Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter Related.

Chapter 1

Hermione Granger stood up slowly from the library desk placing her Potions textbook and notepad into her black book bag, and carfully tucked her quill behind her left ear. Sighing, she pushed in the chair and began her journey back the the Gryffindor common room. Taking her time to oberserve the artwork along the castle walls, and waving to the polite paitings, she began to revisit her time in the library, going over the potions work she had done, in her head. She was quite confident that she had succsesfully completed Snapes second dreadful assignment for the week, but often liked to make sure. While drumming her fingers against the cold stone wall and thinking of this, she came to a sudden halt, as she had ramed into something hard ...

" , you would see fit to pay better attention while walking through the halls, especially this close to curfew." Professors Snapes voice helped her to snap back to reality.

"Im sorry professor, it wont happen again" said Hermione shyly, not wanting to start a row in the hallway with the Professor.

Although he was not her favourtie teacher, she had respect for all her superiors, and she had already received a detetion with him for that saturday due to a snarky comment made in class, she did not want to double it.

After a trying year previous, having survived the battle with the Dark Lord, he was pleased to have things back to normal, but without the weight of a war lingering over his shoulders, and no longer needing to protect 'The Boy Who Lived', he chose to let himself act free. He would not let up his hard exterior, but he would not be the angry twat he always was, his harsh responsiblites were no longer present. At this moment Severus to look at her carefully, examining her delicate face. She was odd, very bright, but very annoying, he had no time for someone who constantly felt the need to prove themselves. This however was the first time he was noticing Hermione Granger. Her soft pink lips, large brown eyes, that held so much knowledge behind them, but alot fear. She held herself, no longer a girl, but a young women... These kind of thoughts were not premitted to have of a student.

Catching himself staring for too long, Snape dissmised her at once,

"Very Well , be on your way, no lullygaging." And he left as quickly as he had shown up.

As strange as this was, Hermione felt no need to question it, and she too, quickly walked away making her way to the Gryffindor common room. When she reached her destination, she spotted Ron and Harry, sitting on the red velevet couch in front of the fire place, talking in quiet voices. When she sat down on the stool in front of them, she quickly realized they were talking about Lavender, Rons love intrest. Not caring much for the conversation, she took this opportunity to slam her book bag down hard on the floor. This grabbed their attention.

" Oi, whats got your knickers in a knot?" , Questioned an agitated looking Ron, clearly, their conversation was very important.

" Snape", Replied Hermione. " Ive just bumped into him in the hall", she continued, waiting for their reactions..

" Alright then..." answered Harry, " What did he do to you, not another detention? "

" No, he did nothing, he just let me go, all he said was to watch where I was going" She stated, in a hurried tone.

"Well, whats wrong with that? Thats brillant!" replied Ron.

" No no, dont you see Ron, This is very odd, He hasnt been the same since the War, I know we have all changed a bit, but not giving me a detention for walking around late at night? Thats absurd. "

" Hermione, you should be pleased he didnt give you a detention, you've already got one this saturday comming up!" exclaimed Harry, who clearly did not understand the problem.

" I know, I just find it very strange... I belive he is up to something", she replied thoughtfully.

" Stop worrying about Snape, we have no more issues with him remember, he did amazing things, I have the highest regard for him, infact while your in detention Saturday, tell him I said 'hello' alright?". Harry said all this as he stood up to stretch and let out a yawn, Ron was right behind, him. " We are going to sleep.. we have been up far to late, trying to figure out Rons...problem, we will see you at breakfast okay? "

"Alright, Fine" She said, grabbing her bag and heading for the stairs. " Is everything alright Ron? Between you and Lavender?"

" Ohh yeah.. Nothing I can't handle, G'night" He said sleeply, as they all headed to their seperate dorms.

Hermione let out a sigh as she lay down on her Gryffindor styled bed, she was beat from the days school work, not to mention annoyed with the boys for not being more intrested in her theory about Professor Snape.

She slowly stood up and made her way to the loo, when she arrived she stipped out of her school uniform and stepped into the luke warm shower to wash off the days events. As she began to wash the water over he skin, she began to think. She thought about Ron, and how horrible she had felt when she had to explain to him that she did not share his feeling towards her. He moved on of course, to the Lovely Lavender. She thought about her poor broken friend Harry, who was too happy for someone who had been through so much. And she began to think about herself. She was not unhappy, but she was missing something. She has changed since the War, she was more sure of herself, more willing to take on anything, no second thoughts. In fact, had anyone been watching the young witch in the shower, they would have notice the small but beautiful tattoo of a sparrow she had gotten just below her left breast. No one was ment to see it, but it symbolized something to her, it represented her time in the War, and the struggles she had to over come in order to be free. She ran her finger over the tattoo and looked down and smiled, it made her feel special, it was a nice little secret. When she finished up washing her skin, she started on her hair, using a rosemary scented shampoo. While she rubbed it in, she began to think, of how lovely it would be to have a strong man rub her scalp for her, how relaxing it would be, how soft Snapes hands would feel on her flesh... The thought of the Professor touching her in this way, surprised her, ' where did that come from?'.

Shortly after finishing up, she dried herself off and changed into her knee length cotton nighty. She carefully, braided her long brown hair down her back,' surely Snape would never even think of touching her that way, he wouldnt even think to look at her'. Hermione pushed all thoughts of Severus Snape in the back of her mind, and crawled into bed, pulling the soft duvet over her shoulders. Hermione, slowly fell into a restless sleep, filled with nightmares of her past.