Childhood Author: Humaira

Rating: G

Pairing: Hermione/Snape, Harry/Cho, Ron/Lavender

Category: Romance, Humour, Drama, Smut

Spoilers: Set in their seventh year

Summary: When a childhood potion goes awry on the last day of term, Hermione and Snape are stuck as their 6 year old selves. Havoc ensues and discoveries are made. But, once they are back to their old selves, what will happen?

Disclaimer: It all belongs to JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and Scholastic books. I don't own anything except a very warped mind. Please don't sue me. Author's Note: Mwahaha! I was really evil on the last chapter wasn't I? Oh yes! But, this is not where the story ends, oh no. This is just to stop it till I have time to write the rest. See, I am going to be very busy this week with exams and so, probably won't post up anything till the weekend. This is just to stop the flames coming to those that said I sucked for not continuing.

Hermione and Sev were a bit confused as to what was going on and why toys surrounded them when all the memories of the past week came flooding back.

Severus swept out of the room; embarrassed and angry with himself that he had told total strangers the part of his life he wanted to forget. And why he was such a total bastard. 'Oh bugger' he thought as he got into his own rooms and went to take a shower, 'Hermione. She held me through everything. She knows my past now. But she'll come down and ask me questions.'

And then he remembered it, The Kiss. 'Damn that girl! Oh why oh why did I take that potion?' he grumbled to himself. It was not that he didn't like the kiss, but it was more the fact of principles. Hermione was..well, she wasn't a student, so it had been OK but had it? What if she had hated it? 'Severus, you were a child. Children do stupid stuff like that' he chided to himself.

Hermione also confused, wordlessly swept out of the room and was informed her old Head Girl room was still available for as long as she wanted it. She thanked Professor Black for everything and told him to thank Lupin as well.

She went to take a shower, to clear her thoughts. As the hot water ran over her body she thought of him. 'How awful' she thought, 'Poor thing. Same thing happened to him as did to me. Gods, what if I turn out to be like him? Cold, bitter and angry.'

And then she too remembered The Kiss. She cringed. 'Oh my god! What will he think of me?' she thought mortified that she had kissed her teacher. But he hadn't been her teacher, he had been Severus, the little boy who had made her moult into a canary and that had seemed like a suitable punishment. Or maybe the best pleasure ever! 'Oh, why did I take that potion!' she thought to herself as she got dressed

She needed to talk to him. But, the question remained, would he talk to her?

As it was summer, she put on a pale yellow summer dress. Shoved her hair into a bun and went to the potions lab. She didn't know where Snape's private quarters were, but she was sure he'd be there.

She knocked, but hearing no sound tried the door. Nothing. She went inside. Nothing. Now, she was at a loss. His office was there, but where would his private quarters be? 'Damn it Hermione, you're a witch, so think like one!' she scolded. She took out her wand and whispered, "Severus Snape". The wand pointed her right down the end of a corridor, which had only one door. She knocked.

Hearing some rustling inside, she waited. The door opened. There he stood. "Miss. Granger. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" he asked coldly.

"I need to talk to you professor," she said bravely.

"Well, come in then" he said ushering her inside. What she expected to see there was nothing like what was there. The room was richly decorated in greens and silvers. But instead of the curtains drawn, they were open as were the windows. She saw a well-stocked library, a table, an armchair, a couch and a warm fireplace. Snape motioned for her to sit on the couch whilst he took up residence on the armchair.

"I'm sorry about your parents," she said after the silence had become unbearable.

"I do not need your pity," he said coldly.

"I don't do pity. I'm just sorry, you didn't get to know them very well. I'm sorry I never spent my time more with mine before they..." and here she broke. Tears streamed down her eyes and for the first time in a year she allowed herself to feel. To mourn their death. A sob escaped her as she buried her face in her hands, letting it all out.

Snape was a bit overwhelmed by this, but eventually his manners kicked in and he moved to the couch and took her in his arms to comfort her. She just wrapped her hands around his shoulders and let it out in great heaving sobs. Severus, in his childhood form had mourned. And he felt at peace with what had happened to his parents and himself.

Hermione had a year to dwell on it. To push it out, and she couldn't take anymore. Once her voice became raspy and her eyes refused to cry any more. She looked up. She saw his face looking down at her in understanding. And for the first time in a year she smiled.

"Thank you, for letting me cry, for allowing me to mourn my parents and for comforting me." She said with a raspy voice. Snape conjured some water and she took it much the same way he had taken it and drank deeply.

"I am glad that you have let it out. It took me 40 years to let it out. But now that I have, it feels better. Do you feel better?" he asked her.

"Very much so" she said looking up at him and seeing him in a new light. Not as Snape the bastard, not as Snape the teacher. But as Severus, the man who lost both parents in equally as tragic circumstances, but who had turned his life around after one mistake. Which led her to wonder, why he did make that mistake in the first place.

"You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but why did you join the death eaters after what they did to you and your parents?" she asked curiously.

He sighed letting go of her and pacing the room trying to think of a good reason why. "I don't know. They weren't dressed up that way when I first joined. You must understand, I was a very angry and bitter young man. I hated the world and I thought the world hated me. I was so angry at what had happened to my parents and so, when a few friends suggested I come along to this meeting I did.

Voldemort said we were getting rid of the scum of mankind and building a Utopia of only wizards and pure bloods. I was intrigued and before I knew it, I was murdering innocent men and women. But, the final straw came when we raided a house of a young family. There was a baby of not more then 3 months. And that's when I realised how wrong this was. I couldn't put this child through what I had gone through. So, I backed out. I got scared and I ran. Ran like the wind to Dumbledore. The only person who had ever believed in me. I told him the whole sorry tale and broke down and cried for three hours. He held me through the whole thing and offered me a job as a Potions Master.

When Voldemort heard of this, he was delighted and ordered on me to spy for him. But I couldn't do that to a man I considered me father. I told Dumbledore and he suggested I become a double agent for The Order of the Phoenix. And, so that's what I did. I spied and I hated it. I hated myself.

Hermione looked at him with new wonder and understanding. "Thank you for sharing that with me" she said striding over to give him a hug. He clasped her small frame to him and hugged her for dear life.

She hugged him again before going out of the room. She wanted to be sick. But she couldn't make herself perform the act so she went to see Dumbledore. They had an animated discussion about the Childhood potion, Hermione as a child and life. Then came an offer she wasn't expecting. Dumbledore offered her a place as Professor McGonagall's apprentice, since McGonagall was to retire in a couple of years. Hermione was shocked but agreed whole-heartedly and thanked him.

Dumbledore said, she would get new rooms now as she was a member of the staff and was moved to new quarters that were bigger, and nicer then her Head Girl room. She had a massive bookshelf to fill with books. Her own bathroom, a common room with a desk, armchairs, a couch and chairs. As well as a massive four-poster bed.

Hermione settled down for the night and vowed to see Snape again the next morning; somehow she guessed she had only scratched the surface