Runaway
Chapter 8-Jobs
By KZerina
It turned out that the commotion outside the classroom had been the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher having a fit about the students' pranks and the poltergeist that haunted the castle. She had just gone to Professor Dumbledore and quit because she couldn't take it anymore, and it wasn't even half way through the year. Now Defense Against the Dark Arts was in the same boat as Arithmancy, only the teacher wasn't coming back.
Dumbledore announced to the school the next day that all Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were cancelled until further notice. At that time, the headmaster did not give the reason, and rumors, as they always do, flew like the Thestrals over the Dark Forest. A few of the rumors were close and one was right from the pranksters themselves.
That day he also announced Hermione as the fill-in Arithmancy teacher, and that all Arithmancy classes were back on. A groan came from the students who took the class, but it turned out that most of the students enjoyed the class that Hermione held that day.
Later in the week, Dumbledore held a faculty meeting which Hermione, now, had to attend since she was part of the Hogwarts staff. This meeting was about the Defense Against the Dark Arts position.
"Where are you off to, 'Mi?" Harry asked as she packed a few things for the meeting.
"To a staff meeting about the Defense position. I don't know what he wants to say about it though."
Harry raised his eyebrows and nodded. "Well," he said standing up and walking over to her. "Have a good time there then."
"Thank you," she replied hugging and kissing him before she left.
Hermione was one of the first teachers to arrive at the meeting, being the punctual person she always was. She arrived even before the headmaster. As soon as all the teachers got to the room, Professor Dumbledore strolled casually through the door and sat at the head of the table.
"Good evening everyone. Thank you all for attending on such short notice. As my note explained, I held this meeting to discuss the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts," he stated informatively. "I have made up a schedule of substitutes for the next week and beyond. It will remain that way until I am able to find a suitable replacement for Susan."
Heads nodded, except for Snape's. He instead seemed slightly disgusted, but spoke up. "Sir, if I may." The headmaster nodded. "By this time, most of you have met a certain Andrew Coleman who came among us earlier this week." More heads nodded. "I believe, as much as I dislike him, that he would do an exquisite job as a Defense teacher. I have spoken with him on several occasions and have heard that he has an extensive bit of knowledge on the subject."
Hermione looked at Snape surprised that he was suggesting Harry, a man for whom he had a great loathing, for the job that he coveted beyond all others. This seemed to be a consensus around the faces who knew of Harry's true identity, and even those who didn't, but knew of Snape's lust for the position.
Dumbledore nodded. "An excellent suggestion, Severus. I believe you are correct in your deductions, though I don't know how willing he would be to accept the position, having gotten to know his personality a bit better." He turned to Hermione. "Hermione, would you please deliver the message that I should like to see Mr. Coleman?"
"Yes, sir," she responded, a little apprehensive of what Harry would think.
"Thank you. Now unless anyone has any matters to attend to," he paused to allow for comments though none were heard. "Very well, you are dismissed."
With those words, the shuffling of papers and scooting of chairs signaled the end of the meeting, and Hermione stood and went to Harry's room. His door was open and inside he was lying prone on the bed reading a book. He seemed to be concentrating pretty hard on it, so she decided to surprise him with her arrival. She silently set her papers down on the desk by the door and stalked over to his side like a cat, pouncing on to his back when she reached him. Harry didn't flinch or even look up from the pages.
"Hello, 'Mi," he said still looking at the book. "How was the meeting?"
"It was about the new Defense position," she replied, nonchalantly. "Surprisingly enough, Snape gave the suggestion of the next one with as much as he covets that position."
"Really? He didn't ask for it?"
"Nope. Oh, and Professor Dumbledore would like to speak with you."
"Now?"
"I guess. He didn't specify a time to have you go to him, though I suggest going to his office to meet him."
Harry nodded and closed his book, setting it on the bedside table before sitting up and stretching. He put on a black wizards' robe and headed toward the door, but Hermione stepped in his way such that he almost knocked her over. "Yes?"
"You didn't think I'd let you leave without a kiss did you?"
He smiled lovingly. "Of course not." He leaned down and kissed her lips as softly as a cloud. Then he swept off to Dumbledore's office for his interview with the headmaster.
Now she was alone, so she decided to look over the lesson plan for Monday to make sure she was ready. Her students were in general well-behaved, though there were a few troublemakers. As of a weeks worth of classes, teaching wasn't all that bad. She sat down at Harry's desk and started making notes for the lecture part of her classes on Monday.
Soon enough Harry returned, his face very contemplative and distant. The proposal to him, knowing Harry, wasn't something he'd just take lightly. She knew he'd be able to do it since he'd taught students older than he was when he was fifteen in "Dumbledore's Army." It was more a matter of whether he wanted to teach or not. This was on a larger scale and it took up more time than DA did.
Harry sat on the edge of the bed and stared blankly at the wall. Hermione stood from her chair and sat next to him, enveloping his shoulders in a hug.
"So, Snape suggested me, huh?" he asked in a disbelieving tone. "He hates my guts and has always thirsted for this job like a starved blood-sucking demon. What the bloody hell is this world coming to?" He flopped backwards onto the bed.
"I do agree, though. You would be perfect for the job. You know many spells and incantations. You know about magical beasts and what to do to get rid of them. Your knowledge of the Dark Arts, its defense and all that goes with it are extraordinary."
"I know." Harry closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "I understand that, and I understand that's why everyone wants me to take the job." He let that hang a little.
"But?"
"What about my house, the animals, Dobby and Berry?"
"They'll be fine. I'm sure you could always just do it for the rest of the year and then they can find another person for next year if you really don't want to do it."
Harry stared at the ceiling for a while longer before rolling onto his stomach and standing up. "I think I'll sleep on it. It's getting late."
Hermione nodded and stood with him. Harry lifted his book from the table and leaned down to kiss her. "'Night, love," he whispered.
"'Night," she replied and made her way over to her own room.
***
Monday morning at breakfast, Artemis, Harry's eagle owl dropped a letter onto the headmaster's pile of mail. Hermione glanced to her right at Harry who just continued to eat, completely ignoring the fact that the owl had entered. It must have been his reply to the job proposal, but his face was completely expressionless. Hermione couldn't distinguish what the answer would be.
The headmaster read the letter and merely nodded, his face as expressionless as Harry's. You could tell these two men knew each other and taught and learned from each other. Nothing was going to escape their faces. Sometimes that ability of theirs really got on her nerves. Like now. Hermione shook her head at them and returned to her scrambled eggs. She had classes to teach and didn't need to worry about whether Harry was teaching or not.
Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw Harry nod. Then the headmaster stood. Slowly the students hushed as they realized the headmaster was going to speak.
"Thank you, everyone, for your attention. I know you are all eager to return to the consumption of the food on the platters in front of you, but I must briefly distract you from your merriment to deliver to you an important announcement.
"You all must attend your defense lessons today for your new teacher will not tolerate the skipping of your first class with him unless you have a proper note from a proper source, such as a sick note from Madam Pomfrey.
"Please make sure to give him a good reception and don't try anything on him. Trust me. He'll know. Thank you, once again, for your attention. Please return to your marvelous morning meals."
After Dumbledore sat back in his seat, the student chatter rose again, and Harry smiled. He accepted the job. Hermione quietly slipped her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze. Harry turned only his eyes to her and his smile widened a little. He finished the last few bites of his breakfast and squeezed her hand before slipping his away and leaving the Great Hall, probably to prepare for his first classes.
She decided she would let him go for the time being and prepare for the monsters he would be facing for the rest of the year. She chuckled to herself then stood to prepare for her own Arithmancy lessons which started in an hour.
On her way, she met Harry again. "Where are you off to?" she asked him.
"To talk to Dumbledore. He has a few things to tell me before I go set up for class at ten."
"You have a break first hour. That'll help some in your preparation," Hermione smiled; Harry nodded a reply. "Well, I'll let you get going then."
Harry smiled and kissed her cheek before turning down the hallway heading for the headmaster's office. She would see him after his first day of classes. Hopefully the students wouldn't torture him too badly, not that he'd put up with it anyway. With that thought, she gathered here supplies and headed to her classroom.
***
That afternoon after all classes were completed, Hermione went to visit Harry in his room. She knocked, and at first there was no answer. She knocked again in case he hadn't heard her the first time and heard him call that it was unlocked and that she could go in.
Harry was sitting at his desk shuffling through a pile of parchment. Hermione noted that there were quite a few piles elsewhere in the room as well, his bed, the floor, the nightstand, everywhere. "What's all this? So many papers in one day?"
"It's 'getting to know you stuff.'"
Hermione smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek to his. "Are you ready to eat?" Harry nodded and the two went to the Great Hall and took their seats at the High Table.
Ron also came in and ate at that time. He sat on Hermione's other side and glowered across at Harry who merely ignored the gesture. "I want to talk to both of you. Tonight." He said the last word firmly and with a specific emphasis. His tone was annoyed and stubborn, just like his attitude.
The rest of the meal was silent between the three of them and so was the walk back to Hermione's room, which had become the talking room. Harry leaned on the desk, watching Ron through the blonde locks that fell over his eyes; Hermione sat on the foot of the bed, patiently and Ron stood in the middle of an empty place in the room with a glare on his face.
"Hermione, I need you to tell me what is up with this new relationship. You said when you left that you wouldn't come back until you found Harry, and this guy doesn't look like him," Ron ranted, almost in one breath. "You broke of our engagement to go find Harry, and I would have been okay had you actually brought him back. I would have been more than happy to let him have you."
Hermione glanced over at Harry. His face showed no hint of a reaction to Ron's statement about the engagement. That could be a good or bad sign coming from him, but he wouldn't release that until Ron left, maybe not even then.
Ron's statement was directed at Hermione so she replied, "Ron, I don't know what planet you're living on right now, but I suggest you return to Earth and figure out what is going on before you go around accusing people, and last I checked my love life is my choice, not yours."
Ron snorted. "Fine, but you'll have to answer me soon enough." With those words, the red-head stormed out the door with a slam in his wake.
"He can be such an insufferable git sometimes," Hermione muttered to herself.
Harry shifted from his position against the desk, his face as expressionless as ever, and sat next to her on the bed. "When were you going to tell me?"
***
Dun-dun-dun….the moment many people have mentioned didn't happen earlier. Harry now knows of the engagement…. What now? I don't know…wait…yeah I do…I'm the author. Now all I have to do is write it.
I ALSO SEND OUT A BIG APOLOGY TO EVERYONE READING THIS FOR TAKING SO LONG. I took a hiatus from it and i think i can get back into it now. *hears lots of cheering* Hopefully I'll have the next chapter soon, but I can't assure you of that with school and other obligations and such, but hopefully it won't be a pregnancy's length this time.