Chapter 4

The following morning, after a breakfast that was mercifully low on attempts at consolation and condolence, Minerva insisted on personally walking Hermione to the library. Hermione protested to no avail. "I'm sure you have better things to do than walk me to a library that I'm probably more familiar with than my own flat!"

"Of course you are, dear, but that's not the issue, is it? We all know Irma can be a bit... possessive... of her library. I thought it might be helpful if I smoothed things over with her at the outset."

"Smooth things over? Surely she wouldn't be so upset at my presence that things would need smoothing over..."

Minerva chuckled. "You might think that, but she'd be happiest if even the current students weren't permitted to access her precious books. No, a clear request from me now will avoid all sorts of unpleasantness in future, I'm quite sure. Besides, she's never quite forgiven you for sneaking into the Restricted Section in your second year."

Given how much time she'd spent in the library after that incident, Hermione found that surprising, but she realised Minerva would not be deterred, so she said no more about it.

As they entered the library, Madam Pince looked up with a frown. Minerva said, "Good morning, Irma. You remember Hermione Granger, I'm sure?" The librarian looked at Hermione suspiciously before nodding curtly. "Excellent! I've given Hermione permission to use whatever resources Hogwarts might have that she may find useful for a research project she's working on. I'd be very appreciative if you'd give her whatever help you can."

Though it was phrased as a request, Minerva's firm tone made it an order; Madam Pince seemed to recognise it as such, because despite looking as though she had swallowed something sour, she said only, "Of course, Headmistress."

Hermione was surprised at the formality of the address, but Minerva distracted her by saying, "There, now, that's all settled. Off you go, Hermione, and mind you don't work through lunch."

"Thanks, Minerva, I'll see you later, then." She took herself off to find her favourite table in the back corner. As she headed away, she heard a whispered conversation begin between the two women, but decided she really didn't need to know what was being said between them. She had a library full of books and a research project to occupy her time – nothing else mattered, did it?

By lunchtime (which Hermione remembered only because she had set her wand to vibrate and flash a light at the appropriate time), she had organised all her notes from her conversations with Luna, Ginny, and Fleur, and she had reviewed what she had learnt from her foray into internet sources on the tale of 'Beauty and the Beast.' She had further begun formulating a research plan – consulting the library's rather formidable catalogue to determine what she might need and where she might find it and then prioritising the list she generated from there.

On the few occasions she interacted with Madam Pince, she found the older woman's behaviour rather odd – a bizarre cross between her usual abrupt manner and a sort of tacked-on courtesy. She said as much to Minerva over chicken salad sandwiches at lunchtime. "Have you noticed anything... strange... about Madam Pince's behaviour lately?"

"Strange?" Minerva frowned. "Not especially, no. Why? Has she been rude?"

"Not exactly – it's more like she starts to be her usual self, but then changes her mind and goes out of her way to be polite."

"How do you mean?"

Mimicking the librarian, Hermione said, "'Be careful with that...! I mean, please be careful with that book, Miss Granger.' And she says it with that pinched look that you just know means she would prefer her original approach."

Before Minerva could reply, Professor Snape cut in, "Isn't it obvious, Miss Granger?"

"Isn't what obvious, Professor Snape?"

"The headmistress has instructed Madam Pince to be nice to you, of course." He shook his head, adding under his breath, "Brightest witch of her age... What could Lupin have been thinking?"

Hermione felt herself flush in embarrassment. Looking at Minerva, who was glaring at Snape, she said, "I'm fine. Really I am – and I don't need to be coddled – not by anyone. In fact, I'd rather everyone just behave normally, please."

Minerva said, "After what you've been through..."

Snape interrupted with a snort. "She got jilted, Minerva. She wasn't tortured or imprisoned. She hasn't been hexed, jinxed, or cursed. Her life wasn't threatened. She wasn't even the victim of a tragic Polyjuice mishap – this time! She had probably – no, certainly – been through worse before she was a teenager. Leave the woman be, Minerva. Let her do her research in peace."

"Really, Severus, have you no compassion at all?" Minerva huffed.

"No, he's right," Hermione said with only a hint of a tremor in her voice. "It's not such a tragedy as all that. I'll be fine. I just want things to get back to normal, you know?" Finishing her sandwich, she took an apple and stood to leave. "I'd really prefer to forget the whole thing, if you don't mind." Nodding to the table at large, she added, "See you all at dinner."

Two and a half hours later, Hermione looked up when a shadow fell across her book. "Oh, hello, Professor Snape. Did you need something?"

Avoiding her gaze, he said, "The headmistress insists I was rude earlier. I am instructed to apologise."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Apologise? Really?" Huffing in annoyance, she continued, "I don't see why. It wasn't rude; it was the truth. It's not even the most unpleasant thing you've ever said to me, so I don't see why it should merit an apology when I've never had one before."

He frowned as the question seemed almost pulled from him by force. "What is the most unpleasant thing I've ever said to you?"

"The comment about my teeth in my fourth year springs immediately to mind."

His frown deepened. "Are you still on about that? It was fifteen years ago!"

"What do you mean 'still on about that'? We've never discussed it before! And it was twelve years ago, not fifteen."

"Twelve, fifteen, twenty-three, fifty," Snape replied, shrugging. "One would think you'd be over it by now regardless."

"Well, maybe I'd get over it faster if you'd actually apologise for it."

"Why should I apologise? It was necessary to maintain my cover at the time."

"You had to pick one of my deepest insecurities to prey on? You couldn't pick something less painful for me?"

"What was I supposed to do, Granger? Comment on your hair when the hex hit your teeth?"

"My hair? That was my other major insecurity!"

A loud shush came from the direction of Madam Pince's office, and after a glance in that direction, Snape's voice was noticeably lower when he replied. "And it wouldn't have made sense in context!" Huffing, he said, "Why are we arguing about this? I did what I had to do, and there's the end of it. And why are you bringing this up now, anyway? Every time I've seen you in the last couple of years, you've insisted the past was past – said you wanted to be friends or some such nonsense."

Hermione whispered furiously, "Why is that nonsense? Why can't we be friends?"

"Because you're apparently holding a grudge for something that happened more than a decade ago."

"I'm not holding a grudge," Hermione grumbled. "I just think it would be nice if you would apologise, that's all."

"Have you ever apologised to me?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I have."

"When?" he demanded. "I would think I'd have remembered that, you know, and I don't."

"Well..." Hermione began; after a pause, she admitted sheepishly, "Okay, it was when you were in a coma, but that doesn't change the sentiment."

He stared at her for a long moment before a tiny smile appeared and somehow made him almost look a little bit attractive. "In that case, I believe I'll save any apologies I might want to make until the next time you're in a coma."

Hermione was stunned. Was Severus Snape... teasing her?

And if so, what could that mean?

As always, thanks to the Team of Geniuses, and thanks to all who read and/or review!