Dreams...or reality? How can one be sure?

A/N:
Sorry Chapter 2 was so short. Promise to try and do better. Thank you for all of the beautiful reviews and the lovely hits. *tear* They love me, they really love me! *sniff* Anyway, on with the story.


Preparing of the minds
Hermione, Ron, and Harry met after their next class. They both had Divination whilst Hermione had Muggle Studies. They never let her forget that her taking the class was stupid, as she was a muggle-born after all.
The three entered the Great Hall for lunch, cat calls echoing throughout the hall as Ron kissed Hermione before they parted ways, Harry and Ron heading toward the Gryffindor table and Hermione up to the Head Table, where both her and Malfoy were to sit after they were awarded their Head Boy and Girl duties.
“Aww. Isn’t that just so sweet. Weasel and Granger have a thing for each other.” Malfoy cooed mockingly as Hermione took her seat next to him.
“Do you ever shut up, Malfoy? Didn’t the Death Eaters teach you that silence is a virtue? Shame your skull is too thick to understand anything as trivial as being quiet.” Hermione snapped back and then turned to Professor McGonagall to resume their conversation about the latest issue of Transfiguration Medley.
The meal dragged on with no further interruptions from Malfoy and a decently stimulating debate about the recently banned transfiguration techniques. As Hermione got up to leave, though, Professor Snape grabbed her gently by the arm. Hermione turned to look at him, her brown eyes not even touched by fear.
“Miss Granger,” Snape said, leaned in just enough so that his warm breath blew past Hermione’s ear and through her bushy hair, “Do not think that just because you are Head Girl that it is appropriate for you to talk down to your fellow students as you did at the start of the meal. I think 10 points from Gryffindor will remind you to hold your tongue. Do you agree?”
10 points!! For talking freely! Oh, how I loathe this man, this evil, snaky, bastardly, excuse for a wizard! Hermione thought vehemently to herself. Not trusting her voice to hold back the thoughts she was thinking, she merely nodded in response.
Snape, however, did not find this sufficient as he pulled Hermione’s arm roughly, squeezing tightly as Hermione looked away out into the hordes of students leaving the Great Hall. “When I ask you a question, you...” Snape said squeezing harder as he put great emphasis on his next words, “...will...answer...me. Verbally. Do you understand me, Miss Granger?”
Hermione winced slightly as Professor Snape gave her arm a final wring at the end of his question. “Yes, sir, Professor.”

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Snape, seemingly satisfied, released Hermione’s arm and stepped back to straighten his robes. “Do not forget Miss Granger, detention is at promptly 6 o’clock. Do not regret being even 1 second late. Good day.” Snape walked off through the doorway that the teachers entered and exited through without a glance back.
Yes, this is all going perfectly. It’s amazing how such a strong fiery girl can become putty under even the slightest domineering hands. I was wise in knowing that she would be a suitable candidate for this years’ exploits.


The rest of the day past for Hermione without incident. All of her afternoon classes she spent chiding Harry and Ron for not doing the assigned reading and then proceeded, with much begging from both of them, to help them understand what they were supposed to be doing.
She stayed after Charms to talk to Professor Flitwick about her apprenticeship program, and so, she barely had time to run up to her room to drop off her bag and robe before meeting Harry, Ron, and Ginny in the Great Hall.
“Sowhaddaheant?” Ron said around a mouth full of food.
Hermione looked at him with a mixture of disgust and puzzlement. “What?! Ronald, when are you ever going to learn not to talk with food in your mouth? You are 17 now!” Hermione said in a tone so condescending even Harry turned a shade of odd red.
“Sorry, ‘Mione. I said, so what did he want? You know, Flitwick?” Ron repeated gingerly after taking a gulp from his goblet of pumpkin juice.
“Oh, he was wondering if I wanted to do my apprenticeship in Charms. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I couldn’t imagine that he could teach me anything! I just told him that I would have to think about it. That it would have a tremendous impact on my future.” Hermione said.
“Hermione....aren’t you supposed to be up at the Head Table?” asked Ginny, who was sitting with her new boyfriend Colin Creevey. How the two of them had ended up together was a mystery nobody at Hogwarts was able to figure out.
“Bloody hell, I nearly forgot. Thanks, Gin. Bye, guys.” Hermione said as she dashed up to the Head Table and took her seat beside Professor McGonagall.