Hermione awoke with a screaming headache, she'd fallen asleep after crying for a good couple hours and she was paying the price for her tears.
She didn't want to leave her room, she knew that logically she couldn't stay in here forever but her brain was attempting to figure out ways in which she could last a good couple of weeks.
"Umm...house elf?" Hermione called feeling ridiculous.
"Yes, miss?" A tiny elf squeaked as it popped into her room right in front of her.
"Oh, uh yes can I please have two plates of food?" Hermione asked in a polite voice. "And please no sandwiches." She added with a small pained smile.
Hermione sat down at the small vanity that graced the corner of her room, she tried to smooth out her rebellious hair and as always to no avail. The darn thing was determined to look as though a tornado had attacked it.
The elf popped back with two plates of hot food, roast and mashed potatoes.
"Thank you so very much," Hermione said taking the two plates before the elf could set them down.
"I am happy to serve you miss," with that the elf disappeared.
Hermione took a deep breathe. She felt stupid for trying to reach out to Snape so soon after their latest fight, but she could not handle living so close to someone and having to spend all hours with them and have them not acknowledge your presence.
She lifted the silencing spells from her door and took a step outside.
The living area was empty.
Hermione set the plates on the coffee table and walked over to Snape's door.
"I got us dinner," Hermione called quietly. She waited a moment and the door remained shut.
Hermione walked back into the living area and put a stasis charm on the food to keep it from getting cold then she sat down to read ignoring her growling stomach.
Hermione hadn't gotten very far into the first page when the door to Snape's room quietly opened.
Snape stepped out and looked at her.
"I got you a plate, and I made sure it wasn't sandwiches again," Hermione said from the large chair. "I was getting frightfully sick of sandwiches."
Snape took a quick glance at the food then looked over at Hermione and stopped.
"You should have just told me," Hermione whispered. "Even in your own mean way you could have belittled me for doing it yelled at me even, but you should have told me," There was no anger in Hermione's tone, just sadness.
Snape looked down and began to remove the charm from the food.
"I know," Snape said back a note of regret in his voice.
He brought the food over and sat a plate down in front of Hermione.
Hermione nodded her head at him and they both began to eat in a calm silence.
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The next few weeks found Hermione and Snape trying to ready the library.
Since Hermione was still to take the librarian position when the students came back Snape would have to at least stay in the library with her as she worked.
Hermione sorted and resorted the Hogwarts library making sure everything was ready for the new year. The students were to arrive in only a weeks time and Hermione while ready, was a nervous wreck.
Madame Prince was a formidable librarian, she did not tolerate a single un-hushed voice.
Hermione knew she could be bossy but making sure the whole school stayed in line while in her presence was a daunting task.
Another problem that weighed on Hermione's shoulders was the things people would say about Snape.
Very few people agreed with Hermione and her decision to save the war hero. Scores of witches and wizards wanted him dead or at least still locked up.
Hermione looked over at Snape who had taken charge of organizing all the potions and potion related books into an order he saw fit.
Hermione looked at his face his large hooked nose that drew low over his pinched mouth with its defined frown lines.
His hair was still shoulder length and still shiny from grease, his body was hard to see under all the dark layers but she knew he must still be as thin as a skeleton.
Hermione would watch as he ate, he'd always eat half of his plate and move around the rest of the food until Hermione was done then they'd either exit the great hall in silence or call a house elf to take the dishes.
The simple routine they'd taken to was calming but Hermione knew it wouldn't last through the year, the minute the students arrived everything would change.
Hermione wasn't sure how but she was a nervous wreck over the changes that would come.
"Are you enjoying the view?" Snape drawled.
Hermione blinked quickly and shook her head.
"No need to be rude," Snape growled. "What do you wish me to do with this piece of trash?" Snape asked holding up Perfect Pantry Potions by Gilderoy Lockhart.
Hermione made a face then motioned for him to hand her the book.
"I have an idea for it." Hermione said a tiny mischievous smirk curling her lips.
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That evening found Hermione and Snape sitting comfortably by a small fire roaring in the hearth.
Hermione took the poker and nudged the burning book so that the fire would eat at the smiling picture of the fraud Gilderoy Lockhart.
"I had the most awful crush on him when he taught defense in my second year," Hermione said laughing a little.
"Yes, you and half the female population in Britain at the time." Snape sneered back.
"He had a nice smile, and honestly how many wizards can you find that can toss their hair so elegantly," Hermione giggled. She felt giddy her prep work was done and now she need only wait and see if the students would tare her to pieces or respect her.
Snape let out a distasteful snort, "Anyone can flip their hair, that brainless twit did it so often it became much like a nervous twitch,"
Hermione laughed and turned to look at Snape.
"So you can flip your hair like Lockhart? Well lets see it then dazzle me," Hermione was taking a real chance here trying to play around with Snape but she figured that he must've softened up at least some since their binding and Hermione was happy enough to try and test the waters.
Snape glared at Hermione but she could see a tiny twitch near his lips that gave away his amusement at her comment.
"So Granger why aren't you the future Mrs. Weasley, I was sure you'd have been popping out little ginger monsters by now," Snape made the comment lightly but Hermione's face fell just a bit.
"Oh, we didn't get on like we should have," she kept up her cheery tone but her eyes were sad now. "He wanted different things and I didn't want to give mine up."
Her head was bowed and the cheerful tone gone.
"I suppose it made me the bad guy but I want someone who'll listen to me and what I want from life."
Snape looked over at her, he felt bad for bringing this up but it had been a burning curiosity for him.
"I think I'll be alone for good now though," Hermione's dismal voice broke through Snape's thoughts. "I'm too bookish for most guys, especially ones like Ron."
Snape felt bad for the girl, he knew what the loss of someone you love could do to the mind, but she was speaking far too quickly a witch her age had a long time before she lost her edge.
"Really Granger? You would sell yourself so short?" Snape cut in, "You may be insufferable and, I know being with you constantly, far to bossy and curious for your own good, but you're a beautiful young witch. Weasley was stupid to not worship you. You deserve better and you will find it. Don't give up till you end up like me."
He paused and stared at the fire, that had consumed Lockhart's book, for a moment then he said quietly, "Old, alone, and universally hated."
With that Snape stood up and went into his room closing the door behind him.