Chapter Nine

~ Granger ~

Hermione couldn't sleep. All night she lay in her bed, staring at the canopy, trying to find a way out of her current predicament.

She wasn't having much luck.

I can't let him say he coerced me, it will destroy his reputation and make him a social pariah. Well, more than he already is.

She can't bear to think what people will say about him.

He's such a proud man and this will make him look like a perverted fool. I'd rather be expelled than have people think ill of him because of me.

Hermione blinks rapid as that thought washes over her.

I'd rather be expelled.

Considering the thought again, she realizes that she really would rather be expelled than have any harm, be it physical or emotional, come to Severus.

For Hermione Granger, that is a really massive discovery.

Her grades are of the upmost importance to her, and always have been. If it came down to any other teacher being fired or Hermione being expelled, she would help the teacher pack. Sure, she would feel sorry and wish there was something she could do, but she wouldn't sacrifice her education for them.

There has only been one person she has rated above the importance of school…

Harry Potter.

She left school last year to help Harry defeat Voldemort. While some would argue that she left to help the wizarding world, she would disagree. She was never keen on running out and becoming a war heroine; she only wanted to protect her best friend and the only brother she's ever known.

When her parents begged her not to return to Hogwarts each year after the troubles she'd encountered, she had refused because she wanted to prove herself as a witch. She knew they would forgive her for insisting to leave, and she barely gave it a second thought.

She is shocked at the realization that Severus Snape truly has just joined her list of 'more important than school.'

You really barely know him. How can you be having such strong feelings for him? She asks herself.

I know the important things. He is loyal, intelligent, he serves the light, he is a good man, and after a lifetime of shutting people out, he seems to be opening up to me. I can't abandon him now, or I would be no better than Lily Evans. After a lifetime of servitude and disappointment, Severus Snape deserves some peace.

Though she still has no clue how to save him from the wrath of the school governors, Hermione feels her resolve strengthen and swears she'll figure something out.

When dawn breaks, she pulls her tired body out of bed, dresses quickly, and scurries from Gryffindor tower before any of her housemates even stir.

She decides the best place to try to tackle her impossible task is her favorite sanctuary.

The library.

~ Draco ~

When Draco Malfoy walked into the library Sunday morning, it wasn't with the typical bravado he'd carried through most of his school years. These days he tried not to draw attention to himself unless absolutely necessary.

Being a Malfoy after the fall of the Dark Lord is a very difficult task.

He most certainly wouldn't change it though. Draco is happier than he thought possible that the psychotic monster is gone, though less pleased with the shabby title he is inheriting from his Death Eater father.

He wanders through the stacks of books, trying to be discreet, averting his eyes from the few students he finds.

He is so tired of confrontation.

It doesn't take long for him to find what he's after.

Granger.

She is tucked away in the very back of the library and Draco can't blame her. She has it worse than him these days with the glares, threats, and hateful comments.

As usual, several piles of dust-covered books surround her. They must have been tucked far away for Madame Pince not to notice their decay.

The closer he gets the more he sees just how bad a state the Gryffindor know-it-all is in.

"You look like hell, Granger," he says, but there is no malice in his words.

Her wild hair is twice its normal mess, and there are bags under her eyes rivaling Moaning Myrtle.

"Sod off, Malfoy. I don't have time to play today."

"I'm sure you'll want to hear what I have to say," he assures her, pulling a chair out and sitting next to her.

She sighs.

"I highly doubt it."

"It's about you and Snape."

This gets her attention. She snaps the book she is reading closed, and glares at him with hard eyes. After she doesn't say anything, Draco decides that must be his cue to continue.

"I think I might be able to help clear you guys."

Her eyes narrow further.

"Why? Why would you want to help me?" she asks, suspicious.

This time it is Draco who sighs.

"Must there always be ulterior motives."

"You're a Slytherin," she scoffs.

"Point taken… but I truly have no ulterior motives. I only wish to help you and my Godfather. Severus has been a constant in my life, someone I could always go to with my problems. Be they school related, family related… or duty related." He shifts uncomfortably at this mention. "Since my father has been sent to prison, Severus has been there even more for me. I don't like seeing him hurt. As to helping you… well, you, Potter, and Weasel did save my life a few times during the battle. I owe you."

Granger studies him intensely, and then, after finding no deception on his face, her expression softens.

"How can you help?" she questions. "Because things have gotten much more serious since yesterday."

She quickly pulls her wand out and casts a silencing charm, then proceeds to tell him of how no trace of the potion could be found on her leftover treats, and how Severus intends to take full responsibility.

"I know who took the picture," he tells her after she finishes explaining their dire circumstances. "It was Pansy and Blaise. I saw them walking from the direction of the potions lab with a camera the night before the picture went school wide. They were in pretty high spirits."

Her mouth falls open.

"Draco, that's amazing! I really didn't have any suspects before, but those two make perfect sense. The only problem is I doubt that is enough evidence. Even if they took the picture it doesn't mean they poisoned us… according to the governors at least."

Draco frowns knowing she is right.

"Do you think you could get the camera?" she asks.

"Maybe, but what for?"

"I was doing some research—"

"Surprise."

"—and I found this thing about aura traces, it's very similar to muggle fingerprints, and if we were to find a way to link the aura traces on the camera to the traces that are surely on my tin, then we could prove they were tampering with my things! I was hoping the aura thing would be useful, I just didn't see how to use it since we have nothing to compare it to."

It takes him a moment to catch up with her.

"I barely understood half of what you just said, especially that bit about muggles, but from what I did piece together I think I see a flaw with your plan. There is no way Blaise or Pansy made it into Gryffindor tower to poison your cookies. They would have to have had an insider."

Granger chews her lip.

"How about this," Draco offers. "I'll try to get the camera, and you try to find out which Gryffindor betrayed you. Perhaps you can find something to tie Pansy and Blaise to them."

She nods enthusiastically.

"It may not work, but it's better than no plan, which is what I had so far. Thank you, Draco."

Granger gives him a tight smile and pats the back of his hand.

"Don't thank me yet. Let's see what happens first."

~ Granger ~

Hermione heads back to the Gryffindor tower in an optimistic mood.

We have a plan. It's going to be okay.

She decided to go back around lunchtime, hoping the emptiness of the tower would give her time to snoop around.

Just as she's approaching the Fat Lady's portrait it swings open and she hears female giggling.

"Ron came to find me yesterday, and begged me to take him back. He said he was a fool to think there was anyone else for him," Lavender cooed.

"I thought he was in love with Hermione?" she heard someone ask.

Lavender snorted.

"He thought he was, until he read yesterday's Prophet and realized what a floozy she is. Honestly, that Snape thing has been perfect timing."

Lavender steps out from behind the portrait and finds an angry Hermione right in front of her.

The blonde looks momentarily shocked, but quickly schools her expression into one of disdain before walking away.

I think I have my first suspect, Hermione thinks bitterly.

She makes her way to the girl's dormitory and quickly sets to work. She sets a charm on the stairs to alert her if anyone approaches and begins searching Lavender's area of the room.

Hermione sifts through the drawer in Lavender's bedside table. It's filled with nothing but cosmetics, hair ribbons, and a few issues of Witch Weekly. She reaches under the edge of the bed but doesn't find anything. Then she takes to the girl's trunk.

Sweet Merlin, that's a lot of shoes.

Hermione almost gives up when she notices the corner of a box sticking out from beneath a horrid pink robe. She pulls it out and is disappointed to see it's a shoebox. Attempting to put it back where she found it causes the box to shift and it's contents rattle around.

That doesn't sound like shoes.

Hermione eagerly rips off the lid to search the small box. It's filled with trinkets of no real monetary value. A dried flower, a Christmas card drawn by Ron, a picture of Lavender and Ron after a Quidditch match… just sentimental things. Her heart starts to sink, just as she notices a small glass phial.

Grabbing a handkerchief from her pocket, Hermione uses it to pick up the small container not wanting to put her aura trace on it. She uses her wand to uncork the bottle and gets an immediate whiff of sandalwood and exotic plants.

Amortentia.

Upon looking closer at the bottle, she sees something that makes her heart jump into her throat. Stuck to the inside is a single black hair.

Hermione wraps the precious evidence in her handkerchief and puts it in her pocket, before stowing the shoebox back where she found it. She then jumps up and runs for the dungeons as fast as she can.

I can't wait to tell him!

She is both beaming and panting while holding a stitch in her side when she arrives at Severus' office. She pounds on the door, not sure if he is actually in there, but thinking it is her best shot.

Hermione is bouncing on the balls of her feet when he opens the door widely, and she quickly barges into the room.

"Miss Granger!" he snaps, closing the door quickly. "What in Merlin's name are you doing here?"

"I know how to help!"

"I told you I don't want your help, foolish girl! What were you thinking coming down here? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THIS LOOKS?" he thunders.

"But I—"

"I don't want to hear it! I told you I would handle this! Even if I couldn't do it alone, do you think I would enlist the help of a blundering, inept, child?"

Hermione jumps back as if she's been slapped.

Inept child. Is that how he sees me?

Fighting the prickling in her eyes, and the sinking feeling in her chest, Hermione does the most sensible thing she can think of. She flees.

Almost twice as fast as she raced down to him, she rushes away. Rounding a corner she sees someone ahead of her.

Good job, Hermione. Get yourself seen running from his office.

"Granger?"

It's Draco.

"What are you doing down here?" he asks.

"I, uh, found something," she tells him around the lump in her throat.

"Excellent," he beams, "I found something too. Should we go see Severus?"

She shakes her head vigorously.

"No, let's go straight to the Headmistress."

Author's Note: So, I feel this was the shakiest chapter... or maybe that's just because we are so close to the finish I'm worried about the end living up to expectations. I'm hoping Hermione realizing the extent of her feelings for Severus by seeing him as more important than school isn't too cheesy. It just seems like the kind of thing our Gryffindor Princess would do. Please let me know what you think!

The last chapter and the epilogue will both be uploaded tomorrow... Are you excited?!