Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to the ever so brilliant Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Everything you don't recognize, belongs to me. Wow! Serious this time!
Chapter Five
When Things Started To Go Wrong
She could have killed him! Hermione was frowning as she practically ran down the staircase, heading for the Dungeons, where she knew he was.
Without knocking she burst in to his old office, which he still occupied, pointing her wand at his throat.
"You!" she yelled. "Lay off my daughter and my niece, you bloody bat-rat!"
If looks could kill, he'd be a pile of dust on the floor by now. He knew this very well.
Her voice was dangerously calm as she continued. "I can swear to you, Snivellus," she said, using the name the Marauders gave him, on purpose. "that if you as much as look at either one of them the wrong way, I will hex you beyond oblivion!" She withdrew her wand, turned and walked out the door with a last; "I expect you to apologize to both of them before they go to bed this evening. In person!"
And with that she shut the door behind her, leaving Severus with a stunned look on his face.
Later that evening Hermione was sitting in the library. Now, that would probably shock everyone! She heard the door open and jumped, but smiled and reached her arms out when she saw who it was.
"Hi, sweetie. Are you going to bed?" Isabel nodded and sat down on her mother's lap. Hermione made eye contact. "Has he been to see you yet? Did you get that apology?"
Once again Isabel nodded.
"Most definitely. And he was very sweet about it as well." She looked at her mother. "He had very good intentions regarding me, you know. But he said I was too much my mother's daughter for him to control himself." She paused. "And you know what else?"
Hermione shook her head. "No. What, darling?" By the look on Isabel's face it was something nice, but it would probably shock her.
"He is going to keep Molly in detention, as he called it, for two hours on Wednesday nights, to give her private lessons!"
For once, Hermione found herself speechless. All she could do was rise an eyebrow as her moth dropped open. This made Isabel laugh.
"Yes, I know! And he also said I could be there, if I wanted to. Maybe he can teach me something as well, he said."
This worried Hermione. "Just don't get your hopes up too high now, baby. He is famous for changing his mind."
Isabel smiled. "I figured as much, mum, but I can still hope for the best, right?"
Hermione gave her daughter a warm hug. "He is right, you know. You truly are your mother's daughter."
Isabel nodded. "I know, mum. And I'm proud of it." She kissed Hermione's cheek and looked her in the eyes. "Can you sing me our special lullaby before I go to bed, mum?"
Hermione embraced her daughter and started rocking her back and forth. Isabel closed her eyes as Hermione started singing:
Heaven's gift to me just the way you are,
A new aged child from a distant star.
It feels so good just to be
So close to your love. You are heaven's gift to me.
You are so sweet and pure just the way you are.
Mama's precious jewel. Daddy's rising star.
There's so much in life for you to see.
And so much to be. You are Heaven's gift to me.
La la la la la la, la la la la la,
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la la,
La la la la la, la la la la,
La la la la la, la la la la la la la
Heaven's gift to me just the way you are,
A new aged child always in my heart.
There's so much in life for you to be,
And so much to see. You are heaven's gift to me.
La la la la la la, la la la la la,
La la la la la, la la la la la,
La la la la la la, la la la la la,
La la la la la, la la la la la la la.
La la la la la la, la la la la la,
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la,
There's so much in life for you to see,
And so much to be. You are heaven's gift to me
"Sweet dreams, darling." Hermione said, stroking Isabel's fringe away from her face.
"Good night, mum. Sweet dreams to you too." Isabel kissed her mother and went to bed.
Hermione stayed behind and slowly put the book back where she'd found them. Little did she know that from a dark corner, Severus watched her every move. Touched by her lullaby he made her a silent wow. He was not going to change his mind in tutoring Isabel and Molly. He was going to stick to his side of the bargain and not be the same git Hermione knew. He felt he owed her that much. He mused at his own choice of words. Bargain. Well, in a way it was. Isabel could advance, Molly could actually learn something and he had the chance to, somehow, get closer to Hermione. It was a win-win situation, no matter how he looked at it.
He waited for Hermione to leave before he retreated to his quarters.
Hermione was stunned. Her face turned a dark, red colour with humiliation as Ron cried out how much he really loved her and missed her. She'd been teaching Transfiguration for two months when he decided to show up. He looked a right mess. His hair looked like it hadn't seen a pair of scissors in ages, his face unshaved and he was completely and utterly wasted.
"'Mione! I miss you and I want us to be a family again!" he sobbed as he walked up the isle, almost tripping over his own feet.
"Ron! Get the hell out! This is neither the right time, nor the place!" Hermione frowned as she got up and walked towards him, grabbed him by the collar and tried to drag him out of the Great Hall.
Ron grabbed hold of her and pressed his lips against hers. "I love you, 'Mione." He mumbled as she pushed him away.
"No, you… Well, I guess you do, in your own way, but before you say that, you should act like it!" she hissed, holding him on an arm lengths distance. "You are embarrassing me, and not to mention; your daughter! I'll walk you to my quarters and you will stay there until I'm done here. Understood?"
He just nodded, looking quite sheepish, and Hermione turned to her daughter.
"Or maybe you want to take him there?"
Isabel nodded and left the Great Hall with her father.
Once the doors closed behind them, Hermione faced the students.
"I am truly sorry that you had to witness this. Especially you, Molly." She turned to her niece and saw tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, Molly. You can go after them if you want." She whispered as her eyes filled with water.
Molly got up and ran out to follow her cousin and her uncle and Hermione walked up to the Head Table.
"I'm really sorry, Minerva. I understand if you want me to hand in my resignation." She said and dried her eyes. She didn't want to quit her job at Hogwarts, but she felt obliged to at least offer. And when Minerva didn't answer her right away she sighed. "You'll have it on your desk by the end of tomorrow."
Oh, no! What now? Will Minerva actually let her quit?
Stay tuned and don't change the channel! We'll be right back after the break.
In the mean time; don'tforget to push the button!
P.S. The lullaby Hermione sings to Isabel is called 'Wiccan Lullaby' and is performed by Switchblade Symphony. It's beautiful!