Chapter 21

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: Kudos to noybate for stepping in as beta for this story when my other beta went MIA. This chapter has not been Britpicked, so any mistakes are my own. Now, on with the show.

Chapter Twenty-One

"Now that end of term exams are over, what do you intend to do for the summer holiday, Hermione?" Flitwick asked, taking advantage of a rare lull in student activity to check his box in the staff lounge. Hermione looked up from the Transfigurations Today periodical she was flipping through to answer.

"Minerva's going to work with me to see if I can complete my training and become an Animagus as part of my Transfiguration mastery. Why, Filius?"

"I thought you might want to begin an apprenticeship in Charms, is all," he said disarmingly. "Of course, becoming an Animagus can be time consuming, and not everyone succeeds."

"I have a feeling that if anyone can learn to transform, Hermione can," Minerva said, coming through the door with an armful of scrolls.

"Oh, here, Minerva, let me help." Hermione jumped to her feet and relieved Minerva of her burden. "What is all this?"

"Some of the exams from my Sixth year students," Minerva said. "If you would help me mark them, we can have them back to the students before the Leaving Feast Friday evening."

"Of course I can help," Hermione told her. "I've finished marking the exams for the lower years and left them in your office."

"I found them, dear. Thank you."

"Can I get you ladies anything?" Filius asked, holding up a bottle expectantly.

"No, Filius, thank you. I think Hermione and I have everything we need except the peace to get these done. But your offer is appreciated." Minerva looked down at the stack of parchments and grimaced.

"In that case, I'll bid you both adieu and check on the noise in the Entrance Hall. No doubt some student has managed to smuggle in a contraband Weasley Wizarding Wheeze. I believe a detention will be called for with Argus this evening."

"You do that," Minerva said rather absent-mindedly, since she was already immersed in reading the first of the exams on the table in front of her. Hermione grinned and Summoned quills and ink for the two of them, and soon the only sounds in the staff lounge were the rustling of parchment and the scratching of quills as they worked quietly together.

* * *

The Hogsmeade train station was awash with students. Some were trying to get on the train, others were loading trunks into the baggage cars, and still others were hugging their friends and making plans for the summer. Hermione strolled into the midst of the chaos and let her mind drift back to her own leave-takings while she was a student. She didn't remember it being this loud and chaotic, but perhaps she was remembering it through a haze of fond remembrances.

"Miss Pendragon, watch where you're walking, if you don't mind." The silky tones of Severus' voice caught Hermione's attention. She watched, a slight smile on her face, as he extricated himself from the aforementioned Miss Pendragon, who had been reading a large tome and managed to walk into him.

"Sorry, Professor Snape," Miss Pendragon apologised, her eyes wide with apprehension. "Maybe I should get on the train now?"

"Maybe you should," he sneered. "Then the platform will be safe from your absent-minded predations."

Hermione winced. She had done the same thing a time or two, but thankfully never with Severus. Speaking of which...

"I thought you weren't supposed to leave Hogwarts grounds," she said, walking up to where he was supervising the younger students and making sure they made it onto the train.

"I'm not," he sneered. "But the Ministry, in their infinite wisdom, deemed this part of my community service. Perhaps they thought I, by myself, could herd a group of prepubescent cretins onto a train and make sure none were left behind."

"Shall I leave you to it, then?" she teased, turning to walk away.

"Merlin, no!" he gasped, reaching for her arm. "Don't leave me by myself. Abbott, I don't care if your sister is getting married here on Saturday next. You will get on the train and come back with the rest of your family at that time. Now move it, boy!"

"Well, it just seems to me..."

"Hermione, for the love of Merlin, I can't do this by myself. I believe that is why Minerva asked you to help, is it not?"

"I guess so. Aren't any of the other professors here?"

"They're not insane enough to go through this. Usually Hagrid is here, but Minerva has him doing something to the school grounds. That leaves the criminal and the newbie..."

"Did you just call me a newbie?"

"If the shoe fits..." he said with a smirk. "Miss Brown, are you performing exploratory surgery on that young man's tonsils? I suggest you cease and desist immediately and find a seat on the train."

"Any relation to...?" Hermione asked in an aside.

"A younger sister, I believe." He sighed. "And, of course, a Gryffindor."

"A rather precocious Gryffindor," Hermione smirked. "Lavender at least waited until third year before showing interest in anything in trousers. Mr Abbott," she snapped, "Professor Snape told you to find a seat on the train. Now do it!"

She cast Sonorus on her throat and announced, "Your attention, please! The Hogwarts Express will be leaving in ten minutes. Anyone not on the train will have me explaining to their parents why they were left behind, Miss Brown."

The students around her laughed as, flushed with embarrassment, the young lady so addressed stopped snogging her fellow student and fled for the train. Her snoggee grinned sheepishly and strolled further along the line of cars before swinging himself up and into an empty compartment.

"Slytherin and Gryffindor," Hermione remarked. "That's taking inter-house cooperation to a new level."

"It's not the first time," Severus said. "Her older sister was caught several times in the corridors with Slytherins. Mostly Blaise Zabini, but I believe I caught her with Gregory Goyle at least once."

"It figures." Hermione sighed. "She went after Ron in our sixth year, and he let himself be caught for a while. Maybe I should have let her keep him."

"Mr Weasley still annoyed with you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Can we expect more histrionics at the Longbottom-Abbott nuptials next week?"

Hermione waited while the engineer blew the steam whistle and the last of the students quickly hopped onto the train. As it pulled out of the station, she waved back at the students who waved wildly from the windows until the train was a small dot on the horizon.

"Probably," she replied, sighing once again. "Especially after we put your plan into action. By the way, just whom am I supposed to end up with...Draco or Ron?"

"Why don't we leave that to the young men?" He smirked, turning to walk back to Hogwarts. "After all, the whole point of the exercise is to try and clip Miss Skeeter's proverbial wings."

"Well, that should prove interesting." She looked over to see him smirk once more as he strode out of the train station.

* * *

"You're not concentrating, Hermione," Minerva said Monday afternoon. "You should be meditating, not thinking about Saturday."

"I'm sorry, Minerva. I just..."

"Yes, I realize you're nervous. That's why you should concentrate on becoming your inner animal and not on what's to happen in the future. That will take care of itself in time."

Hermione settled herself in the chair and, taking a deep breath, tried to wipe her mind of all extraneous thought. It was harder than she'd thought it would be. Her mind kept going over everything that could go wrong at the wedding.

Minerva sighed, looking at her. "Perhaps we might have better luck after the wedding," she said briskly. "In the meantime, I have some books for you to study. Pay particular attention to the act of Transfiguring yourself. And don't stay up all night reading. I want you fresh and well rested on the morrow."

"Yes, Minerva."

"I'll send a house-elf in to check on you about midnight."

"I don't need someone to look in on me, Minerva." Hermione was indignant. "I am quite capable of keeping track of the time." She reddened at the knowing look from her teacher. "Well, most of the time," she added.

Minerva nodded. "I'll tell Winky to look in on you at midnight and that she's to remind you to go to bed."

"Yes, Minerva."

* * *

Ferret,

Herms

* * *

Herms,

Ferret

* * *

Ferret,

H.

* * *

H,

D.

* * *

Severus,

Draco

* * *

Draco,

Severus

* * *

Severus,

D.

* * *

D,

Not fatally, of course. Minerva and Molly would have our hides. And, if you do throw the first hex, make damn sure nobody sees you do it. Otherwise, protect yourself. I assure you, Weasley will be protecting himself if nothing else.

S.

* * *