Disclaimer - I own nothing! I'm just borrowing from J.K. Rowling!

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Chapter 6

Severus stirred the potion in the cauldron slowly in a clockwise motion, making sure to count every single stir properly, until he reached twenty. He reached for the pixie dust nearby, and added a pinch of the silvery substance in, before stirring again. When he finished, he put the potion on a simmer, for it had to simmer for at least twenty-four hours before continuing on.

When he came into the office earlier, he came alone. Hermione wasn't home anymore when he was calling her for breakfast. It didn't surprise him. Second day with her, and into work, again she was missing, and probably drinking her arse off somewhere. Last night he saw her arrive past midnight, stumbling into the house. He watched her silently in the shadows of the living room, until he saw her climb the stairs and slam the door.

Yes, there were times in his life were Severus did drink an excessive amount of alcohol because of whatever problems. However, he always did it in the privacy of his own home. He did drink a lot during those times, but the definition of a lot for him changed with the present Hermione. In the past, she would stop with two glasses of wine for she would already be somewhat tipsy. Now, with the amount of alcohol that he had seen in her home, he wondered if she would ever stop at all. It was just too much, too abusive of a substance that could be dangerous on such levels.

Severus didn't want to worry, he couldn't—but he did. He worried about the project not being able to get done, worried about Hermione not working with him or without him. She was already a pain in his arse, and it was something that he didn't want to deal with. On a personal level, though he did seem cold-hearted, he did worry for her and about her—drinking, health… everything. He didn't want to, but he couldn't stop himself.

The door opened, and Hermione walked in. She removed her sunglasses as she walked towards the refrigerator. After opening the door, she pulled out a pack of breakfast Hotpockets, and popped it in the microwave.

"Had enough rum in your coffee?" Severus sneered.

"Can you shut the fuck up?!" Hermione asked, her back remained towards him. She was tired and exhausted. Her wrist and hand hurt even though she already took a pain potion. Even her head hurt with a throbbing migraine. "God dammit!"

"You know we had work, and here I am again, working all on my own," Severus said angrily. "I need to know your whereabouts at least, just in case I have to ask questions. I don't want to tolerate your drinking, but I swear Hermione, if it really gets to me, I will throw every single bit of alcohol that you have away."

"For your information, I wasn't out drinking," Hermione snapped as she turned to face him. "I came from the hospital and just had my physical therapy. And right now, I'm starving since I haven't eaten breakfast." She opened the microwave and held the small plate in her right hand. Her hand suddenly shook, allowing the plate to slip from her grasp. It shattered to the floor as the fell into a messy mush. "Shit!" Hermione cursed as she cradled her right arm in her left.

Severus got off his stool right away, and made his way towards Hermione. "Don't Hermione," he said as he stopped her from squatting down on the ground. "Sit down. I'll clean up and heat up a new one."

Hermione didn't complain as she made her way towards the sofa bed. She lay down immediately, feeling more tired. The physical therapy session she had earlier had taken a lot out of her. It had been over a month since she last went. Trying to make her mind concentrate and tell her arm not to shake, squeeze, turn and more was tiring. She tried to command her body to do something that it wouldn't or couldn't do. By the end of the session, her head had broken out in a sweat at the effort she put in.

"Orange or cranberry juice?" Severus asked.

"Anything," Hermione sighed weakly.

Severus grabbed a tetra pack of orange juice, and poked a straw in it. After, he gave it to Hermione along with the Hotpocket. "How was therapy?"

"Why do you care?" Hermione asked with her mouth full. "It was a pain. I'm sure you're thrilled to know that."

Severus ignored her comment. "Next time tell me when you have a session. You don't have to go to work when you're too tired."

"Then I'll just have my therapy everyday so that I don't have to work with you," Hermione mumbled as she set the small plate on her stomach. "Just give me a few minutes to rest, and I'll get my arse off this couch and help you."

Severus didn't say anything as he watched Hermione close her eyes. He took hold of the plate in one hand, her little breakfast only half done. He set the plate aside along with the tetra pack, before grabbing the throw. Unfolding it, he covered her and made sure she was kept warm.

There was nothing else to do, Severus thought as he finished Hermione's Hotpocket. He was teaching himself how to brew Wolfsbane 6 with her notes. He saw the latest potions journal on her desk, and decided to read it.

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Hermione woke up, and slowly stretched her body and arched her neck a few times, getting the cranks out in it. With a few pops, she felt relieved. As she opened her eyes, she was surprised to find herself in her office. Suddenly, she remembered what had happened, and turned to see Severus seated behind her desk.

"Evening," Severus said as he saw Hermione look at him.

"Jesus Christ!" Hermione moaned as she sat herself up. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"Long time. It's already seven," Severus informed her.

Long time, Hermione thought to herself, considering the fact that she was sober. Most of the times that had sleeping for lengths at a time, it was because of the alcohol. She stood up slowly, and raised her arms up in the air as she yawned. "I guess the fatigue finally caught up with me." She said as she walked towards the potions table. "What are you brewing?" she asked, noticing the simmering cauldron.

"Wolfsbane 6," Severus answered, showing her a letter, and handed it to her. "It's from Potter. It arrived earlier from the mailroom."

Hermione frowned at the letter before taking it. She had never heard from Harry or anyone else since she had left for America. She never wrote to them either.

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Hermione,

I heard that you were here the other week. Something to do with you working with Snape. Why didn't you tell me or drop by? We've missed you. Hope to catch up on things.

Your friend,

Harry

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'Your friend.' Those words were a bother to Hermione as she questioned them. How could she regard Harry as a friend when he turned her back on her? Harry, just like everyone else, was mad and furious when they found out that she had slept with Ron. They were shocked that she did such a thing—cheating on Severus with Ron. But to her, she never cheated, for her heart wasn't in it. No one believed her, which was also one of the reasons why she left.

"The potion is actually quite simple, which surprises me. It's the brewing process though that takes a while," Severus said as he moved across the table to sit on the stool across from her.

"Yeah well… we should give Remus one," Hermione said softly as she crumpled the letter and shot it into the trash bin. "He'll be happy not having to drink Wolfsbane every day."

"I'm amazed at how far you've come with lycanthropy research," Severus commented.

"I learned from the best," Hermione said softly, lowering her head. She couldn't look at him, and felt a slight heat build beneath her cheeks.

She made a promise to herself and that was not to show that she had feelings for him. Even though he had been a bastard to her recently, she really still loved him and wanted him. After all, she could still dream and hope couldn't she? But she knew long ago that she had lost him, so it was all she could do, and hang on to the old memories of the times they once shared.

"How'd you do it?" Severus asked.

"Getting blood directly from werewolves is better than getting it from them when they are in human form," Hermione replied. "Why do you think my accident happened? I dealt a lot with them. Ever since, Alan has other people collect their blood, not wanting me to ever go near them again."

"Well that is a dangerous process. I don't think I've ever thought about going that far," Severus replied. For his research, Remus was always a call away, and would gladly give blood samples needed.

"I paid a price," Hermione said sadly. "And I don't regret it."

"Hermione listen," Severus paused, until she looked at him, "we'll have to set some ground rules between us. We don't both don't want to have to deal with each other, but to find a cure of lycanthropy, we have to work together."

"I can't fucking do anything on my own," Hermione reminded him.

"Which is why I'm here," he said back. "If you want, you can do all the thinking, and I'll do everything physical. You don't have to lift a finger, and I'll be your potions bitch."

Hermione sighed. Potions was more than thinking. She touched the wooden spoon with her hand and stared at it. It involved all the senses. Being able to stir the spoon physically was a big part of brewing potions. Stirring is what would bind everything together, and define ingredients as a whole potion. Stirring, pouring, everything physical about potion brewing was something she could no longer do on her own. She needed tow hands when she really only had one to work with.

"Hermione, I need your help," Severus said slowly. Hard to admit what he just said, but he did. "You are the brainchild of this project. Even if I could do things on my own, it alone would take me years."

"Fine," Hermione finally said. She could see how he wanted to get things done quickly. Clearly, he didn't want to spend more time with her than usual. Made her feel all the more unwanted, when she wanted him all the more. "I'll cooperate with you."

"Good," Severus said with a nod. He glanced over at the wall clock and then asked. "You hungry? Know of any decent places where there's good food?"

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AN – Dinner next for our favorite two people. Review!