Loving Lupin

Now that you've finished stirring your potion, you may carefully pour it into the green bottles on your left," said Snape's slimy, dangerous voice.

Harry rolled his eyes at Hermione, who rolled her eyes back. It was just another regular class in Potions, and Snape was being just as vindictive as usual. They had been slaving over a very complex Aging Potion, and even though Hermione, Harry, and Ron had finished theirs to perfection, Snape had given them extremely low marks.

"Your Aging Potion is now yours to keep," continued Snape. "Use it wisely. Class is dismissed."

Harry groaned, and Ron followed.

"What do you say we rally all the Gryffindors to make Snape ninety years old?" joked Ron.

"Sounds good to me," laughed Harry.

"Did you take it, Ron?" said Hermione sharply. "I didn't take it."

"I took it," announced Harry, holding up a small green bottle. "I knew you'd both forget it."

Hermione gave him a haughty look and began to sift through her backpack.

"What're you looking for?" asked Ron.

"Our schedule," replied Hermione. "I think we have lunch now. Ah... We do!" She smiled and shoved her schedule back in her pack.

"Good," said Harry, relieved. "I'm starving."

On their way to the Great Hall, they bumped into Professor Lupin, who was looking particularly harassed about something.

"Hi, Professor," said Harry, his smile wilting as he saw the expression on Lupin's face.

"Oh... Hello, Harry, Hermione, Ron," he said softly, a grin spreading across his face. "How is the young trio today?"

"We just came from Potions," said Hermione, a touch of sarcasm in her voice. "It was a lot of fun."

"I would think so," replied Lupin, playing along. "If you'll excuse me, I have about three weeks of work to do in three hours..." He smiled and departed.

"It's nice he came back here to work, isn't it?" said Ron cheerfully.

"Yes, it is," replied Hermione. "I'm glad Dumbledore let him back on."

"I think everyone is," commented Harry thoughtfully, "except for the Slytherins."

"Oh, well, you know the Slytherins." Hermione, Ron, and Harry strolled into the Great Hall, where most of Gryffindor was already seated.

"Hermione, can I talk to you quickly?" said Ginny as they sat down, her face flushed.

"Sure... What's wrong?" Hermione scanned her friend's face for an answer.

"Outside, please," she mumbled.

"Be right back," Hermione said to the mystified boys.

"Wonder what that was all about," said Ron, shaking his head.

"Who knows." Harry suddenly looked up, as if remembering something for the first time. "Oh my gosh, did I remember my Spells book?"

"I dunno," said Ron, swallowing a mouthful of food. "Check in your pack."

Harry began to ravage through his backpack, searching for his book. After a while, he pulled out a book with the name Intermediate Spells Grade 4.

"Phew," he breathed. "I thought I'd lost it." He shoved it back into his pack, and as he did, a little bottle came rolling out.

"That's the Aging Potion!" exclaimed Ron. "Watch it!"

But it was too late. The bottle had cracked; it began to leak all over Hermione's plate of food.

"Argh!" Harry picked up the shards of glass and wrapped them in a napkin. "Remind Hermione not to eat that."

Ron nodded.

There was suddenly a loud explosion near the entrance hall. A long, high-pitched scream erupted from it-- a scream that could only belong to Neville. Harry and Ron gave each other one quick glance, and then were out of their seats quicker than Hedwig.

"Neville, are you all right?" asked Harry, kneeling next to him. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were laughing hysterically a few feet away.

"I'm... okay," he said shakily. "They threw wizard crackers at me..." He buried his face in his hands.

"MALFOY! CRABBE! GOYLE! In my office IMMEDIATELY!" roared Professor McGonagall, arriving at the scene. "Are you all right, Mr. Longbottom?"

"Fine, Professor," sniffed Neville.

"Escort him back to the Gryffindor table, if you would," snapped Professor McGonagall at Harry and Ron. "And as for you three--"

"C'mon," muttered Harry, tugging on Neville's arm.

As they walked back into the Great Hall, they noticed that Hermione and Ginny had returned. Suddenly, Ron grabbed Harry's arm and whispered, "Hermione's eating the food with the Aging Potion on it! If she eats any more, she'll be an old lady!"

Harry gave a frantic yell and sprinted over to Hermione, knocking over chairs and people in the process. He then swung his arm and swept the plate of food onto the floor.

"Harry, what's gotten into you?" she snapped, standing up. "Have you--" She stopped. Her skin felt like it had begun bubbling, just like it had when she'd taken the Polyjuice Potion. In a matter of seconds, she had aged almost sixteen years.

"H-Hermione!" sputtered Ron.

"What?" snapped Hermione, looking irritated. "Why is everyone looking at me as if I've grown two heads?"

Hermione picked up her goblet angrily and put it to her lips. As she was putting it down, she saw her reflection on the cup. Her eyes widened to twice their normal size and she almost screamed.

"What happened?" she exclaimed, her hands running over her hair and face. "WHAT HAPPENED?!"

"The Aging Potion spilled on your food," said Harry in a small voice. "We meant to tell you, but we had to go get Neville and--"

"YOU MEANT TO TELL ME?!" shrieked Hermione. "WHEN?! AFTER IT'S TOO LATE?!"

"Hermione, everyone's looking," mumbled Neville.

Hermione's face crumpled into tears. Giving a sob, she fled from the Great Hall.

"What's happened to me?" exclaimed Hermione back in her dormitory, running her hands over her face. Despite looking slightly worn, she was quite beautiful as a woman, very shapely and mature. She stared at her reflection in disbelief. "I just don't get it..."

Shrugging to herself, she decided she'd might as well get herself down to the Hospital Wing and reverse the potion. She couldn't stay a woman forever, after all...

As she was walking down the corridor, she peeked into Professor Lupin's classroom. He seemed to be asleep in a pile of papers on his desk. He must be awfully worn out, thought Hermione tenderly. Poor Professor Lupin.

As she was gazing at him, he seemed to have sensed someone staring. His head perked up and he blinked several times. Finally, his eyes rested on Hermione.

"Oh!" gasped Hermione, realizing he'd discovered her. She turned sharply on her heel to leave, but Lupin's voice followed her.

"Miss! Miss!"

"Yes, Professor Lupin?" she said edgily, stepping back into the classroom.

"Who are you?" he asked wearily. "What are you doing outside my classroom?"

"It's me!" she exclaimed. "Can't you tell?"

"Who?"

"Hermione!"

"No!" Professor Lupin's eyes bulged. "What... Oh, my!"

"Someone slipped an Aging Potion on my food," she explained grumpily. "So I'm just off to get myself fixed up in the Hospital Wing."

"Aren't you curious, though?" asked Lupin with a wry smile.

"Curious about what?" snapped Hermione with more vigor than she meant to.

"Curious about what it's like to be my age." He smiled again and took out a quill, beginning to scratch it across the papers.

"No," said Hermione slowly. "I never was."

"Not to encourage you, of course," he chuckled, becoming absorbed in his papers, "but when I was your age-- I mean before the Aging Potion--, I would've hung onto the advantage for as long as I could."

Hermione found herself smiling suddenly. "What are you suggesting?"

"Nothing," replied Lupin seriously. "You ought to off to the Hosptial Wing, Miss Granger."

Hermione could have sworn Lupin had winked.

As Hermione left Professor Lupin's office, she thought long and hard about what he'd said. He'd told her that he would have taken advantage of her sudden aging, that he would have had a little more fun... Should she? Should she mess around with this? Hermione frowned. No. Aging Potions SHOULDN'T be messed around with. But she couldn't help it. Being an adult-- a full grown adult with complete rights to bossing people around, or just not allowing themselves to be bossed around-- was a real advantage.

So what did she do with this?

Go back to Professor Lupin's, that's what I should do, thought Hermione, smiling slightly. He'll help me decide. As she turned around to go back to Lupin's, however, she bumped into the forbidden Professor Snape.

"Miss!" he gasped, his hand fluttering to his neck. "You startled me." His eyes narrowed, and he added, "Who ARE you?"

"I'm--" She was about to say Hermione, but then she'd give her precious secret away. "I'm Jeanie. Jeanie James."

"I understand," continued Snape, "but who-- WHAT are you doing here?" Hermione couldn't help but notice that his eyes were bulging slightly, and they kept travelling up and down her robes.

"I'm a-- a sort of tutor," Hermione blurted out. "I help.. uh.. students who are having trouble. A kind of assistant professor." She smiled brightly, showing her magically perfect teeth, and hoped that her alibi was good enough to impress Professor Snape.

"I see..." murmured Snape thoughtfully. "They hadn't told me they were hiring someone like you... And they hadn't told me they were hiring any younger professors..."

Hermione giggled suddenly. Snape was blushing! "Well, yes, I guess they did."

"Would you like to have a cup of tea in my office, Miss James?" he asked politely, falling into a short bow. "I can assume that it's Miss."

"It is," laughed Hermione. "And I'd love some tea." Did I just say that? thought Hermione. If I didn't know any better, I would say that I'm FLIRTING with Professor Snape! Ugh. I don't even want to think of that!

"Let us go, then," smiled Snape, his sallow skin seeming to brighten as he took her thin arm in his.

Imagine Harry and Ron seeing this, thought Hermione, choking back gleeful laughter. Snape and I, arm in arm!

"So, Miss James, tell me... Did you enjoy your time at Hogwarts?" Snape leaned back in his chair and sipped his tea nonchalantly.

Hermione stifled another giggle and sipped her tea as well. She and Snape had been sitting at a small, wooden table for about twenty minutes already, just making small talk. "Yes, I did. The teachers were so kind to me. I really enjoyed it."

"Funny, I don't remember you," murmured Snape thoughtfully. "And I think I would have remembered you," he added slyly.

"I was in Hufflepuff, and very quiet," said Hermione quickly. She didn't want to blow her cover. "I had glasses then, too."

"I see," he responded, a slight hint of sarcasm in his voice. Snape had always looked down on Hufflepuffs.

They were both silent for a moment. Snape then leaned across the table and said, "I hope you won't think me forward."

"What could possibly make me think that?" purred Hermione. She really could put an act on!

"It's just that... I'm finding you very attractive." His breath was released in one big whoosh. "I must sound like some sort of idiot."

"Oh, no, you don't," responded Hermione kindly. "You're quite an attractive man yourself." She almost choked on the words. "But I think it would inappropriate to start a relationship at the workplace, don't you?"

Snape paused for a moment, disappointment flitting across his face. "Yes. You're right, of course."

"Perhaps I'd better get going," she said, standing up.

"Goodbye, Miss James," he said, leading her to the door. "It's been a pleasure."

"Likewise," said Hermione.

She managed to get outside into the hall before bursting into laughter. Imagine, Snape, in love! As Hermione was walking back from Professor Snape's, she bumped into Harry and Ron, who were both looking furious.

"Where have you been?" yelled Ron, his arms swinging angrily. "We've been looking all over for you!"

"Honestly, Hermione, where did you?" said Harry, sounding grave.

"I just had a cup of tea in Professor Snape's office," said Hermione lightly.

"You WHAT?" repeated Ron in disbelief.

"You heard me," laughed Hermione. "He's quite a nice fellow, when he doesn't know you're actually Hermione Granger in disguise."

"He didn't recognise you?" asked Harry.

"Nope," replied Hermione, laughing again.

Ron chuckled to himself, seeming to forget his anger. "You sound like you had a good time."

"Yes, he's very pleasant," said Hermione dreamily. "Well, what do you two want?" she added suddenly, putting her hands on her broad, shapely hips.

"Aren't you going to get something to put you back?" said Ron.

"No," replied Hermione, smiling. "I'm going to stay just like this!"

"You can't!" exclaimed Harry. "Why would you want to be so old?"

"Oh, I'm just going to stay old for a little bit, silly," explained Hermione in giggly voice. "Just to see what it's like."

Harry shook his head in amazement. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but you've really gone nuts."

"So how long are you planning to stay like this, Hermione?" asked Professor Lupin, leaning back in his chair.

Hermione and Lupin had been talking for almost two hours now. After she'd bumped into Harry and Ron, she stuck to her original plan and went back to visit Lupin. Despite being very kind to her, he seemed to want her to change back. Perhaps he didn't think running around older than you were was such a good idea after all.

"I don't know," replied Hermione, smiling. "I really don't. I mean, I've had fun, but someone's going to notice me missing eventually."

He nodded. "What have you been doing as an older woman?" he asked, his voice slightly teasing.

"I had a cup of tea with Professor Snape," said Hermione airily. "How enjoyable it was! He even mentioned that he found me-- attractive!" She burst into wild laughter.

Lupin began to laugh as well, harder than Hermione had ever heard him laugh. "So, the old guy does like girls. I'd given up any hope for him. He's quite right, you know," he added slyly.

"Right about what?" questioned Hermione, her brow furrowing.

"Your... attractivness." Lupin's eyes turned downward. "I shouldn't be saying such things to a student, but as you're a bit older than a student..."

"Oh," laughed Hermione, flustered. How did one respond to a remark like that?

"I'm sorry," said Lupin suddenly.

"For what?" asked Hermione, perplexed.

"I'm sorry for saying something like that. It was completely inappropriate, seeing that I'm your professor." He smiled weakly and apologetically.

"Oh, it's okay," whispered Hermione. "If you'd like to know the truth... it was kind of nice hearing it from you. You're my favorite teacher."

"Thank you, Hermione." He shuffled some papers on his desk. "I think you ought to be getting back to your common room; it's getting late."

"It's only 5 o'clock," murmured Hermione.

"Please, Miss Granger." Lupin looked abashed. "I have much work to do."

"All right, Professor," said Hermione, standing up and nodding. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye, Hermione," he whispered as she left.

Back in his office, Professor Lupin was struggling with himself. Seeing Hermione all grown up had startled him. When she was only a girl of about fifteen, he could deny his admiration for her. But when she was a full-blossomed woman, it was hard to repress feelings for her.

He sighed and stood by a window in his office. He had always loved Hermione. She was a student that came by once in a lifetime: dedicated, hardworking, and genuinely interested in doing well. Even though he'd cared for her, he'd never had romantic feelings for the bushy-haired girl. Never until tonight.

What can I do? he thought. It's not like we can ever be together. It would never work. Professor Lupin stepped away from the window and sat down at his desk again. He would dedicate himself to his work and nothing else. Taking a chance on Hermione was the last thing he needed right now.