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I Don't Want To Be Alone by DistinctVagueness [Reviews - 3]

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2. Crossing Paths
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Last lesson that day was Charms. As in every other class that day, they were subjected to a lengthy speech on the importance of their N.E.W.T year. Professor Flitwick explained that, although they would be learning several new complex charms, their main focus would be on ensuring that they could all perform previously taught charms adequately, if not perfectly, as well as knowing the theory behind them. (Upon hearing the word ‘theory’ both Harry and Ron slumped in their seats.)

After class, they headed up to the Gryffindor common room to put away their bags before dinner. Hermione checked on Crookshanks in her dormitory. The ginger, bow-legged cat was curled up on her pillow, pretending to be asleep but was watching out of the corner of his eye, as the girl busied herself in putting away her books and running a brush through her hair.

“You’re not too convincing, you know.” Hermione came over and sat down on the bed. She scratched behind one of his ears. Crookshanks omitted a loud purr and rolled over.

Hermione reached inside her robes. Out came the letter she had received that morning. She simply looked at it for a moment and then slid a finger under the seal, tearing it open. She pulled out a single sheet of paper.



Dear Hermione,

Thank you for your letter to tell us your journey back to school went smoothly. After the rather unpleasant conversation we shared in the car on the way to the station, I got the impression that you were feeling upset. We don’t wish to make you unhappy, dear, but you have to understand we want you to make the most of the options available to you after Hogwarts. Before you became a witch, you excelled at your school and we feel that had you undertaken an education at an ordinary high school, you would have exceeded expectations there also. We just want you to remember that, should you wish to attend a normal university, we would be more than willing to support you and you could pick up on your magical education afterwards if you still wished.

With love

Mum





Hermione stared at the letter unbelievably. “I’m sure you are willing to support me, Mum, but what happens if I decide I don’t want to return to a “normal” life?”

She looked at Crookshanks and sighed. “Why can’t she just accept me as I am?” Her cat stared back at her, unblinkingly and offered a soft ‘miaow’ as a response.

“I’d better be going down to dinner. See you later.” She left Crookshanks, who promptly curled up into a ball and fell asleep.

She was half way out of the portrait hole before a voice met her ears.

“Miss. Granger.”

She turned to see Professor McGonagall sitting by the fire in the deserted common room. She blinked for a second. It was rather odd to see her in the common room, although she was Head of Gryffindor House. She rarely ventured in there, except to give occasional announcements, and even then, she didn’t stay long.

“Professor?”

“I wondered if I could perhaps have a few words with you before you join your friends in the Great Hall.”

“Yes…of course.”

Professor McGonagall gestured for Hermione to take the seat facing her. She sat down expectantly.

“How are you, Miss. Granger?”

“I’m…okay, thanks.”

“Settling in as normal, then?”

“Yes. Everything’s fine…” said Hermione, puzzled, more at the motherly tone McGonagall had adopted, than the enquiry into her well-being.

For a few moments, there was lull. Professor McGonagall seemed to be studying her in quiet thought.

“Professor..…is there anything else? Only, I should be going down to dinner.”

“Of course, Miss. Granger. I just wanted to see how you were…after the events of last year.”

“I’m fine,” answered Hermione, a little too quickly. Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes.

“After what happened, it’s only natural you would-”

“Honestly,” broke in Hermione. “I’m fine.” Eyes fixed on the floor, she refused to meet Professor McGonagall’s intent stare.

“And you still stand by your decision to remain as a Gryffindor prefect, not Head Girl?”

Hermione paused. “I do. There’s enough for me to be thinking about this year. Besides, Hannah Abbott deserved it anyway.”

“Very well. You may go now, Miss. Granger.” Professor McGonagall nodded to her to leave.



When Hermione reached the Gryffindor table, dinner was already in full swing and most plates were half empty. She served herself a few potatoes and some chicken salad.

“Where were you?” asked Harry. “Parvati and Erica said you were just in the dormitory, putting your stuff away, but that was ages ago.”

“Oh, Professor McGonagall just wanted to have a few words with me, that’s all.”

“What about?” asked Ron. “Is she irritated that Sprout managed to get both the Head Girl and Head Boy in her house this year?”

“No, she just wanted to see if I…” Wondering whether to tell them about her Head of House’s concern for her, she looked up at them. Ron seemed to be paying little, if any, attention to what she was saying and Harry, who often was the more observant of the two, was reaching across the table for a slice of bread and looking over her shoulder towards the Ravenclaw table.

“…If I was happy with the extra work I’ve decided to do this year,” she finished weakly.

After a few minutes of eating and pushing the potatoes absently around her plate, while her best friends rambled on about how to effectively use the Sloth Grip Roll tactic in their next Quidditch match, Hermione stood up.

“I’ll see you later in the common room.”

“Aren’t you having any dessert?” Harry asked her, looking somewhat concerned, which mollified Hermione’s feelings of being ignored slightly.

“I’m not really that hungry. Besides, I’ve got homework to do and I need to go to the-”

“-library,” finished Harry and Ron, who rolled his eyes good-humouredly at her.

“We’ll see you after, then.” Ron smiled at her and then returned to his plate where the remnants of a potato skin had just disappeared, replaced with a slice of apple pie.

Hermione walked quickly along the length of the table, smiling at Ginny Weasley who grinned back at her as she went. Before leaving through the door that led to the entrance of the castle, she turned. Harry and Ron had obviously forgotten about her quick departure, illustrated by the fact that Harry was now demonstrating the Sloth Grip Roll with a fork and a potato.



Ten minutes later, she arrived at the library. Bypassing the empty seats at tables occupied by whispering students, she settled her parchment, Ancient Runes textbook and quill at a small, solitary desk in the corner. A candle burned brightly above the desk, as it was thrown into shadow by the tall bookcases nearby. Then she crossed over to the main desk, where Madam Pince was sitting, watching the students in her library over the rim of her thin spectacles suspiciously.

“Madam Pince?”

“Yes?”

“I have a note here from Professor McGonagall.” Reaching inside her robes, she pulled out a slip of parchment covered with McGonagall’s neat cursive writing.

“Indeed. Well, hand it here then.” Madam Pince pushed up her spectacles and skimmed the note, reading parts of it out loud. “…Please allow...Restricted Section…can be trusted…entire year?!” Hermione thought fleetingly, that if Madam Pince’s eyebrows had risen any further, they might well have dropped off.

“I understand you may need extra resources for certain subjects, Miss. Granger, but being allowed to access the Restricted Section for an entire year? There is a reason it’s restricted, you know.”

“I know I’m asking a lot, Madam Pince, but I’m taking on further work and projects in addition to my N.E.W.T work and I promise you I’ll just take the books I need.”’

Madam Pince exhaled loudly through her nose. “Very well. But I will be checking on the authenticity of this note.”

“Thanks, Madam Pince.”

Hermione made her way over to the Restricted Section, with the curious glances of a group of third year Hufflepuffs following her. For a few moments, she simply gazed around at the veritable mound of books available to her now. She was half-tempted to look at the most potent volumes sitting on the highest shelves, but she let the feeling pass. Professor McGonagall had given her this privilege because she trusted her to only read the books that were required, not to do a little light reading on the history of the dark arts or discover the ingredients for immensely dangerous and illegal potions.

She walked along one bookshelf until she came upon a book containing details on the use of Ancient Runes in conjunction with Arithmancy. Satisfied, she left the Restricted Section and started her work.



Two hours later, her arms itching to stretch and her right hand aching from holding her quill so long, Hermione yawned and closed the heavy book propped up in front of her. Madam Pince’s head jerked up from the book she had been reading at her desk at the slamming noise. She glared disapprovingly at Hermione, who offered an apologetic expression and suddenly began coughing at the decade’s worth of dust that had risen from the book’s ancient pages.

She placed the book back on the shelf, gathered up her parchment and her textbook and left the deserted library, walking quickly, as to not be so late that she was breaking the rules.

At the portrait hole, Hermione was about to open her mouth to tell the Fat Lady the password when she remembered she’d left her quill in the library.

‘Damn’ she thought. Madam Pince was notorious for holding back lost quills and pieces of homework while she practiced her favourite pastime of chastising the careless pupil who had crossed her. It was her favourite quill too.

Unwilling to endure asking Madam Pince for her quill back, Hermione decided to chance it. It wasn’t that late and as long as Peeves didn’t catch her, she had the art of avoiding prowling teachers down pretty well, courtesy of being best friends with Ron and Harry.

Hermione walked as quietly and as quickly as she could to the library. Cautiously, she approached the door. As she had expected, it was locked. Peering carefully around first, she bent down and pulled her wand from her robes. “Alohomora,” she whispered. The lock clicked and the door creaked open. Wincing at the small noise, Hermione slipped inside.



In his long, black robes, Severus Snape, lurking just a few corridors away, looked more like a huge, dark shadow than a person. But that’s how he liked it. Any unsuspecting student, creeping around the school after hours surely did not try it again after being confronted with the terror of meeting the Potions Master in the night.

Tonight, though, it looked like this had backfired on him since there were barely any troublemakers to be found. All he had managed to do was frighten a cluster of first years trying to find their way back to their common room after being ambushed by Peeves. He was restless but knew, if he returned to his chambers, his mind would begin to dwell in less pleasant areas.

Shaking his head slightly, to regain his concentration, he heard a noise. A noise that sounded almost…like a door closing. Fighting the impulse to smirk, Severus hurried his pace down the corridor that led to the library.

Coming towards him was a figure with long chestnut brown hair. Upon seeing him, the figure froze and backed away. When it recognised him, he heard a gasp, which he took to be of dismay. Smiling grimly, he began his admonishment.

Clutching her quill in her left hand, Hermione, shut the door softly behind her and locked it. She started up the corridor again, on her way to Gryffindor Tower but froze when she saw the approaching shadow, heading, unmistakeably in her direction. She shrunk against the wall. The shadow continued coming at her.

Then, she recognised what, or rather who it was, and let out a gasp of relief. Next, she almost laughed. Who had ever been relieved to see Professor Snape, especially when they were engaged in rule breaking?

“Miss. Granger. On an after-hours stroll around the castle are we?”

“No, I-I was just..…” Inwardly, Hermione cursed herself. Why must she blush and stutter over her words so with this teacher, but speak so clearly and easily to any other?

“I see. And I believe you were first choice for Head Girl too. What a mistake that would have been.”

Hermione attempted to open her mouth to defend herself but no words came pouring out.

“Detention, I think would be suitable.”

“But Professor-”

“And five points from Gryffindor for interrupting me.”

Hermione stared at him with a mix of emotions. Anger was the most prominent but she didn’t dare to open her mouth again. Detention and having house points docked was enough for one night.

“My office, Miss. Granger. Tomorrow night at eight. Now please return to Gryffindor before I have the urge to give you another night in detention.” With that, he turned and walked away from her, blending in with the dark corridor as he went, leaving Hermione alone, to seethe at his unfairness.


Thanks to beta Angel.


I Don't Want To Be Alone by DistinctVagueness [Reviews - 3]

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