Chapter 2

Hermione woke up early and set out on a stroll around the lake. She needed a little time to think.

As she passed over the grounds she thought on the last year. It had been a whirlwind with the fall of Voldemort. It had happened much as they expected it would, leading him to Godric's Hollow on Halloween, of all days. Harry was quicker with the killing curse, his reflexes enhanced by a potion created by Hermione and Professor Snape, mostly Professor Snape, and losses were mercifully few. Afterward was a bit more of a challenge. Many students were faced with a huge hole in their lives. Now what? Where do they go from here? It took a few very stern professors to get them to focus on school again. It just hadn't seemed that important at first.

And now it was the end of Hermione's seventh year. She had always known she wanted to continue her education. She had enjoyed herself immensely, much more than expected, while working with her Potions professor to find a potion to aid Harry. Dumbledore had come to her at the end of her sixth year and asked her if she was willing to join and aid the Order. She was pleased to be of use and even more pleased to find she would be working with potions. However, her professor was not so pleased – either to have an assistant or to be stuck at Grimmauld Place over the summer.

The first few weeks were frosty at best. Hermione felt terribly awkward in his presence and he just didn't care. Unaccustomed and unwilling to share his space with others, he just ignored her. Hermione would set up her lab on one table, he would set up his on the other side of the room, and they often wouldn't speak for an entire day. She knew they were thinking along the same lines for a cure. Sometimes she would go into a library for a book to find he had it, or he would come to her asking to borrow a text. Other times, they would accidentally bump into each other as they both reached for the same ingredient.

Finally, she had had enough. One day she walked into their lab, intentionally went to his side of the space, and set up her cauldron right next to him. "Kind of defeats the purpose, working together separately. I don't know about you, but I'd rather just figure out a way to destroy the bastard. Sir."

Snape had stared at her agog. Frank honesty was something he could handle. He slid his cauldron aside to give her a little more room. After that day, they shared a companionable acquaintance.

It took the majority of the summer to hit on something that would increase Harry's chance at success. During this time, Hermione was starting to pay more attention to her lab partner than to the research she was going through. After they thawed their frostiness, they found that they had quite a bit in common. They both enjoyed a cup of tea after brewing. They both lost themselves in their books and research. It got to the point where Hermione would set her wand to vibrate at a certain time: otherwise meals would have been completely forgotten.

He challenged her outside the classroom in ways she knew he couldn't at school. Every day was a different topic of discussion, and Hermione found herself becoming more and more wrapped up in the subject and the source. She already knew she could sit and listen to him catalog his potions storage for hours on end. What she was not expecting was her mind wandering to the little flat spot on the bridge of his nose, her finger itching to rub it. Or how silky his hair seemed – before he spent hours brewing of course. Lord, she didn't even want to think how ishe/i appeared afterward. And further still were his mannerisms. His gentle 'Miss Granger?' after she had once again fallen asleep over a journal or the tender and particular way he set up and tore down his lab, everything polished and put exactly where it belonged. A man after her own heart. And there was no use fooling herself, he was getting it.

It was again where to go from here that had her stumped. She was fairly certain he felt, well, friendly at least, towards her. He hadn't killed her yet at any rate. He had tolerated her questions, and after a while, began to encourage her research. They had shared tea, and he would come and sit near her on occasion while they were reading in the library of the safe house. She couldn't think of him voluntarily seeking out anyone, and the fact that he did seem to be with her made her very pleased.

And he had smiled at her. No, not often. Okay, twice. But still, she remembered each as clear as day. Once was after the successful trial of the potion they would use against Voldemort, and had made her feel like she was looking at the Grinch as he was plotting to steal Christmas. It was a smile, yes, but almost more of his usual sneer. It was happy and sinister. The other was just for her, or she liked to think of it as hers anyway. It had just been a regular day, and she was debating out loud whether to use moonstone or chrysoberyl when she looked up at him suddenly to ask his opinion. She found him just looking at her, with a soft smile on his face and warmth in his eyes. And damn if she hadn't forgotten her question, quickly covering up her pause with an inquiry about dinner.

But since Harry succeeded, she hadn't spoken to Professor Snape outside of class. Oh, there were a few moments when she would linger, ostensibly picking up her books or rearranging her notes, so she could have a few minutes alone with him. Sometimes she would ask him how he was doing or just bid him a good day. The conversation was always stilted, neither knowing where they stood in these once familiar roles. On occasion, she would find him while doing her rounds, but still hadn't been able to talk to him. It seemed as though these times were cursed. Invariably, as soon as she saw him, another student would enter the hallway with a question for one of them, or he would appear as though he were about to speak, and then just walk away. Dumbledore hadn't asked her to do any other work with him, and she felt the pang of loss.

She kept mulling over Ginny and Luna's conversation. She knew her voice was fine, but did she have the chutzpah to go through with what she was thinking? There was a reason she wasn't sorted in Ravenclaw she supposed. She always went through with what she was thinking. She hadn't been wrong yet (since the potion was fine, it was the cat hair that was off!). And it iwas/i the last thing they were going to do before leaving.

But what about her apprenticeship? She had petitioned after Christmas to stay on at Hogwarts as an apprentice to her brooding and beloved Professor. It had been over five months, and she hadn't heard anything. Probably safe to assume he had shaken her off as unworthy. If this was well and truly the last time she would see him, she might as well give it a go. And there was no way she was going to tell Ginny and Luna about it beforehand.

Luna and Neville had been a bit of a curiosity as of late. They bonded right after the war, still on the battlefield, when Neville found Luna's lost puffapod earring. Since then, they had been spending increasing amounts of time together out around the lake or greenhouses, in the library, or in each other's common room. They would trade off sitting at each other's table, and were often seen walking in between class holding hands. Ernie McMillan swore he caught them snogging on one of his patrols once, but no one else knew anything. Luna, however, had confided in the girls that she was ready to move forward to a more substantial commitment with the shy Gryffindor. Neville was clearly taken with Luna, but was even more bashful after the bout of celebrity all the friends of Harry Potter received after the final battle. He had girls throwing themselves at him in the halls, and was receiving owl after owl of letters from single witches. He had nearly retreated into his shell until Luna pointed out all the men under Dumbledore were going through the same thing, even Snape.

Which Hermione was not happy about. She knew she had no claim on the man, but couldn't help but feel jealous at the brazen hussies sending marriage proposals and racy undergarments! They obviously knew nothing about him.

Suddenly, she had two owls swoop down to her on her trek around the lake. One was from Ginny, probably about practice times. The other was from Dumbledore, inviting Hermione to immediate tea…with Professor Snape.

~~HGSS~~

"Welcome Miss Granger!"

Professor Snape turned to see the young woman who had just run through the door, looking like Spring itself. Her chestnut hair was wild and shone with golden highlights. She smelled of the sunshine that had brought the freckles out on her nose, and a leaf was sticking to the bottom of her robes. She was lovely.

Hermione had clearly run the whole way from the lakeside, and was out of breath when she arrived. "Professor Dumbledore…Professor Snape…I hope I'm not too late."

"Not at all my dear. Come in, come in, sit down," said Dumbledore, while pointing to a vacant chair next to Professor Snape.

Hermione slid easily into the chair and glanced apprehensively toward her professor before looking back at the Headmaster. "Was there something you needed me for, sirs?"

"Well, Miss Granger – my dear, you do look winded. Here, have a cup of tea and a biscuit – we both wanted to speak with you regarding your request made last February. I'm terribly sorry it took so long to come to a resolution, but we've had a fair bit of bureaucracy to sort out after the defeat of Tom, and a bit of a chat was needed with Professor Snape here on the requirements."

"Oh, I understand, sir, but if Professor Snape is hesitant about tutoring me, I certainly don't want to be a bother to him…to you, sir," she said as she looked to her professor. "I know I perform adequately in all my classes, but there is only one class that consistently offers me a challenge and excitement. I can think of nothing more I would rather do then to continue learning from a Master, and to be able to put my ideas into research and experimenting. And, of course, I am willing to alleviate some of the day to day chores of brewing the commonplace stock needed for the school, or run errands, or whatever you need, sir. But I really do not want to be a hardship on you, Professor. You've had quite enough I think, and don't want there to be any resentment, and I had so much enjoyed our time together before the Fall."

"Miss Granger, I assure you, if I had not wished to take you on, I simply wouldn't," he said calmly, appraising the young witch by his side. "However, having had worked with you in the past, I know you to be studious and eager in the laboratory, and able to follow my directions without question. You have proven to be capable of independent thought, more than can be said for the rest of your classmates, house notwithstanding, and were I to pick my ideal candidate, it would be you, Miss Granger. The Headmaster simply had to discuss with me such trivialities as your accommodations and compensation."

"Oh…oh! Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I was just afraid I wasn't good enough," she timidly replied.

"You'll do, Miss Granger."

Dumbledore gave a bit of a chuckle. "Now, my dear, we planned to have you come down for a day or two after your exams are finished to become acquainted with what will be required of you, a bit of an orientation, if you will. You will, of course, have lodging here at the castle over the summer, and for the duration of your apprenticeship. There is currently no timeframe for completion, simply when Professor Snape feels you are ready, though it is usually three to five years. You will receive a percentage of the royalties for any patents you've worked on together while under his tutelage, as well as a weekly compensation for the work you do. Is there anything that sounds amiss or that you would like to request?"

Hermione was quiet, rooted to her chair. She had never expected so much. In fact, she was already scanning the Daily Prophet for a side job for money, never imagining she would be paid. She felt a little guilty. After all, it was she who was receiving all the benefits – an education, room and board, a salary. Plus, an opportunity to work with ihim/i.

"I'm astonished, sir! I would never have dreamed of asking for so much. I had been planning on working elsewhere as well, but I'm pleased to know I can focus solely on Professor Snape…on, on the ap-apprenticeship," stuttered Hermione, turning a bit red, a fact unnoticed by the professor but duly noted by the headmaster.

"You most certainly will not work anywhere else," said Professor Snape quickly, appearing cross. "While you are here, you are mine alone. You will not be hired out to work for anyone but myself." He sat a little straighter in his chair. "It is preposterous to think one's apprentice would be gallivanting the countryside, looking for work, as though he could not take care of her."

Hermione's breath hitched a little in her throat. "Sorry, sir. I didn't mean offense. It's not uncommon for Muggles to work while achieving a higher education. I'm very honored and grateful for the consideration you have given me and I will do my best to deserve it."

"Yes, well. Muggle you are not. You are a witch, to be taken care of by her Master."

Hermione was now biting her lip and burning scarlet. Clearly he wasn't thinking in the same frame of mind as she. Dumbledore had read her discomfort, and he took pity on them both. Poor Severus just did not know what he was signing up for.

"Now that we have reached an understanding, Miss Granger, I believe we can adjourn for the day. Professor Snape can send you an owl informing you of when to meet him the day before the Leaving Feast."

"Certainly sir. That's fine. I'm looking forward to it," Hermione said as she quickly rose from her chair to reach for Dumbledore's offered hand. She shook his briefly, and then reached over for the professor's hand. He simply stared at hers for a moment, and she almost withdrew it before he slowly reached out a white and slender hand to grasp her own. Hermione could feel her heart rise in her chest at the feeling of his fingers wrapped around her hand, all the way to her wrist, as he grasped it and shook firmly. "Thank you, sir," she managed to choke out as she fled the room as quickly as she had entered, leaving the two men in their chairs staring at the retreating blur.

~~~HGSS~~~

Hermione left the office in a bit of a shock. She got the apprenticeship! She was going to be his apprentice! She was planning on singing to him at the talent show!

…She was planning on singing to him at the talent show.

Oh God.