"Have you finished that list yet?" Snape growled. Looking up, Hermione pointed to the scroll next to her.
"I finished it fifteen minutes ago, sir. I thought you heard me say so." Snatching the list from the table, Snape went over her handwriting. Neat, and precisely ordered, as well as being all-inclusive, her list was more than most Potion Masters bothered with.
"It will do," he grumbled. Truthfully, he was impressed with her dedication. She had not missed a single assignment in any other class, yet she spent almost two hours every night in his dungeon, being the closest thing to his personal slave that Snape had.
"Stop that," he growled to himself mentally. Thinking of her in that light would only complicate matters.
"Sir, what is this potion we are working on? If I can ask you that," Hermione added hastily.
"It is a simple medical potion, and that is all you need to concern yourself with," Snape told her sharply. He saw her bite her lip and wanted to apologize, but squelched that urge.
The hooting of an owl brought their eyes to the door. A barn owl gave an irritated hoot, and dropped a letter on Hermione. Surprised, she dug into her pocket and gave the owl two knuts. With another hoot, the owl flew out of the classroom. Hermione began to tuck the letter away, but Snape drawled,
"I would like to know what is so important that it could not wait until after you had finished assisting me."
Reluctantly, Hermione opened the envelope. After scanning the first few lines, Hermione burst into tears. A cool hand placed itself on her shoulder, and the tone Snape used was almost gentle.
"Miss Granger?"
"It's my mum and dad," Hermione managed to gasp out. "They want me to pick who I want to live with."
"I was not aware that detail had not been settled," Snape began.
"How can they ask me that?" Hermione demanded angrily. "They're my parents! It's like asking me who I love more! I don't fucking want to live with either of them!"
"Language, Miss Granger. I understand this is upsetting. Put away your things. We can finish this research tomorrow."
"Thank you," Hermione said, scrubbing away her tears, and tucking the letter away. "But I think I should stay and finish. I promised to help, and I will."
"Then finish that transcription," Snape said, admiring her tenacity. "But after that, you will return to the dormitory."
"Yes sir." Bending her head back down over her papers, Hermione tried not to think about the letter anymore. Tomorrow, she promised herself, tomorrow, she would write her aunt. Maybe it was time to make a decision of her own.
"I finished it fifteen minutes ago, sir. I thought you heard me say so." Snatching the list from the table, Snape went over her handwriting. Neat, and precisely ordered, as well as being all-inclusive, her list was more than most Potion Masters bothered with.
"It will do," he grumbled. Truthfully, he was impressed with her dedication. She had not missed a single assignment in any other class, yet she spent almost two hours every night in his dungeon, being the closest thing to his personal slave that Snape had.
"Stop that," he growled to himself mentally. Thinking of her in that light would only complicate matters.
"Sir, what is this potion we are working on? If I can ask you that," Hermione added hastily.
"It is a simple medical potion, and that is all you need to concern yourself with," Snape told her sharply. He saw her bite her lip and wanted to apologize, but squelched that urge.
The hooting of an owl brought their eyes to the door. A barn owl gave an irritated hoot, and dropped a letter on Hermione. Surprised, she dug into her pocket and gave the owl two knuts. With another hoot, the owl flew out of the classroom. Hermione began to tuck the letter away, but Snape drawled,
"I would like to know what is so important that it could not wait until after you had finished assisting me."
Reluctantly, Hermione opened the envelope. After scanning the first few lines, Hermione burst into tears. A cool hand placed itself on her shoulder, and the tone Snape used was almost gentle.
"Miss Granger?"
"It's my mum and dad," Hermione managed to gasp out. "They want me to pick who I want to live with."
"I was not aware that detail had not been settled," Snape began.
"How can they ask me that?" Hermione demanded angrily. "They're my parents! It's like asking me who I love more! I don't fucking want to live with either of them!"
"Language, Miss Granger. I understand this is upsetting. Put away your things. We can finish this research tomorrow."
"Thank you," Hermione said, scrubbing away her tears, and tucking the letter away. "But I think I should stay and finish. I promised to help, and I will."
"Then finish that transcription," Snape said, admiring her tenacity. "But after that, you will return to the dormitory."
"Yes sir." Bending her head back down over her papers, Hermione tried not to think about the letter anymore. Tomorrow, she promised herself, tomorrow, she would write her aunt. Maybe it was time to make a decision of her own.