Undone

AN: So I wanted to make it clear here that the position of the Assistant to the Head of House is being created by Dumbledore this year. Hermione is the ONLY student to get the position who had not spent the last six years there. Which is why everyone is surprised (obviously). Also I fixed the obvious mistake where I wrote bus instead of Train (what bus has cars to sit in after all:))


Chapter 2: Friends and Foes



Hermione got up and dressed in her new school robes with a hopeful feeling she'd been missing. This was going to be it. Dumbledore had fabricated her a past, even as far as her lineage (backed up by a few favors from some pureblood families in the east). She'd been raised in the east until recently, her parents having been killed by a rival family. It would hold up, and that was all that mattered. Anyway, she did have no family. She worried about having to affect an accent, but Dumbledore assured her it wasn't necessary, purebloods in the east coached their children in several languages and accents. Blending was important.



She spent most of the day acquiring the things she would need for classes. Every shop in Diagon Alley chided her for waiting so long, but she got to the great hall on the train with all the other students. Not, of course, without more than a few curious looks. She sat in a car on her own when a tall, lanky boy with shoulder length dark hair, and a hooked nose opened the door.



“So sorry,” he mumbled. “But everywhere else is full up. Do you mind?”



“Not at all,” Hermione smiled at him. When he boy sat down she extended her hand. “I'm Hermione Gnatt.” He took it and shook slowly.



“Severus Snape,” he replied. “Not the Gnatts from Serbia?” He asked without letting go.



“The same,” she replied sadly and sat back, breaking contact but not character. “I was hoping so far from home no one would recognize the name.”



“You're family is...”



“Notorious,” she hissed, “I know. Not exactly something you want to be known for, is it? Having a family of notorious muggle eugenicists.”



“Some people would be proud,” Severus replied although he didn't exactly sound like he was one of those people.



“Muggles have their uses,” she replied hauntingly.



“Yes, of course,” he replied, “no use arguing otherwise. There are rotten apples in the pures as well as the mudbloods. I'm not exactly sure how the pures justify their hate.”



“Most of my family claims that when they breed among us they dilute the magic in us,” she huffed, “which is a load, because then how do you explain the astonishing number of squibs born to pureblood families?”



Severus sat and stared at the girl across from him. Her hair was light brown with soft curls, she wore Gryffindor robes, but she was a pureblood. What was more she thought like a true pureblood. Not like some of the pures he knew, unable to reason their way out of a box.



“That's an amazingly good point, Gnatt,” Snape smiled.



“Ugh, don't call me that,” she grimaced. “Hermione will do.”



He smiled. Severus Snape smiled, even he was surprised. “I insist you call me Severus, in that case.”



They chatted amicably the rest of the way to the castle.



“Shame you're in Gryffindor,” he said as they rode the carriages onto the grounds.



“Why's that?” She asked a little angrily.



“Oh, um,” he stumbled. “There's just a large number of Gryfindors who I don't get along with. They're bound to turn you against me.”



“I think I can sort out who to like for myself,” she huffed.



“Oh good,” he smiled, “cause I was worried we wouldn't be able to have arguments about potions anymore.”



At the great hall Dumbledore introduced the new position of assistant to the head of houses, and announced Hermione Gnatt for Gryffindor, Severus Snape for Slytherin, Francis Dran for Hufflepuff, and Samantha Cull for Ravenclaw. There were claps, and whispers over Hermione - who was, of course, the only person announced who was new to the school. Then they were dismissed.



Severus caught up to her in the hall. All the new rooms for the ATHoH's were on the same floor and he walked with her. “How'd you manage to get appointed when it's your only year here?” He joked.



“I am an exceptional student and have a fondness for rules,” she replied with a smile.



“Oh no,” he moaned mockingly, “my midnight romps are at an end.”



“Not sure experimenting with potions in the girls lavatory is a romp,” she said with a wink.



“You've been talking to Dumbledore,” he accused.



“Maybe,” she replied as she reached her room. “What's on your schedule tomorrow?”



“Double Potions and DADA,” he replied.



“Me too!” Hermione practically squealed.



“Ah, okay,” he said laughing. “See you then.”



Severus Snape walked to his room, just down the hall, shaking his head. He'd been downright happy today, and he didn't have to share a room with his foul housemates anymore. He could be himself.



When he reached his door he saw Sirius and James leaning against it. “What are you doing here?”



“We were about to ask you the same thing,” James sneered. “How'd you get this primo gig, Snively?”



“Lucky I guess,” Snape replied.



“We're gonna make this last year hell on you,” Sirius Black promised.



“So the usual then?” Severus replied, disinterestedly. “Off you bed with you now before Miss Gnatt takes away points.”



They laughed mockingly as the left.



So much for being happy, He groaned to himself.



Hermione shut her door and leaned against it. Keeping up a front all day was exhausting. Snape seemed so different. She was sure that by now he should be angrier, more spiteful, but he didn't seem to be. She'd kept to herself at dinner, but she'd seen several familiar faces at her table. It had been hard, because she knew there were sacrifices she was going to have to make. Lilly and James were going to die. It was something that couldn't be changed. But maybe she could keep Sirius around, and maybe, just maybe she could save everyone else.