Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing. This all belongs to J.K. Rowling.

A/N: Many thanks to my beta, Mel.

Hermione's breath froze in her chest. The professor was alive, but barely. His robes had been burned right off him, hanging from his gaunt frame in still-smoking strips. She could hardly bear to take in the sight of him and realized that she was just standing there, immobilized by panic. Think! she told herself. What was the best thing to do? Ideas were slipping away just as soon as they appeared in her mind. It was as if they were coated in oil; she couldn't grab hold of any of them. And the sight of Professor Snape's pathetically burned form was making the necessity of action...any action...on her part all the more urgent. She forced herself to calm down and use her brain, her best asset. What could she do?

It was too late for a Freeze-Flame Charm; that only worked while the flames were still on. Hermione wracked her brains. "Aguamenti!" A strong jet of water shot from the tip of her wand because of the forcefulness of her words and emotions. She aimed it at Snape's prone form and as the water hit him, a sizzle arose. At least that was something. She needed to think for a minute.

Another idea came to her. "Finite Incantatem!" she tried. The water stopped, but nothing else seemed to happen...probably because Finite Incantatem worked on spells, and Dragon's Bane was some sort of element. Hermione was running out of ideas. She knew a minor healing charm, but Snape's injuries were far too severe to be aided by that. She tried it anyway. It couldn't hurt. "Episkey ..." Her voice wavered, but the spell was cast.

Hermione took a trembling step closer. Snape looked too terrible to contemplate. The healing charm seemed to have eased his breathing slightly, but that was the only noticeable effect.

Hermione was out of ideas. She had to get him to Madam Pomfrey's more knowledgeable care. Was he too injured to move? Should she conjure bandages? In the end, she thought the fastest way to get him to the hospital wing without questions would be to use Mobilicorpus and a Disillusionment Charm. She performed both quickly and guided his limp form up to the hospital wing with her heart in her throat.

*

Hermione rubbed her throbbing temples. It had to have been the longest day of her life. Thankfully, the events that had transpired didn't yet have her name attached to them...at least for the student body as a whole...but she didn't doubt it would become common knowledge soon enough. Right now, that was about the only bright spot in an utterly dismal day that had started with a literal bang and had quickly gotten worse from there.

After Hermione had taken Snape to the hospital wing, she had had a lot of questions to answer, both from Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. No one was too pleased to hear that the entire stock of ingredients in the potions storeroom had been completely obliterated, and the lion's share of the blame seemed to fall...rather unfairly, she thought...on her own shoulders. Rather than risk tipping her hand, she suffered in silence and took the blame. Indeed, guilt weighed a little heavy in her own heart for the atrocious injuries Snape had suffered.

"Hermione Granger, I just don't know what has gotten into you," Minerva McGonagall said for at least the third time. It might have sounded sour to a less intuitive ear, but Hermione could hear the faintly veiled distress in her tone. Not much genuinely upset the older housemistress. "You will have to be punished. Albus has left it to me, as you have a previously unblemished record. I must say I am disappointed. Very disappointed."

Hermione stared at her feet. She should reveal everything now. There was no reason not to, especially when she had caught Snape with not a single ingredient on the list that might have saved him. And yet, something stilled her voice in her throat. It occurred to her that he had no way to get his ingredient now, so she had a little time. He was in no position to betray anyone at present. Perhaps she just needed some time to think. "Yes, I understand, Professor. What can I do to make it up?"

Professor McGonagall had been wringing her hands, but at that she stopped and stared at Hermione, seeming to regain some of the tart-tongued ways for which she was known. "Make it up? Why, I daresay you can do nothing to make this up, my girl. A fortune in precious materials was lost because of you. One of our most valued educators is lying near death because of your actions. Do you imagine that anything you could do could make up for that?"

Hermione stared at her, understanding that in part, she was right. Even if Snape was to blame, so was she. The misery must have shown on her face, because McGonagall softened a little. "I have decided that the best way for you to mend this matter is to help Professor Snape in his recovery. I understand that he will survive, mostly due to your quick thinking in saving him in the storeroom. Your actions contributed greatly to his survival. It may not seem that you did much, but you kept a clear head and got him help as quickly as you could. That very likely saved his life. Madame Pomfrey has worked wonders, but it will be a while before he recovers fully from his injuries. He will need an assistant, and I know that he will not trust any student with his work as he trusts you. Not to mention that the enforced interaction between you should be punishment enough." McGonagall hid a smile.

Hermione looked at her in astonishment. "But Professor, Snape hates me! He wouldn't trust me to help him with his papers and accounts. Why would you get that idea?"

"Because he told me that very thing himself. Now off you go."

*

Hermione was doing her best to stay away from Harry and Ron, but as they were her best mates, after all, it was inevitable that they would eventually find her. When they did corner her, coming out of the second floor girls' bathroom, she tried to act as though she hadn't, in fact, been trying to lose them for the last week.

"Um, hi, guys. Where have you been?" She clutched her books to her chest, kept her head down, and set off down the hall at a fast clip, determined to keep up a cheerful demeanor.

"Where have we been?" Ron burst out. "Mione, we've been trying to find you all week! You've been acting more slippery than a slugwort!"

"Thanks, Ron," Hermione snorted. "Ever the charmer."

Ron had the grace to blush.

Harry laid a hand on her arm, and the trio came to a halt in the hallway. "Hermione, what's going on? You're acting strange. There are rumors. We're your friends. You can tell us." His eyes, gentle as always, bored into hers, and she felt herself melt. She could trust Harry, and Ron. She'd been acting so unreasonable lately; she didn't know what had gotten into her this year.

She took a breath and told them the whole story, of how she had sneaked into the storeroom and used her invented spell, and then the accident.

"Whoa, Hermione, that is some major damage for you!" Ron looked impressed. "I didn't think you had anything to do with the explosion! I wish I could've been there ... that must've been something to see." His mouth hung slightly open as he imagined Hermione at the scene of unmitigated chaos.

"You prat! It was terrible! Professor Snape realized before I did what I had in my hand, and he was just trying to diffuse it! I should have seen how unstable it was! Instead, I was trying to ... duel with him or something, and in a potions storeroom of all places! I don't know what got into me ... " But in that brief moment of reliving it, she remembered his eyes, and she thought that maybe she did. An inkling of something that she didn't want to admit, even to herself, trickled into her consciousness and she tried to shake it off. She had felt some kind of connection with Snape. She didn't want that. She was fighting against it, but it was there. Now that she had realized it, the tiny seed of knowledge seemed to burrow into her brain and plant itself firmly. She shook her head, as if to dislodge the idea.

Harry mistook her motion. "Hermione, it was a freak accident. Snape is senior to you, in every way." At this, Hermione felt a tiny frisson of heat. Stop it! She furiously blushed, and focused on Harry again. "He bears the burden of responsibility for this, if anyone does. It's high time we did something about this. Did anyone think about why he was down there?"

Hermione looked into Harry's eyes and saw a dangerous gleam there. "We need to go to Dumbledore. When Snape recovers, he'll go after the thestral heart, perhaps by other means. Then he can do what he wants."

Hermione felt a lump in her throat. She just had a feeling; she couldn't explain it. It was crazy. There was no evidence to support Snape...in fact, there was plenty of evidence to the contrary... but she just couldn't shake the feeling that Snape was not as evil as they all supposed. "Harry, I just think that you're ... well, wrong on this. Can you give me more time to..."

Harry fairly exploded. "Wrong? More time? Hermione, you think I'm blinded by hatred of Snape, but you're not seeing reason either, here. I am going to Dumbledore, with or without you. Ron? You coming?" Harry turned and walked down the opposite corridor.

Ron gave Hermione a regretful wince and followed Harry. Hermione watched them for a moment, then hurried to catch up. She might as well be a part of this thing, too. They made their way quickly to Dumbledore's staircase. No one said anything, save for the password, "Marshmallow Peeps." Actually, Hermione was proud of that one. She had brought several packs of the cute yellow Easter chicks back as a surprise for Dumbledore on her last trip home, and he couldn't get enough of the sugary treat. They ascended to his office.

Harry stuck his head in the door. "Sir? May we have a word with you?"

Dumbledore was feeding Fawkes, and he smiled and motioned them in. "Of course," he said easily. "What brings the three of you here on this fine day?"

Harry had calmed his temper a bit, and he looked at each of them in turn, then elected to be the spokesman of the group. He started the story of why they thought Snape was a traitor, and outlined it with as much heart and expression as he could pour into the telling. Dumbledore listened intently to everything. Hermione schooled her features into blankness, but couldn't help but think that things did, indeed, sound awfully incriminating for Snape. She decided not to speak up. There really was no counterargument to give. The facts spoke for themselves, and they were grim.

" ... and that is why he has to be stopped. He is a known Death Eater, Professor. He only needs the heart of a thestral as his final ingredient, and he could make a potion to give to Voldemort to kill anyone. And I can imagine who it will be!" Harry finished up passionately.

Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully. "That is quite a story, Harry. Do you also share his concerns, Ron? Hermione?" Dumbledore looked at each in turn.

"Uh, yeah," Ron uttered.

Dumbledore's piercing gaze fell upon Hermione. She thought that he saw more than she wanted him to as he looked at her mildly over his half-moon glasses. He seemed to be able to see the truth before him, as easily as wheat pulled from the chaff. She dropped her gaze, wishing she had that ability for herself. She had been silent too long, and nodded slightly without looking up, unable to give voice to her assent.

"Very well. Harry, I commend you for your ... vigor in keeping the school safe. And indeed, I know that you are thinking of the side of good in all things. In this matter, I can assure you, I trust Professor Snape. Not all things are known, nor have all things come to pass, that must still in the fullness of time. I am asking you to set aside your personal feelings on the matter and trust that I can see things you cannot."

Harry began to protest, but Professor Dumbledore held up a gnarled hand and smiled slightly. "Harry, I am not dismissing you. You were right in coming to me with this. In most cases you would be right to be alarmed. I am only telling you that I know Professor Snape is on the side of good. Whatever his actions might appear to you, I trust him implicitly. You must trust someone, somewhere, and I put my faith in Severus. I am asking you to do the same for me. If you cannot trust my judgment, then you need to search your heart, my boy. You will always be alone in this world if you cannot find someone to put your belief in."

Though the words were directed at Harry, Hermione felt that Dumbledore was speaking more for her benefit. She didn't know why his words touched her so deeply, but she had plenty to think about.

Harry nodded. "I just needed some direction, sir. I do not disrespect you or your decisions." He seemed disappointed.

Dumbledore smiled. "I know, Harry. Thank you for coming to me. It is never a bad idea to talk over your concerns, no matter what they might be."

Ron mumbled his good-bye and stumbled out behind Harry, and Hermione turned to go, strangely reluctant to be left alone. She had always enjoyed the old wizard's company before, but this time she just wanted to be gone.

"Miss Granger, a word?" Dumbledore called to her just as she reached the threshold. She motioned for the boys to go on without her. She turned, feeling unaccountably nervous.

"Please, have a seat. Lemon drop?" He offered her one, and she shook her head with a smile. He nodded and took his time selecting one from a cut crystal candy dish sitting on his desk. "Oh, I do love a good lemon drop," he said, after he'd finally chosen the one he wanted. "Miss Granger, I have a feeling that you may wish to present me with an account of the events that transpired in recent days different from the version Harry just gave me. Am I correct in that assumption?" He leveled a surprisingly acute gaze at her.

Hermione felt the flush start creeping up her neck and willed it not to burst into a bright pink shade that she knew would mottle her complexion a violent red and make her look suspicious. "Uh, not really, Professor." She squirmed uncomfortably.

Professor Dumbledore looked at Hermione for a long moment until she stopped her fidgeting and looked back. She saw kindness and understanding in his old blue eyes. When he finally spoke, his voice was gentle, but there was an underlying urgency to the softness. "You know, I have something to say to you that I did not see fit to share with the others. It is true, everything that I told Harry about trust, but Miss Granger, there is also something for you, specifically. You need to trust in yourself. Your heart knows the answers that your head does not, and it will not lead you astray. Why were you afraid to speak up just now in defense of Professor Snape?"

Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but caught his knowing look and found it difficult to speak. They sat in silence a moment while she gathered her thoughts. "I don't have a reason to believe in him. All of my life, I have trusted my head, my logic. Everything points to the fact that he is guilty of something. All of my research supports this. And yet, I don't want to accept that, for some reason, and that frustrates me!"

Dumbledore sat back in his chair. "Ah, Hermione. These times are difficult. It feels as though we're surrounded by the forces of good and evil at every moment, and perhaps we are. You students are coming of age at a time when the fate of our world stands upon the ... well, the razor's edge, as it were. But some things don't ever change, no matter the age. You must be able to look inside yourself, and to trust your own heart. Believe in yourself. Nothing else matters in this whole wide world. You won't know who or what you are fighting for if you are blind to the very truth of your own self."

Hermione was startled by Dumbledore's choice of words. He had kept his eyes on her face the whole time he was speaking, but all of a sudden, she knew that he knew about the service Snape had performed for her. Her wrist fairly burned with the two invisible lines, and her eyes filled with tears. "Thank you, sir. I will consider your words," she said as steadily as she could.

Dumbledore nodded. "I hope that you do, Miss Granger. You will find what you need in time. And, on a lighter note, may I ask you to explain again about the Peeps? A rabbit leaves these candies in a basket for you? Most extraordinary! Muggle ways never cease to amaze me!"

Hermione smiled. She proceeded to explain again about the Muggle traditions of Easter, which she thought Professor Dumbledore would greatly have enjoyed.