Dance With A Serpent

Summoned

Both Ginny and Hermione completely failed to look at Harry at that moment.

"Is that so...?" Ginny was calm as a clam...of course it wasn't she who had seen Snape.

"Why do I see anyone at all in there 'Mione?"

Hermione adopted Ginny's cool and nonchalant voice as she continued "Oh... That part was a bit hazy, but from what I could discern..." The entire table was hanging on her every word "The mirror shows your soul's heart...not whom you love personally, but who your soul's match is, I would think."

At those last words the tumult that broke lose at Gryffindor table was deafening. Ginny and Hermione shared a smile.

Seamus and a few others were silent but most were talking rapidly.

"Come off it, Seamus!" Dean insisted. "Hermione did say it had nothing to do with your own personal feelings didn't she...?"

"Fuck off Dean it's still a Slytherin."

Dean patted his friend on the shoulder and decided to spread the good news along to the other tables.

"I think a riot has broken loose" Snape said calmly to Minerva whilst sipping his coffee.

"Oh, I don't think it's that bad. It's probably to do with my lost mirror" she sipped her tea.

"You lost it again? I am very certain I handed it to you."

"Maybe someone nicked from me in an unguarded moment?"

Severus doubted that. Minerva had a cat's hearing and reflexes. Anyone stupid enough to try would be...well Filtch's before they could blink. Dumbledore had been her mentor in more ways than one it seemed. And at that thought Severus went green. He had not meant that thought to sound that way...urgh!

He looked out over the sea of over enthusiastic faces and met to brown eye. He looked away. Mentor in more than one way huh...? How she would laugh at him if she knew his thoughts.

"Granger! Granger stop!"

She turned around. So did Harry and Ron who was walking with her. It was Malfoy. The three boys stiffened at the sight of one and other.

Malfoy cleared his throat "I need to speak with Granger. Head business"

Ron eyed Malfoy suspiciously but dragged Harry along and a way from the two "Right... we'll be in Herbology Hermione.." he muttered. Harry only glared at the blond.

"What do you want Malfoy?"

"Snape needs to speak with us after lunch...we have some new assignment apparently." He rolled his eyes to indicate that they had nothing but assignments all the time.

She smiled an exasperated smile "And why, pray, couldn't you tell me this in front of my friends, Malfoy?"

"Oh that one is easy. I can't stand them" He gave her a big grin

Her eyes twinkled not so innocently "And you can stand me...?"

"Of course not, M.B."

She nearly gasped he hadn't called her a mudblood ever since they moved in together! The bastard he wouldn't ever change!

"Miss Bossy." He finished and gave her an even wider grin. She hit him with her books.

"You try a stunt like that again and I'll hex your balls of Malfoy!"

She had to run to get level with her friends.

"What did Malfoy want?" Harry asked.

"Be a jerk." Hermione muttered.

"I thought he had bettered himself..."

"Yes, but polish a turd and it's still a turd" Ron said with a smile. "And speaking of people who should get their act together... What was that you said to Gin at breakfast today?"

"Oh... Only that the person you see in the mirror will see you in the mirror. Without exceptions." Hermione said pointedly. Harry said nothing.

"Is it true Hermione that Ginny revealed to you who she saw in that mirror?" Ron continued unperturbed. "...To bad you forgot who it was." Hermione gave Ron a big smile

"I know exactly who she saw but I couldn't say that so the entire table heard." They smiled. Harry glared at them. They pretended not to notice.

After lunch Hermione and Malfoy walked down to the Deputy Headmaster's office. It had puzzled Hermione that it was Snape who dealt with the prefects now that McGonagall was Headmistress but it had turned out it was the Deputy's duties.

"So when are they releasing you father?" Hermione asked her escort as they were walking.

"Not for some time but mothers out and about...under close watch, of course, but never the less out. I have to say it was smart of her to save Potter like that"

"Yes well she wanted to see you again didn't she?"

He smiled "Yes, mother first, Death Eater second."

They knocked on Snape's office door. Hermione felt an unwelcome shiver when she heard his low voice say, "Enter."

They walked in. He was sitting behind his desk... it wasn't the desk in her mirror's view.

"Sit" he said without looking up. They sat.

It took some time for him to stop whatever he was doing and look up at them. This was the usual way with him. But when he did look up it was a slow raising of the head in such a way that his hair that had been draped across his face parted and revealed his dark eyes. Hermione felt a jolt go through her body when this routine was played out. Damn his handsome eyes. Damn his silken hair. Damn that mirror. She would never have noticed had it not been for that damn mirror!

She looked away hoping neither of the other to see her blush.

"Is everything going well?" He asked. By the sound of it he didn't really want to know.

"Yes, sir." Malfoy said.

"Ah...Draco. How are things inside Slytherin? Behind closed doors I mean."

"Remarkably well. The war seems to have made the world better, sir."

"That I believe was it's whole point. And Miss Granger any reports?"

"Yes." She rummaged in her bag and produced five sheets of paper filled with her meticulous righting. "You said last time sir that you didn't want me going on for hours with my report so I took the liberty of writing it down."

He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing when he took it. They sat silent for a while as the professor leafed through Hermione's report

He gruffed, "Very well, that was not the reason why I summoned you here." He sighed heavily, "Our honourable Headmistress has misplaced her mirror again it would seem...And because off all the hullabaloo around this...thing of hers she thinks it would be a good thing to have a" he grimaced "A ball in honour of the damned thing."

Hermione blushed beyond crimson.

"So see to it." he snapped at them and handed Malfoy a note. "Here are some details the Headmistress has set up for you... such as a budget and date I suspect."

Malfoy looked at the paper and sighed, "Yes, sir."

He stood up and gave Snape bow. "Come on Granger, there's to much to do."

She glanced at the professor. He didn't return her gaze. "Good day then, Professor."

He waived her off.

This was getting worse.