Tension in the Laboratory

"You want me to help you," Hermione stated with a wide grin.

Snape looked as if he wished he could kick himself. "Merely as a convenience," he said sourly.

"Well," Hermione said, "if it's just that, OK, but I expect I won't have much time if I'm faculty myself."

Snape looked doubly displeased at this reminder that she stood on equal footing with him. "Junior faculty," he said quellingly.

Hermione just smiled wider. "Teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts," she reminded him.

If anything, Snape's expression grew still darker. "Then I shall expect you in my laboratory the first day of term, after classes," he said, and walked away without waiting for a reply.

Hermione went into Hogsmeade to talk to Harry, who for the time being was working in security at Gringott's.

"I don't think that dragon is the way to go, Griphook," Harry was saying to a dour goblin when Hermione found him. "For one thing, it's blind, and for another--"

"--for another, it won't really want to help you so long as you treat it so cruelly," Hermione broke in.

The goblin favored her with a glare so furious that if looks were deeds, Hermione felt certain she would be in a basket.

"Hermione!" Harry said, his smile lighting his face.

"Hi, Harry. Would you like to get lunch with me?"

"Sure! Griphook, I'll be back in an hour. And please think about what I said about the dragon."

Griphook looked as though it was the very last thing he intended to ever think about, but he inclined his head in a small bow before leaving.

"Whew! He sure didn't look happy," Hermione remarked once they were outside. The sun bathed everything in a late-summer glow, and bird songs filled the air

"Well," Harry said frowning, "goblins are a tough bunch to figure out. Let's go to The Three Broomsticks."

As they slid into a booth inside the pub, Hermione said casually, "So how's Ron?"

Harry took a long sip of butterbeer before saying, "He's been seeing Luna Lovegood."

Hermione was so stunned, she nearly dropped her mug. "Luna?" she managed. "I had no idea they liked each other. Is it--er--is he happy?"

"Do you want the honest answer?" Harry said, fiddling with his fork.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do."

Harry looked up. "He is. Luna's a little--you know. But she's smart, too, and Ron's been taking to her more and more."

"That's good," Hermione said quietly. "I'm really happy for him."

"Do you still have a--er--thing for him?"

Hermione considered. "Do you want the honest answer?"

Harry smiled. "Yeah, I do."

"Then, not any more. Don't get me wrong," she added quickly. "He's still, well, kind of good-looking, and I really, well, I really still like him. But there's..." Here she couldn't think what else to say.

"Maybe you've got another bloke?" Harry suggested.

"Maybe."

"Maybe it's Snape?"

"Maybe," she allowed, feeling herself pinken.

Just then, their food arrived, and Harry dove into a pile of bangers and mash the size of a child's knapsack. Hermione watched in wonder.

"Bit old, isn't he?" Harry remarked, around mouthfuls of potato.

"Maybe," Hermione allowed, shifting in her seat.

Seeing her blush intensify, Harry continued, "Well, there's some things you should know about him before you go any further."

"I know, I know, he's a prat, right?" Hermione said heatedly.

"No," Harry said, chewing and swallowing. He gulped a huge swallow of butterbeer and added, "I'm talking about real things. Just FYI."

"What do you mean?" Hermione couldn't help asking.

Harry forked in some more food. "You remember when I took those Occlumency lessons from him in Fifth Year?"

"Who could forget?"

"Well, I managed to get into his head one time. Threw the Protego spell. Worked better than I could have dreamed. He about fell over! And all of a sudden, I'm seeing," here he leaned forward, and Hermione did, too. Harry continued in a whisper, "a little kid crying while some bloke with a hooked nose yelled at this woman. Later, you, me, and Ron saw a picture of Snape's mother, so I put two and two together and realized the woman was his mother, so the hook-nosed bloke must have been his dad."

Hermione absorbed this piece of news in startled silence. It was hard to imagine Snape being small and defenseless.

"I saw him later, too," Harry said, "alone in his room, killing flies with his wand. He tries to give you the idea that he was some bigshot at Hogwarts as a kid, but I think he was kind of a loner." Harry carefully refrained from revealing the memory that Snape most wished to conceal about his time at Hogwarts. "What I'm saying is--"

"That Snape was a lonely, abused child who grew up to be a lonely, abusive man."

"Well--er--yeah," Harry said uncomfortably, and applied himself anew to his mash.

Hermione took a bite of her roast beef sandwich. "Thanks, Harry," she said. "I really appreciate it. I'll--er--keep it mind."

Harry glanced up from his plate and smiled. "If anyone can keep something in mind, it's you."

"So," Hermione cut in, to change the subject, "are you seeing Ginny now?"

Harry began choking, and Hermione had to pound him on the back for several minutes. "How did you figure that out?" Harry asked finally, tears streaming down his face.

Hermione grinned smugly. "I think it's obvious."

Harry glowered. "Well, you're right. We are seeing each other. Ron's not happy, but he's resigned."

"How's it going?" she pressed.

"Well," Harry bit off, and gave her a look that told her the subject was now closed.

"How is it working at Gringott's?" Hermione said after a pause.

"Muffliato," Harry said hastily when two other diners glanced their way. Then, in low voice, he continued, "I like it. I didn't think I would, but it gives me a chance to see what's really going on with a lot of families. Especially," his voice dropped even further, "people like the Lestranges. More security on that vault than I've ever seen. You know, I was disappointed when Snape gave me that E in Potions so I couldn't be an Auror. I called him a greasy git for a month after that. But maybe he did me a favor after all."

"Harry, maybe he was doing you a favor," Hermione said.

Harry snorted. "Not bloody likely."

"Well, think about it," Hermione persisted. "He can't exactly be nice to you if he's, you know."

Harry thought about it and snorted again. "You haven't seen him like I have."

"And I wonder what his Patronus looks like," Hermione went on as if she hadn't heard. "I'm told it's a snake, but no one's seen it for years and years."

"Well, he doesn't need a Patronus, now, does he?" Harry said. No need to fight Dementors if you're supposed to be on the same side, he added to himself.

"You remember you told me how he made fun of Tonks's new Patronus when hers was changing to look like Lupin?" Hermione continued. "Snape said her new Patronus was weak." She looked troubled.

"Who cares?" Harry said. "Just remember what I told you about him, right? Now are you going to finish that sandwich?"