"You bet your life it is." -Tori Amos, "Cornflake Girl" (Perhaps the
complete antithesis of Resident Evil.)
* When Hermione screamed, Draco pulled himself up to the window to look out himself. He, too, gave a startled cry, and backed away from the looming figure outside. Turning to Hermione, he said, "I guess we did get through to Hogwarts."
Hermione was busy straightening her hair, and her clothing. She fingered her neck gently, sure that she was going to have a hickey soon, if there wasn't already one there. "It would appear so," she said, not making eye contact with Draco.
Snape tapped on the window again. His lips were moving, but Hermione couldn't hear what he was saying.
"Open the window," she hissed to Draco.
Draco sat dumbly for a second, then remembered how to work the power window, and pushed the button down.
".points from Gryffindor!" Snape was saying.
Hermione's immediate reaction was to moan about the unfairness of Snape taking points from her house and not Draco's. She would have said something about it, too, had Draco not covered her mouth with his hand.
"Good evening, Professor," said Draco.
"Mr. Malfoy," sneered Snape, "If you're quite through with your extracurricular activities" his lips twitched as he said the last words "I have better things to do than standing in the rain while two addle-brained students play find the snitch."
Hermione blinked. Draco gaped. The jumped further apart than they'd already been. Neither moved to open the door.
If, at that moment, a large dog had come and bitten Snape, Hermione would have been forever grateful. Hell, she might settle for a large dog coming to bite her. Anything to get out of the situation she was currently in. This was worse than the zombies.
"Is one of you going to open this door before the end of the school year?"
Hermione wondered why Snape didn't open it himself, and thought maybe he didn't know how. Unbidden laughter escaped her as she imagined Snape trying to open the car door from the wrong direction.
"Ms. Granger!" Snape snapped. "Another ten points from Gryffindor!"
Hermione stopped laughing.
"Sir?" said Draco in an uncharacteristically timid voice; "I can't open the door if you're standing there. I'll hit you."
Then Snape did something Hermione thought she'd never see; he took points from his own house.
"Ten points, Mr. Malfoy," Snape said as he stepped away from the car, "for your cheek. Get out, both of you."
Finally recovering from the shock, both Hermione and Draco started to move to their respective doors. Hermione was slightly surprised that she could move at all. She'd thought herself paralyzed from the combination of heady kisses and Snape's unfortunate arrival.
She found, though, that she was perfectly capable of getting out of the car, and walking round to Draco's side. She didn't even stumble, and her knees were quickly losing their wobbly feeling. The rain pelted down, rewetting clothes that had just begun to dry.
"Professor," Hermione said to Snape, and nodded.
He glared in response. "As I've already told Mr. Malfoy, I'm not enjoying this excursion in the least. Let's skip the pleasantries."
Right, thought Hermione. If I hadn't said something, he'd have reprimanded me for being rude to a professor. She bit her lip, and tried her best to look scared and repentant. Really, she was just cold and tired.
Draco was looking downright insolent. He'd opened his door, but instead of fully closing it and stepping out, he was leaning over the frame. He winked at Hermione.
"Mr. Malfoy," said Snape, "If you're quite through leering at Ms. Granger, I'd like to get back to Hogwarts before the end of the night. The entire school is looking for you. I hope you're satisfied at the trouble you've caused us all." The tone he said it in clearly said that by "caused us all" he meant, "caused me."
"People are looking for us?" Hermione asked.
"I believe I just said that, Ms. Granger. Yes." Was Snape shivering?
"I didn't realize, Sir," said Hermione. "I'm sorry we caused so much trouble. You were able to receive our calls?"
"Dumbledore claims he heard strange sounds coming from some statue or other. He performed a locating charm on the two of you, based on the frequency and volume of the signals. Apparently, our Headmaster is quite good at Muggle sciences." Snape stopped, perhaps realizing that he'd been talking in a conversational tone to students. Roughly, he added, "I had the misfortune of being the first staff member he stumbled upon and was thus dispatched to retrieve the two of you while he called off the hunt."
Hermione nodded, and looked to Draco, who had made no move to exit the car fully. He seemed determined to not make the situation go smoothly.
"Well, that's good, I guess." Hermione said.
"Yes, Ms. Granger. I'm sure your classmates will be delighted to know they've been closed off in their towers while you and Mr. Malfoy were enjoying yourselves," Snape sneered.
"That's not fair!" cried Hermione.
"She's right, you know." Draco slammed his door and leaned against the car. "It hasn't been all fun. We've spent a good deal of time fighting zombies and rabid dogs."
The look on Snape's face clearly said he didn't believe a word of it.
"It's true!" added Hermione.
"Save it for the Headmaster. I'm sure he'll have a word with both of you upon your return. Now, hold my hands, both of you. We're going to apparate." Snape held his hands out.
Hermione was hesitant to touch him - afraid, almost that his skin would burn her. She placed her hand in his, and hoped the apparating wouldn't take long.
It didn't - when she looked up again, Hermione could see the outline of Hogwarts standing tall in the night sky. She breathed a sigh of relief and gladly dropped Snape's hand, reminding herself that she'd surely lose even more house points were she to wipe her hand on her blouse.
On Snape's other side, Draco had done much the same as Hermione, and now walked round to stand by her, rather than be separated by the body of the Potions Master. They began the trek back to Hogwarts. At least, Hermione reflected, it's not raining here.
When the finally reached the entrance, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick were there waiting for them, along with a grumpy looking Headmaster. Hermione wasn't sure she'd even seen Dumbledore look cross. This certainly didn't bode well.
"It's not your fault!" a voice in the back of her mind cried, but Hermione still felt guilty. While she'd been snogging Malfoy, the entire school had been worried about her.
"Ah, Severus," said Professor Dumbledore, "I see you've found our missing persons. Hermione, Draco, are you all right?"
"Yes, sir," they answered in unison.
"Good. Please come with me."
Draco and Hermione exchanged looks. Dumbledore started down the hallway, presumably heading towards his office. They followed him, staying several paces behind so they could whisper to each other. Somewhere along the line, they'd become conspirators.
"What do you think he's going to say to us?" Draco asked.
"He's probably not going to congratulate us on our survival skills, I'd guess," Hermione answered.
"You'll find out soon enough," said Dumbledore from ahead.
Hermione and Draco quit speaking.
They reached the Headmasters office, and Dumbledore muttered the password. He held the door open, gesturing for them to enter. When they were inside, he closed the door. "Please," he said, "Have a seat."
They sat.
"I'd like to hear what happened to the two of you," Dumbledore said.
"Well, sir." Hermione began explaining. Draco would chime in, adding details about zombies and dogs. They both tactfully did not mention the amount of time they'd spent kissing. When they were done, Dumbledore said nothing.
Hermione shot Draco a nervous look. Was it possible Dumbledore had some sort of snogging sensors? Oh god, her neck! Hermione's hand snapped to the hickey she knew must be standing out like a target on her pale neck. To compound it, she blushed.
Draco, damn him, looked absolutely unruffled.
Dumbledore spoke. "The two of you were certainly very resourceful. Lesser students may not have found a way back, or ever survived. I commend you for that."
He stopped, and Hermione heard an unspoken "but" coming on.
"But," he continued, "I cannot ignore the circumstances that landed you in the situation in the first place."
Hermione blinked. She thought they'd been alone in the hallway before. whatever had happened. Then she remembered - there was a painting in that hallway, a particularly chatty shepherd girl. That's how Dumbledore must have found out.
"I'm sorry, Headmaster," Hermione began, "I was late for class, and."
Dumbledore held up his hand and silenced her. "I'm not interested in hearing your excuses, Hermione. With the entire school in an uproar over your disappearance, I believe it would be remiss of me to let this incident go by unpunished."
Hermione gulped.
"Therefore," continued the Headmaster, "I've decided that the two of you will serve a detention together."
* When Hermione screamed, Draco pulled himself up to the window to look out himself. He, too, gave a startled cry, and backed away from the looming figure outside. Turning to Hermione, he said, "I guess we did get through to Hogwarts."
Hermione was busy straightening her hair, and her clothing. She fingered her neck gently, sure that she was going to have a hickey soon, if there wasn't already one there. "It would appear so," she said, not making eye contact with Draco.
Snape tapped on the window again. His lips were moving, but Hermione couldn't hear what he was saying.
"Open the window," she hissed to Draco.
Draco sat dumbly for a second, then remembered how to work the power window, and pushed the button down.
".points from Gryffindor!" Snape was saying.
Hermione's immediate reaction was to moan about the unfairness of Snape taking points from her house and not Draco's. She would have said something about it, too, had Draco not covered her mouth with his hand.
"Good evening, Professor," said Draco.
"Mr. Malfoy," sneered Snape, "If you're quite through with your extracurricular activities" his lips twitched as he said the last words "I have better things to do than standing in the rain while two addle-brained students play find the snitch."
Hermione blinked. Draco gaped. The jumped further apart than they'd already been. Neither moved to open the door.
If, at that moment, a large dog had come and bitten Snape, Hermione would have been forever grateful. Hell, she might settle for a large dog coming to bite her. Anything to get out of the situation she was currently in. This was worse than the zombies.
"Is one of you going to open this door before the end of the school year?"
Hermione wondered why Snape didn't open it himself, and thought maybe he didn't know how. Unbidden laughter escaped her as she imagined Snape trying to open the car door from the wrong direction.
"Ms. Granger!" Snape snapped. "Another ten points from Gryffindor!"
Hermione stopped laughing.
"Sir?" said Draco in an uncharacteristically timid voice; "I can't open the door if you're standing there. I'll hit you."
Then Snape did something Hermione thought she'd never see; he took points from his own house.
"Ten points, Mr. Malfoy," Snape said as he stepped away from the car, "for your cheek. Get out, both of you."
Finally recovering from the shock, both Hermione and Draco started to move to their respective doors. Hermione was slightly surprised that she could move at all. She'd thought herself paralyzed from the combination of heady kisses and Snape's unfortunate arrival.
She found, though, that she was perfectly capable of getting out of the car, and walking round to Draco's side. She didn't even stumble, and her knees were quickly losing their wobbly feeling. The rain pelted down, rewetting clothes that had just begun to dry.
"Professor," Hermione said to Snape, and nodded.
He glared in response. "As I've already told Mr. Malfoy, I'm not enjoying this excursion in the least. Let's skip the pleasantries."
Right, thought Hermione. If I hadn't said something, he'd have reprimanded me for being rude to a professor. She bit her lip, and tried her best to look scared and repentant. Really, she was just cold and tired.
Draco was looking downright insolent. He'd opened his door, but instead of fully closing it and stepping out, he was leaning over the frame. He winked at Hermione.
"Mr. Malfoy," said Snape, "If you're quite through leering at Ms. Granger, I'd like to get back to Hogwarts before the end of the night. The entire school is looking for you. I hope you're satisfied at the trouble you've caused us all." The tone he said it in clearly said that by "caused us all" he meant, "caused me."
"People are looking for us?" Hermione asked.
"I believe I just said that, Ms. Granger. Yes." Was Snape shivering?
"I didn't realize, Sir," said Hermione. "I'm sorry we caused so much trouble. You were able to receive our calls?"
"Dumbledore claims he heard strange sounds coming from some statue or other. He performed a locating charm on the two of you, based on the frequency and volume of the signals. Apparently, our Headmaster is quite good at Muggle sciences." Snape stopped, perhaps realizing that he'd been talking in a conversational tone to students. Roughly, he added, "I had the misfortune of being the first staff member he stumbled upon and was thus dispatched to retrieve the two of you while he called off the hunt."
Hermione nodded, and looked to Draco, who had made no move to exit the car fully. He seemed determined to not make the situation go smoothly.
"Well, that's good, I guess." Hermione said.
"Yes, Ms. Granger. I'm sure your classmates will be delighted to know they've been closed off in their towers while you and Mr. Malfoy were enjoying yourselves," Snape sneered.
"That's not fair!" cried Hermione.
"She's right, you know." Draco slammed his door and leaned against the car. "It hasn't been all fun. We've spent a good deal of time fighting zombies and rabid dogs."
The look on Snape's face clearly said he didn't believe a word of it.
"It's true!" added Hermione.
"Save it for the Headmaster. I'm sure he'll have a word with both of you upon your return. Now, hold my hands, both of you. We're going to apparate." Snape held his hands out.
Hermione was hesitant to touch him - afraid, almost that his skin would burn her. She placed her hand in his, and hoped the apparating wouldn't take long.
It didn't - when she looked up again, Hermione could see the outline of Hogwarts standing tall in the night sky. She breathed a sigh of relief and gladly dropped Snape's hand, reminding herself that she'd surely lose even more house points were she to wipe her hand on her blouse.
On Snape's other side, Draco had done much the same as Hermione, and now walked round to stand by her, rather than be separated by the body of the Potions Master. They began the trek back to Hogwarts. At least, Hermione reflected, it's not raining here.
When the finally reached the entrance, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick were there waiting for them, along with a grumpy looking Headmaster. Hermione wasn't sure she'd even seen Dumbledore look cross. This certainly didn't bode well.
"It's not your fault!" a voice in the back of her mind cried, but Hermione still felt guilty. While she'd been snogging Malfoy, the entire school had been worried about her.
"Ah, Severus," said Professor Dumbledore, "I see you've found our missing persons. Hermione, Draco, are you all right?"
"Yes, sir," they answered in unison.
"Good. Please come with me."
Draco and Hermione exchanged looks. Dumbledore started down the hallway, presumably heading towards his office. They followed him, staying several paces behind so they could whisper to each other. Somewhere along the line, they'd become conspirators.
"What do you think he's going to say to us?" Draco asked.
"He's probably not going to congratulate us on our survival skills, I'd guess," Hermione answered.
"You'll find out soon enough," said Dumbledore from ahead.
Hermione and Draco quit speaking.
They reached the Headmasters office, and Dumbledore muttered the password. He held the door open, gesturing for them to enter. When they were inside, he closed the door. "Please," he said, "Have a seat."
They sat.
"I'd like to hear what happened to the two of you," Dumbledore said.
"Well, sir." Hermione began explaining. Draco would chime in, adding details about zombies and dogs. They both tactfully did not mention the amount of time they'd spent kissing. When they were done, Dumbledore said nothing.
Hermione shot Draco a nervous look. Was it possible Dumbledore had some sort of snogging sensors? Oh god, her neck! Hermione's hand snapped to the hickey she knew must be standing out like a target on her pale neck. To compound it, she blushed.
Draco, damn him, looked absolutely unruffled.
Dumbledore spoke. "The two of you were certainly very resourceful. Lesser students may not have found a way back, or ever survived. I commend you for that."
He stopped, and Hermione heard an unspoken "but" coming on.
"But," he continued, "I cannot ignore the circumstances that landed you in the situation in the first place."
Hermione blinked. She thought they'd been alone in the hallway before. whatever had happened. Then she remembered - there was a painting in that hallway, a particularly chatty shepherd girl. That's how Dumbledore must have found out.
"I'm sorry, Headmaster," Hermione began, "I was late for class, and."
Dumbledore held up his hand and silenced her. "I'm not interested in hearing your excuses, Hermione. With the entire school in an uproar over your disappearance, I believe it would be remiss of me to let this incident go by unpunished."
Hermione gulped.
"Therefore," continued the Headmaster, "I've decided that the two of you will serve a detention together."
