so, i still don't own any of the characters, and i'm still not getting any money. argh.

Hermione and her friends made their way through the crowded Gryffindor common room, on their way to their first class of the day. It was early December, and the halls, though drafty, were filled with Christmas cheer as the three first years descended into the dungeons for Potions with the Ravenclaws.

"'m tellin' you, 'arry," Ron was saying through a mouthful of chocolate chip muffin filched from the breakfast table, "if 'ufflepuff loses t' Ravenclaw, that'll put Slytherin in th' lead an' you'd 'ave to play them on Saturday an' if Snape's th' ref again then—"

"Oh, hush, Ron!" Hermione admonished. "Finish what you're eating before you spill crumbs everywhere! Look at you, you're covered with muffin!"

Ron swallowed, and then gave Hermione a messy grin. "With muffin, Hermione?" She scowled at him and harrumphed as they entered the Potions dungeon. They sat down at their usual table and settled in for a grueling lesson.

Snape entered the dungeon with his trademark sweeping-cape-accompanied-by-a-scowl, and the class hushed instantly. His lank black hair fell in his eyes and he shook it away irritably as he waved his wand and the instructions for the day's potion appeared on the board. "Get to it," he commanded, and the nervous first years bent over their cauldrons.

"Hermione," hissed Harry fifteen minutes later. "Hermione… Hermione!"

Annoyed, Hermione looked up from her happily bubbling cauldron, only to be faced with two identical expressions of despair from her best friends. "Oh, for goodness' sake," she muttered as she surreptitiously salvaged their potions. She was about to add crushed eye of newt when Snape spotted her.

Snape was having a bad day. He hadn't slept at all after his dream, and he lay awake for hours, wondering who his mysterious angel was. When his alarm went off, he groaned as he rose, bones cracking, and stumbled in to take a shower. The cold water woke him up, but it also put him in a very cranky mood. He had a headache, and he had discovered that morning that he'd run out of headache potion and he hadn't had time to brew another. Severus Snape was in the mood to pick on someone, and when he saw Granger helping Weasley and Potter, he smirked inwardly.

Silently, he strode towards them like a menacing shadow, eyes narrowed and hands clasped behind his back. "Miss Granger," he said sharply, and he smirked as she jumped. "What exactly do you think you're doing?"

Hermione turned bright red. "I'm adding crushed eye of newt to Ron's potion, sir," she stammered.

"I would appreciate it," Snape drawled, "if you would cease. 10 points from Gryffindor. And next time, Miss Granger, please try to refrain from interfering with my teaching."

Hermione's eyes narrowed and her lips pursed as she nodded wordlessly as the Great Greasy Git of the dungeons returned to his desk. When he was sure that Snape was safely out of hearing range, Harry passed her a note.

"You okay Hermione?"

"I'm fine," she wrote back. "Just fix your own potions from now on."

The two boys nodded their assent, and all three got back to work. When class was over, Harry and Ron turned to her as they walked to Transfiguration. "Snape's just a greasy git, Hermione," Harry said.

"Dunno why he's even teaching," Ron said, "if he hates it so much. Don't worry, Hermione, he'll die someday."

Hermione turned to them, shocked. "Don't talk about him like that," she hissed. "He's a teacher. And," she added, looking at Harry. "It's Professor Snape."

Unbeknownst to the Golden Trio, the Greasy Git overheard them. Snape smiled when he heard the exchange, comfortable in the familiarity of the students' hatred. The smile vanished, however, when he heard Hermione defending him. He barely concealed a stare, incredulous that she would defend him, and to her best friends! He looked away quickly, however, when he saw the boy look his way suspiciously.

"Don't look now," Ron muttered, "but he's right over there."

so how did you like it? r&r!

i know the story isn't going very fast, but it'll get moving pretty soon. i know that i'm jumping around alot, but it'll all make sense in the end.

mhr