Disclaimer: If I were a lot richer a little bit more English and possibly a better speller might be J.K Rowling. But seeing as I'm not then I am obviously just not. No claims and unfortunately no profit for my stories

How exactly do you say no? As in when is the right time? I mean think about it. If you are approached at a bar by a guy and without him saying anything you just say no then you get called a bitch. If you have a conversation with that guy let him buy you a drink and dance a little then don't return his phone calls then you're named cocktease. If you meet a guy dance with him and let him buy you drinks then go home with him and the next morning make it known that you don't really like him you just didn't want to hurt his feelings then you get called a slut. Really I mean any way to tell a guy you're not interested just leaves you pretty much screwed right?

These were the thoughts that were going through one Miss Hermione Grangers head one very long potions class. She was sitting next to Ron, which would normally be fine, if she had no idea of his feelings. Hermione really didn't mean to sound bitchy but she really didn't know what to do. She had the suspicion that Ron had liked her for many years and his awkwardness around her had been proof of this, the common misconception that her awkwardness was because of the same reason. Not true. Hermione was awkward around Ron because she didn't really like him as more then a friend and although she had suspicions she never really had proof he liked her so what was the point in ending a friendship because of suspicion?

These thoughts did nothing to glaze over Hermione's guilt. The bottom line in her head was because she hadn't said anything to Ron he know thought that she liked him and would soon ask her out. She had completely led him on and she felt horrible, now she had to find a way to solve the situation without hurting him more. Like that was possible.

" Miss Granger?" Snapes voice ripped through her thoughts like acid and she jumped in her seat. " I understand someone with Gryffindor intellect like yours can's understand the complexities of potions" the Slytherins laughed while Snape paused for dramatic effect. " But would you please make certain next time your fantasizing about Potter to reframe from defacing school property?"

Hermione looked down surprised to see he was right. She had been doodling on the desk, something that she should even have been thinking. Hermione felt her face up and knew she was blushing scarlet; she then faked an angry grab for her quill but in the process knocked over her ink well. She inspected the desk, careful to make it look like she was horrified.

" Sor…sorr…sorry sir" She said stuttering under his fierce gaze, secretly she was satisfied that all of her writing on the desk had been covered by ink. " I didn't mean it I swear" Snape looked about to have a fit, his eyes were bulging and his face was crimson, she even thought she saw a bit of foam at the edge of his mouth.

" Detention!" Snape screamed and turned, his robe whirling to his desk. Hermione thinking it was over sank down gratefully into her stool. "You will now..." Hemiones head snapped up "…clean the desk off with this" He held up a Childs toothbrush. " You have until the end of the lesson"

" But sir my notes…" He turned his furious glare back on her.

" I'm sure you can copy off one of your other classmates" he replied scathingly. He stalked back to his desk and positioned himself behind it. " Ingredients are on the board class" he rested his head on his hands and glared at them.

Hermione listened to the mad scatter around her as students pulled out their cauldrons and gathered ingredients. She signed inwardly, a detention? Just another thing to worry about she would ask Snape if it had to be tonight. She had planned to talk to Ron tonight it might now mean she had to do it at lunch. The delay was almost physically painful, she was really dreading telling him already and putting it forward was punishment enough surely. But no evil old Snape was putting her through her own personal form of torture by giving her a detention which might show up on her permanent record and making her put breaking up with Ron further forward. Snape started patrolling the desks trying to avoid unnecessary cauldron loss ( fat chance with Neville in this class…) and glaring coldly at her every time he passed he. Hermione was surprised to feel her anger boiling up, who did he think he was? Sure he was a teacher but he had no right to be so mean to any of the students especially since there wasn't a single thing he could do about it unless… Hermione quickly banished thoughts of revenge from her head. He might have heard her. Hermione froze at that thought…she had forgotten he could read minds! What if he had read her mind earlier? That means this whole ink thing had been for nothing. Hermione's anger surged up and she felt it wrestle control of her mind, she grabbed carefully for her bag and pulled out her exploding beans. Hermione had always carried them around for self-defence, it had never occurred to her to use them more maliciously, until now.

There was always one person who laughed the hardest and whined the loudest, this person was always Draco Malfoy. Hermione sneered, this would be so sweet. Hermione did a quick head check around the classroom, Snape at his desk and Ron so busy he wouldn't notice if she kicked him. She masked her thoughts by imagining a huge barrier around her head, not knowing how stable it was she decided to hurry. She darted out from beneath her bench and ran crouched over to the Malfoy Bench. Malfoy was currently working with Crabb, and because of Crabbs internationally known stupidity he was struggling. Not that it mattered the sunshines out Dracos arse as far as Snape is concerned. Malfoy was currently talking to a girl on the desk behind him not at all paying attention. Hermione snatched the chance and whispered the activation word on one of the balls; she then lobbed it straight up and into his potion. She figured she had twenty seconds no more, so she gathered her courage and strode right across the classroom. She felt Snapes eyes on her as she sat down at the last minute and then…

Bang!

" Shit!" Yelled Malfoy as his potion spilt all over him and everyone near him, which Hermione smugly thought are all Slytherins.

" Miss Granger up to my desk right now" Snape practically screamed. She looked over at him and almost laughed out loud, he was covered head to foot in Malfoys potion. " Malfoy get to the hospital wing right now!" he said as an after thought. Hermione walked confidently up to the desk.

" Yes sir?" she asked keeping her expression neutral.

" I saw your progress across the classroom prior to the…accident" He drew this syllable out as if to emphasise the fact that he knew it was anything but. What exactly do you think you're doing by pulling a prank like this?" Snape was livid he was yelling and raining a shower of spittle all over her face. She was quite obvious about whipping it off.

" But sir I didn't do it!" She protested convincingly. By this point everyone that had been touched by the potion was turning a horrible fluro pink, it was obviously a very bad decision to make hair dying potion today.

" Then explain to me what you were doing over the other side of the classroom at the time?" He said a bit smugly.

" I was rinsing my toothbrush of course, if you had actually been watching I've gotten up various times in the last five minutes to rinse it." Hermione had done it magnificently she had played of his inattention of the last five minutes and extorted it to her advantage.

" Really then you won't object to your wand being checked for it's spell residue?" Hermione nodded to show her approval and Snape muttered the spell. He was shocked but delighted to find the ghost of a cleaning spell on her wand. He had her now she hadn't rinsed her brush at all!

" Sir I suppose I should explain what that cleaning spell is but I used it this morning on the girls toilets of my dorm because Ginny had this problem with aiming.." The school bell interrupted her there.

" Enough Miss Granger!" Snape boomed uncomfortably. He knew she was lying, she must be lying right? He carefully probed her mind and the shield around her thoughts instantly confirmed his suspicions " Do you always shield your thoughts?" He muttered under his breath, so only she could hear it.

" Next time you should really ask before trying to read someone's mind it's quite rude" She knew there were to many witnesses to do more then a few detentions, that was the only thought keeping her bold " Yes I do always keep my thoughts to myself" She answered in the same low voice.

She then twirled faking a confidence she didn't posses and strutted to the door, at the last minute she hesitated and turned around.

" Class dismissed " Snape said acidly feeling all there little eyes watching his reaction. As the rest of the class gathered her books Hermione found the confidence to deliver the last line

" Nest time you want to dye your hair sir, go to a hair dresser fluro pink is completely your colour!" She practically ran to her next class.

A/N: Hey guys im back!!! And with a new bigger better story! Please read and review. Originally this was one big chapter but I split it up so I might post it tomorrow or the day after. Have a happy Australia day and make sure you review!!

P.s Beta searching sorry about spelling anyone interested?