DISCALIMER: I do not own Hermione Granger, Severus Snape or any of the Harry Potter characters or locations. I'm merely borrowing these characters from J.K. Rowling and playing a little with them

Author's note: I know I've started a few fics, in fact I have many ideas swimming around I my head but only two I've typed up. I know, I know, I'm sorry about not updating ALSSAPNF, but I have hit a bit of a writer's block with that one.

I will work on finishing at least this one until I put another fic up, unless it's a one-shot.

Hope you enjoy and please review! I love to hear from you guys!

Thanks to my beta xXTheDarknessWithinXx dor all her help!

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CHAPTER 1

Hermione Granger stood in front of the mirror in room 12 of the Leaky Cauldron. She put on her newly purchased wine colored robes and after brushing her hair, she pinned a lovely moonstone butterfly clip into it; She had vowed to wear that clip I her hair every day. It had been her mothers. She sighed sadly at the thought of her parents, tear welling in her eyes. It hadn't been fair. The light side had won and she did not regret participating in the fight but her involvement had caused her her parents lives.

"Stop it!" She thought, wiping her eyes and looking at the mirror.

"You look great, dearie, the mirror said in a motherly tone.

"Thanks!" said Hermione as she smiled and gave her appearance an approving nod.

She glanced at her watch and saw it was 10:30. It was time. She put her shrunken luggage in her pocket and, taking a deep breath, disapparated. When she opened her eyes she saw the gleaming red engine in front of her and she felt as nervous as she had exactly 10 years ago on her first day of school at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Before any more time was wasted she climbed onboard and sat in the first empty compartment she found.

Hermione didn't realize she had fallen asleep until the sudden stop of the train woke her. She quickly walked out and got into one of the carriages, sadly gazing at the now clearly visible thestrals. A few second-year girls climbed into the carriage shortly after, excitedly talking about being back, no longer unexpereinced first years.

"Yes," she thought, "I'm back too. I wonder what wonders the castle will have in store for me and what life will be like here as a teacher." The ride seemed all to short and in only minutes she was at the gates of the castle. She climbed out and made her way in front of all the students, hastily walking inside so as to make it to the Great Hall before they did. She gave her luggage to Filch, whom she greeted warmly, but only got a mumbled "Evenin' Professor" back.

"Ahh, it seems that man will never change…" She sighed at moved forward, stopping before the doors to the Great Hall, smoothed down her robes and straightened the butterfly pin in her hair. She closed her eyes, took a couple of deep breaths and walked into, staring up in awe at the enchanted ceiling in which she had first read about in Hogwarts, a History that always took her breath away.

A few minutes later, after having greeted all the teachers save Snape, who was nowhere in sight, she sat down and almost immediately saw all the students come into the Great Hall, sitting in their respective tables, except for the first-years who filed in the front of the hall, waiting to be sorted and looking as nervous as ever. Minerva stood next to the three-legged stool, a roll of parchment and the sorting hat in her hands, She was about to call the first name when the doors to the Great Hall slammed open and Professor Snape walked up to his seat.

Hermione saw Minerva glare at him but she simply rolled her eyes.

"Typical Professor Snape!"

After everyone had settled down the sorting began with "Alderhot, Sana" (GRYFFINDOR) and ended with "Zellic, Hubert" (RAVENCLAW).

Albus Dumbledorre then stood. "To all the new students welcome. To all the returning students, welcome back. I would like to remind you all (As our caretaker Argus Filch has asked me to for what is the 847th time, I believe) that no magic shall be performed in the corridors, no student shall be out of bed after hors and the Forbidden Forest is, as its name clearly, states Forbidden. On a much lighter note, I would like you all to give a warm welcome to our new Arithmancy Mistress, Professor Granger.

Hermione stood as the students and staff clapped and she blushed slightly when she heard

a couple of wolf whistles from two seventh year boys.

"With that said, Albus continued, after the clapping ceased, I have nothing more to say than Tuck in!"

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Severus Snape sat stiffly next to the newest addition the staff, still not believing that Granger, the insufferable Gryffindor know-it-all was back. She was the youngest professor to be employed at Hogwarts since Minerva first taught here. She was more than qualified, he was sure, after all she had gotten 11 O.W.L.S, 10 of those were outstanding and excelled in her N.E.W.T.s but she didn't have experience teaching these dimwits…

"Good evening, Professor Snape," he heard her say. He merely grumbled.

"You know, if we are to reside in this castle together again, and if we are to be seeing a lot more of each other, we should at least try to be civil."

"Miss Granger, I find it quite easy to keep to myself no matter how many people are in this castle. If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go to my chambers." And with that, he stood up and left.

Hermione had tried, but didn't get the response she wanted, all she got was an icy stare. "Oh well, he'll eventually come around," she thought, but she knew that it was highly unlikely that Professor Snape would give her a concerned look, much less start acting civil towards her.

If he only knew how much she admired him.

She felt a twinge of sadness at the thought that he would never know.

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"Blast!," he thought as he opened the door to his chambers. He remembered the last day of her seventh year at Hogwarts. She had graduated top of her class and head girl, of course. He remembered he soft, gentle hand shaking his during the graduation ceremony. He had watched her hug Hagrid, Potter and Weasly, Dumbledore, McGonagall and even Flitwick (an interesting sight, considering the height difference.)

For a moment he had wished he'd been as lucky. But he immediately blocked the thought form his minds, sourly pursing his lips. But he could not deny that he had come to admire Miss Granger, and was proud of all her achievements. She reminded him of himself really, spending her free time in the library, reading every book she could get her hand upon, studying almost feverishly as her O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s approached and of course, excelling in them all.

And so he had watched her grow from a bushy haired, buck toothed, know-it-all gryffindor to a slim, wavy haired beauty with an enchanting smile. He should have been kinder to her at the feast, after all, she was no longer his student, but a colleague.

But his slytherin pride had not let him, and he was sure she had only been polite to him because he was now a colleague and because it was in her nature but he knew Hermione Granger would never see him as anything more than the snarky, greasy haired, hook nosed bat of the dungeons.

If only she knew how much he admired her.

He felt a twinge of sadness at the thought that she would never know.