Hogwarts, a History III
Title: Hogwarts, a History III
Team: Order of the Phoenix
Rating: all ages
Challenge: Hogwarts History challenge
Characters: Severus, Hermione, Neville, Irma
Word Count: 13 x 100
Notes: I will be mentioning DH events from here on in, even though not all of the back-story I had written in “Professor Longbottom” and “Pneumonia” quite fit. These serial drabbles are sort of close to canon and definitely EWE.
And I appear to be pants at making chapters all the same length.
Hogwarts, a History II
***SSHG***
The evening after the students left, Severus looked for Hermione in the library. Irma was beside herself, whispering protests about the defilement of her temple to the headmaster. He did his best to soothe her nerves, knowing that the librarian was prone to exaggerate. It couldn’t possibly be as bad as Irma thought.
Then he rounded the corner.
It was as bad as Irma thought.
Hermione had pulled three tables together in a U-shape, with her in the middle. She had a dictation quill scribbling as quickly as she could speak, and at least two dozen books open around her.
*
Severus leaned against a bookcase, enchanted.
Hermione looked up, saw him, and grinned. When a look of surprise softened her smile, Severus raised an eyebrow, cleared his throat, and approached her. ‘I take it that you’re having fun.’
She gave him a scowl that expressed her disdain for his asking such an unnecessary question.
‘May I?’ When she nodded, he pulled a chair to sit across from her. He picked up one of her scrolls as he sat, reading through her notes. A few minutes later, he pulled a book towards him and picked up one of her spare quills.
*
About twenty minutes later, Longbottom lumbered into their work area. Hermione, engrossed in her dictation, didn’t seem to notice at first. Severus tried to keep the smirk off his face, but he knew he hadn’t entirely succeeded. ‘Enjoy your summer, Professor Longbottom,’ he said.
‘Thank you, sir. Erm, Hermione?’
Hermione didn’t even look up. ‘Hello, Neville - NO!’ she blurted, grabbing the dictation quill as it transcribed her greeting. She crossed it out, scowling at the offending quill, and only then did she smile up at her friend. ‘So you’re off, then?’
Longbottom nodded, and Hermione got up to embrace him.
*
‘You will come? At least for a week?’
‘I’d like it, but we’ll see how much progress I make,’ Hermione said, gesturing to the books and papers on her makeshift desk.
There was a note of melancholy in her voice, and Severus frowned. Had he made a mistake, asking her to do this?
No. Hermione was happier than he’d seen her in a long time. But no matter what she said, long hours in dark libraries did not a holiday make.
Severus had no place in this conversation, but he’d make sure she took time to relax before September first.
*
The sun was setting outside when Severus heard a loud gurgle. Confused, he looked up from his notes to see Hermione quietly dictating, her face more flushed than the red-gold sunlight could account for. ‘Er,’ he began.
She finished her sentence, then glared at the quill. ‘I beg your pardon,’ she muttered. She nodded at the quill and resumed her dictation where she’d left off.
‘When was the last time you ate?’
She waved a hand dismissively, never losing a beat until a mental Accio brought her quill into his hand. ‘What - Severus!’
‘You will not overwork yourself,’ he growled.
*
Annoyed, she opened her mouth, then closed it.
‘You weren’t at lunch,’ he recalled. ‘Have you been here since the students left?’
‘Yes.’
The headmaster stood and subtly stretched. ‘I have some other books in my study. Would you like to have dinner there, and then we can continue?’ He swept his arm to encompass the work they’d been doing.
Her glare faded at the prospect of food and books. ‘I’d love to.’ They moved the tables to their proper places, gathered the books that Hermione wanted to take with her, and left Irma to fire dirty looks at them.
*
On their way to his office, Hermione asked, ‘Do you think we were missed at dinner?’
‘I doubt it. Crowe left this morning for a month’s holiday in Provence … good riddance.’ She chuckled; they shared a dislike of the very unprofessional Muggle Studies teacher. Severus continued, ‘When school is out, Irma and Argus prefer to eat together in their quarters ….’ He stopped talking when he realized that Hermione had stopped walking.
‘Their quarters?’
“Do you mean to tell me that there’s something in this wide world that Miss Know-It-All doesn’t know?’
‘That’s Professor Know-It-All to you, Headmaster,’ she fired back.
*
He couldn’t help smirking. ‘I suppose if it had been written in a book, you’d know that they’ve been married for fifty years.’
She narrowed her eyes, but she took his arm as they resumed their ascent.
Once they reached his book-lined study, Severus made a Floo-call. The food appeared by the time he stood up, and Hermione smiled as he held her chair for her. Dinner was quiet initially, as it had been hours since either of them had eaten, but about ten minutes after they sat down, she asked, ‘Are these books yours, or are they school property?’
*
‘Most of these are texts too arcane or ancient for me to be able to afford them,’ Severus replied, but then he frowned at his cottage pie. ‘It turns out that several books that used to be in my personal collection when … I ….’ His scowl deepened as he recalled Albus’ death and the horrible school year after. ‘The Ministry confiscated all of my assets. I’ve found most of my own books here and in the library downstairs, but I currently possess nothing that I owned before Voldemort’s defeat.’ He held up his hand to forestall Hermione’s inevitable squawk of indignation.
*
She looked ready to explode, but she managed to keep her voice steady as she protested, ‘But surely Kingsley -’
‘He pulled every last string to keep me out of Azkaban, once I recovered from the snake bite,’ Severus interrupted. ‘Minerva took me in when my reputation was at its worst. I have my freedom and useful employment. I knew that I wouldn’t live past Voldemort’s death.’ He looked Hermione in the eyes. ‘It’s enough.’
‘I cried all the way to the castle, after we left you.’ With a sheepish smile, she added, ‘I don’t know why. I still disliked you.’
*
Severus nodded. ‘That’s appropriate.’
Then he smirked, trying to divert Hermione’s attention. ‘I believe there are some books over here that you can use for your research,’ he declared, moving to a bookcase. Using his wand, he levitated three books from their places to a podium near his writing desk. ‘These should keep you busy for a while. But do not handle any of these books with your bare hands. Use magic to turn the pages, and keep them separate from your writing materials.’ Hermione nodded, and he added, ‘They’re old, delicate, and can get rather … temperamental. Treat them respectfully.’
*
Again, she gave him a look that expressed her disdain for stating the obvious. Severus chuckled and waved his wand, sending her quills, ink, and scrolls to his desk. She thanked him and seated herself, opening one of the books to read its contents. It was only when he’d Banished the dishes and opened the door that she looked up. ‘Where are you going?’
‘St Mungo’s needs a complex potion for one of their patients. I will be in your laboratory all night.’
She nodded and went back to scanning the book. Severus left the room, entering his darkened office.
*
‘Severus?’
Hand on the doorknob, he turned to see a dark shape coming down the stairs. ‘Yes?’
She reached the bottom step. ‘You know that I don’t dislike you any more.’
A tendril of something he couldn’t quite identify unfurled in his chest. He rather liked it. ‘I was … somewhat certain of that, yes.’
‘I esteem … that is, I do like you … very much.’
Severus took both her hands in his. ‘And I, you.’ Her grip tightened, and he added, ‘Very much.’
Smiling, she leaned forward, sweetly kissing the corner of his mouth. ‘Good night.’
‘Good night, Hermione,’ he whispered.
***SSHG***
Hogwarts, a History IV
Hm. Okay, I hadn’t planned on anything like that so soon, but you know how it is.
Team: Order of the Phoenix
Rating: all ages
Challenge: Hogwarts History challenge
Characters: Severus, Hermione, Neville, Irma
Word Count: 13 x 100
Notes: I will be mentioning DH events from here on in, even though not all of the back-story I had written in “Professor Longbottom” and “Pneumonia” quite fit. These serial drabbles are sort of close to canon and definitely EWE.
And I appear to be pants at making chapters all the same length.
Hogwarts, a History II
***SSHG***
The evening after the students left, Severus looked for Hermione in the library. Irma was beside herself, whispering protests about the defilement of her temple to the headmaster. He did his best to soothe her nerves, knowing that the librarian was prone to exaggerate. It couldn’t possibly be as bad as Irma thought.
Then he rounded the corner.
It was as bad as Irma thought.
Hermione had pulled three tables together in a U-shape, with her in the middle. She had a dictation quill scribbling as quickly as she could speak, and at least two dozen books open around her.
*
Severus leaned against a bookcase, enchanted.
Hermione looked up, saw him, and grinned. When a look of surprise softened her smile, Severus raised an eyebrow, cleared his throat, and approached her. ‘I take it that you’re having fun.’
She gave him a scowl that expressed her disdain for his asking such an unnecessary question.
‘May I?’ When she nodded, he pulled a chair to sit across from her. He picked up one of her scrolls as he sat, reading through her notes. A few minutes later, he pulled a book towards him and picked up one of her spare quills.
*
About twenty minutes later, Longbottom lumbered into their work area. Hermione, engrossed in her dictation, didn’t seem to notice at first. Severus tried to keep the smirk off his face, but he knew he hadn’t entirely succeeded. ‘Enjoy your summer, Professor Longbottom,’ he said.
‘Thank you, sir. Erm, Hermione?’
Hermione didn’t even look up. ‘Hello, Neville - NO!’ she blurted, grabbing the dictation quill as it transcribed her greeting. She crossed it out, scowling at the offending quill, and only then did she smile up at her friend. ‘So you’re off, then?’
Longbottom nodded, and Hermione got up to embrace him.
*
‘You will come? At least for a week?’
‘I’d like it, but we’ll see how much progress I make,’ Hermione said, gesturing to the books and papers on her makeshift desk.
There was a note of melancholy in her voice, and Severus frowned. Had he made a mistake, asking her to do this?
No. Hermione was happier than he’d seen her in a long time. But no matter what she said, long hours in dark libraries did not a holiday make.
Severus had no place in this conversation, but he’d make sure she took time to relax before September first.
*
The sun was setting outside when Severus heard a loud gurgle. Confused, he looked up from his notes to see Hermione quietly dictating, her face more flushed than the red-gold sunlight could account for. ‘Er,’ he began.
She finished her sentence, then glared at the quill. ‘I beg your pardon,’ she muttered. She nodded at the quill and resumed her dictation where she’d left off.
‘When was the last time you ate?’
She waved a hand dismissively, never losing a beat until a mental Accio brought her quill into his hand. ‘What - Severus!’
‘You will not overwork yourself,’ he growled.
*
Annoyed, she opened her mouth, then closed it.
‘You weren’t at lunch,’ he recalled. ‘Have you been here since the students left?’
‘Yes.’
The headmaster stood and subtly stretched. ‘I have some other books in my study. Would you like to have dinner there, and then we can continue?’ He swept his arm to encompass the work they’d been doing.
Her glare faded at the prospect of food and books. ‘I’d love to.’ They moved the tables to their proper places, gathered the books that Hermione wanted to take with her, and left Irma to fire dirty looks at them.
*
On their way to his office, Hermione asked, ‘Do you think we were missed at dinner?’
‘I doubt it. Crowe left this morning for a month’s holiday in Provence … good riddance.’ She chuckled; they shared a dislike of the very unprofessional Muggle Studies teacher. Severus continued, ‘When school is out, Irma and Argus prefer to eat together in their quarters ….’ He stopped talking when he realized that Hermione had stopped walking.
‘Their quarters?’
“Do you mean to tell me that there’s something in this wide world that Miss Know-It-All doesn’t know?’
‘That’s Professor Know-It-All to you, Headmaster,’ she fired back.
*
He couldn’t help smirking. ‘I suppose if it had been written in a book, you’d know that they’ve been married for fifty years.’
She narrowed her eyes, but she took his arm as they resumed their ascent.
Once they reached his book-lined study, Severus made a Floo-call. The food appeared by the time he stood up, and Hermione smiled as he held her chair for her. Dinner was quiet initially, as it had been hours since either of them had eaten, but about ten minutes after they sat down, she asked, ‘Are these books yours, or are they school property?’
*
‘Most of these are texts too arcane or ancient for me to be able to afford them,’ Severus replied, but then he frowned at his cottage pie. ‘It turns out that several books that used to be in my personal collection when … I ….’ His scowl deepened as he recalled Albus’ death and the horrible school year after. ‘The Ministry confiscated all of my assets. I’ve found most of my own books here and in the library downstairs, but I currently possess nothing that I owned before Voldemort’s defeat.’ He held up his hand to forestall Hermione’s inevitable squawk of indignation.
*
She looked ready to explode, but she managed to keep her voice steady as she protested, ‘But surely Kingsley -’
‘He pulled every last string to keep me out of Azkaban, once I recovered from the snake bite,’ Severus interrupted. ‘Minerva took me in when my reputation was at its worst. I have my freedom and useful employment. I knew that I wouldn’t live past Voldemort’s death.’ He looked Hermione in the eyes. ‘It’s enough.’
‘I cried all the way to the castle, after we left you.’ With a sheepish smile, she added, ‘I don’t know why. I still disliked you.’
*
Severus nodded. ‘That’s appropriate.’
Then he smirked, trying to divert Hermione’s attention. ‘I believe there are some books over here that you can use for your research,’ he declared, moving to a bookcase. Using his wand, he levitated three books from their places to a podium near his writing desk. ‘These should keep you busy for a while. But do not handle any of these books with your bare hands. Use magic to turn the pages, and keep them separate from your writing materials.’ Hermione nodded, and he added, ‘They’re old, delicate, and can get rather … temperamental. Treat them respectfully.’
*
Again, she gave him a look that expressed her disdain for stating the obvious. Severus chuckled and waved his wand, sending her quills, ink, and scrolls to his desk. She thanked him and seated herself, opening one of the books to read its contents. It was only when he’d Banished the dishes and opened the door that she looked up. ‘Where are you going?’
‘St Mungo’s needs a complex potion for one of their patients. I will be in your laboratory all night.’
She nodded and went back to scanning the book. Severus left the room, entering his darkened office.
*
‘Severus?’
Hand on the doorknob, he turned to see a dark shape coming down the stairs. ‘Yes?’
She reached the bottom step. ‘You know that I don’t dislike you any more.’
A tendril of something he couldn’t quite identify unfurled in his chest. He rather liked it. ‘I was … somewhat certain of that, yes.’
‘I esteem … that is, I do like you … very much.’
Severus took both her hands in his. ‘And I, you.’ Her grip tightened, and he added, ‘Very much.’
Smiling, she leaned forward, sweetly kissing the corner of his mouth. ‘Good night.’
‘Good night, Hermione,’ he whispered.
***SSHG***
Hogwarts, a History IV
Hm. Okay, I hadn’t planned on anything like that so soon, but you know how it is.