Everybody Here Wants You

Chapter 5: Falling Off The Stack

The feast started in half an hour. The train was almost into the station and the staff was making last minute preparations in the Great Hall including the placement of the Sorting Hat

Hermione squirmed in her seat, nervous out of her mind. It didn’t help that she was seated right next to the Headmasters chair, being a head of house. She had introduced herself to the new staff and she was still nervous.

She had become familiar with the layout of the Ravenclaw common room, familiar with the new Ravenclaw students, and had turned Hogwarts, once again like her home. But still Hermione was nervous, any moment, new students; fresh faced and afraid would trickle through the door and depend on her for knowledge, guidance and truth.

Pomona Sprout was to her left, thumbs green and smile wide, chatting happily to everyone who would listen. To her right was the empty Headmasters chair, as he was setting up. Minerva’s chair was also empty as she was waiting to greet the first year students. The Slytherin head of house was seated, chatting with the Divination teacher. She was the new blood before Hermione, however not as green. Professor Viper had transferred from Durmstrang, and looked the part. She was a shockingly sharp woman, all aspects of her face were angular, and even the age lines that showed on her. She was sharp in her teaching methods and sharper in her discipline. She was amicable to her co-workers and got along well with them. She sometimes butted heads with her superior on discipline methods but otherwise fitted well with the stereotype of Slytherin house.

The older students began to trickle into the hall, smiling, laughing and joking as they funnelled themselves into their house tables. Snape slunk into his chair and startled her when he sank into the wood next to her.
She jumped slightly and then resumed the trembling of her legs, a jittery habit from childhood, jumping each leg up and down in quick rhythm as her eyes went wide as the students began the entrance for the hall. She took a few deep breaths and reminded herself that all she had to really do was sit there, smile and nod her head, as well as clapping politely for the new students.

The first years marched forward in the hall. They were walking slowly in awe of the night sky inside above them, they were tiny, their hats perched on their heads, looking as though they were about to engulf them.

Headmaster Snape stood and welcomed them, and told Minerva to begin the sorting.
As each student rushed forward and put the hat on their head, she noticed the familiar look of fear and excitement as each child jammed the hat on their head before rushing off to join their house, who was always clapping wildly.
Hermione was calm by the time they hit the “P’s” and was bored by the “S’s”. She continued to clap politely, harder for students placed in Ravenclaw, and smiled at each one on her houses table.

Finally the sorting had ended; Hermione joined everyone in one last round of applause before quieting and watching Snape stand to address his students

“Welcome to Hogwarts and to those that have been here before welcome back” His voice flowed over the hall in a great wave, commanding silence and respect. “Before you begin stuffing yourselves with Hogwarts finest, I have some announcements to make. Firstly I would like to welcome a new charms teacher and head of house for Ravenclaw. Miss Hermione Granger.” He turned his hand, with its long and skilled fingers toward her and she smiled and bowed her head at the smattering of applause across the hall. “I know you will all show her the same amount of respect you show all of us” he made it sound as though it were a request, but those that had known him and been taught by him knew that it was a command. He continued, telling the students the out of bound areas and announcing the party at the end of the year.

He smiled and took a breath before saying “feast” and the tables filled with food and drink as the first years eyes filled with wonder.

Hermione quickly filled her plate with chicken and salad, filling her goblet with wine.
Severus sat next to her and delicately chose his food before also filling his glass with wine. Hermione ate slowly, savouring the delectable flavours that had taken many hours in the kitchen. She picked at her salad, but chose a few pork chops and some other meat to fill herself with

“Protein deficient Professor Granger?” the voice washed over her like silk and made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She swallowed her mouthful and turned to the headmaster, whose face held a familiar smirk, but without the trace of cruelty she had become so used to.

“I must be, I was so nervous all day I hardly ate anything and it kind of all came to a head with this delicious feast”. She knew she had just rambled out a sentence, stumbling over words and stuttering and smiling awkwardly at him.

He smiled at her and somehow, over pork and wine, they fell into a conversation that was comfortable and kind.

When the dessert appeared on the table, many of the stuffed first year’s eyes went wide as they searched over the mountains of fruit, jelly, ice cream and chocolate that had just materialised in front of them.

Hermione immediately filled her bowl with chocolate covered strawberries and drew up the courage to ask Snape the question that had been on her mind all week.

“Headmaster, may I ask you a personal question?” she said meekly, fiddling with the stalks on her strawberries as Snape filled a bowl with apple pie and ice-cream.

“Provided it has nothing to do with where to find me next time you over indulge on alcohol of course.” He smiled at her, a wolfish grin that showed mischief and humour behind his eyes. Hermione turned bright red and tried to ignore the statement.

“You’re bearable now. Why?” she said, following his cue and smiling warmly at him.

“Ah, you like many others wish to know why I no longer act like a great bat and wash my hair?” he said to her, taking a bite of his pie and smiling at her. She nodded her mouth full of delightful strawberry and chocolate.

“Well its quite simple really, I was never that much of an asshole until I had to be a double agent, and you have only ever known me as such. I’m not a nice guy don’t get me wrong, but with equals, especially intellectual ones, I’m bearable I guess” he said, wiping the sides of his mouth to remove a stray ice-cream stain

She almost smiled at him then, knowing that he was capable of human emotion. And she realised that he was right, she had only known him with a great weight on his shoulders and his actions and reactions during that time couldn’t be judged on his actions. And as had now become painfully obvious, he was a snarky man with a sharp and dry sense of humour, and while he was still a very strict teacher, his personal relationships seemed to have lightened considerably.

They finished their dinner in an amicable silence and she led her new first year Ravenclaws to their common room, gave a quick but concise speech about how she was looking forward to working with them and hoped they would make her proud. The portrait of Flitwick smiled and winked encouragingly at her.

Hermione sank into her bed, relieved and full. Tomorrow was her first class and as she drifted into sleep, she smiled, excitement invading her sleep.


…


It had not been a good start, her hair refused to tame itself and as she rushed from breakfast to her first class, a few strands of hair threatened to explode and destroy her rather businesslike bun.
Her first class was Gryffindor and Slytherins. They were first years and she took some comfort in knowing that it was their first class as well. She got to her podium where she would begin to teach, promptly tripped over and bashed her knee on the stairs. The class erupted in laughter and she joined them with a nervous chuckle and smile. When she composed herself and stood up she instantly saw three hands in the air.
“Yes Mr…?”
“Brady Ma’am is it true you know Harry Potter?” he said with an excited and eager smile on his face.
“Yes Mr Brady it is, any more questions?”

For the next 5 minutes she fielded questions about her affiliations with the infamous Harry Potter, and the talented Chudley Cannons player Ronald Weasley.

After finally settling her class down, and realising that she was now a celebrity by association she began to teach. She found that after about 20 minutes she fell into an easy flow of teaching where her voice managed to quiet them when necessary but also gave them no fear, they simply respected her instantly.
Her next class was not as easy, 5th year Huffelpuff and Slytherin. They showed her less respect, talking and not paying attention to her instructions. For the last half an hour her patience wore thin, these students cared very little about charms and seemed to care more about their personal lives and pissing her off.
She lost her temper with ten minutes left in the lesson, setting them more homework than was necessary and taking her first round of house points. She set a detention when a charmed aeroplane attacked her business like bun and destroyed it.

She stood in her now empty classroom, breathing heavily and trying to calm herself. She thankfully had a free period and as she started cleaning and straightening the room she released her anger by muttering under her breath

“No respect for authority…don’t give a shit….fucking dunderheads” she muttered as she charmed the chairs to straighten themselves and cleaned off her podium with a defiant sweep of her hand.

“Dunderheads Professor Granger? I’m flattered.” The voice smoothed her anger and she whipped around, embarrassed at being caught flustered by her boss.

“well….they are” she answered lamely, offering him a weak smile, before lazily continuing to charm the parchments back onto her desk and turning away from him.

“I thought I would come and make sure you’re still alive after your first few classes, how were they?” he asked, entering her classroom and seating himself on top of a table near the back of the room.
She mirrored his actions seating herself on a chair closer to the front and faced him.

“Well, according almost all of the first years, im a celebrity by association, knowing Harry and Ron and according to my fifth years, I’m background noise” she said, waving her hands flippantly, trying to mask her disappointment in not having instant respect from the fifth years.

“Give them a week to settle. It always happens with change, especially considering the start of the year, there’s a lot for them to catch up on Professor” he said to her, his animated smirk twitching at her.

He got up and left and as he reached the door frame he turned to her and said, “come to my office at 9pm, I’ll have a proper conversation with you about this” there was no question in his voice, and she knew it was not a request. She nodded at his retreating frame and heard the familiar sound of an angry Snape taking house points for using spells in the hallway and assigning detentions to the offending students. She smiled at the familiarity of his barking voice.

She ate her dinner in silence, allowing the food and wine to relax her, the Headmaster wasn’t there, she was informed he was already busy with paperwork and would most likely miss meals for the next few days.

Hermione felt a pang of nervousness as 9pm approached. She felt as though she was waiting for detention, nervous about how much trouble she was in.

As she ascended the stairs to his office her stomach started doing back flips.

She knocked gently on the door, and his voice, smooth and silky caused her stomach to clench.

She pushed open the door, nervous and unknowing, and waited for his instruction…



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A/N: dont destroy me for the cliffhanger i had to do it!! but don't worry, next chapter contains flirtation and intrigue, i promise.

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