AN: I did not write chapters 1 through 5 they were writen by LucyFerina

Chapter 4

His Apprenticeship And His Pet

Hermione after knocking at the door of the potion class she quietly entered and she got closer to 'Severus' desk where he was marking some essays. He looked up from the parchments and after assessing her for a while he spoke "Tell me Miss Granger, what was yesterday about? I didn't fail to notice that you have been watching me during all the meals and I'm very annoyed about your behaviour"

Hermione felt her cheek getting red 'Merlin, I'm blushing in front of 'Severus' what's going to think now? What can I say?' She breathed and then an idea pop into her mind. "Well Sir, I've been watching you because I wanted to ask you something but somehow I could never figure out when was going the right time to do so". She kept her finger crossed that he believed her.

Severus could see that it was a lie but decided that he was curious enough to pretend to believe her and almost sneering replied "Then I guess now you can ask your question Miss Granger"

Hermione seemed to ponder one more minute if she really wanted to go further with her lie but then she decided to give it a try. "Sir, Iwantedtoaskyouificoulddoanextracreditprojectofpotionswithyouplease" Severus looked at the nervous girl and asked her to repeat slower her question "I wanted to ask you if I could do an extra credit project of potions with you please"

He looked at her "No, now that you got your answer leave me alone and stop watching me at meal time. I believe your detention is over Miss Granger now leave before I change my mind" and then he returned his attention to his papers.

Hermione got angry 'How does he dare treating me like this!' She was so enraged that she decided against better judgement to speak back "Sir, I don't understand why not. I'm one of the best students in Potion, I know a lot and I've always done well. Can you reconsider your answer?"

Severus looked at the girl in front of him, a Gryffindor, with a nice brain and good potion skills, her thirst for knowledge infinite, Potter's friend, muggle-born, he had so many reason to dislike her but he didn't. She was smart and reliable, she was precise and talented, he didn't care about her origins or her friends but he was troubled by the thought of the Dark Lord hearing that he was teaching a muggle-born. He sighed, this summer had been one of the worse of his life, Draco Malfoy had turned to the Dark Lord and he had to train him. He felt sadness inside, he didn't manage to save him, he had promised to Narcissa that he would save him and he failed her. Nothing has been the same since Draco's initiation, Lucius had been a good teacher and the boy didn't possess any notion of mercy and love.

Hermione was watching 'Severus' thinking, she knew something was troubling him but she was sure it wasn't something about her so she waited to have an answer.

Severus stopped thinking about Draco and looked at Miss Granger, he sighed again "Miss Granger, I decided to give you a chance, you have a week to prepare a project to show me. I want you to write a parchment on the reason for your choice, of the sources and ingredients you intend to use and what you are planning to achieve. If you do a good job then I will take you as a kind of apprenticeship. Now leave"

Hermione was shocked for a second, then when she grasped what he said she squealed and without thinking hugged her professor. Then with horror realising what she had done she fled from the class but not before saying to the shocked professor "Sorry Sir, thank you Sir, I will be back in a week Sir".

Hermione was giggling along the way out of the dungeons 'of all the weird things I have done until now hugging 'Severus' is now on the top of the list'. She was grinning when she raised her head and saw Malfoy at the end of the corridor. 'Not now, please go away Malfoy' but as much as she wished he would disappear he was still there.

Draco saw 'his pet' smiling and then when she noticed him he saw her getting a pained expression. Approaching him Hermione got a determined look and started to pass near him without acknowledging him 'I've almost passed him' but she was taken out of her thoughts by a strong hand clamped on her arm.

Draco looked coldly at 'his pet' and with a smirk said "Where exactly do you think you are going? And without even saluting me. Tsk Granger I thought your muggle parents taught you a bit of education. Of course I was mistaken only pureblood posses a fine etiquette." Hermione was looking at him with a bit of fear and a bit of anger "Hi Malfoy, I'm sorry to say that's not nice to see you. Now if you kindly release your hand from my arm I would like to leave. Besides you're hurting me"

Draco was still smirking "Well Pet, I'm very happy to know that you will have marks on your skin, nothing better for you to know that you belong to me, by the way, Pet, it's very dangerous for a Mudblood to be in the dungeons alone. Please allow me to escort you to the Great Hall."

Hermione was amazed by his behaviour 'he called me pet! He said I belong to him and then he wants to protect me from whom? Just people like him' she just nodded to what he said and she let him lead the way to the Hall when they reached the destination he finally let her go and she turned to face him "Malfoy don't you ever dare to touch me again! I'm not a pet and definitely I'm not your property so stay away from me or I'll hex you. You and your kind disgust me and when the war will start, it will be my pleasure to fight against you and the Death Eaters. Watch your back then because I will not spare you" and with that she left him standing there without waiting for a reply.

She walked calmly until the portrait of the Fat Lady where finally her strength abandoned her and she slipped down on the floor. She had been so tense, scared and angry that she didn't have any control on the words she said but the worse was that when she left she thought that she heard 'the Monster' chuckling.

And indeed Draco had been laughing, he thought that his fiery 'pet' was magnificent and the desire to possess her and to break her increased even more in him. 'I will never get bored with the little know-it-all' and then he turned and went back to his lair.