AN: Thank you so much for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
Severus was going to need to proceed with caution if he wanted Ms. Granger's cooperation. He needed to strike a delicate balance between professionalism and politeness. Under most circumstances, this would not be difficult. Granger was different than most other colleagues though. For reasons Severus could not fathom, she wanted to be his friend. He was fine with making her a research partner and adding her name onto any articles he published, but not with having tea together every Wednesday.
Things needed to go just right in order for him to achieve his goal of cooperation without the strings of friendship.
He knocked on her door, wondering if it was too early to be having this discussion. No, ten o'clock in the morning was a reasonable hour for a friendly visit, or at least reasonable enough that she wouldn't be wearing those ridiculous shorts.
"Who is it?" She asked.
"Someone who does not appreciate waiting."
"Shit!" Something in the room toppled over.
"Language, Ms. Granger," he chided.
"I'll say whatever I fucking want to say," She called.
"Yes, but a sense of decorum should be maintained."
"A Patronus call before dropping by isn't out of the question either." She opened the door. "Not that I mind you dropping in of course. It's always lovely to see your snarling face in the morning."
Once again, it appeared he had caught her at a less than ideal time. Her hair was frizzier than he was accustomed to seeing, and her brown t-shit was more casual than he expected. Her black shorts had been replaced by pink shorts which somehow managed to be shorter.
Next time, he needed to send a Patronus, if only to warn her to dress properly.
"So, now that you're here, what snarkiness do you wish to impart on me today?" She asked.
"I wanted to enlighten you as to my teaching methods."
"Why would you do that?"
"You once asked for advice on my teaching methods, and I feel as if I should oblige."
"A few days ago you were adamant about not helping me. What's changed?" She asked.
"After some consideration, I've realized I have been a less than adequate coworker. I want to be a good colleague and help out another person," he said.
"How could you be a good colleague when being a good colleague implies displaying tact, something you so clearly lack?"
"Tact is a very small part of what makes a good colleague. Many people value honesty over tact."
"And you assume I am one of them?"
"If you were not one of them, you would not be pursuing my good will as desperately as you have."
"Perhaps I am not interested in honesty, but am more interested in arguing." She stepped outside.
"Why would you be interested in argumentation?"
"Because putting away items and preparing a class can become tedious after a time. Sometimes I prefer to debate with someone, especially someone like you," she emphasized the last word, "Severus."
"Do not call me that. It is honestly obnoxious when you do so."
"And I honestly like how your name rolls off my tongue, Severus."
He fought to refrain from scowling.
"There's nothing quite like a sparring match in the morning to energize me, honesty or not."
"So you would be fine if I were to outright lie to you, so long as we are sparring?" He asked.
"No, you are too honest to lie. I know that. That is what makes speaking with you refreshing; I can banter, yet receive an honest assessment of the situation."
"You are the only person who would accuse a double agent of honesty."
"Didn't you just make that accusation against yourself a minute ago?"
"I did."
"Then are you posing me a riddle, namely how an honest man can claim he is dishonest?"
"I will admit to valuing the truth, but I would rather be honest at the expense of tact than vice versa," he said. "There is no riddle in that."
"And I would rather you be yourself than fawn all over me," she replied.
"I can most assuredly promise you that I will never fawn all over you."
"Be careful when making promises," she smirked. "You would not want to ever break such a serious promise."
"Rest assured, this is one I shall keep." His frown deepened.
Her expression was that of someone who was determined to prove his wrong. Poor misguided fool. Never could he envision himself feeling anything akin to liking for her, much less express such sentiments aloud.
"So you desire to be a good colleague." Granger interrupted his thoughts. "How do you propose going about that?"
"By engaging in a project which would be mutually beneficial to our careers."
From the look in her eyes, she was interested in what he was saying.
"I would like to discuss muggle antibiotics with you," he continued.
"Oh?"
"Indeed," he answered. "I have given them much thought, and would like to further research them. Granted, I am familiar with the basic science involved with them, but I was unaware of how expensive their uses were. I was also taken aback by the upcoming crisis of bacterial resistance."
"Yes," she scratched her chin. "Muggles haven't developed a new class of antibiotics since 1987, which is problematic to say the least."
"With bacteria mutating as they are, it could prove deadly for all involved."
"Wizards could produce cures for various diseases, but if bacteria mutated at too quick of a rate, then our potions run the risk of losing their efficacy."
"So you understand why I need to learn as much as I can about antibiotics."
"I do." Granger said. "I am confused though. You've lived amongst muggles, and by your own admission are familiar with them. Why do you need me to educate you about them?"
"As much as it pains me to admit this, you have access to documents I struggle to obtain due to your position as a Muggle Studies instructor. If I were to attempt to procure these resources I could be accused of interfering in muggle matters due to my using a fake ID without authorization from the Wizarding government."
"I do have several legally obtained library cards at several universities so I can keep up on muggle advancements," she mused aloud. "Something you lack."
"So you see my dilemma."
"Indeed I do."
"In exchange for helping me to advance the field of potions into the twenty-first century, I will give you a co-author's credit on any articles I write. Also, I help you refine your teaching methods," he offered.
"I could use a co-authorship or two, lest I decide to apply for an advanced degree in potions."
"It would be an easy way to get recognized by academics."
"True," she said. "As for the teaching methods, I suppose I have always wanted to be a snarky bastard who assigns detentions at the drop of a hat. Who better to learn that skill from than you?"
"You make snarkiness sound like an undesirable trait."
"I do not mind being snarky, though I would like to hold off on giving detentions. There are only so many slips to go around."
"Do you honestly believe you will not need to assign a single detention on your first day of teaching?"
"I don't know, but I do not want a detention to be my first course of action."
"It wasn't mine either."
She stared at him in disbelief.
"You Gryffindors deserved every detention I gave you. Dumbledore was too biased towards you to admit that," he argued.
"So now your questionable teaching methods are a result of Dumbledore's tactics."
"He didn't help matters."
"No, I suppose asking you to spy on Death Eater meetings would not improve your mood, or give you the patience to handle hormonal teenagers." There was a flicker of sympathy in her eyes.
"I did what had to be done, regardless of how little I enjoyed it."
"Yes, but he should not have used you as he did."
Only the vulnerability in her eyes convinced Severus that he had heard her correctly. If she was already empathizing with him, then it would not take much longer for him to persuade her to help him. All he had to do was reel her in.
"We all made our decisions to win the war. Which is why I am so invested on you teaching Muggle Studies properly," He said. "If you teach it well, you will be able to lessen some of the blood prejudices."
"I would hope so anyway," she answered.
"That being said, are you busy now?"
"Wait," that playful gleam returned to her eyes. "You expect everyone to drop everything to cater to your every whim?"
"There is no time like the present."
"Did you presume I had no one to see other than you?"
"Given that Neville is gone for the weekend, yes."
"For your information, I have many other friends."
"True, there are Potter, Ginevra, and Ron."
With that last name, the playfulness evaporated from her expression. Intriguing that Ron would sour her mood.
"Yet, I cannot help but notice they are absent," he continued.
"Harry is on his honeymoon with Luna, and I have to meet with Ginny about a project within a half hour," she replied.
"I suppose I should not keep you, given that you are not properly dressed for an outing."
"True, but tonight I'm free," she replied. "We can have tea in my rooms."
"I was thinking we could meet in the library," he answered.
"That's assuming Madame Pince could tolerate our chatter."
"If you bribe her with a few Cadbury eggs she is amiable to anything."
"Cadbury eggs?"
"She has a weakness for them," he smirked.
"When did you discover that?"
"During the war, I took a few to a staff meeting as a snack. She asked for one, and has been addicted to them ever since."
"I'll remember to bring some if I ever want to bribe her."
"And here I thought bribery was below you."
"I wouldn't call it bribery as much as I would call it being an excellent colleague."
"I would not put the words 'excellent' and 'Ms. Granger' in the same sentence without some type of negation."
"I could say that 'excellent' 'social skills,' and 'Severus' should not be in the same sentence without a negation," she replied. "But you aren't as horrid as you appear on the surface."
"I will take that as a compliment."
"It was not a compliment, but the truth."
"So you do value honesty," he replied.
"From you, yes." She gripped the doorknob.
He stared at her.
"Goodbye Severus. I will see you at my chair at six this evening."
"It's my chair," he argued.
"So you did get around to etching your name upon it."
"I am still in the process of procuring enough Cadbury eggs to persuade Madame Pince to engage in such an action."
"Then until then, it belongs to whoever sits in it first."
"Do you not have an appointment soon?"
"Sadly yes." She stepped through the door. "I will see you in the library at six."
"Goodbye, Ms. Granger."
Severus watched her shut the door. A smile crept across his face.
Gaining Granger's cooperation would be even easier than expected.