Hermione sat down between Harry and Ron the next morning, her expression burdened with regret. She glanced at Harry, a sense of guilt tugging at her. "Harry," she started, her fingers fidgeting nervously, "you need to redo your essay."
Harry's brows furrowed in frustration as he processed Hermione's words. "Why? It's due today. I won't have time to make it up," he protested, his tone tinged with concern.
Hermione squirmed in her seat, feeling the weight of Harry's disappointment. "Professor Snape will give you until Monday," she explained, her voice barely above a whisper, betraying her own unease with the situation.
Harry's frustration was evident in his tone as he spoke, his voice tinged with annoyance. "Great, just so I can receive a zero on it? Hermione, you know he doesn't accept late work," he insisted, his brows furrowing in concern. "If you're afraid he'll find out, I promise I won't say anything."
Hermione's admission hung heavy in the air, barely audible as she averted her gaze. "He already knows," she whispered, her voice laden with regret.
Harry buried his face in his hands, his frustration palpable. "Great," he muttered, his voice muffled by his palms. "When's my detention, and how long?"
Hermione shook her head, offering a glimmer of relief. "You don't have any," she insisted, her voice earnest.
Harry looked up from his hands, a small sense of relief washing over him. "Well, I imagine you do then," he said, concern etched in his voice.
Hermione averted her gaze and mumbled, "No," feeling a pang of discomfort at having to admit that Harry was right about something.
Harry chuckled and grinned at her triumphantly. "Told you so!" he exclaimed in a teasing, sing-song voice.
Hermione rolled her eyes and gave him a playful shove. "Grow up, Harry!" she teased, her tone affectionate despite her words.
Harry persisted, his voice lowered to a whisper. "You know, we could use this to our advantage," he suggested quietly, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Hermione shook her head firmly. "No, I was already late coming back last night. I'm not risking it again," she replied with determination.
Harry shrugged and whispered again, "I still have my invisibility cloak and the map if you want."
Hermione sighed, wishing Harry wasn't so willing to break every rule.
"We can see Hagrid," Harry suggested.
"Not tonight. I already made plans," Hermione affirmed.
Harry frowned but didn't push the issue any further, which Hermione was grateful for.
Later that day at dinner, after a long and tiring day of classes, Hermione found herself eagerly anticipating her Occlumency lesson with Severus. She could hardly wait to see him and delve into the intricacies of the mind once again.
As she savored her meal, Hermione took a moment to reflect on how she could prove herself and enhance her occlumency skills. She was determined to make tonight's lesson a significant step forward in perfecting her mental defenses and becoming a proficient occlumens.
"Are you sure you can't spend time with us tonight?" Harry asked, disrupting Hermione's thoughts.
"Sorry, Harry," Hermione replied with a small apologetic smile. "I already have plans for tonight. But we can catch up tomorrow, okay?"
"Right, of course," Harry said with a nod, accepting her explanation. "Well, have a good evening then. Let me know if you need anything."
Hermione eagerly departed from the Great Hall, but before she could take any steps further down the corridor, she felt a firm grip on her wrist, pulling her into an alcove. It was Ron, his expression serious as he looked at her intently.
"What?" Hermione hissed angrily. "I told you guys I will see you tomorrow."
"You never turn down a chance to hang with us," Ron said, his voice laced with accusation. "It's like you like Snape or something. Don't you remember how he treated you? He was horrible to you back then, Hermione."
Hermione recoiled slightly at Ron's words, feeling the weight of his accusation. With his freckled face mere inches from hers, she met his gaze with a mixture of frustration and desperation. "Things are different now," she insisted, her voice edged with urgency. "I will find time tomorrow, but for now, I must go." She gave him a pleading look, hoping he would understand her need to leave.
"No, I won't let you go until I get an explanation," Ron thundered, his frustration palpable. "You're our best friend, and for the last few days, you barely see us anymore." His voice carried a mix of hurt and anger, his concern for Hermione evident in his words.
"That's not true," Hermione argued, her tone firm. "You still see me in class, and we share every meal together." She attempted to reason with Ron, hoping to assuage his concerns.
Ron shook his head in frustration. "Yes, but you won't come back to the common room with us, and you never jump at a chance to do something wicked with us. You've changed, Hermione, and I don't like it," he asserted, his voice tinged with disappointment and confusion.
Hermione's frustration bubbled over. "I have not changed. Look, is it such a crime to enjoy spending time with him?" she blurted out, her voice tinged with frustration and exasperation.
Ron narrowed his eyes slightly, jealousy flickering in his gaze. "I thought you liked spending time with me," he murmured, brushing his hand across her cheek.
Hermione recoiled from his touch, her expression pained. "Ron, we agreed that this isn't what we want," she said firmly. "At one time, I thought maybe you were who I wanted, but we have nothing in common. I don't understand why you keep acting this way."
Hermione's anger simmered as she confronted Ron's persistence. "You're only jealous because you can't have me anymore. You never loved me or wanted me. I am not an object, Ronald. Now let me go," she asserted, her voice tinged with frustration and hurt.
"Why do you want his attention anyway? He's a git and you should do everything in your power to annul this farce of a marriage," Ron growled angrily, his words dripping with resentment and disdain.
Having heard enough, Hermione pushed Ron with all her might, sending him sprawling onto the hard ground. She didn't bother saying anything more to him as he lay there in shock. With her head held high, she stomped down the corridor in the opposite direction, determined not to let his words affect her any further.
She was mumbling curses under her breath as she finally entered the portrait hole, seething with rage at Ron's behavior. First, he had the audacity to suggest she could seduce her husband into avoiding more essays, and now he was acting like a jealous boyfriend.
She had anticipated he would be difficult, but quite frankly, she was sick of it. He didn't get to dictate what she could and couldn't do. At least Harry was the saving grace in this whole mess. He may not like the current situation, but he has been very supportive through it all.
Her musings came to a halt when she saw Severus enter the room. She tried to find the excitement she had earlier for their upcoming Occlumency lessons, but Ron's words dashed away any remnants of enthusiasm she had.
Despite her efforts to conceal her anger behind a forced smile, Hermione found it difficult to mask her simmering emotions. Her jaw clenched tightly, betraying the turmoil raging within her, as she struggled to maintain her composure in Severus's presence.
Severus's slow drawl filled the room, breaking the tense silence that hung between them. "Do you need a moment to get your thoughts in order before we start?" he inquired, his tone measured and patient, offering her an opportunity to collect herself before proceeding with their occlumency lessons.
With a meek nod, Hermione acknowledged Severus's suggestion, determined to push aside the lingering effects of Ron's words and actions. She closed her eyes briefly, drawing upon her inner strength to block out the distractions and focus solely on the task at hand.
With a firm nod, Hermione signaled her readiness for Severus to begin the lesson. Without hesitation, he delved into her mind, his presence filling her thoughts almost instantaneously. The intrusion was almost painful, a sharp reminder of the discomfort it brought.
Hermione remained still, hoping the walls she erected in her mind would be strong enough to keep him out. The intrusion persisted for a little longer before finally, he withdrew from her mind, a small smile gracing his features.
"You have made progress. Very good," Severus remarked quietly. "Unfortunately, I was not as persistent as I could be. Would you like to try again?"
Hermione, feeling up for the challenge, nodded eagerly. "Yes, let's go again," she insisted, already preparing the walls inside her mind to conceal all her emotions.
Not a moment later, Severus delved into her mind again, searching with a determined pace. The walls she erected were firm, but as clever and strong as he was, he found a barrier that was not as sturdy as the others. He gently prodded at the wall, mindful not to cause harm, but as cracks began to appear, he knew he would have to push harder if only to improve her Occlumency training.
Feeling a surge of panic as Severus breached one of her walls, Hermione desperately tried to reinforce it, but her efforts were in vain. The barrier she had relied on to shield her innermost thoughts and feelings began to crumble before her eyes.
As Severus delved deeper into her mind, Hermione felt a sense of dread wash over her as memories of past confrontations with him surfaced, vivid and unbidden. She attempted to block them, but he persisted, uncovering moments of verbal abuse, unfair punishments, and harsh criticisms.
The memories seemed to intensify in response to Ron's words, fueling Hermione's growing anger and frustration. She realized that Ron's accusations had unwittingly brought these painful recollections to the forefront of her mind, adding to her already simmering emotions.
As Severus withdrew from her mind, Hermione was left feeling a mix of exhaustion and disappointment. She couldn't shake the feeling that Severus had been holding back during their sessions, perhaps to spare her from the full force of his intrusion. While she appreciated his caution, she also knew that she needed to face the full extent of his abilities to truly master Occlumency.
Hermione didn't say a word as she sagged into the couch cushion. She needed a moment of respite from that, but she was embarrassed when Severus handed her a tissue. She wanted to ask why, but she suddenly felt the wetness of tears on her face.
Hermione accepted the tissue wordlessly, feeling a surge of embarrassment as she realized tears had escaped her control. She wiped them away hastily, hoping to conceal her vulnerability from Severus. Despite her efforts to maintain composure, she couldn't shake the overwhelming emotions that had been stirred up during their Occlumency lesson.
The silence remained as Severus summoned a glass of water and handed it to her wordlessly. He waited until she consumed all of its contents before speaking again. Hermione silently accepted it, grateful for the distraction it provided. She drank it slowly, allowing the cool liquid to soothe her parched throat. Once she had finished, she set the glass down and took a deep breath.
"Don't apologize," she croaked, her voice sounding rough even after drinking the glass of water. "I don't hold any feelings of resentment toward you."
Despite his initial inclination to move past the moment, Severus found himself unable to shake the weight of his past actions. The memories of his cruelty toward Hermione lingered in his mind, demanding acknowledgment. Interrupting the silence that followed, he spoke with a tone heavy with remorse, "I apologize for the way I treated you."
Severus's admission hung heavy in the air, marking a significant shift in their dynamic. Hermione regarded him with a mixture of surprise and understanding, her expression softening as she processed his words. "Thank you, Severus," she replied gently, her voice filled with sincerity. "I appreciate your apology."
"Now I understand the cause of your earlier anger," Severus remarked dryly, his tone carrying a weight of menace. "The next time he lays a hand on you, he will deeply regret it."
Hermione felt a slight shiver travel down her spine at the sudden display of protectiveness emanating from him. "I can handle it myself," she reminded him gently.
"You allow him too many liberties. What does he have to do to make you realize he is not a good friend?" Severus growled harshly, his tone laced with frustration and concern.
Before she could defend her friend, Severus continued to speak, his expression hardened by anger. "Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we? He made you cry your first year. He made you cry again during the Yule Ball because he's an idiot. He broke your heart in your sixth year. He abandoned you when you needed him during the war. And let's not forget the countless times he's used you for your brilliance, making you do his homework. And sure, you could argue that he's grown up since then, but remember when he blatantly told you to 'use your womanly ways' so he wouldn't get any more homework?"
Hermione's cheeks flushed crimson at his last sentence. "You heard that?" she asked, embarrassed.
"You two weren't being discreet about it," he pointed out gently, his tone softening.
Deciding to change the subject, Hermione brought up, "You were taking it easy on me during that first attempt, weren't you?"
Severus shrugged and replied, "I wouldn't say that entirely. I did attempt to break through, but I was cautious not to cause you too much discomfort so early on."
Hermione frowned, wishing she had done better.
"Hermione, I did mention that mastering Occlumency would require time. You've chosen one of the most challenging branches of magic, and we've only had two lessons," he remarked gently.
"How many more do you think I need?" Hermione asked bitterly, feeling a bit insecure about her magical abilities.
"It varies from person to person," Severus replied, his tone softening. "But I believe with dedication and practice, you'll make significant progress. We'll continue until you feel confident in your abilities."
"You don't mind?" Hermione asked quietly.
"No, as I've said, I enjoy spending time with you. Whether it's teaching you occlumency or just sitting here talking, I value our time together," he admitted almost inaudibly.
Hermione's heart swelled at his words. "Thank you, Severus."