Warning

This story is not suitable for readers under the age of sixteen. It contains sexual content, including some non-consensual, and may offend some readers. If this subject is offensive to you, please do not read this story.

Chapter 13 - Dumbledore

Snape had had a very unproductive day. His first year class had been utterly useless, failing to produce a single effective shrinking potion between them, and as for his fourth-years - the less said about that class, the better. The pile of students' homework he had intended to mark that day lay, untouched, on his desk, and the test he needed to finish writing for the fifth-years remained incomplete. The only useful thing he felt he had achieved during the day was to decide on a suitable punishment for Potter and Weasley.

Yet, despite all of these things, he was in a surprisingly good mood. How could anything spoil his disposition after waking up next to Hermione? He wondered how things had gone with explaining things to Potter and Weasley. They were interfering little brats, but it was good to know that she had such concerned friends. No-one would notice or care if he didn't return home at night - except her. Still - that didn't alter the way he felt about the Potter boy. She wouldn't expect it to, he knew, and she would never ask for any special treatment of them because of their relationship. Those innocent, idealistic principles!

She would be here in a moment. They would have to act as they did in lessons - distant, even antagonistic - but at least he would be able to see her. Maybe he would be able to get her alone for a few minutes. ("A word in my office, Ms. Granger!") Maybe.

He heard a knock at the door, which then opened. Potter and Weasley.

Where was Hermione? He almost asked them, but held himself back. She did not have a detention - she had no reason, as far as they were concerned, to be here. Control yourself, Severus! She would arrive, in time, he was sure of it. For now he needed to focus on the students in front of him. He watched them enter the classroom nervously, and stand in silence, waiting. He remained at his desk, studying them intently, but saying nothing. They twitched in front of him - unsure of what he had in mind for them. Finally, Weasley looked as though he were about to speak, but Snape, waiting until the last awkward moment, interrupted him.

"I'm not going to ask you two what you were doing in here in the early hours of the morning," he snarled. "I don't want to hear your lies."

Weasley seemed determined to speak, anyway. "Sir, we... "

"Silence!" the teacher hissed.

The last thing he wanted was to get into the details of what they thought, and why they were there. He wasn't supposed to know anything about Hermione's things being there, or Potter's - James Potter's - invisibility cloak. Best to avoid the subject altogether. He focused on their detention task.

He had the book he required on his desk, and he stood, reaching for it. It was a large book, and heavy, so that when dropped on the desk in front of the two boys, it produced a very effective crash. They flinched, visibly, and Snape sneered. "Your punishment for this evening will be to create a potion for me, at the request of another teacher," he told them. "I am, in fact, grateful to you both for breaking into my classroom last night, as I find the task of preparing this potion every year to be a particularly unpleasant one. You have given me the perfect way to avoid doing the distasteful task myself." He smiled mockingly, to emphasize his point. The two boys in front of him exchanged glances, and Snape was pleased to see the effect his words were having on them. They were absolutely true, in fact, and the excuse not to have to create the potion himself was perfect. Their timing could not have been better.

He continued, circling the two boys and watching them fidget, apprehensively, "Page four hundred and seventy-two of the book in front of you contains instructions on how to create Greenbottle's Tonic - used to enhance the soil in the greenhouses and gardens, to improve growth in the plants, and provide some protection against insects." He pointed to a row of fifteen jars lined up along one side of the classroom. Each jar stood tall enough to reach his knees. "You will produce enough of the tonic to fill each of those jars. Professor Sprout requires large quantities of the product."

For a moment, the two boys stood dumfounded, staring at the bottles. Quite the intended effect! Snape snapped them out of it with a growled "Get on with it!" and returned to his desk.

He made no attempt to conceal his close scrutiny of their work as they began. Their nervousness was clear, and they fumbled the ingredients as he watched. It would do them good to be put under pressure.

It took him a moment to form the words to ask about Hermione. For over five years, he had snapped at her and criticized her work, along with every other Gryffindor in his classes, but the change in his feelings towards her over the past few weeks had been so dramatic that he now found it almost impossible not to speak of her with affection. "I suppose Granger will be here this evening, to continue work on her project?" he asked, trying to make it sound like a nuisance he would have to endure.

Potter's news that she had been held up by Dumbledore caught him totally off guard. However many times he told himself that the headmaster knew nothing, a word or glance was enough to renew the fear of discovery. And Hermione had spent the night in his room! Surely, if the old man suspected anything, he would have approached the teacher, not the student... but Dumbledore was not the most predictable of wizards.

Fighting the urge to charge out of the dungeon to find them, he continued his watch over the two students working in front of him. "Be careful with that bottle, Weasley!" he snapped, irritably.

Without thinking, he pushed himself out of his chair, wanting to pace the room, and making Potter jump. Catching himself, he forced his feet over to a cupboard, picked up a book from inside it and returned to his desk, where he sat, staring unseeing at the pages.

Itching to do something - anything - he waited.

"Shall we step in here?" Dumbledore gestured to a classroom to one side of the corridor, and stepped aside to allow Hermione to precede him.

Hermione's mind was racing with the possible reasons for the Headmaster's request for a 'chat'. He always seemed to know everything about what went on in the castle. Maybe he was intending to confront her about her relationship with Severus. Maybe he knew that she'd spent the night in his room. Maybe ... This is pointless, she told herself. Just sit down and stay calm, or you'll end up blurting things out and ruin everything.

She sat on the edge of a desk, and watched as he did the same, with a surprisingly nimble motion.

"About your project, Miss Granger," he began immediately. "I understand that your work is going extremely well."

Hermione was cautious, not sure where this was leading. "Thank you, Professor. I think I'm making good progress, and I'm enjoying working on it."

He smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. I admit that I've taken a special interest in this project, and I mentioned it to an old - a very old - school friend of mine. He carries out his own research on this subject, and is, in fact, writing a book which has some close links to your project." Hermione was starting to lose her caution, and become interested in this. Dumbledore continued, "He has expressed an interest in reviewing your work, once it is complete, and possibly including your results in his book - giving, of course, full credit to yourself - if your findings prove useful."

This was incredible. "To get my research published would be amazing, Professor. Do you think he really would?"

"Of course he would, if the results merit publication - which I'm sure they will." Dumbledore beamed at her. "I thought you might be pleased about this!"

Pleased was not the word! She was ecstatic. Books were her life - her passion. To have her work published would be wonderful. She couldn't wait to tell Severus about this.

Dumbledore's face suddenly took on a more serious expression. "I'm glad to hear that you are taking such an interest in the practical side of this project, Miss Granger. I've heard that you've been spending a lot of time in the dungeon." Hermione felt the blood drain from her face at this abrupt change. Could this man read minds? His tone was casual, but she had a feeling that this was no off-hand remark.

Stay calm, Hermione, she told herself. "There's a lot of this project that can only be done through practical experimentation," she answered, trying to keep her voice steady, but convinced that her face was betraying her. "I know that I'm traditionally a bookworm, but theoretical research can only go so far."

"And you have embraced the practical aspects with vigor," Dumbledore remarked. He paused before continuing, giving Hermione the impression that he was choosing his next words very carefully. "Many students seem to find Professor Snape a difficult person to work with."

It was a statement, but Dumbledore seemed to expect a response. Like the professor, Hermione took a moment to choose her words. "I'm very glad that Professor Snape approved this project. I'm learning a lot."

His words were quiet. "He is a very knowledgeable man, and a powerful wizard."

Hermione pretended to misunderstand him. "He's not helping me with my project, Professor. It's all my own research."

"Naturally," Dumbledore responded quickly. "I would expect nothing less of you." He considered her, thoughtfully, for a moment, before continuing. "On another note, Miss Granger, I hear that you have a mysterious new" he paused at the word - "boyfriend."

This drew a sharp breath from Hermione. The fact that this followed so closely on the heels of his comments about Severus hardly seemed like a coincidence. Was he deliberately baiting her - waiting for a reaction? She said nothing, and after a moment or two of silence, Dumbledore continued.

"I'm not in the habit of interfering with the personal lives of students, Miss Granger, so I won't say too much about this." He was staring intently at her, and she held steady under his penetrating gaze. "You have a great deal of sense and are mature enough to be of your own mind. However, if things are as I suspect, then I need hardly tell you that I cannot approve. I feel the need to request that you exercise some caution - and discretion - in this matter."

Oh, God!

Hermione could see two possibilities. Either Dumbledore was simply warning her about the dangers of an intimate relationship at her age, or he knew exactly whom they were talking about. It was possible that his suspicions related only to the nature of the relationship, not to the identity of the other party. And yet... his comments about Severus ...

In a moment of strength, she looked up into his face. His expression was grave and concerned, but not angry. She held his gaze for a long time, trying to read what was behind those unfathomable eyes, but eventually looked away.

"Yes, Professor."

There was silence between them for a moment, then Dumbledore stood and gave her a slight smile. "I will keep my friend informed about the progress of your work. I know he is keen to know your results." His voice was almost back to its customary cheerfulness, but still with an edge of something deeper. "And now, I believe you are expected in the dungeon, Miss Granger."

Hermione turned to him as she reached the doorway, unsure of whether to say more. His back towards her, he appeared to be staring towards the rear of the classroom, and his stance did not invite further conversation. She left in silence.

Out of sight of the classroom, she stopped, leaning against the cold stone wall of the corridor, and glad of its support. She tipped her head back and closed her eyes, taking several deep breaths. Her relationship with Severus seemed to be getting more complicated day by day.