In the Shadows

Disclaimer: Not mine

A/N: Sorry it took me so long. For a while the desire to continue was gone due to lack of reviews. Is anyone even reading this? After reading HBP I considered taking this story off and restarting it to be compatible, but decided against it. So please oh please review.

Chapter 6

Class Participation

The entire house was up before the sun. Breakfast passed with an exciting murmur as everyone discussed the new term about to begin. Severus sat in his usual silence offering only a scowl as one or the other person at the table would shift their eyes warily to eye this version of him.

Hermione was the only one who did not have last minute packing left to do. Draco was the first to leave the table so it was assumed he was doing his packing. In silence Hermione stood from the table picking up her book from the seat next to her. Wrapping her arms around the tomb as if it were a beloved gem she left unnoticed by all except for Snape. His eyes followed her movements. She stood and looked around the table as she picked up her book. When she wrapped her arms around the book it was as if it were some unconscious reaction to her invisibility. With her head cast down she quickly left the room.

She entered the drawing room still cradling her book. Slowly she came to a stop as she noticed the figure standing by the window. Draco stood there. The drapes were open, but the room still seemed dark. With his arms crossed over his chest he leaned sideways against the wall. His eyes were cast down, looking out the window. The sun that made its way through the window illuminated half of his face. As his unslicked hair fell forward half his face was cast in shadow.

Watching him, Hermione realized she had not spoken to him since the night she sat on the floor outside her room. The implications of his departure that night sent a sharp pain of guilt through her for not checking on him earlier. Why? She didn't know. All she knew was what Snape had told her--Draco was standing at the crossroads and what path he would choose to take no one truly knew. All she knew was the Draco that hated the trio for so many years was only a faucet of the innocent child and innocent was what she knew he truly was. Her mind kept flashing to the Care for Magical Creatures class and the realization that he had never even seen death. Harry had...he could see the thestrals, but Draco? She knew Narcissa must have sheltered him with everything she had in her. Yet, Draco was walking a fine line between what his father tried desperately to ingrain into his very being and what his mother tried to instill.

Draco looked up when he felt her eyes on him. Hermione saw the same cold stare he always had, but she knew there was something else behind those icy blue eyes. She found herself walking slowly over to him desperate to know if he chose the side all those she hated stood on. Draco's face did not change as she walked toward him. He only followed her movements and did not protest when she picked up his arm and slowly lifted the sleeve.

He closed his eyes momentarily as her hand glided across his arm in raising his sleeve. Part of him wondered how she knew where to check. And part of him was fascinated that this muggle-born witch would know. Images flashed across his mind of his father and the hate he emanated...Hermione wondering through wooded area with Potter and Weasley as Death Eaters marched....Hermione with her flaring cheeks and teary eyes debating Tennyson...himself full of something he was unsure of forcing his lips on Hermione...her worrying face as he left presumably to receive the Dark Mark...Voldemort telling him he was to bring her to the dark side...

Hermione let out an audible breath as she stared at his bare skin. Relief screamed from the gesture. Draco didn't know why he did it. The arm not in Hermione's grasp began to move up toward her face--not full of the malice as before, but with an apprehensive gentleness he was new to. As she stared at the skin she saw his other hand moving toward her face. An instantaneous flash of Draco pushing her against the wall flashed across her mind and she stiffened. Draco felt the sudden tension bursting from her fingertips and flowing from every part of her body...

Severus stood there watching the scene. Something gnawed at him and he told himself it was because he did not trust Draco alone with her after what he already pulled. He could see Draco's face and the changes that were crossing it as Hermione lifted his sleeve. He saw Hermione stiffen when she noticed Draco's hand closing in on her. Severus knew exactly what had just flashed in Hermione's mind...he knew because the same image came to him. He felt that same fear and overwhelming desire to protect as he did when Voldemort gave Draco his task. His foot stepped forward to emerge from the shadows and stop Draco before he could get any closer.

He didn't have to stop him though. It all happened simultaneously. Hermione stiffened, Draco's hand stopped in mid action, Snape began to step forward, and Harry and Ron came up the stairs and stepped onto the landing. Looking in they saw the frozen scene and within an instant they were in the doorway of the drawing room.

"Get your hands off her, Malfoy!"

Ron's face glared the red of his usual anger as he looked at Malfoy. Harry's rage was evident in his face, his eyes, in the way he stood--ready to strike. His eyes moved to look at the stiffened Hermione and then back at Malfoy.

"What did you do to her, Malfoy?"

Harry's eyes steadily moved from Malfoy to Hermione waiting for him to answer. Hermione let go of Draco's arm and turned to look at Harry and Draco dropped his hand back to his side. Looking at the two boys of the trio he smirked and in a voice dripping with sarcasm he told Harry,

"Nothing, now. Thanks Potter."

Draco walked passed Harry making sure to nudge him with his shoulder on the way. Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry thought he heard her murmuring something like "boys." Shaking her head she looked from Harry to Ron and then proceeded to leave the room. She knew it would not be long before Mrs. Weasley was calling them to bring their things down stairs now rather than later. As she stepped out of the drawing room her eyes met another pair standing in the shadows.

Severus realized Hermione saw him standing there. He felt frozen though and trapped. His mind had been swirling after seeing Draco reaching for Hermione in such a way. His mind argued with itself on whether Draco was simply working on his task or if he was sincerely reaching for her--reaching for the light. Either way a part of him seemed disgruntled by it. The mirror floated in his mind and the hours he spent observing the images hoping to find a sliver of a clue as to what the future held in terms of Draco's task. It dawned on him when their eyes met. Whether or not Hermione Granger would take the Dark Mark willingly at any point of her life would have something to do with her own desires--not his.

It took only two strides before he was close enough to reach her.

Hermione gasped at her professor's sudden move. Grabbing her arm he took a deep breath and felt Hermione attempting to jerk her arm out of his grip. He could feel the panic flowing through her. He was stronger, much stronger than her, even in his younger body. Hermione realized fighting did no good...it was as if only a fly was fighting against the man. Hermione took in a deep breath oddly lost in the mere idea of the strength he had over her. Her heart pounded as she realized he was pulling her down the corridor passed her room door and toward his own. Glancing back she heard laughter from the drawing room, though it seemed so much more distant. No one even realized Snape had snatched her from the landing and was now forcing her down the corridor.

Severus threw open a door and Hermione realized it was not his room door, but the door across the hall.

At least I'll know what or who he was talking to.

Severus pulled her forward in front of him and threw her into the room where she proceeded to fall forward. The hard wood floor grew close fast. The sound of the slamming door alerted her to the fact that he had closed it. Severus had moved passed her immediately and began lifting the blue covering a bit. It all happened so fast. The sound of Hermione hitting the floor alerted him to how hard he had tossed her into the room.

Hermione was a twisted form on the floor face down. Slowly she lifted her head up and glared at her professor and slowly began to lift her self off the floor. She didn't get very far. She was grumbling and cursing as if it were Harry or Ron who had done this to her.

"Bloody Hell! What did I ..."

Hermione had barely lifted her upper body when her eyes met her reflection in the mirror in front of her and saw it fade into a mist only to reform into another reflection. Severus saw the blood drain from her face as she stared at the mirror. Not taking her eyes off the images only she could see she lifted her self slowly onto her knees. Severus watched with a touch of guilt he would never admit to. Hermione seemed to forget anyone was in the room with her...to forget that she was thrown into the room, in front of a mirror that could only taunt her. Hermione slowly moved herself closer to the mirror. Severus watched as a sudden deepened sadness seemed to take over her outer features. He saw the tears that were welling up in her eyes as she reached out to touch the images.

No.

Hermione could hear her own voice forcibly telling her not to do it.

No...you know it is not real...do not cry, it will solve nothing.

"What do you see Miss Granger?"

Severus watched her face harden at the sound of his voice--as if it had brought her back fully to the present to realize she was not alone. He found her sudden emotionless face disturbing. What was happening to her? What was this battle causing the children to become? Slowly her face turned to look him in the eye.

"Supposedly my heart's desire, Professor."

Severus reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose as if willing a headache away.

"Miss Granger, do not toy with me. It is of utmost importance that I know exactly what you see."

He watched her emotionless face twist and turn until she was cackling with laughter.

"Oh, do tell, Professor."

Hermione stood up still laughing.

"How is my heart's desire of utmost importance to you?"

Hermione stopped laughing and glanced at the mirror again. Something crossed her face as her forehead crinkled in confusion. She looked back to her professor with the same emotionless face she had placed upon her features since realizing he was there.

"Honestly, Professor, that is rather personal and I don't think it is any of your concern."

Severus narrowed his eyes at her feeling his anger overwhelming him. The anger grew when he realized Hermione did not fear him as others did and his looks meant nothing to her. Slowly she looked back at the mirror with the confusion evident again.

"Professor," she spoke softly, "is it possible to see a heart's desire that you are not aware of--can any of the desires be unconscious?"

With a quirked eyebrow he looked from Hermione to the mirror and back again. He answered her rather slowly weighing her expression and reaction with each word.

"Yes, it is possible."

She didn't remove her eyes from the mirror. He decided on another approach. He spoke softer, gentler this time.

"Miss Granger, please. I have no desire to know every dirty little desire of Hermione Granger. It is a simple request done for experimental purposes and purposes dealing with the Dark Lord's defeat. Anything you say will not leave this room."

He knew she would tell him when he used the idea of some sort of experiment with the mirror, but he really had her when he mentioned the Dark Lord's defeat. Sighing she stepped closer to the mirror again and reached out touching the images. He saw that sadness that just seemed to have become a part of her now...a part she hid from her friends...a part her friends didn't seem to notice when it was evident in all that she does. He watched her eyes shift to three distinct areas of the mirror.

They heard Mrs. Weasley calling everyone downstairs before they were late and missed the train.

Hermione sighed heavily and looked down to her feet. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"I see my parents, Professor."

He felt his blood run cold. Hermione slowly turned and walked to the door. Her hand was on the doorknob when his voice echoed in the room.

"Miss Granger, I saw you look at a third. What or who was the other image in the mirror?"

He watched Hermione close her eyes momentarily and take in a deep breath. Turning enough to see Severus she looked him straight in the eyes. He felt that odd nakedness--as if he were exposed, but her face creased with worry and sadness let him know how hard this had been on her and still was.

Hermione stood there wondering whether or not to bother telling him. Part of her screamed out to get it off her chest before it ate her up inside, but another part mocked her...taunted her.

Bloody Hell! As if he cares. Is it really any of his bloody business anyway?

Severus watched her cross her arms across over her chest and lean against the door frame slightly.

"You are supposedly skilled at Legilimency, Professor, you figure it out."

Severus took a deep breath as Hermione stood her ground. She didn't drop the words on him and then leave out of fright...no. Hermione slapped him with a challenge daring him to try it. His mind filled with more thoughts than he could handle. His mind ran circles searching for a student...any student from past years that ever challenged him in such a way. She was the only one. He felt his anger rise.

"Miss Granger! I asked a simple question and I expect an answer."

His glare would have sent Neville running for cover, but Hermione stood there matching him glare for glare. Then she started to laugh.

"A simple question? You are asking me to tell you my heart's desire! So tell me, what do you see when you look in it?"

"Miss Granger! I hardly think it appropriate for a teacher to tell a student..."

"Then what makes you think I will tell you?"

Silence hung between them. Finally Hermione straightened up from the doorway. She didn't turn to look but she could feel the presence of others behind her in the corridor frozen...watching. She chuckled slightly.

"Good luck, Professor."

"Good luck, Miss Granger?"

"Yes, when the female population at Hogwarts sees you, you will need all the luck you can get. Now, excuse me while I find my apparent 'heart's desire' and deal with the repercussions of it."

What? Bloody Hell what is she going to do?

Hermione knew exactly what she was doing...just not exact details like who was standing directly behind her. She turned to find a pair of amused icy blue eyes. She smiled and stepped closer to him.

"Draco! Just the Slytherin I'm looking for..."

Hermione reached out and touched his hand. Draco jumped at the shock he felt run through his body.

"I think we have a few things to finish from the drawing room earlier."

~*~*~

Hermione silently ate as Lavender and Parvati continuously chattered back and forth about the "new" professor at the head table.

"Merlin! Look at him!"

Lavender nodded her head in agreement.

"I can think of a few things I would willingly do for him for extra credit."

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at the frozen looks of disgust on Ron and Harry's faces. The boys' eyes kept shifting to Hermione. She rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"I already told you two. There is nothing going on between us."

The boys had been in the corridor when she left Snape in the room and concern spurred in them that something was indeed stirring between Hermione and Malfoy. That was when she felt the eyes burning into her very being. Glancing up at the head table, she saw Snape staring at her with his usual glare, but some how it just was not as threatening on this younger looking Snape.

Hermione silently waited for Dumbledore to make the announcement regarding Professor Snape. When Hermione saw the elder wizard rise to make his last announcement Hermione shifted her eyes to Snape. He took a deep irritated breath as he crossed his arms across his chest. As the students saw the Headmaster rising silence spread through the Great Hall.

"One last announcement before you depart. A slight incident has prevented the Professor Snape you all know from teaching this first term..."

Murmurs spread through the Great Hall full of various speculations as to why he was not present. Professor Dumbledore held his hand up for silence before continuing.

"However, Professor Snape will still be teaching his classes. He will just appear as he did to me at twenty-five years of age."

At this, Professor Dumbledore motioned toward the Potions Professor. Complete silence filled the Great Hall--not a sound could be heard.

~*~*~

"Oi! Hermione, slow down!"

Harry and Ron were struggling to keep up with her. Hermione was always excited about the first day of classes, but she had really out done herself when it came to the literature class.

"I don't want to be late and I want a decent seat."

Rolling their eyes the boys settled for following her down the corridors. They were the first to enter the classroom. The class would be rather small compared to their others so there were fewer seats. Only two columns of desks that sat two people at each were set up. Hermione quickly dashed down the center isle to the first desk on the right. Harry and Ron looked at each other and with a heavy sigh followed her choosing to sit behind her.

Snape sat at his desk preparing for class when the trio walked in. He watched her through his blanket of black hair. She excitedly prepared herself for class and then turned to look at the boys.

"Aren't you going to get your quills, ink, and parchments ready?"

Ron rolled his eyes and grudgingly prepared for class. Snape watched wondering how the boys would fair if Hermione was not there to tell them what they should already know to do. The remainder of the class slow filed in. The silence in the room evaporated when the girls entered. Snape couldn't help but notice the girls were quite talkative today and this served to irritate him greatly. His eyes narrowed as the girls sitting together looked at him and turned to each other giggling and whispering. Looking around the room he noticed Hermione was the only girl not behaving so.

Hermione refused to look at Snape even though she felt his glare on her. She glanced at the females in the class and turned back to the front smirking. She did warn him. The creaking of the door broke through the noise of senseless chattering. The chattering continued, but Hermione and Snape looked toward the door to see who was barely making it to class on time. Ron and Harry followed her gaze and both their eyes narrowed in pure loathing.

Draco Malfoy stood for a moment looking over the class. There were a scatter of empty seats, but his eyes targeted only one--the one next to Hermione. With his traditional smirk at the boys, he headed straight for that seat. Hermione just watched him settle himself in before she spoke.

"Draco, what are you doing?"

He turned to Hermione and smiled. Playfully pulling a piece of hair that fell out of her bun and across her face he whispered.

"I would have thought that was obvious."

Before she could respond Snape was standing up, lording over the class--class has begun. Glaring at the pair sitting in front of him, he flicked his wand at the board and immediately a quote appeared.

"Who can tell me what this is from and who wrote it?"

As he expected, Hermione's hand shot in the air. Snape waited. He looked out over the class. The boys looked anywhere but at him in hopes of not being called upon--dunderheads. The girls all had sickening dreamy looks on their faces that Snape just could not figure out where they came from. His eyes landed on Lavender Brown. Hermione, with her hand still raised and now waving it in the air, turned her head to see what the distraction was. Lavender had oh so slowly blinked allowing time to see what she had done. Written in eyeliner across her eye lids were the words "I love you." Hermione rolled her eyes and continued waving her hand.

"Miss Brown," His harsh voice caused Hermione to jump slightly. "Do us all a favor and leave this class until you are capable of attending my class as a student and not a hormone crazed lunatic."

Lavender fled in tears. Ron was watching Hermione's desperate attempt at getting Snape to call on her as if she were a nutcase.

"Mental," he whispered as Snape turned around to look at that side of the room. He watched Hermione waving her hand around and the stupid look on Ron's face. His eyes shifted to Draco who sat back relaxed with his hand resting on the back of Hermione's chair.

"Mr. Weasley."

"Huh?" Ron was confused. Draco rolled his eyes as he shifted a bit to see Ron.

"The quote, Weasel."

Snape said nothing to Draco as usual. Instead he set his glare on Ron waiting for him to answer. Ron sat there stunned into silence. He hadn't raised his hand. It was obvious Ron did not know the answer and so Hermione's hand shot up in the air again. Frustrated, Snape rolled his eyes and turned to Hermione. With a dismissing wave of his hand he called upon the anxious girl.

"Very well, Miss Granger. Please read the quote first so that those with their minds elsewhere might actually hear you."

With a bright smile, Hermione straightened herself ever further in her seat and cleared her throat to start reading.

"O Sorrow, wilt thou live with me

No casual mistress, but a wife,

My bosom friend and half of life;

As I confess it needs must be?"

"And where does this come from and who wrote it, Miss Granger?"

"In Memoriam, 59 written by Lord Alfred Tennyson."

"Correct." He stopped his normal pacing around the front of the class as he spoke and looked at Draco with a sneer.

"And Mister Malfoy, can you tell me what this passage is about?"

Draco moved his arm from Hermione's chair and sat up properly to answer.

"It's about Arthur Hallam...Tennyson's best friend who died young."

An exasperated clicking sound came from Hermione. Snape moved his eyes from Draco to Hermione. With an amused quirked eyebrow, he spoke to Hermione.

"You do not agree, Miss Granger?"

Hermione stared at this form of Snape for a moment. The quirked eyebrow was quite different on the younger looking Snape. And then it hit her. Was he trying to cause an argument? Did he pick a passage from In Memoriam on purpose, remembering the drawing room incident between her and Draco? Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at her professor.

"No, I do not agree." Hermione stated clearly and then whispered so only Draco and the professor standing before her heard. "As you clearly recall."

Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat as his eyebrow rose again adding his amused quirk of his lips.

"Do tell, Miss Granger. What do you believe this to be about?"

Glaring at her professor she answered in an icy voice that made Harry instinctively shiver.

"It is Tennyson's reaction to the death of his friend. The entire thing is about Tennyson himself."

The bell rang causing an immediate sound of shuffling parchments. Snape waved his wand quickly causing a paper to appear in front of each student.

"Follow the syllabus unless otherwise told."

Snape stood there watching his students scurrying from class. Some of the girls took their time. His eyes shifted to the girl writing something in her school planner and gathering her things. The dawdling girls left as someone reappeared in the door--Draco. He stood there with his arms over his chest. Snape's eyes moved up to meet Draco's who was watching Snape with what appeared to be amused interest. Draco's eyes shifted back to Hermione.

"Hermione, are you coming?"

Hermione had noticed Snape still standing there and was watching him wondering why he was watching her like that. Draco's voice snapped her back to reality. Turning quickly she threw all her things into her bag and turned from her seat to head toward Draco. He watched her and looked back at Snape smiling. Snape felt cold as ice. Was Draco working on his task or did he have a genuine interest in Granger? Either way left him cold.

Something caught his attention though. As Hermione headed down the center isle to the smiling Malfoy something fell from her bag to Snape's feet. Slowly bending down to pick it up, Snape froze at what it was. It was a muggle picture of Hermione and her parents during a summer in France. She was younger and looked so happy standing between her parents. She had the spark in her eye Snape knew to always be there, but as of late was missing. Her father had an arm around her smiling down at his daughter as if he would protect her with his life if necessary. Memories washed over Severus.

The man, beaten and battered, lay upon the ground. His eyes shifted to the house where a bright green light glowed for a moment. A slight breeze in the air sent chills down Severus' spine. The man lay next to the lake where the Dark Mark reflected magically upon the water. Severus felt sickened being witness to this family's demise. The dying man looked toward Severus. A husky whisper escaped his lips.

"Severus."

Startled, Severus knelt down next to the man. Curiosity etched over his features.

"I know...you are a spy." The man had difficulty speaking. "I'll...I'll take that secret to the grave...but...please...please...promise me you...that you will keep Hermione safe...keep her safe Severus...please..." His eyes closed as Severus nodded his head. In disgust he turned and apparated straight to Dumbledore...the smell of death still lingering around him...the echo of a dying man's wish...

"Miss Granger."

She turned to see Snape holding out the photo. Looking at her bag and then him she swiftly walked to him and reached to take the photo. Snape didn't let go of the photo however. As Hermione turned back toward Severus, unwilling to let go of her beloved photo, Snape saw Draco drop his hands to his side rather defensively. A gentle nudge pulled Hermione off balance causing her to fall into Snape. He stood her straight up again ignoring the flustered appearance of her cheeks.

"Miss Granger watch yourself with Mr. Malfoy."

"I do not think my and Draco's friendship is any of your concern."

Severus took a deep breath.

"Miss Granger, I made a promise I intend to keep."

Hermione looked down at the family photo.

No.

She couldn't stop it this time. A tear slowly slid down her cheek.

"A promise?" She chuckled slightly as she wiped the tears away. "If I am not mistaken, Professor, you never got the chance to make that promise."

She snatched the photo from his hand and headed toward Draco again.

"Miss Granger! I meant what I said. Watch yourself."

She stopped in front of Draco and turned to face Severus. Draco was reaching out to take her hand and lead her away from Snape before things got worse.

"Besides, Professor. Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't you the one who bears the Dark Mark?"

Quietly, she let Draco lead her out of the room. Severus slowly sat down at a desk laying his head in his hands wondering if all hope was lost.