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Hermione and Ron finished their breakfast without further incident. As each new student entered the Great Hall, they both looked up expectantly for Harry. He had yet to appear as they parted ways; Ron to search the Owlery again, and Hermione to the potions classroom.
She hurried down the stairs and corridors to meet Professor Snape. Even though she was no longer a student, she still felt the same amount of anxiety around him as she had before. Knowing that he had always been on their side did little to quell the mixed feelings she had concerning him. His attitude helped even less.
She breathed in deeply before knocking on the classroom door. When it came down to it, this session had nothing to do with either of them. They were simply there to aide in the wellbeing of others, and what could be more professional than that?
The door creaked open slightly, and she was surprised to see that he had manually opened it. "Professor," she greeted him curtly. He did not move from the door way as he looked down at her. She hesitated for a moment, and then quickly maneuvered her way in-between him and the door to enter, coming closer to the man than she had ever wanted or expected to. Every move he made seemed executed merely to make others feel more uncomfortable in his presence.
"Same as yesterday. Counter-clockwise." He followed behind her towards the cauldrons already set up in the circular formation. "And I would appreciate it if you abstained from leaving you belongings in my classroom..." The books that she had forgotten on his desk the night before came floating to meet her, and promptly dropped to the floor at her feet.
Hermione sighed as she bent over to retrieve them. As she stood, she was keenly aware that he was much closer to her than before. "… as I doubt this much resembles your bedroom." He whispered seethingly in her ear. She could feel his hot breath on her neck. Her eyes widened and she unwillingly shivered as stood completely upright. "I'm sorry professor," was all she could manage to respond.
She did not need to turn around to know that he was smirking. Concentrating on the life-saving potions they were brewing was the only way she could imagine herself remaining in his presence a moment longer. She magically placed her books by the double doors to be retrieved on her way out.
Snape moved to the cauldron closest to his desk. He had already gathered the necessary ingredients from the store room, and was beginning to set to work at one of the cauldrons. She followed his lead.
It appeared as though it would be another silent brewing session, which she was not opposed to. As they moved from one cauldron to another, she thought more about Ginny and Draco's upcoming nuptials. Although she was surprised that they were moving so quickly, she could not help but be disappointed that the young witch had not confided in her. Yes, their last conversation was not overly friendly, but Ginny was one of the few girls that she actually considered a good friend. She was sadly beginning to realize that relationships were not as binding as she would have expected.
Harry was another issue entirely. She could not fathom what it would take for him to get over this new blow. He was slowly being beaten down at every turn. As she tried to think of ways to cheer one of her best friends, she felt herself collide with something very solid.
"I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying enough attention to the rotation. I…" she stammered when she realized the object was, in fact, Professor Snape.
"Miss Granger..." His professional tone was overly malicious. "… it is bad enough that you are down here invading my private time, must you also be so clumsy?" He looked her over. Her presence had been quiet irritating. Even as they worked in silence, just having someone else in the room with him as he worked was unusual and unnerving.
She began to apologize again and he cut her off with an upraised hand. "We have finished most of the integral aspects of the brewing process. There are two unused cauldrons left." He narrowed his eyes as he though carefully about what he was about to suggest.
He did not much like the feeling of being in another's debt, and he did owe the trio a great deal at present. Hermione moved nervously under his gaze. He took another moment to relish in the absolute control he had over his pupils.
"Are you quite comfortable with your knowledge of potions for the upcoming N.E.W.T.s? I've heard you are supposedly brilliant, but your grades in my classes would suggest otherwise."
To his amusement, she bristled.
She did not much care for being made aware of any imperfections in her academic record. With the exception of Divinations, which hardly mattered, Potions was not her strongest subject. All things considered, she was still leagues ahead of most of her peers, but their efforts were never something she judged herself by.
"I'm getting along. I do still need a bit more work to achieve a perfect score though…" she trailed off. That was the closest she would ever get to admitting deficiency. "It seems utterly unreasonable to be only be granted a month for an exam that we've missed a year's worth of material."
He smirked. "Excuses." He turned to the closer of the two cauldrons. "Much of what is left to be finished for these potions I can finish on my own." He looked at her cautiously. "You may use the remainder of time before lunch, and the upcoming weeks, to brew the potions you would have been taught in my class this past year, under my tutelage." Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Was this, kindness? "You just barely received high enough scores on the Potions portion of your O.W.L.s for me to bother."
As she started to defend her high scores, he levitated her advanced potions book and she grasped it as it floated in front of her. The fact that she was grateful that he did not once again allow it to fall to the floor annoyed her.
He waved his wand and opened the book in her hands to one of the last pages. "You will begin with the last and most difficult potion then work your way backward. I will grade your attempts, and perhaps…" He lingered, "offer suggestions."
Hermione stared blankly and the dark haired man in front of her. She was certain this was one of the kindest things he had ever done for her, or perhaps anyone, without prompting.
He grew impatient. "Well?" He slowly tapped his leather clad foot and gestured towards the empty cauldron before him.
"Thank… thank you Professor Snape." She blinked up and him and moved towards her brewing station, head already in her book reviewing the ingredients she would need for the Felix Felicis potion.
"Mister Snape to you Miss Granger. I am no longer your professor, correct?" As he asked, he was already moving towards one of the potions that they had already begun and needed further attention.
"Thank you… Mister Snape." It was difficult to form the words. She moved towards his store room and without glancing upwards from his task, he opened the door for her. Addressing him so informally made him appear so very human. She may say the words, but it would take time for her to think of him as anything but the professor that may turn into a bat at a moment's notice. "This potion takes six months to stew before…"
"I am quite aware of how long it takes." He snapped. "I will be able to tell if it was done correctly within days." She truly was insufferable.
Snape turned his back to her and they once again, worked in silence. The potion she was attempting was indeed more challenging than anything she had previously come across. As she labored over it, she could feel herself sweating from concentration and the heat in the room. She had not been this frustrated in ages.
She was startled when she heard Snape tutting right in front of her cauldron. "You'll want to attempt this again." He waved his wand and all of her work disappeared before her eyes.
She blinked, her eyes transfixed to the now empty container. "What? I followed every instruction to the letter. I wasn't even finished." She was utterly confused and would not put it past him to simply be toying with her.
"As I said, I can tell. You sliced the Squill bulb when you should have grated it. I-"
"The instructions clearly say to do so!" She raised her voice and reached for the text to prove him wrong. The book was whisked from her hands and shot to the other side of the classroom. Her surprise and trepidation silenced her.
"If you want my assistance," he began in a frightfully hushed voice. "You will follow my instruction without question." Snape's eyes bore into her own. Hermione did not look away as she responded, "Yes Professor." She remembered Harry's old text and its revisions that enabled him to yield outstanding potions, and realized that with his help, there was no way she could not be successful.
His eyes narrowed as he had yet to break their gaze. He nodded curtly. "Very well." He moved away from her and towards another boiling pot containing a healing potion. "You are free to come back in the evening if you so choose."
Hermione looked at him quizzically. "I was not planning on going up for lunch, so I can stay and assist, or work on another potion." She stood by her empty cauldron. His eyebrow raised, but he did not look up from his work. "Clearly you think I have nothing better to do with my Saturday afternoon than watch you fumble through my instructions."
"Prof- Mister Snape. I did not mean… I thought-"
"Incorrect Miss Granger. You do not think. Now please exit my classroom, this time with your belongings in tow." He remained focused on the Calming Draught he was brewing, and only looked up when he heard the door slam as she exited. Yes, he may owe that ridiculous trio for saving his life, but having to spend this much time with Granger might nearly kill him.
He cleaned up what he could, and put a freezing charm on the potions that still required more attention. It was half-past noon. He moved quickly to his bed chamber and located his traveling cloak. She would not be late. He though back to the last time he had met with her privately, and felt secure that this time they were on more equal footing.
He removed a bag of Floo powder from the mantle and hesitated only slightly before speaking the words Horizont Alley.