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Hermione sat in Professor McGonagall's office, her fingers wrapped around a fragrant cup of steaming tea. During breakfast that morning, her Head of House had asked her to come into her office after classes, the reason being that she wished to talk to Hermione about her plans for the future. Blowing softly on her tea, Hermione waited patiently for her professor to begin speaking.

"So Miss Granger, how has this year been so far?" Hermione was slightly puzzled by the question. The school term was only two weeks underway, so the question wasn't exactly warranted.

"Fine Professor, thank you." Hermione politely answered. She wasn't quite sure what her professor wanted, but Hermione had learned, from experience with Ron and Harry, that if you played innocent long enough with a Gryffindor, you usually could find what they wanted.

Minerva stared back into the unwaveringly polite gaze of her student, wondering what her next move should be. She had understood Severus' extremely subtle warning about the young girl, but was unsure how to ask a girl, whose grades were not suffering in the least, if something was bothering her. Her Gryffindor sensibilities finally won out however, and she decided to just ask. "With the war ending so quickly, I never really had the chance to ask you how you were fairing dear. But now that every thing has seemed to find its normal rhythm again, I wanted to ask you how you have been doing."

Touched by the obvious concern in the older woman's voice, Hermione's face lost its look of cool interest. "I'm very touched by your concern, Professor, but I am fine, truly." She in fact, still woke up from nightmares in a cold sweat and the injury she had suffered when a particularly nasty curse had hit her still bothered her. However, she fully believed that the best way to move on from the past was not to dwell on it, and her professor didn't need to know that she woke from a bad dream only very occasionally.

Minerva studied her favorite student for a moment longer. She was sure that most of the students who had been sixth and fifth years when Voldemort had fallen, were not totally healed from their experiences. She still felt guilt for being an adult that had to ask the help of mere children in defeating an enemy. But fortunately for Hermione, she shared the same philosophy on the past and let the topic go. "I was also hoping to talk to you about your seventh year project, I am sure you have some fascinating ideas."

Hermione blushed, smiling shyly. Seventh years actually had to the winter holidays to come up with a complete proposal and introduce the idea to the professor of their choice. But Minerva was correct to assume that Hermione already had come up with an idea. "I hope you won't be disappointed when you hear that I am not planning to focus my project on Transfiguration."

Minerva smiled openly. "My dear, nothing would have pleased me more than to help you with your final project, but do not believe I would think less of you if you decided to choose a different subject." The older woman allowed a more teasing smile to grace her usually stern face. "Although, if you are feeling that guilty about it, I was hoping to suggest to you the idea of Animagus training…" She paused when she saw Hermione's face positively glow with excitement.

"Oh Professor, truly?" Hermione had been absolutely dying to learn how to become an Animagi since she first saw Professor McGonagall transform during her first year.

Minerva motioned kindly with her hands, urging Hermione to calm down. "Of course child, I am sure you would be an eager pupil, as you are in everything. If your schedule permits, I will talk to Albus about beginning your training." Minerva nodded politely at Hermione's hurried 'thank you.' "However, let us not forget your project. Even if it is not in the field of Transfiguration, I would still be interested in hearing your proposal."

Bright eyes sparkled excitedly, she had been eager to share her idea since she had first thought of it. "My only worry is that I am being unreasonable in expecting to solve my proposed problem in a short period of time…" She nibbled her lip thoughtfully.

"Hermione, you cannot fail before you have begun. Courage, dear, that's what we Gryffindors are known for. Now tell me your idea."

Taking a deep breath, Hermione began. "Coming from the background that I do, I was hoping to somehow use the ideas of Muggle sciences in my project. However I don't know how excited my advisor would be about this idea, considering I am planning to focus my project on the area of…" Hermione took a deep breath, trying to school her features into a look of scholarly interest, instead of the rather horrifyingly embarrassing look that came onto her face unbidden when she thought of a certain professor. "Potions. You see, I plan to…"

Minerva walked Hermione to the door. "I believe your idea has quite the potential to be marvelous, and I believe Professor Snape will be interested in helping you. I would suggest in fact," the professor glanced quickly at the old magical clock standing up against one wall, "that you go and propose your topic to him now."

After exchanging warm good byes, Hermione made her way down, rather slowly, to the dungeons. She wasn't terrified to give her idea to her Professor or anything along those ridiculous lines; she just had the desperate urge to make him proud of her. Even when she was younger, she had strived for the approval of every one of her professors, but now that she had feelings for one of them, the desire to prove herself was even stronger. With her scatterbrained behavior of late, she knew this was the way she could prove to Professor Snape that she was actually a mature adult to be taken seriously. Before she even began to feel prepared for the encounter, she found herself standing in front of the wooden door that led into the Potions classroom. However, remembering seeing him so human those two years ago, helped bolster her courage. He was as human as her, and although he obviously knew more than she did, she knew she could be his intellectual equal after more life experience. See Hermione, she admonished herself, he isn't the Great greasy boggart of the dungeons that everyone thinks he is. You obviously don't think that, if you do, you have a strange way of picking men to be attracted to. So go in his classroom, tell him your idea, which is intelligent and new, you know it is. The worst that he can do is laugh and maybe call you a silly little girl but…

The sudden opening of the door interrupted her thoughts, and she looked up into the face of her Potions professor. "Well Miss Granger, are you going to come in or contemplate the façade of my door way all day, hmm?"

Hermione could feel herself blushing to the roots of her hair and cursed her fair coloring. "I'm sorry sir… I…" She was an idiot, an absolute and total idiot. She might as well forget any kind of serious career and go join Trelawney and her predictions of death and doom. However, if she had been paying any attention to the slight changes in her professor's face, she might have noticed the hints of amusement around the corners of his mouth.

"Professor McGonagall mentioned you had a proposal…" He paused impatiently, apparently waiting for some kind of reply that did not come. In fact, his words only seemed to make the girl gape even more. I only said… he tried to keep the smirk off his face when the possible other meaning of his words dawned on him. He imagined that a mental connection between marriage and himself would make most of the girls of Hogwarts gape as unbecomingly as Granger was currently. "Do come along, Miss Granger, I do not have all day." With that he left her standing in the hallway, her mind still furiously reprimanding her for her dimwitted behavior. Taking a calming breath however, she tried to push her brain into more rational thought as she walked into the classroom.

AN: Yes, I am quite possibly evil for not telling you her idea, but I didn't want to explain it twice, and I wanted to show Severus' reaction to her plan. So next chapter I promise. Also, I am thinking that this and the next chapter will be Friday, so chapter 8 will be the aforementioned meeting of the girls interested in the Plan. I am still interested in pairings people want to see, so please keep giving me your ideas (any one from any House can be suggested). And of course, please review, much thanks to those who have (and will).