Winter's Shadow

Chapter 10

Something He Can Feel

Hermione looked up at the minute owl that followed her in. The owl landed on the table and she gently took the parchment from his leg. After offering Pig a treat she opened the parchment to read.

Hermione,

How have you been? I am sure your summer has been interesting considering. I am writing to inform you Dumbledore will be at your house tomorrow to discuss some "news" with you, Harry, Draco, and Snape. Ginny and I have not been able to hear much. Though what we have heard has been killing us with curiosity--the Department of Mysteries has come up and so has Sirius' name. We will soon know, I suppose. Oh, and Ginny and I will be arriving the day after tomorrow for a short overnight. I think that was Dumbledore's doing. Tell Harry and Draco hello for me and hex Snape for me.

Love,

Ron

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Draco and Harry had watched in utter horror as Hermione yelled at Snape and then shoved him into the pool. The look of complete helplessness and loss of control that crossed Snape's face would have been amusing if not for the fact Hermione left, leaving the boys to catch his wrath for her odd behavior. The boys watched the professor climb out of the pool wanting to run as far away from him as possible, yet too scared to move and draw attention to themselves. Snape stood up drenched and dripping. With a glare at the boys his words escaped his lips in a hiss.

"Would you two like detention your first week back at school?" The two boys numbly shook their heads. "Then go find something else to do." Taking off into the house Harry and Draco glanced at each other thinking the same thing.

'He can't really do that can he?'

They entered the kitchen to see a gleeful Hermione. She quickly told them of Ron's letter.

"Well, that makes things a tad better." She looked at Harry wondering what he meant by that.

"Thanks to you," Draco explained, "Snape threatened us with detention." Looking at the seriousness of their face she couldn't help but to laugh. The two boys ran off when they saw Snape coming toward the house.

'Wow.'

Hermione saw the dripping Snape walking toward the door. His black hair soaked and clinging to him, his skin glistening with beads of water. Decided she might not want to be in the room with him she turned to leave, but she was not fast enough. Snape burst through the door and rushed to get a hold of Hermione before she could leave the kitchen. He grabbed her arm.

'What does this man have about grabbing my arm? Merlin!' Her steered her by her elbow away from the door and to the wall beside it. Leaning down so that he was only inches from her face he became painfully aware of her closeness. She gasped at the sudden change of her direction and upon looking at him a 'wicked?' smile spread onto her face. He could have sworn she was beginning to lean up to him as she kept staring at his lips. Taking a firmer jerking grip on her arm, he attempted to stop what it appeared she was going to do.

"Miss Granger, do NOT defy me again." With a hateful look on her face she jerked her arm out of his grip for the second time that day. Without a word she began to leave the kitchen, but Snape's words stopped her. "The BOYS are cowering from me somewhere, inform them that I am the MAN at the moment in this house and you will all treat me as such." Hermione felt something run through her. He had stressed the term boys earlier by the pool also. 'What? Is he trying to compare himself to them? To Harry?'

She turned to face a smirking Snape. She had all intentions of wiping that smirk off his face.

"BOYS? MAN? Excuse me SEVERUS, but you are here as MY guest. Comparing yourself to those young men will not win you any respect or notice from myself or them. Why don't you go into the potion lab you love to escape from life into and brew some of that glory and bottle some that fame you are so jealous of--then you can talk comparisons." With that said Hermione left a fuming wet Snape in the kitchen.

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Hermione woke the next morning to the tranquilizing sound of raindrops falling from the sky. Realizing there would be no pool time today she went down to the kitchen without changing.

Snape sat in the breakfast nook looking over the Daily Prophet when he heard the fluttering sounds of Hermione's feet descending the stairs. He watched her enter the kitchen in her flannel bottoms and spaghetti strap top pajamas.

'At least she's covered.'

To Hermione's surprise Snape had cooked breakfast. Looking on the counter at the plate of food already prepared for her she looked back at Snape.

'What is up with this guy?'

With a shrug of her shoulders she took the plate sitting down across from Snape. Reaching for the orange juice she saw the front page.

MISSING FALLEN MISNISTRY EMPLOYEES FOUND IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MYSTERIES!

With a gasp her fork clinked on her plate. In a matter of seconds Hermione had rushed over directly next to Snape, so close he wondered if she planned on climbing in his lap again. She snatched the paper from him.

"Miss Granger!" She waved her hand dismissively at him.

"It doesn't mention Sirius." Snape looked at her perplexed.

"Pardon?"

"Here," she pointed to the front page, "it's about ministry workers that have fallen through the veil in the Department of Mysteries and so believed dead. Something happened about a week ago and several of them came back out!"

Snape rolled his eyes. "You will excuse me, Miss Granger, if I do not share your disappointment in Sirius not being mentioned as one of them."

Her tear filled eyes narrowed.

"Do you even know what it's like to care for or love someone and the pain of losing them?" Backing up, she looked Snape up and down and snorted. "No, of course not." She left the kitchen to prepare for Dumbledore's arrival.

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Draco and Harry sat on the couch watching Hermione and Snape pace around in front of the fireplace. They didn't even notice they kept passing each other.

"Hermione?" Harry called to her to find out why she was so worried.

"Are you not worried? Harry! Dumbledore is coming here to speak to all of us!" Harry suppressed a laugh when he heard Draco mumbling something that sounded like "mental." Before Hermione could mutter a reprimand at either boy, the flames danced turquoise and out came Dumbledore. Smiling at each one of them, Harry had a feeling something important was in fact going on, but not necessarily something to worry about. It was more that Dumbledore probably knew something they didn't and was about to enlighten them.

Boy was he right.

Hermione started with the questions immediately.

"Is this about the article in the Daily Prophet? They said it was about a week ago--exactly when? Do they know how it happened? Is Sirius one of them? How come he wasn't mentioned?" Everyone with the exception of Dumbledore was becoming agitated with Hermione's stream of questions. Draco stood up and walked behind Hermione. Reaching around he place a hand over her mouth.

"Bloody Hell, Granger! You are giving a whole new meaning to 'insufferable-know-it-all." Snape saw the evil glint in Hermione's eyes and for a moment he felt for the boy. Suddenly Draco jerked his hand away yelping.

"OW! She bit me!" He sat back down moping.

"Miss Granger is correct in that I am here regarding the article in the Daily Prophet." Harry sat up a little straighter hoping for the best. "There were quite a number of people discovered as they came out from behind the veil. Therefore I come with a surprise." Next to Dumbledore Sirius removed the invisibility cloak he had worn.

"SIRIUS!" Everyone yelled simultaneously, with the exception of Snape, and ran for him.

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Hermione, Harry, Draco, and Sirius spent the day indoors due to the rain. Movies played, but much laughter and talking could be heard throughout the house. Snape would pass the room on occasion and glare at the four of them. On one occasion Hermione caught him and called him over to join them.

"Miss Granger," Snape had replied, "I have more important things to do than to watch you flirt mercilessly with those three." Hermione's face fell and her eyes narrowed. Then the evil glint he seemed to stir appeared along with the grin.

"What are you doing? Brewing that glory you feel you lack so?" With a swish, Snape was leaving the room with his robes billowing behind.

Snape cursed himself as he entered his room later. Hermione decided they should all dress nice and go to dinner to celebrate Sirius' return. Naturally, Snape felt it was his duty to go with them to keep them all in line. Giggling could be heard from Hermione's room as Harmony and Ophelia were in there getting ready also.

Before long Snape found himself downstairs waiting for the girls feeling irate by the moment. In a huff he stormed up the stairs to ask how long she might be so he knew whether to pack a lunch or not. Swiftly approaching the door and raising his fist to knock, it opened.

'Oh Merlin and all that is magical save me.'

Hermione stood there looking absolutely stunning. She wore a gorgeous black dress with only a bit of a strap over one shoulder; the dress was a bit longer in the back than the front and right in the front of the right leg was a split in the fabric that went up to her upper thigh. Snape found himself envisioning the black onyx around her neck and found himself playing with the jewel.

"Severus?" Hermione was standing directly in front of him trying to get his attention. "Did you need something or can we get by? Harmony and Ophelia haven't met Sirius yet."

Snape seemed to snap to. Without a word he turned and went back down stairs.

The guys heard the girls descending the stairs and looked up. Hermione was the first down and every one of them just gaped. The shock was broken when Ophelia descended the stairs.

"Ophelia?"

"Sirius?"

Hermione watched in wonderment as one of her best friends ran to Sirius hugging him. This was odd.

"Ophelia, how do you know Sirius?" Hermione was extremely perplexed as to how her muggle friend knew this wizard.

"Oh, Hermione I am so sorry," Ophelia began, "he's a cousin of mine."

"Is Harmony here also?" Harmony came down at the sound of her name coming from Sirius.

"Sirius!" She too ran to him.

"Wait, you too?"

"No, I just know him from Ophelia." Finally, Ophelia looked shame faced and explained to Hermione that her and Harmony always knew Hermione went to Hogwarts and that they went to Beauxbatons. Hermione was happily shocked.

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Dinner went smoothly. Snape rarely spoke, but did glare at everyone in turn. After the meal was over everyone enjoyed a cup of tea while listening to the band's instrumentals. That's when Ophelia had a plan--Sirius had heard of the infamous H2O, but never heard them. Hermione agreed, already with an idea as what to sing. After telling the girls of the events of the past day it was agreed.

The boys watched the stage as the music began and the girls stood there with their microphones. Hermione opened her mouth and with a wink at the boys she began to sing.

"Many say

that I'm too young

to let you know just where I'm coming from.

But you will see

It's just a matter of time

My love surely will make you mine."

Sirius sniggered remember everything the boys had filled him in on regarding Hermione and Snape. It was rather obvious what this was about. He looked toward Snape. His expression was unreadable.

"Well, I'm

Livin' in a world of get a life

Everyone is so uptight

Nothin's wrong, it's alright, my man

I like the way we carry on

His love will send me on and on

With my man

People out there can understand."

Hermione made a point to look at Harry and Draco who were grinning trying their hardest not to laugh at Snape. The girls suddenly began to move out to the audience.

"I'm givin him something he can feel

to let him know this love is real

This love is real"

'Oh Merlin, is Granger coming over here?'

Sirius had stopped watching Snape struggling to hide any emotion. He began to watch Hermione and he was transfixed himself.

"So much joy for us it seems

So much hope for material things..."

Hermione walked behind Snape moving a hand across his shoulders.

"Are they only in my dreams?

Hey, oh, yeah

And that's exactly why I'm singing this song to you..."

The girls were making there way back to the stage, but Hermione turned back to face Snape half way up to the stage.

"To let you know that real dreams do come true.

You tell me 'what does it mean."

Snape wanted to run and run far away when the girls rejoined for the rest of the song. Everyone clapped for the girls. As they returned to the table Sirius held out the chair for Hermione causing Harry to look at him oddly. Draco still had a smirk though.

"Not very subtle are you, Granger?"