Chapter 15

Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this fiction belong to JK Rowling, her heirs and assignees, except for those who belong to me.

Author's Notes: I want to thank GrammarPolice for her beta and SlytherinsHeirx for his brilliant Britpicking. Also, SlytherinsHeirx helped me with the various degrees awarded by British universities. I also really have to thank AmyLouise from Down Under for help with my Latin translations.

Chapter Fifteen

...Three years later...

Severus Snape

Hermione Granger, BSc (Hons)

Severus glared at the letter sitting in front of him at the High Table. The Leaving Feast was that evening, and the castle would be emptying out over the next two weeks as the staff finished up their grading so they could, with the sole exception of Argus Filch and himself, return to their summer homes until August for a month of holiday.

"Bad news, Severus?" Minerva murmured from her seat next to him.

"Yes," he growled. "You've been poaching again."

"I have?" she asked with visible delight. "Who have I poached this time?"

"Hermione Granger," he said, sliding the letter at her with his forefinger.

"Oh... well," Minerva said, reading the letter. "We have been corresponding while she attended University and I may have mentioned that if your apprenticeship offer fell through, she could be my apprentice."

"I have never rescinded my invitation to Miss Granger." Severus sneered disparagingly. "In fact, I've been hoping she would reconsider her decision for the last three years."

"Good," Minerva said encouragingly. "Tell her 'yes' and I'll have the house-elves prepare rooms for her in Gryffindor Tower."

* * *

Hermione Granger

Severus Snape, Magister Succi

"What's up, Granger?" Draco asked curiously, as Hermione smiled over the letter she had received that morning.

"Professor Snape has agreed to take me as his apprentice," Hermione said with glee, almost bouncing in her seat. "I'm to report to Hogwarts in the middle of August."

Draco took a bite of his roasted chicken sandwich and eyed his unlikely Muggle-born friend complacently. It had become their habit to meet at least twice, and sometimes three times a week for lunch to discuss classes and instructors. He had been wary at first of some of the Muggle eating establishments Hermione frequented, but found the food at some was far superior to anything he'd eaten in Diagon Alley or any Wizarding area in France or Italy.

"That doesn't leave you much time," Draco teased her, swallowing quickly so he could speak.

"Time for what?" Hermione asked.

"To tell Scarhead and Weasel that you're not going to join up with them," he said with derision, "and that you decided to apprentice with Severus. Knowing how they feel about him, they'll go spare." He grinned at the thought.

"They're not that bad," Hermione protested with a slight laugh. "Since the war ended, and they found out Professor Snape was on our side, they've gotten better..."

"I've seen the Weasel's letters, remember?" Draco sneered. "He thinks there's some kind of spell like Imperius on you that's got you hanging around with me."

"You mean there isn't?" Hermione smirked. "Merlin, I must be hanging around with you on my own, then."

"Ha, ha, very funny," Draco said sarcastically. "If he hexes me at the Graduation ceremony tomorrow, I won't be responsible for my actions."

Hermione's face fell. "I know that Professor McGonagall said she and Professor Flitwick would be here, but I wish Professor Snape could come as well."

"Yeah, well, they'll tell him all about it when they get back to Hogwarts," Draco consoled her. "Come on and eat. We still have to get our robes for tomorrow's ceremony."

* * *

"Such an uplifting ceremony," Professor Flitwick enthused. "Such colours. Such music. It's too bad we don't do something like this at Hogwarts."

"And spoil a thousand years of traditions," Minerva scolded. "Really, Filius!" She smiled at Draco and Hermione as she and her small companion walked over to the Malfoys.

"I understand you still have four more years of University, Draco," she said after greeting all of them.

"Yes, Professor," he answered, "but I'll have my Healer's license at the end. I want to do more with Muggle physiotherapy after seeing the way it helped Professor Snape."

"Yes, he hardly limps at all," Filius agreed. "Once in a while you can see where it pains him, but not often."

Lucius and Narcissa listened in silence, smiling at their son and his improbable friend as they stood together. Narcissa reached over and tenderly brushed an errant curl out of Hermione's face with her fingers.

"I did hope to see your parents here today," she said. "Elizabeth and I have had the loveliest correspondence and lunches during the last three years."

"I wish they could have been here, too," Hermione said sadly, "but my grandmother isn't well and they felt they had to be there instead, in spite of her saying she wanted them here. I promised to write to them so they could read the letter to her."

"And I am to understand that congratulations are in order?" Lucius asked dryly.

"Congratulations, sir?" Hermione was confused. "For what? You've already offered Draco and me your congratulations for graduating with honours."

"But not for securing the apprenticeship with Severus," he replied. "Of course, your scholarship did cost me quite a few Galleons."

"I don't understand, Father," Draco said in confusion. "How could Hermione's scholarship cost you? I thought her parents... Did you have a scholarship?" He looked at Hermione, who shrugged, just as confused as he was.

"He made wagers with both me and Severus." Narcissa almost giggled. "When Hermione's N.E.W.T. scores exceeded Severus', he had to take me to Italy for a new wardrobe, and he is subsidising Severus' salary while your godfather is forced to stay at Hogwarts, plus another ten percent on top of that."

"I could have told you that he had a sure thing, sir." Draco smirked at his father and promptly changed the subject. "Professor Flitwick, may I come to Hogwarts in August before the new term starts here and study with you for a few days?"

"Of course, my boy." Filius was overjoyed to be asked. "Of course."

* * *

...One week before the start of fall term...

"Hermione, what is all this?" the Headmistress asked with dismay, walking into the Potions classroom.

"Potions for the Infirmary, Professor," Hermione answered from behind a worktable laden with three cauldrons, all brewing at the same time. "Madame Pomfrey needs all of this before the students get here because once the flying lessons and Quidditch practice starts, she'll have lots of patients." She gestured at another four packing cases full of potions already brewed in addition to the cauldrons.

"Surely some of this can wait?" Minerva was aghast. "Severus isn't having you do the entire year's brewing all at once, is he?"

"Of course not, Minerva," Severus said with a smirk, leaning up against the door jamb of his office, his arms folded across his chest. "This is the usual order for the beginning of term. Once term starts, we'll use the smaller lab to brew what Poppy needs to replace whatever she uses. I've done this same thing at the end of August ever since I started teaching here.

"Except the last three years," he added ruefully. "Since my probation does not include potions for the Infirmary, Poppy has had to outsource her supply, which has increased her budget. With Miss Granger doing the brewing this year, the Infirmary budget should be more in line with what it used to be."

"Oh, my!" Minerva said contritely. "I had no idea. Of course, I did wonder why the Infirmary budget had risen so drastically, but I put it down to a different supplier."

"In effect, that's exactly what happened." Severus sneered. "The Ministry, in all their wisdom, apparently didn't realise just what some of the duties of a Potions master were when he was employed by a school."

Minerva's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I will be having a word with them," she snarled. "The next time the Governors complain about our budget..."

"Do you really think they'll listen, Minerva?" Severus asked sarcastically. "I certainly don't think so. After all, I'm the Death Eater who's being punished. Remember?" He pushed away from the door and bowed Minerva into his office.

"Miss Granger, when you get that last lot bottled and packed, will you join the Headmistress and me in my office?"

"Yes, Professor. I'm just about done here."

"Excellent."

* * *

"What did you want to see me about, Professor?" Hermione asked a short time later. She had brushed her frizzled hair out of her face and pulled a hair band around it to form a ponytail. The humidity in the classroom had caused it to curl up tighter than ever, and Severus smirked at the corona of curls surrounding her face.

"I have a new contract for you to sign, Miss Granger," he said smoothly. "Minerva, if you would witness?"

"That's why I'm here, Severus."

"A new contract, sir?" Hermione asked, perplexed. "Was something wrong with the old one?"

"Not at all, Miss Granger." He waved away her questions with his long fingers. "But the old one was for an apprentice. This one confirms your journeyman status."

"Journeyman?" Hermione looked at him, confusion on her face. "But... I've only been your apprentice for a week."

"And in that week's time, I have studied your work and ascertained that your skills qualify you as a Potions journeyman. Of course, if you wish to continue as a lowly apprentice..."

"Where do I sign?" Hermione was quickly catching on. She read the contract, saw no changes that she felt were needed, and signed at the bottom of the parchment. Severus signed as her Master and, once Minerva had set her signature as witness to theirs, the parchment rolled itself up and vanished.

"That should be registered at the Ministry of Magic by this afternoon, and we should have our notarized copies by morning," Severus said. "Congratulations, Miss Granger. You are now a certified Potions journeyman."

"Thank you, sir." Hermione beamed, and her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. "If I might be excused, I really need to deliver all these potions to the Infirmary now."

"Of course." Severus waved her away. "Take the rest of the weekend off when you've finished. Go to Hogsmeade or the library or whatever you do in your free time."

"Thank you, sir. Good-bye!" Hermione all but shouted as she left the office. "Good-bye, Headmistress!"

"Good-bye, dear," Minerva shouted back, "and congratulations."

"If she continues at this rate, Minerva," Severus said as he smirked at his companion, "you'll have a new apprentice at the New Year."

"Are you going to be willing to let her go that soon?" Minerva asked in concern. "You may still need her to brew Poppy's supplies."

"I'll let you know in December," he said thoughtfully.

* * *

A/N: magister succi = master of potions