After the Fall

After the Fall

A Night Out

Hermione could not get used to her new apartment. She was on the second floor of a three-floor building and the noise and rattling pipes that woke her at all hours were having an effect on her. At Hogwarts, she could always find a quiet place to shut out the world and only see the words on the page. Here, she could not concentrate and often would wake at three in the morning to get through her work.

She had a hard time during her first year. Coming to this world was like learning a new language. She found she heard Muggle professors speak, and then had to translate it to what she knew of the Wizarding world, and then put it back in Muggle terms to form her answer. The courses she thought to finish in two years would take her three.

She had studied Potions and knew the properties of each ingredient, how they reacted to each other, and how to prepare them to brew. Now, she had to learn the elements of each ingredient, and why they reacted as they did. She wanted to apply her Arithmancy but in this world, things were different. She had known this when she started back in school but a part of her had said that it would not be that different, that her past studies would have prepared her for this. She found the university gave her far less freedom of study and far less time to peruse her other interests.

She sighed and sat on the floor, opened her laptop and logged in to the Chemistry department's site. She clicked onto the tab for accounts and entered her User ID and password. Moving the cursor down the list of subjects, she put her left hand over her eyes before she hit Grades.

She clicked and threw her right hand with her left, afraid to look at the screen. This was the last grade she needed before she could apply for a scholarship. She had tried to fill out an application for financial aid only to find she needed to leave too many questions unanswered. She spread out her fingers and opened one eye, peeking at the screen, ready to hide her face again. With a squeal, she jumped up, clapped her hands, ran for her jumper and headed out the door.

Hermione hurried to the coffee shop she had discovered with Bridget, knowing she always stopped in at the end of her shift and hoped to catch her, wanting to share her news with someone. She saw Bridget sitting in a booth with two friends from class, waving to her and beckoning her over. Hermione smiled and almost ran across the room in her hurry to share her news.

"You got your grades!" Bridget smiled and moved over to make room for her. "It's good, I just know it's good."

Hermione nodded and smiled. "I was so worried. You don't know how worried I was."

"You?" Gary said with a smirk. "I should worry more if it gets me your grades."

"Yeah right," Bridget said. "Maybe you should study like Vickie if you want her grades."

"Got ya there." Jerry laughed at his roommate. "Listen, I was just telling Bridget that I have four tickets to a concert in London. Gary and I are going and would like you two to join us. We could call it a celebration of your grades."

"What do you say,Vic?" Bridget nudged Hermione with her elbow. "No class for ten weeks and neither of us have to work tomorrow."

"Umm, I don't know." Hermione worried her lip and looked at her three best friends since coming here. "When do we..."

"Here it comes." Gary rolled his eyes. "Questions, questions, questions. Vickie, have I ever steered you wrong?"

"Now that you mention it, there was that time we were just going to take your sister's car and..."

"Okay, name two. Just give me two times."

"How about the time Professor Hayes said to ..."

"Okay, that's enough." Gary had the good grace to turn pink. "We leave this afternoon about two, the concert should be over by eleven and then I thought we could go clubbing."

"My sister has a walk up in Kensington. She said you two can have the extra bed if we camp out on the floor." Jerry leaned over the table and looked at Hermione. "Come on, you never go out."

"I guess I could." Hermione looked at Bridget, then smiled,and turned back to Jerry. "Sure, why not. It has been ages since I went anywhere."

"Good." Bridget pushed Hermione out of the booth and scrambled out after her. "Meet you back here at two. We need to grab some clothes."

"You look fine, it's jut a concert." Gary grinned at Bridget.

"For the club, you fool. If you think I am going in jeans and a tee you're crazy." She turned to the door, tugging Hermione with her.

Hermione let Bridget drag her along until they were almost back to the apartment building. "Oh Merlin, Bridget, I have nothing to wear! Nothing for a club, I have to find a shop quick."

Bridget giggled and pulled Hermione across the street and around the corner to a small shop tucked in between a butcher and the grocery where Hermione always shopped.

"I have walked right by here and never noticed this," Hermione mused.

"It used to sell home appliances, -you know, stoves and stuff. This shop just opened." She grinned and pulled Hermione inside. "Prices are a little dear, but the clothes are to die for."

They each tried on clothes and giggled at the short skirts and low cut tops. Hermione absolutely refused to wear red and balked at the green. She wanted nothing that reminded her of Hogwarts or house colours. Tonight was for her, and she refused to think of anything else. She finally decided on a knee-length black dress that reached almost to her collarbone in the front, had absolutely no back, and made her feel like blushing just seeing it on the hanger.

They made it to the concert late, Jerry having never driven in London and Gary not knowing how to read a map . Bridget and Hermione sat in the back, refusing to help read the signs, and laughed as they flew by street after street hearing Gary mutter Shite and Jerry's curses. Finally, Hermione gave in, gave him directions to the closest parking lot to the concert, and showed them the way to the hall.

"I grew up not far from here," she explained as the hurried along the pavement.

"I thought you were from Covington?" Bridget said, looking at her oddly.

"We moved," Hermione stammered. "I grew up around here but we moved before my Mum got sick."

Hermione looked at Bridget and smiled, hoping this would fit in with the story she had told her earlier. In order to explain away the fact that she was at least five years older the average beginning student she had made up a story of taking care of a sick mother and a father that travelled for business.

After rushing through the streets, they made it to the concert and ran up the steps to the front door, hearing the music and noise spilling out on to the street. Holding the tickets in his hand ready to surrender them, Gary rushed ahead as the doorman stepped in front of him before he could open the door.

"Sorry, no one goes in after it starts." The big burly man stood with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"We got lost," Bridget said.

"Yeah," Gary added. "There are no parking spaces left around here. We had to walk from eight streets over."

"Listen, I don't care what the reason, late is late. No one admitted after intermission."

Hermione grabbed Bridget's wrist and looked at her watch. "Umm, guys? It is almost ten. I think we missed most of it anyway."

"Okay, listen," Bridget said brightly. "See that pub over there? Vickie and I will get our clothes and change in the loo. You two find a table and order us a drink."

"My sister is waiting for us."

"Call her. Tell her you screwed up and got lost again. Trust me, she expects it." Bridget started walking back to the car to get their clothes, then stopped and turned back. "What am I doing? You two go get our bags, we'll order the drinks."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Hermione laughed and headed across the road to the pub. "After all, I need a drink after your driving."

"Hey, it wasn't that bad."

"If it were good we would be in there seeing the concert," Bridget shot back at him. "You walk, we drink."

Hermione and Bridget found a booth ,still laughing at the way the boys had sulked off. They slid in opposite each other, giggling about the look on Gary and Jerry's faces as they had started to the car muttering about long walks, not enough time, and whose fault it was. Hermione looked over her shoulder and gazed at the others in the pub, feeling the familiar prickle of magic. She looked around quickly, not able to see into the high-backed booths, and worried about the unseen. She had left her wand behind, and cursed herself for doing so.

Their drinks came and Hermione tossed hers back quickly, ordering a second to Bridget's raised eyebrow.

"What?" she said, laughing. "You'll just have to catch up. I haven't had a whiskey in almost...anyway, in too long."

"If they don't make it back with the clothes soon you won't need them, girl." Bridget laughed as Hermione turned red.

"Miss Granger," a familiar voice purred in her ear.

She gasped and turned quickly, her hand automatically reaching for her empty pocket, feeling for a wand that was not there.

"Snape," she hissed.

"Good evening, Miss ..."

"Professor, this is Bridget Conaway, a friend from school." She tried to head off the repeating of her name. "Bridget, you must excuse me for just a minute, the professor here and I are old friends."

She slid out of the booth and took his arm, looking at the front door and knowing the boys would be back at any moment. Turning toward the back of the pub, she saw an exit sign and headed toward it, pulling Snape along behind her.

"Okay, spill," she said once they stood in the alleyway behind the pub. "What are you doing here?"

"I am meeting friends. I thought perhaps you were joining us."

"Us? Us who?"

"It seems I am forced to play host to Mr. Longbottom and his fiancée this evening." He sneered at her. "Minerva's idea, I assure you."

"Neville? Engaged?" She squealed and smiled widely.

"How is it witches share that common reaction? Glee over his impending nuptials is most inappropriate, I can assure you."

"I see you have not changed."

"No, nor do I intend to."

"You do seem to be in better health." She looked at him, suddenly concerned. "Poppy was able to help?"

"Much more than anticipated." He looked at her oddly. "How are your studies? Minerva would want to know."

"Minerva would want to know?" She grinned at him. "I see. Tell Minerva that when you saw me I was celebrating the fact that I am now eligible for a scholarship."

"Then I will give you her congratulations, Miss Granger. However, I am surprised at your age that you would be granted a scholarship as they are generally eked out to the incoming first years."

"Incoming ... what?"

"Scholarships are most generally given to those just starting, not returning after several years, as it would appear to them that you are doing."

Hermione stared at him, opened her mouth to answer and closed it again. He could not possibly be right. She had this term paid and her account nearly empty. She stared at him, feeling ill.

"Will you be joining Mr. Longbottom and Miss Lovegood this evening?"

"Luna?" she asked weakly.

"Yes." Severus intoned, raising his hand to the bridge of his nose.

"Why can I not see you spending an entire evening with Luna and Neville?" She started to laugh and found she could not stop, if from nerves over what she had just heard or from the image of Severus and Neville together she did not know. She gasped for air and fought to stop; when she saw Severus' lip twitch and she started again.

"I am afraid, Miss Granger, that I..."

"Oh, Merlin." She stopped laughing and looked at Severus seriously. "Bridget heard what you called me."

"It is your name."

"I don't go by it any longer."

"I see."

"No, I don't think you do."

"Miss Granger, when attempting to disguise who you are, tell as few lies as possible. It is far easier to remember that way and harder to be caught unaware such as this."

"Yeah," she said as she worried her lip. "Now you tell me. Maybe you should teach a class in it. You know, Spying and Disguises for Beginners."

He scowled at her, roughly took her elbow and led her back to her booth.

"Once again, please forgive me. However, you remind me so much of your mother when she was your age I find myself wanting to call you Granger. It was her maiden name that I knew her as," he said pointedly, raising his eyebrow and smirking at her.

"Quite all right, Professor Snape," she said with a grin. "I keep forgetting you are as old as you are."

"Thank you for remembering," he sneered.

"No problem, Professor." She smiled and fluttered her eyelashes. "You were her teacher too, were you not? My goodness, you must be well past retirement age."

"Good day, Miss... my dear child." He smirked and walked back to his table.

"Whoever was that?" Bridget watched Severus as he walked back to his table.

"An old friend," Hermione said, knowing she had to be out of sight before Neville walked in. "Listen, I am headed for the loo to do my makeup and hair. Will you be a dear and bring in my clothes when they get here?"

.

.

Severus had been surprised to see Hermione in London. He had chosen the pub because Neville had taken Luna to a concert and this was a convenient location. He watched Hermione as she left the loo, seeing how she kept her face turned from the table, not wanting Neville and Luna to see her.

He was sure if she had been alone she would not have hesitated, but with her new friends and almost caught in a lie, she now had to play it out. He watched as she made it to the front door and looked at her figure in the stiletto heels and backless dress, noting the way the fabric clung to her hips. He wondered when she had grown into a woman.

She had a self-assurance he had not seen in her before, and obviously did not feel intimidated by him. He smirked as she walked away, trying to hide but dressed to draw attention. His fingers went to the bridge of his nose as he fought the twitch to his lips, thinking of her idea for a class in disguises and the fact that she could use it with that black dress.

He was about to turn back to Neville and Luna when he saw Minerva walk in with another witch. He tried to stop the snort of laughter that suddenly overcame him at the sight of Minerva trying to fit in wearing Muggle clothes out of fashion for at least fifty years.

"Excuse me Mr. Longbottom. It appears our hostess for the evening has just arrived." He smirked as he rose to collect Minerva.

"Severus," Minerva said. "You have met Julie, Julie McCoy. She was only six years behind you."

"Only six? I remember all my students, Minerva." He glared at her before offering her his arm and guiding her to the table, leaving Julie to follow.

"Do not even think it, Minerva," he whispered in her ear as he pulled out her chair. "Or would you like me to call Filch and make it an even six? Trust me, my match-making skills could use some practice."

.

.

Minerva returned to her chambers that night quite pleased with the way things turned out. Luna is a lovely girl, she thought. Neville kept smiling all night and Luna kept up a banter that Minerva even had some difficulty in following.

Neville was always searching for that special herb, that rare plant, that ingredient that added to a potion could help his parents, and Luna was the perfect girl to share his vision for things to be found both strange and wonderful. She thought of Severus, who had begun to work again on potions for St. Mungo's, and knew he would spend the holiday break and the entire summer down there again until he found what he was looking for. She knew he had visited the Longbottoms, and from the information Poppy had given, he had done so more than once.

Molly was happily spoiling another grandson, courtesy of George. Minerva knew that the pain would never go away for her, but had seen the motherly witch return to hosting family meals and raucous holiday parties at which stories of her son and brothers were laughed over and shared.

She sipped her tea and turned to Albus' picture. "Well old man. Another year is gone, another term over."

"So it would seem, my dear Minerva. Have you yet managed to settle your accounts?"

"My accounts?" She sniffed and peered over her glasses.

"How many yet to go? How many lives yet to help set right?"

"I do not know what you are talking about, old man."

"No," he said with a chuckle. "I did not imagine you would. Now, tell me of Severus, and how are the Longbottoms tonight?"