Chapter 2

Hermione, Harry and Ron entered the Great Hall for dinner, Harry flopped miserably into his chair.

"I can't believe I have a detention with Snape on Monday, the whole weekend is ruined now, all I'll be able to think about is having to scrub cauldrons in that bloody dungeon."

"Yeah he's a right git" Ron replied sympathetically, accidentally spraying Hermione with mashed potato.

"It's Professor Snape Ron" Hermione scolded automatically as she wiped bits of potato from her robes. Seamus and Dean came strutting into the hall both looking very pleased with themselves.

"Hi guys, guess what? Me and Dean have got ourselves dates for the Halloween dance in two weeks."

"Who?" asked Ron eagerly.

"Parvati and Susan" replied Seamus smugly

"You lucky gits, their the best looking girls in the year!" exclaimed Ron

Dean looked quietly pleased with himself as he took the seat next to Harry, who was looking just a little bit envious. Hermione just rolled her eyes.

"There are more ingredients to a successful relationship than looks!" she lectured them.

"Yeah right!" snorted Ron, Harry smirked.

"Who said anything about a relationship?" Seamus asked innocently

Hermione rolled her eyes again, picked up her bag and stormed out of the hall. Harry was sure he heard her mutter "Boys!" under her breath as she left.

Hermione reached the common room and dumped her mountain of books on the table by the fire.

"Hi Hermione." Neville called cheerfully from the portrait hole as he entered the room. She smiled back at him and nestled down in a squashy armchair to get started on her homework. About half an hour later Hermione was just finishing off a rather challenging potions essay when Neville edged up to her.

"H…H…Hermione, doyouwanttogotothedancewithme?" he blurted out.

"What?" Hermione asked in a rare state of total confusion. Neville took several deep breaths and asked "Do you want to go to the dance with me on Halloween"? Hermione blinked, rather taken aback "I…can I think about it?" she replied in what she hoped did not sound like a harsh refusal. "Oh okay" Neville replied slightly deflated, "I'll just be over here then." He muttered, blushing and returned to a dark, distant corner of the common room.

Hermione sighed and, unable to distract herself with the rest of her homework (not that she hadn't tried really hard) she decided to go to the library. She walked out of the portrait hole and down the corridor not watching where she was going and rushed up the seven small steps to the library door, when all of a sudden she collided with something tall, black and solid which sent her flying and she landed sprawled on the floor at the bottom of the steps.

"Miss Granger!" hissed an angry, all too familiar voice. Hermione looked up to see the irate form of her potions master towering over her, fixing her with a deadly glare. She got up (rather awkwardly) and dusted herself off.

"I'm sorry sir I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Ten points from Gryffindor." Professor Snape snapped

"But sir it wasn't my fault." She blurted out before she could stop herself

Snape raised an eyebrow and looked at her coldly, Hermione cringed and inwardly cursed her lack of self control, she knew what was coming next.

"Detention, Monday evening at eight o'clock in my office!" he snapped. Hermione gaped open-mouthed at him, too angry and confused to do anything else.

"Return to your common room Miss Granger." Snape told her slowly, as though speaking to an imbecile, a glint in his obsidian eyes. Hermione turned and hurried off back down the corridor, glancing over her shoulder as she turned the corner she saw Professor Snape still standing there, watching her go.

"Dimidia natura" hissed Snape and the door to his chambers materialized in the wall before him. He swept in to his living room and flopped down onto the large couch in front of the fire. Miss Granger, Hermione he thought to himself wistfully as he realised how beautiful her name sounded in his head. Severus had just finished teaching for the day; his last class had been the N.E.W.T's level students which were usually his favourite class as they were usually capable of brewing a half decent potion. But this particular class was ruined by the presence of Potter, Weasley and Longbottom not to mention the know-it-all Miss Granger.

But no matter how much he tried to deny it to himself he could not help but find her eagerness endearing, annoying but endearing all the same. He thought about her chocolate brown eyes and luscious (and unruly) hair, just thinking about her made him hard and he had to supress a moan for about the tenth time today. He raised himself from the couch and picked up 'Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts' from one of the bookshelves that lined one the walls of the room in an attempt to distract himself. Two minutes later he decided it was pointless; no matter how hard he tried he could not stop fantasising about her. What is wrong with me? Students have never affected me this way before, not that I've never realised when they grew from girls to young women but…yuck! They are students not to mention total idiots. He looked at look on the mantle piece, the large silver snake head pointed at 'Time for dinner'. Severus groaned in annoyance and rose from the couch; he straightened his robes and made his way to the Great Hall.

"Good evening Severus" Dumbledore greeted, he nodded to the Headmaster and took the only available seat on Dumbledore's left hand side. Severus hated sitting next to Dumbledore during dinner, its not that he wasn't fond of the old man but he had an awful habit of talking incessantly which always stopped him from bolting down his food and escaping to his quarters. Severus picked up his knife and fork and was just about to begin eating his steak and kidney pie when Dumbledore cleared his throat and asked "Severus how is your seventh coming along, Harry, Ron and Hermione are doing well I trust?" Severus knew exactly what the old codger was insinuating; that he treat the Golden Trio unfairly because of his hatred of Potter's father.

"Potter and Weasley are just able to cope thanks to Miss Granger who is achieving acceptable grades."

Dumbledore smiled and replied "Oh don't be so modest Severus, I'm sure that with your… er… 'patient' tutelage they are progressing exceptionally well."

Snape scowled, he was in no mood for the old man's jokes tonight. Dumbledore chuckled and patted him on the back. Severus scowled again and continued eating. Thankfully Dumbledore said nothing more, Minerva was telling him about Miss Granger's outstanding results in transfiguration. By the time Severus had started on dessert (cornflake cake, one of his favourites) Dumbledore turned to him and asked "Miss Granger certainly has many excellent attributes, don't you agree Severus?" Severus almost smirked as his mind began to explore the scope of that comment but managed to stop the smirk from reaching his lips just in time. McGonagall was glaring at him warningly, as though daring him to disagree with Dumbledore's comment about her favourite pupil and Dumbledore was looking at him with an unmistakable twinkle in his eyes.

"Her potions grade is nothing remarkable." he replied shortly, he tried hard not to smirk again as he knew exactly what sort of reply his little lie would provoke from Minerva.

"Severus!" gasped Minerva "She is achieving an outstanding constantly in your classes and in every other subject she takes."

Severus merely shrugged and continued eating his cornflake cake, allowing his mind to drift to thoughts of Hermione and before he knew it he was staring at her. She was sitting with the Scruffy Haired Idiot and his side-kick Weasley. Merlin she looks wonderful he thought as he gazed wistfully at her whilst she began talking to Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, she seemed angry and very exasperated. Her mouth looks lovely, oh look she hasn't got her outer robe on and her shirt is rather tight he mused as he watched her, captivated as she stormed out of the Great Hall. He felt someone watching him and turned to see Dumbledore looking at him, a knowing look in those sparkling blue eyes. Severus raised a questioning eyebrow, trying to look as innocent as he could but knowing the old man would see right through it. Dumbledore smiled and said "Not getting too…erm…distracted are we Severus?" Severus scowled in reply and Dumbledore's smile grew wider. "I must say Miss Granger is developing very well, with her work for the Order I mean." Dumbledore's smile had vanished and a carefully construed innocent expression had replaced it but his eyes were still twinkling. Severus nodded, he could deny that her knowledge of the Muggle world had come in useful but he would be dammed if he would agree that a Gryffindor and one of Potter's best friends were so valuable to the wizarding world. But she's valuable to you isn't she? whispered a little wheedling voice in the back of his head. Severus suppressed it with difficulty as unbidden images of Hermione came into his head; her in potions class with her plastered to her head because of the steam from the cauldron, her face was all flushed and she sweaty. He blinked and cleared his mind then rose from the table.

"If you will excuse me Headmaster I have some essays that I really must grade."

"I never knew you to be so enthusiastic Severus, oh and try not to upset them too much will you?" Severus couldn't help himself, he smirked knowing full well that at least two of his third year Ravenclaws would burst into tears over the comments he had written on their essays. He inclined his head to Dumbledore and swept out of the Great Hall, heading towards the library.