Snape felt he couldn't keep his eyes open much longer. The celebration had dragged on all night and every time he tried to slip away from the feast, Albus would be there with a smile, or Minerva with another glass of butterbeer. The students and staff alike were mostly in their pyjamas, gorging on everything the kitchens had rustled up at the last minute. Everyone was happy, relieved and hyper on treacle tart. Snape just wanted to sleep.

Now it was morning at last and the Hogwarts Express was ready to spirit the children home for the summer. The castle would be blissfully silent in no time. Snape stood halfway up the marble stairs, supervising his Slytherins, and stifled a yawn. Pomona noticed and broke away from her group of Hufflepuffs to join him.

"Nearly there, Severus," she sighed with a smile. She looked as exhausted as he felt, they'd worked on the restorative potion together for 10 hours straight. She had bags under her eyes and her flyaway hair was even madder than usual. He knew he hardly looked any better.

"When this lot are gone, I'm going to sleep for the rest of the summer," he muttered, rubbing his tired eyes. Pomona chortled.

"That is an excellent idea. But if you wake up before September, we really must have a drink to congratulate ourselves. Filius made noises about arranging a trip to the Three Broomsticks."

Severus grunted, neither is approval nor disdain, he was simply in a grunting kind of mood that day. Pomona patted him on the shoulder.

"You did well, Severus. We both did. And I still have plenty of mature mandrakes to produce new saplings for next year. Every cloud and all that."

She departed then to oversee the luggage. Snape waited until nearly all the students had left the entrance hall before descending the stairs and heading for the dungeons. He glimpsed Potter and his friends through the front doors, laughing at something. No doubt this latest triumph would swell the boy's already oversized head to even greater proportions. He resembled his wretched father more and more each day and Snape dreaded the coming school year already. Potter would be insufferable after this.

Snape had gained the peace of the potions corridor and was thinking longingly of a hot shower and then his bed when the quiet was shattered. The echo of running feet made Snape pause and glance back.

"Professor Snape! Wait!" Hermione Granger gasped as she raced towards him, robes flying behind her.

You have got to be joking, Snape thought. What could the damn girl possibly want now? He considered pretending he hadn't heard her and making a beeline for his rooms, but it was too late. She skidded to a halt before him, breathless, bushy hair all over her face.

"What?" he snapped, too tired to be professional. The girl didn't seem fazed, she beamed at him.

"I just wanted to say thank you," she said. "For brewing the Potion and saving us all."

Snape didn't know how to respond to this and just stared at the girl for a few moments. Then he cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I see, well, you are welcome Miss Granger."

Granger nodded.

"I have to go and thank Professor Sprout too. Have a nice summer, sir!"

She dashed away and Snape stood still, quite disarmed. When she rounded the corner he shook himself and continued to his quarters. He hadn't expected any thanks.