Hermione shovelled potatoes in her mouth while scribbling violently on a long piece of parchment that trailed under the table. Her hair was up in a messy ponytail to try and keep it from falling in her food, as she bent over the table so low her face was almost in her plate.

"Geez Hermione, just work on that later," Ron said, watching her wipe spilled vegetables off her essay.

Without a glance up she sigh, "I can't I have to work with Snape tonight." She crossed out a word and wrote another in it's place, her quill barely leaving the page. Since she began her internship only a week prior, she didn't have much time for her own homework. 4 days a week, 4 hours each evening took a lot more of her spare time than she thought.

"How is working for the old bat?" Ron laughed and Harry chuckled beside him. "He hasn't thrown you in a cauldron yet?"

Hermione sighed again and rolled up her scroll, stuffing it in her sack and taking another bite of meat. "It isn't terrible," she said through bites. "I'm learning a lot."

While what she said wasn't a lie (it really wasn't terrible and she was really learning a lot) Hermione was unsure of her time with her Professor. Since that first night he had been very calloused and cold during their encounters. Even though it wasn't particularly out of his character, she was wondering where was the man with all that passion that she witnessed. Why did a man like Severus Snape, with two completely different sides to his character, choose to present the darker and meaner side to the world?

Ron reached over and brushed some food off of her sleeve, and she smiled. He made such a nice boyfriend. He was kind, thoughtful, and really took care of Hermione the way she had hoped he would. She was happy she said yes when he asked her to a "muggle show" (Ron's word for the movies) so many months ago. She would do anything for their relationship now. "What time do you have to go see him?" He scooted closer to her on the bench, his hand resting gently on her thigh.

She glanced at her watch and jumped up. "Crap! I was supposed to be there five minutes ago!" She grabbed her bag and kissed him on the forehead. "I'm sorry, I love you! Bye Harry!"

"Good luck!" Harry called after her as the two boys watched Hermione run from the great hall.

By the time she reached the dungeon door, she was out of breath. She knew Snape was going to be angry with her, he hated when people weren't punctual. Taking just a moment to catch her breath, straighten her robes and prepare herself for his attitude, Hermione pushed open the dungeon door slowly and walked inside.

Snape sat in his armchair behind his desk, inspecting a glass jar and scribbling in his notebook. She closed the door quietly and made her way slowly to the front of the class. A platter of food teetered on the edge of his desk, barely touched. "You're late."

"I know Sir, and I… I am sorry," she stuttered hopelessly." I… I was trying to finish my essay for your class tomorrow and… well…"

"If your work here is interfering with your school work, this program is completely optional."

Hermione prickled with annoyance, "No Sir, it isn't too much. My schoolwork is doing fine, I just had to stay late in Ancient Runes and fell a little behind but…"

"I don't need to hear excuses Miss Granger. They are for children and I spend my day hearing enough children babble on. If you can't juggle your workloads then I will find somebody..."

"Professor Snape," Hermione interrupted him for the first time in her six years of schooling, and the man looked up to face her. "You know that I am more than capable of juggling my work with school. You were the one who helped to obtain the time-turner to take more classes in my third year. I have been here for a week and have already proven that I am useful to your work. However, sir, I am not here as your student so I will not allow you to treat me like another kid in your class. I am here as your assistant and would appreciate a little respect. I have skipped finishing my dinner to come to this meeting and will not tolerate you talking down to me. If you disagree, then fire me." She huffed as her rant ended, never breaking eye contact with the intimidating man. Her heart raced and she felt her blood rushing to her face as she realized what she had done.

Severus just stared at her for a moment, almost speechless. He had never been spoken to that way and as angry as it made him, as much as he could feel his blood bubbling and the mean words on the edge of his tongue, there was something about the way the light hit her frizzled hair and the red hue that rose in her cheeks… something made him shut his mouth. "Very well… I apologize."

"Wait, you what?" Hermione blurted out.

"You are right, I apologize. From now on, outside of the class hours, you are my assistant. Not my student." He motioned for her to sit on the chair he conjured in front of his desk, and she sat down still shocked that she made the great potions master apologize. "You must be hungry if you skipped dinner. Here," he pushed the tray towards her.

She grabbed a bread bun from the tray and smiled. "Thank you Professor."

"You can call me Severus."