They had been in New York a total of two weeks. Hermione had slept in her room... Not once. She'd asked Snape why she had to share with the girls the next day at the first convention. He had explained that it was to get to know people from different cultures and see how their wizarding world differed from her own. After then, she'd hardly seen Snape. She'd spotted him on a few occasions talking to a beautiful youthful witch who Hermione immediately disliked. Hermione went into her apartment each day to get her clothes and if the girls weren't up a quick shower. Other than that she had spent all her free time with the boys. Just like at Hogwarts. Well, she was still learning about different cultured after all. She didn't see the problem with it being the opposite sex.
Ginny was not pleased at all that every night Hermione had shared a bed with Draco. Talking long into the night about nothing and everything. Sure it was all innocent, and the majority of the time he had spoken about her, how long he'd liked her, When he realised and how there was no-one else for him. But why, every morning did they wake up in each others arms?
The boys liked having Hermione in the apartment, she made them breakfast the muggle way. And for some reason it tasted better to them, all being of pureblood descent of course. None of them minded Hermione's background. In fact it was revealed to Hermione that Richard had a crush on her....
"No!" Hermione laughed brushing her hair, preparing for sleep. "No way. Nobody likes me." Hermione blushed.
"He's asked me to ask you on a date!" Draco was pushing. "He wants to take you... Erm. Ice skating?"
"Miss Granger will not be going anywhere if she doesn't go back to her apartment right this minute." Snape came through the door. The first time they had seen him in two days. Hermione stood up. He was wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt.
"Just saying goodnight professor." Hermione walked out of the room a sly wink to Draco letting him know she'd be back.
Snape led her to her room in silence. She had no intention of opening the door while he was there. He pressed for the lift, it occurred to Hermione that he must be sleeping on the floor bellow.
"Miss Granger?" He asked as she pretended to open the door. Her head whipped round so fast her hair fanned beautifully. Ginny caught the action in the reflection on the lift doors.
"Yes professor?" She question hoping this procrastination would last until he got on the lift.
"How are you finding the seminars?" He folded his arms over his chest and rested upon the wall. "Are they benefiting you at all?" Hermione's head raced. Truth be told she was bored. All she could hear was the three A's twittering in her ear as they were made to sit in their apartment groups.
"Interesting." She lied shortly. Of course had Hermione been able to hear everything, she would have kept Snape there long into the night asking him questions about things the man had missed out.
"Good, because I've cancelled your potions exam. Your final grade this year will be dependant on an exam based on this seminar." He smiled wickedly. It wasn't the first time Hermione had the impression he could read her mind. She wasn't about to give in though.
"It'll be a piece of cake- Professor. Your lift." She pointed at the opening lift. "Sweet dreams." She whispered as the doors closed. While she was there, she thought putting the key in the door, I might as well get my clothes for the morning. As she opened the door, water and flour came cascading down. Sniggers came from the bedroom.
"I love you professor. mwah, mwah. You're an over grown bat and I luuuuuv you." The girls sang together, it had clearly been rehearsed. With a quick swish of her wand her bag was packed and on her arm, she decided right there and then she would move in with Draco.
By the time she had reached the door, her face was washed with salt tears, clumps of dough clung to her pyjamas. It was James who answered the door.
"What the hell happened to you?" He helped her in. "Draco. It's Hermy." James shouted for Draco who came out immediately.
"They do this to you?" He questioned once he used a clean-up charm. All she could do was nod through her sobs. "I'm telling Snape." He stood up to leave.
"No!" She screamed, she wasn't letting him tell Snape that she was being bullied by girls who were two years younger than her. "Don't you dare."
"He'll let you stay here Hermione." James reassured her, leading her to the couch. "He needs to know."
"No, he won't let me stay here. He'll make me go back. Draco. Promise me you won't tell him?" Hermione asked.
"Ok. But if it happens once more Hermione..."
"I'll tell him myself." Hermione reasoned. "Can I have a bath please?" She asked. Draco nodded softly.
**********************************************************
Snape was standing over then when they awoke. He faced contorted with pain and anger. Hermione blushed. It felt as if she was cheating on him. So much, it had never crossed her mind how it would seem to Ginny if she was to ever find out.
"Uncle?" Draco asked coldly. He was about to defend Hermione.
"Did I or did I not tell you to get to your room last night?" His voice wasn't full of anger, but disappointment. Hermione could have coped better if it had been anger.
"You did professor." Hermione couldn't look him in the eye. "I'm s-"
"Silence!" He shouted, shutting her up with a wave of the hand. "Now. Whatever has happen between you must end now. I will not have one of my students running from room to room making exhibitions of themselves. You are here to set an example and meet new people-"
"I would have thought it would be more productive if myself and Draco mended ou-" Hermione boldly began.
"You thought wrong Miss Granger." He hissed. "Get to your own room. Get dressed and meet me downstairs in half an hour. Try not to get yourself stuck in a lift as it's not an acceptable excuse." he explained. "Well leave Miss Granger." He said as she search the room. "Your bag is back in your room." Snape stayed in the room as Hermione left. Immediately Snape had began shouting. She could still hear him when she got to her room. She couldn't hear what he was shouting. She could just hear his muffled ranting.
-----------
"And she has to join us?" Ashley could be heard moaning from the bedroom as a teary eyes Hermione entered the apartment. She felt embarrassed that Snape had caught them. She's seen the hurt in his eyes. Perhaps she was mistaking it for feelings for her. If only he could have just taken house points from her. Then she'd have known it was just because she'd broken the rules.
"That's what the big bat said. Him and Prof. Lovelace taking us to Liberty Island." She spat. Hermione's heart sunk. She thought Snape was taking her somewhere on her own. That was when Alice appeared from the bathroom drying her hair with an expensive cordless hairdryer. They didn't need to use the one in the bathroom. They had just wanted to annoy her.
"So we have the mudblood and her sulky professor. Great" Alice waved the hairdryer about. Not noticing Hermione she whacked Hermione across the cheek with the heavy hairdryer. Hermione cried out in pain while the girls just laughed. "Sorry, didn't see you there." Alice smirked, continuing to dry her hair. Ginny's blood boiled, wishing she could tell Snape herself. After she had wrung each girls neck.
Hermione made her way to the bathroom and looked at her swelling cheek. The impact was hard it had even broken the skin. Snape couldn't see it. He would ask too many questions. So with a quick spell it was hidden. She couldn't heal it herself, but she knew Draco could. Hopefully he was joining them.
-------
Unfortunately she was wrong. It was the three girls, Snape and the beautiful witch who appeared to be from Ashley and Alisha's school. who were going on the particular outing. Hermione sat fuming on the boat that was taking them to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty. She hated sea travel and was glad once it was over.
The Statue was breathtaking. It was a shame they couldn't go inside, but since the attack on the twin towers security was tight. Hermione hoped they could go to Ground Zero and pay her respects. Hermione had known someone who had worked on the thirtieth floor and had died when the incident happened. She remembered how she was moved that one catastrophic event could unite the world and even the worlds of muggles and wizards. The New York skyline had been transformed, but still held the ability to enchant all who visited. All at once Hermione understood why they were prevented from entering the statue, the statue represented freedom. Something she hadn't felt in a while.
She found a spot where she could look over onto Manhattan and pulled out her wand. She enchanted the telescope to show her Draco.
"What Hermione?" He asked shortly feeling her eyes upon the back of his head, equally hating his own trip to the National History Museum. Hermione paused for a minute to take in Draco's surroundings, no matter where he moved her vision stayed behind him showing her a full head of his growing blonde hair, which was starting to resemble his father's. How she wished she was there. "Hermione?"
"One of the girls hit me. I have a big bruise." Hermione felt her burning cheek at the thought. "Will you heal it for me when I get back?"
"Get Snape to." Draco realised why she was asking. "you haven't told him have you?"
"No. I've hidden it for now but-" Hermione said as she felt herself loose grip of her wand. The connection was lost as her wand was in the hands of another. "Give it back." Alisha stood twirling it about in her fingers.
"I told you. You owe me a wand-" She smiled vindictively.
"And I told you, I can fix it." Hermione assured her.
"My teacher fixed it thank you." She spat. "So I guess I'll just have to break yours." With that she flung the wand into the water.
Hermione sat back on the boat, mentally cursing Snape for bringing her on this trip. She hardly ever saw him. The girls were mean. She hadn't learnt a thing from the conventions and now her wand was broken. She was able to levitate it using the power she had inside her. It was a struggle but finally she had gotten it out of the water.
Not that it was worth it. She thought, exhausted from the power the spell had drained from her. She cradled her dead wand, thinking frantically where she might get a new one. So deep in all her self-pitying thought Hermione didn't notice Snape sit beside her and professor Lovelace the other side.
"What is the matter Hermione?" Snape sounded bored at her sulk. His stress on the word is grated through Hermione. "Still upset I threw you out of your boyfriends room." Who on earth was he trying to impress with this act? Ginny thought at his sudden change in attitude. Jealousy, or was he really trying to impress the professor?
"My wands broke." She spat.
"Here, let me take a look. I'm Rebecca. I've heard a lot about you." The woman said taking the wand from Hermione's shaking hands.
"Don't fraternise with the child professor." Snape warned. Child? Fraternise? Perhaps Snape didn't like her after all. Or was he just trying to remind himself it was wrong? Hermione thought, trying to keep the hope of him returning her feelings alive.
"Hush now Sev." She winked at him while opening up Hermione's wand. "You've got the core wet. We'll have to leave it to dry out naturally. I'll give it to you once it's fixed. I promise." Rebecca removed it from site. "How did it happen?" She asked. Hermione thought for a minute. Tell the truth and have the nice professor side with her students. or lie and keep her a friend.
"Does it matter? The girl shouldn't have had it out in the first place." Snape snapped harshly, he then noticed the bruising on her face. Once her wand had broken, the magic hiding the bruise had faded gradually. "What happened to your face Granger?" Hermione looked at the floor. "Now Granger!" He demanded.
"Serverus, would you kindly go get us some tea?" Rebecca shot sharply. Without another word Snape sulked off into the boat to find the cafe. "Miss Granger." Hermione nodded without looking up. "Who did this?"
"Alice." Hermione sobbed quietly. "The three girls in my apartment have been bullying me because I'm a Mud-" Hermione couldn't say it.
"Hush. Hush." Rebecca hugged her. "They can be quite cruel." She placed her hand over Hermione bruise. Hermione felt a warm rush and then the pain was gone. Hermione looked at her stunned. "I don't need a wand." She explained. "And by the looks of things you don't either."
"It drained all my energy getting it back. Alisha threw it in the water." Hermione laughed, the only thing that was stopping herself from crying again. "Do me a favour. Don't tell Snape, just tell him I slipped in the shower."
"Ok." Rebecca eyed her cautiously.
*****************************************
"But I wanted to go to the play!" Hermione whined once Snape had told her she had no choice but to join himself and Draco at the Quiditch match in Madison Square Garden, the groups were about to leave. "You said we could choose." She said standing in the foyer.
"That was before I found out you were bullying Professor Lovelace's students-" Snape snarled.
"I haven't been bullying them." She eyed Draco. Warning him not to get involved.
"She said that the bruise wasn't real and wants you to leave by the end of the week. The girls feel uncomfortable having you in their ro-"
"I haven't even slept in there." Hermione screeched. Why was Snape being so harsh to her. "Fine. I'll leave right now then." Hermione made to go to the loft. Snape grabbed her arm.
"You will come to the game." Snape hissed. "- And stop acting like a spoilt child."
*****************************************
Ginny didn't like this Snape. This wasn't the Snape that respected Hermione. This was the Snape she had known for five years, perhaps all that had happened between them was just a phase he was going through? Ginny sat silently, wanting to thump the overgrown bat on the nose and throttle that beautiful professor to death. how dare she put Hermione's character into question. Why on earth did Snape believe her?
A/N: I'm not liking this chapter much either. Next chapter you are getting sweet Snape back....
tall-freak- Thank you for your review! Once I'd posted the chapter, I re-read it myself and I was appalled at my mistakes. I'm fixing the problems right now. Looking after the Griffindors? Do you mean in Honesty and Absinth? If so I will go back and make it clearer as it's not really the Griffindors he's looking after, it's just Hermione. As for the three girls, I had a nice confrontation with Snape that explained why she was sharing with them, I just completely forgot, and then automatically assumed I'd put it in.
Ginny was not pleased at all that every night Hermione had shared a bed with Draco. Talking long into the night about nothing and everything. Sure it was all innocent, and the majority of the time he had spoken about her, how long he'd liked her, When he realised and how there was no-one else for him. But why, every morning did they wake up in each others arms?
The boys liked having Hermione in the apartment, she made them breakfast the muggle way. And for some reason it tasted better to them, all being of pureblood descent of course. None of them minded Hermione's background. In fact it was revealed to Hermione that Richard had a crush on her....
"No!" Hermione laughed brushing her hair, preparing for sleep. "No way. Nobody likes me." Hermione blushed.
"He's asked me to ask you on a date!" Draco was pushing. "He wants to take you... Erm. Ice skating?"
"Miss Granger will not be going anywhere if she doesn't go back to her apartment right this minute." Snape came through the door. The first time they had seen him in two days. Hermione stood up. He was wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt.
"Just saying goodnight professor." Hermione walked out of the room a sly wink to Draco letting him know she'd be back.
Snape led her to her room in silence. She had no intention of opening the door while he was there. He pressed for the lift, it occurred to Hermione that he must be sleeping on the floor bellow.
"Miss Granger?" He asked as she pretended to open the door. Her head whipped round so fast her hair fanned beautifully. Ginny caught the action in the reflection on the lift doors.
"Yes professor?" She question hoping this procrastination would last until he got on the lift.
"How are you finding the seminars?" He folded his arms over his chest and rested upon the wall. "Are they benefiting you at all?" Hermione's head raced. Truth be told she was bored. All she could hear was the three A's twittering in her ear as they were made to sit in their apartment groups.
"Interesting." She lied shortly. Of course had Hermione been able to hear everything, she would have kept Snape there long into the night asking him questions about things the man had missed out.
"Good, because I've cancelled your potions exam. Your final grade this year will be dependant on an exam based on this seminar." He smiled wickedly. It wasn't the first time Hermione had the impression he could read her mind. She wasn't about to give in though.
"It'll be a piece of cake- Professor. Your lift." She pointed at the opening lift. "Sweet dreams." She whispered as the doors closed. While she was there, she thought putting the key in the door, I might as well get my clothes for the morning. As she opened the door, water and flour came cascading down. Sniggers came from the bedroom.
"I love you professor. mwah, mwah. You're an over grown bat and I luuuuuv you." The girls sang together, it had clearly been rehearsed. With a quick swish of her wand her bag was packed and on her arm, she decided right there and then she would move in with Draco.
By the time she had reached the door, her face was washed with salt tears, clumps of dough clung to her pyjamas. It was James who answered the door.
"What the hell happened to you?" He helped her in. "Draco. It's Hermy." James shouted for Draco who came out immediately.
"They do this to you?" He questioned once he used a clean-up charm. All she could do was nod through her sobs. "I'm telling Snape." He stood up to leave.
"No!" She screamed, she wasn't letting him tell Snape that she was being bullied by girls who were two years younger than her. "Don't you dare."
"He'll let you stay here Hermione." James reassured her, leading her to the couch. "He needs to know."
"No, he won't let me stay here. He'll make me go back. Draco. Promise me you won't tell him?" Hermione asked.
"Ok. But if it happens once more Hermione..."
"I'll tell him myself." Hermione reasoned. "Can I have a bath please?" She asked. Draco nodded softly.
**********************************************************
Snape was standing over then when they awoke. He faced contorted with pain and anger. Hermione blushed. It felt as if she was cheating on him. So much, it had never crossed her mind how it would seem to Ginny if she was to ever find out.
"Uncle?" Draco asked coldly. He was about to defend Hermione.
"Did I or did I not tell you to get to your room last night?" His voice wasn't full of anger, but disappointment. Hermione could have coped better if it had been anger.
"You did professor." Hermione couldn't look him in the eye. "I'm s-"
"Silence!" He shouted, shutting her up with a wave of the hand. "Now. Whatever has happen between you must end now. I will not have one of my students running from room to room making exhibitions of themselves. You are here to set an example and meet new people-"
"I would have thought it would be more productive if myself and Draco mended ou-" Hermione boldly began.
"You thought wrong Miss Granger." He hissed. "Get to your own room. Get dressed and meet me downstairs in half an hour. Try not to get yourself stuck in a lift as it's not an acceptable excuse." he explained. "Well leave Miss Granger." He said as she search the room. "Your bag is back in your room." Snape stayed in the room as Hermione left. Immediately Snape had began shouting. She could still hear him when she got to her room. She couldn't hear what he was shouting. She could just hear his muffled ranting.
-----------
"And she has to join us?" Ashley could be heard moaning from the bedroom as a teary eyes Hermione entered the apartment. She felt embarrassed that Snape had caught them. She's seen the hurt in his eyes. Perhaps she was mistaking it for feelings for her. If only he could have just taken house points from her. Then she'd have known it was just because she'd broken the rules.
"That's what the big bat said. Him and Prof. Lovelace taking us to Liberty Island." She spat. Hermione's heart sunk. She thought Snape was taking her somewhere on her own. That was when Alice appeared from the bathroom drying her hair with an expensive cordless hairdryer. They didn't need to use the one in the bathroom. They had just wanted to annoy her.
"So we have the mudblood and her sulky professor. Great" Alice waved the hairdryer about. Not noticing Hermione she whacked Hermione across the cheek with the heavy hairdryer. Hermione cried out in pain while the girls just laughed. "Sorry, didn't see you there." Alice smirked, continuing to dry her hair. Ginny's blood boiled, wishing she could tell Snape herself. After she had wrung each girls neck.
Hermione made her way to the bathroom and looked at her swelling cheek. The impact was hard it had even broken the skin. Snape couldn't see it. He would ask too many questions. So with a quick spell it was hidden. She couldn't heal it herself, but she knew Draco could. Hopefully he was joining them.
-------
Unfortunately she was wrong. It was the three girls, Snape and the beautiful witch who appeared to be from Ashley and Alisha's school. who were going on the particular outing. Hermione sat fuming on the boat that was taking them to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty. She hated sea travel and was glad once it was over.
The Statue was breathtaking. It was a shame they couldn't go inside, but since the attack on the twin towers security was tight. Hermione hoped they could go to Ground Zero and pay her respects. Hermione had known someone who had worked on the thirtieth floor and had died when the incident happened. She remembered how she was moved that one catastrophic event could unite the world and even the worlds of muggles and wizards. The New York skyline had been transformed, but still held the ability to enchant all who visited. All at once Hermione understood why they were prevented from entering the statue, the statue represented freedom. Something she hadn't felt in a while.
She found a spot where she could look over onto Manhattan and pulled out her wand. She enchanted the telescope to show her Draco.
"What Hermione?" He asked shortly feeling her eyes upon the back of his head, equally hating his own trip to the National History Museum. Hermione paused for a minute to take in Draco's surroundings, no matter where he moved her vision stayed behind him showing her a full head of his growing blonde hair, which was starting to resemble his father's. How she wished she was there. "Hermione?"
"One of the girls hit me. I have a big bruise." Hermione felt her burning cheek at the thought. "Will you heal it for me when I get back?"
"Get Snape to." Draco realised why she was asking. "you haven't told him have you?"
"No. I've hidden it for now but-" Hermione said as she felt herself loose grip of her wand. The connection was lost as her wand was in the hands of another. "Give it back." Alisha stood twirling it about in her fingers.
"I told you. You owe me a wand-" She smiled vindictively.
"And I told you, I can fix it." Hermione assured her.
"My teacher fixed it thank you." She spat. "So I guess I'll just have to break yours." With that she flung the wand into the water.
Hermione sat back on the boat, mentally cursing Snape for bringing her on this trip. She hardly ever saw him. The girls were mean. She hadn't learnt a thing from the conventions and now her wand was broken. She was able to levitate it using the power she had inside her. It was a struggle but finally she had gotten it out of the water.
Not that it was worth it. She thought, exhausted from the power the spell had drained from her. She cradled her dead wand, thinking frantically where she might get a new one. So deep in all her self-pitying thought Hermione didn't notice Snape sit beside her and professor Lovelace the other side.
"What is the matter Hermione?" Snape sounded bored at her sulk. His stress on the word is grated through Hermione. "Still upset I threw you out of your boyfriends room." Who on earth was he trying to impress with this act? Ginny thought at his sudden change in attitude. Jealousy, or was he really trying to impress the professor?
"My wands broke." She spat.
"Here, let me take a look. I'm Rebecca. I've heard a lot about you." The woman said taking the wand from Hermione's shaking hands.
"Don't fraternise with the child professor." Snape warned. Child? Fraternise? Perhaps Snape didn't like her after all. Or was he just trying to remind himself it was wrong? Hermione thought, trying to keep the hope of him returning her feelings alive.
"Hush now Sev." She winked at him while opening up Hermione's wand. "You've got the core wet. We'll have to leave it to dry out naturally. I'll give it to you once it's fixed. I promise." Rebecca removed it from site. "How did it happen?" She asked. Hermione thought for a minute. Tell the truth and have the nice professor side with her students. or lie and keep her a friend.
"Does it matter? The girl shouldn't have had it out in the first place." Snape snapped harshly, he then noticed the bruising on her face. Once her wand had broken, the magic hiding the bruise had faded gradually. "What happened to your face Granger?" Hermione looked at the floor. "Now Granger!" He demanded.
"Serverus, would you kindly go get us some tea?" Rebecca shot sharply. Without another word Snape sulked off into the boat to find the cafe. "Miss Granger." Hermione nodded without looking up. "Who did this?"
"Alice." Hermione sobbed quietly. "The three girls in my apartment have been bullying me because I'm a Mud-" Hermione couldn't say it.
"Hush. Hush." Rebecca hugged her. "They can be quite cruel." She placed her hand over Hermione bruise. Hermione felt a warm rush and then the pain was gone. Hermione looked at her stunned. "I don't need a wand." She explained. "And by the looks of things you don't either."
"It drained all my energy getting it back. Alisha threw it in the water." Hermione laughed, the only thing that was stopping herself from crying again. "Do me a favour. Don't tell Snape, just tell him I slipped in the shower."
"Ok." Rebecca eyed her cautiously.
*****************************************
"But I wanted to go to the play!" Hermione whined once Snape had told her she had no choice but to join himself and Draco at the Quiditch match in Madison Square Garden, the groups were about to leave. "You said we could choose." She said standing in the foyer.
"That was before I found out you were bullying Professor Lovelace's students-" Snape snarled.
"I haven't been bullying them." She eyed Draco. Warning him not to get involved.
"She said that the bruise wasn't real and wants you to leave by the end of the week. The girls feel uncomfortable having you in their ro-"
"I haven't even slept in there." Hermione screeched. Why was Snape being so harsh to her. "Fine. I'll leave right now then." Hermione made to go to the loft. Snape grabbed her arm.
"You will come to the game." Snape hissed. "- And stop acting like a spoilt child."
*****************************************
Ginny didn't like this Snape. This wasn't the Snape that respected Hermione. This was the Snape she had known for five years, perhaps all that had happened between them was just a phase he was going through? Ginny sat silently, wanting to thump the overgrown bat on the nose and throttle that beautiful professor to death. how dare she put Hermione's character into question. Why on earth did Snape believe her?
A/N: I'm not liking this chapter much either. Next chapter you are getting sweet Snape back....
tall-freak- Thank you for your review! Once I'd posted the chapter, I re-read it myself and I was appalled at my mistakes. I'm fixing the problems right now. Looking after the Griffindors? Do you mean in Honesty and Absinth? If so I will go back and make it clearer as it's not really the Griffindors he's looking after, it's just Hermione. As for the three girls, I had a nice confrontation with Snape that explained why she was sharing with them, I just completely forgot, and then automatically assumed I'd put it in.
