The Meeting
It was late. Hermione rushed up the stairs of Hogwarts. "Why was she doing this," she thought as she just dodged yet another missing step. In her hand was a piece of parchment. Addressed to her, a letter, explaining that someone wanted to meet in the astronomy tower at midnight, on Friday. It was left in her room; her private Head Girl room, so no one else would have seen it. She had just finished her prefect duties, always having the late shift on Fridays. Huffing, she reached the top of the stairs and put the note in her robe pockets, exchanging it for her wand-incase the author of her mysterious note wasn't so friendly. She should have told Harry, just incase, but the note specifically said 'tell no one.' Rounding the longer corridor, Hermione opened the door to the tower and began to climb the circular steps to the highest point in Hogwarts. In her rush she hit a hard wall. "Blast!" Her eyes widened as the realization that it wasn't a wall at all. She knew exactly what it was. The black contours of cloth, that familiar smell of herbs. "Professor Snape. I can explain."
Hermione backed up and took out her wand. In her haste she'd forgotten to light it, and could have avoided this, disaster. "Lumous!" The dark stairs lit around her. Forcing herself to look up from the ground, she made eye contact with Snape. Funny, he didn't seem mad. Snape glared down at her, his usual non-committed facade firmly in place. "Miss. Granger, you are late." Hermione blinked and swallowed, "I left something up here in class you see and...late?" Did he say late? Her mind raced, again checking his expression. "You left the note?" Hermione's stunned expression exceedingly apparent, "Why all this secrecy? Why not just talk to me after class?" Snape turned and walked up the remaining flight of stairs and outside to the tower. His dark robes swishing in his wake. Hermione followed, admitting that her curiosity was peaked.
Snape paused abruptly, and turned to face Hermione. His eyes sizing her up, trying to decide if going to her was the best choice. Reassuring himself, he drew in a breath, "Granger, what do you know of my involvement in the Death Eaters?" his expression giving nothing away of what he was thinking. Overwhelmed by his question, Hermione tried to process. She knew he had been a suspect, since year five. That he was some how managing to do all this right under Dumbledore nose. That he was far too dangerous to be working at the School. "I know that you bear the Dark Mark, and that you, despite what you claim visit Lucius Malfoy regularly, whenever your brand calls you to him," her eyes focus on him, her defenses up, and her and hands at the ready in her deep pockets.
Snape grunted and held in a laugh, "You are very clever Miss. Granger. I think that is why I have chosen to come to you. I need your help." Hermione regarded him. Was he joking? "Help with what exactly?"
It was late. Hermione rushed up the stairs of Hogwarts. "Why was she doing this," she thought as she just dodged yet another missing step. In her hand was a piece of parchment. Addressed to her, a letter, explaining that someone wanted to meet in the astronomy tower at midnight, on Friday. It was left in her room; her private Head Girl room, so no one else would have seen it. She had just finished her prefect duties, always having the late shift on Fridays. Huffing, she reached the top of the stairs and put the note in her robe pockets, exchanging it for her wand-incase the author of her mysterious note wasn't so friendly. She should have told Harry, just incase, but the note specifically said 'tell no one.' Rounding the longer corridor, Hermione opened the door to the tower and began to climb the circular steps to the highest point in Hogwarts. In her rush she hit a hard wall. "Blast!" Her eyes widened as the realization that it wasn't a wall at all. She knew exactly what it was. The black contours of cloth, that familiar smell of herbs. "Professor Snape. I can explain."
Hermione backed up and took out her wand. In her haste she'd forgotten to light it, and could have avoided this, disaster. "Lumous!" The dark stairs lit around her. Forcing herself to look up from the ground, she made eye contact with Snape. Funny, he didn't seem mad. Snape glared down at her, his usual non-committed facade firmly in place. "Miss. Granger, you are late." Hermione blinked and swallowed, "I left something up here in class you see and...late?" Did he say late? Her mind raced, again checking his expression. "You left the note?" Hermione's stunned expression exceedingly apparent, "Why all this secrecy? Why not just talk to me after class?" Snape turned and walked up the remaining flight of stairs and outside to the tower. His dark robes swishing in his wake. Hermione followed, admitting that her curiosity was peaked.
Snape paused abruptly, and turned to face Hermione. His eyes sizing her up, trying to decide if going to her was the best choice. Reassuring himself, he drew in a breath, "Granger, what do you know of my involvement in the Death Eaters?" his expression giving nothing away of what he was thinking. Overwhelmed by his question, Hermione tried to process. She knew he had been a suspect, since year five. That he was some how managing to do all this right under Dumbledore nose. That he was far too dangerous to be working at the School. "I know that you bear the Dark Mark, and that you, despite what you claim visit Lucius Malfoy regularly, whenever your brand calls you to him," her eyes focus on him, her defenses up, and her and hands at the ready in her deep pockets.
Snape grunted and held in a laugh, "You are very clever Miss. Granger. I think that is why I have chosen to come to you. I need your help." Hermione regarded him. Was he joking? "Help with what exactly?"