Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is in this story, except the plot, and any characters that you do not recognize. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling!!!

Yankee Accents

Chapter Twelve: New Curriculum

Written By: Auburn Lily

Jessa and Hermione did not stay at Hermione's parent's house, after all. They instead took the taxi to the street outside of the Leaky Cauldron, and in the dusting snow, walked inside.

It was warm and rosy inside the pub, and Hermione, levitating her trunks and suitcases behind her, sought out Tom to find them some rooms. Jessa stood right behind her, finally entering upon the world that she had been absent from for so long. She brushed snow from her eyelashes and, taking a leaf out of Hermione's books, levitated her luggage as well.

"Hermione, what can I do fo' ya?" Tom asked loudly, emerging from underneath the bar. He held a white rag in one hand and about four butterbears in the other.

"I just need a room, please?"

"Right-O, follow me," he replied, setting down the rag and bottles on the counter. He walked around the bar, and Hermione and Jessa followed him up the stairs.

"Thanks, Tom," Hermione said, as he opened the door to room number 25, and stood back so that they could walk through.

"Anytime, anytime. We always got rooms. Introduce me to your new friend here?" he asked.

"Oh, yes, of course. So sorry, this is Jessamine Sanchez, my friend from the states,"

"Jessa will do," Jessamine said, holding out a hand to shake Tom's.

"Pleased to meet you," Tom replied, taking her small hand in his large one.

"Likewise," Jessa answered.

"Well, I'll leave you two girls to it. If ya need anything, just holler," Tom informed them, before turning and shutting the door behind him.

Hermione let her trunks fall from her wands control with a loud thunk.

"What do you want to do?" Jessa asked, as she walked over to the armoire and began packing her clothes into it.

"I dunno," Hermione replied. "We could explore Diagon Alley, we could run by Hogwarts so I can tell them that I will teach there next year, we could go by-"

"Oh, lets go by Hogwarts, I want to see it," Jessa said.

"Okay," Hermione replied. She opened her trunk and drew out a long, dark gray cloak, and picked her purse off of the bed where she had thrown it. "Let's go."

Jessa grabbed her cloak as well, and they made there was over to the fireplace that sat in their room, so they could floo over to Hogwarts.

---

Granted, it was Monday, mid-day, so classes were in session. Hermione and Jessa flooed straight to Dumbledore's office, and were surprised to see him there.

"Hermione Granger," he said from his desk. "I've been expecting you."

"Hello, Professor," Hermione replied, dusting herself off. Jessa was doing the same beside her. "This is Jessamine Sanchez; she's from the states."

"Nice to meet you," Dumbledore answered from behind his desk.

"Hello," Jessa said, a bit breathlessly. "I haven't done that in a few years."

Hermione chuckled, and turned to Dumbledore. "Professor, I have reconsidered the proposition Professor McGonagall gave to me Christmas, and I would be ever so pleased to take it up."

"Brilliant. I will let you know of all of the course requirements, and so forth as soon as possible. I suppose I could escort you to the classroom that you will be teaching in, and your office and chambers in which you will be taking residence. If you'll just follow me?" Dumbledore replied, standing up behind his desk.

"Yes, of course."

Dumbledore led them out of his office, and through the corridors, all the while asking her questions about the courses she was to teach.

"Now, you are taking up both vacancies, am I correct?"

"Yes, I planned on it."

"Good, good. We recently got the schedules from all of the students planning on taking Arithmancy next year, and I will need to announce tonight at supper that Ancient Runes is now open next year. There aren't that many, and I'm sure you will be able to handle it."

At that moment, they reached the classroom that Arithmancy was held in, and Hermione could faintly hear Professor Vector's voice giving a lecture.

"Here we are, you know this classroom, and I'm sure. Both classes will be held in this room, that way you won't have to migrate every day or so. I'll show you the office behind it, and your quarters, after classes are over. I'd be honoured if you and Jessa could join us for supper tonight?"

Hermione blanched at the offer, and turned to Jessa, who looked at her encouragingly, but didn't say anything except, "Professor, I was wondering if I could have a word?"

"Of course, Jessa. Hermione, if you could excuse us?" Dumbledore answered.

"Yes," Hermione replied, shooting Jessa a curious look, before turning down the corridor. When she looked back over her shoulder, Jessa and Dumbledore had disappeared.

---

Hermione had spent seven years of her life at Hogwarts, and here she was again, about to open another chapter of her life. But she wondered if she was doing the right thing, by coming back. It was all very sudden… she had just been in Delaware that morning, and now here she was, in Hogwarts, planning her future.

"Hmm, I wonder if Harry's in, teaching DADA?" she thought aloud. It was Monday, after all.

She made her way through the chill, drafty corridors, following her memories footsteps to the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom.

The door was open, and full of small students who were learning theory. "First years," Hermione thought to herself.

Hermione stepped through silently. Harry had his back to her, and she just stood in the doorframe, watching him talk to the students about the subjects that only Hermione could find interesting. She chuckled to herself as a little girl in the front row, with long dark hair, and almond-shaped eyes, shot her hand up every time a question was asked. Those students around her rolled their eyes at her.

Harry turned around when he heard her laugh, and smiled at her. "Class, excuse me, get to work on the essay I assigned at the beginning of class." He made his way over to her, and immediately the students broke into a bout of loud whispers about who they thought Hermione might be.

"I thought you left?" Harry asked.

"I did, but then I came back. I changed my mind about everything," she said, smiling gently at him.

"Did you see Dumbledore about that teaching position I told you about?"

"Yes," Hermione replied. "Next term I start. I have to read up about the subjects this summer. I've been away for such a long time. Who has this class?"

"Gryffindor and Slytherin. Can't you tell by the murderous glances their sending each other?"

"I should've known, shouldn't I?" Hermione replied dryly.

"I should introduce you, seeing as you'll be a new teacher next year. What are the classes you're teaching?"

"Oh, you don't need to do that. I think Dumbledore is announcing it at dinner tonight."

"I insist," Harry replied. "Tell me."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him, and answered, "Arithmancy and Ancient Runes."

"Hem hem," Harry said, bringing back dreadful memories of a former DADA instructor, and tyrannical ministry official. Hermione laughed silently. "Class, sorry for interrupting, but I would like to introduce a new teacher for next year. I know that none of you will have her, because you must be a third year or above to take these classes, but I thought it would be nice if you knew her ahead of time, hm?"

"Oh, Harry," Hermione simpered from the door. "You really shouldn't."

"Oh, but I should." Harry replied evilly. "Class, this is Professor Hermione Granger and she will be the instructor of Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. But you can come to her for help in any other class. She didn't get twelve N.E.W.T.'s for nothing, you know."

The class clapped and Hermione hid her face from view. "Harry…" she muttered softly.

The cuckoo clock on the far wall spat out a diricrawl, which trilled four times, signaling the end of classes, and Harry dismissed the class with a wave of his hand.

"Dinner's in two hours. Do you want to go for a walk in the mean time?"

"Sounds good to me," Hermione replied, wrapping her jumper more snugly around herself.

Harry extinguished the few torches in the room with another wave of his hand, and offered Hermione his bent elbow.

"Shall we?" he asked.

Hermione smiled genuinely, and hooked her arm through his.

They walked outside, through the thin layer of snow that laced the ground, and around the lake, unknowingly tracing and re-tracing the steps that Lily and James had taken together.

They talked about everything, and nothing. They reminisced and planned for the future, in which Hermione conveniently failed to mention the small bud of life that was blooming in the pit of her stomach.

"Have you been to see Draco yet?" Harry asked. "You know he teaches Potions, right?"

"Yes, you told me," Hermione replied, brushing stray strands of hair out of her eyes with the hand that wasn't entwined with Harry's. "And no, I haven't been to see him yet. I don't even know which classroom is his."

"Snape's old one," Harry answered. "And Hermione?"

"Yes?"

Harry approached the subject carefully. "You do know that, well… that he's married, right?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah I do," Hermione replied, inwardly shuddering as she remembered the meeting, saturated in tension, in which she had met Auset. "Yeah, I do," she whispered.

"He waited two years Hermione. Two years, and then she got pregnant. He doesn't love her. He was just being reasonable, honorable, whatever you want to call it. He still loves you, incredibly."

"Harry," Hermione swallowed. "I don't want to hear it."

This, coming from Harry?

'Isn't he supposed to love me… isn't he supposed to want me?' she asked herself, odd weights of disappointment clunking through to her stomach.

Harry consented in her wish for silence, especially silence that included not talking of Draco, and Hermione was filled once more with an undeniable surge of Déjà vu. The feeling of striding arm and arm with Harry reminded her of times in the past, when all she had to worry about was a Potions essay for Professor Snape, or the construction of a Halloween ball.

They walked in silence for a while, until dusk fell, and then they followed their footprints in the snow back towards the castle.

---

The Hall was just as Hermione remembered it: candle-lit and splendid, with four long tables laden with students and food. Hermione and Harry entered through a side door of the Hall, back behind the Top Table, and Hermione spotted Jessa, with two empty seats beside her.

Hermione and Harry sat down, just in time for Dumbledore to make his speech.

"Good evening staff and students," Dumbledore said energetically, as he stood feebly to greet the hall. "Before we begin, I would like to announce, and am aware that I don't usually do this in the middle of term, three newly-filled teaching positions."

Hermione looked quizzically at Jessa, who merely smiled back.

"Firstly, Ms. Hermione Granger, who has graciously consented to fill the positions of both Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, seeing as Professor Vector is retiring." Dumbledore paused here, so Hermione could stand, which she did unwillingly, after Harry and Jessa pushed her up. The Hall applauded, and Hermione saw Professor McGonagall smiling at her. "If you would like to take either of these courses," Dumbledore continued, "and do not currently have it scheduled into your timetable, please see your Head of House as soon as possible. Also you will need to contact Professor Granger some time before term ends, in order to receive your summer assignments."

Hermione sat back down, and waited for Dumbledore to announce the next teacher.

"I have recently met with someone, who has proposed a most ingenious idea, and I have decided to go along with it. I am aware that Divination is taught at this school by Firenze, who is probably the most suitable and competent teacher for the job. However, a young woman came to me today, and informed me that she is very skilled in Geomancy, a form of Divination that very few know anything of. I thought this would be a marvelous idea to have it taught here at Hogwarts. For any who are thoroughly interested, you will of course need to acquire a course recommendation from Firenze, and this needs to be handed in to your Head of House by Friday. This goes for all who would like to adjust their timetables for next year. Now, let me introduce the woman who has kindly offered to teach it, Miss Jessamine Sanchez." Jessa stood up, amid polite smattering of applause, and smiled sweetly.

Hermione smiled up at her in amazement.

"Now, the quicker you have the recommendations from Firenze," Dumbledore continued once more, "the quicker we can be sure that this course can continue. Professor Sanchez will get your summer assignments out as soon as possible. Thank you."

Jessa took her seat, along with Dumbledore, and was immediately bombarded with questions from Hermione, who was acting unusually excited.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" she demanded.

"There really wasn't anytime…"

"Which books are you going to assign?"

"I know a really good one-"

"How're you going to teach it?"

"Umm, I was thinking…"

"I've never been really fond of Divination…"

"Oh."

"I wonder where your classes will be held. Harry," she leaned over, "is Trelawney still here?"

"Hermione-"

"Did you study Geomancy at Guadahara's?"

"Hermione-"

"What will your summer assignment be?"

"Hermione-"

"Oh, this is so exciting…"

"HERMIONE!!!"

"What?" she asked quite startled.

"Hermione," she said calmly. "Will you introduce me?" she said pointedly at Harry.

"Oh yes, of course, how rude of me. Jessa, this is Harry Potter. Harry, this is Jessamine Sanchez."

"Nice to meet you," they said, reaching across the table to shake hands.

A/N: Next chapter should be up soon. Summer break has started, so you should be seeing some chapters more frequently. If you have any speculations about the plot or questions about the story, or would like me to email you when I update, you can drop me a line at . DO NOT put any revelations you may have about the story in the reviews, because I don't want it to spoil it for anyone else. I do love the reviews that I have been getting, however. They are all very sweet and encouraging. Thanks a bunch. You keep reviewing, and I'll keep dishing out the chapters. XOXO!!!