That evening, Hermione decided to acquaint herself with Professor Snape's impressive library. She dove enthusiastically into the stacks, just walking among the books and glancing around for interesting titles as she always did when there was nothing specific to research. Finally her eyes lighted on a title that attracted her immensely: "Animagus: The Power Within You." Almost instinctively, her hand darted out to snatch the book, and she headed to the comfortable chairs near the fireplace in the library's reading area. Much to her surprise, the fire was already crackling cheerfully, and Snape was there staring into it, an open book in his lap. Hermione simply plopped into one of the armchairs and began to read. After a moment or so, Snape looked up at her.
"Hermione, is that what I think it is?" She glanced up at him over the book, which covered everything but her eyes from the angle he was sitting at. His eyes glinted. "You are interested in becoming an Animagus, then?"
"How could I not be? I couldn't be a legal one at this point, of course." Snape nodded. "Hermione, becoming an Animagus is a difficult process. Are you sure you'll be up to it anytime soon?" She looked back up over her book and nodded. Then she paused. "How did you recognize this book so quickly? You couldn't have seen the title from ther--- Oh." Hermione gazed into the obsidian eyes of a large black raven.
[I would suggest reading that book, then waiting until the moon is full next Wednesday before attempting any transformations. For some reason that makes the change go more smoothly.] Hermione smiled. There was sarcasm even in his telepathic voice. "You can use telepathy too, then?" she asked. [Yes. Would you like to learn? If you can become an Animagus, I just might teach you....] She nodded, grinning. Just how much did she have to learn from him?
Hermione spent the next few weeks in preparation, as well as getting to know the house. Oddly enough, she found the gargoyles out front charming, and she could have sworn that one of them winked at her a few times. Snape also had fantastic gardens outside, with everything from rose bushes to birds of paradise (the late Mrs. Granger's favorite flower) to a wide, peaceful lake. Hermione promised herself she'd take a swim sometime. Inside, the high ceilings and wide hallways enchanted her, and she never seemed to get used to the smells of musk and leather that permeated the mansion. Often she'd just stand at a window look outside, especially at night when she could watch the stars.
Professor Snape himself had also turned out to be a pleasant surprise. He really wasn't such a bad guy, and Hermione was enjoying his company more and more with time. Minny had helped with that, though. Her second day at the mansion, the distraught elf frantically apologized to her for using magic to give Hermione added insight when it came to Snape. Hermione just laughed and told Minny not to worry about it, and that her help was appreciated.
On Wednesday night, Hermione was prepared to become an Animagus. She had asked Snape to be there, just to keep an eye on her in case something went wrong. He had, of course, agreed, and was now looking at her with a subtle mixture of pride, excitement, and concern. She realized that, as her teacher, this was a big moment for him as well. Crouching in a patch of moonlight shining through the library window, she began to focus on the change. Not allowing anything to disturb her focus was vital in order for her to be successful. Soon something changed deep inside her, and Hermione could feel her body rearranging itself, shrinking, bending in strange directions. At first it was painful, but Hermione succumbed completely to her instincts and soon there was only the sensation of movement. Then, suddenly, it was all over, and Hermione knew that the change was complete.
Rising from her crouching position, Hermione realized she wasn't very tall. Looking down at her front legs, she could see that she was covered in silky black fur. By the way her feet looked, she knew she was a cat. Curiously, she extended her claws and retracted them, amused. She heard a gasp behind her, and turned to see Professor Snape, staring at her with unguarded admiration and pride on his face. So he did feel a sense of pride when his students achieved great things. His expression became neutral again when he realized she was watching him. Stretching lazily, Hermione leapt gracefully on to the arm of his chair and sat, looking at him. He raised an eyebrow, so she cocked her head the way cats do when they expect something.
Snape commented, almost to himself. "Animagi usually maintain their natural eye color when they transform, but your eyes are now bright green, when they were brown before." Hermione was surprised he had noticed her eye color at all. Jumping gracefully off of his chair, she returned to her human form, grinning. "I did it!" she whispered enthusiastically. Snape was still giving her a perplexed look. "What's wrong, Severus?"
"Hermione, your eyes are still green." She ran to find a mirror, and when she did, she realized that he was right. Her eyes were now a deep, intense shade of green and her hair, though still brown, was now much sleeker and silkier. Though a little disturbed, Hermione still had to admit that she looked good.
When she returned to the library, Snape already had a book in his lap, and was flipping through it determinedly. Hermione just sat and waited, instinctively knowing not to disturb him.
"Here it is!" he exclaimed, reading quickly. Hermione noticed he read as quickly as she did. "This says that in some very powerful wizards or witches, their magic becomes so much a part of them that when they become animagi, they sometimes take on a few of their animal traits. Very interesting. It should wear off in an hour or so."
"So, are you going to teach me telepathy now?" Snape smirked at her good naturedly. "Already, Miss Granger? One would think you'd be tired already after tonight's work." Hermione just shook her head. "Nope, Severus, tonight's as good a time as ever." He raised an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth twitched yet again. Hermione felt a bit jealous of Minny. Why wouldn't Snape smile at her like he did at the house elf?
"Very well, Hermione. The first thing you need to work on is forming your thoughts into clear, coherent phrases. You can send emotions telepathically, but words are always better when you specifically need something...." Snape actually enjoyed teaching Hermione these things. It was a joy for him to have a student who was actually interested in learning. Perhaps he could impart more to her than he had originally planned. Besides, he had never realized how beautiful she was.... Snape mentally slapped himself for that one. As if Hermione Granger would ever have feelings for a greasy, unsociable man old enough to be her father. She probably didn't like him on any level, period.
At that moment, Hermione was amazed by how much she actually liked Severus. He was a different person here in his home, and she was really enjoying his company. She especially liked the way his eyes glinted every time he had a new idea, or when she understood what he was trying to teach her. When his eyes lit up like that, he looked surprisingly handsome! Hermione mentally slapped herself for that one. As if a dignified older man like Professor Snape would ever have those kinds of thoughts about her, an annoying child in his eyes! He probably didn't appreciate her presence in his home at all.
"Hermione, is that what I think it is?" She glanced up at him over the book, which covered everything but her eyes from the angle he was sitting at. His eyes glinted. "You are interested in becoming an Animagus, then?"
"How could I not be? I couldn't be a legal one at this point, of course." Snape nodded. "Hermione, becoming an Animagus is a difficult process. Are you sure you'll be up to it anytime soon?" She looked back up over her book and nodded. Then she paused. "How did you recognize this book so quickly? You couldn't have seen the title from ther--- Oh." Hermione gazed into the obsidian eyes of a large black raven.
[I would suggest reading that book, then waiting until the moon is full next Wednesday before attempting any transformations. For some reason that makes the change go more smoothly.] Hermione smiled. There was sarcasm even in his telepathic voice. "You can use telepathy too, then?" she asked. [Yes. Would you like to learn? If you can become an Animagus, I just might teach you....] She nodded, grinning. Just how much did she have to learn from him?
Hermione spent the next few weeks in preparation, as well as getting to know the house. Oddly enough, she found the gargoyles out front charming, and she could have sworn that one of them winked at her a few times. Snape also had fantastic gardens outside, with everything from rose bushes to birds of paradise (the late Mrs. Granger's favorite flower) to a wide, peaceful lake. Hermione promised herself she'd take a swim sometime. Inside, the high ceilings and wide hallways enchanted her, and she never seemed to get used to the smells of musk and leather that permeated the mansion. Often she'd just stand at a window look outside, especially at night when she could watch the stars.
Professor Snape himself had also turned out to be a pleasant surprise. He really wasn't such a bad guy, and Hermione was enjoying his company more and more with time. Minny had helped with that, though. Her second day at the mansion, the distraught elf frantically apologized to her for using magic to give Hermione added insight when it came to Snape. Hermione just laughed and told Minny not to worry about it, and that her help was appreciated.
On Wednesday night, Hermione was prepared to become an Animagus. She had asked Snape to be there, just to keep an eye on her in case something went wrong. He had, of course, agreed, and was now looking at her with a subtle mixture of pride, excitement, and concern. She realized that, as her teacher, this was a big moment for him as well. Crouching in a patch of moonlight shining through the library window, she began to focus on the change. Not allowing anything to disturb her focus was vital in order for her to be successful. Soon something changed deep inside her, and Hermione could feel her body rearranging itself, shrinking, bending in strange directions. At first it was painful, but Hermione succumbed completely to her instincts and soon there was only the sensation of movement. Then, suddenly, it was all over, and Hermione knew that the change was complete.
Rising from her crouching position, Hermione realized she wasn't very tall. Looking down at her front legs, she could see that she was covered in silky black fur. By the way her feet looked, she knew she was a cat. Curiously, she extended her claws and retracted them, amused. She heard a gasp behind her, and turned to see Professor Snape, staring at her with unguarded admiration and pride on his face. So he did feel a sense of pride when his students achieved great things. His expression became neutral again when he realized she was watching him. Stretching lazily, Hermione leapt gracefully on to the arm of his chair and sat, looking at him. He raised an eyebrow, so she cocked her head the way cats do when they expect something.
Snape commented, almost to himself. "Animagi usually maintain their natural eye color when they transform, but your eyes are now bright green, when they were brown before." Hermione was surprised he had noticed her eye color at all. Jumping gracefully off of his chair, she returned to her human form, grinning. "I did it!" she whispered enthusiastically. Snape was still giving her a perplexed look. "What's wrong, Severus?"
"Hermione, your eyes are still green." She ran to find a mirror, and when she did, she realized that he was right. Her eyes were now a deep, intense shade of green and her hair, though still brown, was now much sleeker and silkier. Though a little disturbed, Hermione still had to admit that she looked good.
When she returned to the library, Snape already had a book in his lap, and was flipping through it determinedly. Hermione just sat and waited, instinctively knowing not to disturb him.
"Here it is!" he exclaimed, reading quickly. Hermione noticed he read as quickly as she did. "This says that in some very powerful wizards or witches, their magic becomes so much a part of them that when they become animagi, they sometimes take on a few of their animal traits. Very interesting. It should wear off in an hour or so."
"So, are you going to teach me telepathy now?" Snape smirked at her good naturedly. "Already, Miss Granger? One would think you'd be tired already after tonight's work." Hermione just shook her head. "Nope, Severus, tonight's as good a time as ever." He raised an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth twitched yet again. Hermione felt a bit jealous of Minny. Why wouldn't Snape smile at her like he did at the house elf?
"Very well, Hermione. The first thing you need to work on is forming your thoughts into clear, coherent phrases. You can send emotions telepathically, but words are always better when you specifically need something...." Snape actually enjoyed teaching Hermione these things. It was a joy for him to have a student who was actually interested in learning. Perhaps he could impart more to her than he had originally planned. Besides, he had never realized how beautiful she was.... Snape mentally slapped himself for that one. As if Hermione Granger would ever have feelings for a greasy, unsociable man old enough to be her father. She probably didn't like him on any level, period.
At that moment, Hermione was amazed by how much she actually liked Severus. He was a different person here in his home, and she was really enjoying his company. She especially liked the way his eyes glinted every time he had a new idea, or when she understood what he was trying to teach her. When his eyes lit up like that, he looked surprisingly handsome! Hermione mentally slapped herself for that one. As if a dignified older man like Professor Snape would ever have those kinds of thoughts about her, an annoying child in his eyes! He probably didn't appreciate her presence in his home at all.