AN: So this chapter is more of a filler for a number of reasons. Mainly, it's to progress the plot along and set up the events that are about to come. There are some things I want to tie up before finishing the story.
I've had fun writing it, but I have other things I want to focus on as well. I've been neglecting Hidden in plain sight, in order to finish this one. I've also felt bad about it, but I do ship Tomarry more, so every time I write Tom and Harry interacting, it takes everything to make sure I don't get sidetracked and focus on them instead lol.
But I am happy knowing that this story is almost done!
Taking a deep breath, Harry made the familiar trek to Severus' quarters, his heart racing in his chest as it threatened to escape. The intense gaze of dark onyx lingered in his mind, a shiver running down his spine at the memory. He bit his lips, body thrumming in anticipation as he grew closer and closer, his mind running a mile a minute.
However, the moment he reached the door, he exhaled softly as he swallowed, his thoughts shifting.
In all likelihood, there was a strong possibility that nothing was going to happen and the look in Severus' eyes had been something else entirely. Why would things suddenly change between them in less than a week? Because, if he was being honest with himself, not much had changed, save for him waking up in Severus' arms.
But that hadn't been the first time he had fallen asleep on the other man, had it? The night Dumbledore finally crossed the line, his head had lolled to the side and landed on Severus' shoulder. Even if he didn't remember waking up with the man, for some reason he doubted that Severus had immediately moved him off.
Things would probably continue as they always did, and Harry didn't know if should be relieved or disappointed. Perhaps it would be a mix of both, but he couldn't be sure. With one more deep breath, Harry pushed open the door and made his way into the brewing chambers, where Severus had gathered a variety of ingredients and a few cauldrons.
One look at the Jobberknoll feathers and Harry knew exactly what potion Severus was going to be brewing.
"Veritaserum?" Harry questioned as he placed his bag on one of the chairs. Severus turned to face him, a small smirk on his lips that made Harry relax. "I think it's a new moon tonight, which would mean it's the time to start on them." He said, nodding to cauldrons.
The potion itself wasn't hard to brew, but because the task took over a month, it was considered to be one of the more advanced potions. That, and it was easy to mess up if you weren't paying attention. Suddenly, Harry had an idea of what Severus was planning for the class tomorrow.
"Let me guess, there's going to be an impromptu brewing assignment tomorrow for the NEWT classes." The green-eyed wizard smirked when Severus paused, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes for a split second.
"And what led you to that idea?" Severus inquired; his onyx eyes not as intense as they once were.
"A conversation that I had with Hermione and Draco a while back," Harry stated. "We figured that you would have a mock examination for us before Yule break, that way you could remove the students who didn't perform as they should." He watched as Severus got the table ready, humming. "There are two students that are a danger to everyone and this would serve as an easy way to kick them out." As much as Harry hated to see it happen to his peers, they weren't capable enough for the volatile potions.
"Why am I not surprised that you figured it out?" Severus shook his head, conjuring the final ingredients for the needed potions.
"It's what I would have done," He admitted. "I have no idea what possessed Slughorn to pass them," The sour look on Severus' face nearly made him chuckle. "Especially Justin. I've lost count on how many times Draco and I have stopped him from blowing up his cauldron."
And Severus had probably lost count on how often he had to stop Pansy from blowing up hers. He nearly shuddered at the idea of partnering those two, already dreading the outcome of that inept duo.
"We also thought it would have been a good time for a mock examination regardless. Even if there are two students who are exceptionally lacking, there are others who need a wake-up call." Harry shrugged. "The first semester is about to be over within less than a month. I don't think it has sunk in yet."
"You would be correct," Severus replied, waving his wand as the ingredients organized themselves. "There are only four students I trust to complete potions without any supervision or help. There are those who are too reliant on their partner." Humming, Harry nodded, understanding where that concern was coming from.
Their NEWTs would not only be lacking a recipe to follow, but they would also be on their own. There were no lab partners when it came to taking the exam, and even though he hadn't paid too much attention to his other peers, he knew Severus was right. If they were to change the class and take away lab partners, then there would be a problem for some.
"Oh," Harry paused and looked to the table, starting to understand why Severus was gathering so many cauldrons. It wasn't just going to be a mock assignment with no recipe, but it was going to be one person per cauldron. "You're going to be ruthless tomorrow, aren't you?" Harry grinned, catching onto the amused gleam in the onyx eyes.
"There are some who have potential." The older wizard began, vanishing the cauldrons with a wave of his wand, no doubt transporting them into an unoccupied classroom. "Those who are too reliant on their partners have the potential to excel. This will make them aware of their flaws."
"Those who fail tomorrow will receive detention, I gather?" Harry teased a bit, knowing that was the Slytherins way of getting them to study more. There was a hint of a smirk on the older wizard's face at his words, which made Harry's chest warm at the sight. "You know, there was a debate if you would tell them about the mock exam or not," Harry admitted. "But I think this idea is better." Not only would this assignment be an eye-opener, but it would get them ready for the midterms that would be arriving.
Severus' plan was absolutely brilliant. Not only was he planning on removing those who had no chance of passing the class, but he was taking the time to subtly guide those who weren't trying hard enough. He knew that as a professor, Severus didn't like failing people, but there were those who weren't cut out for it and didn't study enough.
And those people who didn't study enough could blow up a cauldron with their mistakes. It was one thing to make a single mistake, but it was another when you made multiple and never improved.
"After tomorrow, they will know my expectations regarding their winter exams," Severus stated. Harry hummed, grinning.
"Before or after they botch up their potions?" The sound of Severus' chuckle made Harry smile to himself, a pleased flutter settling in his chest. "I do see why you're going with this potion, besides the timing." The younger wizard began. "It's one of the least volatile," He finished when Severus looked at him.
"Precisely," It looked like Severus was withholding a grimace, and not that Harry could blame him. "There are multiple students that I would not allow to make a volatile potion unsupervised." Harry couldn't help but smirk a bit.
"You know, at least you didn't have to teach Neville too." As much as Harry loved his friend, Neville was the absolute worst at potions, even worse than Justin or Pansy. The look Severus gave him made his smirk widen even more. "Justin and Neville as partners would have been horrifying."
"If I had the misfortune of teaching those two at the same time, I would have retired early." Harry held back a snort at the comment, watching as the other wizard finished his task.
Now that the table was clear and Severus was getting ready to brew his own potion, the older wizard glanced at him, seeming to be interested in something.
"I noticed you weren't at dinner last night," Severus began, making Harry swallow, knowing where the conversation was going. "Or at breakfast this morning." The underlying worry he could hear made his chest flare with warmth, fondness rolling through him.
"I ended up visiting Tom longer than I intended to," Harry began, unaware of Severus gripping the side of the table, knuckles white. "I needed some…darker books for research." He confessed, flushing at his admission. "And for some reason, even the restricted section was lacking,"
"Unsurprising." Severus began, hand going slack on the table. "Did you find what you needed?" At the question, Harry's eyes brightened as he smiled.
"I did thankfully. I even found some books written in parselscript. It gave me some new ideas for spells," Harry smiled, wanting to be as truthful with Severus as he could. Even if he wasn't lying to him, not telling him the complete truth felt odd. It was gnawing at him from the inside, especially with the knowledge that Severus valued trust and honestly.
It almost felt as if he were going against the man, almost as if he were betraying that trust.
"I also had to visit him after what Hermione made me realize yesterday," Harry said with a sigh, knowing that Severus needed the information as well. "I think it's made Tom hate Dumbledore even more," He tried to tease when he noticed the protective fire ignite in Severus' eyes.
"What happened?" The words were slow and dark, almost making Harry shiver at how deep it was. Taking a breath, Harry leaned back, knowing that it would cause Severus' mood to worsen.
"Hermione and I were talking about Horcruxes, and how Dumbledore was trying to get me to destroy all of them last year. I told her that in the headmaster's plan, I would also have to die in order to supposedly defeat Tom for good. Well," A humorless smile made its way to his lips, settling there. "In order for me to do that, it would mean that I need to sacrifice myself. Hermione made the connection that if that were to happen, someone else would need to take my place if I were dead." He saw the way Severus froze, the fire in his eyes blazing into an inferno.
"And even if Neville could have also been selected as the chosen one, Dumbledore never interacts with him, so he's out of the question." Harry chuckled sadly. "Which leaves the headmaster himself. He would have been the one to act as their savior as he deals the final blow to the Dark Lord, effectively gaining more support from those around him."
There was no question that Severus was furious, if the dark anger and tense jaw were anything to go by.
"I told Tom about what Hermione and I pieced together, and he finalized a plan last night when I was doing research. He wants to ensure that Dumbledore is taken care of before he is ever tried." Severus quirked a brow in intrigue, tilting his head for Harry to continue.
"The Board has plans to put Dumbledore on trial after his removal, but Tom and Lucius are both apprehensive about it for a few reasons. For one, he might disclose information about me being a Horcrux to the public. While he doesn't have as much support as he did in the past, that information could paint a nasty target on my back." He swallowed at the way Severus tensed, the protective look returning full force. "It also paints a target on Tom, in a way. If the public is made aware of the Horcruxes in general, there's going to be civil unrest. Some will do everything they can to figure out what items are Horcruxes and destroy them." Harry ran a hand through his hair, disheveling the already messy hair.
"There's also the issue that Dumbledore might target you and others. Even though Tom knows you're a double spy and your allegiance is with him, Dumbledore will think the opposite. He will try to force you and any other death eaters he helped to accredit. He would even be willing to recant his original testimony in order to ensure your compliance with him. Tom says that the divide between the light and dark is lessening, but it could completely splinter if Dumbledore is allowed to be tried."
Merlin, that was a mouthful to get out, but Severus listened to it all, his intelligent eyes calculating and processing the information.
"Albus is too much of a threat to be kept alive," Severus agreed, thinking back to other order members who would have done anything to keep Dumbledore from Azkaban. Those same people had some marginal level of power in the ministry, and they would have broken the law for their leader.
"The quicker he is removed, the easier it will be for everyone," Harry mumbled. "Thankfully, Tom has two unspeakables in his ranks. Having their help for this will be vital." As much as he wanted to witness Dumbledore wither under the scrutiny of the public, it was too much of a risk to let the man divulge any information he might have.
"I assume they will act the moment Dumbledore is apprehended?" The younger wizard hesitated, nodding slightly.
"Somewhat." Harry began. "What Dumbledore doesn't know is that there's another spy in Voldemort's ranks, one who is also part of the Order." As Severus raised an eyebrow, Harry smirked. "She's not marked as a Death Eater, but she swore loyalty to him with an unbreakable vow. Her name is Emmeline Vance."
Severus seemed impressed by the information, if not a little pleased.
"Vance is an intelligent and powerful witch. She was never one for following others blindly." Harry nodded at the description, thinking about what Tom had told him last night.
"Tom told me he's been using her as an asset only in recent years. When he became aware of the support Dumbledore had from some high ministry officials, he knew he needed someone in the order and the ministry, one that he knew was more neutral leaning."
Having a spy at Hogwarts and the ministry was genius.
"Dumbledore will be immediately transported to the ministry after he's taken from here and talks of his trial will begin," There was a mischievous gleam in Harry's eye. "The Board wanted him to be tried as soon as he was removed, which is where Vance comes in. When Dumbledore is placed in the holding cell, she will sneak in and give him an untraceable portkey that will transport him to the Dungeon's in riddle manor."
"Will he trust her enough to take it?" It was a valid question, one that made Harry hum.
"I was worried about that too," Harry admitted. "But with how many people have left the order, we think he will be too desperate. He'll latch onto any help or anyone who shows him the right amount of hero worship."
For a man who was supposed to be the wisest and most powerful wizard alive, some things were all too predictable about him.
"Tell him how much he is needed and how everyone is looking up to him and me to stop Tom, then he will eat right out of their hands." Severus' lips twitched as he nodded, seeing the point.
"But, the best part would come after," Harry mumbled with a devilish smile, one that Severus let his eyes linger for. "Because they won't be able to prove what happened with the portkey thanks to Tom and Lucius, they will assume he either fled or had an accomplice."
Which would lead to speculation of his guilt. Why would the great Albus Dumbledore flee from his holding cell in face of the multiple charges against him? Even if there wouldn't be a unanimous agreement of his guilt, the seeds would be planted and those who were once loyal would also start to doubt the man.
"He would be labeled as a fugitive," Severus mumbled, smirking when Harry's green eyes brightened. "I can only imagine how the Minster will respond." The younger wizard chuckled at that.
"That's also part of this plan. Make Fudge look even worse and let the press bombard him with damning questions that he won't be able to control. He'll be turning to Lucius for even more guidance." After that, he wasn't too sure. He left the politics and planning to Tom on that front.
"I see," Severus looked more impressed than usual as he gazed at the younger wizard. "Your plans never cease to amaze me." Harry felt a small flush spread across his cheeks at the praise, chuckling softly.
"I can't take all the credit. Tom and Lucius have been talking about the plan for a few weeks now. I just gave some of my own ideas that Tom decided to work into the finalized plan," Harry shrugged but paused as he thought about the other wizard and his new plans. "Once it's done, I suppose he can start to integrate himself with the public or use Lucius to do it."
"Despite Dumbledore being gone, he will face pushback if he appears as the Dark Lord," Severus commented, already knowing where Harry was going with his ideas. "There are people who will never give their trust to him." The propaganda against the dark side was engrained into the wizarding population-if Tom appeared as he did in the past, there would be another split.
"No, they won't." Harry agreed. "I think he knows that too. I've heard him talking about creating a new moniker, starting low in the ministry until he worked his way up." Harry shrugged again. "I don't think he even knows at this point. So much of his plans have revolved around defeating Dumbledore and the Order, and we all know the Order will fall without Albus."
Soon enough, Albus Dumbledore would be removed. Harry might have been wanting this for a few years now, but Tom had wanted this for even longer.
"The Dark Lord will have more work to do once Dumbledore is gone," Severus offered. "It will take him a long time to undo the laws Dumbledore has passed." Harry nearly grimaced at the reminder, thinking about all the paperwork Tom would have to sift through.
And in his opinion, Tom already had more than enough.
"I'd prefer to keep to academic studies personally," Harry mumbled, thoughts still on Tom. He knew that the man had wanted to be a professor at one time, but had been turned away by Dumbledore. He couldn't help but wonder what the world would have been like if Tom was never turned away. "I kinda feel bad for him in that regard." Severus turned to look at him, a curious expression on his face.
"How so?" Harry sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Tom had originally wanted to teach defense," Harry admitted. "Dumbledore turned him away because he believed that his studies in the dark arts went too far. I just wonder what it would have been like if that didn't happen. If Tom was allowed to do what he wanted." Emerald eyes met onyx and he offered a small smile. "I want to teach too, but it was also Dumbledore who was stopping me. I wouldn't have felt comfortable being a professor under him...I just see a lot of similarities between myself and Tom, and they seem to increase every day." Had things been different, he could have easily imagined himself doing what Tom was.
He would have buried himself in academics, laws, and politics to try and undermine Dumbledore. He would have tried to gain support from others, to show the world that the one they treated like a god was no more than a manipulator.
Luckily, he wasn't in the exact situation. With planning from numerous individuals, Dumbledore would be removed. Taking a breath, he turned to Severus.
Even the older wizard fell into the category. While his circumstances were different than his and Tom's, there were still overlaps of similarities. Albus used Severus' allegiance with Voldemort against him. He let him escape a ticket to Azkaban in order to become his spy and gain the information that he needed.
"You should be commended for all the time you've spent around Dumbledore as a double spy," Harry mumbled with a snort, moving to start helping with the demonstration potion for the sixth years.
"Triple spy," Severus corrected softly, making Harry pause in his movements as he turned to look at the man, confusion shining in the emerald eyes.
"What?"
"You are aware that I defected the night your mother was killed." Harry nodded, having already been told about the reason Severus was a double spy. "If the dark lord had not placed pieces of his soul back together and remained a monster, I would have turned against him as well."
That confession causes a wave of warmth to explode from his chest, his face flushing against his will as a lump formed in his throat.
"You would have gone against both of them for me?" Knowing Tom as he was now, Harry couldn't envision fighting the man, but he knew it could have come to that, had things been different.
He had never taken the time to think about what would have happened if he hadn't sought Severus out that day. How he wouldn't have the understanding from the other side. How it was likely that the two of them wouldn't be as close as they were now.
He also never stopped to think about what it would have been like if he and Tom were truly against each other. Even if he hadn't sought Severus out that day and offered a branch of neutrality to Tom, it didn't necessarily mean that he would have been against the Dark Lord.
What he didn't think about was the idea of Tom remaining a monster. It was true that the man had been unhinged and diabolical in the past, thanks to his fear of Dumbledore and the fear of dying. Had that version of Tom still been around, Harry hated to imagine what things would have been like.
For Severus included. The man would have been against both Voldemort and Dumbledore, playing both sides just to keep him safe.
"To protect you, yes." And once again, Harry feels a wave of warmth coil around his chest, spreading through his body as his heart stutters at the honest tone. In a blink of an eye, he's moving forward.
Harry finds himself pressed against Severus' chest; arms wrapped around the older wizard's as his fingers dig into the dark cloak. His fingers hold the fabric tighter as a mix of emotions hits his chest.
He doesn't know what to say to that. How can he respond to such a confession? Besides a handful of people, no one has ever put him first. Not to this extent at least. It makes him shudder in Severus' arms, afraid to let go and even more afraid to break down.
For some reason, the words soothe a part of him that he hadn't realized needed to be soothed.
Maybe a small amount of fear had formed, hidden beneath his feelings. Perhaps there had been a twinge of fear that Severus only cared about him because of his neutrality, then later dark leanings.
Their interactions over the past year had shown him that Severus had grown to care for the true Harry Potter, the one that very few people saw. Even if he was allowed to be more himself now at Hogwarts, there was still a slight persona he had to put on. He still had to keep parts of himself hidden from the public, only his true friends seeing the entire person beneath.
Even if a small amount of fear had formed, it was quickly washed away. Harry blinked back tears, practically melting as arms wrapped around him, keeping him close.
"Thank you," Harry mumbled after a moment, smiling at the almost inaudible huff. "I know, I know. No need to thank you," Even if he couldn't see Severus, he could imagine a slight smirk and amusement within those deep onyx eyes. "But I mean it, Severus." Harry swallowed hard, feeling a strange emotion hit his chest.
Just how much had Severus sacrificed? How much would the man have sacrificed, had things been different?
Those questions go unanswered and were eventually forgotten as the night continued, and a skillful hand found its way into his unruly hair.
"Is he still behind us?" Hermione whispered when they turned a corner, trying to avoid the calculating blue eyes that had been tracking their movements. Neville glanced back, withholding a smirk when he saw the figure hunched over, hands pressed into his forehead as he stopped in his tracks.
"Nope. That necklace is doing exactly what Harry said it would." Neville whispered back as they kept going and turned another corner, leaving Dumbledore to be forgotten as they quickly escaped his stalking attempts.
"I'll need to tell Harry about this later," Hermione mumbled, glancing down at the necklace that was effectively protecting her. "I don't want to upset him more, though. Dumbledore's actions have already been weighing on him enough as it is."
"He'll be more upset if you don't tell him." Neville cautiously reminded. "He made that necklace for a reason. Harry's worried that Dumbledore will act recklessly and desperately. Him trying to stalk us tonight is proof." Hermione bit her lips, expression changing to one of worry.
"That's what concerns me, Nev. I don't know if the Headmaster will try to stalk me more or do something worse, but I fear for Harry more. Dumbledore never told me or Ron what he needed Harry for. The only person he told out of the three of us was Harry," She explained.
"And you don't think he will seek you out further because of that?" Neville asked, a thoughtful expression lingering on his face until it was replaced by hesitance.
"If Dumbledore were to seek me out, it would be so he could persuade me to convince Harry to listen to him." Hermione clarified. "And in order to do that, Dumbledore would need to spill secrets."
"What about compulsions?" Neville suggested. "He tried that with Harry before. What would stop him from trying the same with you?" It was a valid concern, but Hermione shook her head.
"I was thinking about that too, but it wouldn't add up. Surely Dumbledore realized how intelligent Harry is by now? If I suddenly started to suggest that he listen to Dumbledore, Harry would immediately know something was wrong. That's why I don't think he'll try much with me. He doesn't know what to do with me, now that Ron is also gone." Neville paused for a moment, understanding the implications of Hermione's words.
"I think I see your point," The younger Gryffindor confessed. "You, Ron, and Harry used to be inseparable. With Ron out of the equation, that could have left Dumbledore uncertain of how to label you." Neville mused. "And since Ron was also connected to a family that was in the order, having him gone would have shattered a lot of his plans."
"That's why I'm more worried about Harry," Hermione's voice was soft. "Dumbledore knows he won't gain anything from me. The only thing that would get to Harry is if Dumbledore tried to abduct me as leverage against him, but that would backfire because Harry would just get the Board and Ministry involved." Neville shook his head.
"Let's be honest. If it came to that, he would just get the Dark Lord involved." While they never had any in-depth conversation about Harry's side in the war, it was easy to mention. Sometimes it felt surreal, but like right now, it felt like something that had always been.
"Probably." Hermione nodded in agreement. "He goes over to see Voldemort at least once or twice a week." Neville blinked at that, snorting.
"It's weird thinking about it sometimes, isn't it?" Neville asked. "You know more than I do about it, obviously, but I figured it would sometimes feel bizarre even for you." The closer they got to the tower; the more Hermione started to relax. She hummed at the question, glancing at Neville.
"At first it certainly felt odd. This was someone who, to my knowledge, had attacked Harry and was after him. It was during our fifth year when things didn't add up and then Harry had lost his god-father.." Hermione swallowed at the memory, remembering how broken her friend had been.
"But that's when Harry told me about the prophecy, and how Dumbledore used that as a means to get Harry to fight. Dumbledore took it upon himself to try and force Harry to live a certain life and make certain decisions, whether he wanted to do them or not." Hermione sighed, looking at Neville again. "Last year we spent a lot of our time studying. Harry might not have realized it then, but I think that was when he actually started to shift in mindset. When we expanded our knowledge, he began to openly question the light and what they were fighting for." Dumbledore's controlling nature had been part of it, but the other had been Harry's own thirst for knowledge.
"For me, the only thing that had been keeping me on the light side was because of the past," Neville confessed, sitting down with Hermione in the empty common room. "I had grown up hating their side because of what they had done to my parents." Hermione nodded in understanding, eyes wide at Neville's next words. "My Gran is actually a neutral witch, with darker leanings." He confessed, smirking a bit at Hermione's expression.
"I thought your grandmother was light?" She asked, clearly confused. "I know she hates Dumbledore, but I had assumed she would have hated their side because of what they did." Neville nodded.
"She hates the people responsible." Neville was quick to agree. "However, she doesn't hate the side." Hermione still seemed unsure, so the Gryffindor continued. "I was lost for a while, to be honest. While I had never been a fan of Dumbledore because of my Gran, I had never given the other side any thought until Harry confided in us. I've always trusted Harry as one of my best friends, but it was still uncharted territory for me. Luna helped clear a lot of things for me since the Lovegood's have always been on the neutral or darker side. About a month ago, I went home to talk about things with my Gran, and that's when she got me to see things."
"Every side has bad apples," Neville mumbled. "But we shouldn't let their actions completely alter the way we view their side. Those monsters who tortured my parents, they were the ones who painted their side in a negative light. The idea that the dark was nothing but bloodshed formed because of them. They tarnished the message that the dark was trying to get across. It's a message that my gran agrees with."
"The diminishing traditions and knowledge?" Hermione asked, making Neville nod.
"My gran opened up to me, for the first time." He confessed. "She told me about how much she missed being able to openly celebrate the Wheel of the year, and how connected she felt with her magic. So many rituals were banned for the fact they took blood, even if it was just a fingerpick. She…she told me cleansing rituals that were banned, and how they helped you clear your mind and focus your magic." Neville sighed. "Sorry I talked your ear off. It was thanks to her that I was truly able to accept what the Dark side wanted."
"I understand," Hermione was quick to touch his shoulder, giving a small squeeze. "As someone who didn't grow up in this world, I was thrust here and told that the dark was bad. I was told that they saw me as inferior because of my blood status and that they wanted to kill muggles and muggleborns. But after doing my own research and with the help of Harry, I realized that wasn't what their intentions were. It was, as you put it, the bad apples that pained that image."
It felt good being able to talk like this with Neville. She trusted Harry's judgment, but at the beginning, she had felt unsure of the switch. It was nice knowing that Neville had also felt it bizarre at first, but that he also supported Harry's decision no matter what.
"So," Neville began, leaning back into the sofa. "Has Harry made a move on Professor Snape yet?" At Hermione's wide eyes, Neville laughed. "Luna and I were talking about it the other day. I noticed that Harry had worn Professor Snape's scarf again. He wouldn't let just anyone have his scarf like that."
"Tell that to Harry," Hermione groaned. "I think he's finally starting to realize that it's mutual, but Merlin," Hermione rubbed at her temples. "I can't tell you how long he was denying it! If you look at the head table during meals, you'll notice that Professor Snape usually has his eyes on Harry."
"Oh, I started to notice. Today in particular." Neville almost shuddered. "I felt this intense gaze during dinner and when I turned to see where it was coming from, I saw Snape fixated on you and Harry." Hermione snorted, shaking her head.
"I think he might be the jealous sort. I took Harry's hand and said a crude joke that made him blush. I don't think the professor liked it." Neville laughed, covering his mouth.
"You making a crude joke? Merlin, I wish I heard it." Neville thought for a second. "Did Harry even notice Snape staring at him? I know I did, and his glare wasn't even meant for me." Hermione smirked deviously, nodding her head.
"Trust me, Harry saw it. He even pieced together that Snape might have been jealous." At the look on Neville's face, Hermione clarified. "I usually take Harry's hand when he's upset. I was holding it when Snape started to stare like that." There was a snort as the wizard shook his head.
"You think he'll make a move tonight then?" Hermione shrugged.
"Honestly, I have no idea. Harry's waiting until the time feels right to make a move, so I don't know when that'll be. Harry doesn't even know yet." Neville hummed, considering that.
"I get it. I never knew how to ask Luna out, actually. In the end, it was her who made the first move." He shrugged. "So, I get being apprehensive about stuff like that. I bet you'll be happy once Harry, or even Snape, makes a move." Hermione sighed, a fond look in her eyes.
"You have no idea. Honestly, I just want Harry to be happy, and from what I've already seen, Snape does that. He looks at Snape and he just seems to immediately light up. As for Snape, I don't think I've seen anyone else that is as protective. He also looks at Harry like he's the only person in the room."
Of course Snape was subtle about that part, but Hermione knew what she was looking for.
"When did you realize that Snape might have felt the same?" She frowns at the question, biting her lips as her mind racked through the memories.
"There were different moments that made me wonder.." Hermione confessed. "But the moment that cemented the idea for me was when Justin was hitting on Harry. He looked displeased." Hermione mumbled. "And when Skeeter published that article that insinuated they were dating, Snape had a dark look in his eyes."
"Oh," Neville's eyes widened. "Like the look he had today." Hermione nodded.
"Now that Harry has seen it too, I imagine that things might be different."
She couldn't say when things would start to change, but it was clear that Harry was becoming bolder.