Disclaimer: I don't own anything please don't sue me

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The next day Hermione had been greeted by the Weasly owl holding an envelope just as she was about to head down from her room. She recognized the hand writing immediately as Ginny's. As she was walking down to Snape's office she read the letter.

Dear Hermione,

It has felt like an age since I've seen you. I do miss you at the burrow I wish you had stayed here over the summer it is awfully lonely being the only girl my age here. Harry does keep me entertained though, he took me to a muggle movie the other day it was loads of fun. He drops hints about marriage very often but I've already told him that I have one more year of schooling before I could even possibly consider it. I do love him though and I can't wait till the school year to be over with. My mom and dad are doing wonderfully. George is still suffering since the loss of Fred… I don't think any of us have really recovered. I know Ron may not be your favorite person right now but I figure you guys were best friends so I guess I'll tell you anyway. He is currently dating this girl in huffle puff but I don't think it's gonna work out. Him and Harry are becoming Aurors and they already talked to the new minister about it. The minister is obviously more than happy to have two war hero's as Aurors. But anyway please write back and update me on everything that is happening with you.

Love Ginny

Coming to the end of her letter Hermione realized that she had walked all the way to the potions office without looking up from reading. 'I'll respond later' thought Hermione

Once again before she could knock the door opened for her. The professor was sitting at his desk reading a rather large book on potions.

"Good morning" said Hermione.

He glanced up briefly before going back to reading.

"Shall I make tea?" asked Hermione before she sat down.

"There is cups and such in the cabinet" he said his eyes glued to the page still.

Hermione got the tea prepared quietly. She poured him and herself a cup of tea, adding milk and sugar into her own. She set his on the desk in front of him and took hers by the fire in the arm chair.

After finishing her tea Hermione got up to parous his book shelf. His book shelf had books of all shapes, sizes, and conditions. Some were brand new and hardly touched where as others were old and worn with dog eared pages. She picked out one on defensive charms and went back to the comfortable chair.

A few moments later Hermione realized how odd it is that Snape reads at his desk instead of in one of the many chairs he had in his office.

"Professor why don't you sit over here?" she said gesturing to the armchair across from her own.

"Why" he said looking at the young Gryffindor.

"Because it can hardly be comfortable sitting at a desk all day" she said matter of factly

He made no move to move but her eyes continued to look at him expectantly. So he relented and moved to sit in the chair across from hers.

Hermione peered at him from behind her book. 'He's so different' thought Hermione. She noticed that he seemed to give in to most of the request that she made and he no longer insulted her intelligence. 'Are we friends?' wondered Hermione to herself.

She certainly hoped they were friends but she couldn't tell if he thought that way. Hermione considered him a friend. I just want him to see me as me not as everyone else does. He is nicer to me and he lets me be around and doesn't seem to mind my presence maybe he does feel happy around me as I do with him. 'No Hermione you're just thinking wishfully he probably only tolerates you since you're the only one around and you won't leave him alone'

"You want to say something?" asked Snape looking at Hermione who seemed to be having an internal debate with herself.

She turned a light shade of pink before answering "uh no... no nothing"

'That would be a great conversation' thought Hermione 'Oh Professor Snape Are we friends? And if we are can I touch your hair and see if it is as soft as I think it would be' she thought to herself sarcastically.

Shaking the thoughts off she went back to reading the interesting book.

At around noon Penny popped in with tea and biscuits before popping out of the room.

The question 'Are we friends?' was still on Hermione's mind as she poured herself a second cup of tea that it almost slipped out.

"Are w- you interested in more tea?" she asked catching her slip before it came out fully.

He looked at her oddly before nodding.

The rest of the day was spent reading the rest of the book and suppressing her urge to ask him.

'It doesn't matter if he confirms it, he acts like we are so that's enough' thought Hermione trying to suppress her curiosity of knowing for sure, but she knew that it did matter to her.

At around 8pm Snape stood up to escort her back to her room. They walked side by side and the air wasn't as comfortable as it usually was because of Hermione's constant internal battle with herself along the way.

"I know you want to say something so just spit it out" said the Potion's master irritably not liking the weird silence.

"Well… I was just wondering…." She started each word coming out extremely slow.

"If you continue at this rate you'll never be able to say it" he said flatly but Hermione saw the amusement in his eyes.

"arewefriends?" she said so quietly and so jumbled together that he couldn't understand what she had said.

"Miss. Granger you're going to have to say that again a little slower"

She took a breath before saying "Are we friends?"

He stopped walking and looked curiously at her contemplating the question in his head.

'Are we?' thought the professor 'Certainly we spend more time together and have pleasant conversations and I enjoy her company that is what makes up friendship right' he said to himself in his head.

"Yes I suppose we are" he said after a moment and he saw her face snap up to look at him and then her features broke out into a beautiful smile, that caused an odd feeling to develop in his chest.

She didn't say anything but instead linked her arm with his and continued walking. She chattered on about the book she had read that day and he listened with interest at her theories of how the spells could be improved. Before both of them realized it they had made their way to the Gryffindor entrance.

"Good night" she said unhooking her arm and dropping it to her side, already missing the contact.

"Good night Miss. Granger" he said before turning and walking back to his office.

Once she was in her room she sat at her desk and thought of what to write back to Ginny. Hermione then picked up her quill and began to write.

Dear Ginny,

I do miss you as well Ginny and I'm sorry I have not seen you over the summer. Perhaps we could meet up sometime during the summer. I'm glad that Harry is treating you well if he ever doesn't just tell me and I'll make sure he is properly yelled at though I'm sure your mother could scare him just as well as I could. It makes me happy to hear that everyone is doing well I feel sad at the thought of Fred's death and I send the best wishes for George. Also I don't hate Ron for what happened between us. Sure it was wrong of him to cheat on me but I don't think it would have worked in the first place between us. I'm glad to hear that him and Harry are becoming Aurors and that the minister welcomed them into the field happily. As for me for the first week being here was kind of strange because it seemed so empty and I spent most of the time in the library. However, one day I kinda snuck into Professor Snapes storeroom and tried to brew a sleeping draught, he didn't yell at me or anything he was actually pleasant. Then the next day I asked him for his help on a certain project. The project needs to sit for 48 days so lately we just read or do paper work occasionally we go out for a walk but nothing really else.

Love Hermione

With that she sealed the letter in an envelope and sent it off with one of the school owls that she summoned. After that she took a bath and rolled around under the covers for a while before drifting off into a sleep filled with dreams of dark eyes and a smooth voice.

…

Hello wonderful readers,

All of the reviews and follows and favorites are making me extremely happy and I think I wrote three chapters today. That is an all-time record for me. I love writing this story and now I get to write different letters between Hermione and Ginny. One part in the story I'm looking forward to is when I can finally use Snape's first name but that is part of the development in their relationship so I can't yet. Well anyway read, review, and have a wonderful day. Byeeeeeeeeeeee