Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter 44: Hermione’s Anguish

Hermione made her way down to the dungeons. Her wand, still clutched in her hand, as she let her mind reel out of control with not only the prophecy that Professor Trelawney had made not thirty minutes previously, but also Professor Snape. Why did he have to be such a git all of the time? What was his problem, and was she his newest victim?

It was true she had been on the receiving end of his harsh tongue in the past, but there was always Harry or Ron there to pick up the pieces when he had been particularly nasty. Now she didn’t have anyone to turn to, not Harry, nor Ron; she was all alone in this world.

‘Enough with the self pity, Hermione,’ she told herself as she rounded the corner which lead to the Potions classroom.

Stopping dead in her tracks she realised that she didn’t have the foggiest where Professor Snape’s quarters were. She knew they were somewhere down here in the dark and dank dungeons, but she wasn’t entirely sure where.

She heard approaching footsteps and leaned against the wall, hiding in the shadows, wand at the ready.

She relaxed only when she saw Professor Snape and Mr Crobobin making their way towards her and she stepped out from the shadows and into their path.

“Miss Granger, I would advise you not to wander these corridors alone,” Severus stated. “At least not without myself or an Order member escorting you.” His tone didn’t hold its usual bite and Hermione could almost hear an edge of worry to it.

“Yes, Sir,” she replied meekly.

Severus nodded his head at her and continued on until they had gotten to the Potions classroom. Taking down the wards, he stepped inside and waited for Tolmie and Miss Granger to do the same. He warded the classroom door once it was closed and made his way to his office.

Tapping the stones with his wand in a complex pattern, he entered his office and made for the far wall where there was a tapestry of two snakes fighting. Mumbling an incarnation which Hermione couldn’t quite make out, Severus then touched the intricate workings of the tapestry with his wand.

Hermione watched as the two snakes broke apart and bowed down to Professor Snape before coming to rest at opposite sides, revealing an opening.

Severus entered first, closely followed by Tolmie and Hermione.

Hermione was absolutely floored when they entered Professor Snape’s sitting rooms. Upon every available wall, there was a bookshelf, some of which were overflowing. She longed to run her hands over the spines of the books and to discover what secrets they held beneath there covers.

Severus observed the far-off look in Miss Granger’s eyes as she stared markedly at his bookshelves and the books that were contained in them.

‘Always the know-it-all,’ he thought to himself before coming up behind her and whispering in her ear, “Your rooms are this way, Miss Granger.”

Hermione jumped as Professor Snape broke her from the enchantment that only books could hold her under, and whirled around to face him. Blushing ever so slightly, she averted her eyes to look at the floor and nodded her head. When she looked up again she noticed Mr Crobobin was smiling at her and that Professor Snape was making his way to a door to her right.

Hermione walked over to him as he opened the door which led to a rather large bedroom.

Severus held open the door and ushered her inside. “This, Miss Granger, will be your room for the duration of your stay here,” he said almost cordially.

Hermione just nodded her head once more as she looked around the spacious room. She noticed that all of her belongings had been brought down from her Head Girl room, presumably by the house-elves.

“The bathroom is across the sitting room directly in line with your room. My chambers are to the right of that. Mr Crobobin will be situated in the room adjacent to mine. Do not touch the books in the sitting room unless I give you specific instructions otherwise. If you need anything, ask me first and I will look into it. I do not wish to be disturbed unless it is imperative and I trust that you will have much to do, so I expect that will be minimal.” Severus fixed Miss Granger with a frown which she just nodded at.

“Do not leave these chambers without Mr Crobobin, the Headmaster or myself, and even then, you must ask before you venture outside the confines of this chamber. Do I make myself clear?” Severus asked.

“Yes Sir,” she answered.

He inclined his head and left her room, closing the door firmly behind himself.

She felt out of place here as she was in his territory now. Hermione didn’t want to upset the cantankerous man even more and, as he closed the door behind him, she took a leap and belly flopped onto the bed.

‘A prisoner once more,’ Hermione thought sourly, as she breathed in deeply and turned over to take in her surroundings.

Severus led Tolmie to his rooms and explained to him that he would be right next door if the older man needed anything. Severus truly hated this invasion of his privacy. Oh, he didn’t mind Tolmie being around, as Snape had stayed in his home for the last nine months; however, Tolmie’s home had been generously proportioned when compared to his quaint little suite.

After closing Tolmie’s door, he made his way to the bathroom for a nice relaxing bath. Closing and locking the door, something that he had never had to do previously and had to think about doing now, he started the bath water whilst mixing in various herbs and oils to relieve tension.

Slipping into the bath, he closed his eyes and pondered once more on the prophecy that Sybill had made. He had no doubt that it was the real deal as he had heard her make the previous one, her only other true prophecy, about Mr Potter, and she had that same unnerving voice.

As the herbs started their magic on the knotted muscles in his back, Severus slipped deeper into the warm water and started to drift off to sleep.

He was startled by an urgent pounding at the door. He raised his weary head from the bathtub and sat up.

“Severus,” Tolmie yelled, “Severus, are you in there?”

“Yes, what is it?” Severus retorted.

“It’s Miss Granger,” Tolmie replied, his voice was wavering as he stressed his next words. “She seems to be in some sort of distress and I can’t manage to unward her door.”

Severus shot from the tub as he wrapped a towel around his midsection and reached for his wand. Unlocking the door, he strode purposefully across his sitting room and pounded on Miss Granger’s door.

“Open up, Miss Granger,” he shouted. He heard something crash into the door but didn’t hear anything else.

“This is your last warning, Miss Granger,” Severus cautioned. “I’m coming in now, whether you are decent or not.”

Lifting up his wand, he started working on the creative wards that she had set up on her rooms. Managing to get them down, he slammed open her door. Severus had to duck as a picture frame came flying his way and narrowly missed his head.

“Go away!” Hermione snapped at him as he straightened himself up to look around her room.

“What are you doing?” Severus asked, disbelief evident in his voice as he took in her dishevelled room.

“Redecorating the place,” she answered with a slight grin. “Do you like it?”

“Miss Granger, you will stop this at once, do you hear me?” Severus snapped, his nerves were at their end.

“And what will you do if I don’t?” she asked. “Give me detention?”

Hermione stood there breathing heavily, both of her hands were placed firmly on her hips as she stood her ground, chin held firmly in the air.

When Severus didn’t reply, she continued, “No, I suppose you can no longer do that can you!” It was a statement, not a question. “I am just so sick of this all,” she said finally, bringing her hands down to her side in defeat.

“I’m sick of being treated like a wayward child. Hermione can’t do this, Hermione can’t do that. Believe me, I’ve heard it all. Do you realise that when I found myself back in Hogwarts infirmary, my heart leaped for joy? I was free, free from acting a certain way in a society that deemed me crazy. I believed them too, that was the sad thing.” Tears were now rolling down her face as Severus took a step closer towards her.

Severus caught her as she crumbled to the ground. Her sobbing was quite loud as she put her arms around his broad shoulders and buried her hair into his bare chest and bawled. Hermione cried for everything and everyone she had lost in the past ten months.

It was only then that Severus realised that he was almost naked; his hair was still wet, as was most of his body; however, this thought was pushed aside as in his arms he held onto a beautiful witch, who was not recoiling from his touch but rather was welcoming it. He pondered on this for a brief minute as her sobbing grew quieter.

Hermione released her death grip around the Professor’s neck as she slipped into a deep sleep.

Severus, realising she was asleep, picked her up and placed her gently on her bed. Taking off her shoes, he slid the covers up over her body as he brushed a stray curl from her face. He turned to leave the room.

Tolmie was standing in the open doorway, apparently he had witnessed the entire exchange, and he was grinning from ear to ear.

Severus just sneered at him which made his grin turn into a smile.

Marching past Tolmie, Severus looked down at the picture frame that was lying just outside the room. Bending over, he picked it up. It was a picture of a much younger Miss Granger, Mr Potter and Mr Weasley. Miss Granger had her arms around the boys’ shoulders and they were all smiling at the camera. Mr Potter was waving and both boys had their arms around Miss Granger. Hogwarts castle was in the background and they looked so young and carefree.

He shook his head as he looked at the picture. He had never considered how hard it was on her to come back here. Back to the place of the Final Battle where she had lost all of her friends, back to the reminder of it all. All of this had been placed on Miss Granger’s shoulders in the last couple of days and he was surprised that she hadn’t snapped sooner than this.

Turning around and placing the picture frame on the end of the bed he made sure her door was open a little. ‘Just in case,’ he told himself, as he made his way back to the bathroom, wand still in his hand.

Tolmie watched his friend go. The haunted expression on his face was one that Tolmie would remember for the rest of his days.

***

A/N: Now we are getting into the good stuff. Next chapter we will see what Cornelius Fudge does at Calan Park.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed thus far. Prizes to everyone who guessed right about the prophecy. Gee you guys are smart!

Huge hugs to my beta, LariLee.

Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters, just the story line.