Back to Formalities

Chapter 8 - Back To Formalities...

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office and waited. For what? Well, he was not sure what exactly, but had high hopes for a reformed Severus Snape. But this hope was proved to have been in vain, as Snape himself banged loudly through the office door in his usual manner.

'It's good to see you too, Severus,' Dumbledore said with what he had hoped was a mood-lightening smile.

Snape raised an inquisitive eyebrow and sat in a seat across from the headmaster. 'I would say the same thing to you, Headmaster, but I'm afraid that would be a lie,' he sneered back ruefully.

Albus chuckled. Still the same old Severus. 'How was your holiday, my boy?'

'Christmas is Christmas no matter what year it is, Albus. I don't see how this year would have been any different from last year and every other year before that,' Snape replied with all of his usual sarcasm.

'And Miss Granger?' he prompted.

Ah! There it was! Snape was wondering when he was going to jump that question on him. Miss Granger... Hermione... Well, she was still the same as ever; an insufferable Gryffindor know-it-all.

'Miss Granger is the same as ever,' he replied effortlessly.

'Severus, forgive me if I am bothering you with my questions, but I am not quite sure as to what you mean by "same as ever"?' Dumbledore replied with a little urgency.

'She is the very same, equally annoying Gryffindor and resident know-it-all that she was before she left the castle, and has been returned in exact condition,' he snapped. 'Just to Minerva's predilection.'

Albus looked the younger man over, scrutinizing his tone and unkempt appearance with his twinkling blue eyes. Outwardly, there appeared to be no change. The same unrelieved black, raven's wing hair, sour expression, even the same stiff posture. He was every bit the Severus Snape that had left a few weeks earlier, much to Dumbledore's dismay.

'Thank you, Severus. You may go now,' Albus said, waving him off dismissively.

Snape stood and left the headmaster's office, absolutely thrilled that the old man was every bit as clueless as Snape had hoped. Did he not notice the bead of sweat running from his temple, or the slightly exaggerated explanation of Hermione's know-it-all nature? He admitted that he had actually been trying extremely hard to hide any abnormal feelings for the girl, especially now that he had come to think of her as a friend.

She had quite easily slipped beneath his defenses and infiltrated the rock-solid barrier that he had built around himself. But now that they were back at Hogwarts, he had no time for silly holiday "friendships", and all of the walls would be going back up. Especially when it came to Herm--Miss Granger and her dunderheaded friends.

He walked with startling composure back to his dungeon office to find a girl with familiar brown curls tamed back into a braid perched attentively on the stool near the fire.

'Miss Granger, pray tell me why you would be in my office when you should be reuniting with your so-called friends?' he asked sardonically.

'Sorry to impose on you again, Professor, but I just assumed--' Hermione started numbly.

'You assumed wrong,' Snape spat. 'Now kindly remove yourself from my sight.'

Hermione stood from the seat with a hurt look on her face that was killing Snape to have to see, but he had already schooled his expression to a dangerous one. She went to the door and opened it, stepping outside and moving to close it softly behind her.

'The headmaster wishes to see you now,' Snape ground out painfully just before she could close the door fully.

'Thank you again, Professor,' she whispered with a trembling voice, closing the door and disappearing from sight.

Hermione continued to walk as quickly as she could away from the office in question of the dour man inside. She had just gone back momentarily to thank him once more before going to her meeting with Dumbledore, and had been received most unwelcomely by a now uncaring Snape. It had not taken him very long to morph back into the greasy-git Professor that she was so used to, and now his hatred of her had intensified ten-fold--or so it seemed.

She finally reached the headmaster's office, making sure that she did not look at all distressed before knocking and walking in when she heard a warm 'come in!’ She settled into the seat across from the old wizard, looked up, and smiled sweetly. 'Hello, Professor!' she exclaimed with false cheeriness.

'Miss Granger, I am delighted to see you looking so well,' he replied with a twinkle.

Hermione's mood was improved almost immediately when the headmaster had spoken. At least someone was happy to see her. 'I had a wonderful holiday. I assume that yours was equally as good?' she replied brightly.

'Yes, it was quite enjoyable,' he said with a chuckle.

'Is there any particular reason that you wanted to see me?' she asked, curious to know why she was now sitting in this lavish office.

'I was just making sure that our head girl was rested and well for the coming term,' he replied, trying to keep a straight face.

'Well, I am just fine. Thank you for asking though,' Hermione said, seeing straight through Dumbledore's guise. 'Now if you don't need me for anything else, I have to catch up with some friends. I'm sorry if that might seem a little rude...' she added hastily.

Dumbledore held up a hand to silence her. 'That is quite enough. It is understandable that you would wish to see your friends. Thank you for your time, Miss Granger,' the old man said knowingly.

'Goodnight, Professor,' Hermione said, standing from her seat and moving to the door.

'Sleep well, Miss Granger.'

His voice floated out the door, and the words hung in the air, following her as she made her way to the Gryffindor Tower to see Harry, Ron, and Ginny. She reached the portrait, muttered a quick 'Wronskey Feint' (typical that Ron would make the password something to do with Quidditch), entering through the portrait hole.

She was immediately greeted by loud male voices and was pulled into a huge hug by three people at the same time. 'Hermione!'

She smiled in spite of herself. 'Harry! Ronald! Ginny! If you don't let go of me, I will not be able to breathe!' she said over their repeated use of her name.

Harry was the first to let go, however, and tried to pry Ron and Ginny off, having more success with Ginny and pulling her into a comfortable hold. Ron clung to her for a little longer, but looked at her with something that she assumed was longing.

Oh dear!

'I missed you, 'Mione,' Ron said, hugging her around the shoulders.

'Yeah, I missed you too, Ron,' she replied, trying to shrug his hands off of her. She peered at Harry and Ginny, who had not said a word since they had detached themselves from her.

She wished that she had not looked over. Apparently they had come to a compromise over the holidays and were now involved in a wild snog that looked a lot like they were trying to wrestle each other for control over the situation. Hermione turned back around to Ron, who had moved onto the sofa and was patting the seat beside him.

'Ron, I'm sorry, but I can't stay. I am tired and we have to start classes tomorrow,' she said regretfully.

'Oh,' he said sadly.

She smiled and left the common room, heading straight for her own dormitory two floors down, dropping straight onto her bed. That had been a close call. She was not interested in another attempted relationship with Ron anytime soon, or preferably not anytime, ever.

They were friends, and it ended there. He was just too interested in Quidditch, and just too uninterested in any other thing for her personal liking. She would be perfectly happy with any other male in seventh year, as long as they were intelligent and could carry a decent conversation.

'Yes...' she thought. 'This is going to be an interesting term...'