Chapter Text
“Severus?” He internally groaned. Nothing good ever came from his name spoken in that Scottish brogue. He wondered how long he could hide behind the Daily Prophet, sitting in his usual wingback chair in the staffroom, before she would… Before he had a chance to finish that thought, she pushed the centre of the newspaper down and raised an eyebrow at him. Though he had perfected the manoeuvre himself, she was always going to be far and away the best at it. She even instilled the fear of God in him when she gave him that look. He waved his hand in a pretence of cancelling a Muffliato charm.
“Minerva, did you want something?” He smiled at her, nothing more than an upwards quirk of one side of his lips and he knew that it would deflect at least some of her ire.
“She’s outside the staff room again, Severus. That’s the fourth day in a row. I’m going to have to insist that you talk to her yourself. No more sending one of the other staff members to do your dirty work.” Minerva quirked her eyebrow and pursed her lips, a sign that she was both displeased and amused that he thought he might be able to get away with it again. He sighed and folded his paper, placing it on the small side table next to his chair. He threw a small notice-me-not charm at his chair and Minerva huffed in annoyance.
“No one is going to steal your damn seat you insufferable man!” Minerva laughed softly as he stalked away, not missing the slight pause in his step as she called him insufferable. It had been his nickname before that year and she had been quick to return to using it as a term of endearment. He pushed open the doors of the staff room and Minerva sighed, sitting in her own chair near the fire, still near Severus’s spot, but far enough that he could, and usually did, ignore her.
“Miss Granger, what are you doing here? Have you not bothered me enough today with your incessant hand waving?” Severus stood and glared at the scrap of a girl that had come back to school after the War and answered to the name Hermione Granger. She was too skinny, her hair too limp and dry, her skin too pale and wan, to be the Miss Granger everyone had expected.
“I’m here to, again, ask you for an Apprenticeship after my NEWTs. I…”
“No. The answer today is the same as yesterday. The same as the first day back. And the same as every single day between now and the end of the school year. I have never offered an Apprenticeship and I do not intend to start now. Now go and stop wasting my time.” He turned away, sick to the back teeth of having to repeat himself.
“You owe me.” Her voice was soft, but he heard it nonetheless and was furious that she dared bring up what had happened at the end of the War.
“I owe you nothing Miss Granger. You chose to save me. I did not, and would not, have asked. I owe you nothing.” He spoke with as much venom as he could muster, and she blinked twice at him before smiling sadly.
“Nonetheless, Sir, the magic says you owe me. I’m sure you can feel the Life Debt as well as anyone. I will consider the Life Debt fully paid once you take me on as your Apprentice.” Miss Granger smirked at him and he felt the tug in his chest. A Life Debt. For fuck’s sake, hadn’t he been through enough? And then he realised the way that she had worded her statement. He only had to take her on. She didn’t have to actually finish the Apprenticeship to relieve him of the Life Debt. Perhaps that would be enough.
“Very well, Miss Granger. If you receive an O in at least 8 subjects, the same as your Master, I will take you on as my Apprentice.” He raised an eyebrow at her as she sucked in a soft breath.
“Eight? Oh…” He smirked at her and she stood, mouthing something to herself as he turned and billowed back into the staff room, walking straight to the chair he preferred. He picked up his paper and waited. 3…2…1…
“So, Severus, did you tell her no again?” Minerva spoke softly and Severus snorted with derision.
“She invoked the Life Debt. She told me that if I gave her the Apprenticeship, she would consider the life debt fully paid. I gave her the same conditions as I always have. Only this time, I actually told her them rather than ignoring her.” Severus smirked, raising an eyebrow at the Headmistress.
“Oh dear…” Minerva’s eyes twinkled, and she smirked at him but refused to say anything more on the subject.