Chapter Three
Benevolent Butterflies
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for my shitty computer.
Authors Note: Sorry it took me so long to update I've been having trouble with my stupid disk and my stupid computer. Thanx to all my reviewers I'll try to thank you by name at the end of the chapter if I have time.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
'He didn't say so much as one cruel word to me all evening,' Hermione told Ron and Harry at breakfast the next morning.
Ron sat staring mouth agape at her. 'And he actually told you 'thank you?" he asked incredulously.
'Yes,' Hermione nodded emphatically.
'Blimey,' Ron said amazed and then asked half jokingly, 'Reckon he fancies you Hermione?'
'No Ron, that's absurd,' Hermione said sternly, but her heart gave a little pang at the thought.
'Well,' Ron said, 'He doesn't usually act so civilized when there's only students around does he? And a muggle-born Gryffindor to boot. I don't know Hermione.'
'Oh Ron! He doesn't want to spend the whole time being cruel to me if he needs my help does he? Dumbledore would be very angry if Snape said something to offend me so that I would have objections to continuing to work on the potion, wouldn't he? You seem to conveniently forget that professor Snape is one of the good guys. He's part of the Order isn't he? He has no reason to be outwardly cruel." But Hermione wasn't as sure as she sounded; Snape's involvement in the Order of the Phoenix never prevented him from being cruel to her before. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That night when Hermione went into Snape's potions room she found it completely empty. Hermione checked his office and storeroom to make sure he wasn't there and then sat down behind professor Snape's desk to wait for him.
Hermione had begun to doze off when she was awoken to a stern, 'Miss Granger,' from professor Snape.
'Sorry professor,' Hermione said pulling herself awake and standing up. 'Come on the Miss Granger,' Snape said once again leaving the room and going out into the hall. Hermione thought that she say the slightest trace of a smile on his face. She followed him out into the hall. She'd been so flustered that she hadn't noticed before that he was wearing muggle clothes. He was wearing black jeans with his leather boots and a long- sleeved silk button down shirt. His muggle attire defined the proportions of his body more so then his wizard's robes had, his chest was muscled and his body wasn't quite as gaunt as Hermione had thought.
'Professor,' Hermione said, 'Can you tell me where we are going?'
'That should have been quite obvious Miss Granger,' Snape said dully. Hermione only looked up at him perplexedly. 'Oh, very well Miss Granger,' Snape sighed. 'You know for such a bright girl you are exceedingly dim at times. We are going into the forbidden forest. I would have thought that would have been obvious, considering my apparel, but perhaps your deductive reasoning is still a bit drowsy from that nice little nap that you took in my chair.'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione and professor Snape stood at the edge of the forbidden forest.
'Miss Granger,' Snape turned, 'You might want to do something with your shoes. It rained last night. The forest is bound to be muddy you should put a charm on them or transfigure them into boots.'
'Yes professor,' Hermione said and put a charm on her shoes to make them repel water.
Snape nodded, a little impressed. He had never been very good at charms, mind you Severus Snape was not actually bad at anything; he just didn't excel at charms the way he did at other subjects, such as potions for instance.
'Well then, no reason to delay Miss Granger,' Snape said before leading the way into the forest.
'Lumos,' Hermione and Snape both said at exactly the same time. Their wands lit up casting faint light ahead of them.
'What exactly is it we're looking for professor?' Hermione asked, as she stumbled over a fallen log. She had just regained her footing when she slipped again and fell on her bum.
Snape spun on his heels, and striding over to her, offered his hand to Hermione. She took it and he helped her up. With their faces inches a part Snape smiled and whispered, 'That's a surprise.'
Hermione couldn't help but smile back at him, after all, Severus Snape was being nice to her. She once more followed him through the forest, wondering what they could possibly be doing there. They walked a while longer, and while they followed no path Snape seemed to know where they were going without one. They emerged into a clearing, the ground was covered with dirt and the trees surrounding the clearing were dead. Hermione noticed that the trees were not decaying, simply dead and dried out.
Hermione had an eerie feeling about the place; she whispered softly to herself, 'Nothing throve: For flowers as well expect a cedar grove.'
Snape paused at the center of the circular clearing and spun to look at Hermione, 'That was Robert Browning.'
Hermione nodded, impressed that the head of Slytherin recognized lines from one of a muggle poet's lesser-known works.
Snape smiled and turned back around, kneeling at the center of the clearing. He scooped some of the sand that covered the ground into a glass bottle that he produced out of a shirt pocket.
Hermione looked around critically, 'Was this the surprise?' She asked, thinking that the head of Slytherin house would probably think a dead evil looking clearing was a grand treat.
'Of course not,' Snape said exasperated. 'What kind of surprise would this be? This is just a pit stop,' he stood up.
Hermione turned to him expectantly; he motioned for her to follow him once more through the forest. She obliged, more than happy to be out of the spooky clearing and once more in the dense and dangerous forbidden forest. They had been walking for some time, and Hermione had begun to wonder just how deep the forest extended when a voice from up ahead startled her.
'Severus?'
Snape looked at Hermione and then to the place the voice had emanated from, a little startled himself.
'Severus, is that you?' A strapping blonde centaur with oceanic blue eyes emerged from the vegetation.
Snape let out a relieved sigh, 'Oh, Firenze it's only you.'
Firenze let out a hearty laugh, though Hermione failed to see what was so funny. Firenze looked at Hermione, who was frowning in concentration, and then back to Snape. 'Who's the girl Sev?'
'This is Hermione Granger,' Snape said gesturing towards her. 'She's a student up at the school; she's helping me with that potion that I told you about.'
Firenze nodded, 'Fancy a nightcap?'
Snape smiled a bit mischievously, 'That depends. You don't mind do you Hermione?'
Hermione was a bit taken aback that Snape had called her by her first name, but was interested in the centaur and how it was that Snape had disclosed more about the potion to him than he had to her when she was making it, so she only shook her head. 'No professor, I don't mind.'
Snape smiled at her and then looked back at Firenze, 'Lead the way then mate.'
Firenze smiled and led them through the forest back the way they had come. 'My sister is going to have a fit when she finds out that you have a girl with you,' Firenze said, conveniently ignoring Hermione's presence.
'She's a student,' Snape said, but gave Firenze a sly smile that Hermione didn't see.
Firenze smiled back at him, 'She won't see the distinction I'm afraid.'
Snape grimaced, 'Alas, I fear you are right.'
Hermione was listening to their conversation raptly, but felt as though she was missing something. However, she wasn't left in uncertainty for long as, much to her surprise, a female centaur ran up to them. She had a black coat and long black hair, green eyes, and was wearing a black halter top with silver stars on it.
'Ooh Sevi!' she shrieked as she threw her arms around him.
'Hello Star,' Snape said in a dull manner, shrugging her off of him.
'How come you never visit me anymore?' Star asked pouting.
'Because I am a very busy person, who has no particular liking of people, or centaurs for that matter, who run around squealing and making a spectacle of themselves. I also find you quite annoying, and I have never come to visit you!' Snape said coldly.
Star however was ignoring him, and had begun to stare at Hermione. 'Who is this?' She asked in a simpering false tone.
'This is Hermione,' he answered in an offhand manner that was surely meant to cause Star undue anger and jealousy. Sadly, it seemed as though she chose to unleash her anger out on Hermione.
'And who are you?' She asked angrily.
'I am Hermione,' Hermione said very slowly as though Star was a dimwit and had trouble understanding what she was saying.
'Humph,' Star murmured looking at Hermione indignantly.
Hermione smiled and went to go sit herself down on the fallen log where Snape had seated himself. Snape looked at her appreciatively, and Hermione winked at him. Snape couldn't help but laugh, a relatively new sound to Hermione's ears. Star glared daggers at him with her mouth agape, and stomped off; this caused Hermione to start laughing as well.
Firenze, who had left to go get Brandy, came back with Star glaring at Snape and Hermione over his shoulder. This caused both of them to abruptly fall silent.
'She's nearly as bad as you Sev,' Firenze said and chuckled to himself.
'You mean that you're siding with them,' Star looked at her brother with a mixture of disgust and astonishment on her face.
'Well, he had a point. You are annoying, and you do tend to make a spectacle out of yourself.
'Uh,' Star glared at him, betrayed. 'I hate you Firenze!' She stomped into the darkness.
Firenze laughed and handed his flask to Snape. Hermione watched Snape take a gulp of brandy and then make a cute little grimace. The wind blew in a gust, rippling the leaves. Hermione gave a little shiver and pulled her robes tighter around her. Snape looked at her deeply, his brow worried.
"Do you mind if I light a fire Firenze?" Snape asked taking out his wand.
"Be my guest," Firenze gestured to a round grouping of stones in front of the logs on which the two humans sat. He then sat down himself, lying in the grass next to Snape.
Snape levitated some logs into the circle of stones and then lit them with his wand. Snape pulled Hermione close to him and, with his arm around her, he rubbed her arms trying to warm her up. "Is that better?" Snape asked her almost fondly.
"Much," Hermione said, smiling and cuddling closer to Snape.
Snape smiled, took another swig of brandy, and then made his cute little grimace again. Not thinking, he then passed the flask to Hermione. Much to his surprise, she held the flask perplexedly for a moment and then took a gulp of the brandy. Hermione smiled, savoring the flavor, swallowed without grimacing, and then handed the flask back to Firenze. Snape just stared at her in a stunned silence. Firenze shrugged, took a swig from the flask, and handed it back to Snape.
Snape held the flask in his hands trying to decide whether or not he should pass it back to Hermione. He took a drink to build up his courage, made his cute little grimace, and passed the flask to Hermione.
"Thank you Professor," Hermione said, smiling and taking a swig of brandy. She stared at the flask smiling, "Though, I'd hate to know what the other professors, McGonagall for instance, would think if they knew you were supplying alcohol to a minor." She passed the flask to Firenze.
"And were you to tell any of the other professors, McGonagall for instance, that I did give you alcohol you'll be facing detention every day until you graduate."
"That's a bit stiff, don't you think Sev?" Firenze asked, taking a drink.
"No, I don't think," Snape said, taking the flask.
"Cruel Bastard," Hermione said, clapping her hand over her mouth.
Snape, who had just taken a swig of brandy, snorted and passed the flask to Hermione. "And don't you forget it," he said grinning.
"I doubt you'd let that happen," Hermione said truthfully. She took a swig of brandy, beginning to feel a little lightheaded. "And you're actually friends with him Firenze?" She asked, extending the flask.
"Well, he is a self-righteous pompous little prick," Firenze said taking the flask and giving Snape an appraising look. "But I kind of like him anyway," he handed the flask to Snape without taking a drink.
"True enough," Snape raised the flask as if in toast and took a swig. "I kind of like you too, mate."
They chatted for another half hour or so, laughing and drinking. Hermione sensed a deep friendship between Firenze and Snape; she felt she had only just glimpsed its rind.
"We had better get going," Snape said solemnly. "We still have work to do, and we need to get the new ingredients into that potion by ten o'clock." Snape stood up somewhat reluctantly, brushing himself off. He extended his hand to Hermione and helped her up.
"We should do this again," Firenze said drunkenly.
"Yes," Snape said simply.
"Bring Hermione too," Firenze continued, "She's fun."
"I suppose," Snape said raising his eyebrow at Hermione. "See you later." He pulled Hermione back into the forest proper.
Hermione was feeling extraordinarily happy, probably because she was a little drunk, and she found herself practically skipping through the forest after Snape. It seemed only a short time had passed, and then again it might have been the alcohol, when Snape stopped and turned to her.
'Do you hear the river?' Snape asked in a whisper.
Hermione listened carefully, and finally answered, 'Yes.'
'That's where we're headed,' Snape said quietly. 'Keep your eyes open for white stones, they mark the path that we're looking for.'
They began moving in a zigg-zagg pattern towards the sound of the river, all the while looking for white stones. Hermione was beginning to think that the reason they couldn't find the path was because the great Severus Snape had gallantly succeeded in getting them lost when she nearly stumbled over a white rock.
'Hey, I found one,' She called to Snape. Setting her foot to the side, she looked down at the rock, which was glowing, luminescent in the darkness.
Snape pointed his wand at the rock said, 'James Potter is a git,' and looked guiltily over to Hermione. 'I set this path up while I was in school and I never got around to changing the password.'
Hermione looked up and she noticed that a row of white stones had appeared on either side of them, leading off in the direction of the river. The path ended at the river, in front of a waterfall.
Snape tapped the last rock with his wand and said, 'Sirius Black is a coward.' He made no statement of plans to change this password. 'We need to cross the river, and we're going to get wet. The water's not usually this high.'
Hermione looked down at her shoes skeptically. 'My shoes are supposed to repel water, but I don't know if the spell is strong enough for this much water.'
'Well, it can't hurt any, but maybe you should put the spell on your clothes as well.'
Hermione did as she was bid and moved on to do the same to his clothes and shoes.
'Thank you,' Snape said taken aback. He was surprised that Hermione had considered him. He'd been more than prepared to dry himself off once he was finished and had recrossed the river, but if Hermione's spell worked it would save him the trouble and discomfort.
The spell did work, and they crossed the river without discomfort, walking on water.
'Where now?' Hermione asked. Snape pointed to some stone steps that led underneath the waterfall, and then cautiously led the way.
Expecting complete darkness, Hermione was startled by how bright the cave behind the waterfall was. The walls of the cave seemed to glow with green light. However, upon closer inspection, Hermione realized that the green light was actually coming from small round stones that were piled high all around the cave. Hermione knelt and picked one up, it radiated warmth into her hand. She looked up at Snape expectantly.
'The water sprites make them,' he explained.
Hermione looked raptly at the stone, her eyes filled with wonder and interest.
Snape pulled a velvet bag with a drawstring out of his shirt pocket and put a round dozen stones in it. The stones caused the bag to glow green.
Hermione stood up and moved as though to set the stone down, but Snape stopped her.
'Take it with you,' he said, taking her hand and closing it over the stone. 'Come on, we have to get back up to the castle,' he said softly and let go of her hand.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~* A.N. This was originally part of a longer chapter, but I really needed to update, so I just split it in half.
Daintress: I'll take a look at your fics as soon as I have some time; I've been soooooooooo busy lately. I'm sorry that I haven't had the chance to take a look at them yet. I think I'll reveal the whole potion thing in chapter 5.
Avid Fan: You make me laugh, thank you! And I do reckon he fancies her, but I also amount that he's a few pence short a pound at the moment if you know what I mean.
Belle Mortis: I meant to thank you for the tip about putting the space between paragraphs before; it really does look loads cleaner this way.
K-iska-Muggle-Girl-0731: Your story is pretty good, tell me if you update some more and I'll read it as soon as I get the chance.
Also Special thanks to: Anarane Anwamane, Kaylariana, Artemis Moonclaw, coldqueen, avidfan, legolas's elf witch girl, raine-leonhart, Sabrina3, Nelys1, and LiL:.CaT:.AnImE.
I'm sorry if I forgot anyone or if I spelled your pen name wrong.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for my shitty computer.
Authors Note: Sorry it took me so long to update I've been having trouble with my stupid disk and my stupid computer. Thanx to all my reviewers I'll try to thank you by name at the end of the chapter if I have time.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
'He didn't say so much as one cruel word to me all evening,' Hermione told Ron and Harry at breakfast the next morning.
Ron sat staring mouth agape at her. 'And he actually told you 'thank you?" he asked incredulously.
'Yes,' Hermione nodded emphatically.
'Blimey,' Ron said amazed and then asked half jokingly, 'Reckon he fancies you Hermione?'
'No Ron, that's absurd,' Hermione said sternly, but her heart gave a little pang at the thought.
'Well,' Ron said, 'He doesn't usually act so civilized when there's only students around does he? And a muggle-born Gryffindor to boot. I don't know Hermione.'
'Oh Ron! He doesn't want to spend the whole time being cruel to me if he needs my help does he? Dumbledore would be very angry if Snape said something to offend me so that I would have objections to continuing to work on the potion, wouldn't he? You seem to conveniently forget that professor Snape is one of the good guys. He's part of the Order isn't he? He has no reason to be outwardly cruel." But Hermione wasn't as sure as she sounded; Snape's involvement in the Order of the Phoenix never prevented him from being cruel to her before. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That night when Hermione went into Snape's potions room she found it completely empty. Hermione checked his office and storeroom to make sure he wasn't there and then sat down behind professor Snape's desk to wait for him.
Hermione had begun to doze off when she was awoken to a stern, 'Miss Granger,' from professor Snape.
'Sorry professor,' Hermione said pulling herself awake and standing up. 'Come on the Miss Granger,' Snape said once again leaving the room and going out into the hall. Hermione thought that she say the slightest trace of a smile on his face. She followed him out into the hall. She'd been so flustered that she hadn't noticed before that he was wearing muggle clothes. He was wearing black jeans with his leather boots and a long- sleeved silk button down shirt. His muggle attire defined the proportions of his body more so then his wizard's robes had, his chest was muscled and his body wasn't quite as gaunt as Hermione had thought.
'Professor,' Hermione said, 'Can you tell me where we are going?'
'That should have been quite obvious Miss Granger,' Snape said dully. Hermione only looked up at him perplexedly. 'Oh, very well Miss Granger,' Snape sighed. 'You know for such a bright girl you are exceedingly dim at times. We are going into the forbidden forest. I would have thought that would have been obvious, considering my apparel, but perhaps your deductive reasoning is still a bit drowsy from that nice little nap that you took in my chair.'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione and professor Snape stood at the edge of the forbidden forest.
'Miss Granger,' Snape turned, 'You might want to do something with your shoes. It rained last night. The forest is bound to be muddy you should put a charm on them or transfigure them into boots.'
'Yes professor,' Hermione said and put a charm on her shoes to make them repel water.
Snape nodded, a little impressed. He had never been very good at charms, mind you Severus Snape was not actually bad at anything; he just didn't excel at charms the way he did at other subjects, such as potions for instance.
'Well then, no reason to delay Miss Granger,' Snape said before leading the way into the forest.
'Lumos,' Hermione and Snape both said at exactly the same time. Their wands lit up casting faint light ahead of them.
'What exactly is it we're looking for professor?' Hermione asked, as she stumbled over a fallen log. She had just regained her footing when she slipped again and fell on her bum.
Snape spun on his heels, and striding over to her, offered his hand to Hermione. She took it and he helped her up. With their faces inches a part Snape smiled and whispered, 'That's a surprise.'
Hermione couldn't help but smile back at him, after all, Severus Snape was being nice to her. She once more followed him through the forest, wondering what they could possibly be doing there. They walked a while longer, and while they followed no path Snape seemed to know where they were going without one. They emerged into a clearing, the ground was covered with dirt and the trees surrounding the clearing were dead. Hermione noticed that the trees were not decaying, simply dead and dried out.
Hermione had an eerie feeling about the place; she whispered softly to herself, 'Nothing throve: For flowers as well expect a cedar grove.'
Snape paused at the center of the circular clearing and spun to look at Hermione, 'That was Robert Browning.'
Hermione nodded, impressed that the head of Slytherin recognized lines from one of a muggle poet's lesser-known works.
Snape smiled and turned back around, kneeling at the center of the clearing. He scooped some of the sand that covered the ground into a glass bottle that he produced out of a shirt pocket.
Hermione looked around critically, 'Was this the surprise?' She asked, thinking that the head of Slytherin house would probably think a dead evil looking clearing was a grand treat.
'Of course not,' Snape said exasperated. 'What kind of surprise would this be? This is just a pit stop,' he stood up.
Hermione turned to him expectantly; he motioned for her to follow him once more through the forest. She obliged, more than happy to be out of the spooky clearing and once more in the dense and dangerous forbidden forest. They had been walking for some time, and Hermione had begun to wonder just how deep the forest extended when a voice from up ahead startled her.
'Severus?'
Snape looked at Hermione and then to the place the voice had emanated from, a little startled himself.
'Severus, is that you?' A strapping blonde centaur with oceanic blue eyes emerged from the vegetation.
Snape let out a relieved sigh, 'Oh, Firenze it's only you.'
Firenze let out a hearty laugh, though Hermione failed to see what was so funny. Firenze looked at Hermione, who was frowning in concentration, and then back to Snape. 'Who's the girl Sev?'
'This is Hermione Granger,' Snape said gesturing towards her. 'She's a student up at the school; she's helping me with that potion that I told you about.'
Firenze nodded, 'Fancy a nightcap?'
Snape smiled a bit mischievously, 'That depends. You don't mind do you Hermione?'
Hermione was a bit taken aback that Snape had called her by her first name, but was interested in the centaur and how it was that Snape had disclosed more about the potion to him than he had to her when she was making it, so she only shook her head. 'No professor, I don't mind.'
Snape smiled at her and then looked back at Firenze, 'Lead the way then mate.'
Firenze smiled and led them through the forest back the way they had come. 'My sister is going to have a fit when she finds out that you have a girl with you,' Firenze said, conveniently ignoring Hermione's presence.
'She's a student,' Snape said, but gave Firenze a sly smile that Hermione didn't see.
Firenze smiled back at him, 'She won't see the distinction I'm afraid.'
Snape grimaced, 'Alas, I fear you are right.'
Hermione was listening to their conversation raptly, but felt as though she was missing something. However, she wasn't left in uncertainty for long as, much to her surprise, a female centaur ran up to them. She had a black coat and long black hair, green eyes, and was wearing a black halter top with silver stars on it.
'Ooh Sevi!' she shrieked as she threw her arms around him.
'Hello Star,' Snape said in a dull manner, shrugging her off of him.
'How come you never visit me anymore?' Star asked pouting.
'Because I am a very busy person, who has no particular liking of people, or centaurs for that matter, who run around squealing and making a spectacle of themselves. I also find you quite annoying, and I have never come to visit you!' Snape said coldly.
Star however was ignoring him, and had begun to stare at Hermione. 'Who is this?' She asked in a simpering false tone.
'This is Hermione,' he answered in an offhand manner that was surely meant to cause Star undue anger and jealousy. Sadly, it seemed as though she chose to unleash her anger out on Hermione.
'And who are you?' She asked angrily.
'I am Hermione,' Hermione said very slowly as though Star was a dimwit and had trouble understanding what she was saying.
'Humph,' Star murmured looking at Hermione indignantly.
Hermione smiled and went to go sit herself down on the fallen log where Snape had seated himself. Snape looked at her appreciatively, and Hermione winked at him. Snape couldn't help but laugh, a relatively new sound to Hermione's ears. Star glared daggers at him with her mouth agape, and stomped off; this caused Hermione to start laughing as well.
Firenze, who had left to go get Brandy, came back with Star glaring at Snape and Hermione over his shoulder. This caused both of them to abruptly fall silent.
'She's nearly as bad as you Sev,' Firenze said and chuckled to himself.
'You mean that you're siding with them,' Star looked at her brother with a mixture of disgust and astonishment on her face.
'Well, he had a point. You are annoying, and you do tend to make a spectacle out of yourself.
'Uh,' Star glared at him, betrayed. 'I hate you Firenze!' She stomped into the darkness.
Firenze laughed and handed his flask to Snape. Hermione watched Snape take a gulp of brandy and then make a cute little grimace. The wind blew in a gust, rippling the leaves. Hermione gave a little shiver and pulled her robes tighter around her. Snape looked at her deeply, his brow worried.
"Do you mind if I light a fire Firenze?" Snape asked taking out his wand.
"Be my guest," Firenze gestured to a round grouping of stones in front of the logs on which the two humans sat. He then sat down himself, lying in the grass next to Snape.
Snape levitated some logs into the circle of stones and then lit them with his wand. Snape pulled Hermione close to him and, with his arm around her, he rubbed her arms trying to warm her up. "Is that better?" Snape asked her almost fondly.
"Much," Hermione said, smiling and cuddling closer to Snape.
Snape smiled, took another swig of brandy, and then made his cute little grimace again. Not thinking, he then passed the flask to Hermione. Much to his surprise, she held the flask perplexedly for a moment and then took a gulp of the brandy. Hermione smiled, savoring the flavor, swallowed without grimacing, and then handed the flask back to Firenze. Snape just stared at her in a stunned silence. Firenze shrugged, took a swig from the flask, and handed it back to Snape.
Snape held the flask in his hands trying to decide whether or not he should pass it back to Hermione. He took a drink to build up his courage, made his cute little grimace, and passed the flask to Hermione.
"Thank you Professor," Hermione said, smiling and taking a swig of brandy. She stared at the flask smiling, "Though, I'd hate to know what the other professors, McGonagall for instance, would think if they knew you were supplying alcohol to a minor." She passed the flask to Firenze.
"And were you to tell any of the other professors, McGonagall for instance, that I did give you alcohol you'll be facing detention every day until you graduate."
"That's a bit stiff, don't you think Sev?" Firenze asked, taking a drink.
"No, I don't think," Snape said, taking the flask.
"Cruel Bastard," Hermione said, clapping her hand over her mouth.
Snape, who had just taken a swig of brandy, snorted and passed the flask to Hermione. "And don't you forget it," he said grinning.
"I doubt you'd let that happen," Hermione said truthfully. She took a swig of brandy, beginning to feel a little lightheaded. "And you're actually friends with him Firenze?" She asked, extending the flask.
"Well, he is a self-righteous pompous little prick," Firenze said taking the flask and giving Snape an appraising look. "But I kind of like him anyway," he handed the flask to Snape without taking a drink.
"True enough," Snape raised the flask as if in toast and took a swig. "I kind of like you too, mate."
They chatted for another half hour or so, laughing and drinking. Hermione sensed a deep friendship between Firenze and Snape; she felt she had only just glimpsed its rind.
"We had better get going," Snape said solemnly. "We still have work to do, and we need to get the new ingredients into that potion by ten o'clock." Snape stood up somewhat reluctantly, brushing himself off. He extended his hand to Hermione and helped her up.
"We should do this again," Firenze said drunkenly.
"Yes," Snape said simply.
"Bring Hermione too," Firenze continued, "She's fun."
"I suppose," Snape said raising his eyebrow at Hermione. "See you later." He pulled Hermione back into the forest proper.
Hermione was feeling extraordinarily happy, probably because she was a little drunk, and she found herself practically skipping through the forest after Snape. It seemed only a short time had passed, and then again it might have been the alcohol, when Snape stopped and turned to her.
'Do you hear the river?' Snape asked in a whisper.
Hermione listened carefully, and finally answered, 'Yes.'
'That's where we're headed,' Snape said quietly. 'Keep your eyes open for white stones, they mark the path that we're looking for.'
They began moving in a zigg-zagg pattern towards the sound of the river, all the while looking for white stones. Hermione was beginning to think that the reason they couldn't find the path was because the great Severus Snape had gallantly succeeded in getting them lost when she nearly stumbled over a white rock.
'Hey, I found one,' She called to Snape. Setting her foot to the side, she looked down at the rock, which was glowing, luminescent in the darkness.
Snape pointed his wand at the rock said, 'James Potter is a git,' and looked guiltily over to Hermione. 'I set this path up while I was in school and I never got around to changing the password.'
Hermione looked up and she noticed that a row of white stones had appeared on either side of them, leading off in the direction of the river. The path ended at the river, in front of a waterfall.
Snape tapped the last rock with his wand and said, 'Sirius Black is a coward.' He made no statement of plans to change this password. 'We need to cross the river, and we're going to get wet. The water's not usually this high.'
Hermione looked down at her shoes skeptically. 'My shoes are supposed to repel water, but I don't know if the spell is strong enough for this much water.'
'Well, it can't hurt any, but maybe you should put the spell on your clothes as well.'
Hermione did as she was bid and moved on to do the same to his clothes and shoes.
'Thank you,' Snape said taken aback. He was surprised that Hermione had considered him. He'd been more than prepared to dry himself off once he was finished and had recrossed the river, but if Hermione's spell worked it would save him the trouble and discomfort.
The spell did work, and they crossed the river without discomfort, walking on water.
'Where now?' Hermione asked. Snape pointed to some stone steps that led underneath the waterfall, and then cautiously led the way.
Expecting complete darkness, Hermione was startled by how bright the cave behind the waterfall was. The walls of the cave seemed to glow with green light. However, upon closer inspection, Hermione realized that the green light was actually coming from small round stones that were piled high all around the cave. Hermione knelt and picked one up, it radiated warmth into her hand. She looked up at Snape expectantly.
'The water sprites make them,' he explained.
Hermione looked raptly at the stone, her eyes filled with wonder and interest.
Snape pulled a velvet bag with a drawstring out of his shirt pocket and put a round dozen stones in it. The stones caused the bag to glow green.
Hermione stood up and moved as though to set the stone down, but Snape stopped her.
'Take it with you,' he said, taking her hand and closing it over the stone. 'Come on, we have to get back up to the castle,' he said softly and let go of her hand.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~* A.N. This was originally part of a longer chapter, but I really needed to update, so I just split it in half.
Daintress: I'll take a look at your fics as soon as I have some time; I've been soooooooooo busy lately. I'm sorry that I haven't had the chance to take a look at them yet. I think I'll reveal the whole potion thing in chapter 5.
Avid Fan: You make me laugh, thank you! And I do reckon he fancies her, but I also amount that he's a few pence short a pound at the moment if you know what I mean.
Belle Mortis: I meant to thank you for the tip about putting the space between paragraphs before; it really does look loads cleaner this way.
K-iska-Muggle-Girl-0731: Your story is pretty good, tell me if you update some more and I'll read it as soon as I get the chance.
Also Special thanks to: Anarane Anwamane, Kaylariana, Artemis Moonclaw, coldqueen, avidfan, legolas's elf witch girl, raine-leonhart, Sabrina3, Nelys1, and LiL:.CaT:.AnImE.
I'm sorry if I forgot anyone or if I spelled your pen name wrong.