Chapter 9- Suspicions rise
A.n: I think I'm going to end this story on this chapter. Hardly anyone is reviewing and I really wish that if anyone is reading and not reviewing to please review. I really rely on these reviews! So...please review.
The next day, Hermione noticed that Harry wasn't speaking to her and Ron didn't know why he wasn't. Ron tried to talk to him, but he shook his head and stayed silent. Hermione was so confused and she really wished she knew Harry's problem. Was he mad that she left the dance early?
Hermione exited Charms and followed Ron and Harry with stealthiness. She saw them enter an elcove and she stayed off the to side to listen to their conservation.
"Oi, Harry! What's wrong with you today? Why haven't you spoken to Hermione?"
"I don't want to talk about it...or even think about it. I just can't..."
Hermione heard Ron sigh and she could see him cross his arms in front of him.
"Oh c'mon! We've been best friends for seven years. You can tell me anything and I don't care how extreme it is..."
"Oh you will...believe me...it's good to keep the problem to myself for a while. I need to...figure things out..."
"You're doing it again, Harry."
Hermione peeked silently around the corner and saw Harry scowl at Ron.
"Do what?"
"You're pulling away...I thought we talked about this during our fifth year..."
"Listen, it has nothing to do with Hermione doing something to me...more like...what she's doing to herself."
Hermione frowned. What the bloody hell was he talking about?
"What do you mean?"
Harry shook his head and started to head out the alcove and Hermione scurried away. She ducked behind a suit of armor and watched Harry and Ron head for the door to the Grand Staircase. Then, it hit her. Harry knew. He knew about her and Snape, but how?
Hermione emerged from the armor and it dawned on her.
"The Maurader's Map!"
She ran to the door.
Snape was sitting peacefully at his desk and was grading some papers when the door to the classroom burst open and he looked up, startled. He saw Hermione enter with a worried look on her face and she was gasping for air. Snape stood and ran to her.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
Hermione gasped for breath and sshe sat in the chair that Snape motioned to.
"I think...t-that Harry...knows..."
"What?"
"I think he knows...a-about...us."
Snape face blanched and then turned red with anger. He stood up and began to pace.
"Damn, that Potter! How did he find out?"
Hermione was silent. Was she about to tell on her best friend about the thing that was illegal to have?
"I...uh...he has this thing that tells him where people are in the castle..."
"The Marauder's Map..."
"How...?
"I've known about it from your third year. I figured it out when I read the whole Padfoot, Prongs, Mooney names...You forget, my dear, that I went to school with those deliquents. I watched them all the time and I knew that they had something that always helped them escape from getting caught."
Hermione sighed with relief. She had been so worried that Harry would get expelled for it, but surely Dumbledore knew about it. He knew about everything that happened in the castle...Hermione's faced blanched with realization.
"Um...sir? What will Professor Dumbledore say if her ever found out about..."
Snape laughed and shook his head.
"Don't worry about what Albus will say."
Hermione nodded and she was silent. The air was quiet and she looked at Snape.
"Well, I m-must be going..."
Snape moved forward and stood in front of her. She looked up at him and saw the intense love in his eyes.
"Uh...another question."
"Yes?"
Hermione licked her lips as Snape got closer to them.
"D-did you mean the things you said to me..."
Snape kissed her and she melted into his body. In between her legs burned and she wanted him to take her right on the desk next to her, but she really had to go.
"S-Severus...I must go."
Snape nodded and pulled away. He straightened his robes and smiled slightly.
"Go on."
Hermione smiled at him and turned to the door. She was stopped by Snape clearing his throat. She turned around to face him.
"Yes, sir?"
"Don't worry what that...what Potter thinks, Ms. Granger. It's your life and you control it."
Hermione nodded and exited the classroom.
Hermione entered the Common Room and looked around for Ginny, but found her with Ron and Harry. She approached and Harry spotted her. He quickly shut his mouth and was silent. Hermione ignored him and sat down in one of the big red chairs.
"How was everyone's day?"
Ginny nodded cheerfully and Ron mummured a reply. He was still looking at Harry with concern. Hermione looked at Harry for a response and when none was given she leaned forward and smiled.
"Harry? What's wrong? What did I do?"
Harry turned and look at her out of the corner of his eye. His lips were set in a thin line and he looked like he was ready to hex her. Still, that didn't stop her and she smiled more widely.
"Please, Harry. Tell me what I did?"
Harry then turned fully at her and gave her a really nasty look. He grabbed her arms and dragged her to the boys dormitories.
Harry opened up the door, peeked inside and dragged Hermione in. She stopped abruplty and rubbed her arms where Harry and grabbed them. Harry shut the door and stood in front of it with his arms crossed.
"So...have anything to say for yourself?"
Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes.
"What do you mean?"
Harry laughed with disgust and his face was turning red.
"You know what I mean, Hermione. I saw you with the map...you and...him."
Hermione laughed and also crossed her arms.
"Well, thanks for staying out of my private business, Harry..."
"That's not the point! What your doing with him isn't healthy...it isn't you..."
"Oh! And you think you know who I am?"
Harry's eyebrow raised up and he nodded.
"Well, I've known you for seven years. He's done something to you, Hermione. Whoever you think he is, he isn't. He's a greasy, backstabbing, lying bastard and he will crush you!"
Hermione could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks and she couldn't cap her anger anymore.
"YOU DON'T KNOW HIM, HARRY! HOW COULD YOU? YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN SO CLOSED MINDED WHEN IT CAME TO HIM AND YOU NEVER GAVE HIM A PROPER CHANCE...!"
"I'VE GIVEN HIM EVERY CHANCE I COULD AND HE'S SPIT IN MY FACE! HE'S A BLOODY GIT THAT DOESN'T GIVE A RAT'S BOTTOM ABOUT YOU! YOU DESERVE BETTER...!"
Hermione felt her arm come out and she felt her hand hit the side of Harry's face. His glasses hit the floor and Hermione stood huffing in anger. A big red hand print started to form on Harry's face and he stood in shock. Hermione's eyes started to weld with tears, but she held them back.
Harry glared at her and then bent down and picked up his glasses. He put them on and postioned them on his face.
"When he hurts you...when he crushes you and you realize that I was right...don't and I mean it...don't come to me asking for forgiveness. I won't listen, I won't comfort you and I WON'T care."
And with that, Harry turned around and opened the door. He shut it quickly and Hermione finally let the tears come out. She burst out and sunk to the floor. She cradled herself and put her face in her hands. The she felt someone's arms come around her. She look up and was looking into Ginny's red frowning face. She picked Hermione up and hugged her tightly.
Rumors started to go around about the mysterious guy that Harry and Hermione were fighting about because with all the yelling that they had been doing, they were heard by every Griffinydor in the Common Room. Snape caught a few girls talking about it while exited his class a couple of days later and he now knew why Hermione hadn't come and seen him for a couple of days.
Then. suddenly, someone started to spread that Hermione was infatuated with Snape and it spread like a wildfire through the school. McGonogall had asked Hermione the day she heard about it and Hermione denied it. She knew that Dumbledore knew, but she didn't want to see the look on McGongall's face if she told her.
Everywhere's Hermione went she got looks and people whispered behind her back. Ron, Ginny and sometimes Draco defended her, but Draco didn't want anyone to suspect that he changed drastically so he kept low on it.
Snape was walking the halls and he passed Harry in the hall. The looks that they gave eachother went unnoticed, but Snape glared with pure hatred at Harry and Harry met it with the same fever. The tension was so heavy that the torches on the walls burst and grew all the way to the ceiling. Students screamed and ran away with panic, but the two men halted and stared at eachother while the torch flames continued to build.
A.n: I will stop here until a get a significant amount of reviews. The next chapter will be:
Chapter 10- The wizard duel! Snape vs. Harry
Peace out all! AND PLEASE REVIEW! KEEP THIS STORY ALIVE!