationships Hermione has going.

Hermione's Point Of View

It was first day of classes, and today I was sitting in on Severus' classes. The first year speech was the same as always. The first years looked at me occasionally, but with a well practised glare, they decided I was just like their potions master.

The second years stared at me as if I was an alien. One student tried to chuck a piece of Mandrake Root at me when I jumped onto his desk and slashed him across the face. The student then tried to pick me up and throw me across the classroom when Severus caught me, gave the student a month's worth of detentions with Filch and then ordered him out of the classroom.

I hope that cut gets infected, bloody wanker.

In the end it was a fifth year Slytherin that asked when Severus had gotten a kitten and he responded that it was none of their business, but on the summer holidays. The silly girl was stupid enough to ask my name, and he called me what he always does. 'Raven.'

I was watching their potion making, but to no avail, all I could hear was how adorable I was and how Professor Snape better be grooming me correctly. One of them said I looked like an intelligent cat.

By the time lunch rolled along, I was trotting alongside Severus to the lunch hall. He reprimanded me, saying that I probably wouldn't be allowed in, so I found Harry and followed him.

Let the gossip mongers have that. 'Snape's cat loves Harry Potter!'

I sat on the table next to him, swiping things from the side of his plate. He let me, stroking my head occasionally. Of all the people I didn't want to see, Ronald turns up and sits down opposite Harry, glaring at the pair of us. Being a small kitten, I scampered up Harry's arm and sat on his shoulder, hoping Ronald would leave me alone.

'New cat, Potter?' He asks in a Malfoy-esque manner.

'No, this is Professor Snape's cat. She's just friendlier.' I mewed in agreement and rubbed my face against Harry's.

'No wonder she likes you, she probably can't understand a word you're saying.' He retorted.

I jumped down onto the table and hissed at Ronald, vicious for such a small cat. He backhanded me, not hard, but not gently either. I rolled over and then launched myself at him, scratching as hard as I could.

'GERROF ME! GET THIS EFFING CAT OFF ME!' He roared. It echoed throughout the hall, and everyone stopped to see Ronald Weasley being attacked by a kitten.

Laughing his head off, Harry stood and pulled me off Ron, holding me back from launching myself at him again. 'What's this, Ronald? Even the little kitten doesn't like you. Poor Raven.' He laughed, walking out of the hall with me still in his arms.

Severus' Point Of View

After seeing Mr Weasley being attacked by Hermione, I suppressed how amused I was and went to ask him what he'd done to my kitten.

'Mr Weasley. What exactly did you do to my cat to have her react in such a way?' I drawled with an eyebrow raised.

He stayed silent. 'I'm waiting, Mr. Weasley.'

'I badmouthed Potter and it attacked me.' The blood on his face was hilarious. Hermione must have cast wandless magic when she attacked him, making his blood blue.

'Very well. Under the circumstances I shall only deduct forty points from Gryffindor for attacking my cat, a detail you must have unintentionally forgotten. Good day, Mr Weasley.'

I walked out of the hall to see Mr Potter sitting with the kitten on the staircase.

'I'd like to thank you for rescuing my kitten from Mr Weasley. Raven cast a hex as she attacked Mr Weasley turning his blood blue. Very well done, don't you agree?'

'Come, Raven.' I motioned for her to follow me and then walked to the dungeons.

Once we were there, she turned back into a human, and had a light bruise across her face.

'You do bruise easily, Hermione.' I murmured, pulling out a potion and rubbing it gently into her cheek. I frowned a little and handed her the bottle. 'Perhaps your need is greater than mine.'

'I think I will be staying away from Ronald for a while.' She breathed, touching her face gently where the bruise had been.

'Ginevra Weasley asked me about you today. She made it clear that I knew you were alive and possibly had you in residence with me.'

'Ginny? Oh, but I'll have to go see her!' she said wistfully, staring off into space. 'Hang on, how would she know? Is she on Dumbledore's side?'

'Hermione, she would not have blatantly addressed the issue of you living in my chambers if she was working for Dumbledore. It's not yet time for class, I believe you'll find her waiting around in a courtyard near the east wing.' She nodded, leaping into a black kitten guise and exiting the dungeons.

'Try not to get attacked this time, Raven!' I called after her.

She yowled in agreement and kept going.

Authors Note: Wow. Just wow... I've never had such a positive reaction to any of my stories anywhere- My Final Fantasy X story on another site didn't get nearly as many reviews as this (Like... 1 or 2 a chapter...) and I get about 4-6 reviews a chapter... It's amazing... Anyway, I got a suggestion to add a little romance, and there is a hint of it in this chapter, I guess, but it's still in the awkward 'oh god, she's meant to be my student' phase. Don't worry, the fact that she's Voldemort's grand-niece is basically the only thing jarring Severus' actions... and the fact that she was raped for th entirety of her existence. Taking a chance to advertise my other story: It's got morbid humor. If you're into that kind of thing, it'll be right up your alley.