4.Strike

On December 1st, three weeks after she'd last seen Severus in Hogsmeade, Hermione stepped out of the taxi that had just stopped outside her apartment block. Handing a ten-pound note to the driver who gave an appreciative grunt in reply, she reached in to give her cousin a hug.

"I'll probably see you on Boxing Day," she said.

Jennifer looked disappointed. "You mean you're not coming to Christmas dinner up at our house?"

Hermione shook her head. "I'm spending Christmas Eve with Jeremy and then I'm going to the Bu-…to my friends house for Christmas Day."

Jennifer sighed, but then grinned. "I'll miss you, but…I heard that Mum might be inviting her friend from work along…and well, she has a son my age…"

Hermione smirked. "I'm sure you won't miss me then. I'll call you before Boxing Day, anyway." She closed the taxi door and waved as the vehicle sped off down the busy street.

Hoisting her bag onto her shoulder and swapping some of her heavy shopping bags to the other hand to shift the weight, she walked through the entrance doors to the stairwell. The doors must have been left open for a while, she noted, since lots of leaves and the odd crisp packet had blown in. Hurrying up the stairs, and pulling her coat closer around her to get out of the cold winter chill outside, Hermione decided to relax the minute she walked into the flat. She'd have a hot bath, put on her dressing gown and slip into her slippers and then make herself the most fattening meal possible, obviously followed with some of the leftovers from her Honeydukes shopping spree. Then maybe, she'd read a little and hopefully, fall asleep in the dim light from her lamp. She smiled in anticipation. It had been a while since she'd had this opportunity. Jeremy was away at the Ministry for the week, so she might as well make the most of it. She frowned at herself inwardly. If the old Hermione Granger could see her now…

She shook it off. It was all for the treatment she told herself. Once she'd fixed it, hopefully with Severus's help, and got it on it's feet with the Ministry, she'd be free of him.

Thinking of Severus, she wondered. Would it be too late to owl him tonight and ask if he was free tomorrow? Or even, she thought; pay a visit to the school?

She remembered the letter he'd sent after she'd last seen him-

Miss Granger, (She looked at the letter a little amused at his formality.)

The item of confectionary you gave me was most…amusing. I suppose you knew I would give in to sampling it. Curiosity did not kill the cat- it just gave it slightly tinged pink teeth, strawberry fragranced breath and acrid toothache for three days.

Please do not forget whom you are dealing with. I'm not a Potions Master for nothing.

Severus Snape

Laughing, but feeling quite guilty for her brief responses to his owls, her paces quickened even more. When she arrived at the door, she dug in her bag for her keys and slotted the small silver one into the keyhole. As usual it took a bit of twiddling, but it clicked and swung open eventually.

Flinging her long coat and bag onto the sofa, she went into her small bedroom. Ceres was perched on the windowsill, and hooted merrily at her appearance.

Hermione smiled fondly at the barn owl, which was always pleased to see her.

"I have a letter for you to take to the Weasley's," she said. "And if you just hang on for a few minutes, I have one for you to take to Professor Snape."

Ceres looked at her reproachfully, throwing a significant glance at the windy weather outside.

"I wouldn't send you out if it wasn't important," Hermione told her, petting the owl on the head, "But if you go to the Weasley's last, they'll let you rest there for the night before sending you back. And if Ginny's there, you know what a fuss she always makes of you."

The owl looked slightly appeased and awaited for Hermione to give her the letters.

Hermione walked over to her desk and ripped off a slip of parchment from the long roll she always kept there and reached for a quill. Quickly, she scribbled a note to Severus.

Severus,

I'm free all day tomorrow; Jeremy is away at the moment. I rather hoped that I could visit the castle and see everybody again. I don't know if you'll be free, but if possible, could you tell Professor Dumbledore or McGonagall that I'm going to drop in about eleven o'clock tomorrow morning? I hope to see you there,

Hermione.

Just before she rolled it up, she heard a clicking noise from the living room.

"Damn," she said to herself, dropping the parchment on her desk. The lock on her door had become notorious lately for not staying closed, and the wind drifting through up the draughty stairwell would blow the door open.

Just as she was making her way to shut it again, wondering what she could wedge it with, she bumped into somebody in the entrance to her room.

"Jeremy!" she exclaimed.

Jeremy looked at her, his brown hair unusually roughly combed, his eyes narrowed. "You sound surprised."

"I j-just wasn't expecting you back for a few days, that's all."

"Hmmm," he replied, before striding past her into the tiny room. "What have you been up to, Hermione?"

Just as she wished he wouldn't notice it, his icy blue eyes fell upon the letter. As he began to pick it up, she darted over to it and tried to pull his arm back. He shook her off easily. She backed into the wall with the force of his push and cast her eyes down at the ground, waiting for the verdict.

She heard the crumpling of paper, and chanced it to look up. He was staring back at her.

"So," he said maliciously. "So…"

She would have dearly loved to say, "So what?" but kept silent instead.

He didn't yell, he just spoke in that low voice, the one he kept specially to creep up her spine and the back of her neck eerily.

"I assumed you listened when I told you not to see him again, especially without my permission. Apparently…" He ran his long fingers along the edge of the desk, "You didn't listen."

Hermione shivered involuntarily. Her whole being shouted from inside to tell her to get out of the situation, to scream at him, to refuse to stand him any longer. But still, she held back, hating herself for it. 

Jeremy suddenly looked directly at her. "Maybe this time…I'll have to make a deeper impression." He took slow, calculated steps towards her until they were standing almost nose-to-nose, with a smirk on his face. Gently, he ran one finger down the length of her face, as if willing her, daring her to relax. Hermione wondered whether it would be something other than his usual treatment tonight.

Just as she began to prepare herself, Jeremy swung his fist back and before she knew what had happened, she heard herself give a sharp cry, felt a dull, painful thud collide with her face and brought her hand up to her face. He had punched her in the tender area just underneath her right eye.

"I have a feeling you won't want to go out and show your face to anyone after that shows up."

Somehow she couldn't concentrate on the pain, just the leering grin of pure pleasure etched onto his face. Frozen, she watched as Jeremy pulled back his fist again. Suddenly, she heard words echoing in her head.

"…You did nothing wrong…Promise me you'll tell me if something happens…"

Without a thought in her head, Hermione reached into her pocket, drew out her wand and quickly backed away, pointing it at his sneering face.

"Stupefy!"

The second the spell hit Jeremy, he fell and smacked onto the floor below. Hermione stared in shock. She'd hurt him with her own wand. One hand rose to her gaping mouth.

"Oh Gods…" she whispered, backing away from Jeremy's alive, but deadly still body.

Not stopping to take anything with her, Hermione ran through the open apartment door and dashed down the steps into the dark and the cold outside.

Looking around hurriedly, only one person in mind, she found that no one else was in the vicinity of the quiet street. With a 'pop' she disappeared. A second later, she materialised in Hogsmeade.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Kind of awesome for me really…52 reviews for only 3 chapters. Sorry it took me a little longer for this chapter- there were circumstances, such as my computer deciding to turn itself off randomly and losing the floppy I keep this on. Thankfully I found it this morning. So thanks to-

JennyRad, Anarane Anwamane, Tracey Claybon, Miriam Q Webster, HarryPotterFreak1234, Akasha Ravensong, Mickat, Xela Lupe, Crookshanks Girl, AddisonRae, Rosmerta, mysticalfairy-05, caitlin19, Casiana Joy, KDarkMaiden, RebelRikki, Atiannala, Risi, Barrie.

CrazySwimmer27-Only ones that are sweet on the inside. *Grins* Thanks!

Kngtzgrl- Hmm…just read the next chapter…believe me, he has it coming. Thank you!

Winter Solstice- Thanks a lot for your review- they're always very special.

Morgans, Andrew- Thanks. Don't worry, I have no intention of 'stupid-fying' Hermione. More details about why she's in the situation soon.

Evanescence- Sorry it took me a little longer for this chapter to make it's way onto here, I got really busy at the most inconvenient times and my computer decided to fuzzle when I was writing. Thanks!