Chapter 19
"I love it when you give me things"- Peter Gabriel
The weekend came fast and Hermione soon found herself getting ready to go to Hogsmede. It took her a while to convince Harry and Ron to let the Slytherins join them but eventually Harry gave in and Ron stopped complaining. Mid November brought a chill with it and the curly haired witch was trying to dress warmly. She was wearing a simple long sleeve, cream colored shirt and blue jeans. She pulled out the cashmere scarf the Faye got her for her birthday and wrapped it around her neck. After feebly trying to tame her hair she headed downstairs to the common room where Harry, Ron, and Ginny were waiting for her.
"There you are 'Mione!" Ron yelled the second she came into view. "What took you so long?" Hermione just rolled her eyes in response. "Are we actually going with Zabini and Greengrass?" Ginny asked, her nose wrinkling. "Yes, Neville invited them to join us, Blaise is really cool and you'll probably get along well with Daphne." Hermione explained, the red-head wrinkled her nose even more. "Neville is waiting down in the Entrance Hall for us." Harry said, the curly haired witch nodded and made her way out of the portrait hole and made her way downstairs.
As said Neville was waiting by the stairs with Blaise and Daphne. Hermione heard Ron's slight groan as the Slytherins came into view, she also heard Daphne from the end of the stairs, "Into the lion's den we go." Blaise hushed her as the Gryffindors reached the bottom of the stairs. "Hey 'Mione" Blaise said pulling her into a hug, "Hey Blaise, Daphne." The blonde made a noise of acknowledgment but didn't take her eye's of the lions. The tension was thick and it made Hermione incredibly uncomfortable. "Well are we ready to make our way down there?" Neville asked, everyone agreed and the group made their way out of the castle. The walk to the village was quiet other than the footsteps of the group, Hermione between Harry and Daphne, Ginny was next to Harry and Ron walked behind them, Neville and Blaise walked together in front of the group having a hushed conversation.
Through the grueling silence they made it to the village, "Well where to first?" Blaise asked turning around to face everyone. "I need a new quill set." Daphne said, Ron finally spoke up "Well then you and Blaise can go do that while the rest of us go to Quality Quidditch." His voice laced with venom. "I have to go there too, I need new Keeper's gloves," Blaise said "And I need a new ink well," Neville said, speaking up for the first time. Blaise clapped his hands together "Okay so the stationary store first since it's closer then we'll go to Quality Quidditch." He started walking towards the stationary store without anyone else'sopinion. Ron walked behind everyone, grumbling under his breath. Hermione was surprised that he and Harry were still sticking around. She assumed they would have given up by now.
The group walked into the store and Hermione took a deep breath, the smell of fresh parchment was one of her favorite things. She browsed the shelves as everyone else collected what they needed. She found herself towards the back where all the expensive stuff was, gold bordered parchments and crystal inkwells. Behind a glass case was a beautiful peacock feather quill that was self inking and never dulled, Hermione was enraptured with it until her eye's fell on the price. The witch gulped, 70 galleons just for a quill was a lot, she decided to stick with her cheap normal quills even though they were more work. Blaise caught her staring at it again a few minutes later, "It's really pretty huh?" He asked, Hermione nodded "Yeah it is, I just can't warrant spending that much on a quill though." She explained. "I can understand that, even though my parents have money I still try to keep my school supplies cheap." He told her. The two made their way back to the group and then they all made their way to Quality Quidditch, where the boys and Ginny ran rampant. Hermione, Daphene, and Neville stayed close to the front and watched the chaos unfold.
It felt like forever before the boys finally finished their shopping spree and the group made their way to the Three Broomsticks for lunch. When they first sat down it was awkward, Ron just glared at Daphne and Blaise while everyone else awkwardly drunk their butterbeers. "So, Blaise" Ron started "What do your parents do?" His voice laced with venom. Blaise cleared his throat, "My parents actually work together, My dad owns Apothecary and my mom is the supplier. She grows and collects all the ingredients for the shop." He explained, "Really?" Neville asked. Daphne laughed "Yeah, the guy who's completely inept at growing anything, it's hard to believe." Blaise gave her a dirty look. "What about you Daphne?" Harry asked, Hermione knew what they were getting at and she was appalled. "My parents are boring, they both work at the ministry." She said simply. There was a look in her eyes and she sat up a bit straighter. "My parents aren't Death Eaters, and Mr. and Mrs. Zabini aren't either." She said, starring the boys down. "Daphne, I'm sure that's not what they meant." Blaise said gently, "No, no, that's exactly what they were getting at." The blonde girl exclaimed glaring at Blaise. Hermione was so embarrassed, Harry and Ron at least looked slightly ashamed.
It wasn't long after lunch that the group started heading back to the castle, they made their way back in silence. When they reached the doors, the boys said a quick goodbye before making their way to Gryffindor tower. Ginny left without saying anything , Neville actually said goodbye, hugging both the Slytherins before leaving. Hermione hung back, "I'm sorry for the way they acted today." She said, Blaise shrugged "I mean I didn't really expect anything different." He told her, Daphne agreed and said it wasn't Hermione's fault. The Slytherins said their goodbyes and everyone parted ways.
Right before Hermione reached the Fat Lady she heard a crack behind her, she turned and found Lottie walking up to her. "Really? Right now?" She asked, "Yes young miss, Master Severus isn't well tonight." the elf said in her small voice. Hermione sighed, "Ok give me a minute." She made her way into the common room and found everyone in there, quickly she grabbed her bag, "Where are you going, Mione?" Harry asked, "Poppy needs me down at the infirmary, someone got hurt pretty badly." Ron made a noise of annoyance. "What?" Hermione asked him, with her hands on her hips. "Well you forced us to hang out with Slytherins today which was just great." He said sarcastically, "Ron-" Hermione started but was cut off before she could continue, "And now you're ditching us again, going to help another Slytherin I'm sure." He said gesturing to Lottie who had a small Slytherin badge on her cloth. "Ron really this isn't necessary." Hermione tried to calm him down. "What's next? Gonna start sitting with them in the great hall?" He was yelling now. "What? No, Ron stop"
"Or cheering for them at Quidditch matches?"
"Ron stop, it's enough!"
"Gonna be Malfoy's new bitch?"
Hermione sputtered, "Excuse me?!" she said, shocked that her friend would take it that far, "Oh I know! Your potion grade isn't high enough so you're going to go suck Professor Snape's di-" CRACK
Ron's head jerked to the side from the power behind Hermione's slap. "How. Dare you." She said, tears running down her face. The curly haired witch turned and walked up to Lottie who apparated her away from the scene.
Severus rolled to his side as he woke up, the metallic creak of the bed told him that he was still in the infirmary. He opened his eyes slightly and noticed that there were curtains around his bed, though they were opened at the front, where Hermione sat. She was right in front of the potions cabinet, parchment next to her and a quill between her teeth. She rummage through the cabinet for a minute then jot down a potion that they were low on. She was wearing pink sweat pants and a white hoodie, Severus smiled at the sight. He got that feeling again, the same one he felt after he told her that her potions were perfect. That weird warm feeling in the pit of his stomach, he hated it. He knew what it meant, and it was unacceptable. He watched as Crookshanks walked up to her and rolled onto his back. Hermione stopped what she was doing and played with the cat, her quiet giggles filled the room and made Severus's heart tighten. The infirmary door started to open and Hermione waved her wand and shut the curtain around his bed.
"Oh, Harry. What are you doing here?" Hermione asked, Severus heard her get off the floor. "Well you kinda ran away from us." The boy said. Hermione made a noise of annoyance, "C'mon Mione, You know he didn't mean any of that." Harry whined. "Even if he didn't mean it he shouldn't have said it!" Hermione said sternly, "Not only was that offensive to me it was offensive to Professor Snape." Severus recoiled to himself slightly, who said what about him and Hermione? "In Ron's defense, you have be spending a lot of with the Slytherins and then you took on another apprenticeship with Professor Snape." Harry explained. Severus heard Hermione throw her hands up, "Whatever Harry. It shouldn't matter, so what if I'm making other friends and what if I want to take on an apprenticeship with Professor Snape. You guys are my friends, you should be there for me no matter what." She said. Harry tried to argue back but Hermione had shut down, the boy who lived took his leave instead. Severus saw Hermione's hand grip the edge of the curtain, he sat up slightly as she walked in and stifled a grin when she jumped at him being awake. "Oh, you're awake." She said, her face turning red, "H-how much of that did you hear?" She asked, though he heard it all it sounded like it was rather personal, "Your friends don't like your budding friendship with Mr. Zabini and Ms. Greengrass or your apprenticeship with me." He told her, "It doesn't matter, I'm not going to stop either." She said resolutely. Severus smiled slightly at her determined tone, but frowned when that feeling came back, he watched her as she preformed a diagnostic spell. He was in too deep and found himself falling for the young witch, something that he would never act on and she would never reciprocate. He would just have to live it.
It had been two weeks since Hermione and Ron got into their argument and he still wasn't talking to her. Hermione was fine with that and found herself in Severus's office, replenishing the Infirmary potion stock again. The actual apprentices were working diligently on their potions, she'd look up every now and then and watch the classroom. Occasionally when she looked up she found Severus watching her, she would always quickly look away when that happened.
About an hour into the night she heard Malfoy talking to Severus in an angry but hushed voice. She looked up and saw both were leaned over Malfoy's cauldron, which was emitting a strange purple smoke. Hermione shook her head and went back to her potion. A moment later her ears rang with the sound of his cauldron exploding.
In the second it took her to look up from her cauldron the classroom had filled with a dense, putrid green smoke. Panic filled her as she made her way out of the office. Pulling her cloak around her face, she took a breath then entered the classroom. Immediately her eye's started burning and the smoke was so thick that she couldn't see anything. Feeling the desks and shelves around the room she slowly made her way out. Finally she felt the door and pushed her into the hallway, taking a deep breath as she heard others coughing and sputtering around her. Hermione blinked the tears from her eyes and felt a hand on her shoulder, looking up she found Blaise standing over her. "Are you ok, 'Mione?" He asked, Hermione nodded and looked at everyone who was in the hallway. Her heart stopped as she realized that Severus wasn't with them, He was still in the room with the toxic smoke. Acting on impulse she ran back into the room, instantly her lungs burned and tears filled her eyes. She hit the ground and crawled towards where Draco's desk had been, feeling around trying to find a body. Finally she found a foot and grabbed it, using all the strength she had to pull him from the room. Soon Hermione felt the door against her back and someone grabbed her and pulled her and the body from the room. She leaned against the wall and tried to clear her eyes so she could figure out what was going on. She looked up and found all the Heads of Houses, Poppy, and Dumbledore in the hallway as well. Hermione looked down to see who she dragged out and found Draco on the floor, and immediately after the door opened again and Blaise fell out of the room, dragging Severus behind him. The teachers were asking if everyone was ok, and Hermione tried to answer but her ears were ringing and she felt really weak. The edges of her vision went white and the girl collapsed right next to Draco. The last thing she saw before blacking out was Draco's blood mixing with the dirt of the dungeon floor. How ironic.
A/N Omg! Is it actually me? Yes, yes it is. Holy crap I feel so bad for this taking so long. I got stuck in a spot and it was so hard to get through it. Also work started getting really rough and I fell into a depressive episode. But we're going to ignore that! Because plot things happened. Big plot things. So yeah. I love you all and I hope you like it ^.^