Through The Times Of War Chapter 4, a harry potter fanfic

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

CHAPTER 4

OF REGAL HOUSES, SERPENTS, DARK ROOMS AND FIRST KISSES

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

And it was the end of the year, but Snape did not come back.

Only Hermione and Draco among the student body were worried, though. Who else would want to have back the tormentor?

Though the End-of-the-Year Feast was a quiet affair, the most striking thing was that Gryffindor and Slytherin were equal on points and so, the decorations were half and half.

Hermione thought it rather symbolic. If they were to achieve victory, more than anything, Gryffindor and Slytherin required being together. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff couldn't be overlooked, but that was not the point. It was the enmities that had to be conquered.

Harry and Draco had grown distant and wouldn't even look at each other. She had her prejudices against the blonde, but she wondered what was going on between them. The war was at its height. It would not do to have them at each others throats.

She didn't try to reconcile them. The most prominent reason among many others was the fact that Malfoy would walk down the opposite way of the corridor if either she or Harry came in his sight. Harry was even more difficult. He was usually very cross because of the pain due to his scar and though he still had nightmares, the fact that Sirius was a part of them made him want to be lonesome as ever.

Nobody had been able to bring in more information about the suspected Weasley and Hermione found herself torn between sympathy and suspicion whenever she was with Ron.

All in all, it was a very dismal end of the year. Even her scores had dropped by five percent in average! But that didn't bother her as much as it would have. She had realized that there were more important things. She had started trusting her intelligence and did not need marks to prove it. It was a step towards maturity to show that she could widen her horizons and learn to accept failures and work for their remedial.

Dumbledore had sent for Harry and her just before they were to leave next day.

It was about the man who had saved them. He confessed he had no idea who it could be and told them to be on the lookout for him if they met him ever again.

He kept back Hermione for he had something to talk to her about personally.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Hermione put down her quill and stretched her arms. She had been sitting at her work since morning and now it was evening. She glanced at the wall-clock. Six-thirty.

She got up to get some food.

It was the first of August and she had not heard a word from anybody from the magical world. She was feeling slightly irritated now. Was this how Harry had felt that summer after the fourth year? She truly sympathised with him now.

She wondered if she could get some pasta.

Dumbledore had warned her to accept no post. Her house was warded. Her parents had gone to her Uncle Leonov's house in Russia, where there was almost no effect of this war. Russian wizards were not on good terms with British magical brethren and did not concern themselves with their politics. She had been staying alone in her parent's house for a full month now. She had been patient all along, waiting… hopeful that someone would come to take her to Grimmauld Place.

But no, there had been no such luck. She was buried here with her books and the computer. It was getting boring. She had tried listening to music for some entertainment. But there were very few CDs there as her parents were no great music-lovers.

She glared at the box which provided her with whatever dish she wanted in order to prevent her from going out. Oh yes, the pasta was very nice, though she could not recognize what sort it was because of the gravy and flavouring. She didn't care much. But she would rather drink a glass of water outside this house than eat delicacies inside it.

Her stomach protested and with a sigh she sat down at the table. Oh well, she was very hungry.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

It was just ten in the morning. She could see Lisa and Mona Hawthorn playing outside and quite a few people were about. Surely, Death-Eaters won't attack her if she went out just for a few minutes? A very, very few minutes?

It wasn't as if she was thinking like Harry and Ron, but she was a human being who required fresh air. It was absurd to think that Death-Eaters would attack her just when she went out for five minutes.

So, pocketing her wand, she went out into the small garden.

It was sheer bliss! This was so wonderful. Never again would Hermione undermine the importance of nature.

She stayed there for five minutes, however. It was almost noon when she went back inside.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Miss Granger, pleasure to meet you."

Oh Merlin!

Her breath caught as she turned around to see the sneering face of Lucius Malfoy.

He wasted no time, contrary to his usual behaviour. As soon as he pulled out his wand, Hermione ducked behind the sofa, just to have it blasted the next second.

Her wand was out and soon they were wrapped in a fierce duel.

Lucius Malfoy was slightly unnerved at the skill of the young witch before him. Hermione, encouraged by this, cast every horrible hex she knew in his direction. Malfoy, however, had the upper hand. He was well-versed with the Dark Arts.

Her mind was working furiously, trying to block his spells. Three had got her already, but she was valiantly trying to block out the pain caused by them.

He wanted her alive, she had reasoned quickly. So he would not cast a dreadfully dangerous hex on her. He wanted information from her, probably. What should she do?

As Malfoy ducked to avoid a hex from her, she snatched up the bronze vase and threw it at him.

It was highly unexpected. He was hit square in the face.

"Stupefy!" she yelled, panting.

"Incendio!" pointing towards the fire-place. "Dumbledore's office!" as she threw in the Floo Powder kept there for emergency and soon she was gone.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Good evening, Miss Granger, I see you are feeling much better now."

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore. I think I am well enough to go home now."

Professor Dumbledore sat down on a chair near Hermione's bed. "Now that you mention it, Miss Granger, it is something related to your being discharged from St. Mungo's."

"Indeed, Professor?" Hermione wondered whatever it could be. And it turned out to be something very much unexpected...

"Healer Verne informs me that you are surely well enough to go home. But we have suspicions that it is mighty unsafe for you to do so."

"What happened to Lucius Malfoy?" she asked.

"He had escaped when we got there. Though we don't know how."

"Still I can't go back home?"

"I am sorry to do this, Miss Granger, but I want you to be with a guardian now."

Hermione was devastated. He didn't trust her anymore!

"So, Miss Granger, for the rest of the vacation you'll be staying in the Serpentia, Miss Granger. It is, Professor Snape's home. He has er... agreed to have you at his home for the rest of the summer."

Hermione stared at Dumbledore, flabbergasted. She was going to live with Snape?

"It has, I know, come as a... great surprise, but I expect you understand that it is for your safety."

Hermione racked her brains to come up with something to convince Dumbledore that it was not a good idea.

"But, Professor, won't the Death Eaters know where Professor Snape, lives?"

"Good point, Miss Granger. No, they are completely unaware of the existence of any such place. It is as well protected as No. 12, Grimmauld Place. I should get going now, Miss Granger. Professor McGonagall will be here in two hours to take you to the Serpentia."

She very much wanted to ask why she couldn't be at the Grimmauld Place. But she had a sneaking suspicion that Harry wasn't there either. Something in Dumbledore's manner told her that too many questions would be very unwelcome. So she held her tongue for once.

Really, it wasn't as if she hated Snape – no, her feelings were far from it. In fact, they had been as far from it as possible during past few months. It was just, well, much unexpected.

However, she just shrugged and continued with her reading. It was better than staying home all alone, although she doubted whether it would be much different with him who she would be staying with.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

III

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Severus was really very put out at the idea of having Granger, at Serpentia. But he understood that it was for her safety. He won't have minded it so much if that girl hadn't been Potter's friend and a damned Gryffindor.

However, he couldn't refuse the Headmaster, could he? Especially when Dumbledore had requested him so earnestly. Well, he'd have to bear it, he supposed. It won't have been so bad though, he thought, if the girl wasn't a perfect nosy one – he would hate anyone to be nosing around the Serpentia. Well, it would be for her safety as well, won't it? Knowing what creatures dwelled in the Serpentia... Anyway, there was no use getting mad about it now because the girl would be here today. He put down his quill and glanced through the letter he had written –

"Arthinus,

"You might want to drop the idea of coming down to Serpentia tomorrow evening – or any other evening or day for the rest of the summer. I will be having some unexpected company and not quite the one of your taste. However, if you want, you can occupy the old house in that suburb where you are because I don't think I will ever return there again.

"Send me your answer through this owl.

"Yours truly,

Severus Snape."

Well, he had not expected Arthinus to return to England this week. In fact, he hadn't expected Arthinus to return ever again. He didn't know why he had left in the first place. In a way, he had expected him to be dead. He had been absent for so long!

He was exasperated at him, though. Even if he was his half-brother, that didn't mean that he could drop in without prior notification. If Severus had known earlier that Arthinus was going to be here in summer, he would have had a reason to refuse Dumbledore. But now he couldn't back out on his word. With a sigh, he tied the letter to the leg of a tawny barn owl perched on the window sill. Then he went downstairs. Granger would be here in half an hour. His temper grew none the better for it.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Good evening, Professor Snape. Well, here's Miss Granger, too. Professor Dumbledore..."

"Informed me of this stay – very much unexpected, of course," said Snape, coolly.

"Alright. Miss Granger, take care," said McGonagall very kindly. Hermione nodded. Professor McGonagall Disapparated, leaving behind her student – a young witch of near eighteen – with a man with a dark past, whose coldness and indifference could make one shiver even on a midsummer's afternoon...

"If you have no intention of coming in, Granger, I will be delighted to lock you out.' Hermione turned to Snape. His eyes were narrowed in angry dislike. She said nothing but went up the stairs and through the door which he held open for her. She winced as she heard him slam the door with an irritating 'BANG!'

"I hope you are not afraid of dark, Granger, and even if you are, well," he added with a nasty smirk, "I don't care." As fate would have it, Hermione was afraid of dark. It wasn't severe, but she would have avoided it all the same. The corridor, where her room was situated was murky and dark.

"Let me warn you, Granger – Do not feel that you have the liberty to move around in my house freely," said Snape as he unbolted the door to her room.

"Can there be no torches in those brackets on the walls, sir?" Hermione ventured to ask Snape as he magically conjured fire in the hearth.

Without looking at her, Snape said, "Who is the master of this house, Granger?"

"Well, it's you, sir," said Hermione.

"And I love darkness and I wish to live in it – that is my home! And I do not want suggestions from a silly know-it-all as to how I should equip my house. You get that, Granger?"

Hermione felt irritated and angry to an extent. "I am not a know-it-all!" I am almost an adult witch for Merlin's sake! She wanted to shout at him.

Snape turned around and sneered maliciously at her. "If you are unaware that you are not a know-it-all, then let me inform you now that you are. It's very tiring, of course and shows how swollen a head you have. But I'd expect that of all Gryffindors – expect perhaps, of total losers like Neville Longbottom."

"Gryffindors are the best, and it's the Slytherins – and everyone related to them who needs deflating! And Neville is a very good wizard. He made it to your class in the sixth-year in spite of..." Hermione broke off.

What has got into me? she thought, I can't shout at Snape. However evil he maybe, he's still my teacher. He can't take points off from Gryffindor now, it's true, but he will surely avenge himself at school.

"In spite of what, Miss Granger?" asked Snape, narrowing his eyes in hatred.

But Hermione didn't reply. She just returned his gaze defiantly.

Snape frowned at her. These young brats really had despicable manners. But he didn't really see Miss Granger as a 'young brat' anymore. Not now at any rate. Not when he had less than proper thoughts about her in sleepy or drunken haze.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Snape turned and went away. It really won't do to get into a staring contest with Miss Granger now. It really wasn't worth it. He had better work to do. Important work.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Hermione was a bit startled by his sudden departure. Snape had gone without lashing out at her – such lashing as her defiant statement would have merited from him. She had studied under him for six years after all. If he could belittle her on a small and irrelevant matter like her buck teeth back in fourth year, then surely, he would not let 'insolence' go by without reprimanding her.

Well, it was her luck if he did not want to treat her like a child. She wasn't a child anyway. She would be seventeen this September; an adult according to the magical world.

She had finished putting her clothes and other things in the wardrobe (after getting rid of the cobwebs in it). 'If I am going to live here this summer, I might as well make this place inhabitable,' she thought. 'If Snape's got a liking to live filthy, well, I am not changing just because 'he's the master of this house'. He can't order me around as if I am a slave! Because I am not, I am a guest.'

After she had finished unpacking, she sat down on the bed. Professor McGonagall had packed her bag and since there was less time, she had just put in the necessities. It seemed, according to McGonagall standards, that books weren't a necessity. Well, it were according to 'Hermione standards' and she felt sorely tempted to Floo to her house and get her books. No doubt Dumbledore would be sending them to her in course of a few days. There were more pressing matters than seeing to Hermione Granger's studying requirements. She knew that. Nevertheless, she was irritated at sitting idle. It was something she had never done – not to her present memory at least, and was not about to start doing it, too.

She wondered if she could go around the house. It wasn't as if it was a law that she would be breaking by stepping out of her room. Professor Snape, no doubt, wanted all his privacy and so, had told her not to roam around. But that warning had sounds of threat to it, which she did not like and wasn't sure that she wanted to test.

She looked around the room. It was a moderately comfortable room. Liveable, at least. Though the mattress on the bed was thinner than what she was used to and there was no sign of fluffy pillows which she liked, it was 'sufficient'. At least it was better than living all alone in her house.

Though Professor Snape made sure that their paths didn't cross anywhere in this house. She wondered why they would anyway. It was a fairly big house. There seemed to be many, many rooms here. It was an 'old' kind of a house.

Maybe there is a library here. There always is in such old houses, especially those of aristocratic Purebloods.

However, she would rather not go in the search of that library all alone. Even if she found it, it was one in a thousand chances that she would get in there safely and unscathed. Aristocratic purebloods had a protective – over-protective – attitude towards there knowledge. She learnt about this first time in the Blacks' house. As soon as she had entered the library there, painful blisters had started forming all over her skin and she was thrown out of the room. Later, Remus had explained to her about it. Since then, she had never got a driving urge to break the rules and enter the Restricted Section of Hogwarts Library. Who knew what horrible books there were to be found! She would certainly not want to talk in limericks all her life or never ever put down the book she was reading. She loved books, but she wasn't a maniac.

The fire was bright in the grate. She tossed off her shoes and reclined on the bed. Her eyes fell on the full-length mirror in one corner of the room. She was a bit startled. She had not noticed that mirror when she had entered the room.

She got up and stood in front of the full-length mirror, and began surveying herself. She had grown a bit taller and had developed voluptuous contours over the year. She was no longer a small girl, and though she knew it, she really didn't "feel" it. Her hair had become shinier and darker and had somewhat straightened out, so now they seemed wavy rather than bushy but that was only when she had freshly conditioned them. They would turn frizzy again, like they were now, she observed with a frown.

After a while, she went to the window and stood contemplating the dark scenery.

The tall firs, the distant mountains, the sky… all were dark. She smiled slightly as she felt that Snape really suited to this place. It was quiet, regal, and dark and seemed so mysterious.

It was odd how a house suited a person. But even as she stood there, her mind drifting aimlessly, she knew that this wasn't just any house. It was an ancient, majestic manor. She remembered that she had read somewhere, "If it isn't high and mighty, it doesn't exist".

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Harry really didn't want to be here. He hated this place. Sirius had hated this place. Much as he tried to forget it, he was again and again reminded of it.

Sometimes, in a strange way, he did not want to forget it. For forgetting Sirius' death would mean forgetting Sirius. He could never ever allow that to happen no matter how much pain he had to bear. Why did everyone who ever really cared for him die?

Thinking about people who cared for him…

He pulled out a small parchment from his pocket. It would be wrong to say that he fully trusted Draco. He was still suspicious about that boy. As he had once heard Tonks mutter, once a Malfoy always a Malfoy.

Yet, he felt so different about Malfoy now.

He wondered how life would have been if he had accepted Malfoy's hand his first day at Hogwarts. He sighed. He could guess what would have happened. He would have grown to hate the path he had chosen and would start hating Malfoy. He wasn't a dunderhead like Crabbe and Goyle and would certainly not have put up with Draco's bossiness.

But he had refused to be Draco's friend and learnt to hate him anyway. Only now, he was experiencing a strange reversal of feelings which was deeply unsettling. He read the note.

You can visit "Draco Julius Octavius Antonio Malfoy's" room through Floo if you want. I know you will be all alone this summer.

He and Draco had not parted on friendly terms at the end of this year. Well, he thought stubbornly, it wasn't his fault. It was Malfoy who had first addressed him coldly as "Potter". He had reciprocated.

And yet, just as he was about to climb into the carriage which would take them to Hogsmeade station, Draco had pressed this note into his hand.

He debated whether he ought to go or not. He wanted to - very, very much. He was lonely and sick of this place. He was sick of the woman in the portrait who screamed profanities at him for killing her son. He was sick of Remus because he was so damned sad always since Sirius' death. He was sick of Hermione for not writing to him. He was sick of Ron for being so distant the past year. He was sick of Draco for being so confusing.

And he was going to confront him about it.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Potter!"

Draco stopped mid-undressing as his fireplace burnt green and a dishevelled Harry Potter stepped out.

"Don't 'Potter' me!" he snarled at him.

Draco was startled by his hateful tone. Potter… Harry… never sounded like so malicious.

"Nice timing, Potter," he said, deliberately emphasizing his name. "I was going to hex the person who was coming here at this time of night. What do you want?'

"Answers!" said Potter, striding up to him.

Draco buttoned up his pyjama shirt and sat down on his bed.

"Fire away, then."

"What the hell is up with you?"

Draco raised a thin brow. "Looking at our present stances, Potter, I would say that something the hell is up with you."

His hands clenched into fists. "You… you… you…"

"I am still waiting, Potter."

"Why did you give me this when you hate me?" spat out Potter and threw the note at his face.

"I don't hate you," Draco said softly as he tore the note to pieces.

"Yeah, and pigs fly!"

Draco felt long-suppressed jealousy and anger welling up inside him.

"You don't believe me? Well, don't! It's no fault of mine that I do not lavish you with the kind of attentions dear Ron and Hermione do!" he spat out angrily.

Harry's anger abated a little. "What?"

"You are frustrated," Draco continued, standing up, "and you will take it out on me. And yet, when it comes to trusting and being friends with, you will go to dear Ron and Hermione. Well, you know what? I say you leave a… Slytherin like me and go to dear Ron and Hermione for all things. I don't care! Because when I do care, you do not and are always happy with dear Ron and Hermione! It was my mistake that I gave you the Floo Address to my room! Now get out, Harry Potter!"

It was Draco who was shaking with fury now. Harry stepped back.

"Get out!" said Draco, as he pulled out his wand, "else I shall hex you bad – real bad."

"Malfoy… Draco…"

"Don't "Draco" me, Potter," snapped Draco maliciously.

Harry stiffened. He knew that it was all over. How could it not be when Draco looked at him with so much hate?

He turned and went to the fireplace.

Draco threw his wand on one side of the bed and himself on the other. He was so… there was no word for it. He was tired and feeling energy surge through him at the same time.

"Malfoy… don't you have Floo Powder here?"

He groaned as he heard Potter's words. Oh Merlin! How could I have forgotten that?

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Severus went down to the kitchen.

"Grish!" he shouted angrily.

A cringing house-elf Apparated there. "Your orders, master?"

"Prepare the dinner after you finish with the work in the attic and give it to that girl upstairs," snarled Severus. "And no need to hurry about it," he added as an afterthought.

"As you command, master."

"And see that she doesn't enter the Dark Room tonight. I'll be working there. If I find her nosing there or anywhere else, I'll cut off your head, do you get that?"

"Yes, master," mumbled Grish.

Severus' face was once more rigid and cool as he went upstairs.

Stupid chit! He thought angrily. One way or the other Dumbledore is going to pay for this!

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Hermione was feeling very restless. There was nothing to do here. She was also very hungry and thirsty. She had thought that Snape would at least be civil enough to do something about dinner. But, no. It seemed as if he had disappeared leaving her all alone in this dark house. She was starting to get annoyed now.

Throwing all caution to wind, she decided she would just step out and find Snape. What could hurt her here anyway?

She went out into the murky corridor.

"Lumos," she said quietly. But it didn't seem to work. She tried again, but to no avail.

"I am sure he's doing this on purpose!" she muttered angrily. "Maybe he has put anti-light charms all over the house."

But slowly, her eyes got used to darkness and she could dimly make out the staircase. She groped her way to it. Somewhere above she heard some things fall – it sounded as if someone was in the attic. Was Snape there? She looked up to where the stairs lead further above. But there was nothing except darkness.

She was feeling quite fearful now. She stood there – immobile. She wondered if she ought to return to her room. Snape was probably hoping that she would not be able to come downstairs, and then he won't have to bother about cooking her dinner. For sometime, Hermione stood near the stairs irresolute.

Then she saw something...

There was a lot of light issuing from somewhere on the floor just below hers. That would certainly mean that Snape was there. So he had not expected her to come down to dinner after all.

But what about the sounds in the attic? Maybe he keeps a ghoul there… just like the Weasleys.

Hermione was about to go back to her room, when she heard some people's whispers in the same room from which the light was radiating. Hermione was startled. She had been under the impression that she was alone here with Snape. But surely, that drawling and bass voice was not Snape's. Neither was the high-toned chirpy voice, nor that painfully piercing voice...

Hermione felt a strong urge to investigate further.

What's going on here? I can't hear Snape's voice. Who are these people then? Or is Snape hiding somebody else in this house. Why didn't anybody tell me, then? Oh Merlin! I am going to find out whether Snape likes it or not.

Hermione stood in front of that closed door. It was now emitting strong purple-blue light as a result of something being done from within. But still Hermione could make out what was written in bold capitals on the door:

MASTER ARTHINUS SNAPE

THE DARK ROOM

Ought I to apparate there? She thought nervously. But then she quit the idea because she didn't know what was in there and this ignorance made her feel somewhat scared. So she reached out for the doorknob...

A shrill scream sounded throughout the Serpentia – Hermione's scream.

As soon as she had touched the doorknob, two large pythons had appeared from nowhere and wound themselves about her. Her wand fell down. She screamed and screamed with pain – it was worse than having the Cruciatus Curse put on her. But the pain had ceased before long – the pythons had bitten her on her neck and she had fallen down, unconscious.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Severus started as he heard the piercing scream. He dashed out of the room with only one thought in his mind – that girl had done what he feared – come near this room.

He found that the pythons had bitten her so that she was unconscious. He quickly whipped out his wand and muttered the dark spells to dispel them. It worked. The pythons hissed angrily at him and unwinding themselves from around Granger's body, slithered angrily down the corridor.

Severus was about to follow them when his eyes fell on the unconscious, prostrate form of the girl. With an angry groan and a desperate glance in the direction of the disappearing pythons, he pocketed his wand and kneeled down beside her. Strands of thick brown hair covered her face and neck.

Severus turned her to face him. He pushed back the hair from her neck. Four ugly, blood-stained specks stared at him. Blood was oozing out of them and something like yellow-grey pus was quickly spreading around the wounds.

Severus leaned down and put his lips to Granger's neck to stop the poison from spreading. He sucked out the yellow-grey fluid and spit it out. After doing so about five-six times, he sat up, breathing hard. The girl was still unconscious but he had prevented the worst immediate damage. But he had an uncanny feeling that in the long run, this would not work. The girl was a Muggle-born and hence, the danger in her case was fatal. He would have to start brewing the antidote as soon as possible.

He picked her up in his arms. His eyes lingered on her alabaster neck. It looked… inviting…

Damn it! What am I thinking! This is not the time for such folly! How very idiotic of me! he thought angrily. He carried her to her room and set her down on the bed.

Maybe… He pulled out his want once more and tapped the bed with it.

The thin mattress was changed into thick, soft one and squashy, satin pillows adjusted themselves under Granger's head and around her.

Her Muggle attire was replaced by a white nightgown. Severus leaned over and covered her up with the thick, dark covers. Now that he saw her face from so close and in light, he observed that it was white as a sheet. Her lips were strikingly red – in part from the blood that stained them, but more because that was their natural hue. For a moment, Severus felt a strong yearning to kiss her lips.

But it was just for a moment... He moved away from her, and extinguished the fire in the hearth. As he went out of the room, he cast a long, odd glance in her direction.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

VII

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Why don't you have Floo Powder?" asked Harry.

"It disappeared this morning," said Draco, rubbing his head. "I have been in my room all day. I don't know whom to ask. My mother left the manor yesterday. Merlin! How could I have forgotten?"

"Don't tell me you haven't got any in the whole castle!"

"I… I don't think it will be a good idea to wander about the castle at night," said Draco, avoiding his eyes.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Keep quiet and let me think, Potter!" snapped Draco.

"KEEP QUIET! YOU'RE TELLING ME TO KEEP QUIET! I CANNOT GET OUT OF THIS PLACE, AND YOU'RE TELLING ME TO KEEP QUIET! WHAT'S THERE TO PROVE THAT YOU'RE FATHER WON'T COME IN AND KILL ME RIGHT NOW!"

Draco pointed his wand at Harry. "Voice down, Potter! My father may not be in the manor – and yet again, he may be! I don't know, so shut the hell up!" he hissed angrily.

"YOU TRAITOR! YOU WERE NOTHING BUT…"

However, Harry could not continue his rant as Draco cast the "Petrificus Totalus" on him.

"I am confined to this room with tins of food," said Draco, making a face, "for a few days. I was planning on flying away on a broomstick because everybody thinks that I left with my mother so they won't be searching for me and my mother here.

"And if you are wondering why I did not leave with my mother, then I cannot tell you that. I had to search something for Dumbledore. I noticed some disturbance in the protection charms and came inside this room and warded myself in. We'll be lucky if nobody has heard your ranting."

Harry glared murder at him.

"I had been up all last night, and I plan to get some sleep before I think things through. You can get some sleep here if you promise not to shout. I'll release you now, but remember if you do something stupid, then you will kill both of us!"

With that, Draco muttered the counter-curse.

Harry was furious, but Draco's words made sense to him.

Draco put his wand on the table near the bed and got under the duvet. He looked across at Harry, who was standing sullenly near the mantelpiece.

"This is a king-sized bed, Potter," he said dryly. "You get your own side of it."

Harry didn't move.

"Oh come on, Potter, you might be a celebrity, but you need sleep just as much as I do. And if not bed, then there's floor. The choice is yours."

Draco muttered a charm to extinguish the candles and the fire. Soon the room was enveloped in darkness and only faint light of the half-moon came in through the large window opposite the bed.

Harry looked on sullenly at the sleeping form of Draco Malfoy. He was in a real fix this time. Surely, someone would notice that he was missing from the Grimmauld Place. Remus would, he was sure. And they would go around searching for him, won't they? Surely, Dumbledore would think of the Malfoy Manor. Someone would do something before long, wouldn't they? Wouldn't they?

However, he wasn't going to rely on them. He was angry with them and did not really need their help. Sirius was the only one who ever cared about him. They really didn't care about him now. All they cared was for him defeating Voldemort because of the Prophecy.

He would get out of here. Damn Lucius Malfoy and the Death-Eaters! He had won over Voldemort four times and his feet-kissers were nothing – he had faced them and come out alive. He would come out alive yet again.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Some time in the night, when Draco was truly asleep and not just pretending to be, Harry reluctantly took off his jumper and got into the bed.

Tomorrow. He would escape tomorrow.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

VIII

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Severus twitched his fingers nervously, but his face was perfectly inexpressive.

Eventually, Madam Bones' voice broke the tense silence.

"Who are in favour of clearing the accused of all charges?" To Severus' relief more than half the members raised their hands. Maybe he was being more pessimistic than he was supposed to.

"Professor Severus Snape, you are cleared of all charges," said Fudge, frowning at his smirking face.

Outside, Dumbledore was waiting for him. "Severus, about Miss Granger…"

"She's fine," lied Severus, "quite well – nothing to trouble about at all and not as unpleasant as I had perceived."

"I am glad you find it so," said Dumbledore.

Severus remembered the prostrate form he had seen the night before, the ashen face – bloodless, which might have been lifeless - and gazed guiltily at the retreating figure of Albus Dumbledore.

He couldn't tell Dumbledore what had happened because that would mean he had Zaileions-pythons still living in his house. He had previously told Dumbledore that these had been destroyed. Telling Dumbledore the truth now would mean telling him that he had previously told him a string of lies.

No, thought Severus. There was no reason to do so if everything could be finished quietly and secretly. He would make sure that Granger didn't babble about the incident – but he just didn't know how. He would threaten her, perhaps. But no, she wasn't the kind of person who could be intimidated and he knew it.

Well, he still had a month and a half to worry about it. He would find some way. Presently, he had to hurry to Serpentia and see if the girl was awake. A Zaileion-python bite wasn't quite the thing he'd want to happen to – anyone.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

He glanced at the Muggle clock that Arthur Weasley had put up in the kitchen. Then he looked around the kitchen itself.

There were many Order members there tonight. He could slip out easily.

Putting on his cloak, he went out into the dismal street. In another moment, he had disappeared.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"How's it going?"

The blonde man started and turned around. "You! What are you doing here, now?

"I came to see how it was progressing. What have you found?"

"Nothing much till now. I am still searching through her notes. I know she kept a journal, but I haven't found it as yet."

"How long will this take?"

The blonde sighed. "You do understand that it isn't a matter of a few days or even a few weeks. It all depends on what we find of my wife's notes." Then after a pause, he continued, "This… research can bring about a tremendous change in the wizarding world."

"You are not telling about it to anyone. Least of all to Dumbledore, you understand?"

"I do. I know the repercussions of such things. However, no one can be too careful."

"You can be. You have been all these years. You have succeeded, too. I do not want anyone in the Ministry or anywhere else to know about this."

The man nodded.

"Is there anything you require in the way of money?"

"Not now."

With a slight inclination of his head, the man turned and left the place.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Once outside the Ministry building, he took off his hood and cloak and cast some glamour charms on himself. Though he was in Muggle London, his appearance was not such as to allow mixing up in Muggles. He was a pureblood, but he had often required to go among the non-magical people. He was used to it.

Though they never noticed who was dressed "oddly" (as he felt people with multi-coloured hair and clothes ought to be called), but they did notice someone who had a different aura… who dressed completely differently. He thought of his grey robes and sharp features. Definitely, they would notice him. And he certainly could not risk it.

He wasn't supposed to be here in the first place. He was supposed to be in the Grimmauld Place, but he didn't want to be there now. He had never ever wanted to be there. The place reeked of darkness. He wondered how a Gryffindor like Sirius Black had ever tolerated it for the early years of his life.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Hermione felt her head would burst with the pain. But she slowly opened her eyes. At first she wondered where she was, but then all of it came back to her...

"Don't try to get up unless you want to die an early death, Granger," the cold voice of Snape sounded so near that Hermione was startled. She turned her head slightly. Snape was sitting in a chair near her bed and was surveying her with his rigid glance. She sensed that she was just wearing a flimsy nightgown, and somehow it made her feel peculiarly vulnerable, exposed, defenceless...

She wished he would not look at her like that – it somehow made her nervous and a queer feeling clinched her. This feeling was growing so strong that she couldn't bear it.

"I'd rather that you'd not look at me so," she blurted out without thinking.

"You aren't particularly beautiful, Miss Granger. So it couldn't be that I was staring at you for my pleasure. I was looking at the bite on your neck. It needs a lot more treatment, or else..."

Hermione turned a fearful gaze on him. "Or else, what?"

"Manners, Granger."

"Or else, what?" repeated Hermione, fearing the worst. "Am I going to die? Was it that fatal?"

Snape didn't reply immediately, but regarded her with that same look, which made her feel – so strange. At length, he spoke, slowly and spitefully, "Your imagination is too fantastic for reality. But for once, Miss Granger, you have hit the nail on the head. Yes, two pythons bit you, and that was very dangerous – lethal. I have no mind to see you die here, and sully my home. As it is, the mere presence of one like you has dirtied it enough!"

Even as he spoke the bitter words, he knew that he was just trying to assure himself that he didn't feel what he thought he felt for that girl. He wanted to hate her, loathe her.

"I assure you it is being done very unwillingly!" she returned far more viciously.

Suddenly, she felt a great hatred for Snape. He was so rude, so evil, and so malicious! It won't kill him if he controlled his viciousness before her – now when she had been fatally wounded. But no! He seemed to be determined to kill her with his hatred. What had she done to him? Her only fault was that she was Harry's best friend – and also, perhaps, a Gryffindor. But it was just her luck that she was so. And he hated her for something only her fate was responsible. As these thoughts rushed upon Hermione, she grew angry. She didn't care to call him 'sir' or 'professor'. He didn't deserve it!

Severus didn't snap back. His was not the way of throwing insults and starting verbal duels.

But, he thought, this girl is no enemy. She's a mere nobody – an inexperienced young creature with a swollen head. It would be a disgrace to even actually 'loathe' a chicken like her!

Maybe you don't 'loathe' her because you 'lust' after her.

Severus paled slightly as the counter-voice popped up in his head. He was not going to lust after a student. It was despicable. He was not going to betray Dumbledore's trust. But her lips did look…

For a moment, it seemed that he would bend close to her, but in another moment he had recovered his senses and got up. He went and stood near the mantelpiece – where Granger could not see him. He was breathing hard. Hermione closed her eyes.

Was it true or was she getting delirious – for a moment it had seemed that Snape was actually going to kiss her!

I am imagining things! It's the effect of the pythons' venom! she thought determinedly. But then why had he stood up and walked off? Surely, there must have been something...

Hermione groaned. The pain was increasing very rapidly. She wished Snape would do something about it.

"Professor Snape!" she said hoarsely. Her neck was paining like hell. He was once again standing near her, but his eyes were very expressionless. Hermione didn't consider this, though. The pain had spread throughout her body and it seemed to be killing her.

Hermione was whimpering and withering in pain. Snape filled something from a green phial in a silver goblet kept on the table. Then he sat down on her bed and helped her to a sitting posture. Still supporting her with his left arm, he held the goblet to her lips. Though he commanded her, "Drink it!" he, himself, forced the fluid in her mouth.

Hermione spluttered most of it – it was the bitterest thing she had tasted in her life. But the little of it which she had swallowed, worked really fast. The pain had already started lessening. Hermione fell limply against Severus and closed her eyes. All her energy, it felt, had been drained out of her. She felt she would drift off to sleep when she felt Snape's fingers push back her hair and feel her neck.

With what energy she could muster, she pushed him away. But he was much too powerful for her feeble strength. "I am not killing you, Granger," she heard him say. "If you don't let me treat your wounds the hard way now, you'll suffer later."

She opened her eyes with a great effort. "Hard way?" she murmured, looking up at him.

Unconsciously, she had put her arms around his neck for support. Severus flinched a little, but let them rest there.

"It'll pain a lot and use a lot of your energy. But even if you are unwilling, you've got to go through it. You are not dying here, I assure you!" as he said the last words, his grip around her shoulders tightened, and he seemed to succumb to a curious desire to kiss her…

Hermione saw Severus bend closer to her – and closer yet... With his arms about her, she was feeling very nice and warm. She tried to snuggle closer, but found she couldn't move. Severus, perhaps realizing what she wanted, pulled her nearer and his quivering lips found Hermione's. Hermione didn't know if she wanted to kiss him or not...

Nevertheless, that didn't matter, she did not have the energy to push him away and her head was very muddled. She yielded without any effort. She vaguely thought that she liked his lips.

Severus was holding her tight, but it didn't pain her. Hermione felt he wanted to deepen the kiss, but she didn't want to. She tried to withstand him, and felt all her strength drain out of her. Now she felt that she had no choice. It felt as if Severus was making her do what he wanted. She was feeling very faint. She had to give up resisting him... She felt his fingers grab her hair and then move down her back. She shuddered involuntarily.

Before fainting, she could just remember that all of a sudden he had pulled away from her, and abruptly letting go of her, let her fall listlessly to the bed.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

I hope the shift of POVs aren't confusing.