Dangerous efforts.

Chapter 2: The Talk

They walked down the marble stairs to the Great Hall for dinner when they heard McGonagall screaming again.

“Malfoy, I’m warning you! Umbridge’s laws aren’t relevant any more. You can’t deduct points from students, nor give them detention.” She was fuming with anger. Apparently Malfoy, who was also a prefect, deducted three hundred points from a fourth year Hufflepuff for eating in the corridor. Malfoy looked white with fear. Hermione, Harry and Ron walked down further and caught eyes with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. Harry stopped for a moment and gave them the finger, Ron poked out his tongue, and Hermione blew a kiss off to them. McGonagall didn’t see it.

“…and therefore, Mister Malfoy, I’ll deduct eighty points for the misuse of long lost school rules, ten points for yelling at me, ten points for making Minny cry, and …twenty points from each of you, Mister Crabbe and Goyle, for being accessories! Now, get your butts in the Great Hall; dinner is already served. Good evening.” McGonogall said her disparaging speech in a rather calm again.

Then, she turned to the still snivelling fourth year and speaking in a soft, mothering voice she said, “Come along, dear, I’ll take you to your seat.” Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked hastily to the Great Hall too, before getting hexed by the three Slytherins. They whilwhile telling Dean, Neville, Ginny, Collin, Seamus, and Luna the story that\'d just happened. Luna sat next to Ron since they were dating. When nobody was paying attention, Harry turned to Hermione.

“When are you going to use the Time-Turner?” He asked. He whispered so softly that Hermione really had to think about what he’d just said.

“I think I’ll do it tonight after my detention. I have to go to the library to check the precise date.” So, after dessert Hermione glanced over at the Head Table. Snape was still eating his chocolate mousse, but she felt his eyes burning into hers. He pointed at his watch indicating that she had better not be late for detention. She gulped at the sight of his evil grin. What did he had in mind for her? she thought. She stood, not daring to look again, and walked strait to the library. She found the yearbook, but all of Snape’s pictures were either cut out or scratched with Magical Non-Removable Ink. Someone really hated him and she could easily think of who had done it.

It was three minutes before eight when Hermione knocon ton the office door.

“Enter.” snarled Snape. She opened the door and softly shut it behind her.

“You’re early.” said Snape without turning to her. He held a potions book near a candle while reading.

“Well, at least I’m not late.” she answered back. With a turn of his wrist, he snapped the book shut.

“I don’t like that tone you’re using, Miss Granger. Take off your robes and sit down. We’ll have a little chat before your real detention.” He sounded dangerous. Hermione swallowed and felt really uncomfortable because of the way he looked at her now, a very disgusted and angry look shadowing his face. She sat down on the opposite of Snape after removing her robes and looked into the fire. Snape narrowed his eyes and thought of how to begin this conversation, thinking of how to trap her into betraying her Potter.

“I suppose, Miss Granger, that you’ve thought about the amount of trouble you’re in right now?” he said in a dark voice. Hermione nodded.

“So, are you now able to tell me the whole truth and not risking a very possible suspension if not being expelled for life?” Again, Hermione nodded. This is going the right way, both of them thought in their own mind. Snape, because he was sure Potter would be history after this and with a little luck, Weasley too. Hermione thought that way because she was a very good liar. He would fall for this one and then, she could blackmail him.

“You asked me not to go to professor Dumbledore yet, why?” Hermione jumped, she hadn’t been counting on that. Oh shit, he’s already been to Dumbledore!?

“Well…er… you see, Professor…” she had to think of something to say quickly.

“Yes, Miss Granger?” He raised a brow in curiosity.

“I just wanted to point out again that Harry nor Ron had anything to do with this. They didn’t even know at that time what I was working on.” That will pull the trick. Snape bent his head to the side.

“Please Miss Granger, do not insult my intelligence. Do you honestly believe that those troublemakers didn’t know about what you were doing? What exactly were you doing?” He started to lose his temper and grabbed the sides of his chair to stay as calm as possible. Hermione, who sat on the edge of the chair from the begin, st, stood suddenly and started pacing in front of the hearth.

“Did I tell you to stand up and be annoying?” Snape hissed. Hermione didn’t even listen to him.

“I’ve made a Polyjuice Potion to hear Draco Malfoy out. I wanted to know if he was the Heir of Slytherin, if he’d opened the Chamber and let the beast, which was the Basilisk, out.” She turned to Snape and looked him straight in the eyes.

“I really thought it was him.” Snape just looked at her for a moment.

“Sit!” he sneered and she did. Now Snape raised himself from his seat.

“It was very obvious, even at that time, that Mister Malfoy couldn’t have been the Heir of Slytherin. If he were, he would’ve opened the Chamber in his second year. Please, don’t ask me why, I will not answer you. It’s none of your business.” He looked at Hermione and suddenly bent over, so that his nose was only an inch or two from hers.

“Are you positive, Miss Granger, and I mean hundred percent, that Potter isn’t involved?” Hermione could see the pounding veins in his temples.

“If I find out you’ve been lying, I will assure you, that you will be expelled, NO MERCY!” he yelled. He’d almost grabbed her shoulders to shake her, but could managed not to.

“Yes, I’m telling the truth, professor, because… (Snape frowne thi this) Harry and Ron had a plan of their own to hear Draco out. During a Quidditch match, but I don’t know much about that. They didn’t want me to know.” Snape was pacing up and down his offagaiagain. Maybe she was telling the truth. He looked at her once again and saw those brown puppy-eyes. Damn it, she is!.

“Well, now that we’ve talked it over, it’s time for your detention. You’ve got to clean the cauldrons, no magic of course and after that, you’ll write me a two-foot essay about the usefulness and the side- effects of the Polyjuice Potion. I was a bit disappointed to only realise tonight that you became a big cat after adding a cat hair into it. Made a little mistake, didn’t you?” he sneered. And with that he walked over to his desk and collected all the needs for her essay. An awfully nasty grin shaped his mouth.

“I hope you’re a fast cleaner, or you’ll sit here till five in the morning.” he said sarcastically.

“I am a fast cleaner.” she said, but looked the other way when she saw Snape glaring at her. She took the writing gear from him and headed for the classroom.

There were about thirty-five cauldrons. Luckily, there were only six with severe burn marks. It wasn’t until half past twelve when she finally finished cleaning up the heavy iron cauldrons. She was tired and just wanted to go back to her tower. She didn’t even think about her plan to use the Time-Turner. She sighed deeply the moment she saw the two rolls of parchment and yawned.

“At least it isn’t about Truth Potions.” She chuckled at her own statement and sat down. She knew a lot about the Polyjuice potion and wasn’t surprised that after one and a half hours later, she had written two and a half feet. She stretched her arms but was too tired to stand up. She laid her head on the desk and fell asleep.

Snape was still up too. He didn’t need much sleep. He walked down to his classroom to see if she had finished already. She couldn’t have because even for her that would be a record. To his surprise, she had and he saw that it was even half a foot longer than what he asked for.

“Typical Miss Granger.” He shook his head, grinning inwardly, he saw her asleep on her desk.

“Silly girl.” He said and grabbed his wand. He lifted her in the air and summoned her to the fireplace where he got some Floo powder. Then, he took Hermione in his arms and threw the powder into the flames.

“Gryffindor Tower.” He whispered and they were gone.


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