It's Starting To Escalate

~o 21 o~

It's Starting To Escalate

Severus could hardly believe that it was three weeks into October. The time had flown by for him, especially considering all the stress he'd had to deal with between the Carrows, his fellow Death Eaters, Minerva, his staff, and Umbridge all having conflicting views regarding how he should run the school.

Thankfully, the Dark Lord was preoccupied as of late, running the Ministry from the comfort of Malfoy Manor. However, in the last three weeks, there had been only a few problems that he'd needed to address in the castle, relatively speaking, except for the recruitment tactics of MacCavish, Travers, and Rowle. Lucius Malfoy, Rabastan Lestrange, and Thaddeus Nott would have been better choices for recruiters. But Severus was secretly pleased with the Dark Lord's appointment; their strong-arm tactics and lustful natures meant that few of the students were being swayed to join the ranks. Unfortunately, VanHalal was having better success if Severus were to believe his claims. Severus had hoped that his Slytherins were smarter than that, more aware of what the Dark Lord had become to fall for the false promises and empty flattery.

He glanced up at the young woman revising at the coffee table in front of him. Her books and parchments were spread out across the surface of the table and the floor next to her. He admired her dedication to her studies, and when he reviewed her essays, he noted that she was finally starting to extrapolate, hypothesize, summarize, and theorize in her own words, using the quotations of the books to substantiate and support her opinions rather than simply regurgitate what she'd read. It had only taken Severus six years to get her to start thinking for herself, and he credited his occasional discussion with her in the quiet hours of the evening in the sitting room, on those rare occasions when Hermione would put her books aside. If it hadn't been for the need to keep up pretenses during her earlier years, I'd have taken her aside and taught her years ago, he lied to himself. Now if she'd spend more time focusing on suppressing her feelings and controlling her emotions, he could teach and train her to be a formidable witch. But she couldn't block him, let alone be able to block the Dark Lord, and that was too much of a risk.

The fact was, Hermione's Occlumency lessons were slowly driving him to frustration. She could do it, he knew it, but she lacked the ability to close off her emotions, to suppress them. Severus had kept trying the tactic that he'd used in the loo, using his worse 'professor tone' on her; he was cold, sneering, and as intimidating as he could be toward her. He'd had a large wardrobe brought in that had a boggart housed in it, more for effect and it's constant rattling. It also unnerved Hermione, he assumed, knowing that at any moment he could allow the boggart to escape. She was learning to control her fear, but could not completely suppress it. She was improving; her ability to switch memories at will was impressive, lightning quick, and growing stronger. Nevertheless, by exerting enough effort, he could still break into her mind and find memories he knew she'd rather he didn't know about.

Severus turned to look at the night sky through the window. Outside of the castle, the war raged on. Severus was not as valuable to the Order as he'd previously been, not that they trusted him anymore since Dumbledore's death, well, most all of them at any rate. Regardless, he had very little to report. His role had changed the day Draco had succeeded in bringing in Death Eaters and that rangy beast Greyback into the castle – protect the students.

Severus picked up his copy of the Sorcerer's Sun. Since the fall of the Ministry, the Daily Prophet had become little more than a Ministry propaganda publication. The Prophet, as well as the Muggle papers that Dumbledore had subscribed to, which continued to arrive daily, had been reporting on the thunderstorms, increased lightning activity, and hail throughout the country as unusual natural occurrences. Severus was well aware that Miss Lovegood was giving Hermione a copy of The Quibbler weekly to read because he would find the paper on her bedside table. There seemed to have developed a sort of silent agreement between them; he allowed the paper, and Hermione didn't say anything when she saw him reading it.

But it was dangerous to allow her to have them – The Quibbler was telling the truth. So was Ireland's paper, the Sorcerer's Sun. Aaronold Southfield, the chief editor of the Sun, and Xeno Lovegood, editor of The Quibblier, were both reporting that the lightning storms had frequently been Death Eaters firing spells from their brooms in the sky, as had been the occurrences of the destructive hail storms. The tornados that the Prophet and Muggle papers had been reporting along the coast were not the mini-tornados that were common for the late summer season, but had actually been destruction caused by giants that had been let loose on seaside villages. The strange flu that was baffling the Muggle doctors that seemed to take whole families in one night were in fact vampire attacks, and Severus knew that Hermione knew that the wolf attacks that had been reported could be attributed to Greyback and his pack of werewolves.

Severus looked up when he heard the soft pop of a house-elf's Apparation, closing his eyes as he slowly counted to ten, hoping that it was Peren and not another message from Sybill Trelawney. That witch was driving him batty. She was sending him notes more frequently now, saying the same thing: the Dark Lord was coming to the castle, Hermione Granger was in grave danger, strife and suffering were going to happen at Hogwarts, and he, Severus, was going to die. He could bloody well tell the woman all of that, and he didn't need a crystal ball, cards, or bloody tea leaves to know this.

He looked at Hermione as she looked up at him and smiled, and the corner of his lips pulled back in response. They held eye contact for only a second until she turned to pick up a book that lay between them. He wanted to move down the sofa and touch her hair, feel the soft curls under his fingertips. He knew it would distract her, though, and he needed to let her complete her essays and revise. He also knew that she'd stay up all hours with her books as well, if he let her.

He looked up at the clock and noted the time. He'd let her continue for another hour before he made her come to bed. The mere thought made his body react. She never denied him when he asked her, but it saddened him that she didn't initiate intimacy between them. Sure she was his charge, so he knew that she still saw him as an authority figure: her ex-professor, Headmaster of her school, and her warden. Well, maybe not her warden so much anymore; he allowed her the delusion that she was a normal student, as normal as her situation would permit.

Severus shifted his legs into a more comfortable position and turned his attention back to his paper.

At least his troubles with the board of governors were finally settling down in his favor. That was one headache he didn't have. For now.

~o0o~

Hermione and Ginny were both becoming more and more concerned about Harry and Ron. Tuesday in Charms Club, Ginny asked Hermione if she still had her DA Galleon between their attacks on Duane Saunders' Shield Charm. Hermione quickly looked around her to see who might be listening and nodded. "I have it, but I – it's hard to make it work without a wand," she said between casting jinxes at Saunders. "If I'm really angry, I can make it work, but if I'm frustrated, like I've been these last few weeks, I can't get it to change."

Seamus moved so that he was standing closer to her. "I tried my coin. They are in a glen in Scotland. Well, they were. I know that Dean has joined them," he said softly.

"What?" Hermione asked, her jinx missing Saunders all together and hitting Terry's shield, catching him by surprise.

"What I said – Dean ran into them. Good thing too," Seamus said, still holding his Shield Charm against Anthony Brigeman's and Tinko Wang's attacks. "Apparently they were running out of food." Anthony fired a really strong hex that made Seamus stumble into Hermione. She saw the spell coming and was able to brace herself so he didn't knock her over, but Seamus landed on his bum.

Hermione leaned down to help him up. "Are you sure? They're all right?"

Seamus let her help him to his feet. "Yeah, hungry, and apparently in a tent, but they're alive."

Hermione quickly looked at Cillian and turned so that her back angled slightly toward him. "I have to do something. I need to know..."

"Hermione?" Ginny asked as Anthony walked over.

"Finnegan, you okay? Granger? Did I hurt you?"

"Hermione, do what? We can't do anything from here. I don't even know where he is," Seamus said, ignoring Anthony.

"I'm fine, Anthony," Hermione said and turned to face Seamus. She saw two Slytherins, Amanda Bergental and Jean Pendergast, who had been practicing with two Ravenclaws, Isabel and Morag MacDougal, watching her and Seamus with unveiled interest. Hermione tried to angle her head closer to Seamus and away from the girls. "Tell me everything you know. Did he say anything about finding... something?"

Seamus shook his head and touched her arm. "I'm fine, Hermione, thanks. No harm done." Hermione's brow creased, then she realized that he wasn't actually looking at her. She turned her head as Seamus turned around and faced his sparing partners. "Good shot, Anthony. Bet you can't do that one again."

Hermione saw Cillian approaching and quickly diverted her gaze to Ginny. "Ginny, I've got to find a way to talk to Harry," she said, squatting down to adjust her shoelace.

Ginny leaned over since Cillian was watching her. "Luna and I have been looking. We found the Protean Charm, and a way to make tin cans work like felly – no, tellphones. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Hermione, is everything all right?" Cillian asked, walking up and placing a hand on her shoulder.

Hermione looked up and tried to make her face blush. "Yes, I'm – he just lost his balance. I'm fine," she said, erecting a shield around herself.

After an hour, Professor Flitwick dismissed the club. As everyone mulled around talking, Hermione leaned over to Ginny. "If I come to your room tonight, may I use your wand?"

"Sure," Ginny said, her brow creasing.

Hermione followed her friends from the Charms classroom and noticed that the two Slytherins, Amanda Bergental and Jean Pendergast, were still watching her.

Hermione nodded at them and walked over to Cillian, handing him her wand. "I want to go to the common room, if that's all right?"

Cillian's smile faded slightly as he followed her and Ginny from the room. "Why?" he asked.

"I was hoping to spend some time with Ginny before curfew," Hermione said, turning for the stairs. Cillian shrugged. Seamus was ahead of them with several of the Ravenclaws, all talking about how well they were able to deflect the spells thrown at them, and parted ways at the fifth floor.

Hermione turned to face Cillian when he scrambled after her through the portrait hole. "I was wondering if I could – it's just that there is something I want to talk to Gin about. You know... away from the boys."

Cillian held up his hand. "Hermione, girl talk, I get it. You can have twenty minutes, and then I'm sending for your husband," he said, then held up a finger, pointing at her face as his eyes narrowed. "Twenty minutes. I mean it – twenty – no more."

Hermione didn't wait to respond; she quickly ran up to Ginny's room. Ginny pulled out her Galleon and handed Hermione her wand. It took a few tries, but she got the coin to read: How are you? HG

She waited, watching the gold coin on her palm, not realizing she'd held her breath until her chest started to hurt. "Try sending just his initials. It's what Seamus did," Ginny suggested.

Hermione tapped the coin and changed the message to, HP how are you? HG. "It's not working," she sighed, trying again.

The coin warmed on her palm. Mione? the coin read.

Hermione bounced, nearly shouting for joy. She made the coin read, Yes. She waited a second and changed the words to, How R things? The coin vibrated and, Fine, appeared. Where R you? she asked in her next message, but the response was, can't say 2 dangerous. The coin warmed and the words changed. Can't be found trouble, then read, Seaside yesterday but moved.

"They must be moving around a lot. That's a good plan – harder to get caught that way," Hermione said, looking up at Ginny.

"Ask him about Dean. No, ask him about food, if they need food," Ginny suggested. Hermione did, but all she got back was, sometimes okay. The letters changed to, Ron says hi. She laughed and sent, Hi 2 Ron. She tried asking about the Horcrux hunt, but she had to be careful and had to break the question up in segments; Did you find any, then, any luck hunting down, and then finally, how many now. She was getting frustrated. She made the coin read, 2 hard 2 talk this way.

There was a long pause before the coin read, one some three, then changed to, no cup no idea. After a pause, the coin changed and read; Mirror dad's mirror. Hermione read it twice, trying to understand what he was talking about. She said it aloud and looked at Ginny, who shrugged. Hermione changed the words to, What mirror. Who dad? The coin warmed and she read, my dad. 2 way.

Hermione showed the coin to Ginny as Jenny Wang came in the room. "Hermione, that guy that follows you everywhere, he says it's time to come down."

"Thanks," Hermione said and turned back to Ginny. "Does your Dad have a mirror that he can communicate with?"

Ginny shook her head. "Our mirror talks to you, but why would Harry suggest talking to a mirror?"

"He said two way, as in a two-way mirror... The only two-way mirrors I know about are the ones that the police use," Hermione said, but Ginny and Jenny shrugged. "It's a window with a mirror on one side and allows someone on the other side to see into the room. However, the other people, the ones inside, can't see them. But he can't have meant that. He must mean something like a two-way radio. Can it be done?"

Jenny and Ginny simply shrugged their shoulders, Jenny raising her hands, palm up. "I've heard about them," Jenny said. "Colin and his brother had a pair, walk-he-talk-he, I think he said, but they didn't work at school."

"Walkie-talkies use radio waves, but they have a limited range... and I don't have any way of getting a pair." Hermione rose. "If I didn't have Draco following me every time I go to the library, I could try and see what I could find on mirrors."

"Distract him somehow," Jenny replied. Hermione turned to face her, and Ginny sat on the foot of one of the beds. "From what I've seen, that prefect, Pansy, she's really jealous of you. If someone were to flirt with Draco, I mean, really flirt with him, she'd get mad and pull him away."

"Not if it were me. He hates me," Ginny said, shrugging. "Besides, it wouldn't work; Draco would never fall for it."

Jenny's smile became mischievous. "What about Janilynn or me? Besides, someone crushing on Draco – he'd be used to girls falling for him – even fawning over him. What if, say, he suddenly became, I dunno, like a Quidditch star or something... Oh, I can ask Zane; she thinks he's cute!"

Ginny started to giggle. "It could work. The Slytherins' booked the pitch tomorrow morning to practice. We could sit in the stands, and Janilynn, Jenny, Zane, and I would be 'Draco watching' and acting like groupies. Saturday, after practice, go to the library, and we will take care of Draco! Oh, it could work!"

"I may need more than one day," Hermione said, not sure about the plan. "Draco might not fall for it twice, but he's not dumb, and he might see right through the ploy."

"Oh, don't worry; we're baiting Pansy, not Draco. We'll follow him like the girls did to Viktor Krum when he was here. All we need is to make him frustrated by the attention and fawn all over him. She'll be furious and make him sit with her. I'll tell Janilynn and Zane what we're doing and see if any of her friends want in on the ruse. If it works out and you find a two-way mirror, can I have one?" Jenny asked, looking hopeful. "Then I could talk to Colin!"

A first-year knocked on the door. "Mrs. Snape, that guy, the one that follows you, he sent me to get you."

Hermione gave Ginny back her wand and coin, hugged her, and hurried down the stairs. There was a hard look in Cillian's eyes when she reached the bottom of the stairs, and his jaw was clenched, but he nodded politely to Ginny. "Does Miss Weasley have a clock?" he sneered as he ushered Hermione from the common room.

"Yes," she said as he scrambled through the hole. "We kind got wrapped up in our discussion."

"Stay close to me, and don't run," he said, rising to his feet. "Alecto is on patrol tonight, as is Rowle. I want to avoid a skirmish, if I can."

Hermione noticed that he had his wand out, held casually in his hand. "I promise," she said, embarrassed and understanding his anger. Still, he took hold of her elbow as he walked quickly to the stone gargoyle, and Hermione almost needed to jog to keep up.

Only when the statue jumped aside did he relax. Snape was waiting, staring at the fire in the Floo when they entered. "Severus, I need you to take Hermione to breakfast. I have something I still need to do tonight and first thing in the morning."

Severus nodded. "When shall I expect you?"

"Depends on her mood," he said dismissively and then chuckled. "I'm sure you don't want her coming here."

Snape scowled and rolled his eyes. "Merlin, no."

~*~

Hermione woke up, eased from the bed so that she didn't wake Snape, dressed quickly, and made her way to watch Draco play Quidditch. The castle was quiet in the early morning, and she didn't see anyone until she still bumped into the Slytherin Quidditch team as she descended the stairs to the Entrance Hall.

"What is she doing here?" sneered Harper, Slytherin's alternate Seeker.

Draco was facing the door. He hesitated, then turned around, and ran up to her. "What are you doing here?" he hissed angrily. He grabbed her arm. "Com'on. I'll take you back."

"I wanted to watch you play," Hermione said, jerking her arm free.

Draco stared at her as if she'd lost her Gobstones, and then his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You what?"

"I thought I'd come watch Slytherin practice; you know, get some fresh air and a little sun," she lied.

Draco grabbed her arm, dragging her roughly out the huge oak doors. The grounds were still moist from a heavy dew, and the foggy grey predawn was cold on her face. "Okay, so two out of three – watch you practice and get some fresh air," she said and shrugged.

Draco looked at the ground and swore. "I'm going to be on a broom! You'll be alone in the stands. What if I don't... get... What the...?"

At that moment, Zane Seymour and three of her friends exited from the castle, all three Hufflepuffs sporting green knit scarves and caps. One girl was wearing a Snitch-shaped pin with fluttery wings. Another held a small Slytherin banner on a stick that she used to wave at Draco with a huge smile. "Oh, there he is!" Zane squealed exuberantly.

"He's so gorgeous," the one with the banner swooned.

"I can't wait to see him fly!" the other girl Hermione didn't know exclaimed, beaming and waving at Draco, as the girl with the pin clasped her hands together saying, "Oh, he looks so dreamy in his Quidditch robes!"

"I don't need this," he snarled and then looked at Hermione. "I won't be able to protect you."

"Ooo, then let me do that for you, Draco," Ginny said in a cooing, dreamy sort of voice.

Hermione turned around so he couldn't see that she was trying to suppress a giggle. Jenny had apparently been busy. Two Gryffindor girls and two girls from Ravenclaw, stood behind Jenny, Luna, and Ginny, all of them looking at Draco as if he were a teen idol.

Bedlam broke out as the other team members tried, unsuccessfully, to send Draco's new admirers away. Finally giving up, the rest of the team stormed off to the Quidditch pitch with Draco and Hermione, surrounded by his fawning fans, in the rear. Draco insisted on keeping Hermione with him, much to Crabbe's disapproval, making her sit in the corner with a Muffling Charm on her as he went over his strategies and goals for the practice. Afterward, he escorted Hermione up to the stands and flew away, ignoring all the girls cooing dreamily over him.

Hermione leaned over to Ginny. "What is going on? They look like they've all had a love potion or something."

Ginny giggled as the girls all swooned over Draco as he passed the stands. "Well, it's a type of love potion... tell you later."

When practice was over, Draco stopped to hover in front of the stand. "Granger, get down to the ground now," he barked, still ignoring the other girls.

Hermione hurried down to the pitch, and Draco grasped her arm, demanding to know what she was playing at, but Hermione feigned innocence. Draco pulled her with him all the way to the castle and up to the Headmaster's office with Hermione struggling to free her arm the entire way. Draco ranted and raved to Snape about what happened at Quidditch practice, which Hermione denied knowing anything about. She said that she'd only wanted to get outside for a bit, and since Draco was one of her keepers, she'd thought it would be okay. Snape listened to them snarl and yell at each other, his fingers pressed against his temples, until he'd had enough.

Snape swore, placed his hands on the desk and leaned toward her, his face contorted in anger. "If I find out you had anything to do with this fan club following Draco's suddenly acquired, I'll wring your neck." He came around the desk, and Hermione backed off, frightened of him. "We're going to breakfast," he snapped and pointed at the door.

Hermione wanted to tell him that it wasn't her fault, but considered his expression, and she changed her mind. She walked quickly for the Great Hall, Severus at her side. He stopped in the Entrance Hall, took a slow breath and proceeded to guide her in to breakfast as if nothing had happened.

At the Gryffindor table, Hermione asked Ginny again if the girls had taken a love potion. "We did!" Ginny said as Hermione looked at her in shock. "I have this brother, you may remember him, George? He makes these Wonder Witch products..."

"You didn't!"

"Oh, I did. The chews make you swoon for a blond, and Draco is the only blond on the team. Once we get a few hairs from Draco, George can make loads, specifically targeting him. I Flooed him last night, tossed him a letter, and he gave them to me. Then Dobby took some boxes of them to Zane and Luna. You'll see. The next time you're in the library, Draco won't have a moment's peace."

Hermione groaned and turned to look at Snape, cringing when she saw him staring at her. She collected her things and walked with her friends to Muggle Studies, Snape strolling along a few steps behind them.

Alecto began lecturing about European monophyletic monuments, which in her opinion, were all wizard made. "We have numerous stone circles, Pictish stones, standing stones, cups and rings, chambered cairns, Brochs. These are wizard erected monuments: the Newgrange Passage Tomb, Hill of Tara, Stonehenge, and Barry Hill..."

Hermione dipped her quill and continued her notes on Alecto's lecture.

"...Stonehenge..." Alecto paused and looked at Hermione. "Mrs. Snape, care to enlighten us on who created Stonehenge?"

Hermione gasped and looked up. Oh, lord, not again. Her first year at Hogwarts she'd gone searching for that very question, hoping that there'd be something in the library about the origins and secrets of Stonehenge. She'd found a few references, but nothing that answered all her life long curiosity of the site. "Some people think that the ancient Druid wizards constructed it," she said timidly. "But, no one knows for sure. Everything written about Stonehenge is speculation... I have no idea, ma'am."

"Professor!" she snapped at her, her hands falling to her sides, clenched tightly in fists. "Do you think we, the superior beings, the ones that created Stonehenge, do not know its secrets?" Alecto crossed her arms and planted her feet shoulders width apart. "And I know you lie. Your name was on the borrowing card for every book that even mentioned Stonehenge. So tell me – who built it and when?"

"I don't know," Hermione said, now frightened of the wild look in Alecto's eyes.

Alecto drew her wand. "You insolent little trollop! And they call you a know-it-all!" She aimed her wand at Hermione's chest. "Tell me or I'll make you tell me!"

"She said she doesn't know!" Neville said. Alecto turned her attention to him, but maintained her aim at Hermione's chest. "She told you she doesn't know."

"Neville, please," Hermione said, trying to stop Neville from getting in trouble.

"Silence, you," Alecto said and flicked her wrist, hitting Hermione with a Stinging Hex. Hermione's eyes filled with tears from the pain, but she managed to make only a sharp inhalation and bit back her scream.

Neville was on his feet. "Stop that! You can't hex a student – it's against the rules!"

"I set the rules, Mr. Longbottom!" Alecto shouted and hit Neville with a Cruciatus Curse. Neville fell to the floor, banging his head on a desk behind him as he went down.

Draco raised his hand, his eyes straight ahead as if nothing was amiss. Alecto ignored him. "Maybe you should write me a three foot essay and take a zero for the day."

Hermione was outraged. "A zero for not knowing who built..."

"Silence!" Alecto shouted, hitting Hermione with a Stunning Hex, strong enough to knock her from her seat, but not strong enough to make her unconscious. She hit her head on the desk behind her and fell to the floor hard, feeling as if she'd broken her tailbone.

"You, boy," Alecto said to Seamus. "Get her up off the floor and stop disrupting my class. Twenty points from Gryffindor for each of you for your insolence and interrupting my class. All three of you will write me an essay on who created Stonehenge and why. Now get out!"

Seamus stood, turning to stare at Alecto when he'd realized he'd been given the assignment as well, but held his tongue as he bent down to help Neville get up. Draco released the spell, reached down and pulled Hermione to her feet. "Get up," he said coolly, then whispered quietly, "I have the books you need. I'll bring them to you. Now go."

Hermione jerked her arm free of his grasp, staggered and lurched. Seamus quickly wrapped an arm around her waist. She placed her arm around his shoulders and allowed him to guide her from the room.

Cillian opened the door for them. "You know better," he said as Hermione and Seamus walked past him.

She was still holding her head with her other hand where it had banged into the desk. Her head throbbed and she felt nauseous and dizzy. "And what part of that did I deserve – the Stinging Hex or the Stunner to my chest? I thought you were supposed to protect me?"

"I am! I told you, as did Severus, she hates you and everything you represent! And you!" he said turning to Neville, "You shouldn't have talked back to her. She is right – she can and is setting down the rules. You need to watch your cool and not lose your temper." He turned to Seamus. "And that goes for you as well."

"What did I do?" Seamus asked.

"You're a Gryffindor and his friend – that's enough for her," Cillian said.

In double Defense Against the Dark Arts, Amycus Carrow continued teaching the use of the body modifying hexes and jinxes, demonstrating a few of them on Hermione, which made all the Gryffindors angry and the Slytherins snicker. However, it made Hermione feel worse physically than she did when leaving Muggle Studies. Neville and Seamus were in a rage at Cillian, and even Lavender and Parvati were standing up to him in the corridor when they'd walked far enough away from the classroom, asking him why he allowed Mr. Carrow to abuse her like he had done.

Cillian turned on them, his expression furious. "I don't answer to the likes of you. Get off to your next lesson," he snapped. Seamus looked at him with his eyes wide and his mouth gaping open. "I said move on! I'll see that Mrs. Snape is taken care of. Now go!"

~*~

Severus approached the circle of students arguing with Cillian over the unfair house points and the essay assignment. As soon as he approached, Neville and Seamus excused themselves and ran away. "I'll deal with this," he said to Cillian and took Hermione to his office. "What happened? Were you hurt in Defense?" he asked.

Hermione told him about what happened in Muggle Studies and Defense, her voice escalating as she recounted each humiliating experience.

Severus held back the venomous explanative he wanted to say, and looked at her with feigned calmness. "Seventy-five points to Gryffindor will be added by Minerva in her next class. How are you feeling?"

She crossed her arms. "I'm fine, thank you; and you? How are you doing?"

"Don't get smart with me. I was wondering if you're up to another try at Occlumency, since we apparently have a break." He pointed to Dumbledore's Pensieve that sat on the desk. "I have put one of my memories in there. It is from a gathering of sorts, and there are numerous Death Eaters. You will see the Dark Lord and see how he treats his followers. It won't hurt you to know what goes on in his presence. After this, you and I will try your Occlumency skills again."

"Now?" she asked, crossing her arms and staring at the swirling mist in the bowl. "I have Potions."

"Yes, now. The potion Professor Slughorn is having you do is something you could brew in your sleep – or the girls' loo in your spare time," he said with a smirk that quickly vanished when he became serious again. "I want you to be able to do this. You could if you'd learn to suppress your emotions... It's necessary, and you could do it if you'd only try harder."

She looked up at him. He was regarding her coolly, and Hermione nodded. He held up his hand, indicating the stone bowl. Nervously, Hermione entered the Pensieve and fell in the middle of a circle of Death Eaters with the Dark Lord pacing, sneering angrily, and inflicting the Cruciatus on a woman. The woman was left curled up in a ball on the floor, crying as the Dark Lord turned on his next victim. A Death Eater fell on his knees, pleading for leniency. After several minutes of torture, the Dark Lord had Severus take the Death Eater's mask, and the wizard was stripped of his robes. Nagini slithered up and encircled the man, bit him, coiled him up in her body, and then started to swallow him alive even before her venom took effect.

Hermione retched on the floor, unnoticed by anyone in the room, until a shadow moved from the wall and Severus – a second Severus, walked up and placed a hand on her back. Peter Pettigrew came forward, dragging a crying, pleading girl with him. Hermione stood, holding onto Severus as the Dark Lord questioned the girl, taunted her for thinking herself worthy enough to marry a wizard, then killed her, and tossed aside as if she were a rag doll. All the while, Belinda and Bellatrix were fawning over the Dark Lord. Severus pulled on her arm as a woolly looking wizard started giving a report on village raid. "You've seen enough," he said, and the next minute, Hermione was stumbling back from the Pensieve, still feeling sick.

Snape immediately entered her mind as Hermione tried to regain her composure, and she forcefully erected the memory of a stone corridor to block him, hoping he wouldn't make her review the images from the meeting. But he found them regardless when he pushed, looking for them. He broke the contact, and made contact again, and again, each time pushing around the corridors and rock walls she set up against him, until Hermione's knees gave. Snape caught her and pulled her to sit on his lap, holding her tightly as she clung to him and cried. "Shush, now; you're all right."

"How along ago was that?" she asked, still shaking uncontrollably.

"Before the Rat made you splinch," he said soothingly. "You need to know what to expect if I ever have to take you before him. Your previous encounters were benevolent compared to what he's really like. This was one of the worst types of meetings. Maybe I should have chosen another."

"No, it's okay. I understand," she said, her head still nestled on his shoulder. "You're right, I need to know, but I – I... How does he get people to join him if he's like that? Why do they put up with him and stay?"

Snape stroked her arm. "You've seen him when he's trying to win someone over. He makes promises, has a knack of saying what you want to hear... uses your desires and your anger to draw you to him. Once you've taken his Mark, you are his, body, mind, and soul. There is no leaving him. No one lives long who defies him. He learns your weaknesses and takes advantage of them." He put his fingers under her chin to look at her face. "He seduces, Hermione. He can be very seductive in how he manipulates people. He can usually get what he wants and if not, there is always the Imperius. You'd be a fool to resist him." He shifted her on his lap. "That's enough for now, Hermione. It's time for dinner," Snape said firmly, watching her face for signs of distress. "Look, compose yourself. It wouldn't do for them to see you upset."

"I know, sir," she replied, taking a few deep breaths and shaking her fingers to shake off the effects of their Occlumency lesson. "I'm not getting any better at this."

"You will," he said kindly. "It takes practice. I was used to shutting myself off from others when I was your age – you are not. It will take effort on your part to learn the discipline."

He guided her to the stairs, once again laying his hand on the small of her back. Hermione mused that if this had been any other man, she might have shrugged off his hand, but such contact from Snape actually gave her a sense of comfort and safety. They walked in silence once they entered the corridor, his hand still protectively on her back. As they reached the Entrance Hall, several students were milling around, waiting for friends, though most were hurrying into the Great Hall.

As Snape and Hermione approached the open doors, she was surprised when two seventh-year Slytherin girls stepped up to them. "Headmaster, Mrs. Snape," one of the girls greeted them rather formally.

"Miss Glenwrythe, Miss Lockhaven," Snape replied, equally as formal.

"Headmaster," Miss Glenwrythe said, and then turned to nod at Hermione, "my friends and I would like to cordially invite Mrs. Snape to tea with us on Saturday next. I would have sent my invitation by owl, but as we have never been formally introduced, I thought it better to do so in person."

Snape inclined his head slightly. "My wife would be pleased to accept," he said, ignoring Hermione's shocked expression. "She will, of course, be chaperoned."

Miss Glenwrythe's expression had a quick flash of what Hermione could only perceive as feeling affronted before the girl composed herself.

Miss Lockhaven, on the other hand, simply smiled demurely. "Of course, Headmaster. Mrs. Snape, I look forward to Saturday." The girls both turned and entered the Great Hall.

Hermione looked up at Snape, confused. "Why? They always snubbed me before."

Snape smiled briefly then indicated for her to walk on. "It's customary, Hermione. The seventh-year girls always have tea with the new Slytherin girls."

"But I'm not in Slytherin," she said, watching the two girls sitting down at the Slytherin table.

"You've married one," he said, pausing as several students hurried past. "I'm still a past Head of House, and even though I am Headmaster, I am a Slytherin. They are simply acknowledging you. It's actually an honor of sorts. We'll discuss this later." He followed Hermione to her place at the Gryffindor table, nodded politely to Ginny, and walked off.

"What was that about?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shrugged. "Being polite."

When Hermione sat down, Neville scooted closer to her. "Are you sure that you're all right? You were treated rather roughly today," he whispered.

"Not too differently than they have been," Hermione said, helping herself to the chicken. "Professor Snape gave me some potions; I feel fine now."

Ginny looked at her and gasped. "Hermione, are you crazy? It's escalating!"

She looked at Ginny and sighed, her shoulders slouching. "Gin, there's nothing to be done about it. They are in charge of their classes and what goes on in there; Professor Snape told me so. I'm lucky to even be here – alive, I mean. If it weren't for Professor Snape, I'd have been killed or died from... They, the Carrows... you have no idea. Let it go. I'll be fine. If I keep my head down and don't cause trouble..."

"You were hexed in Muggle Studies for not knowing the answer, and you're used as target practice in Defense!" Neville sneered. "How can you be keeping your head down if you can get hexed for not knowing the answer to a question, or used as a dueling dummy? This is a school; we're supposed to be learning, not being beaten up!"

Hermione looked up at Snape and shrugged. "I am learning."

But Ginny wasn't listening. She was glaring at Alecto.

~o0o~

Ginny leaned over to Hermione at lunch the next day. "A few of us are meeting tonight in the room, if you can get away,"

"Cillian will be with her, Ginny," Jenny said.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked, afraid that she already knew the answer.

"A bunch of us are getting together, you know, friends," Ginny said, winking.

"I don't want Cillian to know about the room, Ginny. He's still..."

"He's one of them, yeah, I know. Don't worry; I'll be waiting by a classroom door. Just show up late, about two hours after dinner, okay? Tell Cillian I have a book you want or something."

"I'm not going to lie to him, Gin," she started to say, and Ginny looked shocked. "You know I'm a terrible liar – he'll see right through me!"

Ginny reached over into Hermione's bag and pulled out a library book. "Just tell him that I want your help with some essay or spell work or something, okay?" she asked as she tucked the book in her bag.

"Ginny, that's a book for my Occlumency with Professor Snape. Cillian will know you're not taking Divination," Hermione insisted, knowing what book Ginny took.

"Yeah, of course I don't. Just tell him I borrowed it from you, and you need it back. But come, okay?" Ginny asked, digging into her food.

When Hermione and Cillian entered the seventh floor corridor, MacCavish was pacing at the end of the corridor. Cillian placed his hand on Hermione's arm, halting her next to the tapestry across from the Room of Requirement. "Wait here, I'll see if I can get your friend to come out."

Hermione sighed as he moved off before she could answer. She paced three times, thinking, 'I want to get in the room with the DA. I hope it's a classroom. The DA classroom,' as Cillian walked up to MacCavish. The door appeared and Ginny opened it. Hermione could see Jenny trying to see her over Ginny's shoulder. Hermione could hear Neville talking inside. "It helps when we stand up to them – like when Harry Potter did it. It gives others hope..."

"You're late. I didn't think you'd come," Ginny said. "Where's Cillian?"

Over her shoulder, Hermione saw Cillian walking over. "Coming."

"We got all the DA members to make a wand oath not to reveal or snitch on us," Ginny said softly as she opened the door wider. "I used Fred's concealing ink for the parchment. He said it works like the ink on Harry's Marauders map." The room behind her friends was an odd mixture of living room furniture and desks, as if they had transfigured several desks into sofas and plushy chairs.

Hermione gasped. "You made – you didn't?"

"We also have to learn to strengthen our nonverbal spells. It gives your opponent time to react if he knows what you're throwing at him," Neville continued. He looked up and waved at Hermione. "Good Hermione's here."

"You know, like you made fifth year. I found the spells," Ginny said, smiling.

Jack, Janilynn, and Zane clustered on the floor next to Luna, who was leaning on Michael's knees. Seamus was sitting next to Geraldine, Neville, and Hannah on one sofa and on another sat Zach, Susan, and Terry, who had Claudia sitting on his lap. Jenny walked over and sat on Ernie's lap in one of the chairs. Hermione groaned. It was so obvious that this was a meeting of the key players of the DA from all three houses. She had no idea how she was going to persuade Cillian that it wasn't.

Cillian placed a hand on her shoulder making her jump. "What is going on here, Hermione?"

"Friends getting together to hang out, that's all," she said as cheerfully as she could. "We're from different houses, and so it's not like we can be in the common room."

"When I was a student, houses didn't interrelate like this," Cillian said, clearly suspicious.

"It was the Sorting Hat's idea, from last year's sorting song," Michael said, running his hand down Luna's hair.

Luna looked up at him dreamily. "Never sense the founders four were whittled down to three, have the Houses been united as they were once meant to be... and so I tell you this, please heed me one and all... We must unite inside her halls or we'll crumble from within..." she sang in a lovely clear voice.

"Besides," Ernie said, hugging Jenny on his lap, "we're not doing anything but sitting with our girlfriends and talking."

"As if you need an excuse to visit with your friends," Seamus said and pointed to the only empty chair in the room. "We saved you a seat, Hermione."

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Ginny exclaimed, pulling out the book that she took from Hermione earlier. "Thanks for lending me this."

Cillian transfigured a desk into another plush chair, reclining in it with one leg over an armrest and defiantly stared at them all. No one paid him any mind, but began talking amongst themselves.

Janilynn scooted over to Hermione's chair and told her where she thought she was having trouble in Transfiguration, and they discussed the theories involved, as the others talked about Quidditch and the latest articles in the Prophet.

The clock on the wall chimed a half hour before curfew. "Time to get back to our common room," Ernie said, pushing Jenny off his lap. She pouted and stood, offering Janilynn a hand up off the floor.

~*~

Severus heard a commotion and turned to investigate, finding Hermione and Cillian cornered in the stairs by Amycus and Alecto Carrow. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene.

"She was caught cavorting with that group of rebel students calling themselves Dumbledore's Army," Alecto said, looking like a Graphorn who had caught prey.

"Abraxan shite," Cillian snarled, standing so that he was between Hermione and the Carrows. "All you saw was Hermione leaving the seventh-floor staircase."

"That's a lie," Alecto declared, stamping her foot.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Cillian snarled, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I was with her, and she was not at an illicit gathering of unruly students."

"She was running," Alecto sneered, leaning forward as if to glare at him face to face. However, Cillian was taller than she was, and he simply stared down his nose at her.

Cillian let out a laugh that sounded more like a bark. "In a hurry to get to the Headmaster's tower before curfew."

"Is that true?" Severus asked Cillian.

Both Hermione and Cillian turned to face him and said, "Yes," at the same time, Hermione adding, "sir."

"What were you doing on the seventh floor at this time of night?" Severus asked, crossing his arms.

"She was drinking butterbeers and practicing charms with her friends, Longbottom and Weasley and a few other sixth- and seventh-years," Cillian said firmly, turning to glare down his nose at Alecto.

"Liar," Alecto spat at Cillian, trying to stand on her tiptoes. "She was with that Dumbledore's Army lot!"

Severus made Hermione face him and grabbed hold of her chin to make her look at him. He stared into her eyes, holding her gaze for several seconds before he released her. "Fine," he said, taking hold of her arm again. "I'll be dealing with my wife. In the mean time, I suggest you continue your rounds, Alecto. Amycus. Good night. Cillian, come with me."

"She is lying," Alecto said, and Snape whipped around to face her, his robes billowing.

"My wife cannot lie to me," he spat at her angrily, staring at her with a superior air. He turned back to Hermione and forced her to walk down the stairs as fast as he could maneuver her, Cillian right behind him.

Approaching the corridor to the stone gargoyle, Hermione nearly tripped, and he tightened his grip on her arm. "Ouch, you're hurting me," she cried out, trying to jerk her arm free.

"Hold your tongue," Severus hissed. "Cynara scolymus." He dragged Hermione with him up and into his office. "Okay, now tell me, is this true?"

Once inside, Cillian told Severus what Hermione and her friends had been doing. "Neville and Hermione were helping Ginny and her mates with nonverbal spells. The others were talking about Quidditch and drinking butterbeers."

"And you were with her?" Severus asked, his voice raised and his tone harsh.

"The whole time," Cillian replied, nodding and leaning against the desk.

"Damn, you. Hermione, go up to our room, now!" he said harshly, making Hermione jump. She started to protest, but he cut her off. "Now. I'll be up to deal with you later."

Severus turned abruptly to Cillian and smirked. "You are supposed to keep her out of trouble!" he shouted, crossing his arms.

"I was!" Cillian shouted back, his arms crossed, but still leaning casually on the desk.

"She was almost caught out after curfew by the Carrows," Severus sneered loudly. "That is not what I call protection."

"We would have been back here in plenty of time if those two hadn't stopped us," Cillian snarled. "Besides, there's still ten minutes before curfew."

"That's cutting things a little too close," Severus sneered, winking at Cillian.

"I'm sorry." Cillian lowered his voice. "She's listening."

"I know," Severus said softly and leaned closer to Cillian. "Was she with Dumbledore's Army?"

Cillian nodded. "She and her friends were practicing nonverbal spells, just like I told you. Neville is a complete incompetent at them." He shook his head when he said Neville's name and waved his hand as if saying 'no.' "But that Weasley girl, she was making progress." He nodded and held his hands up and moved his index fingers apart to indicate 'much more.' "Hermione is quite capable with nonverbal when she concentrates, but when frustrated, she fails," he said, first nodding, then shaking his head. "Jenny was having difficulty with them. Zane, she'll never get it, and Janilynn, she still mouths or mumbles her spells." His hand gestures indicated the opposite. He paused and looked at the fire in the fireplace. "There were others, you know. Finnegan, Corner, Macmillan, they're all quite good at them," he added softly.

"Okay, let me deal with Hermione. Thank you for letting me know what's going on." Severus walked over to the door silently and yanked it open, exposing Alecto and Amycus, trying to listen in behind the door. "Was there something else you needed to tell me?" he asked.

Alecto looked shocked at having been caught listening. "Ah, yes, we have finished our rounds and didn't see any students out of bed."

"Already? The whole castle?" Severus asked. "It's barely half past. I suggest you continue your patrols. Cillian, I'll see you before breakfast."

Severus turned and went up to the stairs to find Hermione. He laughed when he heard her scurry up the stairs to the bedroom, presumably to either run away from him or to have him think she wasn't listening in on his conversation with Cillian. He found her standing nervously in the doorway to their loo. He chuckled softly and walked over to her. "Don't run from me, Hermione. Come here. Did I hurt your arm?"

Hermione looked apparently confused by his manner. "I know what you were doing; I saw it in your mind – and before you get mad about that, I had to know quickly so that I could defend you against Alecto and Amycus."

"That was defending?" Hermione shrieked. "You hurt me!"

He crossed his arms and planted his feet shoulders width apart and stared at her. "That was showing them that I'd be disciplining you – not them."

"So what?" she asked nervously. "So what is my punishment for helping my friends with spell work?"

Snape laughed as he stripped off his robes. "Who said I was going to punish you, you silly girl." He took a step toward her and she flinched. "It's late, Hermione, time to go to bed. Unless, you consider that punishment," he said, removing his shirt.

Hermione was confused. He had been so rough towards her in the corridor, and then he'd snapped at her when they'd returned to his office, but he was stripping for bed as if nothing happened. "You used Legilimency on me, without warning or asking, and then said you'd deal with me... and now you pretend like nothing happened!"

He turned to face her, wearing nothing but his pants and socks. "Yes, I will be the one to deal with you," he said his voice thick and silky. The tone of his voice was so seductive and provocative, matching the intent longing in his eyes. He reached out and removed her robe from her shoulders. "I will not allow Alecto to punish you – for anything she accuses you of. I will deal with your indiscretions as I see fit. But tonight I think I'd like to compensate you for trying so hard, as well as myself."

She mulled over his actions and what he'd just said, realizing that he'd behaved as he did to demonstrate his position and warn the Carrows off. She'd have to read him and his actions more carefully in the future and not take what he did or said so literally. She looked up at his eyes and saw his desire for her as he seemed to be drinking her in with his gaze, which sent shivers down her spine.

He pulled her jumper over her head and tossed it on the floor. "So unless you are too tired to..." he said suggestively as his fingers flicked open the buttons of her blouse. "Say yes, Hermione, or tell me no."

Hermione's heart was pounding in her chest, and she inhaled sharply the moment his fingers stroked her skin as he slid her blouse off. "Yes," she breathed unable to think of anything but his hands that were sliding down her arms to her wrists.

He moved forward and cupped her face. Hermione rose on her toes to meet his mouth with hers and felt her bra give. He stepped forward, pressing her backward and onto the bed. He moved down so that his mouth covered her nipple, suckling gently as he unfastened her skirt. She lifted her hips as he pulled her skirt and knickers off, taking her socks with them. He leaned forward, slowly kissing her stomach, her navel and then her groin. Hermione sat on the bed and opened her legs in anticipation. He chuckled softly against her skin. "Impertinent witch," he said smoothly against her lips and licked her.

"Please," she moaned, losing herself in the sensations he was creating within her. Nothing else mattered anymore; her mind was only focused on what she knew was coming.

"Please what?" he asked slowly against her clit, then added, "Merlin, you taste good," with a growl, sending shock waves and chills throughout her body. Hermione gripped the bedcovers and bucked against him. He rose, kissing his way back up her body, sliding an arm under her, and pulling her with him further up the bed. "Mine," he said as he slid into her.

"Yes," Hermione moaned loudly as he did, trying to rock and push herself on him as he thrust and withdrew, eventually finding a rhythm, until the sensations in her body, the kisses, caresses, and feel of him inside her made everything else but the man on top of her vanish from her mind.

~~o0o~~

Author's notes:

Cynara scolymus is the genera and species for the globe artichoke