Although this is not my first HG/SS fanfiction, this is the one I've gotten the farthest on. I must thank my wonderful beta, Vicky, who was willing to take the time to sort out all of my errors and give pointers where they were needed. If there are any mistakes, they are my own and mine alone.
Prologue

Hermione waited patiently as the potion slowly cooled. It had been a fairly uneventful day in Potions; not even Neville had managed to blow up a cauldron. She leaned slightly over her cauldron to make sure it was still a pale blue colour as described in the text as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She had read that anything 'organic' interacting with the potion could cause it to blow up. She cursed herself at not having the foresight to at least bring a ribbon to tie her hair back as a few strands fell in her face as looked over her cauldron.

"Miss Granger, back away from your cauldron. I don't want anything volatile to happen today. Even Mr Longbottom has managed to conduct in a manner befitting a proper student. I am sure that if you kept a better eye on your own cauldron, I would not have to needlessly worry about you blowing up the classroom."

Hermione looked up and saw Professor Snape looking at her over the top of the text. She felt heat rising to her cheeks and she knew it had nothing to do with the fire under her cauldron. It had been like that ever since her eighteenth birthday. Since then, Professor Snape had been almost courteous. She pulled her hair back and sat back down, perusing her notes. She leisurely appeared to look over her crisp, clean penmanship as she waited to her face to cool down.

"Nearly all of you have completed the potion. Those of you who have, please bottle a sample and place it on my desk. Then you are free to go." There was a slight pause before he added, "After you clean up your work area."

Hermione bottled the potion as quickly as she possibly could. As she placed the vial on his desk, she muffled a gasp as Snape covered her hand with his. He gave her a genuine smile as she slowly withdrew her hand from his. She returned to her area and slowly gathered up her supplies. As she left the room, she looked back once and saw that while the smile had disappeared, the look in his eyes did not. It was a look of pure hunger and longing so strong that she could not bear it. She hurried out of her classroom and in to her bedroom. Hermione realized that she was shaking when her hands trembled so hard that her books dropped out of her hands and onto her bed. The more she tried to still them, the harder they shook.


Severus took a shaky breath after all of his students had left for the day. He left the labeled vials on his desk in his office and went to his private quarters. The short hallway through a door hidden by a Muggle tapestry in his office had always made it convenient to escape to his quarters after an especially trying day. After giving the password to the portrait standing guard (a painting of a dark-haired woman in a verdant Empire gown), he went directly to his bedroom. He sat on the edge of his bed and placed his head in his hands. He didn't know what to do or how much more he could take. He would be patient as he had always been, but he hoped that everything would all play out soon.

He went into his private office and grabbed for the firewhiskey and a glass. 'A nip or two of this might make the night go by a little faster,' he thought to himself as he slowly sipped from the glass. He glanced at the clock and was surprised to see that it was nearly dinnertime. He set the empty glass down on the desk and headed toward the Great Hall. When he reached his destination—his frustration slightly alleviated due to a record amount of points taken away from a few first years and a pair of snogging Gryffindors—he stalked through the middle of the hall towards the professor's table and felt her eyes following him. He felt something resembling a smile coming on, but he turned it into a sneer as he passed the head of the Gryffindor table. He quietly took his seat and wondered, 'What ever could possibly possess someone to care for me?'


"I'm telling you Ginny, that's exactly what he did this afternoon." Hermione looked around the Great Hall to make sure no one was listening in. She had attempted to explain to Harry and Ron what had happened, but being boys, they just shrugged it off. "If Harry and Ron hadn't been so preoccupied in finishing their potion, they would have seen it." Maybe the fact that he knew she was the only one finished is why he did what he did. Hermione had been trying to rationalize "the incident" since it had happened and still she had no answer.

"Are you certain he doesn't have any inkling of your feelings? I mean, you did spend a lot of time in the basement at Grimmauld Place." Ginny thoughtfully chewed on a carrot stick before she asked, "What were you two working on all summer anyway? That is, if it isn't a secret."

Hermione blew a wisp of her hair out of the way and carefully thought it over. It had basically been research, but it had been an intimate situation. She grabbed a slice of bread and answered, "It's not necessarily a secret, what we did was mostly research. If it wasn't for the fact that Dumbledore had been busy all summer, I don't think I would have even been in that basement." She tore the bread into tiny little bits and looked hopelessly down at the plate. "Gin, do you remember the birthday celebration we had here?"

Ginny looked at Hermione's face and realized she was serious. She shrugged and answered, "Yeah, I remember it. We celebrated it the first Hogsmeade weekend." They had been having a good time at Madame Rosemerta's when Professor Snape had shown up. He had sat in a corner the whole time and when both Harry and Ron had kissed Hermione's cheek, some invisible force had slapped them. The boys teased Hermione for learning a new spell, but Ginny saw the look in her eyes, and she knew that Hermione didn't do it. "Do you think he was the one who did it?"

Hermione nodded her head and stole a glance at the professor's table. Snape was watching her again with that look in his eyes. She quickly turned her head and lowered her voice, "Not only that, but Harry and Ron got detention for stupid things after that." Both she and Ginny had heard about it for every minute after that. For the whole week they were belittled every time Snape saw them with Hermione, then after that, every thing had simply stopped. "Gin, I think he's infatuated with me."

It was Ginny's turn to look toward the professor's table and saw Snape rising. "You may get your chance to ask him, Mione, because he's headed this way."

Hermione fixed her eyes to her plate and pretended to be thoroughly engrossed with a pumpkin pasty. She didn't look up when she felt him stop behind her. The only real warning she got was Ginny saying, "Good evening, Professor Snape." As she waited for him to answer, she felt butterflies in her stomach start to build. The last time she had been this close to him had been when they were conducting research in the basement of Grimmauld Place. She sincerely hoped he hadn't discovered her crush on him.


Snape had been watching those two with their heads together all evening. If he squinted, he was taken back in time nineteen years. Hermione had been the first to look at him. He could not help the overwhelming feeling of desire for her at that moment, but he kept it hidden as he always had. If he had seemed preoccupied, none of the staff or other students had noticed it, he was simply behaving as he always did. When he deemed it the perfect time, he rose from his seat and slowly stalked to the Gryffindor table, his robes billowing around him. He caught a fleeting glimpse of Ginny Weasley watching him. When he reached the table, he heard Ginny say, "Good evening, Professor Snape."

He answered cordially, "Good evening, Miss Weasley. I am afraid that I need to speak with Miss Granger alone." He placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder and gestured that it was urgent. "Miss Granger, I need to speak with you about the…incident in Potions today." He watched as she reluctantly rose her seat and saw Ginny whisper words of encouragement. He walked in front of her and led the way to his public office off the Potion's classroom. He opened the door for her and motioned for her to sit in a chair in front of his desk. As she did so, he began, "I realize that this is unusually uncharacteristic of me, but I need your solemn vow that what happens in here will not be relayed to the ears of any authority figure or any of your friends." She slowly nodded her head and he continued, "I can't seem to control myself any longer and I need to do this before I go completely crazy."

Hermione barely had a chance to catch her breath before Snape's lips covered her own. This was something different from all the other times she had been kissed. There was something…right about the pressure of his lips against hers. She felt his hands gently cover the sides of her head and she felt…loved and cherished; as if she was something precious to him and he would never let her go. She gave a little sigh and that seemed to break the spell.

Severus slowly pulled away from her; reluctant to even leave her side, but he went to the other side of his desk and sat in the chair. She looked a little dazed as well as confused, but there was pink tingeing her cheeks. To break the silence, he said, "I plan on writing letters of recommendation to any college you choose to go to, however, I also want to offer you an apprenticeship, but given what just happened…"

"…it would be impossible for you to do so." Hermione bit at her lower lip and began to contemplate their situation. 'I don't even know how to handle this. He should be the adult in this situation, not me,' she thought as she sank lower in her chair. She covered her face with her hands and began to visibly shake.

Severus stood and went to comfort her. He gently wrapped his arms around her and helped her from the chair. He gently held her and said, "Maybe it is time you returned to your room, Miss Granger." He slowly pulled away from her and calmly told her, "It would be best if, for the next few weeks, you stayed out of trouble. I might be sorely tempted to give you detention, and we don't want your reputation ruined." He led her to the door and firmly pushed her out.

He went to his bedroom, changed into a robe, and settled himself in bed. His erection raged and he stroked it, thinking of Hermione. He remembered the feel of her lips against his; how warm and willing she had been, even in the face of her professor's advances. He thought back to the time when he had been all too willing to accept her advances and the private memory of her skin sent him over the edge with the soft whisper of her name echoing in the room.


Hermione tossed and turned all night, unable—and possibly unwilling—to get thoughts of the kiss with Snape out of her mind. She sleepily got out of bed, stretching and yawning the entire while. She put on a robe and headed for the Prefect's Bath. If she encountered anyone at this hour, she would be surprised since it was only six o'clock in the morning. She planned on an early breakfast and then maybe some studying in the library, but first a bath. On the way, she remembered vague dreams of his hands slowly moving down her body and slowly arousing her, and she growled at the door of the bathroom when her frustrations were getting to her. She let the water run as she undressed and put her hair up. She sank into the sudsy water and let her muscles relax.

Behind her, the door opened and she looked up to see who else was up this early in the morning. Snape softly shut the door behind him and slowly made his way to her, making her fully aware of her naked state. She attempted to cover herself, but he just chuckled and kissed her the way he had last night. He softly stroked her face and let his fingers travel lower until they touched the sides of her breasts. She gave a small whimper as his fingers reached to touch...

"Hermione, are you okay?"

Hermione shook herself away from her early morning daydream and asked, "What are you doing here so early, Ginny?" Ginny's hair was up in a fashion like hers, only she was still wearing a pink bathrobe and bunny slippers. Hermione undid her hair and let it fall over her shoulders. She shook it out and looked back at Ginny.

"I should ask you the same thing." Ginny went to the other side of the huge bath and disrobed over there. "I'm up early because I decided to get a head start on the day. However, what I saw coming here this morning wasn't a happy camper."

Hermione washed her hair and grabbed for her wand. After casting a quick drying spell on her hair, she grabbed for her towel and dried off. She put on her clean clothes and said, "I'm going down to breakfast. Are you going to join me?"

Ginny shook her head, "No, I have some thinking to do. If you see Harry, will you tell him not to worry about me? I'll be along shortly."

Hermione exited the bathroom and nearly ran into Professor Dumbledore. "I'm sorry, sir. I was just on my way to breakfast. If you will excuse me…" Hermione turned and headed toward the Great Hall.

"Actually, Miss Granger, I am afraid that I need your assistance in a somewhat delicate matter." He gestured toward his office and added, "It would be easier if we talked about this in my office." He allowed her to go past him and wait at the gargoyle statue. After he uttered the password, she was quiet all the way up to his office. She patiently waited for him at the door and he opened it for her, unable to contain his mirth at the situation. "Ah, Severus, glad to see you got my missive. I was nearly afraid that I would have to carry this out on my own."

Severus stood facing the fireplace, only looking away when he heard Dumbledore talk to him. He was not as severely dressed as he normally was—wearing only a white linen shirt and black slacks—but he had been practically dragged from his bed in order to come to this meeting. He looked to his left when he heard a feminine voice say, "Good morning, Professor."

Hermione blushed as Severus turned to look at her. She could see the lean muscle of his back through his shirt and realized that this was the least amount of clothes she had ever seen him in. Even when they were in the basement, he had taken to wearing his full set of robes; and in her little fantasy this morning he had been wearing more clothes than this. She looked away after Severus cleared his throat to get her attention.

There was nothing erotic or even exciting about Hermione Granger dressed in her school uniform, but he felt his pulse quicken at her voice, then there had been the open appraisal of his body. "Good morning, Miss Granger," he said with a calmness that belied his true feelings. He turned back to the fireplace, his thoughts racing. 'If I am here, and she is here…then we must be…'

"Exactly, Severus," said Dumbledore as he went through a side room, "I found the final ingredient to that particular potion nearly nineteen years ago, but it wasn't needed until this day. I need both of you to come here." He grabbed a small vial on a chain and handed it to Hermione. "This is a return potion. It will return you to precisely this moment, but first, let us go back into my office."

Hermione went in front of them and sat in one of the chairs by the fireplace; she slowly drummed her fingers on the arms of the chair, waiting for one of them to come and speak to her. She fidgeted in her chair as the professors had a little conference on what exactly to tell her. She placed the chain around her neck and put the vial under her shirt. She heard a small pop as a house-elf popped in, holding a valise.

"Ah! Thank you, Dobby. You may go back to the kitchens now," Dumbledore said as he took the valise from the house-elf. He handed the valise to Hermione and said, "Please hold out your tongue." As soon as she did, he placed three small drops on it. "This is a moment recorded in your mind. The return potion will react to it." He stood and took a vial from Severus. "Once you get where you are going, everything will be explained. Just remember to live the time you have there until you are told to come back." Hermione cautiously took the vial and drained it. She felt light-headed and everything was feeling fuzzy. She passed out on the floor and faded from view.

Dumbledore out a hand on Severus' shoulder and said, "Everything will be fine lad. She'll come back."