This story is AU. It's so AU, it's not even funny. I can't describe how AU it is. What I can say, is that you may see some elements from all the books here, but not in the same way JKR wrote them. That would make sense, seeing as I am in no way the creator of Harry Potter or her characters. All this is purely for my personal amusement. And, one can hope, yours.
Enjoy.
Ginny Weasley glanced around furtively, praying that no one saw what she was about to do. The house-elves were paying no attention to her, but she knew Hermione would be waking up soon and one of them would bring her breakfast. Three drops into her pumpkin juice should do it, she thought. The typical dosage was one, but Hermione was a very strong-willed girl. As a finishing touch she placed a get-well card on the tray.
Mission accomplished, Ginny informed one of the house-elves that the tray was to be taken to Hermione Granger, and then quickly took herself off to the Great Hall in order to make sure her stupid brother got his arse down to the infirmary before he did anything else. He would thank her later. Everyone knew Hermione belonged with him, except her, and this was a sure fire way to make sure the Head Girl realized it too.
While Ginny Weasley was carrying out her plan to make Hermione and her brother insanely happy together, Severus Snape was carrying out his plan to make it back down to the dungeons before Dumbledore realized he was missing from the Great Hall. Today was one of his "penance days" as he thought of them, and he was required to be there for at least an hour for breakfast. It was not his fault that the idiot students did not get up as early as he did. The dungeons were within his sight when he heard the most unwelcome sound since Voldemort's raspy voice.
"Severus! Good morning. Already been to breakfast, I see."
Knowing there was no escape, he schooled his face into neutrality and turned to face the smiling headmaster. "Albus," he said with a slight nod. It was disturbing how cheerful the man was at this hour of the morning.
"I'm glad to see you have gotten up so early, my boy. I need you to take care of something for me this morning and the earlier it can be done, the better."
Bugger. "And what might this wonderful task be, Headmaster?" Severus said with a grimace.
"Nothing too terrible, Severus. I simply need you to take these potions down to the infirmary and make sure they are administered to Miss Granger before eight o'clock this morning."
Snape glared. "And why can't Madam Pomfrey drag herself out of bed for this joyous task?"
"I'm afraid she was called away last night for a family emergency. She will be back later, but you are the only one with the experience to make sure Miss Granger gets them in the correct order."
Severus knew that was a complete load of tripe, but he was helpless to say anything since the man was his boss. As if having her as his assistant was not bad enough.
"Besides, Severus, I'm sure you would love to help Miss Granger recover more quickly so she can return to her duties. Madam Pomfrey says you have gotten behind on making her potions for the year."
"That might have something to do with the attack on Hogwarts less than a week ago, Albus." He gritted his teeth. "Surely Minerva would welcome the opportunity to help her prize student?"
"Now Severus, you know as well as I that Minerva is a disaster around potions. I would hate for something to happen just as Miss Granger is so close to completing her treatment. You of all people should know how frustrating it is to be trapped in the infirmary."
Severus grabbed the potions and whirled to stalk down the hall. "Very well," he grated. That bloody girl is more trouble, he thought.
He never saw the shining twinkle light the headmaster's eyes.
Hermione was just finishing her breakfast when Severus arrived at the infirmary. He stopped for a moment to give her time to finish chewing her food, and if he were honest with himself, to have a bit of a look at her before he swept in to give her the last of her treatments. You're a dirty old man, Snape, he thought. Just give her the potions and leave.
Surprise lit the lovely Gryffindor's eyes as he stepped behind the screen into her small, closed-off section of the infirmary. She gave him an uncertain smile before her face filled with its natural curiosity.
"Professor Snape?"
"Miss Granger."
She frowned, puzzled. "Sir, what are you doing here?"
"I have come to give you your final treatment, Miss Granger."
Her face blanched. "Wh…what about Madam Pomfrey?"
"She was called away for a family emergency last night. I'm afraid I am the one selected for this task."
He was confused when she blushed. "Oh. Uh… thank you, sir. I… uh… I'll be ready as soon as I finish my juice."
"Save it for the end, Miss Granger. The last potion tastes truly terrible."
She made a face. "Coming from you, sir, that's rather frightening."
Severus bit back a comment, reminding himself that Voldemort was gone and he was no longer required to project hostility toward the non-Slytherins. He smirked. "Isn't it, though?" Moving her tray out of the way, Severus placed the potions in order on her nightstand with the glass of pumpkin juice nearby. He checked to make sure the restraints were in place, and then met her eyes questioningly. She nodded her readiness.
There were four potions required to complete the week-long regiment for nerve regeneration. He knew from experience how unpleasant it was, having been on the receiving end of a few too many extended bouts of Cruiciatus. It pleased him to see that the tremors had stopped, and that she seemed to have better control over her movements. If only it was not so painful. She was still terribly pale, however.
Proving to him that she belonged in her selected House, Hermione grabbed the first potion and drank it quickly. The other two followed shortly afterward. Severus figured she was probably used to the taste by now. The last, however, gave her a bit of trouble when she took the first swig. Her reaction was nearly identical to his many years ago after the first time he went through this.
"Bloody hell," she sputtered, "that's horrible! It tastes like… a… well… something… disgusting!"
"I do believe you are correct, Miss Granger. Unless you wish to do this again, however, you will finish the bottle." He smirked, eyeing her sternly.
"Bastard," she muttered.
"Be grateful I am not inclined to take points for that, Miss Granger," he said silkily.
She stuck her tongue out at him. Impertinent though the gesture was, it did not stop her from knocking back the potion and drinking it as quickly as she could. Once the vial was empty, she frantically grabbed for the pumpkin juice and chugged it as well. He managed to take both out of her hands before the pain started.
The regeneration process was nearly as painful as the curse itself. Severus found himself holding her in his arms as she thrashed about, screaming in agony. It broke his heart to see this wonderful, strong woman reduced to this thanks to a man he once called friend. Never in his life had he been so glad to kill someone as he was when he uttered the Killing Curse at Lucius Malfoy. Seeing this made him want to go dig up the body and hex it a few more times for good measure. Hermione screamed herself hoarse, but minutes later the tremors stopped and she lay limp in his arms. He checked her over and was relieved to see the rosy pink glow of youth had returned to her skin. Seeing the unhealthy whiteness from the damage had affected him more than he would ever admit.
Hermione's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled at him – a genuine, unguarded smile that lifted his heart. It was then that he realized he still held her in his arms. Severus moved to disentangle himself and was surprised when she firmly gripped the front of his robes and pulled his head down to meet hers in a kiss.
There were few times that Severus Snape had found himself truly shocked. The first was when he discovered his father was a Death Eater. The second, when his brother left home without a word to anyone. The third, when Voldemort turned out to be the evil bastard people said he was. (Okay, that part he should have expected.) The fourth, when Albus Dumbledore offered him absolution for his sins as a servant of the Dark Lord. The fifth, when Potter actually succeeded at killing the evil wizard. And now the sixth, when Hermione Granger touched her petal soft lips to his and gave him what he had secretly yearned for during the past few months.
He pulled back an unknown amount of time later, only to jump away from her as if burned. The emotions crowding in her eyes were confused, happy, uncertain, pleased, bewildered, and several others he could not name. The one that stood out in his mind, however, was the confusion. It was obvious to him that she had no idea what she had been thinking when she kissed the greasy git of the dungeons. Giving her a cold stare, he quickly whirled and marched out of the infirmary as if pursued by a thousand demons.
Hermione looked after him, baffled. What the hell just happened, she wondered. Did I just kiss Sev… Professor Snape? Her eyes widened. Oh my god, I did just kiss my professor! Her mind began to babble in panic. He's going to hate me… everything we've shared for the past month is ruined… god I want to kiss him again… what the hell did I do that for… I love him so much… somebody kill me please… the Cruciatus has nothing on this torture… he hates me… he thinks I'm disgusting… oh my god… oh my god… oh my…
"Hermione?"
Her head snapped up to see Ron Weasley standing near her bed. He looked nervous today, and was hiding something behind his back.
"Yes, Ron?" Why couldn't he leave her alone? He was her best friend but bloody hell, would he never get it through his head that she did not like him that way? She had a bad feeling about what he held.
Sure enough, he whipped out a bundle of bedraggled flowers. "Er… I just wanted to wish you a… good morning, 'Mione. And to get well. And to get out of here soon. And…"
She held up her hand. "Thanks, Ron, but would you mind leaving me alone for a while? I just finished my treatment and I am very tired."
"Oh! Sorry," he mumbled. "I… I'll come back later. When you're feeling better. When… uh… you're not tired… er…"
Her lips curved into a smile. "Thanks, Ron. Don't forget to bring Harry and your sister with you."
"Er… uh… right. Well… rest well, 'Mione."
Hermione threw herself back into her pillows, immediately wincing at the pain, and then closed her eyes. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks, and for once she just let them come.
He's going to hate me, she thought.
Severus stormed into his quarters and immediately poured himself a generous dose of Firewhisky. What he hell just happened, he wondered. Hermione Granger kissed him. What sick joke was this that the woman he cared for – loved, maybe – just pulled him into the most incredible kiss of his life? And that was without tongues. By Merlin he wanted to go up there and return the favor, in spades, but he resisted the urge. Not only was she a student, but she was the one person at Hogwarts who actually had a chance to go out and do something incredible with her life. There was no way he, a former Death Eater, was going to take advantage of a short-lived infatuation that would end in tears. Bugger, this was going to be uncomfortable. What had the girl been thinking?
Three months ago, Albus Dumbledore had called him into his office to inform him that Hermione Granger, Gryffindor prodigy and royal pain in his arse, had researched and modified a spell that she believed would destroy Voldemort. Dumbledore thought there was something to her research, and ordered Severus to assist her. In order to cover his need to be around her for significant periods of time, the headmaster ordered each of the professors to take an assistant from an opposing House for the remainder of the year.
Of course, he had to be stuck with the Gryffindor know-it-all. He had hoped to be spared, to figure out another way, but his excuse of her having too many duties as Head Girl was shot down when Draco Malfoy, the Head Boy, was selected by McGonagall. The little traitor requested the position as a way to be near his Gryffindor girlfriend. Bastard. Thanks to him, he could not turn the bushy-haired know-it-all away. Especially since she was the only one who volunteered to be his assistant. No one else had the audacity to step forward.
The experience was far different than he could have expected. Severus was surprised to find out that Miss Granger's knowledge of potions was not limited to what she read in books. She apparently had received the headmaster's permission for limited experimentation, and possessed a very thorough working knowledge of the process. They began with her research, but then rapidly expanded to include getting her help in grading and class preparations. Once he was satisfied that she was capable, he accepted her help in the lab as well. The past month could probably be marked up to one of the best in his life. During the first month of her assistance, Severus kept his distance and refused to discuss anything outside potions or the spell with her.
After a late night in the lab, one night, they got into an argument over the proper procedure to slice dragon tongue for the spell. He was surprised to discover her encyclopedic knowledge of the ingredient's properties was nearly as extensive as his own. The Potions master was right, of course. He had more than twenty years of experience that made him far more capable at such judgments. Instead of gloating, however, he grudgingly accepted the fact that she brought up several valid points, which had the added benefit of moving her closer to the "peer" category.
That was when he began seeing her as a person – a woman – and not as only a student. Things were far more comfortable after that, especially since she accepted his victory with incredible grace. Their experiment worked, and they were prepared to fight when Voldemort finally attacked Hogwarts.
He swirled his glass, unable to help thinking that her hair was the same color as the dark, amber liquid. Beautiful, he thought. From that point forward, it was only a matter of time before he realized he was attracted to the Gryffindor beauty. What the hell happened today? Hermione had never indicated to him that she was attracted to him in any way. Not that she would, commented his mind. Not while she was a student. So what caused her to kiss him until he was weak in the knees?
He needed to know. Severus quickly finished his drink – liquid courage was right – and headed out to find some answers. Unfortunately, the answers were not as forthcoming as he hoped.
Madam Pomfrey returned to Hogwarts shortly after Hermione was given her final treatment by the Potions professor. She was a bit put out by that, but the headmaster calmed her down by telling her it was his suggestion. He mentioned that the young Gryffindor had been in the infirmary long enough and was well overdue for some rest and relaxation with her friends. After seeing her patient's face upon awakening, the mediwitch decided the old wizard was not insane after all. Hermione was cleared to leave the infirmary by lunchtime, and merrily headed off to find her friends.
She would deal with the consequences of her odd actions later.
Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Draco were thrilled to see that she was doing so much better. They excitedly informed her of their imminent trip into Hogsmeade, to which she was, of course, invited. At the time, she thought nothing could ruin her day.
Ginny dragged her upstairs after they ate and insisted upon dressing her up for their trip into town. "Just in case," Ginny told her. Just in case what? She wondered. For the first time during her terms at the school, Hermione found herself wearing a dress. It was a nice, light blue summer dress that hugged her curves and made her look far more female than anyone had ever seen her since her fourth year. Even Hermione noticed the looks she was getting from various boys as they walked through the halls. Not to mention the bug-eyed stare she got from Ron when he saw her.
"Bugger, 'Mione. You look… wow. Like a girl!"
She frowned. "In case you didn't notice, Ronald, I am a girl."
"Oh… er… uh…"
"Maybe we should be off," said Harry, trying to keep the peace.
"Yes," she said, taking Harry's arm, "let's."
Ron seemed rather put out that Hermione was walking with Harry, but she decided to ignore him and try to enjoy her first day out of the infirmary since the battle. She noticed her red-haired best friend glaring at them, but since it did not seem to be bothering Harry, she was not concerned. She knew she was not Harry's type anyway. He seemed to be interested in the more athletic types. Like the new Ravenclaw Chaser, Alicia Henderson. She was pretty, with strawberry blond hair and vivid blue eyes, and was a brain, something that he learned to appreciate thanks to his best friend. Even better was that she seemed to genuinely like Hermione, and had no issues with the closeness between her and Harry.
The group wandered around, chatting and having a good time. Hermione even went with them into The Golden Snitch, a Quidditch supply store, where they ran in to Alicia and Luna. Harry quickly released his best friend in order to go be with his current crush. Minutes later, Harry and Alicia excused themselves and left, followed quickly by Ginny and Draco.
Hermione was rather unhappy about being left alone with Ron and Luna. She was tired of her friends trying to force her to get together with Ron, and was getting to the point where she was not going to remain quiet much longer. At least Luna was there.
"Hermione?" Ron was doing his best to ignore the odd Ravenclaw girl who was gazing at him adoringly.
Bloody hell. "Yes, Ron?" she snapped.
"Er… would you like to go to Madam Puddifoot's while we're here?"
Was it her imagination, or was Luna eying her jealously? "Honestly, Ron, why would you think I would want to go there? The entire place is a monument to bad taste! Ugh! I refuse to step foot in that bastion of garishness. I'm going to Ex Libras." Angry with the others for abandoning her like this, Hermione stormed out of the store.
She almost laughed when she heard Luna say in her dreamy voice, "I'd be happy to accompany you, Ronald."
Ex Libras was not too distant from the Quidditch store, so it would not have taken her long to get there, had she actually done so. However, Hermione Granger was not a stupid girl. She was fully well aware that Ron would follow her there, hoping to convince her to go to that horrid place, or go somewhere else to snog or something. One would think he would have gotten a clue by now. She was not interested and never would be interested in him as anything other than a friend. Especially after the fiasco with the Head Boy's room.
She smirked at the memory.
Ron had been very persistent about trying to move their relationship into something greater than friends. Once he realized Harry had no problems with it, he did his level best to woo her, in his own, extremely odd way. Hermione held Harry and the other Gryffindors partially to blame. They told Ron that Hermione needed him so she would lighten up; that they would be great together because they were so different. The poor young man took their words to heart, believing that she honestly needed someone to pull her away from her books and make her laugh. Had Hermione known what her fellow housemates were doing, there would have been few unhexed members of Gryffindor House that night. Unfortunately for Ron, he never realized his idea of funny and hers were very different.
Ron had a very blunt and flamboyant sense of humour. For some odd reason he seemed to think prank flowers and jokes would be a great way to win her heart. Especially pranks on someone he thought she hated. He persuaded the twins to give him one of the big prank boxes, and spent the better part of a day rigging Draco Malfoy's room. Unfortunately, Ron failed to remember that the Head Girl and Boy shared a common area. The end result was a very angry Hermione and Draco, and a very hexed Ron Weasley. It was one of the few times Hermione was grateful for Snape's tendency to look the other way where Draco was concerned.
Ginny gave her brother a stern talking-to, and he toned it down and began to take her advice on how to get Hermione's attention. The flowers really were beautiful, as was the heart-shaped locket. But the perfume smelled like something Hagrid would wear, and the Complete Guide to Quidditch was useless to her. She told him numerous times over the weeks he tormented her that she had no interest in him beyond friendship, but just when she thought he had gotten the point, a bouquet of flowers would show up in her room, or an owl would bring her yet another box of Honeyduke's chocolates.
He obviously never got the hint that she was not hugely fond of the stuff.
When Albus Dumbledore told her about his plan to make her Snape's assistant, she was initially overjoyed at the chance to avoid Ron and his persistent efforts to woo her. Then reality hit. Was she really willing to sacrifice all her free time to be around a man who belittled her at every opportunity and did everything in his power to punish her and her friends for the sins of the Marauders? Admittedly, the Espiritus spell was important, but she had to survive the experience of creating it first. If it had not been for her fanatical loyalty to Harry and the Order, Hermione would have told Dumbledore where he could stick his idea and gleefully served detention for the rest of the year. With Filch. Sure, Snape was brilliant, but he was also a bastard. Fortunately, he made an effort to tone down the derision for the time she was there.
Admittedly, the first month was difficult. He was surly and sour, constantly snapping at her about pretty much everything she did. He had been doing the same thing to her for six years, however, and it barely fazed her now. She ignored him and kept working, eventually garnering enough respect that he talked civilly (as much as he was civil) to her. The next two months were the best of her life. By the time the final battle arrived, she and her professor had become friends, and spent hours chatting about every topic under the sun. He even allowed her to help him after his Death Eater meetings sometimes, seemingly grateful for her company. When the time for the final battle arrived, he gave her loads of advice and seemed concerned about her. She knew she was worried about him. Just before they went to the Great Hall with the others, she kissed him on the cheek and gave him a hug, wishing him luck.
So what the hell happened today?
While she admitted she found him attractive, she never intended to do or say anything about it while she was still a student. Even then, she had figured it would be best to wait a few years before approaching him. It was for a number of reasons. One, she had no way of knowing whether or not her feelings were true or the result of a school crush. Two, she wanted to distance herself from the "annoying know-it-all" image he had of her, and be able to approach him on equal terms. And three, she never thought he would give her the time of day.
Hermione found herself at the other end of Hogsmeade, wandering around near some of the more obscure stores. She perked up as she saw the familiar Ye Potente Potions. Before she could change her mind, she was inside the small store, looking around at the selection of ingredients. Her mind turned to other issues, most notably some of the potions she was working on, and she mentally listed the characteristics of the materials as she went. Maybe the moonblossom would be useful for her Sweet Dreams potion.
"One would expect, Miss Granger, that you would have the intelligence to be with your friends on your first day out of the infirmary," said a silky voice behind her.
She whirled. "I would be, professor, if I had any desire to associate with them," she replied coolly.
He raised an eyebrow. "Trouble in paradise?"
"Nothing that an old fashioned dose of Sleep Potion couldn't fix."
Hermione could tell by the smirk on his face that he was amused. "Then perhaps you might allow me to aid you in that task. There are few things I desire more than to bask in the silence of certain annoying Gryffindors."
"And Slytherin. Draco isn't exactly on my high list right now either."
Severus offered her his arm as they left the store. "Please indulge me, my dear. What on earth could the magnificent trio have done to anger you so?"
She gritted her teeth. "They left me alone with Ron."
"Ah." During the months they had spent together, Severus learned that, contrary to popular belief, Hermione had no interest in being with youngest Weasley male romantically. He thought it indicated the presence of very good taste, but understood how difficult it was for her. Apparently, none of the little bastards truly comprehended her disinterest, and spent far too much time trying to get the two together. Between Molly and those idiot friends of hers, she stood little chance at avoiding the issue. He refused to acknowledge the sense of relief he felt at knowing she was completely uninterested in the boy.
How they could possibly think she would be interested in someone like Weasley, he had no idea. He would have imagined her with Draco Malfoy first. At least the Head Boy had brains. Not to mention the good looks of his father. The man may have been an evil bastard, but he was a handsome evil bastard who drew the ladies like a magnet. Hell, even Potter. As much as he despised the boy, he was a far better choice than Weasley.
"Is it safe for me to assume your young Romeo was feeling amorous?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "When isn't he? What do I have to do to get it through his head that I'm not interested? Maybe I should hex his balls off," she muttered.
Ouch. "That might work, but really Miss Granger, do you want to relieve the boy of what limited intellect he has?"
She snickered. "I suppose not. He has to think with something. Ugh! He's coming this way! Quick, professor, in here!"
Before he knew it, Severus Snape was standing in a jewelry shop next to his mortified assistant.
"Er…"
He held up a hand. "Say nothing, Miss Granger. I understand." Severus glanced scathingly at the approaching saleswitch, who immediately turned and found another customer to victimize. "I would suggest you take yourself over there and look at the bracelets. I'm sure you wouldn't want them to think you are here for a ring."
"Not that I would mind," he thought she whispered as she moved away. No. That was impossible.
Hermione felt her face flush at the words, and quickly took herself over to the clear case. The next quarter of an hour was spent in silence as she glanced over the bracelets and he examined the pocket watches. Neither of them moved in the direction of the rings.
One of the sparkling ornaments caught her eye, and she motioned to one of the salespeople for help.
"I'd like to see that one, please," she requested softly.
The bracelet in question was obviously for charms, but she had never seen anything more beautiful. The bracelet was white gold, each link alternating with small, sapphire gemstones. The display piece already held a charm – a cauldron – carved obsidian in a white gold setting. She absolutely fell in love with it.
"How much?" She inquired, wincing at the woman's disdainful look.
"Fifty Galleons," she replied, confident that the young witch could never afford such a trinket.
"Charge it to this account," said Snape's deep voice. He handed her what appeared to be a credit card. At Hermione's look of curiosity, he smirked. "Good in both the Muggle world and here. And far more convenient."
She took a closer look at it when the woman handed it back. Snape silently let her examine it, amused at her incessant curiosity. The card was truly a credit card, solid silver in color with a green snake border. Leave it to him to get a Slytherin motif. He took the card back after signing the authorization slip, and it was only then that his actions registered.
"Uh… sir… I…"
"Stop stammering, Miss Granger, and hold out your arm. It needs to be sized while still in the store."
"Er…" she held out her arm, dazed by his behaviour. The bracelet shrunk to fit her wrist, and the saleswoman tapped it twice with her wand.
"Should you need it to be resized, return to the store and we will do it without charge." Her tone was still snooty, but slightly less cold.
"Thank you," Hermione said softly, her eyes meeting those of her professor.
"You are most welcome, Miss Granger. Consider it a graduation present." Severus struggled to sound aloof, yet less cold than usual. "I do believe Mr. Weasley should be elsewhere by now."
"One can only hope." Hermione stepped out of the store and was immediately spotted by Ginny and Harry, who were worried about her disappearance. They never noticed the Potions master as he made a quiet escape through the shadows behind her. It was only when he was far enough away not to be seen that he stopped to watch.
"Where the bloody hell have you been?" Harry demanded. "Ron said you went running off to the book store, but you weren't there!"
"Obviously not, Harry. I was in the jewelry shop. Honestly. It was only half an hour."
"You could have…"
"What, Harry, been kidnapped by Voldemort? I thought the whole point of defeating him was so we could be safe to live normal lives."
"Ron was worried sick."
That was it. She had enough of this. Hands on her hips, Hermione let loose her temper on her "helpful" friends. "I don't care what Ron was, Harry Potter. Contrary to what you and certain individuals seem to think, Ronald Weasley is not my father, my keeper, or anything other than my best friend. The next time you abandon me in order to give him the chance to hit on me, you will find yourself wishing Voldemort was still alive so it would be him that killed you," she hissed. Harry was shocked at the anger in her eyes. "I am sick and fucking tired of you all thinking that you know better than me about my life. I am not Ron's girlfriend. I will never be Ron's girlfriend. And if you keep this up, I will no longer be a friend to any of you!"
Even Draco found himself impressed at her tirade. He had warned them that they were doing something truly stupid, but who listens to the Slytherin? Surely, he could never know what was good for a Gryffindor. He mentally shook his head. They really needed to learn how to read people. He knew years ago that Granger and Weasel would never make it as a couple. The only reason she dated him last year was because everyone expected it. What buggering imbeciles.
Harry sputtered in shock. "'Mione… what…"
"Shut it, Harry. You're lucky I don't hex your balls off right now." She turned to glare at Ginny. "And you! I thought I could trust you. I told you that I didn't like Ron that way, and what did you do? You just had to keep pushing. Obviously you know best, right Molly?" Ginny looked stricken at the reference to her mother. If there was one thing the younger girl was afraid of, it was becoming overbearing like the formidable Weasley matriarch. "Leave. Me. Alone. Who I date, when I date, or even if I date is my business and my business alone." With a final sweeping glare at her friends, the angry Head Girl stormed off.
It was all Severus could do not to applaud.
"Cor. What the bloody hell was that?"
"Shut up, Ron." Harry seemed rather shocked by his best friend's behaviour, but was apparently not willing to deal with the Weasley boy's whining. Maybe Potter was not so bad after all. Severus mentally slapped himself. Yes he was.
"I don't understand," mused Ginny. "She should have been ecstatic over the idea of spending time with Ron."
The others looked at her in surprise. "What do you mean," asked Harry. "Did you do something, Ginny?"
She looked around nervously, and then motioned for them to follow her. "Maybe we should talk elsewhere."
Ron gazed at her incredulously. "Ginny?"
"Not here, Ronald."
Uh oh, thought Severus. It seemed pretty obvious to him what she had to have done. Well that explained the kiss. His heart ached at the thought that Hermione only kissed him because of a spell or other coercive magic. Of course it was magic, said the little voice in his head. Why would a woman like that give a greasy git like you the time of day?
He needed to find out what happened. Severus followed the students back to Hogwarts, using all the skills he had gained as a spy to stay unnoticed. The pain in his chest grew sharper as they approached the school and the truth. Knowing he would be unable to remain unseen inside the castle, he quickly cast a Tracing Charm on the Weasley girl, and walked in the direction away from them.
One of the advantages to being a professor at Hogwarts was the ability to traverse the castle using hidden passages and secret doors. Severus was able to bypass a good portion of the school that way, and managed to beat the students to the Room of Requirement. A Disillusionment Charm and a set of Extendible Ears found him ready for Miss Weasley's revelations.
He never realized how badly it would hurt to hear the truth from her lips, however.
"All right, Ginny, what the bloody hell is going on," demanded Harry Potter.
"Er… maybe you should sit down, Harry. And give me your wand."
"Ginny…" he growled warningly.
"I still don't understand why we're here," said Ron Weasley, dim as always.
Severus rolled his eyes at the boy's confusion. Once again, he failed to understand how anyone could think Hermione could be with someone like that.
"Spill it, Ginny," said Alicia.
"Uh…"
"It was a Love Potion. Wasn't it?" inquired Luna.
The others started as they realized the odd Ravenclaw had followed them. Ginny nodded. That was all Severus needed to know. He refused to observe any longer. Unnoticed by the group, a silent shadow detached itself from the wall and disappeared into a hidden door.
The conversation continued in his absence.
"WHAT?" Harry leapt out of his chair, barely managing to control the urge to draw his wand. "Why the bloody fuck would you do such a thing?"
Ron simply gazed at her in shock.
"What was I supposed to do, Harry? Look at him. Ron's been mooning over her for years and she's never even given him an honest chance. I just thought…"
"No, Ginny," interrupted Alicia, "that's the problem. You didn't think. Did it ever even occur to you that there was a reason she never gave your brother a chance?"
"Wha… what do you mean?"
"Did you ever think that maybe Hermione was genuinely not interested in your brother that way?" She shook her head. "Of course you didn't. How could Hermione possibly know what the hell she wanted as far as relationships were concerned? After all, she's just a bloody bookworm, isn't that right, Ginny?"
"I…"
"You violated her, Ginny. You violated her trust and you victimized her with a bloody potion. You could go to Azkaban for that."
"Alicia…" began Harry.
She briefly turned her glare to him. "Shut it, Harry. Do you know why Love Potions are illegal, Ginny?"
The red haired girl shook her head.
"Because they're like the Unforgivable Curse Imperious. They take away a person's free will, forcing them along a path determined by someone else."
"I just wanted her to see that they could be good together! She just needed to have things shaken up a bit. You know – make her experience the love I know is in her heart."
"I can't believe you did that, Ginny." Ron looked at his sister in disbelief, his eyes dull. "I never wanted her to be forced into loving me. I… I wanted her to feel it for herself. Now she's going to hate me forever."
"It's not you she's going to hate, Ron," said Harry, his eyes on Ginny. "It's not your fault."
"Why didn't it work?" wondered Luna.
"That depends. Which potion did you use?" Alicia looked at the contrite Gryffindor curiously.
"It wasn't that strong, actually. The Admo Doulus potion."
Alicia frowned. "Actually, Ginny, that is pretty strong. Where did you get it?"
She flushed and mumbled something.
"What was that?"
"Wormwood's Apothecary."
"In Knockturn Alley? What the hell were you thinking, Ginny?" This time it was Draco who turned to glare at his girlfriend. He knew she had been up to something, but he had no idea how far she had gone.
"Yes, alright! Knockturn Alley! I went there during the day while you were looking at Quidditch supplies and picked up my order for the potion. I put it in her juice this morning, and figured she would be all over Ron by the time we went to Hogsmeade."
"So for some reason, it didn't work," observed Alicia.
"Maybe she didn't drink the juice," said Harry.
"Hmmmm. We could ask the house-elves."
"Dobby?"
The floppy-eared elf appeared in front of Harry, and then grinned. "Harry Potter! What can Dobby do for Harry Potter?"
"Dobby, do you know if Hermione drank her pumpkin juice this morning?"
"Yes sir. Harry Potter's friend drank it all while she was in the infirmary. Dobby made sure it was all gone."
Harry's eyes narrowed. "Why did you do that, Dobby?"
"Because Harry Potter's friend put something special in Miss Hermione's drink. Dobby wanted to make sure she drank it all so she would feel better." He looked around fearfully. "Did Dobby do something wrong? Dobby will punish himself…"
"NO! No, Dobby, it's fine. You did nothing wrong. Thank you."
"Dobby, is Miss Hermione's glass clean yet?" Alicia eyed the house elf.
"Of course, Miss. Dobby and the other house-elves are very quick."
"I see. That's good, Dobby. Thank you." Alicia spoke quickly, not wanting to give the small creature a reason for punishment.
"Dobby, would you mind bringing us a tray of snacks and some drinks?" Harry smiled at Dobby, hoping to distract him.
"It would be Dobby's pleasure, Harry Potter. Is there anything else Harry Potter's friends need?"
"No, Dobby. We're fine. Thanks," replied Alicia. As soon as he disappeared, she sat down heavily on the nearby couch. "Well, bugger."
For the first time in a while, Ron spoke. "Why? What's the matter? We know what potion she used. What do you need the glass for?"
"I wanted to make sure it was the right potion. Your sister did buy it in Knockturn Alley." Ginny flinched at the stern glare. "The Admo Dolus potion is a combination between a love and lust potion. It is designed to release inhibitions and bring out the secret desires of the imbiber. It also focuses the affect on a particular person – most commonly the first seen. I've read that there's a way to target the potion, but I'm not sure what it is."
"It's Dark magic," said Ginny softly. "I was going to do it, but I didn't want to get expelled for using Dark magic at Hogwarts."
"Bloody hell, Ginny. And I thought Hermione was barmy. Bugger." Ron gazed at his sister in disturbed awe.
Tears filled the young Gryffindor's eyes. "I just wanted Ron and Hermione to be happy! I thought things would work out well for both of them. I thought…"
"You knew what was best for everyone involved," finished Harry. "Take this as a lesson learned, Gin. People have to live their own lives no matter how difficult it is to watch sometimes."
"I have a question," said Ron suddenly. He looked around the room. "Who did she see after drinking the potion?"
The group of students fell silent, hoping one of them knew who was the target of Hermione's affections.
"It couldn't be Madam Pomfrey," said Alicia. "The potion specifically targets the opposite gender."
"She looked rather upset when I came in, this morning," Ron said slowly.
"Who could upset her so early…" Harry trailed off.
"Professor Snape!" exclaimed Draco.
"WHAT?"
"It makes perfect sense. He left the Great Hall early today, as usual, but I noticed him talking to the headmaster. He probably went down there to help Madam Pomfrey give her the last treatment."
Ron interrupted. "Madam Pomfrey didn't get back until after I went down there."
"No one was there?"
"No, but like I said, she looked upset."
"Bugger. Snape must have given her the final potions, but did she drink the juice before he left?" wondered Harry.
"I think we're getting a bit off topic, here. Hermione's running around with some strange potion in her system and we're bickering about who she might have seen after drinking it."
"It's rather important, Alicia" snapped Ginny.
"Maybe to you. I'd say it would be more important to find Hermione and let her know what happened."
Ginny blanched. "What?"
"Ginny, you have to tell her," said Ron, who seemed surprisingly reasonable.
"But… I… she'll… she'll hate me…"
"Flying Twinkleworms never lose their sparkle, Ginny. They just dim out in time for the dawn."
"Er… right. Thanks, Luna."
The Ravenclaw smiled at her dreamily, and handed her a bottlecap.
Knowing she had no choice, Ginny made her decision. It would be far better for Hermione to hear about the potion from her, than from someone else. Or worse yet, figure it out herself. If she started acting strangely toward someone she was not attracted to, the Head Girl was more than capable of doing the Arithmancy and coming up with the right number.
Right. First, the Maurader's Map, thought Ginny. And then, the confrontation. Goody. Thankful that Harry was still being a good friend, Ginny grabbed the map and a box of chocolate biscuits for a peace offering, and then headed off to find her friend.