Chapter 7:
Authoress: Dodge-This
Based on Idea By: PookaSeraph
Disclaimer: All J.K. Idea came from PookaSeraph
Hermione moved away from the Earl of Denby with something tickling a corner of her brain. She shook it off and finished her walk to the owlry. In the past summer Hermione had bought a mail bird for herself, she was thinking on an owl when the regal falcon had caught her eye. She decided to name it Pygmaleon because she was a big fan of Ovid. She still had Crookshanks, he was at a wizard vet until a problem in his stomach was fixed.
She took the last step into the owlry, overwhelmed by the smell, but pressed on to where her bird was roosted away from the owls. "Hey, Pie, could you get this to Severus Snape with the morning mail?" Hermione stroked his breast feathers and gave him a treat before tying on the note. "Thanks."
Hermione walked her way to the teachers' wing and into her rooms to her office. She pulled out her class notes and looked to the day's plans. "Today I have, fourth and fifth years?"
Her eyebrows knit together as she thought again, I thought I already saw them. She shrugged. "Fourth years are covered, working on the poison. Fifth years are starting a standard Magic Recovery Serum. I guess I'll finish doing December's plans." She pulled out each year's text and added detail to her plans on what to cover for each year and unit.
She worked until ten to breakfast exiting through the dungeons for some early morning stair climbing exercise. She turned and warded the door behind her. Hermione walked her way to the nearest stairwell. She neared a corner, but was stopped half way by Severus coming around at the same time. Stopping just short of running into her, he looked up from his book and jumped back a few feet.
"Morning Professor." There was a cautious undertone to his voice.
"Severus," she acknowledged.
"All better then?" He waved a hand in her face. She grabbed it in annoyance.
"My vision was never a problem," She looked to his arm caught in her hand, "But yes, apparently so. Tad bit more compelled to assault and kiss you than usual, but bearable."
"Than usual?" He seemed amused.
She scowled, "Though my think before speaking reflex seems rather impaired at the moment, Great Hall's that way." She pointed to the stairs.
"Be up in a minute. I accidentally packed my bag for Thursday classes last night." He shrugged, "Common Room's that way."
She thought for a moment. "Do you mind if I stop by, Head of Slytherin and all, I should know where it is." He shoved the book in his bag and led the way.
"Don't seem very enthusiastic about that." He ushered her around a corner.
"Head of Slytherin? It's not that I mind, per say, but I've been trained by a Gryffindor society for the past six years. It's a little hard to then by shoved into a lead Slytherin role, when I still have Gryffindor friends in the school expecting me to exploit the situation and torture the Slytherins."
"Did I do that, as a teacher, I mean?" He led her around another corner.
She was startled, he hadn't mentioned anything since their conversation. "Yes, you took to Gryffindor bashing, gave points by the dozen to Slytherin."
"Pureblood," he said. She looked at him, then a portrait of the Blood Baron--before dying—opened to reveal the Slytherin Common Room.
"Predictable, aren't we?"
"Everyone's upstairs, you can come in, no one ever prided Slytherin on intelligence, only cunning." He helped her through the portrait. "Poke around, I'll go swap books." She nodded. He ran off to the spiral stairs on the left side of the room.
Hermione looked around in front of her, not a bad color scheme. All the furniture was green with silver lining, it fit. She saw the huge fireplace, marble of course. She turned around, her eyes widened and she covered her gaping mouth with a hand before rushing over to the wall to wall, floor to ceiling window looking underwater to the lake.
The water was a dark blue and there was a small colony of mermaids visible over some rocks. A tentacle snaked by, causing Hermione to jump back a foot.
"Huge isn't it. He casts finger puppets at night sometimes. Well as close to finger puppets he can get. Walk you to the Hall?" He asked, gallantly offering his arm with a small bow.
"Why thank you, and of course." She hooked her arm through his as he led the way to the door.
By the time they got to the doors to the Hall they had flitted through many subject to have their conversation come to quidditch, of all things. But as opposed to Harry and Ron's old rants about teams and strategy, he was actually talking about the pros and cons to the sport, with reasonable backing to his arguments.
Entering the Hall he came to a stop and began comically, "As much as it pains to do so, I must depart, fair lady." He kissed her briefly and walked to the Slytherin table. She smiled and shook her head to go sit. Dumbledore raised a brow and returned to his meal, smiling.
Once there she was greeted to a grinning Bill and Charlie. "So apparently I'm not the one Billy should have been worried about shagging the students, eh?" Charlie said. She shrugged and poured some coffee. Charlie blinked, "Eww, you're shagging Snape?"
Her eyes snapped open, "Merlin, no. I can't see how it matters though, I'm their age." She drank deeply and refilled her mug.
"Really?" he continued, "We had to sign an 'I shall not shag the students' agreement."
She shrugged again, "I passed my NEWTs and took a Potions Professor exam. I only signed something saying I was a teacher."
Bill decided it was time to join the conversation and slung an arm over her shoulders, "But there are such better pickings than Snape."
Hermione pulled off Bill's arm with a smile, only to find it soon replaced by Charlie's, "Now, now, if Herm is going to snog any Weasley, she would of course pick 'the sexy.'" He gestured to himself with his free arm.
Bill leaned over to stage whisper in Hermione's ear, "He's taken to referring to himself as that."
She laughed and daintily picked up Charlie's hand by one finger, "I'll have you know I shant be snogging the either of you if you keep this up."
Severus smirked as Hermione pulled each Weasley off her shoulder. He took a drink of water only to inhale it as an elbow found its way to his gut. He coughed until he regained his breath, he turned and glared at Lucius, "You have got to quit doing that! You weren't back last night until after I went to sleep." He held a flask to Lucius, who smirked.
"Apparently it wasn't required, I can catch a girl without the help of your fancy cologne." Severus shrugged and moved to put the flask back in his cloak, "Wait, wait, wait, I'll still take it though."
Severus held out the flask and his other hand palm up. Lucius took the flask and gave him a few coins. Lucius' muttering about con artists was interrupted by the Daily Prophet being deposited dangerously close to his porridge.
Seconds later a falcon landed in front of Severus. He took the letter and offered it some toast crust, brushing its breast feathers, before it flew off out a window.
He flipped the letter over, making out HG in the crest. He broke the seal and read the letter, returning the handkerchief to his pocket. Must've written it before this morning, he thought and stuffed it in a pocket.
Hermione groaned at an insistent tapping at her window. She tossed the covers from her body and left the warmth of her bed to let in the persistent owl. The regal owl flew in and stopped on her table, dropping a letter and leaving before she could do anything.
"Woke me up for that? Evil bird." She tried to brush a hand through her hair and failed miserably due to the knots. She picked up the letter and looked at the seal. Hogwarts own. She cracked the wax and read the letter.
Professor Hermione Granger,
I'd be most delighted if you would join me for an
early morning tea, soon as you can.
Albus Dumbledore
"Rather cryptic isn't it?" She said to herself as she dropped clothes on the floor en rout to the bathroom. She showered and hopped out, drying her body before wrapping in her towel before focusing on the ball of hair on her head. With the help of her home brew conditioner the knots untangled as she passed through a brush.
She stared at it for a second, seeing if it would rally further rebellion before muttering an incantation to dry it. She twisted it into a knot high on her head before stuffing her wand through it to keep it up.
She exited the bathroom shucking her towel on the way to her wardrobe. Hmm, long sleeves. Aaaannd pants, pants are good. She put on said articles of clothing before making her way to the Headmaster's office. She was about to turn off the main hall when her eye caught on the portraits. Earl of Denby. Upside down…Wednesday? She felt like she had forgotten something as she approached the gargoyle, "Snickers."
Sometime over summer Dumbledore had found a muggle candy shop and since had been rather obsessive about the magical combination of chocolate, peanuts, and caramel goodness. She yawned and started up the still moving staircase. She walked forward and knocked on the door to his office.
"Come in, Miss Granger."
"Hello professor," she stifled a yawn, "Just wondering, is it supposed to be Wednesday?"
"We have some elves on the problem, they're dusting out the calendar room, a minor mishap, it will be better soon."
Authoresses Notes:
Lady Maura: Sorry if I got the name wrong, I'm doing this one just before posting. It isn't abandoned, its just that me and my sister went on vacation for a while then I had to rush and do all my summer home work, so here you go.
The Mad Madame: Yeah, I know it's a tad bit high on the cute scale, if any one has any plot ideas at all, even if they're totally idiotic, I'd be happy to incorporate.
Suzaku West: Thanks for stinking with me.
Silly bandit: sorry about the slow update.
Fuuruma: is the end more clear now?
CassandraTheEvil: I know the Slytherin line is very overused, but I couldn't resist the temptation, I do promise that it probably be used again. The Wednesday thing has hopefully been explained.
MissElvira: Ideas are always welcome, if I don't get back to you--I will try--just mail them to
Momsangel: Glad you decided to read it.
Jean jelly bean: You should just know that you are what got me off my ash and writing this thing. Thank you very much.
Sarahamanda, blackwolfs900, Darkmoon3, Blue furry elf, Lily of the Shadow, crazley, Nighthawk47, Sheriff of Nottingham, Neo Queen Serenity: All of you thanks for reading, reviews are a great way to keep me writing quickly.
