It was a rainy afternoon, Hermione walked out toward the forest.
"I hope Professor Snape won't be too mad at me, I just had to get away from his class today... I need to clear my mind.. after all, it is my 21st birthday today also."
The rain was lighting falling as she walked around looking for a place to sit.
Finally she found a big old tree near the forest so she sat beneath it's shelter and slowly slips off into a day dream..

A few minutes pass by then she sees a dark shadow moving tward her, scared and frozen with fear, it came closer and closer until she finally saw..
"Oh no, Professor Snape? but he's teaching potions right now.."

He slowly walked up to her and said "Miss Granger"
She didn't even have time to think before she spoke, saying "Professor Snape, I - I thought you were teaching potions class?"

"Exactly Miss Granger, and where are you? No where to be ... found."

Sorry Professor, I - I ..
"Enough, I will see you in detention tonight, now follow me."
"Yes Professor"

They had a long walk back to Hogwarts but before they could start out, it started pouring down on them..
"We can not go out in rain like this, we'll stay here till it passes." Said Snape

Snape sat beside Hermione but didn't say a word.

"I really am sorry professor, I have a really good excuse.."
"Non sense, Granger"

Hermione just looked at her professer, he was dark and quiet, he kept to himself, never allowing anyone else in.
"Can't you open up to anyone, even to me, of all people? I want to see you."
"I don't know what you are talking about Miss Granger, I'm sitting right beside you."

"The real you, professor, talk to me about something other than school or detention, tell me more about you and what you like and what you don't like"

"Well, I would like . . . Never mind."
"What professor, what is it?"

"The rain has stopped, we better go now Miss Granger."

So they walked silently back to school and went to class, he used a spell to dry them both off, as if nothing had happend at all.

Harry saw the two walk in together and asked, "What's with you and Snape?"
"Nothing"
"Oh it's something, you look mad and Snape, well I have never seen Snape act this way before."

Not knowing what he meant, he pointed to Snape and she looked up..
He accidently knocked over a students potion, which caused a purple ooze and it burned a small hole in the desk.

"See?" said Harry.
"I don't know Harry, I tried to get him to talk, to open up to me but.."
"Are you crazy? Why would you want him to open up?"
"You wouldn't understand"

Class finally let out and soon it was dinner time,
Ron, Harry and Ginny found Hermione sitting at the end of the table, right in front of the teachers.
"What are you doing here?" said Ginny
"Don't even try Ginny, she's keeping something to herself and doesn't want anyone else to know." Harry said.
"I'm fine you guys, don't worry about me, it's nothing important.."
Ron entered into the conversation after taking a bite of chicken.
"What would you like to do for your birthday today Hermione?"
"Nothing, I'm afraid ... I got detention after dinner."
"What? With who? Ginny said.
"With Snape, I skipped his class earlier and now I'm stuck."

they sit there silently eating till everyone was leaving and going back to their rooms.
"Well, good luck Hermione" Said Ron
"Thanks"

She picked up her books and jacket and walked down the dark gray halls, a little chilly and damp she thought but she'd soon be in Snape's class, kind of scary walking alone.

She came upon his door and knocked, no one answered so she knocked again... finally by the third knock he came and opened the door.
"Miss Granger, come in"
"Thank you professor, now what do I need to do"

"I've been working on new potions, you can drink them and see how they turn out."
She followed him over to his desk, it was a little cluttered she thought, he handed her a little vial with green potion in it..
"What will this do to me?"
"It is a potion for hair, it should turn it a different colour"
"Will it stay that way?"
"No, but we need to see if it will work first."

She held her nose and downed the green drink and with that she made a horrible face and threw the vial across the room.
"It tastes awful, just awful!"
"It's not supposed to taste like butterbeer"

"I feel rather dizzy and sick" she said "I need to lie down"
Professor Snape quickly ran to her side, picked her up in his arms and took her into his room, just outside the class room.
He waved his wand and made the other door open, it was his bedroom, he laid her down and got a cool cloth to lie on her head.

"Are you alright Miss Granger?"
is all she heard, she opened her eyes and said her professor sitting on the bed leaning over her with a cloth in his hand, gently rubbing her forehead.

"I feel fine, why what happened?"
"You passed out, Hermione, you game me quite a scare."
"For how long"
"About 15 minutes"
She went to sit up and got a little dizzy, and grabbed onto Snape's shoulder..
Did he just call me by my first name? Thought Hermione.

"Lie back down, you need to keep up your strenght.."
She did as he told.
He looked her in the eyes for a minute or two before saying
"I thought about what you said today, underneath the tree.."

Hermione looked at him longing for his lips to speak the words she wanted to hear..

"I may seem like a bitter old man but, I've been through so much.. kind of made me cold to the world...
She slowly put her hand on his leg and he looked down at her.

His eyes got wide when he read her mind, she didn't even try to block him from doing so..

"All this time, Hermione.. you skipped class to get detention to be with me so we would be here right now?"

"It's true Professor, every word of it.."
"But why?"
She didn't speak, so he read her mind again...
and then he knew, she wanted what he wanted too...

Slowly he leaned into her, brushing the hair away from her face before their lips met, his hands slid around her back as she ran hers through his dark black hair.