Hermione Granger knocked on the door. She heard a 'Come in' and entered. Inside was Professor Snape's Potions classroom. It seemed different then normal. Usually there were loud noises coming from both the students and the cauldrons, but now it seemed empty. Except for Professor Snape, of course.

He sat behind his desk scribbling something on a piece of parchment.

He looked up, "Ahh, Miss Granger, such a pleasure to see you once this day." Though his voice wasn't silky, it clearly sounded superior.

Hermione said nothing but stood in the threshold and looked stolidly at him. He met her squarely in the face.

"Not as chatty now, I see."

She said nothing, but a hidden contempt began to rise in her eyes.

"Well, since you seem concerned about not speaking to me, then we shall get down to business." He walked around the front of his desk to the cauldron on the other side of the room.

"Miss Granger, you are to brew the Triagad Potion," He gestured toward the cauldron. "After you have finished, put a sample in a vial," He gestured toward the small crate of vials on the desk next to the cauldron. "Then, come to me and I will tell you what to do next."

Hermione said nothing but simply walked over to the cauldron and began the work. She worked in silence for the next hour. Her mind felt clouded and was pleased that it was such a simple potion so she didn't have to think about it. It was also lucky that she knew the ingredients, Snape didn't give any instructions. From the glint in his eyes she suspected that he had expected her to asked for his help. She did not.

Instead, she focused enough on the matter at hand so as not to create an entirely different potion again. Snape seemed mildly amused by this. He also seemed amused by the bitterness that seemed to surround the young woman.

She seemed to be concentrating on nothing at all, barely even the potion. He did not expect that. He knew that she studied a lot, but even if she didn't ask him for directions then he thought that she should at least need to concentrate on the task. But, no, she seemed off in her own world, not minding his presence nor the complexity of the potion.

He ground his teeth. Normally she was much more attentive then this, no matter how simple the task was. She was always meticulous. So, why wasn't she like that today? First, she had fumbled in class and created a different potion he hadn't taught, and now she isn't even paying attention what she is doing.

She seemed to start acting differently when Graham Pritchard assumed an even more all-knowing-I-am-God behavior. Even if the boy was in Slytherin, Snape still held him in poor regard. He considered Graham a disgrace to his house and Graham seemed intent on proving that only bad wizards and witches came out of the house.

And it seemed that he had demonstrated that to Hermione. Snape's eyes narrowed at the young woman working with his back to him. All through class today Graham seemed intent on doing something to Hermione, and she had shed away so much that she created the wrong potion. What could Graham have meant with his facial expressions that caused his best pupil to become so frightened?

Snape's expression softened slightly. Perhaps even small things get to the best of people? Well, yes, that was true, but he was positive that there was nothing 'small' about this. Disturbing. Yes, he thought, disturbing was the best way to describe the questionable situation.

Snape looked at the clock: 9:05 pm. She should be done. He cast a glance at her direction and was not surprised to see her slipping a bit of the potion into a vial. Even with her lack of concentration, she seemed to have performed the task correctly and without error. Snape looked at her as she approached him with the small vial in her fragile grasp.

Fragile. . .

He had never, before this time, considered anything about her fragile. She always seemed so strong and determined. Now, she seemed lifeless, that same empty look floating in her features. She walked over to him - no bounce in her step.

"Professor Snape."

No life in her voice.

"I have finished."

No challenge backing her voice. Timid. That was the perfect word to describe her, now.

"Professor?"

Snape jerked hastily from his thoughts. He was staring at her, assessing her, he realized. With a momentary glance in her direction, he realized she knew it to. Looking back at his paper he let himself speak in a slow manner.

"Miss Granger, what do you need now?" He tried to sound annoyed.

"I have finished making the potion," She repeated sullenly. Even though she picked up on the fact that she had repeated herself and that her professor was purposely baiting her, she did not feel the need to react.

"I see," He looked up at her. Still, he saw nothing in her features that showed even a flicker of recognition of her former self. "Now, the rest of your assignment is to make a month's supply of the Saloge Potion you seem so fond of." His voice was curt and he immediately returned to grading the essays he had had the class write the previous day.

Hermione's face fell. That would take at least another two hours. It would be past eleven by the time she left. She felt a vivid strand of fury stir within her.

"Professor," She fought to keep her temper under control. "Why do you want me to brew an entire month's supply of the potion?"

Snape looked at her before he lowered his gaze once again to the papers.

"I need not explain my reasons to you."

"B-But - " She felt close to tears at his curt refusal to even answer her question.

"Please, Miss Granger, no buts. Just do the work."

"Professor Snape!" She said sharply, her temper finally erupting. "Why do you need me to make the bloody potion?" She clamped her mouth shut as she realized she almost yelled at her professor.

"Miss Granger," Snape began curtly. "How dare you question what I do. You are here to serve detention. I assign the task. You do it. My pardons, but I thought someone of your intellect could understand something so simple."

Hermione cowered slightly, but she did not relent. No, she needed this. She needed to do something to stop herself from going crazy.

"Professor Snape, all I asked was why you needed me to make a potion! It wasn't a difficult question! I thought someone of your intellect could manage to answer such a simple question!" She felt herself erupting, the tension of the previous few days finally coming into view.

"Miss Granger, despite what you may have previously believed, I do not answer to a pupil. You will serve another detention tomorrow for not learning to hold your tongue!" He thundered.

"Y-You. . ." She seethed, unable to say anymore. She began to slowly make her way back to the cauldron.

Snape waved his hand, dismissing anymore of the conversation. "I guess I shouldn't expect some Muggle-born witch to understand - "

She flew around, her robes skirting up slighting. Her eyes were narrow with contempt. "What were you going to say? 'Some Muggle-born witch?! Care to finish that, Snape?" Hermione began to swiftly lose all concept of simple formalities and reality itself.

Snape's eyes narrowed. Finally, this was going the way he wanted it to. He replied with the same vigor she had interrupted his statement with.

"What I was saying, before you interrupted me, was that I didn't expect some Muggle-born witch to understand the workings of a society - magic, magic or otherwise. I believe that you have demonstrated my belief that Muggle-borns are far beneath - " But he was not able to continue. Hermione stalked over to his desk and slammed her hands on it and glared at him.

"Care to finish that illogical statement? How were you going to end it? Are Muggle-borns beneath real wizards? Real witches? Yourself?!" The hot glare she sent him became more livid while inside she became more distraught.

Snape chuckled. Her face faulted for the briefest of moments. "Oh my dear. . ." He said sarcastically. "It seems that one of my pupils has finally found out the truth about me! Whatever shall I do!" He tilted his head cockily.

Hermione's hands turned into fists as she felt her limit nearing. Struggling to get herself under control, she glared at the whitening knuckles on her hands.

"Snape," She hissed. "Don't play games with me. I am not a person who falls into such traps so easily."

"Wrong." He said simply. "You may be a person who firmly believes that, but as a student, and a mudblood," Hermione's temper flared and felt her right fist trying to move jerkily at Snape. He saw this but continued. "You will always be so ill-fated as to fall into anything I or any other superior pure-blood wizard sets for you!"

That was it.

The last of her defenses were torn down.

All that was left was her naked soul gleaming under the hatred of Snape's maniacal smile.

She felt her vulnerability and felt everything crack and fall apart around her and she wound up her arm and. . .

Her fist contacted with her professor's face.

___________

AN:

Well, I must say that I had quite a bit of fun writing this, so I was able to write it a lot faster than normal. Which means *grins* you guys get the chapters faster^_^ I must say, I really am enjoying writing this fic. For my first HP fic, it seems to be quite successful. Actually, I have never had a fic before that was this successful. Thanks for all your reviews, they really give me some great inspiration!

Olivier-Killand-Wood: Don't worry, I will^^

Taya: Ahh. . .I know exactly how those "server is too busy, please come back later things" feel. I get so annoyed by them sometimes, too. / / I didn't take your comment as an insult or anything like that. It is just that I do like to create unique plots myself, so I wasn't thoroughly pleased that so many others had had the idea. But *shrugs* Oh well, that's life. You win some n' you lose some :P / / Enough of praising me? *grins* Now why ever would you do that?^_~ Your own works. . .actually, I was just looking at them and saw that you had some Sevvy/Hermione fics. I better check them out :D Gotta love those fics!

cosmicangel2001: Man, you guys are going to run me ragged writing this chapters so quickly! But, I can't say that I don't enjoy it! You reviewers seem to be the best muse out there.

Jade: Were you surprised by the way the detention turned out? I kinda was. . .

Dirty Kisses: lol. Wait until you see the rest of the story. You will learn *much* more about Graham.

Tiffie101: Thanks for the compliments^_^

dama-de-tinieblas: lol. Did I update soon enough?

The One and Only: One of the best stories you have read? Well, I must say that I am quite pleased with hearing that. Thanks.

Andrian: Yes, I find that it is definitely the way you tell a story that shows how good it is, (a lot of the time) regardless of the plotline. / / As for Graham's motives. . .I have been hinting towards them, but the hints I have been dropping aren't for the real reason he did it. That shall remain a secret. For now.