A Siren's Song

Chapter 6

She looked at him dumbfounded, she couldn't figure out what he could possibly be thanking her for. "Why are you thanking me?" she asked sincerely unable to figure out what it was that he was thanking her for. She had no idea that it was him that she had saved that night. Viktor looked at her in awe, she really was an angel.

"You remember the Quidditch Cup, da?" He asked her. When she nodded her head yes he continued talking, "you remember the snitch, da?"

"Yes," she said in a breathy voice, "how could I forget." She would remember the way their eyes had met for those short few seconds during the Quidditch match. How the snitch had seemed to allow him to notice her for those three seconds. It hadn't mattered that it was short and barely a moment in time. Neither of them could refuse the fact that it happened nor would they be able to forget it.

"You remember what happened later that night, da?" Viktor ventured to ask. She nodded her head yes, "you remember the boy you saved, the boy you allowed to escape, yes?"

"I remember," she said, her hands were shaking a little.

"Then you must allow me to thank you," Viktor said, "You put yourself in danger to allow me to get away. " Viktor kissed her knuckles, before standing. Still holding her hand he bowed deeply over her hand in respect.

Hermione looked around nervously, she didn't know what to do. A few of Viktor's class mates came over standing beside and behind Viktor they bowed. It was an amazing sight, they clipped their heels together, and bowed sharp and fast. They stayed bowed, she looked around not sure what to do. "You don't have to thank me," Hermione said, "You don't have to bow. I didn't do it to earn your thanks or to be held in your debt. I did it because it was the right thing to do. I hope that had it been the other way round you would do the same."

Viktor stood and looked at her, he wasn't sure what to say to her declaration. The more he looked at her more beautiful she seemed to become. It must have had something to do with the way she sat, shoulders back, head held high, hands clasped in front of her, feet together. Not only did this girl have matters she had a grace that others seemed to lack.

Before he could speak again, Karkaroff approached them, "what are you doing over here?" he asked, "You should be sitting and talking to your fellow students in Slytherin."

"You remember the night of the Quidditch Cup, da?" Viktor asked, "Remember how I told you I was cornered behind some rubble by a couple of men aiming to kill, da?"

"I remember," the Headmaster said, "What does she have to do with It." the Headmaster Karkaroff was annoyed that his prize pupil was causing such a scene.

"This girl," Viktor said, pulling Hermione to her feet, whilst raising his voice a bit louder so everyone could hear. "This girl was the girl who allowed me the time to get away."

"This girl here," Karkaroff said in a small voice.

"Tell him," Harry said, "tell him what happened so that he'll quit looking at you like you stole his wand."

"I'm not sure how to address you sir," Hermione said.

"I am Headmaster Karkaroff, you may call me Mr. Karkaroff," he said, in a disdainful voice.

"Mr. Karkaroff sir," Hermione began, "I'm not sure what you would like most to hear. When we were making our get away, I stopped because I heard someone yell. It sounded very painful. I looked around but I couldn't find where it was coming from. Before I started running again I saw, two men in cloaks cornering a boy he was trying his best to fire back from behind the rubble but he couldn't get a decent shot. So I thought to distract them for a few seconds so that he would have a chance to get away.

I picked up a couple of rocks and threw them. They turned and looked at me, when they started moving my direction I turned and ran. I didn't realize that they would follow me. While I was running they were firing curses and hexes at me, and I had to dodge. They had stopped following me somewhere along the way. I hadn't realized they stopped following me until I got to where my friends were hiding. I nearly tackled one of them to the ground when they grabbed me from behind."

"So you saved the boy, not knowing who he was," Karkaroff said, in his deep accent, "you could have been hurt."

She laughed a little, "You're only about the 1oth person to tell me sir, but thank you for your concern."

"She's thanking me, Headmaster Dumbledore," Karkaroff said with a little bit of awe in his voice, "Headmaster Dumbledore do you teach your students manners and courtesy in their studies, or do they come like this?"

"Miss Granger came to us like this," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes, from his seat at the head table, "don't get me wrong she is a formidable student loyal to a fault; but she is courteous and kindhearted. She won't hesitate when the need calls for it." Dumbledore looked at Draco when he said this, he above all know what it was like to be on the end of one of her punches. His nose still ached from being broken, although it had been fixed long ago, he still felt the sting when she looked hatefully at him.

The students watched in awe as the scene played our around them. When they heard Viktor Krum thank Hermione Granger resident book-worm and community know-it-all, they listened intently. You see only a select few knew about what happened at the Quidditch world cup; and even a fewer select few knew that Hermione had been in a spot of trouble of her own making when she stopped to distract a set of men intent of hurting one young man holed up behind some rubble.

The Great hall went silent as she told Headmaster Karkaroff the story of what had happened. They still couldn't get of the fact that Hermione Granger had done something so stupidly honorable. Half of the students in the great hall (not including the students at Slytherin table) asked themselves if they would be able to or even willing to do what she had done for someone she hadn't even known. She hadn't even used magic, to distract them. She'd picked up a couple of good-sized rocks and threw them to get their attention away from the young man trying to stay alive.

Their attention went immediately back to Hermione and the students from Drumstrang when Karkaroff spoke, "if you won't allow Viktor a life debt or even a favor, however will he repay you for your kindness, Miss Granger?"

"Well for starters please call me Hermione," she said, "I don't desire a life debt but as for a favor I'm sure I can think of something."

The students bowed again, "we look forward to hearing of any favor you might ask," Karkaroff said, "but for now we should head back to the ship. Come boys."

Viktor bowed and kissed her hand one last time before departing. Hermione looked stunned for a few minutes. She stood there and watched them leave.

She sat back down in between Fred and George, "well I wasn't expecting that," she said.

"Hermione," Fred said, "mind telling us what happened with the snitch?"

After she told them how the snitch hovered in front of her for a few seconds, which brought the seeker over to where she stood. She told them how their eyes met, and then how the snitch zoomed away. She told them about him seeking her out after the match was over, how he had kissed her hand but hadn't the chance to get her name. Ginny sighed, not in a depressed manner, but in a how romantic manner.

The boys just sort of scoffed at it, Ron looked a bit jealous that he hadn't the chance to meet the Quidditch player after the match was over, that he hadn't the chance to save him. The way Ron was acting you would think he was in love, perhaps in a roundabout way he was.

"What?" Hermione asked, "You wanted to know what happened, aren't you going to say anything?"

"Why didn't you say anything after the match was over?" Ron asked.

"I could scarcely believe it myself," Hermione said with a huff, "besides you probably would have laughed at me and call me delusional, for thinking that someone as wonderful as the Bulgarian seeker could have wanted to meet, plain, meek, silly old me."

"She's got a point," Neville said, "no matter how wonderful the story sounds you all would have tried to check her into St. Mungo's."

"We wouldn't have tried to check her into St. Mungo's," Harry said, "but we might have asked if she had seen anything else that was highly improbable."

"It would have made for a good joke," Ron said, "but not now."

"Obviously," Hermione said in an annoyed voice, "nothing gets past you."

"What are you going to ask for?" George asked.

"I don't know," Hermione said, "I'll have to think about it."

After they returned to the common room, some of the girls flocked to Hermione asking her for more details about what happened at the world cup. Ginny, already knowing decided that she would sit with some of the boys. She ended up sitting at a table in the corner with Neville, "you can see it too can't you," she asked.

"Yes," Neville said, "she's really very pretty; but you're pretty too."

"Thank Neville," Ginny said, "but Hermione isn't pretty, she's beautiful. Something had to have happened to her over the summer."

"Hermione's always been pretty," Neville said, "but she never really tried to be pretty before. I think that maybe only a few people can see her for what she is."

"Why can't Harry and Ron see her?" Neville asked.

"I don't know," Ginny said, "the same reason Slytherin house doesn't see her. I'm not sure how it works, but I bet were not the only ones that can see it. If it's this bad now with only a few people being able to tell imagine what it'll be like when she's older and everyone can see."

"I wouldn't want to be Hermione right now," Neville said, "but there has to be something more to it."

"I'm sure there is Neville," Ginny said, "There always is."

They sat there for a few more moments, "how about we pull a Hermione Granger and go to the library to research," Neville said.

"That sounds like a great idea," Ginny said, "I'll meet you there after dinner, if I don't have detention."

"Deal," Neville said, and they shook hands, and they left for bed. They would get to the bottom of this even if it killed them. I highly doubt it would kill me to discover her secret, although I have to wonder if she even knows that she has a secret, Ginny thought.

This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship; the two of them just hadn't realized it yet.

x.X.x.

Up in the boy's dorms, some of the boys were talking about what happened at dinner. Neville had come in at the middle of a conversation.

"Why wouldn't she use magic?" Dean asked, "Wouldn't the ministry let it slide if she was defending herself."

"She wasn't defending herself though," Seamus said, "she was distracting them so that he could get away. The ministry looks down on using magic out of school."

"But still," Dean said, "I would have used more than rocks."

"She used rocks because she knew that it would distract their attention long enough for him to get away." Harry said, "She didn't think that they would turn their attention to her and chase after her. Besides she knew she could get in trouble for using magic since she's underage."

That was the end of all talk on the matter, they readied themselves for bed; Calling out good nights simultaneously to one another.

On the other side of the castle, down in the dungeons sat a group for 4th year Slytherins. They were pondering the question everyone else was pondering. Could they do what Granger did? Could they risk themselves for someone they didn't know? Furthermore would they be willing to?

For most of them the answer was no, they wouldn't help someone at the spur of the moment like that unless it was for the benefit of themselves. It was all about 'What can I get out of it?' Before any of them could answer the question Professor Snape swept into the room and sent them all to bed.

"I expect to see you all in detention tomorrow evening," he said, "after all, everyone was absent from class this afternoon."

"But Professor Dumbledore canceled casses for this afternoon when the other school arrived at lunch time" Pansy Parkinson said.

Professor snape just raised his eyebrows in wonderment, Why didn't Albus say something to me at lunch? He thought, I'll just have to check with him before i assign detention for tomorrow.

"I'll check with Professor Dumbledore tomorrow so you best not be lieing."

They just shook their heads no and scuffled up to their dormitories. As the last of the students left the common room, Professor Snape receded to his own rooms. He sat in the chair at his desk and allowed his head to slump down into his hands. He allowed his mind to wander; he went over the happenings of dinner again. He allowed the expression on her face to play over again and again. She really was looking more and like her mother every day. She had the same shape, and the same facial structure, and the same beautiful curls; she only lacked her mother's eyes.

Professor Snape finally rose from his chair and went into the bedroom. He readied for bed, and pulled out a book he had been reading. He read some hoping it would help clear his mind so he could sleep; but it seemed tonight distraction was futile, for he couldn't get the woman or her daughter out of her head.

Hermione Granger seemed to be in many people's thoughts that evening, for Professor Dumbledore was also sitting in his office pondering the girl. He remembered when she was a girl no older than 11 years old. So eager to learn, so eager to belong, she was turning into a striking young woman; much like her mother before her.

x.X.x.

The next morning, Harry and Ron greeted Hermione in the common room before heading to breakfast in the great hall. She was surprised to find that her fellow students weren't all that interested in discovering about Hermione's interaction with saving Krum. They were only interested in the moments where Krum and Hermione locked eyes before he chased after the snitch.

Hermione told them that if they waited until the evening time when they were all tucked into their dorms, that she would tell them the five minute story about the Quidditch match. They all reluctantly agreed not to ask until after dinner. She smiled and thanked them, before she started eating her breakfast.

"Why didn't you just threaten to hex them if they didn't leave you alone?" George asked.

"Well then I would come off as rude and unladylike and I can't have that," Hermione said, "besides if I tell them then they'll leave me alone."

"Yes but then poor Krum will more than likely have more girls following him around," Fred said.

"They'll be following him around either way," Hermione said, "Ron to no doubt if he thought that he could get away from it."

"True," George said, "have you thought about the special favor yet?"

"No I haven't," Hermione said.

"I know what you can ask him for," Ron said.

"And what would that be Ron?" Hermione asked.

"You can get his autograph for me," Ron said.

"I'm not going to ask for something as stupid as an autograph Ronald," Hermione said with a bit of humor in her voice, although she was highly annoyed. "Get up off you duff and go ask him for an autograph."

"But then I'd have to talk to him," Ron said, in a slightly scared voice, he reminded her of a scared girl.

"Yes Ronald," Hermione said, "one generally has to talk to someone they want an autograph from. You can't just go around acting all cavemanish grunting and pounding on tables."

"Why not?" George asked. He started grunting and beating his chest and pounding on the table. After wards Hermione and company burst out into gales of laughter.

"That's why not," Hermione said, "you'd be a laughing-stock."

He looked at her like she had offended him, "but you'd be a handsome laughing-stock so I guess it would be all worth it."

"You think I'm handsome," George asked surprised. She looked pensive for a moment and then nodded her head in the affirmative.

George leaned in to Fred, "she thinks I'm handsome."

Hermione's laughter filled the Great Hall, at some point everyone looked over at the Gryffindor table to see who was laughing. Some most of the Slytherins thought oh it's just Granger. The rest of the students that took notice just thought that she looked pretty when she laughed. Some of the teachers were shaking their heads and smiling because of her happy nature. And the visiting students that had made it to breakfast thought that it was annoying that someone could be that happy so early in the morning. Victor watched in awe as this lovely girl laughed without inhabitation. He wished that he could laugh about without a care in the world; but for some life just wasn't that simple.

Professor Snape crept from his seat at the head table and escaped the Great Hall, before thoughts of the girl at the Gryffindor table assaulted him. He spent the majority of the night thinking about her, he didn't want to think about her today as well. He didn't need the memories of her popping into his mind. Surely everything would be better if he could forget ever knowing the girl; but things just weren't that easy.

~flash Back~

May 1980, before the fall of the Dark Lord

Snape looked down at the child in his arms; he didn't know why the girl's mother had asked him to see that no harm came to her, for she would surely be hunted by those who sought the mother. He was still haunted by the conversation that he had with the child's mother.

"Severus," the woman said, "please takes her, and hide her. You and I are the only ones who know of the child. Please you must do this for me."

"Why should I?" Severus asked, "Why should I do anything for you?"

"Please Severus," the woman sobbed, "please I can go on if anything should happen to her. The dark lord would surely use the information against us if he knew of her. Her father mustn't ever know of her existence, I fear that it would make his mission that much more un-doable. I don't want my death and the disappearance of his only child to rest on his conscience."

"Who is the girl's father?" Severus asked.

"It's better that you don't know," she said, "Please take her and hide her."

All Severus could do was nod yes in agreement. She then handed him a pretty little girl with golden brown hair, she had honey colored eyes, and she smelled like all children should. "What's her name?"

"Hermione," the woman said, "you must give this letter to whoever agrees to take care of the child. Know that it's an odd request, I would have asked Dumbledore but I'm not sure that he wouldn't use her to his advantage when she becomes older."

"Why are you doing this?" Severus asked, "What are you planning? You don't expect to live through the war do you?"

"No I don't expect it," she said, "her father bid me to stay safe, but it's been over a year since he went on his mission, and the letter have ceased. I'm not even sure that he's alive; he's been gone for so long. He has no idea that he has a daughter, but I imagine that he would be sorely upset with me if I let her come to any harm. I know my number is up and Dumbledore has asked me to go on a mission."

"Let's go to him and tell him," Severus pleaded, "you can't entrust your daughter to me, and I will fail you."

"No, you won't," she said placing her hand on his cheek, "you will do well. You shall not fail me or my daughter."

"Katharine you must stay safe," Severus said, as he kissed the witch on the forehead but not before gathering all of little Hermione's belongings.

"You as well Severus," she said, as tears cascaded down her cheeks. She kissed her daughters forehead once more, "stay well my darling."

When Severus turned around at the door to get one more look at his friend, she had already gone. 'Please be safe,' he thought.

~End flashback~

After all these years he still had no idea as to who the girl's father was, Severus wasn't even sure if she knew she was adopted. The girl's parents were thrilled to have her, although they were Muggles, they had obviously raised her with all the proper mannerisms that a pureblooded witch would have. He had to wonder if they had told Hermione of her coming to them. He would surely then be ousted as her deliverer. How would Hermione see him then? He wasn't sure he wanted to know.

As he was ending his musings, the remainder of his students had trickled in, time to be a dungeon bat. He chuckled at his own joke, but schooled his features so that they wouldn't see him smirking.

As the class ended, the students moaned and groaned that it was the worst potions class ever. They bemoaned that he was a sadistic bastard, who didn't understand the idea of going easy on his students, especially when they didn't understand something.

"I swear someone must have dropped him on his head as a child," one second year cried, "it should be illegal to be so mean."

The 4th years stood in the hall as the moaning second years wandered through the halls towards their second class. Hermione and Harry shared a look, "seems Snape is being himself again."

"Seems so," Hermione said.

Unbeknownst to them Professor Snape stood in the doorway of his class room and watched the Gryffindor trio. Miss Granger was smiling as she said something to Mr. Potter; Mr. Weasley looked as if he had eaten something sour. He wondered if she was smiling about the moaning of the second years.

"Oh well," he heard Miss Granger say to Potter and Weasley, "off to Defense. Professor Moody won't appreciate us being late. Whether or not we were admiring the moaning of Second years or not."

"Quite right," Potter said, "come along Ron. We don't want to be late."

"I'm coming," Ron said, "you don't suppose we'll have to work with the imperious again do you?"

"no I think he said we were going to work with different curses today," Miss Granger said, "come on no time to dawdle." As they walked past the Potions class room on the way from the dungeons Hermione smiled at the Potions Professor. It was a smile that told she knew of some secret. The smile unnerved him, completely. He raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips. She nodded towards the retreating second years and smiled.

He then turned and went back into his classroom to ponder the happenings of his friend Katharine. Although she was deceased, he knew that she had to be watching from somewhere. She would be happy to know that her daughter had grown into a lovely girl, and that she was the smartest among her class. Katharine, it should be you here watching your daughter grow, instead of I. I hope you're happy where ever you are.

A/N: that was a tough chapter to write, I hope that the next one isn't as rough. Well is it climatic enough?

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter, I am not, and I certainly never shall make any money from this, I only write for your amusement and mine.

I want to thank everyone who reviewed your opinions are important to me. for those of you waiting for this chapter i hope it's up to your standards... )

Review… you know you want to.