Severus quickly scanned the pile of books beside the young witch. "Miss Granger, I did not send you all of these books."
"I know, sir, but once I got started, it reminded me of muggle meditation and mindfulness training. I had my mother send me books on the subject. The correlations between them and occlumency is quite fascinating. In fact….."
"Stop, Miss Granger! I already know the subject. I do not need lessons on it. Especially not from you," he sneered. He really had been hoping to cancel these lessons. "Let's see if any of this reading was actually beneficial. Stand!"
Hermione quickly hopped off the stool and faced her teacher. "Legilimens!"
*S*S*S*S*S*S*
As much as he hated to admit it, the reading had helped. She hadn't offered much resistance, but she'd definitely improved. It was something on which he could build. He'd also found her mind to be blessedly less chaotic this time. The lessons would continue.
*S*S*S*S*S*S*
She improved steadily after that. He couldn't deny that the girl took learning seriously and was committed to putting in the work. She never asked for leniency, and she never complained. It was actually pleasant to have such an enthusiastic and obedient student. If only she would be this behaved in class, he mused.
As they drew closer to the beginning of the school year, he knew it would be prudent to discuss what she could expect going forward, should she wish to pursue these studies further. Granger was sitting on what he had begun to think of as "her stool" at his work bench. She was still catching her breath after a particularly grueling lesson. "Miss Granger, classes will resume next week. Have you given any thought on whether you'd wish these lessons to continue?" he enquired.
She looked alarmed. "I had thought that they would continue," she responded. "I'm only beginning to be able to keep you from my mind. I'm nowhere near competent enough to deflect a sustained mental attack."
"That is true," Snape agreed. "Your skills are barely passible, and you have much room for improvement. But," he continued, "I know that you have been made a prefect, your O.W.L.s are this year, and you still have to take up your duties of tutoring Mr. Potter as well. You seem a bit stretched thin, girl. Do you really have time for additional classes?" He asked.
Hermione had a determined gleam in her eye. "I had thought on that. I'll just have to manage my time more efficiently. Sir, I truly believe that this skill could be invaluable. I understand that your time will be limited as well, but I'm willing to meet whenever it is convenient to you. That is if you are still willing to train me…" She trailed off, looking up expectantly at her professor.
Severus stared down at the girl for a moment and then sighed. "Then we shall continue our lessons."
Hermione let out a deep breath, "Thank you, sir. I truly appreciate this."
"Ah, but wait, Miss Granger. I have a stipulation." The girl seemed surprised by this. "You are to no longer help Mr. Longbottom in class."
"But.." Severus held up a hand to interrupt the witch.
"This is non-negotiable, Miss Granger. You are not helping him by coddling him and doing his work for him. That is no way to learn. What would happen, do you think, if he should attempt to brew on his own? Without you there to hold his hand, he could very well be a danger to himself and others."
Granger looked conflicted. "But how can I help him, sir?"
"That is up to you, but that assistance cannot come during my class. Is that understood?" He eyed the girl as she was having a very obvious conversation with herself.
"Yes, sir. I understand." Hermione's head dropped in defeat. "I could tutor him outside of class. Would that be acceptable?" she asked hopefully.
"As I said, I don't care what you do with the boy, as long as it isn't in my class."
She nodded eagerly. "Now, Miss Granger, we must craft a reason for your frequent appearance in my office."
"Oh!" the girl exclaimed. "I've been telling the Weasleys that you've been tutoring me on more advanced potions. Would that work?"
Severus thought for a moment. He did occasionally offer students one on one lessons, should they be particularly adept and interested in potions. No one would think twice that he'd taken Granger on. Everyone knew of the witch's studious nature. He nodded, "yes, I think that could work. I would have to run it by the headmaster, of course."
"Of course," she agreed. Granger looked hesitant for a moment. "Have you told him about these lessons?"
"I saw no need," he calmly replied. "School is not in session, and this is on my own time."
"Will you tell him now?" she pressed.
"For Merlin's sake, girl! I thought you'd outgrown your incessant need to question," he reprimanded.
"But sir, how else will I know what to say, should he ask me?" she said earnestly.
"And why would he feel the need to ask you about something so inconsequential?" he threw back at her.
"And what if he should take a peek in my head and meets resistance? Surely, he'd be suspicious. What would you tell him then? " The young witched retorted angrily.
"That you apparently are the extraordinary prodigy you so desperately want everyone to think you are," he sneered back at her.
Hermione brought her hand down on the potion's bench with enough force to rattle everything on it. "Stop!" she yelled. "Just stop!" She took a deep breath before continuing. "Please just give me a straight answer for once. Why all the secrecy? Why did you put the wards on my house? Why wouldn't you tell anyone about it? I appreciate it. I really do. Everything you've done for me. I'm just…just, so, so….sick of being in the dark."
She sighed and seemed to deflate somewhat. She fell back onto her stool, looking defeated. "Nothing makes sense anymore. The Ministry and papers are all trying to convince us that we're safe. You-know-who is doing who knows what. The headmaster wouldn't let us tell Harry about anything that was happening. And for that matter, why does he send Harry back to his family every year. They are horrid. Anyone could see that. None of this makes sense."
Severus studied her for a moment. He knew he would have to trust her at some point. Maybe including her in some confidence would be a good test for her trustworthiness. That was the excuse he told himself. In reality, he didn't want to keep the girl in the dark. As loath as he was to admit it, the girl was exceedingly bright and perceptive. She was quick to put things together, and that could very well get her hurt.
"I did not tell the Headmaster of our lessons, because he may well have found them to be unnecessary and thus tell me it was not a good use of my time," Hermione lifted her head, surprised by the confession. "My thinking was the same when it came to the wards. I believed both were prudent and saw no need to inform anyone of my decision. "
"Why didn't the Order think to protect my home?" she asked with a twinge of bitterness.
"That I cannot say, Miss Granger. I don't believe it was a reflection of your worth though. I think they find the muggle world so baffling that they just assumed no one would bother trying to navigate it to find you. I, on the other hand, knew that not to be the case, which is why I acted," he explained calmly.
"So, I was in danger?" the witch asked hesitantly.
"We are all in danger as long as the Dark Lord lives," he responded.
Hermione thought for a moment. "I don't always trust him," she said quietly.
"Who, Miss Granger?"
"Professor Dumbledore. He….I don't know. It always seems like he has a plan, always has a hand in everything. Even in the smallest of details," she explained. Looking down at her hands and frowning. " I think sometimes those plans get people hurt. I think they get people killed. "
Severus was startled by this confession. She wasn't wrong. He was just surprised by how much she put together. "That, Miss Granger, is something you need to keep to yourself. Such thoughts can be dangerous."
The girl looked worried, "would he hurt me?"
"No, of course not." Snape replied confidently. Although he really didn't know if that was true. "It is just that he wouldn't appreciate the loss of faith. It would hurt your chances of ever being a full member of the Order of the Phoenix. That is something you want, is it not?"
"Yes, of course, Professor," she said.
"Then keep such thoughts to yourself," he concluded.
"But should I have questions, can I bring them to you," again the girl looked hopeful.
Snape rolled his eyes and looked heavenward for a moment. "Yes, you may. If you must. Just keep in mind that I may not answer them. And never repeat what I say to those two numbskulls you insist on associating with."
The girl pursed her lips for a second at the insult to her friends but said nothing. He continued, "I will tell the headmaster of our lessons this summer and the reasoning behind them. There is no need to lie. If he decides to as you say "take a peek" inside your mind, then resist. I doubt he would press much. Just enough to assess your progress. And more importantly, keep your doubts buried."
"Yes, sir," she agreed quickly. "You don't always trust him either, do you, Professor?"
"That, girl, is none of your business!" he said harshly. After a moment he continued. "We don't always see eye to eye on issues, but that is a far cry from distrust."
"I understand, sir"
"In that case, this lesson is concluded. I'll notify you once we are back at Hogwarts, and I've had a chance to review my schedule for the semester." He said dismissing her.
She took the hint and gathered her notes, said a quick thank you and left.
Severus remained in his lab for a while after the girl left, envisioning the mess this school year would be. What with tutoring not one, but two Gryffindors. It was during this contemplation, that a particularly disturbing thought occurred to him. Had he just agreed to become the confidant of a teenage girl? He groaned with the realization. He could feel a headache coming on already.