All characters and subject matter taken from and used in the following are from Harry Potter and therefore owned by J. K. Rowling.
A/N: this is my first fic and I would be grateful if you could be nice about it. It developed through the encouragement from my good friend Serena Snape's fan fic – all credit to that author and if you have not read her work then you have missed something.
Hermione Granger walked up to the common room with Draco Malfoy and Professor Severus Snape on her mind. To most Gryffindors this would be considered highly unusual but Hermione knew something that she knew would make her special in the future. Malfoy, the irritating little weasel nearly made her blow it today in potions when he asked her about the digitoxins in the foxglove flower, a subject in which the students are not supposed to be versed in until Seventh year. As she was in her sixth year, it would be most unusual for even her to know about that. In fact knowing about the foxglove flower may suggest a personal relationship with a person who would also know this and, in her case, only one person could fit this, Severus. Nobody must know her relationship with Severus - on one hand it would violate almost the entire teacher-pupil communication rulebook and on the other hand knowing what Hermione did about Severus it was a danger for her to get too close.
"Miss Granger?" Talking of Severus Snape, here he came now, robes billowing. "I've been wanting a word, Hermione." He whispered in his silky voice once they were at close quarters, "Please can you be at my office at -" Hermione heard footsteps and attempted a normal conversation,
"Yes Professor Snape I understand that you specified the essay was to be only two rolls of parchment but -" Her voice trailed off as Professor Flitwick rounded a corner and the true conversation could be resurrected.
"Ten o'clock," murmured Severus and swept off before Hermione had a chance to respond. That was odd, thought Hermione, 'he has never asked me to meet him after dark before.' she decided to go to dinner and see her friends and forget about the request until later that night.
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Hermione was preoccupied and this meant she wandered without purpose. She found herself somewhere she had not been for a while, the walls lined with extravagant pictures of food and therefore she knew she was near the kitchens. There was someone trying to make the smallest amount of noise possible whilst still moving around the next corner and so, stealth being one of her specialities at training, she approached with care. Then she saw something silvery blond reflecting on the glossy painting in the corner 'Ah! So that is who it is' she thought.
"Good Afternoon, Mr Malfoy," She said in her imitation of Professor Sprout as she turned the corner. The only teacher she could justify being down this corridor at this time was Professor Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff House - the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room being twelve feet from where Draco was lurking. Malfoy jumped and spun around trying to look innocent.
"Granger," Malfoy said attempting to keep in place his Slytherin sneer but not quite managing with the shock of her arrival still showing on his face. "Why, may I ask, is a Mudblood like you wandering around the kitchen corridors? Surely the wonderful Granger Mudblood can't be lost." At this Hermione whipped out her wand.
"How dare you?" she snarled, " I am a better witch than many in this school. I could curse you right now and no one would be any the wiser." Hermione paused for breath briefly but before Malfoy could respond she went on, "You have no idea who you are dealing with."
Malfoy seemed to get the message and almost visibly shrank at the approach of a witch with more power than most could ever dream of.
"You have no idea who you are dealing with Malfoy" Hermione said again with an authority quite unlike her normal passive gentle self. "So don't even try to interfere with my affairs."
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A/N: this is just the first chapter and, depending on good reviews and depending on whether I can see this going anywhere, I will add chapters. Review and ask for more because those who do not ask do not get!