Teach Me Perfection
Chapter Eight
-Author's Note-
I really am sorry that I haven't updated. I got super busy, got kicked out of my house because I was stripping (Weirdly enough I had customers at the strip club that had read my fanfiction, good to know that I have a diverse demographic.) But I quit stripping and moved back in with my parents, It has been like a day and I'm already regretting it, but for now I'll write and content until I figure out just what I plan on doing. Here is the long awaited eighth chapter of Teach Me Perfection.
xKaley
Wake. Weigh. Record. Run. Shower. Class.
Hermione's mantra ran through her head as she woke up from her semi-restless sleep. She kept waking up every half hour last night, she had a feeling about something. She had no reason to have this feeling, it just showed up about the time she was falling asleep last night.
And it was a bad feeling.
Sighing, Hermione removed herself from the warm comfort of her bed and started her day. Hoping that the bad feeling she felt was actually her weight and not something much bigger, she was both relieved and nervous that she'd actually lost another kilo.
As she dressed to run, the only thing she was thinking about is what in the bloody hell was going to go on today.
The sinking feeling that Hermione felt, was nothing compared to the feeling Minerva McGonagall felt as she sipped her morning tea. Severus Snape had been her colleague for years, and somewhat of a friend in the last few. The way he spoke the previous day scared her. He had literally planned on dying soon, and it was all his calm preparations that worried her so.
The professor dressed for her day and made her way down to have an early breakfast. Seeing the Potion's master at the Head table in the Great Hall was a very happy sight indeed. She smiled slightly as she sat down.
Everything's going to be fine, Minerva, whatever feeling it is that you're having had no indication of what will happen. Her mind scolded her slightly, as if she would have found Severus dead somewhere.
When you prepare for death, it does not stop being a frightening experience, but merely your mind has learned to cope. Slightly like if you're afraid of spiders, and someone says 'I want to show you this spider.' You're not going to be rude and say 'No I don't want to look at your spider.' You'll look politely, still be scared on the inside and everything, but you deal with it and that is what makes it not-so-scary.
That's how Severus Snape was feeling. He did not want to die, but he had come to terms with it enough to deal. A matter of hours, days, or weeks, he had no idea. Only that the day was fast approaching, and his affairs were in order. Although, his bottle of Firewhiskey was emptying quicker every day. He did not get drunk, well not like a drunk person. You'll never see Severus with a lampshade on his head wondering who the girl is in his bed the next day.
No, he just got so passively calm about everything. A second year blew up two potions yesterday and got one detention and was allowed to make up the potion. As he sat in his office after having a small breakfast, a glass of Ogden's Old in his hand once again, he was calmer than ever. Happy even.
And that's how he knew it would be today.
"Say, Draco, do you think Professor Snape is acting odd?" Hermione asked Draco as they departed from their second class of the day, Potions.
"No, I'd say he's quite chipper." The blonde replied running a hand through his hair. "He didn't yell at anyone or anything, even Weasley."
Hermione gave him a look. "That's what I am trying to say. Don't you find those things, I dunno, odd for him?"
"Point made." Draco replied. "I'm sure he's fin e, maybe Dumbledore went wild with a cheering charm or something. He'll be fine."
"I hope so." Hermione mumbled and quickly diverted their path towards their next class.
Ginny was avoiding dinner again, at the Quidditch Pitch. She'd been spending a lot of time around here as of late. She hadn't eaten today, and he stomach grumbled in agony.
There's no prize without pain, Ginevra, don't you dare give up yet. A voice in her head told her, and she obeyed silently opening a book and drowning out the growling of her stomach with words on paper.
There was no Quidditch practice today. Harry hadn't commented on her performance yesterday, which meant she hadn't gotten any better or worse yet. She would keep this up long enough to be a great player, then she'd go back to being normal again. Ginny planned on practicing on her own today, anyways.
Naïve as to how hard it is to end something like this.
Ginny was jolted out of her thoughts and her book when she heard an ear piercing scream. She ran as quickly as possible to the source of the noise.
Draco, Hermione, and about every other student followed the sound of the screaming. A small first year girl, her name was Madeline McCorgan, and she was standing next to the suspended corpse of Severus Snape in the Whomping Willow.
He was paler than usual, a calm serene smile on his face that told you he didn't die here, but in some other place, and was merely placed here for show. His black hair was mussed slightly, and a note was pinned to his robes that read:
Traitor to the Dark Lord. Watch yourselves, less you end up like Severus here.
Hermione steeled herself. "Students, I ask that you immediately return to your house's common room with your prefects. Prefects I want roll call done as soon as you get them there."
As the students left and teachers arrived Hermione looked at Draco with the saddest eyes. "He knew. He knew this was going to happen."
Draco merely stared at the corpse of his godfather, suspended by a cheap rope, with a note that was clearly written by Rodolphus Lestrange, the writing reeked of sadistic sarcasm. His brain wouldn't let him really think about it just other things.
I have a Charms essay.
They couldn't afford a quality rope?
Hermione's hair is brown.
Hermione was talking to Professor McGonagall and the small girl that discovered the body. They decided after taking a statement from her, to owl her parents and get permission to obliviate the girl so this wouldn't affect her negatively because she was so young.
The Head Girl turned to her partner and he looked as if he was going to be sick. Sadness filled her heart for the boy, his parents had disappeared to France, his Godfather had been murdered. She mentally focused all her attention on him and noticed the worry in his face. The panic and sadness in his eyes. His mind had to have been racing, not letting him think.
"Draco, let's go back to the common room." She offered her hand silently. He grabbed it and they walked calmly to their tower. Draco didn't speak a word until they reached the tower. Then she hugged him to her as he cried, and did not flinch when the screaming started.
That night she slept with him in his bed, and soothed him when the nightmares started.
End Chapter Eight
Sorry I've been so sad lately, clearly you can see that in my writing, but this actually was how I was planning this story. Its going to be a bit darker than the last version. A lot more action and a lot more drama. I hope you all enjoy. Next chapter out soon, pinky promise. Believe me, I've got the inspiration because I can only write when I'm depressed.
xKaley
