On Teenagers & Love

a story by anamatics

Part Two

Chapter Sixteen - On Careers

an: a few people have commenting asking if I can put Harry with various characters that aren't Ginny and to them I say that you should simply wait and see. this story is sticking pretty close to the book canon, save the few necessary changes that I've had to make along the way - I don't want to deviate too much from it, as that's part of the charm of this story, I think. to be so close to how the books were, and yet oddly better because we're not telling the story from a certain character's ALL CAPS ALL THE TIME perspective. book six, I think, is going to be absolutely fantastic in this regard because there was SO MUCH in that book that we didn't get to see because Harry was so busy with Dumbledore and stalking Draco Malfoy.


The subsequent days are trying for them all. Fleur very pointedly avoids answering her questions regarding the Easter Holidays (Hermione's told her that she doesn't think she can leave school with all the revising that she has to do) or Dumbledore's whereabouts. Hermione knows better than to ask again, because Fleur's obviously as aware as she is that their mail is probably being screened. If anything else, it seems like a good way to throw the ministry and their new headmistress off Dumbledore's scent.

"I cannot believe she went and created a bloody Inquisitorial Squad," Ginny mutters as she eyes the collection of Slytherins with their shiny new badges, gloating at their ability to take points at will. "As if they needed any more reason to act like they're superior."

The problem, Hermione reasons, is that the DA and the subsequent diatribe by Umbridge in Dumbledore's office - not to mention Fudge himself showing up - is the worst kept secret in school. Hermione knows that their group was mostly Gryffindors and mostly fifth years, but the repercussions are everywhere.

She waves goodbye to Ginny after dinner and heads to meet Pansy Parkinson (and her shiny new Inquisitorial Squad badge) at the base of the base of the great staircase. Pansy is leaning against the railing, talking to Millicent Bulstrode and Daphene Greengrass. They see Hermione coming and wave to Pansy and head down to towards the dungeons.

"Alright, Granger?" Pansy asks, not impolitely.

Hermione shrugs. "I'm just fine," she replies. "Yourself?"

Pansy waits to reply until they're up to the first floor and well out of the way of anyone who might overhear her. "This," she taps the Inquisitorial Squad badge with an annoyed huff, "Is throwing off my revising schedule. I can't go home for the Easter Hols now."

"I don't think any of the fifth years are going home," Hermione replies, opening the first bathroom door they've come to and checking to make sure that there are no crying first years, snogging fourth years, or mischief going on. "I've been so busy revising that I scarcely have time for my regular work."

"I could have sworn I heard a rumor about you putting a nasty curse on a Ravenclaw girl," Pansy comments airily two floors and six bathrooms, one alcove, and three study rooms later.

Hermione sniffs, "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about."

"It's why Chang's not talking to Potter, isn't it?"

"Cho Chang isn't talking to Harry because Harry's got the emotional range of a tea kettle and mucked up that whole situation rather spectacularly," Hermione replies curtly. When Pansy gives her a curious look, she adds, "He told her that he wanted to talk about them rather than Cedric Diggory."

The smile that slides across Pansy's face is one that she's seen before. It's the calculating sort, but also the privately amused kind. Hermione smiles slowly when Pansy peers into another alcove, "Ouch."

"Agreed," Hermione says.

The patrol is not without incident, however. Hermione is shocked to find out that that the Inquisitorial Squad can take house points. When she gets back to the dormitory she tells Harry and Ron about it and they both nod. Apparently Draco Malfoy had tried to throw his weight around with Harry on his way to occlumency lessons.

"Snape reckons that I've got it down," Harry says shakily when Hermione ask him how his lesson went. Hermione can hear the lie in his voice (because Harry is very bad at lying to her) and she can tell by how distracted he seems for the rest of the evening that something awful must have happened during that lesson.

Still, she doesn't press him too much and writes a half-coded letter to Fleur to tell her what's happened. That should get the word to the parties that need to know, she reasons.

On the first day of the Easter Holiday, Fleur writes back and says that nothing can be done regarding that situation due to the pig-headedness of men. Hermione rolls her eyes and smiles as Fleur continues, telling her all about the project that she's currently assigned to at Gringotts.

She's been working with Bill and a few other coworkers whose names Hermione knows in passing on a project to identify the curses cast up on and then open this long-forgotten vault that as far as the goblins can determine has no living owner. It sounds absolutely fascinating when Fleur gets into the more intricate details of how they go about figuring out which curses might have been placed on the vault.

Hermione writes Fleur back with more questions about the process. She really can't help herself, it sounds so interesting and there's actual science involved, rather than just the usual imprecise guesswork that seems to go into all other forms of magic other than arithmancy.

As per their year and the upcoming slate of O.W.L.s, all fifth year student have to meet with their head of house (and apparently Professor Umbridge) to discuss possible career paths. Hermione's feeling very flustered and put-upon by the whole thing. She's only sixteen, and while she has had a tentative life plan that takes her to age thirty since she was thirteen, there are several new and mitigating factors that she has yet to truly consider.

Hermione is plagued by this feeling of panic and takes every career pamphlet that Professor McGonagall offers the fifth-year Gryffindors and reads them through carefully. She's already decided that she wants nothing to do with the ministry, but there are other options.

By the time her career counseling session comes around, the Tuesday of the Easter Holiday, Hermione has only three pamphlets left. She discusses the first two with Professor McGonagall, very pointedly ignoring the scratch of Professor Umbridge's quill as she takes notes. However, Hermione is not above playing to people's strengths. She takes a deep breath and turns to Professor Umbridge.

"Professor, what can you tell me about banking?" Hermione asks, smiling sweetly at Professor Umbridge. She can see Professor McGonagall's eyes widen and then narrow. She must know that Hermione's not an idiot and wouldn't involve the interloping headmistress unless she legitimately had a question. "I have some friends who work for Gringotts International, and their lives sound terribly exciting."

"Goblins won't hire just anyone Ms. Granger," Professor Umbridge replies curtly, setting down her quill. "You would have better luck trying to find a husband and settling down."

The noise that Professor McGonagall makes is rather alarming and she hides it in a cough hurriedly. Both Hermione and Professor Umbridge look at her sharply and Hermione sees a look of pure rage behind Professor McGonagall's rectangular spectacles.

"That would be rather hard for me to do," Hermione confesses matter-of-factly, "as I don't much care for men."

Professor McGonagall coughs again and Hermione turns to her, "Do you need a glass of water, professor?" She can see the amusement in Professor McGonagall's eyes now and she has to struggle to keep her face perfectly straight.

"No, Ms. Granger, I'm quite alright," Professor McGonagall replies with a small smile. "Have you considered a career in academia? You would make a very good professor."

It was Professor Umbridge's turn to make a coughing noise, but Hermione followed Professor McGonagall's lead and did not acknowledge it. "I would probably have to get an apprenticeship or go to university on the continent if I did that, right?"

"There are some wizarding companies and governmental organizations that will help to arrange further study as well. Isn't Ms. Delacour doing something like that at Gringotts?"

Nodding, Hermione replies, "Yes. She's following a similar study pattern as Bill Weasley did. Curses, Ancient Runes, and Spell Creation – I think." She's playing it up for Professor Umbridge, but she can tell that the toad-like woman's gaze is fixated on her neck.

Oh no, Hermione thinks, trying to force herself not to move and adjust the necklace that's clearly fallen out from underneath the school sweater that she's wearing. She takes a deep breath and tries to force herself not look at Professor Umbridge at all, focusing her attention on Professor McGonagall.

"Perhaps," Professor McGonagall says slowly, "You should consider asking either Mr. Weasley or Ms. Delacour more about their chosen career paths."

"I'll do that," Hermione nods, getting up to leave.

As she thanks Professor McGonagall for her help and heads to the door, Hermione can hear a chair scrape behind her. She swallows and takes exactly three steps down the corridor before she hears Professor Umbridge's, "Hem, Hem."

"Yes, Professor?" Hermione tries not to let her voice shake, but the panic is already rising up inside of her.
Umbridge draws herself level with Hermione and again fixates her beady gaze on Hermione's necklace. "Ms. Granger, could you please tell me the origins of your necklace?"

Hermione reaches up and tucks it back under her shirt. "I don't see why that's any of your business, professor. It was a gift."

"From your veela friend?"

Hermione doesn't see the point of lying, they're fairly well-know, after all. "Yes."

"I see. Ms. Granger, you are at the top of your class, are you not?"

Hermione nods, but clarifies because modesty is a virtue that she thinks someone like Professor Umbridge might actually appreciate. It's a gamble. "It's usually a toss-up between myself and Terry Boot." And Draco Malfoy she thinks but does not add that fact because any and all reminder that Draco Malfoy has a higher mark than her in potions class will send Hermione into a mood that she doesn't think she should be in around a person as irritating as Professor Umbridge.

"Then you will know that you should not accept jewelry from a veela," Umbridge is speaking slowly, like she's somehow mentally defective or slow. Hermione scowls.

"I'm sorry, Professor?"

Umbridge smiles almost sympathetically at her. Hermione wants to slap her. "I was perfectly clear, dear. You should not accept jewelry from veela." She shakes her head and adds, "To do carries implications that one such as yourself should know very well."

Hermione can't help herself, "I am well aware of the implications, thank you." She straightens, adjusting her too-heavy bag on her shoulder. "It was covered at the beginning of the year in Care of Magical Creatures class, as well as touched upon in third year defense."

Umbridge's eyes seem to bug even more out of her squished face than before and she stares at Hermione with narrowed eyes for a moment before relenting. "Knowing the implications are one thing, but you cannot possibly be considering – your friend is not human."

She knows better than to walk away from a professor, she really does, but she cannot help herself. She can't proclaim her love of Fleur to Delores Umbridge of all people. It's an invasion of privacy, not to mention completely unrelated to her course of study. She pauses, thinking for a minute. "Professor, while your career advice was very helpful, my decisions are my own."

"Naturally, Ms. Granger," Professor Umbridge says in her most simpering of tones. "I am merely concerned, as I'm sure all the professors here at Hogwarts are, for your well-being. Involvement with such magical creatures is quite dangerous for humans." Umbridge looks away before adding the dagger that sends Hermione's temper flying off the handle. "Especially those, like yourself, who grew up in disadvantaged homes."

"Delores?" Professor McGonagall's voice cuts Hermione's retort off, and both she and Professor Umbridge turn as one. Parvati Patil is standing by Professor McGonagall's elbow, peering out from her office. "We still have five more appointments."

Hermione mouths 'thank you' at Parvati for prompting the rescue and hurries up the hall before Umbridge can reply. Her face is a dark cloud of violent emotion and she marches her way up to one of the seldom-used six-floor study rooms. She slams the door closed behind her, turns her wand towards the table and puts all of her energy into the strongest blasting charm she knows. She's thinking of the smug look on Umbridge's face and the utter contempt that was there.

The table erupts into wooden splinters and Hermione lets out a frustrated sob. She hates what's happening to this place and she hates that she is powerless to stop Umbridge.