Chapter Two:

Hermione entered the Great Hall the next morning and took a seat next to Oliver. Snape glared at them from the head of the table. Hermione remembered what Oliver had told her the night before about Dumbledore hiring him before he retired. The letter she had received had been from Snape, but she was sure Dumbledore had something to do with it. Either that or McGonagall.

"Miss Granger and Mr. Wood, I would like a word in my office." Snape said, and rose to leave the table.

Hermione and Oliver glanced at each other before rising to follow. They trailed silently behind until they reached the Headmaster's office; Snape motioned for them to sit.

"As new teachers, you must work even harder than the rest of us to gain the respect of your students. That wont be easily done while you are flirting for the whole family to see."

"Excuse me?" Oliver said disbelievingly.

"Mr. Wood, you did not enter Miss Granger's rooms last night? And Miss Granger you didn't sit next to him at breakfast this morning?"

"You misunderstand, Headmaster." Oliver said bitterly. We knew each other in school and we were simply catching up last night, and this morning."

"I don't want to see you in her rooms again, Mr. Wood."

"Who I entertain is none of your concern." Hermione spoke for the first time, "That is my business."

"On the contrary, it is my business, and it isn't proper." Snape sneered. "The students will think--"

"The students wont often be in my rooms, Headmaster, I assure you. Unless you are insinuating that as well." Hermione got up and left the room quickly with wood right behind her.

"I'm impressed." he grinned.

"He's sick"

"Am I that disgusting?" Wood teased.

"No…but ugh! The nerve!" she spat. Wood was laughing again.

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Hermione had been avoiding mealtimes for two days. Dobby had been glad to give her everything she could possibly eat anyway. She wasn't afraid of Snape; she was just really pissed off.

Hermione answered her door that morning expecting Dobby and instead finding Snape. She glared at him.

"Yes?" She said coldly.

"It has been brought to my attention that you are avoiding me and an apology is in order." he sneered, "I see no need to apologize, but I am curious as to why I should."

"I haven't been avoiding anyone, I was informed that attending mealtimes wasn't mandatory." Hermione replied. And you owe me an apology for sticking your abnormally large nose where it doesn't belong.

"Is there anything between you and Professor Wood?" Snape asked.

"Why?"

"It would be a shame to waste yourself on the likes of him" Snape sneered.

"Waste myself?"

"Yes…Miss Granger, as in…giving him something you can never get back." Snape smirked at the reaction this caused.

"You are disgusting and how do you know I haven't 'given myself away' already?"

"It is quite obvious." Snape said bluntly.

"What's obvious?" Wood said from behind Snape.

"Severus was just warning me not to shag you, as he thinks it would be a shame to 'waste' my virginity, which he seems certain still exists."

"Get. Away. From. Her." Wood growled.

"I believe you were warned to do the same." Snape sneered.

"If I wanted to shag Oliver, which, no offense, isn't on my agenda, it wouldn't be nay of your business."

"No offense taken and the feeling is mutual." Oliver agreed.

Snape glared at him and left without a backward glance at Hermione. When he was gone, Hermione invited Wood in.

"No thanks, I was just on my way to the kitchens and I saw him standing there…. Well, by Hermione."

"Bye, Wood."

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Much to the annoyance of Snape, Hermione and Wood became very close over a short time. They were good friends, and she didn't miss Harry and Ron so much when he was around. Snape still seemed to think they were more than friends, but Hermione didn't care.

Lessons started, and Hermione threw herself into her teaching, just as she used to for her studies. She had found her niche. Nothing made her feel more proud than when students filed out of her classroom with a little more knowledge than before. After one class with the first year Gryffindors, Hermione ran down to the dungeons and knocked on a portrait of a dark alley.

"Oliver! Hogwarts has a new Hermione! She grinned.

"I believe you mean Daniella Hersch." Oliver smiled, "She's just like you, I told her she reminded me of a very good friend of mine."

"I told her she reminded me of me and she said what you said and I said you were talking about me and then we talked about--"

"Whoa, Hermione! Breathe!" Oliver laughed, "C'mon dinner's starting."

So Hermione and Oliver made their way to the Great Hall and entered together. Snape glared and Hermione shot daggers at him. Snape looked taken aback, and Oliver stifle a laugh.

"Hermione, if looks could kill, he'd be six feet under, dug up, and killed again." he mumbled.

"If I wouldn't get sent to Azkaban he would be! Always butting into my business! He still treats me like a student! He hasn't called me 'Professor' once! That means he hates me more than he hates you!"

"Gee, thanks Herms!" Oliver laughed.

"Don't mention it, Woody." she grinned mischievously.

"Please don't call me that!" Oliver begged.