Trading Knowledge
Summary: 5th Year Hermione is secretly laying back-up plans and attracted the curiosity of a certain Potions Master.
Disclaimer: The Potterverse does not belong to me.
IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: I started this story several weeks ago. I went to update it a couple of days ago, and it was mysteriously vanished from my interface. I have no idea why. So I decided, trying my hand at optimism, that this was the perfect chance to "upgrade" as it were. So, chapters 1-9 will be basically the same, but more detailed and longer. Some chapters may be combined for improved flow. I'm really sorry to all the people that commented/faved the original posting…this is beyond my control
Chapter 1: Muggle Studies
Hermione Granger was sitting in her usual nook in the library, working through her Sociology homework. Of course, it wasn't part of the Hogwarts curriculum and she suspected that she would never have cause to utilize a Muggle university degree. It was all a part of her backup plan, however. And if Hermione was ever sure of anything, it was that hoarding knowledge made executing plans possible.
She was completely absorbed in her essay on the Milgram experiment. It was absolutely fascinating to her and she couldn't help but wonder if such things would apply to the first war with You-Know-Who. Were all of the Death Eaters sadistic, cruel monsters that enjoyed tormenting Muggles, Muggle-borns and Blood Traitors, or were they simply conforming to their social network and obeying orders? When she started reading about the experiment, in which participants were asked to push a button to send electrical shocks to another human being for getting some trivial answer wrong. And then again and again, with increasing voltage. They heard recordings of agonized screams from the next room and fully believed themselves to be the cause of such intense pain of another person. And yet, an astounding sixty-five percent of participants went ahead and administered an astounding, potentially-fatal 450-volt shock. Even if one were to survive that level of electricity, it was a sure rival to the Cruciatius Curse.
It also made her think of Professor Umbridge, with her loathsome Blood-Quill. Hermione was hearing rumors of its use in her detentions and suspected she saw a glimmer of "I must not tell lies" on Harry's hand. Why would students allow her to force them to administer their own torture? Was it her authority as a Hogwarts professor that made the students believe they had to follow her orders? Those quills were illegal. She'd read about them immediately after hearing of their use. Its only purpose was to inflict pain. Were Hogwarts students exactly like participants in Milgram's experiment? Were, equally, some of the Death Eaters simply normal, everyday Witches and Wizards unable to defy an authority figure?
Hermione almost jumped out of her skin when she heard a quiet baritone voice behind her. "Muggle Studies seems to have become...quite advanced since I was a student."
Hermione turned in her seat so quickly she fell out of it and reached for her wand as her bum hit the hardwood floor.
"Oh, put that away, you silly girl," Professor Snape snapped, an amused smirk playing across his harsh features while reaching out a long-fingered hand to thumb through her text. "What exactly are you doing with these? I am well aware Professor Burbage still believes Muggles use gramophones to play music."
After standing and straightening her skirt, Hermione quickly shuffled her papers away. "My parents wanted me to have a Muggle education as well," she mumbled, not meeting his eyes.
Snape regarded her pensively for a moment. "You're lying. Why are you taking Muggle classes, Miss Granger?"
Gryffindor bravery momentarily escaping her, Hermione shifted her weight uncomfortably. Quick thinking wasn't exactly her forte. She was a girl far more suited to developing intricate plans and then following through with them. "Well, they were pleased when I continued. But, no, they didn't force me to take on so much. They think I'm a bit mad, actually." She chuckled nervously. Professor Snape just continued to look at her, waiting more patiently than she would have thought the Head of Slytherin was capable of. She caved. "It's a back-up plan, sir. In case You-Know-Who wins,"
"I fail to understand how Muggles zapping one another will save you from the Dark Lord, Miss Granger," he said, clearly amused.
She hedged. "All knowledge is valuable. There are many, many things that are identical in nearly all cultures. It isn't as if Muggles and Wizards are entirely different species, Professor. I've read conjecture that it's merely a single chromosomal difference—similar to the way that missing a single chromosome causes a condition known as-"
"Honestly, girl. I did not ask for a monologue on how Wizards and Muggles should hold hands and frolick through a field of daisies. What. Are. You. Up. To."
"It's from a Muggle university," she sighed, gesturing to her bag. "I got my secondary school degree during the summers and was accepted to a Scottish University not far from here. Really, only a couple of hours driving distance. That's how Muggles transport themselves without magic. In cars. They're sort of like flying carpets with wheels but made of metal and—"
"Get to the point, girl," he snapped. Ah, there's the Professor we all know and...loathe.
"If You-Know-Who wins, I can rejoin the Muggle world. I can snap my wand and get a job. I'll be qualified for a job. I can use a university degree to get a job overseas, and protect my family. He won't be able to find me."
His face was softened again by that pensive expression. Hermione thought, apropos of nothing, that he was quite handsome when he wasn't sneering and scowling. "How do you find the time, Miss Granger? Your Hogwarts studies seem to take quite enough time. How do you handle this timetable, as well?"
Hermione felt the color drain from her face and promptly studied her shoelaces. It took all of her concentration not to clutch her Time Turner protectively and shrugged unconvincingly. The left lace on her right shoe was beginning to fray…
"Miss Granger-" he began warningly.
"Oi, Hermione! There you are! Merlin, how do you get here so quickly?" Hermione's eyes widened, then rolled at Ron's inability to shut up or pay attention. "Oh...er, hullo Professor Snape..."
Snape nodded curtly, still peering at Hermione suspiciously. Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode away, robes billowing behind him.
"What was that all about?" wondered Ron.
"Oh, shut up, Ronald."
A/N Well, there ya go. The revised version of Chapter 1! I added approximately 400 words to it. Some of it was relatively meaningless to the story—mostly the bit about Milgram's experiment, which, by the way, is an actual experiment we've learned about in Sociology. I think that Hermione would be the person most likely to do her darnedest to connect what she learns in the Muggle world to what she learns in the Magical world, and vice versa. I also think that OotP was around the time our favorite bushy-haired Gryffindor began to realize that not everything is black and white.