Chapter Five
*
*
The bathtub adjacent to the head girl's bedroom was filled nearly to the brim of lavender scented oils, and a bubbling agent. She was determined to make the perfect soothing bubble bath potion, and this was one of her tests. She eased into the bath toes first allowing every her goose-pimpled flesh to become accustomed to the hot water before slipping in farther. Finally she lied down and sighed with contentment, any sort of stress she had ebbed away. Although her life was generally un-stressful, so this wasn't say much. Nonetheless she thought that she had defiantly hit it. She felt happier than she had in months, and didn't have a bad thought in her head. She simply floated slightly enjoying the buoyant feeling the bath was producing, both for her body and mind. 'This is the life," She thought and immediately snorted. 'That is too cliché. I guess I can be as trite as I like in my head.'
This may seem too much like a drug, and perhaps it could be said it was. Only there were no affects on the body's physiological functions. It was similar to many charms used everyday. Easing farther back Hermione put her hair under the water, her head only protruding enough to keep her eyes and nose out of the water.
After half an hour Hermione was still lying there, and bubbles finally began to pop, and the foam was descending she began to wonder if it would end right. Wonder, not worry though as worrying was impossible when surrounded by this wonderful liquid.
Fortunately it did work and soon she was filled with a burst of joyousness. She jumped out of the tub singing cheerful songs, and thinking cheerful thoughts. It was completely successful after all! She allowed herself small congratulations before the potion's affects began to wear off on her. She felt extremely relaxed, and decided to take a nap before going to meet Snape. Though she couldn't wait to tell him of her first true potion's success. Well, her first original potion! She wasn't ready to sell it yet though. She would wait until she graduated.
*
*
Sitting in Snape's office, Hermione was very comfortable. 'I'm more comfortable here than I am anywhere but in my own rooms!' She realized, slightly startled though largely indifferent. She watched him as he straightened up his desk a bit. Just stared at him waiting for him to speak, or look at her as a sign for her to speak. He spoke.
"Miss. Granger, how is your project going?" He said. 'He knows,' She realized. 'He can tell I've solved it!'
"Wonderful. I'm finished. I can give you a sample to try yourself, I think you'll find it.perfect."
"If that is indeed the case, as after seeing your work, I am sure it is, what are you going to do with it?"
"Now that is the problem professor," She said, her face falling. "I am afraid I don't know! To sell it or not."
Snape nodded, they had spoken of this choice before. Though they had not gone into detail, they left the matter undecided and open.
"You feel this would be dangerous to wizards?"
"and Muggles too! It happens very often in the muggle world, drug abuse. We have such devises to make all of your problems go away. It doesn't work, people begin to escape all of their problems, causing more!" She exclaimed, as she felt this rather personally. Her uncle had been an alcoholic, as well as a pothead. It was hard for her as a child as he lived with her for many years. He had been so wasteful he ended up on the street until his brother, Hermione's father had to take him in. Her uncle was wasteful, as well as hurtful.
"I do understand. It is of course your decision. I must say I think you should sell it, since it is people's right to choose whether they use it or not, and further whether they abuse it," Snape stated, nonchalantly not wanting to seem like he was telling her what to do. Not wanting to tell her what to do.
"I don't think you understand. Muggles aren't stupid, regardless of what a few wizards think," She paused here, realizing she didn't know if he was one of those wizards.
"I know Hermione, but I don't really see your point," He said with uncharacteristic gentleness, understanding her hesitance, encouraging her to continue.
"Well, drug abuse is so common. So many drugs aren't even physically addictive, but people get stuck on them. They spend their lives high, never facing reality. So many lives are ruined, I-" Hermione stopped there, not wanting to get personal. Snape had been unusually kind recently, particularly today.
"Yes. I've read about this. Though I must say I fell these people would find some form of escape, some form of denial, or worse some form of violence. If the entire world were a little more content, as your potion would cause, there would be so much less problems. If voldemort had taken a bath with our bubbles nightly, I'm sure he would never have happened." He allowed himself a bit of triumph at this speech. Their discussion was becoming a debate, and he had made a good point.
"Who are we to decide what should happen. I don't like what happened with voldemort. I would like to...I would like if my parents weren't," She paused, intending to continue, but Snape nodded, allowing her to avoid vocalizing the truth. "A world with no evil would be a world without good. I can't be the one to try to get rid of evil, or pain. We'd be perfectly happy with no pain, but there would be no happiness, and no individuality. The world to slowly lower into a state of uniformity!"
"What you are suggesting, Miss Granger, is merely a prediction. We can't know what will happen. Though this is your choice, I repeat. I do believe you may be right, it may be best not to market this."
"I'm not sure I'm right!"
"Then wait."
"Thank you" Hermione said, and seeing the clock, smiled. "10:00 o'clock, by bedtime."
"Ah yes,"
"Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow."
Hermione left the room thrilled. She walked up the stairs towards her room feeling lighter than her bath had made her. She was giddy. They had had a conversation. The kind of conversation she hasn't had in years. Not since she had dated Viktor Krum and they had talked for hours. She suddenly had something to look forward to, not years in the future, but right now. Every day she would talk with Snape. Everyday she would have a conversation.
*
The bathtub adjacent to the head girl's bedroom was filled nearly to the brim of lavender scented oils, and a bubbling agent. She was determined to make the perfect soothing bubble bath potion, and this was one of her tests. She eased into the bath toes first allowing every her goose-pimpled flesh to become accustomed to the hot water before slipping in farther. Finally she lied down and sighed with contentment, any sort of stress she had ebbed away. Although her life was generally un-stressful, so this wasn't say much. Nonetheless she thought that she had defiantly hit it. She felt happier than she had in months, and didn't have a bad thought in her head. She simply floated slightly enjoying the buoyant feeling the bath was producing, both for her body and mind. 'This is the life," She thought and immediately snorted. 'That is too cliché. I guess I can be as trite as I like in my head.'
This may seem too much like a drug, and perhaps it could be said it was. Only there were no affects on the body's physiological functions. It was similar to many charms used everyday. Easing farther back Hermione put her hair under the water, her head only protruding enough to keep her eyes and nose out of the water.
After half an hour Hermione was still lying there, and bubbles finally began to pop, and the foam was descending she began to wonder if it would end right. Wonder, not worry though as worrying was impossible when surrounded by this wonderful liquid.
Fortunately it did work and soon she was filled with a burst of joyousness. She jumped out of the tub singing cheerful songs, and thinking cheerful thoughts. It was completely successful after all! She allowed herself small congratulations before the potion's affects began to wear off on her. She felt extremely relaxed, and decided to take a nap before going to meet Snape. Though she couldn't wait to tell him of her first true potion's success. Well, her first original potion! She wasn't ready to sell it yet though. She would wait until she graduated.
*
*
Sitting in Snape's office, Hermione was very comfortable. 'I'm more comfortable here than I am anywhere but in my own rooms!' She realized, slightly startled though largely indifferent. She watched him as he straightened up his desk a bit. Just stared at him waiting for him to speak, or look at her as a sign for her to speak. He spoke.
"Miss. Granger, how is your project going?" He said. 'He knows,' She realized. 'He can tell I've solved it!'
"Wonderful. I'm finished. I can give you a sample to try yourself, I think you'll find it.perfect."
"If that is indeed the case, as after seeing your work, I am sure it is, what are you going to do with it?"
"Now that is the problem professor," She said, her face falling. "I am afraid I don't know! To sell it or not."
Snape nodded, they had spoken of this choice before. Though they had not gone into detail, they left the matter undecided and open.
"You feel this would be dangerous to wizards?"
"and Muggles too! It happens very often in the muggle world, drug abuse. We have such devises to make all of your problems go away. It doesn't work, people begin to escape all of their problems, causing more!" She exclaimed, as she felt this rather personally. Her uncle had been an alcoholic, as well as a pothead. It was hard for her as a child as he lived with her for many years. He had been so wasteful he ended up on the street until his brother, Hermione's father had to take him in. Her uncle was wasteful, as well as hurtful.
"I do understand. It is of course your decision. I must say I think you should sell it, since it is people's right to choose whether they use it or not, and further whether they abuse it," Snape stated, nonchalantly not wanting to seem like he was telling her what to do. Not wanting to tell her what to do.
"I don't think you understand. Muggles aren't stupid, regardless of what a few wizards think," She paused here, realizing she didn't know if he was one of those wizards.
"I know Hermione, but I don't really see your point," He said with uncharacteristic gentleness, understanding her hesitance, encouraging her to continue.
"Well, drug abuse is so common. So many drugs aren't even physically addictive, but people get stuck on them. They spend their lives high, never facing reality. So many lives are ruined, I-" Hermione stopped there, not wanting to get personal. Snape had been unusually kind recently, particularly today.
"Yes. I've read about this. Though I must say I fell these people would find some form of escape, some form of denial, or worse some form of violence. If the entire world were a little more content, as your potion would cause, there would be so much less problems. If voldemort had taken a bath with our bubbles nightly, I'm sure he would never have happened." He allowed himself a bit of triumph at this speech. Their discussion was becoming a debate, and he had made a good point.
"Who are we to decide what should happen. I don't like what happened with voldemort. I would like to...I would like if my parents weren't," She paused, intending to continue, but Snape nodded, allowing her to avoid vocalizing the truth. "A world with no evil would be a world without good. I can't be the one to try to get rid of evil, or pain. We'd be perfectly happy with no pain, but there would be no happiness, and no individuality. The world to slowly lower into a state of uniformity!"
"What you are suggesting, Miss Granger, is merely a prediction. We can't know what will happen. Though this is your choice, I repeat. I do believe you may be right, it may be best not to market this."
"I'm not sure I'm right!"
"Then wait."
"Thank you" Hermione said, and seeing the clock, smiled. "10:00 o'clock, by bedtime."
"Ah yes,"
"Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow."
Hermione left the room thrilled. She walked up the stairs towards her room feeling lighter than her bath had made her. She was giddy. They had had a conversation. The kind of conversation she hasn't had in years. Not since she had dated Viktor Krum and they had talked for hours. She suddenly had something to look forward to, not years in the future, but right now. Every day she would talk with Snape. Everyday she would have a conversation.