A/N Forgot on Chapter 1, but obviously, Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, or the pairings I go with would have happened for real.

To my reviewers:

Sleepisfortheweak16: Here's chapter 2 just for you. =]

HallowRain8587: I am still trying to decide who the shadow is, but it's definitely not a good person. =]

DreamaLirit: I know the nicknames are akward, but I'll be explaining them away in this chapter to go back to normal names.

Thank you!

I accidentally deleted the content that I was going to use as Chapter 2, so now we're going in a diferent direction. -_- Ultimate brain fart.

/end A/N

Chapter 2 I Can't Believe You!

The next two weeks flew by, and the shock of the other Professors over the intimate way Porfessors Granger and Malfoy eventually wore off. It had become apparent over the course of those two weeks that the duo only called each other those pet names when joking with each other.

"Draco!" Hermione jogged to catch up to the departing Malfoy. "Did Snape sign off on your syllabus yet?" She clutched a few sheets of parchment tightly in her left hand.

Draco looked at her in confusion. "My syllabus was signed off on the day after you got here. Why? Is that yours?" He pointed at the parchment in her hand.

Hermione growled and thrust the pages at him. "He refuses to sign off. It is almost exactly like the ones he set up when we were in his class. Why won't he just sign off? The students will be here in three days!" She practically wailed on the last word.

As Draco read through her syllabus, what little he could read through the red ink striking through the majority of it. In fact, it looked like the only thing not marked through was her name and the course titles for each Year. "What in Merlin's name is he thinking?" He stared at the pages, flipping back and forth between each one. "Oh, hell, no. These are exactly what each year needs to be taught, within the right time frames. Come on, Granger. Let's talk to my dear, sweet Uncle and figure out what's got his knickers in a twist over your syllabi." He grabbed her hand, and still holding her pachments, marched off towards the Headmaster's Office.

Upon reaching the gargoyle gaurding the door, he arched an eyebrow. "Open up." The gargoyle mimiced his raised eyebrow and barked out in a gravelly voice, "Headmaster does not wish for guests at this time."

At that remark, Hermione narrowed her gaze and drew her wand. "You do remember that I was the one to fix you after the battle, do you not? I can just as easily undo those enchantments you know. My magical signature is all over yours now." She pointed her wand lazily at the statue as it glared at her fiercely.

"Fine! But don't say I didn't warn you! He is very irritated with you witch." With the biting retort, the gargoyle spun away, the spiral staircase coming into view.

Hermione smirked and kept her wand at the ready. Snape had been a real thorn in her side since she came back. She was itching to have an excuse to hex him for his behavior towards her and she knew that Draco would take her side, Godfather or not.

Draco dropped Hermione's hand to bang on the door before pushing it open. "Uncle!" He surveyed the empty office andd groaned. "Granger, I think he's in his rooms..."

Hermione's eyes glittered with fury. "Oh, no, he isn't. His sneaky Slytherin arse is sitting at his sodding desk under a disillusionment." She snapped her wand with a wordless Finite Incantatum. "As yes. Hello Headmaster," she sneered at him. "Care to explain why my syllabus, which is damn near identical to the one you taught from before taking this position is yet again refused?!"

Draco looked at his materialized Godfather who hadn't so much as twitched since being revealed. "How many times did you deny her work, Uncle?"

Snape's eyes slid over to Draco's before snapping back to the sparking witch in front of him. "You are trying to be me." His eyes roved over her attire for the day, reminiscent of his old robes with innumerable buttons. "You need to be more of an indiviual, not a carbon copy," he drawled out.

She gaped at him. "I am not copying you!" She looked at her robes as he pointed looked at them. "Oh, please. I can't believe you! For one thing, I have robes with more variety than you have in yours. I bet even your trousers are black to go with your broodiness. At least I have a bit of style you overgrown Bat. And as for me copying your syllabi? I double checked every years' syllabi for the last thirty-five years, even surpassing your classes and I know for a fact that you were using the Professor's from before when you took over. There is absolutely NO reason you should be slashing through my syllabus like a Firstie's very first essay." She stomped her foot. "Prat."

Severus arched an eyebrow and steepled his fingers in front of his face. "Anything else? Care to disparage me further?" At her silence he continued, "I marked out your syllabus because this year there are new books and they don't follow the same set-up of previous years. I suggest you get the new book and redo your work Miss Granger before I find a replacement for your disrespect and temper. You are dismissed." He picked up a quill and started scratching out a note.

He kept writing at her heard the door open and close. When he looked up and saw Hermione still remaining he looked at her expectantly. "What Miss Granger? I don't have time for a duel right now. Perhaps at the Opening Feast we can give the new students something to talk about."

She stared at him. "When did the new books come out?"

"Three weeks ago."

"Then the new books would not be used this year. They would have to be used next year. There isn't enough time to get the right book for all the students AND write up a new syllabus for each year. Did you read all seven books to familiarize yourself with the new materials yet?"

He smirked. "No, Miss Granger, I did not. Now, if that is all?"

"No, it isn't." She held out her sheaf of parchments. "I want you to approve of this year's byllabi so I can teach and have time to prepare for the new materials for next year."

Snape almost smiled at that. "Well, then I guess I really should do that." He waved her over so he could look at the parchments. "All right. You are free to go." He waved his hand over the parchments causing the red to disappear.

Hermione sighed. "Why did you make me go through all that if you could just wave your hand and give me my pages back?"

Snape leaned back in his chair as he regarded the woman. "Honestly, Miss Granger? You seem to be a shell of your former self. I wanted you to fight for what you believe in. I know that you became friends with Draco and that the ginger idiot spurned you, but you are so much better than all of that. I wanted to remind you of it." He sighed. "It is getting late. Draco is waiting at the gargoyle to walk you to your rooms. Goodnight Miss Granger."

He stood and walked her to the door.

As the door shut behind her and she walked down the spiral staircase she went over the conversation again. That was certainly odd, she thought to herself. I never thought that Snape would care about how I viewed myself...

"Hey!" Hermione walked right into Draco. He caught her before she knocked them both to the floor. "Did you fix what you needed to, Granger?"

She smiled, softly. "I think he cares. How weird is that?"

Neither of them noticed when a figure shifted back into the dark shadows, watching them with malice.