Severus apparated to his new lab at precisely nine o'clock the next morning. Hermione was waiting for him.
"I had hoped to turn you loose and let you get started today," she said without preamble, "but there's been a run on cough potions and I'll need your help to replenish our stock. Must be something going around." She waved vaguely toward the workbench behind him. "Shrake spine's on the table - we'll need about a quart, crushed, if you don't mind. I'm already elbow-deep in silverweed sap or else I'd do it myself."
Autonomy my arse - she planned this. "I seem to recall you promised to help me," he pointed out.
"Only when we're not swamped. Which, right now, we are."
Severus glared at her. The look didn't seem to be as effective as he was used to. "Is this to be a regular occurrence?"
She shrugged and turned away, but not before he caught a hint of a smile on her face. "You promised to help when we're in a crunch. We're overworked and we'll likely be in a crunch most of the time. Expect to be working for me as much as I'm working for you, time-wise."
"That's not how you presented this opportunity," Severus growled.
"Obviously." Hermione shot a very definite smirk over her shoulder at him. "I knew you wouldn't take the bait if I did. But we do need you, and we are behind, so I'd very much appreciate it if you would tackle those shrake spines for me. When I do them, I keep stirring too quickly and they go all sour."
"At least you learned something from my classes. I was beginning to wonder."
"That bit was from your old textbook - you know, the one Harry used our sixth year? He finally let me and Ron in on how he was suddenly doing so well in Potions. You ought to publish your annotations someday, Professor - they were really very helpful. You do have a gift for explaining things, when you can be bothered to do so."
Severus opened his mouth to retort, then closed it again. Was that a compliment? He rather thought it might have been. How strange - it felt extremely odd for anyone to compliment him on anything these days.
The shrake spines took nearly three hours to crush and prepare, three hours of exhausting grinding and stirring which left Severus's shoulders and neck sore. The monotony gave him a chance to make a more thorough study of the lab and its other occupant, though. The storage system left something to be desired - it was a wonder Hermione could find anything at all - but the lab really was stocked with the very best materials money could buy. A full set of gleaming cauldrons in four different metals, several sizes of mortars and pestles, stirring rods in a neat block like kitchen knives, scales and flasks and tiny bottles with tiny cork stoppers . . . it was a pleasure to work with materials of this caliber, even if they weren't strictly his.
"Done with that?" Hermione asked.
Severus gave the cauldron one last stir. "As done as they'll get, I suspect - are you ready for them? The paste will set up like cement if you're not quick."
Hermione wordlessly waved him over to the large cauldron she had simmering at her workbench. Severus carefully measured out a quart of the foul-smelling mixture, making sure to spread it evenly throughout the already-bubbling cauldron, and immediately set to cleaning his own.
"You don't just scourgio?"
Severus sniffed dismissively, then immediately regretted it when the smell of shrake invaded his nostrils. "Come now, Miss Granger, don't you remember what happens to shrake vine paste when you use magical cleaning reagents?"
"It hardens, I know. But a second scourgio gets it right out."
"It's not good for the cauldron."
"You're using copper - it's not like it will rust."
"It can tarnish."
"Not from scourgio. But I'm not ordering you not to - I was just curious, that's all." She smiled at him in a way that was probably supposed to make everything better.
"Just as well you weren't trying to order me to do anything, Miss Granger. It won't work."
She turned away and let out a snort which sounded suspiciously like it was covering a laugh. "I know better, Professor."
"Good." He finished scrubbing the cauldron, vanished the brush, and hung the cauldron back with its partners on the wall-mounted rack. "Am I free to start on the work you actually hired me for now, or do you have some strength potion that needs brewing? Callum's Cure-All, perhaps?"
"No, you're fine. I can take this from here. I'm going to grab Ron and wander up to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch as soon as I'm done, though - you're welcome to come." She looked back over her shoulder and caught his eye. "You're welcome to apparate home for lunch instead if you prefer, of course, but I'm buying."
Severus inclined his head. "In that case, I suppose I will join you."