It Starts With A Dance

Chapter 6: . . . Then Whose Fault Is It?


Neville had left Hermione and Severus in the cottage, hanging around outside while Severus helped her gather her wits. He had come back after dropping Oliver off at the infirmary and setting Pomfrey to watch him; he didn't want to leave them for too long on the off-chance that whoever had ensorcelled Oliver would come round to see if the deed was done, and give them more trouble. Still, he knew better than to interrupt or eavesdrop; both Hermione and Snape could be terrors when eavesdropped on. Neville played the dignified and respectful ghost for a few minutes before he realized something.


"Heheh," Neville chuckled, "I'm a bloody ghost now. I can be invisible; it isn't like when I was a student and couldn't manage to sneak air out of an invisible balloon."


Neville focused and felt his ethereal self become lighter and lighter until he was invisible. He smiled to himself as he floated up to the open window to listen to the happenings in the cottage. Hermione was trying to cover herself while Snape held her at arm's length. Her body faced him, but her eyes were averted, heavy-lidded and downcast. Neville settled in for a good listen, his presence completely shielded from the pair.

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"Hermione, you needn't worry about this anymore; Oliver is knocked out and far away, and I'm here. He won't hurt you while I'm here. Look at me," Severus said, his voice low; he wouldn't risk that whoever was behind everything might hear if he were close by. Severus was sure by now that it was a man, a man who had something to hold against her, romantically or otherwise. He held Hermione carefully, close enough to support her but not so close as to frighten her after such an ordeal.


"But that's the thing, isn't it, Severus? Oliver is knocked out, but I thought we already agreed that someone was affecting him to make him act this way. You're here now, but you can't be here all the time," Hermione said miserably; she really did hate relying on anyone in such a way, but she knew that wandless she was no much for a magically enhanced, full-grown wizard. "I think I should leave. Ron, Harry and Ginny are all in the States ~ I could go stay with them while this blows over."


Something in Severus's chest hardened. He hated the thought of her running from anything, but not as much as he hated the idea of her running to them, when he was here with her, when he could protect her without uprooting her life, when he knew he could protect her better. His grip hardened on her arms and he fought the urge to shake sense into her.


"If you leave, there is no telling whether or not the true enemy will follow you, Hermione! And how do you know that they'll be able to protect you at all, let alone better than I could protect you?" Severus hissed, and he made himself let her go, afraid he'd hurt her. "Ron already left you to follow Harry and Ginny. Are you really going to let him do it to you again?"


Hermione's eyes were wide and shocky. She shivered involuntarily and Severus gathered her in his arms again, holding her close and rubbing his hands up and down her arms; he knew he shouldn't have said what he did, but how else could he make her realize that the safest place to be, the best place to be, was with him?


"I~ I hadn't thought of that, Severus. But d'you think they'd actually do it again?" Hermione's voice was uneasy, and while good Severus knew that making her think like that was wrong, bad Severus saw his advantage.


"Hermione, ever since you met them, Ron and Harry have put you last, your safety last. Cave trolls, petrification, abduction as part of the Tri-Wizard tournament, the battles at the Ministry, and so many other things ~ you were their last thought, Hermione, not their first," Severus said in a soothing voice. He knew he'd hate himself later, but he had to try to get her to see his side of things. "Where were they when you had that trouble with Zabini back in your 4th year? I helped you then, not Ron or Harry."


"But they tried to get me to go to the regular lesson. Perhaps if I had done that, I wouldn't be in this situation with you," Hermione said coldly. She was coming out of her shock, and she didn't like his tone.


"Yes ~ you would still be stuck with Oliver, and he would be hurting you!"


"Ginny has always thought of me, Severus!" Hermione argued, pushing him away from her.


"But now all she thinks of is Harry! Hermione, they are your friends, but they aren't here. I am; I'm not leaving, and neither are you," Severus said, gathering her into his arms as she sobbed.


"They always thought of me last, Severus. I was always left behind, and teased, even by my two best friends in the world, no matter what I did. I studied, so I was a target! I was bait, and I was hurt, and they thought of me last," she sobbed, crying all the days', all the months' tears that she'd saved up for so long, fell, soaking Severus's robes.


"Sh, sh, all will be well, my girl," Severus said, holding her awkwardly, squeezing her tight for a moment. He knew he had the advantage, but he also knew that the situation had the potential to be very bad for him. "They love you, Hermione, but they're selfish and young. Immature. You are so very mature, and they are jealous of that. They think of you last, but it is because you can take care of yourself so well."


"But at least they think of me."


"That they do, Hermione. That they do."

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Something changed that day, between Severus and Hermione, but also in how Hermione thought of herself and her friends. Severus brought her back to Hogwart's and took her straight to her rooms. They went past Neville, who just nodded to Severus. The students were already lined up outside the Great Hall for the Sorting; the older students were inside, waiting to see who would be going where. Hermione showered and changed into more formal robes of flowing, deep burgundy before she donned her hat and stepped out into the corridor.


"Severus!" Hermione gasped at the older man. "I thought you had to go change as well. We'll be late!"


Severus smiled at her, offering his arm. Hermione took in the entire picture: Severus's hair was clean and pulled back tightly so it looked clipped, his robes were black and silver, and the only green represented was found in his eyes and a great emerald clip at his throat.


"'Twas nothing for me to conjure this appearance; would you prefer something else?" Severus said, one eyebrow crooked.


"Well, I have a question."


"And I managed to do something to keep you from automatically blurting it out? Pray tell me so I may remember it for future use," Severus teased, wrapping an arm around her waist.


Hermione glared at Severus, allowing him to hold her gently.


"That brooch is very womanish on you," Hermione said, trying to insult him into a good verbal spat.


"Then it is a good thing that it is meant for you and not me," Severus said, unhooking the pin from his robes and pulling a chain out for it, sliding the emerald along the chain and fastening around Hermione's neck. It was an unfinished piece, large and shiny but not cut or set according to current trends.


"Severus, it doesn't match," Hermione said, blushing as the weight settled against her collarbone. "And it is too expensive."


"Nonsense, Hermione. Nothing is too expensive for you; and as for matching, well," Severus tapped Hermione's shoulder with his wand and her robes of burgundy were suddenly much tighter robes of gold shot through with silver and green, a shimmering fabric that caught the light and changed color with every ray. "Perfect. You alone among your classmates, save Harry himself, could have been a member of any House. But I'm glad you didn't choose Slytherin."


Hermione was walking away, grabbing his hand to lead him to the feast when she asked him why.


Severus waited until the noise of the Great Hall would mostly drown his voice out.


"Because then how could I have controlled myself? But then I would already have you."

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