A Certain Amount of Sense

Chapter 9

When Hermione woke up the next morning, she found a scroll on her nightstand. She fingered the ribbon and seal, which brought a smile to her face. Must be from Snape, she thought, figuring he had finally remembered about the detention and had written to let her know the details. After what she had learned and experienced last night, though, she didn’t mind as much the thought of being alone with him.

That man must be so lonely. She remembered what it had been like the first year before Harry and Ron had saved her from the troll. She had been so miserable; trying to prove that she belonged with all the other pureblood students by showing off how much she knew had not made her any friends. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for her two best friends, she would probably not have come back after the Christmas holidays that year. During the third year when they had both stopped talking to her, she was reminded just how important they were to her.

God only knows how much Snape could use a friend right now. And though he could be rather harsh most of the times, he had opened up to her, in a way, last night—something she had never thought could have happened. Maybe…maybe I can try to offer him some companionship. She didn’t know it, but the part of her that so strongly struggled against social injustice was starting to kick in. After all, doesn’t he deserve to have someone who will be there for him? Someone to make sure he’s all right after he comes back from those awful Death Eater’s meetings?

It would all have to be secretly, of course. She imagined what Ron would say if he ever knew how warmly she was thinking of the professor now. Yes, some things were definitely better left unsaid.

She traced the snake on the seal once more before opening it. As she read the note, she quickly realized that he had written it before last night’s episode. And by the end, she was dumbfounded. Pulled out of Potions? Advanced auto-tutorial course? Finish in one year? Why, this meant she wouldn’t have to sit next to Malfoy again. And she’d be free next year to start university level classes if she wanted. This was more than she could have hoped for. Only, why was he doing this for her? Upon further consideration, it did seem a strange thing to write to someone who had just slapped you unjustly. Her little brow furrowed for a second, then smoothed. Well, she was just going to have to ask him. And since she was already finished with the two Occlumency books, she could ask for more while she was down there.

***

When she saw Harry and Ginny in the Common Room on the way to breakfast, they both gave her the same guilty look. Intrigued, she ventured, “What’s wrong with you two? Did you finally snog or something?” Which only led to intense blushes and awkward eye contact between the two of them. Instead of answering, they both rushed off to the Great Hall. Hermione looked at Ron, who only shrugged.

Hmmm, maybe I’m on to something there, Hermione thought. Not that she would disapprove. In fact, she thought it would be absolutely smashing if the two of them were to end up together. It’s a good thing Ginny and Dean had split up over the summer.

“So what did Snape have you do last night?” asked Ron.

“Huh?” The question had caught her unawares.

“For detention, Hermione. What else did you think I meant?”

“Oh, sorry. I was thinking about what project I should do for the Arithmancy N.E.W.T.’s,” she lied. She was going to have to get good at it, if she was to carry out her plans for Snape. “He had me make some Pepper Up Potion for Madam Pomfrey. Nothing too bad.”

“Well, anything that has to do with spending time with that greasy git is bad by my standards.”

“Oh Ron, you have got to stop calling him that and thinking about him that way.”

“How can you say that, Hermione, after what he said to you that time Malfoy hit you with the Densaugeo curse?”

“That was two years ago, Ron! And he was in front of Malfoy at the time. What else was he supposed to do?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“What I mean is, you and I know that he’s with the Order, but Malfoy probably thinks he’s still a Death Eater. And if Snape was ever nice to us, or even decent to us in front of him, he’d go running to his father faster than you can say Lord Voldemort.” Hermione felt a little ashamed of herself; she had only said the last part to make him cringe. Which he did, right on cue. “Honestly, Ron, can’t you see that Snape’s not as bad as we thought?”

Ron scowled for a second, then brightened. “Well, at least I won’t have to see him in class anymore.” Just then, he seemed so amiable that Hermione figured it wouldn’t hurt to tell him about her new situation.

“Actually, I won’t have to anymore, either.”

“What do you mean? I thought you were taking the Potions N.E.W.T.’s.”

“I still am, but Professor Snape gave me permission to take an auto-tutorial class, so I can finish the whole thing in one year.”

Ron looked like he couldn’t decide which was worse, to have to take a class with Snape or to have to study two year’s worth of material in one.

“Oh come off it, Ron. It’s a good thing, like you said.”

“Well, it still is strange though. I’ve never heard of anyone taking an audiotorial class before.”

“It’s auto-tutorial, Ron, not ‘audiotorial’.”

“Whatever.” The word had been said grudgingly, but the glint in his eyes told Hermione that he was still just trying to brass her off. In response, she punched him lightly on the arm, to which he mock-winced. By this time, they had arrived at the Great Hall and were in view of the head table.

“Oh look, Hermione, there’s your favorite teacher. My, isn’t he happy today?” Hermione glanced over to Snape’s usual spot at the table. Actually, he seemed to be scowling even more so than normal. He was also looking her way. She blushed a little and looked away, hoping Ron hadn’t seen that.

“Come on, Ron. Let’s get our breakfast before Seamus and Dean eat it all.” With that, all was forgiven and the two friends went to their House’s table.

***

“Why Severus, quite taken with the Gryffindor couple, aren’t we?” Snape tore his eyes away from Hermione and looked at Sibyll.

“As Minerva has already informed you, Sibyll, there is no ‘couple’.”

“Hmph. Well then would you be admitting to staring at the young Miss Granger?”

Snape’s eyes narrowed dramatically.

“Why do you persist on ruining my breakfasts, Professor Trelawney?”

“Oh my, what a temper. You remind me of when you were still a student….”

“I refuse to sit here and continue this conversation. Good day, Professor.” With that he stood, removed the napkin from his lap, and strode out the twin doors of the Great Hall.

***

Hermione had seen him walk off from the corner of her eyes. Here’s my chance, she thought and took one last bite of her buttered scone.

“Sorry, you guys, I just remembered. I have to finish my, um, homework for Muggle Studies. Just finish your breakfasts. I’ll see you later.” She was already scrambling off the bench.

“But ‘Mione, you haven’t heard the end of Dean’s story about the Chudley Cannons!”

“It’s okay, Ron, I’m sure you can fill me in later.” And she was off, after her professor.

***

Draco had watched the Gryffindors enter the Great Hall as well. He studied the Granger girl. This morning when he woke up he had had a nasty headache and couldn’t remember how he had gotten into bed. And for some reason, he thought he remembered Hermione being in his dreams. He smirked; though he couldn’t recall the dream itself, he could imagine what he had been doing to her in it. He was really starting to obsess about her, he realized. Yesterday in Potions class it had been so much fun to make her squirm for him. It had really taken bullying her to the next level; he had been hard long after the class had been dismissed. And now he wanted more.

He watched her leave the Gryffindor table and walk, half-running, out the door. He glanced at the clock. Good, enough time for a little dalliance, he thought. Just the thing to start off my day. He smiled smugly and rose. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him questioningly, but when he made no move to address them, they returned to stuffing their faces. Sometimes Draco did things without them, and well, that was fine with them, as long as there was food to be had.