Disclaimer: So yeah, I think the uni's trying to break me on books. My library is slowly starting to build with very expensive texts, and since I don't own HP, I can't really afford it.
A/N: I'm in Hong Kong studying this semester so I went on Sunday afternoon to see Harry Potter at the theater. It was in English but with Chinese subtitles, I even picked up how to write 'Dobby' in Cantonese. It was really cool…
Dumbledore had made a most unique announcement the morning after Halloween. Ron and Harry had run up to her rooms to inform her of the breaking news.
"Hermione! We're having a Quidditch match!" Ron said.
"So, don't we have those every year?" Hermione replied.
"Well, yes, but we're having a school team play Durmstrang in two weeks! Won't that be great!"
"Smashing," Hermione replied sarcastically. Playing Durmstrang meant only one thing to her. Viktor Krum would be coming to Hogwarts.
The next two weeks flew by like mad. Hermione had invented every excuse in the world to be absent from the tournament but she couldn't escape it. Dumbledore had ordered everyone, staff and students to be present. Hermione put on her robes and scarf then walked down to the pitch. She saw the Hogwarts team flying overhead; she heard Ron's directions shout out as the whole of the team complied, all except Harry who was trying to get away from a very passionate Ginny. Hermione surveyed the sky and saw Viktor Krum flying about, her heart sank. She found a place for herself among the students and watched as the game began. Five hours later, Harry Potter caught the Snitch leading Hogwarts to a 560-10 victory over Durmstrang. The students and staff, led by Minerva McGonagall, raced onto the field. Leaving Hermione to slowly walk back to the school. She had walked past one of the large stands when a gruff arm pulled her behind it. She knew his grasp too well.
From across the way, Severus Snape watched the confrontation between them. He saw Viktor shake her fiercely and land a timely backhand to her right cheek. Snape tried desperately to cross the pitch but he ended up tangled in the mass of students cheering on their teammates. By the time he managed to find his way across, Viktor had rejoined the Durmstrang gang, who were leaving shamefully. Hermione was running toward the castle with her robes floating behind her. Snape rushed to meet up with her. He got to the castle just as the front doors closed. When he opened them, Hermione Granger was leaned against a wall sobbing. He looked at her and melted at the sight of the troubled woman before him.
"Miss Granger, I'll escort you to Madam Pomfrey's office," he tried to graciously offer.
"I-I… d-don't…need," was all she could manage to get out. She pushed herself from the wall and ran down the hall into her own rooms throwing herself on the bed, crying herself to sleep.
Severus Snape watched her tiny figure as it disappeared through the corridors. He didn't know how to analyze the events that transpired; he could only assume she had thought that he had been there to harm her. He meandered down to his own dungeons deciding that he would have a talk with Minerva once she got back.
Before the celebratory feast began, Snape had cornered McGonagall in the staff lounge.
"I tell you Minerva, I saw it with my own eyes! He hauled off and hit the girl across the face!"
"Severus, do calm down. Now what exactly did you see?"
"That Krum fellow was screaming at her and then hit her with his back fist across her cheek! Someone needs to teach that young man how to treat a lady."
"All right Severus, I'll talk to her, but I don't know what you want me to do."
"Don't you care Minerva? Honestly, the girl's in your own house. Tell her not to see the chap anymore, to…to…"
"To what Severus? I can't make her stop seeing Mr. Krum. I have tried since last spring to get her to tell me what's going on but she doesn't want to talk about it. I even approached her after the incident in Hogsmeade earlier in the semester but she was resigned to keep quiet. I can't make her do anything. I think that's the problem now, everyone trying to make her do what she doesn't want to do. The last thing she needs is another person coming off as trying to control her."
"What do you mean?"
"Severus, I have it from good authority that her father was not exactly the loving parent. She no doubt learned to expect the way she is being treated from him, if you get my meaning."
Severus sank down in a chair. "You mean, her own father hurt her? Parents don't do that."
"Perhaps not in our world Severus, but in the Muggle world they do. Miss Granger is a testimony to that."
"What about her mother?"
"Albus tells me her mother disappeared when she was very young."
"This is insane," Severus said as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.
"I know, Severus. I'll do what I can do."
"Minerva?"
"What is it? Do spit it out."
"What did happen earlier in the semester?"
"Well generally, we begin teaching Severus. That's our job. Traditionally, we teach students magic and then we test them on it later. That's what I've been doing at least…"
"Don't be smart with me Minerva, you know what I mean."
"I think you know that I can't tell you that Severus. I'll let you know if there's anything that you can do. Now, I am going to join our students at the feast." McGonagall walked out the lounge leaving a very displeased Snape behind. He hated being out of the loop.
A/N: Bit short but sometimes too many details are a bit much even for those who are slightly, shall we say, knowledgeable about the subject… do continue reading and someone please review. I've gotten 13 reviews, that's just bloody unlucky.
