Disclaimer/Authors Note: All of it belongs to JKR. Thanks to everyone who reviewed my story. I've decided to begin a series of Father/Daughter, mentor-ish fics wherein Snape guides Hermione through adolescence. This one will be directly related to the last, however the next one will be done at the suggestion of Ana, who wrote me a very nice review. Thanks Ana, would love to have more suggestions!

Hermione glanced around the infirmary, having stuffed the supplies Madam Pomfrey had given her into her school bag. Madam Pomfrey had asked a few questions, but a tight lipped Hermione had insisted she was fine and simply needed some supplies. Madam Pomfrey sighed and Hermione scurried toward the bathrooms of Gryfindor tower. Once she was safely behind a stall door, she took several deep breaths and unzipped her school bag. From within the bag she pulled out the products Madam Pomfrey had provided her with. Two small boxes, one green and one blue. Hermione eyed them cautiously. Having no idea how to differentiate between the two, she chose the blue one simply because she liked the color better. From within the small box she pulled what appeared to be a tube wrapped in white paper. Hermione undid her school robes and unzipped her pants, she sat on the edge of the toilet seat and once again stared a the blood that had now soaked through the toilet paper she had wadded there. She sighed. It had been a long and terribly embarrassing day. Her cheeks burned as she recalled her Professor explaining such a private matter to her, but more so her cheeks burned in embarrassment at her lack of knowledge. Hermione threw the wadded toilet paper down the toilet, and stared at the tube rolled in paper. As she looked at it, panic again began to course through her. She didn't know what to do . She didn't know how to use it. Tears stung her eyes for the millionth time that day. Tears of fear and inadequacy. Hermione sniffled quietly, allowing one small sob to escape her lips before she bit it back.

Professor Snape walked brusquely through the corridors, his evening rounds almost complete. His mind still set on the Granger girl and their earlier encounter. He had not seen her in the Great Hall for supper and had been concerned, but reasoned with himself that she was probably simply conferencing with Madam Pomfrey or getting some well deserved rest. He sighed and turned to the last corridor on his rounds. Ears attuned, as always for small indications of students out beyond curfew. He stopped abruptly before the girls restroom door, having heard a small but distinct sob.

'Oh Merlin, another girl sobbing over some tryst with a friend or a lost love' Snape rolled his eyes. Nonetheless it was his duty to ensure all students were in their towers after curfew. He inwardly shuddered at the impropriety of entering the women's restroom, but in fact all faculty were allowed in every room of the castle so long as circumstance provided valid reason. He sighed and pushed the door open. The sniffling stopped immediately and he saw a pair of black mary draw up from the floor. Obviously the culprit did not wish to be discovered. Snape's mood darkened.

"Show yourself." He growled. Hermione gasped. She had expected an older female prefect of maybe even Filch, but certainly not Professsor Snape. The few moments of surprise she allowed herself only made him more irritated.

"I will not repeat it again. Show yourself or double detention will be served." He barked. Hermione startled out of her reverie, drew in a shaky breath and stepped out of the stall. Snape almost balked. Miss Granger, in the restroom at an ungodly hour, cheeks wet with tears. He could only assume she was still absorbing the shock of what was happening to her body. But he had to follow formality. With his sternest voice he questioned:

"Miss Granger, why are you out of your tower past curfew?" For the millionth time that day, she stared at his shoes.

"I needed to use the restroom, Sir." She answered, her voice quavering. He glared at her.

"Miss Granger, there are restrooms in your tower, and you are still wearing your school robes, which leads me to believe you have yet to make it to your tower this evening." He forced her to meet his eyes. He was startled by the embarrassment, and the...desperation he saw there. Surely a simple menstrual cycle was not this upsetting! He sighed, still somewhat confused.

"Miss Granger, did you visit Madam Pomfrey?" He questioned, wondering if the girl's all pervasive embarrassment had kept her from visiting the medi-witch. She looked down once more and nodded her head. He rolled his eyes.

"Then what pray tell, has you whimpering in a restroom well past curfew?" He drawled. A tear ran down her cheek and she wiped at it angrily, clearly embarrassed by her own display of emotion. He immediately regretted calling her on it. If she was ever going to tell him what was the matter this time, he could not insult her.

"Miss Granger?" He questioned more softly.

"I-I don't know how, Sir." She stated so softly he had to lean forward to catch her words. Snape was utterly confused. A feeling that greatly unnerved the spy.

"Don't know how?" He questioned, leaning against the sink in the restroom, gazing at her. She was once again scarlet and looked shaken.

"I don't-I don't know how to use them Sir." She sniffled.

"Don't know how to use what Miss Granger?" She looked at her feet once more, her lip quivering. She wrung her hands and turned abruptly back into the stall. He stood up straight, preparing to stop her if she ran. But when she turned back to him, holding a small box in her hands, he was thoroughly perplexed. She looked at the box in her hands, and then to him, then to her feet.

"I don't know how to use these Sir." She explained in a small voice. He held his hand out for the box, wanting to examine for himself the cause of her distress. Her hands quavered momentarily before she handed over the blue box. Snape nodded his head at her and then bent it to examine the blue item. He read the label, but it meant nothing to him. He reached his hand inside the box and pulled out a long thin tube wrapped in white paper. Oh. Oh. Snape turned scarlet. He cleared his throat.

"Madam Pomfrey did not explain the...use to you?" He questioned her.

"No. I told her it was not my first time. That I had simply run out of...supplies." Of course. She had not wanted to seem naïve or unknowledgeable, the damn know-it-all, so she had lied and left with products she had no idea how to use. Severus sighed. Poppy had given her tampons, assuming that she was experienced enough to use them. He knew from vague knowledge that tampons were not usually used for a girls first menstrual cycle, as they were more complicated than pads. He reached inside the box once more, pulling out the small folded piece of paper within. He had spotted the paper when he had first opened the box, but until now had not thought much of it. Hermione waited a moment, then drew back into the stall once more and produced a second box. Snape looked up from reading the folded paper. It did indeed hold instruction as to how to use the tampons, however Snape was unsure whether or not the girl should in fact use them for her first period. For one fleeting moment Severus Snape actually wished he was a woman, so he would know how to help her. Hermione looked at him.

"She also gave me this one too." She handed him the box. He examined the larger green item. He opened the lid and to his relief, encased within the box were indeed sanitary pads. He sighed.

"You should use these Miss Granger." He stated, handing her back the box. She looked at the box, then at him. Nodding her head slowly. Then it dawned on him. She didn't know how to use pads either. Shit, Shit, Shit! This was a job for Poppy or Minerva, hell even Dumbledore would be better at this than himself! Hermione noticed his discomfort and began to withdraw.

"It's alright Sir, I'm sure I'll figure it out, Thank you Sir, I'll just go back to my dorm now." She tried to keep the quaver from her voice. If he didn't help her, she would turn to no one else. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them and put his arm out.

"Miss Granger, wait." His voice was tired.

"Yes, Sir?" Her voice was small. All of a sudden she felt the enormity of the day hitting her. Very rarely did Hermione allow her mind to travel to the death of her parents. She grieved them of course, but actively kept her mind occupied, to keep from dwelling upon how much she missed them. But at this moment all she wanted was her mother. Her mother to hold her and explain this to her and tell her it would be okay. But she would never admit this to him. Although, she didn't have to. Snape had promised himself that he would not use legilimens on her earlier that day, but he had felt it necessary to know how much she knew about the use of sanitary napkins before explaining their use to her. He did not wish to be exposed to that conversation any longer than was necessary, but he also wanted to ensure that she was fully informed. However briefly he was in her mind, he still felt the enormous sense of want, fear, loss and confusion. He held the sink to keep from staggering. She was hurting. She was scared and she was hurting and she was menstruating. Holy Merlin. Severus felt his shoulder sag. She needed him. He allowed his eyes to travel to her downcast ones.

"Hermione?" He questioned softly. Her head reared up at the use of her first name. She looked at him questioningly. He opened the green box and handed her a pad. She took it, fingers trembling slightly. He took a deep breath, drawing on his own partial med-witch training he began to explain:

"You unfold it and tear off the plastic wrapper. One side will be layered in adhesive material, place that side down on your...undergarments. The other side will most likely be a soft material. It may take some time to get used to, but in time you will. You will need to change the pad every few hours. The tampons you will learn to use later." He stopped to look at her, absorbing the information, again staring at the ground. She began to fiddle with the pad in her hands, chewing on her lower lip.

"Hermione, would you like me to leave while you try it?" He asked softly. He did not need to be in her mind to know that she was anxious and embarrassed. She nodded, but then held up her hand.

"Sir will you, could you w-wait outside the door?" She asked quietly. But what she was not saying was written on her face 'I don't want to be alone, I don't know what I'm doing'.

"Of course." He walked to the exterior door and opened it.

"Sir?" She called quietly. He turned.

"Yes?"

"Thank you." She stated, eyes brimming slightly with unshed tears, and walked into the stall. He sighed and closed the women's restroom door and leaned against the wall. Merlin help all adolescent girls.

A few moments later the door creaked open gently, revealing a very exhausted, but very relieved Hermione. Snape stood up straight, looking at her, meeting her eyes. She simply nodded at him and he let the corners of his lips curl in understanding. He lifted his hand to her shoulder and gave slight squeeze. It wasn't her mother holding her, but it was the best he could do. He escorted her to her tower.

"Goodnight Professor." She stated quietly.

"Goodnight Hermione."

Please Review! Suggestions for new scenarios would be awesome as well!