Breakfast passed in awkward silence. Severus ate slowly and deliberately. He was determined to not repeat the actions of the previous meal. Hermione picked at her eggs as she tried to think of what they should do.
"Are you fairly confident around your quarters?" Hermione asked. Severus lifted his head towards her as he took a breath.
"I am," He spoke and took the bite from his fork.
"I was thinking, we could go for walks between breakfast and lunch for you to reacquaint yourself with the lay out of the castle and the grounds. Then between lunch and dinner we can practice dueling or make potions. Something to get your talents back, we could duel in the great hall," Hermione suggested.
"That's fine," Severus told her.
"So what's the plan?" Hermione asked. Severus raised an eyebrow.
"You just went over it," Severus told her.
"No, I mean against Voldemort. You were supposed to become headmaster?" Hermione asked. Severus sighed and set his utensil down.
"You're not going to leave me the hell alone so I might as well. Yes, I was to become the headmaster," Severus started.
"And where was Professor Dumbledore supposed to be?" Hermione asked, momentarily forgetting the meal before her.
"He was supposed to be dead," Severus answered her.
"Dead?" She asked. Severus nodded.
"Yes, murdered," Severus said.
"Wait a moment, he planned to be murdered? Who was supposed to kill him?" Hermione asked, she couldn't believe what he was saying.
"I was," Severus told her.
"What?" Hermione asked in shock.
"The Malfoys were in trouble with the dark lord and he wanted to watch them suffer. He gave Draco the task of killing Albus, a suicide mission to say the least. Narcissa, Draco's mother, came to be and had me swear an unbreakable vow to complete the mission if Draco failed. I told Albus and he agreed," Severus explained as he brought a fork full of eggs to his mouth.
"Agreed to die?" Hermione asked.
"Didn't you see his hand?" Severus asked.
"It looks awful," Hermione said and Severus nodded.
"That blackness is an infection that is going to spread. It will kill him slowly and painfully. He is going to die, it's just a question of when. At least the killing curse is quick and relatively painless compared to what's going to happen to him," Severus said. Hermione took to poking her breakfast again as Severus continued to explain everything.
"If the death eaters hadn't have been run off before Albus and Potter returned that night then you would not be sitting here with me. Draco was let off the hook since he never actually got the opportunity to carry out the mission. I was also released from my vow," Severus told her.
"What was supposed to happen after you killed Dumbledore?" Hermione asked.
"I was to leave until Voldemort took over the ministry and come back in to make sure the rest of the plan went smoothly," Severus said.
"Which is?" Hermione asked.
"Something that will be revealed in time," Severus said.
"You can't tell me anything?" Hermione asked. Severus paused for a minute.
"Only that if you are to stay with me here at the castle you are going to play a part for the death eaters who will most likely be in the castle with us. You may even need to remain silent as certain things happen in the castle," Severus said as he found his glass.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"Treatment of the students, mainly. Abuse that would have Minerva infuriated and Umbridge with that disturbed little smile on her face," Severus said after taking a drink.
Hermione took a deep breath and stabbed at her food at the mention of that pink demon.
"What am I to be then?" Hermione asked.
"I am unsure. I know a spell that alters your appearance so no one will recognize you but it has a catch. Your true face is reveal in a second reflection. So if you're ever standing in front of a mirror and there's a mirror behind you, you better hope no one's paying that close of attention," Severus said.
"What's the spell? So I can have the hang of it by time we get out of here," Hermione asked.
"It's in the same book you found the polyjuice potion in," Severus said.
"Ok, wait-" Hermione stopped after she had already tripped over that sentence.
"I knew that was you," Severus smirked at her.
"The only one of my students that could have handled such a potion," Severus said and got up.
"If you're done stabbing your plate I'd like to go for that walk now," Severus said. He wiped his mouth on his napkin and stood up.
"Yes," Hermione laughed at herself and got up herself.
They walked most of the dungeons with general success. Severus bumped into corners, tripped over a few thresholds, and only once did he miscount a flight of stairs. Hermione caught him just that once otherwise she just watched.
It wasn't because she thought it was better for him to learn but because she was lost in thought. Thoughts about what Severus had revealed to her over breakfast. She found it soothing and infuriating that Dumbledore had a plan for fighting Voldemort. It was nice that there was actually a plan but it pissed her off that it was hidden from Harry, Ron, and herself.
A thousand questions flew through her mind and she had no real sense of where she was. She was brought out of her own mind and found herself standing in the great hall.
"Hmn?" Hermione questioned when she found Severus waiting beside her.
"I asked you what the plan was for dueling," He said. Hermione shook her head and looked around the hall.
"Right, for now the hall can be empty," Hermione said and watched all the tables and chairs disappear from sight.
"We can practice fighting around the environment later. Use your hearing to fight. Maybe we can find a spell that lets you know when a silent spell is coming," Hermione said. Severus nodded.
"For now, I require a wand," Severus said, holding out his hand. A black wand appeared in his hand and he gripped it.
"Professor..." Hermione trailed off.
"What is it?" Severus asked.
"Harry came across this book, a textbook...with notes in it," Hermione said, she wasn't sure she should being saying this.
"Yes?" Severus asked. Of course he already knew.
"Not only did it have potions notes in it, it had spells. One in particular that he used against Draco Malfoy, it almost killed him," Hermione said, her hands fiercely fidgeting with her shirt.
"I was there Miss Granger your point?" Severus asked.
"There was a signature, The Half Blood Prince. I researched it and I came...to you," Hermione said.
"Again, your point" Severus said.
"Two points, Can we keep the spells simple enough not to need a mediwitch, because I have a feeling that 'Sectumsempra' is only the tip of the ice burg of the dark spells you know." Hermione said and Severus smirked.
"I did save Draco's life, did I not?" Severus asked.
"Yes, but whether I die or not, I don't want to get cut to ribbons," Hermione said. Severus smirked again.
"That is understandable, what is your second point Miss Granger?" Severus asked.
"The potions, when we get to them. Can you teach me to understand them the way you do?" Hermione asked.
"Haven't you been paying attention the last six years?" Severus asked. Hermione glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest even though she knew he couldn't see.
"No offense Professor Snape but you seem like you're in the wrong profession. You are a horrible teacher, it's like you can't stand children," Hermione said. Severus actually gave a small laugh.
"You really are Hogwarts' brightest student. I never wanted to be a teacher. If you want to learn potions I will try," Severus said. Hermione smiled and pulled her wand from her pocket.
"Thank you," She said and ran a few paces away.
"Ready," Hermione said and shot a warming spell at him. Severus blocked it and sent a spell in the direction he heard her voice. Hermione was surprised at his speed as she got hit. It sent a tingling shocking sensation through her arm. It was not a pleasant sensation at all.
"What the hell was that?" Hermione asked, fiercely rubbing her arm.
"The tip of the iceberg," Severus said.
"I think you're going to enjoy this a little too much, Levicorpus!" Hermione said. Severus fired back a spell and they collided.
As the duel went on Hermione was grateful he was blind and taking it easy on her. She knew she would only last a moment against him in a real duel.
"Is this practice for my benefit or yours?" Severus asked after hitting Hermione with another spell. She rubbed her arm and didn't answer.
"In a duel you usually move around," Severus said.
"Well you don't know the castle well enough to chase me through it," Hermione said.
"Try me, I can look like a death eater if it helps you," Severus said and the death eaters robes appeared on him.
"I'll try not to laugh when you run into walls," Hermione said and ran past him.
Severus concentrated on listening to her. He knew that was his strongest ally. He could hear her footsteps to find her, the echo of the steps to find the walls, the pace and pitch of the steps told him where stairs were and whether she had gone up or down. He could also hear her breathing, she would take deeper breathe or hold it all together when she tucked behind a corner to shoot a spell at him.
Hermione came to a five step staircase. She kept her momentum and jumped down the steps and then dashing around the corner. She waited and then heard a crash. She looked back and saw Severus in a heap on the ground.
"Professor!" Hermione said and ran to his side. Before she knew it she had the tip of his wand at her throat. The death eaters robes disappeared and he was back in his normal clothes.
"Don't ever take things for granted, Miss Granger," Severus said. Hermione sighed.
"I thought you fell down the stairs," Hermione said.
"I heard you jump and decided to take advantage of an opportunity," Severus told her.
"Somehow I don't think all this is going to be as difficult as I originally thought," Hermione said and got up. Severus got himself up.
"We shouldn't be far from the transfiguration class room," Severus said. Hermione nodded.
"Not too far it's on the other side of the courtyard," Hermione asked.
"Want to talk potions?" Severus asked. Hermione nodded to herself.
"Sure," She said.
"I need the half-blood prince edition of advanced potions," Hermione said and held out both hands. Nothing happened.
"Oh come on! If Harry really wanted it to be gone forever he would have burned it!" Hermione said when the room didn't yield the book.
"It wasn't even his to hide!' Hermione said. She smiled when the book materialized in her hands.
"And as the books rightful owner, I gift it to you Miss Granger, you'll get more use out of it than anyone else," Severus said. Hermione smiled.
"What confuses me is how one potion can be stronger than another if both brewers follow the same directions." Hermione said flipping the pages.
"It's not about how well you follow the directions, it's about how well you deviate from them. If a potion is botched then the directions in fact were not followed as Mr. Finnigan has become so talented at demonstrating." Severus said as they began to walk back towards the dungeons.
"How well you deviate? Then what's the purpose of directions?" Hermione asked.
"The directions are the basic platform for the potion. The recipe will get the job done in its most basic form. Miss Granger has your mother never taught you to cook?" Severus asked.
"Yes, I help her cook all the time when I'm at home," Hermione answered.
"And the two of you don't tweek the recipes? You don't have a secret ingredient that's passed down through your family?" Severus asked. Hermione nodded.
"We do, My Grandmother is always teaching us her secrets over a girl's night in, in the kitchen," Hermione said and smiled to herself.
"Then why is brewing potions so difficult for you?" Severus asked. Hermione shrugged and grabbed his arm.
"Suit of armor to your right," She said and Severus side stepped it.
"I never thought of it as cooking, I always thought of it as a class to be studied, and you never helped very much," Hermione said as she re-examined potions in a whole new light.
"You over studied it and I have to scare the first years so they leave me the hell alone for the other six," Severus replied.
"What exactly led to you becoming a teacher?" Hermione asked.
"A series of unfortunate events I assure you. What are your questions?" Severus asked.
"How do you know which way to go?" Hermione asked flipping through the pages.
"It's all in the ingredients. What each ingredient does in the body, how it reacts with other ingredients, and what is wanted from the recipe," Severus told her. Hermione looked down at the potion she had flipped to.
"Alright, here draft of the living death. Instead of slicing the sopophorous bean you crushed it with a silver knife, why crush it when the recipe says slice?" Hermione asked.
"Have you tried to slice a sopophorous bean? The important part was that the bean was open and the worm inside was dead and exposed. The silver doesn't react with the juices. That's why I wrote it down." Severus explained.
"Did you practice this potion a few times to figure that out? And what about the stirring? Really? Adding an extra stir improves it?" Hermione asked.
"It disrupts the flow and gets the ingredient to mix better and yes I did practice it a lot. Slughorn was fascinated that I had such a gift for potions being half muggle so he left the classroom open for me to practice." Severus told her.
"The slug club, I don't remember seeing your picture on his wall," Hermione said as they began down a flight of stairs.
"I wouldn't let him take one and I never attended his dinners. The first of his parties I attended was last year's Christmas party and that was only to deliver Potter a message from Albus. Horace saw me and tried to talk to me death and what in Merlin's name were you doing that night?" Severus asked. Hermione laughed.
"I was hiding from the bloke I went with, he turned out to be a not so pleasant escort and you were wearing those robes," Hermione said and blushed.
"You were hiding behind me? You should have said something I would have hexed him myself to keep you from darting behind me," Severus said.
"Really?" Hermione asked.
"I'm a death eater, Miss Granger. Someone jumping behind me put me on edge. If Draco hadn't have crashed the party when he did you'd have gotten hexed!" Severus said.
"I apologize Professor I didn't even think about that, I knew you were a death eater too. I should have realized," Hermione said.
"Was there anything else with the potions?" Severus asked.
"Oh, yes-" Hermione went into more questions and they talked potions, ingredients, theories, and anything she could think of. He also challenged her and she had a good head ache going when they finally concluded their conversation.
Hermione didn't know what to think of any of that either. She had never heard him talk so much but he really did have a passion for potions. He seemed to be much more relaxed around her as they talked their way down to the dungeons. Hermione smiled as she watched him, she was happy to think it wasn't going to be as hard as she initially thought.