I'm glad that a lot of you weren't angry with the ending, but I'm thinking about what happens in this chapter that may have you all changing your tune, or not. Anyway on to

Chapter 7: Home

Hermione felt her teacher's warm breath on her hyper sensitive lips and shivered a bit. A fog began clouding over her mind at the delicious sensations that bombarded her senses for those few seconds. As she leaned in a bit more so she was only a hair length away from Callisto's blood-red lips, her mind cleared completely registering exactly what they were doing this very moment and jumped back to the edge of the bed, a blush staining her skin. Hermione stood hastily, nearly knocking over the books on the bedside table that was on that side of the bed, nervously fidgeted her way towards the door.

"I-I-I-I n-need to g-get ba-bac-back to the Gry-gryffindor t-t-t-tower b-before c-curfew. I'll s-s-see yo-you some othe-other time." Hermione stuttered out, bolting out of the room as quick as she could, taking off in a run towards the Gryffindor tower only stopping her hurried steps when she was alone. When her back was against the wall of the common room, the only sound in their being the popping of the fire, Hermione finally allowed herself to relax from the encounter. 'Oh dear Merlin that did not just happen...' Hermione thought as she fought to catch her breath, moving over to the squishy arm chair she normally claimed as her own when in the common room, pulling her legs under her as she tried to calm herself down.

The book-worm brought her hand to her lips, ghosting her fingers over her them still feeling the tingle that just the older woman's breath elected from her body. Hermione thought back, blushing darkly when she thought of the position she was in not even ten minutes ago with the older woman. Her mind drifted off to what it would have felt like if she hadn't freaked out and left the woman on the bed. She couldn't help but bite her lip at the possibilities that could have risen from having the guts to stay with her. 'Oh stop it. You made the right decision. She probably was going to pull back herself and start that obnoxious teasing. She wouldn't risk her job to kiss you. Who would do that?' She thought berating herself for even giving her emotions any room for growing. 'She's your senior by more than a few years, and she's a teacher. Everything about that is particularly wrong. Not to mention she's a woman.'

Hermione closed her eyes and cleared her thoughts from everything listening to the crackling of the fire-place to get herself back in complete control. After ten minutes of this quiet and thoughtlessness, Hermione stood up from her squishy arm-chair and made her way up the stairs to the girl's dorms. Entering the large space, Hermione quietly made her way to her bed and glanced at the occupants of the room, thanking Merlin that everyone was nestled in their beds asleep. Hermione pulled her curtains to when she got to the bed and got into her sleeping clothes she had laid out earlier that morning. Curling into her bed afterwards, the young woman finally relaxed fully, all the stress from the past week leaving her as she drifted off to sleep in her bed.

That night, while she dreamt, the scent of rosemary and spearmint slipped into her mind for an unknown reason, and her reoccurring dream with the dragon, otter, and dog replayed once again through her unconsciousness. This time, however, she was sure that the animals looked a bit more human than in earlier dreams. The dragon had taken on human black eyes that pierced through her soul while the dog seemed to gain the brown eyes filled with hate and anger. When Hermione woke finally she couldn't remember a thing about the dream besides that and sighed to herself as she went about her morning routine. After finishing up and heading downstairs to the common room, Hermione made her way over to Ginny and Neville once more, only slightly surprised to see Harry and Ron with them talking.

"Good morning." She said politely to the group as she shifted her bag onto her other shoulder. Hermione was greeted with various degrees of 'hellos' from the group before her, even from the ever chipper – she sarcastically added in her mind – Ronald Weasley. After the pleasantries were exchanged between everyone, the group made its way out of the tower and to the Great hall as they did every day they were in school. The day progressed as normal as they took their exams within their classes, without anything out of the ordinary except for Ron's more mellow attitude towards her and the lack of Lavender around him while they were together. Things progressed the same way throughout the week for most people, but for Hermione some things were far from what she called normal.

To begin, every other day the brunette was getting different poems from an anonymous sender in various lengths, always with the same general admission of love and words stating that whoever would come to her one day. These notes were beginning to make the young woman feel two conflicting emotions. For one, she was interested in who this mystery person could be and how they had come to feel the things that they did for her. Secondly, she was a bit on edge because of the attention she was getting because of the messages. The thought of someone watching her and not coming to her face to say anything to her had the bushy haired girl a bit wary. For all she knew, it could have been a Slytherin playing a trick on her for a joke. Regardless of that chance, she found herself thinking about the possibilities from time to time in between her classes. One of her first thoughts had been, of course, Ron, but that possibility was short-lived when she remembered the dimwitted red-heads way with words.

Besides the secret admirer letters that she was getting from whomever, Hermione noticed subtle differences with her, now secretly favorite, teacher after their litter encountered the following class. The teacher was less friendly to her students than she was normally, and refused to crack even the littlest jokes at the expense of the less skilled students within her class. Corresponding with the dark woman's attitude, the work and exercise load had seemed to triple in intensity. They were pitted against each other in tournament style duels when they weren't researching and picking apart legendary duels to find each little mistake each wizard made. Callisto drove them to the point of breaking before backing off with an uncaring glance and a faint sadistic smile upon her face when she dismissed the class.

To make it worse for the bushy haired girl, and her best friend, they had to have their private sessions with her for the rest of the week so that they would know what to train themselves in while they were away for the holidays. On the first training day, things began as they normally did with the obstacle course and their teacher watching them from her desk to the far side of the Room of Requirements. That was until they finished their second go around of the course and curses started to fly from every corner of the room, or so it seemed. Both Gryffindor's ran and ducked under cover while trying to pinpoint their attacker with quick glances until the moment when Harry's hair was burnt by a passing curse aimed straight between his eyes. The three fought and hid as they could while never figuring out where the infuriating woman was hiding in the shadows and the result of their labors was always the same. One of the two would end up at the pointy end of her wand while the other could only watched horrified at how easily they were ambushed.

She never spoke a word to either of them before, during, or after each session. The most the dark teacher would do was check if they were harmed, and if so would take delicate care of them until it was mended before leaving them to head to their chambers. There were plenty of times that the Prefect would consider using her privileges to go to the teacher's room and demand an answer as to why she was acting as she was. The only thing stopping her, however, was the possibility that she already knew the answer. The young woman hoped it probably wasn't possible or even feasible that the woman was actually upset over her hasty retreat from her, but it was a definite possibility if she truly thought about it. It wasn't until the morning of the train ride home that a restless Hermione sat in the common room, and tried to justify why the older woman was acting the way she had.

Her mind tried with all of its power to think of a reason other than the older woman being upset over what she had done to her at the beginning of the week. It was slightly obvious, if Hermione allowed her thoughts to stray that way, in the way the woman wouldn't catch her eye for longer than was polite before moving her attention to something else, and then the way her eyes went from emotionless to sad in the blink of an eye if one were to pay close enough attention. Callisto would also seem lost in her thoughts when she wasn't busy watching after the kids in her class room and the way she would mumbled to herself at times, the words unheard by any. Hermione bowed her head as she curled up in her seat alone. She couldn't help but think of the night she had left the dark haired woman, and the way she had rushed out without a single word back to her. If she had been in Callisto's shoes, she would be doing the same thing if she were attracted to women.

That thought, however, sprung up an immediate reaction from the young woman. Her heart rate quickened to an alarming tempo as she quickly thought back to herself and the reactions she had towards the teacher since the beginning of the term when she first laid eyes on her. 'I can't be a lesbian.' Hermione tried to reassure herself as she placed a hand over her chest. 'I've always been attracted to men. I mean I was attracted to Viktor, sort of. He was cute and showed interest in me, but he got on my nerves when he would start a conversation about . . . anything really. He was more like a child in a grown man's body if I had to be honest.'

Hermione sighed a bit as she rubbed her temples and drew her knees closer to her body as she thought, 'Alright, maybe Viktor wasn't such a good example of me actually like a boy. There's Ron. I do find him attractive. The way he smiles boyishly when he does or says something ridiculously stupid to me or anyone. There's the way he's always tries to stick up for his friends, namely Harry, in some situations even though a lot of his attempts fall through. He's got a beautiful smile when he lets it out and when I hug him I feel so warm inside.' Hermione justified as she closed her eyes to continue her thoughts her eyes burning from the lack of sleep she had gotten from her over active mind. 'I've also fancied a few other boys of our year and a few of the older ones that have graduated. Wood was very attractive to me as well. I've never felt inclined to feel that any girl is attractive to me before. Sure, there are very pretty girls but none of them caused me to ever question if I were attracted to them.'

Hermione bit her lip once more as she glanced at the clock and noticed that it was nearly time for her to head back up to her bedroom to get dressed and finish packing. Most of the student's would be waking in the near future and Hermione didn't feel like having to prove her current state of dress should they come down before she heads back up to her room. Filing away her thoughts for a later time, Hermione quietly lifted herself up from her chair and stretched with a silent groan falling from her lips. After stretching her tired muscles, Hermione went up the stairs to her year's dorms and went to her bed placing a few parcels that she left on her nightstand into her trunk soundlessly. Grabbing out her muggle attire she had chosen, consisting of a pair of dark jeans, a purple tank top, and a pair of sneakers, Hermione made her way to the showers to wash away her weariness.

When the girl finally made her way out of the showers, everyone seemed to have awakened from their slumber and was chattering happily about being able to go home and what they were expecting this Christmas. Nodding to a few people she passed, Hermione returned to her bed brandishing her wand and giving it a fluid flick, she watched as her things piled neatly together for easy retrieval before double checking behind herself. After she was satisfied that everything was in order, the bushy haired girl made her way down the stair well and to the common room once again, sighing at the emptiness. Ignoring the pang of annoyance at her friends leaving for breakfast without her, Hermione made her way down the stairs without another sound her eyes practically closed as she moved by memory down the enchanted stairs.

It wasn't until she heard the unmistakable voice of one Albus Dumbledore down the hall did the woman open her eyes to see exactly where she was. Hermione moved forward and stayed out of view when she saw the Headmaster in one of the alcoves near the Great hall with none other than Callisto Russo standing with her back to Hermione.

"I must say. You've made quite the impression on the students. I trust that everything is going smoothly? I apologize for my inability to check in on you more often." Dumbledore asked as he looked at the woman he had employed under good faith.

"I'm able to hold my own against the children, Albus. After everything I have gone through up to this point, teaching this little ones how to fight is as easy as breathing. You try Azkaban for a while. I'm sure you'd agree."

Dumbledore chuckled a bit as he nodded his eyes dancing over the woman and appraising her appearance, "I'd rather not have a go at Azkaban. Only those far braver than me can handle such a place. You've done what few others would ever consider, Madame." He pointed out with a soft smile on his face. "However, it has come to my attention that something maybe putting one of the finest teachers I have in my staff in a mood befitting those within those halls. May I ask what is putting you in such a state?"

Callisto scoffed to herself as she crossed her arms in much the same way a petulant child would when asked a question they would rather not answer, "I'm sorry Professor. I'm not sure what you are talking about. I'm perfectly fine mentally and physically. Poppy and Minerva make sure to keep tabs on that as you requested."

"Quite right you are, my dear. However, I am sure you know what I mean. Perhaps it is due to a particular student of yours putting you in such a state? Minerva has noticed a change in you ever since the beginning of the week." Dumbledore prodded slightly while he looked at the woman, "She has also told me that one Miss. Granger has been acting different as well."

Hermione's breath hitched slightly as she listened into the conversation with a blush staining her cheeks at both her eavesdropping and what the Headmaster was insinuating. She hadn't been acting different. As far as she could tell she had acted completely normal regardless of where she had been these past few days. Hermione watched and bit her lip as she watched as her teachers hackles lifted in annoyance at the accusations the older man was throwing at her and waited patiently for the snide remark that would sure pool out of the woman's mouth if given the chance. Hermione was surprised when she relaxed and her posture went from that of the normally strong, unbreakable woman to that of a more distraught and weary older woman that betrayed her clear years.

"I can't keep anything from you or Minerva can I?" Her cool voice called out crossing her arms over her chest in slight irritation. "It's nothing I can't get over, Albus, besides aren't you supposed to condone me even feeling the least bit attracted to a student of mine?"

"Under normal circumstances, perhaps, but you are not a true teacher at Hogwarts. You are a free woman who is allowed to feel anyway you wish. A word of caution though, my dear. You are traveling a very tricky road if you wish to continue after young Miss. Granger. There are a few issues I'm sure you remember that could be a bridge burner if things come out the wrong way." Albus advised with a twinkle in his eyes looking past the woman and catching Hermione's gaze when she looked behind the statue she was hiding behind. "Miss. Granger is fragile and still figuring things out about herself, as are you, regardless of how you would like to be perceived. If things do develop, complete trust must be given by you both. That is my word of caution to you."

Hermione didn't stay around any longer than she had to after the Headmaster caught her eyes and made her way back up to the Gryffindor Tower in a hurry, and up to her bed biting her lip hard as she her thoughts from earlier were confirmed. What kind of rollercoaster was this going to put her on this time? First, she had to deal with an anonymous admirer, then her feelings for the hard-headed Ronald Weasley, and now she had to deal with the news of one Callisto Russo being attracted to her. Laying back on her bed, Hermione refused to admit to herself how the admission of the woman's feelings had her heart beating wildly in her chest, brushing it of as being a side effect of her run back to her bed.

Hermione stayed within her bedroom until she heard students returning to their rooms once more to get their carry-on bags before the trip back to Kingscross station. The genius pulled herself out of her comforting bed for the second time that morning and grabbed her own bag as she headed back down the stairs.

"Where have you been, Hermione? We missed you at breakfast." Ginny pointed out as she saw her descend the stairs with her bag. "You look horrid by the way. You have bags under your eyes."

"Thanks for that Ginny." Hermione said dryly before looking at the younger girl with a slight glare that she couldn't maintain. "I was resting upstairs. I didn't feel very hungry." She lied giving her a slight smile.

"Are you okay? You've been acting different ever since Tuesday morning." Ginny pointed out, a worried look in her eye for her friend. "Are you overworked? You seem like you're about to drop."

Hermione brushed off her concern with a roll of her eyes and an assurance that she was crashing due to all the studying she had to do for all of her classes. Ignoring her friend's less than believing gaze, Hermione moved to leave and head down to the entrance of the castle to get on the carriages that would take them back to Hogsmeade station, and then to the Hogwarts Express.

She ignored Ginny's prodding on the carriage ride, her eyes straying from the now visible Thestral pulling the cart to the teachers that were escorting them to the station as well as a team of Aurors in the middle of the caravan. Hermione looked over at McGonagall, who sat comfortably with Callisto Russo at her side. Both of the witches were talking quietly to one another, while also keeping their eyes peeled for any movement that would not be natural on the strip of road that they were traveling on. Hermione's eyes stayed on the back of the Professor the entire time of the ride completely zoned out for once in her life that when the carriage came to a halt at the station, Ginny had to shake her friend for a whole minute to get her attention.

Apologizing for her absentmindedness, Hermione got off finally and headed to the station with a smile on her face to get her friend to stop her worried glances and quickly went about procuring a carriage for herself, Ginny, and surprisingly enough Luna who had made her way to beside the three of them after Dean left to hang out with his friend's instead of being with Ginny.

After the train left the station, Hermione sighed a bit relaxing in her chair for at least five minutes just listening to the conversation that Luna and Ginny were having about the Quibbler and it's less than accurate stories. Amused by the banter, Hermione stood after looking at her watch, "I'm going to run my rounds around the train, I won't be long I promise." She said softly to her friends getting two nods before walking off down the section of the train given to Gryffindors. Nearing the end of her section, Hermione smiled hearing Harry and Ron's voices from their compartment and moved towards the door with a faint smile upon her face. That was, until she looked at the glass of the compartment door and the wide eyes of both Harry and Ron.

Written on the foggy glass before her was none other than the iconic heart with Lavender and Ron's initials within it. Pain flashed over her eyes as she gazed at it, her still broken heart feeling stepped on once more. Hermione shook her head as she walked off with hurried steps back to her compartment with Luna and Ginny, shaking her head when they both gave her inquisitive glances. When they didn't receive anything else, the two girls went back to their conversation about if there were Nargels and if so what were their purpose in the Wizarding world.

Hermione joined into the conversations here and there, adding in her opinion on certain points and mostly siding with Ginny on matters such as the creatures that Mr. Lovegood had created. Debating and arguing her point had the bushy haired girl feeling a lot better, and by the time that the train stopped in the station, Hermione was her normal chipper self as she retrieved her things. Hermione gave her two female friends a long hug with a promise of writing them about where she would be vacationing during the break. Going through the entrance of Platform nine and three quarters, and back to the muggle world, Hermione couldn't help but to visibly stiffen. Scanning the area much like she was taught during her dueling lessons with Professor Russo, who she had been desperately trying to avoid thinking of, Hermione finally relaxed as she pushed her cart forward towards the beaming faces of her parents. As she leapt into her father arms, the young woman couldn't help but think that she was home, and although all the evil could get her while she was well away from the walls of Hogwarts, she felt like she could truly relax.

Well there's the end of this short chapter. I know, nothing really good happened in this chapter and it's probably below par when it's compared to the normal chapters I deliver. However, this chapter and the next will be needed for Hermione to do a little soul searching and make way for the rising action that will be happening from a few chapters from now. I hope I didn't disappoint you guys to bad with this one, but I can promise a new chapter will be coming to you sooner than normal.

Sweet Evil Angel: I used to be the same way with Hermione and Fluer being my favorite pairing. I think once this one is complete I may try my hand with one. There isn't many of either of these pairings that are worth the time to read, so I'm hoping to change that with time. As for the Cliffhangers, I do it to keep you wanting more and more. :P. I have to agree that it is a bit weird when you put it that way. I may have to include a little chit chat between Hermione and Mrs. Weasley now concerning one Bellatrix Lestrange. . .

Wolvenkite: Thank you for your advice. I hope this chapter is much better for you

Thanks to all of you: Turkey in a suit, Dragolord19D, RainBlueWater, Mai.29393, Fumes34, Wolvenkite, Sweet Evil Angel, Jupitersthunder for reviewing the last chapter *ducks the randomly thrown objects as well as a few well aimed slaps*. I can't promise there won't be more of those cliffies, but I promise they will be worth it!