Frustrated, Hermione threw down her quill on top of the books spread over the top of the table in the library. She had been in there for hours and was still not any closer to finding the answer to the essay question Snape had assigned. "Different uses for different colored rose petals in potions." None of the books gave her any idea as to what different colored rose petals did for the different potions. In fact, no books even mentioned rose petals being used in potions. What was Snape playing at?

Looking at her watch, Hermione gasped at the time. Was it really two in the morning already? She must have been here longer than she thought. Good thing she was Head Girl or else she might get in trouble for being out of bounds after curfew. As it was, now she just had to worry about the fact that she would not have the essay for Snape finished by class at eight.

Refusing to give up, Hermione pledged to stay awake until she had the answers that she needed. Sighing heavily, she stood up and returned to the stacks of books to get a few more books on potion ingredients. Resigned to her fate, she came back to the table with a stack bigger than her body and proceeded to get back to work on her essay.

A few hours later, Hermione was asleep with her head on a potions book. Instead of the 12 inches of parchment full of her neat, tidy writing there were 3 inches about red rose petals being used to increase the longevity of the potion. She had fallen asleep at around six-thirty and was still snoring away when Harry and Ron entered the library in search of her.

"Hermione."

"Hermioneeee."

A few rough shakes on the shoulder roused her from her sleep.

"Huh?" she murmured, looking around her at the table still covered in books. "What's going on?"

"It's almost time for potions class Hermione," Ron said, looking at Harry and smiling at their friend's antics.

Hermione screeched loudly, causing the boys to jump backwards in shock, and jumped up from the library table. She grabbed her potions essay, muttering "no" while scanning what she had written.

Harry and Ron looked at her strangely. "Hermione? Did you not finish your essay?" the asked in disbelief. Hermione always finished her assignments. Ron looked shocked when she shook her head no.

"Why did you not finish?" he asked. The boys looked concerned for her health.

"I couldn't find anything about the topic," she said with tears in her eyes. She put her hands over her face and sobbed loudly. "I looked everywhere and couldn't find anything about rose petals!"

"Rose petals?" Harry questioned. "The project was about the color of lily petals Hermione…" Now the boys were really scared. Hermione always knew the assignment and had never gotten it wrong before.

"Are you feeling alright Hermione," Ron questioned at the shocked look on her face.

"L-lily petals? The assignment wasn't about rose petals?" She stammered, looking incredulous. "How…?"

"Look, you can just explain it to Snape. We have to go or we're going to be late," Harry said, grabbing her hand and dragging her from the library.

When they arrived at the potions classroom, Hermione still had a shellshocked look on her face. She couldn't believe how bad she had messed it up. Snape was going to be so mad at her.

Sitting down at their usual table in the back, Hermione gulped nervously as Snape swooped into the room, his robes billowing behind him. When he reached the front of the room, he turned and surveyed the class through the curtain of his black hair. With a sweep of his wand, all the essays flew towards the front of the room. All the essays except one.

Counting the essays, Snape frowned when he realized one was missing. Never in all his years of teaching had a student failed to turn in an assignment when he assigned it. Performing a quick spell, his eyebrows raised up higher on his forehead when he realized whose essay was missing. Searching the classroom, he saw Hermione duck lower in here seat, her face red, as his eyes focused on her.

However, he simply turned away and swept his wand over the blackboard making instructions for the potion they were to brew appear instantly.

"Today, you will be making a core strengthening potion. Everyone pair up and get to work. Miss Granger? I need to see you in my office. You will be excused from this potion today. Everyone else, you had better be finished within 45 minutes."

He swept his robes around and stalked into his office. Hermione stood up and attempted to ignore the looks she was getting from the other students as they watched her walk to Snape's office. By the time she reached the door, her cheeks were pink and Malfoy was smirking at her from behind his cauldron.

Not bothering to knock, she walked into the office and closed the door behind her. Turning back, she noticed Snape sitting behind his desk, his dark head bent over grading the essays turned in.

After the war, Snape had gotten slightly better in regards to his attitude as well as his grooming habits. His dark hair was smooth and shined beautifully. He no longer looked greasy and he was slightly nicer to the Gryffindors. Hermione could actually admit a slight attraction to him now that he was cleaner.

"Professor?" She asked timidly and flinched slightly when he waved his wand towards the door. She assumed he had placed locking and silencing charms on the door so they would not be disturbed.

"Sit Miss Granger," he said, never looking up from the papers he was grading. "I believe you know what we are here to talk about?" Finally, he looked up and Hermione's breath caught in her throat at his beauty.

Some said he had a hooked nose and sallow skin but Hermione thought he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Seeing that he was looking at her oddly, she realized that she had been staring for far too long. Blushing, she sat in the proffered chair in front of his desk.

"Yes Professor," she mumbled, looking down at her lap.

"Explain."

Looking up, she rushed out, "I'm so sorry! I thought the assignment was for the color of rose petals. I was mistaken and did not realize until about a half hour ago. Please Sir, can I possibly make it up?" Tears were present in her eyes as she pleaded for a redo on the assignment.

Snape looked at her, completely unaffected by her show of emotion. Over the years, she had only gotten more beautiful. During the war, it was too dangerous for him to be even remotely kind to her. She was a muggleborn and it would have put her life into unnecessary danger. But now, well now he could admit that she was absolutely stunning. She had grown her hair out and the weight pulled the curls into more waves that hung down to her back in glorious golden brown waves. Her figure had filled out with nicely rounded hips and large breasts. If only he wasn't her teacher.

"Miss Granger," he finally said, tearing his eyes away from her body. "I cannot simply let you make up the assignment. That would not be fair to the other students."

His heart pulled slightly as the tears in her eyes spilled over and ran down her cheeks. Standing up, he rounded his desk to stand in front of her. She needed some comfort and he could console her if she would let him.

Hermione looked up as Snape came around to the front of the desk. Looking up through her tears she saw him crouch down in front of her, reaching for her hands which were twisting nervously on her lap. Her eyes widened as she realized that he wanted to actually comfort her.

"Miss Granger—Hermione," he amended. "I am sure this one mess up will not affect your grade in any way. You still have the highest possible grade imaginable."

Hermione sniffed. She was surprised when he said her given name but was pleased with the way it sounded coming from his full pink lips. His husky, sexy voice sent shivers down her spine.

With a strangled sob, she launched herself into his arms. Surprised, he wrapped his arms around her body as she cried into his shoulder. He awkwardly patted her on the back. The feel of her soft body against his was driving him crazy. Her curves melded nicely with his and his hands fit perfectly in the dip of her waist.

The feel of his hands running up and down her back was doing delicious things to Hermione's body. When her crying quieted down, the sensations began to grow. Inadvertently, she moaned aloud. Gasping, she blushed red and realized what she had done. She felt him stiffen against her body and went to pull away.

He however tightened his hold on her. All she managed to pull back was her head. They gazed into each other's eyes, much being conveyed in the one look. The emotions were unreadable but the feelings were there. Sparks seemed to jump between their bodies.

They were both breathing heavily, lips parted slightly. Hermione's gaze dropped to Snape's lips a split second before his lips descended upon hers and she was caught up in the most sensual kiss she had ever experienced. She moaned against his lips, the soft feel of them against hers being too much for her to handle.

"We shouldn't be doing this," he gasped as he pulled away from her before he proceeded to kiss her harder.

Hermione was running her hands over his body, through his hair and under into his robes. He groaned against her mouth and she could feel him stiffen further in his pants.

Standing abruptly with her in his arms, he swept his arm across his desk immediately clearing it of the clutter. He placed her gently down on top of the desk and ran his hands up the sides of her skirt and under it to the tops of her thighs.

Moaning once again, Hermione proceeded to remove her professor's clothes.

"Severus," she moaned as he removed her shirt and kissed along her collarbone and down her chest to the tops of her bra. Soon, that was off as well and his lips were surrounding her taut nipple. Her back was arched, her head thrown back with her hair cascading down her back.

Before she knew it, her skirt and underwear were removed and he was working his way inside her tight heat. The feeling was the most erotic experience of her life and she was loving every minute of it. Severus was groaning as he thrust in and out of her. His head was thrown back in ecstasy. Hermione raked her hands down his back, causing him to explode inside her, bringing her over the edge with him.

The two lay sprawled out on his desk afterwards in each other's arms. Hermione's head was resting on Severus' chest, listening to his heartbeat. His arms were circled around her waist.

"Hermione…" he started. He did not regret what they did but he did believe that it was something that could never be repeated again. He felt that he had to explain this to her.

"Yes Severus," she responded, sitting up and looking down at him.

His breath caught in his throat at her beauty. Her naked torso was beautiful and slim and her hair fell over her shoulders. He knew she would be upset when he told her and he did not want to hurt her, but he could not lose his job because this had happened more than once.

Severus gulped and said, "We cannot do this again Miss Granger." He winced slightly as she sat bolt upright and looked hurt.

"I am so sorry…I shouldn't h-have," she stuttered, holding back tears as she stood up and proceeded to redress. "You think this is a mistake…you regret it…can't believe I was so stupid…" she was muttering to herself. The return use of her last name stung more than she was willing to admit to him, or even herself.

She threw her clothes on in a hurry.

"Miss Granger—" Severus began.

A strangled sob escaped her before she disillusioned herself and walked out of his office door. There was no need however as everyone in the class had already gone. Potions sat on his desk in separate vials ready to be graded.

She noticed her things were missing and assumed the boys had grabbed it. She ran from the room straight up to the Headmaster's office. An hour later she had withdrawn from the school and another hour later she had packed all her things and was headed off the grounds. She had somehow managed to avoid the boys and for this she was glad. She needed to escape, to get away from it all. She needed to leave this life behind before her heart got further broken.