HG

After Professor Snape's departure, Hermione is once more overcome with tears for the humiliating treatment of her friend's body. She retreats back to bed and folds in on herself. Pulling her knees up to her chest she wraps her arms around them tightly. Hermione fears if she doesn't keep a firm grip her sobs will tear her apart.

You deserve so much better, Harry.

Hours pass by and still she remains in the same fetal position, though the tears have long since faded.

You should go practice your wandless magic, she tells herself with no real conviction.

She remains motionless.

Today is running out. He will be back soon. Hermione shudders.

Hermione is once again torn by Professor Snape's actions. She would like to believe there might be some good in him, and that he brings her the papers to keep her informed on what is happening out there. But the more logical part of her mind tells her that he is just trying to break her down piece by piece.

Breaking a spirit is more rewarding than breaking a body, her mind supplies.

Hermione shies away from the idea.

My spirit will not be broken, she vows. That would just be one more blow to Harry's sacrifice.

Her hands are tingly and numb as she slowly unclasps them. As she begins to uncurl, her body pops and relishes in her stretches. Blood rushes through her freely again and Hermione lets out a gasp as several areas of her body begin to wake up at once.

Way worse than a sleeping foot…

Hermione sighs heavily and climbs out of bed. She feels her sense of determination returning and, after retrieving the book on wandless magic; she disappears into the comfort of the bathroom.

SS

Severus had become used to eating meals in his office since becoming headmaster. There were always forms to file, complaints to handle, disputes to settle, and of course professors to deal with.

When he was first named headmaster, his fellow teachers had gone out of their way to make everything difficult for him. It was their only way to rebel against Dumbledore's murderer; their way of showing they would never respect the nasty likes of Severus Snape.

He was reminded of Dolores Umbridge's reign as headmistress and how amusing he had thought it when the staff came together to hassle that miserable wreck of witch.

He no longer finds the unity of the staff amusing. He finds it tiresome, tedious, and utterly grating.

Although if he were completely honest with himself, at first he had been glad of their hatred, he had reveled in it, in fact. Because it meant that they still believed in the cause and they were willing to fight back, even if it was by doing something as ridiculous as making him fill out maintenance orders for clogged toilets and squeaky door hinges. It meant they were keeping the fire of their wish to fight lit and just waiting for the moment they could release it to burn down their enemies.

Standing in his office Severus looks down on his empty desk and clenches his jaw. Every day since Potter's death his desk has been empty. No more bogus reports to file, field trips to approve, classroom items to order. The staff has finally stopped tormenting him.

He wants to curse them all.

They have given up… let the fire burn out in the wake of their despair for Potter. I need to assess the situation.

Wearing his signature sneer, Severus turns on his heel to head to the Great Hall for lunch. He had been perfectly content, in a way, taking all of his meals privately. The few times he had shown up to eat with the rest of the school he was faced with three quarters of the student population glaring at him and muttering threats under their breath. He had been forced to start issuing detentions to keep up appearances. It had been much easier on everyone when he stayed to his rooms.

Severus hadn't been sure what to expect in the Great Hall, but what he finds turns his stomach.

Defeat. The only word to describe this is defeat.

The hall is mostly silent with only a few whispers here and there. Almost all the students' heads are bowed, only the Slytherins sit tall.

Severus marches up to the staff table, along the way noting how all the students look away from him.

The staff isn't much different. They are all silent, though they do not bow their heads. They stare out at the students, trying to show strength. It is not hard to see their eyes are empty though, that there is no hope left in them. None of them look at Severus as he takes his seat in the middle of the table.

Something must be done. They cannot give in just because Potter is gone.

As he eats, Severus tries to decide on the best course of action.

I cannot, for obvious reasons, attempt to restore hope. But maybe I can give them anger, and another reason to fight.

Severus turns to his right to look at Minerva.

"Minerva, could you remind me when the next Gryffindor Quidditch match is?" he asks in a bored tone as he turns his attention back to his plate.

He can feel her cool glance.

"It is in three weeks, Headmaster. Against Ravenclaw," her voice is hollow.

"Ah, excellent," he replies before taking another bite.

He can tell she is trying hard to restrain from asking. She fails.

"Why?"

"I just thought is might be a nice treat. I know Miss Granger loves her house and would want to show her support," he says smoothly.

Minerva's head flips towards him so fast he is surprised it doesn't keep spinning.

"Miss Granger? What are you talking about? She is alive?"

"Why yes, for now. She is in my old rooms."

The other staff members are paying close attention, not sure what to make of the news.

"W-why?" Minerva asks.

"She was a gift from the Dark Lord. I thought I might take her to the Quidditch match as a reward. She has been so very… receptive." Severus lets the last word drip with innuendo.

Beside him Minerva stiffens and he can hear other staff members gasp and start to whisper.

Severus pushes his plate away dramatically and stands up.

"Good day. I think I'll take my dessert with Miss Granger," he says seductively as he looks down at Minerva.

Just before he turns away, he sees it. Right there in Minerva's eye. A spark.

The flame is relit.

HG

After a dozen or so times of turning the bathroom lights on and off wandlessly, Hermione finally concedes she has mastered the wandless Lumos and Nox.

She closes Willful Wish-Work for the Wandless and climbs out of the marble tub. Making her way to the mirror, she is not surprised by the horrible state she is in. Her skin is a sickly white pallor although the area around her tearstained eyes looks swollen and red.

You pushed yourself too far again, she silently admonishes.

Hermione consults her pocket watch and discovers she has over an hour before Snape will join her for dinner.

I should take a bath.

Yes, make yourself presentable for him, the sarcastic voice in her head sneers.

She ignores herself and begins filling the tub. This time when she searches the bathroom she finds a bottle of unscented bubble bath, she pours some into the filling tub and undresses. Soon the tub is ready and she is making herself comfortable in the hot, frothy water. She wets a washcloth and places it over her eyes, hoping to ease the swelling.

She is asleep in minutes.

"Your bubbles are almost gone, Miss Granger," Snape purrs.

Hermione jumps up immediately and removes the washcloth from her eyes. Snape is standing in the door of the bathroom, watching her with an unreadable expression. Looking down at the water she realizes he is right and crosses her arms over her chest.

She feels her cheeks burning in embarrassment but refuses to show her fear.

Stay calm.

"Can you hand me a towel?" she asks, managing to keep her voice from shaking.

She just makes out his look of surprise before Snape returns to being unreadable. He pauses only a moment before walking into the bathroom and over to the cupboard containing towels. He grabs one and walks to the edge of the tub.

Instead of handing it to her he holds it open, and Hermione realizes she has entered into some sort of game.

Refusing to be the first one to back down, Hermione takes a deep, silent breath and stands up from the tub. She carefully steps out of the bath and into the towel, which is promptly wrapped around her.

Snape's hands rest on her shoulders for a long moment before he finally removes them. Hermione turns to face him and realizes just how close to one another they are standing.

He is so much taller than her that she finds herself looking straight into his chest. Slowly, she raises her chin to look up at him. His black eyes bore into her brown ones and her breathe catches in her throat but she refuses to be the first one to look away.

Stay strong.

Snape reaches a hand up and brushes a wet lock of hair behind her ear. His hand lingers for a moment grazing her cheek. As soon as his fingers touch her skin a jolt shoots between them, he snaps his hand back and abruptly turns to walk out.

"Dinner is ready," he tells her coolly.

What the bloody hell was that?

SS

Granger sits across the table from him trying not to make eye contact. Being a master of stealth, Severus watches her surreptitiously through his hair. She stares at him between bites, but as soon as she seems to realize what she is doing she averts her gaze immediately.

What is she thinking? He wonders.

Severus knew as he had approached the bathroom door that he shouldn't go in. He told himself it was a bad idea. When he listened at the door and didn't hear anything he started to worry that she have done something rash… or so he told himself.

He had opened the door, scathing remark ready, and had been struck silent at the sight of her in the bath. She had her head reclined with a washcloth over her eyes. There were a few bubbles still floating in the water but he could make out the outline of her body.

He was shocked when she asked him for a towel, but quickly knew she was trying to play it cool and challenge him. He accepted her challenge and raised the stakes, holding the towel for her and wrapping her in its warmth. When she had turned to face him he couldn't stop himself from reaching to move a lock of hair from her eye. When he did he was hit with the intoxicating scent of lavender and chamomile. Severus still wasn't sure what happened when he had touched her. Just that an electrical charge shot through him, snapping him out of the thrall her eyes had him in.

Severus catches her watching him again and this time lets her know he is watching. She looks a little embarrassed and clears her throat.

"Anymore news you would care to share?" she asks quietly.

"Nothing more today," he answers. "Can I ask you something?"

She looks a little timid, but nods yes.

"How is it you smell so strongly of lavender and chamomile when you were bathing in unscented bubble bath?"

She seems surprised by my question and takes a moment to answer.

"Before Har— the boys and I left on… our trip I realized we would have to travel very light. To me, being hygienic was rather important, but I realized the impracticality of carrying enough soap to last for however long we would be gone. So, I devised a spell where I could enchant my skin with my favorite body wash. Whenever I bathe I just have to say a key word and I become soapy."

Severus arches an eyebrow at her, impressed.

"You created the spell?"

"Um, yes. There were others similar to it, but none that lasted long enough. Mine lasts for six months." She answers.

"Interesting."

Severus picks up his napkin and wipes his mouth.

"I have to be going," he tells her, standing up.

"When will you be back?" Granger asks him, and immediately bites her lip as f she is surprised the question escaped.

"I'm not sure."

He walks to the door giving her one last glance before exiting. When he leaves he places all his usual wards on the door except for one. Instead of his normal, unbreakable silencing charm, he uses just a basic spell instead.

I hope I'm right.