Hello! Two chapters in as many nights, that's pretty good for me at the moment, lol. This chapter sort of came from no where, so bare with me.
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Chapter Thirty-Five
Upon returning to her room, Hermione found herself so deeply lost in thought that she almost missed the quiet knock at her bedroom door. When she did realise it was a knock, she instantly knew it wasn't one of the boys – they had a tendency to attempt to bash the door down. Wondering who'd be knocking at her door at eight o'clock, she crossed the open and opened the simply wooden door.
Ginny Weasley stood on her doorstep, a bright smile matching the flame coloured hair that adorned her head. "Hey Hermione, how are you?" She said, stepping into the room before Hermione had a chance to offer her entrance.
"Hi Ginny," Hermione responded, trying not to let a smile slide across her face. She didn't really want Ginny to know about the time she'd spent on a broomstick that afternoon, or the dinner she had shared with Professor Snape that evening.
But apparently, she needn't worry, for it seemed that the younger witch already knew. "So how'd you like flying?" Ginny asked with a grin.
Hermione's mouth dropped open. Surely Ginny couldn't have seen her and the Potions Master out on the Quidditch Pitch – Hermione hadn't seen anyone. But then again, her head reminded her, remember who her boyfriend is. "It's… not as bad as I thought."
Ginny's nose wrinkled. "I would have thought that you would have hated it even more now, look at who you were flying with!"
"And just how do you know that I was flying, let alone flying with someone?" Hermione asked carefully, taking a seat on her bed, trying not to fidget with the doona cover on her bed. She then realised just how different her crimson bed spread to the black satin that covered Snape's. Not that she wanted to think about Snape's bed.
A hand waved dismissively at Hermione. "Oh, Harry and I were just heading down to the Quidditch Pitch earlier to… Get some practice…" Hermione snorted, knowing exactly what kind of 'practice' those two would have been planning in the middle of the afternoon in the empty Quidditch Stadium. "And when we arrived, there just happened to be a broomstick out and about, carrying the two most peculiar people."
At this, Hermione rolled her eyes. Sometimes, Ginny was just too much. "So?"
"So what's going on?" Ginny asked eagerly. "I know you've been spending a lot of time with Snape, Harry's been right furious about it. But now he's seen you flying with the greasy bat. After you've spent the past seven years that you'll never touch another broomstick."
Hermione looked away. Bloody Harry, it wasn't fair that he was spying on her. Using the map on her in the middle of the night was one thing; she could have forgiven it then. But now, he was creeping around in the middle of the day to check up what she was doing – for now she hardly believed a word of Ginny saying they were already heading down there – and daring to get upset with her.
"You think I was going to be interested in learning how to fly properly with him and Ron when all they could ever do was talk about flying? It bored me, which I think it perfectly acceptable." Hermione said, with an air of dignity.
Ginny raised an eyebrow, and Hermione's mind flashed back to Professor Snape's perfectly arched dark brows. "Yeah, but neither of those are the great vampire of the dungeons."
"I think the fact that he was outside in broad daylight says that he is indeed not a vampire, Ginny. I also think you've been spending too much time listening to Harry and Ron's idiotic ramblings and accusations about the Professor." Hermione wasn't sure if she should regret the words, when a look of horror struck the red head.
But the horrified expression was quickly replaced by a grin. "You've got a good point, Hermione. But seriously, why'd you go flying with him? I mean, hell, why spend any time with him at all?"
Moving over to the window, Hermione shot a dark look at the younger witch. "Has Harry told you that I've actually been studying down there? Study I couldn't do anywhere else other then here at the moment. Ginny, I'm finished with Hogwarts in a very short time – I need to do as much work as I can." She thoughtfully turned to inspect the pitch black grounds that stretched beyond her window. "And in all honesty, it hasn't been all that bad. He leaves me to my work most of the time."
"Then what was today all about? He didn't look like he was leaving you alone when he helped you up from the ground."
A blush crept over the Head Girl's cheeks. "I'm not all that sure what happened. But Ginny, it's not the first time it's happened." She smiled, recalling the time he had 'delivered' her to this very window. "I think… I think he's just a lot more frustrated by life more then any of us realise." She didn't want to tell Ginny about the conversation they'd had over dinner.
"Well, you're still late back from a lesson; it's been dark for ages."
Hermione ducked her head. Did she want to tell her friend that she'd also dined with her Professor, had talked to him about things she hadn't talked about to anyone. She wasn't entirely sure why she had done that, but for the first time, he didn't seem to mind. He seemed wanting to listen, and in his own way, talk back. "I know," she started. "I was talking to him about some things."
"Talking to Snape?"
"Professor Snape."
"Him." Ginny laughed. "Seriously Hermione, what could you talk about to him?
Taking a few moments to try and come up with an appropriate answer, the older witch kept her gaze out the window. When she finally answered, she spoke slowly. "Lots of things Ginny. I can talk to him about school, about what I'm doing after school, about the war, about things that everybody else just wants to sweep under the rug and forget about it."
Turning back to Ginny, she saw the youngest Weasley had her head lowered to the ground. "It's over, Hermione. I just want to forget about it all."
"What about someone who doesn't remember anything to forget?"
A silence fell over the two girls. Hermione realised then that the shoulders of the girl were shaking, so she left her window perch to cross the room and sit with the younger student. After a few moments, the girl quietened, and Hermione dared to ask, "Was Harry very mad?"
Ginny looked up, her eyes slightly red, but a small grin playing on her face. "I think he was just… really shocked. He still doesn't trust Snape, oh alright, Professor Snape," she corrected, upon seeing the look on Hermione's face. "I suppose he is a bit angry with you. You'll have to see."
"Oh… were you angry?" Hermione wasn't sure if she really wanted to know the answer to that question.
"No, not really. I knew you were spending time with him, but didn't know anything else." Ginny shook her head. "I think I was more hurt by the fact that I'd offered to teach you how to fly in the past, yet you allowed Professor Snape to do it."
Hermione gave her friend a rueful smile. "Sorry Gin," she said. "I didn't ever think I'd learn how to fly, let alone he teach me."
"How'd it start?"
Hermione settled in to tell Ginny of the first flying lesson, of the view, of the delivery back to the window of her room. By the time the story had concluded, Ginny's eyes were round and shining. "Oh, wow." She said, breathless. "He flew you all the way back here? That certainly doesn't sound like Snape."
Another rueful smile was given to the witch. "He doesn't sound like Professor Snape in any regard, anymore."
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Harry was coming down the staircase to enter the Great Hall for dinner when a swoosh of black robes coming up from the dungeons announced that Professor Snape was making an appearance at the Sunday evening meal. Harry groaned inwardly, he had avoided seeing the Professor all day and was hoping to continue doing so, since he and Hermione had managed to have a 'talk' about what Harry had seen the day before.
But Snape didn't have to know that he'd seen, right?
When the Professor's black eyes caught his own, Harry remembered how those same eyes had passed over him and Ginny down at the Quidditch Pitch, and an uneasy feeling told him that Snape did indeed know that he'd been there.
"Potter," came the usual sneer.
"Sir." Harry opted for a quick nod before turning towards the Great Hall.
"A word, Potter."
With a gulp, Harry followed Snape over to a corner of the huge Entrance Hall, away from prying eyes of anyone coming and going from all directions.
"I believe you made a rather interesting observation out on the Quidditch Pitch yesterday, Potter." Snape spat out.
Harry's hatred for the man before him swelled. Fuck Hermione, he thought furiously, as he watched the Potions Master loom over him. He didn't care what she said about Snape being different. Dumbledore had thought the same, had trusted the man, and look where it had gotten him. Harry felt his chest tighten as he thought of that, and his hand gripped the wand concealed in his robes. He didn't care about what any of the Order said. Standing there in the corner of the Entrance Hall, Harry knew that the man was not to be trusted.
"You needn't bother with your foolish wand, Potter," Snape spat, his upper lip curling in his usual look of disgust as he glared down at Harry. Harry did his best to glare back, hoping to put the same amount of hatred into his eyes. "I've no intention of harming you at this point."
"You needn't bother harming Hermione, sir," Harry snarled at the man, not caring if he were a professor or not. "If you hurt another friend of mine…" He was shaking uncontrollably, he couldn't explain the levels of anger that was flowing through him as Snape stood above him.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor, Potter, for threatening a Professor!" Snape snarled, his face twisting into one of utmost loathing. His voice suddenly took quite a drop. "And I'll have you know that it was her who put me in danger of being hurt, she's the silly witch that dragged me off the broom." Harry didn't bother to try and hide the shock that accompanied the barely concealed softness in that statement. But he didn't have long, because he found the Potions Master's wand pressed against his throat.
His voice was back to one of quiet menace. "If you do anything to harm Miss Granger's chances at this school, whether they be by your problems with where she spends her free time or your ridiculous tendencies to attempt to attract her attention with endless talk of Quidditch, you will pay." Harry could hardly comprehend what the Professor was saying. He, have something to do with Hermione doing not as well as she could? "Your father may have been able to do anything he liked while here and get away with it, but I assure you, Potter, that you will not." The wand tip dug a little further into Harry's throat. "If you have a problem with me, I beg you; come talk to me about it. Do not make your friend suffer because you are too childish."
With a flick, the wand was gone from his throat, and Snape had turned, making his way towards the open doors of the Great Hall. Harry stood frozen in shock, watching the Professor's retreat.
What the hell had just happened?
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My only thoughts right now are "what the hell did just happen?" LOL I was not expecting that one, but oh well. Let's just see where it goes follows the plot bunny Oh, it says we'll have to wait until next chapter!
Goodnight!