Once again: not mine. :D
Thank you once again for the lovely reviews. They keep me writing.
Happy monday people. :)
A few weeks had passed and soon it was November. Hermione was frustrated by the lack of information she had found on Harry's Dreams. She just didn't know what to research so she had come to a dead end. She thought it could be a prophecy dream but Harry had never shown any inkling of being a Seer until this moment so it couldn't be that. She pushed her hand through her thick bushy hair and sighed, slumping into the library chair. She didn't like not being able to find the answers in a book and after two weeks of researching, she didn't know what to do. She briefly thought about talking to Severus about Harry's Dreams but she didn't have enough information to allow him any understanding of the problem.
Ron had been whispering to her over the last fortnight about any dreams that Harry had and it was getting more and more worrying. It appeared that he was witnessing Death Eater meetings and he hadn't even mentioned it to either Ron or her. They only knew this because of his murmuring in the night.
The growled softly to herself, for all they knew it could just be nightmares but the names he kept murmuring, they kept appearing in the paper. She knew it wasn't good whatever was happening to Harry.
She stood up from her chair, stretching her arms into the air causing her joints to creak from pouring over books for so long. She stood straight for a moment as she surveyed her surroundings, deciding what to do next.
She hadn't really seen Russ over the last couple of days, the stress of work coming down on his shoulders. The marking of homework and constant diligence over students during potions and patrols, they hadn't had time to discuss her birthday present. Some of the photos were truly brilliant, showing a completely different side to her parents and Russ.
She wandered slowly through the library, replacing the books that she no longer needed on the shelves before stopping in front of a large window. It stretched from her knees all the way up the ceiling, with coloured glass near the ceiling causing shards of blue, green and red light to reflect upon the book shelves.
She raised her hand, placing it upon the glass and looked towards the distance where the forbidden forest stretched out. Chewing her lip, she debated walking down to see the Beast – or Brian as she was coming to think of him. She hadn't seen him since meeting him the forest two weeks ago and she found she missed him. It was strange seeing as she didn't know him and for most of that meeting she feared him.
She probably just wanted to get out for a little bit, she decided as she turned away from the window and walked out of the library.
She slowly walked through the corridors, aiming for the main doors so she get some fresh air. A few wondering students passed her, nodding their heads in greeting. She smiled softly at them all in a friendly gesture though she didn't know many of them, internally rolling her eyes at Harrys influence at people knowing her name.
She paused however when she came into the main entrance. Students were gathered and all whispering with excitement.
She sidled up to Lavender Brown, they might not be close friends but she could always count on Lavender to know all the gossip. "What's happening?" Hermione inquired, standing on tip toes to look around the crowded room but not seeing anything which could cause such a disturbance in the students.
Lavender positively glowed at the opportunity to pass on her knowledge. "Apparently Harry and the Weasley twins had a fight on the Quidditch pitch earlier!" Lavender said leaning forward and whispering lavishly, bouncing slightly on the spot.
Hermione simply looked up the ceiling and rolled her eyes. "For goodness sake." She muttered under her breathe before looking back to Lavender, "What happened?"
"Well…I've heard that Harry and the twins now have a life time ban from Quidditch!" Lavender said with an exaggerated frown, her lip jaunting outwards. "It's such a shame." She said with a sad shake of the head.
Hermione slowly raised an eyebrow looking at the girl, she really did enjoy talking about gossip. 'The drama Lavender added really caused the story to come alive' Hermione thought to herself with a sarcastic drawl. She was drawn out of her thoughts however when Lavender continued. "Anyway Professor Umbridge had called us all together so she can announce something. Ooooh I wonder what she wants to say!"
Hermione went to reply when a smarmy, drawling voice interrupted them from behind, "Well I hope the esteemed professor tells us that Scarface and the Weasel gits are expelled. Blood traitors and idiots, don't understand why Dumbledore allows the education system to be diluted so. They're almost as bad as Mudbloods." He sneered, looking down his nose at Hermione.
Hermione glared at him, counting slowly in her head to ten to resist hexing an elephants nose on his pretty pale face. She smiled to herself at the image that incurred, Malfoy running around with an elephants nose hitting him in the head. She mentally shook herself and sighed, but alas no. She's a prefect and so she must set a good image to the younger students.
It wouldn't stop her enjoying the thoughts of some of the hex's she would send him though.
Malfoy looked at Hermione, sneer fixed in place as he hissed, "You can ignore me all you like but Severus can't save your hide forever and when that day comes…I will enjoy seeing you fall." Turning on his heel and walking away, leaving a gaping Hermione in his wake.
'What the hell did that mean!' Hermione's mind screamed as she thought though his words. He had implied Russ was protecting her from some unknown danger. Her brows furrowed, wouldn't he have told her if there was an unidentified risk to her? Sure, she was attacked in the summer but that because she was linked to Harry…Wasn't it?
Her eyebrows almost covered her eyes as she thought, clouded in thought before noticing Umbridge making away through the crowds and stepping upon a step to raise her above the heads.
"After troubles at the Quidditch pitch, I have decided as high inquisitor all clubs will from this day forward banned until approved by me." She said with a broad smile and giggle before walking up the stairs behind her.
Hermione listened to the spluttering outrage from those surrounding her and she simply stared at the small frame upon the wall. It was changing. Umbridge was finally showing her true colours and was slowly bringing in more rules. She shuddered, it could only be bad news as she had already showed her dislike to 'half-breeds'.
She turned around, coming face to face with a black covered chest. "Miss Granger. Looking cheerful as always." He said with a smirk.
Hermione looked up, smiling broadly at Russ. "Got any chocolate in that robe of yours?"
Russ rolled his eyes, bringing out another chocolate frog. "You will ruin my reputation if you tell anyone I carry chocolate in my pockets." Hermione simply grinned, grabbing the chocolate.
"I never knew you had such a sweet tooth." She grinned up to him.
Putting away the chocolate she paused, looking up at the stern man and frowning. "Do you think she will get worse?" There was no need to explain who she was talking about, she guessed he had witnessed Umbridges little show of power to all the students.
The ministry was slowly gaining more control within Hogwarts. She only hoped the Headmaster could hold her off from being headmistress. Now that would be horrid.
Russ looked at her for moment, a small frown appearing on his lip as he simply stated, "Just keep on your toes and don't get into trouble with her."
Hermione nodded, "Russ…Draco said something-"
Russ suddenly looked worried, stepping forward to listen more intently when the dreaded voice sweetly said from a few feet away. "Ah there you are Severus!" Umbridge said coming down the stairs and walking towards the pair. "Miss Granger, are you getting into trouble once more? You really shouldn't be bothering professors with trivial matters…Do you need to be reminded of your detention?"
Hermione shook her head silently, looking momentarily to the floor. 'Respect the teacher, She is an authority figure…Throwing a rock at her head would be disrespectful…bloody funny though.' She thought to herself, stifling a giggle.
"There is no need for that Dolores. She was simply being a know-it-all and asking questions about her potions homework. Run along Miss Granger." He said turning his back to her, turning to talk to Umbridge.
Hermione thanked the gods before running out of the entrance hall.
However before she left she heard the simpering, "So Severus, I was wondering if you and I could work together more closely at allowing the school to become a place more befitting for those of magical blood. Becoming more…united." Her voice becoming lower becoming what Hermione assumed Umbridge thought was flirtatious manner.
"That image to me sounds more delightful than watching the brilliant Longbottom at work." Russ said with a small smile, causing Hermione to snort and a girlish giggle from Umbridge. "However I must do some marking. Do excuse me."
Hermione didn't stop around any longer, not wanting to be in Umbridge's ire.
Hermione paused in her escape to the Forbidden forest however when she saw a group of boys sat by the stone fountain. Noticing Harry was one of them, she stormed over. She realised she must look a sight. Her hair blowing outwards and knotting itself up and her eyes squinting in annoyance.
"Harry James Potter!" She hissed as she reached the group, the anger humming through her veins. It was this idiot that kicked started Umbridges petty war against the school. So much for not letting his anger get the better of him. "What the hell were you thinking?"
"Ohhh mama Granger is out in force!" Fred said with a wink to Hermione which she chose to ignore.
"Hermione?" Asked with confusion before taking in her angered state. Sighing to himself he realised she must have heard about the Quidditch incident. "Its not like I could help it. He was insulting my mum! And Mrs Weasley!" He said with a whining tone.
"I don't give a rat's bottom what happened! You know you can't let yourself be angered, or she will just use it against you!" Hermione hissed, seeming to forget those who surrounded them.
"I was defending my mother!" Harry growled, slowly getting louder and louder.
"That's understandable - I guess it was Malfoy to get such a reaction from all three of you- He is known for stirring things to get you into trouble. Why can you never see that!" Hermione said, raising her hands in the air before throwing them downwards.
"I can never understand why you must defend the Ferret!" Growled Harry, his eyes blazing with fury and anger.
"I'm not defending him!" cried Hermione.
"That's what it looks like to me." Harry paused, sneering towards Hermione. It was not a pleasant expression to see on Harry. "I can understand why you wouldn't feel the need to defend someone's mother. Look at your own mother. She purposely left you…Not only left but chose to forget about you."
Hermione stepped back as though struck, not hearing the gasp of the three Weasley's who had been quietly watching. Her eyes pooled with tears as she stared at the boy in front of her, she had never heard him speak so harshly. A sensible voice in her head was telling her it was his Grief for Cedric that was causing him to be so angry, that it was nothing against her. But at the moment, all she felt was her own sharp pain of grief for her parents.
Turning on her heel she ran, ignoring the shouts from the Weasley's, unsure where her feet were taking her.
Severus sat behind his desk marking a pile of third year homework. His quill quickly scratching insults and thinly veiled compliments in red around the pitiful writing of his student. 'Another P' He thought to himself, 'I don't understand why the dunderheads insist on treating their homework like an excuse to expel all information onto parchment. A bit of fine tuning and this could have got a higher mark.'
He placed the parchment onto his 'done' pile and reached for another one. He was startled out of his reverie by a small knock at the door.
"Enter!" He shouted as he continued writing on the parchment in front of him. He heard the door open and close, then silence.
He paused in his marking, looking up to see who interrupted his work and frowned when he saw Hermione stood silently. She looked up to him in the eyes and he was startled into standing up when he saw silent tears running down her cheeks. He moved around the desk and slowly moved towards her, as though frightened he would alarm her. "Hermione?" He said in a gentle tone.
He was shocked however when he suddenly felt bump against his chest and warmth slowly seeping through his clothing. Looking down he saw the girl hugging him tightly, sobbing quietly as she tried to gain some comfort from the stern man.
Becoming worried to what could have caused such a reaction from the girl, he brought his arms up and hugged her gently to him. Rubbing his hand up and down her back, he leaned his head on top of her making quiet shushing noises. "There there Feathers, it's alright. I'm here. Tell me what's wrong?" He whispered.
He knew he sounded an idiot, he had never really comforted anyone before well except…Anyway, he mentally shook himself. He didn't like comforting, however he knew as the girls guardian he was the only person she had; so he forced himself to hug her. It wasn't as bad as expected; he just felt a rush of paternal love for the girl. Not the best idea but who would know. His Occlumency shields would hold against the Dark Lord so a small hug wouldn't get him into trouble.
"I just miss mum." Hermione whispered into his chest. Her fingers were gripping his cloak on his back as though he would disappear to.
Severus sighed quietly to himself, rubbing a small circle upon her back hoping he was giving her just a bit of security.
"So do I feathers" He murmured, "more than she could possibly know."
I will let you decide if Snape keeps chocolate in his gown for himself or for Hermione. :P
Let me know what you think.