AN: michelle, in answer to your review, it was not a miss as you thought. It is in reference to future husband though I could see the missive in it. Major points to you for finding it though!!! Keep it up!!!!!!

Chapter 10

Hermione was seated behind Flitwick's desk with her paperwork in hand.

"Miss Granger, Can I call you Hermione?"

"Yes sir. Please do."

"Good. As long as we are not in a professional setting, then please call me Filius. We will be working together for quite some time to come. Now, what does your friend have to say about you becoming an apprentice?"

"He supports the decision and supports my choice in charms. He thought that I might choose potions but Charms has always been my first choice." Hermione said.

"Good. Now, if you take my apprenticeship, it will be a two to three year apprenticeship where you will gain a Mistress status from it. Depending upon how hard you work, you may or may begin teaching by the end of your first year and a half of your apprenticeship. You will need to buy several books to begin the apprenticeship. I have the list here if you wish to review it." He said handing over a rather extensive reading list.

She scanned it and said, "I have at least five on this list and I can have the rest by the start of new term. Is there anything else besides teaching robes that I will need for the apprenticeship?"

"You already have a good charms wand and if you are getting your robes before the apprenticeship starts then you will have everything. When you are introduced into the classroom next term, what would you like to be called?"

"Either Madame, or Professor, and even Ma'am would also be appropriate."

"Forgive me for asking but, will you be married by the start of the new term?" He asked.

"There is a very small chance that I will not but I will let you know before the start of the new term. Professor McGonagall said that she wished to have an update on the second and classes start on the third. So I will have the final decision by then."

"What charms do you use on a daily basis?" Filius asked.

"Besides the morning ritual to tame my hair, an invisibility spell to hide any jewelry that I wish to wear that does not match what I am wearing."

"What jewelry? Some jewels can interfere with your charms that you will be learning." He said trying to get her to remove the charm or charms.

Hermione made a flick of her wrist at her neck and removed the charm on the ruby pendant and necklace that Severus had given her.

"May I?" He asked as he motioned that he would like to see the jewelry.

She slipped the chain from around her neck and handed it to him. He waved his wand over the pendant and necklace then said "Interesting. Most interesting. This pendant has some really powerful protection charms it and it has been charmed to give the giver of the other pendant the wearer of this pendants emotions allowing the two to be connected."

"Yes. He said that if I ever needed him then he would be able to find me and protect me."

"Your friend must really care for you." He said.

"You have no idea."

"Is there other jewelry that you will be keeping invisible that would have been charmed?"

"No, come start of term this necklace will be the only thing charmed invisible. Other jewelry will be quite visible." She said putting the necklace back on.

"Can I assume that what you mean by they are your engagement and wedding rings."

"Yes sir. That is when I get them."

"Understandable. Now, do you still wish to become my apprentice?"

"Yes sir." She said as she handed him her contract.

"Do you have any objection to the terms that we had talked about before?"

"No sir." She said smiling.

"Good." He said as he waved his wand over the parchment and it filled itself out. He took out a quill and dipped it in ink and then signed the document. "Sign on the line and turn it in to McGonagall. I will see you in the classroom on the first day of term. Now, I believe that you might want to see your office. I asked Minerva to assign you one and she has agreed to. It is right next to mine." He said as he motioned for her to follow him.

They left his office and across the hall he motioned for her to open the door. She pushed the door open and noticed a rather large desk in front of her and a rather comfortable looking chair behind it and a hearth on one of the side walls. The room was empty save those three items. "You can decorate it any way you like. Just remember to ward the door a give a copy of your wards to either Severus or Minerva. Your floo is connected to your chambers and when you move into your staff quarters that will be transferred across. Oh and congratulations Professor." He said as he left her in her new office returning to his own.

Hermione left the office and warded it. She took off toward Professor McGonagall's office. She was really happy with her office and the whole situation when she heard someone from behind her.

"Well well well. Look at what we have here. It's the mud-blood head girl." Malfoy said.

"You do not want to mess with me today. Twenty points from Slytherin for inappropriate language." She said trying to get them to go away.

"You really don't scare us Granger. You are going to pay for what you did to our parents." Pansy said.

Hermione whipped out her wand but was unable to cast her shield before they managed to hex her with something. Hermione shrieked in pain and the corridor went black.

Severus felt Hermione suddenly get scared and then he felt a sharp pain like he had been shocked by the amulet and he jumped up from the seat he had in the staff room. He ran out to the corridor and cast the location spell on her. She was close. Just a floor above in the corridor to McGonagall's office. He ran through the corridor and flew up the stairs. No one was around her. He gathered her up in his arms and raced to the Gargoyle. He yelled the password as he raced her toward the entrance the gargoyle leapt aside and the spiral staircase sped up for him sensing the situation. Severus barged through Minerva's door hollering, "Get Poppy now."

He gently put her down on the couch in her office and began to stop the bleeding on the large gaping wound across her chest. Minerva used the floo yelling at Poppy to get to her office. Severus continued to try to stop the bleeding and just prayed to everything he knew to keep her alive. He was scared that she was going to leave him. Minerva just stood there in shock of what was happening. Poppy come through seeing Minerva in a state of panic then she noticed Severus looming over Hermione.

Poppy rushed to Hermione and began the complex healing spells to stop the bleeding. The wound did not want to heal and she began murmuring diagnostic spells to detect the curse used. When she had the curse, she began chanting the counter curse as she waved her wand over the wound healing it. Slowly it began to knit back together. Only when the wound had closed and the bleeding had stopped did Poppy begin looking for other curses and hexes. She had received the slicing hex, a stunning hex a paralysis hex that was much stronger than petrificus totalus as well as leg locking curse that had broken one of her hips and legs. Her back was broken from the stunning hex that had thrown her against the wall and she had one severe concussion that had rendered her unconscious.

"She has a concussion, four fractures and some paralysis. I can mend all of the injuries. I need to mover her now." Poppy said as she conjured up a stretcher. Severus watched as Poppy gently sat her in the stretcher and used the floo to take her to the Infirmary.

Severus bounded out of the room and went to the corridor where she had been attacked and questioned the portraits to get some answers. After some threats the portraits told him the whole story. He composed himself went down to the Slytherin Dormitory to collect the group that attacked his Hermione.

The group was sitting on the couches in the common room where they were all looking rather smug about something when Severus blasted through the door wand drawn. Using wand less magic he summoned all of their wands.

"Tell me something, what is the appropriate punishment for attacking a professor?" He asked in a deadly calm voice?

"Expulsion for the student." Pansy said looking very innocent.

"And, what is the wizarding punishment for attempted murder?" Severus asked Draco still deadly calm.

"Azkaban sir if the act can be proven that there was an attempt on someone's life." He answered equally calm.

"Then I am justified for what I am going to do." He said as he bound the four of them with very large magical ropes.

"Did you think that you would get away with attacking Miss Granger? She is a professor. You attacked her in one of the most populated halls in the whole castle. The portraits gave you all up quicker than you could say Azkaban." He said still deadly calm as he threw the group into the fireplace and flooed them all to McGonagall's office.

Tonks' and Shacklebolt came through McGonagall's floo and sat down in the chairs in front of her desk.

"Head Mistress McGonagall, why have you summoned us to the castle?" Kingsley asked in his most professional tone.

"I wish to press charges against four former students for the attack and attempted murder of one of my Professors." McGonagall said.

"Who was attacked?" Tonks asked a little nervously.

"Professor Granger." McGonagall said.

"Professor Granger, as in Hermione Granger, head girl." Kingsley said.

"Yes. She became a Professor today as she is Flitwick's apprentice."

"Where is Professor Granger now?" Tonks asked.

"She is in the Infirmary. Poppy should be able to give you a report whenever you need one."

"Who witnessed the attack? Who found her?" Tonks asked.

"Professor Snape found her and the portraits witnessed the attack. Professor Snape and I witnessed their confession here in my office." McGonagall said.

"Have Professor Snape meet me in the Infirmary. I have some questions for him and Madame Pomfry." Tonks said as she made her way to the door before she managed to trip herself on the edge of the rug nearly falling.

"Who attacked Professor Granger?" Kingsley asked.

"Knott, Crabbe, Goyle and Parkinson from Slytherin house." McGonagall said then added, "They are currently in my study with silencing and full body binding charms."

"I need a copy of your memory, their wands, and I will need them so I can take them to headquarters."

McGonagall pointed to the wands and a small capped vial near the edge of the desk.

Kingsley took them and placed them all in his pocket then said, "Will you take me to them?"

"Right this way. I still have to punish them for attacking a Professor. Then you can have them." She said as she opened a small door off the side of her office. McGonagall did not lift any of the spells on them "You all have attacked a Professor. That is the most serious offense that can be made. The four of you have been here by expelled from this school and you will not be allowed to attend any other school for magical learning. Your possessions have been packed by the house elves and will be thoroughly searched before they are sent to your homes. Auror Shacklebolt they are all yours." McGonagall said as she left the room and went to the infirmary to check on Hermione.

Poppy had a curtain drawn around Hermione Severus and Tonks. Tonks had placed a silencing charm around them so they couldn't be heard.

"Is she okay?" Tonks asked.

"She will be. She was bleeding badly from the cut on her chest. I thought that I was going to loose her." Severus said as he tried to hide the pain that he felt. She could see the tears that had welled up in his eyes. Tonks put a hand on his shoulder and tried to comfort him.

"I am going to talk to Poppy. Why don't you go floo over and get her parents. I am sure that they will be able to comfort you better. They would want to be with here to comfort you both in this."

"Why did this have to happen to her? The war is over." He said as he gently stroked her hand.

"Go to her parents. Bring them to her rooms and talk with them. It will do you some good." She said.

"I don't want them to hate me for not protecting her."

"They won't hate you. You saved her. You found her and got her to Poppy before she could bleed to death. She will be okay. You said that yourself. The students that hurt her are in custody thanks to you. They will go away for a long time. They were all on probation as it was. They will not be able to hurt her again." She said as she turned to see poppy and Minerva coming.

"We have visitors." Said to him and he put her hand down gently. She removed the silencing charm around them.

"How is she?" Minerva asked.

"The bones that were broken in her back hip and leg are mended. I have lifted the paralysis hex and jinx that she was suffering from. The swelling in her brain and the concussion have been repaired but she will probably sleep for some time. I had to give her a strong sleeping draught so her bones could finish mending. I had to give her three blood replenishing potions to get her stable again. She will be sore for a few days but she will be well enough by Wednesday to be released if she wakes up and can walk without assistance by then. She was lucky. That Amulet I found around her neck saved her life. It was cracked from taking the brunt force of the spells. It could not prevent them from hurting her but it stopped the worst of them. Severus, Tonks, can you step out for a second; there is something that I wish discuss with Minerva in private." Poppy said.

"Of course. Tonks just requested that I go and get the Grangers since they have not been notified of the accident. I will bring them back here." Severus said as he left. Tonks followed suit.

Poppy waited till both Severus and Tonks had completely left the infirmary before she said, "When I cast a revealing spell on her to show all spells that were on her body, the amulet was not the only thing that was invisible on her." Poppy ended the spell over her hand and her rings became very visible.

"She's married!" Minerva said.

"Yes very. I found the binding spell on her wrists. It was faint but still there." Poppy said.

"Could you tell who the other person was in the binding spell?" Minerva asked.

"No. I could only detect the spell and it was very weak. If the marriage had not been consummated then I could have told you who he was." She said.

"I wonder why she did not want anyone to know who he is. Surely it is not someone that she is ashamed of." Minerva said.

"I don't think that she is ashamed of him as much as she is just trying to protect him from what everyone else will say." Poppy said.

"I will question her parents when they get here. Perhaps they will be able to tell us who this mystery man is. I think that he would like to be informed of the incident." Minerva said.

"They may not answer your questions. She has yet to even give us a clue as to who he is and if they know who he is they will probably protect his identity as she has." Poppy said.

"You may be right on this. But surely someone knows who he is. They had to have witnesses and there has to be a record of their marriage somewhere. I have been reading the profit everyday. There was no mention of her being married." McGonagall said.

"Think about it Minerva. Her best friends are Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Her husband as it seems is a Slytherin graduate. Harry and Ron think that all Slytherins were helping Voldemort. She is probably protecting him from her best friends." Poppy said.

"I had forgotten all about that." Minerva said shaking her head.

"She will tell us who he is in due time. She can not hide it forever. Besides, when the law comes out she said herself that she would tell you who he is."

"Your right. But I just can't figure out why. Surely she would trust someone enough to have confided in them." McGonagall said.

"I am sure she has but I doubt that we will find out whom it is." Poppy said.

Poppy heard the floo activate and she stuck her head out of the curtain to see who was coming through. She saw Severus and Hermione's parents step out of the flames and she stuck her head back in and made her rings invisible again. Poppy opened the curtains to them so that they could have some time with their daughter. Severus walked them over and told them, "When you are ready, I will be waiting. If you would like to stay, I am sure that the headmistress could make accommodations for you till she wakes up and you could talk to her."

"Thank you Professor. Can we get a couple of chairs so we can sit with her for a few minutes?" George said.

"Of course." He said as he conjured up two wingbacks for them to sit in.

Severus made his way over to Minerva and Poppy and watched Hermione's parents with them. After a few minutes, Poppy suggested tea and conjured enough cups for the five of them. Minerva brought over the tea tray after Severus and Poppy had each gotten a cup.

"Would you care for some tea?" She asked.

"Please. Just two sugars in both." Charlotte said. Minerva poured them all a cup putting the sugar in them all and handed each of them a cup.

"Hermione just signed her apprenticeship paperwork and was returning it to me when she was attacked by four students. Our matron assures me that Hermione will make a complete recovery and most likely will be out of the infirmary by Wednesday. Is there anyone else that we she contact about her current condition?" McGonagall asked.

"No. We contacted everyone before we left our home." Charlotte said.

"Do you know the young man that is in her life?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes. We have met him and have approved of their relationship. He seems like a decent man and our daughter is very happy with him." George said.

"I found out that she was married recently and she has not revealed who this man is to us. I am not saying that she is in trouble but why has she chosen to hide the identity of her husband?" McGonagall asked.

"I think that you will have to ask her that. She has always been very honest of her relationship with the young man. We know that the relationship started after the start of the new school year and she did bring him to meet us not long ago. We approved of the union that they have entered into. She assured us that she would not be in trouble when she sought approval of the union." George said.

"Did you know that she was taking her final exams early and was seeking an apprenticeship?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes. She said that she would rather be out of school before she had to be married even though you had approved her to continue school after she married. She said that she was ready and she has always said that she wanted to teach or go into research. So we approved what ever she had decided to do." Charlotte said.

"Would you all like to stay here in the castle while she recovers? I can have some guest quarters arranged or I can put you in Hermione's rooms since she has her own."

"We appreciate the gesture. Hermione's rooms will suffice. You do not have to go through the trouble of having extra rooms made up. I am sure she will not mind." Charlotte said.

"Very well. My deputy Headmaster, Professor Snape, said that he would show you the way to her rooms so I will leave you in his care. I am not going to tell her friends of the attack until tomorrow so take as much time with her as you would like." McGonagall said.

"Thank you." George said.

"It is the least that we can do." McGonagall said as she left.

Severus came by the bed and said, "Dinner in the great hall is in a few minutes. Part of my duties is to eat in there. I will make an appearance and come right back. Do you want me to have the elves bring you something now, or later?" He asked.

"Now would be fine." Charlotte said.

"Very well. Poppy the matron of the infirmary will probably stay here so if you need something feel free to ask her."

"Thank you for everything." George said. Severus just nodded, went to the fireplace and ordered them two trays to be delivered. He took the trays from the Nubby and brought them over to his in laws and left before Poppy could get suspicious.