Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Chapter Three B: Severus

[kyizi]

Note: This is the second half of chapter three. I split it because it was too long for the post box. (The end kept dissapearing!)

~x~x~x~x~x~

Part Three: The Perception of Truths and Lies

~x~x~x~x~x~


"Professor Granger, can you hear me?" Severus took another step forward, resisting the urge to reach a hand out to steady her. He wasn’t sure whether or not she would appreciate the gesture, but he did not particularly want Hermione Granger fainting on him. He just knew that if that were to happen it would somehow end up being his fault.

"I'm-I'm all right, Professor, th-thank you."

Severus raised an eyebrow and finally gave in to the urge, steadying her against the opening in the wall. "I might have believed that had you been able to complete the sentence without stuttering like Neville Longbottom."

The woman glared at him and he smirked. She was as easy to rile up as Minerva; it was the innate Gryffindor in her. She felt the need to stand up for those who failed to possess the ability to stand up for themselves. He had been waiting for Longbottom to grow a spine for seven years and he was losing hope. However, the more people like Granger stood up for Longbottom, the less likely he was to do the same for himself. The boy's stint in the Ministry at the end of his fifth year had given him a backbone for all of five seconds. Severus had actually hoped that the boy would hold his gaze, accept his insults with grace (and dare he hope, answer back), and get on with his work. All it had taken had been an added narrowing of the eyes and he had turned into the Longbottom Severus knew and hated. However, two minutes thinking of Longbottom was more than enough to last Severus a lifetime, so he was glad when Granger broke the silence.

"Was there something you needed, Professor?"

Her voice seemed to be returning to normal, and there was definitely fire in her gaze, but something was a little off, and he couldn't help but notice. Nevertheless, Severus was a man who valued his privacy and if Granger wanted to keep her secrets, he would let her, but only if she remained standing. If she fainted on him, she would regret it. He would set Poppy on her.

"Yes, there was. May I come in?"

His request seemed to startle her and Severus wondered if his chosen course of action was wise. Especially when he noted that she seemed to be wearing nothing but her dressing gown. After another moment, she stepped aside and motioned for him to enter.

The room was warm and friendly and, thankfully, devoid of Gryffindor Colours. After spending a prolonged period of time in Minerva's rooms, anyone would feel the urge to hunt Gryffindor for dinner, just so that they could rid the world of the garish red and gold that were the House's colours.

He spotted the rather large ginger cat that he had seen stalking the Hogwarts' Grounds on many occasions and settled in the chair furthest away from it. It wasn't that he didn't think the animal was intelligent, it was simply that he thought it had a questionable taste in friends. Sirius Black being the prime example. Granger followed him into the main part of the room and the cat moved to allow her to sit, curling itself onto her lap.

"Is there something wrong with my cat, Professor?"

"Having seen its temperament, I would question the use of the word ‘cat’. Unless you deem to fit the word ‘hell’ in front of it, ‘tiger’ seems more appropriate."

Severus hadn't intended to speak those thoughts allowed, but the reaction they garnered was rather unexpected. Granger's laughter echoed through the room and, after looking at her questioningly for a moment, Severus allowed himself a small smirk.

"He does have a bit of a nasty streak, don't you, Crookshanks?" She scratched the animal behind the ears before turning her attention back to him. "What can I do for you, Professor?"

Snape let out a breath, unsure of where to begin. He continued to question his decision to ask her anything, but it seemed prudent to get an inside opinion on the person before he jumped to any conclusions.

When Miss Weasley had approached him in the hallway of Grimmauld Place, he hadn’t known what to expect, but a request to speak with him privately when she returned to the school had not been on his list of possibilities. She had haltingly said something about her brother Percy before scurrying off at the sound of her mother's voice. Whilst Severus had his suspicions as to what she could be referring to, he did not want to jump to any conclusions before he had gained some facts.

"Professor Snape?"

"My apologies," he replied, without thinking. Despite the fact that (to his chagrin) she had heard those words from him before, they had clearly caught her off guard and he chose to continue before she found her wits and commented on them. Again. "I would like to enquire as to your opinions of Percy Weasley."

Granger frowned and settled further into her chair. After a few moments, she spoke. "May I ask why?"

Severus debated with himself as to how much he should tell her, both about Virginia Weasley and his own observations. "I believe that his estrangement from his family is not in his best interests."

"Try telling him that," she said with a sigh. She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment and he suddenly felt very conscious of himself. "It's important, isn't it?" she questioned. "You wouldn't come to me, of all people, if it wasn't."

"It is important," he replied, not willing to comment on how he viewed her as a confidant. She was Potter's friend, that should be enough to condemn her in his eyes, but she was also one of the most intelligent witches he had ever met in his life. However, he vowed to physically injure himself if he ever told her that. Badly.

"I can't say that I know much, I haven’t really seen Percy since he left his family, but I will say that they don't speak of him. I know Mrs Weasley still sends him gifts on his birthday and at Christmas, but I also know that he sends them back. Mr Weasley hides them when he does, but I think she knows."

Severus nodded. It wasn't the information he had come for, but he wasn't entirely sure what he had come for. If he thought about it objectively, there was no possible way Granger could give him any information that would be of much use.

"Is that all?" she asked, and he became aware that he had been silent for a while.

"Yes, I think that is all." He rose to leave, but her voice stopped him before he reached the door.

"Professor, has he taken the Mark?"

Severus turned around to look at her. She had stood up and closed the gap between them to a few steps. In his mind, he tried to separate her from colleague back to student, in order to maintain some form of structure that he was comfortable with, but the presence of the young woman before him demanded that he treat her with more respect than that.

"I do not know." She closed her eyes and nodded slowly and, when she opened them again, he saw that she was grateful that he had been honest with her. "But I intend to find out," he finished.

She nodded and he returned the gesture with a slight inclination of his head. He noticed that the movement caused to disorientate her and he frowned. She seemed to recover quickly, so he did not question her further. Hermione Granger was an extraordinary witch with the intelligence and knowledge to be extremely powerful. When she came into possession of her powers as Hermanté, Severus knew that she would be a force to be reckoned with. Given the state she appeared to be in and the authority and poise she was displaying, he doubted it would be long before that power manifested itself. In fact, he wasn't convinced it hadn't already begun to.

He left Granger's rooms and moved quickly through the hallways, soon finding himself in his own rooms. He removed his robes and quickly entered his private lab, checking on the potions he had left to simmer. He heated the cauldron, picked up the final ingredients and leaned further over the potion, adding the last root of asphodel and mixing the potion twenty-three times counter-clockwise. He closed his eyes briefly and lowered the heat of the flame with a slight twitch of his wrist, bringing the potion back to a simmer. He had bottled the Wolfsbane potion earlier that day and was thankful to be back in his own laboratory again. It was his sacred space, the one place that the snivelling brats couldn't get to him, and he felt more like himself than he had all week, despite there being no students around to bother him. Whilst part of him still considered Granger a student, he had hardly seen her all week, save for meals, so it was not her presence that had irritated him.

He turned to the doorway, with one final glance at the simmering potion, and walked into his rooms, warding the doorway to the lab behind him. His labs led directly into his somewhat spacious living room, and he sighed, removing his robes and throwing them over the edge of the couch. He settled into his armchair and relaxed, allowing his body to sink into the black leather. His rooms, whilst not as welcoming as Granger’s, were not cold and dark as he knew people expected. When Minerva had first seen them, she had been rather vocal in that fact.

He took a moment to study the main living room noticing that, while Granger had forgone her House Colours, his were there in full force. It wasn't that he wanted to show House pride particularly, he honestly liked the colours. Severus preferred his privacy, and the only place in the castle he was guaranteed that was in the dungeons. Heating his rooms was not a problem, but there was only so much one could do to brighten the place up that didn't involve garish colours. Or pastels. Severus despised pastels. They were watered down colours with absolutely no power left to them. Magic had many allies, and colour was one of them. Using red with sex magic, or using black with the Dark Arts, it was a random choice. The colours held real power and, to Severus at least, watering them down took away from that power. Therefore, decorating his rooms in pastel colours was not only out of character, but it never even crossed his mind. Using greens, silvers and whites had been his way of brightening up the rooms and, despite opinions to the contrary, House pride was simply an added bonus.

He sighed and rubbed his temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache. Not willing to wait until the pain grew before administering a potion, he rose and made his way into his bedroom, stopping by his bedside cabinet to pick up the vial. He glanced into the mirror by his bed, struck once more by the difference in his appearance. He had never really wanted to be handsome, well, not since he was a boy at least. But it was odd, looking into the mirror and seeing yourself, but not seeing it at the same time.

Lucius Malfoy had taught him well, on that he knew. Whilst the small, but substantial, age gap had kept them from being at Hogwarts together, their families were well acquainted and they had often spent time in each other's company. In the holidays, during Severus' time at Hogwarts, Lucius had shown him the finer points of seduction and, when Severus had realised that they weren't working for him, he had adjusted them for his own unusual looks.

Unusual? He scoffed at his own thoughts. I believe the word is 'ugly'. Although, he thought, staring at his current reflection with disdain, not that ugly.

Severus had soon found that it was not difficult to seduce women, and even men on some occasions. Despite his less than pretty looks, he had found that he wasn't lacking in charm. It was all a game to Severus. It was an art. All he had to do was be charming and aloof, all he had to do was look at them hungrily and they were more than happy to strip off their clothes and shag him there and then. Lucius had called it magnetism, Severus had called it luck, the women had said it was his eyes.

His eyes had been the first thing to change when he had joined the Dark Lord. The body he had spent the summer working on had been next, quickly followed by the nose he had finally had fixed upon leaving school. He had been lured in by the Dark Arts, but he was not a fool. He had known what Voldemort would want from him, and had done all that he could to ensure that his Master hadn't wanted it at all. It had been the first time he had been glad he didn't have Lucius' good looks, and he had never looked back.

He quickly took his potion, making a mental note to brew more for his personal stores, and placed the empty vial on top of the cabinet. He sighed and entered his bathroom, pulling his robes off and leaving them on the floor. He entered his shower and quickly turned it on, allowing the water to get hot enough to scald him before stopping the rise in temperature. He usually didn't have to have showers like that until at least the second day of term, but having to deal with Granger for the last week seemed to have finally taken its toll.

Although he realised that Granger was the least of his problems, she was an easy scapegoat. He had spent the last week sifting through his Pensieve for any indication of what the youngest Weasley could be wanting with him, searching for everything he knew about the brother she seemed so worried about.

Percy Weasley was not a particularly powerful wizard, that was not what worried him in the slightest, but he was intelligent and that intellect was not something Severus wanted in the hands of the Dark Lord. Percy Weasley had been studious to the extent that made Severus wonder why the boy hadn't been sorted into Ravenclaw. Where most people would wonder the same about Hermione Granger, he never had. Ravenclaw would have suited Granger’s intellectual pursuits to a tee, but whilst Ravenclaws were happy with simply gaining the knowledge, Granger insisted on acting upon it. Percy Weasley did not act.

Well, until he turned on his family, Severus thought. He began to shampoo his hair, taking great delight in washing off the grease Albus felt was necessary as an added deterrent. Severus couldn't say he didn't agree, but that did not mean he enjoyed feeling as though there was an oil slick on his head.

Severus did not like the Weasleys, in fact, hating them was a rather enjoyable past time of his, but they were a definite help to the Order. Having nine members (eight if you excluded Percy, which he noted they often did, even before his detachment from them) without even having to try was not something to sneer at. Although he often did.

What worried Severus, though, was the possibility that Percy had joined the Dark Lord. Despite his dislike for them, the one thing annoyingly certain about the Weasleys was their capacity for good. If Percy had turned on that, what were the chances the others would follow? What were the chances that Miss Weasley could follow?

Severus sighed and began to rinse out his hair. If there were three witches that his Master could not be allowed to get his hands on, they were Hermione Granger, Blaise Zabini, and Virginia Weasley. Hermione's fate seemed to hang in the balance, according to prophecy at least, Blaise was swaying somewhere in the middle, if his observations were correct, but Virginia Weasley had always been the one that Severus had had no worries about. Until now.

If Percy Weasley had turned and Miss Weasley wished to speak with him, was it possible she was considering following her brother into the Dark? Severus seriously hoped that that was not the case. He had hoped never to worry about the two Gryffindors on his small list, but it seemed as though they could turn just as much as Miss Zabini. What irritated him more was, now that Granger was a Professor, he had to worry twice as much as before.

I have no idea what Albus was thinking. We would have been better equipped to look after the woman had she remained a student. Now she'll be under the illusion that she can protect herself and, knowing her past with Potter, we might as well just hand her over to the Dark Lord right now.

He finished up his shower and used a quick drying spell, entering his bedroom and pulling back his sheets. He slipped into bed and picked up the book on his cabinet, realising that sleep was a futile endeavour at that moment. He would have stalked the hallways trying to wind himself down, but without students to take points from, Severus found it lost its appeal.

After rereading the same page about three times, Severus groaned and lay back, replacing the book on his bedside cabinet. No matter how hard he tried, he found his thoughts returned to the witch that resided closer to his dungeons than he was comfortable with, or rather, he found his thoughts returning to what her presence meant. She was Hermanté, and no matter how large his resentment for her very existence as Hermione Granger was, Severus knew that she would play a big part in the war. His only worry was what side she would ultimately end up on.

His disdain for Divination as a subject was no secret, however, Severus found that it was hard to deny the accuracy of the prophecies Dumbledore put his faith in. Whilst he found it difficult to see Hermione Granger, Gryffindor extraordinaire, as anything but a pedestal for all that was sickeningly good in the world, Albus seemed to think there was a danger in the possibility of her loyalties changing.

As if his thoughts had triggered it, he suddenly clutched at his arm, hissing as pain seared through the Dark Mark. He should have expected it, given that his last meeting with the Dark Lord had been over a week previous and, by this time, Voldemort would have heard of Granger's new position within the school.

I'm surprised he didn't call me any sooner, Severus thought with a resigned sigh, making his way quickly to the cupboard and pulling out his cloak and mask. He quickly contacted the Headmaster via the Floo and made his way out of the school.

The night was cold and sent shivers running down his spine. He pulled his cloak tighter and hurried his pace. If there was one thing that Voldemort punished instantly it was lateness and Severus, despite his position within the confines of Hogwarts anti-Apparition wards, was not given any leeway. The moment he reached the edge of the wards, he pulled his mask over his face and Apparated.

He appeared in a small clearing in a forest and a quick glance around showed him that only the members of Voldemort's most Inner Circle were present. He found himself before the select few that Voldemort trusted above all. Wormtail was notably absent, no longer shivering by a tree as his Master approached the clearing.

Severus dropped to one knee, his head bowed, praying that he wasn't about to meet a slow and painful death. It was rare when one of the lower members was granted the opportunity to appear before the Inner Circle and even rarer when they survived such meetings. Voldemort approached him but he remained with his face lowered, waiting for the order to stand.

A few tense moments passed before Voldemort's voice echoed throughout the clearing. "Rise."

Severus stood quickly, meeting Voldemort's gaze at last. The man's appearance made him feel ill every time he was forced to look upon it; in fact, ‘man’ was a very loose term in Voldemort's case. He was more reptilian than human.

"You have failed to bring me news, Severus."

He inclined his head a little, waiting for Voldemort's permission before replying. He was given a slow nod and he straightened himself. "I was not permitted to leave the castle, my Lord. Whilst Dumbledore believes I spy for him, he was not willing to allow news to become public any sooner than absolutely necessary. I, myself, found out only when she arrived."

Voldemort nodded, seeming to accept his explanation, but no one could ever be sure what the wizard was thinking and only a fool would try to find out. Severus was no fool.

"I wonder, Severus, has Dumbledore let his pet Death Eater in on our little prophecy?"

Severus nodded, knowing that there was no point in lying in this instance. All cards had been seen by both sides in respect to the prophecy; the only information that was not public was the death of Hermione's parents, the news being hidden in order to protect her for as long as possible.

"Then you are aware of the importance Hermione Granger has in this war?"

"I am."

"Excellent." Voldemort's face broke into a smile, or rather the closest thing to a smile that his form allowed. "We have a little mission for you, Severus."

Frowning, the Potion's Master nodded slowly. To refuse was to die. His only hope was that he would be able to deliver.

"If you have heard of the prophecy, you will be aware that the girl can be tempted to join us." Severus nodded and Voldemort continued, "I want you to tempt her, Severus. I want you to befriend her. I want you to teach her all that you know to be true. She is an intelligent girl, make her an intelligent offer. An offer that she cannot refuse."

"I will, my Lord, but, teacher or no, she is friends with Harry Potter."

"Do not worry about Harry Potter," Voldemort said, smiling again, "he will be taken care of."

"Yes, my Lord."

Sensing the dismissal in Voldemort's voice, Severus bowed slightly and turned to leave. He had only taken a few steps when the skin on the back of his neck prickled and he turned around once more.

"And, Severus," Voldemort said, stepping closer, his wand outstretched. "Crucio!"

Severus was only vaguely aware of falling to the ground as every nerve ending seemed to be on fire. He knew nothing but pain. His world began and ended at his aching fingertips. Time seemed irrelevant, all he knew was the searing agony that seemed to be ripping him apart from the inside. He could feel the blood in his veins beginning to tingle and swell, forcing the veins to expand, pushing against muscle and bone, forcing the skin around them to throb. When he was completely conscious, he knew that his appearance altering potions made the effect worse, but at that moment, he knew nothing.

As quickly as it had begun, it ended. Panting a little, Severus pulled himself to his feet and faced Voldemort. He inclined his head, hoping that the gesture looked respectful. He could not have trusted himself to speak, so he remained silent.

"Do not keep things from me again."

Severus nodded, taking those words as a dismissal, and Apparated. Without turning his back this time. He landed on his knees by a tree at the edge of the Hogwarts Grounds and gasped, taking in as much air as his burning lungs would allow. He removed his mask, and wished he had the strength to rid himself of his robes as well. He despised them for what they stood for and wished to spend as little time as possible in them. He remained where he was, not even attempting to move, until a noise from within the gates drew his attention. He quickly drew his wand, aiming at the unsuspecting victim, but lowered it a moment later when the figure came into full view.

"Professor Snape!"

He resisted the urge to groan, although he wasn't sure in what way he wanted to groan. There was the fact that an incredibly beautiful woman was running towards him, dressed in nothing but nightwear, but there was also the fact that that person was Hermione Granger. Both thoughts elicited completely different types of groan, therefore he allowed himself to instead sigh in exasperation.

"What do you want, Professor Granger?" he asked, hoping that his voice did not crack. He knew he had not thrown up whilst in the throws of Crucio, but it had been a close call, as the taste in his mouth, and the dryness off his throat proved.

"I-I felt…I don’t know, but-but you were-"

"For goodness sakes, woman, calm down before you asphyxiate."

She nodded her head, but he spotted the fire in her eyes as she leaned against the tree for support. A few minutes later, her breathing had returned to normal and she looked at him again. She scrunched up her face and blinked a few times, as if she were trying to focus on him and Severus was reminded of the way she had reacted to his presence earlier that day.

"Are you all right, Professor?"

Severus wasn't sure who was more shocked. He was clearly going insane. The Cruciatus Curse had finally done it. Not only had he asked after her wellbeing, but he had had spoken in unison with Hermione Granger.

He closed his eyes for a moment before looking at her again. Her lips curled into a smile that she was obviously attempting to hide and he couldn't stop the same response himself. He was too tired to try and he was already convinced he was losing his mind, so what did it really matter?

"I'm fine, Professor," she said, finally breaking the silence. "Are you all right?" Severus nodded, but he could tell that his silence had answered the question for her. "We should get you to the Hospital Wing."

"Under absolutely no circumstances," he replied.

"You are clearly suffering the effects of the Cruciatus Curse, Professor, I can see it floating around you. You need medical attention."

Severus wondered if he should comment on the fact that she could see the magic, but he decided that keeping himself out of Poppy's clutches was more important. "I have all the necessary potions in my rooms, Professor. We do not need to disturb Poppy at this time."

Granger smirked and he glared at her. She could clearly see through his feeble excuse. It wasn't that Poppy Pomfrey was disagreeable to be around, simply that the staff did not particularly appreciate being one of her patients. Whilst she was considered mothering to the students, the words the staff used when in her care were somewhat…stronger.

"I'll tell you what, Professor Snape," she said, "if you allow me to make sure that you make it to your rooms in one piece, alert Albus Dumbledore and take your potions, I will refrain from telling Poppy."

Severus continued to glare at her, not appreciating that he was bargaining for decisions he made for himself on a regular basis. However, he saw no other way out of the situation that did not involve Poppy, thus he found himself nodding his head.

Granger made no move to help him to his feet, which he was eternally grateful for. He could not think of any way to explain to Dumbledore how he had hexed the Hermanté. He was also wondering if she couldn't take him at the moment anyway. He was suffering more than he had in a while and her powers were clearly beginning to materialise.

They walked through the grounds in silence, Granger remaining a few steps behind him. He preferred to think that she was doing so because, as a student, that had always been the case, however, part of him knew she was behind him so that she would be able to tell if he were about to fall over. Neither commented on that fact, and Severus was glad to see that she had acquired some sense.

They made their way slowly to the doors of the castle and continued at the same pace through the hallways and down into the dungeons. When they reached the wall to his quarters, he muttered, "Círdan," hoping that she would either overhead or understand if she did. Her muffled snort of laughter told him he was unsuccessful.

"You're a Lord of the Rings fan?" she asked, following him into the small entrance room.

"No, I merely chose the word at random," he answered with a slight sneer. Her smile told him that she had detected his sarcasm and he wasn't sure whether or not he appreciated that. The thought that she was able to read him so well after less than a week, when he was not particularly seeking out her company, did not sit well with him.

The door to his right led to his laboratory and, loathe though he was to allow her admittance, he knew he should not enter it in his current state. The walk to the castle, and then to his rooms, had taken their toll, as he had kept a reasonably quick pace in order not to show any more weakness than was absolutely necessary. He did not wish to enter the room in the event that he lost his balance and upset some of his more delicate potions works. He sighed and waved his hand, lowering the wards he had cast over the lab.

"The door to your right leads to my private laboratory. The potions I require are in the right hand cabinet at the far end. Touch nothing else."

He left her standing in the entrance room and entered his living room, resisting the urge to simply collapse on the chair. He continued ahead and entered his room, finally removing his Death Eater robes and placing them, along with the mask, in his cupboard. He could deal with cleaning them later. He had learned the hard way that it was not wise to leave them sitting out, or an unsuspecting house-elf may decide to take them for washing and end up with an Obliviate for his efforts.

Or, at least he should have, Severus thought angrily. Why Dumbledore insists on trusting a house-elf, least of all one that used to belong to Lucius Malfoy, is beyond me.

Severus had no disrespect, per se, for house-elves, but he knew their place, as did they. Trusting one with the secret that could spell the end of his life were it leaked was not high on his list of good ideas. However, he and Albus Dumbledore had very different opinions on what a good idea was.

"Professor?"

He turned to see Hermione Granger standing in the doorway to his bedroom, clearly not sure whether or not entering would be a good idea. However much he wished to keep her out, Severus sensed that his strength was coming to an end. He sat on the edge of the bed and he could tell from the look on her face that his fatigue and pain was evident on his face.

He did not like to show weakness in front of anyone, but, to be fair, she had sensed his pain from the castle and felt compelled to come to his aid. Whilst he did not particularly want help from anyone, he could not deny that he appreciated it. Despite that, he had absolutely no intention of vocally inviting her into his bedchamber.

Hermione seemed to understand that she would not be getting an invitation and took a tentative step forward, as if she were expecting he would smite her down should she take another. When nothing seemed to happen, she crossed the room and handed him three vials. He frowned and glanced at them. He had only intended for her to get the two; one for the pain in his nerves and the other to send him into a dreamless sleep. On glancing at the third vial, he had no need to read the label. He looked at her in complete shock.

She frowned. "I don't know what it is, but something made me…I mean, I just thought…Something made me think you'd need it."

Severus nodded slowly. He had never really considered it before, but her instincts were correct. The vial she had chosen was the antidote to the appearance altering potions he took and, while he had never considered using it after being on the receiving end of the Cruciatus Curse, she was spot on. It would definitely help him. With his body in its natural alignment, the other potions, and his own immune system, would be able to work quicker at eliminating the pain.

"You are correct, Miss Granger, it will help." He noticed his slip up instantly, but, although she bit her lip, she did not comment. "I will, however, not take them until I retire."

She seemed curious to know what the contents of the third vial was, but she, wisely, kept her mouth shut on that matter. "Would you like me to rouse Professor Dumbledore on the Floo?"

Severus nodded and rose to his feet as she left his bedroom. His limbs were aching constantly, and, in the sanctity of his own rooms, he was less inclined to hide that fact. By the time he reached the door, he could hear voices in the room. He entered and made his way to his black leather armchair, unable to stop the smile at the absurdity of the matter. Hermione Granger, his former pupil, was kneeling on the emerald green rug in front of his fireplace informing Albus that he had returned from his meeting with the Dark Lord. Had someone told him a few weeks ago that this would happened, he would have hexed them on the spot.

"Ah, Severus, how are you feeling?" Albus asked, concern in his eyes. A glare was the only reply the elder man received, but, as it was normal behaviour for Severus, the Headmaster seemed pleased. "Very well. I will allow you to get some sleep, for the moment-"

"How kind of you."

"-and we can discuss this evening’s events tomorrow. We won't expect you for breakfast. Come for tea tomorrow at one o'clock."

Severus nodded. "I believe Professor Granger should join us."

"Me?" Hermione asked with a frown.

"What do you expect was the topic of tonight's meeting, Miss Granger?" he said, not even having the energy left to sneer. "Given that you are at the centre of a rather important prophecy and have just accepted the role as Professor, I can hardly think of anything more pressing to discuss."

She seemed upset and, whilst that realisation did not bother him very much, it irked him because she appeared more upset about the being the cause of his current state than the fact that she was one of the Dark Lord's targets. Unless she started concerning herself with her predicament, she would be putting herself in even more danger.

Severus rubbed his eyes and only barely managed to stop himself from sighing. He had always been under the impression that his students were going to end up being the death of him. He ignored the voice that pointed out that she was no longer his student and sat up straighter, setting his jaw to stop a hiss as pain ran up his spine.

Dumbledore had agreed to Granger's presence and had bid them good night. She stood up and turned to look at him expectantly.

"What?"

She frowned. "Well, I have no intention of leaving until you've at least made it into your room. That was the deal."

He growled and used the arms of the chair to help him stand up, without making it look as though he was aiding himself. It didn't work; she noticed.

"I am not an infant, Miss Granger," he hissed. "I do not require tucking in."

Instead of angering her, she seemed amused. "I had no intention of tucking you in, Severus, but unless you want Poppy to do just that, I suggest you make a move towards your bedroom."

He wasn't sure he had ever been spoken to in such an impertinent manner by anyone other than Minerva and the knowledge that her prize pupil had picked up the habit was not pleasant. He did not appreciate it from either pupil or mentor and he intended to put a stop to it. As soon as he was sure he was not about to collapse at Granger's feet.

He made it into his bedroom and settled on the edge of his bed. She was standing in his doorway. He raised his eyebrows and smirked.

"Do you plan to watch me undress, Professor?" he asked, making sure not to call her Miss Granger. She had made her point. For every time he called her that, she would use his given name in that…manner she had of delivering it. He wasn't sure how she managed to do it, but she seemed to be able to wield his name in a way that made it a weapon. She managed to make him feel the same way his mother always had when she was scolding him. It wasn't a pleasant experience.

He was pleased to see that she seemed to blush at the comment. She nodded her head and reached for the door handle.

"I won't insult you by saying, 'get well soon', Professor."

"How kind of you."

She rolled her eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow at one."

He nodded his head and she closed the door behind her. He listened to her leaving, hearing the doors click shut. He was preparing to gather what little strength he had in order to reset his wards when he felt a surge of magic.

The little minx, he thought, torn between astonishment, amusement, and anger. She had not only reset his wards, but she had keyed them to accept only his magical signature. A quick test proved they would not even accept her.

He removed his clothing, still unable to believe that she had managed to use Higher Magic so easily. He had ensured that the entrance hall was white, with red and bright blue lines painted above the door frames for the specific purpose of being used in correlation with protection spells. He had not, however, expected Hermione to be able to be able to deal with Higher Magic without the correct university training.

He settled himself into his bed, taking the antidote to his potions first. The pain of his bones realigning was made worse by the remains of the Cruciatus Curse that still coursed through him, but the feeling of being back in his own body a few moments later filled him with relief. He took the other potions, placing the vials on his cabinet beside the empty bottle that had contained the headache potion he had taken.

The potions began to work instantly and, in his relief, he almost wanted to thank Granger for giving him the antidote. How she had known it would help was a mystery, but at that moment, he did not care. She was going to be very powerful, anyone who thought otherwise was clearly lacking any intelligence. It was a wonder that the Dark Lord had not thought to recruit her, even without the powers of Hermanté. Although, the fact that she was Muggle-born was clearly an issue, even with the prophecy. The Death Eaters, he was sure, were not too keen on having her. Of course, few of them knew that the Dark Lord himself was a Mudblood.

Sighing, he rolled onto his side, the pain in his back simply too much to handle lying on it any more. He whispered, "Nox," and closed his eyes, feeling the Dreamless Sleep potion beginning to work.

Severus tried to clear his mind, but one thought remained. He couldn't picture Hermione Granger at Voldemort's side, but he also knew that, when she fully became Hermanté, she would cease to be Hermione Granger as they knew her. All they could do was hope that, when the time came, the new Hermione Granger would find that her place was with them.


~x~x~x~x~x~

TBC…

Note: This is the longest chapter I've ever written in the history of ever! So please don't hassle me for updates right away! I've got the next chapter started and, while I doubt it will be this long, it will be long.

Note 2: My beta was distraught that I was making Peter have redeemed himself at the end, but I would like to point out that I never do anything without reason and that we do only know Hermione's viewpoint at the moment.