Winter's Shadow

Chapter 6

The Order

Severus found himself trapped in a girl world. Where Hermione was not exactly what you would call girly in comparison to most, she still enjoyed the time with her female friends. But this was no ordinary girl world...it was "karaoke memory lane" world. Hermione explained what the machine was and that the girls used to go around during the summer doing different contests--some karaoke and some not.

Hermione wondered if he was okay because he just blinked at her. It was yet another thing he did not know about his student. Then the girls started their "remember this" game of singing one part and the others had to guess what it was. Severus found himself trapped in that room--he could have left if he really wanted to, but a part of him left it at trapped so as to have an excuse for remaining.

"oo...Hermione, how about this one." Harmony jumped up and placed a CD in and sang a couple of lines.

"A traffic jam

When you're already late

A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break

It's like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife..."

Hermione rolled her eyes and mouthed the words "easy" to Severus. She picked up her mic to sing the rest.

"It's meeting the man of my dreams

And then meeting his beautiful wife

And isn't it ironic

Don't you think?"

"You girls are going to have to do better than Alanis Morissette."

"Okay," Ophelia got up and placed a CD in.

"I love it in your room all day

When you're gone I like to try on all your clothes

You won't regret it if you let me stay..."

Severus watched Hermione mouth the words "please" this time. She obviously knew the songs as she did her textbooks and the books her textbooks referenced. She picked up the mic and smiled at her professor before proving her long time friends wrong.

"I'll teach you everything that a boy should know

In your room

I'm alive when I'm with you

Gonna make your dreams come true

In your room."

Okay, so that one made Severus a bit nervous.

"The Bangles, you girls have gotten rusty."

When Severus got up to leave the room, Hermione noticed and watched him in silence. As soon as he left the room he could hear Harmony's voice speaking to Hermione.

"You never mentioned how bloody sexy the infamous Professor Snape was."

Severus closed his eyes trying to will himself deaf. There were some things in life he could live without hearing and that was one of them. Finally he turned back into the room.

"Ms. Granger, I need to make a vital...call." Hermione listened to the professor's hesitation and glance at her friends and knew exactly what he was getting at. At least he knew about telephones to cover this up.

"Oh, the PHONE is in my room on the FIREPLACE mantel. Go on and help yourself."

"Thank you... Hermione.

"You're welcome, Severus." The two girls watched the exchange of barely there smiles between the two.

****

Severus slowly opened Hermione's bedroom door expecting to find a girl wonderland of pink frills and chantilly lace. He was terribly mistaken. He walked into a room full of warm colors not typical for a teenage girl. Her bedding was a deep dark burgundy entwined with silver threading giving the bed an almost enchanted appearance. A large window donned curtains of the same satin-looking material as her bed. Mahogany furniture filled the room. The darkness of the room was contrasted by the large window allowing the light of day in.

He walked over to the fireplace and grabbed a pinch of floo powder from the mantel. Getting on his knees he threw it into the fireplace.

"Albus Dumbldore."

Albus was sitting in his office when Snape's face appeared in the fire.

"Ah..Severus. Please, this is dangerous for you to use the floo network at the moment. I shall apparate so you may talk." Without a word Severus pulled his head out of the fireplace and commenced to pace around Hermione's room.

Albus Dumbledore appeared in the warm burgandy room to find his Potions Master with his hands behind his back steadily pacing.

"Something vexes you, Severus?" Snape wheeled around at the sound of the headmaster.

"Yes, Headmaster. I can NOT remain in this house." A smile formed on the headmaster's face as he watched Snape.

"And why is that, Severus?"

Snape narrowed his eyes at the old man as if he were Harry Potter.

"You know very well WHY." Snape was desperately hoping Dumbledore was in fact assuming the connection with Harry Potter and the fact that it was Hermione Granger--resident know-it-all. Instead, Dumbledore looked around the room and smiled at Snape once again.

"I see you have found your way to Ms. Granger's chambers." At the remark Snape glared at the headmaster. "Severus, if it was meant to be it WILL be. Asking to be removed will NOT change any questions of sentiment." Snape kept his neutral expression as he listened to the Headmaster wondering how much he truly knew.

"Headmaster, WHAT is it you are trying..."

Dumbledore held up his hand for silence.

"I have an important meeting waiting in my office. I am sorry I must go. If you like we can continue this at a later time." The old man walked over to the fireplace and took a pinch of floo powder to floo back to his office. Before going he turned back to Snape.

"Severus, if I am not mistaken, she is the first girl Hogwarts has seen in years to match your intellect." He threw the powder in.

"Hogwarts."

Not feeling any better by the conversation, Severus sat down on the edge of Hermione's bed feeling defeated.

****

Hermione went upstairs in search of Severus. It had been quite a while since he went up to her room to floo someone. Lily had been picked up and Harmony and Ophelia had gone home for the evening. Hermione was in no mood to cook or stay home.

Slowly opening her room door she saw Severus sitting on the edge of her bed. He fit right in with the darkness of her room. Like the light, his own pale flesh contrasted the darkness of his hair and clothing. He was like a shadow of winter sitting in her room.

She felt an odd compassion sweep over her at the sight of him. A strange flutter entered her chest making its way down to her stomach where it sank like an anchor.

'Something you can not have.'

Taking a deep breath, Hermione entered her room completely.

"Severus?" He heard her tentative voice from the door and looked up. In noticing her he stood immediately.

"Yes, Ms. Gr...Hermione?"

An unsure smile played on her lips as she looks into his black coal eyes.

"I thought we would eat out and then I would introduce you to the big screen."

He gave her his usual cold glare, but she did not find it as intimidating anymore. She approached him as he stood there. He was not answering and looked as if he was a million miles away.

Severus heard her words and at the same time Dumbledore's was repeating in his mind. He had to admit the Headmaster was correct in that Hermione was the only female Hogwarts has seen in some time with an intellect to match his own. It was the only explanation Snape had for finding himself drawn to this Gryffindor.

That's when he felt an odd sensation that seemed to lodge itself in his throat. And it came from his...arm? Hermione reached her hand out to the sleeve of the robes he had placed back on and shook them gently.

"Severus?" He looked down at the girl full of concern.

"If we must. I suppose muggle clothing is in order."

She hadn't let go of his sleeve yet when she smiled up at him and nodded her head yes. At the feeling of his movement to leave the room she let go and watched him exit to his own room.

****

Snape went to his room to place more muggle looking clothes on wondering how he and Hermione were to go anywhere. They could not apparate, floo network did not include movie theatres to his knowledge, and brooms were out of the question.

Severus sat on the couch reading while waiting for Hermione to arrive. When she finally descended the stairs he quirked an eyebrow at the girl.

"How do you propose we travel?" Hermione looked at him in disbelief. She knew he was aware of muggle transportation and never dreamed this would be a question she would be faced with answering.

"A car."

"Of course." How stupid did he have to be? She was of the muggle world and would be able to drive a car. He had been inside the Grangers seemingly forever and therefore never noticed if there was a vehicle outside.

"I got a car last year as a birthday present from my parents."

'Great. What's worse than a know-it-all Gryffindor? A spoiled-know-it-all Gryffindor.'

Walking out to the silver car Severus cursed under his breath. Hermione would be driving which put her in charge--HE liked being the one in charge. They sat in silence on the way to dinner. The other cars on the road made Snape a bit nervous despite his outward appearance. Part of him was thankful Hermione knew how to drive.

Amazingly, to Hermione, Snape held doors for her while they were out. This was not the usual Potions Master whose path all steered clear of for fear of being run down. The first door he held open she thought was an accident on Snape's part. By the time they were eating dinner her heart stopped each time.

'Bloody schoolgirl crush.'

All through dinner Hermione noticed that Snape avoided looking at her. True, he was usually cold and icy, but he was normally cold and icy while LOOKING at you. She was becoming increasingly irritated by it. Before dinner was over she was ready to reach across the table and shake him yelling at him 'will you please recognize that I am NOT a little girl in your class.' Saying such a thing was out of the question. With all her built up anger she placed her fork on her plate harder than she thought. The loud clanging sound brought Snape's attention to the attraction across from him.

"Problem, Ms. Granger?" He was met with an icy glare that could compare to his own.

"For the last time, I DO have a first name. Use it. To answer your question, there is nothing wrong that YOU could possibly fathom let a lone be of any help."

Snape's face contorted to his usual appearance when ready to dock points from the girl's potion.

"HERMIONE, I did not offer any help. And you would be amazed at what I could fathom."

The remaining night passed in silence.

When they returned home Hermione mumbled a goodnight before disappearing into her room. Snape went to his room. He wanted to forget this summer--if it would ever end.

****

The following morning Snape woke to discover Hermione still sleeping. Gliding as silently as possible, he made his way out of his room and down the stairs. After drinking his cup of tea and reading the Daily Prophet, he ventured into the living room. Hermione still was not awake. Deciding to enjoy the quiet, he sat with some books for research he was currently working on. Snape was beginning to feel concerned when a single red phoenix feather flew from the fireplace. Leaving his books where they were he stood up and disapparated immediately.

Snape appeared right outside Number Twelve. Looking around him cautiously, he noticed two teenage boys walking down the street a ways. With a sigh, he entered the house to find out what was happening.

Dumbledore stood in the parlor patiently waiting for everyone to arrive. Nodding his head at Snape a smile formed on the Headmaster's face.

"I have called this emergency meeting for some grave news." Everyone sat on the edge of their seats waiting to hear what had happened. "Several muggle homes were attacked during the night by Voldemort." There was silence around the room. Dumbledore issued out tasks to be done and those left as they received their instructions. Soon Severus was the only one left sitting there.

"Severus, I must ask you to remain at Ms. Granger's."

"Headmaster, where were these muggle attacks?"

The headmaster's eyes lost their usual light.

"A block from Ms. Granger's house."

Severus closed his eyes in disbelief. It could have been him or Hermione. Obviously, they were looking for him. When Snape opened his eyes again Dumbledore was handing him something. It was a silver chain with a silver serpent wrapped around an onyx. Snape looked at the piece of jewelry in his hand and back to the headmaster. He did not have to ask--Dumbledore was already answering his unasked question.

"It is a portkey, Severus. You may choose to wear it as it is, but keep in mind that you will need to remain aware of Ms. Granger's propinquity." Dumbledore reached out and took hold of the pendant. "Or, you may choose to give her her portion of the pendant." With that said Dumbledore pulled the onyx out of the serpent's grasp and another silver chain appeared. Snape looked at the two pendants taking this all in. Dumbledore placed the Onyx back to the serpent, which immediately wrapped itself around the marvelous gem. "The portkey, or portkeys, will take you and Ms. Granger to a safe place, undetected, if danger arises." Concern was welling in the Headmaster's eyes.

"And where, EXACTLY, is that?"

"The Grangers' summer house." Snape reached the chain around his neck and it automatically fastened itself. He was in the process of tucking the dual portkey underneath his robes when Remus Lupin approached. Snape stood there scowling at the man. Dumbledore greeted him as merrily as ever, but it was Lupin's following words that threw Snape into a state of inner panic.

"Has Harry and Draco left for Hermione's yet?"

Dumbledore smiled.

"Yes, just moments prior to our meeting."

"Excuse me, Headmaster," Snape began, "but did you just say Potter and Malfoy were at Ms. Granger's? Am I to baby-sit them now also?"

"Calm down, Severus. The boys had a bit of a problem at the Dursley's and I have asked Ms. Granger if they could stay there for a week. The following week, as you know, will have many private discussions and activities those two do not need to be involved in. They will both return here after a week."

Severus stood there staring at the man before him. It was bad enough being in that house with Hermione and the strange pull he was experiencing, but now to add Malfoy AND Potter?