Disclaimer: I must surrender to the fact that HP is and never will be mine. At least I can say that this fabulous plot is from me, can't I?

Chapter Three: Professor Hermione Dumbledore

(Normal POV)

It was the first day of classes and the Great Hall was either filled with babbling students excitedly awaiting their first class or grumpy teens whose beauty sleep was cut short eating their breakfast half-awake. Some were lucky enough to not get the dreaded Potions class for their first period of the week and were content to know that they didn't need to face the old bat a.k.a Snape so early in the morning.

The Gryffindor seventh years weren't so fortunate though.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Ronal Weasley's yell was heard all around the Great Hall, but the students were too accustomed to his screams, yells, squeals and weird eating behavior to actually care.

"Don't overreact Ron," Parvati Patil said, "you should be used to having Snape for first period by now."

"Yeah, after all, Snape chooses our year all the time, remember? I think he really likes to torture us by sticking us with the Slytherin gits every year." Dean added.

"But it's still so unfair!" Ron whined childishly.

"Don't be so immature Ronald." Lavender chided.

Ron glared at her and stuck out his tongue,

"I am not childish! And what would you know anyway, you don't even have Potions this year!"

Lavender giggled at him, "That's because I was smart enough to not take NEWT Potions and now I have a free period."

"Well I obviously don't have that choice now, do I? I need Potions so that I can become an Auror. This year is gonna be hell with Hermione not being able to help us."

"Come now Ron, you passed last year, didn't you? And who said anything about me not helping you? I may not be your classmate anymore but I still know the lessons by heart. I had to learn them after all." Hermione stated appearing out of nowhere and startling her friends.

"Where did you come from?" Colin asked while wiping away the porridge that smudged the lens of his camera that he dropped when Hermione surprised him.

"From the staff table obviously, I finished my breakfast awhile ago. I've actually been standing here for quite some time now; I was just waiting for the moment to speak up."

"Ahh….."

"Anyway, I just came by to not only tell you to hurry up 'cause class will be starting soon and to congratulate you guys. In all my NEWT classes, I have more Gryffindors than any other house. Your teacher last year must have been good."

"Nah, she wasn't really amazing or anything. We just wanted to gain points 'cause we couldn't depend on you to do that for us anymore." Harry answered nonchalantly.

His fellow Gryffindors looked at him surprised.

"What?" Harry asked when he noticed everyone was looking at him- minus and oblivious Hermione who was smoothing-out an invisible wrinkle in her black robes. She could've been mistaken for a student 'cause she still looked like one if it wasn't for the big difference between their clothes. Her robes, though were black like theirs, was sleeveless and made the white fabric of her garments underneath visible, didn't have any House crest emblazoned on the cloth and was merely tied with a ribbon like her cloak the day before and showed a percentage of her dress.

"Nothing, nothing at all." Ginny shook

"Oh, by the way you guys, you're gonna be my first students so can you please tell me how I did after our double period?" She asked, unknowingly drawing the attention away from Harry and back to her.

"Sure, but how can we be your first students when we don't have your class 'til second period?" Dean asked while stuffing porridge down his mouth.

Ron was really rubbing off on his friends, wasn't he?

Hermione smiled at him,

"That's because Grandpa gave me a free period before every seventh year class I have. He said it was so I can prepare myself to teach the class where I was supposed to be a part of if I hadn't graduated early."

"I guess that's fair, but technically, this isn't the first class you're going to teach. You taught us in DA, remember?" Harry asked.

"I remember, but this is the first class where I actually need to give grades."

"Don't forget that you'd get paid for this."

"How right you are."

The gang laughed at the witty banter being exchanged between the tow former lovers- all except for two redheads.

"I'm not sure it's good for the two of them to get close to each other again. I don't want Hermione to get hurt." Ginny whispered to her brother.

"Me neither, but maybe they'll up as just friends this time." Ron answered back.

"They were friends before you know. Unless you've forgotten, you guys were the Golden Trio."

"Of course I haven't forgotten, but I just want all of us to be best friends again."

Ginny sighed. She wanted that too.

"Hey, do you guys know why your old professor left?" Hermione asked the crowd.

Ron turned his attention away from his little sister and smiled at Hermione,

"She met the curse that befell on all DADA teachers the minute Harry stepped foot on Hogwarts."

"Hey! I detest that you know." Harry scowled at his best friend.

"Can't fight facts mate, let's just hope Hermione isn't hit with it."

"You got that right. I've had enough curses thrown at me." Hermione said and the mood tensed.

Hermione quickly tried to lighten the atmosphere she conjured up,

"You guys never told me why your old teacher left."

Ron immediately broke down laughing. It seemed that his laughter was contagious coz everyone else joined in as well. Except of course Hermione who didn't know what was so funny.

"That was hilarious!"

"I couldn't stop laughing for three days after that scene!"

"That was the best day of my life!"

"What is so funny?" Poor Hermione pleaded to know.

Lavender sobered-up enough to actually retell the story to Hermione.

"The last teacher was Professor Chalesy and she was so excited to be able to teach here at Hogwarts. Especially coz her students were going to be the Boy-Who-Lived and the famous Hermione Granger. She was undoubtedly disappointed when she found out that you left so she got into a lousy mood all year long. By the end of sixth year, almost all of us were better than her in dueling. It was finals and Malfoy was up, all he had to do was beat Harry in a duel but somehow, he managed to make it the best day of our lives. They were dueling and a Protego charm was around us so we wouldn't get hit with their spells. It was in the middle of the duel when Snape suddenly barged in and was caught in the crossfire. It was hilarious! He was quick enough to deflect some of the spells and fire some of his own, but it wasn't enough to stop the curses that made his hair grow longer, talk gibberish and dance in a horribly weird manner. Malfoy got hit too and the git was left with hot pink hair and warts all over his face. Thank Merlin Harry wasn't harmed at all. Chalesy was scarred for life and resigned the moment Snape started dancing with her."

Hermione started laughing to but stopped all of a sudden which resulted in everyone else to look at her.

"What do you mean the famous Hermione Granger- albeit I am no longer a Granger- but that doesn't matter?"

"Didn't you read the latest editions of Hogwarts: A History, Hermione?" Neville asked confused.

"No, actually, I haven't read that book since I left Hogwarts."

"But that's impossible." Ron exclaimed.

"It is possible, I've been to busy with my travels that I just didn't find time to read it anymore. Mind you, I still love to read. Anyway, you guys never answered my question."

Ginny seemed like the first to recover from the stupor that they all had after finding out Hermione hadn't read the book that changed the Wizarding World's view of her,

"Oh yeah, they made it official."

"They made what official?"

Ginny beamed at her best friend,

"That you are considered to be the brightest witch to grace the halls of Hogwarts since Rowena Ravenclaw. I guess being the first witch to graduate early in history made it obvious to everyone that you were a prodigy. Of course, the book never explained why they suddenly considered your intelligence so great; we just found out yesterday."

Hermione was dumbfounded,

"Wow…"

"We got to go you guys, were all gonna be late for our first class if we don't leave now." Harry said as he stood up to gather his things and broke the silence that enveloped the Gryffindors as they looked proudly at Hermione.

"Yeah we better go. See you in second period Professor." Ron teased.

And then they left, leaving a still dazed newly informed prodigy sitting with her mouth open and catching flies.

I'm sooooooooooo sorry for the uber late update! And this is such a patethic chapter too. I didn't mean it to be just a filler, really, but my mom needs to use the computer ASAP and I guess I can update the real chapter somewhere this week. Hope you all forgive me and not give up on this story!

Read and Review!

Love,

Binx