Chapter two:
"Ah, Severus, I'm glad that you found Miss Granger. How kind of you to help her in. It seems my memory is failing me, as I forgot to provide her with the new password." Dumbledore, in robes of translucent blue, matching his eyes perfectly, arose from his desk, and walked to Hermione's side. "How are you, my dear? I hope you slept well; you seemed quite . . . distressed last night when we found you." Dumbledore put his arm around her shoulders, and she began to smile slightly.
"Well, sir, as you say, I was very distressed last night, but things always seem better in the morning. How are you? Last time I was here, you were ill. Did Madam Pomfrey give you anything?" As she asked, she placed her hand gently on his forehead, feeling for a fever, Snape guessed. He watched the affectionate display between the two with a longing for a touch like that.
"Oh, yes, that Pepper-Up Potion will do wonders for an old man's health. And you, Severus, how are you feeling?" Dumbledore turned to Snape, and asked him the question with the same concern in his voice as he had shown to Hermione.
"I'm fine, Headmaster, but I do have papers to grade, so the sooner we can finish this, the better." Snape tapped his foot with annoyance in the breaking of his daily routine.
"Yes, of course, Severus. Actually, I asked you both here for the same reason. Miss Granger, while you are not in any trouble, we are aware that you created an illegal potion in your dormitory last night. Now, I am sure you understand the consequences of creating a potion without care. Would I be correct in that assumption?" Dumbledore sat in a cushy armchair that had appeared, and with it, two more also came. Hermione sank into the comfortable chair and whispered a humiliated "yes."
Snape was becoming more and more uneasy in the presence of the two, and finally said, "Albus, why exactly am I here?"
Dumbledore rose shakily and stood up to face Snape. "Ah, yes. Well, what I was going to say to Miss Granger was that if she wished to continue creating experimental potions, then I would prefer she was supervised by a professional."
Snape looked at Dumbledore, and argued his point- "But, Albus, you know as well as I do, it is dangerous to brew experimental potions outside of a lab and without assistance. What does that have to do with me?"
Dumbledore looked pointedly at Snape, and suddenly it dawned on him: Dumbledore meant him!
"Albus, I am an expert Potions Master; I will not be reduced to babysitting a willful child!" Snape whined. "Besides, what if she hurts one of us?"
"All the more reason for you to oversee her attempts, Severus." Dumbledore raised his hand, and Snape knew enough to stop there and accept his fate. A small whimper was overheard by both of the men, and Snape realized that he had nearly forgotten that Hermione was there. Seeing the humiliated look on her face was enough to make him agree.
"Fine, Albus, I will supervise her, but she must follow my direction or face losing this privilege. Is that understood?" Snape addressed the question to both of the others in the room. All of the faces in the portraits located on the walls of Dumbledore's office began to nod their heads emphatically.
"Very well, Severus. When should Miss Granger come to your classroom for her first try?" Dumbledore looked, Snape thought to himself, remarkably like a young puppy when he tilted his head to the side, just like he was doing then.
"Miss Granger, if 7'o'clock is agreeable with your schedule, I will expect to see you then, hopefully in student robes." Snape added the last bit with an added bite to his voice as he walked out of Dumbledore's office.