A/N: Expect a chapter today and for the following four days. I get my computer time mostly when I am at work. There is a cute little man and his daddy who take up my time at home. :)

Chapter Five

Hermione was not ready to get out of bed.

The students weren't due to arrive for a few weeks yet, the sun was making a warm spot on her covers, and to top it off, her monthly had begun and she was out of her potion. That meant she was going to have to talk to Professor Snape, something she had been avoiding since the staff gathering.

She reached an arm out and grabbed the small satchel carrying her coins. There was quite a large monetary value contained in the fountain, but Hermione found that as soon a wish was fulfilled, the coin vanished. She wondered how many she could clear out of the fountain. A hundred? Two? A thousand? It was truly a life's work. And she didn't even know how fast they replenished.

Was it her life's work?

Hermione opened her satchel. The coins made a gentle tinkle as they spilled out onto the sun warmed bedspread. Sickles and Galleons and Knuts, oh my! she couldn't help thinking These ones had come from the surface of the fountain, so they should be fairly recent. Occasionally she had an older one to weed out, but most had been thrown by people she was at least familiar with. The wizarding world was a small one after all.

It was strange to see all the wishes of her fellow classmates, Order members, and Ministry officials. A few shop owners, and others with last names she recognized. It was a little peek into their secret lives. She felt like an intruder, but obviously, the fountain had other ideas. But which one should she do next?

As she plucked out a few to add to her long-term pile, one Sickle with the name Minerva McGonagall caught her eye. The coin was at least forty years old, Hermione couldn't quite make out the date. And sure enough, it was for her grandmother's cake.

Hermione palmed the coin with a smile. Molly's cake really was quite good. She could only imagine how scrumptious Minerva's grandmother's cake had been. Surely in the entire castle, there had to be some resource overlooked. Perhaps she would ask a house-elf. They were able to make anything she could think of.

But first things first. These cramps were not subsiding on their own, which meant only one thing—with Madam Pomfrey on holiday, she was going to have to go talk to Professor Snape.

~~HGSS~~

"I'm just going to need a cauldron and a few supplies. I'll reimburse if needed."

"No, Granger," Snape snapped as he stepped in-between a few simmering cauldrons in his dark classroom lab. "Anything you need brewed you must clear with me. And then I will brew it for you. Probably twice as fast and with twice the effectiveness."

"First of all," Hermione told him, rising to the bait. She didn't realize her professor was enjoying getting a rise out of her, missing his time with his colleagues, "you know that I brew perfectly well for someone without any postgraduate training. Second of all, I'm not brewing anything dangerous, or costly, but it is personal, so I'm not telling you. Just tell me where you want me to set up, and I'll be out of your hair in an hour."

"Highly unlikely. I fear you're going to be in my hair for the foreseeable future. Tell me then, what ingredients will you need?"

"But you'll know what I'm brewing!"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. The ingredients, Granger?"

She rattled off the list of fairly common herbs and unguents, her face reddening as it was clearly obvious what she was brewing.

"Add two stirs after the lacewing," Snape recommended. "It prolongs the effect."

Her head fell in embarrassment. "Yes, sir. May I brew then?"

"Drop the 'sir,' and pick a table," he snipped.

"Yes, s-. I mean, thanks, Severus."

Hermione wasn't entirely sure what had happened but she wasn't going to look a gift cauldron in the mouth. Perhaps she had crossed a line with him personally, and he wasn't comfortable with his informal relationship with her. She couldn't imagine he would want to think of a student and her monthly, but it wasn't like he wasn't a Head of House. Of course, he might just send for Madam Pomfrey.

Either way, she would take the relaxed atmosphere that had pervaded the room. Severus was brewing at his usual spot in the classroom, so Hermione took a table near the door to give him a bit of privacy and space.

But being Hermione, she couldn't help but chat a bit. At first he wouldn't respond, but eventually she teased out short sentences, which became long answers, and eventually, conversation.

"So what do you think about Minerva's wish?" Hermione asked nonchalantly.

Severus shrugged. "It's as good as any, I suppose."

"The cake does sound awfully good," she told him, remembering that she hadn't had breakfast yet. "I wonder if it's a commonly known recipe."

Snape was also reminded that he hadn't been down to the Great Hall before getting started on his research in the classroom. He had picked the classroom for its larger stores and space. His own lab was well and good for a small private project or when the students were about but there was no reason for him to stay locked away during the summer. He called an elf to bring a plate from the kitchens for the two of them.

"It reminds me of a cake my mother made when I was young," he confided. "Have you asked the elves? I find they can make near anything."

"That was my plan. I don't even know if the library has a section about cooking. It doesn't seem to be an important topic."

"Not amongst pure-bloods," Snape told her. "And for the rest of us, it's a subject mostly taught at home."

"Did your mother teach you to cook?" Hermione asked as she brought her cauldron slowly off the fire to cool. It needed to rest for a while before consumption.

Snape snorted. "Not so much. I watched her though. I didn't have much else to do, and it was one of a few things she seemed to enjoy. Sunday dinner was one meal to look forward to. There was enough money still from Friday's check to afford a roast or turkey, and she would often make a dessert to go with it. There was a cake she made that sounded much like the one the headmistress referred to, with cinnamon and nutmeg and a rich frosting."

"Do you have the recipe?" Hermione asked, eager, taking a bite of the toast provided.

"I haven't the slightest idea," he told her. His mother's cookbooks had never been objects of importance. "Her cookbooks are probably still exactly where they were when she died."

"Can I see them?" she blurted before thinking. Did she just ask Professor Snape —Severus now, but still Professor Snape —for entrance to his personal home?

"If you're asking to be invited to my house, Granger, the answer is no. No one should be invited to that sty. However, I can easily have some retrieved for you."

"Thank you!" she said cheerfully. "I'll be down after lunch!"

"Oh, joy."

~~HGSS~~

As expected, right after she finished her midday meal, Hermione was right back in the professor's classroom. A stack of old books, spirally bound, were on his desk but she dared not touch them until he returned. For some, cookbooks were sacred ground.

"Don't hold back on my account," said a voice behind her, causing her to jump. "Peruse at will. They are not charmed in any way. No magic allowed in my house, remember?"

"No, sir. Severus. I haven't really heard much about your upbringing. Just snippets here and here."

He raised his signature eyebrow but detected no falsehood. Potter really must have kept quiet. "My father did not care for magic," was all he told her. "The books are inherently Muggle."

"Oh, alright then." She took the top one off the stack and began to flip through, going straight for the dessert section.

Soon, however, she became distracted. Severus had obviously gotten his habit of taking notes in the margins and tweaking recipes from his mother. There were additions everywhere! Hermione was enthralled with this look inside the mind of a woman who knew her way around a kitchen and in turn, her extremely introverted professor. They were both very analytical, like Hermione herself.

"Could you take any longer, Miss Granger?"

Hermione turned the next page impossibly slow and chuckled as she heard him huff in annoyance. "If you are Severus, then you need to start calling me Hermione. And did you know she wrote in the margins like you do? This is like the Half-Blood Prince's Cookbook, it's fascinating!"

"Focus, Hermione. You did come down here for a reason," he stated dryly.

Hermione sighed and grabbed the next one in the pile, keeping at bay her childish impulse to continue aggravating him.

She found something promising in the third book. "This might be it!" she told Snape, who had grown silent while she looked. He stepped over to where she was working, leaning down to see the page in question.

It was covered with his mother's penmanship —not much better than her son's —and the book was yellowed with age. She pointed to the recipe she had found. "Was this it? What do you think?"

Severus ran over the list of ingredients in his head. "That does sound very much the same."

"Excellent! Can I borrow this?" Hermione stood up with the book, not realizing how close he was to her. He coughed as he inhaled a tuft of her hair. "Sorry," she lamented.

"Now you are literally up my nose. Be gone with you, and return the book when you're done."

"I will. Thanks!" Hermione scampered off with the book held tightly in her grasp, a prized possession.

Severus watched the door after she left. The room seemed much too quiet.

~~HGSS~~

Hermione found herself down in the kitchens, surrounded by the elves of Hogwarts. Most gave her a wide berth but Dobby saw her floundering and quickly set her up at a table with all of her needed ingredients. The cake didn't seem difficult. In fact, Hermione decided to make one, run it past Severus, and then, if it met with his approval, bring one to the headmistress herself. She hadn't exactly baked in quite some time and her time cooking over the campfire with the boys didn't count.

The Hogwarts kitchens really were splendid to work in, and it wasn't long before she found herself singing while tossing in extra cinnamon, currants, and raisins.

She grabbed a quick dinner while the cake baked, then stacked both tiers layered with a rich cream cheese frosting.

Of course she licked the bowl.

After making herself presentable, she rapped loudly on Severus's classroom door.

"What, Granger?" he growled from inside as the door crept open.

"Ta-da!" Hermione yelled, flourishing her cake proudly. It did look quite delicious. "How did you know it was me?"

"Who else would it be?" Severus asked as he dipped a finger in the frosting and brought it to his lips, even as Hermione tried to bat away his hand.

"Cretin," she told him as he licked the frosting off, and suddenly she had the impulse to feed him the frosting herself. Hermione Jean! she thought. But then she decided that they were both consenting adults, he couldn't read her mind and it's not like anything would come of it anyway. She could think whatever she wanted.

But she should probably answer him if she didn't want to seem completely daft.

"I'm sorry, what did you ask?"

"I asked if you brought forks," he repeated slowly.

"Oh! Absolutely."

They set up a makeshift table on his desk, and she cut a generous slice of cake for each of them. Hermione had never had it before, but it was extremely good. Ginger and cinnamon, mixed with the raisins and currents, balanced the spicy with the bittersweet. It was all topped with the rich sugary frosting. She thought it had come out quite well, but Severus hadn't said anything.

"Well?" she finally broke in.

"Well what, Hermione? This does appear to be my mother's recipe, but then, they are all my mother's recipes."

"You are no help," she told him, exasperated.

He shrugged at her, not sure what she wanted. "The cook is adequate; as are all concoctions you turn in so you should know that."

"It's still nice to hear," she answered, cross.

"It's as good as my mother would make," he offered, slightly taken aback by the way she lit up. Apparently, that was the correct thing to say, and it was absolutely true. It really was quite good. "Are you bringing it to Minerva?"

She nodded. "I baked an extra, hoping it would turn out. I hope this is the right one. I asked the elves and they said that variations were popular during that time."

"It's been some years since she had the original, I'm sure she'll be pleased with your efforts. Here," he told her, reaching into a drawer in his desk. "Take this with you to aid in your endeavors."

It was his mother's cookbook. She clutched it to her chest. "But-"

"No buts. They haven't even been touched in twenty-five years. Take it."

Hermione looked to him with wide grateful eyes. Had Harry been present, she would have told her she looked like Dobby when given a sock. She was elated not only for the new, rare book, but also for the chance to get a glimpse at more of her professor through the writings of his mother. Plus she could actually bring a dessert to the Burrow she could be proud of. "Thank you," was all she could think of to say.

"Don't mention it. Now be gone. I have work to finish."

Once again, she took the book and ran, leaving the rest of the cake behind, which suited Severus nicely and he took another slice. Some things were just better made by human hands.

~~HGSS~~

Hermione stared at the gargoyle, who stared at her in return. She had no idea what the password was. "Ginger newts? Tartan sweater? Bonny lass? Oh come on, I have a special gift for the eadmistress!"

"Can I help you, Miss Granger?" asked Flitwick behind her. "Are you trying to see Minerva?"

"Yes! But I don't know the password."

"Oh, there isn't one during the summer. Just tell the gargoyle to open." He waved and left.

Hermione glared at the statue whom she swore smirked in return. "Open, you meddling creature."

The gargoyle slid back with a hiss, and she carried her cake upstairs.

"Headmistress?" she called as she neared the top.

"Miss Granger?" Hermione heard from the far side of the room where she saw Minerva step back from a bookcase. "Just Minerva, if you please. What can I help you with? Is the book coming along alright?"

"Yes, thank you. I came to bring you this." There was no reason to explain what "this" " was as she carried the large cake in front of her on a cake stand.

"And what is this for?" Minerva exclaimed. "More gifts from Molly?"

"No," Hermione told her. "I made this one. I found the recipe in one of Professor Snape's mum's cookbooks and I wondered if it was the one your grandmother used to make. The professor assures me it's quite good and I thought so as well."

"You didn't have to do this!" Minerva told her, taking the cake from her hands and placing it in the center of her desk. She poured them each a cup of tea and took a slice for herself after Hermione declined. Her eyes closed as she savored the bite. A deep sigh was the only sound she made for a long moment. "My grandmother would always serve us with a cup of Earl Grey. I can remember her little bone china cups with the tea roses painted on. This is perfect. I do hope you'll give me the recipe. You got this from Severus?" she said, shocked.

Hermione nodded. "He said his mother made something similar. He didn't know if it was the same but allowed me to look through her books for the recipe after a bit of cajoling."

"Severus…that sly fox. He never said anything!"

"That's the professor for you," she said.

"And isn't that the truth! Hermione, truthfully, I'm so thankful you found this. I really appreciate the extra effort you put in on my behalf. How ever did you know it was so important to me?"

"Well, it seemed like such an important thing when you spoke of it previously and, well…" Hermione debated telling her secret. It wasn't a bad secret, but she hadn't told anyone of finding the fountain. Maybe Minerva would know more than she did. She felt it was important to let her know. "…I found your coin in the Fountain of Erised."

Minerva gasped and sat back in her chair. "You found the fountain?" she repeated. "But I thought it was only legend! No one has seen the fountain in ages! It's thought that coins just get added magically."

"I didn't know of it at all," Hermione told her. "Not even in my research has it been mentioned. But I was walking the courtyard and a door opened and there it was. I took a few of the coins and since then, I've been trying to fulfill the wishes on the coins."

"You took the coins out of the courtyard?"

Hermione nodded. "I keep some of the more recent ones in a satchel in my room. Here is the one from you." She reached for the coin in her pocket to show her boss but as she opened her hand, it faded to dust. "And that's what happens when the wishes are fulfilled." She poured the sand out of her hand and watched it flow to the floor.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Minerva asked her softly. Hermione shook her head no.

"You're a Fairy Godmother."

A/N: Me again. This is based on a real cake, called a Hummingbird Cake with more traditional fruits added.