Thanks to Hermione-Severus Fan (that would be a great name for me also, I am very morbid when they both are involved), Sydney (it is hard to keep Severus being a bastard when I find him so sexy...) Desert-Rose6 (I slapped myself a couple of times about that. Nothing to do with the language, I am dumb, that's all.I sent u an email, thanks for asking!) and Capitain Crash (I love your stories, finding your review here was great). I have re-posted this chapter after Endilwen revised it. Thanks a lot!!!

I might get confused with timetables, spells and so; don't take that too seriously, for I have been reading a lot of fanfics lately and I mix what really is on the books with them, and I confuse things.

By the way, I never wrote any disclaimer, but I don't think anyone would sue me for this. Obviously I am not J.K.Rowling and this characters are not mine and I make no money bla bla bla. Just let me tell you, if I were her, I would read through fanfiction and steal all your ideas. Some of them are incredible. (Subliminal: J.K., if you read this, make Severus and Hermione end together!!!)

Good or bad reviews, please!!! (thanks to both, but I will give Lemon Drops to the ones saying good things... ;-))

* * *

The potion was effective, and Hermione was very proud of herself. Although she was really happy about getting Professor Snape out of her afternoons, she had genuinely enjoyed her detentions to the last minute.

She looked at the small bottle. Three drops had been enough; she calculated that the liquid would last her more than one month. Great.

Feeling fresh and happy for the first time in several weeks, she went to breakfast. Before she realized, she found herself looking for Snape, but he wasn't there. She wanted to comment on the effects of the potion. It was the first thing she had ever created, and he had participated also... she felt so proud she couldn't keep it to herself, but no one would understand her joy, and for making such a fuss over a potion. The only person who might just understand, one of the brightest wizards of the century, was an unbearable bastard. Bad luck.

She didn't see Snape for the whole weekend.

* * *

Snape rarely went for breakfast, he used to quickly sip some coffee in his rooms, but it was the first time in his life that he missed it because he was sleeping.

He hadn't fallen asleep until four in the morning, it was true, and he had awoken twice in the night since, but no cries or begging or cruel laughter had haunted him. He blessed that Granger girl. But not for long.

* * *

"Miss Granger. Ten points from Gryffindor." he said with a bored tone. Well, this time Snape felt a little bit guilty about it; he positively knew it had been Malfoy who had spoiled Pansy's potion. But he did it, anyway.

The girl closed her eyes and counted five. Why was she so angry? Severus Snape was the same mean, greasy git he had always been. Wait; Now she saw it clearly. That was what had changed. He didn't seem as greasy; his hair. It seemed so... clean. Great black hair, that was it! Why had it taken so long for her to realize? She didn't think any Gryffindor had, either. This was good gossip.

Her anger dissipated. She didn't know why she was so surprised. Well, she had learnt to respect Snape, after that potion making. She loved what he did; all that researching, all that knowledge. She had always known he was incredibly bright, but she hadn't realized the hunger for knowledge seemed to be so deep in him as it was in her. Fuck it. He is a git, maybe not greasy any longer, but a git anyway, her own voice interrupted, echoing in her mind.

"Miss Granger"- this time the tone was harder. "Did you hear what I said?"

"No, sorry Professor"

Harry searched for Ron's eyes. "What's happened to her?" his lips asked. Ron shrugged his shoulders.

"Another twenty points"

"But Professor Snape..."

"What?" he said, cuttingly.

"That's unfair"

"What! Are you questioning my decision? Girl, there are not enough points in your house, if that's what you are doing, so you better shut up now!"

"But Professor, it wasn't my fault even the first time! And you know it!"

"Hermione" Harry hissed, alarmed. They had to stop their friend.

"You little... listen to me, girl, and you Potter better keep your mouth closed"- to Draco's pleasure- "I don't know if you think that potion you made gives you any special rights but..."

"I never mentioned that."- She was out of control. She had never answered that way  to any teacher. Only Snape and only that night in the Shrieking Shack. And never, ever in front of a class full of students. He wouldn't forgive or forget the humiliation. But he was being really unfair this time.

"Miss Granger, I suggest you leave the classroom" – his voice was scary- "Come to my office at 7 o'clock. Not a minute later. Now, get out!"

Even Slytherins were intimidated. Snape had never thrown anyone from class before, if it wasn't to go to visit Madame Pomfrey. The rest of the class passed in a deathly silence.

* * *

Hermione wandered for some minutes, then thought she didn't want any teacher spotting her there and asking questions, so she ran to her room.

What the hell had that outburst been about? She was a Prefect, Hermione Granger, thought by half the school to spend her time licking her professors' boots (But teachers were the only ones she could speak to who would understand!). She was bewildered when she discovered why she had been so dreadfully stupid. She was too clever to ignore the reason. She had been so angry because what Snape thought about her was far more important for her than what other teachers thought. She respected him a lot after watching his work closely, and he was acting just the same. She couldn't match the two faces of the man.

Anyway, was respect a reason to be so stupid? She closed her eyes, wanting to believe so.

* * *

Harry and Ron didn't go to Hogsmeade that afternoon. They had it free, but they wanted to stay with Hermione.

"Boys, you can go, I'll be fine. Anyway, I'll probably be in detention for the rest of the school year"

"But, Hermione" said Harry, joking "if these are your last hours alive, we want to spend them with you".

She put her head into the pillow and whimpered. Her friends laughed. "Why was I so stupid? What was I thinking of?" she moaned.

"Don't worry. You'll only have to clean the whole school with your toothbrush. It couldn't be worse"

"It couldn't be worse? Hey, does anyone know if I can be forced to resign from being a Prefect?"

"C'mon, Hermione!"

Time seemed to pass very slowly. Hermione was so nervous she didn't go for luch. At six o'clock, she went to her room, and picked up a little box. Linden blossom tea, it read. It was one of her muggle belongings, even if they used linden bossom as a ingredient in the wizarding world. She needed to calm, and well, it wasn't the moment to make any potion.

Half past six. She sipped a little bit more of liquid. She tried to finish Hamlet but she couldn't follow the plot.

A quarter to seven. She decided to leave the room, and walk slowly. But she soon regretted it. It was still ten to seven and she was standing up in front of Potions Classroom. Five minutes. Four. One minute. She heard a clock somewhere strike seven.

She knocked.

The door opened, and she entered the room. Professor Snape was leaning his back on the table, and staring at her. He didn't say a word and she stood there, feeling stupid, and trying not to think, because they had never been sure whether he could read their minds.

Snape, in fact, couldn't, but he knew some tricks that were useful enough. After all, he was good at legilimency. He knew Hermione was having a bad time, but she deserved it. Why had she behaved like that? He couldn't understand why he was so offended, and hadn't found the right punishment yet. Clean all Slytherin underwear without magic, he thought. No. It had to be painful; and useful. It would be insulting to both his and her intelligence not to put her to do something useful, once they had seen what she was able to do.

Finally, he spoke.

"Miss Granger" his eyes stabbed her "it was a nasty surprise to discover that you, among all the students, would have no problems to discredit my decisions"

She remained silent.

"Miss Granger?"

"Yes?"

"You don't want to say anything? Now is the right time"

"Well, Professor, I am sorry." – leave it that way, Hermione. Leave it that way. Fuck, her mouth opened and she added.- "But you know you were being truly unfair." –It was done.

His eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head.

"Keep saying that girl, and you will..."

Professor McGonagall entered the room and shot a strange glance at them. She came closer to Snape and whispered something in his ear.

"Tell him I will be there in a couple of minutes. I have some issues I need to deal with before."

"But, Snape, it's urgent"

He gave no sign he had heard this last part. McGonagall left, still wondering what her best student was doing there with such a worried expression on her face.

"Well, Miss Granger. I must leave the pleasure of your company" he said, dryly. "No doubt you regret it as much as I do, but you can wait for me by cleaning up the classroom and re-indexing all the potion's ingredients I have in my office" A small pause, and a sneer erupted on his face as he said "Without magic".

It was a hard work. She sighed.

"But, don't think that's all. It will take me more time to think about a more suitable punishment." And he left.