Chapter 10

We don't own them. It's all JK Rowling's. We're just borrowing them for the moment.

Ron blinked his eyes and wondered why the room was so brightly lit. He noticed the light streaming through the window and groaned. It just couldn't be morning already. He and Hermione had just fallen asleep. Looking over to where she was sleeping, he admired her peaceful face, her long lashes, and her wild, untamed hair. He was surprised she hadn't woken up yet. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, he noticed it was half-past seven. Sighing, he thought, Perhaps she just wants a nice Saturday morning lie-in. A smile crept on his face as he decided to do something special for Hermione, and he had just the thing – a nice breakfast in bed.

He wasn't all that adept in the kitchen, but with his mum's books on basic cookery, he thought he could manage. Carefully getting out of bed so as not to wake her, Ron silently left the room and went down the stairs into the kitchen.

Moments later, he had a nice spread on the tray he was preparing to take upstairs to Hermione: pancakes covered with berries, a small pitcher of clotted cream, and tea made just the way she liked it. He levitated the tray up the stairs and into the bedroom where he noticed Hermione was sitting up and stretching.

It was a moment before she noticed him, but when she did, she smiled. "Good morning." She then noticed the tray. "Ron, did you make me breakfast?" she asked, pleasantly surprised.

Ron gave Hermione his lop-sided grin. "I did. I thought it would be nice to have a good breakfast before we go this morning. And if you want bacon and eggs, I can pop back downstairs and make that for you."

"No, this looks delicious! After all, I have to replenish my strength after last night," she said. "Did you make yourself some breakfast too, or are you going to do that now?"

Ron looked at the huge pancake sitting on the plate. "I didn't think you'd be able to finish that on your own, love," he said.

Hermione laughed. "Oh, now I see how it is," she said. "Let's see how we do with this one, although I have to warn you that you may have to make more after we are finished." Turning to her bedside table, she took out the vials containing the potions she took every morning and swallowed her measured doses. She was normally awake before Ron, so he never saw her do this.

Ron looked at the potion vial in her hand quizzically. "Oi, 'Mione," he said, "what's all that?"

"It's for my anaemia," she answered plainly. "Remember during my birthday dinner, your mum had commented on it, and I said I was anaemic? Poppy gave me a potion for it, and I'm to take it three times a day before meals."

"Oh," Ron said sheepishly. "I forgot. Is it helping?"

Hermione nodded. "It seems to be. I know I'd feel a lot worse if I didn't take it."

Ron nodded as he poured another cup of tea for himself. "And we can't have that now, can we?" he asked. "So, where do you want to go first today?"

Hermione thought for a moment as she cut a piece of pancake for herself. "Why don't we go and see about the costumes first? That will take the longest time, and they can be made while we shop other places if need be."

Ron grinned. "Whatever you say, my Lady Guinevere," he said as he popped a blueberry in his mouth.

"And, of course, I know you want to go into Honeydukes," she said. "It may be rather crowded with all the students in there." She smiled at him. "Do you remember one of our first trips to Hogsmeade back in our third year?"

"How can I ever forget?" he asked. "I think it was our second trip when Harry joined us wearing his Invisibility Cloak."

Hermione chuckled. "I'll never forget him hurling those snowballs at Malfoy. Who would have thought that cloak was the proof the story of the three brothers was true? Hard to believe, isn't it? Sometimes, the most insignificant things can be pointing to something bigger on the horizon."

Ron took Hermione's hands in his. "But you see, it all turned out for good. And now, we're living in a time of peace. Hopefully, no child will have to grow up the way we had to." He dipped his finger in the clotted cream and placed a bit on the tip of her nose. "If you're done with breakfast, may I take your tray?"

"One moment, please," she said. Like he had done, she dipped her finger in the clotted cream and placed it on his nose. "Now we match, and now you can take it." She giggled at his surprised look and smiled coyly.

Ron kissed her on the end of her nose. "Not anymore," he said, chuckling. He took the tray and left the room, going down the stairs and into the kitchen. After placing the dishes in the sink, he cast the Cleaning Charms he was becoming more adept at using.

Hermione got out of bed and left the bedroom, calling down the steps, "I'm going to go hop in the shower. I'll be downstairs in half an hour."

Approximately an hour later, Ron and Hermione stepped out of their flat and walked hand-in-hand down the street towards Gladrags' Hogsmeade shop. Along the way, they noticed groups of students laughing and talking, and Ron smiled inwardly, remembering the days when Harry, Hermione, and he had been students themselves, bundled up in their woolen scarves and hats, heading to the Three Broomsticks for a nice tankard of freshly warmed Butterbeer.

They reached Gladrags and entered the shop where Lucia, the shopkeeper, greeted them with her usual warmth and good cheer.

"Professor Granger! Auror Weasley! So nice to see you this morning!" Lucia said warmly. "How may I help you, dears?"

"We are in need of costumes for Hogwarts' Halloween masquerade ball. I will be going as Lady Guinevere, and Ron will be going as Sir Lancelot."

"Ah, very good," Lucia said. "I have just the costumes for you." She disappeared into a back room briefly before she emerged holding two large garment bags.

"The contents of these two bags should suit your needs," she said. "They are charmed to adjust to fit you. You just need to let me know if the colour will suit your needs."

Ron peeked in one of the bags. "Erm, Lucia," he said, "I have ginger hair. I don't think having this much red will suit my complexion."

Lucia studied Ron very carefully. "And yet, Auror Weasley," she said, "you wear red robes as a sign of your position. Very well. Why don't you go into the changing room and put on the costume. I will see about adjusting the colour for you." Then she looked at Hermione. "And you, Professor. Why don't you also try your costume, and we'll see if it needs adjustment."

Hermione went into the dressing room and put the dress on. It was a beautiful shade of blue, and the sleeves were similar to webbing. The bodice had gold threaded through it, and it showed off her slim figure nicely. She stepped out of the dressing room in front of the full-length mirror so that she could see herself better.

Lucia assessed Hermione with a critical eye. "I don't think I need to make any adjustments, Professor," she said. "I think it's perfect."

Ron also emerged from the dressing room, wearing a red and black tunic with a collar made of mail. He looked at Lucia with a slightly dissatisfied look in his eyes. "I think I feel rather lost in this," he whinged.

Lucia cocked her head as she regarded Ron. "Yes, you do," she said. "Your shaggy ginger mane doesn't help matters any."

Ron pouted. "But I like my hair this way," he said. "Nothing, not even having to wear a costume, is going to make me cut my hair."

Lucia rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to ask you to cut your hair, Auror Weasley," she said with a touch of irritation in her voice. "However, I do agree that colour scheme just won't do." She stood there, thinking about how to adjust the costume when she waved her wand in loops and semi-circles. She then regarded the results and said, "This should fit your complexion better. What do you think?"

Hermione regarded Ron's costume with a bit of surprise, but smiled. "I think you look very handsome, Ron. It goes perfectly with your hair and your complexion."

Ron looked at himself in the mirror and grimaced. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no! A thousand times, no!" he exclaimed. "I will not wear green! I refuse to wear this colour! It makes me look like a bloody Slytherin."

Lucia rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Auror Weasley," she chided. "Let me guess – you were a Gryffindor."

"I was then and always will be..." Ron hoisted his hand as if he were lifting an imaginary sword. "... A part of the Noble House of Gryffindor!" he finished.

Lucia shook her head and chuckled. She did more wand waving, and the results were a black tunic with gold trimming with a golden lion emblazoned on the chest. The cape was also black with a shiny golden lining. "There you go, Gryffindor," Lucia said. "What do you think of it now?"

Ron smiled broadly. "Now, that is more like it!" he exclaimed. "Hermione, what do you think?"

"Well," she said, regarding him once again, "you do look like a Gryffindor in that. Very much so, in fact. I wasn't lying when I said you looked very handsome in green..."

Ron made a face at her. "I don't care if everyone claims I look great in green," Ron said. "I refuse to wear it. I don't want to be like any damned Slytherin."

Lucia gasped. "Language, Auror Weasley!" she said sternly. Her expression softened. "I'm glad you like the colour scheme. I was hoping you'd appreciate the colours of my old House," she added.

Ron grumbled. "At least it's better than Slytherin."

Hermione rolled her eyes skyward. "I think you should have heard the Sorting Hat's song this year, Ron. I think I might have to give you a detention later." She held out her arms. "So, what do you think?" she asked.

Ron put his hands on her waist and twirled her around. "You look stunning," he whispered in her ear. "And delicious. You look good enough to eat." He chuckled and then turned towards Lucia. "I think we'll take these. Please could you charge them on my Gringotts account?"

"Ron, both of them? I mean, I am making good money..."

"Nonsense," Ron said. "We are more than comfortable on my Auror's salary. The costume is a small thing. Please let me pay for these." He looked at Hermione with his puppy-dog eyes that he knew she could not resist.

She took a deep breath and rolled her eyes again. "All right." To Lucia, she said, "Sometimes it's better to go along with him than to argue, I have found."

Lucia smiled. "I believe you have just discovered the best way to deal with your man in the most harmonious way," she said. "Very well, then. Enjoy the costumes and your day."

"Thank you, and you as well." As they got to the door, she turned to Ron. "Why don't we send these costumes back to the flat so that we don't have to carry them around all morning, and we can enjoy ourselves?"

Ron frowned at Hermione. "Are you a witch or what?" he asked as he shrank the parcels and put them in his pocket. "So, what do you say? Honeydukes next?"

"If we had banished them, Ron, that is also magic," Hermione said, shaking her head. "Okay, Honeydukes it is." She then thought of something and knew she should warn him. "Ron, just in case we run into him, you should know that Severus is one of the professors on duty today in Hogsmeade."

Ron screwed his face in disgust. "Bloody Slytherins," he grumbled. "I bloody well hope we don't run into that greasy git. That will ruin my day."

"If you could see him the way I see him, as a colleague instead of a professor, you might feel differently, Ron," Hermione said quietly.

"Hrmph," Ron answered. "He's always treated us badly, and he'll always be a big, greasy bat to me. Come on," he continued, starting towards Honeydukes. "Let's get some chocolates. I'm starving!"

Maybe chocolate will sweeten your temperament, Hermione thought to herself. She wondered what Ron would think if he knew how that big, greasy bat was helping to save her life. Someday he would learn, and then he would eat his words faster than a Chocolate Frog. She followed him into the shop, which was full of eager students.

"So, what are you going to get?" she asked him, her mind still on what he had said.

"Of course, I'm going to get more Chocolate Frogs," Ron said happily. "I might also go for a Cockroach Cluster or two. Oh, and I must have more Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans!"

Hermione looked around. She hadn't eaten a lot of sweets when she was younger due to being the daughter of two dentists, but she did have a sweet tooth. "I think I'll get some fudge and some of those Sugar Quills."

"Mmmm, excellent choice," Ron said. "I'm surprised you aren't going for the Tooth-Flossing String Mints."

"Oh, right." Hermione went up to the counter and, before Ron could say anything, said, "I would like two boxes of Chocolate Frogs, three Cockroach Clusters, two boxes of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, a box of assorted fudge, ten Sugar Quills, and a box of Tooth-Flossing String Mints." She handed the woman the money before Ron could protest.

Ron sheepishly took a Chocolate Frog out of the parcel and started eating it as they left Honeydukes. "Thanks, 'Mione," he mumbled in between bites.

"You're welcome. I certainly wasn't going to let you pay for that," Hermione said, taking a Chocolate Frog for herself. "Want to get a Butterbeer now?"

Ron rubbed his stomach. "I think I'll want more than a Butterbeer," he said. "Let's get some food. I'm starving!"

They headed over towards the Three Broomsticks, chatting excitedly about the Halloween Ball and remembering other balls from their past. As they entered, they noticed Neville and Hannah waving at them, and they went to join them.

"Oi, Hermione, Ron, so nice to see you!" Neville said.

"Hannah!" Hermione said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "How did you manage to get away from the Leaky?"

"Eh," Hannah said, "that's why I have hired help. Thanks to them, I'll be able to attend the Halloween Ball on Monday with Neville." She smiled brilliantly at Neville, and Neville blushed as he returned the smile.

"Did you and Neville get your costumes, Hannah?" Hermione asked as they were brought menus and ordered Butterbeers.

"Yes," Hannah said brightly while Neville blushed even more furiously. "I'm going to be a mermaid while Neville will be a merman. I want him to dress like King Triton."

Neville mumbled something rather incoherently as Hannah playfully swatted him on the forearm.

"Oh come on, Nev, you know it'll be fun!" Hannah said excitedly. Turning to Hermione, she said, "So, Hermione, what are you and Ron going as?"

"I'm going as Lady Guinevere, and Ron is going as Sir Lancelot. Don't worry, Neville. Ron had some misgivings about his costume as well. More the colour of the costume than anything, however," Hermione said, smiling.

Ron grunted. "At least my costume is befitting of a Gryffindor now," he said. "Could you believe they tried to put me in a green tunic?" He rolled his eyes in distaste at the thought.

"What's wrong with that?" Hannah asked. "With your eye colour and complexion, you'd look dashing in green!"

"His complaint was that it was Slytherin's colour, and yes, he looked wonderful in it," Hermione said, patting Ron's arm. "However, you are going to appreciate this, Hannah. His tunic is black and gold. My dress is blue. In fact, it's dressy enough that I could wear it for a formal occasion without it looking like a costume."

"Nice!" Hannah exclaimed. "I can't wait to see your dress!"

"You know, we'll have to have you two over sometime," Hermione said. "We live right here in Hogsmeade at the end of High Street."

"Oh, really?" Hannah asked. "That's great! I'm sure I'll be able to break away from the Leaky some time. Just let me know when, and I'm sure we'll be there."

The waiter came and Hermione ordered a shepherd's pie. "What are you going to have, Ron?"

Ron looked at the menu. "A steak and kidney pie sounds great."

The waiter took their orders and sent them back to the kitchen. "So, how is business at the Leaky Cauldron, Hannah?" Hermione asked, taking a sip of Butterbeer.

"It's going pretty well," Hannah replied. She gave a small bark of laughter. "Never thought I'd grow up to be the landlady of the Leaky Cauldron, but life has a way of being unpredictable."

Neville took Hannah's hand and squeezed it. "And besides," he added, "being the landlady does have its benefits. The students think it's cool that we live above the Leaky Cauldron."

"I think it's neat, too," Hermione said. "We're just fortunate we don't have to worry about living at the castle. I don't think any of our professors were married when we went to school. Now they have at least three professors who are."

"Perhaps it will keep us better grounded," Neville said. "Our professors always seemed uptight."

Ron shrugged. "They probably had other things to worry about, like fighting evil Dark Lords while trying to drill some knowledge into our thick heads."

Hannah looked at Ron. "What happened to the old Ron? You're all mature and grown up now."

Ron shrugged again. "Dunno," he said. "I think I'm the same as I've always been."

Hermione looked at Ron fondly. "I don't think I would ever like it if he became as stoic as I am. He and I compliment one another, really. Of course, I have a feeling that Ron would be much happier if I could learn to cook like his mum. But with bringing food home from Hogwarts, I keep him fed and happy."

Ron chuckled. "But you're not my mum," he said. "And besides, as long as you're at Hogwarts, we'll be able to enjoy all that wonderful food."

As if drawn by magic, the food arrived then, and they spent the rest of the time eating and chatting about nothing in particular. The food, as always, was delicious and the company warm and inviting. The Three Broomsticks was starting to get busy, so they didn't linger long after their lunch, saying goodbye and making their way back out into the cold.

"Maybe since there are a lot of students going into the Three Broomsticks, now would be a good time to go see your brothers' shop," Hermione suggested as they made their way along High Street.

"An excellent idea," Ron said happily. He offered his arm, and Hermione took it.

They entered the Hogsmeade branch of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes and were immediately assaulted by brightly coloured lights and flashes. Ron and Hermione felt a hand on their shoulders, and they turned around to see Fred (or was it George) grinning broadly at them.

"So nice to see you here!" he said.

Ron squinted at his older brother. "Fred?"

"No, George," he said. "Fred's at Diagon Alley. Feel free to have a look." His eyes slid over to Hermione. "Unless you're here to police my customers; I heard most of our stuff is on Hogwarts' forbidden list."

"I'm not here in any official capacity, George," Hermione said. "However, I'll have to warn you that Professor Snape is on duty today. We've bought our costumes for the ball on Monday night, and we've just been walking around Hogsmeade."

"Ooooh, ickle Ronniekins is going to be in costume for the Halloween Ball," George said, pretending to wipe away a tear.

"You're just jealous because they didn't have anything cool like that when you were at Hogwarts," Hermione said with a grin.

"Eh," George said with a seemingly disdainful sniff, "we made our own parties." He winked at Hermione. "Wanna see our latest Thirty-Minute Daydream Charms?"

Hermione thought for a moment and looked at Ron. "Is it safe?" she asked, directing the question to Ron. "I haven't forgotten my birthday, you know," she said, glaring at George.

George winked at her again. "You just need to relax; you're too tense," he said. "And this charm should be safe. Fred and I tested it on ourselves."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and I still remember the time you tested your Multi-Flavoured Blowing Gums on each other. You were pink, and Fred was purple for a couple of weeks."

George made a face at Ron. "Nothing a general antidote can't cure," he said.

Hermione sighed and looked at George. "Okay, I'll try it. But I have to warn you, Ron has sworn allegiance to me in case of anything untoward."

"Oooooh," George said, his eyes widened. "Finally, ickle Ronniekins is learning chivalry!" He pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes. "He's growing up, Hermione. He's no longer a little irritating boy."

"Yes, he is," Hermione said with a haughty expression on her face. "When are you going to start?"

George chuckled while Ron blushed a deep crimson. "Keep your shirt on, Hermione," George said. "We could start it..."

He was interrupted by a loud noise that made the three of them turn their heads. "That came from outside," George said. Ron and Hermione looked at each other then ran outside. They saw a Gryffindor and a Slytherin student duelling each other, and they appeared to be levitating large, heavy objects at each other. Hermione immediately took charge and non-verbally executed a Disarming spell at the combatants. She neatly caught their wands in her hands and glared at them in a manner that could freeze fire.

"Fifty points each from Gryffindor and Slytherin!" she said sternly. "Furthermore, you have lost your Hogsmeade privileges for the rest of the school year. Not only that, you will have detention with Mr Filch every Saturday until the Christmas holidays." She looked at the two fifth-year students. "Do you know how many students you could have injured?"

The Slytherin student, Marcus Willoughby, pointed his finger at the Gryffindor student, Justin Oakley. "He started it," Willoughby said. "And I'm going to complain to my Head of House for unfair treatment."

"Will you?" a soft, silky voice asked. "And, Mr Willoughby, just what do you think such a complaint will achieve?"

Willoughby's face fell as he recognised the tall, black-clad, billowing person standing next to him as his Head of House. "Erm, well, Professor Snape, if I was just defending myself..."

"Silence!" he hissed. "I don't care who may have started this or who may have been defending himself." He looked menacingly at both students. "You both exhibited despicable behaviour, and I fully support Professor Granger's punishment."

Willoughby frowned and muttered under his breath, "Bloody Professor is getting soft. I'll bet in the past, he would have defended his Slytherins from unfair treatment by Gryffindor professors."

Severus turned to the fifth-year Slytherin with a look of malice in his eyes. "You, Mr Willoughby, are a fool," he said in a deadly quiet voice. "There is a distinct difference between defending a student if he was wrongly accused as opposed to making excuses for one who was correctly identified as an aggressor. For your continued insolence, as much as this pains me, an additional twenty points will be taken from Slytherin, and you will not be allowed to attend the Halloween Ball." He glared at Willoughby. "Do I make myself clear?" he hissed.

Willoughby looked sullenly at Severus. "Crystal," he said.

"You will be returning to Hogwarts now," he said in a deadly quiet voice. His eyes darted to look at Oakley. "And you, Mr Oakley. You, too, will be returning to Hogwarts. Upon your return, the both of you will report to Mr Filch for detention."

Both boys looked down at the ground.

"Well?" Severus hissed. "What are you waiting for?"

The boys turned around and started running towards the castle. Severus dusted off imaginary dirt from his robes and regarded Hermione and Ron, who were standing nearby, taking in the scene. He inclined his head slightly toward Hermione as he swept by without any further comment.

Hermione looked at Ron, wondering what he thought about what had just happened. Maybe this would show him that Severus really was changing.

Ron admired the way Hermione had handled that incident. He knew she was scarily brilliant, and she had just shown it with her wandwork. What surprised him, however, was Professor Snape's intervention. He had fully expected him to defend his Slytherin and to even award Slytherin the points Hermione had taken away. Much to his surprise, he saw how Snape had further penalised the student and sent both boys back to Hogwarts. He nudged Hermione and whispered in her ear, "Who was that, and what have they done with Professor Snape?"

"I told you, he has changed," she said rather smugly. "Now what? Did you want to go back in your brothers' store?"

Ron shook his head. "I wouldn't mind going for a walk with you," he said. "I'm sure George will understand."

After a nice stroll around the village, they started walking back towards their flat. When they reached High Street, they ran into Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape. Ron flinched as he saw Snape and wondered why they were so far off into the residential areas of Hogsmeade.

"Hermione," Poppy Pomfrey said, "there is a matter of great importance that we must discuss with you. If you don't mind, we'll need to discuss this amongst Hogwarts staff only." She gave Ron a pointed look.

Ron looked at Poppy and at Severus and nodded. He sighed as he muttered, "I'll see you at home, okay?"

"Okay," Hermione said, giving him a kiss. She watched as Ron walked away and then turned to Poppy and Severus once he was out of earshot. "The charm went off again, didn't it?"

Poppy shook her head. "No, Hermione," she said. "You didn't feel any burning in your chest, did you?"

"No, but I was concentrating on the students and not on myself." She felt confused. "I guess I just thought that was what you wanted to talk to me about."

Poppy and Severus looked at each other. "Concerning the incident earlier," Severus said, "naturally, it had to be reported to Minerva. She demanded that you be examined, and Poppy and I agreed."

"All right," she said. "I wanted the chance to talk to you anyway," she said, nodding at Severus.

"Very well," Severus said as the three of them started back towards town and the Thestral-drawn carriages that would take them back to Hogwarts.

Poppy examined Hermione and sent her away with more potion-filled vials. She and Severus walked down to the dungeons and entered his office. Severus ordered tea from the house-elves, and they settled themselves at his desk.

"You wanted to speak with me, Hermione?" he asked softly.

She gave him a smile as she sipped her tea. "I want to thank you for illustrating a point that I have been trying to make to Ron since I started working here. I think you could have knocked him over with a feather today."

Severus raised an eyebrow at Hermione. "And what point is that, may I ask?"

"That you have changed. I have seen it, and not just because you are helping me." She studied him for a moment, trying to decide whether or not to say what she was thinking. "I know what our years at Hogwarts did to Ron, Harry and me, and we didn't have to do the things that you did. I can't imagine the hell you had to go through over the years, but the fact that you are the way you are now shows great strength on your part."

Severus ground his teeth. He didn't know what to say to that, but he wasn't very happy that she brought this up yet again. He narrowed his eyes at Hermione and said icily, "I asked you this earlier in the year, Miss Granger. I shall ask you again. What. Do. You. Want?"

Hermione sighed and sadly shook her head. "I don't want anything. No, that's wrong. I do want something."

Severus frowned at Hermione. "And that is?"

"I want you to know that I appreciate all that you have done, and that I have seen the changes in you. I want you to know I think for you to have survived all this time without going mad or without losing your humanity is truly amazing, and I salute you for it.

"There's nothing else I want, Severus. You know what it's like to be dying. I know that I have to face the fact that we may never find a cure. But because of you and Poppy, I am able to spend this time with my friends and family."

Severus sighed. He rubbed his temples as he felt a headache coming on. That was certainly not the answer he expected from her. He was trying to decide how to answer her. He eventually looked up at her with a tired expression on his face.

"I have never been what you could call a nice man," he said quietly. "I am as I've always been. I did what needed to be done to fulfil a promise I made. I never expected to survive. As for you, Miss Granger, you are young, and you have your whole life ahead of you." He looked at his desk, sighed, and continued. "Part of my job as a professor here is to protect my students." He looked up at Hermione and looked at her intently. "At the time you received that hex, you were one of my students. If you were to die now, I will have failed in my duties as a staff member here."

Hermione was quiet for a few moments, processing all of the information. She chose her next words carefully because she didn't want to incite his anger. "I took the same oath," she said quietly. "When I first knew about my illness, one of the things that worried me was the fact that Harry would blame himself. He doesn't, not that I know of anyway. But if it had come up, I would have told him it was my choice to go to the Ministry with him that night, just like it was my choice to go searching for the Horcruxes with him during what should have been my seventh year here. Ron and I both knew we might have died on that trip."

She took another sip of tea. "You may find this strange for a witch to admit, but I read the Bible. When my parents were alive and when I was younger, we went to church together. It's said that we all have a free will. I could have chosen to stay at Hogwarts during the Ministry fight. I could have come back to Hogwarts in my seventh year instead of going on the hunt with Harry. But I chose to go with him. No matter what you do, students are going to make the choices they want to make. Today was a perfect example. Those two students had a choice to make. No matter who started it, the other person could have turned away and not continued to fight.

"I believe everything happens for a reason. Maybe I was destined to become ill for some reason. I don't know what that reason is, but I have a feeling one day we'll know. Remember the Sorting Hat's song?"

Severus, starting to tire of the witch's blathering, merely grunted in response.

"I think it has something to do with that. After all, did you ever think we would be working together as colleagues, much less working on potions together?" She finished her tea and stood up. "Thank you for giving me this time. I'd better go home or else Ron and Crookshanks may have the place torn up by now."

Severus grunted. "Keep out of trouble, Miss Granger," he said softly. "I don't want to see you anywhere near Poppy for at least the next couple of days."

Hermione bit back a chuckle. "I'm going home before Ron comes looking for me. Have a pleasant weekend, Severus," she said, leaving the office with one last smile.

Severus waited until Hermione left his office. Putting his head in his hands, he tried to relax even as his head throbbed from his developing headache. He had no idea what to make of Hermione Granger. By all rights, she should have been put off by his gruff demeanour; however, she kept prattling on about changes she claimed to have seen in him. He admitted to himself that perhaps her company wasn't as insufferable as he thought it might be, and he actually enjoyed spending time with her, whether it be in the lab brewing together or in the library, arguing over some point in Charms, Arithmancy, or Potions theory. It was a feeling that was rather foreign to him. He had never known anyone to demand nothing of him in exchange for his company. And yet, she made no demands upon him. It was, in a word, refreshing. But he still wasn't sure what to make of her. He stood up and realised just how tired he was. The thought of spending the rest of his evening in his quarters was quite appealing, and he started to make his way there.

A/N: Many thanks go to karelia for the beta-reading.

Ron's costume: http://www.costumesofnashua.com/CNWebSite105/Active905/Pages/CostumeRental/Medieval/Pics%20Medieval/SSAM25Lancelot.jpg

Hermione's dress (with thanks to JunoMagic for the inspiration): http://www.schatzkammer.de/shop/index.php?artikel=1311, but in a blue colour, not green.