DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter.
A/N: Please keep the reviews coming!
CHAPTER 19
"And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now...
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am."
-"Iris", Performed by New Found Glory
"Hello, Hermione."
Hermione opened her eyes and stared at the canopy of her four-poster bed in Hogwarts.
A dream. Again, she thought with a heavy sigh. She has been having the same dream for a month now. She didn't dream about it every night, though; only once or twice a week.
It's always him. I wonder why.
Yes. It was always the smiling face of Professor Snape, saying "Hi, Hermione," as if they were friends.
Professor Snape was his favourite teacher. She decided on that after two Potions sessions with him. He was strict, but fair. During their lectures and Hermione would give the right answer to his question, he would award her with house points even if she was in Gryffindor and deduct points from Crabbe and Goyle, both Slytherins, when they were misbehaving.
When he caught Ronald Weasley making fun of her outside the Potions classroom, he deducted points from Gryffindor and gave him detention. Hermione thanked the professor timidly before entering the classroom. That was one of Hermione's memorable moments.
When they started brewing simple potions, Professor Snape would roam around not to intimidate students, but to check on them. When Neville Longbottom had a hard time with the headache relief potion he was brewing, Hermione and Harry Potter helped him understand the instructions written on the board and the professor complimented the two of them. Of course, she expected him to compliment Potter because he was the professor's best friend's son, but Hermione was touched when he praised her as well.
Yes, he was so kind and Hermione's favourite. But why was she dreaming about him like all the time?
On the second week she was having the same dream, she sneaked out of her dormitory to go to Astronomy Tower. The Fat Lady guarding the entrance to Gryffindor Tower reprimanded her to come back but she wasn't in the mood to follow school rules. She walked with barefoot briskly up to the tower.
When she was finally there, she felt a bit relaxed. She laid on the marble floor and looked at the starry sky, but all she could see in her mind was Professor Snape.
Hermione heard footsteps. She immediately stood up to her feet and fixed her cloak. The footsteps were coming nearer and nearer. It was coming from the entrance of the tower, so Hermione thought there's no way she could escape.
If this is a professor, I'm dead, she thought.
The door creaked open and soon, a male figure holding out his wand stood in front of her. "Who's there?"
She didn't know what to feel. Should she feel relieved, or disappointed that it wasn't Professor Snape?
"It is I, Hermione Granger, Professor Lupin," she replied in a low voice.
The professor whispered "Lumos" and lowered his wand to take a good look at her face. "Miss Granger, what are you doing here?" he asked.
She bit her lower lip. "I'm so sorry, Professor. I just couldn't sleep," she replied timidly and walked towards the direction of the door. "I'm going now. Sorry again, Professor."
"Hermione," he called gently. This surprised Hermione, not because Professor Lupin called her by her first name, but because he sounded like her father. So gentle and calm.
She stopped and turned to him. "Professor?"
The professor smiled like a father. "Tell me what's troubling you, child."
Her eyes widened like saucers. "Aren't you going to deduct points from me, Professor?" she asked.
"You're not the type of student who would break school rules just because they want to. My wolf instincts tell me that you're bothered."
How could I forget that he's a werewolf? He can smell our lies.
The matter about Professor Lupin being a werewolf wasn't a secret. People accept him because Professor Dumbledore assured them that he wasn't dangerous because of the Wolfsbane potion Professor Snape would always brew.
"Hermione?" called Professor Lupin, waiting for her to say something.
She smiled warmly and met his green eyes. "I couldn't sleep, Professor. I have been seeing the same dream for two weeks now."
"Was it a bad dream?" he asked, worried.
Her smile fainted. Instead of answering, she stepped towards the railing of the tower and looked at the sky. "Professor, do you believe in reincarnation?"
The professor gave her a sad look. "I'm sorry. No. Why'd you ask?"
"There's this one person, and I won't tell you who. He's always in my dreams, greeting me like an old friend. But in reality, it's impossible because I just met him a few months ago."
To her surprise, she felt like a baggage had been removed when she finally told someone what was really bothering her.
"Perhaps he just caught your interest, Hermione. Dream is the royal road to the unconscious part of your mind. Maybe, unconsciously, you admire and respect him; or perhaps you're wishing that you'll be close to him," he replied patiently.
She smiled widely. She understood what he said and that really helped her realize something.
Maybe I admire Professor Snape too much and unconsciously, I want to be a significant part of his life. You must be crazy, Hermione. You fancy your professor who's old enough to be your father.
She met Professor Lupin's gaze again. "Thank you, Professor. Maybe you're right."
The wizard smiled and patted her shoulder. "You're welcome, Hermione. If that thing- or anything bothers you again, tell me."
She smiled and sighed in relief. "Thank you, Professor. I thought you're going to give me detention."
His smile widened. "I was once a student like you, Hermione. I had a classmate who was always misunderstood. No teacher believed him when my friends hexed him for fun, until in our fifth year... One Potions apprentice came and took notice of him. Together, they brewed my Wolfsbane potion. I felt guilty because I didn't do anything to stop my friends from bullying our classmate. I admired that apprentice even if she was only with us for a year. If she would see me right now, perhaps, she'd tell me to understand my students and hear them out before sending them to detention."
Professor Lupin was smiling, but his eyes were glassy. It was the look his father would wear whenever he would talk about someone he miss so much.
"Professor, that classmate of yours... Was it Professor Snape?" she asked reluctantly.
Professor Lupin nodded. "Yes. Severus."
"The apprentice, where is she now?" she asked curiously.
"She returned to America, to her family."
She nodded. "I see. I think you miss her."
Professor Lupin chuckled. "Yes, I do miss her. I owe her the kind of life I havr now. If she didn't come into our lives, I'd probably be a jobless and poor wizard wearing battered clothes."
"Because of the Wolfsbane potion," she whispered.
"Yes, Hermione." Then, he gave her another pat. "You should go back to bed. I'll escort you to Gryffindor Tower."
She only smiled and nodded before walking with Professor Lupin.
The following week, when she awoke from the same dream again, she went up to Astronomy Tower. Professor Lupin joined her there shortly. She didn't know how he knew that she was there. She didn't ask. They talked for an hour about anything- potions, dark arts and werewolves. Her mind got tired and when she went to bed, she easily fell back to sleep.
Tonight, Hermione decided to sneak again and go up to the tower. She removed her footwear and ran to the stairs. However, she bumped into someone who's not Professor Lupin.
It was Grandpop Al.
Professor Dumbledore, she corrected herself inwardly.
"Evening, Miss Granger," he greeted cordially which surprised Hermione.
"Good evening, Headmaster," she replied politely.
"Did you have the same dream again?" he asked.
Hermione gave a surprised look. How did he know?
The headmaster smiled. "My dear child, I do not need the Muggle device called CCTV to know who are out of their beds. The wards tell me. I'm sorry to tell you that Professor Lupin will not be able to come and talk to you. As you can see, it's the time of the month when he needs to transform."
Will Professor Lupin be in trouble because of meeting me? She pressed her lips together. "I'm sorry, Professor."
He smiled and nodded. "I am glad that Professor Lupin was able to help you when you need someone to lean on, but please remember that he won't be available all the time and there will always be a time when we have to face our own troubles."
She nodded politely. "Yes, I understand, Professor. Thank you."
He gave her the fatherly smile he used to give her when at her parents' clinic. "You're welcome. And Hermione, my brother, Abe kept on asking me when he could see finally see you as a Hogwarts student. He owns a pub in Hogsmeade village. I was wondering if you'd like to come for a visit on Saturday? Your parents and the Malfoys are invited, of course."
"Of course, Professor. That'd be wonderful," she replied with excitement.
He nodded. "You should go back to bed. You might want to wake up early tomorrow to inform your parents and the Malfoys."
She nodded and bid him good night before returning to Gryffindor Tower.
.
Hermione dragged Draco inside the pub, following their mothers. Mrs. Malfoy was kind enough to meet Dr. Jean Granger in Muggle London and bring her here by taking the Knight Bus.
"Calm down, witch!" said Draco with a hint of irritation. "Your grandpa will still be there even if you don't hurry." He snatched his hand away from Hermione and adjusted the collar of his shirt.
"What're you doing?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
Draco looked around and smoothed his platinum blonde hair. "Making myself look good. I won't enter a pub looking harassed."
She rolled her eyes. "Hoping to meet a witch? For Merlin's sake, Draco, we're the only first years who are allowed to go to Hogsmeade because of our parents."
"Even so," he said firmly.
"Just snog Pansy. She likes you a lot," she whispered with a giggle, careful not to let Mrs. Malfoy hear her.
Draco glared at her. "Pansy? She's a nightmare. I'd rather date Blustrode. Even if she's not intelligent, at least she's tolerable and not whiny. And let me remind you that it's too early for me to ask someone on a date. No pressure on me. I just want to be good looking in front of everyone. Unlike you. You, on the other hand, should make more friends and fancy someone else so that that dream won't bother you anymore," he lectured.
Hermione grimaced. "Do you think it would really help if I start fancying someone?"
Draco shrugged. "Yeah. But you have to let me know."
"Why do I need your approval?" she snorted.
"'Cause I'm your brother, idiot."
She hit him on the arm. "I'm not an idiot. You are!" She hit him playfully one more time before entering the pub. "I'm here!" she announced.
"Oh ho! The brightest witch of her age is here!" said the barman jovially upon seeing her. He left the bar and walked towards Hermione.
"Grandpop Abe!" she greeted merrily.
Aberforth Dumbledore opened his arms widely to embrace Hermione. They embraced each other briefly. "How are you? I hope you are hungry."
She nodded. "Starving!" Then, she looked around the pub. It was called Hog's Head Inn. It was bright, clean and presentable. "Your pub looks nice!"
"Oh, thank you, m'dear! Have a seat, have a seat. I shall prepare a meal for you. My granddaughter is here!" he said as he walked back behind the bar. Hermione and Draco, who glared at her when he entered, joined Mrs. Malfoy and Dr. Granger on the table.
Soon, Hermione ate with gusto. Not that she was really hungry, but because Grandpop Abe kept on feeding her, as if she was his real granddaughter who just arrived home after many years. Even Draco stopped teasing her because they were all laughing with the other Mr. Dumbledore's stories.
As they walked back to Hogwarts, Hermione thought about Draco's advice.
Maybe Draco's right. I should make friends and who knows, after a month I would fancy someone and forget about Professor Snape.