~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~
It took Hermione fifteen minutes after her run in with Sirius and Lucius to find the potion room. The anger that was surging through her seemingly impaired her judgment, she passed the potions room twice. IT was only when she saw a very disgruntled looking Gryffindor girl enter the room that she had passed did she realize her error.
When she entered the potions class, the very same potions class that Severus Snape the evil master of the dark liquids had taught in she was shocked to see how very little had changed over the years. The room still smelled strongly of Molly roots and a slight tinge of rotmoss mingled wonderfully with it. Had she not hated the teacher with a passion back in her own time she would have said that potions class was her favorite subject.
Scanning the room, which was now filled with students from the houses of Slytherin and RavenClaw, she noticed two things. One Lucius Malfoy was trying to kill her with glares of mass hatred, apparently he had not forgotten there little conversation, she couldn't help but smirk at seeing that around his eye there was a slight bruising beginning to take affect. The second was that there was only one seat left in the room to the far right of the front of the class, right next to Snape.
She sighed managing to pull up a strand of courage from her depths she walked over to where Snape was sitting. He gave her a very weird look, raising an eye brown and then glancing down the length of her; he scowled and then softened. She returned his look with a scowl of her own.
" Do you mind if I sit here?" she inquired with sarcasm, as it was the only seat in the room.
He merle nodded giving her permission to sit by him, pulling out her chair she couldn't help but notice that some of the other Slytherin's and most of the Gryffendor's in the room were giving her very weird looks.
" Why are they staring at me?" She whispered to the side of her.
" Its normal, there judging you, just think your entire school career will be judged on how you perform in class and with people" She couldn't help but notice the vile spit that came off every word. This apparently was a sore spot for him. She merle nodded and started pulling out her books.
Suddenly and for some reason this all seemed very familiar to Hermione, the doors to the potion room were flung open and in strode Professor Lacouse, her now deep green robes trimmed with purple billowed out behind her. She headed straight for the front of the class; there was something rather familiar about all this. Turning on her heel Professor Lacouse faced the class her dark obsidian eyes piercing into the soles of every student in the room.
She cast a look at Hermione. She couldn't help but hold her breath, those eyes trailed the length of Hermione, judging her but making no standing comment, she looked to her left to were Snape was sitting. Hermione couldn't be sure but she thought she saw the Professor's eyes soften to him.
" Today we will be making a simple comma inducing potion, Please (her voice rose slightly) be reminded that we will be testing your potions on yourselves just before the end of the class, I suggest you get it right"
Hermione merle nodded, she had made this potion before in Snape's class, now she was IN Snape's class. This shouldn't be any different.
" Now" Professor Lacouse continued. " Do to the fact that this can be a very dangerous potion I will be pairing you off into groups of three." Hermione saw several people look around mouthing partner proposals to one another. " However! I will be pairing you up so that we will actually get some work done!"
A nervous shiver went around the room, now doubt there would be outer house pairings; this always proved to be very dangerous.
In a total of five minutes time, Hermione was trying to fight a heart attack, she was paired with a rather nice dark brown haired Gryffindor girl whom she hadn't met yet, and none other then the great so to be "Greasy Git".
Will this day get any worse, she thought to her self.
After a brief briefing the groups collected their things and migrated to there respect workstations. Hermione soon realized that Professor Lacouse hadn't put her and Snape together out of spite, he was actually a rather impressive lab partner. His caution and exact preseason with the ingredients and methods were amazing; she found her watching every move he made with fascination.
Little did she know that he was thinking the same thing about her.
The other girl who's name she still did not know, was rather playful and had tried to converse with Hermione several times, but due to her first day jitters she found she was not the greatest conversation worker. What amazed Hermione the most was that the girl did not seem to mind being place with two Slytherin's (even if one was an ex - Gryffindor).
Finally there potion was ready, it had achieve a soft blue huge that was required. Professor Lacouse came by and nodded approvingly at the group.
" Which one of you would like to test the potion?" she inquired after looking over there notes.
There was a slight pause between the three of them; each one wondering which one would take the plunge.
" I will" Whispered Hermione, surprised at her own daring. She didn't notice that Snape's eyes bulged slightly at this, he knew there was nothing wrong with the potion, but it still amazed him that the girl had guts.
" Very well Miss Granger" Murmured Professor Lacouse, she then preceded to pull out a chair, motioning for Hermione to sit. Then she ladled out some of the blue potion into a small vile and handed it to her.
With out a second thought Hermione downed the small portion of their concoction; unknown to her was the fact that the whole class was watching her.
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~
Hermione was walking through a field of golden hugged wheat, the softness of it seamed to bring New Hope to her heart. She stared out at the cornflower blue sky dotted with fluffy cotton clouds. Peaceful.
Then it changed.
Dark clouds rolled over the horizon of the fields of wheat, each stalk at the shadow from the clouds touched it withered and died, it began to rain. Not life giving water but a dark rich liquid.
Blood.
There was screaming, it sounded so familiar, she heard cries of people she knew. Ron, Harry. The clouds began moving towards her, her arm burned. She began to run, faster then she could physically go. The clouds behind her began to take a shape; she chanced a look back.
It was the face of Voldmort; he was coming for her! " No" She screamed as his eyes lit up a deadly Poisson red.
She was running looking back that she didn't realize that she was in front of Hogwarts, looking around madly she heard the shout of a woman in distress. Momentarily forgetting Voldmort she ran towards the screams.
There on the grass was a circle of Death eaters, and there she was in the middle, being branded by that vile basterd!
Then she saw it; a dark figure ran towards the grouping just as Voldmort was sending her back in time. The figure intervened. She moved closer, she had to see the man who saved her, she already new who it was, she had seen this once before. She just had to see it again.
She saw herself diasper, and a curse muttered from the ranks of death eaters. The body of her savior hit the ground. She couldn't help but cry out as she saw that he died with a smile on his face.
She screamed.
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~
Hermione came awake! Gasping she sat up flinging her arms around the nearest thing to her, a warm body, comforting. She was shivering, the memories of her friends and her fate were two much she wanted to cry, and those blasted tears were beginning to fall.
It wasn't until a hand came to the small of her back that she realized were she was, and that she was clinging to a stranger. She looked up to see the concerned face of Professor Lacouse standing behind the figure she was clinging to. After calming slightly her body still shivering she realized that there were only four people in the room, herself, Lacouse, the person she was holding and the girl she had worked with.
Who was she holding?
She started to breathe normally; suddenly she found the most pleasant sent drifting to her senses. It was a thick deep smell, like a forest after a rainfall.
Hermione pulled back a bit, the events of her nightmare soon to be reality still fresh in her mind. As she pulled back she found herself lost in obsidian eyes; they were laced with concern, and in some way slight amusement. She saw a strand of raven black hair from the person, whom she decided was a man, stray across his face.
Oh God. She realized whom she was clinging to. It was Severus Snape, why was she holding on to Snape. Nerves she told her self, you just had a traumatic experience and he was the closest thing you could grab when you woke up.Hermione she yelled at herself . you can let go now.HERMIONE LET GO, screamed her subconscious. Reluctantly she let go of him.
"Miss Granger are you all right?" Came the very concerned voice of her head of house.
"Wh- What? Oh! um yes Professor Im fine, I just had a nightmare that's all" Hermione wasn't really paying attention.
" My dear I think it is safe to say that you and your group will be getting top marks regardless of the fact that you made the potion to strong." Whispered Professor Lacouse in a soft but strong voice.
" To strong?" She looked at the Professor, but once again wasn't really paying attention, she watched as Snape backed away from her leaving her to converse with the professor. Why had he been so close?
" Yes, not to worry though, you won't have any after affects I can assure you"
"Thank you Professor."
Lacouse clapped her hands together. " Now I believe you three have classes I shall write you notes as to explain your absence. Severus, Lilly thank you for your help."
Hermione blanched. Had she just said Lilly? As in Lilly Potter or rather Lilly Evan's! No, that couldn't be. Some where in her mind it yelled at her in a highly annoyed voice. " God your Stupid! Of course it could be, you're in the correct time frame where the hell has your mind gone!"
" I can't believe Im scolding myself" Hermione mumbled trying to silence her nagging subconscious.
She would have liked to have talked to the mother of her future best friend but a soon as the note of explanation was placed into Lilly's hand she turned and raced out of the room to her next class. Followed by Lacouse who had other things to do.
Hermione's eyes followed Lilly, and she was vaguely aware that Snape had come up beside her and was trying to get her attention.
"Excuse me!" He hissed at her. " Has the potion damaged your brain cells or do you just fail to realize that you are very late for class?"
She turned back at him, giving him her best impression of his trade mark scowl that she had seen every day for the last seven years. It worked; he raised his eyebrows in surprise, then much to her amazement laughed.
" You know Mungle born you really do amaze me!" he laughed. Hermione couldn't tell if he was laughing at her or just laughing out loud.
Then it hit her. What had he just SAID? How did he know? Oh gods if he told any one from Slytherin house she would never live it down. Hermione wasn't ashamed that she was mungle born but truth be told she was scared shitless of the Slytherin's knowing that she was. They had always prided themselves on being pure blood; she didn't even want to think about what they would do if they found out.
"What makes you say that?" she whispered.
His eyes flashed at her. " It really wasn't that hard to figure out. I've known since two days ago when you first arrived."
" Why didn't you say anything before?" she mumbled, fear was starting to trickle in.
" I had to be sure and after your little display in the hallway with Lucius I knew." He was referring to when she smacked Lucius for the comment he made about Mudblood's.
It was pointless to try and hid this from him, he already knew and would surely tell the rest of the Slytherin's. She was as good as dead.
Snape noticed that her face had paled visibly, and her eyes were beginning to could over with fear. " I won't say anything. I just wanted to know if it was true."
Now Hermione was on her guard. " What's in it for you if you hold your tong on this issue?" she glared maliciously at him.
"Absolutely nothing, I don't blackmail people, especially people with enough nerve to give Lucius Malfoy a black eye." He gave her a slight grin, well as much as Snape could grin.
" I think I will take that as a compliment." She laughed. Then stopped quickly, what was she doing she was laughing with Snape! Her soon to be Professor Snape! He looked at her strangely when she paled again. He took a step closer to her and looked her in the eyes.
"You have my word that I will not tell a soul that you come from mungle heritage, that is for you to do." She shuddered at the soft and almost caring voice that he had used. He gave her an encouraging look.
" Why don't you care that Im Mungle born?" She wanted to smack herself for blurting that out.
" Mungle are no different then Wizards and Witches, Besides the wizard world would have died out years ago if it weren't for them." His voice was like velvet and he barely moved his lips as he spoke.
Hermione was stunned beyond belief, she had no idea that her soon to be death eater/ Potions master actually didn't believe in the mungle bull shit that some wizards lived by. She took a step forward towards him, for the first time she really looked at the man, he was tall (taller then she remembered, but then she had never seen him as a human being before, and never paid much attention to him.) He had a hooked nose, but not so severely hooked that it would appear grotesque. He had high well-defined cheekbones and a slightly pale skin tone. Other then that she could not tell any other physical attribute about him, his robes covered every thing else.
She didn't want to know anything about what was under those robes, he might be civil and almost nice but it didn't make up for all those years that she had to in dure his constant banter and put-downs. She truly wanted to strangle him; no this was not that person who she wanted to strangle that person would evolve from the boy.
" Well I think we better get to class" She mumbled.
He merle nodded and the two of them walked in silence out of the potion room. Neither of them noticed the pair of dark obsidian eyes watching Severus with pride and Hermione with a sense of wonder.
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~
If it was possible Hermione Granger was now more confused then she had ever been in her entire life. Thoughts were constantly forcing there way into her mind.
All of them included Severus Snape.
Of course he was a vile bastard, and she knew what the future held for him.
However for the breif few moments that He had held her in the potions class room in his long arms and she listend to his steady hartbeat. Something just felt right.
Hermione thought to her self. It might have felt right but nothing had ever been so wrong.
She could allow her self to get attatched to anything in this time. Exspecialy not the vile shovanistic baster potion master of the future's younger self.
Hell she didn't know why this was bothering her.
However little did Hermione know that it did some where dead in her hart when Snape and herself had talked about her hearatige something had wedged itself through the baricade that she was beginning to errect around her hart.
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~
All thoughts of the mornings happening were shoved out of Hermione's mind when Dumbldore came to her after her last class and informed her that she was to meet the game keeper outside to begin her job.
When she arrived out side to meet the game keeper she just about jumped and squeeled in delight as a familiar figure, taller then the rest strode over a hill on the hogwarts grounds to great her.
"Hagrid!" She screemed, then mentaly checked her self relizing that Hargid would know her. A fimilair hurt welled up inside of her.
A younger hargid then she remebered peered down at her from his dark beetle like eyes.
"You must be the new girl, Dumbldore told me that you have experience with my line O work?" His voice was the same except that there was none of the welcoming warmth that he had had with her when she was in her own time.
She mentaly cursed her self, Hagrid hated Slytherins. Thus he hated her. After all it was a Slytherin who cost him his chance to become a wizard. (reffering to tom riddle).
"Yes sir" she said with the utmost respect.
Hagrid seemed taken aback from this and gave her a good long look.
"All wright then better get started." He bagain walking towards the same grass covered house that Hermione had been in many times. It had changed very little. He didn't give her so much as a backwards glance.
Instead of stopping and going into the building he went around to the left side towards the back. Hermione followed with little interest.
When she came around the corning Hagrid was leaning against a large paddock. Correction there had to have been about fourty of them. In side the one that he was leaning against was a rather interesting looking animal. One that Hermione had only seen in books or rather read about them.
The creature had the body of a wolf and the head of a horse. Only instead of the normal dull grey or brown colorings that was seen from both animals the fur of the animal was a deep posionus purple. It had a long black tail that belonged to the cat family. The animal was currently consuming a large portion of meat, what kind of animal it was eating she did not know. It raised its magnificent head and barred long viper like fangs.
" A Stapledraph?" she whispered in aww.
Hagrid turned to her with a very surprised look on his large bearded face.
"How'd you know?" He grunted.
Hermione just smiled. " I've always been interested in magical creatures and exspecialy those that aren't well understood." This was not a lie, she had always found that even though Hagrid had some of the most horendus creatures imaginable there were also the most increadibly interesting things second only to books.
Hagrid offered her a warmer smile then his first.
" Good, I can see were going to get along fine then" He exclamed.
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~
She spent an hour with Hagrid helping him and learning how to care for some of the most amazing animals. She couldn't help thinking that this was for shawdowing for what might come in the future for him. He was going to be a hell of a Care of Magical Creatures teacher.
Now she was finished her classes for the day and had a few hours before dinner. She wanted nothing more then to take a bath and read a good book.
While walking down the main corridor she saw the little blond RavenClaw that she had noticed with Lucius on her first day. The girl seemed very nervous around her, in fact she seemed very nervous around any student who donned the green trimmed robes.
Hermione decided that this girl would not be afraid of her and was going to show her that she wasn't as bad as the rest of her "house".
"Excuse me?" Hermione called to the girl. She turned and gave Hermione a nervous look.
" Yes?" her voice was a little shaky.
Hermione thought quickly. " Im afraid Im lost could you help me find the library?"
The girl looked a little shocked and Hermione noticed it. " What's wrong?" she asked the blond girl.
" Are you sure you're a Slytherin?"
Hermione was a little confused. " Yes, I'm why?"
"Your not yelling at me like the rest of them and your were polite."
Hermione was a little baffled.
" Oh.so um could you help me?"
The girl brightened seeing that Hermione wasn't going to yell at her for the comment about her house. " Sure follow me.by the way my name is Narccissa Ascisk what's yours?"
Hermione tripped over her feet and fell flat on her face.
" Oh Gods are you ok." Screamed Narccissa, as she bent down to help her.
Hermione was quite embarrassed but more then just embarrassed she was shocked, this was Narccissa, Draco Malfoy mother and Lucius Malfoys soon to be wife. Would wonders never cease?
" Oh thanks, Im just a bit clumsy at times nothing to worry about." Mumbled Hermione while taking Narccissa's hand that was offered to help her up.
"Thank you, by the way my name is Hermione Granger."
" Your that girl that I saw in the Slytherin Common room aren't you?" asked Narccissa.
"Yes I'm, sorry about what happened, Lucius just really gets under my skin."
Narccissa laughed. " He does that with every one, he's not as bad as you think though, he has a whole other side to him its really amazing."
" Well I haven't seen it yet so I will keep my eyes open." Laughed Hermione, she was finding Narccissa's company to be quite pleasant.
" You still wana go to the library? I was heading there anyway, we might as well go together." Hermione thought Narccissa for some reason looked starved for friend ship.
" Of course lead the way!" Chimed Hermione.
It took Hermione fifteen minutes after her run in with Sirius and Lucius to find the potion room. The anger that was surging through her seemingly impaired her judgment, she passed the potions room twice. IT was only when she saw a very disgruntled looking Gryffindor girl enter the room that she had passed did she realize her error.
When she entered the potions class, the very same potions class that Severus Snape the evil master of the dark liquids had taught in she was shocked to see how very little had changed over the years. The room still smelled strongly of Molly roots and a slight tinge of rotmoss mingled wonderfully with it. Had she not hated the teacher with a passion back in her own time she would have said that potions class was her favorite subject.
Scanning the room, which was now filled with students from the houses of Slytherin and RavenClaw, she noticed two things. One Lucius Malfoy was trying to kill her with glares of mass hatred, apparently he had not forgotten there little conversation, she couldn't help but smirk at seeing that around his eye there was a slight bruising beginning to take affect. The second was that there was only one seat left in the room to the far right of the front of the class, right next to Snape.
She sighed managing to pull up a strand of courage from her depths she walked over to where Snape was sitting. He gave her a very weird look, raising an eye brown and then glancing down the length of her; he scowled and then softened. She returned his look with a scowl of her own.
" Do you mind if I sit here?" she inquired with sarcasm, as it was the only seat in the room.
He merle nodded giving her permission to sit by him, pulling out her chair she couldn't help but notice that some of the other Slytherin's and most of the Gryffendor's in the room were giving her very weird looks.
" Why are they staring at me?" She whispered to the side of her.
" Its normal, there judging you, just think your entire school career will be judged on how you perform in class and with people" She couldn't help but notice the vile spit that came off every word. This apparently was a sore spot for him. She merle nodded and started pulling out her books.
Suddenly and for some reason this all seemed very familiar to Hermione, the doors to the potion room were flung open and in strode Professor Lacouse, her now deep green robes trimmed with purple billowed out behind her. She headed straight for the front of the class; there was something rather familiar about all this. Turning on her heel Professor Lacouse faced the class her dark obsidian eyes piercing into the soles of every student in the room.
She cast a look at Hermione. She couldn't help but hold her breath, those eyes trailed the length of Hermione, judging her but making no standing comment, she looked to her left to were Snape was sitting. Hermione couldn't be sure but she thought she saw the Professor's eyes soften to him.
" Today we will be making a simple comma inducing potion, Please (her voice rose slightly) be reminded that we will be testing your potions on yourselves just before the end of the class, I suggest you get it right"
Hermione merle nodded, she had made this potion before in Snape's class, now she was IN Snape's class. This shouldn't be any different.
" Now" Professor Lacouse continued. " Do to the fact that this can be a very dangerous potion I will be pairing you off into groups of three." Hermione saw several people look around mouthing partner proposals to one another. " However! I will be pairing you up so that we will actually get some work done!"
A nervous shiver went around the room, now doubt there would be outer house pairings; this always proved to be very dangerous.
In a total of five minutes time, Hermione was trying to fight a heart attack, she was paired with a rather nice dark brown haired Gryffindor girl whom she hadn't met yet, and none other then the great so to be "Greasy Git".
Will this day get any worse, she thought to her self.
After a brief briefing the groups collected their things and migrated to there respect workstations. Hermione soon realized that Professor Lacouse hadn't put her and Snape together out of spite, he was actually a rather impressive lab partner. His caution and exact preseason with the ingredients and methods were amazing; she found her watching every move he made with fascination.
Little did she know that he was thinking the same thing about her.
The other girl who's name she still did not know, was rather playful and had tried to converse with Hermione several times, but due to her first day jitters she found she was not the greatest conversation worker. What amazed Hermione the most was that the girl did not seem to mind being place with two Slytherin's (even if one was an ex - Gryffindor).
Finally there potion was ready, it had achieve a soft blue huge that was required. Professor Lacouse came by and nodded approvingly at the group.
" Which one of you would like to test the potion?" she inquired after looking over there notes.
There was a slight pause between the three of them; each one wondering which one would take the plunge.
" I will" Whispered Hermione, surprised at her own daring. She didn't notice that Snape's eyes bulged slightly at this, he knew there was nothing wrong with the potion, but it still amazed him that the girl had guts.
" Very well Miss Granger" Murmured Professor Lacouse, she then preceded to pull out a chair, motioning for Hermione to sit. Then she ladled out some of the blue potion into a small vile and handed it to her.
With out a second thought Hermione downed the small portion of their concoction; unknown to her was the fact that the whole class was watching her.
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~
Hermione was walking through a field of golden hugged wheat, the softness of it seamed to bring New Hope to her heart. She stared out at the cornflower blue sky dotted with fluffy cotton clouds. Peaceful.
Then it changed.
Dark clouds rolled over the horizon of the fields of wheat, each stalk at the shadow from the clouds touched it withered and died, it began to rain. Not life giving water but a dark rich liquid.
Blood.
There was screaming, it sounded so familiar, she heard cries of people she knew. Ron, Harry. The clouds began moving towards her, her arm burned. She began to run, faster then she could physically go. The clouds behind her began to take a shape; she chanced a look back.
It was the face of Voldmort; he was coming for her! " No" She screamed as his eyes lit up a deadly Poisson red.
She was running looking back that she didn't realize that she was in front of Hogwarts, looking around madly she heard the shout of a woman in distress. Momentarily forgetting Voldmort she ran towards the screams.
There on the grass was a circle of Death eaters, and there she was in the middle, being branded by that vile basterd!
Then she saw it; a dark figure ran towards the grouping just as Voldmort was sending her back in time. The figure intervened. She moved closer, she had to see the man who saved her, she already new who it was, she had seen this once before. She just had to see it again.
She saw herself diasper, and a curse muttered from the ranks of death eaters. The body of her savior hit the ground. She couldn't help but cry out as she saw that he died with a smile on his face.
She screamed.
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~
Hermione came awake! Gasping she sat up flinging her arms around the nearest thing to her, a warm body, comforting. She was shivering, the memories of her friends and her fate were two much she wanted to cry, and those blasted tears were beginning to fall.
It wasn't until a hand came to the small of her back that she realized were she was, and that she was clinging to a stranger. She looked up to see the concerned face of Professor Lacouse standing behind the figure she was clinging to. After calming slightly her body still shivering she realized that there were only four people in the room, herself, Lacouse, the person she was holding and the girl she had worked with.
Who was she holding?
She started to breathe normally; suddenly she found the most pleasant sent drifting to her senses. It was a thick deep smell, like a forest after a rainfall.
Hermione pulled back a bit, the events of her nightmare soon to be reality still fresh in her mind. As she pulled back she found herself lost in obsidian eyes; they were laced with concern, and in some way slight amusement. She saw a strand of raven black hair from the person, whom she decided was a man, stray across his face.
Oh God. She realized whom she was clinging to. It was Severus Snape, why was she holding on to Snape. Nerves she told her self, you just had a traumatic experience and he was the closest thing you could grab when you woke up.Hermione she yelled at herself . you can let go now.HERMIONE LET GO, screamed her subconscious. Reluctantly she let go of him.
"Miss Granger are you all right?" Came the very concerned voice of her head of house.
"Wh- What? Oh! um yes Professor Im fine, I just had a nightmare that's all" Hermione wasn't really paying attention.
" My dear I think it is safe to say that you and your group will be getting top marks regardless of the fact that you made the potion to strong." Whispered Professor Lacouse in a soft but strong voice.
" To strong?" She looked at the Professor, but once again wasn't really paying attention, she watched as Snape backed away from her leaving her to converse with the professor. Why had he been so close?
" Yes, not to worry though, you won't have any after affects I can assure you"
"Thank you Professor."
Lacouse clapped her hands together. " Now I believe you three have classes I shall write you notes as to explain your absence. Severus, Lilly thank you for your help."
Hermione blanched. Had she just said Lilly? As in Lilly Potter or rather Lilly Evan's! No, that couldn't be. Some where in her mind it yelled at her in a highly annoyed voice. " God your Stupid! Of course it could be, you're in the correct time frame where the hell has your mind gone!"
" I can't believe Im scolding myself" Hermione mumbled trying to silence her nagging subconscious.
She would have liked to have talked to the mother of her future best friend but a soon as the note of explanation was placed into Lilly's hand she turned and raced out of the room to her next class. Followed by Lacouse who had other things to do.
Hermione's eyes followed Lilly, and she was vaguely aware that Snape had come up beside her and was trying to get her attention.
"Excuse me!" He hissed at her. " Has the potion damaged your brain cells or do you just fail to realize that you are very late for class?"
She turned back at him, giving him her best impression of his trade mark scowl that she had seen every day for the last seven years. It worked; he raised his eyebrows in surprise, then much to her amazement laughed.
" You know Mungle born you really do amaze me!" he laughed. Hermione couldn't tell if he was laughing at her or just laughing out loud.
Then it hit her. What had he just SAID? How did he know? Oh gods if he told any one from Slytherin house she would never live it down. Hermione wasn't ashamed that she was mungle born but truth be told she was scared shitless of the Slytherin's knowing that she was. They had always prided themselves on being pure blood; she didn't even want to think about what they would do if they found out.
"What makes you say that?" she whispered.
His eyes flashed at her. " It really wasn't that hard to figure out. I've known since two days ago when you first arrived."
" Why didn't you say anything before?" she mumbled, fear was starting to trickle in.
" I had to be sure and after your little display in the hallway with Lucius I knew." He was referring to when she smacked Lucius for the comment he made about Mudblood's.
It was pointless to try and hid this from him, he already knew and would surely tell the rest of the Slytherin's. She was as good as dead.
Snape noticed that her face had paled visibly, and her eyes were beginning to could over with fear. " I won't say anything. I just wanted to know if it was true."
Now Hermione was on her guard. " What's in it for you if you hold your tong on this issue?" she glared maliciously at him.
"Absolutely nothing, I don't blackmail people, especially people with enough nerve to give Lucius Malfoy a black eye." He gave her a slight grin, well as much as Snape could grin.
" I think I will take that as a compliment." She laughed. Then stopped quickly, what was she doing she was laughing with Snape! Her soon to be Professor Snape! He looked at her strangely when she paled again. He took a step closer to her and looked her in the eyes.
"You have my word that I will not tell a soul that you come from mungle heritage, that is for you to do." She shuddered at the soft and almost caring voice that he had used. He gave her an encouraging look.
" Why don't you care that Im Mungle born?" She wanted to smack herself for blurting that out.
" Mungle are no different then Wizards and Witches, Besides the wizard world would have died out years ago if it weren't for them." His voice was like velvet and he barely moved his lips as he spoke.
Hermione was stunned beyond belief, she had no idea that her soon to be death eater/ Potions master actually didn't believe in the mungle bull shit that some wizards lived by. She took a step forward towards him, for the first time she really looked at the man, he was tall (taller then she remembered, but then she had never seen him as a human being before, and never paid much attention to him.) He had a hooked nose, but not so severely hooked that it would appear grotesque. He had high well-defined cheekbones and a slightly pale skin tone. Other then that she could not tell any other physical attribute about him, his robes covered every thing else.
She didn't want to know anything about what was under those robes, he might be civil and almost nice but it didn't make up for all those years that she had to in dure his constant banter and put-downs. She truly wanted to strangle him; no this was not that person who she wanted to strangle that person would evolve from the boy.
" Well I think we better get to class" She mumbled.
He merle nodded and the two of them walked in silence out of the potion room. Neither of them noticed the pair of dark obsidian eyes watching Severus with pride and Hermione with a sense of wonder.
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~
If it was possible Hermione Granger was now more confused then she had ever been in her entire life. Thoughts were constantly forcing there way into her mind.
All of them included Severus Snape.
Of course he was a vile bastard, and she knew what the future held for him.
However for the breif few moments that He had held her in the potions class room in his long arms and she listend to his steady hartbeat. Something just felt right.
Hermione thought to her self. It might have felt right but nothing had ever been so wrong.
She could allow her self to get attatched to anything in this time. Exspecialy not the vile shovanistic baster potion master of the future's younger self.
Hell she didn't know why this was bothering her.
However little did Hermione know that it did some where dead in her hart when Snape and herself had talked about her hearatige something had wedged itself through the baricade that she was beginning to errect around her hart.
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~
All thoughts of the mornings happening were shoved out of Hermione's mind when Dumbldore came to her after her last class and informed her that she was to meet the game keeper outside to begin her job.
When she arrived out side to meet the game keeper she just about jumped and squeeled in delight as a familiar figure, taller then the rest strode over a hill on the hogwarts grounds to great her.
"Hagrid!" She screemed, then mentaly checked her self relizing that Hargid would know her. A fimilair hurt welled up inside of her.
A younger hargid then she remebered peered down at her from his dark beetle like eyes.
"You must be the new girl, Dumbldore told me that you have experience with my line O work?" His voice was the same except that there was none of the welcoming warmth that he had had with her when she was in her own time.
She mentaly cursed her self, Hagrid hated Slytherins. Thus he hated her. After all it was a Slytherin who cost him his chance to become a wizard. (reffering to tom riddle).
"Yes sir" she said with the utmost respect.
Hagrid seemed taken aback from this and gave her a good long look.
"All wright then better get started." He bagain walking towards the same grass covered house that Hermione had been in many times. It had changed very little. He didn't give her so much as a backwards glance.
Instead of stopping and going into the building he went around to the left side towards the back. Hermione followed with little interest.
When she came around the corning Hagrid was leaning against a large paddock. Correction there had to have been about fourty of them. In side the one that he was leaning against was a rather interesting looking animal. One that Hermione had only seen in books or rather read about them.
The creature had the body of a wolf and the head of a horse. Only instead of the normal dull grey or brown colorings that was seen from both animals the fur of the animal was a deep posionus purple. It had a long black tail that belonged to the cat family. The animal was currently consuming a large portion of meat, what kind of animal it was eating she did not know. It raised its magnificent head and barred long viper like fangs.
" A Stapledraph?" she whispered in aww.
Hagrid turned to her with a very surprised look on his large bearded face.
"How'd you know?" He grunted.
Hermione just smiled. " I've always been interested in magical creatures and exspecialy those that aren't well understood." This was not a lie, she had always found that even though Hagrid had some of the most horendus creatures imaginable there were also the most increadibly interesting things second only to books.
Hagrid offered her a warmer smile then his first.
" Good, I can see were going to get along fine then" He exclamed.
~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~
She spent an hour with Hagrid helping him and learning how to care for some of the most amazing animals. She couldn't help thinking that this was for shawdowing for what might come in the future for him. He was going to be a hell of a Care of Magical Creatures teacher.
Now she was finished her classes for the day and had a few hours before dinner. She wanted nothing more then to take a bath and read a good book.
While walking down the main corridor she saw the little blond RavenClaw that she had noticed with Lucius on her first day. The girl seemed very nervous around her, in fact she seemed very nervous around any student who donned the green trimmed robes.
Hermione decided that this girl would not be afraid of her and was going to show her that she wasn't as bad as the rest of her "house".
"Excuse me?" Hermione called to the girl. She turned and gave Hermione a nervous look.
" Yes?" her voice was a little shaky.
Hermione thought quickly. " Im afraid Im lost could you help me find the library?"
The girl looked a little shocked and Hermione noticed it. " What's wrong?" she asked the blond girl.
" Are you sure you're a Slytherin?"
Hermione was a little confused. " Yes, I'm why?"
"Your not yelling at me like the rest of them and your were polite."
Hermione was a little baffled.
" Oh.so um could you help me?"
The girl brightened seeing that Hermione wasn't going to yell at her for the comment about her house. " Sure follow me.by the way my name is Narccissa Ascisk what's yours?"
Hermione tripped over her feet and fell flat on her face.
" Oh Gods are you ok." Screamed Narccissa, as she bent down to help her.
Hermione was quite embarrassed but more then just embarrassed she was shocked, this was Narccissa, Draco Malfoy mother and Lucius Malfoys soon to be wife. Would wonders never cease?
" Oh thanks, Im just a bit clumsy at times nothing to worry about." Mumbled Hermione while taking Narccissa's hand that was offered to help her up.
"Thank you, by the way my name is Hermione Granger."
" Your that girl that I saw in the Slytherin Common room aren't you?" asked Narccissa.
"Yes I'm, sorry about what happened, Lucius just really gets under my skin."
Narccissa laughed. " He does that with every one, he's not as bad as you think though, he has a whole other side to him its really amazing."
" Well I haven't seen it yet so I will keep my eyes open." Laughed Hermione, she was finding Narccissa's company to be quite pleasant.
" You still wana go to the library? I was heading there anyway, we might as well go together." Hermione thought Narccissa for some reason looked starved for friend ship.
" Of course lead the way!" Chimed Hermione.