Revenge Begins, Chapter 45

Revenge Begins

We spent Sunday in one way or another to our likings. There were no special occurrences, and thanks to Professor Snape I tried to make myself invisible, which I succeeded in fabulously. I had even finished my dinner - which was my only real meal in the hall - so fast, that I had disappeared before he showed up. But I also unfortunately hadn’t seen Draco thanks to my excellent tactic. But it was worth it, because I would see Snape early enough on Monday morning again and so I gave myself another peaceful day, whilst I could deceive myself that I wouldn't have to be scared of his revenge.

"Hermione?" it came hesitantly. "Yes, Harry?" I kindly turned to him.

"It's about your idea that I should teach..." He looked a bit unsure.

"Yes, did you think about it?" I gave him an encouraging smile.

"Mh-hm, yes, but I still don't know if I'm the right one! I mean, you're much more suitable!" it came weakly from Harry, when we were interrupted, because Ron now threw himself onto the couch next to Harry.

"Nonsense, Harry! I told you Hermione was right. You'd be perfect!", Ron said firmly, which made me smile at Ron from the bottom of my heart, because he finally saw something in the right way. Miracles happened and it was nice when one could be there to experience it in person.

"Harry, why do you doubt it?" I looked at him anxiously.

"I mean, what can I do? I'm nothing special," he pointed at himself, unsure.

"Harry, please, you're quite powerful! Lazy, but powerful. Your spells have real strength and you're the only one who has faced evil. Believe me you are exactly the right one!" I tried to convince him. He looked at me very insecure and even if I didn't like the idea, I knew it was the right thing for Harry. It would also make him grow up, the responsibility, I hoped. But I still needed help, he wasn't convinced yet. But I knew who could help me and I just knew, he would be enthusiastic and would support me in my endeavour to convince Harry.

"Harry, do you want to make Sirius aware of the idea and hear his opinion?" I asked hesitantly. It was like switching on a bulb. It wasn't easy for me to suggest this, and to know that I would see him again so soon, but the only way to reach my goal quickly was this approach. This would be the easiest way to convince Harry of my idea and so I just had to do it. Thus we wrote Sirius a letter with the request to appear on Monday at midnight in the fireplace again, and Harry headed happily for the Owl Tower. As he told us afterwards, he met Cho and she helped him save the letter from Filch, because he wanted to prevent him from sending it. Well, the girl finally got her act together again. Her being so slow and shy was very annoying, as I found.

Monday morning came as sure as the Amen in the church, unfortunately! And with it also my morning run, which in the increasingly colder air made every bit of tiredness disappear. Draco gave me a gentle but well-hidden smile from the Slytherin table. Also, you could see that the students around him were even more afraid of him than before. It would be interesting to know how the thing had gone between him and Snape. Who had won? Could such an argument be won at all?

According to Draco's autocratic appearance, my answer seemed to be a yes for Draco! Also, how all of his mates idolized him was confirmation enough. Okay, I just got sick.

Hey, folks, he already has a real big ego, don't blow it up even more. I shook my head smiling at my blasphemous thoughts. Now it was time for me to brew potions and to not show a single thing. How does one say so beautifully? Grit your teeth and get to it! Yeah, I got lucky for once, almost impossible to believe. No, I didn't believe it myself. When I entered the dark classroom with the Gryffindors, Snape glanced at me maliciously, hidden under his long hair, but he didn't have time for much more, I couldn't believe my luck, because Umbridge wanted to carry out her inspection in Snape’s class. I could have danced I was so happy. There was apparently still someone who he hated even more than me and this was a pink toad that thought herself to be very important!

Draco laughed mockingly, and I could see from his eyes that he'd done it because of my relieved facial expression. Yes, hahaha, you have a good laugh, my dear. It seemed, that Draco had a jester's license. But I, I doubted it very much! And so the lesson began, and we were all witnesses of how the Bitch annoyed Snape with the fact that he always applied for the post of the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, but was never accepted. What obviously drove the professor's mood into unimagined depths. No student dared to make a sound and I quickly disappeared from this freezing chamber as soon as we were allowed to go, as no one had ever seen me leave. Thanks to Umbridge, I now had to fear for my life if he caught me today. So I got the day behind me, but unfortunately without the chance to have Draco close to me even once. I sighed. Well, then maybe tomorrow. And the day brought me good research material, which made my opinion towards Dumbledore even worse, but I still didn't address it.

Well, I actually had reached the limits of the school's library. I wouldn't be able to get any new information here, but I knew where I could get it, even if I still didn't know how to get in, so I worked on a plan.

Later, in the common room, I checked Harry's and Ron's output and had to declare to my suffering that they had unfortunately not improved. Ignorant idiots! It was so annoying. I mean, was it so hard to read a textbook? Apparently yes, I just felt terribly sorry for myself. But I forgot the most important thing and that was apparently Quidditch! Ugh..

And so I fumed over the parchments,while my quick-quotes quill was busy doing writing my history essay for me writing. Thanks Rita, I saved a lot of work and time, which I otherwise would've wasted with unimportant frippery. Therefore we spent the waiting time with homework, until at the agreed time the fireplace once again showed Sirius' fiery and red-hot head.

"Harry, how nice to see you!" Sirius said pleased. He didn't pay any attention to me anymore, but focused exclusively on his godson. Ah, so he was still offended, but he looked his usual self again.

"Sirius, I'm so glad to see you again, how are you?" The happiness that radiated from Harry made Sirius laugh heartily, it sounded almost like barking. When he was like that, so relaxed, free, and happy... Don't think about it, Hermione, I tried to calm myself.

"Good Harry, good, thank you. But tell me what can I do for you? Where do you need my advice?" he asked curiously and immediately started to talk about the actual topic.

"It's about.." And so Harry presented him our plan to create our own defense group and to give us all the necessary knowledge!

"But Harry, why do you hesitate, that's fantastic!" Sirius exclaimed enthusiastically. Yes, hadn't I said it? I could rely on Sirius. "Especially in times of dark-magical threats, it's inevitable to practice and learn, and this ministry bitch won't teach you," he ranted angrily and excitedly, he went on for a while.

"I would suggest you go behind the wall mirror on the fourth floor and use it as an exercise room," he suggested.

"That won't work, it broke down years ago," Harry said apologetically.

"Oh, then maybe... what is there?" Sirius snapped his head around, staring around the fire, looking as if he was caught, and listened attentively. "Damn, crap..", and he quickly disappeared from the flames. The three of us looked at each other not understanding the situation, then each of us shrugged. What was happening? At that moment we could see small, fat sausage fingers in the glowing flames of the fire, which were digging around, trying in vain to catch the intruder of the floo network.

Umbridge!

We jumped back from the fireplace in surprise once the hand came close to us, because we didn't want her to know that we were the ones who had had a forbidden conversation with a fugitive. "Boah, that stupid, old toad, how did she know that?" Ron immediately ranted.

"No idea, come!" I replied quietly and so we moved further back.

"And buddy, what are you going to do now?" Ron asked. I also looked at him in interest because of Ron's question.

"Sirius convinced me, Yes, I'll do it! We have to do something, it won't help if we just watch!" Harry decided with strength and conviction in his voice.

"Well roared, lion!" Ron patted him on the shoulder.

"Oh Harry, I'm so happy!" I said openly, hugging him gratefully, whereupon he patted my back.

"And how do we continue?" Harry asked then, and I broke away from him.

"I'm planning everything. We'll meet with interested students on Sunday! Only I don't have an idea where we could hold the meetings here in Hogwarts, yet," I admitted, biting my lip once again.

"Cool, it's gonna be great, I can't wait. We'll find a place where we can go," Ron said adventurously.

"Thank you Hermione for doing this," Harry said, yawning heartily. "Oh man, I'm tired. I'll see if I can find anything to practice at!" I smirked. While I was used to stay awake for that long, they weren't. "It's late, let's go to bed, we are going to have classes tomorrow."

Early in the morning, the next day.

"You're hard to catch, are you hiding from me?" Once again an arm without a body pulled me into the alcove behind one of the stoney figures at the main entrance so that nobody could see us. "How good that I get up early. What are you doing so early?"

"I run, I've just finished," I grinned at Draco, who was standing in front of me, prim and proper. "And no, I'm not trying to avoid you, why? Saturday was way too nice, I'm just very busy and I thought I'd make myself a bit invisible, because of Snape! Though I'm terribly curious about what happened when I was gone."

"Wow, do you still get enough air?" it came cheekily from Draco and he stroked my heated cheek.

"Haha. Tell me already!" I pestered him curiously and poked impatiently into his side.

"Nothing, I just made Severus aware of where we stand, that he can't stop us from seeing each other, and after a short while he accepted and agreed to tolerate it," he told me, revelling in the memory of his victory.

"Aha, and what kind of punishment can I expect?" I asked resignedly, realizing that his victory wouldn't end without a reprisal for me.

"I don't know, he suddenly started to grin in a devilish manner, which was more menacing than any of his previous gestures, and really creepy. And I just told him that he can do with you whatever he wants and likes. Since I can't dictate what he has to do and can't do, the only thing that I have forbidden is that he can't demand that I stay away from you! As long as he doesn't try to keep you away from me, I won't start digging into his business! That's the deal!" He shrugged apologetically, but his grin belied how much he actually liked the situation.

"Nice, very nice, Draco," I sighed in suffering, but I was speaking to the headsnake about the headheadsnake, so I shouldn't be surprised about such wrong-headed, cunning tactics.

"Did I say I was nice?" he asked provocatively.

"No, but that you're serving me on a silver plate to him and his revenge, is still more than not nice!" I hissed angrily at him.

"Scared?" He leaned close to me and breathed wickedly and forbidden into my ear, which gave me slight goose bumps all over my skin.

"Um, no, just annoyed! I don't know what he'll think of as punishment, oh, one sec, I forgot, I will not only know! I will experience it!" The words came poisonously from me.

"You can be hilarious, did I ever tell you that?" He chuckled mockingly.

"Yes, all the time... I'm a clown!" I replied soberly.

"See you later, Mudblood, Hogwarts is awakening.." he bid me good-bye, while he brushed my forehead with his lips, which caused a pleasant tingling sensation inside me. Well, as you sow, so you shall reap, and who said that the men I was dealing with were friendly and caring? But did I want it any different? Briefly considering; No!

Everyone was sitting in the Great Hall eating breakfast a short time later. Some even stuffed themselves like real pigs. Who could eat so much in the early morning? Ron! He could only get fat in his age, he wouldn't be able to help it. No body can burn so much fat, even in puberty. But then the mail came and landed in front of me, not only the newspaper owl, but also a second owl, which resulted in some questioning looks from the students around the table. The identity of the sender puzzled even me. Gringotts? No, it was neither the 1st nor the 15th! Rita? Also unlikely, but maybe, and I couldn't think of anyone else that fast.

I looked at the letter in my hand and now recognized the handwriting. I quickly ripped it open and read the letter carefully. There was a smile on my lips when I lowered the parchment, forgetting all I had said about my lack of fortune. I was blessed, I swam in fortune! My problem, my latest idea to get to information, had almost disappeared into thin air thanks to this letter. I cheered inwardly, I actually wanted to hire Rita for getting the information I wanted, but this was much better. Yes, it was perfect.

"What's that letter about?" My friends wanted to know and I could feel a curious look from the Slytherin table as well,and yes, there was a glittering, grey pair of eyes looking at me and a piercing look from deep black obsidians from the teachers table was sure to lie on me too. "From Viktor!" I didn't even lie. "What does he want?" Ron groaned angrily.

"Writing me, nothing special, and I am very happy and should give you his greetings, Harry!" I explained kindly. Harry looked up from his plate and looked at me delightedly.

"Cool, will you answer him?" he asked earnestly interested, and as I nodded, he continued. "Then please send him my greetings and tell him to catch as many snitches as possible!"

"Harry! You can't greet this dislikeable guy!" Ron said indignantly. Harry rolled his eyes, for I knew that he had liked Viktor.

"Sure, Harry. And Ron, just because you don't like him, we don't have to not like him too," I snapped, whereupon Ron snapped his mouth shut, and frowned at me. So I rose and marched out of the hall to write my reply in the classroom, which I sent off just before noon, and I was very glad that Viktor had thought of me as company. I was looking forward to seeing him, as we now had a good platonic friendship, which we maintained with the letters. Not everything had to end like it ended with Sirius, after all I had a casual friendship with Cedric too.

The rest of the day went by without further, special occurrences. Well, if I had known about the coming evening, I would've tried to stay invisible. But as I said before, there was something I was absolutely shit at and that was clairvoyance or divination and so I ran once again unknowingly into the open knife. Like every evening, we hung around the fireplace. All other Gryffindors were more or less afraid that I would bore them to death and now I was a prefect too, so I could defend my favorite chair quite furiously and Harry, yes well, most were proud that he was a lion and so they let him take the much sought-after seat on the couch without hesitation. But unlike for Draco, this privilege wasn't always granted to us.

"Guys, I have to tell you something. You know I've had problems with this fucking scar lately. And well, today in the locker room, I've got horrible pain, but it was different from Umbitch's detention! I'm sure he was really angry today. It was similar to the night at Grimmauld Place. He was angry then too. I'm sure now! There are differences in the type of pain! He was happy when I had my detention, it felt quite different but was no less painful," Harry explained, trying to elaborate how different it felt this time. Wow, I could only stare at Harry with big, round eyes. The connection seemed incredibly deep and that was scary. But this was really unexpected. I believed Harry that he was able to feel the Dark Lord's moods! The next question was just more important, what problems did the Dark Lord have? I had the uneasy feeling, that we wouldn’t like the answer.

"This isn't good Harry, not good at all, a connection like that won't just be one sided," I said ambiguously and nibbled on my lips. "Harry, don't you want to tell Dumbledore about it?"

"No!" it came stubbornly from him. He pressed his lips together, because since the court trial he got very dismissive when someone started to speak about the ancient professor, which I could understand. If he knew what I knew, his trust in the old guy would most likely be totally lost. But to whom should I send him otherwise? "You know Harry, you have to learn to protect your mind, there's something... Occlumency... It's not easy, not easy to learn at all," I knew what I was talking about but I had done it all by myself with much effort and discipline, so Harry should be able to learn it under instructions.

"I.. that's real? I mean, I've been raised in the wizarding world, but I've never heard of anything like that before. Wicked!" Ron said baffled, amazed, and looked at me incredulously and with big eyes. "Yes, there is. It's not taught at Hogwarts, though. It's higher magic, not everyone can do it, it's really not easy, but if you can do it, you could defend yourself against mh.. You-Know-Who.. and keep him out of your mind!" I bustled.

"Really Hermione, that's amazing. Such magic exists? How do you know about it? Can you do it?" Harry asked eagerly and a bit of hope glowed in his eyes that there would be a way to get rid of the pain and insights into Voldemort's mind.

"Well, from books and no, I can't," I lied for a good reason.

"And who should teach me then?" Harry asked soberly. "You could ask the Professor," I suggested to him.

"I'm considering it, Hermione, really. But he's been so odd lately, doesn't even look at me anymore," Harry said. Yes, I had seen the unexplainable behaviour as well and couldn't figure out why, especially because he was endangering Harry's trust in him. But as I had said before, I often couldn't understand Dumbledore.

"Do that Harry, just don't wait too long," I asked him nevertheless, because Dumbledore could help him, as much as I disliked it.

"I'll really consider it, I promise," he said to me lovingly and pulled me into a hug. I could imagine that it wasn't nice to have to deal with the feelings and moods of the Dark Lord. Hello, could there be anything worse? As I kept saying, we had a really lousy youth.

"Tell me, have you found a room for training yet?" I suddenly asked, to get to another topic. Both of them shook their heads unhappily when suddenly the common room fell silent, which was creepy as well as unexpected. It was never quiet in here, that was strange. A ghostly silence lay over the normally loud and cheerful room, which immediately got my attention. And as I sat with my back to the entrance I only saw the horrified and disbelieving faces of Harry and Ron at first. They were sitting in front of me with open mouths and looked totally perplexed at a point behind me. And so I turned around quickly.

I dropped dead! Oh, he did it on purpose, I was sure! Yes, I saw that in the spiteful expression of these viciously gleaming eyes, in this pale, controlled face, which, despite its indifferent mask, looked very self-satisfied. His whole being seemed so completely out of place, in this colorful, bright room, as he stood in the middle controlling everything around him and enjoyed to see that the Gryffindors were close to a heart attack. He had come for his revenge! He wanted to ostracize me from my own house as I had made him look like a fool in front of the Slytherins. Oh, he was good, he hit me where it hurt. I didn't give myself to the illusion that what he wanted here had nothing to do with me...

There was an excited whisper. "What is he doing here?", "Is he allowed to be in here?", "Should we get McGonagall?", "How did he get in?" Just like that everything descended into chaos and the volume increased constantly. He didn't let himself be disturbed, looking scornfully at everything, and seemed to enjoy the chaos which he had caused by his sudden appearance.

"Miss Granger!" I had been waiting for that as all eyes immediately turned to me, just to stay on me. Oh, this mean bastard, he knew exactly what he was doing with his actions. Oh thanks! When ever did it happen, that the Head of Slytherin House came to the Gryffindor Tower to get someone? I think it had never happened before!

McGonagall wouldn't even dream of going to the dungeons. And so I looked at him coldly and very angrily which made the corners of his mouth twitch slightly, spitefully, making him look even more malicious.

"Yes, Professor, what can I do for you?" I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of acting surprised. Don't forget Professor, I too was good at playing. So I looked at him over my shoulder with self-confidence.

"You, come with me, right now!" he hissed so dangerously venomously that it was beyond question to what house he belonged to, really impressive.

"Oh, Professor, as you wish," I warbled in fake delight. That idiot, what should I tell Harry and Ron? That Snape was in our common room, just to get me, that was almost too much honor to bear with, so I rose very calmly out of my chair, and went fearlessly towards him, the threatening source of danger. On the outside, I was the calm itself, though inside I boiled like a geyser. I could see that he didn't like my attitude, as he pursed his lips into a tight line even more, so that they were no longer visible. What had he expected? That it would shake me up, just because he came up here like a malicious bat? Please, Professor, I was made of sterner stuff than that!

Though I was ready to admit to myself, that what was waiting for me in private made my heart flutter a bit. But even with that, I wasn't afraid and that was probably because of how I had met him as Minna.

"But Hermione.." it came from Harry. Please stop.. just shut up Harry! Snape seemed to have just waited for something like that. "Do you have anything to say, Mr. Potter?" he snarled softly at Harry. The heads of our classmates went back and forth between us. I was getting closer and closer to the professor and didn't let myself be stopped.

"Harry, leave it!" I ordered sharply, looking briefly at him with a plea in my eyes. I could see Harry's and the disbelieving looks of the others. How far would he go? I swallowed the lump in my throat away with difficulty.

"Listen to Miss Granger, Mr Potter," Snape told him coldly, and he smiled at me with his calculating eyes. "Can we go now, Miss Granger? As you know, I don't like to wait!" I was used to his very harsh tone, as if I were a snail that needed hours to come to him, but I couldn't leave his ambiguous hint that I would know what he liked uncommented. He wanted to play? Sure.

"Oh, Professor, as if I didn't know that, right, Sir?" I asked no less ambiguously. Of course, it was quite cheeky, which led to some surprised gasps from the Gryffindors, that I dared to use such a tone.

"Miss Granger, was our meeting on Saturday not enough already? Do you really want to continue to irritate me? I do not forgive standing against me!" he threatened me openly and referred to our conflict, when he had recognized me in Slytherin. He told the others openly that he and I had met on Saturday, which I of course hadn't told Harry and Ron. I would have liked to choke him.

"Professor, I am irritating you? I wasn't aware of it," I stood up to him, as if we were alone, while somewhat losing sight of the Gryffindors during my duel with Snape. But he seemed to forget it too, or he actually wanted to see me in the hot seat, since no one knew about Saturday’s trip, apart from the Twins.

"Miss Granger, should I continue to allow your outrageous behaviour? I've been allowing you to get away with it too much lately. If you had the kindness to follow me now!" it came from him drawn-out and derisively, but he remained quite calm and cold.

"But Professor, I always like to come with you!" My cynicism went crazy. I just hinted about Minna, which he couldn't know. But unfortunately the meaning of my words wasn't received just by him, but also with great outcry by the Gryffindors. What was I thinking? My idiotic temper, I would still have to work on myself! Disastrous, just because I wanted to infuriate him once more, not good, absolutely not good. However, I was to blame for the screaming and yelling starting around me, which made our Professor look even more satisfied, because I had made myself look ‘suspicious’ in front of the others. Oh, he was a manipulator. I had walked right into his trap, like a beginner and he knew that, so he wallowed in my tricky situation with pleasure.

"Hermione", "What do you mean by that..", "Hermione, what's going on..", it sounded loudly, horrified, perplexed and surprised by Ron and Harry and I was just starting to get really mad, I felt slightly pushed into the corner. On second thoughts, I had been pushed into the corner.

"Let's go, Professor, so we can get rid of your problem," I hissed to him, now painstakingly controlled, which caused him to release a tiny sound which reminded of a snarky snort.

"After you, Miss Granger, not that you'll stab me in the back with a knife!" he whispered to me now, hinting at Bole, and that he wasn’t putting it past me to try and hurt him, an allusion that left many Gryffindors with wide open mouths. Had the Slytherins looked as dumbstruck as them? I resolutely turned to the portrait exit and we left the cries of protests behind us. I walked with rapid steps determined towards the secret passageway, because as a former Slytherin I was pretty sure that he knew it himself pretty well. Great, really great, what had I just done? I was annoyed about myself beyond measure, but at that very moment my bigger problem was a Snape ready for revenge. As soon as we had disappeared into the secret passageway, I once again was allowed to make joyful acquaintance with the cold and slightly damp stone wall in my back, which didn't really surprise me.

Uff, he provocatively put his two hands on the left and right of my head against the wall and came very close to me, towering so threateningly over me that I was very much aware of my small body size. The feeling of being constricted arose in me, because I was completely and utterly at his mercy as he took me prisoner between himself and the wall.

"I am a very different caliber to play with than the stupid mutt, remember that and don't forget it, Miss Granger!" He threatened me with his deep, dark voice.

"How could I, sir?" I breathed heavily. My chest raised and lowered visibly as all this didn't pass by me without a trace.

"Draco won't protect you! In case you were hoping for it," he said sweetly. The verbal exchange came quickly, strike after strike.

"I am aware of that, Professor!" I said firmly.

"Really? And it doesn't matter to you that he is ready to deliver you to me? What do you want him to do then?" he asked briefly, as one of his dark brows raised perplexed because of my cold indifference.

"Come on, Sir. He's a Malfoy! I know what to expect from him. But you belong - according to Draco's words - to the family and that's how I know that he will agree with everything you will do to me. Don't believe that I'm blind and stupid," I hissed, now almost offended, in his much too close face.

"You can really astound with your callousness, Miss Granger," he replied intensely, looking deep into my eyes.

"Thanks for the compliment. Though I'm just realistic. But I think he showed he's ready to protect me from the Slytherins. That's enough for me to know he's serious," I said solemnly and coldly.

"Then what do you want from Draco? Protection?" he asked in disbelief. He raised his hands abruptly only to slam them back into the wall again with a loud smack. It didn't make me flinch though, because I wasn't afraid of beatings and I also didn't think that he'd hit me. He loved threatening gestures, but when it came to really doing it, it would be far below his dignity. As said, he was a different caliber than Sirius, and I was aware of that too and so I stood still, waiting for my fate.

"I think I'm going to say... no... comment, ask Draco!" I whispered provocatively, raising my shoulders apologetically. Hereon he took his right hand from the wall and caressed threateningly, lasciviously, slowly with his index finger along my face, away from my temple, going down to my chin. This wasn't a friendly, tender gesture, it created a feeling of being exposed and was more disturbing than his previous outburst, as the gesture seemed really menacing to me. He was a wonderful manipulator in things like subtly affecting an atmosphere, even I could not fully elude it. First aggressively threatening, then hidden in an equally menacing, intimate gesture. He was a thoroughly inscrutable opponent who was ready to use all means at his disposal to force his opponent to his knees.

"You just got yourself into trouble. What will the lions say, that you're talking to your professor like that? Tsk, tsk, tsk…," he whispered seductively, softly like a gentle breeze, which brushed my ear and took my breath away. As he stood there so close to me and his hair tickled my cheek, the memories threatened to overwhelm me.

"What do you care?" I questioned defiantly and I tried to creep further into the wall, in which of course I didn't succeed. It was clear to me that trouble was waiting for me, and that he was glad to have given me so much hassle, too. The first step of his revenge had already been successful and he knew that.

"Yes, I don't care. But it's too amusing," he said still silkily, but also very maliciously and he showed me a diabolic grin, which would have shaken less steadfast people. And then he abruptly pushed himself off the wall and grabbed my arm very tenderly, which I mean ironically, and pulled me down the few steps.

"First of all, you have detention from next week onwards on Monday at 20:00, Miss Granger, you have to brew the stolen potions," he declared coldly, while rushing through the secret passageway with me in tow.

"Of course, Sir." Complaining about it would've been pointless and humiliating and so I surrendered to my destiny, my chosen destiny. Had I ever said that I sometimes made really stupid decisions? Well, you were always smarter afterwards!

"And now, show me the secret passageway," he suddenly ordered out of the blue and pushed me through the wall carpet. Hey, that wasn't very gentlemanlike! "Why should I, Sir?" I asked provocatively. I really didn't feel like doing him a favor just now.

"Because that was our agreement and you don't want to break your promises, do you?" He replied smoothly, turning his black haired head toward me and looking at me piercingly. He was right, the bastard! Of course I would always stick to a promise, this, this... bastard! I was speechless. I had said that before, right? Damn, he had saved my life and he could demand a lot of me and do a lot to me and I would actually obey him. Only in the case of Draco I had unfortunately not been able to do so, firstly because I wanted Draco and that was important to me, and secondly, because Draco would never have allowed me to withdraw from him. However, I would let the Professor do and know everything else. Always! An amazing and unexpected realization for me. He didn't know that, he didn't need to know, but I didn't forget when someone was nice to me. As much as I relentlessly pursued my revenge, as faithful was I with my gratitude.

"Of course, Professor, forgive me... Follow me, please!" I said politely, apologizing. I didn't have to irritate him any more. Otherwise he might come to the horrendous idea to visit or to haunt us in Gryffindor's common room more often, and thus make my life a living hell. That couldn't happen. And I would trust him and his revengeful brain to do so. Why did I always have to get involved with men like this? Did I have such a bad taste? These were my little elevating thoughts as we wandered through the dimly lit dungeons. I led him around the corner near the potion classroom to the stoney figure of a witch and stood before it.

"What are we doing here?" he snarled impatiently.

"We're here, Sir!" I smiled nastily at him over my shoulder and pulled my wand. "Dissendium," and already the secret passageway was opening in front of us. I stepped over the threshold and he followed me silently on my heels. I cast an Incendio nonverbally and torches brightened the narrow passage. Thus we silently walked along the corridor until we reached the boulder, then I was allowed to watch as his eyebrow raised. I just shrugged and used Dissendium again and a nonverbal Wingardium Leviosa to let the heavy chunk float away like the times before. Now we entered the Forbidden Forest, which received us with its all-embracing darkness.

"Well, Sir, here we are! You just have to close the pathway afterwards, if you want to open it again use a Dissendium, that's all," I explained busily, and I was allowed to see an incredulous expression on his usual expressionless mask in the light of the Lumos of our wands whilst he turned around to look at all of this, wondering where we were.

"Impressive, Miss Granger. How did you find it? Very convenient...", he praised and seemed really impressed, while he stroked his chin.

"By chance, I stumbled over it. Does it help you?" I asked, hoping he wouldn't ask any more.

"Absolutely, it'll save a lot of time, but it's also dangerous, it would make Hogwarts unsafe if too many people knew it was here!" he immediately spotted the blind spot and spoke more to himself than to me.

"Well Professor, that is clear to me, which is why only you, me and Draco know about this path. And I think Draco is smart enough to not tell anyone. Even Harry and Ron have no knowledge of this path," I immediately clarified to the professor.

"Why not Potter? He always knows best what he shouldn’t know about," he said mockingly with clear disdain.

"No, it's better if he doesn't know about this path. Besides, he can't apparate. It wouldn't help him," I harshly waved his mock away with a gesture of my hand.

"Uhm Professor.. even if you're at odds with me at the moment... I, we've got a problem...", I pulled my lower lip through my teeth and looked at him as he turned to me, his arms folded in front of his chest, in his right hand his wand, which illuminated his face from below.

"Brave to speak about me helping you after your last performance..", he remarked, his tone of voice immediately turning frosty.

"I know and I wouldn't dare to speak to you if I wouldn't consider it very important! You won't like it though!" I predicted boldly and looked at him shyly.

"Did I ever like something that had anything to do with you?" he muttered nastily, cocking his head provocatively. What an idiot! Whenever you were inside me, Professor, you've enjoyed everything very much! My emotions threatened to overwhelm me, I started to feel it rising up inside me, but breathe deeply, calm down..

"Well, I can't give you an answer to that, but it's about Harry!" I said now pressing my lips together and wanted to concentrate on the important things. I could see how his jaw began to work, yes, he didn't like it.

"What about Potter?" he growled impatiently.

"Well, since the night... after he came back, Harry is having problems with his scar..." I stuttered uncertainly, but Snape waited patiently, and I wondered why we were able to speak so openly with each other, here, surrounded by the Forbidden Forest and it's creepy, unreal atmosphere, about Harry's problems. And then I was surprised that he even listened, despite his instantaneous anger toward me and my anger about his action earlier. But this different environment helped us, unlike Hogwarts, to find the words and discuss something important.

"... Harry can feel when he has a tantrum or when he's very, very happy. There's a connection between their spirits, through the scar. It hurts him, but especially at night, in his sleep. I am presuming and fearing that it could be two-sided..." I said quickly with a firm voice, while I looked unhappily at Snape in the dim light of the lit ends of our wands, listening to the rustle of the leaves because I could only hope that Snape wouldn’t dismiss my idea.

"What? That wouldn't be good, not good at all...", it came from Snape in disbelief, and he immediately recognized the dangers that came with it.

"Well, why do you think I'm telling you this?" I said dryly, rolling my eyes a bit theatrically, which earned me a very angry look.

"Why doesn't he go to Professor Dumbledore?" Snape asked, really and truly confused.

"Yes, that's another thing. Harry doesn't want to. The headmaster is acting really odd towards Harry since the holidays. I don't know if you noticed, Sir, but he doesn't look at Harry, ignores him, and avoids him! Harry doesn't want to go to him, because of this," I told him the circumstances, looking at him directly with concern in my eyes.

"Potter is just too stupid," came his brutal statement, but how could I contradict him if I agreed with him on this point?

"If the Dark Lord knows he has a connection to Potter's mind, then... we'll all be in danger, won’t we?" He moved his mouth in a bitter motion after this unpleasant observation of my personal horror scenario.

I nodded. "I told Harry to go to Dumbledore and ask him to teach him about Occlumency. He is thinking about it," I said contemptuously.

"That Potter must always be so... stupid," he grumbled into his non-existent beard.

"Professor, what can we do? What should I do? Can you give me any advise?" I asked him helplessly, looking at him pleadingly from the bottom of my heart.

"I'll tell the professor about it, without naming anyone. I’ll say I overheard a conversation. And you should try to teach him how to meditate so that if it comes to Occlumency lessons he'll not waste too much time..." he said busily and I stiffened. How did he come to the conclusion that I could meditate?

"But Professor.."

"Miss Granger, I've told you so many times, I'm neither dumb nor intellectually challenged. I know you've mastered the art... I wonder why you don't want to teach Potter yourself." If I didn't have that good of a self-control, my chin would've landed on the floor. He, wow, he was truly astonishing and impressive.

"Harry wouldn't understand why I taught myself. I couldn't give him any satisfying answers to his questions," I tried to explain my motivations, but above all, why should I do it? What was Professor Dumbledore here for? I really wasn't a master in this field, yet.

"I knew you'd taught it to yourself. I know how hard it is and I congratulate you, you did well. But don't give yourself any hope, it won't save you from my anger," he said harshly and I listened to his hidden praise and the respect coming with it, while he was looking harshly at me from the side.

"Oh, Sir, I know that. I won't shirk, don't you worry," I tried to appease.

"Go back to your common room, Miss Granger," he ordered, thus dismissing me for today.

"You'll stay here?" I frowned, surprised.

"I don't think that's any of your business!" he exclaimed indignantly.

"My apologies." However, at that moment I got my answer, as he briefly flinched and touched the mark on his left arm. Oh, apparently a meeting had been scheduled today, and he had only waited for the call. "Then I wish you good luck, Professor, and take care of yourself."

"Don't get cheeky, you don't know what's going to happen to you, Miss Granger!" he threatened me, grumbling.

"Oh course not, Professor!" I waved at him and entered the secret passageway again. Just before I turned and left, I saw him take out his shrunken Death Eater cloak, enlarge it, and put it on. This deep black mass of fabric, which swallowed even the twilight of the late evening, made him even more of a creature of darkness than before. A horrible, beautiful picture. Afterwards came the mask. I could see the black obsidians glaring behind the eerie, skull-like, silver mask. He looked as if he would bring death, an uncompromising, dangerous warrior.

A slight tremble seized me, which I could hardly suppress, and absolute iciness came upon me when I saw this completely different man, for at that moment he was something else. He was something absolutely evil, something dangerous, a real, deadly Death Eater!