Through the Looking Glass ~ COMPLETED

Chapter 26 ~ Delivered Messages and Broken Agreements

Hermione’s reappearance in Slytherin house sparked a small dueling situation the next morning, the witch having to blast several housemates before they realized their real housemate had returned. Harry and Ron were ecstatic and tried to crush her between them bodily before she pushed them away with a scowl.

”Down boys!” she exclaimed as they both grinned at her.

Parvati was furious and wasted no time raining on Hermione’s parade.

”Your marks in Transfiguration are up,” the witch said snidely.

Everyone fell silent as Hermione looked at Parvati.

”What do you mean?” she demanded.

”Your counterpart arranged extra credit with Snape last night. She didn’t return for a couple of hours,” the witch said. “I heard it through the grapevine via a couple of Gryffindors while I patrolled last night.”

Hermione reddened but didn’t say anything. Ron did, however.

”So what? It isn’t as if you shagged him, Hermione. You got extra credit for free,” he told the witch. “It doesn’t get better than that. No shame on your part.”

”Yeah,” Harry agreed, his green eyes dark. “Your counterpart was soft as a pastie. A complete turn-off. You should have seen how she reacted when Ron and I showed up in your room the night you left. We didn’t know what had happened then and came to sandwich you in. She nearly had a heart attack.”

”And she was a virgin. Can you believe it? At eighteen. Damn,” Ron piped in.

Again, Hermione didn’t say anything, but if her counterpart had indeed slept with professor Snape, she had given up her virginity to him. Normally, virginity meant very little in their world, but the idea of the Gryffindor Head of House being the first man to pop her cherry was unsettling. But she didn’t know why it was. It didn’t happen to her after all.

They headed down to breakfast together as they normally did, Draco Malfoy grimacing slightly as he watched Hermione enter. It was clear to see the original Granger was back, and any chance he had of getting at her, was gone. He looked up at professor Snape, whose dark eyes rested on the witch thoughtfully. Hermione played it off well as she sat down at the table, but she felt self-conscious. She looked directly at Snape and frowned at him, but the wizard simply smirked back at her.

The bastard. He was gloating. Even if he hadn’t had her, he had a reasonable facsimile, and it would soon be common knowledge.

Well, she planned to have a little talk with the wizard, one that would wipe that smirk right off his face. He was Gryffindor Snape, not the Slytherin she’d tangled with. This Snape, she could handle.

Unfortunately, that little talk would have to wait. She was informed that she was to go directly to the Headmaster’s office after breakfast, and warned not to dally.

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Hermione spent a painful morning undergoing Tom probing her mind using Legilimency. In her world, it was an agonizing experience, and none of the students were taught Occlumency, so there was no defense against it. The wizard saw everything she experienced, every act she had performed, including her interludes with one Severus Snape.

”Now, that is a Snape I could deal with,” Tom said as he withdrew from Hermione’s mind, looking at her with a slight smirk. “He certainly pulled no punches, or should I say strokes with you, did he, Miss Granger? It seemed despite his darkness, he just couldn’t’ fully get with the program. A pity.”

Hermione colored, and Tom’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

”A blush? From you? Evidently the wizard made quite an impression on you.”

”He treated me like trash . . . and . . . and he made me feel like trash,” she said in a low voice. “But all I did was business as usual, Headmaster. Tit for tat.”

Tom nodded.

”Business as usual was apparently unacceptable to the wizard, although he agreed to it. He sounded quite jealous of the other Malfoy. Perhaps he believed you should have only gravitated to him. But, I’m sure you’ve learned something, Miss Granger. Never tell anyone your complete plans. If you had let the wizard believe you two would continue, I have no doubt he would have been less brutal. You must develop your wiles, Miss Granger. You are too used to everything going your way. It’s time to grow up and I believe Mr. Snape has started you on your path. Remember, truth and honesty are highly overrated. Distortion of facts and concealment work much better in the real world.”

Hermione nodded as Tom sat down at his desk.

”Now, this evening at six o’clock, you will go to the third floor corridor and look into the Mirror of Noisreva, meeting and exchanging places with your counterpart, who will have a message for me. You are not to leave that room. She will return shortly and you will once again exchange places,” he told the witch.

Hermione looked as if she wanted to protest. She’d just gotten back and if she never entered that world again, it would be fine with her. But Tom’s narrowed eyes made her bite her tongue. He wouldn’t hesitate to hex her into compliancy.

He enjoyed it.

”Yes, sir,” she said, then looked at him curiously.

”What is the message concerning, Headmaster?” she asked him.

Tom studied her.

”Personal business, Miss Granger. Nothing that concerns you. You may leave. I will meet you near the third floor corridor at five to six. Don’t be late,” he said, his dark eyes still narrowed.

”I won’t be,” Hermione said, rising and leaving the wizard’s presence.

Despite their occasional dalliances, Hermione knew if she were late, she could count on a torture far worse than Filch’s canings from the Headmaster.

She’d be on time.

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Severus Snape met Hermione outside the Great Hall, the witch leaving in the middle of supper as the Potions master slipped out of the teacher’s exit.

”Oy! Where are you going, Hermione?” Ron said, his mouth full of chicken.

”I have to do something,” she said obliquely as Harry looked up at her with concern in his eyes.

Although Hermione seemed happy to be back, it seemed as if something wasn’t quite right with her. It wasn’t anything Harry could put his finger on, but a kind of vibe coming off the witch, as if she were hiding something. But one thing you couldn’t do was push Hermione. If she didn’t want to tell you something, and you pestered her, it was quite possibly you’d end up with a bat bogey plastered to your face.

He’d wait to see if she came around.

Snape met Hermione near the marble stairwell and handed her a thick envelope. Silently, they walked up the staircase to the first floor, then up the narrow staircase that led to the second floor and access to the shifting stairs. They rode up one more flight.

Snape could feel the witch’s tenseness as he billowed beside her, but offered nothing. There was nothing he could offer, although he empathized with her. He’d been used as a pawn for most of his life, delivering messages and often being punished for it. At least Hermione’s service would be quick, then she’d be out of danger for good. After that message was delivered, and Snape questioned her, it was up to him.

They walked down the armor-lined corridor and stopped in front of the room.

”Good luck, Miss Granger. I will be right here when you return,” he said to the witch, his black eyes resting on her thoughtfully.

”All right, Professor,” she said weakly, opening the door and entering the room. She quailed a little as she saw the Mirror of Erised, and her scowling counterpart standing in front of it looking as if she’d rather be anywhere else.

Hermione walked up to the mirror and studied the reflection, who studied her back. Gryffindor Hermione looked much better than she did when first viewed. At least something good had rubbed off.

Hermione raised her hand to the glass, and the other Hermione sullenly did the same. They shifted positions, passing through each other, Slytherin Hermione folding her arms and glaring at the witch as if to say, “Hurry up, damn it!”

Hermione walked to the door that opened on the corridor and let herself out. Tom Riddle was waiting, a broad smile on his face. The wizard snatched the thick packet from her, holding it up as if it were a great treasure.

”Thank you, Miss Granger. You may return,” he said, not taking his eyes off the envelope.

”But, what about the hex? I brought you what you wanted,” she told the wizard, scowling at him.

Tom looked at her, craftiness in his black eyes as he drew his wand.

”Ah, yes. My insurance . . . “

He flicked the wand at Hermione and she felt coldness once again sink into her bones. That didn’t feel right. Not at all.

”You didn’t remove the hex!” she exclaimed, furious.

Tom looked at her with a slight smirk.

”Quite an astute observation, Miss Granger. I’ve come to the conclusion that you are important to your Headmaster for some reason. He was quite punctual in his response, which leads me to believe he doesn’t want you to come to harm. So you see, my dear, you are ‘incentive.’ In eight days, the hex will kill you. However, what I hope to accomplish with your Headmaster’s help will occur in seven days. At its completion, I will gladly remove the hex. Of course, it’s based on my success.”

”You . . . you lying bastard!” Hermione screamed at him.

The wizard’s face contorted with displeasure and his hold on his wand tightened.

”It is only because you are so necessary to my plans, Miss Granger, that you aren’t screaming in agony right now. What is going on here is much more important than keeping my word to you. Hopefully, your Albus Dumbledore is as clever in your world as his is in mine, or you will come to a very sticky end. The quaffle is in his pitch now. Return to him and tell him what’s at stake.”

Hermione glared up at the wizard. If she thought she stood a chance of doing him some harm, she’d hex him. But, she knew she was no match for him.

”You’re an evil man,” she hissed at him.

”Why, thank you, Miss Granger,” Tom purred back at her.

He chuckled as she stormed back into the room. At least she had enough heart to get angry.

Bloody Gryffindor.

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Slytherin Hermione stood stiffly in front of the mirror, waiting for Hermione when she saw the door behind her crack open a bit in the reflection. She turned around, drawing her wand.

”Who the hell is it?” she snarled.

The door opened, and there stood Professor Snape, his wand trained on her as well.

Hermione’s eyes went wide and all color drained from her face for a moment.

Snape seemed quite satisfied with her reaction to him. Well, it hadn’t been a full day yet.

”I just wanted to say . . . hello,” he purred at her. “Hello.”

”Let’s make it, goodbye. Hopefully, I’ll never have to see you again,” she responded with a frown.

”Oh, you’ll see me, or your world’s version of me,” the wizard replied. “Hopefully, you’ll treat him with a bit more respect. He’s much nicer than I am after all.”

”I don’t plan to treat him any differently,” she spat. “You think a lot of yourself if you think a night with you changed me one iota. Pompous git.”

Snape just looked at her, seeming to see inside the witch. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

”That’s what your mouth says,” he responded silkily, grabbing the doorknob. “Goodbye, Miss Granger.”

He pulled the door closed.

Hermione stared at it, a knot in her belly. She did mean what she said. She wasn’t going to treat the other Snape any differently, although she was nearly certain that he was a more reasonable wizard than his snarky counterpart. She was glad he wasn’t in her world. He’d be the worst teacher at Hogwarts.

She turned to see Hermione standing in the mirror. She looked rather ashen as she placed her hand against the glass. Slytherin Hermione cocked her head at her. Tom must have done something. She could tell. She placed her hand against the glass, and once again the witches exchanged places. Slytherin Hermione watched as her counterpart walked to the door as if under a spell, then exited.

Shrugging her shoulders, the Slytherin also left the room.

The corridor was empty. Tom wasn’t there. He’d gotten what he wanted, and didn’t even give her a pass back to supper.

Hermione sighed and Disillusioned herself, knowing she was missed. She’d try to ease her way into the Great Hall, but didn’t hold up much hope. She doubted the Headmaster was there. He was probably in his office with whatever had been delivered to him.

The fuck.

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A dazed Hermione walked out into the corridor. Snape knew something was wrong right away by the look in her eyes.

”Did all go as planned, Miss Granger? Did Tom Riddle receive Albus’ reply,” he asked the witch.

Hermione looked up at him.

”He received the reply, but everything didn’t go as planned. He didn’t remove the hex, Professor. He extended it for eight days. He said whatever was going on would happen in seven days, and if everything was successful, he’d remove the hex permanently. He said it was up to the Headmaster now.”

Snape stared down at her. It wasn’t up to the Headmaster to make this a success, it was up to him.

”Miss Granger, listen to me,” the Potions master said to her, “it is of the utmost importance that you come with me to my office and tell me everything you can about that world. About the people there, the society and your experiences. You cannot hold anything back, because what you tell me will have a direct bearing on just how successful this situation is. Your life depends on it, do you understand?”

Hermione blinked at him, feeling a bit nauseous.

”Are you involved in this too, Professor?” she asked him tremulously.

Snape nodded.

”Yes, I am involved in this, Miss Granger. Up to my armpits. Let us go. I will apprise Albus of the situation later. He can be of no help now,” the wizard said, walking away swiftly.

Hermione stared after him.

”Are you coming, Miss Granger?” he called back, irritation in his voice.

”Yes. Yes, sir,” she replied, hurrying after him.

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A/N Thanks for reading.