Keogh

~***~

Hermione had to endure a few days of people fussing over her, forcing her to hide in the library for as much as possible between classes. After a while, however, it did seem to calm down.

Even Snape seemed to recover. He had invited her to join him for tea in h is office and she had accepted. It had been an uncomfortable meeting for the most part, but well mannered. He did agree that she seemed to be holding up rather well now that the incident with Kathryn’s ‘message’ was in the past and, grudgingly, agreed not to pressure Professor McGonagall into taking away her time turner. For now.

She was even becoming used to the cold presence of Kathryn inside her mind, as long as her biological mother kept her thoughts to herself. They managed quite well during classes, and even tolerated one another when Hermione was trying to study. However, the woman did have a tendency to say the most inappropriate things from time to time.

“Shit-Fire-Mother-Fucking-Damn! Hey, Little Boy. Wanna cookie?”

The swearing she was getting used to, but the rest? It didn’t help matters that she had been standing up to scold Oliver Wood for dragging Harry away to practice when he should have been doing his homework. Kathy’s outburst made whatever she was going to say freeze in her throat. The tall boy gave her one of his telltale smirks, knowing he would win the argument as always. “Something you wanted to say, Granger?”

“Oh, bloody hell. He’s a Scot, too. We never had anything that scrumptious when I was in school.”

Her mother, her dead mother, was perving over Oliver Wood. This was just too surreal to be believed. She fell back into her seat while giving some non-committal sound to Wood as he hauled Harry off to practice. “What are you doing?”

“At the moment, thinking that hanging around in the body of a fourteen-year-old girl might have its benefits. Although I am a bit concerned at your lack of interest. You are supposed to be at the age where you giggle and blush anytime something that looks that good flashes so much as a dimple your way. Jacob must be tickled pink by your complete and utter obliviousness to the male gender.”

Hermione crouched down in the sofa more out of reflex than anything else. No one else could hear the conversation inside her head. Thank goodness! “I think that boys are just fine. I just have more important things on my mind at the moment.”

“More important than picturing him in a kilt and shirtless?”

As if on cue just such an image flashed into her mind. She nearly dropped her book out of surprise. The cold snigger inside her mind gave her a good idea of where that had come from. “I think I liked it better when you were silent and cranky.”

“Quit your complaining. There’s no harm in looking. Besides, you need to hurry up and finish your essay. We’ve got training to do.”

“What kind of training?”

“The physical kind. You need to get into shape. I’ve been asking around and the previous headmaster told me there’s apparently a magic room that changes with the needs of the person seeking it. He called it the Room of Requirement. I think it will suit our purposes nicely.”

A magic room that changed to suit the needs of the person seeking it? That sounded interesting. Hermione doubled her efforts and completed her assignments as quickly as she was able. Once through she deposited her books and parchments next to her bed and changed into a simple pair of jeans and t-shirt at Kathy’s insistence.

“Now, Hermione, it’s time you tried speaking to someone besides me. Say ‘hello’ to Armando Dippet.”

She knew the name of course. He’d been listed in ‘Hogwarts: A History’ as Professor Dumbledore’s immediate predecessor. Still, she wasn’t certain about this. “Hello, Sir.”

A cool but sprightly voice answered her with obvious curiosity. “Hello, Miss Granger! It is so very good to be able to speak with you at last!”

She swallowed. “At last, Sir?” She still had not been able to figure out if the chill she felt whenever she spoke to Kathy, and now when she was speaking to Dippet, was real or imaginary. It wasn’t altogether unpleasant, just odd.

“Indeed ‘at last’. We’ve all been buzzing about you, Dear Girl. It is an honor to know that you have come to my fine school. Of course, I knew that you would.”

His happiness felt genuine. Hermione wasn’t aware that she had slowed down in mid-stride as she tried to wrap her mind around it. “An honor? It… it is?”

“Well of course it is! There haven’t been many of your kind born so far, less than half a dozen, and you are the only true witch in the bloodline. If I may say so, it seems far more sensible to have your gifts in a witch than a muggle. In our world you will be better protected, surrounded by others who have the power to assist you, whereas in the muggle world you would practically be alone!”

Kathryn’s voice interrupted. “I was in the muggle world, and I managed just fine. And you forget, we are never alone.”

“True, true. At any rate, I believe you were wanting use of the Room of Requirement, correct?” The former headmaster’s voice guided her through the halls until she reached the seventh floor. “Now, pace before this spot three times, thinking of what it is you need.”

Hermione was at a bit of a loss. “What do I need, exactly?” It was Kathryn’s voice that answered her.

“A place where you can do your physical training. A private gymnasium of sorts.”

She really wasn’t looking forward to this. Still, Hermione did as she was told, walking back and forth three times, concentrating on what the required. A door appeared in the wall and she stopped to study it. Her hand reached out to take hold of the iron handle as she drew a deep breath. Resolved she pulled open the door and stepped inside.

The room was lined with mirrors and a barre. The main floor housed various pieces of fitness equipment that gave the look of a place designed for a combination of acrobatics and serious boxing. It looked nothing at all like the trendy sort of cub her mother frequented. This wasn’t a place to socialize while seeking the perfect figure. This was a place for serious commitment to the physical form.

“It’ll do. Now we need to teach you how to step back from yourself so you can learn more efficiently.”

“Step back from myself?”

She could sense Kathryn’s ‘nod’ “You have the ability to allow the dead to have control of your body. It comes in handy if you’re in a pinch and need to be able to do something you don’t know how to do. You can invite someone who has the knowledge or skill to move into the driver’s seat and do it for you. Once departed, you retain the knowledge for yourself.”

Hermione frowned. “I don’t think I like that idea. What if whomever it is refuses to leave?”

“They cannot keep you, Hermione. It’s not their body, so even if they were able to suppress your mind, which I doubt they could, your body and brain would chuck them out. If the rest of the Great Majority didn’t yank them out first. You are far more protected than you realize.”

“Oh.” She looked around the room, her hands twisting unconsciously behind her back. “So, whom am I supposed to be letting in?”

“Just me at this point. I’ll have to get you into basic physical shape first. After that we’ll connect with ‘specialists’ who will give you some more in depth skills.”

“All right. How do we begin?”

“It’s easy. Close your eyes and relax. Imagine your hold on your body is a lot like your hands holding onto the reigns of a horse’s bridle, then just let go of the reigns.”

Hermione tried to will herself to relax. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, suddenly very acutely conscious of her own mind and self. After a couple of tries she pictured herself as a miniature Hermione Granger standing inside her skull, and then pictured that Hermione taking a couple of steps backwards. A curiously chilled tingle suffused her body. It felt as though there was something cold and squishy wriggling itself inside her head, filling up the ‘space’ she’d left by ‘stepping back’.

Her eyes opened, but she didn’t recall telling them to do so. Hermione watched out of her own eyes as her body walked towards one of the mirrored wall. As she got closer she was surprised to look back at herself. Her chocolate brown eyes were now a yellow-brown in color and seemed very bright. She watched as her body turned one way, then the other, her eyes moving up and down to study the shape of her form and even lifting up her t-shirt at one point to poke at the slight pot-belly she had gained from eating too well over the holidays.

“Quite a bit to be done, I think.” It was her voice, but not her words. Her body stopped turning as her hands moved up to start braiding her mass of hair. Hermione’s face smiled at her, giving a little wink as her fingers wove the busy mass into something that would stay out of the way. “Let’s get started, shall we?”

~***~

When Severus did leave the castle to venture into Hogsmede, it was always when the students were not there. It allowed him some peace and time to be alone with his thoughts without the danger of some young Slytherin knocking at his door to ask a question or report a problem.

The bookseller in the village wasn’t as large or as well stocked as Flourish and Blotts, but they did often get rare tomes no longer in print and could order just about anything he might have need of. He was looking over a newly rebound volume covering the identification and use of night blooming magical plants when the cultured voice of Lucius Malfoy broke into his reverie.

“Escaping the insanity of teaching, Severus?”

“It was either that or lose my temper and murder a student.” He closed the book and turned to face the wizard. “What brings you to Hogsmede?”

“I had some business with the apothecary and thought I would see what I could learn about the rumors from the school. They’re saying that the Dementors attacked the Potter boy during the game last week.”

“Attack may be a harsh word, but they did make their presence known. He lost consciousness and fell from her broom, but the Headmaster saved him.”

“How fortunate.” The words dripped like venom from Lucius’ lips. He picked up a random book and looked it over. “And how is your lovely daughter? I hope she is adjusting to the recent changes in her life. Draco said there was a rumor she had taken ill.”

“The stress of the summer months laid her out with a migraine for a short time, but she has recovered and is back to her incessant studying.” A smirk touched the corner of his mouth. “So she is back to normal.”

Lucius gave a short chuff. “Draco did describe her as a walking encyclopedia. He also told me that he tried to extend a friendly hand to her at start of term and she rebuffed him. Trouble there?”

No trouble other than his daughter was smart enough not to fall for his vain little peacock of a son. “Bear in mind, Lucius, that up until now Draco has not been on the best of terms with Hermione. He even called her a mudblood last year, while in the presence of the Gryffindor quidditch team. I am told that they didn’t take it very well.”

A disgruntled look passed over Malfoy’s regal features. No doubt he was second-guessing how he raised the boy. “You can hardly blame Draco, Severus. After all, until the little revelation at the Ministry no one had any cause to think the girl was anything but a muggleborn.”

“True, but that doesn’t mean that all will be forgiven in an instant. The girl still holds me at arm’s length and we have a blood connection. I doubt that she’ll forgive your son before she fully comes to accept me as her father.”

“So still having trouble in that area?”

Snape gave a disgruntled snarl. “Unfortunately. Like your son I have two years of cruel words and disdainful attitudes to make up for. And the girl in question is unerringly stubborn.”

Lucius smirked. “In other words she is the consummate Gryffindor. My deepest sympathies. I do wish you luck in correcting her thinking.”

Severus didn’t respond to that. He paid for the book and tucked it under his arm. “I was heading over to the pub for a pint. Care to join me?”

“I believe I can linger a bit longer without Cissy hexing me when I return home.” The pair of them left the booksellers and made their way to the Three Broomsticks. Madame Rosmerta fetched a pair of mugs topped with her finest goblin brewed ale and brought it to their table in the corner. Once she had departed, Lucius started in.

“I visited our family vault in Gringotts the other day and found something rather surprising.”

Damn. “Did you?”

“I did. I take it that Kathryn is to thank for the new vault.”

Severus swallowed a mouthful of the stout and nodded. “Apparently she had made quite a fortune for herself in the muggle entertainment industry. Hermione inherited half of everything she had.”

“Only half?”

“The other half was divided up between her staff. I was shocked by the amount as well. I had never considered her to be particularly creative artistically. Her skills usually ran to the more… carnal talents.”

A pale brow arched. “Is that why you kept her around so long? I thought she must have had something to recommend her.”

“I was young and had a young man’s desires. A warm body with a decent amount of skill was all I needed.”

“Yes, well, we were all a bit foolish back then.” The blond wizard turned his mug idly. “An heiress, then. Your daughter just continues to bring fresh surprises into the mix. That bit of news will be of interest to several. I would watch Zabini if I were you. The family fortunes have taken a turn for the worse and it won’t be hard for them to recall that their most powerful weapon in reversing them is that young son of theirs. I’ve met the boy and he is exceedingly charming as well as advanced beyond his age.”

“How so?”

Malfoy smirked. “He’s already capable of seducing witches far older than himself. I caught him hiking up the skirts of Nadia Parkinson in our greenhouse during a get together this summer.”

Severus rolled his eyes. “Takes after his grandfather, does he? That man likely fathered a quarter of our generation in Slytherin house.” Yes, the Zabini men were a particularly lustful lot; never able to keep their trousers fastened once they started moving into puberty. Age rarely mattered as long as the witch was comely and willing, and they were highly skilled at making even the most frigid female willing. “I have always thought that it would be wise to slip a bit of impotence potion into the school food. It would certainly make nightly patrols easier.”

Lucius gave a snort, but it was one of amusement. “Fortunately I have a son rather than a daughter.”

Severus arched a brow. “That doesn’t always matter to a Zabini.” The other wizard suddenly looked slightly ill. “At any rate, I don’t plan on advertising Hermione’s financial situation. I have the honor of being father to the cleverest witch of the age and would rather she keep that title. Dodging unwanted advances would likely cut in to her study time which would not be beneficial to her grades.”

“Going to turn into the overprotective sort?”

“Wouldn’t you?”

Malfoy nodded. “I would. Strange, isn’t it, how daughters bring that out in a man. We expect our sons to stand on their own two feet, but give us a little girl to care for and we turn into fearsome brutes threatening to decapitate anyone who dares to lay a hand on her. I doubt I would ever have the strength to survive it.”

Severus smirked and signaled for two more pints. “Fortunately I have always been the stronger wizard.” His smirk turned into a full on smile as Lucius scowled.

~***~