The Herbology Assistant

Chapter Fifty Three

"H- How did you get them to sell out? I haven't been able to get anyone to buy from me!" Hermione stormed into her classroom the following morning.

"Oh Merlin's beard Miss Granger. You need to wear a bell. You scared the crap out of me!" Clarice jumped and spun around quickly. 

"Forgive me Professor... But how?" She asked.

"I just explained why it was important to us as a school to be kinder to them is all. I had a very nice discussion with Mr. Malfoy about it. But forget I said that." She sat at her desk after getting Elio situated in his pen.

"You spoke to Draco Malfoy about SPEW? Are you mad? Uh sorry. Sometimes I forget you're my teacher and not a friend." She mumbled that last part. Luckily Clarice only laughed.

"It's alright. What matters is that he bought a badge. I reckon that's why the Slytherin class is wearing them." She said.

"Perhaps that's why he didn't make fun of me in the halls today." Hermione said.

"Perhaps. Now are you hanging out with me all day or are you going to your first class?" Clarice hinted that first period was about to start.

"Is that an offer?" Hermione asked.

"I truly wish you could, but we both know you can't." Clarice chuckled.

"Very well. See you later!"

"Bye now."

Clarice's day was quite boring to put it simply. Her and Elio were heading back to her quarters when she bumped into Alastar.

"Evening," He grumbled.

"Alastar?" He turned to her slowly.

"Would you want to have a drink one night? I feel slightly bad that we haven't gotten to know one another very well." She offered while holding her son who kept looking at the man with a funny face.

"I suppose so. Shall we say tomorrow night?" He questioned and when Clarice confirmed, he nodded and continued in the direction he was heading.

"Bad man." Elio said while pointing down the corridor.

"No, not a bad man. Professor Moody." She corrected.

"Bad man."

"He only looks scary darling, he's not bad." She tried telling him.

"Bad man!" He yelled.

"Okay okay," She gave in when she noticed the paintings on the wall begin to shake. She quickly took him back to their room, but was slightly disappointed when she realized Severus wasn't back yet.

Unsure if he wanted to attend dinner in the great hall, she began making dinner herself in the tiny kitchen she was allowed.

"What's that you're cooking?" She heard a familiar voice enter in and turned to see her loving fiancé picking Elio up.

"I've really been craving spaghetti so..." She trailed off as Severus stood over her shoulder, inhaling the sauce simmering in the pot.

"Smells delicious." He said.

"I invited Alastar over for drinks tomorrow night. Your call if you wanna be here or not." She said in between bites and then sipping her wine.

"Why would you do that?" Severus asked. "He's so suspicious around me. I really dont want him in here."

"Well I suppose it's a bit late for that now. I felt bad since I spend time equally with all of the professors except him." She spoke.

"That's not true. You spend way too much time with that Potions Master than anyone else." He sarcastically rolled his eyes.