Surprisingly, She Didn\'t

Status: Work in Progress

Rating: NC-17 for later chapters

Warnings: Adult situations, some language, sexual situations…list may change as story progresses.

Summary: Finding her there had been a surprise, but nothing compared to what happened when she woke. HP fan-fiction, HG/SS.

Disclaimer: All characters/situations/places/events that you recognize belong to JK Rowling and the rest of the legal owners of everything Harry Potter. I make no money off of the writing of this fic, and intend no copyright infringement. I’m only having a little fun. And I would definitely take those two Slytherins home for tea…

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As Severus clinked about in the kitchen, preparing tea, Hermione tried to concentrate on breathing deeply and staying focused.

Yes, she reasoned to herself, you have lost your memory. You don’t know where you are. You have no idea who you are or where you come from. You haven’t a clue who these two men are. All you know is what they’ve told you and you have an instinct that they are not to be trusted. So, although you have information that they have given you, you don’t really know if it is true.

Now then, she continued to think to herself, you mustn’t panic. At least not right now. There will be time later to deal with the fact that you have absolutely no memory of anything having to do with anything. Except him, her brain reminded her. Her cheeks flamed for a moment as she quashed that thought. Right now, you must keep your wits about you and be prepared to…

Her musings were cut short when Severus returned carrying a tray laden with a steaming tea pot, a mug and a few small containers of milk and sugar. The spoon clanged merrily against the tray with every step he took. He sat the tray on the low table between them and proceeded to pour her a cup.

“I made chamomile, I hope that is alright. Caffeine doesn’t sit well with me, and I assumed you wouldn’t need it after your day. If you get hungry, please let me know and I will be more than happy to prepare something for you to eat. I don’t know, nor I am sure do you, how long it has been since your last meal. Sugar?”

She considered the possibility of food, and her stomach turned slightly. She might be hungry, but she could tell that her nerves would not allow her to keep anything down right now.

“No, thank you, I will take it as is. And I’m not terribly hungry now; I may rummage around for something later.” He nodded and handed her the mug which she accepted with a small smile.

After retrieving his neglected cup and topping it up with fresh tea, he resumed his seat in the armchair across from her.

“Now then, Hermione, you said that you remembered something about the introductory speech I made during your first class with me. Do you remember what I said, what you would be learning from me?” He kept his voice light, no need to scare her off or start too fast in his possible seduction of her.

She cleared her throat and then took small sip of her tea in an effort to hide the blush that was creeping upon her cheeks as he mentioned that topic again. Unfortunately, the tea was still at a temperature just below boiling, and her embarrassment increased tenfold as the tip of her tongue began to blister. She cleared her throat again and blinked back the tears of pain that were threatening to fall.

“Yes,” she finally murmured, then in a stronger, more assured voice, “You were telling us about potions, about what you could teach us about potions. You said something about the beauty of the simmering cauldron.” She felt her cheeks heat up yet again as she restated his specific words.

“Mmm, yes,” his tongue caressed the s slightly, “So, then you do recall that I taught potions. Does this memory help you to gather any more knowledge about what type of school you were attending, what types of classes you were taking?” He blew softly on his tea and then turned his gaze to her.

“Well, though I don’t remember the specific courses, I would assume that there would be spells, charms, that sort of thing. It was a magical school, correct?”

“Then you do know that you are a witch. Good. It is better that you have some intrinsic knowledge about who you and I are. This will make what I tell you much easier to process. I won’t have to explain, for instance, the magical side of you, as you seem to have an understanding that it is a part of your nature. This is indeed beneficial to our discussion this evening.”

He took a small sip of his now cooled tea and then set the mug back on the table. Leaning back in his chair, he steepled his fingers under his chin and scrutinized her from above them. He was considering where to begin. Though he kept his face blank, his mind was quickly running through all of the possibilities. He needed to be as honest as possible with her, so that she could not accuse him of lying to her later if memories returned which contradicted something he had said. But then, too, he needed to be decidedly ambiguous, as he would need for her to see him in a positive light. Perhaps honesty would be the best policy here. It stood to reason that her quickest memories to return would be those associated with him, followed by those involving Draco, as she would have continued contact with both of them.

She watched him over her tea cup as she blew on the steaming liquid. Though his face was passive, she knew he was plotting something. No one could look that unemotional without trying to hide something. She mentally reconfirmed her decision to listen attentively and believe selectively.

“You came to the school ten years ago, give or take. As a first year, you would have been eleven or twelve years old. That makes you now twenty one, perhaps twenty two. I was your potions master.” He watched her as he spoke and she nodded, accepting what he had just told her.

“There were four houses, in the school, and I am sorry to inform you that you were not in my house. This means that although you may have had a close relationship with the head of your house, as I had with the students in my house, I did not know you well. I can not tell you much about your personality, or your history. What I can tell you is that you ran with a group of your housemates, and appeared to remain friends with them through out your time there.” He stalled a moment, knowing that the inevitable questions would come from her as they always did. Losing your memory does not make you lose your personality. He took a sip of his tea and heard her suck in a breath.

“Severus, sir, um…Who were my friends? What were their names? Do you think it would be prudent for us to contact them so that they may come and get me? Having someone I am close to may help me regain my memory more quickly, don’t you think?”

He closed his eyes for a moment. He knew she would ask, as soon as he mentioned her friends, he should have waited for later in the dialogue to bring them up. That had been a serious tactical mistake. How could he fix it? Best to just dive in.

“I will tell you what I know. But I must ask that you do not interrupt me. Though I believe by the end of your time there, you were friends with most of the Gryffindors, you certainly were closest to three of them; Harry Potter, and Ronald and Ginevra Weasley. I do not know the intricacies of your relationships with them.” He paused, to consider how best to put the rest.

“But, what if we…” He interrupted her by putting up his hand.

“Let me finish!” He had tried not to snap, but he was not terribly patient by nature and he had asked her not to interrupt.

“There are…complications in contacting anyone outside this cabin. We, the magical world, are currently in the midst of a war. This is a fierce battle that has been going on for more years than you, or even I, have been alive. During my tenure at Hogwarts, our school, I was a spy. When I came to this place, I became a…I suppose the easiest way to describe me is as a “sleeper”. I am here awaiting word. Draco is approximately my apprentice. I have been teaching him my ways. No doubt, when you left Hogwarts, you went to work with the same group for which I was working, the Order of the Phoenix. It is possible that you are here to gather Draco and me up. That will have to remain to be seen, however, as you do not remember why you are here. It is also possible you were only sent as a messenger. Therefore, it would be safest for all three of us if we do not contact the outside world until we know for sure your purpose in coming.” There, truthful yet divulging nothing. That ought to work.

Hermione had listened attentively after being so rudely cut off, and was mulling over what he had just said. It was the truth, of that she was sure. He hadn’t lied. Unfortunately, her gut told her that it was not the complete truth. There just seemed to be something missing. As she thought about what might be missing, why his words seemed somehow incomplete, her body fought back a yawn unsuccessfully.

“Ah, Hermione, I can see that you have grown fatigued again. It is no wonder; doubtless you have some head trauma that would account for your tiredness as well as your memory loss. Unfortunately, I have no potions to aid you. There may be some aspirin in the cabinet above the kitchen sink if your head hurts. Allow me to get you some blankets so that you may sleep on the sofa.” With that he stood from his chair and strode into his room.

She bit back another yawn, and considered all of his words. He had certainly given her some things to think about. Why had he not told her more of her friends? Why had he only given her what was doubtless very small bits and pieces of what was currently happening? If he was indeed a “sleeper” as he called himself, wouldn’t he have been told exactly how he would be contacted, or how to contact someone if need be? There were many things to be considered, but he was right, she had grown very tired. No doubt the chamomile tea had something to do with that.

Snape strode back into the room, carrying a pillow and the top quilt from his own bed. There wasn’t much more he could provide for her currently. He and Draco had had to acquire much for themselves when they had first arrived, and had little to spare. This was the best he could do with short notice. He slept warm anyway, and often the quilt was left folded at the foot of his bed.

“Now then, Hermione, I am aware, and I apologize for this but I did find you unconscious and watched you for several hours to be sure you would be alright, that you sleep in the nude. I would recommend that you try to refrain from doing so in the living room. You are a young fit woman, and Draco and I have been alone here for a number of years. This is not at all a threat; it is merely that I am recommending a little modesty, to save all of us some embarrassment. You can doubtless use the night shirt that you slept in earlier. Tomorrow we may be able to find you better sleep clothes that you will be less apt to remove from yourself while you sleep. Goodnight, Hermione. Please let me know if you need anything else.” With that he turned on his heel and strode back into the bedroom, shutting the door soundly.

Honestly! Refrain from sleeping in the nude in the living room? She could have come up with that all on her own. She wasn’t stupid, and she didn’t trust either of them one bit…save all of us embarrassment indeed. She made her way to the bathroom to gather up the clothes she had left there, and to change back into the nightshirt that Severus had loaned her.

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Author\'s Note: Oh, that was terribly careless, thank you so much, septentrion! All fixed now!