a/n: Yay! *hugs* I love my reviewers. You guys are super cool. (Did I just write super cool? I'm loosing it.) This chapter should create a friendship between Hermione and Severus. I'm thinking the romance will start around Christmas... Anyway, in this chapter we're hearing about Ron. And such. Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun. R/r!
* The Hogwarts summer holidays were infamous among the staff for moving far too quickly. Hermione discovered this for herself when on August 30th she realized that in almost 24 hours she would really be a teacher. It was almost like living a surreal life; she felt as if she were walking through a dream world where nothing was really what it appeared to be. Hours turned to minutes, until the Hogwarts staff found themselves eating their last meal in a serene Great Hall. Conversation was lax: the new term had already been discussed from every angle and gossip got stale after 3 long months. Finally, for the sake of cutting the silence Remus interjected, "What do you hear from Harry and Draco, Hermione?"
"Nothing really. They're having a lovely time. Draco writes that he's attempting to convince Harry to stay for another month or so. No doubt he'll succeed. You know Draco," Hermione chuckled quietly.
"Too much information," Remus groaned good-naturedly.
"What do you hear from Ron, Hermione," Professor Dumbledore asked, taking interest in the discussion of his well-loved protégés.
"Nothing, Headmaster," Hermione said, all signs of gaiety gone from her voice, "Ron Weasley and I haven't spoken since we graduated, Sir."
"Oh..." McGonagall allowed a small leap of surprise to enter her throat, "Hermione, I had no idea. Why ever not?"
"It's not important, Minerva," Hermione said abruptly, "If you'll all excuse me, I need to finish some lesson plans." Hermione rose from the table, pushing away her half eaten dinner and fled the room, robes whipping out behind her.
"Oh dear, that didn't go well," McGonagall fretted, watching her former student escape from the room.
"No, it certainly didn't," Dumbledore mused, "But now I'm afraid, I'm curious. And concerned."
"As am I. The dream team? Split since graduation? How could we have not known?" Remus glanced worriedly down the table, searching the faces of his colleagues for answers.
"People grow up, Lupin," Snape said, sans sarcasm, "Perhaps its not surprising. They were 3 very different people."
"True, Severus, but Harry and Hermione have remained close. What happened with Ron?" Sprout seemed intrigued, her Hufflepuff nature yearning to fix any damage done to such a beautiful friendship.
"There is only one solution, my friends. Someone must ask Hermione what happened. I sense that she could use a friend tonight, regardless of our desire to pry into her personal life." Dumbledore said, a hint of an idea penetrating his clear blue eyes.
"I'd go, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be a help Albus. I've said to much already." McGonagall looked sadly at her plate.
"As would I, but... well if you'd all just take a moment to consult your lunar charts, you'll see that I shall be indisposed for the evening."
Around the table it went, the chain of excuses causing each teacher to elaborate why he or she could not be the one to go after their distressed colleague. At last, the chain came to Severus Snape. "I have no desire," he said, "to play nursemaid to a little girl. However, as it seems that I have no choice..." Snape rose from his seat and began to retrace Hermione's furious path across the room.
"Severus!" Minerva McGonagall's voice pierced that shocked silence of the room, "Be kind to her."
Snape turned around and gave a small, sarcastic bow, before swishing through the door.
* Hermione was shocked out of her lethargic state by her portraits tinny voice. Sitting up, and wiping her eyes she spoke softly, "Who is it, Sir Cadogan?"
"One of the professors from the school, milady. The dark one. Shall I challenge him to a duel, in your honor?" the mad knight exclaimed.
"Really, you don't have to. Just let him enter." Hermione rolled her eyes at the idiocy of her chamber's guardian as she turned to face her portrait hole where the tall potions master was climbing through.
"Miss Granger, how on earth did you get landed with that ridiculous fool? I thought he had been banished to the north tower to keep Professor Trelawney company in her madness."
"I suppose he wanted a job. Anyway, I'm the only person who tolerates him left in this castle," Hermione said, rather distantly, "Did the headmaster tell you to come up and comfort the 'poor dear child'?"
"No. He asked me to come up and find out if you were all right. He didn't want you to be alone if it was companionship you required. So here I am, at your service," Snape said, somewhat caustically but not without a twinge of gentleness on his tongue.
"I'm fine, Professor. You can return to your dinner," Hermione turned away from her visitor, facing a large window, framed with bright yellow curtains.
"Don't lie to me, Hermione. Potter must have told you at one point or another that I excel in legilimency." Snape walked over to her and tentatively place a work-hardened hand on her shoulder.
"You're right sir. Of course you're right." Hermione stood still, taking notice of the support of the older man's hand and his utilization of her given name. It sounded... poetic really, in the way he stretched the vowels and emphasized the consonants.
"For God's sake, woman. I'm not your teacher any more and I'm certainly younger than Minerva. Call me by my proper name. It's confusing when you say 'sir' or 'professor' when there are so many of us around."
"I see only one of you now."
Severus took no notice of her sarcasm, "Do you want to tell me what happened with Weasley?"
"It was at the end of seventh year. We had been dating for six months; I didn't see it going anywhere but people later told me that he was really in love with me. Seamus even said that he was going to propose after graduation. However..." Hermione faltered, turning around and looking at her audience, "Remind me why I'm telling you this."
"Because you need to tell someone or you'll eventually explode," Snape commented, urging her to continue.
"I don't know if you remember, but Harry and Draco came out at the closing feast on the last night of the turn. Harry had told me everything ages before, mainly because he was afraid to tell Ron. Ron was always one to react first and listen later, and while Harry knew that I wouldn't be thrilled about the idea of him being with Malfoy, at least he could be sure that I would hear him out. So really, after Harry told me in early February we were kind of conspirators. And Ron jumped to conclusions, thinking that I was seeing Harry on the side. He didn't do anything about it until that night in June when he exploded at us. That's when Harry told him that he was gay, and that I had been helping him. Then Ron exploded about being lied to. He hasn't spoken to either of us since."
"What a ridiculous, childish, petty reaction!" Severus explained, looking the young Charms teacher in the eye.
Hermione shrugged, looking sad, "It was really our fault, though. We should have been honest from the beginning."
"But you weren't really doing anything wrong!"
"In your opinion. Things looked differently in Ron's eyes. He walked away, justifiably angry. We had withheld the truth from him, after all. Friends don't do that to one another," Hermione spoke softly, barely above a whisper, "Really, it was our fault. I don't think I'll ever forget it... or forgive myself for it for that matter."
"Hermione Granger don't be ridiculous," Snape grabbed both of her shoulders with his strong hands, "You were one of the smartest witches in your year, don't think you're fooling me with this."
"What do you mean by that Professor?"
"I mean that you're smart enough to know that Ron Weasley acted the fool. Don't expect me to believe that you're going to spend the rest of your life weeping over some stupid little boy who had no idea of anything."
"I'm sorry Severus. It's hard, though. I mean, Ron and I were always fighting in school. He'd ignore me for 3 months and then starting talking to me again, like nothing had ever happened. At first, I thought that would happen again. But evidently I was wrong. I don't know why I still want his friendship, after the way he treated me. I guess its because I feel guilt too. I don't know," Hermione sighed and walked over to an arm chair by the cold fireplace and sank into it slowly.
"I understand. Truly I do Hermione. I've switched sides more times than I'd care to remember, leaving behind so many people."
"Yes, I thought you would," Hermione looked up at her former professor and smiled softly. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
**
a/n: Yay! Doesn't everybody love a nice happy cliffhanger? Now go r/r kiddies. I have to think up the twists and turns for the next chapter. Sorry if this is short, by the way. I'm dying of the plague (aka I have a cold) and trying to write a really dumb quarterly paper.