Disclaimer: None of it's mine….'cept for the plot…*Damn bunnies*.
Chapter One:
Whack!
Hermione Granger froze upon contact. She felt cold moisture seeping down her back through her shirt. The nerve of some witches! Hermione bent down and gathered up some snow in her hands. She whirled around and threw the snow straight at the smirking face of her best friend of two years, Ginny Weasley.
"Hermione!" Ginny sputtered through the ice covering her face.
Hermione and Ginny had become closer during the summer between Hermione's fifth and sixth years at school. She liked having another girl to talk to, and as much as she loved Harry and Ron, there were some things only Ginny could understand.
Thank God for her, too! What would I have done without Ginny when her mother started hinting around about Ron's crush on me? I'm so glad she stayed with me for the holidays! I don't think I could have taken another year oh Mrs. Weasley's prodding!
During Hermione's silent reflection, her friend had regained her composure and sent a massive snowball at the back of Hermione's head. Hermione turned in time to see Ginny's mischievous grin as she ran to hide behind Harry. She pelted after her, and soon The-Boy-Who-Lived found himself wishing for death as snow was tossed up mercilessly around him.
"Guys, please!" he begged.
The two girls froze with snow in hand; they looked at each other and silently communicated. Nodding in agreement, they turned to Harry and slowly advanced on him.
"Guys?" They said together.
"Uh-oh" Harry gulped.
"Guys?" Hermione repeated.
"In case you haven't noticed, dear." Ginny muttered in her boyfriends ear, "We're not 'guys'."
Ginny dove away from Harry just as Hermione sent a hurtling missile of snow flying. Harry ducked just in time and came back up, grinning triumphantly. That is, until he heard a sickening "Splat!". Hermione and Ginny were staring at something behind him in horror. Harry turned around slowly.
Severus Snape stood towering over them. Snow was running of his face and onto his black cloak. He was glaring at Hermione with intensity as his robes billowed behind him in the cold December wind, making him look quite intimidating.
"Miss Granger," he hissed, "Detention, tonight at eight." with that, he spun around and left.
"He-but-ugh!" Hermione moaned, "It's not like I did it on purpose!"
"I seriously doubt he cares." Ginny said dryly.
"To bad Ron had detention with McGonagall," Harry muttered, "I bet he would have loved to see Snape covered in snow."
The two girls dissolved into giggles upon hearing this, and the trio of slightly wet Gryffindors made their way back to the castle.
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Hermione and Ginny walked to dinner together later that evening. They were animatedly discussing the Christmas Ball that would be held the next night. Harry and Ron had left for dinner early, both having heard enough of the girls' chatter.
"I still don't have a date." Hermione said sadly, "I'm not so sure I even want to go."
"You don't have to have a date!" Ginny said.
"Easy for you to say, you've got Harry." Hermione muttered bitterly.
"So go with Ron." Ginny persisted.
"You know how I feel about that! I don't want to encourage him, do I?" Hermione hissed, "Besides, I need someone tall, dark, and intelligent."
Ginny started to giggle quite loudly. Hermione glared at her, and waited patiently as Ginny tried to make a coherent sentence through her choking laughter. People had started to stare at her as they brushed passed the two into the Great Hall.
"Well, do you know who fits that description perfectly?" she laughed.
"Who?" Hermione said, clearly annoyed.
"Snape! Maybe you should ask him during your detention tonight." Ginny laughed, and quickly ran into the Great Hall. She knew Hermione wouldn't make a scene in front of the whole school, but she'd have hell to pay later.
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Hermione slowly made her way to the dungeons at five to eight that night. When she reached the door to the Potions classroom at precisely eight, she knocked sharply. No answer. She knocked again. This time, the door creaked open gently. Hermione peeked in and saw the dreaded Potions Master working tirelessly over his cauldron. Not wanting to disturb him, she crept in quietly and stood next to him, waiting for him to finish.
Hermione watched him as he worked, trying to figure out what he was making. He quickly but carefully added the ingredients…Monkshood, eye of newt, caster leaves, poppy seed oil, and mandrake extract…Finally, Hermione spotted it. He was making a truth potion, known as The Draught of Truth. It was one of most powerful truth potions in existence, second only to Veritaserum. Hermione thoughtlessly handed him the next ingredient needed to brew the potion. He took it without glancing at her, and halfway through adding it, he froze. He turned to look at her and jumped.
"Miss Granger!" Snape hissed, "What do you think you're doing?"
"I didn't want to disturb you, sir. I'm here for my detention. You might want to add the Lotus Wings, Professor." Hermione said quietly.
Snape jumped again when she said this, noticing the ingredient still in his and. He added it to the potion and turned the heat down. Snape then turned to Hermione, surveying her for a moment before speaking.
"Watch it closely, Miss Granger, it needs to simmer for ten minutes." He sneered before exiting the classroom.
Hermione pulled up a chair and watched the potion. Soon, she found herself staring at it without focusing as she thought back to what Ginny had said earlier that night. Snape? And her? Never! What was it she'd said? He "fit the description perfectly"? Tall, dark, and intelligent…well, that was true enough.
I should have added attractive to the equation. Not that he's unattractive, just…just what? Just to depressing? To demeaning? To overbearing? To dark? To silky? To appealing? To…What am I thinking?
"Miss Granger!" Snape's cold voice snapped her back to reality.
"Y--yes, sir?" she squeaked.
"Have you been watching the potion?"
Hermione glanced at it. It was a light clear blue color, and boiling faintly. Everything looked right.
"Yes, sir. Everything's under control."
"Good. Bottle and label it, and then leave." Snape swept into his office. Hermione completed her task and left hurriedly.
