Disclaimers: Sixteen chapters and still the same. They aren't mine (she says with a giant theatrical sigh). Please refer to chapter one for full disclaimer write-up.
When Living is No Longer EnoughChapter Sixteen
Hermione momentarily froze as her mind made a feeble attempt to formulate a plan that would carry her away from the presence of the Death Eater and deliver her back into the safety of Professor McGonagall and ultimately, Hogwarts itself. Try as she might though, no plan came to mind. "He's too close for me to apparate back to Hogwarts and I couldn't run off and leave Minerva to face him alone either,' she thought to herself in despair. 'Minerva? Maybe if I can buy myself enough time she'll come looking for me. Surely he wouldn't be desperate enough to harm me in front of witnesses?'
It was the last thought she had as Lucius Malfoy decided to break the silence that had settled over them. "Miss Granger," the blond-haired wizard all but purred, "what an unexpected surprise."
Deciding that angering the man before her would not be in her best interest, she bit off the sarcastic retort that immediately sprang to her mind and settled for the icy calmness of diplomacy. "Why Mr. Malfoy, it is indeed a surprise and most unexpected as well. However, if you wouldn't mind stepping aside I'll bid you good day as I was just on my way to meet up with my friend who is currently browsing a selection of titles on another aisle."
"Ah yes, you do seem to be acquiring a great many friends lately. Or perhaps my information is incorrect?" he asked, the glint in his eyes leaving the young witch without doubt that the man before her was playing a very high-stake game of cat and mouse.
'And it would seem that I get to play the part of the mouse in today's little chase,' she thought in disgust. Determined not to allow the wizard the satisfaction of seeing her fear, Hermione raised her chin in a subtle gesture of defiance that did not go unnoticed by Lucius. "I have indeed been fortunate enough to acquire a great many friends over the years Mr. Malfoy although I am uncertain as to the source of your information or why for that matter that these friendships would be of concern to a man such as yourself."
"A man such as myself?" he questioned, dropping his voice to a dangerous level of barely suppressed anger. Taking a quick glance around to assure himself that they were still alone, he suddenly reached out with the speed of a viper and grabbed a handful of Hermione's chestnut locks pulling her so close that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. Tilting her head back he used his other hand to slowly trace the outline of her facial features with the ebony handle of the elegant cane he carried and smiled when he recognized the brief glimpse of fear that shone in her cinnamon brown eyes.
"You would be wise not to anger such a man as myself little mudblood," he hissed and his own face suddenly became a mask of venom and pure hatred. "Because it would be a shame if something… unforeseen, were to happen to you as it happened to my son not so long ago. It is always such a loss to the wizarding world when one so young is forever lost to us. Wouldn't you agree Miss Granger?"
"I agree that Draco's death was a tragic event Mr. Malfoy," she replied tiring of their game and wincing as he tightened his hold on her hair at the mention of his son's name. "Although, perhaps it was more of a loss for others than it was for you" she taunted, forgetting her earlier resolve not to anger the man as a result of the harsh physical treatment she was currently enduring.
"Why you little…" his sentence was abruptly cut off by the sound of Minerva McGonagall's voice calling for Hermione from a nearby aisle. "It seems that we will have to end our conversation a little sooner than anticipated. Be sure to tell Severus of our meeting today for I am certain he will consider it to be a friendly warning of what is to come. I am also certain he would agree that it would truly be a shame if our next meeting were not nearly as pleasant. After all, one can never predict when an accident might occur." Giving the young woman one final look of loathing, he roughly yanked at her hair while simultaneously pushing her away from his body with such a force that Hermione could feel several of the chestnut strands pull painfully away from her scalp as a result. Turning his back on her, he strode out of the secluded section of the store brushing roughly by a very surprised transfigurations professor in the process.
"Hermione," the older woman called as she rushed over to help the young woman regain her balance. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine" the younger Gryffindor hastily replied in an effort to reassure her friend. "Mr. Malfoy was just saying hello."
"Umm hmm…" the transfigurations teacher looked at her reproachfully. "And I'm a best friend of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. What did Mr. Malfoy really want?"
"Nothing in particular. He issued a few veiled threats and the usual derogatory comments but he didn't really say anything specific. Except that he wanted me to be sure and tell Severus that we ran into one another," she said as they made their way out of the bookstore and headed toward a nearby location to apparate back to the front gates of Hogwarts.
"It sounds as if he intends to use you to unsettle Severus," Minerva said after listening to the highlights of the conversation.
"I agree" Hermione answered nervously biting her lower lip. "Which is why I've decided not to tell him about any of this."
"Not tell him?" her companion gasped in astonishment. "But dear, Mr. Malfoy has made threats against you and both Severus and Albus have already expressed their concern that he might follow through on some of them. You must tell them!"
Hermione looked at her former professor and saw the worry etched on her face. She too was worried because of Lucius' reputation for obtaining what he wanted regardless of the cost and right now the young woman knew that the older Malfoy was clearly bent on revenge against his former friend and colleague. She had no doubts that Lucius would use her relationship with the potions master to whatever advantage he could if it meant achieving that goal.
"Minerva, what purpose would it serve to tell Severus of this other than to worry him? There is nothing that can be done for the situation that has not already been done. I'm virtually a prisoner at Hogwart's as it is. Aside from putting me under lock and key and posting a few Aurors outside the door, what else can be done? Besides, we still have our work to complete and Severus has enough to concentrate on without the added pressure of Lucius Malfoy. No, we will not tell him of this as no harm has come of it," the young witch finished with a tone that spoke of finality.
"I still don't agree but maybe you know best in this situation given your current relationship with Severus. However, you have to promise me that you will at least agree to tell Albus about what happened today," professor McGonagall said in a stern tone of voice.
"Minerva…" Hermione began, ready to refute the woman's suggestion that Dumbledore be told of the details regarding her impromptu meeting with Lucius.
"No, Hermione. Either you agree to tell the Headmaster about what happened today or I will tell them both," McGonagall stated and waited impatiently while the younger Gryffindor stubbornly mulled over the ultimatum.
"Fine," she agreed crossing her arms in front of her in a gesture that reminded the transfigurations mistress of a petulant child. "I'll talk to Albus but I still don't think that it's really necessary."
"Necessary or not dear, it's for the best. Now, let's get you back to Hogwart's before everyone begins to worry where we've wandered off to" the elderly professor told her kindly.
And within mere seconds both witches had disapparted to the safety of the castle.
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If Hermione had entertained the hope that her friend and mentor would forget about the incident with Lucius Malfoy once they had returned to Hogwarts then she was in for a very big disappointment. No sooner had the women reached the entrance to the castle than Minerva fixed the younger woman with a meaningful stare and steered her toward the Headmaster's office. After uttering the password "candied red hots" to gain entrance to the winding stairwell, they found themselves in the timeless comfort of Albus Dumbledore's office. A moment later, the old wizard had joined them and at the deputy headmistress' urging, Hermione found herself recounting the events of the afternoon.
"This is most troubling indeed," Dumbledore said quietly as he chose a scone from the tray of snacks that now sat before them. "And Mr. Malfoy specifically said that he wanted you to inform Severus of the encounter?"
"Yes sir," the charms professor answered quietly. "Although I really don't think that it would be a good idea to do so. At least not right now."
"May I ask why not?" the headmaster asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Well, he's had a lot to deal with lately and this might serve to distract him from concentrating on what's really important. I mean, he does tend to be a bit overprotective at times" she finished looking down at her hands nervously.
"Ah yes, I assume that you are speaking of the potion when you refer to 'what's really important'" the older wizard said with a kindly smile. "Did it never occur to you child, that perhaps Severus may seem a little too protective at times because he considers you to be equally as important?"
"No, defeating Voldemort is his primary concern. It has to be. He's worked so hard for so long toward that end and I don't intend to let Lucius Malfoy use me as a pawn to distract him from that," Hermione adamantly replied and her chin raised a fraction in an unconscious gesture of defiance.
"Yes, it is true that Severus has worked tirelessly and at much personal sacrifice to assist the Order in reaching its' goal to defeat Voldemort once and for all" Dumbledore agreed gravely. "However, it is unfair to him to assume that he does not know his own mind. I have known our potions master for a very long time my dear and I have learned that he is a very complex individual. The harder you try to steer him in a particular direction, even if it is for his own good, the more he will resist and draw into himself."
Hermione looked up at the older wizard and the sheen of tears could be seen in her eyes. "I don't want to push him away Albus but at the same time I can't just sit by and allow Lucius to use his feelings for me against him."
"It is a difficult situation." Albus agreed patting the young woman's hand in a fatherly gesture of comfort. "I will stand by your decision for now my dear as I realize that your actions are brought about by your concern for Severus' well-being. However, you may want to consider telling him soon about the events that transpired this afternoon between Mr. Malfoy and yourself before he learns of it from another source for I fear that would only lead to further complications."
"He would be angry with me for keeping silent," Hermione agreed.
"Yes but more importantly, I fear that he would misinterpret your silence as a lack of trust in him rather than a concern for his well-being and that reaction would be much more difficult to overcome then his initial anger" the headmaster answered and gazed intently at her in an attempt to assure himself that the young woman seated before him understood the implications of the words he had just spoken.
Catching her bottom lip between her teeth in a gesture that betrayed her unease, Hermione placed her teacup back on the serving platter and stood up to exit the office. "I'll think about what you have said headmaster." Offering a timid smile, she bid goodbye to the wizard and the transfigurations professor who had remained silent throughout the conversation.
Once the young woman had exited the office, Minerva McGonagall looked to the man who sat in front of her quietly contemplating his cup of tea. "Do you think she'll tell him about what happened today Albus?"
"I think so," the man answered with a sad smile. "It is difficult for both of them as they hide the extent of their feelings from not only themselves but from one another as well leaving their actions open to misinterpretations. My only concern is that she talks to Severus before someone else does."
"But who else would tell him Albus?" the witch asked in confusion. "The only person that knows what happened today other than you and me is Hermione."
"Ah Minerva, you are forgetting that there is one other," Dumbledore replied shaking his head tiredly.
"Lucius Malfoy," she stated her eyes widening slightly at the thought of the man.
"Exactly," the headmaster answered quietly. "Which reminds me, I must see Severus this evening and make certain that he has disconnected his rooms from the external floo network. It would be a shame if Mr. Malfoy were to contact him for another chat."
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The evening found Hermione walking nervously to the dungeons in search of the potions master who had been absent at dinner. 'What if someone told him about Lucius?' she thought to herself. 'Would that have made him angry enough to miss dinner?' she wondered. Shaking her head abruptly in an effort to rid herself of the unwelcome chain of thoughts her mind had embarked on, she determinedly completed her journey to the lab.
"Hermione?" Snape questioned in concern as he saw her enter the lab with a worried expression. "Is everything alright?"
"What? Oh yes, everything is fine," she assured him. "I guess I should be asking you the same question as you weren't at dinner."
"I thought that I would get a head start and sort the supplies that you picked up this afternoon," he told her pointing to a worktable filled with assorted vials and jars. Some of the vials were waiting to be filled while others now contained various supplies all neatly labeled in the potion master's familiar script. "Did you enjoy your afternoon with Minerva?"
"Umm, yes. It was fine. I looked over a few of the newer texts in the potions section but didn't really find anything that might help us with our research," she replied and unconsciously reverted back to her familiar habit of biting her lower lip as she quietly studied the various supplies displayed on the table in front of her.
Snape narrowed his eyes and looked at the young woman who now had her back to him. He had noticed how her body seemed to tense when he inquired of her afternoon and the slight hesitancy in her answer. 'And Merlin knows that nine years of teaching and then working with her has certainly taught me that when she starts biting that lip that something is up' he thought to himself.
"That's alright," he said aloud referring to her comment regarding the potions books. "We have enough research so far to give us a decent base to begin with. Did everything else go alright?"
"Hmm? Oh yes, you know, the usual. Shopping followed by lunch followed by more shopping" she replied absently as she peered into one of the simmering cauldrons that was emitting a hazy blue cloud of steam.
"I see. It's just that you seem a little… nervous," the professor said carefully watching her reaction to his softly spoken words. "I thought that something might have happened. Of course, I'm certain that you would tell me if it had, wouldn't you?"
Biting down on her lip to the point that she almost broke the tender skin, she inhaled sharply and looked at the man who was now standing next to her. 'He can't possibly know about Malfoy, can he?' she asked herself. "Everything's fine Severus," she told him and flashed a smile as if to prove her assertions were true. "I'm just tired."
"Perhaps you should get some rest then and we can begin the initial brewing process tomorrow evening," he suggested not failing to notice how she had evaded answering his question.
"But I thought that I might assist you in bottling and cataloguing the new supplies," she protested and moved to pick up the package of gillyweed.
"As much as I appreciate the thought, I think you need to rest. You have classes tomorrow and I'm certain the little dunderheads would be terribly shocked if their charms professor were to fall asleep at her desk," he firmly replied gently removing the package of gillyweed from her hands.
"Maybe I could tell them it was some sort of a sleeping charm," she quipped with a genuine grin imagining the looks on the student's faces as they obediently sat in their desks waiting for the 'charm' to wear off.
"Perhaps," he agreed smiling. "Now, off to bed with you. I have no doubt that monstrosity you call a cat is waiting impatiently for your return. I'll see you tomorrow," he said dropping a light kiss on her forehead and steered her to the door.
Giving him a final smile, Hermione left the lab and traversed the corridors that lead to her own rooms. Had she taken a moment to look back she would have seen the potions master standing in the doorway, silently watching her retreating form and wondering exactly what it was that she wasn't telling him.
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The hour was late when Snape finally returned to his own rooms. Thoughts of Hermione and the nagging conviction that she was keeping something from him had distracted him to the point of losing all track of time. Replacing the wards after he had entered his quarters, he removed his cloak and poured himself a drink. Sinking into the overstuffed chair, he leaned his head back and momentarily closed his eyes as his thoughts swirled around inside his head like a small twister. 'What is she hiding?' he asked himself for the umpteenth time. 'Has she decided that our relationship is a mistake?' he wondered but then pushed the thought away. No, he was willing to bet that whatever had happened had taken place at some point during the day. Besides, if she had been entertaining doubts about their relationship then she wouldn't have come down to the dungeons in the first place and she wouldn't have protested when he told her to leave and get some rest. Something had happened in town, he was certain of it. 'But what? I'll just have to ask Minerva in the morning' he told himself and decided to corner the transfigurations professor just after breakfast.
Hearing a noise, Severus looked over to see the flames in the fireplace turn to a deep greenish color and with a loud 'pop' the pale face of Lucius Malfoy became visible.
"Ah Severus, it's so good to see you again," the blond-haired wizard said in a falsely polite voice. "It's been a while since we last spoke."
"Lucius," Snape bitingly acknowledged the man's presence. "One might have hoped that it would be a while longer until we spoke again. Quite a while longer in fact."
"Now Severus, don't be like that," Malfoy admonished lightly as if he were scolding a stubborn child. "After all, I simply wanted to tell you what a wonderful time I had today with your little mudblood."
The potions master's head jerked up at Lucius' words. "What are you talking about Lucius?" he drawled in a bored tone of voice determined not to let the other man have the satisfaction of realizing the extent of the havoc the venomous words were having on him.
"Oh come now Severus, surely she told you about our little rendezvous this afternoon? No? Well, not to worry, she is quite the minx for someone of her type though and strong for a woman of her petite stature. You know, for a moment or two, I almost understood what you see in her. Just for a moment of course," the Death Eater gloated. "She is quite pretty for a mudblood whore but in the end I guess she's really not all that different from the rest of them."
Snape was beginning to find that it was becoming increasingly difficult to control the urge to apparate to Malfoy Manor and hex the grinning fiend in his fireplace straight to oblivion. 'Which is probably what he's hoping for,' an inner voice said intruding into the potions master's thoughts. 'He's trying to goad you into getting so angry that you'll leave the castle and walk right into his trap.' Severus had to admit the logic of that thought. It was certainly the Malfoy way of doing things. Find a weakness, exploit that weakness and defeat your enemy. It was a scenario that Lucius had used to his advantage many times throughout the years. Somehow, Snape wasn't happy to be on the receiving end of it. He only hoped that if Malfoy were telling the truth about meeting with Hermione that afternoon that he hadn't had the opportunity to do any lasting damage to her because if he had… Well, he didn't have the luxury of time just now to finish that thought but he took great comfort in knowing that it would be the last thing that Lucius Malfoy ever did.
"Is there a point to all of this Lucius or are you so bored that you thought you'd try to stir up a little trouble? Because if that's the case then it's quite pathetic," Severus sneered pretending to stifle a yawn.
"I'm not the one that needs to be concerned about trouble Severus," the man said throwing off all pretense of congeniality. "I warned you that accidents might happen and while your little mudblood whore may be attractive she's certainly not indispensable. Consider this a friendly reminder that I'm not only keeping an eye on you but also on anyone that you have ties to. Although, I must admit that I'm surprised she didn't mention our little meeting to you especially since I gave her specific instructions to do so. I guess she'll have to be punished for her… disobedience the next time I see her." The blond haired man let loose an evil chuckle and disappeared from the fireplace with another loud 'pop'.
Leaning forward, Severus rested his head in his hands. He had to assume that Lucius did have some type of encounter with Hermione earlier that afternoon. The older Malfoy would have known that his story was too easily checked out. The question that worried him most was what type of encounter was it? Malfoy had hinted that it was something more than just a quick passing and Snape knew that most of the wizard's 'encounters' with women were usually of a sexual nature. 'But when would he have had time and where was Minerva?' he asked himself. 'Surely, Hermione would have mentioned something?' he wondered in desperation and then thought back to her behavior in the dungeons earlier that evening. She had been nervous and she had avoided his questions. 'Why wouldn't she tell me?' That one question continued to plague him until he couldn't take it any more. Standing up, he muttered a curse and hurled the liquor glass into the fireplace. Not even the sound of the glass shattering into hundreds of tiny shards did anything to help relieve his frustration. Grabbing his robe he exited his chambers and determinedly made his way through the hallways toward her rooms, too angry to even stop and take the time to deduct house points from several students that were out after curfew. Seeing the scowl on the potions master's face was enough warning to send them scurrying back to their dormitories as he continued to blaze a path through the corridors until he came to Hermione's chambers. Taking a deep breath he raised his fist and pounded loudly on her door.
Hermione had been sound asleep when the angry man had first pounded his fist on her door to gain entrance. The third round of pummeling had her scurrying for her robe and sleepily stumbling toward the door. 'Who on earth could that be at this time of night?' she wondered and then sent out a silent prayer of thanks that her rooms were isolated from the students and other teachers.
"Alright already, I'm coming," she said angrily as she opened the door and gasped at the sight that greeted her. Standing in front of her with the most dangerous expression she had ever seen was none other than Severus Snape.
'Oh Merlin,' she whispered to herself as she stared silently into the angry depths of those black eyes. 'He knows.'
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TBC