Professor McGonagall was hustling down the corridor, trying to find the Head Girl to discuss, as usual, an idea for a moral booster. Ever since Dumbledore's death and Voldemort's defeat, the castle, as a whole, seemed quite gloomy. As usual, Hermione Granger was in the Potions classroom, brewing something that gave off a rather appalling stench.
"Ah, Headmistress, if I may guess, I think you have yet another plan to cheer the students up. Am I correct?" Hermione guessed, not looking up from the albavicus root she was slicing.
McGonagall sat across from Hermione and began explaining what she had in mind, "I think we should have a masquerade. Wouldn't that be delightful? Nobody would know who was who and they could all dance and just have a good time. What do you think, my dear?"
"Yes Headmistress, sounds good. We can discuss it over dinner then, shall we?" Hermione suggested, still concentrating on her potion.
McGonagall sensed that Hermione wanted to be left to her work and decided dinner would be a good place to discuss further, but she wanted to keep hers plans a secret so she suggested dinner in Hogsmeade. Hermione had been granted permission to venture to Hogsmeade wherever the need arose. She constantly needed supplies and books from the Hogsmeade shops and the teachers were tired of carting her various orders from town when they went.
"Yes Headmistress, that will be fine. May I have permission to stay here today so I may work on my potion, as long as it doesn't disturb Professor Snape?" Hermione inquired.
McGonagall sighed, "Of course you may. But, as I requested, would you please call me Professor?"
Hermione grinned as she skimmed through a book, seemingly written in Latin, "Of course Professor, I'll see you for dinner. Could you please close the door on your way out? Thanks."
McGonagall, knowing their conversation was over, quietly let herself out of the room and, as asked, closed the door.
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About twenty minutes later, and Professor Severus Snape entered. As he made his way to his desk and began grading first-year essays, he didn't even notice Hermione sitting in the corner. It wasn't until Hermione's cauldron made a popping noise, that a startled Professor Snape looked up. " Miss Granger, if you could refrain from startling me, I would be much obliged."
Hermione finished adding her powdered dragon tongue to the concoction and strolled up to Snape's desk. She leaned seductively over the paper Snape was grading and mocked, "Oh, poor Sevy. Is the big bad death eater afraid of little old me?"
"Miss Granger. Do you feel that calling me Sevy is appropriate?" Snape inquired teasingly.
Hermione sat on Snape's desk and replied, "I don't care if it is appropriate. You didn't answer my question."
"Now why would I be afraid of you? You are no match for me. I am smarter and more dangerous than you, so I have no reason to be afraid of you, do I?" Snape questioned, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.
Hermione pretended to be deep in thought, then answered, "Well, no. You have no reason to be afraid of me, but I can use my feminine charms to get whatever I want. Anything I want, I can get. Just by strutting my stuff. That would be a good reason to be afraid of any woman, don't you think?"
Snape nodded and tried to shove Hermione off of his desk, but she didn't want to budge. Snape was trying to think of something that would get Hermione to move. "Hey, isn't that Viktor Krum?" Snape inquired as he pointed toward the door.
Hermione smirked, "Nice try, but I happen to know that Viktor is 100 miles under the ocean. Do you have anything better?"
Snape only had one more trick up his sleeve and he knew this one was sure to work. He grabbed Hermione's wrists, pulled her into his lap and pressed his lips against hers. Hermione was completely stunned by his actions. She wasn't sure what to do and just sat there until she heard her name being called from a ways away. She turned her head and saw McGonagall standing in the door. Hermione was pulling away and was about to explain to McGonagall what happened when she was shook awake by Snape.
"Miss Granger. Miss Granger, it's almost time for dinner. If I had seen you there earlier, I would have woken you up. What potion were you working on, because it seems to be ruined?" Snape inquired, tapping the now cold cauldron.
Hermione smacked her head off of her book in disgust, "Shit. I mean, sorry Professor. I was working on an anti-aging potion. One of my own recipe, but I guess I'll have to work on it sometime when I'm not going to fall asleep." Hermione waved her wand and the cauldron was empty. Hermione began to gather her things until Snape inquired as to why she was making an anti-aging potion. "Well, I figure it will take quite away for me to perfect it, and by the time I need it, I will have it. Or, I'll have something to sell if I become a total failure in life."
"I highly doubt that. You have one of the brightest minds to ever come through Hogwarts. Besides, I have decided to make you my apprentice, that is, if you want to." Snape inquired, already knowing what the answer would be.
"Professor! Do you really mean it?" Hermione exclaimed as her eyes lit up with excitement.
Snape nodded and led Hermione toward the door, "Do really think that I'd joke about spending close to a year with an insufferable know-it-all? Now, I expect Minerva is waiting in the Great Hall for your arrival." Before Hermione could say another word, Snape gently shoved her into the corridor and shut the door.
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Later that evening, after the students were back in their Common Rooms, Hermione and McGonagall made their way through the darkness to the quiet town of Hogsmeade. They waited until after they entered the restaurant to speak because they wouldn't have been able to hear each other over the wind that was howling outside. After they had been seated and ordered their food, Hermione made her suggestion known before McGonagall could say much of anything, "What do you think of doing a secret partner dance? We'll give every male and every female a number when they enter and when it comes time for the dance, the corresponding couples will pair up and have a sort-of dance contest. The teachers can judge and the winners will win dinner in Hogsmeade or something of that nature. What do you think?"
"Hermione, that is a very good idea. We'll enchant their outfits so they all look the same. Wouldn't it be wonderful? We can surprise them with the masquerade altogether." McGonagall suggested as their food finally appeared on the table.
After they finished their dessert of Chocolate Raspberry Tort, they bundled up and braced themselves for the severe wind outside.
As they exited the restaurant, Hermione remembered she had owled Maria's Potion Shop for a new batch of supplies after her little nap earlier. "Professor!" Hermione shouted over the wind, "I have to go to Maria's!"
McGonagall didn't want to yell over the wind, so she nodded and followed Hermione down the winding road to the shop. Maria was locking up just as they came into view. As she saw the struggling against the wind, she hastily unlocked the door and let them in.
"Hermione, I was wondering if you were coming. Your order is right here and all ready to go. I'll put it on your tab. Hello Minerva, it's been a while, hasn't it?" Maria asked rapidly.
As McGonagall and Maria struck up a conversation, Hermione shrank the package of ingredients and secured it inside her robes. Hermione pulled McGonagall out the door, knowing if she let them, the two witches would talk for hours. By now, the wind had picked up even more and it had begun to rain. By the time the pair had fought their way to the castle, they were drenched.
"Well, that was quite a walk. Let's turn in for the night. I need some help with the first years tomorrow, so if you could come down during your free time, you could help me out." McGonagall waved a drying spell over herself and Hermione before disappearing up the stairs, without waiting for a reply from Hermione.
Hermione shrugged before heading to the Potions classroom to deposit her order. Hermione had acquired her own little cabinet in the rear of the room for all her supplies and the potions she had made. After Hermione unlocked the cabinet, she took out the parcel, enlarged it and began sorting and putting away her supplies. She was just picking up her last bottle, when someone cleared their throat behind her, causing her to jump and drop the bottle. The red liquid was sent cascading over the floor as the bottle shattered.
"A little jumpy tonight, wouldn't you say?" Snape inquired, coming out of the shadows and waving his wand. The mess on the floor disappeared and Hermione scowled.
"Professor, that was the last bottle of dragon blood that Maria's had. Now I have to order it from Diagon Alley and postage is going to be a bundle." Hermione complained.
Snape waved his wand again and a new bottle of dragon blood appeared in has hand. "Miss Granger. I didn't mean to startle you and as such, I will replace it for you." Snape offered, placing the bottle inside her cabinet.
Hermione thanked him before locking the cabinet and heading for the door.
"Miss Granger, I was wondering if you were available this weekend. My stock of potions is depleting and I would some help brewing up some more." Snape inquired.
"I can help you. I don't have anything to do, unless you count homework. I will see you tomorrow." Hermione exited and headed for Gryffindor tower. On her way, she couldn't help but remember her dream. It was strange, what Snape did, even if it wasn't actually him. Just the thought of him doing something of that nature made her snicker. After she had lost to Ron in chess, and badly one might add, she went to bed, pushing the dream to the back of her mind and scheming up a way to beat Ron.
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The next morning, as Hermione was asked, she showed up to help McGonagall with the first years, who would be attempting to transfigure goblets into candles. McGonagall explained that she didn't need any help with the class, but if the fires got to out of control, she could possibly need some help. McGonagall chuckled at this and Hermione hoped it was a joke. Unfortunately for Hermione, however, it hadn't been and by the time the class had been dismissed, a handful of students had been sent to the hospital wing and half the classroom had been scorched.
"I must thank you Hermione. After Wiley set Marley's hair on fire, I wasn't sure if they would start throwing curses at each other or not. My dear you look rather ragged. Why don't you go clean up? I will send word to Professor Snape telling him that you will be late and that it is my fault. Go on so you don't miss the whole class." McGonagall ordered as she attempted to remove the scorch marks from the wall, unsuccessfully.
"Miss Granger, may I inquire as to where you have been for the last thirty minutes of my class? Surely you did not fall asleep again," Snape commented in a snide tone.
"Professor, didn't you get a note? Professor McGonagall said she would send you a note explaining where I've been." Hermione stuttered girlishly.
Snape got agitated, "If she had sent me a note, do you think I would have wasted me time asking you where you were if I already knew the answer? Now, why don't you enlighten the class: Why is it okay for the Head Girl to be late for class without a reason?"
"But Professor, I do have a reason. See, I was helping Professor McGonagall with the first years during my free period this morning. They were transfiguring goblets into candles and by the end of the class, they had set half the classroom on fire. I helped straighten up a bit and Professor McGonagall said I needed to clean up and that she would send you a note and, and..." Hermione stammered nervously, finding her shoes quite interesting at that moment.
"And that's not a reason, that's an excuse. Ten points from Gryffindor and it'll be more if you say another word. I wish to see you after class. Now sit down and get to work." Snape ordered, turning and heading to the front of the room.
Hermione, as embarrassed as she was, wasn't going to take that, "But sir…"
"Detention, Miss Granger!" Snape roared, quietly the murmuring class, "One more word and your detention will be with Mr. Filch, now sit down!"
Hermione knew he had won and shuffled, defeated, to her seat and worked in silence for the rest of the class. She waited for the rest of the class to exit before approaching Snape's desk.
"Miss Granger, if I may say so, you are an excellent actress. For a moment, I truly thought you were afraid." Snape chuckled.
"Seriously? That is rather pathetic. Why should I be afraid of you? Wait, hold that thought. I have to go to Herbology. Think about that and give me your answer later." Hermione requested as she headed for the door.
Snape was confused, "Later? What's later?"
Just before Hermione exited, she waved and replied, "Detention. 7 o'clock. In the dungeons."