To Bluewater – Thank you! :D
To Lucyole – Thank you for the cookies! It might be a slow burn but I do think in the long run it will be worth it!
To Badkidoh – I want say thank you for all the comments on each of the chapters! Your comment on the last chapter actually helped shape some of this current chapter! Ooo that could be an interesting convo between the dark lord and a particular character in some bonding 😊 Dumbledore never really has a reason for doing what he does, never really has imo XD but in this story he does its stupid XD but its his reason lmao Ron is ~~~jealous and angry and a load of other emotions that he doesn't know how to deal with because of a coddling mother ~~~
Thank you for the comments Im going to do my best to start replying to them at the beginning of each chapter because its going to get a HELLA lot more intense and more original starting summer of 5 but right now just setting things up to be….explosive…? intriguing? Wtf moments? Maybe a little bit of all XD
Tuesday was quickly approaching, Hermione was anxious beyond all reasons. She had no idea what to expect in one of these hearings/meetings, but she was getting concerned about her safety and this weird behavior that Ronald has been showing over the past several months, hopefully they will help get to the root of the problem.
She hadn't had another run in like the previous one, however, she was keeping more of a distance. With the first task out of the way and Harry and Ron are now friends again, she hated having to tell him what had happened between the two of them. She never wanted Harry to ever to have to choose a side, knowing that Harry genuinely does love and care for the both of them as family members.
Hermione suggested that the pair go on a walk down to the lake and see if Viktor would want to do some flying about. "Are you alright Hermione?" Hermione had been fidgeting with her scarf as they were walking down the staircase.
"Um not really Harry, something…happened between Ron and I." Hermione didn't want to lose Harry as a friend, she loved how close they had started to bond when Ron wasn't in the picture, it felt more like a genuine friendship. Closing her eyes to gather her thoughts and where to even begin, she felt a hand squeeze hers.
"Hey 'Mione, you can always tell me anything." Hermione wiped away the tears that were blurring her vision, her cheeks instantly turning rosy with the frigid air surrounding them. A fresh coat of snow had littered the ground overnight making it a beautiful winter wonderland, which made Hogwarts picturesque.
Sniffling, "I haven't even told you yet and I'm crying." Taking a deep shaking breath, "You know I consider you a brother Harry." She took him into a quick hard hug.
"Okay here it goes, I'm going to start from the beginning…it all started this past summer or at least I'm assuming that's where it really started…" Hermione than divulged almost every piece of information to Harry, she was leaving out most of everything about Professor Snape for obvious reasons and Draco, she didn't want to ruin that friendship before it really got a chance to get started.
Time had passed agonizing slowly waiting for a response from Harry, she was scared to look at him. Until she felt his arms wrap around her in the tightest bear hug she had ever received from him. "'Mione I am so fucking sorry. I've been so caught up in me, that I never realized that he was treating you this way. I should have known that he wasn't flirting with you, especially after he burned your homework last year."
Hermione felt the warm tears streaming down her face as she embraced her brother, hopefully now things will change for the good for not only her but also him as well. "Thank you for that Harry. I just wanted to let you know in case anything goes wrong on Tuesday…" She wiped her face with her scarf, causing it to be red.
"What's on Tuesday?" Harry asked as he dug around in his pocket for a spare piece of chocolate that he knew he always carried with him to give to Hermione.
"I will be attending a disciplinary meeting to explain what happened. Professor Snape, McGonagall and Ron will be there with me as well as the headmaster." Hermione sighed as she listened to the crunch of the snow under each of their footfalls.
"I know you are proud of me 'Mione, but I want to say that you are a hell of a lot more brave than I." Hermione shoved him giving him an eye roll.
"Harry James Potter. You went up against a DRAGON!" Hermione emphasized as he chuckled and he ran his fingers through his hair.
"No, no I'm being serious. I was beyond scared but my opponent was in a sense predictable. It is a Dragon, it just wanted to protect its egg. However, with HIM being so hot/cold on you and being unpredictable in his behavior that is absolutely terrifying because you can't guesstimate what his next move will be….I am proud of you Hermione and thankful to Snape for advocating for you. Maybe he isn't as bad as I thought…." Harry had an entire epiphany episode about everything that he has been believing in for the past three years.
They arrived down at the lake a few minutes later, Viktor was waiting for them. He waved them over, seeing Hermione's face was still a little red. "Ms. Mione are you alright?"
Hermione smiled, "Yes Viktor I think everything is going to be okay!"
Hermione took extra time in the shower Tuesday morning, knowing she would not be able to focus on her studies today until after this whole thing was behind her. However, a knock on the door made her jump.
"Oi Hermione you are going to use all the hot water!" Hermione rolled her eyes, 'No I won't we are in a magical school there is always hot water. I swear no one reads Hogwarts : A History…' She quickly finished up and went to get dressed to head down to the great hall, maybe seeing her two favorite Slytherins and her brother would calm her nerves this morning.
The countdown begins – Twelve Hours.
Arriving at the great hall, it wasn't in full hustle and bustle mode yet, but there were some early risers meandering about. Going over to sit at her usual spot in front of the fire, feeling the warmth on her back as a cup of cold chocolate milk popped up in front of her, she really wanted to thank those house elves. They did so much for so little for them, she just wanted to show appreciation to them.
Drinking her milk, while reading her potions book she wrote down a couple of questions on a piece of parchment and slipped it into the pages. She was never one to write in her books, however there were lots of random pieces of parchment shoved into all the different pages.
As she was lost in her book, she didn't see a piece of parchment that was slid into her view, until a cough alerted her. Blinking back into reality, she looked around to see a few more classmates, but was confused until she opened the piece of paper.
Potions Classroom after dinner on Sat.
Bring your A study game!
- D.
'Yes! She had completely forgotten about letting Draco know about studying in the potions classroom this Saturday!' She was extremely happy to have plans with a friend to actually study and do something she wants to do, looking up she saw that Draco and Professor Snape were already in their seats. 'Wait…how long have I been reading?!'
Harry came to sit down next to her, "What time is it Harry?!"
"Morning to you too sunshine! It was nine when I left the common room so nearing half past?" Harry suggested, he never wore a watch, even though he was constantly late….how McGonagall never turned him into a pocket watch we will never know.
"Why are you so worried about time more than usual Hermione, wait…is today the day?!" Harry asked, as he realized it had only been a few days since he fought off a dragon to get its egg.
Hermione nodded, "Yup eight o clock tonight. Im beyond nervous Harry."
Harry squeezed her hand, "Hey whatever happens know that I have your back."
"Thank you Harry that means more than you know! I honestly don't know how well I will be able to function today. I just want this over with and dealt with, but proper consequences to be handed out." Hermione spoke in one breath, taking a deep breath and shoving her book into her bag.
"Maybe after this we can go shopping for some attire to the yule ball? I think I'm going to need some help…" Harry suggested as he was eating his breakfast, and looking over at a particular Ravenclaw, Cho Chang.
Hermione noticed that Ronald came into the great hall, late as usual, "Oh um Harry I'm going to head to potions early. I um have a couple of questions I want to ask Professor Snape before class…" She trailed off giving a small head nod back over to who just appeared into the room. Taking the long way out of the great hall, avoiding him completely she did a quick look back and her two favorite Slytherins had already disappeared from the great hall.
'These snakes are fast aren't they…' Hermione mentally chuckled, as she felt a bit lighter, ignoring and pushing down the anxiety that at any moment would rear its ugly head.
Hermione went to her first class of the day, which was potions. Taking a deep breath outside the classroom door, pushing it open, taking a look around the room it was only Professor Snape and herself. Which gave her a moment to compose herself, "Good Morning Professor."
"Ms. Granger." She was anxious to get started on learning about the new potion, as she went to sit down at her normal seat, a baritone voice spoke up from his desk, "Ms. Granger you will be sitting with Mr. Malfoy again today." She hid a smile in the darkness of the room, 'He really does look out for me…'
She didn't question his decision, moving her things over next to Draco's before he arrived. Starting to prep things early for herself and for Draco, since he helped so much when her pinky was fractured. "Ugh Professor again?" Pansy Parkinson whined as she entered the room and saw that her space was being occupied by a Gryffindor.
"This may become the new permanent sitting situation Ms. Parkinson, so I should say get used to it." Severus didn't look up from grading his papers as students were filtering in, Hermione smirked at the face that Pansy made. Feeling as if her heart grew two sizes with that comment, debating how things went this evening, was the fact that he was willing to be the villain to keep her safe, she really fully trusted him.
A few minutes later, Draco came to sit down next to her being overdramatic about how awful it was to sit next to her, she had to hold back from laughing out loud, knowing full well that he was acting for his classmates. She had slid some of her 'extra' ingredients over to her, when he made a dramatic sigh, than whispered softly, "How do you cut this well?! Show me?!"
She stifled a giggle behind a cough, as they continued to work in silence.
As the bell rang, Hermione took extra time to pack up her things, when she noticed that she was the last one in the room, she took a deep breath and approached her professor's desk.
"Is everything alright Ms. Granger?" Severus asked as he looked up from grading his papers, rolling his neck and readjusting how he was seated.
"I am not going to lie, I am hella nervous about tonight. Is there anything I need to do or know?" Hermione asked him in a rushed tone, as she was fiddling with her rucksack strap. Watching as he stood and came nearer to make sure if anyone was trying to listen into their conversation, they would only get a mumbled version.
"All you have to do Ms. Granger is show up. I will be there. Minerva will be there. Last time I spoke with her on the matter she seemed to be on your side. Whether Albus gets to her is another story, or how he changes the story more or less." Severus explained, "I will have the report and read through what I wrote of the incident, you will say what the incident was in the great/entrance hall, and in the classroom. You might also want to bring up this was not the first incident, if not I can as I was there to witness that as well." Severus waited for her cue to continue.
"Yes please, if you could. I honestly feel like im just going to throw up…" Hermione admitted embarrassingly.
"I'll give you a couple of calming draughts before you leave, save one for right before the meeting and you will be fine. Than Albus will listen and make his decision on what the best course of action will be. However, just be prepared you may also be reprimanded for defending yourself against him." Severus sighed, as he watched for her reaction.
"Im prepared to fight against that sir." Pausing for a moment, "Thank you. Thank you for fighting for me when no one else has. I really do mean it when I say I do trust you with my life. " She felt his hand go on her shoulder and give it a squeeze.
"I'm not a man of words, as you may know. Just know that means more to me than you will ever know." With that he turned on his heel and went to his cabinet of potions, rifling through until he found a couple calming draughts.
"Now off to class with you. Don't be late. 8pm." Severus spoke as he watched as she left the classroom with a bit more pep in her step. 'Merlin help us.' He thought as he went back to grading these abominable papers.
Tuesday continued dreadfully slowly, she had charms, transfiguration, and arithmancy. She had no idea how she was going to make it through the day, knowing that he had a meeting this evening that was going to determine several things, friendships, safeties, etc.
She was down to eight hours now.
Time ticked by slowly for Severus, his leg was bouncing anxiously throughout his classes for the rest of the day. He knew how important this meeting was going to be to Hermione to help one of the brightest witches feel safe in her own house at this school, what he has witnessed his prediction a few years ago was becoming more likely.
Making sure for the umpteenth time that afternoon, he made sure that he had the documents in his frock coat. He knew the stunts that Dumbledore pulled so he wanted to make sure to come prepared to fight this grueling battle.
Time ticked by six hours to go.
Hermione was trying her best in Transfiguration, she had re read the same sentence four times and it wasn't sticking the anxiety was creeping up from the recesses of her mind. Asking her hypothetical what if questions, her heart rate increasing, feeling the need to hide, wanting to be alone so she could deal with this on her own. However, she had no choice except sit there and pretend she was fine, until she heard a firm Scottish voice echo across the room.
"Ms. Granger please stay after class." Hermione didn't even realize that class was over she was stuck in her head at least that passed some time. Looking around all of the other students were gone, and she was just sitting there with her head in the clouds.
"Yes um alright." She started to pack her things up, when Professor McGonagall came over to her desk where she was currently sitting.
"Ms. Granger I am concerned about you. You have been acting oddly, Professor Snape did speak to me about what had happened with you and Mr. Weasley." Hermione knew that he never would lie to her and had a moment of where she wanted to slightly rub it into the headmasters face, because she knew the truth and wasn't jumping on bandwagons.
"Oh um yes. Tonight's meeting is weighing on my mind heavily. I'm sorry professor." Hermione spoke softly as she finished packing her bag.
"Yes well hopefully all will be fixed tonight. Oh and the headmaster wanted me to give you this letter." She handed her the letter, Hermione waited to read it until she was in her final class for the day, luckily arithmancy isn't to hard of a class for her, however, her attention span was not having it.
Four hours to go.
Severus was sitting at dinner with only two hours to go to this meeting, and he was antsy he debated on taking a run to clear his head, but he preferred to run in the mornings. Instead he decided to switch his rounds with Flitwick to do earlier ones, as to keep his mind occupied until he needed to be at Albus' office.
He glanced over at the Gryffindor table, and she wasn't there. He assumed that she was able to eat, hoping that the calming draught would let her, then a thought popped into his head. 'Maybe Naelby will take her a snack…'
Checking his pocket watch it was nearing six thirty he still had a bit of time, he finished up his dinner and left his rooms. He wanted to grab a cigarette or two if he found himself in a tower situation again. As he made his way down to the dungeons, something was off, he could physically feel something. Rolling his neck he just chalked it up to being anxious for the day.
As he arrived at his office; it was nearing seven in the evening. He had an hour before the meeting, he was going to do half rounds now and then half afterwards, however, he glanced over to see a letter on his desk, he wasn't expecting anything from anyone.
Cutting and slipping it open he read the contents, before immediately turning on his heel and dashing out of the office and up the stairs to Dumbledore's office.
Hermione had been waiting outside the headmasters office since six thirty, since the headmaster gave everyone a note to explain that he had a meeting at eight that was unreschedulable, or so she was told. She was pacing away her anxiety, she had already taken her other anxiety potion, as she noticed a ginger haired boy approaching at six fourty five.
"You couldn't have just dropped this could you." Ron growled at her, 'Why did they make her wait down here? Was Professor McGonagall already up in the tower with the headmaster, would she really have to wait fifteen minutes? What about Professor Snape? He hates being late, he has to show up at seven sharp. He has too…' She mentally pleaded with herself, as she ignored him and continued to pace the doorway.
Silence for a few minutes, before he spoke again. "You know you will get in trouble too. You hit me."
Hermione refused to take his bait; she wasn't going to get flustered before this meeting. She had to stay cool, calm and collected, breath in and out. 'Where was he?' She glanced over at the hallway from time to time praying to see his black cloak swoosh around the corner, but it never came. The gargoyle statue started to move around, she took one more glance before she waited on one of the steps and rode the stairs up.
Hermione took a breath, opening the door. "Ahhh Ms. Granger. Would you take a seat?" She shuffled quickly over to one of the chairs that was in front of his desk. Glancing up daring to see just the headmaster and Professor McGonagall standing around behind the headmaster's desk.
"Mr. Weasley please join us." The headmaster offered him the other chair.
"Hmmm it seems that Professor Snape is late…We will give him a few minutes and if he doesn't arrive we will have to dismiss this meeting." Dumbledore informed the pair of students, Hermione's face fell drastically, while Ronald held a smirk on his lips.
"WHAT?!" Hermione gasped out, "That's not fair!"
"Rules are rules Ms. Granger. Now, we will however begin your disciplinary action Ms. Granger. It has come to my attention through a couple of reports that you have physically hit Mr. Weasley." Hermione could feel tears stinging her eyes, with all her fight leaving her body. Gripping the edge of her chair, she nodded, with a quiet 'yes.'
"You know better than anyone that that is against the rules." Hermione felt outraged and yet sad at the same time, she was being betrayed by her own house, by those that were supposed to protect her…she had no words for the atrocity.
"I did it out of self defense…" Hermione whispered softly, she refused to look at any of them.
"That is not what is reported here." Dumbledore pulled out a piece of parchment and started to read through it.
"Where's the report that Professor Snape submitted to you?" Hermione spoke out of turn; she was distraught at this behavior from the headmaster of the school.
"Oh Ms. Granger I think Professor Snape played a trick on you…I never received a report from him." Hermione raised an eyebrow her tears disappeared completely, 'Did he…just gaslight the hell out of me?!'
"Bull. Shit." Hermione whispered gritting her teeth tightly.
"Im sorry Ms. Granger."
Hermione looked the headmaster dead in the eye, "I said headmaster. Bull. Shit."
Professor McGonagall was the first to speak up, "Language Ms Granger."
Hermione now held a fire in her eyes one that could damn near match Severus', its one thing to attack her but not him. "No. He's a Liar. You are lying. You are gaslighting. If there was ONE person I should have full trust in, it's you headmaster. Yet. Here I am begging and pleading for you to even just LISTEN to my side of the story."
"Here's the full story. I turned his sorry ass down this past summer, he started to act weird and mentally abusive to me. Playing a stack of cards that seems all to familiar to you headmaster. When we came back to school, he was being possessive and not in a healthy way, Professor Snape had to separate him from me because he saw the red sign of Ronald grabbing a hold of my wrist. I've ended up with fucking bruises because of it. Same thing happened in potions, he was saying rude, hurtful things to me and pushed me and Mr. Malfoy, but yes keep fucking telling me that I'm the problem." Hermione was fuming she was breathing heavily she didn't care anymore whether she lost points or received detention, what he was doing as a headmaster was abhorrent.
She hoped that her spewing her words would buy Severus enough time to get to her.
"First off Ms. Granger. Language. I will have to deduct fifty house points for multiple curse words. Second, I do not have any of that in my report so its your word against his." Professor Dumbledore spoke in a calm manner with a small glint in his eyes.
Hermione turned her attention to her head of house, "What about you Professor McGonagall? Are you going to step in? Didn't Professor Snape speak with you about my issue and weren't you going to speak with the headmaster?" Cocking her head to one side, her gaze burning into her professor's.
"Ms. Granger please take a seat and calm down. You are blowing this out of proportion." Hermione blinked back and was taken aback. 'Are you fucking kidding me?!'
"What is in your report Headmaster?!" Hermione looked from her head of house who was no fucking help, she was hanging on by a fucking thread at this point. 'Severus where are you?!'
"I'm glad that you asked, so hopefully we can correct your abusive problem of hitting Ronald. There was reports that he was trying to speak with you in the Entrance hall, and you turned and slapped him in the face. The same report in potions class, was that you were saying incredibly vulgar things to him and then smacked him once more. Ms. Granger these are signs of abuse and we can not let this go unturned."
Hermione snorted, but kept her mouth shut. She wasn't going to win, this was a complete set up from the get go. "Well now then, even though this is your first rule break it is a serious one. I do believe that no future Hogsmeade visits for the next three months is an appropriate punishment." Dumbledore looked over his half moon spectacles with a diabolical twinkle in his eye.
Hermione was devasted, 'I cant buy anyone presents now…I can't hang out with Viktor…' She couldn't blink back her tears any longer as they silently fell down her face, as anger still coursed through her veins.
"It seems we've given Professor Snape enough time, its ten past." Dumbledore tsked, all Hermione could feel was anger and betrayal.
"Five…five more minutes…" Hermione begged with a frog in her throat, as she looked over at her Head of house. "Please Professor McGonagall…"
Professor McGonagall hadn't said much of anything during this small meeting, Sighing, she finally spoke. "Ms. Granger. I do agree with the headmaster. We've had several eye witnesses account to Mr. Weasley's story."
Hermione snorted, "He was right…" Hermione's head was down as she silently cried, as she was made to look like the bad guy when Ron would get to be set free and continue his aggressive nature. Gripping her chair she wanted to scream, yell about how unfair this all was, but it would just go on deaf ears.
"We have given Professor Snape plenty of enough time." Albus spoke as he started to move the parchment to the side of the desk, when the door burst open to a furious snake slithering quite quickly over to lions and if looks could kill, Albus would be a dead man walking.
"That god damn motherfucker changed the time." Severus growled as he was climbing the stairs two at a time. Waiting for the staircases to change were agonizing slow, he tried to take every short cut he knew about in the school, however it still took him about fifteen minutes to get to his office.
Bursting through the door, the letter still clutching in his fingers. Hearing the sentence, "We've given Professor Snape enough time."
Severus stalked over to his desk, breathing deeply, going up behind Ms. Granger and handing her his letter. "It seems that I wasn't told of the time change as early as others were today." He growled through his teeth.
"You're late Severus. I'm about to dismiss this meeting. I have places to be." Albus spoke as he was gathering the paperwork.
"No, Albus. You aren't going anywhere until we have this fucking meeting." He gripped the desk that was in front of him until his knuckles turned white, listening to the scratching of his quill on parchment.
"You are my staff member Severus Snape, and you will not talk such ways with me while there are students present." Severus actually had to keep himself from taking the quill that the man was writing with and stabbing his hand with it, 'This is really my fault….'
"Did you read my report?" Severus cocked his head as he raised himself to his full six foot four height, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Severus, for the umpteenth time I did not receive your report, maybe you need to lay off the alcohol long enough to send it." Severus smirked; oh he didn't rise to the bait that easily.
Severus pulled out several of the same reports from his frock coat handing them out to each person in the room, "Tell me Albus if I made this many copies, how did you receive none of them?!"
"Huh Severus I think you just made all the copies thinking that you sent them out in your drunken stupors and are blaming me for your mistakes…" Severus clenched his teeth together, trying to keep himself from blowing up at the old man.
"What is his punishment then?" Severus cocked his head to the little weasel sitting in the corner just sitting with a smirk on his face, the urge to knock the shit out of his cocky ass was strong.
"None. He doesn't get punished. I do." Hermione piped up as she sat there holding Severus' letter that was crumpled to hell, as if he was clutching it while he was running.
"What the actual fuck Albus?!" Severus groaned; he could feel the desk biting back into his hands.
"Severus Tobias Snape. You will not use that language in front of me or a student. I did not receive any of your so called reports Severus, so if you would kindly calm down." Albus argued, standing from his seat, going over to stand in front of the potions master, attempting to be intimidating.
"This meeting is dismissed." Albus looked up at him from over his spectacles, Severus made eye contact. His eyes were a black fire that was going to burn the place to the ground, and honestly it should be.
"Fuck. You. Albus. Do you even care about your students?" Severus turned towards Ms. Granger.
"Of course I do Severus, I was the one on time remember, and I have to think about the greater good." Hermione at that moment felt like the biggest burden the wizarding society ever had.
Severus squinted, "Do you though? You have refused this meeting for WEEKS, then at the last minute just so happened to reschedule it? Without informing me, the one who reported it and you've lost countless reports and copies of said reports." Severus raised an eyebrow challenging the man in front of him.
"Now Severus don't try and blame me, for one of your drunken stupors where you forgot to send in yet another report. You are lucky to still have a job here." Severus was dumbfounded, complete silence filled the air.
Hermione's meek voice popped in from the silence between the arguing wizards, "I'm just a burden to you. I may be the most brilliant witch of this time, but only if I have my nose a book. If I make no noise, keep my head down and let those around do whatever they want even if it hurts others. I'm only good for raising the curve of the school grades…" No one said anything, but she did feel a familiar hand on her shoulder giving her a reassuring squeeze, he meant well, but she was going to a dark place, one she had never visited before.
"Professor McGonagall please escort Mr. Weasley back to Gryffindor Tower." She nodded her head and was off with the Weasley that got off Scott free. Hermione's answer was confirmed when he didn't even acknowledge anything she just spoke about.
Hermione just sat there, blind to the world around her. Her life was now going to be a living hell, fifth floor specifically. She stood abruptly, turning to leave when she heard a voice from behind her.
"Where do you think you are going Ms. Granger? I am the one that dismisses you." She refused to look at or answer him, completely ignoring him she left his office in a daze, not sure where she was going to go.
"Let me tell you one more fucking thing. If you aren't fucking careful, you will lose yet another student." Severus warned, as he slammed the door behind him. Taking the stairs two at a time, he found Granger just standing there next to the stairs, her eyes glazed over with tears streaking down them.
However, within seconds she felt a hand at the base of her neck, guiding her. She didn't know where and she honestly at this point didn't care, she just wanted to be alone to cry herself to sleep. As the pair deescalated the stairs in silence, with some sniffling from Ms. Granger. 'I need to speak with Minerva we need to figure this out if Albus wont. What the hell happened? I thought she was going to stand up for her…'
He steered her into the direction of going outside from the Entrance Hall, they both needed to be outside in the frigid air, to cool their hot heads. They continued walking, no destination in mind except for the forbidden forest, walking until they were out of sight out of mind, Hermione plopped down on her knees in the snow.
She just screamed loud and long, it was guttural, it was pain, it was sadness, it was despair. Ending with her taking deep hyperventilating breaths in between cries of pain. Severus didn't say anything he just leaned up against a tree a couple of feet away, blinking back his own tears of pain and hurt watching a brilliant student, friend of his son's and he guessed his own friend be hurt in such a way.
After a few minutes, the cries slowed as did the sniffles, "Its not fucking fair. It's going to get so much worse now. Now that the headmaster wont back me up, Ron will think he can get away with anything and he just basically has. What the actual fuck?!" Hermione was staring down at the ground her hands were lost in the snow as they kept her upright.
Severus lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. "I cant believe he actually pulled that shit, I'm at a genuine loss for words. I'm truly sorry Hermione…." He looked up into the night sky as he whispered into the wind; his heart ached for the poor girl who was being terrorized by her classmate who was supposed to be her friend.
Hermione did a maniacal laugh, "You know he said there were multiple accounts of people seeing me smack him, but none clearly saw him grabbing my wrist and me trying to defend myself. This is all a fucking power game. What the actual fuck." Hermione was so angry, she never really cursed out loud unless she hurt herself, or she was writing in her journal.
Closing his eyes, taking a long drag from his cigarette, pure silence except for the animals that were in the forbidden forest. "I'm sorry." He heard her whisper as she just sat there in the snow, looking up at him and standing slowly.
Severus looked at her with a curious expression, "For what? I'm the one that needs to be sorry."
"For cursing so much, why are you sorry?" Hermione cocked her head to the side, curious as to why he would be.
Severus chuckled darkly, "Granger I think it's suitable for this situation." Taking a deep breath, "For failing you, I don't break promises Hermione. Ever. For me this was a promise to protect you and the school failed you miserably."
He had been looking at the nighttime sky through the traces of trees, a slight snow started to fall when he felt arms around his mid-section, he could hear her sniffling, giving her a genuine hug back. When he heard, "You did everything you could Professor. You fought for me more than anyone here has. You went above and beyond, thank you. Plus, I know you more than you think, you will continue to protect not only me but Harry as well."
He was slightly dumbfounded, 'Maybe there is something I am doing right?' He mentally questioned himself. His cigarette was hanging slightly ajar from his mouth, sniffling, "You know Harry was great when I told him a bit of what was happening as well."
"Oh." Severus replied, gazing down at her, as he took his cigarette with his fingers. He didn't want to blow the smoke directly in her face as they spoke.
"Yeah…he really understood and hell he even apologized for not seeing it. He's a good brother." Hermione sighed, her shoulders falling forward, "You know I wish the headmaster and everyone else saw me as they see Ron, like Harry's family. I think most of everyone thinks what I said earlier, I am a burden Im only good for test scores…" She heard a crunch in front of her, blinking back the tears that were coming forth once more, she felt stupid trying to wipe them away furiously.
Feeling his hand on her chin, "What did you say to me just a few minutes ago? Harry is a good brother. You already are his family and I think you know that his opinion is the only one that matters. Also, if they really think the Weasley boy is any type of help to Harry besides his family, than they are in the wrong." Severus gave her reassurance that she wasn't what she thought, taking a deep drag of his cigarette.
"And you a burden? Do. NOT. For a moment believe that bullshit Hermione." He put up his hand to stop her from speaking, "I promise you from years of experience. Our shoes are similar, they aren't the same but we do share many experiences Hermione. When I came here to work, I felt/feel like a burden Im just a pawn in a game, until I reconnected with the Malfoys." Taking another drag, "You won't feel like a burden when you are around people who genuinely love and care for you." Severus finished his monologue and he prayed that this was something else she took to heart.
Hermione sniffed, holding a happy smile as she looked up at him, "Not a man of words huh?"
Noticing that she was shivering as she was still in her school uniform, "Turn around Ms. Sass." She didn't hesitate to do so when he wrapped his cloak around her shoulders. He was use to the cold it helped him sometimes physically cool himself down after an argument with Albus.
He knew he had to do something to cheer her up, he had no idea why he felt so compelled to do so. Maybe it was just because she was friends with his son and now friends with his godson, or maybe he was considering her more as a friend, he will chalk it up to the former for now. Grabbing some snow that was on a rock next to the tree that he had been leaning against, packing it together in a sphere he threw it at Hermione.
*Sploosh* Hermione turned to look at him mouth agape; a smile spread across her face. Laughter left her lips, "Did the bat of the dungeons actually throw a snowball at me?"
Before she finished her sentence he threw another one, she dodged this one…barely. "Oi now!" She scrouged up some snowballs as she turned and ducked another while she threw one at his back. "Got ya!" She giggled as he made an overdramatic death scene, where he dropped to his knees.
"The bat has been vanquished." He proceeded to plop down in the snow, getting some genuine laughter out of her. She plopped down in the snow next to him, as they gazed at the stars and the light snow falling, "This is beautiful." She whispered quietly, as they heard a howl somewhere deep within the forest.
"Hermione. Remember." Severus went to say but she cut him off.
"Day or Night, your office is available. I promise you that is also my other internal chant. Some nights I just want to get away, but I don't want to disturb you or bother you if becomes my only safe place I have." Hermione stated bluntly, and with everything she just went through she hoped he understood.
"Don't worry about me. I don't sleep most nights until I make myself physically exhausted. If anything Ill have Naelby pop in to check in on you and if you need me for anything, I mean anything, he will come and fetch me." Severus informed her as a frigid wind whirled around them.
Standing himself back up wiping the snow off of his person, "Why don't we get back up to the castle before they send a search party…" Turning around to where she was plopped down in the snow, offering his hand, she gladly accepted.
"Better?"
"Better." Hermione smiled up at him, "Not one hundred percent, but this is a happy memory and something that I will treasure always. Especially during the darker moments." Snow started to fall more frequently around them, Hermione took in the surroundings, this was a perfect moment to her and she never wanted it to end.
"Why don't we grab some hot chocolate before bed?" Severus suggested as the bottom of his entire back was now sopping wet, he crunched through the snow as the exited out of the forbidden forest. Seeing the lights flickering in the school, the durmstrangs boat and the beuxbaxtons carriages.
"This is a beautiful view." Hermione whispered in awe as she started shivering. As they were making their way back up to the school in silence, Hermione had a question that she had to know, "Snowballs?"
Severus had a small smile play on his lips, "I've been in a few snowball fights in my time. Draco isn't as grumpy as he seems nor is his father. We have an annual snowball fight winner gets to choose dinner and losers have to wear a silly costume to dinner. Narcissa always gets a kick out of it…" He reminisced a memory from many years ago, then realized that was a lot of information to dump on Granger about the Malfoy's.
Hermione chuckled, "That sounds like a good time, might have to challenge Draco to a snowball fight, and don't worry my lips are sealed."
As they were walking through the entrance hall, she snuggled up close to his cloak knowing she would have to give it back soon. They were going down the myriad of stairs, their footsteps echoing through tower, they didn't say anything until they got back to his office, as soon as the door was shut he called for his elf.
"Naelby."
"Yes Sir?" Severus sighed it comes and goes with his formality, "Could you bring two cups of hot chocolate?"
"Yes sir, would you like anything mmm extra in yours?"
Severus checked his pocket watch, "No not tonight Naelby thank you." With another pop he was gone just like that, Severus pulled out his reading glasses, "Did you two come up with a time for your study session?"
"I think we were thinking after dinner, it gives us a couple of hours of quiet time." Hermione spoke softly as Hot Chocolate appeared in front of her, she gripped the warm mug in her hands, feeling the warmth. Taking a small sip to feel how hot it was, it was absolutely delicious. "This is amazing."
Severus smirked, "Naelby has renown hot chocolate, if you tell Draco on Saturday that you had it. He will be quite overdramatic."
"Oh Im definitely going to be teasing him on this than." Severus took a sip of his, feeling the liquid burn down his throat, quenching his thirst, soothing him as well from the past few hours.
"Alright Saturday is scheduled. I genuinely hope that things change around here. What you went through tonight should have never happened, and remember if things get worse…"
Severus didn't have to finish his sentence, "You will be the first one to know." She finished for him, as she slurped the rest of her hot chocolate.
The week went on grudgingly slow, rumors were spreading faster than a wildfire on Wednesday morning. When she was at breakfast, three of her fellow Gryffindor's came up to her, and started talking shit about how they would be so lucky to be dating Ron. 'Being friends with THE Harry Potter, having funny brothers, blah blah nothing actually about him just perks?!'
"Well go on than…" 'Maybe he will finally get off my damn back, then potions rolled around and Pansy herself tried to start a fight with her, when she ignored her and refused to get caught up in this fake drama. Pansy decided to take it into her own hands, until Draco attempted to calm her down, "Pansy stop."
"No Draco, rumor has it you two have been dating?! What does she give you hand jobs, blowjobs what?!" Hermione felt herself blush deep red which wasn't going to help her case, but it was embarrassing, and she was suffering from secondhand embarrassment the fact that she was saying this in front of their classes.
"Ms. Parkinson, Twenty points from Slytherin for lewd discussions in the hallway." Severus drawled as he bustled the students through the classroom, 'Oh joy what fun Albus.' Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed while striding into his classroom, "From now on Ms. Granger you will be sitting next to Mr. Malfoy. Ms. Parkinson, you will permanently be seated next to Mr. Weasley."
She sniffled, "That's probably why they started dating…" She mumbled under her breath, Severus ignored, Hermione mentally groaned about what the headmaster has now created.
Thursday and Friday were more miserable than the last, the rumors got worse as Hermione didn't interact or react to any of them. HE was probably fueling them or having others fuel them, she didn't know or cared. The final straw was Friday night at dinner when Viktor had come up to the school to have dinner with her and Harry, she was waiting for them when she was reading her book.
"Good evening Missus 'Mione." Hermione smiled, "Hello Viktor." Harry came in and sat down next to them a few minutes later. Poor Harry, she so desperately wanted to tell him what happened, but with everything else that was going on, she couldn't bring herself to add more to his plate. She knew what he said, but she had to internalize it after all the mental beatings from Ronald.
"Oi Harry aren't you afraid of catching her cooties, she's dating like three dudes…" Hermione sighed, it's been constant for the past three days, she was on the verge of screaming. Feeling Harry's hand find her's and grip it tight, she had a feeling he already knew how that meeting went.
"I don't have to be your friend you know." Harry threatened, ignoring whoever was saying these atrocious things about his sister. Let the crowd munch on that bit of information, "Harry Potter unfriend Ronald Weasley" Headlines for days…
"Thank you Harry." She whispered as the trio went back to their conversation about the Yule ball, she was truly excited, then sad once again when she realized she wouldn't be able to go dress shopping within time, she however hid it well.
'I wonder if I could borrow Harry's cloak…' Hermione had a devious thought, and she would ask him later that evening.
In the middle of dinner as they were having a conversation about the band that would be playing, someone came up behind her and dumped a mixture of random fucking food all over her. She stood abruptly, "What the fuck!"
Severus was watching and listening to the student body over the past few days, 'Merlin help us if these kids are actually believing this drivel.'
Sitting at dinner on Friday, he was watching out of the corner of his eye the on goings at the Gryffindor table, when he saw a suspicious Gryffindor getting up with a bowl of a random concoction.
"Albus, do you have a second to spare?" Severus asked in the calmest voice he could muster; this was the first time he had spoken to him since Tuesday evening. When the man came to his door, he opened it and shut it immediately refusing to speak with him or another outburst would happen.
"Why yes Severus what is it?" Severus gestured over to the Gryffindor table, as things were about to unfold terribly. A part of him wanted to hex the bowl out of their hand, but he knew the consequences he would be lectured about 'harming' a student and then blah blah blah he stops listening after that because it's the same old shit that hes been lectured on previously. Something about interfering with his plan.
"Minerva? You might want to watch whats about to happen to your most prized cub…" Severus spoke as he took a bite of his dinner, for the first time to McGonagall this week as well. The trio watched as the incident unfolded, Severus snorted into his coffee when he heard her curse echo across the hall. 'No idea where she picked that up from…'
Hermione's blood was boiling, 'I've already lost my Hogsmeade visits, what the fuck else will he do? Detention? Fucking house points?' Hermione turned on her heel, backhanding the student who dumped the food concoction all over her.
Within moments, It turned into an outright brawl, the girl had grabbed Hermione's hair, and instead of slapping her she started punching her.
Within seconds she was getting pulled away from the situation, she had no idea who was pulling her out of the great hall, besides being in a blind rage of fury and crying, her eye was also swelling up. She wished it was her favorite potions master, however it was her head of house, and they climbed seven flights of stairs while she was in pain.
Entering her office, she sat her down on a chair in front of her desk. "Ms. Granger I am becoming quite concerned about your behavior this past week. What has gotten into you?"
Hermione snorted, "Really? Let me see… I was physically harassed by someone I thought was a friend, My headmaster AND my head of house completely ignored my reports AND story. Adding fuel to the flames to all the rumors that have been spreading about me and all the 'boy's' im dating. Than some random Gryffindor SOMEONE from my own house, dumped a random food concoction on me."
"Ms. Granger, I want to help you please understand that somethings my hands are tied." Professor McGonagall tried to explain to her, Hermione squinted her eyes at her, 'How were her hands tied? Dumbledore? Helping me?' She had a lot of questions and doubt she was going to get any answers.
"Where was your help this week than Professor? If you really wanted to help me you would have stood up for me. Waited for Professor Snape to make it up to the tower, as he DID send the report and Dumbledore threw it away burned it I don't know. I told my side of the story but it was considered he said she said and I was just punished." Hermione could now feel her head physically pulsating from her bruise on her face.
"Ms. Granger you need to stop hitting people when you are upset. Its not healthy and if you don't stop we are going to have to take serious actions." Hermione was at a loss for words, considering she completely just ignored everything she just said.
Hermione snorted, "Fine. May I go?"
"Before I let you get to your classes, you will have detentions for the next month." Hermione wanted to growl she wanted to yell what was this audacity, even though she WAS the victim to the situation she was the one in trouble.
"Professor out of curiosity what am I supposed to do in these situations?" Hermione asked curiously because she had an inkling but wanted confirmation.
"Always just walk away Ms. Granger. Be the bigger person. Take the high road." Hermione sighed, 'The real answer was keep your nose in your fucking book because you are the one making the school look good with your grades and keep your mouth fucking quiet.'
"Ms. Granger I have a question for you?" Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Yes Professor?"
"Why didn't you report anything to me? I mean if I would have reported it maybe the report wouldn't have gotten lost maybe Dumbledore would have been fair." Professor McGonagall spoke in a thick Scottish accent, Hermione was once again at a lost for words. 'She can't be fucking serious.'
"I wont be attending tomorrow I already have scheduled plans professor. I will make it up on Sunday." Hermione informed her, as she stood wobbly from her chair, feeling as if she was going to be sick to her stomach.
"You don't' make the rules Ms. Granger. If you skip tomorrow I will be adding an additional weeks worth of detentions onto your current detentions." Professor McGonagall watched as her favorite cub was wobbling towards the door to her office.
Hermione turned towards her head of house, "So fucking be it." She turned and slammed the door behind her, genuinely wondering if she would be able to make it seven flights of stairs to Potions class. She didn't want to go to the hospital wing she didn't want to see the other student if they were there, she just pushed through it forgetting to put on a glamour charm.
Out of breath, pushing open the door, she made eye contact with her Potions professor over his reading glasses. She felt tears stinging her bruised eye, he checked his pocket watch, "Ms. Granger take your seat you will stay after class." There was a loud ooo around the classroom and snickers here and there, when Severus silenced the classroom.
Hermione whispered softly, "Draco I can't do this today. I cant even see out of my left eye…"
Draco bit his lip, "I would help you Hermione but every eye is on us at the moment. I don't want to make anything worse for you."
"I appreciate the sentiment Draco, I'll just sit here and work on the homework. Ill have to ask if I can make up the potion in detention…" Hermione spoke softly, reaching into her bag and grabbing her quill and parchment.
"By the way I'm sorry for what happened at breakfast! Just know that Professor Snape was one of the first people breaking up the fight, but McGonagall came by and took you." Draco spoke softly, as the sound of scratching of her quill echoed around the room with the other sounds of instruments being used.
"Thank you Draco. We will talk more tomorrow." Hermione was in loads of pain, she couldn't blink her eye without it stinging fiercely and her ribs felt bruised. 'This is not how I thought this week was going to go, but what did I tell myself? Go with the flow?'
Class finally let out, Hermione just sat there with her head cradled on her arm, just thinking. Her eyes were closed when she heard a chair scrapping against the cobblestone on the ground in front of her, and a couple of clinks with something being put in front of her on her desk. Moving her head a bit to get a glance at the classroom, all of the other students were gone, 'I guess I did doze off…' Noticing the pain potion in front of her, she popped the top off and chugged it down quickly, feeling the pain slowly ease away.
"Thank you and Im sorry sir." Severus hadn't said anything but just sat there trying to figure out how to start this conversation.
"No apology needed. I know what its like to be at snapping point. Believe me." Severus remembered something he debated on telling her, "A few years ago, I believe right before your third year, when Lupin worked here, I had to help move the whomping willow and long story short I ended being the only one to finish moving it and was left there for several hours… I drug myself back while the others were having dinner. I may have lost my temper at Albus. No regrets fucker deserved it…"
"What happened to the others that were helping you?" Hermione asked as she looked at the other bottle on the table.
"It's a numbing cream mixed with de swelling." Hermione handed to him, "I have no depth perception right now could you?" Her eye didn't have to pressure against it as much but there was still a sharp pain that went along with it.
"Close your eye." Hearing the pop of the bottle she did as she was told, feeling his finger on her eye softly dabbing the cream on it.
"It was Hagrid, Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout and myself." Hermione hissed softly as he touched the point of contact.
"How bad was it with McGonagall?" He asked as he recorked the crème for her to use later.
"Months' worth of detention and an extra week as I told her that I had plans tomorrow and I wasn't going." Severus snorted, "Very Gryffindor of you."
"Well our house is known for bravery….or more stupidity…" She was silent for a moment, "Im sorry again, I didn't do the potion today. I was just trying to keep my head from imploding on itself. If I could maybe during one of my detentions if I could make it up."
"Im sure I can make sure that is arranged."
Saturday rolled around and Hermione had no want to go do her study session with Draco. Rumors had spread like adding fuel to the wildfire that she was trying to get Ron expelled because he was being creepy by confessing his feelings for her. 'Great spin Ron great fucking spin.'
However, she put on her pajama pants and a t shirt, as she still felt like shit after yesterday's cluster fuck, grabbing her backpack and went down to the dungeons skipping dinner completely. She didn't have it in her to deal with more stares and gossip, and she was sure that Rita Skeeter would have her next article.
Knocking on the door to the potion's classroom, "Enter." Hermione was hopping that he wouldn't be in his class considering she looked like a little gremlin, entering the classroom, and sighing deeply.
"Hello Professor." Hermione spoke in a dull tone as she set her things down at her and Draco's table. She took notice that he was at his desk grading papers, smoking a cigarette, as he checked his pocket watch and then looked up at her.
"Ms. Granger. Will you not be attending dinner?" He asked with a curious gaze, she shook her head and shrugged.
"No. Not hungry. No real appetite at the moment, just pain. Forgot to ask yesterday, did the person who did this also get detention?" Hermione spoke honestly and openly with him.
"Not sure, she was directed to Minerva's office after you." Hermione's eye immediately started to twitch, he wasn't going to push her on it, he knew that feeling all to well. However, that wasn't going to stop him from providing them snacks, "Naelby!" A small pop and the small elf appeared by his side.
Hermione's stature warmed a bit, "Hello Naelby! I forgot to thank you for that hot chocolate the other night."
"You are more than welcome missus!"
"Hermione!"
"You are more than welcome missus Hermione!" she smiled at the elf ever curious how her professor came in possession of him.
"Sir? Can I ask, how did you and Naelby become friends?" She sat down at her desk, pulling out her books hissing from her ribs from time to time.
"Mmm yes, well at my previous place of employment many years ago, he was under another's bidding. However, when the other disappeared Naelby didn't have anywhere to go and I didn't want him hauled off anywhere because of his previous employment, and I've always been quite fond of him. He's helped me out of more than my fair share of scraps."
"Yes sir! Severus hates it when I call him master, it has taken Naelby some time to call him by his name from where I come from but Naelby is very grateful for his friendship." Severus patted the elf's head, "Naelby I have a favor to ask of you?"
"Anything!"
"Would you keep my godson and his friend completely full of snacks tonight for their study session?"
The elf had made it his main mission to make sure that Hermione and Draco were full of all types of different snacks.
"I will leave you to your own devices Ms. Granger. Here are a couple of pain potions, calming draught, and a dreamless sleep potion. You can keep them for when you need them." Severus smushed out the last bit of his cigarette before leaving the classroom.
Dinner had come and gone when both Slytherins entered the classroom within minutes of each other. "Like I said Draco I owe you one hug." She stood from her seat with a hiss.
"Oi you sit your arse down. I'll take a raincheck on it. How are your ribs?" Draco asked as he helped her sit back down.
"Bruised. I have a big ass purple mark like right here." She pointed towards the two ribs in the middle of her chest.
"Do you need more of the crème?" Severus asked as he approached their desk.
"I don't think so. Im hoping my eye will be healed by Monday. So than I can use the rest on my ribs."
"I have an hour before I have to meet with the headmaster….Ill be in my rooms if you need me." Severus exited his classroom leaving his godson and friend to their studying. He grabbed one of his books, his reading glasses, and his bottle of firewhiskey. He poured himself a glass and decompressed after whatever the fuck kind of week that was.
Glancing up at the clock he sighed pinched the bridge of his nose, and re put on his oxfords. Grabbing his bottle of firewhiskey he went into his classroom, to see that the table next to them was completely covered in a variation of snacks. 'Naelby never fails.'
"Look Im going to 'accidentally' leave this conveniently in my 'rooms' and if Draco goes to see if im there during your study session and decides to sneak it back in here. Than damn I need to learn to lock this up better…" Severus hinted as he left them the bottle, grabbing a hand full of popcorn a delicious indulgence he rarely takes in.
"Look we all had a shit fucking week. Just be care and Draco be the responsible one tonight if you two decide to drink anything that Naelby didn't bring you." Severus spoke, as Draco looked slightly confused, Hermione understood immediately and was forever grateful. Even though she wasn't a drinker.
"The meeting should be long but ill be back in a couple of hours." He checked his pocket watch once again, sighed and went to leave.
"Thank you Professor."
"Thank you godfather!"
Severus left the room, Draco looked at the bottle of whiskey in his hand. Hermione looked at the bottle of Ogden's Firewhiskey, "He's pretty freakin amazing." Hermione gushed when she started to blush and Draco noticed, but didn't say anything, just held an inward knowing smirk.
"He always does it…and he told me to be responsible…I wonder after this week of shit hes giving us a moment to be teens…Merlin he is the best godfather…got to get him something good for Christmas…" He uncorked the bottle, and took a swig from it.
"Woah that's fresh…I won't pressure you Hermione but if you want its here." She never drank before but at this point everyone thought she was shit anyways and why not she was running out of fucks to give about how she was going to deal with the next day let alone the next month or year of school.
"Do you drink much Draco?" Hermione asked as she took a swig of firewhiskey, choking and coughing down her first drink.
"Ehhh not really from time to time one of the older students sneak something in and we share it or I have a bit of godfathers or dads wine at dinner. Mum doesn't like sharing." He snorted at that, "They say its better to normalize it so we don't over do it when we do try it…"
Her and Draco did actually study for about an hour, "Honestly Draco I don't think I could study I've been looking forward to this but I have no study in me at the moment."
"Fair enough, we can just chill here for a bit…do you want to talk about what happened?"
The next half hour it was Hermione and Draco listened and munched on the snacks, "That's utter bullshit!" Draco said as they were both just drinking from the bottle because someone forgot to give them tumblers.
By the time the rant was coming to an end, she didn't want to share the moment of her and Severus in the forbidden forest, just yet. That was her special memory. Draco was holding his head up but dozing off, as Hermione went on a gushy tangent about her potions professor. Realizing that he had fallen asleep, she was getting antsy and decided to go on a walk it was already past curfew and Severus had yet to return.
Attempting to write out 'Went on a walk- H.G.' and left the classroom, not realizing she was carrying the almost empty bottle of firewhiskey up and out of the entrance hall, she hadn't seen a single prefect and she really didn't give a damn. Her mind was foggy all she wanted to do was be out in the snow where she was last genuinely happy, she could feel free against all those that were lying about her.
'Crunch, Crunch, Crunch' She just walked out into the snow furious and heartbroken that her headmaster had failed her, she took another swig of the drink. She was halfway between the school and the forbidden forest, she dropped down to her knees and just screamed in frustration and pain.
Severus arrived back to his classroom to find his godson passed out, his other student missing with his bottle of firewhiskey.
"Well. Fuck." Waking Draco up by shaking his shoulder, he woke from a groggy state. "Draco Wake up."
"Huh welcome back godfather. How was your meeting?" Severus crossed his arms on his chest.
"Draco I think we are missing a party member?" He watched as Draco looked around the room and reading the note, "Ohhhh"
"I thought you were going to be the responsible one?!"
"It was like two drinks!" Severus took the closest piece of parchment and rolled up and bonked him on the head with it.
"Go take a damn shower and go lay on the couch in my quarters! Make space for me because I have a feeling we are going to be watching over a distraught lioness tonight." Severus grabbed his outer cloak and set out to go find Ms. Granger before she was caught by somebody else, he really didn't need Albus on his ass for 'accidentally' leaving firewhiskey around.
Severus found that the entrance hall doors were wide open, "Well okay, seems im on the right path…"
Feeling the chill outside reaching his bones, he wanted to find Granger as quick as possible as she wasn't wearing weather appropriate clothing and she would freeze. When he heard a wail from across the grounds, sighing, "Found you."
A few minutes later, as the temperature was dropping, he found Hermione looking up into the sky, spinning in circles drinking from his bottle of firewhiskey. "Oh she's going to regret this choice…" He slowly approached her; she was laughing manically.
"Granger?" He just stood there in the snow trying to figure out how to go about this in the most discreet way possible.
"Its funny isn't it Severus? Some of the people that you trust stab you directly in the back and those that you thought you couldn't trust are the ones that you can actually trust…" She stopped spinning, hiccuped and bent over to vomit, 'She does have a point though.' Severus mentally thought as he listened to the poor girl be sick.
Severus sighed, walked over to her, gathered her hair so it wouldn't get in her face, "Why don't we go inside? Get warm?" He wrapped his cloak around her to give her some type of warmth as she was only in her pajamas and sneakers, which was not the best cold weather outfit.
Hermione snorted, "No I want to be out here free, the last place I was happy and I think I like Firewhiskey." Hermione giggled, Severus raised an eyebrow seeing one of the most disciplined students breaking almost every school rule there was in the book, at any other time he would chuckle but he knew the circumstances behind why she wanted to be free.
"Granger." He gave her his warning tone; she stuck out her tongue, not taking him seriously. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he really didn't want to have to drag her back to his classroom kicking but he had to do something at this rate she would get hypothermia.
"You have to catch me." She tried to run off towards the forbidden forest, 'This one is all on me. I can't blame anyone but myself…' As she was drunk stumbling thinking that she was running, Severus appeared in front of her and scooped her up and over his shoulder.
"Oiiii thatts not fairr! Where did you even come from?!" Hermione whined as she held onto the bottle and started to beat her little fists into his back. However, if she remembered this later she would be equal parts embarrassed and swoony all at the same time. By the time he arrived back at the school it seems that she had fallen asleep, he just hoped that she wouldn't leave a trail of sick behind them.
Severus peeked his head into the entrance hall, noticing that no one was there, and he strode as quickly as his long legs could take him and rushed down to his classroom. Seeing that Draco was now passed out on his couch in his personal quarters, he went over to his room and dropped Granger on his silk sheets.
Taking the empty bottle of Ogden's away, about to dim the lights until a small whisper stopped him in his tracks and asked, "Why didn't they protect me? What did I do? Am I not enough?"
Severus sat on the edge of his bed trying to figure out what to say because he didn't have the answers to these questions, because he didn't ultimately know why the headmaster was protecting the Weasley instead of her. "Shhhh you are safe now. Get some sleep Hermione." He took the blanket and put it on top of her as she snuggled into it he grabbed his pajama pants and robe from his dresser and went to the bathroom.
After he changed, he went back into the classroom to gather their things and put them in his personal rooms, grabbing some droughts for when his little drunks woke up and now that he has wrangled up his two chaos nuggets he went to extend the couch so that way he could get some sleep too.
Making a wall of pillows in between himself and his godson, he replayed his meeting with the headmaster repeatedly in his head until he passed out from exhaustion.
Severus took a moment to clear his mind as he approached the headmasters office, "Good Evening Severus."
"Evening." He wanted to keep it as cordial as possible, after what transpired this past week. He wanted to be able to suggest one of Granger's detentions be with him and he needed the asshole in a good mood.
"Now that you've had time to cool off, do you understand where I am coming from with the punishment towards Ms. Granger?" Severus grit his teeth, cocked his head slightly and squinted his eyes.
"Honestly no headmaster. I don't. Especially after the incident that happened just yesterday where another one of her house mates decided to dump a random concoction of food all over her…" Severus snapped back at the old man, who was watching him with a curious glint in his eye.
"Yes well ive given her two weeks detention…"Albus trailed off as he went back to writing down a note on some parchment.
"What did you want to speak with me about Albus?" Severus questioned, knowing the answer to Hermione's question from earlier, she would not be happy. Not believing the atrocity that is sitting in front of him and is running a school that he had to report to, as he leaned up against the wall, he hated sitting down in one of those tiny chairs he much preferred to pace, it helped him think.
"There are a couple of things that I wanted to touch base on you with Severus." Severus raised his eyebrow and wondered what these things were as the second task was months away, as was the next Hogsmeade visit, Karakaroff has also been silent…
"First thank you for being on time for this meeting." Severus wished he brought his flask or his cigarettes, 'Love rubbing salt in the open wound hmmm.' "Second the yule ball is fast approaching and as one of the staff I need you to attend and do rounds." Severus forgot about the dance…'Reminder to check in on the Slytherin house and hold a how to waltz lesson.' "Lastly, has Karakaroff approached you for any reason?"
Severus ignored most of what his master was talking about, "Do we have specific times for rounds? No he hasn't at least not this past week."
"How is your….mark doing?" Severus thought that was an odd question, but unbuttoned the length of his frock coat and button down and saw that his mark wasn't as faded as it used to be.
"It's getting darker. Which means its getting closer in time Albus."
"Keep your eye on it." Severus nodded as he re dressed his arm, wondering if Karakaroff was experiencing the same damn thing.
They spoke about a few more things before Severus was dismissed, "Headmaster I request that Ms. Granger have her final detention with me. As she did not do one of her potions in class and I want her to make it up."
"Ill make the arrangements Severus."
Within a few hours, he felt a foot in his back, "How the hell Draco?!" Than without warning, Draco's foot twitched and Severus was now on the floor. "Oof you little shit." Severus peeked over the side of the couch, Draco was sprawled out sideways, squinting his eyes he picked up his pillow.
Severus took the pillow and bonked Draco directly. "Oi you little shit make some room." Draco sat up directly, grinned and chuckled and than laid back down in pain cause he felt his head was now attached to his shoulders.
"Whos got the last laugh now." He chuckled as he scooted his godson over to his side. "If you stay there on your side, I will make my famous pancakes in the morning okay?"
Draco made a happy noise while sleeping. 'Merlin I hope that works.'
Several hours had passed, Hermione woke groggily and very aware that she was not in her bed in her house. She tried to move but her head felt heavy, foggy, and her tummy felt like it was doing jumping jacks, when she rolled over realizing that she was snuggled up to a silk blanket. When a flash of last night came back to her, of him carrying her over his shoulder, she felt embarrassed but also stupidly happy, she would relish in the moment if her tummy would stop making her feel like she was going to vomit.
Seeing a note on the bedside table, she quickly read that the bathroom was right outside the door, and to the left. Tip toeing through her professor's personal quarters, Hermoine was mentally squealing in excitement, she poked her head outside the door and couldn't help the small giggle that left her lips, which she tried to stifle with her has as best as possible.
She would never be able to describe the scene to anyone, but she wanted to keep this one to herself. Snape was on the couch, and Draco was sprawled out nearly pushing him off the couch, 'They seem comfortable doing this, I wonder if that's how Draco grew up seeing this other much kinder side to him…'
Hermione slipped into the bathroom, moments before pulling her hair up she threw up in the toilet. "Aghhh" She groaned quietly, resting her head on the side of the bathtub that was next to her feeling the coolness on her face, as she heard a soft knock on the door.
"Come in…." Hermione was balled up, her head propped up still on the bathtub. She glanced to her right to see that her professor was in his black silk robe and pajama pants, she was going to pass out. She heard footsteps from behind her and then looked over to her right again and he was leaning up against the wall next to her.
"Morning Granger. How are you feeling?" Her reply back was vomiting into the toilet. "Ahhh that does sound difficult. What did we learn?" Severus had crossed his arms against his chest, as he opened his medicine cabinet and poured her some water, handing it to her when she finished.
"To not spin around in circles in the snow while drinking and wearing only pajamas…." Hermione answered as she groaned again feeling like her brain was trying to physically escape through her face, sipping slowly on the water.
"Annd?" Severus drawled, as he took a quick glance over to the door hearing Draco was now waking up.
"Not to drink." Hermione replied back before throwing up again once again.
"Not to drink excessively. "He corrected before continuing, "You learned that half a bottle of firewhiskey was too much alcohol for you." Severus replied back, when Draco had the blanket wrapped around his shoulders and came over to join the conversation.
"Mornin you two." Draco spoke groggily as he leaned up against the door frame still half asleep.
"Draco how are you not sick?!" Hermione questioned him, granted he didn't have as much as she did last night…
"I wasn't the one hoarding the bottle." Hermione stuck her tongue out and then quickly turned and threw up again.
"I feel like dying…"
"Well you can't! At least not before godfather makes his famous chocolate chip pancakes!" Severus chuckled and ran his hand down his neck.
"Yes I should get started on those…Granger do you have a preference?" Severus asked before spinning on his heel to head towards his small kitchen.
"No preference but chocolate chip does sound good."
"Chocolate chip it is. Draco come help me. Let's let Granger have a moment, if you would like to take a shower everything is there. I can call for Naelby to get you a fresh pair of clothes if needed." Severus offered.
"Yes thank you." She wasn't sure if she should call him professor or Severus at this point, so she refrained from calling him anything at the moment. However, he was still calling her Granger so maybe.
"Naelby." The small elf popped into the room, "Good morning sir! Would you like some coffee this morning?" Naelby offered, when he looked around to see the cub in the bathroom and his godson just sitting on the couch with the blanket wrapped around him.
"Hello Mr. Malfoy!"
"Hey Naelby."
"Naelby, if you would so kindly assist Ms. Granger here in anything she might need."
"Of course sir!" He paused a moment, "Are they okay sir?"
"Yes Naelby they just had a bit to much mmm firewhiskey."
"Ill leave you to it Granger." Severus shut the door while Naelby had come in to sit next to her,
"Hello Missus Hermione. I know we met last night but officially Hi Im Naelby." The small elf offered her a smile and a handshake. She chuckled, "Nice to meet you Naelby. You can just call me Hermione."
"I will try Hermione sometimes I revert to formalities depending on settings." Naelby explained, as Hermione went to throw up again, and Naelby went to hold her hair.
"You don't have to Naelby."
"I don't mind to help Missus!" Naelby smiled as he weaved back and forth on his feet. "Would you like me to run you a shower Missus?" Hermione nodded her thanks.
Severus turned to his godson who was sitting on the couch, they made eye contact and he just went "Yayy pancakes!"
"I swear Draco you do this on purpose." Severus replied a small smile gracing his expression in a long time as he went into his room and began to change into his trousers and button down unbuttoned but his light gray shirt showed.
"Maybe, maybe not. You will never know, but probably I only ever get them when you visit and so I only ever get them a few times a year." Draco looked over to see his bag on the armchair, listening to the shower going he spoke bravely and honestly to his godfather.
"I know last night was a bit more than any of us expected, but I do think Hermione needed it. She told me what happened with the meeting and that was munted, I can't believe he would just dismiss it that easily. If it was ANYONE else within the school, he would have them expelled like that." With that Draco snapped his fingers, he plopped down in frustration on the couch.
"Im glad you two had a bit of fun, Merlin knows you two deserve it." Severus paused for a moment, he clambered some of the dishes down, cracking eggs, measuring flour. "Draco could you go get my reading glasses off my desk in my classroom?"
Draco groaned like any teenager would, he opened the door to the classroom, he made a beeline for his desk. "Found them." He turned on his heel and the headmaster was sitting where he and Hermione were last night. Draco jumped fifteen in the air and yelped.
"Draco?!" Severus rushed over to the door frame, his button down hanging off of him unbuttoned.
Draco coughed, "Good Morning Headmaster…" Severus nodded his head to come back into his personal rooms, he quickly ran in that direction, handing him his glasses.
"Good Morning Mr. Malfoy."
Severus started to button his shirt, "Is there something I can help you with this early in the morning Albus? Draco and I are about to make breakfast…" Severus drawled, watching every move the old man does.
"Very odd to have the shower going while no one is in it Severus…" The old man squinted at him, Severus continued to button his shirt.
"Yes well sometimes it does take water a moment to get warm doesn't it Albus?" Severus asked with a bit of disdain and sarcasm in his voice. As Draco went through the door, he watched from the corner of his eye Draco throw the blanket down on the couch. He didn't want to make any sudden movements to close the door or Albus would suspect something.
"Yes Severus, it seems that a cub is missing from the common room and the last known location was down here in the dungeons." Severus raised an eyebrow, 'Why ask the fucking question, when he already knows the answer.'
"Interesting, I didn't see anyone on the way down last night…Who's the Gryffindor?" Severus decided to play dumb, probably better in the long run for everyone involved. Albus squinted his eyes at the potions master, "Severus I don't believe you for a second."
"You don't' have to believe me Albus, you never do. However, who is it?" Severus reiterated his question, as he finished buttoning up his shirt and started to tuck it in.
"Ms. Granger. I was informed by one of her classmates that she never returned to the common room last night." Severus snorted and rolled his eyes.
"By chance was that classmate Mr. Weasley?" Severus questioned, as he heard the shower turn off in his personal quarters.
"That sure was a quick shower…" Albus commented curiously.
"Oi Draco use a towel for merlin sake!" Severus commented as he went towards to door to close it and stand in front of it.
"Soorryy Godfather…" Draco pretended to yell back as he waited for Hermione to come out of the shower to grab a towel and wrap it around his head, like Hermione. – Authors note : Im not sorry. XD
"Perhaps. Why does it matter who it was Severus?" Severus had to blink several times in order to make sure he just heard this man right.
"Im sorry Albus, maybe Im still groggy or maybe Draco distracted me from your question, did you just ask me why does it matter?" Severus paused for confirmation that is what he indeed heard correctly.
"Yes Severus."
"Albus its to early for me to be this angry at you, but for once fuck off. After everything that has happened this past week, you are really going to ignore every red flag that kid is giving off?" Severus asked in frustration.
"Well Mr. Weasley did get his hearing dismissed, so in factual manner nothing is wrong. Plus, the rumors of Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy do have me in some suspicions." Severus could feel his blood boiling over, if it was possible for steam to come out of his ears, it would be spilling out at this point.
When a door creak made him take a breath, seeing Draco's face with a big ass towel on his head like a weird ice cream "Godfather? Breakfast?" 'Oh thank merlin an out.' Severus had to hold himself back from snorting and laughing, 'Oh I'm soooo teasing him on this one…'
"Good fucking day Albus. If I find the cub Ill return her from the snakes pen." Severus went through the door aggressively and slammed the door shut behind him. Sighing, he leaned back against the door he just came from, when he felt two sets of arms envelopes him into a hug.
"What?" He had two very grateful teenagers hugging him tightly.
"Why?" Severus wasn't sure but he hugged them back, he heard sniffles from one of them. The pair finally pulled back from him, Hermione wiped away the tears that were slipping down and Draco was just happy.
"Just Thank you Prof…Severus.." She tried his name on her tongue, she loved it, and hopefully he would tolerate her saying it.
Severus turned to his godson, "I will never let you live this down."
Draco struck a pose, "How do I look?"
"Like an ice cream cone with chocolate on top…" Hermione spoke as she was wondering what the hell was going on, and the trio started to genuinely laugh.
"Heyyy….look I had to come up with something in the moment. In the long run, it did give everyone a good laugh too sooo bonus points!" Draco insisted as he sat down at the table, where he had laid Severus' reading glasses.
"Pancakes?!" Draco urged, as Hermione sat down next to him at the table.
"Oh alright! I swear Im just enabling him…" Severus muttered under his breath.
"Couple questions, one, what just happened and two pancakes?" Hermione questioned as Draco and dropped the towel from around his head and went back to his blanket.
Draco explained his side of the story and Severus continued until they arrived at the present. "Pancakes on the other hand…well you remember that story I told you last night?" Hermione nodded, "Well that next morning, godfather made chocolate chip pancakes and it was the best thing I had ever tasted. So now I beg him to make them for me when he comes to visit." Draco finished telling the story, as he was dreaming about these pancakes.
"Or in my own room at school…" Severus mumbled under his breath
"Are they ready yet?" Draco whined as Severus called for Naelby.
"Good Morning Naelby." Severus said as he flipped one of the pancakes.
"Good Morning Severus, Hermione, Draco!" The elf spoke enthusiastically, and the two teens wanted to bang there heads on the table.
"Naelby could we have a pot of coffee this morning, and maybe some orange juice is that good with everyone?" The pair nodded in hangover.
"Oh Naelby could you bring some bacon? Not a hundred precent why, but it sounds delicious!" Hermione asked the small elf, he nodded and within minutes popped back in with the bacon appetizer and drinks all around.
"That Hermione, is your first hangover food. What you like to deal with the aftermath." Severus always in the educator mode, at least most of the time.
Within minutes, Severus sat with a giant plate full of chocolate chip pancakes, syrup and jam. "Wasn't sure how you took yours but I added a few popular things to the table." Draco proceeded to take a strip of bacon and wrap it into his pancake and dip it into a side of syrup, and than proceeded to make rated M noises.
"I want to say thank you to both of you. Last night…was one of the darkest moments of my life…so far…I'm not sure what is going to happen in the future. I'm petrified, but knowing that you two know the truth and I know will have my back. It means more than words can express." Hermione wouldn't let herself cry, because her head was already throbbing, but her vision did become blurry.
"Hmmm I don't think we've ever had a cub brave enough to come and stay with the snakes before." Draco commented as he knew neither one of them were good with compliments.
"I do believe you are right Draco. "Severus said as he took a bite out of his pancakes. "In all seriousness Hermione, we appreciate the fact that you do trust us like you do. Believe it or not, but not many people do. Thank you for your trust and safekeeping."
They were all silent for a moment, "And on that note, lets just keep the past twenty four hours our little secret. As well as all names staying in here." The three of them nodded in unison, as they ate and spoke on what the pair actually studied last night and what Draco had learned in ways of study tips.
"Oh wait I did have some questions…" Hermione than proceeded to pull out her potions book and where she last left off as they all talked about the recent potion, what Draco and Hermione want to do after Hogwarts, etc.
"Are you sure that you don't want to change? Won't you know who know what you were wearing last night?" Severus asked, as the pair were getting ready to leave to head back to their common rooms.
"This is true, but ill just tell them I went and fell asleep in the library. Very Believable as I've done it on multiple occasions, especially last year. Thank you again for the food…and the drink." She couldn't help but laugh as did the boys, she was genuinely in that moment happy.
"Don't forget what I told you."
"I wont I promise." Hermione had an inkling this was definitely one promise she was bound and determine to keep.
"We definitely need to set up another study night, and you know study." Draco chuckled as they stood at the door to chat for a minute.
"We should, my Saturdays for the next few weeks are hmmm occupied but after that Ill be free."
"On that note I did put it for you to do your final detention with myself so you could make up your potion. Now we just wait for approval."
Hermione and the rest of the Gryffindor student body were informed by the house bulletin board to one of the larger abandoned rooms in Hogwarts by Professor McGonagall, no one had any idea as to why. Until they entered the room, where our head of house promptly told us that girls are on the right boys are on the left. There were a couple of hundred chairs that lined the walls and a gramophone sitting in the middle of the room. 'Oh merlin no…'
"Today I will be teaching you how to dance!" Hermione seized up she really did NOT want to participate in this. She trusted absolutely only four people in this house, Harry, the Twins and Neville. The chances of her being able to get to Harry before he was bombarded was slim, she didn't want to ruin the Twins' dance since they asked out girls from our own house, and she thought Neville had already asked out Ginny.
As Professor McGonagall was explaining the directions, she picked up that Ronald wasn't listening and called him over to be a volunteer. She hid a smile behind her hand. As they watched the boy with two left feet attempt to prance about, Hermione looked over to see the twins dance mockingly towards their brother.
"Everyone pair up!" Professor McGonagall encouraged, she just sat there not wanting to participate. Wondering if she should ask Harry, when several girls were surrounding him, as he attempted to shove through, and luckily Ronald after this past week was getting the sympathy vote, so he was busy too.
When one of her house mates stalked slowly by sniggering, "Ya know Hermione if you didn't try and date everyone maybe you would have someone to dance with…"
Annndd Hermione was done, she just left the room. This wasn't a mandatory meeting or anything, so she left and went down to the lake to enjoy the fresh batch of snow that twinkled in the ground. She so badly wanted to go back to the alcove that Severus showed her just a week ago, but not right now she didn't want anyone else to know about it right now.
"Excuse me Missus 'Mione?" She heard Viktor's voice call out to her. Blinking back into reality she looked up at him, when she sat down at the edge of the bank she had no idea.
"Oh um hello Viktor sorry I've been lost in thought." Hermione blurted out fumbling over her words slightly.
"Is everything alright?" Hermione sighed, running her fingers through her hair.
"Honestly, not really Viktor. This week has been so rough, I do apologize I haven't been ignoring you or anything. I've been dealing with a lot of lies and backstabbing." Hermione confessed to him, as she started to twiddle her rucksack strap.
"I'm sorry to hear this 'Mione. Does it have something to do with what happened Friday night?
"I believe so, honestly couldn't tell you I've heard a lot of rumors this week so it's probably a perfect storm." Hermione spoke softly as she huddled up further within her jacket and scarf.
"Yes, I've heard the rumors, and some people are trying to get me to believe in them. I know you and Potter are just friends, I've already asked him." He paused for a moment, then spoke once more, "Would you like to go to the ball with me?"
Hermione hesitated only for a split second, "Yes Viktor that would be lovely." He gave a small smile, "I can't wait 'Mione."
Hermione quickly ate through her lunch, without any interference to head over to study hall to work on some of homework that was late and needed to be turned in, and the good thing is it was her favorite professors day.
Hermione sat down in the middle of the table alone and she was thankful for the small breather. She heard plops next to her and almost went into a full panic attack right there in the room, none other than Ronald sat down next to her. Scootching a few inches away, when Harry had sat down next to Ron, with an apology written on his face.
Hermione went to leave, but felt a hand directly move to her knee. She was frozen in place, breathing heavily anxiety filling her body, the flight mode taking over. 'Oh God.' A whisper only for their ears, "Oi, Hermione could you help us with our homework?"
At that point she didn't see it as an invitation, but a threat. "Oh um sorry im not feeling well." Hermione tried to get out of it, she hadn't had any confrontation with him this past week and she was hoping to keep it that way.
"Just five minutes 'Mione…" Ronald whined, gripping her knee tighter. She gave in and nodded slightly, "Yeah okay." She wanted to throw up, her mind couldn't focus, she was soley just trying to figure a way out of this mess.
"I mean it's the least you can do since you rejected me AND tried to get me thrown out of school." Ronald complained as he pulled out his parchment and book, lying them flat and moving them over in front of her for her to do.
"That's not…" Hermione tried to rebuttal, feeling tears prick her eyes, but remembered that she had to keep her head down for the moment. She glanced over to see Severus was reading another students work, he had not seen yet that the red haired boy was sitting next to her and better yet threatening her.
"What happened to you earlier 'Mione? Didn't see you at the dancing thing McGonagall pulled us all too?" Ron questioned, as he cocked his head to the side.
"Like I said…Im not feeling well…" Hermione mumbled under her breath, however he didn't care he just wanted her to feel bad.
He returned to his conversation with Harry, "You know Harry we should get dates, let's agree that we don't return to the common room without them?" Ronald suggested, as Hermione watched out of the corner of her eye waiting for an opportunity to get out of this situation.
Feeling her knee squeezed tighter, "How's the help coming along?"
Hermione just made a noise, "Hey Ron, do you want to switch spaces? I've been meaning to ask Hermione for some help. She explains it in a way that I can actually understand." Harry chuckled trying to calm the situation down before it exploded everywhere.
"Eh maybe in a minute Harry, haven't spent a lot of time with 'mione recently want to catch up." Ron rebutted as Hermione just sat there helpless, her hands literally tied behind her back.
She barely took part in the rest of their conversation, she just wanted to get out of the room. Something about asking Fred and George who they are taking to the ball, etc. When she heard her name, "Oi, Hermione you're a girl!"
Rolling her eyes, "Well spotted." Sarcasm dripping from each word, wondering what the point of what the conversation was.
"Well if you are going to be that way you can sit up all alone up in your dorm that evening then." Ron spoke bluntly, squeezing her knee again. She noticed from the corner of her eye, that Severus began to pace around the room, continuing to read. 'Severus Tobias Snape.' She mentally yelled at him.
She had an idea and she prayed to Merlin that it worked. As he was approaching their bit of the table, a piece of paper 'slid' off the table to her right she leaned back and to the right to grab the paper but also Severus' pant leg pulling it slightly.
He turned on his heel in an instant, raising an eyebrow, which she was hoping gave him full view of the fact that Ronald had a death grip on her knee. Severus swooped in, sliding between the pair, straddling the bench sideways waiting for the Weasley to take notice when his hand loosened from someone else joining.
Ronald looked back over, his eyes wide, a yelp escaped him. Hermione wanted to laugh, but was more grateful for the intervention. "Mr. Weasley. I will give you one warning and one warning Only. Remove your hands off of Ms. Granger's person." Severus warned, his voice deep and dark, even death would be afraid as his eyes burning with intense anger.
"No matter what you do Snape, it won't work. I mean we all saw what happened the headmaster's office." Ronald smirked, holding an air of arrogance to him. Severus held a smirk that out did Ronald's tenfold.
"You think that now boy. Detention for the next month. My office. Friday Night 7pm Sharp." Severus growled, as he slid back against Hermione, which broke contact with Ronald, but not without leaving scratch marks. She quickly stood up and followed him back over to where he was originally standing, handing in her booklet with a shaky hand she heard a soft whisper.
"My office." She thought she made it up but didn't hesitate to head down to the dungeons. Whether she was hearing things or not she needed to be in a safe place to calm herself down after that ordeal. As she continued her path, hearing her heartbeat growing louder in her ears, feeling as if she was being watched even after she left the study area.
As she made her way down into the frigid dungeons, she finally let the tears that were threatening to fall earlier, actually stream down her face. Immediately entering the potions classroom, she found her seat next to Draco's, and just lost it. Crying, hyperventilating breathing, and she had to grab a spare cauldron to throw up in, her legs were weak, and she had completely forgotten about her knee.
She didn't hear the door open, she just felt someone sit down next to her and put their arm around her shoulder. Her breathing became more regular as she listened to the person's heartbeat, sniffling, and wiping her eyes. Looking up and meeting the gaze of one Draco Malfoy.
She gave him a small smile, wiping her eyes, "How did you?"
"Godfather. He wanted me to give you this." He handed her a small note. "I'm guessing something happened? He seemed rather urgent to make sure you were okay…" He trailed off as she began to read.
Can't get away.
Sent Draco. He gives good hugs.
Take a calming draught and some bruising crème if you need it.
S.S.
Hermione smiled, "Well he is right, you give pretty good hugs."
"He did NOT write that?!" Draco looked at the note agape, slightly embarrassed. Hermione folded the note, slipped it into her potions book, was going to go and stand but her knee was a mean reddish-purple color with a couple of red streaks down her leg.
"That looks like that's going to be a nasty bruise…anddd didn't even realize he scratched me. Awesome." Hermione commented, then looking at the cauldron of sickness, feeling equally to more embarrassed than Draco.
"Oh um…Sorry I had a bit of a panic attack…" Hermione looked down away from Draco embarrassed and ashamed that she admitted to being so vulnerable.
"Hey don't worry about it. One time I threw up on godfather…" Draco admitted dumping the cauldron into the sink and turning the water on.
Hermione snorted loudly, "Sorry but I have to know the story."
Draco sighed, "Alright, but don't tell him I told you. He might actually wring my neck."
"Deal." Hermione spoke as she hobbled over to Severus' potion cabinet to get a variation of potions.
"Okay well I was like six or something and godfather came to visit for the weekend during the school holidays. He brought massive amounts of sweets that I proceeded to eat…a lot of them…Mum was so mad at him, she told him he had to stay up with me. He read to me and I complained that my stomach and we fell asleep for a bit but then I woke up and threw up all over him, still feel bad about it to this day." Draco cringed at his smaller younger self.
"What did he do?" Hermione asked as she propped her leg up started to clean her wounds.
"He's the best. I felt so bad for throwing up on him, I woke him up crying about it. He patted my head and took me into the bathroom to get myself and himself all cleaned up. He never chastised me, he just asked if I had learned anything in the process." Draco stopped for a moment to reminisce about the moment of simpler, happier times. Hermione just sat there smiling hearing such a sweet, innocent story about her two Slytherins.
Draco was finished scrubbing the cauldron, coming back over to the desk they were sitting at. "Do you want to talk about it?" Hermione could feel herself tearing up again, seeing the true kindness of who she thought was her ultimate enemy.
She recollected the series of events that happened, even the idea of slipping the paper off the table to grab Severus' attention. "Brilliant Idea and quick thinking too."
"Then the threat at the end…He's not afraid anymore Draco and I'm genuinely petrified…I don't know what to do…" Hermione laid her head down on her arms that were crossed on the table.
"If it makes you feel better, I can try and do some intervening. If he bumps into me I can somewhat loudly go 'Watch where you're going Weasley!' to give you an easy out?" Draco suggested as he started to fiddle with one of the potion trays that were on the counter.
"That will help Draco just be careful." Hermione warned as she mumbled into her arms. "On a brighter side, have you had to have your dancing class with Severus yet? We just had ours with McGonagall and I walked out…" Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"The Miss. Hermione Granger walked out of a learning opportunity?! The world must be ending!" Hermione chuckled and slapped him playfully while rolling her eyes, "Shut up you!"
They spent the next half hour chatting together, getting to know more about one another. "Room for one more?" Severus' baritone voice echoed throughout the classroom, as he walked into the room shutting the door behind him and sitting down on the other side of Hermione.
The pair jumped in start, "You're not a bat you're a damn panther!" Hermione felt her heart enter her throat for a split second, returning her breathing to normal as he sat down next to her on the other side. "Thank you for earlier."
"How are you feeling? Have you taken anything?" Severus questioned seeing a couple of empty potion bottles on the table.
"I just cleaned my knee and put some cream on it, nothing more. I may have um gotten sick when I made it down here…so I haven't eaten." Hermione admitted embarrassingly, Severus leaned back and made eye contact with Draco who nodded over to the sink that he had already cleaned the cauldron, he nodded.
"Well, I'm famished honestly, I wouldn't mind some good company for lunch." Severus suggested as he called Naelby, his personal elf.
"Naelby!" A small pop echoed in the room, when a small elf that went up to Hermione's mid-thigh stood Infront of the table looking wide eyed and happy.
"Its okay you don't need to fuss or anything…I'll be fine…" Hermione tried to shoo away the attention, she didn't feel like she deserved it, but knew deep down that he wasn't just going to drop her not eating.
"Hi Naelby!" Hermione waved at the small elf, if it was possible the elf grew brighter and hugged her leg.
"Hello Missus Hermione!" He replied happily, hugging Draco's leg as well. "I hope you two are doing good."
"Well Naelby I've um kinda have an upset stomach…" Hermione didn't want to worry the small creature who has taken liking to her.
"I Know what Missus needs. Naelby will be back. I will also bring you two food as well." Naelby disappeared with another pop.
The pair of Slytherins started to chuckle, Hermione was confused, "What, what is it?"
"It seems Naelby is taken a liking to you."
"Well…I don't think that's a bad thing…" Hermione stuttered out.
"No no no of course its not. Its hmmm how do I put this…He trusts you. Basically, you are officially a Slytherin in his books. You are part of the family now." Hermione's heart was going to burst into a million small happy pieces.
There was silence for a moment, before Draco broke it. "Hey godfather, Hermione said that McGonagall's done a dancing lesson for them…will we?" Draco interjected, he had a mischievous idea that would help Hermione feel better, because he had an inkling about something and he just wanted to make sure it was true before he said anything.
Severus sighed, "I got the memo that my day to teach the house will be on Thursday evening."
"Severus….do you by chance know how to waltz?" Hermione asked him, with her head down feeling quite embarrassed asking such a personal question.
He looked over at her, "Yes why do you ask?"
"Because she walked out of her class…" Draco interjected as he went back to boredly playing with the potion's vials waiting for Naelby to bring the food.
"Is the world ending?!" Severus teased, Draco chuckled, "I said the same thing!" Hermione couldn't help but giggle and roll her eyes.
"Wait, Draco do you know how?" Hermione looked surprised at the pair, Draco knowing how to waltz at such a young age.
"Yep! Its basically mandatory in my family. We have our family gala's and we had to learn quickly." Draco spoke, "The stories that we have…" Draco trailed off an idea sparking.
"Do you want to practice?" Hermione blushed, running her hand over the back of her neck.
"I probably should I've been asked to the dance and I'm nervous." Hermione spoke softly, feeling her hand being lifted.
"If the pressure on your knee becomes too much we can stop just say when." Draco spoke as he took her hand in his and wrapped his arm around her waist.
"Alright let's see what you two can do." Severus watched from the desk watching the pair dance around the room.
Within a few minutes, they were stumbling over each other's feet but weren't giving up, both seemingly flustered. "I'm sorry Draco I'm hopeless." Hermione huffed, as she backed away from him after stepping on his toes for the umpteenth time within a five minute period.
"Maybe you just need someone who is more experienced in the teaching department…" Draco trailed off, as he hinted for his godfather to take over.
Severus went over to the pair, "May I interject?" He held out his hand to her and Hermione was going to faint, Draco held an inward gloating smirk. 'Knewww itttt.' Draco thought as Severus bowed as he took her hand, and wrapped his other around her waist.
"First rule, if he knows how to dance, which I'm sure he does. Let him lead, until you get more comfortable and then, if you so choose to do so, you can lead." Severus started to waltz around the room with her, Hermione kept looking down at her shoes, when she felt a finger on her chin.
"Second rule, look up and have fun don't think to hard on the footsteps, if you step on each other's feet it's a learning moment. You two will find your rhythm, but you seem like a natural you aren't awful. Just a bit more confidence in the dancing part." She smiled happily, she was dancing with the one person she thought she would never get to dance with, her knee was starting to bother her, but she was ignoring the pain which she might regret later.
"Do you trust me?" Severus whispered softly, "Yes."
"Step on my boots and close your eyes." Hermione did as she was told, Severus danced around the room spinning her she could smell his sandalwood and she was dazed. Yet she had no idea that Draco planned this, and it confirmed his suspicion. She was head over heels for his godfather.
The dance ended in a dip when she opened her eyes and she was staring into his, 'Merlin help me…' Her voice hoarse, "That was amazing!"
"That was utterly splendid." Draco gave a small applause, as he had sat down at one of the chairs near his desk.
Hermione was breathing heavily for a different reason; she stepped off his boots with a hiss. "Wait when did Naelby bring all this food?"
"About five minutes ago…"
Hermione sat down in her spot, "He enjoyed the dance too." She heard Draco whisper in her ear, she blushed deeply, she was happy genuinely happy even though terrible things are happening she will look towards the light the happiness in those moments.
"Naelby!" Draco called for the small elf once more, he popped back in, "You two were dancing beautifully!" He commented as he went up to Hermione.
"Missus I brought you some of my homemade chicken noodle soup and some sandwiches. Later before bed tonight call for me and ill bring you some hot chocolate." Hermione smiled as she heard Draco make a small whimpering noise from next to her.
"I mean Naelby do you mind If I ask for some too tonight?" Draco asked like a small child, Hermione couldn't help but stifle a giggle behind her sandwhich, he's always right, Draco does get whiny about Naelby's hot chocolate.
"Thank you Naelby I can't wait to dig in." Hermione noted as she took a spoonful still slightly anxious she sat for a moment to ground herself and dug in. "That is absolutely delicious!" She exclaimed, it was like Merlin had made this soup with the philosophers stone.
They continued to eat the delicious food and have good conversation, when Hermione piped up, "Oh I forgot to ask, I need some help getting my yule ball dress…"
Thank y'all for reading another chapter! I hope y'all enjoyed it! I'm super excited im started to get more and more into the story and getting into it! *have some cookies*