A/N: So sorry everyone, time got away with me. TheDarkCorner has been fantastic keeping me on track and getting things back quickly but it fell out of my head to hop on and post yesterday. Thank you all for your messages when I didn't post last week. Real life, what can you do, eh? Enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 4:

She was so different. Her mother was right: she would grow in to her beauty. After the overwhelming full body view, she took herself in from top to toe. Her hair grew. It was wavy and soft, but still a bit frizzy—nothing untamable. The color looked darker, a bit like milk chocolate. She carded her fingers through it and brushed it all behind her shoulders.

Her skin had evened out and the stress inducing spots were gone. Her eyes that she had once thought were muddy looking now shined against her complexion. Her teeth were fine—no change there luckily. To this day she still had worries that they would grow back, no matter how much Madame Pomfrey promised their size was permanent.

Her limbs were a little longer and taller. Her arms were toned and her hands a little rougher. The ever present ink stain was still faintly on her fingers. Even the soap at St. Mungo's couldn't get that many years of worked in ink out.

The awful hospital gown that she was in hid her body and stopped her exploration. She walked over to the door and slid the manual lock in to place. It wouldn't keep anybody out for longer than a second, but it would give her time. She walked back in front of the mirror and gingerly pulled the gown away from her body.

Her chest was fuller, heavier. Well, there was another wish fulfilled. The thought that she'll have to get all new clothes passed through her mind. At first she thought her waist was smaller but realized that it was just her hips that had rounded out. They were soft and womanly. Oh, she liked that. No more little girl stick figure for her.

Her thighs and calves filled out too. Oh and her backside, just great. Well, it actually went rather well with her new hips. Yes, she could like this bum; it would look nice in a pair of jeans. Hmm, her feet were bigger too. She could see a tendon pressing against the top that hadn't been there before. Oh well, age must take the good with the bad.

She stood in front of the mirror for a while inspecting herself. She turned, posed, sat, stood, sat again, crossed her legs, walked around, stood on tip toe and stretched. It felt good to move her muscles and get reacquainted with her body. Even when she was able to change back, it was nice to know that she wouldn't be completely unfortunate looking when older. She slipped her hospital gown back on, pulled the mirror next to her bed and she lay down to sleep. Keeping an eye on herself she watched her own eyes droop as she fell asleep.

OoO

Hermione was up with the sun, as she often was. She surprised Nurse Emma, who was creeping in to check on her. She turned the mirror back in to her compact and took it with her. Hermione was sad to see it go since the nurse gave her wand back, for she would need to transfigure her clothes to fit. When Emma came in with the breakfast tray, Hermione was in her own clothes and starving. She was eating a lot, but the nurses assured her that it was normal because of her sudden growth would ebb soon. For now though, she tried to eat delicately like her mother had tried to instill in her, but felt that she more resembled Ron. She filled her mouth and moaned when her stomach gave an appreciative jump.

She was submitted to more pocking, prodding and questions before she was finally cleared to leave. After the final paper was signed, she was brought to the public floo's to meet Professor Snape. He stood there looking dour, arms crossed and eyeing everyone that passed, as if accessing if they were truly sick, or trying to get out of responsibility like he did with his students. He perked up when he saw Hermione being rolled over in a wheelchair.

"Hospital protocol I'm afraid," the nurse had informed her when she insisted she sit the wheelchair. Hermione hugged the kind nurse and promised to owl her to set up a lunch date. She turned to Severus to see one eyebrow up and a snarky comment ready to release.

"Fraternizing with the help?"

"Emma is a lovely woman who I happen to get along with very well. I may very well be stuck this age, so I might as well start making more friends a little closer to my age." She breezed past and grabbed a handful of floo powder. Without even a backwards glance she flooed to Hogsmeade. Eyebrow up again, but this time joined with a smirk, Severus followed.

The walk up to the castle was silent. Hermione tried to keep a hold of her nerves by staying a few steps ahead of her Professor. If he said something else about her accident, she may lose hold of the calm she was trying to maintain and break down. Everything was happening so fast and she was trying to accept it with grace, all the while her heart was twittering away in her chest. Thankfully not a single word was said until Professor Snape said the password to get in to the Headmasters office. He guided her up the narrow stairway with a hand on the small of her back to keep her steady as the staircase ascended, later holding the door open for her. Well, it seemed that he suddenly found some manners now that they were back in the castle.

"Miss Granger," Albus Dumbledore welcomed warmly. He walked to her, arms outstretched for a hug. "How are you my dear?" He folded her up in his arms and kissed the top of her head. The warm smell of sweets and the ever present whir of contraptions around his office were comforting. "You had me quite worried. When Minerva came in flapping the notice from St. Mungo's she was ready to rush over. It took me nearly ten minutes to find out what was wrong. Are you well?"

"Yes Sir, as much as can be expected. Thank you. Is Minerva okay?"

"She is fine. She did visit, but you were sleeping and I came to understand that you were in the very capable hands of the Messer Weasley's." A snort of indignation brought Albus' Attention to Professor Snape who was still standing by the door. He was deliberately looking away from them and out of one of the many windows. "Ah, Severus. Thank you for fetching Miss Granger this morning. Please, both of you come have a seat. Tea? Biscuit?"

"Yes please," Hermione answered eagerly. When offered the biscuit tin she took two then timidly took a third. Albus just smiled and took three for himself as well.

"So Hermione, do you have any questions about our proposal?"

"Many Sir, but I will try to contain myself." She smiled and he chuckled. Professor Snape smirked in to his tea. "First, I would like to take my NEWTs as soon as possible, but may I have some time to study first? I have read my text books for the upcoming year but would like to make another pass at all my notes and some practical application as well."

"Of course. I shall set your test date for two weeks from today. That will give you some time to settle in, study, test and be finished a few days before the start of tem. How does that sound?"

"It should be enough time. Next, I would like to know if there is anything else I can do to repay the generosity of staying here. Being Professor Snape's assistant will repay him, but I would like to do something more to earn my keep."

"Hermione dear, you know Minerva and I would never ask so much of you." He leaned forward to touch her hand. Hermione's eyes were starting to moisten. She hoped the Headmaster wouldn't let go her secrets in front of Professor Snape as to why she was so intimate with Minerva and him. "Do not make yourself uneasy. If you truly insist, I'm sure we can work something out with the professors as far as some grading or help with classes. How does that sound?"

"Perfect, thank you." She dabbed at an eye and wiggled her nose to staunch any running.

"Now, I have set your room next to Severus in the dungeon. With him being in charge of your recovery as it were, I thought it smart to keep you near him. You are more than welcome here or in Minnie and my rooms whenever you wish. The castle is your home and I want you to treat it as such. Take the rest of the day to rest. Minerva will be by in the morning to take you shopping." Hermione moved to protest. "Hush now, give a mother hen her pleasures. We want to take care of you and you may not repay it."

Her mouth closed and the moisture returned to her eyes.

"Thank you Albus."

He opened his arms again and she rushed over. He hugged her and ran a hand over her hair like he would a small child, not like the woman close to thirty that she looked now.

"There, there now. No more tears. Happy faces. Onward and upward." Hermione nodded and moved away. Albus handed her a handkerchief and she turned away to clean herself up. "Off you go now." She turned back with a smile. "Severus will show you to your room. We have taken care to fetch your trunk from the Weasley's. I'll see you at lunch in the great hall." She hugged him one more time then followed Professor Snape to the door.

She noted Professor Snape's chivalry again as he held the door open. When he met her on the other side he again led her by the small of her back down the stairs. When they entered the hallway he offered his arm. She took it, astonished. He noticed and answered for himself.

"I do have some manners, Miss Granger. As you are no longer my student, I am free to treat you as an adult."

"I see. And why did I not see these manners on the way up to the castle?" She was being playful now and hoped it didn't put him off. To her relief, he did smile at her sass.

"Well, I wasn't quite given the chance. If you remember, you walked away from my side form the moment we left the hospital."

Hermione flushed and felt slightly chastised. She had, in fact, made a point to be away from him and he had noticed. He continued to lead them down to the dungeons. He passed his classroom and the hallway door that lead to his office. He turned a corner and pointed to a door.

"This is my lab." It was a portrait of a fat chef mixing something in a kitchen. She smiled at the irony. "Next are my quarters." He motioned to the next door. A portrait of a man dressed in black and green looked down, his nose at them with a bored expression—a most fitting sentinel for such a place. Professor Snape led them down to the next door on the same wall. "Here are your quarters. There is a door that leads to my sitting room from yours. I would ask that you only use it in emergencies, I value my privacy. I shall extend you the same courtesy."

Her portrait was of a young woman reading under a tree. The girl smiled out at them and waited patiently for the password.

"Daughter dearest," Professor Snape spoke clearly.

The air stopped in Hermione's throat.

"You may change it if you wish. Albus set it when he opened the rooms."

She was sure he noticed her distress. It was nice of him trying to sooth her even, if he didn't know why he was. Her calm was starting to crack at the sentimentality of the password the Headmaster had set. She would need to change it as soon as possible.

"I'll leave you here. Would you like me to return to walk with you to lunch?"

She was going to say no, but decided that it may be better to have an arm to hold when everyone's eyes were on her.

"I would appreciate that, thank you."

He nodded, took her fingers and bowed his head in leave. She turned and entered her rooms before he made it back to his own portrait.