Chapter Seventeen: One Night
"No, No!" Snape shook his head. The girl sitting at a desk her raven in front of her, both turned their heads to look at him. "Its not a spell ms. Granger! It's a connection! Try again." He urged.
"I'm sorry sir, I'm tired, my mind isn't focusing." She shook her head to prove her point. "Can't I do something else and come back?" she begged, giving her best 'puppy dog' look.
"Alright, alright." Snape sighed, near a month back he would never have fallen for that. In fact he would have taken points off and insulted the poor girl who tried the trick. "Practice deception."
She smiled, glad to have a task that she could use steps to accomplish, "What kind?" she asked, her voice brighter. Snape smiled back at her, damn contagious smiles.
"Visual." He responded.
He had gone soft, it was official. He had been informed earlier in the day, by Minerva of all people, that even with three Gryffindors in the school, Gryffindor hadn't lost any points. She then proceeded to tell him that he had either gotten soft or finally accepted their flaws.
Yes he had gone soft, for Hermione. He purposely avoided the other two, pests he didn't want to be around. He had grown to be more merciful to his partner, current student, future colleague.
He hoped that he trained her well enough, as her hair flowed longer down her back, thinning out and becoming pitch black, then braiding itself, he knew that he had. He was proud of her and clapped. "Perfect." He told her.
She faced him and he tried hard not to laugh, or choke, or look dumb.
Her eyes were pitch black, her bangs were shaggy, she looked like a girl form of him. "Well, am I as close as I can get as a girl, Professor?" He looked over her transformation, she was wearing his robes, female style, and looked, a lot like his mother when she was younger.
"I guess I should be flattered." He drawled, standing and walking over to inspect her better. "After all, they replication is the best form of flattery, or something like that."
Hermione smiled, "I was thinking on wearing this form for the Malfoy Party." She informed him, mimicking his drawl, acting like she was more bored then interested.
"Well then I say you'll fit it almost too perfect my dear, how about trying to copy someone? Or perhaps mixing them all around to get a completely new person?" he suggested.
"Like this?" a form of Virginia Weasley stood in front of him, causing him to nearly have a heart attack, "Or this?" her hair changed to brown, but otherwise remained the same, the freckles vanished, a pair of bright green eyes stood where her chocolate ones were supposed to be, her skin was her own but she had the body of Fleur, the French girl that visited in her fourth year. "well?" She smiled, her voice deeper, but still her own.
Snape looked at her in shock, he face red. "She looks interesting, I see you took everyone's best features." He commented, trying to keep his amazement out of his voice.
But no matter how beautiful she looked, his mind kept shouting, it wasn't right, she should be Hermione Granger, book worm with fluffy hair brown eyes and a sprinkling of freckles on her neck.
The though stopped his motions mentally. Since when had he known about her freckles, or cared for that matter? He shook his head.
"So what is this forms purpose?" he asked, focusing.
"what do you mean sir?" she asked.
"Well, clearly you put some thought into this" he gestured, "So you must have some reason and purpose for it."
"Oh," she looked at herself, inspecting, "Well, I guess it was everything I envied given to me, I was thinking of making a short appearance at the ball like this." She informed him.
"I see." He said, his voice harsh. He was trying hard to stop himself from saying ' you have nothing to envy.' Instead he told her "Change back and practice understanding your bird."
He had to leave, "I'll be right back." He slammed the dungeon door.
Hermione looked after him, wondering what had caused him to storm out.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*
Severus found himself at the astronomy tower once his mind had cleared from the rage he didn't understand.
What was wrong with him?
Hermione, he knew it had something to do with her. He was smart enough to understand that she wasn't purposefully causing this, but without realizing, she had tossed him into a blind rage at her that had no base in logic.
He should be proud she's able to change her form so erratically and with such a eye for detail. He shouldn't be mad at her for liking her other form.
Even when he preferred her normal form.
"ARGG!" he shouted and hit his fists against the stone tower.
No, no, no! He couldn't be.. not that.. oh gods.
"Severus?" he turned towards the entrance, Flitwick stood there.
"Evening." Severus grunted, brushing his hair back into place.
"Shouldn't you be with Ms. Granger?" The dwarf asked, walking up to his colleague, concerned.
"I needed air." He responded, "Filius?"
"Yes?"
"Could you finish Ms. Grangers detention for me? She just needs a teacher in the room, she knows what her task is and was doing it when I left. I-I think I'm going insane seeing her every night." He turned his back on his friend and looked out onto the grounds.
"Ok, just," Filius stopped short, not quite sure how to continue.
"Don't worry, I'll return the favor." Severus responded.
Filius looked at him with something akin to pity, did the man always think deeds needed to be repaid?
"Sure Severus." He said softly, leaving.
The man, tall and unbending, fell to his knees, and the man who made children cry in order to force them to understand, cried himself.
Hoping to understand.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~
"Hermione?" Flitwick entered the dungeon classroom.
She had changed her hair black and eyes black, like Snape's. she was wearing a tank top and wind breaker pants. Exercising.
Filius was surprised to see another girl present, she wasn't Hermione, she looked nothing like the girl.
He cleared his throat. "Excuse me miss?" he called.
Hermione snapped her head down from his head stand and saw an upside down charms professor. "Professor!" she smiled, and did a double flip back onto her feet. "What a surprise! Where's Professor Snape?" she asked smiling.
"Um, I was wondering if you could tell me where Hermione Granger was?" he asked, sincerely.
It was that, that caused Hermione to burst out laughing.
Her hair went brown and grew into a series of waved, she fell to the floor regaining her natural body and features. "Sir sir! its me!" he pointed at herself from her position on the floor.
"Why! What a trick!" Filius chuckled. "Did Severus teach you it."
Hermione didn't respond, but looked at the floor instead. "Where is Professor Snape, is he ok?"
Filius smiled softly at the girl, "He's fine, just needs a break," he explained.
"I don't think its that sir." She stood and brushed herself off. "Its my fault, I must have said something, he doesn't get the mad normally." She looked up at the rafters in the room and snapped her fingers twice in the air.
A bird flew down to her and landed on her outstretched fingers.
A few sounds from her mouth and the bird was off.
"What?" Flitwick asked.
"Munin will see to Snape." She explained. "I have completed my task, he would be pleased." She smiled, "So right now I'm doing other work."
"Well, he normally has students clean caldrons, and his set looks dirty." Filius thought.
"I'm not to touch them." Hermione explained, "They need to be cleaned by him."
"I see." Filius looked around, "How about the floor?"
Hermione smiled and thought, it was perfect.
"Alright." She went to a cupboard and took out a rag and a caldron, then went to the tap to fill it with water.
Once filled she spelled it to be soapy.
"Shall I start sir?" she raised the bucket.
"Certainly," he sat in Severus's teachers chair as Hermione banished various pieces of furniture to the edges of the room and out to the hall.
Once the room was clear and Flitwick floating in his chair about the room, Hermione duplicated the cauldron so that there were many about the walls.
"Alright!" she announced, her hair falling into a braid bun.
She wet the rag, and after ringing it out she pushed it to the floor and began to run with the rag on the floor.
She kept pacing the floor, rinsing the rag every now and then.
Flitwick watched amazed, her form was perfect, like she had been training her body for endurance and speed for the last 24 days.
It made him think.
The door flew open, and Hermione looked up.
Professor Snape stood there, Munin on his shoulder.
Munin flew over to Hermione's as she stood from the floor, which was now sparkling. "You were to be practicing with that bird." His voice boomed at her, not realizing who was in the same room.
"I finished." She said back tartly.
"Oh?" he raised his eyebrow.
"How else could I have sent him to make sure you were alright?!" she demanded.
"Your detentions over, put my room back and leave." He eyes were veiled, and Hermione looked at him, tears threatening.
"Accio desks!" she commanded.
"I didn't say make a night of it!" His voice echoed around the room.
She faced him, face red.
"Clean it up without your wand, and I expect you out in three minutes starting now, begin!"
Flitwick watched, curious. How could anyone do that? Surly it was impossible.
Clearly it was not.
Hermione shut her eyes, her bird started to screech out. The density of the room grew and out of it desks and chairs formed in their natural place.
But it was simply speed melded with magic. He saw Hermione racing, moving and pushing.
Once the room was clean she bowed and left, snapping her fingers.
Flitwick felt himself falling to the ground, landing softly.
"You need to leave as well Filius, and thank you." Severus informed him before taking to his chambers.
That was quite odd.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Tomorrow Dumbledore is doing a designated partners dance." Violet informed the group in the tower..
"so we make sure that Snape and Hermione are drawn together?" Ron supplied.
"Exactly, Vi, this is wonderful!" the fat lady squealed.
"Now how to ensue that they will dance." Harry muttered.
"It appears to me," the door opened and Filius and Dumbledore entered, "That with their love spats growing more and more, that they are starting to realize their feelings." Dumbledore stated. "All they need is a push."
"And I know just the push." Flitwick smiled, "they'll dance.. .. and then.. .. .. .. .. .. .."
*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*
"Master?" Lucius bowed before a shadow, "You called?"
"Yes, Your party you hold on the new years?" a voice hissed at the man.
"What about it master?"
"That will be the night." The lord decided.
Lucius smirked, and vanished.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AN:
I know cliffy!!
But I can't have you telling about the plans!!! All will be reveled in time!!
Review!
"No, No!" Snape shook his head. The girl sitting at a desk her raven in front of her, both turned their heads to look at him. "Its not a spell ms. Granger! It's a connection! Try again." He urged.
"I'm sorry sir, I'm tired, my mind isn't focusing." She shook her head to prove her point. "Can't I do something else and come back?" she begged, giving her best 'puppy dog' look.
"Alright, alright." Snape sighed, near a month back he would never have fallen for that. In fact he would have taken points off and insulted the poor girl who tried the trick. "Practice deception."
She smiled, glad to have a task that she could use steps to accomplish, "What kind?" she asked, her voice brighter. Snape smiled back at her, damn contagious smiles.
"Visual." He responded.
He had gone soft, it was official. He had been informed earlier in the day, by Minerva of all people, that even with three Gryffindors in the school, Gryffindor hadn't lost any points. She then proceeded to tell him that he had either gotten soft or finally accepted their flaws.
Yes he had gone soft, for Hermione. He purposely avoided the other two, pests he didn't want to be around. He had grown to be more merciful to his partner, current student, future colleague.
He hoped that he trained her well enough, as her hair flowed longer down her back, thinning out and becoming pitch black, then braiding itself, he knew that he had. He was proud of her and clapped. "Perfect." He told her.
She faced him and he tried hard not to laugh, or choke, or look dumb.
Her eyes were pitch black, her bangs were shaggy, she looked like a girl form of him. "Well, am I as close as I can get as a girl, Professor?" He looked over her transformation, she was wearing his robes, female style, and looked, a lot like his mother when she was younger.
"I guess I should be flattered." He drawled, standing and walking over to inspect her better. "After all, they replication is the best form of flattery, or something like that."
Hermione smiled, "I was thinking on wearing this form for the Malfoy Party." She informed him, mimicking his drawl, acting like she was more bored then interested.
"Well then I say you'll fit it almost too perfect my dear, how about trying to copy someone? Or perhaps mixing them all around to get a completely new person?" he suggested.
"Like this?" a form of Virginia Weasley stood in front of him, causing him to nearly have a heart attack, "Or this?" her hair changed to brown, but otherwise remained the same, the freckles vanished, a pair of bright green eyes stood where her chocolate ones were supposed to be, her skin was her own but she had the body of Fleur, the French girl that visited in her fourth year. "well?" She smiled, her voice deeper, but still her own.
Snape looked at her in shock, he face red. "She looks interesting, I see you took everyone's best features." He commented, trying to keep his amazement out of his voice.
But no matter how beautiful she looked, his mind kept shouting, it wasn't right, she should be Hermione Granger, book worm with fluffy hair brown eyes and a sprinkling of freckles on her neck.
The though stopped his motions mentally. Since when had he known about her freckles, or cared for that matter? He shook his head.
"So what is this forms purpose?" he asked, focusing.
"what do you mean sir?" she asked.
"Well, clearly you put some thought into this" he gestured, "So you must have some reason and purpose for it."
"Oh," she looked at herself, inspecting, "Well, I guess it was everything I envied given to me, I was thinking of making a short appearance at the ball like this." She informed him.
"I see." He said, his voice harsh. He was trying hard to stop himself from saying ' you have nothing to envy.' Instead he told her "Change back and practice understanding your bird."
He had to leave, "I'll be right back." He slammed the dungeon door.
Hermione looked after him, wondering what had caused him to storm out.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*
Severus found himself at the astronomy tower once his mind had cleared from the rage he didn't understand.
What was wrong with him?
Hermione, he knew it had something to do with her. He was smart enough to understand that she wasn't purposefully causing this, but without realizing, she had tossed him into a blind rage at her that had no base in logic.
He should be proud she's able to change her form so erratically and with such a eye for detail. He shouldn't be mad at her for liking her other form.
Even when he preferred her normal form.
"ARGG!" he shouted and hit his fists against the stone tower.
No, no, no! He couldn't be.. not that.. oh gods.
"Severus?" he turned towards the entrance, Flitwick stood there.
"Evening." Severus grunted, brushing his hair back into place.
"Shouldn't you be with Ms. Granger?" The dwarf asked, walking up to his colleague, concerned.
"I needed air." He responded, "Filius?"
"Yes?"
"Could you finish Ms. Grangers detention for me? She just needs a teacher in the room, she knows what her task is and was doing it when I left. I-I think I'm going insane seeing her every night." He turned his back on his friend and looked out onto the grounds.
"Ok, just," Filius stopped short, not quite sure how to continue.
"Don't worry, I'll return the favor." Severus responded.
Filius looked at him with something akin to pity, did the man always think deeds needed to be repaid?
"Sure Severus." He said softly, leaving.
The man, tall and unbending, fell to his knees, and the man who made children cry in order to force them to understand, cried himself.
Hoping to understand.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~
"Hermione?" Flitwick entered the dungeon classroom.
She had changed her hair black and eyes black, like Snape's. she was wearing a tank top and wind breaker pants. Exercising.
Filius was surprised to see another girl present, she wasn't Hermione, she looked nothing like the girl.
He cleared his throat. "Excuse me miss?" he called.
Hermione snapped her head down from his head stand and saw an upside down charms professor. "Professor!" she smiled, and did a double flip back onto her feet. "What a surprise! Where's Professor Snape?" she asked smiling.
"Um, I was wondering if you could tell me where Hermione Granger was?" he asked, sincerely.
It was that, that caused Hermione to burst out laughing.
Her hair went brown and grew into a series of waved, she fell to the floor regaining her natural body and features. "Sir sir! its me!" he pointed at herself from her position on the floor.
"Why! What a trick!" Filius chuckled. "Did Severus teach you it."
Hermione didn't respond, but looked at the floor instead. "Where is Professor Snape, is he ok?"
Filius smiled softly at the girl, "He's fine, just needs a break," he explained.
"I don't think its that sir." She stood and brushed herself off. "Its my fault, I must have said something, he doesn't get the mad normally." She looked up at the rafters in the room and snapped her fingers twice in the air.
A bird flew down to her and landed on her outstretched fingers.
A few sounds from her mouth and the bird was off.
"What?" Flitwick asked.
"Munin will see to Snape." She explained. "I have completed my task, he would be pleased." She smiled, "So right now I'm doing other work."
"Well, he normally has students clean caldrons, and his set looks dirty." Filius thought.
"I'm not to touch them." Hermione explained, "They need to be cleaned by him."
"I see." Filius looked around, "How about the floor?"
Hermione smiled and thought, it was perfect.
"Alright." She went to a cupboard and took out a rag and a caldron, then went to the tap to fill it with water.
Once filled she spelled it to be soapy.
"Shall I start sir?" she raised the bucket.
"Certainly," he sat in Severus's teachers chair as Hermione banished various pieces of furniture to the edges of the room and out to the hall.
Once the room was clear and Flitwick floating in his chair about the room, Hermione duplicated the cauldron so that there were many about the walls.
"Alright!" she announced, her hair falling into a braid bun.
She wet the rag, and after ringing it out she pushed it to the floor and began to run with the rag on the floor.
She kept pacing the floor, rinsing the rag every now and then.
Flitwick watched amazed, her form was perfect, like she had been training her body for endurance and speed for the last 24 days.
It made him think.
The door flew open, and Hermione looked up.
Professor Snape stood there, Munin on his shoulder.
Munin flew over to Hermione's as she stood from the floor, which was now sparkling. "You were to be practicing with that bird." His voice boomed at her, not realizing who was in the same room.
"I finished." She said back tartly.
"Oh?" he raised his eyebrow.
"How else could I have sent him to make sure you were alright?!" she demanded.
"Your detentions over, put my room back and leave." He eyes were veiled, and Hermione looked at him, tears threatening.
"Accio desks!" she commanded.
"I didn't say make a night of it!" His voice echoed around the room.
She faced him, face red.
"Clean it up without your wand, and I expect you out in three minutes starting now, begin!"
Flitwick watched, curious. How could anyone do that? Surly it was impossible.
Clearly it was not.
Hermione shut her eyes, her bird started to screech out. The density of the room grew and out of it desks and chairs formed in their natural place.
But it was simply speed melded with magic. He saw Hermione racing, moving and pushing.
Once the room was clean she bowed and left, snapping her fingers.
Flitwick felt himself falling to the ground, landing softly.
"You need to leave as well Filius, and thank you." Severus informed him before taking to his chambers.
That was quite odd.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Tomorrow Dumbledore is doing a designated partners dance." Violet informed the group in the tower..
"so we make sure that Snape and Hermione are drawn together?" Ron supplied.
"Exactly, Vi, this is wonderful!" the fat lady squealed.
"Now how to ensue that they will dance." Harry muttered.
"It appears to me," the door opened and Filius and Dumbledore entered, "That with their love spats growing more and more, that they are starting to realize their feelings." Dumbledore stated. "All they need is a push."
"And I know just the push." Flitwick smiled, "they'll dance.. .. and then.. .. .. .. .. .. .."
*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*
"Master?" Lucius bowed before a shadow, "You called?"
"Yes, Your party you hold on the new years?" a voice hissed at the man.
"What about it master?"
"That will be the night." The lord decided.
Lucius smirked, and vanished.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AN:
I know cliffy!!
But I can't have you telling about the plans!!! All will be reveled in time!!
Review!