Hogwarts had become a fortified castle when Hermione Granger, Ron weasely and Harry Potter returned for their Seventh and final year. They all knew the danger they faced when they weren't at the school and even while they were in it. They discovered that there were several Aurors now residing in the school and teaching promising seventh years.
Hermione, Harry and Ron sat together at the Gryffindor table as Albus dumbledore made his beginning of the year announcements.
"I am sure you have noticed that there are several Aurors now residing here. They have been given the names of several students that show a great talent and will be taking Several training courses with them this year." Hermione half listened. She was watching Professor Snape, he looked tired and worn. Dumbledore droned on, "From Gryffindor they are two students, Miss Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom."
Hermione looked up she was shocked when he said her name.
"Congratulations Mione!" Ron said hugging her, Harry hugged her also. When they let go of her she caught Snape looking at her. He raised an eyebrow and gave a barely noticeable nod. Hermione flushed and turned to her friends.
******
Severus Snape looked at the Gryffindor, she looked shocked that her name had been read. She is her own worst critic, he thought to himself. She really should give herself more credit. He looked at her again. She was very pretty, quite different from the bucktoothed first year he still remembered her to be. Severus, he thought, be rational, she is a student after all.
****
The next morning at breakfast the schedules were passed out. "Oh no, this can't be right," Ron slumped down in his seat.
"What can't be right?" Hermione asked picking up his schedule, she couldn't see anything wrong with it.
"We have potions first of in the morning," Ron Groaned, "I can't deal with the Git this early in the morning.
Professor McGonagall walked up to Hermione, "Miss Granger, Professor Dumbledore wishes to see you as well as Mister Potter and Mister Weasely in his office as soon as possible."
The trio looked at each other then back at the professor, they nodded and got up to leave.
****
"What do you think we did this time?" harry asked ron as the stepped onto the moving steps leaving up to Dumbledore's office.
"I dunno," Ron said running his fingers through his red hair.
The stood at the door and Harry raised his hand to knock, "Come in," They opened to door and saw dumbledore along with several professors and several people the didn't know.
"Ah you made it good good," he gestured them over to three large chairs. "Now you three are the only students that know of Severus' dealing with the deatheaters. And you three are the ones we have to keep save. Harry for obvious reasons. Mister Weasely because his father has recently replaced Cornelius Fudge. And finally Miss Granger, She had shown great promise in several areas and will be undergoing some Auror training as well as helping both professor Flitwick and Professor Snape."
Hermione looked over at Professor Snape. He was watching her from the corners of his dark eyes. His eyebrow raised slightly. She wondered if he was amused at this.
*****
Severus caught her looking at him again. She seemed apprehensive to be working with him. Was it fear? Was it hatred? Was it something else? He thought as he watched her. She smiled, and his heart melted.
****
Two weeks later
Hermione Granger knew she would be late, She knew it, she rushed Down the Dungeon hallway and into the Potions class and still had thirty seconds left to get to her seat.
Harry and Ron looked at her, "Where were you?" Ron asked as she sat down.
"I was helping Professor Flitwick and Dumbledore you know that," she whispered back. They knew she was helping them they just didn't know what she was helping with.
Professor Snape glided into the room and cast an icy glare over the class, "I see we have all managed to get to class on time... For once," his glare fell on Hermione.
She looked back into his glare. She wasn't afraid of him and he knew it. She had helped him with several potions in the past two weeks and earned a higher respect for the man. He, despite looking like he had been mulched, was still quite strong and his mind was sharper than cold steel.
She worked with several of the professors and a couple of Aurors from the Ministry. Their job was not only to try and protect Hogwarts But also Professor Snape as well. And after the first open attack By Voldemort over the summer, Cornelius Fudge had been fired from his job and Arthur Weasely replaced him.
Hermione watched as Professor Snape began to systematically yell at students, all of them except Neville Longbottom she noticed. He had begun basic Auror training because they saw the potential in him. They saw potential in Hermione as well, but she had her eye set on Potions and possibly Charms. She took most of the basic Auror training offered, who knows, she thought it might be of some use.
****
Hermione kept one attentive eye on her cauldron and the other watched Professor Snape. He was paler than usual and he looked exhausted. She, Harry and Ron knew he went to Deatheaters meetings at least once a week and that he was regularly tortured with the Cruciatus. He risked his life every week.
She looked at his hair. And realized it wasn't greasy of stringy. His hair was thick and very luxurious looking. What she wouldn't give to run her fingers through it. He had finely arched eyebrows and his eyes were like pools of ink... Hermione?! What are you doing? He is your teacher. The little voice in her mind screamed at her.
****
Severus felt her watching him. That look, no one had looked at him that way since he was a student. No impossible, she is a student and you, well, you're twenty years older than her. Severus walked over to the girl. "Miss Granger, despite not paying full attention to you potion you have as usual done it correctly." He gave her a small smile that wasn't a cruel as it usually was. And he didn't take points away from her.
****
Hermione stood at her cauldron. She had another hour before dinner and wanted to finish this warding potion. She added a gram of dried basilisk blood and watched the potion turn a bright blue. She knew by the shade she had correctly made the potion.
"Professor Snape?" She looked at the tall and brooding man standing a ways away from her. "It's done, does it have to be bottle while it's still hot?"
"It should cool for a few minutes before it is bottled." He replied cooly, "You have prepared this potion quite well..."
"But?" she asked as she set small bottles and vials on the table next to her.
"But what?" Severus asked looking at her. Her hair was restrained in a french braid and her dark brown eyes held such emotion.
"There is always a but when you critique students potions," She replied, showing that she did not fear him.
"In this case you are a colleague," Severus replied, "You better start bottling it before it cools down completely." he gave her a sneer.
****
The Next night
Hermione sat with Ginny in her dorm, "Voldemort is getting braver, he may try to attack hogwarts, Ginny," Hermione had just come back from her Auror class with Neville. She had already learned the basics if wandless magic and several spells not normally taught to students of any year. She also kept her want in an ankle case.
Ginny looked worried, "It'll be okay, the aurors will stop him and Harry will..."
"Harry will what?" Hermione said, "He'd be risking his life just like Professor Snape does every week."
Hermione worried about her professor, he had a brilliant mind and it was slowly being wasted by Voldemort's games. She knew he wouldn't last much longer if Voldemort continued to play cat and mouse with him. But he was the only potions master among them, she thought he can't be so indiscriminate as to kill off a brilliant mind, or can he?
***
Hermione knew that Professor Snape had left that night, the meeting were becoming more and more frequent. She was working with Flitwick and Dumbledore late one night when she saw a the corner of a black cloak in the Hall.
Her throat tightened and she knew he was leaving. She didn't want him to leave. She wanted him to stay there with her. She wanted to comfort him hold him in her arms. She wanted to make love to him. Her thoughts caught her of guard and she turned back to her work.
TBC?
Revised this I didn't like the first draft. Hope you like it.
Hermione, Harry and Ron sat together at the Gryffindor table as Albus dumbledore made his beginning of the year announcements.
"I am sure you have noticed that there are several Aurors now residing here. They have been given the names of several students that show a great talent and will be taking Several training courses with them this year." Hermione half listened. She was watching Professor Snape, he looked tired and worn. Dumbledore droned on, "From Gryffindor they are two students, Miss Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom."
Hermione looked up she was shocked when he said her name.
"Congratulations Mione!" Ron said hugging her, Harry hugged her also. When they let go of her she caught Snape looking at her. He raised an eyebrow and gave a barely noticeable nod. Hermione flushed and turned to her friends.
******
Severus Snape looked at the Gryffindor, she looked shocked that her name had been read. She is her own worst critic, he thought to himself. She really should give herself more credit. He looked at her again. She was very pretty, quite different from the bucktoothed first year he still remembered her to be. Severus, he thought, be rational, she is a student after all.
****
The next morning at breakfast the schedules were passed out. "Oh no, this can't be right," Ron slumped down in his seat.
"What can't be right?" Hermione asked picking up his schedule, she couldn't see anything wrong with it.
"We have potions first of in the morning," Ron Groaned, "I can't deal with the Git this early in the morning.
Professor McGonagall walked up to Hermione, "Miss Granger, Professor Dumbledore wishes to see you as well as Mister Potter and Mister Weasely in his office as soon as possible."
The trio looked at each other then back at the professor, they nodded and got up to leave.
****
"What do you think we did this time?" harry asked ron as the stepped onto the moving steps leaving up to Dumbledore's office.
"I dunno," Ron said running his fingers through his red hair.
The stood at the door and Harry raised his hand to knock, "Come in," They opened to door and saw dumbledore along with several professors and several people the didn't know.
"Ah you made it good good," he gestured them over to three large chairs. "Now you three are the only students that know of Severus' dealing with the deatheaters. And you three are the ones we have to keep save. Harry for obvious reasons. Mister Weasely because his father has recently replaced Cornelius Fudge. And finally Miss Granger, She had shown great promise in several areas and will be undergoing some Auror training as well as helping both professor Flitwick and Professor Snape."
Hermione looked over at Professor Snape. He was watching her from the corners of his dark eyes. His eyebrow raised slightly. She wondered if he was amused at this.
*****
Severus caught her looking at him again. She seemed apprehensive to be working with him. Was it fear? Was it hatred? Was it something else? He thought as he watched her. She smiled, and his heart melted.
****
Two weeks later
Hermione Granger knew she would be late, She knew it, she rushed Down the Dungeon hallway and into the Potions class and still had thirty seconds left to get to her seat.
Harry and Ron looked at her, "Where were you?" Ron asked as she sat down.
"I was helping Professor Flitwick and Dumbledore you know that," she whispered back. They knew she was helping them they just didn't know what she was helping with.
Professor Snape glided into the room and cast an icy glare over the class, "I see we have all managed to get to class on time... For once," his glare fell on Hermione.
She looked back into his glare. She wasn't afraid of him and he knew it. She had helped him with several potions in the past two weeks and earned a higher respect for the man. He, despite looking like he had been mulched, was still quite strong and his mind was sharper than cold steel.
She worked with several of the professors and a couple of Aurors from the Ministry. Their job was not only to try and protect Hogwarts But also Professor Snape as well. And after the first open attack By Voldemort over the summer, Cornelius Fudge had been fired from his job and Arthur Weasely replaced him.
Hermione watched as Professor Snape began to systematically yell at students, all of them except Neville Longbottom she noticed. He had begun basic Auror training because they saw the potential in him. They saw potential in Hermione as well, but she had her eye set on Potions and possibly Charms. She took most of the basic Auror training offered, who knows, she thought it might be of some use.
****
Hermione kept one attentive eye on her cauldron and the other watched Professor Snape. He was paler than usual and he looked exhausted. She, Harry and Ron knew he went to Deatheaters meetings at least once a week and that he was regularly tortured with the Cruciatus. He risked his life every week.
She looked at his hair. And realized it wasn't greasy of stringy. His hair was thick and very luxurious looking. What she wouldn't give to run her fingers through it. He had finely arched eyebrows and his eyes were like pools of ink... Hermione?! What are you doing? He is your teacher. The little voice in her mind screamed at her.
****
Severus felt her watching him. That look, no one had looked at him that way since he was a student. No impossible, she is a student and you, well, you're twenty years older than her. Severus walked over to the girl. "Miss Granger, despite not paying full attention to you potion you have as usual done it correctly." He gave her a small smile that wasn't a cruel as it usually was. And he didn't take points away from her.
****
Hermione stood at her cauldron. She had another hour before dinner and wanted to finish this warding potion. She added a gram of dried basilisk blood and watched the potion turn a bright blue. She knew by the shade she had correctly made the potion.
"Professor Snape?" She looked at the tall and brooding man standing a ways away from her. "It's done, does it have to be bottle while it's still hot?"
"It should cool for a few minutes before it is bottled." He replied cooly, "You have prepared this potion quite well..."
"But?" she asked as she set small bottles and vials on the table next to her.
"But what?" Severus asked looking at her. Her hair was restrained in a french braid and her dark brown eyes held such emotion.
"There is always a but when you critique students potions," She replied, showing that she did not fear him.
"In this case you are a colleague," Severus replied, "You better start bottling it before it cools down completely." he gave her a sneer.
****
The Next night
Hermione sat with Ginny in her dorm, "Voldemort is getting braver, he may try to attack hogwarts, Ginny," Hermione had just come back from her Auror class with Neville. She had already learned the basics if wandless magic and several spells not normally taught to students of any year. She also kept her want in an ankle case.
Ginny looked worried, "It'll be okay, the aurors will stop him and Harry will..."
"Harry will what?" Hermione said, "He'd be risking his life just like Professor Snape does every week."
Hermione worried about her professor, he had a brilliant mind and it was slowly being wasted by Voldemort's games. She knew he wouldn't last much longer if Voldemort continued to play cat and mouse with him. But he was the only potions master among them, she thought he can't be so indiscriminate as to kill off a brilliant mind, or can he?
***
Hermione knew that Professor Snape had left that night, the meeting were becoming more and more frequent. She was working with Flitwick and Dumbledore late one night when she saw a the corner of a black cloak in the Hall.
Her throat tightened and she knew he was leaving. She didn't want him to leave. She wanted him to stay there with her. She wanted to comfort him hold him in her arms. She wanted to make love to him. Her thoughts caught her of guard and she turned back to her work.
TBC?
Revised this I didn't like the first draft. Hope you like it.