Chapter 4:
The months passed quickly for Hermione as she spent the majority of her term researching and studying. She was top of all of her classes, much to the dismay of the other students only studying one major. She found that without Ron and Harry to distract her she was much more focused. She kept in touch weekly with Harry, Minerva, Neville and Professor Snape.
The Christmas holidays were coming and a large majority of the students were returning home. Harry had offered to use his celebrity to get her a portkey back, but she knew that the holidays were a perfect time to get some research done. She told him to just enjoy his first Christmas with Tonks and to let her know if she said yes. Harry hadn't told her he was going to pop the question but she knew him enough to read between the lines. She was glad he was so happy and didn't care about the age difference at all. She understood that he needed someone older and more mature that could love him for him and not foe being the savior of the world. She only hoped she would meet someone who would be able to love her like Tonks loved Harry.
She was able to start some testing on the research she had been doing independently since the beginning of the semester. Professor Mannan had suggested that she start with something simple or at least hold off on trying to cure werewolves until she had a lot more university experience under her belt. He recommended that she pace herself so that she wouldn't get burnt out. "If you only ever work on projects that may never pan out you will get frustrated and want to quit. If you work on smaller, less meaningful projects in-between your core research at least that will remind you that you are good at your work and that you will eventually succeed." He told her bluntly one day when he noticed she was leaping into fields of research that most seasoned potion masters would fear to tread.
Taking his advice she started work on something she had always wanted to take the time for but felt it was not worth her intelligence and since it wouldn't help the war effort she had decided it was unnecessary. Now she was in initial testing and was glad she had taken the time for it. She was designing a new shampoo that would tame her wild mess of hair. She had always envisioned a potion that she could wash into her hair every morning and she would have wonderfully controlled curls with no frizz. She was excited when her initial tests came out stable. She spent the rest of the holidays perfecting her new potion. She had decided on naming it Gentle Curls and after extensive tests she had designed a bottle that would allow the shampoo element and the curling agent separate until application so whoever was using it could decide on the level of curl their hair had by adjusting the dial on the bottle to release more or less curling potion into the shampoo. She was most proud of her shampoo formula as it eliminated all frizz and fly away hairs and left the hair smooth and clean. She had surprised even herself when she tried just her shampoo on her own hair and it made her hair lay almost flat! She sent bottles to all her friends back home along with their Christmas presents.
Professor Mannan was very impressed with what she accomplished with a 'simple' potion and encouraged her to patent her idea so she could get royalties and begin selling her potion. She was shocked when she found out that the only other potion on the market like hers was the sleek-easy potion she had used in 4th year for the Yule ball! By the time students were returning from the holidays she had requests from three different potions distributors for her formula. After discussing all her options with Vivek and the professor who taught the business classes they decided that her best option would be to partner with a manufacturer who could brew large quantities and be able to distribute her potions so that all proceeds would go to them as well as that way no one but her partner would have access to the formula. With that 'Hermione's Hair Care Potions' was created and by the end of the month she had more money in her new Gringotts vault than she had anticipated making the entire year.
Dear Hermione,
I love the new shampoo; it does wonders for my hair. I thought I was going to give the students a heart attack when they came back from the holidays and I was wearing my hair down! Now all you need is something to help poor Severus' hair and you will officially be the hair care expert! Everything is well here. Thank you for the book it was fascinating. I never knew there were that many different types of aborigine magic. Everyone here misses you! Good luck with your second semester!
Minerva
Miss Granger,
Congratulations on patenting your first potion. From what I hear Minerva and the other women saying it works quite well. I am glad you were able to find a market for it so quickly. I look forward to hearing more good things from you.
Professor Severus Snape
After the congratulatory letter from Professor Snape the two of them began writing on a more regular basis. They would correspond at least twice a week about a variety of different subjects. He helped her hone some of her research ideas, she gave him an intelligent sounding board for some of his own work and they discussed combining potions with different branches of magic like charms, transfiguration and the like. It got to the point where Hermione would send him potions samples through the boxes and he would help her test them. Their letters over time became more familiar and less formal. Where he had always just started his letters with Miss Granger they now started with Dear Miss Granger and instead of ending with Professor Severus Snape he just signed them Severus Snape. Hermione had taken to starting her letters with My Dear Professor and ending with her customary Hermione.
Minerva and Albus could tell the days when Severus got a letter from Hermione as he was always in a better mood and more likely to join in on conversations. Minerva had started to get an inkling from Hermione's letters that she was very fond of Severus and Albus was convinced the sentiment went both ways. They had never seen their sour friend seem so open; they just hoped he would not get hurt when Hermione found someone to date at college and she stopped writing so often.
The first summer (or actually winter since she is in Australia) break from classes was very beneficial for Hermione. She was able to complete two new hair care potions to expand her line. She created a hair spray and hair gel alternative that would hold hair in place without making it feel or look hard or crusty that she named 'Complete Hold.' She had been receiving product requests from many of her suppliers and decided to try one to temporarily dye a person's hair. She was able to perfect it just in time for the 'back to school' shopping crowds. She had made it an adjustable shampoo just like the curls one. All the person using it had to do was tap their wand on the desired color on the shampoo container and wash their hair with it. The color would stay in until they washed again with the 'clear' option tapped. She did place a warning that using it more than once a day for more than a month could dry out a person's hair.
The money she was making from her potions was enough to be able to live on comfortably and she was glad to know her future looked so promising. Her last potion she was working on in her hair care line was something she had been working on for a while. It was an idea she had had while spending time with Snape over the summer. She noticed his hair didn't look as greasy as normal over the summer and she wondered if the potions fumes were the reason he looked that way all the time. She had noticed that both she and Vivek's hair would get a film on it if they were working over caldrons for too long at a time. She was ready to begin testing on her 'hair protection' potion as soon as school recommenced. She was sure it would work and had incorporated many other things into it other than just protecting against potions fumes it would protect against sun damage, fire, food, etc… she figured it would market to all those in potions, Herbologry, and food preparation and even more.
Two weeks after the beginning of term she was ready for human trials of her potion and offered it for free to the Brisbane Bandits Quidditch team that her roommate Carley's boyfriend plays for. After all the guys raved at how great it worked she was even invited to their next big match. They were going to be playing the Bucharest Bats and she was looking forward to the game as that was the pro team that Victor Krum played for. The main reason she was looking forward to seeing him was a selfish one she had to admit. As much as it would be great to see him, she really just wanted to prove all the stupid people she went to school with wrong. They didn't believe that she was friends with Albus and Harry and even though there were photos of her and Victor, they refused to believe she had dated someone so famous.
The game was short as Max Crane, Carley's boyfriend was not nearly as good as Victor, but then Hermione guessed that Harry would be the only one to ever really give him a run for his money. She headed down to the field with Carley to 'greet' the other team as she was part of the Bandit's entourage. She ignored most of the players and made her way over to Victor.
"Victor Krum, you come all the way to Australia and don't even look me up," she fake huffed and laughed as he turned around in shock to see her.
"Hermione!" He yelled startling most of the Bandit's who had assumed she was just trying to get his autograph. He picked her up and spun her around. "What are you doing here?"
Hermione smiled at him as he put her down, keeping his arm around her. "I attend University near here. How have you been? Your English is much better."
"I have been wonderful and I am dating an American that is why my English is better," he told her with a laugh. "I wish you could meet her, you would like her. She studies almost as much as you do!" The two of them wandered off to catch up while the rest of the team left for dinner.
"It is wonderful to see you, I didn't realize just how much I missed home until I saw you," Hermione said hugging him again. "If you ever want to write me, just send it to Harry or someone at Hogwarts and they can get it to me."
"I was good to see you again, you look beautiful." He told her kissing her hand. "Seeing you now makes me feel even more honored that you consented to date me."
"Oh Victor don't sell yourself short, you are wonderful. I am sure your new girlfriend feels the same way. You deserve every happiness." Hermione told him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before appariting back to her dorm.
After the rumor mill had been satisfied that Hermione did in fact know Victor Krum and had at one point dated him her social life picked up a bit. She was invited to more parties and asked out on more dates. She asked her roommate if it was only because she knew someone famous and Carley laughed and said that the only reason she wasn't invited to as many before was because people thought she was lying and didn't want an attention seeker at their bashes.
My Dearest Professor,
This is my latest potion, completely tested and safe to use. Believe it or not, I designed this one with you in mind. There are two bottles enclosed. The first is a hair restoration potion I made to be used prior to the first use of the other one which is a hair protection potion. The restoration potion will strip your hair of all unnatural chemicals and any damaged caused by the sun or harsh environments. Once your hair is restored all you have to do is spray the protection potion onto your clean hair every morning and it will protect it against all potions fumes and toxins as well as it has a built in flame retardant so your hair should be safe from exploding caldrons, even if you are not. Please try it as the entire reason I designed it was for you. I hope you have a Happy Halloween. I sent Harry and Albus some prank sweets one of the other potions students created, so hopefully you will be around when they try them.
Affectionately,
Hermione
The next day there was a commotion in the great hall when Snape walked in. He had used the potions Hermione sent him and was greatly pleased by the results. His hair was soft and light and hung nicely around his face. He looked quite dashing compared to his old self, he even felt more confidant. He would have to send her a thank you.
"Severus, your hair looks wonderful my boy; what ever did you do to it?" Albus asked him with eyes twinkling.
"I used Hermione's new potion on it," he told them, not realizing his slip of calling her by her first name, though neither Albus or Minerva missed it. "It worked perfectly. The first potion restores the hair from any damage and the second one protects against fumes, toxins, sun and even fire. I have been brewing for two hours this morning and you can't even tell." He told his colleagues with a smirk that could almost be classified as a smile.
Hermione,
My sources at Hogwarts tell me that you have de-greased the 'Greasy Git.' As recommended I tried the potion and you were right, I did have a lot of sun damage to my hair, both Tonks and I are using it daily now so please send a new batch as well as a new bottle of each of your other products… Tonks says the stores here sell out faster than they can get new product and she is the envy of the department that she has an inside source. Believe it or not but Lavender Brown owled me the other day trying to find out where you are, I'm sure she wanted free stuff. I told her you were out of the country and could only be reached by close friends and family. Don't be surprised if she begs Ron to write you, I hear they are dating now. I say they are perfect for each other; both put way too much emphasis on what others think of them. Enough of my ranting… By the way Tonks can't decided on when she wants to get married and her parents are saying that I am too young… we are going to wait a while I think. Or maybe we'll just elope and send you a postcard! I love her and will do whatever she wants, but the whole wedding thing is driving me crazy!
Love,
Harry
Hermione spent the rest of the school year getting top grades and focusing on her animagus form. She had researched her form and was happy with it. She was a cat a type of Rex Breed. Rex Breed cats are known for their curly coats. She had decided that the closest she could determine her form to be was a Selkirk Rex. She has medium/long curly chocolate fur with golden undertones and copper colored eyes. Her form was known for being intelligent, curious, affectionate, loving and gentle. She loved her form and couldn't wait to be able to transform. She hadn't told anyone what her form was and she was planning on keeping it secret until she could show her friends. The animagus laws in Australia were not as harsh as in Brittan. She has to register but there was no public record of her coloring and form. There was an official record that could only be reviewed if necessary but the public was only able to access a list of animagus. They would know she was an animagus but not what her form was.