Hermione walked back with Harry from the hospital wing. She still felt a bit quivery, even though it had been almost a week and Ron was already doing so much better...she was almost glad that Harry seemed as distracted as she felt. Right now her brain was loud enough. Then Lavender flounced up, and Hermione took a hasty detour. Laughing inside at the blatantly plaintive look Harry threw over his shoulder, Hermione set off without the idea came to her, she flinched away. But... needed information. Once she knew a few key things, she could go off and research and be dependent on no one, but... huffed at herself and directed her step down into the dungeons. She nearly had a very convincing excuse by the time she reached that heavy, loathsome door, but...this was about more than just her at this point, surely she could stand a few minutes of mortification. She slow silken "Enter." struck her 'd been so busy arguing with herself that she hadn't thought of what she was going to collect yourself off the Snape sat at his desk, not looking up from his writing. The Things In Jars looked down from the walls. She walked up to his desk but, not being offered one, did not take a seat."Miss Granger," he added a drawn out pause, finally looking up at her, "to what do I owe this displeasure?""I have a question, sir."He sat back and leaned on one elbow. "I surmised as much. Do sit down." She sat. He waved one hand languidly. "By all means proceed. It's not as if I have other demands on my time." He was the picture of unaffected nonchalance. "What can you tell me about Nagini's venom?" Professor Snape's posture did not change, but she could see him freeze. "More relevently, what can you tell me about the anti-venin used to treat Mr. Weasley?"He didn't answer immediately. "You're asking a potions-related question, for which I would direct you to Professor Slughorn—" The slightest sneer crossed her lips and Snape pounced on it. "Do I detect a bit of…disdain, Miss Granger? Tut tut, this will not do."She ducked her head and demurred, "Far be it from me to show anything but respect for a teacher—" her voice failed her."No, do continue. I wish to hear your reasons for such an uncharacteristic—or not—lack of deference for a professor." When she still hesitated, he baited, "Surely this isn't a display of pettiness over the fact that he is…less than impressed with your skills in the classroom? My my, that must be galling."At that her eye twitched. "No sir. I just happen to dislike nepots." Not as if nepotism is much better than holding such ridiculous Snape let out a short, sharp breath through his nose. Hermione quickly stared at her hands in her lap, eyes wide. Did he just...laugh?After a moment, the professor straightened in his chair and steepled his fingers in front of his chest. "Much."Hermione looked up in confusion. "Pardon?"He smirked a little at her bemusement. "About Nagini's venom, and particularly the antivenin, I can tell you much."His smirk grew more pronounced as she waited expectantly. Then she closed her eyes, asking for patience, surely before asking, "Will you tell me what you know about Nagini's venom and its antivenin?""Why do you wish to know?" he asked slowly."You're asking a know-it-all why she's asking questions…sir?" She shot back, barely, barely able to maintain a veneer of only reply was "Indeed."Stirred up beyond her limit, Hermione jumped up and began to pace. "I need to be prepared; I need to know how to respond in a situation. What with Ron…Slughorn froze! If Harry hadn't—" She'd almost sold out Harry! "If he hadn't been there with the bezoar…" Her voice cracked. "So no I didn't ask Slughorn, because he obviously isn't able to react in a crisis. Mr. Weasley was almost killed by that beast, what if it happened again? Of course it will happen again, we're going after a madman with a seven-meter assassin.""Miss Granger, that is what Healers are for." His voice cracked like a whip, attempting to cut through her just flapped her hands over her head. "Yes but what if there's no time, or no way to get to them? Sometimes there's only enough time for you to react. Have you ever heard of First Aid? I took my certification last summer. If you were to start choking right here, would you want to wait for Madam Pomfrey to arrive?" She looked slightly manic now."Sit down girl." She sat quickly. Six years in the classroom trained her to obey that tone. "Now. Is it your intention to become a Healer?"She vaguely waved her hand in front of her face. "I don't know, Healing is so reactionary, I don't know if I could handle that as a career. It does seem like an important life skill to have."He snorted again, and she was again shocked into stillness. "Only you, Miss Granger, would seek to add Healing to the list of your accomplishments. 'Paint tables, embroider cushions, play the pianoforte, pick up a Masters'-level study as a hobby...'""You know me, I just while away my days netting purses for the house-elves." I've got to be dreaming. I must have tripped pacing and knocked myself time he snorted and smiled. Then he launched into a lecture about the properties of Nagini's venom…and how to treat it.