Desperately Seeking Snape

Disclaimer- Harry Potter is not mine, will never be mine, and I don’t plan on claiming it’s mine, ok, now that I’ve said that, on with the story!

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With Sunday a new sun rose and the sky became bright once more, though the state of affairs for the order and the wizarding world was grimmer and darker than ever. As Hermione trudged to breakfast she felt eyes on her and turning around slowly she saw Draco Malfoy whom she sent a small smile. He only diverted his gaze.

‘I suppose this is just his way of being nice to me, silence is fine, he’s being more agreeable towards me than Harry and Ron.’ She thought.

She was eventually joined by a groggy Ginny who murmured a muffled ‘good morning’ to Hermione as they entered the Great Hall and took their respective seats at Gryffindor table. When they sat down nasty glares were sent there way from Ron and Harry. Hermione and Ginny simple shrugged it off and chatted with each other quietly.

“So Gin, what did you do last night? You were with someone…weren’t you?” Hermione wiggled her eyebrows at her, grinning in the delight she was getting from torturing her best friend.

“Well..I was..um…I went..to the……uhhhhhh” Ginny stammered before Hermione placed a hand on her shoulder lightly, snickering.

“Ginny, I know about you and”, she lowered her voice so that only Ginny could hear her, “Blaise, and I think it is a wonderful idea.” She smiled at Ginny and gave her a reassuring look.

“Oh wow!” Ginny squealed loudly, causing several looks to be sent her way and catching the attention of Harry and her brother. “I wanted to tell you for so long but I was so afraid you would hate me! This is wonderful!” She squealed again, throwing her arms around Hermione in a loose hug.

Ron sent a disdainful look her way and Ginny sneered at him, “What are you looking at?’ she spat at him.

Ron looked venomously at her and got up along with Harry to exit the hall. At the same time, Blaise Zabini made to leave as well, shooting a glance at Ginny before leaving the hall.

“Go on Gins, go be with Blaise, I’ve decided to live vicariously through you.” She smiled at her and waved the other girl away.

Ginny laughed softly before getting up and saying goodbye to Hermione, as she walked out of the hall waving to her, Hermione gave her a thumbs up.

‘Now I need to give the Professor his cloak back, I’m sure he misses it terribly.’ She laughed slightly at her own joke knowing full well that there were probably 20 identical ones in his closet. ‘The man sure does love black.’ She thought, ‘and you want to know what is hidden underneath all that black’, her mind reminded her.

Slowly, she made her way from the hall to her head girl room where the professor’s cloak was folded neatly atop her desk where she had left it the night before. She grabbed it and made her way down to the dungeons, where she hoped he would be, the walk was a good distance and surprisingly she didn’t come across anyone during it, she had expected to see someone, anyone at all, but no, not one person. It was a bit unsettling that on a Sunday morning she could find no one person walking about the halls.
As she entered the dungeons she felt a chill sweep over her, it didn’t bother her, as she had grown most accustomed to it during her last 7 years here at Hogwarts. Without any trepidation Hermione landed three solid knocks on the classroom door and received no response. Usually with the Professor one could expect him to bark ‘enter’ irritably, always wondering what dunderhead had come to torture him. But instead, she got nothing, just…silence. Afraid to enter uninvited but determined to give him his cloak back she stuck her hand out to open the door but was instead greeted with a lock.

‘oh bugger it all!’ she thought, ‘the gods above were against her on this, maybe she could just….maybe with a flick of her wrist she could…’

“Miss. Granger, I’m sure you can return that item to your professor another time, surely he will not miss it, I am almost certain he has many just like it in his closet.” His eyes twinkled as he smiled at her, though she could see that behind the twinkle in his eyes, there was pain, it stabbed at Hermione’s heart to see him like this, it wasn’t natural for him.

“You’re probably right headmaster… on both accounts.” She smiled at him before continuing on. “What brings you down to the dungeons, perhaps you know where the professor is?”, she questioned, though she really needn’t ask; she knew perfectly well that he was down here to find her.

He laughed softly at her question whilst beaming down at her, “You really remind me of myself at that age, always asking questions that you already know the answer too. I think we need to have a talk Miss.Granger…eh, Hermione, if you would just accompany me to my office.” He held his arm out for her to take.

‘Always the gentleman’ she mused as she reached out and took his arm walking arm-in-arm to his office where the gargoyles automatically sprung to life and revealed the revolving staircase upon seeing the headmaster approach. The headmaster gestured towards the stairs in another courteous gesture, “Ladies first, my dear.”

“Thank you” she replied as she stepped onto the staircase, Dumbledore followed, telling her that there were already tea and biscuits ready for them in his office.

She strolled into the office and sat down in one of the overly stuffed chintz armchairs, absent-mindedly waving her wand a few times so that the chair suited her more. A floating tray found it’s way to her and she poured herself a small cup of tea and grabbed a couple of biscuits, the chocolate covered kind with sprinkles, oh how she did love that type. She placed them on the tiny table next to her as the tray floated itself over to the headmaster who in turn poured himself a cup of tea and decided on a couple of shortbread biscuits, those were very good too.

He smiled grimly at her, idly sipping his tea for some time before clearing his throat and speaking to her. “You and me Hermione, I like to think we have become friends during your time here, especially this year, you are 18 and a contributing member to the order. I admit, there were many people who were animatedly against your membership at first but I can guarantee each and every one of them has warmed up to you, you do all that you can to assure that our children and children’s children will be free of a time plagued by Voldermort.” He glanced at her, expecting an answer even though he already knew it.”

She nodded, “Of course Dumbledore, I quite enjoy your company, and what was that about asking questions when you already know the answer Dumbledore?”, she tried to arch an eyebrow at him, but failed miserably.

“Too right, too right Hermione. Well, as I feel we are friends, I do have a question to ask, a favor almost, friend to friend.” He calmly spoke it, not betraying his nerves, he was fairly sure she would agree to the task, he needed her to.

She shook her head and stifled her laughter, ‘How did I not expect this” she thought. “I am going to try and make a connection between two things when I say that I believe you are going to send me to deliver the potion you had me brewing?” she eyed him cautiously, trying to gauge his reaction.

He sighed wearily, “Yes, there is one catch though, you must go alone, and covertly. If you are seen by death eaters it will solely up to you to get yourself out of trouble.”

She cringed, so there was danger involved, ‘great’ she thought, ‘so he’s trying to put it nicely that I could end up death eater chow, loveeeeeeely.’

“For what purpose does this person need this potion for?” she looked disparagingly at him before raising a hand. “ Wait, never mind, I’m not allowed to know, the rest of the order probably doesn’t even know that you are having me deliver an unknown, very possibly dangerous if used in the wrong hands, potion that I brewed myself to some person somewhere, am I right?” She exhaled sharply before facing him, his facewed wed discomfort at the situation and she immediately softened the callous look she was giving.

He fidgeted with the cup in front of him before answering her softly, “That is correct Hermione. That somebody is the American Minister of Magic, and I think that with the current situation it would be-it is wise to”

Hermione cut him off quickly before he could finish, “I understand Dumbledore, when would you have me leave?”

“Tomorrow morning, at 6 am, all you have to do is get to him, deliver the potion and if you could, watch over him, you will take your leave from there at 6:22 p.m, I must warn you though, even if you were to take poly juice potion the death eaters would still find you, you just have that…spark. It attracts them to you. If I could find another…I would.”

She sighed and rose to pat his hand comfortingly, “ I know Albus, I know. Believe me, I know.” She smiled at him reassuringly before murmuring a goodnight and turning to leave, as she strode onto the staircase she heard him reply, “Goodnight Hermione, I think we shall discuss early newts on your return.”

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It was Sunday and Severus Snape was irritated because he could not find any students to take points off of, though if he were truthful to himself, he was more upset because had never gotten the anticipated the visit from Hermione. He was pondering the events of breakfast this morning when he heard a sharp rapping against his door and agitated at the thought of a dunderhead coming to bother him at this time of night. (couldn’t they inconvenience him before dinner?) “Enter”, he called out crossly. “I’m in my office.”

Imagine the surprise on his face when a blushing Hermione Granger (who had been reminded of her earlier trip) stepped in clutching his cloak to her chest, her chest, oh Merlin’s cape he mustn’t think about that particular part of her body.

“Yes, Miss. Granger?”, he had tried to sound commanding but instead barely contained a yelp as she fidgeted with the bottom of her skirt, playing with the hemline, he tried (to no avail) to pry his eyes away, but alas, the damnable things seemed to have a mind of there own!

Finally, regaining control, he, once again, this time in a much more authoritative voice asked her the question he had meant, “What brings you here…to Hogwarts… ( oh holy merlin!!) I mean, why are you here Miss.Granger, in my dungeons!” He said it with more gusto and more of a cutting tone than he meant, what could he say , he was trying to seize what little authority and grasp he had. “Why have you chosen to waste my time this evening?”

‘craaaaaaaaap’, he thought, ‘that was stupid, verrrrry stupid! Now she’s going to cry or worse, hex me.’

“Forgive me Miss. Granger, it has been a very … trying week. Now if you please, I do wish to inquire on why you have chosen to come down here.”

‘there now’, he thought, ‘that wasn’t so hard, you used authority and you didn’t make the girl want to burst into tears.’

‘that was stupid’, another voice in his head pronounced, ‘you already know why she is here you great big oaf, the cloak.’ He mentally slapped himself, ‘Merlin’s teeth.’

“Um sir, I came to return the cloak and to give you my thanks. It was very… good of you to allow me to not become a quivering mass of hypothermia.” She smiled though in her head she was berating herself, ‘ a quivering mass of hypothermia? Oh! Very nice Hermione! That was so conversational! He must think you are a complete idiot!” She groaned inwardly when Snape arched an eyebrow at her.

“Interesting choice of words Miss. Granger, though it would have been a shame for such a… promising student of mine to become frozen, now don’t look at me like a carp foolish girl! I believe I am entitled to give praise when I feel it deserved, just because I normally have to keep up appearances does not mean that I do in my own office! Now give me that cloak and run along before I decide otherwise Miss. Granger.”

For once his voice lacked it’s usual sting as she handed over the cloak. She said a quiet goodnight before making her way to her room where she smacked her head on her desk several times before taking a long bath and at last, heading to bed.

‘At least he was sort of nice to me…sorta…’ She couldn’t stop herself from thinking about how sexy he looked, all dark and menacing behind the desk, for once, not engulfed in his robes, he was merely in his black trousers, shirt, and frock coat. She was sorely tempted to jump over the desk and… well, she didn’t know what she would do, only that she wouldn’t.

Severus Snape had started to slam his head against his desk the minute she left muttering, “stupid… stupid…how could you be so stupid?” Needles to say both slept with each other on their minds.

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LOL, btw, If I can help it, Sevvy and Herms won't realize that they return each others love for awhile, I think they are going to br friends and then suddenly, it will be like, BAM! hehe, I have a lot of torture in store!!

Authors Note- I hope you liked this chapter! It is a bit short but I like it! I was trying to get some details over and done with, I’m already writing the next chapter and it should too be up soon! Thank you for the reviews, I love reviews!! :) Please feed me!

Hehe, the chapter name is stupid, yes, but it was also going to be entitled 'how cloaks can cause trouble' or 'the questions we already knwo the answers to' so I just decided to make a simple, short title. :) (I love chocolate biscuits!! I went on a shortbread biscuit binge in Epicott Center)