Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine, they belong to J.K. Rowling. However, any students mentioned that you don't recognize are mine. The title isn't mine; I'm borrowing it from an Evanescence song.
Chapter 4: Breakfast and the First Years
When she woke up, she saw that it was late. Breakfast was almost half over already. Great. She quickly got out of bed, threw on some robes and ran to the Great Hall. She entered through a side door and saw the only seat available was next to Snape. Perfect, just what I need to make the day even better. Yes, she had chosen to work with him, but dealing with his sarcastic comments right now would not be good for her at the moment. She went to the empty seat and sat down, food appearing on her plate.
"How nice of you to join us, Miss Granger," he drawled.
"Yes, well, since I am no longer a student, you can no longer deduct house points. That must grieve you terribly." She heard Dumbledore chuckle lightly from his seat at the center of the table.
Severus took a drink from his goblet before replying. "As true as that may be, you are still technically studying under me and I can therefore give you some pretty nasty chores. So, please be on your best behavior." He gave her a half-smile (well, as close to a smile as he can get, I suppose) and turned back to his meal.
"Severus, be nice to the lady. It's her first day back to the halls of Hogwarts in seven years," Dumbledore said. He was having fun listening to their conversation.
"Thank you, headmaster," Hermione said.
The headmaster smiled. "You are quite welcome, but please call me Albus, Miss Granger." Unbeknownst to the headmaster and the woman sitting next to him, Severus rolled his eyes.
"Only if you call me Hermione." The old man nodded and Hermione smiled.
Snape turned to the young woman sitting on his left. "Can I assume that you are still friends with Potter and Weasley?" He watched as her face fell.
"Not exactly, Professor. Harry and I occasionally owl back and forth, but he usually forgets about me during the Quidditch season, which is really nothing new. Ron and I haven't spoken for some time." She saw the question on his face and continued. "It is quite a long story, which I'm sure you don't really care about, so don't ask. Ginny and I are still friends, but we hardly see each other. She's usually with Harry when he has to go out of town."
Professor McGonagall perked up at this. "Ginny and Harry are still together?"
"Oh yes. They're engaged, in fact. They just never seem to find the time to actually get married." Albus and Minerva laughed, then returned to their own conversation.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Miss Granger." He checked the time. "Now, if you're ready, breakfast is almost over and I'd like to beat the students to the classroom." He stood and waited for her.
She stood and followed him out of the Great Hall and into the Dungeons. They walked in silence down the halls, Hermione walking slightly behind the potions master. Neither really knew how to start a conversation, so neither tried. They reached the potions classroom and Snape undid the wards on the door. She looked at him quizzically. He never used wards before, did he? He almost smiled at the puzzled look on her face. "I learned my lesson after you three graduated. I didn't really need anymore students stealing ingredients to make secret potions. Especially Polyjuice Potion, with which one student accidentally turned into a partial cat." He gave her sideways glance and motioned for her to enter in front of him.
Hermione stepped into her old classroom. Nothing had changed in the seven years since she had been there, including the snarky professor that came with the room. "You remember that, huh?" she asked.
"Of course, Miss Granger. I do believe you had Minerva and Poppy out of their heads with worry. Albus thought it quite funny you had taken after McGonagall, even if it was by mistake." He walked to his desk and she followed.
She sat on top of the table across from his desk as he sat down. "I'm sure you had quite a bit of fun with it, too. 'The little Gryffindor know-it-all has gone a turned herself into a cat.'"
"Not exactly. I was impressed that a second-year knew about Polyjuice Potion, let alone was able to make it. It obviously worked for Potter and Weasley. You just had some problems with yours."
Hermione stared at hi across the desk. He was impressed with me? And he never told me this when I was a student why? Oh right, because he's Snape. She watched him shuffle the papers on his desk.
Did I just compliment Granger? In an off-hand way, yes. What is wrong with me? He shuffled the parchments on his desk, not really for any reason, just to avoid looking at her most likely shocked face. He could tell she was about to say something but then his Slytherin and Gryffindor first-years started to file in. Ah, relief. Now I can get back to torturing my current students instead of my former one. He stood and glanced down at her. She was still sitting on the table. "If you would be kind, Miss Granger, as to get off the desk?" He pointed to a chair that sat next to his desk. "You may sit there, if you would like."
She followed his suggestion and sat in the chair offered. She watched as Snape turned to his class. Some of them looked down right scared to be there. Hermione smiled. Has it really been seven years since my last year at Hogwarts?
"Listen up," she heard him say. Her mind was brought back to the present. "The woman sitting up front in Miss Granger. She will be the potions assistant for the remainder of the term. She is quite accomplished in potion making, so if you have questions, you may ask her. Today, you will be finishing the simple healing potions you started last class." The class watched as he returned back to the desk, not moving. Severus looked at them expectantly. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get to work," he snapped.
Hermione chuckled but stopped immediately upon seeing Severus glare at her. Wait a minuteā¦he just complimented me again. What is going on? "Professor Snape?" He didn't look up from the papers he was correcting, so she continued. "Did someone, Professor Dumbledore perhaps, slip something into your pumpkin juice this morning?"
"What are you talking about, Granger?" He was getting annoyed, which was no real surprise considering who he was talking to.
"Well, you just seem to be in a better mood than I've seen you in before." She bit her bottom lip nervously, waiting for him to blow up.
He continued grading. "If you would refrain from commenting on my moods, it would be much appreciated, Miss Granger. Now please check on the students, make sure they don't blow anything up and stop bugging me. I have essays to grade."
