A/N: Thanks for the welcome back and reviews oh faithful readers. I will be updating more but to accommodate my busy schedule the chapters will be short. I apologise for that but it's easier to spread out my ideas that way. Thanks for reading!

Words spread like wildfire and kids are cruel. In a castle so big, it's amazing how small it truly is. Hermione sat hunched over at her spot in the great Hall. Most ignored her, but some sent shifted gazes with whispers. Rumors were spreading through those with nothing better to talk about. She knew it would go away. Since their explosion that morning many speculated what really was going on.

"Ignore them Hermione, everyone knows you're not really..." Ginny lowered her voice. "Sleeping with Snape. That's just gross..." Is it? Hermione wondered. Her mind was a mess. She wanted him, she knew that, but she was just a student and no doubt he thought of her that way. She played with fire. Tempted the man. She was the awful one here.

She could see Ron down the table laughing with Harry and the boys. He seemed fine. Perfectly fine, until he looked up and their eyes met. His eyes were filled with fire, and a hatred she had never seen before. He is just upset she told herself, but she couldn't bear to be in the same room. He didn't even know what was really going on… but she felt disgusting.

Hermione spent the rest of day down by the lake. Sitting against an old tree that shaded just enough space so she could sit in the shade. She stared at the lake watching the giant squid playing in the water. She buried her nose into school books and work she was falling behind on. She was trying to distract herself from the hushed whispers as groups of students walked by.

The grounds were so big, yet there was no escape. From others, but worse, from her own mind.

The events from the last few weeks replayed in her head, and like picking petals off a flower she thought of each night in succession that she spent in his office. He likes me… he likes me not… he likes me… he likes me not… She felt like a victim of some cruel game, and yet, she wanted more. She wanted his approval, his adoration, and his affection.

Dusk began to set and Hermione knew she would have to face Severus. As she walked up to the castle, clutching her books so tight, she tried to think of any excuse to miss their session. But he would see through it all. As she arrived at the castle doors, a small house elf stood patiently watching her.

"Oh Miss Granger," he said as she approached. "Master Snape wished me to inform you that he has cancelled your work session this evening."

Hermione stopped abruptly, "Did he say why?"

"Nope!" Squeaked the little elf, and he trotted away down the hall.

That's weird, she thought to herself. It dawned on her perhaps he was embarrassed by the display earlier. No… Snape doesn't get embarrassed. Maybe he is mad? Maybe I should go see him anyways and try to… talk to him. What would I say…?

It was a bad idea and she knew it. Shaking her head she decided to head up to her dorm and just call it a night. She would rather be alone anyways.

The weekend flew by and her week began. Things were getting back to normal around the castle. People stopped caring, and although Ron was still mad she didn't feel so ostracized in the hall. An angry couple spat was all it was summed up to, and except for a few mean Slytherins, everybody just dropped the topic. However, as Wednesday rolled around, Hermione began to get worried. Snape had cancelled her Monday work session and she hadn't seen him in the great hall for days. Without her work, or potions class, she had no other reason to try to look for him.

Potion's on Wednesday was at 2:00pm, so she had the whole morning to think about what she was going to say. She wouldn't let him get away with acting like a child, avoiding her because of a small spat. Besides, he didn't have to intervene. He could have done the normal "Snape" thing and minded his own business. Why did he intervene…

She walked into the dungeon to see Professor McGonagall standing at the front. Hermione took her seat and waited for some explanation.

"Attention class," McGonagall spoke crisp and clear as usual. "Professor Snape is off on business and will return in a few weeks time. For now, I will be your potion's teacher so please open your textbook to page 213 and begin the chapter."

A few weeks?! Hermione held in her shock as to most students this would be a blessing. She felt her heart get heavy with disappointment which she decided to assess at a later time. At least it's not my fault that he is gone...