Title: The Ugly Ducklings
Author: SelenityK
Rating: R
Summary: Hermione Athena Granger was not beautiful...and neither was Severus Snape.
Author's Note: I am sorry that I took so long in updating this story. I had put my writing on the back burner due to college. I would like to thank Ezmerelda for gently reminding me about The Ugly Ducklings, and, last but certainly not least, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart has given me the inspiration to write Chapter Three, and he has helped me through my first year of college. Please Read and Review, and I will try to update this as often as possible over the summer.
Chapter Three: Snape. What else should I say?
Mean bastard. The Weasley boy's voice reverbrated through the deserted dungeon classroom. Snape chuckled, an action that would have caught ninety nine percent of Hogwarts off guard. Snape was not particularly known for smiling, unless it was cruelly directed towards one of his incompetent students. Snape did not mind being called a bastard; he had been called worse names by even worser people, yet he came out unscathed.
The Potions master pulled the stack of papers that waited patiently for over a week out of a drawer. Between spying on Voldemort for Dumbledore and mxing the Wolfsbane Potion for the werewolf, Snape barely time to correct his students' essays. Snape's class with the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs would not begin for two hours, which was adequate time to read the essays. Half of the papers would be riddled with careless grammatical errors and mediocre writing, except the essays of his brightest students, among them, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger.
Hermione Granger was an intelligient student, Snape grudgingly admitted to himself, but not the smartest student who had ever graced Hogwarts, as some professors *cough!McGonagall!cough* claimed. Perhaps she was the smartest Muggle--Snape had to give the girl some credit. The award for 'Most Competent Wizard' would go to a person who mastered both the Light and Dark Arts, an act that Hermione Granger had not managed to accomplish, although she was competent in the use of the Light Arts. The Dark Arts were not necessarily evil, as most of magic-weilding people thought. Magic worked through the intent of the person who used it. If the intent was for a good purpose, then magic would have good results. On the contrary, if a person decided to use a spell or what-have-you for wrongdoing, then the end results would accomplish evil. The Light Arts could be used for evil purposes just as the Dark Arts could be used for the sake of good. The secret to the use of any form of magic involved wisdom and common sense.
Draco Malfoy was an interesting student. He was clever, but not as clever as Hermione Granger, but he came extremely close at times. The young wizard, like many Slytherins, came from an old family who were heavily engaged in the Dark Arts. The boy reminded Snape of himself at that age--without the two goons, of course! Malfoy had lots of potential and could be a great wizard--depending on whether his abilities were cultivated to their highest levels.
Turning his thoughts from Malfoy's abilities to the rumblings of his stomach, Severus Snape conjured a meal and continued to grade the students' papers in silence
~~~***~~~
The Great Hall was not as solemn as Snape's dungeons. The entire Hogwarts population, save Professor Snape and Mr. Filch were at lunch, plus the seventh year students had plenty to discuss among their respective houses. The Animagi/Polyjuice project was a source of piqued interest for the older students, but for some, namely Neville Franklin Longbottom, the Polyjuice portion was a beast to be feared.
Neville was quite possibly the poorest Potions student in Hogwarts. Neville held Professor Snape in such terror that his Potions experiments always managed to go awry, unless Neville received instructions from his fellow Gryffindoors. Because of Neville's constant failure at the difficult subject, Neville had taken the brunt of Snape's severity and criticism. Three-fourths of the Hogwarts student body felt pity for Neville. They too, had been ripped to shreds emotionally by the harsh professor at least once in their Hogwarts careers. Most of the Slytherins teased the boy, giving him the epithet 'Teacher's Pet'. So it should be no surprise that Neville appealed to Hermione Granger, the one person that Neville knew he could depend on for help.
"Of course, I will tutor you, Neville." Hermione responded. That figures, Hermione thought to herself. Everyone comes to ME for help with school problems, but I'm ignored or teased half the time. "I have a better idea. Why don't we have study sessions for Potions and Transfigurations four days a week? We could study Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, and Sunday afternoons."
The group of seventh year Gryffindors glanced at each other in a way that said, That's SO Hermione-like, then quickly agreed with the girl. This was Hermione Granger, after all. She may not be the best looking person in school, but she was the smartest, in the Gryffindors' opinions. They were bloody lucky to have Hermione, who should have definitely been a Ravenclaw, included in the Lion's Den.
"Thank you, my personal Athena!" Neville said in a loud king-like voice and kissed both of Hermione's hands. Hermione blushed and tried to stifle a laugh when Neville used Hermione's middle name. The seventh year section of the Gryffindor table exploded in hearty laughter.
~~~***~~~
End Chapter Three.
AN: Hope you enjoyed, now Read and Review. Let me know what you think. I'm open to suggestions and comments. I have a small clue of where the story is headed, but I can't reveal it yet. Sorry. :)
Author: SelenityK
Rating: R
Summary: Hermione Athena Granger was not beautiful...and neither was Severus Snape.
Author's Note: I am sorry that I took so long in updating this story. I had put my writing on the back burner due to college. I would like to thank Ezmerelda for gently reminding me about The Ugly Ducklings, and, last but certainly not least, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart has given me the inspiration to write Chapter Three, and he has helped me through my first year of college. Please Read and Review, and I will try to update this as often as possible over the summer.
Chapter Three: Snape. What else should I say?
Mean bastard. The Weasley boy's voice reverbrated through the deserted dungeon classroom. Snape chuckled, an action that would have caught ninety nine percent of Hogwarts off guard. Snape was not particularly known for smiling, unless it was cruelly directed towards one of his incompetent students. Snape did not mind being called a bastard; he had been called worse names by even worser people, yet he came out unscathed.
The Potions master pulled the stack of papers that waited patiently for over a week out of a drawer. Between spying on Voldemort for Dumbledore and mxing the Wolfsbane Potion for the werewolf, Snape barely time to correct his students' essays. Snape's class with the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs would not begin for two hours, which was adequate time to read the essays. Half of the papers would be riddled with careless grammatical errors and mediocre writing, except the essays of his brightest students, among them, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger.
Hermione Granger was an intelligient student, Snape grudgingly admitted to himself, but not the smartest student who had ever graced Hogwarts, as some professors *cough!McGonagall!cough* claimed. Perhaps she was the smartest Muggle--Snape had to give the girl some credit. The award for 'Most Competent Wizard' would go to a person who mastered both the Light and Dark Arts, an act that Hermione Granger had not managed to accomplish, although she was competent in the use of the Light Arts. The Dark Arts were not necessarily evil, as most of magic-weilding people thought. Magic worked through the intent of the person who used it. If the intent was for a good purpose, then magic would have good results. On the contrary, if a person decided to use a spell or what-have-you for wrongdoing, then the end results would accomplish evil. The Light Arts could be used for evil purposes just as the Dark Arts could be used for the sake of good. The secret to the use of any form of magic involved wisdom and common sense.
Draco Malfoy was an interesting student. He was clever, but not as clever as Hermione Granger, but he came extremely close at times. The young wizard, like many Slytherins, came from an old family who were heavily engaged in the Dark Arts. The boy reminded Snape of himself at that age--without the two goons, of course! Malfoy had lots of potential and could be a great wizard--depending on whether his abilities were cultivated to their highest levels.
Turning his thoughts from Malfoy's abilities to the rumblings of his stomach, Severus Snape conjured a meal and continued to grade the students' papers in silence
~~~***~~~
The Great Hall was not as solemn as Snape's dungeons. The entire Hogwarts population, save Professor Snape and Mr. Filch were at lunch, plus the seventh year students had plenty to discuss among their respective houses. The Animagi/Polyjuice project was a source of piqued interest for the older students, but for some, namely Neville Franklin Longbottom, the Polyjuice portion was a beast to be feared.
Neville was quite possibly the poorest Potions student in Hogwarts. Neville held Professor Snape in such terror that his Potions experiments always managed to go awry, unless Neville received instructions from his fellow Gryffindoors. Because of Neville's constant failure at the difficult subject, Neville had taken the brunt of Snape's severity and criticism. Three-fourths of the Hogwarts student body felt pity for Neville. They too, had been ripped to shreds emotionally by the harsh professor at least once in their Hogwarts careers. Most of the Slytherins teased the boy, giving him the epithet 'Teacher's Pet'. So it should be no surprise that Neville appealed to Hermione Granger, the one person that Neville knew he could depend on for help.
"Of course, I will tutor you, Neville." Hermione responded. That figures, Hermione thought to herself. Everyone comes to ME for help with school problems, but I'm ignored or teased half the time. "I have a better idea. Why don't we have study sessions for Potions and Transfigurations four days a week? We could study Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, and Sunday afternoons."
The group of seventh year Gryffindors glanced at each other in a way that said, That's SO Hermione-like, then quickly agreed with the girl. This was Hermione Granger, after all. She may not be the best looking person in school, but she was the smartest, in the Gryffindors' opinions. They were bloody lucky to have Hermione, who should have definitely been a Ravenclaw, included in the Lion's Den.
"Thank you, my personal Athena!" Neville said in a loud king-like voice and kissed both of Hermione's hands. Hermione blushed and tried to stifle a laugh when Neville used Hermione's middle name. The seventh year section of the Gryffindor table exploded in hearty laughter.
~~~***~~~
End Chapter Three.
AN: Hope you enjoyed, now Read and Review. Let me know what you think. I'm open to suggestions and comments. I have a small clue of where the story is headed, but I can't reveal it yet. Sorry. :)