Transfiguring the Potion's Master

Chapter 9- The Golden Couple

Hermione hadn't heard from Ron since he came to the great hall and she left him standing in the corridor. Since then, everyone had believed they were now engaged. McGonagall was overjoyed, and Hermione just didn't have the heart to break it to her, McGonagall was so fond of them as a couple, and of course, this was exactly what Ron had wanted.

Hermione ate breakfast in the great hall with everyone else until the papers were delivered to all the students and professors with an outdated photo of Hermione and Ron together after the war.

The paper landed on her breakfast with the photo looking at her, daunting her.

'The golden couple... engaged!' the front title read.

"I can't believe this woman!" Hermione bit with anger "they cropped Harry out of this photo." She tutted tossing it aside. 

The news was the front page of The Daily Prophet a number of days in a row after this, and mainly included made-up text from non-other than Rita skeeter. It was her usual rubbish-nothing based on fact, and all speculation about the wedding date and if it would take place at Hogwarts.

Snape never really showed her any emotion.

"Talking to myself now I see..."

Hermione stood quickly leaving her uneaten breakfast and paper behind.

Snape looked up for the first time at breakfast for a long-time, he was focussing on communicating as little as he could to stop things in their tracks.

He stared blankly at the moving photo on the paper. 

I don't need Hermione Granger as a friend

-----

"My brother is out of order!" Ginny spoke, her words muffled as she bit on a chocolate frog.

Hermione didn't reply, there was nothing to say.

"Even my parents believe it, he hasn't told them."

"You're joking..." Hermione spoke her town low.

Ginny shook her head.

Hermione turned on Ginny's dorm room bed, "You're joking Ginny!?"

Ginny didn't know how to reply, she scrunched her lips and shook her head yet again, giving Hermione a sympathetic look.

Hermione made a loud drawn-out groan.

"It's ridiculous, all the professors talk about it, McGonagall wants me to have the reception here. I even get fifth years coming up to me congratulating me in the halls, and before lessons, one girl even followed me on my walk to Hogsmeade to ask me about it!"

"Maybe you need to get away for a few days." The redhead suggested,

"And go where Ginny? I can't go back to my flat, it's the ministry's now and I certainly can't go back to the burrow. Besides Snape would never allow it." Hermione paused and looked out of the window from Ginny's room, it overlooked the grounds, "I'll just have to wait it out."

"I'm here if you need me, you can always help me with my potions homework to distract you?" her voice raised with hope at the end, smiling at her friend.

"Nice try Gin, but I have enough trouble with my work being Snape's slave let alone re-living and doing his homework again," she shuddered.

Both girls giggled.

-----

Hermione was on her weekly walk around the castle grounds, watching the sunset that got earlier as the nights drew in. She misjudged the time and had less time to watch the sunset. It was almost over. She walked along the edge of the forest thinking about the recent events with Ron and Snape.