A/N: I'm glad you all liked the beginning. So here it is. She returns to Hogwarts. I only have one more chapter written so far but I'm working on it so don't worry. Thanks to all the reviewers. Carry on…

Chapter 2: Dreamer

Hermione stepped aboard the Hogwarts express with her luggage under her arms. She found an empty compartment and took a seat. She watched students walk back and forth talking with friends and buying sweets from the trolley. She remembered her many trips on this very train. She thought of Harry and Ron and had to fight back a tear. She had tried to convince herself that they weren't worth it. It was their loss. Before she knew it the train had stopped.

She sighed as she looked up at the castle. Here goes nothing. She stepped into the carriage and rode up to the castle. She entered the door to be greeted by Minerva McGonagall.

"Hermione darling! How are you?"

"Hello Professor. I'm fine. How are you?"

"Please dear, call me Minerva. I am no longer your professor. We're colleagues now. Come come, lets get you situated at the heads table." Minerva led Hermione through a side door and came out at the heads table. Hermione saw all the returning students filing in the Great Hall. Minerva showed Hermione a seat next to her own.

"Hermione dear. So nice to see you." Hermione turned around and found Albus Dumbledore walking over to her.

"Pro…Albus. I can't thank you enough for allowing me this position."

"If you two will excuse me I must go get the first years." Minerva said and left.

"I do have one question though Albus. If I'm the new potions professor, then what will happen to…"

"To Severus?" Hermione nodded and tried not to notice the twinkle in Dumbledore's eye. "We have given him the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

"Oh that's good then. I mean he's wanted that job ever since I can remember."

"Yes. Well after the feast I will show you to your rooms. Oh look there's Hagrid. Please have a seat and enjoy the feast." Dumbledore walked over to Hagrid. Hermione turned around to find Severus taking his seat at the other end of the table. Hermione's heart stopped but he didn't look at her.

After dinner Dumbledore showed Hermione to her rooms. They were enormous. Nothing like Severus's had been. Hers were not dark and brooding but full of color. Her bedroom was a deep purple and her bed was huge. She would have no trouble getting used to this. It was definitely better than her college dorm she had been in for the past four years. She had unpacked and was now pacing in front of the fire. She couldn't believe what she was doing taking this job.

"I can't do this. I can't do this. What was I thinking? Coming back here. I can't face him. It's obvious that he's gotten over me. Why did I agree to this? I can't do this. I need some air." She headed out into the hallway. She looked around the castle thinking about all the years she had spent there. She let herself wander around not paying attention to where she was going.

She rounded a corner and ran into something…or someone rather. She stumbled backwards but was caught by firm hands. She held the arms that were holding her up and looked up to see who they belonged to. She almost fell over again when her eyes fell on his.

"Sev…Professor Snape. I…I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

"That's quite all right Miss Granger. Might I ask what was so interesting that you didn't see me?"

"Nothing. I just wasn't looking, is all." She had so many things she wanted to say but none of them seemed to be on her mind right now.

"Very well. Carry on." Hermione walked past him and stopped. She waited until she was sure he was gone and sighed. Well I guess he's gotten over me.

Severus walked around some more before heading back to his rooms. He sighed. I guess she has gotten over me. He lied down in bed and fell asleep unusually quick.

"Minerva said you wanted to see me Albus."

"Ah Severus, yes please take a seat. I would like to talk to you about your job."

"My…job?"

"Yes. It has been aware that you have long desired the Defense Against the Dark Arts position."

"Yes I have actually."

"Well I think that you deserve it and I am willing to give it to you."

"Really? That's great Albus. Thank you. But who will be the potions teacher?"

"I would like to talk to you about that as well. You remember Miss Hermione Granger?"

"Yes, of course I remember her."

"Well, she is graduating this year from college with a degree in potions."

"Really that's amazing."

"I would like to offer her the position as potions professor. However, I wanted to get your opinion on it first."

"My…opinion? Well…I think it's a good idea. I mean she is a very bright girl."

"Woman."

"Pardon?"

"She is a woman of 21 now Severus."

"Oh yes of course."

"Then you are ok with her coming to work here?"

"Yes I'm perfectly fine with it."

"Very good. Thank you. That is all."

When Hermione got back to her room there was an owl tapping at her window. She opened it and the bird flew in. Hermione took the letter and read it.

Dearest Hermione,

I was so excited to receive your last letter. I am glad that everything went great with college. You're probably already at Hogwarts by the time you get this letter. I hope you know what you're doing. If you need to talk…about anything, even him, just write. I am always happy to receive letters from you. So have you seen him yet? What did he say? Sorry I realize I'm rambling now as if I was sixteen again. Hope everything is going well for you. Hope to hear from you soon. Good luck with teaching.

All my love,

Ginny

Hermione smiled when she read Ginny's letter. She decided she needed to get some sleep for her first day of teaching. She walked back to her room, careful not to run into anyone again. She threw on some pajamas and jumped into bed.

"We kissed Hermione."

"So?"

"We kissed. You and me. What was that Hermione?"

"A spell?"

"Oh come on. Really, do you really think that someone would put a spell on us to make us kiss? Honestly? …I know what you want Hermione. Don't I?"

"Ok so we kissed, Professor. But it was wrong. I …we shouldn't have done it. I am your student and you are my Professor. Nothing can change that."

"Not even how you feel? Soon you will no longer be a student here and I will no longer be your Professor. But you can never change how you feel. Maybe you don't want to admit it, but there is something there. Exactly what it is, I can't tell you. Only you can know for sure. But it's there. I know Hermione because I feel the same way. Two weeks ago, if anyone told me I would be saying this to you, I would have laughed in their face. But I am saying this Hermione. And not just because we had sex. But because I…we, both of us, feel something. We had sex because this feeling has always been there. It just needed the sparks to light the fire. Well, the fire is lit. The question is Hermione, are you going to harness it or let it burn through your heart?"

Hermione woke up suddenly. She was breathing very fast. She conjured up a glass of water and lay back down. She looked at her clock and realized that it was 5 am. She decided that it was pointless to try and go back to sleep so she got up. She grabbed her robe and walked over to the fire which had already been lit. She sat down in the chair and took a sip of the coffee on her table, courtesy of the House-elves.

After her second cup of coffee she jumped into the shower to get ready for classes. She got dressed and headed to breakfast. She took her seat and didn't talk to anyone. She ate some toast and had another cup of coffee. Dumbledore handed out the schedules and fortunately Hermione didn't have class until 10. She decided to go for a walk out side. She walked by the lake and sat on a bench thinking. Suddenly she heard a noise and turned around but there was no one there.

What she didn't know was that someone was there. Severus had also decided to take a walk but Hermione had beaten him there. When he saw her he tried to move out of site but had stepped on a twig. She had turned around just as he had gotten out of view. He sat there watching her. Just watching.

"What's wrong? Come on, you can tell me."

"Hermione I can't let you stay here."

"What? Why not?"

"Because, it will keep you from your full potential."

"What are you talking about? Come on what's really wrong?"

"I'm not letting you stay at Hogwarts."

"But what about us? Don't you care about me?"

"Of course I do. That's why I'm not going to let you come back here next year. You could be great. Staying here won't do anything for you."

"I don't care what I could be. I want to be with you."

"I know. That's why I can't see you anymore."

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"As long as we are together, you won't want to do anything with your life. It's for your own good Hermione."

"I love you. I don't care about anything else."

"I love you too Hermione and this is killing me. But I can't allow you to just throw your life away for me."

"If you love me then why are you doing this to me?"

"Because I want you to be the greatest witch that ever lived. And if you stay with me, that won't happen. You need to go to college and continue leaning and doing what you love."

"Why now? Why did you even start this if you were just going to end it? Was it fun for you? Watching me fall in love with you? Losing everything for you?"

"How can you say that Hermione? This is just as hard for me as it is for you."

"Fine. Then it's done. Happy? We're through. Have a nice life."

"Hermione! Wait!"

He had to stop thinking about the past. She was over him. He had blown it. No matter what he had told her he had not wanted to let her go. No matter what he did he was still and always would be in love with Hermione.