Chapter 2
He immediately went to the floo, 'the headmistresses office' he called through throwing a dust of powder.
Arriving in the office, he dusted off his cloak aggressively, raising his scowling face to the headmistress. 'Did we, or did we not discuss Hermione Granger, and did I not explicitly tell you not to tell her?' He smarted at her, the questions being quite rhetorical.
'I didn't tell her Severus, she guessed' McGonagall shrugged.
Looking into the fire 'how did she come to the conclusion of me?' He said curiously. 'Sounds very unlikely if you ask me Minerva' with a scathing tone.
McGonagall paused, unsure how to best answer this one. 'Well Severus, she had pretty much gone through everyone in the castle and ruled them out, in the end it was between you and Filch'.
He barked out a short laugh, 'that bad, by the power of sheer deduction she ruled everyone else out through logic and it came down to me and the squib. Of course, it couldn't be him, and of course how could it possibly be the greasy bat of the dungeons' he stated.
She looked at him sympathetically.
'Whilst I can't say she was best pleased when she arrived at you, I do believe it was shocking for her to realise it was anyone other than Poppy. I don't believe her reaction reflects you personally'.
'Ha, don't you believe it' he said with an air of disregard.
'No. I do not believe this is personal against you Severus' McGonagall said as she reached for two tumblers and a bottle of single malt. She suspect they both might need it.
'She tried to ask a number of questions about your involvement, but just fled the room before I could answer. To you it would seem.' She raised an eyebrow at him in a questioning manner.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled 'She was particularly surprised, because she thinks I wouldn't help her. Because, and I quote "I don't even liked her" is what she said to me' he mused distantly.
Looking at her hands, 'I think she was truly shocked, her response to me was that she didn't want it to be you, anyone but you, I think she is embarrassed.'
Severus knew it wasn't just teenage embarrassment, no matter how Minerva dressed it up. It was probably revulsion, horror and embarrassment all rolled up into one hysterical teenage package.
That being said, he saw the look, what he'd mistaken foolishly that the hope he saw was of her hoping that she was right about her saviour, and that he was standing before her, was in fact hope that she was wrong, that it wasn't him at all. Foolish man, if he had realised, and he should have done, he would have refused to give her an answer. He cursed himself. As Minerva said, anyone but him. Granger probably would have had better acceptance over the squib. He sneered automatically, he was the one suffering embarrassment now.
McGonagall handed him the tumbler as he stood by the fire.
In a very business like manner McGonagall stated 'Well it has happened now, granted not a great start to term Severus with one of your advanced potions students but nevertheless.'
'You don't say' he said sarcastically. 'Well I must be going, I have more teenage lives to be ruining, you know one per evening just isn't quite enough these days, I may have to do some rounds to make sure I have a few more' waving his hand.
McGonagall smiled softly and patted him on the shoulder, 'she will come round, she's been through a lot and at her age it's hard to deal with such a large physical imperfection' and pushed the half full bottle of malt into his hands. 'Be off with you and don't give this evening too much thought, I only know you too well boy, you'd do well to forget this evening. Night Severus'.
Hermione woke feeling wrought and stiff all over, she had cried herself to sleep last night. Pulling herself out of bed and heading to her chamber bathroom, a red eyed, matted haired face stared back at her from the mirror. She looked like shit.
Rotating the shower controls to scalding she stripped down and stared at her upper body, she was sure it was getting uglier by the day. She stepped under the unbearably hot water and let it cascade over her, almost painful on her skin. She cried hard tears, she hated how it looked, and hated every part of how it made her feel. To add to her troubles, she now had to make the decision as to whether she sought Snape out for his advice. At it stood currently, she really could not imagine how that conversation would begin let alone have him agree to help her. But first she had to endure advanced potions, which she was feeling very despondent about. Her plan to meticulously monitor her potion, had gone well, but she had a feeling her recent conversation with Snape would taint her grade. Which meant all her efforts were to be counter productive.
She could barely imagine looking at him in the eye after what she knew, it was going to be a long year she sighed.