Disclaimer:I do not own anything JK Rowling does.
A/N sorry for not updating so long but I'm busy and my beta is either, so it takes some time(ok, a lot of it) to write a chapter.
It was after midnight and Hermione had been tossing around in her bed for several hours. She couldn't sleep; she had had that dreaded dream again. Four students from each House: a Ravenclaw girl about twelve years old with dark blue, almost violet eyes and long golden hair, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old Slytherin boy with shoulder length brown hair, and black haired, green-eyed twins one from Hufflepuff another from Gryffindor who were about fifteen . All of them were under the effect of her Cruciatus potion, they looked terrified and in great pain. When she tried to reach for them in order to help them, she woke up, like she always did at this moment of the dream. She had had that nightmare once before when that young man had died a month before, but it had gone and shortly afterwards she had got a letter from Hogwarts and she was so glad that they were over. Hermione thought that she wouldn't have those dreams anymore but now... there was one of them again. She wanted to help, to save the students she saw in the dream so desperately but she couldn't. The nightmare was so vivid she could see the faces of the students changing from blue to pale white, their convulsions going stronger and then subsiding, their eyes pleading for her to save them, she could even physically feel the pain that killed them. It was horrible like something or someone was tearing her from inside and burning and drowning her at the same time. Tears threatened to start flowing, but she brushed them away, put her dark green close-fitting sportswear on and headed for the lake in order to have a good run.
The weather was a bit cold, wet and refreshing. She began to run, like she always did when she couldn't find sleep. This was one of the reasons she was so fit. But this time the running did not ease her mind as it usually did; her thoughts didn't go away. She accelerated her pace but she couldn't block her mind. Hermione heard the screams of pain of the students from her nightmare. They were becoming louder and louder.
Her tears began to fall and she couldn't see the ground she was running on very well any more. It was dark and rain started to pour out of the big clouds that had gathered around the Hogwarts sky during the evening. Hermione was running like a madwoman. She had become wet from the accumulated sweat, tears and rain and started to pant when she suddenly bumped into her former Professor. He caught her to keep her from falling down and looked straight into her eyes, looking very concerned.
"Watch where you're going, Hermione." Severus whispered, holding her in his arms.
"Sorry, Professor Snape," Hermione mumbled, trying to stop whimpering.
Severus looked at the downcast woman who was attempting to gain control of herself in his arms. She looked so full of sorrow and of despair. He held her for a one more moment until the whimper stopped.
"It's getting late, we should return to the castle" Snape suggested.
Hermione looked into the black pools his eyes formed, bowed her head and withdrew from his embrace. Somehow she even managed to forget her dream for a moment, and when she thought about it again it wasn't so painful anymore. They slowly started walking together in a comfortable silence, Severus at his normal pace and Hermione going faster than she was used to in order to keep up with him. Hermione was thankful for the silence; the last thing she wanted was to talk and especially to answer questions. But it still was good to have another person by her side. When the two of them reached Hermione's rooms, Severus bid her goodnight and strode to his quarters in the very depths of the dungeons.
Snape smirked "I think it's the only room in the castle which's not off- colored with idiotic talking paintings or overstocked with unnecessary items". He sank into his black leather armchair at the hearth. He liked it this way; he managed to furnish it like this while working as a spy for The Order. Afraid that he might have to pack his bags quickly, he had never accumulated a lot of personal belongings. He looked around the room and thoughts about the past invaded him anew. Severus hadn't had any nightmares for nearly half a year and now that Granger girl had appeared they started to torment him again. That is why he went for a little midnight walk, to push those thoughts out from his head but, of course, he had to meet her having a "night's jogging and bumping into potions professors" expedition. He hadn't managed to step aside from her because it was pitch darkness and he was deep in thought "One thing that you don't have to do when trying to clear your mind is to think", Severus pondered. He hadn't seen her until she smashed into him "For what reason does the loyal Gryffindor wear Slytherin-green, skintight garments, and why is she running in the middle of the night?", he wondered. As if it weren't enough, she has to be crying (or at least sniveling) and for hell knows what reason he embraced her. Severus didn't remember ever embracing the student or ex-student, nor anyone from the staff.
So his attempt to walk off didn't work even passably. Well, he had paid for his past sins for nearly twenty two years, and it seemed it still wasn't enough. Severus sighted "I'm too old for this; I'm just too bloody old." he thought. Snape poured himself half a glass of Firewhiskey and sipped it. A strong drink, that's what he needed at that moment. The problem was that the good old Firewhiskey wasn't working as well as it used to, after drinking half the bottle Severus surrendered and decided that instead of drinking he could do some useful work, so he went to the labs. Firewhiskey, Dreamless sleep potion and work had always been the only things that helped him not to think about the past.
He went to the main laboratory and remained riveted to the spot as he opened the door. The entire lab was decorated in Gryffindor red and gold. He smirked.
"I think I'll leave it this way for a day or two." He muttered to himself. "The little prankster will have to work in the green and silver environment in the next months, though."
After returning to her quarters Hermione decided that she needed to take a good long shower. As she also felt tired, she went to sleep soon after.
She hadn't slept that well for a very long time, for different reasons: a new experiment that was not going well, a strained relationship, a book she couldn't get her hands on. When she woke up the following morning she looked at her small, green sport wristwatch and froze. It showed ten to ten already. She had to meet Professor Snape in the main lab in ten minutes. She jumped out of bed, ran to the bathroom, showered, brushed her teeth, found her cerise sweater, blue jeans and white sneakers, dressed and hurried to the lab. She was five minutes late, nevertheless, and found professor Snape, his back to her, working at a cauldron. Gryffindor-like decorations were the way she'd left them the previous day and it seemed that the surrounding colors weren't annoying Snape at all. And just at that moment all the events of the night downed to her. 'Oh. My. God.' She started to think, 'I hugged Snape last night... though it was him who began.'
Hermione was lost in thought when she was startled by the silken voice.
"What are you staring at, may I ask?" he didn't turn to her or looked at her for that matter, so Hermione couldn't see his smirk.
"I..." Hermione was angry and was trying to think of a proper explanation.' Oh yes Professor, I have just been thinking that you embraced me and it didn't feel bad at all. Want to talk about that?'. That would not do.
"You are late and you're sorry" Severus finished her sentence. He managed to rip the smirk off his face and put his serious face expression on. Hermione shut her mouth. He wanted to put her in an unpleasant position, but he really didn't want to listen to her babbling moronic explanations. She was thankful for that because she couldn't think of any. He turned to face her "We've got some work to do. Have you finished reading my notes? "
"Almost, but it's a lot of reading and I thought about finishing this morning, but I overslept. "
"Do you really think I'm interested in the details of why you were late?" Hermione stared at him angrily for a while and then shook her head.
"Thought so. " Hermione wanted to say something about him treating her like a child, but he had changed the subject already.
"The main ingredient in the Cruciatus potion is African Water Dragon egg shell." He came back to his work at the cauldron and continued talking. "And, as I think you already know, it is poisonous and there is no good and stable antidote for this ingredient." Hermione nodded. "I tried all the ingredients used as the main part in various antidotes but none of them have worked. I thought about the time of the month, or position of the moon, but it didn't work too, all experiments ended the same."
"It worked the same way for me; I just do not understand why none of the unstable antidotes works, even for a few minutes or seconds."
"Because there are always ingredients used in the poison we can't mix with any of the antidotes."
"Yes, I've noticed that, but we can mix ivy with all of them and the experiment ended with a big bang anyway."
They talked about the use of various ingredients in potions and antidotes, and their experiments. Hermione was amazed at how easy it was to talk with her former teacher. And it looked like he was talking with her as with an equal. No sneering, glaring, sarcastic or insulting comments. It started to become a very interesting and pleasant discussion with a very interesting and intelligent person.
When Hermione looked at her watch she was startled, it was already fifteen past one, which meant they were late for lunch. Severus caught her looking at the clock.
"We should go to the Great Hall."
Hermione nodded and they went to lunch, still talking about potions.
"Yesterday I read in "The Charms Master" that our scientists have proved that the best wands for charms are made from birch and asp, though I don't agree about the latter. And cleaning with a sunflower or palm oils helps not to affect the wand while cleaning though everyone thought olive oil was the best."
Dumbledore was whispering something to Minerva McGonagall who was smiling and glancing at Lupin, who was sitting next to Hermione, looked like flirting with Professor Vector, who sat at the other side of him, because she was blushing a bit and Lupin had a wicked smile on his face. Hooch, Sprout, Pomfrey and Pince were gossiping about something and Sinistra was studying the top of the star map, food plate on the bottom of it. The Ancient Runes and Muggle studies Professors were both reading "Educators News". Severus and Hermione continued talking about their business and were deeply immersed in conversation about the influence of the moon position in potions making again.
As they were heading out the hall, after the meal, the Headmaster stopped them.
"Severus, could we have a little chat?" he asked lightly, but Severus noticed that his eyes weren't shining, which meant that something had happened and Dumbledore just didn't want anybody to notice.
"I'll go to the lab and get some work done" Hermione excused herself. "Blue Bubble Gum" the Headmaster said to the gargoyle. 'I wonder how his passion for candy hasn't killed him yet. 'Thought Severus.
They entered the Headmaster's office.
"Do you want some tea, Severus?" Dumbledore asked kindly.
"Don't walk in circles, Albus," murmured Severus.
"Straight as always, my dear boy? " Headmaster smiled.
"There was another one?" Severus asked. Headmaster nodded, not smiling anymore,
"Where?"
"Muggle London, though it was in a wizarding night club."
"Third one in the same place. A squib?" That was a statement.
"A young woman named Sally Egam." Severus swallowed; she was the older sister of one of the soon-to-be sixth years. "The same symptoms. "
"I'm not going to tell her. You do that. "
"You are her partner even if it's for a short time," he took a sip of lemon tea.
"I'm not good with emotional women."
"From the events of the last night I can say that you manage to do that just fine."
"You know that you are old and wicked coward sometimes, don't you? If I'm going to tell her then I'm going to tell her everything."
"It worthless, it won't do anything good for her it can even be dangerous, she's Gryffindor, Severus, and she'll try to check everything by herself."
"She can look after herself." The Headmaster nodded.
"Now," he started, "How long do you think it will take to make an antidote?"
"If we'll be very lucky it'll take several months at least just to find a first believable solution. And it takes more than month to brew the poison we'll need, so I started to brew it this morning, and it'll take about a month for each antidote."
"You understand that you have to work as fast as possible. Every day can bring a new victim."
"You know that I'm trying and doing everything I can, the girl is on the line of exhaustion already, I can't even find all the books I need because they have gone hundreds of years ago..." Severus sank in the chair opposite the Headmaster.
"I know it's hard for you and for Hermione," he brushed a temple with a palm." But you are the ones who can do the job and that's why you are working together. Do you need something?" the Headmaster asked.
Severus shook his head.
"Nothing you can do. I'm going back to work." Albus nodded.When Severus got back to the lab, he found Hermione sitting on the chair staring at the wall, though she looked like staring through it.
"There was another one, wasn't it?" she asked not looking to Severus and still staring at the wall.
"A squib", Severus sat next to her, "She was the third victim in the same wizarding club in Muggle London."
Hermione turned round to look at him.
"Why didn't Dumbledore tell this to me?" she was sad, confused and angry. "I'm not a child and I do not overreact!"
"You are a child for him; I'm a child for him. And he always tries to save people from worries and problems even if they don't need that."
"Is there more I should know?"
"We think that it was given to them like a new drug, well at least for the three in the club. The people from St. Mungo have found them in condition they couldn't speak." But those two men are a mystery."
"I need to go there." Hermione started to stare at the wall but not as unemotionally as earlier, she was thinking.
"You know that Aurors were there", Severus asked.
"And you are full aware that every wizard can recognize an Auror from a distance of hundred meters these days. They don't tell them anything. " Severus smirked.
"Just don't go there alone."
"Do I hear a worry in you voice, Professor?" Hermione teased.
"Don't try my nerves, Hermione." Hermione chuckled.
"You are brewing Cruciatus."
"We'll need some later."
They got back to work. Severus checked the potion and resumed their discussion. After several hours, they started to do some experiments with main parts of the poison.