AN: I know it's been four years since I last updated, but my life has been crazy. I started writing this chapter back in 2016 but I just finally finished it. I don't know how often I will be able to update and I have a lot of edits that I want to make to previous chapters, but I will be trying to finish the story. Please read and review because reviews motivate me to write.

-Kitty

Chapter 31

An Unexpected and Uneasy Truce:

Hermione's POV:

I was in my room trying to fall asleep when I heard something going on downstairs. Despite my curiosity, I was too exhausted to even bother going to see what was going on. I heard someone say something, but I couldn't make out what they said, then I heard Harry threatening somebody. Please tell me its not my grandmother, anyone is better than her. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs, and I started to panic. What if it was my grandmother here to bother me again? I reasoned with myself that considering the fact that I hadn't heard any hexes, it couldn't have been my grandmother. I was drawn out of my thoughts when I heard someone knocking on my door. I rolled over and pretended to be asleep, hoping that they would just give up and leave me alone. Of course I was not that lucky and they knocked again before entering anyways.

The person who entered began speaking to me. "Miss Granger, I know that you are awake so you can stop pretending to be asleep. I have some important news to relay to you." From the voice I could identify the person as none other than Severus Snape. I didn't feel like getting up so I continued to lie there with my eyes closed. After a minute he resumed speaking, "As I am sure you can assume, your grandmother was waiting outside the portrait hole when I exited your common room earlier. I spoke to her on your behalf, and while I highly doubt that she took any of what I said to heart, I am sure that you will be pleased to know that before leaving the room I mentioned that you wished I that I was your guardian. I did not stick around to see her face, but I am quite positive that it was priceless."

I was shocked at how quickly he had done what I asked of him especially because he was reluctant to begin with. I sat up and faced him and spoke to him "Thanks, I really appreciate it. I have to ask why you did it? It's not that I don't appreciate it but you didn't want to get involved."

"Well, there is no better way to antagonize Minerva than for one of her precious cubs to prefer me over her. Antagonizing Minerva is one of my favorite past times. You know she is very protective of her Gryffindors."

I smirked at him and said, "Of course that was why you spoke to her for me. I knew that comment would get you to help me."

"Miss Granger, are you sure you weren't supposed to be in Slytherin because that was much too cunning for a Gryffindor."

"Considering my perceived blood-status I am positive. I should mention though that Sorting Hat told me if even one of my parents had been magical that it would have put me in Slytherin. Do you think you could change one of my uniforms to be a Slytherin uniform? It would be so funny to see my grandmother's face!"

Snape POV:

"That would be quite amusing Miss Granger. I will try to do so when I get the chance. Since I have done so many things for you, would you please tell your friends to stop threatening me whenever I come to speak with you?"

"I will talk to them but I wouldn't blame them for being protective. You haven't necessarily been the friendliest towards us, and I would be lying if I said that you have always given us sufficient reason to trust you."

"I suppose you are correct in that observation. I do admit I was quite unpleasant towards you and your accomplices. Although I had good reason to be considering some of the things that you and your friends have done."

"What exactly are you accusing us of doing?"

"For one, you intentionally set my robes on fire in your first year. In your second year you broke into my private stores to steal boomslang skin and before you ask how I know that you stole the boomslang skin, do remember that someone had to brew the potion to return you to your fully human form after you accidently used cat fur in the polyjuice potion that you brewed without supervision. Do I need to continue?"

"No sir, but I am curious about one thing. How did you that know I set your robes on fire?"

"Logic, Miss Granger, only a first year would have been reckless enough to start a fire in the professors box and only a Gryffindor would have any motive to do so. Seeing as Mister Potter was on his broom at the time, Miss Brown and Miss Patil couldn't have cared less about Quidditch, Mister Thomas was engrossed in a conversation with Hagrid and Mister Weasley was too focused on the game to leave his seat, that left me with two options, you and Mister Finnegan, and while we all know Mister Finnegan is quite good at setting things on fire, his spell work at the time was abysmal to the point where he would have caused an explosion, and as the flame was small and relatively controlled the only logical culprit was you."

"That makes sense. I am sorry that I treated you the way that I did considering everything that you have done for me recently. Would you mind getting my friends from downstairs?"

"Do you really think it wise to send me to retrieve those dunderheads that you call your friends?"

"Perhaps not but I believe that we both need to speak to them."

"Alright, I will be return momentarily."

I descended the stairs to find Miss Granger's friend deeply engrossed in a conversation. They didn't notice me so I decided to listen in.

I heard Mister Potter tell the group of teenagers, "We are going to need to sleep in shifts at least until term starts. I don't trust McGonagall not to try and move Hermione in the middle of the night."

"I guess you're right Harry but I don't think any of us stand a chance against Professor McGonagall."

Then an airy voice that could only belong to Miss Lovegood chimed in, "Neville you have to believe in yourself. If you don't believe in yourself then you are right we stand no chance but look at the battle in the Department of Mysteries, we fought against trained killers and we won! If you believe in yourself you can do it."

"You guys do realize that I am only eleven right? I don't know any offensive spells and while I doubt my grandmother would cast any spell at me, I am not necessarily a formidable foe for someone as experienced as my grandmother."

I decided that it was time that I intervened in this conversation. "As admirable as this plan of yours is, you fail to take into account the fact that you four are not the only people in this castle who are looking out for Hermione's best interests. It would be wise of you to remember that not only do you have one of the professors on your side; you in fact have the Slytherin Head of House to aid you in protecting the interests of your Miss Granger."

"Pardon me professor but how do we know we can trust you? All of the other adults are against us, what makes you so different?" Of course Potter had to question my motivations.

"Mister Potter, while I understand your distrust in general, is it necessary for me to remind you which one of us has been looking out for Miss Granger this entire time? Furthermore, which one of us has been looking out for you and your friends since you first showed up at this school? While I may be abrasive towards you and Gryffindors in general, it is a role I have to play in order to maintain my precarious position as a spy. Or do I need to remind you that my position as a spy is the only reason that Miss Granger was able to escape from the Death Eaters the second time? Now Miss Granger wanted a word with all of us, and as much as I loathe admitting it, we are on the same side on this matter." With that I turned around, cloak billowing for dramatic effect, and returned up the stairs.

Hermione POV:

Professor Snape was taking an awfully long time to retrieve my friends from downstairs. I was about to get up and retrieve my friends myself but I decided to give them a few more minutes because something interesting had to have been going on down there and I decided that I would find out exactly what happened later. I wouldn't have to wait very long to find out as Professor Snape entered the room. I was going to ask him why it took so long but before I got the chance I saw a disgruntled looking Harry, followed closely by Luna and Neville, with Abby trailing behind them.

Harry spoke up first, "So Hermione what is it you wanted to talk to us about?"

"I wanted to address your treatment of Professor Snape."

"What about it?"

"Professor Snape is the only adult that I trust at the moment, and as such I want you guys to be nicer to him, and stop threatening him every time he attempts to speak with me."

Harry replied "But he is a greasy git who has made us all miserable since first year."

"Not to mention the fact that he still scares me to the point that I mess up every potion I try to brew in his presence." Neville quietly added.

"I understand why you dislike Professor Snape, but the fact remains that he is currently the only adult who has been consistently helping me regardless of what Andy or Madam Pomfrey have said and the only one who has been willing to stand up to my grandmother on my behalf, so while he may have behaved as a if he were complete and utter git for the majority of the time that we have known him, he has as of late become someone I trust completely and I would appreciate it if you would at least be civil with him after all that he has done for me. We all know why he has to behave in the way that he does given his role in this war and it is precisely because of that role that Professor Snape was able to intervene on my behalf in the first place, or have already forgotten that had it not been for him I would be dead?"

Harry began to protest, "But Hermione, how do you know that this is not some plan by" before he was swiftly silenced by the look on my face. "Harry, this is not a discussion, I need you to accept that Professor Snape is on our side and that he helped me despite the great personal risk involved with his actions. I am not asking for you to become best mates or even for you to like him but could you at least reach a mutual understanding to not threaten each other when you are in private for my sake?"

"I really don't like this Hermione but as long as Snape doesn't hurt you I guess that I can try to tolerate him." Harry replied.

"That is Professor Snape, to you Mr. Potter," sneered Professor Snape "and while saying I don't like you very much would be a dramatic understatement I have tolerated you for the past six years that you have been a student at this school. Furthermore I have done everything in my power to protect you and your friends from your own imbecilic plans to save the school, which generally broke more than a dozen school rules and endangered all of your lives. While your Gryffindor tendencies more than explain your distrust for me despite all the evidence to the contrary, I would hope that your friend's predicament and subsequent request would be more than sufficient for it not to be too much of a challenge for you to tolerate me. Now Miss Granger, was that all that you needed to discuss with me, because I have several responsibilities that I need to see to before the start of term."

"I believe that is all that we needed to discuss, thank you again Professor Snape."