The next morning, Hermione woke up exhausted. She had continued to work on potions the rest of the day as Severus finished up his classes and got caught up grading papers and creating lesson plans. She groaned as she tried to get out of bed.

Her back and neck were killing her from bending over all the potions and she vaguely wondered how Severus dealt with it all. She wasn't complaining though, yesterday had been nice despite all the worry from what McGonagall had confronted Severus with.

It was the first time they had worked companionably in silence and Hermione found she enjoyed being able to glance over at Severus bent over a stack of papers, scowling and furiously marking in red, without having to hide it. He was very attractive when he was concentrating on work, although she doubted anyone else would agree with her. Severus would probably think she was lying if she dared to tell him.

When her feet touched the floor she shivered at the coldness of the wood and grabbed her wand to relight the fire. The only downside to not allowing house elves to maintain her room was when she fell asleep without remembering to cast a spell that prevented the fire from dying during the night. Otherwise, she was quite happy to say she did not use their free labor.

As she got in the shower, she turned the water on as hot as she could stand it, relishing the feel of her muscles relaxing. She knew there would be another huge stack of orders to fill today so she would enjoy the momentary relief while she could get it. With that thought, she decided to skip breakfast deciding once Severus noticed she wasn't at the table he would make sure food was in the lab waiting for her. Right now she would enjoy her shower.

After she finally got out of the shower and finished getting dressed she hurried to the dungeons to get to work and hopefully find time to talk to Severus about scheduling a time and finding a place to practice her Occlumancy. When she walked through the door to his office she was shocked to see him already standing at his desk with a tray of breakfast sandwiches and tea.

She smiled to herself, he really was more thoughtful than everyone assumed, or even he would admit to.

"Goodmorning, Severus," she beamed at him.

She walked over eagerly picking up a sandwich and taking a bite. She normally ate lighter in the mornings, but after all the work she put in yesterday she realized she was famished.

"How do you like your tea?"

Severus looked at her oddly as if nobody had ever asked him how he cared for his tea and maybe, she wondered, nobody ever had.

"I am quite capable of pouring my own tea."

"How do you like your tea, Severus?"

Hermione earned a growl from him in apparent frustration of her cheerfully looking up at him acting like he never said anything to her at all.

"Three cubes of sugar, no cream."

She reached over pouring tea into a cup before grabbing the tongs to drop three sugar cubes into it as he asked. Grabbing a spoon she stirred the cup before handing it to him.

"There, that wasn't so bad was it?"

A laugh almost escaped her lips at the disdainful scowl he was directing her way but she quickly stifled it down knowing it would only aggravate him and instead swiftly gave him a kiss on the cheek. She was pleasantly surprised when he turned and gave her a kiss back on the lips. She became confused when he immediately turned back to his cup scowling yet again.

"Hermione we need to discuss our arrangements and how we are going to continue this relationship since you refuse to do so."

Hermione quickly lost the cheerful attitude she had been portraying and became quite serious.

"Do you want to give it up?"

Her question caused him to snatch his head up and look at her guardedly before emitting a cautious "No."

"Then don't act like I am the only one who wants this. We both do, so it is on both of us to figure something out."

"Fine. I'm not sure, however, if this castle is the best place to discuss such things at the present though until we come up with a definite solution. It assists who it so chooses and if its magic decides to side with McGonagall there is no telling what kind of access she could have to what we say."

Hermione's brow furrowed at what he was saying. She hadn't even thought about that. Of course him once being headmaster of the school he was sure to know more about its magic than she did, even if she had memorized Hogwarts a History.She was only worried about Filch at the moment, but McGonagall was the headmistress and while it didn't mean the castle would help her out, it did mean she had an advantage.

"Where do you suggest we discuss it then? If we are seen in public it is sure to get back to the school or even the Ministry for that matter."

Severus eyed his tea for a while as if contemplating and choosing his next words carefully before taking a deep breath and putting his cup down.

"I was thinking we could go to my house Saturday. I am able to take any work I need to be doing to my private lab and you have two days you can leave without question." He glanced up to see her looking at him strangely. "That is, unless, you find it inappropriate, then of course, we can figure something else out."

Hermione could barely grasp what he was saying. He was inviting her to his house? She couldn't believe it! She opened her mouth to say something then closed it before opening it again.

"No! That's perfect! I should have thought about that. Of course, your house would be the ideal place. I just, I never expected you to invite me to your house," she paused to catch her breath before walking over and grabbing his hands, looking up at him shyly. "Thank you."

"Whatever for?"

"For trusting me enough to feel comfortable with me at your home."

"I never said I was comfortable with it. I'm afraid you'll be rather disappointed with the box I call a house, but it seems our only option at the time."

"I'm sure your house is just fine."

"Then we will meet there Saturday? I will give you the address where you can apparate to the proper location without needing to meet me elsewhere."

"That is fine. Do you mind if I meet you around lunch though? I want to talk to Harry first. About my letter." She bit her lip while looking at the ground trying to decide exactly how to handle the situation with Harry.

Should she tell him about her and Severus or should she just say they had gotten comfortable working together? She hardly thought Harry would buy that the stern potion's professor would ever allow her to call him Severus, but it was worth a shot.

"Of course, but may I ask exactly why you used my first name in your letter to Potter?"

"I didn't even realize I did. I guess I wasn't thinking. So much had happened and I was mainly taking time to reply because it had been so long since he had written me I was worried he would come to the school making sure I was alright."

She glanced up at him when she felt his hand run through her hair and saw him gazing at her concernedly. His hand came back towards her face and paused there with his thumb brushing over her cheek.

He had the softest hands, although how she didn't understand. Maybe he used some type of potion. The thought almost made her snort. Severus Snape worrying about how soft his hands were had to be the funniest image she had had in a long time.

Her attention was drawn back to matters at hand when she felt his lips on her forehead. "You must be careful if we are to make this work, do you understand? I don't want to see your future thrown away over me."

Hermione snatched back looking hurt. "Severus, my future wouldn't be thrown away even if we did get caught. Why can't you understand?"

"Understand what?"

Hermione hesitated before replying. "Nothing, nevermind. We better get to work before someone comes in and catches us like this."

Hermione stepped away and made to walk to his lab. She turned around to find him gazing at her intently, but he seemed like he was going to allow her to drop the subject.

"So my house at lunch Saturday, correct?"

"Of course."

With that Hermione grabbed a sandwich and walked into the lab to work on orders with much on her mind. She still couldn't believe he had invited her to his house and she couldn't wait to see what it was like. She knew he didn't live there much, if at all, so it was probably pretty empty.

Silently she wondered if she might could break down some more of his walls in an environment that was more casual than was at Hogwarts where the constant reminder that she had been his student loomed over them. She grinned wickedly at the thought. Patience was a virtue, but with any luck she wouldn't need it much longer.

During lunch, Hermione took the time to write Harry a letter concerning her visit. She decided not to make it long, simply getting to the point of the matter.

Dear Harry,

I was wondering if you were free Saturday morning. I really wanted to come by and talk to you about my previous letter and Ron's howler I received yesterday. Please respond as quickly as you can where I can make arrangements.

Love,

Hermione

The rest of Thursday and Friday passed by fairly quickly with Hermione filling orders and Severus instructing her on potions that she wasn't exactly sure of. They added the final ingredients to the Wolfsbane potion of Friday and were allowing it to brew until Sunday. Hermione crossed her fingers it turned out fine.

Next thing she knew, it was ten o'clock in the morning and she found herself standing outside of Grimmauld Place knocking on the door. Harry had replied to her saying he was free Saturday and to come whenever she pleased, she just hoped it wasn't too early. Years of being his friend at Hogwarts taught her that, while better than Ron, he still wasn't a morning person.

Seconds later, the door opened to reveal a disheveled looking Harry still in pajamas. He looked at up her sheepishly, pointlessly trying to get his messy hair to smooth down with his hand.

"Sorry, Hermione, I over slept."

Hermione laughed as she stepped inside the door and gave her best friend a hug.

"It's fine, Harry. I know you are working hard in training to become an Auror, it's understandable. How is that going by the way?"

Harry started leading her down the hall to the kitchen and Hermione looked around the place noticing how much it had changed since Harry had had time to start fixing it up after the war.

It was no longer so dark and gloomy; he had added extra lights throughout giving the house a warm glow instead of the darkness it seemed constantly bathed in before. All the dust and cobwebs had been cleaned away and new furniture was brought in making it much more inviting to guests.

Hermione was honestly shocked Harry decorated it so tastefully, but then again she figured he had enlisted help from Ginny or the person at the furniture store. Otherwise he would probably just decorate it all in red and gold.

"It's going great, although sometimes I think they are out to kill us all since Voldemort didn't get to with all the trials we are made to do. You wouldn't believe some of them. You would think we were fighting an actual war instead of just training."

Harry walked over to the stove and put on a pot of tea before coming to sit down across from Hermione at the table. She smiled that, like her, he still preferred to brew tea the muggle way instead of using magic. Some things were just better that way, although she was sure most witches and wizards would disagree.

"Harry, it is a serious job to become an Auror. Of course, they are training you like there is a war! You never know what could happen or what you could run into. I'd be more upset if they were going easy on you."

Frustration ran through Hermione. Honestly, after all Harry had been through she would have thought he would understand the necessity to constantly train and study. Some things never changed though.

"Hermione, calm down. I know we need to be trained like that, but I can still complain can't I?" he laughed at the glare she shot him. "Now, how is your apprenticeship going with Snape, or should I start calling him Severus now too?"

Hermione nervously fidgeted with her jumper sleeve, chewing on her lip, contemplating what to tell him. She either told him the truth and hoped he didn't go ballistic or tell him a lie and hope he believed her, which was doubtful. He always could tell when she was lying.

"It's going great, I've been brewing the potions for all the orders he has received the past couple of days. He's been really busy and needed to catch up on grading and such. Honestly, I'm excited he trusts me enough to brew them all by myself."

Harry eyed her carefully. "He's not overworking you though is he? It would be just like him to throw all his work on you just to punish you."

A scowl went across Hermione's face that looked eerily close to the one Severus would give his students. "Honestly, Harry, he's not like that. He works very hard and if I can help relieve him of some of that work I am happy to! You should quit being so judgmental of him. It's because of him we won the war, you will do well to remember that!"

"I think you've been spending too much time with him, Hermione. You are beginning to look like him." He reached over to grab her hand when she didn't laugh. "I'm kidding. I know he works hard and I'm sorry. I am confused about why you are getting so mad about anything I say about him though."

"I'm sorry, I just see how much he has to do and how everyone ridicules him and it bothers me. They can spread horrible things about him, but don't mind working him to death to get what they need because they are too dimwitted to do it themselves."

Harry studied her for a moment, when suddenly the tea whistled and he got up to take it off the stove and pour them each a cup. Hermione smiled when he added milk to hers just like she liked it. He really was a good friend, even if he still held a slight grudge against Severus.

A twinge of pain went through her when she realized it was probably more embarrassment at the fact he knew Severus had loved his mother all those years and his silly Gryffindor pride that made him continue to act rude when it came to Severus than actually not appreciating everything he had done. She knew how hard it had been for him to learn that his mother caused someone so much pain over something so small, yet was still unconditionally loved by him. Hermione only hoped he could feel the same way about her someday.

Harry walked over sitting her cup down in front of her. "So, what about this Severus business?"

Hermione groaned thinking he would have just dropped it. She honestly didn't even realize she had never answered him until he brought it back up.

"We work around each other constantly; you tend to get on a first name basis with someone when you spend that much time with them."

"Since when does Snape get comfortable with people?"

"Harry, please, just leave it alone. It was a slip up and it won't happen again." She took a sip of her tea and noticed Harry eyeing her warily but fortunately seemed to accept her response.

Just then they heard someone thundering down the stairs and Harry quickly glanced at Hermione.

"I forgot to tell you, Ron is staying here for a little while."

Hermione almost dropped her tea. After their last encounter and his howler she had no want to run into the prick she used to call a friend again. Severus warning flashed through her mind but surely Ron wouldn't be that stupid in front of Harry.

When Harry noticed her face he hurried on. "I didn't think he would be up while you were here. He normally sleeps until one or two in the afternoon. I'm so sorry."

Regaining her composure Hermione looked at Harry. "It's fine. Maybe he'll leave when he realizes I'm here."

Just then the door to the kitchen swung open to reveal Ron in pajamas, much like Harry's, looking tiredly around the kitchen. When his eyes reached Hermione they widened in shock, before a look of disgust replaced it.

"I didn't know she'd be here."

"Ron, this is my house and Hermione is my friend. She was only stopping by for an hour or so before she had to leave."

It seemed Ron was ready to take anything as bait to throw at Hermione because as he strode to the pantry to find food he mumbled a response that Hermione wasn't sure if he meant for them to hear or not, but they did.

"Of course, she can't spend time with her friends anymore; she has to run off to shag that greasy git."

With that Hermione had had enough. She was tired of the insinuations when he had no reason to have them. Especially in front of Harry, who she noticed had a perturbed look on his face.

"Ronald Weasley, shut up! I am sick of you running your mouth about something you don't understand at all!"

Ron had a doughnut halfway to his mouth when she screamed at him and turned around, throwing it to the floor in anger.

"Don't understand? What don't I understand? First, he hexes me coming to your defense, and then he's all concerned making sure you are not hurt. Later, I read a letter where you are now calling him Severus? What is there to not understand? You are sleeping with that git after only a month or so of working under him when you wouldn't do shit with me!"

Harry stood up awkwardly, trying to end the situation that had blown up in his kitchen. "Ron, that's enough. Why would Hermione sleep with Snape. That's ridiculous."

Hermione's anger had hit an all-time high and even what Harry said to defend her angered her. Why was it so preposterous to everyone that they develop feelings for each other? Oh wait, nobody expected that, it was all sex. Silly her.

She turned to Harry violently. "Why is it so ridiculous? He is a great man, and no Ronald we are not sleeping together before you even start!" she whipped back to Ron daring him to say anything else.

"He, above anyone else, deserves to be happy. Why is it so hard for anyone to imagine someone caring for him?"

Ron looked at her like she needed to be put in a straight jacked and thrown in the looney bin. "He's Snape, Hermione. Why would anyone care for him, he would only want one thing anyway."

That made Hermione lose control. She was sick of everyone assuming Severus only wanted an easy shag. He fought the war as a bloody spy for love, why was it so hard to imagine him as being more than the cold-hearted man he portrayed himself to be?

She shot a hex at Ron, who ducked causing it to hit the pantry, blowing the door off and started to storm out of the room when Harry's voice made her stop.

"Do you care for him Hermione?"

She took a deep breath to keep her voice from shaking with anger. "No. I'm sorry about your pantry, Harry." With that she walked down the hall to leave.

Right when she reached the door she heard Ron's voice coming from the kitchen.

"I told you, mate, she's shagging him. Why else would she get that mad?"

Before she could stop herself she turned around and screamed at the door somehow managing not to go back to the kitchen and hexing him to oblivion and back.

"I am not shagging anyone, Ronald, but I assure you I'm quite positive he'd be much better at it than I can imagine you would be!"

With that, she turned around, snatching the door open and looking down at the address Severus wrote for her, apparated on the spot.

It took Hermione several moments of taking deep breathes to come to her senses enough to be aware of her surroundings. She was so mad at Ron, and even Harry, who she knew didn't deserve it in reality. She just wished her and Severus could be public about their relationship, but of course the stupid ministry like always, had to meddle in people's lives.

She stomped her foot in frustration. To her left she heard a dog bark and that was when she became aware that she was standing in the middle of a run-down neighborhood that looked like it might have once been nice at least, but not anymore. She glanced down at the address he had written on the parchment he had handed her making sure she apparated to the correct place.

A glance at the sign above her confirmed that she indeed had. No wonder he lived at the castle for the most part, although she couldn't quite understand why he didn't live in a nicer place, he definitely had money with the expensive suits he wore constantly.

Taking a final look around she walked forward towards the small house with the matching number to the parchment in her hand and knocked on the door.

A/N: So this chapter was a little shorter than normal, but I think the next chapter will more than make up for it. For those of you who I messaged saying I would have it up yesterday I am so sorry! I got halfway done and hit a block. So, yet another argument with Ron. He never will learn to shutup will he? Let me know what you think and also what do you want to see happening at Severus' house? There are endless possibilities running through my mind, so help me out by giving me your opinion! Thanks as always for the reviews, I love each and every one of them!