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Sweet Surrender	By : witch Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 3750 -:- 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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Brand New Day

Before Hermione Granger's head had so much as touched the pillow she was already conscious of the fact that the present night would officially excel as the most restless one in her rather short but eventful life.
Wide awake, the young witch looked at the ceiling with blank, unseeing eyes, but not without a dash of irony. If she were to lose her guard, she could have soon found herself literally facing the upper interior surfaces of rooms on an hourly basis. Nevertheless, she stubbornly voted against any deep or meaningful session of self-analysis regarding her disgraceful fainting incident – or some gibberish like that. She had much more pressing matters to concentrate on.
Indeed, a certain someone was the sole thing that dominated her brainpower at that moment in time.
Severus Snape.

Hogwarts Professor, acclaimed Potions Master, exceptional teacher, with deep and profound intelligence. On the other hand, a seemingly neurotic dark wizard with an unhealthy obsession with the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, Death Eater, and self-confessed murderer. And in the middle of it all apparently stood another individual; a spy for the Order of the Phoenix, a man who secretly risked it all for those who did not even possess a clue as to who had been shielding them all that time.
Within that tousled ball of details and beliefs, which strand led to the individual beneath it all? What could possibly have the power to drive someone to spy under the very nose of Lord Voldemort for only Merlin knew how long? How momentous the whole picture of reality must truly have been for Professor Dumbledore to have willingly sacrificed himself in order to prevent its untimely disclosure?
Regrettably, not one of those questions, or any of the countless other ones in tow, gave way to satisfying answers. Every single corner hid countless theories and assumptions that were too bland to even start considering as viable possibilities. Tossing restlessly in tandem within the confinements of her head and bed, Hermione fought helplessly for some peace and quiet, but she only managed to obtain it at a much later hour, when the first shades of dawn were already reddening the landscape beyond her window.

~*~

Seated, as per usual, in front her two best friends at breakfast, the most Hermione could bring herself to do was to sluggishly pick at the food on her plate. Harry had barely shared a word with her since yesterday's events, and his whole countenance clearly showed that he was faraway in his own musings himself, absently helping himself to whatever lay closest to him whilst barely sparing a glance at what he was putting in his mouth. Ron, on the other hand, had not touched anything at all, which was worrying enough on its own. A brief glance in his direction revealed his tall figure hunched unapproachably over an empty space in front of him. The news that his two friends had shared with him merely an hour ago had undoubtedly had a lasting effect upon him as well.
For all that, they had not yet had time to disclose the rest of the "plan" to him. The young witch inwardly winced at what could possibly take place once Ron found out about her prolonged sleeping arrangements.
Thus began a brand new day.
As soon as the first class of the day had come to an end, Hermione purposely drew out packing all of her Arithmancy material together until the very last student had exited the classroom. Even so, none would have been surprised to see Hermione Granger staying behind. Probably wishing to ask if she could write seven feet of parchment instead of three.
With unneeded force, Hermione threw the rest of her books into her rucksack. Straightening, she saw Professor Vector waiting patiently to the side, a gentle smile on her face.
'Shall we proceed, Miss Granger?' she politely inquired.

The witch in question could only nod her head in the affirmative. That being so, the two of them began their journey down the corridor towards Hermione's next lesson. A few students still lingered in the hallways as they too made their way to their own lessons, but, yet again, barely anyone gave a curious glance towards the two of them. Only a small pack of passing first years lingered, their inquisitive and wide-open eyes upon the older student walking beside a member of the staff.
'That's Hermione Granger,' came a distinctive murmur from one of the girls within the group just as they shuffled past. 'Her best friend is none other then Harry Potter himself!' Appreciative oohs and ahs followed the comment.
Hermione's mood instantly turned sour.
The rest of the day adopted a more or less mechanical quality after that. One professor after another took their place in chaperoning her around the halls of Hogwarts, right up to the point where she felt close to being sick to her stomach by the same polite smiles on each of their faces that vainly tried to mask the looks of pity underneath. She was utterly exhausted by the stupidity of it all. Of all the things and people to look out for, she certainly shouldn't have been on the top of that list. The sole thing they had all managed to achieve today was to bring out the first-class banshee in her.
For that reason, it was no surprise that Hermione observed the grand event of the evening's dinner with a sort of perverse satisfaction.
'May I have your attention, please?'
Even though food still remained on most of the tables around the Great Hall, the conversations gradually dwindled to occasional whispers as the Headmistress rose up from her chair on the dais. A certain number of baffled mumbles still rose here and there within the sea of students as everyone, with the exception of a certain trio, wore more or less quizzical expressions. Announcements were usually always made before food was served.
'As you are aware, two days ago we all witnessed the most unexpected return of Severus Snape, the same fugitive for whose whereabouts the Ministry of Magic was offering a bountiful reward. The majority of you, with the obvious exception of the first year, might well remember under what tragic circumstances our previous school year came to an end.'

Professor McGonagall's voice quivered for a second before she got a visible hold on herself and continued in a stronger voice.

'Professor Albus Dumbledore was considered by many to be the greatest wizard of our time, due to his many achievements as a wizard. However, I truly believe that it is his accomplishments as a person that made him worthy of our respect and love. Regrettably, those same qualities consequently put him in the path of the darkest wizard of modern times. All came to an end when Lord Voldemort ordered one of his most trusted servants to terminate the life of the wizard whose power he feared above anyone else's. Albus Dumbledore was brutally cornered at his weakest moment and murdered on the grounds of this very school.'
For a moment she simply observed the hundreds of eyes trained on her, the faces that latched keenly onto every word that rang clearly in the vast hall.
'However, I do not stand here in front of you today to recite what has already been said countless times before. My announcement tonight comes as a direct order from the Ministry and is a clear message to the population of Hogwarts of certain facts that the rest of the wizarding world shall find out in tomorrow's papers. After a thorough investigation, the Ministry has deduced that the notorious murderer of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is none other than the infamous Death Eater Rodolphus Lestrange. Owing to the unfounded accusations towards Severus Snape, the Minister is issuing a personal apology as well as an official pardon that lifts all charges filed against him.'
The silence that followed was so profound that it was virtually deafening. For her part, Hermione met the proclamation with calm comprehension. She had been expecting something along those lines, after all. If a criminal needed to be protected, one had to find someone who deserved to be put in his stead. No matter what the Ministry occasionally portrayed, it seemed that it wasn't all filled to the brink with imbeciles. Thank Merlin for small favours.
As the surprise still held everyone immobile, movement down the Gryffindor table caught Hermione's eye. A few seats away from Harry sat Neville Longbottom, who, for all intents and purposes, looked like he had swallowed an extra-large portion of gillyweed without any possibility of finding water in which to breathe. A greenish tinge spread across where his gills would have popped out, and his eyes already had a watery quality to them. Hermione felt a twinge of utmost sympathy for her poor classmate, who by all appearances, had just discovered that the same man who tortured his parents to insanity was also the murderer of Professor Dumbledore.
Then, the Headmistress of Hogwarts decided to plant the last proverbial dung bomb upon everyone's head.
'All those things considered, I am, therefore, delighted to announce that, as of tomorrow, Severus Snape will be reinstated as a staff member of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the newly appointed Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. That will be all. You are free to go as soon as dinner ends. Have a good night.'
Momentarily distracted herself by this unanticipated turn of events, the young witch belatedly heard a distinct heavy thump somewhere down the table. Indeed, it looked as though Neville's previous response had been brought about, not with the news of Lestrange, but of another Death Eater. The seat, which had been occupied mere seconds ago, was now clearly vacant as the plump body of its previous owner decided to take an unplanned visit to the floor beneath it.
Poor Neville did not take the news of Professor Snape's return too well.
Furthermore, he was far from the only one.
Mutters and exclamations of various volumes and contexts broke out almost instantly along the long tables of the hall. Only one out of four remained abnormally silent. Only now, much to Hermione's incredulity, did it register with her how empty the Slytherin table appeared to be. At best, thirty-odd students were scattered along the seats, and every last one of them either stared into their plates or silently observed the general commotion around them. It wasn't hard to guess who in particular had decided to pull their children so hastily out of Hogwarts within the space of the last two days.

That action broadcasted a clear message; for some reason, the rest of the Death Eaters were cautious of Severus Snape... or at least something closely connected to him.
A short time later, as Hermione lingered at the table and the rest of the Gryffindor seniors were starting to make their own way towards their dormitories, she managed to catch Harry's eye as he too stood up. Without needing to be reminded, he turned around to firmly clutch Ron's shoulder.
'Come on, Ron. Let's help old Neville here up to the Common Room. It's nothing a regular Pepper-up Potion can't fix!' he exclaimed rather too jovially, but Ron, even as informed as he was, appeared to be slightly shell-shocked by the dinner's events. Therefore, he calmly let his best jet-black-haired friend herd him towards their housemate, who was at last starting to show vital signs through irregular moans.
As her two close friends unsteadily walked out of the Great Hall, half-supporting a shaking Neville between them, Hermione felt like the last coward. She found herself unable to tell Ron the whole truth of what "extras" her protection entailed whilst she could, and here she sat with a clear notion that all of her clothes and personal belongings were already somewhere down in the dungeons. After tomorrow morning, she would be unable to deny the obvious, however. Once Ron shook away the present shock, he would instantly know that something even more fishy was going on.
Professor McGonagall seemed to materialize out of nowhere on Hermione's right with an expectant tilt to her head.
'Miss Granger, if you are quite finished staring at the doors, do follow me. Your new quarters await you.'
And a new life, Hermione inwardly mused.

That somewhat silly notion, however, did not stop the young witch from nervously wringing her hands all the way to the dungeons.
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Sweet Surrender