A/N: Okay, next chapter. Aren't you all so proud of me? It hasn't been a month between updates yet! Thanks for all the reviews, please keep leaving them, and then I'll update more often all the time.

As soon as the Granger girl left his office, Snape headed to his personal rooms and pulled out the fire whiskey. He needed to get totally smashed to forget this incident. Just for tonight. He knew that the Gryffindor princess wouldn't hesitate to tell McGonagall and Dumbledore. He knew that this time tomorrow he would be on his way to Azkaban for reading the mind of a student for no real reason, and then for kissing her. She was only a fifth year, and would be sitting her OWLS in a few weeks time. So that meant she was only fifteen, sixteen at the oldest. He would be fired.

He didn't know what had come over him in that moment. He supposed it was because he had been so close to her, and she was quite good looking now that her teeth had shrunk and her hair had been tamed. Sure, she was fifteen. He was old enough to be her father. He was also a pervert, and he knew it. The rest of the world would too, when it hit the headlines that he had kissed a fifteen year old girl while she was in detention. Severus, get a grip. She is a student. She is half your age.

Snape was pouring himself a second glass of fire whiskey when his floo activated and Dumbledore stepped out. And it all comes down from here, he thought. Then he built up his occlumency shields and cleared his mind.

"Severus, my boy, how are you?" Dumbledore asked. Or perhaps not. If Granger's told him already he wouldn't act like nothing had changed, would he?

"Same as usual, Headmaster," Snape drawled.

"Has the Dark Lord called you recently?"

"Not since last time we met afterwards. He seems to call me only for things that are important. He knows that I have to be here so you do not become suspicious. I, however, plan to feed him news soon."

"The news we discussed at our last meeting?"

"Of course, Albus."

"Is there something you would like to tell me, Severus?"

"No, sir."

"Severus, do try to quit before you drink that entire bottle this time, won't you." Snape grunted a reply as the floo flared and Dumbledore left. He fell asleep in his armchair after only half the bottle.

Hermione sat up rereading the section of Hogwarts: A History on student-teacher relationships. Not because she wanted to have one, no definitely not. While she liked Snape, she was about to sit her OWLS. She had no idea if he was even on their side. She was too busy for a relationship with anyone, especially him. Besides, he had always hated her, and probably did still. Nothing had changed. Had it?

She found the section she was looking for, and read it thoroughly. She didn't even have time to digest what she had read before sleep overcame her. The book said student-teacher relationships were frowned upon, but legal as long as the student was 17 and they were discreet. However, Snape kissing Hermione would fall more under sexual harassment… not that Hermione was awake to think of that.

But she was 17. Her birthday was September 19, so already she was almost a year older than her classmates, and with the time she used the time turner in her third year, she had calculated that that made her 17.

The next morning, Hermione woke up with an incredibly sore neck as she had fallen asleep over her book the night before. She wondered why the rest of the girls in her dorm hadn't woken her when they saw her asleep over her book. She quickly dismissed that trivial thought as the events of the previous evening flooded back.

Hermione had decided that reporting Snape wouldn't do anyone any good because she was 17. Not according to her birth certificate, but in all ways that mattered, she had been 17 for just under a week. What perfect timing! She all set to pretend nothing had occurred during her detention. But she was going to prank Snape. She knew she'd get away with it. He wouldn't want to upset her, because he didn't know she was 17, and must be thinking he was about to be fired. So she would get away with it. This could be fun, she thought. I can almost see why Fred and George like it.

Snape entered his office in search of the hangover potion he kept in his desk. After taking it, he noticed Granger's book bag still on the table she had sat at. He picked it up and put it behind his desk in his classroom intending to get it back to her somehow before classes started. Knowing the girl, all her homework was probably in that bag.

In her dorm, Hermione showered and dressed in her uniform. She didn't have time to redo any of her homework, nor did she want to face Snape alone before classes. She had potions right after lunch. She would get her bag during class and hope the teachers wouldn't mind getting her homework late. She, Harry and Ron had History of Magic first, so Hermione transfigured a new book bag out of an old pair of jeans, and collected some parchment, spare quills and ink, as well as a few books, which she bewitched to look like the school text books for her first few classes. That way Harry and Ron wouldn't be suspicious and wonder where her bag was. She didn't want to explain anything to them; it was embarrassing enough that Ginny knew, and she hadn't reacted badly like Harry and Ron would. Hermione left her dorm and met Harry and Ron in the common room to head to breakfast. They entered the Great Hall and sat at the Gryffindor table. She tried to pretend she hadn't seen Snape watching her, but it wasn't overly successful.

Snape went to breakfast that morning. Nursing his cup of coffee, he waited for Granger to enter the hall. He had shrunk her book bag and was carrying it in the pocket of his robes. He saw her enter and moved to stand to go give her the bag when he realized she was surrounded by the dunderheaded duo, and carrying a book bag. He didn't want to explain to those gorillas why he had Granger's bag, nor did he want to listen to Weasley attempt to tell him off with his mouth full.

Snape stood up and swept from the hall, trying to think of another way to return Granger's bag to her. Really, he thought, I shouldn't be so concerned. I should just leave it in my office for her to come get. She would have to sometime. But she wouldn't come alone, not after what he had done. And he didn't care to subject himself to extra time in the presence of the dunderheaded duo. He tried to tell himself that that was the only reason he wanted to return Granger's bag. But he knew a lie when he heard one, even if it was his own.

A/N: What do you think? Is this progressing okay so far? Now, I have a challenge for you. I need ideas for pranks Hermione can play on Snape. And pranks for Snape to play on Hermione. I want fairly original ones that haven't been done a billion times already, and preferably nothing that would make the rating go up to M. (You can suggest that kind of thing, just don't expect to see it. I might do an M-rated version later if this one is popular enough.) So please leave suggestions in your reviews. The best ones will appear in later chapters, and isn't that reward enough?

Review Reply:

Neverest: I would love any suggestions you can make in the world of pranks... I am rather unexperianced in that field... no prob about the caps... I thought it got the message across well & made sure I updated before you came after me! LOL!

Thanks again to all you wonderful people who reviewed!

Until next time ~ Harmony