**Note** This is my first fanfic, and I have no beta reader! Be merciful! I just thought it would be fun to try my hand at this...
"Oh, Merlin help me!" gasped Ron Weasley as he stared at the mysterious woman who sat at the head table. Hermione glared at him, and he immediately looked ashamed. Harry shook his head, a knowing look on his face. They were beginning their sixth year at Hogwarts and Ron had to get his nerve up sometime-even if he needed a little help from his best friend.
Still, there was no denying it. The woman who had caught Ron's attention was fantastically beautiful. Her reddish hair and pale skin were striking even from a distance-Draco Malfoy himself was finding it difficult to keep his eyes off of her. Poor Neville Longbottom could barely breathe for minutes after he'd locked eyes with her as she scanned the room. He was now stammering something about how her eyes were like sapphires, his face red and eyes wide.
"And she's sitting next to Snape, of all people!" moaned Ron, which caused Ginny to laugh.
"Maybe she'll be good for him!" she snickered as Snape sent the newcomer one of his trademark sneers, receiving a smirk in return. Hermione noted this too, and bit back a laugh.
"So, what pranks are we going to play this year?" Ron was excited about causing mischief already. "Fred and George want me to carry on the Weasley traditions, and sent me off with tons of suggestions this year..."
"Well, I know you'll be surprised, but I had a few ideas myself." Harry and Ron stared openmouthed at a beaming Hermione. "Ginny wants in, too." The boys nodded, dumbfounded.
"Anyway," Hermione declared imperiously, "My parents let me turn our basement into a lab-and I developed this really cool invisibility potion. I can become invisible at will! Watch!" Her friends gasped when she held her hand out, seeming to make it flicker in and out of existence. "Wicked!" Ron whispered, blushing when Hermione smiled at him. "Now we can't all get caught at once!" gasped Harry.
"Well," Hermione continued. "Ginny and I were thinking--"
"That Snape's dungeon could use a little... redecorating," Ginny finished. "And we wanted to ask you which color you thought was more Snape-ish: lavender or pastel pink?" Ron and Harry were still shocked, but now they were beginning to laugh.
"Hermione, what's come over you?" Ron asked impulsively. Hermione just winked and said, "It's not as if anyone would suspect me anyway..." Her innocent look brought out even more laughs. The year was off to a good start.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snape was miserably hoping for the Sorting Ceremony to begin-he intended to leave immediately afterwards. Rosalind Drake was beautiful and fate had been cruel in placing him next to her. Drake's beauty only made him dislike her more. The fact that she matched him sneer for sneer was quite another matter-it made him loathe her. One would never expect such feistiness of such an amiable woman-she was currently chatting quite happily with Sprout, McGonagall, and Flitwick. Trelawney had whipped out her tarot cards and was trying to get Rosalind to hear her fortune. All Snape could think was, "THIS is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher???"
Trelawney was now putting away her cards and pulling out a crystal ball. Watching out of the corner of his eye, Snape was surprised to see her handing her precious possession to Rosalind, who obviously knew what she was doing with it. Placing it in front of her, Rosalind looked at everyone appraisingly. Snape felt her eyes settle on him, and knew he had been singled out.
"I think I'll read... Professor Snape's future," she snickered. He rolled his eyes at her, which only made her laugh. Peering into the crystal's depths, her blue eyes seemed to cloud in concentration, only broken long enough for her to wink at Trelawney, who cackled evilly.
"Oh, Professor Snape," gasped Rosalind. "I'm so sorry..." she began to shake and look alarmed. "I see so many cute and furry animals! And you're petting them and... giggling!" McGonagall snickered. "Professor!" Rosalind was now looking positively alarmed. "You've become addicted to a Muggle program-Martha Stewart Living! Now you're putting fresh flowers in your classroom to make it look more homey... and you're teaching the kids to brew their own cosmetics and skin cleansers... and your hair! YOUR HAIR!" Everyone had their hands in front of their mouths now, trying not to smile. Even Dumbledore was having to use considerable effort to keep his face straight.
"Professor Snape," Rosalind, still keeping up her act, allowed her eyes to go wide. "Your robes... they're... mint green! And you've just won the most charming smile award six times in a row! That's enough to beat out Gilderoy Lockhart..." Snapping out of her "trance," Rosalind looked up at Snape wide-eyed.
"You poor man!" she gasped, feigning sympathy.Her innocent look was just too much. No one could hold it in anymore. Every teacher at that table was laughing except for Snape. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, and Trelawney made a remark about Rosalind being a girl after her own heart. McGonagall was patting Rosalind's shoulder in a motherly fashion, laughing harder than Snape had ever imagined she could. Rosalind just smiled, slightly embarrassed.
"Aww... come on Severus!" Hooch elbowed him none-too-gently in the ribs. "Be a sport-the look on your face was absolutely priceless!" Snape's jaw tensed and he sent glares at everyone around him. He noticed Harry and his friends staring at the teachers curiously from the Gryffindor table, and Snape gave them a look so malicious even Harry shuddered.
Finally, Dumbledore showed some mercy and tapped on his glass. The Sorting Hat was placed on its stool of honor, and the ceremony passed quickly. There was an unusually small number of first years to sort, and before long Dumbledore was going through his long-winded welcoming speech. When that drew to a close, Dumbledore motioned for Rosalind to stand.
"Students, it is with great pleasure that I introduce to you Professor Rosalind Drake. She'll be teaching you Defense Against the Dark Arts, and I expect you'll learn much from her. Do make her welcome. You can find her in the dungeons, which I'm sure our beloved Professor Snape will be delighted to share with her." A few snickers made their way out of the audience, and then the students began to clap for Professor Drake, who blushed when a few of the braver boys let out catcalls.
"Now, let's eat!" smiled Dumbledore, and both students and staff attacked their food viciously. Snape ate a few token bites, and then made his escape. Hermione and Ginny watched as he stalked out of the Great Hall, obviously angry already. It hadn't taken long.
"You know," Ginny sighed. "I bet he's really lonely. It's too bad he's such a bastard and won't let anyone be nice to him."
"Maybe we should try to beat him at his own game-surreptitiously of course." Hermione grinned. "I've been practicing my Slytherin skills over the summer." Ginny laughed. "You know how he likes Slytherins! You think we can turn Ron and Harry into subtle and cunning manipulators?" Ginny shook her head. "Girls are always better at that sort of thing." Hermione agreed.
"So," Hermione whispered. "I've decided that we should decorate with a combination of pastel pink and periwinkle! Are you with me?" Ginny snorted in a most unladylike fashion, unable to control herself. Soon the girls were giggling hysterically, and unable to explain themselves to Harry and Ron through their laughter.
"Girls," sighed Ron melodramatically. Harry only nodded and rolled his eyes, agreeing.
"Oh, Merlin help me!" gasped Ron Weasley as he stared at the mysterious woman who sat at the head table. Hermione glared at him, and he immediately looked ashamed. Harry shook his head, a knowing look on his face. They were beginning their sixth year at Hogwarts and Ron had to get his nerve up sometime-even if he needed a little help from his best friend.
Still, there was no denying it. The woman who had caught Ron's attention was fantastically beautiful. Her reddish hair and pale skin were striking even from a distance-Draco Malfoy himself was finding it difficult to keep his eyes off of her. Poor Neville Longbottom could barely breathe for minutes after he'd locked eyes with her as she scanned the room. He was now stammering something about how her eyes were like sapphires, his face red and eyes wide.
"And she's sitting next to Snape, of all people!" moaned Ron, which caused Ginny to laugh.
"Maybe she'll be good for him!" she snickered as Snape sent the newcomer one of his trademark sneers, receiving a smirk in return. Hermione noted this too, and bit back a laugh.
"So, what pranks are we going to play this year?" Ron was excited about causing mischief already. "Fred and George want me to carry on the Weasley traditions, and sent me off with tons of suggestions this year..."
"Well, I know you'll be surprised, but I had a few ideas myself." Harry and Ron stared openmouthed at a beaming Hermione. "Ginny wants in, too." The boys nodded, dumbfounded.
"Anyway," Hermione declared imperiously, "My parents let me turn our basement into a lab-and I developed this really cool invisibility potion. I can become invisible at will! Watch!" Her friends gasped when she held her hand out, seeming to make it flicker in and out of existence. "Wicked!" Ron whispered, blushing when Hermione smiled at him. "Now we can't all get caught at once!" gasped Harry.
"Well," Hermione continued. "Ginny and I were thinking--"
"That Snape's dungeon could use a little... redecorating," Ginny finished. "And we wanted to ask you which color you thought was more Snape-ish: lavender or pastel pink?" Ron and Harry were still shocked, but now they were beginning to laugh.
"Hermione, what's come over you?" Ron asked impulsively. Hermione just winked and said, "It's not as if anyone would suspect me anyway..." Her innocent look brought out even more laughs. The year was off to a good start.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snape was miserably hoping for the Sorting Ceremony to begin-he intended to leave immediately afterwards. Rosalind Drake was beautiful and fate had been cruel in placing him next to her. Drake's beauty only made him dislike her more. The fact that she matched him sneer for sneer was quite another matter-it made him loathe her. One would never expect such feistiness of such an amiable woman-she was currently chatting quite happily with Sprout, McGonagall, and Flitwick. Trelawney had whipped out her tarot cards and was trying to get Rosalind to hear her fortune. All Snape could think was, "THIS is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher???"
Trelawney was now putting away her cards and pulling out a crystal ball. Watching out of the corner of his eye, Snape was surprised to see her handing her precious possession to Rosalind, who obviously knew what she was doing with it. Placing it in front of her, Rosalind looked at everyone appraisingly. Snape felt her eyes settle on him, and knew he had been singled out.
"I think I'll read... Professor Snape's future," she snickered. He rolled his eyes at her, which only made her laugh. Peering into the crystal's depths, her blue eyes seemed to cloud in concentration, only broken long enough for her to wink at Trelawney, who cackled evilly.
"Oh, Professor Snape," gasped Rosalind. "I'm so sorry..." she began to shake and look alarmed. "I see so many cute and furry animals! And you're petting them and... giggling!" McGonagall snickered. "Professor!" Rosalind was now looking positively alarmed. "You've become addicted to a Muggle program-Martha Stewart Living! Now you're putting fresh flowers in your classroom to make it look more homey... and you're teaching the kids to brew their own cosmetics and skin cleansers... and your hair! YOUR HAIR!" Everyone had their hands in front of their mouths now, trying not to smile. Even Dumbledore was having to use considerable effort to keep his face straight.
"Professor Snape," Rosalind, still keeping up her act, allowed her eyes to go wide. "Your robes... they're... mint green! And you've just won the most charming smile award six times in a row! That's enough to beat out Gilderoy Lockhart..." Snapping out of her "trance," Rosalind looked up at Snape wide-eyed.
"You poor man!" she gasped, feigning sympathy.Her innocent look was just too much. No one could hold it in anymore. Every teacher at that table was laughing except for Snape. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, and Trelawney made a remark about Rosalind being a girl after her own heart. McGonagall was patting Rosalind's shoulder in a motherly fashion, laughing harder than Snape had ever imagined she could. Rosalind just smiled, slightly embarrassed.
"Aww... come on Severus!" Hooch elbowed him none-too-gently in the ribs. "Be a sport-the look on your face was absolutely priceless!" Snape's jaw tensed and he sent glares at everyone around him. He noticed Harry and his friends staring at the teachers curiously from the Gryffindor table, and Snape gave them a look so malicious even Harry shuddered.
Finally, Dumbledore showed some mercy and tapped on his glass. The Sorting Hat was placed on its stool of honor, and the ceremony passed quickly. There was an unusually small number of first years to sort, and before long Dumbledore was going through his long-winded welcoming speech. When that drew to a close, Dumbledore motioned for Rosalind to stand.
"Students, it is with great pleasure that I introduce to you Professor Rosalind Drake. She'll be teaching you Defense Against the Dark Arts, and I expect you'll learn much from her. Do make her welcome. You can find her in the dungeons, which I'm sure our beloved Professor Snape will be delighted to share with her." A few snickers made their way out of the audience, and then the students began to clap for Professor Drake, who blushed when a few of the braver boys let out catcalls.
"Now, let's eat!" smiled Dumbledore, and both students and staff attacked their food viciously. Snape ate a few token bites, and then made his escape. Hermione and Ginny watched as he stalked out of the Great Hall, obviously angry already. It hadn't taken long.
"You know," Ginny sighed. "I bet he's really lonely. It's too bad he's such a bastard and won't let anyone be nice to him."
"Maybe we should try to beat him at his own game-surreptitiously of course." Hermione grinned. "I've been practicing my Slytherin skills over the summer." Ginny laughed. "You know how he likes Slytherins! You think we can turn Ron and Harry into subtle and cunning manipulators?" Ginny shook her head. "Girls are always better at that sort of thing." Hermione agreed.
"So," Hermione whispered. "I've decided that we should decorate with a combination of pastel pink and periwinkle! Are you with me?" Ginny snorted in a most unladylike fashion, unable to control herself. Soon the girls were giggling hysterically, and unable to explain themselves to Harry and Ron through their laughter.
"Girls," sighed Ron melodramatically. Harry only nodded and rolled his eyes, agreeing.