Chapter 8

"The Flashback Chappie – Hermione's POV"

Author's Note #1: My bad for suddenly going MIA. I kinda got grounded and the like. Plus, all of a sudden, my school work has just killed my social life and free time. Eeeevil school. Oh a good note tho, one of the top reasons I've been gone is that my soccer team did amazing. We finished 8-2, and went to play-offs. We ended up losing in the first round, but it took one of the best teams in the state an entire game, plus two over times to win on a lucky goal in golden goal time. J So, again, my bad on the lateness and sudden MIA-ness.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione hadn't slept at all the night after receiving the news of her parent's deaths. She sulked her way down to the Great Hall, not bothering to brush her hair and barely managing to throw her robes on.

Sitting down in the near-empty hall, she concentrated on pushing her food around her plate, not at all tempted to eat the food before her.

"Troubles, Miss Granger?" A silky, sneering voice ripped through her thoughts. She knew who it was. That voice belonged to one person and one person only – Severus Snape.

"Excuse me, Professor?" Hermione rubbed her eyes, before looking up at him. The bushy-haired girl didn't want to appear childish or anything less than perfect in the man's eyes.

The man repeated his question, and she looked down, feeling her cheeks grow hot. "N… no sir." She muttered. Tears stung in her eyes, yet she pushed them back.

"Well then, if there is nothing to troubling you, I was wondering if you would assist me with something before your Potions class this morning." The wizard asked.

She stared at him, disbelief apparent on her face, 'iHe wants me to do what? /i' she though, in complete confusion. 'iHe was… nice. Professor Severus Snape was nice to me. ME. Hermione Granger, the Mudblood, the school loser. Yet, he was nice. I wonder why?/i'

-*-*-*-*-*-

Hermione arrived promptly as she was asked. Knocking lightly on the dungeon doors. 'iWhy am I so nervous? I mean, this is only one of the best Potions Masters in the… world I'm about to work with./i'

Severus heard her, and opened the door, allowing the girl to enter. They walked to the small room and began their work. Throughout the time, Hermione's thoughts drifted to her parents.

As they let the potion cool, she turned to the library. "Can we go in now?" she asked, somewhat meekly. With his nod of approval, they entered. She spent time, looking at each row of books, reading the labels that ran down the sides. Piles upon piles of magical books lined the walls. She smiled at the looks, until she noticed the section at the end.

"You have Muggle books?" she asked curiously. 'iWhat does he know about Muggles? Isn't he a pureblood?/i'

Lost in her thoughts, she pulled a book out and studied it a moment before sitting down and opening it. She took several moments of silence, reading the small letters that covered the pages. Within seconds, she realized what it was she picked up and tears stung her eyes. Sniffing, she slammed the book shut.

"They're dead. My parents died… five months ago. And I just found out yesterday." The tears that earlier threatened to come, fell slowly from her right eye. "I had no idea. I can't believe… I can't believe they're gone." She muttered, slowly, softly, barely audible.

Snape's snake-like remark was all it took to get her rage started. Hermione's head shot up, followed quickly by the rest of her. Soon, she was lying on top of him, beating him as hard as she could.

She pounded with all her might. Hitting until she was unable to hit anymore. Her tears fell like waterfalls, her body shaking with a mix of anger and sorrow. Silently, the man under her wrapped his arms around her body. She felt him move under her, holding her under her knees and cradling her neck. As he picked her up, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face in his robes when he sat again.

The last thing she remembered before falling into sleep was the smell of his robes. It smelled like apples.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Hermione's eyes fluttered open. The small witch found herself in the hospital wing. Looking to her side, she noticed the unmoving form of her Potions Professor, his head down and body covered in bruises.

A deep scarlet blush covered her cheeks, "Professor?"

A stone-cold face turned to hers, "Yes, Miss Granger?" An equally cold voice.

Hermione looked as if she was about to start crying all over again. "Did… did I do all that to you?" She was terrified beyond belief and extremely embarrassed.

Severus nodded his head. "Yes, you did. But it was my fault. I said some harsh things to you, but they were things that needed to be said. You had to do something to get rid of the pent up feelings, and since you wouldn't talk to anyone about it, I had to find some way to make you talk."

Hermione felt as if her world was about to come down on her once again. Her stomach was doing flips, her head ached, and she couldn't decide what she should do.

Watching closely as her professor moved closer she noticed the book in his hand, 'iI wonder what he's reading./i' she thought.

He eyes her a moment before sitting down and opening the book. "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, retain thy dear perfection which he owes without that title."

Snape's cold, clear voice was giving her the chills. Her eyes welled with tears as she listened to the pure poetry of his voice. The silk in it calmed her so much, and her thoughts ran wild. 'i I wish… just for one second, that I could have those thin, delicate looking lips of his. I just want to touch, to feel, to have them capture my own./i

She stared into his face, lost in the moment. With no idea what was going on, she smiled. "Miss Granger?" his voice broke her thoughts. "Would you like me to continue or leave you to yourself?"

Hermione smiled brightly. "You'd do that for me?" she asked, her voice full of hope.

And this is how it was, Severus sat next to her, reading her Romeo and Juliet.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Author's Notes:

Mleh… so, er. Yea… I love feedback. And again, so sorry for the lateness of it all. Do you still love me?