A/N:
To JaneA0202- I do understand where you are coming from the summer before 6th year is quite early. The only reason it is set in this time is because the story I have thought of cannot happen later on in Hermione's life. I would like to say however that in this story their relationship is very slow moving mostly because she is so young. I do hope that you keep reading it!
Chapter 7:
Hermione walked downstairs into the library expecting it to be empty. She was surprised however to see Harry sitting in an armchair staring into the fire as if it was going to tell him something very important. When she reached his side she said, "Where's Ron and Ginny I would've thought they would be in here with you."
"Mrs. Weasley took them back to the Burrow to get a few things." He said keeping his eyes on the flames.
"Why didn't you go with them?"
"Mrs. Weasley wouldn't let me come she thought it might be too dangerous."
He said finally looking at her. She sat down in the chair next to him. "Oh I see. Well they should be back soon."
"I'm just so tired of everybody trying to protect me. I can take care of myself. I have to be able to take care of myself that's the whole point isn't!" Hermione didn't know what to say, she just gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry Hermione I shouldn't have gone off on you like that. Tell me something to take this stuff off my mind."
"I can't think of anything that would interest you."
"Anything. Please."
Well Hermione had been looking for an opportunity to tell Harry about her working with Snape I guess this was as good a time as any.
"Well since I came here I have been working for Professor Snape as his assistant."
"WHAT! How am I only hearing about this now!"
"Well I couldn't write it in my letters they thought it might be too dangerous. If the death eaters found out that I was Snape's assistant Voldemort might order him to kidnap me. We went to go buy supplies once and we were out in public for only a few hours, and that night Voldemort tortured Snape for not alerting another death eater. And that was when they thought we just went shopping together! Imagine if they found out we were working together! So you see there was no way I could have told you before." She was pleading with him now. She had been afraid of this that he wouldn't forgive her for keeping something like this from him.
"Hermione its fine don't get so upset! I understand that you couldn't say anything. But…well… Blimey! Hermione its Snape! How can you stand working for him!"
"Like I have told everyone else I love my job! Yes it is a lot of work, and yes it is a lot of hours. But I have learned more this summer working for Professor Snape than I have in the past year at Hogwarts. The whole experience is extremely stimulating everyday my mind is challenged in new ways. Its brilliant!"
Harry chuckled. "I take it that you have had this argument quite a lot."
Hermione immediately softened and smiled at him, "More than you can possibly imagine." They both laughed and when the laughter died they settled into a comfortable silence.
"Harry! Hermione!" Ron yelled breaking the silence. Ron walked in with a smile on his face closely followed by Ginny.
"Hey guys sorry we took so long at the Burrow. Mum decided that we needed to clean our rooms first before we came back here." Ginny said in an annoyed tone.
"Why we would need to clean our rooms that we are not going to be seeing again until December is beyond me! If you ask me Mum has gone completely mad!" Ron said collapsing into a chair across from the two of them.
"I reckon she was about to have us clean the whole house until we reminded her that we had left you guys all alone here unprotected." Ginny smiled as she fell into the chair next to Ron.
"But we are not alone Professor Snape is here." Hermione said indignantly.
"Yeah well he tends to come and go doesn't he? Especially on days when you two aren't working."
"I suppose." Hermione said but only because she didn't want to start a fight with them.
"So anybody up for a game of wizards chess?" Ron said enthusiastically.
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Around nine that night they were all lounging in the library when they heard Mrs. Black's portrait screaming and yelling as it always did when someone arrived. They all rushed into the hallway to see Mr. Weasley, Kingsley, and Tonks walking towards them. They all said hello as they all made their way into the kitchen. It had been a few days since she had seen Kingsley and maybe a week since she had seen Tonks. To be honest Hermione was really starting to worry about her she really wasn't looking all-that well.
"Okay everybody dinner should be ready any minute!" Mrs. Weasley said cheerily.
"Oh Hermione dear could you go fetch Severus for me he wanted to come to dinner this evening ."
"He did?" The last Hermione had heard he hadn't wanted to come to dinner all week.
"Yes, yes he said so this morning."
Hermione left the crowded kitchen and made her way up the stairs all the way wondering what could have changed his mind on dinner. She opened the door to the lab quietly as to not startle him. "Sir Mrs. Weasley sent me up to get you for dinner." As she walked into the lab she realized that he was not in there. She walked over to the door that led to his private quarters. But when she got closer she realized that it wasn't actually closed. Something wasn't right Snape always made sure the door was closed. "Sir? Are you in here?" As she walked in her jaw dropped, she had walked into a beautiful study with cushy chairs and a sofa by the fire and a smaller version of the desk outside in the corner and the walls were covered with books. There was a door straight in front of her, which she assumed was the door to his bedroom. She knocked loudly this time. "Sir are you in there. Its Hermione." Still no answer, "Sir I'm going to come in now."
When she opened the door she let out a quiet scream. "Professor!" She was at his side in no time. He was still in his death eater robes. She took his mask off quickly but gently. His face was the palest she had ever seen it. When she finally touched his robes she realized that they were soaked in blood Hermione prayed that it wasn't his own. "Professor! Professor! Wake up! Tell me what to do!" She said shaking him. Suddenly it hit her she needed to save him and in order to do that she had to snap out of it and start thinking clearly. She ran over to his bathroom, she would bet her life on it that he would have everything she needed in there. Luckily she had been right she quickly grabbed everything and ran back to his side. She propped his head up on her lap and started pouring down the blood replenishing potions. By the sound of his breathing he had at least one or two broken ribs. Looking through the pile of potions she had she picked up the one labeled skele-gro. After that she found another one labeled wound-healing, she quickly poured that down his throat.
After five agonizingly long minutes he started to cough and his eyes fluttered open.
"Oh Professor! Thank God you're alive!"
"Where am I?"
"You're in your bedroom I came to find you for dinner and when you didn't answer I got worried so I came in and I found you here on the floor…..I…I thought you were dead." She said in a whisper.
He wordlessly raised his hand to cup her cheek as the tears started to fall down her face. After a moment Hermione sniffed unattractively and said, "Are you okay is there anything that I can do to help? I gave you skele-gro, blood replenishing, and a wound-healing potion."
"Maybe a pepper-up potion that way I can make it to my bed."
"Oh yes of course you probably don't want to lie here all night do you?" she said with false cheeriness as she located the pepper-up potion. As she was pouring it down his throat she heard a noise from the lab closely followed by Kingsley's voice calling her name. "We're in here Kingsley please come quick!"
Moments later Kingsley barged into the room. There was a moment of silence as Kingsley absorbed the scene in front of him. "Hermione! What happened?"
He said as he knelt down on the floor next to her. "I'm not quite sure yet I haven't had a chance to ask him yet. Help me get him onto the bed." As Kingsley went to reach for Severus, Severus jerked away from him and said, "Miss Granger I am hardly incapable of getting to the bed without assistance."
"Nonsense! You were unconscious on the floor when I came in! You aren't even able to sit up on your own now! Stop being ridiculous and let us help you into bed."
Snape gave her a look of contempt but grudgingly let them help him to bed. When he was finally settled Hermione sat beside him and smoothed out his quilt tenderly. It was obvious that she had forgotten that Kingsley was right behind her.
"You're not going to tell us what happened are you." She stated. It wasn't a question.
Kingsley finally interrupted, "I'm sorry Professor but I will have to demand that you tell us. If you don't want Hermione to hear I can ask her to leave if-"
"Kingsley!" Hermione interrupted. "You will do no such thing if he doesn't want to talk about it then he WON'T talk about it!"
"Hermione we have to know what has happened."
"Well isn't it obvious! The Dark Lord summoned him! These are the results of that summons, what more do you need to know!" Hermione was trying hard not to yell but was failing miserably. "Would you be able to inform Mrs. Weasley of the situation and ask her to send some food up instead? We obviously wont be able to make it," She said this time in a much calmer voice.
"Surely you can come down for dinner? I don't think that there is much more that you can do to help Severus at the moment."
"Why don't you leave that decision up to me." Now if you could please inform Mrs. Weasley for me that would be most helpful." And with that she looked away from him indicating that their conversation was over.
Once she heard him leave to room, Hermione turned around to see a very smug looking Snape looking back at her.
"What?"
"Nothing I just never thought I would see the day when a Gryffindor would stand up for me. That's all." He said with the same satisfied smirk.
"Well I couldn't stand the idea of you being forced to relive any of that for no reason. I know that if there was anything that the Order could use you would have told Dumbledore. I know that what happens there is very personal to you and you don't like sharing that information with people. And as your assistant and friend it is my job and duty to get you out of those situations." She said with a smile. "So tell me. Why were you planning on coming to dinner tonight? Last I heard you hated those "tedious sit-downs" and wished to be rid of them forever." She said with a knowing smirk. She had suspected for a while now that he actually secretly enjoyed those dinners.
"I had something that I needed to discuss with Tonks."
"Oh really? What about?"
"It is none of your concern. Stop giving me that look woman. I know what you are thinking and you are completely mad!" he said grouchily.
"Whatever you say sir." She said chuckling as he threw her a death glare.
Hermione hadn't wanted to leave his side so she pulled up a chair and got two books from his study. An hour later Snape broke the silence. "You know I would have been fine I wouldn't have died."
"So what? Did you just want me to leave you there and hope for the best, hope that you would eventually wake up?"
"No that's not what I am saying. I just meant that I have had much worse and survived. You seem to be treating me as though I am on my deathbed. I am however fine now. If you were not here I would be working in the lab as usual."
Hermione felt an ache in her heart. Yes she had known that this probably did happen often but he was brushing this off as if it was nothing which only meant he had to deal with a lot worse. She fought the urge to leap out of her chair and hug him.
"Okay well in that case after I finish this chapter we will discuss how to keep the compound in the anti-venom potion from dissolving every time we add the toxy root." They both went back to their books.
After two hours of deep discussion Hermione went downstairs to see if Kingsley was still around. She really did feel awful and she wanted to apologies. When she went into the kitchen Kingsley was sitting talking with Arthur, they both stopped to look at her enter. "Umm Kingsley could I talk to you outside for a moment?" Hermione said uncertainly.
"Of course. Arthur I will tell the aurors to look out for those metamorph metals." Arthur nodded in return and went to join Tonks and Mrs. Weasley at the other end of the table.
Hermione led them to the garden and when she was in the center she turned to him. "Kingsley I just wanted to say that I am truly sorry for the way I spoke to you. You did not deserve it at all you were doing what you thought was best. I was just so overwhelmed by what had happened that I went into overprotection mode and didn't stop to think. Again I am so, so sorry." She said earnestly.
"Hermione its alright I understand you were just looking out for him. I could never be mad at you for standing up for your friend." He said chuckling at the last part.
"What? Why are you laughing?" Hermione said curiously. "It's just funny to refer to Snape as your friend I believe that is the first time that he has been referred to as such."
"Well I'm sure it's not the first." Hermione smiled. Kingsley gave her a disbelieving look. "Well maybe the first in a very, very long time." She giggled.
"By the way I heard about your O.W.L. results I believe congratulations are in order." Kingsley said cheerily. Hermione blushed at this sudden compliment. "They weren't that good."
"Nonsense! Don't be so critical of yourself those were definitely the highest scores of your year I am sure!"
Hermione smiled back at him.
"So how is he doing? I never asked."
Hermione frowned, "Well he is completely denying that he needed any help and saying that he has dealt with much worse all on his own many times before. The worst part is I think that its true I think he does deal with it all on his own even if it is worse." Hermione bit her lip in worry.
"Why don't you offer to help him?"
"Are you mad! He would never agree to that. He would believe that I think him weak."
"Well what if you could just happen to be in the lab when he returns from these meetings. That way he won't have the energy to argue with you. And then you can be sure he gets the proper treatment."
"That's not a bad idea. It might be hard to figure out when he is going to the revels he tends to leave unnoticed. But it is worth a try. Thanks Kingsley!"
"Of course anytime!"
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SPOV
Severus had barely made it up to his lab he was shocked that he hadn't run into anyone on his way up. It was still quite early they probably hadn't even had dinner yet. He really should have requested a room on a lower floor. Tonight Severus had given the Dark Lord his usual supply of potions. And in return the Dark Lord had given him a round of his usual hexes. As he made his way across the lab he remembered that he had told Mrs. Weasley that he had wanted to come to dinner this evening. He didn't want anyone to come up while he was still getting rid of the bruises and the broken ribs. So he hastened to get to his bathroom. It had obviously been a bad idea because as soon as he started moving faster he started to feel dizzy and then everything went black.
The next thing he was able to acknowledge was his head being cradled by something soft and warm. Someone's hands were cradling his face in a surprisingly caring manner. But he was still too far-gone to do anything about it. Besides it felt nice he knew that anything that felt this good could not be bad. He inwardly smiled at the softness of the persons touch. Suddenly he heard his name being called. He recognized the voice and finally he knew whom these hands belonged to. Of course. Hermione Granger. Who else would it be? Slowly he opened his eyes to see her face looking down at him. He could see the fear, worry and concern in her eyes. She was talking to him he knew but he wasn't absorbing any of it. He suddenly realized that he didn't know where he was he couldn't be in his office he would have locked the door. Hopefully he wasn't in the hallway or somewhere equally exposed. "Where am I?"
She immediately started babbling, he didn't catch a word of it he was still a little out of it. Suddenly she started to slow down and Severus was in shock at what he saw next. She was crying. She was crying because she had thought him dead? He couldn't believe that anyone would care that much about him to actually shed tears over his death. He wanted her to stop crying he wanted to let her know how much it meant to him that she cared. Slowly he raised his hand to her cheek, carefully wiping away the tears.
He was surprised when she didn't pull away from his touch. In fact she did quite the opposite and leaned into his hand. He just stared at her in wonderment as she silently shed tears for him.
Abruptly she broke their eye contact and started asking if he was all right and listed off the potions that she had already given him. Her professional tone somehow brought him back to reality. He started chastising himself for touching her face. How could he do something so stupid! He then realized that he was still on the floor and that his head was still in her lap. He needed to get into a bed this was not proper. He could not let her see him as some weak person that needing looking after. "Maybe a pepper-up potion that way I can make it to my bed." He said hoarsely.
"Oh yes of course you probably don't want to lie here all night do you?"
As he was swallowing the pepper-up potion he heard someone walking around in the lab. "Hermione! Are you in here?" And then he heard the voice that he had least wanted to hear. It was Kingsley Schacklebolt. He inwardly grumbled.
"We're in here Kingsley please come quick!" Hermione called back to him.
He had slowly come to hate everything about this man. He was truly the last person that Severus wanted to see at this moment. After he grudgingly let them carry him to bed Hermione had gotten into a fight with Kingsley. Severus couldn't believe what he was seeing. Hermione Granger, standing up for him, a Slytherin. When he heard Hermione choose himself over Kingsley he could not help the rush of pleasure that instantly filled his chest. He also could not help the smug look he knew he had on his face.
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HPOV
It was now just past one in the morning and Hermione was on her way to bed. When she reached the top floor she looked at her door and then the door to the lab. Before she had consciously decided, she was walking through the lab and knocking on the door to Snape's private quarters. "Professor it's me, Hermione. May I come in for a moment?" Finally she heard the door unlock. Slowly she opened it and stepped in and was instantly startled. She had expected that he would be in bed but instead he was sitting in one of the armchairs by the fire.
"I…I was just coming to check on you before I went to bed. But obviously you are fine. I guess I did over react somewhat today." She said with chagrin.
"Yes about that. I want to know why did you react like that?"
Hermione was thrown off by his forwardness. "I'm confused. You mean why did I cry?"
Snape just nodded in answer.
"Well I should think that it was obvious." She said quite nonplussed. This reaction however had obviously confused him even more. "Professor I consider you my friend. When I believe that one of my friends has died I tend to get a tad emotional!" Hermione was shocked to see a surprised look on his face. "I thought we discussed this already. We established that we were friends." She said as she walked over to the armchair across from him.
"I'm sorry Miss Granger you will have to forgive me it will take some getting used to being regarded as a friend I mean."
"Oh please! Call me Hermione I think that we have reached a point in our friendship where it just sounds silly for you to call me Miss Granger. Don't you think?" She said giving him a warm smile.
"Yes I suppose so. You may call me Severus if you wish. Only when we are alone of course." He said with false reluctance.
She smiled back at him. For a moment they sat in silence looking into the flames in the fireplace. After a moment Hermione decided to break the silence.
"Oh by the way I will be arriving ten minutes early tomorrow so you can change the wards on your private quarters to accept me."
Severus' head snapped to look at her. "I will be doing no such thing! Do not think that now that you have the right to call me by my first name that you can do as you please in my presence."
"Oh please I have been thinking about this ever since this evening when I walked in to find you unconscious on the floor. I thought to myself what if you had actually locked the door and I wasn't able to get in and help you? The thought of it makes me sick."
"You have no right to ask for access to my private quarters!"
"I am not asking I am demanding! You could be seriously hurt next time and I might not be able to help you otherwise!"
"I was barely even hurt! I would have been fine! I do NOT need your help!"
"Oh for goodness sake! Swallow your pride! Yes you would have been fine today but what about tomorrow or the next day?"
They were both silent for a moment as they both tried to calm down.
"Fine woman have it your way!" he said in defeat.
Hermione smiled brightly at him. "Its not like I will be coming in here all the time. It would only ever be if I thought you were in trouble. Thank you Severus."
He instantly locked eyes with her. She knew that she had surprised him by using his first name. But from what she could tell it hadn't bothered him. She gave him a warm smile and got up to go. "So I guess I will see you tomorrow." As she walked to the door she turned around to look at him. "Oh and Severus I hope you haven't forgotten what tomorrow is." He gave her a questioning look. "Its Harry's birthday tomorrow. I do hope you will come down for the festivities." She said with a bright smile. His face however instantly fell. She laughed at that and made her way out the door. As Hermione turned around she whispered "Good night Severus." And before she closed the door she was sure that she had heard him whisper back, "Good night Hermione." And with a smile on her face she walked back to her room and got ready for bed.