Deliver me
Chapter 13- who's the sicky?
Hermione filled out all of the information for the observation. She knew she didn't have anything to be nervous about, but she still was. She ran to Dumbledore's office to turn it in. They went over the basic information and she let him know what time to come and that was it. She would have her first official observation as a charms teacher. 'I never thought I would be teaching charms. Oh well, I guess I will deal.' She finished her ritual of the day by cleaning her room and walking the little path to the daycare and then to the floo connection.
At home she was telling her mom about the observation.
"You should dress special for tomorrow."
"Huh?"
"You know wear special robes or something."
"Why would I do that?"
"To make a better impression of course."
"Mom this is Dumbledore, he's known me since I was eleven, besides I would feel like I was being false. I don't usually dress nice, why would I suddenly start."
"Well I would dress nice, put forth the effort." Hermione got the distinct impression that she would not argue this point, it was what she thought was best.
'Maybe she's right? Maybe I should look for something nicer than usual. But if I dress different he might think that I am teaching different and that's not what I want him to think. I want him to think that what I do in class while he's there is what I do everyday. I am so tired of thinking.' Hermione walked into her room and went to bed. The next morning, Hermione's mom had laid out nice clothes and nice robes. Hermione put them on in her half sleep state and got the kids up. She dropped everyone off and was walking up to the castle when she noticed what she was wearing. She looked down at her clothes and felt silly. This was Hogwarts, no one wore dress robes to teach in. You never knew when you were going to have a Neville Longbottom or a Seamus Finnigan. She took her wand and transfigured the robes to something plain and appropriate for work. 'Well I need to start thinking for myself, there's no better place to start than home."
Dumbledore would only be observing her for one class. The student however was going to be there for the whole day. She hated having her day messed up. She liked the way her day went. She didn't want anyone messing with it. She walked into the staff room with the hopes that he would at least be single and handsome, but no such luck. He was married and completely not her type. 'What is your type Hermione, do you even know? Shut up.' Hermione closed her eyes and willed the voice of Draco to go away. 'When did he become my conscience?'
The long annoying day came to a close with no major losses or triumphant's. Hermione was headed for the headmasters office again when she ran into a coughing sneezing Severus Snape. He glared at her as best he could with a handkerchief held up to his nose.
"Yes?" Hermione glared back.
"Your ... children, made me sick."
"You want me to go buy you some Dayquil? Or are you going to bed, I could get some Nyquil?" His hand dropped from his face.
"They have Night-quil?" Hermione couldn't help but giggle.
"Nyquil, yes, you know the coughing, sneezing, aching, how the hell did I end up on my kitchen floor medicine." Snape snorted, then remembering his congestion brought the hanky back to his nose and blew. Hermione made a disgusted face and took a step away.
"It's your fault you know."
"You know where my office is, you could have brought them to me."
"Then it's Albus's fault." Hermione could swear she heard a faint, 'Why do I get blamed for everything.'
"From what I heard you volunteered."
"Slytherins do not volunteer, that is gryffindor quality."
"So Slytherins don't have charity?"
"I do not feel like getting into a debate with you Ms. Granger, now are you going to go get some of that Nyquil for me?" Hermione gasped.
"Your joking, you don't seriously expect me to apparate all over the place looking for a muggle medicine for you when you are the potions master?"
"Of course I do, your children got me sick."
"Fine, but you have to watch them while I go looking for the medicine." Severus growled which became a hacking cough.
"Fine, just hurry, Albus and I will go get them." The Gargoyle began turning and Albus was soon standing with them. "You really should stop eaves dropping."
"You were standing under my stairs, what do you expect."
Hermione walked through the streets of town looking for a druggist that was still open. She couldn't understand why she had wanted Snape to keep her kids. Her mom would have probably been home, her dad was definitely at home. Granted he refused to take care of Kessy. 'Wait, what will Snape do if she has a dirty nappy. He couldn't possibly know how to change a diaper. He'll probably call Poppy or Minerva down just to do it. I better hurry up.' Hermione gave up on finding the Dayquil in the immediate area. Her apparation skills, just like all her other skills, were above average. She apparated to America, ran into an Eckerds and came out with a bottle of Nyquil. She apparated back directly back to the gates of Hogwarts. That special skill of hers had come in very handy when she was craving something.
Once again it was a scene of domestic heaven, except for the big black bat with bows in his hair.
Hermione fell on the floor laughing. Snape sat in his big leather arm chair, trying to be Snape while Willow crawled all over him putting various trinkets in his hair. He didn't complain and almost seemed to be enjoying it, until he realized he had been caught. At which time he promptly removed Willow and the accessories from his person and walked over to Hermione, who was still rolling in the floor with laughter. Snape cleared his throat.
"Uh-hum. How much do I owe you?"
"Oh nothing, that was worth the trans-Atlantic apparition. You don't owe me anything." She got up from the floor and wiped the laughter tears from her eyes. She gathered up all her "belongings" and began the long walk home. Snape stood in the middle of his floor staring at the motley crew making their way out of his chambers. He heard Willow's shrill voice all the way through the dungeons and Miki's incessant questions. The sounds were punctuated every so often by Hermione fussing at Kessy for doing something. 'Don't touch the armor, don't go up the stairs, don't climb up there.' When their voices finally faded Snape looked down at the bottle and saw the $ sign in the tag.
"Not many people are kind enough to go to America to get medicine for their hated potions master/ ex-husbands mentor/ uncooperative co-worker. You should consider yourself very lucky." Albus tapped the bottle. "Be sure to take this in bed, she wasn't kidding about the kitchen floor thing."
