Chapter Seven: Rumors
"YOU KNEW!" Severus accused Albus the second he got back. "You damn well knew she was scared half to death over wolves and you -."
"Sent you along." Albus finished.
"Why?"
"Ms. Granger would not have appreciated it if I had told you about her phobia, this way you found out with out unknowingly sending her into a death trap." He rationalized.
"Why must you always play with the lives of men Albus?"
"I tend to know things child, and if my knowledge can save even a few lives with all that are being lost, then I will gladly play." He regarded his youngest colleague for the millionth time, "Go to bed, I'll send Minerva to finish up."
And Snape left.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~
12/05/97 - Thursday
Hermione had come back early that night, to the joy of Harry and Ron.
But their joy had faded shortly after looking on her face, which seemed as pale as the full moon.
This morning, they couldn't help but notice that she was nowhere to be found at breakfast.
"LAVENDER!" Ron called down the long table, "Where's Hermione?"
"Sleeping." Lavender called back, much less loudly.
"She had better wake up soon, we have COMC first thing, and she doesn't want to miss this lesson!" Harry said proudly.
"What did Hagrid say?" Ron asked curious.
"He said that he suspended a werewolf in it's transformed form so we can see it!!" Harry beamed.
Hagrid was currently bragging similarly to the teachers.
Snape soon realized the terror that soon awaited Ms. Granger
"Rubius?" Albus said softly, "Ms. Granger has been excused from you class for the day, and from all of her classes for that matter, I dare say she was rather traumatized yesterday and needs the day off."
"Wha' Dumbledore I saw her just last night patrolling with Snape, and s'e seemed just fine."
"Yes, well that was before, now how about some of those doughnuts!"
Every teacher glared at Snape.
Hermione was not only the single student they all enjoyed teaching, but also she always appeared to be a ray of light.
He stood up and left.
Leaving the teachers and students to starring after him.
Then the rumors started.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hermione yawned and stretched.
Looking at the time se realized she was nearly late for dinner.
DINNER?!?
Gods how long had she slept?
Dressing quickly she ran down to the great hall, only to be greeted by silence and glares.
Walking slowly over to her table, watching the hall, she sat by Harry.
"What's up?" she asked.
"What is with you?" Harry asked regarding her oddly.
"Oh I must have been sleepier then I had thought." She said cheerfully.
From Ron and Harry's exchanged glances, she knew that she was not answering the right question.
"What is with everyone? Why are they all starring at me?"
"Come on." Ron took her hand and led her out of the hall onto the grounds.
The tortured sounds from the still captive werewolf cause Hermione to be overcome with vertigo.
She wavered back and forth and fell onto the ground, unconscious.
She was quickly revived by two boys shaking her madly.
"Mione? You ok?" they were back inside.
Sighing she nodded.
"What happened?"
"It's nothing." She brushed off their hands. "Now what was with the hall?"
"Rumors, Mione." Harry said sadly, "They are saying the most ridiculous things."
"It's logical of course, only Slytherin and Gryffindor know the circumstances."
"WHAT ARE YOU TALING ABOUT?" she demanded.
"Everyone thinks Snape rapped you." Ron said flat out.
"what." She whispered.
"I take he didn't?" Harry said hopefully, not really looking foreword to having to kill the only spy the light side had.
"Of course not! What in Merlin's name drove people to thinking that?"
"Well, Dumbledore said you'd be missing classes because you were traumatized. Hagrid then said he saw you last night on patrol with Snape and you seemed fine. People used their imaginations, and a certain blond haired Slytherin fed them growth formula." Ron clarified.
"Well that's all true." She said flat out, "But Snape did not rape me."
"Then what happened?
Hermione had kept this one fear to herself out of many reasons.
First of all, it would insult Remus Lupin, who meant so much to Harry it wasn't funny. Second, because she, the know it all of Hogwarts couldn't have an irrational fear of anything, it just didn't fit.
"Nothing of great importance," she quickly lied.
"If you were traumatized it was important Hermione." Harry said dangerously.
"I just saw something last night that I'm horribly frightened of." She told a half lie, sacrificing half of the benefits. "that's why I came back early."
"oh, well, maybe after telling the school that, maybe the rumors will die down." Ron said hopefully.
"Maybe, but the teachers believe them more then most of the students." Harry said darkly.
Speaking of teachers, "Ms. Granger, a word," McGonagall said for outside of the portrait.
"Why couldn't she just come in?" Ron complained.
"She wants to talk to me alone." Hermione explained as she stood up and went out to see her head of house.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Yes, professor?"
"Come with me Ms. Granger." They walked off to the teacher's lounge, were majority of teachers were sitting, minus, the DADA teacher, Snape and Dumbledore.
"Please sit." She sat.
Hermione though of how dumb this was. Not only were they over reacting to a lie spread about, but they had the daring to believe it!
"Ms. Granger." Flitwick spoke up, sadly, but Hermione recognized a friend.
"Yes, Professor Flitwick?" she asked with a smile on her face.
"Some rumors have been about school today, and I'm sure you have heard of them."
"Yes, and I'm having trouble believing that people actually believed that one." She smiled at the charms professor.
"yes, well, I believe it false, as does Albus, however since majority of the professor's have taken it quite seriously, and are worried about your safety, we have called you here tonight. As a precaution to protecting someone other than yourself, we have gained permission to use Varitsurem."
It sounded like he was quoting! Of all, it sounded like they had this practiced, as if this happened often.
"Fine by me, I have nothing to hide." Actually she did. All of Harry and Ron's secrets up to this point as well as her own. Dobby also might gain punishment if certain things were asked of her. But this was the safest route.
Flitwick smiled broadly. "See, cooperating."
"Fine, the flask Sprout." Minerva decided.
Hermione took the swig she knew to, and all went numb.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Has professor Snape ever harmed you?" Minerva asked worried.
"No." the simple answer took them all back.
"Has professor Snape ever made you feel unsafe?" Flitwick asked, knowing the answer.
"Not in the least." This surprised them to say the least. A simple truthful 'no' would have sufficed, but she had said 'not in the least.'
"Clarify!" Professor Sinestra shouted.
"I feel very safe while in the presence of Professor Snape. I know he will always protect me and keep me safe."
More riddles, but time was wearing.
"What happened last night?" Sprout asked the question all were dreading.
Hermione felt a twing of feeling, she was in control. How under the serum?
"Something is wrong," one Professor stated.
"The serum casus direct reponses!" another shouted.
"We were walking into the forest, I heard a howl, then a growl, we were surrounded by wolves, I couldn't move, I was scared, he saved me, warmth." The word tumbled form her mouth.
It made little sense, like a prophecy then an answer.
"See?" Flitwick proclaimed, "Wolves, and since it was a full moon last night, more then likely Werewolves. Snape saved her, and she was traumatized from being so close to either death or a cured life."
Flitwick understood her phobia perfectly since he had it himself.
"Well, we owe Severus an apology."
"To say the least." Some one else agreed.
But Minerva was thinking away.
Something was off, why was Ms. Granger so certain that Severus would protect her at all costs? Why did she feel so close to the grouchy professor?
She had to formulize these all into a single question before the potion wore off.
Once the rest of the teachers and staff had left the room, she asked her last question.
"How do you feel about Professor Snape?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*
AN:
Cliffy I know, but I wanted to be able to post this.
You'll get the answer sooner or later.
Please review!!
Relena~
"YOU KNEW!" Severus accused Albus the second he got back. "You damn well knew she was scared half to death over wolves and you -."
"Sent you along." Albus finished.
"Why?"
"Ms. Granger would not have appreciated it if I had told you about her phobia, this way you found out with out unknowingly sending her into a death trap." He rationalized.
"Why must you always play with the lives of men Albus?"
"I tend to know things child, and if my knowledge can save even a few lives with all that are being lost, then I will gladly play." He regarded his youngest colleague for the millionth time, "Go to bed, I'll send Minerva to finish up."
And Snape left.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~
12/05/97 - Thursday
Hermione had come back early that night, to the joy of Harry and Ron.
But their joy had faded shortly after looking on her face, which seemed as pale as the full moon.
This morning, they couldn't help but notice that she was nowhere to be found at breakfast.
"LAVENDER!" Ron called down the long table, "Where's Hermione?"
"Sleeping." Lavender called back, much less loudly.
"She had better wake up soon, we have COMC first thing, and she doesn't want to miss this lesson!" Harry said proudly.
"What did Hagrid say?" Ron asked curious.
"He said that he suspended a werewolf in it's transformed form so we can see it!!" Harry beamed.
Hagrid was currently bragging similarly to the teachers.
Snape soon realized the terror that soon awaited Ms. Granger
"Rubius?" Albus said softly, "Ms. Granger has been excused from you class for the day, and from all of her classes for that matter, I dare say she was rather traumatized yesterday and needs the day off."
"Wha' Dumbledore I saw her just last night patrolling with Snape, and s'e seemed just fine."
"Yes, well that was before, now how about some of those doughnuts!"
Every teacher glared at Snape.
Hermione was not only the single student they all enjoyed teaching, but also she always appeared to be a ray of light.
He stood up and left.
Leaving the teachers and students to starring after him.
Then the rumors started.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hermione yawned and stretched.
Looking at the time se realized she was nearly late for dinner.
DINNER?!?
Gods how long had she slept?
Dressing quickly she ran down to the great hall, only to be greeted by silence and glares.
Walking slowly over to her table, watching the hall, she sat by Harry.
"What's up?" she asked.
"What is with you?" Harry asked regarding her oddly.
"Oh I must have been sleepier then I had thought." She said cheerfully.
From Ron and Harry's exchanged glances, she knew that she was not answering the right question.
"What is with everyone? Why are they all starring at me?"
"Come on." Ron took her hand and led her out of the hall onto the grounds.
The tortured sounds from the still captive werewolf cause Hermione to be overcome with vertigo.
She wavered back and forth and fell onto the ground, unconscious.
She was quickly revived by two boys shaking her madly.
"Mione? You ok?" they were back inside.
Sighing she nodded.
"What happened?"
"It's nothing." She brushed off their hands. "Now what was with the hall?"
"Rumors, Mione." Harry said sadly, "They are saying the most ridiculous things."
"It's logical of course, only Slytherin and Gryffindor know the circumstances."
"WHAT ARE YOU TALING ABOUT?" she demanded.
"Everyone thinks Snape rapped you." Ron said flat out.
"what." She whispered.
"I take he didn't?" Harry said hopefully, not really looking foreword to having to kill the only spy the light side had.
"Of course not! What in Merlin's name drove people to thinking that?"
"Well, Dumbledore said you'd be missing classes because you were traumatized. Hagrid then said he saw you last night on patrol with Snape and you seemed fine. People used their imaginations, and a certain blond haired Slytherin fed them growth formula." Ron clarified.
"Well that's all true." She said flat out, "But Snape did not rape me."
"Then what happened?
Hermione had kept this one fear to herself out of many reasons.
First of all, it would insult Remus Lupin, who meant so much to Harry it wasn't funny. Second, because she, the know it all of Hogwarts couldn't have an irrational fear of anything, it just didn't fit.
"Nothing of great importance," she quickly lied.
"If you were traumatized it was important Hermione." Harry said dangerously.
"I just saw something last night that I'm horribly frightened of." She told a half lie, sacrificing half of the benefits. "that's why I came back early."
"oh, well, maybe after telling the school that, maybe the rumors will die down." Ron said hopefully.
"Maybe, but the teachers believe them more then most of the students." Harry said darkly.
Speaking of teachers, "Ms. Granger, a word," McGonagall said for outside of the portrait.
"Why couldn't she just come in?" Ron complained.
"She wants to talk to me alone." Hermione explained as she stood up and went out to see her head of house.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Yes, professor?"
"Come with me Ms. Granger." They walked off to the teacher's lounge, were majority of teachers were sitting, minus, the DADA teacher, Snape and Dumbledore.
"Please sit." She sat.
Hermione though of how dumb this was. Not only were they over reacting to a lie spread about, but they had the daring to believe it!
"Ms. Granger." Flitwick spoke up, sadly, but Hermione recognized a friend.
"Yes, Professor Flitwick?" she asked with a smile on her face.
"Some rumors have been about school today, and I'm sure you have heard of them."
"Yes, and I'm having trouble believing that people actually believed that one." She smiled at the charms professor.
"yes, well, I believe it false, as does Albus, however since majority of the professor's have taken it quite seriously, and are worried about your safety, we have called you here tonight. As a precaution to protecting someone other than yourself, we have gained permission to use Varitsurem."
It sounded like he was quoting! Of all, it sounded like they had this practiced, as if this happened often.
"Fine by me, I have nothing to hide." Actually she did. All of Harry and Ron's secrets up to this point as well as her own. Dobby also might gain punishment if certain things were asked of her. But this was the safest route.
Flitwick smiled broadly. "See, cooperating."
"Fine, the flask Sprout." Minerva decided.
Hermione took the swig she knew to, and all went numb.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Has professor Snape ever harmed you?" Minerva asked worried.
"No." the simple answer took them all back.
"Has professor Snape ever made you feel unsafe?" Flitwick asked, knowing the answer.
"Not in the least." This surprised them to say the least. A simple truthful 'no' would have sufficed, but she had said 'not in the least.'
"Clarify!" Professor Sinestra shouted.
"I feel very safe while in the presence of Professor Snape. I know he will always protect me and keep me safe."
More riddles, but time was wearing.
"What happened last night?" Sprout asked the question all were dreading.
Hermione felt a twing of feeling, she was in control. How under the serum?
"Something is wrong," one Professor stated.
"The serum casus direct reponses!" another shouted.
"We were walking into the forest, I heard a howl, then a growl, we were surrounded by wolves, I couldn't move, I was scared, he saved me, warmth." The word tumbled form her mouth.
It made little sense, like a prophecy then an answer.
"See?" Flitwick proclaimed, "Wolves, and since it was a full moon last night, more then likely Werewolves. Snape saved her, and she was traumatized from being so close to either death or a cured life."
Flitwick understood her phobia perfectly since he had it himself.
"Well, we owe Severus an apology."
"To say the least." Some one else agreed.
But Minerva was thinking away.
Something was off, why was Ms. Granger so certain that Severus would protect her at all costs? Why did she feel so close to the grouchy professor?
She had to formulize these all into a single question before the potion wore off.
Once the rest of the teachers and staff had left the room, she asked her last question.
"How do you feel about Professor Snape?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*
AN:
Cliffy I know, but I wanted to be able to post this.
You'll get the answer sooner or later.
Please review!!
Relena~