Hopelessly, she tried to ignore the disbelieving stares of her classmates at dinner. First, they were turned to the hourglasses at the front of the Hall as students' murmured questioningly about what had happened. Shortly, the word was spread and the eyes turned to look at her accusingly instead. She wanted to curl into a ball and hide.
Hide. It was exactly what Harry said she couldn't do anymore. Maybe he was right, she decided, rising from her seat. Whispers broke out again as she climbed the dias to the professors' table. She walked swiftly up to where Professor Snape sat on the very furthest edge from the Gryffindor table.
Harry watched her go, knowing exactly what she was doing, exactly what she was telling him. He watched on with the rest of the student body, like them, not knowing what the outcome would be. It was obvious from the shake in her shoulders that Hermione was crying. Ron nudged his elbow and he turned to see he and Ginny were both staring at him, wide-eyed, as if he could tell them what was going on. Looking past them, he could see the whole of Gryffindor was torn between watching her and searching his face for answers. Silently he turned back to watch.
Hesitantly but then smoother, Snape rose from his chair. Beside him Flitwick had gone white with shock. Swiftly, Snape rounded the table, his face unreadable. The Hall took a collective gasp when the sound of falling rubies hit their hourglass, 300 points immediately being added. More surprisingly was that Snape put both of his hands on Hermione's shoulders, seeming to speak softly to her, almost comfortingly, even as she cried all the more. He then turned her, putting his arm around the crying student and leading her from the Hall.
Harry's eyes turned to follow them, but got stuck on the penetrating gaze of Blaise Zabini looking back at him from across the exspanse of the tables. Zabini broke it before he did, jumping up and following them out of the frozen hall.
A/N: Here we go! Kind Snape for the win! Let me know what you guys think!