~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~
Severus Snape couldn't believe his eyes the next day when both Hermione Granger and a very sleep deprived Lucius Malfoy walked into charms class the next morning. At separate times of course, Snape had a feeling that nether one of them would speak civilly to each other ever again.
Lucius had arrived before Hermione and took his normal seat to Snape right at the back of the class room. There were many stund Hufflepuffs that shared there class, that gaped openly at him as he took his seat. They too were sure that he was going to be expelled the day before, but there he was.
"How is it that your sorry ass is still at Hogwarts Lucius?" Snape Chuckled.
Lucius just looked at him palely. He had gotten little sleep the night before thanks to Hermione's bone removing charm; he had had to re-grow each and every bone in his left leg. The pain from this aloud him very little sleep.
With a breath he mumbled very quickly. "GrangerSavedMe"
Snape obviously understood his friend's ramblings but was surprised none the less, he wasn't even sure if his dog like hearing had heard correctly.
"I'm sorry Lucius I seem to have heard you wrong could your repeat that." He smirked at the uncomfortable boy.
Lucius glared at him. "I said that GRANGER SAVED MY ASS!" he snapped at Snape, almost loud enough for the people in front of them to hear.
Snape was in shock. "I don't believe you."
"Believe it" Mumbled Lucius.
"Why? How?" Severus exclaimed.
"I have no idea why but Dumbledore aloud her to pick my punishment. I can't believe she didn't have me expelled." Lucius sighed.
"Neither can I."
"Would you believe that she had Dumbledore give me three weeks detention?"
"No"
"Believe it." Lucius repeated himself.
Severus stopped his questioning and sat back in his chair pondering his thoughts. Why had she saved him? She owed him nothing for sure, and he knew that she had told him no secrets. She told no one anything about herself; no one even knew what school she had gone to before she came here.
Her attitude was completely unbelievable; she was always cold as granite except that there were a few lapses in her performance. Every once in a while she would get an incredibly sad look in her eyes.
Almost as if she had nothing left to live for.
A person like this would have never atracted him and Lucius to become friends with her. She held nothing that would have benefited either of them. She wasn't very pretty; her thick bushy hair was like a rats nest. Snape doubted that she could even get a comb thought it.
She was ordinary; she seemed to have very little intelligence. She never raised her hand in class, never went out of her way to better her self. She had no drive.
The only thing that was special about her was that she obviously held some importance to there lord.
Voldmort had for some time been on the look out for a girl who came to the school under peculiar circumstances. Hermione fit the profile perfectly.
Voldmort had commanded any of his initiated or soon to be initiated (Like Lucius and himself) to watch over her and find some way to bring her to him. He gave no reasons why but no one from there order ever asked for one.
Soon they would bring her to him and earn there way into the circle of death eaters, the most prestigious group of men and some times woman. The most powerful wizards and witches in the world.
And the two of them would become part of it.
His thoughts were brought back to the class room as the charms doors opened once again. His eyes drifted to the entrance and his breath caught in his throat. He felt Lucius stiffen beside him.
A woman not a girl walked through the doors. Her head held high and her stride confident. As if daring anyone to cross her path.
The woman's eyes like deep oak with flecks of gold burned into the very souls of every one in the room. The held superiority and power. Life and fire.
Her hair was pulled back in a loose braid that dangled down to her hips; green bands of fabric tide at the end completed the look.
"Gods" He whispered, it was.
It was Hermione Granger.
She walked behind Lucius and Severus and took her seat to Snape's left, not even batting an eye that Lucius was there beside him.
She nodded her morning greetings to Snape and didn't even cast a look in Lucius's direction. She merely started pulling out her books in identical replica of the way she had done it back in her own time.
Some time last night a change had occurred in Hermione Granger. Something snapped deep inside of her.
She had realized that almost three months ago the real Hermione Granger had died, she had aloud her to die. She let the fire and thirst for life in her be extinguished. Last night as she thought of Harry and Ron how they had died and she survived, they would have wanted her to continue her life, read her books, and thirst for her knowledge.
They would have wanted her to live like herself, even with out them; her parents would have wanted the same. She would be letting them down if she continued on the way she was going.
Voldmort may have condemn her but unknowingly he had given her a second chance at life one that would not be wasted, she would see to that. She would beat him; he would not take her like he had taken so many others.
She would find a way to beat him once and for all, she knew the way into the future, the paths that these people around her would take.
She would be damned if things turned out the way they did in her time.
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~
An hour later Severus Snape was sure that the real Hermione Granger had been abducted.
There charms class had been amazing, or rather Hermione had been amazing. She didn't seem to care at all that Lucius was in the same room as her and cared even littler when some of the slytherin boys made comments about her being muggle born.
What had truly amazed him however was the fact that she knew everything that Professor Dwiddle (there charms teacher) was teaching them, she knew the material inside and out and more then that.
She had raised her hand, answered every question and out performed every student in the class room. Including him self.
She was now walking in front of him her braid of hair swaying behind her as they traveled towards there next class..Potions. He doubted very much that there would be a repeat of last class's performance so he left her alone.
Lucius was equally stunned at her as he walked beside Severus, every once and a while pointing at Hermione franticly and making confused looks at Severus. He eventually stopped when Severus said he looked cyclonic.
They were almost at the entrance of the potions class when Lilly Evens and a bunch of the Gryffindors who shared the class room with Slytherins came around the corner. Lilly stopped and gasped in surprise when she saw Hermione.
Snape and Lucius both noticed that Hermione's stride and the way she was walking changed immediately to an aggressive manner.
Hermione was starting to seethe with rage at the sight of Lilly, never before had she let her rage get a hold of her but at this moment she couldn't care less if it did.
She walked right up to Lilly and looked down at her (she was a good foot taller then the brown haired girl.) She was seething and any one around could feel the power that radiated from her.
Who was this woman, thought Snape? This could be the girl that he had invited into his group only less then three months ago.
"Good Morning Lily." Chimed Hermione in fake cheerfulness. Snape saw Lily shiver at her words.
"Good Morning Hermione" Lily replied, not knowing what else to say, there was a guilty look on her face.
"You know Lily something happened to me yesterday, do you know what that was?" She whispered, her tone that was once cheerful had now turned a mournful dead.
"Not a clue" Replied Lily, clearly knowing what she was talking about.
"Well let me tell you then." She snarled. "Could you imagine my surprise when I found that some one that I thought I could trust let slip a certain piece of information that could very well cost me my life?"
Lily gulped.
"Do you know who did that Lily?" Hermione continued.
Lily remained still and was starting to get very frightened, she was shivering. "No Hermione I don't" she managed to croak.
Hermione laughed, it was a piercing laugh. That rang out through the dungeon corridor.
She stopped abruptly and put her face very close to Lily's.
"Why Lily......you did." She snarled.
Lily finally seemed to grow a back bone. A look of defiance and rage entered her eyes and slightly took Hermione a back.
"Your right Slytherin I did!" She snapped.
Hermione just smiled. "That's your reason? You told my entire house that I was muggle born, knowing that it might very well get me killed. Just because I'm a bloody Slytherin?!"
Lily just nodded and glared at her. "I would do it again! In my opinion one less Slytherin the better."
Hermione was studded, how could this be Lily Potter? The mother of one of her best friends? Hermione was really beginning to wonder if the house of Gryffendor was a really as noble as it was made out to be.
From Lily's last comment there was a roar of protest from the Slytherins in the room, and a murmur of agreement from the Gryffindors.
"You know lily I didn't think a fellow Muggle born witch would inflict the same kind of ridicule on another."
Lily laughed. "Well you thought wrong, now why don't you Slither away with your friends.....Oops wait I forgot you don't have any!"
That actually hurt, she did have friends just not here. No she didn't, well maybe Snape (that thought didn't cheer her up at all to be honest). She felt the pain welling up in her eyes again, and then it hit her. Her friends would always be her friends even though they weren't with her.
Hermione took another step toward lily and brought her head down to hers.
"That Lily Evans is where you're wrong, I have friends, real friends, nothing like the people you could ever hope to meet."
There was an impending power in her voice. "If you ever think to cross me again I will show you why that bloody damned hat put me in this God Damned House!"
Lily began to pull out her wand in a threatening manner. Hermione was about to dive for hers when Lily froze.
"Put it away Evans." Came a familiar voice.
She knew that voice but why would he help, he hated her. She looked to her right and left only to find her self flanked by Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. She did a double take when she saw Lucius. Why would he help her?
She cast a confused look in Snape's direction; he just shrugged his shoulders and mouthed "How the hell should I know?"
She smiled up at him and for once he smiled back. There was a twinge in the pit of her stomach; it felt like something was doing loop de loops inside of her. Gods what was wrong with her?
She knew the feeling but thought herself disgusting for feeling it.
She was brought back to the task at hand when there was a growl from behind her.
"What is going on here?!" It was professor Lacouse. The masses of students parted like the red sea as walked over to the four students.
They all just looked up at her, Lily had already returned her wand to her pocket, so there was no incriminating evidence that they had been about to fight in the hall ways. Which was thankful because Hermione doubted that Dumbledore would enjoy her presences in his office again.
"Nothing Professor Lacouse" Chimed Lily, a little too happily.
Lacouse glared at her and the rest of the Gryffindors. It was clear to Hermione that Lacouse like her son did not enjoy being in the company of them. Now the Hermione found her self on the other side of the line in the war between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins it was clear that she wasn't too fond of her old house as well.
Lacouse walked to the entrance of the potions class room and opened the door. "Well what are you waiting for?" she snapped at the crowd. There was a rustle and a rush to enter the class room.
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~
It was clear after Potions class to Snape that Hermione Granger wasn't just holding back in charms but in potions and possibly every class they had to offer. He found himself wanting to listen to her answers when she gave them to Professor Lacouse. They were well versed and well though out, and most of all undoubtedly correct.
She had to be easily one of the smartest minds he had ever seen and found it almost annoying that she could compete easily with his superior intelligence.
Worst of all he was beginning to see why "Tom" wanted her. He almost found himself worrying about why he wanted her.
When they left the class room, Lucius and Hermione still hadn't talked at all. In fact they still were sending rather vicious looks at one another. However Snape found that Hermione and him just couldn't shut themselves up when they began to talk.
As they were walking out of there double potions lesion they were engaged in a rather heated conversation about the use of Gynslip wings and how they did or did not add positive results to nerve destroying capabilities of the "Flancasious Potion" are rather potent poison that when administered literally ripped the spinal cord from the recipients body.
"Honestly Snape, Gynslip wings do nothing except reduce the potency of the potion! There added acid reacts as a neutralizer of the Basilisks Venom!" Shrieked Hermione as the were walking down for lunch in the Great hall.
"See here Hermione! I beg to differ on that account; while the Gynslip wings might neutralize part of the Basilisk Venom they do not neutralize the most potent parts of it, leaving it stronger and more effective!" Contradicted Snape.
They continued on in this vain as they entered the great hall, there conversation had almost gotten to the point of "Does to, Does Not!"
Hermione sat on one side of Snape at the end of the table not wanting to expose her unguarded side to an unfriendly Slytherin. Lucius who had decided to ignore her completely sat on the other next to Jeremy Flint, Marcus Flint's father if Hermione's assumptions were correct.
The food finally arrived and she dug in with a vengeance, while she was eating she pulled out a further study book on Advance transphiguration. She was really behind in her studying.
Snape on the other had had barley touched his food he was too busy staring at Hermione in aww.
"What a piece of work." Came the mumbled voice of Lucius Malfoy, who was clearly not ignoring Hermione as Snape had originally thought.
He nodded. "You would have never known that she was a brain?" he whispered.
Lucius nodded and regarded Hermione as she looked up a cross reference of a topic from another book.
"Tell me Snape why have you decided to put up with her, as I remember you dislike Mud bloods as much as the next Slytherin." Growled Lucius.
Snape tensed beside him, it had been a while since he had last thought of Hermione as a Muggle born child.
It was true it was just an act that Severus Snape put up with Hermione Granger being a mud blood and Lucius was correct in his proclamation. Snape hated the impure blooded witches and wizards; he like the rest of the pure bloods did not believe them worthy of the titles. They were second class.
"You know perfectly well that I do "Put Up with it" as you so delicately put it because it is my job and if I want to secure a place at "HIS" side I must do what I must do!" Snape snapped quietly so that Hermione wouldn't hear.
Snape and Lucius sat in silence for a moment before Lucius spoke again. "So who do you think it was who attacked her a while ago?"
Snape posed he had completely forgotten about the attack just before Halloween. Had it really been that long ago, as much as he hated to admit it he hadn't' given the attack much thought, he had only seen it as a way of gain Grangers trust.
"I don't know, but it was a member of the order." He spoke in a hushed tone.
"Why would they though, attack her, every one knows that we were the ones assigned to this task." Lucius protested.
Snape just shrugged. "Probably trying to gain favor with "Him""
Lucius was about to speak again when a boom from the head table interrupted them.
" Today will be the beginning of the Dueling club competition, all sign ups must be finalized as tomorrow we will commence the first competition!" came Albus Dumbldores voice, echoing throughout the hall way.
There was a cheer that rose up from the crowds of students through out the hall.
"Oh bugger! I completely forgot" came a very distressed Hermione from the side of Snape.
Snape glared at her. "You didn't forget out little bet now did you?"
Hermione blushed slightly, she didn't know why but she did. "No ....Of Course not!" She began to ramble on about her preparations.
Snape just Laughed, and then much to his amazement noticed something that he had never thought in his wildest dreams that he would ever have thought. God did she ever look beautiful when she was frustrated.
"I'm going to enjoy this!" He hooted. Snapping at him self for thinking such thoughts. Well it wasn't so bad she could have been a muggle.
"Oh Bugger." Hermione curse under her breath in frustration.
Severus Snape couldn't believe his eyes the next day when both Hermione Granger and a very sleep deprived Lucius Malfoy walked into charms class the next morning. At separate times of course, Snape had a feeling that nether one of them would speak civilly to each other ever again.
Lucius had arrived before Hermione and took his normal seat to Snape right at the back of the class room. There were many stund Hufflepuffs that shared there class, that gaped openly at him as he took his seat. They too were sure that he was going to be expelled the day before, but there he was.
"How is it that your sorry ass is still at Hogwarts Lucius?" Snape Chuckled.
Lucius just looked at him palely. He had gotten little sleep the night before thanks to Hermione's bone removing charm; he had had to re-grow each and every bone in his left leg. The pain from this aloud him very little sleep.
With a breath he mumbled very quickly. "GrangerSavedMe"
Snape obviously understood his friend's ramblings but was surprised none the less, he wasn't even sure if his dog like hearing had heard correctly.
"I'm sorry Lucius I seem to have heard you wrong could your repeat that." He smirked at the uncomfortable boy.
Lucius glared at him. "I said that GRANGER SAVED MY ASS!" he snapped at Snape, almost loud enough for the people in front of them to hear.
Snape was in shock. "I don't believe you."
"Believe it" Mumbled Lucius.
"Why? How?" Severus exclaimed.
"I have no idea why but Dumbledore aloud her to pick my punishment. I can't believe she didn't have me expelled." Lucius sighed.
"Neither can I."
"Would you believe that she had Dumbledore give me three weeks detention?"
"No"
"Believe it." Lucius repeated himself.
Severus stopped his questioning and sat back in his chair pondering his thoughts. Why had she saved him? She owed him nothing for sure, and he knew that she had told him no secrets. She told no one anything about herself; no one even knew what school she had gone to before she came here.
Her attitude was completely unbelievable; she was always cold as granite except that there were a few lapses in her performance. Every once in a while she would get an incredibly sad look in her eyes.
Almost as if she had nothing left to live for.
A person like this would have never atracted him and Lucius to become friends with her. She held nothing that would have benefited either of them. She wasn't very pretty; her thick bushy hair was like a rats nest. Snape doubted that she could even get a comb thought it.
She was ordinary; she seemed to have very little intelligence. She never raised her hand in class, never went out of her way to better her self. She had no drive.
The only thing that was special about her was that she obviously held some importance to there lord.
Voldmort had for some time been on the look out for a girl who came to the school under peculiar circumstances. Hermione fit the profile perfectly.
Voldmort had commanded any of his initiated or soon to be initiated (Like Lucius and himself) to watch over her and find some way to bring her to him. He gave no reasons why but no one from there order ever asked for one.
Soon they would bring her to him and earn there way into the circle of death eaters, the most prestigious group of men and some times woman. The most powerful wizards and witches in the world.
And the two of them would become part of it.
His thoughts were brought back to the class room as the charms doors opened once again. His eyes drifted to the entrance and his breath caught in his throat. He felt Lucius stiffen beside him.
A woman not a girl walked through the doors. Her head held high and her stride confident. As if daring anyone to cross her path.
The woman's eyes like deep oak with flecks of gold burned into the very souls of every one in the room. The held superiority and power. Life and fire.
Her hair was pulled back in a loose braid that dangled down to her hips; green bands of fabric tide at the end completed the look.
"Gods" He whispered, it was.
It was Hermione Granger.
She walked behind Lucius and Severus and took her seat to Snape's left, not even batting an eye that Lucius was there beside him.
She nodded her morning greetings to Snape and didn't even cast a look in Lucius's direction. She merely started pulling out her books in identical replica of the way she had done it back in her own time.
Some time last night a change had occurred in Hermione Granger. Something snapped deep inside of her.
She had realized that almost three months ago the real Hermione Granger had died, she had aloud her to die. She let the fire and thirst for life in her be extinguished. Last night as she thought of Harry and Ron how they had died and she survived, they would have wanted her to continue her life, read her books, and thirst for her knowledge.
They would have wanted her to live like herself, even with out them; her parents would have wanted the same. She would be letting them down if she continued on the way she was going.
Voldmort may have condemn her but unknowingly he had given her a second chance at life one that would not be wasted, she would see to that. She would beat him; he would not take her like he had taken so many others.
She would find a way to beat him once and for all, she knew the way into the future, the paths that these people around her would take.
She would be damned if things turned out the way they did in her time.
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~
An hour later Severus Snape was sure that the real Hermione Granger had been abducted.
There charms class had been amazing, or rather Hermione had been amazing. She didn't seem to care at all that Lucius was in the same room as her and cared even littler when some of the slytherin boys made comments about her being muggle born.
What had truly amazed him however was the fact that she knew everything that Professor Dwiddle (there charms teacher) was teaching them, she knew the material inside and out and more then that.
She had raised her hand, answered every question and out performed every student in the class room. Including him self.
She was now walking in front of him her braid of hair swaying behind her as they traveled towards there next class..Potions. He doubted very much that there would be a repeat of last class's performance so he left her alone.
Lucius was equally stunned at her as he walked beside Severus, every once and a while pointing at Hermione franticly and making confused looks at Severus. He eventually stopped when Severus said he looked cyclonic.
They were almost at the entrance of the potions class when Lilly Evens and a bunch of the Gryffindors who shared the class room with Slytherins came around the corner. Lilly stopped and gasped in surprise when she saw Hermione.
Snape and Lucius both noticed that Hermione's stride and the way she was walking changed immediately to an aggressive manner.
Hermione was starting to seethe with rage at the sight of Lilly, never before had she let her rage get a hold of her but at this moment she couldn't care less if it did.
She walked right up to Lilly and looked down at her (she was a good foot taller then the brown haired girl.) She was seething and any one around could feel the power that radiated from her.
Who was this woman, thought Snape? This could be the girl that he had invited into his group only less then three months ago.
"Good Morning Lily." Chimed Hermione in fake cheerfulness. Snape saw Lily shiver at her words.
"Good Morning Hermione" Lily replied, not knowing what else to say, there was a guilty look on her face.
"You know Lily something happened to me yesterday, do you know what that was?" She whispered, her tone that was once cheerful had now turned a mournful dead.
"Not a clue" Replied Lily, clearly knowing what she was talking about.
"Well let me tell you then." She snarled. "Could you imagine my surprise when I found that some one that I thought I could trust let slip a certain piece of information that could very well cost me my life?"
Lily gulped.
"Do you know who did that Lily?" Hermione continued.
Lily remained still and was starting to get very frightened, she was shivering. "No Hermione I don't" she managed to croak.
Hermione laughed, it was a piercing laugh. That rang out through the dungeon corridor.
She stopped abruptly and put her face very close to Lily's.
"Why Lily......you did." She snarled.
Lily finally seemed to grow a back bone. A look of defiance and rage entered her eyes and slightly took Hermione a back.
"Your right Slytherin I did!" She snapped.
Hermione just smiled. "That's your reason? You told my entire house that I was muggle born, knowing that it might very well get me killed. Just because I'm a bloody Slytherin?!"
Lily just nodded and glared at her. "I would do it again! In my opinion one less Slytherin the better."
Hermione was studded, how could this be Lily Potter? The mother of one of her best friends? Hermione was really beginning to wonder if the house of Gryffendor was a really as noble as it was made out to be.
From Lily's last comment there was a roar of protest from the Slytherins in the room, and a murmur of agreement from the Gryffindors.
"You know lily I didn't think a fellow Muggle born witch would inflict the same kind of ridicule on another."
Lily laughed. "Well you thought wrong, now why don't you Slither away with your friends.....Oops wait I forgot you don't have any!"
That actually hurt, she did have friends just not here. No she didn't, well maybe Snape (that thought didn't cheer her up at all to be honest). She felt the pain welling up in her eyes again, and then it hit her. Her friends would always be her friends even though they weren't with her.
Hermione took another step toward lily and brought her head down to hers.
"That Lily Evans is where you're wrong, I have friends, real friends, nothing like the people you could ever hope to meet."
There was an impending power in her voice. "If you ever think to cross me again I will show you why that bloody damned hat put me in this God Damned House!"
Lily began to pull out her wand in a threatening manner. Hermione was about to dive for hers when Lily froze.
"Put it away Evans." Came a familiar voice.
She knew that voice but why would he help, he hated her. She looked to her right and left only to find her self flanked by Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. She did a double take when she saw Lucius. Why would he help her?
She cast a confused look in Snape's direction; he just shrugged his shoulders and mouthed "How the hell should I know?"
She smiled up at him and for once he smiled back. There was a twinge in the pit of her stomach; it felt like something was doing loop de loops inside of her. Gods what was wrong with her?
She knew the feeling but thought herself disgusting for feeling it.
She was brought back to the task at hand when there was a growl from behind her.
"What is going on here?!" It was professor Lacouse. The masses of students parted like the red sea as walked over to the four students.
They all just looked up at her, Lily had already returned her wand to her pocket, so there was no incriminating evidence that they had been about to fight in the hall ways. Which was thankful because Hermione doubted that Dumbledore would enjoy her presences in his office again.
"Nothing Professor Lacouse" Chimed Lily, a little too happily.
Lacouse glared at her and the rest of the Gryffindors. It was clear to Hermione that Lacouse like her son did not enjoy being in the company of them. Now the Hermione found her self on the other side of the line in the war between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins it was clear that she wasn't too fond of her old house as well.
Lacouse walked to the entrance of the potions class room and opened the door. "Well what are you waiting for?" she snapped at the crowd. There was a rustle and a rush to enter the class room.
~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~
It was clear after Potions class to Snape that Hermione Granger wasn't just holding back in charms but in potions and possibly every class they had to offer. He found himself wanting to listen to her answers when she gave them to Professor Lacouse. They were well versed and well though out, and most of all undoubtedly correct.
She had to be easily one of the smartest minds he had ever seen and found it almost annoying that she could compete easily with his superior intelligence.
Worst of all he was beginning to see why "Tom" wanted her. He almost found himself worrying about why he wanted her.
When they left the class room, Lucius and Hermione still hadn't talked at all. In fact they still were sending rather vicious looks at one another. However Snape found that Hermione and him just couldn't shut themselves up when they began to talk.
As they were walking out of there double potions lesion they were engaged in a rather heated conversation about the use of Gynslip wings and how they did or did not add positive results to nerve destroying capabilities of the "Flancasious Potion" are rather potent poison that when administered literally ripped the spinal cord from the recipients body.
"Honestly Snape, Gynslip wings do nothing except reduce the potency of the potion! There added acid reacts as a neutralizer of the Basilisks Venom!" Shrieked Hermione as the were walking down for lunch in the Great hall.
"See here Hermione! I beg to differ on that account; while the Gynslip wings might neutralize part of the Basilisk Venom they do not neutralize the most potent parts of it, leaving it stronger and more effective!" Contradicted Snape.
They continued on in this vain as they entered the great hall, there conversation had almost gotten to the point of "Does to, Does Not!"
Hermione sat on one side of Snape at the end of the table not wanting to expose her unguarded side to an unfriendly Slytherin. Lucius who had decided to ignore her completely sat on the other next to Jeremy Flint, Marcus Flint's father if Hermione's assumptions were correct.
The food finally arrived and she dug in with a vengeance, while she was eating she pulled out a further study book on Advance transphiguration. She was really behind in her studying.
Snape on the other had had barley touched his food he was too busy staring at Hermione in aww.
"What a piece of work." Came the mumbled voice of Lucius Malfoy, who was clearly not ignoring Hermione as Snape had originally thought.
He nodded. "You would have never known that she was a brain?" he whispered.
Lucius nodded and regarded Hermione as she looked up a cross reference of a topic from another book.
"Tell me Snape why have you decided to put up with her, as I remember you dislike Mud bloods as much as the next Slytherin." Growled Lucius.
Snape tensed beside him, it had been a while since he had last thought of Hermione as a Muggle born child.
It was true it was just an act that Severus Snape put up with Hermione Granger being a mud blood and Lucius was correct in his proclamation. Snape hated the impure blooded witches and wizards; he like the rest of the pure bloods did not believe them worthy of the titles. They were second class.
"You know perfectly well that I do "Put Up with it" as you so delicately put it because it is my job and if I want to secure a place at "HIS" side I must do what I must do!" Snape snapped quietly so that Hermione wouldn't hear.
Snape and Lucius sat in silence for a moment before Lucius spoke again. "So who do you think it was who attacked her a while ago?"
Snape posed he had completely forgotten about the attack just before Halloween. Had it really been that long ago, as much as he hated to admit it he hadn't' given the attack much thought, he had only seen it as a way of gain Grangers trust.
"I don't know, but it was a member of the order." He spoke in a hushed tone.
"Why would they though, attack her, every one knows that we were the ones assigned to this task." Lucius protested.
Snape just shrugged. "Probably trying to gain favor with "Him""
Lucius was about to speak again when a boom from the head table interrupted them.
" Today will be the beginning of the Dueling club competition, all sign ups must be finalized as tomorrow we will commence the first competition!" came Albus Dumbldores voice, echoing throughout the hall way.
There was a cheer that rose up from the crowds of students through out the hall.
"Oh bugger! I completely forgot" came a very distressed Hermione from the side of Snape.
Snape glared at her. "You didn't forget out little bet now did you?"
Hermione blushed slightly, she didn't know why but she did. "No ....Of Course not!" She began to ramble on about her preparations.
Snape just Laughed, and then much to his amazement noticed something that he had never thought in his wildest dreams that he would ever have thought. God did she ever look beautiful when she was frustrated.
"I'm going to enjoy this!" He hooted. Snapping at him self for thinking such thoughts. Well it wasn't so bad she could have been a muggle.
"Oh Bugger." Hermione curse under her breath in frustration.