Struggling Through New Beginnings

Chapter 22

Professor Mills poked her head out of the door and called, “Hermione Granger?” and saved her from having to handle anything just yet.

“Yes, I’m here,” she called out to her assigned Mental Health professor. Then she turned back to her friends, “I’ll see you guys back in the all-house common room in a while, okay?”

They nodded and smiled at her with varying degrees of warmth and she hurried into the solace of the classroom. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding when the door clicked softly shut and the professor turned around to look at her.

She gasped in shock and embarrassment when Professor Mills laughingly mumbled, “Well, someone’s had a busy two days.”

Then she bristled as she realized her teacher was making a reference to her private life. Before she could stop herself she snapped, “Am I being spied on or something?”

Professor Mills shook her head and held her hands up defensively, “No, no. I’m sorry. I do that sometimes. I apologize. I usually control my tongue better than that.”

“So, what exactly did you mean?” Hermione asked, her eyes darting around the room as if looking for a clue as to the woman’s behavior.

“Okay, let’s start over. My name is Peyton Mills, you can call me Peyton, if you’d like. And, I, as you know, am the new Muggle Studies professor. But, I also suffer uncontrollable, very strong, legilimens skills and I often pick up the thoughts of others without meaning to do so. Normally, all the sounds blend in my head, kind of like background noise. Most often, although it takes a fair bit of concentration, I can block it all out, but your and Mr. Malfoy’s thoughts were fairly shouting in my head. Again, I apologize. I wasn’t intentionally eavesdropping, I assure you. And, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

Hermione was quiet for a moment as she absorbed what the relatively young woman said. Then she forced herself to think quite clearly, Yeah, right. I bet you’re as big a fraud as Trelawney!

“I am not!” Peyton answered with a gasp. “That woman is a disgrace to…well that is neither here, nor there. Suffice it to say, I…”

She broke off as she noticed Hermione staring at her with huge eyes and her mouth hanging open. “You’re a mind reader!”

Peyton flushed at the sound of accusation in Hermione’s voice, but nodded, “Yes. I suppose that’s the best word for it. Although, as I said, I don’t do it on purpose.”

“But, that’s…that’s intrusive! And, unethical! And, dangerous! How can they let you teach when…”

“Miss Granger, my disability does not in any way hinder my teaching and was, in fact, very helpful during the war! Nor, does it endanger the lives of any of my students! I don’t go around blabbing what I hear to others, and most people don’t even know of it unless I slip up, as I did with you. Why can’t people ever see past this one stupid thing?! All my life I’ve been judged because of it! I thought you, of all people, would understand what it’s like to be a little different! That is why I asked to be put with you. I can see I was wrong.”

Hermione was shocked at the anger directed at her, but repeated stupidly, “Disability?”

“Well, what would you call it?” Peyton snapped. Then she rounded her desk and grabbed a quill. She leaned over to grab a piece of parchment and began scribbling furiously.

Hermione was sorry she had upset the woman, but still a little shocked to know such a thing existed. “May I ask what you are writing?” she finally asked softly.