Over the next few days, Hermione and Severus managed to get some real school work done and get along decently despite Severus's claims that a Gryffindor and Slytherin could never get along. For people that couldn't get along, Severus discovered that they were quite alike in someways. She apparently had a love for books that almost rivaled his own, and she was extremely intelligent. Which was something that he appreciated a lot since they worked together. She just needed a bit of help with her potions sometimes.

On Severus's fifth day there, Hermione noticed him with Les Miserables. "Severus, are you reading this?" she asked curiously, picking up the book and flipping to see where he was in it.

Severus looked over in surprise. "Yeah. It's really. I don't always understand the French and have to find a dictionary but still. It's a good story. You should read it," he commented, his Potions book in his hand. As much as he liked reading other things, the Potions book was fun for him because it was a challenge. "I think you would enjoy, even if it is a Muggle story."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "I've read it. I enjoyed it as well. Though I had to resort to a French to English dictionary a few times as well. It's worth the trouble though," she said with a slight smile. "You should tell me what you think of it when you're done."

Severus smirked in amusement. It was nice to have someone else around that read as much as he did, if not more occasionally. "I'm thinking it is too. We will have to talk about it when I finish it," he agreed. "See if we agree completely on it and all." He didn't even notice that they were getting along. It just felt kind of... normal.

"I've never met someone with as much of an interest in books as me," Hermione commented quietly, smiling. "What's your favorite one?"

Shrugging, Severus thought about it for a moment. "Hm... I'd probably have to say Oliver Twist is my favorite," he said simply as he decided on a book. He could particularly relate to having a difficult childhood, though that story had a somewhat happy ending. He didn't think he would. "Though I'm not too picky on what I read as long as it is not overly romantic."

Hermione nodded slightly, bit her lip. "That's a nice book. Though it's rather sad," she said softly, frowning slightly. "The poor boy has such a horrible childhood."

"I can relate," Severus mumbled softly, not expecting her to hear his mumblings.

Looking at him in surprise, Hermione frowned softly. "You had a bad childhood as well?" she asked gently, looking at him. She knew that the Marauders had bullied him, but she didn't know if he had a horrible home life as well.

Severus pressed his lips together. "I hadn't expected you hear that. You have ears like a bat," he muttered softly, looking away. He didn't want to discuss his home or childhood. None of it was pleasant, and she certainly wouldn't want to hear it anyways. "What's your favorite book?" Maybe he could change the subject and get her off track.

"A History of Magic," she answered without hesitation. Obviously, she knew that. "It was the first book I read when I found out magic and witches were real. I've read it many times."

Severus nodded slightly. "Are you muggleborn then?" he asked curiously, having not realized that. He was careful not to utter 'mudblood' again. He had made that mistake one already. She was intelligent enough on everything magic that he never would have expected it. Though, if he thought about it, he should have realized that was no indicator of blood. Lily was one of the brightest people he knew, and she was muggleborn as well. He knew he might be a bit biased towards the redhead since they were so close. Besides, he certainly knew some idiot purebloods. He didn't have the same opinion of muggleborns that his housemates did, being as he was a halfblood.

Hermione nodded. "Yeah. I am," she said, shrugging slightly. "I guess that's why I work so hard at everything. I entered school feeling like I was at a disadvantage to everyone because I hadn't grown up in a magical world. It was nice to realize I wasn't missing much of an advantage, but I still felt the need to prove myself."

"Lily is muggleborn too. She's the brightest witch I know... I guess I should have expected you were too," he said. He hadn't meant to mention Lily. It just came out. He could feel his longing to be her friend again in his chest.

"You kne- know Lily?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise as she corrected her tense of words. Maybe she shouldn't mention Lily had married his arch enemy, and then she later died for their son who was her best friend.

Severus nodded, sighing. He didn't quite catch her changing her tense in mid sentence. "Yeah. We were best friends," he said, wishing they still were. "She's an amazing person."

"Were? What happened?" Hermione asked gently, having no idea she was stepping on a land mind.

Looking away, Severus took a deep breath. "Were. Those bloody Marauders put me in a bad position, and I made a mistake," he said softly, having talked to no one about this. Now, he was telling someone he barely knew, but he needed to trust someone. Maybe she would help him. "I called her something unforgivable, and she won't listen to me even for an apology now."

Hermione frowned slightly. "I'm sorry," she said softly. She sat down in the chair beside him, biting her lip slightly. She looked like she wanted to reach out and comfort him, but she wasn't sure how he would react.

Severus shrugged slightly as he tried to at least look calm. "So am I... Though I don't blame her for not talking to me. I called her a mudblood," he said softly. "I heard it so much from my housemates, and it just slipped out. I was being hung upside down by my ankle and wasn't thinking. I'd never said it, before but the one time I did, it was to her. Now she won't even look at me."

Hermione froze for a moment at the word 'mudblood'. "I don't blame her for being angry. That's horrible to call someone," she told him, careful to keep the sharpness out of her voice. "But, if you were best friends, I would think she should listen to. I know I would if Ron or Harry called me that. After I got done yelling at them for beings arses."

Looking surprised, Severus turned and looked at her curiously. "Really?" he asked softly, ignoring her mention of the Potter boy. He hadn't expected that from. She seemed like someone quick to get offended at such a word.

"Yeah. I'd forgive them. Eventually. It might take a few weeks because they know how hurtful that would be from them, but I'd forgive them. I don't know what I'd do without them for too long. They're my best friends after all," Hermione said quietly, nodding.

The look on Severus's face was full of relief. He had thought she was going to yell at him like she had when she found his out what was in his Potion's book. "We had all of summer break and before that... It happened in fifth year. I live right down the street from her, and she wouldn't talk to me all summer. It was horrible," he murmured. It had been the worst summer of his life because he had no where to run to when things got bad at home. He hadn't wanted to go to their clearing after a while for fear of her yelling at him. "I don't think she'll ever forgive me."

Hermione gave him a soft smile, hoping to reassure him. "Then, even though it hurts, maybe it would be better to find better friends. Someone who would understand it was a mistake," she said quietly.

Severus looked at her, emotion showing in his black eyes for once. "Maybe," he whispered. Maybe he had just found the friend he needed.

(I hope you enjoyed this chapter, my lovely readers! I love reading your reviews and I try to message each one of you in thanks. I'm sorry if I missed you. Let me know how I'm doing!)