Friends and Fiends

Friends and Fiends

At the end of Double Transfiguration on Friday, Professor McGonagall asked Hermione to stay behind, although a bit curtly. Nervously, Hermione waited at her desk after putting away her things. As the class filed out, Professor McGonagall looked at Hermione with her hands folded on her desk. “I would like you to please come by my office after dinner,” she stated, her lips pursed tightly in annoyance.

Hermione had no idea why she was upset with her. “Certainly, Professor,” she answered, trying to think of any reason that her Head of House would be annoyed and came up short until she realized she wasn’t staring at her.

“And, Mr. Gwynek, your presence will not be needed,” Professor McGonagall called out to him across her classroom.

“I’m sorry, Professor McGonagall, but where she goes, I go,” Cillian stated firmly.

“It could hardly be presumed that I would cause any harm to Mrs. Snape, and therefore your presence, while I’m sure is needed in the corridors and in certain classrooms, will not be needed in my office. She will be quite safe with me, I assure you.”

“Nevertheless, I will be with her. However, as a courtesy, I will gladly stay at the back of the room so you may talk undisturbed,” Cillian stated firmly, crossing his arms.

Professor McGonagall’s lips became even thinner as she rose and redirected her gaze upon Hermione. Her voice was soft and tender when she spoke. “How are things with you, my dear? Is everything all right?”

“Yes, so far so good. My first two weeks have been okay.” Hermione relaxed. Professor McGonagall’s eyebrows rose up in disbelief. “I suppose you heard about the incident in the corridor?”

Professor McGonagall ran her fingertips across her desk blotter as if to straighten out the pristine pad. “Oh, yes, we all heard about that.”

“It was nothing really,” Hermione said, not wanting to worry her. “Cillian and Draco came to my defense, and Professor Snape went to speak to them the moment Cillian told him about it. I think it was taken care of – although, with those men – I just hope that whatever Professor Snape said it will discourage them from bothering me again.”

Professor McGonagall nodded, deep concern reflected in her eyes. “I am glad, my dear. We were all quite alarmed to hear about it in the staff room. I have more I’d like to say, but you will be late for class. We will speak further after dinner,” she said, dismissing her.

Hermione hurried to Ancient Runes, stopping only long enough to hand Cillian her wand.

At dinner, Hermione joined Ginny, Seamus and Neville. MacCavish walked up to talk to Cillian, and Ginny took the opportunity to talk to Hermione. “As far as we know,” she whispered softly to her, “nearly everyone is up for the D – er, study group. I know that the sixth- and seventh-years are all signing up. Should we include the fifth-years as well?”

“Ginny, are you nuts?” Hermione asked, trying to keep her voice down low. “If we have the fifth- and sixth-years join now, the Carrows will not believe it’s a study group!”

“But they want in,” Seamus stated, leaning close to the girls with the pretense of reaching for the pumpkin juice.

“Hermione’s right,” Neville said. “For now we recruit, but we have to keep the study group just among the seventh-years. Encourage the sixth- and fifth-years to meet in groups in their common rooms. What we learn in D-study group, we’ll have the house leaders teach the others in their common rooms – for now.”

“What are you planning,” MacCavish snarled in gruff voice, turning on Neville.

“When Hermione would be available to help me with my Charms, sir,” Neville said, looking up at the Death Eater.

MacCavish didn’t look appeased. “Don’t be planning anything. I’ll be watching you.”

Cillian sat down with a cross look on his face that didn’t bode well. “Didn’t I warn you?” he snarled at her.

Hermione turned her head to Neville. “I may have some time tonight after my appointment with Professor McGonagall. I can come up to the common room after, if you like, but I don’t know the password.”

“Snarglepuffs,” Neville said in a whisper. “We’ll be by the fire.”

MacCavish shoved his way between Janilynn Waithe, a sixth-year, and Cillian. “What’s this study group, eh?”

Neville looked up at the Death Eater unabashedly. “It’s just friends getting together to revise for classes. NE.W.T.s can difficult and…”

“I don’t like it,” MacCavish snarled. “You are up to something.”

“Yes, getting good grades,” Seamus stated, although he kept his head down. With MacCavish glaring at them the rest of the meal, Hermione and her friends ate in silence, shoveling down their food as quickly as they could.

Hermione glanced up at the staff table at Professor McGonagall several times, wondering how long she would take to eat before she excused herself so Hermione could follow her to her office. Professor McGonagall seemed to notice Hermione watching her and likewise ate her meal without engaging in conversation with either of the persons sitting next to her, Snape on her right or Alecto Carrow on her left. Not that Hermione blamed her. Snape was scowling at something, possibly whatever Amycus was telling Professor Flitwick. When the pudding arrived, Professor McGonagall looked at Hermione and nodded as she rose gracefully. She said something to Snape before turning to leave. Hermione took that as her cue and rose to leave as well, whispering to Neville, “I’ll be up as soon as I can,” as she passed him.

Cillian rose, and MacCavish made some kind of sneering remark to which Cillian simply smirked at and followed Hermione from the Great Hall. Unlike before, he kept a reasonable, but watchful, distance all the way up the main staircase and down the corridor to Professor McGonagall’s office. She looked at him expectantly before opening the door. He simply nodded and indicated she should enter with his hand and leaned against the wall next to the door.

Hermione entered, feeling a sense of relief to have the time alone with her Head of House. Professor McGonagall entered shortly after and indicated that Hermione have a seat. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. I was conversing with Filius about you, and he asked if he could join us. You don’t mind, do you?” She made a very subtle flick with her wand before sitting down.

“No, not at all,” Hermione replied, wondering what this could be about.

“Now, to the reason I have asked you to come. The Order is most concerned about your being here. While we are most relieved that you are safe, the incident in the dungeons was a cause for alarm. I also know that you were taken to see You-Know-Who, and with what you know… you understand. I need to know if we’ve been compromised.”

“No,” Hermione stated emphatically. “I have seen him twice. Once at my hand-fasting and once before that, but he was only interested in Harry. I was surprised, but it seemed like he was searching for evidence of Harry’s talents. He was mostly interested in Harry’s blunders. I think he wanted to know how gifted or strong Harry is, but what he saw in my mind made him look pretty pathetic.”

“That may work in his favor. I’ll pass along that information, if it’s all right with you. You can understand our concern. You do know enough to cause us some trouble. I was hoping that he wouldn’t know that you were privy to anything. Please let me know immediately if he discovers anything about us or probes your mind about the Order.” Professor McGonagall seemed to relax a little when Hermione promised. “I must ask you, is the rumor of your parents true? Are they in Australia?”

“Yes,” Hermione admitted.

“Are you sure they are safe?” Professor McGonagall asked. “You-Know-Who isn’t likely to go after them, but there are wizards living there.”

“They have no memory of me or of having ever lived in London. It was tricky, but I think I managed to block those memories, and I pulled out what memories I could about Harry and Hogwarts or anything magical, which I have hidden in bottles. I read about how to do it quite extensively before trying it. As for my grandmother, she has Alzheimer’s – she doesn’t recognize anyone anymore,” Hermione explained. “Every picture of my family I could find is carefully boxed up and hidden, and all my family’s possessions are in storage. I extracted the memory of where I hid it all, and the bottle with that memory is still at Grimmauld Place, but it’s safe, I think. I don’t want to tell you anything more, but my family is all safe.”

Professor McGonagall considered her statements thoughtfully. “And Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley – are you in contact with them?” she asked, inhaling deeply and seemingly to hold her breath in anticipation.

“No,” Hermione said, and Professor McGonagall released the breath she’d been holding.

“You don’t know where they are? How they are doing? What they are doing?” Professor McGonagall asked in succession. Hermione shook her head to each question. Professor McGonagall exhaled deeply as if very disappointed. “Would you tell me if you did?”

Hermione lowered her head as she shook it. “I think it would be safe to say – no. I’m sorry. If Harry or Ron wanted to get a message to you, they would have – I’m sure of it. But Harry’s in danger now, more so than ever. Ginny told me that Ron’s ruse of having spattergroit seems to be holding up well enough, of course. I’m hoping that the Dark Lord thinks Harry is on his own, holed up in a cave somewhere. So far, I haven’t been questioned about the Order. I don’t think the Dark Lord knows that I know anything about them.”

“Albus was always adamant that you kids be kept in the dark about the Order as much as possible. I’m sure Professor Snape told You-Know-Who that. At least I hope so.” She looked up at the door, her brow furrowed. “So far, I don’t think You-Know-Who knows Potter’s whereabouts because he seems to be making quite an effort to find him. According to the Daily Prophet, Mr. Potter is wanted by the Ministry, but there has been no word at all about him from any source,” she said, a slight crease forming between her brows. “I must ask you this also. You are spending a lot of time with Neville Longbottom and others of group known from your fifth year as Dumbledore’s Army. I have spoken with Dumbledore’s portrait, and he and I concur – this is very unwise. Alecto Carrow has the list Dolores Umbridge confiscated. The students on that list are being watched.”

Alarmed, Hermione gaped at her, and Professor McGonagall continued, “Especially those in Gryffindor. They already suspect you of regrouping. You could be setting your friends up for trouble, young lady. Even Professor Snape will not be able to protect you if you begin to rebel like you did two years ago.”

“As far as I know, we are not reforming the DA,” Hermione lied, and she could tell instantly that Professor McGonagall didn’t believe her. “But there are a lot of students who are very unhappy with things as they are. And if they get worse…”

“We will need to drown it in the cauldron,” Professor McGonagall stated firmly. “Regardless, you are to tell me of any reorganization of a study group and what you are studying. For now, I will simply insist that you are, as one of the best students in the year, assisting the other students with their N.E.W.T.s. But I warn you, you do not have as much support as you had before. This isn’t Dolores and Mr. Filch we are talking about, but eight capable Death Eaters. So, watch yourself.”

“I understand,” Hermione replied.

Just then Professor Flitwick entered the office. “Sorry I’m late, Ivor Travers is insisting that he must have a password to the dormitories, but the girls are complaining about him, er, ‘creeping them out,’ I think is how Amanda Cummings put it.”

“Filius,” Professor McGonagall greeted him. “Yes, I’m having the same difficulties with Mr. MacCavish. Neville is changing the password nearly every night.”

He turned to Hermione and smiled broadly. “Miss – Mrs. Snape,” Professor Flitwick started to say and corrected himself. “Still getting use to that, sorry.”

“It’s no problem. I’m still not accustomed to being called Mrs. Snape yet.”

Professor Flitwick smiled. “It’s a bit of an adjustment remembering to call you Mrs. Snape, but I should be used to it by now – what with the Carrows and those Death Eaters talking about you all the time in the staff room.” He sat down and looked up at her fondly, although his expression still showed his concern for her. “How are you holding up? Have you had any other troubles – well, except for that incident in the dungeons? I was really furious – assaulting a student in the corridors. If I… but of course I can’t.”

“It’s all right,” Hermione said, trying to reassure him. “Cillian and Draco stood up for me, and Snape went to talk to them as soon as he’d found out. They’re apparently the reason Snape has Cillian follow me everywhere.”

“My dear, they are not the only ones. Of our new security officers, MacCavish is the only one not saying crude and improper things in the staff room. The Carrows are, of course, looking for any reason to get you in detention. But surely you know this.” Professor McGonagall pulled out the prefect calendar from her desk. “As you know, Miss Parkinson and Mr. Malfoy were made Head Girl and Boy. However, Professor Snape has refused to allow you to do any evening patrols, so I’m afraid you have limited duties as prefect. Hermione, I must agree with him. Even if I pair you up, I fear for your safety,” Professor McGonagall said solemnly.

“Which gives me more time to revise,” Hermione replied with a grin.

“The reason I wanted to see you privately, Mrs. Snape,” Professor Flitwick chirped up, “is that I’d like you to consider attending the Charms Club, rather than have any Charms study group. I can more than adequately prepare you and your friends for your N.E.W.T.s, and you may encourage Miss Weasley and Miss Lovegood to attend as well as any of your other friends.”

“Now, Filius,” Professor McGonagall admonished him surprised.

“But if everyone starts showing up for Charms Club…” Hermione started to say then paused. “We’d be learning advanced Charms! I was asked if I belonged to any clubs. I think this would be a great idea! I’ll run it by everyone. When do you meet?”

“Every Tuesday,” Filius said, obviously very pleased.

“Filius, you’re setting yourself up against them,” Professor McGonagall admonished him sternly.

“When the students in this Dumbledore’s Army were caught by Dolores Umbridge, Miss Lovegood, Mr. Corner and Mr. Goldstein all told me that Harry Potter taught them the Patronus Charm. Miss Lovegood can make a corporeal Patronus. If the rest of Mrs. Snape’s study group is up to doing that – just imagine, Minerva!” Flitwick said excitedly.

“Fine,” Professor McGonagall sighed. “Hermione, be careful. If it looks like or even hints that this group is reorganizing, Professor Snape will have to come down on you.”

“I’ll be cautious,” Hermione promised.

“All right,” Professor McGonagall said, nodding. “You may go now. Hermione, you may come to me for any reason. My office is always open for you.”

“Thank you,” Hermione replied, smiling.

As soon as she left the office, Hermione ran for the Gryffindor common room, with Cillian chasing after her. “Hermione, wait!”

“No.”

“Stop,” he demanded, chasing after her.

Hermione turned around. “What?”

“Where do you think you are going?” he snapped.

“Where do you think? To the common room,” she barked, then added as if furious, “to give Neville a piece of my mind.” She spun on her heel, ran off down the corridor again.

“Oh, this should be good,” he sneered, following her.

“And what does that mean,” she snapped, stopping before the Fat Lady’s portrait. “Snarglepuff.” She clamored inside as soon as the picture swung open, spotting Neville surrounded by the other seventh-years over by the fire. “You and I need to talk!”

“Hermione, what?” he asked looking up at her alarmed.

“Don’t what me!” she screeched as Lavender and Parvati quickly backed off, and Ginny, who was looking at her in dumb confusion, stood ready to defend Neville. Seamus stood up completely confused. “Are you trying to get me in trouble with Professor McGonagall now, too, or what?” She mouthed, ‘The chocolates,’ to Ginny and winked, hoping Cillian hadn’t seen her. “And Him!” Hermione said, jerking her head in Cillian’s direction. Ginny’s lips nearly curled into a smile before she backed off to where several second and third-years were standing. “He’s warned me about what you said – and apparently it’s all over the castle! How could you?” she screeched, trying to make her anger apparent to everyone in the room.

Neville’s brows creased, Seamus was glaring at her, and Ginny appeared to be shuffling the second and third-years aside and closer to Cillian.

“I have no idea what you are talking about!” Neville said, turning to Seamus for information.

Seamus just shrugged. “Got me, mate. What did you say?”

“Nothing,” Neville insisted. “Hermione?”

“Well think, Neville. What could you have possibly said that…” She was interrupted by a loud thump as Cillian fell to the floor.

“Well done, Brian,” Ginny said, walking over to them. “Shall we continue this upstairs, or do you wish the entire house to know?”

“The entire house to know what?” Neville asked, utterly confused.

Hermione threw herself into the sofa and looked up at Neville grinning.

Neville sat down next to her, and Ginny pounced down on her other side. “Good diversionary tactic,” Ginny said. Neville looked at her completely bewildered. “While you were fighting, I talked Brian into giving Cillian a Fainting Fancy. He didn’t even look to see what he was given. So, what did Professor McGonagall say?”

“You’ve got to be kidding?” Seamus interjected before Hermione could answer. “You two knew – how?”

“It worked,” Ginny replied. “Well, to really make it work we better talk quick.”

Hermione nodded, understanding what Ginny meant. “This time. He’ll be suspicious next time,” she said. “Okay, look, the professors all know. Alecto Carrow has the list Umbridge confiscated when she caught us. Everyone on that list is being watched. It’s one of the reasons I think we have Death Eaters at our tables, and why they are trying to get into the common rooms. Professor McGonagall was warning me, just like Snape did. And, Neville – you are not being discreet! I might as well hand you a bullhorn!”

“What’s a bullhorn?” Neville asked.

“Never mind,” Hermione said, waving him off. “Neville, stop being so reckless!”

“But I thought that you were in favor of reforming the DA?” Seamus asked.

“I am – sort of – but secretly,” Hermione stammered. “I think I have another option though.”

“What?” Seamus asked, leaning closer.

Hermione leaned forward, and Neville and Ginny followed suit. “We’ve been invited to join the Charms Club.”

“What?”

“Why?”

“That’s brilliant!” Seamus exclaimed. “Professor Flitwick is a champion dueler. Most of the stuff we were learning from Harry was Charms anyway.”

Hermione smiled. She hadn’t considered the fact Professor Flitwick was an expert duelist. She’d simply liked the fact that it made a great cover. “Exactly. If everyone who is interested in the DA joins the Charms Club, it will be a much lower profile way of learning what we need to know, and we won’t have to rush things so much. And it won’t look strange if we have others from different years getting together.”

Hermione smiled and continued. “One more thing. Ginny and I will look into ways of communication – secret ways. I’ll ask Luna to help, too. The Galleons are great, but the messages have to be short, and well, I’m not allowed my wand outside of class.” Both Seamus and Ginny looked at her in disbelief. “It’s one of my restrictions – I’ll explain later. If we can come up with two ways of communication where we can pass messages, each group would be better connected.”

“I think we’d better wake up your bodyguard now,” Ginny said, pointing to Cillian as she got up. “We’d all best gather next to him, make it seem like this little discussion never happened. Neville, see if some of the guys will come over too, and I’ll get some of the second and third-years too. Let’s go.”

Seamus rose too. “Geeze, Ginny, why?”

“So when I wake him,” she replied, holding the other end of the candy on her palm, “he won’t know how much time lapsed.”

It didn’t take much to convince some of the others in the room to gather around Ginny as she fed Cillian the other side of the chew. Kneeling at his side, Hermione asked, “Cillian, are you all right?” just as he opened his eyes.

“What the fu…”

“You ate a trick candy,” Ginny said, interrupting him calmly, although she looked appropriately worried. “My brothers, Fred and George, make them, and well, they’re really popular in the house. It got mixed up with the Honeydukes chocolates somehow,” she explained as she helped him up. “You might have a bit of a headache. You hit your head when you fell.”

“Maybe I should take you to see Madam Pomfrey,” Hermione suggested, helping him to his feet. Everyone was slowly backing away as if the show was over.

“I don’t need to see the Healer,” Cillian snapped as he gripped the nearest chair to steady himself.

Hermione pulled his other arm across her shoulders. “Are you sure?”

Cillian staggered, but he was gaining his strength. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Maybe Ginny and I should see you to your room then?” Hermione suggested.

Cillian looked at her with a smirk. “And then who’d see you to the tower? The girl?” He shook his head. “No, I’ll take you back.”

“Regardless, Ginny should come,” Hermione suggested as she helped him through the portal to the corridor.

Cillian was obviously feeling better by the time they reached the stairs. “What happened back there?”

“Neville and I were figh-ting,” Hermione started to say, but he raised an eyebrow and her words fumbled.

“I told you – you accidentally ate a trick candy – one from my brothers’ shop. Kind of stopped the shouting, seeing you go down,” Ginny added.

His expression darkened and eyes narrowed suspiciously, and Hermione shrugged.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Hermione asked.

“I’m fine. Miss Weasley, you can go back to your dormitory, now,” he said sharply, rubbing his head. “How long was I out?”

“Only a while. The other half of the candy – the one that revives you – it’s fast,” Hermione said as Ginny shrugged and ran off. “That wasn’t very polite,” Hermione snapped, pointing at where Ginny disappeared from view. “She’s the one who revived you.”

“Which I shouldn’t have needed,” he snarled back. “How am I to protect you if you won’t let me?”

“Yeah, like I was in any danger in the Gryffindor common room!” she said, turning on her heel and heading off.

“There are Gryffindors who have sided with the Dark Lord, you know,” he stated, his anger evident.

“I already know that,” she snapped back. “Wormtail was in Gryffindor. He was a friend of Harry’s father.”

Cillian gave her a hard stare, but remained silent, glaring at her each time she looked back at him. When she reached the Gargoyle, he simply waved her on.

Snape was at his desk, reading a very long parchment as she entered. She paused in front of his desk, wondering if he would be working all night again.

“Yes,” he said slowly, without moving his head.

“Ah, nothing,” she stammered. “Good night, sir.”

She was just about to go up the stairs when his voice carried across the office. “Did you have a nice chat with Minerva?”

She turned to face him. “Yes.”

“Everything in order?” he asked smoothly.

“Yes, sir.” She waited a few moments, and then turned to go upstairs again.

“And did you work things out with Longbottom?”

His tone was cool and sent a chill down Hermione’s spine, making her pause, and then she turned around slowly. “How did you…?”

He rolled his hand in the air to indicate the portraits. “I was informed,” he said darkly.

Hermione felt the blood rush from her face at the ominous tone of his voice. “It won’t happen again! I promise. It was a mistake. I didn’t give it to him,” she rattled off, stepping toward him. “I’m really sorry, but Cillian’s okay now.”

Snape simply raised an eyebrow as he rose from his chair, is glare intently focused on her eyes.

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat. “I think it just got mixed up with the chocolates. You know how popular they are and all. We revived him, and he’s fine.”

“Indeed.” Severus walked slowly across the room as she ranted. He stood facing her, his hands behind his back, and simply glared at her. “Gave him what exactly,” he said in a drawl that sounded much too menacing.

Hermione took a deep breath. “A Fainting Fancy,” she admitted, the nervous feeling in her gut increasing. “I was talking to Neville, Seamus and Ginny. The next thing I knew, Cillian fainted.” He’d moved closer as she talked and was now standing right in front of her, staring at her coolly with his hands still behind his back. She felt completely intimidated and nervous. “Ginny caught on before I did and found the other half to revive him.”

“And Longbottom. Have you given him sufficient warning to leave off?” he asked, but his tone was still cool.

“I think so, sir,” Hermione replied. She looked at him, wishing she could read him better, wondering if anyone could really read him well.

He nodded. “Thank you for not lying to me,” he said softly. He reached out to her, cupping her face. “I know it seems that I haven’t been very attentive to you,” he said, moving closer. He lifted her chin slightly, stepping even closer. Hermione’s breath caught as he leaned forward and brushed his lips on her cheek. “But I’ve been very proud of you these last few days. The reports I get are both favorable – and not.” His hand slid through her hair as his lips touched hers. “But I expected that of you.”

She automatically reached out and grabbed his robes to steady herself as his kiss became more passionate. His arm slid around her, pulling her to him tightly, and she wrapped her arms around him.

Behind and beside her, soft coughs and snores came from the portraits, and a log crackled in the fireplace, but she was oblivious to anything but his kiss. When his lips lifted off hers, she stood frozen a second before realizing he’d stopped, slowly opening her eyes to see him staring at her.

He exhaled as if with regret before dropping his hands to his sides. “Now, go on up. I’ve work to do.”

Hermione stopped and turned when she reached the foot of the stairs. “Aren’t you coming up?”

“Later,” he said, standing at his desk. He picked up the parchment he’d been reading when she came in. “I have a few matters to address.”

He was gone when she woke the next morning. Cillian took her to breakfast and then followed Hermione and Ginny to the library. They were in the Charms section, trying to find spells on how to create communication devices when Draco showed up, and they quickly closed the books, grabbing others before he could figure out what they’d been looking for.

During the Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts, Draco, Crabbe, and Pansy sat in the stands with Hermione, which greatly annoyed Ginny. She was trying to ignore Crabbe’s and Pansy’s taunting while she tried to select who’d be the best suited for each position. Hermione tried keeping her nose in her book and avoiding looking at Pansy’s glaring stare, but after a while she left the stands to sit on the grass by the greenhouses. Needless to say, Draco sat down beside her, trying to engage Hermione in conversation. Pansy simply stormed off in a huff with Crabbe following behind her. After dinner, Snape insisted she spend the evening alone in their sitting room. Unable to persuade him that she needed to be in the library, she reluctantly complied.

Fuming and bored, Hermione tried to peruse the books on the shelves, but several of the bookcases had Protection Charms on them and stung her fingers. She gave up, trying to do first-year spells wandlessly, finally managing to Levitate a small stone ball she’d removed from one bookshelf. But the exercise was exhausting and difficult. She tried to Summon the ball, managing to make it roll to her once and even managing to make it roll off the coffee table with a Repelling Charm. Still, it didn’t seem like much, and she grew bored, opting to take a bath with her Transfiguration book instead.

Sunday wasn’t much different. When Hermione woke that morning, Snape was gone, and his side of the bed looked as if he’d not even been in it. She rose and dressed quickly, hurrying down to the office, hoping to see him there. Several of the portraits greeted her, but they refused to tell her where Snape had gone. Dumbledore’s frame was empty, and one other was blank, the occupants obviously off visiting other portraits.

Phineas told her curtly, “You’re to wait here,” and then exited his frame when Hermione came down. He returned shortly, grumbling about inconveniences when he returned. “He’s on his way to get you,” he snapped.

“Who? Why?” Hermione asked, glaring at the portrait.

“Don’t be impertinent – because he said so,” Phineas snapped back, crossing his arms. No matter how Hermione tried asking him, he wouldn’t explain. Several minutes later, Cillian showed up to escort her to breakfast.

Hermione scanned the staff table, looking for Snape, before sitting down next to Ginny.

“Who are you looking for?” Ginny asked, passing her the toast.

“Snape,” Hermione said softly. “He wasn’t in the tower this morning, and I’m not sure he came to bed last night, either.”

“Miss your husband?” MacCavish sneered at her from down the table.

Hermione blushed. “Curious,” she replied. Cillian gave her a smirk as he sipped on his juice.

“Curiosity killed the kneazle,” MacCavish said, laughing at her. “He’s busy running the school, in case you haven’t noticed.”

Hermione turned her head quickly so she didn’t have to look at him, barely catching Cillian’s scowl and trying to disregard the whispers and comments from the others sitting around them.

Ginny’s dorm mate, Janilynn Waithe, passed her the pitcher. “Thanks,” Hermione said.

“You’re welcome,” Janilynn said. “I hear you’re joining the Charms Club.”

Cillian stared at Hermione, his eyebrows lifting at the remark. “Yes,” Hermione stated. “I was thinking it might be fun and help me with my Charms N.E.W.T.”

“Oh, we don’t always do NE.W.T. level stuff,” Janilynn stated. “We discuss Charms and theoretical uses and stuff, and we experiment a lot. But it’s fun.”

Hermione nodded, looking at Ginny, who shrugged. When the owls started swooping into the Great Hall delivering the post, Snape slipped in from the side door for breakfast. He spoke to Professor McGonagall, leaning toward her between bites. Professor McGonagall looked at him as if what he said was disturbing, and then turned back to her own plate, eating primly as if in deep thought. Alecto, who’d watched the exchange, sat in her chair, looking smug. Several times Alecto tried to engage either Professor McGonagall or Snape in conversation, but both ignored her. Finally Snape rose and hurried from the Great Hall, followed by the Carrows.

“I wonder what that was about?” Ginny asked.

“Mind your own business,” MacCavish snarled at her when Hermione shrugged her shoulders. Both girls turned to look at him, and he narrowed his eyes, making them look away.

Ginny tapped Hermione’s foot under the table and rose to leave, Hermione and Cillian following from the room. “What was that all about?” Ginny asked when Hermione caught up to her.

“I have no idea,” Hermione admitted. “But we’d better watch what we say around MacCavish.”

“Very good idea,” Cillian stated from behind them, making both girls walk faster.

Hermione spent the morning with Ginny in the Charms section until Draco showed up with Pansy and her gang of Slytherins and shooed Ginny away. Likewise, Hermione’s afternoon was spent in the library surrounded by Draco, Pansy, and Millicent. Three Slytherin girls, Miss Glenwrythe, Miss Davis, and Daphne Greengrass, sat at the other end of the table watching them, not even bothering to turn their heads whenever Hermione looked in their direction. Hermione felt very alone, although she was surrounded by her peers.

That night, lying in bed, Hermione stared up at the canopy. Snape hadn’t been in his office all evening, and she wondered where or what he was doing. She remembered that Dumbledore always seemed busy, but she figured much of his spare time was involved with the Order or the Ministry. However, she didn’t know if Snape was in contact with the Order, if it was Ministry business, or if his disappearances had to do with the Dark Lord. Any of the options were plausible, she supposed. Snape came to bed late, pulling off his clothes and simply letting them fall to the floor. He sat on the bed as he removed his boots, but his movements looked as if he was exhausted.

“Are you all right?” she asked softly.

“Fine,” he replied, the weariness in his voice evident. “Sorry to wake you.”

“It’s all right,” she replied, pulling the covers aside for him. He smiled as he walked to his side of the bed and climbed in. He pulled her to his side and cradled her in his arms, fitting his body snugly against hers. She tried to roll so she could look at him, but his arm tightened, and his hand tucked under her breast as he buried his face in her hair. She relaxed in his arms and his body relaxed as well. “Is everything okay?” she finally asked.

There was no reply; his soft breath told her he’d already fallen asleep. She felt a tug in her chest, and her worries about what he must be dealing with became a series of random speculations that prevented her sleep from coming for a long while.

Hermione showed up for Charms Club, happy to see that Neville, Seamus, and Ginny had talked Hannah, Ernie, Luna, Terry, and Michael into coming. The rest of the club members eyed the newcomers speculatively as the members of the DA gathered together in greeting. Cillian sat at the back of the large room, watching with feigned disinterest, although he told Hermione he was glad she was taking an active interest in the club.

“Mrs. Snape, welcome!” cried out Professor Flitwick as he came in the door. “Mr. Longbottom, Miss Weasley, Mr. Boot… you all came. Excellent!” He walked up the steps to a long platform and turned to face everyone. “We have new members today!”

There were a few mumbles around the room, some happy, some speculative. “For those who don’t recognize Mrs. Snape and Mr. Longbottom’s friends, let me introduce them,” Professor Flitwick called out, beaming happily as he introduced everyone. “From what I remember, these students got together to learn Defensive Charms two years ago. They can produce a corporeal Patronus Charm,” the diminutive wizard announced proudly.

Hermione smiled at him, expecting such an announcement. Apparently the others were not, judging by their expressions.

“But Patronus Charms aren’t taught until seventh year normally, and I doubt that Professor Carrow will teach those to us this year!” a stocky blonde said from across the room.

“No, I don’t think he will, considering what they are used for. I doubt that he would want us to be able to defend ourselves from Dementors, especially since they have sided with You-Know-Who,” Luna stated. “But Harry taught us how to cast them. It’s easy if you know how.”

“Easy?” a fourth-year boy called out as several others began talking to their friends.

“Yeah,” Seamus stated as Ginny concurred.

“You all can do them?” a fifth-year Hufflepuff asked, her mouth hanging open as she stared at them.

“Yes, Miss Wang, Mr. Brigegman, they can,” Professor Flitwick squeaked excitedly.

Hermione turned to look at Cillian, lounging in a chair at the back of the classroom.

“Maybe you’d all like to see them demonstrate?”

Hermione turned back to the tiny professor, dumbstruck.

Cillian rose and walked over to her as the other students made a circle around Hermione and her friends. “Oh, this should be good,” he said, joining the circle. But everyone was too excited to pay him much heed, eagerly wanting to see Hermione and her friends cast the Charm.

“To do the Patronus Charm, you simply have to think of a very happy memory,” Luna said and without hesitation, she raised her wand. “Expecto Patronum.”

Ginny winked at Neville as Luna’s rabbit Patronus erupted from her wand and circled around them. “Expecto Patronum,” Ginny said seconds before Neville, both creating corporeal Patronuses, which sprang out from their wands.

Janilynn clapped happily as Neville’s beaver, Ginny’s fox, and Luna’s rabbit bounded around the room. “You can – can’t you!” she exclaimed as several of the other students rushed forward, all clamoring excitedly.

Hermione concentrated on the day she became friends with Ron and Harry as she said the spell, and her otter Patronus joined the rest.

After a while, Hermione let her otter fade as a pudgy-nosed girl with mousy brown hair in braids stopped in front of Ginny. “Did you really learn how to do those two years ago?” the Ravenclaw girl asked.

“Yes, er…” Ginny replied, stammering when she couldn’t remember the girl’s name.

“Bathsheba Weatherspoon, but everyone calls me Babby. This is Will,” she replied, indicating a scrawny blonde boy with freckles. Both were looking at Ginny with a sense of awe. “We’re fourth-years. Do you think we could do it, too? You would have been in our year when you learned, right? It’s supposed to be…”

Hermione was suppressing a laugh as Professor Flitwick called for everyone’s attention. “I don’t see why not,” he said once everyone quieted down. “But first, we need to learn how to do Shield Charms. The principles are the same.” There were a few moans of disappointment, but everyone drew their wands to practice. “There are two types of Shield Charms, those which are cast to protect yourself and those which are cast to protect someone else. The Patronus is in the category of a Shield Charm, in that it is cast to protect someone else, because it is cast away from the person casting it. It is meant to move forward, in front of you. The witch or wizard conjuring it can control it, if they can concentrate long enough to maintain the Patronus. So we will try Shield Charms that protect another person. So please form groups of three.”

Everyone quickly paired off, several of the younger ones trying to match up with Neville, Luna, Terry, or Hermione. Ginny was already cornered by Babby and Will while Janilynn grasped Hermione’s robes, asking to partner with her and her friend, Zane Seymour, a cute girl with a long dark hair.

That night, exhausted, Hermione handed her wand to Cillian as they walked down the corridor. “I didn’t know you could produce a Patronus,” he said, pocketing her wand.

“Yes,” she admitted. “Although I’m surprised you didn’t know.”

“Severus told me a lot about you,” he said, with a smirk, “but he never mentioned you could do a Patronus.” Hermione looked at his profile, wondering how much he knew. Cillian’s smirk grew as he turned to look at her. “I know you and your friends would sneak out at night and get into mischief. I know you stole from him to make Polyjuice Potion your second year. I know you used a Time-Turner your third year to take extra classes and to free Sirius Black, although why you would is beyond me. In fact, from everything that I’ve been told about you, you’re a remarkable witch.”

“Thank you,” she replied, still surprised that Snape had said so much about her, and that he’d known about her theft, although she did know that he knew she’d helped Harry free Sirius. “I didn’t know he knew… but he never did anything about it.”

“Oh, he knew,” Cillian stated, crossing his arms as they reached the gargoyle. “Tell the ol’ bat that I have to do something. I won’t be back until after breakfast.”

Snape rose as Hermione entered the office. “Cillian wanted me to tell you he has something to do. He said he’d be back after breakfast.”

Snape made a soft chuckle as he rose from his desk. “Not surprised,” he said and guided her up to their bedroom. Hermione dropped her things on her trunk and turned to see him watching her. “Why the sudden interest in the Charms Club, Hermione?”

“Pardon?” she asked.

“Charms Club,” he repeated softly, standing close to her but not so that he was hovering over her.

She felt very aware of his presence in the sizable room. “I thought it would be a good way to study Charms for my N.E.W.T.s since I’m only allowed a wand in a classroom setting,” Hermione simply insisted. She wasn’t entirely sure he believed her.

He nodded once, crossing his arms as he simply watched her.

“You’ve been busy; is everything all right,” she asked after a few seconds of silence, shifting uncomfortably under his stare.

“Yes,” he replied. “For now.” He tilted his head slightly, and she averted her gaze to the wardrobe. The silence stretched as they stood there.

“I’m sorry, did you want something?” she finally asked, breaking the long silence, watching his hands as he unfolded his arms and they fell to his sides.

“Yes,” he sighed, turning his head to the window. “It doesn’t matter.” He turned to look at her again, watching her face. If she’d known him any better, she’d have sworn that he had a look of repining in his dark eyes before he wiped his face with his hand and sighed. He seemed to be staring at a spot on the wall before his gaze moved back to her face. His eyes were so dark as he looked at her, they seemed like fathomless pools under his black eyelashes. Hermione met his gaze for a while then lowered her head, looking back at him when he sighed again and moved to the wardrobe. He began to undress, pausing to hand her one of the silky night slips.

Hermione readied for bed, slyly peeking at him as she disrobed and put on the green slip, then quickly ducked into the bathroom to brush her teeth. When she returned to the room, Snape was standing at the window, staring outside into the darkness. Quietly, she climbed into bed and lay there watching him. He turned; the candlelight illuminated his bare chest, giving his normally pale skin a warm glow, and highlighted the wrinkles of his pajama bottoms while the light of the moon behind him seemed to frame him in an ethereal glow. Brazenly, she allowed herself to study his body, the firmness of his lithe frame and the lean muscle of his arms. The spattering of hair on his chest that narrowed into a thin line were it went down his torso seem to emphasize shadows on his pectorals and abdomen. His penis twitched as her gaze had traveled down his body, but not completely becoming as rigid as it usually did. She swallowed, remembering how the hairs felt when she ran her fingers through them and the firmness of his skin to her touch. When her gaze swept back up to his face, his eyes darkened and his lips curled into a slight smirk. Hermione rose up onto her elbows as he approached the bed, beginning to feel the now familiar flutter in her stomach from anticipation. He leaned down, his hand sliding into her hair as he kissed her, moving to position himself on the bed with her. As his hands and mouth began their assault on her body, Hermione gave herself over completely to the sensations his touch and mouth enticed, responding to him as he made love to her.

Author’s Notes:

I know it’s been a while since I updated, but I seem to have divided myself between too many projects lately, and we are gearing up to relocate the clinic I work in into a new hospital facility. I hope to be a bit more prompt in my updates. Thank you to everyone who has been following along with this story. For those who have left me reviews, I really appreciate them greatly as they inspire me to keep going.

I have two women who deserve more than merely a thank you for their assistance. I want to express my gratitude to MMADfan and Cocoachristy for helping to catch all my mistakes in this chapter. Thank you so very much. I appreciate it more than you could possibly know.