Inside
Chapter Nineteen: Professor
Hermione's POV
'Hermione,' I began reading again, my heart hammering nervously in my chest. It had been five months since I had seen him, and today was the day.
'I have spoken to both Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall, and both of them have agreed to let me visit the school for the last month. They say I still can't have my wand back or take classes, but have agreed to let me stay on with Hagrid and help him with the grounds. I have spoken to Arthur and Molly and the other Weasley's as well, and Ron and now you. I know, you're my sister and I should have written you with this first. But I guess it is because you are my sister that I wrote you last about this, you're the one who's opinion outshines the rest. I still can't begin to explain how sorry I am for what I did and for how I reacted… But going this long without seeing you or Ron, regardless of what happened, is torture. I know, it is nothing compared to what I did to you guys, but for what it's worth, I miss you… I miss you more than I ever imagined I could miss anyone. I miss you and Ron and Hogwarts… I even miss Snape, if you'll believe it. I miss everything about the magical world, my world, and I want nothing more than to come back and move on from the past. But I won't do that unless you write me back and tell me you want to see me. If you don't, I understand and will just see you next year, or maybe in the Summer at Ron's, if I'm lucky… Please write me back as soon as you decide weather or not you want to see me. For what it's worth, I love you and Ron and can not wait to see you. But will, if it is what you wish.
Love from you ever sorry brother,
Harry'
Of course I had written him back right away telling him yes, I wanted to see him, and that if he apologized again I would hex him. In the letter I wrote it was like old times again; like none of that bad stuff had ever happened and that he was just not here… Truth was, as much as I missed him and wanted to see him… I was incredibly nervous. I talked to Ron, and his feelings on the matter was the same. It was not that we lied about wanting to see him, of course we wanted to see him, more than anything in the world… We just didn't know how it would be. Would it be awkward? Would it be silent? Would it be like we were never even friends in the first place? These questions hovered over my head like a black cloud of impending doom and chaos. I could barley breath at times and on occasion forgot my bearings; all I had been able to think about for the past month, since I got the letter, was seeing him again. My friend and brother, he was going to be back, and I was a downright nervous wreck.
I inhaled a deep breath of air and folded the letter against my stomach and slid it into my pocket. I felt his arms wrap around me and enfold me, and smiled. He was the only thing that could calm me down these days, and really, that wasn't something to complain about. I ran my hands over his arms and hugged him hugging me.
The sound of feet pounding off in the other direction made me open my eyes, but when I looked there was no one to be seen. I shrugged it off and turned around to look up at Severus, who was smiling down at me. He ran his hand over my forehead and kissed me. "Are you alright?" he asked with concern, looking deeply into my eyes.
I nodded. "Yeah," I told him. "Yes, I am fine." I reached my lips up to his and kissed him. "Just thinking."
"I would be concerned if you weren't," he agreed, bringing his lips back down to mine. "You haven't seen him in five months… Are you sure you are ready?"
"Yes," I told him with a smile. "For a minute there I was questioning myself, but then I felt these strong arms wrap around me, and all my doubts flew out the window." I slid my hands up his back and feathered my fingers into the base of his hairline and kissed him deeply, stepping onto my tiptoes and drinking him in. He held his arms securely around me and pulled me closer to him, deepening the kiss as his tongue danced in synch with mine.
"HERMIONE?!" Came Harry's shocked voice.
"Harry?" I asked, pulling my lips from Severus's and turning around to see him standing there. "Harry!" Realization washed over me as I realized Harry was not alone.
"SEVERUS!" McGonagall's voice shouted in time with mine.
"Professor McGonagall!" I shouted as Severus and I stepped away from each other. "Harry!" I added again, looking back and forth between the two of them.
"MISS GRANGER!" McGonagall barked.
"Harry!" I yelled, realizing what had happened. I had heard feet pounding away just as Severus was wrapping his arms around me. Harry saw… surly he didn't think…?
"Minerva," Severus nodded.
"Severus!" she shouted breathlessly. "What in the name of Merlin is going on here!?
"I haven't seen Harry for as long as all of us, and he comes running to my office, shouting like a crazy person that Professor Snape was attacking Miss Granger! And now, as I see, clearly he was mistaken!"
"He was," Severus agreed, nodding his head.
"Hermione!?" Harry shouted again, looking at me with wide, confused eyes.
"Harry…" I began slowly.
"I know, right? Missed you too…" he said while nodding his head. "You know, this actually isn't that surprising." We all looked at him with wide, mute eyes. "What?" he asked. "Seriously, I have seen stranger…"
"Hermione," Harry said again, "Hermione… Hermione!" he wrapped his hands around my wrists and held me in my place, preventing me from pacing. "Would you please stop that?"
"I- How could you, Harry?" I asked him, pulling my arms away from him and crossing them over my chest. I looked back to the ground and continued my pacing. "They've been in there for hours."
"First off," he said, raising his finger to the air. "Why didn't you just tell me about you and Snape? That probably could have helped avoid this whole thing." I opened my mouth to protest, to yell at him for twisting it around on me, but he spoke before I had a chance to. "And secondly, don't you think your freaking out a bit much? They have literally been in there for no more than fifteen minutes."
"Oh…
"Why'd you go twisting it around?" I asked him, quickening my pace at the base of Dumbledore's private entrance to his office.
"Twisting it around, what?" he sounded thoroughly confused. "Hermione, I haven't twisted anything around… I get back here, and the first thing I see is you looking nervous and Snape coming up behind you! What do you think I was supposed to think!? You've never told me, or given me so much as a hint that the two of you were together. I mean, honestly Hermione, he isn't the first name that pops into my mind when I think of a eligible boyfriend for you."
"Who then?" I asked him, looking over at him as I paced back and forth.
"Ron?" He suggested. "Not him, not Snape."
"Ron? No, no… Ron's with Lavender. Besides, Severus and I have been together longer than that."
"Lavender?" He asked, baffled. "Lavender Brown?" I nodded. "Okay, honestly didn't see that one coming either… What else happened when I was away?"
"I almost buried Ron alive," I told him. "It was quite traumatizing for him, but not nearly as traumatizing as what happened to me after. Hagrid had to dig him out with a shovel, it took him nearly the whole night. Ron wouldn't speak to me for a week."
"And that traumatized you?" he asked. "Ron not talking to you?"
"No," I shook my head. "What happened after I almost buried him alive but before he was dug out by Hagrid."
"Which was?"
I shook my head. "Trust me Harry, that is not something you want to know nor is it a memory I want to go resurrecting."
"Then why'd you bring it up?" he asked.
"You asked what else you'd missed," I told him.
"But you won't tell me?"
"I just did," I told him. "Now Harry, if you please… my mind is kind of preoccupied at the moment."
"I hadn't noticed…"
"What?" I spat. "Oh, never mind!"
"Hermione," he said as he dodged in front of me to stop me pacing. "Hi! How are you?" He asked. "It is nice to see you, isn't the weather wonderful? Just look at it out there, so beautiful and Springy… Summer is just around the corner."
"Yes," I nodded, trying to step away from him, but he blocked me. "It is."
"Hermione!"
"What!?"
"You need to just breathe, take it in, hold it… and calm down for a minute."
"Harry!"
"Hermione."
"You're trying to distract me from a very serious issue!"
"Yeah, I really am," he agreed. "But so far I seem to be failing at that."
"Obviously!"
"Okay, okay, Hermione," he said, taking the sides of my face into his hands and looking into my eyes. "You need to calm down, alright? As your friend and brother, you need to trust me with what I am about to say: everything will be fine."
"But-"
"Everything will be fine, okay?" he asked me, dropping his hands. "You and Snape will both be fine."
"But-"
"Over the years how many tight situations have you, Ron and myself found ourselves in?" he asked. "And how many times have we been caught?"
"Harry, we don't-"
"How many?" He persisted.
"Less than a handful?" I suggested, and he nodded.
"Exactly, we've been here – well, you and Ron, really – six years now. I think if ever we were going to seriously get our asses handed to us it would have happened by now, don't you?"
"I-" I stammered, "Harry, those times were different! McGonagall just walked in on Severus and I kissing! I think that tops the other times!"
He tilted his head to the side, "Well, you've got a point there…"
"Harry you're not-" I silenced myself as the sound of the revolving staircase filled my ears. I looked over at Harry, then back at the revolving golden eagle and watched as it twisted and twisted. My breath caught in my throat as Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore walked up to me.
"Miss Granger," McGonagall said, and I swallowed.
"Professor McGonagall," I nodded with my arms folded tightly across my chest.
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said with a stern expression. I felt my face drain of blood. "How are you this afternoon?" he wondered, looking outside through one of the open windows. I remained silent, looking up at him nervously. "Yes, as I thought…
"You will receive your diploma of graduation with the rest of the seventh years at this years graduation ceremony, and then, if it isn't too much to ask… Our Professor Flitwick is leaving us this year to take care of some personal business, leaving an opening for Charms Teacher. I would like you to return next year and take over for him."
"I…" I was speechless. Was this really happening?
"I hear you're quite good at Charms?" He went on.
"Yes, Sir," I breathed.
"Wonderful," he smiled. "Now, I see no reason why you and Professor Snape can't keep up with your relationship, though discreetly, I may add."
I nodded. "Yes, Professor Dumbledore, of course, Sir."
"Splendid," he smiled, stepping away from me and turning towards Professor McGonagall. "A walk, Minerva? It is such a pleasant day out, and I feel like getting some fresh air. It has been weeks now since I took a leisurely stroll about the grounds." I watched in mute silence as the two descended down the hallway, and out of sight.
"Did that really just happen?" I asked after a moment, looking over at Harry with baffled eyes.
"I think it did," he smiled, looking just as bewildered – and excited – as I felt. "Congratulations!" he laughed, pulling me into his arms. "Hermione! Congratulations!"
"How is this even possible?" I asked as we parted. "No one in the history of Hogwarts has ever graduated early before; not by an entire year!"
"You're just lucky I guess!" Harry beamed. "My lucky sister; Professor Granger, Charms Teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Now I was laughing. Pure, unfiltered joy soaring through me. I pulled Harry into my arms. "Oh, Harry!" I smiled. "At first I wanted to hex you! Now… Oh, Harry!"
I felt a light tap on my shoulder, and turned around to see Severus there, smiling down at me. I quickly pushed Harry off of me, hearing an offended 'Hey!' I ignored him and jumped into Severus's arms; wrapping my legs around his waist and arms around his shoulders. I slammed my lips against his and kissed him again and again. "Is this possible?" I asked him, kissing him again. "Is this real?"
"Yes," he told me, kissing me and holding me fast to his body. "Hermione, you have more than twice as many credits as a standard graduating seventh year – you are graduating to teach!" I let out a high pitched feminine squeal and hugged him tighter still, bringing my lips back to his. He was laughing through my kisses, but I just couldn't stop. I was graduating! I was going to come back next year as a teacher! And every year thereafter!Severus wasn't getting taken away; we weren't in trouble! We could be together! And not be secretive – save being discreet – anymore!
I kissed him again and again and again.
"Harry!" I heard Ron's voice bellow. "Harry, how long have you- WHOA!"
The sound of Lavender letting out a loud gasp came next, but I didn't care, I just kept kissing the man I loved. "They're not allowed to do that!" she cried. "Ron, Ron, they're not allowed to do that, are they?"
"I- uh, uh- I, uh…"
Harry laughed. "They are now," he told them. "Isn't that right, Professor Granger?"
I smiled through our kiss.
TBC
Author's Note: Stay tuned for the conclusion to 'Inside.' :)