Unlikely Friends

Title: Unlikely Friends Part 5
Author: Shannon
Pairing: Draco/Hermione, Hermione/Snape (friendship)
Rating: R
Warning: Contains Rape, not graphic in this part or any other but it suggested.
Discla: No: Not mine, If you recognize it, it belongs to J Row Rowling
Distribution: Hermione’s Library (http://hl.shadesofgrey.us/efiction/viewstory.php?sid=29) Twisting the Hellmouth, Tainted Love, WLS
Spoilers: Going to say anything through OoTP to be safe. Probably nothing really specific.
Summary: Hermione’s attacked and can’t tell her usual friends and ends up finding support in unlikely places.
Author’s Notes: Takes place 6th year. I’m assuming all 6th years are roughly around 16.
**Draco and Snape are slightly OOC, but it is necessary for this to work.

Thanks to Meg and Zoefor beta-ing this part for me.


Part 5

Snape walked out of the hospital wing carrying the small vial of contraceptive potion. His thoughts were still on what he had seen in the pensieve. He shouldn’t have been surprised that it was Lucius. Unlike Draco, he wasn’t at all astonished to find that the older Malfoy was capable of that kind of cruelty. It wasn’t a good sign that he hadn’t known about the attack in advance. That fact suggested that he was no longer among the most trusted. Of course, there was the small possibility that Lucius had acted without the Dark Lord’s knowledge but that was unlikely.

As he passed the gargoyle leading to Dumbledore’s office he decided it might be best to see the headmaster tonight. Let him know what they had learned. He came to a stop in front of the hidden stairway and sighed.

“Orange sherbet,” the older wizard needed to get over his fascination swe sweets.

The gargoyle started to turn revealing the steps leading to the headmaster’s rooms. It was getting late but since the old man seemed to know when someone needed to speak to him he wasn’t concerned about it.

“Ah Severus,” Dumbledore had just finished feeding the large red phoenix a treat. “Was your plan successful?”

“Unfortunately yes,” Snape responded sitting in the chair across from Fawkes.

“Both children decided to go with you then?” Dumbledore moved to his chair behind the large desk.

“Yes,” Snape quickly recounted what they had found in Hermione’s memories.

“So he’s escaped from Azkaban then,” The older wizard replied with a sigh, “I was afraid of something like this. How is Mr. Malfoy?”

“Understandably upset. He realized he would likely know the attacker but…”

“An acquaintance and your father are not the same thing.”

“No they aren’t,” Snape agreed, “What is our course of action?”

“There is little chance of tracking him right now,” Dumbledore said after a moments thought, the usual twinkle all but gone, “It is most likely this was a deliberate attack on Miss Granger, so as long as she stays on Hogwarts grounds she’ll be safe. But I’ll advise the other staff that for the time being there will be no Hogsmeade visits, no sense endangering other muggle-borns until we are positive it’s safe.”

“I’ll instruct Mr. Malfoy to let one of us know immediately should his father contact him,” Snape stood to leave.

“Yes, though I doubt he would risk it right now.”

Snape said his good-byes to the headmaster and left the office. On his way back to his own rooms he thought about what had been said. He didn’t agree with Dumbledore about Lucius not contacting his son. The man was arrogant, Draco had learned the trait well from his father, and while he didn’t wish to be found, he did want to give Potter and Dumbledore a reason to attack. He also may not realize that Hermione had a way to identify him, pensieves were rare, and Snape was sure that Lucius had been careful to keep his face covered. Reaching his rooms he quickly gave the password and swept through the portal.

His anger started to rise when he found the sitting room empty. Malfoy was told to not leave the girl alone, she had gone to bed without her sleeping potion again and had just relived the previous night’s events in full color. Setting the potion on his desk he walked over and pushed the bedroom door open. He saw Draco sleeping propped up next to the sleeping Hermione on the bed. He silently walked over to the bed and nudged the younglythlytherin awake.

“rn trn to your rooms,” he said when Draco’s eyes opened.

“Yes sir,” Draco rose and headed out of the room, “Professor?”

“Yes?”

“When you and Dumbledore decide to go after my father can I…”

“No,” Snape said quietly, when Draco started to protest, “We’ll discuss this tomorrow.”

“Yes sir,” Draco muttered and quietly left the professor’s rooms.
***

Draco sat in the back of the Transfiguration room, the next morning, slumped in his chair. He heard Pansy chattering next to him, about what he couldn’t have said. He hadn’t slept well, images of his father beating and raping Hermione Granger played in his mind every time he had closed his eyes.

He understood what Snape had told him that it was about violence and hate. He also knew his father was more than capable of both, but seeing it first hand had been more than he could deal with. Then to follow that with being told he would not be able to be there when they found him had been too much.

“Draco are you alright?” Pansy asked nudging him slightly and pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Tired.”

“Mr. Malfoy, I would like a word with you after class,” Professor Mcgonagall had approached the table before Pansy could reply.

Draco nodded silently and raised his wand to attempt the spell she had shown them at the beginning of class. He had already performed it successfully several times but if Pansy thought he was busy she might stop talking. He managed to still keep one eye on the two Gryffindors in the front of the room.

Harry and Ron were whispering to each other. Draco couldn’t make out what they were saying but he had seen Snape’s owl deliver a letter to them at breakfast. It had surprised him that the Head of Slytherin had used his own owl, but assumed he had figured no one would recognize it because he rarely received mail during meals. Draco also believed the letter to be from Granger. He didn’t know what she had told them about her absence but he hoped it was good enough that they didn’t try to contact her.

He stayed slouched in his chair a few minutes later as the rest of the class filed past him on their way out. He caught part of Potter and Weasley’s conversation as they left the room.

“It seems odd that she just left,” Ron said slinging his bag over his shoulder.

“I would’ve thought she’d leave a note, not owl us later.”

Professor Mcgonagall approached him and he missed the end of conversation. He pulled himself up straighter as she took a seat across from him. He began putting his books back in his bag.

“How is she Mr. Malfoy?”

“Fine, I guess,” he answered closing his bag.

“And you?” She asked, Dumbledore had already told her of his conversation with Snape the night before.

He stared at her for a moment. It had taken a lot of control to not snap at her with the first question and he certainly didn’t want to talk about his own feelings. How did she think he was or Granger. The girl had been beaten and raped and his father had done it. Neither of them was anywhere near fine. At least she had taken the sleeping potion last night, it hadn’t occurred to him to ask Snape for some for himself and he couldn’t very well go to the hospital wing and ask for something to block his father’s viciousness from his mind.

“I really would rather not talk about it,” he stood and slung his bag on his shoulder, “I have to get to Charms.”

“Will she see me yet?”

“I doubt it,” he pulled the heavy door open, “You would have to talk to Snape.”

Mcgonagall watched the young Slytherin walk out of the room. She had talked to Severus at breakfast and he still said she couldn’t talk to the girl. Albus had agreed, give her time. She would owl Hermione today and ask her. She understood that it had only been less than two days but if she continued to hide it would only make things worse.
***

Hermione was curled into the corner of the large couch in Snape’s sitting room with a book in her lap. She had been awake for several hours having once again opened her eyes to Dobby’s face inches from hers. The potions were working very well, most of the cuts and bruises had faded to yellow already, only the worst of them still dark. If only her emotional scars and fears had faded so easily, unfortunately there wasn’t a potion for that. There had been a new vial waiting for her today, with a note to take it immediately. He hadn’t said why, but she had done as told.

She had put the finishing touches on her essays after breakfast, it hadn’t taken too long. After she had gone to bed it appeared that Professor Snape had read her papers again because there were some markings and notes on the side, so she made the suggested improvements and put the parchments away, she would have to ask him to return them to the proper teachers tonight. She had also tried to work on her charms work but after a few attempts that resembled something Neville would have done she decided to stop. She didn’t need to be on the receiving end of Professor Snape’s temper on top of everything else.

She was nearly finished with the book on Dark Arts when Dobby appeared in the room near the desk. Hermione jumped from the couch, losing her page when the small elf appeared.

“Dobby brought your lunch Miss.”

“Thank you Dobby,” Hermione smiled and took the tray.

“Miss, Professor Mcgonagall asked Dobby to give this to Harry Potter’s friend if she was alone,” he looked around suspiciously.

“He’s not here Dobby,” Hermione reached for the envelope, knowing Dobby wanted to leave as quickly as possible, afraid Professor Snape would return.

“Thank You Miss,” Dobby said and disappeared as soon as Hermione opened the parchment.

She read the letter, and set it aside. She would write a reply and send it with Dobby when he came back with dinner. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust the older witch, but she really didn’t want to see anyone right now. Especially not someone who would look at her with all that pity and try to take care of her. That was why she was so content down here in the dungeons just seeing Snape and Malfoy. They would never consider showing her pity or treating her as if she was helpless. Not that they hadn’t been exceptionally nice to her, they had; but they hadn’t looked at her with pity.

She wandered back over to the large bookcase. She needed another book, preferably one she hadn’t reet. et. She located one on potions and took it back to the couch, she would need to find a way to get to the library soon. Most of what was here she had read before, and it wasn’t as if she could watch television to pass the time.
***

Snape closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he had hoped the afternoon would go better than the morning, it wasn’t. This was fortunately his last class, Advanced Potions with Slytherin and Gryffindor. What he couldn’t understand was how Neville Longbottom had managed a high enough score on his O.W.L to get into this class. He usually passed the class with decent marks because Miss Granger was giving him instructions, but she hadn’t helped him with his O.W.L.’s, he had no doubt the girl wouldn’t have cheated. Nor was she here to assist him today, which was why there was green slime covering every inch of the table the boy was sitting at.

“Longbottom, just get out,” he said struggling to keep his voice calm.

Neville grabbed his bag and ran out of the room, barely noticing the snickering among the Slytherins as he ran past them. Snape eyes were on Harry and Ron who were whispering and paying little attention to their own cauldrons. Draco’s eyes were also on the remaining members of the Gryffindor dream team. Ron’s potion was perilously close to boiling over and Harry’s was missing a necessary ingredient.

“Potter, Weasley,” Snape snapped moving to stand at their table, “One disaster per class is more than enough.”

“Sorry sir,” Ron muttered as Harry quickly threw the last ingredient in his cauldron.

Snape walked away as their attention turned to their class work and made his way through the room, critising and deducting points as he went. His mind not really on what the class was doing, until he heard his house once again trying unsuccessfully to hide their laughter. Spinning around he saw that Ron had tipped his cauldron and the shrinking potion was spreading on the floor though it didn’t appear to have touched anyone yet. Waving his wand he quickly cleaned the mess.

“Everyone out now!” He shouted. He returned to his desk as the room cleared. Not a single student wanting to spend any more time with the irritable teacher than necessary.

Minerva had asked him again today if she could speak to Hermione. She wasn’t pleased when he said that the girl still did not wish to have company. It annoyed him that the other teacher was behaving as if he had done something to the child. That had started his day out badly, and it had progressed from there.

He knew he was going to have to return to his rooms soon, he couldn’t avoid it forever. What he didn’t want, however, was to answer the many questions the inquisitive Gryffindor would have. He wasn’t sure she would really want the answers if he gave them. This wasn’t the muggle world where knowing the identity of an attacker could lead to imprisonment. Knowing that it was Lucius would do nothing but cause her more pain. That much he and Dumbledore had agreed on.

Neither wizard had come up with a plan to find and deal with the Death Eater though. Dumbledore may be able to track him if he was working on his own, if he had already returned to the Dark Lord then his movements may be hidden. The best they had come up with was to wait and see if he contacted Draco, or for Voldemort to put a new plan of attack into action.
***

Hermione’s attention kept wandering from the book she was reading, to the Potion’s master at the desk on the other side of the room. He was angry, if he scratched the parchment he was grading any harder with his quill he would tear a hole in the essay. She had so many questions about what they had seen last night, but Snape had barely spared her a glance, she had the distinct impression that he didn’t want her to ask anything.

Snape had talkedDracDraco after dinner and he was to notify him or Albus immediately if he received any correspondence from Lucius. They had also argued about the younger wizard joining any fight against his father. He had to find a way to make Draco understand how hard it would be for him to have to fight his own father. He wasn’t sure the anger the teen-ager was feeling now, could hold up against the power of the older Malfoy.

“Professor?” Hermione said softly.

“Yes, Miss Granger,” he set his quill down preparing himself for the onslaught of questions.

“Can you give my essays to the Professors tomorrow?”

Snape sighed in relief, this question he didn’t mind answering. The parchments had been moved from the desk so he assumed she had found his suggestions and made the corrections.

“Yes,” he picked up his quill again.

“Doyouknowwhoitwas?” She asked in one breath not wanting to let fear stop her from asking the question.

“Yes,” he dropped the quill back on the desk.

She stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to continue. Realizing he wasn’t going to offer any information she took a deep breath to build her courage back up.

“Who was it?”

Now it was his turn to hesitate and take a deep breath. He wouldn’t lie to her, as much as he may dislike many of the students he didn’t lie to them. That was part of why they considered him to be such a cruel teacher. He told the truth, even if a lie would be easier. This sos something though, that he didn’t think she would gain from knowing.

“Do you really wish to know? Will you sleep better with the answer? Will the nightmares and fear go away if you can put a name to it?”

Her first instinct was to say yes, but she hesitated. The part of her that always asked questions was considering what he had just said. Would she benefit at all from getting a name from him? She had heard him and Draco arguing the night before, when they had returned from the pensieve, and if the identity had upset Malfoy that much, what would it do to her. On the other hand, she didn’t like not having answers.

“No,” she finally answered, “I guess not.”

“If you wish to know I’ll tell you.”

“You were right, it won’t help,” she answered again, fighting the tears that were starting to form at the memories that were once again returning.

He returned his attention to the paper in front of him, these were fifth year papers that were this bad, and he still had a stack of first years’ to do too. He wasn’t sure he could deal with it tonight though. Hermione rose from the couch and returned the book she had just finished to the shelf. Quickly scanning the shelf and not finding anything she hadn’t already finished at least twice she went and sat on the couch again, watching him grade papers.

“Did you need something Miss Granger?” He asked, feeling her eyes on him again.

“No sir,” she answered, “I’m sorry, I’m just a little bored.”

“I told you to feel free to read any of the books on the shelf.”

“I have. There were only a few I haven’t read, and I finished those already.”

She had read every book he had out, they weren’t all of his volumes, but the other’s were not appropriate for students, most highly dangerous. He had seen the evidence of her attempting magic this morning. Nothing serious, she had tried simple fiyearyear spells and failed so she had the sense to quit. There were just a few burned quills and other small damaged items.

“Prepare a list of books and I can retrieve them from the library if you’d like,” he said with a sigh, “Tomorrow after lunch.”

Hermione ran to the bedroom and grabbed her own quill, ink, and parchment and quickly began writing. Several minutes later she was standing beside him with an impressive list of books.

“Is that all?” He asked taking the sheet of parchment and raising an eyebrow. The girl was apparently trying to clean out the library.

“Yes,” she started to walk away, “Um sir, some are from the restricted section, I understand if you don’t…”

He read the list quickly, there were a few restricted books but nothing serious.

“That’s fine.”

“Thank you.”

She returned to the couch and continued to watch him grade papers. She would try to work on the simple magic again tomorrow morning, until he returned with her books. Most of what she had asked for related to her classes. If she couldn’t work on her magic, she could still study and be prepared for when she could.

Snape dropped the quill on top of the last parchment of fifth year essays and scowled at the pile of first year papers yet to be scored. He had also yet to find an assignment for Hermione. He had promised Dumbledore that he would find something for the girl to do, so that she would still receive credit for Potions. He had never intended to let her missing these ses ses affect her grade but he also understood her need to earn the grade. He wasn’t confident that she should work on a potion yet, and most of sixth year work was practical.

“Miss Granger?”

“Yes sir?” She said surprised that he was speaking to her without her having asked a question.

“Tomorrow morning would you read and mark necessary corrections on these first year papers?”

“Grade papers sir?” Hermione asked surprised. He usually took every opportunity to critise her work.

“Yes,” Snape said facing her, “I need to find potions work for you to do, and the thought of reading one more paper by another brainless student is painful for me at this point. I’m sure you are more than capable of finding flaws in First year papers.”

“Yes sir,” she smiled slightly, that was as close to a compliment as she was likely to get from him, “I can do that.”

“Complete it by the time I arrive with your books and I’ll give you full marks for the weeks worth of classes.”

Hermione almost laughed, were the papers that bad? If he was willing to give her full marks for a week for reading them it couldn’t be good. On the other hand it gave her something to do all morning.

“Miss Granger, just be sure to remember that you’re correcting to my standards.”

“Yes sir,” she agreed, and headed to the bedroom, “I’m um, going to turn in now.”

He nodded and watched the bedroom door close behind her.
***

Draco was just returning to his bedroom from the Slytherin common room. It was still early but he couldn’t spend one more minute listening to his friend’s gossip. It was all over the school that Granger had disappeared and tPottPotter had received a letter from her but didn’t believe that she had left for a family emergency.

He would be sure to tell Snape tomorrow, he wasn’t sure what could be done to prevent the Gryffindors from sending her an owl but he would leave that to his head of house. He was more concerned with finding a way to get ad Snd Snape’s objections to his helping go after his father.

“Draco?”

The young Slytherin jumped at the sound of the familiar voice. He had expected a letter from his father but he hadn’t expected a visit. Turning toward the fireplace he saw his father’s head in the flames.

“Yes Father?” He said slowly, he couldn’t let his father know that he any idea of what was going on, “When did you leave Azkaban?”

“Last week. Thi the the first time I’ve been able to contact you safely.”

“Did you need something?” Draco asked, using all his control not to yell at the older man, “Everything is alright?”

“Yes, fine,” Lucius answered, “How are things at school? Potter and his friends aren’t causing any problems?”

Draco turned his back on his father and reached for his robe that he had discarded. He really just wanted to turn his back so his father wouldn’t see his anger. Once he had control of his emotions again he turned back to the fire.

“They’re fine,” he said calmly, “Potter hasn’t made any moves.”

“And his friends? Weasley and Granger isn’t it?”

“The mud-blood left the school, family emergency or something.”

“If you hear of anything you’ll let me know then?”

“Of course Father,” Draco agreed, “Where are you?”

“It’s too dangerous for you to know,” Lucius answered, “I’ll try to contact you weekly, but you can always owl me if necessary.”

“Yes sir.”

“Good night.”

Draco watched as his father vanished from sight. He would tell Professor Dumbledore in the morning. He couldn’t go now, it was after curfew and it would draw too many questions for him to seek out the headmaster at night.

*****
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FunMan Skeeto
Thanks. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.

Fiona
Thanks. This is my first HP fic so I’m still kind of learning these characters, and it’s also very dark for me (usually write total fluff). But hopefully you’ll like where it goes.

Becca
Thanks. I hope to be able to update fairly often. Though with my websites and work on several other stories, can’t promise much.

Deb
Totally agree can’t get much luckier than that. . I’m not sure how OOC they really are either. With the books being Harry’s POV, I very much believe you see a skewed image of Snape, Draco too, to some extent. Snape must have at least some redeeming qualities, there must be reasons for Dumbleds trs trust.

As for Draco’s reaction to his father, it may be a while, haven’t quite worked it all out yet, I tend to not plan very well. Actually I used to make nice detailed outlines of my fics but the end result was always so far from what I outlined that I decided it was a waste of time. I do know it won’t be pretty.

Jules
Thanks, this is going into so much of a different side for all 3 that I keep worrying about remaining in-character. This had originally been intended as a Hermione/Snape fic but then started leaning more toward Hermione/Draco. And having Draco in the pensieve with them is certainly going to bring out some different feelings from him.