Ok, I know I've been bad (slaps herself on wrist), but give me a break, just had a 1500 word scientific essay due. Going to try and start getting towards the good stuff – I have an awful habit of putting in huge amounts of detail. Any comments about where this story should head, who should do who etc would be appreciated; they help get the muse going.

Ciao darlings!

Chapter 4

With a crack, Hermione Apparated to the Hogwarts gates, and found herself looking up at the massive castle. Feelings of joy and hope washed over her, she drank in the sights, the smells, never wanting to lose this emotion or motivation. She breathed in the fresh breeze as it twirled over and around her, lifting tendrils of soft wavy locks from her head. A focussed, confident look settled onto her face, and she pushed the gates open with both hands. 'Going for the dramatic look?' she wondered at herself. 'Yes I think I will...' the new woman said back, and with that she made her way up the drive towards the castle.

Yet again, Severus was scowling down at students from the staff table, thinking about how much better things were going. He had his edge back – he'd finally overcome the Black Rock potion's (as he jokingly called it) tendency to form a solid, he had his 1st years cowering again, and he was back in shape. His dress change had been met by much trepidation on the staff and student body fronts; the female staff and students had begun throwing interesting looks at him, which usually he was never on the receiving end of. Yes life was looking up. Except for today. Today, Granger was due to arrive, and she was already late. It was halfway through dinner and she hadn't shown. Severus was fervently hoping she didn't. Hence his current scowling at the students before him, and his disgusted sneers at some of the vapid female faces staring back at him. The sound of the doors of the hall opening had him look up – and his jaw drop.

If that was Hermione Granger, he was Remus Lupin. The woman walking between the now silent tables was no chit, no fur ball with buck teeth, and DEFINATELY no slip of a girl. She wore fitted blue robes, with flares at the sleeves and skirt which dotted and shimmered in the candlelight. Her chestnut brown hair was smooth, came halfway down her back and had a curly wave to it. She was still small, but her curves were round and soft, and she was blessed with just enough cleavage to provoke interest. Wait, had he just eyed her BREASTS? Severus mentally shook himself and picked his jaw up off the ground. Looking around, he realised that she was receiving the same kind of looks he had been getting , except from the male population of the school – a significant number of female eyes filled with hatred were pointed her way too.

She finished her walk up the hall and came to a stop in front of Albus. She dropped a graceful, apologetic curtsey and gave a nervous smile before waiting for Albus' nod to explain.

"I apologise for being late Headmaster, I'm afraid I got held up with my landlord." Her voice was lilting and golden, matured from the innocence and bossiness Severus remembered it holding. Her head turned his way and he was vaguely aware of Albus' response as he locked eyes with her. Her confidence towards him spoke volumes – he returned it with an equal vehemence. An incline of her head and she broke contact, moved to take her place next to Minerva and Poppy. Then she surprised them all by performing a rather talented move over the table before seating herself carefully. The hall erupted into chatter at this, returning to its normal(ish) sound levels. Was this woman really Hermione Granger?

He leaned back into his chair, and found himself sweating and... unsure? The woman she was made him reassess everything he had been planning to rid himself of her. She would be able to answer him back, being a professor herself now, and that confidence she projected suggested she would – given the opportunity. Yes, she had definitely changed, but so had he. There would be plenty of room for more of it he reckoned.

Hermione's approach to the high table had been anything but confident. She was kicking herself for being late and having to make such an entrance (although secretly part of her liked it). She heard the whispers through the deafening silence, felt every set of eyes on her. Thanking Merlin she had taken time to present herself this morning, she looked at faces she remembered – Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Pomfrey, all smiling and looking glad to see her.

And then there was him. He was watching her advance along with everyone else, but as she remembered showing no sign of emotion. He had lost his black robes, donning instead a black button-up shirt and pants. His hair was no longer lank but seemed glossy and clean. There was an assertive air around him, a strength she hadn't noticed there before. He was still pale, but now it seemed a clean shade, not dingy and dirty like she remembered. Overall, Snape had turned from the bat of the dungeons to... a raven? That sounded appropriate, she decided, and attached the new label to him in her mind.

Aware that she had reached the staff table, she decided to follow a bit of formal protocol and fell into a graceful curtsey she had practiced for use in company and situations such as this. Looking up, she smiled nervously at Dumbledore, waiting for a signal to talk, and was received with a gesture and a nod.

"I apologise for being late Headmaster, I'm afraid I got held up with my landlord." She offered, loud enough for the rest of the hall to hear. Not able to help herself, she looked down the table towards Snape and locked eyes with him. He maintained his assertiveness, and not willing to break under his stare, she refused to blink and held her ground. If she was going to work with him, she was not going to allow herself to be pushed around when they were now on equal footing. Hearing Albus give his affirmative response to her statement, she looked away and moved down the table to the free seat between McGonagall and Pomfrey.

Deciding to be brave and show she was still young, she boosted herself onto the front of the table, flicked her legs over and gracefully landed on the other side, before demurely seating herself next to her old professor. Hearing the commotion from the students resume, she smiled inwardly as people started giving her all the well wishes of her return, albeit a little shocked from her sudden performance and personality change. The exchange with Snape (she really needed to start calling them by their first names as she was supposed to now) had piqued her interest, wondering when this change in him had occurred. She determined that after she had settled she would begin researching about this new Sna... Severus and find out if he was still the same old bat with some cosmetic surgery or really had become a handsome raven.

Wait, did she just call him HANDSOME?