THE EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER
By: Scatterheart
"Then it begins!" (Robin of Locksley)Section Seventeen
They had returned from a game on the fields and Harry was explaining to a thoroughly engrossed Ginny about the minor nuances of Quidditch, when Hermione burst into the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Who in the world set the password to be 'batty bats'?" she said, promptly falling into the nearest sofa. "It's so morbid, don't you guys agree?"
Ron broke off his conversation with Neville and raised an eyebrow at her. "Yes, we agree."
"And you were the one who set the password to 'batty bats,' 'Mione," Harry pointed out. "Have you forgotten that the only person who could change the password is the Head Girl?"
Hermione leaned back into the sofa, arms outspread on the cool leather, and sighed. "Well I changed it again. Password's now 'fuzzy hearts,' you guys."
"See, Harry? See? This is the only reason why I'd rather have a Head Boy than a Head Girl," Ron groaned in response. "I'd rather sneak into the Slytherin camp than say 'fuzzy hearts' each time I have to go to my room."
"Hermione, seriously," Neville cut in. "If we continue to progress at your rate, the next time the password's going to be 'I like to kiss boys.' And I'm definitely not going to say that. So can we have a normal password for once?"
"Oh, shush. It is normal. Stop doubting my authority." She grinned.
"Dropping Potions has taken a negative impact on you, hasn't it?" Harry replied, and took off his sweaty glasses to polish them on the corner of his shirt.
Hermione's grin inverted. "What do you mean?"
"You're acting more like the wonderful Severus Snape every day."
Somehow, the sound of that name on the lips of another had hardened the syllables and made them clatter contemptuously through Hermione's ears. It was a soft name, she thought, indignantly, before she could control herself. It was not supposed to be spat out, but rather, to be whispered…
She was irritated, suddenly, at either Harry or herself. It was easier to glare at Harry. "Your jokes are never funny," she snapped.
"It's because all Harry likes is Quidditch," Ginny said in a high, teasing voice. "If he never gets off that broom, he'll never know what it's like to get on—"
Ron gave his sister a shove. "You're gross."
"That's girls for you," Harry said, but his cheeks were glowing in amusement. He put on his glasses. "Well, I'm off to shower."
"Ginny, you stay here," Ron added.
Ginny blushed a shade of deep red from her hairline to the base of her freckled neck. "You're the one who's turning out to be more like Snape, you, you – little shit." Then she giggled, and the boys joined in.
Hermione blinked in confusion, staring in turn at the four laughing faces. "I don't get it."
"Draco deserved it," Neville said.
"Blimey, it was so damn funny. You included, Bunny Man," Ron said.
"Hey!"
"What's going on?" Hermione demanded. "Do you guys know something I don't?"
Harry coolly patted her on the shoulder before turning to walk to the door that led to the showers. "Hermione, if you're in the library all the time, you're going to be missing out on all the fun," he said without looking around, and disappeared behind the door.
Hermione's gaze lingered in his absence; she curled her toes inside of her shoe and quickly glanced at Ron. "Okay, you tell me then." She found that her voice was terse.
"The day after you left Potions, Snape went totally bonkers," Ron explained, beaming. "It was the funniest thing. Neville turned himself into a pink rabbit, and Draco made a joke about you turning into a rat and chasing Neville or something. And then Snape got so mad he called Draco a little shit, and took a hundred points from his own house. Draco was so humiliated he transferred to Defense Against the Dark Arts the next week. 'Mione, it was all over the school. I can't believe you didn't know about it."
"I… must have been too busy to listen to Slytherin gossip," Hermione answered, falteringly. Even though she knew it was unfounded, a feeling of unease and anxiousness had gradually started to churn in her stomach. She crossed her arms in front of her and toyed with a loose lock of hair that hung over her shoulder.
"Well, 'Mione, you missed it," Ginny was saying, with a rueful shake of her head. "The scandal's completely blown over now, unfortunately. Draco's back to acting like he's the king of the school. And Snape awarded three hundred points to Slytherin the next day. I mean, what can you expect from those bastards?"
"Exactly," Hermione echoed absently, pulling at her hair. She remembered that she had detention with the Potions Master tomorrow afternoon, and the warm anxiety in her stomach intensified.
--
To be continued.
Note: I appreciate you guy's reviews so much. They make finals a lot easier! Oh, yeah, I couldn't control myself. I said I wasn't going to write during finals but I gave in to temptation. About the short chapters thing: due to my stupidity, I originally envisioned this story to be a super-short one-or-two-shot thing. But then I changed my mind. And I don't want to change the format… haha! Sorry about that; maybe when I'm done I'll re-chapter everything. (Long chapters = fewer updates, remember. Tee hee!)
Another Note: Claire! I see you on the Rickman message-boards! Wassup? It's a small world!