Chapter 3: Roses are green and violets are blue.

A few days later, a still bewildered Hermione sat in the library. She was studying for a test that Mr. Binns was having about witch rebellions in the renaissance, when her Yule ball date dissolved from no where. The shock of seeing Victor after so many days was nothing compared to the last few days.

"Herm-own-ninny, Vut is the matter?" he could tell she was stressing over something, but knew that it wasn't about the book she was reading or any of her studies because he had watched her so many times before. Hermione was always studying.

She didn't really answer him, but gave a slow sigh under her breath. What she was really concerned about was Snape. Her potion's master had not shown up to the great hall for dinner since their class last week and she had also not 'accidentally' bumped into him. She was almost worried that tomorrow she would not see him in his class.

Victor rested his hand on top of her writing hand so that she would have to pay attention to him. "Vut could someone so attractive as you, ve so concerned about? Ve should go somevere more comvortable."

Hermione couldn't think of a more comfortable place than the library. This was her sanctuary. Maybe she should do something though, she thought. This perhaps could get Snape off of her chest for a while.

Since Victor was allowed to leave the building unaccompanied, so was Hermione as long as he was her chaperone. They went to Hogsmeade together to sit down to a mug of butterbeer.

Hermione started at the screaming banana pops that Victor so generously offered her from Honeydukes, but couldn't finish them. Every time she licked hers, it would scream, "SOMEONE'S EATING ME, WHY ISN'T ANYONE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS!!!?!? SOMEONE SAVE MY FAMILY IF NOT ME!!!!"

They got half tipsy on laughter alone while sitting in the Three Broom Sticks, sipping butterbeer. They talked about their most silliest of teachers. Hermione loved to bring up Professor Trelawney. She showed up in quite a few of the stories. Lockhart was another favorite. He was an ever boastful person until he was seen through to who he really was: an imposter and fraud who cheated his way to fame.

This was a good way to forgot all about Professor Snape until she remembered the time she met him on her first day of potion's class. She was so scared of him back then. Hermione got up to get a refill on her butterbeer as victor tried to think of other Durmstrang teachers to bash when something that only Trelawney could possibly predict happened, this predicament being so improbable itself.

Hermione saw her favorite Hogwart's teacher watching her from a table full of semi-recognizable wizards. Snape was sitting right next to Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, and a few wizards she had only seen briefly in news paper articles. This was probably due to their greater achievements.

Despite him being across the room from her, there was no mistake that he was plainly gawking at her from the other side. She could tell that he was trying to disregard the conversation so that he may get up as well to see her. Hermione tried desperately to remember if she had left anything else in his classroom, but to no avail did she see a reason why he would want to talk to her, much less- admire her from across the room.

She got her refill quickly. Although feeling the intense stare at her from behind, she took her place next to victor again. She wondered what Snape was thinking now as she sat next to another man.

She never mentioned to Victor about seeing Snape that afternoon. The last thing Hermione did before leaving the Three Broom Sticks was briefly glance over to the table that she had seen Snape at. Everyone but Snape was still sitting at the table. Draco now noticed her this time and gave a disgusted "I'm better than you!" look. She didn't know whether to feel comfortable or panicked about the idea of her teacher watching her as close he chose to. Even if Snape was still watching her, one thing was for certain: Krum still held onto her hand as they left.

Hermione woke up to her cat alarm, Crookshanks, from a very short nap. This meaning she didn't get much sleep before double potions today. She thought about how she would actually of liked it if Snape was- and very possibly could have been- admiring her from across the Three Broom Sticks. He wanted her or she was delusional. She hadn't been delusional before!

She had extra time to take care of the details when she was getting ready for Potions. She put on her best cloak (there was probably not a lot of difference between her second best, third, and so on.) She brushed her loose curls and headed off with everything she needed. She was prepared.

She walked into the classroom fairly early, but there were a few other students in the class already admiring Hermione's seat. She walked over to her table and there was a bouquet of beautiful blackened-green roses in an onyx vase. Twelve roses to be exact and it was a perfect number. Slowly, the mass of students walked in, not helping but to admire the large host of green and black roses. Hermione was almost embarrassed by all the attention. "Well, go on then. See who it's from." Ron said as he took his place next to her, still standing. She looked everywhere for a name of who it was from, but there was no luck. Only the words "Hermione" read at the bottom of the vase. Whoever had picked these flowers for her, was very clever. Red was an over used symbol for passion and love. White was a symbol of purity. Green was the chakra for the heart. It represented all of these things. Green was a symbol of hope in Dante's Divine Comedy. It could also be a symbol of great lust or greed, but never mind that. These were the most beautiful roses she'd ever seen. She fell in love with the scent at once. They smelled at once of cardamom and cinnamon. It was a warming feeling to even stand near them. It felt like Christmas night near a fire place with all of your friends around you.

Snape was the last to enter his own room. He took one glance at Hermione's cluttered spot. He didn't say anything for a few seconds, taking in her initial reaction. "Those are hideous things. Get them off your table, Mrs. Granger." He found his way over to his own desk. "Turn to page three-hundred and sixty-four." He lit the screen on information about boiling already mixed (and boring) potions together. They were to take notes.

He walked over to her desk as the rest of the class jotted down information. She struggled to keep up with the note taking because she had him in her mind. He bent down towards her, as the rest of the class was tranced upon the screen. His hair mingled with hers and his hands held her arms together, tightly.

"Who would send you something so insignificant?" His voiced crawled out, bit by bit to her. His warmth over took her for the first time. All the other times, he had been extremely chilled.

"You would." She, for once, whispered back with more confidence than query and she felt his grip tighten.