Hi.. a friend of mine started to write this story and we both were curious so we submitted it. We both hope that you all like it... if you have any suggestions on how to make it better please tell us. We really want to know what you think of it, this in only the first chapter - there are a couple of others that we have written already but we wanted to wait to and see what kind of reviews we got... so please review!

Chapter One: Potions… Interesting?

"Great! We've got double potions this afternoon…with Slytherin" Ron groaned.

"Yay! Two whole lessons with my favourite teacher! I can't wait!" Harry exclaimed sarcastically.

"Come on guys, its not that bad. I mean I think potions is really interesting." Hermione cut in.

"You're bloomin' mad! Tell her Harry!" Ron persisted. "She's mad!"

"You are absolutely bloomin' mad!" Harry told her dramatically throwing his hands up in the air.

"How can you even say that? Potions? Interesting? What have you done with Hermione? Give her back!" Ron stood there staring at Hermione in utter disbelief.

"Ron, stop it. Let's not have this conversation now. I'm really hungry so let's just go down to lunch." Hermione pleaded.

"Fine… fine… but I swear you're completely mad woman! Potions? Interesting? Snape? Mad I tell you…" he murmured under his breath as the trio made their way down to the great hall for lunch.

Ron and Harry were arguing with Seamus and Dean over their favourite Quidditch players and who was more talented. Harry pointed across the table and laughed to Ron who sat beside him.

"These two goons are full of it!" He said to Ron.

"Full of it? I think not!" Seamus said to Harry.

They were interrupted by an extremely loud farting noise, which sent the whole hall into a frenzied fit of laughter. Seamus and Dean were holding their stomachs and leaning on each other to keep from falling off their seats, Ron had his head on the table banging his fist softly beside him, and Harry and Hermione were toppling off their seats.

"Who… the … hell… did that?" Ron tried to say.

"I don't know…." Harry laughed, "But I don't… think that… I… have ever…. laughed that hard!" He clenched his stomach due to the fact that it hurt so much.

When they were finally able to control their laughter Harry helped Hermione up off the floor. She sat there rubbing her cheeks, which were crimson from laughing. The whole room had settled down now but was still a buzz with conversation and laughter over the farting incident.

"Geez, that went fast." Ron remarked checking his watch.

"Yea I know. Time for our favourite class!" Harry said with a sarcastic grin upon his face.

"Boy, am I going to enjoy these next two lessons!" Ron groaned.

"Would you two stop it already? Potions isn't that bad, and just think, maybe something

Professor Snape has taught you will come in handy one day." Hermione lectured.

Harry and Ron looked at each other in confusion. Were they hearing her correctly? Did Hermione Granger like Professor Severus Snape? No Way!

"Hermione… are you feeling ok?" Ron asked looking concerned.

"Ron, I'm fine."

"No seriously Hermione, I'm starting to get worried here."

"Don't be daft. Of course I'm feeling ok. Now let's get going or we'll be late for class."

Hermione turned and started walking to the dungeons. The boys had to jog to catch up to her. They looked at each other in total disbelief. When they reached the dungeons they hurried in to take their seats but to their relief Snape was nowhere to be seen. Harry and Ron sat together at the back of the classroom, across from Seamus and Dean, while Hermione went and sat next to Neville.

"Harry, that girl has seriously gone mad. No one, and I mean no one, actually likes Snape." Ron said.

"I don't know about you, but I've noticed that Hermione has been sticking up for Snape a lot lately."

"Maybe she just… I don't know… enjoys potions more then we actually thought she did." Ron said.

"No…" They shook their heads in unison.

Snape stormed into the dim classroom. His hair was a mess and his face was red. He stood at

the front of the class waiting for silence. His jet black eyes darted around the room.

"Silence!" He roared.

Everyone stared up at him, surprised and a little frightened. He flicked his wand at the board behind him and it began to fill with the directions for a new potion.

"I want to see a sample of each of your potions at the end of class."

He turned and retired to his desk, looking as if he were going to explode from anger. His eyes roamed through the students but only one caught his attention. Hermione Granger. She was staring into space, a faint smile on her lips. Today she looked different, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Miss Granger, would you care to do your work?"

She didn't answer him but kept staring dreamily into space.

"Miss Granger, I have asked you once already. Do I need to ask you again? I am losing my

patience with you," he hissed.

She snapped out of her reverie and looked up at her extremely irritated Professor.

"Sorry Professor? What did you say?"

"Miss Granger you are wasting my time and so I shall waste yours. You will join me tonight at 6:30 for detention."

"But Professor, I…" She tried to argue.

"Miss Granger, do not argue with me!" He cut in exceedingly irritated.

Hermione just sighed and nodded and went straight back to her potion. As she added the next ingredient she heard Neville gasp as his potion started to bubble and spit. The dungeon was filling with thick purple smoke. Everyone was coughing and spluttering as Professor Snape opened the door and attempted to waft the smoke out.

"Mr Longbottom," Snape began coldly, "Must you constantly blow up your potions? Can you do nothing right? 20 points from Gryffindor."

Neville turned a deep shade of crimson and covered his face with his hands. Hermione, who was sitting beside him, patted him on the back reassuringly.

"Don't worry Neville. It's just a little smoke, no harm done." She told him.

"Miss Granger stop talking and get on with your potion or you shall join me for a whole week of detention." Snape snapped.

She turned back to her cauldron and continued to make her potion.

"Since it is nearing the end of our lesson, I would like each of you to bottle your potion and set it on my desk with your name on it."

Snape circled the room inspecting his students and their progress. At the end of the class Harry and Ron waited for Hermione and together they walked back to the common room.

"Tiddlywinks" Ron said to the fat lady.

The portrait swung open and let the group enter. Hermione slumped down in an armchair in front of the fireplace and Harry and Ron made themselves comfortable on the sofa.

"I can't believe he gave me detention. He such a cranky man and I bet he never does anything fun! He really needs to get out more." She grumbled.

"What were you expecting Hermione? He hates Gryffindors, and frankly he doesn't exactly love you…" Ron informed her.

"Yea I know that," she sighed, "Are you guys hungry? We should go down for dinner."

They replied with enthusiastic nodding when they heard footsteps coming down the stairs from the boy's dormitory. They turned to see Seamus, Dean and Neville standing at the foot of the stairs. Neville smiled at Hermione and walked over to her.

"Thanks for sticking up for me in potions." He smiled.

"Oh that's alright Neville. We were just going to go down to dinner." She said.

"Yea, we were on our way there too." Dean said walking toward Hermione and Neville.

"Let's all go down together. I'm starving!" Seamus said, rubbing his stomach.

The group went out through the portrait hole and made their way down the hall. Neville, Harry and Ron were crying with laughter at Seamus who had Dean in a headlock. After much protest from Dean, Seamus let him go.

"You are so dead…" Dean said rubbing his neck and laughing, "You had better sleep with one eye open tonight!"

All six of them laughed the whole way to the Great Hall. They sat at the Gryffindor table and enjoyed a delicious meal before heading back up to the common room. The small group of students accompanied by Lavender, Parvati, and Ginny sat around the fireplace and chatted. Harry and Ron played wizard's chess and everyone watched. Hermione, Ginny and Dean settled in three of the unoccupied armchairs and chatted about their next visit to Hogsmeade and the new candy shop that was opening. Suddenly the clock on the wall chimed six times and Hermione glanced up to read it.

"I've got thirty minutes until I have to go to the dungeons." She told them.

"Snape is a grouchy old git…" Ginny said to Hermione and Dean nodded in concurrence.

Soon the conversation between the three students had turned totally to Snape and his biased ways. They were so intent on letting each other know how prejudice he was towards everyone except Slytherins that they didn't notice that it was past 6:30.

"Oh No! I'm late for detention! It's 6:40, I have to go." She said frantically pulling her robes on over her uniform.

She rushed out of the common room and down the hall toward the dungeons. Stopping at the door she fixed her robes and stepped inside the classroom. 'Where is he!' she wondered as she looked around the classroom. She walked over to her usual desk and sat down.

"Welcome Miss Granger." Snape hissed, stepping out of the shadows.

Snape stood behind his desk staring at her coldly. She stared back, a look of surprise on her face. There was an uncomfortable silence in the room but it was soon broken by Snape's disparaging voice.

"You're late, 15 points for each minute you kept me waiting Miss Granger."

"I'm sorry Professor, I wasn't watching the time."

"Sit Miss Granger." He instructed.

Hermione sat back down in her seat. He had just appeared out of the shadows and had given her the fright of her life. He had a habit of doing that. Snape sat down behind his desk and pulled a pile of papers in front off him. Grabbing a quill he started to mark them.

Hermione just sat and stared at him. She hadn't really looked at him, not closely anyway. He didn't seem all that scary anymore. Everyone, including herself, talked about him like he was the most ugly, greasiest, and scariest Professor at Hogwarts but now he seemed so different. His silky black hair fell in his face as he looked down at the papers; it wasn't greasy in the least. His large, strong hands moved with the quill as he marked.

What is wrong with me? Hermione asked herself. She had always enjoyed potions and had tried her hardest to please Snape with her intelligence but this was different. Lately she had been trying extra hard and found herself thinking of him a lot. Snape was never nice to the Gryffindors nevertheless Hermione had always liked him, even though she thought, he disliked her.

"Miss Granger, you have been sitting there staring at me since you sat down. Is there a problem?" Snape asked Hermione.

Hermione blushed as she realised that he had noticed her looking at him. She shook her head and looked down at her hands.

"Come here please." He motioned towards him.

He leaned back in the chair and relaxed. She was a little nervous and felt uncomfortable at this yet she approached him and rested on the corner of his desk, looking inquiringly at him. He sat back up and his hand fell upon hers. She looked down at his hand, it was strong and warm and surprisingly soft. With his other hand he pulled over a pile of paper.

"Would you be so kind as to mark these Miss Granger?" He asked coolly.

"Yes Sir." She managed to stammer.

His touch made her feel all bubbly inside. She didn't know what had come over her; his scent captivated her. He rendered her senseless. Wake up and take the papers! she told herself. He'll think you've gone mad. She reached out for the papers and his hand left hers. She went back to her desk and sat quietly with her quill marking the papers.

Snape heard her quill scratching gently as she obeyed his orders. He looked up at the girl, so absorbed in marking; she did look different today he thought to himself. She looked so grown up and beautiful. He remembered when Hermione had first come to Hogwarts, so young and naive, but over the past seven years she had changed so much. What was he thinking! They had never really got along; she was a little know-it-all brat and always had to give her two cents. And if that wasn't enough she was his student. He turned back down to finish marking the papers.

"Um Sir…" Hermione began, "I was just wondering why exactly you gave me detention?"

"You want to know why I gave you detention Miss Granger?"

"Yes Professor." She said meekly.

"I gave you detention, Miss Granger, because you were daydreaming in my class."

"But Professor, I finished my potion before anyone else and…"

"Are you questioning my authority?" He interjected.

"No Professor, I am just saying that…"

"Miss Granger you are being very impertinent!"

"I'm sorry Professor but…"

"Detention Miss Granger tomorrow, 6:30, here in the dungeons." Snape growled.

He stood up and stalked out of the dungeons. Hermione sat there stunned. Another detention! What was his problem? All she had done was ask him a simple question. Well maybe she had argued a little but she didn't mean to be disrespectful. Her eyes were feeling heavy and she just wanted to relax there for a while. She would go to bed soon but right now she was too tired to get up so she rested her head on her arms and closed her eyes. In no time at all she was fast asleep, snoring softly.

Snape was at the door to his quarters when he remembered he had left the papers sitting on his desk when he left the classroom. He debated whether or not to go back and finally decided that he would. The door of the classroom creaked open as Snape stepped inside. He was surprised to see Hermione Granger asleep at her desk, her hair falling gently over her eyes. He totally forgot about the papers as he stood there staring at her. I had better wake the girl he thought to himself. He stood there staring at her for a moment longer. Don't want to cause any trouble… I guess I'll just carry her to her room he thought after a while. No use in waking her, I'll just have to deal with her whining and complaining.

"Silly girl." He grumbled picking her up in his arms.

She squirmed around and snuggled into his chest. This surprised him and he shifted her in his arms but she snuggled into his chest again. He looked down at the sleeping girl, she looked so beautiful and she tried so hard to please him. Why on earth was he so cold to her? Her arms reached up and she wrapped them around his neck as she let out a sigh. Snape furrowed his brow. What's wrong with me? He asked himself, She is my student and I am her professor. With that he left the dungeons and headed towards the Gryffindor quarters.

"Password?" the fat lady asked him in a hushed voice.

"I don't know the password." He said bluntly.

"Well if you do not know the password I cannot let you enter." She replied.

"Can't you see I have a student here? I need to get in now! For heaven's sake I'm a Professor here!" He hissed, his voice becoming louder as he became more annoyed.

"Fine Professor but next time you had better know the password or I will not let you enter." The fat lady said indignantly.

He climbed into the common room and carried her up to her room. Pushing the door open with his foot, he walked over to the bed and carefully laid the girl down. He gently removed the shoes from her feet, placed her legs under the sheets and pulled the quilt up over her. Hermione suddenly stretched her hands above her head and yawned, she sleepily opened her eyes and smiled up at Snape. She pulled the quilt up around her neck and closed her eyes. Snape slowly and quietly crept out of the room and the door closed with a soft click.