Wow, I love waking up to an inbox full of emails telling me that people have fave and followed :) it makes me so happy, and inspires me to write! So in honor of you guys, my dear, fabulous readers, here is another chapter! Whaaat?! Two chapters in less then 24 hours? I know, I'm spoiling you guys ;) No one has guessed my age yet, but one of you is very close :P I'll give you a hint. I'm under 30. Ok! Moving on, enjoy the chapter :)

"Hello, class," the professor quietly said. "Welcome to another year of Potions." Hermione's eyes went wide. It was Severus Snape.

Hermione wasn't the only one who was looking up in astonishment at the Potions' professor standing at the front of the room. In fact, everyone that had been at the battle of Hogwarts was looking at him like he had grown an extra head. Noticing all his students shocked faces, Snape cleared his throat.

"As interesting as I'm sure looking at me is, I would like to move on with the lesson. Take out your notebooks and quills and copy the notes I'm about to write down. No talking." He turned his back and began to write on the chalkboard. Getting out her own notebook, Hermione felt a tap to her right and Ginny whispered in her ear.

"What is he doing here? I was sure that he would go into solitude. What happened?!" Ginny's fierce whisper brought back a wave of memories, and Hermione wrote down her notes in a daze as she let herself remember...

"A vile, something! Come on, Hermione!" She had hurried to hand Harry the empty glass vial that she had kept in her pocket all these years out of habit. She could only watch in silence as he collected Snape's last tears. Her own slid down her dirt and blood streaked face as she watched one of the men she admired and revered most in the most excruciating pain imaginable. The blood flew freely from the two open gashes in his neck, and his mouth opened and closed in a silent scream. His movements slowed, and then stopped. Harry got up from his spot on the dusty wood planked floor and led the way out of the lake house, Ron hot on his heals. Left alone in the shack with Snape's still form, Hermione slowly knelt down beside him and took out her wand. Casting a few healing spells, she leaned in until her lips were at his blood-stained ear.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "These spells might ease the pain... You're so brave, Professor. I'm s-s-sorry." A sob escaped her cracked lips and the tears flew more freely. She kissed his cold cheek and got up, giving her ex Potions professor one last glance before hurrying to catch up to Ron and Harry...

Hermione had discovered later that the snake's venom had slowed Snape's heart, but not stopped it. The healers had found him and were able to reverse the negative effects of the poison coursing through his veins. She had not seen him, heard anymore about him, or knew of his return to Hogwarts until right this very moment. His black robed back was to the class, and he had not stopped scribbling on the board. Hermione noticed that his appearance had changed drastically. His long greasy hair had been cut short, so that it tickled his ears. And his white pallor had changed to a light olive complexion. His black collar was pulled up to his chin, to hide his scars Hermione was sure. She turned back to her ginger friend. "I'm not sure why he's back," she whispered. "But McGonagall wouldn't have hired him to come back if she didn't trust him completely-"

"Oh, I am most trustworthy, I assure you Ms. Granger." Hermione gulped and looked up to the towering form of her professor standing behind her. "What is it you were saying?"

"Oh, u-umm, nothing Professor." The young Gryffindor's cheeks turned scarlet.

"Nothing, is it?" Snape drawled, looking unblinkingly down at her and folding his hands behind his back. "Well perhaps you would like to discuss 'nothing' in detention with me this evening."

"No, really Professor that's alrig-"

"Six o'clock, Ms. Granger." Snape cut her off, returning to his position at the front of the room. Ginny looked at her friend sympathetically, and they did not say another word for the remainder of the class, fearful of another detention. While walking out of the classroom to head to Care of Magical Creatures, Hermione caught the potion master's eyes, and he held her stare for what seemed like minutes, but was in reality only a few seconds. She looked away first, and walked across the grounds feeling flustered.

Later that evening at dinner, the small group of Gryffindor friends talked about their days, comparing classes and discussing how it felt to be back at Hogwarts. After the incident with Ron and his proposal, Hermione had feared that she would loose all of her friends. Instead, she had been pleasantly surprised to learn that none of her friends had chosen sides and abandoned her, including Ginny. In fact, Ginny had become her closest friend. They chatted pleasantly with each other throughout dinner. It wasn't until the plates had been cleared of all food and the dessert had appeared did the subject of Severus Snape come up.

"Get this guys," Ginny addressed the group, and all eyes were upon her. "Hermione got detention already! One guess who," she finished glumly.

"No, not Snape? He's been back one day and he's already handing out detentions? The bloody git." Seamus took a bite out of his chocolate cake, muffling his words, and Dean nodded at his friend's statement.

"I'm sorry, Mione. What was it for, anyway?" Dean asked, chewing on a Chocolate Frog.

"Oh, it was for talking in class." Hermione shrugged, willing herself not to get too frustrated with Snape before having to go deal with him for an hour.

"Why is he even here? After all those years as a double agent, that Dark Mark permanently on his arm... How can McGonagall even stand to be around him, let alone hire him?" Ginny twirled her hair in between her fingers, a sign that she was frustrated.

Hermione sipped her pumpkin juice, unwilling to defend the man who had mere hours earlier given her detention. But she could not bring herself to agree with her friend's statement. Along with Snape's memories stored in Dumbledore's pensive and Harry's sworn statement, the ex death eater was cleared of all charges. But nothing but time could get rid of the black mark that had besmirched his name.

Hermione sighed and got up. "I gotta go guys. I gotta walk to the dungeons, and I wanna get there early, so Snape doesn't have another thing to complain about. I'll see you guys tomorrow at breakfast. Night!" A chorus of "Goodnight Mione!" echoed around the table, and she walked out of the Great Hall and made her way to the Potion's room. She absentmindedly straightened her muggle clothes, (black pleated skirt that went to her mid thighs, navy blue flats, and a light blue sweater), and knocked on the door.

"Come in, Ms. Granger. The door is open." The monotone voice welcomed her in, and promising herself that she wouldn't lose her temper, Hermione opened the door and walked in.

Sorry this ones a short chapter, I just wanted to stop before the detention scene. The next chapter will get a little intense, but no lemons... yet ;).

Quick question: Would you all like to read more about the blooming friendship between Draco and Hermione? Let me know :)

If I get some reviews and feel inspired enough, I might post chapter 4 tonight! So, happy reading, and review review review! :)