Title: Hermione's Helping Hand
Apparition Test
On the day that the Ministry had set aside for Hogwarts students, Hermione joined the rest, with Harry and Ron beside her. A huge something had been erected and McGonagall was there, making sure that people heard her.
" You will step through this portal and the Ministry testing office will be on the other side."
Petunia forced them all in a straight line, and then one by one they disappeared through it. When it was Hermione's turn, she felt her world turn upside down, but she managed to keep her stomach in and not throw up.
" Now that were all here," said a voice in front. " Welcome to the Ministry of Magic, Apparition office. Today we are going to test you one by one to see if you can apparate from one place to another. If you fail, you may return next month to try the test again. As each of you is tested, you will sign your name so that we know that you took the test."
He took out a long roll of parchment and started to call names. One by one, each student attempted to Apparate where the Ministry official told him or her to go. Several came back feeling very pleased and a thin sheet of parchment in their hands, some returned without them. When it was Harry's turn, he did it well. Hermione figured that it had something to do with the fact that he had done it before.
" Snape, Hermione," the Ministry official called.
Hermione jumped when her name was called, but came forward. He handed her a piece of paper and when she read it, she gave a slight nod, and then closing her eyes, she focused on where she had to be. She felt the pull and when she opened them, she found herself right where she was suppose to be.
" Very good!" said the other official.
He wrote something down and gave it back to her. Hermione disappeared in a flash of light.
Several hours later they all returned, all tired, and all wanting to go to bed. Ron had failed the test, but Harry and Hermione told him that he could just take it again. Ron declined.
" You know, Snape's right," Ron said. " I can't do anything that requires travel. I can only walk and run, that's it."
" Ron, don't be hard on yourself."
Ron didn't say anything.
When Hermione returned to her quarters, she crashed on the chair, frustrated. Severus was reading the same book that he had read the night he was petrified. He looked from it to her.
" What's wrong?"
" Ron failed his test," Hermione said. " And he doesn't want to take it again."
Severus shook his head at that.
" That boy gives up before he fully sees if he can or can't do it. He needs to get a life and just try hard."
" I know, but he won't listen to anyone," Hermione protested. " Once he gets into his brain that he can't do it, he fowls up all the time. He doesn't figure that it's his own words that's making it hard for him to do it."
" Spoken like a true Snape!" Severus said.
" Thanks!"
A/N: I know the chapters have been short, but I'm trying really hard to make them long, but I'm failing at the attempt.