Disclaimer: None of these characters, except Carey Burke, belong to me.
FROM MY HEAD TO MY HEART
Chapter Seven: One Moment in Time
Hermione borrowed emerald dress robes from Lily Evans since Lily happened to have two pares of dress robes. Hermione looked at herself in the mirror and had to admit that she looked good in green. Lily had even helped her do her hair up to look nice for the dance. It was very elegant.
Lily and Hermione came down into the common room. Lily was greeted with a kiss from James.
"You all going to the dance?" Hermione asked the marauders.
"I'm going with Sibyl Trelawney," Sirius said confidently.
Remus blushed liked crazy, saying, "Pricilla Patil asked me."
"I'm going just for the food," Peter announced.
Hermione laughed. She checked the time and saw that she should leave to meet Carey. She said buy to everyone, then headed down to the Great Hall. Carey, in silver-colored dress robes, stood at the bottom of the stairs, straightening his tie. Hermione rushed down to him.
"You looked great," Carey complimented upon seeing her. "Shall we go in?"
Hermione giggled, taking his arm.
Carey led her into the dance. The lights were low and the air was filled with romance. Hermione couldn't imagine being more happy. Still, the thought of Snape came to her mind. Nothing pedicular about him. She just wondered what he would suggest to do if she had gone there with him.
"'Mione, will you excuse me a minute?" Carey asked.
Hermione nodded as Carey headed off into the crowd. Hermione stood by herself and acted as if she was having a good time. Punch. Punch sounded good. Hermione walked over to get some iced pumpkin juice. Once having her punch, she scanned the room for Carey. It didn't seem like he was anywhere. Where had he gone? Hermione let out the disappointed sigh. He said he would only be gone for a minute. This minute was taking an awfully long time.
Through the couples swaying to the soft music, Hermione spotted a figure in midnight blue robes that swept the floor as he walked. Those robes could only belong to one person: Snape. He was on the far side of the Great Hall, acting as a sort of chaperon.
Hermione glanced about the room again for Carey. Upon not seeing him, Hermione decided that she might as well go talk to Snape. As she made her way across the dance floor, she thought of the day before. Snape had asked her to the dance. Hermione couldn't believe it when it happened. She had already agreed to go with Carey Burke, though. She couldn't go with both of them.
"Hey," she said once she had reached him.
Snape looked oddly surprised to see her and returned with a rather pert, "Hello."
He seemed to be still upset that she had gone to the dance with Carey.
"What're you doing?" Hermione asked, letting out a breath.
"Scouting for neckers," Snape announced. "This is supposedly a respectable dance, after all."
"Seen anything of Carey?" Hermione queried, looking around the room again.
"I'm glad to say not," Snape grumbled.
Hermione found herself smiling at this. She didn't know why.
"Since you are temporarily lacking a partner," Snape began, nervously putting his hands behind his back, "would you be totally against the idea of me taking this dance?"
"Thought you'd never ask," Hermione said, smiling.
Snape smiled for a second, but cleared his throat and returned to his pompous resolve. Shape held out his hand toward the floor, indicating for her to go first. Hermione walked out on to the dance floor, followed closely by Snape. Taking Snape's hand, Hermione turned to him. Snape placed his hand on the small of her back and started to lead her in a slow teeter.
"This is a nice song," Snape breathed, just to make conversation.
Hermione listened for a second. It was a slow instrumental song, involving mostly saxophone, clarinet, and violin. It was rather relaxing. Watching the couples was starting to make her dizzy and the soft music was sinking into her. Without a second of thought, Hermione closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against Snape's shoulder, reaching her arm around his neck. She could hear Snape's heartbeat quicken, which somehow made her smile. Slowly, Snape's arm moved from holding her hand to having both arms around her.
*************
Snape felt the room getting terribly hot and his mouth was feeling very dry. As the song moved into its second chorus, Hermione's hand began to gently caress the nape of Snape's neck. This strange shiver went down his spine and his knees began to shake.
Licking his lips nervously, Snape whispered, "'Mione."
Hermione looked up at him. She looked so beautiful. Her face was angel-kissed porcelain in the dim candlelight. This was it. This was the moment. He couldn't fight it anymore. Snape touched her cheek tenderly as he leaned close to her. Snape gently kissed her, taking in the sweetness of her lips. He felt Hermione's fingers slowly travel through his hair.
Suddenly, Hermione pulled away. Snape was feeling dazed and tried to see what had stopped her.
"It's Pettigrew," Hermione blurted, pointing into the crowd. "He's leaving. Where's he going?"
She started off toward the doors. Snape had to pause a moment to figure out what was going on.
"C'mon, Snape," he heard Hermione call.
Letting out a breath, Snape plunged into the crowd after Hermione. He caught up with her at the door to exit the Great Hall. She was peeking out into the Entrance Hall. Snape looked where she was looking. James Potter and his gang were hanging around. Remus Lupin was looking quite ill.
"Let's go," Potter ordered the others.
Lupin leaned against Black as they followed Potter out of the Main Entrance. Pettigrew wobbled after them.
"They can't be on the grounds at this hour," Snape announced, making to go after them.
"Let them go," Hermione told him, grabbing on to his robes.
"Your friends or not," Snape began, "I don't think-"
Hermione just shook her head and headed back into the dance. Snape, confused, followed her. As he tried to push through the crowd, Carey Burke bumped into him. He was headed out of the Great Hall. Snape couldn't believe Carey would just abandon Hermione like that. Just to have a talk with him, Snape went after Carey. When he saw Carey exiting the school too, he got suspicious.
"What is going on?" Snape asked himself, going through the main entrance after Carey Burke.
In the darkness, Snape crept after Carey. He was heading into the Forbidden Forest. Snape didn't quite understand. Why would Carey go into the Forbidden Forest? It was no time to ask him. As they entered, Snape had to be extra careful not to be heard. He kept worrying about stepping on a twig or running into a tree.
Carey Burke finally stopped in a large clearing. Snape stayed within the trees, watching Carey suspiciously as he walked around the clearing, staring at the ground and kicking his foot at the grass. Snape raised his eyebrows at the odd behavior. Carey reminded him of a chicken looking for worms.
"Ah-ha!" Carey exclaimed, bending down and grabbing a chump of grass.
As Carey pulled on the grass, a four foot wide piece of ground came up. The grass was attached to a round wooden hatch. Carey put down the grassy hatch and looked into a large hole with a smile on his face.
Suddenly, a dark figure wearing a black cloak emerged from the forest and came up behind Carey. Snape was about to yell for Carey to look behind him, but Carey did so without being told.
"Dark Lord?" Carey gasped. "I didn't expect you."
The dark figure nodded his hooded head.
"I've come to check your progress, Burke," the figure muttered in a cold voice. "After all, I've waited for a long time. When will it be ready?"
"Bad news, Master," Carey groaned, rubbing his hand together uncomfortably. "I ran into a bit of a scrape. See, since I can't tunnel directly into the castle, I had to take an alternate route. Now, certain parts of the tunnel will be harder to break through. So it may take some more time than originally expected."
"What?" the figure demanded. "How much time?"
"Just two more years," Carey went on. "But, the thing is, I graduate this year. I don't have that much time."
"Burke, I want that school!" yelled the figure.
"Sorry, Lord," Carey muttered, "but its not my fault."
The figure turned away from him and tapped the tips of his long dark fingers together.
"I'll find a way to get you into the school," he grumbled. "Just do as much as you can now. I don't like waiting."
"I will do my best Lord Voldemort," Carey promised, bowing.
Lord Voldemort? Snape backed away from the clearing. The most dreaded Dark Wizard of the time was right there in the same forest as he was. Snape had never been more scared in all his life. As fast as possible, Snape sprinted from the forest and back to the castle.
Out of breath, Snape made his way to Dumbledore's office. He found the headmaster watering posies in the corridor near his office. Snape ran up to him.
"Professor!" Snape exclaimed, breathing hard. "I-I just...Just saw...Vold...Vold...de...mort!"
Dumbledore looked at him, his eyes wide.
"Are you sure, Mr. Snape?" Dumbledore asked.
"Of course I am," Snape insisted, gaining back his breath.
"We must tell Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, putting down his watering bucket.
"Hermione?" Snape asked. "What's she have to do with this?"
Dumbledore glanced at him, looking worried.
"You tell her about Voldemort," Dumbledore instructed. "You ask her what it's all about."
Snape nodded. He wasn't sure what this was all about.
A/N: Ever notice how everything seems to happen in a clearing in the Forbidden Forest. At least, that's how it happens in all my books.
FROM MY HEAD TO MY HEART
Chapter Seven: One Moment in Time
Hermione borrowed emerald dress robes from Lily Evans since Lily happened to have two pares of dress robes. Hermione looked at herself in the mirror and had to admit that she looked good in green. Lily had even helped her do her hair up to look nice for the dance. It was very elegant.
Lily and Hermione came down into the common room. Lily was greeted with a kiss from James.
"You all going to the dance?" Hermione asked the marauders.
"I'm going with Sibyl Trelawney," Sirius said confidently.
Remus blushed liked crazy, saying, "Pricilla Patil asked me."
"I'm going just for the food," Peter announced.
Hermione laughed. She checked the time and saw that she should leave to meet Carey. She said buy to everyone, then headed down to the Great Hall. Carey, in silver-colored dress robes, stood at the bottom of the stairs, straightening his tie. Hermione rushed down to him.
"You looked great," Carey complimented upon seeing her. "Shall we go in?"
Hermione giggled, taking his arm.
Carey led her into the dance. The lights were low and the air was filled with romance. Hermione couldn't imagine being more happy. Still, the thought of Snape came to her mind. Nothing pedicular about him. She just wondered what he would suggest to do if she had gone there with him.
"'Mione, will you excuse me a minute?" Carey asked.
Hermione nodded as Carey headed off into the crowd. Hermione stood by herself and acted as if she was having a good time. Punch. Punch sounded good. Hermione walked over to get some iced pumpkin juice. Once having her punch, she scanned the room for Carey. It didn't seem like he was anywhere. Where had he gone? Hermione let out the disappointed sigh. He said he would only be gone for a minute. This minute was taking an awfully long time.
Through the couples swaying to the soft music, Hermione spotted a figure in midnight blue robes that swept the floor as he walked. Those robes could only belong to one person: Snape. He was on the far side of the Great Hall, acting as a sort of chaperon.
Hermione glanced about the room again for Carey. Upon not seeing him, Hermione decided that she might as well go talk to Snape. As she made her way across the dance floor, she thought of the day before. Snape had asked her to the dance. Hermione couldn't believe it when it happened. She had already agreed to go with Carey Burke, though. She couldn't go with both of them.
"Hey," she said once she had reached him.
Snape looked oddly surprised to see her and returned with a rather pert, "Hello."
He seemed to be still upset that she had gone to the dance with Carey.
"What're you doing?" Hermione asked, letting out a breath.
"Scouting for neckers," Snape announced. "This is supposedly a respectable dance, after all."
"Seen anything of Carey?" Hermione queried, looking around the room again.
"I'm glad to say not," Snape grumbled.
Hermione found herself smiling at this. She didn't know why.
"Since you are temporarily lacking a partner," Snape began, nervously putting his hands behind his back, "would you be totally against the idea of me taking this dance?"
"Thought you'd never ask," Hermione said, smiling.
Snape smiled for a second, but cleared his throat and returned to his pompous resolve. Shape held out his hand toward the floor, indicating for her to go first. Hermione walked out on to the dance floor, followed closely by Snape. Taking Snape's hand, Hermione turned to him. Snape placed his hand on the small of her back and started to lead her in a slow teeter.
"This is a nice song," Snape breathed, just to make conversation.
Hermione listened for a second. It was a slow instrumental song, involving mostly saxophone, clarinet, and violin. It was rather relaxing. Watching the couples was starting to make her dizzy and the soft music was sinking into her. Without a second of thought, Hermione closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against Snape's shoulder, reaching her arm around his neck. She could hear Snape's heartbeat quicken, which somehow made her smile. Slowly, Snape's arm moved from holding her hand to having both arms around her.
*************
Snape felt the room getting terribly hot and his mouth was feeling very dry. As the song moved into its second chorus, Hermione's hand began to gently caress the nape of Snape's neck. This strange shiver went down his spine and his knees began to shake.
Licking his lips nervously, Snape whispered, "'Mione."
Hermione looked up at him. She looked so beautiful. Her face was angel-kissed porcelain in the dim candlelight. This was it. This was the moment. He couldn't fight it anymore. Snape touched her cheek tenderly as he leaned close to her. Snape gently kissed her, taking in the sweetness of her lips. He felt Hermione's fingers slowly travel through his hair.
Suddenly, Hermione pulled away. Snape was feeling dazed and tried to see what had stopped her.
"It's Pettigrew," Hermione blurted, pointing into the crowd. "He's leaving. Where's he going?"
She started off toward the doors. Snape had to pause a moment to figure out what was going on.
"C'mon, Snape," he heard Hermione call.
Letting out a breath, Snape plunged into the crowd after Hermione. He caught up with her at the door to exit the Great Hall. She was peeking out into the Entrance Hall. Snape looked where she was looking. James Potter and his gang were hanging around. Remus Lupin was looking quite ill.
"Let's go," Potter ordered the others.
Lupin leaned against Black as they followed Potter out of the Main Entrance. Pettigrew wobbled after them.
"They can't be on the grounds at this hour," Snape announced, making to go after them.
"Let them go," Hermione told him, grabbing on to his robes.
"Your friends or not," Snape began, "I don't think-"
Hermione just shook her head and headed back into the dance. Snape, confused, followed her. As he tried to push through the crowd, Carey Burke bumped into him. He was headed out of the Great Hall. Snape couldn't believe Carey would just abandon Hermione like that. Just to have a talk with him, Snape went after Carey. When he saw Carey exiting the school too, he got suspicious.
"What is going on?" Snape asked himself, going through the main entrance after Carey Burke.
In the darkness, Snape crept after Carey. He was heading into the Forbidden Forest. Snape didn't quite understand. Why would Carey go into the Forbidden Forest? It was no time to ask him. As they entered, Snape had to be extra careful not to be heard. He kept worrying about stepping on a twig or running into a tree.
Carey Burke finally stopped in a large clearing. Snape stayed within the trees, watching Carey suspiciously as he walked around the clearing, staring at the ground and kicking his foot at the grass. Snape raised his eyebrows at the odd behavior. Carey reminded him of a chicken looking for worms.
"Ah-ha!" Carey exclaimed, bending down and grabbing a chump of grass.
As Carey pulled on the grass, a four foot wide piece of ground came up. The grass was attached to a round wooden hatch. Carey put down the grassy hatch and looked into a large hole with a smile on his face.
Suddenly, a dark figure wearing a black cloak emerged from the forest and came up behind Carey. Snape was about to yell for Carey to look behind him, but Carey did so without being told.
"Dark Lord?" Carey gasped. "I didn't expect you."
The dark figure nodded his hooded head.
"I've come to check your progress, Burke," the figure muttered in a cold voice. "After all, I've waited for a long time. When will it be ready?"
"Bad news, Master," Carey groaned, rubbing his hand together uncomfortably. "I ran into a bit of a scrape. See, since I can't tunnel directly into the castle, I had to take an alternate route. Now, certain parts of the tunnel will be harder to break through. So it may take some more time than originally expected."
"What?" the figure demanded. "How much time?"
"Just two more years," Carey went on. "But, the thing is, I graduate this year. I don't have that much time."
"Burke, I want that school!" yelled the figure.
"Sorry, Lord," Carey muttered, "but its not my fault."
The figure turned away from him and tapped the tips of his long dark fingers together.
"I'll find a way to get you into the school," he grumbled. "Just do as much as you can now. I don't like waiting."
"I will do my best Lord Voldemort," Carey promised, bowing.
Lord Voldemort? Snape backed away from the clearing. The most dreaded Dark Wizard of the time was right there in the same forest as he was. Snape had never been more scared in all his life. As fast as possible, Snape sprinted from the forest and back to the castle.
Out of breath, Snape made his way to Dumbledore's office. He found the headmaster watering posies in the corridor near his office. Snape ran up to him.
"Professor!" Snape exclaimed, breathing hard. "I-I just...Just saw...Vold...Vold...de...mort!"
Dumbledore looked at him, his eyes wide.
"Are you sure, Mr. Snape?" Dumbledore asked.
"Of course I am," Snape insisted, gaining back his breath.
"We must tell Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, putting down his watering bucket.
"Hermione?" Snape asked. "What's she have to do with this?"
Dumbledore glanced at him, looking worried.
"You tell her about Voldemort," Dumbledore instructed. "You ask her what it's all about."
Snape nodded. He wasn't sure what this was all about.
A/N: Ever notice how everything seems to happen in a clearing in the Forbidden Forest. At least, that's how it happens in all my books.