Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Living	By : ssdawn Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 31345 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the Wizarding World created by J.K. Rowling. I also do not make any money from any of the stories I write. It is pay enough getting to play with these characters.

Chapter List
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Living: Chapter 21
The next day Severus was back to his snarling, sarcastic, potions professor demeanor. No one would be able to tell any difference, even when he engaged with one particular witch by the name of Hermione Granger. Those aware were all putting on a show of regularity in order to spy on those around them at Hogwarts. To the regular student or teacher at school, everything was normal, but to Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Severus, they were all on alert to anything strange and not the norm.
Severus put Hermione, his new apprentice, in charge of students in Slytherin house to help them with homework and projects. No one batted an eye at a member of the Golden Trio and war heroine helping them, even with her blood status as it was. If Professor Snape had made the assignment, then no one was going to argue or differ with their Head of House's orders.
Ron found it easy enough to chat up Luna Lovegood and get an invite to study with her in the Ravenclaw common room. Once again, no one blinked an eye at Ron Weasley, Quidditch star and war hero hanging out with one of their Ravenclaws, especially it being Luna. She had always marched to her own tune, and no one was going to say anything about Ron being amongst them. The funny thing that Ron found out, was that more of the Ravenclaws studied in their own common room than the library. Hermione had been somewhat surprised at this news. It was proving quite easy for him to watch the movement of most of the Ravenclaws, as they didn't do much more than study and converse with one another.
Harry had a harder time with the Hufflepuffs. They were a loyal lot with each other, but hadn't been as keen to bringing in an outsider, even if it was Harry Potter. He had gone with a Quidditch angle and talking up the Hufflepuff team and strategies they could both employ against Slytherin. In the long run, he ended up spending a lot of time in the Hufflepuff common room so their secret Quidditch conversations stayed confidential. It was easy to keep track of them, since most of the Hufflepuffs hung out together, talking, studying or playing games. They actually ended up being a friendly bunch of people. Harry had nothing suspicious to report back.
Ginny of course kept an eye on her fellow Gryffindors. She was very popular and was always in the midst of any action going on in their common room. Though it was hard for her to believe that the culprits would be amongst her fellow Lions, she still did her best to watch those who belonged to Gryffindor.
Several days later they all met back in the Room of Requirement. There was a feeling of discontent, as none of them were any closer to who was behind the attacks on Harry and Hermione. Things basically had been quiet and very normal around the castle. No one had been acting strange, except them. There had been some talk among the Gryffindors about the Golden Trio going out and finding new friends, since they were all off doing their assignments in the various houses.
"It's almost like they know what's going on. " Ron, with a bored expression on his face, sat back on the couch with his arms folded across his chest.
"How could they Ron? It's not like we talked about this with anyone outside of this room." Ginny shook her head at her brother sending a glare in his direction.
Harry sat on the floor next to the fireplace stretched out in a relaxed pose. His head was thrown back with his eyes closed. He looked like he didn't have a care in the world, which was nice for once considering his history at Hogwarts.
"You seem to be liking your Hufflepuffs Harry." Hermione said to him. His eyes shot open and he grinned.
"What's not to like about them? They are a lot more fun than they appear. Believe me when I say, Hufflepuffs know how to party." A grin spread across his face as he snickered.
A snort came from the other side of the room where Severus stood listening to the exchange between the young people. Hermione looked over at him, "What? Would you like to contribute to this stimulating conversation?" Severus's eyebrows rose at her question.
"What stimulating conversation? All I'm hearing is how you lot are enjoying your time experiencing house unity activities." His tone showed he was not amused. "Parties, Potter? We're supposed to be finding out who bashed your head in, not who can throw the best party." His annoyance was clearly showing and Hermione knew she would need to step in soon. "Maybe you really were sorted into the wrong house."
"Well, I don't see you Mr. Super Spy finding out anything?" Harry jumped up off the floor and headed over to Severus. Soon they were facing each other with angry glares, stirring up tension in the room.
"At least I'm keeping a true perspective about my job as a spy." Severus scowled back at Harry.
"Well sorry that there isn't anything happening out there at the moment to spy on." Harry's voice became louder. "The whole idea was to notice something unusual. Well guess what? There's nothing unusual going on out there." Harry seemed to have lost all control as he yelled back at Snape. His arms motioning in every direction possible as he went on his tirade.
Severus, stood with his arms crossed and his eyes focused on the Savior of the Wizarding World as he melted down. "Sit down Potter." The clipped words made Harry jump and he sighed and sat down while he shook his head staring daggers at Snape.
"You know, maybe we are looking for the wrong things," Hermione stood up to cross the room towards Severus. "We need to look closer at the ordinary things happening in this castle." Several pairs of eyes looked at her in confusion, but one shone with pride.
"Now yes, this is what I like to hear, someone who is thinking." Severus reached out to grab onto Hermione's hand and gently caressed along her thumb.
"I don't get it?" Ron's puzzled face showed truly how baffled he was by Hermione's statement.
"What she was saying Mr. Weasley, is that we need to look at the everyday things happening around us. We've been searching for something unusual, when it could possibly be the ordinary that will hold some answers for us.
Ron stood up and shrugged his shoulders, "Well, on that note, I'm heading down to see if I can still have some lunch, I'm right hungry." Without saying any goodbyes Ron left the room.
Ginny and Harry grinned at each other. "I think we'll be heading to lunch too," said Harry, "But I do happen to understand what you were saying and we will look for the ordinary."
At this Ginny started laughing. "You should have realized that Ron wouldn't even try to understand what you were saying whilst his stomach is empty. You know, empty stomach equals empty brain with my brother." Harry elbowed her in the ribs while laughing.
"Thanks Harry and Ginny. We'll talk soon." Hermione smiled and waved at her friends as they walked out holding hands.
Hermione turned back to Severus who only smirked and then rolled his eyes. "Now why did you date him at one time?"
Hermione couldn't help but smile, "Shut it you." That is exactly what she did, by keeping his lips occupied for the rest of lunchtime while they enjoyed the quiet of The Room of Requirement all to themselves.

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While eating breakfast the next morning Hermione sat observing others. There was a lot of conversation going on around her, but no one tried to pull her in to what was being discussed. Granted everyone there knew that Hermione's least favorite topic to discuss was Quidditch, so no one thought it was odd that she sat quietly eating her poached eggs and toast.
"Of course Gryffindor will win against Slytherin," Ron sat bragging as he annihilated the plate of toast in front of him. Hermione tried to not watch Ron as he talked with his mouth full of toast.
"They do actually have a better team this year Ron, so let's not be counting our eggs and such before the game." Ginny said to her brother.
"I hate to admit it even to myself, but watching Malfoy practice last night made me realize he's a better seeker now than he was before the war." Harry piped up. "I'd say our chances will be very even."
"It's very grownup of you to acknowledge that Harry," Hermione said quietly, glad to see that at least one of her best friends still didn't act like a twelve-year-old.
"Do my ears deceive me or is Hermione participating in our talk about Quidditch?" Harry asked as he winked at her and Ginny giggled at his side.
"Psst," Hermione heard someone near her.
"Psst," she heard the same sound again, looking around to see where it was coming from.
"Psst," the sound was annoying her now. Looking to her right she saw Ron's hand covering the side of his face and he currently wasn't eating.
"Is that you making strange noises Ronald?" she whispered quietly to him.
"Yes, Mione, I've been trying to get your attention." Ron said to her still whispering.
"You know you could have just leaned over and whispered into my ear." Hermione almost laughed at how serious Ron was acting at the moment.
"Duh? I didn't want to be obvious I was trying to get your attention. Anyhow, I don't want your glowering boyfriend to come down and knock me up the side of my head because I'm whispering things into your ear."
Ron's face turned a bright red trying not to make eye contact with the Head of Slytherin glancing their way.
"Oh don't be ridiculous Ronald, we're still friends and Severus knows that." Hermione answered him, but quickly glanced up at the high table where Severus sat. He gave her one of his characteristic eyebrow raises, but showed no other kind of emotion.
Leaning back over to Ron she asked him, "Why were you trying to get my attention anyhow?"
"Well, I think I am seeing something ordinary that could maybe be unusual." Ron explained.
Hermione leaned back in surprise staring at her old friend. "You really were listening yesterday then?"
"Of course I was listening." Ron pouted, seeming very putout by her response. "Just because I was hungry doesn't mean I didn't think later about what you'd said."
Hermione smiled at his words. Maybe they'd not been giving him enough credit all these years. There were times when he tended to shock them, and now was one of those times.
They sat in silence for a few minutes until Hermione whispered, "Well, don't keep me waiting, what did you see?"
"Well, since when did Theo Nott and Justin Finch Fletchley become good enough friends to sit with each other during lunch and talk?"
Hermione tried not to wrench around too quickly to look, but sure enough, there sat the Slytherin, Pureblood Theo Nott and the very Muggleborn, Justin Finch Fletchley. Their heads were together as if they were discussing something very important. Now what were they up to? What would give them a reason to not only be talking so intimately, but also doing so out in the open?
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Maybe they will find out next time what these two polar opposite people are doing sitting and talking to each other. Thanks for reading! I hope to get more written soon. Big projects at work have left me brain-dead at night and all I want to do is fall into bed and sleep.
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