Professor Snape stood with his arms crossed glowering at his 6th year potions class. They were incompetent, not much more competent than they had been as first year students, with one notable exception. And that exception is what caused the potions master's anger, at least this time. Hermione Granger, resident Gryffindor know-it-all. She had probably read every book in the library the first year that she had arrived at Hogwarts. Snape couldn't understand what exactly it was that annoyed him so much about her. She answered questions in class, she raised her hand an awful lot, but not as much as she had that first year. No, it was her inability to ever make a mistake, thereby not allowing Snape to have any authority over her whatsoever, besides that of a teacher. Intimidation did not work for her. She could hold her own in an argument. The only strike against her was her youth, and even that eventually would not be a problem. No Miss Granger would go far in her life, and that made Severus Snape just a little jealous.
He knew that he had made wrong decisions in his life, once he figured that out he had spent years trying to atone for those sins. At last with the defeat of Voldemort, he was free of spying, but he would never be free of his past, that covered him like a black shrouded robe. But Miss Granger, had never been lured by the dark side, no in fact she had fought on the side of good. She had no blemish on her reputation on her character, or on her soul. She was pure, and brilliant as sunlight, and her flame would never be doused, that didn't mean he couldn't try. It isn't that he wanted to hurt her per say, it's just that she hurt him with her very presence—something that she could never understand.
These thoughts had always plagued the potion master, but today they were especially bad, because he had to pick an apprentice for seventh year potions from this class and the only one even mildly capable was Miss Granger, and Snape did not want to admit this. He emphatically did not want to spend the majority of next year with this girl. But he would suppose that there was not help for it. Last year Draco Malfoy would have been a possibility, however it was not a possibility with the death of his father Draco had fell into a depression that he was just now coming out of, he would have to get extra tutoring over the summer just to keep up with his seventh year classes. No, it would have to be Miss Granger. Snape glared.
"Miss Granger, stay after class."
Hermione was deep in thought as she stared into her caldron, the potions was a deep amber color, absolutely the color it was supposed to be according to the advanced potions book she'd been studying. It wasn't on the curriculum, but somehow most of the potions that Snape had them create never seemed to be in the book, no wonder there were so many incompetent people in his class, you almost had to read outside the curriculum in order to have a clue about the potions brewed in class. She thought that Snape thought that they should be able to use the basic skills that the book taught them to learn how to brew any potion with the instructions on the black board, but with the grades in his class he should look into changing his teaching tactics. Harry and Ron were working together on their potion, unfortunately their potion was a drab brown color, absolutely wrong. Harry looked like he might be trying to get her attention, but she just shook her head, she had no idea what they had done wrong this time and whispered help wouldn't do anything except get points taken away from Gryffindor. She had ten more minutes of stirring counter-clockwise, and then she could stir clockwise for five minutes, then the potion would be done.
The book that she had read had mentioned a couple of short-cuts, but she didn't want to give Snape any reason to draw attention to her. In general she felt very stupid after having any type of conversation with him. Just a couple of years ago she would have sought him out to discuss various potions and to try to get extra projects, there was so much research to be done in the fields of potions and she wanted to be in on it, even at a young age. The one time she'd brought it up to him, he had given her a long lecture about taking up his very important time, during which he'd managed to insult everything from her intelligence to her family and friends. Now she just tried to avoid him as much as possible. She was going to go to college and do research on potions and muggle chemistry, she thought perhaps she might minor in Transfigurations and Charms. She wanted to major in all of these things, but she knew that it would not work, not if she wanted to graduate in four years and get out in the world of work, she figured she could always work on extra degrees by owl after she graduated. She really wanted to do something useful. With the fall of Voldemort, the possibilities for research were endless, new worlds had awoken, without the threat of the Demenotors and Death Eaters. She couldn't wait to get started on her life. One more year after this she thought. Today was after all the last day of sixth year....She sighed.
"Miss Granger" Hermione jumped at the sound of her name from Snape's lips, "Stay after class."
"Yes, sir," she answered quickly. What could Snape possibly want, she thought. So much for avoiding him for this entire year, sad, oh well tomorrow I go home and I can relax for the entire summer. Ah, beach here I come!!
The bell rang and everyone took a vial of their potions up to Snape's desk. Then they all filed out of the room. Generally when leaving a class for the year a chorus of have a good summer and see you next year would follow, but not in Snape's class. This was an unfortunate side effect of Snape being such a bastard.
Hermione approached Snape's desk. She handed him her vial. "Um, sir you wanted to see me?"
"Ah yes," Snape said sitting back in his desk chair turning the vial in his hand. He looked at the vial. "Once again you are the only one in this class to brew the potion correctly."
She just stared at him. He had asked her up here to tell her that she was right? Hermione was very confused.
"As you know," Snape continued oblivious to her confusion, "every teacher has to pick an apprentice from the seventh years. Because of my work with the Order I have not had to do such a thing in past years, however now with the defeat of Voldemort, Dumbledore insists that I follow this tradition. I have looked over the incompetent fools that will no doubt be just as stupid next year. Therefore, there is only one person who even moderately fits the standards for the position. That person, as much as it pains me to say, is you Miss Granger. You will be getting an official owl from Dumbledore this summer, but I had thought to prepare you by giving you a reading list for over the summer. You've no doubt read everything here on potions and every other subject, but some of these books are very rare. I am entrusting you with them, and I expect you to know them backwards and forwards by the start of term."
Hermione just stared at him for a moment, taking it all in. She was going to be a potions apprentice! She was going to be able to work with and experiment with potions! She would have a right to ask Snape the questions she wanted answers to! She had new books to read!!! She didn't know which thought was more thrilling.
"Thank you sir, will that be all?" She calmly asked. All she wanted to do was jump up and down, but she knew that Snape respected only mature adults and acting like a kid in a candy store may be the best way for him to revoke his offer. She couldn't wait to get back to her dorm and start in on the books. Who cared about the end of year feast, she had new books to read!
"Yes, Miss Granger that will be all. Please be aware that your letter will have more specific instructions for your apprenticeship next term. Please be aware that we will be working, you will not have a lot of time for frivolities and running about with Potter and Weasly. Be prepared to work." And with that Snape dismissed her. She picked up the rather large stack of books and headed back to her dorm room. Next year was going to be extremely interesting.
Snape set back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. He hoped that he had made the right decision. Not, he snorted, that there had been much of a decision. No Granger, really was the only possible candidate for this position. Next year was certainly going to be interesting.
Summer passed uneventfully for both Snape and Hermione. Hermione had all of the books Professor Snape had assigned by the second week of summer, she had reread them all at least twice by the time that the second month rolled around. By July, she had received her letter about the apprenticeship. There were not really that many instructions. She had to get a new caldron, one made out of gold for especially complex potions. The peaceful summer however was interrupted by a letter from Dumbledore. Dumbledore had decided to have an Order meeting for "old times sake." Hermione didn't understand why he would do this now. Voldemort had only been defeated now for about a semester. It was not like a five year reunion or anything. No, Hermione knew that he had another agenda, she just didn't know what it was yet.
Hermione showed up at the old headquarters, at the time that was designated on the card. She walked into the kitchen and the first person she saw was Snape sitting at the table reading and sipping a cup of tea. It was odd, she knew he was part of the Order and that he would be there, but she didn't think that she'd ever seen him in such a relaxed state. He really wasn't bad looking when he didn't have a harsh glare on his face. She shook her head what was she thinking. Molly Weasly was cooking something on the stove.
"Hello, Hermione, how are you?" Molly asked jovially. "How has this summer been treating you, please sit down, have a cup of tea."
"Summer's been great. I've been to the beach a couple times, for the most part I've just been reading. I had some new literature to keep me busy." She glanced over at Professor Snape but he didn't look like he had even heard her. "So how is everyone at the Burrow?"
"Oh everyone's great! Harry stayed with us this summer. Harry and Ron actually should be along shortly."
"Where is everyone else?"
"Well, I don't know. My letter said to come early, so here I am! Honestly I don't know what's going on that it's so important that we meet."
"There's nothing going on," Snape interrupted. "Dumbledore just wants to get everyone together and have a party unfortunately, there is no way for any of us to get out of it, so we just have to...what's that muggle term again, oh yes, grin and bear it."
Hermione looked at him with disbelief. "Well, that's just peachy. I could have been reading the Advanced Proportions of the Secret Art of Potion Brewing."
"I would have thought, Miss Granger, that you would have already been through all of the books."
"I am, I just wanted to read them again. Actually I am on the third round."
The party passed uneventfully. Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussed next semester and all the things that were happening. Harry was looking forward to a year without the threat of Voldemort. Hermione told them about her apprenticeship with Professor Snape.
"You are going to spend extra time with Professor Snape???" Ron almost yelled.
Snape was sitting over in the corner pointedly ignoring everyone when Ron had his outburst. He sent a glare in their direction, then he swept out of the room.
"Ron that was decidedly rude," Hermione said haughtily. "Professor Snape is a great Potion Master and I will learn a lot from him. I can't wait to start the research."
She didn't know that Snape had heard her defend him, and it had started to heal one of the cracks on his heart. No one ever gave him praise. He knew he was good, but no one ever said to his face "good job."
Then Hermione continued, "I can't wait to discuss potions and research. I get to ask all the questions that I have been wanting to ask since like third year!"
"Hermione, are you talking about when you had that crush on Snape!"
"No dummy, that was fourth year."
Snape almost fell over. Never before had a student ever had a crush on him. And while it was obvious that she no longer suffered from the malady, it was still awfully shocking. It made him almost want to look at Miss Granger in a new light. Then he shook off the thought turned on his heel and walked out of the house.