My confusion about my feelings didn't disappear quite as quickly as my tears had, unfortunately. I researched my first potion, Dreaming Draught, during mealtimes, just to make sure that Snape wouldn't be in the library. It was easy to find the ingredients list for it, as well as other information, and I was ready to brew on Wednesday.

I still had to see Snape during classes, but I stayed quiet except for my hurried "have a good day", minus the smile, that I now said without looking at my potions Professor. Wednesday, though, I realized that I needed an ingredient. I hadn't looked closely at the list before, just checked out the book once I had found it. But the Dreaming Draught, which caused the consumer to dream quite vividly all night, was related to other sleeping potions. And this meant that I needed asphodel. This was not a terribly rare ingredient, but one that was certainly out of my price range at the time, not to mention the fact that there was no way I'd be able to get it by Friday. There was no choice. After a lonely dinner (Harry and Ron were still not speaking to me, and Neville was now sitting with Lisa at every meal), I set out for the dungeons.

I knocked at the classroom door, but there was no reply. Though I had never been in Snape's office, I had been in his storeroom, and so I had an idea of where the office was. I continued down the corridor to the next door on the right, and knocked. The door swung open magically.

"Yes?" said Professor Snape, who was bent over a book, reading. The office was actually quite pleasant, especially in contrast with the cold classroom. I could see the door that led to the storeroom, but what was really fascinating were the bookshelves. I itched to explore them.

"Professor Snape, sir, you said to come see you if I needed any ingredients?" He finally looked up at me.

"Ah, good evening, Miss Granger. What can I help you with?" He seemed almost pleasant. I guessed that reading was one of his few pleasures, as it was for me.

"I needed a pinch of asphodel for the Dreaming Draught I'm working on, and you said to come see you…." I trailed off as he held up a hand.

"Miss Granger, asphodel is not a rare ingredient. It is easily obtained at the apothecary in Hogsmeade."

"Yes, sir, but…I don't have a way to get there nor money for it. It is rather pricey." He growled a little in annoyance, but somehow I felt that he was just teasing me. He got up and beckoned me to follow him to the storeroom.

"I imagine that you are familiar with this room?"

"Well, sir, if you call breaking in four years ago for about two minutes familiarity…." I was getting a little sick of his jabs about the Polyjuice episode. He could say something about a second-year brewing such a difficult potion.

"You only broke in once?" He looked surprised.

"Yes, sir, in second year."

"And you were able to find your ingredients in only two minutes?"

"Yes, sir. I took three grams of powdered bicorn horn and two of boomslang skin, if you want to know the details!" He looked at me sharply, but didn't say anything. We stood there in silence glaring at each other for a few moments.

"Miss Granger, I have one more question. Did you successfully brew the Polyjuice Potion?"

"Yes, sir."

"I must say that I am impressed. Not only did you get past my wards, but you deciphered my organization system and brewed the Polyjuice. All in your second year. Excellent work, Miss Granger." Well, that was a shock. He must have known how I wold react, so he took the opportunity to reach for the little container of asphodel, measuring out a pinch into a small vial which he handed to me.

While we had been bantering, all my nervousness at coming here had disappeared, but now that it was quiet in the room, my mind had a chance to wander. I took the vial, accidentally brushing Professor Snape's fingers with my own, something that normally would have been nothing, but today brought the blood to my cheeks. I caught a bit of Professor Snape's scent as I walked past his desk, something that normally I wouldn't have noticed, but today made my heart pound. I needed a room at St. Mungo's, right away.

I thanked Professor Snape and said good night, carrying my asphodel up to Gryffindor tower. The brewing was successful, and let's just say that my dreams that night made me glad of the notebook I kept next to my bed.

Friday came, and as I slipped my bottle of Dreaming Draught into my bag along with Snape's vial, I realized that my heartbeat was incredibly fast.

You're just going to class, Hermione, you do it every day. I decided I was just nervous about my first extra assignment. I wiped my sweaty palms on my robes and headed down to the dungeon classroom. I put my Draught on his desk first thing, and sank into my seat. So it was turned in. It worked. Why was I still nervous?

I worked steadily, refusing to look up at Professor Snape. Finally, finally, the class was over and I reported to his desk for my written assignment.

"Slight change of plans, Miss Granger," Snape said as soon as he had finished clearing up the notes and lecture materials from my class.

"Is something wrong with my potion, sir?"

"No, of course not, Miss Granger, and that is the problem." I was very confused now. "Miss Granger, think. If you could brew Polyjuice four years ago, then I am wasting your time with the assignments I gave you."

"But, sir, I would really like the chance to make sure I'm prepared for my NEWTs…." No he wasn't. He was not about to cut off all my contact with him now. Not when I….

"You are more than prepared. You could take them right this minute with your eyes closed."

"But, sir…."

"But nothing, Miss Granger. If you want to brew those potions which are so beneath your talents, so be it. The only difference will be that you will not be handing them in to me any longer." I was really on the verge of tears at this point. I only had one more shot, and it was a long one, but I took it.

"Professor Snape, is there nothing you could give me to work on? Some kind of research and development thing? Please, sir?" He paused for a moment, trying to keep his anger at me under control.

"Miss Granger, you try my patience. But since you seem so eager for me to assign something to you, here is an idea: GET OUT!" With that he stormed back into the potions storeroom. I did not leave, however. I stayed rooted to the spot until I heard glass breaking from the storeroom. Without thinking, I was there, pulling open the door.

Snape was standing in the center of the room looking absolutely murderous. He whirled to face me when he heard the door creak open, his wand pointed at my heart. All of a sudden, his face changed. He realized what he had been about to do and he froze, lowering his wand and looking at me with some sort of vague horror on his face.

I, on the other hand, had been paying more attention to the spilled ingredients on the ground, some of which were coming perilously close to mixing. I pulled out my wand and Snape flinched, but I quickly cast some charms to freeze the ingredients, repair their bottles, and return them to their rightful places.

Then came the awkwardness. Snape was torn between being angry with me and thankful for my quick thinking. He was also dealing with guilt for almost cursing me. I, on the other hand, was shocked at myself (and Snape, for that matter) and also rather embarrassed. We both just stood there for an excruciating moment.

"Miss Granger, I need to see you in my office as soon as possible. There are several issues we need to discuss."

"Yes, sir. After dinner?" He nodded and returned to his classroom. I hustled out of the room and down to Hagrid's cabin, where I spent yet another lesson lost in my own thoughts.