It was almost an hour after blacking out that Hermione finally roused from her steady sleep. Almost as if on cue, Severus walked across the room and handed her a phial. Hermione recognised it at once as a pepper up potion, and although still distrustful, emptied the phial without question.
There was silence in the room, as they both studied each other waiting for a reaction. Hermione finally got inpatient.
"So? Are you going to tell me what happened downstairs? I'm sure I wasn't feeling unwell earlier." She said coolly.
"I placed you under a sleeping spell. I was afraid another outburst from you might scare the house elves, or worse you might have damaged something. You know some of those pieces of furniture downstairs are centuries old and very valuable."
There was no emotion in his voice, but Hermione could have sworn she felt I slight snigger in his stare.
"The only thing in danger of damage is you. HOW DARE YOU CAST A SLEEPING SPELL ON ME! AND WHERE THE BLDY HELL IS MY WAND!" Hermione started again; the pitch of her voice getting higher with every word.
She paused only for a short breath.
"HOW DARE YOU DISARM ME" she screamed jumping off the bed and raising her arm at him. "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!."
Severus caught her arm in his hand.
"Have you quite finished Miss Granger?" he retorted and threw her back on the bed. "I am the master of this house and I will dare do as I please," he shouted.
He strode over till he had reached the bed. Towering over her, Hermione began to feel intimidated by his dark figure.
"Although I am not accustomed to visitors, the dark lord or any one of his followers may appear here at any time! So you better get used to orders Miss Granger, because while you are under this roof, you will do exactly what I tell you…and I will do exactly as I please. Including hexing you, if ever I feel the need."
Snape now loomed over her fully on the bed; his face very close to hers. She could see his face writhed with anger, and yet she still felt outraged.
I am not inferior to him, I am not inferior to him she sung in her head.
"But…" she stammered.
"Do not try me Miss Granger…" he cut in "after all I am a Death Eater." He smirked. "Now do I make myself clear?"
"Yes sir."
"Good, because you have a funny way of backing yourself into a corner…literally."
Hermione could see the smug look of her professor's face, and hated the fact he had the upper hand.
With one last stare, Severus swept back across the room towards the door. He had nearly closed it on the other side, when he heard a small voice.
"You really shouldn't scrunch your face up like that often…it'll give you wrinkles." She laughed.
She wouldn't let him have the last word.
With that he closed the door and locked it, leaving Hermione to ponder over the events of that day alone.