Disclaimer: As usual, not mine. JKR's.


"You're incorrigible," Snape said to Hermione. He'd just finished lecturing her on the art of the clockwise, counter-clockwise stir. "After seven years you still can't manage a swift counter turn without sloshing the potion over the cauldron." Hermione did it again without splashing any of the contents. It was so fast and smooth that Snape himself may have done it. "Miss Granger!" he roared causing her to cringe.

"Sorry, Professor. It won't happen again."

"It most certainly will not or you'll be back to flobberworms and cauldron cleaning."

Hermione grimaced at the prospect. Detention with Snape was awful enough as it was without tedious tasks. She'd taken to their weekend sessions like a fish to water for exactly the opposite reason; they weren't tedious, and they allowed her a small amount of freedom. The weekend sessions were also the only time she felt like she was working with Snape instead of working for Snape.

"The mandrake root, please," she said. Snape glanced into the cauldron and, deeming the time appropriate, he added the root slowly while Hermione continued stirring. He noted that four hands did indeed make lighter work.

Hermione's pace slowed at the critical point. Her arm was obviously tired. Snape, noticing without her say so, placed himself behind her and took over the stirring duties. In the process he leaned ever so slightly into her to get a view of the potion and absent-mindedly placed his free hand on her shoulder. Hermione paused.

"Miss Granger, if you would please move to your left," Snape said in a soft voice. She shivered and then moved when he tensed at her shiver. "Am I that repulsive to you?"

"No, Sir. Not at all," Hermione quickly replied. "I just wasn't expecting it at all."

"Very well. Fetch the jars. We will need to move quickly. The draught is nearly done."

She realized she was more comfortable with his stern tone of voice. Hermione obtained the jars at precisely the right time. She no sooner brought them to him and they were filled.

"Once you've cleaned this mess you may leave. I will see you tomorrow evening," Snape said. He placed several of the jars in his potions storeroom and took two with him, no doubt to be delivered to Madam Pomfrey in the medical wing.

Hermione took her time about it. Snape had a tendency to remind her "a hand cleaned cauldron brews more accurately than a quick cleaned one." Besides, she was doing her best to avoid Ron and Harry. They seemed to hang on her as if she would apparate away if she didn't.

"Taking your time this afternoon, Granger."

Hermione jumped, knocking the cauldron onto the floor. It rolled and settled at Snape's feet. He raised an eyebrow. She scurried over and picked it up. Snape took hold of the cauldron once it was waist height and set it on the desk.

"I, um," Hermione said then paused. "Thank you."

Snape looked at her intently. She blushed under his look. He noticed how disheveled she looked after hand cleaning the cauldrons and their brewing instruments. Several clumps of bushy hair had fallen into her face. He reached out and pushed one aside. Hermione turned beet red, but held his gaze.

He leaned in. She leaned in. His left hand brushed more of her hair aside. They leaned some more.

"I'll report you, Snape!" Ron screamed, wand at the ready. Snape whipped out his own wand and pointed it toward the boy.

"Do it, Weasley."

"I will. Get your greasy claws off her."

Hermione watched the scene in utter shock. Her boyfriend(?) was threatening her professor who was also the detentioner, which made her the detentionee. So, it was like Ron was rescuing her except she didn't want to be rescued from the bat of the dungeon, an insult Ron had just thrown Snape's way.

"Stop!" she yelled. Snape was obviously on the verge of throwing a jinx Ron's direction. "Just stop," she said quietly. Harry peaked out from behind Ron.

"There you are. Ron, lower your wand."

Snape already had his lowered courtesy of Hermione's hand resting on his arm.

"Are you all right?" Hermione asked Harry.

Harry shook his head. "Ginny's dating Malfoy." She noticed his eyes were red. He sat at one of the tables and sobbed softly. Ron looked around, confused at the turn of events.

"How very touching, Potter. Take it somewhere else," Snape said. He crossed his arms in an annoyed manner.

"You're being rude," Hermione told Snape.

Snape fixed her with a glare. "I want no mention of this to anyone."

"Understood, Sir." He nodded to her and left. Hermione fixed her eyes on Ron. "And you should be ashamed of yourself. We'll discuss this later." She ushered him out, babbling as he was that whatever just happened didn't really happen.

Hermione sat next to Harry and let him sob into her shoulder much like she once had over Ron and Lavender. "Tell me about it," she eventually said,

Through several false stars and many sobs she finally obtained the whole story. "They've been talking all the time. Some Defense Against the Dark Arts project or other, and she's been saying for months how Slytherin and Gryffindor have complimenting qualities. Apparently I haven't been very attentive to her needs or something, just my own. And Draco listens to her and understands her because they both have parents trying to control their lives. I told her I loved her. She said she didn't love me anymore. She screamed it in the Great Hall and Draco was comforting her afterward. They," he sniffed loudly and broke into sobs again. "He's snogging her, Hermione." She pulled him closer and promised to talk to Ginny about it.

---

For several moments, Hermione hated her life.

She hated her life more at supper that night when Ginny and Draco didn't care who knew they were together and Ron kept railing against it.

"Will you shut up for two seconds about your sister?"

"He's Slytherin. And a former Death Eater."

"Draco's good now."

"Like Snape?"

"Don't bring Snape into this."

"You were going to kiss him. All the same, you girls. Traitors to the house."

"God, Ron. Are you really that dense?"

"I guess I am, Hermione."

"I can't go out with you anymore."

"Fine. Go be with that-that traitor. Merlin knows he needs to be shagged by a know it all Gryffindor."

"Ronald Weasley, I've had enough of you. Never speak to me again." Hermione stormed out.

Snape's eyes were on her the whole way. Had he felt braver, he'd have tailed her, but Ron's Gryffindor comment brought up some foul memories, and he stormed down to the dungeon where he had a bottle of Ogden's to get him blitzed. He cared little that there was class in the morning or that it meant Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco all in the same room. At least Longbottom's only drama was what he was going to explode or almost explode. Snape could deal with that.

---

He dreamed of her in his drunken stupor. Her every curve danced and stretched across his vision. His whole body reacted to hers, and he could just about taste her on his lips.

Snape had never fancied a student before. Since Lily, he'd never had reason to. Granger, though, was an altogether new creature. She was every bit as smart and fierce as Lily and she did not fear him. She actually seemed to enjoy his company from time to time.

Could his hardened heart love again? Was it possible? Or was he chasing a pipedream because, as Weasley said, he just needed someone intelligent and strong to shag him? It was a conundrum for a sober mind. He shoved it aside quickly and fell asleep.

TBC . . .


A/N: Keep up the feedback. I find it encouraging to the point of actually posting updates. (Though I'd probably do it w/o, but it's more fun when ya'll tell me what's the what. Thanks for continuing to read.

Mishiya: It's nice to hear someone's looking forward to my updates. I hope I don't disappoint. And I assure you, I have no "Hermione throwing herself at Snape" plans (at least non out of context). Thanks for continuing to R&R!