Hermione walked into the Great Hall with red, puffy eyes. She walked straight past the Gryffindor Table, ignoring the greeting from Lily and Sirius, who had apparently forgotten all about last night. She swept up to the teacher's table and sat at her seat, greeting her colleagues politely, but otherwise remaining in her own thoughts.
"James? What do you think is wrong with Hermione?" Lily asked, noticing her favourite teacher's puffy eyes and vacant expression.
James shrugged. "I have no idea Lils. All I know is that when we woke up, Remus told us that we had to leave the quarters and that there was some sort of confrontation between the two of them." At that everyone looked at Remus. He looked up and started at the looks his friends were giving him.
"What?" he asked.
"What happened between the two of you last night?" Sirius asked through a mouthful of waffles.
He hesitated. "I woke up in the middle of the night and heard crying. She was crying in that weird room of hers, I went over to comfort her when I heard her talking to a photograph. She was saying stuff, how she missed 'them' so much and how she wished she'd never gone looking for a solution. I have no idea what that meant, but I was going to help her, because, well, you know I like her." he stressed looking unhappy.
"Riight. So, what happened? That wasn't enough of a confrontation." Lily asked confusedly.
Remus cleared his throat. "ShesaidshewishedshednevermetmeandIgotupsetandsaidthatmaybeweshouldctopbeingfriendsandgobacktothestudentteacherrelationshipweshouldbehaving?" He said in one breath, looking regretful.
"I didn't catch a single word of that." Lily said, looking at her confused boyfriend.
Sirius dropped his fork. "You said what?!" he hissed incredulously.
Remus shied away from his best friend's angry expression. "I'm sorry. I was really upset." he said apologetically. James and Lily looked at their two friends in confusion.
"Okay. Can someone please explain to Lily and I what is going on?" James cried.
"Our friend here," Sirius sneered. "decided to tell our very cool, very hot Defense teacher that WE should stop being friends and go back to a student teacher relationship!"
"You did what!?" James and Lily screamed, causing every head in the Great Hall to turn towards them.
Hermione was jerked out of her reverie as she heard Lily and James' scream. She brought her head up and looked at the source of the noise. Her eyes connected with Remus'. She noticed that even across the hall, that there was a hint of regret, anger and something she couldn't place in his eyes. The connection they felt was broken when Remus turned back to his irate friends to explain his actions. Hermione sighed and decided to leave the Hall.
She had reached the Entrance Hall, when she heard Lily's cry, "She Said WHAT!?" Hermione hurried on towards her classroom, when she heard her name being called. Turning around she found herself face to face with four angry Seventh Years.
"Misters Black, Potter, Lupin, Miss Evans. What can I do for you?" she said sullenly.
"Herm-Professor. Did you really say that you wished you'd never met Remus?" Lily asked softly.
Hermione sighed. "Yes, I did. But one day you'll understand what I said and why." and with that she turned on her heel and swept down the corridor.
The four friends looked at her retreating back in shock. "See. I told you she said that."
"Yeah, but she also said that we'd understand why she said it. It doesn't make sense!" James said frustratedly.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to find out what she's hiding. I don't care what you guys say." Lily said determinedly. Sirius looked at her.
"See, now that's why I like you!" he exclaimed causing everyone to laugh.
........................................................
Stupid stupid stupid stupid! Hermione berated herself. You're drawing attention to yourself! Just figure out what your dream meant, and get on with the training that you've been neglecting. She looked up as the first of her Seventh Year class entered. She took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face. Once everyone was inside, she set them to work, practising their patronus'.
"Expecto Patronum!" Remus cried. Nothing happened. Sirius looked shocked.
"Expecto Patronum!" Sirius cried. Nothing happened. Remus looked shocked.
Hermione walked over. "What's going on boys?"
Remus ignored her. Sirius smiled apologetically. "Nothing's happening for both of us. We can't produce our Patronus'!" Hermione nodded.
"I thought something like this might happen. When we practised last time, what happened?"
"We said it at the same time. And laughed." Remus muttered.
"Exactly, it was the happiness that you two had at that exact moment that brought out your patronus'. You'll need to think of something that makes you as happy as you were then." she said, hesitating before walking over to the Slyterins.
"So, Mr Snape, how's the patronus coming along?"
Severus glanced at her furtively. "I've been practising," he whispered. Hermione smiled widely. "I've almost got it down." Hermione nodded for him to continue. "Expecto Patronum!" Snape cried. To pretty much everyone's shock a silver doe flew out of his wand and galloped around the classroom.
"Well done Mr Snape. 15 points to Slytherin, for being the first one to get a Patronus." She looked at everyone's shocked faces. "Get back to work everyone! Mr Snape, now that you've managed that, could you please go around helping your classmates, or collecting in everyone's homework for me?" Snape nodded and began to collect scrolls of parchment.
Sirius growled. "How come she gave him points, when she knows full well that we got it first?" he whispered angrily to Remus.
Remus shrugged. He turned his thoughts back to his happy memory. What makes me as happy as I was then? It hit him. The one thing that made him happy, although he would never admit it, considering how he had spoken earlier was Hermione. The way she taught with patience, her ease with magic, her kindness to everyone. Everything about her made him happy, and made him wish that he could turn back time so that he never said any of those horrible things. With Hermione in his mind he tried to conjure his Patronus. "Expecto Patronum!" To his delight a silver wolf burst out of his wand and quickly ran to his side, nuzzling his leg gently. Hermione smiled at him, and he felt his heart miss a beat.
"Excellent Mr Lupin. 15 points to Gryffindor." she said happily. She looked around and saw that silver mist was filling the room. "Alright everyone! Line up, I want to see how far each of you have managed to get."
Everyone quickly hurried to get in a line, all the boys fighting to stand in front of Hermione. "Right then. Mr Nott, off you go."
Everyone held their breath as Nott shouted the incantation, and a silver bat flew out of his wand.
"Excellent. Mr Potter, you're next."
Once again, everyone was watching, anxious to see what form he would get. A stag erupted from his wand.
This process continued, until the whole class had managed to produce their patronus'. There was a stag, wolf, dog, bat, cat, lynx and most uncommonly, two does. One belonging to Lily Evans and the other Severus Snape. "Well done, you've all managed to conjure Patronus'. Now, don't forget, if you have suffered an emotional blow, your Patronus' may change shape, and if your thoughts are turned towards the darker regions such as revenge, then your Patronus' will change colour. Hopefully, you will never have to come across the latter, but if you do, remember to stay happy."
Everyone nodded, smiling at their ability to produce corporeal Patronus'.
"Right, for the rest of the lesson, we shall practise shield charms. It is a simple incantation, Protego. One, two, three, Protego. Good. Pair up and try to repel your partner's jinxes. Remember only minor jinxes." with that, she looked at Snape pointedly, who looked at the floor, abashed.
Finally the end of the lesson came, and everyone had been successful in casting shield charms. "Good work everyone, next lesson, we shall have mini duels!" Hermione cried as they all left her class in good spirits.