Everyone was running around the Burrow in frantics. The new term starts tomorrow, and with the entire Weasley family, Hermione, and Harry there, it was a zoo. Ron's owl, Pig flew around the entire house squawking at everybody, and Crookshanks chased him. Harry couldn't find his broom service kit, but recovered it before Fred and George enchanted the polish to turn his broom pink. I was complete chaos. By dinnertime, everything calmed down, and Mrs. Weasley prepared a feast
"This is my last time that we will be sending you off to school" Mrs. Weasley said to Harry, Ron and Hermione "And I want it to be remembered, so I got each one of you a gift." Ron received a new Firebolt, Harry got his very own snitch, they were very hard to come by, because you had to register them, but since they were all war heroes, they were an exception, and Hermione got a rather extravagant potions set along with new quills and parchment. "I love being able to get you guys this stuff, now that we can afford it."
"Wow mom!! A real Firebolt!!! Amazing! Thanks!"
"Thank you so much Mrs. Weasley for the snitch, I know how hard they are to come by"
"Wow Mrs. Weasley, I don't know what to say, this is just marvelous! Thanks you so much" Hermione thanked Mrs. Weasley once more, and without even waiting to finish their food, Harry and Ron took their Firebolts outside to play with the snitch while it was still light out. Hermione, on the other hand, couldn't resist trying out her new potions kit. Maybe I could try to make a new potion thought Hermione I mean, it's my best subject, and I know pretty much all of the ingredients that are used in potion making. I don't have to be in Snape's class to make them. A chill ran up her spine as memories of that day in Madame Malkin's crossed her mind. Okay, stay focused, I want to be remembered, something that nobody has done before…Oh, bugger to it, I'll just see what comes up. She decided that there wasn't much that she could do now for a potion, she didn't even have a proper library to do the research in, so she packed up her kit, and made her way to bed.
Hermione was woken by Ginny the next morning "Come on Hermione, we need to eat fast, or there won't be anything left."
"Alright, I'll be down in a minute" replied a very groggy Hermione. Mornings definitely weren't her thing. Everyone quickly ate, said goodbye, and hopped into the Weasley's new car. The train left with Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Harry in the same compartment. After buying their treats off of the trolley, they started talking about the upcoming year.
"Hermione, you aren't overloading yourself again this year, are you?" questioned Ginny.
"No, I don't want to age myself anymore with that time-turner, I'm already 22 in the wizarding world, and you guys are only 17, I can't stand being that much older than you guys."
"Bloody hell Hermione, when you put it like that, it makes me feel like a kid," said Ron "But what classes are you really taking now?"
"Potions, and I hope that Slughorn is teaching that, Defense against the Dark Arts, which I hope Lupin is teaching, Arithmancy, Charms, and Transfiguration. All in all, I hope that Professor Snape has found something better to do now that the war is over, we don't really need him at Hogwarts anymore."
Once they arrived at Hogwarts, the four of them got into the thestral-pulled carriages. They could all see the thestrals now, since all of them had witnessed many deaths throughout the war. Harry, Ron, and Ginny entered the Great Hall, and waited for the first-years to come in. Since Hermione was Head Girl, she had to escort the first-years along with Draco Malfoy. Draco got along with everyone now. It turned out that he, like professor Snape, was a spy for the Order. All that he wanted to do was gain back pride to his family name. His father died in the war, so he lived with his mother until he turned 17, then moved into one of the many estates that his father owned.
After they led the first years in, Hermione and Draco went to their house tables. After the sorting was over, Dumbledore stood up to make his usual beginning of the term speech.
"I would like to introduce our professors to you. Professor McGonagall will be your Transfigurations professor, Professor Flitwick will be teaching charms, Professor Binns: History of Magic, Professor Hagrid: Care of Magical Creatures, Professor Lupin: Defense against the Dark Arts, and finally, Professor Snape: Potions" The last professor was followed by many moans from the older students.
"Well, isn't that great, I barely made it into potions on the hope that Slughorn would be teaching it" moaned Ron.
"Yeah, but at least Lupin is back" said an excited Harry.
Maybe Snape will help me figure out a potion to work on, thought Hermione, Yeah, and maybe Voldemort will rise from the grave wearing a pink tutu singing Frank Sinatra.
When the feast was over, and everyone left, Hermione went to patrol to corridors, just to make sure that nobody was lost. While walking around the dungeons, they came across a new Slytherin that didn't know where he was.
"Draco, why don't you escort him to the Slytherin common room, and then go to bed, I'll finish up down here."
"Alright, have fun" joked Draco
She continued walking through the dungeons, and noticed an open door. Curiosity caught up with her, so she decided to peer inside. She knew what she was doing was wrong, because this door was all too familiar with her. She glanced inside the classroom, and saw Professor Snape preparing a rather complex potion. Judging by the ingredients, it was Wolfsbane. She couldn't help but to stare in awe as his long, graceful fingers sliced, chopped, and diced the ingredients. There always seemed to be some sense of elegance about him,that quite frankly, turned her on. The long sleeves of his black top and the buttons going down each arm as well as the front of him were amazingly sexy. It almost made her shiver. When his mouth was closed, and not shooting out snide remarks, he was actually quite attractive. Whoa there Hermione, let's not get carried away, he's still asshole-extraordinaire Snape, nothing will-
"Miss Granger! What in the name of Merlin do you think you are doing down here?! Past curfew no less! Twenty points from Gryffindor."
Shit Shit Shit, what do I say? "I… I well… I was patrolling the corridors with Draco."
"Then where is he?"
"Oh yeah, he went to escort a lost first-year-Slytherin to their common room, obviously I didn't need to accompany him" She spat. Now she was getting angry.
"Watch your tone Miss Granger, It would be a shame to take more points from Gryffindor" He replied slyly.
"Well, it's not like you wont find a reason to take them anyway" she replied I was just doing my job, and he's trying to get me in trouble, Merlin, I take back everything I though earlier, nothing would make me think that he was actually good looking now
Snape, meanwhile, noticing that she was thinking for a while, decided to listen to what she was thinking, and what he heard astounded him. She actually thought that I look good, the "greasy bat from the dungeons? She isn't that bad looking either, oh who am I kidding, she's drop dead gorgeous! OH GODS! Why am I thinking of the Bush-haired-know-it-all-from-Gryffindor-one-third-of-the-golden-trio like this??? Oh well, she still hates my guts, and for that I am happy. Alright, back to reality, that twit was yelling at me. "Miss Granger, detention tomorrow night, now please leave.
"Yes sir" she snapped. UGH, I HATE that man. She walked to the Gryffindor tower to meet up with Ginny before going to bed.
"Hey Mione, what's up?"
"Snape" one word was all that she needed to say.
"And what did the bat do this time?
Hermione proceeded to tell Ginny what happened. Ginny couldn't help but to get as pissed off as Hermione was. She completely understood her. Well… anyone who wasn't a Slytherin would. After a while, Ginny went upstairs, and Hermione went to the Head's dorm.