It wasn't quite what Hermione had expected.

She expected Snape to try to make eye contact with her. She'd anticipated his trying to talk to her.  She thought he would ask to have a word with her after class.

Instead, he completely ignored her presence in class and had behaved as if she didn't even exist! Even then, Hermione had expected him to at least pass comments or make snide remarks about her. But he had done nothing.

Is that what's bothering me? She wondered as Professor Flitwick droned on and on about vanquishing charms used against demons. She failed to notice that Harry and Ron, sitting beside her, perplexed because she seemed to daydreaming - and Hermione never daydreamed in class!

I ought to be grateful that Snape didn't continue from where he'd left off, she mused. But the fact that he had completely flouted her today left her feeling… miffed. Why? I will never understand that man.

"Miss Granger," a voice broke into her train of thoughts.

Hermione straightened immediately, meeting the worried gaze of her Charms Professor.

"I asked you what charm we should use in warding off faeries," said Flitwick.

She felt embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Professor, I wasn't listening."

"Tut-tut," Flitwick shook his head. "Of all people, Miss Granger, you were the last person I expected to daydream in class. Two points from Gryffindor."

This left her feeling more upset. As she was about to write down the charm upon his repeating it, she discovered that her quill – her favorite and only quill, for the time being at least, was lost. Thankfully, the extra quill from Ron prevented her from wasting time on pondering over it.

However, as soon as class was over, she frantically searched through her bag and pockets. Where was her quill?

"Maybe you dropped it on your way out of Potions class," Ron suggested helpfully. "I mean, you did leave in a hurry." He looked at Harry, as if seeking some sort of reassurance. Harry stepped forward, cleared his throat and put his hand on her arm.

"Hermione," he began gently. "For some time now, we've noticed how agitated you seem recently – well, at least, after Christmas. We're your best friends, we want to help you. If you would tell us what's wrong…" Both boys seemed desperate to help her.

Hermione was moved by this, but she couldn't risk telling her friends the truth. As she opened her mouth to speak, Ron exclaimed, "What is it? Is it Malfoy? Do you want us to hex him to something?"

Despite herself, she managed a small smile. "No, it's nothing like that," she confessed.

"It's just the same old story – Viktor. Christmas just reminded me of him. That's all."

She hated lying to her best friends, but what else could she say to them? 'Guess what? Snape professed his undying love for me on Christmas night and now he won't even speak to me?'

No, a lie was better. She hoped she'd be able to tell them the truth - when the time was right.

"I'll meet you at the common room later," she said. "I want to see if my quill is still in the dungeon."

But to her dismay, it was not.

*    *    *

Snape hadn't expected this.

He was sitting in his office now, behind his desk. He had been checking the assignments but when he came upon Hermione's homework, he felt an urge to take her quill out of her pocket and look at it.

It was just a simple feather quill, but because it belonged to Hermione, it meant so much more to Snape. This was something Hermione had touched. And now, he was holding it in his hands.

Snape should have told Longbottom to return it to her after one of Snape's recently arranged private tutor lessons with Longbottom in the art of potions making. Helping Longbottom made Snape feel a bit…happy.  Hermione had been right about some things. He realized that now.

Professor Flitwick had told Snape about Hermione's conduct during Charms class today and the old man had wondered why Miss Granger had been inattentive for the first time in seven years.

Snape knew, but he wasn't telling.

I should have someone return this to her, he thought. He'd seen her looking at him during Potions class and in the Great Hall. He hadn't wanted to ignore her, but couldn't help himself.

He felt guilty for having caused her distress, but consoled himself with the fact that he hadn't done it on purpose.

He hadn't meant to ignore Hermione the whole day, but how else could he have handled it? It was best for them not to have any unnecessary contact.

Remus had checked in on him early in the evening and Snape did not want to disappoint the werewolf.  Snape felt that Remus trusted him to do the right thing.

That reminded him of his mother.

Mom trusted me to do the right thing when I married Adrienne, he thought bitterly. Look where that got me.

He put away the quill with a sigh and went back to checking the assignments.