Hey everyone,
Happy New Year to all of you, let's hope it will turn out better than the last. There probably won't be another update next week as I will be moving and won't have any time to write. But I really hope you'll enjoy this one.
Chapter 8
The next few days passed in a blur. Hermione kept working on her teaching attitude and posture and slowly but steady gained more and more confidence in front of the class. With each passing day she got more used to having the gaze of a room full of students rest on her. She had far less problems to keep the overview over her classes and to spontaneously react to unusual situations.
At one point she intervened when a Gryffindor and a Slytherin were about start a huge argument, because they were supposed to work together to improve their Vera Verto spells. In the end these two students actually ended up transforming their rats quicker and more precise than everyone else in the class and even left the classroom together and in deep, friendly conversation. Professor Black had been watching the whole exchange and when she gave Hermione an approved not at the end of the class, she was immediately filled with pride.
Apart from that, her relationship with her mentor had actually started to change into something, that might not be called friendship just yet, but was definitely built on mutual respect. To her own surprise, Hermione found the company of the older witch quite enjoyable. When discussing Hermione's lessons, they now always sat together for a little while longer and ended up in deep conversation about advanced Transfiguration research. Usually, those conversations would end up in rather heated discussions, since Black came from a completely different background and thus her views often drastically differed from Hermione.
Still, Hermione found the insides she got into the other witches' mind quite fascinating. She was incredibly smart and wasn't afraid to stand up for her opinions, no matter how controversial they were. Despite all, Hermione could feel that Black always made sure a certain barrier between them remained. She was happy to discuss her professional believes, but as soon as their talks shifted into a more personal direction, her guard was up within seconds. Her replies were getting shorter and snappier then and Hermione knew better than to test her boundaries.
In return, Black didn't push hers. Whenever they reached a topic, that triggered something inside Hermione's mind, she just let it pass. She always seemed to notice when Hermione's body language changed in the slightest, never missed when she flinched or clenched her fists, but there were never any snarky comments from her side, no remarks about her needing to get her shit together. She didn't pity her either, which was something Hermione was incredibly grateful for. Instead, she always went along with Hermione's swift topic changes and sometimes Hermione even thought to see something like understanding flash over her face.
Hermione was also glad that her dreams about Professor Black did not return. By now, she had convinced herself, that it was definitely just a one-time thing triggered by Black's behavior and her own need for release. While this thought made it much easier for her to be around the older witch, she still did her best to work on her mental barriers. She always made sure they were up as strong as she could manage, whenever the older witch was around. Fortunately, Black seemed to have learnt from her previous mistake and didn't try to invade her mind again.
Despite her attempts to behave normally around Black, Hermione caught herself staring at her former professor quite a lot. Taking in her outfit, admiring how it hugged her curves in exactly the right places and maybe lingering for a moment too long on the swell of her breasts. But that was normal, right? It was undeniable that Black was a very attractive witch. So, appreciating the way she looks was basic human nature. Everyone did this.
Hermione should've known that it all went a bit too smooth to last forever. Everything started to go downhill, when it was time for her last class before the ministry observation would take place. She was teaching her year 7 students and they were working on Human Transfigurations. Most of her students already mastered simple color changing spells for hair and eyebrows petty well, so the focus of today's lesson was on shrinking and enlarging facial body parts. Hermione had just explained their students, that it might be the easiest to start with eyes and ears, as side effects are not as common here, when she noticed a group of Slytherin students in the back snickering.
One boy had already managed to give himself large jug ears and an enormous crooked nose. He was now smirking at his friends, obviously mimicking something, Hermione couldn't quite recognize yet. When she stepped closer, she was slowly starting to understand the words that were exchanged between the group.
"I'm Binky, Binky loves being a filthy little house-elf. Binky is not worthy. Binky only lives to serve Binky's master."
The group erupted into laughter and cheered at the boy, encouraging him to go on. Hermione's blood started to boil.
"Master wants Binky to lick his boots? Binky would love nothing more."
That was it for Hermione. If there was one thing that would always set her off and that she would never understand about the wizarding community, it was their injustice and cruelty towards house-elves. She would never forget how Dobby had given his life to safe her, Harry and Ron from the snatchers in the forest of dean. He had been one of the most reliable and kindest creatures she had ever met. This was going too far. This was not right.
Without thinking twice, Hermione raised her voice.
"Mister Meddow, your behavior is disgusting. 50 points from Slytherin. You can leave now", Hermione pointed at the door, her voice hard as steel, "I really hope you know how to shrink your ears and nose back to its normal size. If not, you now have three weeks to find out in detention."
The Slytherin boy flinched, his head turning into the color of a tomato. He had not noticed Hermione until she stood directly behind him. He opened his mouth as if to object her decision, but then knew better and closed it again. He shrugged. Then got up and left the class without another word.
Deep down, Hermione knew that she should just leave it at that, take a deep breathe and then just continue with her lesson. But poor Mister Meddow had hit a sore point. So, Hermione raised her voice again, this time directed at the whole class.
"I want you all to listen very carefully, to what I have to say now."
Immediately, the whole class stopped their practice, and everybody looked at her. In the back, Professor Black was slowly shaking her head, but in her rage, Hermione barely even noticed.
"I honestly couldn't care less from what kind of family you come from, but if you're from a pureblood family and cannot leave the completely outdated and, quite frankly, absolutely stupid beliefs of your families out of this class, then you really shouldn't be here." Her voice was getting louder now, almost shrieking, "How dare you putting yourself above those brave creatures? Who do you think you are for treating them like some sort of slaves? This behavior is one of the dumbest I have ever seen. You all are rather intelligent beings, so what in Merlin's name makes you act like stupid fools? Have you learned nothing from history?"
Some of Hermione's students started to shift uncomfortably in their seats. Most probably hadn't even realized what was going on and were now slowly trying to put the pieces together. Still, nobody dared to look up. Nobody but Professor Black. Hermione could feel her dark orbs piercing into her body. It certainly took all of her self-control not to intervene. But Hermione didn't care, stopped caring when Mister Meddow started poisoning her classroom with his presumptuous and arrogant act. So, she just went on with her rant. She got completely lost in her lecture about why house-elves deserves to be treated like human beings and how lost the wizarding world would be without them. It was almost as if she was back in her 5th year at Hogwarts. The only one willing to fight for the elves, the only one who cared.
She only stopped when one of her students carefully raised her hand to tell her that the class had already been over for ten minutes. Hermione looked around confused. Then she quickly dismissed her students, without an apology for the delay. They all left with dropped shoulders, some of them were quietly whispering, but absolutely none of them managed to improve their facial transfiguration spells in the slightest today.
Hermione turned around. She couldn't stand to look at the mess in front of her any longer. The mess that she created. Instead, she took some deep breathes, trying to calm herself, to get some of her composure back. She wasn't really successful and when she turned back around and noticed that Professor Black was the only one still remaining in the room, she was still boiling of anger.
Black was making her way to the front of the class now, slowly clapping her hands, apparently just as angry. Her face was completely emotionless and when she started to speak, her voice was dripping with sarcasm. "And that is how you successfully mess up a whole class. Congratulations, Miss Granger. What a waste."
Hermione wasn't having it. Instead of backing down, she immediately shot back. "So, educating my students about basic human decency is a waste now?"
"You didn't educate them. You insulted them, all of them, insulted their families and their traditions. Letting your personal beliefs throwing you off so easily is nothing but foolish."
That made Hermione laugh out loud. "Are you seriously trying to lecture me right now about not insulting my students? You of all people? Did someone obliviate you and made you forget how you usually treat your students? Heck, you have probably insulted me more times than taught me something useful."
"Careful now, Pet," Bellatrix's voice was dangerously calm now. She had reached the front of the class but decided to keep a safe distance between her and Hermione. "I have been a professor for most of my life now. I come from a prestigious family; I am one of the most gifted witches this world has ever seen. I can do whatever I please, and nobody would dare to question me."
Hermione snorted.
"Of course, now is the time for you to hide behind your oh so amazing reputation. Honestly, the way you purebloods think is beyond me. How would you have reacted in my place? You probably would have even given him housepoints for his amusing little performance, wouldn't you?"
Bellatrix took a couple of steps towards Hermione. Despite her attempts to stay calm and in control, Hermione could see how much the older witch was struggling not to draw her wand and solve this conflict in her way. Her breathe had quickened, her chest was heavily rising and falling.
"How dare you?" Black kept moving towards Hermione, causing her to slowly back down until she felt the cold stone of the wall pressing into her back. "How dare you judging me? You're nothing but a pathetic little mudblo-" She caught herself in the last second. Still, the use of the all too familiar insults evoked a new wave of anger inside of Hermione.
"What did you just call me?"
"It doesn't matter what I just almost called you. My point remains. You muggleborns have no idea of honor and tradition. You understand nothing."
Black was now pressing her against the wall. Her fingers painfully grasping Hermione's shoulders. But Hermione didn't even flinch.
"The only person that doesn't understand a thing is you!"
The other witch took a couple of moments to reply to that. This brief moment of silence was enough to ground Hermione a little bit and made her realize, how close Professor Black actually was. Their noses were almost touching. She could feel Black's breathe on her face, her wild, dark curls grazing her cheeks, almost tickling her.
Suddenly, she was also very much aware of Black's breasts being pressed into hers, the contact pushing them even more up than usual. Hermione's gaze involuntarily fell on the other woman's lips. She wondered what would happen, if she'd just close the tiny gap between them. This would definitely be a successful way to shut Black up.
It was almost as if invisible strings seem to pull them closer together. When Hermione lifted her gaze again, she met dark brown eyes, carefully studying her own. Professor Black let out a quiet sigh, the Hermione could feel her slowly lean in.
Then, right before their lips touched, sudden realization flashed over Black's face. It was only a split second, but Hermione could've sworn the older witch actually looked… scared? Then the moment was over. Professor Black stumbled backwards, slowly shaking her head. She turned around and rushed out of the room without another word, leaving a confused and slightly breathless Hermione behind, who slowly let herself slide down the wall and buried her head in her hands. What the hell had just happened?