4.
That which does not kill us only makes us stronger.
When Hermione opened the portrait hole to the Gryffindor common room, Harry and Ron were waiting for her.
" Hey, Hermione, where have you been?" Harry asked while looking up from his chess game.
" I had to speak to Professor Snape about my Senior Project." She turned away from them eager to make it to her room without incident.
" What? You're doing your Senior Project with Snape?" Ron yelled practically jumping from his chair.
" Yes.' She turned again.' I need to get to my room, boys I have a lot of work to do."
She walked up the stairs. Ron and Harry starring after her.
" I don't like this. She's acting very strange." Harry walked up the stairs to the Head Girls room.
" What do you think we should do?" Ron asked.
" We're going to call her out on it. She's hiding something."
Hermione sat carelessly onto her bed. She didn't want to get Harry and Ron involved anymore. She knew she was taking chances with joining the Dark Lord but she was in no way going to bring along Harry and Ron. Not that they were as chummy as they use to be.
" Why does this have to be so bloody complicated." She whispered to the room.
"Because, you're on your way to being an adult, and being an adult makes you take chances, and ask questions." The traitorous voice sung in her head.
" I need a long hot bath." She walked to the far left door impatiently, but a knock stopped her.
" Yes?" she called.
" It's us 'mione. We need to talk to you. It's important."
" Shit." She spoke under her breath " One minute I'll be right there."
Harry and Ron stood just beyond her archway.
" Guys, I was getting ready to take a shower what's so important?"
" We know something is bothering you. You've been avoiding us." Concern etched into Ron's face.
" I've just been busy. I'm nervous about this project and NEWTS coming up. I have a lot more things happening this year than the lasts few. You have to understand that." She could see that shying away from them was harder than she initially thought.
" We can understand that, Hermione, but we miss you. We're only here for a few more months and then its over." Harry shifted his weight; so far Ron had done all the talking. Which concerned her very much.
" You haven't been out with us in a such a long time. We're going to sneak to Honeydukes this weekend come along with us. Sirius said he'd meet us." Harry finally spoke.
It was now or never Hermione thought. " What makes you think I ever liked sneaking into that bloody sweet shop. Its time you two grow up. I'm not like you.' She practically screamed. ' And maybe I never was."
The shock that lived in their face was heartbreaking, but it was all for the better. Hermione knew she never really fit in with them. Intellectually anyways, Snape was right all they ever thought she was good for was copying homework off of.
" What's that suppose to mean?" Ron's face was burning with rage.
" It means I don't think we have enough in common to be friends anymore. It means I don't think we ever had enough to begin with."
" You seemed to be fine with everything over the summer? What's changed? " Harry starred her down.
"Everything,' she yelled. "Absolutely everything. And at the same time nothing. I'm still Hermione Granger, Gryffindor know-it-all, Harry and Ron's brain. And I'm sick of it. Amazing isn't it? Who knew the little mud blood had it in her?"
" Mud blood
we've never called you that. We've never cared." Ron screamed.
" Thank you, Ron, you've made
my point perfectly clear. You've never cared."
" Hermione, we have cared more than anything else in the world. We've always gone through everything together, why should it stop now? We need you. I need you because you've kept me composed when I needed it the most."
Hermione
started to laugh. All the thoughts she had built up over the past few years
started pouring out of her now.
" You, Famous Harry Potter,
Champion of the wizarding world, finally admits it. He's nothing without his
sidekicks." Students were starting to come out into the hall.
Harry's face was flashing a pale deathly white.
" What's that suppose to mean?" He asked while Ron stood his mouth gaping open.
" Exactly what I've said. You're nothing but a glorified statue for us all to hide behind. You've never given the slightest thought into preparing for this war. Because it is a war, Harry! You just fly around on your little broom hoping that if you ignore it, it'll all go away. But it doesn't. What kind of hope are you?" She lifted her chin defiantly.
" Goodbye, Hermione." He said sadly and turned to walk away.
" What's the matter with you." Ron asked as he stormed out after Harry.
" I'm growing up Ron, I'm growing up." She said softly as she shut the door.
~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning Hermione woke up early as to avoid a good majority of the student body at breakfast. She ate quickly and headed for the dungeons to start to work with Snape. She calmly knocked on his office door.
" Come in." He called.
" Sir, I know I'm a bit early but I'd like to get to work as soon as possible. I have most of the day to work, but I have my Transfiguration class after lunch."
His eyes narrowed as he folded his arms across his chest. " Fine follow me Miss. Granger."
He took her through a side door into a large room where two long workbenches sat in the middle. All four walls where lined with shelves and bookcases. He stopped and handed her a set of keys.
" The bronze one is for this room you can enter through the far left door as to not disturb my office every time you need to work. The silver is to the supply closet. I trust you're intelligent enough to understand the importance of locking up after you leave?"
" Yes, sir."
" Good then you may begin. If you need any reference books not already on the shelves please make me a list, and I'll have Madame Pince hold them for you."
" Thank you." She set her notes onto the table and went to the shelf for a cauldron. She set in onto the table and started a small fire underneath. Severus watched her work. Impressed at the care she took as she chopped and peeled ingredients.
" Miss Granger I shall return in an hour. If you need assistance I shall be in my classroom."
She nodded her head in agreement.
He made his way back to his office. He had talked to Albus the night before. Explaining to him that she would not trust him until she was sure he was faithful to the Dark Lord. Therefore Severus needed a good deal of information to "leak out" to Voldemort at the next meeting. Albus had agreed and told him to inform them of the new wards placed on the school this term and of being granted permission to order a few illicit items for Severus research that could "perk" the Dark Lords interest. Severus prayed that this would be enough to persuade the girl, and that by seeing in fact that he was present at the meeting would help as well. However, Dumbledore being the resourceful wizard that he was had also suggested that he keep her potions progress as slow as possible at least until they could persuade her into using it for their side. God, what the girl gotten herself into? What would possess her into joining the Death Eaters? " What prompted you, Severus?" A voice quivered through his mind. He shook his head trying to clear his mind from that train of thought. " This isn't about me, it's about that silly little girl getting in over her head." He moved into his classroom as the seventh years glided in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay what do you think? I hope everyone is enjoying it so far.
