Chapter 33

Disclaimer: The characters portrayed in this story belong to JKR. The actions and reactions I put them through belong to me.

Author's Note: This is it. We're coming into the far turn. Thanks to noybate for her beta work on this story.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Saturday brought clear skies and warmer than normal temperatures for October as Hermione trudged along behind an excited line of students going into Hogsmeade. Ginny paced beside her, almost as excited as the students they were to chaperone, while Hermione muttered to herself. Some of the closer students looked back at her and started walking a little faster to get away.

"I don't know why we have to wear costumes for a Halloween feast," she muttered to Ginny. "Dressing up to look like someone else is silly and infantile."

"I think it sounds like fun," Ginny said encouragingly. "Just think, for one night you could be anyone you wanted to be."

"I could do that with some hair and a vial of Polyjuice," Hermione snarled. "I don't need some stupid costume."

Ginny laughed. "That's cheating. So let's do this right. Minerva is really counting on all of us making this a good holiday."

"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked, looking her friend up and down. "You'd have to wear a wig to hide your hair, or use charms so no one will know it's you. How can it be cheating if I use Polyjuice?"

"Hermione," Ginny whinged. "Please? The rest of the staff is really looking forward to this dinner. Please try to at least make an effort?"

Hermione sighed. "I'll see what I can do," she said, more to stop her friend's whinging than to actually promise anything.

"Really?" Ginny clapped her hands in glee. "Good. Now, the first thing we need to do..."

Hermione interrupted. "The first thing we need to do is our jobs. Mr Abbott, get down from that tree at once. Ten points from Hufflepuff. This is an excursion to Hogsmeade, not an attempt to break a record for climbing all the trees on school grounds."

* * *

Still sulking, Hermione stalked the streets of the village, terrorizing the students and doing her best imitation of Severus Snape. Luckily, the students left her to her sulking for the most part, and few points were taken. After a while, Ginny dragged her off the stationers where she was able to satisfy her cravings for parchment and ink.

Having lunch in the Three Broomsticks alleviated her temper somewhat. Neville was serving behind the bar while Hannah worked the dining area. She seemed thrilled to show off her wedding ring to those who asked, but by the time she got to their table, Hermione could tell she was becoming peeved.

"Can you take a break?" Hermione asked, her bad mood forgotten in concern for her friend's well-being. "No one's going to starve if you do, are they?"

"No, they won't," Hannah said. "Oi, Henry, tell Cook I'm taking a break and that you've got the tables." She sighed as the waiter waved that he'd heard and sank into the seat Ginny pulled out for her. "Thanks, guys. I needed that."

"It's really busy today," Ginny commented. "Is that because it's a Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Actually, it's like this most weekends," Hannah said as Neville brought a butterbeer over to the table for her. "Thanks, love." She half rose from her seat and kissed his cheek.

"Yeah," Neville agreed, his cheeks reddening from the rather blatant public display of affection. "Ever since they opened the new Auror post, everyone comes in here hoping to see Harry and Ron." He wandered back to the bar to fill the newest orders being brought by customers.

"Harry and Ron?" Hermione asked. "Whatever for? They're in London, aren't they? Ginny, haven't you been Apparating back and forth from London?"

Ginny grinned. "Oops. I guess I forgot to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Hermione said, eyes narrowing as her bad mood returned.

"They were transferred up here just before the start of term to help man the new Auror post," Ginny explained with a dreamy smile. "You haven't been to Hogsmeade since then so I guess nobody thought to tell you they were here."

"And you couldn't have said something this morning?"

"Sorry. Was too busy thinking about meeting Harry. And speak of the devil..." The noise level in the pub was definitely growing louder. Hermione looked over her shoulder to see her two best friends making their way over to the table. With a laugh, Hannah excused herself to continue serving her patrons.

"Hey, 'Mione. Hi, Gin," Ron said as Harry bent down and kissed his wife. "Glad to see you were able to make it after all." He pulled a chair around and straddled it, arms folded across the top of the chair back.

Hermione frowned. "What are you talking about, Ronald Weasley?"

"Well, Gin said... OW!" Ron bent over to rub his shin. "What was that for?"

His sister smiled. It was a 'Molly' smile, and he winced when he saw it. "I swear, Ginny, you're getting more like Mum every day."

Harry just grinned. "And I'll still love her," he said. "Hermione, what are you going to wear to the Feast next week?"

"Does everybody in Hogsmeade know about the Masked Feast?" Hermione muttered. "This is intolerable. Maybe I'll go as Severus Snape. Then the students would have twice as much to complain about." She glared around the room as gazes dropped to their own tables and glasses.

"That's brilliant, 'Mione," Ginny crowed. "Although you're a bit short and... er... rounder than Professor Snape..."

"Ginevra Molly Potter," Hermione huffed. "You are not taking me seriously, are you?"

"Why not? I think it's brilliant too," Harry said. "At least Minerva couldn't say you didn't try."

"And no Polyjuice," Ginny said.

* * *

"...and then she said 'no Polyjuice'." Hermione paced the small area between the sofa and fireplace in her quarters while Severus watched in amusement. Their now weekly meetings for conversation and a nightcap rotated between quarters, and this week was Hermione's turn. Her agitation had been apparent all during dinner, and he hadn't been sure if he'd get a drink or be hexed.

"I don't see what the problem is," he said, swirling the elf-made wine in his glass. His eyes looked up and met hers. "If you go as me, I can go as you."

Hermione plopped onto her chair. "You're not making any sense," she said. "We can't use Polyjuice."

"We won't have to," Severus explained. "I've been told several times this week...by several faculty members...that we may be spending too much time together. You're beginning to sound like me."

"So I'm annoyed..." she began.

"So you go as me and I go as you," he repeated. When Hermione just glared at him, he raised an eyebrow and explained, "We don't need Polyjuice. You wear your own robes and act like me; I wear my own robes and act like you. Since we've both been rather upset about this so-called Masked Feast, no one will suspect that we are not the other."

Hermione smirked. "Can you act like me?" she asked. "I have been told that I can do a pretty decent 'Severus Snape'."

"We have a week to practice," he said with a smirk. "Why not start now?"

The flames in the fireplace flared green, and Harry's head popped into sight. "Hermione, are you there?" he called. His eyes went wide as he realized who sat on the sofa. "Oh, hello, Professor."

"Potter."

"What do you want, Harry?" Hermione asked peevishly. "Didn't you do enough damage this afternoon?"

"I wanted to apologize, 'Mione," he said. "I didn't realize you weren't too happy with this Masked Feast. Everyone else I talked to was ecstatic about it. Even Ron was whinging about how we never got to do something like that while we were in school."

Hermione sighed deeply. "Apology accepted, Harry, but you tell Ginny I'm still peeved at her."

He grinned. "I'll do that. 'Night, 'Mione. Good night, Professor."

"Good-bye, Potter."

* * *

Friday night before dinner Hermione, dressed in her best robes, flung a handful of Floo powder into the flames and said, "Severus Snape's quarters."

As she spun out into his study, he put out a steadying hand and caught her before she fell to the floor. He too was dressed in his best robes and had washed his hair so it was not as oily as it tended to be by the end of the day.

"Okay," Hermione said, cleaning her robes with a swish of her wand. "I hope this works. Remember, I call Ginny by her given name and..."

"Hermione, I am not such an idiot as those two friends of yours."

"Sorry, I'm just nervous. Suppose Minerva finds out earlier than we planned?"

"We'll just have to make sure she doesn't. I've already set the protection spells for my quarters to accept you. Did you do the same?"

"Yeah. You should be okay. Merlin, I'm nervous."

"You'll do fine. I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall." With that, Severus floo'd to Hermione's quarters so he was not seen coming from the dungeons while Hermione left his quarters to walk down the corridor and up the stairs to the Entrance Hall where they would begin their charade.

* * *

"Merlin, 'Mione. I didn't think you'd actually do it." Both professors turned to Ginny, who was disguised as Harry, and gave her a supercilious look. "P... Professor Snape?"

"Yes, Madam Potter," Hermione said in her best Snape tone. "Did you have a question?"

"No... uh... no, sir," Ginny stammered. "You look..."

"What, Ginny," Severus said, his deep voice making her name sound like a curse. "You did dare me to become Severus for a night, didn't you?"

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the two of them. "I also said no Polyjuice," she griped. "That's cheating."

"There is no cheating involved, Madam Potter," Hermione said with a smirk.

"And no Polyjuice either," Severus said, grinning his best 'Hermione' smile.

"This is utterly amazing," Minerva exclaimed as she came up behind them, her beard wagging as she spoke.

Both Severus and Hermione winced, realising she was dressed as the late Albus Dumbledore.

"Well, come along then. The students are waiting for us. However did that man control this confounded beard?"

* * *