A/N: Thank you for all of your continued reviews! Looking forward to hearing from you again!

Bound to Him

Chapter 52

As the door snapped shut behind the Deputy Headmistress, Remus sank back against his desk and ran a hand over his face. He could feel the tension mounting behind his forehead as the lack of sleep magnified the guilt he felt over the events of the previous night. He had only gone to Severus's rooms to wish him a happy birthday and to attempt making amends, and he instead had somehow managed to misjudge the relationship between the Slytherin and Hermione so terribly that he had alienated both of them. Severus had refused to speak to him during the entirety of their mutual stay in the Hospital Wing, and had stalked off against Poppy's advice as soon as she had confirmed that his ribs had set.

And Hermione! The look that had been on her face before she made her own quick exit had tortured him the rest of the night. In his head, Lupin thought he had been trying to protect her, but he had let himself get so carried away on the idea that Snape could have been taking advantage of her that he had hurt her. He thought at first that she could have been acting, but her expressions – especially the one that screamed betrayal – had been so genuine, and he doubted anyone could have faked a physical reaction such as hers.

And now she had withdrawn from his course. Remus winced lightly at the soreness in his knee as he pushed off of the desk edge. Minerva had told him just to accept it, but he had to make it right with Hermione. He had to explain himself.

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

Hermione sat at her usual table in the back of the library, resting her head on her arms. She had finished all of the homework that was due at the start of term already and she could not currently bring herself to work ahead on anything. Rather, she was sitting in the library – without any books – to hide from the rest of the castle.

As it was shortly after noon, her stomach had started to rumble, but she promised herself that she would stop by the kitchens later. She held no desire to eat in the Great Hall as she wanted to avoid nearly everyone there. She was embarrassed to have broken down in front of Professor McGonagall, and she was not ready to deal with Severus – not until she got her own feelings for him sorted out. She was annoyed with the Headmaster for making her life that much harder by refusing to explain everything to Remus.

But then again, had he done so, you know Remus would be constantly checking up on you. And you know he would be watching Severus like a hawk, which would have drawn too much outside attention. So, maybe she understood his decision, but she still did not wish to see him. And she especially wanted to avoid the Defense instructor. She did not want to discuss anything about what had occurred the night before or to answer his questions about her withdrawal. She just wanted to be left alone.

"Hermione? Are you in here?"

Damn. The witch immediately scrambled to her feet and began considering her options for escape. Settling on a route, she darted around the far end of one of the stacks and waited until she could see that the coast was clear before sprinting for the exit. She did not cease running until she had after she had reached the nearest set of staircases and had ascended a full flight.

Catching her breath, Hermione slowed to a normal pace and realized that she needed to find a less obvious hiding spot. She should have known that the man would seek her out after having the discussion with Professor McGonagall, and the library would have been the first place he looked. As she continued climbing to the seventh floor, she crossed her arms and shook her head at the absurdity of actually having run away from the confrontation.

Reaching the desired floor, she paused for a minute as she contemplated whether she would rather go back to her dormitory or seek refuge in the Room of Requirement. Tempted by the opportunity to work out some of her frustration by destroying fighting dummies, she decided upon the latter and began moving in that direction. Covering her face with her hands, she groaned quietly as she rounded the corner and then let out a startled gasp upon colliding with a solid mass. She glanced up just long enough to note that she had run directly into Remus's shoulder, and then cursed under her breath. Without meeting his eyes, she attempted to move past him only to have her forearm grasped.

"Please, Hermione," he pleaded. "I just want to apologize."

She stared into his eyes angrily and raised her arm. "Let go of me."

"I'm sorry," he stammered, immediately releasing her. "I just wanted to talk."

Clearing her throat, she shrugged and folded her arms to her chest. "Then I would make it quick if I were you – in case someone sees us together and thinks I'm sleeping with you."

"Just hear me out," Lupin murmured, raising his hands in surrender. "Please."

Without relaxing her defensive posture, she raised one eyebrow in response.

"Firstly, let me say that I am incredibly sorry for what occurred last night," he emphasized. "I had no intention of offending you, and I regret that I acted so hastily. I should not have thought that of you, but I was merely concerned about your well-being."

"Perhaps you should be a bit less concerned, then," Hermione snapped, averting her gaze to the wall.

Remus closed his eyes for a brief moment and dipped his head. "I am truly sorry. I understand that you are upset with me, but please do not let that affect your studies. Please reconsider your decision."

She stared at the stonework and then shook her head. "No. No, I'm sorry, but I can't. Good day, Professor."

"Hermione, wait!" he exclaimed, grabbing hold of her arm once again. "You can't just drop Defense! Not in today's –"

"Hermione?"

Fuck. The witch yanked out of the Marauder's grip and tiredly turned to face her best friend.

"You're dropping Defense?" Harry questioned, glancing in confusion between the two of them. "I don't understand. Why would you –"

"Why don't you ask Professor Lupin that question," she interrupted bitterly. "He seems to be full of answers lately."

Remus grimaced at her use of his professional title and then met her with a distraught expression. "Hermione, please."

"Oh, so you don't want to tell him about how you accused me of – what was it, now? – engaging in an unsanctioned relationship with Professor Snape?" she queried, folding her arms.

"What?" Harry gasped, staring at her in disbelief.

Hermione tore her eyes away from the injured look on the werewolf's face and focused her gaze on the young wizard. "That's why Professor McGonagall came to fetch me last night. The something she wanted to discuss with me was the fact that Remus here had alleged that Professor Snape and I have been sexually involved."

The boy's eyes widened as they darted toward his father's friend. "That's impossible! Not Hermione – she would never… No, not Hermione."

As the witch pointedly stared at the man, Remus sighed and shook his head. "I will apologize as many times as it takes, Hermione, but it wasn't because I wanted to think that of you –"

"So you wanted to think that of him, then?"

"No!" he growled in frustration, glancing at the ceiling. "I just… everything just made sense! I tried to think of anything else that could fit the circumstances, but with the information I had at the time, I couldn't."

"Because he loaned me a book, and my cat likes him?" she sneered.

Lupin pressed his lips into a thin line and then ran a hand through his hair. "No offense meant to anyone, but it is a bit odd that your cat frequents his quarters."

The witch rolled her eyes. "Yes, well, Crooks also used to follow Sirius around, and I don't recall ever sleeping with him."

As Harry winced at the reference to his departed godfather, the Defense instructor shook his head defensively. "You called him by his first name!"

Hermione flinched slightly at the new assertion.

"You knew it was his birthday!" the man continued, gesturing with one hand.

"Because Professor McGonagall told me it was!" she countered hotly. "And I call you by your first name! Does that mean we're romantically involved, Remus?"

The werewolf let out a huff. "It doesn't mean anything more than we're friends."

"Exactly my point! He and I are friends!"

"But he's –"

"He's what? My professor? An Order member? Old enough to be my father?" the girl questioned. "Last I checked, so are you!"

"Hermione," Lupin sighed, staring at her pointedly.

At seeing his expression, she straightened her posture and raised her chin as she spoke in a calmer tone. "But he's a Slytherin. But he's a Death Eater. That's what you meant to say, isn't it? It's exactly as Professor Snape said last night."

"No!" he protested, stepping forward when she appeared ready to flee. "That's not what I meant at all! And it certainly wasn't because I thought you were just acting out –"

Oh god. No! The witch widened her eyes in fear, knowing full well that Harry was still standing beside her, and she tried to interrupt the man, but he finished speaking before she could manage anything intelligible.

"—after having been sexually assaulted!"

"Hermione!" Harry cried in concern.

"You son-of-a-bitch," she hissed at Remus as hot tears of frustration formed in her eyes.

The greying wizard paled suddenly at her reaction and Harry's expression. He swallowed slowly and met Hermione's angry eyes as he whispered, "He didn't know?"

"No!" she replied. "He didn't know! He wasn't supposed to know, and neither, frankly, were you!"

Lupin slowly closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands. "Merlin, I am so sorry."

"Hermione," Harry repeated, moving toward her as she wiped at her eyes. "You were…"

"Raped?" she snarled, glaring at Remus before taking in a deep breath and wrapping her arms about her waist.

"What –"

"No offense, Harry, but I really do not want to talk about that right now," she interrupted. "Nor do I want to talk about the rest of it. I'm dropping Defense, so please respect that decision –"

Remus dropped his hand and sighed. "But, Hermione, you need –"

"No," the girl shook her head. "I don't need your course. I'm getting more adequate Defense instruction through my lessons with Professor Snape, and I can still sit the Defense NEWT next year with only private tutoring of the material."

The werewolf exhaled slowly and shrugged his shoulders. "I would have been more than happy to provide you with private instruction myself."

Unbelievable! Hermione took in a heated breath and balled her hands into fists. "I need training in how to fight Death Eaters, and no one knows anything more about that than Professor Snape. If I only wanted training against grindylows and boggarts, maybe then I would have come to you. Now, if you would excuse me…"

Fully aware of two sets of eyes locked onto her form, the witch spun on her heel and stormed down the corridor. After rounding the next corner, she paused long enough to ascertain that neither of them were following her and then ran determinedly toward the Room of Requirement.

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

At the sound of his classroom door squeaking open, Severus looked up from the shelf he was currently restocking. Wiping his hands on his knees, he rose to his feet and grabbed hold of the shelf until the slight feeling of wooziness subsided. Upon poking his head out of the storeroom, he scowled at seeing Lupin nervously crossing the room.

"If you've come to extend another olive branch, I am not interested," he sneered, crossing his arms. "My head hasn't fully recovered from the last one you hit me with."

Remus grimaced. "I can't explain how sorry I am –"

"And I have no wish to hear you try."

The Gryffindor sighed and rubbed his temples. "I need to ask you about Hermione."

Severus snorted and rolled his eyes. "I have no idea as to her current whereabouts, but then again, I haven't checked my bed sheets since last I vacated them several hours ago."

"I don't need to know where she is," he shook his head. "I just…"

The Potions Master raised an eyebrow at his anxious expression.

"She withdrew from Defense," Lupin murmured.

"She what?" he hissed.

Perching against the nearest table, the werewolf let out a slow breath. "I take it that you did not instruct her to do so, then."

"Of course I didn't!" Snape snapped, crossing his arms. "What in Merlin's name would have possessed me to do so? The more practice she has, the better prepared she will be!"

"You didn't tell her that she would be better off under your tutelage than my own?" the man pressed.

The Slytherin narrowed his gaze. "Despite my personal opinion… no, I did not tell her such a thing. She came to that solid conclusion on her own."

"Minerva came to tell me this morning that she had approved Hermione's request," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "And I thought perhaps I could convince her to reconsider – "

"Minerva, or Miss Granger?" Snape asked, hoping for the former but knowing it would be the latter.

"Hermione," he responded, grimacing at the angry expression on the other wizard's face. "She told me that she wouldn't, though, because she was receiving more than adequate instruction from you and that she could sit the NEWT based on that alone. You didn't inform her of that?"

"No," the dark-haired man replied. "But Miss Granger's predilection for reading likely has made her just as much of an authority on NEWT eligibility as you or I."

After pausing for a moment, the Potions Master strode toward the door into the corridor only to be stopped by the other professor's voice.

"If you're planning to shout at her, now really isn't the best time."

Severus slowly turned and fixed him with a scrutinizing glare. "I was planning on shouting at Minerva –"

"Oh."

"—but please: do tell why it would not be the best time."

Remus swallowed slowly and anxiously rubbed the back of his neck. "I…erm…may have revealed…sensitive information while Harry was there in the hallway."

Snape's eyes widened and he gritted his teeth as he snarled, "You did what?"

"I got carried away in the moment, and I didn't know that he didn't know!" he mumbled, shaking his head.

"Why the fuck would he have known?"

The Gryffindor shrugged defensively. "Because he's her best friend! I just figured she would have told him!"

"Oh, because you were just bursting at the seams to tell those three fuckwads about your issue, weren't you?" Severus shouted. "Did you happen to have that conversation in the fucking hallway where anyone could overhear? I bet you're just torn up over the fact that you didn't have a friend with a direct connection to the Dark Lord with whom you could share your secrets – oh, wait; my mistake. You did, and you fucking tried to kill him, didn't you?"

As Remus visibly shrunk against the table in response to his outburst, the Slytherin Head clenched his hands into fists and attempted to control his temper. He's not worth Azkaban… not worth Azkaban… not fucking worth Azkaban!

"Yet again, I'm the one who has to fix your bloody mess, so you don't get the lot of us murdered before the boy even has his chance!" With that, he huffed loudly, ripped open his door, and slammed it behind him as he set off in search of the Deputy Headmistress.

By the time he reached the staircase, the fog of his anger had dissipated enough that he realized he should check on Hermione. Upon discovering that she was in the midst of blasting fighting dummies into tiny pieces, he decided it was best to give her some time alone while he spoke with Minerva.

As he reached the Entrance Hall, he happened to catch a glimpse of the witch through the partially open door to the Great Hall. She appeared to be on her way out as she was setting her napkin on her plate and pushing back her chair. Resigning himself to wait until she was through chatting with the rest of the staff, he folded his arms to his chest and stood in front of the row of hourglasses.

A moment later, his attention was pulled toward the staircase where Harry Potter had just appeared. The boy immediately froze upon catching sight of Snape, and he seemed visibly shaken. He glanced behind him to the ceiling before returning his eyes to the professor and taking one slow step forward.

"Potter," Severus snapped with a glare. "Not one word… to anyone… ever. Clear?"

Harry swallowed heavily and then gave a shaky nod. As the man continued to glare at him, he descended the few remaining steps and nervously made his way toward the Great Hall. He paused momentarily in front of the Slytherin Head and opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it and continued through the doorway, passing McGonagall with a muffled, half-hearted greeting.

Eyeing the boy with concern, Minerva sighed and stepped out into the Entrance Hall. At seeing her colleague, however, she donned a slight smirk and cleared her throat. "Severus, you're looming. There's never a pleasant conversation to be had when you're looming."

As she continued toward the staircase, he fell in step behind her and remained silent until they were safely ensconced within the confines of her office.

"Now, what is it you need?" she asked, settling into her chair.

"You approved Hermione's withdrawal," the wizard stated accusingly, crossing his arms.

McGonagall sighed and folded her hands in her lap. "Yes, I did. She feels as though she has no say in her own life anymore, and so when she made the request, I granted it. Even without Defense, she's still taking more courses than anyone else in Gryffindor."

"It's not her bloody course-load that concerns me at the moment," he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It's not even the three hours of extra practice she'll be giving up a week."

"Then what is it?"

Severus dropped his hand to his side. "The Dark Lord will hear about this, and he will want to know why."

"So tell him you don't want her learning Defense," she shrugged, watching him as he began to pace. "Wouldn't that satisfy him – removing one of Potter's defenders?"

"No," he murmured, running his hands through his hair. "In his mind, I've already done that. He sees her as his servant already, so he will not be thrilled to find out I'm impeding in the training of one of his own."

The witch raised one eyebrow and placed her elbow on the armrest. "Well, if he wants her trained, inform him you've been giving her lessons."

He grimaced as he made another path along the width of her office. "He did not command me to do so – and I have not asked his permission to follow the Headmaster's command if I were to claim that. I could make the argument that I can train her beginning this term, but the fact remains that she'll be drawing unwanted attention to herself. The students – and staff – will wonder why she withdrew and ask questions. Her perceived usefulness to the Dark Lord hinges upon her perceived usefulness to Potter."

"So you need a reason to excuse her from Defense that will seem plausible and still keep her cemented at his side." McGonagall sighed and rested her head against the back of her chair. "Is this what you and Albus do during your secret meetings? This is exhausting."

"Get used to it," the man sighed, staring at the floor as he paced.

She glanced at him curiously. "Pardon?"

"You're still Deputy of the Order, are you not?" he replied. "There has always been the chance that you will have to do this one day."

Grunting, she shook her head. "I sincerely hope that Albus outlives the War."

"As do I," Severus mumbled, pausing near the fireplace. "But you had best be prepared."

Minerva groaned softly and closed her eyes. "Potter will be the hardest to convince –"

"The only thing Potter needs to be convinced of is keeping his mouth shut," he growled. "Something Lupin seems incapable of doing."

At feeling her eyes settle on his backside, he sighed and turned towards her. "The mongrel thought it wise to confront her in the hallway whilst the boy was within earshot."

"He what?" she snapped, pushing forward to lean her elbows on her desk. "I told him to leave her be!"

"Perhaps we should have him neutered," Snape suggested. "It might improve his hearing."

The woman let out a heated breath. "Is Hermione alright?"

He shrugged in response and rubbed his forehead. "She's… coping."

"Coping how?" she queried, rising slowly from her chair.

"Dueling practice," he answered. "She seems alright for the moment."

The Gryffindor witch sighed. "For the moment, perhaps. When the anger's gone, the tears begin, you know. And if she injures herself, you had better make sure she…"

McGonagall trailed off as the pained expression on his face suddenly morphed into one of contemplation. "What are you thinking?"

Ignoring her for the moment, Severus thought back to the night he had been injured. Hermione had been panicked to the point of hyperventilation when all she had had to do was fetch him a potion. Even though she had not known the true extent of his injuries, she had all but gone to pieces trying to apologize and point the blame at herself. He mentally contrasted that with the Deputy Headmistress's reaction at seeing his wounds. Minerva had been just as concerned as the girl, but had approached him in a calm manner and had set about righting the damage as best she could.

"As the school's matron nurse, Poppy is qualified to give Mediwizard training, is she not?" he asked, glancing at the witch.

She gave a slow nod. "Yes, she has taken assistants in the past. It's not enough to qualify someone for the Healing and Rehabilitation Exams, but the students she has trained in the past were permitted to enter directly into the second year of the Ministry Healer program."

"I don't care about the HAREs or the Healer program," Snape responded, waving his hand dismissively. "I just needed to ascertain that Poppy would be willing –"

"To take on Hermione?" she interrupted.

"How many times has Potter injured himself over the years? It's only going to get worse from here on out. He's going to need a sodding nursemaid following him around, and Weasley sure as hell isn't going to do it," he argued. "And the Dark Lord is not foolish enough to believe that his followers will not sustain injury. Narcissa Malfoy has had some formal training, but she married before she even completed her first year – and there is no guarantee that she will be capable of practicing her skill for much longer."

Narrowing her eyes slightly, Minerva rubbed her chin pensively and then exhaled loudly. "Will Hermione even want to do this?"

"She needs some training in the art," he pressed. "We're at war. There will be injuries and blood, and she will need to know how to react without shouting or fumbling all over the place. You were there – you saw how well she handled it."

She nodded in understanding, but frowned. "Severus, the girl is overwhelmed as it is – you cannot honestly expect her to keep up an assistanceship in addition to her studies, your lessons, and her prefect duties. It's too much! The only students I've approved for this in the past had their hearts set on becoming Healers and had less than five courses in their schedule. Hermione will still have seven."

The Potions Master let out a tired sigh and leaned against the mantel. After rubbing his forehead for a long moment, he cleared his throat. "Healer training requires extensive work in Potions, Charms, and Herbology."

"As well as Transfiguration," she added curtly, mildly offended at having her subject left out of the list. "What's your point?"

"The staff bends over backwards for Potter and his pals all the time," he explained. "What if we were to combine her studies with her assistanceship? She still sits those classes, but working with Poppy would count in place of her coursework."

"Well, that's a thought," the witch conceded, drumming her fingertips against the surface of her desk. "I certainly would be willing to accommodate her, and I'm sure that Filius and Pomona would agree to it. The only question is whether or not you would, seeing as you're so often disgusted by our tendency to bend over backwards."

Severus smirked and tilted his head. "It certainly would take a great deal of finesse on your part. I imagine a bribe of some sort would be involved. Perhaps exclusion from escort duty for all of this term and next year?"

"Oh, you are a sly bastard, aren't you?" she quipped, quirking her lips. With a shake of her head, she sighed and reclaimed her seat. "If Hermione agrees to it, I will run it by Poppy and then pitch it to the staff at the table this evening. I expect you'll be your charming self."

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

"Reducto!" Hermione shouted, instinctively ducking as one of the dummies exploded into large splinters. As the Room continued to provide her with more of them, she launched spell after spell – some verbal, some non – until suddenly one managed to shield itself.

The witch swung back towards the form, automatically casting another hex, and then squawked in surprise at realizing it was not made of wood after all. She watched concernedly as the Slytherin Head, with a wave of his fingers, sent her strike fizzling harmlessly into the floor. "I'm sorry!"

Severus shook his head, and pushed away from the pillar he had been leaning against. "Not everyone on the battlefield will be your enemy. Think before you attack."

"I know, I know," she panted, wiping the sweat from her face with the back of her hand. "But you weren't supposed to be there. How did you get in?"

"I suppose I made the right request," he murmured, glancing about at the handful of fighting dummies that had become still. "You were doing well, though I imagine it will be a bit more difficult when your targets are actually returning fire."

The girl nodded and tiredly stowed away her wand. "I just needed some… I just needed…"

Her voice wavered as her bottom lip began to tremble. "It's…Harry… he knows."

"I am aware," Snape exhaled. "Lupin came to me after your conversation."

"I don't want to take his course," she stated, her eyes stinging as she shook her head. "If you're here to demand that I continue, then I suppose I will have to, but –"

"You do not need to do so," he interrupted. "Minerva and I have worked out an alternative."

She took in a relieved breath, but then turned away from him and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes. She had pushed everything out of her mind while she was fighting, but now it was all coming back and she was determined not to cry. Especially not in front of him, and not after what had been said the night before.

"Hermione –"

"I'm fine!" she spat over her shoulder.

With a sigh, Severus shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. "Would you prefer it if I left?"

The girl tensed slightly as she considered the question. Lowering her hands to wrap her arms about her waist, she gave a muffled groan as she whispered, "I don't know… No."

Eyeing her with concern, the wizard stepped forward and touched her shoulder. At the contact, a strangled cry burst forth from her and she leaned forward slightly, squeezing her eyes shut. "He wasn't supposed to know."

"I know."

Hermione furiously wiped at the few tears that had dared to fall. "I didn't want him to know."

"I know." As she covered her face with her hands, he donned a grimace and moved his arm along the width of her shoulders. When she did not, however, seize upon the opportunity to envelope him in a hug as she usually did, he narrowed his eyes. Knowing full well that she was crying despite her attempts to hide it, he swallowed in discomfort and gently pulled her against his chest, slipping his arm down to the middle of her back.

Coughing slightly in surprise, the brunette moved her hands to grip onto the loose fabric of his teaching robes and pressed her forehead into his shoulder. When his other hand came up to cradle the back of her head, she closed her eyes and turned so that her cheek rested against him.

"I could hex him if you like," Severus offered a long moment later.

The girl gave a quiet sniffle. "Which one—Remus or Harry?"

Snorting softly, he pulled some hair from her face and glanced down at her. "Must I choose?"

She smiled briefly and then shook her head against him. "You'd get in trouble."

"Only if I were caught," he shrugged. "I'm very good at not getting caught."

Hermione laughed quietly and wiped at the remaining tears on her face. "I think Remus is already punishing himself. He kept trying to apologize, and I just kept yelling at him… and insulted his teaching."

"So I heard," the man mumbled. "I can assure you he received worse from me, will he will undoubtedly have issues sitting after Minerva gets through with him."

She gave a mournful sigh and attempted to duck her head, but was prevented from doing it when he caught her chin.

"You should not feel guilty," he stated. "Perhaps if we rub his nose in it enough, he'll figure out what not to do."

The witch giggled once and looked up at the Slytherin. "It's not like he messed on the carpets."

"Same principle," Snape shrugged.

She snorted and then returned her head to his shoulder. "I told Harry that I didn't want to talk about it..."

"But he's going to ask," the Potions Master finished, tightening his hold on her when he felt her shiver. "Obviously, you cannot tell him the entire truth, but you can tell him something… if you are ready to do so."

"I don't know," she whispered. "It would be easier to talk to him before tonight, though, wouldn't it?"

"It would," he agreed, "but that does not mean you need to do so immediately."

Taking in a deep breath, Hermione nodded and gripped his robes once again. A minute later, she glanced up at him. "What alternative did you work out?"

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

A few hours later, Hermione stepped through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor Common Room. She tensed slightly as she spotted Harry slowly rising from the sofa. She had known he would more than likely be waiting for her, but she still could not prevent the slight taste of bile that rose in her throat.

"Hermione," the boy stated softly. "Are you alright?"

She nodded quickly and glanced about the room, noticing another student working on homework at one of the tables. Clearing her throat, she stepped towards her friend. "Not here."

Agreeing, the wizard gestured toward the boys' staircase and then led her up to his room. After closing the door behind them, he cast a Muffliato and then hauled one of the wooden chairs over to the edge of his bed. As he sat on the chair, he watched the girl perch on the end of his mattress.

"I, erm, really don't know what to say," the witch murmured a minute later, staring at her lap.

"Say anything," Harry urged, leaning forward. "Just say something, please. Maybe you could start with what happened – I mean, not in detail, but just… well, you know what I mean… I hope you do, at least. Merlin, I'm really bad at this."

"It's alright," she reassured, pulling her feet up onto the bed. Sitting cross-legged, she began fiddling with her hands and exhaled loudly. "It happened this summer – you know, when they came to my house."

"It was a Death Eater?"

Hermione sucked in air and nodded slowly. She felt guilty about labeling Severus as such, but it was not a lie. He still donned the mask and robes, even if his loyalties lay elsewhere.

"Who was it?"

With a grimace, she shook her head.

"It wasn't –"

She silenced his question with a glare. "Don't you dare ask me if it was either Professor Snape or Draco."

"Sorry," Harry sighed sheepishly before frowning. "Mr. Weasley told us that the Order collected you and your parents before…"

He trailed off when she began to shake her head again.

"The Order wasn't there," she grumbled, crossing her arms. "The only Order member who did anything for my family and I that night was Professor Snape. He's the one who rescued them… and Crooks, even."

"I don't understand," he frowned, "if he was there, why didn't he stop –"

"Because I wasn't there." The witch straightened slightly as she explained. "I had a fight with my parents that afternoon – they wanted to withdraw me from Hogwarts, actually, because they didn't think it was safe. I had tried to keep the Prophet from them, but they found one, and it scared them. I left the house – I needed time to think, so I just left them there.

"Professor Snape went to my house and got my parents to safety before Bellatrix arrived there, but… they found me first. By the time he got there, there wasn't much he could do without completely blowing his cover… but at the first moment he could, he brought me here."

"And at Halloween? They didn't –"

"No, not then," she replied quietly.

He nodded slowly before asking, "But they were just trying again? Voldemort wanted you for the same reason then?"

"I suppose you could say that."

Harry stared at her with a concerned expression and then leaned his elbows on his knees. "Why didn't you tell me any of this before?"

Blinking tears out of her eyes, she glanced away and shrugged. "I didn't want anyone to know. It's not exactly something you want to share with people."

"I'm sorry, Hermione." He swallowed before nervously moving to sit beside her on the bed and slipping his arm around her shoulders.

"Besides, you've had so much else to worry about," she mumbled, resting her head on his shoulder. "I was okay on my own."

"But you shouldn't have had to deal with it alone," he protested. "It's my fault –"

"Stop saying that!" Hermione cried, grabbing the sides of his face. "It wasn't your fault, and I wasn't alone. I had people to talk to. I had help."

The boy sighed and captured her hands, pulling them down and holding them within his. "I'm still sorry."

She smiled lightly and nodded. "I know you are. You don't need to be… but thank you."

Scratching the side of his head, he asked, "Is this, erm, why you were avoiding Ron?"

"In a manner of speaking," the witch sighed, drawing her hands into her own lap. "I mean, at first, it was only because of what happened that I was dodging him, but now, after seeing him with Lavvy-poo… I just can't see that I could have been that for him."

"Well, I don't really think he enjoys all of the… Won-won rubbish," he shrugged. "I think he's just putting up with it."

Hermione let out a soft grunt and lay back against the mattress. "I thought we had an anti-Weasley pact, Potter."

The wizard snorted quietly and tossed her an apologetic glance. "Sorry. You know, Ginny was practically bouncing off the walls about going to Dean's house."

"I know," she nodded, pulling one of the pillows underneath her head. "I read her novel-length letters."

When he groaned and stared at the floor, the girl cleared her throat and turned onto her side. "Harry? Can I ask you something?"

"It's probably fair," he mumbled. "I did break the pact first."

"About Ginny – I mean, last year you still seemed to dislike her," she stated slowly, "so I guess I was just wondering why you suddenly changed your mind?"

With a small frown, the boy rubbed his scar. "I don't know really. I mean, sometimes I'm not sure that I have… but then other times, I realize that I've just been thinking about her. I dream about her sometimes, and whenever she's in the same room, it's like I can't keep myself from looking at her. I don't really understand it, either."

The witch blew out a slow breath and returned to lying on her back. "Well, I doubt anyone ever really does."

Harry sighed and pulled his feet onto the bed. "So you and Snape, huh?"

Glaring, Hermione grabbed the pillow from beneath her and swung it at his head.

"Oi!" he cried, shielding himself with his hands. "I was kidding! Seriously, I don't know what Remus could have been thinking when he said that."

"That's because he wasn't thinking," she griped, tucking the pillow back under her head.

The boy glanced back at her. "You and Snape are actually friends?"

"That generally tends to happen when someone repeatedly saves your life," she sighed, "and it's Professor Snape."

He winced slightly before smirking. "Does he actually know that you consider him a friend?"

"Yes," she snapped.

"And he's been giving you lessons?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Did you honestly think that I learned everything I've shown you just by reading?"

"Erm, yeah, actually I did."

Snorting softly, she ran her hands over her face and shook her head. After a moment, she pulled herself up into a seated position. Taking in a deep breath, she met his eyes. "Promise me that you'll keep this to yourself."

"Hermione, I'm not going to tell anyone," he responded. "I already told Sn—Professor Snape that I wouldn't."

Though she was surprised by the admission, the girl continued to hold her gaze. "I don't just mean telling people."

"You mean keeping it from Voldemort," Harry inferred; his shoulders slumping.

"If he sees it, Professor Snape is as good as dead," she argued. "He doesn't deserve that, so please promise me…"

"I will do everything I can," he nodded slowly.

"Thank you," she whispered, throwing her arms about his neck and tucking her head under his chin. As he patted her back awkwardly, she bit down on her bottom lip. 'Did I say too much?'

'No. If you said any less, he would have kept asking questions.'

Hermione breathed deeply and pulled away from her friend. 'Thank you.'

'I did not interfere with anything.'

'No, but you were there.'

'I was merely honoring your request.'

Frowning slightly, she rubbed her arms. 'You can silence it again if you'd like.'

There was a long moment of silence before she heard Severus speak again. 'The carriages have arrived.'

'Oh.' The witch rose from the bed and crossed over to the window. 'I shall see you at supper, then?'

When no response occurred, she sighed and pressed her forehead against the glass. She had truly appreciated that he had agreed to listen in on her conversation because she had been worried that she might say the wrong thing. He had not said anything, but she had still felt better knowing he was there. She knew that he was doing it because she asked, but after he had held her that afternoon, the part of her that wanted to believe everything McGonagall had told her also wanted to believe that he was helping her because he could – not just because he had to.

"Hermione, is something wrong?"

Pulling her head from the window, she glanced back at her friend and shook her head. She then gestured to the tiny blips of light visible through the snowfall. "The carriages are here."

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

After the meal, Hermione snuck away from the throng of students heading back to Gryffindor Tower. Having had her fill of jovial conversation with her friends and smug looks from Lavender as she wound herself around Ron's waist, the witch needed a moment to herself before she returned for more. As she walked through the quiet halls on the fourth floor, she lamented the fact that the quiet days of the holiday break were over.

Quiet days? Hardly.

At the sound of rapid footsteps behind her, the girl swung around and withdrew her wand only to be grabbed around the waist and yanked into a dark alcove. The hex that had been on the tip of her tongue vanished as soon as she was released and found herself staring into the face of Draco Malfoy.

"We need to talk," he growled.

Stepping back from him, she folded her arms to her chest. "Is it utterly impossible for you to have a conversation with someone without throwing their vertebrae out of alignment?"

Ignoring the question, the blonde wizard dug in the pocket of his robes and pulled something from it. "I want to know what the fuck this is."

Hermione swallowed hesitantly as she glanced down at the smooth, purple rock he was holding. "It's an amethyst."

"I know it's a sodding amethyst!" he hissed. "Why did you give it to me?"

Her heart still racing, she shrugged. "Why do you think I was the one who gave it to you?"

Draco donned an irritated sneer. "You're as subtle as a bloody hippogriff, Granger. It was in my pocket when I arrived home, and I certainly didn't put it there. You did when you bumped into me at the carriages. You don't say, 'Happy Christmas' after bumping into someone if you want them to forget it."

"Fine," she huffed, dropping her arms to her sides. "So I gave it to you."

"Why?"

The witch took in a deep breath and averted her eyes from his demanding glare. "If you can't figure it out on your own, then I feel sorry for you."

When she attempted to move past him, he grabbed her again and pushed her back against the wall. Pointing his wand at her throat, he tilted his head dangerously. "Wrong answer, Granger. Now, I'm going to give you one more chance. Why did you put the fucking stone in my pocket?"

Exhaling loudly, she rolled her eyes. "Because it was Christmas, you git."

His eyebrows pulled together in confusion. "You expect me to believe that was a Christmas gift from you? The dirty mudblood traitor wants to be friends with the Death Eater heir? Or did you just enjoy your afternoon swim so much that you wanted to thank me?"

"Oh, shut up," she groaned, shoving him away from her. "I gave it to you because you look like you need all the help you can get."

"And you thought a shiny rock would help me?"

Hermione tightened her eyes in contempt. "Fine, if you don't want it – give it back."

As she reached for the stone, he wrapped his fingers around it and yanked it away from her. "No. It's mine."

"Then don't belittle it," she snapped, pushing past him. "And I suggest you read your Ancient Runes text if you want to know more."

With that, she left the glowering boy and set off for her dormitory to spend the night listening to the tales of Ginny's holiday.