Wanted and Unwanted

Chapter 14 of 30

livvy6

It's 1995. Severus Snape returns late one night to Grimmauld Place after a meeting with Voldemort. Unbeknownst to him, things have changed.

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Huge thanks to my wonderful, anonymous beta!

Chapter 14 – Wanted and Unwanted

Severus Snape stumbled out of the Floo into Grimmauld Place one summer night in 1995. He coughed and swore when he saw blood on his handkerchief. It was very late, and he did not wish to wake the household and answer all their bloody questions, so he stumbled to the couch and went to lie down. Instead, his hand came in contact with something soft that squealed when he touched it. He lit the room with his wand and saw Miss Granger lying on the couch in her nightgown.

“Get out of here!” he hissed. “You have a bedroom, do you not? Or has Miss Weasley kicked you out for her own immoral purposes?”

“I was reading and fell asleep. Oh, sir, you are hurt! Please, let me help you!” she pleaded.

“If you want to help, then I suggest you wake the werewolf!” he growled. “Now get out of my sight!”

She scurried away, and he fell down on the couch. It was warm from where she had lain on it. He could smell the lavender scent that lingered behind, and it was soothing. He began to fall asleep.

***

“Severus! Wake up!” said Lupin. “Let’s see the damage.”

He began stripping off Snape’s shirt when suddenly halted by his patient. Severus was staring up at Miss Granger.

“Miss Granger, if you are done ogling, would you mind giving me my privacy?” he snarled.

Hermione turned beet red and dashed off.

“Severus, she just wanted to help!” chided Lupin.

“Of course, that’s all she ever wants to do is help. However, I do not require her help! I refuse to receive medical attention from a child!” he snarked.

“She’s hardly a child, Severus. She’s almost sixteen. You would be surprised at her knowledge,” he murmured.

“Lupin, I am quite aware of Miss Granger’s knowledge. She spouts it often enough in my presence!” he grumbled.

Lupin finally got the wizard situated and stumbled wearily out of the library to return to bed. He saw the kitchen light on and opened the door to find Hermione crying on the table.

His heart went out to the poor girl. It wasn’t easy for her. He knew what it was like being the odd one. Severus should recall that as well, but he had a knack for being obtuse at the worst possible moments. He sat next to the girl and put his hand on her arm. She bolted upright and muttered her apologies.

“Hermione, it’s alright. You’re not the first girl Severus has made cry, and I’m certain you won’t be the last. Try not to take his words so close to heart.”

“I can’t help it, Professor. Whenever I see anyone in pain, I want to help! That’s why I wanted to stay on here, to help in cases of medical emergencies. So far, only Professor Snape has needed medical attention, yet he refuses my help. Why can’t I ever please him? Nothing I do is ever right!”

“Why does Professor Snape’s opinion mean so much to you?” he asked softly.

“I don’t know," she said honestly. “It just does. It hurts when he is so cruel, I mean, I know his personality is prickly and that’s fine, but he treats me as if I’m worthless, and I’m not! He’s supposed to be reformed; yet he treats me no better than Draco Malfoy. He might as well call me a ‘Mudblood’ and be honest!” she yelled. Then she burst into fresh tears and ran out of the kitchen upstairs to her room.

Snape came in the kitchen after her footfalls were silent.

“I suppose you heard that?” Lupin asked accusingly.

“What, I’m supposed to feel bad because I choose not to allow her to use me as a familiar? I’m not her damned cat!” he snapped.

Lupin closed his eyes and shook his head sadly. “Severus, why must you isolate yourself from everyone who wants to care about you? Hermione is a wonderful girl. She’s a bright student and very intelligent. She’ll be a colleague one day. You’d best watch that you don’t burn that bridge. You may regret it later,” he warned.

“As if I shall live long enough to see any of these children become adults,” he muttered as he got some water and slowly made his way back to his sofa.

Lupin sighed. He hated it when Severus went into his fatalistic mode each time he wanted to avoid anything uncomfortable.

***

Snape was irritated. Why was he supposed to be responsible for the hurt feelings of a child! An irritating child at that! He hated being at Headquarters. Molly fussed too much, and her brood of brats annoyed him to no end. The truth was that he only came for two reasons: one, as a quick base to hide out after being thrashed by the Dark Lord and, secondly, to see his boy.

Yes, in Snape’s mind, Harry was still his boy. Nothing would change that, ever. He had come to grips that Harry hated him, but he’d rather the boy loathe him and continue to loathe him for many years to come than to love him and die—all because he was coddled.

A father shouldn't coddle. That was what mothers were for. Harry had Molly Weasley and Hermione Granger fussing over him enough to cover that role! He thought it was disgusting how Miss Granger kept allowing Harry to ride on her coattails. She was forever whispering instructions and stopping him from learning from his own mistakes. In addition, Black was far too indulgent from what he had seen and heard. And he'd heard quite a bit. Minerva and Lupin made sure that he was informed. He’d made that wish quite clear from the start when Dumbledore had made the men shake hands and forced them to be civil to each another. Snape wanted to know how Black was treating Harry. From what he'd learned, the man was having a problem distinguishing Harry from James. Well, after twelve years in Azkaban, he was bound to be a bit touched in the head.

Still, that did not exempt Harry from having someone in his life who would show him how difficult the world could be. If he thought being raised by Petunia was enough, he was in for a shock. Petunia was just a Muggle! She did not have the depth or the capacity to truly hurt and destroy him. There was an entire group of people who had dedicated their lives to killing him. He wasn’t going to allow his son to be a deluded fool!

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