Chapter 11.
Hermione followed Parvati into the common room and everyone present gasped half with relief and half frustration that she'd been so close the whole time.
Harry and Ron rushed forward and embraced her.
"Mione we were so worried! Don't you do that again!" Ron scolded.
"Yes dad." Hermione said sarcastically, but she smiled at him to let him know she was kidding.
"You were up there the whole time?" Harry exclaimed in exasperation.
"Yes." Hermione replied. "I needed to be alone for a while."
"Well you could have just said!" Lavender Squawked. "We would have left you alone!"
Parvati and Hermione shot Lavender a 'yeah, right' look and that shut Lavender up fast.
"Anyway, what time is it?" Hermione asked changing the subject.
Harry looked at the clock on the mantelpiece. "It's six thirty." He answered.
Ron's Stomach gave a loud rumble. "Right on schedule! Dinner!" he said enthusiastically.
There was a rolling of eyes and groans.
"Well come on! We'll miss it and then I'll be well mad!" Ron declared heading for the portrait hole.
The others followed.
Lavender fell into step beside Hermione and Parvati. "Hey." She said by way of greeting.
"Hey." The two girls replied in response, but they both knew what was coming.
"Before you ask, Lav, She doesn't want to talk about it." Parvati said firmly.
Lavender looked put out.
"Don't worry Lavender, You'll find out soon. I promise. I'll tell you everything!" Hermione assured her roommate.
"Well, okay…if you promise." Lavender agreed warily.
"Cross my heart. When all this is over, you will be told, by me personally about what has been happening."
This seemed to be just fine with Lavender. She was no rita skeeter, but she sure had a nose for news and gossip!
As the five of them walked along the corridor towards the great hall, they bumped into Seamus and Dean.
"Is this a private party or can anyone join in?" Seamus asked.
"Can't talk, seeking food." Ron said mechanically.
"Of course you are welcome to join us." Hermione said ignoring Ron.
"Cool!' Seamus said happily, turning around and Joining them in their quest for the food grail. Dean followed suit.
The little group of Gryffindors arrived at the entrance hall, moving down the stairs. Hermione stopped abruptly causing everyone to bump into one another.
"Ouch! Why are we stopping?" Lavender grumped. "Oh!" she whispered in realization when she looked around Hermione to see what had caused the halt.
"Malfoy." Harry said curtly.
Malfoy had stopped abruptly also upon seeing the group, causing Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy to collide with him. He looked unsure of what to do next, so Ron gave him a hint.
"Move it Malfoy, I'm hungry and you are blocking the way to the food." Ron ordered.
The Gryffindors braced themselves for a verbal onslaught of abuse like they normally would from Malfoy, but instead, the Prince of Slytherin stared momentarily at Hermione before turning and scuttling off into the great Hall with his confused friends glaring menacingly at the Gryffindors as they followed him.
"What the heck was that all about?" Seamus asked, bewildered.
"You kind of had to be there." Harry remarked, giving Hermione a nudge towards the great hall.
Hermione felt her cheeks burn and her heart raced. She felt better when she felt Parvati give her hand a comforting squeeze.
"Don't you worry, I'm here." She whispered.
"Thanks." Hermione whispered back before resuming their quest for the food grail.
They were just about at the door when something black and that smelled spicy and damp pushed past them and stood in front of them.
Ron gave a frustrated growl. "OI you're Blocking the food!" he stated to the rude figure gesturing angrily at the Great hall.
"Umm, Ron…." Lavender said quietly.
"Can't a bloke eat around here anymore? How many times are we going to be hindered?" Ron ranted on.
"Um…Ron, you do realize that you are talking to Professor Snape right?" Seamus asked.
Ron sighed. "Yeah. Anyway, what do you want? Hurry up and tell us so we can eat."
"I wish to speak with Miss Granger…Alone." Snape replied, glaring at the group.
Before Hermione could even step forward, Ron had grabbed her and thrust her at Snape.
Hermione was too shocked to say anything as she stood staring at Snape in horror.
"There, take her. Now can we go eat?" Ron huffed.
"RON!" Harry said, grabbing Hermione and pulling her back from Snape. "Can't it wait until after dinner Professor?" Harry asked politely. He could not believe that Ron had just handed Hermione over like that, especially to Snape.
"No it cannot wait, Potter." Snape growled. "It is rather urgent."
Ron grabbed Hermione again and shoved her at Snape. "Just take her for Merlin's sake, or we'll be here all bloody night!"
Snape looked slightly shocked and slightly disdainful as Hermione was shoved at him. She almost over balanced and had to grab his robes to keep from falling. He made no attempt to help her keep her balance.
"Now just a minute Ron!" Hermione said, sounding very upset and affronted "You can't just hand me over to someone as if I'm just some sort of Carpet Bag- Harry! You can't let him do this!"
"Watch me!" Ron said firmly.
Before Harry or anyone else could intervene further, Ron grabbed Harry and marched into the Great hall.
Harry and Parvati looked back at Hermione who looked as though Ron had just handed her over to Voldemort himself before giving her apologetic looks and following Harry and Ron.
Hermione stared after them in disbelief. "Can you believe that? How could he do that to me?" she demanded of nobody in particular "Treating me like some sort of tradable object for food!"
"I'm sure I don't know, but yes, I can believe it." Snape said casting a disdainful look at Ron as he shoveled food into his mouth.
Hermione looked up at Snape as though she had forgotten he was there. "I'm sorry Professor, you wanted to speak with me?" she said, sighing.
"Indeed. I wish to enqire as to what you are experiencing with Mr Malfoy." Snape said getting to the point.
"M…Malfoy?" Hermione stammered looking around nervously.
"Yes" Snape affirmed.
"W…why would you ask?" She asked lamely, knowing that he was referring to what had happened in the store cupboard that day.
"Come now Miss Granger," Snape said "you know what I am referring to. Don't play games."
Hermione sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll tell you." She said, hugging her arms around herself.
"I was in the store cupboard, as you already know, getting the Unicorn horn…" She stopped suddenly. "Ugh, wouldn't this be faster and easier for you to understand if you just viewed my memory of it Professor? It's really uncomfortable for me to describe it."
Snape eyed her thoughtfully before replying. "Very well Miss Granger, if that is what you prefere. But I must warn you, since we have no pensive, I will have to do this manually."
Hermione hesitated. After all, having Snape poking around in your memories and viewing them, feelings and so on forth included, was very unnerving. But it was that or describe the feelings and the events verbally, and she just couldn't do that. It was way too embarrassing.
"Do whatever you have to do Professor." Hermione told Snape, bracing herself.
"Very well. This will only take a moment." Snape informed her before leaning forward and staring into her eyes.
Hermione gasped and jolted as though she'd been struck by lightning as thousands of memories rushed through her mind all at once. Suddenly, she was back in the store cupboard, looking for the crushed unicorn horn.
And there was Malfoy, cornering her, trapping her and leaning in. She dropped the jar she was holding, but he continued anyway.
Snape watched this feeling confused, as he expected he would. The downside to Leglimens was that you experienced the same emotions of the person whose memory you were probing.
Suddenly, the confusion turned to a mixture of apprehension, then fear and excitement and finally that was joined with curiosity, but guilt too. Miss Granger was an emotional mess!
From Hermione's vantage point, he got a clear view of Malfoy's face. His eyes were intense, but there was determination, yet a flicker of doubt crossed them as he was leaning in.
The picture went from Malfoy's face to the door, which was accompanied by the feeling of desperation.
There was another jolt of fear and the sound of smashing glass was heard. This only deterred Malfoy for a second before he continued his descent.
Then he saw himself coming into the store room.
'Is my hair really that bad?' he wondered for a moment before getting back to business.
The feeling of emmense relief flooded Snape's emotions as he saw himself unwittingly coming to Hermione's rescue.
He heard himself say "what the." and then motioning for Hermione to leave.
The memory followed Hermione's path out of the dungeons and up to Gryffindor common room.
'Boring' thought Snape, rewinding back. He rewound a little too far however, when he stopped at a memory of Hermione who was apparently dancing around in her dorm room singing along to some muggle song catching her reflection in the mirror, she was wearing her nightdress and singing into a hairbrush.
At that, Snape pulled out abruptly.
Hermione blushed. "You weren't supposed to see that." She said, very embarrassed.
"Yes, well, I won't speak of it. At any rate, I've seen what I wanted to see." Snape replied. "So you didn't try to seduce Mr Malfoy before this incident?"
Hermione gaped at him, looking so offended that Snape almost laughed at her expression.
"I most certainly did not!" she shrieked indignantly.
"Oh for Merlin's sake calm down girl I was only asking." Snape snapped.
Hermione silenced herself, calming down.
"While I have you here, there is one more thing." Snape said.
"Yes?" Hermione answered.
"What is really going on with Mr Goldwater?"
Hermione recoiled suddenly, as though Snape had threatened her with a hot poker.
"Oh, Please Professor don't ask me about that." Hermione said fretfully.
"Why ever not? You can answer can't you? Or do I have to perform Leglimens on you again to find out for myself?" Snape asked silkily. He was really good at interrogating.
"No, you mustn't!" she fretted, wringing her hands and looking warily around. "I can't discuss this!" she insisted.
"Why not?" Snape demanded. All this secrecy and odd behavior was getting tiresome.
"Because…I cannot tell you!" Hermione said tearfully. She didn't want to go back into that prison in her mind. If Snape pushed for knowledge any further, she would be thrown in there and God only knew what would happen when she couldn't controle her actions.
"Why can't you tell me?" Snape demanded, getting angry.
"Please Professor, don't ask me! I beg you please! All will be revealed soon! You'll find out soon!" She sobbed, desperately trying to hang onto her mind.
"I demand that you give me an answer!" Snape bellowed.
"NO PROFESSOR!" Hermione screamed back.
"Is everything alright Severus?" Dumbledore's voice asked quietly from the doorway of the Great hall.
Snape composed himself. "Yes Headmaster, everything is fine." He told Dumbledore.
Hermione had sunk to the ground at Snape's feet, sobbing. Relieved that Snape had been stopped. If he hadn't, she would be a prisoner in her own mind and Snape could have gotten hurt.
Dumbledore looked from Snape to Hermione and back again. "She doesn't look fine, Severus. What has happened old boy?"
Snape glanced behind Dumbledore at the sea of faces of the students who were wondering what all the screaming was about.
In the forefront was Malfoy. His normally vindictive expression was absent, in its place was one of concern.
"She's a little distraught Headmaster." Snape said, wondering how he was going to explain this. He figured he might as well take a fall.
"I confess I may have been a little hard on the girl."
Dumbledore gave Snape a stern look before shuffling over to Hermione and helping her to her feet.
"There there dear girl, it will all be alright." Dumbledore told her consolingly.
"No…it…won't!" she sobbed.
Dumbledore looked at Professor McGonnagal who got the message and ushedered all the students back into the great hall and closed the doors.
"Now then, what is this all about?" Dumbledore. Asked gently.
"I can't say!" Hermione sniffed, glaring at Snape. "Just like I told him!"
"Ah I see. You are under some sort of secrecy spell." Dumbledore said gravely. "It is a hard thing to endure. You want to tell but you simply cannot. It drives you mad to even try."
Hermione stared open mouthed at the Headmaster. "Yes! That's it!" she said feeling relieved that Dumbledore figured out at least part of the problem! Now maybe Snape would stop trying to interrogate her! Maybe he would figure out what was going on and rescue her!
But that wouldn't happen that night. Dumbledore nodded and wiped away her tears with his hankerchief.
"All will turn out fine, Miss Granger, you mustn't worry. Professor Snape was trying to help you. I suspect however that he did not realize you had a secrecy charm preventing you from saying what must be said. You must excuse him."
Hermione nodded. Of course she understood that Snape didn't know about the secrecy charm. How could he have? She looked at Snape and stared at him. He looked stressed. Something was seriously bothering him.
"I'm sorry Professor for the way I behaved just then." She told him soflty.
"I understand Miss Granger. I shan't press it further." Snape replied.
Dumbledore gave Snape a promting look. Snape rolled his eyes.
"And I apologise for upsetting you." He added with difficulty.
Hermione nodded.
"Well Miss Granger, the ball is tomorrow. We cannot have you looking worse for wear. So it's off to your dorm with you. May I also suggest that you take a nice relaxing bath and I always find that a bar of chocolate cheers me up, with tea. Yes, chocolate and tea and a bath. It does wonders." Dumbledore suggested, his blue eyes twinkling at her.
"Thank you Professor." Hermione said gratefully. She planned to do just what he suggested.
"Severus, if you would be so kind as to escort Miss Granger safely back to her common room." Dumbledore urged, sweeping Snape and Hermione before him up the stair case.
Snape gave the headmaster a knowing look and Dumbledore nodded slightly in response. With this silent exchange over, Snape began his given mission to escort the young Gryffindor to her common room.
"I know something is wrong Miss Granger." He said after a few minutes of silence. "Mr Malfoy also sees this and I believe the headmaster suspects just as much."
Hermione didn't respond, but he knew that she couldn't anyway, so he went on.
"I don't know exactly what Mr Goldwater is up to, but I do know that it's not good. I mustn't say too much. I don't want to worry you further."
"Thank you Professor." She said with great difficutly. "There is much to tell, but as you are now aware, that is not possible to convey at this time."
"You will be safe, I promise you." Snape said as they approached the Painting of the Fat Lady.
"One more thing," Snape added "Though you may find it hard, try not to be alone with him. Have Potter and Weasley around at all times if you can."
Hermione nodded. "I'll try."
Snape nodded and turned to leave.
"Professor?" Hermione called after him.
He stopped and turned looking at her enquiringly.
"Thank you. For noticing." She told him.
Snape inclined his head. "It is my duty to observe my student's Miss Granger, and protect them where it is necessary. You are most welcome."
And with that said, he swept away.
Hermione sighed and said the password.
Upon entering the common room, she found a plate of food on the table in front of the fire. A note was attatched.
Picking it up and reading it, Hermione smiled.
'Dear Miss Granger,
I noticed due to this evening's events in the entrance hall, that you were not able to eat at the evening meal. I took the liberty of having Dobby bring you something, as you must be very hungry I am sure.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonnagall'
She loved that woman! She realized then, just how hungry she was. But first, a bath was in order and then she would eat, and sleep. She was going to need all the strength she could get for the following evening.