Author's Note: For all of you who have been waiting with bated breath (hey, I can hope!), here's the next chapter. It was harder for me than most to write because I was trying to fit so much into the chapter. And then it took a turn I didn't expect! However, that's how I know I'm really getting into a story; the characters take over. Anyway, I realized I haven't been thanking everyone for their reviews, although I've been trying to reply individually. So thank you all! And please keep them coming! They make me smile when I have bad days, and keep me smiling on good days! Thanks to everyone!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the Harry Potter series; it is the property of J.K. Rowling.

Hermione stepped tentatively into the kitchen. Snape's back was turned to her as he cooked breakfast. "Set the table, Miss Granger," he said without turning around.

"Yes, sir," Hermione replied quietly.

She set the table as Snape finished cooking. He divvied up the eggs and bacon onto the two plates while Hermione poured him coffee and herself a glass of orange juice. They sat down at the table.

"Eat," Snape commanded, salting his eggs.

Hermione took a bite of her eggs, and realized they needed pepper. However, the pepper was next to Snape. She swallowed hard. "Would…would you please pass me the pepper?" she squeaked. He slammed the pepper down in front of her. "Th-thank you." She added the pepper and continued eating, despite her lack of appetite, without talking.

"Are you finished?" Snape barked at her as she drained the last of her orange juice.

"Yes, sir."

"Fine then." He picked up her plate. "Stay there!" he growled as she went to stand up. Hermione sat back down, and began chewing on her nails and fidgeting. He washed and dried the dishes, then sat back down. He fixed her with a glare that would stop a hurricane in its path. Hermione looked away, squirming in her chair, before meeting his eyes again and opening her mouth to speak.

"Do not speak," he ground out through gritted teeth. She closed her mouth and looked away again.

Snape continued glaring at her. What do I say? he wondered to himself. How do I make her realize just how stupid this stunt of hers was?

"Do you have any idea," his mouth began while his brain tried to catch up, "just how dangerous that stunt you pulled was?" He stared at her silently.

"Yes..." Hermione began softly.

"That was rhetorical, Miss Granger!" he snapped. "I trust I do not need to define the word for you!" She closed her mouth and stared at the table, shaking her head slightly and praying that she wouldn't cry.

Snape sighed and ran a hand through his greasy hair, attempting to stay calm. "Miss Granger, you could have bled to death inside your body. Blood Replenishing Potion only restores the liquid components of blood. It has to be taken with Blood Clotting Potion to work like normal blood."

"I-I didn't know," Hermione whispered.

"I figured as much." He paused, a hint of a smile crossing his face. "If you had known, I'm sure you would've taken Blood Clotting Potion as well and we wouldn't be sitting here." Hermione ventured a glance up. Snape hurriedly suppressed his smile and plastered a stern look back on his face. "Tell me what happened from the beginning."

Hermione told him, leaving out the parts where she had used his lab and ingredients.

"I see," Snape said neutrally, unnerving the girl even more. "That's why you had your Potions supplies out a few days ago?"

"Yes, sir," Hermione admitted, looking back at the table.

"I expect you to look at me when I am talking to you, Miss Granger."

She looked at him again. "Yes, sir."

"Where did you brew the potion?" Hermione bit her lip and glanced away. "Miss Granger, I remind you that the consequences will be worse if you lie."

"In your potions lab," she whispered, forcing herself to make eye contact again.

"And the rattlesnake fangs? And powdered unicorn horn?" She resumed staring at the table. "Eyes up, Miss Granger."

She looked up again. "I…I kind of borrowed them from you." She forced herself to continue looking at him as the anger spread across his face.

Snape's cheeks got warm as the anger began spreading through him. "So you stole them?"

"Yes, sir." Her voice was barely audible.

"I keep the rattlesnake fangs locked in my cabinet. How did you get into it?"

"The day I had tea with Professor McGonagall…er, the day you taught me how to use the burners, you said the password and tapped your wand on it before I left the room."

"I see." Snape mentally berated himself for letting that slip, but in truth, he hadn't thought it would be a problem. The girl had always obeyed the rules before. He took a deep breath, calming himself so the girl would answer truthfully. "Why did you do it?"

Hermione shrugged, unwilling to answer.

"Miss Granger," he sneered, "I'm sure you're aware that shrugging your shoulders will not suffice for an answer. I repeat myself: why did you do it?"

The familiar sneer brought Hermione's usual fight back to her. "Because I didn't want to live with you! You hate me!"

"Mind your tone!" he snapped. "Let me assure you, Miss Granger, I do not hate you. I do not even dislike you. In fact, you've grown on me quite a bit in the past two weeks. And I guarantee you that we will discuss this sentiment as well as you not wanting to live with me later. Right now we have other matters to talk about." He paused. "Why Blood Replenishing Potion?"

Hermione shook her head. "No."

"Excuse me?" He raised his eyebrows, a note of incredulity behind his stern tone. "You're not exactly in a place where you can refuse to answer my question, young lady."

"I'm not answering," she refused stubbornly.

Dropping his voice an octave and leaning close enough to her that their noses were almost touching, he spoke quickly and purposefully. "Miss Granger, if you do not answer my question, you will not be going back to Gryffindor Tower in September. You will remain living with me here, in these quarters." He watched the emotions play across the girl's face.

"I...I wanted to create bruises," she said, her voice strained as she resumed staring at the table.

Comprehension dawned on Snape as he realized what she had been trying to do. A rush of anger and hurt ran through him. He took a deep breath. I just have to stay calm long enough for her to tell me, he thought to himself. "Why did you want to create bruises?"

"Because the Muggle courts have to approve for you to become my guardian."

"I see. Would you care to connect your thought process for me?"

"No, sir." She continued staring at the table.

He raised his voice. "That wasn't a request, young lady! And I don't believe the table cares what you have to say." She looked up slowly; his eyes blazed with anger and hurt. "How do the bruises and Muggle courts connect?" he repeated slowly and deliberately.

She swallowed hard, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. She opened her mouth, but the words seemed to get stuck.

"Miss Granger?" His voice was low and dangerous.

"I…I…I thought that if the Muggle courts thought you abused me then they'd assign me a different guardian," she said as fast as she could, dropping her eyes again.

Snape's mind warred between yelling and attempting to keep some semblance of calm. "Do you having any idea of what would have happened if they had found me unfit?" His voice was terrifyingly calm. "Look at me, Miss Granger."

Hermione met his eyes again. "They would have sent me to St. Mungo's."

"Only—and I do mean only—if we'd managed to extricate you first! You could've been taken to Muggle social services and put in a foster home!"

"Isn't that what this is?"

"Do not talk back to me!" he bellowed. "I will not tolerate it!" He paused. "If you had been placed in a foster home, you may not have been able to return to Hogwarts! Parents decide if a child may go. If your foster parents didn't want you to go, you couldn't have gone! Not to mention, I could've gone to Muggle jail!"

"You could have apparated out," she pointed out.

He paused, unable to stop himself from marveling at the girl's lack of self-preservation. "If you continue to talk back to me, you will be cleaning the Potions classroom with a toothbrush for the next week!" he hissed. She closed her mouth and he continued. "I couldn't have apparated out if I'd ever wanted to go into the Muggle world again! Not to mention that if I was found to be an unfit guardian in the Muggle world, my ability to teach would be questioned! If I can't be trusted to care for a child in the Muggle world, how can I be trusted to teach in the Wizarding world? I could've lost my job!"

"I-I'm sorry," Hermione whispered, a single tear slipping down her cheek. "I…I didn't think..."

"That is obvious!" he snapped. He took a breath, forcing himself to calm down, and pointed to a corner of the kitchen "Take your chair over there and sit in it," he said more calmly. He watched as Hermione sat down facing the wall. "Don't move unless you have to use the toilet."

"Yes, sir," Hermione whispered, red-faced and staring at her hands. She couldn't believe she was being put in time-out at twelve years old.

"I'll be back in awhile, Miss Granger. Remain where you are and think about what the possible consequences of your actions could have been." He took a breath, reducing the harshness of his tone and allowing some of his emotions to flow into his voice, giving it an almost saddened quality. "I'm sure you can tell how angry I am, Miss Granger; however, I don't believe you can comprehend just how disappointed I am in you."

He left the room, and Hermione started crying, surprised at how terrible his last statement made her feel.

Snape slammed the door to his quarters behind him, however it didn't give him the satisfaction it usually did. He started wandering down the hall, unable to put his usual purpose into his steps. I can't do this, he thought to himself. She hates me so much that she tried to convince the Muggle courts that I beat her? I was never meant to raise a child. I just can't do this.

He found himself outside of Professor McGonagall's office door. Maybe she'll know what to do, he thought. Maybe she can help me. And despite his hatred of admitting he couldn't do something himself, he knocked on Professor McGonagall's office door.

"Severus!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd still be talking to Miss Granger now."

He stepped into her office, sank into a chair, and dropped his head heavily into his hands, his elbows resting on his knees. "I can't do this," he moaned. "I can't raise the girl! She hates me!"

Professor McGonagall gave Snape an appraising look. "Come with me," she said briskly, ushering Snape through her personal quarters to her kitchen. "Have a seat." She gestured to the kitchen table. She began making tea while Snape just sat slumped over the table with his head in his hands. When the kettle whistled, she poured two cups of tea and added milk and sugar. She brought them to the table, handing one to Snape. Staring at the top of his head, she took a long sip of her tea and waited.

"She took the potion so the Muggle courts would deem me an unfit guardian," he finally said, his voice hollow. "She wanted them to think I abuse her." Professor McGonagall choked slightly on her tea, but remained silent. "She hates me. I can't do this!"

Professor McGonagall remained silent for a moment. "Why do you think she hates you?" She took another sip of tea.

He glanced up, raising an eyebrow. "She was willing to let the Muggle courts think I abused her."

Professor McGonagall nodded. "But why did she want to do that?" He shrugged. "Severus," she said sternly.

He looked at the table. "Well…maybe because, up until the past week or so, I haven't exactly treated her well."

She took another sip of tea. "I see. Do you think her opinion is set in stone? That you can't change it?"

He shrugged again. "I don't know."

"Severus, she's twelve!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed. "Of course you can change her opinion if you try!" She took a breath. "And just so you know, she doesn't hate you. She does, however, think you hate her."

"I don't hate her," he replied automatically, looking up again. "I thought I did, but I don't anymore."

"Then you need to tell her that, not me."

"I did."

"While you were scolding her?"

Snape looked slightdly abashed. "Well..."

Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow again. "You need to tell her when you're not scolding her."

He took a long sip of his tea. "I still don't think I can do this. I was never meant to have children."

Professor McGonagall put her mug down and stared hard at Snape. "Severus Snape!" she scolded. "You're a teacher! You're head of Slytherin! You can raise a child!" She took a sip of her tea. "Twenty years ago, I felt the same way you do now after a student in a similar situation ran away to Hogsmeade." Snape's cheeks colored slightly. "I'm going to tell you what someone told me: you can do this. You just need to find your way. But that takes time."

"How did you do that?"

"Patience." She sipped her tea. "Mistakes. Occasionally getting it right." He nodded. "I also decided that I needed to separate home from school. We weren't just student and teacher anymore. Our relationship was more complicated than that. I also took some time to get to know him as a person, not just my student. But in the end, he turned out quite well, even if there were some bumps in the road."

"Thanks, Aunt Min," he said, a small smile creeping on to his face as he dodged her attempt to playfully ruffle his hair.

"Besides, at least she didn't try to convince Madame Rosmerta to let her try firewhiskey." Snape's face turned bright red. "Still embarrassed by that?" She laughed.

"Uh, I have to go deal with my…er…miscreant," he said quickly, standing up.

"All right then." He put his mug in the sink and turned to leave. "Oh, and Cub?" He looked back at her, eyebrows raised. "Do remember to wash your hair after brewing. It's getting greasy again."

"Aunt Min! I'm thirty-two…" Professor McGonagall cut him off with a sharp look and raised eyebrow. "Uh…er…yes, ma'am," he stuttered.

She stood up and put her hand on his shoulder. "You'll be fine, Cub. Just follow your heart."

He nodded. "Thanks." He headed back to his quarters feeling slightly more confident.

Hermione sat in the corner, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands. She hadn't realized so many things could have happened if her plan had worked. If she'd known of all of the possible consequences, would she have still followed through? Yes, she thought, loathe as she was to admit it to herself. I can't believe I was so selfish! She drew her legs up to her chest, unable to drive away the guilt in her stomach. As she heard the kitchen door open, she tightened her grip on her legs, stiffening in her chair.

"Bring your chair back to the table, Hermione," Snape said, his voice weary. "We need to talk."

She carried her chair back and sat down, promptly bursting into tears again. "I'm sorry!" she choked out between sobs.

Snape pulled his chair closer, and awkwardly patted her shoulder. "There, there," he murmured. "Calm down. It's going to be all right, child." He had a vague recollection of Minerva doing the same thing when he wasn't much older than the girl.

When her sobs quieted, he handed her his handkerchief and poured her a glass of water. "Drink," he said, holding it to her lips. She took a few small sips and calmed down, although her breathing remained choppy. "Deep breaths." She breathed deeply a few times, and her breathing evened out. Snape looked at her; she was a mess. Her face was red and blotchy and her cheeks were streaked with tears. She sniffled. "Why don't you go to the bathroom and wash your face? We can talk after that."

Hermione nodded and slipped off the chair. Was he trying to comfort me? she wondered, splashing cold water on her face.

Snape waited for the girl to come back, hoping that comforting her was the right thing to do. Well, he thought, maybe it's a step toward her trusting me.

Hermione came back into the kitchen and sat down in a chair, immediately drawing her knees up to her chest. She rested her chin on her knees and looked at him with wide, red-rimmed eyes, and waited for him to start talking.

"We need to talk," Snape began.

"I'm sorry!" Hermione blurted out, tears pricking at her eyes again and threatening to fall. She buried her forehead in her knees.

"You've told me that multiple times already, Miss...er, Hermione. Your behavior was abhorrent, but we'll discuss that again later. It's not the most important issue right now."

She looked up at him, cocking her head slightly to the side, and registering the use of her first name. Why did he suddenly start calling me 'Hermione?'

"When I became your guardian," he explained, "our relationship changed. We're no longer just teacher and student anymore. We're now guardian and child and that changes things."

"It doesn't change your hate for me," she muttered, reburying her face in her knees.

The girl is maddening, he thought. "Look at me, Hermione," he intoned. She looked up timidly. There was a warmth in his eyes that she hadn't noticed before. "Let's get something straight. I don't hate you. I don't even dislike you. I may even like you. You've grown on me quite a bit in the past couple of weeks."

"Oh," she said softly.

"I have a question for you." The fear hanging in his eyes did not escape Hermione. "Do you hate me?"

Hermione's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No, sir."

Relief crossed Snape's face. "Then we're on even footing. But our relationship has to change."

"Is that why you started calling me 'Hermione'?"

"Yes. A guardian-child relationship should be more...familiar. So I'm going to start calling you by your first name."

"What will I call you?"

He thought for a moment. "How about 'Uncle Sev'?"

Hermione turned it over in her mind. I guess he's supposed to be my uncle in the Muggle world anyway, she thought. "All right," she consented.

"We'll also be spending a bit more time together so we can get to know one another better."

"All right."

"Very well." Snape renewed his stern look. "And now we will discuss your behavior." Hermione bit her lip and stared at the table. "Eyes up, Hermione." She forced herself to meet his eyes. "Do you understand why you were wrong?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Explain it to me."

She put her forehead on her knees again. "Do I have to?"

He reached out and cupped her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. "Yes."

Hermione looked into his eyes. They were still stern and angry, but they had lost their wild look and understanding seemed to lurk somewhere in them.

Snape nodded as Hermione answered his question. When she finished, he softly said, "Hermione, do you have any idea how scared I was when I found you lying on the ground? It was awful, not knowing if you would wake up."

She looked away. "I'm sorry," she whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek. "It won't happen again."

"I know it won't happen again, and I'm going to make sure of that."

Hermione bit her lip. That declaration didn't bode well for her. She wanted to look away, but forced herself to maintain eye contact.

"After lunch today," Snape said, "you will write an essay detailing what went wrong with your current plan and how it could've been prevented. You'll also include why it was wrong and a list of possible consequences. It'll be no shorter than three feet and contain at least five reasonable consequences. Any questions?"

"No, sir," she mumbled.

"In addition, when you are finished, you're going to charm all of the books in our quarters so that they are blank to you, including your textbooks. If you're well-behaved, I'll charm them back after two weeks. You're also be grounded for the next two weeks and you'll go to bed at nine o'clock. Do I make myself clear?"

"But, Prof...Uncle Sev!" Hermione protested. "That's not…"

He held up his hand, effectively cutting her off. "I don't want to hear it, young lady. It's perfectly fair. I gave you the privilege of using my books and you abused it, so your books are being taken away. You're grounded for going into my potions lab without permission, lying to me, and, well, I guess we can just lump everything else under disrespect. Am I perfectly clear?"

"Crystal," she muttered.

He raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Crystal, sir," she said more clearly.

He nodded. "Go take a nap. I'll wake you for lunch."

"Yes, sir." She got up to leave. "Uncle Sev?" she said, trying the new title out; it sounded foreign to her.

"Hmm?"

"How did you calm down so much? You were really upset before you left."

"I talked with Professor McGonagall. Don't be surprised if she asks you to call her 'Aunt Min' soon." Hermione looked at him quizzically. "I'll explain at lunch. Now, go take a nap."

"Yes, sir." She left the room.

After he heard the door to her room shut, he went into his bathroom to take a shower and wash his hair thoroughly.

Happy Passover to my Jewish readers! I hope you had wonderful, fun-filled seders with family and friends! Hopefully, you got a great Afikomen prize!

Happy Easter to my Christian readers! I hope that your weekend is wonderful and memorable! Here's to hoping the Easter Bunny brings you your favorite candy!