Chapter 52: Re-ignition of a Rivalry

The Corridors, Hogwarts...

As if having to spend his free periods instructing Hermione on how to be a Hogwarts Professor, Severus Snape was further agitated to find that his patrols were to be invaded by the bushy haired know-it-all as well. If Dumbledore had not been so adamant about his stance on keeping Hermione Granger around as a Charms Professor, Snape would have sworn that the old wizard was up to no good. Edward and Remus Lupin had been enough trouble with their meddling, the last thing he needed was for Dumbledore to start. The old man was tenacious when it came to his ideas and already twisted Snape's arm about enough as of late. The dour man had been starting out on his usually solitary late patrol when the bushy haired witch rounded the corner. He had been lost in his thoughts of scolding himself about thinking about her and suddenly felt the familiar pressure of someone running into his chest.

Amber eyes looked up at him from the cold hard ground below, a look of utter shock on her face as she tried to compose herself.

"Clumsy little chit." he said annoyed at finding her once again invading his personal space. "

"S-Sorry." said Hermione still unable to get the image of him being her former Professor out of her mind.

"Why don't you watch where you are going?" he asked irate.

"I said I was sorry." replied Hermione getting to her feet and dusting herself off. "You don't need to be so rude."

"I suppose I should have expected this from a Gryffindor such as yourself, your house always did lack common grace and subtlety." he said.

Hermione glared at him.

"I suppose bad manners is a common Slytherin trait." she countered. "Seeing as you are Head of Slytherin House, I suppose I shouldn't fault the students too badly from following your rotten example."

Obsidian met Amber as both The Potions Master and The Charms Mistress glared at each other.

"I don't have time for this." said Snape annoyed. "Annoy someone else Granger."

He walked away seething, his robes billowing behind him. Hermione got to her feet looking after him as rage filed across her face as well.

Stupid Git.

He could have at least helped me up.

She made her way toward her office.

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Charms Classroom, Hogwarts...

The rest of the day had not been pleasant for the young witch. She had been teaching the first year Gryffindor and Slytherin class and once again she had to deal with Mr. Embers and his infamous antics. The lesson began with Hermione teaching the class a new charm spell that she deemed safe considering their inexperience.

"Globus glacies." said Hermione demonstrating the charm to the students.

She flicked her wand with all the precision and poise befitting a Charms Mistress. Most of the students had difficulty with even the most basic of wand movements. She demonstrated the proper technique several times and paired a few of them up partners of equal skill.

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The Corridors, Hogwarts...

It was most unexpected when Hermione came upon a first year Hufflepuff girl with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She had been a sweet little thing with a timid nature and a soft voice. Hermione knew her well. She had been one of the few students that seemed to show any promise in her class. The young witch was an extremely hard worker and well mannered. She couldn't imagine why the young girl had been upset. Ever the compassionate Gryffindor, Hermione bent down at the young witch's side.

"Wendy." she said softly. "Would you mind telling me why you are so upset?"

The young blonde witch looked up at her. Tears still streaming down her soft round cheeks. She seemed to have gone pale in the wake of whatever made her so upset.

"P-Professor Snape is so mean." she said with a shaking voice as the tears continued to fall.

Hermione sighed knowing all too well how the girl was feeling at the moment.

"Wendy believe it or not, Professor Snape usually has a good reason for acting the way that he does." she said believing this to be another Neville Longbottom case.

"You mean he has a reason for calling me an idiot in front of the whole class for knowing the right answer to his question?" asked Wendy.

Hermione arched an eyebrow at this.

"He called you an idiot?" she asked.

"Yes." replied Wendy. "He also said that I was a know-it-all and that fact spouting is all that I seem to ever be good at."

Hermione's eyes narrowed recalling how the same words had been used against her when she was his student.

"I don't know what I did to him." said Wendy sniffling. "I only answered the question when no one else seemed to want to."

Hermione sighed.

"Don't you worry about anything that Professor Snape says to hurt your feelings." she said. "He's just being a big git."

Wendy looked up at Hermione, her tears subsiding.

"I'll have a talk with him and see if I can get him to leave you alone." continued Hermione paying no attention to the young witch's admiration.

"Y-Your not scared of him?" asked Wendy.

Hermione smiled warmly at the young witch.

"No." she replied.

"Why not?" asked Wendy.

Hermione continued to smile at the young witch.

"I went to school went with him." she replied.

The young witch's eyes widened.

"You had classes with Professor Snape?" she asked.

Hermione nodded.

"Yes." she replied. "And wouldn't you know, he was quite jealous that I was better at charms than him."

Wendy smiled.

"Is that why he gets mad at me?" she asked seeing humor in it now.

Hermione said nothing, but still smiled warmly letting the young witch come to her own conclusions.

"This is our little secret." said Hermione. "The next time he tries to make you cry in potions just remember he will never be as good as you in charms."

This bit of knowledge seemed to brighten the young Hufflepuff's day.

"I feel much better Professor Granger." she said happily. "Thank you."

Hermione and Wendy got to their feet. The dusted themselves off and the little witch hugged Hermione before she took off to find her friends. The bushy haired Professor turned her attention to the tall pale wizard cloaked in ebony as he made his way across the grounds. His robes billowing behind him.

So he thinks he can bully a little girl for showing intelligence huh?

Hermione made her way toward the grounds, her amber eyes burning with rage at the rude and unfair treatment Snape had showed the little Hufflepuff girl.

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The Grounds, Hogwarts...

Snape had a scowl on his pale sallow face as he made his way across the grounds. His obsidian eyes had flashed in rage as he took in the sight of Hermione Granger as she stalked over toward him. The look on her face had been of utter fury as she approached.

What the hell does she want now?

The Potions Master had been stunned that Granger had not been the least intimidated by the menacing scowl that had already been on his face.

"Are you naturally a git or do you have to work at it?" asked Hermione irate.

"I beg your pardon." said Snape in confusion.

"Is there an unresolved issue with you when it comes to a girl showing any kind of intelligence in your class?" asked Hermione.

Snape arched an eyebrow at this.

"Let me guess, Miss Shrouder found a sympathetic ear to vent her fragile little feelings?" he said folding his arms across his chest.

"And let me guess, you couldn't help picking on her because she was too brilliant for your boring lesson plan?" countered Hermione.

Snape glared at her.

"I have been teaching far longer than you have been, Miss Granger." he said reverting back to addressing her as a student.

"In case you haven't noticed teaching has evolved since your cave man days, Severus." countered Hermione purposely using his first name to show that she was no longer his student and demanded respect as a colleague.

"Watch it witch." replied Snape narrowing his eyes at her. "Or do I have to remind you just whom it is you are addressing with such disrespect."

Hermione still had not wavered.

"I know exactly whom it is I am addressing." she said defiantly as her own eyes narrowed at him. "And I am not worried."

Snape walked over toward her, his impressive height towered over her with his obsidian eyes burning with outright rage as he stared down at her. She met his gaze with her amber eyes glinting with just as much fury.

"You will do well to remain in your place, Miss Granger." said Snape a dangerous tone in his voice.

"You will do well to show me some respect Severus Snape, I am no longer your student and I believe as I always have that your constant bullying when it comes to your students is uncalled for." said Hermione as if she had been unaffected by the threat in his voice.

Snape had been about to say something when he noted the amount of young eyes that had been on him as he snarled at Hermione. The last thing he needed was these brats preying into his personal relationship. His obsidian eyes shifted from the various students back to Hermione who had not seemed to notice the audience they had either.

"Meet me in my office." said Snape through gritted teeth. "We will discuss this matter further there."

Hermione had barely noticed that her breath had become ragged as she continued to glare at him.

"Fine by me." she said.

At the close of her words Snape stormed off toward the dungeons. Hermione waited a few moments and followed still just as angry as he was and intent on getting her point across.

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Snape's Office, Hogwarts...

Snape had been fuming when he burst through the doors of his office. Hermione followed him barely getting a foot in the door before he whirled around on her. His eyes burning with rage as he loomed over the witch grabbing her arms and glaring down at her. She still had not been afraid of him as the heat radiated off both their bodies. The aggression leaving their breaths ragged.

"WHERE THE HELL DO YOU GET OFF TELLING ME HOW TO TEACH!?" yelled Snape.

Hermione still would not be intimidated.

"I NEVER TOLD YOU HOW TO TEACH I SIMPLY ASKED YOU TO STOP BEING A PRAT!" she shouted back.

Snape narrowed his eyes at the witch as she pulled out of his grasp and folded her arms across her chest.

"If you think I am going to let you get away with trying to hurt that girl because she reminds you of me, then you have another thing coming." she said no longer shouting.

"I don't know what you're talking about." said Snape moving over to his desk and taking a seat in his chair.

"Don't play ignorant with me Slytherin." said Hermione still enraged. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Snape narrowed his eyes, an eerie calm coming over him as he glared at the witch in question.

"Severus, who do you think you're fooling?" asked Hermione with her arms folded across her chest. "This is ME you are talking to...I've seen what you did to Harry and Neville during my time at Hogwarts do you really think I cannot tell when you are being an intentional git?"

"As if your pleasant words have any meaning to me." replied Snape in an emotionless tone. "You know nothing of me so do not try and pretend otherwise."

"You're wrong Severus." said Hermione.

"And I suppose you can tell me more about who I am that I know of myself." said Snape.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

Already she had been fed up with this pointless conversation.

"I won't let you treat these students like you did us, Severus." said Hermione determined to get him to see the error of his ways.

"Just what are you going to do to stop me?" asked Snape in a bored tone.

"I'm sure you remember what it's like to be on the opposite end of one of my hexes." replied Hermione in warning. "I'm not a student anymore Severus, there is no power barrier between us."

Snape sat up leaning across his desk so that she could get a good look at the intent in his eyes.

"And I'm sure you remember that the so-called barrier was only there for YOUR protection, Miss Granger." said Snape with a gleam in his eye. "Not mine."

"You've been warned Severus." said Hermione still not giving an inch in this discussion.

"Duly noted." he replied without a care in the world. "Just in case you've forgotten, Draco Malfoy is not here to protect you."

"And Harry Potter isn't here to protect you." she countered.

Hermione took her leave of him.

Snape turned his attention to the stack on his desk.

A smirk spread across his pale face.

If Hermione Granger thought that she was going to intimidate him, she had another thing coming.

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Charms Classroom, Hogwarts...

Once again the Slytherin-Gryffindor class of 1st years proved to be a challenge. Hermione had been annoyed that Austin Embers and the new Slytherins had suddenly become unruly. She had been use to the antics of Austin, he was a class clown but for the entire Slytherin group to act out in her class had been strange. She had become suspicious when after the first two days of this new behavior that it was reoccurring with students that had never been a problem before. Even worse was the Austin seemed to be the ring leader.

Hermione narrowed her eyes as she came to the realization that Snape had some how gotten his students to act out just to mess with her. She marched over to his office after class had let out to give him a piece of her mind. As usual the dour wizard denied having anything to do with the students change in behavior and accused her or thinking everything was about her. He taunted her with possible paranoia since she had virtually threatened him the last time they had a heated discussion.

The bushy haired witch had known that Snape had done something, it wasn't like any of the Slytherin students to misbehave outside of Mr. Embers. She had known from being friends with Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson-Malfoy that Snape ran a tight ship when it came to being Head of Slytherin House and everyone knew that he did not tolerate disrespect in any form.

The witch couldn't prove it and of course being Slytherin, Snape was extremely careful and didn't brag or boast when it came to things so she would never be able to effectively catch him but she new it was him.

So she countered in the only way she could.

Fighting fire with fire so to speak.

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Potions Classroom, Hogwarts...

Snape had been in the middle of a lecture about flubberworms and what happens when you add them to Canis Root when Hermione Granger entered the classroom. All eyes on the 2nd year Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw class fell on her as she walked over to his desk and sat down quietly Snape narrowed his eyes at the witch for her audacity but simply continued his lecture. Wendy Shrouder had been in attendance smiling sweetly at the Charms Mistress as she glared at Snape.

Snape did his best to continue on as if she had not been there but he couldn't help shake the feeling that the young witch had been up to no good. Little did Snape know, he had been dead right about Hermione's antics. She quickly flicked her wand casting a spell in the direction of the Potions Professor with a smirk on her face.

"Bat de ergastulis." she said.

Snape had only a moment of clarity before he realized just what the crafty witch had done.

He groaned feeling as his cape shifted and bent into what looked like a large black bat's wing. It connected itself to the flesh of his back and flapped wildly in the wake of his rage. Another bat wing sprouted and Snape glared at Hermione with murder in his eyes. The 2nd year students didn't know wither to laugh or be terrified, Snape had already been known as The Dungeon Bat From Hell as far as some of them had been concerned the stories about The Potions Professor reigned true.

Snape dismissed his class and took off after Hermione as she made a B-line for the door. He struggled to grip his wand but the witch had forgotten that he could do wandless magic. He would get her and he would get her good for this.

"How's that for originality Snape?" asked Hermione before she took off out the door.

"I will get you for this Granger." he replied irate.

As they ran his baritone rich voice faded into the squeaking sound of bats.

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The Corridors, Hogwarts...

The unsuspecting young witch formerly of Gryffindor house took off at a run through the corridors as Snape trailed behind her his face twisted in an angry snarl. She had forgotten just how fast the Potions Professor was when it came to running. She had been so busy running that she did not realize that Snape had gotten a spell off before the bat transformation took his ability to speak.

The words had gone passed her ears without a single connection.

"Corpus orangutan!" had been the last thing he shouted in his own voice.

Students laughed all over the grounds as a bat chased an orangutan around the lake. The squealing bat tried it's best to grip the orange primate with it's claws. The primate stretched it's long orange fur clad arms and swatted at the bat as if it were a pesky insect. Remus Lupin happened upon the scene he shook his head as he watched the two animals race about.

The Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor pulled his wand and flicked it in the direction of the orange primate.

"Conuertere igitur ad formam." he said.

Within seconds Hermione Granger reappeared back in her original form. She had been breathing ragged from being in pursuit of the large black bat that had still been looming in the air above them. The black bat beat it's wings in an irate manner making high pitched squeaking noises. Lupin turned to Hermione with an arched eyebrow.

"Something between you and Severus I take it?" he said amused.

Hermione nodded.

"Could you do me a favor and hold off on returning him back to his normal form?" she asked.

Lupin shook his head.

"No can do." he replied evenly. "As fun as it would be to see him strut around as a bat, I have no desire to be on the opposite end of a hex from my son's godfather."

Hermione gave him a weak smile.

"Tell you what.' said Lupin. "I'll give you a head start."

Hermione nodded grateful. She then took off back toward her quarters. Lupin laughed and turned his attention to the bat flapping it's wings. It's obsidian eyes clearly lit with rage. Lupin sighed. It was a pity he had to turn him back, he much preferred him as a bat.

"Conuertere igitur ad formam." said Lupin again with another wave of his wand.

In a matter of seconds Severus Snape dropped out of the sky and onto his back in the green grass below. His face had been twisted in rage as he scrambled to his feet.

"You sure took your sweet time." he hissed irate.

Lupin simply shrugged.

"Go easy on her Severus." he said as the potions Professor took off in the direction of Hermione Granger's private quarters.

"I don't think so." had been his rushed reply.

Lupin shook his head and headed back toward his office. This was going to be quite an interesting year for Hogwarts.

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The Gounds, Hogwarts...

Minerva McGonagall had been livid when she discovered Severus Snape trying to break into Hermione Granger's private quarters. The old witch made sure to cast a few nasty hexes at the Potions Professor. He had a hard time explaining that Hermione had initiated the entire ordeal. Ever the protective lioness, Minerva set upon him like he had been a child. Snape had been very annoyed when he came to dinner that night. Hermione could scarcely look up from her meal without having to fight back a smile from the scene she witnessed.

Lupin had been smirking as he ate. Dumbledore had been curious to Minerva's shift in mood as she narrowed her eyes at Severus who did his best to slink down in his chair. When they left the hall it had been another story as Snape came charging at Hermione before she could get a word in edgewise.

"dog lignorum!" came his shout.

Hermione had just enough time to send off a counter spell.

"Replicat alica!" she shouted before her mouth and body twisted into the sorted for of a wolf looking dog.

Snape had barely any time to gloat with his own form becoming twisted in more of the same fashion.

The students who had been on patrol simply shook their heads when a large black mongrel chased a chestnut dog across the grounds. The black dog had been vengeful and snappy as the female playfully chased after him and nipped at his tail. The mongrel growled viciously in warning. The chestnut dog simply whimpered with all the enthusiasm as a young pup and boldly nipped at his ear.

Lupin had been utterly shocked to find two dogs chasing each other back n' forth on the grounds. He didn't need anyone to point out who was who, his sense of smell and his understanding of these animals had been all he needed. The Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor shook his head as he drew his wand and flicked it at the chestnut pup with amber eyes.

"Conuertere igitur ad formam." said Lupin.

Hermione's dog form whimpered as it twisted and stretched becoming the clear form of the young adult witch. She smiled when she saw Lupin grateful to him once again for his assistance.

"Thank you, Remus." said Hermione seconds before she took off for her quarters.

"No problem, Hermione." he called after her.

The werewolf turned his attention to the black mongrel. An eerie smile filed across his face as he took in the sight of Severus Snape in the form of a black mongrel. The image had been just too perfect. Sirius Black himself would have gotten a kick out of Snape taking on a form that mirrored his own after all the years of the dour wizard referring to him as a mongrel.

"Are you Sirius?" said Lupin jesting. "or are you Severus?"

Snape growled viciously at Lupin for referring him as Sirius Black.

{Keep it up Lupin and I'll put flubberworm pus in your Wolfsbane potion!}

Lupin's eyes widened at the words that entered his mind.

"Well, when you put it that way." he said. "There is no doubt that you are indeed Severus."

The Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor flicked his wand again but in the direction of the black mongrel.

"Conuertere igitur ad formam." he said again.

In seconds Severus Snape's ebony clad form appeared and he scrambled to his feet.

"Not a word." he said in an icy tone.

Lupin nodded as the Potions Master headed toward the Slytherin dungeons. He knew better than to chase Hermione to her quarters this time. He had no doubt in his mind that Minerva had taken it upon herself to lurk about.

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The Great Hall, Hogwarts...

Uncontrollable laughter erupted in the Great Hall when both Severus Snape and Hermione Granger arrived after their latest battle of wills. Snape had been clad in vibrant pink robes with little red hearts decorating them. His raven hair had been turned honey blond and he glared at everyone as he at his meal as if nothing had changed. He had some comfort in the knowledge that he had not been the only one to generate everyone's laughter that evening. Hermione Granger sat beside him, he fair complexion clad in light green scales. She gripped her fork with a claw glaring at everyone as she ate her meal. The rest of the staff didn't know what to make of the scene. Dumbledore chuckled gleefully as he took in the sight of them. Lupin could hardly stifle his laughter as he watched them struggle to act as if nothing had been different.

Snape had just left his office when Hermione came around the corner and struck him with a prettying charm. He had been utterly disgusted when she dyed his robes pink, the little red hearts had been nauseating enough but when she added the blond dye to his raven hair he had enough and cast the most twisted hex he could think of on her. As a result she became clad in light green scales, with monstrous claws and the added bonus was the twisted hissing snakes that now took the place of her hair.

Minerva had been utterly speechless as she looked upon the two younger professors.

Snape and Hermione finished their meal without further incident and retired to their respective quarters.

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The Corridors, Hogwarts...

Having come to the conclusion that Snape would get even more nasty when it came to his hexes, Hermione caught up to him after breakfast. He glared at her as if she had been an enemy. The young witch waved a white handkerchief in surrender and Snape arched an eyebrow at her in response.

The ongoing battle had left both of them drained and with a stack of work that needed to be gone through.

Neither of them had been able to concentrate as the battle continued with them looking over their shoulder for the other ready to hex on sight.

"Do you concede?" asked Snape in much the same manner he had Jarvis when he dueled him at Lady Hamershal's estate.

"Yes." replied Hermione evenly. "You win."

Snape smirked.

"Naturally." he replied in a smug fashion.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You really are one vindictive git." she said.

Snape shrugged.

"So they tell me." he replied.

"While I can't say that I liked being changed into various animals..." started Hermione.

"A chain of events that you started...." replied Snape cutting her off.

"...But I did have more fun these past few days than I had in a really long time." continued Hermione. "I suppose, I should thank you for that."

Snape scoffed.

The bushy haired witch had not been put off by it.

"Really Severus." she said sweetly. "Thank you."

Snape had been utterly stunned by being thanked for seeking vengeance on her.

Seemingly emboldened the young witch closed the gap between them and stood up on the tips of her toes. Snape had been truly shocked when the young witch's soft pink lips pressed against his pale cheek.

"Have a good night, Severus." said Hermione sweetly.

Snape couldn't find his word to reply.

He simply watched as she disappeared back toward her quarters.

What the hell was that?

Why had she kissed me?

I do not recall doing anything to warrant a kiss.

Feeling utterly confused for the first time in years, Severus Snape ventured back toward the Slytherin dungeons.