Chapter 7: Don't Let The Pretty Face Fool You

"Mimi's gotten thin
Mimi's running out of time
And you're running out the door-"

-Goodbye Love, RENT

Draco walked in with a cigarette placed stylishly between his lips. "I come bearing milk!" He spoke around it like the people in old black and white Muggle films while sticking the gallon in the fridge.

"Draco," Severus said silkily. "Get that thing," he gestured to the cigarette. "Out of your mouth."

"Aw, Sev, it's just a fag," Draco stopped his whining at one the moment he saw Hermione. "How do you do?" He asked, bumming the cigarette and then offering his hand. He was obviously attracted to whatever guise Hermione was donning. It made her wonder what she looked like, to have Draco lusting after her as if she were some especially tasty pastry.

She tried to swallow her hate for the boy who'd taunted her mercilessly and more recently, attempted to kill her headmaster. "Fine" she tried for it to come out flirtatiously like Lavender or Patil but it was clipped even to her own ears. Draco, however, didn't seem to notice. Slowly, he ripped his eyes from Hermione and turned to Severus.

"Severus, you seem to have forgotten your manners." Not being able to look away for too long, he returned his gaze to Hermione. "Who is your enchanting friend?"

"Her name is Kaia," Snape watched Draco with narrowed eyes. If he wasn't careful, Draco would not be as clear as Snape would like on the fact that she was off limits. "She's visiting me." He put an extra emphasis on the 'me'; one so slight that Hermione didn't even catch it. But in a predatory fashion, Draco caught the implication and immediately backed off.

"Well," He said, looking from Hermione to Snape to Hermione again. "I'm sure you two will want to be alone…I'm just going to…you know. Catch up with some friends. Bye!" And he strutted off, but not without giving Snape a not so sly wink and thumbs up sign.

The moment Draco vacated the room, Hermione doubled over in pain. Her newly blonde hair hung down around her head like a curtain as she struggled. Her fair skin became even paler and she reluctantly sank down to the ground. Clutching his robes, Severus fought off the urge to help her up.

"Thanks professor," Hermione gasped after the pain had ceased. "But I really didn't need your assistance."

"Ms. Granger, though you may've forgotten, you are the enemy. Though you are my student, there are bounds to my hospitality. Ones I've already stretched by allowing you to live another day," he said coldly.

"Former student," Hermione corrected Snape as she stood. "I doubt you'll be coming back to Hogwarts next year. And even if you were to return, I'm not."

Snape changed the subject. "Why are you here? And none of that 'I believe you're innocent' crap. You risked your life coming here. Why?""You're the only one who can help me," Hermione said matter of factly. "Give me the answers I need. I already told you, I'm dying. I was hit by a curse, one that was supposed to be fatal. I was lucky to live this long. But eventually, I will die." Despite her clever mask of indifference, Snape could see the fear in her eyes.

"Eventually Ms. Granger, we will all die." He let the statement hang in the air. "But I take it your eventually is a lot sooner than others."

"Yet," she replied, though he hadn't actually been asking a question.

"And you think I can help you."

"They said there was a potion." For a fleeting moment Snape wondered who 'they was before pushing the thought from his mind. "One that could cure the after effects of the curse. I think that they were just taunting me, but I knew that if anyone could make it, of all the Potion Masters in Britain, you'd be the one."

"And you thought I would? Willingly?" Snape forced himself to give a snort of laughter. "I take it delusions are accompanying your sickness?"

Hermione looked as if she were going to cry before her delicate features turned to stone. "Fine," she said. "If you aren't going to help me, I'll figure out a way myself."

Severus breathed a sigh of relief. It was a shame really. His brightest student was dying. But what could he do? Nothing, he repeated to himself in effort to be convinced. Nothing.