Hey everyone, so sorry for the long delay in adding new chapters. I hope to make it up to you soon. Loving this story at the moment and it is nearly finished editing the last chapter. Leave me a review and give me your thoughts. As always Rated M and not mine. Unfortunately.

Chapter Fifteen

Hermione

Today was our first day back at Hogwarts, as I lifted my beaded bag and slung it over my shoulder I couldn't help but be excited. My final year at Hogwarts, granted it wouldn't be typical considering I wasn't technically a student but it would be relaxed.

No dark Lord hanging over our heads, no bigoted and incompetent Professors to contend with. Just a year to enjoy the castle and get to know Narcissa. It seemed like I had known her my entire life, conversation flowed between us effortlessly and I had never connected with someone quite like I have with her.

It is going to be fun properly learning Occlumency and Legillimency also, she had offered to teach me and I couldn't wait. As I closed my bedroom door I was met by smells of coffee and croissants. Kreacher kept wailing about how he would miss us and almost insisted on following us to Hogwarts.

With Professor McGonagalls permission I assigned him to my teaching quarters as my own elf. He took great pride and popped away this morning to get everything cleaned and ready for us. Harry had chosen to stay in his own private rooms adjacent to the a defense room with Neville as his roommate and because Luna gets so much grief from her own house I offered her to stay with me.

We had all became so close and slightly Co dependant in one another so it just made sense. Once I reached the kitchen I saw Harry giving a little bit of Ham to Crookshanks and his new cat. He had always wanted one when he was little and didn't feel comfortable replacing Hedwig with another owl so he opted for a cat.

Crookshanks loved her, she was still a kitten and was pure Black, he called her midnight and she was the cutest little thing, the two felines slept together on Harry's bed and she followed Crooks around like a little lost waif.

"You do know Ham is bad for them right." He smiled at me and gave her a scratch behind her ears before she jumped off and rubbed between my legs before going and climbing into her travel crate and settled beside Crookshanks.

"This is nothing you should see Kreacher with her." I shook my head in amusement before settling beside him for breakfast. Within ten minutes Luna and Neville arrived and joined us.

"Morning Guys!" The excitement was flooding through the room and realistically I think we needed this. To be together alone for a while before the onslaught of Hogwarts and other people.

"I can't believe that this is the last time we are going to be going to Platform Nine and Three quarters. It seems surreal almost doesn't it?" Neville looked between us all and all we could do was nod our heads.

Without warning Kreacher popped in and closed the crate door the cats were in and lifted it before popping away to Hogwarts. Luna and Neville just smiled at us in confusion.

"We are gonna let them get settled rather than having to sit on the train all day." Soon it was ten thirty and we gathered up all of our things and came together in a group before apparating to the platform.

It didn't take long for us to garner the attention of people as they stared and pointed to where we were. I just kept my head up and held onto Harry's hand as we made our way through the crowd toward the train.

Making our way across the platform we nearly ran into Molly, Arthur, Ron and Ginny, the latter of which were glaring at us much to the embarrassment of their parents, Although Ginnys heart didn't look like it was in it.

"Its good to see you both. Are you looking forward to your last year. Goodness me it seems like it was just yesterday when we ran into you on the other side of the Platform Harry." Upon hearing Rons snicker she cast a glare in his direction before holding out her finger at her two youngest children.

"Now you both are going to behave this year! Harry and Hermione were very gracious in not pressing charges against you both so if I hear of one thing you are both being brought straight home! Do you understand!?" They both nodded but Ron continued to glare before the Weasley parents gave a quick hug and ushered us toward the train.

" POTTER! GRANGER! " Blaise and Draco stood waving and beckoned us over with bright smiles. Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass stood looking just as uncomfortable as we all were.

No one spoke for twenty seconds before Neville stepped forward and extended his hand to Theodore and kissed the back of the two girls hands like the pureblood he was. The girls seemed to swoon before Blaise, stepped across and slung his arm over Lunas shoulders.just

"Now isn't this nice, fresh start." I glared and him leaned over to Luna with a, smirk.

"Careful Luna, you might catch fleas." The blonde sprite looked up at Blaise as he was nearly a foot and a half taller than her and smiled.

"No worries Hermione, we can always change the sheets." Everyone stared wide mouthed at the Ravenclaw before Draco laughed which proceeded everyone else's laughter bubbling up to the surface.

"I think I am in love." Blaise took off in the direction of the carriage with his arm still slung across Luna.

"Oh for fuck sake, now I am going to have to listen to that prat for days." Pansy rolled her eyes and took Daphnes before leading her onto the carriage. For some strange reason we ended up a mixed bunch. Neville ended up in a seat with Pansy who engaging in pleasant conversation about Plants and I ended up beside Daphne Greengrass in an in depth conversation about Hogwarts warding system.

Luna, Blaise, Draco, Theo and Harry squeezed into another talking about Quidditch and Severus Snapes new business venture which was due to open at Halloween.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Harry

"I still can't believe he teamed up with a Weasley. I never thought I would see it, I mean Fred Weasley a, Potions prodigy. Who would have, thought rest his soul." It was true that George had been the business brains and Fred had been the Potions brains to concoct all of their inventions. He had recruited Severus as a brewer and business partner on the new Weasleys Wizarding Wheeze. It combined a book shop, medicinal Potions and beauty products much to Severus chagrin.

"It makes, sense then pairing up with Master Snape." It was halfway through the train journey when Ron, Ginny and Seamus who seemed to be Ginny latest victim. It was oddly reminiscent of many train journeys we had all taken together except instead of Draco looking like a arse it was Ron.

" Hanging around all the snakes then. I should known you would go to the dark side Potter. Too much like Voldemort." The other compartment opened and Hermione poked her head out with Neville and the two Slytherins girls.

"Jesus Hermione, I know you think you're a lesbian but come on. Pick a higher standard than these two, its disgusting and shouldn't be allowed." Daphne Greengrass arched her eyebrow in a way that reminded me too much of Narcissa. I had to ask her if she had had lessons from the youngest Black Sister. The haughty arrogant smile she had on was a, scarily good impression of the woman.

"My oh my someone is an angry boy. Is he always this dense? You three are severely outnumbered. Has the war taught us nothing, let's let go of our hatred." Daphne stood with her wand drawn and as he glared at the blonde Slytherins he gazed at Hermione over her shoulder. The look in his eyes was something I had never seen before.

Ron has many sides to him, he was a jealous self deprecating shite but, he was our friend once before jealousy and ignorance turned him against us, some way.

"Is this your new girlfriend Hermione. How did a frigid bitch like yourself land a hot piece of arse like Greengrass. Granted she is Pureblooded Snake but even I can appreciate someone fuckable!" Before anyone could say anything Neville sent him a stinging hex and silenced him before shaking his head at Ginny and Seamus.

"Take this arsehole away before I let Hermione hex him." They gathered him up clearly reading the room and knowing they didn't stand a chance between them all. Daphne turned and surveyed Neville with a look that I couldn't pinpoint.

Hermione

Once the drama was over we all went back to our carriages and swapped and changed over between the carriages the whole way to Hogwarts. Harry, Neville and I changed into our Apprentice teaching robes and got ready to walk with everyone to the castle.

Since we wouldn't be taking formal classes and instead we're going to be given private instruction from the Professors for whatever NEWTs we have left. We had been given special permission to sit at the teachers table. It was a slow process but as I made my way into the Great Hall I noticed a few empty spaces.

Neville went to sit close to Professor Sprout, Luna went to sit at the Ravenclaw table but Blaise sat with his back to her incase she needed anything. There was two open chairs between Professor Flitwick and Aurora Sinestra. I was waved over by Aurora whom I noticed as I walked past was holding hands under the table with Professor Vector.

"Hermione its good to see you. Welcome to the other side of the table." I smiled at them both before sitting down and getting comfortable. I noticed Harry sitting down, next to what I assumed was the DADA Professor. He was a handsome man who looked to be in his early Thirties and shook Harry's hand before my friend sat down.

I was curious as to whom the empty seats belonged to, I didn't have to wait much longer as everyone was finally settled and restless awaiting the First Years to be sorted. The door swung open and in walked Charlie Weasley the new COMC teacher. He was leading all the little first years into the room and not long behind them was Narcissa.

I couldn't stop my mouth from falling open at her, gone was the Summer dresses I had gotten used to seeing her in and instead she stood like a warrior. A deep plum kind of Dress was worn underneath a Black set of teaching robes which looked far too close to the skin for my liking.

It practically sat like a second skin at her black robes were tailored to fit showing off her incredible figure, her heeled shoes clicked lightly off the stones in the Great Hall and her blonde hair was tied up into and impressive chingon at the back of her head.

I heard a giggle beside me and Aurora was smirking at me before reaching her finger across and tapped my chin to close my mouth. I was thankful as I looked around the room everyone seemed enamoured with the Blonde Slytherin.

She slowed as she, reached the top of the house tables before handing Minerva a scroll and went to move and take her seat. As those blue irises clashed onto my own I couldn't stop the blush from flaming across my face.

"Hello again Hermione." She walked behind the table and sat down in the seat beside me and my head stopped working. I spent all summer with this woman, hugged her and held her hand, however the woman in full teaching regalia was a far cry from the woman I seen in a bikini over the Summer.

"Hello Narcissa." I finally managed a greeting and she pressed her thigh against my own underneath the table. The antsy feeling I have had since we came home from a Costa Rica instantly settled down and feeling brave I reached underneath the table and held tight to her hand.

I didn't even hear Minerva speech nor the sorting and instead ai was focused on the warm hand enveloped into my own. After spending a few days apart I felt like I was practically humming as her hand pressed against my covered legs.

"I have missed you little witch." I heard in my head as she turned to face me but never breaking that pureblood facade she projected to the rest of the world.

"I have missed you too." I thought as loudly as I could before the sorting and everything was over and the feast began. It was inherintly difficult for me to focus on the conversations around me but eventually the searing heat from her hand on my thigh ebbed away to a soft comfort that I think I would die if I couldn't continue to feel.

The courses passed and pretty soon Minerva, stood up to address the school. All heads pointed forward and it proved the amount of respect she had for silence to fall as soon as she stood up.

"To our new students welcome to Hogwarts and to our returning students here we are. As I look out at you all this evening I could not be more proud of you all. This past year has been difficult. Full of fear and loss but we are here, together and I want to first say thank you to you all." All of the returning students, especially the small group who chose to come back to repeat their Seventh year were tearing up at the new Headmistress.

" We have had some hardships but I truly hope we can all move on from the past and embrace one another as we deal with all that has been corrupted." My eyes caught Lavender Brown's who now had a large scar trailing from her jawbone down underneath her school shirt and she nodded through watery eyes in a sign of comradery.

" The school rules will be posted in each common room but I am going to reiterate a few. The Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students and curfew is at Seven for First through Third years and Nine for all those students in the Upper year's." Having heard the majority of it before I slightly tuned out before I felt Narcissa nudge me as Minerva addressed me specifically.

" Muggle Studies this year will be taught by Hermione Granger and this year we are starting a defense club which will be run by Harry Potter. It will be divided by year group so posting for sign ups will be in the a common room from 8am tomorrow morning." A soft rumble of voices began to whisper throughout the room at that and I honestly hated the looks I was getting right now.

"Now, Horace Slughorn has decided to retire so our Potions Professor this year is Narcissa Black." Even though she hadn't been divorced I could tell she was grateful for the forethought Minerva gave her by giving her the maiden name to teach with. Once all of the new Professors had been introduced she, encouraged the Prefects to escort the first year to their dorms and allow them to get settled before ten minutes later allowing the rest of the students go.

"I look forward to hearing about your classes Hermione. Minerva is very excited for the curriculum update." I smiled at Aurora and continued making small talk for another while before heading towards my quarters. AIt didn't take me very long to reach the door and after saying the password it swung open and two very pissed off cats took off from the room.

" Crookshanks don't let him eat anything!" The ginger menace flicked his tail and rushed through Narcissa legs as she came around the corner. As her eyes met mine she smiled before I held my hand out to allow her in.

"Well Professor Granger, how does it feel to no longer be a student." She didn't let go of my hand as we arrived into the room and instead sat down beside me on my couch. Luna wasn't here yet so we wouldn't be interrupted.

"Kind of daunting but I am excited. What about you? You seem very comfortable in those teaching robes." She smiled that gorgeous, full smile that always made me weak in the knees when aimed in my direction.

"It will be a challenge surely but a group of children especially inpertinant Gryffindors should be no problem at all." I let go of her hand in a way to pretend I was offended but her dainty hands grasping my chin and forcing me to look into her eyes.

"I am only teasing my Lioness. Although I am disappointed that I will not get to teach you. A mind such as yours would have been an honour to educate." I pulled her into me for a huge hug and after a second I had come to the realisation. Even though I still had some classes to compete, now Narcissa and I were equal in certain ways.

" I love being here with you. The magic of Hogwarts has always filled me so full of wonder and excitement. Now there is so much more than that now we are here together." She got momentarily uncomfortable for a moment before stroking my cheek and standing up and away from me.

A gut wrenching sadness echoed all across me at the loss of her skin against my own. I don't know what it meant but the sense of loss was almost too much to bear. Especially considering how close I was starting to feel to her.

"Sometimes I feel like wretched old woman taking advantage of you and then you say things that fill my heart with something I have only ever felt with Draco. In a different way of course." She has never really seemed self conscious about her age before now and in all honesty I had been waiting on it.

For all of Narcissa bravado on the outside it was here in this moment I can see a nervous shyness in her face at the comment. I had to nip this in the bud, she was probably the most gorgeous woman I had ever seen and in some way this is like a fantasy I could never have imagined would happen to me.

"Narcissa, you are probably the most beautiful woman in the world. I love everything about you. Your fierce protectiveness, loyalty, intellect and your love for those around you. I feel privileged to have seen beyond that cool icy exterior that you project to the world because, your warm loving heart underneath is something that I think very few get to witness." A soft blush appeared on her face as I walked toward her effectively trapping her against one of my empty bookshelves.

"Maya, you cannot say those things to me when I cannot touch you." Before I could react she pulled me in for a kiss and her lips pressed against mine. Although there was no bleeding from her nose, this time I felt her body heat up to an almost furnace heat as her tongue flicked over mine with an almost painful pleasure before she groaned and doubled over in pain.

My main priority was Narcissa but upon seeing bright white lights all around us it made me pause before jumping into action as she fell to her knees. She was holding her stomach and lying in a foetal position as she cursed, it wasn't from pain but from frustration.

"I hate this, I hate not being able to kiss you when I want. I hate my father for allowing Abraxus Malfoy to add this to our marriage contract. I hate Lucius for refusing to sign the divorce papers and I hate having to keep my magic contained." I was confused by that last part but as she looked up at me through waterfilled eyes it didn't matter.

Instead I pressed a, soft kiss to her forehead and helped guide her to the couch before calling for Kreacher who popped into existence almost immediately.

"What can Kreacher do for you Mistress?" He even bowed which caused a soft laugh to come from Narcissas throat. Seeing him standing proud in his Black uniform I couldn't believe I owned a house elf. Well ish?

"Could we have two hot beverages please?" He nodded and popped away leaving me alone for a, second before a tray arrived with some form of chocolate biscuit also.

Before handing her the tea I bent down and pulled her boots off leaving her socks which surprised the shit out of me. They were two odd and multicoloured socks.

"I have a lot to make up for Hermione least of which was my treatment of Dobby, or shall I say my lack of treatment. I let Lucius treat him horribly and that is something I will always have to atone for." She took a sip from the tea before looking at mine and realising it was a different flavour.

"Harry found a charmed tea set, apparently the cups know what kind of tea the drinker likes at that time. Quite ingenious if I do say so myself, after a drunk night with Neville and Luna we tried to charm the drinks trolley into doing the same thing but all it ended up doing was dancing across the room juggling bottles of very expensive Liquor." A laugh erupted from her throat and it almost looked like she wasn't used to laughing because she stopped herself a second later.

"Don't ever stop laughing, not with me it's beautiful to see. As for Dobby, he was one of the most forgiving creatures I have ever met. He would not want to punish you, nor punish yourself. Considering your own treatment in that house, I cannot imagine Lucius would have been kind to you at your defense of a house elf." She placed her cup onto the table and pulled me closer to her for a hug before pulling back and repeating my earlier affections by placing a kiss onto my forehead.

"You really are one of the kindest people I have ever met Hermione." I pulled her into a hug and allowed her to relax on the couch before drinking my own tea. I figured she was in too much pain to see anything when she fell to the floor but I needed to ask her about it.

" When we kissed which was amazing by the way, there was this light. It was bright with streaks of silver through it. Do you know what that means?" At her stumped expression she shook her head before looking worriedly at me.

"No, there has been some documented cases in some journals about soul tethers or soul ties but it is very rare. A soul tie occurs when two individuals are tethered together spiritually (and as a result: emotionally, mentally, etc.) via sexual relations, close relationships, or verbal vows/commitments/agreements. Pure promises/pledges and declarations of love and more can be spiritual in nature and endure beyond the end of a relationship if you aren't super intentional)." That sounded like verbadim from a textbook and I realised before I had never drilled her on her intellect.

She looked embarrassed for a moment before I placed my hand on her cheek drawing her attention to me and only me. Somehow the idea of tethering my soul to this woman filled me with excitement.

"I have an idetic memory. I had nearly perfect scores in all of my academic subjects in school." In that moment I was incredibly jealous of her brain and wanted to borrow it for a day.

"So you remember everything you read? Everything?" The amused smile at my excitement that came from her made me laugh before going over to one of the bookshelves and pulling out Hogwarts a History.

"I am assuming you have read this?" She drew her eyebrows together before nodding slowly as I opened it at a random page before turning to face her as I sat back down.

"Page 47, read me something from it." An amused smile came over her face before she looked for a second as if she had spaced out before clearing her throat.

"Since the earliest recorded history, nonmagic peoples ("Muggles") have defined magic as a mystical power derived from the gods and goddesses of their culture. They explained away this natural phenomenon by attributing it to the supernatural, to their religious deities, in an effort to explain what could not be explained. Indeed, even some witches and wizards of ancient times believed that their own powers came from the gods and goddesses, for they lacked the knowledge and intense study in the pathways of magic that have been since studied. In the beginning, most cultures respected and even revered witches and wizards living in their societies, elevating them to ever-higher statuses – priests, shamans, rulers. Eventually, however, the Muggles began to fear and condemn the practises of their fellow witches and wizards. The rise of Judaism and Christianity were especially well known for a dramatic change in Muggle-Wizard Relations." I couldn't stop the grin from getting wider on my face the further she read.

" You are amazing!" I held her as close to my body as I could and the feel of her athletic body pressed against my own was almost too much and I made a mental note to contact Kingsley Shaklebolt in the morning to see if anything can be done to expidite her divorce. Although my fantasies of impaling him with the Sword of Gryffindor or letting fire ants eat him alive were all more appealing to me after his treatment of her.

" Well thank you darling but please don't make me read anymore. I must have reread it over a hundred times during my time as a student. As for Lucius, yes little witch your thoughts were practically screaming at me. It will work out in the end. After a year I can contest to have it go through anyway because of his position in Azkaban and refusal to cooperate." Having felt deflated she touched my chin again leaving it searing.

"Although your ways were more entertaining we need to stay within the law." I nodded once more before settling in with our cups of tea. We spoke for hours interrupted halfway through with Luna coming in and announcing she was playing with her new friend Blaise.

" It's good to see you again Professor Black. I look forward to having your class."

Not even giving her a chance to respond, the Ravenclaw walked away toward her room. I don't even want to know what she had gotten up to with Blaise Zabini I wasn't going to enlighten myself. No doubt however Luna will be incredibly in depth when we were alone.

The pixie was gone and the amusement in the eyes of Narcissa Black was tenfold. We kept talking and before we knew it two in the morning had approached and she was getting ready to leave. Just as she pulled her boots back on again the door swung open with a familiarly disheveled and sweaty Harry who was shaking from a nightmare appeared at the door.

"Oh I am sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." She shook her head at him before taking his arm and guiding him to the couch flicking her wand as she did so. A quill appeared and began to scratch on the parchment her findings.

"Mr Potter, forgive me but do you have dreams often?" He nodded and looked to Hermione nervous for a second and the Slytherin turned to face me.

"Both of you?" I nodded and came to give Harry a glass of water and she opened the top two buttons of her robe to pull out a vial of calming draught before handing it to him.

"Overall, "dark magic" is a term used for anything to do with magic intended for nefarious purposes, with things like dark objects, dark creatures, and the history of the Wizarding World's worst crimes all falling under this. Some offer a different perspective on things that fans have already seen while others are truly scary to behold." A shiver ran through us as she spoke, it was in this moment I knew she was going to be an extraordinary teacher.

" You were both exposed to the foulest of magic I have ever felt. It was cold when he casted, it left a mark but not one as easily seen as your Scar Mr Potter. My son still suffers and probably always will from the dark magic that latched itself to him. Unfortunately there is no long term way to help as of yet but I have been trying to figure it out. Ronald and Ginny Weasley are another prime example. The darkness feast and fecters until it corrupts and destroys." She took out another vial of something which was almost pearlescent and white in colour. It was not a potion I recognised and I couldn't help but be even more in awe of her.

" What is it?" He was wary and I couldn't blame him because testing a potion you didn't know about was stupid but I know Narcissa would never harm him.

"I call it the Dream catcher. I tried to perfect it after the first war. We all have nightmares Mr Potter, that's what makes us human." He took it from her outstretched hand he thanked her before unstoppering it.

"Three drops before you go to sleep at night Mr Potter and it should turn any bad dream into a good one." Tears filled his eyes and before she could say anything else he hugged her which made me laugh.

"Thank You. I have not gotten one full restful night since the end of the war. Usually Hermione and I always end up in each others bed just for comfort." She smiled and patted his cheek in an affectionate way a mother would do to a son.

"Well considering I am hoping in the future to be sharing her bed call this a gift for me also. You should speak to Draco, he too is plagued with nightmares. It might do you some good to have someone else to talk to who shares in your plight." He nodded, tried not to looked shocked at her admissions about sharing my bed and excused himself to go back to his own quarters, allowing me to say goodnight to Narcissa. Gathering herself she lifted out another bottle of the potion and handed it to me.

" Two drops before bed little witch." I nodded to her before hugging her close to me and then she was gone. Leaving me with even more questions than answers. For the first time in years I was blessed with a full night's sleep ready for my first day of teaching.


That's all folks... Hope you enjoyed it and please leave me a review to let me know your thoughts.