In the Master's Study

Hermione didn't see Professor Snape at all next morning. By the time Molly Weasley left, Remus Lupin arrived. Though pale and a touch fragile looking, the werewolf still looked much healthier than the last time Hermione had seen him. Obviously, living with his friend Sirius--in addition to the part-time work he picked up from the Ministry's Aurors--was improving his health, as well as his station in life. His suit and cloak were not the height of fashion, nor were they threadbare as ones he once wore. Remus immediately asked Hermione to call him by his first name, as he was no longer her Professor, and before much time had passed, they were chatting like old friends. It was a most enjoyable morning, and Hermione was shocked when Harry knocked on the door to join her for lunch. Remus took his leave as Harry entered, promising to return in an hour when Harry departed for class. Harry was glad to get Hermione alone; he'd a ton of questions to ask his friend.

"So," Harry began the inquisition, "what's it been like being stuck here with Snape?"

"Harry, I will warn you right now that I am not going to put up with any of your ridiculous..." began Hermione, sharply.

"Hold on, Hermione! If you'd wait a bit, you might notice I asked a simple question. No innuendos...no rash accusations...you could jump in any time now and admire how well behaved I'm being," he finished, with a grin.

Hermione looked at him for a moment, her mouth hanging open. Closing it with a snap, she collected her thoughts and replied, "So you are...my apologies. Just why is it that you are being so well behaved?"

"Look, Hermione, I don't like the man...I don't think that's going to change. But unlike Sirius, I don't think Snape's offered to help just so he can have his wicked way with you," Harry said with a smirk. "I've taken some time to think on some things, and--if the git's helping you--then I don't see how I can give you a hard time about it. He's...well...he is treating you all right, isn't he?"

"Professor Snape has been very kind," Hermione said and rolled her eyes at Harry's disbelieving expression. "He really has! Oh...I'm not saying he's not a bit prickly now and again, but he's been terribly nice to me--for the most part. Honestly, Harry, he's been so different from what we've been accustomed to that I'm beginning to think we don't know the man at all."

"I've had...reasons...to wonder about that myself. I mean...I know he has to be careful because he's a spy. Now I wonder just how deep that spy act goes. There have been a few things lately..." Harry trailed off.

"What things?" Hermione demanded.

"Well, when he came and found us at the lake, when you were unconscious, for a moment he seemed really concerned. He actually spoke to Ron and me like human beings, for a few sentences at any rate. When he took you back to the castle he didn't levitate you, he carried you! When have you ever seen a wizard do anything by hand that he can't do more easily by wand?"

"How about...never? Good point."

"He did the same thing when you collapsed in Potions. At first he stared at you; I've never seen him look so shocked. Then he just swept around the table and scooped you up like you weighed nothing. He called to you--I remember--and he looked concerned. Then he snapped at Goyle to open the door, and without even dismissing the class, he ran out with you like Fluffy was on his heels. It was actually rather...dashing."

Hermione had been hanging on Harry's every word. When he reached the end of his description, she giggled at him. "Why Harry! You're blushing! Don't tell me you think the nastiest Professor at Hogwarts is a bit fetching?"

"Don't laugh!" Harry snapped. "I can't seem to help it! It's horrifying! I can't stand the wanker, but when he swept you away like that I got a bit...flustered. Hermione, you've got to promise not to tell anyone--if word of this gets back to Malfoy I'll never hear the end of it!"

"My lips are sealed," she promised, still giggling. "Speaking of Draco, how is he?" Hermione wisely changed the subject; she wasn't yet ready to admit to anyone--even Harry--she found the Potions master a bit fetching, as well.

"Delicious," Harry said with a wicked grin.

Remus returned after Harry's lunchtime visit and the afternoon flew by fast as the morning. In addition to pleasant conversation, Remus helped her practice DADA spells. He'd brought a boggart, locked in a small trunk, and they were practicing Hermione's Riddikulus. They'd both collapsed laughing when the boggart--for the fourth time--had turned itself into a failed exam.

From the doorway leading to Professor Snape's sitting room--as well as the rest of his chambers--a deep voice interrupted them.

"You are lucky indeed, Miss Granger, if that is the worst of your fears," Severus Snape said with a smirk.

Turning towards him with a smile she replied, "I assure you, sir, that not all my fears are so trivial. I expect, since I am going to miss so many classes, this one was just more on my mind than usual."

Severus turned to regard the werewolf calmly. "Lupin," was all the greeting he offered.

"Severus," Remus replied with a polite nod of the head.

Severus remained just beyond the doorway; he'd not broken through the wards protecting Hermione. "Miss Granger, I'm afraid I need something from my desk. Do you think it all right for me to enter, or would you rather fetch it for me?"

"You may enter, Professor Snape. I'm certain I'll be fine," she replied.

As Severus entered, the forgotten boggart--still masquerading as a large scroll with a huge red 'D'--took notice of him. Its form wavered and disappeared, immediately taking the shape of Albus Dumbledore. The boggart Albus lay unmoving on the floor, eyes open and staring sightlessly, face frozen in an expression of pain and fear, a bloody wound slashed through its unmoving chest. Face gone white, Severus closed his eyes and turned from the sight of his dead friend. "Lupin," he said, voice seeming to stick in his throat, "could you please..."

"I'll get it, Severus, don't look again." Lupin leapt between Severus and the boggart. "To me!" he said, sharply. The boggart obligingly turned into a familiar silver disc and Remus drove it back into the trunk, locking it securely. "I've got it locked up, Severus. Are you all right?" the werewolf asked kindly.

Severus turned to regard Lupin through slightly narrowed eyes. "No disparaging remarks to make, Lupin?" he asked warily.

"I'm hardly going to tease you about that one, Severus, as it's a fear I share as well," Remus replied in all seriousness.

Severus considered this a moment, and with a small nod of his head, said, "Thank you, Lupin, for...dealing...with that. As for your earlier question, I shall be fine." He moved towards his desk, but was interrupted by Hermione suddenly flying at him, hugging him tightly about the waist. He stared at the top of her head for a moment in bemusement and then--with what was becoming a habitual awkward pat--said almost teasingly, "I had thought, Miss Granger, that we'd already discussed the necessity of this sort of thing not becoming habit?"

Releasing him, Hermione eyed him sheepishly, "I'm sorry, sir, I couldn't seem to help it. Are you quite all right?" she finished, looking at him worriedly.

"I shall be fine, Miss Granger," he replied with the faintest of smiles. "Indeed, it is I who should be asking after you. Perhaps we should consider, Miss Granger, that I might not be the most...restful...company for you after all."

"Nonsense!" Hermione said in a chastising tone, making the werewolf avidly watching the exchange bite back a chuckle. "You haven't disturbed me in the least. I was simply worried about you, Professor."

Severus made no reply; he was having trouble wrapping his mind around the idea of the young woman being so concerned on his behalf. His manner getting a bit brusque, he said, "If you will excuse me, I must get to my next class." Striding to the desk, he retrieved his third year students' essays and left the room without another word.

Turning back to Remus, Hermione was startled to see wry amusement on the werewolf's face. "Hermione," he said with a grin, "is there something you wish to tell me?"

"No. Absolutely not!" she said, blushing. Remus took pity on the embarrassed girl and did not press the matter. Returning to their Riddikulus practice, the remainder of the afternoon passed quickly. Remus stayed for dinner and took his leave when Harry arrived.

Having brought Hermione's homework assignments, Harry delivered them to her and they then worked in companionable silence until time came for Harry leave for Gryffindor tower. Severus spent the three hours until Molly arrived grading papers. Though she'd have enjoyed another conversation with her mysterious Professor, Hermione didn't mind his silence. It'd been an interesting day and she had much to muse over. Tired, she was happy to snuggle into her cot as Molly snuffed out the torches.

The rest of the week passed in much the same fashion. By Friday, Hermione was beginning to get a little perturbed that she saw Professor Snape so little. Despite the fact she was living in his chambers, she saw him only a couple of hours each day. How was she ever to finish figuring out What Makes Severus Snape Tick if she was so little in his company? Hermione did her level best to ignore the fact she enjoyed his company for its own sake. Oh...he was still a bit of a git, but there was much more behind the masque than Hermione had ever before realized. Most evenings he graded papers; sometimes she could rope him into a discussion of whichever of his books she had been reading that day. Cherishing these infrequent discussions, Hermione did her best to pry him out of his stubborn shell; she looked forward to spending more time with him this weekend. She could hardly complain, though; her week had been pleasant and interesting. The worst thing she'd had to deal with was a little light-hearted teasing from Remus. On Friday evening that changed drastically.

Just after Hermione and Remus had finished dinner, Harry had knocked on the door. Assuring both Harry and Remus it would cause no harm, Hermione invited Harry in to join them and the three friends sat chatting around the fire. There came a furious pounding on the door, making them all turn to it, flinching in surprise. The door slammed open, in walked a furious Sirius Black.

"I would like to know what the bloody fuck Hermione is doing living in Snape's quarters," Sirius thundered. "You two can't be here all the time; what the hell is the chuffing bastard doing to her when you aren't here?"

Severus had been reading peacefully in his sitting room when he heard the ruckus. Striding to the door, he opened it to see a sight he would cherish the rest of his life. Hermione had drawn her wand, pointing it directly at the face of a very shocked Sirius Black. Wanting to rush into the room, Severus held himself back. Miss Granger already had three emotional men within the wards to deal with. Shaking with frustration, he stood in the opened doorway, just outside the wards protecting her, and watched the fiasco unfold.

"Sirius Black," Hermione snapped, eyes blazing, "you will remove yourself immediately from Professor Snape's rooms or I will run through my arsenal of hexes. As Harry can attest, I know rather a lot of them." Brave as Hermione was, she hoped she could get Black out quickly. The swirling emotions of the three men were already having an unpleasant effect on her. Concern, anger, confusion, wariness, indecision, and guilt buffeted at her mind, eroding her control. Hermione's wand hand began to tremble.

"Sirius, what the hell are you doing here, man?" began Remus. "You know damn well you aren't supposed to be here, and you're upsetting Hermione. What do you say we leave her with Harry and go talk with Albus about your concerns?"

"You know I love you, Sirius, but you're being a whopping great prat," Harry said angrily. "We shouldn't all be in here, you have to leave."

"I'll leave when I understand what the hell is going on here and not one second before," Sirius spat. "The Hermione I know would never draw her wand on me! What has the bastard done to her? Is she under some nasty enchantment?"

"Black," Hermione hissed, her control slipping by the moment, "the reason I have never done so is you've never given me reason to...until now. You have no right to be in Professor Snape's rooms...leave. Leave now." Beginning to lose control in earnest, Hermione felt her body start to tremble. Her hands shook so hard she dropped her wand. Shaking her head to try to clear it, Hermione's hands slid up to clutch in the hair at her temples.

"What's wrong with her?" shouted Sirius, as he tried to go to her side only to be grabbed by both Harry and Remus as they desperately tried to keep the upset man away from her.

Severus watched from the doorway in growing horror as the brave young woman began to fall apart before his very eyes. "BLACK!" he bellowed. "For gods sakes' man, can't you see you're hurting her? Get out! Get out that door now! If you must speak to her, fine! Leave the door open, but get outside the fucking wards, you bloody imbecile!"

Black's eyes flashed to the hated Potions Professor in rage. Even in his fury, he noticed two things. Hermione had fallen to her knees whimpering, and despite Snape's obvious fury and apparent desperate desire to stride into the room and throw Sirius out, Snape was staying resolutely outside the wards. Sirius looked to Remus in confusion.

"He's telling you the truth, Sirius. Get outside the wards now! Go with Harry!" pleaded Lupin. Sirius reluctantly allowed Harry to lead him outside the door where the two men then hovered just beyond the wards. Lupin crouched beside Hermione as she knelt on the floor, rocking. He tried to call to her, but she didn't hear him. Looking to Severus, where he leaned with both hands on the doorjamb leading to his sitting room, Remus said, "I'll go out now, Severus...she needs you, I think."

Giving Lupin a quick nod of the head as his response, Severus waited until Lupin had crossed the wards before advancing to Miss Granger's side. Kneeling, he called softly, "Miss Granger? Miss Granger? Hermione...it's all right now...everything will be all right now."

Hermione eventually opened her eyes. Staring into his worried gaze for a moment, she flung herself into his arms, sobbing. Standing, Severus lifted the weeping young woman in his arms and carried her to the window seat. He sat with her in his lap, cradled tightly to his chest as he murmured softly to her. "You'll be fine, Miss Granger. Everything will be fine. You're quite safe now."

The expressions on the three men outside the door were very different. One held blunt shock, one a soft smile, and one a look akin to envy. Smiling still, Remus reached in far enough to gently close the door.

"Are we just going to leave her in there...like that...with him?" growled Sirius.

"He's helping her," Remus began sternly, "and you have caused her enough grief for one night."

"But...why was he being so...nice...to her?" Sirius asked in honest confusion.

"Sirius," Harry said softly, "you're my godfather, and I love you...but one of these days you are going to have to grow up. Even a blind man can see that Professor Snape is concerned for her." Harry and Remus firmly led their gobsmacked friend away.

Back on the window seat, Hermione recovered rapidly. Drying her eyes with a handkerchief that Professor Snape had managed to snag from his trouser pocket, Hermione gave him a serious look and said, "I tried to make him leave, Professor."

"I know you did, Miss Granger, and very formidable you were, as well. Pity you were not able to follow through on the hexing; I would've enjoyed seeing that," Severus said with amused admiration. His face fell into a slight scowl as he continued, "Despite my best efforts to the contrary, you seem to be making a habit of accosting me, Miss Granger."

Not quite succeeding in biting back a giggle, Hermione disengaged herself from her Professor's lap. "Thank you, Professor," she said quietly, "it really does help."

Standing, Severus was about to reply when there came a sharp knock on the door. He scowled for a moment, then strode to open it, muttering, "If it's that fool Black again, I'll hex him myself!" Pulling the door open suddenly, his snide retort died on his lips. Standing in the doorway was a woman he had never seen before. Looking him over from head to toe, she gave him a wide and slightly mischievous grin.

The Firewalker had arrived.