Inside

Prologue: Summer Begins and My Life Ends

Hermione's POV

"Mum, I don't see what the issue is! It's not like I haven't stayed with Ron and his family before! And besides, his parents love having me; they love me it won't be an issue! And Ginny is one of my best friends along with Ron being mine, and Fred and George are-"

"Hermione," She cut me off again. "We have already discussed this; you can not stay with Ron and his family this summer; not even visit! I am sorry, but it would make things terribly awkward for your Father and me. No, I am sorry, I have given you my answer, and it is no."

"Mum, how many times must I tell you it will be incredibly awkward for me and unpleasant and uncomfortable and just down right sickening to have to stay in a house, my house, with him all summer! He must be able to go somewhere else! He just has to! Please!"

"Hermione, love, it is a matter that is out of your Father's and my hands! We aren't a witch and wizard like you or the people you go to school with!" She declared. "And besides, when Mr. Dumbledore wrote us he said that you seemed somewhat reluctant but willing to have him stay here, so if this is anybody's fault my dear it's yours."

"Just because his bloody house burnt down doesn't mean he's homeless. A lot of the other teachers stay at the school in the summer, and before now I thought he did. So why can't he just stay there this one time?" I mumbled to myself.

"Because, my pet, sometimes teachers also get tired of being there all year." My Mother answered me with an irritated and disgustingly pleasant smile on her face as she stood back up with a full laundry basket in her arms. "Now, be a dear and take these upstairs to my room? Our guest will be arriving soon with your Father and we don't want a messy house to cloud his first impression on us."

"No," I agreed sarcastically while taking the basket from her and pulling it harshly into my chest. "We wouldn't want poor Professor Snape to think badly of us."

"No we would not." Mum agreed as I bounded up the stairs two at a time with my heart hammering against my ribcage.

I grabbed the handle and kicked open the door to my parent's room and dropped the laundry basket and let it fall carelessly onto their perfectly made bed before turning back around and slamming the door shut behind me. My room wasn't far down the hall from theirs and I threw myself onto my bed face first and grunted into my pillow while kicking my bare feet childishly.

"Why am I so stupid?" I asked my inanimate pillow. "Why did I have to say yes? And why did he have to ask me? And why'd it have to be him? Of all the teacher's Snape… Bloody rude, mean, heartless, cold Snape. My life is over! I am so incredibly upset… why must I be so nice and selfless all the time?"

"Hermione darling!" My Mum called from downstairs a few minutes later, after hearing the life shattering sound of the front door closing. "Will you come down here please and introduce us properly to your teacher?"

"Fuck – My – Life."

TBC