Chapter Twelve – Revealing Confessions

Lucius Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes. Or his ears. Or whatever.

Severus Snape, traitor and ex-friend of his, was giving the mudblood Granger a tour through his house. He couldn't believe it. Twenty years ago, Severus wouldn't even have allowed a mudblood on his grounds, and now he was showing one around.

It had been easy enough to break the wards around Sev's house. He'd only have to use some dark spells even Sev didn't know about. But he had to admit that if he'd been any less skilled – or desperate – he wouldn't have got in.

He now was waiting in the attic for Severus and the mudblood to go away. He'd been pretty comfortable in one of the bedrooms when suddenly he'd heard a noise. Having discovered the intruders, he'd fled to the attic.

Soon, Severus and the mudblood went downstairs again. Lucius waited for another few minutes before following. He used the time to think. Why had Severus taken the mudblood to his home? And why was he so nice to her? And how could he kill them both without getting killed himself?

When he neared the living room, he heard someone arrive through the fireplace.

"Mum!" the Granger girl said.

'Her parents?' Lucius thought disbelievingly. This was getting better and better. Sev not only brought the mudblood home but invited the family along. But why?

"Hermione, dear!" he heard the shrill voice of a woman. Then there were sounds of hugging and then steps. Lucius ducked behind the stairs. But no one came out of the living room, so he went forward until he could look inside but was still hidden behind the stairs.

"I believe you are Mr. Snape," said the bold looking man in his forties. He seemed to be a few years older than Severus himself. 'Probably Granger's father,' Lucius assumed and watched the man approach Sev and hold out his hand.

"Yes, I'm Severus Snape. I'm the Potions Master at Hogwarts."

Sev shook the man's hand. 'How far has he sunk?' Lucius thought. 'Shaking hands with a muggle, inviting them and then being all friendly. Where is the old Severus Snape?'

"Potions Master? Hermione doesn't have problems in school, does she?" the voice of a woman brought his attention to the mudblood and her mother. The woman had bushy hair like her daughter, but the colour was a dark blonde. She looked worried.

Her husband put a hand on her arm and said, "Alice, do you really think Hermione could ever have problems at school?" He smiled, but suddenly was serious again. "What I would like to know is why my daughter and one of her teachers were kissing before we came."

'Kissing?', Lucius thought. 'Kissing? Since when does Severus kiss?' At Christmas he had seen Severus and the mudblood hug. Actually, she'd held on to him as if her life depended on it. He'd assumed she was just glad to be saved and Severus, well… he was supposed to be one of the good guys nowadays, right? He had to play nice to not lose everyone's (little bit of) sympathy for him.

'But kissing?' Shaking his head, Lucius felt another wave of hatred, both for Sev and the mudblood. He decided to cast an Invisibility Charm on himself to listen from a closer spot – even if it was dangerous as Sev could easily detect magic used around him if he concentrated enough. But he didn't seem to be too concentrated right then.

Lucius moved closer and sat down on the floor in the corner of the room. He really wanted to hear their explanation.

+~*#

"Hey, Ron," Harry said, entering the dormitory. "What are you doing?"

Ron lay on his bed, arms folded behind his head, and stared at the ceiling. "Nothing," he said, his voice listless and depressed.

Harry sat down on his bed next to Ron's and looked over to his best friend, forgetting all the awkwardness because he'd heard him having sex with his sister. Right now Ron was miserable and he wanted to know why. And he wanted to help him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Well, and why are you lying here, totally depressed – on Valetine's Day – and stare at the ceiling?"

Ron unfolded his arms and got up. He went over to the window and instead of staring at the ceiling he now stared at the lake.

"Why aren't you somewhere with Ginny?" Ron asked suddenly. He turned around and watched Harry's face redden.

"Ginny is downstairs in the Common Room. She actually sent me to check on you," Harry said. "Not that I didn't worry about you myself," he added quickly.

Ron's face was unreadable.

"I… I'm sorry if I said something wrong," Harry said. "I didn't mean to hurt you." He stood up to go to Ron and hug him, but Ron obviously didn't want to be comforted, so Harry stopped. He didn't know what to do. He'd always been able to talk to Ron – despite their various fights and quarrels – and Ron had always been there when he needed a friend. Now he wanted to pay his debt, but he didn't know how.

He sat down on Ron's bed and sighed. 

Ron stood hesitantly next to the bed and then sat down, too. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, then uncrossed them and tucked them into his pockets. He was obviously nervous and insecure. Harry waited patiently.

"I… It's…," Ron sighed heavily. "I can't…"

"Ron," Harry said . He waited until Ron's eyes found his. "You can tell me whatever you want. If you decide to tell me only part of it, you can do it. If you decide to not tell me a thing, okay, we'll just sit together for a moment. I'm your friend. I won't judge you. I know you're having a hard time digesting everything that happened that night. So do I. Even if I wasn't captured by Malfoy and Pansy. If you have nightmares-"

Ron laughed, cutting Harry off, but it didn't sound humorous. "I don't have nightmares. I wish I had. Then those images would only haunt me at night, and not everywhere I go." He stood up. "Harry, you didn't see what I saw. You weren't there. You haven't been hurt physically. And it wasn't even that. It's…" He broke off. "I'll show you." He unbuttoned his shirt and expose his pale chest. Thin pink lines were visible on the bright flesh. Harry could still read the word that was written all across his torso. 'Mine.' He felt sick.

"It's always there. It follows me, no matter where I go. I see a bloody hand holding a hunting knife, I see the cold eyes of that bitch, delight with ecstasy while I'm petrified, too afraid to even breathe. The pain – the physical pain – is something I'd prefer, any time. And then there's Lucius, laughing, and he's aroused by this brutality and the blood and all. I mean, how sick can he be?"

Suddenly, a crushing sound made them jump. Crookshanks had somehow found his way into their dormitory and, jumping from Dean's wardrobe, knocked off the alarm clock.

Harry stood up and lightly embraced an obviously shaken Ron, who loosened his grip almost immediately. "I'm sorry, but I have to get this out first." He sat down again. "Every time I see Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, I see it again. He looks so much like his father, and his arrogance and that he's just annoying doesn't help me to forget, either."

Harry didn't know what to say. He couldn't really understand what it must feel like. 'Great,' he thought. 'I finally get Ron to open up and now I'm standing here like an idiot.'

"But that's not all, actually," Ron said. He drew a breath. "I kind of met someone."

Surprised, Harry sat down again. "You met someone? Is she from Hogwarts?"

Ron cringed slightly. "Er, yes, I-"

"What year?" Harry interrupted.

"Ginny's. What I-"

Once again, Harry interrupted Ron. "Is it Lettie Linford? She's-"

"HARRY!" Ron yelled. "If you would let me, I could tell you that it is not Lettie Linford. In fact, it isn't even a girl."

He was shocked. Not because he had any problem with it, but because he wouldn't have thought. Ron always seemed to like girls. After all he was supposed to be madly in love with Hermione. "Not?"

Ron shook his head. "No. Don't ask me how or why, because I don't know. It's just… He was comforting me, and we kissed and I was surprised and shocked and confused and… excited. I didn't know what to do or how to react, but when he turned away to go, I couldn't let him. We kissed for hours and it felt so right, you know. But I wasn't sure… I mean, it could still be because I just wanted to be with someone and he happened to be there. But then I actually miss him already. And I can't stop thinking about him and I think I may… I mean, I could have a crush on him. A huge crush, more like totally head over heels." Ron sighed.

"So, what's the problem?" Harry asked. He really didn't see it. This boy – he still didn't know the name – and Ron obviously liked each other. So why didn't he go there and tell him?

"Huh?"

"Why don't you go to – who is it, by the way?"

"Colin."

"Colin Creevey? Well, whatever. Why don't you go to Colin and tell him what you feel?" Harry asked. "From what you told me I figure he likes you, so…"

"I kinda told him I didn't feel that way, I think. I can't really remember. What if he just wanted to… dunno, maybe it was just for one night. I…" He sighed again and buried his head in his hands.

Harry smiled suddenly. "Ts, ts, ts, Crookshanks," he chided the cat. "Did you throw this from Ron's bed?" He picked up a parcel wrapped in black and white paper. He handed it to Ron, who – glad for the distraction – unwrapped it. It was a photo of the two of them with Hermione. It was beautiful. And Harry knew who made it. His smile broadened.

"Ron," Harry said, lightly touching Ron's shoulder. He was staring at the photo and didn't even notice at first. But then he looked up. "If you like Colin, go and tell him. The worst thing he could do is to tell you he doesn't feel the same. But considering the evidence, I don't really think so. And besides, what have you got to lose?"

"Maybe you're right." He stood up. "I should go now, while I'm still full of courage, before I hide again… Thanks, Harry." He went to the door. "Oh, and could you not tell anyone for the time being. I want to… I'm just not sure yet, okay?"

"Sure," Harry replied. Ron left and he felt a lot better. Finally, he'd talked. Yes, the subject was not what he had anticipated, but talk was talk.

Smiling, he went back into the Common Room to tell Ginny not to worry.

+~*#

"Well," Hermione said. She looked at Severus who drew in a breath and nodded. She nodded, too, and took his hand. "That's because we're engaged."

Her father didn't move at all while her mother's mouth opened in disbelief and shock.

"Engaged?" she asked with a small voice. "Since when?"

"Christmas," Severus answered. "And before you say anything: We are aware of the age difference and that she's my student. But maybe you should sit down and listen."

Hermione's parents sat down on the sofa while Severus conjured up four cups of tea and some cookies.

"At first, our relationship was due to an accident," Severus began. "We were in class when one of the students messed up a potion creating a Love Potion. Hermione and I couldn't fight the feelings caused by the potion. We fell in love."

"That was last Halloween," Hermione added. "But we managed to take the antidote and everything went back to normal."

"But… why are you still in love?" Hermione's mother asked, a bit confused. She knew that her daughter was a witch and that she went to a school for witchcraft and wizardry, but to be honest, she didn't really grasp what magic could do. After all, she was someone who believed in science.

"The potion let us discover the other one in a different light. We got to know each other outside the classroom and became friends. And after what happened at Christmas, we knew we loved each other," Hermione explained.

"What happened at Christmas?" her father asked, frowning. "I thought you had the flu and couldn't visit."

"Hermione and another student have been kidnapped by Lucius Malfoy. He escaped prison and went after me. When he couldn't get me, he tried to bait me with the students," Severus asked. Hermione had told him that her parents knew as little as possible and only as much as necessary of the war. And after the end of the war, she never told them the whole story. She never told him his story. But he was prepared for the next question.

"Why did he go after you?" Frank Granger asked, putting his cup aside and leaning forward.

"I was a spy in the war. Lucius Malfoy thinks of me as a traitor. He wants revenge," Severus said. He didn't want to shock his future parents-in-law with his rather colourful past. There was time for the whole story later.

"Mum, are you okay?" Hermione asked. Her mother sat on the sofa with an indifferent expression on her face, staring into nowhere.

"Yeah," she replied absently. She didn't seem to listen to her daughter.

"I think she's in shock," Frank Granger said, regarding his wife with a critical expression.

"Great," Hermione exclaimed. "Then the other thing we wanted to tell you will finish her off," she said gloomily and stood up. "Mum," she addressed her mother. "Mom, look at me." With a side glance at her father, she added, "You, too, Dad." She nodded to Severus who drew his wand and muttered a spell. It was to take the Concealment Charm off Hermione. Now her parents could see the little bulge indicating her pregnancy.

Hermione smiled hesitantly. "Surprise! Who wants to be a grandparent?"

+~*#

Ron went down into the Common Room and immediately spotted Colin. He was sitting at one of the tables and played Wizard's Chess with a girl from his year.

'Breathe, Ron,' he told himself. 'Never forget to breathe.' The photo still in his hand, he made his way up to them. 'Okay, here we go,' he thought, and said, "Hey, Colin. I… Could I have a word with you?"

Colin looked up. Ron couldn't quite place the expression, but it was something between surprise, fear, joy and confusion. But he stood up almost immediately. "Sure. Annabelle, do you mind if we continue this later?"

Annabelle shook her head. "No, I was losing anyways."

In an awkward silence, Ron and Colin went out of the Common Room, Ron in the lead.

"Where are we going?" Colin asked.

Ron smiled mysteriously. "Surprise," he said.

After a few moments of silence, Ron spoke again. "Thanks for the photo." He held up the picture. "I couldn't go to Hogsmeade and buy you something in return."

"You needn't buy me things," Colin said quickly. "I completely understand it if you don't want to be with me. I mean, you were pretty down that night and I sort of took you by surprise and – oh, god, I didn't want to say took you, you know, it's just… I mean, we didn't really do anything and I-"

"Colin?" Ron interrupted. He stopped and turned towards the blank wall.

"Yeah?"

"Come in," he said and watched the dark door appear. Colin stared in amazement.

"How did you do this?" he asked.

"I didn't. This is the Room of Requirement. Remember? You were a member of Dumbledore's Army, you should know this room," Ron said, opening the door.

"Oh, yeah, right," Colin said, smiling goofily, "I guess I was a little preoccupied with babbling."

They went inside. The room was smaller than their training room back in his fifth year, but he didn't want to use it as something like a training room, so it was okay. The room was mostly empty, except for a large sofa and a table with two chairs. On the table there was dinner arranged.

Colin frowned.

"I said I couldn't buy you something. That doesn't mean I can't give you anything," Ron explained. "Sit down, please. I want to talk to you."

They sat down at the table and started eating. It was delicious. But Ron couldn't really taste it. He was too excited. And Colin didn't seem to realize he was eating because he was so confused.

"I thought about you, Colin," Ron said suddenly, making Colin choke on his drink. "I mean, I watched you in the Common Room and I couldn't take my eyes off you. I was confused – and I am still – but I think I know what I want. When I think of you I feel… I don't know. It's more than friendship, I guess. I mean, I missed you the last few days. More than I thought possible. I didn't even realize how much you mean to me until now. It's like exotic food. You don't know how good it is until you've tasted it. And then you don't want to miss it."

Colin swallowed the last bit of toast he was eating and stared at Ron. "Are you saying you want to be with me?"

Ron stood up and walked over to Colin. He held out his hand and pulled Colin over to the sofa. "How about I show you?" he asked, smiling slyly.

+~*#

Lucius Malfoy still sat in the corner of Severus Snape's living room. He was thinking. This afternoon had given him a lot of new information. He just had to decide what to do. Hogwarts was well guarded and it was questionable if he could enter the castle unnoticed. Sev's wards alone weren't too hard to detect, but Hogwarts had twenty other people who cast spells protecting the castle. And alone it would be too draining to enter the castle.

So he would go for plan b. Get them out of the castle. And now he had the perfect target. The mudblood's parents. They were mere muggles, they couldn't defend themselves against magic. And Granger wouldn't want her parents to die. Walking over to the fireplace, he took a bit of Floo Powder. He'd seen the Grangers use it to their home, just before Sev and the mudblood Apparated back to Hogwarts.

Yes, Sev and the mudblood. Who would've thought? This pregnancy opened the doors to another level of torture and he was glad he knew about it now. Pansy would have liked this.

Still smiling devilishly, he threw the Floo Powder, shouted, "Alice and Frank Granger's house" and disappeared into the flames.

A/N: Actually, I had already written this chapter and the next two. And I have chapter thirteen ready, but I'm not satisfied with it.

At this point, I'd like to thank all my reviewers. There was a point when I wanted to stop writing on this story (because it annoyed me), but all your reviews kept me going.

And now, I'm lacking ideas. I don't know why. Maybe it's just the stress (I mean, I still have to sort out so many things, like where's the next supermarket, etc, and I just started university, which is pretty tough, too). And I thought, maybe if one or two (or more) of you'd like to have something in the story, just say so in your reviews, or write an email. I'll welcome every idea. I can't guarantee I'll use it, but I would be grateful.

@ Maddy-Riddle : I surely wouldn't want Ginny only to be Hermione's sidekick. That's why she gets a more important role in chapter fourteen (well, it will be chapter fourteen, if I don't change the whole chap. thirteen…) Your comment about it actually led me to that direction, and all I can tell you is, that it has something to do with Draco…

@ all: I had really hoped you'd accept the idea of Ron and Colin together. And I'm glad you did. I'm quite proud of the scene between Harry and Ron in this chapter.

And, once again, thanks to all my reviewers.