Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.
Point of Impact
Chapter 1: May this Confession be the Start
"Miss Granger, meet me in my office after class. We will discuss your deplorable lack of creativity on your last essay," drawled Professor Snape. "You practically copied from the textbook, and that simply won't do, as plagiarism is illegal both in the Wizarding world and the muggle one. I had hoped that the prized pupil of so many teachers would be able to at least give credit where credit is due." The Slytherins in the dungeon classroom snickered softly. Hermione blushed.
"Yes sir," she replied complacently. The class continued without any interruption in the normal manner, except that Neville's cauldron remained intact, though his potion was yellow, instead of lime green.
"At least, Mr. Longbottom is consistent in his results," he said, glaring at Seamus, who had somehow managed to create a perfect potion. "Five points from Gryffindor for lacking consistency, Mr. Finnigan."
Seamus grinded his teeth together but didn't say anything. Ron opened his mouth, but Harry elbowed him before he could say anything. It had taken the Gryffindor boys seven years to realize that Professor Snape would take off even more points if they complained about the injustice. However, the more fiery elements were prone to forgetting occasionally.
"Class dismissed," said Professor Snape. The sound of chair scrapping the floor and the hinges creaking echoed around the classroom. Malfoy made a snide comment to Harry that Hermione didn't catch because she was walking in the opposite direction, towards Professor Snape's office.
"Miss Granger, as you know, your essay was not directly copied from the textbook as the textbook doesn't include half of this information," began Professor Snape. "I am sure you are just itching to ask me why I've called you in here, since the reason I gave is indubitably false. Professor Dumbledore has requested that I choose an assistant to help me make the potions for the hospital wing in case anything should happen to me."
"Why me, sir?" asked Hermione, honestly in shock that the Head of Slytherin house would pick a Gryffindor know-it-all to spend more time with.
"The Headmaster suggested I ask you," responded Professor Snape. "I agreed, because you are the most talented student I have ever taught.
*Break*
"Professor, we've run out of Aconite," said Hermione. "The full moon is coming up and Professor Lupin is going to need Wolfsbane."
"Yes, yes, I know. I used the last of it yesterday making that very potion," replied the snarky professor. Hermione apologized strenuously before asking what he needed her to do.
"Poppy has requested that we send her more Pepper-Up," said Professor Snape. Hermione needed no further instruction and immediately set up a cauldron with all of the ingredients beside it, set up in the order they needed to be added. "Double the normal quantities."
"Yes sir," she responded, before doing exactly what he said.
*Break*
"Good evening, Professor," said Hermione cheerfully as she walked into the dungeons. A couple of months brewing potions with him had cured her of her fear of his sharp tongue. Besides, she felt that she had to be cheerful to balance his dour presence out.
"Good evening, Miss Granger," said Professor Snape. "It seems that I forgot that the Volo Dormire potion requires four hands. Professor Dumbledore is unable to assist me in this endeavor."
"I'm sorry, Professor, I don't know what that is."
"The Gryffindor Know-It-All doesn't know something? Inform the Daily Prophet at once," joked Professor Snape. Hermione blushed, but smiled a small smile. "The book with the red spine on the fourth shelf behind my desk should have all the information you could possibly wish to know about this particular potion."
Hermione's small smile spread from ear to ear because it was the first time he had allowed her to read one of his books without him in the same room.
*Break*
"Miss Granger, if I may, I would like to congratulate you on your impending graduation. I would also like to add that I will be spending my summer at my home making potions for the Order. I could use an assistant, if you're interested," said Professor Snape.
"That would be wonderful! Thank you, Professor," replied Hermione happily.
"Miss Granger, if we are going to be working together all summer, perhaps you should call me Severus," added Professor Snape.
"Well, in that case, Severus, it's Hermione," said the young witch.
*Break*
The children of Spinner's End are intrigued by the house at the end of the row which is empty for months at a time. The boy in the house next door reported to his friends that he had seen a young woman with bushy brown hair walk in through the front door. His friends thought he'd lost his mind, for the owner of the house was a man with lanky black hair and a crooked nose who smelt like Mrs. Smith's herb garden.
The boy decided to get irrefutable proof so his friends would believe him. He climbed one of the trees in his backyard and peered through the kitchen window with a camera, waiting for the man and the woman to eat together. He didn't have to wait long, as it was nearing 12:30 when he climbed the tree. He snapped a picture quickly and ran off to develop it.
*Break*
"Hermione, I was thinking about Pepper-Up and I think that adding a gram of crushed Astragalus will make it more effective," said Severus over lunch one day.
"Wouldn't it decrease the effect of the Echinacea to put a less powerful immune system stimulant into the same potion?" asked the slim brunette.
"Not at all, Astragalus is safe to use over a long period of time..."
"Whereas Echinacea is not," interrupted Hermione. "Instead of curing colds, this modified version..."
"Would be usable as a preventative," finished Severus, unwilling to let Hermione steal his thunder.
"I'll get started on it right away," said Hermione, "while you brew the Palmyran Poison Aberforth needs for some reason."
"You are aware that it is not so much a poison as a tongue loosener. Apparently, this customer holds his tongue very well, even when drunk. Drunk on firewhisky spiked with Palmyran Poison, he won't be able to keep his secrets," said Severus, smirking. "You are probably not aware that I filled out the apprenticeship paperwork out today. All you need to do to become my apprentice officially is sign this line."
Hermione barely contained her squeal.
"Really? After 18 months of apprenticeship, I'll be a master and as a master, I can develop my own medical potions, which is what I've always wanted to do," she said.
"You've only told be 25 times," replied Severus. "And you could do it in less than 18 months, since you've been brewing with me for the past 10 months. The last 6 months of an apprenticeship are normally dedicated to a mastery project, which isn't so much of an individual project as collaboration in between the mentor and the apprentice. You officially become a master when your name is published alongside a master's in one of the premier Potions journals."
"That means I have two months to figure out what I want to do our project on," answered Hermione, starting to go hysterical.
"No, it means you have two more months of brewing under my supervision before you can start brainstorming," replied Severus, cutting her off before she could get started.
*Break*
"Severus!" cried out Hermione two months later at three a.m. in the morning. "I have it."
Severus grumbled.
"I was reading a book that mentioned how most offensive spells don't affect the target until they hit the target. I want to create a shield that will prevent the spell from hitting the target."
"Hermione, that's what a Protego does."
"Yes, and the Protego potion is awful. I want to make something better than that, something that might actually be useful!" she retorted.
"Hermione, it may be feasible. However, much more research is necessary before we even think about beginning this project," said Severus. "Now go away and come back at a more reasonable hour."
