Sorry this wasn't up last night, for some reason fanfiction wouldn't load on my computer.
Thank you so much for all the reviews! Here's the next chapter!
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A skinny boy of about sixteen stood in the doorway. He had somewhat greasy black hair slightly past his chin, a large nose that looked as if it had been broken, robes two sizes too big, and a confused look on his face because Hermione was still staring at him. It was Severus Snape, although younger and without his signature glare.
'Professor Snape?' Hermione thought 'but he died! I must have been sent back twenty years!'
"Mr. Snape!" Dumbledore greeted. Snape took his eyes off of Hermione's to face the headmaster.
"You asked to see me, sir?" he responded with another puzzled glance at Hermione, who realized she was still staring and turned toward Dumbledore, faintly pink, fighting the urge to ask questions.
"Yes. This is Miss Granger, she's a transfer student in your year, and she'll also be in Slytherin. I hope you can spare the time to show her around and perhaps make sure she's caught up in her classes?" he looked at them over his half-moon spectacles with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Yes, sir"
"Well then, off you go!" Dumbledore said cheerily as he shooed them out.
Hermione hurried out the door after Snape, who's too-big robes had a small billowing effect. She tried to keep the smirk off her face. Finally, some familiarity.
"Strange he didn't want one of the prefects to show you around," he remarked quietly, "Where did you transfer from, Miss..."
"Granger. But call me Hermione," she answered, trying to sound friendly and not as strange as she felt about this whole situation.
"Severus" he responded.
"I'm from Beauxbatons. I guess I just got tired of all the frivolity."
"You don't sound French" he noted.
"I'm not, I'm from London. I don't know why I didn't come to Hogwarts in the first place."
They remained silent until they reached the bottom of Dumbledore's stairs.
"I suppose I'll show you the classrooms first, then we can see what classes you need to catch up in"
Hermione nodded.
They made their way around the school, Severus leading and Hermione pretending not to know her way around. When they stopped by the Great Hall, Hermione gasped appreciatively at the ceiling like most of the first years.
"It's enchanted" Severus began, "You can read about it in-"
"Hogwarts: A History!" Hermione interrupted. At his bewildered look, she explained "Oh! I've read it."
"You like to read?" he asked, seeming as if it was a foreign concept for new students to enjoy reading.
"I love to read."
"Well, you should like our library then. We can go there next, unless you'd rather see the Quidditch Pitch" he said in a half-joking tone.
"The library sounds wonderful," she said happily.
When they reached the library, Hermione felt more at home than she had in the last year. She even managed a full smile. They walked to a secluded table in the back near many of the first editions, the table which Hermione frequented in her earlier Hogwarts days because of the privacy and the wonderful books.
"This is kind of my table. No one else ever really sits here. But you can use it too, if you want" Severus said uncertainly.
"Thank you" she replied, amused by their similarities and confused though pleased at his acceptance.
"Which classes are you taking?" he asked.
"Transfiguration, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, History of Magic, and Herbology"
"I'm taking the same ones!"
"How are the professors?"
"McGonagall teaches Transfiguration, she was new a few years ago and she's strict. Binns teaches History of Magic, he's a ghost and monotonous. Flitwick teaches charms, he's a good teacher, very excitable though. Dumbledore teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts. You've met him. Herbology is taught by Professor Sprout. She just started this year since Professor Grubbly-Plank switched to Care of Magical Creatures. It's very useful for Potions, which is taught by Slughorn. He's... well, he could do better. And he picks favorites. I've actually-" he stopped suddenly, embarrassed.
"You've actually what?" she wanted him to continue. It was nice too see someone as fond of knowledge as she was.
"Well, I've altered some of his instructions for potions and got better results. Just some small changes for improvements," Severus said modestly "Potions are my favorite, along with Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"Wow, you must be really good at Potions! My favorites are Charms and Transfiguration. I do like potions as well, though there was a mishap when I brewed Polyjuice in my second year"
"Polyjuice? In your second year? What happened?" He seemed impressed and actually interested in her explanations, which didn't happen often when she was at Hogwarts.
"Well. I had cat hair instead of human hair."
He laughed. And he wasn't laughing at her. Hermione realized he had a nice laugh. And a nice smile, though his teeth were a bit crooked. It was odd seeing him this way after knowing him to be so acrimonious for seven years. She turned pink again. Feeling as though her mistakes needed justification, she continued, "I was top of my class for everything except Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"I guess you don't need much help catching up then?" he said with a smirk.
"I suppose not" She smiled
"You'll have some competition. I have the top marks in Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology. And … Gryffindors have top marks in Charms, Transfiguration and History of Magic" He said as if he didn't want to talk much about the Gryffindors. "We don't have many joint classes left with them though."
"Have you thought about what you want to do after school?" she asked.
"Probably something with potions."
"Well, if you're going around correcting potions books..." Hermione smiled.
"What about you?"
"I'd like to do some sort of spell research. In my fifth year, I created fake galleons that could send messages. I like doing things like that" He looked at her curiously.
The clock sounded in the hall.
"We should go to dinner. Then I'll show you the common room"
"Ok" Hermione nodded.
They walked back toward the Great Hall together, this time not as silent, but rather filled with ideas for potions and spells.
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