Hey guys I'm so sorry chapter 9 has taken so long life's just been a bit hectic recently so this chapter may not be up to scratch but I really wanted to give you something

Chapter 9

Hermione's mind was in a whirl as her and Harry raced towards the potions classroom. A part of her wanted Layla to be wrong but she knew deep down she wasn't. She trusted Layla above anyone in the world, even her parents. She was so deep in her thoughts that she hadn't even noticed that Harry had knocked on the door and their head of house had ushered them in. Harry's voice brought her out of her inner monologue.

"Well Professor, Me and Hermione were opening our Christmas presents when I opened this bottle of butterbeer from Mrs Weasley, I was very confused as to why she would send me anything as I've only interacted with her once and it wasn't very friendly, not to mention me and her son Ron do not like each other"

He went to continue when Hermione cut him off "My familiar, Layla seemed to not like the bottle and tried to swipe it out of Harry's hand, She's never led me wrong before so I thought it a good idea to bring it to you to be tested, I'm very sorry to intrude on your Christmas break but I thought it better to be safe than sorry"

Professor Snape reached out for the bottle silently and Hermione placed it into his hand, He swept to his feet and said "I will assess this matter at a more convenient time and let you know as soon as I am able to ascertain the contents. Go, enjoy your time off and I will summon you when I have your answers.

The young pair thanked their Professor and swiftly left his office to go and do exactly that.

The rest of the Christmas break passed quickly and Harry and Hermione had almost forgotten about the bottle when they were summoned back to Professor Snape the day before term was going to begin. Similar to last time they were swiftly summoned into his office but this time as soon as the door shut the professor waved his wand in intricate patterns over the door before turning to Harry and Hermione with a grim expression.

"Mr Potter" Professor Snape began "I regret to inform you that the drink you were gifted over the holidays was laced with both a loyalty potion and a compulsion potion, the loyalty potion was to Mr Ronald Weasley and the compulsion potion was to make you detest any Slytherin especially Miss Granger and to trust Mr Weasley above all"

Harry was frozen in shock whereas Hermione's face had gone bright red in anger. She leapt to her feet and started pacing around "WHO ON EARTH DOES THIS IGNORANT WOMAN THINK SHE IS?! SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW YOU HARRY" Hermione bellowed "HOW DARE SHE TRY AND POTION MY BO- MY BEST FRIEND AND TURN HIM AGAINST ME SHE WILL PAY"

Professor Snape watched his young charge silently and couldn't help but agree with her "Might I suggest" he began slowly before being cut off by Hermione who was too blind with rage to realize what she had done

"IF LAYLA HADN'T TOLD ME THAT IT WAS POISONED I COULD HAVE LOST HIM" before she froze her error clear to the room. Professor Snape was in too much shock to chastise her for interrupting him "She's a parselmouth?" He thought in wonder. He needed to gain her trust and quickly, if the headmaster found out about this, Severus was sure he would do all he could to separate Miss Granger and Mr Potter and based on the power he had witnessed from the girl he knew she would one day be a match, if not more powerful than Dumbledore. Schooling his features into what he hoped was a reassuring look he said "Miss Granger, before we proceed any further I would like to make it clear that the wand movements you saw me perform earlier were privacy wards, no one will be able to hear our conversations and as your head of house I would like to assure you that anything you tell me will be confidential, unless it is a life threatening issue even the headmaster need not know"

Hermione slowly turned towards him and took a moment to gather herself "We can trust him" Layla said slithering out of Hermione's jumper "He won't tell anyone and we need all the help we can get to deal with the redheaded traitors"

Hermione nodded before looking at Harry who gave a small nod of encouragement. She sat back down and started her story. She told Professor Snape how she had accidental bursts of magic at a very young age, her loneliness, her torment at being an outcast, her insecurities, and her bond with Layla and how she had always had a feeling she shouldn't tell anyone that they could understand each other. Hermione didn't realize she had tears rolling down her face until she had a handkerchief thrust under her nose. While she composed herself Harry began his story

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: TALK OF ABUSE. POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: TALK OF ABUSE

"I can't remember exactly when the abuse started, my first proper memory of living with them was my fourth birthday, I was given fifty pence and a yogurt, I was so excited to eat it that I split a little of it down my top. My aunt screamed in my face about how useless I was and how much she wished that I'd died with my parents. Being so young I didn't really process what it was she was saying until years later, all I knew at that point was that she was being very loud. My magic must have flared up because all the pots in the kitchen suddenly rose up into the air, she screamed for my uncle and when he ran in he said "I'll beat the freak out of him tuney, don't you worry" he then took off his belt and beat me with it until I passed out. I woke up in the cupboard I lived in all these years, all of my hair had been shaved off and I'm pretty sure I had a few broken ribs at that point. Then I passed out again and by the time I woke up my hair was back and my body was healed. That just gave them an excuse throughout the years to take out any of their anger or frustrations on me. I remember one Christmas I was forced to cook dinner basically blind because of how bruised and swollen my eyes were"

END OF TRIGGERING CONTENT. END OF TRIGGERING CONTENT. END OF TRIGGERING CONTENT

The more Harry spoke the more shocked Professor Snape was although he hid it well. How was this boy still standing? How could the headmaster want to send the boy back to that?. He would protect both of them with his dying breath. Hermione reminded him so much of Lily with her fiery nature and her urge to protect. It was very Gryffindor but he was willing to let it slide. And then there was Harry, her son. Severus knew that even though the boy looked like his childhood tormenter that there was a lot more of Lily in Harry and because of this he would protect him. The Headmaster's wishes be damned. Calling on all his years of occlumency he pushed his own memories of abuse to the back of his mind and said "You will not be going back to those relatives ever again. I will handle everything, as much as I appreciate both of you being so honest we still have a problem: The bottle that Mrs Weasley supplied you with. Now the Gryffindor thing to do would be to report this to the relevant authorities but we are not Gryffindor's. We are Slytherin's so I ask you, what would a Slytherin do?"

Hermione looked up with a glint in her eye and said "I've got a plan" Layla hissed in contentment already aware of what her mistress had planned because as always, Layla knows everything.

Okay that's it for Chapter 9 guys. I'm sorry it's on the short side and that I've left you on a cliffhanger but trust me it's going to be worth it! As always please review and chapter 10 will be up soon x