Hermione looked down at her class schedule and saw that her first class was Potions. She knew she was already late, so she quickly quickened her footsteps. She got to the classroom and opened the door heading inside. She closed the door behind her and saw everyone stare at her.
Professor Slughorn looked up from his desk and gave her a soft warm smile. "Hello I don't believe I know you."
"Hi my name is Hermione Smith. I just transferred here. I apologize for being late, but I was talking to the Headmaster."
"Welcome to Hogwarts Ms. Smith. Please take a seat by Mr. Snape. We are doing partner potions and he is without a partner. He is the boy with the dark black hair in the fifth row." He pointed to the table towards the back of the room.
Hermione turned towards the class and walked towards the back of the room. She found the table Professor Slughorn pointed to and she took her seat. She turned towards the boy sitting in the other seat and she saw a dark scowl deeply etched into his face. His hair was down to his shoulders and nearly covered his face. She knew she had to be nice to him even if it was going to be difficult. It was important to have a good first impression if she needed to make friends with him in order for this plan to work.
She decided to introduce herself first. "Hi I'm Hermione." She ended her greeting with a nice big smile, but he ended up ignoring her. He didn't even give her one glance.
The Professor said, "Turn your books to page 255 and begin."
She looked down at her textbook that was laid out in front of her. She opened up her book to the page and turned towards Snape. "So do you want me to prepare the ingredients or stir the potion?"
He stared at her and said, "I don't want you to touch anything."
She glared at him in response. How dare he? "Do you want a zero for the day? I have perfect marks in Potions where I came from. I will not mess up your precious potion. So you will either let me help or get a zero. What is your pick?" Hermione crossed her arms for good measures staring him down.
He stared at her for a few seconds and said, "Fine if you must I will prepare the ingredients and you will just stir. I don't trust you with my ingredients."
She rolled her eyes and sighed. She knew that was the best she was going to get for now. She watched him as he started cutting the ginger root. The book said quarter inch pieces, but he was cutting them in half.
She whispered, "What are you doing? The book clearly states quarter inch not half."
He tossed them into the potion and said, "I know what I'm doing. Just stir when I tell you to."
She gripped her stirring rod tightly. Pompous ass. This is going to be more difficult than I imagined.
He said, "Stir clockwise three times and once counter-clockwise."
She bit her lip knowing the book said the total opposite, but she followed his directions. The next ingredient was two teaspoons of unicorn blood. She watched him take a tablespoon and dump a whole tablespoon into the potion.
"Why aren't you following the directions? Are you purposely sabotaging us?"
He ignored her question and said, "Stir the potion four times clockwise." She stirred the potion and saw it turn a nice dark purple. "Good only a few more ingredients to go and then we are done. Then you can stop being my partner."
She stared at him feeling strangely hurt by his comment. "Why are you being so mean to me? I didn't even do anything to you. You don't even know me."
"I know your kind. You're a Gryffindor. You think you are so brave that you won't get in trouble even if it causes other people problems."
"That is so not fair. How would you like it if I said all Slytherin's are egotistical narcissists that think they are better than everyone else and hate muggleborns. I thought you were better than that Severus."
He seethed, "Don't talk to me like you know me girl because you don't."
"I can say the same thing for you. You jump to conclusions based on what house I am in."
"Just finish the damn potion please."
She said forcefully, "Not until I get an apology."
He stared her down and Hermione stared back at him not giving up. He looked away after a few minutes and said, "Fine I'm sorry. Now can we finish the damn potion?"
"Yes what's next?" They finally finished the potion ten minutes before anyone else. Hermione sat back quietly. To keep herself busy she started to look around the room. Her eye caught a group of Gryffindor's sitting directly across from them. She saw flaming red hair and instantly realized who she was going to school with. Oh my god. I'm at Hogwarts when Harry's parents were here. Her eyes travelled back to her partner's face. I have to befriend him for two months. Maybe it won't be so difficult after all.
He caught her staring at him and said, "Why are you staring at me?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to be friends."
"Friends with me? Why would you want to be friends with me?" He felt like it was a joke. No one ever wanted to be friends with him.
"Well I just got here and I don't have any friends. I thought maybe since you are my partner in potions that we can be friends instead of being angry at each other."
"I don't have many friends. Are you sure you want to be seen hanging around with me? Gryffindor's aren't usually seen with Slytherin's. It might cause a problem within your House."
"I don't care what people think of me Severus and you shouldn't either."
He stared at her for a few seconds and succumbed to her wishes. "If you really want to then yes we can be friends. Don't expect me to want to hang out with you though. I don't do that with other people."
"Well I guess it's a start."
Professor Slughorn released the students from the room and Hermione and Severus headed out of the Potion's classroom.
She took out her schedule and saw that the next class they were heading to was Defense Against the Dark Arts. She remembered that she was supposed to act like she was new. She wasn't supposed to know where the classrooms were. She turned towards Severus and said, "Can you take me there? I'm new."
"Very well follow me." They were heading to their next class when they heard people behind them start calling her name. Hermione stopped and turned to see who it was. It was the group of Gryffindor's that she saw in Potion's.
A boy with very curly hair that met his shoulders was the first to speak. "Hermione, why are you walking with Snivellus? I know you are new but you don't have to be seen with the likes of him."
She clutched her wand in response. "His name is Severus and I like walking with him."
The boy next to him with nice brown hair and glasses was the second one to speak. "I would be careful around him."
"I can watch out for myself thanks." She grabbed Severus's hand and said, "Let's go." They walked away from them as fast as she could.
Severus stared at her as they walked and said, "Are you going to keep holding my hand?" She quickly looked down at their hands and blushed.
She let go of his hand and said, "Sorry."
"You didn't have to do that back there you know. I can take care of myself."
"How long Severus?"
"How long what?"
"How long have you've been bullied by them?"
"I just said I can take care of myself," he said angrily. He didn't need a girl to defend him
She needed to know. "How long Severus?"
"Since first year," he said quietly with shame. He was embarrassed by admitting that aloud to her. He was strong and he knew how to fight them off if needed. He didn't need her pity.
"They are mean and I won't let them talk bad about you. I meant it when I said I wanted to be your friend."
Her words perked him up a little bit. That was the first time someone stood up for him that wasn't in his House or had ulterior motives. He gave her a small smile.
That was the first time she ever saw him even move his lips upward. Why doesn't he ever smile? They reached the door to their next class and they headed inside. Again Hermione was forced to introduce herself to the Professor.
Professor Greenwood said, "Most of our students already have a partner Ms. Smith, but there is still one student that does not. You will be paired up with Mr. Snape."
"Yes Ma'am." She smiled at Severus happy that they were partners again.
"Today we will be practicing dueling with another. I hope you all remember what to do when you are in a duel. You bow to one another to show respect and then you cast. We are only using harmless spells. Nothing drastic. You may begin with your partner."
Hermione looked at her partner and took out her wand. She bowed to him and he bowed back.
"Are you ready, Hermione? I have to warn you I am a master at spell casting."
She rolled her eyes and said, "Yes I'm ready."
Severus was the first to cast. He casted a simple expelliarmus towards Hermione. She quickly casted back protego. He blocked it with ease. She casted locomotor mortis. He quickly side stepped it and casted back incarcerous. She wasn't prepared for that and she ended up tied up on the floor. He casted the counter curse and sent her a small smile in glee. She stood back up in anger and casted flipendo. He again was quick to cast protego against the spell. The spell was sent back to her and she tried to block it. She was not quick enough and was sent back. She landed on her bottom hard. He walked over to her and helped her back up.
"Want to try again?"
She shook her head in disbelief. "Why are you so good at this?"
He said stoically, "I get loads of practice from the Gryffindor's outside of class."
She frowned. "Oh Severus I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault. It's just the way it is."
Hermione looked over at the other groups and watched James Potter fighting with Sirius Black. James was easily winning against Sirius. She looked at the next group and saw Lily Evans fighting with Remus Lupin. Lily was winning against Remus. "And they all bully you?"
"Mostly Potter and Black. Pettigrew is like a hype man. He never attacks. He's a cheerleader for them. Lupin tries to be the mediator, but it never works and he ends up joining in anyways."
"What about the girl?"
He hesitated and said quietly, "Lily hates it, but she will always defend Potter." She heard the jealousy in his voice. She would ask him later what happen to between them.