- I'm sure you do remember Miss Hermione Granger - said Dumbledore with
this annoying twinkle in his eye. Severus Snape scowled. All he needed
after a long, tiring day was a discussion on Hermione Granger.
Hermione Granger? Wait, wait, wait! There must be something wrong with both
of them!
He cast a look at the Headmaster, frowning. And then she spotted a tiny,
brown-haired witch, who was sitting at the Headmaster's desk. Damned!!
- Of course I do, Headmaster - he said finally, recollecting himself. - Besides, who wouldn't? The witch twitched and turned to face him. He couldn't decipher her expression. - I'm glad to hear it, Severus - the Headmaster said. - I've been just thinking you might need an assistant and Hermione has been always excellent at Potions. - Thank you, headmaster, I. - Snape started, confused. Well, yes, he remembered Hermione perfectly, her brilliant mind and, ekhem, her undeniable charm, especially when she grew older, but still he didn't want anything to undermine his position in the school. - Hermione is going to stay no longer than two terms- said Dumbledore, smiling. - But well, if you don't need any help, we shall find some other kind of occupation for our guest. The witch smiled at him, shyly and with embarrassment. What stuck Snape the most was the fact that it was very unlikely of her to smile like that.
- I'm sorry to cause you any problem, Professor - she said when they left Dumbledore's office. It was even more un-Granger-like, un-Gryffindor-like. There was definitely something wrong with the girl (Girl? Where the hell are you eyes, Severus? he told himself), as if something have broken her. - Don't worry, Miss Granger, I'm capable of handling the situation - he said, but without the usual malice in his voice. Well, actually why should he care? She looked somehow relieved and less tense at what he said and he started being angry with himself.
He half expected to see the Potter's snowy owl delivering a letter to Hermione at breakfast, but nothing like that happened. She did not receive Daily Prophet as she used to during her school time. She just sat at the staff's table and talked quietly with McGonagall who seemed somehow worried. Still then, Hermione used to be her favourite student.
Both Gryffindors and Slytherins were surprised to see a young witch to teach their class the next morning. Snape just sat in the back of the classroom and was watching her carefully. She introduced herself and the students started to talk, surprised, but she managed to stop them. They were right to be surprised, Snape thought, she was the part of the Golden Trio, the best friend of the war hero Harry Potter. And then she suddenly disappeared a year after the war ended, a year after her graduation. At some point he has heard that Potter and the Weasleys were contacting her but she never showed up. As if he cared. No, no, he was supposed to pay his whole attention to the class.
He was flabbergasted. Of course he wasn't going to admit it to anybody, not even to himself. It was just nice to have the most brilliant mind Hogwarts has seen for ages as an assistant, that's all. Well, it was also nice to know she would sit only two places from him at the staff table in the Great Hall, but no-one was to realise that. From time to time he let her show some nice but complicated, funny potions to the students, like ones changing colours of the items dipped into or some beauty potions for girls. Beside that he strictly followed the syllabus and made sure she did that as well. He still was harsh and partial, but somehow checked himself in her presence.
He knocked at the door and entered, having heard 'Come in!' She sat cross- legged in an armchair at the fire place and was reading something. As if he could expect her to do anything else. - Oh, it's you - she seemed pleased. - Please sit down. - I'm. just for a moment - he protested, but somehow inconvincibly. - Then you will get up in a moment - she responded brightly. Yes, that was closer to Hermione Granger he knew.
He didn't reject tea, when she offered. She felt tempted to ask what brought him there, but didn't want to spoil that moment. What irony that she was happy to see her former Potion Master. the ex-Death Eater, greasy git, overgrown bat etc. She felt she didn't deserve anyone's company. She shouldn't have surrendered to this atmosphere of warmth, to the cosiness of this room and the pleasure of his presence. Of anyone's presence, she corrected herself. She sat in silence, sipping her tea and trying not to think about the past. And the future. And the present. - Why are you here? - he asked, making her start and regretting his words as soon as they left his mouth. He desperately wanted to say something unimportant, just to start taking but this subject didn't seem to be the right choice. - I'm waiting for a trial - she said, seemingly calm. She stared at fire. - A trial? - he repeated, surprised. After the defeat of Voldemort and almost all Death Eaters being sent to Azkaban, there were very few cases to be held at Wizengamot. She nodded with her head. - I have done something evil and stupid - she said after a while. - But maybe some more tea?
- Of course I do, Headmaster - he said finally, recollecting himself. - Besides, who wouldn't? The witch twitched and turned to face him. He couldn't decipher her expression. - I'm glad to hear it, Severus - the Headmaster said. - I've been just thinking you might need an assistant and Hermione has been always excellent at Potions. - Thank you, headmaster, I. - Snape started, confused. Well, yes, he remembered Hermione perfectly, her brilliant mind and, ekhem, her undeniable charm, especially when she grew older, but still he didn't want anything to undermine his position in the school. - Hermione is going to stay no longer than two terms- said Dumbledore, smiling. - But well, if you don't need any help, we shall find some other kind of occupation for our guest. The witch smiled at him, shyly and with embarrassment. What stuck Snape the most was the fact that it was very unlikely of her to smile like that.
- I'm sorry to cause you any problem, Professor - she said when they left Dumbledore's office. It was even more un-Granger-like, un-Gryffindor-like. There was definitely something wrong with the girl (Girl? Where the hell are you eyes, Severus? he told himself), as if something have broken her. - Don't worry, Miss Granger, I'm capable of handling the situation - he said, but without the usual malice in his voice. Well, actually why should he care? She looked somehow relieved and less tense at what he said and he started being angry with himself.
He half expected to see the Potter's snowy owl delivering a letter to Hermione at breakfast, but nothing like that happened. She did not receive Daily Prophet as she used to during her school time. She just sat at the staff's table and talked quietly with McGonagall who seemed somehow worried. Still then, Hermione used to be her favourite student.
Both Gryffindors and Slytherins were surprised to see a young witch to teach their class the next morning. Snape just sat in the back of the classroom and was watching her carefully. She introduced herself and the students started to talk, surprised, but she managed to stop them. They were right to be surprised, Snape thought, she was the part of the Golden Trio, the best friend of the war hero Harry Potter. And then she suddenly disappeared a year after the war ended, a year after her graduation. At some point he has heard that Potter and the Weasleys were contacting her but she never showed up. As if he cared. No, no, he was supposed to pay his whole attention to the class.
He was flabbergasted. Of course he wasn't going to admit it to anybody, not even to himself. It was just nice to have the most brilliant mind Hogwarts has seen for ages as an assistant, that's all. Well, it was also nice to know she would sit only two places from him at the staff table in the Great Hall, but no-one was to realise that. From time to time he let her show some nice but complicated, funny potions to the students, like ones changing colours of the items dipped into or some beauty potions for girls. Beside that he strictly followed the syllabus and made sure she did that as well. He still was harsh and partial, but somehow checked himself in her presence.
He knocked at the door and entered, having heard 'Come in!' She sat cross- legged in an armchair at the fire place and was reading something. As if he could expect her to do anything else. - Oh, it's you - she seemed pleased. - Please sit down. - I'm. just for a moment - he protested, but somehow inconvincibly. - Then you will get up in a moment - she responded brightly. Yes, that was closer to Hermione Granger he knew.
He didn't reject tea, when she offered. She felt tempted to ask what brought him there, but didn't want to spoil that moment. What irony that she was happy to see her former Potion Master. the ex-Death Eater, greasy git, overgrown bat etc. She felt she didn't deserve anyone's company. She shouldn't have surrendered to this atmosphere of warmth, to the cosiness of this room and the pleasure of his presence. Of anyone's presence, she corrected herself. She sat in silence, sipping her tea and trying not to think about the past. And the future. And the present. - Why are you here? - he asked, making her start and regretting his words as soon as they left his mouth. He desperately wanted to say something unimportant, just to start taking but this subject didn't seem to be the right choice. - I'm waiting for a trial - she said, seemingly calm. She stared at fire. - A trial? - he repeated, surprised. After the defeat of Voldemort and almost all Death Eaters being sent to Azkaban, there were very few cases to be held at Wizengamot. She nodded with her head. - I have done something evil and stupid - she said after a while. - But maybe some more tea?