A/N After a great period of feasts, here's the brand new chapter. I hope everyone spent a nice Christmas or whatevere you celebrate! Happy New Year, Bonne année! I hope you'll like this new chapter.
A huge thanks to BornOfElvenBlood!
Chapter X: Friends.
Exhausted, she collapsed on her mattress, crying.
It's in that position, lying there, that Severus Snape discovered her when he came two hours later.
She turned her head to look at him.
He approached her and sat on the mattress next to her while she sat up.
For a moment, neither spoke. They just stared at the opposite wall.
He did not know exactly what to do.
He was not supposed to care about her. But seeing her in that state, it was hard for him to not care.
He knew she was a former student. He knew she was a friend of Harry-bloody-Potter. He knew she was a prisoner. He knew he was supposed to be cold to her. He knew he was supposed to torture her rather than sit with her. He knew he was just a link between her and the Order. Nothing more.
He knew all those things.
And he couldn't help but care for her.
When he was not in the cell, he wondered if she felt alright. And when he was in the cell with her, all he wanted was to hold her in his arms to comfort her.
She had become a sort of friend to him.
Well, maybe not a true, proper friend. But he thought that by now a sort of friendship existed between them.
For her part, Hermione was also thinking about her relationship with this man.
She felt so lonely all the time. She was so scared as well.
But what kept her from going insane was Professor Snape coming to her cell.
It was not the thought of being delivered; it was Professor Snape coming in her cell.
She knew she was supposed to be glad because she was soon to be freed. She knew she was not supposed to grow attached to the man. She knew he would never care for her. She knew she was only a prisoner that he had been ordered to look after.
She knew all those things.
She felt so lonely when he was not here.
At that thought, a sob escaped from her.
And she began to cry. She let her head fall on Snape's shoulder.
Severus needed no more invitation and took her in his arms. He just held her in his arms and hoped that she would find comfort there.
They remained in that position and in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Hermione moved her head to look properly at him.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"There's no need to be sorry. The Dark Lord is a monster. You have the right to cry."
"Thank you. But I didn't mean to cry on you."
"It doesn't matter. It is understandable. I'm the only thing, the only person you know here. You can wet my shirt whenever you want, it would always be a pleasure."
Hermione tried to hide a giggle. And the Professor smiled faintly at her reaction.
How could a man like him make her laugh in such a situation?
She didn't know but she didn't care. She needed that. She needed to laugh even if it was nervous.
Some minutes passed before she spoke again.
"Why did you come? Is there any change?"
"No. No change."
"Then why are you here?" she asked.
"I can leave if you want," he said, but did not make any movement.
"No, no. I didn't mean it like that. I was just worried that something bad happened with the Order."
He smiled again faintly.
It was so unusual from the Potions Master that she was beginning to wonder if it was the true Severus Snape sitting beside her.
"I was in the corridor and I saw you."
"Thank you."
"For what," he asked, raising his eyebrow.
"For coming," she answered with a smile.
"You're welcome."
She turned her head to stare at the opposite wall.
She put her head again against his shoulder. And he tightened his grip around her shoulders.
Neither spoke, but both definitely knew that they were more than mere acquaintances belonging to the same group.
They were friends.
Suddenly Snape began to move and broke the silence.
"I have to go."
"Now?"
"Yes," he said, standing.
He crouched in front of her.
"But while I'm gone I want you to count the prisoners. I cannot see them all and the Order needs the exact number of people in order to properly organize your escape."
"Okay."
They looked into each other eyes.
"I will soon ask the Dark Lord for you to come and assist me," he stated.
She nodded.
This news overjoyed her.
"When?" she asked.
"I don't know. I have to go."
He smiled at her.
Then he kissed her shyly on her lips and left without a look back.
Hermione was surprised by his actions. But she was delighted nevertheless.
They were friends. They were close friends.
She wondered how in two months they had become such close friends.
Well, she doesn't really care. Thanks to him, she was not thinking of the monster who kept her prisoner. And thanks to him she had hope.
As for Severus, once he had closed the door, he stopped in the corridor to think.
Why did he have kissed her?
The answer was easy. He wanted to.
He liked her and he had wanted to kiss her, to taste her soft lips. He had wanted to comfort her and hoped he had succeeded.
He would do anything for her to be allowed to assist him soon.
He would do anything to deliver her.
He did not want her to be sad or scared anymore.
A/N So what do you think? A review please...