I don't own Harry Potter or any other part of that universe. I don't own
'Spaceship' by Angie Aparo, 'Sympathy for the Devil' by the Rolling Stones,
Jane Eyre or Lucky Charms! Thanks to Blondie, Lyona, and PhphtssP for
helping me get through another Snape-filled chapter! Oh I always love help
on my stories, so if anyone has any suggestions I am open to them!
take for a while
your trumpet from your lip
loosen your hold loosen your grip
on your old ways
that have fallen out of step
in a changing time
hoist a new flag
hoist a new flag
angry sun burn down
judging us all
guilty of neglect and disrespect
and thinking small
and death by boredom
and death by greed
if we can't stop taking
more than we need
but across the fractured landscape
I see the same things
tired ideas
birds without wings
birds without wings
birds without wings
and these are just thoughts
of lack lustre times
I've no interest
in excuses you can find
like you've had a hard day
now you're too tired to care
now you're too tired to care
you've had a hard day
well across the fractured landscape
I see the same things
tired ideas broken values
many with the notion
that to share is to lose
a hollow people bound by a lack
of imagination and too much looking back
without the courage to give a new thing a chance
grounded by this ignorance
(and the cat comes)
We're just,
birds without wings
birds without wings
birds without wings "Birds Without Wings" by David Gray, 'Shine'
Chapter 6: Do Professors Dream of Red Ink?
Hermione was up at the crack of dawn the next morning. Her mind was plagued with strange dreams and nightmares throughout the night that left her listless and mentally exhausted. With a green blanket around her body she sat in the window letting the cool morning air permeate her being hoping that it might chase away her fears from the night before.
The sunlight comforted her in a small way as she looked over the grounds. A figure came into view running from the direction of the lake. 'Who would be out running at Hogwarts?' She wondered. As the figure came closer to the castle she could ascertain it was a man, and when he reached the doors she knew with certainty that it was none other than Professor Severus Snape. An incredulous snort escaped her lips. Professor Snape did have another color in his wardrobe than black. Harry and Ron would have doubled over laughing and then sold tickets to the strange event.
The memory of the night before jolted Hermione back to the gravity of her situation. She was engaged to Snape! She was engaged to marry the greasiest, meanest, most sarcastic PROFESSOR at Hogwarts! If there had been anything in her stomach she would have lost it at moment.
"Holy shit!" She cursed to herself. Normally Hermione Granger appeared meek and self possessed, but this was a situation which was to be handled with a certain lack of grace. She had every right to be enraged, and she knew just the song for it. She had charmed her cd player to play at Hogwarts the year before, but had not used it once. Now she with a flick of her wand turned it on. 'Sympathy for the Devil' by the Rolling Stones blared from the speakers as she got dressed.
In the Great Hall breakfast was set out at the Staff Table, but with more seats than usual. Assuming this was where she would be eating the curly haired brunette crossed the hall and took a seat at the furthest end of the table from the point Severus Snape normally sat. She smiled weakly at the Deputy Headmistress as she sat down. She helped herself to some Lucky Charms, a weakness that Dobby loved to indulge for her. She ate quickly not participating in the conversations around her hoping to get out of there as soon as possible. Finishing the last bite she hopped out of her seat.
Humming 'Spaceship' she quickly walked in the direction of the door. 'When ya gonna grow up? Momma always said, but I just want to walk around with a dollar bill and a coat that never sheds.' She sang softly in her head. Angie Aparo was her cousin from America's favorite singer of all time, but Hermione did not obsess about his work the way Bethany did.
"Good morning Miss Granger, I trust you slept well." Came a silky smooth voice from the corridor.
"I, uh. Yes, sir. I slept very well considering, and yourself?" She stammered. He was dressed, as always, in billowing black robes. The velvety midnight color all but drew her in with its air of mystery.
"What, pray, Miss Granger is wrong with my attire?" His voice was as menacing as his first year speech.
"Nothing," she replied only a little daunted by his tone and left the hall leaving the Potions Master staring at the girl he was going to have to wed.
She wanted out of the confines of the castle. Her soft soled sandals made hardly a noise, but still she did not hear someone behind her. The dark wizard had caught up with her for some unknown reason. She turned to face him as he approached. He was tall and thin just as she had pictured Mr. Rochester all those years ago. Only he was a bit darker in complexion, but pale from staying indoors. His hooked nose was the object of a running joke in her forth year that she should not think about if she didn't want to turn a lovely shade of crimson.
"Miss Granger, a higher authority," he looked up the façade of the castle at a window where the glint of light off of half moon spectacles could be seen, "Wishes that I accompany you on this turn about the grounds." He attempted a smile but it came out more frightening than reassuring.
His walking partner winced slightly at this gesture, but smiled at the archaic form of speech. He seemed more like Mr. Rochester with each meeting they had. She just hoped that he didn't have a crazed wife in the dungeons with him.
She walked in the general direction of the lake letting him walk at her side. Her mind was spinning with possible conversation topics, but none of them particularly pleasant. She did not take note of the warmth of the sun on her skin, the trill of the birds in the trees, the brilliant green of the grass. No, she was deep in thought as to what her future would hold.
"Sir, will I be able to attend a wizarding university?" She blurted out, and covered her mouth in horror. 'That comment was rude and uncalled for. Get a grip girl!' She chided herself viciously.
A look of horror spread across the Potions Master's face. "Merlin girl! Am I that much of a monster to you?" An expression Hermione couldn't identify found its way onto his face for a moment. "No, in your position I would ask the same. You will be allowed whatever freedom is granted by the contract we signed, but you will most certainly go to school. It turns out that there are quite a few stipulations regarding myself in the contract as well. Father, it seems, has a sense of humor." The emotion that had formerly been displayed on the man's face was now gone, and Hermione tried to memorize the look for future reference.
She was slightly comforted by his words, but only just. "Sir, call me Hermione please, or 'Mione if you like. I can't deal with this situation with your calling me Miss Granger all the time." 'It makes you seem so much older than I,' she finished silently.
"Very well," he replied stiffly. "Then you may call me Severus outside of the classroom. Merlin! This is the most idiotic thing the Ministry has ever done!" His voice was filled with rage.
The girl took a step back, and he a step forward. "I am sorry Miss Granger, Hermione." The name came difficultly from his tongue. "I am opposed to the very law I am immediately subject to. You should not be chained to an old man." He finished in a softer tone.
"Just, um, how old are you Si, Severus?" She asked timidly. Where had the cool logical Hermione gone and left this twit without a brain?
"I will be thirty-seven this year."
She gasped with wide eyes. She had feared him much older, but the shock of actually knowing hit her.
"I am aware of the acute differences in our ages, Hermione. Let's not rub salt into the wound." He replied dryly as she looked a bit sheepish. "We have many arrangements to make, and I assume that you want all the trappings and frivolous things at the wedding, am I correct?"
Hermione fidgeted in place. This was not something she wished to talk about with anyone, let alone Severus Snape. "I guess not all, but some the things I believe you are referring to." She replied with a steady voice. "Just how big does the ceremony have to be?"
"For the Snape family, I am afraid rather large." He replied.
"Oh, I don't have that many people I want to come. My non-magical family and friends cannot come, and I am not sure I would want them to be there. That's a lot of fake. I'd rather it be a smaller thing."
Snape gave her a feral smile. "Then at least we will be able to anger someone in this affair. A small wedding you want, and a small wedding we will have. Father, Dumbledore, and the Snape prestige be damned!" This seemed to please the dark haired man. "We should go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to make arrangements. This will still be an impossibly tedious task since the Snapes are Purebloods." The woman nodded in assent to the suggested plan, so he continued. "I will meet you at the entrance to Gryffindor Tower tomorrow morning at ten if that suits you?"
"That's fine, Severus. I'll be ready." 'No I won't! I'll be half way to America by morning!' She screamed inwardly at her predicament. The slim woman knew that should she run, even with the help of all her friends, she would be caught. She was a prime target for he-who-must-not-be-named and the Deatheaters because of what she was and who she was friends with.
"Then I will leave you to your thoughts; I have lesson plans I was working on before..." He trailed off and left her there under the tree by the lake.
'Tomorrow will be an interesting day to say the least,' the dark haired beauty thought wryly.
Next Time: Hermione in Diagon Alley, and who should she meet? Stay tuned!
take for a while
your trumpet from your lip
loosen your hold loosen your grip
on your old ways
that have fallen out of step
in a changing time
hoist a new flag
hoist a new flag
angry sun burn down
judging us all
guilty of neglect and disrespect
and thinking small
and death by boredom
and death by greed
if we can't stop taking
more than we need
but across the fractured landscape
I see the same things
tired ideas
birds without wings
birds without wings
birds without wings
and these are just thoughts
of lack lustre times
I've no interest
in excuses you can find
like you've had a hard day
now you're too tired to care
now you're too tired to care
you've had a hard day
well across the fractured landscape
I see the same things
tired ideas broken values
many with the notion
that to share is to lose
a hollow people bound by a lack
of imagination and too much looking back
without the courage to give a new thing a chance
grounded by this ignorance
(and the cat comes)
We're just,
birds without wings
birds without wings
birds without wings "Birds Without Wings" by David Gray, 'Shine'
Chapter 6: Do Professors Dream of Red Ink?
Hermione was up at the crack of dawn the next morning. Her mind was plagued with strange dreams and nightmares throughout the night that left her listless and mentally exhausted. With a green blanket around her body she sat in the window letting the cool morning air permeate her being hoping that it might chase away her fears from the night before.
The sunlight comforted her in a small way as she looked over the grounds. A figure came into view running from the direction of the lake. 'Who would be out running at Hogwarts?' She wondered. As the figure came closer to the castle she could ascertain it was a man, and when he reached the doors she knew with certainty that it was none other than Professor Severus Snape. An incredulous snort escaped her lips. Professor Snape did have another color in his wardrobe than black. Harry and Ron would have doubled over laughing and then sold tickets to the strange event.
The memory of the night before jolted Hermione back to the gravity of her situation. She was engaged to Snape! She was engaged to marry the greasiest, meanest, most sarcastic PROFESSOR at Hogwarts! If there had been anything in her stomach she would have lost it at moment.
"Holy shit!" She cursed to herself. Normally Hermione Granger appeared meek and self possessed, but this was a situation which was to be handled with a certain lack of grace. She had every right to be enraged, and she knew just the song for it. She had charmed her cd player to play at Hogwarts the year before, but had not used it once. Now she with a flick of her wand turned it on. 'Sympathy for the Devil' by the Rolling Stones blared from the speakers as she got dressed.
In the Great Hall breakfast was set out at the Staff Table, but with more seats than usual. Assuming this was where she would be eating the curly haired brunette crossed the hall and took a seat at the furthest end of the table from the point Severus Snape normally sat. She smiled weakly at the Deputy Headmistress as she sat down. She helped herself to some Lucky Charms, a weakness that Dobby loved to indulge for her. She ate quickly not participating in the conversations around her hoping to get out of there as soon as possible. Finishing the last bite she hopped out of her seat.
Humming 'Spaceship' she quickly walked in the direction of the door. 'When ya gonna grow up? Momma always said, but I just want to walk around with a dollar bill and a coat that never sheds.' She sang softly in her head. Angie Aparo was her cousin from America's favorite singer of all time, but Hermione did not obsess about his work the way Bethany did.
"Good morning Miss Granger, I trust you slept well." Came a silky smooth voice from the corridor.
"I, uh. Yes, sir. I slept very well considering, and yourself?" She stammered. He was dressed, as always, in billowing black robes. The velvety midnight color all but drew her in with its air of mystery.
"What, pray, Miss Granger is wrong with my attire?" His voice was as menacing as his first year speech.
"Nothing," she replied only a little daunted by his tone and left the hall leaving the Potions Master staring at the girl he was going to have to wed.
She wanted out of the confines of the castle. Her soft soled sandals made hardly a noise, but still she did not hear someone behind her. The dark wizard had caught up with her for some unknown reason. She turned to face him as he approached. He was tall and thin just as she had pictured Mr. Rochester all those years ago. Only he was a bit darker in complexion, but pale from staying indoors. His hooked nose was the object of a running joke in her forth year that she should not think about if she didn't want to turn a lovely shade of crimson.
"Miss Granger, a higher authority," he looked up the façade of the castle at a window where the glint of light off of half moon spectacles could be seen, "Wishes that I accompany you on this turn about the grounds." He attempted a smile but it came out more frightening than reassuring.
His walking partner winced slightly at this gesture, but smiled at the archaic form of speech. He seemed more like Mr. Rochester with each meeting they had. She just hoped that he didn't have a crazed wife in the dungeons with him.
She walked in the general direction of the lake letting him walk at her side. Her mind was spinning with possible conversation topics, but none of them particularly pleasant. She did not take note of the warmth of the sun on her skin, the trill of the birds in the trees, the brilliant green of the grass. No, she was deep in thought as to what her future would hold.
"Sir, will I be able to attend a wizarding university?" She blurted out, and covered her mouth in horror. 'That comment was rude and uncalled for. Get a grip girl!' She chided herself viciously.
A look of horror spread across the Potions Master's face. "Merlin girl! Am I that much of a monster to you?" An expression Hermione couldn't identify found its way onto his face for a moment. "No, in your position I would ask the same. You will be allowed whatever freedom is granted by the contract we signed, but you will most certainly go to school. It turns out that there are quite a few stipulations regarding myself in the contract as well. Father, it seems, has a sense of humor." The emotion that had formerly been displayed on the man's face was now gone, and Hermione tried to memorize the look for future reference.
She was slightly comforted by his words, but only just. "Sir, call me Hermione please, or 'Mione if you like. I can't deal with this situation with your calling me Miss Granger all the time." 'It makes you seem so much older than I,' she finished silently.
"Very well," he replied stiffly. "Then you may call me Severus outside of the classroom. Merlin! This is the most idiotic thing the Ministry has ever done!" His voice was filled with rage.
The girl took a step back, and he a step forward. "I am sorry Miss Granger, Hermione." The name came difficultly from his tongue. "I am opposed to the very law I am immediately subject to. You should not be chained to an old man." He finished in a softer tone.
"Just, um, how old are you Si, Severus?" She asked timidly. Where had the cool logical Hermione gone and left this twit without a brain?
"I will be thirty-seven this year."
She gasped with wide eyes. She had feared him much older, but the shock of actually knowing hit her.
"I am aware of the acute differences in our ages, Hermione. Let's not rub salt into the wound." He replied dryly as she looked a bit sheepish. "We have many arrangements to make, and I assume that you want all the trappings and frivolous things at the wedding, am I correct?"
Hermione fidgeted in place. This was not something she wished to talk about with anyone, let alone Severus Snape. "I guess not all, but some the things I believe you are referring to." She replied with a steady voice. "Just how big does the ceremony have to be?"
"For the Snape family, I am afraid rather large." He replied.
"Oh, I don't have that many people I want to come. My non-magical family and friends cannot come, and I am not sure I would want them to be there. That's a lot of fake. I'd rather it be a smaller thing."
Snape gave her a feral smile. "Then at least we will be able to anger someone in this affair. A small wedding you want, and a small wedding we will have. Father, Dumbledore, and the Snape prestige be damned!" This seemed to please the dark haired man. "We should go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to make arrangements. This will still be an impossibly tedious task since the Snapes are Purebloods." The woman nodded in assent to the suggested plan, so he continued. "I will meet you at the entrance to Gryffindor Tower tomorrow morning at ten if that suits you?"
"That's fine, Severus. I'll be ready." 'No I won't! I'll be half way to America by morning!' She screamed inwardly at her predicament. The slim woman knew that should she run, even with the help of all her friends, she would be caught. She was a prime target for he-who-must-not-be-named and the Deatheaters because of what she was and who she was friends with.
"Then I will leave you to your thoughts; I have lesson plans I was working on before..." He trailed off and left her there under the tree by the lake.
'Tomorrow will be an interesting day to say the least,' the dark haired beauty thought wryly.
Next Time: Hermione in Diagon Alley, and who should she meet? Stay tuned!