Early arrival of chapter two, hope you enjoy.

The Three Broomsticks had not changed. Hermione almost felt like she had stepped back in time. Madam Rosmerta stood behind the bar pulling pints for the small gathering within. Some deeply suppressed version of teenage Hermione felt a small, sudden stab of jealousy looking at the curvy blonde. The bar woman did a double take at Hermione as she walked through the door. Her face briefly filled with disbelief quickly changing to a warm, welcoming smile.

"Hermione? Hermione Granger? Is that you?" Rosmerta asked.

Hermione blushed as a few heads turned to look in her direction, she had never become accustomed to the public's interest in her. Where Harry tolerated and Ron basked in it, she felt awkward and self conscious. Why anyone would be interested in her she had no clue. Harry was 'The Chosen One' turned Auror extraordinaire and Ron was also a big name in the Aurory. Both had settled down and had their first children on the way. What did Hermione have? An ancient cat with an attitude problem, a new career with no experience and two god children on the horizon. Her life was dull and she liked it that way, she had her fill of adventure and excitement. Now, she just wanted a quiet space to put up her feet and read.

"Hi Madam Rosmerta, yes it's me. It's been a long time I guess," Hermione kept her eyes trained on the bar woman, hoping the prying eyes in the pub would soon lose interest in her.

"Hermione?" A familiar voice came from a table to her left near the empty fireplace. Neville. Hermione's face light up at the sight of him. They both came bounding toward each other and hugged like no time had passed since they last had.

"Minerva told us you had accepted, but she didn't mention you would be here so soon!"

Still hugging each other tightly Neville called out to Madam Rosmerta for some drinks. Of course Hermione saw Neville once a year at the Grimmauld Place Christmas party but to be reunited here, on their old stomping ground felt different. The two friends sat together, Hermione ordered herself soup and a sandwich while Neville filled her in on the goings on in the castle.

"Have you seen Remus yet?" Neville asked.

"No, just you, Minerva and Hagrid," she said, throwing her napkin down. "Oh and Professor Snape, briefly." Hermione noticed Neville twitched ever so slightly at the mention of the Potion's Professor.

"Oh, um… did you talk to him? Snape I mean?" Neville asked, failing to sound casual.

She snorted and rolled her eyes.

"He was his usual charming self; 'Miss Granger'," the witch said in a terrible imitation of their past teacher's voice. "How do you find working alongside him? Does he make any effort to be pleasant?"

"Honestly? We rarely speak to one another," Neville said a little sadly. "I'm not certain that he speaks to anyone except Minerva."

Hermione took pause at this thought, it saddened her. She knew her former professor was quite reclusive, his scathing responses to Harry's attempts at friendship over the years had cemented this idea. She thought though, that perhaps he was more socially active at Hogwarts. He had worked there for so many years, surely he had made some solid friendships. She supposed that working as a double agent for as long as he had that maybe friendship had not been a priority. Hermione knew how it felt to be lonely, to struggle with making friends.

The two former classmates chatted merrily about the upcoming school year, Hermione relayed her anxieties to Neville who assured her that she would adjust quickly. After finishing her meal and their drinks the two bid goodbye to Madam Rosmerta and took to the streets outside. The pair strolled the familiar path back to the castle. Neville invited Hermione to his quarters for tea which she happily accepted.

Neville's quarters were breathtaking. Every available space was filled with plants of both magical and muggle variety. They hung from the ceiling, vines, miniature trees, beautiful flowers and sweet smelling berries. Hermione hardly felt like she was in the dungeons at all. His rooms were close to the kitchens, not quite as deep in the castle as the Slytherin common room, allowing a small amount of natural light in. She allowed Neville to cart her from plant to plant while he explained their properties. Once she settled herself on his sofa he presented her with a beautiful yellow fern to brighten up her room.

"I potted it up as soon as Minerva told us you were coming, it's easy to care for," he assured her, a slight blush staining his cheeks.

"It's beautiful Neville, I love it!"

He beamed at her approval and poured them two cups of tea. The two continued chatting amicably late into the evening until Hermione could hardly keep her eyes open.

"I'm so happy you're here, I think I'd be completely overwhelmed without a friend," Hermione said. "I do however believe I need my bed very shortly, or I'll end up snoozing on your couch."

"Of course, you must be exhausted," Neville said rising from his seat and pressing her new plant into her hands. "You can Floo in any time you like, I'm usually here or at the Greenhouse's prepping."

"Thanks Neville, you are welcome to visit any time you like too, although my quarters are just blank walls and disheveled books for the time being."

The two shared one last hug in his doorway and Hermione stepped out into the corridor. Even in Summer this part of the castle had a chill in the air. She was glad her quarters were located on a higher level. Making her way along the quiet corridors she tried to imagine them teeming with students- her students. The thought that a small number of her pupils had been there while she herself had been was an odd thought. She was unlikely to know any of those students but it was still strange to teach people only a few years younger than herself. She supposed Neville had been doing it for a couple of years now, not to mention Professor Snape had only been graduated a couple of years when he too had become an educator.

As if she had conjured him with her thoughts the dour Potion's Professor swept by, clearly trying to avoid any more conversation with her that day. In that moment Hermione Granger made a decision; she would do everything she could to secure some semblance of friendship with her least friendly colleague.

"Hello Professor, how was your day?" She chewed the inside of her lip in anxious anticipation.

To her utter surprise, he stopped and turned to face her. First his eyes -were they always so dark?- met hers, he seemed to search her face for a moment before sweeping his gaze over her anxious stance. Gripping her gift from Neville close to her chest, she waited. His eyes lingered on the plant and snapped back to her face once again before he spoke.

"If you and Longbottom intend on starting a torrid love affair, would you try keep it confined to the third floor," he sneered. "I'd rather not be anywhere near the vicinity."

Hermione's mouth popped open and heat rose to her face.

"Neville and I are good friends professor, just friends and I will visit with him as often as I see fit." Oh Damn her temper, why had she said that, this was going badly already. Although, he hadn't walked away yet, maybe there was hope.

The smirk on his face was wicked and oddly endearing. "Does Longbottom know that?"

A small breathy laugh escaped her lips. "Of course he does," she sounded unconvincing even to her own ears. Surely there were no romantic feelings there, was there? "We've been friends for years, I think I would have noticed something by now if he was interested in something more."

For another moment he studied her face, looking bored and slightly smug. "Well, don't let me interrupt the rest of your evening." Then he swept away, deeper into the dungeon.

"Goodnight!" She shouted after him in a false, cheerful voice. She frowned and made her way back to her quarters replaying their conversation on loop.

Severus was livid, Minerva had interrupted his brewing session to discuss the upcoming school year. That woman was insufferable. There was still four weeks left until the students returned, he hadn't brewed anything since he arrived and she chose that day for a meeting with him. He knew he should have turned down the Deputy Headmaster position. On and on she droned about Granger, the blasted girl hadn't been there more than a day and he was already sick to the teeth of her. The Headmistress had the audacity to ask him to 'be nice' to the new Charms Professor. Unlikely.

Finally escaping her clutches with a vague agreement to make an effort with the new recruit. He made his way back through the castle, he would resume his brewing and retire to his quarters for a pleasantly quiet evening with a glass of Firewhiskey in hand.

Approaching the corridor which housed the kitchen and Longbottom he could hear voices in conversation. In the distance he could make out an embrace, Granger and Longbottom. His lip curled in disgust at the thought of a budding romance. She was walking in his direction. He kept his eyes averted, trained on the wall to the right of her person, he would not entertain her with small-talk. He'd had his fill of insufferable Gryffindor women that day. He walked quickly past her, determined.

"Hello professor, how was your day?" she asked. He stopped in his tracks and rolled his eyes. Turning on the spot he studied her face for a moment, looking for signs of mockery and disdain, there were none. The girl was nervous, biting her lip, eyes wide with fear and a hint of wonder. She held a plant tightly to her chest, almost defensively, a gift from Longbottom he presumed. Surely the girl had more sense than to shack up with the Herbology Professor? She certainly considered herself intelligent.

Granger's face reddened at his admonishment of a romantic relationship taking place in the dungeons. He might lose his dinner at the thought of Longbottom in the throes of passion. The witch insisted on her friendship with Neville being nothing more. The blush on her cheeks brought a smirk to his lips.

"Does Longbottom know that?"

Severus was rewarded with a delicate laugh from the young witch, strangely he considered this interaction a win. She babbled on about their friendship, as if the other man couldn't still harbour romantic notions regarding her. He studied her face a little longer, disappointed her blush had faded.

"Well, don't let me interrupt the rest of your evening," he said and continued on his path to solitude.

"Goodnight!" He heard her shout in a suspiciously sweet tone. A satisfied smile twitched on the corner of his mouth. Being nice to Granger was going to be enjoyable.