At her question, Professor Snape rolled his eyes and Hermione bit her lip. Why was it so hard for her not to annoy people? What was wrong with her? Shouldn't she have learned by now to keep silent, especially around Snape- the man who made it clear that he despised her know-it-all-ism.

"It's a healing salve, Granger." Snape drawled, screwing the lid off the jar in his hands.

"Salve?" She repeated. "I thought that didn't come unto the market until next week?"

"Just who do you think invented it, Granger?" He asked, sticking his hand into the gritty-looking goop within the glass jar.

"Oh." She said softly, biting her lip to keep from pestering her professor any more than she was obviously already doing.

Snape simply nodded and grabbed one of her arms, slathering her wrist with the strongly-scented concoction. She had been careful not to flinch, not wanting to bring about any more questions.

In silence she watched, amazed as the bruising disappeared after Snape rubbed the gritty slave into her skin. It was absolutely fascinating to watch the angry marks disappear, and even more surprised that Snape was being gentle and wasn't harassing her or picking on her. She was staring at her newly-healed wrists when she jerked as something touched the skin near her ankle. Looking down she saw Snape had kneeled while she was distracted, and she helplessly stiffened when she she noticed how close he was to the parts she didn't like anyone to be near- especially males.

"Do not kick me, Granger. It will not end well for you." Snape warned, firmly holding onto her foot while he lotioned the bruises with the other.

Hermione held still, already fearful because Snape had clearly noticed the way she had harshly jerked at his touch. But it was instinct- how could she not. Not that flinching had ever helped her out before, still...she couldn't have helped it if she tried.

"Ms. Granger...you're going to have to finish the rest of your legs." Snape declared, rising to his feet and holding out the jar for her.

Hermione breathed out a sigh of relief she hadn't realized she was holding. She had been terrified that her potions professor would be touching her above the knees. She didn't think she would have been able to keep from protesting at that. Gratefully she scooped up a handful of the goo, smiling slightly when she noticed Snape had turned to face away from her so she could have privacy.

Pulling up the hem of the nightgown that was more a shirt, she held up the tiny inch or so of fabric and generously slathered in the lotion- paying attention in particular to the area between her legs as her uncle was anything but gentle when it came to that area of skin.

"I'm done, sir." She said softly, wiping her fingers on her dress.

"Right." Snape nodded primly. "This is going on your eye- it won't burn and you're free to open your eye up as soon as I'm done."

She nodded, allowing the skinny man to place a large scoop of the purple salve on her left eye. She was hesitate, but once Snape had backed away she opened her eye, pleased to find that Snape had told the truth and that her eyes wasn't burning or stinging. Amazed, she reached up to touch her previously swollen eye as Snape wiped his hands on his trousers.

"Ms. Granger, you are hardly dressed appropriately." Snape scolded, undoing the silver clasp that held his cloak together. "Put this on."

Hermione hesitantly grabbed the black cloak and placed it around herself, nearly drowning in all the excess fabric but grateful that it went down to her knees and relieved she able to cover herself and no longer felt so vulnerable.

"Much better." Snape nodded briskly. "Now, Ms. Granger I am sure you are aware of the art of Occlumency?"

Hermione nodded, anxious as she was sure she knew where this conversation was heading. "Yes, It's essentially mind-reading."

"To put it simply, yes," Snape nodded, "But did you happen to know I've mastered that particular art?"

"I figured as much." Hermione answered honestly, swallowing down her nausea and anxiety.

"You wouldn't want someone raping your mind would you, Ms. Granger. That would be a very personal evasion, wouldn't it?"

"Very." Hermione agreed, wondering if she should try and run from the bathroom. But Snape was right in front of her, she'd never make it. She was essentially trapped.

"Listen well, Granger." Snape drawled, cupping her face in his hands so she couldn't look away. "Not only can I carry out such an act, but I will, if you chose to make this questioning more difficult than is necessary. Am I clear?"

"Crystal clear, sir." Hermione sniffed, hating herself as the tears filled her eyes. She'd never be able to lie to Snape. She had no choice but to verbalize the things she liked to pretend never happened or Snape would poke into her mind and see them himself and that was even worse.

"How did you get that bruise on your eye?" Snape questioned, starting his interrogation immediately.

Hermione bit her lip before speaking. "My Father punched me." She admitted.

Snape's eyes widened slightly but he quickly recovered and Hermione started to think she had imagined the look of surprise on her professor's face.

"Why would he do such a thing?" Snape demanded.

Hermione blushed, not wanting to admit to her misbehavior but fearful of having her mind violated. "I wouldn't open my eyes during."

"During what?" Snape almost sounded confused.

"The picture-taking." She groaned, feeling sick as the anxiety built up.

"Why wouldn't you do something as simply as opening your eyes during a picture?" Snape demanded, sounding as unamused as her father had been at her impudence.

"Because I can't pretend I'm somewhere else if I have my eyes open." Hermione forced the words out and hot tears fell on her cheeks immediately after.

Snape's eyes narrowed as he pulled a black handkerchief from his pocket and tossed it at her. "Do you so despise having your picture taken that you have to pretend that you are elsewhere?"

"Yes." She admitted, wiping her face with the fabric.

"Why?" Snape drilled.

"Because I don't like other people to be staring at me when I'm naked." Hermione felt her face drain of color.

"Naked?" Snape's eyes narrowed and he looked sick. "Why are naked pictured being taken of you?"

"So my father can sell them." Hermione admitted, crying in earnest because Snape knew how perverted she was as she allowed all this to happen.

"Who knows about this?"

"My father, my mother, my uncle, and the people who buy the pictures." She forced out, desperately trying to quell the tears that fell freely.

"How long has this been going on?" Snape growled.

"For always. As long as I can remember." She sniffled. "I didn't mean for it to keep happening but-"

"Of course you didn't mean for it to keep happening!" Snape barked, making Hermione flinch. "How'd you get that bruising between your legs, Granger?"

"One of the night-visits from my Uncle, yesterday."

"Night-visits?" Snape questioned, his voice dangerously low. "Why didn't you want a night-visit?"

"Because they hurt." Hermione spluttered. "I thought I'd gotten used to them by now, but it started to hurt again."

"And when you say night-visit I am correct to assume that those entail encounters of an intimate nature?"

"Yes." She breathed, unable to meet her professor's eyes. She didn't need to see his face to know how disgusted he was with her- he could hear it in his voice.

"Take a shower while I speak with the Headmaster." Snape ordered, refusing to even look at her now that he knew her awful secret.

"Please-"

"Calm yourself, Ms. Granger. I will not inform him of the more personal forms of abuse." Had Snape not barked the words out, they would have almost been comforting.

"Yes, sir."