A Dark Scenario

Chapter 16 ~ Complete Drivel

Snape returned to his quarters, angrily made himself a Firewhisky and plopped down in one of the armchairs resting in front of the fireplace. He stared into the crackling flames for a few minutes, the firelight flickering over his slightly contorted features. He sipped his drink slowly, his brow creased.

"Blasted girl," the wizard growled, downing the rest of the drink, then setting the empty down on a small table beside him.

Snape continued to stare into the fire, his black eyes catching and reflecting the dancing tongues like dark mirrors. Slowly, he wiped one hand down his face as if trying to brush something irritating away.

Then, he retired.

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Once securely warded in her rooms, and sure that Snape wasn't coming after her, Hermione nearly died of hysterical conniptions. She collapsed on the sofa, her cloak askew and costume bared, laughing until tears rolled down her face.

"That'll teach him to lift cloaks without permission," she gasped.

Of course, there might be repercussions, but he started it after all. The nerve of him telling her she had no business dressing in such a way. Who did he think he was? Her father?

He certainly wasn't that, especially after . . .

Hermione immediately sobered. She hadn't thought about what had happened between them for weeks now. She had been too busy with her classes and new position.

The tension between them had eased somewhat, at least until tonight. But he had initiated contact this time, contact that had nothing to do with Hogwarts business. Could that mean he was becoming more comfortable with her presence? Was he moving past what happened in the past?

Hermione sincerely hoped so. He had saved her life after all. Maybe they couldn't be friends but perhaps more civil to each other.

Then, she snorted.

After tonight, she was sure civility was the last thing on Severus Snape's mind when it came to her. He'd probably be snarkier than ever.

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The next day, Hermione's seventh year class had a workshop period in the Room of Requirement. Hermione did this twice a month. During the workshop, the students were given free rein to work on whatever Charms they felt like. Hermione would walk around the room and observe them, offering a bit of help here and there, but basically leaving it to them.

Paula Whittlesby and her friend Melissa Warrington stood in a corner of the room, giggling and whispering to each other. Hermione noticed them. Giggling young witches usually meant something was going on that shouldn't be. One of the girls had her wand out and directed the other to move back as she prepared to cast a Charm on her.

Hermione quickly made her way over, intent on finding out just what spell was being cast. Melissa raised her wand and was in the middle of speaking the spell when Hermione appeared, calling out, "Melissa, wait a moment!"

Startled, but finishing the spell, Melissa's wand sent a stream of bright pink light at Hermione, enveloping her. Both Paula and Melissa gasped as the Charms mistress was surrounded.

Hermione was unhurt and recognized the spell as a harmless Charm meant to show witches the wizard they most desired. Of course, it wasn't very reliable, since every cute boy in the school was a possibility, and the result could vary every time it was cast. All it really showed was the attraction of the moment. Hardly a spell of any portent.

The pink light drifted away from Hermione and stopped, a form coalescing in the middle of it. All of the students had stopped what they were doing and were watching it curiously, interested in seeing who their Charm mistress was attracted to.

"I bet it's a student. She's young enough," one witch whispered to another.

Hermione looked at the cloud a bit contemptuously as the center of it darkened.

"You all realize that this spell isn't the least bit accurate," she said to the class. "It will probably show someone famous, like a Quidditch player or someone physically attractive that I have absolutely no interest in. Completely unreliable."

"I've never seen it do that," Paula said as the image fuzzed in and out, the height and width constantly changing. "It usually just shows someone."

"Like I said, it's a faulty spell. Wooly at best," Hermione reiterated.

Suddenly, an image appeared and everyone gasped as Hermione turned red as fire. She quickly pointed her wand at the image and hissed, "Finite Incantatum."

The image dissipated. She turned to the round-eyed class, composing herself.

"That's proof positive that spell is—is just ridiculous. Now, back to the workshop all of you. Paula and Melissa, please focus on real Charms if you please," Hermione said, then walked over to the desk in the corner, sat down and began rifling through parchments. She stayed there until class was over.

The students slowly returned to their workshop, but whispered to each other about the image, especially the Slytherins.

"Can you believe that?"

"Oh my gods. That's sick. Just sick."

"That spell has to be faulty."

Ginny looked over at Hermione, noticing that she was still rather red. That just couldn't be right, could it? It had to be some kind of fluke, or something else. Maybe it was because of what had happened. She couldn't possibly be attracted to the wizard that appeared.

She couldn't be.

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"And it was you, professor," Paula said to her head of house. She was seated in his office.

Snape looked at her coolly.

"I would think you'd be more concerned about practicing spells that were actually useful in your last year, Miss Whittlesby, not wasting valuable time on complete drivel," he said. "Five points from Slytherin for not staying focused on your studies. You may go."

"But, I thought you'd want to know—"

"Go now, Miss Whittlesby."

Paula stood up and dejectedly left Snape's office. She had hoped telling him what happened might have gained her a couple of points. He had told his Slytherins at the beginning of term that he wanted to know if anything of interest happened in Charms class. That had been of interest.

Paula closed the door behind her and Snape sat there, frowning.

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A/N: Just had to put a little something something into the story. Thanks for reading.