Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, except the one I created myself. All others belong to J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. I have only borrowed them for my amusement and hopefully yours as well.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Is it gauche to beg for more? Ahem…hinting!  I would love to know how many of you out there are reading this! Too bad this site doesn't have a 'hit' counter.

Monday finally dawned and Jolicia awoke with great joy. She was going to teach her classes for the first time since her accident. She knew that the students were just as anxious as she was for her to come back. Severus had taken over during her absence and things had not gone as smoothly as one would have liked. He had a completely different teaching method from Jolicia. It was not her place to criticize him, but she did not agree with his tactics of bullying and intimidation. She heard how the students spoke of him – most were frightened silly. She knew that he had another side, but the students would surely never catch a glimpse of it. She was his friend and she had barely seen it herself.

She swore that she could actually see the tension wash away from their faces when she walked into her classroom. She was greeted, once again, by enthusiastic applause. She quickly gained control of the room and picked up where Professor Snape had left off. It went very well. Before Harry left with the others, Jo asked him to stay behind for a couple of minutes.

"Harry, I know you're even busier than ever, what with Quidditch season in full tilt and everything, but do you think we'll have time for a little Occlumency this week?"

"I don't think I can. Not this week, anyway. I have detention every night with Snape, I mean with Professor Snape. Next week should be fine, though, Professor Medwin. Sorry."

"My goodness, Harry! What did you do to earn a detention every night?"

"That's what makes me so angry, Professor. I didn't do anything. Professor Snape hates me, so I get detention. I got them in Potions and in this class as well. So, there goes my week."

"Harry, I'm sure he doesn't hate you. What is it between the two of you?"

"Oh, he does hate me. I know he does. Most of it wasn't even my fault. Part of it has to do with this 'The Boy who Lived' crap. Sorry, Professor Medwin."

"Harry, it's okay. You can speak freely. When we're alone together, you can call me Jo. Go on with your story."

"Really? Cool! Anyway, I survived this attack from Voldemort and I get stuck with a title. I didn't ask for it. Hell, I didn't even know anything about it until a few years ago. Snape figures that I fancy myself a celebrity. I don't. That is the last thing I want. I just want to be Harry Potter – nothing more, nothing less. Who knows, maybe he's jealous of me. Do you think that's possible, Jo?"

"It might be, but I would only be speculating. Professor Snape and I have never discussed you. I really couldn't say what his feelings are towards you. The only thing I can say is that they are definitely negative. I can feel it. Is there more, Harry?"

"Yes. Professor Snape was a student here at Hogwarts at the same time my parents were here. They did not get along well. There were some bad things that took place between them. I think Professor Snape holds what they did to him against me, even though I wasn't even born yet."

"How do you know this, Harry? Did he tell you?"

"He did, but indirectly. I don't know if I should tell you this. He'd kill me if he knew. You won't tell him, will you Jo?"

Jolicia felt that she should tell Harry not to tell her, but her thirst for some insight to Severus' psyche was too strong. She found herself swearing to Harry that she would never divulge what he told her.

Harry said, "It began last year, when Professor Snape was teaching me Occlumency. He always used his Pensieve. One day, I looked into it and saw one of the memories stored within. It was not a happy memory."

Harry proceeded to recount how his father, James, and his friends had teased and humiliated the young Severus. His mother had even been part of the scenario.

"I knew I shouldn't have looked into the Pensieve, but I couldn't help myself. It was because of what I did that he stopped teaching me Occlumency. I don't think he can bear that I know about his humiliation. You're the only person I've told."

"Do you regret what you did, Harry?"

"Yes, very much so. I don't like the fact that I betrayed Professor Snape. He must have trusted me on some level. I don't think he ever thought I would do what I did. I didn't think I ever would either, but there you go. I'm not the perfect boy that some people think I am. My curiosity got the better of me. I also don't like what I saw about my father. Snape had always told me that my father was arrogant. I never believed him. I saw it for myself."

"It must be hard for you. You never knew your Mum and Dad, so you've built up a perception of them, put them on a pedestal, if you like. You saw something that went against everything you believed about them. That had to hurt a lot. But you know something, Harry? They were human. They had their faults, along with their strengths. They were young when the event you witnessed took place. Sometimes in our youth, we do things we regret later. I'm sure if they had lived, they would be sorry for the pain they caused Severus. Unfortunately, something that he said to me recently causes me to think that the scars he carries have not healed - the wounds are still quite raw. I don't know if he will ever be able to heal them, Harry."  Harry saw how sad his teacher suddenly looked.

Jolicia continued, "Headmaster Dumbledore told me how your parents died. They gave themselves for you, Harry. That's one thing you can always hold on to – they loved you more than they loved life itself. Hold onto that love, it will see you through any hardship that life brings you."

"I try to, Jo, but it's hard sometimes. I really do try." Tears had started to make their way slowly down Harry's cheeks.

Jolicia held out her arms to him and said, "Let it out, son, let it out."

He flew to her and the river of tears came – tears for his parents, tears for the sadness he suddenly felt for Professor Snape, tears for himself, for the weight he carried on his shoulders. Jo rocked him and cried right along with him until neither had a single drop left. They sat together in silence, trying to absorb all that had been said.

Harry glanced at the time and came to a realization.

"Oh, no! I just missed Charms."

"Harry, I'm sorry. I never planned to get into this today. It just all came out naturally. Here let me write you an excuse for Professor Flitwick," said Jo picking up her quill and a piece of parchment.  She handed him the note.

"Wait one more second, Harry." She picked up her wand and waved it at his face and then hers.

"That's better. No more red nose and eyes. No one will ever know. One more little secret to share, my boy," she said with a grin.

"Thanks, Jo. See you later."  Harry hugged her one last time and left.

Jolicia climbed the stairs to her office. She sat down at her desk and leaned back in the chair.

"No wonder Severus was freaked out when he thought I was making fun of him," she thought. Slowly, the pieces of the puzzle were starting to fall into place.

"Severus Snape, you're a very complex man!" Jo said to no one but herself.

Hogwarts settled back into its daily routine. Nothing of special import took place – the days rolled into one another as the month of November sped by. Severus had not missed a single Quidditch practice or match since the beginning of the season. He made it a point to sit with Jolicia, something she had come to appreciate. She found herself looking forward their time together, no matter where it was. There were also days when she saw neither hide nor hair of him. On one such occasion, Jo had even gone to his office, thinking she might entice him to join her for supper. She had been most disappointed when he was nowhere to be found. It had piqued her curiosity – where did he disappear to? This added one more Snape mystery to be solved.

Jolicia began to think that he also looked forward to being with her. She had noticed how he searched the Quidditch crowd looking for her, his eyes roving until they found their target. Jo could swear he was annoyed the day that Professor Flitwick had sat with them in the stands. Severus had even gone so far as to suggest that the tiny man might be better off if he took a seat higher in the stands.

"Better view from up there, you know," Severus had tried. Flitwick didn't take the hint. Severus had scowled to himself, or so he thought. Jo had noticed.

One Saturday evening, Jo came into the staff room carrying a fancy little paper bag. Her pulse quickened slightly when she saw that Severus was the only other occupant of the room.

"Look, Severus! Look what Harry brought me back from Hogsmeade, bless his heart," Jo exclaimed.

He watched intently as she removed a small silver hammer and a silver box from the bag. She removed the lid, set it on the table and then held the box up to her nose and inhaled deeply. She then tipped the box so he could see the contents.

"Oh, just chocolate – is that all?" he said, obviously not impressed.

"Is that all, you say? My dear Severus, this isn't 'just chocolate' as you put it. This is the world's best – Honeyduke's Extra Fine Special Dark Chocolate. It is to die for."

"Why in the name of Merlin would anyone 'die' for chocolate?"

"It's an expression. I just mean it's that good. Don't you like chocolate, Severus?"

"I like it. I never thought it was something I would give my life for, however. I can take it or leave it."

Jo looked at him in mock horror. "You like chocolate. I LOVE the stuff. I had this kind only once before. It is THE BEST, trust me. Want some?"

"I wouldn't want to deprive you of the company of your lover," he smirked.

"Ah ha! Severus finally shows he has wit! Nice one. Since you're my good friend, I will share with you, if you promise to behave. I just thought of something- if the chocolate is my lover, and we sharing it, does that mean we're having a ménage à trois?"  She waited for his reaction.

Severus just cocked his head to one side and raised his eyebrows.

"Damn! He is unflappable!" Jo thought.

She picked up the little hammer and gave the rectangle of chocolate a good thump. It broke into bite sized morsels. She offered the box to him first. He took a small piece and popped it into his mouth. She looked for a reaction.

"Severus! Are you chewing?" she gasped.

He stopped, looking a little bewildered and said, "Yes, that is how one normally eats. You remember how, don't you? Once the food is in your mouth, you move your jaws up and down and your teeth do the rest."

"Very funny. Don't tell me you don't know how to eat chocolate the proper way?"

"I wasn't aware that there was a right and wrong way. Would you care to enlighten me, Jolicia?"

"Well, for starters, you never chew. Put the chocolate between your tongue and the roof of your mouth. You let the chocolate s-l-o-w-l-y melt, savoring every molecule. You experience the chocolate. Here, watch me."

She took a fair sized morsel and did what she had just told Severus to do. She closed her eyes and made little moans of pleasure as the divine richness flooded her senses.

"Oh, yes. Heaven, pure heaven." She opened her eyes and gazed at him.

Severus found himself mesmerized. Jo had a little touch of melted chocolate at the corner of her mouth. He suddenly had an overwhelming urge to lean over and lick it off. He swallowed hard.

He cleared his throat, pointed to the corner of his own mouth and said, "Um, you have a little chocolate just there."

Jo slipped her tongue slowly to the spot he had indicated and lapped it up. She was sure he was breathing a little faster than he had been. Good, she was getting to him at last.

"My god, I forgot how wonderful it could be. I think I just had a gastronomic orgasm. Your turn now, Severus." 

She saw him swallow hard once again. Instead of offering him the box, Jolicia selected a piece and fed it to him. As she placed it in his mouth, her finger grazed his lower lip. He was struck by another overwhelming urge - this time to capture her finger and suck it. He resisted the temptation once again. Severus attempted to duplicate her technique, but without the vocalizations. This time, he let the chocolate melt slowly rather than gobbling it down. He did have to admit it was wonderful. She studied him, waiting for comment.

"It is better taken your way, Jolicia. The chocolate tastes completely different. I wouldn't go so far as saying it was orgasmic, but it was enjoyable."

Jo laughed and said, "Good, I'm glad I was able to initiate you. That concludes tonight's lesson - Chocolate 101. I'll leave you some so you can practice. Next class, there might be an exam, so study hard. I have to go, Severus. Have a good night." She wrapped up a good quantity of the chocolate, placed it on the table, smiled and left.

Jo undid the collar of her blouse and fanned herself as she walked along. She had worked herself up pretty well and was sure she had done the same to him. She had shocked herself with her own daring. Jolicia had been called many things in her life, but temptress was not one of them. What had occurred in the staff room had not been a planned scenario. The chocolate had brought out the vixen in her. She would have to thank Harry again!

Severus stayed in the staff room for quite awhile. He was stunned. What was that infernal woman doing to him? He could not believe how turned on he had become just from eating chocolate. He conceded that it wasn't so much the chocolate, but the way Jolicia had eaten it. He had never witnessed anything so sensual.

"I can't let this happen again. I can't let Jolicia get under my skin," he vowed. "I must try to stay away from her as much as I possible. No, it mustn't happen again."

Before he realized it, he had eaten all of what she had left for him. He had let the entire mound of chocolate melt slowly, deliciously in his mouth.

The students had also settled back into their routines, a routine of lectures, studying, research, and writing essays, not to mention extra-curricular activities as well. To them, there weren't enough hours in the day. It felt to as if each professor had forgotten that they weren't the only one teaching and assigned mountains of homework. Most students felt crushed under the weight. Hermione, on the other hand, thrived on it. The more she had to do, the better it was. Most nights, Hermione could be found slaving away in the library. She had very few distractions.

Hermione was hard at work putting the finishing touches on her essay for Professor Snape entitled 'Bloodroot – Fact or Fiction?' exposing the potent plant's true uses in potion making and debunking the properties that were of legend only. Among the many properties that the Bloodroot was purported to possess was that it could be used to brew a longevity potion. This, of course, was untrue and Hermione had gone into great detail explaining why this was so. Snape had requested three feet of parchment; Hermione had written five. She had just finished re-reading her essay for the third time when she heard a loud banging coming from behind a row of bookshelves. She got up to investigate and was almost hit by a flying textbook.

"Fucking Arithmancy!" cried Draco, pitching another book across the room.

"Draco, what's wrong? Why are you throwing your books around the library? You almost beaned me." inquired Hermione.

"Sorry, Hermione. I don't get Arithmancy. I keep going over these damned number charts and I can't get them to make any sense. Ask me to brew you a potion, any potion – no problem. Ask me to calculate your star chart – no problem. This – big problem. I'm too fucking stupid to get it!" cried Draco with frustration, running his fingers through his pale blonde locks.

"Calm down. What section is it that you're studying?" Draco picked up his charts and showed them to her.

"You're in luck. Arithmancy is my favorite subject. Go collect your textbooks and explain it to you."

"You don't mind helping me, Hermione?"

"No, of course not. Have you forgotten we're friends? I'd love to tutor you," smiled Hermione.

Draco picked up the textbooks he had thrown in anger and sat down beside Hermione.

She began, "The trick to understanding Arithmancy is this…"

Hermione spent three hours going over all of his homework. Most of it she had to explain twice, but by the end of the three hours, Draco finally understood what he had not been able to understand since September.

"Bloody hell, Hermione! I understand. I really and truly understand!  You weren't kidding when you said it was your favorite subject. It would have to be for you to understand it so well."

"I knew you'd get it eventually Draco. You are not stupid, so don't ever let me hear you say that again, okay?"

"I guess you've never had a problem trying to learn something, have you?" She shook her head.

"Well Hermione, let me tell you something, it is the most frustrating experience you can have. I was ready to pull out my hair before you came along. How did you get to be so smart?"

Her cheeks flushed and she replied, "I suppose I get it from my parents. They're both dentists, you know."

Hermione held her breath, waiting for Draco to make some snide comment about it being impossible for her to have inherited her intelligence from her Muggle parents. She was pleasantly surprised.

"Your parents are lucky to have a daughter like you, Hermione."

"Thanks, Draco. That's very sweet of you to say." The flush in her cheeks became a full blown blush.

"Hermione, I was wondering, um, if, perhaps we could study together? Sometimes? If you wouldn't mind, that is."

"Sure, Draco. Anytime you'd like. Just come over and join me."

A wide smile crossed his face.

"Brilliant! Thanks, Hermione.  It's getting late. I think we better get going, don't you?"

They gathered up their belongings and left the library. Just before they split up, she to go up to the Gryffindor common room and he to go down to the Slytherin, Draco gave Hermione a quick, somewhat awkward hug and told her thanks once more.

Draco entered the Slytherin common room feeling quite pleased with himself. A loud voice disrupted his mood.

"Well, well. Wasn't that the most precious thing I've ever seen?"

"What the fuck are you talking about, Pansy?" he snarled.

"You and the Granger Mudblood - all cozy together in the library."

"Are you spying on me, Parkinson?"

"Don't flatter yourself. I just happened to be there. What's up with the two of you?"

"Not that it is any of your business, but she was helping me with Arithmancy."

"I think you fancy her. Next, you'll be snogging in the broom closet."

Draco had to think fast. He didn't want Pansy to know that he and Hermione had become friends.

"Are you thick? I'm using her, that's all. I needed help with my work; she was the one to do it. I even tricked her into letting me study with her from time to time. Isn't that rich? I fooled her into thinking we're friends." He let out an evil laugh. "Gross, me, kiss Granger? Makes me shudder to think of it. I'd rather kiss McGonagall."

"That's a relief. I thought you were going soft, Malfoy. Nice one, fooling Granger and all. Sorry for doubting you, Draco."

He gave Pansy the Malfoy sneer. "Don't let it fucking happen again, Parkinson."

Once in his room, Draco was again feeling pleased with himself.  Not only had he mastered his worst subject, he had covered up brilliantly with Pansy.

Draco lay on his bed, arms under his head and congratulated himself, "I won't have to come up with excuses all the time. From now on, my fellow Slytherins will think I'm just using Hermione whenever they see us together. Bloody brilliant, if I do say so myself!"