You have asked me for more Harry and Ron I have done this, you have asked for longer chapters I have done this, you have asked for a more descriptive writing style I have done this. I am here to serve, please review

Chapter 12

After many a frustrated letter, Hermione finally found out the session was to be held at Snape's home during the summer. He apparently was in a huge potion's project and was not eager to leave his house. But Hermione was soon confused and frustrated when she learned that Professor Snape had two houses he lived in in the summer. Another hour was spent wasted before Hermione had discovered that it was in fact not spinner's end but the less well known house that was a few miles away from Hogwarts.

Hermione paced around her room wondering what to wear as Harry and Ron sat on her bed making unhelpful suggestions.

"Why do you even care what you are wearing it's only the greasy git" said Ron

"Professor Snape and I want to make a good impression"

"But Hermione it's Snape, who cares?"

"Professor Snape and I care!"

"But Hermione-"

"Has it occurred to you that this is important to me? That I want to do this?"

"But Hermione you were just complaining about it yesterday-" Harry pointed out

Hermione huffed and stuttered for a moment before regaining her composure

"Well….well...WELL I want to make the best of the situation and I was hesitant because-

"If you call freaking out hesitant Hermione" said Harry

"Harry please let me finish, because Professor-"

"Greasy git" muttered Ron

"Ron! Stop it! His is our Professor you should give him some respect!"

"But he is a git Hermione, you know as well as we do, why he was so horrible to you last fall but all you did was blame yourself, he deserves it!"

Then she really couldn't help it, she began to cry.

Cry because no one deserved it less, no one sacrificed more, because sometimes when she slept she saw his body convulsing and his voice screaming in pain because every day she worried about him. But most of all because she had thought the same way a few months ago.

Sobbing in her hands she fell to the ground and rocked herself back and forth wishing it all away. She soon felt 4 warm, strong arms embrace her as they tried to comfort and wipe away her tears.

Her head propped up on Harry's shoulder she began to speak in a soft, almost hesitant voice "I feel so horrible sometimes how no one cares about him or says thank you or even says hello. Everyone seems to always judge him on the things they think they know…. I don't know… I… guess I just felt that way once…. and it sort of left its mark."

"We're sorry Hermione; we really didn't mean to upset you"

"Yeah. I never really thought of him that way you know…" said Ron

"Hermione?"

"Yes Ron?"

"You get cranky when you get your period"

"WHAT!" Hermione quickly wrenched herself from their grasps and stood up, glaring at them, she was met with a chorus of laughter and had no choice but to join in.

They then had a pillow fight which ended with Rom and Harry mock begging for mercy on the floor as Hermione attempted to hit them between laughs. All was right with the world.


Oh My God! I have half an hour before I have to go and I have no idea what I'm wearing or if it really is the right bloody house! Shit, SHIT! Hermione hopped around the room looking for her other shoe stubbing her toe and hitting her shin on the edge of her dresser.

After giving up finding an outfit she liked she through on her first choice to begin with (Light polo shirt with a black jean skirt under her cotton cloak with her favorite pair of sandals, not too formal not too casual…) She rushed downstairs to the kitchen grabbed a piece of a bagel and ran out of the house hoping to dear sweet God he did not expect her to be early.


The one thing she thought when she saw his house was gorgeous. And then big. It was a white and crème mansion complete with ivory and a wrought iron fence. She saw a personal garden peaking out from the back of the house which just added to its charm. This is so…. Unexpected would be a nice term. Hermione hoped to God he took down the wards; she knew she would not be any where near able to disarm them. She counted to three then gingerly opened the fence expecting an explosion to occur and a voice screaming "intruder alert!" but nothing happened. She was so nervous she kept twisting her head this way and that in order to see if any Death Eaters leapt from the shrubbery.

But then something caught her eye, he had a rose garden. They were beautifully well kept all different kinds. He had cabbage roses, French roses, dog roses, field roses, sweet briar roses, Scotch roses and downy roses just to list a few. There where so many kinds and shapes and colors to the beautiful flowers Hermione felt herself just stare in awe and excitement. And then she saw it, the sight made her heart wrench and threatened to make her cry. There on the other side of the rose garden was the most beautiful lily garden. The flowers were tended with such care it made her throat close up to think about another he loved so. Humming birds quietly danced among them drinking their sweet nectar.

She backed away afraid to tread any further and disrupt something so personal and lovely. She noticed her face was wet and was trying to dry it when she heard a voice behind her.

"Please come inside Miss Granger"


As she followed her Professor inside his house she was amazed at how it looked. Well besides it was a gorgeous mansion it was decorated in such a manner that it was not too much or lacking anything. It was a large house and she wondered how he made it look so lived in. They went up several flights of stairs to his study upon further investigation she found his lab was attached through a sliding bookcase "well I guess we're both paranoid" thought Hermione. The room itself was as beautiful as the rest of the house but to Hermione she found it seductive. The promise of knowledge seemed to ooze every corner and surface in his study. A large fireplace crackled warming two comfy leather reading chairs, a kissing chair along with a small table with an assortment of orderly notes and quills organized on its surface. He gestured for her to take a seat while he got them drinks.

"Wine?"

" Ahhh… yes please"

He was efficient as ever with his movements not wasting a moment. He was almost hypnotizing to watch; his hands so graceful and pale made picking up a glass look like an art. Once again his attire was more human and casual. He wore a pair of black slacks with a white button down shirt unbuttoned at the top and rolled up at the arms. He handed her her drink and took the seat opposite her. They sat there in silence both of them observing the other while sipping their wine. His body, his face, and his movements all seemed relaxed and Hermione felt herself relieved at the sight. Well he defiantly knew to pick a wine, another one of his many unknown talents. She watched him as he shifted in his seat, crossing his legs watching her the whole time. She remembered hearing that a male should never cross his legs because it looked effeminate but at that moment she couldn't disagree any more. This man before her seemed to exude intelligence and power, it was...intoxicating or perhaps it was the wine. His eyes, pitch black stared directly into her soul but she found that she didn't care any more if she was vulnerable around him.

He gave a sardonic smile as if to mock himself and began to speak in a tone barely above a whisper

"Occlumency is the art of defending your mind against intrusion. It is a fine art that takes patience and determination to master. There is no half way to knowing Occlumency. Either you have mastered it or you're mind is weak to intrusion. As you know from being my student, I do not take slacking off or talking back, I expect you to perform to the very edge of your ability is that clear?"

"Yes sir'

"When you leave tonight I want you to take the stack of books by the door with you to study. I will expect them all learned by our next lesson. Is this clear?"

"Yes sir"

"Are there any questions?"

"No sir."

"Then let us begin" He then stood up and with a flick of his wrist the furniture was neatly arranged on the other side of the room.

Her gut clenched in fear at what was coming, of what he might see or discover and she wanted more that any thing to run away as quickly-

"Miss Granger, are you alright?" Her face had become deathly pale and she was winching as if in pain

"Yyyes sir" she managed to stutter. She felt sick, and wondered if she could through up with only a little piece of bagel in her stomach.

"All right Miss Granger, I want you to fight me as hard as you can, alright?"

She nodded her head vaguely aware of what was about to take place.

"Legilimens" he breathed

The first thing she was aware of was him. He was every where surrounding her engulfing her. She could smell scandalwood and earth and books and ink then the memories came. At first they where silly little memories, throwing a hissy fit at 4, when she first learned to ride a bike, then they came. The memories that made her cry. The strange death of her favorite aunt and cousin. Her uncle went on a business trip, came home and found his wife and son dead. They died of shock but there were no signs of heart failure. Being teased for being a bookworm, and a know it all, not having any friends. The troll and how she really had been crying in the bathroom. Ron kissing her and it feeling wrong. Crying at night because she didn't understand any one around her and that none of them understood her. Then it changed was his face telling her how obnoxious she was, how annoying. The time when he told her her teeth looked the same after they were hexed and growing. The memories of having no sleep for a week because she wanted him to tell her her essays were outstanding. Last fall how horrible she felt about saying she hated him. Then it was earlier that day her crying over him and then that night he whispered….

"NO!"

Memories began to fill her consciousness, his mother being hit, his father screaming at him calling him unnatural and disgusting. His father raping and killing his mother in front of him. His father trying to kill him. Then she was killing his father with hatred directed towards him and every muggle every born. The night he got his mark. The first time he went to a death eater rally, female's screams that begged for mercy engulfing him with fear and disgust. Him sitting under a tree near a lake…

She was forced back into her mind, then his body was convulsing in pain, his screams surrounding her the light highlighting his scars as he writhed around in pain, his back arching. Then she was nursing him "NO" dabbing his arms "PLEASE DON'T" brushing his hair from his face, then his whisper

"Why don't you love me lily?" it faded away slowly

He withdrew. His eyes were hollow as if not there, his hands and arms shook as if trying to control himself


In my opinion this is the worst thing I have written, ever.