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Sweet Surrender	By : witch Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 3748 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Understandings of Knowledge

Hogwarts' top headline the next day was awarded to the sudden and rather unexpected appearance of the former Head of Slytherin.
Hermione watched with anxiety as every tenth syllable of the gossip being whispered around every corner of the school escalated Harry's abysmal mood until his face could rival their House colour. Not to be left behind, Ron wasn’t overly happy with the atmosphere either. His breaking point came during the first break of the day when he stumbled upon a couple of first years loudly pronouncing to the world that Severus Snape was none other than He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named himself in disguise. Upon overhearing that certain detail, he spent a full half hour screaming, managed to deduct fifty points from the two trembling Ravenclaws and, in order to fully drive the point home, gave both three months' worth of detention.
It was pointless to argue whether the young wizards had learned their lesson when gaping students were later presented with the sight of a muttering Ron Weasley levitating two limp bodies towards the Infirmary. The chatter audibly dulled after that.
'What do you think?'
Harry’s voice sharply intruded into Hermione’s desperate concentration. Even though it was the first day of school, she already had plenty of homework due for tomorrow, and the last thing she needed was to be tormented with yet another interrogation.
'Has Snape already been questioned by the Aurors? Do you think he's in Azkaban?' demanded Harry impatiently, totally oblivious to Hermione's rising annoyance.
The young witch muttered darkly, 'I neither know nor do I much care about that right now, Harry. Just stay put and finish your essay, which is required for tomorrow! Wherever he is now, I highly doubt that the knowledge of Snape's whereabouts will help you in figuring out how to avoid blowing yourself up to kingdom come whilst crushing an Erumpent horn to powder! No matter what transpired yesterday, Professor McGonagall is more then competent to make the right decision.'
Right on cue, the momentary silence in the Gryffindor Common Room was broken by the opening of the Fat Lady's portrait. Considering the lateness of the hour, the dozen or so students present whirled towards the sound and were presented with the unsettling sight of none other than the figure of the Headmistress herself standing in the doorway. All those who were indulging in languid laziness hastily grabbed whatever reading material lay closest, and the room was quickly filled with the sound of wild scribbling.
Hermione’s hopes of finishing her homework in peace evaporated to dust once she realized that the Headmistress was purposefully striding towards the table she and Harry occupied. Unlike her best friend, who had jumped up at the same moment the professor had entered the room, Hermione wasn't so eager to abandon her as yet incomplete four-foot parchment.
'Mr. Potter, Miss Granger. I apologize for intruding upon your study time,' she said, sparing a minuscule smile for the grim-looking young witch, 'but I am afraid I find myself in need of your assistance. Professor Hagrid was kind enough to inform me that the two of you have extensive knowledge of flubberworms.'
A number of snickers were briskly stifled, and some Gryffindors went so far as to quickly depart the chamber in silent, but nonetheless shaking hilarity.
Harry Potter just stood there with a baffled expression whilst his study partner's face transformed into something that looked like murderous intent.
'Flubberworms?' she hissed outrageously.
Professor McGonagall simply nodded but was seemingly unaffected by one of her favourite students' aggravation.

'Yes, that's correct. Now, please be so kind as to follow me. Regrettably, Care of Magical Creatures was not my strongest subject during my school years, and Professor Hagrid is presently occupied with a rather feisty pair of Glumbumbles of some sort. This really cannot wait until tomorrow, and, with you being the most qualified individuals in that subject at this time of night, I would be gratified if you would accompany me to my office. Oh, and there is no need to fetch Mr. Weasley. I am sure he is already dreaming of matchsticks and broomsticks by now. The two of you will be more than enough.'
Without further ado the elderly witch turned towards the portrait with a swiftness that belied her age and floated out of the common room, obviously expecting the duo to follow her.

Sharing a dumbfounded look with his friend, Harry merely shrugged.

'I guess we should go with her. Will have to have a word with Hagrid tomorrow, though. Flubberworm experts?'
Though fuming, Hermione saw no other way out of the ridiculous dilemma but hurriedly gathered all of her parchment and quills together and scampered after the pair. With her homework clutched possessively to her chest, she did not stop grumbling under her breath until they reached the Headmistress' office.
For, when they finally did arrive, her vocal cords ceased to function entirely.

~*~

After what felt like a long drawn-out journey towards their destination, the three of them at last halted in front of the infamous stone gargoyle guarding the room beyond. Turning towards the two Gryffindors, Professor McGonagall appeared to scrutinize them closely before giving a not so delicate sniff of apprehension.
'Very well. Mr. Potter, Miss Granger – just keep your attention focused and minds open. Catnip!'
The gargoyle jumped out of the way, and, wasting no more time on pleasantries, the witch started climbing the stairs towards her office.
'I do not like this, Hermione. Not one bit,' grumbled Harry, eyes wide behind his glasses. As the two of them followed suit, unbidden visions of hundreds of flubberworms fallen victim to an Engorgio spell floated through their heads.
Momentary halting in front of the wooden door, the Headmistress whirled around yet again.

'I almost forgot to take precautions. Better be safe, rather than crying over spilt potion later.'

Before either of them could jump back, a wand was flourished right in front of their faces.
'Silencio. Accio wands!'
The young wizard and witch stood rooted to the spot with their mouths hanging open, refusing to fully comprehend what had just happened. They had been through a lot together the past few years; battling against the wit of their superiors, endangering their lives in unsanctioned battles against Death Eaters and even suffering through verbal abuse from a deranged house-elf. However, they had never been physically assaulted by a teacher before. And disarmed, at that.
To Hermione it was a clear sign that the cosmic universe was coming to an end.
Her cynical theory was quickly transformed into assurance that doom had already come upon them when McGonagall unlocked the door (their wands safely deposited into her robe pockets) and the large circular room was bared to their gaze. That doom within her mind was lucidly presented by the sole figure of Severus Snape sitting in one of the visitor's chairs, idly sipping from a black mug and, to all appearances, having no other care in the world.
After calmly positioning herself behind the grand desk as if the presence of a notorious Death Eater in the room was a regular occurrence, the Headmistress cocked her head to the side with both of her eyebrows raised nearly to the top of her hat.
'Mr. Potter, do stop presenting a version of Muggle moving mime pictures. You look positively ridiculous. And may I remind you – that is if you had paid any attention during your fifth year in Charms – that the Silencing Charm just eliminates the projection of your voice but does not stop the function of your vocal cords. We wouldn't wish you to silently shout yourself hoarse, after all.'
Harry, looking like he fervently craved the return of his wand, reluctantly brought to a halt his unrestrained gesturing and shut his mouth with a distinct click. With his whole face still aflame, he simply pointed violently towards the black-clad wizard lounging in front of her desk.
On her own behalf, Hermione decided to keep her mouth firmly shut. In contrast to her friend, she knew better than to waste time on a trivial and obviously futile cause. Her thinking process, on the other hand, was doing triple summersaults, but she was far too shocked and confused to come up with a single explanation as to what the hell was going on.

One thing was clear...flubberworms had nothing to do with it.

In the meantime her eyes absently roved around the office, noting all the numerous changes that had taken place around the chamber since her last visit there. Reminiscing upon that, she chanced to glance at the wall behind the Head's desk. Unbidden tears came to her eyes as she gazed at the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, peacefully snoozing with his ever-present half-moon spectacles perched precariously on the tip of his nose.
Striving to wipe her eyes surreptitiously with her sleeve, she joined Harry in staring angrily at Snape.
In comparison with the day before, the dark wizard's appearance was, to the notch, exactly like the day Hermione had set foot in the Great Hall for her welcoming feast. With blood no longer covering his gaunt face and nose back into its unbroken, yet still hooked state, even his scowl was back. If Hermione did not know better, she would have thought that nothing out of the ordinary had occurred and that Professor Snape was still the same dark and mysterious man in whom only Dumbledore trusted.
But even Albus Dumbledore himself had been fooled in the end, the man whose only weakness had been to see only the best in everyone around him.
That thought finally raised the unavoidable question of why Snape was neither in some dank Ministry dungeon or locked up for good within Azkaban itself. The same notion seemed to be plaguing Harry, judging by his return to fierce gesticulation, going so far as to shake a trembling fist in McGonagall's direction. To the witch's credit, her sole visible response to such a blatant provocation was a slight tightening around the corners of her mouth.
'Now, now, Mr. Potter. Control your impatience,' she cautioned and glanced towards her former colleague. 'Severus, begin before this mayhem gets even more out of control. Miss Granger, I think that since you are the most sensible one, I have no need for this any longer.'
A swish of her wand indicated that Hermione was no longer constricted by muteness. However, before she could open her mouth to release all the inevitable questions rushing through her head, she was interrupted by the thud of a mug being forcefully set upon the table.
'And what, tell me, do I owe this bunch? I am rather set with the situation as it is,' Snape sneered.

Professor McGonagall's lips thinned further to the point where they were barely visible.

'We have discussed this already. Since Potter was a first-hand witness to your actions, the least you can do is tell him the truth yourself.'
If it was possible, the Dark Eater's expression blackened even further. Observing the now totally still figure of Harry, Snape rolled his baleful eyes towards Hermione.
'Fine! But I personally see no reason to share this delicate information with her. I do not give a damn if she is one of Potter’s sidekick friends. In my opinion, there is no need to further apprise someone who already walks and talks like an over-bulky encyclopedia.'
Hermione’s jaw dropped, and she unconsciously pressed her parchment closer to her chest. The nerve! Bristling with indignation and rising anger, she screamed out a protest against the first offense her mind registered.
'I am not fat!'
It seemed that Professor McGonagall had finally had enough and, with a slap upon her polished desk, exclaimed, 'Stop it with your childlike behavior, both of you! Severus, the sooner you get on with it, the earlier this meeting shall finish. We have countless pressing matters as it is!'
With a swish of his robes, the wizard rose from his seat and began to pace. Obviously reaching some decision, he halted in the middle of the room, squarely facing his two former students. His posture tall and rigid, he continued to regard them with an air of superiority that irked Hermione to no end.
'Exactly two weeks prior to the start of your sixth year, I was approached by Narcissa Malfoy. After Lucius' failure to acquire the prophecy in the Department of Mysteries and his consequent imprisonment, Draco was inevitably compelled to make up for his father's fiasco by the Dark Lord himself. The boy had no other choice but to take the Dark Mark. Therefore, his mother begged me to watch over and protect her only son by all means possible. I took the Unbreakable Vow to protect him from any harm to the best of my ability. At the start of his sixth year, he was set a task to kill Albus Dumbledore and help the Death Eaters gain access to Hogwarts itself. His method of achieving that seemingly impossible assignment you already know yourself. When all ends came together on top of the Astronomy Tower, Draco failed to kill Dumbledore himself and, in the process, belatedly realized what he was doing was a dreadful mistake. Even surrounded by numerous Death Eaters nagging him to complete the job, he did not utter the Killing Curse. Bound with the Vow, I saw no other choice but to kill Albus myself.'
A prolonged silence settled within the chamber as the last words vibrated along its walls.
'And you find that justified?' Hermione's voice quivered with emotion. 'You could have easily found another way around that damned Vow without killing him.'
Snape's eyes focused on her with the intensity of a pitch-black hurricane.
'Then there is one more thing you should know, Miss Granger, before making assumptions that are well beyond your level of understanding. Dumbledore assigned me the task of killing him myself when and if such situation arose. I did only what he ordered me to do. As per usual.'
Self-hatred etched harsh lines around his mouth as he spat out his next words.

'Always loyal to one belief alone, risking my hide over and over again for a cause that is long dead. Released from one vow, I now find myself bound by a promise made to a dead man to keep on protecting those who would rather see me tortured, quartered and scattered along the dirt of the Forbidden Forest.'
Further silence followed, somehow more profound and fathomless than the one before.
With her eyes trained upon her tightly folded hands, McGonagall softly spoke.

'I can personally vouch for the certainty that everything that has been said here is an undeniable truth. Followed by today's closed trial at the Ministry, review of associated memories and administration of Veritaserum, Severus Snape has been pardoned of all charges held against him. In accordance with the present situation we all find ourselves in, I have come to the decision to reinstate his position within Hogwarts faculty as well.'
The wizard in question frowned at his superior with an impatience that was rarely portrayed by him.
'Yes, yes. I am coming to the point,' muttered the witch, catching her colleague's eye. 'Miss Granger, there is something else you should be aware of. Professor Snape was rather...opposed to the idea of informing you of this particular piece of information, but I remain firm in my belief that the knowledge will only be fair and benefit your safety.'
Managing to pull her gaze from Snape's rigid stance at last, Hermione was unaware of tears streaming down her face until she felt wet trails slide down her neck. Blurred eyes only vaguely registered the folded silhouette of Harry, practically crouching on the floor with his face hidden in his hands. Unable to mask a faint sigh that escaped her parted lips, she finally trained her attention upon the older witch.
For the first time since she could remember, Hermione saw her former Transfiguration Professor show clear agitation. Palms lying flat upon the desk, the witch pointedly refused to meet her questioning eyes. Even Snape, who looked like he had swallowed something inedible, stared with an unfocused glare into the space somewhere above her head.

An uneasy sensation trickled down her spine.
'Lord Voldemort released a sanction for your capture, Miss Granger. After a detailed review of the situation as a whole, the Ministry of Magic has decided to officially assign you a personal protector. Professor Snape shall be your very own bodyguard from tomorrow onward.'
Hermione then did something she had never deemed herself weak enough to succumb to.
She fainted.
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Sweet Surrender