This Present Darkness

Chapter One

"Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of.. this [person] upon me?"

Numbers 11:11

"This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you."

Genesis 9:12

Although it was now late at night, Dumbledore knew Snape would be awake. He was a night creature that resented the light and loathed mornings. He sent Fawkes down to fetch Snape as he knew Snape would recognize the importance of a message sent by his phoenix.

Sure enough, in less than ten minutes Snape had stalked into Dumbledore's office and sunk into the seat Dumbledore offered him with a swirl of his black robes. "You wanted to see me, Professor?" Snape rasped, regarding the Head Master with his sharp, deep-set, black eyes under hooded lids.

"Yes, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly, leaning back in his chair. "I apologise for the late hour but it is a rather urgent matter. One of our students has suffered a great tragedy today - one that affects her future."

"Her future?" Snape repeated questioningly, his unreadable expression unchanged.

"Yes, Miss Hermione Granger lost both her parents today," Dumbledore continued.

A fleeting emotion flashed deep in Snape's eyes but it was gone before Dumbledore could put a name to it. Hermione again, Snape thought. It was the second time in the past few weeks that she had been brought forcibly to his attention via strange circumstances. First, her strange gaze in one of her last Potion's classes and now this disaster.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Professor," Snape said in a neutral voice. "How can I be of assistance?"

"Well, I am hoping what I am about to suggest will help both you and Miss Granger," Dumbledore hedged. "Miss Granger now needs a guardian," he began. Snape's eyes narrowed suddenly and his long fingered hands tensed on the armrests of his chair as he guessed what was coming. "Only for the next three and half months or so, until Miss Granger turns eighteen on the nineteenth of September." Dumbledore continued as though he hadn't noticed Snape's reaction. "After much thought, I decided it would be a perfect assignment for you Severus," he announced cheerfully.

Snape frowned darkly. "What made you think of me, Professor?" he asked, getting up to pace the room. "Has she no family? What about the other teachers? More suitable, surely?" he argued.

"The family she has is not able to perform this task in this time frame, Severus. It would be too inconvenient for them. The only other option would be for her to put back her University attendance for a year which would be a shameful waste of time, would it not? The other teachers will not be available during summer break," Dumbledore explained reasonably. Snape stalked up and down the spacious office. "Severus, do sit down. You're making me feel tired," Dumbledore said finally and waved his wand over a pair of crystal tumblers. He gave one to Snape who swallowed the contents in one burning gulp. Dumbledore refilled his glass.

Snape sat down again, his long legs stretched out in front of him. "Why me, Professor? What's the real reason?" he asked finally, staring at the amber fluid in his glass.

Dumbledore sighed. "You need to spend time away from those Death Eaters, Severus. Thanks to you, we have managed to counteract the worst of their plans before too much damage has been done to the wizarding community but it's taken its toll on you. You need a good three months off, away from the whole wizarding world."

"What about my teaching? The first month of the next academic year..." Snape began but Dumbledore raised a frail hand. He reached into a drawer and brought out the time turner. "You can still make all your classes and still be there for Hermione during that month," he explained.

"How does Miss Granger feel about this?" Snape asked sourly.

"I haven't told her as yet," Dumbledore replied mildly.

"She won't like it," he predicted darkly.

"I doubt she'd care for any of her old teachers playing guardian," Dumbledore remarked.

"She especially dislikes me, Professor, as you well know," Snape said, tossing back his drink.

"As I understand it, the feeling is mutual," Dumbledore observed pointedly.

Snape's thin lips compressed. "I don't dislike her. I just think she's an annoying, little miss-know-it-all," he said with a sneer.

"Rather reminds me of a brilliant young man who used to attend Hogwarts years ago who ended up as our Potions Master," Dumbledore said with amusement.

"I was not that insufferable," Snape protested.

"No," Dumbledore agreed placidly. "I believe you were worse."

Snape's dark eyes gleamed with resentment. "I'm not going to put up with her being a brat," he said flatly.

"Hermione is the furtherest thing from being a brat I can imagine," Dumbledore stated firmly. "All you need to do is live under the same roof for three and a half months. If she has any real problems, you can always refer them to me."

Snape tried to imagine living in the same house as his former student and failed utterly. "I take it this is an order?" Snape asked eventually.

"Yes, Severus," Dumbledore replied directly.

Snape nodded curtly. "Is that all, Professor?" he asked a trifle bitterly.

"For now," Dumbledore replied and escorted his guest to his office door. Once Snape had gone Dumbledore sighed as he went back to his desk. He had a feeling both Snape and Hermione were in for a rough three and a half months.

* * *

Snape stalked down to his dungeon rooms in a state of fine-edged disgust. Fortunately there were no students about at that time of night, otherwise some major points would have been lost to whatever House the unlucky pupils he met belonged to.

His mood was black and his expression was blacker. Now he had been reduced to baby-sitting one of the most annoying students at Hogwarts. You only find her annoying because you know she's every bit as intelligent as you, a small voice whispered at the back of his mind. He told the little voice to shut up.

He had been looking forward to doing some important research over the long summer break. It was the most peace and quiet he ever got. Even the Death Eaters were usually quiet during the summer holidays. Gone skiing in Switzerland or sun baking in Bermuda with their families most likely, he thought sourly.

Now that he was forced to endure nearly four months in the Muggle world - he shuddered at the mere thought, he couldn't even work on his research. What the hell would he do in Hermione's family home during summer break? He'd never been in a Muggle home in his life, not even as a Death Eater.

He strode into his private apartments in the dungeon area and sat down in front of a small fire without glancing around. There wasn't much to see anyway. Hundreds of books, a desk covered in parchments, the one armchair in front of the fire and little else. There were no pictures on the walls, no photos of friends or family, no personal items apart from necessities, no rug on the stone floor.

His elbow on the armrest of his chair, he rested his face on one long-fingered, pale hand and stretched his long, lean legs out in front of him. He would do anything Dumbledore asked him to, of course. That was exactly how he had ended up in this mess. He would have preferred Dumbledore sending him on a suicide mission to Voldemort than ending up having to play guardian to a teen-age girl in the Muggle world. Not just any teen-age girl either but that unendurable know-it-all, Hermione Granger.

The trouble was - he acknowledged to himself, that he had no idea how to handle her. She had grown very pretty during her time at Hogwarts. She had grown out of her big toothed, bushy haired, keen eyed adolescent self into an almost ridiculously pretty young woman - all thick, gleaming hair and long eyelashes and soft curves. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Unlike other pretty women though, she didn't play on it by being flirtatious or pretending to be stupid. If she'd done that, he would have known exactly how to deal with her - with utmost contempt. He would have had permission not to take her at all seriously and could have sneered at her for being a bimbo. Unfortunately for him, she didn't do that. Instead, she looked incredibly pretty and feminine which was distracting but also did nothing to disguise or tone down her lightening sharp mind which meant he had to take her seriously and pay attention when she asked questions or discussed anything with him. It was un-nerving and tested his cool self-possession to the hilt. He resented her for it. Snape was rarely challenged by a student to stay on his toes and for that same student to be so distractingly pretty was to add insult to injury. He hated her for it. "Smart girls should be ugly," he muttered ferociously to himself.

Now he was stuck with her for an entire summer. Stuck with, "sir, do you think if we..."; "sir, why don't we try..."; "sir, I was reading the other day..."; "sir, what made you decide to do it that way?" Snape sighed deeply and sunk further into his chair. He hated even the tone of her voice - soft and velvety but grating in its confidence.

He glanced at his plain ebony clock. It was nearly 2am. He got up and with an evil glare toward the part of the castle that held Dumbledore's office, he went to bed.

* * *

Hermione woke late, the sleeping potion having been a strong one. It was past 9am by the time her eyes opened. She noticed a House Elf sitting by her bed, staring at the floor next to a tray of food.

"Dobby?" she said with a smile.

He looked up and smiled broadly across his ugly, little face. "Hello, Miss Hermione. Yes, I is Dobby. I is come with your breakfast, Miss. Must make sure you eat it, Miss. Miss Hermione did not eat her supper. Mr Dumbledore wants for you to eat up the whole breakfast now, Miss." During this rapid fire speech Dobby brought the tray over and placed it on Hermione's lap. "Mr Dumbledore wants for me to tell him the minute you've finished breakfast, Miss Hermione. Mr Dumbledore wants to see you as soon as you're ready, Miss. Has much to discuss and organize, Miss. First you must eat breakfast so Dobby won't get into trouble, Miss."

Hermione nodded, a bit dazed by Dobby's incessant speech. Under the silver cover there was toast, an omelet and hot coffee. "I think I can manage this," Hermione said with a smile and began to eat while Dobby looked on with satisfaction.

"I is so sorry, Miss. To hear about... to hear about... Well - you know, Miss." Dobby looked at her sympathetically, wringing his tiny hands in distress.

She smiled gently at him. "Thank you, Dobby." She noticed he was wearing one sock with a koala on it and another pink sock with orange polka dots. He was also wearing a bottle green, wool coat with shiny brass buttons and a truly hideous purple beret.

The small, ugly elf watched her anxiously until she'd eaten everything on her plate and then said, "I go now to tell Mr Dumbledore you will be with him soon." He nodded enthusiastically at her and scampered out of the room before she could protest.

"Well, I suppose I'd better get dressed then," Hermione observed feeling rather grumpy about having to get out of bed.

Half an hour later she was outside Dumbledore's office. "Come in, my dear," she heard him say as the doorway magically opened. She stepped through and said good morning, and was about to thank him again for his care the previous evening when she noticed Snape was in the office too.

"Good morning, Professor Snape" she said, confused to see him there. "Shall I wait outside, Professor Dumbledore?" she asked, assuming that Snape's presence had nothing to do with her.

"No, no, my dear. Professor Snape is here for your benefit. Do sit down." After making this remarkable statement, Hermione stared at Dumbledore's back as he walked over to his seat behind his desk. Snape? Here for her benefit? That must be a joke. Snape had never made any secret of the fact that he loathed her entirely.

Shooting a sideways glance at Snape's sneering face, Hermione sat down in an old-fashioned, up-right, Victorian style chair and waited for Dumbledore to explain.

He didn't seem in any hurry. He looked from Snape's surly face to Hermione's carefully calm expression, pressing his fingertips together contemplatively.

"Well, Hermione. How are you feeling this morning?" he asked compassionately, after a long pause.

"I'm okay, I think. Still a bit in shock probably," she said with a shrug. After all, what more could she say?

Dumbledore nodded. "Quite. We have a lot to sort out. Do you think you're up to it today?" he queried soothingly.

Hermione nodded. "I'd like to get the details and arrangements out of the way as soon as possible, to be honest. Then I don't have to worry about it on top of everything else," she replied honestly.

Against his will, Snape was impressed at how calm she sounded and the fact that she was making sense. He had expected a slightly hysterical school girl but was seeing a mature young adult. It annoyed him that she kept surprising him. He liked to understand everyone around him better than they understood themselves. It gave him tactical advantage in controlling any situation he was in. Hermione tended to keep thwarting his efforts to second guess her - she always had and it was getting worse as she got older. The worst of it was that she wasn't even aware she was doing it.

Dumbledore had been nodding while Snape was wallowing in these bitter thoughts. "As you like, my child. First of all, I have contacted your parents' Muggle lawyer and he is currently taking care of the Muggle legal details for you regarding their will. They have left everything to you with a small amount in trust for your sister's children," he informed her calmly.

Hermione nodded. "Mum told me years ago that I would get almost everything," she said matter-of-factly and without apology.

Snape frowned. Didn't Hermione consider it odd that her parents wouldn't have left their property to both daughters in a 50/50 split? Why didn't it make her uncomfortable? Again, it was another Hermione mystery.

"Yes," Dumbledore was saying. "That leaves you quite well off in both the Muggle and wizarding worlds, Miss Granger. Of course, you are not of age yet which means you will need to apply to your parents' lawyer for funds but that won't be a problem for just the next three and a half months. He has said he's quite happy to advance as much as you need once a guardian has been appointed."

"A guardian?" Hermione repeated blankly. Of course, she thought. I won't be eighteen for another three and a half months. "Who were you thinking....?" she began.

"I've thought about this long and hard, Miss Granger. None of your family are in a position to undertake this role and although any of our teachers here would be willing, there is only one of us who is realistically able to do so," Dumbledore said.

It was then the horrible realization broke over her. She stared at Dumbledore, unable to make herself look at Snape. Snape stared at his own hands, clasped loosely in front of him. His long, raven black hair fell forward over part of his face. He didn't want to look at her either.

Dumbledore looked at them both and would have smiled if it wouldn't have defeated his own purpose. "I spoke to Professor Snape last night and he has kindly agreed to act as your guardian for the next three and a half months or so until you turn 18. He will return to your parents' home with you and help you put their affairs in order while you prepare for university," he continued, pretending there wasn't really an atmosphere so thick with tension you could have cut it with a knife.

"He's.... coming to my home? My Muggle home?" Hermione clarified, sounding a bit stunned.

"Yes, Miss Granger," Dumbledore confirmed blithely. "I told him a stint in the Muggle world wouldn't do him any harm. He needs a change of scenery," he added, looking cheerfully at Snape who scowled back at him. "Does that mean you agree to having Professor Snape as your guardian for now?" he added benignly to Hermione.

Hermione turned to Snape and looked at him carefully. He equally carefully did not look back. She narrowed her eyes at him and then turned back to Dumbledore. "Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape does not want to do this. He's agreed to do it out of obligation to you," she stated baldly.

Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Very perceptive of you, Hermione. Let's call it 'a special assignment' for Professor Snape, shall we?"

"Let's not. Let's call it a big imposition on Professor Snape, which is exactly what it is," Hermione said crisply, her voice unyielding.

Snape looked at her with sharply, his surprise at her tone of voice evident. He was about to say something sarcastic and nasty but Dumbledore got in before him with, "I appreciate your concern about imposing on Professor Snape, Hermione but he really is our only option now and as he has been so kind as to consent I'm afraid we will have to make this imposition on him for now." Dumbledore looked at Hermione with a calm sympathy that strangely did make her feel slightly better. At least they weren't trying to pretend it was something that Snape had agreed to willingly.

Snape compressed his mouth and decided to stay silent as Hermione relaxed slightly in her chair but the tension in his slim frame was evident. It was annoying that she knew him so well that she had accurately guessed his feelings on the matter. Not that he'd made any secret of his antipathy to her over the years. Even worse than guessing his feelings, she'd voiced them unreservedly in front of Dumbledore. His dark eyes glowered at the rich carpet on the floor.

A small smile tugged at one corner of Dumbledore's mouth as he glanced over at the bad-tempered teacher. "Now, my dear. If you and Snape will both give me one of your hands I will seal the contract," he said placidly.

Hermione looked at Dumbledore in surprise. "Contract?" she repeated questioningly.

"Yes, Miss Granger. For Snape to act as your guardian, there has to be a magical contract," he explained benignly.

That was news to Snape too - unpleasant news at that. He was still hoping for a last minute reprieve or that someone else could be found part-way through the nearly four month period before she turned 18 to take his place. Once there was a magical contract in place, he was stuck until her next birthday. If Hermione hadn't been there, he would have sworn roundly. As it was, he frowned menacingly and then reluctantly got up and gave his hand to Dumbledore with a distinct air of resignation.

Hermione watched all this by-play with something rather deeper than irritation. She thought about it for a minute and then realized that she was hurt. His obvious lack of enthusiasm and distaste stung more than she wanted to admit. She couldn't believe after seven years of his sarcasm and downright cruelty at times that he was still capable of hurting her feelings but obviously he was.

Hermione looked at Dumbledore from under a heavy lock of hair that sometimes fell over one eye. He looked back at her with a gentle expression. He understood what she was feeling, it was perfectly obvious from the empathy in his blue eyes. "My dear, you have no choice," he said soothingly.

Without looking at Snape, she too got up and gave Dumbledore her left hand across his desk. He took both their hands in his and closed his eyes. He muttered something very long in latin and a faint blue light shone around their hands clasped in his. Hermione watched carefully as the same blue light then traveled up their arms and formed a bridge between her solar plexus and that of Snape. Hermione was horrified. She had been magically linked to Snape! She suddenly felt very sick.

That was nothing to the way Snape was feeling. Not only did he feel sick, he felt an inherent sense of wrongness. This young woman had been his pupil for seven years. Now there was an unbreakable bond between them for the next few months. It was too intimate and too sudden a shift for him to accept. Snape had never been close to anyone in his life and now there was an odd, false intimacy that the contract had created between him and someone he very much preferred to keep at a distance.

Hermione's face was white by the time Dumbledore let go of their hands. "Why doesn't that thing go away?" Hermione said, gesturing to the bridge of blue light that still connected the two adversaries even once back in their chairs. Dumbledore thought she sounded remarkably like she was on the verge of a tantrum which wasn't like the Hermione that he knew at all, he reflected.

"It will go in a minute," he said reassuringly and sure enough it did. "Now, would you like to go and see your friends my dear? There is nothing more you can do for the remainder of this week until you go home."

Hermione nodded and took a deep breath, "Yes, thank you, Professor Dumbledore." She still sounded shaky, even to her own ears but she got up and left the office with a final, small smile at the Head Master that she respected and liked so much.

Once she had left, Dumbledore turned to Snape and regarded the closed-faced man carefully. "Well, Severus. That was a display," he commented calmly.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but Hermione is not one of my favourite people," he responded dryly.

"You couldn't have made that more obvious if you tried," Dumbledore replied just as dryly. "Just do you duty by her, Severus and try and be gentle with her. She's just suffered a huge loss. No one is asking any more than that. You don't have to like her."

"Just as well," he sneered, then remembered the scent from her hair as they stood next to each other at Dumbledore's desk - lemon peel and fresh grass and a clean, musky scent uniquely her own. Angrily he pushed the thought away. "Is that all for now, Professor?"

"Yes, thank you. Just be ready to leave Hogwarts for three months or so by the end of the week," he replied implacably. Snape nodded and glided gracefully out of his office, his tension evident in his gait.

"Well, it's an experiment Fawkes," Dumbledore commented to his phoenix after he watched Snape leave. "I don't know if it will work. I still think Severus has more to gain than Hermione although he thinks he's the one being imposed on." Fawkes looked at him out of one firey eye. "Hermione can still find other friends and confidants in her life but she may be Severus' last and only chance for a normal life." Was it his imagination or did Fawkes look dubious?