A Fate Worse Than Death

By West Dean

Disclaimer: As per previous chapters

Chapter Eight: Occlumency with Snape: Part Deux

Authors Note: Apologies for the delay. I was having so much fun writing the next two chapters that I was slow getting round to the final polishing on this one. I hope that you enjoy it!

This chapter is dedicated to Vickie211 who recommended this story at WIKTT. You are the best sort of reviewer that a writer can have!

ssHGss

Two evenings later, it was a very different Hermione Granger who was striding down the corridor towards Snape's office. This Hermione had spent the time since the last Occlumency lesson most profitably.

She had questioned Harry so exhaustively about his experience of Occlumency and the techniques that he had found most useful, that he had finally claimed a detention to get away. Ron had struggled to think of a similar excuse when Hermione had once more suggested that another session of clearing their minds would be beneficial.

Madame Pince had had to put up with the awful intrusion into her personal domain of Hermione heading towards the Restricted Section again, with a grim look on her face and waving her open pass. This had proved somewhat disappointing. In common with other branches of magic that relied heavily on mental powers there was very little information to be found in the library.

Finally, Parvati had been on the verge of calling for Madame Pomfrey, when no amount of waving of the latest copy of Pink Owl under her nose had managed to rouse Hermione from the trance that she had put herself into while sitting cross-legged on the edge of her bed.

The results of her intensive efforts over the two days before her upcoming lesson were that she was now feeling much more positive about facing Snape. She was even going towards Snape's office feeling some degree of confidence in the lesson ahead.

Her newfound assurance had not even been dented by the sight of Ron staggering by her in the dungeon corridor muttering wildly about going straight to bed.

The fact that the deep frost and cold had finally broken, giving way to misty drizzle and faint gleams of sunshine, had also served to lighten her mood. The odd bumblebee had even been seen venturing into the Herbology greenhouses, where it had promptly been eaten.

Hermione had not just intensively practised keeping her mind clear of thoughts and emotions. She had also worked hard on summoning a single memory. She had gone over and over in her head the scene that she had witnessed in the Forbidden Forest. Details such as the way the sun had gleamed on Lucius Malfoy's hair, his smile of satisfaction when Draco had held up the shining jar of glow-worm tails. Even the smell of the snow and the damp moss on the pine trees had been recalled to her memory. She was ready to face Snape again.

Her self-confidence had finally allowed her to think of other aspects of their last meeting. The most obvious was what she had seen in Snape's mind. It had seemed to be, no had truly felt like desire…for her!

She knew that there would be no chance to experience that memory again; it would be placed in the Pensieve in any future lesson. But if the emotion she had felt had been true she was puzzling as to why Potions master had never acted upon it in any way. There had never been any sign, word or deed that suggested that he felt that way towards her. In fact the only word for how he had acted towards her over the last couple of years was… rotten. Witness his comments to her on the day that she had told him about the theft of the ingredients – that had just been a typical example.

Surely even a surly, reclusive Potions master would have shown his interest in some manner? Was it because he was her Professor and he perhaps viewed such a relationship as being inappropriate? She had dismissed that thought. Hogwarts School was full of portraits and mementos that clearly illustrated successful relationships between teachers and students, though admittedly most of them seemed to date from a time of war.

Hermione had also pondered if this was what she would see in any male mind viewed through the lens of Legilimancy but had concluded that in that instance she would surely have seen interest in the other girls rather than the "insufferable Know-it-all".

Then there was the other thing. Snape had obviously been aware of what she had seen and felt. And it had changed things between them.

Yesterday afternoon she had been in the dungeon classroom for N.E.W.T. level potions and had become aware that the atmosphere had been subtly different. Snape has posed the question of the importance of the sequence of ingredients in growth potions. Hermione's hand had naturally shot up and (to her utter amazement) Snape had immediately turned in her direction.

"Go ahead Miss Granger, impress us with your knowledge."

Flustered she had outlined the answer, very aware that Ron seated beside her had his jaw dropping with amazement. The rest of the class joined him when Snape, upon hearing her reply, had smoothly said, "Very good Miss Granger, five points to Gryffindor."

For the rest of the lesson she had constantly glanced in his direction aware that never once did he look towards her. It seemed to be on purpose. The Professor and the student appeared to have embarked on a little dance but Hermione was struggling to see the steps.

Is he teasing me, if such a thing were possible? Or acknowledging our mutual attraction?

I wish I had not allowed the Legilimancy. It is such an intimate Act of magic. No wonder Snape is so good at Occlumency, he seems to have so many secrets to hide.

Now she was at the door and, pulling herself straight, she knocked and went in. Professor Snape was sitting at his desk, his fingers steepled before him, watching Hermione walk across the room.

"Sit, Miss Granger." He indicated the chair in front of the desk. She sat, trying to relax.

"I trust that you have been practising as I told you. I can see that you think you have. I will soon be able to judge how well. It bears repeating that I expect you to become quite proficient at Occlumency, you appear to have a high aptitude for learning. Unusual for a Gryffindor in fact. Legilimancy on the other hand …it takes true mastery to see into a person's mind and interpret what is seen there correctly. Do you understand me?"

"I understand, Professor," Hermione replied. Yes, I understand you. You want me to dismiss what I saw in your mind as coming from my inexperience at understanding recalled memories. Sorry Professor, I will make a show of it but I still believe what I felt from you to be true.

Snape visibly relaxed at Hermione's verbal agreement. The atmosphere in the room was still different to their last meeting. It occurred to Hermione that Snape now seemed satisfied that the outcome of their last encounter no longer added up to a challenge to his authority. Rather sadly she realised that what Occlumency had revealed about Hermione's feelings towards him, he would now probably dismiss as yet another student crush.

"Let us see whether your preparations stand up to a test." Snape had risen smoothly to his feet and pushed back his chair. Hermione did the same, drawing her wand from the pocket of her robes. Snape raised his wand.

"Ready? One, two, three …Legilimens!"

……….Lucius Malfoy was looking across the crowded interior of Flourish and Blotts towards her parents. The look on his face made her cringe. If she hadn't been struggling to hold onto an enraged Ron she would have hurried through the crush of magical folk to take them out of the reach of his murderous contempt.

………..Draco was pushing her against the corridor wall, using his height to pin her and pressing in close. "Come on Granger. You aren't frigid are you? You must have fancied a little taste of Slytherin?" he was whispering in a tone half serious and half mocking. Somehow she had pushed him away and run up the corridor, feeling angry enough to have drawn her wand.

……….."Filthy little Mudbood!"

They were certainly memories of Lucius and Draco but not quite the ones she had in mind. She pushed against the rush of images with her mind, thinking fiercely of snow.

………… And suddenly she was pressed to the mossy trunk of a pine tree, her heart beating wildly with fear. Lucius Malfoy was carefully checking the jar that Draco had pulled from the open bag that was lying in the snow between them. Draco was looking anxious, waiting for his father's approval. Lucius finally gave him a self-satisfied smile. The scene in the forest played clearly before her, bright on her mind's eye.

The image vanished. Snape's office reappeared, as did the slim figure of the Potions master, who had pulled up his wand to stop the magic. He was looking at her with an almost incredulous expression.

"It is not possible," Snape murmured, "the memory must be false. I would know if Lucius had escaped from Azkaban. I would know!"

He continued to look at Hermione as though trying to pierce her mind once more and then seemed to make a decision. Hermione could not stop a small smile of satisfaction from appearing on her face. She had finally managed to show him.

"Miss Granger, if I may?" Snape now came swiftly round his desk towards her, his wand held out.

"I am going to perform a revealing charm that will show if you have recently been the subject of a Dark Hex or Spell."

He circled her with quick strides, his robes billowing, making an arcing movement of his wand about her while muttering the charm. Hermione stood still as she felt the magic run across her body. Nothing happened.

Snape finally stopped and calmly put his wand back into the sleeve of his robes.

"There is no sign that you have been affected magically. That charm would have revealed any implanted vision or dream."

Hermione was curious. "Why didn't Dumbledore use that charm on Harry…. last year?"

"I suspect that this particular revealing charm would always show Dark Magic in the vicinity of Potter's scar. Harry Potter is a special case." Snape grimaced.

"Now Miss Granger, everything suggests either, that you are suffering from severe mental delusion for which there is a ward reserved at St. Mungo's, or that you apparently saw Lucius Malfoy with his son in the Forbidden Forest six days ago."

The Potions master now looked across the office at the bowl of the Pensieve.

"I need to examine this memory more closely. Although this device is not recommended for adolescents, as they have a tendency to put in their short term memories and therefore forget that they used the Pensieve at all, I think that it might prove useful in this case."

Snape moved across the office to where the stone bowl rested on top of a shelf. He had almost reached it when he gave a sudden cry of pain and clutched at his left forearm. Hermione knew immediately what that meant. Voldemort had touched the Dark Mark of another Death Eater and was summoning Snape to his side.

"Miss Granger," the voice was low and pained, "our lesson is concluded for this evening."

Hermione ignored him, her stomach had clenched with fear as she realised that he had been summoned.

"But, Sir! The night of the New Moon is two days away. You said that the next meeting was being held then!"

"As I also informed the Order meeting, I am frequently summoned to the Dark Lord's side to alleviate the effects of the tainted regenerative potions that I have been administering. This is obviously just such an occasion." Snape was calmly restoring his memories from the Pensieve as he spoke.

"Professor Snape! You must not go! There is something wrong, I can feel it."

"Feelings are weakness in the magical world, Miss Granger. How many more times will I have to teach you that lesson. I must go. The Dark Lord must not suspect that he commands anything but perfect loyalty. I cannot afford to miss any opportunity to discover how to infiltrate his hidden location." He was remaining so calm despite the slight flexing of his left wrist that betrayed the fact that the Mark was still calling.

"Professor!"

Hermione was desperate; all her instincts were screaming that something was wrong.

"It is the Dark of the Moon! The time of binding magic. Can't you see? You spoke of a new plot in preparation. Malfoy has escaped and is up to something. This ties in with what has been happening, with what I have seen and Voldemort's plans. You said that he uses the phases of the Moon – You must not go!"

"I am well aware of the significance of the timing," Snape sounded a little weary, "and there is obviously a mystery to solve concerning what you have seen. But I know that there is nothing to be alarmed about. I will return shortly and I promise to address your anxieties in the morning."

He took Hermione gently by the upper arm and steered her to the door of his office.

"Goodnight, Miss Granger, I …….appreciate your concern." Snape said very softly.

Hermione found herself once more looking at the closed door of Snape's office but this time all she felt was a sense of dread!

T.B.C.

Authors Note: Okaay – Next chapter will reveal everything. Although I'm sure that you clever lot out there have already worked it all out from the clues and have been shouting "Get on with it!" for the last few chapters! This chapter will be ready to post (I promise!) one week from today.

Please note that the warning posted at beginning of Chapter Two now comes into effect – if you don't like don't read.