Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Just taking them for walkies. I'll return them to JKR when finished. Much thanks to GrammarPolice for her beta and SlytherinsHeirx for his Britpicking. Any glaring errors are mine. ^_^

Chapter Seven

"Professor?"

"Hmmm? Yes, Miss Granger." Severus looked up from the book he was reading and indicated that Hermione could enter the room.

"It's about your offer of an apprenticeship, sir," Hermione said quietly. "I need to discuss it with you, if you don't mind."

"Not at all, Miss Granger," Severus said, setting his book aside. "When I made the offer, I was fully aware that a decision would take some time to reach."

"I really appreciate the offer, sir..."

"But?" Severus urged as she hesitated over her words.

"I promised my parents that I would attend university when I left Hogwarts. It was their one condition for allowing me to go to an unknown school in Scotland," Hermione explained hurriedly.

"Your parents put conditions on your education?" Severus said indignantly.

"Oh, no, sir." Hermione attempted a soothing manner, something she didn't have much practice with. "Just on attending Hogwarts. Because it wasn't what they wanted for me, but they did understand about the magic."

"So you're turning down my offer," Severus stated with a frown.

"I'm sorry, sir."

"Don't be sorry, Miss Granger," he said with a sneer. "It was merely an offer, nothing more."

"Professor McGonagall knows the Dean of Transfiguration at Cambridge Wizarding University," Hermione continued in a rush. "She said she would see about getting some more information for me. I want to attend the Muggle University, as well as the Wizarding University, and study chemistry and biology."

"A good idea if you plan to pursue Potions," he said, "but what else could you do with such an area of study?"

"Those particular classes are required for studying Muggle medicine," she explained, "so I had hoped they would be good for Wizarding medicine, as well."

"Yes... I see," he said, looking past her at the wall as if in deep thought. "Of course, you do realise that Healers also have an apprenticeship period after the completion of their studies."

"Yes, sir. I did know that, sir."

"Very well, Miss Granger. I will accept your dismissal of my offer with the intent in which it was meant."

"Thank you, sir."

"However..."

"Yes, sir?"

"I reserve the right to make such an offer at a later date, if I ever decide to be that idiotic again." He smirked at the look of shock on her face.

"Idiotic, sir?" Hermione gasped. "I don't think you're idiotic."

"Of course not, Miss Granger," he said. "But the two of you were the first students I have ever offered apprenticeships to in all my years as a Potions master."

"And we are suitably grateful, aren't we, Granger?" Draco chimed in from the door. "But I had also intended to pursue a university education after Hogwarts, sir. Does that mean the offer's been withdrawn for me as well?"

"With the same reservations, Mr Malfoy," Severus reiterated. "Perhaps either or both of you will change your mind before the Leaving Feast. I will hold the offer open until then."

"Thank you, sir," the two students chorused, then looked at the other and grinned.

* * *

Later, as Draco finished the daily therapy, he looked up and found himself regarded by the heavily hooded eyes of his godfather.

"Is something wrong?" the young wizard asked while cleaning the warming lotion from his hands.

"When did you and Miss Granger become such good friends?" Severus asked.

Draco blushed. "Pretty much just after Father and Mother invited her to come live here so she could use the Manor's library to look for a cure."

"I see," Severus commented while he continued to watch his godson, knowing that silence was a void most people sought to fill.

"She had thought to stay at Hogwarts and research there," Draco said as he nervously shifted his feet, "but Father convinced her that we owned pretty much every book Hogwarts had in the Restricted Section and others besides. He also pointed out that there were undoubtedly heavy protection spells on your quarters and personal lab so she was probably better off here.

"I didn't think she would want to come back here after the torture Aunt Bella put her through," Draco continued, "but she was really worried about you and wanted to do something to help."

Severus winced. "No doubt her idea of Gryffindor heroism..."

"Actually, sir, Hermione said something about 'getting back on the horse'?" Draco wrinkled his nose in confusion.

"A Muggle saying," Severus explained with a sigh. "It basically means, if you fall off the broom, you need to get back on so as to get over the fear of falling."

"Oh," Draco said, still confused. "So she decided she needed to come back here to get over what Aunt Bella did to her?"

"Probably," Severus said in an absent-minded manner, then changed the subject. "Do you know if anyone has tried to enter my quarters or personal lab since the end of the war?"

"I think the Aurors tried," Draco said with a smirk, "but I heard a rumour that the spells replicated themselves as fast as they were taken down. The Aurors gave up after a while, I think, because I haven't heard about anything else."

"All right," Severus said. "I'll ask the Headmistress about it. Since she said she had her suspicions about my so-called death, it's possible that she left the spells as they were, hoping I would come back to teach."

"I'm really glad you're coming back, sir," Draco said. "Professor Slughorn's okay as a teacher, but he's not you."

"Of course not," Snape said cheekily.

* * *

Minerva,

Severus

* * *

Severus,

Minerva

* * *

Minerva,

Severus

* * *

"So, I hear you're improving," Lucius said, sticking his head around the doorjamb as he waited to be invited in.

Severus waved him through and, sighing dramatically, once again put his book away in order to see to his visitor. "So I am told," he said. "Draco has very good hands."

Lucius smirked and examined his own. "Gets that from me," he gloated. Then, suddenly serious, he continued, "He told us about the apprenticeship and his decision to attend university instead."

"Yes. He and Miss Granger both made that decision," Severus said. "Apparently they received advice from their elders?" He quirked an eyebrow in unspoken question.

"I'm not sure about Miss Granger," Lucius said, "although the house-elves tell me she's been corresponding with the Headmistress.

"Draco, on the other hand, did discuss the situation with his mother and me. While we agreed that it was a munificent offer, a Wizarding University education would take him further, especially with the Wizarding world changing more every day. Although, I would ask that you keep him in mind for the same opportunities after university, if he's still interested."

"Draco has a fine future ahead of him," Severus said. "Of course, his Charm work is better than his Potions work, but there is little to differentiate between the two scores. Only a point or two. The same is true in Miss Granger's case, but with several of her classes, not just Charms and Potions."

"Yes, so I was given to understand from Draco over the years." Lucius rubbed his hands together. "Perhaps we could match the two of them together. There does seem to be less animosity between them since she came here."

"Draco and a Muggle-born Gryffindor?" Severus gasped in mock outrage. "Whatever are you thinking, Lucius?"

"I'm thinking I'd like some intelligent grandchildren," Lucius said with a grin. "Miss Granger, while Muggle-born, is not exactly what I expected when I asked her to come here."

"No?"

"No." Lucius paused in thought. "I had expected someone who didn't know the first thing about polite Wizarding society, and had no manners whatsoever. What I found was a young woman who is polite, intelligent, well read, and not afraid to state her opinions. In fact, I find myself liking her more all the time despite her unfortunate birth, and her friendship with Potter and the Weasleys."

"And, of course, she champions the house-elves," Severus pointed out.

"The girl champions all that she considers underdogs," Lucius said with a sniff. "Yourself, for instance. She told us you were probably still alive as there was no portrait on the Headmaster's office wall, and practically drove us out to the Shrieking Shack to make sure."

"And I, for one, am glad she did," Narcissa said, looking in. "It's getting late, Lucius. Leave Severus be and come to bed."

"Of course, my love," Lucius purred.

"Good night, Severus," Narcissa said.

"Night, Severus," Lucius echoed as he followed his wife out the door and down the hall.

Severus smirked and turned to pick up his book once again, only to have the candles go out. "Netty," he called.

"Yes, Professor, sir." Netty popped into view at the bottom of the bed.

"Get some more candles. These seem defective," Severus ordered.

"Not defective, Professor, sir," Netty said. "Mistress says it is time for the Professor to sleep so she puts out the candles herself."

"Merlin save me from managing witches," Severus muttered. "All right, Netty, you're excused."

* * *