First Year Ends
Severus had been upset since Hermione and Harry had been caught wandering the school at night. He had frowned in her direction, each time she caught his eye, and given her an especially low mark on her potions, telling her it was for carelessness. In lue of this, she seemed to get less friendly with him as well. She began frowning back at him, or turning away completely from his gaze.
Hermione could no longer ignore the facts in front of her after the excursion in the forbidden forest. It was one thing to suspect her father of stealing a stone, but to say he was in league with Voldemort. And the facts couldn’t help but clicking in her mind. To make matters worse, when she sent a rather vague letter to her mother, asking about the man, she received a curt response back, telling her to stay away from that dangerous man. She tried to find another solution, but in the end, her fear won over and she began retreating from the man she had really just met. She kept a clear distance from him, and tried to keep him out of her minds, which was hard to do with Harry and Ron constantly talking of it.
She kept trying to think of something she could say to him to get him to stop, get him to think of what he was doing. But if he was really working with You-Know-Who, would there be anything she could do about it? Finally, the night came where Dumbledore left and there was no choice but to go through the trap door. Hermione insisted on coming with, hoping there would be some way, perhaps of stopping Snape. Perhaps if he saw her down there, resisting him, he would think better of what he was doing.
Severus was hysterical with anger, fear, guilt, he didn’t even know what anymore. He was running up the corridors, toward the infirmary, his black robes billowing behind him. He was out of breath, wheezing and near to having a heart attack when he pushed the doors open. The room was empty save for an unconscious Ronald Weasley, and his daughter sitting up in her bed. It was hardly past dawn, and only a few teachers had heard of the events so far, most of which had gone directly up to the third floor with Dumbledore.
“You’re here?” Hermione shuddered, “But I thought you were…”
“What in the name of Merlin did you think you were doing!” Snape shouted over her, stalking to the side of her bed.
Hermione’s eyes widened in fear, which made Snape realize just how loud and looming he was being. He flopped into the chair next to Hermione’s bed, clutching at his still racing heart.
“You’re alright? You’re not hurt? And Weasley?”
“We’re-We’re fine.” She was still gaping at Snape’s presence, expecting him to be through the trap door, being caught by Dumbledore right now.
“I nearly had a heart attack when I heard what you three did. What were you thinking? Going down there to fight Quirrel and…And the teachers are just retrieving Harry now.”
“I-I’m sorry?” Hermione grasped for words.
“You’re eleven, Hermione. Do you realize that? You shouldn’t be involving yourself in dangerous business like this, or trying to solve problems that shouldn’t include you to begin with.”
“I know.” Hermione whispered
“You could have been killed down there. Do you realize that?”
“I’m sorry.” Her voice kept getting softer
“If you ever do something like that again, I don’t know if I could take it. I might actually have a heart attack.”
“I’m sorry.” Hermione was looking at her hands clutching the bedsheets now, hardly audible.
Suddenly, surprising both him and Hermione, Snape moved to the bed and pulled Hermione into a hug, holding her close to his chest.
“Thank God you’re alright.” Snape mumbled into her bushy hair.
Hermione wrapped her arms around him and hung to him tightly. He hadn’t been planning anything after all. It was Quirrel that was in league with Voldemort, and who had been defeated. Not her father, it had never been her father. He was still here, he was still her father.
“You should send a letter to your mother saying you’re alright,” Snape said, finally pulling away. “Before she gets any other information and panics as well.”
“You’re going to tell her what happened?” Hermione gasped, hoping her carelessness could stay a secret from her other parents.
“No, not me. Dumbledore will be sending a letter of what took place to each of your parents though. He cannot take such actions taking place at his school so lightly.”
“I’ll write to her and apologize for being foolish too.” Hermione looked down again. “Thank you for worrying about me, and for coming,” Hermione smiled up at Snape, “Dad.”
Severus’ mouth sprouted into a wide, crooked smile. He turned and walked out the door, mumbling, “She’s alright.”