Hermione awoke the next morning cheerful and rested. She stretched and rolled over and, as usual, Severus's bed looked untouched. Hermione often wondered if Snape even slept; he was out of bed before her each morning and the last to retire in the evening. She doubted she had even glimpsed him slumbering across the room from her.

Jumping up happily she flounced over to a large wardrobe holding her things. Opening it up, she started searching for the day's outfit. Choosing her usual blouse and dress pants she piled them into her arms, closing the door slightly before hesitating. Opening the wardrobe back up, she hung up her usual clothing and took out a black number. It was a mini dress with cap sleeves and a v-neck down the front. "Ginny, you rascal!" she laughed to herself, the red head had slipped in into her clothes among other numerous items. She held it up to her pajama clad figure before deciding that, with a pair of tights of course, that the dress would suit her nicely and she would wear this under her teaching robes.

Taking her things in her arm once more, she shut the wardrobe and exited her bedroom. It was cold this morning, so Hermione decided she would take a bath in the private teacher's bath instead of the usual cold shower in the dungeon. It was the only teacher's bath underground and only Snape's private quarters at this end of the castle, so Hermione was glad not to have any embarrassing run-ins unlike all her other colleagues above ground who shared multiple bathrooms.

Padding along the corridor barefoot, Hermione cursed herself for not wearing socks or a jumper in this bone freezing weather. She finally reached the door to the bath, muttered the password 'Ashwinder', before pushing open the door.

The dungeon's bath was very spacious and large. The bath was in the center of the room, paved and built in dark stone, very similar to that which the Slytherin common room was paved. And like the old prefect bathroom, large, gothic windows were built into the walls with magnificent moving stained glass. Unlike the other bathrooms Hermione had been to, however, only a single brass tap was at the end of the magnificent bath, instead of the hundreds in other rooms. Placing her things on a small mahogany table near the rooms entrance she then walked towards the bath. A sharp, quick tap on the faucet with her wand caused the pipes to gurgle and spew forth water into the bath. Scented with rose and lavender, she watched as the water bubble and quickly filled the small-swimming-pool-sized bath. Another sharp tap turned off the faucet and the bath was still. Hermione grabbed a large, folded dark grey towel from another nearby table placed it beside the edge of the bath before returning to the table near the entrance. Placing her wand among her things, she slid off her pajama shorts and her thin camisole before quickly padding over and slipping into the bath, escaping the cold.

Hermione sighed with relief when she submerged in the water. She clenched and unclenched her toes, grateful for the hot, steamy water. She washed herself leisurely, slowly running her hands over her shoulders and arms, savouring the warmth and smell of the water. She was so absorbed in her actions that she did not feel a pair of dark eyes watching her.

Snape held his breath. He almost had a heart attack when the brunette burst in on him as he was about to get into the bath, himself. Old habits died hard because before Severus had let the intruder know of his presence, he muttered a Disillusionment charm, rendering him invisible. Standing right next to the bath, he did not know what to do. Snape was both angry and embarrassed. He could not move for making a sound and alerting her to another's presence. "Foolish girl," he cursed inwardly, "obviously has still not learnt to observe.. you'd think having to live with dunderhead Potter and Weasley would force her to learn to knock.." Snape kept his eyes downcast when he realized she had stripped and slid into the bath, but he felt his curiosity burn brightly.

He stayed stony for upwards of 10 minutes but felt his willpower start to slip. "Granger is a woman now, Severus, you are no perverted old school teacher ogling young students.. one little peak won't hurt.." he convinced himself and glanced upwards. Hermione was half facing him, half turned away. She lay resting her head on her arms on the edge of the bath, facing away from Severus. Enjoying the warm water, her hair was pulled up into a loose bun, tendrils of hair escaping at the nape of her neck. Her skin was creamy and smooth, Severus longed touch her. Biting his tongue, he stifled a sharp intake of breath. "Yep..definitely no longer a school girl.." he muttered to himself. It felt like an eternity he stood there watching her.

At last, Hermione sighed, raised her head and waded towards the folded towel at the edge of the bath. Rising out of the steamy water, she wrapped herself in the soft, fluffy material and stepped out of the bath. She walked over to her clothes, roughly dried herself with the towel and then hung it on a hook, behind the door, leaving her stark naked. She pulled on some simple cotton underwear before slipping on her black dress. Pushing her brown hair over one shoulder, she reached behind her back and pulled the zip up along her spine.

Snape watched her movements which were both graceful and precise. He quietly admired how the simple dress clung to her form, her long lean legs and slim waistline. He did not shield his eyes, but continued to observe her in her natural state, fluid and graceful. He smirked to himself, pleased to be seemingly the only one to witness this different, this grown up and confident, Hermione Granger. He did not look away until he had watched her roll up her tights, slip on some ballet flats and clad herself with her teaching robes.

Only as she shut the door quietly behind her when she left did a sinister grin creep upon the old Potion Master's face, as he hatched a cunning plan.