A/N: Another chapter today! I am on a roll with this story so expect some more updates faster than usual. I hope you enjoy this one. Literally all the Snape and Hermione interaction you could want. Enjoy!

Hermione woke up early as she normally did. Sure it was a Saturday, but she woke up early out of habit at this point. As a 'returning' 7th year, she was allowed to go to Hogsmeade on her own. She needed to pick up a few things so she decided to head down there early before the students went on their last Hogsmeade weekend before the summer started. She pulled on a pair of jeans and a light blouse. Once her hair had been tamed by various products, she was ready to head out. Deciding to skip breakfast altogether, Hermione started the trek to Hogsmeade. She thought about the list of items she needed while there. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't immediately notice the dark figure walking next to her.

"Taking an early walk are we?" The voice of Severus Snape startled her out of her thoughts. Hermione let out a shriek and drew her wand. Snape put his hands up in surrender. "My apologies, Miss Granger. I did not intend to scare you." Snape noticed the empty look in her eyes. Something was wrong.

Hermione's mind had gone back to the War. Instead of seeing her potions professor in front of her, she was back in Malfoy Manor with Bellatrix in front of her. Her body began to hurt with phantom pains where Bellatrix had hexed her and cut her. Her wand wavered in her hand as she tried to train it on the woman in front of her who was causing her so much pain. "Stop! Please! Get away from me!"

Snape's eyes widened in concern. The girl was obviously reliving something terrible. He knew all about that. Her scars from the war ran deeper than just outward appearance. How could no one have noticed she suffered from PTSD? Her screams were terrifying even to him. "Miss Granger! Control yourself! You are not in danger!"

"Go away! Stop! You're hurting me! Get off!" Hermione just wanted her to get off of her and stop carving those awful letters in her arm. She screamed louder. Snape put his hand on her wand arm.

"Hermione! Listen to my voice! You are safe! Look at me!" Snape gripped her arms and watched her eyes return to normal.

"Professor Snape? What are you doing here? I didn't even see you walking." Hermione was acting as if nothing happened.

"Miss Granger, I was heading to Hogsmeade to pick up some new vials for the potions classroom. Can I interest you in breakfast at the Three broomsticks to discuss your apprenticeship?" He needed to assess her and see what he could do to help her. Once again she was overlooked at the end of the war. He knew all too well what it felt like to relive memories from horrible times in his life. He would help her recover from her scars. Because if there was on thing Severus Snape was an expert in it would be scars. He offered his arm. She took it willingly.

"Lead the way, Professor." Hermione said. She was trying to decipher the look he had been giving her. Then it dawned on her. He had witnessed one of her attacks. She had tried so hard to hide them from everyone. The nightmares, the phantom pains, and the random panic attacks. It was like she was transported back to her worst moments in the war. The smallest things could set off an episode. She was sure she could just wait for these episodes to fade away with time. Now, her professor knew. Or maybe not. He certainly hadn't said anything to her. She reasoned with herself that there was no way he knew.

Once they arrived at the Three Broomsticks, Snape led her to a table. The placed their orders and Snape decided to ease into the heavy subject he wanted to discuss. It would do no good for her to shrink in on herself. "Miss Granger—"

"Hermione. You may call me Hermione, Professor. I'm only your student for another two weeks." She said shyly.

"In that case, you may call me Severus, but only when it is the two of us. Until your graduation you are still my student, therefore a certain level of decorum is required around the populous of students." Snape said.

"Well of course. We wouldn't want the students thinking I have special privileges now would we?" Hermione teased.

"Indeed. Miss Gran—Hermione, your stipulations for an apprenticeship were lodgings and employment, yes?" She nodded so he continued. "There are chambers provided in the dungeons that will be yours. They will be password protected so that only myself and you may enter. These chambers will be yours upon graduation. I will help you to move your possessions after your last exam which I do believe is potions. Now, as far as employment goes, Headmaster Dumbledore has given the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor position to you should you accept it. OWL levels only. I will be teaching NEWT levels. Would this be agreeable?"

Hermione was stunned. She was going to be a professor. "But, haven't you always wanted to be the Defense teacher? I would hate to take the job that you have coveted for years."

"Hermione," Snape shook off how sweet her name sounded on his lips. "I had to appear to want the position because of my status as the Dark Lord's spy. I am quite content teaching Potions to the dunderheads of Hogwarts. You are skilled in defense and will do quite well. I am sure of it."

"Well then, I guess I accept." Hermione contemplated for a moment. "The position isn't still cursed is it? I would prefer to last more than a year."

"I do believe that since the Dark Lord's demise, that curse has been lifted. The only way to test that theory is to see how long you last." He said with a slight smirk. Teasing Miss Granger was fun.

"I knew it! You are trying to be rid of me by giving me a cursed job! I'll be out of your hair within a year." Hermione giggled.

Snape gave her a mock hurt expression. "I knew you were too smart for your own good. You've discovered my dastardly plan."

"Well you know me. AN insufferable know-it-all."

Snape got serious after their meals arrived. "How long have these attacks been occurring?"

Hermione was caught off guard and chocked on her butterbeer, spewing it on the table. "What?"

Snape wiped his face clear of the offending drink. "Charming manners, Miss Granger."

Hermione began to panic. He knew? Was he going to turn her away now? She didn't want anyone to find out. It wasn't that important. "I don't know what you are talking about."

Snape looked sternly at her. "So you were fully aware of yourself when you pulled your wand on me and screamed at me to stop hurting you? Is that your normal reaction to someone startling you?"

Hermione looked properly chastised. "It happens occasionally. Only when I'm startled or sometimes when its particularly dark or when there is a loud noise. It all depends, but I'm sure its nothing."

"I assure you it isn't just nothing. Scars from the war appear in many ways in different people. I know a thing or two about mental scars. Unless you learn to control them, they will consume you. I learned the same lesson after the first war." Snape said.

Hermione began to cry. "I feel like I'm still there. Its dark and cold. I lose sight of anything around me. In my mind, I'm still in that stupid war! I'm still the mudblood being tortured by her. It won't stop."

Snape placed a hand over her shaking one. "Hermione, I can help you stop them. Do you trust me?"

She looked into his dark eyes and realized she completely and utterly trusted him. A warmth spread over their hands where skin contact was made. They separated. "Yes, I trust you."

"Well then, Hermione. We shall finish up in Hogsmeade and then I will show you how to make these episodes stop. It will not be easy." Snape said.

"I don't care. If it helps then I am willing." Hermione said. "What are you in Hogsmeade for anyway?"

"I need to purchase some new vials and potions ingredients. What are you here for?

"I need some new quills and parchment. I used most of mine creating Harry's study sheet." Hermione said.

"Potter can't create his own study sheet?" Snape asked.

"He can, but it doesn't have near as much organization or the little colored tabs to separate various subjects and topics." Hermione replied.

Snape rolled his eyes as they walked out of the Three Broomsticks. "Your lesson plans will be impeccable won't they."

"Would you expect anything less?" Hermione asked.

Snape smiled for the first time in a while. "From you? Never. If they were anything less, I would fear you had been kidnapped and were leaving a message." Her laugh made him feel warm.

That afternoon found Hermione being led to the dungeons by Severus. She was confused when they walked past his office door. He stopped in front of a portrait and gave the password. As she was escorted into the rooms she realized it was Snape's private quarters. The first thought that struck her was that Harry would be disappointed to know that the greasy dungeon bat did not have all black furnishings or even Slytherin colors. Everything was a nice rich color. All the furnishings were mahogany. There was an armchair and a couch both a pretty burgundy color. The word that came to her mind was home. It was comfortable and cozy looking. Snape seemed to be looking for approval. She turned to him. "This is lovely, but why are we here instead of your office?"

"What I am going to teach you is difficult and not always comfortable. I would rather teach you in an area that is soothing." Snape replied.

Hermione sat herself on the couch. "I am ready."

Snape cleared his throat. "I am going to teach you the skill called Occlumency. It is a way to close certain things out in your mind. It has many uses. You can hide thoughts from someone attempting to read your mind. You can also use it to hide away or control memories that are less than joyful. In these lessons I can teach you how to gain this control, but only if you are willing to work hard. Do you agree?"

Hermione looked him in the eyes. "Yes, Severus."

The sound of his name from her lips was exhilarating. He shook away that thought. "I may see things in your mind that you don't want me to see. When I approach it, envision a wall or a door in front of it and try to keep me out. I will start gently and work up the intensity as you get better." He waited for her nod of agreement. "Prepare yourself." He looked into her eyes. "Legilimens!"

Snape started by seeking the memory of their breakfast this morning and worked his way backwards to her episode. He felt her trying to put a wall up but it crumbled the moment he touched it. He was standing in Malfoy Manor seeing Bellatrix cursing Hermione and cutting her all over. He saw the horrid word carved gruesomely into her arm. The screams coming from her were terrifying. He immediately pulled from her mind. Hermione was crying silently. He felt like finding a way to revive that insane witch and kill her himself in a much more painful way than Mrs. Weasley. It killed him that this girl had been subjected to torture. He gently touched her hand. "Hermione, I'm sorry."

Hermione's voice was emotionless. "Do you want to see it? Do you want to see what she did to me?"

"Hermione, you don't have to do that." Snape said gently.

"Oh no, I insist." She rolled her sleeve up revealing the scar. "It's my constant reminder of what I am. My reminder of why I am different and will never be as respected as Harry and Ron. Because why should a little mudblood have any respect? Why should the muggleborn be lauded and praised for her help in the war?"

Snape noticed that Hermione was spiraling into a hysterical fit. She couldn't possibly believe these things could she? He made eye contact with her and held her shoulders. "Hermione, look at me! You are a talented witch. It does not matter whether you are pureblood or half-blood or muggle born."

"You don't understand, Severus! That's why none of the Masters would accept me! They said they didn't want to teach their secrets and train a witch of muggle blood. I am not good enough for anyone because of my blood! I thought I was past that. I'm just the little mudblood friend of Harry Potter."

"Miss Granger!" Snape snapped in his professor voice. "I don't ever want to hear these lies come out of your mouth ever again! Do you understand me?"

Hermione seemed to snap out of it. "Yes, Sir."

Snape's voice took on a gentle tone. "I understand that what Bellatrix did to you was horrible and you have to live with that, but I don't ever want you to think that the fact you are muggle born has any bearing on anything. Those other masters are fools for giving up the skill you possess. You will get through this, but not with those thoughts in your head."

"I want to try again." Hermione said. "I can do this."

"Are you sure? We can try again later." Snape said.

"No. I want to do it. Try again." Hermione said. "I swear, I can do this."

Snape sighed. She was stubborn as always. "Prepare yourself." He tried again and started reaching for her memory again. As he reached the memory from Malfoy Manor and felt a door slam in his face. She had done it! He tried to reach another memory and was met with another door. He always knew she was a fast learner. Pulling himself from her mind, he saw a peaceful look on Hermione's face. "You catch on fast, Hermione."

"You knew that already." Hermione said.

"Any time you feel an attack coming, try occluding. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to occlude at any time and go back to normal." Snape said. "We will continue these lessons every Tuesday if that is agreeable."

Hermione stood and gave him a small peck on the cheek. "That would be perfect. Thank you, Severus." She turned and walked out of the room.

Snape watched her go, feeling the spot where her lips had touched. It felt tingly. "You're welcome, Hermione." He whispered. Something was happening between them and he wasn't sure what it was. All he knew was that he was screwed no matter what.

Hermione made it halfway down the hall before she realized what she did. She sagged against the wall. "Oh Merlin, what am I doing?"