A/N: I don't own Harry Potter

This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Writing Club March

Disney Challenge: Devil In Disguise: Write about someone being misleading.

Fabulous World of Comics: 27- (word) snarky

Sophie's Shelf: 17 - Spencer Hastings, Pretty Little Liars: (character) Straight A Student

Word Count: 677

"There is a right way and a wrong to brew this potion, Miss Granger," Severus stated. Hermione sighed. They had been secretly brewing at night, trying to figure out a way to break the connection between Voldemort and his followers. It had been Hermione's idea, but Severus had not denied it was a good one.

No one else in the castle knew about their little midnight brewing sessions. Hermione didn't want anyone to know because she knew how they would react to her working so closely with Severus. Severus didn't want anyone to know because he didn't trust Dumbledore at this point and did not need his loyalties being called into question. It had nothing to do with the fact the witch he was working with was, in his book, attractive and they had developed something a little more that just a teacher student relationship.

"This according to the man who rewrote the potions book to his own ideas?" she asked, tilting her head. Severus Snape glared at the witch in front of him. She was the most irritating creature some days. This was one of them. He couldn't really deny her logic though. However, this was not about altering something. This was about her needing to know the proper way of doing something, what if something happened to him? She would need to do things herself, by herself, and the last thing he wanted hanging over his head was her being hurt.

"Some potions can be altered, yes. Brewing experimentation is important. However, this potion is difficult enough to make without risking blowing up my lab."

"Is that all you care about? Me blowing up your lab? Or is there some other reason you won't let me try this?" she asked.

"What other reason could there possibly be, Miss Granger. I have no doubt you can brew this potion properly by following the existing instructions. I know you think you have a brilliant idea. It might be brilliant, but it might also backfire wonderfully. There is no way of knowing without having a firm grasp of the concepts of brewing this particular potion correctly."

"Maybe you're afraid it will work? Or maybe you're afraid you won't get the glory for having solved the problem yourself, sir," Hermione snapped, reaching out for the glass jar nearest her. Severus pushed it out of her reach. This wasn't the first time they'd had a little spat over a potion. The last time, it had ended up with her doing as she pleased and his lab smelling like candy floss for a week.

"I don't care about glory," he muttered. She scoffed. He knew she'd seen the magazines with his name on them, seen the credits to the potioning world he'd developed. He didn't try to hide the fact his resume was impressive.

"You don't care about your lab either," Hermione responded, summoning the jar to herself. "What's this really about, Professor."

"You learning the proper way to brew this potion before you start toying with things you barely understand."

"So it's not about the fact I might have finally figured out a way to erase the connection between the Mark on your arm and He Who Must Not be Named?" Hermione asked.

"No. It's about you not putting yourself at risk for me. Maybe your idea has some merit, maybe. This potion is already unstable enough as it is. There will be time to experiment with it later. Right now, just brew it properly so you understand the brew. Doing it properly the first time is key to understanding how to alter it in the future."

"You just don't want me to get hurt," Hermione whispered, looking into the snarky man's eyes. He looked away.

"I said no such thing, Miss Granger, now please, we don't have all night to argue about whether or not going off book is a practical approach to this potion. Brew it as instructed please."

"You do care," Hermione stated with a smile, as she started following the instructions in the book before her.