1Chapter Eight: Announcement

"Shit! I forgot to talk to Professor Evans last night." These were the first words Hermione spoke as she woke up on Saturday morning. She noticed that the room was empty. She rushed to take a shower and get ready. Twenty minutes later she was done and heading out of the commons room when she heard somebody call her name. "Oh, hello Ginny."

"Where were you at breakfast this morning Hermione." Ginny voice sounded somewhat worried.

"Oh, I over slept is all." Hermione really did not want to worry Ginny. "Why?"

"Professor McGonnogal mad and announcement that I thought you would like to here." Ginny said, her voice taking on a bit of excitement.

"Really? Well could you tell me on the way to Professor Evans?" Hermione felt really embarrassed that she had forgotten to meat with the Professor.

"What? Oh...Sure. Anyways Her Announcement was that on Sunday night there's going to be a masque ball. She said that we all needed a break and because the ball was on a Sunday, there would be no school on Monday. Also she announced that there is going to be a trip into Diagon Ally and Hogsmade, supervise by teachers of course in order to get our costumes. Isn't that great?" Ginny was obviously excited about the whole thing.

"Great, just one more thing to add onto my to do list." Hermione mumbled under her breath.

"What was that Hermione?" Ginny had a smirk on her face.

"Oh, nothing, I was just wondering who you would be going with." Hermione lied.

"Oh, didn't I tell you, Harry asked me right after breakfast. It's going to be great. Were going as Romeo and Juliet. What about you Hermione? Who are you going with?" Ginny already new the answer to that question.

"I'll probably convince Sirius to take me. That is, if he wants to make our relationship official." Hermione sighed.

"Well that would be great Hermione. Oh, by the way, how did your detention go. Harry said that you looked distracted when you came in last night." Ginny hoped that nothing was wrong. She hoped that Harry had been exaggerating when he told her that Hermione had been crying.

"Oh,...It was fine. I..um...had to organize his potions cabinet." Hermione hope that Ginny would not press any further. She did not know what to tell her. "Well I'll catch you later Ginny." Hermione said as she approached Professor Evans door.

"Come, in." Erik had been grading paper when he had heard a knock on the door. He looked up, "Oh, Hello Miss Granger. I missed you last night."

"I'm so sorry Professor, but Professor Snape got me organizing his potions and by the time it was already really late, and to be truthful, I had completely forgotten about our meeting." Hermione had finally taken a breath.

"It's alright Miss Granger, I actually wanted to talk to you about Harry..." but Erik had been interrupted.

"What about Harry?" Hermione had taken on a certain edge in her voice.

"Well to be perfectly honest I was wondering if you could maybe talk with Harry and maybe smooth things over a little bit with him, concerning me, before I talk to him." Erik waited hopeful that she would say yes. And then it came. Like a cold wind hitting you smack in the face and catching you completely by surprise.

"No, Professor. I will not do your dirty work for you. I refuse to make things easier for you. You abandoned Harry and his family when Harry was just a baby, with no forwarding address or anything. That's why Harry grew up with the Dursley's. So the answer to your question is no Professor, I refuse to make life easier for you when you made Harry's life a living hell." Hermione was now shaking from anger. Can you believe the ignorance of this man? She thought.

"Were the Dursley's really that bad?" Erik was now beginning to understand why Harry despised him.

"All that bad? Sir, they starved and abused Harry. Every Summer Ron and I would go and rescue Harry from near death. We helped him conceal his wounds and bruises and then we had to watch as he had to slowly build up his digestive system so that he could eat. We even told Professor Dumbledore about the situation, and he just said 'well that's better than letting Voldemort kill him.' And all the while you were out in the world enjoying your little vacation from life." Hermione was now livid at the Professor.

Well surely she was exaggerating...Erik thought. After all, all children exaggerate. It was as if she had read his mind.

"No, I'm not exaggerating. You don't believe me? Try asking both Ron and Harry what happened while he was at the Dursley's and after. I pity you Professor, I really do. I don't know how I could possibly live with myself if I was living a happy life among my friends, all the while know that my nephew was out there somewhere without his parents." Hermione was trying hard to calm herself.

"But I already told you, I did not know that Lily and James had died." Erik could not believe that he was trying to defend himself.

"You had to have known, sir. How else would you have known that he was at Hogwarts. Plus the news about Lily and James death was all over the world. Not just the wizarding world either, the muggle world as well. I know this because I am a muggle and my parents new about how he had lost his parents from the moment that I had told him that I was his friend. So don't try and pull that bull crap on me Professor."And with that Hermione turned around and stormed out of the room. Leaving behind a dumbfounded and disbelieving Erik.

"Hermione,...Hermione!" Sirius hollered as she stormed out of Professor Evans office. She turned, "Oh, Hello Sirius." Hermione face was red with anger.

"Hermione what's wrong? Are you alright. What was going on with you and Severus last night?" Sirius was clearly worried about her.

"That man, thinks that he can just waltz in here and think that he can be a part of Harry's life! That's what wrong. And nothing was wrong last night, Snape was just being his normal, insufferable self." Hermione was so angry that she wanted to break something.

"Why don't you tell me about everything once you've calmed down. Say, at dinner tonight?" Sirius had taken on his romantic voice as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. After a moment they broke apart. "Where do you want me to meet you at?" Hermione asked, already a bit mor relaxed. "Meet at the Room of Requirement at Seven. How does that sound?"

"That's sounds perfect. Now, I'd better go and get some homework done before then." Hermione gave him one more kiss and then headed towards the library. Sirius waited and moment and then walked towards the direction of Snapes office.

Snape did not even look up from his desk as Sirius entered the room. "Well..."

"Well what Black.?" Snape was already annoyed by his presence.

"Well, did you look at the book?" Sirius was trying his best not to lose his patience with the man.

"Yes, and as far as I can tell there is nothing dark about it, just like Miss Lupin stated." Snape smirked. He loved proving Sirius wrong.

"Why?" Sirius asked

Snape was obviously puzzled by this question. "You'll have to specify a little bit better Black."

"Why was Hermione crying last night."

"So, it's Hermione now is it?" Snape loved irritating the man.

"Cut the crap, Severus! What was going on here last night!" Sirius had lost his temper. An easy thing to do when your around a Snape.

"So, Miss Granger doesn't tell you everything?"

"Tell me what was going on or I'll..." Sirius threatened.

"Or you what Black? Hex me?" Severus laughed at this. The last thing he remembered was a fist colliding with his face and then hearing something break.

A.N: Well what do you think of this chapter? A little bit longer that the others, eh? The chapters are slowly, but surely getting longer, so please, please, please, read and review. Also check out my newest story 'Come Home Soon.'