Author's Note: I'm sorry about the delay. I caught the Ped's Plague Round 2 last weekend, and I was too sick to do anything except lay on my couch. Fortunately, my Pediatrics rotation is over, so I won't be quite as exposed to every flu-like bug that's going around. The next chapter is already written, but it still needs to go through my editing process, but it still should be posted relatively soon, barring any illness or assignments.
I know I haven't mentioned it before, but I really appreciate reviews (hint, hint, nudge, nudge); I even reply to as many as I can, even if it takes a couple of weeks.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series or characters; they are the property of J.K. Rowling.
As Hermione opened her eyes the next morning, she slowly remembered her predicament from the night before. Her mind wandered vaguely to the potions journals she had organized for Snape while she was grounded. A recent one had had instructions and a discussion about a blood replenishing potion.
That's it! Hermione sat straight up in bed, suddenly wide-awake. If I take blood replenishing potion without needing it, it'll cause bruises. As she got out of bed and went to take a shower, she wondered if she could convince Snape to let her read the potions journal with the directions or if she would need to sneak it off the bookshelf while he wasn't looking. Well, she thought, I can always sneak it if he says 'no'.
"Professor?" Hermione asked as Snape swirled the last of the coffee in his cup.
"Yes, Miss Granger?" He swallowed the last sip of coffee.
Hermione stared at her hands and started fidgeting. "Um…I kind of noticed some of the titles of the articles in your potions journals while I was alphabetizing them…"
"I would be surprised if you hadn't," Snape sneered, wondering why the girl insisted in making such obvious statements; they were a waste of breath to him.
Hermione began to squirm in her chair. "Yes, well...I was wondering if I could look through some of them today. You see, the library doesn't have a lot of journals, and…"
Snape held up his hand, cutting off her babbling mid-sentence. "You may read any of my journals, providing you return them in their original condition. You may also use any of my books, except for those on the top shelves. I do not believe that you would ever harm a book."
"Really, sir?" Hermione cried, breaking into a grin. "Thank you!"
Snape grunted and gave a slight nod and smile in her direction, surprised at the slight pleasure he got from her excitement. Has the little wench grown on me that much on a week? he thought to himself. First I check her for a fever and now I'm pleased with her excitement over looking at my journals? I must be going soft. He schooled his face back to its normally cool appearance. "If you're finished eating, Miss Granger, please bring your plate to the sink. I believe it's your turn to do the dishes."
Hermione groaned internally; she'd hoped he'd forgotten so she could go read the journal. "Yes, sir."
"I will be working in my lab should you need me."
"Yes, sir." Hermione cleaned up the kitchen, and then went into the living room. Guilt crept into her belly as she pulled out the journal she wanted to read. Snape was being almost kind to her. He'd given her free access to all of his books and journals—save for the ones on the top shelves. And he'd even seemed truly concerned when he had checked her for a fever the night before. Should I even be doing this? she wondered, pushing the immediate "no" out of her mind, and focusing on how much she didn't want Snape as her guardian. She settled down on one of the chairs and began reading about how to brew the Blood Replenishing Potion.
As lunch approached, Hermione mentally surveyed her potions supplies. She had all of the necessary ingredients in her personal stores except for powdered unicorn horn and rattlesnake fang. But Snape had some of both; she had noticed them in his lab the day before. Now, she just had to sneak into his lab long enough to get them.
"Miss Granger," Snape said, stepping out of his lab, "I'm going to make toasted cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for lunch. Is that satisfactory for you?" Why am I asking what she likes? Snape thought. She'll bloody well eat what I put in front of her.
"Huh?" Hermione said, momentarily stunned before recovering. "Oh, yes, sir. I love toasted cheese sandwiches!" She smiled at him.
Snape couldn't help smiling back. "As do I."
Fifteen minutes later, Snape called Hermione into the kitchen for lunch. "Wash your hands," he directed. She did so and sat down at the table, helping herself to a toasted cheese sandwich. Snape passed her a bowl of tomato soup and sat down to eat. A few moments passed in silence broken only by the occasional sound of a spoon hitting the bottom of a bowl.
"What article did you read?" Snape asked her.
"The one on Blood Replenishing Potion," she replied, surprised he was asking. "It caught my eye before."
"That was quite enjoyable," he agreed. "I liked the use of the Daddy Long Legs instead of the Lace Wing Flies. I hadn't realized before that it would make the potion more potent. Have you read about that potion before?"
"A little bit," she replied. "I looked at Fred and George's notes when they were doing it last year. They told me it's a third year potion."
"It is."
"I liked the discussion in the article about keeping it on hand for things like Quiddich matches and working with dangerous creatures. I can't believe that no one thought of that before."
"Wizards are not the most logical people." Hermione fell silent, unable to comment further. Snape took another half sandwich. "I have to go to the forest and Hogsmeade for some potions ingredients this afternoon. Do you need any replacement ingredients? I can pick them up while I'm there."
Hermione thought for a moment. Now's the perfect time! she thought. She could brew the potion in his lab and have everything cleaned up before he got back. Guilt nagged at her again, but she pushed it aside. "No, sir," she replied. "I bought too much last year, so I still have more than enough."
Snape snorted. Of course the girl had bought too much. "Very well then." He paused for a moment. "I'll get the dishes and then I'll be leaving. You know where Professor McGonagall is if you have any problems." He turned to the sink as Hermione went to her room to sort out her ingredients, ignoring the guilt eating at her.
Hermione pulled four daddy long legs spiders out of their jar from her trunk, as well as her cauldron, mortar and pestle, and knife. She filled up her one cup measure with water from the bathroom.
"Miss Granger," Snape said, knocking on her door then poking his head in her room.
"Yes, sir?" Hermione asked, trying to appear calm despite her heart pounding.
"I'm leaving now." He glanced around her room. "What's your cauldron out for?"
"Oh, I'm just reorganizing. I didn't exactly pack very neatly before leaving." Hermione's palms began sweating.
"All right then. I'll be back in time for dinner. There's a frozen pizza in the freezer. I'm sure you can make that without starting a fire?"
"Yes, sir."
"I'll see you later."
"Bye."
He shut her door. Hermione blew out a sigh of relief and wiped her palms on her jeans. That was close, she thought.
A few minutes after she heard the front door shut, Hermione took her supplies to Snape's lab. Her heart fluttered nervously as she turned the doorknob and walked in. She set her cauldron on top of one of the burners.
"Apaguése." The burner slowly flickered on and became steadily stronger as she held her wand on it. She poured the water into her cauldron and began boiling it. While she waited, she turned to the cabinet in the back of the lab.
She held her wand up to the glass doors. "Orpheus." The doors unlocked. She still couldn't believe that Snape had let that slip in front of her. He had to have realized that she wasn't out of the room yet. Or did he just trust me to obey the rules? The guilt was back, gnawing at her stomach. She pushed it away, forcing herself to focus on the potion. She took two rattlesnake fangs from the cabinet and set them on the table with the rest of her supplies before measuring a teaspoon of powdered unicorn horn and a tablespoon of salt. She checked on the water in her cauldron; it had come to a rolling boil.
An hour later, Hermione ladled her potion into vials. After checking the article again, she figured that one vial three times a day until the hearing should produce enough bruises to convince the muggle judge that Snape was an unfit guardian. She looked at the final ladleful. It's now or never. She closed her lips around the edge of the ladle and swallowed the salty potion.
After dinner that night, Hermione settled down on her bed with a book. She looked up after hearing a knock at the door. "Come in!"
Snape opened her door and leaned against the doorframe. "Miss Granger, are you aware that you're not grounded anymore?"
Hermione looked up, confused. "Um, yes, sir."
"Then you realize there's no need to sequester yourself to your bedroom?" Why am I doing this? he thought. Why do I care if she shuts herself away?
"I guess so."
"Then why don't you join me in the living room? I'm just reading."
"Okay." Hermione marked her place, and followed him into the living room. She settled on the couch and tucked her feet underneath her. They continued reading in silence until 9:45.
"Miss Granger," Snape said, breaking the silence, "it's nine-forty-five. I suggest you get ready for bed."
Hermione glanced up at the clock and marked her place. "Yes, sir. Good night."
"Good night."
Hermione changed into her pyjamas and drank another vial of potion before going to bed.
Three days later, Hermione wandered towards Hagrid's hut. She had been taking the potion three times a day and multiple bruises had formed on her arms, legs, and abdomen. The ones from a few days before had faded to a pale yellow, but there were still plenty of dark purple ones. She had some cramping in her legs, but chalked it up to a side effect.
The guilt continued gnawing at her. Snape had been almost pleasant to her over the past few days. They ate meals together and discussed what they were reading. And she had joined him in the living room to read for the past couple of nights as well. He still sneered at her and made sarcastic comments, but overall, living with him wasn't as unpleasant as she had expected. He had even given her some Dreamless Sleep potion when she had a nightmare the night before. But, she told herself, I still don't want him as my guardian.
"Hermione!" Hagrid said happily when she knocked on his door. "I was wonderin' when yeh'd come to see me."
"Hi, Hagrid," she replied. "How are you?"
"I'm doin' all righ'," he replied. "How're yeh doin'? I'm sorry to hear about yer parents."
"Thank you." She climbed into one of the chairs at his table.
"How 'bout some tea?"
"That sounds nice."
Hagrid made tea and they chatted for awhile. Hermione participated animatedly for the first part, but began feeling dizzy. As the dizziness worsened, she became quieter and quieter, until she decided she needed to leave.
"Hagrid," Hermione said, holding her head and focusing on the Forbidden Forest in the distance, "I need to head back. Professor Snape's going to be expecting me soon."
"All righ'," Hagrid replied. "I'll see yeh soon then."
Hermione nodded. "Bye, Hagrid." She started slowly back up the path toward the school. However, after a few minutes, she was so dizzy she needed to sit down. She sat down just off the path, pulled her knees into her chest, and rested her head on her knees. I'll feel better in a few minutes, she thought, willing the world to stop spinning. Then, everything went black.