Chapter 5

Authors Notes: This story is Pre-HBP. It is my response to the Make-Over Sex!God Snape challenge by Southern_Witch_69 & PlaidPooka. I’m not following the rules very well, as it is late, and I am going to have a couple chapters, so please forgive me. I’ve been out of the fan fiction loop lately due to work, so please forgive me and take this little piece of fiction as my peace offering. This is my first attempt at posting anything, so please be kind if you decide to review (which I would really appreciate). Challenge rules are posted at the bottom of the first chapter page. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my wonderful beta, Cocoachristy, for wading through all my mistakes and errors. If any other mistakes are here, then they are completely and totally my fault. I’d also like to thank my dear friend, Anijade, for being at my beck and call whenever I need her.

Disclaimer: This all belongs to JKR. They aren’t mine. I’m just taking them out to dinner and a movie. I promise to bring them back as soon as the houselights come up and the credits begin to roll.

Chapter 5

Glass Pyramid

After Hermione fed Crookshanks and ingested a rather large dose of pain potion, she began to get dressed and ready for the rest of the day. It was Saturday, so she didn’t have any classes or projects scheduled with Professor Snape. Therefore, she decided to go to breakfast, see what type of mood said professor was in, and determine what course of action would have to be taken if her apology wasn’t enough to rectify the situation. Well, that’s what she would have done, except when she showed up to the Great Hall for breakfast, he wasn’t present. She leisurely ate her food and attempted to wait him out, but when she discovered that she and Hagrid were the only two occupants at the table, she understood that he just wasn’t coming.

Maybe he just slept in; it is Saturday after all, she thought to herself. With that thought in mind, she decided to go to her rooms and immerse herself in a book until lunch was served.

“It’s no use,” she said aloud as she slammed her book shut several hours later. No matter how hard she tried, she really couldn’t get her mind off of what had happened the evening before. “I just need to clear my head; maybe a walk around the grounds is what I need. Yes, that’s it,” she said as she placed her book on a nearby table and headed towards the door.

While she was setting the wards to her quarters, she was startled to feel a tap on her shoulder. She wildly swung around and found herself standing face to face with Minerva McGonagall.

“Are you all right, my dear?” she asked in a very concerned tone. “I didn’t mean to startle you, but I called out your name, and you didn’t seem to hear me.”

Hermione let out a deep breath and looked into Minerva’s eyes. Here was a woman who had treated her as if she were a daughter since the moment she stepped into Hogwarts as an eleven-year-old little girl. If there was anyone that she could talk to, it would most likely be her. “No, Minerva, I’m not. I … Well, I was wondering ... do … do you think we could go somewhere and talk?” she asked.

“Of course, my dear,” she said with a knowing smile. “I actually came to talk with you as well, and by the way you just reacted, I’ll assume I was correct in coming here to begin with. Why don’t you follow me to my office? We’ll have some tea while we chat.”

Hermione smiled at Minerva and nodded her head in agreement. “That sounds lovely. Let me just finish setting my wards, and I’ll be ready,” said Hermione. Once her wards were set, the two women began to walk down the hall together towards Minerva’s rooms.

*** *** ***

“So then I decided to send him an apology last night, but I still wonder if that will be enough, Minerva. What do you think?”

“To be honest, Hermione, I believe you overreacted. I’m sure he appreciated the apology. However, the apology should not have been sent from you. You are only to blame for standing up for him, and that is something that a man like Severus will not forget. I know he may not seem like it at all times, but he really is very reasonable when he chooses to be, and I’m sure he has placed the blame with the rest of us rather than with you. To be honest, I fear what he may think of me at this particular moment.”

“But, Minerva, you didn’t say anything about him.”

“I know, and that is the problem,” said Minerva as she took a small sip of tea. After lightly dabbing her mouth with a napkin, she continued. “I’m afraid I failed to say anything, either good or bad. As far as Severus is concerned, I could have said everything. He and I are friends of sorts, and as such, I should have reacted like you instead of being a coward and saying nothing at all. It’s kind of strange for the Head of Gryffindor to react that way, but I am only human. I plan to apologize to Severus in person, and I will just have to hope he forgives me.“

Hermione was speechless. Minerva had not only admitted that she had made a mistake, she had also given Hermione a whole new line of thought to follow. Her feelings for Severus were really beginning to cloud her judgment.

“I think I’m going to leave you for a while. It appears we both have some thinking to do.”

“Yes, I agree, dear. I’m sorry I wasn’t more helpful. Here you were, coming to talk with me, and somehow our roles were reversed.”

“No, Minerva, you really have helped,” said Hermione as she stood up and prepared to leave. “Perhaps I have been looking at this situation all wrong. It’s just that sometimes, my feelings tend to make me jump to the wrong conclusions. I should stick to the logical part of situations, seeing as how it’s what I’m good at.”

“All right,” said Minerva. “I’ll see you this evening in the Great Hall.”

As the door clicked with Hermione’s departure, Minerva couldn’t help but wonder what feelings could have possibly made such a bright, young witch overreact so much. It only took a moment for her thoughts to lead her to the correct assumption, and then a knowing smile began to tug at the corner of her mouth. Perhaps there was a woman willing to take on Severus Snape after all.

To be continued