**Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter, J.K does.**
Snape's Return
Ch.1
(Long lost foes)
Hermione decided quickly that she needed to make a hasty escape and that the quickest route was through the floo in the library and straight back to Hogwarts. She gathered her overnight bag, shrunk it and placed it in the pocket of her robe before casting a disillusionment spell on herself. Removing her shoes was the most sensible thing to do when trying to be quiet, so she did; and Hermione made her way down the staircase of No. 12 Grimmauld Place and into the library.
Right before Hermione closed the library doors, she heard Ginny Potter screech, "Harry Potter! Savior of the Wizarding World! Why can't you manage to remember to take out the rubbish once a week?!"
Hermione felt somewhat bad for Harry, he was her best friend after all, but there was no way she was battling an 8 month pregnant Ginny over a sack of trash. Uh uh. They didn't call her the brightest witch of her age for nothing! So with that thought she hopped into the green flames with a shouted, "Hogwarts!" and disappeared.
Upon arriving in the office of Headmistress McGonagall, Hermione stepped out of the fireplace while simultaneously moaning about pregnant women and the dangers of being in their vicinities. She began dusting off her robes and laughing about Harry's pathetic attempts at assuaging Ginny's anger when she noticed that Minerva wasn't alone in her office.
"Oh! I'm sorry Headmistress, I wasn't aware you had company. I'll just skip out quickly, shall I?" Hermione uttered while attempting to slip over to the door.
Unfortunately Minerva didn't want her to leave just yet, "Actually Hermione, dear, would you mind staying for a moment or two? I believe that you and my guest might like to reacquaint yourselves before he resumes his duties at the school."
Hermione was curious about what professor might have decided to return to Hogwarts since only a few had left in the seven years since the war had ended. So Hermione gingerly stepped closer to the chair situated in front of the Headmistresses' desk and prepared herself for the identity of the person sitting there. However, upon approaching the chair, a full head of gleaming black hair became visible, followed by a long black sleeve and a pale white hand.
Hermione quickly shut her eyes and took a deep breath before hearing, "Good Morning, Miss Granger. If the know it all didn't decide to stay where she had access to all the books she might ever wish to read…. What a surprise."
Hermione opened her eyes to see the obsidian gaze directed at her and the sneer that was blatantly obvious in his voice was also placed on his mouth.
She blinked and tried to force her mind to think of something before Minerva stepped in and said, "Now, now Severus that isn't very nice. Professor Granger has been teaching here for the last four years and has earned a modicum of respect from you as a colleague."
Hermione finally realized that she was indeed a colleague now and not a trembling first year and said, "Hello Professor Snape. Nice to know you aren't dead." She turned and said to Minerva, "If you will please excuse me Headmistress, I've had an early escape from the Potters and need to get started on my lesson plans for the coming school year. Good day."
Hermione smiled at Minerva and didn't even bother to glance at Professor Snape's face before she exited the room with her loose blue robes billowing behind her. She thought, 'Well, wait until Harry and Ron hear about this newest development in the saga that is my life. Lord, I'd rather Lucius came to teach, at least him I get along with now… Snape just makes me all jittery inside. I hate that! I'm going to have to owl Draco and see why he didn't see fit to inform me that his godfather was alive and well and coming here to torment me. How am I going to handle this? I'm so going to have a nervous breakdown.' After that thought she quickly called out the password to her portrait and slipped into her quarters at the base of Gryffindor Tower, deciding that a trip to the Burrow was out of the question this afternoon.
The next day began with a rainstorm and Hermione decided that didn't bode well for the rest of her day; but tried to put the omen away as she hurried to the Great Hall for breakfast. Upon entering she nodded and smiled at the few students that had already arrived before the school year started and made her way up to the dais where the teacher's table was. Even after all this time she was still distinctly uncomfortable with eating in front of hundreds of children and was glad that only a handful had arrived so far, but thought, 'oh good he isn't here yet. Maybe he won't come eat in here. I can hope. Maybe the boys answered my letters I sent yesterday.' Hermione sat down and smiled at the other professors before serving her plate and slowly eating her toast and fruit. It seems that her wishes were not to be granted though, when a loud bang of a door slamming open echoed through the Hall and a swarm of black clothes entered in the side door. She sighed and resigned herself to the fact that the only empty seat was next to her and her life was doomed to hell from the start. Hermione tried to casually scoot her chair a bit closer to Professor Flitwick without being too blatant about it but she received a cold glare from Snape before he sat down. He didn't speak to her, or her to him and they both ate in silence until the mail came. There were several hoots and grunts before the mail was successfully delivered and Hermione was disappointed to see that no one had returned her letters, though she wasn't to be disappointed long. Not five minutes later the doors to the Great Hall swung open and in walked Harry, Ron and Draco, laughing and clapping each other on the backs.
As soon as she saw who it was Hermione jumped up and ran down the aisle towards the boys, exclaiming, "You could have just written me back!"
Hermione hugged Harry and Ron first, laughing at their antics and then turned to one of her closest friends since the war ended and said, "Oi, you, Malfoy! Get your blonde head in for a kiss!"
Hermione placed a semi-chaste kiss on Draco's lips before hugging him tightly to her, not releasing his arm as he whispered into her ear, "I've missed you too, luv. Now what were you babbling about my godfather being back? And why couldn't it have waited for dinner tonight?"
She tugged him towards the main table with the two other boys following behind her, all the while listening to the whispers of the children, 'its Harry Potter! And Ron Weasley! That's Draco Malfoy! Wow.' Hermione had gotten used to the praise and hype that came with being a part of the famous trio that had vanquished Voldemort and ended the war, but it was still funny to hear how idolized the boys were.
All this time Snape had stared in wonder at the strange occurrence that had been happening before his eyes. He couldn't believe that Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy were friendly with each other; and he couldn't help but wonder and be slightly jealous when Draco was greeted with a kiss and hug by Hermione. When she had seen him, after seven years, all she said was 'glad you aren't dead' and had left without even a nod to him. He shook himself mentally and watched carefully as Hermione whispered in Draco's ear and hauled him up to the table where he was sitting with the other professors.
Hermione glanced up at the high table to see Snape watching her closely and wondered what he could be thinking about her that would require that look of intensity and concentration; she erected her mental occlumency shields just in case.
**A/N- this is not my first fanfic but it is my first Harry Potter fanfic. I hope you guys like it! Please review!! Thanks for reading! :)**
