Decisions...

Chapter 14 -- Decisions...

Hermione was a coward, and she knew it. She had fled Snape's office at the first sign that he was actually reverting back to the Snape she knew at Spinner's End. She liked that Snape, but she didn't want to and couldn't afford to. He had been pleasant for the past few weeks, and it was starting to get a little too weird for her.

Anthony Goldstein was a perfect match for her. He was smart, witty, able to carry a decent conversation without talking about Quidditch, charming, and ever the gentleman. He had a special smile that was just for her, and hugged and held her when the moment called for it, and kissed her in a surprisingly gentlemanly way--not the sloppy, disgusting kisses of a testosterone-driven teenage boy.

For all intents and purposes, he was too perfect.

And although Hermione had once admired the perfection in her life and strived for it, her opinion on the matter was weakening. So much so that Snape had somehow found a way inside of her mind, spinning in and out of the dreams and fantasies that she was supposed to be having about Anthony.

She shook her head and looked up at the staff table. Dumbledore had been standing and announcing the situation concerning the dementors for the last ten minutes, greeted by the protests and groans of the students. It actually wasn't that bad, and they had all been allowed one last trip the week before, one week after her discussion with Snape.

She was surprised at how fast the time had gone and even more so by the fact that she actually felt that strange twinge every time she was in the same room as Snape. Perhaps she was delirious?

Never mind that though. She stood when the Headmaster dismissed them and went straight to her rooms without looking back or waiting to see Anthony, who did not know about the dementors until just moments before and would no doubt want to discuss it. Her only interest was to get back to the safety of her private rooms and hope that she would be able to use the excuse of studying for the N.E.W.T's, which, incidentally, were only a couple of short weeks away.

'Hermione! Wait up!' called a voice from nearby.

She groaned and turned to face an approaching Anthony. 'Hi!' she said with false enthusiasm.

''Mione, what's up?' he asked, using the pet name for her.

'Nothing, I was just going to go up and study for a bit,' she said plainly, as if it was obvious where she was going and what she was going to do.

'Oh? Well in that case, Dumbledore insisted that we attend a meeting right away with the heads of house to discuss this matter more thoroughly,' he said softly.

'Oh great!' Hermione thought to herself. Just another hour or more that she would be closed into a room with Snape, except this time, it was an even smaller room than usual. 'Where do they want to meet us?' she asked with a sigh.

'In the staff room on the second floor,' he replied, holding out his hand to her and twining his fingers with hers when she accepted his touch.

Hermione looked down at their hands and wondered curiously. Why wasn't there any spark? She was supposed to feel something, wasn't she? But she didn't. It felt just like grasping the hand of Ron or Harry as she stood in between the two boys and they made the trek to Hagrid's hut. She felt like she was holding hands with a good friend as opposed to a potential lover.

She was relieved when they finally reached the staff room and he relinquished her hand, opening his mouth to speak the password. Hermione had made up her mind. It had been just over a month, and although it had been fun, she knew this was the right thing to do for both of their sakes.

'Anthony, wait!' she said quickly, pressing a finger over his lips.

'Is there something wrong?' he asked in surprise.

Hermione decided not to run around in circles like most of the rest of their year level did. The direct approach always worked better. 'I don't think that this is going to work, Anthony.'

He looked at her for a moment and then nodded. 'I know. I started to sense it last week some time. You're a great friend and a wonderful person, and I think you're really beautiful, but I think we should just be friends too,' he replied with a small smile.

Hermione threw her arms around him in a friendly hug and sighed with relief. 'Thank you for understanding.'

'Its fine, Hermione. I love you heaps, but only as a friend now,' he said, returning the hug. 'I guess it was just all of the extra time we spent around each other.'

'Hmmm...' Hermione agreed. 'I think we should go in now, though.'

He nodded and gave the password, both of them slipping in to find the four heads of house waiting. They had been walking with their hands held fast for the past couple of weeks but this time they walked in neutrally, not touching, but still seemingly friendly.

Snape was the first to notice the change, but he kept silent and in the background, while gradually the other professors caught on with the recent difference. Snape inwardly smiled at what this meant and felt a twitch in his trousers. Damn! He would have to learn to control that reaction.

McGonagall was the first one to speak however. 'Miss Granger? Mr. Goldstein? Is there something you would like to share?' she asked curiously.

Hermione smiled and sat down in a seat next to Snape. The first step to moving on was embracing and confronting the issue, and she had a feeling that this was just what she needed to do. Anthony smiled too and sat between Flitwick and Sprout.

'Hermione and I have decided that we serve each other better as just friends,' Anthony answered for both of them. 'Now if that's all, what is the reason for this meeting?'

Hermione was impressed at the way that Anthony handled the situation calmly and without lingering on the subject for more than a minute. A very clever move that would not attract attention to them and away from the issue at hand. She knew exactly why he had been sorted into Ravenclaw.

McGonagall addressed a number of minor issues and left the dementors for last. After an hour, the odd group had decided that it was just best to leave security as it was until something serious arose. Hermione was the first to rise and move to the door to leave. She went through the opening and felt a light pressure on her shoulder and turned her head to inspect the hand there.

Snape.

He looked down his nose at her. 'Miss Granger, a moment if you please?' he asked.

She nodded and followed him a little way down the corridor and into a hidden alcove. 'Just a precaution,' he explained and she cottoned on.

Finally, she looked him in the eye and asked, 'You wanted something, Professor?'

'I take it you understand that the school will be closing earlier this year than most?' he asked quietly.

'It will?' she asked in surprise.

'Indeed. The headmaster believes that the school becomes more dangerous every day and has decided that, for the best of the students, he will be closing the school for the year after all of the N.E.W.T. and O.W.L. exams have been taken in exactly one week,' he said silkily.

Hermione blanched. 'When will the exams be starting?' she asked in alarm.

'Two days, Miss Granger.' He sneered with triumph.

Hermione's eyes widened noticeably and she gaped her mouth open unattractively. 'That's not nearly enough time for me to study for the exams!' she exclaimed.

'Oh, pish,' he said, waving her off. 'You will excel.'

Hermione looked up curiously. 'The headmaster will announce this in the morning then?' she asked softly.

'Of course,' he replied, as if the answer was obvious.

Hermione's mind was racing. Her final examinations were so soon! She felt her knees buckle beneath her, and she collapsed onto the ground, eyes wide and fearful. Dementors... the Dark Lord... N.E.W.T.s? Everything was happening so fast.

Snape saw Hermione collapse in a helpless pile on the ground and instinctively bent down next to her, tipping her chin up so that she looked at his face. 'Dear girl, are you alright?' he asked in a worried voice.

'Was that concern?' Hermione thought airily before coming to. Hermione looked into his worried black eyes and knew the answer to that question. Maybe he did care? 'Professor Snape...' she whispered.

'Hermione...' he whispered back softly, caressing her chin lightly with the pad of his thumb. He had gone too far. Snape stood up immediately and held out a hand to help Hermione back up. When she was steadily on her feet he swept away quickly, without looking back at her.