Chapter Eighteen: Reunited

Hermione walked back into the meeting room with a freshly baked batch of peanut butter cookies in her hands, where Dumbledore, Snape and other members of the Order we quickly being seated. They gave her a short hello or wave and she replied back with a beaming smile.

She had just finished up a most uplifting speech with Molly Weasley and firmly believed that the worst was over, after this summer when they had discovered an alternate plan for her and she and Snape were set free she could go back to her normal life and a well deserved role as Head Girl.

"Well..." said Dumbledore who was nibbling on a cookie offered by Hermione, "I think we should start now." Dumbledore said while emitting crumbs from his mouth, motioning to the large table with chairs. Molly brought out a tray with tea and milk for the members of the Order to help wash down their cookies.

It was as she walked to her seat then that she noticed no one was relaying their greetings to Snape, they were merely walking past his chair near the fire, not even bothering to look his way. Not that it mattered, he looked quite comfortable in his solitude but Hermione couldn't help but feel a sudden saddened feeling.

He sat quietly but observing with his arms crossed over his chest, he looked altogether uninviting and Hermione had read once that people who sat with their arms crossed that like did so subconsciously as a defense mechanism. She couldn't really believe that though, Snape didn't seem to be a man that did anything subconsciously, it was all masterfully planned and for that she couldn't help but admire him in that respect.

She had said in her first year that he was a wizard good at logical thinking and whilst she had stood by that in her first year, she wasn't sure he really held true to this opinion to her now. In noting this she took another glance at the glum Professor and sighed darkly, wishing she could just break through his shield of secrecy. She hated what she didn't know and couldn't learn.

It was selfish of her to be thinking only of herself, for weeks she had been going on and on about her life being over when Snape was going through the same exact predicament, although from the other side of the spectrum. Was his life not going to be changed for the worse? Was he too not stuck engaged to someone he loathed? Indeed he was, but had she even bothered to care?

How long had Snape been a victim of Voldemort's torture? She had been at his hands for one day, seemingly a mere second in Snape's mind. He had been into the Dark Arts far before he was even her age, and she was complaining about some wedding that may never happen? She was complaining about having to keep secrets from friends? She wondered briefly if Snape had any friend's outside Dumbledore and she supposed Lucius was probably one of the few.

Sure he had a bad temper and was rude to her with no seeming reason, but was it really all that awful? The only time he had truly humiliated her was in her fourth year when he had made fun of her teeth, and even then she had moved past it.

Some things had changed and some things hadn't. She realized she should feel no harboring of hatred towards Snape, towards a man who had risked everything to save her that night. She wondered just why she hadn't thought of it before and came the rapt conclusion that Snape in all his indistinctness hadn't made such a big deal of his heroism, not to her anyway.

This seemed odd to her because wasn't Snape always seeking recognition? Wasn't he the first to lie about apprehending Sirius? She decided that Dumbledore had either ignored him in that respect or he simply didn't want to bother about it, which made her decidedly angry. How often he had lied in large proportions about his valiant heroism when saving Harry, but would he ever give a second thought to her situation? Never. She wasn't Harry Potter.

It seemed fair to be a bit cross with him though, he was being a prat at times when she had tried to be civil, but she supposed as a sixth-no, now Seventh year Gryffindor she was at the bottom of his respect list. She looked over to Professor Snape with a small frown upon her lips, feeling decidedly selfish about the entire manner.

Suddenly Dumbledore's gavel hit the table and the meeting had officially begun.

Well for all the thoughts that Hermione believed Snape to be an unfavorable part in the group all diminished. As soon as the meeting began it seemed no one could drag his or her attention away from Snape when he spoke.

She couldn't help but watch in mute fascination as one after another came up with ideas, looking to Snape with expectant looks on their faces. The calculating look from him would be accompanied with a furrowing of brows, an obvious sign of a master at work. The long tapered fingers would tap against the polished table and as if working with a complicated potion he was immersed in thought.

Soon, just when the party believed he had lost track, Snape would nod his head in resolution to himself with a small mutter, look with boredom at the party and with a nonchalant turn of his hand give at least three ways in which their idea had massive faults. It was amazing to watch really.

When Tonk's ideas were turned down for the second time, she whirled around to glance at Hermione, who was happily munching on one of Molly's cookies, wondering if her friend's would be happy to see her when they arrives.

"Well Hermione, what do you think? Do you honestly trust Snape's opinion about all of this?" she said glancing at Snape, obviously embarrassed at Snape's turning down of her idea. "Or is he just bullying you into submission?"

Dumbledore shot Tonks a wary look before glancing at Hermione. The cookie stuck in the poor girl's throat a moment before she painfully swallowed it, feeling the harsh edges scratching at her throat. She coughed a moment, wincing at the feel of it and the awkward silence that hung around them.

Several expectant eyes glanced at the girl at the end of the table, and she patted her throat a moment before looking across the table at the brooding Professor. He fully expected her to whine about how he was being unfair, or how he was being too stubborn or-

"I trust Professor Snape."

Hermione answered truthfully, feeling a slight blush rise to her cheeks as the other members of the Order looked to her in surprise. The words hung in the air, and she didn't dare meet eyes with Snape, he'd merely see it as sucking up which it wasn't. If Dumbledore trusted him than she should obviously give him a chance. Dumbledore looked out of sorts at the moment and seeing that perhaps things were just becoming bizarre (and all the cookies had disappeared), adjourned the meeting.

The members soon left with good-byes to all. Hermione offered farewells and Snape being his usual self, sat in the same chair unmoving and looking sour after Albus' departure, as if he'd missed an opportunity.
Truth be told he was confused, since when was the little brat agreeing with him? Surely it was, in a way, refreshing and welcome, now he'd have at least one less thing to worry about, but still the speech had been unsettling. She trusted him?

He was about to question Hermione about her sudden change of heart when suddenly the doors burst open and in rushed Ginny, her red hair flowing along with tears from her large blue eyes. She smiled jovially at Hermione who had also stood looking decidedly happy. They embraced a moment before pulling apart and smiling widely until their cheeks hurt.

"I'm sorry Ginny." Hermione said emphatically, "I had no idea, I really couldn't tell anyone."
"I figured as much. Mum told me all about it in the kitchen. She's giving Ron and Harry a talking to." Ginny rolled her eyes, "Seems she believes they're giving you a hard time about everything. Boys." She finished with a shrug, still grinning at Hermione.

Hermione laughed at this, not noticing as the potion's Professor's dark eyes looked to her in confusion. She and the rest of the golden trio were fighting? That could prove to be interesting. With this thought in his mind he stood and swooped soundlessly from the room, to the kitchen to find the room he was sure to occupy.

Ron rushed in soon after, looking to Hermione with a small smile and arms outstretched. Hermione rushed to him, wrapping her arms around him and squealing with delight.
She was on cloud nine, everything was slowly coming back to normal and Ron was as sweet as ever. His light eyes softened a bit and he blushed, as they never really hugged.

"I'm sorry I was such a prat 'Mione." Ron said softly, knowing he hadn't been a good friend at all. "I really am, it was just such a shock."
"It was for me too Ron." Hermione said untangling herself and giving him a solemn and disapproving look. Ron nodded, knowing it was better to agree than listen to all the reasons he should agree, besides he understood where she was coming from.
Forgive me?"
Hermione looked serious a moment and then broke into a wide smile, "As if you have to ask Ronald!"

Ron was about to protest when suddenly the door creaked open and the man of the hour came through, green eyes sparkling and a solemn look upon his pale face. Hermione felt her stomach fluttering nervously, would Harry still be cross?

Ron and Ginny stood to the side of the now empty room, just watching what was about to unfold. Harry was stalking towards a flustered Hermione unnaturally slow, his eyes traveling from her shoes up to her face where she was looking decidedly anxious.

She shifted from foot to foot, her eyes trained on the young man before her. His legs were longer she noted, when had that changed? She supposed about the same time his voice did, although she hadn't really noticed it until Lavender had been giggling about it in the common room one day. She saw the muscles that were carefully hidden under the shirt he wore, the jaw that had become more defined and the face that had definitely become more masculine.

Harry Potter had become a man, and it was just now that Hermione had noticed.

She could have construed it as ironic as he and Ron hadn't noticed she was a girl in their fourth year and here she was just noticing that Harry was becoming a man. It was a strange happening and stirred within Hermione a feeling of confusion with something else...something she didn't know herself.

"Hello Harry." she breathed, her dark eyes searching his own for some type of clue to help her decide whether Harry was still angry at her or not. She had originally planned on being horrid to him if she ever saw him again, but now staring at him and those eyes that held something within, Hermione felt all her inhibitions and predisposed thoughts vanish.

"Hello Hermione." he said smoothly, a small smile appearing on his upturned lips. "You look well."
"Yes well. I feel better now that my friends are here."
Harry nodded, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "All your friends?"
Hermione shrugged, looking suddenly pensive. "I think so...wouldn't you agree?"

She held her breath, and Harry in a sudden burst casually embraced her with a smile that challenged Hermione's own. They grasped onto one another a moment before breaking apart, but still Hermione could feel the shoulder's that had become broad without her noticing, the feeling of strength he possessed.

"Of course I do." he said happily, looking to her in such a manner than caused Hermione to sputter her words, making them sloppy and not at all like herself.

"Hermione." Harry said, lowering his voice down to a whisper. "I want to apologize. For what I said those weeks ago. It was a horrible thing to do, you're one of my best mates and I went and buggered it all up. I was just so angry at Snape for tricking you."

"He didn't trick me Harry." Hermione said resolutely, her normal diplomatic style appearing once again within her. "He saved me."

Harry nodded, "Yes well..." trailing off he looked to Ginny and Ron giving a small smile and then turning back to Hermione. She was overjoyed at her friend's presence, and suddenly wanted to know everything.
"How long are you staying?"

Harry shrugged, looking to the redheaded brother and sister in anticipation. "I suppose as long as those two can stand me."

Ginny and Ron chuckled and came over, looking to Harry and Hermione in a now relaxed manner. Everything was as it had been before, well almost. Hermione snuck another glance at Harry, just to make a firm conclusion to her beliefs that he had somehow changed. His emerald eyes caught her's just as she was about to look away, and before any could witness the altercation she had looked back to Ginny and Ron.

"What's say we have a game of Wizard's chess?" Hermione suggested, looking hopefully to Harry who simply wrinkled his nose in disgust and shook his head.
"Nah, that's boring. Ron and I haven't played that in ages."
"Well then," Hermione thought diplomatically, "How about explore the Library an-"

Harry suddenly grew excited, interrupting Hermione mid-thought. "How about we practice some Quidditch? It's be fun, and it's so nice outside."

Ron jumped into the air breathing, "I'll get my broom!" Whilst Ginny gave a halfhearted shrug and offered to referee. Hermione though felt her heart sinking and suddenly realized why she had been irritated with him so often. Harry was mentally still a boy.

As she followed the three of them out to the backyard of the Burrow, (under the hidden safety of Arthur Weasely's watch from the kitchen.) Hermione came to the conclusion that it was too much to hope that along with his body, Harry's tastes had matured as well.

On his way to the kitchen Snape had run into the Weasel who rushed by him and the Potter brat, looking decidedly withdrawn but a bit more cheery than he had been of late. Harry looked to the door where Hermione lay behind nervously a moment and then noticing Snape's lanky frame instantly stiffened, glared at him and made his way past him into the meeting room.

Snape could have sworn he saw a glimmer of jealousy in the boy's light eyes, but he quickly dismissed it. Even if it had been, what did he care?
"Little brat." he muttered as he entered the kitchen where Molly and Arthur stood talking animatedly about the new meeting ground for the Order. Molly turned to him with a small smile on her face nodding to him.

"Molly," he said stiffly, trying to look professional whilst still maintaining politeness. "Would you be kind enough to direct me to my room?"
Molly nodded happily, motioning for him to follow, which he did. She never really spoke much to him, not that he minded. But now she seemed so excited with the placement of the Order, that it seemed anyone dumb enough to listen would do just that. By the time they had reached the landing to his room, Snape wanted to Avada Kedavra himself if it meant an end to her babbling.

"Here you are." she finally said, stopping in front of a large door, "This used to be George's room, but he's off with his brother at the shop for the summer. They live and breathe that thing they do. I hope you find everything in order here."

Snape warily made his way into the bedroom, half expecting something to fall from the air on top of him, or to step on some exploding snap crackers. Those twin Weasley boys were not to be trusted, even if they weren't occupying the house at present.

He noticed that Molly gathered some stray laundry and was now stopped behind him at the door. He straightened suddenly, putting on his most formidable gaze. He was disturbed at the fact he was going to be inhabiting some God forsaken hole for the next two months, it seemed highly unfair and he wondered just what Albus was up to.

"I know it's small." Molly said rushed, a blush rising to her cheeks and Snape immediately regretted his choice of blatant staring. He knew the Weasley's had little money, and now he'd gone and thrown it in their face.

"Don't be." he said nodding, "This is more than I expected. I'm quite comfortable, thank you for going to all the trouble."

"Not at all." Molly relaxed a bit, nodding and looking more cheerful than moments before. He had to wonder how an animated and well-rounded woman like Molly Weasley could just leave her education to pursue Motherhood. What a waste of a good mind.

He frowned a bit, thinking of what would become of Miss Granger if she married him, she'd be sure to pursue her education, anything to stay away from him. Perhaps he was doing her a favor.
"I've been thinking," Molly suddenly piped up, breaking Snape of his thoughts. "Perhaps you could try being nicer to Hermione." Molly said softly as Snape searched her face, all the while thinking, Since when was it any of your affair?

"You see she's young Severus and just as brilliant and just as scared as you are now. She's been through a lot, and I know, the look your giving me can stop, I know you've been through a lot too. That's why I think perhaps you can help her and perhaps she can help you...Just give her time."

"Quite an interesting observation, Molly. I'll take that into consideration." Snape said raptly setting his suitcase on the floor with a thump. The discussion was undoubtedly closed. Molly nodded, looking a bit sheepish now as she turned out the doorframe, closing the door softly behind her without another word.

As soon as she was gone Snape gave a mighty snort at the speech and began pacing the small room, occasionally placing his things on the counter and chair beside the bed. He didn't know why, but the linking comparison between him and Miss Granger that Molly had just introduced, unsettled him beyond all comprehension.

'Just as brilliant' my foot.

It was true though; he would have to be kinder to the little brat. She was after all a child, a smart one but quite headstrong. Bossy but determined. If she just shut up at the right times and kept out of mischief perhaps she'd even pass as pleasant. He decided right then that he would seriously try to be kinder because evidently intimidation and rudeness didn't sway her.

He had to observe his opponent, shrewdly he would find the various faults and vulnerabilities of one Miss Granger, and then he would have found his role in dealing with her. But, in the process he would strive to be kind. He owed it to Albus, even if the said wizard was favoring the Gryffindor brats. Didn't mean he had to be a saint.