Time has a funny way of speeding up when you wish that it would slow down, as Hermione quickly realized. The three weeks until graduation seemed to breeze by, leaving her lost in the tangle of her own thoughts and the festivities that came with their ever approaching last day. NEWTS were done, the results would be coming soon, and almost everyone had picked out a career path. Almost everyone except for her. Finally, it was with a heavy heart that she found herself sitting at the Gryffindor table for the last time at the leaving feast.
"So 'Mione, make up your mind yet?" She had chosen not to tell Harry and Ron all the details of Sabriel's visit. The only thing she had revealed to her friends was that she had some kind of special power, and that she could be entering into special training for her power.
"Not yet Ron." She admitted truthfully. She could chose not to come back, she could just not show up, Sabriel hadn't given her a choice, but she doubted that the old witch would forcefully come and drag her off to be trained. She had the strange feeling that whatever exactly her power was, it could be very bad indeed.
"Who'd have thunk it? Our resident bushy-haired know-it-all doesn't know what she wants to do! I always thought you've had your future planned since you popped out of your mum!" Hermione gave Ron a playful smack at his rather crude way of putting things.
"If it makes you feel any better Hermione, I'm beginning to have second thoughts about Auror training too. But I want to don't want to sit on my ass doing nothing while Voldemort gains power." She gave a small smile at Harry before turning her attention back to the food, struggling with the decision she'd have to make.
She'd never backed down from a challenge in her life ever. But then again, she'd also never had to make a decision that weighed on her like this one was. The book that Sabriel had given her did very little to calm her fears, if anything it increased them. Her Gryffindor moralities were telling her that to follow the path that Sabriel had presented her with would be very bad, but at the same time, her Gryffindor stubbornness was telling her not to back down.
She turned her thoughts away from the decision that she knew she'd have to make and back to the feast. She had a week to make up her mind, didn't she? She had a full seven days to decide things. She launched herself back into to the conversation, interjecting her thoughts on everything and anything the rest of Gryffindor table brought up, from the last quidditch match played to who had changed much over the past seven years, that award going to Neville Longbottom. She would be damned if she didn't make the most of her last night at Hogwarts.
After everyone had eaten, and everyone but the seventh years had left, the four house tables were banished to the sides of the great hall, and a small stage was conjured in place of the head table. All of the graduating class of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry looked around appreciatively, obviously enjoying the changes that the Great Hall was going through, to accommodate the graduation dance. It was one of the traditions that everyone in the school looked forward to, once they found out about it.
One of the house tables was suddenly covered in deserts and drinks, and music floated towards them from the stage. The Weird Sisters had come to play for the feast, and everyone had either made their way to the center of the hall to dance, or for those shyer folks, to the desert table to sit with a glass of punch and pray for someone to ask you to dance. Hermione was one of the ones who had chosen to sit off to the side, lost in reverie about the place she had grown to think of as home for the past seven years.
Until she felt his gaze upon her. She looked up from the bottom of her glass to find dark obsidian eyes fixed on her. She knew those eyes all to well, she had seen that same glare too many times before in potions class, it was the glare of the feared Professor Snape, when he was not happy. But the look on his face was not one of fury; rather it was blank and unreadable. When he caught her gaze, he gave her a curt nod, never breaking eye contact. She instead turned and finished her punch, deciding to take the initiative and ask some of the boys to dance herself.
She started with Neville, and slowly but surely worked her way through half the boys-no men now, she chided herself, in the room, she excused herself. She walked first towards the bathrooms, before she easily changed directions and found herself sitting on the large staircase that marked the main entrance to the majestic castle. She sat on the cool stone steps, her head against one wall, enjoying the beautiful view of the lake for the last time. Somehow, though, she had the nagging feeling that she would see it again.
The creaking of the large oak doors behind her made her jump out of her daydreams. She looked up to see the same feared potions professor that had been staring at her intently now standing in the threshold of the castle. "Miss Granger," He purred, "Why are you not inside, enjoying the celebration like the rest of your classmates?"
"Just wanted a breath of fresh air." He nodded, and to her surprise, sat down as well, his back against the other wall, long legs stretched out in front of him.
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, both of them enjoying the gorgeous view of the grounds, lush with summery bliss. It was Snape who finally broke the silence. "Sabriel has asked me to remind you to think about whether you choose your own path or not. I'll warn you now though, Sabriel can be difficult at best, and I'm sure no one in their right mind would think less of you for not going with her."
"Would you think less of me?" She questioned quietly.
"I've had the misfortune of dealing with my sister. I would question the sorting hat's choice to put you in Gryffindor over Ravenclaw, but I would not think less of you for deciding to escape with your sanity, if not your life." It was then that her mind was made up. "Now Miss Granger, run back to your friends inside before I'm forced to take house points. It's not to late to lose the cup you know." He said with a smirk, and her mouth twitched into a smile as well.
"Goodbye professor."
"I trust I'll be seeing you again." He said simply. She got up, and carefully stepped over his outstretched legs to head back into the party, leaving him staring at the lake.
