Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, sorry.

Author's Note: Hey! For all of you who wanted a quickity quick update, you sure got it! Barely 24 hours since I updated last! Yippee. Anyway, if I make a mistake, and you happen to see it, please do me and the world a favour and correct me. I don't want to be sporting a stupid mistake that I missed when I re-read it. Oh, and to you two who reviewed, you have earned my infinate and undying love. No matter how little you want it. You got it:

Two Days Later

"Enough textbook work, don't you think? I think we've got the practical stuff down, eh? Let's get into partners and brew a very simple potion but useful. A Blood Replenishing Potion," boomed Slughorn's jolly voice. He might as well grow a white beard and wear a red suit with that sort of voice. Hermione sighed and looked up. Professor Slughorn clapped his hands together and grabbed a list.

"Okay, let us see. I've decided we'll be doing a Gryffindor/Slytherin pairing," he stated. There was a collective groan.

Completely ignoring them he continued, "Mr. Black, you can go with Mrs. Abaster. Hermione, you shall be paired with Mr. Snape. Miss Evans, you shall be with Mr. Mulciber." Hermione looked sympathetically at Lily and she returned the gesture. Hermione actually didn't mind working with Severus. She knew he was an excellent potions master. He was also an excellent man. She always believed in him. Except in her first year, of course. He would turn out cold and hard, just as he was now, just a little more but he was still this Severus and she was determined to find out if he was exactly as she pictured him to be. Hermione stood up and walked to Severus.

"Well, hello again," sighed Hermione. Severus didn't look up.

"Gee, you don't have to be so unhappy," Hermione scolded. This time he did look up.

"Don't mess this up, okay?" Hermione looked completely offended.

"I'll have you know that I was the top student in Potions. Actually, all my classes," stated Hermione, shrilly.

"Not anymore," he snapped. Hermione opened her mouth as if to say something, but then looked away quickly, scowling. He turned his head downwards attempting to cover up his amusement but Hermione spotted his smile out of the corner of her eye. He glanced at her sheepishly and she burst out laughing. Severus let out a quiet and very quick laugh. Everybody was looking at them now. No one would've expected a mudblood and Severus to be having fun together. Lily was looking quite jealous. James noticed and scooted his chair towards her, frowning. Sirius was looking awkward and Remus just smirked. Hermione scowled at everyone and they looked away. Hermione leaned towards Severus, her hair covering her red, but amused face. She looked at him through the strands of her curly hair and giggled. He leaned away but chuckled. He suddenly looked up at Hermione, seriously, which startled her into sobriety.

"Let's make ourselves a marvelous Blood Replenishing Potion." Hermione bit her lip and struggled to keep from laughing. Professor Snape, a dingy old dungeon bat, or at least the younger version of him, just said marvelous.

Hermione was alone, sitting in her bed, with the curtains shut. She was crying. She missed Harry and Ron so much. She missed Ginny, she missed home in general. Why did Malfoy have to be so stupid and mess her life up. She got up suddenly and began to walk to the Headmasters office. First, though, grabbing her research, which was, thankfully, taken back in time with her because she had her bag with her. When she reached the office, she said the password, climbed up and knocked.

"Come in, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore, sweetly. Hermione wiped her eyes and smiled weakly at him as she walked in.

"Please, sit down." She obliged.

"Thank you for remembering to meet with me. Have you brought your research? It will help me find you a way back home." Hermione nodded and handed him a large book. He skimmed through it.

"Why, Miss Granger, this is amazing! And complicated. This is more powerful than a Time Turner. You must keep this a secret. We do not want it falling into the wrong hands," advised the wise old man. Hermione's stomach growled.

"Ah, yes, Miss Granger, lunch time. A rather appreciated time of day, by most. You may depart and attend luncheon now," he said, smiling. She got up and began to walk but turned around.

"Tomorrow, I would like to go to Hogsmeade to get clothing, is that possible?" she asked, shyly, "I don't have any money, either."

"Since I haven't got the honour of having a granddaughter or grandson, I have money to spend on spoiling a young soul. I will gladly send you money and let you attend the Hogsmeade trip." Hermione beamed and ran back to hug Dumbledore.

"Thank you, sir."

"So," Sirius asked, awkwardly as Hermione sat down in the seat next to him, "You and Snivellus?"

"Me and who?" Hermione asked, with a hint of anger rising in her voice. She very well knew who Snivellus was.

"Snape," Sirius said, cringing about the reply he was anticipating. Hermione let out an exasperated growl.

"You are so immature, Sirius," she yelled, grabbing her sandwich and storming out of the hall. As she opened the door, angrily, she tripped over someone's foot, falling to the ground. She turned around when she hit the floor and was greeted with her sandwich dropping from the air and landing on her face. A silky and deep laugh echoed throughout the empty hall. She looked up at her would-be-assailant. It was Severus. He had a great smile playing at his lips as he laughed. Hermione couldn't help but join in. Severus looked down at the laughing girl and he knew then he was falling for her. He barely knew anything about her, only that she was so much like Lily with a possibility of being better. He had been distraught and depressed since Lily stopped talking to him. Hermione was bringing back at least a little happiness. He'd always been like "that". His father was abusive and his mother fell prey to his outbursts most of the time.

Hermione pulled the bread and meat off her face, placed it on the floor and said, "Evanesco." She still had mayonnaise on her face, so Severus smiled at her and used scourgify on her.

"Thank you, Severus," said Hermione, smiling. Smiling at each other seemed very common at the moment. Severus offered his hand and Hermione pulled herself up.

"Well! It seems as if I've gained a pound or three!" Hermione said after an awkward silence.

"Well, you looked underfed, you rather needed it."

Hermione furrowed her brow, "How could I have gained it all in like three days?"

"Anything can happen at Hogwarts, but I was kidding," he explained. Hermione smiled at him.

"You've got a free now, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Want to... er... go to the library and study with me?"

"Want to?" Hermione paused for a dramatic effect, "I'd love to." Severus smiled weakly. He wasn't exactly expecting her to say yes. He was slowly getting more and more insecure. He didn't want to say something and ruin whatever they may have. Like with Lily.

"Something wrong?"

"Just thinking." Hermione gave him a knowing look.

"Look, I know what happened between you and Lily," Severus's face darkened but Hermione continued, "And I forgive you in advance you ever call me a mudblood out of anger."

"What? Why?" he asked, not sure if he should be offended or relieved.

"In my old school it was used against me many times. I'm used to it. Anyway, I think it's a stupid reason to stop talking to someone if they call you that." Severus nodded unsurely. Hermione wrapped her arms around him in a hug. At first he stiffened but then relaxed a little and put his arms around her waist. It felt so perfect.

"Anyway, time to go study?" Hermione said pulling away from the hug.

"Yeah, study," Severus said, dreamily.

Hermione braced herself for Lily as she entered the Great Hall for dinner. She glanced at the Slytherin table. Severus was sitting at the end, his face buried in a book while he ate. She wondered if that is what she looked like when she did that. It looked very enticing. Hermione must've watched him longer than she intended because he was looking straight back at her. She blinked repeatedly and half-smiled. He looked back down at his book. Hermione walked to the Gryffindor table, sat down, put her face in her hands and groaned very loudly. It must've caught Lily's attention because she scooted to the seat across from Hermione and started bombarding her with questions about Severus and lying to her. Hermione wasn't even listening/ All she could think about was one thing. She was falling for her future Potions teacher. The one who killed Dumbledore, though Hermione believed it was in Dumbledore's best interests, the one who caused her pain and misery throughout her Hogwarts experience.

"Are you listening to me?" came Lily's shrill and bossy voice. Hermione looked up slowly, uncovering her puffy, red eyes and tear-stained face.

"Oh, Hermione! What happened?" Lily exclaimed, throwing her arms around her awkwardly across the table.

"Nothing, I just... don't know," sobbed Hermione, getting up. She turned and slowly walked out of the hall, wiping her eyes. Sirius was walking past her with his arm around a giggling blonde girl.

"Hey, Hermione," he said, happily. The blonde girl looked jealous. Hermione ignored them both and kept walking. He turned to Lily and groaned.

"What did you do?"