Disclaimer: Its not mine.
Thank you for the lovely reviews I got for the last chapter.
Hermione sat in the library of Grimmauld place staring into the empty shell of the fireplace. A fire hadn't been lit so a cold chill seemed to bite at her fingers as she deliberated over the events of the last couple of days. She hoped no one would find her in here to discuss the argument with Harry when all she wanted was a few moments alone.
Granted, maybe the library was the most obvious place she could have hidden but the smell of books that permeated through library always helped to calm her down.
Years of reading in times of stress or unhappiness in her younger childhood years had allowed her to see books as a place that no one could invade with their petty insults. Her imagination was her own and she could just block out the noise around her, fall into the world of the book she was reading.
She vacantly stared into the room, her eyes glazing over and her breathing becoming uneven and unsteady as memories flashed before her eyes. She brought her thumb to mouth and started to chew on the edges of her nails, closing her eyes as she thought about the attack.
She smiled as she looked into the old bookshop of Minefare Road, it looked like they had some new books in. She bent over slightly, squinting as she tried to read one of the titles of the books.
The smile fell from her lips and her eyebrows moved down in confusion when her eyes refocused on the reflection of the window, a black shadow had formed behind her. She jumped when a hand slammed onto her shoulder and gripped tightly. Her eyes widen as she looked into the reflection of the window, watching as the Deatheater leaned forward and growled into her ear, "Hello Mudblood."
"Hermione!" shouted a voice from the doorway, startling Hermione out of her dark thoughts. She looked down at her thumb, grimacing as she realised she had made herself bleed from chewing too excessively on it. She hadn't even realised what she had been doing as she thought back to the attack.
"What's a matter Harry?" Hermione said looking up, resigned and tired.
Harry walked into the room, his eyes on the floor and was unconsciously rubbing his right forearm with his hand. He looked the image of a naughty school boy.
"I wanted to apologise for what I said." He said softly, his eyes still directed upon the floor.
Hermione looked upon the boy with a sad expression. Harry had gone through so much in the last couple of weeks, she could understand why he was so angry. Seeing your classmate murdered, facing Voldemort and then deceived by a trusted teacher- It would be considered more peculiar if he wasn't showing symptoms.
She couldn't imagine the Dursley's being any help over the last couple of weeks, which might explain the anger they had seen over the course of the day.
That didn't mean he had the right to accuse her of such a horrible thing.
"You accused me of…Of…That with Russ! He's twice my age, my teacher and my Godfather! For goodness sake! That's like you having an affair with…with…Sirius!" Hermione said standing up and throwing her hands into the air.
She looked up to see Harry giving her a dubious look, his eyebrow raised ever so slightly.
"Well you know what I mean…If you were both that way inclined or something." Hermione said, mumbling towards the end. She couldn't help the small smile that had appeared.
"I just don't understand." Harry said, a frown once again returning to his features. "He's not a very nice man Hermione. He's not treated us very agreeably in the past so how do you know he will in the future?"
"I don't." Hermione said with a shrug, "But my mum told me to trust him so I will."
"What of his Deatheater activities? I know he's on our side." Harry said quickly when he saw Hermione begin to protest. "But Won't Voldemort find out the link between the two of you? Putting you both in danger? Him because of his link to you and you because of your association with him."
Hermione looked at Harry, her shoulders slouching when she realised he might be correct in his accusation. She brought her thumb to her mouth and bit it for a moment before sighing. "I don't know Harry. He must have some plan or he wouldn't have accepted the role."
Harry rubbed his hands over his face, he felt liked he had aged a year in the last couple of weeks. "I hope your right Hermione. I don't want to lose you because of Snape having to prove his loyalty." He walked over to her and pulled her into a hug.
Hermione hugged Harry back, resting her head against his neck as she sought out some comfort she had been craving for the last couple of days. Her life had become jumbled and she was unsure how much longer she could keep herself together.
Over the next couple of days, the trio began to return to normal. Their friendship has returned almost to how it was before the final task.
Hermione had forgiven Harry for his burst of anger but their conversations were still awkward and overly polite. Hermione hoped that it would soon pass over, she didn't think she could deal with 'no but I insist Hermione, you go in first' every time they went to enter a room at the same time for much longer.
She didn't see Severus around the house often during the day, only at meal times when he would sit opposite her, ensuring she was eating correctly. He would sit silently, only speaking to scold her eating habits, while those around him happily ate and spoke of their daily activities. People had gotten over the shock of him being at the table and just ignored him, which seemed to suit Severus. This changed however after a week of peaceful meals, a fight broke out.
Hermione had been happily chewing on a piece of beef, savouring the taste of Mrs Weasleys Beef stew. The woman sure knew how to cook. She looked up quickly from her dinner when she heard Sirius sneer, "So Snape." Her eyes moved to Severus who had visibly stiffened at Sirius's voice. They had both managed to ignore each other until now so everyone around the table had quietened, holding their breath and waited for a fight to break out. "Seen any of your 'friends' recently? Killed any muggles?" He paused and Sirius's eyes darted to Hermione then back to Snape, his face twisted into a snarl "chatted about the light recently?"
Hermione watched as Snape clenched his jaw and looked towards Sirius, his eyes flashing in anger as he hissed, "You know I cannot discuss that here Dog but I will say one thing, I may be out there with the Dark lord but I am doing something towards the War effort. What are you doing? Cowardly hiding under your bed for the war to end?" Severus said with a growl.
Everyone around the table gasped as Sirius stood up at the table, pointing his wand towards Snape. "Calm down Mutt" said Snape in a soft, sarcastic tone. "Your friends aren't here this time, it's one on one. We wouldn't want you to get hurt."
Sirius opened his mouth, a curse on the tip of his tongue when they heard the shrill, "NO ONE WILL BE FIGHTING AT THIS TABLE. SIT DOWN THIS INSISTANCE!"
Sirius and Severus turned their head toward Molly who was glaring at them both fiercely, her face red and her hands on her hips. "SIT!" She said harshly, her eyes sparking with anger.
Sirius sat down with a heavy thud, sending a scowl towards the smugly smiling Severus.
The children that were sat around the table were looking at the pair with their mouths open, hands gripping the edge of the table, all of them expecting a fight.
Mrs Weasley looked around the table and barked, "Eat!" causing them all to snap out of the trance and continue to eat.
Harry, Ron, Ginny and the twins had hoped for another confrontation between the pair but were left disappointed as the two seemed set on avoiding one another.
Hermione wondered if perhaps Sirius and Severus were just ensuring there were no witnesses when they sniped at one another.
Towards the end of the summer, Harry was summoned for his court hearing of his underage magic use. In the morning he departed, Hermione hugged him tightly, her stomach tight with nerves as she thought that her friend may be expelled if the ministry got the result they wanted.
"I will see you guys later." Harry said with a smile before going through the floo, followed quickly after by Mr Weasley.
Hermione looked towards Ron, her eyes wide and frightful as she began to panic about Harry's court hearing. "Come on." Ron said with a small smile, grabbing her arm and dragging her towards her and Ginny's room.
They both sat side by side upon Hermione's bed, sat in silence for a few moments. Ginny was in the kitchen helping her mother cook tonight's dinner, Hermione wondered if that was their own way to avoid thinking of the trial.
Hermione felt something pointed nudge her arm and couldn't help but smile when she looked down and saw Ron nudging her with a chocolate frog.
"He'll be alright" Ron said with a warm smile and certainty that Hermione couldn't muster at the moment. "They can't have an uneducated boy who lived."
A small smile that appeared on Hermione's lips before it quickly disappeared, "He's had a lot of bad press though recently after…the third task. People don't believe what he's been saying."
Ron looked at her, his forehead creased as he thought deeply for a moment before frowning, "it won't take long before people start to believe him 'Mione." She looked at him, her eyebrow pressed together. "The twins have been listening to more of the meetings. Snape's been going to more and more meetings with You-know-who. The twin's however can't work out what's been said as they keep referring to the weapon. It won't be long until the Wizarding world know he's back."
"The weapon?" Hermione said looking at Ron intensely, a deep frown marring her face as she looked at him with worry. "You think they mean like a curse or something?"
Ron simply shrugged, before smiling over at Hermione, a twinkle appearing in his bright blue eyes. "You know, Snape isn't too bad when he can't take away points or anything. He doesn't linger and he only speaks to make you eat. He nags just like mum." He snorted with laughter as he said, "can't imagine him in an apron and a wooden spoon though."
Hermione couldn't help but giggle at the image when they heard from the doorway, "I assure you Mr Weasley that will only occur in your imagination. It such a shame that you were gifted with such an imagination when you are so sadly lacking in your intelligence."
Ron looked up towards Severus, his face burning red with embarrassment. He opened his mouth to retort when Severus continued, ignoring Ron and turned to Hermione. "Mr Potter is downstairs." He paused "I presumed you would want to know."
Ron and Hermione jumped up, their feet finding it hard to find purchase upon the wooden flooring before running out of the room to find Harry. They left behind an amused looking Severus who slowly followed, closing the bedroom door softly behind him.
Hermione and Ron whooped as Harry explained of his acquittal of his charges, which caused the household in need of a celebration. The trio were grinning broadly, good news at last.
This feeling was only confirmed when everyone got their Hogwart's letter.
Hermione let out a soft gasp as a prefect badge fell out of the envelope onto her hand. She heard an exclamation of happiness as Mrs Weasley hugged Ron tightly and she smiled brightly when she realised Ron had also been made prefect.
"Congratulation Miss Granger." She heard a silky voice say to her right.
"Thanks Russ! I can't believe it! I'm a prefect!" Grinned Hermione, her eyes glowing brightly with happiness for a moment. Severus couldn't help but smile in return for a few moments, it was the first time he had seen her so happy in the last couple of weeks.
"I believe Mr and Mrs Weasley have offered to take you Diagon alley tomorrow as a reward for doing so well and to get your school things." Severus said pushing a pouch of money into her hand. "Your mother left me enough money to last you until you're able to look after yourself. Use this to get your school things and treat yourself to something. It's what your mother would have wanted." He said with a small sad smile.
"Thanks Russ." Hermione said quietly, quickly hugging him and walking away leaving a shocked Severus behind.
Severus was moved out of slight shock when he heard Mrs Weasley call to him, "Severus, would you mind getting rid of the boggart on the third floor please? One of the children found him earlier, caused poor George to have a right old fright." Severus nodded and marched out of the room.
He walked slowly up to the third floor, his wand in his hand with the incantation on the tip of his tongue. However what he saw caused him to stop dead in the corridor.
Hermione lay crumpled on the floor, her blank brown eyes staring directly into his. Her hair fanned around her and blood streamed from small cuts around her face. He couldn't stop his eyes roaming her body nor the sob that moved up his throat as he saw the angles of her limbs or the large cuts over her torso.
He stared at the body in front of him and he couldn't move. "It's just a boggart, it's just a boggart, it's just a boggart." He whispered to himself, he closed his eyes hoping the image in his mind would disappear. It didn't. "You haven't failed, she's alive. It's a boggart"
He took a deep breath and shouted forcibly, "Riddikulus ". He opened his eyes and saw a Hermione stood in front of him, dressed up as a clown. Her hair was purple, frizzing out to the side in a parody of Bellatrix, wearing red sponge nose and white face paint. Boggart Hermione looked towards Severus with her arms folded, her stance of a person who was not impressed.
Severus snorted at the image.
The next morning saw the trio at Diagon Alley. They had separated from the rest of the Weasleys although Mrs Weasley had offered to get them all their books.
Hermione turned to the boys and smiled at their impatient faces, "Fine, you guys go to the Quidditch store. I have to get some new robes and uniform for school." She smiled at them brightly as they ran towards the Quidditch shop, discussing the new brooms that may be in stock.
She turned around and headed towards Madam Malkin's, hoping she wouldn't be long.
Forty five minutes later Hermione stepped out of the shop, tapping the pocket of her coat to ensure all of her shrunken clothes were still boxed within it. She had managed to get everything she needed from new Gryffindor robes to skirts and shirts. She went to step forwards towards the Quidditch shop when she heard someone hiss in her ear, "Hello Granger. I'm surprised to see you without a bodyguard?"
Hermione's body tensed as she thought, 'how many times can I get myself in this situation before I learn?' she slowly turned around and came face to face with Marcus Flint. Her body tensed and ready to run as she looked at the dark haired man before her.
"Don't worry Granger, I'm not stupid enough to hurt you here. The Dark lord wouldn't allow it anyway." He paused as he looked around the street before back to her eyes, Hermione couldn't help but shiver as she saw the coldness of his grey eyes. "I'm surprised they let you out to be honest, a beacon like yourself needs protection from the darkness." He sneered before grinning in a sinister manner. "See you soon Granger."
Hermione stood still for a moment, her mind going a mile a minute before she bolted towards a crowd of red heads in the distance.
"Mrs Weasley, do you mind if I go back home? I'm not feeling very well." Hermione said with a small, weak smile.
Mrs Weasley looked Hermione over with her studying eye. Hermione did not look well, her eyes looked glassy and there was a faint sheen of perspiration on her pale skin. Mrs Weasley nodded, her eyes furrowed in worry. "Course you can Hermione, Severus will be there. Get him to give you a potion."
Hermione said with a forced grin, "I'm sure Russ will force feed me multiple potions. See you later Mrs Weasley." She said before running off towards The Leaky Cauldron.
"Miss Granger?" Called a voice from across the room as Hermione rushed into the kitchen from the floo. "Are you okay?"
Hermione looked up see Severus moving away from the table and stride towards her. She looked into his eyes, shaking her head. "No…No. Yes I mean, yes I'm okay."
"Miss Granger?" Severus repeated.
"Marcus Flint spoke to me. Nothing happened but he said…something…He implied that You-Know-Who was interested in me?" Hermione said, eyes wide, pleading for it not to be true.
Severus frowned as he looked at young girl, fear radiating from her and remembered the small girl he promised to protect as a young man. His shoulders slumped marginally and he raised a hand, placing it on her shoulder. He looked her directly into her eyes and said in a low voice, "The Dark lord is not interested in you." He said with the utmost confidence, "Flint was just saying that to unnerve you. You're a beacon for our side, everything the dark lord is against. The light often attracts more darkness but that light will also destroy the dark in times of fear."
I will let you decide if you think Severus's fear is of failure...or something else?
I hope the story is going alright so far, give me a shout if u have any complaints or advice. :)