Chapter Five
Hermione left Snape's room feeling slightly confused, but went back to the common room where she told Harry what happened. He seemed baffled as well, but didn't have much to say otherwise.
"I suppose we should head to our next class" Hermione said, "You coming?" she asked when Harry made no intention of following her out.
"I'll catch up in a few minutes" Harry said casually.
Hermione shrugged and exited the common room. As soon as she exited, Ron stood up and walked over to Harry looking a little nervous.
"Do you think she'll forgive me?" Ron asked glumly.
Harry shrugged, "She might. I wouldn't, but its her decision, not mine" he said, "You better hurry if you're going to talk to her"
Ron nodded and dashed out of the common room to catch up with Hermione. "Hermione!" he called as loudly as he could!
Hermione stopped and looked around at him, "Ron!?" it was half a statement and half question. Ron hadn't spoken to her since he had found out what happened, and Hermione wasn't sure if she could take him yelling at her again.
"Before you say anything" Ron said as Hermine started to speak, "Let me speak! I'm sorry for how I've been treating you! I know this is a really hard time for you, and that I wasn't there to support you when you needed it. I thought about it last night, and realized how much I missed being around you! I could not love you"
Hermione smiled slightly, "Thankyou Ron! It's ok really, just don't talk about it, that's all I ask!"
"That's a primise" Ron said slowly grinning .
The next Hogsmeade weekend had arrived sooner than Hermione had expected. She had no desire to return, but reluctantly agreed after Ron begged on his knees.
"It's not so bad" Ron said.
"No, but the noise is killing me! Is is always this loud in here?" Hermione said loudly over the noise of Zonkos.
Ron shook his head and laughed, "It's because they are having a sale today" he explained, "But its always somewhat noisy"
Hermione glanced around then told Ron she was going to wait for him outside. She collapsed on the bench outside of the store not realizing that Snape was sitting there as well.
"Miss Granger!" he snapped as her arm smacked him by accident.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Professor!" Hermione said, "I didn't see you there"
Snape didn't respond. He just returned to his state of sitting and glaring at everyone who walked by him.
"I thought you were with Mr Weasley for the day" he finally said. Hermione could tell he didn't really care why she was there, he was just trying to break silence.
"I was, he's in Zonkos, but I got sick of the noise" Hermione said, "Besides, he still looks at me like his hopeful girlfriend"
"Does he now?" Snape's empty tone evident.
"I used to wish for that, but now, I look at him and I don't want that" Hermione said without thinking, "I'm scared to trust anyone or anything"
"That's natural," Snape said. He was silent then got a funny look on his face, 'Why are you telling me this?"
Hermione stopped for moment. She looked as stunned as Snape, "I don't know" she said looking very confused with herself. Blushing furiously she got up and went off to find Harry or someone.
The last person Snape expected to run into that night was Harry. The two of them had always managed to do their best in avoiding each other.
"Potter, what do you want?" he growled.
Harry stared at him and shrugged, "I was just wondering how you and Hermione became such good friends." He said, "I know its not my business, but it just seems odd"
"Friends" Snape repeated nearly choking, "Miss Granger and I?"
"Yes" Harry said immediately, "You two talk, converse, and understand each other the way friends do. Its really strange"
Snape shook his head quickly, "I don't have friends" he snapped.
"Excuse me for saying so, Professor, but that's not true" Harry said, "You've made friends with Hermione, whether you wanted to or not"
Snape looked at Harry, part of him wishing that he could curse him, the other part slowly taking in every word that the boy was saying to him.
"Leave me alone" Snape said tearing away as quickly as he could.
The next say Snape was looking for Hermione. He wasn't quite sure what he was going to say to her, but he needed to know if Potter was going out of his way to torment him.
"Hermione!" he called unexpectedly as he saw her walk by his door.
She stopped and entered looking a little surprised, "Yes Professor?"
Snape looked at her, "I wanted to know if what I've heard is true" he said uncomfortably, he wasn't quite sure how to phrase the question on his mind day and night.
"What?" she asked.
Snape shifted uncomfortably, "I was told that you consider me a friend?" he blurted out quickly. He saw Hermione blush a little under his stare.
"I had a feeling Harry would tell you" Hermione said, "Right not, no one seems to understand how I feel, but you. I'm scared to talk to anyone, except you. It's weird, and I don't know how to explain it"
Snape opened his mouth to reply, but stopped as a sharp burning pain ignited on his arm. He grabbed it anxiously, as Hermione's face changed to one of alarm. He pushed past her quickly, running from the room. Tearing himself from the school grounds and apparated.
In moments he appeared in the dark graveyard. He knew this was the same one Harry had landed in two years ago in the Triwizard Tournament. Voldemort often called them there. He wasn't quite sure why, but the deatheaters often found their master here. He was the last to arrive to the circle. He could tell that Voldemort was not pleased at his tardiness, but he dismissed it.
When they were all staring at him he rose above them talking gravely. "The time has come! Tonight I will make the world realize that they are never free of me!" he said. The deatheaters all stared gleaming with excitement and anticipation. "Tonight we will go to place that thought they thought me to fall! To Godric's Hollow, I will rise there"
Snape felt a lump rise in his throat as Voldemort spoke. He didn't hear all of the plan, but he knew death was involved. It always was involved. Voldemort lived for power, and to take life was one of the strongest feelings of power known to him. He suddenly was aware of Voldemort's snake eyes burning on him. He stepped back nervously, "Severus" Voldemort said, "You will remain at Hogwarts. You are to ensure that Dumbledore remains in the school. That he does not interfere with my plans, or you will be very sorry. Now go!"
Snape stumbled backwards disapparating as quickly as he could. He ran into the safety of Hogwarts grounds as quickly as he could. Once inside the gates he fell to the ground shaking uncontrollably with fear and shock. Until tonight he had hoped that Voldemort didn't know of his position to Dumbledore, but he knew now, that he had been lying to himself. There were no secrets hidden from Voldemort. There never was and never would be. But what frightened Snape more than anything right now was why Voldemort continued to let him live? And when the time of judgment came, Snape knew he would deserve whatever horrors were laid upon him.
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Hermione left Snape's room feeling slightly confused, but went back to the common room where she told Harry what happened. He seemed baffled as well, but didn't have much to say otherwise.
"I suppose we should head to our next class" Hermione said, "You coming?" she asked when Harry made no intention of following her out.
"I'll catch up in a few minutes" Harry said casually.
Hermione shrugged and exited the common room. As soon as she exited, Ron stood up and walked over to Harry looking a little nervous.
"Do you think she'll forgive me?" Ron asked glumly.
Harry shrugged, "She might. I wouldn't, but its her decision, not mine" he said, "You better hurry if you're going to talk to her"
Ron nodded and dashed out of the common room to catch up with Hermione. "Hermione!" he called as loudly as he could!
Hermione stopped and looked around at him, "Ron!?" it was half a statement and half question. Ron hadn't spoken to her since he had found out what happened, and Hermione wasn't sure if she could take him yelling at her again.
"Before you say anything" Ron said as Hermine started to speak, "Let me speak! I'm sorry for how I've been treating you! I know this is a really hard time for you, and that I wasn't there to support you when you needed it. I thought about it last night, and realized how much I missed being around you! I could not love you"
Hermione smiled slightly, "Thankyou Ron! It's ok really, just don't talk about it, that's all I ask!"
"That's a primise" Ron said slowly grinning .
The next Hogsmeade weekend had arrived sooner than Hermione had expected. She had no desire to return, but reluctantly agreed after Ron begged on his knees.
"It's not so bad" Ron said.
"No, but the noise is killing me! Is is always this loud in here?" Hermione said loudly over the noise of Zonkos.
Ron shook his head and laughed, "It's because they are having a sale today" he explained, "But its always somewhat noisy"
Hermione glanced around then told Ron she was going to wait for him outside. She collapsed on the bench outside of the store not realizing that Snape was sitting there as well.
"Miss Granger!" he snapped as her arm smacked him by accident.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Professor!" Hermione said, "I didn't see you there"
Snape didn't respond. He just returned to his state of sitting and glaring at everyone who walked by him.
"I thought you were with Mr Weasley for the day" he finally said. Hermione could tell he didn't really care why she was there, he was just trying to break silence.
"I was, he's in Zonkos, but I got sick of the noise" Hermione said, "Besides, he still looks at me like his hopeful girlfriend"
"Does he now?" Snape's empty tone evident.
"I used to wish for that, but now, I look at him and I don't want that" Hermione said without thinking, "I'm scared to trust anyone or anything"
"That's natural," Snape said. He was silent then got a funny look on his face, 'Why are you telling me this?"
Hermione stopped for moment. She looked as stunned as Snape, "I don't know" she said looking very confused with herself. Blushing furiously she got up and went off to find Harry or someone.
The last person Snape expected to run into that night was Harry. The two of them had always managed to do their best in avoiding each other.
"Potter, what do you want?" he growled.
Harry stared at him and shrugged, "I was just wondering how you and Hermione became such good friends." He said, "I know its not my business, but it just seems odd"
"Friends" Snape repeated nearly choking, "Miss Granger and I?"
"Yes" Harry said immediately, "You two talk, converse, and understand each other the way friends do. Its really strange"
Snape shook his head quickly, "I don't have friends" he snapped.
"Excuse me for saying so, Professor, but that's not true" Harry said, "You've made friends with Hermione, whether you wanted to or not"
Snape looked at Harry, part of him wishing that he could curse him, the other part slowly taking in every word that the boy was saying to him.
"Leave me alone" Snape said tearing away as quickly as he could.
The next say Snape was looking for Hermione. He wasn't quite sure what he was going to say to her, but he needed to know if Potter was going out of his way to torment him.
"Hermione!" he called unexpectedly as he saw her walk by his door.
She stopped and entered looking a little surprised, "Yes Professor?"
Snape looked at her, "I wanted to know if what I've heard is true" he said uncomfortably, he wasn't quite sure how to phrase the question on his mind day and night.
"What?" she asked.
Snape shifted uncomfortably, "I was told that you consider me a friend?" he blurted out quickly. He saw Hermione blush a little under his stare.
"I had a feeling Harry would tell you" Hermione said, "Right not, no one seems to understand how I feel, but you. I'm scared to talk to anyone, except you. It's weird, and I don't know how to explain it"
Snape opened his mouth to reply, but stopped as a sharp burning pain ignited on his arm. He grabbed it anxiously, as Hermione's face changed to one of alarm. He pushed past her quickly, running from the room. Tearing himself from the school grounds and apparated.
In moments he appeared in the dark graveyard. He knew this was the same one Harry had landed in two years ago in the Triwizard Tournament. Voldemort often called them there. He wasn't quite sure why, but the deatheaters often found their master here. He was the last to arrive to the circle. He could tell that Voldemort was not pleased at his tardiness, but he dismissed it.
When they were all staring at him he rose above them talking gravely. "The time has come! Tonight I will make the world realize that they are never free of me!" he said. The deatheaters all stared gleaming with excitement and anticipation. "Tonight we will go to place that thought they thought me to fall! To Godric's Hollow, I will rise there"
Snape felt a lump rise in his throat as Voldemort spoke. He didn't hear all of the plan, but he knew death was involved. It always was involved. Voldemort lived for power, and to take life was one of the strongest feelings of power known to him. He suddenly was aware of Voldemort's snake eyes burning on him. He stepped back nervously, "Severus" Voldemort said, "You will remain at Hogwarts. You are to ensure that Dumbledore remains in the school. That he does not interfere with my plans, or you will be very sorry. Now go!"
Snape stumbled backwards disapparating as quickly as he could. He ran into the safety of Hogwarts grounds as quickly as he could. Once inside the gates he fell to the ground shaking uncontrollably with fear and shock. Until tonight he had hoped that Voldemort didn't know of his position to Dumbledore, but he knew now, that he had been lying to himself. There were no secrets hidden from Voldemort. There never was and never would be. But what frightened Snape more than anything right now was why Voldemort continued to let him live? And when the time of judgment came, Snape knew he would deserve whatever horrors were laid upon him.
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