Ooo, I get the feeling people aren't going to be too impressed with me after this chapter…. But I hope you all like it anyway! More OOCness stuff, but meh, it's gotta happen sometimes!

Enjoy!

Oh, and a special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Dragonmaster Kurai for the other day, I'm glad you liked my birthday present – a chapter!

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Chapter Eighteen

Saturday morning brought mixed feelings for Hermione Granger. While she was happy that Snape had informed her last night that today she would be returning to the Gryffindor Common room, she knew she was saddened to be leaving the care of Professor Snape. His company had been wonderful the past few days, much to Hermione's surprise, especially yesterday. Even though the egg and bacon pie incident was not mentioned again, they had worked in Snape's private potions lab in a very comfortable way.

Hermione found Snape most fascinating to work with outside of the classroom. He was clearly much more relaxed. He had asked her to brew him the healing potion, and then, having claimed it adequate (which she knew was a high compliment from this Potions Master), he had asked her to brew several other potions. While she worked, he also asked her to explain each other of the potions, what their ingredients did for them and what would happen if she did something wrong. Hermione had been very proud of herself when she found herself able to answer every one of his questions. And for since, her doing so was not greeted with the usual sneer.

Together they had worked side by side for four hours, Hermione wearing one of his black cloaks which she found surprisingly comfortable, despite the body size different between the two of them. She tried hard not to get caught up in his scent, which was laced within the material. While he did not smell dirty, or greasy, Hermione did not allow herself to dwell on the scent and analyse it, only to think in the back of her mind that it was most wonderful.

Once or twice, Hermione found herself needing to sit down. Her boils were no longer a bother, but from being in bed for almost the entire week, her body was not used to the movement. Adding to her shock of the past few days, Snape had been kind and told her to rest during those times she needed, sitting her in his chair, and quickly taking over the potion. Hermione told herself that this was only to avoid any damage.

After dinner, he helped her settle back into bed, and while she dosed herself up with potion, as she had become so apt at doing, he stood, studying his bookshelf. When he finally pulled a book down, he kept it in the dark, but she saw the smirk on his face. He had handed her the book, covering the title, telling her it was about time she read something new and exciting.

She couldn't help but laugh when she realised what book she was holding. "Hogwarts: A History, Sir?" she had said, pretending to be somewhat disgusted. "New? Hardly! Fascinating? Why, yes!" This had proceeded into an amusing conversation about the little know facts of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hermione could scarcely believe that this was the man who sneered and deducted points every few moments in the classroom. This man had been warm to her, open and to an extent, amusing. She could not believe that he would bring this side out to her.

But the Severus Snape that met Hermione when she woke Saturday was not the man she had spent the last few days staying with.

She had risen to find that her body was clean, clear of any signs of the boils that had caused her such pain. Oh, she knew one or two on her back were still there, but she was not worried about them. She was finally well again, she could finally go outside. Yet… she did not wish to leave the potions master to his lonely dungeons. She knew he had enjoyed her company, as much as he would deny it if ever questioned. She had enjoyed it as well. But she needed to see her friends!

Slipping out of bed, she wondered where Snape was. She had not allowed herself to call him Severus since yesterday, while feeding him the pie. While his reaction had not been what she had expected, she didn't dare try again, just in case. Several times, while working away in his private lab, she had almost stumbled; almost let that name fly from her lips.

Carefully, quietly, she had left the bedroom in her bed clothes, stepping into the sitting room. Snape was sitting there, on the couch, a book open in his lap.

"You're up." Hermione was taken back by the ice she heard in his voice.

Trying not to seem deterred, Hermione moved around to stand in front of him. "Yes, and my boils are just about all gone."

Without looking at her, he flicked his hand. The door that led to his office swung open. "Then if you no long require my assistance, leave."

"Sir?" She asked, knowing that her voice registered the shock that had flooded her body.

The book closed with a snap. "Leave. These are my private quarters. I demand you leave at once!" He stood, and still without looking at her, walked into his bedroom. He returned, holding a pile of parchment. Her homework from the past few days. "I believe you have everything, now leave." He sneered at her, thrusting the papers at her.

Unwillingly, tears stung Hermione's eyes. But she attempted to return his iciness, not caring about house points at this current point. What was wrong with him? They'd gotten along so well the past few days, what had happened to make him turn back into the man the rest of the school knew and feared. "Yes. Very well. Thank you, sir." She said, putting emphasis on that one word. Seeing him jump a little at her words, she opted for a quieter approach. "Thank you, Professor. I'm really grateful for you looking after me for the past week."

He finally raised his head to look at her, his black eyes hollow tunnels. "Leave." Was all he said.

Feeling the tears threaten to spill over, Hermione turned and fled the sitting room, his private quarters, and finally the dungeons all together. She ran through the castle, clutching her papers, tears flowing down her face, wearing only her bed clothes. She didn't are if people saw her. What had happened to him? What had she done?

Stopping outside the entrance to the Gryffindor tower, she waited for a moment, taking her wand out to transfigure one of the pieces of parchment into a handkerchief, quickly using it to wipe her face and try to calm down. If any of her friends were in the common room, she did not wish to return from a week with Snape looking like this. She knew exactly what they would think. Considering this further, she used her wand to cast a calming spell.

Gathering herself, she spoke the password and stepped through the hole in the wall. Walking into the Common room, she was greeted by the cries of "Hermione!" from Ginny, Ron and Harry. Ginny and Harry were sitting by the fire, holding hands. All three of them looked only half awake, and grinning at the sight of her.

Despite the calming spell Hermione has cast upon herself, tears threatened to spill again, so she just shook her head at the three, and ran to her bedroom, leaving her friends completely shocked. As shocked as she had been to meet such a cold, angry Snape that morning.

Since she was Head Girl, she had her own room, a room that all students could access if need be, or if they could not speak with her, leave notes for her to get in contact with them. Clearly her presence had been missed, judging by the pile of notes that waited for her, jut beyond her door, as they'd been slid under the door. Slamming the door, she kicked at the pile of notes before flinging herself onto the bed.

What had happened? Her mind cried, wondering how he could go from being so warm to being so icy while she was asleep. Should he have been even better today, knowing that he was going to be free of her presence, that she'd now leave him completely alone? Instead he'd been an icy, cruel man. Tears slipped down her cheeks, soaking her pillows.

A knock at the door startled her, and she yelled at whoever it was just to leave her alone.

"Hermione, we're not going to go away," Harry's voice rang through the door. "Let us in, tell us what happened! Did that bastard hurt you?"

With a flick of the wand, Hermione opened the door, though this flick reminded her of the one that Snape had performed just moments ago to throw her from his rooms. Her three friends entered the room, and moved to be beside her, Ginny closing the door.

Harry sat down on the bed next to her, while Ron proceeded to begin pacing. "What did he do to you?" He demanded to know.

"N-nothing," Hermione whispered. "You wouldn't understand." Realising how terrible this must sound to her friends, she let out a sniffle, and then moved off of her bed, and over to her set of drawers. Opening the third drawer, she pulled out a flask.

"Hermione, don't!" Harry cried.

"It's just a calming draught." Hermione said, taking some, and waited for its effects to kick in. She moved back to the bed, and sat down.

"What did that greasy git do?" Ron snapped, once she'd sat down again, earning himself glares from Harry, Ginny and Hermione.

"What happened, Hermione? We've been so worried about you." Ginny said softly, coming to put an arm around her friend. "McGonagall told us what happened and where you were staying, but we weren't allowed to come and see you. We've missed you. Please tell us what happened?"

Feeling the crying subside thanks to the potion she kept stored up from exam periods, Hermione began to tell them about the fever, about the delusions and about the kind Snape she had met. Oh, of course she didn't tell them about all the chats they'd had, the reading they'd done together, the way he'd been so lovely and warm and open to her. She only told them that he had not been nasty,

"Then this morning, he was horrible to me!" She whispered, looking at her hands. "I don't know what happened, but when I told him that all my boils were gone, he told me to get out."

"Stupid git was probably just tired of looking after you, he's a selfish bastard." Ron snapped. "I'm just glad he didn't hurt you."

Hermione couldn't tell him that their Professor had hurt her. For a while, she thought she'd almost made a friend in the surly Professor, someone she could converse with on occasions, and work with easily. To have that idea ripped away from her in such a cold way did hurt. But Ron, who hated the man, could never understand that, Hermione knew.

After awhile, the boys left, on assurances from Hermione that she was okay, that she should do her work now. Ginny hung back for a second, touching her friend's shoulder.

"Maybe he didn't want you to get better." She whispered. "Maybe he liked having you around and was upset that you were going to leave him." She left the room in a swing of red hair.

Hermione watched the door close. Snape? Be sad that she was going to leaving him to his peace? Quickly, she pushed that idea to the back of head.

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Deep in the dungeons, Snape sat in the same spot for hours on end, staring listlessly into the fire that he had conjured up to battle some of the coldness that had settled over his rooms. But the fire did nothing for it, or the cold angry that raged in his body. How could he have been so cruel to her, when clearly she'd only wanted to thank him for all he'd done for her? How could he had been such an ass, when he should have thanked her for all the things she'd done for him?

After having the young witch in his chambers for a week, he had grown to enjoy the company of the Gryffindor. She had been a very pleasant change from the cold, lonely evenings, someone to talk to, even to laugh with. Having her even in his potions lab had been wonderful, watching her work so well, explain things so clearly and know exactly what she was doing. She had the makings to be a great potions mistress.

He had foolishly allowed himself to forget his place, her place. He was a teacher; she was just a student, a student from his arch enemy house of all houses. And yet, here he was, wishing she was still ill, just so she'd stayed in his chambers just a while longer.

No! he protested silently. He could not allow that, he could not wish that Miss Granger was still here to talk to. He wanted his peace, he needed his peace, and her presence had only been an annoyance which he had highly anticipated the end of. He would not be dragged down by it. It would be with happiness that he would return to his lonely nights, his meals in the Great Hall, his empty bedroom.

He would not miss her….

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Hm, this chapter's not quite feeling right, but I'll post it anyway. It probably doesn't feel right because I've re-written it, like I said I never would do. –sigh—

First up, sorry to everyone who wanted to actually see them doing the brewing, I wrote that, and it was just horrible, so I couldn't have posted it, because you all would have slaughtered me for the horrible job :-P So, I'm really sorry everyone for that!

Taste's Like Home, thank you so much for your kind comments, I'll slap your author thing for not telling you I'd updated, lol. But then again, gave you more to read when you found it!

Can you please email me that link at sparkling silver angel wingsat hot mail (obviously an underscore in the spaces, symbol "at" and also the last two together – won't work otherwise) because it's not working :-P And yes, those things you thought he would be like may just show up later on in the story ;-)

Glad everything's making sense now iheartfredandgeorge83, feel free to email me if there's anything else you want to know!

Caiteethey might just already be there, they've only got to figure it out!

Ooo, it's great to hear where you're from suelensnape, I love hearing where my readers are from!