Friday at dawn
Albus had tried to apologize for whatever he had done the previous night but his normally placid and dependable headmistress was not acknowledging his existence. After a night of tossing and turning, here he was at dawn in Severus' office.
"What has gotten into her? Severus, were you in my place, how would you handle her?" Dumbledore mused out loud. He stood by the fireplace gazing into the fire.
"Care, respect, dragon-hide gloves." Severus remarked under his breath. He was writing notes on a piece of long parchment at his desk.
"Did I say something wrong at dinner last night? I've thought and thought over every word I said," Dumbledore said. "What does she want me to do?"
Severus mumbled under his breath. "Anticipate her wishes. Read her mind."
"Exactly! Why can't a woman just tell a man what's bothering her?"
"Hmm, not romantic enough," Severus crossed out an entire entry.
"Romantic? Severus, she's my colleague and one of my best and oldest friends."
"Just like any other woman, no matter what she says." Severus peered closely at his parchment. "Am I missing anything?"
"True, a magnificent one, too. So, you think she's thinking along lines of the heart, Severus, after all this time?"
"What else is there?" Severus made some more notations.
"I've always been careful to not mix - well, ahem, hmm." Dumbledore paused grateful that Severus could not see his face just at that moment. "I suppose if she is inclined, I ought to explore the situation further. This sort of thing is always so awkward. How should I start?"
"Fresh flowers, long walks, sincere heart to heart talks," Severus said reading off his list.
"Yes, not too fast. I need to sound her out first. That might just work, thank you, Severus," Dumbledore left in a great hurry.
After a full minute of silence, Severus raised his head from his To Do list. "Were you saying something, Albus? Albus?"
Severus shook his head and went back to perusing his list.
Wolf: You plan on changing yourself just so she takes you back, eh?
Gent: What harm could it do if the boy was more romantic, caring and -
Wolf: Enslaves his will to her whims!
Prat: Whatever it takes!
Wolf: The bird's not coming back! She's made that very clear.
Gent: Look at that list, Wolf. Each day we will to do at least one thing on that list to show her how we feel. She is going to come back because we will show her how much she would be cherished and loved.
Prat: Isn't that what anyone wants, man or woman?
Wolf: Loved? Love? When did this happen?
Prat: Sorry, your vote didn't count. Your raging jealousy got us in this mess.
Wolf: Weren't you the one who reduced him to a potion-swilling poet idiot, Prat?!
Prat: Your problem, Wolf, is that you're too lazy to put any effort into a relationship. I know a good thing when I see it and I'm going to get it back.
Wolf: She's not coming back I tell you. You're deluding yourself.
Gent: Oh, she'll be back. Guido has already read his assigned document three times. That's made her susceptible.
Prat: That embedded spell was sneaky, Gent.
Wolf: What have you two been doing when my back's turned - potions, romantic music, relationship books. Now a spell?!
Gent: Just two little charms. The first was to soften her three different ways. The second was a variation on the Non Dimenticar charm to compel her to remember the best of times we had.
Wolf: Devious.
Prat: Honest.
Gent: Strategic.
Wolf: It's manipulative. I applaud you. You're learning things my way at last.
Prat: It's not like that. Severus just wants to talk to her. After their talk, the charms dissolve.
Gent: Wolf, please, a gentleman does not resort to subterfuge. However, there is nothing that says a gentleman cannot take measures to insure that the outcome is to his favor. Nothing at all.
Wolf: You say tomatoe and I say tomato.
Over a late breakfast, Hermione stared in shock at the headline of the Daily Prophet's weekend edition - "Harlot and Heartbreaker" by Rita Skeeter. Numb, she could barely make out the words. Rita was thorough in detailing Hermione's past liaisons with Victor, Harry, Ron and now Severus.
From the other room, she could hear shouts and insults as Grace and Madeline defused howlers intended for Hermione. Her roommates came back wands smoking.
"What hypocrites!" Madeline fumed. "They should just mind their own business.
THUD!
An owl hovered outside the closed window. It held a large howler in its talons. Madeline let the owl through.
The howler exploded: YOU SHAMELESS HUSSY! YOU GIVE ALL WITCHES A BAD NAME! GO BACK TO THE MUGGLE WORLD!
Grace was visibly upset. "I'm so sorry, Hermione. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have asked you to go with-"
"No, no, Grace. It's not your fault." Hermione stood up. She eyed Guido suspiciously.
"Did you really shag Krum?" asked Madeline.
"To my mind, there's only one person at fault," said Hermione.
"No, not Severus. Come on, Hermione, the letters, the gifts. If any man did all this for me I'd take him back in a heartbeat," Madeline said.
"That's exactly what he was thinking and planning." At those two last words, Hermione shot a hard look at Guido. "Isn't that right, Guido."
"I just do what I'm told. It's in my-"
"Yes, yes, in your contract. Tell us something we don't know!" said Grace.
Hermione studied Guido. "You HAVE to do whatever it says in a contract, don't you?"
Guido nodded.
"Any limits?"
Guido hemmed and hawed. "My boss doesn't like bodily harm coming to either party. No permanent damage to property. No hospitalizations at St. Mungo's. No dark arts."
At the words 'dark arts' Hermione's eyes widened. "Can you do spells and charms?"
"I, myself, cannot cast any magic at my client or my subject."
"Let's see this contract," said Grace.
"Sorry. All contracts are confidential," replied Guido.
"Hermione is involved so she has to be able to see it," argued Grace.
"Nope."
"Never mind, Grace. There's only one thing to do."
"You're taking Severus back? YES!" shouted Madeline.
Hermione moved to stand away from the table. "I'm going to get it from the horse's mouth. It's time this was settled once and for all."
Hermione apparated. After a minute Guido was compelled to follow.
Destination: Hogwarts.
