Chapter Nine

Saturday morning was as dark and gloomy as one would only expect in late autumn, when the first snows were threatening to fall. Unfortunately, grey skies and rain were predicted for this particular Saturday, and the occupants of the castle all felt that it was reasonable to sleep in. Only a few students turned up to Breakfast, and all sat together on one table instead of on other tables, and even a few of the staff that were not on duty had decided that breakfast was an overrated meal.

Snape sat with Albus and Minerva at the table, listening to the older, Scottish witch speak in her thick accent about what the plans for the day was. Apparently she was marking essays in the Library - lovely. Albus mentioned that he would join her, and then the attention was turned on him.

'What are you doing today Severus? You don't have student duties,' Minerva asked nosily. 'You do remember that it is your day off don't you?'

'Of course I remember Minerva,' he said through gritted teeth. Sometimes she was too much for him. 'And I do not recall what I do on my days off being any of your business, woman.'

She smiled at that. 'Getting defensive Severus? You're hiding something, and I want to know it,' she said in a demanding tone.

'Why do you blasted Gryffindor's always insist on knowing everything? I can assure you that anything I plan to do today has nothing to do with you, and can safely say that I do not intend to put anyone in danger,' he replied tersely.

Albus chuckled then, and looked at Severus knowingly. 'My boy, I do not think that Minerva believes that you are doing anything dangerous, she is merely curious as to what your plans for the day are,' he reasoned.

'Why you both are so suddenly interested in what I do in my spare time, I have no idea' he stated in a frustrated voice.

'Just tell us you silly man,' Minerva chided.

Snape sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. He was going to have to tell him or they wouldn't leave him be for the rest of the week at least. He honestly didn't think he could handle that much torture. 'I am going to Hogsmeade today,' he growled. 'Now is that all you wanted to know?'

'You're still not telling us everything,' Albus noted with a grin.

Snape cursed Albus and his damned perceptiveness. 'I am escorting Miss Granger to Hogsmeade today,' he admitted, preparing himself for the next wave of angry words that was bound to come from Minerva.

He looked up and was surprised to see two faces smiling at him. 'Why are you looking at me like that?' he demanded gruffly.

Minerva smiled even wider. 'Severus, welcome back,' she said, reaching a hand out to him and patting him on the arm. 'I never thought I'd see you like this again.'

'What on earth are you on about?'

'You smiled when you said her name, my boy. You might be able to hide yourself from everyone else, but that girl brings out something in you that you haven't known since you arrived at Hogwarts as a first year,' Albus said softly. 'I can remember your wonderment and joy.'

Snape's breath caught in his throat. They knew. 'Albus, I can explain. I – I didn't think – I tried to pt it out of my mind, but I can't,' he stammered. 'I have – it is entirely inappropriate, I already know…'

Dumbledore held up his hand to silence him. 'You tried to put her out of your mind. You may succeed that one day, but you will never able to put her out of your heart will you?' he said softly. 'I already know, Severus.'

'Am I that transparent?'

Albus shook his head. 'Only to us, dear boy. We have known you since you were an infant, and you have always been out favorite,' Albus replied with a smug smile. 'Do yourself a favor my boy, and don't let this one go like you did the last one.'

'But don't you dare hurt her,' Minerva warned.

'I wouldn't dream of it Minerva,' Snape replied, looking down from the staff table to where the students were sitting. He spotted Hermione, and she flashed him a small smile, which he returned briefly. 'She doesn't feel about me the way I do her.'

'How do you know that?' Minerva asked gently. 'Did you ever bother to ask her if she cared for you?'

'I do not have a right to ask her such a personal question; neither am I foolish enough to want to know the answer to that question,' he replied.

'You worry too much perhaps?' Albus offered.

'I am content to admire her from afar,' he lied through his teeth, even as his heart ached for her. 'I am content to remain as her companion and friend.'

'Did she ask to be your friend?'

'Not so much asked, but more or less demanded that it be so,' he answered. 'She can be very insistent when she wants to be.'

'That sounds like Hermione.'

'Yes, it does,' he said with a small smile playing on his lips.

With a glance down at the students table, Minerva saw Hermione in conversation with the newly installed head boy, Terry Boot. She also saw the glances that the young woman shot up to Severus, who was still talking to Albus about something else no doubt. If that wasn't a look of love in the girl's eyes, then she didn't know what was.

'Severus, shouldn't you be leaving?' she asked.

He looked up, and then at Hermione to find that she had risen to leave already. 'Yes, good day, Albus, Minerva,' he said, standing and sweeping out.

'Smitten,' Minerva commented to Albus as he left.

Snape went to his rooms and cleaned up, brushing his teeth and removing his robes in favor of his long black jacket that he wore to Hogsmeade. Soon, he was back in the hall, waiting for Hermione to arrive, and was pleased to find that he did not have to wait long. Within moments of his emersion from the Dungeons, Hermione appeared at the top of the main staircase.

'Sorry I'm late,' she said as an apology.

'No need,' he replied, offering her an arm to take, which she did readily, and together they exited the castle through a hidden side door. Better not to draw any attention inside the castle. Snape had no problems with walking with her so close now, and he admired her openly while they were alone like this together. He was sure that all he had needed was the permission from Albus and Minerva to feel this way about Hermione. They walked in mostly silence until Hermione found it necessary to ask if he needed to go anywhere in particular.

'I will have to stop by the apothecary on or return, but it shall only be a short stop,' he answered.

'What are you getting there?'

'Various dragon's bloods for my research,' he replied. 'It has been very difficult to obtain them, so I must collect them or risk setting back my research for a Lycanthrope cure.'

'That sounds fascinating,' she said honestly.

They entered the first shop on the street as they arrived in Hogsmeade, only to find that they stood together in Madam Malkin's Hogsmeade Branch. 'Is there anything that you need here?' he asked.

'I'd like some new casual robes and new dress robes while I'm here, so I wont have to come back to Hogsmeade until after Christmas,' she replied with a sheepish smile. 'I hope you don't mind.'

'I do not.'

'I had no idea you were a patient man,' she commented idly. 'I was always under the impression that you gave us in class.'

'You are incorrect – I do not have patience for the idiots I have to teach,' he offered simply.

'Are you calling me and idiot?' she asked in mock offense.

She went and made plans with the owner of the shop, speaking to the older witch as if they were on familiar terms, which indicated that she must frequent this particular robe shop in the village. Severus took a seat and waited for their conversation to end. When Hermione returned, she had an armful of assorted fabric colours.

'Which colors? Pick three,' she asked.

Severus felt a bit flustered at this, and held up his hands in defeat. 'I have no idea, I'm a male. Men do not have to make those decisions,' he said.

'I want your opinion. Other women often only tell us what we want to hear. Men tend to be more brutal and honest about what looks good, or what does not look good at all,' she reasoned.

'Good point,' he conceded. 'Well if I have to be honest with you, the bronze, deep blue and dark emerald suit your complexion well.'

Hermione smiled at him brightly and went to the older witch with her chosen colours. The next thing that happened was that Hermione was measured in the back room, and her casual robes were created and were more natural in style. One the first was complete and fitted, Irene Malkin duplicated the style on the other two colours. She then had those measurement used on her dress robes.

She needed them for the Christmas Eve, Yuletide feast for when Ministry members, old Order members and families and friends of the students all gathered together. A short while later Irene reappeared in the room and handed her a navy blue pile of silk. Her robes were amazing.

The inside piece would fall to the floor and was strapless. The outer piece had sleeves that would go to her mid forearm and was lined with delicate silver lace. It would fall to mid thigh, and had different sized stars stitched into it with silver thread. To top it all off, it held together and would clasp at the front around waist high with a shining, silver star that twinkled at her.

She went into the dressing room and tired them on, and found that it was a perfect fit everywhere. She removed the robes quickly once more and re-dressed in what she had come in, before folding the robes neatly and carrying them out with her when she returned to the back room. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Lucius Malfoy. The door to the front of the shop from the back was conveniently closed, and now she was trapped.

'Well, well, well. What do we have here? A little Mudblood spreading her likeness over an all-Wizarding town?' he asked with a sneer.

'What do you want Malfoy?' she spat.

'What do you think? Revenge is sweet Mudblood. I am going to take you away, lock you up, play games with Snape, break him, and then I'm gong to kill you,'

'You'll never get away with it,' she hissed, glaring at him all the while.

She felt and heard the resounding slap as he hit her hard. She stumbled and clutched at her stinging, aching face, crouching in the ground as she tried to recover. She knew she was no match for him physically, and she knew that he took her wand. But she couldn't do anything else at the time.

Get up, filth,' he growled.

She complied, but then turned on him and stared straight at him. 'You'll never get away with this,' she shouted desperately.

He took her roughly by the wrist and drew her to him hard and fast, before Disapparating for the shop.

Irene Malkin walked in not long after and found the room to be totally empty, save for the bloodstained note and her wand. Starting to panic, she collected and put all of Hermione's robes on her tab and hurried over to the man to see if her knew where Hermione was.

'Sir,' she said to Snape hesitantly. 'I am afraid there had been an incident involving young Hermione,' she began in all a rush, handing him all of Hermione's things.

'What do you mean?' he demanded as he unfolded the note.

'Hermione has disappeared and all I have found was her wand with this note. I didn't hear a thing,' she answered.

'What?'

'Hermione isn't here,' she repeated.

Snape read through the letter in his hand with increasing alarm, feeling his stomach begin to creep up his throat as he re-read every word. Hermione had been abducted. And it was all his fault. He knew that even by associating with her, he would be putting her in a great deal of danger, but he had taken the risk, and look where it had gotten them.

He knew who this was, and he knew why Lucius Malfoy was doing this to him. He wanted revenge, and if Malfoy was good at anything, it was the art of deception and the sweetness of revenge. And the woman he was sure he loved was caught in the crossfire. Hermione…

A/N – I apologise for this chapter, but it is essential for the plot. It is cliché, I know, but not the same as my other fics. I apologise that I have not and will not be able to update again for a while as I have become involved in a Musical that is taking up all of my time. Anyway, happy reading – Brandy.