A/N: A big thank you to those who like this story and want more. bows
Maybe I'm doing a good job after all! I hope you will like this next part.
Part 4
The next morning Hermione overslept, and frantically rushed around to get ready for the day, while Crookshanks, who was snuggled on the end of her bed, watched her with jaded cat amusement. She had had an uneasy dream after she had returned to bed last night, that she was in front of the Mirror of Erised again - except this time she was being sucked towards it and into it to the sound of nasty laughter. She shook her head uneasily. It was just a dream; everyone had strange dreams at Hogwarts.
Potions was her first class of the day and the last thing she wanted was more points taken off if she was late! She wasn't looking forward to confessing to the other Gryffindor students that she was responsible for sixty points deducted during the night…
She could only hope that she would do something this week worthy of points being awarded. By the time she was hurrying along the corridors to Potions, she was only a couple of minutes late. In most classes this would only get a raised eyebrow from a teacher, it was when you were at least five minutes late that you would be in danger of being 'awarded' detention.
However, Professor Snape's attitude was that students who weren't in their desks by the start of the lesson deserved all the detentions they could get. Nasty ones, too. Hermione sighed and started running.
The giant hourglasses that showed the current house point totals were on the way to her class, and when she passed them she glanced at the Gryffindor hourglass – and skidded awkwardly to a stop and stared at the total in disbelief. It had to be wrong, for only thirty five points had been deducted, not sixty.
Had Professor McGonagall reduced the number of points deducted from her? Then Hermione remembered her disapproving face and knew that she would not take back points, even from her own house, until hell froze over. [But it couldn't be Professor Snape] she thought, puzzled. He would never take back points, for he took a gleeful relish in deducting points left, right and centre. No, that couldn't be it.
Perhaps Dumbledore had persuaded Professor McGonagall to reduce the number of points after all. That seemed the most logical reason, for he was known to bend the rules on a whim if he felt like it, but still…
"Thirty five points" she said in bemusement.
"Yes" a familiar, icy voice behind commented. "Another Gryffindor up….to no good, obviously."
Full of trepidation, Hermione slowly turned around and saw Professor Snape looking down at her coolly. A couple of students that were in the vicinity gave Hermione alarmed, pitying looks before beating a hasty retreat.
She didn't know what to say first.
"I'm sorry I'm late for class?" – but he was late too.
"Did you reduce the amount of points I got last night?" – but he couldn't have, right?
"Did you get any sleep last night?" – for there were dark circles under his eyes and he looked weary. But you asked him personal questions at your peril, really.
"Miss Grainger, if you don't close your mouth a fly will get in." he observed. "Thirty five points is no more than Gryffindor deserves but it could have been worse. It could have been…seventy points."
To her surprise she saw there was a twinkle in his black eyes and was that a faint smile hovering around his mouth? He had only given her five points off after all!
"Um, yes, that would have been dreadful" she muttered, a flush starting to rise in her face.
"Well, come along to class then. Unless you enjoy dawdling in corridors?" he said sardonically, back to his usual self. "I can't deduct points for lateness from you today since I am obviously running late myself" he broke off to raise a hand to his mouth to suppress a yawn. "But on the way you can attempt to impress me with a recollection of the last lesson."
They both set off down the corridor, Hermione pleased to be able to keep up with his swift pace, his black robes billowing as they walked along. She heard him yawn again, which he turned into a cough half way through, swearing under his breath. She glanced at him sideways, to see him eyeing her sideways as well, a scowl on his face as if he was daring her to comment. All right then…
"You had trouble sleeping?" she ventured.
"Now what made you think that?" he said sarcastically.
[Sorry I spoke!] she thought ruefully. She heard him sigh.
"I was out of line then…I apologise, Miss Grainger. I had a restless night and so the morning is disagreeable to me."
She blinked. Was he actually apologising or had she heard wrong?
"That's all right Professor," she said awkwardly. "I know what's like to have restless nights."
He snorted. "Of that I have no doubt – every time something is going on here it seems to involve much plotting and running about at nights of yourself and those two…..when you're not late night studying….or other things, Miss Grainger."
She smiled but refused to rise to his bait. By now they had descended to the dungeon door of his classroom and he paused and stared down at her.
"I suppose you think yourself fortunate not to be quizzed about the last lesson. Another plot on your part, I suppose" he murmured.
Hermione tried to hide a smile but failed. "Of course" she agreed. "It was all part of my evil master plan."
Inside the classroom the students nervously waiting for the Potions teacher to arrive were surprised to hear him laugh out loud outside in the corridor. However, when he arrogantly swept into the classroom a few seconds later, followed by a meek looking Hermione, they decided it was probably because he was gloating over some horrid punishment he had given her for being late. There were looks of guarded sympathy cast her way as she went to her seat besides Ron and Harry, Ron hastily hiding his latest copy of the comic 'Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle!' (issue 58: 'When Muggles Go Bad!!') underneath his shabby looking textbooks.
Part 4
The next morning Hermione overslept, and frantically rushed around to get ready for the day, while Crookshanks, who was snuggled on the end of her bed, watched her with jaded cat amusement. She had had an uneasy dream after she had returned to bed last night, that she was in front of the Mirror of Erised again - except this time she was being sucked towards it and into it to the sound of nasty laughter. She shook her head uneasily. It was just a dream; everyone had strange dreams at Hogwarts.
Potions was her first class of the day and the last thing she wanted was more points taken off if she was late! She wasn't looking forward to confessing to the other Gryffindor students that she was responsible for sixty points deducted during the night…
She could only hope that she would do something this week worthy of points being awarded. By the time she was hurrying along the corridors to Potions, she was only a couple of minutes late. In most classes this would only get a raised eyebrow from a teacher, it was when you were at least five minutes late that you would be in danger of being 'awarded' detention.
However, Professor Snape's attitude was that students who weren't in their desks by the start of the lesson deserved all the detentions they could get. Nasty ones, too. Hermione sighed and started running.
The giant hourglasses that showed the current house point totals were on the way to her class, and when she passed them she glanced at the Gryffindor hourglass – and skidded awkwardly to a stop and stared at the total in disbelief. It had to be wrong, for only thirty five points had been deducted, not sixty.
Had Professor McGonagall reduced the number of points deducted from her? Then Hermione remembered her disapproving face and knew that she would not take back points, even from her own house, until hell froze over. [But it couldn't be Professor Snape] she thought, puzzled. He would never take back points, for he took a gleeful relish in deducting points left, right and centre. No, that couldn't be it.
Perhaps Dumbledore had persuaded Professor McGonagall to reduce the number of points after all. That seemed the most logical reason, for he was known to bend the rules on a whim if he felt like it, but still…
"Thirty five points" she said in bemusement.
"Yes" a familiar, icy voice behind commented. "Another Gryffindor up….to no good, obviously."
Full of trepidation, Hermione slowly turned around and saw Professor Snape looking down at her coolly. A couple of students that were in the vicinity gave Hermione alarmed, pitying looks before beating a hasty retreat.
She didn't know what to say first.
"I'm sorry I'm late for class?" – but he was late too.
"Did you reduce the amount of points I got last night?" – but he couldn't have, right?
"Did you get any sleep last night?" – for there were dark circles under his eyes and he looked weary. But you asked him personal questions at your peril, really.
"Miss Grainger, if you don't close your mouth a fly will get in." he observed. "Thirty five points is no more than Gryffindor deserves but it could have been worse. It could have been…seventy points."
To her surprise she saw there was a twinkle in his black eyes and was that a faint smile hovering around his mouth? He had only given her five points off after all!
"Um, yes, that would have been dreadful" she muttered, a flush starting to rise in her face.
"Well, come along to class then. Unless you enjoy dawdling in corridors?" he said sardonically, back to his usual self. "I can't deduct points for lateness from you today since I am obviously running late myself" he broke off to raise a hand to his mouth to suppress a yawn. "But on the way you can attempt to impress me with a recollection of the last lesson."
They both set off down the corridor, Hermione pleased to be able to keep up with his swift pace, his black robes billowing as they walked along. She heard him yawn again, which he turned into a cough half way through, swearing under his breath. She glanced at him sideways, to see him eyeing her sideways as well, a scowl on his face as if he was daring her to comment. All right then…
"You had trouble sleeping?" she ventured.
"Now what made you think that?" he said sarcastically.
[Sorry I spoke!] she thought ruefully. She heard him sigh.
"I was out of line then…I apologise, Miss Grainger. I had a restless night and so the morning is disagreeable to me."
She blinked. Was he actually apologising or had she heard wrong?
"That's all right Professor," she said awkwardly. "I know what's like to have restless nights."
He snorted. "Of that I have no doubt – every time something is going on here it seems to involve much plotting and running about at nights of yourself and those two…..when you're not late night studying….or other things, Miss Grainger."
She smiled but refused to rise to his bait. By now they had descended to the dungeon door of his classroom and he paused and stared down at her.
"I suppose you think yourself fortunate not to be quizzed about the last lesson. Another plot on your part, I suppose" he murmured.
Hermione tried to hide a smile but failed. "Of course" she agreed. "It was all part of my evil master plan."
Inside the classroom the students nervously waiting for the Potions teacher to arrive were surprised to hear him laugh out loud outside in the corridor. However, when he arrogantly swept into the classroom a few seconds later, followed by a meek looking Hermione, they decided it was probably because he was gloating over some horrid punishment he had given her for being late. There were looks of guarded sympathy cast her way as she went to her seat besides Ron and Harry, Ron hastily hiding his latest copy of the comic 'Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle!' (issue 58: 'When Muggles Go Bad!!') underneath his shabby looking textbooks.
