Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Good to his word, Severus introduced Lucius to Hermione formally the next day. Lucius smiled lustfully at her.

"Hi there," he said seductively.

Hermione hid a frown.

"Good Morning, Mr. Malfoy. You seem to have a decent understanding of this class. If you feel you're falling behind, please don't hesitate to consult me. I would be glad to help in any way."

Lucius raised an eyebrow flirtatiously. "Perhaps I can help you learn a few things."

Hermione was taken aback. Was he was flirting with her? He had a perfectly fine witch for a girlfriend.

"Mr. Malfoy, did I not see you on the arm of Narcissa Black this morning?"

"Yes," he said innocently.

"Well, she is a lovely lady, and I would expect that she wouldn't want you flirting with me. Please keep your cool, Mr. Malfoy," Hermione said haughtily.

Lucius only smiled at her. "What Cissy doesn't know won't hurt her."

Hermione was furious.

"Well, I would know, Mr. Malfoy. I don't fall all over men who are taken!"

"I could break up with her," he said lustily.

She had had enough. Friendship or not, she would not have this creep making passes at her.

"Well, if you'd like to be seen with a Muggle-born witch, then I suppose maybe I would consider it!" she snapped.

Lucius looked like he had swallowed a glass of vomit. His eyes grew wide and he stared at her.

"Well, um, well, I gotta go," he said and twirled away. He was gone in less than a second.

"He's eloquent when he's gobsmacked, isn't he?" Hermione muttered to Severus.

Severus had been watching the whole exchange in awe. Hermione Granger could hold her own in an argument. He grinned slyly at her.

"You were amazing," he complimented.

She flashed him a smile, but it was gone quickly. "I guess I just blew my chances to be his friend," she sighed.

"He'll get over it. He doesn't give up easily."

Hermione grimaced. "You mean he's going to repeat that performance?"

"Probably when he's done licking his wounds," Severus grunted.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "This is going to be a long assignment," she muttered as Severus smiled at her, told her he'd see her later, and went off to his next class.

oooOOOooo

True to form, the elegance of the green and silver Slytherin common room welcomed them that night. Hermione pulled two miniaturized glasses and a bottle of pumpkin juice out of her pocket, making them their rightful size with a wave of her wand. She poured the juice and handed a glass to Severus. They both settled on the couch and sipped their drinks.

"I noticed James Potter and his cronies were following you around at lunchtime, saying stupid things. Does that happen a lot?" Hermione asked.

Severus scowled. He was embarrassed that she had caught them teasing him. They had called him the nickname they always called him, Snivellus. Then they had told him how stupid and inadequate he was, and finally, they had sent some hexes his way. He was too fast for them, of course, and had ducked the hexes and then disappeared before they could get anymore nasty.

"Yes," he finally said testily.

"Why don't you hex them back?" she asked.

He couldn't believe his ears. A teacher was telling him to retaliate. After years of the other teachers telling him to just grin and bear it, she was telling him to retaliate. He stifled a chuckle.

"It would do no good. They wouldn't stop anyway. It would just wind up in someone being hurt."

Perhaps that's why the other teachers had told him to walk away. They knew his potential with a wand.

"Well, Harry's father or not, I think he's a git. He should be ashamed of such crass behavior. He's a seventh year for heaven's sake, he should act his age."

Severus stared dumbly at her. She had taken his side. She hadn't laughed at him. At length, the words she had said finally sunk in.

"Potter has a son?"

Hermione nodded. "He's my best friend."

Severus frowned at her. "You're best friends with a Potter?" he spat.

She just nodded.

Severus knew that Lily was involved with Potter now. Could this Harry be her son?

"Who is his mother?" he asked tentatively.

Hermione looked at Severus sadly. "Lily Evans. She and James Potter get married, Severus. I'm sorry."

Severus sucked in his breath. "You know about Lily?" he asked in horror.

Hermione nodded.

"You must not know everything, or you wouldn't be speaking to me now!" he roared.

Hermione looked puzzled. She thought about all she knew about his relationship with Lily Evans. Finally it dawned on her.

"Oh, do you mean about the Mudblood thing?"

Severus reeled back. "How can you say such a word; especially when it is a slander against yourself?"

She shrugged. "I have heard it so much that I have become desensitized. I'll admit that the first time it was hurled at me I was very upset. I still get upset sometimes."

"Then you can understand why Lily doesn't speak to me anymore. I find it hard to believe that you would even want to speak to me."

"Severus, she overreacted. You told me about this incident a while ago and I told you the same thing. You guys were friends. You were in an awkward position. She overreacted."

Severus sat quietly. He couldn't believe this witch was coming to his defense after he had called Lily the worst expletive a person could call someone of her birth. Yet Hermione didn't care. She didn't care that he had used such a horrible term.

"Severus, have you ever used that term since that day?" Hermione asked bluntly.

He looked up at her, startled by her question. "No," he admitted and looked to the ground.

"Then you have repented. Stop blaming yourself. You can't make Lily forgive you, but you can forgive yourself."

Severus fought back tears. He put his head in his hands. He couldn't forgive himself. He had done something unforgivable and lost his best friend because of it. He deserved to hate himself. He felt Hermione's hand on his shoulder. How could she even touch him?

"Severus, you need to forgive yourself. I suspect that remorse about this incident will make you do something in the future that you will regret."

Severus looked up at her. "What do you mean?"

"Severus, do you want to become a Death Eater?"

He looked away. "No," he said.

"Then why do you associate with future Death Eaters?"

"Because they are the only people who will talk to me!" he cried.

Hermione could stand it no more. She pulled Severus to her and hugged him tightly. She couldn't help herself. There was something vulnerable about this Severus Snape. He was not like his future self, hidden behind walls that were impregnable. He let his emotions show. All she wanted to do was sooth him and take away his pain.

"It would be better to associate with no one than to continue along the path you're headed, Severus," she said softly. "It will be nothing but a cause of regret and heartache for you."

"No, they're powerful. I could use that power," he said with a glint in his eye. "I'm worthless now; I would have respect if I were to join them."

"You, Severus Snape, are not worthless! Why would you want that type of respect anyway?" she asked, pulling away and looking into his dark eyes.

He looked confused. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because the only way to earn that respect is to torture and kill people; do you want to spend the rest of your life doing that? Do you want to see fear in people's eyes as you torture them? That's not respect, Severus, surely you know that!"

Severus seemed unsure. "I have been having this argument with myself for the last four months," he admitted. "It is the only reason I haven't taken the Dark Mark already."

Suddenly Hermione looked at his arm. She pulled it toward him and rubbed the place where the Dark Mark stood in the future.

"This is the first time I've ever seen you without it," she murmured as she caressed his arm.

He pulled his arm from her and stared down at it. "You mean I do become a Death Eater?" he asked, slightly horrified.

Hermione looked at him sincerely. "You've never spoken of the reasons why you decided to take the Mark, but yes, you do it."

He grimaced at her. "Somehow, I thought my better side would win out."

She smiled wanly at him. "It's not too late for that to happen, Severus," she said quietly.

"Why would I do it?" he snapped at her.

"Why would you choose to do it now?" Hermione countered.

"Lily. I would do it because of being ashamed about Lily."

"That's why you shouldn't be ashamed anymore."

Severus rose and started to pace. "What does it matter? I can have all of that power. I can be a force to be reckoned with."

"That's empty reasoning."

He whirled around and looked at her crossly. "What do you know of it anyway? You weren't here! Maybe there's a good reason I get the Mark."

She regarded him sadly. "There's never a good reason to get that Mark, Severus."

"Why are you my friend!" he bellowed. "How can you associate with a Death Eater?!"

Hermione closed her eyes. "You're not a Death Eater anymore. You haven't been for years. You're a war hero."

Severus stepped back. He wasn't a Death Eater anymore. He was some sort of hero. He went back to the couch and sat down.

"Explain," he said.

"I will tomorrow. It's too long of a story to go into tonight. Just don't do anything stupid between now and then, okay?" She smiled at him.

"Hermione..."

"No, you've had enough for one night, Severus. Let it be. The story won't change in 24 hours."

He stared at her for a while, wishing she would go on, but she was a stubborn witch. He could tell. He figured that when her mind was made up it would be impossible to change. He finally nodded in agreement.

They rose to leave. Hermione pulled him into another hug before they went out of the room.

"I'm sorry, Severus. I know all of this is upsetting. I wish there were something I could do to make the hearing of it easier."

Severus returned her hug awkwardly, all the while amazed at her show of compassion. No one had ever thought of his feelings in this way. They had just told him unpleasant things and let him sort it out himself. He couldn't believe her arms were around him in comfort. He pulled her close and whispered in her ear.

"Thank you, Hermione, for not making it seem better than it is."

A/N: Next up: a friendly duel, an unwanted kiss, and the future revealed.

I know it seems that Hermione is being awfully forward with Severus, but it's just empathy at this point. She's a bit more demonstrative with him because he's not as jaded as his older self is. She will continue to be supportive of him as a friend in this way. I'm not trying to jump the gun on their romance. It will not show up for a while.