Chapter 2.1
"Gryyyffindoor…" The hat drawled.
Gee that was disconcerting. Never had she heard a hat to sound soo bored. It didn't help the fact that she was receiving hesitant applause from her new house. Nonetheless, she took a seat near the blonde girl who reminded her too much of Eve. Hopefully there will be no case of balding between them.
The boy who she helped find a lizard, or was it a newt, found himself in front of her. He didn't seem the brave and daring one, but the hat put her also in Gryffindor, even if it sounded reluctantly so.
"Did you find your newt Trevor?"
"P-p-pardon?" Great a stammer. Well, who was she to question the hat's choice, maybe it could see what she cannot. She'll reserve her judgement for Trevor… for now.
"Yes your newt, you asked me to help you find it a while ago?"
"Uhm… Actually I'm Ne-ne-ville, Neville Longbottom. Trevor is the toad I lost."
'Bollocks.'
'Messed that one up, didn't you? And here I thought your memory's fine.'
"Sorry, I'm kind of bad at names. Forgive?" She said with a shy smile.
Oh children, easy to appease. Camaraderie in their incompetence, him in losing an uncaged jumping toad and her in forgoing trivial details. What is a Longbottom anyway?
Yet all her thoughts drifted away when she felt eyes on her. Her breath seized as her eyes landed on the high table.
Why was a professor staring at her? Fathomless green eyes bore into her hazel ones. She never felt this frozen before. Something about him calling to her. But before she could even decipher what was happening, the whole hall suddenly erupted into a loud applause. Gryffindor house welcomed Harry Potter.
. . .
He was the new DADA professor. Apparently, that subject never held a Professor for more than a year, hence the "new" professor. Though he did teach Muggle studies years ago, after his "unknown but exciting" expedition in Albania - a fact according to the Weasley twins.
She cannot understand the sudden interest she had with the turban wearing professor, he was a nervous wreck who stutters… A LOT. Except suddenly he wasn't, and he was teaching them the basics of defence and proper techniques. The twins might be over-exaggerating his ineptitude, but he seem competent enough. You'd think he might be two-faced or something, his stammering a façade. But it didn't matter, he was very informative in their class, and next to Prof. McGonagall, he comes second as her favourite professor. Still nothing beats transfiguring yourself into a cat - now THAT was cool! Still Professor Quirrell would have come first if it weren't for the minor staring he does when he thinks she's not looking.
Aside from Mr. Creepy-stare, most of the professors hold up pretty well. Let's just ignore the fact that the Herbology professor was named Sprout, or History of Magic was being taught by a ghost stuck in the past, or that Professor Snape really live up to his reputation as the dungeon's bat, everyone else was quite professional.
Unfortunately, children were not. The viscous gremlins can be nastier than any hex or curse, earning you a long-lasting dose of childhood trauma. Hermione's pretty sure Mrs. Weasley, bless her soul whoever she is, have the patience the amount of the great river. She needed that big of capacity, what with dealing with a certain Ronald Weasley on a daily basis. Add also a dash of 'Mornings with Lavander', and she can't be blamed for an Eve 2.0.
However, despite possessing maturity beyond her peers, she is still a child herself. Every taunts, insults, weakness, and failure wash over her. Like a resounding gong, breaking her young heart.
And all little Hermione could do, was cry.
…
It was no later in the afternoon she decided that no freckly git should get to her in that way. No amount of crying will do her good, so she just did what she do best. She wandered around the castle.
Don't get her wrong, she loves reading. Nothing beats knowledge freely given by her prized books. Why won't she use it to her best advantage? But before learning that alphabets made sounds and those beautiful lined-up rectangles in her parents study will become her best friend, Hermione wandered. She was a year old when she wanted to know what was inside the swinging white plank across her cot. It was her parent's closet, the plank was a door. Nonetheless that was her very first bout of magic, which she will later find out is called Apparition. At 1! Goodness! She explored every nook and crannies in her parent's modest two-storey home. Her wide hazel eyes absorbing everything it sees.
Oh her poor parents getting a coronary every time they find her in a locked room. And heaven forbid, let's not get started with the time they brought her to their practice. Or that nightmare of a summer when her parents, bless their hearts, almost called for the authorities when they went camping.
We can safely assume Hermione is born to explore. What better source of knowledge than first-hand seeing things, experiencing the cool brush of wind in her face, the adrenaline that pumps her feet to walk a bit further than what her parents strictly impose, the feel of every surface she touch, the smell of uncertainty. Maybe that's what landed her on Gryffindor, forgoing self-preservation to sate her curiosity.
'Or perhaps you have no sense of self-preservation because I was always there to guide you. Hmm? Have I been too lax on you child?'
She smiled. At least she has him. Her not-too-silent protector.
…
Oh blast! She forgot this was a castle.
Dinner had already started an hour ago and she's lost count what floor and side of the castle she's at. Probably the third floor, she was not sure. Damn moving staircases! She has underestimated the vastness of a castle, and a magical one at that. She didn't want to admit it, but she was lost. Hungry, angry and lost.
She could hear her belly gurgling, protesting, and… and hissing. Wait hissing?
"Exceptional work Quirinus."
"Thank you M-master.."
"Now bring it to the forest Quirinus and hand it to them. The others awaits for youu…"
"B-but M-master.. Surely Y-you c-could use i-it now…"
Was he talking to himself? Odd man. Perhaps he could hear voices, just like her! Oh if only Hermione knew all too well.
"Professor?" She called out awkwardly.
"Ms. Granger?" The man snapped his attention towards her, making the curly haired witch blink in shock.
Talk about a switch. The clarity in his face snaps the moment he saw her. The intent look he was giving made her aware of her sour mood not too long ago. Ugh, she must've been a frightful sight to see.
"Are you not aware that dinner is almost over Ms. Granger?"
"I.. I am"
"And you are here, why? Has your senses left you that you decide to forgo food?"
"N-n-…" Goodness, is stammering contagious? "No sir." She cleared her throat. "Unfortunately I got too caught up exploring the castle and ended up getting lost" Her voice turning into a whisper. She had to look down to avoid his gaze, and hide her red rimmed eyes.
When he nary said a word to her, Hermione slightly peered up at him from her lashes. As usual the Professor was staring at her intently. A minute passed and he must have been mollified with what he saw because he spoke to her again.
"Come with me, Ms. Granger."
Oh cripes! It dawned on her that she was on the third floor. There was something about forbidden corridors, or was it a forest the Headmaster warned during the opening feast. Shouldn't they place some sort of magical barricade so that children can't easily wander the grounds?
She scampered after the Professor, head hung low. Looks like she's getting her first detention.
…
"Do you not like it?"
"I… I'm just surprise, is all."
"Well, it won't eat itself Ms. Granger. Go on." He gestured with his hand.
"Thank you Professor." She smiled a little, her two front teeth catching her lower lip.
Raspberry tart. Who would've thought – certainly not her. After scurrying up to the professor, she found herself going 3 floors down and another towards the dungeon then pass an indoor courtyard. For some reason, the wariness she felt when first meeting him was gone, she didn't even cast a skeptic glance when they stood in front of a large painting of a fruit bowl. Her eyebrows did rise in surprise when he tickled a pear and the painting swung open.
Her mood simply elated. She found herself a hidden passage into the Hogwart's Kitchen! With elves all around them! The magic of it made her smile, plus the raspberry tart that she's keeping herself from devouring all too fast.
She wish all detentions are like this.
"I often find myself a wayfarer in new places. Taking a stroll helps clear my mind, especially when dealing with… complicated situations." He said, not fully looking at her but seemingly just as busy biting on his own tarts.
Hermione remained quiet. She's never really one to burden a Professor with such trivial matters. Past experience tells her adults don't really want to listen, they always tell you to suck-it-up then move on.
"Dispute in your house?" He further probed.
She blows a long sigh before answering, putting down her fork beside her plate. She tries not to fidget, but a confession makes her so.
"They don't like a know-it-all." Hermione admitted dejectedly. She hopes maybe sharing some of her plight will ease the tension in her heart. He seem to show interest in her.
"Children have a tendency to be awfully insufferable." She had to smile at that, he sounded awfully familiar.
"I think we both know that you have nothing to prove to them Ms. Granger. It is evident to everyone that you are more than capable. However what your… friends want to see is a schoolmate. A child, just like them. Not their parents, or their older siblings, nor a teacher. They already have that."
After a moment's peace he added, "Don't try to put yourself in that box Hermione, it will only limit you."
She couldn't help but chuckle at him. His reasoning sounded so much like him.
"Are you trying to tell me to just be myself Professor? A child?"
"That's the gist of it."
When there were no more crumbs left on their plates, the Professor escorted her back, towards the Gryffindor's common room, possibly to avoid any encounter with the menacing caretaker and his cat.
It was just like the day atop the stairs, when she let the voice be her comfort whilst her parents argue about her.
With a lighter heart, she thinks Professor Quirrell definitely could be her favourite Professor. Wish he could turn into a cat though.
"Thank you Professor."
"Of course Ms. Granger."
When he saw her retreat towards the entrance of her common room, she twisted to speak, as if suddenly remembering something.
"Oh and Happy Halloween Professor! Or Samhain, whichever you prefer!"
She skipped towards her room. Happy to see her housemates carefree as they are.
"There you are Hermione! Here, we... I mean, that Harry and me got you this. We didn't see you during dinner and... and suppose you oughta be hungry."
"Yeah we saved you some pie!" The spectacled boy smiled at her.
She didn't dare correct Ron's grammar, nor tell Harry she's not too fond of kidney pies. But she did smile back and sat with them. She guess that was good enough of an apology.
"So how do you play wizard's chess?" Though completely barbaric in her opinion, it was worth to know how wizards entertain themselves, the boys are just too happy to inform her.
And just like that, she felt like her whole world took a different turn.
