Professor Longbottom IV
Title: Professor Longbottom IV
Team: Order of the Phoenix
Rating: all ages
Challenge: Writing (2005) and Prank (2006)
Characters: Severus, Hermione, Neville, Minerva and Harry mentioned
Word Count: 8 x 100
Professor Longbottom III
***HGSS***
The same miserable silence lasted through breakfast. Severus had to remind himself that he wasn’t doing this for her; it was for the school.
The Floo call was short.
At lunch, Severus finally addressed his deputy. “Professor Granger.”
“Yes, sir?” she murmured.
“Professor Longbottom has requested that, if you are not otherwise engaged this evening, you help him get settled in his office, and advise him on his lesson plans for the rest of the term.” Hermione clenched the arms of her chair; she looked at him as though he’d made her year. “He should arrive in half an hour.”
*
She didn’t say anything, but covered his hand with hers for a moment. Severus raised his eyes to hers, basking in the expression on her face, and the warm, gentle pressure of her hand. Hermione was lovely; her eyes were warm, her skin soft, and her smile happy.
She was happy because Longbottom was coming. It wasn’t him; not really. Just that he’d agreed to hire someone who meant something to her. An old friend, who was her own age, and like her in many ways. Severus drew his hand out from under Herm- Professor Granger’s, and resumed eating silently.
*
Severus paused by the open door of Longbottom’s office that evening. He chose not to make himself known, instead listening from the shadows in the corridor. Longbottom opened a box on his desk, and Severus heard Granger’s delighted laughter ring out. A slender hand reached into the box and pulled out a small, yellow … something. Giggling like a child, she examined the thing, then set it aside and pulled other items from the box.
She murmured something, and Longbottom nodded, smiling fondly at her. Granger took the yellow something and put it in her pocket, then sorted through Longbottom’s books.
*
It surprised Severus that he had any interest in what they might talk about, but he dismissed the thought as irrelevant. Longbottom spoke about the deaths of his grandmother and then his parents, just recently. Though much of their conversation bored him, he listened for a long time as Longbottom and Granger chatted about their time here as students, their mutual friends. Severus learned through them where many of his favourite former students were; what they were doing: marriages and achievements and babies. He was genuinely interested in these goings-on, as he had none of these in his own life.
*
Severus had had no clue about Hermione.
She had come home from her work at St. Mungo’s to find a girl she’d never seen before in her bed. Hermione spoke bluntly about leaving her husband, going back to live with her great-aunt, and how close she had come to leaving the magical world behind her forever. She had even spent a year at Cambridge University, but left when Minerva contacted her. Severus envied her courage, that she instead came back to Hogwarts, to rediscover the world that had once seemed so wonderful, and see if it could be wonderful again.
*
But truly, how wonderful was it for her? Stuck in this dreary castle, trying to cram knowledge into the heads of children who were much more interested in each other than their studies. Students as dedicated as she had been were few and far between.
It didn’t help that she was deputy to a bitter, sarcastic headmaster. He had no friends, only colleagues, since Minerva left.
Was it really so horrible, that Longbottom brought a smile - such a beautiful smile - to her face?
With only these thoughts for company, he made his way to the dungeons and his empty bed.
*
Granger had been smiling at breakfast, an air of suppressed glee about her, but Severus decided that he didn’t want to know what that was about. It was too early in the morning for games.
He opened his office door and stopped short.
Yellow.
At least forty little yellow pieces of paper were stuck to the walls, portrait frames, ceiling, book spines, and cabinets. He tugged at the nearest one, which bore a simply-drawn, smiling face, and prodded the adhesive on the back. Whatever it was, this was definitely one of the things that had made her laugh, last night.
*
Severus sniffed haughtily at this ridiculous display of frivolity. He had no doubt that Hermione was the perpetrator; the wards on the door only recognized Hogwarts’ deputy, when the headmaster or headmistress was absent.
The ones on his books, however, made him smile: Please let Professor Granger borrow me! was one of seven such messages. Severus ignored the chuckles of his predecessors, noted which books she asked for, and Summoned all the silly messages. He dutifully read each one, then pointed his wand at the hearth. “Incendio.”
He palmed one note - Thank you - and Banished the rest into the flames.
***HGSS***
That's all, folks!
Team: Order of the Phoenix
Rating: all ages
Challenge: Writing (2005) and Prank (2006)
Characters: Severus, Hermione, Neville, Minerva and Harry mentioned
Word Count: 8 x 100
Professor Longbottom III
***HGSS***
The same miserable silence lasted through breakfast. Severus had to remind himself that he wasn’t doing this for her; it was for the school.
The Floo call was short.
At lunch, Severus finally addressed his deputy. “Professor Granger.”
“Yes, sir?” she murmured.
“Professor Longbottom has requested that, if you are not otherwise engaged this evening, you help him get settled in his office, and advise him on his lesson plans for the rest of the term.” Hermione clenched the arms of her chair; she looked at him as though he’d made her year. “He should arrive in half an hour.”
*
She didn’t say anything, but covered his hand with hers for a moment. Severus raised his eyes to hers, basking in the expression on her face, and the warm, gentle pressure of her hand. Hermione was lovely; her eyes were warm, her skin soft, and her smile happy.
She was happy because Longbottom was coming. It wasn’t him; not really. Just that he’d agreed to hire someone who meant something to her. An old friend, who was her own age, and like her in many ways. Severus drew his hand out from under Herm- Professor Granger’s, and resumed eating silently.
*
Severus paused by the open door of Longbottom’s office that evening. He chose not to make himself known, instead listening from the shadows in the corridor. Longbottom opened a box on his desk, and Severus heard Granger’s delighted laughter ring out. A slender hand reached into the box and pulled out a small, yellow … something. Giggling like a child, she examined the thing, then set it aside and pulled other items from the box.
She murmured something, and Longbottom nodded, smiling fondly at her. Granger took the yellow something and put it in her pocket, then sorted through Longbottom’s books.
*
It surprised Severus that he had any interest in what they might talk about, but he dismissed the thought as irrelevant. Longbottom spoke about the deaths of his grandmother and then his parents, just recently. Though much of their conversation bored him, he listened for a long time as Longbottom and Granger chatted about their time here as students, their mutual friends. Severus learned through them where many of his favourite former students were; what they were doing: marriages and achievements and babies. He was genuinely interested in these goings-on, as he had none of these in his own life.
*
Severus had had no clue about Hermione.
She had come home from her work at St. Mungo’s to find a girl she’d never seen before in her bed. Hermione spoke bluntly about leaving her husband, going back to live with her great-aunt, and how close she had come to leaving the magical world behind her forever. She had even spent a year at Cambridge University, but left when Minerva contacted her. Severus envied her courage, that she instead came back to Hogwarts, to rediscover the world that had once seemed so wonderful, and see if it could be wonderful again.
*
But truly, how wonderful was it for her? Stuck in this dreary castle, trying to cram knowledge into the heads of children who were much more interested in each other than their studies. Students as dedicated as she had been were few and far between.
It didn’t help that she was deputy to a bitter, sarcastic headmaster. He had no friends, only colleagues, since Minerva left.
Was it really so horrible, that Longbottom brought a smile - such a beautiful smile - to her face?
With only these thoughts for company, he made his way to the dungeons and his empty bed.
*
Granger had been smiling at breakfast, an air of suppressed glee about her, but Severus decided that he didn’t want to know what that was about. It was too early in the morning for games.
He opened his office door and stopped short.
Yellow.
At least forty little yellow pieces of paper were stuck to the walls, portrait frames, ceiling, book spines, and cabinets. He tugged at the nearest one, which bore a simply-drawn, smiling face, and prodded the adhesive on the back. Whatever it was, this was definitely one of the things that had made her laugh, last night.
*
Severus sniffed haughtily at this ridiculous display of frivolity. He had no doubt that Hermione was the perpetrator; the wards on the door only recognized Hogwarts’ deputy, when the headmaster or headmistress was absent.
The ones on his books, however, made him smile: Please let Professor Granger borrow me! was one of seven such messages. Severus ignored the chuckles of his predecessors, noted which books she asked for, and Summoned all the silly messages. He dutifully read each one, then pointed his wand at the hearth. “Incendio.”
He palmed one note - Thank you - and Banished the rest into the flames.
***HGSS***
That's all, folks!