J. k. rowling's idea, not mine.

Chapter 2:

Snape woke up the next day in pain. Every inch of his skin felt like it was being torn off from his body. He tried moving but the action only added to the excruciating feeling that covered him. Without thought, he yelled out for help, hoping someone would be near enough to hear him. He could hear someone running around in his quarters and suddenly felt a cold liquid running down his throat.

After choking and sputtering a bit, the pain mercifully started to dull. He opened his eyes to see large brown eyes looking at him in concern. The owner of the eyes began speaking loudly.

"Professor Snape? Are you alright? Do you still feel pain?"

"Thank you, Miss Granger. I'm feeling better." He didn't know why she felt it necessary to yell, but since she held the keys to his pain relief, he thought he should at least be congenial towards her. There was an awkward pause where they just looked at each other before Snape spoke again. "So, Miss Granger, are you to be my caretaker then?"

"Yes, I am." She sounded apologetic and he decided it would probably not be a fun time. He cringed at the thought of having to be taken care of, but conceded to defeat due to the state he was in just fifteen minutes prior. He cringed also at having the know-it-all in his rooms, sharing his space, his bathroom, his bookshelves! How would he survive with such endless chatter? The questions would be relentless, of that he was sure. He would just have to make sure Miss Granger knew that he would not be up to answering any questions that weren't pertaining to his health.

Or, he could just pretend he was sleeping. He was about to put his plan in action when she got up and left him alone. 'Hmm, that worked well,' he thought with a smirk to himself.

Hermione walked into the adjoining room which was hers for the time being. The room was quite large and included a massive bed, desk, bookshelf, and a wardrobe. The furniture was all made of rich mahogany. A large rug and the bed linens were paired in a beautiful cranberry color and a comfy white recliner sat in front of the bookshelf.

Hermione decided to make quick use of the white chair and sank, boneless, into it. She reviewed the events of this morning. She hadn't been asleep, but somewhere between asleep and awake. Therefore, she was fairly disoriented when she heard a strangled cry for help. She couldn't think of who it might be, and what might be wrong. Why was someone in her apartment? Was one of the boys calling for help through the floo?

Upon opening her eyes she remembered where she was and realized Snape had probably just awoken to a ridiculous amount of pain. She had scrambled to retrieve the potion which would ultimately be his new God. She had hastily given him the potion and waited for it to take effect. Anxiety had begun to settle in the pit of her stomach for the fear that he wouldn't feel better. She was very concerned that he was hurting and would have to suffer longer than necessary. She had been very relieved when he revealed that he felt much better.

After their quick conversation she had left the room, realizing how much he hated that she was there, and that she would be there for quite a while. The look of disgust on his face had hurt. She knew he had hated her in school, but the thought that her very presence appalled him so much made her feel very terrible. She had finally proven herself to the one teacher she had always worked so hard for, and he was appalled that he had to withstand her existence.

During Hogwarts, Hermione had worked hard in all of her classes, not just to impress her teachers and classmates, but because she loved to learn and do well. She had been brought up to do her best in everything and that's how she led her life. She had been able to please herself, as well as all of her professors; all except one.

Potions class was the hardest of all the magical subjects she took during her time at Hogwarts. However, she met every challenge head to head and did very well in defeating those challenges. After each class she had handed in her potions and exams, looking to her surly professor for some type of recognition, but had been disappointed each time. He would just scowl at her and make some comment about how much of a know-it-all she was.

The insults had hurt then, and they hurt now. Hermione was discouraged about this job, but she knew that he needed someone, and, unfortunately, it had to be her.

Knowing he would be fine for a time, and not wanting to go back in his room, she set about planning her first lesson. Potions class had been cancelled for a couple days but tomorrow she would begin a short career as a teacher. She wasn't sure she would like teaching. Though she had always enjoyed the tutoring sessions she would have with other students, an entire class of students who don't really like a subject intimidated her. Not that she cared if they liked her, really, but she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to command the room like Snape had. They wouldn't pay attention. They would make stupid mistakes. They would blow her up!

"Stop working yourself up," she told herself sternly while she walked into the kitchen area for some tea. "They aren't going to blow you up. Goodness!"

She jumped in embarrassment when she heard a voice behind her. "Quite right Miss Granger. I do believe you will find the job a bit challenging, however, I do not think you managed to fail any challenge when you were in my class, and you should do fine."

Hermione turned, cheeks red, to see that the door to Professor Snape's room was open, and he was looking at her with some amusement. After her previous thoughts about him during Hogwarts, she was surprised to hear him giving her praise, so she called him on it.

"Professor, I didn't think you'd ever noticed that fact. You surely never recognized it while I was in your class. I was under the impression that you thought I was just a stupid little girl." She hoped he wouldn't snap at her, but braced herself to receive his vicious words.

Imagine her surprise when he looked at her apologetically. "Miss Granger, Hermione, I… I couldn't… I would have… you know." He stopped for a few minutes and gathered his thoughts. She was starting to doubt the fact that he really did hate her so she waited patiently for him to continue.

Snape on the other hand, found himself in a pickle. He didn't want to tell her that he had admired her hard work, because she had still annoyed him, and he was still very hesitant about their new living arrangements, but he felt bad at the amount of venom she had thrown into those words of condemnation. And it was true that he had been less than pleasant to her while she was in his class, but he couldn't very well have told her 'well done' and expected no result.

He thought she knew of his work for the order, but maybe she was just not thinking very clearly. He had been a spy for Dumbledore for around twenty years. Gathering information from Voldemort had been no easy task, and he had never been sure he would make it through the war. With the notion that he could die any day set in his mind, he wasn't usually very well tempered. Adding on the stress and fear of the war to his usually foul temperament made for a not so lovable potions master.

That, plus the fact that any kindness towards any but the slytherins would have gone straight to Voldemort's ears, had forced Snape to remain an angry person. He hadn't been able to praise even his best students and it had been awful, but it had worked. The Dark Lord would've, were he still alive, believed, to this day, that Snape was on his side. He thought that his smartest student could have figured this out, but apparently she still held onto the conviction that he hated her, along with all of her little friends.

Now he had to figure out how to dissolve this idea from her brain without letting her think she had his permission to badger him with questions.

"Hermione, I was under the impression that you knew I was working as a spy for the order." He looked at her for confirmation, saw her nod, and continued. "The prospect of my position being revealed to the sons of powerful death eaters was a strong deterrence against singing any praises to students who weren't in Slytherin house. I am… sorry that I was not able to encourage your growth in potions, however, the war would simply not allow it. I hope you understand."

He waited in silence while she contemplated his words. She knew what he was saying was true, and she felt stupid for not having realized the danger of him being nice to her, a Gryffindor and best friend of Harry Potter. Of course he would have to act like he hated her. She felt better immediately.

Noticing the time, she walked into his room and grabbed the potion from his side table and began applying it to his burns. She did this to look busy, because she wasn't exactly sure how to respond. Should she forgive him? Tell him she understood? She opted to just stayed quiet, and calmly apply the potion.

Snape was watching her while she cared for him so gently. She looked so nervous, like she was biting her lip from saying the wrong thing. He noticed that she had become quite pretty since she left school. Or maybe she looked the same, but he had never noticed before. Either way, he was noticing now. She, however, was looking at his burns, avoiding eye contact, but she finally looked up and spoke.

"I'm going to be teaching your class while you are unable." He looked surprised at this change in subject. He had been informed of her duties while he was incapacitated, though it still surprised him that she was to take his teaching position. She was a healer, and therefore knew much about potions, but enough to teach a class? She saw his confusion and continued. "Not many people know, it was never in the papers, but I actually earned the title of Mistress in Potions while I was at University along with my healing certification. But I've never taught before, and tomorrow is my first class. I'm very nervous about it, as you could probably deduce from my earlier ramblings." She laughed at herself a bit, and Severus realized that he was forgiven.

"I believe that with a strong background in Potions you will be able to conquer any classroom. So long as you do not let them get away with much. I know I took the role of bastard a bit too far," she snorted at this, while he ignored her, "but until this past week, I have never had a serious accident occur in my class. On the other hand, someone who was nicer to their students might be able to make friends with the students but they may also wind up with a student getting seriously injured."

Hermione thought about his words, and decided he had a point. Even Neville had never gone so far as to blow up the entire classroom, and no one had ever been seriously injured in any of her classes. Snape's point had some merit, and she determined that she would practice some of his tough love while she was in the classroom.

Noticing that her poor Professor had just attempted to stifle a yawn, Hermione decided he was due for some rest. She went to his desk and grabbed a dreamless sleep potion and helped him drink it. She presented him with a wide smile, which only grew wider when he returned it sleepily.

Just before Severus fell into a deep sleep he heard her whisper "thank you" and pet his hair back on his head. He mumbled an incoherent "you're welcome" back before slipping into unconsciousness.

In another part of the castle, a group of Gryffindors sat around their very upset friend, trying to calm him down. Jonathon Diamanti had just heard the worst news of his life. The past couple of days had been all fun and games, but tomorrow, tomorrow would be the end of the road for him. Professor McGonagall had announced at lunch that potions classes were to resume tomorrow, and he knew, deep in his heart, that Snape was going to kill him. He had seen Snape snap over the smallest occurance of rule breaking, and now he was going to see the professor's wrath at his worst.

Of course, Jonathon figured, he could always skip class, but he couldn't do that all year, and avoidance might make the impending confrontation worse. So he decided on his next best option. He would go to McGonagall after dinner, and tell her that he was dropping out of Hogwarts. So what if he was about to graduate, he couldn't graduate if Snape killed him!

His only problem now was, getting his friends to listen. They didn't understand. He was going to be tortured and killed if he didn't leave! But they just kept trying to calm him down.

"Hey, man. At least he'll probably make it quick" Robert was never very good at comforting people, and Patti walloped him in the head for his effort before taking her turn.

"Jonathon, Snape won't kill you! He probably will just give you detention until we graduate, but if you're lucky it will be with Hagrid or something." This didn't make Jonathon feel much better either.

"Guys, leave 'im alone now! Johnny!" His best friend, Scotty O'Brien exclaimed. "Snape can't kill you, man! He would go to Azkaban. I don't think he wants to do that, and plus, I bet ole' Pomfrey fixed him up quick enough. I bet he's not even that mad anymore, and if he gives ya a few detentions, we'll appeal to McGonagall. She'll hear us out. You'll be fine. Just come to class tomorrow. I promise, me and the boys won't let 'im harm ya. Okay?"

David's words had helped calm Jonathon a bit, and he thought, maybe he would wait it out one day to see how it went. He just hoped he had the ability to reflect on it later.

A/N: Well, thanks for the reviews on the first chapter. They made my day  I hope can get another chapter out before I go back to school next Sunday (can't wait), but I'm not sure. My friend's parents are gonna be out of town so I might have to spend some time with my friends Vodka, Rum and Coke. Hehehe and a hung over kate is not a very productive kate. But I'll do my best. Expecially if you keep reviewing. ;-) Okay…bye bye