A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews, they are really helpful and have given me a few ideas on where this story is heading next :). I have already written the first 14 chapters of this story but I like to update every 6 days so that it prolongs the story itself and it also gives chance for me to take on board all of your comments and add/change things if I think of something new. I had a lot of comments about how emotional this story is and I just want to thank you for all your continued support, you are all amazing!
A/N: Warning: This chapter contains some bad language and indirect comments about sex
Chapter 7: Tea with Severus, a Talk with the Twins, and a Dinnertime Disaster
Hermione had stopped crying and was looking around emotionless, wondering what to say next. She heard the sound of footfalls coming down the stairs and realised that she must've been sat in that small room, with Severus, long enough for people to have unpacked and come back downstairs in search of something to eat.
"Would you like anything for lunch, Miss Granger?" Severus asked her after a few moments.
Hermione shook her head, she had completely lost her appetite and just wanted to go to her room, and eat some of those comfort foods she had purchased the other day.
Severus nodded, and waited until he could hear no more footsteps before quietly opening the door and peered into the hallway.
The hallway and stairs were clear, and he ushered the young girl to follow him. For good measure, he cast a disillusionment charm around the both of them before making his way up to their rooms. Once there, he dropped the charm and coaxed her through the door that was opposite to their rooms and sat her down.
Hermione felt uneasy in this room when she was on her own, it was dark and gloomy for a living room, and the house creaked where it was old and made it seem like it something was always watching and waiting for her. The room was ornate but with her professors presence she felt at ease, and could cope with the eerie room.
A moment later the house elf appeared in the room, carrying a tray of hot chocolate and biscuits, Hermione's mouth watered at the delicious smell. Severus smiled, knowing he had done the right thing, and handed her a mug as they sat at the small table that was in the room by the window. This room, much like her bedroom, had a beautiful view of the park and you could often see and hear the children laughing and playing games. It relaxed her.
"I don't think I want to go back to school" Hermione admitted.
"The Hermione Granger does not wish to be surrounded by knowledge, show off her reading abilities, nearly break her arm by how fast she throws it in the air, and not bombard her professors with mile long essays!" Severus teased her.
Hermione chuckled "it's not that, I love doing all of that stuff it's just, other things I'm worried about" she said nervously.
"Like what Miss Granger? Talk to me" he asked her.
"What if I have night terrors at school, I don't want to annoy anyone. Also, if Harry is not talking to me, no one else in my house will. I'm terrified to be perfectly honest, and I will lose you, I don't want you to go back to being mean for appearance sake, it might just destroy me" she answered.
Severus sighed.
"Firstly you have more allies at Hogwarts than you think, so don't worry about isolation. Secondly, yes I will have to resume my role as snarky, greasy dungeon bat but only in lessons. Before you comment, of course I know what people say about me. But I meant what I said the other day, if you need someone; you are more than welcome to come to me. You know where my office is and if you knock and I don't answer, come in and walk behind the blackboard. There is a door behind it, knock on it and I should be in there" he explained, trying to build her confidence back up.
"The night terrors however, are something you will have to deal with. I can provide you with some spells that will hopefully help and some potions to help for the really painful dreams. Will that help?" He suggested.
Hermione nodded, cursing herself internally for appearing so weak. She also had something else she needed to ask.
"What about that ministry official that's teaching defence, you were all worried about her interference. Umbridge, I think you said her name was" Hermione asked. Then she paused, realising what she had just said would bust her for listening in on private Order business. She looked at Severus nervously.
"Snooping in on confidential Order meetings, are we? How very Slytherin of you" Severus grinned at her.
She mock glared back at him.
"It's your entire fault. I've picked up some of your habits recently" she stated.
"Yes I noticed the sneer you gave the wolf earlier, impressive job by the way" he praised her.
Hermione giggled at his comments and then he started to address Hermione's inquiry about the Umbridge woman.
"The ministry fears that students, or staff, of the school, might try and form an army of sorts. Therefore, they have modified the defence programme in a way that it is essentially useless to you as students to use practically in the real world. They have sent in Umbridge to 'keep an eye on things', as it were. They don't believe Mr Potter's claim about the Dark Lord returning, but equally they don't want to take any chances if Dumbledore tries to raise a wizarding army to prove a point" Severus explained.
Hermione nodded, it all made sense after all.
"What's she like, Umbridge? Do you know?" Hermione asked.
Severus grimaced.
"You are going to love her. She is a pink, powdery puffball, cat loving, nasty piece of work with a high pitched voice that wants to make you rip off your own arm, and throw it at her. Also, when she clears that throat of hers, in that patronising way, you just know you will want to kill her with whatever crap is about to spew from her mouth" Severus answered honestly.
"She's really that bad?" Hermione asked gulping.
Severus nodded.
"Merlin" Hermione breathed.
"Yes, this is going to be an interesting year, don't you think Miss Granger?" Severus asked rhetorically.
Hermione was about to reply when voices could be heard close by.
"She's got to be here somewhere" a voice said.
"Who says she wants to be found by your ugly face" another voice replied.
"Oi, we practically have the same face, dumbass" the first voice responded.
'Fred and George' Hermione thought to herself.
Of course they would come and find her.
"Go see them Miss Granger, remember you have more allies than you think. Besides, don't ever tell them I said so but, if anyone can cheer you up, it's those two buffoons. They can be quite entertaining" Severus said.
"A compliment, sir?" She asked pretending to be shocked.
"Don't ever tell them, I will never live it down" Severus warned.
"Yes sir, and thank you again for the hot chocolate and biscuits" she said.
Severus nodded in acceptance of her thanks, and she bounded out of the room.
"Gods, you two would make awful spies" he heard her say to them, in her usual bossy tone.
Severus sniggered to himself, she would never change. He spent the rest of the day pondering over the year ahead.
.
.
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Meanwhile, Hermione was with the twins, and they were showing her all their latest products that they were going to try out at school over the next year.
"Let us introduce you to our latest invention" Fred said as he got out a box and opened it up showing her what looked like lots of sweets inside.
She raised her eyebrow at them in order to get them to continue.
"This is the Skiving Snack-Box" George told her.
They proceeded to show her all the sweets, and what each one did. This was going to drive the teachers, and Madame Pompfrey, insane this year. She could see all their detentions now. But she laughed nonetheless, these twins had such crazy ideas that they were clever, and would prove to be very popular, she was ready to place her bets on it.
"On a serious note Granger, what Harry said earlier was wrong. We know he's hot headed but to be fair, Sirius is Harry's only true family member and he was the best friend of Harry's dad. So you can understand why he's pissed off" the boys told her.
She sighed.
"I get that, I really do but he's been blaming me for being here. I didn't choose this, I didn't want this but Harry's under the impression that I asked to be here. Look at the letters he's sent me about it" she told them.
The boys read the letters and shook their heads.
"Fair enough, look at the language that he uses. We never knew he knew so many colourful words, and he has no right to accuse you of trying to steal his godfather away from him" Fred said trying to joke and make her smile.
"Believe me, he can have Sirius, I have no interest in that man whatsoever. He's an alcoholic, a womaniser and a downright slob" Hermione said viciously.
The twins looked at each other and smirked.
"Has our little Mione got a crush on the tall, dark and handsome Sirius Black" they chorused, grinning at her.
Hermione wanted to throw up.
"No!" She exclaimed.
They just stared at her, still grinning.
"Absolutely not! That is the last thing, oh for goodness sake. I do not have a crush on Sirius Black, I promise you that!" She exclaimed, flushing with anger. She was trying to convince them that she really had no warm fuzzy feelings towards the disgusting Black.
The twins' grins widened.
"Look at her, blushing. You so have the hots for Black" the mocked her.
"I swear I don't!" Hermione tried again.
"Yeah? Whatever you say Granger. Of course you don't. Maybe we should leave you alone to your daydreams" they joked.
"See you later Granger" and then they left her, in her room, staring off into space.
Hermione immediately ran for the bathroom, and vomited everything she had inside of her. The thoughts were repulsive, and she couldn't even comprehend what the twins had insinuated.
The bathroom door creaked open, but Hermione couldn't have looked behind her without making a mess. The next thing she knew, calming hands were pulling her hair back behind her head and then there was a hand rubbing her back up and down soothingly. She knew who it was.
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Severus had been angry, he had just had a run in with an angry werewolf in the drawing room downstairs, and what had occurred in that conversation made Severus venomous, he wanted to maim the wolf.
"What have you done to her Severus?" Lupin had asked him, referring to Hermione.
"Now I have recovered from the full moon, I can sense that something has changed, she has a different scent now than she did before I left for my transformation. I have a feeling I know what the change is but seeing as that night, you were the only one who was completely awake and aware, it leads me to believe that you have done something you shouldn't have done with Hermione" the wolf had ranted and raved at Severus.
Severus nearly ripped the wolf's head off there and then.
"How dare you accuse me of such things Lupin?" Severus had yelled.
Severus had officially lost it.
"Why don't you keep your nose out of my life and focus more on the lives that you are closer to? You might find out some things that you didn't know about your oldest and closest friend's" Severus spat at the wolf.
Lupin hesitated.
'What the hell does he mean?' Lupin thought to himself, not sure why he was really listening to a word Severus had to say.
"Whatever Severus, you've done something and I will be informing Dumbledore, and hear what he has to say on the matter" Lupin told Severus smugly, bluffing.
"You don't have the balls, Lupin" Severus said, calling Lupin's bluff.
"You're an awful man, Severus" Lupin told him.
"We all have dark sides Lupin, even that little mutt of yours" Severus told Lupin cryptically.
Severus left Lupin looking confused, and headed up to his room annoyed at how the conversation had played out. He was just entering his room when something stopped him, he heard the most awful noises coming from the bathroom and automatically cursed the twins for any product they had given to the girl.
Severus entered the bathroom, took pity on the girl and held her hair up, and rubbed her back soothingly.
Once Hermione was done, she flushed the toilet, getting rid of the mess, and she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Deeming herself presentable to turn and face the potions professor.
"Feel better Miss Granger?" He asked softly.
She nodded, and proceeded to wash her mouth out.
"What happened?" He asked.
"The twins implied something that caused my stomach to turn" she answered.
"Boys can be repulsive, Miss Granger. I wouldn't worry about it" he suggested.
She shook her head.
"They suggested that I had a crush on Sirius Black, after I expressed my hatred for him" she told him and looked down at the floor.
"Come on Miss Granger, time for dinner" he said trying to change the subject.
She really didn't want to go downstairs, but knew she needed to eat something substantial. She hadn't eaten much in the last couple of days.
"Don't worry, I will go with you" he reassured her.
She nodded and they headed down to the kitchen together.
In the kitchen was Sirius, Ron and Harry, they were all sat around the table laughing at some old school days story the Sirius was telling the boys. Sirius looked up and saw Severus and Hermione stood in the doorway.
"We've just come to get something to eat" Severus announced and all eyes turned to him and Granger.
"We?" Harry questioned.
Severus nodded as they made their over to prepare their meal.
"So, Hermione Granger has crossed over to the dark side. Hanging out with snakes now are you?" Ron piped up.
"Oh, grow up Ronald! For goodness sake at least Professor Snape has manners, and doesn't encourage childish behaviour like everybody else in this place does" Hermione snapped.
She was now fixing herself something to eat, and was trying to cut a piece of baguette to have with her salad. She was angry and Severus was worried she would accidentally harm herself with the bread knife.
Ron glared at her, and clenched his fist in anger. How dare she speak to him like that?
Harry then spoke up for his friend.
"No offence Hermione, but you've been a bit of a bitch to us over the last few years, all you ever do is nag at us, and moan at us, to do our homework, and then when we come to you for help on papers, all you do is yell at us" Harry said haughtily.
"How dare you Harry Potter!" she shrieked turning around to face him.
Everyone was aware that she still had the knife tightly in her grasp, and all felt slightly uncomfortable at the possibility that she could kill them all where they sat.
"If I didn't nag you, you would have been forced to drop out by now. If you don't complete your homework, how the fuck do you expect to learn anything? If you hadn't noticed we are going to be at war soon, and if you two don't buck up your ideas, get your fingers out of your arses and learn now, neither of you will last a bloody second. So excuse me for trying to keep the pair of you alive. Also, leaving your homework in my dormitory with a note saying 'can you do this for us', is not asking for help. I am meant to be your friend not your bloody house elf" she fumed, she wasn't done yet.
"Well guess what, you've fucked up big time. I'm done, I'm not going to do anything for you this school year and I'm going to place bets with myself to see how long it will take for you to say that you need me, because I can assure you Harry, you need all the fucking help you could possibly get right now" she took her plate and she stormed out of the room.
Harry felt like he had been slapped across the face, he realised she had spoken the truth but was too stubborn, and proud, to admit it.
Severus was glaring at him, Harry glared back.
"Detention for a week when school starts Mr Potter, and 15 points from Gryffindor" he sneered.
Harry was indignant, and went to argue but was met with the slamming of the kitchen door as Severus also grabbed his plate and left the kitchen.
Leaving the two males trying to get their heads around what had just happened.
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.
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Once upstairs, he joined his student at the table in the room they had sat in just hours ago and they ate in a comfortable silence, before discussing more about going back to school.
"You will get your letter on Monday, telling you what you need to get from Diagon Alley, a trip has already been set in place for then, so you will be able to get all of your school bits" Severus explained a short while later.
"Will you be coming?" Hermione asked.
Severus nodded.
"All you students have to be accompanied by an Order member for safety. You're coming with me" Severus stated.
Hermione was over the moon, but kept calm on the outside.
"Another day out for us then" she said excitedly.
"Yes, however for appearance sake, I won't be able to play nice. I will be back to my normal role for that unfortunately" he warned her.
She nodded in acceptance.
"Then, on Friday, you will join all the other students on the train back to school. Less than a week until you leave Miss Granger" he said
"And that's still too long" she sighed.
After that Hermione and Severus went to their rooms, and enjoyed an uneventful evening. Hermione couldn't wait for Monday to come.
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Severus Snape opened his eyes; something had woken him from his slumber. It was eight in the morning, Monday morning, and he suddenly realised what had woken him.
There was high pitched screaming coming from a certain witch's bedroom a couple of doors down. Thinking the worst, he threw on some clothes and quickly made his way to her room and opened her bedroom door.
He couldn't believe the sight he was greeted with. Hermione Granger was jumping up and down on the bed, like an excited four year old, and was squealing with delight at the top of her lungs. Severus was not a morning person, and he had got up in a panic for this.
"What the devil are you playing at girl?" He snarled.
"I'm a prefect, I'm a prefect, I'm a prefect!" she shrieked happily, showing him her letter and her badge.
Severus exhaled in relief, at least she hadn't gone crazy on him yet, or perhaps she already was. Shaking his thoughts away, Severus congratulated her and then stalked back to his rooms to get dressed for the tiring day ahead. It was the outing to Diagon Alley after all.
