Hermione misunderstands the good intentions of her fellow Slytherin’s and manages to use a time-honored Slytherin tradition to her advantage.

When Draco and Daphne had returned from Hogsmeade and had heard Blaise’s story of Granger and Krum walking together, Draco was shocked.

She had been with Krum earlier?

How the bloody hell had that happened?

Daphne just smiled at the thought while everyone sat around in the common room and waited to see if the little witch returned before dinner.

Soon they’d realized they were waiting in vain as she never came back and stranger yet, she wasn’t in the Great Hall for dinner.

She also never came back to the dorms after curfew.

Daphne and Draco decided on Sunday, that they needed to let Professor Snape know that Granger had not been staying in the dormitory for a while now. When Draco told Severus, his eyes widened in shock and then his expression became angry.

How did he not know that one of his students was not where she was supposed to be?

He told Draco that he would handle it.

Potions was first thing Monday morning so Severus would talk to Hermione then.

When Monday morning came, Hermione walked into potions with the other Slytherins, not paying attention to the interested stares coming from her housemates. She sat down at her usual spot alone and proceeded to get out her supplies for the day.

Class started and today they were brewing Pepper up Potions for the infirmary which frankly, she could do in her sleep as she’d done it so often over the last year helping Madam Pomfrey.

Professor Snape came over to her station once she was finished and requested she stay after.

Hermione gazed up at him questioningly, but he just stared back at her impassively so she nodded, quickly cleaning up her supplies, and not noticing a pair of grey eyes watching her from the back of the room.

When all the students had left, or so Hermione thought, she approached her Potions Professor.

“Was there something you needed, Professor?”

“Yes, Miss Granger. It has come to my attention that you’re not staying within the Slytherin Dormitory this year. As you know, that is not permitted and I must ask where you have been staying in the castle?”

She just stared at her Professor angrily.

She wasn’t a fool, she knew why this was suddenly an issue. Someone had seen her with Krum and had assumed either she was staying with him, or wasn’t happy that she’d actually made a friend and was trying to sabotage that.

Hermione didn’t need to think twice about whom had outed her.

“I’m afraid I don’t see the problem, Professor. My whereabouts have not been affecting my school work?” Snape shook his head and glared, wondering where she was going with this. “And you obviously didn’t care enough before, what, nearly two months into the school year to be concerned about my sleeping arrangements? So obviously, someone from Slytherin House (Hermione refused to call it her house), decided to pry their nose into my business. It’s not as if anyone in that house truly cares about my well-being, so perhaps you should be wondering why the sudden interest now.”

“That is not the point, Miss Granger. You are required to remain in the dorms after curfew. I could have you expelled for your obvious flouting of the school rules.”

Hermione’s eyes burned, but she just laughed mockingly at her Professor. His eyes widening in surprise that such a sound could come from one so young.

He felt a flash of momentary guilt and shame for what this girl had gone through under his watch.

“You go right ahead and expel me, Professor, but I would think long and hard before you do. You’d have to get permission from the Headmaster. How do you think he would support you, knowing that you’ve blatantly allowed a mudblood under your watch to evade the dorms for well over two months. That could be construed as neglect, you might even lose you position as Head of House, possibly your job. Do you think the Board of Governors will protect you? Yes, you may be godfather to his son, but I’m sure Lucius Malfoy wouldn’t think twice about sacrificing you for the greater good should it prove expedient to do so. I think it would be in both of our best interests for you remain ignorant of my comings and goings. I have no intention of returning to Slytherin House. I detest everyone there, and they all hate me over something so fickle really.”

Snape just stared at the witch and Draco gasped in shock at the venom dripping from Granger’s voice.

She was blackmailing Severus, and my all accounts was going to succeed.

What had he done?

This was all his fault!

When Hermione realized that no rebuttal from her Professor was forthcoming, she turned regally and walked to the door. Before she opened it though, she glanced over towards the potions cabinet where Draco was hiding. She glared at the spot, knowing Malfoy could see her before storming out of the room, heading to her next class.

After a moment, Draco came out of the closet and looked at his godfather who was sitting in his chair, with head in his hands.

Draco approached cautiously and cleared his voice and Severus lifted his head as he considered his godson wearily.

“I am assuming you heard that, Draco?” The boy just nodded. “It would seem that our alienation of Miss Granger has permanently damaged any good will that the witch may possess. I have no doubt if I force this issue, she will make good on her threats. I will send a letter to your father informing him of the situation and her assumptions. I believe she is correct in the fact that I have been willfully ignorant of her these past few months. For now, I expect you to leave the witch alone, Draco. Not until I can figure out how to handle this situation, is that understood?”

Draco just nodded dumbly, grabbing his book bag and leaving the Potions classroom.

Fuck!

He had been honestly worried about Granger, so much so that he’d actually been caught taunting Potter yesterday and that crazy one-eyed sorry excuse for a Professor, had maliciously transfigured him into a ferret and stuffed him down Crabbe’s pants.

He’d been teased mercilessly and as a result? Started to have a bit more empathy for what he had put Granger through all these years.

He knew that she thought he was purposely trying to sabotage her again, and what little gain he’d made over the past two months was surely gone now.

Draco decided to write to his mother and tell her everything.

If anyone could help him fix this mess, it was his mother.