He penetrated her mind with ridiculous ease. He could tell she was trying to move thoughts away from him, but he was able to easily follow them. He'd already decide to look for her version of the night he placed wards on her house. He had been curious about her demeanor that night, and this seemed as good a time as any to find out. Of course, he could have just asked the child, but that would have required actually conversation.
He found what he was looking for fairly quickly. If Hermione was trying to keep it from him, he couldn't detect it. He saw the girl in what he assumed was her bedroom. Her Hogwarts trunk was barely unpacked and issues of the Daily Prophet and Muggle newspapers were spread out across her bed. He glanced over them as he felt the fear, anxiety and dread from that day.
He began to see a pattern in the scattered articles and papers. While the Dark Lord was keeping a rather low profile considering the wizarding world's refusal to acknowledge his return, that didn't mean he'd been inactive. He had been quietly increasing his influence, reuniting with acolytes and planning extensively in the last few months. Old enemies were being dealt with and the occasional muggle raid was used to keep his Death Eaters sharp. They may not be making waves yet, but if one was attentive, they could see the ripples reflected in the reading materials laid out. She could see the pattern too. It proved that she wasn't safe, that her family wasn't safe.
There was a touch of bitterness seeping through. She realized that she had been left defenseless in this house. She had heard much talk about the importance of security, but not one person offered to help with her own. Not one. They hadn't even considered her safety let alone that of her parents.
She felt it then, magic. A lot of magic. It was everywhere. Peaking outside, she saw a dark figure. She didn't even think. She snatched up her wand and ran downstairs for the door. She was outside before she even had time to consider that maybe she shouldn't run straight into danger, but her parents were inside. If she could just give them a few minutes to escape...
When she realized that the intruder was her professor, relief flooded her. She trusted him. Always trusted him. Too overwhelmed to speak, she sat and watched. She recognized that he was laying wards. He was protecting her, protecting her family. She wasn't disposable after all. After a bit she went inside and told her parents that someone from the school was there to put some protections on the house. They seemed concerned by this, but she quickly explained that these were basic in the wizarding world. She told them that she'd asked to get them placed here since she couldn't do them herself. They accepted this, so she ran to the kitchen to make tea for their guest.
He was still hard at work when she returned, so she placed the cup next to him and sat back on the porch. She was happy when he stopped for a drink. Besides asking if he wanted something to eat, she remained silent. Oh, she was curious. She'd never seen such spell work done before and was fascinated. The professor seemed to prefer the silence though, so it seemed the very least she could do was remain silent. Severus agreed. Perhaps the girl had some sense after all.
Mainly Hermione was just grateful. That's why she couldn't stop herself from thanking him when his task was done. It didn't seem the sort of thing that should go unsaid.
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Severus pulled himself from her mind just as easily as he slid in. The encounter had not been near so pleasant for Hermione. She stumbled and fell to her knees. "Up, girl," Snape commanded. "This was only your first try, and this lesson is far from over."
Hermione dragged herself back to her feet, trying to catch her breath. "Why that, sir?" she asked. "I wasn't hiding it."
"That much was obvious," Snape drawled. "You need to clear your mind. Now again."
It looked for a moment that she might argue, but apparently, she thought better of it. "I didn't tell anyone. If that's what you're worried about," she stated calmly.
"Tell who what, Miss Granger? Have I truly addled your brain that much?" Snape questioned.
"The warding, I didn't tell anyone." She repeated.
"And why is that?" he asked.
"Because you didn't tell anyone. At least it doesn't seem like you did. The Order didn't send you, did they, Sir?"
Severus sighed, "I'm not here to be interrogated. If that's what you were hoping for, then you are sadly mistaken."
"No," she said quickly. "I want to learn."
"Then clear your mind," he responded.
Hermione straightened and squared her shoulders. "Legilimens!"
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The rest of the lesson went just as poorly. Honestly Severus hadn't expected her to do well. No one did the first time. One needed to push the student hard in order for them to learn how to build and maintain their shields. They could hardly learn if they didn't even realize someone was in their head. Subtlety came later, much, much later.
He sent the girl off with a headache draught and exercises to improve her ability to clear her mind. He thought back to what he'd learned of the girl that day. She was far more perceptive than he had realized. She had been able to see the workings of the Dark Lord from only scraps of information. She'd also figured out that his assistance at her home had not been sanctioned by the Order. While he appreciated that she'd kept the meeting to herself, he hadn't intended for her to keep it secret. He'd have told her, if that was the case.
Either way, her silence on the issue would make his life easier. He wouldn't have to explain to Albus why he'd gone to the girl's home without his knowledge or approval. Plus, he did like that the witch had decided that the best way she could thank him, was by bothering him as little as possible. That explained her silence towards him since her arrival at Grimmauld. He agreed. It was a very good way to thank him. Perhaps teaching the girl would be less tedious than he thought.
The next lessons, didn't go any better than the first. She was incapable of keeping her mind clear of thought. She thought constantly, reminding herself, second guessing herself and berating herself for every failure. Even Snape couldn't reprimand her as well as she managed to reprimand herself. He had been wrong. These lessons had become quite tedious.
"Are you doing the exercises that I gave you?" Snape asked as his frustration mounted. If it was this hard to teach the girl, how would he ever handle the boy?
"Yes, sir," she replied. "Every day, just like you asked."
He eyed her with suspicion even though he already knew that she had. He'd seen as much in her mind. This was pointless, he thought. A complete waste of time.
"Perhaps you are not inclined to such a skill. Not every witch is. This may simply be an area that the Great Hermione Granger isn't adept at." He was giving up. He knew it, but sod it all, he had better ways to spend his time.
"Please, sir! I'm trying, I promise. I don't know why it's not working, but I am trying. Please, sir, don't give up on me!" she pleaded, eyes welling with tears.
Severus didn't have use for tears, but her words struck him. Maybe a different method of study would help. He had no use for books on the subject, but maybe the young witch would benefit from a more theory-based approach.
"I'm not giving up, Miss Granger. I am merely pointing out that perhaps this skill is beyond you."
"No!" the girl interrupted. "I can do this. I know I can. I'll do whatever needs to be done. Please, sir".
Severus sighed. She wasn't going to make it easy to give up. "Very well. We will try a new approach then. I will owl you a selection of books by the end of the day. I expect you to read them all by this time next week. I'll return then. If I feel that you have adequately absorbed the material, then our lessons will continue. If not, then you will agree to end this folly immediately."
Hermione nodded her head vigorously. "Of course, sir. I'll read them all. I can write a report on each if you wish. I could….."
"That will be unnecessary, Miss Granger! Just read and absorb. I will test your knowledge when I return." With that, Severus turned and exited.
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When Snape returned the following week, he half hoped that the girl would fail so he would be released from this dreadful task. A lesser student would have given up long ago, but he knew Granger was tenacious. When he entered his basement lab, Granger was already perched atop one of the stools, a large stack of books beside her.
"I read them all, sir." Severus rolled his eyes. Of course, she did.