There were flames all around, surrounding the baby boy. He lay in the crib staring at the fire in fascination, unaware that he was the cause of it. Light bulbs and other objects were popping due to the heat and so he was ignorant to the presence of another person in the room until they were upon him. The man approached the baby, green eyes zeroing in on him as he leaned over the crib.
"Hello, little one," he cooed, reaching a hand to stroke the baby's hair. "Harry Potter," he read off of the cloth stretched across the child's chest. "Well Harry Potter, how would you like to come with me?"
The baby gurgled and the man smiled in response, picking him up from the crib. An unheard 'pop' later and the room was devoid of people, the flames suddenly rushing forward to consume the crib.
James woke to knocking on his door and he blinked his eyes sleepily, trying to make out the muffled shouts coming from outside his door. He rose from the armchair he'd fallen asleep in, noting that the fire had grown small in the time since he'd lit it. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, pushing away the memory of the dream.
Approaching the door he realized it was Granger and Draco outside, and belatedly he remembered giving Wyn to the girl for the morning. He opened it just as Draco raised his hand to knock again, staring at the two of them in question. "Any particular reason I can hear you arguing from inside my room?"
Hermione flushed. "Draco accosted me earlier demanding that I give him Wyn so that he could take her back to you, sir."
"She shouldn't be gallivanting about the school with her!"
James sighed again, waving the two into the sitting room. He sank into the chair he'd been sitting in before, waving a hand to raise the fire up from the embers. "Draco," he started as the two sat down opposite him, Hermione placing Wyn in her lap, "I allowed Ms. Granger to have Wyn for the time being, I'm sure she's responsible enough to return her to me."
The blond made an indignant noise, pointed looking away from Hermione.
"And I should also remind you that Wyn is more than capable of letting Ms. Granger know when she'd like to return to me, or find me on her own if necessary."
Draco snorted. James ignored him in favor of the little dragon that had slipped from Hermione's lap and was in the process of making its way into his lap. "Did you have a nice time with Ms. Granger?" he hissed to her as she turned to look at him.
Wyn nodded. "She was very gentle with me, and let me spread out in the sun when we were outside. I think Draco's jealous, he wanted to be the only one I would tolerate." James laughed at that, glancing at the blond who was trying to look like he wasn't watching them in wonder.
"You can speak to her?" Hermione asked, drawing attention back to herself.
"Yes," he said simply.
Hermione barely held herself back from gaping and made a mental note to check the library about people who could talk with dragons. She steeled herself, however, as James's eyes focused on her thoughtfully.
"Sir?" she asked tentatively.
"You've heard the rumors, I supposed."
"Rumors, sir?" Hermione tensed, knowing exactly which rumors he was talking about.
"The ones that have been running rampant since this morning: that Draco here is my lover and other such nonsense."
"I…might have overheard such discussions," she tried to phrase it carefully, because while she had ignored such gossip, she didn't want to implicate herself by accident.
"I'm sure. It isn't true, if you care to know." He added that last bit casually, as if he really didn't care about what they were saying. Hermione was seriously suspecting that he didn't, and his next words confirmed that. "I very much like to create such rumors, the results are always to amusing."
Draco grinned at this, obviously not minding having been used to create the rumors. However when he looked in her direction again, the blonde's expression closed and he stared at her coldly. Hermione simply rolled her eyes at Draco, focusing her attention back on her professor.
"That's why I would like you to spend the night here tonight."
Hermione looked at James as if he were insane, which she was halfway considering he might be. He just laughed at her expression.
"I have a guestroom, I'd appreciate if you would use it." James actually grinned at the blush that stole across her face. "I trust you'll help me with the rumors by not contradicting them, after all, anyone that Wyn approves of is more than likely to be trustworthy."
"Why let her judge?" she asked. "Sir," was added on hastily.
"She may not be able to speak to you, but she does understand us. Our words, our actions, Wyn is always aware. You'll forgive me that I tested you this morning. You seemed smart enough, and I figured I would see if I could trust you. Wyn approved of you or else she wouldn't have stayed with you at all."
"I'm…honored, sir. But…why would you wish me to stay here?"
"I want the rumors to permeate the whole school, I want Albus to have to deal with the issue. If I must be stuck here teaching than I shall have my fun doing it. I will add that it is also in your best interests as well, Ms. Granger."
Hermione paled dramatically, Draco snickering at her fearful expression.
"No, nothing like that," James said, rolling his eyes. "I am not threatening you. If you stay here, you will gain some notoriety of your own for being chosen to 'accompany me'. Even if that doesn't interest you, which I am actually sure it doesn't, I have quite the substantial personal library."
The witch perked up immediately at these words, staring at James in awe. He laughed softly at the expression, pointing at a door to her left. Hermione's eyes followed his gesture and fixed on the door.
"Go on," he said when she glanced back to him. She obviously didn't need telling twice as she practically ran to the door, throwing it open and disappearing inside.
"Sir…you realize she's Longbottom's friend?"
"I'm aware. It's a strategic move, and I have a feeling she'll be an immense help when I need her services. I don't think she's as satisfied with the way things are as she lets on. And as I told her, Wyn approved of her."
"I wasn't aware that Wyn could understand English…"
"And French, among others. She simply can't speak any of them."
Draco hummed. "Draco, don't you have a class?"
"Not until the bell rings, sir."
"Exactly," James said as the sound of ringing bells permeated the room. Draco's eyes went wide and he grabbed his bag, rushing to the door.
"Until later, sir."
James merely waved farewell as the door closed. For a while he simply sat and heard Wyn's thoughts on the students from the time she spent with Hermione, however once she was done he lifted her from his lap and lay her on one of the plush pillows adorning the sofa. He stood once she was curled up and made his way over to the door leading to his books. Hermione had yet to reappear, so he knew she was still inside.
"Miss Granger?" he called from the doorway, looking at the shelves.
"Over here, Professor Evans!" The response came from somewhere to his left, and James turned and walked in that direction. When he found her sitting in a back row he was thoroughly unsurprised to see several open tomes surrounding her.
"I take it you're accepting my invitation?" James tone was amused and Hermione blushed at the smirk on his lips.
"Of course, sir!"
"Then I believe you will need an overnight bag of sorts. I would prefer it if you were intentionally vague about your whereabouts whenever asked about tonight."
"Of course, sir," she said again, standing and dusting herself off. She followed him back into the sitting room, glancing longingly back towards the open library door.
"I assure you that it will still be there when you return. Now," he said, turning to point to the door just to the right of the library door, "that is the guest room where you will stay. If you need anything from me, do not hesitate to write me a note on the parchment in here." He indicated a sheaf of parchment pinned to the sitting room table, a quill next to it. "I assure you, it will reach me."
"Yes, sir. I'll go retrieve my things. How will I get back inside once I return…?"
"Simply knock, I'll let you back in and you can go back to the library." James smirked a little at the eager expression on her face.
Hermione sighed as she entered the Portrait Hole, wishing she hadn't had to leave. Professor Evans' library had been amazing, to say the least. She looked up as she heard her name called.
"Hermione, where have you been?" called Neville, readily shoving his potion's essay aside when she approached.
"I was returning Wyn to Professor Evans."
"Wyn?" Ron asked, eyebrows screwing up in confusion.
"His dragon, Ron, honestly."
"No like I would know its name! I didn't like it anyways, kept growling at me whenever I got within three feet of you."
Such a shame, Hermione thought sarcastically. "Maybe if you hadn't kept poking her at first she wouldn't have growled at you."
"Whatever, 'Mione, can you help me with this essay?" Neville gestured to the one he'd previously shoved away.
"No, Neville, you need to learn to do your own work. This is our seventh year, for Merlin's sake."
"Come on, 'Mione, it's not like you have anything else to do!" Neville pleaded with the witch, who simply rolled her eyes at him.
"As a matter of fact I do, I merely came to retrieve my school things for tomorrow."
With that Hermione stalked to the girls' staircase and ascended to the Seventh Year dorms, leaving the rest of the common room's occupants staring after in confusion.
"Hermione!" Parvati exclaimed, running into the room just behind said witch. "Who is it? Who are you going to see?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said haughtily as she gathered her schoolbooks for the next day's classes.
"Oh come on! It's the second day back and you're spending it out of the dorm! Who's the guy?"
Hermione smirked a bit herself, realizing just how one could get used to this. "No one, I'm simply going to spend some time in private with some choice books that I came across."
Parvati gaped at her, not believing a word, surprised with how collected the other witch was.
"Hermione!" she called as that worthy exited the room again, belongings in hand, and made her way down to the common room.
There she met similar exclamations form Ron, but she ignored him in favor of a hasty retreat through the Portrait Hole. She had to stop herself from sighing as she heard footsteps behind her, no doubt Neville under some notice-me-not charm. She kept walking, though, because she somehow knew that this was just the sort of thing Professor Evans wanted for his rumors.
She stopped outside the professor's door and knocked quickly, already excited about returning to the library. He opened the door swiftly enough and closed it behind her just as soon as she'd stepped inside.
"You were followed?" he asked, making his way back to the lounge where he'd obviously been sitting reading a book.
"Neville, sir. I didn't see him when I left the common room and heard his footsteps on the way down here."
James nodded, chuckling slightly at the matter-of-fact way she told him this. He was pleased with this, no doubt the rumors would be around the school first thing in the morning.
"Having fun, sir?" she asked perceptively, eying the full-blown devious smile on his face.
James nodded again and gestured his hand towards the still open library door. Hermione's attention was instantly drawn to it and she paused only to place her things against the guestroom door before disappearing into the library once more.
A/N: So what do you think about adding Hermione to the mix? It just kind of happened, but I like the way this worked out. Any comments or thoughts?