"Come in."
McGonagall's voice rang in Hermione's ears, she didn't want to be nervous and she didn't really know why she would be, but she simply was. Hermione walked in, not sure what to expect now that McGonagall had taken over the office. It was more organized but still had books all over. Someone had cleared away all of the random instruments that had been in there when Dumbledore had the office but Hermione had suspected that it had been Snape, but she knew it was to cover up his deceit to Voldemort.
"Good evening, Headmistress." Hermione greeted while taking a seat in front of the desk.
"Thank you, good evening to you, too. I have a few things I would like to discuss with you and a few options I would like to go over with you. I think we may be able to get you in a good position to start teaching as soon as you are ready." McGonagall told her.
"You make that sound like tomorrow." Hermione joked.
"Honestly, Ms. Granger, if you wanted I would have you teaching the younger years immediately."
"How would I take my N.E.W.T.S?"
Hermione was slightly scandalized, even if she didn't need to be here this year, she could do anything she wanted without this year and she knew it, she wanted to be here and to take her exams.
"You know you don't have to take them, you could get any job you want without them, right?" McGonagall asked her.
"Yes, I know. I want to take them to prove that I can do it, that I know the material and so that I'm not riding fame's coattail. Harry hates when people think he just got something because of being famous."
"I can understand that and it's respectful to wis-"
McGonagall was cut off with an abrupt knock on the door.
"Yes?"
"Headmistress we have a bit of a problem," Professor Slughorn cracked the door open, "we need you in the hospital wing right away."
"Ms. Granger, I will send you a note for a rescheduled meeting," McGonagall told her as she stood up to go with Slughorn.
"Thank you, Headmistress," Hermione followed them out the door.
Hermione left the meeting knowing almost nothing more when she wanted answers. Her brain was bouncing from place to place. McGonagall was prepared to hire her right away, there must be more behind the scenes than she was letting on. Defense was missing a teacher and Transfiguration only had a temporary teacher but everything else was filled. Hermione figured maybe she was just worried that she would be trying to pull double duty after the temporary Transfiguration professor was gone. After overhearing the conversation about the ministry Hermione knew that McGonagall was probably doing everything possible to keep the school safe and out of the ministry's hands. Hermione returned to her common room and decided it was time to get ready for bed. It had been an exciting day, Hermione was actually quite tired and wanted to lay in bed. She changed into one of her negligees and crawled into bed after putting her school books on her nightstand. She flipped to the back of her Standard Book of Spells for the index of every spell in the book. One by one she went down the list performing them effortlessly and flawlessly. After setting it beside her on the bed she grabbed A guide to Advanced Transfiguration and repeated the process, there would always be more to learn for Transfiguration but she was able to perform everything in the book. Hermione picked up Advanced Rune Translation and she knew she had it memorized front to back. She moved it to the side as well as Numerology and Grammatica, she had memorized that book several years before. Picking up One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi Hermione knew she had also memorized that, back in first-year. The only class she could see herself having any trouble with this year was potions, but she really didn't even see a problem because there were only two potions in the book that she hadn't brewed yet and it was only because she hadn't had the chance, yet. Hermione startled when the clock in her room quietly chimed ten. She moved her books back to her nightstand and went to sleep almost immediately.
Hermione woke up early and stretched. She rolled over to see the time and found it just before five. She was wide awake for no reason at all. Hermione got up and put on a pair of her running tights, she had missed two nights of running and figured she could make up for I know. When she was ready she left her common room and headed for the grand staircase. She spent the next hour running up and down the stairs when they would suddenly change she would alter her course. By the end of her workout, she was covered in sweat but also proud of herself. There was no way she could have done that a year ago or even six months ago. Hermione made it to her bathroom and enjoyed a cool shower. When she walked into her room she heard a tapping on the window and let Charlie's owl in. After untying the letter, she raced to dry her hair and get dressed so that she could sit and enjoy reading it.
Love,
I miss you already and you've barely gone, this year will be a tough one, but I know we will make it through. I just wanted to tell you that I really hope your first week back is amazing and that Friday night comes quickly, I cannot wait to open the present you got me. Mum is already missing you and Ginny and is already talking of holiday. Don't tell her I said anything but be careful around her, she has been looking at wedding magazines and thinks that you, Harry, and Ron are all next. Meaning Harry, Ron, and I are all flying interference the best we can. If you want a wedding that's perfect, if you want to run away that's also perfect. Again, don't tell mum I said that. Whatever you want is great, if you want to wait a few years don't let mum pressure you, I will make her back off if needed. I also wanted to say I love you and hope to see you at Hogsmeade, soon, let me know as soon as you find out what weekend your first trip is.
Forever yours, Charlie
Hermione was glad that he hadn't waited to write her.
Dearest Charlie,
I miss you as well and cannot wait to see you. You can open your present at half-past four on Friday. I am heading down to breakfast in a moment, but I want to tell you so much. I don't even know where to begin, yet. So far classes are great, I guess. We reviewed yesterday but I expect we'll be doing that all week. I feel confident that I actually know almost everything that we are supposed to be learning this year. I will send you another letter as soon as I can, just know that I love you and will talk to you as soon as I can.
Love, Hermione
Hermione tied the short letter on to Charlie's owl and sent him on his way. She smiled, knowing she would write more later, and set off for breakfast. Ginny and Hermione discussed their plans for the rest of the week and Ginny spoke of her plans for quidditch tryouts. She was going to run them Saturday and Sunday so that she could really get the best team together. They left early for Defense and took seats at the front. McGonagall was a great Transfiguration professor, and would no doubt be an amazing Defense teacher. McGonagall came in and sat down while the rest of class was trickling in. When everyone was in class Hermione counted how many were in class. Seven of the eleven returning students and fourteen other students were in class. Twenty-one students was not too bad for a class size since it was the N.E.W.T students.
McGonagall jumped right in as soon as everyone was seated. She went over what they should already know and what they would learn, thanks to Dumbledore's Army most of the students were actually ahead of where they should be. She had everyone stand up and practice the spells that they should know. When she got to the spells that they would be learning Hermione had already learned them all and more. It was pertinent to know everything she could about defense and protection enchantments as possible for the last year, she had known that they would need it eventually, so she had started learning early.
Hermione and Ginny left Defense for Transfiguration. The Professor was waiting on the class, there were only fifteen students, total, in this class.
"Hello, I am Professor Davis, I will be with you anywhere from today to about the first half of the year, after that, I will have my baby and you will have another Professor. I have made a detailed schedule of what I plan to teach you all and I will leave it for whoever takes over, I don't want you in a bind because of where you are when I have to leave. Headmistress McGonagall is actively looking for another Professor and if she finds one early enough we will both be here for you for a while. Due to all of this, I want to get started as soon as possible."
The class went through all the spells they had learned from first-year on. As soon as they were done, Professor Davis started having them try spells from this year. Hermione had already done this last night and was successful with all of them.
"I will be tailoring some of the work per student. If you are ahead I will be finding things that are past this years curriculum, if you lag behind I will try to figure out how to catch you up. Sometimes it's as simple as trying something else and coming back to it later and sometimes you need to know how the spell works but either way we will get you through and you will pass your N.E.W.T.'S." Professor Davis informed them.
Hermione and Ginny went to lunch and then double Charms. They started on the new lessons with their reviews being finished. Hermione was almost bored since she was so far ahead, she really wanted to not be and to have to try so that she could enjoy class but after trying so hard for so long she was just done with the scheduled material. She decided she would go to the library and start looking up things that were beyond N.E.W.T level over the weekend. Hermione and Ginny Went back to Hermione's Common room after class and sat in front of the fire talking.
"Ms. Granger, would you like supper in here tonight?"
Hermione and Ginny jumped when they heard the pop of a house elf apparating by them.
"Is that allowed?" Ginny asked.
"Yes, miss, I would like to be showing you how to order your foods and drinks to your room," the little elf told them. He walked over to a small table by the mantel and picked up a paper. "You just write what you want and set it on the table. It will appear as soon as we have it ready."
"What is your name?" Hermione asked.
"Wiggle, miss."
"Wiggle, I want to thank you for this. I really appreciate you showing me how to use this. Yes, I would like to take supper here, tonight. Ginny and I will both take supper, if that's okay," Hermione told Wiggle.
"Oh yes, miss, if you have guests they are more than welcome to eat with you. It doesn't matter what time of the day or night we can always have something prepared quickly," Wiggle told her.
"Thank you, we'll just take whatever is for supper and maybe a jug of pumpkin juice with two glasses," Hermione told him.
"Yes, miss, we will have it to you soon. Thank you."
Wiggle popped out and less than a minute later the table had two full plates with silver wear and pumpkin juice. Wiggle had even sent dessert to them.
The girls spent the rest of the night eating and talking away before Ginny had to go patrol. Hermione went to sleep reading one of her novels and woke early to go for another run. Soon she was done with breakfast and heading up to Defense again with Ginny.
"I'm kind of sad that I already know all of the curriculum," Hermione admitted.
"For all of the classes?" Ginny looked incredulous.
"I mean there are a couple potions I haven't tried and if Professor Davis is telling the truth she will find a few things to teach me but I know everything else."
"So what are you going to do? I know you're not one to sit idly," Ginny said
"I think I might just go to the library and try to find some advanced things to work on," Hermione told her.
"I think that sounds like a good plan, just don't go too crazy, this is your year to relax a bit, remember?"
QUESTION! I have been thinking of writing another fanfic Jacob/Bella (maybe not right away, maybe when I get closer to an ending on this one) who all would be interested in reading it? it would be my take on if Alice never had her vision (and why she wouldn't have had it.)