A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters

This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Assignment #4 Religious Education Task #5: Bartholomew: Write about a scholar

Word Count: 806

Severus growled looking at the mound of papers he had to grade. He knew it was his own fault for assigning the blasted length of parchment in the first place. No, they had deserved it! They had been goofing off in class, not paying attention while he tried to teach him one of the most important subjects at the school. He was just frustrated. Frustrated with teaching, with being back here now that the war was over. He hadn't wanted to return, he'd made that much clear. However, Slughorn refused to come back and Minerva had managed to convince him it was a good idea.

"One more year, Severus, until we can find someone worthy of taking your place," she'd said. That had been nearly three years ago and by the looks of things, no one would ever be good enough to take Severus ' place. He knew he should see it as flattery, that he was irreplaceable, but he hated being in this castle. He hated dealing with the idiots who thought it was funny to blow up cauldrons, to create potions with toxic fumes, or worse, prank potions that did horrible things to Severus' hair. As far as he could tell, there wasn't a lick of talent in this year's lot. He stabbed his quill into the red ink well at the corner of his desk.

"You do realize the ink well hasn't offended you in the slightest, that you're mad at something else entirely and taking it out on a poor inanimate object," a voice said from the doorway. Severus looked up and saw the last person he'd expected to see standing in his office.

"Miss Granger, or is it Mrs. Weasley now?" he asked, setting his quill down. Hermione had disappeared nearly entirely after the war. There were rumors she'd married the youngest Weasley, but Severus hadn't put much stock in those.

"Miss Granger still. I see you're hard at work. What's this one, the properties of moonstone, or a million reasons I shouldn't blow up the potions' lab, or did you just make them write lines about not being dunderheads?" she asked, crossing the room in three steps. Severus rose from his seat and embraced her.

"All of the above. Moonstone for third years, dunderhead firsts, and the four years blew up the lab this week."

"Sounds like you're getting tired of them?" she asked, sitting on the edge of his desk. He took his chair. His leg pained him a bit now and again since he'd nearly died. Nerve damage they'd said. They had also said it would probably never heal properly, something about the properties of the venom. Severus spent what little free time he had trying to find a potion that would do something, anything at this point. That was another that frustrated him, the fact he had to deal with students instead of dedicating his time to his research.

"Wouldn't you be if you'd been promised a nice quiet retirement and then been forced to stay here because no one is good enough to replace you?" he asked. Hermione picked up a sheet of parchment and looked at it.

"I'd give this one an A, I mean, they did list most of the properties," she said, handing it to him.

"As much as I love seeing you, hearing your voice, is there a reason for your visit, or are you merely here to keep me company. If it's the latter, might I suggest getting something to eat?"

"I'd never turn down getting something to eat, but I am here for a reason, a reason you are going to be very happy to hear."

"Oh?"

"I'm here to help you, both with your research and to help lighten your load a bit. I'm still working on my mastery, you and I both know it takes forever, but I am approved to teach the younger years, first through third. That'll leave you fourth, fifth and the N.E.W.T students."

Severus stared at her.

"You're serious? You're who Minerva picked to replace me?"

"Is there someone else you'd prefer? Someone who's a brilliant potion prodigy that I haven't heard about?"

"No, there is not," Severus said quietly. Hermione nodded.

"I thought so. How about you get me caught up on the students, who I should keep an eye on and such at dinner? Unless that offer's off the table?" she asked, a smile playing across her face.

"Dinner sounds lovely, and I do suppose you'll do an adequate job with the younger students," Severus agreed, rising to his feet again. He offered Hermione a hand up. She took it and smiled at him, leaving him wondering if it was merely his position she was here for, or, if for some reason he'd never figure out, if she'd come back for him.