Chapter 31: Trepidation

The Corridors, Hogwarts...

Remus Lupin had been quite curious about the potions Master's recent behavior as of late. The DADA Professor had known Severus Snape for many years and never in one of them could he remember the man being as terrified as he seemed to be during breakfast in the great hall that morning. He had picked up a sense of trepidation in the wizard that he had not seen since the days of Voldemort. The man appeared to be so off his game that he had not picked-up that he was being watched the entire time. Even more strange was that Harry had been watching the professor as well as The headmaster. Lupin had gotten the feeling that something big was going on with him and that he was pretty much out of the loop.

He wondered if it had anything to do with Sebastian Prince and if the boy had been in any serious trouble. If the young lad had been in some sort of peril, Lupin had not minded lending some assistance for the boy. After all he had been helping him since Snape had gone when it came to his Wolfsbane potion. It had been some time since he had seen or heard from the boy.

Lupin came to the conclusion that if he was going to get any answers concerning Sebastian Prince it was best to speak with the boy's father. Severus Snape. Although he had not known how the snarky wizard was going to deal with knowing that a son of Snape considered Lupin to be his favorite Professor. The DADA Professor smiled to himself.

No doubt Severus is definitely going to be quite miffed about that.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Potions Classroom, Hogwarts...

Snape found himself alone in an empty classroom. He had been viciously slashing through parchment after parchment of student essays when Remus Lupin appeared in front of his desk. Snape looked up at him more than slightly annoyed by the man's presence. The werewolf looked at him with a puzzled expression on his face. Snape narrowed his eyes at the werewolf before him but found that he couldn't muster the usual hatred. He remembered the advice Lupin had given him when he was Sebastian Prince and how the former Marauder had treated him with kindness despite believing him to be his own son.

"Is there something you want werewolf?" asked Snape trying to sound irate due to the intrusion.

"I've become quite curious as of late Severus." said Lupin looking him over.

"And what pray tell, has caused this infuriating burst of curiosity?" asked Snape in the same manner.

"Well, for one I've noticed that you don't appear to be quite yourself these days." said Lupin still eyeing him curiously.

"Thanks for pointing that out." replied Snape rolling his eyes.

"I'm serious Severus." said Lupin. "I could hear your heart practically beating out of your chest earlier today."

"It's none of your concern." replied Snape turning his attention back to his parchments.

Lupin sighed and placed his hand on Snape's to stop him from losing himself in his paperwork.

Snape snarled at him not at all too keen on being touched.

"Take your hand off me werewolf." he said bitterly.

"Severus, is there something wrong with Sebastian?" asked Lupin serious.

Snape looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Why do you care?" he asked trying to hold on to his hostility.

Lupin removed his hand from Snape's and looked into the obsidian eyes of his colleague.

"Severus." he started. "I know that you still hate me for not helping you when we were kids...I haven't been very fond of myself for some time because of it."

Snape let the parchments fall onto the desk and laid down his quill. He recalled the conversation Lupin had with Sebastian. He knew the werewolf had been out of sorts about his past behavior but old habits die hard. The dark eyes of the Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor had been suddenly filled with sadness.

"I-I know you won't accept it or believe a word that I say for that matter but fact is Severus, I am very sorry for what myself and my friends did to you all those years ago." continued Lupin. "I am equally sorry for that night at the whomping willow...and what Dumbledore...well...I apologize none the less."

Snape narrowed his eyes at Lupin.

"You're right I don't believe you." he replied bitterly.

Lupin sighed.

"Severus...just tell me that the boy is okay." he said seemingly exhausted.

Snape blinked at him for a moment.

"W-Why do you care?" he asked again.

"Sebastian is a friend." said Lupin.

Snape raised an eye brow.

"A friend?" he said in an unimpressed tone.

"Yes." replied Lupin. "And he's a good kid...I've heard of the troubles he has been having with the death eaters...and I believe he seemed to be quite taken with Miss Granger."

Snape's heart started pounding again at the mention of her name. The pale wizard cursed his inability to suppress the images that flooded his mind associated with that name. He had hoped that the werewolf would just ignore it. He watched as Lupin met his eyes and tried to maintain control of himself.

Lupin had indeed noticed the change in The Potions Professor.

"Severus?" he said.

"What?" asked Snape irate.

"What is it about Miss Granger that makes your heart race?" asked Lupin.

Snape cleared his throat trying to compose himself.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." he replied stiffly.

Lupin didn't buy it.

"Severus is there something going on with you and Harry's friend?" he asked outright.

Snape scoffed.

"You know Lupin you really have lost your mind." he replied. "Perhaps, Sebastian slipped something in your potion after all."

Lupin looked at him intently for a moment.

"Something is going on with you, Severus." he said. "And it seems to involve Miss Granger."

"Look werewolf now that you are done apologizing and accusing me of something that makes absolutely no sense, I believe it is time for you to take your leave." said Snape irate. "I have quite a lot of parchment to get through and I don't need any more distractions."

Lupin nodded and made his way toward the door. It was clear he wasn't going to get much out of Snape. He would do better trying with Miss Granger. As the werewolf made his way toward the exit he heard Snape sigh behind him and moments later the man's baritone drawl hit his ears.

"He says to tell you that he's fine Lupin." was all the Potions Master had said.

Lupin smiled as he continued his exit.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts...

Hermione Granger had been wracking her brain with questions as to why she had not heard from Sebastian in quite some time and had been very worried about him. She summoned her Gryffindor courage and made her way down to the dungeons to see the only person that could give her at least a shred of the answers that she was seeking. Professor Snape. It was risky going to the Professor on his turf, especially since their little rivalry of sorts had been initiated, but she had to do something. Any bit of new about Sebastian was well worth it. The Gryffindor witch had been out of place in the dungeons, even more so with Sebastian gone. She steeled herself and knocked on the door to Snape's office. After several minutes the door swung open and amber eyes met obsidian.

"M-Miss Granger?" said Snape trying hard to suppress his rapidly surging emotions. "What are you doing here?...your detention is not for another hour."

"Hello Professor." said Hermione casually. "I was wondering if I could talk to you?"

Snape looked at her for a second considering wither or not he should be alone with her. He steeled himself and glared at her in his usual professor persona.

"What about...can't you see that I am busy?" he asked trying to sound irate.

Hermione steeled herself once more.

"I-I wanted to talk to you about Sebastian." she said.

Snape sighed and stepped away from the door allowing her to enter and took his seat behind his desk. Hermione had thought she heard him mutter something along the lines of "Merlin...help me" before he turned away from her. She took one of the empty seats noting how uncomfortable it had been. She did not doubt that he had made sure to keep his visitors uncomfortable so that they would hurry and leave.

"You were saying, Miss Granger." said Snape in a bored tone.

"I-I was wondering if you had heard from him." said Hermione.

Snape noticed her fiddling with her ring. He recalled purchasing it while he was waiting for his mother to conclude her business with some shopkeeper. It made something in his chest swell at seeing it. He had meant for it to be a valentine's day gift but he had been called away before then. Snape pushed down his thoughts and returned to his professor persona.

"Miss Granger." he said seemingly exhausted. "What make you think that I have?...more importantly...why do you care?"

Hermione seemed to have found the courage that she had been searching for.

"I care because I love him." she said clearly.

Her amber eyes igniting with the flame of determination. Snape tried to push down the rush of emotions that had come from this beautiful young witch declaring her love for him. He willed his heart not to draw attention to itself in the wake of her declaration. The Potions Professor steeled himself and slipped back into his usual persona.

"You love him?" he said in a mocking tone. "A young wizard you hardly know?"

Hermione did not waver. She seemed about as ready to defend her relationship as she had everything else that meant anything to her.

"Yes I love him." she replied clearly. "And I want to know if he is okay...I know that you were upset about what happened with the death eaters and I know that he said he would accept responsibility for whatever consequences there were but..."

"But?" asked Snape seemingly unimpressed that there was more to this.

"I need to know how he is." she replied. "I-I can't sleep for worrying about him Professor."

Hermione looked down at her ring again unsure why she had confessed something so personal to a man known for being cruel. She did not see the softness in Snape's gaze as his obsidian eyes washed over her. He wanted so badly to reach out and embrace her. To let her know who he really was and that she didn't have to worry.

No.

Restrain yourself.

She is young and has her whole life ahead of her.

"I'm sorry Miss Granger, but I cannot help you." he said coolly. "I have not had contact with Sebastian since that night and quite frankly I have no wish to...might I suggest writing him a letter or two...that way you can leave me out of this nonsense entirely...I would even mail it for you so that you would have no reason to disturb me further."

Hermione looked up at him now.

"Sir, wouldn't me bringing you the letters disturb you further?" she asked.

Snape sighed.

"Once again you prove just what an insufferable know-it-all you really are Miss Granger." he replied annoyed. "Obviously, I would have to send the boy the blasted letters because I am the only one who knows where he is."

Hermione smiled at The Potions Professor. This had been the first aspect of good news she had in over a week. She would finally have a way to get in contact with Sebastian. Snape willed himself to keep control of his emotions. He had to get her out of his office and soon.

"Now if you are quite finished Miss Granger." he said rising from his desk. "I have some very important work that requires my immediate attention."

Hermione had been so happy that she had not noticed how uncomfortable the seat she sat in had been and would have stayed a good deal longer asking a great many questions had he not moved to dismiss her.

"Okay Professor." she said sweetly. "Thank you."

Snape ushered her toward the door.

Hermione turned to look at him one last time.

"Thank you again Professor." she said.

The bushy haired Gryffindor witch had only gotten half way from Snape's office before she heard the voice in her mind again.

{Don't worry so much."} it said. {I love you too Gryffindor.}

Snape closed the door to his office and leaned against it.

Merlin help me...

He had been quite uncomfortable noticing that being in close proximity to the young witch and hearing her declaration of love for him had moved him so much. He took a moment to gather his thoughts. A part of him had suggested her writing letters just so she would have as little contact with him as possible. The other part of him had simply wanted some way to keep her in his life.

"Hermione." he said softly as the image of the young witch came back to him. Her amber eyes filled with love and understanding. "You beautiful, insufferable, Gryffindor."