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Chapter 23

Hermione blinked a couple of times then rubbed her eyes with her fingertips to banish the vision she was seeing. It didn't help.

"Fuck…"

Incredible how words seem to echo when everybody is silent in the room. Hermione glanced at Ron and Harry sitting in the front row. 'They weren't expecting the new teacher to be Malfoy, I guess.' The boys looked thunderstruck. Their jaws hanging.

'Dumbledore lost his last lemon drop. How in the hell could he hire Malfoy?'

"Ms Granger, see me after class." His voice was silky and polite. Hermione simply stared at him for a second before understanding that he was waiting for a reply.

"Yes, sir." 'Why cant I keep my mouth shut sometimes? A private meeting with Malfoy Senior. Joy…' Hermione bit her bottom lip and pulled a book from her bag. At this moment she really wanted to throw a fuss about how he didn't belong in this place. While Hermione silently fumed, Lucius Malfoy started giving instructions for the lesson. He looked confident and spoke smoothly answering a few unimportant questions that somebody asked. She buried her face in a book pretending to read the first chapter like the rest of the students.

'Just my luck to get Lucifer for a Professor. Like I don't remember that that man petitioned for me every time I see his son! Severus will have kittens when he finds out… ' Something in her mind clicked and she swore mentally. 'That's why he was all moody this morning! Son of a bitch! I… '

"Is something wrong, Ms Granger?" In her anger, Hermione didn't notice as her new Professor came to stand beside her and was now looming over her. The girl's heart sank. 'Did he ask something?' Way to start a semester by loosing all points in the first Defense Against the Dark Arts class in one go. 'Gryffindor is so going to lose points…'

She forced a smile at the man fighting back the urge to scratch his cold grey eyes out.

"No, sir. I was just lost in the reading." 'Here it comes…'

"Well, don't let it happen again, Ms Granger."

'What? No points deducted? Is he feeling well?' Hermione's brows knitted in confusion. She looked around and could see that she wasn't the only one surprised at the Professor's almost … nice behavior towards her.

"Yes, sir." The answer was a little meek from surprise.

Hermione watched Lucius Malfoy from the corner of an eye for the rest of the class, which seemed to continue forever. For the first time Hermione regretted having double advanced Defense. Her nerves seemed on the edge and she was nervous. Well, who wouldn't be if you got a person for a teacher that tried to kill you on more than one occasion? And then wanted to marry you?

'If he hadn't petitioned for me, I wouldn't have had to marry Snape.' Hermione watched as Slytherin lost 5 points for getting an answer wrong. 'What is he playing at?'

Then suddenly she felt as Pansy nudged her with her elbow and leaned closer.

"What is Draco's father doing here?" Pansy's voice was a low hiss. Apparently she wasn't all too glad to have her ex's father as a Professor.

"Teaching?"

The Slytherin glared at her neighbor. "Funny. Real funny. Do you think…."

"Is there something you wanted to ask, Ms Parkinson?"

"Well, sir. Could you explain the end of the chapter?"

One more time Hermione was amazed as Pansy's voice didn't even wave as she came up with a lie. 'I wonder if she would give me a lesson or two.'

An eternity later, the lesson was over and Hermione stayed seated as everyone packed and left in a hurry.

"Do you want me to wait for you?"

"No, Pansy. I will be fine." She glanced at the blond wizard and sighed. It just wasn't her day. "Go already."

"See you in the Great Hall?"

"I will skip lunch. See you in Double Potions."

Pansy only nodded and left leaving Hermione alone with their new Professor.

Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself and walked slowly to his desk.

"You wanted to speak with me, Professor?" She had to admit that she felt proud as her voice didn't tremble.

"Well, Ms Granger. Don't you think that such language is inappropriate in a class?"

"Yes, it is… sir."

"Then why have you used it?"

"I was a bit surprised to see you, sir."

"Do call me Lucius, Ms Granger."

"Thanks, but I will stick with sir. And it is Mrs. Snape now, Mr. Malfoy."

Malfoy seemed to develop a nervous tick in his right cheek for a minute. Hermione smiled on the inside. Anything to get under the bastard's skin.

"Yes. How is Severus these days?"

"Very well, thank you for asking. Is that all?"

"I haven't seen him today. Is he all right?"

"Right as rain, sir."

"Problems?"

"This morning only one." Hermione gave him her sweetest smile. "You."

Taking her bag she turned to leave.

"I am not done with you yet, Ms Granger."

"My personal life does not concern you. So I think you are done."

"What is wrong, Hermione? Severus doesn't satisfy you? "

The Gryffindor gritted her teeth.

"What do you want, sir?"

"Now now, dear. You wouldn't want to loose house points for being rude to a Professor, would you?"

Hermione readjusted her bag. She so wasn't in the mood for this.

"Now now, Professor. You wouldn't want me to report you for harassment to the Headmaster, or even better, my husband, would you?"

"Touché."

"I have plans, sir. Can you get to the point already?"

Lucius Malfoy slowly rose from his chair and walked towards Hermione. The Gryffindor wasn't in the mood for any more surprises today and got out her wand. She didn't point it at the wizard but held it so he could see it. He stopped few steps from her and smirked.

"I think a detention would be appropriate for your behavior in class today. Tomorrow after dinner in this classroom."

The witch wanted nothing more but to send him off with a well-aimed hex but he had authority over her. 'I so hate him.'

"Yes, sir."

"Now you may go, Ms Granger."

"That's Mrs. Snape, sir."

"Yes, we all do mistakes."

Hermione left without answering. She wasn't sure to what he was referring to. Him calling her Ms or her marrying Snape.

Behind the door she sighed.

'I hate Mondays.' Today just wasn't her day.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Instead of going to lunch, Hermione took a walk through one of the deserted corridors. She needed to calm down and clear her mind.

She wasn't looking forward to Potions today. Too much time with a person that you are angry at.

Hermione was looking at the lake through one of the many windows when she heard a female voice calling her name.

"I am here, Elizabeth!"

Soon a transparent ghost was floating beside her.

"Are you ok, dear? I just heard! How could they allow that man into this school! I never liked him even when he was still studying here. Married a Ravenclaw. I never understood how someone with brains could marry him."

"So I take it you heard about the newest staff addition?"

"Yes! It is all over the castle! How are you?"

"I will live. Where are the rest?" Hermione looked around to see any sign other nonliving inhabitants of the castle. It was strange how Ann didn't come. The frames in the hall were empty.

"I was voted to check on you. Some painting said that you looked upset and angry so we decided that you don't need a crowd pawing all over you."

Hermione laughed.

"Well, I am grateful that you didn't vote Albert for the mission."

"He is not that bad at it. Ann says that all Slytherins have a conscience… Don't laugh!"

"Sorry, sorry…" The Gryffindor covered her mouth with her hand.

"It is true!"

"I will take your word for it."

"Anyway! As I was saying they all have it…"

"Right."

Elizabeth ignored that.

"… They all have it. They just don't use it."

"I can testify to that."

"You married one of them, Hermione."

"Yeah… Oh shit. I am almost late. Thanks for reminding me. Have to run. Potions. Tell everyone that I am fine. If Malfoy tries anything I will sic Severus on him."

"Ok. Good luck."

Hermione left with a smile but on the inside she dreaded the coming hours.

On her way to the dungeons she passed Ginny that luckily didn't see her. The red head was crying on her fiend's shoulder.

'Wonder what that is all about?' but she had no time to dwell on that as it was time for the fun part of the day. Her husband's lesson.

For the second time that day, Hermione made it to class just in time as the bell rang. Good thing that her Slytherin side wasn't there yet.

'Oh…speak of the devil…'

Just as Hermione pulled her book out, the man in black stalked in. She didn't take her eyes from the book, but knew it was him by the way the class went silent. Hermione kept on reading even when she felt his eyes on her.

Pansy silently watched the cold war that started between the two and swallowed. One was stubborn the other was a Slytherin. 'I so hope not to be anywhere close when she loses it.' The Gryffindor was chopping a dried mandrake root calmly. She looked engrossed in her work. Pansy glanced at the teacher's table. Snape was glaring holes in his wife's skull but Hermione was all if not determined to ignore him all lesson. And boy, Snape wasn't glad about it.

Severus glanced at Hermione for the tenth time that minute. It was getting ridiculous. She hadn't even looked at him. Or spoken. Or raised her hand to answer a question. Or asked anything.

Not a bloody thing. No emotions towards him.

'She could have at least said hello. She is always polite to the other Professors. Hmmm… I wonder if this has anything to do with Malfoy. He had better not done anything to her.' He looked at her again. She was fine as always.

'Maybe I should have told her about Malfoy this morning…'

Oh, yes. Malfoy. He wouldn't have believed his eyes if the Headmaster weren't with him at the moment. 'Blasted old lemon sucker. Hire Malfoy. A day ago he asked me to spy on the wizard. I hope Albus isn't hoping to reeducate Lucius.'

"Time is up. Bottle up the potion and get out." There were no complains from the students.

Hermione wasn't gong to stick around. She along with Pansy packed her things, bottled the potion and carried it to the Potion Master's desk.

Severus raised his eyes from his paper grading just in time to see Hermione put down her vial with potion.

"Hermione."

"Yes, sir?"

Hermione's voice was neutral. A first sign of danger while dealing with a female from Gryffindor.

Pansy could practically see the tension between them and wasn't going to hang around to see it snap.

"Hermione, I think I will be going."

"Ok. Can you tell Parvati not to wait for me at the door?"

"Sure."

Soon Hermione and Severus were the only ones in the classroom.

Severus cleared his throat.

"You weren't at lunch."

"I wasn't hungry."

"You shouldn't skip meals."

"I wasn't in the mood, sir."

"Severus."

"Whatever. Right now I am hungry so if that's all…?"

The Slytherin rose from the chair he was sitting in.

"I will ask the elves to bring something…"

"There is no need. I will grab a bite in the kitchens myself." Hermione congratulated herself for keeping her anger pretty much under control.

"I see. When will you be back?"

His tone was calm but there was a sharp and cold edge to it.

Hermione was tempted to say that it was none of his business.

"Before curfew. Have a nice day, Severus."

She left without waiting for an answer.

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