Nothing at All

Disclaimer: All of it belongs to JK Rowling. No money is made here. All hail Jo.

A/N: I must always give thanks to my beloved beta, Ariadne.

"Are you all right, Harry?" Minerva asked as she looked Harry over. Poppy started to work on his arm as Remus and Tonks crouched next to him.

"I'm fine, just frustrated is all," Harry said, looking tired and embarrassed.

"Harry, listen to me," Minerva began. "There is little chance you will be able to beat Severus, so please accept that. Even a fully grown and healthy wizard would have a tough time taking him down." They both turned to look over at Hermione and Severus. Hermione appeared concerned, and Severus looked like he was about to rip the arms off of his chair.

"I can't help getting so angry. He just drives me over the edge," Harry complained as he shook his head.

"Harry, if I may have a word?" Remus said, stepping forward and taking him aside. "Harry, you know by now that Severus was – well – not popular in school," Remus said quietly. He shrugged his shoulders as he looked toward Severus, saying, "Yes, I am just as guilty. I did little to stop James and Sirius from torturing him. Severus is the product of the relentless stalking and merciless teasing of much of his seven years here. He is talented at fighting because your father made him that way. Understand, Harry, that when he sees you, he sees James and cannot avoid that. Severus may be a contemptuous bastard, but put yourself in his place for a few minutes and you just may understand why he is this way."

Harry crossed his arms and looked doubtful.

"Harry, Severus is your key to learning how to really fight and to understand Voldemort. He is the only person who has consistently fooled Voldemort and lived. You have to admire the man for that," Remus said.

Harry looked at Severus again, but with less anger in his eyes.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right... but he's still a git," Harry said with a smirk.

Remus nodded and patted Harry on the shoulder. "I'm afraid he was like that before he got here."

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Hermione looked over at Severus. "Sir, are you all right? You haven't touched your tea."

She noticed he was still in a state even fifteen minutes after the round ended. The house-elves had brought some tea while they healed Harry. Severus, to Hermione's dismay, seemed to find enjoyment in sending goblets flying after them. A slight grin crept onto his face as the elves ran from the room, waving goblets away with their empty trays.

"I'm fine," he said distractedly, taking glances at Lupin and Harry at the end of the room. It didn't take a sharp eye to figure that they were speaking about him.

"Miss Granger, please inform the headmistress that I am growing tired of waiting and to get Potter ready again. Oh, and if the werewolf wants to be a coach, he can be a target as well," Severus growled, not taking his eyes off of Lupin and Potter.

"Um, yeah, of course," she said looking at him strangely. She, of course, only intended to deliver the first part of the message.

"Severus, are you sure?" Minerva called, looking at him with concern.

"Yes. Potter, come here," Severus demanded.

Harry didn't move at first, looking suspicious. Slowly, he grimaced and walked over.

"Mr. Potter, to put it plainly, that last effort was dismal. You will need to focus and act with a thousand times more intensity. As you have noticed, this is no school-time duel. You should not treat it as such, or I will eat you alive and enjoy every minute of it. I will throw everything in my power at you, without mercy. You will fail, quite often, so get used to it. Swallow your idiotic pride and listen, for once, to someone who knows. In the end, you will learn," Severus finished with deadly intensity.

Harry's hand gripped his wand tighter.

Severus then allowed a smirk to creep onto his face as he leaned forward. He tilted his head as if sharing a secret with Harry. "Want to know an interesting piece of information? Hermione is quite a nurse. Yes... I could get used to her being around.... What do you think of that?" Severus said in a lustful whisper.

Harry's expression quickly shifted from obedient listening to wide-eyed surprise, then moved completely over to rage. He stepped backward with his wand outstretched as Severus struggled to stand, forgetting how imposing he was at his full height. He stared at Severus blankly for a moment, then appeared to clear his thoughts.

Harry aimed at Severus' chest, screaming,"STUPEFY!"

Severus deftly blocked the spell, sending it in a graceful arc to crash into the floor near where Remus and Minerva were standing. Hermione and Tonks looked stunned as they moved to press themselves along the wall in an attempt to stay out of the way. There was no stopping this.

"Harry! Severus!" Minerva cried, "I haven't called another round! Stop this instant!"

"Potter has something he'd like to settle! Don't you, Potter?" Severus roared, waving his wand in a grand motion, as if yielding the floor for the Golden Boy to make a speech.

"Shut up, you greasy bastard!" Harry shouted.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" Harry tried again, now so close to Severus he could reach out and touch him.

Severus could barely stand, but it looked as if pure arrogance kept him upright. Looking bored, he not only blocked the spell, but aimed it back at Harry where it slashed him across his chest. Harry staggered backward, clutching at shirt. Severus, meanwhile, had taken his seat again and repositioned his leg up to its former home on the other chair. To everyone's amazement he leaned his arm on the nearby table and idly twirled his wand in his hand.

"Think, Potter! If I know exactly what you are going to throw at me I have absolutely no trouble blocking you! Keep your mouth shut!" Severus shouted, furious at Harry's lack of effort.

Harry held one hand to his chest, where blood was threatening to soak his shirt.

"STUPEFY!" Harry yelled, set off-balance as he aimed his wand. Severus again rebounded the spell, striking Harry hard enough to throw him to the floor.

With an exaggerated air of boredom and disappointment, Severus released the spell.

"Oh, Potter, I give up," Severus said as he stood and stretched.

Harry gasped on the floor. He rolled to his side and stared up at Severus.

"You've bored me to near death, and I fear I may never recover. Maybe you should think about what I've told you, especially that last part?" he said, shaking his head.

Severus leaned over Harry, and said in a condescending voice, "As it stands now, you don't stand a chance. Never fear, though. It is now my mission to help you. Believe me when I say, you will learn, or else."

As Harry looked up at him with pain and hatred in his eyes, Severus said in a deadly tone that no one could overhear, "Now, if I hear one more spell out of your mouth, I will cut you into little bits and owl you to the Dark Lord myself. Keep. Your. Mouth. Shut. That is the key."

Severus stood back up and declared to the room, "Tonight's events are finished. Potter's assignment is to practice nonverbal spells and shield charms. Until then, this is a waste of perfectly good magic."

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"I think you need to start walking on it to try to get the muscle back. Madam Pomfrey said the healing potions should be taking effect. Your ribs should be better in the next day or so, and you can use a cane," Hermione said, admiring her work and replacing the bandages.

Severus grunted a noncommittal response without looking up from his book. The fact was, he was exhausted, and without any pain control he was in danger of groaning with every movement. Pounding Potter may have been enjoyable, but made every inch of him scream.

"Sir, maybe you should turn in. You've had quite a day," she said, glancing at the printed bed time on the schedule resting on the nightstand.

"Are you trying to tell me to go to sleep, Miss Granger?" he said without removing his eyes from the book. He turned a page, seemingly ignoring her, before saying irritably, "I assure you I can put myself to bed quite confidently without you."

"Please?" she tried.

"Leave me be, Miss Granger."

Hermione straightened. "You must be tired after that so-called duel."

"Are you attempting to bait me, Miss Granger? Let me assure you, that 'so-called duel,' as you put it, was in Potter's best interest. He is by no means prepared to face even the lowest-ranking Death Eater alone. He has survived to date by pure luck and arrogance."

"And so you believe that beating and humiliating him is the best way to teach him?"

"Yes."

Hermione stared at him, even though he refused to look up from his book, "So, your teaching methods will consist of simply bouncing him around the room rather than helping him learn?"

"He did learn, Miss Granger, and do not raise your voice to me, " Severus warned, barely flicking his eyes towards her. He knew that ignoring her drove her over the edge.

"Tell, me, Professor, what exactly did he learn? That your motivation still hasn't changed?"

He couldn't help but glare at her. "Do not follow that path of thought, Miss Granger. I am warning you."

"Oh, I will follow it, sir. Warning or not. You hate Harry only because of what his father did to you," Hermione accused.

"Miss Granger..." he growled warningly.

Hermione ignored him and pressed further. "Admit it. That display was nothing but some sort of strange revenge against Harry's father."

"He will not survive. Potter's arrogance and foolishness of emotion will earn him nothing but death."

"You're avoiding the truth, sir. Something I didn't think someone like you did. I think you know what you were doing."

Severus spat, "What you are avoiding is the dark reality of life, that what Potter is up against is the very gaping tear in morality that is the Dark Lord. He will kill your dearest friend in the most foul way possible and enjoy every single moment. Perhaps the Dark Lord will be kind enough to allow you to watch, to listen to your dear hero beg for the sweet release of death."

A look of disgust crossed her face.

Severus snorted. "You, along with the rest, seem to believe that some formal invitation-only duel will take place. Perhaps on these very grounds ... maybe in spring so the birds will sing in the background. The Dark Lord will strike Potter dead, or, if he is in a better mood, tear his throat out and talk soothingly to him as he bleeds to death on the very grass where he may have studied for his OWLs."

Hermione only stared at him. Damn him, but it's true.

"Nothing further, Miss Granger? Reality too harsh? Well, please forgive me. I am not here to garner your approval. See, I am the voice of reason. I am the one who must say that life is not all love and happiness. Because I know. Because I have seen what the Dark Lord is capable of, and Potter is heading directly into his path utterly unprepared. I cannot allow that."

"I never argued that Harry is not prepared," she said quietly, "only that your methods..."

Severus snarled, "My method is the truth, Miss Granger. I will not soften myself to placate the likes of you."

Hermione froze. "The likes of me? And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you are blind to the fact that what I do is necessary. That I am the harshness that must balance the light. Without me, Potter will continue to believe that he is invincible, and will certainly die."

She crossed her arms and stared down at him.

"So, that is your answer?" she asked. "You won't back down and at least try to teach in a dignified manner?"

"There is nothing dignified about dueling with a madman. Those who care for social graces in a time like this will be destroyed," Severus stated.

Hermione countered, "That may be true, but you can't keep avoiding the fact that you are taking pleasure in it. That's not teaching."

Severus waved his hand dismissively. "It makes no difference. The outcome is the same."

"So you admit it."

His eyes tore into her. "I admit nothing."

"James Potter is dead. Let Harry be his own man," she said crossing her arms.

His eyes narrowed in obvious rage, possibly at the very mention of the name. When he spoke, it was in a slow, determined manner. "Must you constantly make damning statements about things you know nothing about?"

"Must you be so stubborn as to try to seek revenge against Harry for something he didn't do?"

Severus dismissed her. "This conversation is over, Miss Granger. Leave."

"No."

He stared at her incredulously. "What?"

She leaned towards him as she gathered the bandages up, stating, "No, I will not leave. Every time you think you are about to lose an argument you try to end it."

"I do not have the patience or need to explain myself to you. You are forgetting that I have no need to obtain your approval for any of my actions or motivations. I'll thank you to cease your attempts at trying to get into my mind. You will neither figure me out nor trip me into saying something that will expose myself."

"You're impossible! You know, I thought Ron and Harry were childish, but you take it to new heights!" she yelled. She forcefully shoved the last bandage into the box and slammed it shut.

Severus rolled his eyes. "Once again, you assume, incorrectly, that I care for your opinion. I may start counting the hours until your departure, as a prisoner might count the days to release!" When he saw her becoming enraged he added, "Or death!"

Hermione threw the box to the floor, sat down hard on the bed, and aimed to get in Severus' face as best she could. "Listen to me, you miserable man, I am here whether you like it or not! The headmistress asked me to help since you are so terrible you wouldn't allow Madam Pomfrey to do her job!"

Severus was furious and refused to back down. "As I stated before, I never asked for..."

Hermione yelled right over him, "YOU ALMOST DIED! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?" She took hold of his shoulders, balling his robe in her fists as she continued to rage, "SOME people do care about you, no matter how nasty to try to be!"

She was so close she could see the outline of his eyes as they jumped from side to side, reading her. His mouth opened slightly in confusion and a line appeared in his brow. He was speechless, and she found that part of her loved that she did that to him. A feeling of triumph rose within her.

"Who are these people?" he asked in a tone so quiet it startled her.

She had no answer. Her breath came in small, shuddering starts from arguing, and for some reason she couldn't swallow.

Hermione opened her mouth, but it took several seconds before the words would come. "I told you before, I..."

He was trying to rise without groaning in pain and hurting himself worse in frustration. Hermione put a hand on his chest and easily pressed him back down.

"Going somewhere?" she asked, only this time her tone was devoid of the taunting she had done earlier.

Hermione realized that she still had her hand on his chest and moved to take it away. Before she could, Severus reached up, grabbed her arm, and pulled her down so they were only inches away from each other. Whether the slight anger on his face was from frustration or because she had touched him was uncertain. She distractedly noticed that his breathing had matched her own. His eyes kept moving around her face in fits and starts. Finally, he settled on staring into her eyes and locked there.

Hermione found that the clock ticked very, very loudly.

When she didn't withdraw, he pulled her closer. The expression on his face said he had no idea what was driving him to do this, but he could not stop. Their lips barely touched at first, then remained still for a moment before Severus kissed her softly. He moved from her lips slowly, waiting to see if she would change her mind. When she closed the gap and kissed him on her own, a tangible sense of relief passed between them. They remained close in tentative silence for several minutes before Hermione sat up.

"I should – leave," she said softly. When she saw something shift in his eyes she added, "You must be very tired."

He said nothing, releasing her hand with reluctance as she rose. After retrieving the box from the floor, she turned to look at him.

"Severus, I mean, can I call you..." Hermione said, breaking the silence. She made a note to get rid of that clock. It seemed to keep track of every awkward silence that fell between them.

"I do believe I could allow that."

"What did you say to Harry to make him attack you like that in the Great Hall?" she asked, waiting for him to comment on how she possessed a talent for asking the oddest questions at the most inopportune times. She certainly wasn't prepared to address what had just passed between them.

He thought for a moment, then looked at her with a terrible glint in his eye. "Just motivation. It was nothing at all."