Remember When It Rained

Remember When It Rained
Chapter Eleven
Let The Outside Slowly Die

“Open your books to page four hundred and fifty-seven,” he boomed gliding into the classroom, door slamming dramatically behind him.

On this, the first Potions class of the new term for the N.E.W.T. level students, they quietly complied as if sensing the dark temperament of their Professor. For a few moments the only sound heard was the rustling of paper as the students complied.

Now, standing on the dais, leaning nonchalantly on the podium, Severus Snape allowed his cold gaze to sweep the room.

In their usual seats was the Terrible Trio, he was careful to avoid eye contact with Miss Granger, Draco Malfoy sans Crabbe and Goyle, Pansy Parkinson, a few students from the houses of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff and then surprise, surprise, Neville Longbottom.

He allowed his gaze to linger for just a minute longer on Neville, and was satisfied to see the boy cringe slightly. ‘Perhaps the term isn’t a total loss after all,’ he thought with a smirk which sent poor Neville atremble.

“Read the lesson and then brew your potions. As this is a N.E.W.T. level class I will accept nothing less than perfection from all of you!”

With that announcement, he took his seat at his desk and pulled a book toward him.
Pretending to read, he allowed himself to observe the students as they read and worked. But there was one student in particular that he took an interest in.

She was reading her course materials, lips moving as she read to herself. This was going to be an intolerable year, he thought as he watched her. How was he ever going to avoid the truth that was staring him right in the face?

He allowed his eyes to slide over the room again, and noted with satisfaction that the students appeared to be obeying his instructions. Yet when his eyes again came to rest on Hermione he noted that her cauldron was already set up in her burner, and her hand was in the air.

“Miss Granger, I see that the summer break has done nothing to cure you of your Know It All behavior,” he grumbled. “What do you wish to enlighten us with today?”

His face was kept carefully void of expression, save the characteristic sneer, but his heart contracted at the hurt that flashed through her eyes. She met his gaze, face flushing then growing pale and answered,

“I have finished reading the chapter and would like to fetch the –“

“Ten points from Gryffindor for being a show off, Miss Granger, and you can wait until everyone else is ready to fetch theirs.”

She ducked her head, as tears suddenly flooded her eyes and made the effort to re-read the words before her again. She had been expecting cruelty, she told herself as she concentrated on not crying, but somehow the reality of it hurt more this time than it had the years prior.

‘Stupid!’ she silently berated herself. ‘To think that he would change after this summer.’ Shaking her head, she drew a deep breath. ‘Well, no not stupid Hermione. This is a new year, there is a war on and the son of Voldemort’s favorite Death Eater is sitting three desks behind you.’

Somewhere in her musings, she heard Severus instruct the class that they could retrieve the components of their potions and she automatically complied, taking care to avoid glancing at him on her way to and from the supply cabinet.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

“Whew! That was worse than I thought it would be!” Ron exclaimed as he took his seat at the long table and began to spoon mashed potatoes onto his plate. “I thought you said that Snape wasn’t all that bad anymore, Mione.”

She rolled her eyes at him, “Well Ron, Professor Snape, is, as you saw, the same as he ever was.”

“I mean really Ron,” Harry chimed in. “This is Snape you’re talking about here!”

Hermione glanced at the head table and met the cool black eyes of the man he loved. He arched a brow at her before bending over his bowl, spooning soup into his mouth. Her heart contracted at his rejection of her. ‘The bastard!’ she thought as she bit into her roast beef and forced herself to attend to the conversation that was taking place between her friends.

Harry had spent the day trying to make up for his stupid behavior over the course of the summer, and, she thought, he had done a yeoman’s job of it. If he wasn’t carrying her books for her, he was rushing ahead to open a door or patting her on the back and giving her a proud smile at a job well done in Transfiguration. Hermione smiled at him when she caught his eye and was rewarded with a look of genuine affection from him.

‘Thank God,’ she thought in relief. ‘At least Harry loves me again.’

She smiled again and reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze as she returned his smile. She felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Hermione didn’t notice the black gaze of Severus Snape upon her as he took in the scene being played out at the Gryffindor table.

He scowled at his Shepard’s Pie. ‘But what did you expect, Severus?’ he silently berated himself. ‘You were the one who turned her away.’

It was her small hand reaching out and taking Potter’s that was his undoing. He wouldn’t sit there and watch her flirt with any other much less Potter! The sound of his chair scraping the flagstones drew the attention of more than one student, each of which he rewarded with a scowl as he swept from the room.

Hermione watched his exit, eyebrows squenched together in consternation, for just a fraction of a moment before she turned her attention back to Ron and Harry, who had not noticed Severus’ exit. Hearing that they had begun to talk about Quidditch, she began to contemplate her roast beef, and missed the speculative look that Dumbledore was giving her.

Later that night, Hermione slipped from the Common Room to begin her assigned patrol of the school. She sighed as she stepped further into the dark corridor, torches bursting into flame before her, their warm light reflecting off of her shiny new Head Girl’s badge.

She walked and thought, mostly of the up coming year and what it would bring. She knew that Voldemort was getting more active, for Severus had been called away several times during the summer and had always returned dusty and exhausted.

“And cranky,” she said aloud.

“Talking to yourself Miss Granger? Perhaps I did allow you to spend too much time in the Dungeons.”

A startled Hermione jumped and turned, wand drawn. “Professor Dumbledore!” she exclaimed in a relieved tone as she lowered her wand.

“Good evening Miss Granger,” he said with an affectionate smile. “I’m sorry for startling you and grateful that you didn’t hex me! I shall have to be a bit noisier next time.”

“Good evening, sir,” she said with a teasing smile. “You are as bad as Sev-I mean Professor Snape.”

He regarded the now flushing face of the young witch, a serious expression on his face, the twinkle in his eye a little dimmer. “Miss Granger, you are an intelligent young lady and I will not insult you by being anything but direct with you.”

“Thank you sir,” she said as a cold sense of foreboding slithered it’s way through her veins.

“Shall we walk, Miss Granger?”

She allowed him to take the lead, following his silent form through the corridors until they reached the stone gargoyle that guarded his rooms. As the silence continued, and fear continued to shaft it’s way into her heart, they rode the stone staircase to the top and she followed him though the door.

“Please sit down, Hermione,” he said indicating a comfortable looking chair covered in chintz. “You look chilled, perhaps a cup of tea?”

She nodded wordlessly and with a wave of his hand a tea service appeared before them. Out of habit, she reached forward and looked at him, her mouth opening to ask how he took it. But before she could utter the words he said in a pleasant tone,

“Black with two sugars please, Hermione.”

Trying to gather her wits, she made a great show of pouring out and preparing his cup, followed by her own. All of this he looked upon with the fondness he had come to feel for her in her years as a student.

Albus Dumbledore was not as dotty as those outside of the confines of Hogwarts thought him to be. Nor was he omniscient. He was merely observant and had the experience of a long life as a Professor and a wizard. There was nothing he hadn’t seen before, and the fact that his Potions master and the brightest witch in the school had formed an affection toward one another.

And while he loved Severus Snape like a son, there were some things that couldn’t be overlooked for the sake of affection. There was such a thing as propriety, and school rules.

“Don’t be frightened, Hermione,” he said in a gentle tone. He signed inwardly as her tea cup trembled in her hands. “There is no one in trouble yet. However, as I told you in the corridor, I will not insult you by being anything but direct with you.”

Here he paused to regard the pale countenance of the young woman before him, and he smiled.

“Severus Snape is a complex creature, Hermione, as I am sure you have surmised by now.”

“Yes sir.”

“Nor is he an easy man to get to know, much less gain the trust of.”

“Yes sir,” her voice trembled with her hand as she raised the cup to her lips and sipped.

“You, Hermione are one of the brightest students I have ever had the honor of having under this roof. You have proved yourself to be unswervingly loyal and brave in addition to your intelligence.”

“Th-thank you sir.”

“Hermione, be careful. Keep your own counsel and always be cautious. This year feels different, we all sense the beginning of the end and I would not have you endangered any further than you already are by merely being Harry’s friend. Nor will I have Professor Snape endangered any more than he already is.”

She gazed, unblinking at him, suddenly unafraid. He knew and he didn’t mind her love for Severus!

“Yes sir,” she said with a smile, slight and tremulous.

“Very good,” he replied with a smile. “I will not remind you of the policy regarding relationships and proper decorum between teachers and students, for I am sure that you are well aware of them, Hermione.”

“Thank you sir,” she said sadly as she set the tea cup down on the desk and rose from her seat. She quickly made her way to the door and turned to his voice as he said quietly,

“Do not worry Hermione, the year will pass faster than you think and perhaps would want it to.”

She nodded slowly then walked through the door, leaving Albus Dumbledore to his own thoughts.