Chapter 11: Staff Meeting
Hermione woke up the next morning to the sound of banging on her bedroom door.
"What in the hell is that pounding noise?" Hermione murmured to herself as she was roused from her slumber.
"Granger! Are you in there? Wake up! If this door does not open within the next five minutes, I'm coming in there to get you out of bed myself."
'Huh? Is that Snape?' Hermione pulled the covers over her head.
"As much as I do enjoy these regular staff meetings Dumbledore insists on having, I do not wish to be late."
'Yep, it's Snape.' She sleepily smiled. 'Wait...what...?' Hermione furrowed her eyebrows. She gasped. 'The staff meeting!' She looked at her clock. It read '7:45am'. 'The meeting is in 15 minutes and I overslept!'
Hermione threw off her covers and went to her wardrobe. She smiled and sighed. 'What do I wear? Black, black or black? It's so hard to decide!'
Hermione picked out her clothes and laid them on her bed. She was in her underwear -- which was black as well -- when she heard Snape yell:
"It's been five minutes! I'm coming in!"
Before she could do anything, he opened the door. "Get up, Granger, or else I'll --"
He stopped talking and stared at her.
Hermione crossed her arms and said, "Can't a girl get some privacy?"
Snape snapped out of his gaze and quickly said, "Of course. My apologies." He shut the door.
'Why do I have a feeling he was sizing me up?' she thought as she dressed.
"A better question is why don't I mind that he was. There's some food for thought," she said quietly.
"Food! I missed breakfast too. Hopefully there'll be something to eat at the meeting."
She sighed heavily. "What a way to start my first day."
She finished getting dressed and began to put her essential Auror items on her person.
Meanwhile, Snape sat down on the sofa and murmured quietly to himself. 'Lean yet muscular, like me,' he thought.
"Mr. Patil was right when he said this at Hogsmeade. 'She is hot.'" He smirked.
Hermione tied her hair up into a ponytail. She quickly went to the bathroom and washed her face.
"Scourgify," she said as she pointed her wand to her teeth. She smiled at the mirror. 'Sparkling white teeth as usual. Mom and Dad would be proud of me.'
Hermione checked the clock as she walked out of the bathroom. It read, '7:55am'.
Hermione walked out of her bedroom door. She saw Snape sitting on her sofa.
"Sorry. I overslept."
"Obviously." Snape paused for a moment. "I apologize for earlier," he said as he stood up.
"If I may quote a wise man, 'Fuggheddaboudit, sweetheart. It was nothing.'" She waved a hand in a dismissive fashion and smiled at him. He nodded.
Hermione checked the clock again. "C'mon. We got four minutes to get to that meeting you've been looking forward to all morning."
Snape snorted. "We have better hurry, then."
They made it up to the Professor's Lounge with half a minute to spare.
"Aloe Vera," said Snape. The portrait of a young woman from the early nineteenth century moved aside and Hermione and Snape walked in.
The Professor's Lounge was a well lit room of stateliness. There was a magnificent fireplace on the left hand side of the room. In front of it was a large couch and two smaller couches on either side of it. On the right side of the room was a large round conference table. In the corner was a drink bar that had anything from water to Odgen's Old Firewhiskey in stock. By the windows, in the back of the room, bookshelves lined the wall. They were filled with old volumes of classic muggle and wizard literature.
Dumbledore and the other professors were seated at the round table. There were two vacant seats - hers and Snape's.
'This reminds me of King Arthur's round table,' thought Hermione.
"Glad to see you two could at least make it to this meeting," said Lupin humorously.
"Granger overslept," Snape said as he poured two cups of coffee at the drink bar. He handed one to Hermione.
"Yeah, I did. Thanks," she said as she took the cup from Snape. "And us two missing breakfast today is gonna add fuel to the already huge rumor fire about us."
"What rumors?" asked Snape.
"That we're lovers. Oh, Food!" said Hermione as she grabbed a blueberry muffin from a plate in center of the round table.
She sipped her coffee. "Cream and sugar. You remembered," she noted.
Snape shrugged as he took the seat next to her and drank his coffee.
"In all my years teaching here, this has to be a record start for gossip," chuckled Sprout.
"Lucky us," said Snape sarcastically.
"Now that we're all here, let us start this meeting," Dumbledore said.
"Additional wards have been added to protect the school from any attacks. Now that Voldemort is as great of a threat as ever and that there is a plot to murder Severus, I hope you all will do your best to protect the school."
Everyone nodded and said affirmatives.
"The Charms classroom is not under renovation. Hermione needs to be close to Severus to protect him. For now, that room will be locked. Are there any other security concerns to be discussed?"
"I have something. But I don't think it qualifies as a security issue," said Hermione. Dumbledore nodded.
"I just realized that if any of the students ask you questions about me, you guys wouldn't have a proper response. So here it is. I have just graduated from St. Mungo's Medical University. I majored in medicinal potions in pharmaceuticals and am working on becoming a Potions Mistress under the tutelage of Snape. That helps explain why I'm around him all the time and why I didn't just go off to St. Mungo's Hopsital to be a Medi-Witch. Albus, you allowed me to be the Head of Ravenclaw House because I exhibited strong Ravenclaw qualities and am well versed in charms. And if anybody sees me training in the Qudditch pitch, just say that I have hobbies. And I will still go by the name of 'Hermione Granger' while I'm here. Got it all?"
Everyone nodded and said yes.
"Have the Heads of Houses met with their students?" asked Dumbledore.
"Yes," said Hermione, Snape, McGonagall, and Sprout in unison.
"Are there any concerns about the students?"
"I see a few potential Death Eaters among my 7th years," said Snape.
Dumbledore frowned. "That's unfortunate. We will try to sway them back to our side, then."
"What is a Zabini doing in Ravenclaw?" asked Hermione.
"I assume you're talking about Anton Zabini," said Dumbledore. Hermione nodded.
"He is cousin to Blaise Zabini. Apparently the Sorting Hat did not want him in Slytherin. He is still quite bitter about that."
"Speaking of Mr. Zabini, there was talk this morning at breakfast that you had quite an encounter with him yesterday. What exactly happened?" said McGonagall to Hermione.
Hermione laughed remembering her Ravenclaw meeting.
"It wasn't that big of a deal; he was just rude. I was giving the Ravenclaws a speech about what I wanted them do to do this year. Then I asked if anyone had any questions. It was going fine until I said that I would be studying under Snape to gain my Potions Mistress title. Zabini asked, 'Are you certain you won't be under Snape doing something else this year?' and if us two were gonna be 'engaged in any other 'extra curricular activities.''"
Hermione made quotation marks with her fingers as she said "extra curricular activities".
"I was thinkin' to myself, 'Oh my god. You did not just say that to me, your fuckin' Head of House on your first day -- no, your first night back at Hogwarts. What are you? Stupid?' If you ask me, that was some way to make a first impression."
"Flitwick was his favorite teacher. His dislike for you probably stems out from his blaming you for his absence," said Sprout insightfully.
"I don't like the boy either. But I gotta admit that kid's got some balls."
"What!?" asked McGonagall in a scandalized voice.
"Huh? What did I say?" asked Hermione. Confusion was written all over her face. A second later, Hermione understood.
"Ohh. It's slang. I meant that he was brave to say that kinda thing to a professor."
Everyone chuckled a bit.
"Yes, you are a professor here. That brings me to my next order of business. Hermione, I have just received a curriculum outline from Filius. I am sure it will aid you."
Dumbledore handed her the piece of parchment Flitwick sent.
"Thank you."
"Before I forget, I have written down the passwords for this year. Everyone please take a copy."
Everyone took a sheet of parchment from the center of the round table.
"Does anyone have anything they would like to say?" asked Dumbledore.
The professors shook their head no.
"Very well, then. Classes begin in half an hour. Good luck to all of you. This meeting is adjourned. Severus and Hermione, please stay for a moment."
Dumbledore waited for the Professor's Lounge to clear out before he spoke to them.
"Severus spoke to me this morning about you, Hermione."
"Oh?" She turned her head to look at Snape and turned back to look at Dumbledore. "What did he say?"
"He suggested that you join the Order Of the Phoenix. You already have knowledge of our organization and given your current job and mission, you would be a great asset. I agree with him. You are a magnificent and powerful witch, Hermione. I and the rest of the Order would be honored if you joined our ranks."
Hermione was ecstatic. "Of course! I'd love to be a member. I'd probably fit right in."
"There is no doubt that you will." Dumbledore smiled at her. Those blue eyes of his twinkled in pride.
"Severus, how soon do you think your next meeting with Voldemort will be?"
"I can't be certain. He has been inconsistent these past few months."
"Hopefully it's no time soon," said Hermione.
"Indeed," said Snape.
"That is all. Good luck in your classes today," said Dumbledore.
"Good bye, Albus," said Hermione.
"Headmaster," Snape said as he nodded.
They both left the Professor's Lounge and walked back to the dungeons.
"We have to go over a few things," said Hermione as they neared their chambers. "Smokey Joe's Cafe."
The portrait swung open. Snape followed Hermione inside her chambers.
"Have a seat," Hermione said. She and Snape sat down on the sofa.
"Something just occurred to me as we were walking back here. How am I supposed to guard you when you're at a Dark Revel? I most certainly cannot can't go in disguise as a Death Eater. Voldemort would know notice the change in numbers."
"We'll have to think of an alternative method. I suspect that I am most at danger at a Dark Revel if Dolohov and Rookwood haven't already contacted the Dark Lord."
"I don't think they have."
"What makes you so sure?"
"I've been referring to my dossiers and case files to build up a profile on both Dolohov and Rookwood. I wanted to figure out their modus operandi. And I have come to a conclusion. They both suffer from different degrees of the same psychological impairments I have named, 'James Bond Villain Syndrome' and 'Rube Goldberg's Inventions Syndrome.'"
"What? Who are James Bond and Rube Goldberg?"
"James Bond it a Muggle movie character. He's Agent 007, licensed to kill, and likes his drinks shaken -- not stirred. I'm kinda like him except I like my drinks stirred, not shaken. The drink's less diluted and stronger like that. Anyway, in a James Bond movie, there is always an evil villain who tries to kill him. The villain always tells him what they are going to do to kill him and always take their sweet time going about it. Rube Goldberg was a Muggle cartoonist that drew complicated machines that performed simple tasks. As I said, Dolohov and Rookwood have both conditions. My guess is that they will do needlessly complicated and outlandish stunts just to attempt to murder you. And they're gonna take their time doing it to try to throw off any suspicion. According to other factors on their dossiers, they're going to keep quiet and then collect their rewards from Voldemort after the job is done. This way they won't have to share the credit with or have any competition with anyone else."
"I have nothing to worry about, then."
"I never said that. We still need to be on guard. I don't want to have to be investigated by my fellow Aurors for a homicide case that I was supposed to prevent. The MIB and British Aurory will deem me a rookie and bump me back down to a regular Auror so fast it'll make my head spin. And that's the ultimate humiliation -- being demoted and still having to work among your peers."
"Indeed." There was a silence.
"So, why did you nominate me to be inducted into the Order of the Phoenix?"
'So I could keep you close to me no matter where you are,' he wanted to say.
Instead he said, "As Dumbledore already told you, you are an exemplary witch; you have knowledge of the Order; and given our current situation, you are a perfect candidate."
Hermione stared at him for a moment. 'There's another part to this story, I just know it. He's not meeting my gaze. I'll figure it out, then if he doesn't want to tell me.'
"Was that another compliment?" teased Hermione smiling.
"No, it was not a compliment. I was merely retelling what Dumbledore told you this morning."
"And Dumbledore was retelling me what you told him this morning." She then gasped dramatically. "So you're not as cold-hearted as everyone thinks you are!? Recommending me for the Order of the Phoenix is the ultimate compliment and, by far, the nicest thing you've done in recent time."
She leaned over and gave him a small hug. "Thank you."
"Think all you want about it. It was just a stratagem," Snape said defensively.
"Whatever you say," Hermione said, noting the change in his voice.
"Classes are soon. I have to go over my lesson plan."
Hermione gave him questioning look. "Alright, then. I should do the same. I'll meet you at your classroom later and we'll head to lunch."
He nodded and went to the connecting door to his chambers.
'I hit a nerve with him. This is sudden good-hearted act is all part of something bigger. I'll figure it out what it is,' thought Hermione as she went to her desk and skimmed through her lesson plan.
Meanwhile, Snape was going over what just had happened. Hermione hugged him -- and he liked it. He grinned.
'What is going on with me?'
Contemplating this, he went to his lesson plans and looked them over. He looked at the clock. "Classes start soon."
Right on time, Hermione knocked on the connecting door.
"Snape, are you ready? Classes start in ten minutes."
Snape gathered his notes and opened the connecting door.
"Let's go," said Snape.
Hermione and Snape left their chambers and walked to their classrooms.
A/N: Please review. All reviews and suggestions are welcomed. Flames are discouraged.