Chapter 1

Hermione looked up and opened her eyes, she yelped in surprise as she saw a pair of eyes uncomfortably close to her own, "Gods, have you never heard of personal space?" she groaned trying to sit up.

"I will overlook your rudeness Miss Granger in light of your accident, I will however not overlook your stupidity. You will serve detention tonight at eight o'clock." The potions master informed her standing up.

"If you please professor, it was my fault." Ron cut in.

"I don't doubt that Weasley" Snape began dryly, "However Miss Granger should know better than to leave you unsupervised whilst doing anything more complicated than breathing."

This was followed by great laughter by the Slytherins, and Hermione groaned as her head began to thump with the noise. Leaning back she closed her eyes and willed the pain to stop.

Suddenly the pain disappeared, and she looked up shocked to see Snape waving a wand over her head. Vaguely realising she had never seen him use a wand in class before, and only very rarely outside of class, she got up slowly and sat in her seat.

"Sorry" Ron mouthed to her as Snape resumed the lesson. Hermione dismissed it with a grin and began to tidy up the remnants of her potion. The lesson drew to a close and Hermione walked to the front of the class.

"I take it your not here to hand in a potion." Snape sneered from behind his desk.

"No Sir." Hermione affirmed. "I was wondering what time you said for me to serve detention tonight."

"Eight o'clock Miss Granger." Snape said as she nodded and turned away.

Hermione left the Gryffindor Common Room at 7:45, thankful to be getting away from Ron's incessant apologising, if a little annoyed at having to serve a detention with Professor Snape.

Five to Eight, Hermione notes as she entered the potions lab. Thank Merlin she wasn't late.

"Miss Granger" Snape acknowledged as she entered the room

"Professor." She responded, may as well try to be polite she thought.

"I will be with you in a moment, sit down." He said not taking his eyes off the caldron in front of him.

Hermione sat down and watched him work. It was rare, she knew, to ever see someone brew potions with such skill, mesmerised by the almost lazy yet deft movements of his hands she was frustrated when he turned to her finally, a few more ingredients and she would have guessed what potion he was trying to make.

"You were early" Snape stated.

"I wanted to get away from Ron." She told him, wondering why on earth she had told him that.

"Understandable." Snape replied, almost but not quite managing to hide a grin.

"Your assignment tonight is an essay on the properties and uses of giants blood. All the material you will need is on my desk." He told her.

"Giants blood?" Hermione said raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that only used in the darkest potions." She asked surprised.

"Your about to find out aren't you." Snape answered. "I wanted to find you a new topic." He explained turning back to his caldron.

"And Miss Granger, this is a delicate potion so noise to a minimum please." He finished. Hermione rolled her eyes at this, like she was going to try and start up a conversation with him. She turned to his desk and picked up a stack of books, scrolls and parchments and carried them to a desk and began the assignment.

Hermione had gotten to what she supposed would be the middle point of her essay, Snape had been right, this was an interesting topic, but she was on her third roll of parchment and was running out of what she had brought with her. Looking up she saw Snape standing back from his caldron watching it boil.

Coughing lightly to get his attention, Hermione noted his startled expression as he turned around. "I forgot you were still here" he began, wiping a hand across his eyes.

"Sorry to disturb you professor but have you got any more parchment." Hermione asked.

"What time is it?" He questioned ignoring her request.

"One fifteen." She replied shocked.

"You are dismissed Miss Granger." He told her.

"What about my assignment?" Hermione asked.

"Granger its gone one, go to bed." He told her tiredly.

"May I take some of these books?" She asked hopefully, "I mean I have never seen any of these in the library."

"Take them, return them to me when you are done, as long as you go now." Snape informed her.

Hermione turned to clear away her books keeping the most interesting volumes for herself. Just as she was leaving she was interrupted by a gasp of pain. "Are you alright Sir?" She asked turning round to see her potions master holding his arm in pain.

"Granger I've got to go. This potion can't be left in this state. Carry it on until I get back. The nest ingredient is Hinkypunk nails. Will you be alright?" He asked as she scanned the book quickly.

"Yes" she replied, noting that this was one of the most complicated potions she had ever seen.

"Good" was the reply of the retreating figure.

A/N: I havent posted anything in a while,I have the beginings of a few new stories written, and I hope to start posting again regularly. Good to my account to see my previous work, and please let me know what you think