Title: rmtw

Disclaimer: see previous chapter

Chapter 2: Facing life again

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! HARRY!" Ron's scream woke him with a start.

Ron was standing on his bed, pointing at Harry and Hermione. "In my own room? When I was in the room?!"

Harry looked to Ron, and then to Hermione, who was still asleep. He sat up. "Ron, wait…"

Ron covered his eyes. "Don't get up!!! Not until you put pants on!!"

            "RON!" Harry yelled, marching over to him and pulling his hands away from his face.

Ron surveyed the area. Harry was wearing the pajamas he wore last night. Hermione was moving around in the bed, but her eyes were still closed. "How'd you get dressed so fast?" he asked.

            "I never got undressed!" Harry snapped. "It's not what it looks like!"

            "Harry?" Hermione asked from the bed. Her eyes were still closed.

            "It's al right, go back to sleep," Harry said.

            "Well what's going on if the thing that I think is going on isn't going on?" Ron asked in a rush.

            "Hermione came here last night," Harry said. "We didn't want to wake you."

            "She said she was with Krum!"

            "She was. She went home to get some stuff and found out some horrible news… her parents were killed." Harry whispered.

Ron sunk down onto her bed. "Bloody hell," he mumbled. "but were you two doing in bed together?"

            "Sleeping!" Harry shouted. "Well, together… no, not sleeping together… I mean, we were asleep in the same bed."

            "And no funny stuff went on?" Ron interrogated.

Harry shook his head no.

            "Poor Hermione," Ron said.

Hermione sat up with a start. "NOOOOOOOOO!" she bellowed.
Harry and Ron exchanged glances and raced over to her. She was awake, and trembling. "I thought it was a nightmare, but it's not…"

Ron knelt down beside her. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

            "Oh, Ron!" she said, and flung her arms around his neck.

Everyone in the Weasley household was in deep grief for Hermione. Even Fred and George, practical jokers extroadinaire were solemn and keep giving her encouraging smiles and thumbs ups.

            "Poor girl," Mrs. Weasley told Harry and Ron as Ginny took Hermione to her room to help her get everything packed. "she told me that her closest relative lives in the states."

Harry put down a saucer of milk for Crookshanks. He knew all to well what living with relatives you were thrown to was like.

Harry had hoped that once Hermone got to Hogwarts, she would liven up a little. He knew that the death of her parents had put her in deep depression, but she would learn to live again. In time. 

Hermione just wasn't the same. She spent most of her time in her dorm, lying in bed. She started missing classes. And he grades were an all-time low.

            "Awww, poor Mudblood," Draco drawled during their Double Potions class. "Don't worry, Granger, you'll see your parents soon enough. In hell."

Two weeks ago, this would have made Hermione erupt into tears. But her chin grew stern, and her eyes got cold. Seamus and Dean were holding Harry and Ron back from running across the dungeon and decapitating Malfoy. Snape smirked and played Draco's remarks on deaf ears.

            "YOU want to know about HELL, MALFOY?!" Hermione shouted. "So help me, I will SEND you there!!!"

Before anyone else could do anything, Hermione conjured up her specialty- a waterproof fire. She aimed her wand at it. "Expresso!"

The fire zoomed across the dungeon, aimed at Malfoy's face.

Snape was over at her side in three seconds. "Urbendola," he hissed. The fire stopped in mid air, inches from Malfoy's face and fell to the dungeon floor in ashes. He turned his stern face to Hermione. She was breathing hard and returned his hard gaze. "Let's see… detention for a month, Miss Granger."

            "What?!" she snapped.

Harry and Ron were shocked and amazed. They stared at each other, stunned.

            "Intentionally harming another student," Snape replied.

Hermione's face went as red as the Gryffindor scarlet color. "You're giving ME detention?! What about Malfoy? His words intentionally hurt ME."

Snape crossed his arms. "Continue talking, Miss Granger and I'll double it."

Hermione threw her Potions book in her bag. "You know what, Professor Snape?" she exclaimed. "I'll do your damn dirty detentions, but as for your class, I'm through! You are so UNFAIR! You shouldn't even be a teacher! You favor your own students over everyone! No wonder why everyone hates you! You are mean, and ruthless and don't give a damn about them unless they're a Slytherin!!!!"

The whole class, except Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle drew in a collective gasp.

Hermione stuck her head in the air and ran out of the dungeon. The Gryffindors rose to their feet, applauding loudly, Harry and Ron cheering the highest.

            "Back to work!" he barked at them.

            "One less Mudblood to worry about," Malfoy muttered, but he looked genuinely scared.

Harry and Ron found Hermione in the common room, crying.

            "We all love you," Ron said. "The look on Snape's face… was priceless." He grinned. "Thank you."

Harry shook his head feverishly at him, signaling that this wasn't a good time to bring that up.

            "Ron!" she sobbed. "You don't understand!!!" she got up, and looped her arms around Harry's neck. He stroked her hair.

            "Sorry!" Ron said. "I'm… I'm really no good at these things."

            'I know you can't stay,

            but part of you will never ever go away.

            Your heart will stay…'

            "I know what we can do for Hermione," Harry said the next day.

Ron looked up from his oatmeal. "What?"

            "We can go to her mum's cousins house and get some photos and make a scarp book, lie Hagrid did for me. It really helped me."

Ron dropped his spoon in his oatmeal. "I think you're right." He looked longingly at the empty seat next to Harry that she usually filled. "I just want her back,"

            "Me too," Harry said, following his gaze.

            "Mum said that woman lives in the states. It'd be rather difficult to get there."

            "We'll send Hedwig," Harry said. "I don't think either of us should leaver Hermione just now."

            "Where is she anyway?" Ron asked.

            "Still serving her detention with that rotten--- (Harry called Snape something that made the other Gryffindor's mouths flop open)."

            "Figures," Ron said. "Someone finally puts him in his place and he's going to kill them for it. I hope Hermione spits on him."

            "Professor?" Hermione asked after she had finally finished gutting two terms worth of frogs. It had taken her nearly all night, but she had done it. It was finished. "May I leave now?"

Snape turned from her and stared out of the high dungeon window. "Yes, Miss Granger, you may go."

Hermione climbed to her feet.

            "I'm not as ruthless as you think," Snape said.

Hermione stared at him.

            "Enduring the hardships that I've had, Miss Granger, losing my own parents at a young age, and living on the streets in Hogsmeade, you tend to put a wall."

            "Professor…"

            "Your words got to me. I do not wish to be feared by my students."

            "We don't fear you," Hermione said awkwardly. This was weird. Snape was talking like he actually had FEELINGS. "We just… wish you were a little more fair to the other students that aren't Slytherins."

            "I can't promise," Snape said.

He didn't say anything after that, so Hermione thought it was her cue to leave.

            "Oh, and Miss Granger?"

Hermione turned to him.

            "You may forgot your other detentions," he said.

Hermione gaped at him. "Really, sir?"

            "Only if you agree to rejoin my class."

Hermione thought a moment. "Okay." She sprinted out of the dungeons as fast as she could.

End of chapt 2!!!

A/N: Bad news, guys. The AC adapter for my lap top broke, so I don't know how much more I can write on its battery power until my new one comes in 3-5 business days. Hope to have chap 3 up soon. Thanks to everyone who loves this story and reviewed.