Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

The next morning, she opened the door of the shop, 10 minutes early. She smiled cheerfully. She had dressed properly for work. It was Autumn, and a bit chilly, so she had chosen pantyhose that would keep her sufficiently warm. She wore a pair of simple ankle boots and a knee length pleated skirt. Black and wool, which would provide ample warmth for the day. She was wearing a short cloak, very like the one's the girls from Beauxbaton wore. Except her's was black with a simple clasp. She had braided her hair into two plaits, which sat on her shoulders.

She walked confidently to the back of the shop and knocked on Snape's open door. He was sitting at his desk, his glasses perched on the end of his nose. He was wearing his uniform black robes. His hair was down again. "Ready for work, sir."

Snape didn't look up. He pointed to a basket which was prepared on the edge of his desk. "Each potion has a labeled tag." And that was the end of their conversation, apparently. Hermione frowned but walked forward to take the basket.

They were each carefully wrapped in cloth, so they wouldn't break. She picked up the first piece of parchment. Madame Malkin. She admired his handwriting for a moment before turning and marching out of the store, determined to do a good job.

She had 10 stops that morning. Madame Malkin's, Flourish and Blotts, two offices in the ministry, a stop in Godric's Hallow, three in Hogsmeade, one to Minerva McGonagall, and the last to a goblin in Gringott's.

She was her normal self, delivering them with a smile and small conversation. It didn't take her long and she was back at the Apothecary before 11. She smiled and walked in, rubbing her arms briskly. Her face was flushed from the cold but she felt fine.

She walked to the back of the shop and found Snape working in the office still. She knocked on the door before entering and setting the basket on the desk. Snape looked up and frowned, as though trying to find something wrong with her work. Some way to deduct points.

But instead he pointed to a broom. "Clean until the next deliveries are ready." And that was it. She just saluted and grabbed the broom, heading to the front of the shop. She whisked off her short cloak and smiled.

"Working here won't be too bad." She swept and cleaned up the shop happily. She did it manually, because it was more enjoyable that way and the quality was always better. She was cleaning the windows when the potion's master finally came up with a new basket.

He stared at her, confused. She had yet to notice he was standing there. Why was she scrubbing a window with a cloth and some unknown substance when she could use her wand?

"Ms. Granger." She turned, her eyes wide like she had done something wrong. But then she smiled and hopped off the windowsill.

"I'm sorry, sir. I get a little absorbed when I clean." She set her cloth in the bucket and picked them both up, hiding them in the corner and covering it with a concealment charm.

"Yes, well, in the future, you may use magic to clean." He set the basket on the front desk. "You may have lunch before you deliver the next basket." And then he swept from the front room, back to his office.

Hermione sighed. It looked like she would be very lonely under the employment of Severus Snape. And for the most part, she was. The months passed and she worked for him. She was always early and always smiling. She got used to his monotone lack of a greeting and did her job well.

She noticed that as time passed, the business improved. More people wanted deliveries of Snape's famous and perfect potions and they wanted the charismatic young witch to do deliver them. She was sweet and polite. Even the goblins enjoyed her presence.

She kept Snape's shop clean and tidy, bright and happy. She occasionally sang while she cleaned, but only if she was in a good mood.

She also felt like Snape was opening up to her more. He wasn't so mean when he spoke with her. He was gentler and even asked her opinion on this or that. It was comforting to know that there was some level of trust between them. When they were alone in the store, he would sometimes take off his robes while he worked in the lab. But only if he was in a good mood.

Hermione would never tell anyone, but she often snuck peeks into the laboratory when he was like that. His white shirt was clean and often rolled up to his elbows, giving her a view of his fading dark mark and his muscular fore arms. His hair was always pulled back when he worked over his cauldrons and she found it... attractive.

She would smile and watch him for a few minutes before returning to work. She was always singing after she watched him work.

Severus Snape would never tell anyone, but he often sat next to the door to the front of his shop, his head leaning against the wall and his eyes closed, listening to her sing. It was soft and lilting, and for some reason, it always made his heart beat a little faster.

He would only listen for a few minutes before setting back to his work. But he would always take his robes off after listening to her sing.

Hermione came to work, 10 minutes early, like usual. She marched to Snape's office and knocked on the door, holding up the coffee and scones she had baked this morning. "Good morning, sir!"

She set them on his desk as he looked up. His hair was down, like normal, and he was wearing his robes. She shivered and glanced outside at the snow. "Thank god I know how to apparate." She laughed and picked up the basket.

"Woah... It's never been this heavy before." Snape only smiled slightly and nodded.

"We have a lot today." He took his glasses off and set them down. "Take as much time as you need to deliver them."

Hermione nodded and set the basket on her arm comfortably. "Alright. I'll see you later then, boss." She saluted playfully and left. Snape watched her go, his eyes gently raking over her body. He still didn't understand what was happening. But he knew this could be dangerous. He looked over at the coffee and took a sip. Prepared to perfection... just the way he liked it. He looked back up where Hermione had been before. Yes. Very dangerous...

Snape had been right. Hermione didn't apparate back outside the Apothecary until well after noon. She sighed, happy that she would only have to clean in the warm shop for the rest of the day. She walked in and whisked off her cloak. "Honey, I'm ho-"

She cut herself off as she saw that her boss was with a customer. A customer she had no desire to see. A certain red headed boy with his new girlfriend. She stared for a minute before swallowing and looking at her boss. "I'll be in the back..." And she tried to run there.

But Ron grabbed her arm and smiled. "Hey, 'Mione!"

Hermione didn't respond. She just tried to escape from his grip as she stared at the floor.

"Oh, c'mon. You can't still be mad at me." Hermione felt tears prick at her eyes. "I said I was sorry."

Severus Snape watched the scene curiously before setting the phial in front of him. "Your order." Ron looked away, giving Hermione enough time to wrench her arm out of his grip and run into the back, slamming the door to the office shut.

Snape looked after her, anger rising inside him. What had Weasley done? Ron just sighed and paid for the potion. "Thank you, Professor. Er... Mr. Snape." He smiled sheepishly.

"Just leave." And Snape swept into his laboratory, ignoring the glare at his back.

Ron looped an arm around Lavender's waist. "Still a git." And he pulled her onto the cold street, leaving the apothecary.

Hermione was hiding under Snape's desk, sobbing. She didn't want her boss to see her like this, but she couldn't stop the tears. She hadn't seen Ron in months. Her heart still hurt when she thought about him. She shook, hiding her face in her hands. He left her for Lavender. Perfect Lavender who had never been changed by the war.

Pureblood Lavender. Unscarred Lavender.

Suddenly, there was a tissue hanging in front of her face and she blinked. She looked up at the blank expression of Severus Snape. She sniffled and took the tissue. "Th-thank you." She blew rather obnoxiously into the thin cotton, hiccuping.

Snape pushed his chair back and sat down, watching her carefully. He was unpracticed at the art of comfort. But he could do his best. Hermione looked up and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "I'm s-sorry. I sh-should go c-c-clean." She made to crawl out of her hiding spot.

But he put his foot up, making her stay where she was. "You can't clean very efficiently when you're crying, Ms. Granger." Normally, it would have been hard and unfeeling. But he said it quietly. Gently. Hermione sat back down and nodded again, letting another sob escape.

Her fingers absentmindedly went to rub her forearm as she stared straight ahead. Snape caught the movement but said nothing. He allowed her to sit under his desk and cry for a long time. When she finally got control of herself she crawled out and stood, straightening her skirt and sniffling.

She looked up at him, staring into his dark eyes, trying to figure out what she should say. She saw emotion where she had never seen emotion before, and it set her heart to racing again. They stayed like that, the silence between them growing.

"Thank you." Her voice was very quiet. Shaking.

Snape nodded once in acknowledgement. "You may have the rest of the day off... if you wish."

Hermione smiled weakly and straightened her shirt. "Thank you, but the shop looks a mess. I really should clean it." She ran shaking fingers over her hair in a half hearted attempt to make herself look better.

Snape just stood and watched her, uncertain of what to do. "You haven't had lunch yet today..." Hermione looked up at him in surprise. She thought she heard a slight bit of desperation in his voice, begging her to take a break.

She flashed him a smile and nodded. "Alright. I can take a quick break, I guess."

Snape nodded. "Take your time." He met her eyes again before looking away quickly and clearing his throat.

Hermione watched him for a few seconds more before nodding. "Thank you." She turned and left, wiping at her nose gently as her mind reeled. She just... needed to relax, she told herself. That was all.

The rest of the day was very quiet. She had a quiet lunch and then went back to work, cleaning furiously. Severus walked into the front room, wearing his robes with his hair down and froze, watching her work so intensely. He blinked and walked to her slowly before gently holding her arm, stopping her work.

Her head snapped up and she stared at him, her heart skipping a beat. She blinked once, trying to remember what she was doing and why... he was touching her...

"Ms. Granger, I think it's time... you went home..." He took the sponge out of her hand and set it on the ledge. He had released her with that simple movement, but she was still frozen, staring at him in wonder.

He looked back at her, his face impassive again. "Go home, Ms. Granger."

Hermione jumped slightly and nodded. "Okay... I'll see you on Monday then?" It was Friday. The weekend. She wouldn't come back to work until Monday.

Snape nodded, a bit disappointed. "I'll see you on Monday." He watched her move slowly to put on her cloak. The same cloak she wore to work everyday. She paused at the door, though, and turned with a smile.

"Thank you again, sir."

"Call me Severus, please." The words fell out of his mouth before he could stop them. She stared for a moment in shock before smiling again.

"Thank you... Severus." And the simple use of his name made him feel so good, he could hardly believe it. He would have told her that no, it was his pleasure, but she was gone, walking down the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley.