"Better a foolish bastard's death than someone with a whole life of
possibilities ahead."
"Foolish, yes, but a bastard you are not, Severus," he heard a voice say from the doorway.
"If you've come to console me, Albus, your time has been greatly wasted."
Dumbledore just ignored Snape's comment. "Severus, have I ever told you how important you are around here? I don't just mean to me, but to everyone, students included?"
"No, but wouldn't your time be better spent doing something productive?" Snape asked, desperately wanting his space.
"Actually, it wouldn't. At this very moment, Miss Grange is holed up in her dormitory and won't let anyone in. Mr. Potter is attempting to explain the situation to Mr. Weasley who won't' listen, and Mr. Malfoy is playing Wizards Chess with a very astounded Colin Creevy. I believe young Draco even complimented him on his photographs."
"Wonderful," Snape replied sarcastically. "What does this have to do with me?" He still did not look at the older wizard.
"Severus, whether you believe it or not, each one of these students relies on you. Mr. Malfoy sees you as a father. Mr. Potter acknowledges you as the reason he's still alive. Mr. Weasley would too if he wasn't so stubborn. And, as for Miss Granger, she has relished in your ability to challenge her. You see, Severus, every student who comes through this school learns from you, whether they admit it or not. You are the cornerstone of this establishment in a way."
Minerva McGonagall, Transfigurations Professor, took this opportunity to walk in.
"Oh, great. Another pep talk is it? Are you the one who's going to tell me to fix this and apologize; say I was sorry?"
"Actually, yes I am, Severus," McGonagall replied.
"If you two don't leave me to some time by myself, I may just have to commit suicide." He didn't really mean it; it was more of a point.
"Yes, well, if you don't at least try to make this better, Miss Granger my do just that," said McGonagall, playing along. Snape had not thought of that. Fortunately, Hermione had not either, but Severus was unaware of that fact.
"Merlin, could this get any worse?" he asked to no one in particular. Dumbledore was now wandering around the dungeon, looking at various supplies. He could have left, but he wanted to find out what Minerva had to say. Severus probably needed to hear it anyway. Served him right.
McGonagall spoke. "Severus, I told you to be gentle."
"Yes, that would have worked wonderfully." Again the sarcasm. "Minerva, do you honestly think I wanted to do this?'
"You didn't have to do it. No one forced you."
"Then what was all that this morning? You basically told me I had to."
"When have you ever listened to me? Severus, I demand you talk to her. You've most assuredly broken the poor girl's heart. Besides, she's no use to us this way and neither are you."
"All right! That's quite enough. I'll talk to her. I'll be lucky if she'll ever talk to me again, but I will try," Snape finally said out of exasperation.
Dumbledore smiled as he walked out of the room. Minerva followed at his heels. They had sufficiently done their job.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Harry was desperately trying to talk to Ron who was avoiding him when Hermione ran through the Gryffindor common room to the girls' dormitory.
"I knew it!" Ron said, triumphantly. "Harry, I told you Snape was no good. I accept your apology."
"What apology?" Harry asked, rather upset. "Snape is not evil!"
"Then how do you explain Hermione?"
Harry could not answer that. To be honest, he was quite baffled by it.
"I told you, Harry," Ron said to his silence. "You have to believe me now. If he really loved her, he wouldn't have made her cry like that. Probably did something really bad."
Harry could not take it anymore. He needed answers, and he needed to get away from Ron before something bad really did happen between the two friends. Harry ran to the girls' dorm.
"Hermione, let me in. Please? Come on Hermione. You need to talk about this!"
"Go way! I'm never coming out, and you're never coming in. Just leave me alone!" she responded.
Harry knew he was not getting in that way.
"Alohamora." Nothing.
"Alohamora!" Still nothing.
"Come on Hermione. At least tell me what happened."
"I'm not talking to anyone!"
Harry just sighed as he slumped by the door. He definitely was getting nowhere that way. Maybe someone else would be more helpful. It was worth a shot.
"Fine, you stay in there. Don't expect me to leave for long. I'll be back later," he said. As an afterthought, Harry added, "with Snape!" He ran down to the common room, past a smug Ron and to the Great Hall. If he had not rushed off so quickly, Harry would have heard an agonizing sob from Hermione. Why did he have to mention that name? She could not bare it. She would rather die before admitting to Ron he had been right. No, she would stay here come Hell, high water, or Moldy Voldy himself. When Hermione made up her mind, there was no going back.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Draco, I need your help," a breathless Harry said to the Slytherin who was now helping some astounded first year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs with their homework.
"What's wrong? It's not Ron again, is it?'
Harry shook his head. "Hermione."
Draco became very serious. "What happened?"
"I don't know. She wouldn't tell me."
They moved to a corner of the hall and spoke in whispers.
Harry continued, "She ran into the Gryffindor tower and locked herself in her dormitory. She'd definitely been crying."
"Snape?
"I can't think of any other reason."
"But why would he . . he seemed so happy." Draco asked. He was very concerned. Something was wrong, and it needed to be righted immediately.
"I think we should find him. Maybe he would tell us something."
"No, not now. It's almost dinnertime. If he doesn't show up, we'll go look for him. If he does show, then we'll observe him and see if he's acting oddly."
"Oh, I get it," Harry said. "We'll create less suspicion that way. I always knew you were good at this stuff, Draco."
"Thanks," replied Draco, a bit bashfully.
End Part 5
"Foolish, yes, but a bastard you are not, Severus," he heard a voice say from the doorway.
"If you've come to console me, Albus, your time has been greatly wasted."
Dumbledore just ignored Snape's comment. "Severus, have I ever told you how important you are around here? I don't just mean to me, but to everyone, students included?"
"No, but wouldn't your time be better spent doing something productive?" Snape asked, desperately wanting his space.
"Actually, it wouldn't. At this very moment, Miss Grange is holed up in her dormitory and won't let anyone in. Mr. Potter is attempting to explain the situation to Mr. Weasley who won't' listen, and Mr. Malfoy is playing Wizards Chess with a very astounded Colin Creevy. I believe young Draco even complimented him on his photographs."
"Wonderful," Snape replied sarcastically. "What does this have to do with me?" He still did not look at the older wizard.
"Severus, whether you believe it or not, each one of these students relies on you. Mr. Malfoy sees you as a father. Mr. Potter acknowledges you as the reason he's still alive. Mr. Weasley would too if he wasn't so stubborn. And, as for Miss Granger, she has relished in your ability to challenge her. You see, Severus, every student who comes through this school learns from you, whether they admit it or not. You are the cornerstone of this establishment in a way."
Minerva McGonagall, Transfigurations Professor, took this opportunity to walk in.
"Oh, great. Another pep talk is it? Are you the one who's going to tell me to fix this and apologize; say I was sorry?"
"Actually, yes I am, Severus," McGonagall replied.
"If you two don't leave me to some time by myself, I may just have to commit suicide." He didn't really mean it; it was more of a point.
"Yes, well, if you don't at least try to make this better, Miss Granger my do just that," said McGonagall, playing along. Snape had not thought of that. Fortunately, Hermione had not either, but Severus was unaware of that fact.
"Merlin, could this get any worse?" he asked to no one in particular. Dumbledore was now wandering around the dungeon, looking at various supplies. He could have left, but he wanted to find out what Minerva had to say. Severus probably needed to hear it anyway. Served him right.
McGonagall spoke. "Severus, I told you to be gentle."
"Yes, that would have worked wonderfully." Again the sarcasm. "Minerva, do you honestly think I wanted to do this?'
"You didn't have to do it. No one forced you."
"Then what was all that this morning? You basically told me I had to."
"When have you ever listened to me? Severus, I demand you talk to her. You've most assuredly broken the poor girl's heart. Besides, she's no use to us this way and neither are you."
"All right! That's quite enough. I'll talk to her. I'll be lucky if she'll ever talk to me again, but I will try," Snape finally said out of exasperation.
Dumbledore smiled as he walked out of the room. Minerva followed at his heels. They had sufficiently done their job.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Harry was desperately trying to talk to Ron who was avoiding him when Hermione ran through the Gryffindor common room to the girls' dormitory.
"I knew it!" Ron said, triumphantly. "Harry, I told you Snape was no good. I accept your apology."
"What apology?" Harry asked, rather upset. "Snape is not evil!"
"Then how do you explain Hermione?"
Harry could not answer that. To be honest, he was quite baffled by it.
"I told you, Harry," Ron said to his silence. "You have to believe me now. If he really loved her, he wouldn't have made her cry like that. Probably did something really bad."
Harry could not take it anymore. He needed answers, and he needed to get away from Ron before something bad really did happen between the two friends. Harry ran to the girls' dorm.
"Hermione, let me in. Please? Come on Hermione. You need to talk about this!"
"Go way! I'm never coming out, and you're never coming in. Just leave me alone!" she responded.
Harry knew he was not getting in that way.
"Alohamora." Nothing.
"Alohamora!" Still nothing.
"Come on Hermione. At least tell me what happened."
"I'm not talking to anyone!"
Harry just sighed as he slumped by the door. He definitely was getting nowhere that way. Maybe someone else would be more helpful. It was worth a shot.
"Fine, you stay in there. Don't expect me to leave for long. I'll be back later," he said. As an afterthought, Harry added, "with Snape!" He ran down to the common room, past a smug Ron and to the Great Hall. If he had not rushed off so quickly, Harry would have heard an agonizing sob from Hermione. Why did he have to mention that name? She could not bare it. She would rather die before admitting to Ron he had been right. No, she would stay here come Hell, high water, or Moldy Voldy himself. When Hermione made up her mind, there was no going back.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Draco, I need your help," a breathless Harry said to the Slytherin who was now helping some astounded first year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs with their homework.
"What's wrong? It's not Ron again, is it?'
Harry shook his head. "Hermione."
Draco became very serious. "What happened?"
"I don't know. She wouldn't tell me."
They moved to a corner of the hall and spoke in whispers.
Harry continued, "She ran into the Gryffindor tower and locked herself in her dormitory. She'd definitely been crying."
"Snape?
"I can't think of any other reason."
"But why would he . . he seemed so happy." Draco asked. He was very concerned. Something was wrong, and it needed to be righted immediately.
"I think we should find him. Maybe he would tell us something."
"No, not now. It's almost dinnertime. If he doesn't show up, we'll go look for him. If he does show, then we'll observe him and see if he's acting oddly."
"Oh, I get it," Harry said. "We'll create less suspicion that way. I always knew you were good at this stuff, Draco."
"Thanks," replied Draco, a bit bashfully.
End Part 5