Losing Sleep

By Distinct Vagueness

Chapter 8

"Miss Granger, you do realise that if you do not return the remaining books you still have on loan, I will not allow you even one more today."

Hermione's face fell. "But look, Madam Pince, I brought back those two," she said gesturing at the books that were stacked neatly on the librarian's desk. "Surely, you could just-"

"No, I could not just, Miss Granger, as I have told you before. Now, is there anything else you want, or will you return to your homework and leave me in peace?"

"It's just this one," Hermione cajoled, bringing out the book that had been concealed behind her back. "I need it to do one essay. I promise I will bring it back, along with the others, tomorrow."

Madam Pince eyed her with a narrowed gaze behind thick spectacles. "I hope I am not the only one aware that you have the exact same book in your room, incidentally also from my shelves, except that that this one is an older edition."

Hermione looked at the older woman with pleading eyes. She'd convinced her before; she could do it again. "Yes, but it can be extremely interesting to see how facts have changed in the last decade. For example, did you know-"

"Miss Granger." Sighing, Pince held her hand out for the book. Hermione gave it to her, feeling a burst of success in her chest. Which abruptly disappeared as the book was placed firmly out of sight.

"When-"

"But-"

"When, Miss Granger, you bring me a minimum of two books from the mounting supply in your room, you may take leave of this one. Until then…you might as well make do with what you have."

"I bet Parvati put you up to this," the Head Girl murmured, the book well and truly out of her grasp.

"Pardon?"

Hermione shook her head. "Doesn't matter." She turned away from the desk, only to crash into someone directly behind her.

"Harry!"

The black haired young man gave her a wan smile. "Hi, Hermione."

"I didn't expect you to be in here today. Who told you there were two nine o' clocks on a Sunday?" Her eyes flitted to the book he was carrying and she nodded towards it. "What're you reading?"

Strangely, Harry pulled the book to chest, as if instinctively. "Oh…just a defence book for the DA. That's all."

Since the fiasco in the fifth year, the student attempt into organising themselves into a defence group obviously hadn't gone unnoticed. Instead of berating them, many of the teachers had recognised the idea as a good step in preparing them for what might come in the future. Rather than stepping in and removing the student leaders, they created two defence groups. Fifth years upwards had optional after school classes with Professors Lupin (newly reinstated in Hermione's sixth year) or Flitwick. On the odd occasion, Professor Snape made an appearance. He didn't often offer direct instruction- he seemed to prefer standing in a lone corner, observing.

Hermione had been surprised to see Professor Sinistra offering instruction to the pupils on one night too. Sinistra kept herself to herself mostly. She was dark and wiry with long hair she kept tied neatly upon her head. Despite her regular absence-, which sometimes reminded Hermione of Professor Trelawney-, she seemed a very grounded woman. In Astronomy lessons, she had a sharp, undeviating manner that left no gap for ignorance or attention lapses. Sinistra duly praised pupils when they achieved high standards and punished them fairly when they chose not to. It was rumoured she was Slytherin, but she possessed none of Snape's trademark sneers or cruel putdowns. She taught purely to teach, not to engage in or encourage House rivalry. She demanded respect, and it was achieved, unquestioned.

Sceptical as she might be of Divination, Hermione enjoyed Astronomy and her teacher's instruction. It wasn't a 'woolly' subject, far from it. In cases, it branched into what Muggle pupils would learn in Physics lessons.

First years to fourth years also had extra Defence lessons, but they were not taught by a Hogwarts teacher. Harry was looked up to and respected by the younger years, which was why Dumbledore had agreed that he should continue as leader for the younger members of the DA. Incidentally, the meaning of this name was permanently changed to the Defence Association, though its nickname had greatly amused the Headmaster.

Harry had been offered a choice; either continue the post of Quidditch Captain, or continue as DA leader. He had decided the latter, though remaining as Gryffindor Seeker, and given the post to Ron instead. Both boys had adjusted to their new roles and at first Harry had been happier for it, going about his lesson plans with gusto. But something had changed in the last year. The ready grin had disappeared from Harry's face, replaced with a strange intensity that Hermione had rarely seen in his eyes. On occasions previously, when Hermione had sensed any self-pity on Harry's part, she had acted to pull him out of that phase quickly, though she understood why he would fall prey to it. This time, there only seemed to be some strange, sheer realisation for her best friend, an awareness that dominated his thoughts.

Hermione simply glanced at the book, trying not to give away her thoughts. "I guess I'm not going to have to push you into revising this year, what with all the reading you've been doing," she said, lightly, smiling.

Harry returned it, but she realised they knew they were both skipping around the underlying subject.

"Well…I've got some revising of my own to do," Hermione told him, gesturing at the stack of notes she had been holding firmly under her arm. "Are you staying here?"

He shook his head. "Said I'd meet Ron down by the Quidditch Pitch. See you at lunch?"

Hermione nodded. "Probably. See you later. Oh, and Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"I think Quidditch is good for you." She gave him another small smile and turned away.

Harry stood there for a few moments, watching her retreat, before leaving the library.

Hermione settled herself at a table near the window, ensuring plenty of light, and spread her notes over the table. She had barely begun to read before she heard a chair scrape beside her own and felt the presence of someone beside her. For a second, she felt a stab of annoyance. It was a well-known fact that you didn't disturb Hermione Granger when she was trying to study. She was a big fan of quiet and solitude, which wasn't usually disturbed on a Sunday.

She looked up briskly and froze. The pale young man sitting beside her looked steadily back.

"Malfoy," she addressed him stiffly. This was something she'd hoped to avoid.

Draco sighed. "Didn't we decide to scrap the formalities, Hermione?"

"Yes, but that was before you grabbed me and started to pry into my business, Draco," she answered coldly.

"I wasn't 'prying'. You let something slip and it was obvious something important by your reaction."

"I don't have anything to let 'slip', so I couldn't have."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Can we please bypass this, and move onto the fact that we need to talk?"

"About what?" Hermione replied, avoiding his eyes.

"Friday. What you saw. Why were you doing in the dungeons?"

"Why do you want to know?" Hermione began to flick through the pages before her.

The Slytherin made an incoherent noise at the back of his throat. "I'm not playing a game here, Hermione, I need to know for a reason."

She finally met his eyes. "Then I need to know something from you first."

"Why?"

"I have my reasons too. Why were you out in the middle of the night in the dungeons?"

He regarded her for a few moments with a raised eyebrow. "…Hermione, you might want to acquaint yourself with the fact that I live down there most of the time."

"I'm not stupid, Draco. You were there for a reason."

"Maybe I was."

She sighed in exasperation before pushing aside her work. "Look, it's blindingly obvious that we're both dodging the topic of Professor Snape and what happened to him on Friday night. You weren't taking a late stroll around the dungeons, if you were, you wouldn't be so paranoid about my being there."

"Perceptive of you."

"Shut up, Draco. We both know he doesn't visit The Three Broomsticks on nights like Friday." She paused. "What?"

Draco was looking at her with a frown. "Friday night isn't the first you've seen him like that, is it? You said 'last time'. What happened 'last time'?"

Hermione glanced at the tabletop before answering. "He came back later. It was worse. He was apparently fine in the next morning?"

"You went to get Dumbledore, didn't you?" Draco's tone was almost accusatory.

Hermione shook her head. "I wanted to…he wouldn't let me."

"Then…you left him?"

"Of course I didn't," she replied, looking offended. "I gave him one of his potions. Made sure he was asleep in his rooms before I left."

Draco looked surprised. "He let you into his rooms?"

"Yes…of course, he wasn't terribly conscious of me at the time. Why are you so shocked?"

"Because he never lets me near him if he can help it. More than once he's slammed his door in my face."

Hermione shrugged. "Doesn't make a difference anyway. He has the same attitude towards me as usual. When I help out in the Potions lab, he either evades me completely, or refuses to acknowledge my existence."

"Sounds like Uncle Severus," said Draco wryly.

They sat in silence for a few moments, until Hermione turned to him again. "I have the feeling," she said slowly, "That we should try to…I don't know…do something…help him."

Draco laughed without mirth. "Gryffindor to the core, aren't you?" he said softly, but it wasn't an insult. At her glare, he continued. "What are you suggesting? Nursing him into somewhat better health? Meeting him after a Revel with Paracetamol and a Dreamless Sleep Potion? There isn't much we can do…he doesn't like 'help.' He hates feeling any way dependent on anyone."

"No, I'm not suggesting any of those things. I'm not so stupid as to believe he would accept those things, least of all from me. I'm just thinking that we should…keep an eye on him. Watch for when he leaves the castle. Be ready for…the worst. And here's a risky thought- you could talk to him."

"Don't you think I've tried that?" asked Draco. "Besides, we have other things to talk about."

"Such as?"

Draco smiled slightly and shook his head. "This share time doesn't cover certain aspects, Hermione." His smile faded. "But we can do the other things- keeping a lookout for him." He suddenly glanced over his shoulder, surveying the library. A group of chattering Slytherins had just entered the library.

"I'll talk about this another time," he said looking uncomfortable. Nodding to her, he stood up quietly, pushed his chair neatly beneath the table and walked away, disappearing within the nearby bookshelves.

Hermione didn't sit long at the desk before gathering her notes and vacating it herself. She left the library, vaguely heading in the direction of the grounds and Quidditch Pitch, while processing the conversation she'd just engaged in. Lost in thought, the voice that disturbed her, made her jump round, scattering parchment everywhere.

Professor Snape stood in the corridor, an eyebrow lifted as he watched her stoop to the ground to gather up her paper, a slight tinge of humiliation staining her cheeks. When she finally stood up, he spoke again.

"Follow me to my office, Miss Granger. We need to have a discussion." The tone was final and authoritative. He turned and swept back down the hall, knowing full well she had to half run to keep in his wake.

-

Severus had awoken Saturday morning with a throbbing headache and a blurred recollection of the night before. His sight was no longer obstructed, just slightly cloudy when he first opened his eyes. It was rather like awaking with a mild hangover. He hoped fervently that the next to be caught by the Dark Lord's radar was Malfoy. He certainly knew a few well-placed curses he was itching to cast after last night.

The next thing he had remembered made him freeze. He groaned. Exactly what he had been dreading from the beginning of all this. A student had come across him upon his return. And not just any student. A Gryffindor. Hermione Granger, to be exact. He knew that her insatiable curiosity of matters that didn't concern her would surely arise sooner rather than later.

She needed to be warned.

He hadn't intended to come across her on his way to the Headmaster's office this morning, but now seemed as good a time as any. He suspected it would be fairly easy to intimidate her into silence. She always eventually backed down in his classes.

"Do keep up," he sneered as they reached his office door. She looked slightly out of breath after virtually running after his long strides. He opened the door and walked in. She followed.

"Close the door."

Hermione acquiesced and stood before it warily as he took a seat behind his desk.

"Sit."

Obediently, she sat in the uncomfortable chair he kept especially for his students.

"We are both well aware of what you saw on Friday night, Miss Granger, so I won't dally over the details, though I doubt you would know the cause."

"I think I can make an educated guess, Professor." Words verging on bold escaped her mouth. She suddenly bit her lip and looked at his desk.

"Do not speak out of turn."

"I'm sorry."

"Speak so of certain events to your friends, Miss Granger, and you will be."

She looked up at him now and he found it hard to discern the expression in her eyes. Her brow was furrowed.

"I would have hoped you thought more of me than that, Professor Snape. Do you really think I would make this a source of discussion in the Gryffindor common room?"

"Then we are clear. You may leave, Miss Granger," he answered; looking unconcerned as to any offence she might feel.

The Head Girl rose out of her chair, but on turning towards the door, she stopped.

"I would have thought you'd have been more bothered over last time, sir, especially if you're reacting like this now."

Severus froze.

She continued towards the door but was stilled by a growl from his direction.

"Sit."

Hermione swallowed and went to the chair again, not meeting his eyes. He was looming over his desk now, staring at her. Was that confusion that lurked in his eyes?

"'Last time'?"

Hermione frowned. "Yes…last time. You didn't acknowledge it so I thought…" She stopped in realisation and then gave him an identical stare. "You…you didn't know?"

"Do use your brain, Miss Granger. Does this look like the face of someone in the know?" he snarled before getting up from his desk. He began to pace while Hermione sat nervously.

"You."

"…Yes?"

"It was you. Insufferable, interfering Gryffindor…" He was shaking his head, unsure whether to be surprised or supremely not.

"Excuse me?" Hermione rose from her chair, a flash of anger jolting her. "If it wasn't for me, you might have been found by some first year, in a heap by your office. For all I knew at the time, you could have died or something! Was I supposed to leave you there?"

"Yes! You foolish girl!" He exhaled loudly, glowering at her.

"I'm foolish?" Hermione exclaimed. "You wouldn't even let me find Dumbledore to help!"

"I don't need help. Least of all from that meddlesome old bat!"

Hermione stared at him. She had never heard any teacher speak so disrespectfully about the wizened Headmaster. She suddenly hated the fact that it reflected some of her own perception of Dumbledore.

The room was drowned in silence, both occupants glaring at each other. Finally, Severus spoke.

"Just…get out, Granger."

She regarded him for a few second, her face red with anger before she seemed to deflate.

"Fine," she answered softly. She went to the door. Without turning, and with her hand on the doorknob, she spoke in a near-whisper.

"I'm sorry."

He frowned, caught off-guard. "What?"

She whirled round again, some of her previous energy dancing in her features. "I'm sorry for actually caring whether you made it home alive or not."

The door swung open, and then she was gone, slamming wood the only sound in her wake.

Severus sunk down in the chair she had vacated, and for once in his life, didn't bother to hide the fact that he was utterly bewildered.

-

Hermione stormed through the dungeons, thunder in her eyes and a thousand different words flying through her mind. Words she should have said. She barely noticed when she passed Draco in a flurry of black robes and muttering.

The blonde opened his mouth to speak, but she'd already passed him. He got the feeling that trying to speak to the fiery Gryffindor at the moment would be akin to getting in the way of a hurricane. Merlin help Potter and Weasley. Seeing that she had come from the direction of his godfather's office, there was no question about who had caused her mood.

Deciding to risk it, he made his way there himself and knocked on the door. There was no reply. Trying the doorknob, he was surprised to find it unlocked and unwarded. Quietly, he pushed it open.

"Severus?"

He was sitting at his desk, eyes closed and fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn't bother to open his eyes.

"Turn around and leave the way you came."

Draco raised an eyebrow. He'd seen his godfather at his lowest moments before and in his experience, he was often easier to deal with then, than he was with his usual attitude.

He closed the door and took the empty seat opposite.

"Quite an achievement," he commented.

Severus opened his eyes, glowering at the younger Slytherin. "Excuse me?"

"I've thrown a good few insults at Hermione Granger over the years and I've never managed to piss her off as much as you obviously just did."

A/N: I truly hated leaving it so long to update- I've been unable to do any writing up or posting for over a week due to work being done in the room my computer is in and the net being disconnected for a while. It was seriously unanticipated. I'm going to attempt getting another chapter of I Don't Want To Be Alone sent to my beta soon if possible because I'll be away again from Monday. Flying to Turkey for a week. I'm worried about my inbox inevitably going to its limit with story notifications, junk mail and the like while I'm away, so I'll be posting a temporary e-mail address in my profile if anyone is going to e-mail me.

Also, I have started a new site and scrapped my old one. It's in very early stages at the moment, but feel free to take a look at it- www. geocities . com /sewerwalking

Don't miss me too much… grins On another note…I've been hypothesizing about the HBP all week…I love HP new book madness. If you don't know what I'm talking about, get yourself over to JKR's official site!

Purplerebecca- Don't worry about Draco…I couldn't let him be alone, now could I? Thanks for your review.

Captain Oblivious- Yes, explanation was a bit thin on the ground regarding the Marauders and Animagi. Crookshanks was under-used in my opinion too. But I loved Cuaron's direction. I'm looking forward to watching Mike Newell's interpretation of GoF next year. Thanks for reviewing.

Lady Pirates- Thanks for the details and your review. The blindness wasn't exactly lasting; it was just a plot device for a while.

Kaaera- Well, we can safely say he has a clue now. Thanks for the review!

Shadowkitten- Thanks for your review. I enjoy writing his character.

Claire Rickman- I'm glad to hear it. My exams are done with now…have to wait till August for results though…I think I've got what I need for college. (I hope.) Thanks for the review.

M'cha Araem- I think Draco's rather amused himself now. Thanks for reviewing!

DistinctVagueness