2. [ The Attack ]

After another week full of waiting and hoping Hermione woke early in the morning and carefully stretched her numb limps. Today was the day when she would get to London and finally after over four weeks meet Harry and Ron and all the other wizards and witches again. Never would she tell her parents so but in reality she missed the magic world when she lived in the Muggle one and long since gone she had made the decision where she felt at home. It didn't change the fact that she missed her parents when she was at Hogwarts but she longed to return there.

It was still dark outside and when she stepped to the window it looked like the world was still sleeping. Not even birds were singing, only a car was driving lonely down the street.

Shortly she wondered what Harry and Ron were doing right now. Probably sleeping. There were good chances that Mrs Weasly was already awake along with Moody and Tonks. It seemed that all the aurors were up in the wee hours of the morning as if they needed very little sleep at all. Very likely Snape was roaming the house by now if he was in London at all. Harry had written her in a letter with disdain that at the moment Snape was spending a lot of time in Grimauld Place but kept mostly to himself in his room or the small library. The boy had told her that he seemed to not need to sleep whatsoever and starting in the early hours of the morning her was sweeping through the corridors and the living area as if he wanted to catch somebody doing mischief.

Deep in thoughts she gripped the pendant and tried to imagine Snape catching Ginny when she wanted to use the bathroom and trying to deduct points from her. How mad he must be to be unable to punish the Gryffindors at all.

Chuckling she turned away from the window and stepped into the bathroom to take a nice warm shower before she started the day with some reading. Surely it couldn't hurt to catch up on some potions reading, could it? Just to be prepared for anything Snape might ask her when she arrived in London later.

» » » » » » » » » » »

Sighing Severus Snape turned away from the window towards the headmaster and tried to chase any facial expression off his features. He had expressed his views on the matter several times already and if it hadn't changed Dumbledore's opinion by now it would do no good to continue.

Again when his eyes fell on the white bearded wizard he was struck how much this man defied years. He looked all the 152 years he was old but one look into his blue twinkling eyes told you all you needed to know. He radiated power and authority when you cared to look and the manner in which he kept his calm no matter what happened soothed not only Severus in times like these but also many others.

The frown reappeared when he looked into the mirror Dumbledore had conjured. It showed Hermione Granger standing next to a window obviously lost in thoughts. It was his pleasure to watch her most of the time, since he according to the headmaster was most 'suited' for this task. Whatever he meant by that.

What is she doing up already? It's only shortly after four o'clock. She is worse with the sleeping than I am.

The girl irritated him immensely. In the beginning he had thought it was due to Potter and his dislike for his father but in time he questioned this. Even if she wasn't Harry Potter's loyal sidekick he would still feel agitated by her no matter what.

Little Miss Know-it-all.

The sneering was back. No doubt she would spend the next hours until her muggle parents awoke with some reading. She had done so in the last week everyday. It was tiring and making him feel cranky for some reason.

Turning his attention back to Dumbledore he stared straight into the blue depths that were once again twinkling in obvious amusement. He, the feared Potions Master and Head of Slytherin, Ex-Death eater and spy for the Order of the Phoenix, seemed to be a never-ending source of amusement for the old headmaster.

"What?" He snapped but didn't care. Albus knew his temper and as usual it only seemed to intensify his twinkle.

"Severus, Severus. Tell me why is it that you dislike the poor girl so much? She is rather refreshing."

Trying to keep the sneer from his face and failing Snape's features seemed to darken.

"She is a bossy, little know-it-all who always has all the answers." It didn't sound convincing, not even to him.

The headmaster chuckled quietly. Making himself more comfortable in the arm chair he took a closer look at his ill tempered Potions Master. The last year had taken its toll on him- as it had on all of them. Nevertheless it was special for Severus. Having to force himself to do things he no longer wished to do, saying things he no longer wanted to say was tiring him. He looked even paler in the firelight and his features were as stern and cold as ever. Only few people were able to look behind the mask of the man made of ice and venom and see the tortured creature there. Strangely he had always thought that perhaps Hermione Granger could one day.

"I remember another know-it-all some twenty years back who turned out to be a powerful and respected Potions Master." Burning his eyes into the Professor's he continued softly as if talking to a panicking deer. "Don't judge others more harshly than yourself Severus."

"Who says I do?" The voice emitting from the Head of house sounded strangely enough laced with bitterness.

Sighing Albus Dumbledore knew to press the matter more would only force Severus into a more defensive position.

"Have you prepared everything for Ms Granger's return Severus?" Better to turn to topics of immediate concern.

Nodding the Potions Master walked towards the window again. Looking outside he crossed his arms defensively across his chest as if to ward off any more questions.

"I leave it to your capable hands to inform Ms Granger and her valuable friends of the change of living quarters responding to current events."

"I would love to but I have to return to the Ministry at once. Urgent business, unfortunately it can't wait. But Molly and Remus are informed and I have absolute faith in your abilities to explain everything to Ms Granger and her friends." Getting up with surprising agility he moved swiftly towards the door.

Surrendering before he had even started the discussion Snape followed Albus into the hall.

"I expect I will have to stay here for the next two weeks and then accompany Ms Granger back to Hogwarts?"

The old man nodded. "Yes. Under no circumstances is Ms Granger to be alone without your protection. If you get called please leave her in your room and ask Remus or Tonks to stay with her. And Severus-" He placed his hand on the dark clad arm of the other. "-I give you expressed permission to apparate with Ms Granger to the entrance to the Hogwarts grounds." Handing him a parchment he smiled slightly. "I decided to give Ms Granger her apparating licence earlier so it should be no problem."

With that he opened the door and they looked into Minerva McGonagall's face.

"Ready Albus?"

"Of course Minerva." Turning around one more time he moved his face towards Snape's.

"Please Severus, try to be gentle to the girl." Hesitating but then obviously having reached a decision he whispered "She is more important for your future than you think. There is a prophecy in the Ministry concerning you and Ms Granger. Alas, I have to leave now. See you later Severus!"

And with that he and Minerva disappeared someplace else leaving a frowning and utterly confused Potions Master behind in the entrance to Grimauld Place 12 in London. 

» » » » » » » » » »

The ticking of the clock slowly was driving her mad. In the last letter Ron had informed her that Moody and Tonks would be at her house around lunchtime to fetch her and they were to go by broomstick. Her stuff was packed, her parents were sitting with her in the living room but so far nobody had arrived. It was getting closer to one o'clock so there was no way around it- they had forgotten her.

In that moment she saw a dark shadow appearing out of nowhere next to her and all in a sudden Professor Snape stood next to her father who had jumped out of his chair in surprise.

"Hermione, you didn't tell us they would just appear." Her father looked a tad shocked but all in all he handled the situation well, she thought. The way Snape looked would scare most people.

"I had no idea, Dad. I thought they would fly here on their broomsticks." And nobody told me it would be Snape. She felt anger inside at her best friends who obviously thought that such information wasn't necessary for her.

Turning her attention towards Snape she saw that his eyes darted through the room as if he was checking for something.

I wonder what's wrong with him. Maybe it's just another way of showing me how much he despises me. Not that I need that, the potion lessons and the insults are more than enough for that.

Her father by now had obviously remembered his manners and stretched his hand towards Snape grinning madly.

"Welcome to our house!"

This caught Snape apparently by surprise as he raised one eye brow but shook Mr Granger's hand and forced a pleasant smile on his face.

"Thank you."

Hermione had never seen Snape smile so politely. It was mostly a cross between a sneer and a malevolent grin- if he did it all. It was rare and it transformed his face remarkably. The whole features looked all in a sudden smooth and there was even something like a spark in his eyes as he bent over her mother's hand and without touching it breathed a kiss on it. He looked elegant all in a sudden and judging from her mother's dreamy grin- handsome.

Oh no, what am I thinking? Snape and handsome in one sentence. I must be mad!

Turning to her he sneered noticing her stunned expression and before she knew what had happened he shook her hand as well.

His skin felt surprisingly warm and smooth and the way he gripped her hand tightly felt nice. And there- that was obvious amusement in his face when she felt a hot blush creep up her cheeks. For a moment she really considered that it was Ron or Harry using polyjuice potion and pretending to be Snape but they couldn't apparate so far.

"Now Ms Granger, can we leave. I have some more things to attend to today." His voice sounded silken and caressed her like velvet when it touched her ears.

Nodding mutely she motioned to her trunk but then she remembered that she wasn't allowed to apparate. How were they to get to London then?

"Ehm, Professor Snape?" Her voice sounded small even to her.

"Yes." Again that amused expression. It startled her.

"How are we going to get to London? I can't apparate." At his surprised expression she added "I am not yet 17. I have no licence."

For a moment something crept into his face that was very un-Snape-like. It was almost a leery grin- it made her feel uneasy. For some reason her necklace was burning hot against her skin and she felt repulsion.

Softly she whispered as if not making her parents hear. "Thanks for the necklace by the way."

Now his expression was clearly startled. And without being aware of it she perched away from him knowing without a doubt that this man standing before her was not her Potions Master.

Gripping her wand tightly she had only one thought spiralling in her head: How do I get my parents away? In that moment several things happened at the same time. The man pretending to be Snape raised his wand pointing it at her father and uttered two words that made the hair on her back rise: Avada kadavra! Another Snape appeared behind her father raising his wand and pushing her father out of the way so that the spell missed him. Hermione using the momentum pushed the false Snape out of the way and pointed her wand at him.

Next to her she heard a slight movement as somebody pointed a wand and then a well-known voice uttering a short "Stupefy!". But before the spell had a chance to reach the crumpled mess disappeared.

Still rigid Hermione turned towards her parents and found them on the floor behind the couch kneeling there wide eyed.

"Are you okay?" Quickly she checked them for injuries but other than being a bit startled they were indeed alright.

When she turned around Snape still stood next to the door leading to the hall and watched her intensely. His wand had been pushed into his robes and he looked furious.

"Who was that?" Her voice sounded slightly quivering and she hated it.

"Lucius Malfoy." It sounded like a curse the way he uttered it.

"What? Why?" Now all pretence was gone and she felt panic flood her. Lucius Malfoy should have been in Azkaban right now for being a Death Eater.

Snape's eyes flickered and he sighed.

"Ms Granger, I would really appreciate it if we could talk about it when you are safe. It is of extreme importance that we leave immediately."

"But what about my parents? We can't leave them here all unprotected."

"Moody will be here in a second and take care of that but we have to leave now." His voice sounded pressed as if he was in pain.

The necklace was now cool against her neck and a strange impulse seemed to come from it. As if it wanted her to move closer to the Potions Master.

Still hesitating she put down her wand.

"How can I know that this time it is really you?"

He frowned shortly. "Ms Granger, I have no doubt that my necklace has informed you already that this time it is really me." Without another word he gripped her tightly around the waist and pressed her against his body. Before she could utter another word she saw out of the corners of her eyes Alastar Moody and Tonks appearing out of nowhere and then the cloak covered her completely. She felt the warmth radiating from Snape's body and if she really concentrated a faint hammering could be heard- his heartbeat.

That should prove to Harry and Ron that he is not a vampire.

Giving in to the temptation she snuggled into the fabric of his robe and closed her eyes. All in a sudden she was tired. Then she felt another strange sensation and before she knew what happened they were in London. Sighing she felt that somebody picked her up and snuggling into a warm chest she gave in to the sensation and was fast asleep.

Bewildered Snape looked at the girl in his arms and tried to block out how peaceful she looked. Sighing he carried her up the stairs into his room and placed her on the bed. She could as well sleep. After a moment's hesitation he got comfortable on the other of the bed. In sleep Hermione curled up and nuzzled her face in Snape's shoulder.