AN: Thank you so much for the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
"What do you mean Cormac barged into her house?"
Sirius' glow was bright and red. If Severus were not upset himself he may have felt a small sense of relief that the dog was no longer moping. Granted, it would've been nice if he'd gotten out of his funk without Hermione being in danger.
"Cormac came to her house, and practically manhandled her. He was in her personal space and making inappropriate comments. She was all but cowering in his presence," Severus continued.
"Do you think she's in danger?"
"No, but I fear this will escalate unless someone steps in."
Sirius stood and shook his head.
"I suggested she tell Potter what is occurring, but she fears his job is in danger if he goes up against Mr. McLaggen."
"If Cormac is breaking into her apartment though, she could sue him for trespassing."
"Assuming they take her side over his."
"Why wouldn't they? Hermione is a member of the Golden Trio. Shouldn't that give her any clout in the Ministry?"
"Not against the second in line to become Chief Warlock."
Sirius' glow dimmed. "That would explain why she is behaving so meekly around him."
"Perhaps."
"I'm sensing a but."
Severus tapped his foot. "There's something else troubling her, though for the life of me I don't know what."
"Has she given you any clue as to what that would be?"
"No, we discuss little else other than our potion and her utter inability to maintain a tidy house."
Sirius cocked his head. "Hermione is a questionable housekeeper?"
"She is more than questionable. While I would not call her horrid, I am convinced even you could keep things more organized than she does."
"Of course I could." Sirius crossed his arms over his chest. "I was very well-organized."
"Since when?"
"Since always."
"Sure," Severus drawled. "But back to the issue at hand, I have no idea how she finds half her parchments, and she refuses to step within two meters of her oven."
"I thought she would keep a tidier house."
Severus' foot stilled. He'd never thought of what kind of house Hermione would keep. If the place was going to be like a second home to him though, the least he could do was teach her how to do chores in addition to ironing.
"You're a former spy, and supposedly the greatest one alive. Surely you've picked up on something which could help her get away from this guy."
Severus reviewed every interaction with her in his mind. Although she had alluded to feeling as if she was unloveable, there was no reason given for her newfound meekness.
"I mean, she's mentioned Harry. Where is Ron?"
Severus' eyes widened. "She has not mentioned him."
"She hasn't?"
"No, not once."
Sirius' glow intensified.
"We haven't had a chance to discuss him…"
"That's her problem!"
Severus shut his mouth.
"She's meek because she's missing Ron!"
"Excuse me?" Severus exclaimed.
Sirius was a bright yellow. "Before I died, she and Ron were developing feelings for each other."
"I always knew Ms. Granger would develop horrendous taste in men."
"She could do worse than Ron."
"Other than Mr. McLaggen I fail to see how."
"She and Ron were cute together. Who doesn't love a story about two school-aged sweethearts who fall in love and start a family together?"
Severus turned a light blue.
"Something must have happened which broke them apart."
"Perhaps that is for the best."
"No, it is not for the best, but who cares about your pissy attitude." Sirius clasped his hands together. "I know exactly what we need to do to complete this mission!"
Severus raised an eyebrow.
"Our mission wasn't just to help her create her potion, but to help her reunite with Ron!"
Severus burst out laughing.
Sirius frowned.
"I am sorry, but that has to be one of the least intelligent things you have ever said." Severus stopped laughing.
"Why?"
"Ronald does not deserve someone like Ms. Granger."
"You haven't seen them together like I have. They were made for each other."
"What on earth would give you that idea?"
"For one, they have so much in common."
"Like what?"
"Like." Sirius scratched his beard. "Like…"
"Hermione is intellectual, resourceful, and underneath that hardened exterior, kind. Ronald is boorish, lazy, and rude."
"Yet they care deeply for each other."
"That is doubtful given that all they ever did was argue."
"So? Arguments can lead to passionate nights." Sirius smirked. "Trust me, I'd know."
Severus' glow was pea soup green. He could've gone an entire afterlife without certain images in his head.
"She and Ron have clearly had a falling out, and need to reunite."
"No!"
Sirius frowned.
Severus' glow intensified. "I am not going to aid in your quest to reunite an intelligent young lady with a Quidditch playing dunderhead."
"It's not my quest, it's our quest."
"I refuse to aid in Ms. Granger settling for the least satisfying life possible."
"It's out of our hands. The Trinity wants this, I just know it."
"If this is the Trinity's will then they are even more twisted than I could have ever imagined."
"It's true love Severus! Don't you want to help someone find true love?"
"First of all I don't believe in true love."
"Really?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Give me one reason I should."
"Well," Sirius shrugged. "I guess you wouldn't know it until you felt it."
"See, if I have not felt true love then I have never experienced true love. If I've never experienced true love then not everyone has one. Thus true love does not exist."
"You sure are romantic."
"I am realistic."
Sirius rolled his eyes.
"The relationship between Ms. Granger and Ronald is lust at best. If I wanted her to have a good lay I would find someone much more handsome with much more intelligence than him."
"Look, I know you spent time with them, but you didn't see them like I did. I watched them play Wizarding chess against each other, spar over certain war strategies, and laugh at each other's jokes. They were cute together."
"I heard Ron whine until Ms. Grange did his work, call her names on numerous occasions, and throw his latest fling in her face. I cannot think of anything less cute."
"Their relationship wasn't perfect, but no love story is."
"They don't have a love story."
"They're two members of the Golden Trio. They belong together!"
"No, they do not."
Sirius' glow turned a dull red. "You know, for someone who wants out of Purgatory, you are sure quick to dismiss this idea."
"You're right, I would love nothing more than to be out of this situation, which is why I don't want to waste my time reuniting the Golden Trio."
"You told me once to note the things I didn't see."
"Oh so you are capable of listening."
"Yes, I am. Right now, I don't see Ron, and I think Hermione needs him."
"No, she does not. He will only make things worse."
"Why are you so opposed to this plan?" Sirius asked.
"Because it will not work."
"Is that the only reason?"
"Of course it is," Severus replied. "I want out of here as soon as possible, and this plan will only waste time."
"Is that the only reason?" Sirius' glow returned to its regular hue.
"Yes."
Sirius stared at him.
"How is your Aristotle reading coming along?"
"Fine," Sirius drawled. "I'm learning the virtues make one happy."
"So you actually made it past Book I?"
"I did. I'm at the beginning of Book II."
"Perhaps you won't prove so useless after all."
"I'm not useless at all, I have a plan."
"One which will fail."
Sirius scowled.
"Should you not resume your reading?"
"Sure," Sirius sat and picked up his book.
Severus took his place at the couch and grabbed a book of his own.
Sirius stared at him, wondering what Severus' actual reason for opposing his plan actually was.
Hermione stroked Crookshanks' back. Although she was in her bed, she was sitting upright. There were too many questions in her mind to allow her to consider sleeping.
Why had Mr. Snape been so upset about the harassment? Anybody with a conscience would be irate with a woman being disrespected the way she had, yet for Mr. Snape it seemed personal. It was as if he cared about her well-being, as if he saw her as a person instead of a project.
She groaned and tilted her head. No, she was a mission to him and nothing more. The second she found whatever happiness she was meant to find, he would be gone. He was probably counting the minutes when he could go to heaven.
Crookshanks purred louder.
She scratched his ears, thinking that if Mr. Snape considered her a friend, she would be very happy indeed.