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Assimilation	By : ccino49 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 11603 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Assimilation

Sansa and Pitt: I should have known I�d get it wrong. Flippin Mighty Mouse.

I just got back on line. My putor been playin up so this one a bit late. J

I like these little smile�s. Have you noticed? J
J
J
J
J
J

Chapter 29
Her third Monday started cold wet dreary. The rain was batting at the windows and the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall was just as gloomy as outside. The only difference being that the rain disappeared before it hit anyone.

Just as Nina sat down to breakfast, with a muttered �Hello� to Severus, the owls started pouring into the hall.

Two soaking wet owls were making a bee line directly to them.
�If one of them shits in my breakfast again I�m gonna have it stuffed and mounted.� She grumped.
�And if I hear you using that kind of language again, you shall be joining it.� Severus told her before saying �shit� himself as the first owl landed in his porridge oats and shook it�s ruffled feathers.
�Really?� She quipped at him.
He included her in his morning glare across the student population for that remark. The second owl landed in front of the Headmaster so she didn�t have to worry about it.
Nina had Transfiguration that morning and took her seat next to Draco. They got on well and he enjoyed partnering with her. He had given his father as little information as possible about her and his father no longer pushed him on the subject. He did not question it.
Draco did not want to join Voldemort�s ranks. Until recently he had thought that being a Death Eater was what he wanted above anything else. Now he was not nearly so eager. He was to take the mark on his seventeenth birthday but he had seen his father come home in terrible states sometimes after meeting with the Dark Lord. He had listened at doorways when he had been home, heard his parents speak of the atrocities that were performed in the name of pure blood supremacy.

And for some reason, although he had not made this connection yet in his mind, since he had met Nina he did not hate everyone outside of Slytherin as he had always done. He did not even hate muggles with the same vengeance as he had. As far as he could tell, she was a muggle born and he did not care at all. When she had first arrived he had considered her just another parasite like all the rest of the Mudbloods.

She was scruffy, had no finesse, She spoke like a street urchin. Not the type that a pureblood would ever acknowledge.

Something began to change in Draco since that episode with the unicorns and now that he had spent time with her, had discussions with her and got to know her as a person in her own right, he felt very differently about a great many things. The fact that she was also extremely attractive also helped. He felt very possessive of her when his friends were with them. Nina though, treat everyone the same. It was the one thing that Draco did not like. He wanted her for himself. Not in the way that he wanted the occasional shag, or what he got from Pansy. He cared for Nina in a way that he had not cared for anyone but himself before. Enough to go against his father and the Dark Lord if necessary.
Nina was in blissful ignorance of Draco�s growing feelings for her and continued to treat both he and everyone else the same as she always had.
The rest of her week passed without any problem.

The Headmaster had decided that she would spend her mornings an class and her afternoons with him in the Room of Requirement.

In there he would have her perform all manner of spells and hexes, do transfigurations, show him the various Animagus forms that she could take on. There seemed to be no limit on this so long as she knew what the creature actually looked like. When it came to quizzing her about potions, the one class that she had not yet sat in on, Albus asked her to recite the ingredients and method of brewing some very complimented potions. She had no problem with any of them. Including how to make the Philosophers Stone. Even Albus and Flamel did not have as much knowledge on it. They had both agreed to keep parts of it from each other.

Albus tried to trick her a few times with potions that did not exist but she threw him for six when she told him that they had not yet been created, followed by the recipe and method to use if he did want to create them himself.

As reward Albus in turn would spend one hour of each afternoon giving her the muggle lessons that she should have had if she had gone on to high school. He ordered books and she would run her hands over them, absorbing the information just as she had in the library, but with no ill effects. This also surprised the Headmaster as he thought her gift only applied to the magical side of things.

Nina, on her part enjoyed these lessons more than anything. She learned how to write neatly and do more than the simple Arithmancy she had learned at primary school. Albus taught her history and geography, science and biology. By the end of her first weeks muggle lessons she had, with the help of the books, reached third year level.

On Friday afternoon Nina felt her self esteem rise considerably when Albus told her how proud he was of her. No one had ever told her anything like that before. She was not big headed about it. Just extremely happy. She flung her arms around the old man�s neck and hugged him.

�Thank you.� She told him through small hiccoughing sobs. �Thank you.�
He wiped his own eyes. �Nina. Do not thank me child. You did this by yourself.�

But he knew what she really meant. He hugged her back.
Evenings, Nina had to herself. Sometimes she would spend them in Griffindor common room. Talking with Hermione, playing exploding snap with Seamus, Dean and Neville or learning to play chess with Ron and Harry. Other times she would be in the Slytherin common room. Everyone treat her well and with a great deal of respect. They would laugh and mess around, Draco told her things about himself and his home. A few of the others did the same. She was careful to try and not to be alone with Blaize Zabini. He was a very good looking boy, he had the handsome Latino looks and ways of a full blooded Italian, and he had told her outright that he thought she was beautiful and would like to be more than friends with her.
Nina was very embarrassed at the time and didn�t know how to react. She was not used to complements or �come ons�, never having had them before. Severus was the only one who had ever said anything of that nature to her. Blaize was also close to her own age and knew that he was very attractive. Nor was he backwards at coming forwards. Girls did not normally turn him down if he came on to them. Nor did he give up easily.

Crabbe and Goyle also had the hots for her but they kept it to themselves. To them it was obvious that Draco had staked his claim on her.

Albus told her that Saturday was also her own to do as she wished but Sunday was to be spent with Severus so not to make any plans with her friends.

�Why? What will we be doing?�

�That is something that you will find out on the day. Severus wanted it to be a surprise.�

�What kind of a surprise? She wasn�t sure whether to be excited or worried.
�If I tell you than it will no longer be a surprise.� He told her as his eyes twinkled away merrily.

She thought about entering his mind to find out. He wouldn�t be able to tell if she did. But the old man had been good to her and had shown her a great deal of trust, so she left it for now.
She went to find out what her friends were doing tomorrow.

Hermione, as expected was planning on spending the day in the library, studying.

Harry and Ron had permission to go to the Burrow for the day. It was Charlie�s last weekend before he returned to Romania and because Remus was going to be there, Harry was allowed to go too.

Draco and his mates had quiddich practice again. Although Blaize suggested that he shy off from practice and spend the day with her,

she told him that it wouldn�t be fair on the rest of the team if he did that. Severus also told her that had other plans for the day.
She called in to see Poppy. The nurse was very busy as she had five patients on her ward at the moment so after doing some fetching and carrying for the Mediwitch, Nina left.

So she was on her own tomorrow.
As she was heading for dinner Ron and Harry caught up with her.

�Hiya Nina.� Both boys called together. �Wait up.� Ron added.

She stopped until they were alongside of her before they headed toward the hall.

�So. What you got planned for the weekend then?�

Ron wanted to know.
�Err, I don�t know yet. Everyone�s busy. I�ll find something to do.�

She told them with a forced laugh.

�Why don�t you see if you can come to the Burrow with us. Mum�ll be glad to see you. Fred and George said she talks about you as much as she does about Harry here.�

�Yeah. Go on Nina. It�ll be fun and Remus will be glad to see you too.�

Harry told her with enthusiasm.
�I�.I�d love to if your sure it�s okay.� Both boys nodded. �I�ll ask and let you know.�
Nina sat in her usual place and was almost bouncing in her seat waiting for the Potions Master to arrive.

He was just settling into his seat when she pounced on him.
�RonandHarryaregoingtotheBurrowtomorrowandthyveaskedmeif I wantogogotoopleasecanI?�
He looked at her as if he thought her quite mad as he raised an eyebrow.

�I beg your pardon? Perhaps if you were to speak in a language that I can understand, I may be able to respond to what you are trying to say.�
�I�m sorry. I�m just excited. Harry and Ron. They�re going to the Burrow tomorrow and they�ve asked me if I want to go. Please can I go?�

Her voice had taken on a pleading note.
�No.�
�What? But I�ll be good. I promise. Please.�

�No.�
�But everyone else is doing something. I could help Mrs Weasley in the kitchen to keep me out of bother and Mr Lupin will be there too and��
�I said �No� and that is an end to it. Do not ask again.� He hissed at her.

There was no way that Severus was going to allow her to spend the day with a bunch of hormone driven Weasley males. Even if Molly was there, it would be impossible for her to keep an eye in the girl all the time. And the fact that Lupin would be there only served to make him even more adamant.
Nina said no more. There was no point trying to argue or plead. Once he made his mind up, there was no changing it. Nina knew that better then most. She caught Harry�s eye and shook her head glumly at them.

Ron tried to mouth at her to ask the Headmaster instead but she shook her head again. It wouldn�t be right after Severus had already told her she was not going. She just didn�t understand why. She had promised to be good, and she would have been too if she had gone.

She sat and waited for the meal to appear. She didn�t try to strike up a conversation. In fact she was feeling pretty sorry for herself.

And stayed that way all through dinner. She played with her food more then she ate it.

Severus noticed, he even felt a bit of sympathy for her. He knew that she only wanted to have some company and hang around with others her own age. Nevertheless, he was not going to give in to her.

Mr Filch found her later that evening, sitting alone on the steps outside the main doors with her arms wrapped around her knees.

�What on earth are ye doin out �ere on yer own Nina. Ye�ll catch yer death. It�s freezing an I need to lock the doors.�

She looked up at him and stood.

�Sorry Mr Filch. I�ll come in.�

She climbed the steps and went to head for her rooms.
�Jus you wait there young missy till I close up. Then yer can come wi� me.�

Nina waited for the few minutes that it took Argus to close and lock the large heavy doors. The wards set themselves automatically as soon as they were locked.
�C�mon then.�

He told her gruffly as he headed for his office.
She followed with her head down and feeling more fed up then ever. �Great. Now I�m gonna get a rollicking for something else.�

They entered Argus� office and he told her to sit as he closed the door.

Mrs Norris jumped onto her knee and started purring as soon as Nina�s backside was on the chair.
She stroked the cat and cuddled it gently as tears slowly started to drop down her cheeks. She couldn�t help it. She had spent the last couple of hours wallowing in self pity, Now Mr Filch was going to tell her off, as soon as Mrs Norris had started to give her some affection she had lost it.
Argus went to the floo and ordered himself a cup of tea and a glass of milk for Nina.
�C�mon lass. Tell old Argus what�s botherin ye. Summat obviously is.�
Suddenly everything seemed to be too much for Nina. It wasn�t just that she was not allowed to go to the Burrow. On it�s own it would have been a disappointment and nothing more. But it seemed to set of a chain of different thoughts in her head that grew and grew. It was her parents, the Whites treatment of her, the overwhelming thought that she had to do something so terrible to stop an insane madman who was even more terrible. The fact that she suddenly had all these powers, what she had to do, the things Kali had told her about how it had all began. Suddenly it was all too much and the floodgates opened in earnest.
Argus was totally at a loss as to how to handle this. He liked the kid a lot and hated seeing her upset like this. Unsure as to how to react he patted her on the head, much as someone would pat a puppy.

Nina started babbling through her tears. He hadn�t got a clue what she was saying as the words were all broken up through the heart wrenching sobs. He caught odd words.

Home and scaly, gods and spank, brooms, books and at one point he thought she said the word �rape.

Argus couldn�t help himself as he pulled her to him and hugged her to himself, much as a father would.

He had been married many years ago to a muggle. He had loved her dearly for the two years that they had together. But his wife had died giving birth to their first child, a little girl. The beautiful, perfect baby girl had also died within minutes of being born. Much as he hated all the little buggers that came through the halls of Hogwarts, he would never truly hurt any of them And if his daughter had lived, he would hope that she would be just like Nina.

He talked nonsense to her and rocked her as he did, letting her cry and hiccup until she eventually calmed down enough for him to lead her over to the sofa.

Sitting them both down in it he kept his hold on her.

�D�yer wanna talk about it lass?� He asked her. �Sometimes it �elps ter get things of yer chest. It�ll seem a lot better if yer do an I�m a good listener.�
�Nina tried to focus her eyes on him for a moment. Her eyes were red and puffy and her nose was running.

He pulled a piece of clean rag out of his pocket and passed it to her.

She wiped her eyes and blew her nose, sniffed and fretted for a while and then accepted the glass of milk that he offered her.

�Thank you Sir.�

�I thought you and me were onto first names?�
�Yes M�Argus. I�m sorry. I didn�t mean to behave like that.�

�There�s clearly plenty o� reason why yer did. So d�yer want ter tell me?�
And Nina did. She told him everything that had happened in her life, both before and since Hogwarts. She felt no embarrassment when she told him about what Uncle Pete had done to her, or about her feelings for Severus, how he left her feeling confused much of the time, and what they had done so far. All her feelings about what had been done to her and what she had learned, how she had to be the one to put an end to Voldemort and how he couldn�t harm her. She told him about Lupin and Blaize and the twins. What she and Severus still must do when the time came. Nina didn�t leave out a single detail. When she reached the part about the Potions Master outright refusing but not bothering to tell her why so she didn�t know what she had done wrong. Then when he, Argus had found her on the steps she thought she was going to get in trouble for that too.
By the time she had finished she was exhausted and hungry. She also felt much, much better for being able to tell it all to someone.

�Thank you for listening to me Sir. I mean Argus. You were right, it does help to talk to someone. I tried to talk to Professor Snape a few times but he was busy.�

Her stomach gave a loud growl, causing her to giggle.

�Oops! My belly thinks my throats been cut.�
Even he had to laugh when she said that.

�So yer hungry then? Tell me what yer want an I�ll go to the kitchens. I�m a bit peckish meself.�
�It�s alright. There�s no point having all this magic and not using it is there? What do you fancy?�
�Me? Well I dunno.�

Before he could speak any further there was a table in front of them with sandwiches of all kinds. Sausage rolls, cakes , jelly, bowls of soup, fruit.

�Bloody hell. There�s enough here to feed half of Hogwarts. �Ow did yer manage that?�
�It just happens. Don�t really know how. Shall we?�

She grinned at him and they both made a grab for the food.
�Mrs Norris.� Nina called.

As the cat brushed against her leg Nina held out her hand. A plate of red salmon fillets appeared and she put them down for the cat.

�Here you go. We can�t leave you out can we.�

Mrs Norris was in raptures as she ate and purred at the same time.
�Yer know I�m not surprised any more that she�s taken such a likin� ter you. Yer a good kid.�
Nina went pink again and smiled.
�Your alright too.�

They ate as much as they could and Nina banished what was left.
�Aw. Yer could�ve left the jelly. I like jelly.� He told her.
Nina laughed.

�I better get to bed. Kali will be looking for me soon and believe me, she�s not one to anger. Unless you like freezing cold baths that is. Goodnight Argus.�

�Goodnight lass. Just remember that I�m here if you ever want to talk.�
Thank you.�

Nina disappeared, leaving Argus looking a bit startled until he noticed several bowls of different flavoured jelly on the table near the sofa.

�Nice one Nina.� He grinned.
�Miss Nina. Kali was just coming to gets you.�

�Well I�m here now Kali. I�m tired. �

Nina felt much happier after her time with Argus. She knew that nothing had changed, but he had listened to her. Never questioned her, just accepted her and what she told him. Although Nina didn�t know what it felt like to have a dad, she thought that if she could choose one then Argus Filch would be her choice.

She slept well that night.
Argus on the other hand, did not. He spent all night thinking about what she had told him. More then anything he was enraged about that Aunt and Uncle of hers. He worried about her upcoming meeting with Lupin and summoning Greyback. He feared about her having to come face to face with Voldemort. He was angry with Snape for leaving the poor girl confused and not knowing what his feelings truly were for her.

He worried all night so that next morning he was so tired he nearly missed breakfast. It was Mrs Norris yowling in his face for her breakfast that finally woke him.
Severus knew nothing of what had transpired that evening. He did have an uncomfortable feeling though. He could sense that Nina was upset but he assumed that she was just sulking because he had not allowed her to go to the Burrow.

Still, he did feel slightly guilty. He had not given her a reason. Just an outright �No�.

By the following morning he had convinced himself that he needed to speak to Lupin about the next full moon and that today would be as good a time as any.

He had added the first half of the whisker on the ninth day as Nina had said, watching as it fizzled and dissolved causing the mixture to turn a vivid shade of violet.

He called for a school owl as he wrote a quick note to Lupin and gave it to the owl that sat waiting for him on the side of his desk.

�Remus Lupin. Wait for a reply.� He told the owl as he tied the missive to it�s leg and gave it a treat.
At breakfast he saw Nina talking to the Golden Trio. She was shaking her head and looking a bit disappointed but when she came to sit at the table for her breakfast she did not appear as downhearted as she had during dinner.
The owls arrived and he was surprised to get a reply from Lupin so soon.

Lupin told him that he would be at the Burrow for the day and that he would be welcome to visit him there should he so wish.
Nina watched as her friends began to drift out of the hall, waving and smiling at them as they left. She wanted to wait until they had all gone before she went back to her rooms. She let her smile drop once they had all gone and got up to leave.
�Miss Manohel. Wait outside of my office. I wish to speak with you.�

She nodded. �Yes Sir.�

She told him quietly. She knew she wasn�t in trouble. She hadn�t done anything. �Maybe it�s about Sunday.� She thought unenthusiastically.

Ten minutes he made her wait in the corridor before he arrived and unwarded his door and ushered her in.
She hesitated inside for a moment, not sure if it was a sofa or a desk kind of meeting.
�Sit.� He told her as he took his own place behind his desk.

He wanted to make her sweat a little for causing him to feel guilty about her.
She sat and waited while he sorted and shuffled parchments on his desk. It looked to her as if he was moving the same pile of parchments from one side of his desk to the other and then moving the same pile back again. Which of course he was.

Again she had to wait for ten minutes before he seemed to remember that she was there. It felt like ten hours to Nina but she kept her mouth shut. She was never sure what was coming when they were at the desk.

This was something else that Severus knew.

�Now!�
She jumped and almost fell of the chair as he spoke. Her eyes wide with fright. She had been rambling along in a world of her own as she waited.
He hid his smirk.

�I have found it necessary to call on Lupin today. As he will be at the Weasley residence, I have decided that you shall accompany me.�

He kept his couldn�t care less expression as he waited for her reaction.

Nina was a little slow to catch on to what he had told her. When she did realise she was elated.

�Really? Like Harry and Ron? I can go? And I can visit with the others?� Oh. When are we going? Have I got time to get changed? I won�t take long. Shall I meet you here or�.�
�Enough.� He shouted. �She was giving him a bloody headache now.�

�We shall be leaving in an hour. While we are there you shall stay either in my company or that of Mrs Weasley. This is not a social visit. I shall collect you from your rooms. Be ready. If you are not, I shall not wait for you and you shall remain here. Now go. I am busy.�

He looked back to his parchments again.
Nina stared at him for a moment as she tried to catch up with what had just happened, before she realised that he had just dismissed her. She got up and went to the door.

�Thank you.� She said softly as she closed the door behind her.
He had managed to confuse her again. Last night at dinner he had made it clear that she would not be going. Now he told her that she could. But it was how he told her. He had decided that she would accompany him. What was that all about?�
Argus watched from the shadows as she went to her rooms and closed the door. He could see how mixed up the kid was. He�d seen her waiting for Snape to turn up and he�d seen her look of uncertainty as the Professor had arrived and ushered her into his office. Argus had always got on with Snape. He respected the Professor. But he didn�t like haw he was treating Nina at the moment. She needed some kind of stability and Snape seemed to be playing mind games with her.

He waited for a couple of minutes in case she came back out before he headed for Snape�s door and knocked.

�Enter.�
Argus stepped in and closed the door behind him

�Yer might want to ward that door Professor.�

Snape raised his eyebrows as he looked at Filch.
�An maybe one �o them silencing spells an all.�
�And why would I want to do that Argus?�

�Because professor, I don�t think you�ll want anyone to hear what I have to say to yer. That�s why.�
Severus was not in the least bit intimidated by Argus. But he was certainly intrigued as to what he had to say.

�Very well. Sit down Argus.�

He aimed his wand at the door and with a couple of flicks it was locked and warded. A wave and the silencing spell was in place.

�You have my attention Argus. Now, what is it that brings you here in such a manner?� Severus was on low dangerous at the moment. The caretaker knew that it he could jump to highly dangerous in a flash. But he had come here for a good reason and he didn�t intend to back down now.
�I�m here about the girl.� Argus told him gruffly.
�Oh. And which girl would that be?�
�You know which girl Professor. Nina.�

�What about her?� Severus had stood and had narrowed his eyes at Argus.
�Your mixing the kid up. That�s what. She don�t know how she stands wi� you at the moment.�

Severus was now in high dangerous as he folded his arms looked at Argus.

�Whatever that girl thinks or feels about me at any time, is none of your business Argus. Do not think for one moment that our friendship gives you the right to tell me how I should conduct myself. With anyone.� He growled.
Argus too stood up. He was not going to back down on this.

�No Professor. It doesn�t. But my friendship with her does.�

Severus was taken by surprise. Not only had Filch not backed down but it seemed that he had also struck up a friendship with Nina.

�Is that so? And my conduct with her troubles you how?� He asked.
�Your confusing her Professor. She don�t know if she�s coming or going with you at the moment.�
�And why would that be?� He asked smugly.
Argus sighed and sat back down.

�There�s only one easy way to do this Professor. But you have to promise me that you wont tell her. It would break her poor little heat. She�d think that I�ve betrayed her.�

�Then perhaps you should leave and say nothing.�
�No I can�t. You need to see, to know what�s been going on with her. Then maybe you�ll understand. Your gonna have to do Legillimency on me.�
�I do not think so Argus. You know that there are strict rules as to the use of Legillimency. If I should be found out I would be in a great deal of trouble.�

�Oh come on Professor. You know full well that I�m not gonna say anything. And anyway I�ve given you my permission to do it. So just get on with it.�
Severus withdrew his wand and sat on the edge of his desk in front of Argus. He aimed his wand at him and said �Legillimense.�

TBC

Lotsa reviews please.

Ccino. X
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Assimilation