Headmaster's Secret

Wednesday

Are you liking this one so far? 

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Severus was up late conversing with Kingsley in his office. Kingsley was insisting that he speak at the ceremony. Severus didn't know what to say or even really want to speak. In the end, Severus agreed to speak, reluctantly. He really didn't have a choice. Kingsley ordered him, in a manor of speaking. So, this morning, he wasn't just tired, he was angry. 

He'd already given detention to seven students for random things. One was for walking to close to him on the way to potions class. The first year started crying and had to be taken to the Hospital Wing. As he entered the classroom, Hermione was already there at the front of class with her book open and a cauldron. Severus was momentarily shocked and at the same time slightly annoyed that she was here already and preparing for class. 

"Hello Professor Snape, how are you doing this morning?" She asked cheerfully. 

He sneered at her and didn't answer. She looked shameful for a second before shaking her head and turning to the class that had started to file in. The second years had obviously been told of Severus' attitude that morning and were very skittish. One blonde girl looked at Severus and started to cry. She sat down in the back of the class, avoiding everyone's eye. 

Hermione watched him sit in his chair and give the meanest sneer that she's seen in years to the second years. She huffed and turned to face the class, trying to be a little cheerful. "Hello, I'm Hermione Granger, you can call me Miss Granger. I'll be teaching you this year. Now, this year we are first going to attempt the pepper up potion. Now its used by Madam Pomfrey and other healers and mediwitches to cure the common cold."

She walked around the room as she spoke, smiling at the students. She waved her wand and the instructions appeared on the board. "Now, when cutting up your roots, make sure they are equal pieces. If you need any help, I will be glad to help." 

Severus watched her control the classroom with cheer and a pep to her step. It was sweet to watch. The way she moved around the tables, speaking to the students in a sweet voice. He felt his anger start to slowly melt away as he watched her help each student. He had to admit, she had grown into a beautiful young woman. 

The class ended on a good note. At least for the students. Hermione thought that they did such a great job on their potions that she didn't assign any homework. It surprised Severus. He would have piled on homework so high they wouldn't have been able to finish before next lesson. It would have been on purpose as well so that he could purposely fail them. He had to admit, he liked failing the students. 

Hermione sighed as she went to sit on the chair beside Severus' desk. Severus glanced at her from where he started working on the speech that Kingsley wanted. She looked tired. "You alright?" He asked, concerned. 

"I woke up extra early to prepare for today. Now I have only one hour before Runes, then Arithmacy, then lunch, then I've got to prepare for the fourth years during lunch. Then after dinner I have whatever homework that's been assigned, write to Kingsley about the ceremony that's before the Halloween feast, and then write to Harry and Ron," she stated. It wasn't in one breath, but Severus felt exhausted just the same. 

He couldn't believe that she was doing that much on the second day of classes. It was like her third year and the time turner all over again. He never wanted her to have that time turner. Not because he didn't trust her, but because he knew it would cause her sever anxiety. He tried to look after her health as well as Potter and Weasley's over the years. It's caused him several months of sleepless nights, but if he was honest with himself, it was worth it. 

Not that he'd ever admit it, but Potter didn't turn out so terrible as Severus thought he would. Weasley, well he was just Weasley, and Hermione was turning out to be so much more of an overachiever than Severus ever thought she was. He cleared his throat and watched Hermione take her lesson plans out and read over the fourth years lessons after lunch. "You did very well controlling the class, Hermione," he stated softly. 

She looked up from her lessons plans at him. "Do you mind if I ask you something?" 

He did mind. He was choosing to be nice to her, but he didn't want to lose his reputation of being a evil Potions Master. He nodded, folding his arms over his lap. "You were angry this morning and sneered at me when I asked how you were. Then just now, you complimented me. Yesterday when we went over the lesson plans in your office after dinner you gave me tea and complimented me again. However when I glanced at you at breakfast you rolled your eyes at me."

He was afraid she'd ask that. "I didn't sleep that much last night. Kinsley sort of bullied me into speaking at the ceremony. So now I have to write a speech and I have no idea what to say. No one would want to hear me speak anyway. I'm a double agent and killed Dumbledore. What am I to say?" He was silent for a moment. He regretted sneering at her. He wanted her last year to be pleasant.

He didn't understand why he wanted her to have a pleasant year. He knew he didn't love her like he did Lily. Perhaps he was feeling guilty for always calling her insufferable know it all and secretly bullying her all these years. Hermione didn't say anything for a while. "I always thought you had a good reason for killing Dumbledore," she muttered awkwardly, fiddling with her quill. 

He looked at her. She had no reason to ever think that he killed Dumbledore for a good reason. He bullied her for years on her intelligence and then his ignorance of her teeth that Malfoy had forced to grow in second year (second or third year? I'm not sure I remember). He felt guilty for the way he treated her, and he had no idea why. 

"Thank you, although I'm not sure I deserve your good thoughts," Severus said. 

Hermione shrugged. "You've been bullied your whole life by your father, James and Sirus, then controlled by Dumbledore and Voldemort -sorry- that you never feel you deserve anything nice in your life." 

Severus raised his eyebrow. "How do you know about my father?" he asked a little too harshly. 

"I did some research on your family in sixth year when Harry had your book. I found out your mother was a pureblood that fell in love with Tobias Snape and moved to Spinners end. I also found out that you have a Mansion not far from Malfoy's that no one has stepped foot in since your mother was a girl, and that your house elf and her children were sent here to Hogwarts to work. You being the last living blood of the Prince line own it, however Gringots have temporary ownership until you go through the paperwork necessary to reclaim it." Severus raised an eyebrow at her. 

"I'm the last living bloodline of Prince?" Severus asked. 

Hermione looked at him sheepishly. "Yes," she said slowly. 

He nodded thoughtfully. "I'll have to go to the bank and try to reclaim it." 

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