Visitor

   The hall was almost empty. One look up to the staff table was enough to see Professor McGonagall’s definitely not amused face. Slughorn was totally drunk now, singing Christmas carols to cheer up Madam Sprout who, telling from her red nose and eyes, obviously suffered from a bad cold. Though Hermione knew that even Peeves had a far more pleasing singing voice than Slughorn had right now. She pitied all three of them. As for everyone else in the hall, they seemed to be rather entertained. Sitting far away from her housemates, alone, Luna Lovegood seesawed joyfully to Slughorn’s – shrieking, eating herbal pasties. Hermione just had to join her. She wouldn’t know what to talk about with the other Gryffindors anyway.

 

   “Hey Luna.”

   “Oh, hello, Hermione.”, she looked up, a mix of delight and thoughtfulness in her silvery grey eyes.

   “Mind if I sat there?”, she pointed on a space of bench to Luna’s right.

   “No, no.”, Luna beamed. “I always enjoy your company. You’re a nice person and interesting to talk with.”

   “So are you.”

   “Thank you!”, Luna beamed even more.

   “Why are you sitting alone?”, Hermione asked so she would seem to not understand why Luna had practically no friends.

   “I wouldn’t know what to talk about with the others.”, she found her answer most interesting. “Why do you not sit with your housemates?”

   “Same as you.”, Hermione smirked.

   “It seems, we have something in common then.”

   “Yeah.”

   “How was your morning? I heard, your parents are away, seeking shelter?”

   “Yes. And it was nice, actually.”, she helped herself to some chicken and mashed potatoes.

   “That is wonderful. Mine was rather boring though. Oh look – there’s Professor Snape! He’s coming late again. Did you notice, he comes a bit late for meals quite often lately?”

   “Um – no? I didn’t.”, she really hadn’t noticed.

   “I wonder what keeps him busy.”

 

   He had been deeply in thoughts but was torn from those when he heard Slughorn boasting with laughter and starting a new song. Like frozen immediately, he stopped midways to his seat. By that time, McGonagall had visibly moved half a chair away from Slughorn, earning a glance of sympathy from Madam Hooch. The shock on Severus’ face abruptly changed to blank anger. Even a Dragon would have fled from his expression. Almost stomping, he walked to his chair.

 

   “Severus!”, Slughorn had seen him. “How’re ya! Huh? Wha’cha doin’? Why don’cha sit down?

 

   He completely ignored Slughorn. Each of the few heads in the hall were on him, watching him fill his plate with seemingly random bits of food, pour some juice into his goblet, place his cutlery on top of his meal and take everything all the way around the staff table. Not enough, he walked further, passing the Slytherin table alongside the wall and sat down at its very end, closest to the door side corner, not looking at anyone. With a sigh to his plate, he started eating.

 

   “What’s he – ?”, Slughorn sang to McGonagall who just looked to said corner, with a quite similar expression as Madam Hooch had given her before. “Did I say somethin’ wrong? SEVERUS!”, he now yelled all across the hall, causing not only the addressed to squint with annoyance.

   “For Heaven’s sake, Horace!”, McGonagall bellowed. “Stop drinking!”

   “Why, Minny?”, everyone was just waiting to see sparks coming from the elderly woman’s nostrils.

   “Because you are as sensible as a lunatic horde of Giants to a bird sitting on the ground with a broken wing!”, now it was Slughorn who literally froze to the goblet in his hand. “And don’t! You! Ever! Call! Me! Like! That! Again! Ever!”

 

   With every word she hissed, she hammered her right index finger into one and the same spot on his chest. There was a humming silence, only broken by her heavy breath. Even Severus stared up to her, his mouth ajar in confusion, a completely forgotten piece of carrot on his fork right in front of it. Slughorn just swallowed, peered at his goblet and carefully put it down, McGonagall’s finger still drilling into his chest. When the goblet touched the table and Slughorn let go of it, she gave an angry blow, pulled back her hand and continued eating, though a bit ferocious. As slowly as Slughorn took his eyes off her, all other people went on with what they had done before Severus had entered. Only, a little more quiet. He as well, finally ate his piece of carrot, quite surprised about his colleague’s direct outburst.

 

   “She’s a very tough woman.”, Luna noted, as dreamingly as ever.

   “Indeed.”, Hermione confirmed with a chuckle.

   “But I feel sorry for them.”

   “Them?”

   “Professor Slughorn, because he had only meant it well and Professor Snape, because he doesn’t seem to get along with him as well as everyone else does.”

   “He doesn’t get along well with anyone at all, if you haven’t noticed.”, one of her classmates had heard her and hissed down the table.

   “Don’t be so mean, Rebecca. I have the impression that he gets along really well with Professor Burbage and Professor Dumbledore.”

   “Tz.”, the other girls turned back off.

   “Dumbledore.”, Luna thought aloud. “Where is he, by the way? He appears to be very busy as well these days.”

   “You got a point on that.”, Hermione smirked, reaching for some salad.

   “He looks dreadful.”, Luna had turned her head to Severus. “Someone should really raise his mood. But I wonder – what might cheer him up?”

 

   Yes, what might that be? Now Hermione regretted to have told him she had no time. But how would she then have time for trying to figure out what she could – there it was again. Like always, when she was close to find a solution for a kind of riddle, she felt something like a big, cut up picture repairing itself. A black pouch with purple embroidery – just like the noble robes he had worn for the Yule Ball. A purple dressing gown. Red cushions. That was different. Different from his usual black, which was only broken by the white shirt and occasional silver clasps or buttons. He might just like these colours. Then she remembered how he had handled his – black – woollen scarf. Her eyes fell on Luna’s multicoloured knitted skirt. She had an idea. A probably horrible idea. But what else should she do? And Luna could possibly even help. So she asked right away.

 

   “Did you make this skirt yourself?”

   “Yes.”, Luna smiled. “I am glad you noticed that.”

   “I am too. It’s really beautifully done.”

   “You think so?”, Hermione nodded. “Thank you!”, Luna’s eyes were shining like stars.

   “Have you planned anything for the afternoon?”

   “No. I have spent all morning thinking about what I could do.”

   “Would you mind helping me with a – last minute Christmas present?”

   “Really? I would love to!”

   “Wonderful!”

   “For whom would it be?”

   “Well, actually, now that you suggested it,”, Hermione lied a bit, “I thought, I could try to cheer up Professor Snape.”, she whispered.

   “That sounds great.”, Luna whispered back, understanding that their talk wasn’t meant for anyone to hear. “What will we do?”

   “I have an idea. But we’d have to sneak to Hogsmeade. I need to buy some wool.”

   “Oh. But you cannot just sneak out without being seen these days.”

   “Don’t worry. I know how to. There is a secret tunnel leading right to Honeydukes.”

   “Exciting.”, her eyes widened with interest.

   “So – are you in?”

   “Of course. Nobody ever asked me to go on such an adventure. Except last year. But you remember that, hopefully. And I wasn’t really asked, if I think about it.”, she stared across the table into the dancing flames of the huge fireplace. “I actually invited myself to that – but never mind.”, her smile returned. “It’s not like I wasn’t any help at all, was I?”

 

 

~~#~~

 

 

   An hour later they tiptoed through the cellar of the sweet shop. Careful not to be heard or seen, they crept upstairs. Fortunately, Mr Flume just served a mother and her thrilled daughter while his wife was refilling some jars. Without being noticed, they stepped out into the cold air. It had started snowing again, a bit more than in the morning. Not believing what she actually did there and for whom, she headed to the fabric store, Luna on her heels. Having had bought wool for her S.P.E.W. project last year, she knew where to look and thankfully discounted help from the shop owner.

 

   “What are we looking for?”, Luna asked.

   “Something either purple, violet or dark red, suitable for a scarf.”, both took a basket – after all they’d need more than just one ball.

   “Oh look at that!”, there was a big basket in the middle of the room they stood in. “They have colour changing, sparkling wool!”, it really did that, very brightly – and Hermione suddenly felt herself reminded of Dumbledore’s hat, two years ago. “But it’s expensive. One Galleon per ball.”, sadly, she dropped her shoulders. “I wish I could do such a spell.”

 

   Hermione was confused. Luna could conjure a full body Patronus, blow away ten Death Eaters at once and make a lion shaped hat roar, but she couldn’t make wool change colours and sparkle? Feeling a bit guilty about abusing her for what she wanted to do even though Luna really seemed to enjoy it, Hermione looked into her wallet. Then she went straight over to Luna and put ten of the balls in question into the younger girl’s basket, seeing her already big eyes growing much, much bigger.

 

   “You think he will like it better than what you suggested?”

   “No. They’re for you.”

   “For me? But – but why?”

   “Merry Christmas, Luna.”, Hermione smiled honestly.

   “Hermione – ”, she aspirated, small tears of disbelief emerging. “That is – I cannot – I mean – I – ”

   “I really like you and you obviously know a wonderful use for it.”

   “I – do! Thank you so much, Hermione!”, she moaned, looking like an oversized, blond Dobby. “Thank you!”

   “You’re very welcome.”

   “Hermione – that one over there looks beautiful.”, she pointed on a purple, slightly shiny wool, before staring back down on her basket, her arm still raised, obviously without her notice.

 

   Hermione went over to examine it. It had almost the same colour as the embroidery on Severus’ pouch, she could tell. Wondering whether it was coincidence or if Luna had probably seen the pouch somewhen, she took it off the shelf to get an impression of how it felt on the skin. Although the tag on the shelf claimed it to be alpaca, the wool was very soft and cosy, just as though it was mohair. More than satisfied, she put five balls into her own basket.

 

   “And you could add some stars with that one.”, Luna offered her a silvery white, even more shiny one.

   “Are you – um – are you sure?”, very sceptical she took it, seeing Luna nod.

   “Absolutely.”

   “Hmm. We’ll see.”, regardless of her doubt, she put it in as well.

 

 

~~#~~

 

 

   After having spent five hours with knitting in the sixth-year Gryffindor girls’ dormitory, watched solely by Crookshanks who had stopped by from one of his long walks around the castle for making himself comfortable in one of the armchairs and purring them a song, they went back down to the Great Hall, big smiles on their faces. They had actually managed to finish the scarf, although Luna could convince Hermione to sew in the white stars. The pattern of the scarf was rather simple, though elegant. Not too easy, but easy enough they could knit the two parts together seamlessly. She had wrapped it in shiny black fancy paper and put a piece of parchment with a short explanation inside. A classic Christmas card would have been too much in her opinion. Now she carried the parcel in her big shoulder bag, along with a – Wizard Chess Board she had also bought in Hogsmeade, somehow regretting her stupidity.

   Having managed to force Luna to bring her newly gotten freaky wool to her own dormitory, they sat down at the very place they had during lunch. Everyone else was already halfway though dinner. Only two of those who had attended lunch, were missing. Slughorn seemed not willing to mess with McGonagall again – or he might as well had fallen asleep in his office after lunch. The second person was Severus. Of course both could have already finished their meals. Still Hermione was a little worried.

   Deciding not to make herself mad, she continued chatting with Luna in the otherwise empty Gryffindor common room after dinner, until they eventually got tired. It really surprised her what a good company that girl could be. Yes, it took a while to get used to her, but other than her dreaminess, she was quite funny, as well as had a talent with words. And some of her odd knowledge could even possibly be based on facts.

   Completely exhausted and her throat dry from chatting, she helped herself to a conjured cup of water, alone on her bed, only accompanied by the crackling of the warming oven in the centre of the round dormitory. Hollow emptiness began to fill her, making her unable to fall asleep. For hours, she believed, she just laid there and stared at the canopy before the fire went out. The cold crept up from the floor and bound her to the bed like branches of a Devil’s Snare. Icy fingers searched their way across her body, along with a breath of terror.

   Hermione startled. Something had hopped onto the bed. Relieved that it was Crookshanks, she granted him some space to her right, where he rolled in. The bit of warmth at her side and the quiet purring felt good. She was not alone anymore. A happy smile on her lips, she drifted away.

   Securely in comforting arms, she flew over hills and rivers and towns below she had never seen before. It was barely nightfall and the roofs were glistening in the light of the low sun that occasionally fell through thick clouds, remains of a rainy summer day. She could see the sharp roof of a church and an old big tree coming closer. A little away from it, in an old alley, they touched ground. On his arms, she let him carry her through that alley and towards one of the houses. The sudden feeling of home emerged from a corner in her heart when he passed the garden door and strolled over the path. Up on the first and only high floor, a light burnt in one of the rooms. Everywhere else in the house was dark, but she could see well in the familiar hall as well as the staircase he took. Through a gap, light shone into the corridor. Inside, a woman read from a book.

 

   “Had left the door undone whilst strolling in the wood, for they suspected harm from none they were, themselves, so good. The little old Dame had entered in,”, he gently pushed the door open, making the woman startle as he raised his deep soft voice.

   “And was well pleased to find,”, he continued the story when her bright beautiful smile was beaming at them, “The cosy bed, and that within they held life of such kind.”

   “Now don’t mess with the story, Sev.”, the woman snickered and closed the book she had read to a little boy sitting on her lap who smiled equally broad. “You shouldn’t be here anyway. James’ll be home in no more than half an hour.”

   “Oh wha’ do I care.”, Severus chuckled and Hermione found herself being carried over to a bedside chair, her view very low, but strangely not unusual to her.

   “I know you don’t.”, she kissed the boy on the head when Severus took off his shoes and crawled onto the bed. “Now look who’s here, sweetheart.”

   “Dadda!”, the little one opened his chubby arms.

   “Oh me goodness!”, Severus chuckled and clasped him in his own, falling playfully over onto his back, which made the boy laugh.

   “Yes. Don’t let your other Dadda hear that,”, Lily smirked while Severus held the giggling child up a bit, nuzzling and cuddling him.

   “Oh ’e wun’.”, said Severus, not taking his eyes off the boy’s who shared his mother’s. “’E wouldn’ be our lil secre’ if ’e couldn’ keep such, righ’? Yes, tha’s righ’, Harry. Ye’re no’ tellin’ Uncle James – erm – Dadda James who yer real Dadda is, dun’ ye? Ye couldn’ ’ur’ ’im tha’ much, noooo.”, Harry giggled on when he was nuzzled again and a thick kiss was placed on his cheek.

   “I got news for you.”, Severus lowered Harry onto his chest where the baby boy rolled in immediately.

   “Yes?”

   “Good news.”

   “Which would be?”

   “There’s going to be more of us.”, whispered Lily, but Severus just raised an eyebrow.

   “Tha Order, ye mean?”

   “Oh come on. You’re not even in yet. Or have you finally had the guts to talk to Albus?”

   “I told ye it’s no’ tha’ easy.”, Severus mumbled and looked away from her, up at the soft green ceiling. “I go’ ter work it ou’. ’E’ll kill me otherwise, ye know ’e’ll do.”

   “I’m sure he won’t.”

   “Ye an’ yer constan’ fidelity. Ye dunno tha’ man as well as I do.”

   “And how I do.”

   “No. Ye dun’ know anythin’ ’bou’ ’im.”, Severus huffed.

   “Then I don’t. But that’s not the point.”, Lily grunted. “I was going to tell you that we’ll quite probably have something more to celebrate in January.”

   “Tha’ is?”, downstairs, a door was opened and closed lively.

   “I’m home, honey!”

   “Oh crap – ”, Lily gasped.

   “Ye said ’alf an hour!”, Severus moaned and sat up with Harry in his arms.

   “Go!”, the woman hissed. “Go! Quickly!”

 

   But he didn’t need telling twice. He carried the bewildered child back up to her, gave both a kiss and grabbed his shoes. Only a few steps later he had reached the window on the other side of the bed, opened it and hopped onto the sill.

 

   “I love ye – ”, he whispered when exhausted feet were dragged upstairs. “Both o’ ye.”

   “I love you too, Sev. Now go! Go!”, Lily hissed in panic and picked up the book again. “To breakfast might have asked the Dame, and begg’d of her to stay.”, with an exchanged grin, Severus was gone, flying out into fading twilight.

 

   In exactly that moment, the comforting warmth was gone and Hermione opened her eyes into a dark room. She had no clue for how long she had slept, but it had been long enough for a horrible taste to develop in her mouth. In blind flight, she searched for her wand and the cup on her bedside table, tried to sit up and poured some water into the ceramic, drinking it all out in one go. The cup still in hand, she rubbed her eyes and looked around. Crookshanks had gone. Just slowly, her eyes got used to the scarce light and she eventually spotted him on the sill of the window exactly on the other side of the room. His fur shone majestically in the light reflected by the thick snow outside. Hermione dropped the empty cup with a gasp.

   He didn’t even startle, nor turn. Deeply in thoughts, he sat on the sill as well, gently stroking her cat that had laid down on his lap now. The pale fingers elegantly brushed through the long hair, while his own black curtain veiled his face from her. She couldn’t see his mirror image in the window either.

 

   “Since when – are you – here?”, Hermione yawned, still dazed.

   “A while,”, he replied softly.

   “And when did it come to your mind that you could just implant a memory of yours in my sleep?”

   “Did I? I can’t remember, if I should have done so.”

   “That’s not funny.”

   “I didn’t laugh.”

   “No. But still. What was the news?”

   “Which news?”

   “The good news Lily had for you before you had to drop Harry and flee from James through the – ”

   “Bláan,”, Severus whispered, “Le do thoil,”, quickly Crookshanks hopped off his lap and he slid from the windowsill. “Good night, Hermione.”, he added, already at the door and before she could seize any possible chance to stop him, he was gone with the door closed behind.

 

   Frustrated, Hermione let herself sink back into her pillow with a grunt at the canopy. Something heavy pushed down the mattress to her right. Crookshanks had joined her again. For some seconds they just stared into one another’s eyes. Then he rolled in like previously and started to purr.

 

   “What did he say to you?”, she frowned, but Crookshanks just mewed something she naturally couldn’t understand. “Whatever.”, Hermione sighed, put the cup and wand back where they belonged and pulled her blankets up to her chin. “Goodnight, Crookshanks.”, another miaow. “Thanks.”

 

 

~~#~~