A/N: It's my first fanfic, so be patient with me, it might... well, quite frankly, it might suck. I can't really judge myself. Which is why it's here, so I can get some hits and hopefully some feedback. I know that this first chapter is a little boring and plotless and it's basically all descriptions and no dialogue, but bear with me, I promise the plot is on its way! Hahah. So if you're reading it, thank you so much for your time and patience!

AH! Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or just about anything in this. If I did... well, if I did, basically life would suck for the characters. I'd probably forget to feed them or involve them in the story. You know, the usual... I'll stop rambling for you now.


She sat in silence. The only noise that was heard throughout the entire library was the scratching of her quill, back and forth as she filled the parchment with her endless knowledge. Everyone knew she was easily the smartest girl in the school. So why did she try so hard? Well, it was simply in her nature. Hermione Granger didn't see things that way. It was never black or white. There was always more to it...

She looked around, seeing that the small group of Ravenclaws that had been in the library earlier had left by now. It seemed everyone else was in fact long gone. Hermione grabbed her pocket watch and almost fell out of her chair when she had realized what time it was.

11:00! Oh gods, I've missed curfew terribly! She scrambled to grab all of her books, figuring that she'd explain to Madame Pince the next day where they had disappeared to. Carefully yet hastily shoving her parchment and quills into her bag, Hermione picked herself up off of the chair, grabbed her wand, and headed for the door. She entered into the lofty hallways, her feet lightly pounding against the cool stone. With her wand held close, Hermione muttered a quiet "Lumos!" before sticking her wand behind the cloth of her knapsack to conceal to light to a certain degree.

As Hermione ascended the stairs, tentatively making her way back to Gryffindor Tower with all hopes of going unnoticed, her pace quickened and her breath intensified. Just as she was nearing the corner, BAM! Her bag dropped to the floor with a deep thud as her body rocked back and forth unstably. Hermione's heart sank and she clutched her stomach, suddenly feeling nauseous and unaware of her surroundings. She was just about to fall, her head soon to hit the floor, when her arm was yanked out of the air as she was pulled into an upright position. Then, not but a moment later, a small light flickered in front of her, revealing the face of Severus Snape.

"Tsk, tsk. Our little star student, out of bed at such an ungodly hour. Should I so much as inquire as to what has you roaming the halls tonight, or would I be better off leaving the matter as it is right now?"

"I, uhm, I-I'm, l-listen, Prof-professor, I'm really –" Hermione started.

"Yes, 'tis a pity you aren't able to find the words to explain your... situation." Professor Snape's silky voice cut through the air, making the hairs on Hermione's body stick up out of fright. Seeing the terrified and all-too-disheveled expression on her face, he smirked, quite amused at his ability, no, talent, to scare the wits off of unsuspecting students. Not to mention, scaring Miss Granger? This was a new accomplishment, even for Severus himself.

"Well, Miss Granger, in all honesty, I do not care as to why you cannot keep your bushy little head in your dormitories. Just know that you will be punished. Severely."

Hermione tensed at this thought. Punished? Severely?! I've never even been reprimanded before, let alone punished! Oh, just look what you've done now. Had to be perfect, right? Couldn't just be done with the stupid paper and settle in for the night. No, you had to go and get yourself into these brilliant situations. Smart move, Hermione. Really. I'm proud of you. Hermione mentally smacked herself in the face, wincing at her own anger.

She tried speaking. "I, well, I-I really am sorry, Professor Snape, I was only trying to finish a paper – "

Once again, she was cut short by the Professor's eerie voice, slicing the cloud of pressure that hung above them. "Nevertheless, I trust that you can find your way back to your dormitory now. And, need I remind you to... watch where you're going, from now on, yes? Let us not make this a habit, Miss Granger."

Hermione leant over to grab her knapsack, picking up her wand and hurriedly stepping down the corridor, never more excited to see the common room in her life. When she finally reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, she whispered the password and shuffled inside. Almost immediately, Hermione collapsed on the silky red couch, the flames from the fire flickering across the floor and dancing upon her face. She sighed, and took her head into her hands, tempted to cry.

How could I let this go? 11:00? Ugh! I'm not Ronald Weasley for goodness sake, I'm capable of keeping track of time...

She continued to sit, her face illuminated by the light of the fire. She just sat there for minutes, maybe even hours. Thinking. Not moving. Merely thinking. Time went by, and she slowly drifted into a deep sleep. Overwhelmed with grief that seized her, she sank into the cushions, engulfed in her dreams...

She was walking down the lonely corridor. Sensing she was being followed, Hermione quickened her pace. She heard heavy breathing behind her and the smack of footsteps Suddenly, she felt a cold hand grab her as she turned around to face Professor Snape. She stared at him intently, half out of fear, the other half out of... desire?

"Detention, Miss Granger. You will be here immediately following dinner. If you are not on time, I shall be forced to deduct more points than I already have. Now run along."

Hermione ran, literally, ran, with every fiber of her being. She kept running and running, not entirely sure where she was headed, but she knew that she had to get away. She just continued down the hallway, her small feet carrying her as far as they could until...

"No! Not detention! No!" Hermione woke up panicked, struggling to regain her breath. She looked around at her surroundings. A sliver of moonlight shone through the large windows of the common room as the fire flickered to a close. She clasped her hands together, realizing where she was. And silently praising that it was just a dream.

"I'd better get to sleep," she mumbled to herself as she groggily made her way up to the dormitories. Hermione crossed the last step, threw on some pajamas, crawled into bed and threw the covers over herself.

"No... more... bad... dreams..."

Hermione woke up the following morning, after a long night of tossing and turning. She had a sinking feeling growing in her stomach, but unaware of what was causing this, she proceeded to get ready for the day. She pulled on her school uniform, smoothing out each little crease with her hands. Then, she ventured to tackle the forest of hair on her head, attacking her scalp with the brush almost violently. Almost half an hour later, Hermione emerged from her dorm and saw Harry and Ron waiting for her on the couches in the common room.

"You ready for breakfast?" Harry asked.

"Um, yeah, sure," came Hermione's reply, somewhat frazzled.

They made their way to the Great Hall, arriving just in time to see the tables burst to life with food and happy students. Harry, Ron, and Hermione took a seat halfway down the Gryffindor table. Harry and Ron began to stuff their plates with whatever was within reach. When they saw Hermione sit in silence as she picked at her food, they exchanged questionable glances.

"Oi, Harry, what's up with Hermione?" Ron whispered under his breath.

"Hermione... is something wrong?" Harry asked tentatively.

"What? Oh, no, just don't feel so great, you know." Hermione said in response. She glanced around the Great Hall, her eyes trailing along each table, until they came to rest on a glazing pair of eyes at the Head Table. Professor Snape gazed down upon her, practically engraving his eyes into her skull. It was then that Hermione remembered her dream, and the night before, and as it all came rushing back to her, she felt the ache in her stomach deepen. She quickly looked away, shifting her eyes to the floor. Without looking up, she began to speak.

"Um, listen, I think I'll just head back to the common room, I don't feel too well. I'll see you in class?"

"Yeah, see you in Potions, Hermione," replied Harry.

Her stomach dropped another twenty feet. Of course! The one person I'd like most to avoid right now is the one I get to stare at for over an hour. This day could not get much worse any quicker... But oh, was she wrong.

Hermione stayed solitary in the common room until Ron and Harry came to find her and walk to class.

"Time for potions, 'Mione," said Ron.

Hermione just looked at them and smiled, trying to hide her internal disgust.

The three grabbed their books, exited the Gryffindor common room, and made their way down to the dungeons. Harry and Ron idly chatted about Quidditch, while Hermione followed along, lost in her thoughts and fearful anticipations. By the time they had reached the classroom, Hermione's stomach had dropped all the way through the floor. They walked in, took their seats, and waited for their professor to appear and snark his way through the lesson, as usual.

A few short moments later, the door flung closed with a loud bang as a masking swirl of robes shifted through the classroom.

"Mr. Malfoy, in your seat before you find yourself permanently attached to it," came the harsh, dark voice of Professor Snape. Needless to say, Draco Malfoy didn't have much trouble finding his seat.

Snape gave a slight nod and signaled to the board. "Instructions are written. Begin your potions."

The class began silently working, with constant bubbling and stirring echoing throughout the cold dungeon classroom. Hermione was practically petrified of even being in Snape's presence, but on the other hand, it kept her on her feet. She was too afraid to even look at the man, so she spent all her energy working on her potion until every last drop reeked of perfection. Before she knew it, class had ended. Hermione gathered her things and was on her way out the door when a cold voice called back to her.

"Miss Granger, not so fast."

She spun around to see Snape standing at the front of the classroom, arms folded, eyebrows raised, and an anything but pleasant expression on his face. He looked directly at her.

"I do believe that you have not been assigned your punishment for your little 'after hours escapade' yet, am I correct?"

She merely looked at him and trembled.

"Detention, Miss Granger. You will be here immediately following dinner. If you are not on time, I shall be forced to deduct more points than I already have. Now run along."

This time, Hermione stopped trembling. In fact, she stopped moving entirely. Probably stopped breathing, as well. Why do I feel like I've been through this before? Then it hit her. The dream. Oh, that nasty dream. Those were his EXACT words. No... can't be. Oh, I have so got to lie down...

She nodded to Professor Snape and hustled out the door, in pursuit of a nice, long nap to possibly relieve her current coma-like state. On her way out, she bumped into Harry and Ron, who had been waiting outside the classroom for her.

"What was that all about?" asked Ron.

"Uh, well, I... I'll explain later." Hermione hurried off in an upwards direction.

When she reached the common room, she climbed up the stairs to the girls' dormitory and collapsed on her bed. She took off her robe, grabbed her books, and started a Charms paper that was due the next week. Hermione worked feverishly, doing the best she could to keep her mind off of her recent interactions with Professor Snape. God, that man is so intolerable...

Hermione spent a good hour completing her Charms assignment until it was praiseworthy by anybody's standards. She looked at the clock, noticing that she had about twenty minutes until her next class. Figuring she'd better be off, Hermione grabbed her things and headed in the direction of Transfiguration. When she arrived there, she sat down with the rest of the Gryffindors. Apparently, Harry and Ron had taken the hint that she wasn't having the best of days, so they hadn't bothered her; they merely hurried along to Transfiguration class. Hermione didn't want them to think she hated them, however, so she flashed the two a quick smile as she prepared her books, quill, and wand.

The lesson was over as quickly as it had started. The Gryffindor trio began walking, once again on their way back to Gryffindor tower. Harry broke the awkward silence that hung over their heads.

"Listen, Hermione, we can tell something's up. And if you wanna talk about it, you know, that's fine. But if you don't, that's okay too. Just know we're here for you, right?"

"Yeah, we're here for you, y'know." Ron piped in.

"Oh, thanks boys," Hermione began. "Well, it's just – okay, if I tell you, do you promise you won't bug me about it or hold this against me for the rest of our school careers?"

"'Course not," said Ron.

"Alright then. Well, you both know how last night after dinner I went to the library to get some work done. Usually I'm fine at keeping track of time, but I was so caught up in my assignments that by the time I checked the clock it was 11. So, of course, I panicked, and I tried leaving quietly, but – " Her face dropped as she began the next part. "But I ran into Professor Snape. Literally, ran into. I rounded a corner and walked right into him, and you can expect he wasn't exactly pleased, shall we say. So, granted, he reprimanded my actions and told me I'd be 'severely punished'."

"So that's why you're all shaken up then?" Ron asked.

"Well, yes, but there's more. I guess I've just been a little spooked. You see, after Snape let me go and I got back to the common room, I started having these eerie, peculiar dreams about him. So today, after potions, he came up to me and gave me detention, but it was the exact same situation in my dream!" Hermione breathed deeply and let out a sigh.

"I'm sure it's no big thing, Hermione," Harry chimed. "I mean, really, what do you think, the guy's in your dreams? He's a creep, but I'm sure he doesn't coordinate his real life speech with whatever goes on in that head of yours."

"Yes, I know, it was just... weird. Déjà vu..."

Ron patted her on the back. "Don't think too much on it, 'Mione."

The three linked arms and made their way back to their dormitories together.