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A PERFECT MATCH

Chapter 12: Solving the puzzle

The next morning on her way to breakfast, Hermione was humming the Italian song she had heard the night before. She felt reborn, ready to take on the world.

There were only a few people in the Great Hall and she found herself seated next to professor McGonagall. They talked about the school for a bit and when Hermione said she enjoyed teaching so much, McGonagall looked very pleased and she gave Hermione a few hints that made her believe her stay at Hogwarts would not end after the completion of her work with Snape. This brought her in an even better mood. In fact, she felt so reassured and at ease, she decided a confrontation with Malfoy wouldn’t harm her and after breakfast she went straight to Hagrid’s.

 

There was no answer when she knocked on the door. Knowing at least Malfoy would be in, she opened the door herself and went in. Nobody was in the room. Then it occurred to her Malfoy was staying in a hidden room. The entrance being next to the fireplace, she knocked three times on the mantlepiece and a secret door opened.

On entering she noticed Malfoy was not alone. It seemed he had been playing chess with someone, but something must have happened since the pieces were lying scattered on the floor. From the corner of her left eye she saw a movement. She turned her head, only to drop her mouth in astonishment. Draco Malfoy was sitting on his knees in front of the sofa and the person lying on that sofa, clinging herself to him while engaged in a kiss was Ginny Weasley.

Unable to move, Hermione let out a little scream. The couple’s heads raised slowly as if they weren’t aware of their environment. Ginny saw Hermione first and her face flushed.

Draco turned around and looked embarrassed. Not quite as embarrassed as Hermione felt though. She started to turn around when both Draco and Ginny stood up, stammering an explanation.

 

“Em, I think I’ve seen enough and I’ll leave you to it.” Hermione fled the room. She desperately needed some air !

Ginny followed and caught up with her outside Hagrid’s house.

 

“Hermione, wait ! Let me explain.” Ginny pleaded.

 

Hermione turned to her and the expression on her face showed she wasn’t ready yet to accept what she had seen.

 

“Ginny, what the hell is going on ? How could you ? Malfoy of all people ! Have you forgotten how badly he has treated your family ? Really!”

 

“Oh , Hermione! I know he did some bad things and he was a real pain, but he’s not like that anymore.”

 

“Hm.” Hermione obviously had some trouble believing that.

 

“And what about Harry ? I thought …’

 

“You and I both know that wasn’t going to happen. I’ve realised it for some time now. You know, little girls do grow up. And Draco, well, he needs me.”

 

Seeing Ginny close to tears made Hermione’s heart melt. She couldn’t be angry with her, the poor girl deserved some happiness, but could Draco really be the one to give it to her ?

 

“Ginny, I’m trying to understand, believe me, and if this is what you want, then I’m happy for you. But be careful, promise you’ll be careful !!”

 

Seeing Hermione was at least willing to accept them as a couple, she answered relieved:

 

“Of course I will be careful. I’ve had enough encounters with the dark to last me a lifetime.”

 

Then they both smiled and Ginny went back inside, while Hermione headed for the castle.

 

Hermione spent the rest of the day on her own, not ready for more surprises. She wasn’t really in a position to judge Ginny and Draco, but it couldn’t stop her worrying. At least it kept her mind from other worries. Tomorrow morning she had to go back to work and she wasn’t exactly looking forward to her chat with Snape. Apparently he hadn’t returned yet, so she could use this extra time to relax some more. Her date with Sirius had given her some peace of mind, but it was still Snape she had to deal with.

 

When she entered the Great Hall that evening, she noticed some giggles while passing the Gryffindor table. She could overhear the words ‘Snape’, ‘Black’ and ‘love-triangle’ and felt her cheeks redden. Obviously Ginny Weasley hadn’t been able to keep her big mouth shut ! A bigger shock was waiting for her at the Head Table. Snape was sitting in his usual seat ! Sirius sat at the other end, opposite Snape.

 

Although there was quite some space between the two wizards, she could sense the hostility between them. It was worse than usual. She noticed there were only two vacant seats left: one next to Snape and one next to Sirius. Not wanting to confront Snape when he was in a foul mood, she sat down at Sirius’ side, immediately realising her mistake when she saw the look of triumph on his face. Her gaze went to the other side of the table and her breath caught. If looks could kill, both her and Sirius would now be death as Snape’s eyes were shooting daggers in their direction. Oh my God, and she had been worried about having to face him after the kiss! He looked like he was about to cast an Avada Kedavra on anyone in his immediate surroundings and she cursed herself for underestimating his feelings. Clearly he was having a severe attack of jealousy. Everyone in the Great Hall could sense there was something going on between Snape and Black.

 

Hermione finished up as soon as she could and fled the Great Hall.

She had almost reached the stairs when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She shuddered, knowing by instinct whose it was and turned around to face him, her head held high and trying not to show the fear she felt raging inside her.

 

“Please come with me.” It was very much an order and she complied without hesitating.

 

He lead her into his sitting room, but offered her no seat. The cold fireplace reminded her of the coldness in his eyes.

Still standing he turned to her. The menacing look on his face made her lost for words.

 

“We shall have this conversation once, and then none of us will ever refer to it again. Understood ?”

 

She nodded, afraid that the tremble in her voice would give away her fear if she spoke.

 

“Well then. What happened the other evening was a mistake. Call it a moment of insanity if you like. Nothing more. I will forget it and you will too if we want to finish our work. Agreed ?”

 

She nodded again, pulling herself together, a fierce look on her face.

 

“Until tomorrow then.” He looked at the door, making it clear the conversation was over. She turned around and left.

 

When she finally reached her room, the tears were running freely down her cheeks. She threw herself on the bed, no longer able to hold back the sobs.

She cried for at least two hours, leaving her with a sore throat, a running nose and swollen, red eyes. Then she stopped herself. Why on earth was she crying ?

 

And then it finally hit her.

She had been such a fool ! Did she have cotton in her head instead of brains ? Had all logic left her ? How could she have ignored all the signs ? It was all so horribly clear now.

Thinking back about all that had happened since graduation, she could strangle herself for not picking up on what was going on.

 

Thoughts were spinning inside her mind.

Snape. What did she feel when thinking about him ? How had she reacted when other people talked about him ? She summed it up in her head:

-admired the scientist

-thrilled when he chose her to work with him

-enjoyed working with him

-defending him to her friends, even got angry with them

-fearing for his safety

-strange feelings when he was near

-drowning in his eyes, loosing control of her limbs

-feeling sparks when he touched her

-denying all of those feelings, seeking miserable excuses…

Should she continue ?

 

She never had a crush on Snape ! Oh no, it was far worse. She had been foolish enough to fall in love with him.

 

The words of last night’s song kept ringing in her ear, mocking her for thinking she might feel something for Sirius. When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore … bells will ring …”

It was exactly how she felt about Snape!

 

Remembering his harsh words earlier that evening, her eyes filled with tears again and she was on the verge of another big cry, when she clenched her fists.

This was crazy. This wasn’t the behaviour of an intelligent young woman, and definitely not of a Gryffindor. She would not let herself go like this. Surely she could come up with something to get out of this mess.

Slowly it felt like her brains were beginning to take over the situation again.

Holding on to the fire she had seen in his eyes after he kissed her and maybe even more convinced by his display of jealousy in the Great Hall, she mustered up what courage she had (and that was plenty) and jumped out of bed, seeing her determined face in the mirror.

She was going to go after him ! All she needed now was a plan. A cunning smile lit her face, knowing this was right up her sleeve.

She stared in the distance, narrowing her eyes. Her following words were barely a whisper, but the resoluteness was unmistaken:

“Severus Snape, I’m coming for you and you won’t know what hit you!”

 

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