First Day of Classes

The next morning Hermione was up at 5:00 and walking into the Gryffindor common room at 5:30.

Thank Merlin that as staff I have the override passwords. I would have hated to talk to them with the common room full. Ok now do I wake Ginny up first or do I wake the boys up first. I guess Ginny since I'm supposed to be like a Professor and it wouldn't be proper for me to be in the guy's dorm.

Hermione entered Ginny's room and shook her lightly, "Ginny, Ginny wake up I need to talk to you."

Ginny rolled over and wiped the sleep from her eyes. "Hermione what are you doing here? Are you ok? What do you need?"

"Can you get up and go ask Harry and Ron to come down to the common room I want to talk to the 3 of you."

Ginny ran up stairs and got the boys up and meet Hermione in the Common Room.

"I know you are all angry with me but let me explain everything to you please!"

Ginny came over and sat beside Hermione and put her arms around her shoulder. "Go ahead and explain Hermione I'm sure you didn't do this without a lot of thought."

"Thanks Ginny! As you know I still have not got any settlement from my parents business or house. So I've been living off the little bit of money I had in Gringott's which wasn't much. I knew I didn't have enough to pay for me to go to magical college. And in the wizarding world an apprenticeship equals a college education sometimes more then a college education. I love potions you guys know that. Who brewed PolyJuice Potion in our 2nd year?

Well any way when I meet with Minerva she asked me if money wasn't an problem what would I want to do. I told her I would like to be a Potion's mistress. I told her if I couldn't do that I wanted to teach Charms or Transfiguration. I worked all summer helping put the school back together and 2 weeks ago as we were all sitting in the teacher's lounge Professor Snape handed me a contract to become his apprentice.

It's what I really wanted so I accepted the contract and now I report to him, I've finished 3 of my NEWT's I have 4 more to do this year so I'll be in those classes, well I'll be in 3 of them in Potions I'll be an assistant to the 7th year class. By the end of this year I'll have one year of my apprenticeship done and in two years I'll be ready to teach or set up my own potions lab.

I just ask you guys to be nice to Professor Snape don't say anything about me or be nasty to him. He is my boss now for that mater he is my Master. I have to ask him to be allowed to do anything. If you want me to have any time to myself or time to spend with you guys you have to be nice. Please! You 3 are my best friends I couldn't bear the thought of losing you guys."

Harry looked at Hermione and saw the desperation in her eyes. "Ok Mione I promise we will be as good as we can and we promise not to say anything to Snape about you."

Hermione jumped up and hugged her friends, "Thank you, this means the world to me, I promise any time I get will be spent with you guys. Now I have to go I need to get ready for my 1st year potions class."

By dinner time Hermione felt like she had visited hell, she had helped with two 1st Year potion classes worked on some potions that had reached a critical stage, attended all 3 of her classes and still needed to work on the potions again after dinner.

When Hermione entered the Great Hall from the back door all she wanted to do was sit down she really didn't care if she even ate. As she looked around she noticed that Neville looked almost as shell shocked as she did. She quietly pulled out her chair and sat down. Neville looked at her and nodded his head and grimaced, then leaned over and whispered, "Are you as exhausted as I am?"

"Oh yes and I've still got to work on potions after dinner plus write 2 papers and translate a ton of Runes."

Neville groaned, "I've still got the 5 foot of parchment for Snape on the magical properties of Moon Flowers on Potions. I don't suppose you have to do that one do you?"

"No I've just got to research how to invent a potion that women can take while they are pregnant for Wizards Flu. I'll trade you, shoot right now I would just be happy to sleep right here."

Snape pulled out the chair next to Hermione she straightened up and grinned at Neville.

"Miss Granger did you check on the potions we have brewing before you came up for dinner?"

"Yes Professor Snape I added the eye of Newt to the test potion and I put a stasis charm on the dreamless sleep so that I could finish it up after dinner."

"Very good Miss Granger, how is the research going on the project I gave you."

"I've pulled several tomes from the Library and I was just getting ready to ask Mr. Longbottom and Professor Sprout for their opinion on any plants that I might not know of that would be helpful."

Snape nodded his head and began scanning the hall for misbehavior.

Hermione looked over to Neville and he gave her a knowing look. Then he told Hermione, "Miss Granger I will check through my books to see if I can come up with anything that might help you, I'll also check with Professor Sprout for you."

Hermione grinned at Neville, "Thank you Mr. Longbottom." And Hermione winked at Neville.

After dinner Hermione returned to the lab with the Professor. As they worked on the potions Professor Snape finally started talking with Hermione about what he was doing. Hermione found herself totally engrossed in his lecturing.

When he stopped she had a few questions for him as she started, "Professor Snape?"

"Hermione when we are in the lab working you may call me Severus."

Hermione was totally floored but tried to cover it up, "Thank you Severus, may I ask you a question about what you just said about common Lovage?"

Hermione's questions started another long conversation. When the Grandfather clock in Severus's office rang midnight Severus looked up and sent Hermione to her room.