Professor

{12}

{12~Figuring it Out}

"May I borrow Jacob Meren, please?" Hermione peaked into Carthenius' classroom that following Monday afternoon. She had a small Erin Harper at her side, and Hermione felt no guilt in the girl from her potions class. The seventh-years were in the middle of what was probably a thrilling DADA class, but she held no regards for that class either.

"You may," Carthenius replied and got right back into his lesson the moment Meren stood from his seat.

When the boy had shimmied through the doorway and found his Transfiguration professor in front of him, he looked quizzically at both witches.

"What is it, Professor Granger?"

"I've found you a seeker, Meren."

The boy's eyes lit up, and Hermione was reminded heavily of Harry. Quidditch was always the relief of Harry's stress, it was the twinkle in the dark days of that wizard's life. Now, well, now Quidditch was the main event since his wife was on a professional team.

"I'll have to test her out, but she's small and looks fast. She could work professor!" He exclaimed happily and looked at Hermione with a grin. She couldn't help but smile at him, too, the thought of helping her old team making her want to do so more than smile. Although, she wasn't too sure how this would go over with her new wizard... but that was a matter for a later date.

Letting them discuss Quidditch, she told them to return to their designated places when done with their conversation, letting herself away from the two.

"Did she make it?"

Hermione was passing a corner when the small voice of Theo popped up. Coincidentally, the best friend of Erin Harper.

"Don't you have a class to be in, Mr. Arden?" The witch asked. She'd placed a hand on her hip, and by Merlin, she felt like McGonagall more and more every day.

"We share the same class..." Arden seemed confused by the witch, yet Hermione simply shrugged and walked away, her most necessary needs for the day: complete.

Besides dinner, of course.

Her feet landed her in her office after that. Everything was precisely placed about the perimeter, all nearly straightened and even a few things magically doing themselves.

In that moment, all of her thoughts gathered in on her, an utterly overwhelming amount if she could have measured. The past happenings, the positive things she had done. Hermione was baffled, but a small smile tugged on her lips. A successful career lie in her hands, a wizard who she'd fancied for years, people around her who loved her and were loved... it all seemed surreal. Plopping into her chair, one that sat more like a throne, Hermione swung her legs over the arm rest and leaned back, giggling like the young woman she felt like she was. It was rare when she could just let go of her feelings, of her most precious thoughts and fallacies. There were days she couldn't forget. That day, however, was completely thought free, like knowing you'd completed a puzzle and just placed the last piece into it's bearings.

A knock to her door sent her bolting up, however, scared off wit's end.

"Hermione?" That soothing voice cooled her, but her heart began to race immensely nonetheless.

"Severus."

"Are you alright?" He asked hesitantly, stepping in through the threshold of the carpeted office, the password of no means to him.

Hermione pushed an imaginary piece of hair behind her ear and then realized it wasn't down as usual, so she blushed and placed her hands in her lap. "I'm wonderful."