Disclaimer : i don't own anything! Enjoy reading... :D

(A/N: this story just popped into my head when i was watching that scene at the hospital wing on HBP, Severus did look like he was somehow furious, and the look on Hermione's face is the brainchild of this story. Enjoy!)

Chapter 1

Ron Weasley's body had laid limply in one of the beds of the Hospital Wing. His face pale and all life seemed to have left him. He had been poisoned with what they thought was an antidote for a powerful love potion. Ginny sat beside her brother's bed at the hospital wing and Hermione on the other side while Harry stood at the foot of the bed. Neither one of them spoke, all hoping that their friend would soon wake up. They were all worried, most of all Harry. They had no idea how powerful the poison would affect Ron or his recovery. Despite the fact Harry knew he acted in time to save Ron, he was still feeling a pang of hurt upon seeing his best friend being invalid.

He partly blamed himself for this.

If only he could have found another way to talk to Professor Slughorn and convince him to give him the information he needed, he wouldn't have dragged Ron to his quarters and would have brewed the antidote himself, knowing full well the Half-blood Prince's book was more than capable enough to help him. But there was no point in crying over spilled milk. What's done was done, and now all they could hope for was Ron's fast recovery.

Hermione shifted in her seat and plastered a half-smile on her face at Ginny, who was looking morbid, but smiled back at her. She turned around to face Harry and to offer assurance that everything would be alright.

But before Hermione could speak, Professor Dumbledore entered the room along with Professor McGonagall, Professor Slughorn and him; Professor Snape. The muscles on his face twitched as he took in the scene. Hermione took one quick look at the expression on his face and suddenly grew nervous under his stare. She knew that look. She turned away from his gaze and returned to her role of being the worried friend.

She would have to talk to him later. The jealous git.

While the Professors were discussing the events that took place, Severus did not seem to hear their words, that is until Dumbledore blocked his view of Hermione and handed him the bottle which the older wizard suspected was laced with poison. Bringing the bottle to his nose for a closer inspection, he returned his gaze to Hermione, who continued to turn away from him.

She seemed calm sitting there beside him, he thought. It only made his blood start to boil.

Lavender came in bustling through the Professors and into room.

"Where's my Won-won? Has he been asking for me?" she gasped. The worried expression on her face was immediately replaced with a scowl upon seeing Hermione sitting beside Ron, who seemed to ignore her presence in the room.

"What is she doing here?" Lavender spat.

Upon hearing her words, Hermione quickly grew irate. "I could ask you the same question." She replied irately.

Hermione didn't like Lavender. She never liked her at all. It wasn't that she was jealous, not bloody likely. But she knew Lavender didn't really love Ron. Infatuation and obsession were the more appropriate words to describe her feelings for Ron. And that fact angered her. The last thing she wanted was for one of her best friends to get hurt all because of a spoiled, vain princess who thought what she felt was truly love. Even Ginny and Harry seemed to agree with her on this fact when they were discussing the couple one time at lunch while Lavender was hunched over Ron outside the Great Hall and smothering him with kisses. But since Ron seemed happy and content being with her, who were they to complain?

They continued to play their part as the understanding friends they were supposed to be, despite Harry's attempts to convince him to see sense.

"I happen to be his girlfriend!" Lavender emphasized her words carefully, almost shouting the last word.

"I happen to be his…friend" Hermione would have retorted at Lavender but immediately noticed the heavy scowl on the Potion Master's face and her rage went away as quickly as it had come. Her gaze shifting from Severus to Lavender.

"Don't make me laugh. You haven't spoken in weeks. It's nice to break up with him now that he's suddenly all interesting." Lavender stated the last sentence as if to mock Hermione.

"He's been poisoned you daft bimbo." She spat and her emotions got the better of her before she could get a hold of herself. "And for the record I've always found him interesting". She realized her mistake at what she had just said. Fear and guilt quickly rose like bile in her stomach and would have sought to turn her words around when Ron suddenly shifted in his sleep and groaned.

"Ha! See? He senses my presence." Lavender wore a look of smug triumph and strode quickly to the left side of the bed where Ginny was. "Don't worry Won-won. I'm here. I'm here." Lavender moved closer to Ron, not caring in the least if Harry or Ginny was in her way. Ron continued to groan in his sleep and suddenly mumbled unintelligible words.

"Herms…" he mumbled softly, not loud enough for everyone but loud enough for Hermione to hear. Hermione glanced quickly at Severus, his scowl growing heavier by the minute, then returned to gaze at Ron who continued to mumble.

"Her…her-mio-ne…Hermione…" when his mumbled words suddenly became clear and understandable, Lavender's eyes widened at the name Ron whispered in his sleep. She gasped in pure horror and opened and closed her mouth several times like a fish out of water, trying to force words out of her mouth. When there were none, she whirled and ran out the door. Her sobs echoed in room and as she ran out to the hallway.

Hermione stood frozen for a moment, thinking on what she should do. She dared not glance at the Potions Master, but she could see from the corner of her eye that he was gripping the bottle until his knuckles turned white.

He was furious.