Hi! This is my first fanfic, so please R&R! I much appreciate any comments, whether criticism or praise. So, here goes:

Chapter 1: Note to Self

Walking through the double doors, Hermione looked around one last time at the school she had called home for the last seven years. She had graduated last week. As she turned to join Harry and Ron in the carriage, she heard someone call her name.

"Hermione! Please! Wait!" She couldn't believe it! Snooty, stuck-up Potions Master Professor Severus Snape was running full-out to get to her before she joined her friends!

"Yes, Professor?" She couldn't believe this was happening! "Did I make a mistake on your final?" Idiot! He would have told her the day of the exam if she had messed up.

He pulled her to the side of the entrance, checked to make sure no one was looking, then kissed her. When he released her and stepped back, all Hermione could do was stare at him. She never suspected he returned her feelings for him. She had kept her secret well hidden, even Harry and Ron never suspected anything.

"Professor? I--

"Miss Granger—Hermione—I . . . I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. It was an impulse I couldn't resist. I came down here to ask if you would consider staying during the summer to become my Potions apprentice? The Headmaster has already approved it, of course."

During all this, Hermione just stood there, not believing what she was hearing. Did Snape, the teacher who supposedly hated her, ask her to spend the entire summer with him? Apprentices, she knew, worked for a teacher for an entire year. Did he want her around him for another 12 months? It was impossible! She tuned back in just in time to hear him say something important. "I'm sorry, Professor. What did you say?"

Severus gave an exasperated sigh. Did this girl ever take her head out of the clouds? "I said, Miss Granger, that if you don't want this position, then I'm sure Malfoy will take me up on the offer." He was counting on her hatred of Malfoy to force her to take the job. It worked. Almost.

"Professor, I'm not sure why you chose to ask me, but I will become your apprentice . . . on one condition. You will treat me with respect. I am no longer your student for you to boss around. I am now your equal as an adult." Hermione knew that Snape probably wouldn't agree to it, not if he had to treat her as an equal in public.

Snape couldn't believe it. He knew that Hermione always spoke her mind, but he didn't realize that she had her own opinion, even with her smartness. With her standing in front of him with her hand on her hip, her puffy hair spilling over her shoulder, and her head held high defiantly, he realized how beautiful and grown up she looked.

"Professor. Professor! Severus!" The use of his name jolted him back to reality. "I would prefer that you stop staring at me as if I just grew two more heads."

What! I wasn't staring! Was I? Snape supposed he was. I need to get out of this! Snape searched his thoughts quickly, trying to find some excuse. "I apologize, Miss Granger. I'm afraid I was lost in thought trying to get my summer assignments in order." He knew she wouldn't buy it, unfortunately it was the best he could come up with on such short notice.

Maybe I just wanted him to be staring at me. Hermione wished she had just kept her mouth shut. "I'm sorry, Professor. I should not have spoken so." She waited for his usual snide, rude reply.

"Nonsense, Miss Granger. If you are to be my new apprentice, you must be able to speak your mind. Clearly you have no problem with that ability." God, I can't believe she bought that! Snape mused silently as he watched her run up to the two morons she considered her friends. In fact, the only reason they had passed Potions was because they were so close to her. He couldn't upset her by not allowing her friends to graduate with her, could he? Besides, he couldn't stand to see Potter's smirk or Weasley's annoyingly bright red hair for another year.

"Okay Prof – sorry – Severus. Harry and Ron are gonna tell my parents that I decided to stay her for the summer to continue to work on my Potions." Well, it was close to the truth, wasn't it? Her parents didn't need to know that she was staying to work on her Potions Master, did they? She was already planning on how to spend every moment of the day alone with Severus in his chambers, working on potions at first, she supposed. The tricky part would be getting him to allow her entry to his chambers. The furthest any student had been, she knew, was to his office for detention. It might take a while for him to call her "Hermione" though. She could already hear his voice saying her name! Huh? "What did you say, Professor?" She knew she couldn't have heard him right.

"Sense we are going to be working so closely I thought we could save ourselves some time and go by first names instead of those bothersome titles." This was going to be easier than he thought! "Hermione, I was hoping I could escort you to the dungeons to begin our work?" Please say yes! Please say yes!

This is going to be easier than I thought! Hermione beamed. "Yes, let's. I would first like to find my room so I can freshen up." I really hope he offers to bring me, instead of just giving me directions.

Can she even pretend to want to be my assistant? "Fine; come with me to the Headmaster's quarters, and we'll find out where you will be staying during the summer break." A sudden idea hit him. "However, during the school year, you will have to live in a side-room just outside of my chambers." I hope she doesn't mention this to Albus, he thought, the only room outside of my chambers is a supply closet.

Is God trying to tell me something? Hermione mused silently. "That's fine with me, Severus. As long as there is some kind of lock on the door so that I will have some privacy." Her face turned crimson. The privacy she wanted was for her to get to know Snape better. Much better. Of course she couldn't tell him, or anyone, that just yet. The only one who knew her secret was Ginevra Weasley who had become something of a younger sister to her. It didn't help that Ginny was currently shagging Harry, either.

Severus noticed her slight coloring. He wondered what it was that had embarrassed her so. It wouldn't be polite to ask. But then, when had he ever been polite? "Is something wrong Hermione?" Was it him, or did she flush slightly at the use of her name? Interesting. "I believe you can trust me enough to tell me what's embarrassed you?" God I hope so, he thought.

"Not now, Sev. I promise I'll tell you later." She didn't think "later" would be anytime soon, though. "Now let's go find my rooms, shall we?"

All Severus remembers was watching the gentle swaying of her hips as she led the way to the headmaster's chambers, and the thought "I have a nickname?"

Severus: Note to self: transform supply closet into extensive bedroom for Hermione.