A/N: I am so sorry. I have absolutely no excuse for my unanounced hiatus. I promise you, I won't leave you all in a lurch like that again. On the upside, Hamaliel has threatened to dismember me if I run off like that again. You all have my sincerest apologies, and my thanks for even considering coming back to read this.

On another note, while editing the chapter, Hamaliel wrote in big letters PENS!. It seems I've mentioned both pens and quills and he can't figure out which are being used. They both are. I've decided that the Hogwarts students write essays and exams with quills, and probably some of their notes as well. Aside from the formal essays and exams, what writing insturment to use depends completely upon personal preference. Hermione grabs pens because they're easier and less messy. :-)

Chapter 8

The next two weeks passed in a blur of staff meetings and lesson plans. Harry was deeply grateful to McGonagall for letting him sift through the lesson plans of the only decent DADA professors he'd had – Remus Lupin, the imposter Moody, and Severus Snape. He ended up using a mixture of their plans and his own, and both he and the headmistress were pleased with the result.

September first arrived almost before he knew it, and the afternoon found him standing in front of his mirror trying to look more teacher-like. He had on a set of the 'professor' robes Hermione had picked out for him, but his hair simply would not behave. He groaned aloud at the thought that he looked like an overgrown student.

A laugh jerked him out of his thoughts, and he turned quickly and pulled his wand, pointing it at the intruder.

"How'd you get in here?"

"Honestly, Harry, you should come up with a password more original than 'golden snitch'. It took me all of two seconds to figure it out. What kind of DADA professor are you?" Hermione teased.

"Not a very good one, apparently," Harry replied, tucking his wand back up his sleeve. "Unless I cleverly made the password something easy so that you'd break in and I'd be forced to hex you!"

"Oh please, that's much too Slytherin a thought process for you. You're far too fair minded to do something like that to me."

"Maybe," Harry smirked. "Maybe not."

"Don't smirk Harry, it's not a good look for you. Those robes are, though. You almost look like an authority figure."

"Almost?"

"Your hair. It never does behave, does it? Oh well, it'll just have to become your trademark."

"My trademark." Harry mused. "I think I like that…."

"Like it on the way to the Great Hall. We don't want to be late."

"No we don't. Lead on, professor!"

Hermione blushed a bit. "Do I really look like a teacher?"

Harry looked her up and down. "Yes, you really do. Although you're much prettier than any teacher I ever had." He said quietly.

Hermione turned even pinker. "Th-thank you Harry."

"You're welcome." Harry replied.

They both smiled a bit and looked away. "Well, er, shall we?" Harry asked, gesturing toward the door.

"Yes, we shall," Hermione answered, and they walked to the Great Hall together.


Harry groaned as he flung off his robes and stumbled toward his bed. He was absolutely certain that the last few hours had been the longest of his life. First the sorting, then the new staff introductions, then the feast. After that he and Hermione had gone up to Gryffindor tower to get the new first years settled in and lay down the rules for the rest of the house. And Hermione had given him homework! Apparently she remembered how difficult it had been for her as a muggle-born at Hogwarts, and had planned seminars accordingly. Harry would now be spending two nights a week for the first few weeks of term teaching his first years how to write with a quill. The only bright spot was that Hermione was the one teaching the little brats how to properly prepare potions ingredients.

He collapsed into bed, still wondering where and when she'd come up with that particular plan. And why hadn't she consulted with him? Deciding he could wait until morning for the answer, he rolled over and was asleep almost immediately.


Hermione smiled in satisfaction as she walked back into her rooms after the feast. She thought the whole thing had gone off rather well. And Harry had agreed to teach the first year penmanship seminar without a single complaint! Yes, she thought this year was going to be wonderful. She changed into her pajamas, and sat down at her desk. There were so many other things she could do! Study groups to plan, lessons to go over, plans to make…. She grabbed a pen and some paper, and got to work.