an overwhelming desire to win...

Hermione was fuming by the time she had run back to her Head Girl chambers. The utter gall of that girl. Pansy...what a bitch.

Hermione\'s dark mood only deepened when she came to the obvious conclusion, that in the most likely scenario, Snape would indeed pick Pansy over her in a heartbeat.

And why shouldn\'t he? He was Slytherin as was she...both evidently cunning minds, and Pansy always seemed to be at the right place at the right time. Like for example dinner, Pansy had so brilliantly acted fast...giving him that damned cloth.

Think! she told herself angrily, You\'re not going to win if your so passive and compliant..think think...you\'re known for your brilliance...stop being a baby..

But, her bad mood was soon lifted as she recalled what had passed between her and Snape in the Great Hall..his body against her own.. She then felt her skin crawl electrifying, sending her most sensitive area\'s on tip it would seem.

She could practically feel his chest through those layers of clothing, if she hadn\'t been in such a state of shock perhaps she would have used it to her advantage. Surreptitiously given him a squeeze or something...but no...she had gone rigid and been pushed from him...but did she see a flicker of interest?

Perhaps not.

She looked to the small shirt she was still wearing, and in a manner of sudden inspiration fluffed her hair a bit, causing it to look a little fuller. She licked her lips in front of the mirror moments later, practicing how she should do it in front of him. Him. Dread invaded her.

Her watch read 6:46 then, and with a forced smile on her trembling lips.
No point in being late.
_____________________________________

\"Hello Granger.\" Pansy said as Hermione rounded the corner and walked in front of Snape\'s door where Pansy was waiting eagerly. “I didn’t think you’d show up.”

\"You look different.\" Hermione blurted, and Pansy chuckled darkly, giving Hermione a supercilious look from under heavily made up eyes.

\"I did my hair.\"

\"It\'s part of the rules, glamour charms aren\'t to be used.\" Hermione was outraged, Pansy was already going against the rules! But if that was the case, then why wasn\'t she-

Pansy sighed, \"I know that genius, I happen to be quite gifted with updos.\"

\"Oh.\" was Hermione\'s first and jealous response. Pansy was known as pig-faced, that was true...but right now she looked really decent. Hermione was actually jealous for a flicker of a moment as she imagined Snape\'s response.

Why Miss Parkinson...you look quite lovely this evening... No...that wasn\'t really Snape\'s style at all.

Suddenly Pansy let out a small squeak of a giggle as Hermione looked to her inquiring. \"Nice shirt.\" she said between giggles, looking pointedly to Hermione\'s cleavage \"How ever did you become a Gryffindor?\"

Hermione blushed and shrugged, on her own Pansy wasn\'t half as intimidating. She had undone her robe a bit, to show a flash of her chest. \"I just wanted to even the stakes I suppose.\"

Pansy smirked, shaking her head \"You\'re going to need a lot more than that.\"

Hermione frowned...there was the old Pansy back, she was about to retort back when the door to Snape\'s chambers suddenly flew open.

\"I said seven o\'clock you giggling dunderheads.\" he said irritably, looking to his pocket watch, \"It is now seven oh one. I haven\'t all night.\"

Hermione and Pansy uttered their respective, \"sorry\" and followed him into the classroom, Pansy rather close to him. Hermione thought she saw Snape\'s gaze linger over Pansy\'s new look a moment longer than expected. Damn.

Suddenly, Hermione forged ahead, feignning a trip over a stray pebble and grasped onto the surprinsingly muscular arm of Professor Snape for support. He waited until she had steadied herself before pulling hastily away, commenting on what a silly little girl she was.

Pansy instantly berated herself for not being more on the ball. Hermione had already made physical contact with the enigmatic Professor. Snape was already moving faster to the front of the room, giving Hermione one last puzzled yet interested look.

Score one for Gryffindor.

Hermione shot a superior look to Pansy as the other girl sneered. That’ll show those Slytherins Hermione thought proudly. And she hadn\'t even been that nervous…well, okay that was a lie. She had half expected Snape to drop her on the floor. Which he hadn’t. Progress!

Snape turned to them and pointed to two separate tables across the room, and set them to work, standing at the front by his desk at the large chalkboard.

\"I shall write up a potion on the board. You are to complete it, bottle it, label it and put it on my desk. Secondly, you are to write a short but concise essay on the properties of a blasmak. Any questions? Good.\"

He wrote the potion up hurriedly on the board, and Hermione immediately got to work, looking to the board and back at her supplies as Snape sat in his desk, quill poised as he marked prior assignments.

For a moment all that could be heard was Hermione\'s clinking of tubes, and Snape\'s quill scratching on parchment. Hermione well imagined he was giving big fat F\'s to everyone. Miserable git.

Pansy\'s sudden gasp broke their attention as she conveniently upset a small bottle of roots, and they scattered under her desk sounding like beads on a marble floor.

She gave a ditzy shrug to no one in particular and dramatically turned her back to a confused Snape, and with her bottom delicately placed in the air, she bent over and collected the roots.

Hermione saw the flicker of uncertainty pass over Snape as he gazed at Pansy. Hermione could\'ve sworn she heard him breathe a little deeper than normal.

Perhaps it was true...perhaps Snape hadn\'t gotten any in a long time. For some reason she pictured Snape holding a large piece of cardboard in front of himself, with the words: \"Will do potions for sex\" written on it.

Hermione tried to keep in the laughter that threatened to spill from her...but couldn\'t. Between Pansy\'s dramatic display and her image of Snape begging for sex she was in hysterics and soon her laughter rang through the air, breaking Snape from his trance.

\"What is so amusing Granger?\" he hissed, evidently angered at the intrusion on his libido. Hermione\'s laugh died in her throat as his dark eyes cut into her.

Nothing sir...I was just picturing you begging for sex...and then of course there\'s Pansy\'s gratuitous butt waving...but other than that..

\"Nothing sir.\"

He frowned deeply and she flushed as she went back to her work, scribbling and pouring while Snape\'s quill found its way back onto his parchment.

It was then that Hermione realized that Pansy wasn\'t really moving much, more looking to the board and then looking distressed to the ingredients before her. She let out a very loud sigh.

\"Is there a problem, Miss Parkinson?\" Snape asked, a kink in his dark eyebrow as he surveyed her helplessness. She nodded emphatically, out of the corner of her eyes she saw Hermione looking to her in disbelief.

\"There is actually, Professor.\" she said sickeningly sweet, \"I can\'t seem to get this one part in the potion right.\"

Well, Snape was known for his Slytherin favoritism, and this was no different. He softly sighed, rose and walked over to where Pansy was squriming in delight. Perfect.

Oh...Hermione knew exactly what Pansy was doing. She felt her cheeks burn with anger...why did she always have to flaunt her own brilliance? Pansy was making so much progress it was mind boggling. Hermione decided resolutely, Snape was a man who wanted a forward girl...one to be direct...someone like Pansy.

\"What don\'t you understand?\" he said stiffly, standing accross from her, Pansy licked her lips slowly as he shuffled looking at her table.

\"Err...it would be better if I showed you from this side,\" she said motioning beside her. Hermione sighed heavily, honestly it was getting pathetic.

Snape must have caught wind of her sigh because he looked to her, laboring over her potion as Pansy stood before him, looking helpless. He had the distinct feeling he was being toyed with.

\"I can understand perfectly from where I\'m currently standing, Miss Parkinson.\" he said boredly, looking to her with dark, eyes.

Pansy flushed nodding, \"Right. I just thought...well, anyway, I think I can get on all right. I was just reading the instructions wrong. Thanks anyway.\"

Hermione had long ignored the interaction between Pansy and Snape and was currently bringing her potion to a simmer. She heard his voice as he spoke with Pansy, and her mind started to wander.

She imagined them alone in his classroom, candles all around and Snape coming up behind her, kissing her neck softly, his arms wrapped around her middle as she grasped the back of his neck in a passionate kiss.

She could practically feel his fingers dancing along her skin, playing about with her nipples and kissing her deeply, his tongue sliding in and tasting her. She shivered at this image.

\"Are you cold?\"

Hermione nearly jumped as she realized the real life Snape was standing directly behind her. She thought she could feel his robes brushing her bare calves. Her heart stopped a moment.

\"No sir.\" she said, not able to turn and meet his eyes. \"I\'m not cold.\"

Pansy looked over to Snape, looking to the back of Hermione\'s head and she instantly kicked herself for acting so forward...perhaps Snape was a man who wanted a meek, timid woman...like Hermione.

Hermione heard Snape breathing shallowly behind her a moment and then uttering a low, \"Carry on then.\" he was gone.

And so was her chance.

By the end of the three hour detention, Hermione\'s hand was cramped as was Pansy\'s, and all prior thoughts about seducing Snape were replaced by comforting images of beds and sleeping.

Pansy dragged herself up to the front of Snape\'s classroom and handed him her paper. He nodded, taking it from her and watching her stroll off. He looked over to Hermione on the other side of the vast and dimly lit room.

\"Time\'s up Granger.\"

Hermione could only nod, frustrated as she finished her last paragraph and made her way to the front with her tube and messy parchment. She felt nervous just walking up to see him as he was staring at her at the moment, just like at dinner.

\"Here you are sir.\"

She handed her paper to him, leaning forward a bit as he was leaning back, not looking at him...my he smelled good. Must be all those potions he works on..

When her dark eyes finally looked to him, to her surprise he was staring directly at her quite overly exposed chest. She breathed heavily as a look of pure, unadulterated arousal set about his features.

She stood straight then, looking to his gaze that was now set on her eyes, looking neutral. She didn\'t speak, but as usual Snape did.

\"Is there a problem, Miss Granger?\"

Hermione shook her head no, and turning ran from the classroom. Only there was a problem. A big one.

A tall, dark git of a problem.