Detention with Snape
'What class do we have next, Hermione?' asked Harry as he struggled to keep his schoolbooks from falling.
'Potions of course! Don't you ever read your timetable?' retorted Hermione in her usual bossy tone.
'Read our timetable? We've got enough things to read as it is! Between the Charms essay, the Transfiguration homework and Defence Against the Dark Arts homework, when do we have time to read our timetable?' complained Ron.
Hermione just sighed at her two best friends as she led them down the cold, stone steps of the dungeons into their Potions class.
'Potter, Weasley, Granger! You're late! Get in here and sit down!' snapped Snape as the three entered the class. 'And 30 points from Gryffindor!'
'Bloody hell! Will Snape ever be reasonable?' complained Ron.
'Apparently not,' whispered Harry as he and his friends took the only remaining seats at the front of the class.
Snape glared at Harry, like he always does before he begins the lesson, and addressed his students. 'Today,' he began 'I will attempt to drill into your brains the recipe for one of the strongest potions to ever be concocted.' He paused once again as he observed his fifth years. 'This potion,' he continued 'will wipe the memory of anyone who comes into contact with it. It works similarly to—'
'But sir,' Hermione said, raising her hand but speaking anyway, 'why not just use Obliviate to wipe someone's memory?'
Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, 'Miss Granger... Just because you had the privilege to meet and experience the genius that is Gilderoy Lockhart, does not mean that spells are the very essence of magic! Five points from Gryffindor and detention with me, here, after class. Now, as I was saying, this potion is similar to that of...'
'He didn't even answer my question,' Hermione muttered under her breath.
~
Once the class was over, everyone piled out of the classroom to go to lunch, everyone but Hermione and Snape.
Hermione remained in her seat at the front of the classroom, hands in her lap clutching her wand, staring at her potions book on the desk.
Snape was pacing back and forth in front of his desk, brow furrowed in mock concentration when he suddenly stopped and looked at Hermione.
'You seem to enjoy essays so it would appear that I am at a loss on how to punish you for your insolence. However, since you appear to entertain the thought that you know everything, I think it fitting that you come up with your own punishment. Do you think that is fair, Granger?'
'With all due respect, sir, I think not.'
Snape was aghast but he easily concealed his emotion behind a mask of utter boredom.
'You don't think it's fair that you should come up with your own punishment? Are you not smart enough to punish yourself?' Snape smiled inwardly at his insult.
'Oh no, Professor, I could definitely punish myself I just don't think it's fair that I should be punished at all.'
'Oh really,' said Snape, his voice dripping with disinterest 'and why, pray tell, is that?'
'I was only asking a question!' Hermione shouted trying to match Snape's composure but merely serving to make her lips look like they were spasming.
'A question that you needn't have asked had you just kept your mouth shut,' retorted Snape, fighting a smirk.
Hermione let out a disgruntled noise slamming her fist down on her potions book. 'The worst punishment in the world is being in the same room with you!' she complained, her head angled downwards staring at her fist in frustration. It hurt a little from the force but she wasn't going to let him know that.
Positively delighted with this response, Snape almost jumped up and down with glee. Almost. 'Well I guess this detention serves its purpose then.'
Hermione grunted, tears pricking her eyes.
'Right, Granger?' Snape taunted.
'Yes, sir,' Hermione replied, the tears finally spilling over.
~
'Granger, you may go,' announced Snape once he'd finished marking a third year class' essays.
Hermione gave a curt and jagged nodding motion, holding her books against her chest as she headed for the door, only to almost run into Snape, who was blocking her path. 'I... er, I'm sorry, Professor' she stuttered shrinking back from him, clutching her books even tighter.
'Oh and, Granger,' Snape began, as he put an index finger under Hermione's chin to lift her head. She tried to look away but he kept her head firmly in place. Snape surveyed Hermione, looking into her, once again, tear stricken eyes. 'Don't do it again,' he said simply, lightly scratching Hermione's chin as he strode through the doorway. Once he'd turned the corner he allowed the tiniest smirk to play at the corner of his lips and let a satisfied 'm'hm' sound deep within in his throat.
'I-I...'Hermione started, clutching her throat. A single tear fell from her chin to that stone cold floor. Stone cold... like her potions master.