The abrupt sensation of someone trying to trespass the inner borders of her locked mind interrupted Hermione's reading. Her eyes strayed from the book in her hands, searching for the undesirable who wished to invade her consciousness.

What she expected to be a person, happened to be a long snake coiled close to the divan where she was resting. Nagini rose her head almost at the same level as the girl's head. The snake stared at her with her bright yellow eyes. If Hermione didn't know any better, she would think that Nagini was looking at her with hungry eyes.

Sometimes the reptile was very intimidating probably without even wanting to be.

Hermione lowered her Occlumency shields, letting the raspy voice invade her mind. "I've heard she is been training you."

That opening line twisted the girl's guts. She was not in the mood for the snake's choice of topic. "Really? You heard?" Her voice was full of skepticism. "Or someone told you? And by someone, I mean our Lord."

Unfazed by the bitter undertone, Nagini stayed silent and unmoving. Her sight didn't dart from the brunette's own eyes. She could hardly guess what the snake was thinking in these moments. It is one thing to read a person's facial expressions, but to read the non-existent facial expressions of a snake, well, that was way beyond her abilities.

She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Were you aware of it? In the library, when you wished me good luck. Did you know our Lord was going to do this?"

The only response she got was Nagini's tongue coming out her mouth in short intervals, tasting and smelling the invisible traces of nothing and everything in the room.

Hermione hated it when she did that, as she understood very well what it meant.

Her eyes drifted along the snake's body watching the tail rubbing against the rest of her own figure. Raspy sounds like sandpaper being rubbed were the only noises between them. Nagini was shedding small patches of dead skin on the violet plumose carpet. Her thoughts went to Narcissa, who will surely love the little gifts the snake was leaving on it, she would probably pop a vein before ordering the elves to clean it immediately.

The girl sighed tiredly, rising up from the divan. She took a few steps away from Nagini, sensing the need to put some distance between them. Her earlier sour mood began creeping once again, nagging the back of her head.

She spared another glance at the snake, before reaching her own conclusions. "I'll take your silence as confirmation, then. Tell me, what is he planning?"

"…Planning?" Nagini bobbed her head slightly.

"You know very well what I'm talking about." Her voice came out very demanding.

"I don't know…" Suddenly sounding bored and disinterested. Which only served to irk Hermione further.

The brunette released a humorless chuckle "And if you did know, you wouldn't tell me anyway, isn't it right?"

"That's correct." The snake asserted with a patronizing tone.

Hands gripped the book, pushing in different directions, if she had the strength she would've ripped apart. "Not even because I'm helping you…" she muttered with resentment in her voice.

The moment the words left her mouth Nagini hissed loudly, proving that she had heard clearly. Hermione saw how the whole body tensed, coiling in a defensive position.
Hands gripped the book tightly and shoulders squared, feeling her own body tensed up as the snake's maw fully opened, displaying a set of sharp fangs and small but equally deathly razor teeth filling her mouth.

"Is a debt you must repay. You promised it!" Although the volume in Hermione's mind wasn't as loud as the earlier hiss, it still sounded equally dangerous as the sight before her.

"You already made that very clear." Hermione spat, gazing defiantly into the usually yellow, now blackened by the dilatation of her pupils.

"Then don't ask stupid questions!" Nagini responded in the same tone. "You know better than that, Hermione!"

Hermione bit her cheek, her eyes drifted to the floor, realizing that Nagini had never called her by name before. Her bitter mood was quickly replaced by waves of shame and contempt; she couldn't help but feel like a scolded child. Of course, she knew better than that, Nagini would never betray Voldemort's secrets or intentions. The snake had made that very clear since the very beginning. Was she so bitter right now, that she happened to forget her common sense?

Not knowing what to say, or likely her pride not letting her calm down and apologize, the girl turned around, then approached at the embedded wooden bookcase in the wall and placed the book from where she found it. Her fingers lingered on the shelf; brown eyes were fixed on the different almost black patterns on wood. As if suddenly the wood grain was highly interesting and worth examining.

"Why are you here?" the girl asked, looking back over her shoulder.

"I was already here." She said, climbing over the divan where Hermione was a minute ago resting. "Is it wrong to wish to make conversation with you?" Nagini closed her eyes and rolled her body over what was the warmest spot.

'Of course, she was' Hermione remembered that Nagini likes to take her naps in usually empty rooms, which made her wonder if the snake was the only one frequenting this room. They were in an entertainment room of sorts; books, several chessboards, and a large alcohol cabinet were the main themes for diversion. Today was the first time Hermione set foot in here, motivated by the very rare mood to roam across the mansion instead of just staying in her room or the Malfoy's library on the second floor as usual.

"I could taste your grouchiness since you entered the room time ago." Nagini pointed out, her tongue leaving her mouth more often and faster than she usually does. A reminder that she could sense better than any human. "What got you in such a bad mood?"

She hesitated for a few seconds, before seeing no sense in avoiding the question, Nagini already knew, she just wanted confirmation. "Who, rather than what. And you know very well who am I talking about."

"Your mate."

A snarl formed on the girl's lips "DO NOT-" she yelled; her hands tightly clutched the edges of the bookcase. She was aware that the anger mixed with the emotions of minutes ago was getting the best of her once again, but to hear that title right now was so appalling, to say the least. She closed her eyes, willing to push down the strong emotions that were threatening to rise up to her throat.

"She is not my bloody…" Her tongue twisted at the idea to pronounce that hideous word right now "Whatever, just don't call her like that."

"Denying it won't make untrue what is already a fact."

"Not now, please."

"What did she do?" Her voice was unusually kind. Hermione recognized this was Nagini's way of offering the olive branch and erase the tension that had formed between them moments ago.

"She left me hanging from a branch for 3 hours…"


2 hours had passed since Bellatrix left her hanging on the branch. So far, Hermione hadn't managed to do anything but learn how to swing properly like a pendulum, in hopes that the binds would wear off. Which, in retrospect, that wasn't very wise. The fall from this distance could be at the very least extremely painful.

How humiliating was all this, Hermione thought as the vile rose through her esophagus one more time. Even though her earlier fits of anger had considerably decreased, — at least enough to stop seething and cursing the dark witch— all her mind was able to do was to repeat their 5 seconds fight in slow motion.

After she placed all the blame and hate on Bellatrix in the first hour, by the second hour she started blaming herself for not being smart enough to foresee Bellatrix's attack, not strong enough to put a better shield and not quick enough to have repelled her next spell. In part, it was her fault she ended up like this.

'Guess fighting Severus is not enough to beat Bellatrix, uh?' The same ugly voice — the one that blamed her for all this— spoke again in the far corner of her consciousness.

"No, I guess not." She uttered, with no one to hear but perhaps the insects resting on the branches, not that she could see any of them. But considering her recent luck, it wouldn't be a surprise if suddenly the caterpillars or cicadas started to confuse her with another extension of the tree.

'Only the most disciplined and highly trained magic practitioners can achieve such a feat.' Her mind parroted the last line from the preface of the book, Introduction to Wandless Magic.

Wandless magic was all-consuming and highly difficult to achieve every time a new spell was being cast for the first time. Two spells in one go would take a tremendous effort on her part.

'Bellatrix had set me up to fail.'

Hermione turned around to see how thick was the branch was, maybe she could cast a Diffindo in case Relashio didn't work, after all, it was easier to cast Diffindo considering that it didn't require deep concentration and could work with a little amount of magic. As expected, the branch was quite thick. Diffindo wouldn't do

While she was considering alternative options, brown eyes gazed at the dark large shape that just sat between the many branches a few meters from herself, she could barely see the dark figure because the leaves blocked her sight. She squinted at what seemed to be a bird, or maybe an eagle as it was too big to be a simple bird.

'Well, at least I have company…' Watching the large feathered animal grooming its wings. 'Wow, that sounded sad and pathetic.'

A few seconds more passed by, and the next, the owl chose to fly again, leaving the place behind.

"Well, good riddance to you too." The girl said, watching the bird crossing past the mansion's roof.

'Anytime now.'

If she wanted to get out of this predicament she just needed to stop feeling. To let her mind be emptied. However, every time she closed her eyes, all Hermione could see was Bellatrix laughing at her, and a renewed wave of anger manifested in the pit of her stomach.

Fantasies of all the many ways she could torture Bellatrix, that was the balm for her inner turmoil born from humiliation.

'If I don't do it. She wins'

Hermione closed her eyes, the first thing to do was to breathe deeply as she willed her muscles to slowly relax. To leave the built tension slowly drain from her body and only focus on the sensations that surrounded her. Ropes tightening around her figure, bruising her skin. The sensation of being suspended in the air, feeling the gravity pull in her loose limps and hair. The clean air filling her lungs, expanding her ribcage, and the robes pressing further against her torso and arms.

'If a spell proves to be impossible to cast, is because you are either too weak or too stupid. You don't seem to be either, Miss Granger. All you need is to have a clear mind. You must feel the magic running from your core and extending to your limps, harness it all in your right arm, then to your hand and shoot…-' She remembers clearly when Voldemort did teach her this method. How odd, Hermione thought, that a dark magic practitioner had a technique that needed inner calm to cast the nastiest and destructive spells he could think of.

She took another deep breath, her nostrils could sense the humidity in the air, it wouldn't be long before it rains.

More reason to leave this place soon.

Without losing her achieved relaxed state, her body reclined left to right, till she was swinging to gain enough speed.

Then it came the magic. The electric pulse running through every mage whether they were conscious of it or not, it was always there. Magic was buzzing under her skin, sometimes it itched to get out. Another advantage of having lycanthropy in her blood, it made magic, more alive, electrifying, sharper. It was easier to become aware of that buzzing energy running in her veins and in her muscles. Tingling from the tip of her toes to the nape of her nape, rising up all the small baby hairs on her skin.

"Arresto Momentum" She shouted.

But nothing happened.

It wasn't enough.

Her limbs kept buzzing with energy, she could feel it now more than before. It was there almost tangible tingling in her feet soles, all she had to do was to bend the magic to her will. She dragged the power through her legs, feeling how it was being absorbed by her coccyx rushing along her spine making its way upwards, like a lizard climbing rapidly on her skin, and finally concentrating all of it within her right arm.

She opened her eyes and shouted again "Arresto Momentum!"

The movement stopped.

Yet, her moment of victory was short-lived as it only lasted half a second. It just wasn't good enough, if the spell was cast either too early or too late it could prove to be fatal.

So, she tried again, again and again.

But after many multiple intents, she failed to maintain the spell for more than one second.

Frustrated by her lack of progress and the increasing chaffing on her skin due to the ropes. Hermione was willing to let it play it out and see what would happen. She was about to practice Relashio and hopefully be finally liberated and fall on the ground when she heard the distinctive noise of someone stepping on dried leaves. The brunette stayed silent and motionless, waiting to see who was coming.

She could clearly hear the voices of two men approaching her way.

"Don't worry, your mother and I will do anything in our power to help you complete your task." Hermione recognized the man's voice, it was Lucius. Two blonde heads started to show under the trees, both dressed in robes. Hermione could barely see their faces from this angle, but the man sounded so exhausted. And if she wasn't mistaken, the black robes meant that they were about to or they already had a meeting with Voldemort. The conversation led Hermione to believe the latter.

"Thank you, father," Draco said, although he didn't sound as stressed as his father, there was a concerned tone on his voice. "Do you think I'll receive the mark before going to Hogwarts?"

"I believe so, yes." Hermione had thought that the man would be ecstatic to see his son following his steps, instead, there was a slight small waver in his voice.

"Maybe after that, Mother would be willing to forgive you."

Lucius released a hollow laugh, to Hermione's ears it sounded more of a sob caught in his throat than anything else. "I don't think your mother will be forgiving me anytime soon, Draco."

"But it wasn't all your fault, why isn't our Lord punishing the rest of them…"

Hermione rolled her eyes at the nagging tone of Draco's, she didn't fully understand what was going on, but what little she has heard till now, it was something that she could not bring herself to care.

"…I just don't understand why he had to bring all these people to our home"

Hermione closed her eyes again, willing her mind to focus on her body, and to shut any external noise. She concentrated on the next memory.

'…-However, there is another way. I can see that having a clear mind won't always work for you, isn't it dear? Hate is the answer to those times. Keep in mind, hate cannot exist without anger, but anger can exist without hate. Be sure that what you feel is hate, as for anger is just a weak, fleeting emotion.'

'A dangerous source for casting my Lord.'

'It is indeed, quite addictive too. But as you already must know, hate has always been the main source for the creation of the darkest curses in existence.'

Hermione had read multiple times the warnings against this method of casting. As the emotion itself could easily deteriorate their minds, driving them crazy. Hate and dark magic were a powerful combination, even Dark Wizards as Voldemort used it very seldomly.

Maybe only this time, Hermione told herself ready to mentally prepare. She had the perfect picture in her head, the one that would produce such strong emotion and something more in her body.

Hate, such a consuming feeling. It was like an abrasive piece cloth that every brush left deep scratches on the surface, cleaning her soul from everything that was mind and sense. Yes, she could feel it running through her veins. It tingled faster, stronger, thrumming all over her body.

"…And let's not even mention the mudblood."

'There!'

"Relashio!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, the ropes vanished into thin air, suddenly her body felt very light.

She waved her finger again "Arresto Momentum!" She stopped in midair, long enough for her to realize that she cast it too early and now the fall albeit less dangerous, it still was going to be very painful.

The brunette wasn't able to do anything but to brace for the fall, protecting her head as she hit the hard ground. Hermione laid on her back grasping her stomach, the hit had knocked the wind out of her. She moaned loudly, as a feeble attempt to get her diaphragm into place again.

"Bloody hell." She said, relieved to have her breath back. Her legs hurt and there was a burning sensation on her torso and arms. She tightly closed her eyes, trying to make sense of what ached the most and from there decide what to do.

She soon heard the steps on someone coming her way. Feeling a pair of eyes looking at her, she quickly opened hers.

"Spying on us mudblood?" Lucius spoke as he aimed his wand at her. For the second time in probably all her life, she was being levitated against her will. At least this time was just a few centimeters from the ground.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "I can think in a thousand different things I could do with my time, instead listen to your moaning." She tried to move her arms but the spell kept her from doing it. "Release me, right now!"

The man sneered in full contempt "How impertinent. A mudblood giving me orders in my own house."

Hermione scoffed at his words. "Funny you say that. I thought you were already used to receiving orders." Then she grew serious, trying put her best intimidating look. "Release me now, Lucius."

Draco who had been watching the exchange silently decided to speak "Father, I don't think she was–"

"Not now Draco." He quickly cut him off, his attention was focused on the girl he saw as vermin.

But whatever Lucius planned to say or do was interrupted by the approaching steps of someone else. "Ah! If it is my favorite brother in law and my dearest nephew" Bellatrix said gleefully as she approached the trio.

"A-aunt Bellatrix," Draco said, stepping aside several steps from his original place. Hermione couldn't tell if he did it because he was afraid of Bellatrix or another different reason.

"Lucius, how pleasant is to see you again." Hermione and probably everyone there heard how fake those spoken words sounded. Till this moment the woman hadn't acknowledged the girl's presence; her eyes stayed fixed at the man. She stepped closer into the personal space of Lucius, with a gentle expression she said. "The man that can lead a healthy life, without having any spine. You are a great inspiration to us all, Lucius." She said it as if his name tasted wrong in her mouth.

If Hermione wasn't so busy absorbing the fact that it appeared to be that she wasn't the only receiver of Bellatrix insults and abuse and more importantly that she disliked her sister's husband greatly, she would have laughed out loud at Bellatrix's dig.

The brunette took in Lucius' appearance. The man had tired eyes, the dark circles under only served to prove further that he hasn't been sleeping lately. The man's lips were dry, just like the rest of his skin. His long blond hair was slightly disheveled as if had been combed by fingers and not by a proper brush, she noticed that some strands were turning silver. It was more than evident that the stress the man had been feeling was crushing him, who knows for how long he has been living like that. Months probably.

Voldemort was angry with Lucius, that much at least Draco let her know just now. And by consequence, if Voldemort was angry with Lucius, surely his Lieutenant was equally angry at Lucius.

The man stepped forward openly sneering at the dark witch. "It wasn't entirely my fault Bellatrix and you know-…"

"What seems to be the problem here?" She interrupted, finally acknowledging the pressing issue.

Now the sneer directed towards Bellatrix was direct at Hermione "She was on the trees, probably spying."

The older woman took in the girl's appearance. "Were you?" She bobbed her head, asking with a very serious expression on her face.

The brunette saw through it, she knew the woman was only being annoying to increase her distress, and by consequence amuse herself. "Yes, I was. You put me there, remember?" She threw an exasperated look.

She turned towards Lucius. "Did you help her go down." But the man seemed confused. She looked behind her shoulder, directing her attention to her nephew. "Draco?"

The boy opened his mouth a couple of times looking between his aunt and father, before replying. "She fell."

"Explain," Bellatrix said.

"I heard she cast Relashio, then Arresto Momentum." After a heartbeat he looked at his father "W-which means she was probably stuck on the trees, and not spying."

Lestrange waved the girl's wand to break the spell Lucius had on her.

Hermione never thought there was going to be a moment in her life where she would appreciate the feeling of the hard ground under her feet.

"And you still managed to fall on your face. I believe it takes a special talent to achieve that."

The girl clenched her jaw. She should have known what to expect, of course, Bellatrix would diminish her victory and turning it into a failure.

How she wanted to punch that smug face on hers.

"I completed the task, Bellatrix. My wand." She extended her hand.

Surprisingly, Bellatrix placed the end of the wand on her palm without any resistance. Something that Hermione was prepared to meet.

How unpredictable she was.

"Tomorrow same hour, mudblood."


"The way I see it, you've learned valuable abilities," Nagini said, rolling comfortably over the divan, almost like a cat would do. Hermione could understand the feeling, the fabric was so delightfully soft, just like most of the furniture inside the mansion.

"You are missing the point. That is something I can do by myself." She took a deep breath, unwilling to let her temper flare up again. "I do not need her, yet the Lord tells her to tutor me"

"Is that why you are angry?"

Hermione lifted partially her shirt as a response, displaying reddened marks all over her abdomen. Then, she proceeded to lift her sleeves showing the angry red marks, matching the other ones on the rest of her body. "This for starters it is what has me so angry. The second reason is that she isn't teaching me anything that I cannot do by myself. Which it only means she just wants to make my life miserable…" Remembering what Bellatrix and she talked yesterday, she added. "Bellatrix says she doesn't trust me; for all I know, she might be thinking that I'm spying for the Order or something. That is why she is willing to 'training' me."

Nagini laughed, a sound Hermione wasn't still used to hear. "She really underestimates our Lord's intelligence."

Hermione looked at the snake, that certainty and confidence in her voice made her wonder if she or the Lord suspected of the Potions Master. If they did, they would have already uncovered his treachery, the brunette reasoned. Voldemort wasn't a man to sit and wait if there was no real motivation behind it. Either Severus's days were numbered, her intuition told her it was unlikely. Or perhaps, Nagini was giving too much credit to Voldemort's intelligence. Whatever it was, this didn't concern her, Hermione could only sit and watch things develop from far away.

"Please could you just answer this, is he punishing us, Nagini?" Hermione's voice almost sounded like she was pleading "She for lying and me for… I don't know" She shrugged her shoulders, not entirely convinced of what she was about to say "…not being good enough?"

Nagini stayed silent for a short span of time, the brunette guessed she was considering her next words. "Sit with me." The snake invited her, as her figure uncoiled, opening a space wide enough for Hermione to lay between the large body. The girl sat without hesitation, letting herself be surrounded by Nagini's body. "I believe is not a punishment. If our Lord wanted to punish you, you'll be having pretty scars all over your body." The snake dragged herself along the girl's bosom. "Those you have right now can be easily erased. But the ones that our Lord gives, those never disappear."

"I'm not sure if that should appease me or not." The girl said, her body almost shivering, she didn't know if it was because of the thought of the hypothetical situation of meeting Voldemort's ugly side, or simply by the closeness of Nagini that sometimes was a little unnerving, but not enough to put her on edge or make her very uncomfortable.

"At the very least, he'll threaten you to be eaten by me," Nagini said with flippancy.

She laughed at that. "That'll be more punishment for you than for me, I don't think I'll taste good."

"Oh, no dearest" She could swear Hermione heard a purring behind that raspy tone "on the contrary, you do taste quite delicious when you are not moody, like right now."

Nagini climbed up over the girl's chest, the rest of her body enclosed around Hermione "You are so warm."

Hermione was about to offer a warming charm but opted for not to, as she didn't wish to get sidetracked by their conversation. "Now I understand, I have always sensed that you look at me like you wish to eat me."

"Hmm…Can you blame me? You are such a treat." Perhaps Nagini saw everyone as a potential meal, and the brunette realized that she couldn't blame her. Nagini was a huge snake that needed equally large meals to sustain herself. Luckily, the brunette wasn't on the menu for the foreseeable future.

Their conversation died after that, Hermione sat there enjoying the silence and the company of Nagini. Meanwhile Nagini seemed to have the same intentions, and of course to take pleasure in the radiating warmth of the brunette.

Surprisingly, despite their first encounter, Hermione had learned to enjoy the snake's company and her devilish personality. Although she rarely displayed any other magical abilities besides Legilimency, she has led Hermione to believe that she was smart. Not knowledgeable, but that she could learn fast. Which meant that she didn't go to school, either magical or muggle one. It made her wonder what kind of life Nagini had before permanently becoming a snake. But she didn't want to pry into something that was a very personal matter. And Nagini never seemed willing to share her past life, from time to time she would only catch small glimpses of it, but too little to even be able to connect it somehow.

Hermione internally laughed at the irony as the idea crossed her mind. It was funny, that in this pit full of vipers and snakes, the one that was a real snake was the closest thing to a friend she had here.

"I think a have death skin in my eye, will you help me remove it?" Nagini slithered further around Hermione's figure, putting a small portion of her body on the girl's lap.

Hermione grunted at the weight on her body. "You are quite heavy you know"

"…Are you calling me fat?"

Hermione smiled at the teasing tone in her mind, Nagini would ever hardly be so relaxed as to joke so often. She was glad to see the snake had a sense of humor. "Me? I would never dare."

The girl reached for the head, it was cold and soft to the touch. It was definitely not like she imagined, she had always thought it would be moist or slimy given the fact that the light always shined upon her skin. Curious eyes scrutinized the details on Nagini's head, she noticed some fainted marks of what looked like an old scar on one side of her face. For a few seconds, brown and yellow eyes connected, Hermione felt that Nagini was examining her face just as much as she was doing it to her.

Indeed, there was a piece of dried skin poking under her eye. Careful to not fully touch the eye, Hermione scratched the small patch of shed skin. "There." Rubbing a thumb to make sure no trace was left behind. "Aren't you captivating?"

"Probably because of my rugged looks." Hermione snorted at the silly reply, she was about to speak again, but the sound of several steps behind the door halted her thoughts. After a beat, the doors of the room slid sideways, displaying Bellatrix with both arms stretched, grabbing each door's handle. The woman halted her movements at the sight of Hermione and Nagini.

The dark witch's eyes turned wider; surprise flickered in her face just before she adopted an impassive expression. A couple of figures behind her came into sight, Hermione recognized them immediately, they were the Lestrange brothers, accompanied by Yaxley and Dolohov.

She stayed still, with Nagini's head still on her hands, watching the lot of them behind Bellatrix's back. Several pair of eyes set with curiosity on the duo, Hermione saw a half-smile forming on Dolohov's lips just before returning to look at the dark witch. The older woman's gaze had hardened. Hermione recognized it as the same look she had in the library, a restrained form of contempt.

"I hope we are not interrupting anything," Bellatrix said, in a very syrupy voice. But her upper lip seemed to be itching to form a snarl. The woman slowly entered the room, followed by her entourage.

Suddenly the Malfoy mansion didn't feel as big as before.

Nagini hissed loudly, stopping the tracks of everyone except for Bellatrix "We were just leaving…" the snake spoke to the girl.

"Say it!" She hissed again, this time in an almost none aggressive manner, almost.

Hermione calmly stood up, pretending to be uninterested with what was unfolding. "We were just leaving…The room is all yours, guys." She faced at the four men standing before her, the brothers were the only ones with guarded distrust, her eyes lingered on Rodolphus Lestrange for a few more seconds before looking back at Nagini "Come on, Nagini. Let's go."

As Hermione was leaving the room with Nagini trailing behind her, she heard Yaxley speaking. "She talks to the snake? I thought it only talked with our Lord…"

"Go and ask her or it," Said Rabastan Lestrange.

"Don't ask her, she'll just probably tell you to go and ask your Lord" Dolohov spoke with humor in his voice.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Nagini took the path towards Voldemort's chambers, not before bidding goodbye to the girl. "We'll talk again, soon."


From her frizzy hair to her agitated pacing around the room, Hermione gave an air of restrained and controlled chaos.

A distinctive smell of Jeuspinia mushroom and Whisperleaf mixed together emanated from the small cauldron placed on the tea table. The fumes merged together into her clothes and probably any cloth material close from it. While not many people enjoyed the smell, Hermione had learned to tolerate it, to even not mind the penetrating odor at all. An enchanted knife was carefully mincing the rest of the ingredients as Hermione was prepared the next formula for the second cauldron. At the same moment, she was watchful of the passing time, not a minute earlier or late, she must incorporate everything into the mix. With months of practice, Hermione discovered that with precise timing, temperature and the use of a black Poui-wood spoon instead of the conventional ones made the effect of the potion stronger and durable than the original recipe.

A bubbling sound came from the second cauldron, indicating that the draught was starting to boil. The brunette quickly wrapped up all the ingredients in a cloth and placed it into the cauldron.

Her eyes flickered towards the clock once more.

'Maybe he isn't coming.'

With an upper motion of her hand, the knife stopped cutting then proceeded to place all the minced ingredients when into the first cauldron, very gently she introduced the spoon. This was the most difficult part, her movements needed to be delicate, careful not agitate too much the contents. Slowly, the spoon swirled counterclockwise. Even now, Hermione would hold her breath every time until she was finished. She counted to 15 and then she did 1 swirl clockwise.

After this, the only thing left was to wait for an hour and then pour the contents into the aligned vials on the table. As the spoon came out, she exhaled loudly, laying back languidly into the sofa.

The second cauldron to kept boiling its concoction, Hermione watched the vapor going up mixing its fumes with the already widely spread smell of the Veela's brew. Her nose was numbed, she could barely smell anything by now.

The expected knock at her door finally came. She turned to look at the clock, almost midnight.

How inconsiderate.

"Come in." Not moving from her place, waving her hand to stop the boiling process of the second cauldron.

Severus stepped through the door. The girl was watchful of how his gaze wandered across the room, assuming that he was taking in the whole mess on Hermione's working space. After a moment she guessed right seeing the small sniff of disapproval on his face. "Did you rob the apothecary again, Granger?"

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows "Again? What do you mean?"

The air was very stuffy inside due to all the potion brewing, something that the young witch was used to. But Snape seemed very intolerant towards the heat and smell. The man pulled his wand to open all the windows, then conjured a mild form of Venti circulating the air from inside. It only took a second to have the room's air fresh and purified.

"Didn't you steal ingredients from my storage room in the second year to make a Polyjuice potion?" A short small smile flashed across his face, catching the girl opening her eyes wide in surprise.

Had he known all this time? And here she was thinking she got away with it. "Are you mad about that?" She smiled sheepishly; she chuckled at the sudden stern face of his.

"I ask the elves to buy everything for me. I can't leave the grounds without the Lord's permission remember?"

Severus sat on the sofa facing the girl just like the last time they were in the room. On this occasion, things felt less tense.

"Do you want black tea?" She offered, at what the man only gave a slight nod.

"Everyone is still curious about you, Dolohov just cornered me before coming here." Hermione understood that as an explanation and sort of apology for his tardiness.

"What did he want?" The tea tray came floating over the occupied table, delicately pouring two cups of tea.

"More of the same I assume, he wants to know why are you here," Severus said while taking hold of the warm cup and the saucer. "Granted, he seemed more curious, than outright suspicious."

That was good. The half-smile in the study was a good signal and now Severus relying on this information to her, perhaps Dolohov has learned to accept her without holding any ill-will against her persona.

Hermione commanded the tray to go back to its place. "What did you tell him?" The warm liquid traveled down her esophagus, feeling the tiny bit of tension at the back of her skull eased at the hot spice. The girl relished the sweet aroma lingering in her mouth.

"That you have always been rotten." His stoic features never fell.

For a second, Hermione couldn't detect if he was serious or not. Steadily, the corners of her lips curved upwards when she finally understood the meaning behind his words. "Thank you for putting out a good word for me."

If only all their conversations were like this, Hermione could see a potential friend in Severus.

Such a shame it wasn't.

He took the first sip of his tea; Hermione saw the approval in his face at her choice of herbs. How strange was to sit in front of the man she tried to murder yesterday; sitting comfortably and sipping his tea. Which if she were in his place, she would definitely think it was poisoned. But no, Severus didn't seem to be suspicious, nor angry.

How bizarre, being here and exchanging words like something close to friendship.

'More bizarre must be for him, sitting in front of her ex-student who tried to burn him to crisp'

Not wishing to waste more time in idle chat Hermione approached the subject first. "I must assume you are here because about what happened yesterday."

"What do you think happened yesterday?"

The placidity in her died right that second. This was one of the examples of why Severus couldn't be a friend. "Enough Snape, I'm not in the mood to play guessing games with you." Her voice was hard, out-right defensive. She wouldn't let Severus take the control of the conversation "Either you explain what is that you wish to talk about or don't."

"Then you better start by answering my question." He replied unfazed by the brunette's reaction.

"Why would I?" she retorted quickly.

"Are you aware that you shaped during our fight?" His question came out very casual, so much, that Hermione thought he was joking with her. Strangely, his stoic face never wavered. Not this time.

"Shaped..." Her eyes narrowed, not sure if she understood his words. "As if in werewolf?" The man nodded.

She could hardly believe what he was saying. Yet, she saw only truth on his features. "That can't happen is impossible."

"I thought so too. But you did, at least partially."

"What do you mean partially?"

"You grew fangs and the eyes changed to amber."

Hermione instinctively reached for her mouth, pressing the fingertips onto her lips "…How?" she muttered, barely audible.

"Tell me, Granger. What happened yesterday?" The man insisted once more. The saucer rested over his crossed legs on top of his knee, one hand was holding it, while the other lifted the cup to his lips. The brunette perceived that Severus wasn't really angry at her, he seemed more interested in a reason than anything else. There was a calm aura around him.

"Why did you attack me?" There it was, again. The inflection of curiosity instead of recrimination.

He just wanted to understand.

The young witch left on the table, "I was angry."

"Why?"

"You called me a stupid child." Her voice was neutral, detached.

That was one way to simplify all the turmoil she felt inside last night.

"And for that, you tried to kill me?" He raised an eyebrow, asking for more than that.

Hermione didn't feel like explaining herself to him. Indeed, she was angry at his words, but what threw her out the cliff into an ocean of raging madness was the way he said it. He had opinions and questions that didn't concern him, whether his intentions were benign or not. Snape looking down on her as if he was right in all accounts, was one of the many things that drove her to see red.

And willing to admit it at least to herself, the fact that he called her a mudblood and disappointing in the same sentence, it did hurt.

An overreaction for anyone with a little bit of self-restraint, but not to her. She hasn't been in much control of her emotion since she became infected with lycanthropy.

"…I think I might have lost control of my emotions." A long sigh left her mouth, watching the man silently ask 'might have?'

"To be honest when I woke up this morning, I barely remember what happened last night. I remember feeling angry at the things you said. And before talking to you, you saw I had to deal with Bellatrix and our Lord. Last night when you saw me, I wasn't very…emotionally stable. Truthfully, I wasn't conscious that I tried to kill you till today's morning."

This was as far as she was willing to share. Snape acknowledge her words with a nod, seemingly satisfied with her reply, for the moment.

He sat forward; his gaze fixed at her. "I tried to find an answer to this new development of yours, but so far there are no patients infected with lycanthropy that displayed the same symptoms as yours, Granger. And if there were, it has not been recorded." He paused for a moment, turning his eyes at the piled-up books placed on the floor next to him. Hermione's books about lycanthropy. "I can't say I'm surprised. In reality, there is not enough research on this field."

"Tell me about it," Hermione said, looking in the same direction he was. By now she was sure she could recite every paragraph of those books. Their contents held some useful information, but most were completely rubbish.

"As you already know, Lycanthropy carriers may develop certain behaviors outside of the monthly transformation. Taste for raw meat, growling, keen sense of smell. Or like Greyback, his long nails and the excess of fur on his face."

"And you think is somehow related to my case?"

"Werewolves are emotional beings. They are not driven by rationality, hence the need for Wolfsbane to keep them sane during full-moon. Werewolves feel everything strongly, the hate is more intense, they love like a starved animal. They are extremely passionate people."

Severus hesitated for a second, thinking his next words. "I believe the emotions; in this case, your rage triggered those effects. Yesterday, with the intensity of the moonlight mixed with anger, gave an opportunity for you to transform."

"But if werewolves are so emotional, surely I shouldn't be the only one that has shaped. There must be at least one infected in a moment of their lives must have felt as strongly as I did and shaped."

"And that is the question that I pondered over. As I said, there are no registered cases similar to yours."

"You are unique, Granger," said Severus.

But Hermione didn't care for uniqueness at all.

'So many dramatic changes in one's life will eventually numb anyone…' Hermione reflected on why wasn't she surprise about this change as she sat still, absorbing this new revelation.

Basically, she shaped because she went mad.

Hate strongly, love strongly. Those words didn't sit well with her. It meant to be lost in the emotion without having control over her mind. That is why she tried to kill Severus and why it was easy to use hate as a base for casting her magic. She didn't know what to do with this information, should she be worried? Or just go along with it? There wasn't anything she could do. Shall she take wolfsbane, then? Impossible, as she couldn't predict when she was about to lose her temper again.

"Unlike Potter, you don't wear proudly your heart under your sleeve. Yet, you still have too much to learn." Hermione turned to look at Severus who was scrutinizing her from across. Fully understanding what he meant by that, Hermione eased the tension in her body and made sure the expression in her face was neutral.

"Do I need to be worried?"

"Just try to control your temper if you don't want to end up in the same circumstances."

'Easier said than done.'

"I'll try that. Perhaps, meditation could help."

Severus nodded in approval.

The man forcefully placed the cup and the saucer on the small table. He faced at the girl, opening and closing his mouth; her eyes saw the light struggle within him, whatever he wished to say seemed difficult to voice it out.

"As for calling you a stupid child, I won't apologize for that. You are a child, and you are behaving stupidly." He raised his hand up, stopping any intention for Hermione to rebut his last words. "But for what I will apologize is for calling you a mudblood, that was uncalled for. I'm sorry."

Hermione didn't expect that at all, it must have cost him a lot of effort on his part to concede he did wrong. Nevertheless, the damage was already done and the apology although sincere, didn't hold any meaning to the brunette.

And if he expected her to apologize for trying to kill him, he was going to be very disappointed. The brunette didn't feel like asking for forgiveness over something she didn't have control of. So, the girl did what she was capable to do according to her actual feelings, she acknowledged his words and move on.

"How did I arrive at my room? And did you change my clothes?"

"Narcissa did. She approached me, us, when you were about to pass out."

Her mind unconsciously resurfaced the vivid memory, Hermione reached for her chest, caressing the invisible cuts as if they were still there open. An action that didn't go unnoticed by Severus, who suddenly cleared his throat and twisted on his seat.

"I'm sure she had questions. And what did you tell her?" Trying to not jump into conclusion of what she might or might not have seen.

"She saw you on the ground injured, she knows I did that to you. After I cast the counterspell and bought you inside the mansion to Narcissa's healing room. She helped you treat the rest of the bruises and cuts. While she did that, she asked me for an explanation." He paused, and then said slowly in a serious voice. "You must know, Granger, that I don't go randomly casting a spell towards children. Especially not the ones that can fully maim a person." A feeling of uneasiness started to stir in Hermione, "To explain what happened without giving your secret away, I said you suffer from psychotic behavior"

"What?"

"A muggle condition that-"

"I know what it is!" She cried "So you told her I'm crazy?!"

"Yes."

Brown eyes squinted at the almost imperceptible trembling on the man's lips. The corners of his mouth were fighting to go upwards, his pupils glinted with mirth.

"That's wonderful, I can't wait to see the look she will give me tomorrow," Hermione exclaimed, crossing her arms defensively. Despite the annoyed expression on her face, the brunette was internally pleased to see that Severus Snape could smile, and have the opportunity to be able to see it.

A breathy chuckle escaped his lips. "If it makes feel any better, I don't think she entirely believed me. If she knows something more than what I told her, she didn't show it."

It didn't.

"Bloody great." She said, sounding not so happy. "I'll talk to her."

And just for a moment, as Hermione rested her head on the backseat, watching the teapot refilling both cups, she pretended that Severus was a friend and not the double agent that he truly was. Just for a moment, she was willing to forget all the ways that this precarious relationship could go wrong in the near future.

'Just for a moment, we can pretend to be normal.' She thought while watching the man enjoy his cup of tea.

"Now tell me, how was your training with Bellatrix?" He casually asked.

Hermione groaned out loud.

'Ugh, not again…'