Disclaimer: See chapter One
When Living is No Longer Enough…
Chapter Thirteen
The next few weeks seemed to fly by as Severus and Hermione continued their research on what they had jokingly dubbed the 'reptilian cocktail'. Snape spent his time focusing more on the potions aspect of the plan while Hermione researched everything she could find regarding both tracking spells and various magical methods of medical monitoring. Lucius Malfoy had not made any more surprise visits by floo and muggle killings seemed to have diminished somewhat. In addition, Snape found that his relationship with the charms professor was becoming more of a reality than a theoretical possibility. Even if that reality was progressing very slowly. All in all he had to grudgingly concede that, for once, things seemed to be going quite well. And that was what worried him the most.
"Severus?" Hermione asked one evening as they sat together in front of the fire. "Has something happened that you aren't telling me about?"
The potion master's body tensed suddenly in reaction to her quietly spoke question. He had chosen not to tell her about Lucius' visit and the threats that subsequently came with it. To do so would only have made the young woman nervous. At least, that's what he told himself. 'It would have made her angry and more apt to do something reckless' his traitorous inner voice whispered. 'And that's what you're most afraid of isn't it? That she will run off and take matters into her own hands without thinking and end up being harmed. Or worse…' Yes, he silently acknowledged, that was exactly what he was worried about. Hermione's reactions to any given situation had always been typically Gryffindor and that translated into such words as 'Noble' and 'Heroic'. 'Hell, even 'Self-Sacrificing' comes to mind' the Slytherin thought with trepidation. And while she wasn't as apt as some of her former housemates to run headlong into danger without at least considering the consequences she was still likely to be ruled by those impulses to a certain degree.
Running his hand over her hair he continued to stare into the flames as he answered her question. "No, why do you ask?"
"You seem more on edge than normal as if you're waiting for something to happen but you're not sure what," she replied. "And of course, there's the fact that I haven't been able to go anywhere over the past three weeks without someone either being with me or following me at a 'discreet' distance."
'Well, that got his attention,' she thought to herself as she felt him flinch momentarily at her words. In truth, she wasn't certain whether or not anything had happened or if Snape's recent behavior was nothing more than nerves and caution as a result of the potion they were attempting to develop. And of course the fact that she didn't seem to be able to go anywhere in the castle by herself could be nothing more than a combination of mere coincidence and an over-active imagine but somehow she didn't think so.
"I'm sure I don't know what you're referring to," Severus replied automatically reverting back to the tone of voice he used in his classroom.
"Really?" Hermione snorted in disbelief deciding that the only way she was going to get any real answers was to push the issue. "Well, let me spell it out for you. First, I have been plagued with questions from other professors recently only whilst I am traversing the hallways and as soon as I arrive at my destination, these same professors seem to remember something they were supposed to do and leave before I've had a chance to complete the answer. Almost as if the questions were mere excuses and their true intention was to escort me to wherever I happened to be going. I mean, really, don't you find it the least bit odd that they never have questions while I'm actually in my classroom? I can't leave the castle to go walking around the grounds without Hagrid always being somewhere nearby and Minerva has taken to visiting me in the classroom during the hours that I keep open for student conferences. Top that off with the fact that Albus has taken to escorting me to breakfast, Minerva escorts me to lunch and you accompany me to dinner. Now, have I left anything out?"
"I imagine that I could arrange for Peeves to escort you to dinner if you prefer," Snape replied with a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Or the bloody baron owes me a favor or two…"
"Severus! This isn't funny!" she exclaimed loudly and sat up to stare directly at him. Seeing the amusement on his face she unconsciously pursed her lips in a petulant expression and assumed her bossiest tone of voice. "Well, it isn't and I want to know what's going on. Now!"
Snape looked at the young woman sitting before him and was torn between a desire to further tease her and a desire to take her into his arms and never let her go. However, judging from the look on her face, he decided that the best course of action was to simply tell her the truth. 'She's already guessed it and we were lucky she allowed it to continue this long' he thought to himself in mild amazement.
"I had a visit from Lucius Malfoy," he told her, schooling his expression and tone of voice to that more befitting of such a serious matter.
"When?" she gasped in surprise.
"He used the floo connection in my quarters to have a chat the same night we discussed the addition of the tracking and monitoring charms" Snape answered with a small sigh as he anticipated Hermione's next reaction.
"But that was three weeks ago!" she all but shouted. "You don't think you might have found some time to mention it in all the time we've worked together since?"
'Congratulations Severus, you called that one correctly,' the inner voice mocked from somewhere deep inside his head. 'Oh shut up,' he told the voice and firmly squashed it into silence. Snape presented an air of aloofness to the world that usually shielded him from having to put up with more than the bare minimum of human contact and those persons that did interact with him usually didn't dare to take the potions master to task for fear of becoming the focus of his legendary sarcasm and scathing comments. Of course, none of those people were Hermione Granger who took the phrase 'Gryffindor courage' to extraordinary new heights. Now, as he sat looking at the angry young woman seated before him, he realized that he had little experience with raging females and wondered at the best course of action. Being Snape, he decided to fall back to the familiar and fixed her with a trademark glare as he sarcastically replied, "Calm yourself Miss Granger. You were not informed of the encounter because it was not necessary for you to be so."
For a brief moment, Hermione simply stared at the potions master in surprise. 'Miss Granger?' she thought to herself angrily. 'What the… Fine, if that's the way he wants to play it then so be it' she told herself and focused a steely, determined gaze on the man in front of her. "First of all, Professor Snape, you can drop the overgrown bat routine because it doesn't work on me any longer. I'm no longer one of your students which means that you can't bully me or deduct house points or threaten me with a detention to avoid this discussion."
"Pity," he mumbled half under his breath in response to her outburst.
"Second," she continued as if he hadn't spoken, "it seems to have been necessary to inform everyone else and considering the additional company I've received lately I'm beginning to think that I must have been a part of what ever conversation transpired between the two of you. So, with this in mind, I ask you again professor, why wasn't I informed?"
"Because we didn't think it necessary to worry you after everything you've been through lately on the mere chance that Lucius might try to get at me through you," he snapped and then proceeded to relate the details of his conversation with the blond-haired wizard.
"So you decided to try and protect me by keeping me in the dark How very Slytherin of you professor" she said when Snape had finished. "But what I don't understand is why? I mean, what did you think I was going to do if you told me?"
"Given recent events as well as your past history and previous escapades with Potter and Weasley it seemed possible that you might try to take matters into your own hands. An outcome we were trying to avoid," he said leaning his head against the back of the sofa and momentarily closing his eyes.
"But Harry and Ron aren't even here," she said in confusion.
"A fact that I am profoundly grateful for," Snape solemnly replied.
"Well, I think Malfoy was bluffing," she said allowing herself to calm down once again. "He's probably heard that we're working together on something and he's fishing for information. That's all."
"It's possible although he seemed to think that our relationship is more of a personal nature. You would do well to steer clear of him. Between Draco's death and my defection, he's very angry and will not hesitate to harm anyone he thinks I might have even so much of a passing interest in" he told her, tracing the outline of her cheek with his fingers. "You must be careful."
"Alright," she agreed sighing. "But I don't have to like it and I still don't see how he can do anything to me while I'm here at Hogwarts."
"There are ways Hermione and Lucius Malfoy is a very determined man. Do not take his posturing lightly for he has no conscience and the concepts of right and wrong exist, in his mind, only to serve him. You'll allow the other teachers to escort you throughout the school?" he asked although it was phrased as more of a command than a question.
"I suppose so," she agreed reluctantly. "But what about the supplies we need for the project? One of us needs to make a trip to Hogsmeade soon before we can start brewing and it can't be you."
"Albus has agreed to allow you to make trips into town when necessary provided that you are accompanied by someone," he informed her. "I was hoping that since we can't work on the potion tomorrow due to that foolish excuse of frivolity that Albus insists on calling a Valentine's Ball, that we could compile our listing of necessary supplies on Saturday. You could then plan on making the trip to Hogsmeade with Minerva on Sunday and arrange to have them forwarded to the dungeons. Besides, Minerva tells me that she needs to make a trip to Flourish and Blotts. Something about a gift for her sister's birthday or some other such nonsense."
"I love that store," she told him thinking of the rows and rows of books stacked within.
"Somehow, I thought you might," he smiled.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC
Author's Note: Hey, I actually did it! I managed to get another chapter turned out by the end of the weekend. This one was a difficult chapter for me to write although I haven't figured out why it was any more difficult to put down on paper than the others. Anyway, reviews would be very welcomed and thank you to those of you who reviewed the last posting.
~Jules