Decisions

"It is completely unacceptable, Minerva!"

"Severus, calm yourself or I will end this conversation immediately! By all means, say what you need to, but you will do it in an orderly manner. Do I make myself clear?"

Severus breathed in deeply through his nose. When this failed to calm him, he marched over to the Headmistress' liquor table and poured himself a healthy dose of Firewhisky, ignoring the older woman's raised eyebrows.

"Severus, I do understand, but you were never..."

"... Never supposed to find out!" Severus roared.

Minerva sat back in her chair, her lips pressed together in a thin line, a warning sparking in her eyes.

Severus sighed heavily. Pinching the bridge of his nose to ward off the blossoming headache, he flung himself into a chair, causing his drink to slosh over the sides of the glass. Just minutes before he had been blissfully unaware of the vampire that was living here, in HIS castle. It had only taken him moments to realise why Miss Granger was lying in that tower, so deathly still. The bite mark on the side of her neck had confirmed it. He had stormed out of the tower and straight to the Headmistress' office. He knew his pounding could have woken the entire castle, but in his towering fury, he did not care one jot. Now, sitting opposite his boss in her nightgown and dressing robe, he needed answers.

"Why is that... that creature here in the castle?"

"That creature, as you call her, is a lonely, frightened young woman!" Minerva's forehead creased in a worried frown. "She made one stupid mistake, Severus, and now she will spend the rest of her life paying for it. She will be ostracised and condemned for what she has become, instead of commended and praised for whom she is and what she has done. When I found her here, she was desperate, on the verge of hysteria. She had nowhere to go, no one to turn to. At least with her here, under my protection, she will have a chance."

Severus eyed her incredulously. "Are you so fond of your precious Gryffindors, Minerva, that you are blind to the fact that you allow a dangerous creature to be housed in the school, along with all the pupils, not to mention staff members, under your care?!"

"If you think for one minute that I did not think this through thoroughly, you are sorely mistaken. Hermione Granger is a rare and powerful asset to the Wizarding World, one we cannot afford to lose. Surely you know that everyone should have a chance at redemption, Severus, no matter one's past mistakes." She raised her eyebrows, glaring at him over the top of her glasses.

Severus glared back at her, refusing to let her know she had hit her target. Arching his own eyebrows, he silently demanded she satisfy his earlier questions.

"She is doing research," Minerva sighed, finding it easier to acquiesce than to continue the silent battle, especially since it seemed he had calmed down. "There has to be a cure for vampirism. We have found nothing of use so far, just the stake-through-the-heart sort of cures. We are not too keen on those, obviously."

"Obviously," Snape sneered.

Minerva took a deep breath in through her nose, breathing out quickly through her mouth. She had to remember that Severus was a moody, surly person at the best of times, and now, when he was in shock, was not one of those best times. If she did not get her own temper under control, there would be no chance of her getting him to help. He may be unpleasantly difficult and disagreeable, but he was highly intelligent (and he really did have a high level of integrity, buried somewhere deep down).

Severus had been staring into the depths of the fire as if it held the secrets of his universe. He looked up to see the Headmistress gazing at him with a look so like Albus', it was uncanny. It could only mean one thing: she was planning something for him.

Clearing her throat, Minerva gave him a look of such innocence; Severus just knew he was doomed. One did not need to use Legilimency to guess what was going on inside her head.

"No!" he said, as she opened her mouth to speak. "Absolutely not; I will not go near that tower again, and I most certainly will not help you save the other third of the Golden Trio. Do not ask me to do it."

"Severus, she is scared and alone. She refuses to get in touch with her friends for fear of burdening them, no matter how hard I try to convince her otherwise. I am her only human contact, but I am unable to give her the proper assistance and attention. She has to stay out of the sunlight and spends the rest of her waking hours researching, leaving her tower only when her need becomes too great. Surely even you noticed how thin and fragile she is getting. If we do not find a solution soon, I fear..."

Minerva broke off, staring at her hands clasped tightly in her lap while she regained control of herself. "I only ask this of you because I am at my wits end. She is fading before my eyes, and I am unable to do anything about it. I just thought you, with your extensive knowledge, might be the one to break this thing that is destroying a young, beautiful life."

Severus stared fiercely at the older woman. He felt trapped. He had noticed how fragile and vulnerable Miss Granger had appeared, all but swallowed up in that huge bed. Taking a deep breath, Severus steeled his resolve against that plaintive, desperate note he had heard in the Headmistress' voice.

"I am truly moved by your little speech," Severus drawled, holding up his hand as Minerva lifted her head, looking at him with hope in her eyes. "However, she is still a dangerous being, one I have no desire to help or see again. My reluctance can only be intensified by the very fact that she is one of Potter's cronies, and an insufferable know-it-all that I was so glad to see the last of. She should be able to find the cure herself if she is so brilliant. No, Minerva. You ask too much."

Before Minerva had a chance to react, he was gone, the hem of his robes whipping round the doorframe.

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He was walking on a tightrope. Just as he gained his balance, the rope would sway, threatening to topple him down into the dark chasm yawning below him. He took one staggering step forward, then another. The line seemed to steady, allowing him to breathe easier. There was a figure on the other side, beckoning him closer. As he took another halting step forward, wiping the sweat from his eyes, the figure suddenly became clear. Albus was there. He was right there. He was holding the rope securely, promising him safety and protection, if he could just make it across. A bright, intense red light seemed to fill the darkness gaping below him. Albus disappeared, vanished, gone, taking the safety with him. The cord sagged. Just as he started to fall, evil red eyes appeared behind the light, penetrating him, leaving him naked, as a high, cruel laugh reverberated around his skull...

Severus' eyes shot open as he bolted upright, his sweat soaked shirt sticking to his back. Raising shaking hands, he wiped his sodden brow, brushing the long strands of hair out of his eyes. His tongue felt thick and raw, as if he had used it to scrub cauldrons to a mirror shine. He decided it was better to keep his eyes closed. Once the pounding in his head had abated to a tolerable level, Severus opened them again, daring to move his head to look around. He had fallen asleep on the lumpy, uncomfortable couch again. It didn't help that it was way too short. A hot shower and extra strength headache potion were in desperate need, but not necessarily in that order.

Standing up to get to his personal potions cupboard, Severus nearly brained himself as he tripped over an empty glass bottle. Glaring at the offending object, he tried to think who would dare to leave rubbish lying around his chambers. The empty Firewhisky bottle brought it all back.

Groaning and cradling his head in his hands, Severus made it to his stores cupboard. He quickly gulped down the bitter draught, grimacing as it trailed a burning path to his stomach.

Once the pain had eased its tight grip on his skull, Severus marched into his bathroom, turning on the shower. As he stood under the spay, the water as hot as his skin could handle, he let his chin drop to his chest, the little needles of water pounding at the tension in his shoulders. He did not normally allow himself the weakness of indulging in alcohol. He did not enjoy the loss of control.

But his discussion with Minerva had unnerved him, and he'd needed something to take the edge off. He must have taken off more than the edge.

Damn that meddling woman and her pleading eyes. He thought he had locked all traces of compassion away years ago. It seemed that it was still there, though, barely, but still there. It was like one of those Muggle television sets. As they turn off, for an instant one little point of light remains. His conscience must have retained that one tiny pinprick. And Minerva, just like her predecessor, had managed to find it and try to rip it open.

He remembered the sight of Miss Granger lying in that bed. She looked so helpless and frail and vulnerable. Despite his protestations, Severus knew Hermione Granger was not a real threat. If Minerva had set up such sophisticated wards, the students were indeed safe. What he hated the most was that he had not been told. As Minerva had pointed out, he had the extensive knowledge, due to his unfortunate history, to help solve this... dilemma.

Severus shut off the water, dressed quickly and returned to his sitting room, pacing before the empty hearth. Just the thought of the opportunities this situation presented made his heart quicken. If he solved this little problem, not only would he be saving Miss Hermione Granger, one third of the precious Golden Trio and a Wizarding World heroine, but he would find a cure for vampirism. It was something no one had cared to touch on for research purposes. No one cared enough about vampires to try. He could just imagine it. He would finally receive the recognition he so desired.

Thoughts, ideas and theories began to rip through his mind at impressive speeds. He could start a potion, research the blood properties of the vampire, observe its behaviour, continue the research on conventional cures....

The problem was it wasn't just a vampire. This was Hermione Granger, cleverest witch of her age and constant thorn in his side. Could he work with the insufferable little know-it-all? If it meant getting HIS name down in the history books, he could.

Would the young woman in question be willing to work with him, though? He was still considered the greasy bat of the dungeons, ostracised by most of their world as Dumbledore's murderer. Even the memories the Potter brat had discovered among the things Dumbledore had left to him, showing the vow the Headmaster had made him take to protect Draco, had not relieved him of that prejudice. To the Wizarding World, he was nothing more than a Death Eater and a murdering fiend. Even though he had continued to assist the Order with much needed information, he could tell they never fully trusted him. Only Minerva had. She had testified for him before the Wizengamot, proved his sincerity beyond a doubt, and then offered him his previous position at Hogwarts as the Potions Professor.

And after all this, he was refusing her one request. Not only refusing but, throwing a tantrum comparable to a spoiled three-year-old who was having his favourite toy taken away. A slight flush crept up his face as he thought about that.

He stepped up to the fireplace, scooped up a handful of glistening powder and tossed it into the fireplace.

"Headmistress' office" he called out. "Minerva, are you there?" he questioned into the glowing green flames.

Minerva's head appeared, floating eerily in the blaze.

"How can I help you, Severus?" she inquired coolly, her eyebrows raised in expectation.

"You win, Minerva," he retorted. "You may tell your precious Gryffindor cub I will be assisting her with her... studies."

"Thank you, Severus. I will let her know," she replied, still with the air of coolness.

Her head popped back out of the fire, but not before Severus had seen the gleam of triumph in her eyes.

"Severus Snape," he berated himself, "just what have you gotten yourself into this time?"

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A/N A huge thanks to my betas, Charmed3 and Lumiere. Special kudos to G.