This chapter has been updated due to a review hopefully this explains a bit better the rarity of a Potions Master.
After getting a few hours of sleep Hermione awoke to the blissful silence of the dungeon. She had a smile on her face as this was her first day as an apprentice and she was excited, especially as her mentor was now her friend. Only your friend though, don't get your hopes up she thought to herself.
She changed into her robes and walked into her bathroom, she made sure her hair looked perfect and applied a small amount of make up. After she had finished she looked into the mirror and was pretty pleased with the finished product. Suddenly she heard a knock on her living room door so she went to answer.
As she opened the door, she was pleased to see her Mentor looking a great deal better than the previous night although he looked tired she saw a certain sparkle in his obsidean eyes and she gave him a big smile.
"Good Morning Severus"
"Good morning Hermione, may I walk with you to breakfast?" He asked politely.
"I would love that, thank you" She replied before walking through the door and shutting it behind her.
They walked to the Grand Hall where everyone would be having breakfast but as they reached the Hall Professor Snape stopped.
"Why did you stop Severus?" Hermione asked confused.
"Well given my reputation as a loner, wouldn't you prefer to walk in without me so people wont associate you with me?" he asked quietly.
"Don't be so ridiculous, Severus. I'm proud to be associated with you" She replied in shock "Now get your black clothed butt in there" she said playfully.
"Now miss Granger, we may be friends but I wont tolerate rudeness. 10 points from Griffindor" he replied crossing his arms.
"I see, well 10 points from Slytherin for you being an idiot" she replied copying him, crossing her arms.
They stood like that for a moment or two before Hermione started laughing "Come on, I'm hungry" she said.
They then walked into the grand hall together and headed to the teacher's table. Several students started looking at them and whispering as they saw the generally solitary Professor walking with Hermione, Snape noticed this and started to get uncomfortable so he walked over to the whispering students.
"Do you have a problem with me walking with my apprentice?" He said in his normal stern voice, crossing his arms.
The students eyes widened and they shook their heads furiously "No sir" they stuttered.
"Good" He replied before turning around and rejoining Hermione.
"Still got it" She said to him, quietly giggling as they walked to the teacher's table.
"Obviously" he replied trying to hide a faint smile.
They ate breakfast with the other teachers, Hermione talking to Harry trying to keep him from bothering her Mentor and when they were finished they walked back to the dungeon ready for Potions class.
The students entered the classroom and found their seats, Hermione sat at her Mentor's desk as he addressed the class using his normal intimidation mannerisms and his stern voice, he had the class on the brink of wetting their pants. He's definitely still got it she thought to herself as she admired the way he could hold a whole classes attention. Soon the students were attempting their first potion and Hermione was dashing around the room, handing out ingredients and helping those who asked for assistance while her Mentor walked around the room ensuring each student was following his instructions and reprimanding anyone whom thought they would attempt to disrupt his class.
The lesson went by quickly and Hermione enjoyed her role as teachers assistant, once the lesson was finished she got to work disposing of the potions and cleaning the work areas ready for the next class. Her Mentor watched her working without so much as a prompt from him it was as if she instinctively knew what he wanted her to do.
The day passed quickly and soon they were watching the last few students of their last class leaving. Once the last student left Hermione flopped down onto a chair and sighed in relief. Her mentor chuckled at this.
"Tired?" He asked her.
"Very. I don't know how you coped before doing all that yourself plus teach" she replied
"Well we will have to skip your lesson for today then" He said teasing her.
"Nooooo" she replied with a giggle "I want to learn from the great Severus Snape, Potions Master extraordinaire.
"Fair enough" He replied and motioned for her to join him at a desk he had prepared with all the ingredients set up ready to go.
"What are we making?" She enquired
"Its a secret" He replied and proceeded to tell her how to prepare the ingredients and then brew the potion.
2 hours later it was complete and Hermione was fairly proud of herself as was her Mentor.
"That was so hard to make" she sighed, mentally exhausted.
"Well Done Hermione, it's perfect. Now lets test it" He said pulling her arm towards him gently and rolled up her sleeve exposing her offending wound.
"It's just wont heal" she said sadly.
He didn't say a word just took the potion and carefully dripped it onto her arm, it felt cold as the drops fell onto her skin but it didn't hurt.
"It's tingling" she said concerned.
"Then it is working" he replied simply.
Hermione gasped as she watched the wound slowly heal and the scar fade until she there was no mark remaining.
Tears fell down her cheek as she inspected the area where the wound had been. "Thank you so much Severus"
"Your more than welcome Hermione, I know you said that you wear your scars with honour but I thought you would like this scar to disappear"
"Thank you" She repeated and enveloped him in a hug, he was surprised by the sudden contact but slowly wrapped his arms around her.
"Well now you know how to make a potion that heals curse wounds, it's very strong as the curse that was on the dagger she used to harm you, was a particularly nasty one and so that concludes day one of Potion Mastery" He said pushing her gently from him.
"I am truly grateful" she replied wiping the tears from her face."
Can I ask you a question Severus?" Hermione asked politely after a moment or two of uncomfortable silence.
"Of course" he replied
"How many potion masters are left? Minerva said there aren't many and you wont tell anyone either. If you don't want to tell me that's fine I was..."
"there are four" he said simply.
"Four in Britain" she said shocked
"No four in the world, I cover Europe"
"WHAT? How do you cope?" She replied flustered "Your still recovering, for Merlin sake"
"Well anyone can make the simple potions that every student is taught whilst here, you only need an O in your NEWTS to be qualified to produce those potions. A potions Master is qualified to make the more advanced and rare potions, due to the extreme level of difficulty it takes to make them. The potion we just made would never be attempted by a basic Potions maker due to level of difficulty but for a Potions Master it's a basic low level Potion. That's why I am training you Hermione, it takes a special wizard or witch to become a Potions Master and I have never found a student I feel is capable of being my apprentice but you are intelligent enough. I knew, from the day you started my class all those years ago, you would have what it takes to become a potions mistress" he replied
"Wow, well let me take this opportunity to say thank you for entrusting me with your knowledge" she replied truly shocked at his revelation.
"I know you will use the knowledge wisely" he replied.
"Well that's enough learning for now. How about I get one of the elves to bring us some food and perhaps we could eat it in my living room?" he asked shyly.
"I would love that" She replied and they made their way to his living quarters.
After a delicious dinner, Hermione and Severus had decided to indulge in their favourite past time and read for a while. Severus had a large living room with a huge collection of books so it took a while for Hermione to choose one to read but in the end she found a book on advanced Potions that took her fancy and she sat down on one of the comfortable chairs in her Mentor's living room. Severus had already sat down and was reading by the fire place.
"What are you reading, Severus?" Hermione asked as she made herself comfortable.
"Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare" He replied watching her settle down.
"Ahh, one of my favourites" she said before opening her own book and starting to read.
They sat in silence, reading for a couple of hours both comfortable in each others presence, occasionally sneaking glances at each other hoping the other wouldn't notice. Severus was particularly enjoying his book, he secretly enjoyed a good romance story but when he looked up at Hermione he noticed that she had fallen asleep on the chair.
She looks so peaceful he thought to himself as he got up off his chair and gently placed his cloak over her so she would be kept warm, his heart melted when he saw her snuggle into the cloak and let out a sweet little sigh.
She's your friend, Severus. Nothing more he thought as he knelt down beside her and very softly caressed her cheek with his thumb but I wish she was more.
He sighed quietly as he stood up and sat back down in his chair, he lost himself in his thoughts as he looked into the fireplace. Little did he know that Hermione had woken when he put the cloak on her and had felt his gentle caress.
A few minutes later she opened her eyes and saw Severus looking into the fireplace, still deep in thought.
"You ok Severus?" she asked softly still wrapped up in the cloak
"Just fine Hermione, a little tired" he replied.
"In that case I will bid you good night" She said reluctantly removing the cloak and standing up.
"Good night Hermione, sleep well" He replied before looking back at the fireplace.
As she walked past him she placed her hand gently on his shoulder and stood for a moment, admiring the glow from the fireplace lighting up his face, the light made his black eyes shine with a gold tint. She was fighting the urge to lean down and kiss his cheek but it was only made worse when she felt his hand on hers. They remained like that for a moment, both wanting to say something but fearing how the other would react.
It became too much for Hermione and so she reluctantly removed her hand from his shoulder and left the room. Only when she was back in her bedroom did she release the breath she hadn't realised she was holding. She fell into an uneasy sleep that night, she was missing something and she new exactly who it was.