Disclaimer:- I neither earn nor own anything from this story except my plot. Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of JK Rowling and her associates.
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A/N:- Thank you to Golden Asp, for her beta work on this chapter, as well as to all for your reviews and alerts, I appreciate them all.
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Chapter Eight – Things Get a Little Too Serious
They arrived for dinner, and Hermione noticed that only one of her usual nuisances was present, and she wondered where the Greengrass girl was. She also noticed that Ron seemed to be very subdued after this morning, and she thought he was about to speak to her, but then Harry arrived, and sat on her other side, and Ron seemed to change his mind.
Hermione couldn't eat anything, because as time went by neither Draco nor Severus arrived, and this made her very unsettled.
Of course Harry noticed that she wasn't eating, and he said, "What's wrong? Has something else happened?"
"Draco's gone missing," she whispered, but then said louder, "I'm not that hungry, I think I'll go back up," and she glanced at Blaise, and was just about to get up when Millicent Bulstrode spoke.
"Has your blood-traitor boyfriend gone missing, Mudblood?" and a couple of the others tittered softly.
"You think Malfoy is a blood-traitor?" Harry gasped. "You've got to be kidding."
"Shut it, Potty," Millicent said, sneering.
Hermione turned to see the sneer on the face of the black-haired young woman, and said, "Careful, Bulstrode, you're letting you mouth get away with you."
Of course, Ginny chose that moment to add petrol to the fire. "Of course, she doesn't have a boyfriend of her own, she's too busy stealing everyone else's," the redhead stated, glaring at Hermione, before turning to Luna. "You better watch Neville, she'll be after him next." She warned spitefully.
"That's enough!" Harry said, glaring at Ginny. "The reason I do not want to go out with you has nothing to do with Hermione, so stop spreading lies."
However, before Harry could retaliate, another voice cut in.
"Mudblood, bitch," Daphne Greengrass spat. "But your little friends are right about you and Draco, aren't they?"
Hermione looked on stone-faced. As difficult as it was she was determined not to allow them to get to her. She remained silent, even as her heart started pounding and her throat started to close over. Then a strange thought entered her head. She was reacting to Draco Malfoy being hurt as she would to Harry being hurt. Had she become so close to him, that it hurt her when there was something wrong with him?
However, as she was thinking this, to her profound surprise Ron stood up for her because Harry was still dealing with Ginny. "You know, Hermione puts up with a lot, but let me tell you," he said, glaring at the Slytherins. "You really do not want to get on her bad side."
He'd just finished speaking when Ginny jumped to her feet and all but screamed. "Well, who is it then?"
Harry glanced around the hall at their gathering audience. While they'd been arguing, more and more people had started watching. His eyes flitted up to the head table and thankfully the headmistress wasn't there, but Professors Flitwick and Sinistra were giving them disapproving looks. "No," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not ready to tell yet."
Quickly realising several things at once, Hermione got up from the table. Her mind was a whirl. "Well, I think the lot of you are nutters," she said to the Slytherins, hoping that they hadn't seen the moment she'd worked out what was happening. They knew something, she was sure of it, and she pulled on Blaise's sleeve as inconspicuously as she could and gave him a significant look.
Harry saw the look that passed between them, and he saw Blaise lean over and say something to Greg Goyle, and they got up and followed Hermione from the table. This made Harry get up and follow her too as she walked out of the hall.
Hermione was trying to appear like she was not hurrying, but as soon as the doors of the Great Hall closed behind them she grasped her throat and grimaced before reaching into her pocket for the phials of Calming Draught, as she said, "Those Slytherins are responsible for Draco being missing, I just know it," she managed, starting to cough as she opened the little wooden box and reached in for a dose. She noted with some concern that it was her last one, but she downed it and pushed off the door and started back towards their rooms with Harry, Blaise, and Greg following.
Hermione made it to the portrait in record time, with all the boys keeping up. "Has Draco come back?" she asked Violet, as they also heard the others stop behind her.
"Yes, the professor and Mister Malfoy have just gone in with someone else," Violet answered, looking very worried. "The headmistress is on her way too," she added.
Hermione didn't stop to ask any more questions, she just went in with the boys following her. However, she stopped suddenly in shock, causing a five person pile up in the office door way. There was Severus standing over Astoria Greengrass in full snarky Potions Master mode.
He spun around as they entered but only glared at them. He was obviously incredibly angry. "Madam Pomfrey is with Mister Malfoy, move through and stay in the sitting room until I tell you otherwise," he told them, not a flicker of emotion on his face.
The scene that greeted them in the sitting room was no better. Draco was laying on the lounge and he was covered in blood. The matron was casting diagnostics on him, and she glanced up as they came in and stood around gaping.
"Oh no," Hermione whispered as the very wane Draco looked up at her from the lounge but remained silent. She grabbed Harry's hand and held on. How had this become so nasty? They hadn't even quite made it to the end of the first term.
Eventually, Madam Pomfrey nodded. "You've broken a small blood vessel in your nose from being upside down for so long. I've repaired it, other than that you've been lucky, young man. I'll report this to Professor Snape on my way out. Just take it easy tonight, all right?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Draco said, sounding like his nose was blocked. "Thank you."
They all watched the matron leave, and then Draco sat himself up a bit. There was silence for some moments, but then Hermione asked what they all wanted to know.
"What happened?"
Draco shook his head. "The Greengrass girl decided that I needed to be punished for not wanting her. She took me by surprise," he muttered, as he watched Greg sit beside him. "It's okay, mate," he said, when Greg grunted. "I'm glad they brought you too," and he put on a brave face for his friend.
Hermione had not thought of Greg Goyle apart from thinking that he was a simpleton bully, but seeing the care that Blaise and Draco were sparing for him, she realised that there might be more to the story then she'd first thought.
As she was considering this, Severus walked in. "What happened?" she asked him.
Severus looked around the people present before he answered. "I found Draco hanging upside down from the ceiling in that hidden passageway on the floor above, the short cut," he told them. "Miss Greengrass has been taken by the Aurors, she will be charged with assault."
"I can't believe this," Blaise said, obviously trying to keep a straight face. "It's not like you to have your guard down."
"No, it's not," Draco replied, aware of his friend's amusement. "I was distracted by everything going through my head. It won't happen again."
Hermione had been leaving for dinner tonight with a confidence in her step that she'd not been able to find often here at Hogwarts. She'd been happy after her workout and very surprised and pleased at how well Harry and Draco had gotten on today. Now this, well it made her feel sick to the stomach.
"However, that's not the worst of it," Draco said, looking to Severus. "The stupid bint made certain threats against Hermione while she was taunting me." He turned to Hermione. "I'm sorry, Princess."
"It's not your fault, Draco" Hermione said, her mouth tight.
"She's been suspended from Hogwarts," Severus told them, but there was grave concern in his tone.
"What about the rest of them, the other Greengrass girl, Bulstrode, and Nott? They all made threats too," Harry said.
"Yes, there's got to be something we can do?" Blaise insisted.
"There is," Severus answered. "Be more vigilant and as much as possible do not go out of the main areas of the school alone."
"Oh, you must be joking?" Harry scoffed. "Is that the best we can do? Has nothing changed since we left?"
"Mister Potter, have you ever known me to joke?"
"No, sir," Harry replied, a little uncertain.
"However, you are correct, little has changed. It is one of the reasons that those who were most effected by the conflict do not stay within certain English wizarding provinces for long. This place is a prime example," and he gestured around them. "Most of us here in this room are already feeling like we're beating our heads against a wall."
Harry just looked at him, and nodded dumbly. He had never seen Severus Snape like this, and he realised just how different this was. The man's answers were very astute comments on what was happening. "Do you think we'll succeed, sir?"
"No," Snape replied. "This is like wading in mud, or even worse, sinking in quicksand. Yet, like lemmings we continue to trudge forward."
Hermione watched her friends struggling with her new reality, and she changed the subject. "Are you sure you're all right, Draco?" she asked, as she sat down on the other side of him. She looked him over. The matron had tended his wounds in her usual efficient style, but he still looked a mess.
"I'm fine, Princess," he said, getting up on what looked like slightly shaky legs. "But now I'm going to have a shower and then a bit of dinner, rattle their chains a bit," and he looked to Severus and Blaise, but then glanced at Greg. He walked forward to speak softly, leading his godfather and friend further away from the others. "This afternoon, Hermione, Potter, and I came up with a plan for the warehouse on Maple Lane, that's what we wanted to meet about tonight," he said.
Draco glanced at Harry, and he looked back to his fellow Slytherins and said, "I suspect it will be tomorrow before we can meet now."
"Very good," Severus replied, nodding, and then he was turning towards Hermione.
Blaise remained, talking quietly to Draco as Greg came over to them.
Hermione saw Severus coming towards her and asked, "Would it be all right if I used our Potions classroom to brew some more Calming Draught?" she asked.
"I can't see that as a problem, but bear with me for a moment please, my dear," and Severus looked to Harry and Greg. "Leaving now, gentlemen?"
"Oh, yes, sir," Harry said, taking the hint and hurrying towards the sitting room door, nodding to the professor as he went out the door. Blaise and Greg took the same hint and followed.
As Harry walked up towards Gryffindor territory, he was deep in thought. Ron was very quiet tonight. He so isn't ready for knowing the full extent of things, and he sighed. I wonder if he'll ever be ready? I'll be taking Hermione's offer of their lounge once I've collected some things from Gryffindor Tower.
He sighed. Earlier in The Great Hall, he'd wanted to scream at Ginny that he didn't want her because he was gay, but that would have just made everything a hundred times worse. No, he couldn't say anything, and for the first time he wondered if being here was the right thing.
He and Hermione had discussed his options in the Muggle system, and she was right; it offered so many alternatives for education, and the wizarding system was coming with all the baggage that they thought they'd left behind by escaping the country. It looked like all they'd done was postpone the problems.
xox
Back at the little office, Severus had just seen the Gryffindor and Slytherins out, and as soon as the door closed he turned to Hermione, and as he did the serious Potions Master dropped from his expression. "Hermione, you require more calming draught already?"
"Why do you ask?" Hermione countered, closing her eyes to try and centre herself as she contemplated what she'd heard Draco relate, but she took a deep breath and nodded.
Severus exhaled, she was going to be stubborn, but he continued calmly. "I did not know that your attacks were happening this frequently, and now it looks like you're going to be suffering more stress."
"I can look after myself, s-sir," she stated grimly, swallowing slowly and deliberately, and even as her eyes welled up regardless. She forced her emotions back down and cleared her throat.
"However, I insist that you must take care."
"I can easily promise you I will take care, s-sir," but her voice trailed off as she stumbled—for the second time—over calling him 'sir', and that was not even mentioning the subject of their conversation.
Severus noticed this, and said, "Hermione, within the confines of these walls, you are an adult who is a student, and when we're alone I am Severus." He opened the door that led to his quarters, and gestured that she should precede him. "Now, would you do me the honour of dining with me? I would like to learn from you about the idea Draco spoke to me about concerning Maple Lane."
As if on cue her stomach rumbled. "Oh, pardon me," she gasped.
"I believe your stomach might think it's a good idea," he replied, the corner of his mouth rising into a smile.
"All of me thinks it might be a good idea. I would love to have dinner with you," she laughed.
"Excellent, then please have a seat while I organise it with my elf."
While they ate Hermione explained what the three of them had discussed that afternoon, and then she told him more about the types of entertainment that she thought might suit.
"So, almost a cross between circus, cabaret, and burlesque," Severus commented.
"You know about all of those things?" Hermione gasped.
"I'm a half-blood, Hermione. The circus often came to our home town, and there was a fairly dubious burlesque—well really more of a strip joint—up the road from where I lived."
"Wow," Hermione gasped. "That's great, Draco had no idea what it was," she said, smiling.
"That doesn't surprise me," Severus said, sitting back and lighting a cigarette. "However, you seem to know more than I do," he commented.
She smiled. "It's my thing. I enjoy performing."
He blew a plume of smoke over her head, and noticed her inhaling deeply, and his smile had a wicked edge. "Do you dance to tease?"
His lovely voice rolled over her, and her brain almost stopped thinking, but she managed to answer him. "I enjoy singing, dancing, and on occasion teasing as well."
"Ah, I see." He nodded, and they sat in silence for some moments, but then he changed tack. "Where are you going to get the people to staff such an establishment?" he asked, blowing more smoke up and over her head. "I cannot imagine any wizards and witches wanting to perform. Whilst they'll want to watch, they are incredibly lazy when it comes to physical pursuits."
"On the continent, most of the wizarding clubs like the one we're describing are staffed and run by Muggleborns and Squibs," she told him. "In fact, this sort of enterprise tends to be a way for Squibs to maintain a presence in the world they were born into whilst using Muggle skills they have acquired because they do not have any magic. Did you know that in some countries Squib births are as high as one in three, and Squibs are still cast out of wizarding families? It's really sad. I wish there was something we could do to address this problem as well."
"Indeed I did, however, it is a rather touchy subject with a lot of people."
"Well, it would be great if there was a halfway house of some kind where Squib children could learn about both worlds safely."
"A lot of Squibs are too bitter to want to participate in the wizarding community," Severus said.
"I believe if they were not made to feel like they're worthless before they even have a chance to grow up as whole individuals then that might change," Hermione told him seriously.
"So, you've moved on from saving the house elves to bigger problems, have you?" Severus chuckled.
Hermione blushed. "You knew about that?" she said, cringing.
He chuckled darkly. "I certainly did," and he leant forwards. "And just between the pair of us, I was supporting you."
Hermione looked at him seriously. "Well, I know more about house elves now, and I know that they do not thrive unless they're serving. I still believe that they should be treated humanely, but I can see it from their side now as well," she stated, her eyes narrowed and her fork being used as a pointer as she spoke. "I think it's time that the wizarding world stood up for all its parts, and not just the convenient ones," she declared.
"I whole-heartedly agree," Severus chuckled. "Now, do you have any more information I need to know?"
"Oh," Hermione gasped. "Yes, we're planning to take the Christmas holidays and use it as a fact finding and information gathering excursion throughout Europe's best burlesque clubs." Her eyes rose to meet his. "I hope you can come."
"Indeed," he said, the corner of his mouth rising. "How could I say no? I will be in Europe over Christmas anyway as I have some library research to occupy me," he said, picking up his wine glass. "Coffee?" he asked.
However, Hermione hadn't heard anything after the word 'library'. "Oh, are you going to some of the exclusive wizarding libraries?" she asked, her eyes as large as saucers.
Severus chuckled. "Oh, I do declare, you are a faultless combination of innocence and cleverness," and he observed her over the rim of his glass for some moments, enjoying her rosy blush. Then his eyebrow rose enticingly. "It might be possible that I would be able to use an assistant…" he told her, keeping his sentence open-ended, and using his best bored tone. "I don't suppose you would know of anyone who might be interested in that position?"
"Oh, me, Severus!" she enthused.
His lips twitched as he continued to tease her. "Oh, a know-it-all Gryffindor assistant. I'm not sure that's a good idea," he said, his infallible expression still in place, but just as she was about to launch into a pleading speech she saw the very subtle twinkle in his eye.
That was when she realised why it had been so easy for this man to be such a successful spy for so many years, people only saw what he allowed them to see.
"Oh, very well," he said, and to his surprise she was up and around the table in record time, and he found himself with his arms full of sweet smelling witch.
"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," she kept repeating enthusiastically. "You won't be sorry, I'll be an amazing assistant," she babbled at him.
Pulling her back to arm's length, Severus chuckled. "Well, in all honesty, you already are being an amazing assistant. Daily hugs could be very nice."
"Only hugs?" she asked flirtatiously.
Pushing her away gently, he smiled at her as he got up from his chair. He kissed her forehead and looked at her seriously. "More is too complicated here."
She couldn't hide her disappointment, but she nodded. "I understand… Oh, I better start brewing," but just stood there looking at him.
"There's no need. I've just completed an order for the infirmary, you can have some of that," he said. "However, next time the infirmary order will be yours to fill, my assistant," and he chuckled.
His decadent rumbling laugh went straight through her, but she managed to say, "Thank you." However, then, in the face of another kindness from him, her guilt over the day of the battle roared into life again, and before she knew it she was she'd blurted, "You're being so kind to me, but I can never forgive myself for leaving you without aid the day of the battle."
To her surprise, he sighed and said, "Again, I am unwilling at this time to explain to you why you left me that day, but allow me to say that it was not your fault. You fully intended to assist me."
Hermione just looked at him. "You did something?" she asked. "To make me go away?"
"I did," he admitted, "but that explanation can wait for another day," and as he'd been speaking he'd also been guiding her towards his lab. He picked up a flask of Calming Draught and handed it to her. "Now, my little friend, rest easy," and he held out his hand to her.
Hermione met his long cool fingered hand with her smaller one, and he grasped it securely.
"Thank you, I've had a very pleasant evening," and he brought her hand to his lips.
"So have I," she replied, watching his gallant gesture with eager eyes.
"Excellent. Now, remember, do not venture out of the main areas of the castle alone. I am hoping that the next week until term ends will pass quickly, but of course we all know it will drag."
Hermione then found that she was back in the little office that joined their quarters, and he was backing back into his quarters. She hadn't even noticed that they'd been walking as he'd been speaking to her, but more importantly she hadn't noticed him whisper the words of a dream spell before he'd shut the door.
She smiled. "Sneaky bugger," she muttered, and turned toward her own common room, but as she opened the door, her heart sank when she saw Harry, Draco, and Blaise sitting on the lounge all with questioning expressions on their faces.
"Where have you been?" Harry asked. "Snape told you to be careful."
"Well," and she glanced back at the door. "I was being careful. I was next door."
They all looked at the Calming Draught flask in her hands and understanding dawned. "Oh, that's right, you were brewing that stuff," Draco said.
"Yes," she replied quickly. "That's all I was doing, brewing," and she laughed softly.
Of course, the Slytherins saw that there was more going on here than what she'd just said, and one particular blond Slytherin called her out on it.
Draco smirked at her. "Oh really, Princess?" He rose from the lounge and sauntered towards her. "It's close to ten. We left at seven, and Calming Draught takes twenty minutes to brew. Spill, pussycat, you've got cream all over your whiskers."
Hermione's eyes narrowed. "All right, I had dinner with Severus and we talked," she stated. "Now, I'm going to bed. Good night all," and she hurried up the stairs to the sound of male laughter.
xox
She didn't give her friends downstairs another thought as she got ready for bed, and sleep came easily for her she really was very tired, but with it came a dream.
She was in the Potions classroom and she was brewing, just like she'd thought she'd be tonight. However, then she noticed a presence behind her, and Severus was there, watching her. As she brewed he came closer and closer, and soon he was up against her looking over her shoulder.
"Am I a distraction?" he questioned softly, his silky voice caressing her ear. She shook her head. "Good. Leave that and dance for me," he commanded.
She was suddenly wearing her favourite black leather leotard, with her spiky-heeled black boots and the scene had changed. She was posing on the stage of the German burlesque house she often performed in, waiting for the music to start, and her eyes were on Severus watching her as her only audience member.
A heavy bass started to thump and then percussion was added and she writhed up and down as he watched, a cocky grin on her face as Severus surveyed her with his arms folded across his chest.
Then he was with her on the stage. Up against her again, moving with her. "Lovely," his delicious voice said smoothly, as his hands ran up and down her body. He grabbed her and twilled her as the music continued it sensuous sax line.
When she arrived back from her spin he caught her and pulled her possessively to him before he took a step back. His fathomless eyes perused her form, following the line of his questing hands on her. "Do you like men watching you?" he asked, his eyebrow cocked in that enticing way of his and his head tilted slightly as he took the step back towards her.
Hermione felt her heart thumping hard in her chest, and she hissed in a breath as his hands came up and cradled her breasts. His thumbs ghosting touches over her nipples through the leather.
He leant forward so his lips were near her ear. "Well, do you?" he breathed in her ear.
"No… Yes… um, only sometimes," her mind wouldn't think, he was too close, and his sinful voice was in her ear again.
"Which times?" he drew out the whispered syllables, and emphasised the beginning of the word which, the breath huffing in her ear.
"Mostly it's just dancing... B-But you…" but he chose that moment to gently lick the shell of her ear.
"Yes?"
"It's different with you…" was all she could manage to say.
His lips were sucking on her neck and suddenly she was naked save her boots. "Why with me?" he questioned, his head travelling down to her breasts.
"Ummm…. ohhh, god," she hissed, when his tongued flicked over the hard bud of flesh and then his hot mouth closed over it. "Ummm…. Oh, Severus," she moaned.
The dream choose that moment to change again. The music was still thumping sinuously around them but they were where she'd been just hours before, and he back her up onto the dining table where they'd shared dinner. His tongue moved down, travelling in delicious circles around her belly button as his fingers sank into her.
She was lost. A tight band of desire was building inside her, and the only thing stopping her knees from buckling under her were his hand holding her waist, as well as her grip on the table behind her.
A hoarse and throaty rush of words left her mouth. "Oh, Severus…. Oh, yyeeeessss!" she exclaimed as he pushed her onto the table and bent down so the tip of his tongue swept over her. "Yes," she repeated in a moan of want, holding his head in place.
He indulged her for some moments, but then he stood. Moving to stand between her legs, his lips capturing hers in a heated exchange as he freed himself. "My lovely girl," he said, his voice low and silky.
By this time Hermione was completely incoherent with lust and as he thrust into her willing body she wrapped her legs around his waist that she murmured, "Oh god…" and that was all she managed before a scream of passion escaped her as the heat that had been tightening inside her suddenly snapped and lashed her with its beautiful fire. He had worked her up so perfectly that she fell over the edge into bliss after his second thrust.
The remainder of what might have happened was then lost as Hermione's eyes shot open and she sat up in bed. She was sweaty and she'd cum; it had been the most realistic dream she'd ever had. Not to mention the best sex, but then dream-sex was like that, and she flopped back down and sighed. "Wow," she muttered in a long exhale, still attempting to get her breathing under control. That was amazing, but how I'm I going to face him in the morning? she wondered to herself, and she sighed again before she rolled over and tried to get back to sleep.
