Hermione Granger had returned to Hogwarts to teach Transfiguration, position offered to her by Minerva McGonagall, who was now Headmistress of Hogwarts. Everyone was so happy to see her again, after all she was the brightest witch of her age. But, of course, Severus Snape, Potions Master, Head of Slyhterin House and Deputy Headmaster, wasn't amongst them and he didn't even try to help her, on the contrary, he continued to treat her as if she was a first year. Hermione put up with this for two months, but when she couldn't stand him anymore, she stormed into his office.
"I'm busy at the moment, so just be quick" said the man without even looking up from what he was doing.
"How dare you treat me like this?" said Hermione angrily. Snape looked up and saw the young girl standing in front of his desk with her hands on her hips.
"Professor Granger" he said quietly putting the quill on the desk.
"Why?" she asked more forcefully. The professor looked at her in the eye, but he didn't answer.
"You see, there's not even a reason!" cried Hermione. She took a deep breath. "Listen, at least for the students, I think we should at least try to be civil towards each other"
They stared at each other for some time and then the man said: "All right".
That was how their friendship started. But there was something Hermione didn't know. There was a reason why Severus had treated her as he had. Since her sixth year he hadn't been able to notice how she had changed, and not just physically. She wasn't a foolish girl anymore and she had been through a war. So, in just a few months he found himself completely in love with her. But at that time he didn't worry about it too much because she was his student and he would have never tried anything against the rules. But then she returned, and that was a problem. He knew she would have never returned his feelings and he didn't want to be hurt, so he had decided that if he continued to treat her as he had always done, maybe she wouldn't have tried to befriend him. But he was wrong... and when she had dared him by staring him out, he couldn't help but agree with her. The days passed, months passed and for Severus it became more difficult to hide his feelings. Every time he saw her he wanted to run up to her and kiss her breathless. Every time she brushed him an electric jolt passed through his body. Once, when she hugged him, he nearly kissed her! So, he did the only thing that came to his mind: writing letters. Of course he would have never sent her those letters, but at least he could pour out everything he thought.