Disclaimer: I only own the plot-all characters belong to J.K.Rowling.

Battle of Wills

Snape wandered around the classroom critically. Gas ensued from various caldrons, while others just bubbled sickeningly. Thick gooey solutions oozed to form almost jell at the bottom of some. Other caldrons looked like they had just, barely, survived an explosion, their owners, testifying to this with charred hair and shocked expressions. At the back, a handsome blond looked at his mixture in disgust-a muddy sludge had settled on the bottom, with a bloodlike red liquid trickled across the top, forming the words 'You're the mudblood, loser!' Snape's lips curled in distain.

"Clear that up, Draco."

"With pleasure." Draco bit out savagely, as a battle ensued between him and the sludge, never giving in.

At the front of the classroom, a perfect potion sat ready, anticipating praise, its curly haired owner a little less expectant.

"So nobody managed to make this potion." Snape sneered. "Pathetic. And to think you have the audacity to call yourselves seventh years."

Hermione waved her hand wildly, her perfect purple potion glistening.

"An absolute disgrace."

"I managed it, sir!!"

"Miss Granger, for once in your life, would you shut up!"

Hermione flinched. "I managed the potion, sir."

"Miss Granger, would you kindly notice that your potion is the worst of the lot!"

Hermione gaped at him.

"Miss Granger, if you don't attempt the potion, how can you expect to get any credit?"

She glanced at her purple potion…that was black?? No, that was the caldron-it had vanished???!! Snape smirked, his wand in his hand just visible enough for her alone to see. The rotten cheat. How. Dare. He.

"As I was saying, my first years could easily have mastered that potion-"

"Then let them do it instead." Hermione cut in sharply.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger." Snape drawled idly. "As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, twice-"

"I'll show you rudely interrupted, mate." Hermione muttered viciously under her breath. Ron and Harry sympathetically squeezed her hand under the table.

"What was that, Miss Granger?" Snape raised a greasy eyebrow.

"Nothing." Hermione muttered. "You old bat."

"Another twenty points. Now as I was saying."

"You've said that bit already." Hermione muttered again.

"Another twenty points, Miss Granger."

"And that too."

"That is enough, Miss Granger-a week of detentions!"

The class sat gobsmacked at Hermione's sudden change in behaviour.

"First years could have mastered this potion."

A skeptical laugh came from Hermione at this point.

"Miss Granger, have you something you wish to contribute to the class discussion?" Snape snapped.

"Class discussion, sir, really!" Hermione giggled, a mad glint in her eye. Harry and Ron shared worried glances. "And, I know for a fact that this potion was far above the standards that the ministry even require for the final stage of the potion masters degree-therefore supposed to be impossible for NEWT standard. So you're telling us off for something that we should never even be attempting to do. So ha." She whispered the last bit under her breath. Snape scowled.

"I'm sure, Miss Granger, that you will find it easier to read up on potions, and even study in general and get your facts right, if Mr Weasley is not there to distract you."

Hermione turned bright red with rage, while Ron turned an ugly shade of purple. Harry was torn between looking sympathetically at them, and glaring at Snape. Nobody noticed Draco, who had given up his unremitting fight with the potion minutes before, add to the puke coloured sludge with his own particular brand of the substance.

Hermione stood up, livid, her hair sitting out, like a cat trying to intimidate its rival.

"You. Will. Pay." She ground out. "Maybe not today, or even tomorrow, but you will pay. The Battle of the Wills has commenced." She shot Snape another deathly glance before leaving the room, robes billowing, in a way that could almost put Snape's robes to shame. The room burst into frantic chatter, the class completely disbelieving that the teacher's pet, Hermione Granger, had stood up to a teacher. Not any teacher, but the Greasy Bat of the Dungeons. Everybody was caught up in the moment, all accept one person, who was silent, and that person saw what nobody else got to see-Snape shivering in fear.