Okay you guys here's the next chapter!
In this chapter I had fun with finding names for the students. I noticed JKR seems to get a lot of them from Greek mythology and as I'm a huge fan of Greek mythology, well I just did the same :p
Oh, also, there's a tiny reference to an episode of "The X-Files" that I couldn't avoid myself to write during the talking scene between Harry and Hermione at the end of the chapter. The episode I'm referring to is called "Arcadia". I absolutely LOVE this episode :p Mulder and Scully are going undercover pretending to be husband and wife and it's so much fun!
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Back to the story now!!!
As soon as the lesson was finished with her seventh year class, Hermione began to gather her belongings and was going to exit the classroom when Emily McCloud handed her a parchment with two names on it.
"Here Professor, I put the names of the students I think would made good prefects for the fifth year." she said.
"Thank you very much Emily, I'm glad you thought my idea was good." said Hermione smiling at her student.
As Emily wasn't moving, Hermione looked at her wondering if the girl had something else to ask her. Emily seemed to gather all of her courage and she looked up at Hermione.
"Professor, I was wondering, about the Head Girl and Head Boy nomination, do you know anything? I mean we used to have the names before the back to school day." She shyly asked.
"Yes I know that," started Hermione, "I was Head Girl on my seventh year and I received the letter announcing it at the end of August. It's just that since there are new teachers this year, Headmistress McGonagall thought it would be better to let us know the seventh years better before making our choices. But we're having a meeting tonight about it in fact. I guess the names will be announced tonight during dinner." Hermione answered.
"Oh great!" exclaimed the girl very excited about the news. Then she blushed realizing what it implied. She deeply wanted the Head Girl badge, she had worked on it since her first year being appointed prefect on her fifth year and working hard on her grades in the same time.
"Wanting to be Head Girl is nothing to be ashamed of," Hermione gently reassured Emily. "It's a very great honour but it's also a very dedicating task. You'll have more duties than being just a prefect you know. It might be tricky as you'll have your N.E.W.T.S. at the end of the year." She continued.
"I'm organized Professor, I'm sure I'll handle it." Emily told her.
"Ok ,I have to go to the meeting now. I'll see you later." said Hermione exiting the classroom to go to Headmistress McGonagall's office.
Hermione was quite happy about her first day as a teacher. If you put aside the conversation she heard in the morning, she thought she really had made a good job. That was not bothering her that much now in fact. Harry had reassured her and then giving a good lesson and having a good time at it with her advanced-charms seventh-years was what she needed to get back all of her confidence. She quickly went to her office and was happy to find other parchments with some names on it. That would add up to the list she had started to make in her head. She then headed to the Headmistress's office to meet with the other teachers.
As she arrived around McGonagall's office, Hermione saw Peeves that was leaning over some stair cases as if checking on something to be sure he could prepare a good prank. Hermione smiled at it and quickly looked around to check if any students or other professors were around. She then took out her wand from one of her pockets and summoned a glass of ice cold water from the kitchens. She then took it and emptied it on the poltergeist.
"Iiiiiiiih" shouted Peeves.
"Serves you right Peeves, I told you I'll get back to you for the other night! I hope that'll teach you a good lesson!" Hermione said laughing.
"My my my, what have we here? I though such a behaviour was a standard for a student, but a teacher? I'm speechless ..." said a cold voice behind her.
Hermione sighed knowing very well whose voice it was. She was sure no one was around a few minutes ago. That was such a bad luck ...
"Professor Snape," she said turning back to face him.
"I see some things never change." he coldly state.
"You're right on it, some things never change," she stated, "Why do you feel obliged to act like that again with me? I'm not your student anymore, and I thought I'll ear a minimum of respect from you seeing we're having the same position now." she firmly stated.
"That's where you're very mistaken," he said moving over to McGonagall's office.
Hermione stayed there speechless. What was that all about? Why was he feeling obliged to go on with the behaviour he had with her during her whole Hogwarts years? She had thought at the beginning that it was because he was the Slytherins Head of House and that she was a Gryffindor. But then she had simply assumed it was just because she was close to Harry. His pure hatred for Harry was so deep that he was just extending it a little bit to Harry's friends.
"Git" she muttered under her breath.
"Who's a git?" asked a voice.
"Would you guys please stop arriving in my back and startle me to death each time I'm talking to myself?" Hermione asked turning to face Harry.
"What?" he asked amused.
"I was giving a good lesson to Peeves about the other night when I burned my hands because of him and Snape arrived and ... well, he acted like Snape, there's nothing more to say." said Hermione.
"Oh I understand." Harry answered. "So do you have any name to propose for Head Girl and Boy?" he asked.
"Yep I have a few names, how about you?" she asked.
"Well I didn't have any seven years today so I don't really have any kind of proposition to make. I guess I'll just study the names you'll give." he said.
"Sounds logic," Hermione told him. "Ok let's go we're going to be late if we continue to talk in this hallway.
They entered the office and sat on comfortable chairs. There even was a tray with some tea and some biscuits on it. That reminded Harry about the tea Professor Umbridge had tried to make him drink with the veritaserum in it. That wasn't a good memory at all.
"I believe we're all here," stated Headmistress McGonagall meaning the meeting was starting. "So first of all, I think we should hear the names of the persons you feel would be trustworthy enough to be made Head Boy and Girl. How about you Severus?" she asked.
"I was thinking about Eris Deprofundis from Slytherin for Head Girl and Marcus Gilman from Ravenclaw for Head Boy." he said.
As Headmistress McGonagall was listening to the other teachers, Hermione and Harry were looking at Snape as if he had gone insane. Did he say what they think they heard him saying? He proposed a Ravenclaw student for Head Boy?? Not a Slytherin? What did they do to Professor Snape, Was he a clone or something?
Soon it was Harry's turn to give his propositions. He quickly explained that he did not know the seventh years good enough to give names but that he was ready to study the propositions. Then it was Hermione's turn and she proposed Emily McCloud from Gryffindor and Marcus Gilman from Ravenclaw.
There was not a lot of thinking to do about the Head Boy, Marcus Gilman had a majority of votes. About the Head Girl it was more difficult though, since there was a tight between Emily and Eris. Harry was asked his thought on it and it was difficult for him to answer. On the one hand he did not know the two girls and on the other hand he was trusting Hermione's choice but he had to act as a teacher, meaning he needed to make his choice according to the girls' skills and not according to his girl's point of view. Wait a minute here, had he just thought of Hermione as HIS girl? What's wrong with him? Best friend, the word is 'best friend'!
As the teachers were expectantly looking at him for his choice on the matter, Harry was looking for a way to judge the two girls. Since he did not know any one of them he could not really answer to that question.
"I don't know them," he finally answered, "I don't think I can make a real good choice without knowing them." He then continued, "Let's see, their academic grades are very good although Miss McCloud seems to be a little bit ahead of Miss Deprofundis." He said before being rudely interrupted by Professor Snape.
"But Miss Deprofundis is also the Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team!" he said as if trying to get a point, "She can't be the best at everything."
"Don't you think being Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team and being Head Girl won't be way too much for her to bear?" asked McGonagall.
The reaction of Professor Snape was quite amusing in fact. Hermione was finding it difficult not to smile at it. He has just thought he had made a good point and suddenly his point was becoming part of the negative list about the student he wanting to be made Head Girl.
"Well we really need to make a decision here," stated the Headmistress, "I suggest we make another vote here. So who thinks Emily McCloud would make a good Head Girl?" she enquired.
It was all that was needed to appoint Emily as the new Hogwarts Head Girl. A majority of professors voted for her, Hermione, Harry and Neville included. Snape looked at them in an angry way and told everybody good bye before leaving the office. All the teachers were now leaving except Hermione that had to give the Headmistress the names of the two fifth year Gryffindor new prefects. When she exited the office, Harry was waiting for her.
"Do you have a moment?" he asked.
"Well I was planning on getting my lessons for tomorrow ready in fact." She answered, "I thought we agreed in meeting after dinner?" she asked.
"Well it's ok with me of course. I'll go prepare my lessons as well I guess; I'll see you at dinner." He said before heading towards his office.
Hermione then made her way to her own office mentally kicking herself for her lack of tact and for not having asked him what was so important. As she arrived close to the Gryffindor's Tower, she made a wave with her wand and a parchment immediately appeared on the Gryffindor's notice board stating the following:
"Congratulations to the new Gryffindor's prefects: Alicia Santorina and Dean Jones. Our biggest congratulation to Emily McCloud, the new Hogwarts Head Girl!!"
Hermione knew it would only be a matter of seconds until the news would spread around the whole Gryffindor Tower and that the day after, the whole school would know. She was going to resume her walk to her office when she heard someone calling her.
"Professor!" called Emily. "I was wondering about the meeting, do you have the names?" she asked.
"I suggest you go and check on the note board," said a very smiling Hermione.
"Emily!!" shouted a girl exiting the Gryffindor Tower, "Congratulations! I knew you'd do it!" said the girl hugging Emily.
"You're kidding me right?" asked Emily as if not believing her friend. She then looked at Hermione as if asking her a confirmation.
"Well I think you really should go and check yourself," started Hermione, "But I do believe that congratulations are indeed due." She mischievously finished.
"Oh my god I'm Head Girl!" said Emily "I have to owl my mom!" she exclaimed. Then she started to run towards the tower where the Hogwarts' owls were and suddenly turned around to go to Hermione and hug her.
"Thank you Professor, I know you did help me here." And then she left to send her letter.
Hermione smiled as she remembered her own reaction when she had received her letter. She had been so thrilled. Her parents had been so proud of her at the time. She wondered what it would be to have a daughter and seeing her getting a letter accepting her to Hogwarts, becoming a prefect and becoming Head Girl of Hogwarts. Then she bitterly smiled. What are you thinking of? Having a daughter? You're not even able to get the man you love!
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When she arrived at her office, she opened the door that the students had used this morning to then access her apartment from another door inside of her office. She needed to relax a little bit before getting her work on her lessons done. She lied down on her bed and started to relive her day as she was used to do every evening. Except the incident about the Slytherins girls this morning it was pretty good. Anyway she couldn't do anything about it, the only think the girl was having against her was not being pure-blood. Nothing could be done to change that.
Then her mind focused on the conversation she had the day before with Ron. Was she really in denial? She needed to analyse her feelings towards Harry. She had told Ron she was in love with Harry. But was it to make him stop to tease her, or was it really true. She sighed. Who was she kidding? Of course she was in love with him. But things were very nice that way, he was her best friend and they were perfectly fine like that. Why would she take the right to screw it all? Then, he had never showed the slightest romantic interest in her. Never took her, all alone, on a date. No, definitely, things were way better as they currently were. Nothing needed to be changed. As hard as it was to accept and deal with. But hey, she had dealt with it for years. She was very good at that. It all started in fifth year when he dated Cho. She couldn't understand what it was she was feeling each time he was talking about Cho and asking advice. She realized she was in love with him the moment she told him that of course he was a good kisser. She was still wondering how she had been able to get out of the whole situation without him to realize it all.
She then stood up and went back to her office to prepare her classes for the day after. She was so immersed in her work that she did not realized it was dinner time until her stomach made the usual noise it is supposed to do when it had to be fed. She closed her books and gathered her parchments and finally made her way to the Great Hall.
She was the only one missing at the staff table. The headmistress was waiting for her to make the official announcement about the Head Boy and Girl.
She stood up and the entire Great Hall felt silent, eager to know the news.
"I have an announcement to make," she started. "Our new Head Girl and Boy had been chosen tonight. I am very pleased to congratulate Emily McCloud from Gryffindor and Marcus Gilman from Ravenclaw. If you two could please stand up so that everyone can see you." She said. "Congratulations to you two."
Then she sat back on her chair and started to eat her dinner.
Hermione was sitting between Harry and Ginny and she was talking with Ginny about her first day. Neville was advising her about some particular points of discipline that might help her and Harry was listening.
As soon as she was done with her dinner, Harry stood up and asked her where they could have the talk he had been asking her since the morning. Ginny was intently listening to their little chat grinning broadly.
"WOW so you're already on a 'your place or mine' basis?" she teased.
"Oh shut up Ginny," laughed Hermione hoping she was not blushing like made. Then she proposed to Harry to come to her place and they made their way to her apartment not without Hermione whispering to Ginny that she'll get back to her for this one as she passed close to her.
As they were approaching her apartment, she began to panic. She had not changed the password. Oh man I'm so dead! she was thinking. She was quickly thinking about ways to say the password to let Lady Fiona to understand she was saying it and to avoid at the same time Harry to understand what it was all about.
"Good evening Lady Fiona," she started.
"Good evening Hermione, password?" she required.
"Uhm, this is Harry Potter," she introduced desperately hoping the portrait lady had understood her hint.
"Good evening to you too Mister Potter," answered the portrait without moving at all.
Oh come on now, don't do that to me mentally begged Hermione.
"You know, THE Harry Potter," she insisted.
"Oh I see," said Lady Fiona, finally getting the hint and opening the door.
Harry didn't say a thing but was having a smirk on his face his father would not have denied at his time of glory with the Marauders. So she gave my name as her password he mused. I wonder why ...
Hermione at the same time was feeling relieved and was not aware of the realization that was slowly taking place in Harry's mind. She gestured a spell so that the house elves could prepare them some tea and biscuits and then she waved her wand towards the fireplace so that a nice fire could start by itself.
Then she sat on the sofa and invited Harry to join her.
"So now tell me, what is this all about?" she asked.
"The Sorting Hat's warning" he answered immediately.
"Oh," she said slightly disappointed. And to think she had imagined him pouring his heart out to her. It would have been so laughable if it wasn't so sad.
"So, I guess you're wondering who this old enemy of yours can be." She said. "Let see, the obvious thing to think about who be Voldemort, but he's dead. The Malfoys?" she enquired looking up at him.
"Actually I was rather thinking of YOUR old enemies." He stated looking straight at her.
"What do you mean? What enemy?" she asked not getting his point. "Now come on Harry, you perfectly now it's you the Sorting Hat was warning. The Brave Gryffindor having old enemies."
"I'm not so sure, I've been thinking about it, most of those that I could consider as enemies are dead, or locked in Azkaban" he said. "They can't do anything about me. That's why I came up with the idea it was you the Sorting Hat wanted to warn."
"Well," she started. "That seems kind of logical." She started before being interrupted by Harry.
"It is logical," he said.
"The only point being that I do not have any old enemy." She smartly pointed out.
"Are you sure about it?" he asked. "Could be anybody as long as it can be considered as an enemy."
"Well I've been thinking about it as well and really, except Bellatrix Lestrange's family, I don't really see someone that could be my enemy." She said.
"Then we must do some researches about her family." He firmly stated. "I won't take this warning not seriously enough, last time he warned us was when Voldemort came back to full powers."
"Thank you Harry," said Hermione taking his hand to emphase her thank you.
"You're very welcome," he answered not moving his hand.
And at this precise moment, the tea and biscuits prepared by the house elves appeared on the coffee table. Hermione silently cursed them for their lack of timing and prepared Harry's cup of tea.
"Hot chocolate and now tea, aren't we in the play-house spirit," he teased her.
"Ah ah, very smart," she laughed with him while wishing it could be true. "Ok so tell me about your first day." She asked him.
"Well it wasn't that bad. I've quite captured the attention of all my students and," he stopped hearing Hermione's laugh at his comment. "What?" he asked.
"Oh come on Harry, of course you captured your students' attention, to the boy you're the Brave-Boy-Who-Lived-Twice, to the girls you're the Cute- Boy-Who-Lived-Twice; There's no wonder how you captured their attention." She teased.
"Oh so you think I'm cute then?" he told her dead serious.
Hermione took her best 'best friend' voice and answered: "Of course I think you are cute, I might be only your best friend but I'm not blind."
"Well that's nice to know." He started, then he looked at her as if discovering her for the first time, "You're not that bad yourself" he said very serious.
Unfortunately for him, there was this little particular light he always had in his emerald eyes when he was joking.
"I know you're lying!" Hermione said, "And I perfectly know I'm not that good, I'm closer to common or even ugly that to 'not that bad' to quote you," she said.
"I believe that I've told you that once Hermione, but I do not think about you as ugly," he said.
"Thank you Harry," she simply answered very touched by his comment.
Tadam! That's all for now folks! I really hope you're going to like it! Please read and review!