A.N.: This chapter will focuse on Ron a bit, but after this the story will transition to the viewpoints of Hermione and Snape, bare with me hehe.
The next day Ron, Harry and Hermione didn't have classes until that afternoon. They settled for idly talking amongst the other students in the Great Hall while nibbling on bits of toast. Ron was oddly quiet that morning. He was preoccupied in trying to figure out how to make the potion work on Hermione. He mused over the thought of how this was the most thinking he'd done in a long time. A few minutes later and he quietly mumbled an excuse about his stomach upsetting him and slunked off into the halls, towards the library.
Stepping into the enormous room, he inwardly shuddered at the thought of actually reading. With a sulky sigh he began his search, acutely aware of the odd looks Mrs. Pince was sending his way, surprised at seeing him here. Three quarters of an hour later he sat at one of the study desks, the table covered with all sorts of articles and books on love potions. Looking over them, or more so casting a word finding charm, he came to the conclusion that most love potions had one specific ingredient the same: a piece of hair from both to be affected parties.
`Thats it? Hair?' Ron thought to himself. He couldn't comprehend why it was such a.. simple addition to the mix. `Well I guess looking for Hermione's hair brush is out of the question.' He thought with a small chuckle to himself, making a joke towards Hermione's untameable mane. She had given up trying to unknot it and had settled for casting an unfrizz charm on her hair every morning. With this new knowledge he loaded up his things, and noticing he was 5 minutes late to Potions, cursed to himself before sprinting off into the direction of the dungeons.
He bursted loudly into the room, his worry washing off of him as he realized his Professor was not yet in the classroom, as usual. He settled down between his two friends again, releasing a mixture of a gasp and sigh. Hermione raised her eyebrows at him curiously. "Where did you go? I didn't think you of all people would want to miss breakfast." She teased. Ron, still out of breath only managed to give her a dopey smile. Minutes later, he turned his attention back to Hermione, his mind set on those bouncy brown curls. He raised his hand, twirling a finger into one of the longer strands. "Honestly 'Mione, how do you deal with this crazy mane of yours?" Hermione scoffed a fake sound of shock. She knew he was teasing him. She replied in an overexaggeratedly sad tone. "Oh how ever will I go on, knowing you think I look like a crazed lion?" She didn't mind when the boys played with her hair, it had a soothing feeling to it.
Ron didn't reply. At that moment, Snape bursted into the room, striding towards the front once again. He snatched his hand away from Hermione's head, snatching a few strands of hair from her skull. She let out a gasp of pain, shooting him a look. He muttered an apology before stuffing the hair into his pocket with the vile from yesterday.
Snape still had his back to the class, his hands scrawling out directions onto the board as he spoke to the class. "We will be reviewing blood potions today," He began. The class groaned, voices dripping with annoyance. Snape ignored the protests, responding by raising his voice as he continued. "As I said, blood potions. It seems as if you all cannot grasp the concept of the simplist of potions, except choice few." Hermione felt herself suddenly grow with excitement, only to deflate as she noticed Snape give a small nod of his head to his godson Draco. She knew she did it exceptionally well as well, she couldn't understand why Snape chose to ignore her skill.
"You all should have at least gained the concept of the basic preparations. Begin." He ended with a flourish, settling behind his desk and pulling out essays from the previous week. He began to grade as the students groaned again and began gathering ingredients.
"I'll get the stuff." Ron said quickly before Harry or Hermione got up. He rushed to where the rest of the class recieved the ingredients, waiting until he was the only one left before rapidly pulling out the vile and inserting pieces of his own hair he had prepared that morning, then Hermione's. He nervously covered the vile and put it back into his pocket as it began to glow with the same pink hue as yesterday, not wanting the bright shade to attract his peers attention.
He shuffled his way back to the table, carelessly dropping the items onto the desk, earning another glare from Hermione. He shrugged sheepishly, knowing the witch wasn't truly mad at him. He was standing beside Harry and Hermione, watching them begin the mixture. They both knew Ron had no intentions of contributing, so they allowed him to stand by. Ron glanced towards Snape, the potions master still fixed on his grading.
He pulled out the small vile, circling his hand around it to conceal it. He waited for the perfect moment, when Harry and Hermione were distracted on stirring precisely. He took a step closer, only to trip over his untied shoe laces and bump into the tables edge, causing the cauldron to tip dangerously, pouring a considerable amount of its contents out onto the table and floor. "Ron, you idiot!" Hermione was enraged. Messing with Hermione's school work was a no no. Ron gulped nervously, spotting Snape rising from his position and begin to walk towards them. "I..I..sorry," Ron stuttered out, trying to wipe the mess with one hand full of cloth, the other still encased on the now open bottle in his hand.
"Weasley, we all you know you're incompetant, but did you realize-" Snape was cut off. Ron had flinched at the voice of Snape, violently turning to face him. The contents of the binding potion sloshed out, splashing Hermione, Harry and Snape's faces with the potion. `Shit' Ron thought. 'He's going to kill me.' Rons mind suddenly didn't care about trying to bind Hermione to him. It was now focused on not being murdered by his Professor.
Snape's eyes had closed as the potion splashed upon his face. He raised a hand to his eyes, clearing them of the wet substance. He opened his eyes with a growl, grasping Ron by the front of his robes. "You-" He stopped, noticing Grander behind Ron. He stared at her intently, noticing a faint glow around her that apparantly only he could see. He was taken aback at the sudden, dare he think, beauty of his student. He blinked, realizing what he was doing, turning his head back to glare at Ron. "You imbecile. Has that mother of yours not imbedded a morsel of common sense into that thick skull? Out.
" Ron stared at his Professor, still shaken at the teachers anger. "But Sir, I-"
"Sir, it was my fault." Hermione chimed in, always having a sense of duty to save her friends. She wiped her nose of the Potion. "I shoved Ron when he turned." She looked at Snape as she always did, intimidated by his presence, but a part of her marveled at the commanding man, eyes drawn to the black hair now frazzled and falling into his face. Snape sneered at her, eyes turning into black slits. "Detention, Granger." He said simply, his eyes still ablaze with anger and frustration as he retreated to the back room of the class, most presumably to clean himself up. Hermione thought to herself that having to spend time with Snape alone wasn't really a punishment. As the class ended, she began to clean up their station. Ron padded up to her and muttered quietly "Hermione, you're a saint." Hermione just shrugged and replied lightheartedly, "And you're an idiot." Ron beemed a grin at her before retreating to his next class.
Hermione picked up her bag and exited the class, grinning to herself that she would have to return later to the presence of her potions master. Meanwhile, Snape sat on a stool in the stock room, fingers holding the bridge of his nose as he relived the scene moments before. An odd scent lingered in the air, and he couldn't get the image of Hermione Granger out of his head.
Just to answer some things in case if the questions come up, Harry will not be affected by the potion, as his hair wasn't in it. Hermione doesn't really notice any new feelings to Snape because she already had them. Any other questions, please ask. As always, reviews are wonderful. The new chapters will now focus more on Hermione and Snape's POVs.