thank you to all my wonderful reviewers and thank you so much for taking the time to review. I love reviews! I really like to see those of you that have put me on alert! I've got this wrote to chapter 23 and I'm still working. I hope it doesn't bore you! Lots of thanks again for the reviews.
Sunday
Sunday morning Hermione got up early and went down to breakfast. Since it was Sunday people wove in and out at their leisure with breakfast finishing at 10:30 and lunch starting at noon. The only meal you needed to be on time for on Sunday was dinner which was served promptly at 6:00.
Hermione finished her typical breakfast of toast, tea and fruit and excused herself from Hagrid who was the only other teacher present. She hurried back to her room picked up her books and was the first person in the library for the day. Soon she was very deep into her homework. She looked up once when Neville came in and sat down at the table with her. She smiled, and welcomed him; then she got back to work.
At a 11:25 she felt her apprenticeship badge get very warm against her chest when she wrapped her hand around it she immediately had a vision of the Great Hall. She had a bad feeling that she needed to be there. When Hermione arrived she noticed Professor Snape looking at the door when she entered and holding a duplicate of her badge on a chain around his neck.
Severus saw her eyes as she tried to figure out why he had a badge also. He nodded to the chair next to him and she sat down.
"Miss Granger I can see the questions in your eyes. The badge that you wear is attached to this one. If I want you to come where I am it grows warm if we are either one away from Hogwarts when you touched yours it would apparate you directly to where I am, yours is exactly the same if you ever need me just squeeze the badge and think that you need me and mine will grow hot. Here in Hogwarts, it becomes warm and then you are shown where you are needed. It also picks up if you are in danger."
"I'm sure if you check with Mr. Longbottom his is very similar. Since the contract binds us, and requires me to be responsible for your safety it also gives us the ability to find each other quickly."
Hermione nodded in understanding, "Thank you Professor, I did have my alarm set so that I would make it to Lunch on time. I'm sorry you felt I would forget, I promise you I will be where I'm to be on time."
"I have no doubt of that, I also know that you were in the library where it is easy to lose track of time."
"Yes sir but I had charmed my books so that they would all close themselves at exactly 11:30 so that I had plenty of time to make it to the Great Hall."
Snape nodded and turned his attention to the conversation that Albus and Minerva was having and Hermione sat quietly waiting for lunch to be presented.
After lunch Hermione returned to the library while the Professor returned to his lab.
HPOV
What in the world is up with that man, does he think I'm too stupid to eat? Why in all that is Holy did he not tell me about the badge before this? UGGGGGGG he drives me up the wall, I should have went with Flitwick in Charms; at least I would have to deal with the Bat of the Dungeons.
Hermione continued to grumble to herself as she studied but eventually settled down and emptied her thoughts to nothing but her homework and research.
SPOV
Meanwhile Snape was angry with himself and taking it out on students he found in places they didn't belong. By the time he made it back to his dungeon Gryffindor had lost 50 points, Ravenclaw 75 and Hufflepuff had lost a record 110 points. That evening when their heads of house saw the missing gems they were not happy.
When Snape crashed his door into the wall as he stalked into his class room, even the portraits decided to remove themselves from his anger.
Damn, damn, damn what is the matter with me he kept muttering? Why in holy Merlin did I call her to lunch? She's an adult and doesn't need me to remind her to eat. I have way too much to do to coddle molly that twit!
Snape continued in this vein for several more minutes before he finally got himself in hand. Eventually he did settle down and began to brew the potion he had come up with thanks to Hermione's research. After brewing the potion and letting it cool he gave the pregnant rat he had a dose of the potions and sat to observe; once he was sure the potion wasn't going to kill the rat he made notes in his test journal and cleaned up the mess. It would take him several weeks of giving the mouse potion to see what the results were.
Once he finished his clean up he returned to his quarters where he took his second shower of the day. As Hermione had found working over caldrons all day caused one's hair and body to become greasy no mater how often you showered. He truly wasn't the greasy git of the dungeon he just had very fine hair that got greasy from the constant steam of caldrons simmering.
