I Will Always Find You

AN: I have to apologise about the use of death dealer. I\'m also writing an Underworld story and the vampire warriors are callled death dealers. I\'m sorry. It gets confusing. LOL But if you like vampires and werewolves you should check out Underworld. It\'s an awesome movie!


Reviewers: A huge thank you and hugs to all reviewers! You guys are the reason I keep writing!

ivacaur: Thank you! I\'m glad you like it.


lemonade: LOL glad you like him. I wasn\'t sure if he was too OOC or not; but everyone liked it, so I guess I did good. LOL


Julie: Yeah I did; but it\'s nice to hear it again. LOL


Slytheringriffindor21:Thank you! I feel so special! LOL


ancientgirl: Thank you so much for pionting that out! I\'ll have to watch that. Death dealers are from Underworld. I\'ve also got an Underworld story up and I get confused between death eater and dealer sometimes. (Ususally when I\'m tired. LOL)


Golden: I\'m glad it meets your standards! Thanks!


leigh: I agree. I don\'t like it when Hermione is weak. She\'s just not like that. I had to have her being her typical stubborn self.


Tainted Angel: I love him too! Thanks for reviewing!


anya: You have a point there. Thanks for letting me in on that one! LOL Sometimes someone else has to say it for me to get it. LOL


Kim: Thanks! I sure will.


Chapter 6. Stares


The next evening, Snape sighed as he sat down to grade papers. He\'d told the head girl that he disliked grading papers; but he actually bloody hated it. It was a huge waste of his valuable time.

He stared at the stack of parchment, thinking that the only competently written essays were turned in by Miss Granger herself.

It was true he never gave the girl the marks she deserved; but he DID notice. She was a smart one, and sure to enlighten whatever field she chose as her career.


She had been fair on the grading she had done for him and he appreciated that she hadn\'t marked them any higher than he would have himself.

He realized that he was putting off the task by woolgathering and focused his attention to the essays in front of him.

An hour later he was finished and he realized that he had neglected to send the letter he had written. Cursing, he got up and went to his office.

Snatching it off of his desk, he headed out of his quarters and to the owlry. Not many owls were about, nighttime being thier natrual time to hunt; but he managed to find one that was just finishing up a mouse.


He called it down to him and attatched the letter to her leg. She hooted softly and for a moment he allowed himself to enjoy the sound. Then he realized the letter needed to go and shooed her away.


\"Off with you now, and wait for a reply.\"


The owl shifted her weight and took off. Severus winced as her talons scraped his forearm. He watched as she flew into the night and then turned to go back down to his rooms.


He was startled to come face to face with Miss Granger.


She let out a tiny gasp and clutched at her cheat. \"Oh You scared me sir!\"


\"I must apologize, Miss Granger,\" he drawled. \"What are you doing out so late?\"


\"I just finished rounds. I had a letter from my parents earlier and I wrote them back. I just wanted to send it before I went to bed.\"


He nodded. \"Then straight to your rooms Miss Granger. You\'re looking a trifle worn.\"


\"Yes sir,\" she replied, and he could tell she didn\'t mean it.


\"Get some rest,\" he told her in a tone that broached no argument. Then he turned sharply and left.

Hermione was left watching the empty doorway. How did he know that she had planned to stay up and get some work done? Oh well, best to get some sleep and at least look fresh in the morning so as not to make him angry.

She sent her letter off with a school owl. It was best not to use Hedwig for anything but around the school. She was too noticeable. And Pig was just a little too unreliable. She thought her mother would love him though.

Smiling a little at the thought of her parents, she walked back to her rooms and went to bed. The dreamless potion worked wonders for her and she was able to get a full nights rest.


The next morning, Hermione was a little late getting up. She got ready as quickly as she could and rushed down to meet Ron and Harry for breakfast. It was her second day back to classes since the attack and she hadn\'t even looked at the Slytherin table at mealtimes.

She knew that they would all be staring at her. The other tables stared at her too; but she didn\'t mind them so much. The Slytherins were staring for an entirely different reason. She wondered if any of them were related to the man who had..no, she couldn\'t even think that. She had classes with half of them.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and then looked up. A lot of them were looking at her; but not all of them. Malfoy was staring blatantly and she winced and looked away.


\"What\'s the matter \"Mione?\" Asked Harry, who had noticed.


\"They\'re staring at me,\" she said quietly.


\"Who?\" Asked Ron on her other side.


\"The Slytherins,\" she replied so quietly they could barely hear.


Ron and Harry both looked and found that she was right. They scowled in the direction of the Slytherin table and turned back to her.


\"Just ignore those gits,\" Ron said bracingly.


\"Yeah \'Mione, they probably don\'t even know what happened,\" Harry added.


Hermione thought that they probably knew more than Ron and Harry did; but she refrained from saying so.

At the staff table, Snape was watching this with interest. He noted the stares Miss Granger was recieving from his house and her reaction to them.


It made him angry to see her blush and cave into herself. She seemed to feel worse after her friends spoke to her. He\'d have to have a word with her later.


He could see that she had slept and was looking a bit more collected than she had the day before. Then he realized that Hagrid was trying to get his attention and that he was staring at Miss Granger too.


He turned to the half giant and attended to what he was saying.

Hermione looked to the head table just in time to see Professor Snape turn away from her direction and look at Hagrid, who seemed to be asking him a question.


She wondered if he had been looking at her.


\'Probably,\' she thought to herself. \'Probably wanted to check and see if I followed his orders.\'


She sighed and went on eating her breakfast which suddenly tasted like parchment.


Later that night she was heading to her rooms from the library. She turned a corner to run headlong into Professor Snape. The books in her arms cascaded to the floor, some of them bouncing off of his legs and feet.


\"Oh sir, I\'m sorry!\" She said. Mortified, she bent to pick them up.


To her astonishment, instead of simply watching her, he bent to help her retrieve them. Never had she seen him lift a finger to aid a clumsy student before.


He was silent until they had picked up all the books and he\'d handed the ones he had back to her.

\"Miss Granger, I want a word,\" his voice was low and he sounded a bit angry, a bit more like the Snape she was used to.


\"I am sorry, sir....\"


\"It\'s allright, you silly girl,\" he snapped waspishly.


Hermione was hurt. He hadn\'t spoken to her like that for days. Not even in class, though he didn\'t offer her any compliments either. Not that she had expected him to, of course; but this was cutting.


\'He\'s still the bat of the dungeons.\' She thought sullenly, willing herself not to shed one tear for his nastiness.


He took her arm and led her to an empty room. When he had shut the door and put up a silencing charm he turned to her.


His expression was totally different. \"I apologize for snapping at you, Miss Granger. But if I were to be witnessed showing someone such as yourself respect it could jeopardize my health.\"


She smirked, realizing his motive. \"It\'s allright, sir.\" She also realized that \"someone such as yourself\" meant muggleborn; but it didn\'t really bother her. At least he refrained from calling her a mudblood.


\"I noticed the stares at breakfast, and your reactions to them Miss Granger.\"


She blushed and nodded. \"Yes sir.\" She looked down at the books in her arms and wished she were in her rooms reading them.


\"Miss Granger I would expect more from a Griffindor,\" he said quietly. \"You cannot allow them to intimidate you.\"


She jumped when he used two fingers to lift her chin. \"Don\'t let them think they\'re stronger than you.\"


She looked into his deep black eyes and nodded.

He stared in her eyes until she was feeling quite uncomfortable and then released her chin.


He abruptly turned to the door and motioned her to wait while he checked to see if the coast was clear.

She watched him and wondered why he had looked at her for so long. What was he looking for?

He motioned her forward and let her exit the room. \"Go right to bed,\" he told her.

\"Yes sir,\" she said wearily. And started down the corridor.

AN: I hope you guys liked that one!