Hermione sighed in relief as the last of her students exited the classroom. She was rather exhausted, considering it was her first day on the job. She closed her eyes for a few moments, letting the wave of sleepiness engulf her.
A sound of a door shutting, startled her as she jumped up from the seat, her wand poised in front of her. McGonagall stared at her, apprehensively.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you" Hermione relaxed and lowered her wand, smiling apologetically at the Transfiguration teacher.
"It's alright, sorry about that"
"No, it's fine. Good to know that we've got a teacher always on their guard" Hermione blushed slightly.
"Well, that's sort of what it was like in the future. Always having to be on guard" McGonagall looked confused.
"So, what's become of him now?" she questioned curiously.
"It's not really my place to say Minerva" Hermione said, looking worried. McGonagall nodded in understanding.
"Very well. Would you like me to accompany you to the Great Hall, I'm feeling rather peckish" Hermione nodded and grinned.
"Hey Minerva, d'you think Albus would mind awfully if I sat with the Gryffindors? I'd like to get to know them a bit better" McGonagall beamed at her.
"That's a wonderful idea. No, I wouldn't have thought that he'd mind" Hermione smiled mischievously.
"Excellent"
McGonagall watched her with amusement evident on her face.
"Why do I get the feeling that you're up to something?" Hermione pretended to look offended.
"Minerva, I'm not up to anything! What on earth gives you that idea?"
"Just a hunch, I guess" Hermione giggled, while McGonagall shook her head slightly.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
As soon as Hermione seated herself at the Gryffindor table, everyone shot her curious looks. Hermione smiled as she helped herself to mash potatoes and sausages. She looked up on seeing a shadow over her.
"Hi there Hermione, why aren't you at the Staff table?" Lily asked, sitting herself opposite her teacher. Hermione shrugged.
"I felt out of place over there, so I decided to join the people over here who are round about my age" Lily nodded.
"Just curious, but why did you sit yourself at the Gryffindor table?"
"Seems like the best house in the school" Hermione stated, a grin forming on her face. Lily grinned and laughed.
"Yeah, I guess"
"So, where are your friends?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, they're all with their boyfriends" Lily said, a disapproving look on her face "My best friend Alice can't separate herself from Frank Longbottom, it's so annoying" Hermione shot her a sympathetic look.
"What about you? Don't you have a boyfriend?" Hermione queried. Lily shook her head.
"No, well, not really"
"Really? Why's that then? You're very pretty Lily, I'm sure there a lot of guys in this school that have the hots for you" Lily shook her head.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at her.
"You said, no, not really when I asked if you had a boyfriend, what did you mean by that?"
"Oh, well, there's this guy that's fancied me since third year. His name's James Potter. He's annoying and he's got a really big ego. He absolutely disgusts me" Lily said.
"Why do I somehow get the feeling that there's more to this than what you're telling me?" Lily coloured slightly.
"It's nothing, I-"
"C'mon Lily, you can tell me. I promise that whatever you tell me is confidential. No one else will know" she assured the red head. Lily stared at her strangely.
"You know what? It's strange, but I feel that I can trust you, yet I hardly know you" Hermione smiled.
"Well . . ." Lily bent over and whispered into Hermione's ear "I think I've developed a crush on him" Hermione grinned.
"Ooh Lily, which one is he?" she questioned, pretending to not know who James Potter was.
"He's over there, sitting next to Sirius and Remus. The boy with the messy black hair, brown eyes and glasses. No, don't look!" she hissed, when Hermione turned around to see the four Marauders laughing loudly at something that James had said. Hermione stared at the boy in awe. It was true that he and Harry looked alike. They could've passed as twins!
"Well, well, he's quite a catch, isn't he?" Hermione said with a wink. Lily blushed and mumbled something incoherent.
"And he fancies you?" Lily nodded "And you fancy him?" Lily nodded again.
"Well, tell him then" Lily's head snapped up as she stared at Hermione in disbelief.
"I can't!"
"Why?"
"B-Because, I-I just can't, I don't have the guts"
"Well, I'll tell him for you"
"No, you will do no such thing! I trusted you, don't you dare go and betray me Hermione!"
"I'm still your teacher, Miss Evans. If I ask him if he'll go out with you and he says yes, will you?" Lily nodded slowly.
"I-I guess"
"Fine, I'll go and ask him now"
"What?!" Lily gasped in horror "Now?"
"Yes" Hermione stood up and made her way over to James, ignoring Lily's pleads to leave it. She stopped in front of James and waited patiently for the Marauders to stop talking so she could say her piece. Sirius nudged James, who looked up and grinned.
"Oh, hi Hermione, did you want something?"
"I wanted a word with you alone, Mr. Potter" Sirius whistled and James smacked him around the head.
"Excuse my friend, he's a moron" Hermione bit back a laugh when Sirius glared at him in annoyance. Everyone watched as James and Hermione left the Great Hall.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
"Do you like Miss Evans?" Hermione asked as soon as they entered her office. James' jaw dropped in surprise, obviously not expecting such a question to come out of a teacher's mouth.
"W-Why?" he asked, looking suspiciously to her. Hermione grinned.
"I was just curious. I noticed you eyeing her up in my class and it looked like you've taken quite an interest in her" James blushed bright red and looked away.
"Uh, y-yeah, I do like her"
"Why don't you ask her out then?"
"She hates me" James told her, looking miserable, reminding Hermione rather strongly of Harry whenever he was upset. Hermione smiled sympathetically.
"Well, I think you should ask her out. You never know what she'll say. You're growing and maturing into a man, Mr. Potter" James eyed her with a curious expression on his face.
"Why are you so keen on me asking her out?" Hermione walked over to him and whispered in his ear.
"Let's just say that a little birdie told me that if you asked her out, you might just get a positive answer" she told him. She winked at him, before leaving the office, leaving James to gape after her.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
"Hey Hermione" Hermione whirled around and came face-to-face with Sirius Black.
"Ah, hello there, Sirius" Sirius put on a charming smile and ran a hand through his hair. Hermione observed this action with amusement.
"Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked. Sirius shook his head.
"No, my dear Hermione, I was wondering if there was anything, I could help you with?"
"Trying to put the moves on me, Mr. Black?" Sirius pretended to look offended.
Sirius, what do you think you're doing? You're my boyfriend's godfather, you idiot! Hermione screamed inside her mind.
"Hermione, I wouldn't do such a thing" Hermione snorted with laughter.
"I'm supposed to believe that? Mr. Black, if you want to charm a girl, then please do it to someone in your year, not to me. I am your teacher, I don't have time to mess around with students" she stated simply, before turning on her heel and storming off, but Sirius wasn't going to give up that easily.
"But you're still my age though"
"Students don't date teachers, Mr. Black, now if you please, I need to attend to a staff meeting" Of course, this wasn't true, but she was desperate to get away from Sirius Black, it made her uneasy that he was flirting with her.
"No, you don't. I just heard McGonagall say that she was coming to see you to see if you would like to go down to Hogsmeade"
"Then why don't you take a hint, Mr. Black and stop bothering me?" Hermione said hotly, glaring angrily at the boy who was grinning madly.
"I don't give up that easily" he told her "Plus, a pretty girl like you needs to have a boyfriend, right? Why can't it be the best looking guy in Hogwarts?" Hermione stared at him in disgust. He sure had a high opinion of himself!
"I'm sorry, Sirius, but I've only just broken it off with my other boyfriend, if you don't mind, I'd look some time to recover. We were extremely close and we loved one another, I'm not quite ready for another relationship and even if I did want to start another one, it most definitely wouldn't be with you" she told him, her voice as cold as ice. Sirius seemed to get the message and backed off.
"Alright then, I'll see you later Hermione" he told her and ran off.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
"I just can't believe the nerve of him Minerva!" Hermione exploded as soon as they'd sat down and ordered their drinks in the Three Broomsticks. McGonagall chuckled.
"Well, it's just like Black to go after the prettiest girls in school"
"That's not the point! Do you know how old he is in my time? He's like thirty eight! No way am I getting involved with him! It's just not possible! And my god, when he told me that he had a big ego, he wasn't wrong!"
McGonagall laughed and Hermione noticed out of the corner of her eye that the door had opened and shut again. No doubt it was the Marauders under the Invisibility cloak.
"So, let's change the subject now, I'm tired of talking you-know-what" she told her. McGonagall nodded in understanding.
"So . . . tell me about Harry, you know, your boyfriend" McGonagall said with a grin. Hermione laughed.
"It's strange really, he looks a lot like James Potter, messy black hair, glasses, except he has the most beautiful emerald green eyes" Hermione informed her. McGonagall smiled.
"Once, he kissed me in front of the entire class, including my Transfiguration teacher" she said with a wink "and she totally exploded. It was quite funny actually, considering I was the miss know-it-all who didn't like to get in trouble. But when Harry and I were best friends and Ron, Harry's best male friend . . . when we were in school, we used to go around breaking rules all the time under his Invisibility cloak. It was so much fun" McGonagall shook her head slightly, torn between disapproval and amusement.
"Well, tell me about these so-called Marauders, they sound like pranksters. In fact, they sound like Harry, Ron and I in a way"
"Well, there's James Potter, he's what you would call the leader of the group, then there's his best friend Sirius Black"
"Yes, the oh-so-annoying one who has a big ego and tries his luck with his Defense against the Dark Arts professor" Hermione said, rolling his eyes with a small smile on her face.
McGonagall laughed.
"Yes, well, he is quite a catch with the girls, just like James Potter, those two are inseparable. There's also Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew"
"Ah, Remus Lupin" Hermione said, her eyes twinkling. McGonagall looked to her questioningly and Hermione nodded.
"He seems a rather nice boy. Rather intelligent. Sort of like the male version of me, I guess"
"Really?"
"Yep. I was the most innocent one out of the group and the one with the clean record" Hermione said with a giggle.
"Now why doesn't that surprise me?" McGonagall questioned sarcastically.
"I think Remus Lupin is a good-looking boy, doesn't he have any female admirers?"
"Oh yes, he most definitely does. Not as many as Potter and Black, mind you, but yes, he does have his fair share. Too wrapped up in his studies and pulling pranks to notice though" Hermione laughed.
"I was like that. The only time I realized that guys were taking an interest in me was when Harry told me that he really liked me and he invited me to this Ball. I found it rather unnerving when all the guys were staring at me!" McGonagall laughed again.
"What about Peter Pettigrew?" Hermione questioned curiously.
"Oh, well, he's like the odd one out, poor thing. I do feel for him, he struggles immensely with his school work and he's always seen following Potter and Black around everywhere"
"So, I take it that Potter and Black are the ringleaders of their little group?"
"Yes"
"D'you wanna know a secret?" Hermione questioned; a sly grin on her face. McGonagall looked intrigued.
"Sure, you can trust me"
"I was one of your best students in school" she whispered in her ear. McGonagall beamed at her.
"That's brilliant!"
"I think I'm a bit hyper!"
"You are?"
"Yes, I'm in the mood for singing!" McGonagall groaned.
"Well, I'm not"
"Aw, c'mon on Minerva, don't be a spoil sport, sing with me"
"Are you hyper or drunk?" McGonagall queried. Hermione laughed.
"You know what? I think Sirius Black is attractive, but I don't fancy him. It was rather amusing in a way when he was making the moves on me because I wasn't affected at all. I mean, what did he expect me to do? Swoon at his feet?" McGonagall grinned.
"Ah, and I know that you have a thing for Albus, by the way" McGonagall stiffened slightly, her eyes wide in shock.
"W-What, I do not!" Hermione grinned evilly.
"Yes, you do, Minerva, I've seen the way you look at him. It's like you're in some sort of trance and the look on your face! I'm sorry, but it's just plain obvious, I'm surprised the students and the other teachers don't notice it"
McGonagall blushed crimson.
"By the way, there's one student that I'd like to discuss with you. He's an extremely rude student, I was hoping if maybe you could get his Head of House to have a word with him"
"Who is it?"
"Severus Snape" McGonagall's face darkened.
"No. His Head of House is Murky. I'm sorry, but there is absolutely no way that I am going anywhere near that man, that's where the Slytherins get it from"
Hermione sighed.
"Fine" She downed the last of her drink and stood up "Shall we head back to Hogwarts now?"
"Yes, let's"
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The next morning, Hermione stormed up to Murky with her eyes ablaze.
"Anton, this is the last straw, I am fed up with your House being rude and disrespectful to me. Will you please have a word with them and tell them to stop it!" Murky looked and simply smirked.
"No" he answered and stood up, making to leave the staff table.
"You need to have a word with them! They're out of control and you're just going to let them carry on as they are now?" Murky stopped walking and looked to Hermione dangerously.
"Professor Granger, are you suggesting that I don't know how to control my House?"
"Yes, that is exactly what I'm doing!" Hermione snapped. Murky narrowed his eyes and her, his face contorted with fury.
"Miss Granger, I would never tell my students to be respectful to a mudblood like you" he hissed. Hermione gasped, took one step away from him, her hand lowered and hit his cheek with a resounding SMACK! As everyone turned to see a red hand mark appear on their Potions Professor's cheek, they watched as he clenched his hand into a fist and punch Hermione roughly on the cheek. The blow was so forceful that she went flying backwards, her head smacking against the wall as she was knocked out. Immediately, the entire Great Hall went quiet and McGonagall hurried over to Hermione to see if she was alright. Dumbledore's eyes were ablaze as he stood up, rather abruptly, his eyes flashing from Hermione, who lay unconscious on the floor to Murky, who was looking rather smug about what he'd just done.
"Anton, in my office, now!" he snapped. Murky simply shrugged as he followed the Headmaster out of the Great Hall. Hermione was being led out of the Great Hall on a stretcher by Professor McGonagall. As soon as they'd exited the Great Hall, it erupted into loud murmurs.