Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. I'm just playing with her world
Chapter 12: And the ghost returns
Hermione got through her first class, Ancient Runes, and made her way, as slowly as she could, to the darkness of the dungeons, where her next class was held.
The day had moved at light speed. Every time she would glance down at the watch she wore, the minutes were melting away and it was only five minutes until the first classes were over. She had been dreading the moment since she had talked to Ginny about it. Everything seemed to be mocking her, the students looked fiercer, the paintings gave her an evil look when she passed by, and people would become quieter when she walked by them in the halls. She was getting paranoid and she knew it but it was easier to fear the unreasonable then what she imagined was to come.
Her mind kept imagining horrible scenarios. They would all find out about her summer and reject her, mock her, and torture her. She would be joyous to find him alive but he would cruelly smile at her and tell everyone the silly fantasies of a silly child. All these daydreams, more day nightmares really, scared her to no end and she was taking as much time as she could to reach the classroom of her Advanced Potions Class.
So there she was, finally, the doorway. Students were pushing past her trying to find a seat, most hopefully near the back, but she did not care. The bell rang and shook her out of her thoughts and fears and she rushed into the room quickly finding a seat next to Hannah Abbot, a girl in Hufflepuff. They smiled politely and got their books and cauldrons out of their bags.
He was afraid. And he had run to his private rooms. A mere memory of the girl that he had left scared him and turned him into a coward when years of being a spy under Voldemort had not. He paced a little in his room and was contemplating not showing up for class just letting them wait it out. But Hermione being the Head Girl she is would be sent to go and check to see if classes were canceled. And he could not be caught along with her, not yet, it was much too soon. He looked out at the large, ornate clock over his fireplace and saw that classes had been in session for a few minutes and he made up his mind.
The students were talking to each other in hushed voices, wondering where their professor was. But, from an unseen corner, a door opened and slammed shut. Hermione didn't look up; she didn't want to know but that voice called out and drew her eyes up to him.
"By know all of you should know that I expect nothing but perfection from you. You are in this class because you have the ability and knowledge. Now, open to page 129 and find your ingredients from the back table. At the end of class bottle up your finished potions and place them on my desk. Next class, have a two foot long essay on the other uses of pilfidora." Professor Snape instructed the class, not going over the potion as they were so used to, but told them what to do and quickly sat down at his desk seemingly grading papers.
He finished giving the directions and sighed as he grabbed a quill, watching his shaking hand. 'There, I'm here and she knows I'm here now too. It will all be fine.' His mind tried to reassure him but he would have no such luck this day.
When Hermione glimpsed up and saw him she smiled and was thrust back into the memories. But when he said "pilfidora" she was brought back to 'that day' and then back to the present. A few seconds later a shrill scream filled the classroom.
Everyone dropped their supplies and the classroom was full of the echoes of ingredients and cauldrons hitting the floor. In the silence everyone looked around to see what the matter was and who had screamed. They finally found her. Hermione's face was drained of all its color and she was clutching her heart and shaking badly, her mouth still open wide in a silent scream. Hannah looked terrified and rushed to Hermione's side.
"Hermione…hey Hermione what's the matter, what happened?" The other girl tried to question her but Hermione just stood there looking at the man in the front of the room who was forcing himself to still look at the papers.
"No, no, no, no." She repeated. Her head was shaking back and forth. "Your not suppose to be here. You died. I held you in my arms as you died. The stain from your blood is still on my floor. I'm not crazy," she pointed to herself and then up at him, "your not suppose to be here." Hermione was screaming and quaking back and forth until Severus finally looked up at her when his blood, which was stained on her floor, was mentioned.
"Miss. Granger, settle down and get back to work." His voice was stern and reprimanding but the fear was there, and everyone could hear it. Of course, that did nothing but make her freak out even more. Silence was all that could be heard in the room at that moment. People were looking back and forth between their Head Girl and their Potions Master. Questions were floating through everyone's mind. 'What is going on?' 'Blood what is she talking about?' 'He's not dead, has she finally snapped?'
She finally moved. Hermione ran up to his desk, beating on his chest, calling him a fake, and a fraud. Severus took hold of her arms and shouted out to the rest of the people that class was canceled. When they didn't move fast enough, his eyes darkened even more and he screamed for them to get out or they would get detentions for the rest of the year.
The students scurried out of the classroom as fast as they could. Severus was holding on to Hermione as she continued to beat him, her little fists not causing any pain. Soon she was crying and sobbing, and he took hold on of and held her to his chest. But this action was not met with kindness. Hermione glanced up hoping to any gods that Sirius was holding her or Lupin or if anything Harry, but that it wasn't him.
When she looked up and saw the concern in his eyes she screamed once more and fainted there in his arms. Severus caught her lithe body easily and took her over to his desk where he laid her for the time being. He sighed and ran a hand through his lank black hair. "I am getting to old for this." He whispered to himself and flooed the Headmaster to say that Hermione and he would be up to the hospital wing in a few minutes. Of course, the Headmaster took all of this without surprise and just told him to be careful.
Ron and Harry were called out of their respective classes and ran to the Hospital Wing. They entered breathing heavily and searched for Hermione.
"Boys, calm down, she is asleep and will be fine." Madam Pomfrey told them but it didn't help to calm them at all. They demanded to see her and rushed to her bedside.
Harry looked down at his girlfriend and placed a small kiss on her forehead. He smiled a bit when her eyelids seemed to flutter but a scowl was fixed on his face when she sighed out "Severus". Ron heard it but did nothing to show he had. The two boys sat by her side and took either hand, not noticing the dark shadow in the corner watching over Hermione.
By dinner that night, all of Hogwarts knew of Hermione's incident in Potions and speculation was abound. She had awoken before dinner, but had chosen to eat the meal in the hospital bed instead of around the curious eyes of her school mates.
That night, when she was sure that most of the Gryfindor Tower had gone to sleep, she walked back to her rooms.
"So, little Miss. Know-It-All has finally snapped, has she?" A drawl came from behind a chair as Hermione entered the common room.
Hermione glared at where the voice was coming from and just went to sit down on the sofa, the end farthest from where Draco was sitting. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Malfoy. Now, if you don't mind I would like to read in some peace and quiet." Her voice quavered a bit, as Draco turned around to look at her.
Draco just laughed. "Read, eh? Then where's your book?" His tone had turned from condescending to concern and he sat on the couch a little nearer to Hermione. "What happened in there? 'Your blood is still stained on my floor; you died in my arms' Granger what happened to you this summer?"
Hermione looked up at him with tears glinting unshed in her eyes. "Nothing Draco, just…nothing. It was all just nothing. I'm going to sleep now. Goodnight Draco." She shakily stood up and walked up to her staircase.
"Goodnight Hermione sleep well, and have good dreams." Draco called up to her, and his use of her given name stopped her on the 8th step. Hermione turned around, walked down the stairs and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"Thank you." Hermione went back up to her room, and Draco spent the night by the fire, trying desperately to figure out what happened during her summer to make her act the way she was.
Shaking his head, Draco and couldn't help but dwell on what had happened in his dramatic summer to make him change to drastically. It had all started the day 6th year was let out of session.
(A/N: Cut to Wayne and Garth doing their little dream sequence movements. Sorry I don't know why I put that in there that just came to my mind as I was typing this scene. And now back to the story.)
The train whistled as it pulled into the station. Draco haughtily walked off the train and looked around for the white, blond hair of his father. But of course, he wasn't there. Draco was met by a house elf he had been practically raised by. The two apperated back to the Malfoy Manor and were greeted by Mrs. Malfoy at the door.
"Draco, my son, how have you been? How has the school year been?" She asked him feigning cheerfulness and happiness.
He sighed and smiled back up at his mother. "Wonderful, I am very pleased; as I am sure you will be of my grades." He handed her a slip of paper and saw her disappointment as soon as she read what was on the paper.
"Second in the class again? Bested by that damnedable Mud-blood, no doubt." She accused of him. "Year after year, she beats you, Draco. Yet you still cannot do better then her, and you continue to soil the Malfoy name."
Draco held his head high in defiance and ripped that paper away from his mother. "I am terribly sorry that I have once again disappointed you, Mother." He spat back at her through gritted teeth. "Where is Father?"
"Up in his study. I would punish you here and now for those grades, but I will let Lucius deal with you." His mother barked this at him and walked back in to her rooms to re-freshen her glass of liquor.
Draco walked up the stairs and made the bends to his father's study. He knocked on the door, not wanting to walk in on a visit from one of Lucius's 'friends' as he had before.
An "Enter" was called. Lucius seeing his son come in from the hallway, quickly rushed to his side and gave him a hug and pat on the back. "Welcome home, my boy. I truly hope that you 6th year of Hogwarts has been as wonderful as the ones before it." Lucius flashed his dazzling smile at his equally handsome son.
"It was Father, and I am so happy to be home." Draco grinned at his father, his only real friend. Many saw Lucius Malfoy as a Death Eater and nasty man who probably abused his wife and son, and was needed to be put to in Azkaban for the crimes that he had probable committed. But Draco knew the real man, the caring man who would protect his son and wife at all cost, even if he had lost the love for his wife long ago.
"And I do suppose that you grades to give me." Lucius raised his hand excepting the parchment in it. Draco handed him the paper and saw the smile on his father's face grow as soon as he saw the grades. "I am so very proud of you, Draco. Second in the class once again, I could not have asked for a more brilliant son."
Draco laughed and hugged his father. That night they sipped at their drinks and talked of the past school year and the one to come.
Narcissa learned of Lucius's warm treatment of their son's grades and became even harsher about it, called her son stupid or dim-witted whenever she got the chance. But Lucius would just praise Draco ever more. It was soon a month before the school year started and then another two months before Draco was to turn 18.
"My son, please come with me. You and I need to have a talk that has been a long time in the making." Lucius called to his son as he was eating breakfast. Draco quickly finished and followed his father's footsteps to the study.
Draco entered the comfortable room, and heard many locking and silencing charms placed on the space once the door had clicked shut behind him "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about, Father?" Draco nervously sat down in his favorite chair near the fireplace, as it had suddenly grown very cold in the room.
"My son, you know that on you 18th birthday, you will be expected to take the Dark Mark, and follow the Death Eaters and our Dark Lord?" Lucius questioned him, his face unreadable.
"Yes, I know, Father. I know what is expected of me and I will do it." Resignation flashed in Draco's eyes.
Lucius sighed deeply and took a drink from a cup of tea floating in air next to him. "Yes, I knew you would say that. But Draco do you actually believe what the Lord has been saying all these years? And are you ready to follow it with your life?"
Draco shook his head slightly. "No, Father. I believe what you have told me all these years. And I am ready to follow you."
"Then listen here and believe what I am about to say." Lucius looked around the room and once again placed more silencing charms on the room. The talk soon grew to a hushed whisper. "I have been a spy since before you were born, and I wish you to join me. I know how dangerous it is, but I have made myself a very nice place with the Dark Lord and I am sure you will be there next to me out of as much danger as I can allow. My son, I have never believed what the Lord has said nor of his practices, but unfortunately your mother does, so you must not talk of this at all." Draco nodded his head and allowed his father to continue on with his story. The story started with when he took the mark and then with the companionship of Severus Snape (at this Draco gasped, surprised his Potions Master and uncle was a spy) went to Albus Dumbledore for forgiveness and mercy.
The plan was quickly formulated that the two would be spies for the side of Light and to keep themselves alive at all costs. The two men took these instructions and never again spoke to each other of that night. Soon, they found themselves in the trusted inner circle of the Dark Lord, but Severus was becoming in danger with his lack of action and information.
Lucius had told his son, all of the details, spearing nothing. When he had taken the mark, his first Dark Revel, the night she was told that he would marry a Narcissa Black, his begging for mercy, and the many nights that followed. Lucius even told all that he knew of the young Hermione Granger that Severus had fallen in love with one summer when they were 18, before the mark was taken. Draco was in a stunned silence throughout the story and knew that he would follow in his father's footsteps by taking up the role as spy and helping the Order and the side of Light as much as he could.
When Draco had told this to his father, he was clapped on the back and his father radiated pride for his brave son.
"Son, you must understand that your behavior towards Harry Potter and his friends must not change. You cannot change." Lucius warned his son, but a quizzical glance crossed Draco's face. "Yes?"
"But, father, what of Hermione Granger? I will no doubt be sharing the Head Boy and Girl quarters with her, and you have told me of the relationship that went on between her and Uncle Severus this past summer. She will need someone there for her and I could help her."
Lucius smiled at his son. "You do what you feel you must do. But if things get too far, and she begins questioning you, tell her your story and that have become a spy." Draco couldn't believe that his father was telling him that if anyone asked him what his standing was to tell them that he was a spy. But Lucius interrupted him before he could attack him. "Now, that is not to say that anyone who should ask about you that you should tell him you are a spy. But she does know that Severus is a spy, as does Harry Potter and a Ron Weasley, she will need something she can relate to in you so that she may feel more comfortable around you."
That night had ended with questions unanswered, but Draco knew that once he got back to school, that he would not change unless in the presence of Hermione Granger alone. He would help her through the terrible year that was ahead and make sure her and Uncle Severus were happy by the end of it.
A/N: hey guys, whoo that took a long time in getting out. But I had LPA, a dance DUH, and homework so writing had to be put to the side for a short time.
And I read on Ashwinder that J.K. Rowling announced that Snape's birthday was January 9th, which makes him a Capricorn. For people who like that kind of stuff, go read up on the characteristics of Caps, it is so creepy.
I hope you guys like this new chapter, and have a great time waiting for July 16th when the 6th book comes out! BYE