Winter's Shadow

Chapter 2

Internet War

Hermione let out an irritated growl. She silently asked herself why she told Dumbledore she would host a summer guest without finding out first WHO that guest might be. Then, what is the first thing he does when he arrives? Insults her. Hermione watched Snape pick himself up off the floor and walk toward his bags where he took out a small vial of purplish liquid. She excused herself while the Potions Professor took care of his self.

Hermione sprinted up the stairs and the moment she entered her room she wrote to Harry, Draco, and Ron to tell them who her summer guest was. They were not going to believe this--she still did not believe it. Resigning to the fact that she did make a promise to the Headmaster, she quickly changed out of her bathing suit to go and properly greet her potions master and show him his room.

Despite what his students thought of him, Professor Snape was not always the sarcastic bat of a Potions Professor they loathed. No, he had a mother who did, in fact, raise him with some manners. Snape stood in the Grangers' living room, unwilling to sit down as he had not been properly greeted or asked to have a seat. His broken nose was now back to its proper place--no thanks to Granger.

Looking at his surroundings he had to admit there was indeed something odd about muggles. Not only were their tables too low to be of any use, but there was a strange black box across from the couch, and a smaller odd box on the desk along with a strange black rectangle. He did not like not knowing about all this muggle nonsense now that he was having to spend a summer in a muggle home. What was Dumbledore thinking?

Hermione came to a halt as she entered the room. Snape was standing there staring at the computer on the desk as if it would bite him if he got too close. Deciding it would not be a good idea to laugh at his ignorance in such matters, Hermione cleared her throat to get his attention. He whipped around at the sound.

'A bit jumpy.' Hermione had never seen Snape quite so anxious. He narrowed his dark eyes at his student/hostess. Was she trying to sneak up on him? Instead of looking away from him or sending a stuttering sarcastic comment, she did something he did not expect. She put a smile on her face and walked toward him.

"I was not able to properly greet you, Professor. I am sorry for that. I will show you your room if you like and then I shall fix some lunch." Snape just stared at the strange girl. What was it with teenagers? One moment they were storming to their room in a bloody huff and the next they were warm nurturing creatures--no wait--that's women.

Snape only nodded to Hermione as he grabbed his bag and followed the girl up some stairs. She led him down a hallway and to the left was a door that was closed. Hermione opened this door and led him into it.

"This shall be your room. I am right across the hall." They both just stood there in a strange silence. Hermione could not take just standing there like an idiot, besides she had things to do, so she turned to leave the professor there. When she reached the door, she heard his voice.

"Thank you, Ms. Granger." Hermione smiled slightly at the dark professor's acknowledgement of her hospitality.

"You're welcome." Not wanting to stand there anymore or have anymore odd moments created, she left the room to fix lunch.

****

While Hermione fixed lunch, an owl swooped in with a letter for her. Quickly reading it, she grabbed her wand and headed down to the basement. Looking at the letter, she pointed her wand in different corners of the room and muttered the words on the parchment. Her basement soon was no longer recognizable, but much more resembled a potions lab.

Smiling to herself, Hermione finished making lunch, when she heard Snape's tentative footsteps coming down the stairs. Exiting the kitchen, she placed their plates of food on the dining room table.

Snape looked at the Gryffindor girl. Was a student smiling at him? How odd--but then school was not exactly in session. Okay, that thought put him on edge slightly.

"Please, Professor Snape, do have a seat and eat something. Make yourself at home." The girl was trying to be nice. He silently sat and watched as the girl sat across from him next to a pile of books. Shoving some food in her mouth, she opened two of the books, picked up her quill, and began scribbling away on her parchment. Okay, so Snape had to admit the girl was not at the top of her class for no reason. She was, in fact, a very hard worker.

Hermione worked the entire time they sat at the table. She figured staying busy would keep some of the attention off of her, so possilbly he wouldn't notice her existence and torment her as he did in potions. Snape noticed her though--he noticed the fact that she never once took her eyes off of the book. Finally, she stopped at noticing Snape had finished eating and informed him she had a surprise for him.

While she led him to the basement, Snape began to worry if he should follow her. But his instincts told him that Hermione would not do anything to him--despite the disarming incident in her third year. When they reached the basement, Snape was shocked to say the least at the potions lab the girl had created. She explained to him that Dumbledore had gotten permission to allow her to use magic over the summer and sent her the spells needed to transform the basement for Snape's stay there.

"Oh, and Professor? It is summer and you are my guest, so wouldn't it be more appropriate to call me Hermione instead of Ms. Granger?" Snape turned his gaze to the girl that stood next to him.

"Thank you, Ms. Granger. This will suffice."

Snape noticed the hurt look on Hermione's face when she left him there. He was not intentionally trying to hurt her feelings, but he was not about to apologize to a student either. Then he noticed something extra that had to be a Hermione idea, as it was a muggle thing. On the wall was a square board and attached to this "bulliten board" was the list of supplies that Madam Pomfrey needed soon. He set to work on a couple of the simple potions.

****

That evening Snape sat on the couch reading. Hermione never knew anyone read as much as she did. Snape watched the girl excuse herself to take a shower. Figuring she would also be staying in her room, he figured he would relax his features a bit. The problem was in about ten minutes Hermione swiftly walked into the room long enough to turn to the kitchen for a drink. Upon her return, Snape watched. She was not a child anymore and could make any man wish they were 17 again. Berating himself for even thinking such thoughts about her, he attempted to ignore her presence in the room. He watched her glide past him leaving a trail of honey colored curls. Her eyes flickered with excitement as she sat down at the desk with the smallest square and rectangle on it. He watched her move some small thing around clicking and then stopped to push some buttons.

After a moment, the screen came to life and Snape was becoming fascinated. She continued clicking away until she finally started typing a lot.

****

Hermione quickly ran to the computer. She was anxious to talk to Harry and Draco. They had most likely received her letter to them and were anxious to read their responses. True, Snape was reading in the same room, but this was Snape she was talking about. It's not like he would get up and go over to see what she was typing. Quickly she signed on line and waited...sure enough Harry and Draco were on line waiting for her. Draco, having an understanding mother, had always had a computer. Once Draco was settled in at Number Twelve Dumbledore made sure to procure one for the boy and Harry was having a slightly easier time at the Dursley's in that department.

KillVoldie: Hey 'mione! I was wondering if you were going to make it. I got your owl!

StUdYfReAk: Can you believe it? Why would Dumbledore not tell me who it was?

KillPotter: Think about it, 'mione. Would you have said yes?

StUdYfReAk: Draco, when are you going to change that bloody screen name? I'm sure Harry is disturbed by it!

KillVoldie: Nah--it's kind of amusing. When are you going to change yours?

StUdYfReAk: To what?

KillPotter: snapesgrl

KillVoldie: Good one, Draco.

StUdYfReAk: Use the brain cell the two of you seem to share anymore. Why would I want to attach myself to that sadistic git on an internet?

KillVoldie: Hermione and Snape sitting in a tree....

StUdYfReAk: Harry James Potter you promised to never...

KillPotter: ooo...do I sense a crush?

StUdYfReAk: NO!

KillVoldie: You should have seen her right before fifth year at Number Twelve. All mooney eyed over the git. Batting her lashes sticking up for his good name. "Now, Harry, he risks his life to help us out. Now, Harry, he is not so bad."

StUdYfReAk: To quote Draco that year: you're dead Potter.

Hermione suddenly felt warm breath on her neck. She didn't have to turn around to know who was there.

Snape had stood up to go see what was going on on that square. Apparantly it was some way of talking to others--Harry and Draco. He still had a hard time adjusting to the fact that these long time enemies were now best of friends. Snape never got around to asking about this thing. He saw the words being put on the screen and froze. She had a crush on him back then? She stuck up for him in the face of two boys who would belittle him behind his back? Wait....what? Sadistic git?

Hermione turned around to face him. She looked up at him rather sheepishly, hoping he had not been reading what was written. Snape saw the horror in her eyes; Potter was obviously telling the truth and she did not want anyone to know. How odd--Snape could not recall ever having a student with a crush on him. It was rather hard to fathom. Granger truly was strange. And to cover it by calling him a sadistic git? Wouldn't that make her a masochistic twit? Inside, Snape was struggling not say that aloud. Instead, he kept a cold icy glare on the girl.

"What is this nonsense?" The cloud that was lingering over Hermione's features lifted at his question. Maybe he wasn't reading.

"It's a computer and with it I have accessed what is called the internet. I could show you if you like?" She didn't wait for an answer before telling Harry and Draco goodbye. Snape just stood there as the girl explained the internet to him and began showing him different areas that would interest him. He was in shock when Hermione went to a magical book site that allowed you on-line access to these books that were not for muggles. Hermione noticed the shocked look on her professor's face and realized the problem.

"Oh, Professor Snape, muggles can not access these sites. The password is issued by the ministry and if any muggle cracks it all they will see is a page telling them that the page is under construction."

By the time Hermione was done explaining it all to him, Snape was tired. He still could not believe that the ministry actually had part of the magical world accessible through a muggle contraption.

"If you like, Professor, I could set you up a screen name so you can look around anytime you want." Snape kept a neutral gaze on the girl.

"If you must. I will be retiring for the evening and would suggest you do the same." He swept out of the room and up the stairs to his room.

Hermione watched him leave the room disbelieving of what she just heard. Did he just tell her to go to bed? How dare he! He was a guest--professor or not--and had no authority to tell her when to go to bed.

"Fine," Hermione said quietly to herself, "I'll give you a screen name AND a profile."

With an evil grin, Hermione pulled up the account to add another name. Satisfaction began to fill her as she typed in a screen name to give him.

SexySevvy

Her grin grew as she thought to herself, 'wait until he sees this.' Now, a profile was needed and just the thought of what she could do filled the satisfaction level up a little more. Her fingers flew over the keyboard.

NAME: Whatever you want it to be.

AGE: Age does not exist when are as sexy as I.

LOCATION: Your leather clad dreams.

MARRITAL STATUS: Does it truly matter?

HOBBIES: Leather, whips, chains, love potions, and a masochist to go with my

Sadistic urges.

PERSONAL QUOTE: The darker the dungeon, the stronger the love potion, the

Deeper the sadist.

Hermione smiled in satisfaction at just the thought of his face when he would see this. Of course, he probably wouldn't know to look at a profile for himself--but everyone else on the internet would. She e-mailed the profile to Harry and Draco. As soon as the mail was sent she turned the computer off and grabbing a book she left in the dining room she went up to bed. She quickly drifted to sleep smiling at a potential memory to come.