From Dire Circumstances

Chapter 4 - Of Riddled Wanderings

Snape paced his study. It had only been three days since he had been holed up with Hermione; in his own manor, no less. He had come to think of her as 'Hermione' lately, much to his dismay, but would never admit that to anyone. She was, after all, his student, and it would be inappropriate in any case.

Christmas was a whole gut-wrenching three days away. The snow had been falling in thick blankets throughout the whole countryside for two days up to that point, and after a first night of snowfall, the occupants of the manor on Spinner's End were snowed in. Snape turned away from the window when he heard the door open and saw Hermione slip inside.

'Sorry, Professor. I haven't interrupted anything, have I?' she asked softly, standing by the door in case he sent her from the room.

'No, of course not. Come in,' he replied dryly before continuing to pace as he had been doing only a moment ago. His mother had told him when he was a child that he would pace so much that he would walk a hole though the floor, figuratively speaking. Hermione noticed that as soon as her professor had again begun his silent tirade, he adopted the same passive look on his face that he had bore the whole morning.

'Is something bothering you?' she asked with genuine interest.

Snape opened his mouth to say something when his left forearm began to tingle in a most familiar way. The tingling sensation soon became a hot burning, and he doubled over slightly, gripping his arm. He had been wondering when this would happen. Hermione gasped and went to him as he groaned a little in pain.

'I am being summoned!' he ground out painfully.

'Must you go?' she asked idly, eyes growing frantically wide. He turned to look her in the eye and nodded sharply, then began to make his way to the study.

He strode out, ignoring now the pain in his arm as it stung all the way to his shoulder. Hermione accompanied him to his room and waited in his sitting area, practically livid and chewing her bottom lip nervously.

He came back out in his full Death Eater's attire, silver mask grasped in one hand. 'Miss Granger, I will need you to let Professor Dumbledore know the situation in whatever way you think would be fastest,' he said darkly, looking at the mask with disgust.

Hermione nodded. 'Do be careful, Professor,' she murmured quietly as he raised his wand to his forearm and disappeared.

Hermione rushed to the fireplace and muttered an Incedio, grabbing a handful of Floo powder and throwing it at the new flames to turn it to the desired shade of green. She stepped into the flames and took a deep calming breath.

'Albus Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts,' she said in a clear voice.

A moment later she was standing in the headmasters' lavish, circular office, filled with the portraits of other former headmasters and headmistresses. Behind his desk, the old wizard sat with astonished, sparkling blue eyes fixed on the spot where she had appeared, apparently lost for words.

'Miss Granger, to what do I owe this... surprise?' he managed after a good five minutes.

Hermione moved forwards, resting her shaking hands on a chair to hold herself up, as her legs suddenly became very unsupportive. 'Professor Snape was summoned by Voldemort,' she said unsteadily.

'Oh dear,' the headmaster said softly.

Hermione waited patiently for him to say more, which he did after several minutes of careful thought. 'Please, Miss Granger, inform Professor Snape on his return that I shall be paying a visit tomorrow to discuss the situation,' the old man said, choosing his words purposefully.

'I will do that,' Hermione stammered. 'Good evening, Professor Dumbledore.'

Hermione Flooed back and sat in a seat. It wasn't long, though, until she was out of her seat once more. Snape Apparated back with a pop and slumped against the wall, holding himself a little awkwardly.

'Merlin!' Hermione gasped, rushing immediately to his side and letting him lean on her for support as she walked him to his bed in the other room.

His body was shaking violently, and his eyes were watering slightly from the pain. Hermione knowingly uncorked a vial of muscle relaxant, pouring it down his throat and dabbing at his forehead with a damp cloth that she had transfigured. After 10 minutes the pain died down and his pulse returned mostly to normal.

'Thank you, Miss Granger,' he managed to croak out, a bead of sweat sliding down from his temple.

'I'm glad you're okay,' she replied with a relieved smile. 'What happened? Is Riddle unhappy about something?'

Snape shook his head and was rewarded with a throbbing pain for attempting to move so soon. He pinched the bridge of his nose, squinting his eyes shut.

'On the contrary, Miss Granger, I would say he was exceptionally happy. Lucius Malfoy, however, is not the Dark Lord.' He spat Malfoy with venom and a sneer of dislike. Apparently he wasn't too fond of the Malfoys, despite common belief.

'Oh,' was all Hermione could manage as she brushed a lock of silky--wait. His hair was silky? In any case, she brushed it out of his eyes tenderly.

She was oblivious to what this gentle touch did to Snape. He relished her soft, nimble fingertips gently moving his hair about. He didn't respond to the gesture but he did, however, allow it.

'It is late, Miss Granger. Perhaps you should retire to your rooms,' he suggested, not really wanting her to leave but figuring that it was the right thing to do.

As if she had sensed his reluctance to let her leave, she remained on the bed next to him, folding her arms across her chest. 'Nonsense. Someone has to ensure that you recover properly. Who better than me?' she challenged in her no-nonsense tone.

'A certified mediwitch perhaps?' he teased in a slightly croaky voice.

Hermione snorted indignantly and chose to ignore the comment and stay exactly where she was. 'Professor Dumbledore said that he shall be coming here tomorrow,' Hermione said, remembering what the old wizard had said earlier. 'It's not something important, I hope.'

Snape shook his head slightly and ground out a 'No. It can wait until the morning, I am sure,' he said in a long sigh.

'That's a relief,' Hermione said, letting out a sigh of her own.

'Miss Granger?' he asked, causing Hermione to jump.

'Yes.'

'Why are you helping a Death Eater?' he asked with mild interest.

'Because I believe that you have never been shown the gratitude you deserve for everything you have done for the Order, and for me,' she replied softly.

'You place a great deal of faith in my mistake,' he replied gruffly, his voice becoming hoarser with every word.

Hermione chanced a wistful smile. 'You are incorrect, Professor. I place a great deal of faith in you.' Her words spoke volumes and touched even his cold heart. Whatever he had felt for her when they had first arrived, it had multiplied tenfold.

Hermione was also sure at that moment that she had become attracted to her professor. And then he laughed. It was not a loud, jolly one, more of a light chuckle really, but a laugh nonetheless. 'You are a strange girl indeed, Miss Granger,' he muttered sleepily.

'I know,' she quipped as he yawned. 'But I am sure that I admire very much that same strange quality in you.' Hermione knew she would never have been able to say that if he had been more than half-awake, but it felt good to get it off her chest and out in the open air.

'Goodnight, Miss Granger,' he mumbled, drifting into a light sleep.

'Goodnight, Professor Snape.'

And with that, she left his rooms and went to her own, positive that she would not be getting a very good sleep at all that night.