Title: Inverted
Author: SevenAgainstThebes
E-mail: sevenagainst_thebes@yahoo.com
Pairings: HG/SS eventually
Disclaimer: JKR owns all HP characters, places, etc. etc....I merely get to borrow them for this little writing exercise.
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Chapter 2: Back to the Infirmary
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They silently made their way through the castle.
"We're lucky it's late, Miss Granger. Had we made our way back to the infirmary like this," he gestured to their clasped hands and her wine stained nightdress, "merely an hour earlier, we would have encountered some of your schoolmates sneaking back from their late night trysts and of course, after seeing us, they would have plenty to gossip about."
Faced with nothing but silence at his comment, Snape glanced over at her. After nearly seven years of being her instructor in Potions, he was used to seeing her as the eager student with her hand raised high in class and a ready answer should he call on her; which wasn't often if only because it was easy to take off points when he called on her less knowledgeable classmates.
Privately, he admitted that he missed her forceful know-it-all presence. Her sarcastic quips in response to his biting remarks during class had even started to amuse him. In contrast, the plodding automaton by his side was rather unnerving.
"Miss Granger."
Hermione continued to walk along silently.
"Miss Granger," he repeated, a little loudly this time. His words fell on her unhearing ears. He stopped and jerked on her arm to get her to face him. "Miss Granger! I demand that you stop with this--"
For the second time that night, he found himself unable to finish his sentence. Hermione was now facing him and her eyes, which were normally brown, were now a fathomless black. She stared at him unblinkingly for a second and then attacked him.
They both fell to the ground. Raising one arm to ward off her fists from his face, Snape reached for his wand which was then promptly grabbed by Hermione and snapped in half. She got up, threw the pieces to the floor and stood there laughing. Hunched over and pretending that she had bruised his ribs, Snape slowly reached for his second wand that was hidden on the inside of his outer robes. Hermione's hysterical laughter stopped suddenly.
"I wouldn't try that if I were you, Severus," Her voice was low and harsh. She moved closer to him. "My traitorous Death Eater...what did I do to make you turn from me?"
With one swift motion, Snape rose from his crouched position and backhanded her across the face. Her head snapped back and she fell to the ground. For a moment, she didn't move and in the stillness that pervaded the hallway, he could hear her breathing shakily.
Hermione laughed weakly. "Thanks Professor, for being an absolute bastard."
"Anytime, Miss Granger. That didn't hurt too badly did it?"
"No, not at all. I couldn't feel anything actually...having Voldemort in your head kind of distracts you, you know?" She got up slowly and they started walking again.
"I'm assuming the alcohol you had earlier lowered your inhibitions and allowed him free reign through your mind." Here, Snape stopped and searched the pockets of his robes for something. He pulled out a small vial filled with an amber liquid and handed it to her.
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"It'll remove the effects of alcohol on your system. A convenient potion for those wizards and witches who like their alcohol, yet are less than enamored with its side effects." Seeing the hesitant look on her face, he took back the vial, popped the cap open and handed it back to her. "Drink it. I haven't felt the urge to poison any students as of late."
She took the vial and drank the potion. "And why would you be carrying this around with you?"
"On the rare occasion that I come upon drunken Gryffindors in my private chambers and need them to have their thought processing abilities. I find it difficult to scare those who are inebriated and have it in their heads that I am merely 'joking' around about detention for an as yet undetermined length of time."
"But you said you wouldn't-"
He cut her off with a wave of his hand. "I merely said I wouldn't take House points from you. Professor McGonagall would have an apoplectic fit if she heard that I was less than understanding of your current state of affairs. Professor Dumbledore would then subject me to one of his long winded talks and frankly, I've had enough of those in my lifetime."
"So I now have detention with you for how long?"
"You used to be so quick on the uptake, Miss Granger. It was only a few seconds ago that I said detention would be for an as yet undetermined length of time. Shall we continue walking?" They started walking once again.
After a few paces, Hermione looked up at him again. "So...detention...with you...for however long you decide I should continue. Honestly, do you like having students suffer under your every whim?"
"Another wizard, one far more powerful than I am, has your mind currently at his mercy. Although one would not normally equate mercy with the Dark Lord."
Comprehension dawned in her eyes. "You're going to teach me occlumency."
"Correct." They stopped at the entrance of the infirmary. "And here we are. I will now leave you to Madam Pomfrey's care. Good night, Miss Granger." He turned to leave and paused. "And next time, I won't be so kind if I ever find you in my private chambers again. I don't even know how you broke through my wards."
"Well you see, sir, when I arrived at your chambers, there were none."
"Oh." Snape looked slightly peeved and then shrugged. "I must have forgotten to put them up before going to the Headmaster's office."
"You've been nicer this evening then I've ever seen you before." Hermione looked at him appraisingly. "Are you sure you aren't under some kind of mind control?"
"No, Miss Granger, I am not. Contrary to what most people think, I do have the ability to empathize. I certainly can in your case. But all explanations will have to wait until you start detention. Again, good night." He nodded at her and proceeded back to the dungeons.