Professor Snape left soon after Hermione fell into a deep sleep. He saw Madam Pomfrey hurry in.
"She's asleep, Poppy, don't worry." His tone was subdued and his features unreadable in the dark ward.
"Thank you, Severus. Did she wake up at all or say anything?"
There was a slightly pained look in Snape's eyes, but she couldn't see it. "No, Miss Granger said nothing and was asleep the entire time." He left the room.
Hermione woke up abruptly the next morning. She sat up quickly without any pain as she took in the room. Looking quizzically around the room for a few moments, she remembered where she was: The Hospital Ward.
She placed her hand on her forehead and slid it backwards through her hair. It was matted and sticky and moved begrudgingly. Hermione sighed. She seemed healed, she might as well leave.
She swung her legs over the bed and stood up.
"Miss Granger? Are you feeling better?" Madam Pomfrey asked and pressed the back of her hand to Hermione's forehead.
"Yes, I am fine." She said weakly.
"Sticky. .slightly warm. ." Madam Pomfrey murmured.
"Really! Please, Madam Pomfrey, I have to go. I have classes," said Hermione hurriedly.
"Are you sure?" The mediwitch's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Your temperature felt off and you seemed to be sweating in your sleep."
"That was just because I had dumped a glass of water on my face by accident." Hermione straightened her robes and began to walk towards the exit of the ward. "Really, I am quite fine, Madam Pomfrey. Thank you for helping me." She called over her shoulder before leaving.
Madam Pomfrey gazed worriedly after her. "That girl is in for trouble if she keeps up like this. . ."
Hermione walked swiftly away from the Hospital Ward before stopping and leaning against a stone wall. She was breathing deeply.
"This can't be happening. . .It still hurts so much!" She whimpered softly. She closed her eyes. "I need to stop this now. . .nip it in the bud. . ."
"Nip what in the bud, Miss Granger?"
Hermione's eyes flew open. They widened with recognition.
"P-Professor Snape!"
"Well, despite the fact I really am quite pleased that you know my name, Miss Granger, but class is about to start. I highly suggest you hurry," His tone was quiet and unhurried and Hermione stared after him as he walked away just as silently as he had come.
Her eyes followed his movement. The gentle swish of his robes. His stern posture. His raven hair falling down the nape of his neck.
She blushed. She couldn't be thinking about him this way! He was her professor! Nevertheless, she cast one more glance after him and hurried to her dormitory to change for class.
Lowering herself into her seat, Hermione allowed herself several deep breaths. She had just ran all the way to her dormitory, changed, washed up, got her books, and ran to her first class: Transfiguration.
Since she was in her seventh year at Hogwarts, she had certain responsibilities. For one, she had to choose an appropriate career. The second thing she had to do was choose the appropriate N.E.W.T. (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests) courses leading up to that career. She, however, had no idea which career to chose. So she took Transifguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA), Charms, Potions, and Muggle Studies - all at N.E.W.T. level. So far she had been able to receive an 'O' for Outstanding in all the classes.
But that still left her in an odd spot. She had no idea which career best suited her. Sure, she would do great in many, but which did she want? So far she had considered being a charm breaker for Gringotts, but then realized that being with goblins all day wouldn't make for a nice career. She had also considered being a Witch-Muggle inter-consultant. Her Muggle Studies class would come in handy for that as well as her Muggle heritage. She would be ideal for the job. But she had always had a small fancy of being a teacher. She had thought it a wonderful idea to be able to teach at Hogwarts, the legendary school of witchcraft and wizardy. But-
Professor Mcgonagall stood behind her desk and cleared her throat. She walked around to the front of it.
"Everyone, open your books to Chapter 6 and begin reading it. And please put out your homework." She added before walking through the classroom, collecting the homework.
The hour long class passed very slowly for Hermione. She sat staring at her book. She turned the pages at regular intervals, but did not read it. Her mind was on other matters. The other night. . .
She gave an involuntary shiver. The way she felt when he. . .She rubbed her temples. He certainly did as he intended to: Ruined her life.
She bit back a sob and tried to focus on her reading.
"Transfiguring into a larger animal requires a great deal more effort and therefore, the one wishing to change must. . ."
Her book drawled on. How was she supposed to pay attention to this - this utterly boring and useless material? And here she thought it would be good to take for a N.E.W.T.s class. . .
Glowering at her textbook, she turned the page. Only another minute left. . .
Professor Mcgonagall dismissed the class and Hermione left quickly, ignoring her friends and peers.
She got to her next class in plenty of time. However, it was her unfortunate lack of memory to remember it was Potions.
Hermione's senses felt heightened as she walked as confidently as she could to her seat. She sat straight and looked forward, her uneasiness was evident to those with a trained eye.
Graham Pritchard noticed Hermione's behavior and smiled. He had done well. He taught her a lesson that she would never forget.
Hermione suddenly looked at him. Her eyes showed an empty and hollow look. They shined with sudden, unshed tears. The voices of her chattering peers around her rushed together. They became one, loud blaring noise that seemed to only be drowned out by the cruel truth in Graham's smile.
Professor Snape entered the classroom. The class immediately quieted. Snape made his way to the front his classroom. His feet clapped the stone floor with a steady firmness.
Snape stood in front of the class. His gaze moved over the class, landing on one of his Slytherins: Graham Pritchard. He seemed to be looking particularly hostile at someone, like he had the venom to back up what his gaze said.
Snape followed Graham's gaze to his apparent victim. Hermione. Snape looked impassively at the hollow look the young woman's eyes held. He had never seen her eyes like that before. . .They had always seemed so cheerful and full of life. Now they held an obvious emptiness.
Snape's hand curled into a fist. He cut a glare at Graham who immediately recoiled his attentions at Hermione and smiled gleefully at the professor. Snape's knuckles whitened. He didn't know much about what was going on, but he did know that he didn't like it! With his temper soaring, Snape ruthlessly taught the class to make a new potion. Every now and then he caught Graham eyeing Hermione, he immediately distracted the boy by pointing out something wrong with his potion and stepping between the two pupils.
_____
Hermione looked into her bubbling cauldron. There was a sticky peach-colored mass inside it. She heard a 'tsk-tsk' and saw Snape standing behind her, examining the contents of her cauldron.
Though he was not all that of a tall man, when measured next to Hermione he was about the right height to rest his chin on her head, though he did not. He eyed her cauldron, something must be disturbing her more than he thought, it was a rather rare time when she made a mistake in his class (or any classes, for that matter).
He grimaced. Despite the way he had always treated her (and other Gryfindors), he held her in high respect - after all, this was his Potions N.E.W.T. class, wasn't it? Few students made it to this level, usually only Ravenclaws and Slytherins. He now held in his class five Ravenclaws, four Slytherins, and one Gryfindor - Hermione. She was the first Gryfindor to make it into the second level of his N.E.W.T. Potions class in years.
But, he supposed, he could have known that from the beginning. From the special glitter in her eyes to her eagerness and innocence - She was bound to be a prized pupil - Even in his class. He could always tell from the very first class. He knew who could become true Potions' Masters.
Although she was not one of them. Yes, she could brew simple and complex potions, but she did not believe in what came behind it. A wizard's or witch's power influences the potion that they are brewing - for better or worse. But that and the ingredients did not contribute the most to a well-brewed potion. What contributed the most was the wizard's or witch's state of mind. When it came down to it, if you did not believe in it to the very tendrils of the beginning when it was first made, then there were many potions you would never be able to create.
In his N.E.W.T.s class, Hermione's state of mind didn't matter. Why? His class did not require a student to create a potion at that level. So, she could brew all the 'simple' potions she pleased. But until she could make one such as the Wolfsbane, she would never have the ability to become a true Potions Master. However, until she reached her limit she could brew many potions at the complexity level of the Polyjuice Potion, though he suspected even she would have a difficult time with that potion.
Focusing his thoughts on her current potion, he realized that it was not at all what it was supposed to be. She was supposed to brew the Triagad Potion (it grows extra limbs on the one who takes just the smallest sip). But she had not brewed the Triagad Potion, she had brewed an entirely different one: The Saloge Potion. That one removes scars.
She made a potion that removed scars. . .He hadn't even taught that potion yet. Not that it was a difficult potion, it was one in the same class of the one she was supposed to be brewing.
"Miss Granger," He began silkily, but quickly changed his tone to an annoyed one. "What potion have you taken the selection of brewing?"
______
Hermione stared into her cauldron. This wasn't what she was supposed to be brewing. . .This was an entirely different potion. Was she really that out of it? She couldn't even brew a simple potion?
C'mon Hermione, Snape is right there. If he catches you messing up, everyone will know something is wrong. . .that. .that will give. .him. .the satisfaction of knowing he's getting to you.
I can't do that! I can't let him know what he is doing to me!
Her thoughts whirled before she replied in a haughty voice, "The Saloge Potion."
"I see, Miss Granger, are you aware that today we are brewing the Triagad Potion," His question was more of a statement.
"Yes."
"And why did you take it upon yourself to brew something entirely different?" By now everyone was looking at her and Snape. Hermione began to feel self conscious. .liked she was nude in front of the entire class. She suppressed a shuddered and responded in kind to Snape.
"It was simply my preference of the day." If she could get out of the position by acting like the class joke without the class knowing she didn't intentionally make the mistake, then all would be good.
"Your preference?" He looked amused. "And since when do the pupils of my classes decide what they will do during the duration of the class?"
Her eyes became cold and her lips set into a fine line. "Since I so chose so." One of the Slytherins almost laughed but turned it into a choking sound. Hermione dared not look at who it was, she could tell just from the sound that it was Graham.
A glint had entered Professor Snape's eyes. "Miss Granger, in this class you do as I say - nothing else. I would have thought that with six previous years of this class, you would have known, but, alas, some never learn." Snape's manner was cruel, but nevertheless, calculating. "You will serve detention today, at 8:00 pm., is that understood?"
Hermione nodded and held her tongue. In spite of what she felt at the current moment, he was right. She was acting out of line. But she hadn't meant to brew the wrong potion, it had been an accident.
Gritting her teeth, she watched Snape wave his wand and her potion disappeared. He then walked around the room, inspecting the other student potions while Hermione stood there. She stood there anxiously waiting for the class to end so she could get out of Snape's critical eye and Graham's haunting one.
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AN:
O_o Wow. I never expected to get that many reviews for just the first chapter of a story. That's definitely a first. Can't say that I don't like it, thought :D Thanks so much for reviewing everyone! It really meant a lot to me and helped me get this chapter out sooner. Thanks!
Lorelei: Ahh. . .my first review for the fic! Thanks for taking a chance on the story!
cosmicangel2001: Yeah, I can't wait for Hermione and Sevvy to get together either. Though I warn you, it might take a little while. . .But it's worth the wait, right?^_^
Tiffie101: Thanks. I will try to update as often as I can.
Angelus Griffin: lol. Very cute^^ Anyway, as I'm sure you can see, the person who raped her was Graham.
dama-de-tinieblas: Intriguing. . .Interesting. . .What wonderful compliments! Thanks!
Tonya: Thanks for saying that my descriptions are realistic. You have no idea how hard I have been working on them to make them that way. That really meant a lot to me, thanks.
Taya: Sorry about the over-used plot line. . .I didn't realize there were so many fics out there with a similar plot line with the rape. I've never read one like that. However, there are others that I have read that are similar in the idea that Severus and Hermione help each other. Akasa Latane. . .Well, of course I love her name^_^ But she is in the fic for a purpose too. But I'm not going to disclose of that yet.