"Hermione are you ready to go?" Ginny put her hand on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione was still in a daze after her Professor saved her from hitting the ground. She was also nervous about anyone finding her sketchbook. There was no way she would want to still be at Hogwarts if someone found it. She would be embarrassed to look into Professor Snape's eyes or talk to him. What would Harry or Ron think if they found the book? She shook her head as Ginny pulled her to Hogsmeade.

"You are so tense, Hermione, you need to get laid," Ginny said as they started to turn a corner to be met with Professor Snape. Hermione looked down at her shoes too embarrassed to look him in the eyes. He most definitely heard Ginny say that comment, his face said it all. "Ladies," he made his way around Ginny and Hermione.

"Why is he always around when I say you need to get laid?" Ginny asked.

"No idea," Hermione said, "it's just a coincidence."

They made their way out of the castle and started to walk to Hogsmeade.

"You just need a long thick cock," Ginny smiled, "then you wouldn't be so tense and uptight."

Hermione scuffed at Ginny, if only she knew what was drawn in her sketchbook or what she had done with Viktor. She never told Ginny or anyone for that matter what she and Viktor did. Everyone thought it was so strange that an eighteen-year-old was interested in her. It wasn't like he was some random person off the street.

After Hermione and Ginny were done at Hogsmeade they made their way back to the castle. They had spent almost their whole afternoon there. Hermione enjoyed being in the castle but she liked to be free of having to use her brain. When she was with Ginny they would get into trouble and have a great time. Ginny liked that Hermione was able to get out of her comfort zone and not have her nose buried in a book.

"I am so glad you don't have detention or be Snape's assistant during the weekend," Ginny said, "I feel like I barely see you."

"Yeah I am glad I don't either," Hermione smiled. Ginny didn't know she got a month's detention and she knew if she told her she would be furious. It wasn't like Ginny wasn't always with her boyfriend. Hermione felt neglected at one point with Ginny having a partner.

They arrived at Hogwarts, "I will catch you later, Dean asked me to meet him in the lavatory where Moaning Myrtle is."

Hermione nodded. She knew that Ginny wouldn't be by her side all day. She made her way into the great hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table. Where would her sketchbook be? She thought. Someone must have found it by now. Maybe someone had thrown it away. Maybe Flitch had thrown it away while he was cleaning up. Hermione sighed at the thought. Sure, it would be better if no one saw it but she had spent hours upon hours sketching in that book. This was the eighth book she had started while at Hogwarts. This was the second book for this year. The book that she had lost was mostly filled with sketches of Professor Snape.

"God, do you ever brush your bird's nest?" A posh voice rang in Hermione's ear. She turned around to see Malfoy and his gang.

"It's curly," Hermione retorted, "if you brush curly hair it only gets bigger, now sod off."

"It looks like your cat threw you up like a hairball," Malfoy laughed, "see you later, birds nest," and with that, he walked away.

Malfoy needed some new material but she still hated the fact that people made fun of her bushy hair. Hermione stood up and walked out of the great hall. She knew what she had to do. She remembered what she used for the Yule Ball and figured she could make a new batch. Viktor hated her hair curly so she decided to change it for that day. She thought that if her hair was tamed then people would like her more. Harry and Ron always made fun of her for her hair. She didn't understand why they didn't like it.

She made her way to the potions classroom and hoped Professor Snape wasn't in there. Knocking on the door she waited for him to answer. Nothing. It was silent. She knocked again but no answer. Pushing the door slightly she saw that the classroom was empty. She walked over to the shelf where the cauldrons are and pulled one down. Hermione knew she couldn't go to her usual spot to brew a potion as Ginny and Dean would most likely be having coitus in the second-floor girls' lavatory. She walked over to Professor Snape's cabinet of potions and grabbed the key. Luckily she knew where the key was since she was his assistant. She grabbed Gomas barbadensis, Asian dragon hair, and petroleum jelly.

She lit the fire underneath the cauldron and started putting the ingredients into it. She was happy that it wouldn't take too long for it to be done. Hermione would have at least a month's supply of the potion so she wouldn't have to brew it until November. She started to hum and walk around the classroom. Figuring she had a couple of minutes until it was done she decided to snoop. She didn't know why she wanted to snoop but figured it would be beneficial for her. She wanted to know more about Professor Snape and wondered what he had at his desk. She felt like he was so private and didn't tell them anything. Unlike all of the other professors.

The potion was finally done and Hermione put the potion into a vial that she could drop two drops on her scalp. She smiled to herself. She hoped one day that Malfoy wouldn't get to her. He always made her life miserable as if it already wasn't. She cleaned up her mess and walked back to the common room.

Monday, October 23rd, 1995

Severus didn't want to face the day. He knew he had to get up and get to breakfast. He had avoided Granger like the plague but he knew Minerva would be on his case if he didn't show up to all of the meals today. "Would you like me to get you food today, Mr. Snape," Missy his house elf said softly. He was still in his bed and turned over to look at the small elf.

"Not today, Missy, thank you," he paused, "you may go."

Missy nodded and snapped her fingers.

Severus wondered if he could just throw away the sketchbook. It wasn't like she would know he had seen it, but he knows. How could he throw away a sketchbook that she must've worked many hours on? Why did he care though? He knew if someone found one of his books on the ground and threw it away he would have them by the throat. Even now he would do the same thing, but he knew how to control his temper compared to when he was a teenager.

He swung his legs off the bed and slipped his slippers on. Walking to the bathroom he turned on the shower and ripped off his briefs. He liked taking showers in the morning compared to the afternoon. He liked how many buttons were on his clothes but hated doing the buttons and then taking a shower. It was too tedious. It was much easier to slip off his briefs and jump in.

He looked down to see that his cock was standing straight up. He rolled his eyes as he stared at his twitching cock. Severus hated the fact that his cock had a mind of its own. Not wanting to wank off to what he had before he turned the water to cold and thought of other things. Luckily it had worked but he knew eventually he would have to give in and stroke it.

Hermione got up early for the day and made her way to the bathroom. She grabbed the potion out of her shower bag and dropped two drops on her head. Instantly her hair wasn't a bird's nest. It was normal just like everyone else at Hogwarts. She smiled at the mirror. After she was done moisturizing her skin and rubbing the dark circles away she made her way down to the great hall.

Severus was done in the shower and made his way down to the great hall. Minvera smiled at him as he walked in and side-eyed Umbridge. She was going to be mad at him, he thought. She hated when he left her alone with her. "I was going to be mad at you if you didn't come out of your cave," Minvera said as he sat down.

"That is where the dungeon bat likes to be, Minnie," he paused, "in his bat cave," he started to slightly chuckle at his joke but stopped when he saw Miss Granger walk in. To say he was disappointed would be an understatement. He didn't know why but he certainly did not like how she had changed her hair. Sure, he had said things about her bushy hair in the past, but he didn't mean it, or did he? He didn't know why he made jokes about it. He had gotten plenty of insults from students when he was in school, even now, about his greasy hair. If only they knew that his hair was soft and not at all greasy. Unless he hasn't taken a shower then it would be greasy.

Suddenly, Severus' eyes went wide as he felt pain in his forearm. The Dark Lord always had the worst times to call him. He knew that he worked at a school with children, didn't he? "I have to go," Severus stood up and walked past all of the students. Slowly he walked past Granger who was smiling and laughing with her friends. He felt slight anger when he saw Weasley with his hand on the small of her back. Why did he feel that anger?

Hermione walked toward the potions classroom and sat down in her regular seat. She waited like usual for Professor Snape to walk in quickly as he had always done. The doors swung open to reveal Professor McGonagall. "For the next couple of days I will be teaching you," she paused and looked around the room.

Hermione raised her hand, "Yes Miss Granger?"

"Where is Professor Snape?"

"He did not say but he did take a couple days of leave," she smiled, "Now take out your textbooks and read chapter forty-five. Miss Granger will you come here for a minute."

Hermione nodded and walked over to Professor McGonagall.

"Yes, Professor?"

"Professor Snape said that you have detention and that you should serve it with him. With that, he will be back on Friday so you can serve detention and be his assistant."

Hermione nodded.

Where is he and why did he take a leave of absence?