One Young Heart
Chapter 11: An Unfortunately Animate Box
Hermione was exhausted. Immediately after waking the next morning, she had grabbed a bite of toast and headed to Snape's classroom again. Entering through the door that he had opened for her, she found the laboratory cleaned, and the Potions Master seated upon the floor of the room below it, looking quizzically up at the hole, which had widened to include nearly the entire room as the Wolfsbane Potion ate at it all night. Having no idea where the stairs were, Hermione jumped down behind him. He didn't turn, but asked quietly "Miss Granger, why did you not run to the Headmaster upon discovering me?" Hermione swallowed. She didn't really know herself. "Well," she said gently, uncertain how he would respond to teasing, "I thought that Harry would find out, and spend a week asking why I didn't leave you to die, sir." "Ha, Ha, Miss Granger. Answer the question."
Okay, so teasing isn't good. She thought back to that day, then said slowly "Well, sir, I always thought you, uh, well, didn't like the Headmaster that well..." she started talking faster "you always seem to avoid expressing emotion around him, unless it's about Harry, and that doesn't count. I also noticed that you don't talk to him at meals at all and I didn't want you to get in more trouble. Besides," she continued, definitely babbling now, "They say that the mind is weaker to Oclumency when in pain, and we wouldn't, I mean you wouldn't want Voldemort to know, now would you? Because if he knew, he'd..." Snape turned around, with an indefinable look on his face. Not smiling she couldn't even imagine him smiling, but possible less distant, less neutral than usual. "Miss Granger, relax. Setting new records for speed-speaking will not influence my opinion at all. You are correct, as ever." The look in his eyes became cold as he said that, colder than ever they had been when he looked at Harry, and Hermione wondered again just how sincere his irritation with Harry really was. "Why, sir?" His eyes refocused on her instantly, flashing fire. "None of your business! Let me alone. Return to your dormitory at once!" Slightly, all right, flat out terrified by his automatic anger, she nonetheless managed an innocent smile as she said. "I can't, sir. I'm your assistant, and I'm supposed to be assisting right now." He seemed to realize he was beaten, but her relief faded as he turned away and told her to get the first-year potions and test them in his bedroom, as the Potions classroom was occupied by a club this hour.
Hermione stormed into the room and roughly began to alphabetize the potion samples. She thought that she could halt his self-protective irritation simply by refusing to bow to his anger, but he had turned away again. If there was any way that she could make him trust her, she would have to find a way to keep him from turning away. Left to his own devices, he would never come out of his shell, but she could never tell Snape willing to talk from Snape ready to bite her head off.
Above her, the proud woman's painting stared down silently.
Severus waited until she left, then began to create new support beams for the floor, devoting the absolute minimum of attention necessary to the task. Who did that girl think she was, prying into his life like that? Silly little know it all, she thought that guessing one fact meant she had a right to know all the others. She was probably working for Dumbledore, trying to bother him even in his own rooms. No. He knew that wasn't true. Miss Granger was not inclined to follow authority figures when she had a mind not to. 'Dumbledore's Army' sprang to mind. Still, that brought him back to- how much did she guess? She seemed to side with him rather than Albus, so she must have a reason.
Striding to the doorway, framed by the light streaming through the fake skylight in the hall behind him, he stopped short to see that she was still there, carefully testing the potions and recording the results. "Are you still here, Miss Granger?" She didn't look up as she said "Of course, sir. Where else where would I be?" She pointed over her shoulder at one vial, which she had thrown into the sample box. The box was bouncing and vibrating. "You might want to look at that one, sir, It seems to have developed some form of a lizard. Nearly bit my hand off."
Hermione was surprised by his return, but more so by his next words. "Albus Dumbledore is a rat who would rather serve a handful of vague ideals and a corrupt politician than keep faith with those who trusted him. Lest you should call Potter in to save the day, you should know that I have no choice but to serve him, and that I, too, am possessed of morals. If you have any other questions, feel free to keep them to yourself. I have a staff meeting. Place the unfortunately animate box in the classroom, and go bother someone else for the remainder of the day."
Severus watched her leave silently, then turned around and walked back into the depths of the castle, heading for the door that led to the staff room. He didn't know why he had said that to her, except that he was suddenly sick to death of pretense and false approval for the old man. He walked deeper into the castle, deeper into his own thoughts. Thoughts that were, for once, of redemption and trusting other people. Thoughts that lasted until he reentered the main school and its throngs of noisy students.
Chapter 11: An Unfortunately Animate Box
Hermione was exhausted. Immediately after waking the next morning, she had grabbed a bite of toast and headed to Snape's classroom again. Entering through the door that he had opened for her, she found the laboratory cleaned, and the Potions Master seated upon the floor of the room below it, looking quizzically up at the hole, which had widened to include nearly the entire room as the Wolfsbane Potion ate at it all night. Having no idea where the stairs were, Hermione jumped down behind him. He didn't turn, but asked quietly "Miss Granger, why did you not run to the Headmaster upon discovering me?" Hermione swallowed. She didn't really know herself. "Well," she said gently, uncertain how he would respond to teasing, "I thought that Harry would find out, and spend a week asking why I didn't leave you to die, sir." "Ha, Ha, Miss Granger. Answer the question."
Okay, so teasing isn't good. She thought back to that day, then said slowly "Well, sir, I always thought you, uh, well, didn't like the Headmaster that well..." she started talking faster "you always seem to avoid expressing emotion around him, unless it's about Harry, and that doesn't count. I also noticed that you don't talk to him at meals at all and I didn't want you to get in more trouble. Besides," she continued, definitely babbling now, "They say that the mind is weaker to Oclumency when in pain, and we wouldn't, I mean you wouldn't want Voldemort to know, now would you? Because if he knew, he'd..." Snape turned around, with an indefinable look on his face. Not smiling she couldn't even imagine him smiling, but possible less distant, less neutral than usual. "Miss Granger, relax. Setting new records for speed-speaking will not influence my opinion at all. You are correct, as ever." The look in his eyes became cold as he said that, colder than ever they had been when he looked at Harry, and Hermione wondered again just how sincere his irritation with Harry really was. "Why, sir?" His eyes refocused on her instantly, flashing fire. "None of your business! Let me alone. Return to your dormitory at once!" Slightly, all right, flat out terrified by his automatic anger, she nonetheless managed an innocent smile as she said. "I can't, sir. I'm your assistant, and I'm supposed to be assisting right now." He seemed to realize he was beaten, but her relief faded as he turned away and told her to get the first-year potions and test them in his bedroom, as the Potions classroom was occupied by a club this hour.
Hermione stormed into the room and roughly began to alphabetize the potion samples. She thought that she could halt his self-protective irritation simply by refusing to bow to his anger, but he had turned away again. If there was any way that she could make him trust her, she would have to find a way to keep him from turning away. Left to his own devices, he would never come out of his shell, but she could never tell Snape willing to talk from Snape ready to bite her head off.
Above her, the proud woman's painting stared down silently.
Severus waited until she left, then began to create new support beams for the floor, devoting the absolute minimum of attention necessary to the task. Who did that girl think she was, prying into his life like that? Silly little know it all, she thought that guessing one fact meant she had a right to know all the others. She was probably working for Dumbledore, trying to bother him even in his own rooms. No. He knew that wasn't true. Miss Granger was not inclined to follow authority figures when she had a mind not to. 'Dumbledore's Army' sprang to mind. Still, that brought him back to- how much did she guess? She seemed to side with him rather than Albus, so she must have a reason.
Striding to the doorway, framed by the light streaming through the fake skylight in the hall behind him, he stopped short to see that she was still there, carefully testing the potions and recording the results. "Are you still here, Miss Granger?" She didn't look up as she said "Of course, sir. Where else where would I be?" She pointed over her shoulder at one vial, which she had thrown into the sample box. The box was bouncing and vibrating. "You might want to look at that one, sir, It seems to have developed some form of a lizard. Nearly bit my hand off."
Hermione was surprised by his return, but more so by his next words. "Albus Dumbledore is a rat who would rather serve a handful of vague ideals and a corrupt politician than keep faith with those who trusted him. Lest you should call Potter in to save the day, you should know that I have no choice but to serve him, and that I, too, am possessed of morals. If you have any other questions, feel free to keep them to yourself. I have a staff meeting. Place the unfortunately animate box in the classroom, and go bother someone else for the remainder of the day."
Severus watched her leave silently, then turned around and walked back into the depths of the castle, heading for the door that led to the staff room. He didn't know why he had said that to her, except that he was suddenly sick to death of pretense and false approval for the old man. He walked deeper into the castle, deeper into his own thoughts. Thoughts that were, for once, of redemption and trusting other people. Thoughts that lasted until he reentered the main school and its throngs of noisy students.