5/23/04
Toxic Part 8
"Really, Ginny do you think Harry would like to be back at Grimmauld place? You know with Sirius' death and all?"
"It's not going to be a problem Mione', after all we're throwing him a party. What could go wrong?"
'Oh, Ginny if you only knew.' Was all Hermione could think. What if Harry got mad at them for doing something like this? This last year he had become more withdrawn, and maybe a little more apt to be snarky.
"Mione' you look tense, how have you been?" Well, if she wanted to ignore the subject of Harry getting miffed about this party then Hermione was not going to stop her.
"Well, Ginny, Professor Snape has been acting odd lately." Hermione's eyes sparkled and there was a wistful quality to her voice, that hadn't been there before.
Hermione and Ginny were so lost in conversation neither of them noticed that they had company. They were talking animatedly so it was easy for them to be followed. McNair had trailed them from Madam Savliaggo's, keeping close enough to hear what they were saying but not close enough for them to suspect.
"Hum." Ginny liked the sound of this. After all it was high time Hermione got her head out of books and onto guys. "How so?"
"I didn't want to tell you in a letter, but he gave me the most wonderful present for my birthday. Then just the other evening when we were working together..." But Hermione trailed off, it seemed she wasn't sure of what she was going to say.
"Out with it Mione', I would tell you if it was me." Ginny was hoping her plea would appeal to that part of Hermione that longed for a sister.
Hermione wasn't sure about saying what had transpired between herself and Professor Snape; at least not where others could hear. In the end Ginny was right in her hope that Hermione missed their sisterly talks.
Ginny listened to the whole story, starting from the night of the Leaving Feast. She was so lost in Hermione's tale that she only made the occasional acknowledgement of agreement. Ginny stared wide-eyed when Hermione spoke of the evening Severus was called by the Dark Lord. Hermione noted the look of surprise and confusion on Ginny's face when she told her about how she was intrigued at seeing him in his Death Eater robes.
Hermione could no longer hide the truth from her friend, or herself. She had seen all of Severus' light and she loved him even through his darkness. It seemed to Hermione that the darkness around his heart was the part of him that intrigued her the most. Her Gryffindor courage, wished to fight whatever demon held his heart captive, just so she could call it her own.
McNair heard all that he needed to justify his master's use of the Killing Curse, he dissapparated from Diagon Alley moments later.
"But Mione', what you're telling me is..."
"Yeah, Ginny, he takes my breath away. When I'm near him everything is different. Its like..." Hermione never finished her words.
She felt two strong arms wrap around her waist and felt a warm breath pass across her cheek. "You weren't talking about me, now were you?" Oliver's voice whispered in her ear.
Ginny saw the look on Hermione's face and jumped right in, "Hi, Wood. What are you doing here?"
Oliver settled his arm around Hermione's waist and started walking with them, "Well, Harry has a birthday coming up, and I thought I would get his present out of the way. What about you?" He looked adoringly at Hermione.
"Shopping for Harry." Hermione tried in vain to free herself from Oliver's grasp. Just the feel of his arms around her had Hermione wanting to find the nearest loo.
"Yeah, Mione' is throwing him a party." Damn, she had slipped; Oliver wasn't supposed to know about the party! Ginny mentally kicked herself at the harsh look Hermione threw her way.
"Oh, I haven't gotten my invite yet. Hope I won't be late, not knowing the time or place." Oliver said nonplussed.
Oliver was part of the Order since his graduation, so he knew all about Grimmauld Place. So why hadn't Hermione asked him to come? Just than Ginny had an epiphany, and seeing her chance to turn up the heat on her good old Potions Professor, the youngest Weasley jumped at the chance, "It'll be at Grimmauld Place. Why don't you come? 8 o'clock this Saturday."
Ok, so the hexing she was going to get from Hermione might just be worth it. "Sure I'll be there. By the way, would you like to have lunch today, Mione'?"
"Well, I..."
"She would love to. I have to go meet Harry anyway. Bye, Mione. See you at the Order meeting in the Burrow tonight, Oliver." At that Ginny left Hermione staring daggers after her.
As Ginny walked off into the other direction, Oliver pulled Hermione close and started down the street with her. They hadn't spent any time together without the rest of the Golden Trio, and so he was just happy to have her here with him, alone.
"Mione', you ok?" His voice was soft and warm; not like the smooth velvet of Professor Snape's. Oh, bloody hell, she was going to have to stop thinking of him if she was going to get through lunch with Oliver.
"Hmm? Oh, yes, Oliver I'm fine." Hermione said through a forced smile.
"How is your holiday going? I mean you really can't enjoy being walled up in that old house with no company?"
"I have Professor Snape." Her tone held a hint of annoyance.
"Mione', you can't count Snape, that's more punishment than anything else." Oliver didn't like the way this was going. After all what was Hermione doing defending Snape, and why the hell did it bother him so much?
"I swear Oliver, you're worse than Ron and Harry." There was a look on her face that he knew meant the discussion was closed. They went on with their lunch and the conversation was steered toward safer waters.
It was well past Tea Time and Miss Granger still hadn't come back from her shopping trip and all Severus could think was the worst. These were dangerous times for everyone, not to mention more so for a friend of the- boy-who-lived-to-be-a-thorn-in-his-side. There was only one thing Severus could do; he would floo into Diagon Alley, find the little chit and drag her home.
If anything happened to her, Severus would never be able to forgive himself. Not to mention Albus would have his arse thrown into Azkaban, faster than Longbottom could melt a cauldron.
Severus walked over to the fireplace taking a handful of Floo Powder from the jar on the mantle. He gracefully stepped into the fireplace, tossing the powder to the ground as he called out, "Diagon Alley."
Within moments he was gone from the study and standing outside of Flourish and Blotts. 'Now, if I were Miss Granger where would I be?' Turing around Severus realized that they were more alike then either of them wanted to admit, and so he strode into the bookshop. He searched every isle, even asking the clerk if he had seen a young girl that fit Hermione's description.
"Yes, sir. Earlier today, 'bout noon." What the hell was he going to do if she wasn't in the bookstore?
Severus left the store to continue his search, he soon found himself outside of Florian Fortescue's ice cream shop. Odd that his feet would take him here, after all the only thing he like more than books or potions was Florian's ice cream. Perhaps the object of his search would be inside.
Slowly he strode to the door, entering the shop Severus scanned his surroundings. There in the furthest corner sate Miss Granger, and like the ever-adoring puppy at his mistress' heel, Oliver Wood. The Potions Master felt his stomach bottom out, then fill with a nasty sensation almost like taking Skele-grow; Severus Snape would know after all the times Poppy had given it to him after one of the Dark Revels.
"Mione' really, tell me, what is it about Snape's company you like so much?" Oliver's thumb was rubbing against the top of her hand.
"That is none of your business." Her cheeks had gone a slight shade of pink at the question.
Snape had just caught what Wood had said and figured it was time sit in the shadows and do a little reconnaissance. This could get interesting, that was if Wood had guts enough to push for an answer.
"It was only a question, really Mione'. No reason to be so defensive. That is unless there is something to be defensive about."
Hermione pulled her hand away from him, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Oliver Wood, you are a bloody idiot. What do you want to know? That I enjoy Professor Snape's company?"
There was a moment of silence as the whole shop stilled. Hermione sensed that all eyes were on them now, and lowered her voice. "Well, I do. He is nothing like you think. All you see is the Professor who took points away from your precious Gryffindor."
"What are you saying Mione'? You haven't gotten soft on him have you?" There was a look of disgust on Oliver's face.
"All I am saying is that he isn't as bad as everyone thinks. That's all." Slowly Hermione took Oliver's hand, a sign that she no longer wished to argue.
Not as bad as everyone thinks? Well, he would just have to show her. Slipping out of the shadows Severus came to stand behind Oliver's seat. "Miss Granger, what pray tell are you doing here, and not back at headquarters?" His voice was like silk, over iron.
"I um, well you see sir...."
Oliver stood up to face him, "Oh, come off it Snape. Hermione is safe with me."
Professor Snape reached around Oliver and took Hermione by the hand and drew her close to his side. "Be that as it may, Miss Granger was supposed to be back hours ago. Now good day to you."
Grasping Hermione close to him, they disapperated from sight. Severus felt the tugging at his navel that apperation always caused, but there was something more there this time. It was a feeling of accomplishment. All those years ago he could never do it; today Snape changed all of that.
Today Severus Snape showed that there was more to him than just his snarky side. Today he proved that in this case he was the Alfa male. 'But why would that matter Severus?' The little Snape in his head keep repeating.
Toxic Part 8
"Really, Ginny do you think Harry would like to be back at Grimmauld place? You know with Sirius' death and all?"
"It's not going to be a problem Mione', after all we're throwing him a party. What could go wrong?"
'Oh, Ginny if you only knew.' Was all Hermione could think. What if Harry got mad at them for doing something like this? This last year he had become more withdrawn, and maybe a little more apt to be snarky.
"Mione' you look tense, how have you been?" Well, if she wanted to ignore the subject of Harry getting miffed about this party then Hermione was not going to stop her.
"Well, Ginny, Professor Snape has been acting odd lately." Hermione's eyes sparkled and there was a wistful quality to her voice, that hadn't been there before.
Hermione and Ginny were so lost in conversation neither of them noticed that they had company. They were talking animatedly so it was easy for them to be followed. McNair had trailed them from Madam Savliaggo's, keeping close enough to hear what they were saying but not close enough for them to suspect.
"Hum." Ginny liked the sound of this. After all it was high time Hermione got her head out of books and onto guys. "How so?"
"I didn't want to tell you in a letter, but he gave me the most wonderful present for my birthday. Then just the other evening when we were working together..." But Hermione trailed off, it seemed she wasn't sure of what she was going to say.
"Out with it Mione', I would tell you if it was me." Ginny was hoping her plea would appeal to that part of Hermione that longed for a sister.
Hermione wasn't sure about saying what had transpired between herself and Professor Snape; at least not where others could hear. In the end Ginny was right in her hope that Hermione missed their sisterly talks.
Ginny listened to the whole story, starting from the night of the Leaving Feast. She was so lost in Hermione's tale that she only made the occasional acknowledgement of agreement. Ginny stared wide-eyed when Hermione spoke of the evening Severus was called by the Dark Lord. Hermione noted the look of surprise and confusion on Ginny's face when she told her about how she was intrigued at seeing him in his Death Eater robes.
Hermione could no longer hide the truth from her friend, or herself. She had seen all of Severus' light and she loved him even through his darkness. It seemed to Hermione that the darkness around his heart was the part of him that intrigued her the most. Her Gryffindor courage, wished to fight whatever demon held his heart captive, just so she could call it her own.
McNair heard all that he needed to justify his master's use of the Killing Curse, he dissapparated from Diagon Alley moments later.
"But Mione', what you're telling me is..."
"Yeah, Ginny, he takes my breath away. When I'm near him everything is different. Its like..." Hermione never finished her words.
She felt two strong arms wrap around her waist and felt a warm breath pass across her cheek. "You weren't talking about me, now were you?" Oliver's voice whispered in her ear.
Ginny saw the look on Hermione's face and jumped right in, "Hi, Wood. What are you doing here?"
Oliver settled his arm around Hermione's waist and started walking with them, "Well, Harry has a birthday coming up, and I thought I would get his present out of the way. What about you?" He looked adoringly at Hermione.
"Shopping for Harry." Hermione tried in vain to free herself from Oliver's grasp. Just the feel of his arms around her had Hermione wanting to find the nearest loo.
"Yeah, Mione' is throwing him a party." Damn, she had slipped; Oliver wasn't supposed to know about the party! Ginny mentally kicked herself at the harsh look Hermione threw her way.
"Oh, I haven't gotten my invite yet. Hope I won't be late, not knowing the time or place." Oliver said nonplussed.
Oliver was part of the Order since his graduation, so he knew all about Grimmauld Place. So why hadn't Hermione asked him to come? Just than Ginny had an epiphany, and seeing her chance to turn up the heat on her good old Potions Professor, the youngest Weasley jumped at the chance, "It'll be at Grimmauld Place. Why don't you come? 8 o'clock this Saturday."
Ok, so the hexing she was going to get from Hermione might just be worth it. "Sure I'll be there. By the way, would you like to have lunch today, Mione'?"
"Well, I..."
"She would love to. I have to go meet Harry anyway. Bye, Mione. See you at the Order meeting in the Burrow tonight, Oliver." At that Ginny left Hermione staring daggers after her.
As Ginny walked off into the other direction, Oliver pulled Hermione close and started down the street with her. They hadn't spent any time together without the rest of the Golden Trio, and so he was just happy to have her here with him, alone.
"Mione', you ok?" His voice was soft and warm; not like the smooth velvet of Professor Snape's. Oh, bloody hell, she was going to have to stop thinking of him if she was going to get through lunch with Oliver.
"Hmm? Oh, yes, Oliver I'm fine." Hermione said through a forced smile.
"How is your holiday going? I mean you really can't enjoy being walled up in that old house with no company?"
"I have Professor Snape." Her tone held a hint of annoyance.
"Mione', you can't count Snape, that's more punishment than anything else." Oliver didn't like the way this was going. After all what was Hermione doing defending Snape, and why the hell did it bother him so much?
"I swear Oliver, you're worse than Ron and Harry." There was a look on her face that he knew meant the discussion was closed. They went on with their lunch and the conversation was steered toward safer waters.
It was well past Tea Time and Miss Granger still hadn't come back from her shopping trip and all Severus could think was the worst. These were dangerous times for everyone, not to mention more so for a friend of the- boy-who-lived-to-be-a-thorn-in-his-side. There was only one thing Severus could do; he would floo into Diagon Alley, find the little chit and drag her home.
If anything happened to her, Severus would never be able to forgive himself. Not to mention Albus would have his arse thrown into Azkaban, faster than Longbottom could melt a cauldron.
Severus walked over to the fireplace taking a handful of Floo Powder from the jar on the mantle. He gracefully stepped into the fireplace, tossing the powder to the ground as he called out, "Diagon Alley."
Within moments he was gone from the study and standing outside of Flourish and Blotts. 'Now, if I were Miss Granger where would I be?' Turing around Severus realized that they were more alike then either of them wanted to admit, and so he strode into the bookshop. He searched every isle, even asking the clerk if he had seen a young girl that fit Hermione's description.
"Yes, sir. Earlier today, 'bout noon." What the hell was he going to do if she wasn't in the bookstore?
Severus left the store to continue his search, he soon found himself outside of Florian Fortescue's ice cream shop. Odd that his feet would take him here, after all the only thing he like more than books or potions was Florian's ice cream. Perhaps the object of his search would be inside.
Slowly he strode to the door, entering the shop Severus scanned his surroundings. There in the furthest corner sate Miss Granger, and like the ever-adoring puppy at his mistress' heel, Oliver Wood. The Potions Master felt his stomach bottom out, then fill with a nasty sensation almost like taking Skele-grow; Severus Snape would know after all the times Poppy had given it to him after one of the Dark Revels.
"Mione' really, tell me, what is it about Snape's company you like so much?" Oliver's thumb was rubbing against the top of her hand.
"That is none of your business." Her cheeks had gone a slight shade of pink at the question.
Snape had just caught what Wood had said and figured it was time sit in the shadows and do a little reconnaissance. This could get interesting, that was if Wood had guts enough to push for an answer.
"It was only a question, really Mione'. No reason to be so defensive. That is unless there is something to be defensive about."
Hermione pulled her hand away from him, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Oliver Wood, you are a bloody idiot. What do you want to know? That I enjoy Professor Snape's company?"
There was a moment of silence as the whole shop stilled. Hermione sensed that all eyes were on them now, and lowered her voice. "Well, I do. He is nothing like you think. All you see is the Professor who took points away from your precious Gryffindor."
"What are you saying Mione'? You haven't gotten soft on him have you?" There was a look of disgust on Oliver's face.
"All I am saying is that he isn't as bad as everyone thinks. That's all." Slowly Hermione took Oliver's hand, a sign that she no longer wished to argue.
Not as bad as everyone thinks? Well, he would just have to show her. Slipping out of the shadows Severus came to stand behind Oliver's seat. "Miss Granger, what pray tell are you doing here, and not back at headquarters?" His voice was like silk, over iron.
"I um, well you see sir...."
Oliver stood up to face him, "Oh, come off it Snape. Hermione is safe with me."
Professor Snape reached around Oliver and took Hermione by the hand and drew her close to his side. "Be that as it may, Miss Granger was supposed to be back hours ago. Now good day to you."
Grasping Hermione close to him, they disapperated from sight. Severus felt the tugging at his navel that apperation always caused, but there was something more there this time. It was a feeling of accomplishment. All those years ago he could never do it; today Snape changed all of that.
Today Severus Snape showed that there was more to him than just his snarky side. Today he proved that in this case he was the Alfa male. 'But why would that matter Severus?' The little Snape in his head keep repeating.