Chapter Eight

The next morning, Hermione woke up with a good feeling. She took her usual bath and when she emerged from the bathroom, she gasped. Had it simply appeared, or had she just missed it before? A beautiful grand piano was set up across the room from the bed and bathroom. Hermione walked over to it and lightly grazed her fingers over the shiny, white ivory keys. Smiling, she sat down and opened one of the music books placed on the holder. It was a tune she had never heard of before. She placed her fingers on the appropriate keys and began to play. It was a beautiful, sad tune and she quickly stopped, as it was causing her eyes to water. When would she stop feeling the need to cry all the time! It made her feel like a weak little girl. Whatever had happened to her prided Gryffindor strength? She laughed inwardly. It had been quite some time since she had thought of herself as a Gryffindor. She hardly felt like she even belonged to Hogwarts anymore and the thought of calling herself a Gryffindor somehow seemed wrong. Surely she was no longer worthy of such a noble title, after having been so tainted by a Slytherin. She wiped her eyes, then got up and left the room to try to eat some breakfast. She silently cursed herself for having forgotten to remind Snape about leaving her some of that tea. However, when Hermione entered the kitchen, she was delighted to discover that reminding Snape hadn't been necessary. Rosie set a steaming mug of the useful drink down on the table just as she walked in. Hermione drank the tea and quickly ate down her food, then excitedly started for the lab.

She walked straight to the books and immediately began pulling down the most interesting ones. When Hermione couldn't hold any more books in her arms, she awkwardly made her way back to her room and gently set down the pile of books next to the cozy fire. There she spent the next few hours hungrily reading as much as she could. She had read her school books all more than once in the weeks she had spent alone and it was wonderful having so many new books to pour over. She lost track of time and was surprised when Rosie knocked on her door with a tray of food. It seemed like she had just had breakfast. She sighed and finally set aside the books. She ate her lunch with little interest, then glanced at the piano. Deciding that a break from books might do her some good, she went to the beautiful instrument and sat down on the fancy stool. She looked through the music books and found a song that she knew. Her father used to play the tune when she was younger, and she remembered her mother singing along to it. It seemed like she would never see her parents again. She quickly shook her head to try to rid herself of the sad thoughts. She was just being negative, of course she'd she her parents again, Hermione told herself. She sat up straight and began the haunting melody. Playing it made Hermione feel warm and safe and she began to sing the accompanying lyrics. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to imagine that she was back home, her parents just in the next room. She smiled to herself, singing and playing verse after verse, until she found herself feeling happier than she had in months. This is what she had been needing for so long: something to just take her away from the harsh world for a while. Something familiar and comforting. Suddenly she felt a presence nearby. She quickly stopped the song and turned her head, discovering Snape. He was standing in the doorway and staring at her as if entranced. Their eyes locked for what seemed like an eternity. Snape was the first to look away. He cleared his throat and resumed his usual stern look, then without a word turned and left the room. Hermione, utterly confused, sat for a moment just looking at the piano keys and thinking. So this was to continue, she supposed, this silence and distance between them. She should have known. Of course she knew she shouldn't be surprised, this was Snape after all. But he did promise to be there for her and damn it she wasn't going back to that insufferable solitude again. Any more of that and she would go mad. She determiedly got up and started for the lab, where she knew her professor would be. She knocked softly and opened the door without waiting for an answer. Snape was standing over a bubbling cauldron and seemingly startled, stared at Hermione. Hermione cleared her throat and did her best to smile.

"Good afternoon, Professor. I'm sorry for the intrusion but can we speak for a moment?"

Snape gave her a curt nod and motioned for her to sit. Hermione declined the offer with a shake of her head and nervously ran her hand through her hair. She quickly snapped back her hand, however, when she realized that this was exactly what her professor did when he was nervous. She instead awkwardly cleared her throat again.

"I really just wanted to thank you properly for the piano you were so kind as to provide for me. You have no idea what it means to me to be able to play again."

Snape's expression softened and he actually looked like he would have smiled, had it not been for his precious image.

"There's no need to thank me. My job is to make you as comfortable as possible throughout your stay here. Albeit I haven't done a very good job as of yet, but things will be different from now on." Snape paused and turned away from Hermione for a moment to glance at his book shelves, which was now full of gaps."I trust you were able to find some books of interest?" he said with a look of amusment.

Hermione blushed and found herself smiling at the dark man in front of her. She thought she saw a small smile being returned, but it was gone before she could be sure.

"Yes, sir, I was able to find a few books." she said, with an even bigger smile.

This time Snape did smile, briefly but surely, then as quick as it had come, vanished.

"How have you been feeling today, Ms. Granger?" he said, his cold manner back in place. He turned back to the cauldron and resumed making the potion.

Hermione, now used to her professor's ever changing moods, took no notice of his apparent sudden lack of interest and stood her ground.

"I felt wonderful today. That tea is wonderworking."

"Good." he said, then began shuffling around on his desk for a moment before finding a jar filled with dry leaves."Take this jar, in case you ever need some tea between meals."

Hermione took the jar and thanked him. Then, having noticed the obvious hints in his manner that it was time for her to leave, excused herself and left the room.

The next three months went by fairly quickly. Hermione found comfort in the books she borrowed and in the piano, which she had taken to playing sometimes hours a day. She grew used to the presence she would feel as she played in the evenings, well aware of that presence being the potions master, but she never turned around and found the knowledge of her professor being so close by to be calming and pleasant. Every two weeks new sheet music would appear, much to Hermione's delight, always including at least one melody that Hermione knew from her past. She didn't even bother wondering if it was coincidental or if Snape somehow knew more about her than she realized. She decided that it didn't matter and was just happy to be supplied with such familar tunes.

Hermione had in the last three months taken up making potions during the day. Snape would leave instructions every morning in the lab and it was up to Hermione whether or not to make the assigned potions. It was after all her decision to make them at all. However, not a day went by that she didn't feel up to it. It was something that Hermione had missed doing and she was grateful to have been given the oportunity to start up again. She noticed that she was never given instructions to make anything that could potentially be harmful to her child.

Hermione was finally starting to show, so much so that her clothes were all becoming a little tight. At some point she'd have to ask Snape about maybe transfiguring her clothes a bit to fit her. She was putting it off as long as she could, though. This isn't to say that things were still uncomfortable between them. In fact they had both become quite content in each other's company. An unspoken understanding had arisen between them. Every night they both would find themselves gravitating to the fire in the main room at about the same time. They'd sit there each night, sometimes talking and sometimes silent. The conversations always remained on a safe ground, neither of them ever letting the topics go beyond simple matters. However, one night toward the end of the fourth month Hermione broke their unspoken contract.

"Professor, I've restrained myself thus far from asking this question. But I can no longer remain silent. Have you figured out what exactly Voldemort plans to do with my baby?"

Snape looked like he wouldn't answer and Hermione almost regretted asking him, but only almost. He sat up and after pouring himself some more wine, looked at Hermione for a few moments. Hermione held his gaze, defiantly, then he resignedly turned to face the fire.

"I really don't think it would do you any good knowing the Dark Lord's plan. I've already told you that the child will be safe as long as you are under the Order's protection. However, I suppose you have a right to know." he paused and cleared his throat." It's the child's heart they're after." he glanced at Hermione and she shook her head in confusion. He sighed and continued."The heart would be used in a potion that the Dark Lord must drink to defeat Potter."

Hermione gasped and quickly stood up, clutching her stomach protectively. She violently shook her head.

"No! You must be wrong!" she said somewhat hysterically, staring into Snape's face.

He looked at her with compassion and slowly got up. Tears began flowing down Hermione's face and she started shaking. She continued to stare into her professor's eyes, then without warning stepped forward and clutched at Snape, burying her head in his robes.

"Please, Professor, please don't let them do this. You must help me. I feel so defensless without my wand. I need your help."

Hermione herself couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. All this after she had sworn that she'd never accept help from him. But she did need his help, her and the child, and she could no longer continue to lie to herself about it. As much as she had resented the pregnancy in the beginning and hated the fact that she was carrying Lucius' child, this baby growing inside her, that had caused her so much grief, was her child, and despite herself she had come to love the child more than she would have ever though possible. And she would do everything in her power to protect it.

Hermione felt Snape return her embrace and she closed her eyes and sighed.

"Ms. Granger, let me assure you that no harm will ever come to you or your child, as long as I live. Please believe me. The Order is way ahead of the the Dark Lord. Remember my role in all of this."

Hermione took comfort in Snape's words and sighing, drew herself away from him. Instead of sitting back down or walking away, though, they simply stood there staring at each other. Then without thinking it through, Hermione stood on her tiptoes and kissed her professor on the cheek.

"I don't think I've ever thanked you properly for all that you have done for me. Someday I'll make it up to you." She paused and took one of his hands into her much smaller one and giving it a light squeeze said goodnight and went to her room, leaving Snape a bit bewildered.

Sorry it took me so long updating! Thank you so much for all the great reviews and please keep adding comments. It really helps my writing. -Ileana