Chapter 1
“Professor, you cannot be serious!?”
“I assure you Miss Granger I am perfectly serious. Your first lesson will begin promptly after dinner this evening and I expect to hear you are putting as much effort into this class as all of your others”.
“But..but..”
Striding forward and placing a hand upon her shoulder she looked down with a frustrating mixture of motherly love and exasperation which would have caused another outburst from Hermione had she not wished to completely ruin her reputation.
“Miss Granger, please take what I am about to say in the spirit it was intended”.
Eyes narrowing to ensure compliance Professor McGonagall continued “Your gender has been noted as that of a book worm my dear, not a lady, not a young woman, not even a student.. you are known to many as the walking encyclopaedia or “the brain” and I and apparently the lovely Mr Krum appear to be the only ones who have recognised that this is in fact, not the case.
You will be representing Hogwarts my dear but more importantly you will be representing yourself”.
Closing her eyes, appreciating the silence provided Professor McGonagall heaved an annoyed sigh and then quietly spoke once more “you are a muggleborn Miss Granger and with that comes an outdated stereotype which I wish for you to break because I know that you can and will change the world one day. This will be a journey and this journey begins with the Yule Ball.”
“Oh”.
Hermione stood, mouth agape attempting to absorb the words of her mentor.
“Do you understand what I am saying to you my dear?”
Overwhelmed Hermione stuttered out a brief “yes” before returning to her contemplation of this revelation.
“There’s a good Lass” she said slapping a hand on Hermione’s shoulder before striding towards the door “Severus is a cracking dancer Miss Granger, you may even enjoy yourself”.
…..
“Minerva, you cannot be serious!?”
“Oh come now Severus, you know as well as I that a girl with two left feet cannot become minister of magic! She needs training”.
“Of which I am providing within the realms of potion making you interfering shrew”.
“Yes, yes but that’s not going to do her any good now is it? Miss Granger is attending the Yule Ball with young Mr Kru-”
“Young?! He’s 3 years her senior!”
“Why Severus, I didn’t know you cared… you never made a mention of this when Martin and I were married? What of my virtue with my pensioner husband 15 years my senior?”
“Minerva that is completely different and you know it”.
Sitting slowly in the opposite chair and staring across the desk at one of her dearest friends she retorted “No, Severus, it is not. Miss Granger is perfectly capable of taking care of herself with a pleasant and quiet 18 year old boy.
She is not however, capable of withstanding the wizarding world’s scrunity when her idealistic views, blood status and gender is questioned at every turn! I came to you for 3 reasons and 3 reasons only; I trust you above all others, you make John Travolta look like a deer on ice and you genuinely believe that blood status is utter bullshit. SO, does after dinner work for your first lesson?