Chapter Seven: Hermione
Hermione had only seen Buffy Summers for a short while in the Great Hall but she was fascinated by what she saw. The woman couldn't have been taller than the fourth years or more intimidating than a Hufflepuff, and yet Dumbledore himself seemed simply mystified by her mere presence; and if what Harry thought he heard was true, then she could not fault the headmaster in his bewilderment. Although Hermione only begrudgingly liked potions on a normal day, the sixth year couldn't wait for potions to start. Curious as to just what Buffy could do, she hoped that Professor Snape wouldn't make the blonde sit in the back and observe. Hurrying along the passageways, she hoped to get to class early enough to catch any conversation that may pass between the two, and was not disappointed.
"Severus why not!" Buffy half growled, half whined.
"I'll not give you a harmful potion, Miss Summers," Snape denied.
"Albus specifically told you to, and I quote, 'give Miss Summers something that I would normally award you a withering glare for even suggesting.' In his own round about way that means give me something risky."
"I don't care what Dumbledore said, I don't think you're immune and I won't have everyone blame me for you're moronic little stunt," he barked.
"Sev, I apparated. You saw me. I'm not asking you to hit me with crucio here, I'm only asking for one tiny little potion."
Hermione gasped behind the door, unable to believe that what Harry said had been right. It went against everything she'd ever learned, and she'd scolded the boys countless times for even imaging such a thing. When they found out they were never going to let her hear the end of it.
"You know it's very rude…" Buffy began, and Hermione thought that Snape was finally going to get it, "to hide behind doors and listen into other people's conversations."
Hermione could only stare dumbfounded while Snape used his wand to fling open the door and reveal her. The professor looked like he would rather like to give her whatever potion Buffy'd been after, whereas Buffy just smiled with the same twinkle in her eye that Dumbledore often got while looking at Harry.
"How… how did you know I was there?" Hermione stuttered.
"I have good hearing," Buffy chuckled. "Wait a minute, you're one of his friends right, the boy with the glasses and…"
"Harry Potter," Snape nearly spat, clearly unhappy with where the conversation was going. He made no move to stop it, though, and that only made Hermione even more amazed with Buffy Summers.
"Harry, right. Thank you Sev," she nearly beamed at him, her smile impish. She then turned back to Hermione. "As you can see, I'm not so good with names, so sorry in advance if I forget yours."
"I'm Hermione Granger, Miss Summers."
"It's Buffy, Hermione. Miss Summers reminds me too much of Synder and early, tweedy Giles… yuck!" Buffy amended, and with childish glee stuck her tongue out in disgust.
Hermione didn't know who either person was, but found the comment funny all the same. She almost burst out laughing again at how uncomfortable Snape looked, standing just behind Buffy and glaring at her back while she studiously ignored him in favor of more silly sayings about her own school days. The sixth year could already tell that having Buffy around would make life more interesting, and much more bearable where Snape was involved.
