Even Neville

Pt. 2

Hermione sat at the back of the teacher's lounge and sipped at the headache potion in front of her. The taste was vile but it was absolutely necessary after the last, most trying, hour. She had taught her first class- Gryffindor/ Slytherin fourth years and had been shocked at the level of danger a herd of fifteen-year-olds could inflict in an hour. They had begun with a simple review and had been shocked to find over half the students unable to perform a simple Cheering Charm. Thank Merlyn she had two off periods before a double class of first years. Those (she prayed) she could handle.

Severus strode into the room quietly; years of spying had ingrained this habit deeply. His eyebrow rose when he saw the newest member of his staff draining an amber liquid and shuddering at the taste.

His lip curled. "Professor Granger. I do hope that is not alcohol. A drunk employee will not be tolerated," he sneered, sweeping across the room and grabbing the bottle from her hand.

Hermione was stunned speechless.

For a third of a second.

"How dare you accuse me of consuming alcohol? On my first day of work, no less? You may be my boss, Severus Snape, but you will not treat me so rudely."

Snape brought the bottle to his overly large nose and inhaled. Shite! That's no whiskey. That's a potion. And you're a git, Snape old boy. Taking what he wished was a grounding breath, he bowed his head. "I offer my sincerest apologies. I should not have jumped to conclusions, especially as I know your character to be a responsible one." He studied her reaction and she still seemed irked. Perhaps humor? It worked to distract her last night, his Slytherin instincts urged him. "I've never seen someone grimace at a headache potion." He took a delicate sip and shuttered. "Granger, this potion tastes as though Longbottom brewed it. It is undoubtedly expired."

"Well, it was in the cupboard over there," she said, motioning to the case to her right.

"Hangover potions expire after three months. You knew this though, of course. These are probably from last term."

She nodded glumly. "That's why the confounded thing won't work," she said, rubbing her temples.

Severus peered at her. She was, quite obviously, in pain. "You have two off periods, yes?" –she nodded- "Come with me."

He hauled her to her feet and set off through the halls. Hermione was in a state of shock. Severus Snape was willingly touching her. True, it wasn't a soft caress or anywhere near to it. He was gripping her upper arm rather forcefully and using his leverage to steer her. It took her a moment to question where there destination was.

"A headache potion only takes an hour to make. We'll make a large batch to last the staff room the first quarter. That is," and here he paused their stride, "if you would consent to brew with me. Alone it would take me twice the time."

She nodded and they continued toward the potion's lab while Hermione fervently tried to remember the instructions for the complicated potion. Severus opened the door for her and Hermione felt herself being ushered through the door. "Chivalry lives?" she joked. Ron and Harry, much though she loved them, weren't exactly shining beacons of gentlemanly manners.

"It would appear so, milady," he quipped, continuing through another door and through the supplies cabinet, wordlessly summoning the ingredients not already in his lab.

They had been brewing for thirty minutes and Hermione was gazing into nothingness contemplating Snape's hot/cold attitude towards her. And, it must be said, wholly ignoring the potion happily bubbling in front of her. She noticed, with a start, that the solution was a dark purple indicating it was seconds away from boiling over and rendering her work unusable. She snatched the cauldron away from the flame with a yelp of pain, placing it onto the wooden surface in front of her.

Severus was immediately on his feet. Even after a relatively quiet ten years, his reflexes were razor sharp. Hermione looked up from her blistering hand. "I burnt my hand," she explained, before he could even ask the question.

"That much is apparent," his voice was soft as he rose from the bench. He grabbed a container of salve off one of the higher shelves and seated himself opposite her. "May I?"

The silence stretched as he finished applying the ointment across her skin. His attentions were so complete, and the moment somehow became an almost tender one. Somehow, she mused, Snape had transformed. True, he was still snarky and borderline abusive in his language at times. But she didn't fear him like she had as a student. Maybe, she reflected further, it was she that had changed and she'd been in favour of change up until then... but now, for the first time, she was unsettlingly aware of him as being male. A smart, quick witted male that… no! Down, girl. He's also a greasy, snarky git!

Snape rose and replaced the jar. When he turned back, his face was once more schooled to impassion.

"In the future, Miss Granger, please kindly refrain from touching searing cauldrons with your bare hands. Even Longbottom managed to grasp that concept sometime around third year."

"Oh, Honestly! That's the second time you've picked on Neville. Leave off!" she humphed, returning once more to her work.

Bent over a sprig of holly, shredding furiously in an attempt to ignore him, Snape couldn't help but realize how nicely the flame made her skin glow.

A/N: So, things are starting to become a little tense… hope you liked it. I kind of ripped the idea from my one-shot, The Burn (I cheated and used some of the same phraseology too…), but I've always wanted to write a brew & burn story so there it is. Anyways, I promise the next chapter will have a nice little stand off. Can't have them getting too cozy, too soon, eh? Anyways, read and review, as always!!! Mwah!