Chapter 10 – Objections

"We have to go talk to Albus. Hurry up." Severus muttered, still quite embarrassed of the little "accident" which occurred one minute ago.

"Why? I think it's time for breakfast, isn't it?" Hermione protested, yawning slightly to the thought of walking up to Dumbledore's office.

"You will see when we get there. Now come on!" He urged.

"What if I tell anyone that I've seen you drunk?" Hermione shot back.

"Miss Granger, do I really have to remind you that it's highly inappropriate to lie about a teacher. Don't you agree? Seriously, do you think anyone would believe you?" Severus hissed and frowned. Surely, one could see right through his façade when he was nervous.

"I do think so, Sir. Then tell me why you were drinking so much?" Hermione smiled softly, glancing nervously at her professor. Maybe blackmailing a professor wasn't such a great idea after all.

"That's really none of your business, Hermione. Well, to be honest with you, I got this letter from a nurse at St. Mungo's. My Mother's got her heart hurt by some silly spell she'd used wrong, she is very clumsy. That bloody woman always gets herself into trouble." Severus almost spit out.
"Like that would explain why you were drinking like an alcoholic… Sure. Why are you talking about your own Mother as you dislike her?" She raised her eyebrows.

"My relationship to my Mother is for certain none of your bloody business. You're such an insufferable know-it-all sometimes. You don't have to know it all, actually. Now let's get the hell out of here. I want to catch Albus before he goes to breakfast." He snapped.

"Come in." Albus said, opening his office-door. "Ah. Severus and Miss Granger, what brings me such an honour?" He continued brightly. "Have a seat, dears."

The sun shined through the small windows and the room flooded in light. Hermione couldn't help but smile when she saw that the weather was as good as in Severus' fake windows.

"Skip that, Albus. I got a letter from a nurse at St. Mungo's last night. My mother is there by now and she wants to see me. I'm afraid I do have to go, you erm.. know how she can be sometimes. Anyway, what I was wondering, was if I could take the day off? I know, it's late to ask about it, but I didn't know about my Mother before very late last night." Severus explained in a rush. One could clearly notice that this wasn't one of his favourite topics.

"Oh, I'm sorry for you, Son. Of course you'll be able to visit your Mother. I assume you'd like Miss Granger to take the day off too, since you're her guardian."
"I suppose so, though I see whole this thing ridiculous. Why can't she just stay here with you? She's probably have a better time here, don't you think?"

"No, I don't. Anyway, I'm off today too, I've some meetings in the ministry. I don't see any problem for Miss Granger to accompany you." Albus smiled.

"Hey, I'm here, you don't have to talk about me like I'm somewhere else." Hermione muttered. This wasn't exactly how she wanted to be treated.

"Aww. How could I forget about you?" Severus said dryly, sneering.

"Stop it." She snapped, glancing angrily at him.

"Children, I suppose you'd like to eat breakfast now since you're heading to St. Mungo's soon. You may go." Albus said, not wanting their little dispute to continue in his presence. With a sweep with his wand, the doors open.

"Please tell my students that I've gotten a terrible cold or something. I just don't want they go on talking about me as emotional about my Mother. Especially when I'm not. Good day." Severus said and went out of the room, his robes billowing.

"Hermione, where have you been? The breakfast is almost closed." Harry exclaimed when he saw Hermione enter the Great Hall.

Mostly of the students close to Harry turned around to see who he'd talked about.

"Good morning." Hermione forced herself to smile and sat down next to Harry. "I just overslept for a while. That's all." She quickly lied and started eating a toast.

"Are you going to be in the Common room today? We never see you." Ron asked.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think so." Hermione shrugged, wishing she'd never entered the room.

"You don't want to see us, do you?" Ron snapped while Harry looked bewildered.

"I do. But the thing is that I can't. I'm gonna take the day off. I have to follow Se... Snape to a…um… well I don't remember what. Anyway, that's a secret, so you guys mustn't tell anyone. Just tell everybody that we're both sick of something we ate at breakfast. Please?"

"As you wish, 'Mione. But please promise to tell us if that bastard isn't nice to you. I'd love getting a reason to kill him." Harry laughed.

"Don't be so childish. He'd never do anything to hurt me. I promise you." Hermione defended Severus and sipped on her tea.

"How do you know that?" Ron asked, looking at her like he was trying to figure out if she was under a spell or not.

"Please. He's an adult for fuck's sake." Gah! These guys really made her sick.

"Come on!" A silky voice whispered in her ear, making her shiver. She turned around and found Severus right behind her.

"Sorry, guys… See you." Hermione tried to look sad but didn't do very well. She felt very relieved when she got out from the Great Hall. Quickly they made their way to the Professor's quarters, which started feel more comfortable for her now.
"Didn't I tell you to eat?" Severus asked, truly concerned about her wellness.

"Sir, I…" Hermione began.

"Miss Gr…Hermione. You're going to kill yourself if you're not eating. Besides, stop lying for me, I can see when you're not honest with me. And, um, do you have some more posh robes than the school-ones? I don't mean a gala-robe, but something more elegant than the normal robes would suit well today." Severus asked as they entered his quarters.

"No.. I don't. Why will I need that today?" Hermione answered bewildered.

"Because my Mother is a very hmm… upper classy woman." Severus said, like this was the most normal thing to say. "You do have to behave yourself when you see her. I can assure you that it won't be nice if you don't. Well, um, I'll transform one of your robes in to something more fitting, if that's alright with you?" He asked.
"Sure. I'll go get one. Be right back." Hermione mumbled and disappeared into her room.

'What the hell am I doing? Am I bringing a bloody student to my Mother? Am I transforming a student's robe? Shit. I've lost my mind', Severus thought as Hermione entered the room again, now with a dark-blue robe in her hands.

"Um… here you are." Hermione said and passed the robe to Severus.

"All right then." Severus swung his wand and the material was changed to a thin kind of satin. It looked lovely in that state and he was sure the thin material would fit Hermione's feminine body very well. 'No, I'm not allowed to think those thoughts.' Severus thought.

"You better get dressed now, Mis…Hermione. We're leaving in…" He looked at his wrist-watch. "In ten minutes." He added.

"Okay, Sir. Wait!" She turned around. "You won't enter your room while I'm changing clothes, will you?" Hermione exclaimed as she headed to her room.

"Silly girl. I am free to enter my room any time I want. Though, it seems as I must remind you, I have to interest at all in seeing you change clothes. Now get dressed!"

"Right. But um. You know… I… Never mind." Hermione said, quite bothered of the topic.

"Didn't I express me clear enough, Miss Granger? Get dressed!" Severus snapped.