-*Ms. Rowling has been kindness itself to permit us license to make her characters do the nasty.*

A Talent for Death

Big Mistake 1

Hermione scrubbed the floor on hands and knees while Snape rifled through his shelves. Hermione seen that a large jar containing an embryonic dragon was about to fall. She executed a diving roll across the classroom and grabbed it before it hit the floor. Snape looked at her with open mouth astonishment. Handing him the heavy jar, he saw the sinews and muscle definition in her forearms. "Dragon sir. I'll get back to work now." She hastily walked across the classroom and resumed her cleaning trying her utmost to become invisible.

Hermione knew that wasn't going to happen as she heard his footfalls nearby. "Ms. Granger, take a seat."

Not looking up she sat on the nearest bench. "Yes Sir? Something wrong Sir?" Snape sat on the bench in the next row.

"Look at me when I talk to you." She looked up at him wincing a bit. "Ms. Granger kindly tell me what the hell just happened."

"Uh, Sir your dragon almost crashed to the floor. I grabbed it before it could hit, Sir." She folded her hands in her lap carefully lacing her fingers together.

"You know very well what I'm talking about. Out with it Granger." Snape crossed his arms.

"Yes, well about that, I'm sorry if it wasn't uhm very lady-like. It's such a nice specimen, I just didn't want your jar to break." She squirmed in her seat under his piercing glare.

"Since you seem determined to avoid addressing my question probably you should just give an exhibition." Snape recrossed his arms. "Well, get on with it."

Hermione sulked but got to her feet. Glad she was wearing shorts under her skirt. Hermione cleared the desks out of her way with a wave of the wand. Might as well do a set, can't do anymore damage can I? She stretched and bowed as was ingrained into her habit. Backing up as far as she could go, she ran through a seven step set with including the bit he saw. Sweat running into her eyes, pulling her shirt tail out wiping her face. She picked her wand up and waved the desks back into place. "I'm not used to doing that for an audience." Hermione was grateful that her hair had been secured. She sat down hard from the unexpected workout. Hermione was becoming unnerved by Snape's silence. "How many more detentions do I have now?" She tried to leave the derision out of her voice.

"Finish the floor and you can go." Snape gave up whatever he had been doing at the shelf and took up behind his desk.

Finishing up the final corner Hermione emptied her bucket in the sink. Giving the bucket and brush a thorough rinse she washed her hands. Approaching Snape's desk Hermione got his attention. "Sir if you don't mind I'd rather nobody knows about that."

"Ms. Granger I don't think I would know how describe such a thing." Pausing momentarily. "Ms. Granger, do you mean to tell me know one knows about that?" Snape obviously didn't believe her.

"No, Sir as a result I'm a little out of practice. It's not something I can do while people stand around gawking, and well we don't have fitness facility here." She was sincerely disappointed.

Hermione thought she saw something pass behind his eyes. "And Ms. Granger...if I wanted to...watch?" His voice was measured and colourless.

Hermione had to look at it from a practical standpoint, "I shouldn't think I'd be able to stop you Sir." A note of uncertainty lingered.

"Very well Ms. Granger, you shall have a location to practice after dinner and on the weekends." Snape offered.

"I can't after dinner. I can't do it on a full stomach Sir. The weekends would be wonderful Sir. Uhm thank you Professor. Sir will you inform me when the arrangements are made?" Hermione felt extremely awkward.

"Is the time prior to mealtime acceptable?" Hermione shook her head in accent. "Ms. Granger you may use the Room of Requirement. When you decide to go simply wear a hair-band in your house colours."

A.N./Thanks to Megan Consoer and HarryPotterFanaticToTheEnd for their kind encouragement.