Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I'm borrowing some of JKR's characters for a bit of fun again...no money being made and all that.

Thanks go to my friend, amsev, who always has time to beta for me when I ask. What a gem! And thanks also to Felicius21 for helping out.

Hermione nervously gazed at her new houseguest and waited for him to say something. She'd just welcomed him to her home after Kingsley had left, but he was simply staring at his surroundings in obvious distaste. She was suddenly glad that she'd insisted on being alone when he was to be delivered, though Harry and Ron had requested they be there. Things would have been much worse had she relented.

Clearing her throat awkwardly, she said, "It's not very large, but I think we'll get on comfortably."

Still, he said nothing, though his gaze had made its way back to her and lingered there...lips still slightly curled.

"Why don't you say anything?" she finally asked in exasperation.

"What will you have me say?"

"Well, something... anything."

"Shall I tell you how positively pleased I am that you and Boy Wonder brewed up this little scheme to keep me from my well-deserved freedom?" His voice was cold and seeped with sarcasm. "Everyone in that room had already heard my testimony and had already seen the evidence, yet here I am...in the custody of one Hermione Granger." His scowl deepened as he waved his hands around, indicating the room they were standing in. "Instead of peace and freedom, I have yet another master, more tasks set before me. Only this time, it's much worse."

"You are free. You can't tell me..."

"Free? I cannot leave without you as my chaperone! My wand has restrictions that will keep me from fully utilizing my magic!" His voice was rising now, and his eyes had taken on a glassy glaze. "I am now nothing more than a servant to a little know-it-all who thinks she is saving me from a terrible fate!"

"Don't speak to me that way in my own home. I certainly don't want you here for your pleasant company," she returned evenly, even though her stomach was clenching nervously.

"I would have preferred Azkaban than this fate!"

Hermione opened her mouth and closed it quickly, unable to think of a clever come back. What was so bad about being in her home? Deep down, she did feel that he should be a little grateful, and she didn't appreciate the insult.

"Your room," she began calmly, "is through that door on the far right next to the sliding glass doors, which overlook the street below." When he said nothing, she went on. "I'm sorry, but you will have to share the loo with me. It's the door over here...just there near the one you entered." That," she pointed to the door to the left of his, "is my room."

"I will be turning in," he said brusquely.

"All right. There is a nice-sized closet and a chest of drawers. Make yourself at home," she finished lamely.

"Indeed," he said bitterly. "I've no choice, do I?"

"Please don't be that way."

Instead of replying, he stooped down to pick up the small sack that held his personal items and left her standing in the room alone in frustration. She hadn't even showed him the kitchen or the attic, which she'd renovated and expanded for their workspace.

"That went well," she said aloud and made her way to the kitchen to put on some water for tea. As the minutes passed, she replayed their conversation in her mind and found herself indignant over his attitude and harsh words. Sure, she'd thought he'd prefer some sort of freedom instead of Azkaban or worse, but what was worse was that he was likening her to some sort of... Voldemort!

His duties, as he put it, were for a good cause. They could save lives. If that hadn't been important to him, he wouldn't have kept Ginny from dying when he had. Nor would he have tried to save the others. She'd seen him and his frantic wandwork as he'd tried. It was a bruised ego plain and simple, and she couldn't really expect much more, could she? This was Snape she was talking about. Never mind that he was getting a new chance on life. If things weren't happening his way, he wouldn't be satisfied, would he?

In a way, she supposed she could understand his bitterness. He had been spending most of his life helping Dumbledore and looking over Harry. If he didn't deserve peace, then who...aside from Harry of course...did?

"Miss Granger?"

She startled and spun around to find him standing just in the doorway of her kitchen. "Yes?"

"I'll have a cup of tea."

"Oh...er...all right then." She quickly reached up to get a second cup before pouring the steaming liquid into them. "It's just finished steeping."

He brought the cup to his mouth and tasted. "Acceptable."

She said nothing, choosing to sit down and glance at her copy of the Daily Prophet, curious to see which families had sponsored people and which Death Eaters had been deemed too dangerous to integrate back into society.

"I would like you to answer some questions."

Glancing up, she nodded and waited for him to speak, not wanting to appear to eager to converse with him. Hermione was quite happy that he hadn't stayed pouting in his room for very long.

"Whose idea was it for me to stay here?"

"Mine."

"Why?" he asked incredulously.

She set down her cup and said, "Because Ginny and people like her could use the help. I couldn't think of anyone more talented in Potions and Dark Arts combined who could help me."

Snape seemed somewhat mollified. "So, this was not Potter's idea?"

"No, of course not! Harry doesn't want you here!"

At this, he seemed to sit up straighter. "Indeed?"

"I'm being honest. We need your help, Professor. It's not some conspiracy to detain you, and I have no choice but to agree with the stipulations set forth by the Wizengamot if I'm going to have you."

"Why here? Alone? Not afraid of rooming with a murderer then, Miss Granger?"

"I...no. I know that you only had to do what was..."

"You don't know anything!" he bit out suddenly, pounding his fist on the table and causing their cups to rattle slightly.

Was he looking for a way to talk to her? To someone? "Well, if you'd like to talk, I'm a good listener."

"I think not," he said quickly, rising from the chair. "I shall retire for the evening. I trust you can show me where we'll be working tomorrow."

She smiled brightly. "Yes, I can."

He glared at her. "Don't smile as if you've won something here. I only want to start as quickly as possible so that I might be able to leave and get on with my existence away from the lot of you."

Stung, Hermione looked away as he disappeared from the room. If that was the way he wanted it, then that would be the way he'd have it. She didn't need him for company...only for his cunning and intelligence. The quicker they could find cures, the better.

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"And then what happened?" Ron asked thickly, careful to not spill any of the potatoes he'd just shoveled into his mouth.

"Well, after we finished the breakfast, which he deemed passable, I showed him the attic."

"Which you've made loads of renovations to."

"Exactly!" She sat back and crossed her arms in annoyance, hair flipping from her shoulders as she did so. "He looked around with that damn lip of his curled up and started pointing out all that would need to be fixed and added and taken out!"

"Right picky git, eh?"

"Probably a mistake having him there," Harry said sourly as he joined them at the table.

"What's got your wand in a knot?" she asked. "Still on about Snape?"

"No," he said, obviously irritated. "We're landed with these two lazy lumps!"

Hermione straightened up with interest. "Oh?"

Swallowing before he answered, Ron said, "Right moody, them and been in bed since they got here last night."

"Have you checked? They might have given you the slip!"

Harry snorted. "We wouldn't be so lucky." Running his fingers through his hair, he sighed loudly. "I just wish I'd been assigned someone... more... you know."

"Dangerous?" Hermione prompted.

"No," said Harry, eyes shifting away guiltily.

"What he means to say is that we'd rather be looking after blokes."

Crossing her arms once again and arching both eyebrows, Hermione asked, "And just what is wrong with looking after women?"

Leaning forward conspiratorially, Ron quietly said, "Well, look how awkward it is with Snape for you. Imagine me walking into the loo this morning and seeing girly things...push 'em ups or whatever you call them...in there! That'd be like you seeing Snape's box of condoms!"

"Oh..."

Harry snickered at this. "What's he going to be doing with those? Who'd have him?"

"Harry!" Hermione chided and added, "Ron!" when he joined in loudly.

"You'll just have to set them straight on the rules, that's all," she said confidently.

"Sure," said Ron sarcastically. "Just the way you set Snape right, eh?"

"Well, not yet I haven't, but I thought he should settle in first."

"Uh-huh."

"It's true," she said crossly.

"Yeah, that'll go over well," Ron said with a snort. Changing the pitch of his voice, he mimicked Hermione, saying, "Now, Professor, remember to put the lid down after you use the toilet, or I'll put you to bed with no dinner!" He quickly ducked the cup Hermione tossed at him. "Watch it!"

"I suppose I should leave." Rising, she nodded towards the ceiling. "You two had better sort them out. I expect I'll be needing some help with things soon enough, but if I don't trust you lot to do things right, then I won't allow it."

In a serious voice, Harry said, "We will make sure to do all we can. Anything to help Ginny...even putting up with Snape."

"Harry, when are you going to accept that he's done all of this for us?"

His eyes fell away from hers as he sat back in his chair. "I don't know."

That was better than an outright proclamation of eternal loathing. "Well, that's a start then."

Before she got to the door, she heard a scraping of a chair on the wooden floor and turned to see Ron approaching her.

"Er... I'll walk you out."

"All right."

Once they were out of the room and near the doorway, he said, "Are you sure you're all right? Want I should come over later?"

"You've your hands full here it seems. Maybe in a few days?"

"Fair enough." He leaned towards her as if to kiss her and then quickly moved back. "Sorry. Habit."

She smiled and touched his cheek. "'S all right, Ronald."

"Floo me if you need us. I'll come right over."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

Hermione felt quite warm and light when she left Grimmauld Place. It seemed that Ron was truly trying to approach things differently with her, and she appreciated it greatly. Perhaps things might turn out all right for them at some point in the future after all. First, however, they would see to their duties and then whatever happened after would be considered fate.

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"And what, may I ask, is this supposed to be?" Snape asked, looking down at the dish in front of him.

"Shepherd's Pie. Why?" Hermione asked worriedly, looking over her own plate to see if it had changed into something else. "What do you mean?" she asked, seeing nothing amiss.

"This meat smells rank! Trying to poison me?"

"It does not. I just bought it today."

"It's certainly not minced meat. What did you substitute for it?"

"Nothing! I seasoned it well. Perhaps you don't like some that I've used?"

"Hmph."

"Oh, you know, I used two different cheeses. I'll bet you..."

"Silence is grand."

"Fair enough then," she said through gritted teeth. He was truly getting on her nerves and seemed to be taking pleasure in pointing out all the things he disliked about her, her home, and even her cooking.

He used his fork to lift a bite to his mouth, holding it as if it were dirty. Parting his lips, his tongue met the food as he pushed it into his mouth and then chewed multiple times. When his nostrils flared, Hermione braced herself for something rude.

"I don't know why I thought you might be able to cook a meal. You never were top rate in Potions."

"That's it!" she said angrily, jumping up from her chair. She reached over, snatched his plate from the table, and then tossed it into the dustbin. "If it's such rubbish, don't eat it!" Losing her appetite, she did the same to her plate of food as well. "That's the last time I try to do anything nice for you. I don't know why you have to be so hateful. I cooked, I cleaned, I fixed your food and drink, and I've... I've really tried to make you feel welcome."

"Spare me your dramatics, my dear."

"Oh, piss off! And I won't be keeping Crookshanks locked up in my room anymore either. It's his house more than it's ever going to be yours! At least he doesn't treat me like shite! You can just stay locked in your own room if you don't like it." With that, she stormed from the room to go to hers, slamming the door loudly before throwing herself onto her bed in exasperation. Ron and Harry had been right. He was a bit too much to handle, wasn't he? How would she ever deal with this?

Southern's Notes: Some houseguests, eh? Yikes. At least she's not going to put up with his shite anymore. Perhaps he'll keep his mouth shut now, eh? LOL

amsev's Notes: Whoa, quite the not-so-charming arse! Go, Hermione!