Chapter 5: The Invisible Poison
"The Invisible Poison", she thought, "one of the most difficult poisons, which had ever been brewed and which took almost a year to finish it".
What made Snape think that he could ask her?
OK, he informed her yesterday that she did a great job, but she always thought that he hates her.
Otherwise when he really hates her, why should he ask her hand?
Pensively she walked along the path to Hagrid's hut.
She made out Harry and Ron at a distance, who were running away from a huge snail.
The view was too funny, so that she couldn't help laughing at them.
She quickened her pace and thought amused: "Hagrid seems to have a new pet".
For a few seconds she forgot Snape and his offer.
"Hi Hagrid, I see you have a new pet!", she said welcome to the half-giant.
"Hello Hermione! You're right, her name is Henrietta and she is a real gem of murex. Ron and Harry are going for a walk with her", he said warmly.
"She is going for a walk with them as the other way around", Hermione thought aloud.
But Hagrid wasn't listen to her luckily.
Instead he asked: "Do you like a cup of tea? I've just boiled water".
"Yes, sure," Hermione agreed, who was thinking about the invisible Potion again and took a bite out of a stone cookie.
It crackled loudly and she spat blood and a back tooth.
"That bites!", she mumbled and tried to stop the bleeding with a handkerchief.
"Madam Pomfrey should have a look at it.
I have no idea how it could happen", Hagrid guessed worried and Hermione nodded.
She asked Hagrid for informing Harry and Ron and left.
"I let it grow again in a few seconds, but be a little bit more careful next time,when you eat one of Hagrid's cookies", Madam Pomfrey explained to her busily and aimed her wand at her cheek.
She felt a light dragging pain and in the next second her tooth was as it was before.
She gave thanks and met Snape on the way out.
"Good afternoon!", Hermione mumbled and wanted to move on, but he held her back.
"Did you decide, Miss Granger?", he asked her and his eyes glistened eagerly.
"I will help you, Sir", she answered and noticed that he started to relax.
"Well, then we see each other this evening at seven o'clock sharp. I expected you to be in time!", he made clear and scurried away.
The fire below the cauldron was still burning, when she entered the room.
Insecurely she got closer and sighted the cauldron's content.
A nice smell of vanilla rose to her nose, which was characteristic for the invisible poison, as she had read.
"I see that you' re in time", a voice spat behind her suddenly.
She turned round fitfully. "Good evening, Professor", she said hastily and Snape smiled to her wonder.
"Well, I think you have already find out what ingredients we need and how we have to proceed", he detected and she nodded.
Silently they started to work.
At first she palpitated with fear because she was afraid she could do something wrong, but when Snape darted an appreciative glance at her, her self-consciousness disappeared and she began to enjoy the work.
They didn't need words – it was as if they always worked together – a winning team.
One of his views and she knew what she had to do next.
And that is how it came that the clock next to the fireplace chimed midnight, when Snape finally stopped sighingly.
"That's all for today! The poison has to steep for some hours", he said with tiredly.
A little bit disappointed she put her knife down.
"She could work like that eternally", she thought, but she noticed that she was tired in the same moment.
"Am I to come at the same time tomorrow?", she asked Snape, who tidied up.
"Yes you are and continue the good work!", he praised her.
She turned round so that he couldn't see that she blushed.
Se said good bye and left the room.
Outside on the corridor she took care of being soft-footed because if Filch snapped her, she would have a peck of trouble and she wasn't in the mood for explaining Professor McGonagall why she was still awake at so late an hour.
But she was lucky and nobody encountered her.