Part XIV
Three weeks after their return to Hogwarts, Hermione gave up on waiting for an invitation and went down to Severus's office. They'd not spoken since his new position had been announced at the feast; she had known how badly he wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts job but somehow since classes had begun Severus had seemed darker, and she was concerned about him. Something was up, and he was deliberately avoiding being alone with her. She was worried about him.
"Severus?" Hermione asked timidly. He looked up, and his stern expression softened at once.
"Hi," he greeted, coming around his desk to sit on the edge of it. He reached out for her hand and she gave it, and he pulled her to him for a gentle embrace. "I know I shouldn't be doing this," he said in her ear, sending pleasant warm shivers down her spine. "But I've missed you. We haven't spoken since last term, except in Defense, and you haven't even stayed behind."
"I wasn't sure you wanted me to," she confessed. "You've been... different. Back to your old self, if you don't mind my saying so."
"Necessity," he confessed. "The Dark Lord has spies everywhere. Hermione, I'm not certain who is loyal to Dumbledore anymore, and who isn't," he said, and there was such a forlorn note in his voice that Hermione hugged him. Hard.
"It's going to be all right," she said softly. "As long as Dumbledore's around, it's going to be all right."
"Hermione, I think someone is trying to kill Dumbledore," Severus said softly. "I have my suspicions who, but we cannot make accusations unless we have absolute proof, and whoever it is has been very careful not to leave any."
"You think it's on orders from You-Know-Who?" she asked, fear obvious in her voice.
"I think it has to be. Who else would want the headmaster gone, but someone loyal to him?"
"Is it Slughorn?" Hermione asked, coming up with the first new face in the school, someone she still wasn't quite certain she trusted. Severus shook his head adamantly.
"No. Aside from the fact that Slughorn's attempt would hardly be so blatantly obvious as these attacks on students, it's not his style. He was in Slytherin, yes, but he's no murderer." Hermione was surprised to hear him speak so of his own beloved house, and said so. Severus snorted.
"If you don't mind my saying so, Miss Granger, the average intellect of about ninety per cent of my house works out to about the brain capacity of a troll," he said. Hermione giggled, smothered by his robes, as he was still holding her and she had buried her face in his chest to avoid laughing out loud and betraying her presence in his office to any curious passers-by.
"Mr. Malfoy included?" she asked softly. Severus chuckled then, for the first time since she had known him, and the rich baritone warmth of the sound filled the room.
"Indeed," he said, still smiling. "Now, Miss Granger, I believe it is nearing your curfew. Off with you," he commanded, pointing towards the door. "I do hope you'll return tomorrow."
"Of course I will," she said, and he ushered her out. Still smiling, she returned to the common room, where Ron and Harry were studying by the fire. Ron looked annoyed when he took one look at her face, the brightness in her eyes that hadn't been there since she'd last seen him last June, and returned his books, his face darkened, but he made no comment.
Author's note: Meh. Short. But, I wanted to include this scene—and Sev and Hermione talking on such a casual level. I'm trying to lead back into the opener slowly, so that I can resolve the story eventually. More to come!