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Hermione all but ran back through the tunnel under Honeyduke's, to the One-Eyed witch at Hogwarts, both excited and nervous at the chance to prove her skills. She toyed idly with the string of Tiger Iron beads, that Rosemary had given her for the night, and the pewter Caduceus charm that hung from it.
'At least the Centaurs will know why I'm there…'
And after all, she had tonight and tomorrow to prepare for her moonlit expedition, into the Forbidden Forest. She was just glad it wasn't going to be a full moon tomorrow night.
'Everything's gonna be fine.' she told herself firmly. Hermione firmly pushed all thoughts of the all thoughts of the next night out of her mind and quickly walked to the great hall for the end of dinner.
Pushing her way into the Great Hall, Hermione noticed Dumbledore smiling knowingly at her. He nodded slowly and Hermione could almost feeling his reassurances in her head. She pushed the thoughts to the back of her consiousness again, and sat between Harry and Ron.
"Ey, Mione. Wath wunderin wer yau were.." Ron mumbled through a mouthful of Lasagna.
"Ew, Ron. Don't talk with your mouth full." Hermione spooned some Spaghetti onto her plate. "I was at the Library…"
"Bug Surprithe der.."
"Shut up Ron." She turned to Harry. "Did I miss anything worth knowing about?"
Harry chewed thoughtfully on a roast potato. "Nah. Ron thrashed me in wizard's chess. Repeatedly." Ron looked pleased with himself. "And Neville set a couple of the common room rugs on fire from playing exploding snap -- So, nope, not at all." Harry grinned slightly.
Laughing, Hermione ate her pasta, or tried to, until she realised she was too excited to be hungry, and left the hall for Gryffindor Tower. She only paused slightly to mumble 'Semper amicus' to the fat lady, who 'Tsked' at her disapprovingly about her being underfed. She sunk down in an armchair, falling asleep immeadiatley.
Hermione awoke early the next morning to a sharp tapping on the window, only barely audible above the driving Scottish rain. She got groggily to her feet and staggered to the window to let in a bedraggled looking Phoenix, who stalked to the glowing embers of the fire in the common room. Sitting next to him she gently tugged a small leather bag from his talons. She stroked the Phoenix's feathers as she pulled a note out of the bag:
Miss Granger,
Dress warmly tonight and take this bag with you tonight. Simply drop everything into the bag and it will sort them for you, it also stops them from getting damaged. Also take a sharp knife, and above all else your wand. Seek out Ronan and Bane and you should be safe. Get everything done as quickly as possible. Take the trap door at the end of the 1st floor corridor. It will let you out near Hagrid's Cabin. But I warn you Hermione. DO NOT GET CAUGHT. Keep you're wits about you at all times, and if you are accosted by a teacher, and brought to my attention, I'm afraid I will be forced to deny any knowledge of your plans, despite the exceptional circumstances. You Have been forewarned.
Good Luck,
A. Dumbledore.
A shudder ran through Hermione as she realised that she had to live through 4 classes today. Double Potions, Arithmancy, Double Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. She groaned quietly, and got dressed, collecting her books and Arithmancy essay before heading off to breakfast.
Most of the morning passed without incident, althought she did have the feeling that Snape noticed something about her was off. Hermione's suspicions had a field day when class ended and she heard: "Miss Granger. A word, Please." Once she had finished packing her things away and slid her knife into the front of her bag, she approached Snape's desk. "Yes, professor?" She asked, trying to crush her sense of Foreboding.
He continued writing and didn't look up at her. Hermione was about to open her mouth and ask what he wanted when he finally spoke. "It has taken extensive badgering from both Professor McGonagal and Professor Sprout, but I have given my accent for you to be included in the Seventh Year advanced potions and Practical Herbology course. The first class will be held tonight at 8pm."
'Bloody Terrific.'
The elation Hermione felt at this announcement guttered out like a candle in the wind. "I can't tonight." She growled through gritted teeth, picking up her bag. "I guess you can find someone else to fill my space. Thank you for the offer, Professor."
Snape's head snapped up. 'Did she say "no"?! Truly, Serverus, you must be spending too much time alone if you're imagination sabotages your sensory perception like this.' "Did I just hear you correctly, Miss Granger? Are you feeling quite well? I'm sure I've never heard you turn down an offer of extra work." He said with a slight sneer, and something else that Hermione couldn't quite work out, but was exceedingly close to respect.
Hermione found herself smiling, despite her annoyance at this predicament. "I apologize professor, but I confess, Granger finds herself unavoidably engaged this evening. As much as I'm sure she would love to attend, she is unable to do so. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must dash or I shall be late for Arithmancy."
Snape frowned as Hermione turned and ran out of the dungeons. 'Something is not right…' He wasn't sure what, yet, but he suspected he would find out, whether he wished to or no. He shook his head, trying to clear all thoughts of the strange girl that had just left, and became intent on scaring the 2nd year Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff class he had now, instead.
Arithmancy passed without problems for Hermione, as did lunch. But Hermione's anxiety level began to creep upwards when Professor Sprout was not at the Greenhouse for their Herbology lesson. Dumbledore was there in her stead, and Hermione asked where she was.
"Professor Sprout has been called away to help identify a problem at the ministry. The APPH class will be cancelled for tonight."
Hermione's immediate feeling was one of relief, at not missing a class that wouldn't be taking place anyway. After that the anxiety really set in. Despite her relief at not missing out on the elective class, the thought occurred to Hermione that the class would have kept him busy, and so, wouldn't be spending the evening prowling the halls for students.
'This Really can't be good…'
The rest of the afternoon, however, passed without incident, much to Hermione's quiet surprise, and at dinner Hermione sat, picking at her food, feeling that something was yet to go wrong. After a half hour of sitting and making awkward conversation, in the hopes of masking her anxiousness, she left the hall to return the prefect dorm in Gryffindor Tower.
Several hours later, Hermione was sitting in the Gryffindor Common room, alone, and sharpening her potions knife, and thinking about the APPH course. "Well now Snape is going to know something is up…Damnitt." She stifled a frustrated scream as her logic led her in circles. Trying to look on the bright side, Hermione continued her quiet rant. "At least everything else is going ok…I just can't let myself get caught. By ANYONE." Sliding the knife into the bag, she retrieved Harry's Invisibility cloak, which she had gained with the minimal of knowing smiles from Harry. Because he was under the impression that she was sneaking out to see Justin Finch-Fletchley, she reflected. He had proved to be a more than willing alibi on more than one occasion she thought with a slight shudder.
She cast charms on herself to change her hair and eyes, by far her most recognisable features; straightening her hair and adding streaks of Crimson, and changing her eyes to blue-green. Standing up, she gathered her things into the charmed bag the Dumbledore had sent her that morning and pushed wand and the parchment list from Rosemary into the deep spaces of it. She pulled on a black sweater to go with her leather pants and boots. Hermione really didn't like leather all that much, but she supposed it was better than getting pneumonia and winding up being caught in the Forbidden forest. She draped the invisibility cloak around her protectively and walked to the portrait.
'Right. It's now or never, Granger.'
Pushing the Fat Lady out slowly, Hermione slipped quickly out of the tower and down towards the first floor.
The crawl through the passage behind the trap door was cold, dark and awkward. She felt the tunnel tilt down, it was only slight, but she felt as though she was going to tumble head over heels the rest of the way. Finally Hermione pushed a wooden panel open, and blinking furiously in the vague moonlight, she got out of the tunnel, and started towards the edge of the forest.
Swearing under her breath, Hermione realised in a split second that she was in open view of the castle. She ran to the forest and hid behind a tree. It was only then, that she realised she was under an Invisibility cloak, that she berated her stupidity, and made her way further into the forest.
Hermione was so engaged in rebuking herself, that she didn't notice that she had stumbled upon a clearing in which two Centaurs were standing, looking heaven-ward. Hagrid's words from her first year came back to her with amazing clarity: 'Never try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy Stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon.' That definitely was the case here. She stifled a giggle, which came out as a muffled snort.
The centaur on the left's head shot up and glanced in Hermione's direction. "Ring around the moon, we have company…" He murmured thoughtfully, peering in Hermione's direction.
"Ah yes, but mars is dark. We wont have any problems from this visitor." Intoned the second centaur, who was now also looking at where Hermione stood, frozen in place.
Hermione swallowed nervously from her not-so secret location. 'Moment of truth' she thought absently and tugged the cloak off her and slid it into her bag before she lost it.
Neither of the Centaurs looked particularly suspicious, nor surprised for that matter. "Who are you, then?" asked the black Centaur on the left, who was looking at her with slight interest mixed with foresight.
"H-h-hermione Grang-ger" She said softly, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Well now, What would you be doing here in the middle of the night?" questioned the second centaur.
"I-I-I'm m-m-meant…" She broke off in frustration and thrust her left wrist, and it's circle of tiger's iron beads forward.
"Ah, yes. We wondered when we'd be receiving a visit from you. Have you been to the Forest before?"
Hermione nodded mutely. "Twice last year. I was sent to…" She broke off mid sentence, inclined her head, and smiled slightly. "…Ronan?" She directed at the Chesnut-coloured centaur on the right.
"Aye, that I am. And this is--"
"Bane?"
The two looked slightly puzzled. "How did…hold on a moment…HERMIONE?"
She laughed slightly. "Indeed. It seems I've changed more than most people think." She replied with a wry smile.
"You look….so much….older." Bane finally managed to get out.
"Yes, well, Voldemort does have his ways doesn't he?" She whispered bitterly.
"Well, erm--" Hermione stifled a smile. It was rare to see a Centaur at a loss for words. "What are you doing in the forest?" She raised an eyebrow at him and a small smile played on her lips.
"I thought we'd established this..?" She swung the beads through the air in front of her.
"Oh, yes, erm, right. She want Centaur fur I'm guessing then?" Hermione glanced at the scrap of parchment that she was holding and saw it at the top of the list.
"Among other things..." She said quietly and went about collecting the things on her list.
The rest of the night in the forest passed uneventfully, with Hermione collecting handfuls of Juniper berries here, and Valerian Root there, and in turn everything that was required of her. She was quite surprised when she finished her collection that she only had a gash on her cheek to worry about. Even if it was bleeding a little more than it should.
"Thank you SO much for your help. You have no idea what this means to me." Hermione whispered as she pulled the silky fabric of the invisibility cloak over her head.
"You're welcome Hermione. We'll be seeing you in three weeks again, I expect." She smiled and shifted the bag over her shoulder before turning, and walking back to the castle.
The door to the castle opened with only a soft squeak of protestation as Hermione opened it, slipped through and closed it with a dull thud.
Hermione was just creeping along the 3rd floor, when a pair of luminescent eyes peered out of the darkness at her, causing her to freeze.
"Oh Fuck." She swore as Mrs. Norris ran off to find Filch. Hermione tore down the stairs to the second floor raced along towards the other stairs towards Gryffindor Tower. She felt at the cut on her face as she rounded a corner near all but the slytherin dorms. Slowing to a walk, she realised how much blood was sticking to her cheek, as she tried to pull a tendril of hair out of the way. So busy was she trying to release her lock of hair from the half dried blood on her cheek, that she didn't notice let alone register the figure in black striding out of the darkness towards her. That is, until she ran straight into him.
Snape was patrolling the second floor. Catching students out of bed, particularly Gryffindors, was a practise that usually used up his energy, and allowed him to get some sleep. He let out a frustrated growl. He was far too tense for his own good. The last meeting with Voldemort hadn't exactly gone to plan, and now the Dark Lord was questioning his loyalty more than ever. Things were not looking particularly good for him right now.
He sighed inwardly and was about to return to the dungeons, and resort to dreamless sleep potion, when something hard came thumped into him, throwing him back a couple of steps. The 'thing' turned out to be a student out of bed. He smiled slightly, maybe he wouldn't need that potion after all.
Stepping forward, he circled the sprawled student slowly. "Well, well. A student out of bed. How novel." He continued to circle as the student stood up. "But which house do I have the…honour…of deducting points from?" came the dangerously soft question. Hermione remained silent, despite the annoying voice at the back of her head telling her to fess up. Snape was looking her over for some kind of sign of what house she was in, while Hermione was quietly panicking. "Well at least you had the brains to hide your house emblem." He growled and Hermione shivered ever so slightly, fresh waves of anxiety washing over her.
**CRASH**
Snape's head snapped up in time to catch a cackling Peeve's whistling past. The Potion master's eyes glittered in annoyance as he turned back to where the student…no longer was. He turned around a couple of times looking for some trace of movement.
Hermione slipped away, around another corner and slumped back against the wall, her breathing ragged from the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She peered round the corner to see if Snape was still following her. She was met with darkness, and ONLY darkness. Sighing in relief, Hermione turned back from the corner, only to find Severus Snape not 3 feet away from her, watching her intently. "JESUS CHRIST!" She cursed.
He smirked. "Muggle-born," concluded the silky voice. "witch, 7th Year." His gaze drifted down her body, as if to confirm his suspicions.
'Next time I see a student younger than a Seventh Year with a body like that, I'll eat my dress robes.'
Hermione could no longer suppress her laughter and let out a snicker, causing Snape incline his head. "Anything funny?"
She smiled. "I doubt you meant to say the last out-loud…" He glared at her and she laughed again. "Way to prove me wrong. And if you expect me to tell you what house I'm from, let alone who I am, then you are not fit to be a teacher here. Perhaps you would find Durmstrang more to your liking?"
Snape's eyes flared dangerously, but he ignored her and continued speaking. "Well then." Came the velvet rumble. "Let's see what I can divine of you or your house for that matter, hmm?" His eyes shifted to the floor as he began to thoroughly analyse the girl before him.
Black boots. Lace up, utilitarian. Leather pants, flared slightly at the knee. Black Sweater, which hugged her curves so well, that he was left in absolutely no doubt that the person before him was, in fact female. The rest of her was covered by her cloak. Black again. 'If nothing else she has colour co-ordination.' He thought amusedly.
Hermione closed her eyes and willed herself away from here. She was pulled back to reality as a short shriek of pain was ripped from her throat. The cowl of her cloak had stuck to blood, and her face, and had taken skin off when it had been pulled away. She winced as fire danced across her cheek. Hermione came to her sense enough to push the heel of her hand to her cheek in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Or, that was her last coherent thought before she passed out.