Chapter Nine: Tranquilizer
Hermione got up early. The clock read 5:45am. She decided to looked at her enlarged Marauder's Map.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," she said to it. Just then small dots and the Hogwarts floor plan appeared on the blank parchment. She found that most of the teachers were still asleep. But she found that Filch was eating breakfast and Mrs. Norris walking in the 3rd floor corridor. She then looked for Snape. He was awake in his chambers reading.
"Reading about Potions, no doubt." She paused. 'Potions...school...teacher...Charms! How could I have forgotten!?'
She completely forgot the reason why she got up early. She was the new Charms professor and the new Ravenclaw Head of House.
"I need lesson plans!" she panicked. September 1st was only two weeks away.
"Start with the First Years." She immediately sat down and began to furiously write while periodically checking the Marauder's Map for Snape's whereabouts. Pretty soon she had wrote out lesson plans for all the Years that would last her until the end of the school year and then some. One thing she liked about herself was that she worked fast. But now she had a severe case of writer's cramp.
Unbeknownst to her, while she was writing her lesson plans, Snape was standing outside her portrait, trying to gain entry.
"I am sorry Sir Severus, Lady Hermione does not wish to be disturbed - and I quote - 'Unless the school is on fire'. Surely whatever you wish to say to the Lady can wait until later."
Snape was getting annoyed. He was standing there for what seemed like forever trying to get into Hermione's room. He knew it would be easier to go through the connecting door to her chambers, but they both agreed not to use it to respect each other's privacy.
"I have a message for her from the Headmaster, Rhode."
"Oh! The Headmaster! Why did you not say that earlier?"
"Move. Smokey Joe's Cafe."
The portrait moved and he entered the small corridor that lead to the chambers.
"Granger?"
Hermione was at her desk stacking the lessons she just wrote out.
"Severus. What brings you here so early?"
Her appearance shocked him. She was wearing cotton tank top and shorts that seemed too short. Her hair was in a messy bun.
"It's not early. It's nearly noon and you're still in your...pajamas."
"Noon already?" She lost her sense of time while she was writing.
"Yes. And are you not supposed to be guarding me? For all we know, I could have been attacked and you would have never known."
"I thought you didn't want a babysitter."
"I don't. But I want a person who can do her job."
"I can do my job and I have been. I know where you are, who you are with, and what you're doing every second of the day."
"That's impossible."
"Is it really? At 5:30am, you were awake, sitting in your chambers reading. Then you went out for a walk at 6:37am. You came back at 7:14am. You then took a shower at 7:22am. At 7:45am, you went to the Great Hall for breakfast, which reminds me, I'm hungry. At 8:09am you left the Great Hall and ---"
"That's enough, Granger. You've made your point."
"So why is it you're down here anyway?"
"Dumbledore wants you at lunch. Apparently, he was disappointed that you missed breakfast."
"I'll be there soon enough."
Snape curtly nodded and left. She got changed and as she headed out the door, she hear a popping noise. A letter had appeared in front of her fireplace. Recognizing the seal as the Magical Intelligence Bureau's seal, she opened it.
Auror Granger -
You'll be happy to know that Quirrell has been suspended without pay indefinitely. I look forward to your progress reports regarding Operation: Grim Reaper Recall.
- Director Judge
MIB HQ's
She smiled as she put down the letter on her desk. Judge had named her operation two years ago when she was transferred to the MIB. 'The man's always had a weird sense of humor,' she thought as she left for the Great Hall.
She opened the doors to the Great Hall and walked to the High Table. She was early and it was only a few professors were there. She caught the eye of Snape.
"Granger! What are you wearing!?"
She stopped in center aisle, in front of the High Table. She was wearing a black tube top and a mini-skort. She also had a black utility belt that her wand, handgun, and handcuffs hooked onto.
She chuckled. "What? It's hot today. Too much skin for you? Or is it that it's Muggle clothing?" She smiled at him. He glared back. "Don't worry, I'll be wearing a robe over myself by the time the school term starts. G'afternoon everybody."
"Hello Hermione," said Sprout
"Sleep well, dear?" asked Lupin.
"Yes, very well. I --- "
She immediately turned her attention to Snape. He winced and grabbed his left shoulder. There was a dart sticking out of his shoulder. She turned around from where she was standing and saw a figure clad in black with black hair putting away his dart shooter.
She slightly turned to Madam Pomfrey without breaking eye contact with the intruder.
"Poppy, you know what to do."
She nodded and began to tend to Snape's wound. He was now slumped over the table and unconscious.
She ran towards the intruder and drew out her gun. The man at the entrance did the same thing. He raised his gun and shot her torso. She stopped dead in her tracks. She place her hand on her stomach and saw that there was blood. She fired back and hit him in the heart and torso. He stumbled back and fired at her again. He hit her right shin. She nearly fell but stood her ground and gave her best attempt at running towards the man. He was still doubled over when she got to him. She grabbed his gun and threw it aside and then grabbed his arms and threw him down on the ground. She handcuffed him and limped out of the Hall with him.
She was still in pain once they were outside of the Hall. But the intruder that she just captured changed. The hair color changed to brown and his facial features changed.
"Hey, sweetheart. Handcuffs? Kinky," he said.
"VINCENT! OH MERLIN! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
He laughed. "You know how I like to make an entrance. Now could you get these cuffs off me. Please?" He gave her his best puppy eye look.
She relented and uncuffed him. "Stupid Metamorphmagi! You shot me!" she yelled.
"No worries, hon. They were beanbags with small plastic pouches timed to release a mixture of red dye and strawberry syrup upon impact. And you shot me too, sweet cheeks."
She gasped. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I had a bullet-proof vest on. See."
His vest had two dents on them.
"What are you doing here Vin?"
"I was in the neighborhood. Judge sent me out here to help you. I'm still gonna play for the winning team. Ain't that terrific!? All I have to do is change my looks and accent and I'm as good as in. By the way, Dolohov and Rookwood are in London. I've been following them all last night and morning. Here, take a look."
He handed her a brown case file folder. Hermione opened it. There were wizards photos inside. She saw Dolohov and Rookwood walking together on a crowded street in Muggle London. They were wearing stylish Muggle summer clothing as well.
"They've adapted well. How ironic that they hide with Muggles," she said to Vinny.
"Yeah. But I guess it is easier to hide in a place where they're just another face," said Vinny.
Hermione nodded and flipped through the rest of the photos. Vinny stopped her and pointed at one in particular. The photo showed Dolohov and Rookwood seated in a bar.
"From what I understand, those two have made that their favorite nightly hang out. I also noticed a 'Bartender Wanted' sign in the store front. If they go back there again later today and tomorrow, I'm gonna take the job and ask for the night shift."
"Sounds perfect." She closed the file.
"Those are for you to keep. I have my own copies," Vinny said.
"Thanks, Vin," She paused for a moment. "So how exactly did you get inside here? And where's my car?"
"I brought your car with me. It's in a private garage without a scratch on it. And the wards here were like child's play. I would have thought that you would have put your own brand of impenetrable wards on already. Shame on you for forgetting."
"Thanks. I'll do that later."
"Oh and the dart I shot at your friend, it was a tranquilizer. He should be waking up in five minutes."
She laughed. "I'll walk you out."
"I'll send any info I get through Floo."
"Ok, see you later and next time, just knock on the door and say 'Hello.'"
She smiled and walked back to the Great Hall. She saw that it was empty. She ran to the Hospital Wing. She burst into the doors and saw that the professors were forced to stand in a corner while Madam Pomfrey started worked on Snape.
"Don't worry about him, Poppy. He'll be fine. It was a tranquilizer dart. Give him five minutes and he'll be up and scowling in no time."
"Oh dear! Lay down on this bed this instant! You're wounded!" Madam Pomfrey yelled as she pointed at Hermione.
Hermione gave her a confused look. She looked down at herself. Blood-like stains were all over her.
"I'm not wounded. Beanbags were shot at me, not bullets. Take a look."
She lifted her top to show her that her stomach was not pierced. Although she had a small rectangular black and blue mark.
"Hermione, who was that man in the Great Hall?" McGonagall asked.
"No one dangerous. He's like the Fred and George Weasley of the MIB. And, yes, I told him not to do that again."
"No more Weasleys..." said a low voice. It was Snape. They all walked to his bed.
"You misunderstood me, Snape. I said that the man who shot the tranquilizer dart at you is just like Fred and George Weasley. But if you're so eager for more Weasleys to teach, I'll tell the older ones to get a move on." She winked at him. He rolled his eyes and noticed something red on Hermione's top.
"You took a bullet for me?"
"It's my job to take your bullets. But I would have done the same were it not." She smiled at Snape. He looked a bit surprised.
Hermione continued to speak. "Actually, I took two shots for you. And they were beanbags filled with syrup. I smell like strawberries. Here, take a whiff."
"There's no need for me to ---"
But Hermione had already grabbed his head as she stretched her top towards him.
"Hmm, strawberries," he said.
He got up from his hospital bed but Pomfrey began to protest. Before Snape could say anything to her, Hermione cut in.
"He's fine Poppy. He was just put to sleep." She turned to Snape. "Follow me." He was about to say something but she quickly said, "No arguing."
Hermione stopped at the fireplace in the Hospital Wing and flooed her folder to her chambers.
"What's the word?" Hermione asked as they exited and walked through the deserted hall.
"Swordfish," he replied dully. Hermione nodded in approval.
Once he and Hermione were out of the castle, she put on her sunglasses.
"It's not that sunny, Granger." In fact it was partly cloudy.
"Scourgify," she said pointing at herself. "I have to. It's part of my uniform."
"Where are you taking me?"
"You'll see. We're almost there."
They were in Hogsmeade, which was much more crowded than the last time she was there. 'Anybody could be in this crowd.'
"Stay close to me," she said to Snape. They had been walking with a 3 foot distance between them before. He nodded and walked closer to her. There was now a 6 inch gap between them.
As they continued to make their way into Hogsmeade, she noticed a group of teenagers looking at them. The crowd was walking slow, so she was able to hear part of their conversation.
"Is that Snape?," a girl with short blonde hair asked.
"Yeah, I think so," said another girl with wavy black hair.
"Oh sweet Merlin! Who is that walking next to him?" asked a boy with spiked short red hair.
"I don't know, but she is hot," said the other boy with brown hair.
"You think they're a couple?" asked the blonde haired girl.
"Ugh, I don't even want to think about that. Him getting a girl? Impossible. It simply defies all the laws of nature," said the boy with spiked red hear. They all laughed.
"It's a possibility though. They seem to share the same favorite color," said the brown haired boy. Both Hermione and Snape were wearing black.
"Yeah and look at how close they're walking together," said the black haired girl.
"Wait until I tell the others. They're going to be so shocked," the blonde haired girl said.
It took a lot of self-control for Hermione not to burst out in laughter. But once she and Snape were out of earshot of the teens, she laughed and laughed. Snape gave her an irritated look.
"Shhh! Do you hear that, Snape?" She held out her arm and he stopped walking. Her face was now serious.
"What am I supposed to be hearing?" he replied.
"It's the Rumor Mill. It's started up already." He frowned at this.
Hermione lead them into the Three Broomsticks. It was about three-fourths full. They sat down at a small table in the back corner.
"Oh it's lovely to see the two of you here again. Are you two together?" asked Madam Rosmerta.
"Actually, Rosmerta, we're --- ,"
"We're here together, yes," Hermione said. "Could you get us one butterbeer and one firewhiskey?"
As soon as Rosmerta was gone, she was back. Hermione handed her some money. "Keep the change." Before she left she smiled at Snape.
"I think she likes you."
"Too bad I fancy someone else," he murmured.
"What did you say?" Hermione asked, slightly bewildered.
"I said, why did you say that we were together?" Snape said a bit louder and clearer this time.
She eyed him suspiciously for a moment. "I said that we were here together, which is the truth. And what was I going to say? 'Oh no, Madam, you're mistaken. I'm here because I have to protect him against two crazy Death Eaters'?"
"You could have said that we were here on Hogwarts business. Speaking of which, why are we here?"
"I was thirsty." She paused and smiled at him. "And to buy you an I'm-sorry-my-friend-shot-you drink."
"How thoughtful of you," he said sarcastically
"Yeah, I thought I was being pretty thoughtful too. Anyway, our visitor today has proven to me that I must take a more active role in guarding you. We have a serious situation on our hands and I was slacking off. It was totally unprofessional of me. I apologize."
He nodded and said, "I'm glad you saw the error in your ways."
"Those teenagers before. Were they students of yours?"
"Yes, unfortunately. They're Ravenclaws going into their 7th year."
"How do you handle all those rumors?"
He smiled a bit. "Simple. I take off points from their house. An added bonus with those four is that after this year, I won't see them again."
She chuckled. "Yeah, and after this school year, you won't see me again too. Another bonus." She began to drink her butterbeer.
He only slightly nodded in response.
In reality, something inside him told him that he didn't want her to leave. The only thing he could call it was a "gut feeling" and his were never wrong. 'What am I going to do?'
A/N: Please review. All reviews and suggestions are welcomed. Flames are discouraged.