Disclaimer: It's not mine, I guess I'm wishing on the wrong star for it since I never get it.
A/N: Thanks so much everyone for all the reviews! Just to let everyone know, I'm going to be leaving on vacation for two weeks from June 2 to June 15. I'm going to Italy! I'm so excited, so after this chapter, it may be a little bit before the story's updated, okay? This chapter dedicated to Rosethorn Mage – Love the name! Anyways, on to the story!
Take Time to Smell the Roses
Chapter Fourteen
"Hermione, wake up," a low voice entered her subconscious early Monday morning.
"I don't wanna," she mumbled back rubbing her face deeper into her pillow.
"Fine then, miss your first class," Severus threatened.
"WHAT!?!" She shot up like a bullet at his statement, and then looked at the clock; 8:24. Her first class was at 9:00, and she had wanted to get there early.
"Calm down," Severus smirked as she began rushing in and out of the bathroom gathering her clothes and robes to wear. "I need to head down to my classroom, but I brought you breakfast, it's on the kitchen table with a warming spell."
"Thanks!" she yelled rushing back into the bathroom, turning on the shower.
Severus shook his head, laughing silently to himself as he strode out of the room. He quickly switched the half-grin on his face to his usual sneer as he entered the halls; he did have a reputation to keep after all. Slamming open the door, he walked to his desk, glaring at the fourth year Hufflepuffs who cowered in their seats as he began the lesson on healing potions.
Meanwhile, Hermione was having a great time with her first year students. She had walked in and got everything set up just in time for the start of class. She had introduced herself as Mrs. Snape, saying that would be easier than calling her Professor Snape so that she wouldn't be confused with the potions professor. As for the actual lesson, it had gone very well. First years were starting off learning about some of the earliest wizarding battles, so Hermione had the students clear the middle of the room, and set up a small scale diagram and had the students act out the battles using their wands to move various armies and wizards around. As the students left, she could hear them talking about how interesting that had been. That made her sigh in relief since she had been so bored with Professor Binns' teaching style. Closing up her classroom, she gathered her things together to head to her own classes.
"How was it?" Severus asked at dinner that evening as she sat down next to him.
"It was great! I loved teaching them; they were all so well behaved. I could hear them talking about how interesting the lesson had been too!" Hermione said in an excited breath as she helped herself to some food.
"And your classes you attended with Mr. Weasley?"
"He still won't talk to me. He just ignored me in class, but it's all right," Hermione sneaked a glance towards Gryffindor table where Ron kept shooting disgusted and angry looks towards her.
"Why don't you try talking to him? Isn't that how you Gryffindors like to do things? Curse first, talk later?" Severus smirked as he took a sip of water.
"Well I would, but every time I do he just looks at me and then storms off."
"Well then petrify him. He'll have no choice but to listen to you."
"Severus!" Hermione looked at him mildly irritated. "You know I can't hex him, he's still considered my student, and besides, what kind of example would I be setting for the younger students?"
"A good one," Severus smirked again as Hermione looked shocked. "Well if you refuse, why don't you just assign him detention? Then he'll have to listen to you. And as a professor, you don't necessarily have to have a reason for giving detentions out. I know I don't."
"No wonder people say you're a greasy old bastard," Hermione laughed at his fiercest glare. "But I don't know, I think it'd just make him madder."
"Just do it, otherwise I will, and then I'll turn the detention over to you. And five points from Gryffindor for insulting a professor."
"Fine," Hermione got up from the table to go tell Ron he had a detention with her tonight. However, as he saw her approaching, he stood up and left.
"Ron, could I talk to you?" she asked as she followed him out of the great hall.
"No," he said shortly, not stopping.
"Detention Ron," she called, making him stop in his tracks, but he didn't turn around. "Tonight at 7, in my classroom, please."
Unsurprisingly, he didn't say anything, only continued on his way to only Merlin knows where. Hermione went back to the great hall to let Severus know that she would be administering Ron's detention at 7. She knew that even if he wouldn't talk to her, he had no choice but to listen to what she had to say.
"You're late Ron," Hermione commented at 7:10 when he finally showed up.
"Hmph," he glared at her as he sat down in one of the desks and crossed his arms, not meeting her eyes.
"Ron, I didn't want to do this, but it was the only way short of petrifying you that I could get you to listen to me," she pleaded with him. "Now I'm not going to make you do anything, but I am going to explain myself to you, although as your friend I shouldn't have to."
"Whatever," he said under his breath, obviously annoyed.
"Ron, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about being made a professor, but the thing is I didn't even find out till a few days before term started. As for the whole situation with Severus, sorry Professor Snape," she amended as he blanched at her use of his first name. "You seemed understanding before. I already explained my reasons for the matchmaking agency and all, so why can't you just accept it?"
"Because!" He stated vehemently.
"That's childish!" she snapped at him. "You and I have been friends for almost six years now, and you're one of my best friends. I don't want to lose that!"
"You've changed Mione," he said softly almost 10 minutes later. "I don't know who you are anymore. First you go and act totally un-Mione like by applying to that matchmaking agency. Then you pick Snape out of all the applicants, and I guess I understand your reasons, but still. And the whole teaching thing was just the final straw I guess. Everything's changing, and I wish we could just go back to how things were."
"You know they can't Ron," she came over and sat down next to him. "I guess I have changed; we all have. Change is something that happens, and we can't stop it, we just have to accept it and learn to deal with it. I guess I hadn't realised how hard all this would be on you, and I'm sorry. It's hard on me too, being a wife, a teacher, and a student all in two months. I've had to learn to deal with Professor Snape on a daily basis, and learn lesson plans so I can teach. I had never imagined being a teacher and a student at the same time. And your being angry with me doesn't help."
"I know, and I'm sorry Mione," Ron looked sheepish.
"I'm sorry too Ron. I should've explained everything to you and Harry right away instead of putting it off till his party. Can you forgive me Ron?" Hermione was getting teary eyed as she grasped one of his hands. "Can we still be still be friends? Cause I know I'm going to need your and Harry's support."
"Of course Mione," Ron stood up and pulled her up into a hug. "And can you forgive me for being a prat?"
"I always do," she laughed as they pulled away. "Oh, I'm sorry about giving you detention, but Professor Snape and I agreed it was the only way to really get you to listen to what I had to say. You're free to go too, and 10 points to Gryffindor for being a courageous friend."
"It's all right, I don't blame you," Ron smiled back at her. "I have some homework to finish before tomorrow, so I'll catch you later Mione."
"Bye," she replied as he left the room with a final hug.
Hermione closed up her classroom once again before heading back down to her quarters. After going through the complicated process of undoing the wards, she entered to see Severus sitting at the table grading papers.
"I didn't know you wore glasses," she commented as she hung her robe on one of the hooks inside the doorway.
"That's because I don't. These are charmed to allow me to read any students handwriting, no matter how illegible it may be," he looked up at her. "How did things go with Mr. Weasley?"
"Good, we talked and got things cleared up, and we're friends again," she replied sitting down in the chair next to his.
"So no more crying episodes like the other evening?"
"No more."
"Good, because I don't like dealing with crying girls, never mind the fact I don't know how to deal with them," Severus took off his glasses and set them down on the pile of papers he had just finished.
"Well you should learn sometime, you never know when one of your Slytherin females will come crying to you about something," Hermione teased, poking him on the arm.
"Oh be quiet," he poked her back, her playful manner rubbing off on him.
"Why don't you make me?" she challenged, leaning in to look him in the eye.
"Maybe I will," he challenged back, also leaning in close to her till their faces were almost touching.
"Oh really?" her eyes narrowed.
"Really," he narrowed his eyes, mocking her. "Silencio."
Hermione's eyes widened as she heard him cast the spell, and Severus burst out laughing at the look of shock on her face. She hadn't been expecting that, and now the score was Severus: 1, Hermione: Zip.
Life…was good.
A/N: Okay everyone, a little bit of Ron/Hermione back to being friends. I couldn't keep him mad at her, she's gonna need him when certain Slyths start being mean (Cough Draco Cough), so I had them make up. Also, a little bit of Hermione/Severus fun-ness at the end to hold ya over till the next update, which will be a while, so don't hate me :-) okay? Till next time, review if you want, it's cool if you don't!