Survival of the Fittest

A/N – You just have to love beta-readers! Without them (Larilee and Kathy Rose), my story would be a bunch of run-on sentences and canon errors. You’ll rock! Insert standard disclaimer here. I obviously don’t own any of this. I’m just borrowing them for my own sick and demented purposes.

I wish AFF.net had an answer reviews button, but they don’t. Thanks to all of you who reviewed! JuneW – Everybody except the bad guys survived. Isn’t life grand? Voldemort was merely a footnote in their history. A really big footnote, but a footnote nonetheless.


--

“You’ve accomplished a miracle, Albus,” Minerva said brightly as she and Albus walked down the hall. “You managed to get them in the same room at the same time, and they didn’t hex one another.”

“Thank you, Minerva,” Albus replied as hesitant pride thrummed through him.

“Of course, it helped to keep them at separate tables,” she sighed wistfully. “I had hoped…”

Albus nodded his head in agreement, already knowing what the Transfiguration professor was going to say. “I must admit I was thinking along those lines myself,” Dumbledore whispered. “I had hoped that Severus was finally willing to let go of the past and admit that he fancied Miss Granger.”

McGonagall looped her hand through the wizened wizard’s arm. “I never would have guessed those two…Just how did you figure it out?”

Albus smiled, his beard hiding the full effect of his mirth. “Our Potions instructor may be a skilled Occlumens, but there are some things he just can’t conceal.”

“When did you realize his regard for her?”

Stopping in his tracks, Albus contemplated her question. “After the final battle. He was injured. Poppy was attending to his wounds. Even then, he didn’t care about himself. I suspect that he thought he wouldn’t survive. He kept asking about the others. He looked up at me…” he paused. “I’ll never forget the look in his eyes,” Dumbledore said, his inflection thoughtful and soft.

Minerva touched the sleeve of his robe. “It wasn’t your fault. Severus volunteered for the assignment.”

Just then some second-years, seemingly oblivious to their infraction, ran past the old couple.

“I hear she’s got her wand pointed at his throat,” the girl panted.

“I heard he hexed her,” the boy replied.

Alarmed by the overheard conversation, Albus and Minerva followed the two children. Scurrying through the corridors and seeing the two children walk into the library, Albus shook his head in resignation. The heavy wooden doors opened as the headmaster approached. The normally docile domain of the library was filled with shouting students surrounding the librarian’s desk. Standing on the desk was Hermione, her eyes wilder than her untamed curls, her wand pointed toward the tallest person in the crowd.

“That will be fifty points from Gryffindor!” Snape growled lowly.

Albus couldn’t see Severus’ expression, but he knew that tone and took action quickly.

--

“Silence!” a loud booming voice reverberated over the scene, causing Hermione to squeak in surprise and the children to jump.

The sea of students parted as Dumbledore walked through them. Gone was the benevolent twinkle in his eyes, which caused Hermione to shudder. She lowered her wand and her eyes, suddenly finding an interesting spot on the floor that required intense scrutiny.

Minerva stood next to the door, shepherding the children out of the library with a stern warning not to gossip about things their young minds couldn’t possibly comprehend.

Oh Merlin, he’s going to sack me for sure, Hermione thought as the prickle of tears stung her eyes. And in front of the greasy bastard to boot. Will the humiliation never end?

“Miss Granger,” Dumbledore addressed her, his inflection menacingly soft. “Sheath your wand and get off your desk.”

Turning his attention to the other person in the confrontation, the aged wizard added, “Severus, step away from the desk.”

She watched as her nemesis’ threatening demeanor morphed into a cruel mask of vexation.

“I insist upon her immediate dismissal, Headmaster,” Snape snapped. “She has deliberately subverted my authority in front of the students.”

Somehow she managed to climb off the table with her dignity intact. “I did no such thing! I merely awarded house points to –”

“After I took them away for --”

“What! For not being in Slytherin?” Hermione resisted the urge to hex the foul-tempered wizard in front of her.

Snape looked down his hooked nose at her, his dark eyes burning holes into hers. “Not only is she undermining my authority in front of the students, she’s…she’s –”

“An insufferable know-it-all,” Hermione provided with a smirk. If I’m going to be sacked, I might as well be sacked for a very good reason.

“That is beside the point, Miss Granger,” sneered Snape, taking a step toward her.

Hermione grasped her wand. “Is that so?”

Severus took another menacing step toward her, seemingly oblivious to the presence of the headmaster and the head of Gryffindor house.

“That. Is. Enough.”

The soft command was enough to give both the antagonists pause.

Glancing at Professor McGonagall, Hermione quickly looked away. She felt as though she was back in her first year and she had lied to protect Harry and Ron. Her mentor was looking at her with that piercing incredulous stare.

“Would you care to explain,” Dumbledore stated, unmistakably annoyed, “how you came to be standing on your desk, Miss Granger?”

Watching Professor Snape snarl in vexation at being unable to tell his side of the story, Hermione turned imploring eyes to Dumbledore and sighed. “I was assisting Melody Kilpatrick with her Potions project, helping her find the necessary book for an essay Professor Snape had set,” Hermione stated as she started to plead her case.

“She was –” the surly Potions master snapped.

Albus held his hand up to silence the interruption.

“You’ll have your turn in a minute, Severus.”

Nodding at Professor Dumbledore and glaring at the prat, Hermione continued. “As I was saying…I was helping Melody Kilpatrick with her potions essay, and –”

“More like writing it for her,” grumbled Snape.

Dumbledore heaved an exhaustive sigh. “Professor Snape, please refrain from interrupting Miss Granger. If you feel you are unable to do so, I will be forced to charm you silent.”

Hermione smiled nervously. Serves the wanker right!

She cleared her throat and fingered her wand nervously. “As I was saying…I was helping Melody with her Potions assignment when Professor Snape walked up and deducted five points from her for cheating on her assignment.”

Dumbledore studied her, his azure gaze unwavering.

“She was not cheating,” Hermione stated sullenly. “She was a student who needed assistance. He took house points away because Melody is in Gryffindor house.”

“Is this true, Severus?” Albus asked, finally giving the greasy bat an opportunity to speak.

Snape started, as though surprised to finally be able to tell his side of the story. “What Miss Granger has failed to mention was her total lack of disregard for the school rules. Not only was Miss Kilpatrick cheating, she was blatantly plagiarizing. Not only did I take away house points, as is my right as an instructor, but I then informed Miss Kilpatrick that she would receive a zero on the essay.”

Hermione scoffed.

Dumbledore held his hand up to silence any comment she was about to make. “You will have the time for a rebuttal as soon as Professor Snape is finished.”

Her frustration grew as she saw a slight smirk on the Potions master’s face.

“Before I could even walk away, Miss Granger saw fit to award Miss Kilpatrick with ten points for some miraculous feat the child had preformed in the span of mere seconds. She deliberately circumvented my authority in front of a student. And she continued to do so!”

“Yes,” Hermione purred, her voice dripping with caustic sarcasm, “it is truly a miracle that Slytherin has not held the house cup ever since you became a member of the faculty. You have the capacity of being benevolent, yet you chose to be malevolent. And to think I actually respected you when I was a student. You’re nothing more than a…a…narcissistic browbeater!”

“Why I –” Snape spat.

“SILENCE!” Dumbledore bellowed, his command echoing so loudly that books rattled on their shelves.

“I have heard enough,” the old wizard announced.

“Severus, I believe you have a class to teach. You’re running late.”

Snape’s scowl deepened as he turned with a fierce flick of his robe. “It’s either her or me,
Headmaster,” he growled before departing, the library door slamming shut behind him.

She’d only known dread like this once before – when Harry had gone up against Lord Voldemort during the final battle. Yes, the stakes weren’t quite as high. But her position at Hogwarts meant the world to her, and now she was going to have to say goodbye to Hogwarts and the comfort of the library all over again. Surely the headmaster would decide in Snape’s favor. After all, he needed someone to teach Potions more than he needed a librarian.

The prickling sting of tears welled in her eyes, and Hermione dabbed at her eyes to stem the flow. She would not let them see her cry. Somehow she would come out of this childish display for power with some of her dignity intact.

Who had she been fooling? Herself? Why did she believe that she could actually be friends with that horrible wizard? Why did it matter?

“Miss Granger,” Albus’ soft yet stern voice penetrated her inner ramblings.

Looking up, she saw McGonagall’s concerned features, and then Dumbledore’s schooled look.

“I-I’ll go pack my th-things,” Hermione stammered. “I don’t need a degree in Divination.”

“I beg your pardon?” McGonagall replied, her brogue thick with amazement.

“You will leave your things exactly where they are,” Albus declared. “It is not within Severus’ powers to sack you. Only I, with the agreement of the Board of Governors, can terminate a Hogwarts employee.”

“But I –”

“Know better than to antagonize Professor Snape,” the headmaster supplied.

Hermione snapped her mouth shut and nodded her head in agreement.

“And you will refrain from meddling in his decisions regarding students.”

Hermione bristled at that statement, yet nodded in agreement. The insides of her cheeks were probably blood red she was biting on them so hard. “Yes, sir,” she mumbled.

“Very well, then,” he stated and turned to leave. Minerva followed him. Opening the door, Albus turned. “I do still expect you to take your meals in the Great Hall with the rest of us.

--

The elder wizard and witch made their way up the main staircase and down the corridor, entering the witch’s office without conversation. Minerva walked around her desk and sat down, her posture as severe as her functional hairstyle.

“Perhaps my comment was a bit premature,” she uttered softly. “Do you really think it wise to force them to dine together?”

Walking around the Transfiguration teacher’s office, Albus stroked his beard and inspected various knickknacks, which dotted her shelves. “In all my years as Headmaster of Hogwarts I’ve never run into this problem.”

Minerva made a noncommittal noise as she shuffled through some essays on her desk.

“I’ve never seen Severus act this way before,” Albus mused, picking up a snow globe and examining it, the fake snow floating around the tropical scene. “But then of course, I don’t think he’s ever felt this way either.”

Minerva gave him an incredulous look. “Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, what makes you think you are all-knowing? Severus survived years as a spy, deceiving You-Know-Who for years. If You-Know-Who couldn’t extricate Severus’ true motives, what makes you so sure you can?”

Albus paused, contemplating Minerva’s words. Poor Severus. He had no idea what was before him, much less whom. Hermione was a perfect match for the “dungeon bat of Hogwarts.” Their juvenile behavior befuddled him. He had no idea they were going to duel with house points. It had been so long since he had been in love. Was this how people in love acted?

Severus had so many layers. Did the wizard possess the capacity to love? More importantly, did the wizard realize Miss Granger existed? Would he recognize her goading and temperament were symptoms of a much larger disease?

Albus chuckled. Severus would definitely classify love and affection as a disease, something to possibly be treated with a complex potion. Perhaps Hogwarts was to blame. Perhaps the academic environment was too much for them. Could the two fools see past their history and realize their future?

“Well?” Minerva’s question hung in the air, shattering his reverie.

“Well what?” Albus muttered absentmindedly, tilting the snow globe upside down and quickly turning it right side up.

“Severus’ feelings?” she questioned irritably. “How do you know what he’s feeling?”

Staring into Minerva’s eyes, Albus smiled. “The portraits, of course.”

Minerva looked around her office and glared at various portraits of Gryffindors that dotted her walls.

Albus waved his hand in apparent annoyance. “Not yours. Yours do not gossip. However,” he added, his blue eyes sparkling with mirth, “Severus’ do.”

“He’ll have them removed if he ever finds out,” she replied with a frown, still looking at the portraits on her wall. Most of them were either feigning sleep or conversation with one another.

“He fancies her,” Dumbledore stated with conviction. “Of that I am sure.”

“Surely you realize their history here stands in their way,” Minerva affirmed sharply. “Severus will never act on his…attraction as long as he remains at Hogwarts. This is his home. It is all he’s ever known, aside from his time with You-Know-Who.”

The last of the snow had fallen in the globe, settling on the tropical hut and coconut trees, enchanting the Headmaster of Hogwarts. “You’re right, of course. What if he left Hogwarts…a vacation perhaps? The Christmas holiday is just a few days away.”

Minerva knew him too well and gave him a skeptical look. “What are you planning, Albus?” she asked, her tone disapproving yet filled with worry.

Holding the snow globe up for her inspection, he smiled. “May I borrow this? It’s very soothing. I’ll need it if I am to get through the next few days.”

“Yes, yes,” she agreed with a wave of her hand. “But you still haven’t told me what you’re planning.”

Clutching the snow globe to his chest, Albus turned to her and smiled. “And I shan’t tell you for what I am about to do could be viewed as…somewhat illegal. Even if it is for their own good.”

*****