Chapter 1:
Sunday, June 20th 1999,
Dear Journal,
I have just received a letter from Hogwarts concerning my job application, and I have been accepted for the job of Muggle Studies Professor, since the last two quit right after meeting Snape. It's almost laughable, really, I mean, after all those years trying to get away from the slimy git, here I am, and needing to work with him is mandatory! But anyway, eew, get him out of my mind! On to a cleaner and more agreeable subject to my stomach, I am moving to Hogwarts this afternoon. My luggage is packed and ready to go, my train (The Hogwarts Express, which I haven't been on since my 7th year) leaves at12:30. Oh my! It's 10:30 already; I only have a few hours! I'd better use the rest of my time to look for Crookshanks!
Hermione.
Hermione rushed about calling for Crookshanks for an hour and a half, before finally finding him lounging in the dry bathtub. "Crookshanks! What do you think you're doing? Trying to make me late? C'mon, into the crate with you! Oh, don't you sass me! Go on! Get in there. Do I have to petrify you first?" At last, though with a considerable amount of fuss, Crookshanks meandered his way into the small tan crate. This almost made Hermione want to murder her cat.
Without any further adue, Hermione apparated to Platform 9 ¾. There she loaded her baggage onto the train's last compartment and sat down near the window so she could enjoy the scenery.
With a whistle blowing and the screech of the wheels to the tracks, they were off. Hermione's auburn eyes glittered in the sunlight as she stared blankly at the blur of greenness. Her thoughts were elsewhere, but that elsewhere was nowhere she knew about or acknowledged in her subconscious state-of-mind.
"Hermione Granger? Is that you?" Said a handsome voice behind her. She twisted around to see who was asking for her. It was a young man she had never laid eyes on before. "Miss Hermione Granger?" He repeated. She nodded. He, obviously seeing the confused look on her face added, "You don't remember me, do you?" Hermione had to admit it; she was pretty well stumped. She shook her head in response. "I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy." Hermione was no longer stumped, but floored she was. For a few minutes, they just stared at each other. Then Hermione spoke for the first time since Draco had entered the room.
"Uhm, wow, ever since age seventeen, uh, you've changed, a lot." She stumbled over her words so much she could just feel the heat raising in the cheeks. He smiled. A true smile. Not one of the ones he used to plaster onto his face to impress his father. A real smile. She was right, though, he had changed a lot. His hair was now a lime green color, for only god knows what reason; His face seemed more brood and shapely than it used to, and his arms were, well, muscular. He still was pale, and he still had those icy blue eyes that looked like they could freeze fire in seconds.
"May I?" He asked, implying with a flick of his hand the seat across from her. It took her a moment to comprehend it. Then she nodded and said,
"Please do." Draco took the seat gracefully. "How have you been doing lately? Have you found any jobs you like?" Hermione asked. He smirked at this.
"I've been doing fine, and I'm taking up the position as Astrology Professor this year, as you probably have heard, the previous professor had a small accident resulting in a one way trip to the mental wing of St. Mungo's." She nodded. "How about you? Anything new and/or exciting?"
"I'm fine also, and it looks as though we will be work together at Hogwarts this year, as I have recently taken the slot of Muggle Studies Professor."
"That sounds like a blast," He glanced at his watch. "I'm sorry Hermione, I have to go now, and Pansy and I have to discuss names for the baby." Hermione looked surprised.
"Baby?"
" Pansy and I are expecting. well actually she's the one expecting to have the child, I hate it when arrogant men strut around saying 'we're going to have a baby' when in truth, their significant other is. So I guess I shouldn't be so stupid to make the same mistake, huh?" He half laughed. Hermione giggled.
"Good point." She said.
"You wouldn't want to join us, would you? I mean two Slytherins and a Gryffindor, Quite a strange group, don't you think?" She smiled even more than before.
"Yes it would be a strange group, I would love to!" Hermione exclaimed. " I haven't seen Pansy since Graduation!" Hermione hooked her arm with Draco's and said, "Lead the way."
* ** * ** * ** * ** * ** *
"Hermione!" Someone called out at breakfast the next morning. The auburn eyes looked from person to person until they found the one to which the voice belonged.
"Profe-!" She began but was interrupted by the woman.
"Call me Minerva, Dear, we are colleagues now! Oh, it's wonderful to see you again. I almost had a fit when I found out that that Malfoy boy got a position and you hadn't yet!"
"Minerva," Hermione stated, taken aback by the tone used. "Draco and I have been friends since graduation, remember?"
"Yes, Dear, but, he's a Slytherin. I still don't trust him." Minerva said in a low tone. "Oh. and I'm sorry about the seating arrangements, Dear, but Albus has you sitting next to Professor Snape, there was nothing I could have done about it."
"It's quite alright, Minerva, I've survived him before, I think I can handle it now." Hermione answered, obviously a bit put off by Minerva's odd behavior.
"Right, uhm, here is where you sit, Dear." Minerva said, gesturing to the Blackish colored wooden chair. Contrary to popular belief, the teachers did face each other during mealtimes; at least they did while school was out. They also didn't wear heavy wizards robes either, only muggle clothes, Hermione noticed.
Hermione took her seat between the two empty chairs. Then Professor Lupin sat next to her on her right side, he had gotten the Defense Against The Dark Arts job again, after Ron and Neville's brilliant work on the Wolfsbane Potion, which had cured Lupin of his 'grrrrr-ee-ness' as Hermione had said once. "Hullo, Hermione, how are you doing? It's been a long time."
"Hi, Professor, uhm, I'm fine, how are you?" She answered; it felt strange, talking to him for the first time in over four years.
"Good, Has anything been happening with you, I mean anything exciting enough that you'd want to tell about it?" She didn't answer. She had just been rendered speechless, not because of Lupin's question, but because of the man that just walked in. It was Severus Snape. She stared at the Potions Professor with astonishment, and then she asked Lupin the question that had been going through her mind.
"Does he always wear those horrible heavy robes?" Lupin looked up to see whom she was talking about. Then he nodded.
"Yup," he answered. "Always. He never says why though I've asked him dozens of times." Lupin finished as Snape slumped into the seat on the left of Hermione. He just glanced at her once, then said,
"Another Airhead Bimbo, for the muggle studies job? Albus, what point are you trying to make?" Then he simply sneered. Hermione looked him up and down, then said,
"Clearly you don't remember me Professor, because if I remember correctly, Even in my first year I could solve riddles in an eighth of the time it took you. Not to mention that my knowledge of potions at that time easily surpassed your knowledge to date." Then Hermione gave a sweet smile, while Draco began making cat fight noises. An old and annoyed voice rang out amongst the amazed chatter.
"That's enough! Both of you! Severus, you know better than that! Hermione, I expected more dignified behavior out of you! Now look at me! I'm breaking up a fight between two full-grown Professors as if they were a pair of quarreling two year olds! If you want to act like two year olds, then maybe you should be scolded like they are!" Albus Dumbledore was breathing like a winded rhinoceros.
"My apologies, Professor." Hermione said, nearly in tears, she hadn't gotten in trouble in a long time, and wasn't prepared for what just happened. "Please excuse me." Then she got up and rushed out of the Great Hall and up the humongous marble staircase. She ran up the next thirteen fights of stairs until she reached the corridor she needed. Muttering the password so quickly the Sphinx on her portrait almost didn't understand what she had said, Hermione rushed into her rooms and tripped over one of the boxes that was on the floor, as she hadn't moved in all the way yet. Everything went black.
* ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * **
"Miss Granger," said a silky voice from somewhere in the fading darkness. "Miss Granger? Are you alright?" Hermione opened her eyes to find Snape sideling her stomach. "Miss Granger, how many fingers am I holding up?" Hermione punched him square in the nose and his hands came up to nurse his nose. "What the fuck was that for?!" He screeched.
"Get off me!" Hermione screamed. He looked confused, if it was even possible behind those blood covered hands. He then moved. She got up and pulled him to his feet. "Follow me." she said simply. Then she lead him into the bathroom where she had left her wand. "Hold Still." Wand pointed at his face, she healed his nose and it immediately stopped bleeding, and righted itself.
"OW!" he yelled.
"Oh, you'll be just fine!" She muttered. "Now, what do you think you are doing in my rooms?" She asked, suddenly becoming angry.
"Uh.... Albus sent me." He answered lamely. "I'd better go." He said, deciding that he had better get going, before he got hit in a more sensitive place.
`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`* `*`*`*`*`*`
Sunday, June 20th 1999,
Dear Journal,
I have just received a letter from Hogwarts concerning my job application, and I have been accepted for the job of Muggle Studies Professor, since the last two quit right after meeting Snape. It's almost laughable, really, I mean, after all those years trying to get away from the slimy git, here I am, and needing to work with him is mandatory! But anyway, eew, get him out of my mind! On to a cleaner and more agreeable subject to my stomach, I am moving to Hogwarts this afternoon. My luggage is packed and ready to go, my train (The Hogwarts Express, which I haven't been on since my 7th year) leaves at12:30. Oh my! It's 10:30 already; I only have a few hours! I'd better use the rest of my time to look for Crookshanks!
Hermione.
Hermione rushed about calling for Crookshanks for an hour and a half, before finally finding him lounging in the dry bathtub. "Crookshanks! What do you think you're doing? Trying to make me late? C'mon, into the crate with you! Oh, don't you sass me! Go on! Get in there. Do I have to petrify you first?" At last, though with a considerable amount of fuss, Crookshanks meandered his way into the small tan crate. This almost made Hermione want to murder her cat.
Without any further adue, Hermione apparated to Platform 9 ¾. There she loaded her baggage onto the train's last compartment and sat down near the window so she could enjoy the scenery.
With a whistle blowing and the screech of the wheels to the tracks, they were off. Hermione's auburn eyes glittered in the sunlight as she stared blankly at the blur of greenness. Her thoughts were elsewhere, but that elsewhere was nowhere she knew about or acknowledged in her subconscious state-of-mind.
"Hermione Granger? Is that you?" Said a handsome voice behind her. She twisted around to see who was asking for her. It was a young man she had never laid eyes on before. "Miss Hermione Granger?" He repeated. She nodded. He, obviously seeing the confused look on her face added, "You don't remember me, do you?" Hermione had to admit it; she was pretty well stumped. She shook her head in response. "I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy." Hermione was no longer stumped, but floored she was. For a few minutes, they just stared at each other. Then Hermione spoke for the first time since Draco had entered the room.
"Uhm, wow, ever since age seventeen, uh, you've changed, a lot." She stumbled over her words so much she could just feel the heat raising in the cheeks. He smiled. A true smile. Not one of the ones he used to plaster onto his face to impress his father. A real smile. She was right, though, he had changed a lot. His hair was now a lime green color, for only god knows what reason; His face seemed more brood and shapely than it used to, and his arms were, well, muscular. He still was pale, and he still had those icy blue eyes that looked like they could freeze fire in seconds.
"May I?" He asked, implying with a flick of his hand the seat across from her. It took her a moment to comprehend it. Then she nodded and said,
"Please do." Draco took the seat gracefully. "How have you been doing lately? Have you found any jobs you like?" Hermione asked. He smirked at this.
"I've been doing fine, and I'm taking up the position as Astrology Professor this year, as you probably have heard, the previous professor had a small accident resulting in a one way trip to the mental wing of St. Mungo's." She nodded. "How about you? Anything new and/or exciting?"
"I'm fine also, and it looks as though we will be work together at Hogwarts this year, as I have recently taken the slot of Muggle Studies Professor."
"That sounds like a blast," He glanced at his watch. "I'm sorry Hermione, I have to go now, and Pansy and I have to discuss names for the baby." Hermione looked surprised.
"Baby?"
" Pansy and I are expecting. well actually she's the one expecting to have the child, I hate it when arrogant men strut around saying 'we're going to have a baby' when in truth, their significant other is. So I guess I shouldn't be so stupid to make the same mistake, huh?" He half laughed. Hermione giggled.
"Good point." She said.
"You wouldn't want to join us, would you? I mean two Slytherins and a Gryffindor, Quite a strange group, don't you think?" She smiled even more than before.
"Yes it would be a strange group, I would love to!" Hermione exclaimed. " I haven't seen Pansy since Graduation!" Hermione hooked her arm with Draco's and said, "Lead the way."
* ** * ** * ** * ** * ** *
"Hermione!" Someone called out at breakfast the next morning. The auburn eyes looked from person to person until they found the one to which the voice belonged.
"Profe-!" She began but was interrupted by the woman.
"Call me Minerva, Dear, we are colleagues now! Oh, it's wonderful to see you again. I almost had a fit when I found out that that Malfoy boy got a position and you hadn't yet!"
"Minerva," Hermione stated, taken aback by the tone used. "Draco and I have been friends since graduation, remember?"
"Yes, Dear, but, he's a Slytherin. I still don't trust him." Minerva said in a low tone. "Oh. and I'm sorry about the seating arrangements, Dear, but Albus has you sitting next to Professor Snape, there was nothing I could have done about it."
"It's quite alright, Minerva, I've survived him before, I think I can handle it now." Hermione answered, obviously a bit put off by Minerva's odd behavior.
"Right, uhm, here is where you sit, Dear." Minerva said, gesturing to the Blackish colored wooden chair. Contrary to popular belief, the teachers did face each other during mealtimes; at least they did while school was out. They also didn't wear heavy wizards robes either, only muggle clothes, Hermione noticed.
Hermione took her seat between the two empty chairs. Then Professor Lupin sat next to her on her right side, he had gotten the Defense Against The Dark Arts job again, after Ron and Neville's brilliant work on the Wolfsbane Potion, which had cured Lupin of his 'grrrrr-ee-ness' as Hermione had said once. "Hullo, Hermione, how are you doing? It's been a long time."
"Hi, Professor, uhm, I'm fine, how are you?" She answered; it felt strange, talking to him for the first time in over four years.
"Good, Has anything been happening with you, I mean anything exciting enough that you'd want to tell about it?" She didn't answer. She had just been rendered speechless, not because of Lupin's question, but because of the man that just walked in. It was Severus Snape. She stared at the Potions Professor with astonishment, and then she asked Lupin the question that had been going through her mind.
"Does he always wear those horrible heavy robes?" Lupin looked up to see whom she was talking about. Then he nodded.
"Yup," he answered. "Always. He never says why though I've asked him dozens of times." Lupin finished as Snape slumped into the seat on the left of Hermione. He just glanced at her once, then said,
"Another Airhead Bimbo, for the muggle studies job? Albus, what point are you trying to make?" Then he simply sneered. Hermione looked him up and down, then said,
"Clearly you don't remember me Professor, because if I remember correctly, Even in my first year I could solve riddles in an eighth of the time it took you. Not to mention that my knowledge of potions at that time easily surpassed your knowledge to date." Then Hermione gave a sweet smile, while Draco began making cat fight noises. An old and annoyed voice rang out amongst the amazed chatter.
"That's enough! Both of you! Severus, you know better than that! Hermione, I expected more dignified behavior out of you! Now look at me! I'm breaking up a fight between two full-grown Professors as if they were a pair of quarreling two year olds! If you want to act like two year olds, then maybe you should be scolded like they are!" Albus Dumbledore was breathing like a winded rhinoceros.
"My apologies, Professor." Hermione said, nearly in tears, she hadn't gotten in trouble in a long time, and wasn't prepared for what just happened. "Please excuse me." Then she got up and rushed out of the Great Hall and up the humongous marble staircase. She ran up the next thirteen fights of stairs until she reached the corridor she needed. Muttering the password so quickly the Sphinx on her portrait almost didn't understand what she had said, Hermione rushed into her rooms and tripped over one of the boxes that was on the floor, as she hadn't moved in all the way yet. Everything went black.
* ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * **
"Miss Granger," said a silky voice from somewhere in the fading darkness. "Miss Granger? Are you alright?" Hermione opened her eyes to find Snape sideling her stomach. "Miss Granger, how many fingers am I holding up?" Hermione punched him square in the nose and his hands came up to nurse his nose. "What the fuck was that for?!" He screeched.
"Get off me!" Hermione screamed. He looked confused, if it was even possible behind those blood covered hands. He then moved. She got up and pulled him to his feet. "Follow me." she said simply. Then she lead him into the bathroom where she had left her wand. "Hold Still." Wand pointed at his face, she healed his nose and it immediately stopped bleeding, and righted itself.
"OW!" he yelled.
"Oh, you'll be just fine!" She muttered. "Now, what do you think you are doing in my rooms?" She asked, suddenly becoming angry.
"Uh.... Albus sent me." He answered lamely. "I'd better go." He said, deciding that he had better get going, before he got hit in a more sensitive place.
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