In the Shadows

Chapter 2

Magical Lit 101

Hermione remained in her room the rest of the night. She sat in the warmth of her bed watching the rain splattering against the window. With each rumble of thunder, she felt her arm throb. She knew Snape to have moments that were fouler than others were, but what pushed him that night? She looked over at Ginny. She was sound asleep. Reaching into the nightstand, she pulled out a book. She allowed the remainder of the night to pass around her. Hermione distracted her thoughts and absorbed herself into the book. The words on the page washed over and through her pulling her into its magic. Around her, the black night faded into violet that slowly melted into a blurry orange glow hiding behind the remaining grey clouds.

"Hermione, what happened to your arm!"

When Ginny woke up Hermione was already dressed for the day. There was no way to hide the bruise that circled over part of her arm without wearing long sleeves. With a sigh, Hermione plopped back on the bed and proceeded to tell Ginny what happened on the landing. Ginny was very upset about the occurrence and in watching Ginny rant on it was evident that she was indeed Molly Weasley's daughter. There was no denying the temper. Eventually Ginny calmed down enough that Hermione agreed they could go down to breakfast. On their way down the stairs, Hermione wondered if Professor Snape even realized he had hurt her in anyway.

The chattering in the kitchen was such that no one could hear Ginny and Hermione entering. Severus took a seat, or was forced a seat, next to Harry. Ron and Harry sat with a copy of Witch Broomstick between them talking animatedly about the newest brooms and doing all they could to ignore Professor Snape. Draco sat across from Ron glancing down at the magazine every now and then, but making no comment. Draco learned fast not to start too much in front of Mrs. Weasley--not much got past her. Remus sat on the other side of Snape, reading the Daily Prophet.

Hermione and Ginny walked into the kitchen the same time Molly and Narcisssa walked out of the kitchen sending various dishes ahead of them.

"Oh, just in time! Come along and sit."

Mrs. Weasley always had a warm smile for everyone every morning. Hermione took her seat across from Harry, next to Draco and Ginny sat on the other side of her. Severus watched the girls sit. She had not looked in his direction at all. It was a typical summer morning at Number Twelve. The kitchen was full of smiling warm faces and warm voices as Mr. Weasley sat at the head of the table talking to Mrs. Weasley and Narcissa. The table was positively glowing, lessening the darkness of the room and sending tingling warmth up Hermione's spine.

Hermione reached for some more pumpkin juice. It was not where it was moments ago, but rather on the other side of Draco. He noticed Hermione reaching for it from the corner of his eye. Taking the pitcher, he handed it to her.

"Thank you, Draco."

She took hold of the pitcher, but Draco would not let go. She pulled, but he kept the pitcher between them.

"Let go, Malfoy," she hissed.

Instead, he pulled the pitcher a little more toward him causing Hermione to lean closer to him. With a smirk, he shifted his eyes from Hermione to Snape and back again. Hermione became painfully aware of her heart pounding in her chest. She noticed him glance at her arm and immediately she felt panic fill her. She did not want Draco to announce the bruising on her arm at the table; it was something she planned to speak to Professor Snape about, personally. Hermione's eyes narrowed at Draco, various hexes running through her mind to use if he opened his mouth. He seemed to know exactly what she was thinking when he whispered to her.

"Watch it, Granger. You are not of age yet."

"I'll deal with the ministry if I must."

With a slight chuckle, he let go of the pitcher and turned back to his breakfast. Hermione turned to talk to Ginny when Mrs. Weasley noticed her arm.

"Oh my! Hermione, what happened?"

The concern in Mrs. Weasley's voice echoed in the kitchen. Hermione and Ginny were looking at each other in conversation when Mrs. Weasley spoke. Their eyes widened. Severus looked up immediately. His eyes slid up and down the table. Mrs. Weasley looked shocked and worried. Narcissa leaned forward a bit to get a look at Hermione with concern on her face. One side of Draco's mouth turned up, thoroughly enjoying himself. Ginny and Hermione looked panicked. Harry, Ron, and Remus did not move.

When Severus' eyes fell on the aforementioned arm, he felt as if someone just threw a bucket of ice on him. What had he done? There was no excuse--he physically harmed a student. Severus watched Hermione avoid looking at him. He prided himself on the fact that students feared him--fear of him taking off a ridiculous amount of points, not fear he would physically harm them.

Hermione's eyes darted to Harry and Ron. They noticed there was only one person at the table she did not look at. Harry looked next to him at Snape. His fork clattered to the plate and he began to rub his forehead as realization was dawning on him. Draco continued eating as if nothing was happening. He swallowed his food and looked at Harry and Ron across from him, both in complete silence.

"We were playing around in the drawing room."

Everyone turned to look at Draco. He had not counted on such a stunned reaction from everyone at the table--his mother included.

"Draco, what do you mean?"

Draco looked at his mother and smiled.

"I mean that Granger and I were playing around and I grabbed her arm, obviously too tightly." He turned smirking at Hermione. "You need to toughen up a bit." Draco went back to eating.

Snape's eyes narrowed as he listened to Draco lie. He knew it was a lie.

"Well," Mrs. Weasley broke the silence. "I'll fix you up after breakfast."

Hermione was the first to leave the table at breakfast, impressing Severus with her ability to eat quickly and make a fast exit.

A shaded darkness covered the drawing room. The deep crimson drapes were shut tight, but aglow from the sunlight fighting to burst into the room. Hermione walked across the room throwing open the drapes. Bright sunlight flooded the room. Hermione glanced around the room for her school bag. She spotted the bag in the corner behind the table, next to the window. Looking at the bag, she debated whether to look over her schoolwork again. Deciding to take advantage of the quiet while she had it, Hermione took out her report for potions and sat at the table to go over her resources.

Hermione sat at the table with books spread out before her and began editing her potions report. With the sudden arrival of Professor Snape and his uncharacteristic stay, she found her anxiety increasing as to whether the report was acceptable. Immersed in her work, she did not hear anyone enter the room.

"Hermione dear, let's fix you up."

Hermione looked up. Mrs. Weasley bustled into the room clutching a jar of Lady Violet's Vulnus Vanishing Lotion. Harry and Ron walked into the room behind Mrs. Weasley and sat down watching and waiting. Hermione walked over to Mrs. Weasley so she could look over the bruising. Clicking her tongue and shaking her head, Mrs. Weasley scooped up a tad bit of the pink lotion and began to rub it onto the bruises. As her skin absorbed the lotion, she saw the bruises slowly fade from a black and blue to purple to an odd green to yellow and then...they were gone.

"There you go, dear." Mrs. Weasley looked around at the boys. "Now, Professor Dumbledore will be by this evening to speak to you. I expect you all to be in this room at six o'clock."

Mrs. Weasley walked out of the drawing room. The moment she was out of site Harry and Ron both stood and crossed the room to look Hermione over.

"I am fine, Ron. Honestly. It was an accident."

Both boys stopped searching Hermione and stared at her. Hermione felt Harry's deep green eyes on her and looked away.

"Hermione, why did Malfoy cover for you?"

Hermione looked up in shock.

"What do you mean, Harry?"

Harry shifted his feet as he watched Hermione fidget with her hands.

"Okay. I'll rephrase it--why did he cover for Snape?"

"I do not know. I do know it was an accident. It was late and dark. I startled him."

The morning passed with Harry and Ron playing chess while Ginny sat at the table finishing her schoolwork and Hermione continued to look over her schoolwork and make corrections. Draco sat at the table with the girls finishing his work as well. The morning remained bright and sunny as did the afternoon when Hermione finally convinced Harry to complete his work and Ron to start his.

Quills scratching across parchment and the turning of pages were the only sounds in the drawing room. A certain amount of tension continued to hang in the air whenever Draco, Harry, and Ron were in the same room. Hermione had become accustomed to it and able to ignore it. Hermione sat at the table, nibbling on her sugar quill, debating rewording a paragraph. The sounds of shuffling feet on the stairs brought her attention to the open door. Looking up, she saw Dumbledore nod in her direction as he passed by followed by Professor Snape, who seemed to sneer in her direction. A cloud passed in front of the sun casting the drawing room in shadow. A slight wind blew into the room causing the drapes to shift slightly. Professor Snape's robes billowed out behind him and out of sight as he passed the door. Hermione heard a door down the hall open and then close. No one else sitting around her seemed to have noticed.

The sun burst through the cloud fighting to take over. A slight flapping noise and a hoot caused Hermione to turn around, noticing an owl flying toward the window. The barn owl flew in and landed in the middle of the table, disrupting everyone's work. Hermione reached out taking the envelopes and the owl flew back off. It was their Hogwarts letters. She passed them out to everyone and opened hers. As everyone expected, Hermione and Draco made Head Girl and Boy. There was something new in everyone's letter this time. A piece of parchment followed their school supply list.

The following students, based on academic performance, are invited to participate in a pilot Literature class this year:

Susan Bones

Lavender Brown

Millicent Bulstrode

Seamus Finnigan

Hermione Granger

Neville Longbottom

Luna Lovegood

Draco Malfoy

Padma Patil

Parvati Patil

Harry Potter

Ginny Weasley

Ron Weasley

Blaise Zabini

Thank you,

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster

*~ *~*

Severus followed Professor Dumbledore to the room directly across from his own. Standing with his arms crossed over his chest, Severus turned to the Headmaster.

"Was it wise to move the mirror to this location?"

Dumbledore inclined his head toward his Potions Master. He was very aware what Severus was thinking. Severus' eyes shifted to the mirror, but he refused to look into it. Despite his efforts, the corner of his eye caught a flash of wavy hair. He knew no one but he could see what he was seeing in the mirror, but it did not stop the uncomfortable wave building in him.

"Severus," Dumbledore said with an amused smile. "There is no reason to fear Mr. Potter or his house guests finding the mirror."

Dumbledore watched Severus take a deep controlled breath. The elder man chuckled at Severus.

"Dear Severus! The mirror will be kept here, across from your room. I do not think they will go looking for trouble right under your nose. After all, we would not want them to see their hearts' desire."

With an amusing smile Dumbledore walked from the room.

*~*~*

Hermione sat curled up in her usual chair in the drawing room. The curtains were drawn partially shut. Harry sat at the table looking over corrections Hermione made on his Potions essay. Ron and Ginny sat at the chessboard watching Ron's knight mutilate Ginny's pawn. Hermione held an old book she treasured...letting the words leave the page ingraining themselves into her very being as her eyes moved across the page. Draco leaned on the back of her chair looking over her shoulder to see what she was reading now. He found himself completely enthralled, fell into the path of experience, and pain the poetry offered.

"Turn the page."

Hermione turned her head slightly to look at Draco. There was no smirk...no sneer...no snarky comment...only a pained haunted look dancing in the shadows of his blue orbs.

"Would you like to borrow it, Draco?"

Draco nodded.

"What is it?"

She held her place and closed the cover of the aged book slightly to show him the title. He nodded his head with a look of appreciation. At that moment, Dumbledore stepped into the room with his usual smile and twinkle in his eye. Professor Snape followed the headmaster in, remaining in the shadows of the room. Everyone stood up to greet the headmaster.

Severus watched Hermione rise to greet Dumbledore. He noticed she and Draco both were reading a book she now gently placed in her seat. Severus' eyes fell to the book. An aged green binding...silver scrawling lettering...In Memoriam. Looking at the book, Severus found himself actually shocked a student was reading this by choice. Actually two students.

As Dumbledore asked the students how their summer was fairing, Hermione glanced at Snape. She needed to let him know she needed to speak to him later, but how? She noticed his gaze fixed upon something behind her and she turned slightly following his gaze. The book. Slowly turning back around her eyes met Snape's. He quickly glanced at the book again and then nodded his head ever so slightly to her. She was quite unsure as to how to take Snape's nod. Was he showing approval of her choice in reading material or was he simply acknowledging her presence in the room? He didn't nod to anyone else, but how often did Snape show any sign of approval? Not often. Hermione was so lost in thought she actually missed part of what Dumbledore said.

"...and Professor Snape will be instructing you."

Hermione looked up as if just slapped in the face. Where they talking about what she thinks they were? Draco noticed the shocked look on Hermione's face turn to confusion. With his usual smirk, he decided to let the girl who actually was not paying attention for a change off the hook.

"Yes, Granger. Professor Snape will be teaching the Literature class. Looks like more points for Slytherin."

Despite her gratitude toward Draco for the days bail outs, she glared at him in a way that caused his smirk to die and slide effortlessly off his face. Hermione turned back around. Harry and Ron could see the question forming in her mind before she even spoke.

"Excuse me, Professor Snape, but I couldn't help but notice there were not any books for this class on our supply list."

Severus looked lazily at her. Hermione...always wanting more and more information.

Insufferable.

"How very perceptive of you, Miss Granger. Books will be acquired once term begins."

He watched Hermione's mouth fall slightly open as if scandalized before he turned and walked out of the room. Dumbledore smiled at the top student.

"Goodnight. I will see you at the start of term."

With a nod of his head, Dumbledore followed Snape's path out of the door.

~*~*~

Severus stood in front of the mirror again. He couldn't figure out why he continuously went back. Maybe he was hoping to see something different. Night had fallen hours ago and the house rested in silence. Severus remained frozen to the spot he stood in front of the mirror. The images in the mirror oddly contrasted his current surroundings. An unseen source of light illuminated the mirror. The couple in it smiled at each other and waved cheerfully to him. With a scowl buried deep in his brow, Severus sharply turned from the mirror and walked out the door being sure to lock it as he left.

As Severus stepped into the corridor, he heard a dull thud. His head snapped in the direction the sound seemed to come from. He stood still listening. The wind blew outside causes a tree limb to brush against the window at the end of the hall. The slight scrapping sound of the limb and leaves was not the same as the sound that carried down the hall moments ago. The old house creaked as it did every night. Severus' dark eyes shifted to the doors that should be closed and they were.

Slowly Severus began to walk down the corridor. He was as silent as death stalking through a window and silkily easing up on to one so innocently sleeping. As he drew closer to the drawing room, the air shifted around him. Severus could feel every hair on his arm prickle in the shift. At the door, he could hear something flapping and feel air swirl around his feet from beneath the door. Looking around he drew his wand and slowly placed his hand on the doorknob.

As the door opened, Severus could see the glowing golden flames in the fireplace. The breeze was almost unbearable though. Armed with his wand he opened the door the rest of the way to find the room...safe.

Unless you count the blasted window.

The large windows had been left open and the storm tense arm blew through the windows causing the crimson drapes to float out and flap in the wind. The fire set the room aglow, but it did not deaden the freezing air. His eyes fell to the one figure in the room--sound asleep in the chair she appeared to have her name written on. With an irritated sigh, Severus crossed the room in two quick strides and closed the windows. He couldn't help but notice how dark and abandoned the streets seemed. As if no one else in the universe existed...as if he were the only breathing thing in it....and then the soft moan of a sleeping girl reached his ears.

Turning back to leave, he stopped in front of the chair. Hermione was curled up in a ball and for a moment, Severus wondered if he could see a tinge of blue on her lips. He looked around and saw no blanket in sight.

Brilliant Miss Granger.

A few strands of curly hair fell across her face. Her hand draped over the edge of the chair. Snape looked at the delicate fingers and how familiar they seemed to him. That is when he noticed what the thud sound he heard earlier was. On the floor, directly under her hand as if she had been holding it was a black book, face down and still open. A pencil lay a little farther away as if it had rolled off when it hit the floor. Stealthily picking the book up, Severus noticed the poetry she was reading. With an eyebrow cocked he looked from the poem to Hermione and then back to the poem. In a perfectly symmetrical circle, Hermione had apparently circled a passage. Severus read it, letting the words sink into his mind and envelop them into his very fiber of being.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise,

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints--I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

Closing the book, Severus placed it on the table beside her. With a flick of his wand, a heavy wool blanket floated into the room and settled itself over Hermione. Severus swiftly left the room with the mumbling sounds of "silly little girl" following him.