Chapter Two- Daydreaming

Hermione was confused all day, thinking back to her midnight meeting with Snape. He was still mean in his speech, his tone still dripping with acid, but his words showed a kinder side. Had he cared for her? Was that the reason for his kindness? No, she thought, shaking the thought from her mind.

"Hermoineeeeeeeeeee!" Ron whined, bringing her out of her thoughts. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing." She said quickly to get her friend off her back. Ron looked at Harry, who only shrugged his shoulders and went back to eating. Ron followed suit. Hermione let her eyes get unfocused as she stared off into space. She was so confuse about Snape's words and actions last night.

Snape could see Hermione staring off into space, her hands never moving to touch her food. He had been thinking all night about their conversation. Although it was Albus's idea for him to lower her grade in an attempt to show her that she shouldn't stop challenging herself, it had been Snape's words. And he had felt something, not knowing exactly what, when Hermione stood up to him and spoke to him on the same level. Smiling, Snape knew that he could enter Hermione's head. He focused his eyes on her, and then whispered softly, "Legilimens."

"Miss Granger, I hope I won't find you daydreaming in class after our little discussion." Snape's silky voice said, entering Hermione's head with ease.

Hermione jumped in her seat, receiving stares from those around her. She heard Harry ask if she was okay, and nodded her head.

"Didn't mean to frighten you Miss Granger." Then realizing how stupid that sounded, Snape went on. "Or maybe I did. Teach you a lesson to daydream, even during breakfast."

"And I suppose you don't daydream Professor?" Hermione said in her thoughts, realizing what it was that Snape had done. She was challenging him, she knew that. But he was in her head; she didn't have to bare the consequences of her actions. He couldn't punish her for thinking something.

"I do not waste my time on such foolish things." He said to her, although he knew he was lying. More than once he had even found himself daydreaming about her, a thought he would tell no one.

"I disagree, sir." Hermione thought. "I have seen you, sitting in your chair, staring into space. I recall seeing you at dinner last night, staring off into space. You didn't eat at all."

"You pay to much attention to me." Snape said, although he felt a twinge of happiness at the thought that she was paying attention to him.

"Maybe." She said, smirking a little. She hoped the Professor saw it. "Doesn't change the fact that I was right. You do daydream, Professor Snape. You are still human."

"You are foolish, if you think that I am still human." He said, knowing that the thought should scare her. It seemed, however, that it only encouraged her.

"I may be foolish, but I'm not wrong. You are still human, Professor. Even if you don't wish to be." She could get in trouble for that, if not in trouble he would at least take his rage out against her. She was crossing a line, yet hadn't he crossed one when he entered her head?

"Interesting thought Miss Granger. Tell me, what makes you think I wish to be something other than human?" Snape knew that he was challenging the young girl, almost daring her to answer. He had made sure that his voice was filled with something she had never heard before from him. His tone was kinder, gentler than he would have intended. But he had entered her head. It was better for him to stay calm then to flip and scare the girl. But, he couldn't help but feel there was another feeling inside that made him want to stay kinder.

"The look in your eyes when you look at us, students with trivial thoughts as what to wear to the next dance and who to talk to. The look in your eyes when someone mentions Harry's achievements, or better yet, when someone mentions yours. I've seen you, standing in a corner, staring at people as they carry on with their lives. I've seen the look of sadness in your eyes." Hermione should have stopped sooner, but the thoughts flowed before she could control him. She prepared for the worst.

Snape was shocked. The girl was paying more attention to him then he thought. And why? He scared kids, frightened adults. Why didn't she run away? Why was it that Hermione saw something in him that no one else had? "Well, well Miss Granger. It seems you got me all figured out. Or, so you think."

"I don't think anything Professor. I merely told you what I saw."

"Is that so? Well than, you see more than you should. I would advise that you stop watching Her... Miss Granger. One day you might see something that you do not wish to." And with that, Snape left her mind and walked out of the Dining Hall.

Hermione felt him leave her head and she watched him walk away. There were many times in that conversation when she expected him to lose his cool and yell, especially when she started talking about what she saw in him. Yet, he had merely confirmed what she saw and warned her that she watched too much. He had even started to call her Hermione. What was going on with Snape? Better yet, what was going on with her? She should have felt angry that Snape had entered her thoughts, yet she wasn't. And further more, the feeling she got when she saw him was strengthen by his semi-kind tone. Could I be... no! I couldn't like Snape. He is a mean, arrogant bastard. But Hermione's head and heart didn't agree.

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I should not have entered her head. I should not have challenged her. Why did I? She is a student; a know-it-all, annoying student. Yet... somehow, I feel something. No! I feel nothing but anger that she watches me. Snape was good at lying; he had done it all his life. But, he was lying to himself, and failing miserably.

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